Peacebuilding : the challenges of and prospects for a Steady-state Society

departmental bulletin pape

Observation of B̅0→D(*)0pp̅

journal articl

精神遅滞児の意味記憶特性について*

application/pdfThis study investigates semantic memory in the mentally retarded (MRs) with a categorical priming paradigm. Three experiments on 8 MRs (CA : 12:7-19:9) and 12 college students (CA : 19-21) have been carried out. In Experiment 1, subjects were shown scrambled pictures to be identified where each consisted of six stages ranging from very scrambled to intact. We formed four categories, each of which contained eight sets of pictures, so their total number was thirty-two. The MRs were presented with four sets of pictures belonging to the same category in succession, whereas the college students were not presented with sets of pictures randomly. We made certain that the college students were not presented with the set of pictures belonging to the same category contiguously. The results shows that there are no reliable differences between the MRs’ performances and those of the college students. It seems to be due to the fact that stimulus is not adequate enough to produce or detect semantic priming effects. In Experiment 2, subjects were asked to recall what they had seen in Experiment 1. They had not been　informed of this in advance. Recall ratio of the college students was significantly higher than that of the MRs. “Accumulation of and release from proactive interference” were observed in the MRs’ performance curve. This suggests that they ulilixed their categorical knowledge to identify the sets of pictures in Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, the subjects were asked to name each complete picture as rapidly and accurately as possible. The four pictures belonging to the same categories were presented contiguously not only to the MRs but also to the college students. Although the college students named pictures more rapidly than the MRs, significant categorical priming effects on naming latency were observed equally in both groups. The results are discussed in terms of episodic vs. semantic interaction of memory.departmental bulletin pape

ニュウリョク セイヤク ツキ ヒセンケイ システム ニ タイスル セイギョソク セッケイ オヨビ カイセキ

奈良先端科学技術大学院大学博士(工学)doctoral thesi

Lanthanide tetrad effect of Naegi granite-pegmatite suite, central Japan : Convex tetrad effect by fractional loss of fluid from hydrous felsic melt

2007The Late Cretaceous (ca. 67 Ma) Naegi granite-pegmatite suite in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, has been studied in view of the lanthanide tetrad effect in evolved felsic rocks. The pegmatite occurring sparsely in the granite body as small patches (<20 cm) and the matrix granite were sampled. REE including Y, major and some minor elements in the samples have been determined. The REE data for mineral separates (quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, biotite, and residual heavy minerals) from a granite sample have also been obtained. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns for pegmatite and granite commonly show convex tetrad effects and huge negative Eu anomalies of Eu/Eu^*=0.02-0.004 but no notable Y/Ho fractionation. The whole-rock sample of granite and its mineral separates show similar convex tetrad effects, suggesting the convex tetrad effect in the original magma before crystallization. The granite and pegmatite show no significant differences in major element chemistry and mineralogy except mineral size and texture, but the pegmatite is depleted in Eu, Sr, and Ba relative to the granite. In addition, the pegmatite exhibits a convex tetrad effect and a fairly large negative Eu anomaly, when normalized by the granite. The field occurrence of pegmatite suggests a heterogeneous distribution of aqueous fluid inside of the granitic magma, which is possibly related to the unmixing phenomenon of fluid and silicate melt. Here is proposed a simple model of fractional loss of fluid from hydrous felsic melt. Applying the model to the observed REE fractionation between pegmatite and host granite pairs, REE partition coefficients between aqueous fluid and melt, K_d(REE: fluid/melt), have been evaluated. The logK_d(REE: fluid/melt) values indeed exhibit small concave tetrad effects, positive Eu anomalies, and light REE enrichment trends. Fractional loss of fluid from a hydrous felsic melt system leaves residual silicates in which the small concave tetrad effect and positive Eu anomaly of logKd(REE: fluid/melt) can be exaggerated in reversed manners. As a result, the residual silicates acquire pronounced convex tetrad effects and huge negative Eu anomalies.国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している。departmental bulletin pape

Structural and Kinetic Analyses of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Active Site Interactions

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a secreted protein expressed in numerous cell types that counters the antiinflammatory effects of glucocorticoids and has been implicated in sepsis, cancer, and certain autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, the structure of MIF contains a catalytic site resembling the tautomerase/isomerase sites of microbial enzymes. While bona fide physiological substrates remain unknown, model substrates have been identified. Selected compounds that bind in the tautomerase active site also inhibit biological functions of MIF. It had previously been shown that the acetaminophen metabolite, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), covalently binds to the active site of MIF. In this study, kinetic data indicate that NAPQI inhibits MIF both covalently and noncovalently. The structure of MIF cocrystallized with NAPQI reveals that the NAPQI has undergone a chemical alteration forming an acetaminophen dimer (bi-APAP) and binds noncovalently to MIF at the mouth of the active site. We also find that the commonly used protease inhibitor, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), forms a covalent complex with MIF and inhibits the tautomerase activity. Crystallographic analysis reveals the formation of a stable, novel covalent bond for PMSF between the catalytic nitrogen of the N-terminal proline and the sulfur of PMSF with complete, well-defined electron density in all three active sites of the MIF homotrimer. Conclusions are drawn from the structures of these two MIF−inhibitor complexes regarding the design of novel compounds that may provide more potent reversible and irreversible inhibition of MIF

Discovery of Human Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF)-CD74 Antagonists via Virtual Screening

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine that is involved in the regulation of inflammation as well as cell proliferation and differentiation. Deactivation of MIF by antibodies or inhibition of MIF binding to its receptor, CD74, attenuates tumor growth and angiogenesis. To discover small-molecule inhibitors of MIF’s biological activity, virtual screening was performed by docking 2.1 million compounds into the MIF tautomerase active site. After visual inspection of 1200 top-ranked MIF-ligand complexes, 26 possible inhibitors were selected and purchased and 23 of them were assayed. The in vitro binding assay for MIF with CD74 revealed that 11 of the compounds have inhibitory activity in the micromolar regime, including four compounds with IC50 values below 5 μM. Inhibition of MIF tautomerase activity was also established for many of the compounds with IC50 values as low as 0.5 μM; Michaelis−Menten analysis was performed for two cases and confirmed the competitive inhibition

Validity of LupusQoL-China for the Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life in Chinese Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

<div><p>Objectives</p><p>To adapt and assess the validity and reliability of LupusQoL for use in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).</p><p>Methods</p><p>Debriefing interviews of subjects with SLE guided the language modifications of the tool. The process of adaptation proceeded according to the guideline and pre-testing results of LupusQoL-China. 220 SLE patients completed LupusQoL-China and a generic preference-based measurement of health EuroQoL scale (EQ-5D), and 20 patients repeated them after 2 weeks. Internal consistency (ICR) and test-retest (TRT) reliability, convergent and discriminant validity were examined. Factor analysis and Rasch analysis were performed.</p><p>Results</p><p>The mean (SD) age of the 208 subjects with SLE was 33.93 (±9.19) years. ICR and TRT of the eight domains ranged from 0.811 to 0.965 and 0.836 to 0.974, respectively. The LupusQoL-China domains demonstrated substantial evidence of construct validity when compared with equivalent domains on the EQ-5D (physical health and usual activities r = −0.63, pain and pain/discomfort r = −0.778, emotional health and anxiety/depression r = −0.761, planning and usual activities r = −0.560). Most LupusQoL-China domains could discriminate patients with varied disease activities and end-organ damage (according to SELENA-SLEDAI and SLICC-DI). The principal component analysis revealed six factors, and confirmatory factor analysis result of which is similar to eight factors model.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>These results provide evidence that the LupusQoL-China is valid as a disease-specific HRQoL assessment tool for Chinese patients with SLE.</p></div

Multi-Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire in China: Reliability, Validity and Clinical Value in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

<div><p>Objective</p><p>To evaluate the psychometric properties and clinical utility of Chinese Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ-C) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China.</p><p>Methods</p><p>162 RA patients were recruited in the evaluation process. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by internal consistency and item analysis. Convergent validity was assessed by correlations of MDHAQ-C with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital anxiety and depression scales (HAD). Discriminant validity was tested in groups of patients with varied disease activities and functional classes. To evaluate the clinical values, correlations were calculated between MDHAQ-C and indices of clinical relevance and disease activity. Agreement with the Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) was estimated.</p><p>Results</p><p>The Cronbach's alpha was 0.944 in the Function scale (FN) and 0.768 in the scale of psychological status (PS). The item analysis indicated all the items of FN and PS are correlated at an acceptable level. MDHAQ-C correlated with the questionnaires significantly in most scales and scores of scales differed significantly in groups of different disease activity and functional status. MDHAQ-C has moderate to high correlation with most clinical indices and high correlation with a spearman coefficient of 0.701 for DAS 28 and 0.843 for CDAI. The overall agreement of categories was satisfying.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>MDHAQ-C is a reliable, valid instrument for functional measurement and a feasible, informative quantitative index for busy clinical settings in Chinese RA patients.</p></div

Boundaries of intra-retinal layers in OCT macular images.

<p>As seen in this image taken by UHR-OCT in the horizontal meridian, nine boundaries of intra-retinal layers were visualized. Images taken in the vertical meridian by UHR-OCT and in both meridians by the RTVue100 were similar to this.</p