Preliminary study of discrimination of human vocal commands in walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)

Walruses seem to use various acoustic signals in social context. So, the auditory faculty is seems to be important for walruses. Can walruses understand another animals' vocal information using auditory sense? This study tested whether a male walrus could discriminate human vocal words and perform different actions corresponding to each one under various conditions. The subject, a male walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) named Pou, was set on the ground, and the experimenter spoke one of the ten words to the subject under the following conditions; (1) The experimenter stood close to the subject and spoke each vocal stimulus wearing a black cloak and goggles so that the experimenter's eye and body movements would not influence the subject's behavior, (2) A wooden board was placed between the experimenter and the subject so that the subject could not see the experimenter, (3) A wooden board was placed between the experimenter and the subject so that the subject could not to see the experimenter, and the experimenter uttered each vocal stimulus through an audio speaker. Under each condition, when the subject performed the correct action corresponding to the vocal stimulus, he was rewarded with a piece of fish. As a result, the subject responded correctly to almost all the human vocal stimuli in every condition, including when the speaker was not visible. This means that he was indeed responding to the vocal words and not the experimenter's cues. This study demonstrated that walruses can hear and identify human vocal words using their auditory sense and can form correspondence between vocal words and their meanings

マウス卵減数分裂に関与する因子の同定とその制御機構・機能の解明

学位の種別: 課程博士審査委員会委員 : (主査)東京大学教授 青木 不学, 東京大学准教授 尾田 正二, 東京大学准教授 鈴木 邦律, 東京大学准教授 鈴木 雅京, 農業生物資源研究所上級研究員 菊池 和弘University of Tokyo(東京大学

Brain Abscess as a Rare Complication of Primary Extranodal Nasal-type Natural Killer/T-cell Lymphoma

We present the case of a 58-year-old Japanese woman with a natural killer T (NK/T)-cell lymphoma complicated by brain abscess. NK/T-cell lymphomas represent a rare type of lymphoma derived from either activated NK cells or, rarely, cytotoxic T cells. They are aggressive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphomas that involve mainly the nasal cavity. Brain abscess associated with primary extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma is extremely uncommon: to our knowledge, this is the first reported case of this lymphoma with brain abscess as the initial clinical manifestation. Endoscopic surgery was performed for definitive diagnosis under intraoperative navigation system. Chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy was performed and was effective: 72 months later the tumor has not recurred. Recommendations of endoscopic management for diagnosis and treatment of this rare neoplasm are discussed

Transcribed Copies of Yupian in the Edo Period: Volume 19

日本の古刹に残っていた原本玉篇写本群は、明治初期に黎庶昌・楊守敬が日本に残る古漢籍を『古逸叢書』として翻刻したことで広く注目されるようになった。古逸叢書の収める原本玉篇は、大半は原本ではなく江戸期写本から模刻したものと見られている。しかし、今日確認可能な原本玉篇のデジタル画像やコロタイプ影印と、江戸期写本や古逸叢書を比較すると、現在では失われている部分が見つかる。これらの信頼性を考えるには各写本間の系列を分析することが必要である。本稿では、近年高田時雄氏が新断片を報告した巻19水部について江戸期写本群の状況を調べた。その結果、一部の江戸期写本に見られる誤写が古逸叢書にも見つかった。このことから、古逸叢書における楊守敬旧蔵断片の利用は部分的であり、巻09同様に伴信友本系の江戸期写本を基盤としていることが分かった。Yupian (玉篇) has been regarded as the earliest Kaishu-centric Chinese dictionary, which was edited by Gu Yewang (顧野王) in the Liang (梁) dynasty. In China, the original text of Gu’s Yupian has been lost because the simplified version by Chen Pengnian (陳彭年) became quite popular after the Sung (宋) dynasty. In the late Qing (清) dynasty, Li Shuchang (黎庶昌) and Yang Shoujing (楊守敬) visited Japan and discovered several parts of Gu’s original text. They were reprinted in their Guyi Congshu (古逸叢書). They had a difficulty browsing and/or taking photographs of the original materials. Their reprints of Gu’s text were mainly based on the transcribed copies produced in the Edo period. Recently, Tokio Takata (高田時雄) found a fragment of the original volume 19, which was once owned by Yang. In this article, we compare the original fragments, their transcribed copies in the Edo period, and Guyi Congshu of the volume 19. Some incorrect modifications in the transcribed copies are found in Guyi Congshu. Therefore, Yang’s original fragment was not used as a primal source of Guyi Congshu for Volume 19. Its primal source was the transcribed copies in the Edo period, as in the Volume 09 case.本稿は科研費課題番号16K004600A，19K12716の成果を含みます

The binding specificity of Translocated in LipoSarcoma/FUsed in Sarcoma with lncRNA transcribed from the promoter region of cyclin D1

Background: Translocated in LipoSarcoma (TLS, also known as FUsed in Sarcoma) is an RNA/DNA binding protein whose mutation cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In previous study, we demonstrated that TLS binds to long noncoding RNA, promoter-associated ncRNA-D (pncRNA-D), transcribed from the 5' upstream region of cyclin D1 (CCND1), and inhibits the expression of CCND1. Results: In order to elucidate the binding specificity between TLS and pncRNA-D, we divided pncRNA-D into seven fragments and examined the binding with full-length TLS, TLS-RGG2-zinc finger-RGG3, and TLS-RGG3 by RNA pull down assay. As a result, TLS was able to bind to all the seven fragments, but the fragments containing reported recognition motifs (GGUG and GGU) tend to bind more solidly. The full-length TLS and TLS-RGG2-zinc finger-RGG3 showed a similar interaction with pncRNA-D, but the binding specificity of TLS-RGG3 was lower compared to the full-length TLS and TLS-RGG2-zinc finger-RGG3. Mutation in GGUG and GGU motifs dramatically decreased the binding, and unexpectedly, we could only detect weak interaction with the RNA sequence with stem loop structure. Conclusion: The binding of TLS and pncRNA-D was affected by the presence of GGUG and GGU sequences, and the C terminal domains of TLS function in the interaction with pncRNA-D

Ventricular Fibrillation in Patient with Multi-vessel Coronary Spasm Four Days after the Initiation of Oral Beta-blocker

We describe a case of ventricular fibrillation occurring in a patient with multi-vessel coronary spasm after the initiation of an oral beta-blocker. A 56-year-old man began to experience chest discomfort and his computed tomography revealed intermediate coronary stenoses. He was administered medications including an oral beta-blocker but suddenly collapsed while walking 4 days later. An automated external defibrillator detected ventricular fibrillation and delivered successful electrical cardioversion. An acetylcholine provocation test after stabilization of the status revealed triple-vessel coronary spasm. Beta-blockers may provoke exacerbation of coronary spasm and result in lethal arrhythmia

Application of Scanning-Imaging X-Ray Microscopy to Fluid Inclusion Candidates in Carbonates of Carbonaceous Chondrites

In order to search for such fluid inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites, a nondestructive technique using x-ray micro-absorption tomography combined with FIB sampling was developed and applied to a carbonaceous chondrite. They found fluid inclusion candidates in calcite grains, which were formed by aqueous alteration. However, they could not determine whether they are really aqueous fluids or merely voids. Phase and absorption contrast images can be simultaneously obtained in 3D by using scanning-imaging x-ray microscopy (SIXM). In refractive index, n=1-sigma+i(beta), in the real part, 1-sigma is the refractive index with decrement, sigma, which is nearly proportional to the density, and the imaginary part, beta, is the extinction coefficient, which is related to the liner attenuation coefficient, mu. Many phases, including water and organic materials as well as minerals, can be identified by SIXM, and this technique has potential availability for Hayabusa-2 sample analysis too. In this study, we examined quantitative performance of d and m values and the spatial resolution in SIXM by using standard materials, and applied this technique to carbonaceous chondrite samples. We used POM ([CH2O]n), silicon, quartz, forsterite, corundum, magnetite and nickel as standard materials for examining the sigma and mu values. A fluid inclusion in terrestrial quartz and bi-valve shell (Atrina vexillum), which are composed of calcite and organic layers with different thickness, were also used for examining the spatial resolution. The Ivuna (CI) and Sutter's Mill (CM) meteorites were used as carbonaceous chondrite samples. Rod- or cube-shaped samples 20-30 micron in size were extracted by using FIB from cross-sectional surfaces of the standard materials or polished thin sections of the chondrites, which was previously observed with SEM. Then, the sample was attached to a thin W-needle and imaged by SIXM system at beamline BL47XU, SPring-8, Japan. The slice thickness was 109.3 nm and the pixel size was mostly 100 nm

Early expression of serum CCL8 closely correlates to non-relapse mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

To explore the role of Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 8 (CCL8) as a potential biomarker for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), we retrospectively analyzed the sera and clinical course of 31 patients with grade II?IV aGVHD. No deaths occurred in the ten patients with serum CCL8 concentrations less than 213 pg/mL, whereas 11 of the 21 patients with more than 213 pg/mL died within 180 days post-transplantation. This landmark analysis revealed a significantly lower urvival rate of patients with a CCL8 serum concentration greater than 213 pg/mL. Thus, elevated serum CCL8 concentration before day 100 post-transplantation may predict aGVHD prognosi

Normal Values of Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging Parameters in the Cervical Spinal Cord

Study DesignProspective study.PurposeWe evaluated the usefulness of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in diagnosing patients with cervical myelopathy by determining the accuracy of normal DTI parameter values.Overview of LiteratureDTI can visualize white matter tracts in vivo and quantify anisotropy. DTI is known to be more sensitive than conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting subtle pathological changes of the spinal cord.MethodsA total of 31 normal subjects (13 men and 18 women; age, 23-87 years; mean age, 46.0 years) were included in this study. The patients had no symptoms of myelopathy or radiculopathy. A Philips Achieva 3-Tesla MRI with SE-type Single Shot EPI was used to obtain diffusion tensor images. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were measured as DTI parameters on axial sections of several cervical levels. Subjects were divided into two groups: >40 years (n=16) and ≤40 years (n=15). A paired t-test was used to compare significant differences between the groups. ADC and FA values were most stable on axial sections.ResultsFor all subjects, mean ADC and FA values were 1.06±0.09×10-3 mm2/sec and 0.68±0.05, respectively. ADC was significantly higher in subjects >40 years of age than in those ≤40 years. There was no significant difference in FA values between the two groups. The mean ADC value was significantly higher in normal subjects >40 years of age than in those ≤40 years.ConclusionsIt is important to consider age when evaluating cervical myelopathy by DTI