Longevity-associated NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit-2 237 Leu/Met Polymorphism Modulates the Effects of Daily Alcohol Drinking on Yearly Changes in Serum Total and LDL Cholesterol in Japanese Men

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase subunit 2 237 leucine/methionine (ND2-237 Leu/Met) polymorphism, is reportedly associated with longevity in the Japanese population. The ND2-237Met genotype may exert resistance to atherogenic diseases, such as myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular disorders. To investigate whether ND2-237 Leu/Met polymorphism is associated with yearly changes in serum lipid levels, we conducted a longitudinal study of 107 healthy Japanese male subjects. Analysis of covariance revealed that the interaction between the ND2-237 Leu/Met genotypes and habitual drinking was significantly associated with yearly changes in serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels (p0.036 and p0.006, respectively). In multiple regression analysis, daily drinking was significantly and positively associated with yearly changes in serum LDLC levels in men with ND2-237Met (p0.026). After adjusting for covariates, yearly changes in serum LDLC levels were significantly lower in non-daily drinkers with ND2-237Met than in those with ND2-237Leu (p0.047). These results suggest that ND2-237Met has a beneficial impact on yearly changes in serum LDLC in non-daily drinkers but not in daily drinkers.</p

Valsartan in a Japanese population with hypertension and other cardiovascular disease (Jikei Heart Study): a randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint morbidity-mortality study. Lancet 369

Summary Background Drugs that inhibit the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system benefi t patients at risk for or with existing cardiovascular disease. However, evidence for this eff ect in Asian populations is scarce. We aimed to investigate whether addition of an angiotensin receptor blocker, valsartan, to conventional cardiovascular treatment was eff ective in Japanese patients with cardiovascular disease

Beam and SKS spectrometers at the K1.8 beam line

High-resolution spectrometers for both incident beams and scattered particles have been constructed at the K1.8 beam line of the Hadron Experimental Facility at J-PARC. A point-to-point optics is realized between the entrance and exit of QQDQQ magnets for the beam spectrometer. Fine-pitch wire chamber trackers and hodoscope counters are installed in the beam spectrometer to accept a high rate beam up to 107 Hz. The superconducting kaon spectrometer for scattered particles was transferred from KEK with modifications to the cryogenic system and detectors. A missing-mass resolution of 1.9 ± 0.1 MeV/c2 (FWHM) was achieved for the ∑ peaks of (π±, K+) reactions on a proton target in the first physics run of E19 in 2010

Applications of RBPN for Pattern Recognition

Based on radial basis function neural network (RBFN) and perceptron neural network, this paper built a new four-layer feed-forward neural network named radial basis perceptron network (RBPN). This network can be summarized as follows: (1) It is selective connection between the units of two hidden layers; (2) The number of units of hidden layers is to be defined dynamically; (3) During learning procedure, RBPN adopts input-output clustering (IOC) method, and the appearance parameters of centers is self-adjustable. This is illustrated using an example taken from applications for component analysis of civil building materials. Simulation shows that RBPN can be used to predict the components of civil building materials successfully and gets good generalization ability

Development of a fluorogenic small substrate for dipeptidyl peptidase-4

A series of aniline and m-phenylenediamine derivatives with electron-withdrawing 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl substituents were synthesized as small and chemically stable fluorescent organic compounds. Their fluorescence performances were evaluated by converting 2,4-disubstituted aniline 1 to the non-fluorescent dipeptide analogue H-Gly-Pro-1 for the use as a fluorogenic substrate for dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). The progress of the enzymatic hydrolysis of H-Gly-Pro-1 with DPP-4 was monitored by fluorometric determination of 1 released into the reaction medium. The results suggest that 1 could be used as fluorophore in OFF–ON-type fluorogenic probes

Subspace Predictive Control for General Dual-Rate Sampled-Data Systems

In this paper a novel predictive control design method is proposed. Using a modified subspace state-space identification algorithm, lifted state-space models for general dual-rate systems is identified from the input-output data. Based on the estimated lifted system matrices, we establish two predictors which realize the prediction of the output of general dual-rate systems. Then the predictors are applied to predictive control design subject to a linear quadratic cost function for general dual-rate systems

Global-scale projection and its sensitivity analysis of the health burden attributable to childhood undernutrition under the latest scenario framework for climate change research

This study assessed the health burden attributable to childhood underweight through 2050 focusing on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), by considering the latest scenarios for climate change studies (representative concentration pathways and shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs)) and conducting sensitivity analysis. A regression model for estimating DALYs attributable to childhood underweight (DAtU) was developed using the relationship between DAtU and childhood stunting. We combined a global computable general equilibrium model, a crop model, and two regression models to assess the future health burden. We found that (i) world total DAtU decreases from 2005 by 28 ∼ 63% in 2050 depending on the socioeconomic scenarios. Per capita DAtU also decreases in all regions under either scenario in 2050, but the decreases vary significantly by regions and scenarios. (ii) The impact of climate change is relatively small in the framework of this study but, on the other hand, socioeconomic conditions have a great impact on the future health burden. (iii) Parameter uncertainty of the regression models is the second largest factor on uncertainty of the result following the changes in socioeconomic condition, and uncertainty derived from the difference in global circulation models is the smallest in the framework of this study