Study of Personality and Behavior in Japanese Society and Culture

Paper by Hiroshi Wagatsum

Development of a Biblical Paradigm for Ministry to Unbaptized Seventh-day Adventist Children

Problem. Traditionally, Seventh-day Adventists have believed that children of Adventist parents are the younger members of God\u27s family. However, while the term church is often used synonymously with the term God\u27s family, children, who, on one hand, are recognized as part of God\u27s family, are, on the other hand, officially excluded from church membership. Their names are not listed on the church membership records— though they are recognized as members of the Sabbath School of the church. Because of this ambiguity, I believe the Seventh-day Adventist Church needs to clarify the status of children biblically and theologically in terms of their membership in the church and in God\u27s family, defining what church membership really is. Method. In Part 1, the biblical and theological bases for the status of children in the church are investigated through an exegesis of key Scriptural passages in light of recent scholarly research and discussion focusing particularly upon the issues of children\u27s membership. Results. Both in the OT and NT the status of the believer\u27s children is clearly that they are incorporated into God\u27s family. They are the children of God by birth through faith-relation with their guardians. To establish this status of children, Part 2 recommends that at the official child dedication service the names of the children be recorded in the church books as younger members of the church. (The service is based on the dedication of Jesus and the enrollment of His name in the Temple.) Though they are little, children may be Christians in accordance with their years. They would have to be baptized of their own will later on becoming mature Christians. The child-blessing service may be used for any children who are brought to Jesus. Participation in the church ordinances of footwashing and the Lord\u27s Supper would help unbaptized child to understand more fully the mystery of God and so guide them toward Christ. Conclusion. The names of church members\u27 children should be recorded in the church record as younger members through the rite of child-dedication

Role of Vitamin D in Myogenesis

The secosteroid, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)2D3] plays a crucial role in regulating bone formation, remodeling and repair. Beyond its well-established role in skeletogenesis, gene-targeting studies support a physiological role for 1α,25(OH)2D3 in muscle development. There is evidence for expression of vitamin D receptor/vitamin D synthesizing enzyme/transport protein, local production of 1α,25(OH)2D3 and uptake of 25(OH)D3, implying the existence of vitamin D-endocrine system in myogenic cells. Recently, much interest has been devoted to the effects of 1α,25(OH)2D3 on myogenesis. Simply stated, 1α,25(OH)2D3 has potent antiproliferative activity on myoblasts and inhibits myoblast differentiation. Intriguingly, recent studies suggest that 1α,25(OH)2D3 may stimulate protein synthesis in myotubes and have a role in self-renewal of muscle stem cells. 1α,25(OH)2D3 regulates myogenesis probably through its genomic or nongenomic actions. Understanding how vitamin D signaling contributes to muscle homeostasis may provide a valuable insight into an effective intervention strategy for muscle disorders. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about a possible role of vitamin D in myogenesis

Democratization of the Family Relation in Japan

After the war, that part of the Japanese Civil Code which relates to family relationships, i.e., Book IV, Relatives, and Book V, Succession, underwent a thorough-going amendment, the chief objective of which was to democratize the legal relations among Japanese family members. As the main features of this amendment of the Japanese Civil Code have been explained in detail by Mr. Kurt Steiner in Postwar Changes in the Japanese Civil Code in the August issue of this Review, it appears advisable for the present writer to lay stress on the following two points: (1) public opinion on the amendment of the Civil Code, and (2) whether the amendment is actually changing the family life of the Japanese

Rotavirus infections and climate variability in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a time-series analysis.

Attempts to explain the clear seasonality of rotavirus infections have been made by relating disease incidence to climate factors; however, few studies have disentangled the effects of weather from other factors that might cause seasonality. We investigated the relationships between hospital visits for rotavirus diarrhoea and temperature, humidity and river level, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, using time-series analysis adjusting for other confounding seasonal factors. There was strong evidence for an increase in rotavirus diarrhoea at high temperatures, by 40.2% for each 1 degrees C increase above a threshold (29 degrees C). Relative humidity had a linear inverse relationship with the number of cases of rotavirus diarrhoea. River level, above a threshold (4.8 m), was associated with an increase in cases of rotavirus diarrhoea, by 5.5% per 10-cm river-level rise. Our findings provide evidence that factors associated with high temperature, low humidity and high river-level increase the incidence of rotavirus diarrhoea in Dhaka

Arakawa Ward: Urban Growth and Modernization

Paper by Hiroshi Wagatsuma and George A. DeVo

Molecular Mechanisms for Age-Associated Mitochondrial Deficiency in Skeletal Muscle

The abundance, morphology, and functional properties of mitochondria decay in skeletal muscle during the process of ageing. Although the precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated, these mechanisms include decreased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) repair and mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitochondria possess their own protection system to repair mtDNA damage, which leads to defects of mtDNA-encoded gene expression and respiratory chain complex enzymes. However, mtDNA mutations have shown to be accumulated with age in skeletal muscle. When damaged mitochondria are eliminated by autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis plays an important role in sustaining energy production and physiological homeostasis. The capacity for mitochondrial biogenesis has shown to decrease with age in skeletal muscle, contributing to progressive mitochondrial deficiency. Understanding how these endogenous systems adapt to altered physiological conditions during the process of ageing will provide a valuable insight into the underlying mechanisms that regulate cellular homeostasis. Here we will summarize the current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms responsible for age-associated mitochondrial deficiency in skeletal muscle. In particular, recent findings on the role of mtDNA repair and mitochondrial biogenesis in maintaining mitochondrial functionality in aged skeletal muscle will be highlighted

Differential Growth Response of Soybean, Tomato and Barley Cultivars to High-aluminum, Low-phosphorus and Low-pH medium

【要約】オオムギ15品種,ダイズ12品種,トマト19品種を完全,低pH,低リン,低リン・低pH,高Alの5処理区で水耕栽培し,各培地における生育の品種間比較を行なった.その際,低リン・低pHおよび高Al処理培地の濾液のリン濃度はオオムギでは0.2,ダイズおよびトマトでは0.5ppmPに維持した.得られた結果は以下のとおりである.1.いずれの作物も,高Al培地でリン以外の各要素の全品種平均値は低リン・低pH培地よりも概して低くかったが,リン含有率にはほとんど差は認められなかった.2.各種耐性と要素組成との関係は作物毎に異っていた.それゆえ両者の関係は各作物種に特異的であるといえる.3 高Al培地における生育低下の原因はオオムギではAl過剰害,ダイズ根ではAl過剰と低リン・低pH害の両方,処理10日以降のトマトでは低リン・低pH害であった.4.最終的に,オオムギ,ダイズ,トマト供試全品種の低pH,低リン・低pHおよび高Al培地に対する耐性順位が決定された