Exploring How Learning Style Relates to General and Career Management Self-Efficacy Beliefs in a Managerial Context

This study examined how learning style relates to self-efficacy beliefs in a managerial context. To make a theoretical frame, the study relied on Kolb’s experiential learning theory and a model of self-efficacy–performance relationship proposed by Gist and Mitchell. The study analyzed not only general efficacy but also specific efficacy focused on career management. Participants of this study consisted of 235 managers who worked for the Ministry of Finance in Indonesia. Results showed that managers’ learning orientation towards abstract conceptualization over concrete experience was associated with increased self-efficacy beliefs, whereas an orientation towards active experimentation over reflective observation was associated with general self-efficacy development but had a marginal influence on career management self-efficacy. This study sheds light on a link between learning style and self-efficacy development in organizations. Based on the findings, the study offers theoretical and practical implications for leveraging learning styles and self-efficacy beliefs in organizations

Efficient production of infectious viruses requires enzymatic activity of Epstein-Barr virus protein kinase

AbstractThe Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BGLF4 gene product is the only protein kinase encoded by the virus genome. In order to elucidate its physiological roles in viral productive replication, we here established a BGLF4-knockout mutant and a revertant virus. While the levels of viral DNA replication of the deficient mutant were equivalent to those of the wild-type and the revertant, virus production was significantly impaired. Expression of the BGLF4 protein in trans fully complemented the low yield of the mutant virus, while expression of a kinase-dead (K102I) form of the protein failed to restore the virus titer. These results demonstrate that BGLF4 plays a significant role in production of infectious viruses and that the kinase activity is crucial

Current and future perspectives on functional molecular imaging in nephro-urology: theranostics on the horizon

In recent years, a paradigm shift from single-photon-emitting radionuclide radiotracers toward positron-emission tomography (PET) radiotracers has occurred in nuclear oncology. Although PET-based molecular imaging of the kidneys is still in its infancy, such a trend has emerged in the field of functional renal radionuclide imaging. Potentially allowing for precise and thorough evaluation of renal radiotracer urodynamics, PET radionuclide imaging has numerous advantages including precise anatomical co-registration with CT images and dynamic three-dimensional imaging capability. In addition, relative to scintigraphic approaches, PET can allow for significantly reduced scan time enabling high-throughput in a busy PET practice and further reduces radiation exposure, which may have a clinical impact in pediatric populations. In recent years, multiple renal PET radiotracers labeled with C-11, Ga-68, and F-18 have been utilized in clinical studies. Beyond providing a precise non-invasive read-out of renal function, such radiotracers may also be used to assess renal inflammation. This manuscript will provide an overview of renal molecular PET imaging and will highlight the transformation of conventional scintigraphy of the kidneys toward novel, high-resolution PET imaging for assessing renal function. In addition, future applications will be introduced, e.g. by transferring the concept of molecular image-guided diagnostics and therapy (theranostics) to the field of nephrology

<所内学術研究成果報告>T. シロイヌナズナ花粉母細胞の減数分裂時の染色体に対する FISH 法の確立

染色体を個別に追跡しその挙動を調べることのできる方法,FISH法をシロイヌナズナの花粉母細胞の減数分裂時の染色体に適用することを目的に条件検討を行った。その結果,以下の条件でFISHを行うのが最良と結論された。花序の固定はカルノイ溶液(75%エタノール,25%酢酸)を用い,室温で16時間程度行う。細胞壁とカロース層の消化は0.4%Cellulase,0.4%Pectolyase,0.4%Cytohelicase,1370U/ml β-Glucronidaseを用いて37℃で3時間処理する。スライドガラス上に消化した細胞を展開した後,再度カルノイ溶液で固定する。0.1mg/ml RNaseAで37℃30分間,0.0025%ペプシンで37℃3分間,4%パラフォルムアルデヒドで室温10分間処理した後,エタノールシリーズを通し風乾させる。ビオチン標識したプローブDNAとスライドガラス上の染色体DNAと同時に72℃3分間熱変性させた後,37℃16時間反応させハイブリッドを形成させる。洗浄後,アビジン-FITCを反応させ,ビオチン化抗アビジンDを用いて,シグナルの増幅を行う。なお,本研究においてはBACクローンF10B6よりプローブを作成し用いた

Frequently increased epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) copy numbers and decreased BRCA1 mRNA expression in Japanese triple-negative breast cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Triple-negative breast cancer (estrogen receptor-, progesterone receptor-, and HER2-negative) (TNBC) is a high risk breast cancer that lacks specific therapy targeting these proteins.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 969 consecutive Japanese patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from January 1981 to December 2003, and selected TNBCs based on the immunohistochemical data. Analyses of epidermal growth factor receptor (<it>EGFR</it>) gene mutations and amplification, and <it>BRCA</it>1 mRNA expression were performed on these samples using TaqMan PCR assays. The prognostic significance of TNBCs was also explored. Median follow-up was 8.3 years.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 110 (11.3%) patients had TNBCs in our series. Genotyping of the <it>EGFR </it>gene was performed to detect 14 known <it>EGFR </it>mutations, but none was identified. However, <it>EGFR </it>gene copy number was increased in 21% of TNBCs, while only 2% of ER- and PgR-positive, HER2-negative tumors showed slightly increased <it>EGFR </it>gene copy numbers. Thirty-one percent of TNBCs stained positive for EGFR protein by immunohistochemistry. <it>BRCA1 </it>mRNA expression was also decreased in TNBCs compared with controls. Triple negativity was significantly associated with grade 3 tumors, TP53 protein accumulation, and high Ki67 expression. TNBC patients had shorter disease-free survival than non-TNBC in node-negative breast cancers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>TNBCs have an aggressive clinical course, and <it>EGFR </it>and <it>BRCA1 </it>might be candidate therapeutic targets in this disease.</p

Integrated genetic and clinical prognostic factors for aggressive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

成人T細胞白血病リンパ腫（ATL）におけるゲノム情報と臨床情報を統合したリスクモデルを確立 --ATLの個別化医療を推進--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-04-10.The prognosis of aggressive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is poor, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative treatment. To identify favorable prognostic patients after intensive chemotherapy, and who therefore might not require upfront allo-HSCT, we aimed to improve risk stratification of aggressive ATL patients aged <70 years. The clinical risk factors and genetic mutations were incorporated into risk modeling for overall survival (OS). We generated the m7-ATLPI, a clinicogenetic risk model for OS, that included the ATL prognostic index (PI) (ATL-PI) risk category, and non-silent mutations in seven genes, namely TP53, IRF4, RHOA, PRKCB, CARD11, CCR7, and GATA3. In the training cohort of 99 patients, the m7-ATLPI identified a low-, intermediate-, and high-risk group with 2-year OS of 100%, 43%, and 19%, respectively (hazard ratio [HR] 5.46, p < 0.0001). The m7-ATLPI achieved superior risk stratification compared to the current ATL-PI (C-index 0.92 vs. 0.85, respectively). In the validation cohort of 84 patients, the m7-ATLPI defined low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups with a 2-year OS of 81%, 30%, and 0%, respectively (HR 2.33, p = 0.0094), and the model again outperformed the ATL-PI (C-index 0.72 vs. 0.70, respectively). The simplified m7-ATLPI, which is easier to use in clinical practice, achieved superior risk stratification compared to the ATL-PI, as did the original m7-ATLPI; the simplified version was calculated by summing the following: high-risk ATL-PI category (+10), low-risk ATL-PI category (−4), and non-silent mutations in TP53 (+4), IRF4 (+3), RHOA (+1), PRKCB (+1), CARD11 (+0.5), CCR7 (−2), and GATA3 (−3)

Japanese multicenter database of healthy controls for [¹²³I]FP-CIT SPECT

Purpose: The aim of this multicenter trial was to generate a [¹²³I]FP-CIT SPECT database of healthy controls from the common SPECT systems available in Japan. Methods: This study included 510 sets of SPECT data from 256 healthy controls (116 men and 140 women; age range, 30–83 years) acquired from eight different centers. Images were reconstructed without attenuation or scatter correction (NOACNOSC), with only attenuation correction using the Chang method (ChangACNOSC) or X-ray CT (CTACNOSC), and with both scatter and attenuation correction using the Chang method (ChangACSC) or X-ray CT (CTACSC). These SPECT images were analyzed using the Southampton method. The outcome measure was the specific binding ratio (SBR) in the striatum. These striatal SBRs were calibrated from prior experiments using a striatal phantom. Results: The original SBRs gradually decreased in the order of ChangACSC, CTACSC, ChangACNOSC, CTACNOSC, and NOACNOSC. The SBRs for NOACNOSC were 46% lower than those for ChangACSC. In contrast, the calibrated SBRs were almost equal under no scatter correction (NOSC) conditions. A significant effect of age was found, with an SBR decline rate of 6.3% per decade. In the 30–39 age group, SBRs were 12.2% higher in women than in men, but this increase declined with age and was absent in the 70–79 age group. Conclusions: This study provided a large-scale quantitative database of [¹²³I]FP-CIT SPECT scans from different scanners in healthy controls across a wide age range and with balanced sex representation. The phantom calibration effectively harmonizes SPECT data from different SPECT systems under NOSC conditions. The data collected in this study may serve as a reference database

Analysis of Chromosome Dynamics during Meiosis I of Arabidopsis thaliana Pollen Mother Cells by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization(FISH)

Since insertion mutagenesis methods, which enabled us to identify the mutagenized genes routinely, were developed for plants, Arabidopsis thaliana has been playing a central role in plant meiosis research. Though several techniques to analyze meiotic chromosome behavior have been introduced into Arabidopsis research since Ross et al. reported the method to observe male meiotic chromosomes of this plant through light microscope in 1996 (Chromosome Res. 4-507-516), intimate analysis of the chromosome behavior has not been accomplished. Taking advantage of the recent development of new nucleotides labeled with fluorescent dyes, we investigated chromosome behavior during male meiosis by multicolor FISH. Telomeres found around nucleoli in premeiotic interphase cells dispersed after entering meiosis, then clustered in a bouquet-like configuration. Statistically, telomeres of homologous chromosomes paired earlier than centromeres, but when respective chromosomes were examined, the telomeres were not always quick to pair. At early prophase I, possibly at around the zygotene stage, the signals from telomeres reduced to less than ten. This reduction suggests that the paired telomeres of homologous chromosomes temporally associate with other telomeres to look for their real partners. When homologous chromosomes separated at anaphase I, telomeres were always last to segregate. This suggested that there was unknown interaction between the telomeres of homologs, connecting them until anaphase I started