A study of of-phrase constructions in English

In this study, I attempt tp characterize an of-phrase construction which is of the from "NP V NP of NP" (the of variant), in comparison with a construction which has the form "NP V NP from NP" (the from variant). Levin & Rappaport(1991) claim on the basis of the data in (1-2) that the of variant is used to express an abstract sense of removal as well as actual physical movement and ..

The Expression of Murine Double Minute 2 (MDM2) on Helicobacter pylori-Infected Intestinal Metaplasia and Gastric Cancer

The overexpression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is found in several human tumors, and increased expression of MDM2 inactivates the apoptotic and cell cycle arrest function of p53. Interleukin-16 (IL-16) is a pleiotrophic cytokine and the properties of IL-16 suggest that it involve in the pathophysiological process of chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the expression of MDM2 in intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer as well as the effect of H. pylori infection and IL-16 on epithelial cell proliferation and MDM2 expression in gastric cells in vitro. The expression of MDM2 on gastric biopsies was studied immunohistochemistry. AGS cells were incubated with a combination of IL-16 and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Gastric epithelial cell proliferation was studied by BrdU uptake and the expressions of MDM2 were studied by ELISA. There was no significant difference on the expression of MDM2 between with and without H. pylori infected chronic gastritis. In H. pylori infected gastric mucosa; the MDM2 expression was higher on intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer than chronic gastritis. IL-16 administration was increased MDM2 expression and cell proliferation on AGS cells, which was decreased by H. pylori infection. In conclusion, the expression of MDM2 in long-term H. pylori infected gastric mucosa may indicate a risk for carcinogenesis. IL-16 secretion in H. pylori infected mucosa is one of the factors for gastric cancer. The expression of MDM2 on mucosa can be a mediator for gastric cancer

Age Scale for Assessing Activities of Daily Living

The purpose of this study was to develop an age scale for assessing activities of daily living (ADL) among community-dwelling adults aged 75 years or older. Participants were 1006 older Japanese: 312 men (79.6 ± 4.3 years) and 694 women, (79.9 ± 5.5 years). Participants completed a battery of 8 performance tests related to ADL and the Barthel index (BI) questionnaire. Spearman rank-order correlation analysis was applied to obtain the correlation of the 8 ADL performance tests with the total BI score. Three variables were high rank-order correlated with BI, secondly those items were subjected to the principal component analysis. The weighted combination of the principal component scores was summed. Resulting in an ADL score (ADLS), women = 0.075 X1 - 0.082 X2 - 0.063 X3 + 0.124, men = 0.051 X1 - 0.105 X2 - 0.099 X3 + 0.249, where X1 = hand-grip strength, X2 = timed up and go, X3 = five-chair sit to stand. Individual ADLS was transformed to an ADL age scale (ADLA). The estimation was - 5.493 ADLS + 79.90 for women, and - 4.272 ADLS + 79.57 for men. Due to the distortion at the regression edges, the equation was corrected as suggested by Dubina et al. ADLA women after correction was = 0.447 (chronological age: CA) - 5.49ADLS + 44.17, men = 0.519CA - 4.27ADLS + 38.26. ADLA can be used to identify or monitor the characteristics of the ADL levels of physical abilities in older Japanese aged 75 years or older

The association of single and combined factors of sedentary behavior and physical activity with subjective cognitive complaints among community-dwelling older adults: Cross-sectional study

Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) might be a meaningful indicator of dementia onset or mild cognitive impairment, and identifying the related factors of SCC could contribute to preventing these diseases. However, the relationship between SCC and lifestyle factors remains largely unproven. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of type of sedentary behavior, physical activity, or their combination with SCC among community-dwelling older adults. In 2016, 6677 community-living elderly were recruited to participate in a survey investigating cognition, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. In total, 5328 participants responded to the questionnaire (79.8% valid response rate). SCC was assessed using the National Functional Survey Questionnaire (Kihon checklist). The relationships between SCC and physical activity, sedentary behavior (reading books or newspapers, and television viewing), or combined physical activity and sedentary behavior were examined via multiple logistic regression analysis. The analysis revealed that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (≥150 min/week) was significantly related with a lower risk of SCC (odds ratio [OR] = 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.74–0.97), and that reading behavior showed a dose-response relationship with SCC (OR for 10–20 min/day = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.53–0.75; OR for 20–30 min/day = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.49–0.71; OR for ≥30 min/day = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.39–0.57). In addition, among those reporting high physical activity and ≥30 min/day for reading time, the OR for SCC was 0.40 (95% CI = 0.32–0.50) compared with the combined group reporting lower physical activity and non-readers. The present study shows that increased physical activity and reading time may be related to a reduced risk for SCC among community-dwelling older adults

Myelodysplastic syndrome accompanied by basophilia and eosinophilia with t(5;12)(q31;p13)

The t(5;12)(q31not, vert, similar35;p12not, vert, similar13) is rare among cytogenetically categorized myeloid diseases. Here we describe a case of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with basophilia followed by leukocytosis, basophilia, and eosinophilia with t(5;12)(q31;p13).A 44-year-old man was referred to Tsukuba University Hospital in August 2005, due to severe anemia and thrombocytopenia. Peripheral blood examination showed hemoglobin 4.5 g/dL, with mean corpuscular volume 109 fL, platelets 73 × 109/L, and white blood cells 4.9 × 109/L with 23% basophils, 3% eosinophils, and 0% blasts. Bone marrow was slightly hypocellular, with trilineage dysplasia. Cytogenetic examination of the bone marrow cells revealed a normal karyotype, 46,XY. A diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome–refractory anemia with excess blasts type 2 (MDS-RAEB2) was made according to the WHO classification

Plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) are associated with cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia

Aim: Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) has been shown to modulate synaptic plasticity and may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This study investigated the peripheral levels of MMP‐9 and its association with cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia to see the possible involvement of MMP‐9 in pathophysiology of schizophrenia, especially in cognitive decline. Methods: We measured the plasma levels of MMP‐9 in 257 healthy controls and 249 patients with schizophrenia, including antipsychotic drug–free patients. We also explored the possible association between plasma MMP‐9 levels and cognitive performance in healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition (WAIS‐ III), the Wechsler Memory Scale‐Revised (WMS‐R), and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). Results: We found that the plasma levels of MMP‐9 were significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia, including antipsychotic drug–free patients, than in healthy controls. We found a significant negative association between plasma MMP‐9 levels and cognitive performance in controls and patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: Together, these convergent data suggest a possible biological mechanism for schizophrenia, whereby increased MMP‐9 levels are associated with cognitive impairment

Plasma Levels of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 (sTNFR2) Are Associated with Hippocampal Volume and Cognitive Performance in Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: An imbalance in the inflammatory tumor necrosis factor system, including soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2), may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Methods: We measured the plasma levels of sTNFR2 in 256 healthy controls and 250 patients with schizophrenia including antipsychotic drug-free patients and treatment-resistant patients. We also explored the possible association between plasma sTNFR2 levels and cognitive performance in healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition, the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. An association between plasma sTNFR2 levels and hippocampal volume in controls and patients with schizophrenia was also investigated via MRI. Results: We found that the plasma levels of sTNFR2 were significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia, including both antipsychotic drug-free patients and treatment-resistant patients. We found a significant negative association between plasma sTNFR2 levels and cognitive performance in controls and patients with schizophrenia. Hippocampal volume was also negatively associated with plasma sTNFR2 levels in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: Together, these convergent data suggest a possible biological mechanism for schizophrenia, whereby increased sTNFR2 levels are associated with a smaller hippocampal volume and cognitive impairment

白飯の食味におよぼす洗米方法の影響

In order to examine the washing method effect on the palatability evaluation of cooked rice, we washed three kinds of rice using four different methods. We then cooked the rice. After evaluating the palatability of each kind of cooked rice, by measuring the solid quantities in the water in which the rice had been washed, and by measuring the texture of each kind of cooked rice, we came to the following conclusion. 1. After comparing the washed cooked rice and unwashed cooked rice in an organoleptic test for the case of Koshihikari, the unwashed rice was much worse than the washed rice in terms of color, gloss, appearance, smell, taste, glutinous characteristics and the total evaluation. ln terms of hardness, however, there was no apparent difference between the washed and unwashed rice. Comparing the four washing methods (once, twice, three times and once in a large quantity of water), there were no clear differences in all the points evaluated. 2. The solid quantities measured in the water in which each of the three kinds of rice had been washed, increased according to the number of times they had been washed. Once in a large quantity of water, however, the solid quantities in the water were the smallest, even though the quantity of water used was the same. 3. A comparison of the texture of the cooked rice using a rheolometer showed clear differences among the three kinds of rice. However, there were no differences in the texture of the rice depending on the washing method. 4. Washed cooked rice tastes better than unwashed cooked rice, but there is no significant difference in the taste of washed cooked rice according to the washing method and the number of times the rice is washed. It can be assumed that the need to wash to rice is decreasing because the method of storing rice has improved in recent years, while the precision with which rice is cleaned has increased

ココアの添加がマフィンに及ぼす影響

Effects of adding cocoa powder on the quality of muffins were studied. Water absorption capacity and cocoa content in wheat flour had a high correlation (r=0.984, p<0. 05) because cocoa contains more dietary fiber than wheat flour. The content of moisture of muffins 24 hours after baking was lower than that of 1 hour. The volume of muffins were equal to control when cocoa level in wheat flour increased. Hardness of muffins had a tendency to increase and the color of muffins became brownish as cocoa level increased. Evaluating muffins by the Food Action Rating (FACT) scale method, it was possible to replace 30% of soft flour by cocoa

ピラフの調理法の検討

Main results of our investigation on the difference between the pilafs prepared by frying rice and adding oil are summarized as follows: 1. Heating time was shorter for cooking rice after frying it than cooking rice without frying it, but difference was scarcely observed between the two methods regarding the weight of the rice cooked and moisture content. 2. The method of frying rice caused entry of oil in a little amount into the rice grain (cracked portion), but most of the oil adhered the surfaces of rice grains. 3. As a result of comparing the taste of the pilafs cooked by the two methods by organoleptic test, no significant difference was seen in any item of color, outer apperarance, smell, taste, hardness and palatability. Therefore, it has been clarified that, as a simplified method, the boiled pilaf prepared by adding oil and ingredients on the rice is favorable