Effects of Pressure-induced Worry and Negative Thoughts on Verbal and Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of pressure-induced worry/negative thoughts on verbal and visuospatial working memory (WM) capacity. Twenty-six participants performed two WM tasks (verbal: reading span; visuospatial: spatial span) under baseline and pressured conditions. The results indicated that spatial span declined when participants were under pressure, but reading span performance did not. These results suggest that pressure- induced worry and negative thoughts decrease visuospatial WM capacity. The rationale for pressure-induced worry and negative thoughts not affecting verbal WM is that the practice effect of reading span was not controlled in this study

オウシュウ ジンケン サイバンショ ニ オケル セイテキ マイノリティ ジレイ ノ ゲンジョウ ト カダイ ドウセイアイシャ ノ カゾク カンケイ ノ イジ ケイセイ ヲ チュウシンニ

論

First-principles study on the intermediate compounds of LiBH4_4

We report the results of the first-principles calculation on the intermediate compounds of LiBH$_4$. The stability of LiB$_3$H$_8$ and Li$_2$B$_n$H$_n (n=5-12)$ has been examined with the ultrasoft pseudopotential method based on the density functional theory. Theoretical prediction has suggested that monoclinic Li$_2$B$_{12}$H$_{12}$ is the most stable among the candidate materials. We propose the following hydriding/dehydriding process of LiBH$_4$ via this intermediate compound : LiBH$_4 \leftrightarrow {1/12}$Li$_{2}$B$_{12}$H$_{12} + {5/6}$ LiH $+ {13/12}$H$_2 \leftrightarrow$LiH $+$ B $+ {3/2}$H$_2$. The hydrogen content and enthalpy of the first reaction are estimated to be 10 mass% and 56 kJ/mol H$_2$, respectively, and those of the second reaction are 4 mass% and 125 kJ/mol H$_2$. They are in good agreement with experimental results of the thermal desorption spectra of LiBH$_4$. Our calculation has predicted that the bending modes for the $\Gamma$-phonon frequencies of monoclinic Li$_2$B$_{12}$H$_{12}$ are lower than that of LiBH$_4$, while stretching modes are higher. These results are very useful for the experimental search and identification of possible intermediate compounds.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

TGFα, c-MYC, mutated CTNNB1 and their combinations act distinctly on the Hep3B tumors in nude mice

浜松医科大学博士（医学）doctoral医学系研究科Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common hepatic tumor worldwide and is a major cause of death in many countries. Although chronic viral infections and hepatotoxic agents are the major risk factors, the molecular pathogenesis of HCC remains largely unknown. Among model mice, TGFα/c-Myc transgenic mice develop human HCC-like tumors. Whole genome sequencing of HCC tumors from patients has shown that mutations to CTNNB1 (β-catenin) are the most frequent (15.9%). So in this study, we characterized the effects of TGFα, c-MYC and mutant CTNNB1 genes on the transplantable Hep3B cells. TGFα increased the tumor number after transplanting Hep3B cells. Mutant CTNNB1 changed the characteristics of Hep3B tumor cells into a disarranged structure with loose cell-cell contacts. And co-transduction of TGFα and mutant CTNNB1 synergistically increased the growth rate, size and weight of Hep3B tumors. Unexpectedly, c-MYC overexpression in the Hep3B cells induced apoptosis. Interestingly, TGFα+mutant CTNNB1+MYC-transduced cells grew very slowly and the tumor showed transdifferentiation into a cholangial duct. These results suggest that the interaction of these three genes determines the characteristics of Hep3B tumor. Overexpression of c-MYC by a lentivirus in c-MYC-upregulated HCC tumors might be used as a molecular targeted therapy.doctoral thesi