Search

There is a need for pharmacists to be actively involved in home healthcare through a wide range of collaboration in healthcare and welfare. However, insufficient evidence is available to search for factors that prevent pharmacists from being proactive in home healthcare. In this study, we conducted an extensive questionnaire survey among pharmacists engaged in home pharmacy work who belong to the Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society regarding the current status of pharmacists' work in home medical care and their psychological burden; we also explored the factors that may hinder the future development of home medical care. As a result, 925 (44%) valid responses were obtained, and seven factors- "current multidisciplinary cooperation", "relationships with patients and their families", "emotional burden for home healthcare", "attitude toward patients", "ideal of multidisciplinary cooperation", "anxiety about aggressive intervention", and "anxiety about talking to and dealing with patients"- were extracted. Furthermore, it was suggested that pharmacists' mental burden and anxiety are closely related to their successful experiences in building relationships with patients and patients' families as well as with multidisciplinary cooperation in home healthcare. Therefore, to train pharmacists to be actively involved in home healthcare, it is important not only to impart knowledge and skills but also for them to gain experience practicing their contributions as pharmacists in the field of home healthcare with multiple professions, patients, and patients' families.

Austenitic stainless steels including type SUS304 of the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS), which is similar to ASME Type 304 SS, are candidate materials for the various facilities of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen, such as a hydrogen station containers and piping. To prevent the hydrogen penetration into SUS304, we developed the passivation films mainly composed of chromium oxide and investigated the hydrogen barrier properties using the gas permeability test and the slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) test. The passivation films with a maximum thickness of 300 nm was formed on the surface of hot-rolled SUS304 (Ni equivalent 22.4) by a series of wet processing steps such as electro-polishing, chemical oxidation, cathode precipitation of chromium and passivation immersion. Cross-sectional views of TEM observation suggested that the film was amorphous like structure including many independent voids with a size of 10 to 20 nm. The hydrogen gas permeability test was performed in a hydrogen gas pressure of 400 kPa at 573 K, 673 K, and 773 K. The estimated hydrogen transmittance of SUS304 substrate with passivation coating was 2.8 × 10−13 mol / (m · s · Pa) at 773 K, while that without passivation coating was 2.2 × 10−11 mol / (m · s · Pa) at 773 K. SSRT test was performed in 110 MPa hydrogen and nitrogen gas atmosphere at room temperature, and strain rate was 4.17 × 10−5 s−1. The fracture surface of the specimen without passivation coating showed brittle like and relative reduction rate (RRA) was 0.61. On the other hand, the fracture surface of the specimen with passivation coating showed typical ductile like dimple structure and RRA was 0.88. As the passivation films did not peel, adhesion between passivation film and SUS304 surface seems to be well. From these considerations, we anticipate the developed passivation film can inhibit hydrogen embrittlement of SUS304.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to estimate the population-based incidence and to determine the types of severe infection experienced by patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are taking biological agents. INTRODUCTION Since the late 1990s, a variety of biological and synthetic drugs have been developed to treat rheumatoid arthritis. In recent years, the incidence of severe infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Western nations has been reported by observational studies; however, no systematic review has been conducted on this topic. INCLUSION CRITERIA The following criteria will be considered for inclusion: i) observational studies on patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are taking biological agents; ii) studies reporting the number of severe infections requiring hospitalization for treatment; and iii) studies with person-years of observational data. METHODS MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science will be searched to identify published studies. The reference lists of all studies that are selected for critical appraisal will be screened for additional studies. The search for unpublished studies will include MedNar and OpenGrey. Only studies published in English from 1999 to the present will be included. Screening of studies, assessment of methodological quality, and data extraction will be performed by two independent reviewers. If possible, studies will be pooled in statistical meta-analysis. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER PROSPERO CRD42020175137.

This study investigated whether the motor execution process of one finger movement in response to a start cue is influenced by the participation of another finger movement and whether the process of the finger movement is dependent on the movement direction. The participants performed a simple reaction time (RT) task, the abduction or flexion of one (index or little finger) or two fingers (index and little fingers). The RT of the prime mover for the finger abduction was significantly longer than that for the flexion, indicating that the time taken for the motor execution of the finger response is dependent on the movement direction. The RT of the prime mover was prolonged when the abduction of another finger, whose RT was longer than the flexion, was added. This caused closer RTs between the prime movers for a two-finger response compared with the RTs for a one finger response. The absolute difference in the RT between the index and little finger responses became smaller when two fingers responded together compared with one finger response. Those results are well explained by a view that the common motor drive triggers the prime movers when two fingers move together in response to a start cue.

The finite element method has been widely used because of its powerful calculation since it was proposed. The method has been well developed in many different fields such as civil engineering and the aerospace industry. FEM was also used to simulate the deformation performance of materials in the metal forming process. But one of the critical problems of the conventional FEM is the termination of simulation caused by large deformation of mesh. Many studies are focused on the geographic technical method to solve the problem such as re-mesh. But the method is limited and time consumed. An element called space mesh is proposed for the large deformation simulation in this paper. The shape of the space mesh used in the simulation is not changed when the calculation is progressed. And the large deformation can be simulated without termination caused by the shape irregularity of the mesh.

The present study investigated whether the deviation of the performed movement cycle from the required cycle during polyrhythmic bimanual (BM) movement depends on the loci of the visual cues that guide the rhythm of finger movements. Twelve healthy right-handed males rhythmically abducted and adducted the index finger or index fingers with the rhythm of the visual cues. During UM movement, the visual cue guiding the rhythm of finger movement was provided in the left or right visual hemifield. During 2:3 polyrhythmic BM movement, two visual cues, one guiding the rhythm of the left finger movement and another guiding the rhythm of the right finger movement, were provided in a single visual hemifield, or each visual cue guiding each finger movement was provided in each visual hemifield. During polyrhythmic BM movement, the cycle duration of the slower side of the movement guided by the rhythm of the visual cues provided in one visual hemifield was shorter than the required cycle duration, and the magnitude of the shortage in this condition was greater than that guided by each visual cue provided in each visual hemifield. Slower side of the movement is more precisely performed by each visual cue guiding each finger movement in each visual hemifield rather than that guided by visual cues provided in one visual hemifield during polyrhythmic BM movement. This may be explained by bottle-neck model in which visual information overflows the processing capacity when two visual processes are simultaneously provided in a single visual cortex.

This study investigated whether the variability of the sequence length of the go trials preceding a stop trial enhanced or interfered with inhibitory control. The hypotheses tested were either inhibitory control improves when the sequence length of the go trials varies as a consequence of increased preparatory effort or it degrades as a consequence of the switching cost from the go trial to the stop trial. The right-handed participants abducted the left or right index finger in response to a go cue during the go trials. A stop cue was given at 50, 90, or 130 ms after the go cue, with 0.25 probability in the stop trial. In the less variable session, a stop trial was presented after two, three, or four consecutive go trials. In the variable session, a stop trial was presented after one, two, three, four, or five consecutive go trials. The reaction time and stop-signal reaction time were not significantly different between the sessions and between the response sides. Nevertheless, the probability of successful inhibition of the right-hand response in the variable session was higher than that in the less variable session when the stop cue was given 50 ms after a go cue. This finding supports the view that preparatory effort due to less predictability of the chance of a forthcoming response inhibition enhances the ability of the right-hand response inhibition when the stop process begins earlier.

In the present study, we tested a hypothesis that the rhythm generator in humans keeps the rhythm of periodic motor output during brief inactivation of the pattern generator. This investigation was made through testing whether the step rhythm was reset after an interruptive event. A reset of the step rhythm was defined as an observation that the step re-emerges at random timing after an interruptive event regardless of the step rhythm before the interruption. This observation reflects an intermission of rhythm-keeping activity. Healthy participants stepped on a platform that could translate forward or backward. They continued stepping after the platform translation (non-stop session) or stopped briefly after the translation before resuming step with their own timing (stop session). In the non-stop session, the second step after the platform translation appeared at the integer multiple of the pre-existing step period in most participants, indicating that step rhythm was not reset. This finding indicates that postural perturbation does not interfere the rhythm-keeping activity. In the stop session, the step immediately after the intermission of stepping appeared at random time regardless of the step rhythm before the intermission in most participants. The actual side of the first step after the intermission was consistent with the predicted first step side at a 0.5 probability. Those findings indicate that step rhythm is reset after brief intermission of stepping, and contradict with the hypothesis that the activity of the rhythm generator is maintained, while the pattern generator is temporally inactive during a brief intermission of periodic motor output. This analysis could help to determine whether rhythm-keeping activity is inactivated by an interruptive event during periodic motor activity.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether the anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) and focal step movement of gait initiation are produced as a single process or different processes and whether the APA receives an inhibitory drive from the ongoing stop process of gait initiation. Healthy humans initiated gait in response to a first visual cue that instructed the initial swing leg. In some trials, a switch or stop cue was also provided after the first cue. When the stop cue was provided, participants withheld gait initiation. When the switch cue was provided, participants immediately switched the initial swing leg. In both the stop and switch tasks, the APA in response to the first cue, represented by the S1 period of the displacement of the center of pressure, appeared in more than half of the trials in which the withholding of gait initiation or switching of the initial swing leg was successfully completed. These findings indicate that the APA and focal step movement of gait initiation are produced as a dual process. In trials in which the APA in response to the first cue appeared, the amplitude and duration of the APA were decreased when the participants switched the initial swing leg or withheld gait initiation. This finding indicates that the ongoing stop process of gait initiation produces an inhibitory drive over the APA. The decreases in the amplitude and duration of the APA during the switching of the initial swing leg were similar to those during the withholding of gait initiation; moreover, the decreases during the switching of the initial swing leg were positively correlated with the decreases during the withholding of gait initiation. Thus, the stop processes during switching the initial swing leg and withholding gait initiation likely share a common inhibitory mechanism over the APA.

Hydrogen barrier coating is a promising technology for preventing hydrogen embrittlement in metals. In this study, characterizations of hydrogen barrier films coated on surfaces of austenitic stainless steel, SUS304 of the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS), by wet coating processes applied electro-polishing and chemical oxidation method are carried out using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses, and then slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests are performed in 1.1MPa hydrogen and nitrogen gases at room temperature. The hydrogen barrier films show 200–300nm total thickness of compositionally modulated Chromium oxide dense layer. The SSRT results reveal that both the elongation and reduction of area are decreased in hydrogen gas compared with those in nitrogen gas for the non barrier-coated specimens but no significant differences appear for the barrier-coated specimens. The fracture surface of the non barrier-coated specimen shows quasi-cleavagy cracking in hydrogen gas while that of the barrier-coated specimen shows only ductile dimple fracture in hydrogen gas, indicating that the coated films effectively prevent the hydrogen embrittlement of SUS304 stainless steel in hydrogen.

Enantiomerically pure 3-methyl-β-proline was synthesized using an asymmetric phase-transfer-catalyzed alkylation of a cyanopropanoate to establish the all-carbon stereogenic center. The catalytic activity of 3-methyl-β-proline in the Mannich-type reaction between a glyoxylate imine and ketones/aldehydes was subsequently investigated. The catalyst was designed and found to be more soluble in nonpolar organic solvents relative to the unsubstituted β-proline catalyst, and as a result allowed for added flexibility during optimization efforts. This work culminated in the development of a highly anti-diastereo- and enantioselective process employing low catalyst loading.

The present study investigated whether the long-interval interhemispheric inhibition (LIHI) is induced by the transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary sensory area (S1-TMS) without activation of the conditioning side of the primary motor area (M1) contributing to the contralateral motor evoked potential (MEP), whether the S1-TMS-induced LIHI is dependent on the status of the S1 modulated by the tactile input, and whether the pathways mediating the LIHI are different from those mediating the M1-TMS-induced LIHI. In order to give the TMS over the S1 without eliciting the MEP, the intensity of the S1-TMS was adjusted to be the sub-motor-threshold level and the trials with the MEP response elicited by the S1-TMS were discarded online. The LIHI was induced by the S1-TMS given 40 ms before the test TMS in the participants with the attenuation of the tactile perception of the digit stimulation (TPDS) induced by the S1-TMS, indicating that the LIHI is induced by the S1-TMS without activation of the conditioning side of the M1 contributing to the contralateral MEP in the participants in which the pathways mediating the TPDS is sensitive to the S1-TMS. The S1-TMS-induced LIHI was positively correlated with the attenuation of the TPDS induced by the S1-TMS, indicating that the S1-TMS-induced LIHI is dependent on the effect of the S1-TMS on the pathways mediating the TPDS at the S1. In another experiment, the effect of the digit stimulation given before the conditioning TMS on the S1- or M1-TMS-induced LIHI was examined. The digit stimulation produces tactile input to the S1 causing change in the status of the S1. The S1-TMS-induced LIHI was enhanced when the S1-TMS was given in the period in which the tactile afferent volley produced by the digit stimulation just arrived at the S1, while the LIHI induced by above-motor-threshold TMS over the contralateral M1 was not enhanced by the tactile input. Thus, the S1-TMS-induced LIHI is dependent on the status of the S1 modulated by the tactile input, and the pathways mediating the sub-motor-threshold S1-TMS-induced LIHI are not the same as the pathways mediating the above-motor-threshold M1-TMS-induced LIHI.

The modification of the novel G protein-biased EP2 agonist 1 has been investigated to improve its G protein activity and develop a better understanding of its structure-functional selectivity relationship (SFSR). The optimization of the substituents on the phenyl ring of 1, followed by the inversion of the hydroxyl group on the cyclopentane moiety led to compound 9, which showed a 100-fold increase in its G protein activity compared with 1 without any increase in β-arrestin recruitment. Furthermore, SFSR studies revealed that the combination of meta and para substituents on the phenyl moiety was crucial to the functional selectivity.

To identify an orally available drug candidate, a series of 3-benzoylaminophenylacetic acids were synthesized and evaluated as prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) receptor antagonists. Some of the compounds tested were found to exhibit excellent inhibitory activity against cAMP accumulation in human platelet rich plasma (hPRP), which is one of the indexes of DP antagonism. The optimization process including improvement of the physicochemical properties such as solubility, which may result in an improved pharmacokinetic (PK) profile, is presented. Optimized compounds were studied for their pharmacokinetics and in vivo potential. A structure–activity relationship study is also presented. Some of the test compounds were found to have in vivo efficacy towards the inhibition of PGD2-induced and OVA-induced vascular permeability in guinea pig conjunctiva.

A series of 3-(2-aminocarbonylphenyl)propanoic acid analogs possessing the (1R)-1-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-3-methylbutylamine moiety on the carboxyamide side chain were synthesized and evaluated for their binding affinity for the EP1-4 receptors and their antagonist activity for the EP3 receptor. Rational drug design based on the structure of the metabolites in human liver microsomes led us to the discovery of another series of analogs. Several compounds were further evaluated for their in vivo efficacy in rats after oral administration and also for their pharmacokinetic profiles including in vitro stability in the liver microsomes.

Objectives This study aimed to investigate whether the levels of rsGFP mRNA and the fluorescence levels of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-promoter-driven rsGFP (red-shifted green fluorescent protein) could be changed by using anticancer agents and also to examine the effects of co-treatment with anticancer agents and scavengers. Methods The pQBI25 vector, which encodes the CMV promoter and the cDNA for rsGFP, was transfected into FR cells (rat skin fibroblast cell line). FR-pQBI25 cells were then exposed to doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate or paraquat with or without scavengers such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and edaravone for 48 h. Key findings The levels of rsGFP mRNA were found to be significantly higher following doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil and paraquat treatment but were not changed by methotrexate. These levels of rsGFP mRNA were found to be significantly lower after paraquat/edaravone co-treatment compared with paraquat alone. The fluorescence levels of rsGFP were found to be significantly higher following doxorubicin and paraquat treatment but were not changed by 5-fluorouracil and methotrexate. The levels were also found to be significantly lower after paraquat/edaravone co-treatment compared with paraquat alone and also after doxorubicin/NAC co-treatment compared with doxorubicin alone. Conclusions These findings suggest that CMV-promoter-driven exogenous gene expression may be partly regulated by reactive oxygen species.

p-Oleyloxybenzyl (POB) glycoside, selectively removable with TMSOTf, was developed as a protecting group for the glycosyl acceptor. Activation of the trichloroacetimidate was efficiently accomplished using 20 mol% of Cu(OTf) 2 . Purification of the resulting glycoside was rapidly and efficiently accomplished by an ODS adsorption method based on the significant affinity of long alkyl chains and the ODS. The procedure is particularly useful for convergent oligosaccharide synthesis.

We present five cases showing lower cranial nerve palsy. All patients complained of dysphagia due to bilateral IX and X cranial nerve palsy. Serum antibodies to HSV and VZV suggested viral neuropathy. One patient, a 62-year-old man, underwent rehabilitation of swallowing for 1.5 months in order to resume oral intake. Four patients, a 29-year-old woman, 71-year-old woman, 38-year-old-woman and 69-year-old woman, underwent steroid and anti-viral therapy based on the regimen for Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. All patients showed remarkable improvement in oral intake ability. In cases showing acute onset of unilateral cranial nerve palsy, steroid therapy and anti-viral therapy should be considered.

There are many types of medication error,which include those relating to dosage,wrong medication given to patients,administration route,medication strength,falls and patient care.In order to reduce medication errors,we analyzed 1601 errors reported at Tokyo Teishin Hospital over a period of one year.As the most frequent medication errors were made by nurses,we analyzed the medication-related tasks conducted by nurses in all 12 wards of our hospital.Medication-related tasks took up an average of 13.5 hours of their working time,which accounted for 15% of total working hours,and most of these them were conducted in the daytime.As for the major tasks,giving drugs to patients took up 26.7% of the time,instructing patients regarding compliance 20.7% and making arrangements for the administration of drugs to patients 26.6 % (non-injection drugs 16.3%,injections 10.3%).In order to prevent such medication-related errors,from 7 : 30 to 19 : 30,pharmacists performed all medication-related tasks instead of the nurses.We were able to prevent 26 instances of medication-related errors due to physicians in a period of month.These errors primarily concerned the continuation and/or discontinuation of drugs,protocol errors and medication given in error.Our findings suggested that it would be difficult to prevent them by only examining prescriptions in the dispensing room and concluded that errors could be more effectively prevented by having all medication-related tasks in wards performed by pharmacists.

A series of 5β-methylprolyl-2-cyanopyrrolidine analogs were synthesized and evaluated as DPP-IV inhibitors, and the duration of their ex vivo activity was assessed. Comparison of their potency and duration of action was done among three different species. The mode of binding was investigated, and the effect on the plasma glucose level was evaluated. Structure–activity relationships are also presented.

To identify G protein-biased and highly subtype-selective EP2 receptor agonists, a series of bicyclic prostaglandin analogues were designed and synthesized. Structural hybridization of EP2/4 dual agonist 5 and prostacyclin analogue 6, followed by simplification of the ω chain enabled us to discover novel EP2 agonists with a unique prostacyclin-like scaffold. Further optimization of the ω chain was performed to improve EP2 agonist activity and subtype selectivity. Phenoxy derivative 18a showed potent agonist activity and excellent subtype selectivity. Furthermore, a series of compounds were identified as G protein-biased EP2 receptor agonists. These are the first examples of biased ligands of prostanoid receptors.

An orally active dual CysLT1 and CysLT2 antagonist possessing a distinctive structure which consists of triple bond and dicarboxylic acid moieties is described. Gemilukast (ONO-6950) was generated via isomerization of the core indole and the incorporation of a triple bond into a lead compound. Gemilukast exhibited antagonist activities with IC50 values of 1.7 and 25 nM against human CysLT1 and human CysLT2, respectively, and potent efficacy at an oral dose of 0.1 mg/kg given 24 h before LTD4 challenge in a CysLT1-dependent guinea pig asthmatic model. In addition, gemilukast dose-dependently reduced LTC4-induced bronchoconstriction in both CysLT1- and CysLT2-dependent guinea pig asthmatic models, and it reduced antigen-induced constriction of isolated human bronchi. Gemilukast is currently being evaluated in phase II trials for the treatment of asthma.

本研究は，独自に考案した徒手筋力計を用い，多発筋炎8例，皮膚筋炎1例（平均44.8歳，男性3例，女性6例）の頸屈曲，肩関節外転，および下肢伸展挙上筋力の3動作筋力を経時的に測定した。その結果，3動作の総和した筋力は，全例においてクレアチンキナーゼと相関関係を認めた。このことから，3動作の総和筋力は，個人の全身筋力として反映することができ，さらに継時的な測定結果は多発筋炎・皮膚筋炎の病勢を反映するため，急性期のリハビリテーションにおいてその評価と治療効果判定を行う上で有用であることが示唆された。

イネの浮遊葯培養において，カルス誘導時の葯密度（培地1 ml当たりの置床葯数）がカルス形成率におよぼす影響，およびカルスに付着した液体培地の除去が植物体再分化率におよぼす影響を明らかにした．生理的に均質な葯を供試するため，ポットに密植栽培したイネの主稈穂の特定位置の穎花から1核中期～後期の花粉を含む葯を採取した．1区当たり1000葯前後を供試し，カルス誘導（液体培地で35日間），カルス増殖（寒天培地で7日間），植物体再分化（寒天培地で60日間）の三段階培養法で培養した．水稲品種「キタアケ」の葯を，0.9葯/ml ～ 12葯/mlの範囲で5段階の密度で液体培養しカルスを誘導した．カルス形成率は，0.9葯/ml ～ 6葯/mlの範囲では葯密度の低下に伴ない増加したが，6葯/mlと12葯/mlとの間では明らかな傾向が認められなかった．カルス誘導時の葯密度は緑色植物再分化率に影響しなかった．次に，水稲品種「キタアケ」および「きらら397」の葯を供試し，液体培地で誘導したカルスを寒天培地に移植する時に，カルスに付着した液体培地を1 ～ 2秒間濾紙で除去すると，除去しなかった場合（慣行区）に比べて緑色植物再分化率が13 ～ 18%増加した．以上の結果より，イネの浮遊葯培養の効率は，カルス誘導期に3葯/mlあるいはそれ以下の葯密度で培養すること，および液体培地で誘導したカルスを寒天培地に移植するときにカルスに付着した液体培地を濾紙で1 ～ 2秒間除去すること，によって高められる．

イネ浮遊葯培養の優点はカルスを多量に誘導できることであるが，カルスの発生と増加の実態は明らかでない．本研究では液体培地上で誘導されたカルスには，花粉起源のカルスとそれが分割して増えたカルスの2種類があることを示し，それらの時期別の発生数を調べた．水稲品種「キタアケ」の葯を液体培地に置床し，7日ごとに実体顕微鏡の下でカルス数を数えた後，全カルスを液体培地から除去してさらに培養を続けた．このようにして計測されたカルスを，それぞれの計測日の前7日間に形成された花粉起源のカルスとみなした．花粉起源のカルスは培養開始の2週間目に発生し始め，35日目まで毎週連続的に発生した．一方，液体培地にカルス1個を入れて単独培養し，7日目ごとにカルスの増加数を調べたところ，1週間後には1.6倍，2週間後には2.8倍，3週間後には4.8倍に増加した．花粉起源カルスの時期別発生数と分割起源カルスの経時的増加率から，35日目の全カルス数中に占める分割起源カルスの割合を推定すると46.7%であった．浮遊葯培養法を育種技術として利用してゆくためには，分割起源カルスが元のカルスと遺伝的に同じかどうかを確認することが重要である．

本研究ではイネの浮遊葯培養において，パラフィルム不使用が培養効率におよぼす影響を明らかにして培養法の改善に役立てようとした．生理的に均質な葯を供試するため，ポットに密植栽培したイネの主稈穂の特定穎花から1核中期～後期の花粉を含む葯を採取し，1区当たり1000葯前後を培養した．カルス誘導期およびカルス増殖期のシャーレ，植物体再分化期の試験管に対して，それぞれ独立にパラフィルムで封じた区と封じなかった区を設け，両区の培養効率を比べた．カルス誘導期におけるパラフィルム不使用の効果は，パラフィルム不使用のシャーレでも培地のコンタミネーションや蒸発を起こさない二重チャンバー法によって実験した．カルス誘導期の実験では水稲品種「きらら397」，カルス増殖期の実験では水稲品種「キタアケ」，植物体再分化期の実験では水稲品種「キタアケ」および「キタアケ」の葯培養から復元された10系統を供試した．その結果，カルス誘導期のシャーレをパラフィルムで封じないで培養すると封じて培養した場合に比べて，カルス形成率は実数値で212%（比率で1.6倍） ～ 289%（3.8倍）増加したが，パラフィルム不使用区のシャーレで形成されたカルスの緑色植物再分化率はパラフィルム使用区のそれに比べてやや低かった．カルス増殖期のシャーレをパラフィルムで封じないで培養すると，緑色植物再分化率が8%（1.1倍）増加した．さらに植物体再分化期の試験管をパラフィルムで封じないで培養すると，緑色植物再分化率が8%（1.3倍）～9%（1.2倍）増加した．以上の結果より，イネ葯培養効率を簡易に高める手段として，プラスチックシャーレや試験管の蓋をパラフィルムで封じないで培養することを推奨する．

In Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications, broadcast is expected to disseminate information to other vehicles efficiently. However, due to shadowing of buildings, especially in urban areas, the V2V communications at an intersection is unreliable. Thus it is difficult to disseminate information to all directions at an intersection. Moreover, most of existing protocols which consider intersections in urban area need to use digital map, which is costly and hard to update frequently. Also, they depend on periodic beacons to judge whether or not nodes rebroadcast. They require a lot of control overheads, especially in urban areas, which prejudice efficiency and reliability of message delivery. In this paper, an efficient urban broadcast scheme is proposed for V2V communications in urban environment, which does not rely on the digital map and periodic beacon exchanges. Without digital map, we identify intersection by the difference of a theoretical RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value and a measured RSSI value. We decide RAD (Random Assessment Delay) by difference of RSSIs as well as a distance between a sender and a receiver to achieve low end-to-end delay. Also we use angle between vectors and vertical distance to get high reception ratio. Both of them are significant for safety critical services of ITS. Simulation results show that proposal scheme achieves higher reception ratio and shorter delivery time than existing broadcast protocols in different loads and vehicle densities.

A novel 1,3-diene synthetic method from alkyne and ethylene was developed using ruthenium-catalyzed enyne metathesis. The reaction procedure is very simple: A CH 2 Cl 2 solution of alkyne was stirred at room temperature under ethylene gas (1 atm.) in the presence of a catalytic amount of ruthenium benzylidene complex. The yield was good and the conversion yield was high. Dienes having functional groups such as a keto-carbonyl group, silyloxy group, ester, and ketal were synthesized from the corresponding alkynes and ethylene. In this reaction, the alkyne having a hetero atom at the propargylic position gave a good result and ether oxygen or amine nitrogen that coordinate strongly to the ruthenium catalyst prevents the reaction.

A novel Hg(OTf)2-catalyzed glycosylation procedure has developed using alkynoic acid residues as the leaving group under mild reaction conditions and efficient catalytic turnover. The process is particularly useful for the glycosylation of hindered alcohols.

Hg(OTf) 2 ·3TMU showed efficient catalytic activity for the cyclization of (o-alkynoic acid to give co-methylene-co-lactone in excellent yield, and the procedure was efficiently applied for the synthesis of naturally occurring y-methylene-y-lactone. The absolute structure of the natural product was established by this synthesis.

Chiral β-prolines are synthesized and used as organocatalysts in the anti-selective Mannich-type reaction of ketones/aldehydes with ethyl glyoxylate imine.

The bone mineral density（BMD）of the proximal region of femur specimens was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry （DXA）.BMD measurement of proximal femur by DXA was influenced according to the depth of water by way of the body thickness. The BMD of the Ward’s triangle，and then the trochanteric area was significantly lower detected than the femoral neck through the depth of water. Notable error occured at 28 cm or more depth of water. The BMD of the femoral neck was not almost affected by the position of the hip from neutral to internal rotation. The position from neutral to external rotation of the hips is desirable as the limb position for DXA. The BMD of femoral neck is thought to be appropriate for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and detection of a risk factor of femoral neck fracture.

Three distinct mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), composing a tropical cloud cluster, observed on January 18-19, 1993 were investigated. This event was observed by two Doppler radars on Manus Island (2°S, 147°E), Papua New Guinea, during the TOGA-COARE IOP. The cloud cluster was formed within the radar range, and extended to a diameter of about 200 km. The environmental wind was weak, but a strong vertical shear existed at the middle level (3-8 km). The first characteristic MCS moved faster than the environmental wind, and thus is referred to as a fast-moving convective system (FMCS). The orientation of this FMCS was nearly perpendicular to the direction of the dominant vertical shear. Behind the convective cell of the FMCS, an anvil echo extended to upper levels. The front inflow had two branching sub-flows in front of the convective cell with a strong downdraft. The lower level outflow from the downdraft also branched out to southward and northward flows. The branching inflow and outflow were associated with symmetrically-arranged strong convergence regions. These features were similar to a structure produced by the storm splitting, and is recognized as a squall line system with a three-dimensional structure. The second MCS was composed of individual convective cells, moving at a slower speed than the first system. This slow-moving convective system (SMCS) was associated with the south-easterly inflow at lower levels, and extended in a line parallel to the vertical shear direction from north to south. The last system was a stratiform-looking echo system marked by an obvious bright band at the melting level. This system brought more precipitation than the other MCSs. In the echo system, a vortex with a diameter of 20 km was found at the middle layer (4-6 km). In the middle layer, some vertical circulations were also found, and vertical circulations with a maximum velocity of 5 m s -1 were found in the upper layer (> 6 km). These circulations seemed to cause the heavy precipitation.