Effects of Instantons on the YN Interaction

We investigate the symmetric and anti-symmetric spin-orbit forces (SLS and ALS) of the effective $\Lambda$N interaction derived from a quark cluster model with the instanton-induced interaction (\III), which can reproduce the observed YN cross sections as well as the observed NN scattering data. It is found that coupling to the $\Sigma$N channel enhances $\Lambda$N ALS, and therefore that the cancellation between SLS and ALS in the $\Lambda$N channel becomes more complete. This may be one of the major reasons why the single-particle spin-orbit force of $\Lambda$ in nuclei is weak.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, FewBody XV

The role of Importin-βs in the maintenance and lineage commitment of mouse embryonic stem cells

AbstractMembers of the Importin-β family recognize nuclear localization signals (NLS) and nuclear export signals (NES). These proteins play important roles in various nucleocytoplasmic transport processes in cells. Here, we examined the expression patterns of 21 identified Importin-β genes in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) and mESCs differentiated into neural ectoderm (NE) or mesoendoderm (ME). We observed striking differences in the Importin-β mRNA expression levels within these cell types. We also found that knockdown of selected Importin-β genes led to suppression of Nanog, and altered the balance of Oct4/Sox2 expression ratio, which is important for NE/ME lineage choice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that knockdown of XPO4, RanBP17, RanBP16, or IPO7 differentially affected the lineage selection of differentiating mESCs. More specifically, knockdown of XPO4 selectively stimulated the mESC differentiation towards definitive endoderm, while concomitantly inhibiting NE differentiation. RanBP17 knockdown also promoted endodermal differentiation with no effect on NE differentiation. RanBP16 knockdown caused differentiation into ME, while IPO7 knockdown inhibited NE differentiation, without obvious effects on the other lineages. Collectively, our results suggest that Importin-βs play important roles in cell fate determination processes of mESCs, such as in the maintenance of pluripotency or selection of lineage during differentiation

Relationship Between Brain Activity and Real-Road Driving Behavior: A Vector-Based Whole-Brain Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

Automobile driving requires multiple brain functions. However, the brain regions related to driving behavior are unknown. Therefore, we measured activity of the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes during driving using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Cortical activation patterns were examined in relation to driving behaviors, such as steering motion, accelerator pedal motion, and speed control. Six healthy adults participated in the experiment. Cerebral oxygen exchange (COE) was calculated based on the oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations measured by fNIRS. The COE and driving behavior data were collected every 1 m and averaged for all subjects. Functional NIRS data for all 98 channels were extracted using principal component analysis. Similarity between extracted components and driving behaviors were confirmed by |cosine similarity|\u3e0.3. Among the factors with confirmed similarity, we identified brain regions with high principal component loading (|PCL|\u3e0.4). Among the 16 COE factors extracted, COE factor 1 and factor 5 exhibited similarity with steering motion (cosine similarity: factor 1, -0.538; factor 5, 0.551). The PCLs of COE factor 1 and factor 5 were high in the frontal lobe (Brodmann areas [BAs] 9, 8, and 4/3) (PCL\u3e0.8). COE factor 6 exhibited a similarity with accelerator pedal motion (cosine similarity: 0.369), and the PCL of COE factor 6 was highest in the parietal lobe (BA7) (PCL= -0.62). Speed control did not exhibit similarity with any COE factor. These findings will contribute to the selection of brain measurement areas when fNIRS is used for vehicle driving assessment

フクシ キョウイク ニオケル HBV カンセンシャ リカイ ノ ガクシュウ コウカ

国によって引き起こされた B 型肝炎感染被害は， 重篤な肝疾患をはじめ， 失職や経済困窮， 医療現場の不適切な対応等の社会的不利をもたらしている （厚生労働省 2013）． 中でも， 偏見や差別は深刻な生きづらさとなっており， 学校教育をはじめ感染者理解の教育が求められている． そこで本稿では， HBV に関する既習経験が一度もない大学生に対して， HBV 感染者理解の学習効果を検討することを目的とした研究を行う． 研究方法は， 福祉系大学において 「HBV 感染者理解」 に関する講義と質問紙調査 （2014） を行い， 回収したデータの中で学習経験のない大学生の記述内容を対象として， KJ 法による質的研究を行った． その結果， ①講義前は， 授業テーマの理解が曖昧で， HBV 感染者とも心的距離がある一方， 今後の福祉実践への熱意も示された． ②講義後は， 感染予防策， 社会的排除， 感染被害の公的責任など福祉課題の明確化や， 感染者への接近志向性が示された． 以上のことから， 「HBV 感染者理解」 教育は， 1 回でも， HBV 感染に関する理解や感染者への共感性を高める効果があるとの知見を得た． 今後， HBV 感染理解を促す教材化や授業法の検討， 既習経験がある学生との比較などが研究課題である．Those infected with hepatitis B virus through mass preventive vaccinations by the Japanese government have faced a various social disadvantages such as severe liver disease, losing job, decrease in income, unjust responses from medical institutions. Beside these hardships, the problem of prejudice and discrimination toward the patients has been very serious. Thus there are increasing needs for awareness raising and learning opportunities for people in general and especially for the youth. This paper examines learning effect of university students who have had no learning opportunity on the matter of "understanding HBV patients" in the past. The examination method is the following. First, a lecture on "Understanding HBV Patients" was given and a questionnaire survey （2014） was followed. Then, the students\u27 descriptive answers from the questionnaire were applied to the KJ Method\u27 qualitative research method. As a result, the followings were found. Though before the lecture, many of the students had very vague understanding of the matter and had felt some psychological distance from the HBV patens, there was also enthusiasm for the practical use of the knowledge in the future, especially in the field of social welfare works. After the lecture, the students\u27 eyes were wide-open on the social welfare issues such as prevention of infection, social exclusion, and the responsibility of the government on damage of wide-spread infection. Their psychological distance from the patients was also shrunken. Therefore, it became clear that with even one lecture on the matter of "understanding HBV patients," the students\u27 awareness for the matter and sympathy for the patients were remarkably raised. This paper thus concludes that there are now needs for creation of real teaching materials, effective lectures, and also comparison research with other students who have had learning opportunity on the matter in the past

Odorant Receptor Map in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb: In Vivo Sensitivity and Specificity of Receptor-Defined Glomeruli

Odorant identity is represented in the olfactory bulb (OB) by the glomerular activity pattern, which reflects a combination of activated odorant receptors (ORs) in the olfactory epithelium. To elucidate this neuronal circuit at the molecular level, we established a functional OR identification strategy based on glomerular activity by combining in vivo Ca^(2+) imaging, retrograde dye labeling, and single-cell RT-PCR. Spatial and functional mapping of OR-defined glomeruli revealed that the glomerular positional relationship varied considerably between individual animals, resulting in different OR maps in the OB. Notably, OR-defined glomeruli exhibited different ligand spectra and far higher sensitivity compared to the in vitro pharmacological properties of corresponding ORs. Moreover, we found that the olfactory mucus was an important factor in the regulation of in vivo odorant responsiveness. Our results provide a methodology to examine in vivo glomerular responses at the receptor level and further help address the long-standing issues of olfactory sensitivity and specificity under physiological conditions

Establishment of an asthma model by sensitization with mite antigen alone in C57BL/6J mice

Bronchial asthma is characterized by the bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway obstruction related to airway smooth muscle contraction. Eosinophilic airway inflammation is involved in its pathogenesis. To reproduce the condition, various animal models have been prepared. However, there are many models that do not reflect the spontaneous history of bronchial asthma onset in humans due to the mouse strain, sensitizing antigen, or administration method. In this study, we prepared a mouse model of which the mechanism is similar to that of human bronchial asthma. Mite Extract-Dermatophagoides farinae (Derf) antigen was transnasally administered to wild-type C57BL/6J mice (WT) 13 times. Subsequently, an airway hypersensitivity test (Mch PC_200), specific antigen exposure test (ΔSRaw), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and blood collection were performed to examine the presence or absence of asthma acquisition and differences in the local pulmonary levels of cytokines/chemokines in comparison with the physiological saline-treated group. In the mite antigen-treated mice (WT/-Derf), bronchial hyperresponsiveness was enhanced, antigen-specific was increased airway resistance in comparison with physiological salinetreated mice (WT/-Saline). In addition, the number of eosinophils in BAL fluid (BALF) was greater. Furthermore, there was a correlation among leukotrienes, eotaxin, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 in BALF, suggesting that the mechanism concerning eosinophilic airway inflammation involving in human bronchial asthma was reproduced. In this study, we successfully established a mouse bronchial asthma model in which the pathogenesis resembles that in humans in comparison with conventional models, using Derf antigen alone and C57BL/6J mice

Comparison of T-Cell Interferon-γ Release Assays for Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific Antigens in Patients with Active and Latent Tuberculosis

Through the use of QuantiFERON-TB Gold, a commercial IFN-γ assay, we compared differences in quantitative T-cell responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific antigens [QuantiFERON TB-2G (QFT-2G)] between patients with active tuberculosis (TB) disease and those with latent TB infection (LTBI). The patient group consisted of 180 patients with active TB disease (culture-positive for MTB) and 50 screening contacts with LTBI-positive response to the QFT-2G test. We prospectively performed a tuberculin skin test (TST) and a QFT-2G test for all subjects. The median IFN-γ levels upon the application of both antigens, ESAT-6 and CFP-10, were significantly higher in patients with active TB disease than in those with LTBI. A combined positive response to both antigens occurred at a higher rate in patients with active TB disease than in those with LTBI. There were no significant relationships between the quantitative responses of IFN-γ to both antigens and the maximum induration on TST in both patient groups. We demonstrated significant differences in the quantitative responses of IFN-γ to MTB between patients with active TB disease and those with LTBI in this study. However, there was an overlap in the IFN-γ levels between active TB disease and LTBI groups. Therefore, it would be difficult to use the QFT-2G test to completely discriminate active TB disease from LTBI