Constitutive androstane receptor and pregnane X receptor cooperatively ameliorate DSS-induced colitis.

学位記番号：医博甲175

Initial Report of Hybrid Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer:Reduced Bleeding, Clear Vision, and Secure Surgical Margins

To evaluate morbidity in Hybrid Radical Prostatectomy (HRP, hybridized laparoscopic and open retropubic radical prostatectomy). The operative and pathological outcomes obtained in 25 consecutive patients who underwent HRP were reviewed. The median operating time was 220min, median blood loss was 550ml, and no patient required an allogenic blood transfusion. No severe postoperative complications were observed. The surgical margin was positive in 12% of all patients, and in 1 patient with pT2 or less (4.5%). These results indicate that HRP is safe and may be able to combine the benefits of both laparoscopic and open procedures.</p

A passively Q-switched compact Er:Lu2O3 ceramics laser at 2.8 μm with a graphene saturable absorber

We have demonstrated a passively Q-switched Er:Lu2O3 ceramics laser using a monolayer graphene saturable absorber (SA). Stable pulsed operation with watt-level average power was achieved by a compact linear cavity without focusing on the SA. This is the first demonstration of a passively Q-switched mid-IR Er:Lu2O3 laser using a graphene SA. A maximum pulse energy of 9.4 μJ and a peak power of 33 W were achieved with a 247 ns pulse duration. To our knowledge, this is the shortest pulse duration, highest pulse energy, and highest peak power obtained with a graphene SA in the 3 μm wavelength region

Power scalable 30-W mid-infrared fluoride fiber amplifier

A fluoride-fiber-based master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) for 30-W class continuous-wave (cw) operation at 2.8-μm wavelength has been demonstrated. To overcome the low durability of ZBLAN fibers, various novel technologies for using fluoride glass with a ZBLAN-fiber-based side-pump combiner have been adopted in the system. A maximum cw output power of 33 W and stable operation under 23-W output have been demonstrated. We suggest that such fiber MOPA systems will open up advanced fluoride fiber technology for next-generation high-power mid-IR lasers

Genetic Elucidation for Response of Flowering Time to Ambient Temperatures in Asian Rice Cultivars

Climate resilience of crops is critical for global food security. Understanding the genetic basis of plant responses to ambient environmental changes is key to developing resilient crops. To detect genetic factors that set flowering time according to seasonal temperature conditions, we evaluated differences of flowering time over years by using chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) derived from japonica rice cultivars "Koshihikari" x "Khao Nam Jen", each with different robustness of flowering time to environmental fluctuations. The difference of flowering times in 9 years' field tests was large in "Khao Nam Jen" (36.7 days) but small in "Koshihikari" (9.9 days). Part of this difference was explained by two QTLs. A CSSL with a "Khao Nam Jen" segment on chromosome 11 showed 28.0 days' difference; this QTL would encode a novel flowering-time gene. Another CSSL with a segment from "Khao Nam Jen" in the region around Hd16 on chromosome 3 showed 23.4 days" difference. A near-isogenic line (NIL) for Hd16 showed 21.6 days' difference, suggesting Hd16 as a candidate for this QTL. RNA-seq analysis showed differential expression of several flowering-time genes between early and late flowering seasons. Low-temperature treatment at panicle initiation stage significantly delayed flowering in the CSSL and NIL compared with "Koshihikari". Our results unravel the molecular control of flowering time under ambient temperature fluctuations

Effect of juggling therapy on anxiety disorders in female patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Aims</p> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of juggling therapy for anxiety disorder patients.</p> <p>Design and Method</p> <p>Subjects were 17 female outpatients who met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Subjects were treated with standard psychotherapy, medication and counseling for 6 months. For the last 3 months of treatment, subjects were randomized into either a non-juggling group (n = 9) or a juggling therapy group (juggling group: n = 8). The juggling group gradually acquired juggling skills by practicing juggling beanbags (<it>otedama </it>in Japan) with both hands. The therapeutic effect was evaluated using scores of psychological testing (STAI: State and Trate Anxiety Inventry, POMS: Profile of Mood Status) and of ADL (FAI: Franchay Activity Index) collected before treatment, 3 months after treatment (before juggling therapy), and at the end of both treatments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 6 months, an analysis of variance revealed that scores on the state anxiety, trait anxiety subscales of STAI and tension-anxiety (T-A) score of POMS were significantly lower in the juggling group than in the non-juggling group (p < 0.01). Depression, anger-hostility scores of POMS were improved more than non-jugglers. In the juggling group, activity scores on the vigor subscale of POMS and FAI score were significantly higher than those in the non juggling group (p < 0.01). Other mood scores of POMS did not differ between the two groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that juggling therapy may be effective for the treatment of anxiety disorders.</p

Attitude of young psychiatrists toward coercive measures in psychiatry: a case vignette study in Japan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Every psychiatrist must pay careful attention to avoid violating human rights when initiating coercive treatments such as seclusion and restraint. However, these interventions are indispensable in clinical psychiatry, and they are often used as strategies to treat agitated patients. In this study, we investigated young psychiatrists' attitudes toward psychiatric coercive measures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 183 young psychiatrists participated as subjects in our study. A questionnaire with a case vignette describing a patient with acute psychosis was sent to the study subjects via the Internet or by mail. This questionnaire included scoring the necessity for hospitalization, and the likelihood of prescribing seclusion and/or restraint, on a 9-point Likert scale (with 9 indicating strong agreement).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was general agreement among the study subjects that the case should be admitted to a hospital (8.91 ± 0.3) and secluded (8.43 ± 1.0). The estimated length of hospitalization was 13.53 ± 6.4 weeks. Regarding the likelihood of prescribing restraint, results showed great diversity (5.14 ± 2.5 on 9-point scale); psychiatrists working at general hospitals scored significantly higher (6.25 ± 2.5) than those working at university hospitals (5.02 ± 2.3) or psychiatric hospitals (4.15 ± 2.6). A two-group comparison of the length of inpatient care revealed a significant difference between those psychiatrists who scored 1-3 (n = 55, 14.22 ± 7.4 wks) and those who scored 7-9 (n = 62, 12.22 ± 4.0) regarding the need to use restraint.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results may reflect the current dilemma in Japanese psychiatry wherein psychiatrists must initiate coercive measures to shorten hospitalization stays. This study prompted its subject psychiatrists to consider coercive psychiatric treatments.</p