Essential roles of angiotensin II in vascular endothelial growth factor expression in sleep apnea syndrome

SummaryBackgroundHypoxia-induced endothelial cell dysfunction has been implicated in increased cardiovascular disease associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OSAS mediates hypertension by stimulating angiotensin II (Ang II) production. Hypoxia and Ang II are the major stimuli of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is a potent angiogenic cytokine and also contributes to the atherogenic process itself.Methods & resultsWe observed serum Ang II and VEGF levels and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and neutrophil VEGF expression. Compared to controls, subjects with OSAS had significantly increased levels of serum Ang II and VEGF and VEGF mRNA expression in their leukocytes. To examine whether Ang II stimulates VEGF expression in OSAS, we treated PBMCs obtained from control subjects with Ang II and with an Ang II receptor type 1 (AT1) blocker, olmesartan. We observed an increased expression of VEGF in the Ang II-stimulated PBMCs and decreased in VEGF mRNA and protein expression in the PBMCs treated with olmesartan.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the Ang II-AT1 receptors pathway potentially are involved in OSAS and VEGF-induced vascularity and that endothelial dysfunction might be linked to this change in Ang II activity within leukocytes of OSAS patients

A Sociological Study on Acceptance and Consumption of Singing Education and National Consciousness : Based on Interview at Takato, Nagano Prefecture

In this paper I try to clarify the function of school education in national integration through music education. As a part of this effort, I traced back memories of people on "singing" who went to elementary schools from the middle of the Taisho Period to the first part of the Showa Period. The purpose of this paper is to observe how people accepted and consumed the contents and method of "singing" to form their national consciousness. From the standpoint of acceptance of "singing". I examined the structure of "singing", explanation on lyrics, and relations between songs called "shoka" and ritual songs. As a result, it was made clear that as for the structure of "singing", singing in unison by the whole class was repeated in almost the same fashion as the educational plans written in teaching manuals. Many of the people, however, do not remember if there was any explanation on the contents of lyrics and only few people remembered explanation related to any ideology. Regarding consumption of "singing", I examined people\u27s memories and reasons for liking for particular songs. It was concluded that there were some patterns for those points and that family background, individual experience and inclination gave influence. Judging from those observations, it is hardly possible to establish the conventional explanation that the state tried to integrate the people and internalized within them the ideology of Emperor system and the militaristic nationalism through explanation on lyrics. Supposing sense of unity as the people were established and monolithic nationalism were formed by sharing melodies and lyrics of songs through experience of singing in unison, in actuality, it could be said that the people based on totally different reasons and memories, share songs, which should be the source of the sense of unity. In conclusion, it can be said that songs, which is consumed very differently by individual levels, hardly managed to maintain national integration through their melodies and lyrics themselves

Who Attends Classical Music Concerts? : Based on Questionnaire Research Conducted at Concert Halls in Tokyo, Niigata, Kagoshima

In Japan, what sort of people attend classical music concerts? It has been said that the classical music is an orthodox current of culture from the West, which was set up alongside the establishment of the modern educational system in Japan. Recently, however, the number of classes of music and other arts related subjects has been reduced as a result of the new national curriculum. In addition, the development of the Internet has provided a dramatic increase in terms of alternative access points to music. These are resulting in a dramatic change of music culture. Under these conditions, is it probable to think that attitudes towards classical music concerts might be in a process of change? The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the current conditions in relation to classical music concerts attendance from a sociological perspective. Methodologically, the paper draws upon evidence garnered from a questionnaire survey conducted at classical music concerts in Tokyo, Niigata and Kagoshima, between April and August 2002. To date, there have been few studies to investigate the sociological profile and associated behaviour related to classical music concert attendees, except the index of a stratum research. In this research, I will make use of sociological description of attendance, exploring the issue of regional difference. Subsequently I will analyze attendee\u27s first experiences vis-a-vis the concert. Finally I will specify the features of attendance in relation to those classified as ""Jouren"" i. e. regular goers and those labeled ""Ichigen"" i. e first-timers. I will analyse the differences between them in light of a number of sociological indicators and their musical experiences during their formal education. As a kind of pilot study, I will propose a research framework that could provide a signpost for future research exploration

The Functions of Music Education in School, in The National Integration : Focusing on "Country Consciousness" as The National Identity

Previous studies of political socialization have regarded a modern state in the same light as a political community, and have not examined political integration fully. The "Nation state", which is a common type of state in this century needs national identity among its people. However most modern states are founded on hegemony groups\u27 interests. So the so-called "nation state" is a fictitious community. In this sense how the people build up their identity to their "nation state" as a fictitious community is a significant problem for not only the study of the state but also the study of political socialization. In this paper I will divide national identity into two hypothetical aspects - "nation consciousness" and "country consciousness". Focusing on "country consciousness", I will examine functions of music education in primary school, in integrating children into the people, through an analysis of music textbooks and teaching methods in the early twentieth century in Japan

Transient IR absorption study of charge carriers photogenerated in sulfur-doped TiO2

Sulfur-doped TiO2 was prepared by two methods; one was simple oxidation annealing of TiS2, the other was mixing of titanium isopropoxide and thiourea. These two sulfur-doped TiO2 preparations showed fairly different photocatalytic activity under visible light. The dynamics of photogenerated charge carriers were studied by the transient absorption measurement in the region of mid-IR. In both samples, excitation by 532 nm pulse led to photocarrier generation to the same extent. Nevertheless, the reactivity of the photocarriers was totally different. Photogenerated electrons and holes transferred to reactant gas in the latter sample, whereas they did not in the former sample. We attributed the different carrier behavior to the difference in the distribution of S atoms or particle size. These observations can explain the difference in capability of photocatalysis under visible light

A Sociological Study of Institutional Changes of Club Activities in Junior High Schools and ""The Participating Pattern into Sports / Cultural Activities"" : Focusing on the Economical Background of Student\u27Family

We have endeavoured to illuminate the factors that affect students\u27commitment to their schools in secondary education; their future educational goals and career trajectories. Examining how they have been involved in various club activities at school, we have got the basis for this evaluation, and we proposed ""a plural model of school culture."" Today the implementation of the 1998/1999 national curriculum (course of study) has leaded movement of reexamination the co-operative linkage of schools, homes, and communities, at the point of club-activities that have been abolished or reduced. It follows that schools and club-activities themselves change somehow in such movement. In this research, we have examined factors that affect students\u27participation/absence in club-activities and other activities in communities. In doing so, we will propose an agenda for school education and life-long education, focusing on reexamination of co-operative linkage of schools, homes, and communities. To date, we made a questionnaire survey, and got the following point of the students who keep participating on club-activities in spite that they have made into non-compulsory activities, that is, students are from the lower income group