We found that Notched‐fin eelpout, which lives off the north east coast of Japan, expresses an antifreeze protein (AFP). The liver of this fish contains DNAs that encode at least 13 type III AFP isoforms (denoted nfeAFPs). The primary sequences of the nfeAFP isoforms were categorized into SP‐ and QAE‐sephadex binding groups, and the latter were further divided into two subgroups, QAE1 and QAE2 groups. Ice crystals observed in HPLC‐pure nfeAFP fractions are bipyramidal in shape with different ratios of c and a axes, suggesting that all the isoforms are able to bind ice. We expressed five recombinant isoforms of nfeAFP and analyzed the thermal hysteresis (TH) activity of each as a function of protein concentration. We also examined the change in activity on mixing the isoforms. TH was estimated to be 0.60 °C for the QAE1 isoform, 0.11 °C for QAE2, and almost zero for the SP isoforms when the concentrations of these isoforms was standardized to 1.0 mm. Significantly, the TH activity of the SP isoforms showed concentration dependence in the presence of 0.2 mm QAE1, indicating that the less active SP isoform becomes ‘active’ when a small amount of QAE1 is added. In contrast, it does not become active on the addition of another SP isoform. These results suggest that the SP and QAE isoforms of type III AFP have different levels of TH activity, and they accomplish the antifreeze function in a co‐operative manner.

Background: The incidence of suicide has increased markedly in Japan since 1998. As psychological autopsy is not generally accepted in Japan, surveys of suicide attempts, an established risk factor of suicide, are highly regarded. We have carried out this study to gain insight into the psychiatric aspects of those attempting suicide in Japan.

Langasite-type single crystal Ca3NbGa3Si2O14 (CNGS) was grown by the Czochralski technique. Dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric constants of CNGS were measured by the resonance-antiresonance method. At room temperature, dielectric constants ε11 T/ε0 and ε33 T/ε0 were 17.8 and 27.9, respectively. Electromechanical coupling coefficients k 12, k 25 and k 26 were also determined as 10.9, 17.3 and 11.9%, respectively. The measurements were carried out in a temperature range from -30 to 80°C. Temperature coefficients of the dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric constants were obtained. The line-focus-beam and plane-wave ultrasonic material characterization system was employed for measuring bulk acoustic velocities, and longitudinal and transverse wave velocities of 7408.4 m/s and 3136.2 m/s, respectively, in the c-direction uncoupled with piezoelectricity at 23°C were obtained. This was in good agreement with the results determined by the resonance-antiresonance method. The density of CNGS was 4125 kg/m3. All the parameters of the CNGS crystal for bulk and surface acoustic wave applications were determined in this research.

BackgroundArmed conflicts can have severe adverse effects on population health, both directly and indirectly, through the destruction of health care systems. This paper evaluates the causal effect of the Boko Haram insurgency in northeastern Nigeria on the vaccination rate.MethodsBy matching children’s birth months and the months of armed conflict, we evaluate the effect of armed conflict on the vaccination rate of children. We use two datasets: the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) for vaccinations and the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) Georeferenced Event Dataset (UCDP GED) for armed-conflict events.ResultsWe find a large negative effect of conflict events on the likelihood of vaccination; if an armed conflict occurs within 10 km from where a child resides, the odds that child receives any vaccination are 47.2% lower. Odds ratio for BCG and DPT1 is 0.55 and 0.52 respectively. We also find that armed conflicts have more impact among the non-educated population than among the educated.ConclusionOverall, armed conflicts had a devastating effect on the vaccination of young children who were born at the time of these conflicts in northeastern Nigeria. A reduced vaccination rate puts the vulnerable population in affected areas at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases.

Aims: Suicide is a leading cause of death among Japanese college and university students. Gatekeepertraining programs have been shown to improve detection and referral of individuals who are at risk of suicide by training non-mental-health professional persons. However, no studies have investigated the effectiveness of such programs in university settings in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the gatekeeper-training program for administrative staff in Japanese universities. Methods:We developed a 2.5-h gatekeeper-training program based on the Mental Health First Aid program, which was originally developed for the general public. Seventy-six administrative staff at Hokkaido University participated in the program. Competence and confidence in managing suicide intervention, behavioral intention as a gatekeeper and attitude while handling suicidal students were measured by a self-reported questionnaire before, immediately after and a month after the program. Results:We found a significant improvement in competence in the management of suicidal students. We also found improvements in confidence in management of suicidal students and behavioral intention as a gatekeeper after training, though questionnaires for those secondary outcomes were not validated. These improvements continued for a month. About 95% of the participants rated the program as useful or very useful and one-third of the participants had one or more chances to utilize their skills within a month. Conclusions:The current results suggest the positive effects of the training program in university settings in Japan. Future evaluation that includes comparison with standard didactic trainings and an assessment of long-term effectiveness are warranted.