Silver-catalyzed coupling reactions of alkyl halides with indenyllithiums

Coupling reactions of tertiary and secondary alkyl halides with indenyllithiums proceeded effectively in the presence of a catalytic amount of silver bromide to provide tertiary- and secondary-alkyl-substituted indene derivatives in good yields

Disruption of Otoferlin Alters the Mode of Exocytosis at the Mouse Inner Hair Cell Ribbon Synapse

Sound encoding relies on Ca2+-mediated exocytosis at the ribbon synapse between cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) and type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Otoferlin, a multi-C2 domain protein, is proposed to regulate Ca2+-triggered exocytosis at this synapse, but the precise mechanisms of otoferlin function remain to be elucidated. Here, performing whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) from SGNs in otoferlin mutant mice, we investigated the impact of Otof disruption at individual synapses with single release event resolution. Otof deletion decreased the spontaneous release rate and abolished the stimulus-secretion coupling. This was evident from failure of potassium-induced IHC depolarization to stimulate release and supports the proposed role of otoferlin in Ca2+ sensing for fusion. A missense mutation in the Otof gene (pachanga), in which otoferlin level at the IHC plasma membrane was lowered without changing its Ca2+ binding, also reduced the spontaneous release rate but spared the stimulus-secretion coupling. The slowed stimulated release rate supports the hypothesis that a sufficient abundance of otoferlin at the plasma membrane is crucial for the vesicle supply. Large-sized monophasic EPSCs remained present upon Otof deletion despite the drastic reduction of the rate of exocytosis. However, EPSC amplitude, on average, was modestly decreased. Moreover, a reduced contribution of multiphasic EPSC was observed in both Otof mutants. We argue that the presence of large monophasic EPSCs despite the exocytic defect upon Otof deletion supports the uniquantal hypothesis of transmitter release at the IHC ribbon synapse. Based upon the reduced contribution of multiphasic EPSC, we propose a role of otoferlin in regulating the mode of exocytosis in IHCs

Historical Review of Environmental Education : A Study on the Relation between School and Society

The concept of environmental education has been controversially discussed, and it includes various contents and methods of education. In Japan, there are two origins of environmental education; nature conservation education and education about public nuisances. To promote our investigation, we should check the balance sheet of education and social movement for environment. In this paper, I tried to examine the essence of education through the quest of environmental education practice in the fields of formal and nonformal education

Four Years of Eco-Communication Center : An introduction to alternative learning

In this paper, we can see a history of a Non-Profit Organization "Eco-Communication Center: ECOM". Its main objective is Environmental Education by characteristic alternative learning methods. Life-historical study through interviews is pointed out that it involve two steps of interpretation; firstly by the speaker himself, and secondly by the interviewer. Our interviewee Ryo MORI told us the relation between his own life-history and ECOM\u27s. With the help of those reflective comments, we can grasp the whole of his education-learning framework condensed within his personality. We had better confirm that ECOM\u27s/MORI\u27s educational practices are types of non-formal education. And almost all these concepts and methods are connoted by David SELBY\u27s "Global Education" theory. MORI\u27s actions are always concrete. Dealing with the world of everyday life as the most important subject and trusting the potentialities of communication with others recall us to living in the "Paramount Reality", proposed by Alfred SCHUTZ. We hope that the life-historical monograph like this paper would be a trend of studies in the field of environmental education. And more, we are looking forward to appear practices and persons worthwhile to make other monographs. At last, after those preparation, we can imagine the "Alternative Learning"

Comparison of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire Scores: Time-Dependent Changes in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy and Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Study DesignProspective cohort study.PurposeTo identify differences in time-dependent perioperative changes between the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and the JOA Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ) score in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) who underwent cervical laminoplasty.Overview of LiteratureThe JOA score does not take into consideration patient satisfaction or quality of life. Accordingly, the JOACMEQ was designed in 2007 as a patient-centered assessment tool.MethodsWe studied 21 patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty. We objectively evaluated the time-dependent changes in JOACMEQ scores and JOA scores for all patients before surgery and at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery.ResultsThe average total JOA score and the recovery rate improved significantly after surgery in both groups, with a slightly better recovery rate in the OPLL group. Cervical spine function improved significantly in the CSM group but not in the OPLL group. Upper- and lower-extremity functions were more stable in the CSM group than in the OPLL group. The effectiveness rate of the JOACMEQ for measuring quality of life was quite low in both groups. In both groups, the Spearman contingency coefficients were dispersed widely except for upper- and lower-extremity function.ConclusionsScores for upper- and lower-extremity function on the JOACMEQ correlated well with JOA scores. Because the JOACMEQ can also assess cervical spine function and quality of life, factors that cannot be assessed by the JOA score alone, the JOACMEQ is a more comprehensive evaluation tool