Do External Funding Sources Affect Research Productivity?: A Departmental-Level Analysis of Seven Former Imperial Japanese Universities

This study examines the research productivity of departments in seven former imperial universities of Japan. We categorize the departments into five academic fields: engineering, health sciences (i.e., medicine, dentistry and pharmaceutical), economics, science, and agriculture. Then, the impact of fundamental and external research funds is examined to see whether they positively affect research productivity—measured by the number of papers accepted in peer-reviewed, international academic journals. Additionally, we investigate whether such external funding sources affect productivity in each of the five fields differently, noting any variation between them. The estimation results reveal that, first, the increase of fundamental and external funds per faculty member is positively correlated with research productivity in the fields of engineering and health sciences. Second, considering the results of further investigation into the effects of external funding, research funding by the public sector can increase productivity in each of the five academic fields. Third, the results pertaining to private research funds show that research funding provided by firms can increase productivity in engineering and health sciences. However, for economics, the increase in external funding from firms is negatively correlated with research productivity. This result might be because the purpose of industry–university collaboration differs according to the academic field. Regarding economics, the output from the resulting collaboration might not result in the production of an academic paper, but rather make policy recommendations or provide consulting using quantitative analysis. This study is the first attempt by any Japanese university to analyze research productivity across several departments. The empirical results show that depending on the discipline, the same resources of research funding impact research productivity differently. Nowadays, the Japanese central government has been about the business of reforming resource allocation systems of universities by evaluating their research performance, basing them more on the quantitative indicators such as the key performance indicators (KPI). However, a key result of this study implies that when a relative evaluation of universities is applied, each university’s situation must be more carefully considered, especially in terms of what kinds of academic departments it has, and which specialties or segments it features

Do External Funding Sources Affect Research Productivity?: A Departmental-Level Analysis of Seven Former Imperial Japanese Universities

This study examines the research productivity of departments in seven former imperial universities of Japan. We categorize the departments into five academic fields: engineering, health sciences (i.e., medicine, dentistry and pharmaceutical), economics, science, and agriculture. Then, the impact of fundamental and external research funds is examined to see whether they positively affect research productivity—measured by the number of papers accepted in peer-reviewed, international academic journals. Additionally, we investigate whether such external funding sources affect productivity in each of the five fields differently, noting any variation between them. The estimation results reveal that, first, the increase of fundamental and external funds per faculty member is positively correlated with research productivity in the fields of engineering and health sciences. Second, considering the results of further investigation into the effects of external funding, research funding by the public sector can increase productivity in each of the five academic fields. Third, the results pertaining to private research funds show that research funding provided by firms can increase productivity in engineering and health sciences. However, for economics, the increase in external funding from firms is negatively correlated with research productivity. This result might be because the purpose of industry–university collaboration differs according to the academic field. Regarding economics, the output from the resulting collaboration might not result in the production of an academic paper, but rather make policy recommendations or provide consulting using quantitative analysis. This study is the first attempt by any Japanese university to analyze research productivity across several departments. The empirical results show that depending on the discipline, the same resources of research funding impact research productivity differently. Nowadays, the Japanese central government has been about the business of reforming resource allocation systems of universities by evaluating their research performance, basing them more on the quantitative indicators such as the key performance indicators (KPI). However, a key result of this study implies that when a relative evaluation of universities is applied, each university’s situation must be more carefully considered, especially in terms of what kinds of academic departments it has, and which specialties or segments it features

Resectable hepatoblastoma with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium after chemotherapy: A case report

AbstractHepatoblastoma with intraatrial tumor thrombus is relatively rare. We report a case of hepatoblastoma with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium, which responded well to chemotherapy and was resected using extracorporeal circulation. A 4-year-old girl was referred to our hospital because of abdominal distention and tenderness. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large tumor occupying the left 3 segments of the liver with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium. There was also a small intrahepatic metastasis in the right lobe of the liver. She was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma on the basis of the results of open biopsy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with an intense CDDP-based regimen was performed. The tumor responded well to chemotherapy, and intrahepatic metastasis became undetectable on CT scan, although the tumor thrombus remained in the right atrium. After 7 courses of chemotherapy, we performed resection using extracorporeal circulation. The postoperative course was uneventful, and adjuvant chemotherapy was started 10 days after the operation. Her serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level decreased to the normal range, and she was free of disease for 1 year after the operation. Tumor resection using extracorporeal circulation can be performed safely and is justified in patients with intraatrial tumor thrombus

Inhibitory Effects of Prior Low-dose X-irradiation on Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Mouse Paw

We have reported that low-dose, unlike high-dose, irradiation enhanced antioxidation function and reduced oxidative damage. On the other hand, ischemia-reperfusion injury is induced by reactive oxygen species. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of prior low-dose X-irradiation on ischemia-reperfusion injury in mouse paw. BALB/c mice were irradiated by sham or 0.5 Gy of X-ray. At 4 hrs after irradiation, the left hind leg was bound 10 times with a rubber ring for 0.5, 1, or 2 hrs and the paw thickness was measured. Results show that the paw swelling thickness by ischemia for 0.5 hr was lower than that for 2 hrs. At 1 hr after reperfusion from ischemia for 1 hr, superoxide dismutase activity in serum was increased in those mice which received 0.5 Gy irradiation and in the case of the ischemia for 0.5 or 1 hr, the paw swelling thicknesses were inhibited by 0.5 Gy irradiation. In addition, interstitial edema in those mice which received 0.5 Gy irradiation was less than that in the mice which underwent by sham irradiation. These findings suggest that the ischemia-reperfusion injury is inhibited by the enhancement of antioxidation function by 0.5 Gy irradiation

Correlation Index-Based Responsible-Enzyme Gene Screening (CIRES), a Novel DNA Microarray-Based Method for Enzyme Gene Involved in Glycan Biosynthesis

BACKGROUND: Glycan biosynthesis occurs though a multi-step process that requires a variety of enzymes ranging from glycosyltransferases to those involved in cytosolic sugar metabolism. In many cases, glycan biosynthesis follows a glycan-specific, linear pathway. As glycosyltransferases are generally regulated at the level of transcription, assessing the overall transcriptional profile for glycan biosynthesis genes seems warranted. However, a systematic approach for assessing the correlation between glycan expression and glycan-related gene expression has not been reported previously. METHODOLOGY: To facilitate genetic analysis of glycan biosynthesis, we sought to correlate the expression of genes involved in cell-surface glycan formation with the expression of the glycans, as detected by glycan-recognizing probes. We performed cross-sample comparisons of gene expression profiles using a newly developed, glycan-focused cDNA microarray. Cell-surface glycan expression profiles were obtained using flow cytometry of cells stained with plant lectins. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated for these profiles and were used to identify enzyme genes correlated with glycan biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS: This method, designated correlation index-based responsible-enzyme gene screening (CIRES), successfully identified genes already known to be involved in the biosynthesis of certain glycans. Our evaluation of CIRES indicates that it is useful for identifying genes involved in the biosynthesis of glycan chains that can be probed with lectins using flow cytometry

TISSUE POLYPEPTIDE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (TPS) AS A TUMOR MARKER FOR GYNECOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES : A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH TISSUE POLYPEPTIDE ANTIGEN (TPA), CANCER ANTIGEN 125 (CA125) AND SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA-ASSOCIATED ANTIGEN (SCC)

1957年共同研究者により各種腫瘍組織混合抽出液より精製されたtissue polypeptide antigen (TPA)はその後cytokeratins 8, 18, 19との交差反応が見られ,一種の細胞構築蛋白であることが判明している。最近Bjurk・lundはTPAをマウスに免疫しcytokeratinと交差しない単クローン抗体M3を得た。同抗体を使用して組み立てられたimmunoradiometrical assay (IRMA)を用いてspecific TPA (TPS)を各種婦人科癌患者血清にて測定し,従来のTPA, cancer antigen 125 (CA 125)およびsquamous cell carcinoma-associated antigen (SCC)と比較し,その臨床的有用性と限界を検討した。A new immunoradiometrical assay (IRMA) for a tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) has recently been established using a monoclonal antibody (M 3) against purified tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA). With the use of this IRMA, we measured serum TPS levels in 68 patients with benign gynecologic diseases and in 71 patients with gynecologic malignancies before treatment. Eleven gynecological cancer patients who showed the positivity for TPS before the treatment were followed up by monitoring the serum TPS levels. Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA), cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) or squamous cell carcinoma-associated antigen (SCC) were also measured in these patients. The present study first described the clinical usefulness and weakness of TPS as a tumor marker for gynecologic malignancies by making a comparison with TPA, CA 125 or SCC

TT ウイルス ボシ カンセン ノ コウホウシテキ, ゼンホウシテキ ケンキュウ : トクニ ボシ カンセン ヨウシキ ト シュウサンキ ニオケル リンショウテキ イギ ニツイテ

近年同定され,輸血後肝炎との関連が示唆されているTTV について,その母子感染の自然史と周産期における臨床的意義について後方視的,前方視的に検討した.HBV 及びHCV が検出されない妊婦(前方視的研究;NBCPW 群)におけるTTV DNA 陽性率は19.0%(37/195)であり,このうちsAST/sALT 値が110 U/L を超える例は皆無であった.HBV あるいはHCV キャリア妊婦(後方視的研究;BCCPW 群)ではTTV DNA 陽性率は25.0%(21/84)である.このうちsAST/sALT 値が110U/L を超える例は23.8%(5/21)に達し,この5 例はTTV 単独キャリアではなく,HBV 又はHCV との重複キャリアであった.NBCPW 群の出生児(14 名)におけるTTV DNA 陽転率は57.1%であり,このうちsAST/sALT 値が110 U/L を超えた例は無かった.BCCPW 群の出生児(21 名)におけるTTV DNA 陽転率は42.9%であり,このうちsAST/sALT 値が110 U/L を超えた児は2 名(22.2%)で,この2 名はHCV キャリアでもあった.TTV DNA 陽転化した総数17 名の出生児は全員生後18 ヶ月時点までTTV DNA 陽性が持続しており,脱キャリア化は認められていない.また,キャリア化児におけるTTV DNA 出現時期および哺育方法より経胎盤感染,経産道感染および経唾液感染は否定的であり,経母乳感染の可能性が強く示唆される結果であった.また,キャリア妊婦及びキャリア化児における肝機能異常は母子共々TTV 単独キャリアでは認められず,TTV 感染の周産期における臨床的インパクトは低いと思われる.The natural history of mother-to-child transmission(MTCT) of the TT virus (TTV) was investigated retroandprospectively.Serum TTV DNA was detected in 37 out of the 195( 19.0%) pregnant women without both HBV and HCV in theirsera (NBCPW) and 21 out of the 84 (25.0 %) pregnantwomen with HBV and/or HCV (BCCPW). In the lattergroup, 5 out of the 21( 23.8%) TTV carrier pregnant womenshowed repeatedly sAST and/or sALT levels over110U/L, but none of the former group did.With informed consent (IC), 14 (NBCPW) and 21 (BCCPW)infants were followed from birth up to 18 months ofage by receiving tests for serum TTV DNA and levels ofsAST and sALT. Eight out of the 14 infants (57.1 %, NBCPW)and 9 out of the 21 infants( 42.9%, BCCPW) developedTTV carrier-state, and all of these 17 carrier infantsmaintained serum TTV DNA-positive through the followupperiods. No infants (NBCPW) showed elevated serumlevels (>110 U/L) of AST or ALT during the follow-upperiods, but 2 out of the 9 infants( 22.2%, BCCPW) showedsAST or sALT levels higher than 110 U/L, and these 2 infantswere found to be in HCV carrier-state.None of the infants developed a TTV-positive resultwithin 1 month after birth, and thereafter 11.8 % (2/17)developed carrier-state in 3 months, 47.1 % in 6 months,82.4 % in 12 months. These findings may exclude the intrauterineor trans-vaginal infection as a mode of TTVMTCT. On the other hand, all carrier infants with one exceptionwere raised by breast feeding, which was rich inTTV. Both carrier pregnant women and children, who wereneither HBV nor HCV carriers, showed no abnormal liverfunction through the follow-up periods.Thus, we conclude that TTV MTCT occurs highly, but itis not so significant practically

シュウサンキ リョウイキ ニオケル Gガタ カンエン ウイルス ノ リンショウテキ イギ : オナジ フラビ ウイルス カ ニ ゾクスル Cガタ カンエン ウイルス ト ヒカク シテ

HBV, HCV 同様血清肝炎を惹起する可能性を示唆されているHGV の(1)妊婦における検出率,(2)母子感染の自然史,そのリスクファクター及びキャリア化児の予後,(3)キャリア妊婦及びキャリア化児における肝機能を前方視的に調査し,同ウイルスの周産期における臨床的意義を同じフラビウイルス科に属するHCV と比較検討した.対象は1996〜2004 年に当科を受診した妊婦3,738 名(HGV),4,023 名(HCV)とキャリア妊婦の出生児14 名(HGV),24 名(HCV)である.HGV RNA は RT-PCR 法(定性)k,real-time PCR(定量)及びcycle-sequence 法(genome sequence)により,HGV-E2 抗体はELISA 法を用いて,またHCV RNA はnested RT-PCR(定性),real- time PCR(定量)により,またHCV-Ab は2nd 及び3rd generation EIA を用いて測定した.対象児の血清サンプルは臍帯血から最長119 ヶ月まで定期的に検査に供された.妊婦におけるHGV RNA, HCV RNA の検出率は各々0.64%(24/3,738),0.60%(24/4,023)であり両者に有意差を認めなかった(p=0.7984).HGV-E2 抗体の検出率は4.4%(82/1,858)であり,HGV RNA とHGV-E2 抗体は相互排他的であった.HGV RNA 単独陽性妊婦で肝機能異常は見られなかった.出生児におけるHGV RNA,HCV RNA 陽性はそれぞれ64.3%(10/16),12.5%(3/24)に認められ,両ウイルス陽性児とも経膣分娩症例であり,キャリア妊婦のviral loads はそれぞれ107 及び105 copies/ml 以上の症例であった.HGV 母子感染と推測された4 組の母子ペア血清を用いたHGV RNA シークエンス相同性の検討では各母子間で100%の一致率が得られ,HGV 母子感染の直接的証拠が得られた.キャリア化した9 名の児のうち1名が肝機能異常(sALT 値>110 U/L)を呈したが,これはHCV との重複感染例であった.フォローアップ中にHCV では約16.7%がキャリア化後3 年以内に脱キャリア化したが,HGV キャリア児ではRNA 陰性化は少なくとも最長約10 年間のフォローアップ期間中には皆無であった.妊婦のHGV 及びHCV 保有率(キャリア率)はほぼ同等であり,一方母子感染率は前者が後者の約5.1 倍に達し,母子感染がHGV キャリアの主たる供給源であることが示唆された.HGV およびHCV 母子感染では,キャリア妊婦の血中viral loads 及び経膣分娩がリスクファクターであることが示された.さらに,同じフラビウイルス科に属しながら,HGV はHCV とは異なり,肝傷害性が殆ど無いことが判明した.The epidemiology and natural history of mother-to-childtransmission( MTCT) of hepatitis G virus( HGV) were investigatedto evaluate potential clinical significance of HGVin perinatal periods. The data was discussed by comparisonwith those of a well-known flavivirus, hepatitis C virus(HCV).During the periods from 1996 to 2006, 3,738 pregnantwomen received screening tests for HGV RNA and 4,023pregnant women received screening tests for HCV Antibodies(Ab). HGV RNA-positive pregnant women weretested for HGV-E2 Ab and HCV Ab-positive pregnantwomen were tested for HCV RNA. HGV- and HCV RNApositivewomen underwent the measurement of viral loadswith use of real-time PCR. With informed consent, 14 infantsborn to HGV carrier mothers and 24 infants born toHCV carrier mothers were followed from birth to 19months of age by receiving the measurement of serumHGV- or HCV RNA and sAST/sALT levels.HGV RNA was detected in 0.64 % (24/3,738) of thewomen tested and HCV RNA was detected in 0.60 %(24/4,023) of the women tested. HGV-E2 Ab was detectedin 4.4 % and mutually exclusive with HGV RNA. Nine ofthe 14 infants born to HGV carrier mothers( 64.3%) and 3of 24 infants born to HCV carrier mothers (12.5 %) developedHGV and HCV carrier-states respectively. The homologyof HGV RNA sequences was perfectly identical betweenthe 4 paired sera of mother-child.Both of vaginal delivery mode and maternal viral loads atdelivery (HGV>107, HCV>105 copies/ml) were suggestedas one of risk factors for MTCT. The elevation of sAST/sALT levels (>110 U/L) in the HGV and HCV carrier infantswere 7.1%( 1/9) and 66.7%(2/3) respectively. However,one HGV carrier infant with elevated sAST/sALTlevels was found to be a HCV carrier.We conclude that HGV MTCT occurs very frequently,but HGV is not so significant in perinatal periods comparedwith another flavivirus, HCV