早稲田法学査読規程、執筆者紹介(掲載順)、奥付

Abstract This work was assigned by a technological company that manufactures gas detectors in which the sensor signal is processed using digital filters. These filters have been developed by a consultancy firm which converted previously used analog filters to digital filters. The purpose of this work has been to analyse inadequate, and sometimes erroneous, documentation from the project in order to provide the company with know-how and tools for further improvement of their products. The work has been done using the simulation software COMSOL which was bought solely for the project. Analysis showed serious flaws as well as pure errors in the consultant’s documentation. By sorting out and documenting the actual functionality it has been possible to propose further improvements. One such possible improvement is described in the report

Postpartum Behavioral Profiles in Wistar Rats Following Maternal Separation – Altered Exploration and Risk-Assessment Behavior in MS15 Dams

The rodent maternal separation (MS) model is frequently used to investigate the impact of early environmental factors on adult neurobiology and behavior. The majority of MS studies assess effects in the offspring and few address the consequences of repeated pup removal in the dam. Such studies are of interest since alterations detected in offspring subjected to MS may, at least in part, be mediated by variations in maternal behavior and the amount of maternal care provided by the dam. The aim of this study was to investigate how daily short (15 min; MS15) and prolonged (360 min; MS360) periods of MS affects the dam by examining postpartum behavioral profiles using the multivariate concentric square field™ (MCSF) test. The dams were tested on postpartum days 24–25, i.e., just after the end of the separation period and weaning. The results reveal a lower exploratory drive and lower risk-assessment behavior in MS15 dams relative to MS360 or animal facility reared dams. The present results contrast some of the previously reported findings and provide new information about early post-weaning behavioral characteristics in a multivariate setting. Plausible explanations for the results are provided including a discussion how the present results fit into the maternal mediation hypothesis

Constitutive serotonin transporter reduction resembles maternal separation with regard to stress-related gene expression

Interactive effects between allelic variants of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) promoter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and stressors on depression symptoms have been documented, as well as questioned, by meta-analyses. Translational models of constitutive 5-htt reduction and experimentally controlled stressors often led to inconsistent behavioral and molecular findings, and often did not include females. The present study sought to investigate the effect of 5-htt genotype, maternal separation, and sex on the expression of stress-related candidate genes in the rat hippocampus and frontal cortex. The mRNA expression levels of Avp, Pomc, Crh, Crhbp, Crhr1, Bdnf, Ntrk2, Maoa, Maob, and Comt were assessed in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of 5-htt +/- and 5-htt +/+ male and female adult rats exposed, or not, to daily maternal separation for 180 minutes during the first two postnatal weeks. Gene- and brain region-dependent, but sex-independent, interactions between 5-htt genotype and maternal separation were found. Gene expression levels were higher in 5-htt +/+ rats not exposed to maternal separation compared to the other experimental groups. Maternal separation and 5-htt +/- genotype did not yield additive effects on gene expression. Correlative relationships, mainly positive, were observed within, but not across, brain regions in all groups, except in non-maternally separated 5-htt +/+ rats. Gene expression patterns in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of rats exposed to maternal separation resembled the ones observed in rats with reduced 5-htt expression, regardless of sex. These results suggest that floor effects of 5-htt reduction and maternal separation might explain inconsistent findings in humans and rodents.</p

Система управления инкубатором

Stressful events early in life, later high alcohol consumption and vulnerability to alcohol use disorder (AUD) are tightly linked. Norepinephrine is highly involved in the stress response and the alpha 2A-adrenoceptor, which is an important regulator of norepinephrine signalling, is a putative target in pharmacotherapy of AUD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of early-life stress and adult voluntary alcohol drinking on the alpha 2A-adrenoceptor. The relative expression and promoter DNA methylation of the Adra2a gene were measured in the hypothalamus, a key brain region in stress regulation. A well-characterized animal model of early-life stress was used in combination with an episodic voluntary drinking in adulthood. Alcohol drinking rats with a history of early-life stress had lower Adra2a expression than drinking rats not exposed to stress. Alcohol intake and Adra2a gene expression were negatively correlated in high-drinking animals, which were predominantly rats subjected to early-life stress. The results provide support for a link between early-life stress, susceptibility for high alcohol consumption, and low Adra2a expression in the hypothalamus. These findings can increase our understanding of the neurobiological basis for vulnerability to initiate risk alcohol consumption and individual differences in the response to 2A-adrenoceptor agonists

Prevalence and influence of cys407* Grm2 mutation in Hannover-derived Wistar rats:mGlu2 receptor loss links to alcohol intake, risk taking and emotional behaviour

AbstractModulation of metabotropic glutamate 2 (mGlu2) receptor function has huge potential for treating psychiatric and neurological diseases. Development of drugs acting on mGlu2 receptors depends on the development and use of translatable animal models of disease. We report here a stop codon mutation at cysteine 407 in Grm2 (cys407*) that is common in some Wistar rats. Therefore, researchers in this field need to be aware of strains with this mutation. Our genotypic survey found widespread prevalence of the mutation in commercial Wistar strains, particularly those known as Han Wistar. Such Han Wistar rats are ideal for research into the separate roles of mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors in CNS function. Previous investigations, unknowingly using such mGlu2 receptor-lacking rats, provide insights into the role of mGlu2 receptors in behaviour. The Grm2 mutant rats, which dominate some selectively bred lines, display characteristics of altered emotionality, impulsivity and risk-related behaviours and increased voluntary alcohol intake compared with their mGlu2 receptor-competent counterparts. In addition, the data further emphasize the potential therapeutic role of mGlu2 receptors in psychiatric and neurological disease, and indicate novel methods of studying the role of mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors

Does the transcription factor AP-2β have an impact on the genetic and early environmental influence on ethanol consumption?

Genes involved in alcoholism have consensus sites for the transcription factor activator protein (TFAP) 2β. In the present study, we investigated TFAP-2β protein levels in the ethanol-preferring alko, alcohol (AA) and the ethanol-avoiding alko, non-alcohol (ANA) rat lines. Furthermore, basal and ethanol-induced TFAP-2β levels were examined in Wistar rats exposed to different early postnatal environments that are known to affect later ethanol consumption. Taken together, we found differences in brainstem TFAP-2β protein between the AA and ANA rats

Analys och modifiering av digital filteralgoritm för gassensor

Abstract This work was assigned by a technological company that manufactures gas detectors in which the sensor signal is processed using digital filters. These filters have been developed by a consultancy firm which converted previously used analog filters to digital filters. The purpose of this work has been to analyse inadequate, and sometimes erroneous, documentation from the project in order to provide the company with know-how and tools for further improvement of their products. The work has been done using the simulation software COMSOL which was bought solely for the project. Analysis showed serious flaws as well as pure errors in the consultant’s documentation. By sorting out and documenting the actual functionality it has been possible to propose further improvements. One such possible improvement is described in the report

Behavioral Profiling in Early Adolescence and Early Adulthood of Male Wistar Rats After Short and Prolonged Maternal Separation

Early-life stress and its possible correlations to genes, environment, and later health outcomes can only be studied retrospectively in humans. Animal models enable the exploration of such connections with prospective, well-controlled study designs. However, with the recent awareness of replicability issues in preclinical research, the reproducibility of results from animal models has been highlighted. The present study aims to reproduce the behavioral effects of maternal separation (MS) previously observed in the multivariate concentric square field(TM) (MCSF) test. A second objective was to replicate the adolescent behavioral profiles previously described in the MCSF test. Male rats, subjected to short or prolonged MS or standard rearing, were subjected to behavioral testing in early adolescence and early adulthood. As seen in previous studies, the behavioral effects of MS in the MCSF were small at both tested time points. When tested in early adolescence, the animals exhibited a similar behavioral profile as previously seen, and the finding of adolescent behavioral types was also reproduced. The distribution of animals into the behavioral types was different than in the initial study, but in a manner consistent with developmental theories, as the current cohort was younger than the previous. Notably, the Shelter seeker behavioral type persisted through development, while the Explorer type did not. The lack of basal behavioral effect after MS is in line with the literature on this MS paradigm; the working hypothesis is that the prolonged MS gives rise to a phenotype predisposed to negative health outcomes but which is not apparent without additional provocation