Origin and hydrodynamics of xylem sap in tree stems, and relationship to root uptake of soil water

Although 10 years have passed since Japan's Fukushima nuclear accident, the future radiation risk from ¹³⁷Cs contamination of wood via root uptake is a serious concern. We estimated the depth at which the roots of evergreen coniferous sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and broadleaf deciduous konara (Quercus serrata) trees actively take up soil water by using positive δD values from the artificial D₂O tracer and seasonal changes in the δ¹⁸O values of soil water as a natural environmental tracer. We compared the tracer concentration changes in xylem sap with those in the soil water and ascertained that both tree species primarily took up water from a depth of 20 cm, though with mixing of water from other depths. Using sap hydrodynamics in tree stems, we found that water circulation was significantly slower in heartwood than in sapwood. Heartwood water was not supplied by direct root uptake of soil water. The measured diffusion coefficients for D₂O, K⁺, Cs⁺, and I⁻ in xylem stems were greater in sapwood than in heartwood, and their magnitude was inversely correlated with their molecular weights. The distribution of D₂O and ¹³⁷Cs concentrations along the radial stem could be explained by simulations using the simple advective diffusion model

Preventive Effects of Salacia reticulata on Obesity and Metabolic Disorders in TSOD Mice

The extracts of Salacia reticulata (Salacia extract), a plant that has been used for the treatment of early diabetes, rheumatism and gonorrhea in Ayurveda, have been shown to have an anti-obesity effect and suppress hyperglycemia. In this study, the effects of Salacia extract on various symptoms of metabolic disorder were investigated and compared using these TSOD mice and non-obese TSNO mice. Body weight, food intake, plasma biochemistry, visceral and subcutaneous fat (X-ray and CT), glucose tolerance, blood pressure and pain tolerance were measured, and histopathological examination of the liver was carried out. A significant dose-dependent decline in the gain in body weight, accumulation of visceral and subcutaneous fat and an improvement of abnormal glucose tolerance, hypertension and peripheral neuropathy were noticed in TSOD mice. In addition, hepatocellular swelling, fatty degeneration of hepatocytes, inflammatory cell infiltration and single-cell necrosis were observed on histopathological examination of the liver in TSOD mice. Salacia extract markedly improved these symptoms upon treatment. Based on the above results, it is concluded that Salacia extract has remarkable potential to prevent obesity and associated metabolic disorders including the development of metabolic syndrome

科学分析はじめてガイド: サンプリングから解釈まで

金沢大学人間社会研究域歴史言語文化学系本書では， 科学分析の対象となるいくつもの遺物の中から， 有機物の「デンプン粒」， 「漆」， 無機物の「赤色顔料」， 「土器胎土」， 「石材・玉器」について，分析の概要を紹介します。本書前半では， それぞれの遺物分析の目的をまとめました。後半では， 分析前の試料（サンプル） をどう取り扱い， 保管しておくべきか， また実際にどのようにサンプルを処理し， どんな機器・装置を使って分析をし，どのような情報（データ） を取り出しているのか，を解説しています。科学研究費助成事業学術変革領域研究 (A)「考古遺物の材料分析と産地推定」(領域番号 20H05817)活動成果物、2022年8月31日発行)出典：(研究代表者) 神谷 嘉美, 研究課題「考古遺物の材料分析と産地推定」研究課題/領域番号20H05817（KAKEN：科学研究費助成事業データベース（国立情報学研究所）） （https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/ja/grant/KAKENHI-PLANNED-20H05817/）を加工して作成.研究課題/領域番号: 20H05817, 研究期間 (年度): 2020-11-19 – 2025-03-31本文データは、著者版活動成果物。関連研究：(研究代表者) 中村 慎一「中国文明起源解明の新・考古学イニシアティブ」(研究課題/領域番号)20H05815（KAKEN：科学研究費助成事業データベース（国立情報学研究所）） （https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/ja/grant/KAKENHI-ORGANIZER-20H05815/

セルフヘルプ・グループ発祥の地アメリカを訪ねて

自主グループを活用した看護教育に取り組むにあたり、グループの誕生・発展のために必要とされる支援の方向性を見出すとともに、 自主グループと看護教育の連携の実際を学ぶことを目的に、セルフヘルプ・グループ（以下SHG）発祥の地アメリカ視察を行った。SHGの活動および関係機関の視察、 また関係者との意見交換を通して、当事者の理解を深め、行政でも補えない隙間の支援を行なう人々と活動状況を理解することができた。またグループの特殊性を考慮した上での看護職に望まれる役割を再考する機会となり得た

On the routines of wild-type silk fibroin processing toward silk-inspired materials: a review

For years, silk fibroin of a domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been recognized as a valuable material and extensively used. In the last decades, new application fields are emerging for this versatile material. Those final, specific applications of silk dictate the way it has been processed in industry and research. This review focuses on the description of various approaches for silk downstream processing in a laboratory scale, that fall within several categories. The detailed description of workflow possibilities from the naturally found material to a finally formulated product is presented. Considerable attention is given to (bio-) chemical approaches of silk fibroin transformation, particularly, to its enzyme-driven modifications. The focus of the current literature survey is exclusively on the methods applied in research and not industry

インターネットを活用した自主グループ間の情報ネットワークの構築

『地域を基盤とする看護教育への変革』が平成19年度文部科学省「現代的教育ニーズ取組支援プログラム」に選定され、グループ支援ネットワークとして、島根県下の自主グループと学内に設置した地域連携ステーションとの情報ネットワークの構築に取り組んだ。インターネットを活用することで会員や一般への情報発信や情報交換に有効だった。しかし、ホームページへの入力操作に困難性を認めるなど支援も必要としていた。これらの課題解決を図りながらメリット・デメリットを考慮したインターネットの活用は、今後、自主グループの機能強化に有効な手段となることが期待される

当院におけるYUMESUMA e-net(Medical e-Learning システム)の導入と意義

Medical e-Leamingシステム(YUMESUMA e-net:Yokohama City University,MedicalCenter,Medical e-Learning System founded by Sugiyama and Matsuse,e-net)を導入する機会を得たので,オフライン環境下での試行から本番系システムによる実施にいたる概要を報告し,Medical e-Leamingの意義,問題点,今後の方向性などを検討した.その結果,いわゆるe-LeamingシステムどしてのYUMESUMAは,単に学習のIT化という位置づけにおいてのみ有効性が高いのではなく,情報を迅速に伝える手段として,高い確実性を持ちうることが実証された.従って,毎年,多数の専門職が新規に採用され人事異動の頻繁な大学附属病院において,Medical e-Leamingは,情報の周知,安全管埋徹底に極めて有用なシステムと思われた.A medical e-learning system (YUMESUMA e-net) was introduced at our hospital. Here, the processes from its trial in an off-line environment to its application to a real working system are outlined, and the significance, problems, and direction of future development of medical e-learning are evaluated. YUMESUMA as an e-learning system was found to be effective not only as an information technology to assist medical learning but also as a highly reliable tool for rapid transmission of information. Therefore, at a university hospital, where many experts are newly employed every year and personnel changes are frequent, medical e-learning is considered to be a useful system for transmission of information and safety management