Factors responsible for co-dominance of two beech species in a cool temperate forest in central Japan: interspecific comparison of spatial distribution and growth traits

To understand the co-existence mechanisms of related species,the recruitment processes of Fagus crenata and F. japonica were censused during 3 and 4 years from emergence, respectively, in a cool-temperate forest in Japan. The distributional properties and the growth traits were compared between two Fagus species. To evaluate the distributional properties, the spatial abundance of seedlings was estimated by a generalized linear model (GLM), with explanatory variables such as topographic variables, light conditions, the presence of dwarf bamboo, and the abundance of the overstory. To evaluate the growth traits under herbivory pressure, both the elongated shoot length and the proportion of recovery frompredation (re-growth) were also compared. No spatial segregation and no species-specific differences were detected by GLM, which was consistent throughout the census period. Only F. japonica exhibited a slope-related distribution, while F. crenata exhibited no topographical dependence, indicates the distributional overlaps. For the growth traits, contrasting trends were detected, F. crenata was superior in shoot growth, whereas the proportion of regrowth was higher in F. japonica than F. crenata. We concluded that co-dominance of these species was not attributed to the spatial segregationbut to the trade-off between growth and resistance to herbivory

Methylglyoxal attenuates isoproterenol-induced increase in uncoupling protein 1 expression through activation of JNK signaling pathway in beige adipocytes

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a metabolite derived from glycolysis whose levels in the blood and tissues of patients with diabetes are higher than those of healthy individuals, suggesting that MG is associated with the development of diabetic complications. However, it remains unknown whether high levels of MG are a cause or consequence of diabetes. Here, we show that MG negatively affects the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), which is involved in thermogenesis and the regulation of systemic metabolism. Decreased Ucp1 expression is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. We found that MG attenuated the increase in Ucp1 expression following treatment with isoproterenol in beige adipocytes. However, MG did not affect protein kinase A signaling, the core coordinator of isoproterenol-induced Ucp1 expression. Instead, MG activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. We found that JNK inhibition, but not p38, recovered isoproterenol-stimulated Ucp1 expression under MG treatment. Altogether, these results suggest an inhibitory role of MG on the thermogenic function of beige adipocytes through the JNK signaling pathway

ジョルジュ・ペレック『撮影された生活』における記憶の投影、沈黙、「永遠のものと束の間のもの」

departmental bulletin pape

Validation of the Radford Nomogram to Estimate the Minute Volume Required to Attain Normocapnia in Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Objective: The Radford nomogram, an old mathematical chart device to estimate the required ventilation for maintaining normocapnia, remains unvalidated in patients undergoing modern, balanced anesthesia. This study aims to investigate the performance of the Radford nomogram in patients undergoing general anesthesia and derive a simple equation to estimate the minute volume required to attain normocapnia (MVnorm). Methods: This single-center retrospective study enrolled 78 patients (age ≥ 18 years) undergoing cerebral revascularization for Moyamoya disease. We defi ned MVnorm as the median of all values of the minute volume during normocapnia (estimated PaCO2: 38–42 mmHg). We examined the agreement level between the estimated minute volume using the Radford nomogram and MVnorm using the Bland–Altman analysis. Furthermore, we developed and validated a simple equation predicting MVnorm based on gender and a multiple of body weight, using a split-sample validation technique. Result: The Radford nomogram tended to overestimate MVnorm with a mean bias of 560 mL/min (95% limits of agreement, -848–1, 968 mL/min). The equation developed using data from the development group (n = 52): required minute volume (mL/min) = 85 × body weight (kg) in male patients and 70 × body weight (kg) in female patients. In the validation group (n = 26), the mean bias of this simple equation was 224 mL/min (95% limits of agreement, -1, 264–1, 712 mL/min). Conclusion: The Radford nomogram overestimates MVnorm in modern, balanced anesthesia. The simple equation using gender and a multiple of body weight yields similar predictive performance to the Radford nomogram

Spatial variation of surface mass balance and seasonal variation of dust deposition at EGRIP, Greenland

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OM] Polar Meteorology and Glaciology, Wed. 4 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor) , National Institute of Polar Researc