The Financial System and Global Socioeconomic Changes

I have a few comments on some recent changes in financial structure and also changes in the effects of monetary policy which perhaps need more discussion

The challenges before industrialized countries

"The surroundings of U.S.-Japan relations transform every decade. This is so clear that there is little need to look back on the forties, the fifties and the sixties. The time around 1970 when I was serving as the First Secretary and Financial Attaché of the Embassy of Japan in the United States marked a transitional period in U.S.-Japan relations. Okinawa was returned, economic friction was gearing up, America suspended the exchange of dollars for gold. Later, the advanced countries floated their currencies, and U.S.-Japan economic friction became even more intense.

Male genitalia of the lower Brachycera (Diptera).

Die männlichen Genitalien der niederen Brachycera werden beschrieben und abgebildet, wobei insgesamt 37 Arten und 33 Gattungen behandelt werden. Bestimmungstabellen für 13 Familien von niederen Brachycera und 18 Gattungen von Rhagionidae werden vorgelegt aber nicht nach phylogenetischen Gesichtspunkten angeordnet. Es ist schwierig, die phylogenetischen Beziehungen allein auf der Grundlage der männlichen Genitalien zu bestimmen. Es werden mehrere Fragen erörtert im Hinblick auf die ursprünglichen oder abgeleiteten Merkmale, die Homologie des Aedeagus oder der Strukturen nahe dem Aedeagus, Zwischenmerkmale zwischen Familien, die Stellung einiger Familien im System und die Gültigkeit kleiner Familien.The male genitalia of the lower Brachycera are discribed and illustrated, dealing with a total of 37 species and 33 genera. Keys to 13 families of the lower Brachycera and 18 genera of the Rhagionidae are presented but are not arranged from the phylogenitical point of view. To determine the phylogenetical relationship on the basis of the male genitalia allone is difficult. Several questions are discussed as to the primitive, systematic positions of some families, and the validity of small families

Gut Microflora and Health

Human gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse population of microorganisms, the gut microbiata, the largest microbial community associated with human body, comprised of trillions of bacterial cells of over 1000 species. Although gut lumen is an extension of the external world for our organs and tissues, the interaction between human body and gut microbiata is highly mutual and reciprocal as if it is one of the internal organs. In animal experiments and human observational studies, gut microflora and its composition have been demonstrated to have significant roles in body fat accumulation, and consequently, insulin resistance and obesity. The metabolic activity of gut microbiata is suggested to contribute to the regulation of energy storage. Low grade inflammation possibly elicited through recognition of bacterial components by gut associated immune system is considered as another factor contributing to the development of obesity and atherosclerosis. Based on the observations of the contribution of gut microbiata to human health, practical approaches to modify or improve gut microbial composition has been a center of interest in the field of health promotion for decades. Modification of dietary habit, administration of pre- and probiotics as well as regular exercise are suggested to potentially modify gut microbial components. The biggest issue, however, is that we still don’t have an established or agreed method of characterizing composition of gut microorganisms, lacking the mechanistic link between the composition of microorganisms and the anticipated effect. This is largely due to its high diversity among species, human races and individuals. Recent advances in system biological approach, such as metabolomics and metagenomics may find a thread through the cosmic world of microbiome in our body

Female terminalia of lower Brachycera - I (Diptera).

Die weiblichen Terminalien von 33 Arten aus 27 Gattungen folgender Familien werden als Beitrag zur Klassifizierung der niederen Brachyceren beschrieben: Solvidae (= Xylomyidae), Xylophagidae s. lat. (Rachiceridae, Xylophagidae, Coenomyiidae und Exeretoneuridae s. lat. (Pelecorhynchidae und Rhagionidae), Athericidae und Vermileonidae.Die weiblichen Terminalien von 33 Arten aus 27 Gattungen folgender Familien werden als Beitrag zur Klassifizierung der niederen Brachyceren beschrieben: Solvidae (= Xylomyidae), Xylophagidae s. lat. (Rachiceridae, Xylophagidae, Coenomyiidae und Exeretoneuridae s. lat. (Pelecorhynchidae und Rhagionidae), Athericidae und Vermileonidae

Contribution of lactobacillus casei to the recovery from chemically induced skeletal muscle damage under chronic stress

Background: Regeneration of damaged skeletal muscle requires sufficient supply of nutrients. Fully functional intestine and colon assure sufficient supply of nutrients. Gut commensal bacteria are known to support intestinal function. Previously lactobacillus treatment of elite athletes was shown to be effective in attenuating fatigue and impaired performance. We hypothesized that Lactobacillus casei (L.casei) administration may facilitate recovery of damaged skeletal muscle when the gut function is suppressed under chronic stress in which muscle regeneration is compromised. Objective: To investigate contribution of L.casei under chronic stress to the recovery of damaged skeletal muscle in young and older adult mice. Methods: L.casei was given orally at a dose of 10-8 /day for 7days to 10 weeks old (young) and 45-55 weeks old (older adult) male C57BL/6J mice. Vehicle control mice received an equivalent volume of water for 7 days. On the eighth day, cardiotoxin (CTX) was injected to gatrocnemius muscle to induce muscle damage. Both groups were assigned 2 hours repeated-restraint stress everyday (chronic stress). On days 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 20 after CTX injection, mice were sacrificed. Excised gastrocnemius muscle was subjected to weight measurement and immunohistochemical analyses. Results: There were significant differences in both the recovery of muscle weight and the regeneration process of gastrocnemius muscle examined immunohistochemically between control and L.casei treated young and older adult groups. Especially, the expression of developmental MHC (dMHC), a marker of premature regeneration, was positive up to 3 days in older adult groups. The delay in the recovery of muscle weight was obvious in older adult mice regardless of the treatment. However, while the expression of dMHC was prolonged up to day 7 in the vehicle control, dMHC expression was notable only up to day 3 or day 5 in the L.casei treated. Therefore, in older adult mice L.casei treatment under chronic stress may have facilitated the maturation process of regenerating skeletal muscle. Conclusion: Our results suggests that L.casei favor under chronic stress favors the recovery of skeletal muscle from muscle damage. The maintenance of gut function by L. casei treatment may have facilitated the maturation process of regenerating skeletal muscle

Metabolism of Zearalenone in the Course of Beer Fermentation

Zearalenone (ZON) is a mycotoxin with estrogenic activity, produced by members of Fusarium species, and is found worldwide in a number of cereal crops. It is known to have four active metabolites (α-zearalenol (α-ZOL), β-zearalenol (β-ZOL), α-zearalanol (α-ZAL), and β-zearalanol (β-ZAL)). A highly sensitive analytical method using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry using electrospray ionization (LC-ESI-MS/MS) has been established and validated in order to analyze ZON and its metabolites in beer and malt samples. The metabolism of ZON in the course of beer fermentation was further characterized using the artificially contaminated wort by this established method. In the fermented sample, 85.9% of ZON was converted to β-ZOL, which has lower estrogenic activity than that of ZON. These findings indicate that the health risk to humans due to ZON in beer is reduced during the fermentation process