Serum uric acid distribution according to SLC22A12 W258X genotype in a cross-sectional study of a general Japanese population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although <it>SLC22A12 258X </it>allele was found among those with hypouricemia, it was unknown that serum uric acid distribution among those with <it>SLC22A12 258X </it>allele. This study examined serum uric acid (SUA) distribution according to <it>SLC22A12 </it>W258X genotype in a general Japanese population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects were 5,023 health checkup examinees (3,413 males and 1,610 females) aged 35 to 69 years with creatinine < 2.0 mg/dL, who were participants of a cohort study belonging to the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study (J-MICC Study). <it>SLC22A12 </it>W258X was genotyped with a polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genotype frequency was 4,793 for <it>WW</it>, 225 for <it>WX</it>, and 5 for <it>XX</it>, which was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p = 0.164) with <it>X </it>allele 0.023 (95% confidence interval [0.021-0.027]). Mean (range) SUA was 6.2 (2.1-11.4) mg/dL for <it>WW</it>, 3.9 (0.8-7.8) mg/dL for <it>WX</it>, and 0.8 (0.7-0.9) mg/dL for <it>XX </it>among males, and 4.5 (1.9-8.9) mg/dL, 3.3 (2.0-6.5) mg/dL, and 0.60 (0.5-0.7) mg/dL among females, respectively. Six individuals with SUA less than 1.0 mg/dL included two males with <it>XX </it>genotype, one male with <it>WX </it>genotype, and three females with <it>XX </it>genotype. Subjects with <it>WX </it>genotype were 14 (77.8%) of 18 males with a SUA of 1.0-2.9 mg/dL, and 28 (34.6%) of 81 females with the same range of SUA. The corresponding values were 131 (25.1%) of 522 males and 37 (3.5%) of 1,073 females for SUA 3.0-4.9 mg/dL, and 8 (0.4%) of 2,069 males and 5 (1.1%) of 429 females for SUA 5.0-6.9 mg/dL. The <it>X </it>allele effect for SUA less than 3 mg/dL was significantly (p < 0.001) higher in males (OR = 102.5, [33.9-309.8]) than in females (OR = 25.6 [14.4-45.3]).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although <it>SLC22A12 </it>W258X was a determining genetic factor on SUA, SUA of those with <it>WX </it>genotype distributed widely from 0.8 mg/dL to 7.8 mg/dL. It indicated that other genetic traits and/or lifestyle affected SUA of those with <it>WX </it>genotype, as well as those with <it>WW </it>genotype.</p

Mathematical Modelling by Using Computer（Ⅲ） : Using Laplace equation

The purpose of a series of our studies is to discuss effective method of mathematical modelling by using computer. In this paper, activities for mathematical exploration by using computer are focused. For this purpose, we treated Laplace equation and studied some basic properties of harmonic functions, Poisson integrals, and the Dirichlet problem for the unit disk. A feature of the method is to provide situations in which students make mathematical models. And another feature is to give students enough time to get the numerical calculation and make conjectures on some results by using computer. The practice shows that some students had difficulty in making and solving mathematical models by using computer, but gradually felt interested in considering about some phenomenon

Cualidades y Habilidades Profesionales Requeridas para los Maestros con el Enfoque del Mejoramiento de la Capacidad Docente

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan focused on the next four points in order to develop teachers' competences and abilities. (1)Establishment of "the model of a teacher who learns through her/his career in order to acquire a professional achievement". (2) To advance teacher training from graduate level to master degree level. (3) Cooperation between boards of education, schools and Universities. (4) Promotion of research in the field of learning science and forming curriculum. Also, the following three points are suggested in these educational reforms. Firstly, society is improved through teachers' advanced competences and abilities. Secondly, advanced teacher training in University and school is needed to improve teachers' competences and abilities. Thirdly, Universities must participate in teacher training systematically in order to achieve the above two points. Hiroshima University conducted research on the advancement of teachers' competences and abilities under the commission of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan (2012). We focused on this question; what are the competences and abilities that are needed for teachers? We conducted questionnaire research in order to clarify the components of teachers' competences and abilities. This paper shows a part of our research