Search

Purpose To evaluate the progression of early age-related macular degeneration to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), and identify the abnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns and markers of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in fellow eyes of patients with unilateral nAMD. Methods Sixty-six patients with unilateral nAMD who developed abnormal FAF in the fellow eyes were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective, observational study, and followed-up for 5 years. FAF images on Heidelberg Retina Angiogram Digital Angiography System (HRA) or HRA2 were classified into eight patterns based on the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group system. The patients in which the fellow eyes progressed to advanced nAMD, including those who did not develop nAMD, were assessed based on the following factors: baseline FAF patterns, age, sex, visual acuity, drusen, retinal pigmentation, baseline retinal sensitivity, family history, smoking, supplement intake, hypertension, body mass index, and hematological parameters. Results Of the 66 patients, 20 dropped out of the study. Of the remaining 46 patients, 14 (30.42%, male: 9, female: 5) progressed to nAMD during the 5-year follow-up. The most common (50% eyes) FAF pattern in the fellow eyes was the patchy pattern. According to the univariate analysis, CNV development was significantly associated with age, supplement intake, and low-density lipoprotein levels (p Conclusion The fellow eyes (with abnormal FAF) of patients with unilateral nAMD may progress from early to advanced nAMD. However, no FAF pattern was found that predicted progression in nAMD.

Cervical cancer is the fourth-most prevalent malignancy in women. For advanced cervical cancer, radiotherapy is a major treatment. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate the target gene expression posttranscriptionally. miR-22 is frequently downregulated in various cancers including cervical cancer, and is associated with a poor prognosis in cervical cancer. Exosomes are small endosomally secreted vesicles that carry components such as proteins, messenger RNA (mRNA), DNA and miRNA. We investigated whether or not exosomes can efficiently deliver miR-22 to recipient cervical cancer cells and affect the gene expression in the cells, as well as assessed the role of exosomal miR-22 in radiosensitivity. Exosomes containing high levels of miR-22 were extracted by ultracentrifugation and then characterized by Western blotting, a nanoparticle tracking analysis and electron microscopy. The high presence of miR-22 in the exosome was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. After the administration of the collected exosomal miR-22 to SKG-II and C4-I cervical cancer cells, the level of miR-22 in the cells was significantly increased, indicating the absorption of the exosomal miR-22. When miR-22 encapsulated in exosomes was administered to the SKG-II cells, the level of c-Myc binding protein (MYCBP) and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) was significantly decreased in correlation with increased radiosensitivity determined by a clonogenic assay. Taken together, these results suggest that the administration of exosomal miR-22 may be a novel drug delivery system for cervical cancer radiotherapy.

Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated to play a vital role in development, differentiation, cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, which miRNAs are actually associated with endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer remains controversial. Methods Serum and ascites samples were obtained from all patients. Serum samples from 5 cases of ovarian endometrioma and endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer each were submitted for comprehensive miRNA microarray profiling. We investigated the differential expression of miRNAs between the two groups to confirm the pivotal role of miRNAs. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction validation of five selected miRNAs [miR-92a-3p, miR-486-5p, miR-4484, miR-6821-5p, and miR-7108-5p] was performed, and miR-486-5p expression analysis was followed by proliferation and wound healing assays, depending on the expression of miR-486-5p. Result miR-486-5p expression in serum and ascites samples from endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer patients was significantly higher than that from ovarian endometrioma patients. Moreover, the miR-486-5p level in serum and ascites samples was significantly correlated with the severity of the endometriosis. The upregulation of miR-486-5p in immortalized ovarian endometrioma cells significantly increased proliferation and migration. In contrast, the downregulation of miR-486-5p in these cells significantly decreased proliferation and migration. Conclusion miR-486-5p might function as an oncogenic miRNA in endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer and could be a noninvasive biomarker to prospect the severity of ovarian endometrioma.

Objectives Clostridium perfringens is a common anaerobic pathogen causing enteritis/enterocolitis and wound infections in humans. We analyzed clonal diversity and toxin gene prevalence in C. perfringens clinical isolates from humans in northern Japan. Methods Prevalence of nine toxin genes was analyzed for 585 C. perfringens isolates from patients collected for 20-month period between May 2019 and December 2020 by molecular methods. Sequence type (ST) based on multilocus sequence typing (Xiao's scheme) and alpha-toxin (PLC) sequence type were determined for a total of 124 isolates selected in the present study along with those in our previous study (2017–2018). Results Toxinotypes A (68.2%) was the most frequent, followed by F (31.6%), and G (0.2%), while additional toxin genes encoding binary enterotoxin (BEC/CPILE) and beta2 toxin were identified in one and six isolates, respectively. Among the 124 isolates with various toxin gene profiles, 62 STs including 53 novel types were identified, revealing the presence of six clonal complexes (CCs) consisting of 27 STs. Most of enterotoxin gene (cpe)-positive isolates belonged to CC36, CC41, and CC117. Based on 22 key amino acids in alpha toxin sequence, four PLC types (I-IV) including 21 subtypes were classified, and their relation to individual STs/CCs was clarified. Two isolates harboring bec/cpile belonged to different STs (ST95, ST131) and PLC types (If, IVb), indicating distribution of this toxin gene to distinct lineages. Conclusions The present study revealed the diversity in C. perfringens clones of human origin with various toxin gene profiles represented by ST/CC and PLC type.

The pyrolytic reactive granulation process, yielding ceramic spherical porous granules, is simple, consisting of typical ceramic processing methods, viz. , wet-ball milling of powders, vacuum drying, granulation via sieving through a screen mesh, and one-step heat treatment for local reactive sintering within each granule. Here, the microstructural development of spherical porous granules was successfully visualized by in situ high-temperature confocal laser-scanning microscopy during the heating up to 1400 °C in air. Based on the result of the in situ observation, a simple but powerful size-controlling process of spherical porous granules, viz. , multiscreen sieving after the heating was demonstrated. Nearly monodispersed spherical porous granules composed of pseudobrookite-type MgFeNbO 5 were easily obtained.

Aim To investigate which risk factors contribute to a lower oocyte retrieval ratio in women who are receiving controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Methods The authors retrospectively analyzed 329 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles under controlled ovarian hyperstimulation by using a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone antagonist or agonist at Osaka Medical College, Japan. The patients were classified into five groups: advanced age, male infertility, severe endometriosis, tubal infertility, and unexplained infertility. The primary outcomes were the patients’ age, oocyte retrieval ratio, serum basal follicle‐stimulating hormone, total dose of gonadotropin, and the clinical outcome. A secondary outcome was the stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the factors associated with the failure of oocyte retrieval. Results The oocyte retrieval ratio declined significantly with the patient's age. The ratio of endometriosis in unsuccessful cases was significantly higher than that in successful cycles. Advanced age and endometriosis were the factors that were significantly associated with a lowered oocyte retrieval rate. Conclusion Advanced age and endometriosis are high‐risk factors that contribute to oocyte retrieval failure in infertile patients who are receiving IVF treatment.

Ion transfer voltammetry with the polarized 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE)|water (W) interface was carried out to determine the standard ion-transfer potential (∆OWϕ∘) and the distribution coefficient (logKD) for amine drugs, including desipramine, imipramine, labetalol, etc. The values of ∆OWϕ∘ and logKD are the hydrophobicity scales for the ionized and neutral forms of a drug, respectively, and were found to show a good mutual correlation. However, these hydrophobicity scales did not show a good correlation to the 1-octanol–water partition coefficient (logPoct) being conventionally used. In contrast, the permeability coefficient (logPpampa) in the parallel artificial membrane permeation assay showed a clear and characteristic dependence on ∆OWϕ∘ (or logKD). These results suggested that the solvation environment in DCE should be more similar to that in the hydrocarbon region of lipid bilayers than in 1-octanol. Thus, it was shown that ∆OWϕ∘, which can be easily determined by ion-transfer voltammetry, is a promising scale for predicting drug permeability through lipid membranes.

MicroRNAs (miRs) influence the expression of their target genes post-transcriptionally and serve an important role in multiple cellular processes. The downregulation of miR-22 is associated with a poor prognosis in cervical cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying miR-22-mediated gene regulation and its function are yet to be elucidated. In the present study, the effect of miR-22 expression on the radiosensitivity of cervical cancer was investigated. First, miR-22 was either up- or downregulated to evaluate the regulation of the MYC-binding protein (MYCBP) in four cervical cancer cell lines (C-4I, SKG-II and SiHa). Notably, MYCBP expression was inversely associated with miR-22 induction. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that miR-22 directly targets the MYCBP 3'-untranslated region. Subsequently, the level of human telomerase reverse transcriptase component (hTERT; an E-box-containing c-Myc target gene) was analyzed after the up- or downregulation of miR-22. Notably, miR-22-mediated repression of MYCBP reduced hTERT expression. In addition, the influence of miR-22 on radiosensitivity in C-4I, SKG-II and SiHa cells was examined using a clonogenic assay and in mouse xenograft models. Upregulation of miR-22 was associated with increased radiosensitivity. Furthermore, lentiviral transduction of miR-22 reduced the Ki-67 index while increasing the TUNEL index in xenograft tissue. The current findings indicate the potential utility of miR-22 in radiotherapy for cervical cancer.

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is responsible for food-borne gastroenteritis and other infectious diseases, and toxins produced by this bacterium play a key role in pathogenesis. Although various toxins have been described for C. perfringens isolates from humans and animals, prevalence of individual toxins among clinical isolates has not yet been well explored. In the present study, a total of 798 C. perfringens clinical isolates were investigated for prevalence of eight toxin genes and their genetic diversity by PCR, nucleotide sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Besides the alpha-toxin gene (plc) present in all the isolates, the most common toxin gene was cpe (enterotoxin) (34.2%), followed by cpb2 (beta2 toxin) (1.4%), netB (NetB) (0.3%), and bec/cpile (binary enterotoxin BEC/CPILE) (0.1%), while beta-, epsilon-, and iota-toxin genes were not detected. Genetic analysis of toxin genes indicated a high level of conservation of plc, cpe, and netB. In contrast, cpb2 was revealed to be considerably divergent, containing at least two lineages. Alpha-toxin among 46 isolates was classified into ten sequence types, among which common types were distinct from those reported for avian isolates. A single isolate with bec/cpile harbored a plc variant containing an insertion of 834-bp sequence, suggesting its putative origin from chickens.

A digital simulation method has been developed for evaluating the membrane permeability of drugs in the parallel artificial membrane permeation assay (PAMPA). The simulation results have shown that the permeability coefficient (log Ppampa) of drugs is linearly increased with increasing their distribution coefficient (log KD,M) to the lipid membrane, i.e., the hydrophobicity of the drug molecules. However, log Ppampa shows signs of leveling off for highly hydrophobic drugs. Such a dependence of log Ppampa is in harmony with the reported experimental data, and has been well explained in terms of the change in the rate-determining step from the diffusion in the membrane to that in the unstirred water layer (UWL) on both sides of the membrane. Additionally, the effects of several factors, including lag time, diffusion coefficient, pH, and pKa, on the permeability coefficient have been well simulated. It has thus been suggested that the proposed method should be promising for in silico evaluation of the membrane permeability of drugs.

The autotransporter protein antigen 43 from Escherichia coli was recombinantly expressed in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, under the regulation of the green light-inducible promoter P cpcG2 . Antigen 43 expression was induced in response to green light, resulting in the constant accumulation of the protein for at least four days. The complete post-translational processing of the antigen 43 protein was confirmed by Western blot analysis. The resulting antigen 43 α chain was essentially all displayed on the cell surface, as confirmed by proteinase K treatment. Although microbial cell-surface-display technology has a wide range of biotechnological applications, this is the first report of an efficient method for the display of recombinant proteins in cyanobacteria.

Synthetic bilayers of double-chained surfactants were successfully constructed by using polyoxomolybdates as inorganic–organic hybrid crystals. Dialkyldimethylammonium ([(CnH2n+1)2N(CH3)2]+, (Cn)2; n = 10, 12, 14, 16) cations were employed to hybridize with octamoybdate ([Mo8O26]4–, Mo8) anion. The obtained crystals were homologues which possessed distinct layered structures composed from alternate stacking of Mo8 monolayers and (Cn)2 bilayers. The layered distances were controllable with an increase in the alkyl chain length of the (Cn)2 cation. Each alkyl chain of (Cn)2 was interdigitated to result in rather unique conformations for the (Cn)2 cations packed in the solid states. Inside the inorganic monolayers, the Mo8 anions were associated with sodium ions to form two-dimensional network, which could be promising for sodium-ion conductive materials.

Purpose To assess the 5-year change in abnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns and retinal sensitivity in the fellow eye of Japanese patients with unilateral exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Patients with unilateral exudative AMD who developed abnormal FAF in the fellow eyes were enrolled. FAF imaging and microperimetry were performed at baseline and follow-ups. FAF findings were classified into 8 patterns based on the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group to assess retinal sensitivity. Forty-five points covering the central 12 degrees on microperimetry were superimposed onto the FAF images. Each point was classified depending on the distance from the abnormal FAF. “Close” was defined as the portion within 1 degree from the border of any abnormal FAF, and “Distant” was defined as the portion over 1 degree from the border of abnormal FAF. To investigate the association between the retinal sensitivity and distance from the abnormal FAF, hierarchical linear mixed-effect models were used with the distance, time and time squared from baseline (months), and angle (degrees) as fixed effects. Differences among patients, eyes, and test point locations were considered successively nested random effects. Results We studied 66 fellow eyes with abnormal FAF. Twenty-seven eyes were followed-up during the 5 years. In the 13 of 27 eyes (48%), the abnormal FAF patterns had changed during the 5 years. We found retinal sensitivity was associated significantly with the distance from the abnormal FAF (“Distant”: p

PurposeAbnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) potentially precedes onset of late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Caucasian patients. Many differences exist between Asian and Caucasian patients regarding AMD types and severity, gender, and genetic backgrounds. We investigated the characteristics of abnormal FAF and retinal sensitivity in the fellow eyes of Japanese patients with unilateral neovascular AMD.MethodsSixty-six patients with unilateral neovascular AMD and abnormal FAF in the fellow eye were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective, observational study. The best-corrected visual acuity, fundus photographs, FAF images, and retinal sensitivity on microperimetry were measured periodically for 12 months. The FAF images were classified into eight patterns based on the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group. The points measured by microperimetry were superimposed onto the FAF images and fundus photographs and classified as "within," "close," and "distant," based on the distance from the abnormal FAF and other findings. The relationship between the location of the baseline abnormal FAF and retinal sensitivity was investigated.ResultsIn Japanese patients, patchy (33.3%) and focally increased (30.3%) patterns predominated in the abnormal FAF. Intermediate-to-large drusen was associated predominantly with hyperfluorescence and hypofluorescence. Neovascular AMD developed within 1 year in six (9.1%) eyes, the mean baseline retinal sensitivity of which was 12.8 ± 4.7 dB, significantly (pConclusionIn Japanese patients, patchy and focally increased patterns predominated in the abnormal FAF. The retinal sensitivity was lower close to/within the abnormal FAF. FAF and microperimetry are useful to assess macular function before development of neovascular AMD or geographic atrophy.

Summary Dendritic spines are the major loci of synaptic plasticity and are considered as possible structural correlates of memory. Nonetheless, systematic manipulation of specific subsets of spines in the cortex has been unattainable, and thus, the link between spines and memory has been correlational. We developed a novel synaptic optoprobe, AS-PaRac1 (activated synapse targeting photoactivatable Rac1), which can label recently potentiated spines specifically, and induce the selective shrinkage of AS-PaRac1-containing spines. In vivo imaging of AS-PaRac1 revealed that a motor learning induced substantial synaptic remodelling in a small subset of neurons. The acquired motor learning was disrupted by the optical shrinkage of the potentiated spines, whereas it was not affected by the identical manipulation of spines evoked by a distinct motor task in the same cortical region. Taken together, our results demonstrate that a newly acquired motor skill depends on the formation of a task-specific dense synaptic ensemble.

Continuous parafunctional masseter muscle activities (MMA) that are associated with daytime bruxism have been suspected to be one of the main pathoetiology for orofacial pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term stability and reliability of daytime EMG measurement of MMA using a portable device (Actiwave; CamNtech Ltd). Daytime masseter muscle EMG of five subjects were recorded for four days in their normal living environment. There was no significant time dependent effect on EMG amplitude during recording period. A total of 4923 MMA events were detected in all analysis periods (129.4h) and classified into phasic type (1209 events, 24.6%), tonic type (1759 events, 37.0%), and mixed type (1377 events, 28.0%). There was no significant difference in the number of occurrence among three MMA types. With respect to the duration and peak MMA, there were significant differences among three MMA types. The result of this study indicated that Actiwave can be used to measure MMA events during daytime with high stability and reliability under the normal living environment and it was suspected that parafunctional habits may be associated with the occurrence patterns of MMA during daytime.

Purpose Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth anomaly in Japan, occurring in approximately 10.6 of every 1,000 live births. Advancements in medical and surgical care have increased births by women diagnosed with CHD. The study's purpose was to examine the perceptions of pregnancy and childbirth among adolescent girls with CHD. Design and Methods Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed using a modified grounded-theory approach. Results Three categories and 16 subcategories were extracted. Adolescent girls with CHD reported feelings of distress and anxiety while struggling with their disease, and feared how their disease might negatively influence their future pregnancy. These concerns were related to a desire to become familiar with CHD. The girls also explored how their disease would be managed during pregnancy and childbirth. Overall, these perceptions were influenced by the girls' acceptance of their disease, and support from family, friends, and healthcare professionals. Conclusions Healthcare professionals might assess adolescent girls' awareness of their disease before discussing pregnancy and childbirth risks. To encourage them to understand and cope with their disease, healthcare professionals might provide interventions tailored to the timing, stage, and degree of pregnancy and childbirth awareness. This could allow safer life planning, especially concerning pregnancy and childbirth decisions. Practice Implications To address adolescent girls' needs, healthcare professionals should continuously assess their awareness of pregnancy and childbirth as well as their psychological status, alongside CHD issues.

In many countries, the size of a law firm is closely related to the specializations and incomes of the lawyers it employs, and can be considered an index for disparities among lawyers. Gender and school prestige may affect the size of the first firm that lawyers join. Moreover, since the lawyer population has quadrupled over the last 20 years in Japan, mainly due to judicial reform, I hypothesize that this population increase has changed how gender and school prestige affect the size of the first firm law school graduates decide to join. To test this, I conducted a secondary statistical analysis on the effect of gender and school prestige on the size of the first firm that lawyers joined, using survey data collected by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations in 2010. Findings suggest that there were no significant differences in the size of women’s and men’s first employer, but that school prestige was significant. Moreover, the importance of school prestige has increased over the years.

In order to construct a green-light-regulated gene expression system for cyanobacteria, we characterized a green-light sensing system derived from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, consisting of the green-light sensing histidine kinase CcaS, the cognate response regulator CcaR, and the promoter of cpcG2 (PcpcG 2 ). CcaS and CcaR act as a genetic controller and activate gene expression from PcpcG 2 with green-light illumination. The green-light induction level of the native PcpcG 2 was investigated using GFPuv as a reporter gene inserted in a broad-host-range vector. A clear induction of protein expression from native PcpcG 2 under green-light illumination was observed; however, the expression level was very low compared with Ptrc , which was reported to act as a constitutive promoter in cyanobacteria. Therefore, a Shine-Dalgarno-like sequence derived from the cpcB gene was inserted in the 5' untranslated region of the cpcG2 gene, and the expression level of CcaR was increased. Thus, constructed engineered green-light sensing system resulted in about 40-fold higher protein expression than with the wild-type promoter with a high ON/OFF ratio under green-light illumination. The engineered green-light gene expression system would be a useful genetic tool for controlling gene expression in the emergent cyanobacterial bioprocesses.

A serine protease with caspase- and legumain-like activities from basidiocarps of the edible basidiomycete Flammulina velutipes was characterized. The protease was purified to near homogeneity by three steps of chromatography using acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Ac-YVAD-MCA) as a substrate. The enzyme was termed FvSerP (F. velutipes serine protease). This enzyme activity was completely inhibited by the caspase-specific inhibitor, Ac-YVAD-CHO, as well as moderately inhibited by serine protease inhibitors. Based on the N-terminal sequence, the cDNA of FvSerP was identified. The deduced protease sequence was a peptide composed of 325 amino acids with a molecular mass of 34.5 kDa. The amino acid sequence of FvSerP showed similarity to neither caspases nor to the plant subtilisin-like serine protease with caspase-like activity called saspase. FvSerP shared identity to the functionally unknown genes from class of Agaricomycetes, with similarity to the peptidase S41 domain of a serine protease. It was thus concluded that this enzyme is likely a novel serine protease with caspase- and legumain-like activities belonging to the peptidase S41 family and distributed in the class Agaricomycetes. This enzyme possibly functions in autolysis, a type of programmed cell death that occurs in the later stages of development of basidiocarps with reference to their enzymatic functions.

Japan is one of the most severely sex segregated societies of the advanced industrialized countries, where the household division of labor is extremely unevenly distributed between the sexes. Why do Japanese women accept such an unfair household division of labor? Building on Nakamura and Akiyoshi ([Plos One. 10(7): e0132608, 2015]. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0132608), the authors use micro data to analyze perceptions of fairness among Japanese married women. Nakamura and Akiyoshi’s analysis demonstrates that knowing other people’s share of household chores (HHCs) strongly affects women’s sense of fairness, and subsequently even affects their sense of happiness, after taking into account their attitudes toward gender roles and other characteristics.

Humans have physiological, intellectual, and cultural capabilities to maintain viable body temperatures under several conditions. We do exercise in daily living for labor, health, and just fun. However, exercise is one of the strong factors disturbing the maintenance of body temperature. Some conditions, such as heavy exercise in thermal extremes, could rapidly lead to dangerous internal temperatures. Body temperature constancy is achieved by two major processes: i) behavioral processes of maintaining or searching for a preferable environment and ii) autonomic processes, e.g. vasodilation of the skin, sweating and shivering. The thermal load posed by the environment or by heavy exercise may be too great for the capacity of the regulators. Or, the regulator could be deranged due to extreme temperatures. Accidents during exercise often involve a compromise of many aspects of thermal balance; and an altered body temperature is very likely. In the present review, recent knowledge is looked at about the thermoregulation system, focusing on its defense mechanisms against the thermal load due to exercise and pathophysiological reasons for incidences of abnormal body temperature during exercise.

The protease activities in six edible mushrooms were surveyed using synthetic fluorogenic substrates that have different specificities for each protease group. The activity was determined by measuring the fluorogenic intensity of the 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (AMC) liberated by an enzyme. Various types of activities were found in all mushrooms, and their activities depended largely on the mushroom species, but also on the pH and localization. Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus eryngii had the widest and highest proteolytic activities among the six mushrooms examined. The proteasome-like protease activities were generally much higher than those of other proteases. High caspase activities, which occur during apoptosis in cells, were detected in two mushrooms, F. velutipes and Hypsizigus marmoreus. The pH optima of the proteolytic activities were largely divided into two groups, acidic pH 5–6 for caspases and neutral to alkaline (pH 6.5–11) for the others. In F. velutipes, higher proteolytic activity was observed in the basement of the stem than in the cap and stem. Purification and characterization of protease were also carried out to identify a protease from Grifola frondosa using t-butyloxycarbonyl-Leu-Arg-Arg-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Boc-LRR-MCA) as the substrate.

Samples of red sea bream (Pagrus major), a white-meat fish, were grilled under an infrared heater, and the temperature and color of the sample surface was measured. For the change in color, brightness component L* and two chromatic components a*(from green to red) and b*(from blue to yellow) were measured. As the browning reaction proceeded, L* decreased monotonously and a* and b* varied in a complex way; however, a* and b* were correlated with L*. The browning reaction was treated as a first-order reaction and it was assumed that L* decreased in proportion to the reactive product. The reaction rate constant of the diminution rate of L* was determined to be in agreement with the values obtained from the experiment in which sample temperatures were maintained at a certain level. The estimated values of L*, a*, and b* were in good agreement with experimental values.

BACKGROUND High levels of physical activity improve the prognosis and quality of life (QOL) for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The aims of this study were to measure physical activity using a pedometer and to explain the relationship between physical activity and clinical outcomes in HD patients. METHODS The study population comprised 38 patients (17 men and 21 women; mean age: 56.1 years; range, 41–69 years) who underwent HD 3 days/week. Physical activity was measured with a pedometer. The relationships between the clinical data and levels of physical activity were examined. RESULTS The mean number of steps taken per day for 1 week was 4,157.4 ± 2,068.1, and the mean value for all-consumption calories per day for 1 week was 1,623.0 ± 240.5 kcal. The mean daily value for all-consumption calories showed positive correlations with basal metabolic calorie and serum creatinine levels, as well as the Physical Functioning score in the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form instrument (KDQOL-SF), whereas it showed negative correlations with the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the cardiothoracic ratio. The mean calorie consumption by action, subtracting basic metabolism calories from all-consumption calories, also showed positive correlations with the number of steps and the Physical Functioning score in the KDQOL-SF, while it showed negative correlations with the total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS The parameter of all-consumption calories per day, measured with a pedometer, is useful for evaluating the levels of physical activity of HD patients and for formulating exercise recommendations.

本稿の目的は、幼児期の子どもをもつ親の役割意識に関する意識を明らかにすることにある。近年、男女共同参画の視点から、また、子どもの発達や育児を通しての父親自身の発達への効果から、育児の担い手としての父親の役割が期待されている。しかし、実際には父親が育児に充てる時間が少ないのが現状である。育児の当事者である若い父母は、育児をどのように捉え、仕事と育児のバランスをどのように取り、育児と向き合っているだろうか。 2007年に福岡市および熊本市の幼稚園・保育所にて実施した調査から次のことが明らかとなった。 （1）育児行為の内容として、父母ともに基本的生活習慣の確立、社会的ルールの教授、情操を育むといった内容を挙げていたが、父親・母親の間で違いが見られ、母親が一次的な世話や基本的生活習慣の自立に向けた育成を育児行為として考えているのに対して、父親では、社会性を身につけるための働きかけや、子どもの養育に必要な経済的基盤を整えることを育児行為と考えていた。また、育児の期間を母親の方がより長く捉える傾向がみられた。 （2）父親・母親ともに過半数以上が父親と母親の役割は違うと考えていた。また、仕事と育児のバランスについては、「父親は仕事と育児に等しく関わるべき」であり、「母親は育児を優先すべき」と考えているものが多かった。 （3）父親の抱く仕事と育児のバランス意識によって育児行為の内容や育児に付与する意味付け、子どもに対する感情に違いがみられたが、子どもとの接触時間について有意差はみられない。 これらの分析から次の2つの点が指摘できる。第1に、多くの父親が厳しい労働環境の中にあるが、意識の上で育児に関わろうとする思いが高まれば、親役割を果たせない負い目や不足感、不安感を感じることが母親の育児不安と違った形で強まる可能性がある。第2に、父母間で育児行為の内容が異なっており、「父親の育児」や育児の分担に関する議論を行う場合、育児の具体像を明確化していく必要がある。

OBJECTIVE: To study any possible relation between hyponatremia following brain injury and the presence of cerebral salt-wasting syndrome (CSWS) or the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), and if vasopressin, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and aldosterone have a role in its mechanism. METHOD: Patients with brain injury admitted to the intensive care unit were included and had their BNP, aldosterone and vasopressin levels dosed on day 7. RESULTS: Twenty six adult patients were included in the study. Nine (34.6%) had hyponatremia and presented with a negative water balance and higher values of urinary sodium, serum potassium and diuresis than patients with normonatremia. The serum levels of BNP, aldosterone, and vasopressin were normal and no relation was observed between plasma sodium and BNP, aldosterone or vasopressin. CONCLUSION: The most likely cause of hyponatremia was CSWS and there was no correlation between BNP, aldosterone and vasopressin with serum sodium level.OBJETIVO: Estudar a possível relação entre a hiponatremia seguindo traumatismo cranioencefálico e a presença da síndrome cerebral perdedora de sal (SCPS) ou a síndrome da secreção inapropriada do hormônio antidiurético (SSIHAD), e se a vasopressina, peptídeo natriurético cerebral (BNP) e aldosterona têm um papel nesse mecanismo. MÉTODO: Foram incluídos pacientes com traumatismo cranioencefálico admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva e foram dosados no sétimo dia seguindo o trauma, BNP, aldosterona e vasopressina. RESULTADOS: Vinte e seis pacientes foram incluídos no estudo. Nove (34,6%) tiveram hiponatremia e apresentaram um balanço hídrico mais negativo e altos valores de sódio urinário, potássio sérico e diurese quando comparados com o grupo que apresentou normonatremia. Os níveis séricos de BNP, aldosterona e vasopressina foram normais e não foi observada relação entre o sódio sérico e BNP, aldosterona e vasopressina. CONCLUSÃO: A causa mais provável da hiponatremia foi a SCPS e não houve correlação entre BNP, aldosterona e vasopressina com o nível sérico de sódio.

A semi-micro column HPLC-fluorescence method for routine determination of thiol derivatives such as homocysteine (Hcy), cysteine (Cys) and cysteamine (CA) is described. The thiol derivatives labeled with ammonium-7-fluorobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole-4-sulfonate (SBD-F) were isocratically separated within 12 min on a semi-micro ODS column (Daisopak-SP-120-5-ODS-BP) with a mixture of 25 mm acetate buffer (pH 2.00) and CH3CN as a mobile phase. The purity and similarity of SBD-thiols by a multi-wavelength fluorescence detector were more than 92.3 and 96.7%. The detection limits of Hcy, Cys and CA at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 were 0.16, 0.47 and 0.03 µm, respectively. Furthermore validation parameters such as accuracy, precision and robustness of the proposed method showed satisfactory results. Almost 850 plasma sample injections (range 572–1076, n = 3) for a column could be performed without differences in retention time and peak heights of labels. As an application of the proposed method, the determination of thiol derivatives in normal human plasma (n = 103) was demonstrated. The correlation coefficients between Hcy vs Cys and Hcy vs CA were 0.38 and −0.35, respectively. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

本稿は、教師・保育者といった教育者のもつ子ども観を明らかにすることを目的とする。子ども観とは、人々が「子ども」に対して付与するイメージや価値観をさす。今日、子どもをめぐる様々な事件についての報道がマスコミを賑わせているが、その根幹にあるのは、「子どもがわからない」という子ども観の揺らぎである。この子ども観の揺らぎは、「子どもに対する接し方がわからない」という子どもに対する行動の揺らぎにも関連していく。 本稿では、特に、教師・保育者の子ども観に着目する。教師・保育者は子どもに関する専門的知識を持っているという点で、一般の大人とは決定的に異なる。この専門的知識を持っているということが、子ども観の変容にどのような影響を持つのだろうか。近年、親に対しての子育てに関する教育の実施について議論がなされているが、親に子どもに関する専門知を修得させること、つまり、子どもに関する専門知識を持っているということが、その価値観と行動にどのような影響を与えるかをみる上でも、本稿は一定の意義を持つといえるだろう。 2003年に福岡県で実施した調査から、①教師・保育者の方が子どもに対して肯定的な捉え方をしていること、②教師・保育者では、地域においても、子どもへの働きかけが積極的であり、子どもの育成団体活動あるいは子ども行事への参加が高いことがわかった。このことから、子育ての当事者である親に対する教育のみならず、子育て世代を取り巻く人々にも、子どもに関して学ぶ機会を与えることは、子どもに対する見方を形成し、子どもとの相互作用に変化をもたらし、ひいては子どもの行動・発達につながっていく可能性が指摘できる。

Why do many Japanese women choose female-dominated occupations, even though it is generally believed that they lead to dead-end careers? In this article, I posit that under the conditions of existing discrimination by employers and structural barriers, many Japanese women are investing in this "feminine path" (non-career clerical or assistant roles in large companies) which endows women (or so they believe) with certain advantages in acquiring status through marriage ("attainment of marital status"). I call this "feminine capital", and it is one reason why women choose these paths. 1 I argue that these feminine paths can benefit them in attaining marital status more than gender-neutral occupations, es- pecially when women are not capable of pursuing highly selective gender-neutral occupations. 2 Feminine occupations are considered to have benefits when com- pared to gender-neutral occupations, mainly because they have advantages in cul- tural capital and social capital.

We investigated the effects of alcohol on thermoregulatory responses and thermal sensations during mild heat exposure in humans. Eight healthy men participated in this study. Experiments were conducted twice for each subject at a room temperature of 33 degrees C. After a 30-min resting period, the subject drank either 15% alcohol (alcohol session) at a dose of 0.36 g/kg body weight or equal volume of water (control session). Skin blood flow and chest sweat rate in the alcohol session significantly increased over those in controls 10 min after drinking. Deep body temperature in the alcohol session started to decrease 20 min after the onset of sweating and eventually fell 0.3 degrees C lower than in the controls. Whole body hot sensation transiently increased after alcohol drinking, whereas it changed little after water drinking. The increased "hot" sensation would presumably cause cool-seeking behavior, if permitted. Thus, alcohol influences thermoregulation so that body core temperature is lowered not only by automatic mechanisms (sweating and skin vasodilation) but also behaviorally. These results suggest that decreases in body temperature after alcohol drinking are not secondary to skin vasodilation, a well-known effect of alcohol, but rather result from a decrease in the regulated body temperature evidenced by the coordinated modulation of various effectors of thermoregulation and sensation.

An enzymatic reaction within a mesh-like structure constructed using hyaluronan was investigated in order to understand the influence of specific reaction environments in a living body on the reaction. This mesh-like structure, which mimicked extracellular matrix conditions, was found to accelerate glycohydrolysis by Jack bean α-mannosidase.

Drug discovery in psychiatry has been limited to chemical modifications of compounds originally discovered serendipitously. Therefore, more mechanism-oriented strategies of drug discovery for mental disorders are awaited. Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder with synaptic disconnectivity involved in its pathophysiology. Reduction in the dendritic spine density is a major alteration that has been reproducibly reported in the cerebral cortex of patients with schizophrenia. Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1), a factor that influences endophenotypes underlying schizophrenia and several other neuropsychiatric disorders, has a regulatory role in the postsynaptic density in association with the NMDA-type glutamate receptor, Kalirin-7, and Rac1. Prolonged knockdown of DISC1 leads to synaptic deterioration, reminiscent of the synaptic pathology of schizophrenia. Thus, we tested the effects of novel inhibitors to p21-activated kinases (PAKs), major targets of Rac1, on synaptic deterioration elicited by knockdown expression of DISC1. These compounds not only significantly ameliorated the synaptic deterioration triggered by DISC1 knockdown but also partially reversed the size of deteriorated synapses in culture. One of these PAK inhibitors prevented progressive synaptic deterioration in adolescence as shown by in vivo two-photon imaging and ameliorated a behavioral deficit in prepulse inhibition in adulthood in a DISC1 knockdown mouse model. The efficacy of PAK inhibitors may have implications in drug discovery for schizophrenia and related neuropsychiatric disorders in general.

The addition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) to Vitis sp. cell cultures significantly enhanced the production of quercetin 3,7,4′-tri-O-glucoside, 3,7-di-O-glucoside and 3,4′-O-glucoside from quercetin. This enhancement of glucosylation by 2,4-D was also observed in cell cultures of other plant species. The activity of UDP-glucose: flavonol glucosyltransferase (UFGT) in cell-free extracts of Vitis sp. cell cultures increased approximately 10-fold, 48 h after the addition of 2,4-D to the culture medium. The UFGT activity increased linearly up to 15 h and showed a maximal response to the addition of 10–50 mg/l of 2,4-D at 48 h. The promotive effect of 2,4-D was inhibited by cycloheximide suggesting that de novo protein synthesis was involved in this phenomenon. Interestingly, similar promotive effects on the UFGT activity were observed for other phytohormones such as kinetin and several anti-auxins.

A new serotype of Staphylococcus hyicus exfoliative toxin (SHET), serotype B, was isolated from the culture filtrate of a plasmid-carrying strain of S. hyicus. The new SHET was purified by precipitation with 70% saturated ammonium sulfate, gel filtration on a Sephadex G-75 column, column chromatography on DEAE‐ Cellulofine A-500, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The new SHET caused exfoliation of the epidermis as determined by the so-called Nikolsky sign when inoculated into 1-day-old chickens. The new SHET was serologically different from Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative toxins (ETs) (ETA, ETB, and ETC) and from the SHET from the plasmidless strain but showed the same molecular weight as the other serotypes of toxins on SDS-PAGE. It was thermolabile and lost its toxicity after being heated at 60°C for 30 min. We propose that the new SHET be designated SHETB and that the SHET produced by the plasmidless strain be designated SHETA. Staphylococcus hyicus is the causative agent of exudative epidermitis (EE) in pigs (22). EE is a generalized infection of the skin characterized by greasy exudation, exfoliation, and vesicle formation (5, 11). Sato et al. (19) have isolated an exotoxin from the culture supernatant of S. hyicus P-1 and designated it S. hyicus exfoliative toxin (SHET). The molecular mass of SHET has been estimated to be 27 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and it differs from Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative toxins (ETs) ETA, ETB, and ETC in its antigenicity and in the susceptible animal species (18, 24). Recently, we have confirmed that SHET-producing strains result in clinical signs of EE, whereas non-SHET-producing strains do not cause any clinical signs of EE (25). These findings suggest that SHET, with a molecular mass of 27 kDa, is a causative factor of EE and causes intraepidermal splitting in the granular layer of the epidermis, similar to the case for ETA, ETB, and ETC. However, it differs from ETA, ETB, and ETC in its antigenicity and in the susceptible animal species. We have recently identified a new serotype of SHET, serotype B (SHETB), from field isolates of S. hyicus (20, 25). All of the SHETB-producing strains possess large plasmids as well as the 42-kb plasmid of the ETB-producing strains, and their plasmid-cured substrains have lost their SHET-producing ability (20). In the present paper we describe the antigenicity and some properties of purified SHETB.