Effects of Bridge Functions on Radial Distribution Functions of Liquid Water

In this report the radial distribution functions (RDFs) of liquid water are calculated on the basis of the classical density functional theory combined with the reference interaction site model for molecular liquids. The bridge functions, which are neglected in the hypernetted-chain (HNC) approximation, are taken into account through the density expansion for the Helmholtz free energy functional up to the third order. A factorization approximation to the ternary direct correlation functions in terms of the site-site pair correlation functions is then employed in the expression of the bridge functions, thus leading to a closed set of integral equations for the determination of the RDFs. It is confirmed through numerical calculations that incorporation of the oxygen-oxygen bridge function substantially improves the poor descriptions by the HNC approximation at room temperature, e.g., for the second peak of the oxygen-oxygen RDF.Comment: 2 figures, Interdisciplinary Sciences: Computational Life Sciences (2014

A Study on Undergraduates’ Academic Motivation Based on Self-Efficacy Theory : A Case of the successor cultivation program for "Sixth Industrialization"

近年，大学生活を通じた学修に対して，不安を抱える大学生が増加傾向にある。モチベーション理論の1つであるセルフ・エフィカシー理論では，こうした不安が学生の学修意欲の低下を招くことが指摘されている。つまり，学業に対する不安によって，学修意欲が高まらない学生が年々増加している。そこで本研究では，セルフ・エフィカシー理論の観点から，この問題を検討する。先行研究では，学修意欲は「授業意欲」と「学業意欲」とに分けて捉える必要があることが指摘されている。したがって本研究では，これらのうちの「学業意欲」に焦点を当てた検討を行う。研究の流れは，①学業に対するセルフ・エフィカシーを測定するための尺度の開発，②学業に対するセルフ・エフィカシーを高めることで学業意欲が高まるか否かの検証，③セルフ・エフィカシー理論に基づいた問題克服のための教育プログラムの考察である。Nowadays, undergraduates who feel anxiety for their learning in their academic life tend to increase in number. According to self-efficacy theory, which is one of the motivation theories, this kind of nervousness can decrease the undergraduates' learning motivation. In other words, anxiety for learning causes to depress the undergraduates' learning motivation. From this background, the present study tries to evaluate learning motivation based on a self-efficacy theory. Previous studies pointed out that learning motivation should be recognized as two different types, i.e., the motivation in the classroom and that for academic research. Therefore, we focus on academic motivation in the present study. This paper is composed of 3 steps: (1) to set up criteria to measure academic learning self-efficacy for undergraduates, (2) inspection whether learning motivation changes with a change in self-efficacy, and (3) consideration on the educational program to solve the learning problem based on self-efficacy theory

Analysis and Evaluation of Regional Brands for Fishery Products with Self-Organizing Maps

Strategy for regional branding becomes pivotal issues as it is widely recognized that regional branding opens routes to give favorable values to regional resources including products and services in certain areas. Previously, we have analyzed the developmental position on the regional brand of services in areas with hot springs as an example by taking advantages of a torus self-organizing map（SOM） algorithm, demonstrating that SOM was a viable tool for evaluation of the regional brand. In the present paper we have focused on row fishery products, and examined whether SOM is applicable in this case. The analysis was performed for 17 regional brands ranging from already famous ones （Seki saba, Ohma maguro etc.） to less developed ones （Tottori hatahata, Wakkanai onago etc.） with factors of 19 categories determining the values of the brands. The two-dimensional torus SOM expressed that each factor affected the positions of the brands, indicating usefulness of SOM for regional branding strategy. As a conclusion, strength and stability of the brands are decided by factors in the basic values, one of the three values constituting the total value of the brands, while other two values, information and indirect ones, give uniqueness to the brands

Brazilian Propolis Suppresses Angiogenesis by Inducing Apoptosis in Tube-Forming Endothelial Cells through Inactivation of Survival Signal ERK1/2

We recently reported that propolis suppresses tumor-induced angiogenesis through tube formation inhibition and apoptosis induction in endothelial cells. However, molecular mechanisms underlying such angiogenesis suppression by propolis have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol extract of Brazilian propolis (EEBP) on two major survival signals, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt, and to elucidate whether changes in these signals were actually involved in antiangiogenic effects of the propolis. Detection by western blotting revealed that EEBP suppressed phosphorylation of ERK1/2, but not that of Akt. Pharmacological inhibition by U0126 demonstrated that ERK1/2 inactivation alone was enough to inhibit tube formation and induce apoptosis. It was also shown that EEBP and U0126 similarly induced activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and lamin A/C, all of which are molecular markers of apoptosis. These results indicate that inhibition of survival signal ERK1/2, and subsequent induction of apoptosis, is a critical mechanism of angiogenesis suppression by EEBP

Original Article Brazilian Propolis Suppresses Angiogenesis by Inducing Apoptosis in Tube-Forming Endothelial Cells through Inactivation of Survival Signal ERK1/2

We recently reported that propolis suppresses tumor-induced angiogenesis through tube formation inhibition and apoptosis induction in endothelial cells. However, molecular mechanisms underlying such angiogenesis suppression by propolis have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol extract of Brazilian propolis (EEBP) on two major survival signals, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt, and to elucidate whether changes in these signals were actually involved in antiangiogenic effects of the propolis. Detection by western blotting revealed that EEBP suppressed phosphorylation of ERK1/2, but not that of Akt. Pharmacological inhibition by U0126 demonstrated that ERK1/2 inactivation alone was enough to inhibit tube formation and induce apoptosis. It was also shown that EEBP and U0126 similarly induced activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and lamin A/C, all of which are molecular markers of apoptosis. These results indicate that inhibition of survival signal ERK1/2, and subsequent induction of apoptosis, is a critical mechanism of angiogenesis suppression by EEBP

Newly characterized interaction stabilizes DNA structure: oligoethylene glycols stabilize G-quadruplexes CH–π interactions

Oligoethylene glycols are used as crowding agents in experiments that aim to understand the effects of intracellular environments on DNAs. Moreover, DNAs with covalently attached oligoethylene glycols are used as cargo carriers for drug delivery systems. To investigate how oligoethylene glycols interact with DNAs, we incorporated deoxythymidine modified with oligoethylene glycols of different lengths, such as tetraethylene glycol (TEG), into DNAs that form antiparallel G-quadruplex or hairpin structures such that the modified residues were incorporated into loop regions. Thermodynamic analysis showed that because of enthalpic differences, the modified G-quadruplexes were stable and the hairpin structures were slightly unstable relative to unmodified DNA. The stability of G-quadruplexes increased with increasing length of the ethylene oxides and the number of deoxythymidines modified with ethylene glycols in the G-quadruplex. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses and molecular dynamics calculations suggest that TEG interacts with bases in the G-quartet and loop via CH-pi and lone pair-pi interactions, although it was previously assumed that oligoethylene glycols do not directly interact with DNAs. The results suggest that numerous cellular co-solutes likely affect DNA function through these CH-pi and lone pair-pi interactions