Four Wave Mixing Spectroscopy at the Interface Between the Time and Frequency Domains

Combined spectrally and time resolved measurements provide information not otherwise available if performed in either domain alone. We demonstrate a new approach to Four Wave Mixing spectroscopy, where spectral selectivity is achieved by phase matching filtering without a spectrometer, and the time resolved signal is obtained within a single pulse and without mechanically scanning any delays. We analyze the Degenerate Four Wave Mixing signal, and show that a counter-rotating Feynman diagram not previously considered is necessary in order to understand the measured frequency and time resolved spectrograms.Comment: 24 page article with 4 figure

Burnout among kindergarten teachers and associated factors

Burnout among kindergarten teachers is a subject of great concern. Although burnout is reported to be significantly associated with turnover intention and work engagement, few studies have examined factors associated with burnout among these teachers. Therefore, in the present study, we performed a cross-sectional survey of burnout and associated factors among kindergarten teachers. We distributed 3363 questionnaires to all 205 authorized kindergartens and childcare institutions in Nagasaki Prefecture and received 1086 responses (response rate: 32.3%). The participants were limited to full-time female class teachers. After excluding survey forms with incomplete content, we ultimately examined valid responses from 442 participants. The survey examined burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory, MBI), teacher stress (Nursery Teacher’s Stress Scale, NTSS), coping behaviors (Brief Scales for Coping Profile, BSCP), and social support (Social Support Scale, SSS). A multiple regression analysis revealed that all 3 MBI subscales were positively associated with “understanding of how to handle children” on the NTSS and negatively associated with “superiors” on the SSS. “Emotional exhaustion” was significantly associated with “interpersonal relations at work” and “lack of time” on the NTSS, and “avoidance and suppression” on the BSCP. “Depersonalization” was significantly associated with age, “disconnect in working conditions” on the NTSS, and “proactive problem solving” and “venting emotions to others” on the BSCP. “Diminished professional accomplishment” was significantly associated with age, “lack of time” on the NTSS, and “proactive problem solving” and “change in perspective” on the BSCP. These results suggest that support from superiors that enables teachers to better understand children and handle them appropriately is necessary to prevent burnout

Saizu: A Very Big Loanword in Japanese

The tradition of student-centered active learning for development of critical thinking at Miyazaki International College provides valuable opportunities for discovery in the classroom. This brief paper outlines the results of one such student project in LL3141, Topics in Linguistics, taught by Debra J Occhi in fall semester of 2013. Students were inspired to undertake this research while reading and discussing Language Contact Meets Cognitive Linguistics: A Case of Getto-suru in Japanese (Horie & Occhi 2001). This paper reviews those findings, presents issues students found especially relevant about loanword behavior discussed in Olah (2007) and about English made in Japan (wasei eigo, discussed in Miller 1997), lists noun loanwords found in Japanese-English dictionaries, presents and analyzes instances of use of the loanword saizu (from English “size”)

Effect of extracted garlic powder ingestion for two months on exercise-induced immunological responses

Introduction. Exhaustive exercise is associated with an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infection. Previously, allicin supplementation has been reported to reduce the incidence of common cold symptoms and production of exercise-induced interleukin (IL)-6. However, it is not clear if daily ingestion of the edible portion of whole garlic (Allium sativum) alters the exercise-induced immunological response. The present study investigated the effects of extracted garlic powder ingestion for 2 months on immune cell counts, natural killer cell activity (NKCA), as well as changes in cytokines, cortisol, and lactic acid in response to high-intensity cycling exercise. Methods. The present study employed a before-after study design. Six sedentary male participants (age, 22.0±0.3 years) consumed extracted garlic powder for 2 months, and underwent 45 minutes of cycling exercise at 80% of the heart rate reserve once before and once after the supplementation period. A thousand milligrams of extracted garlic powder, comparable to 6 g (1 clove) of raw garlic, was ingested every day. Blood samples were obtained at the following five time points: before exercise, 0 min, 30 min, 60 min, and 120 min after exercise. We measured NKCA, leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, lymphocyte counts, as well as levels of serum IL-6, IL-10, cortisol, and lactic acid. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for statistical analyses. When interaction effects were significant, measurement values at the various time points were compared between pre- and post-supplementation period using the paired t-test. Changes were deemed statistically significant when p\u3c0.05. Results. We observed no significant difference in pre-exercise measurements between pre- and post-supplementation periods. In addition, we found no significant interaction effect for leukocytes, neutrophils, NKCA, IL-10, and cortisol. However, we did identify a significant interaction effect for lymphocytes, IL-6, and lactic acid (p=0.033, p=0.030, and p\u3c0.001, respectively). Lymphocyte counts were significantly lower post-supplementation relative to pre-supplementation immediately after exercise (p=0.014). In addition, IL-6 was significantly lower post-supplementation relative to pre-supplementation immediately and 30 minutes after exercise (p=0.015 and p=0.018, respectively). Lactic acid levels were significantly lower post-supplementation relative to pre-supplementation immediately after exercise (p=0.018). Conclusions. The extracted garlic powder did not significantly influence exercise-induced responses by leukocytes, neutrophils, NKCA, IL-10, or cortisol. However, exercise-induced responses by lymphocytes, IL-6, and lactic acid were suppressed after ingestion of extracted garlic powder. Thus, daily ingestion of the edible portion of whole garlic may suppress exercise-induced immunological responses and lactic acid levels

ジョシ シンタイソウ センシュ ニ オケル チュウショク ノ エネルギーリョウ ガ エネルギー セッシュリョウ ヤ タイシボウリツ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ

本研究は減量期の女子新体操選手に対する5週間の昼食提供が1日の総エネルギー摂取量や体重,体脂肪率に及ぼす影響を検討することを目的とした。対象者は16名(年齢19.5±1.0歳)であり,昼食のエネルギー量は561±74kcal,たんぱく質量は29.2±4.3gであった。身体特性は昼食提供前(提供前)と昼食提供後(提供後)の計2回,栄養素等摂取量は提供前と昼食提供中(提供中)を調べた。統計解析は対応のあるt-検定,Wilcoxonの符号付き順位和検定,McNemar検定,Pearsonの積率相関係数,Spearmanの順位相関係数を用いた。昼食を提供した結果,総エネルギー摂取量,食事別エネルギー摂取量および総エネルギー消費量には提供前と提供中で有意な違いがみられず,昼食エネルギー摂取割合は提供前(23.3±10.4%)に比べて提供中(36.5±15.3%)が有意に増加した(p=0.005)。提供前と提供後で除脂肪体重には有意差がみられなかったものの,体重(48.4±3.2kgから47.6±3.2kg, p=0.001)および体脂肪率(13.4±2.0%から12.3±1.6%,p=0.008)は有意に低下した。しかし,体脂肪率の変化量は食事別エネルギー摂取割合の変化量との間に有意な関連がみられなかった。以上より,昼食提供は1日のエネルギー摂取量,食事別エネルギー摂取量に影響を与えず,昼食エネルギー摂取割合を増加させ,体脂肪率を減少させることが示された。体脂肪率と各因子間には有意な関連がみられなかったが,昼食を摂ることは減量期の選手にとって重要である可能性が示唆された。The present study aimed to examine the effect of lunch on total energy intake, body weight, and body fat percentage during weight reduction periods. Sixteen female rhythmic gymnasts (mean age, 19.5±1.0 years) participated in this study. School lunch was provided (561±74kcal, 29.2±4.3g protein) for five weeks. Physical characteristics were assessed twice, before (Before) and after (After) the lunch-providing period. Dietary intake was assessed twice, Before and during the lunch-providing period. The paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, McNemar test, Pearson\u27s product moment correlation coefficient, and Spearman\u27s rank correlation coefficient were used for the statistical analyses. After the lunch-providing period, no significant differences were found in total energy intake, each meal energy intake, and total energy expenditure relative to Before and during the lunch providing-period, but a significant increase was found in the ratio of lunch to total energy intake (23.3±10.4% to 36.5±15.3%, p=0.005). Moreover, significant decreases in body weight (48.4±3.2kg to 47.6±3.2kg, p=0.001) and body fat percentage (13.4±2.0% to 12.3±1.6%, p=0.008), but not lean body mass, were observed relative to Before. However, changes in body fat percentage were not correlated with changes in the ratio of each meal energy intake. From these results, providing lunch does not affect total energy intake or each meal energy intake, but increases the ratio of lunch to total energy intake and decreases body fat percentage. The body fat percentage was not correlated with each factor. Our findings suggest the importance of providing lunch to female rhythmic gymnasts during weight reduction periods

Protein Interactions and Misfolding Analyzed by AFM Force Spectroscopy

Protein misfolding is conformational transition dramatically facilitating the assembly of protein molecules into aggregates of various morphologies. Spontaneous formation of specific aggregates, mostly amyloid fibrils, was initially believed to be limited to proteins involved in the development of amyloidoses. However, recent studies show that, depending on conditions, the majority of proteins undergo structural transitions leading to the appearance of amyloidogenic intermediates followed by aggregate formation. Various techniques have been used to characterize the protein misfolding facilitating the aggregation process, but no direct evidence as to how such a conformational transition increases the intermolecular interactions has been obtained as of yet. We have applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) to follow the interaction between protein molecules as a function of pH. These studies were performed for three unrelated and structurally distinctive proteins, α-synuclein, amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and lysozyme. It was shown that the attractive force between homologous protein molecules is minimal at physiological pH and increases dramatically at acidic pH. Moreover, the dependence of the pulling forces is sharp, suggesting a pH-dependent conformational transition within the protein. Parallel circular dichroism (CD) measurements performed for α-synuclein and Aβ revealed that the decrease in pH is accompanied by a sharp conformational transition from a random coil at neutral pH to the more ordered, predominantly β-sheet, structure at low pH. Importantly, the pH ranges for these conformational transitions coincide with those of pulling forces changes detected by AFM. In addition, protein self-assembly into filamentous aggregates studied by AFM imaging was shown to be facilitated at pH values corresponding to the maximum of pulling forces. Overall, these results indicate that proteins at acidic pH undergo structural transition into conformations responsible for the dramatic increase in interprotein interaction and promoting the formation of protein aggregates