Adsorption of Laminin on Hydroxyapatite and Alumina and the MC3T3-E1 Cell Response

Artificial hydroxyapatite (HAp) is osteoconductive, but the mechanism is still unclear. It is likely that some serum proteins are adsorbed onto HAp and influence its osteoconductivity. We investigated the adsorption behavior of laminin (LN), which was isolated from murine Engelbreth–Holm–Swarm sarcoma, onto HAp and compared it with nonosteoconductive alpha-type alumina (α-Al2O3). Cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation on native and LN-adsorbed discs of HAp or α-Al2O3 were examined using murine MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. A larger amount of LN adsorbed onto HAp than α-Al2O3 despite the electrostatic repulsion between LN and HAp, suggesting the specific adsorption of LN onto HAp. The LN adsorbed onto HAp remarkably enhanced initial attachment and spreading of MC3T3-E1 cells, but subsequent proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells was influenced by the type of material rather than LN adsorption. These fundamental findings imply that LN adsorbed on HAp could trigger osteoconductivity in vivo, aiding in the development of novel biomaterials that specifically adsorb LN and effectively enhance cell attachment and spreading

Are Two z~6 Quasars Gravitationally Lensed ?

Several high-z (z > 5.7) quasars have been found in the course of Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The presence of such very high-z quasars is expected to give constraints on early structure formation. On one hand, it is suggested that these most luminous objects at high redshift are biased toward the highly magnified objects by gravitational lensing. To clarify the effect of gravitational lensing on the high-z quasars, we began the imaging survey of intervening lensing galaxies. Indeed our previous optical image showed that SDSSp J104433.04+012502.2 at z=5.74 is gravitationally magnified by a factor 2. In this paper, we report our new optical imaging of other two high-z quasars, SDSSp J103027.10+052455.0 at z=6.28 and SDSSp J130608.26+035626.3 at z=5.99. Since we find neither intervening galaxy nor counter image with i^{\prime} < 25.4-25.8 around each quasar, we conclude that they are not strongly magnified regardless that a lens galaxy is dusty.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, Accepted for PAS

SDSSp J104433.04−-012502.2 at z=5.74z=5.74 is Gravitationally Magnified by an Intervening Galaxy

During the course of our optical deep survey program on L$\alpha$ emitters at $z \approx 5.7$ in the sky area surrounding the quasar SDSSp J104433.04$-$012502.2 at $z=5.74$, we found that a faint galaxy with $m_B$(AB) $\approx 25$ is located at \timeform{1".9} southwest of the quasar. Its broad-band color properties from $B$ to $z^\prime$ suggest that the galaxy is located at a redshift of $z \sim 1.5$ -- 2.5. This is consistent with no strong emission line in our optical spectroscopy. Since the counter image of the quasar cannot be seen in our deep optical images, the magnification factor seems not to be very high. Our modest estimate is that this quasar is gravitationally magnified by a factor of 2.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, PASJ, in pres

The Discovery of a Very Narrow-Line Star Forming Obat a Redshift of 5.66ject

We report on the discovery of a very narrow-line star forming object beyond redshift of 5. Using the prime-focus camera, Suprime-Cam, on the 8.2 m Subaru telescope together with a narrow-passband filter centered at $\lambda_{\rm c}$ = 8150 \AA with passband of $\Delta\lambda$ = 120 \AA, we have obtained a very deep image of the field surrounding the quasar SDSSp J104433.04$-$012502.2 at a redshift of 5.74. Comparing this image with optical broad-band images, we have found an object with a very strong emission line. Our follow-up optical spectroscopy has revealed that this source is at a redshift of $z=5.655\pm0.002$, forming stars at a rate $\sim 13 ~ h_{0.7}^{-2} ~ M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. Remarkably, the velocity dispersion of Ly$\alpha$-emitting gas is only 22 km s$^{-1}$. Since a blue half of the Ly$\alpha$ emission could be absorbed by neutral hydrogen gas, perhaps in the system, a modest estimate of the velocity dispersion may be $\gtrsim$ 44 km s$^{-1}$. Together with a linear size of 7.7 $h_{0.7}^{-1}$ kpc, we estimate a lower limit of the dynamical mass of this object to be $\sim 2 \times 10^9 M_\odot$. It is thus suggested that LAE J1044$-$0123 is a star-forming dwarf galaxy (i.e., a subgalactic object or a building block) beyond redshift 5 although we cannot exclude a possibility that most Ly$\alpha$ emission is absorbed by the red damping wing of neutral intergalactic matter.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. ApJ Letters, in pres

The Subaru Deep Field Project: Lymanα\alpha Emitters at Redshift of 6.6

We present new results of a deep optical imaging survey using a narrowband filter ($NB921$) centered at $\lambda =$ 9196 \AA ~ together with $B$, $V$, $R$, $i^\prime$, and $z^\prime$ broadband filters in the sky area of the Subaru Deep Field which has been promoted as one of legacy programs of the 8.2m Subaru Telescope. We obtained a photometric sample of 58 Ly$\alpha$ emitter candidates at $z \approx$ 6.5 -- 6.6 among $\sim 180$ strong $NB921$-excess ($z^\prime - NB921 > 1.0$) objects together with a color criterion of $i^\prime - z^\prime > 1.3$. We then obtained optical spectra of 20 objects in our $NB921$-excess sample and identified at least nine Ly$\alpha$ emitters at $z \sim 6.5$ -- 6.6 including the two emitters reported by Kodaira et al. (2003). Since our Ly$\alpha$ emitter candidates are free from strong amplification of gravitational lensing, we are able to discuss their observational properties from a statistical point of view. Based on these new results, we obtain a lower limit of the star formation rate density of $\rho_{\rm SFR} \simeq 5.5 \times 10^{-4}$ $h_{0.7}$ $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-3}$ at $z \approx 6.6$, being consistent with our previous estimate. We discuss the nature of star-formation activity in galaxies beyond $z=6$.Comment: 49 pages, 16 figures, PASJ, Vol. 57, No. 1, in pres

A Study on Project-Based Learning from the Viewpoint of Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory

アクティブラーニングの1 つとしてPBL（problem/project-based learning）がある。PBL には問題解決学習（problem based learning）とプロジェクト学習（project based learning）の2 つがある。これまでPBL を対象とする研究は着実に蓄積されてきたが，PBL の理論的枠組みは未だ脆弱であることが指摘されている。そこで，本研究ではこの問題を克服するために，大学教育でのプロジェクト学習について，組織的知識創造理論から考察する。本研究の第1 の目的は，組織的知識創造理論がプロジェクト学習においても適用できることを確認することである。第2 の目的は，プロジェクト学習における教員の役割について，組織的知識創造理論から示唆を得ることである。本研究では，以下の3 ステップを踏む。まず，本研究の鍵概念である組織的知識創造理論を紹介する。次に，3 つのプロジェクト学習の事例を紹介し，組織的知識創造理論から分析する。最後に，組織的知識創造理論がプロジェクト学習においても適用できることについて，また，示唆されたプロジェクト学習における教員の役割について議論する。One form of active learning is PBL. There are two types of PBL: “problem-based learning” and “project-based learning.” Although a large number of studies have been on PBL, few studies have been conducted using surveys based on academic theories. Therefore, this paper discusses “project-based learning” from the viewpoint of organizational knowledge creation theory. The primary objective of this study is to apply organizational knowledge creation theory in the field of “project-based learning.” The secondary objective is to recommend teachers’ roles in “project-based learning” from the standpoint of organizational knowledge creation theory. The analysis includes three steps: first, a review of organizational knowledge creation theory; second, an examination of three case studies; and finally, a discussion on applying the theory to “project-based learning”, and suggesting teachers’ roles from this viewpoint

FPGA and ASIC Implementations of the ηT\eta_T Pairing in Characteristic Three

Since their introduction in constructive cryptographic applications, pairings over (hyper)elliptic curves are at the heart of an ever increasing number of protocols. As they rely critically on efficient algorithms and implementations of pairing primitives, the study of hardware accelerators became an active research area. In this paper, we propose two coprocessors for the reduced $\eta_T$ pairing introduced by Barreto {\it et al.} as an alternative means of computing the Tate pairing on supersingular elliptic curves. We prototyped our architectures on FPGAs. According to our place-and-route results, our coprocessors compare favorably with other solutions described in the open literature. We also present the first ASIC implementation of the reduced $\eta_T$ pairing

Tuberculosis infection among homeless persons and caregivers in a high-tuberculosis-prevalence area in Japan: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem. The Airin district of Osaka City has a large population of homeless persons and caregivers and is estimated to be the largest TB-endemic area in the intermediate-prevalence country, Japan. However, there have been few studies of homeless persons and caregivers. The objective of this study is to detect active TB and to assess the prevalence and risk factors for latent TB infection among homeless persons and caregivers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a cross-sectional study for screening TB infection (active and latent TB infections) using questionnaire, chest X-ray (CXR), newly available assay for latent TB infection (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube; QFT) and clinical evaluation by physicians at the Osaka Socio-Medical Center Hospital between July 2007 and March 2008. Homeless persons and caregivers, aged 30-74 years old, who had not received CXR examination within one year, were recruited. As for risk factors of latent TB infection, the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for QFT-positivity were calculated using logistic regression model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Complete responses were available from 436 individuals (263 homeless persons and 173 caregivers). Four active TB cases (1.5%) among homeless persons were found, while there were no cases among caregivers. Out of these four, three had positive QFT results. One hundred and thirty-three (50.6%) homeless persons and 42 (24.3%) caregivers had positive QFT results. In multivariate analysis, QFT-positivity was independently associated with a long time spent in the Airin district: ≥10 years versus <10 years for homeless (OR = 2.53; 95% CI, 1.39-4.61) and for caregivers (OR = 2.32; 95% CI, 1.05-5.13), and the past exposure to TB patients for caregivers (OR = 3.21; 95% CI, 1.30-7.91) but not for homeless persons (OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 0.71-3.21).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although no active TB was found for caregivers, one-quarter of them had latent TB infection. In addition to homeless persons, caregivers need examinations for latent TB infection as well as active TB and careful follow-up, especially when they have spent a long time in a TB-endemic area and/or have been exposed to TB patients.</p