Predicting Yield, Flowering and Harvesting Dates of Highbush Blueberry Using Temperature Data: a Case Study in Field Science Center of Tohoku University

Poster Presentation

Combining course- and program-level outcomes assessments through embedded performance assessments at key courses: A proposal based on the experience from a Japanese dental education program

This paper addresses how to combine the course- and program-level assessments and presents a new method illustrated by a case of dental education program in Japan. Performance assessments are considered effective for evaluating knowledge integration and higher-order skills, while placing a burden on faculty, hence their feasibility as the program-level assessment is regarded lower than standardized tests or questionnaire surveys. We have developed several performance assessments at the course level, such as Modified Triple Jump for the PBL course. Based on this experience, we propose Pivotal Embedded Performance Assessment (PEPA) as a method for combining assessment at the course and program levels. The method limits the range of performance assessment to key courses directly linked to program goals and placed at the critical juncture points of curriculum, while entrusting the assessment of other courses to expert judgment of individual teachers. PEPA consists of the following procedures: systematization of curriculum and selection of key courses; design and implementation of performance assessments by a faculty team; setting passing criteria with incorporating the function of formative assessment; certifying the completion of the degree program. PEPA thus enables maintaining assessment feasibility and compatibility with a credit system, while ensuring assessment validity and reliability.Received: 27 September 2018Accepted: 13 November 2018Published online: 29 November 2018</p

New Short Term Prediction Method for Chemical Carcinogenicity by Hepatic Transcript Profiling Following 28-Day Toxicity Tests in Rats

We have previously shown the hepatic gene expression profiles of carcinogens in 28-day toxicity tests were clustered into three major groups (Group-1 to 3). Here, we developed a new prediction method for Group-1 carcinogens which consist mainly of genotoxic rat hepatocarcinogens. The prediction formula was generated by a support vector machine using 5 selected genes as the predictive genes and predictive score was introduced to judge carcinogenicity. It correctly predicted the carcinogenicity of all 17 Group-1 chemicals and 22 of 24 non-carcinogens regardless of genotoxicity. In the dose-response study, the prediction score was altered from negative to positive as the dose increased, indicating that the characteristic gene expression profile emerged over a range of carcinogen-specific doses. We conclude that the prediction formula can quantitatively predict the carcinogenicity of Group-1 carcinogens. The same method may be applied to other groups of carcinogens to build a total system for prediction of carcinogenicity

Discrimination of Carcinogens by Hepatic Transcript Profiling in Rats Following 28-day Administration

This study aimed at discriminating carcinogens on the basis of hepatic transcript profiling in the rats administrated with a variety of carcinogens and non-carcinogens. We conducted 28-day toxicity tests in male F344 rats with 47 carcinogens and 26 non-carcinogens, and then investigated periodically the hepatic gene expression profiles using custom microarrays. By hierarchical cluster analysis based on significantly altered genes, carcinogens were clustered into three major groups (Group 1 to 3). The formation of these groups was not affected by the gene sets used as well as the administration period, indicating that the grouping of carcinogens was universal independent of the conditions of both statistical analysis and toxicity testing. Seventeen carcinogens belonging to Group 1 were composed of mainly rat hepatocarcinogens, most of them being mutagenic ones. Group 2 was formed by three subgroups, which were composed of 23 carcinogens exhibiting distinct properties in terms of genotoxicity and target tissues, namely nonmutagenic hepatocarcinogens, and mutagenic and nonmutagenic carcinogens both of which are targeted to other tissues. Group 3 contained 6 carcinogens including 4 estrogenic substances, implying the group of estrogenic carcinogens. Gene network analyses revealed that the significantly altered genes in Group 1 included Bax, Tnfrsf6, Btg2, Mgmt and Abcb1b, suggesting that p53-mediated signaling pathway involved in early pathologic alterations associated with preceding mutagenic carcinogenesis. Thus, the common transcriptional signatures for each group might reflect the early molecular events of carcinogenesis and hence would enable us to identify the biomarker genes, and then to develop a new assay for carcinogenesis prediction

A New Training Equipment and Method for Increasing Speed and Strength

この特殊なトレーニング方法および装置は, 競技スポーツの動きのなかで筋力やスピードの強化を可能にするため, 工夫されたものである。走・跳の実際の動きのなかで実施可能ないわゆる Special training 方法として考案されたものである。さらに現在はNASAのある研究班に取り上げられ, 無重力状態で常時着用することが出来, 携帯便利と軽量の利点をもつもので, 将来宇宙ステーションのトレーニング方法になるのではないかと, その効果について検討されているものである。一方, リハビリテーションのスポーツ療法としての実用性と価値は, マレーシアの University Sains の医学部生理学教室で, 長期臥床の患者に取りつけ, 下肢の抗重力筋の萎縮や骨の脱灰 (Osteoporosis) の予防として, 臨床テストに使われているものである。本実験は100m走と12分間走, 即ち, 短距離走と長距離走の走運動中に, このトレーニング装置を着用するものと, 着用しないものとの間の Performances の相違および心拍数の変化についてみたものである。結果は下記のように要約される。1. 100m走の場合, Driving Leg の膝の Pick-up が速くなり, そのため Step Frequency が増加し, その反面 Driving Leg が Expansable Tube からの抵抗により, Step Length が短くなった。上記の二つの走速度を決定する要因の変化にもかかわらず, 100m走の所要時間にはほとんど差が見られず, 僅か0.3秒の差はあるが統計的有意ではなかった。2. 12分間走の走距離と心拍数の関係については, 着用したものと着用しないものとの間に顕著な差が見られた。着用した場合走距離が約400m取る減少 (2992.56 : 2608.33m) し, その減少率は13%である。心拍数では着用したグループが有意に増加 (161.25 : 153.67回/分) し, その増加率は約5%である。3. Expansable Tube の牽引力 (抵抗力) は, Easy Speed Running の時の最大伸展時に約5kgの張力がかかり, Top Speed での走運動時ではLoad Cell の立ち上がりと Expansable Tube の収縮と伸展との間に時間のずれが大きく, 正確に測定することができず。遠隔操作が可能で携帯便利な新しい機械の出現に期待する

Identification of novel citrullinated autoantigens of synovium in rheumatoid arthritis using a proteomic approach

Recently, autoantibodies to some citrullinated autoantigens have been reported to be specific for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, an entire profile of and autoimmunity of the citrullinated proteins have been poorly understood. To understand the profile, we examined citrullinated autoantigens by a proteomic approach and further investigated the significance of citrullination in antigenicity of one of the autoantigens. Specifically, we detected citrullinated autoantigens in synovial tissue of a patient with RA by two-dimensional electrophoresis and Western blotting by using pooled sera from five patients with RA and anti-citrulline antibodies. After identifying the detected autoantigens by mass spectrometry, we investigated the contribution of citrullination to autoantigenicity by using a recombinant protein with or without citrullination on one of the identified novel citrullinated autoantigens. As a result, we found 51 citrullinated protein spots. Thirty (58.8%) of these spots were autoantigenic. We identified 13 out of the 30 detected citrullinated autoantigenic proteins. They contained three fibrinogen derivatives and several novel citrullinated autoantigens (for example, asporin and F-actin capping protein α-1 subunit [CapZα-1]). We further analyzed the contribution of citrullination to autoantigenicity in one of the detected citrullinated autoantigens, CapZα-1. As a result, frequencies of autoantibodies to non-citrullinated CapZα-1 were 36.7% in the RA group tested, 10.7% in the osteoarthritis (OA) group, and 6.5% in healthy donors. On the other hand, those to citrullinated CapZα-1 were 53.3% in the RA group, 7.1% in the OA group, and 6.5% in the healthy donors. This shows that autoantigenicity of citrullinated or non-citrullinated CapZα-1 is relevant to RA. The antibody titers to the citrullinated CapZα-1 were significantly higher than those to the non-citrullinated CapZα-1 in 36.7% of patients; however, the other patients showed almost equal antibody titers to both citrullinated and non-citrullinated CapZα-1. Therefore, the autoantibodies would target citrulline-related and/or citrulline-unrelated epitope(s) of CapZα-1. In conclusion, we report a profile of citrullinated autoantigens for the first time. Even though citrullination is closely related to autoantigenicity, citrullination would not always produce autoantigenicity in RA. Citrullinated and non-citrullinated autoantigens/autoepitopes would have different pathological roles in RA

The Possible Role of TASK Channels in Rank-Ordered Recruitment of Motoneurons in the Dorsolateral Part of the Trigeminal Motor Nucleus.

Because a rank-ordered recruitment of motor units occurs during isometric contraction of jaw-closing muscles, jaw-closing motoneurons (MNs) may be recruited in a manner dependent on their soma sizes or input resistances (IRs). In the dorsolateral part of the trigeminal motor nucleus (dl-TMN) in rats, MNs abundantly express TWIK (two-pore domain weak inwardly rectifying K channel)-related acid-sensitive-K(+) channel (TASK)-1 and TASK3 channels, which determine the IR and resting membrane potential. Here we examined how TASK channels are involved in IR-dependent activation/recruitment of MNs in the rat dl-TMN by using multiple methods. The real-time PCR study revealed that single large MNs (&gt;35 μm) expressed TASK1 and TASK3 mRNAs more abundantly compared with single small MNs (15-20 μm). The immunohistochemistry revealed that TASK1 and TASK3 channels were complementarily distributed in somata and dendrites of MNs, respectively. The density of TASK1 channels seemed to increase with a decrease in soma diameter while there were inverse relationships between the soma size of MNs and IR, resting membrane potential, or spike threshold. Dual whole-cell recordings obtained from smaller and larger MNs revealed that the recruitment of MNs depends on their IRs in response to repetitive stimulation of the presumed Ia afferents. 8-Bromoguanosine-cGMP decreased IRs in small MNs, while it hardly changed those in large MNs, and subsequently decreased the difference in spike-onset latency between the smaller and larger MNs, causing a synchronous activation of MNs. These results suggest that TASK channels play critical roles in rank-ordered recruitment of MNs in the dl-TMN

Examination of informed consent to preoperative esophagus cancer patient

食道がん患者が食道切除術を受けることを自己決定する場合には,食道癌であることの告知と､食道癌に対する治療方法に関するインフォームド･コンセントが重要となる｡食道がん患者の治療法選択における自己決定を指向したインフォームド･コンセントの有り様について,質的帰納的に分析した文献は少ない｡今回,食道がん患者に対して,半構成的質問用紙を用いて,面接を実施することで,患者が治療法として手術を自己決定するために役立つインフォームド･コンセントとはどのようにあればいいかを明らかにした｡その結果,患者が食道切除術を受けることを決めるためには,①患者の理解度にあわせ,何度かに分けてインフォームド･コンセントが行われる必要があること,②術後に起こってくる症状,特に患者にとって苦痛を伴う検査,処置等については,患者のパーソナリティーを考えながら,術後のイメージがわくような説明が必要であること,③患者の自己決定に至る過程のみならず,インフォームド･コンセント後においても,患者や家族を支援する体制が重要であること,が明らかになった｡It is important for the patients with esophageal cancer to receive truth telling about their illness as well as to have informed consent fully concerning treatment method when making self-decision. There have been few reports about the self-decision oriented informed consent which were analyzed with qualitative induction research. We therefore conducted qualitative research using semi-structured questionnaire to elucidate how an informed consent should be conducted to support the patients to make self-decision for accepting surgical treatment. As results, 1. Informed consent should not be an event but a process according to capacity of the patients for understanding their own illness. 2. Explanation about the condition following an operation, especially about the symptom or the procedure causing pain, should be supportive for the patients with picturing a specific image, considering the personality of the patients. 3. Supportive system for patients after receiving informed consent and making a decision accepting surgical treatment should be improved because of insufficient sharing of information among medical team members

Ultraviolet Action Spectrum and Effect of EPC-K1 on Ultraviolet Radiation-induced Injury in Cultured Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes

This study was aimed to determine the ultraviolet (UV: 235-310nm) action spectrum for killing normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) and to investigate the preventive effect of EPC-K1, a phosphate diester of vitamin C and vitamin E on UV radiation-induced NHEK injury. NHEK were cultured in EpiLife medium supplemented with Human Keratinocyte Growth Supplement Kit. NHEK viability was determined by crystal violet (CV) staining 48 h after the UV irradiation. The mRNA expressions of the C/EBP homologous protein (Chop) transcription factor and endoplasmic reticulum-resident molecular chaperone, Bip, were determined by RT-PCR analyses. UV was especially effective in killing NHEK when applied in the wavelength region of 250-280nm. The minimum exposure dose required to kill 50% of cells (LD50) was 1.64mJ/cm2 at 269nm. At 235 and 310nm, the LD50 for NHEK was 6.62 and 293mJ/cm2, respectively. Irradiation of 660-mJ/cm2 at 310nm significantly decreased the cell viability to 30% of control (without irradiation). The addition of 0.1mM EPC-K1 after irradiation returned the cell viability to 118%. Six hours after the 660-mJ/cm2 irradiation at 310nm, Chop and Bip mRNA levels in NHEK were increased to 487% and 283%, respectively, and were not significantly affected by EPC-K1. Chop and Bip are responsive to ER stress. These results suggested that EPC-K1 exerts a protective effect against UV-induced NHEK injury, and further studies should investigate the molecular mechanism underlying this effect