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This paper examines the impact of the three month training component of the Rural Skills Development Project (RSDP) in Bhutan. This project was designed to diversify income sources of rural households beyond agriculture and to reduce expenses spent on housing repairs by training villagers in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and electrical wiring. The absence of a valid baseline survey and the non-randomized nature of beneficiaries to the project imposed significant challenges in assessing the program impacts. Time and cost considerations also resulted in an end line survey of Bhutanese households that had a control group that was drawn from the same villages as the trainees. To resolve these limitations, the authors used a match estimator that includes a proxy for motivation to create the match between the treatment and control group to estimate the causal impacts of the training. Potential pitfalls to estimates that can arise from unobserved selection bias and spillover effects were examined in detail and supplemented with qualitative analysis to support the validity of our results. There is evidence that the training program allowed for diversification of income sources into skills outside of agriculture by increasing the amount of income received from the skill areas covered by the training program. Income diversification mainly occurred for females, those who are less educated, and those who were trained in carpentry or masonry. As women are much less likely to participate in the training, encouraging greater equality in the skill development process may require providing more female-friendly training that has flexibility in training time and venues as well as training in other skill areas. The paper is organized as follows: section one gives introduction. Section two provides background on RSDP. Section three describes the related literature. Section four describes the research design including the choice of the control group and the data gathered for the evaluation process. Section five describes the empirical approach and results for a variety of specifications and sub-populations. Section six aims to validate the results by eliminating unobserved selection and spillover effects as possible factors. Section seven discusses the findings and provides qualitative evidence for our findings. Finally section eight concludes.

Pheochromocytoma crisis is a life-threatening endocrine emergency associated with symptoms of excess release of catecholamines. It might present spontaneously or be unmasked by triggers including trauma, surgery and certain medications that provoke catecholamine release by tumors. Here we report a case of pheochromocytoma crisis associated with abscess formation in the tumor and bacteremia of Campylobacter fetus, which was successfully treated with antibiotics and a surgical resection. This case appears to be the first reported case in the literature of abscess formation by C. fetus in pheochromocytoma, leading to catecholamine crisis.

Income growth in rural areas is a considerable challenge to further poverty reduction and economic development. Using a survey of rural Bhutanese households we investigate the impacts of a vocational skills training program that was intended to diversify incomes outside of agriculture. We find that the program had limited positive impacts along various economic and psychosocial dimensions, but that it diversified household incomes into these skill areas. Notably, the program did raise incomes for trainees in non-competitive labor markets where trainees accounted for only a small percentage of the overall population. The results and anecdotal evidence suggests that: (i) a greater emphasis on creating a mechanism to connect the training program to income generating opportunities via job placement services, entrepreneurship or mentoring services is needed -- especially in competitive labor markets where there are too many trainees in relation to the population; (ii) refining the curriculum and extending the training time to allow trainees to develop their skills may be important; (iii) encouraging greater equality in the skill development process may require providing more female-friendly training that has flexibility in training time and venues and focuses on other skill areas.

1. 硝酸塩の反芻胃内還元に対するタングステンの阻害効果および硝酸塩に起因する飼料繊維成分の消化性の低下に対するタングステンの改善効果についてin vitroで検討した.2. 硝酸塩添加区,硝酸塩+タングステン酸塩添加区,タングステン酸塩添加区,無添加区の4区についてめん羊第一胃液の4重ガーゼ濾液をイノキュラムとした24時間の嫌気培養を行ない,基質オーチャードグラス低水分サイレージの繊維類消化性について比較した.3. タングステン酸塩の添加によって硝酸塩還元量の有意な(P〈0.01)低下が認められ,亜硝酸塩の生成は顕著に減少した.硝酸塩添加によって生じた基質のNDFおよびADF消失率の低下および総VFAの産生はタングステンにより顕著な改善が認められた.4. タングステンには硝酸塩還元阻害効果の他に反芻胃内の繊維類消化•分解に対する単独の直接作用が示唆された.

The authors have an interest in establishing a valuable method for obtaining reliable information on environmental changes in the past by examining humus properties of volcanic ash soils. In this study we investigated Pg absorption, the spectral characteristics of humic acids. Remarkable absorbances in alkaline humic acids at wavelength of 615, 570 and 450nm were named Pg absorption by Kumada et al. (1967). Kumada (1981) considered that Pg is a kind of green pigments derived from sclerotia and that Pg contains compounds similar to DHPQ the derivative of 4 : 9-hydroxyperylene-3 : 10-quinone. Though Pg is widely found in world soils and is suggested to be a reliable indicator to infer vegetational and climatic environments of the past, the mechanisms of Pg formation is not yet known well. The purpose of this study is to clarify the environmental factors regulating the distribution of Pg absorption strength in the field and to evaluate Pg absorption strength as an environmental indicator through the investigation of properites of Pg absorption strength in volcanic ash soils in Japan.In this study we investigated 21 sites in six volcanic areas, the Towada, Akagi, Nantai (Nikko) of Northeastern Japan and Ashitaka of Central Japan and the Daisen and Kirishima of Western Japan. Each soil were sampled from surface layers of uncultivated lands. Besides soil humus analyses, which are of organic carbon content, humus composition and spectral properties of humic acids, phytolith composition was investigated to examine the relationship between Pg absorption strength and vegetational environment at present. Warmth Index and Humidity Index, which are climatic indices proposed by Kira (1945), were also calculated for each sample site using climatic grid data compiled in the Digital Information on Japanese Land.There was no relation between Pg absorption strength and carbon content. On the other hand, PQ (percentage of humic acid to total humus) and RF (color intensity of humic acid) both show negative correlation with Pg absorption. These facts confirm that Pg absorption strength is regulated not by the amount of humus but by the quantity and quality of humic acid. Referring to the report of Sato (1974), we consider that brown fractions in humic acids called Pb fractions mask Pg absorption appeared in spectral curves of humic acids.As for climatic environment, Pg absorption strength has a negative correlation with Warmth Index (n=20, r=-0.55*). The relationship between Pg absorption and Humidity Index is not clear enough to remark. Furthermore, we estimated the yield of grasses from the density of grass phytolith in soils. We found a strong positive relation between Pg absorption strength and the yield of Bambusoideae Sasa (n=21, r= 0.81***), while a negative correlation with that of Miscanthus (n=21, r=-0.67***). From this study, we confirmed that the strength of Pg absorption is strongly regulated by the vegetation. Particularly Miscanthus acts to control down the strength of Pg absorption.We must notice that most of the investigated sites in this study range in cool temperate forests. The role of Pg absorption strength as an environmental indicator will be clearer at the time when we make further investigation in soils formed under warm temperate forests.

Although evening preference has recently been identified as a risk factor for depression, it has not been substantiated whether evening preference is a direct risk factor for depressive states, or if it is associated secondarily through other factors, such as delayed sleep timing and shortened sleep duration. The objective of this study is to investigate associations in Japanese adult subjects between evening preference and incidence of depressive states, adjusting for various sleep parameters related to depressive states. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered to 1170 individuals (493 males/677 females; mean and range 38.5 and 20–59 yrs) to assess their diurnal preferences, sleeping states, and presence of depression symptoms. Subjects were classified into five chronotypes based on MEQ scores. Evening preference was associated with delayed sleep timing, shortened sleep duration, deteriorated subjective sleep quality, and worsened daytime sleepiness. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the extreme evening type (odds ratio [OR] =1.926, p=.018) was associated with increased incidence of depressive states and that the extreme morning type (OR=0.342, p=.038) was associated with the decreased incidence of depressive states, independent of sleep parameters, such as nocturnal awakening (OR=1.844, p

Soil humus properties were examined to estimate vegetational and climatic changes recorded in buried humic soils. We investigated the surface and buried layers of volcanic ash soils in the Nikko and Akagi area of Central Japan and the Daisen area of western Japan. In this study, a spatial distribution of soil humus properties is evaluated based upon the assumption that in humic layers of the Holocene volcanic ash soils, the pedogenic process reaches steady state conditions rapidly while the diagenetic changes advance by slow degrees. The humus properties indicated by organic carbon content, humus composition and Pg type absorption of humic acids show vertical zonality. The climatic condition suitable for humus accumulation of these three areas, as indicated by the humidity index proposed by Kira (1949), is calculated to be 17–22 (mm/°C). Furthermore, the zone of maximum humus accumulation appears to vary spatially with soil forming age. For instance, in Akagi soils, maximum humus accumulation in Horizon II (about 4000–6000 years ago) was located at approximately 400 m higher in vertical elevation than at present. In the same period the Pg absorption in humic acids measured by colorimetric means is found to shift its lower boundary 300 upwards compared with the present. Such spatial shift may signify change in the vegetational and climatic environment.

Background Human parainfluenza virus type 1 (hPIV-1) causes serious respiratory tract infections, especially in children. This study investigated the efficacy of the novel haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) inhibitor BCX 2798 in the prophylaxis of lethal and the treatment of non-lethal parainfluenza virus infection in mice. Methods In the prophylaxis model, 129x1/SvJ mice were inoculated with a 90% lethal dose of a recombinant Sendai virus, in which the HN gene was replaced with that of hPIV-1 (rSeV[hPIV-1HN]). The mice were intranasally treated either once or for 5 days with 1 or 10 mg/kg/ day of BCX 2798, starting 4 h before infection. In the therapeutic model, mice were infected with 100 plaque-forming units of rSeV(hPIV-1HN) per mouse and treated intranasally with 0.1, 1 or 10 mg/kg/day of BCX 2798 for 5 days, starting 24 or 48 h after infection, or for 4 days starting 72 h after infection. Results Similar to multiple dosing, a single intranasal prophylaxis with 1 or 10 mg/kg of BCX 2798 protected approximately 40% or 90%, respectively, of mice from death by rSeV(hPIV-1HN) infection. BCX 2798 also significantly reduced virus lung titres (in a dose- and time- dependent manner) and reduced histopathological changes in the airways of non-lethally infected mice at multiple intranasal dosages in the therapeutic model, with the lowest effective dosage being 0.1 mg/kg/day administered 24 h after infection. Conclusions BCX 2798 was effective in the prophylaxis of lethal and in the therapy of non-lethal parainfluenza virus infection in mice, suggesting further consideration of BCX 2798 for clinical trials.

We report two successful remnant and recurrent cases of head and neck cancer treated with S-1. Case 1, a 52-year-old man, was diagnosed as supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma (T3N2cM0, squamous cell carcinoma: SCC) on January 25, 2000, and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was applied. After the treatment, a remnant tumor in the larynx was found by biopsy. He was followed using UFT at 400mg/day because he had refused surgery. Pulmonary metastasis was detected by chest CT on June 14, 2001, and the administration of S-1 was started. After 2 courses, the mass in the lung disappeared, and the primary lesion was also judged to be a complete response(CR). The administration of S-1 is still continuing and remnant tumors have not been found. Case 2, a 76-year-old man, was diagnosed with hypopharyngeal carcinoma (T3N2bM0, SCC) on December 14, 2001, and CCRT was applied resulting in CR in the hypopharynx and the neck. He was followed using UFT at 300 mg/day after discharge. A supraclavicular lymph node became palpable on March 27, 2003. Pathological examination by fine needle aspiration cytology showed SCC, class V. After 2 courses administering S-1 at 100mg/day, the supraclavicular lymph node disappeared. S-1 was changed to UFT at 300 mg/day on July 31, 2003, because adverse events of grade 3 appeared. Administration of UFT was continued for one year. No recurrence has been found for 5 years.

Recent studies have demonstrated the contribution of the gamma subunit of the Fc receptor of IgG (FcRgamma) to neuronal death following ischemic injury and Parkinson's disease. We examined the role of FcRgamma in hippocampal pyramidal cell death induced by kainic acid (KA). FcRgamma-deficient mice (FcRgamma-/-) and their FcRgamma+/+ littermates (wild type, B6) received an injection of KA into the dorsal hippocampus. Pyramidal cell death was quantified 24 and 72 h after the injection. The number of survived pyramidal cells was significantly larger in FcRgamma-/- mice than in B6 mice in both the CA1 and CA3. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent studies detected FcgammaRIIB protein in parvalbumin neurons, whereas FcgammaRIII and FcgammaRI proteins were detected in microglial cells. No activated microglial cells were detected 24 h after the KA injection in FcRgamma-/- mice, whereas many activated microglial cells were present in B6 mice. The production of nitrotyrosine as well as of the inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 proteins, increased by 16 h after the KA injection in B6 mice. In addition, tissue plasminogen activator and metalloproteinase-2 proteins increased. By contrast, the magnitude of oxidative stress and the increase in protease expression were mild in FcRgamma-/- mice. Co-injection of a neutralizing antibody against FcgammaRll and FcgammaRlll with KA abolished pyramidal cell death and microglial activation. In addition, the neutralizing antibody reduced oxidative stress and expression of proteases. These observations suggested a role for FcgammaRllB in parvalbumin neurons as well as FcRgamma in microglia in pyramidal cell death.

Although the survival rate of early-stage laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients treated by radiotherapy (RT) is sufficient, the larynx preservation rate is unsatisfactory. To improve the larynx preservation rate, such patients have been treated by RT with chemotherapeutic agents.RT with or without uracil-tegafur (UFT) was performed for T1 cases, and UFT and carboplatin for T2 cases.In T1 cases, 30 patients received RT and 16 patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). In T2 cases, 28 patients received RT and 45 patients received CCRT. There were no significant differences in the response and survival rates between the treatment methods both in T1 and T2 cases. The 5-year larynx preservation survival rate was improved significantly by CCRT in T2 cases (66.7% vs. 93.3%; p0.01).CCRT for early-stage laryngeal SCC patients was efficacious to improve the larynx preservation survival rate.

Summary Sclerotium grains in soil contain humus-metal complexes that are probably produced from fungal metabolites. The characterization of major elements in sclerotium grains collected from volcanic ash soils in Mt Myoko was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FT-IR spectrometry and CHN analysis, and the concentration of trace elements was determined by PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission spectrometer) analysis. The content of major elements, C, H, N, O and Al, was approximately 47.6, 3.32, 0.78, 30.2 and 1.4% by mass, respectively. Trace elements such as Ti, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb were detected in the grains at concentrations between 10 and 100 μg g−1. Functional carbon groups for the whole grain were characterized by the dominance of O-alkyl C associated with aromatic C. The comparison between the surface and subsurface (matrix) of the grain showed that the concentrations of O, C and N were relatively greater on the surface of sclerotium grains than in the matrix. The proportion of carbon having C–O, C=O, and O–C=O bonds, O and N showed a tendency to decrease from the surface towards the matrix. The proportion of C assigned as C–C and/or C–H bonds had a tendency to increase towards the matrix associated with Al.

Soil weathering is recognizable through study on physico-chemical characteristics of soil. In this study, Parker, ([(Na)a / 0.35] + [(Mg)a / 0.9] + [(K)a / 0.25] + [(Ca)a / 0.7]) × 100, and Product, [SiO2 / (TiO2 + Fe2O3 + SiO2 + Al2O3)] × 100, weathering indexes, originally developed for study on rocks, were tested on Yellow Brown Forest soils from two different regions in Japan. The results showed that the contribution of the mentioned indexes can be used for study on soils weathering. In other word, in a two-dimensional coordination system where the axes are Parker and Product indexes, regarding to the chemical bases of the indexes, initial and lateral products of weathering can be tracked at the same time. Additionally, the indexes relations with soil color were studied after exposing the samples at a high temperature. Remarkable relationships between a* / b* ratio–parameters of psychometric chromaticness of color in CIE color standard system–and these two weathering indexes demonstrated that a* / b* ratio can be applied reliably to estimate the quantities of Parker and Product indexes in Yellow Brown Forest soils.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a non-cytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that has a broad host range in warm-blooded animals, probably including humans. Recently, we have demonstrated that the neonatal gerbil is a unique model for analyzing BDV-induced acute neurological disease. In this report, to understand the effects of the brain development of gerbils in BDV-induced neuropathogenesis, as well as to investigate the host-dependent differences in BDV propagation and pathogenesis in the brains, we performed experimental infection of BDV using two different infant rodent models, gerbils and rats. We demonstrated here that most of the gerbils infected with BDV on postnatal days (PD) 14, but not on PD1 and PD7, could survive neurological disorders during the observation period of PD85. Interestingly, the levels of BDV RNA and antigen in surviving PD14 inoculated gerbil brains were extremely low, whereas diseased gerbils and both PD7 and PD14 inoculated rats contained significant amounts of BDV antigen in the central nervous system, suggesting that PD14 gerbils successfully controlled BDV spread in the brain. Furthermore, the viral distribution, as well as the expression levels of cytokine and CD8 mRNAs, in the brains was markedly different between the rodent models and between diseased and non-diseased statuses of the gerbils. These results demonstrated that developmentally regulated and host-specific factors could contribute to the prevention of BDV spread in developing animal brains. Studies using different animal systems would provide novel insights into the mechanisms of host defense responses to neurotropic virus infections.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a noncytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that is known to cause neurological disturbances in various animal species. Our previous experiment demonstrated that neonate gerbils develop an acute fatal neurological disease following infection with BDV (Watanabe et al., 2001 , Virology 282, 65–76). The study suggested that BDV directly causes functional damage of neuronal cells resulting in the lethal disorder in neonatal gerbils. To extend this finding, we examined whether BDV can induce neurological diseases in the absence of virus- and immune-mediated cell destruction, by using cyclosporine A (CsA)-treated neonatal gerbils. Although CsA completely suppressed specific antibody production and brain inflammation in the infected gerbil brains, the fatal neurological disorder was not inhibited by the treatment. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CsA treatment significantly decreased brain levels of cytokines, except interleukin (IL)-1β, in the infected gerbils. These results suggested that BDV replication, as well as brain cytokines, at least IL-1β, rapidly induces fatal disturbances in gerbil brain. We demonstrate here that BDV exhibits a unique neuropathogenesis in neonatal gerbil that may be pathologically and immunologically different from those in two other established rodent models, rats and mice. With this novel rodent model of virus infection it should be possible not only to examine acute neurological disturbances without severe neuroanatomical and immunopathological alterations but also to analyze molecular and cellular damage by virus replication in the central nervous system.

Borna disease virus (BDV) establishes a persistent infection in the central nervous system of vertebrate animal species as well as in tissue cultures. In an attempt to characterize the life cycle of BDV in persistently infected cultured cells, we developed 30 clones by single-cell cloning from a human oligodendroglioma (OL) cell line after infection with BDV. According to the percentage of cells expressing the BDV major proteins, p40 (nucleoprotein) and p24 (phosphoprotein), the clones were classified into two types: type I (>20%) and type II (

Chronic urticaria (CU) is characterized by the sponta-neous recurrent appearance of wheals and pruritus, which seriously impairs patients’ quality of life (QoL) (1, 2). Patients with refractory CU are treated with leukotriene receptor antagonists, glucocorticoids and/or other im-munomodulatory agents in addition to antihistamines (3, 4). Nevertheless, there remain a number of patients who are unsatisfactorily treated even with these medications, either due to insufficient efficacy or to the occurrence of side-effects. Nafamostat mesilate (NM) and camostat mesilate (CM) are newly synthesized protease inhibitors. They inhibit broad serine proteases, including trypsin, kallikrein, complements (C1r

Serological and molecular epidemiological studies indicate that Borna disease virus (BDV) can infect humans and is possibly associated with certain neuropsychiatric disorders. We examined brain tissue collected at autopsy from four schizophrenic patients and two healthy controls for the presence of BDV markers in 12 different brain regions. BDV RNA and antigen was detected in four brain regions of a BDV-seropositive schizophrenic patient (P2) with a very recent (2 years) onset of disease. BDV markers exhibited a regionally localized distribution. BDV RNA was found in newborn Mongolian gerbils intracranially inoculated with homogenates from BDV-positive brain regions of P2. Human oligodendroglia (OL) cells inoculated with brain homogenates from BDV-positive gerbils allowed propagation and isolation of BDVHuP2br, a human brain-derived BDV. Virus isolation was also possible by transfection of Vero cells with ribonucleoprotein complexes prepared from BDV-positive human and gerbil brain tissues. BDVHuP2br was genetically closely related to but distinct from previously reported human- and animal-derived BDV sequences.

Purpose:This study examined bite force and occlusal contact area in prognathic patients before and after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible using a newly developed pressure-sensitive sheet (Dental-Prescale, Fuji Photo Film Co, Tokyo, Japan). Patients and Methods: Twenty-five prognathic patients were examined. Bite force and occlusal contact area were measured preoperatively, at 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. The bite force and occlusal contact area of 20 healthy subjects were also measured. Results:Both bite force and occlusal contact area of the patients were the lowest 2 weeks after surgery and recovered to the preoperative level between 8 weeks and 3 months. Subsequently, they increased slowly and exceeded the preoperative level at 6 months after surgery. However, even at 6 months, both the bite force and the occlusal contact area of the patients were still only about half or less than that of healthy subjects. Conclusion: This pressure-sensitive device can be used as a simple indicator of postoperative recovery and occlusal improvement in patients following orthognathic surgery.

A total of 15 (T-1-T-15) domestic cats with neurological disorders in Tokyo area were examined for association with Borna disease virus (BDV). None had detectable antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus and Toxoplasma gondii, and only cat T-8 had detectable antibody to FIV. Serological and molecular epidemiological studies revealed a significantly high prevalence of BDV infection in these cats: antibodies against BDV p24 and/or p40 proteins in 10/15 (66.7%) and p24 and/or p40 RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 8/15 (53.3%). Further, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry analyses of the autopsied brain samples derived from one of the cats (T-15) revealed BDV RNA predominantly in neuronal cells in restricted regions, such as olfactory bulb and medulla of cerebrum. Thus, BDV is present in Japanese domestic cats with neurological disorders at a high prevalence.

Objective : The aim of the study is to examine the effects of a 20 min nap in the mid-afternoon on mood, performance and EEG activities. Methods : Seven young adults who had normal sleep–wake habits without habitual daytime napping participated in the study. They underwent Nap and No-nap conditions at intervals of 1 week. After a nocturnal sleep recording (00:00–08:00 h), their EEG recordings during relaxed wakefulness, and their mood, performance and self-ratings of performance level were measured every 20 min from 10:00 to 18:00 h. For the nap condition, they went to bed at 14:00 h and were awakened when 20 min had elapsed from the onset of sleep stage 1. For the No-nap condition, they took a rest without sleep by sitting on a semi-reclining chair. Results : All of the subjects were awakened from sleep stage 2 during the nap. The 20 min nap improved the subjective sleepiness, performance level and self-confidence of their task performance. The nap also suppressed EEG alpha activity during eyes-open wakefulness. Conclusions : The results suggest that a short 20 min nap in the mid-afternoon had positive effects upon the maintenance of the daytime vigilance level.

GaN crystallites covered with gallium oxides were fabricated and their cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra were observed. The intensity of CL spectra observed from the GaN crystallites with the oxides was higher than that in the case without the oxides. This is due to the reduction of surface recombination and carrier confinement. Electroluminescent devices operating in the UV spectral region were also fabricated using the GaN crystallites covered with gallium oxides.

Accommodative microfluctuations were recorded when the subjects were looking at a stable target. The waves of the accommodative microfluctuation were analyzed by fast Fourier transform. When accommodation was in a resting state, the high frequency components were minimized. This suggested that the resting state of accommodation might be measured when the subject was looking at a target. At a little distance from the resting state of accommodation, the high frequency components were maximized. This might suggest a negative accommodation.

中禅寺湖にアワが発生した1984年以来, 湖におけるアワの観察および湖水中糖類ならびにタンパク質濃度の測定等を行ってきた。その結果, アワは毎年8-9月に出現することが明らかとなった。また, アワが多量に出現した時の湖水中糖濃度が1.0mg・l-1以上と高いことおよびタンパク質濃度がほとんど0.1mg・l-1以下であったことから, 糖類がアワの主成分の1つと考えられた。そこで湖水中糖濃度と一次生産量を比較した結果, 後者の値が低く, 植物プランクトン由来の糖類が, アワ発生時の湖水中糖類の主要な起源ではないことがわかった。また, 秋季には落葉等から溶出したと考えられる高分子多糖類が多くなることが判明した。以上のことから, 中禅寺湖に発生したアワの主成分の1つである糖類は, 植物プランクトン以外の植物体, つまり落葉および水生植物から溶出した高分子多糖類に由来するものと考えられる。

By a series of studies to clarify the humus characteristics of volcanic ash soils and soil forming environment, the influence of climate variation was recognized in the eastern foot area of Nantai Volcano, Nikko (Watanabe 1985, 1987). The purpose of this study is to obtain useful information for the reconstruction of global scaled environmental changes from spatial distribution of soil humus characteristics. Volcanic ash soils developed in the southern foot area of Akagi Volcano were examined as a case.The result is summarized as follows.1. Soils developed over southern foot area of Akagi Volcano show several types of soil profiles regulated by the thickness and rate of tephra deposits and geomorphic surfaces. On mountain slopes formed by pyroclastic flow, brownish volcanic ash bed are to be seen between surface and buried humus layer. Soils distributed on central cone lacustrine surface have thick and dark humus layer called “gleyed Kuroboku”. Soils with light humus layer develop on piedmont surface under the influence of artificial activity. The brownish volcanic ash bed mentioned above is difficult to distinguish from this layer.2. The chronological sequence of soil formation in the study area was considered on the basis of properties of soil parent materials and radiocarbon dates. Horizon I is the layer which continues to accept humus supply and humification under soil forming environment in the present. Fresh volcanic ash errupted from Asama and Haruna Volcano, about 200-1700 years ago are included in this layer. Horizon II correspondent to the brownish volcanic ash bed has accepted humus substances from the upper layer. Though the source volcano is unknown, this layer is assumed to be deposited about 4, 000 years ago. Horizon III, a buried humus layer intercepted from surface environment, started soil formation about 9, 000 years ago following to the erruption of Asama Itahana Yellowish Pumice (YP).3. The vertical distribution of humus characteristics (brightness of soil color, carbon content and humus composition) was classified into two types, which reflects the conditions of vegetation and groundwater level regulated by gemorphic surface.4. The spatial distribution patterns of humus characteristics such as carbon content and RF value of humic acid in each horizon show vertical zonality. The principal areas of humus accumulation in the age of horizon II and III formation were located in higher location than present, about 400m upward. Humic acid classified such as type A+, P+ +, have remarkable absorption spectra near 615, 570, 455nm which are regarded to be the features of soils formed under vegetations such as Fagus, Quercus mongolica and also under cool and wet condition in the study area. The appearance of these humic acid types in each horizon also tend to move its location upward by 300m in the age of horizon III formation.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with S-1 in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) in elderly cases and/or cases with comorbidity. Methods Fifty eligible patients with stage III (15 cases) or stage IV (35 cases) SCCHN were treated with CCRT. Thirteen cases had an advanced age of over 75 years and 37 cases had comorbidity. Definitive radiotherapy was delivered up to a total dose of 66–70.2 Gy. The patients received two courses of oral S-1 (40 or 50 mg twice a day [80 or 100 mg/day]) for 2 weeks followed by 1 week of rest while receiving CCRT. Results All the patients received the planned radiotherapy and at least one course of S-1. Grade 3 mucositis occurred in 20% of the patients (10/50). Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in 12% (6/50) and leukocytopenia occurred in 6% (3/50) of the cases. Pathologically, the complete response rates were 93% in stage III and 54% in stage IV. Conclusion Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with S-1 is a safe, well-tolerated and effective regimen for locally advanced SCCHN in elderly cases and/or cases with comorbidity.

We examined translational initiation of a bicistronic 0.8-kb mRNA of Borna disease virus (BDV) using a cDNA clone of the mRNA. Upon transfection with the clone, COS-7 cells produced a 16-kDa protein (P′), in addition to the previously identified products of BDV, 24- (P) and 14.5-kDa proteins. The 16-kDa product was detected by anti-P monoclonal antibody and was shown to exist in BDV-infected cell lines as well as in infected animal brain cells. Transient expression analysis of mutated cDNA clones encoding the BDV 0.8-kb mRNA revealed that the 16-kDa protein was initiated at the second AUG codon on the same open reading frame of the P protein. The mutational analysis also demonstrated that the first AUG within the 0.8-kb mRNA is not optimal, although the signal contains a better Kozak's motif. These results demonstrated the presence of three functional AUG codons in the smallest mRNA of BDV and also suggested that a leaky scanning mechanism is involved in translational initiation at AUG codons downstream of the bicistronic mRNA of BDV. Furthermore, the 16-kDa protein was located in the BDV-specific nuclear foci and was found to associate with the other viral proteins in BDV-infected cells, demonstrating an important role of the novel identified BDV protein in viral replication.

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma has a high mortality rate due to its rate of recurrence. Acyclic retinoid prevents recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients after surgical removal of their primary tumors by inducing apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, although the molecular mechanisms of action are not understood. Methods Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in culture, as well as nude mice transplanted with hepatocellular carcinoma cells and rats given with N-diethylnitrosamine were treated with acyclic retinoid. Changes in activated caspase 3 and transglutaminase 2 (TG2) levels, Sp1 cross-linking and its activities, expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, and apoptotic levels were measured. Results Acyclic retinoid simultaneously stimulated the activation of caspase 3, and the expression, nuclear localization and crosslinking activity of TG2, resulting in crosslinking and inactivation of the transcription factor, Sp1, thereby reducing expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and cell death in three hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. These effects were partially restored by a caspase inhibitor, transfection of antisense TG2, restoration of functional Sp1, or an excess of epidermal growth factor. Nuclear expression of TG2 and crosslinked Sp1, as also activated caspase 3 were found in both hepatocellular carcinoma cells transplanted into nude mice and cancerous regions within the liver in N-diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis model in rats, following treatment of animals with acyclic retinoid. Conclusions Treatment with acyclic retinoid produces a dual activation of caspase 3 and TG2 induced apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via modification and inactivation of Sp1, resulting in reduced expression of epidermal growth factor receptor.