「火車」を見る者たち―平安・鎌倉期往生説話の〈死と救済〉―

　本稿は、平安・鎌倉期の往生説話における「火車」の存在意義を考察することによって、当時の人々の〈死と救済〉の概念を探ったものである。まず、『今昔物語集』の済源伝を、『日本往生極楽記』に載る異伝と比較することによって、「火車」が「罪」と結びつくものであることを指摘した。さらに、『今昔物語集』と『宝物集』に載る悪人往生の「火車」説話を比較し、その罪が「五逆」に相当するような大罪であることを明らかにした。『宝物集』や『発心集』に載る「火車」説話は、『往生要集』を源泉として、臨終行儀と深く結びつくことによって成立している。それに対して、『今昔物語集』の「火車」説話は、その事件性に主眼があり、第三者の視線にさらされる「火車」の姿を示すことによって、のちに妖怪化する「火車」の怪異性を、先見的に示すものであったと位置づけた。　 This paper examines concepts of death and salvation in the Heian and Kamakura periods by considering the reasons why Kasha appeared in the Setsuwa literature on passing into the next life. First, I point out that Kasha was connected with sin by comparing the biography of Saigen in Konjyaku monogatari shu with a different version of it contained in Nihon ojyo gokuraku ki. Furthermore, the sin turned out to be a serious one, equivalent to Gogyaku (the five Buddhist deadly sins) through a comparison of Kasha stories on a sinners death in Konjyaku monogatari shu and Hobutsu shu. Kasha tales in Hobutsu shu and Hosshin shu, whose source was Ojyo yo shu, were formed under the strong influence of Rinju Gyogi (Ars Moriendi). In contrast, an episode of Kasha in Konjyaku monogatari shu focuses a dramatic aspect of the story. It adumbrated the strangeness of Kasha which would become Yokai, depicting its figure exposed to the eyes of the third party

A kinesthetic-based collaborative learning system for distributed algorithms

In this paper, we present a learning support system DASE-E to help students understand fundamental concepts of distributed algorithms in computer science. DASE-E is a collaborative learning system, in which the task of students is to devise a distributed algorithm. DASE-E offers a set of small wireless terminals with accelerometers. Each student plays the role of a process with a terminal, according to the algorithm that students devised. Each terminal enables a student to take physical actions that control the behavior of a process in the simulator. After the role playing simulation is finished, students discuss their activity played back on a screen. We implemented the system for learning distributed leader election algorithms, had a trial exercise in our research group, and we confirmed that it is effective to learn the critical part of distributed systems and algorithms

Levels of Octachlorostyrene in Mothers' Milk and Potential Exposure Among Infants in Sendai City, Japan 2012

Persistent organic pollutants can accumulate inside the human body, including in mothers’ milk, which may affect infant development. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine selected persistent organic pollutants in the milk of 100 mothers in Sendai city, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. We used gas-chromatography-electron capture negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry to check for octachlorostyrene, dechlorane (Dec) plus, Dec 602, Dec 603, and Dec 604. Octachlorostyrene was detected in 86 samples at more than the method detection limit (84 pg g-lipid⁻¹) but no dechloranes were above the method detection limit (1 ng mL⁻¹ for dechlorane plus, Dec 602, and Dec 603; 20 ng mL⁻¹ for Dec 604). The mean octachlorostyrene concentration was 461 pg g-lipid−1, the median was 337 pg g-lipid⁻¹, and the standard deviation 450 pg g-lipid⁻¹. No baseline characteristics were associated with octachlorostyrene level except for mother’s occupation (stay-at-home mother, 353 ± 327 pg g-lipid⁻¹; others, 531 ± 509 pg g-lipid⁻¹). Octachlorostyrene was also significantly negatively correlated with lipid content (r = −0.35, p = 0.0004). However, the maximum intake of octachlorostyrene among infants in this study (3.5 ng/kg/day) was under the acceptable daily intake (30 ng/kg/day, derived from 12−month study in rats), and is therefore unlikely to pose a health risk

SYNTHESIS OF PROCYANIDINS C2 AND C1 USING LEWIS ACID MEDIATED EQUIMOLAR CONDENSATION

Synthesis of procyanidins C2 and C1 was achieved via a stereoselective intermolecular condensation of equimolar amount of dimeric catechin or epicatechin nucleophile and monomeric catechin or epicatechin electrophile using Lewis acid. In the case of synthesis of procyanidin C2, AgBF4 and AgOTf afforded condensed product in excellent yield. As to the synthesis of procyanidin C1, Yb(OTf)(3) was effective for equimolar condensation.ArticleHETEROCYCLES. 85(9):2241-2250 (2012)journal articl

Role of CD10 in the Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer to the Liver.

CD10 is a widely expressed endopeptidase that is present in human colorectal cancer (CRC), which shows a high frequency of liver metastasis. CD10 expression in CRC cells is associated with liver metastasis in rodent models, and CD10 expression enhances the phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and extracellular signalregulated kinase (ERK) l/2. Met-enkephalin (MENK), a CD10 substrate, activates its specific receptor δ-opioid receptor (DOR), which is expressed in CRCs. DOR is a partial agonist of ERK1/2, which suppresses EGF-induced phosphorylation of EGFR and ERK1/2. CD10 retains EGF-induced EGFR activation by degrading MENK. Paradoxically, CRCs express MENK at a high frequency. Since MENK suppresses T lymphocytes, CD10-expressing CRCs can escape from T-cell immunity without exhibiting auto-inhibition. CD10 is strongly associated with the metastasis of CRCs to the liver via an immunosuppressive mechanism. Additionally, CD10 may be an excellent serum marker for liver metastasis in patients with CRC and could represent a potential molecular target for antimetastatic treatment in patients with CRC