A Comparative Study on "Attitudes toward Death" of Adolescent and Adult

The differences of attitudes toward death among three groups were investigated. The groups were early adolescence, late adolescence and preadult, and adult. The attitudes toward death were measured with Templer\u27s Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) as conscious level measurement and the semantic differential method (SD) of five concepts including "death" as that of fantasy level. The total DAS score, DAS factor scores, scale scores and factor scores of SD, distance scores between "death" and other four concepts, and the correlation coefficients between conscious level measurement scores and those of fantasy level were compared, finding some differences. Preliminarily the item analysis of DAS (Japanese version) was carried out

Effects of Science Classes Promoting Active Learning on Junior High School Students’ Motivation for Experimentation and their Experimental Strategies : Focusing on Gender Differences

This study practically examined, with a focus on gender differences, the effects of science classes promoting active learning on junior high school students’ motivation for experimentation and experimental strategies. First, we designed a science lesson that incorporates active learning by using the “Force and Effect” unit of junior high school science as a case study. We then conducted the lesson with 57 first-year students at a public junior high school. The results suggested that among boys, the use of the understanding-oriented strategy and the repeat strategy was encouraged. Furthermore, the understanding-oriented strategy was encouraged more among boys when there was increased utility value.本研究は，平成27～31年度科学研究費補助金（基盤研究C：研究代表者：草場実）（課題番号15K04448，研究課題「メタ認知能力を基盤とした科学的思考力育成のための理科学習指導法の開発」）により行った

TNFRSF1B A1466G genotype is predictive of clinical efficacy after treatment with a definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Currently definitive 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP) -based chemotherapy is recognized as one of the most promising treatments for esophageal cancer. A series of studies performed found genetic polymorphisms and the plasma concentration of 5-FU to be predictive of acute severe toxicities and clinical response. Genetic polymorphisms of <it>tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α </it>and its surface receptors, <it>TNFRSF1A </it>and <it>TNFRSF1B </it>have been examined in terms of susceptibility to various cancers. In this study, genetic polymorphisms of <it>TNFRSF1B </it>gene were evaluated Japanese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients treated with the definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy and their predictive values of prognosis or severe acute toxicities were assessed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-six patients with ESCC were treated with the definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy, one course of which consisted of the continuous infusion of 5-FU for days 1-5 and 8-12, the infusion of CDDP on days 1 and 8, and the radiation at 2 Gy/day on days 1-5, 8-12, and 15-19, with a second course repeated after 2-week interval. Genetic polymorphisms of a TNF-α receptor <it>TNFRSF1B </it>gene were determined by a TaqMan^®MGB probe-based polymerase chain reaction.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genotype of <it>TNFSR1B </it>A1466G, but not M196R/T587G or C1493T, was found to be predictive of clinical response, i.e., a complete response or not (p = 0.040). Clinical response was predicted by tumor size (p = 0,002), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.007), distant metastasis (p = 0.001) and disease stage (p < 0.001), but <it>TNFRSF1B </it>A1466G genotype was independent of these factors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Genetic polymorphism of <it>TNFRSF1B </it>A1466G was found to be predictive response in Japanese ESCC patients with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy. Further clinical investigation with a large number of patients or experiments in vitro should be performed to assess the predictive value of <it>TNFRSF1B </it>A1466G genotype after chemoradiotherapy.</p

Complement-5 Inhibition Deters Progression of Fulminant Hepatitis to Acute Liver Failure in Murine Models

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening condition with limited treatment alternatives. ALF pathogenesis seemingly involves the complement system. However, no complement-targeted intervention has been clinically applied. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of Complement-5 (C5)-targeted ALF treatment. METHODS: ALF was induced in C5-knockout (KO, B10D2/oSn) mice and their wild-type (WT) counterparts (B10D2/nSn) through intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and d-galactosamine (D-GalN) administration. Thereafter, monoclonal anti-C5 antibody (Ab) or control immunoglobulin was administered intravenously. Furthermore, a selective C5a-receptor (C5aR) antagonist was administered to WT mice to compare its efficacy with that of anti-C5-Ab-mediated total C5 inhibition. We clarified the therapeutic effect of delayed anti-C5-Ab administration after LPS/D-GalN challenge. We also assessed the efficacy of anti-C5-Ab in another ALF model, using concanavalin-A. RESULTS: Liver injury was evident 6 hours after LPS/D-GalN administration. C5-KO and anti-C5-Ab treatment significantly improved overall animal survival and significantly reduced serum transaminase and high-mobility group box-1 release with decreased histological tissue damage. This improvement was characterized by significantly reduced CD41+ platelet aggregation, maintained F4/80+ cells, and less infiltration of CD11+/Ly6-G+ cells with lower cytokine/chemokine expression. Furthermore, C5-KO and anti-C5-Ab downregulated tumor necrosis factor-α production by macrophages before inducing marked liver injury. Moreover, single-stranded-DNA cells and caspase activation were reduced, indicating significant attenuation of apoptosis. Anti-C5-Ab treatment protected the liver more effectively than the C5aR antagonist, and its delayed doses were hepatoprotective. In addition, anti-C5-Ab treatment was effective against concanavalin-A-induced ALF. CONCLUSIONS: C5 inhibition effectively suppresses progression to ALF in mice models of fulminant hepatitis, serving as a new potential treatment strategy for ALF

Is Empathy Possible?; An Overview of Empathy Symposium 2012, Kansai University

This article reported an overview of a series of lectures and a symposium done as part of “special research project” program at the Graduate School of Psychology, Kansai University in December, 2012. First, the background of this symposium was described. Second, three lectures in this program were summarized. Third, a brief summary of three speeches on “facial expression and empathy”, “cognitive and neural mechanism of empathy”, and “empathetic understanding” was provided and a comment on each speech was offered. Finally, a connotation of empathy was discussed

Maternal Feeding Controls Fetal Biological Clock

BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that circadian physiological rhythms of the fetus are affected by oscillators in the maternal brain that are coupled to the environmental light-dark (LD) cycle. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To study the link between fetal and maternal biological clocks, we investigated the effects of cycles of maternal food availability on the rhythms of Per1 gene expression in the fetal suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and liver using a transgenic rat model whose tissues express luciferase in vitro. Although the maternal SCN remained phase-locked to the LD cycle, maternal restricted feeding phase-advanced the fetal SCN and liver by 5 and 7 hours respectively within the 22-day pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that maternal feeding entrains the fetal SCN and liver independently of both the maternal SCN and the LD cycle. This indicates that maternal-feeding signals can be more influential for the fetal SCN and particular organ oscillators than hormonal signals controlled by the maternal SCN, suggesting the importance of a regular maternal feeding schedule for appropriate fetal molecular clockwork during pregnancy

The Discovery of LOX-1, its Ligands and Clinical Significance

LOX-1 is an endothelial receptor for oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), a key molecule in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.The basal expression of LOX-1 is low but highly induced under the influence of proinflammatory and prooxidative stimuli in vascular endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, macrophages, platelets and cardiomyocytes. Multiple lines of in vitro and in vivo studies have provided compelling evidence that LOX-1 promotes endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis induced by oxLDL. The roles of LOX-1 in the development of atherosclerosis, however, are not simple as it had been considered. Evidence has been accumulating that LOX-1 recognizes not only oxLDL but other atherogenic lipoproteins, platelets, leukocytes and CRP. As results, LOX-1 not only mediates endothelial dysfunction but contributes to atherosclerotic plaque formation, thrombogenesis, leukocyte infiltration and myocardial infarction, which determine mortality and morbidity from atherosclerosis. Moreover, our recent epidemiological study has highlighted the involvement of LOX-1 in human cardiovascular diseases. Further understandings of LOX-1 and its ligands as well as its versatile functions will direct us to ways to find novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular disease