Classical Aspects of the Abelian Higgs Model on the Light Front

We investigate canonical structure of the Abelian Higgs model within the framework of DLCQ. Careful boundary analysis of differential equations, such as the Euler-Lagrange equations, leads us to a novel situation where the canonical structure changes in a drastic manner depending on whether the (light-front) spatial Wilson line is periodic or not. In the former case, the gauge-field ZM takes discrete values and we obtain the so-called ``Zero-Mode Constraints'' (ZMCs), whose semiclassical solutions give a nonzero vev to the scalar fields. Contrary, in the latter case, we have no ZMC and the scalar ZMs remain dynamical as well as the gauge-field ZM. In order to give classically nonzero vev to the scalar field, we work in a background field which minimizes the light-front energy.Comment: 10 pages, reference modifie

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: facts, environmental contamination, possible biological effects, and countermeasures

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake led to major problems at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. A 14-m high tsunami triggered by the earthquake disabled all AC power to Units 1, 2, and 3 of the Power Plant, and carried off fuel tanks for emergency diesel generators. Despite many efforts, cooling systems did not work and hydrogen explosions damaged the facilities, releasing a large amount of radioactive material into the environment. In this review, we describe the environmental impact of the nuclear accident, and the fundamental biological effects, acute and late, of the radiation. Possible medical countermeasures to radiation exposure are also discussed

The Proposal of the System That Recommends e-Learning Courses Matching the Learning Styles of the Learners

In providing e-learning, it is desirable to build an environment that is suitable to the student’s learning style. In this study, using the questionnaire to measure the student’s preferences for asynchronous learning and the use of ICT in learning that has been develoed by authors, the relationship between the learning preferences of a student that have been measured before and after the course and his or her adaptability to the course is explored. The result of multiple regression analyses, excluding the changes in learning preferences that may occur duirng the course, shows that a student’s learning adaptability can be estimated to some extent based on his/her learning preference measured before the course starts. Based on this result, we propose a system to recommend e-learning courses that are suitable to a student before the student takes the courses

Developing a Method of Recommending E-Learning Courses Based on Students’ Learning Preferences

In designing e-learning, it is desirable that individual learner’s learning style is considered. This study proposes a way to present the information about the expected adaptability of the course, in which a student wishes to enroll, based on the student’s responses to the learning preference questionnaire administered at the beginning of the course. As the result of applying the real data to the model derived, it was confirmed that it would be possible to estimate the course adaptability before taking the course and to provide the information for the student to improve his/her course adaptability based on the student’s responses to the learning preference questionnaire.15th International Conference on Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems (KES 2011), September 12-14, 2011, Kaiserslautern, German

Discovery of gene expression-based pharmacodynamic biomarker for a p53 context-specific anti-tumor drug Wee1 inhibitor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Wee1 is a tyrosine kinase regulating S-G2 cell cycle transition through the inactivating phosphorylation of CDC2. The inhibition of Wee1 kinase by a selective small molecule inhibitor significantly enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of DNA damaging agents, specifically in p53 negative tumors by abrogating S-G2 checkpoints, while normal cells with wild-type p53 are not severely damaged due to the intact function of the G1 checkpoint mediated by p53. Since the measurement of mRNA expression requires a very small amount of biopsy tissue and is highly quantitative, the development of a pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarker leveraging mRNA expression is eagerly anticipated in order to estimate target engagement of anti-cancer agents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In order to find the Wee1 inhibition signature, mRNA expression profiling was first performed in both p53 positive and negative cancer cell lines treated with gemcitabine and a Wee1 inhibitor, MK-1775. We next carried out mRNA expression profiling of skin samples derived from xenograft models treated with the Wee1 inhibitor to identify a Wee1 inhibitor-regulatory gene set. Then, the genes that were commonly modulated in both cancer cell lines and rat skin samples were extracted as a Wee1 inhibition signature that could potentially be used as a PD biomarker independent of p53 status. The expression of the Wee1 inhibition signature was found to be regulated in a dose-dependent manner by the Wee1 inhibitor, and was significantly correlated with the inhibition level of a direct substrate, phosphorylated-CDC2. Individual genes in this Wee1 inhibition signature are known to regulate S-G2 cell cycle progression or checkpoints, which is consistent with the mode-of-action of the Wee1 inhibitor.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We report here the identification of an mRNA gene signature that was specifically changed by gemcitabine and Wee1 inhibitor combination treatment by molecular profiling. Given the common regulation of expression in both xenograft tumors and animal skin samples, the data suggest that the Wee1 inhibition gene signature might be utilized as a quantitative PD biomarker in both tumors and surrogate tissues, such as skin and hair follicles, in human clinical trials.</p

EGFR Mutations in NSCLC treated with Afatinib

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as afatinib are used for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and show varying efficacy depending on EGFR gene mutation. Few studies have examined the relationship between EGFR gene mutations and the adverse events of afatinib in NSCLC. This retrospective study included 32 Japanese patients with NSCLC with EGFR gene mutation who were treated with afatinib between May 2014 and August 2018 at Kagawa University Hospital. Among the 32 Japanese patients with NSCLC treated with afatinib, 19 patients were positive for exon 19 deletion mutation (Del 19) and 13 patients were negative for Del 19. The incidence of grade ≥ 2 skin rash was slightly higher in patients positive for Del 19 (42.1% vs. 7.7%, P = 0.050). No significant differences were detected in other adverse events between the two patient groups. Patients positive for Del 19 also showed significantly longer median progression-free survival (288 vs. 84 days, P = 0.049). Our study indicates a higher incidence of skin rash associated with afatinib treatment in Japanese patients with NSCLC positive for Del 19 compared with patients without Del 19. The Del 19 positive patient group also showed better progression-free survival

TAZ / PIPC agranulocytosis in puerperal

Tazobactam / piperacillin (TAZ / PIPC) is an injectable combination drug consisting of a broad-spectrum penicillin and a β-lactamase inhibitor. This antimicrobial has a wide spectrum of efficacy against both Gram-positive bacteria and anaerobes. Adverse events usually present as diarrhea or liver dysfunction ; agranulocytosis has not been reported in Japanese patients with puerperal disorders. However, we report a 32-year-old Japanese woman who received TAZ / PIPC to treat an intraperitoneal infection that developed after complications related to transvaginal delivery. Within 14 days of beginning TAZ / PIPC therapy, the patient developed agranulocytosis, indicated by a white blood cell count of 1900 cells / μL and a neutrophil count of 475 cells / μL. We discontinued TAZ / PIPC at this point and changed the antimicrobial to meropenem. Seven days later, her white blood cell count increased to 3700 cells / μL (neutrophil count : 1684 cells / μL), and the intraperitoneal infection resolved. Patients receiving TAZ / PIPC should be monitored periodically for agranulocytosis as well as for diarrhea and liver dysfunction

Improvement in the productivity of xylooligosaccharides from waste medium after mushroom cultivation by hydrothermal treatment with suitable pretreatment

The effective xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production from the waste medium after mushroom cultivation (WM) was investigated. The WM contains rich nutrients (protein, etc.) which induce Maillard reaction with reducing sugars under hydrothermal conditions. To improve the productivity of XOs, the suitable pretreatment combined with washing and grinding was investigated, and subsequently hydrothermal treatment was demonstrated with batch type and continuous flow type reactor. The washing pretreatment with hot water of 60 degrees C was effective to remove nutrients from the WM, and it led to prevent brownish discoloration on the hydrothermal treatment. On the basis of experimental data, industrial XOs production processes consisting of the pretreatment, hydrothermal treatment and purification step was designed. During the designed process, 2.3 kg-dry of the purified XOs was produced from 30 kg-wet of the WM (15% yield as dry basis weight). Theoretical yield of XOs attained to 48% as xylan weight in the WM.ArticleBioresource Technology. 101(15):6006-6011 (2010)journal articl