The Evaluation for Alterations of DOM Components from Upstream to Downstream Flow of Rivers in Toyama (Japan) Using Three-Dimensional Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorescence Spectroscopy

The dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the important factors for controlling water quality. The behavior and constitutions of DOM is related to the risk of human health because it is able to directly or indirectly affect the behavior, speciation and toxicity of various environmental pollutants. However, it is not easy to know the contents of DOM components without using various complicated and time consuming analytical methods because DOM is a complex mixture and usually exists at low concentration. Here, we describe the fluorescence properties of DOM components in water samples collected from four rivers in Toyama, Japan by means of the three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. In order to evaluate the alterations of DOM components in each of the river during the flow from upstream to downstream, the patterns of relative fluorescence intensity (RFI) at six peaks which are originated from fluorophores including humic-like and protein-like components were investigated. The changes in the patterns of RFI values at each of the peak and the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) for each river water sample were discussed in connection with the differences of land use managements and basic water quality parameters, such as pH, EC, turbidity, Fe3+, T-N, NO3-N, T-P, PO4-P, chlorophyll a, DOC and N/P ratio. The DOC concentrations in the water samples collected from these rivers were relatively low (0.63–1.16 mg/L). Two main peaks which have a strong RFI value expressed a positive correlation with the DOC concentration (r = 0.557, 0.535). However, the correlations between the RFI values for other four peaks and the DOC concentration were below 0.287. The alterations of DOM components during the flow of a river from upstream to downstream were investigated from the changes in the patterns of RFI values for six fluorescent peaks. It was clarified that the great increase of RFI values in peak A and peak T from river water located in urban area showed high concentration of PO4-P and Fe3+, and low N/P ratio due to the high biological activities. The values of fluorescence index (FIX) and biological index (BIX) were as high as 1.60 and 0.72, respectively

T2-Weighted Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Edema in Myocardial Diseases

The purpose of this paper is to describe imaging techniques and findings of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of edema in myocardial diseases. T2-weighted cardiac MRI is acquired by combining acceleration techniques with motion and signal suppression techniques. The MRI findings should be interpreted based on coronary artery supply, intramural distribution, and comparison with delayed-enhancement MRI. In acute myocardial diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction and myocarditis, the edema is larger than myocardial scarring, whereas the edema can be smaller than the scarring in some types of nonischemic cardiomyopathy, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. T2-weighted MRI of edema identifies myocardial edema associated with ischemia, inflammation, vasculitis, or intervention in the myocardium and provides information complementary to delayed-enhancement MRI

A Proposal for ICT-Enhanced Learning Environment Fortified with BYOD Choreographies : Designing an Online Active Learning System to Foster the 21st Century Skills

現在の大学ではシラバスに基づいて展開されるLMSが一般的に使われている。受講生はパソコンやスマートフォンを活用して、授業内外で卒業単位を取得できる科目領域について学べる仕組みが普及している。これは、これまでの教育パラダイムの中で、ICTが付加的に利用されている学びの形態で、依然として、大人数クラスであれ、少人数クラスであれ、直接面接型の教育が主体的であり、その補完的役割を担っている。このような形態の教育を継続するだけでは、2045年のシンギュラリティの年には、Oxford大学が予測するように市場の47%の業務がAIやロボットに奪われてしまうことになってしまう。この状況を打開すべく、ここでは、21世紀スキルの必須項目である、協働型学習やグローバルなチームでのAGILEな学びをも包含する学習環境のデザイン・設計を研究領域としてクリティカル・シンキング＆クリエイティブ・シンキングを展開し、未来型学習環境の提案をおこなう。学習環境の開発はすでにCOILの授業でAGILEラーニングの実装および検証をおこなっている

Defect of Interferon γ Leads to Impaired Wound Healing through Prolonged Neutrophilic Inflammatory Response and Enhanced MMP-2 Activation.

Interferon (IFN)-γ is mainly secreted by CD4+ T helper 1 (Th1), natural killer (NK) and NKT cells after skin injury. Although IFN-γ is well known regarding its inhibitory effects on collagen synthesis by fibroblasts in vitro, information is limited regarding its role in wound healing in vivo. In the present study, we analyzed how the defect of IFN-γ affects wound healing. Full-thickness wounds were created on the backs of wild type (WT) C57BL/6 and IFN-γ-deficient (KO) mice. We analyzed the percent wound closure, wound breaking strength, accumulation of leukocytes, and expression levels of COL1A1, COL3A1, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). IFN-γKO mice exhibited significant attenuation in wound closure on Day 10 and wound breaking strength on Day 14 after wound creation, characteristics that are associated with prolonged neutrophil accumulation. Expression levels of COL1A1 and COL3A1 mRNA were lower in IFN-γKO than in WT mice, whereas expression levels of MMP-2 (gelatinase) mRNA were significantly greater in IFN-γKO than in WT mice. Moreover, under neutropenic conditions created with anti-Gr-1 monoclonal antibodies, wound closure in IFN-γKO mice was recovered through low MMP-2 expression levels. These results suggest that IFN-γ may be involved in the proliferation and maturation stages of wound healing through the regulation of neutrophilic inflammatory responses

Long‐term prognostic value of ultrastructural features in dilated cardiomyopathy: comparison with cardiac magnetic resonance

Abstract Aims This study aims to determine the implications associated with long‐term prognosis of heart failure (HF) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) presenting initially as decompensated HF. We stratified the phase of DCM patients without late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) based on ultrastructural changes in cardiomyocytes. Methods and results Left ventricular (LV) endomyocardial biopsy was performed in 55 consecutive DCM patients with initial decompensated HF. Ultrastructural changes in cardiomyocytes detected by electron microscopy were compared with data including LGE with cardiac magnetic resonance and HF recurrence. Of the 55 DCM patients, 24 (44%) showed LGE, and 26 (47%) showed recurrence decompensated HF, while 23 patients (42%) showed autophagic vacuoles in cardiomyocytes by electron microscopy. Multivariate analysis identified atrial fibrillation [hazard ratio (HR), 3.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.45–7.98], haemoglobin level (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68–0.99), beta‐blocker use (HR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05–0.74), and autophagic vacuoles (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.09–0.65) as predictors of HF recurrence in the total patient population. In patients without LGE, only autophagic vacuoles were independent predictors of readmission because of HF (HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09–0.90). In patients with LGE, atrial fibrillation (HR, 19.10; 95% CI, 2.97–123.09), and mid‐linear LGE (HR, 12.96; 95% CI, 2.02–82.94) were independent predictors of readmission because of HF. Conclusions In DCM patients with LGE, characterised by progression of LV remodelling, the LGE pattern was a predictor of HF recurrence, whereas in patients without LGE, absence of autophagic vacuoles was a predictor of HF recurrence