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Using the ΣEV model, this study suggests that: (a) Self-generated outcomes are more relevant for the subjects than standard list outcomes; and (b) having subjects generate their own set of outcomes (Mitchell & Biglan, 1971) may be more effective as a means of obtaining expectancy theory measures than is the use of a standard list of outcomes. To obtain motivation measures for studying hard, 77 senior high school girls were required to generate five outcomes resulting from studying hard, while for 69 girls a standard list of 10 outcomes was used. The daily hours spent by the subjects for their home studies was used as an index of effort, and the subjects' grades at the latest examinations, as an index of performance. ΣEV correlated .44 (p < .001) with effort and .36 (p < .01) with performance for the self-generated outcome group as compared to .28 (p < .05) and .23 (p < .05), respectively, for the standard list outcome group. Further potential improvements in expectancy theory prediction are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Carabinae ground beetles occur on all continents except Antarctica. • Their evolutionary history was studied using ultraconserved element sequence data. • Dispersal occurred during the Cretaceous and since the Oligocene. • Ancestors were winged, and loss of flight occurred in multiple lineages in parallel. • Marked species diversification occurred in a flightless lineage in Eurasia. The origin and diversification process of lineages of organisms that are currently widely distributed among continents is an interesting subject for exploring the evolutionary history of global species diversity. Ground beetles of the subfamily Carabinae are flightless except for one lineage, but nevertheless occur on all continents except Antarctica. Here, we used sequence data from ultraconserved elements to reconstruct the phylogeny, divergence time, biogeographical history, ancestral state of hind wings and changes in the speciation rate of Carabinae. Our results show that Carabinae originated in the Americas and diversified into four tribes during the period from the late Jurassic to the late Cretaceous, with two in South America (Celoglossini) and Australasia (Pamborini) and two in Laurasia (Cychrini and Carabini). The ancestral Carabinae were inferred to be winged; three of four tribes (Cychrini, Ceglossini and Pamborini) have completely lost their hind wings and flight capability. The remaining tribe, Carabini, diverged into the subtribes Carabina (wingless) and Calosomina (winged) in the Oligocene. Carabina originated in Europe, spread over Eurasia and diversified into approximately 1000 species, accounting for around 60% of all Carabinae species. Calosomina that were flight-capable dispersed from North America or Eurasia to South America, Australia, and Africa, and then flightless lineages evolved on oceanic islands and continental highlands. The speciation rate increased in the Cychrini and Carabini clades in Eurasia. Within Carabini, the speciation rate was higher for wingless than winged states. Our study showed that the global distribution of Carabinae resulted from ancient dispersal before the breakup of Gondwana and more recent dispersal through flight around the world. These patterns consequently illustrate the causal relationships of geographical history, evolution of flightlessness, and the global distribution and species diversity of Carabinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a new erythroid regulator, erythroferrone (ERFE), which downregulates hepatic hepcidin production, has been identified. However, the relationship between ERFE and abnormal iron metabolism in MDS is unclear. In this study, we examined the level of ERFE mRNA during ex vivo erythroid differentiation using cord blood CD34+ cells and we further analyzed whether ERFE could be produced by MDS cells using a public database (GSE58831). ERFE mRNA was increased during normal erythroid differentiation. An analysis of GSE58831 indicated that ERFE expression in bone marrow (BM) MDS cells was higher than that in healthy volunteer (HV)–derived BM cells. ERFE expression significantly and positively correlated with the expression of erythropoietin (EPO) receptors (EPO-R), ALAS2 (5'-Aminolevulinate Synthase 2), STEAP3 (STEAP family member 3) and the presence of ring sideroblasts or the SF3B1 mutation. These results suggest that EPO-R+ MDS cells with ring sideroblasts or an SF3B1 mutation produce high levels of ERFE that may be associated with a reduction in hepcidin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pheretimoid megascolecids are the major component of earthworm fauna in Japan. • Their phylogenetic relationships were studied using mitogenome sequence data. • Multiple Japan-endemic groups originated from Taiwan Island and continental China. • Distribution ranges within the Japanese Archipelago differed among the endemic groups. • The endemic groups may have diversified during the Miocene or later. Megascolecid earthworms of the pheretimoid group are dominant detritivores of soil ecosystems in the Japanese Archipelago and East Asia. However, their diversity and phylogenetic relationships are poorly understood. We assembled whole mitogenome sequences for 197 megascolecid earthworms collected throughout Japan to study the phylogenetic relationships, phylogeography, divergence times, and diversification of important morphological characteristics among pheretimoid earthworms. Using 197 mitogenome sequences and 24 published mitogenome sequences from the East Asian mainland (221 sequences in total), we constructed a maximum likelihood tree and found that the pheretimoid earthworms currently assigned to Amynthas , Metaphire , Duplodicodrilus , and Manus are involved in the most senior genus Amynthas ; thus, Amynthas can be treated as the sole genus encompassing all of the above genera. Within the Amynthas group, we identified three major lineages that led to four groups of endemic species in Japan. These lineages originated from different lineages on the East Asian mainland and Taiwan Island, indicating multiple colonization events from the East Asian mainland by different ancestral lineages, possibly after the Miocene. We also assembled nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences encompassing the 18S to 28S rRNA genes. The nuclear gene tree showed major groups consistent with the mitogenome tree except for different (and not well-resolved) relationships among major clades. Our molecular data covered 115–158 native and 7 non-native Amynthas group species in Japan in terms of DNA-based species delimitation. Our findings provide a basis for understanding the evolutionary relationships among diversified megascolecid earthworms in the Amynthas group in Japan and adjacent regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The susceptibility of NC/Nga mice to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was examined by using sensitization with d-galactosamine (d-GalN). Administration of TNF-α and d-GalN killed none of the NC/Nga mice, whereas it killed all of the BALB/c mice. Treatment with TNF-α and d-GalN caused few hepatic lesions in NC/Nga mice but massive hepatocellular apoptosis in BALB/c mice. Unlike BALB/c mice, there was no elevation in caspase 3 and 8 activities in the livers of NC/Nga mice receiving TNF-α and d-GalN. On the other hand, administration of anti-Fas antibody definitely killed both NC/Nga and BALB/c mice via activation of caspases 3 and 8. Treatment with TNF-α and d-GalN led to translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB in NC/Nga and BALB/c mice. However, NF-κB translocation was sustained in NC/Nga mice, although it disappeared in BALB/c mice 7 h after the treatment. NF-κB inhibitors activated caspases 3 and 8, and enhanced TNF-α-mediated lethality in NC/Nga. Taken together, the low susceptibility of NC/Nga mice to TNF-α-mediated lethality was suggested to be responsible for the sustained NF-κB activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In recent years, platelets are reported to promote liver, as well as bone regeneration and dermal wound healing. Platelets are required not only for thrombocytopenia treating but also for regenerative therapy. Platelets cannot be stored beyond three days, therefore, shortage of fresh platelets sometimes occurs. To preserve platelets for a long duration without degrading growth factors, a freeze-dried technique is required. We report here that platelets can be preserved by freeze-drying, using a programmed freezing method to avoid intracellular ice crystal formation. Freeze-dried platelets kept their morphological countenance and response with the agonist of thrombin was well maintained. Freeze-dried platelets stored adenine nucleotides, PDGF, and IGF-1 the same as those of fresh platelets. Freeze dried platelets also preserved their proliferative effect on hepatocytes identical to that of fresh platelets. These results of our study suggest that freeze dried platelets will obviate the storage problem of fresh platelets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a secreted morphogen crucial for appropriate cellular proliferation during mammalian development. The activated Shh signaling is known to predispose to human tumors such as medulloblastoma and basal cell carcinoma, while a role of Shh signaling in the other common tumors is still controversial. Here we showed the overexpression of Shh in five cell lines among 14 human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. One of the Shh-expressing OSCC cell lines HSQ-89 showed the inhibition of G1/S transition and apoptotic cell death by treatment with Cyclopamine, a steroidal alkaloid that blocks the intracellular Shh signaling. Furthermore, we found that treatment with Y-27632, a specific inhibitor of Rho-associated kinase, mimicked the effect of Cyclopamine on the cell cycle progression of HSQ-89. Our study revealed the involvement of activated Shh signaling in the cellular proliferation of OSCC cells, indicating Shh signaling might be a good therapeutic target for OSCC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]