Periodontal Tissue as a Biomaterial for Hard-Tissue Regeneration following bmp-2 Gene Transfer

The application of periodontal tissue in regenerative medicine has gained increasing interest since it has a high potential to induce hard-tissue regeneration, and is easy to handle and graft to other areas of the oral cavity or tissues. Additionally, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) has a high potential to induce the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteogenic cells. We previously developed a system for a gene transfer to the periodontal tissues in animal models. In this study, we aimed to reveal the potential and efficiency of periodontal tissue as a biomaterial for hard-tissue regeneration following a bmp-2 gene transfer. A non-viral expression vector carrying bmp-2 was injected into the palate of the periodontal tissues of Wistar rats, followed by electroporation. The periodontal tissues were analyzed through bone morphometric analyses, including mineral apposition rate (MAR) determination and collagen micro-arrangement, which is a bone quality parameter, before and after a gene transfer. The MAR was significantly higher 3–6 d after the gene transfer than that before the gene transfer. Collagen orientation was normally maintained even after the bmp-2 gene transfer, suggesting that the bmp-2 gene transfer has no adverse effects on bone quality. Our results suggest that periodontal tissue electroporated with bmp-2 could be a novel biomaterial candidate for hard-tissue regeneration therapy.Kawai M.Y., Ozasa R., Ishimoto T., et al. Periodontal Tissue as a Biomaterial for Hard-Tissue Regeneration following bmp-2 Gene Transfer. Materials, 15, 3, 993. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15030993

Student Perceptions of High School English Textbooks

The present study aims to examine if there may be any significant differences between teachers and students in evaluating the components of English textbooks, and whether the goals for learning English would cause any differences. Five analyses were computed using a two-way ANOVA with teacher/student, and goals for learning English as the independent variables, and scores of each of 5 textbook components as the dependent variable. The subjects were 475 senior high school students and 64 senior high school English teachers, totaling 539. The results indicated that there were differences in the opinion of (1) the consolidation and training of the main points, and (2) the treatment of literary pieces, between teachers and students and among different groups

A Quantitative Analysis of Post-War English Textbooks : with a focus on New Jack and Betty, New High School English, and Sunshine English Course

これまで教科書の歴史的な発達の研究に関しては, 主観的な手法にとどまっており, いわゆる教科書発達史についての体系的な研究方法は確立されていないのが現状である。本研究は教科書の特徴をより客観的な形で明らかにし提示していくことを目的とし, この分野での新たな研究方法として明治から現代までの5セット(6種類)の中学校・高等学校の英語教科書をそれぞれデータベース化し, コンピュータによって量的な分析を行なった。(そのうち, 3セットは馬本他(2001)のデータを用いた。)分析結果として教科書ごとの類似点や相違点が統一的な指標から明らかになった外, 今まで一般に言われてきたり先行研究で印象として指摘されてきた点が客観的な形で裏付けられた。Study into the development of English textbooks is still at an early stage, and thus researchers tend to depend on qualitative study, such as reviewing, or qualitative analysis. Qualitative analysis has never been challenged in this area because of the large amount of materials and the lack of a standardized comparative method. This study introduced a new method of quantitative analysis, using computer software. In this study, we digitized all of the materials and then analyzed them in terms of the frequency of the vocabulary, their readability, and the frequency of the use of the relative clause and the passive voice. This study focused on the post-war English textbooks called New Jack and Betty: Step by Step, High School English, and Sunshine English Course, referring to the quantitative data of the textbooks published in the Meiji and Taisho Periods, i.e., The National Readers, The Globe Readers, and The Standard English Readers, used in Umamoto et al. (2001). In so doing, we believe that characteristics of the post-war English textbooks can be clarified and seen more objectively, and also that the present analysis will contribute to the historical study of the development of English textbooks in Japan

English learning motivation of high school students : An empirical study

本研究は主としてカナダで開発された北米モデルを尺度として用い, 日本人普通科高校生学習者の英語学習動機を明らかにし, 彼らの英語学習動機の構造を解明することを目的とするものである。因子分析による解析の結果, 日本人普通高校生の英語学習動機は4種類から構成されていることが明らかになった。また, MANOVAによる解析の結果, 2年生と3年生の間には, 2種類の内発的動機(因子1, 2)および非動機において有意差が認められた(2年生>3年生)。また, 男性・女性の間には内発的動機・知識/成長(因子1), 外発的動機(因子3), および非動機(因子4)において有意差が認められた(女性>男性)。The present study aims to explore the English learning motivation of students in the general education course of senior high schools in Japan. A set of questionnaires on English learning motivation was administered to 244 senior high school students. The data were analyzed first using a factor analysis in order to extract factors that could best explain the subjects' perception of their English learning motivation. The results revealed that their perception was explained by four kinds of motivation. The obtained data were further analyzed using a 2 x 2 MANOVA with the sum of the scores for each factor as the dependent variable and year (grade) and gender as the independent variables. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the 2nd year and the 3rd year (2nd year > 3rd year) for the intrinsic motivations (F1, F2) and amotivation (F3). It was also found that there were significant differences between males and females (females > males) for the intrinsic motivations / knowledge and growth (F1), extrinsic motivation (F3) and amotivation (F4

Synergistic up-regulation of Hexokinase-2, glucose transporters and angiogenic factors in pancreatic cancer cells by glucose deprivation and hypoxia

There is accumulating evidence demonstrating that HIF-1 functions as a key regulator of the adaptation responses to hypoxia in cancer tissues. To this evidence, we add that adaptation responses to glucose deprivation plus hypoxia are also necessary for the survival of tumor cells in the tumor microenvironment as cancer tissues are exposed to glucose deprivation as well as hypoxia. We found that adrenomedullin (AM), VEGF, Glut-1, Glut-3, and Hexokinase-2 among 45 hypoxia-inducible genes investigated were expressed at higher levels under glucose-deprived hypoxic conditions than under hypoxic conditions. Glucose deprivation activated the AMPK under normoxia and hypoxia. Compound C, an inhibitor of AMPK, suppressed the expressions of AM and VEGF which had already been enhanced under glucose-deprived hypoxic conditions. siRNAs for both AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 suppressed the expressions of AM and VEGF. HIF-1α protein level and the transcriptional activity of HIF-1 under glucose-deprived hypoxic conditions were thus found to be similar to those under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, tumor cells in 15 out of 20 human pancreatic cancer tissue specimens were stained by anti-phospho-AMPKα antibody. Our results thus suggest that the enhanced expressions of those genes mediated by the activation of AMPK and HIF-1 therefore play a pivotal role in the tumor formation of pancreatic cancers

Periodontal Tissue as a Biomaterial for Hard-Tissue Regeneration following <i>bmp-2</i> Gene Transfer

The application of periodontal tissue in regenerative medicine has gained increasing interest since it has a high potential to induce hard-tissue regeneration, and is easy to handle and graft to other areas of the oral cavity or tissues. Additionally, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) has a high potential to induce the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteogenic cells. We previously developed a system for a gene transfer to the periodontal tissues in animal models. In this study, we aimed to reveal the potential and efficiency of periodontal tissue as a biomaterial for hard-tissue regeneration following a bmp-2 gene transfer. A non-viral expression vector carrying bmp-2 was injected into the palate of the periodontal tissues of Wistar rats, followed by electroporation. The periodontal tissues were analyzed through bone morphometric analyses, including mineral apposition rate (MAR) determination and collagen micro-arrangement, which is a bone quality parameter, before and after a gene transfer. The MAR was significantly higher 3–6 d after the gene transfer than that before the gene transfer. Collagen orientation was normally maintained even after the bmp-2 gene transfer, suggesting that the bmp-2 gene transfer has no adverse effects on bone quality. Our results suggest that periodontal tissue electroporated with bmp-2 could be a novel biomaterial candidate for hard-tissue regeneration therapy

Successful treatment by on-demand glecaprevir and pibrentasvir for hepatitis C flare during R-CHOP in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a case report

Background In patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and malignant lymphoma, hepatitis C flare during R-CHOP can result in discontinuation of treatment. However, appropriate therapeutic strategies for managing hepatitis C flare during R-CHOP have not been established, and this issue is complicated by conflicting results regarding the use of direct-acting antivirals in patients with uncontrolled malignancies. Case presentation We report the first case of effective and safe treatment with on-demand 8-week glecaprevir and pibrentasvir for hepatitis C flare during R-CHOP in a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The patient completed five additional courses of R-CHOP without hepatic toxicity. A complete response of DLBCL and a sustained virological response were observed at 24 weeks after glecaprevir and pibrentasvir completion. Conclusion On-demand, direct-acting antivirals could be a novel strategy for managing hepatitis C flare during R-CHOP