Discrete Spectral Transformations of Skew Orthogonal Polynomials and Associated Discrete Integrable Systems

Discrete spectral transformations of skew orthogonal polynomials are presented. From these spectral transformations, it is shown that the corresponding discrete integrable systems are derived both in 1+1 dimension and in 2+1 dimension. Especially in the (2+1)-dimensional case, the corresponding system can be extended to 2x2 matrix form. The factorization theorem of the Christoffel kernel for skew orthogonal polynomials in random matrix theory is presented as a by-product of these transformations

Neural RNA-binding protein Musashi1 inhibits translation initiation by competing with eIF4G for PABP

Musashi1 (Msi1) is an RNA-binding protein that is highly expressed in neural stem cells. We previously reported that Msi1 contributes to the maintenance of the immature state and self-renewal activity of neural stem cells through translational repression of m-Numb. However, its translation repression mechanism has remained unclear. Here, we identify poly(A) binding protein (PABP) as an Msi1-binding protein, and find Msi1 competes with eIF4G for PABP binding. This competition inhibits translation initiation of Msi1's target mRNA. Indeed, deletion of the PABP-interacting domain in Msi1 abolishes its function. We demonstrate that Msi1 inhibits the assembly of the 80S, but not the 48S, ribosome complex. Consistent with these conclusions, Msi1 colocalizes with PABP and is recruited into stress granules, which contain the stalled preinitiation complex. However, Msi1 with mutations in two RNA recognition motifs fails to accumulate into stress granules. These results provide insight into the mechanism by which sequence-specific translational repression occurs in stem cells through the control of translation initiation

Analysis of multiple compound–protein interactions reveals novel bioactive molecules

The authors use machine learning of compound-protein interactions to explore drug polypharmacology and to efficiently identify bioactive ligands, including novel scaffold-hopping compounds for two pharmaceutically important protein families: G-protein coupled receptors and protein kinases

血漿ADAMTSは肝硬変患者の予後をChild-PughスコアやMELDスコアと同様に生存率を予測できる可能性がある

Aim:  Decreased plasma ADAMTS13 activity (ADAMTS13:AC) results in accumulation of unusually large von Willebrand factor multimers and platelet thrombi formation. Our aim was to evaluate whether ADAMTS13:AC is a prognostic marker in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods:  Plasma ADAMTS13:AC and its related parameters were examined in 108 cirrhotic patients. Results:  ADAMTS13:AC decreased as the severity of liver disease increased (means: controls 100%, Child A-cirrhotics 79%, Child B-cirrhotics 63%, and Child C-cirrhotics 31%). ADAMTS13:AC markedly decreased in the cirrhotics with hepatorenal syndrome, refractory ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. The cumulative survival time was the shortest (median: 4.5 months) in the cirrhotics with severe to moderate ADAMTS13:AC deficiency (50%). In contrast, based on the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, Child C-cirrhotics had the worst survival, but the survival probabilities did not differ between Child A and B cirrhotics. Based on the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, the survival was the worst for the cirrhotics in the fourth quartile, but it was not different among cirrhotics in the first three quartiles. Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis showed that ADAMTS13:AC and serum albumin were independent factors affecting the survival. Conclusions:  ADAMTS13:AC concomitantly decreases as the functional liver capacity decreases. This activity may be a useful prognostic marker that is equal or superior to the CTP score and the MELD score to predict not only the short-term prognosis but also the long-term survival of the cirrhotic patients.博士（医学）・甲613号・平成26年3月17

The Development and Assessment on the Social Studies Handbook for Supporting Teacher’s Lesson Planning and Improvement : A Content Structure of Handbook which can be Applied to Pre-service and In-service Teacher Education

The purposes of this paper are to develop the draft of handbook for planning, teaching and accessing the class of social studies and evaluate effects of the handbook for teacher training and their professional development. The structure of the first draft was designed based on Kolb’s learning theory. The present results suggested that the usefulness of the contents structure was perceived by (1) pre-service teachers and (2) in-service teachers, and the possibility for application was also recognized by the teacher educator as (3) university professor who teach methods courses, (4) senior supervisor who is in charge of designing the professional development programs and (5) younger supervisor who is in charge of tutoring the novice teacher, but they illustrated their different types of the significances, limits and utilization according to their purposes and as well as their responsibility. The authors implicated the alterative design of the handbook based on Korthagen’s reflective learning model for meeting their purposes and solving the structural problems inherit in the handbook