東アジア産のアズチグモ Thomisus labefactus（クモ目：カニグモ科）における紫外・可視反射スペクトル

Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) reflectance spectroscopy is one of the useful tools to evaluate the coloration of materials and living things. On crab spiders, sit-and-wait foragers on flowers, body coloration has been focused in the context of camouflage and/or prey attraction. For the first time, the present study shows UV-Vis reflectance spectra of Thomisus labefactus, a crab spider inhabits East Asia, reflects UV-Vis rays almost the same strength as an Australian crab spider Thomisus spectabilis, which also has substantial amount of UV reflection, unlike European species lacking UV reflection.紫外・可視（UV-Vis）反射分光法は，材料や生物の色彩を評価する有益なツールの一つである．カニグモは花の上で獲物を待ち伏せする捕食者であり，擬態および／あるいは餌誘引における文脈で，体の色彩に焦点が当てられてきた．本研究では，東アジアに生息するカニグモ科の一種であるアズチグモThomisus labefactus では最初となるUV-Vis 反射スペクトルの測定から，紫外線反射を欠いているヨーロッパ産の種とは異なり，相当量の紫外線を反射するオーストラリア産のカニグモ科の一種Thomisus spectabilis と同程度の強さで紫外線と可視光を反射することが示される

ANALYSIS OF SPECIALTIES OF CRYSTAL STRUCTURE FOR NON-­CHELATE CONFORMATIONS OF ETHYLENE-DIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID AND ITS SALTS WITH ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METALS

In the present study, the crystal structures of non-chelating EDTA molecules and their non-chelation salts in a zwitterionic state, along with the EDTA-chelates of alkali and alkaline earth metals, were searched and overviewed. 25 non-chelating molecules of EDTA, and zwitterions of ethylenediammonium-diacetate diacetic acid HOOC-CH2-(-OOC-CH2-)NH+-CH2-CH2-NH+(-CH2-COO-)-CH2-COOH and their salts (ethylenediammonium-tetraace­tic acid (HOOC-CH2-)2NH+-CH2-CH2-NH+(-CH2-COOH)2, ethylenediammonium-acetate triacetic acid (HOOC-CH2-)2NH+-CH2-CH2-NH+(-CH2-COO-)-CH2-COOH, and ethylenediammonium-tetraacetate (-OOC-CH2-)2NH+-CH2-CH2-NH+(-CH2-COO-)2 with counterions), as well as 17 types of EDTA-chelates of alkali metal ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+) and alkaline earth metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) were analyzed using data from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center (CCDC). Each intramolecular contact distance between nitrogen and oxygen atoms (NH+···O) has been examined and found to be around 2.7 Å. Investigation on the distribution of the intramolecular NH+··· NH+-distances of EDTA and non-chelated salts thereof also revealed that bulky counterion and certain crystal solvent molecules correspond to change in crystal packing, and that they influenced the conformers of EDTA mo­lecules among gauche form to anti form. In the existing crystalline EDTA-chelates of alkali metals as well as alkaline earth metals, various coordination numbers (CN) and the denticity (к) of EDTA anions are displayed; CN 5 to 9, and tri- and hexadentate fashions. Intramolecular contact N···O and N···N distances correspond to the metal ion radii except for the case of Sr-EDTA chelate, probably due to differences of crystal packings in addition to the number of counterions and crystal solvent molecules. The existing data on crystalline EDTA and its salts have been gathered herein, which contributes to a further understanding and exploring applications hereafter

Intraguild predation on hornets and yellowjackets of vespine wasps by spiders, and vice versa.

Not only spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) but also vespine wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae ) including hornets (the genus Vespa ) and yellowjackets (the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula ) belong to top predator community within arthropod food webs . Thus, between two communities, intraguild predation (IGP) defined as killing and eating among potential competitors is considered to occur. However, the possibility has not investigated enough so far. In the present study by means of bibliographic survey it has been reported that the observations of predation on Vespa , Vespula , and Dolichovespula of vespine wasps by spiders; i.e., large web building spider Argiope spp. (Araneidae) captured Vespa orientalis , A. amoena and A. bruennichi fed on hornets V. analis , jumping spiders such as Phidippus aud ax (Salticidae) preyed on yellowjackets Vespula germanica , Dolichovespula maculate , and D. arenaria ), a tunnel web spider Porrhothele antipodiana ( consumed Vl. germanica , orb weavers A. aurantia and A. florida captured Vl. squamosa diet of wandering spider Phoneutria boliviensis Ctenidae) contained Vespula sp. By contrast, 20 cases were that vespine wasps foraged spiders from 10 publications with certain species names. Accordingly, symmetric IGP between vespine wasps and spiders is suggested. Observations on kleptoparasitism by hornets, an escaping from a spider’s web by a vespulid wasp, and a killing between a spider and a yellowjacket each other were also known. Although spiders are both prey and predators of vespine wasps, further studies are required to elucidate quantitatively the interaction of prey predator relationship as symmetric IGP

The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on psychophysiological assessment for the secondary prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder: an open-label pilot study.

Our recent pilot study has shown that the supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) immediately after a traumatic event may be effective toward the secondary prevention of post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). To lay the groundwork for addressing the mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acids can prevent PTSD, we analyzed its psychophysiological data. The psychophysiological data included heart rate, skin conductance, and continuous blood pressure during patient subjection to startling tones and idiographic trauma-related cues. Of the 8 patients, 1 met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Compared to the seven patients without PTSD, one patient with PTSD showed relatively large reactivity to the startle tones. In contrast, this patient did not show large reactivity to the trauma-related cue during script-driven imagery. The combination of psychophysiological measurements in our randomized control trial should shed light on the underlying mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids can prevent PTSD

Concern over radiation exposure and psychological distress among rescue workers following the Great East Japan Earthquake

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami that followed caused severe damage along Japans northeastern coastline and to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. To date, there are few reports specifically examining psychological distress in rescue workers in Japan. Moreover, it is unclear to what extent concern over radiation exposure has caused psychological distress to such workers deployed in the disaster area.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One month after the disaster, 424 of 1816 (24%) disaster medical assistance team workers deployed to the disaster area were assessed. Concern over radiation exposure was evaluated by a single self-reported question. General psychological distress was assessed with the Kessler 6 scale (K6), depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), fear and sense of helplessness with the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI), and posttraumatic stress symptoms with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Radiation exposure was a concern for 39 (9.2%) respondents. Concern over radiation exposure was significantly associated with higher scores on the K6, CES-D, PDI, and IES-R. After controlling for age, occupation, disaster operation experience, duration of time spent watching earthquake news, and past history of psychiatric illness, these associations remained significant in men, but did not remain significant in women for the CES-D and PDI scores.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings suggest that concern over radiation exposure was strongly associated with psychological distress. Reliable, accurate information on radiation exposure might reduce deployment-related distress in disaster rescue workers.</p

High-performance Ge/Si electro-absorption optical modulator up to 85°C and its highly efficient photodetector operation

We studied a high-speed Ge/Si electro-absorption optical modulator (EAM) evanescently coupled with a Si waveguide of a lateral p–n junction for a high-bandwidth optical interconnect over a wide range of temperatures from 25 °C to 85 °C. We demonstrated 56 Gbps high-speed operation at temperatures up to 85 °C. From the photoluminescence spectra, we confirmed that the bandgap energy dependence on temperature is relatively small, which is consistent with the shift in the operation wavelengths with increasing temperature for a Ge/Si EAM. We also demonstrated that the same device operates as a high-speed and high-efficiency Ge photodetector with the Franz-Keldysh (F-K) and avalanche-multiplication effects. These results demonstrate that the Ge/Si stacked structure is promising for both high-performance optical modulators and photodetectors integrated on Si platforms

Ketogenic essential amino acids replacement diet ameliorated hepatosteatosis with altering autophagy-associated molecules

AbstractKetogenic amino acid (KAA) replacement diet has been shown to cure hepatic steatosis, a serious liver disease associated with diverse metabolic defects. In this study, we investigated the effects of KAA replacement diet on nutrition sensing signaling pathway and analyzed whether induction of hepatic autophagy was involved. Mice are fed with high fat diet (HFD) or KAA replacement in high-fat diet (30% fat in food; HFD)-fed (HFDKAAR) and sacrificed at 8, 12, 16weeks after initiation of experimental food. Hepatic autophagy was analyzed in protein expression of several autophagy-associated molecules and in light chain-3 green fluorescent protein (LC-3 GFP) transgenic mice. HFDKAAR showed increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and enhanced liver kinase B1 (LKB1) expression compared to control HFD-fed mice. The KAA-HFD-induced activation of AMPK was associated with an increased protein expression of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), decreased forkhead box protein O3a (Foxo3a) level, and suppression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation compared with the HFD-fed mice. The intervention study revealed that a KAA-replacement diet also ameliorated all the established metabolic and autophagy defects in the HFD-fed mice, suggesting that a KAA-replacement diet can be used therapeutically in established diseases. These results indicate that KAA replacement in food could be a novel strategy to combat hepatic steatosis and metabolic abnormalities likely involvement of an induction of autophagy