Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells for the Treatment of Surgical Disorders in the Fetus and Neonate

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146664/1/sct312346_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146664/2/sct312346.pd

Vitamin D and responses to inhaled fluticasone in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Ken M Kunisaki1,3, Thomas S Rector2,41Pulmonary Section, 2Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research and Center for Epidemiologic and Clinical Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 3Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, 4Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USABackground: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) demonstrate variable responses to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). The factors contributing to this variability are not well understood. Data from patients with asthma have suggested that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels contribute to a lack of ICS response in asthma. The objective of this study was to determine whether serum levels of 25(OH)D were related to ICS responses in patients with COPD.Methods: A total of 60 exsmokers with severe COPD (mean forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] 1.07 L, 36% of predicted) spent 4 weeks free of any ICS, followed by 4 weeks of ICS use (fluticasone propionate 500 µg twice daily). Spirometry was performed prior to and after 4 weeks of ICS use. Blood 25(OH)D levels were measured prior to ICS use and examined for relationships to changes in FEV1 following the 4 weeks of ICS use.Results: The mean 25(OH)D level was 23.3 ± 9.3 ng/mL. There was a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (35%) and deficiency (40%). There was no relationship between baseline 25(OH)D and changes in FEV1 following 4 weeks of ICS.Conclusion: Baseline 25(OH)D does not contribute to the variation in short-term FEV1 responses to ICS in patients with severe COPD.Keywords: COPD, androstadienes, anti-inflammatory agents, spirometr

Effects of magnetic force on swimming behavior of isolated Zacco platypus in static water

It becomes quite problematic in fishery that a lot of larval fish are lost due to enter intake gates of weirs and dams. Some techniques with air bubble, electricity and light have been developed to avoid fish from entering intake gates. In recent years, action control techniques of fish with magnet are evaluated. Hutchinson et al. achieved a certain result to prevent the entrance of several species of sharks into longlines by mounting magnets on longlines. Smith & O’Connell showed that magnet worked on Raja clavata to prevent alike. Ward et al. reported the research that Danio rerio which belongs to fresh water fish changed the swimming speed and the swimming direction near the magnets. However, few studies about action control techniques of fresh water fish with magnet have been conducted. In this study, the magnetic flux density of the magnets put on the bottom of the side wall in the circular pool is changed to make clear effects of magnetic force on the swimming behavior of the isolated Zacco platypus in static water. The swimming position, the swimming speed, the fish direction and the turning angle are analyzed by capturing the swimming in the experiment. As a result, Zacco platypus is unaffected by magnet force under the condition of this experiment.The 11th Pacific Symposium on Flow Visualization and Image Processing, 2017, 1-3 December, Kumamoto, Japa

Characterization of Four Novel Nonsense Mediated Decay Homologs in Tetrahymena thermophila

From the Washington University Office of Undergraduate Research Digest (WUURD), Vol. 12, 05-01-2017. Published by the Office of Undergraduate Research. Joy Zalis Kiefer, Director of Undergraduate Research and Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences; Lindsey Paunovich, Editor; Helen Human, Programs Manager and Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences Mentor: Douglas Chalke

A Study on Enhancement of Hyperthermochemotherapy in the Presence of Buthionine Sulfoximine (BSO)

The aim of this study was enhancement of the effect of hyperthermia which is a part of the multidisciplinary treatments for carcinomas. Many physicians suffered from practical difficulty in keeping the uniformity of 43℃ in the deep organs. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) is a specific inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis, and suppress GSH activity which is related to the repair process of cell damage. In this study, colony formation was tested using HeLa cells on the condition of one hour heating in the presence of 1mM BSO which is suitable for clinical application. The concentration of 0.08ug cis DDP was used, corresponding to LD25. Colony formation was reduced to 45% and 19% at 40℃ and 41℃ in combination cis DDP in the presence of BSO. From the analysis of flowcytometry inhibition of accumulation in G2M phase was observed at 12 and 24 hours exposing to 41℃ and 42℃ heating in the presence of BSO. The cells were increased in number for 24 hours at 41ｰC heating on the basis of analysis of cell growth curve. Atotal of GSH were reduced to 2.4% in the presence of BSO as compared with 41℃ heating alone. It is concluded that BSO helps escape repair process from thermal cytotoxicity and BSO plays an important role in promoting the effect of chemohyperthermia for the treatment, of carcinomas

Changes of acidic substance and basic substance in broiler meat during the deterioration of freshness

　鶏肉の鮮度低下に伴って生ずる酸性物質と塩基性物質を，コーニソシュ系ブロイラー(10週令)の胸筋および腿筋について測定した.胸筋については同時に筋グリコーゲン量を測定し，初期の酸性物質との関係を検討した. 1) 酸性物質の生成量は胸筋，腿筋いづれも死後1時間目が最大であった.両筋の酸性物質は漸次減少の傾向を示したが，腿筋の酸性物質は初期腐敗後一時増加した. 2) 塩基性物質は胸筋，腿筋いづれも死後漸増し， 17 時間で200mglこ達した.此の時期は初期腐敗と認められた. 3) 胸筋グリコーゲンは1時間または2時間で死直後の30%に減少し， 3時間または5時間で消失した.The amount of acidic substance and basic substance generated in the course of deterioration of freshness were measured in the breast and thigh muscles of the broiler by the method of titration in non aqueous solutions. In connection with the experiment, glycogen content and pH value in the breast muscle were also measured. The results were as follows : 1) The amount of acidic substance generated was the highest at one hour after death in both muscles and it decreased gradually with the deterioration of freshness. After the stage of incipient putrefaction the amount of acidic substance increased temporarily in the thigh muscle only. 2) The amount of basic substance increased gradually from one hour after death and reached 200 mg per 100 g of meat at the stage of incipient putrefaction. 3) The amount of glycogen decreased to about 30 % of initial level within one or two hours and disappeared completely within three or five hours after death. The value of pH also dropped rapidly within one or two hours after death. 4) In the chicken muscles, it was presumed that the large part of acidic ~ubstance increased within one hour after death was closely related to the rapid breakdown of glycogen

‘‘Apapane’ and ‘‘I‘iwi’ Anthurium

This paper describes the '‘Apapane' and '‘I‘iwi' anthuriums two cut-flower varieties bred from the University of Hawai‘i patented variety 'Tropic Fire.

ASSESSMENT OF RUBRIC-BASED EVALUATION BY NONPARAMETRIC MULTIPLE COMPARISONS IN FIRST-YEAR EDUCATION IN A JAPANESE UNIVERSITY

The rubrics have become a widely referenced and utilized form of assessment on campuses across internationally. But rubric can be an asset in any classroom and at any education level but it needs to be implemented correctly. Our research question in this study is whether students were evaluated consistently and equally from teacher to teacher using rubric. To answer this research question, we performed statistical estimation using nonparametric multiple comparisons. This article reports on a normalizing rubric evaluation by nonparametric multiple comparisons in a first-year course called “Manaburu I” offered at Kobe Tokiwa University. “Manaburu” is a word coined by us: “manabu” ‘learn’ in Japanese + English able. Thus, “Manaburu” refers to Self-Directed Learning I. In the course, about 20 teachers teach about 350 students (16–17 students per teacher). Students are organized into groups of about 6. It is of course difficult for 20 teachers to evaluate their students consistently among them, making this course an appropriate site for the evaluation. We constructed a rubric for the course, under which teachers were meant to evaluate students, and presented it to both teachers and students. Our research question was whether teachers evaluated students consistently and equally according to the Steel–Dwass estimation method, a strict statistical estimation method for nonparametric multiple comparisons. The results show that teachers do not evaluate students equally. Suggestions for future research, more attention to validity and reliability, a closer focus on learning and research on rubric use in higher education

Russian Comfreyの窒素化合物

Russian comfrey の新鮮葉100g 風乾葉10g に水， 10%食塩水， 70% アルコーノレ液， 3.3%苛性ソーダ溶液， 0.3% 苛性ソーダ60% アノレコーノレ液を順次10 倍量宛加え，同じ操作を3回繰返しその合一＊液について窒素を測定した.各種溶剤可溶の窒素総量は全室奈量に対し新鮮葉は60%，風乾葉は47%で稿少ない.また試料の風乾lとより各種溶剤可溶窒素は総量lこ対し， 10%食境水可溶窒素量はその割合を減少するが， 0.3% 苛性ソーダ可溶窒素量はその割合を増加lする.純蛋白質においても同様の傾向がみられる. これは乾燥のため蛋白質に変性をきたしたもので試料保取の時期を異にしても同様な結果を示す.なおアンモニア態，硝酸態，アミノ態，アミド態，ペプチド態窒素をも測定し，特に硝酸と家畜Methemoglobinemia との関係を検討した.The nitrogen content which is soluble in many kinds of solvents, in fresh and dried leaves of Russian comfrey was investigated. Harvest periods of Russian comfrey are in the latter part of May and in the early part of September. Ratios of H 20 and 0.3% NaOH soluble nitrogen are increased and 10% NaCl soluble nitrogen decreased in dried leaves compared to fresh leaves. These tendencies are observed in protein nitrogen fraction of dried leaves. The variation of solubility is considered to be caused by denaturation of protein. NH3-N, N03-N, NH 2-N, Amide-N, and Peptide-N are determined in dried leaves, and some considerations of these nitrogenous compounds, especially nitrate poisoning effect on livestock, are issued