Self-Defeating Regional Concentration

We present a simple model of a two-region economy in which undesirable concentration may occur. With freedom to choose where to live, individuals in this economy concentrate into one region in their pursuit of better life, and end up becoming worse off. We characterize the conditions under which such self-defeating concentration occurs in terms of a few key parameters, such as economies of scale in nontradeable service sectors, regional differences in labor productivity in tradeable goods sectors, and substitutability of tradeable goods in consumption.

Self-Defeating Regional Concentration

We present a two-region economy model, in which inefficienct concentration may occur. Individuals in this economy, even though they prefer evenly distributed across the two regions, concentrate into one region in their pursuit of better life. We characterize the conditions for such self-defeating concentration. What is crucial is the coordination failure between the entry decision of service firms and the migration decision of individuals, generated by the incompleteness of markets, or the lack of opportunity to signal demand and supply for potential services. The argument does not rely on price distortions, congestion externalities, or myopia in migration decisions.

Self-Defeating Regional Concentration

We present a simple model fo a two-region economy in which undesirable concentration may occur. With reedom to choose where to lifve, individuals in this economy concentrate into one region in their pursuit of better life, and end up becoming worse off. We characterize the conditions under which such self-defeating concentration occurs in terms of a few key parameters, such as economies of scale in nontradeable service sectors, regional differences in labor productivity in tradeable goods sectors, and substitutabilty of tradeable goods in consumption.Labor Migration, Stability of Population Distribution, Undesirable Regional Concentration, Essentialty in Consumption.

Novel nano-hydroxyapatite coating of additively manufactured three-dimensional porous implants improves bone ingrowth and initial fixation

Electron beam melting (EBM) has been used to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) porous Ti-6Al-4V surfaces for acetabular cups in total hip arthroplasty. However, there are radiographic concerns regarding poor implant fixation and bone ingrowth around electron beam melted (EBMed) 3D porous cups. We hypothesize that nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) coating can promote bone ingrowth and thus decrease the occurrence of radiolucent lines around EBMed 3D porous cups. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a novel nHA coating on the biological performance of EBMed 3D porous implants in a beagle transcortical model. Low-porosity (control) and high-porosity 3D porous Ti-6Al-4V implants were manufactured using EBM. Half of the high-porosity implants were coated with nHA without clogging the 3D pores. Implants were inserted into the femoral diaphysis of the beagles. The beagles were euthanized at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively, and push-out testing was performed. Bone ingrowth was evaluated by histological analysis. Although the increase in porosity alone had no effect on biological behavior, the addition of nHA to high-porosity 3D implants significantly improved early bone fixation and bone ingrowth into the deep region of porous structures compared to low-porosity implants. This is the first report of a novel nHA coating that improved bone ingrowth into the deeper regions of 3D porous implants, which can prevent the occurrence of radiolucent lines around EBMed 3D porous cups.Watanabe R., Takahashi H., Matsugaki A., et al. Novel nano-hydroxyapatite coating of additively manufactured three-dimensional porous implants improves bone ingrowth and initial fixation. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part B Applied Biomaterials. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.b.35165

Hypertrophic Chondrocytes Differentiate into Osteogenic Cells

The fate of hypertrophic chondrocytes during endochondral ossification remains controversial. It has long been thought that the calcified cartilage is invaded by blood vessels and that new bone is deposited on the surface of the eroded cartilage by newly arrived cells. The present study was designed to determine whether hypertrophic chondrocytes were destined to die or could survive to participate in new bone formation. In a rabbit experiment, a membrane filter with a pore size of 1 mm was inserted in the middle of the hypertrophic zone of the distal growth plate of ulna. In 33 of 37 animals, vascular invasion was successfully interposed by the membrane filter. During 8 days, the cartilage growth plate was enlarged, making the thickness 3-fold greater than that of the nonoperated control side. Histological examination demonstrated that the hypertrophic zone was exclusively elongated. At the terminal end of the growth plate, hypertrophic chondrocytes extruded from their territorial matrix into the open cavity on the surface of the membrane filter. The progenies of hypertrophic chondrocytes (PHCs) were PCNA positive and caspase-3 negative. In situ hybridization studies demonstrated that PHCs did not express cartilage matrix proteins anymore but expressed bone matrix proteins. Immunohistochemical studies also emonstrated that the new matrix produced by PHCs contained type I collagen, osteonectin, and osteocalcin. Based on these results, we concluded that hypertrophic chondrocytes switched into bone-forming cells after vascular invasion was interposed in the normal growth plate

Conception of cooperation curriculum among elementary, junior high and high schools to promote the qualities and abilities of home economics: the common concept and the systematization of the learning contents

家庭科の目標達成のためには，小・中・高等学校が連携してカリキュラム・マネジメントを行うことが重要である。本研究では，中教審答申(平成28 年)で示された「生活の営みに係る見方・考え方」の視点のひとつである「生活文化の継承・創造」を主たるコンセプトとして，連携カリキュラムを構想した。この研究の第１年目にあたる本稿では，カリキュラム案を構想しつつ，現在附属中学校で展開している食生活の題材の成果と課題を検証し，学びのストーリーと学習内容の体系化の検討を踏まえて，パフォーマンス課題案を構想することを目的とした。平成28年度附属中学校３年生（110 名）が各自取り組んだ，「ひろしま・ライスクッキングコンテスト『伝えていきたいわが家の味・ふるさとの味』」の成果を，実践後に提出された「地産地消について」及び「お米やご飯食について」の記述から分析した。その成果と課題を踏まえて，食生活学習展開の改善案を検討した。また，現時点でのカリキュラムの最終段階の資質・能力の構想案と，逆向き設計の考え方に基づいてコンセプトの下位概念としての目標設定案を提示した。さらに，有効なパフォーマンス課題とその評価指標を構想した。It is important for elementary, junior high, and high schools to manage their curriculums in cooperation to achieve the goals of home economics. In this research, we developed a collaborative curriculum, building on the concept of the “succession and creation of the Culture of Life”, which is one of the visions of the “perspectives on and attitudes about living behavior” included in the 2016 report from Japan’s Central Council for Education. We examined the results and assignments of the lesson topics concerning dietary life developed in the attached junior high school of Hiroshima University. Based on this, a performance plan was devised via the systematization of learning stories and learning contents. We analyzed students’ descriptions of “local production for local consumption” and “rice and living on rice” after the “Rice Cooking Contest Hiroshima 2016”. We considered and proposed a new framework of the qualities and abilities in the final stage of the curriculum

Structure-activity relations of rosmarinic acid derivatives for the amyloid β aggregation inhibition and antioxidant properties

Amyloid-β aggregation inhibitors are expected to be therapeutic or prophylactic agents for Alzheimer\u27s disease. Rosmarinic acid, which is one of the main aggregation inhibitors derived from Lamiaceae, was employed as a lead compound and its 25 derivatives were synthesized. In this study,the structure-activity relations of rosmarinic acid derivatives for the amyloid-β aggregation inhibitory effect (MSHTS assay), antioxidant properties, and xanthine oxidase inhibition were evaluated. Among the tested compounds, compounds 16d and 19 were found to the most potent amyloid aggregation inhibitors. The SAR revealed that the necessity of the presence of the phenolic hydroxyl on one side of the molecule as well as the lipophilicity of the entire molecule. The importance of these structural properties was also supported by docking simulations

Post-induction MRD by FCM and GATA1-PCR are significant prognostic factors for myeloid leukemia of Down syndrome.

Myeloid leukemia of Down syndrome (ML-DS) is associated with good response to chemotherapy, resulting in favorable outcomes. However, no universal prognostic factors have been identified to date. To clarify a subgroup with high risk of relapse, the role of minimal residual disease (MRD) was explored in the AML-D11 trial by the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group. MRD was prospectively evaluated at after induction therapy and at the end of all chemotherapy, using flow cytometry (FCM-MRD) and GATA1-targeted deep sequencing (GATA1-MRD). A total of 78 patients were eligible and 76 patients were stratified to the standard risk (SR) group by morphology. In SR patients, FCM-MRD and GATA1-MRD after induction were positive in 5/65 and 7/59 patients, respectively. Three-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 93.3% and 95.0% in the FCM-MRD-negative population, and 60.0% and 80.0% in the positive population. Three-year EFS and OS rates were both 96.2% in the GATA1-MRD-negative population, and 57.1% and 71.4% in the positive population. Adjusted hazard ratios for associations of FCM-MRD or GATA1-MRD with EFS were 10.98 (p = 0.01) and 27.68 (p < 0.01), respectively. Detection of MRD by either FCM or GATA1 after initial induction therapy represents a significant prognostic factor for predicting ML-DS relapse