c-RET Molecule in Malignant Melanoma from Oncogenic RET-Carrying Transgenic Mice and Human Cell Lines

Malignant melanoma is one of the most aggressive cancers and its incidence worldwide has been increasing at a greater rate than that of any other cancer. We previously reported that constitutively activated RFP-RET-carrying transgenic mice (RET-mice) spontaneously develop malignant melanoma. In this study, we showed that expression levels of intrinsic c-Ret, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (Gdnf) and Gdnf receptor alpha 1 (Gfra1) transcripts in malignant melanomas from RET-transgenic mice were significantly upregulated compared with those in benign melanocytic tumors. These results suggest that not only introduced oncogenic RET but also intrinsic c-Ret/Gdnf are involved in murine melanomagenesis in RET-mice. We then showed that c-RET and GDNF transcript expression levels in human malignant melanoma cell lines (HM3KO and MNT-1) were higher than those in primary cultured normal human epithelial melanocytes (NHEM), while GFRa1 transcript expression levels were comparable among NHEM, HM3KO and MNT-1. We next showed c-RET and GFRa1 protein expression in HM3KO cells and GDNF-mediated increased levels of their phosphorylated c-RET tyrosine kinase and signal transduction molecules (ERK and AKT) sited potentially downstream of c-RET. Taken together with the finding of augmented proliferation of HM3KO cells after GDNF stimulation, our results suggest that GDNF-mediated c-RET kinase activation is associated with the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma

Проектування високонапірного робочого колеса багатоступінчатих насосів для об’єктів нафтовидобутку

В статті запропоновано іноваційний метод підвищення напірності ступеня багатоступінчатого насоса до 20% з використанням методу чисельного дослідження.В статье предложен инновационный метод повышения напирности степени многоступенчатого насоса до 20% с использованием метода численного исследования.The paper proposed an innovative method of increasing of the multistage pump head to 20% using the method of numerical investigation

Factors Predicting Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Changes in Young Women over A One-year Study:Changes in Body Weight and Bone Metabolic Markers during the Menstrual Cycle and Their Effects on BMD

Currently, 26% of Japanese women in their twenties are under weight, and therefore at risk of developing various metabolic abnormalities due to an inadequate nutrient intake, which in turn affects the acquisition of a peak bone mineral density (BMD). In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of menstrual cycle-related changes in body weight and bone metabolic marker levels on the BMD changes. The subjects were 42 women (19.6±0.8 years). The levels of osteocalcin (OC), BAP, s-NTx, u-DPD, and E2 in the menstrual and ovulatory phases were measured. The associations between dependent variables (BMD changes/year in the lumbar spine, femur, femoral neck) and explanatory variables (body weight changes/year, the levels of OC, BAP, s-NTx, u-DPD) were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. Analysis of the correlations between the changes in bone metabolic markers and changes in BMD showed a correlation between the OC level in the menstrual phase and changes in the BMD of the entire femur, suggesting that a high OC level protects against BMD reduction, probably by promoting osteoblast activity, and that bone formation activity suppresses the decrease in BMD. These results suggest that, to predict BMD changes from bone metabolic markers in young women, it is necessary to measure OC levels in the menstrual phase

高校生の国際研修旅行経験による国際的資質の向上

本研究の目的は， 日本の高校生を対象に，国際研修旅行の経験が異文化理解やコミュニケーション能力などを含む国際的資質を高めるかどうか検討することであった。シンガポールでの3泊5日の研修旅行を経験した高校生246人に対し，国際的脊質を測定する質問紙調査を実施した。その結果，自国に対する理解や外国人に対する親和性，国際交流への積極性などの国際的資質において，旅行前の得点よりも旅行後の得点が高かった。これら結果に関する教育への応用や今後の課題について考察された。The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of oversea school trip on students\u27 international disposition such as cross-cultural understanding and communication competence among Japanese high school students. 246 high school students who participated in five day trip to Singapore answered the questionnaire regarding international disposition. The results showed that some of the scores of international disposition such as the deeper understanding of their own country, the closeness toward foreigners, and the positive attitude toward global communication increased in the post test. Implication and future research direction for the global education are briefly discussed

福島県の女子高校生を対象としたキャリアメンタリングプログラムの実践 : 『ヤングアメリカンズワークショップ』を用いて

本研究の目的は，福島県の女子高校生を対象としたキャリアメンタリングプログラムの効果を検討することであった。プログラムは，ステップ1「ヤングアメリカンズ」，ステップ2「外国人留学生とのセッション」，ステップ3「社会人女性とのセッション」，ステップ4「キャリアプログラムの企画・実施」という4つのステップから構成されていた。4段階で実施したアンケートの得点を用いて， 一元配置分散分析を実施したところ， 「自信」「自己表現」「チームワーク」で有意差がみられ，いずれも得点が上昇していることが示された。また，各ステップ終了後の自由記述の回答のまとめから，各ステップの肯定的な効果及び各ステップのキャリアメンタリングの効果の違いについて示唆が得られた。現場への提言が述べられている。The purpose of the present study was to conduct a career mentoring program to high school student girls in Fukushima and explore the effect of its program. The program was consisted of 4 steps: (l) The Young Americans Workshop. (2) Session with students from abroad. (3) Session with working women, (4) Planning and conducting career program for their juniors. Using the date conducted at the end of each session. we conducted one-way ANOVA and found out that the scores of "confidence", "expression". "teamwork" significantly increased. Written feedback of the participants revealed the positive effects of each session and the difference effect of each session. The implication of this result was briefly discussed

DNA Microarray Analysis of Whole Blood Cells and Insulin-Sensitive Tissues Reveals the Usefulness of Blood RNA Profiling as a Source of Markers for Predicting Type 2 Diabetes

To determine if gene expression profiling of whole blood cells is a useful source of markers for the early diagnosis of the onset of type 2 diabetes, we examined gene expression profiling of whole blood cells and type 2 diabetes-related organs, such as liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle, of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. At the age of 6 weeks, RNA was isolated from tissues of fasted OLETF and control Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. Gene expression was analyzed using the Agilent rat oligo microarray. Gene ontology analysis showed that gene expression of biologically meaningful groups of genes in liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle, which are involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, differed between OLETF and LETO rats. Three hundred genes of whole blood cells were differentially expressed. Four out of these 300 genes were related to the insulin-signaling pathway and 57 out of 300 genes were up- or down-regulated in at least one tissues in OLETF rats. These results support our hypothesis that gene expression profiling of whole blood cells might be a useful source of markers to predict the onset of type 2 diabetes