Absorption of Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) In Vitro Across Bovine Jejunal and Ileal Epithelia Around the Time of Weaning

Using the everted sac methodology as well as an Ussing chamber, we investigated changes in the absorption of horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7, HRP (40 kDa)) in jejunum and ileum segments isolated from male Holstein cattle around the time of weaning (6 to 15 wks old). By the everted sac method, HRP transport (HRP concentration on the serosal side sampled after a 60-min-incubation) at 15 wks of age was significantly greater than that at 6 wks of age, in both segments of the intestine. Absorption was not significantly different between the jejunum and ileum. Addition of Na^+/K^+ ATPase inhibitor (ouabain, 1 mM) did not cause any significant change in HRP absorption, whereas Na^+/H^+ anti-transporter inhibitor (amiloride, 1μM) significantly increased the absorption in both sacs at 8 wks of age. By the Ussing chamber method, there were no significant differences between the values for Jsm and Jms, while the Jnet value was nearly zero for both epithelia. In addition, the flux (Jms) of Lucifer yellow, a cell-membrane-impermeable fluorescence dye, was significantly greater at 6 than at 13 wks of age in the ileal epithelia, although the flux was significantly greater in the jejunal than the ileal epithelia at both ages. From these findings, we conclude that: 1) bovine jejunal and ileal epithelia are able to absorb a large molecule such as the HRP protein; 2) HRP transport occurs in a concentration-dependent manner and may in part be via a paracellular pathway; 3) the increased HRP transport shown at 15 wks of age may not be caused by an increased use of the paracellular pathway.horseradish peroxidaseabsorptiontransportcal

Musical combinatorics, tonnetz, and the CubeHarmonic

In this paper, we give an overview of some applications of combinatorics and permutations in music through the centuries. The concepts of permutation and tonnetz (spatial representation of voice leading and modulation) can be joined together in a physical device, the CubeHarmonic, a musical version of the Rubik’s cube. We finally describe a prototype of the CubeHarmonic that uses the magnetic tracking technology developed at the Tohoku University

Cubeharmonic: A New Interface From A Magnetic 3D Motion Tracking System To Music Performance

We developed a new musical interface, CubeHarmonic, with the magnetic 3D motion tracking system IM3D. This system precisely tracks positions of tiny, wireless, battery-less, and identifiable markers (LC coils) in real time. The CubeHarmonic is a musical application of the Rubik’s cube, with notes on each little piece. Scrambling the cube, we get different chords and chord sequences. Positions of the pieces which contain LC coils are detected through IM3D, and transmitted to the computer to recognize the status of the Rubik’s cube, that plays sounds. The central position of the cube is also measured by the LC coils located into the corners of Rubik’s cube, and, depending on the position, we can manipulate overall loudness and pitch changes, as in theremin playing. This new instrument, whose first idea comes from mathematical theory of music, can be used as a teaching tool both for math (group theory) and music (music theory, mathematical music theory), as well as a composition device, a new instrument for avant-garde performances, and a recreational tool

Musical combinatorics, tonnetz, and the CubeHarmonic

In this paper, we give an overview of some applications of combinatorics and permutations in music through the centuries. The concepts of permutation and tonnetz (spatial representation of voice leading and modulation) can be joined together in a physical device, the CubeHarmonic, a musical version of the Rubik's cube. We finally describe a prototype of the CubeHarmonic that uses the magnetic tracking technology developed at the Tohoku University

〈研究論文〉漢字の習得に困難のある小学校3年生への漢字の指導の検討 : プランニングを促進する指導の実践

漢字の習得に困難を示し，プランニングの弱さが示唆される児童へ，プランニングを促進する認知特性に応じた漢字指導を行い，その効果について検討した。対象児は，テストの正答数が増え，漢字を出力するのに有効な入力の仕方に気づきつつある様子が見られ，漢字学習に対する自己効力感が促進された。また，自発的に使用した方略の種類が増え，プランを働かせて漢字を覚えようとするようになってきた。プレポストとポストテストのPASS 評定尺度の得点を比較すると，保護者，教員ともプランニングの得点が高くなった。もともと高い同時処理はあまりポストテストで変化なく，逆にプレテストで低かった注意や継次処理も変化がないのは彼の特性が一貫していると考えられた｡In this study, we examined Kanji (Chinese character) lessons to a child who had difficulty in planning function and learning new Kanji. We measured the effect of the lessons and revealed the following: 1)The child learned the effective way of remembering Kanji appropriate for writing and the percentage of questions answered correctly increased. 2) The lessons gave the child a sense of self-efficacy in learning Kanji. 3)The child used planning function in learning Kanji and the number of strategies he used was increased. 4)The store of PASS rating scale in the posttest rose in comparison to pretest both in the rating by his mother and his teacher. 5)The profile of simultaneous and successive processing scale did not rise because those functions were his specific characteristic

The DBCLS BioHackathon: standardization and interoperability for bioinformatics web services and workflows. The DBCLS BioHackathon Consortium*

Web services have become a key technology for bioinformatics, since life science databases are globally decentralized and the exponential increase in the amount of available data demands for efficient systems without the need to transfer entire databases for every step of an analysis. However, various incompatibilities among database resources and analysis services make it difficult to connect and integrate these into interoperable workflows. To resolve this situation, we invited domain specialists from web service providers, client software developers, Open Bio* projects, the BioMoby project and researchers of emerging areas where a standard exchange data format is not well established, for an intensive collaboration entitled the BioHackathon 2008. The meeting was hosted by the Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS) and Computational Biology Research Center (CBRC) and was held in Tokyo from February 11th to 15th, 2008. In this report we highlight the work accomplished and the common issues arisen from this event, including the standardization of data exchange formats and services in the emerging fields of glycoinformatics, biological interaction networks, text mining, and phyloinformatics. In addition, common shared object development based on BioSQL, as well as technical challenges in large data management, asynchronous services, and security are discussed. Consequently, we improved interoperability of web services in several fields, however, further cooperation among major database centers and continued collaborative efforts between service providers and software developers are still necessary for an effective advance in bioinformatics web service technologies

Treatment of Vasodilator-resistant Mixed Connective Tissue Disease-associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension with Glucocorticoid and Cyclophosphamide

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or mixed connective tissue disease (MTCD), in contrast to other types of PAH, may respond to immunosuppressive therapy. Most PAH cases with an immunosuppressant response were in the early stages of the disease (WHO functional class III or less). The present case was a 34-year-old woman with MCTD-associated PAH (WHO functional class IV) who was resistant to a combination of three vasodilators. Afterwards, she was treated with glucocorticoid and cyclophosphamide. This case suggested the potential benefit of immunosuppressants in patients with severe MCTD-associated PAH

Successful Tocilizumab Therapy for Macrophage Activation Syndrome Associated with Adult-Onset Still’s Disease: A Case-Based Review

We report the case of a 71-year-old Japanese woman with adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) in whom macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) developed despite therapy with oral high-dose prednisolone and intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy twice. She was successfully treated with tocilizumab (TCZ). Soon afterward, her fever ceased and high levels of both ferritin and C-reactive protein levels decreased. Her course was complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation, cytomegalovirus infection, and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. After these were resolved, AOSD-associated MAS was well controlled. She was discharged on hospital day 87. Although biologics such as TCZ are becoming established for the treatment of AOSD, there is no recommended therapy for AOSD-associated MAS. Several biologics have been tried for this complication, but their efficacy and safety remain controversial. We reviewed reported cases of AOSD-associated MAS successfully treated with various biologics. TCZ initiation after adequate nonselective immunosuppressive therapy, such as methylprednisolone pulse therapy or a prednisolone-based combination of immunosuppressants, can be an effective treatment for AOSD-associated MAS. On the other hand, biologics given after insufficient immunosuppressive therapy may cause MAS. A strategy combining adequate immunosuppression and a biologic could be safe if special attention is given to adverse events such as opportunistic infections or biologic-associated MAS

Circulating plasmablasts contribute to antiphospholipid antibody production, associated with type I interferon upregulation

Essentials The mechanism of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) production remains unclear. We investigated lymphocyte subset, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and aPL-producing cells. The increase of circulating plasmablasts was associated with type I interferon upregulation. Our novel ex vivo assay revealed circulating plasmablasts as a major source of aPL. Background/objective Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are pathogenic autoantibodies in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). This study aimed to clarify the mechanism of aPL production. Methods T cell and B cell subsets were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 26 primary APS (PAPS), 19 systemic lupus erythematosus-associated APS (SLE/APS) patients and 10 healthy controls. The SLE-related or APS-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were analyzed in those patients. Interferon (IFN) score was calculated based on the mRNA expression of Ly6e, Mx1, IFIT1, and IFIT3 in PBMCs. The PBMCs obtained from APS patients were cultured ex vivo following depletion of CD20 positive or negative B cells and the culture supernatants were applied to aPL measurements. Results In PAPS and SLE/APS patients, Th2, Th17, and plasmablasts were increased while regulatory T, memory B, and regulatory B cells were decreased compared to healthy controls. Genetic analysis revealed that the increase of plasmablasts was more pronounced in patients carrying a risk allele of toll like receptor (TLR) 7 SNP rs3853839. The IFN score was significantly higher in the risk allele carriers. Ex vivo experiments showed that aPL were present in the culture supernatant of PBMCs lacking CD20+CD19+ subset, but not in that of cells lacking CD20-CD19+ subset. Conclusions Our data indicate an important role of plasmablasts in the production of aPL. Furthermore, the increase of plasmablasts was associated with TLR 7 and type I IFN, suggesting a common pathophysiology in SLE and APS. Targeting plasmablasts might be a novel immunological therapeutic approach in the treatment of APS