Decreased risk of catheter infection in infants and children using subcutaneous tunneling for continuous caudal anesthesia.

Continuous caudal anesthesia has been commonly used for intra- and post-operative analgesia in infants and children. However, it has a potential risk of bacterial infection, especially in infants in whom the catheter site is easily contaminated with loose stool. To avoid infection, the authors applied a new procedure using subcutaneous tunneling for continuous caudal anesthesia. In the 18 cases studied with subcutaneous tunneling, clinical signs of infection were absent and bacterial colonization was not found on the catheter tip after 3.9 +/- 1.4 days of catheterization. The incidence of catheter colonization after continuous caudal anesthesia without tunneling had been reported. In their reports, the incidence of catheter colonization ranged from 20% to 37%. Therefore, caudal catheterization with subcutaneous tunneling is a simple and safe method, and has proved very effective to reduce the risk of epidural infection.</p

Genetic distance of inbred lines of Chinese cabbage and its relationship to heterosis

AbstractChinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. var. pekinensis) is an important vegetable in Asia. Most Japanese commercial cultivars of Chinese cabbage use an F1 hybrid seed production system because of the high yielding cultivars produced. An efficient method for predicting hybrid performance in the parental generations is desired, and genetic distance between parental lines might be a good indicator of the level of hybrid vigor in a cross. Information concerning the genetic relationships among parental candidate inbred lines is useful for variety protection. The number of DNA markers available that can be used to assess the purity of inbred lines is limited in B. rapa. The aim of this study is to use DNA markers to assess the genetic distance between inbred lines to examine early developmental and yield heterosis so as to develop methods for selecting the best parental lines for the production of hybrids. We screened highly polymorphic SSR and CAPS markers to assess the genetic uniformity of inbred lines and characterize their genetic relationship. We examined the early size and yield heterosis in 32 F1 hybrids of Chinese cabbage. There was a moderate correlation in mid-parent heterosis between leaf size at 21days after sowing and harvested biomass but not in best-parent heterosis. In contrast there was no correlation between genetic distance and mid-parent or best-parent heterosis, indicating that genetic distance does not predict the heterosis phenotype

Molecular and cellular characteristics of hybrid vigour in a commercial hybrid of Chinese cabbage

Abstract Background Heterosis or hybrid vigour is a phenomenon in which hybrid progeny exhibit superior performance compared to their parental inbred lines. Most commercial Chinese cabbage cultivars are F1 hybrids and their level of hybrid vigour is of critical importance and is a key selection criterion in the breeding system. Results We have characterized the heterotic phenotype of one F1 hybrid cultivar of Chinese cabbage and its parental lines from early- to late-developmental stages of the plants. Hybrid cotyledons are larger than those of the parents at 4 days after sowing and biomass in the hybrid, determined by the fresh weight of leaves, is greater than that of the larger parent line by approximately 20 % at 14 days after sowing. The final yield of the hybrid harvested at 63 days after sowing is 25 % greater than the yield of the better parent. The larger leaves of the hybrid are a consequence of increased cell size and number of the photosynthetic palisade mesophyll cells and other leaf cells. The accumulation of plant hormones in the F1 was within the range of the parental levels at both 2 and 10 days after sowing. Two days after sowing, the expression levels of chloroplast-targeted genes in the cotyledon cells were upregulated in the F1 hybrid relative to their mid parent values. Shutdown of chlorophyll biosynthesis in the cotyledon by norflurazon prevented the increased leaf area in the F1 hybrid. Conclusions In the cotyledons of F1 hybrids, chloroplast-targeted genes were upregulated at 2 days after sowing. The increased activity levels of this group of genes suggested that their differential transcription levels could be important for establishing early heterosis but the increased transcription levels were transient. Inhibition of the photosynthetic process in the cotyledon reduced heterosis in later seedling stages. These observations suggest early developmental events in the germinating seedling of the hybrid may be important for later developmental vigour and yield advantage.This work was supported in part by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (24113509) (JSPS), by the Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant (24–517) from The Japan Science Society, by Grant for Promotion of Niigata University Research Projects (23C024) and by PREST (12101066) (JST) to R. Fujimoto

本学の教育理念及びVision 150 を活かした共通英語教育開発のための基礎研究：１年目のまとめと考察

The aim of this paper is to report the results of our first-year research project named “fundamental research on developing new English language courses by actualizing the philosophy of education at DWCLA and principles of the vision 150 (English 2020)”. The paper consists of six parts. First, the overall research project English 2020 is briefly introduced. The second part discusses the aims of English language learning at the university. This is followed by the analyses of studentsʼ four skills on the TOEIC IP test. Next, we analyzed first-year studentsʼ strategies of English language learning. We also carried out a voluntary English class called “English salon” and reflected on these practices. Finally, the agendas of our monthly meetings regarding the research project up to the present time are briefly reported.論

本学大学１年次生の英語学習に対する動機―国際教養学科と看護学科との比較を通して―

This study aimed to compare motivation toward learning English of students majoring in international studies (IS) with that of students majoring in nursing (NU) at Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts. A total of 165 (87 IS students, 78 NU students) first-year students participated in the study. A questionnaire including an open response was employed in the study. Factor analyses produced the following five factors: “Interest in the English language and culture,” “Ought-to L2 self and instrumentality (prevention),” “Passive attitude toward English class,” “Ideal L2 self and self-efficacy,” and “Anxiety about speaking English.” Except for the “Anxiety of speaking English” and “Passive attitude toward English class” factors, IS students had significantly higher motivation than NU students. Next, qualitative analyses of the open question revealed that both IS and NU students wanted to have classes that would improves their communication skills despite the fact that approximarely half of students did not write any comments. Finally, integral analyses showed that both students’ groups’ motivation rose after taking English class at the university. However, differences in motivation were found between IS and NU students in that the former studied English for various reasons, whereas NU students did so mainly because of preparation for entrance examinations.論

Increased expression of prion protein gene is accompanied by demethylation of CpG sites in a mouse embryonal carcinoma cell line, P19C6

Elucidation of the processes regulating the prion protein gene (Prnp) is an important key to understanding the development of prion disorders. In this study, we explored the involvement of DNA methylation in Prnp transcriptional regulation during neuronal differentiation of embryonic carcinoma P19C6 cells. When P19C6 cells were differentiated into neuronal cells, the expression of Prnp was markedly increased, while CpG methylation was significantly demethylated at the nucleotide region between-599 and-238 from the transcription start site. In addition, when P19C6 cells were applied in a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, RG108, Prnp transcripts were also significantly increased in relation to the decreased methylation statuses. These findings helped to elucidate the DNA methylation-mediated regulation of Prnp expression during neuronal differentiation

Mouse zygote-specific proteasome assembly chaperone important for maternal-to-zygotic transition

Summary During the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), maternal proteins in oocytes are degraded by the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS), and new proteins are synthesized from the zygotic genome. However, the specific mechanisms underlying the UPS at the MZT are not well understood. We identified a molecule named zygote-specific proteasome assembly chaperone (ZPAC) that is specifically expressed in mouse gonads, and expression of ZPAC was transiently increased at the mouse MZT. ZPAC formed a complex with Ump1 and associated with precursor forms of 20S proteasomes. Transcription of ZPAC genes was also under the control of an autoregulatory feedback mechanism for the compensation of reduced proteasome activity similar to Ump1 and 20S proteasome subunit gene expression. Knockdown of ZPAC in early embryos caused a significant reduction of proteasome activity and decrease in Ump1 and mature proteasomes, leading to accumulation of proteins that need to be degraded at the MZT and early developmental arrest. Therefore, a unique proteasome assembly pathway mediated by ZPAC is important for progression of the mouse MZT