Perspective-taking in Adult Japanese-language Learners’ Oral Narratives: A Cross-linguistic Comparison

This study, which compares native Japanese speakers and L2 learners of Japanese, discusses the question of what makes narrative sound natural in the light of macro- and micro- narrative structure. The study found that native speakers of Japanese, regardless of topic, tended to use the passive voice together with multiple aspect forms at narrative high points. The use of the passive voice indicated that the speaker’s viewpoint tended to be fixed on the main characters. In contrast, L2 learners, regardless of topic, tended to use the active voice, which indicates that their viewpoint was placed on the subject of the scene. Further, L2 learners rarely used aspect forms; even if they did, they chose one form without attempting to combine them. The study discusses whether these differences are attributable to the L2 learner’s L1 transfer or to the lack of understanding of the concepts to be acquired in the L2

BMY21190, A Potent Inhibitor of cAMP Phosphodiesterase

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72811/1/j.1527-3466.1994.tb00291.x.pd

Involvement of the leaf-specific multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter Nt-JAT2 in vacuolar sequestration of nicotine in Nicotiana tabacum

Alkaloids play a key role in higher plant defense against pathogens and herbivores. Following its biosynthesis in root tissues, nicotine, the major alkaloid of Nicotiana species, is translocated via xylem transport toward the accumulation sites, leaf vacuoles. Our transcriptome analysis of methyl jasmonate-treated tobacco BY-2 cells identified several multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter genes. In this study, we characterized a MATE gene, Nicotiana tabacum jasmonate-inducible alkaloid transporter 2 (Nt-JAT2), which encodes a protein that has 32% amino acid identity with Nt-JAT1. Nt-JAT2 mRNA is expressed at a very low steady state level in whole plants, but is rapidly upregulated by methyl jasmonate treatment in a leaf-specific manner. To characterize the function of Nt-JAT2, yeast cells were used as the host organism in a cellular transport assay. Nt-JAT2 was localized at the plasma membrane in yeast cells. When incubated in nicotine-containing medium, the nicotine content in Nt-JAT2-expressing cells was significantly lower than in control yeast. Nt-JAT2-expressing cells also showed lower content of other alkaloids like anabasine and anatabine, but not of flavonoids, suggesting that Nt-JAT2 transports various alkaloids including nicotine. Fluorescence assays in BY-2 cells showed that Nt-JAT2-GFP was localized to the tonoplast. These findings indicate that Nt-JAT2 is involved in nicotine sequestration in leaf vacuoles following the translocation of nicotine from root tissues

resection of oligometastases from CRC

A 74-year-old woman underwent right hemicolectomy and partial ileal resection for ascending colon cancer with synchronous peritoneal metastasis. Histopathological examination showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with mucinous component, pT4b N3 M1, and Stage IV. Postoperative chemotherapy comprising 36 courses of mFOLFOX6 with bevacizumab was administered. Twenty-two months after the surgery, computed tomography (CT) revealed a 20 mm nodular lesion adjacent to the gastric wall, and laparoscopic resection of the nodule was performed. Thirty-nine months after the second surgery, CT showed a 24 mm nodular lesion involving the liver parenchyma, and partial hepatectomy involving the nodule was performed. Histopathological examination of the nodules resected by the second and third surgeries showed the same features as the primary ascending colon cancer. The nodules were diagnosed as metachronous peritoneal metastases. The patient followed up without chemotherapy after the second and third surgery, showed no recurrence for 26 months after the third surgery. Fortunately, more than 7 years have passed since the primary tumor resection. Hence, surgical resection for synchronous and repeated metachronous peritoneal oligometastases from colon cancer can offer long-term survival

Inhibitory Effects of Dopamine Receptor D1 Agonist on Mammary Tumor and Bone Metastasis

Dopaminergic signaling plays a critical role in the nervous system, but little is known about its potential role in breast cancer and bone metabolism. A screening of ~1,000 biologically active compounds revealed that a selective agonist of dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1), A77636, inhibited proliferation of 4T1.2 mammary tumor cells as well as MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Herein, we examined the effect of A77636 on bone quality using a mouse model of bone metastasis from mammary tumor. A77636 inhibited migration of cancer cells in a DRD1-dependent fashion and suppressed development of bone-resorbing osteoclasts by downregulating NFATc1 through the elevation of phosphorylation of eIF2α. In the mouse model of bone metastasis, A77636 reduced osteolytic lesions and prevented mechanical weakening of the femur and tibia. Collectively, we expect that dopaminergic signaling might provide a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer and bone metastasis

Motion Simulation of Shuttle Vehicle "Tsukuyomi" for Virtual Mooring

日本船舶海洋工学会平成23年春季講演会（2011年5月19日～20日, 福岡県中小企業振興センター）にて講演 / 論文番号: 2011S-OS5-

Hydrodynamic Coefficients and Motion Simulations of Underwater Glider for Virtual Mooring

We are now developing a prototype of a 3000-m class underwater glider for virtual mooring. The vehicle glides back and forth between the sea surface and the seabed collecting ocean data at a specific point. Hydrodynamic forces acting on the half-size model were measured to determine the optimal wing shape. Next, to obtain the dynamical-hydrodynamic coefficients, forced oscillation tests were carried out using the optimally shaped model. Finally, the motions of the glider were simulated using the hydrodynamic coefficients obtained from these model experiments. The experimental and calculated results are shown in this paper

Impurity emission characteristics of long pulse discharges in Large Helical Device

Line spectra from intrinsic impurity ions have been monitored during the three kinds of long-pulse discharges (ICH, ECH, NBI). Constant emission from the iron impurity shows no preferential accumulation of iron ion during the long-pulse operations. Stable Doppler ion temperature has been also measured from Fe XX, C V and C III spectra

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target