A negative group delay (NGD) circuit has been employed to equalize a group delay variation in a broadband ultra-wideband (UWB) InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) monolithic microwave ...integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifier. Using the NGD circuit, a part of a salient group delay characteristic in the operation band of broadband amplifiers can be suppressed without an increase of the entire group delay. The MMIC amplifier has a steep group delay increase in the lower frequency region of the full-band UWB band (3.1-10.6 GHz) due to the sum of phase variations near the cutoff frequencies of the HBTs. The NGD circuit has been inserted to reduce this increase of the group delay in the UWB band. By adding a three-cell NGD circuit while considering input and output matching at the input side of the MMIC amplifier, the group delay variation is decreased by 78%. However, gain was also decreased by insertion of the multistage NGD circuit. In an attempt to avoid this decrease in gain, a one-cell NGD circuit was inserted into the feedback loop of the MMIC amplifier, and as a result, we were able to decrease the group delay variation by 79%, with minimal gain deterioration.
Originally found in a Scottish family with diverse mental disorders, the DISC1 protein has been characterized as an intracellular scaffold protein that associates with diverse binding partners in ...neural development. To explore its functions in a genetically tractable system, we expressed the human DISC1 in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). As in mammalian neurons, DISC1 is localized to diverse subcellular domains of developing fly neurons including the nuclei, axons and dendrites. Overexpression of DISC1 impairs associative memory. Experiments with deletion/mutation constructs have revealed the importance of amino-terminal domain (46-290) for memory suppression whereas carboxyl domain (598-854) and the amino-terminal residues (1-45) including the nuclear localization signal (NLS1) are dispensable. DISC1 overexpression also causes suppression of axonal and dendritic branching of mushroom body neurons, which mediate a variety of cognitive functions in the fly brain. Analyses with deletion/mutation constructs reveal that protein domains 598-854 and 349-402 are both required for the suppression of axonal branching, while amino-terminal domains including NLS1 are dispensable. In contrast, NLS1 was required for the suppression of dendritic branching, suggesting a mechanism involving gene expression. Moreover, domain 403-596 is also required for the suppression of dendritic branching. We also show that overexpression of DISC1 suppresses glutamatergic synaptogenesis in developing neuromuscular junctions. Deletion/mutation experiments have revealed the importance of protein domains 403-596 and 349-402 for synaptic suppression, while amino-terminal domains including NLS1 are dispensable. Finally, we show that DISC1 functionally interacts with the fly homolog of Dysbindin (DTNBP1) via direct protein-protein interaction in developing synapses.
To investigate the therapeutic potential of administration of gelatin hydrogel microspheres containing platelet-rich plasma (PRP), by examining its effects on progression of osteoarthritis (OA) in a ...rabbit model.
PRP and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) were prepared from rabbit blood. Adult rabbit chondrocytes were cultured in the alginate beads with the presence of 3% PRP or 3% PPP. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis was quantified using dimethylmethylene blue assay. To confirm the anabolic effect of PRP in vivo, cartilage matrix gene expression was examined after intraarticular administration of PRP contained in gelatin hydrogel microspheres. The PRP contained in gelatin hydrogel microspheres was administered into the rabbit knee joint twice with an interval of 3 weeks, beginning 4 weeks after anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Ten weeks after ACLT, gross morphological and histological examinations were performed.
PRP significantly stimulated chondrocyte GAG synthesis in vitro. In the knee joint, expression of proteoglycan core protein mRNA in the articular cartilage increased after administration of PRP contained in microspheres. Intraarticular injections of PRP in gelatin hydrogel microspheres significantly suppressed progression of OA in the ACLT rabbit model morphologically and histologically.
The present findings indicate that sustained release of growth factors contained in PRP has preventive effects against OA progression. These preventive effects appear to be due to stimulation of cartilage matrix metabolism, caused by the growth factors contained in PRP.
Abstract
This presentation extends the public health theme in relation to Sustainable Development Goal #8, focusing on the health inequality trend in Japan. it is important to understand whether low ...economic growth is compatible with a low level of health inequalities. Unlike the UK and USA, life expectancy in Japan continued to improve despite a stagnant economy.
Ten triennial waves of a nationally representative survey in Japan, 1986-2013 (n = 731,647) were used. Slope and Relative Indices of Inequality (SII and RII respectively) in relation to net household income and self-rated good health were calculated. Analyses were stratified by sex and age, for children, working-age adults, younger old and older old, given age differences in relation to labour market. Time trends of SII and RII were tested during the period of economic stagnation 1992-2013.
In all age groups, prevalence of good health declined slightly from its peak in 1995 but increased after 2007. In 1992 among children, working-age adults and younger old, health inequality based on SII was small, about 10% lower prevalence of good health in those with lowest compared to highest income. Among working-age adults, time trends of health inequalities based on SII narrowed from 1992 and then widened after 2002 (quadratic trends in men and women p < 0.05), resulting in the magnitude of health inequality returning to its level at the beginning of economic stagnation in 1992 but not exceeding it. Time trends in relative inequality (RII) were qualitatively similar to those in absolute inequality (SII).
The long-term low-growth Japanese economy appears compatible with maintaining and improving population health and holding health inequalities at current levels. This evidence is of great significance for sustainable development and the health of current and future generations.
Disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) is one of major susceptibility factors for a wide range of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and autism spectrum ...conditions. DISC1 is located in several subcellular domains, such as the centrosome and the nucleus, and interacts with various proteins, including NudE-like (NUDEL/NDEL1) and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)/CREB2. Nevertheless, a role for DISC1 in vivo remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we have generated a Drosophila model for examining normal functions of DISC1 in living organisms. DISC1 transgenic flies with preferential accumulation of exogenous human DISC1 in the nucleus display disturbance in sleep homeostasis, which has been reportedly associated with CREB signaling/CRE-mediated gene transcription. Thus, in mammalian cells, we characterized nuclear DISC1, and identified a subset of nuclear DISC1 that colocalizes with the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) bodies, a nuclear compartment for gene transcription. Furthermore, we identified three functional cis-elements that regulate the nuclear localization of DISC1. We also report that DISC1 interacts with ATF4/CREB2 and a corepressor N-CoR, modulating CRE-mediated gene transcription.
A lumped element design method considering more than third-order higher harmonic frequencies for a microwave AlGaN/GaN HEMT inverse class-F amplifier has been developed. The load circuit consists of ...a series reactance network having zero impedance at the odd order harmonic frequencies and poles at the even order higher harmonic frequencies as well as a shunt reactance network having zero impedance at the odd order harmonic frequencies. A fabricated AlGaN/GaN HEMT inverse class-F amplifier delivered a power-added efficiency of 76.3% and a drain efficiency of 78.3% at 879 MHz.
No studies have been conducted in Asia to examine predictors for smoking cessation by long-term follow-up of smokers. We sought to examine predictors for smoking cessation in Japanese subjects using ...baseline and 10-year follow-up data of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study (JPHC Study) Cohort I.
We calculated adjusted odds ratios of predictors for smoking cessation with a cohort of 9,524 Japanese men and women aged 40-59 years who were smokers at baseline (1990) and for whom smoking status information at 10-year follow-up (2000) was available.
At follow-up, 24.9% of smokers had stopped smoking. White-collar workers were more likely to cease than blue-collar ones; the multivariate odds ratio (OR) was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.05-1.32). The multivariate OR of smoking cessation for initiation of a prescribed drug and that of disease development was 1.92 (95% CI: 1.72-2.14) and 1.21 (95% CI: 1.08-1.36), respectively. Those smoking more cigarettes and who started smoking at a young age were less likely to stop smoking. Older age, physical activity, and participation in health checkups were associated with smoking cessation. Gender was not a significant predictor after adjustment for other factors.
In a large follow-up study of middle-aged Japanese smokers, the predictors of smoking cessation were age, job, smoking habit, physical activity, health checkup participation, and health status.
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