180 research outputs found
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Theoretical and Quantitative Analysis of Chronological Changes of Wetland Mitigation Policy in the United States
The purpose of this research is to evaluate longitudinal changes of wetland mitigation policy in the United States theoretically and quantitatively. This study offers a deeper understanding of critical wetland conservation policy in the United States while providing a useful reference for policy makers and policy implementers of biodiversity offset policies in the world. I applied policy learning theory to understand the development process of the policy. I also conducted content analysis of public documents about wetland mitigation policy in the United States to evaluate the chronological shift of language use of the policy. As a consequence, two policy (conceptual) learnings were identified in the history of wetland mitigation policy: the introduction of the banking system and the concept of ecosystem services. The content analysis also revealed the increasing trend of language use about efficiency (market), and the decreasing trend of language use about equity (distributional equity), which were different from the initial expectation based on the review of literature. The results suggest that social learning which is improvement of communication among actors could be a next step to overcome the ongoing problems such as unfair redistribution of ecosystem services
Predictors of cognitive function in patients with hypothalamic hamartoma following stereotactic radiofrequency thermocoagulation surgery
Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138275/1/epi13838.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138275/2/epi13838_am.pd
Combined treatment with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitor sitagliptin and elemental diets reduced indomethacin-induced intestinal injury in rats via the increase of mucosal glucagon-like peptide-2 concentration.
The gut incretin glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and the intestinotropic hormone GLP-2 are released from enteroendocrine L cells in response to ingested nutrients. Treatment with an exogenous GLP-2 analogue increases intestinal villous mass and prevents intestinal injury. Since GLP-2 is rapidly degraded by dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), DPP4 inhibition may be an effective treatment for intestinal ulcers. We measured mRNA expression and DPP enzymatic activity in intestinal segments. Mucosal DPP activity and GLP concentrations were measured after administration of the DPP4 inhibitor sitagliptin (STG). Small intestinal ulcers were induced by indomethacin (IM) injection. STG was given before IM treatment, or orally administered after IM treatment with or without an elemental diet (ED). DPP4 mRNA expression and enzymatic activity were high in the jejunum and ileum. STG dose-dependently suppressed ileal mucosal enzyme activity. Treatment with STG prior to IM reduced small intestinal ulcer scores. Combined treatment with STG and ED accelerated intestinal ulcer healing, accompanied by increased mucosal GLP-2 concentrations. The reduction of ulcers by ED and STG was reversed by co-administration of the GLP-2 receptor antagonist. DPP4 inhibition combined with luminal nutrients, which up-regulate mucosal concentrations of GLP-2, may be an effective therapy for the treatment of small intestinal ulcers
Increase of GADD34 expression in skeletal muscle by ATRA
All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) increases the sensitivity to unfolded protein response in differentiating leukemic blasts. The downstream transcriptional factor of PERK, a major arm of unfolded protein response, regulates muscle differentiation. However, the role of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 34 (GADD34), one of the downstream factors of PERK, and the effects of ATRA on GADD34 expression in muscle remain unclear. In this study, we identified ATRA increased the GADD34 expression independent of the PERK signal in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice. ATRA up-regulated GADD34 expression through the transcriptional activation of GADD34 gene via inhibiting the interaction of homeobox Six1 and transcription co-repressor TLE3 with the MEF3-binding site on the GADD34 gene promoter in skeletal muscle. ATRA also inhibited the interaction of TTP, which induces mRNA degradation, with AU-rich element on GADD34 mRNA via p-38 MAPK, resulting in the instability of GADD34 mRNA. Overexpressed GADD34 in C2C12 cells changes the type of myosin heavy chain in myotubes. These results suggest ATRA increases GADD34 expression via transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, which changes muscle fiber type
Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium Isolates Obtained from Human and Bovine Infections in Japan
Cryptosporidiumポリスレオニン遺伝子のPCR/RFLP分析により、わが国で分離されたヒト由来Cryptosporidium22株は、ヒト型C.parvum(genotype1)、動物型C.parvum(genotype2)、トリ型C.meleagridis(genotype3)の3遺伝子型に明瞭に型別された。ヒト由来genotype3のC.meleagridis分離株は、Cryptosporidium18S rRNA遺伝子のシークエンス分析により同定され、その存在が本邦で初めて確認された
Solar System Exploration Sciences by EQUULEUS on SLS EM-1 and Science Instruments Development Status
EQUULEUS is a spacecraft to explore the cislunar region including the Earth-Moon Lagrange point L2 (EML2) and will be launched by NASA’s SLS EM-1 rocket. Although the size of EQUULEUS is only 6U, the spacecraft carries three different science instruments. By using these instruments, the spacecraft will demonstrate three missions for solar system exploration science during and after the flight to EML2; imaging of the plasmasphere around the earth, observation of space dust flux in the cislunar region, and observation of lunar impact flashes at the far side of the moon. The developments and verifications of the flight models of these science instruments were completed by the end of 2018, and we started flight model integration and testing. This paper introduces the details of the scientific objectives, design results and development statuses of the instruments. In addition, results of the integration and pre-flight tests are also described
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Increased tissue levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prevents pathological preterm birth
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have anti-inflammatory effects. Preterm birth is an important problem in modern obstetrics and one of the main causes is an inflammation. We here showed that abundance of omega-3 fatty acids reduced the incidence of preterm birth induced by LPS with fat-1 mice, capable of converting omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. We also indicated that the gene expression of IL-6 and IL-1β in uteruses and the number of cervical infiltrating macrophages were reduced in fat-1 mice. The analyses of lipid metabolomics showed the high level of 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoate in fat-1 mice, which was derived from EPA and was metabolized to anti-inflammatory product named resolvin E3 (RvE3). We finally showed that the administration of RvE3 to LPS-exposed pregnant wild type mice lowered the incidence of preterm birth. Our data suggest that RvE3 could be a potential new therapeutic for the prevention of preterm birth
Dose Measurements through the Concrete and Iron Shields under the 100 to 400 MeV Quasi-Monoenergetic Neutron Field (at RCNP, Osaka Univ.)
Shielding benchmark experiments are useful to verify the accuracy of calculation methods for the radiation shielding designs of high-energy accelerator facilities. In the present work, the benchmark experiments were carried out for 244- and 387-MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutron field at RCNP of Osaka University. Neutron dose rates through the test shields, 100-300 cm thick concrete and 40-100 cm thick iron, were measured by four kinds of neutron dose equivalent monitors, three kinds of wide-energy range monitors applied to high-energy neutron fields above 20 MeV and a conventional type rem monitor for neutrons up to 20 MeV, placed behind the test shields. Measured dose rates were compared one another. Measured results with the wide-energy range monitors were in agreement one another for both the concrete and the iron shields. For the conventional type rem monitor, measured results are smaller than those with the wide-energy range monitors for the concrete shields, while that are in agreements for the iron shields. The attenuation lengths were obtained from the measurements. The lengths from all the monitors are in agreement on the whole, though some differences are shown. These results are almost same as those from others measured at several hundred MeV neutron fields
A novel fully covered metal stent for unresectable malignant distal biliary obstruction: results of a multicenter prospective study
Background/Aims Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement is currently the standard technique for treating unresectable malignant distal biliary obstructions (MDBO). Therefore, covered SEMS with longer stent patency and fewer migrations are required. This study aimed to assess the clinical performance of a novel, fully covered SEMS for unresectable MDBO. Methods This was a multicenter single-arm prospective study. The primary outcome was a non-obstruction rate at 6 months. The secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS), recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO), time to RBO (TRBO), technical and clinical success, and adverse events. Results A total of 73 patients were enrolled in this study. The non-obstruction rate at 6 months was 61%. The median OS and TRBO were 233 and 216 days, respectively. The technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 97%, respectively. Furthermore, the rate of occurrence of RBO and adverse events was 49% and 21%, respectively. The length of bile duct stenosis (<2.2 cm) was the only significant risk factor for stent migration. Conclusions The non-obstruction rate of a novel fully covered SEMS for MDBO is comparable to that reported earlier but shorter than expected. Short bile duct stenosis is a significant risk factor for stent migration
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