Contemporary Publishing Strategies in Japan: The Role of the Literary Agent

Translations are shaped by publishing strategies developed by publishers and literary agents among others. However, little research has been carried out on the activities of literary agents within a particular language culture. This paper aims to describe contemporary Japanese publishing strategies in certain book categories by focusing on the role played by the literary agent. Polysystem theory and Toury’s methodology reveal that translation usually occupies a peripheral position in contemporary Japanese culture. Information drawn from an interview with a literary agent indicates that publishers exercise a great deal of influence: from initiating a translation project to micro‑managing textual details. The results of this research, reflected in both paratextual and textual features, suggest that the peripheral position of translation in Japan largely determines how translated books are produced.Les traductions sont soumises aux stratégies éditoriales mises au point par des acteurs tels que les éditeurs et les agents littéraires. Cependant, bien peu de recherches ont été menées sur les activités des agents littéraires au sein d’une certaine culture linguistique. Cet article vise à décrire les stratégies éditoriales japonaises contemporaines pour certaines catégories de livres et se concentre sur le rôle joué par les agents littéraires. La théorie des polysystèmes et la méthodologie de Toury permettent de montrer que la traduction occupe généralement une place périphérique dans la culture japonaise contemporaine. Les informations obtenues suite à une entrevue avec un agent littéraire indiquent que les éditeurs jouent un rôle prépondérant dans la publication des traductions, depuis l’initiation d’un projet de traduction jusqu’à la microgestion des détails du texte. Les résultats de cette recherche, révélés par des éléments textuels et paratextuels, suggèrent que la position périphérique occupée par la traduction détermine largement la manière dont les livres traduits sont produits

Medical students’ perceptions of using mobile phones for their English study

The authors conducted a needs analysis to investigate their medical students’ needs and preferences for using mobile devices for their English study. The analysis showed the students’ expectations of mobile learning were very high and two-thirds of them were interested in building medical English terminology through mobile learning. Then, the authors created mobile learning content designed mainly for helping their students review medical terminology. The content was delivered to 242 students twice a week during the period from July 2013 to January 2014. The authors then conducted a survey on their students’ perceptions of the content delivered. It revealed that half of the students found the content useful for their English study and about two-thirds of them found the content level to be appropriate. However, the log analysis showed that only an average of 9.5 % of the students worked on the medical quizzes. This result suggests that achieving a high degree of student involvement in their autonomous mobile learning is difficult and it is necessary for teachers to further investigate ways to enhance students’ motivation for mobile learning. Pages 172-178

Early bioprosthetic valve calcification with alfacalcidol supplementation

We report a case of early bioprosthetic valve calcification in a 76 year-old woman who had received supplementation with alfacalcidol, an analogue of vitamin D, for 3 years after her initial valve replacement. She underwent aortic valve replacement at the age of 71 and subsequently complained of shortness of breath. Ultrasonic cardiography revealed severe aortic stenosis and we performed a second aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthesis. Histopathologic and x-ray examination showed calcification on the explanted valve. She had not presented with any known risk for early bioprosthetic calcification, suggesting that vitamin D supplementation may accelerate calcification of bioprosthetic valves.ArticleJOURNAL OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY. 8:11 (2013)journal articl

Accuracy and Time Delay of Glucose Measurements of Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Bedside Artificial Pancreas During Hyperglycemic and Euglycemic Hyperinsulinemic Glucose Clamp Study

Background: Glucose values of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have time delays compared with plasma glucose (PG) values. Artificial pancreas (STG-55, Nikkiso, Japan) (AP), which measures venous blood glucose directly, also has a time delay because of the long tubing lines from sampling vessel to the glucose sensor. We investigate accuracy and time delay of CGM and AP in comparison with PG values during 2-step glucose clamp study. Methods: Seven patients with type 2 diabetes and 2 healthy volunteers were included in this study. CGM (Enlite sensor, Medtronic, CA) was attached on the day before the experiment. Hyperglycemic (200 mg/dL) clamp was performed for 90 minutes, followed by euglycemic (100 mg/dL) hyperinsulinemic (100 μU/mL) clamp for 90-120 minutes using AP. CGM sensor glucose was calibrated just before and after the clamp study. AP and CGM values were compared with PG values. Results: AP values were significantly lower than PG values at 5, 30 minute during hyperglycemic clamp. In comparison, CGM value at 0 minute was significantly higher, and its following values were almost significantly lower than PG values. The time delay of AP and CGM values to reach maximum glucose levels were 5.0 ± 22.3 (NS) and 28.6 ± 32.5 (p<0.05) min, respectively. Mean absolute rate difference of CGM was significantly higher than AP (24.0 ± 7.6 vs. 15.3 ± 4.6, p < 0.05) during glucose rising period (0-45 min), however, there are no significant difference during other periods. Conclusions: Both CGM and AP failed to follow plasma glucose values during non-physiologically rapid glucose rising, however, indicated accurate values during physiological glucose change

Effects of Assisted Reproduction Technology on Placental Imprinted Gene Expression

We used placental tissue to compare the imprinted gene expression of IGF2, H19, KCNQ1OT1, and CDKN1C of singletons conceived via assisted reproduction technology (ART) with that of spontaneously conceived (SC) singletons. Of 989 singletons examined (ART n = 65; SC n = 924), neonatal weight was significantly lower (P < .001) in the ART group than in the SC group, but placental weight showed no significant difference. Gene expression analyzed by real-time PCR was similar for both groups with appropriate-for-date (AFD) birth weight. H19 expression was suppressed in fetal growth retardation (FGR) cases in the ART and SC groups compared with AFD cases (P < .02 and P < .05, resp.). In contrast, CDKN1C expression was suppressed in FGR cases in the ART group (P < .01), while KCNQ1OT1 expression was hyperexpressed in FGR cases in the SC group (P < .05). As imprinted gene expression patterns differed between the ART and SC groups, we speculate that ART modifies epigenetic status even though the possibilities always exist

Reduced 123I-BMIPP uptake implies decreased myocardial flow reserve in patients with chronic stable angina

Purpose Long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) is the main energy source for normal myocardium at rest, but in ischemic myocardium, the main energy substrate shifts from LCFA to glucose. 123I-BMIPP is a radiolabeled LCFA analog. In chronic stable angina without previous infarction, we suppose that reduced 123I-BMIPP uptake is related to the substrate shift in myocardium with decreased myocardial flow reserve (MFR). The purpose of this study was to relate 123I-BMIPP uptake to rest myocardial blood flow (MBF), hyperemic MBF, and MFR assessed with 15O-water positron emission tomography (PET). Methods We enrolled 21 patients with chronic stable angina without previous infarction, all of whom underwent 123I-BMIPP single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 15O-water PET. The left ventricle was divided into 13 segments. In each segment, rest MBF and hyperemic MBF were measured by PET. 123I-BMIPP uptake was evaluated as follows: score 0=normal, 1=slightly decreased uptake, 2=moderately decreased uptake, 3=severely decreased uptake, and 4=complete defect. 123I-BMIPP uptake was compared with rest MBF, hyperemic MBF, and MFR. Results The numbers of segments with 123I-BMIPP scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 178, 40, 25, 24, and 0, respectively. The rest MBFs for scores 0, 1, 2, and 3 were 0.93±0.25, 0.86±0.21, 0.97±0.30, and 0.99±0.37 ml/min/g, respectively. The hyperemic MBFs for scores 0, 1, 2, and 3 were 2.76±1.29, 1.84±0.74, 1.37±0.39, and 1.08±0.40 ml/min/g, respectively. The MFRs for scores 0, 1, 2, and 3 were 3.01±1.38, 2.20±0.95, 1.44±0.22, and 1.10±0.26, respectively. As 123I-BMIPP uptake declined, hyperemic MBF and MFR decreased. Conclusion In chronic stable angina without previous infarction, reduced 123I-BMIPP uptake implies decreased MFR

Correlation of Heat Shock Protein Expression to Gender Difference in Development of Stress-Induced Gastric Mucosal Injury in Rats

Recent studies have indicated that heat shock proteins (HSPs), which function as molecular chaperones, play important roles in cellular responses to stress-related events. However, the gender difference in the expression of HSP in the gastric mucosa remains unclear. In order to understand the mechanism of gender difference in the prevalence or severity of gastric mucosal lesions, the expression level of HSP and the correlation of estrogen to HSP induction in the gastric mucosa were evaluated in this study. The basal expression levels of HSP60 and HSP90 in the gastric mucosa were significantly higher in females than those in males. The gastric ulcer index was significantly higher in male rats compared to female rats observed after 12 h water immersion stress exposure. At this time point, the expression levels of HSP60 and HSP90 in the gastric mucosa were significantly higher in females than those in males. An estrogen-treatment significantly induced the expression of HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 in the gastric mucosa. Inversely, an ovariectomy dramatically reduced the expression of HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 in the gastric mucosa. Our results suggested that estrogen might play an important role in gastric mucosal protection with the induction of gastric mucosal HSPs

Resectable hepatoblastoma with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium after chemotherapy: A case report

AbstractHepatoblastoma with intraatrial tumor thrombus is relatively rare. We report a case of hepatoblastoma with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium, which responded well to chemotherapy and was resected using extracorporeal circulation. A 4-year-old girl was referred to our hospital because of abdominal distention and tenderness. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large tumor occupying the left 3 segments of the liver with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium. There was also a small intrahepatic metastasis in the right lobe of the liver. She was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma on the basis of the results of open biopsy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with an intense CDDP-based regimen was performed. The tumor responded well to chemotherapy, and intrahepatic metastasis became undetectable on CT scan, although the tumor thrombus remained in the right atrium. After 7 courses of chemotherapy, we performed resection using extracorporeal circulation. The postoperative course was uneventful, and adjuvant chemotherapy was started 10 days after the operation. Her serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level decreased to the normal range, and she was free of disease for 1 year after the operation. Tumor resection using extracorporeal circulation can be performed safely and is justified in patients with intraatrial tumor thrombus

Sarcopenia and AGEs in type 1 diabetes

Accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) is thought to contribute to muscle weakness in a diabetic animal model. Skin autofluorescence is a proposed marker for accumulation of AGEs in the skin. We aimed to investigate the relationship between AGEs accumulation, sarcopenia and muscle function of Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes. A total of 36 patients with type 1 diabetes participated in the present cross-sectional study. Sarcopenia parameters (skeletal muscle mass index and knee extension strength) were compared with subcutaneous AGEs accumulation using skin autofluorescence. The prevalence of sarcopenia and impaired knee extension strength was 16.6% (men 0.0%, women 22.2%) and 47.2% (men 22.2%, women 55.6%), respectively. Knee extension strength was negatively correlated with skin autofluorescence (r² = 0.14, P < 0.05), but not with skeletal muscle mass index. In conclusion, the AGEs accumulation might be one of the reasons of impaired lower limb muscle function in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes