The Usage Rate of Rising-Falling Tones in Different Relationships Using Corpus of Everyday Japanese Conversation

会議名: 言語資源ワークショップ2023, 開催地: オンライン, 会期: 2023年8月28日-29日, 主催: 国立国語研究所 言語資源開発センター親疎関係がイントネーションを影響することが知られているが、話者間の親疎関係と上昇下降調の使用率について定量的な分析が不十分である。本研究では『日本語日常会話コーパス』のコアデータから42会話（延べ話者数122名）を抽出し、句末音調のラベリングを話者ごとに統計し、親疎関係による上昇下降調の使用傾向を調査した。全体の傾向として、上昇下降調の使用率は、「家族親戚友人知人>仕事関係者」だと考えられるため、上昇下降調との負の相関が示された。個人差、会話の形式と活動を考慮する場合でも、上昇下降調の使用率と話者間の親しさとの負の相関が観察されたケースが存在する。日本語母語話者の日常会話では、親しさが比較的に低く、丁寧さがより必要となる相手に対して、上昇下降調がより頻繁に使われる傾向があると言える。application/pdf浙江大学Zhejiang Universityconference pape

Gear Fault Detection Based on Teager-Huang Transform

Gear fault detection based on Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and Teager Kaiser Energy Operator (TKEO) technique is presented. This novel method is named as Teager-Huang transform (THT). EMD can adaptively decompose the vibration signal into a series of zero mean Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). TKEO can track the instantaneous amplitude and instantaneous frequency of the Intrinsic Mode Functions at any instant. The experimental results provide effective evidence that Teager-Huang transform has better resolution than that of Hilbert-Huang transform. The Teager-Huang transform can effectively diagnose the fault of the gear, thus providing a viable processing tool for gearbox defect detection and diagnosis

Quantile Elasticity of International Tourism Demand for South Korea using Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model

This paper investigates international inbound tourism demand for South Korea and its determinants using quantile autoregressive model. In contrast to previous studies which dealt with only conditional mean, we examine effects of covariates at various conditional quantile levels; and therefore, more complete and interesting results are found. For inbound tourism demand, U.S. and Japanese tourism  demand are considered. For U.S. tourism demand, costs of living in Korea and competing destinations have moderate significant negative effects only at very high and low quantiles, while income does not have any significant effect to tourism demand. On the other hand, for Japanese tourism demand, income has significantly positive effects at lower quantiles, and living costs in Korea and competing destinations have significant negative effects at higher quantiles. These results address the heterogeneity in the tourism demand analysis.This paper has been accepted for publication to Tourism Economics

Gene Expression Profiling of the Local Cecal Response of Genetic Chicken Lines That Differ in Their Susceptibility to Campylobacter jejuni Colonization

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is one of the most common causes of human bacterial enteritis worldwide primarily due to contaminated poultry products. Previously, we found a significant difference in C. jejuni colonization in the ceca between two genetically distinct broiler lines (Line A (resistant) has less colony than line B (susceptible) on day 7 post inoculation). We hypothesize that different mechanisms between these two genetic lines may affect their ability to resist C. jejuni colonization in chickens. The molecular mechanisms of the local host response to C. jejuni colonization in chickens have not been well understood. In the present study, to profile the cecal gene expression in the response to C. jejuni colonization and to compare differences between two lines at the molecular level, RNA of ceca from two genetic lines of chickens (A and B) were applied to a chicken whole genome microarray for a pair-comparison between inoculated (I) and non-inoculated (N) chickens within each line and between lines. Our results demonstrated that metabolism process and insulin receptor signaling pathways are key contributors to the different response to C. jejuni colonization between lines A and B. With C. jejuni inoculation, lymphocyte activation and lymphoid organ development functions are important for line A host defenses, while cell differentiation, communication and signaling pathways are important for line B. Interestingly, circadian rhythm appears play a critical role in host response of the more resistant A line to C. jejuni colonization. A dramatic differential host response was observed between these two lines of chickens. The more susceptible line B chickens responded to C. jejuni inoculation with a dramatic up-regulation in lipid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism, which is undoubtedly for use in the response to the colonization with little or no change in immune host defenses. However, in more resistant line A birds the host defense responses were characterized by an up-regulation lymphocyte activation, probably by regulatory T cells and an increased expression of the NLR recognition receptor NALP1. To our knowledge, this is the first time each of these responses has been observed in the avian response to an intestinal bacterial pathogen

Changes in risk factors for food sensitization in early life: Analysis over a period of 10 years

BackgroundAlthough epidemiological trends of childhood food sensitization (FS) in IgE-mediated food allergy were reported in China, few studies have examined at changes in its risk factors.ObjectiveTo investigate the change in early-life risk factors associated with childhood food sensitization during 2009–2019 in China.MethodsData from two cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2009 and 2019 (401 and 513 children, respectively) were analyzed. The results of skin prick tests and information on food sensitization-related risk factors in children were summarized, including family history of atopic disease (FHA), demographic characteristics, method of delivery, feeding patterns, sibship size, pet ownership, and vitamin D supplementation. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio and the regression coefficient β-value of risk factors in the 2009 and 2019 surveys separately. Then, coefficient β-value differences between the two surveys were analyzed by the bdiff command in STATA to describe the change in risk factors over 10 years.ResultsThe 2009 survey revealed that FHA, age, only child, and feeding patterns were associated with food sensitization. The 2019 survey showed that food sensitization was affected by age, sex, and feeding patterns. However, from 2009 to 2019, the probability of food sensitization in the only-child group significantly increased by 226.0% (β-value difference = 0.81, P = 0.024) and decreased by 65.0% in female children (β-value difference = −1.06, P = 0.008). The effect of age on food sensitization decreased by 50.0% (β-value difference = −0.69, P < 0.001) over 10 years.ConclusionThe effect of FHA and common lifestyle factors on food sensitization did not significantly change during 2009−2019. However, the influence of demographic characteristics on food sensitization has changed since 2009; that is, older age, male gender, and only child are more likely to develop food sensitization, which needs to be considered in future epidemiological surveys.Clinical Trial Registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR1900024338

Association of immune cell traits with Parkinson’s disease: a Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundImmunity and neuroinflammation play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Nonetheless, prior investigations into the correlation between immune inflammation and PD have produced varying results. Identifying specific immune cell phenotypes that are truly associated with PD is challenging, and the causal relationship between immune cells and PD remains elusive.MethodsThis study conducted a comprehensive two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, employing five distinct analytical approaches, to clarify the causal connection between immune cell characteristics and the risk of PD. Utilizing GWAS data, we investigated the causal relationship between 731 immune cell traits and PD. These immune cell phenotypes encompass absolute cell (AC) counts, median fluorescence intensity (MFI), and relative cell (RC) counts for B cells, cDCs, mature stage T cells, monocytes, myeloid cells, TBNK (T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells), and Tregs, as well as the logistic parameter (MP) for cDCs and TBNK.ResultsThe inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis indicated that Myeloid DCs (p = 0.004), HVEM expression on CD45RA− CD4+ T cells (p = 0.007), CD62L− CD86+ Myeloid DCs (p = 0.015), and HLA DR expression on monocytes (p = 0.019) were associated with a reduced risk of PD. CD14+ CD16+ monocytes (p = 0.005), HLA DR+ NK cells within CD3− lymphocytes (p = 0.023), and CD28 expression on activated & secreting Tregs (p = 0.032) were associated with an increased risk of PD.ConclusionThis study establishes a causal link between immune cell phenotype and the pathogenesis of PD, identifying several specific immune cell characteristics associated with PD. This could inspire researchers to delve into the pathogenesis of PD at the cellular subtype level, and aid in the identification of potential pharmacological protein targets for PD

LncRNA-mediated cartilage homeostasis in osteoarthritis: a narrative review

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease of cartilage that affects the quality of life and has increased in morbidity and mortality in recent years. Cartilage homeostasis and dysregulation are thought to be important mechanisms involved in the development of OA. Many studies suggest that lncRNAs are involved in cartilage homeostasis in OA and that lncRNAs can be used to diagnose or treat OA. Among the existing therapeutic regimens, lncRNAs are involved in drug-and nondrug-mediated therapeutic mechanisms and are expected to improve the mechanism of adverse effects or drug resistance. Moreover, targeted lncRNA therapy may also prevent or treat OA. The purpose of this review is to summarize the links between lncRNAs and cartilage homeostasis in OA. In addition, we review the potential applications of lncRNAs at multiple levels of adjuvant and targeted therapies. This review highlights that targeting lncRNAs may be a novel therapeutic strategy for improving and modulating cartilage homeostasis in OA patients

Apigenin C-glycosides of Microcos paniculata protects lipopolysaccharide induced apoptosis and inflammation in acute lung injury through TLR4 signaling pathway

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are life-threatening conditions with high morbility and mortality, underscoring the urgent need for novel treatments. Leaves of the medicinal herb Microcos paniculata have been traditionally used for treating upper airway infections, by virtue of its content of flavonoids such as apigenin C-glycosides (ACGs). C-glycosides have been shown to exert strong anti-inflammatory properties, although their mechanism of action remains unknown. Herein, hypothesizing that ACGs from M. paniculata inhibit progression of ALI, we used the experimental model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in BALB/c mice to evaluate the therapeutic potential of purified ACGs. Our results showed that M. paniculata ACGs inhibited lung inflammation in animals undergoing ALI. The protective effects of ACGs were assessed by determination of cytokine levels and in situ analysis of lung inflammation. ACGs reduced the pulmonary edema and microvascular permeability, demonstrating a dose-dependent down-regulation of LPS-induced TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β expression in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, along with reduced apoptosis. Moreover, metabolic profiling of mice serum and subsequent Ingenuity Pathway Analysis suggested that ACGs activated protective protein networks and pathways involving inflammatory regulators and apoptosis-related factors, such as JNK, ERK1/2 and caspase-3/7, suggesting that ACGs-dependent effects were related to MAPKs and mitochondrial apoptosis pathways. These results were further supported by evaluation of protein expression, showing that ACGs blocked LPS-activated phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2 and JNK on the MAPKs signaling, and significantly upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 whilst down-regulated Bax and cleaved caspase-3. Remarkably, ACGs inhibited the LPS-dependent TLR4 and TRPC6 upregulation observed during ALI. Our study shows for the first time that ACGs inhibit acute inflammation and apoptosis by suppressing activation of TLR4/TRPC6 signaling pathway in a murine model of ALI. Our findings provide new evidence for better understanding the anti-inflammatory effects of ACGs. In this regard, ACGs could be exploited in the development of novel therapeutics for ALI and ARDS

World Allergy Organization-McMaster University Guidelines for Allergic Disease Prevention (GLAD-P): Probiotics

Background: Prevalence of allergic diseases in infants, whose parents and siblings do not have allergy, is approximately 10% and reaches 20–30% in those with an allergic first-degree relative. Intestinal microbiota may modulate immunologic and inflammatory systemic responses and, thus, influence development of sensitization and allergy. Probiotics have been reported to modulate immune responses and their supplementation has been proposed as a preventive intervention. Objective: The World Allergy Organization (WAO) convened a guideline panel to develop evidence-based recommendations about the use of probiotics in the prevention of allergy. Methods: We identified the most relevant clinical questions and performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of probiotics for the prevention of allergy. We followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to develop recommendations. We searched for and reviewed the evidence about health effects, patient values and preferences, and resource use (up to November 2014). We followed the GRADE evidence-to-decision framework to develop recommendations. Results: Currently available evidence does not indicate that probiotic supplementation reduces the risk of developing allergy in children. However, considering all critical outcomes in this context, the WAO guideline panel determined that there is a likely net benefit from using probiotics resulting primarily from prevention of eczema. The WAO guideline panel suggests: a) using probiotics in pregnant women at high risk for having an allergic child; b) using probiotics in women who breastfeed infants at high risk of developing allergy; and c) using probiotics in infants at high risk of developing allergy. All recommendations are conditional and supported by very low quality evidence. Conclusions: WAO recommendations about probiotic supplementation for prevention of allergy are intended to support parents, clinicians and other health care professionals in their decisions whether to use probiotics in pregnancy and during breastfeeding, and whether to give them to infants