Study of glycosylation of prostate-specific antigen secreted by cancer tissue-originated spheroids reveals new candidates for prostate cancer detection

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the most frequently used biomarker for the screening of prostate cancer. Understanding the structure of cancer-specific glycans can help us improve PSA assay. In the present study, we analysed the glycans of PSA obtained from culture medium containing cancer tissue-originated spheroids (CTOS) which have similar characteristics as that of the parent tumour to explore the new candidates for cancer-related glycoforms of PSA. The glycan profile of PSA from CTOS was determined by comparing with PSA from normal seminal plasma and cancer cell lines (LNCaP and 22Rv1) using lectin chromatography and mass spectrometry. PSA from CTOS was mostly sialylated and the content of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin reactive glycan (LacdiNAc) was similar to that of PSA derived from seminal plasma and 22Rv1. Conversely, concanavalin A (Con A)-unbound PSA was definitely detected from the three cancer origins but was almost negligible in seminal PSA. Two novel types of PSA were elucidated in the Con A-unbound fraction: one is a high molecular weight PSA with highly branched N-glycans, and the other is a low molecular weight PSA without N-glycans. Furthermore, the existence of Lewis X antigen group on PSA was indicated. These PSAs will be candidates for new cancer-related markers

世田谷区船橋地域「子どもぶんか村」の活動を通してみる世代間交流 : 子どもの側からみる大人との交流

Children lack sufficient life experience to socialize fruitfully with older people. Although fostering social interaction between generations is not a primary goal of the "Kodomo-Bunkamura" in Funabashi, Setagaya Ward, the event has a positive effect on socializing between the different generations involved. Recognition of this fact motivates our research. Survey Method: By observing the activities from 2005 to 2007 and conducting and analyzing a questionnaire survey, we discovered the following points. 1. Diverse social interactions between people of different generations and of different social status were initiated and promoted through ongoing activities at the "Kodomo-Bunkamura." 2. Throughout the activities, children experienced 17 different sessions of social interaction. Activities such as "Experiencing the Same Activity," "Children and Adults Standing Face to Face," "Working toward the Same Objective and Achieving it," "Skinship," and "Cooperating" provide the sort of social interaction that motivates children to remain involved in the activities. 3. Children have a positive impression of the social interaction between the different generations that is experienced through the activities

A Examination about Course-specific Ability on the Subjects in the Course of Arts and Crafts and Arts.: Through the Visualization of Idea Processes.

図画工作科・美術科固有の能力を形成する「発想」がどのようにして生まれ，促され，構想へと高まっていくのか，実際の授業場面でそのプロセスを可視化することは容易ではない。そしてこれが，美術教育に関する専門性や経験の十分でない多くの指導者にとって，この教科の指導を困難なものとする一因にもなっている。そこで，小・中学校の様々な発達段階の児童・生徒を対象とする具体的な授業実践を通して，絵画及び立体表現における発想プロセスの可視化を図るとともに，これを手がかりに「発想や構想の能力」を高める上で効果的な授業構想や手立ての在り方について探ることを目的に本研究に取り組んだ。学習過程を横軸，発想喚起要素（題材の特性にかかわる要素と技能的要素）を縦軸としたマトリクス表に基づく題材分析，発想を促すことに焦点化した手立ての吟味，ポートフォリオを活用した経過観察，そして個別に実施した自己評価アンケートの分析を通して，発達段階による発想の広がり方の違いや，発想に影響を与える様々な要素（鑑賞，材料，用具，協働的な学び等）についてある程度の知見を得ることができた。We practiced lessons on elementary school children and junior high school students, and tried this visualization of ideas process on painting and stereoscopic expression. We did this research so that we could explore effective lesson plans and methods to raise "ability to create ideas and concepts." We got some findings about the differences in how the ideas spread in the developmental stage and various factors that influence ideas (appreciation, materials, tools, collaborative learning etc.). This analysis based on the matrix table with the horizontal axis of the learning process and the vertical axis of the elements that inspire ideas (elements related to the characteristics of the material and skill elements), and the examination of the methods focused on encouraging the ideas, and the follow-up observation using portfolios, and the analysis of self-evaluation questionnaires conducted individually

女性農業者の地位向上支援の現状と課題 : 全国生活研究グループ連絡協議会のケース分析を中心に

After the 4th World Conference on Women in 1995 and The Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society in 1999, several measures have been carried out in the rural area for the formation of a gender-equal society. A framework for promoting gender equality has been steadily established over the past few years, and each prefecture is currently making a concerted effort to promote policies towards the formation of a gender-equal society. On the other hand, the reforms of the administrative structure in prefectures sometimes affect groups of women farmers. The economical support and guidance provided by local administrations until these reforms stopped in some cases. In these cases, these women\u27s activities have continued to face difficulties. This thesis describes and analyzes the present situation for the support to improve the status of women farmers and discusses one of groups, the Zenkoku-Seikatsu-Kenkyu-Group Renraku-Kyougikai, that is engaged in the support to empower rural women in society

事例分析に見る妊・産婦の育児不安と育児支援についての考察 : 産後1年までの母親のインタビュー調査と生活時間調査の事例分析から

Since 1994, a lot of childcare support projects have been developed. However, the support to prevent parenting worries and stress is still very little and more is needed. The purpose of this study is to formulate a solution for the parenting worries and stress of nursing mothers within a year after childbirth by clarifying the problems from the analysis of three cases with interviewing and time-use survey. The first case was regarding a mother who was often panicked by extreme worries about her child. The second case was about a mother who had been stressed by her partner\u27s incomprehension and non-cooperation. Lastly, the third case was about the problem of the partner\u27s working conditions. The results for all three cases of the time-use survey revealed their life conditions in which they spent most of their daily time with their children and their exposure to the outside world was reduced drastically

Sound to Language: Different Cortical Processing for First and Second Languages in Elementary School Children as Revealed by a Large-Scale Study Using fNIRS

A large-scale study of 484 elementary school children (6–10 years) performing word repetition tasks in their native language (L1-Japanese) and a second language (L2-English) was conducted using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Three factors presumably associated with cortical activation, language (L1/L2), word frequency (high/low), and hemisphere (left/right), were investigated. L1 words elicited significantly greater brain activation than L2 words, regardless of semantic knowledge, particularly in the superior/middle temporal and inferior parietal regions (angular/supramarginal gyri). The greater L1-elicited activation in these regions suggests that they are phonological loci, reflecting processes tuned to the phonology of the native language, while phonologically unfamiliar L2 words were processed like nonword auditory stimuli. The activation was bilateral in the auditory and superior/middle temporal regions. Hemispheric asymmetry was observed in the inferior frontal region (right dominant), and in the inferior parietal region with interactions: low-frequency words elicited more right-hemispheric activation (particularly in the supramarginal gyrus), while high-frequency words elicited more left-hemispheric activation (particularly in the angular gyrus). The present results reveal the strong involvement of a bilateral language network in children’s brains depending more on right-hemispheric processing while acquiring unfamiliar/low-frequency words. A right-to-left shift in laterality should occur in the inferior parietal region, as lexical knowledge increases irrespective of language