Economical impacts of IT on industries in Japan

Investment of IT (Information Technology) came to be positively advanced in various industries after 1980. However, in the late 1980s, as for the improvement in the productivity by the investment of information systems, the economist Robert Solow developed the "paradox of productivity theory" which claims that the introduction of information systems does not lead to higher productivity. On the other hand, as a result of good strategy on the development of IT industries, the U.S. economy after 1991 was in good condition over a span of 10 years, until 2001. The Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan came to suggest "the New Economy theory", which is caused by the investment of IT. It posed a problem in the1980s about investment of IT in the industries and the companies; it is not clear whether or not it made a good impact on corporate management. In this paper, we have measured the economical effects of IT investment by industries in Japan. Consequently, in Japan, the effect of IT investment in most industries will be low or minus in the first half of the 1990s, compared with the second half of the 1980s. However, the effect of IT investment is again changed to a rise or plus after 1995. This has a big relation to the advancement of IT, such as evolution of an information network, and there is also change in the management of IT itself. These results will support our objective which is to consider the directions of more effective IT investment, as well as to give the right direction of corporate management for the future in Japan

The telemetric monitoring of heart rate during copulatory behavior in the male rat

We have studied the physiological and behavioral responses in male rats to copulation and exercise. For this purpose, electrocardiographys (ECGs) were recorded from conscious and unrestrained rats using radiotelemetry system, Heart rate during copulation rose sharpiy following the induction of a receptive female, showed a peak of about 520 bpm during each ejaculation series, and then rapidly decreased. To compare the rate of decrease after ejaculation with that followingvigorous exercise, we run male rats on a motor wheel until heart rate became to the same value during ejaculation. Foliewing the cessation of exercise, heart rate decreased gradually. The possible role of the autonomic nervous system in the changes of heart rate during copulation and exercise is discussed

OPIにおける韓国語話者の「もの」「こと」の使用と習得

　日本語の文を生成する際,形式名詞の「こと」は,文脈の中である事柄の代用語となったり,前接する文を名詞化する機能として用いられたりと重要な役割を果たす。また,「もの」は「こと」と対立する概念として学習者にとって理解しにくいものである。本稿では韓国語話者のOPI (oral proficiency interview)データを用い,形式名詞「もの」「こと」の各用法について自然発話での使用状況を調査し,その習得について考察し,習得順序を探った。調査の結果,「もの」「こと」共に,初級から中級,上級から超級の段階で使用数,種類が伸び,中級から上級の段階では,用法の広がりは見られないが形式名詞,名詞化の使用数の増加により,複雑な文を多く産出するようになることがわかった。また,各用法の正用者数の伸びから,中級は形式名詞,名詞化の用法等の構文的に必要な機能が習得される段階,超級は「というもの」「ということ」「Nのこと」や様々な文末表現といった特別なニュアンスを示す用法が習得される段階であると言える。各レベルの正用者の割合を基に本稿で提案した習得順序は,(1)たことがある→(2)もの形式名詞,こと形式名詞,こと名詞化→((3)ことができる)→(4)Nのこと→(5)というもの一般化,こと(は)ない,ということ一般化,ということ内容,であった。誤用については,形式名詞の「もの」と「こと」を混同するものが多く見られた。　When we produce sentences in Japanese, the pseudo-noun koto has very important roles such as being used as a substitution word for a specific thing in context or as a nominalizer. And mono as an opposed concept to koto is hard to understand. In this study I investigated Korean speakers\u27 use and acquisition of mono and koto, using OPI (oral proficiency interview) data. By using OPI data, the use in natural circumstances can be examined. Based on the results, I investigated the acquisition order of mono and koto. As a result of my study, it was seen that the total number of occurrences of both mono and koto as well as the number of types of usage increase from novice level to intermediate level and from advanced level to superior level. From intermediate to advanced, though expansion of types is not seen, complicated sentences are used more because of increased use of substitution words and nominalizers. Judging by the increase in the number of correct use, I suggest that syntactically necessary functions such as substitution word and nominalizer are acquired at intermediate level and the usages which show special nuance such as to iu-mono, to iu-koto, noun + no koto and various sentence-final expressions at superior level. The acquisition order of mono and koto proposed from this study based on the rate of correct use at each level is (1)-ta koto ga aru→(2) mono (a substitution word), koto (a substitution word), koto (a nominalizer)→((3) koto ga dekiru)→(4) noun + no koto→(5) to iu-mono (generalization), koto (wa) nai, to iu-koto (generalization), to iu-koto (content). Finally, errors indicating confusion between mono and koto are seen frequently

「ことだ」に関する一考察 ―そのモダリティ性を探る―

　「ことだ」のモダリティは(1)「XはYだ」という構文の「Xは」の部分は話し手・聞き手双方が認識可能な場合に省略され,「こと(だ)」はその省略された主題に対応するものとして存在する。また,(2)「ことだ」の各用法はその主題の復元のしやすさの程度に差があり,その程度によってそのモダリティ度にも違いがある。筆者はこの二つの仮説をたて,その検証を行った。(1)の仮説については話し手・聞き手双方が認識している事象についてのみ主題が省略され,それによって文が不完全なものになり,「ことだ」が色々な意味を持っているかのように見えるのだと考える。(2)の仮説については,「ことだ」には,それ自体強く一体化していてかなり高いモダリティ性を持つものと,形式名詞「こと」+ コピュラ「だ」とは言いにくいが,それに近く,モダリティ性はあまり感じられないがようなものがある。理由・根拠を表す用法はかなりモダリティ度が高いが,「ことだ」で助動詞として理由や根拠を表すというより,「こと」が「主観回避」的なニュアンスを加えていると考える。従って,言い換え・要約の用法→伝聞の用法→感嘆・感動を表す用法→「～することが大切/必要だ」の意味を表す用法,理由・根拠を表す用法の順で助動詞化が進み,これらは形式名詞「こと」+「だ」から助動詞化した「ことだ」への連続した線上に点在することを明らかにした。　The purpose of this paper is to investigate the core meaning which accounts for the semantic diversity of KOTO-DA, and to inspect the degree of modality of each usage of KOTO-DA. The paper attempts to verify two hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that KOTO corresponds to the hidden "theme" in the KOTO-DA sentence. In the X wa Y-DA (～KOTO-DA) structure, X is omitted when it is understood by both speaker and hearer. Being left alone, Y-DA (～KOTO-DA) results in ambiguity depending on the context. The second hypothesis is that the hidden "themes" of certain usages are easier to restore than those of other usages, therefore, the degree of modality of each usage differs. This research found that all the usages of KOTO-DA ranged from the KOTO as a pseudo-noun plus the copula DA, to the KOTO-DA that has turned into an auxiliary verb as a whole. The range is as follows: paraphrasing → hearsay → exclamation → advice / grounds, reason. Out of this investigation about the range, I suggest that the KOTO of the KOTO-DA denoting grounds or reason should add the nuance that the speaker is uttering the sentence objectively, not subjectively

OPIにおける中国語話者の「もの」「こと」の使用とその正用順序

　本研究では中国語話者のOPI(oral proficiency interview)データを用い、形式名詞「もの」「こと」の各用法について自然発話での使用状況を調査し、その正用順序について考察した。その上で、坪根(2002)の韓国語話者の結果、坪根(2003)の英語話者の結果とも比較を行った。調査の結果、「もの」「こと」ともに、総使用数、正用カテゴリー数とも中級、上級の段階では増加しているものの、超級では減少もしくはわずかな増加しか見られなかった。各用法の使用状況を見ると、「もの」の使用のほとんどは形式名詞としての使用であり、「こと」についても、文末のモダリティを表す用法の使用の広がりがあまり見られなかった。本研究から推測できる中国語話者の「もの」「こと」の正用順序は、(1)もの形式名詞、こと形式名詞、たことがある→(2)Nのこと(こと化)→(3)こと名詞化、の順である。韓国語・英語話者と比較すると、中国語話者は「もの」「こと」ともに使用が限られた用法に留まっており、正用率の高い用法も韓国語・英語話者と比べ、かなり少ない。一方、三者にほぼ共通して見られる特徴は、形式名詞(もの・こと)、「たことがある」が最も早い段階で正用され、「Nのこと」や名詞化の用法がそれに続き、その後「ということ」(一般化・内容)が正用されるようになると予想される点である。　In this study I investigated Chinese speakers\u27 use and accuracy order of mono and koto, using data from the OPI (oral proficiency interview). Results of my study show increases in the frequency and variety of both mono and koto according to level (i.e. intermediate or advanced). There is no further increase, however, from the advanced level to the superior level. Mono is used mostly as a substitution word and expanse of use can not be seen. Concerning koto, the usages of modality which show special nuance at the end of sentences can not be seen very often, either. The accuracy order of mono and koto proposed from this study based on the rate of correct use at each level is (1) mono (a substitution word), koto (a substitution word), to koto ga aru → (2) noun + no koto → (3) → koto (a nominalizer). The results were compared with the Korean speakers\u27 results by Tsubone (2002) and the English speakers\u27 results by Tsubone (2003)

OPIにおける英語話者の「の」の使用と習得

　準体助詞「の」は、名詞の代用語、前接する用言の名詞化といった機能の他に、文末の「のだ」の形でムードを表したり、また「のだが」のような接続表現としての用法もあり、その習得は、日本語で正しく意思を伝えるために欠かせないものである。本研究は英語話者のOPIデータを用い、準体助詞「の」の使用状況と習得について調査したものである。調査の結果、中級-中上段階までで、代用語、名詞化用法、「のだ」の説明の用法がまず使用されるようになり、上級になると「のだが」「というの」のような直接的でない言い回しを用いることで、より自然な日本語を使用するようになり、さらに超級では「のではないか」、「というのか」や、「のだ」「のか」の説明用法以外の用法を広く使用し、間接的表現、自問の表現も含め、用法の使用範囲が更に広がるということがわかった。本研究から示唆された「の」の各用法の大枠での習得段階は、第一段階が名詞化用法、「のだ」(説明告白、説明教示)、代用語、第二段階が「のか」(説明求め)、「のだが」(前置き、終助詞、逆接)、「というの」(一般化)、第三段階が「のではないか」(推測、主張)、「というのか」(自問)「のだ」(強調、確認)、「のか」(スコープ、確認)、「のだから」(理由)、「というの」(意味・定義)、第四段階が「のだ」(感嘆、非難)、「のか」(非難)、「の」(終助詞説明告白)であった。　No has a very important role in the production of sentences in Japanese. Besides such functions as pronoun and nominalizer, it expresses the speaker\u27s mood when it is used at the end of a sentence followed by da and also has a usage as a conjunctive expression in the form of no-daga. It is necessary to acquire the usage of no in order to communicate one\u27s intention correctly. In this study I investigated English speakers\u27 use and acquisition of no, using the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) data known as KY corpus. As a result of my study, it was suggested that pronoun, nominalizer, and no-da (function of explanation) usages are acquired by middle/high intermediate level, at the advanced level more natural Japanese, incorporating indirect expressions such as no-daga and to iu no, is used and at the superior level the kinds of usage become much broader, using no-dewa nai ka, to iu no ka, no-da and no ka etc.. The acquisition stage of no suggested from this study is as follows: 1. no (nominalizer), no-da ("explanation/revelation" which indicates that a speaker tells a hearer information that only the speaker knows), no-da ("explanation/instruction" which indicates that a speaker informs a hearer of some information that the hearer probably doesn\u27t know), no (pronoun) 2. no ka (asking explanation) , no-daga (preliminary remark / contrary consequence/sentence-final particle), to iu-no (generalization) 3. to iu no ka (questioning oneself), no-dewa nai ka (conjecture / assertion) , no-da (emphasis / confirmation), no ka (scope / confirmation), no-dakara (reason), to iu no (meaning, definition) 4. no-da (admiration / blame), no-ka (blame), no (sentence-final particle: explanation/revelation

Autophagy regulation and photodynamic therapy: insights to improve outcomes of cancer treatment

Cancer is considered an age-related disease that, over the next 10 years, will become the most prevalent health problem worldwide. Although cancer therapy has remarkably improved in the last few decades, novel treatment concepts are needed to defeat this disease. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) signalize a pathway to treat and manage several types of cancer. Over the past three decades, new light sources and photosensitizers (PS) have been developed to be applied in PDT. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge to explain the main biochemical routes needed to trigger regulated cell death mechanisms, affecting, considerably, the scope of the PDT. Although autophagy modulation is being raised as an interesting strategy to be used in cancer therapy, the main aspects referring to the autophagy role over cell succumbing PDT-photoinduced damage remain elusive. Several reports emphasize cytoprotective autophagy, as an ultimate attempt of cells to cope with the photo-induced stress and to survive. Moreover, other underlying molecular mechanisms that evoke PDT-resistance of tumor cells were considered. We reviewed the paradigm about the PDT-regulated cell death mechanisms that involve autophagic impairment or boosted activation. To comprise the autophagy-targeted PDT-protocols to treat cancer, it was underlined those that alleviate or intensify PDT-resistance of tumor cells. Thereby, this review provides insights into the mechanisms by which PDT can be used to modulate autophagy and emphasizes how this field represents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.Fil: Martins, Waleska K.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Belotto, Renata. Perola Byington Hospital; BrasilFil: Silva, Maryana N.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Grasso, Daniel Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Suriani, Maynne D.. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; BrasilFil: Lavor, Tayná S.. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; BrasilFil: Itri, Rosangela. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Baptista, Mauricio S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Tsubone, Tayana M.. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasi