How Two Brains Make One Synchronized Mind in the Inferior Frontal Cortex: fNIRS-Based Hyperscanning During Cooperative Singing.

One form of communication that is common in all cultures is people singing together. Singing together reflects an index of cognitive synchronization and cooperation of human brains. Little is known about the neural synchronization mechanism, however. Here, we examined how two brains make one synchronized behavior using cooperated singing/humming between two people and hyperscanning, a new brain scanning technique. Hyperscanning allowed us to observe dynamic cooperation between interacting participants. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to simultaneously record the brain activity of two people while they cooperatively sang or hummed a song in face-to-face (FtF) or face-to-wall (FtW) conditions. By calculating the inter-brain wavelet transform coherence between two interacting brains, we found a significant increase in the neural synchronization of the left inferior frontal cortex (IFC) for cooperative singing or humming regardless of FtF or FtW compared with singing or humming alone. On the other hand, the right IFC showed an increase in neural synchronization for humming only, possibly due to more dependence on musical processing

How two brains make one synchronized mind in the inferior frontal cortex: FNIRS-based hyperscanning during cooperative singing

Osaka N., Minamoto T., Yaoi K., et al. How two brains make one synchronized mind in the inferior frontal cortex: FNIRS-based hyperscanning during cooperative singing. Frontiers in Psychology 6, 1811 (2015); https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01811.One form of communication that is common in all cultures is people singing together. Singing together reflects an index of cognitive synchronization and cooperation of human brains. Little is known about the neural synchronization mechanism, however. Here, we examined how two brains make one synchronized behavior using cooperated singing/humming between two people and hyperscanning, a new brain scanning technique. Hyperscanning allowed us to observe dynamic cooperation between interacting participants. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to simultaneously record the brain activity of two people while they cooperatively sang or hummed a song in face-to-face (FtF) or face-to-wall (FtW) conditions. By calculating the inter-brain wavelet transform coherence between two interacting brains, we found a significant increase in the neural synchronization of the left inferior frontal cortex (IFC) for cooperative singing or humming regardless of FtF or FtW compared with singing or humming alone. On the other hand, the right IFC showed an increase in neural synchronization for humming only, possibly due to more dependence on musical processing

A simple methodology to assess endolysosomal protease activity involved in antigen processing in human primary cells

Background: Endolysosomes play a key role in maintaining the homeostasis of the cell. They are made of a complex set of proteins that degrade lipids, proteins and sugars. Studies involving endolysosome contribution to cellular functions such as MHC class I and II epitope production have used recombinant endolysosomal proteins, knockout mice that lack one of the enzymes or purified organelles from human tissue. Each of these approaches has some caveats in analyzing endolysosomal enzyme functions. Results: In this study, we have developed a simple methodology to assess endolysosomal protease activity. By varying the pH in crude lysate from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), we documented increased endolysosomal cathepsin activity in acidic conditions. Using this new method, we showed that the degradation of HIV peptides in low pH extracts analyzed by mass spectrometry followed similar kinetics and degradation patterns as those performed with purified endolysosomes. Conclusion: By using crude lysate in the place of purified organelles this method will be a quick and useful tool to assess endolysosomal protease activities in primary cells of limited availability. This quick method will especially be useful to screen peptide susceptibility to degradation in endolysosomal compartments for antigen processing studies, following which detailed analysis using purified organelles may be used to study specific peptides

The Relationship between H. pylori

Background and Objective. H. pylori infection causes a chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa. However, this local inflammation may result in extra-digestive conditions. Our aim is to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and osteoporosis in Japan. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted among outpatients at the Juntendo University Hospital between 2008 and 2014. Participants for patient profile, H. pylori infection status, comorbidity, internal medical therapies, lumbar dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and bone turnover marker were collected and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for reflux esophagitis, hiatal hernia, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and endoscopic gastric mucosal atrophy (EGA) was performed. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was performed in accordance with the Japanese criteria. We investigated risk factors of osteoporosis. Results. Of the eligible 200 study subjects, 41 cases were of osteoporosis. Bivariate analysis showed that age, being female, BMI, alcohol, smoking, H. pylori, bone-specific ALP, PUD, and EGA were related to osteoporosis. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR 1.13; 95%CI 1.07–1.20), being female (OR 4.77; 95%CI 1.78–12.77), BMI (OR 0.79; 95%CI 0.68–0.92), H. pylori (OR 5.33; 95%CI 1.73–16.42), and PUD (OR 4.98; 95%CI 1.51–16.45) were related to osteoporosis. Conclusions. H. pylori infection may be a risk factor of osteoporosis in Japan

インターネット オ リヨウシタ ニホンゴ キョウシ ニ タイスル キョウザイ セイサク シエン ミンナ ノ キョウザイ サイト ノ コウチク ト ウンヨウ

国際交流基金日本語国際センターでは、海外の日本語教育支援事業の一環として、2001年4月より海外の日本語教材制作を支援するためのウェブサイト「みんなの教材サイト」の構築に着手し、2002年5月に第一次開発を終了し運用を開始した。本サイトの趣旨および目的は、(1)世界のいかなる地域の日本語教師でも活用できること、(2)著作権許諾の手続きを必要とせず、自由に活用できる日本語教育用素材を提供すること、(3)利用者が素材・情報を受容するだけでなく発信もできる双方向性を確保すること、(4)教材に関する日本語教師間の相互交流を促進させ、教師の専門性発達に寄与すること、の四つにまとめることができる。本サイトのデザインおよび開発においては、コンピュータによる協調学習支援(Computer Supported Collaborative Learning:CSCL)研究の知見を理論的枠組みとし、教材制作を通しての教師の専門性発達を支援するために、教師教育における内省アプローチの考え方を取り入れた。開発段階においては、利用者にとって使いやすいウェブデザインをどのように実現するか(ウェブユーザビリティ)を重視した。まず、「みんなの教材サイト」の開発背景とそれに基づく機能概要について述べ、次に、第一次開発の実際とそこで行われた「状況に埋め込まれた評価」の試みを報告する。さらに、サイトの継続性を保つことを旨とした運用の実際と運用に関する評価について述べる。それらの結果をふまえ第二次開発では、(1)コンテンツの拡充、(2)利用者検索の充実、(3)利用者同士の双方向的やりとり機能の追加を行っている。最後に、今後の課題として、非母語話者利用者への支援のありかた、そして海外の日本語センターとの連携、さらに内外の教師支援サイトとの連携を考えていく必要がある

Cyclin D1 overexpression induces global transcriptional downregulation in lymphoid neosplasms

Cyclin D1 is an oncogene frequently overexpressed in human cancers that has a dual function as cell cycle and transcriptional regulator, although the latter is widely unexplored. Here, we investigated the transcriptional role of cyclin D1 in lymphoid tumor cells with cyclin D1 oncogenic overexpression. Cyclin D1 showed widespread binding to the promoters of most actively transcribed genes, and the promoter occupancy positively correlated with the transcriptional output of targeted genes. Despite this association, the overexpression of cyclin D1 in lymphoid cells led to a global transcriptional downmodulation that was proportional to cyclin D1 levels. This cyclin D1-dependent global transcriptional downregulation was associated with a reduced nascent transcription and an accumulation of promoter-proximal paused RNA polymerase II (Pol II) that colocalized with cyclin D1. Concordantly, cyclin D1 overexpression promoted an increase in the Poll II pausing index. This transcriptional impairment seems to be mediated by the interaction of cyclin D1 with the transcription machinery. In addition, cyclin D1 overexpression sensitized cells to transcription inhibitors, revealing a synthetic lethality interaction that was also observed in primary mantle cell lymphoma cases. This finding of global transcriptional dysregulation expands the known functions of oncogenic cyclin D1 and suggests the therapeutic potential of targeting the transcriptional machinery in cyclin D1-overexpressing tumors

Optimization of Deep Sedation with Spontaneous Respiration for Therapeutic Endoscopy Combining Propofol and Bispectral Index Monitoring

Background/Aims. This study aimed to establish optimal propofol anesthesia for therapeutic endoscopy, which has not been established. Methodology. We retrospectively investigated data on 89 patients who underwent upper-GI endoscopic submucosal dissection or endoscopic mucosal resection under anesthesia with propofol. Examined doses of propofol were changed according to efficacy and/or adverse events and classified into 5 periods. A bispectral index (BIS) monitor was used at Period 5 to decrease the incidence of adverse events caused by oversedation. The initial dose of propofol was administered after bolus injection of pethidine hydrochloride (0.5 mg/kg), and 1.0 mL of propofol was added every minute until the patients fell asleep. Continuous and bolus infusion were performed to maintain sedation. When the patient moved or an adverse event occurred, the maintenance dose examined was increased or decreased by 5 mL/h regardless of body weight. Results. Dose combinations (introduction : maintenance) and patient numbers for each period were as follows: Period 1 (n=27), 0.5 mg/kg : 5 mg/kg/h; Period 2 (n=11), 0.33 mg/kg : 3.3 mg/kg/h; Period 3 (n=7), 0.5 mg/kg : 3.3 mg/kg/h; Period 4 (n=14), 0.5 mg/kg : 2.5 mg/kg/h; Period 5 (n=30), 0.5 mg/kg : 2.5 mg/kg/h, using BIS monitor. During Period 5, an adverse event occurred in 10.0% of patients, which was lower than that for Periods 1–4. Conclusions. Period 5 propofol anesthesia with BIS protocol could be safe and useful for therapeutic endoscopy under deep sedation with spontaneous respiration

レチノインサン ワ ダイチョウ ジョウヒ サイボウ ニ オイテ NF-k B シグナリング オ カッセイカ スル

All-trans retinoic acid(ATRA)は核内受容体であるretinoic acid receptor(RAR)のリガンドであり,消化管を含む多くの組織で重要な生理作用を有している.最近,臨床的なレチノイン酸の使用と炎症性腸疾患との関連が注目されているが,この問題に関する基礎的な検討は行われていない.今回我々は,大腸癌由来細胞株を用いて,炎症・免疫応答において中心的な役割を果たしているnuclear factor- k B(NF-k B)シグナリングに対するATRA の影響について,レポーター遺伝子解析法,リアルタイム定量的 RT-PCR法にて検討を行った.ATRA および他のレチノイド化合物(9-cis retinoic acid,13-cis retinoic acid,AM580,retinol)は,大腸癌由来細胞株において用量依存性に NF-k B を活性化した.また,ATRA はNF-k B の代表的な標的遺伝子であるIL-8の発現を誘導した.RAR の活性化と比較するとNF-k B 活性化に要するATRA の濃度域は高かった.TNF-a によるNF-k B の活性化,IL-8発現誘導は,ATRA をプレインキュベーションすることにより著明に増大し,相乗的な効果が認められた.ATRA はNF-k B サブユニット(RelA,p50)の発現を増大させ,TNF受容体(TNFR1)の発現レベルも上昇させていた.これらの結果より,レチノイン酸は大腸上皮細胞においてNF-k B シグナリングを活性化し,TNF-a に対する感受性を増大させている可能性が示唆された.All-trans retinoic acid(ATRA)is a ligand for the retinoicacid receptor(RAR), a member of the nuclear receptorsuperfamily, and it is well established that RARs play acritical role in the development and differentiation of variousorgans including gastrointestinal tract. Recently, severalcase reports suggested a possible association between theclinical use of retinoic acid and inflammatory bowel diseases.However, it is not known whether ATRA affects the inflammatoryresponse of colonic epithelial cells. In this study,we examined the effect of ATRA on NF-k B activity andIL-8 expression in colonic epithelial cells in vitro. NF-k Bactivation and RAR activation were assessed by the reportergene assay and IL-8 mRNA expression was assessed bythe real-time quantitative RT-PCR. ATRA and other retinoidcompounds(9-cis retinoic acid, 13-cis retinoic acid,AM580 and retinol)activated NF-k B in a dose- and timedependentmanner in colonic cell lines(HCT116, Caco2,SW480, DLD-1, and LS174T). However, compared to RARactivation, much higher concentrations of ATRA wereneeded to activate NF-k B. ATRA also up-regulated theexpression of IL-8, a target gene of NF-k B. ATRA-inducedNF-k B activation was repressed by a MEK inhibitorand a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor. Preincubation with ATRAsignificantly potentiated TNF-a -induced activation of NFkB and TNF-a -induced expression of IL-8. ATRA wasfound to up-regulate the expression of NF-k B subunits(RelA and p50)and TNF-a receptor 1. These results suggestthat ATRA and other retinoid compounds can activateNF-k B signaling and potentiate the inflammatory responseto TNF-a in colonic epithelial cells