Role of Sulfated O-Glycans Expressed by High Endothelial Venule-Like Vessels in Pathogenesis of Chronic Inflammatory Gastrointestinal Diseases

Lymphocyte homing is mediated by a cascade of adhesive interactions between circulating lymphocytes and specialized endothelial cells comprising high endothelial venules (HEVs). Sulfated O-glycans expressed on HEVs, collectively called peripheral lymph node addressin (PNAd), interact with L-selectin expressed on lymphocytes, contributing to the initial step of the lymphocyte homing. In chronic inflammatory states, PNAd is induced on HEV-like vessels but absent in non-lymphoid tissues under normal conditions. Such HEV-like vessels have been observed in various chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, lymphocytic thyroiditis, Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic gastritis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and implicated in lymphocyte recruitment in those diseases. In H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis, PNAd-expressing HEV-like vessels are induced, and the progression of chronic inflammation is highly correlated with appearance of these vessels. Furthermore, eradication of H. pylori by antibiotics resulted in disappearance of PNAd. These results indicate that inhibition of PNAd formation could have therapeutic effect by attenuating lymphocyte recruitment. In ulcerative colitis (UC), PNAd-expressing HEV-like vessels are induced, preferentially in the active phase, and T cells, particularly CD4(+) T cells, are closely associated with these vessels, suggesting that T cell recruitment via PNAd-expressing HEV-like vessels plays at least a partial role in UC pathogenesis. Additionally, N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferase I (GlcNAc6ST-1) is suggested to be a candidate to regulate PNAd induction on HEV-like vessels in UC. These results provide a potential therapeutic strategy to treat UC by blocking T cell adhesion to PNAd-expressing HEV-like vessels. Inhibition or down-regulation of GlcNAc6ST-1 may be an alternative.ArticleBIOLOGICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN. 32(5):774-779 (2009)journal articl

The Association between Utilization of Media Information and Current Health Anxiety Among the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster Evacuees

The 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima was not only a health disaster, but also an information disaster. Although media can promote health communication following disasters, studies have revealed associations between media information and negative psychological reactions. To clarify the relationship between media utilization and current health anxiety due to radiation exposure, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in Fukushima. We selected 2000 subjects from evacuation (i.e., 500) and non-evacuation (i.e., 1500) areas by two-stage stratified random sampling. As the independent variable, participants were asked about current health anxiety due to radiation exposure at the time of answering the questionnaire. For utilization of media about radiation exposure, local media, national media, Internet media, public broadcasts, and public relations information from local government were set as the dependent variables. Questionnaire data were analyzed by evacuation type (i.e., forced/voluntary). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the use of public relations information was significantly associated with lower anxiety for the forced evacuees (odds ratio: 0.72; 95% confidence interval: 0.56–0.93). Our findings highlight the importance of public relations information from local government in terms of it being associated with lower current health anxiety, and this could potentially aid in preparing for future disasters

Modelling Attention Levels with Ocular Responses in a Speech-in-Noise Recall Task

We applied state-space modelling technique to estimate the cognitive workload of a speech-in-noise (SIN) recall task, based on participants’ oculo-motor responses to speech signals. We estimated common latent attention levels in 15 time bins and observed temporal changes between pupillary dilations and saccade frequencies, given that the both conditions were independent. We also compared two speech type factors (natural vs. synthetic) and three levels of signal-to-noise (-1dB, -3dB, and -5dB) using the estimated parameter distribution. The comparison of experimental factors provided us with insights into differences in participants’ processing of spoken information during a SIN recall task

Combining oculo-motor indices to measure cognitive load of synthetic speech in noisy listening conditions

Gaze-based assistive technologies (ATs) that feature speech have the potential to improve the life of people with communication disorders. However, due to a limited understanding of how different speech types affect the cognitive load of users, an evaluation of ATs remains a challenge. Expanding on previous work, we combined temporal changes in pupil size and ocular movements (saccades and fixation differentials) to evaluate cognitive workload of two types of speech (natural and synthetic) mixed with noise, through a listening test. While observed pupil sizes were significantly larger at lower signal-to-noise levels, as participants listened and memorised speech stimuli; saccadic eye-movements were significantly more frequent for synthetic speech. In the synthetic condition, there was a strong negative correlation between pupil dilation and fixation differentials, indicating a higher strain on participants’ cognitive resources. These results suggest that combining oculo-motor indices can aid our understanding of the cognitive implications of different speech types

Note Taking Activity and its assessment in a Blended Learning Environment

"Note-taking" is a popular skill for all types of learning activities. In recent years, the online educational environment has began spreading rapidly at institutes of higher educational, obviating the need for printed materials or written notes. This means that students’ ability to take notes may decline and this may influence the success of their learning.  In order to examine this phenomenon, students' notes were surveyed during a blended learning course in a bachelor level program at a Japanese university. The course consisted of an online test system and face-to-face lectures using ICT equipment. Participant's learning performance was measured using online tests, written essays and a final exam, in addition to the assessment of their notes.  The contributions of note-taking activities were measured using statistical tests. As individual note-taking performance may be based on student's characteristics, these contributions were also examined. In the analysis, metrics of participant's characteristics such as personality, information literacy and learning experience were surveyed. Additionally, lexical features of notes taken were extracted using a text analysis technique, and these features were compared with the grades given. Conceptual mapping of the contents of notes was conducted, and the behaviour of good note-takers is discussed using the extracted results. &nbsp

Vitamin D during pregnancy in Japanese

We aimed to demonstrate that the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in maternal and umbilical cord blood has a seasonal variation in Japanese women. The study cohort comprised 256 healthy Japanese women with a singleton pregnancy who delivered after 36 gestational weeks between 2012 and 2015. The season at delivery was categorized for 3 months and recorded as “spring”, “summer”, “autumn” and “winter”. Subjects were divided into four groups according to season. A sample of peripheral venous blood at 35-36 gestational weeks and blood from the umbilical vein at delivery were taken. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration (ng/mL) in maternal blood for each season (spring, summer, autumn and winter) was 18.0 (±6.7), 17.1 (±5.1), 21.6 (±8.0) and 16.0 (±5.1), whereas that for umbilical cord blood was 8.8 (±3.6), 8.6 (±2.6), 10.7 (±3.5) and 8.6 (±2.1), respectively. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration of maternal and umbilical cord blood in autumn was higher than that for the other three seasons. In pregnant Japanese women, the mean serum 25(OH)D concentration in maternal and umbilical cord blood was affected by the season of delivery, with both being highest in autumn. Regardless of the season, the maternal serum concentration of 25(OH)D was low in Japan

トクシマ ニオケル フクシマ ダイイチ ゲンシリョク ハツデンショ ジコ ニ トモナウ タイキチュウ ジンコウ ホウシャセイ カクシュ ノ ソクテイ

The airborne radioactive isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was measured in Tokushima, western Japan. The continuous monitoring has been carries out in Tokushima, Japan. From March 23, 2011 the fission product 131I was observed. The radioisotopes 134Cs and 137Cs were also observed in the beginning of April. However the densities were extremely smaller than the Japanese regulation of radioisotopes

Acute inflammation at a mandibular solitary horizontal incompletely impacted molar

Acute inflammation is frequently seen in the elderly around incompletely impacted molars located apart from molars or premolars. To identify the factors causing acute inflammation in the solitary molars without second molars or without second and first molars, ages of patients and rates of acute inflammation in 75 horizontal incompletely impacted mandibular molars in contact or not in contact with molars in subjects 41 years old or older were studied using orthopantomographs. Acute inflammation was seen in nine third molars out of 48 third molars in contact with second molars (18.8%), whereas acute inflammation was seen in 11 molars out of 19 solitary molars without second molars or without first and second molars (57.9%) (p < 0.01). The mean age of 48 subjects with third molars in contact with the second molar was 50.42 ± 7.62 years, and the mean age of 19 subjects with isolated molars was 65.16 ± 10.41 years (p < 0.0001). These indicate that a solitary horizontal incompletely impacted molar leads more frequently to acute inflammation along with aging due to possible bone resorption resulting from teeth loss