Sound feature interference between two second languages: An expansion of the feature hypothesis to the multilingual situation in SLA

Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (2013), pp. 18-3

The Japanese Society of Pathology Guidelines on the handling of pathological tissue samples for genomic research: Standard operating procedures based on empirical analyses

Genome research using appropriately collected pathological tissue samples is expected to yield breakthroughs in the development of biomarkers and identification of therapeutic targets for diseases such as cancers. In this connection, the Japanese Society of Pathology (JSP) has developed “The JSP Guidelines on the Handling of Pathological Tissue Samples for Genomic Research” based on an abundance of data from empirical analyses of tissue samples collected and stored under various conditions. Tissue samples should be collected from appropriate sites within surgically resected specimens, without disturbing the features on which pathological diagnosis is based, while avoiding bleeding or necrotic foci. They should be collected as soon as possible after resection: at the latest within about 3 h of storage at 4°C. Preferably, snap‐frozen samples should be stored in liquid nitrogen (about −180°C) until use. When intending to use genomic DNA extracted from formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue, 10% neutral buffered formalin should be used. Insufficient fixation and overfixation must both be avoided. We hope that pathologists, clinicians, clinical laboratory technicians and biobank operators will come to master the handling of pathological tissue samples based on the standard operating procedures in these Guidelines to yield results that will assist in the realization of genomic medicine

The Composite Effect of Transgenic Plant Volatiles for Acquired Immunity to Herbivory Caused by Inter-Plant Communications

A blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from plants induced by herbivory enables the priming of defensive responses in neighboring plants. These effects may provide insights useful for pest control achieved with transgenic-plant-emitted volatiles. We therefore investigated, under both laboratory and greenhouse conditions, the priming of defense responses in plants (lima bean and corn) by exposing them to transgenic-plant-volatiles (VOCos) including (E)-β-ocimene, emitted from transgenic tobacco plants (NtOS2) that were constitutively overexpressing (E)-β-ocimene synthase. When lima bean plants that had previously been placed downwind of NtOS2 in an open-flow tunnel were infested by spider mites, they were more defensive to spider mites and more attractive to predatory mites, in comparison to the infested plants that had been placed downwind of wild-type tobacco plants. This was similarly observed when the NtOS2-downwind maize plants were infested with Mythimna separata larvae, resulting in reduced larval growth and greater attraction of parasitic wasps (Cotesia kariyai). In a greenhouse experiment, we also found that lima bean plants (VOCos-receiver plants) placed near NtOS2 were more attractive when damaged by spider mites, in comparison to the infested plants that had been placed near the wild-type plants. More intriguingly, VOCs emitted from infested VOCos-receiver plants affected their conspecific neighboring plants to prime indirect defenses in response to herbivory. Altogether, these data suggest that transgenic-plant-emitted volatiles can enhance the ability to prime indirect defenses via both plant-plant and plant-plant-plant communications

Comparison of opportunities to learn about HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases and HIV/AIDS among nursing students in Nagasaki University

Aim : This study was performed to evaluate the means by which nursing students in one area of the Kyushu/Okinawa region, Japan, obtained information regarding human T-cell leukemia virus type 1（HTLV-1）/HTLV-1-related diseases in comparison with human immunodeficiency virus（ HIV）/acquiredimmune deficiency syndrome（ AIDS）.Methods : A self-administered anonymous structured questionnaire survey was conducted in August 2014 among 79 nursing students in their 4th year of study at Nagasaki University in the Kyushu/Okinawaregion, Japan. The questionnaire elicited responses related to sources of information regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases and HIV/AIDS when the study participants were in junior high school, high school, and university.Results : A total of 60（ 75.9%）participants completed the questionnaire. All participants had opportunities to obtain information regarding HIV/AIDS between junior high school and the last 2 years of university.However, five（ 8.3%） participants reported having had no chances to obtain information regardingHTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in any period. The participants with greater numbers of formal and informal information sources regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in the junior high school andhigh school periods and of formal information sources in the university period also had greater numbers of informal information sources regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in the university period（rs = 0.286, P = 0.027; rs = 0.384, P = 0.002; rs = 0.477, P < 0.001, respectively）.Conclusions : Due to the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in Japan, education related to this virus should be provided from an early age, e.g., as part of compulsory education in junior high school. Accumulationof educational input, including early exposure, can develop a readiness among nursing students to learn about HTLV-1 infection

Comparison of opportunities to learn about HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases and HIV/AIDS among nursing students in Nagasaki University

Aim : This study was performed to evaluate the means by which nursing students in one area of the Kyushu/Okinawa region, Japan, obtained information regarding human T-cell leukemia virus type 1（HTLV-1）/HTLV-1-related diseases in comparison with human immunodeficiency virus（ HIV）/acquired immune deficiency syndrome（ AIDS）. Methods : A self-administered anonymous structured questionnaire survey was conducted in August 2014 among 79 nursing students in their 4th year of study at Nagasaki University in the Kyushu/Okinawa region, Japan. The questionnaire elicited responses related to sources of information regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases and HIV/AIDS when the study participants were in junior high school, high school, and university. Results : A total of 60（ 75.9%）participants completed the questionnaire. All participants had opportunities to obtain information regarding HIV/AIDS between junior high school and the last 2 years of university.However, five（ 8.3%） participants reported having had no chances to obtain information regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in any period. The participants with greater numbers of formal and informal information sources regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in the junior high school and high school periods and of formal information sources in the university period also had greater numbers of informal information sources regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in the university period （rs = 0.286, P = 0.027; rs = 0.384, P = 0.002; rs = 0.477, P < 0.001, respectively）. Conclusions : Due to the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in Japan, education related to this virus should be provided from an early age, e.g., as part of compulsory education in junior high school. Accumulation of educational input, including early exposure, can develop a readiness among nursing students to learn about HTLV-1 infection