Technology development and political and economic power: evolution of global inequality

Abstract Global inequality, in combination with various global problems, has been one of the most pressing concerns of today's world. There are numerous models that explain the development of technology, political and economic power concentration, and resulting social inequality within a single society or region. The models that apply global and long-run perspectives having world-systems as a unit of analysis, however, are rare. This study conducts simulation modeling to examine the formation of hierarchies among polities through the expansion of political economic networks and concentration of power having evolving technologies. Two types of technology-subsistence technologies and technologies of power-have evolved for successful economic and political interactions as well as dominations among polities, resulting in the formation of global hierarchy. The dynamics are modeled and simulated by numerically solving partial differential equations and integro-differential equations that describe polity interactions through trade and warfare networks and selection of advantageous technologies. The validity of the model is examined using city population and state/empire size data since 2000BCE to the present. Models with such a broader perspective allow explanation of the fundamental relationship between technological development

Short-term intake of a Japanese-style healthy lunch menu contributes to prevention and/or improvement in metabolic syndrome among middle-aged men: a non-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is now widely appreciated as a cluster of metabolic abnormalities such as visceral obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. To date, incidence of metabolic syndrome is continuously increasing worldwide. In addition, low vegetable consumption has recently become a serious issue in Japan. Furthermore, Japan is facing a shortfall in places offering food that can help prevent metabolic syndrome in the first place. Our study is designed to influence these developments. We conducted a non-randomized controlled trial by offering a Japanese-style healthy lunch menu to middle-aged men in a workplace cafeteria. This menu was designed to prevent and reduce metabolic syndrome. METHODS: This intervention study took the form of a non-randomized controlled trial. Participants chose the control or intervention group. The control group consumed their habitual lunches without restriction and only nutrient contents were assessed. The intervention group received a Japanese-style healthy lunch at a workplace cafeteria for 3 months. The participants worked in offices at a city hall and mostly had low levels of physical activity. Data of 35 males (control group: 7 males, intervention group: 28 males, mean age: 47.2 ± 7.9 years) were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: We obtained an effective outcome by demonstrating that ongoing intake of a Japanese-style healthy lunch decreased blood pressure and serum lipids and increased plasma ghrelin levels. The results grew more pronounced as intake of Japanese-style healthy lunches increased in frequency. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents new empirical data as a result of an original intervention program undertaken in Japan. A Japanese-style healthy lunch menu containing many vegetables consumed can help prevent and/or improve metabolic syndrome

Diffractive multifocal intraocular lens interferes with intraoperative view

We report an unusual finding during vitreous surgery in an eye implanted with a diffractive multifocal intraocular lens (IOL). A 70-year-old woman reported gradual visual deterioration to 20/40 in the left eye two and a half years after uneventful cataract surgery with implantation of a diffractive multifocal IOL. Funduscopic examination showed an epiretinal membrane (ERM) in the left eye. Increased macular traction was believed to cause the visual deterioration. Vitreous surgery with removal of the ERM was performed and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) was injected intravitreally to visualize the residual vitreous cortex. Although the ERM was peeled successfully, the ability to focus on the vitreoretinal interface through the IOL required great effort with decreased contrast sensitivity and ghost images of the intravitreal TA crystals. The vision improved to 20/25 4 months postoperatively. Macular surgery can be performed in an eye with a diffractive multifocal IOL; however, decreased contrast sensitivity and ghost images may interfere with the intraoperative view through the diffractive IOL in complicated cases

Network for Supporting Education of Foreign Children During Covid-19: Language Assessments as a Tool for Promoting Community Integration

The rising number of foreign residents in Japan has caused the number of children with foreign backgrounds in Japanese schools to increase. The present Japanese education system does not adequately support children whose mother language is not Japanese, and their educational problems have turned into social issues. We have conducted an action research project in collaboration with several schools and one university to determine how to develop a support system through online media that would soften the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that language assessment is the key to driving the project and sharing the results of the assessment analysis with all project participants works effectively to promote collaboration between schools, families, and the university

Procedures for Detection of Resistant Weeds Using 14C- Herbicide Absorption, Translocation, and Metabolism

Herbicide resistance mechanisms involve altered absorption, translocation, and metabolism of herbicides (i.e., glyphosate), and this is an important component in the study of herbicide resistance mechanisms as well. 14C-herbicides are used in resistant weeds studies, since they provide some advantages in comparison with chemical measures, including greater sensitivity, stepwise description of a particular element in a metabolic system, herbicide position, detection through X-ray films and/or radio image, and liquid scintillation. However, an up-to-date, organized description and standardization of research procedures and methodology on the use of radioisotopes for detection of resistant weeds, through different mechanisms of absorption, translocation, and metabolism in comparison with susceptible weeds are lacking in the literature. Techniques that use 14C such as tracers are extremely useful to study the herbicides behavior in the resistant weed, since the radiometric techniques offer the possibility of accurately determining very small amounts in a relatively short time. However, mechanism of resistance to herbicides in this resistant weed population compared with the susceptible population cannot be due to differential absorption, translocation, or metabolism of herbicide in weed; so other studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanism of herbicide resistance on weed population

Hydrodynamic stress stimulates growth of cell clusters via the ANXA1/PI3K/AKT axis in colorectal cancer

Cancer cells are exposed to various stresses in vivo, including hydrodynamic stress (HDS). HDS on cancer cells in the blood stream can influence the metastatic potential. Recent studies revealed that circulating tumor cell clusters are more responsible for metastasis than circulating single cells. Nevertheless, most studies on HDS are based on single cells prepared from established cancer cell lines. Here, we used cancer tissue-originated spheroids (CTOS) as a patient-derived, 3D organoid model to investigate the effect of HDS on cancer cell clusters. We found that HDS induced the growth of cancer cell clusters in a population of colorectal CTOSs. Microarray analyses revealed that the multifunctional protein, Annexin 1 (ANXA1), was upregulated upon HDS exposure. Chemically-induced membrane damage also triggered the expression of ANXA1. A knockdown of ANXA1 revealed that ANXA1 regulated HDS-stimulated growth in colorectal CTOSs. Mechanistically, activating the PI3K/AKT pathway downstream of ANXA1 contributed to the phenotype. These findings demonstrate that HDS induces the growth of cancer cell clusters via ANXA1/PI3K/AKT axis, which helps to elucidate the pro-metastatic feature of circulating cancer cell clusters

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

Candida albicans keratitis modified by steroid application

The paper reports on Candida albicans ocular infection modified by steroid eye drops. A 74-year-old male complained of conjunctival injection and pain in his right eye three months after pterygium and cataract surgery. After treatment with antibiotics and steroid eye drops for three days, he was referred to our hospital. Clear localized corneal endothelial plaque with injection of ciliary body was observed. No erosion of the corneal epithelium, or infiltration of stromal edema was observed, suggesting that the pathological organism derived from the intracameral region. Because ocular infection was suspected, steroid eye drops were stopped, which led immediately to typical infectious keratitis in the pathological region, with epithelial erosion, fluffy abscess, stromal infiltration, and edema. For diagnostic purposes, the plaque was surgically removed with forceps and the anterior chamber was irrigated with antibiotics. The smear and culture examination from the plaque revealed C. albicans surrounded by neutrophils. However, aqueous fluid and fibrous tissue after gonio procedure contained no mycotic organisms. Topical fluconazole, micafungin, and pimaricin with oral itraconazole (150 mg/day) were effective. Special attention is needed when prescribing steroid eye drops to treat corneal disease especially postoperatively. Diagnosing infectious keratitis is sometimes difficult because of modification by some factors, such as postoperative conditions, scarring, and drug-induced masking. Here, we report on mycotic keratitis modified by postoperative steroid administration

Suppression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced neutrophil adherence responses by essential oils.

Background: In aromatherapy, essential oils are used as anti-inflammatory remedies, but experimental studies on their action mechanisms are very limited