Psychosocial twin cohort studies in Japan: the Keio Twin Research Center (KoTReC)

The Keio Twin Research Center (KoTReC) was established in 2009 at Keio University to combine two longitudinal cohort projects — the Keio Twin Study (KTS) for adolescence and adulthood and the Tokyo Twin Cohort Project (ToTCoP) for infancy and childhood. KoTReC also conducted a two-time panel study of self-control and psychopathology in twin adolescence in 2012 and 2013 and three independent anonymous cross-sectional twin surveys (ToTcross) before 2012 — the ToTCross, the Junior and Senior High School Survey and the High School Survey. This article introduces the recent research designs of KoTReC and its publications

TGF-β Concentration in Breast Milk is Associated With the Development of Eczema in Infants

Background: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β in breast milk is crucial for mucosal immune system in the neonatal period. We hypothesized that the level of exposure to TGF-β from breast milk in the first month of life is related to the development of eczema later in life. Thus, the present study investigated whether changes in TGF-β levels between colostrum and mature milk are associated with such occurrence in a birth cohort study.Methods: Colostrum and 1-month breast milk samples were collected from mothers who participated in our birth cohort study. TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 levels in breast milk were measured using a commercial ELISA kit. The development of eczema in the first 6 months after birth was assessed based on parent's response to a questionnaire. Levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 were compared in breast milk from mothers of infants with and without eczema.Results: In children with eczema, TGF-β1 levels were higher in colostrum, but lower in 1-month milk. A lower TGF-β1 ratio (1-month milk/colostrum) was related to the development of eczema during the first 6 months of life. There was no difference in TGF-β2 ratio (1-month milk/colostrum) between eczema group and control group.Conclusions: Concentration of TGF-β1 but not TGF-β2 in breast milk during the first month after birth may be associated with eczema later in life. Factors that increase TGF-β1 levels in breast milk may play a role in preventing allergic disease

サッチュウザイ シヨウ ガ ガイチュウ テンテキ ケイ ニ モタラス ハンドウ ノ モデルカ ト シミュレーション

A model analysis is presented that allows prediction of the dynamical behavior of a vermin-predator system which is dusted periodically with insecticide. Two species of organisms having the same birth-death cycle are supposed to live in the system; one is vermin and the other the predator feeding only on the former. The increasing rate of population for each organism comprizes three terms which simulate the natural motality, the predatory death or life, and the insecticide-induced death. The decay of agrichemical concentration in the body is modeled by a mathematical function and, especially for the predator, the accumulation of the insecticide due to predation of polluted vermin is also taken into consideration. The analysis based on this model can successfully elucidate the ecological rebound which is caused by use of agrichemicals, that is, the insecticide to kill the vermin may on the contrary result in irruption of it

Protective role of Gipie, a Girdin family protein, in endoplasmic reticulum stress responses in endothelial cells

The Gipie/GRP78 interaction serves as a molecular switch for the regulation of the apoptotic signaling pathway, which appears to contribute to the protection of endothelial cells from endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis