Effects of SLIT with JCP tablets

Objective : We examined the effects of SLIT with tablets containing JCP antigens on nasal symptoms and sleep disturbance in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis during pollen dispersal season. Methods : A total of 128 patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis were categorized into four groups : 19 one-year SLIT with tablets group, 16 two-year SLIT with drops group, 19 antihistamine group, and 74 untreated group. The scores of nasal symptoms and sleep disturbance were evaluated based on the Japanese guidelines for allergic rhinitis and the Athens Insomnia Scale. Results : The scores of nasal symptoms and sleep disturbance at the peak cedar pollen period in the two-year SLIT with drop group and the one-year SLIT with tablets group were significantly lower than those in untreated group. Additionally, these scores were significantly lower in the one-year SLIT with tablets group than those in the antihistamine group. Conclusion : It is suggested that SLIT with JCP tablets improved both nasal symptoms and sleep disturbances at peak pollen period in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis. SLIT with JCP tablets for one year was more effective than SLIT with JCP drops for two years and prophylactic treatment with antihistamines

Efficacy of dual sublingual immunotherapy with Japanese cedar pollen and house dust mite allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis sensitized to multiple allergens

Objective: In the present study, we examined the effects of dual sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) and house dust mite (HDM) allergens on nasal symptoms during the peak pollen period (PPP) and in late fall (LF) in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) sensitized to both JCP and HDM. We then compared the efficacy of dual-SLIT with JCP and HDM to that of mono-SLIT with JCP at PPP. Methods: Twenty-five bisensitized patients with AR who showed positive serum specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) against both JCP and HDM were enrolled. In dual-SLIT, 16 patients received JCP drops/tablets and HDM tablets concurrently. In mono-SLIT with JCP, nine patients received JCP drops/tablets. Nasal symptoms were scored on a 0–4 point scale. Results: The nasal scores at PPP and in LF in the bisensitized patients with AR who received dual-SLIT with JCP and HDM in 2019 were significantly lower than those in the same patients who received antihistamines only in 2018. The decrease in scores of nasal obstruction at PPP from 2018 to 2019 in patients who received dual-SLIT was significantly greater than those in patients who received mono-SLIT with JCP. Dual-SLIT was well tolerated and only had mild adverse effects. Conclusion: These findings suggest that dual-SLIT suppressed both JCP-induced seasonal and HDM-induced perennial nasal symptoms in bisensitized patients with AR. Dual-SLIT was more effective in suppressing nasal obstruction at PPP than mono-SLIT with JCP with limitation of baseline characteristics not to be controlled between the two groups, suggesting that dual-SLIT suppressed HDM-induced priming effects, thus resulting in further suppression of nasal obstruction at PPP. Level of Evidence: 3b, a case-controlled stud

Simultaneous Measurement of Multiple Acoustic Attributes Using Structured Periodic Test Signals Including Music and Other Sound Materials

We introduce a general framework for measuring acoustic properties such as liner time-invariant (LTI) response, signal-dependent time-invariant (SDTI) component, and random and time-varying (RTV) component simultaneously using structured periodic test signals. The framework also enables music pieces and other sound materials as test signals by "safeguarding" them by adding slight deterministic "noise." Measurement using swept-sin, MLS (Maxim Length Sequence), and their variants are special cases of the proposed framework. We implemented interactive and real-time measuring tools based on this framework and made them open-source. Furthermore, we applied this framework to assess pitch extractors objectively.Comment: 8 pages, 17 figures, accepted for APSIPA ASC 202

日本語読解学習支援システム「リーディング・チュウ太」

本稿では，著者らが1997 年以来運用を続けているインターネット上の日本語読解学習支援システム「リーディング・チュウ太」について概説する．リーディング・チュウ太は「辞書ツール」，「読解教材バンク」，「レベルチェッカー」，「多言語辞書」などのWeb ブラウザから利用できるツールから成り，世界中の日本語教師および日本語学習者に利用され続けている．これらのシステムは，自然言語処理技術を利用したもので，その仕組み自体は非常にシンプルである．しかし，開発に日本語教師が深く関わり，長期に渡って改良を続けていることによって日本語教育の現場で本当に使えるシステムになっている

教科書中の単語の初出課を判定する日本語教育支援システムの利用状況の分析

日本語教育用の教科書に含まれる単語がその教科書において初めて現れる課（初出課）を自動的に判定するシステムを開発し，その利用状況を調査した．その結果，2018年4月1日から7月31日までの四半期に10,000回を超えるアクセスがあり，そのうちの約9割は日本国内からのアクセスであった．また，利用者100名を対象としたアンケート調査の結果，利用者の約6割が日本語教師を職業としている人であった．そして，利用者の約8割がこのようなシステムの有無が教科書の選定に影響すると回答した

Lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) serves as an endothelial receptor for advanced glycation end products (AGE)

AbstractAdvanced glycation end products (AGE) are known to serve as ligands for the scavenger receptors such as SR-A, CD36 and SR-BI. In the current study, we examined whether AGE is recognized by lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1). Cellular binding experiments revealed that AGE-bovine serum albumin (AGE-BSA) showed the specific binding to CHO cells overexpressing bovine LOX-1 (BLOX-1), which was effectively suppressed by an anti-BLOX-1 antibody. Cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells also showed the specific binding for AGE-BSA, which was suppressed by 67% by the anti-BLOX-1 antibody. Thus, LOX-1 is identified as a novel endothelial receptor for AGE

新聞記事における慣用表現の出現頻度調査

日本語学習者を対象とした慣用表現の効率的な教育（学習）を実現するため，朝日新聞，毎日新聞，読売新聞の2014 年の記事データベースを対象にして出現頻度の高い慣用表現のリストを作成した．まず，宮地（1982）『慣用句の意味と用法』，森田（2010）『日本語の慣用表現』に掲載された慣用表現に異表記を追加し，6,378 個の慣用表現を得た．次に，3 紙の合計で約490 万文を対象として，慣用表現の出現頻度を計数した．そして，各紙における出現頻度上位100 位のうち，3紙すべてに共通して現れる慣用表現を求めた．これによって，新聞による偏りを排除し，使用頻度が高く学習者に有用な慣用表現リストが得られた