45 research outputs found
Economic effects analysis of public investment in road improvement works in Hokkaido. Simulation analysis based on a macro-econometric model of Hokkaido
The objective of this study is to clarify how public investment in road improvement projects over a given analytical period of time has affected Hokkaido`s economic structure on the whole in relation to the industrial economy, prefectural income, household consumption, and commodity prices, through a simulation analysis based on a macro-econometric model. More specifically, our goal is to model both the direct effects achieved through the use of improved roads including the reduction of time-distance coefficients, the reduction of transportation costs and market expansion, and the indirect effects such as enhancement of lifestyles and convenience and influence on other public projects including living area improvement and promotion of regional areas, and to identify these effects quantitatively. Taking data availability into consideration, this study covers a 21-year analysis period covering the years 1976 through 1996. In constructing a quantitative model, the effect flow to be modeled was examined from two perspectives: 1) an effect flow showing the effects of road improvement works on production efficiency and market efficiency; and 2) an effect flow showing the effects of road improvement works on living standards considering convenience and lifestyle improvement. Then we attempted building a model that could indicate the occurrence of these effects in both Flow and Stock contexts. As a result of the simulation analysis, it was clarified that application of road improvement works would bring about pronounced positive economic benefits in tertiary industries, particularly in the transportation-service and wholesale/retail sectors, and greatly expand the prefectural net product on the whole. It was also revealed that these expansion effects would stimulate an increase in the prefectural income and in private final consumption expenditure. Furthermore, a simulation analysis on the economic effects that the expansion of the express-highway network would have on Hokkaido`s entire economy revealed that there would be a large effect particularly on investment and production within the transportation/communication industry and also on the commercial output of the wholesale/retail industry.
Synthesis of [11C]uric acid, using [11C]phosgene, as a possible biomarker in PET imaging for diagnosis of gout
The synthesis and in vivo evaluation of 11C -labeled uric acid ([11C]1), a potential imaging agent for the diagnosis of urate-related life-style diseases, was performed using positron emission tomography (PET) image analysis. First, the synthesis of [11C]1 was achieved by reacting 5,6-diaminouracil (2) with 11C-labeled phosgene ([11C]COCl2). The radiochemical yield of [11C]1 was 37 ± 7% (decay-corrected based on [11C]COCl2) with specific radioactivities of 96-152 GBq/μmol at the end of synthesis (n = 6). The average time of radiosynthesis from the end of bombardment, including formulation, was about 30 min with >98% radiochemical purity. Second, the synthetic approach to [11C]1 was optimized using 5,6-diaminouracil sulfate (3) with [11C]COCl2 in the presence of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene. [11C]1 was synthesized in 36 ± 6% radiochemical yield, 89-142 GBq/μmol of specific radioactivities, and 98% radiochemical purity by this method (n = 5). This allowed the synthesis of [11C]1 to be carried out repeatedly and the radiochemical yield, specific radioactivities, average time of synthesis, and radiochemical purity of [11C]1 were similar to those obtained using 2. PET studies in rats showed large differences in the accumulation of radioligand in the limbs under normal and hyperuricemic conditions. Thus, an efficient and convenient automated synthesis of [11C]1 has been developed, and preliminary PET evaluation of [11C]1 confirmed the increased accumulation of radioactivity in the limbs of a rat model of hyperuricemia. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
A novel in-frame deletion in the leucine zipper domain of C/EBPε leads to neutrophil-specific granule deficiency
Neutrophil-specific granule deficiency (SGD) is a rare autosomal recessive primary immunodeficiency characterized by neutrophil dysfunction, bilobed neutrophil nuclei and lack of neutrophil-specific granules. Defects in a myeloid-specific transcription factor, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-ε (C/EBPε), have been identified in two cases in which homozygous frameshift mutations led to loss of the leucine zipper domain. In this study, we report a 55-y-old woman affected with SGD caused by a novel homozygous 2-aa deletion (ΔRS) in the leucine zipper domain of the C/EBPε gene. The patient showed characteristic neutrophil abnormalities and recurrent skin infections; however, there was no history of deep organ infections. Biochemical analysis revealed that, in contrast to the two frameshift mutations, the ΔRS mutant maintained normal cellular localization, DNA-binding activity, and dimerization, and all three mutants exhibited marked reduction in transcriptional activity. The ΔRS mutant was defective in its association with Gata1 and PU.1, as well as aberrant cooperative transcriptional activation of eosinophil major basic protein. Thus, the ΔRS likely impairs protein-protein interaction with other transcription factors, resulting in a loss of transcriptional activation. These results further support the importance of the leucine zipper domain of C/EBPε for its essential function, and indicate that multiple molecular mechanisms lead to SGD. © 2015 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc
Mapping dusty star formation in and around a cluster at z=0.81 by wide-field imaging with AKARI
We present environmental dependence of dusty star forming activity in and
around the cluster RXJ1716.4+6708 at z=0.81 based on wide-field and
multi-wavelength observations with Suprime-Cam on the Subaru telescope and IRC
onboard the AKARI satellite. Our optical data shows that the optical colour
distribution of galaxies starts to dramatically change from blue to red at the
medium-density environment such as cluster outskirts, groups and filaments. By
combining with infrared data, we find that 15 micron galaxies tend to have
optical colours between the red sequence and the blue cloud with a tail into
the red sequence.
The spatial distribution of the 15 micron galaxies over ~200 arcmin^2 around
the cluster reveals that few 15 micron galaxies are detected in the cluster
central region. This is probably due to the low star forming activity in the
cluster core. However, interestingly, the fraction of 15 micron galaxies in the
medium-density environments is as high as in the low-density field, despite the
fact that the optical colours start to change in the medium-density
environments. Furthermore, we find that 15 micron galaxies which have optically
red colours (candidates for dusty red galaxies) and galaxies with high specific
star formation rates are also concentrated in the medium-density environment.
These results imply that the star forming activity in galaxies in groups and
filaments is enhanced due to some environmental effects specific to the
medium-density environment, and such a phenomenon is probably directly
connected to the truncation of star forming activity in galaxies seen as the
dramatic change in optical colours in such environments.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Glycoprotein Hyposialylation Gives Rise to a Nephrotic-Like Syndrome That Is Prevented by Sialic Acid Administration in GNE V572L Point-Mutant Mice
Mutations in the key enzyme of sialic acid biosynthesis, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetyl-mannosamine kinase, result in distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV)/hereditary inclusion body myopathy (HIBM) in humans. Sialic acid is an acidic monosaccharide that modifies non-reducing terminal carbohydrate chains on glycoproteins and glycolipids, and it plays an important role in cellular adhesions and interactions. In this study, we generated mice with a V572L point mutation in the GNE kinase domain. Unexpectedly, these mutant mice had no apparent myopathies or motor dysfunctions. However, they had a short lifespan and exhibited renal impairment with massive albuminuria. Histological analysis showed enlarged glomeruli with mesangial matrix deposition, leading to glomerulosclerosis and abnormal podocyte foot process morphologies in the kidneys. Glycan analysis using several lectins revealed glomerular epithelial cell hyposialylation, particularly the hyposialylation of podocalyxin, which is one of important molecules for the glomerular filtration barrier. Administering Neu5Ac to the mutant mice from embryonic stages significantly suppressed the albuminuria and renal pathology, and partially recovered the glomerular glycoprotein sialylation. These findings suggest that the nephrotic-like syndrome observed in these mutant mice resulted from impaired glomerular filtration due to the hyposialylation of podocyte glycoproteins, including podocalyxin. Furthermore, it was possible to prevent the nephrotic-like disease in these mice by beginning Neu5Ac treatment during gestation
The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory
The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly
successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical
Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the high-energy
universe via a suite of four instruments, covering a very wide energy range,
from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. These instruments include a high-resolution,
high-throughput spectrometer sensitive over 0.3-2 keV with high spectral
resolution of Delta E < 7 eV, enabled by a micro-calorimeter array located in
the focal plane of thin-foil X-ray optics; hard X-ray imaging spectrometers
covering 5-80 keV, located in the focal plane of multilayer-coated, focusing
hard X-ray mirrors; a wide-field imaging spectrometer sensitive over 0.4-12
keV, with an X-ray CCD camera in the focal plane of a soft X-ray telescope; and
a non-focusing Compton-camera type soft gamma-ray detector, sensitive in the
40-600 keV band. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral
resolution, will enable the pursuit of a wide variety of important science
themes.Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, Proceedings of the SPIE Astronomical
Instrumentation "Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to
Gamma Ray
Clonality and Micro-Diversity of a Nationwide Spreading Genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Japan
Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission routes can be estimated from genotypic analysis of clinical isolates from patients. In Japan, still a middle-incidence country of TB, a unique genotype strain designated as \u27M-strain\u27 has been isolated nationwide recently. To ascertain the history of the wide spread of the strain, 10 clinical isolates from different areas were subjected to genome-wide analysis based on deep sequencers. Results show that all isolates possessed common mutations to those of referential strains. The greatest number of accumulated single nucleotide variants (SNVs) from the oldest coalescence was 13 nucleotides, indicating high clonality of these isolates. When an SNV common to the isolates was used as a surrogate marker of the clone, authentic clonal isolates with variation in a reliable subset of variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) genotyping method can be selected successfully from clinical isolates populations of M. tuberculosis. When the authentic clones can also be assigned to sub-clonal groups by SNVs derived from the genomic comparison, they are classifiable into three sub-clonal groups with a bias of geographical origins. Feedback from genomic analysis of clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis to genotypicmarkers will be an efficient strategy for the big data in various settings for public health actions against TB
Synthesis of [11C]uric acid, using [11C]phosgene, as a possible biomarker in PET imaging for diagnosis of gout
Hitomi (ASTRO-H) X-ray Astronomy Satellite
The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E > 2 keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft x-rays to gamma rays. After a successful launch on February 17, 2016, the spacecraft lost its function on March 26, 2016, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the onboard instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month