Nutritional Intakes of Obese Elementary School Children Residing in the Shimokita Peninsula of Aomori, Japan

This research examined the lifestyles and eating habits of 42 elementary school fifth graders(20 boys and 22 girls) over a 3-day period; these children resided in theShimokita Peninsula, Aomori prefecture, which has the highest childhood obesityrate in Japan. The children’s nutritionalintakes were recorded via questionnaires and self-documented meal recorddiaries overa 3-day period (1 weekday and the weekend). The meal record diaries recorded which meals the children ate (including snacks) during the 3-day period. A regular feature of these children’s lifestyle was theviewing of at least 3 hours of television per day. Compared with the National Health and Nutrition Survey conductedby the Japanese government, the nutritionaland energy intake levels were the same but when we examined food group intakes,the vegetable intake was lower on weekends in comparison to the weekdays whenthe children were provided school lunches. In addition, salt intake exceededthe recommended standard in more than 80% of the study sample. We suggest thatthe pattern of reduced vegetable intake juxtaposed with high salt intake stemsfrom childhood and is repeated and passed down through generations; therefore, theguardians of these children require nutritional guidance and education

Publications about nursing education in the Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP

Scientific production in nursing education field provide important contributions to professional formation and nursing practice. Since we believe this perspective, we carried out a survey aimed at identifying and analyzing nursing education-related articles, building empiric categories from the collected data. This revision is a bibliographical, descriptive and quantitative survey using as source articles published in the Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP from 1967 to 2002. We have found 1,137 articles, of which 14.2% refer to nursing education, 89.0% of which are concerned with the undergraduate level. The descriptive analysis of nursing education-related bibliography gives rise to issues concerning the development of research that follow changes in the legislation changes and the demands of the professional market.Produções científicas na área de ensino em enfermagem fornecem importantes contribuições para a formação de profissionais e exercício da enfermagem. Acreditando nesta perspectiva, foi realizado um estudo visando a identificar e analisar os artigos publicados na área de ensino em enfermagem, construindo categorias empíricas com base nos dados coletados. Trata-se de uma pesquisa bibliográfica, descritiva e quantitativa, tendo como fonte artigos publicados na Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, durante o período de 1967 a 2002. Foram encontrados 1.137 artigos, sendo que 14,2% destes referem-se ao ensino de enfermagem, dos quais 89,0% dizem respeito à área de graduação. A análise descritiva dos artigos publicados, referentes ao ensino de enfermagem, desperta a preocupação sobre o desenvolvimento de pesquisas relacionadas ao tema e que acompanhem as mudanças das legislações e as exigências do mercado de trabalho.Producciones científicas en el área de la enseñanza en enfermería ofrecen importantes contribuciones para la formación de profesionales y el ejercicio de la enfermería. Creyendo en esta perspectiva, fue realizado un estudio visando identificar y analizar los artículos publicados en el área de la enseñanza en enfermería, construyendo categorías empíricas a partir de los datos recolectados. Se trata de una investigación bibliográfica, descriptiva y cuantitativa, teniendo como fuente artículos publicados en la Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, durante el período de 1967 a 2002. Fueron encontrados 1,137 artículos de los cuales el 14,2% se refieren a la enseñanza de enfermería, y de éstos el 89,0% se refieren al área del pre grado. El análisis descriptivo de los artículos publicados, referentes a la enseñanza de enfermería, despierta preocupación sobre el desarrollo de investigaciones relacionadas al tema y que acompañen los cambios de las legislaciones y las exigencias del mercado de trabajo

ニホン ジジョウ クラス ニオケル 「タノシイ」 ト イウ カンジョウ ノ キノウ ノ ケントウ : 『ダーツ ノ タビ』 シチョウ ト オマツリ タイケン ガクシュウ ニヨル アクティブ・ラーニング

This paper discusses the role played by enjoyment in class of “Nihon jijyo” (“Studies of Japanese culture and society” for international students) at a university. First, the significance of incorporating experiential learning and audio-visual aids into the class to facilitate active learning is discussed. Next, active learning activities — namely, watching “Dahtsu no Tabi” ( a Japanese TV show: “Journey by darts”), and going to a Japanese festival — were conducted, and ways to enhance students’ enjoyment through the activities were suggested. Finally, the role of enjoyment in enhancing students’ learning motivation are discussed.The results shows that students’ enjoyment was enhanced, and they have become more active learners after participating in the activities. And then, after experiential learning, they have wished to get many new experiences

A novel dysphagia screening method using panoramic radiography

The purpose of this study was to establish a screening method for dysphagia using panoramic radiography. Seventy patients who had undergone panoramic radiography and videofluorographic swallowing study（VF）were selected. Exclusion criteria were surgery related to tumors, jaw deformity, and poor-quality panoramic radiograph images. Patients were diagnosed with dysphagia based on VF findings and accordingly categorized into Dysphagia（＋）or Dysphagia（−）groups. The control group consisted of 129 individuals who had undergone panoramic radiography for dental treatment. Exclusion criteria were the same as in the Dysphagia（＋）and Dysphagia（−）groups. Two maxillofacial radiologists assessed the vertical and horizontal position of the hyoid bone and measured the distance from the tongue to the palate. The vertical hyoid bone position was significantly lower in the Dysphagia（＋）group than in the control group. The distance from the tongue to the palate was significantly shorter in the control group, measuring 8.5±5.9mm as compared to 15.0±9.5 in the Dysphagia（＋）group and 14.9±10.0 in the Dysphagia（−）group. At least 77％ of patients were diagnosed with dysphagia or suspected of dysphagia because the hyoid body was below the mandibular line on panoramic radiography. Panoramic radiography may be a useful tool for predicting the risk of dysphagia as it reveals the vertical hyoid bone position and the distance from the tongue to the palate

Potential of Panoramic Radiography as a Screening Method for Oral Hypofunction in the Evaluation of Hyoid Bone Position

The hyoid bone is located in the middle of the cervical muscles involved in oral masticatory function. The position of the hyoid bone is commonly determined by lateral cephalometric analysis. Although cephalometric radiography is commonly used in orthodontic treatment, the modality remains rare; routine dental care would benefit from precise identification of hyoid bone location using a more common modality, such as panoramic radiography. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of panoramic radiography compared to lateral cephalometric radiography for evaluating hyoid bone position as a potential screening method for oral hypofunction. The study included 347 patients referred for both a panoramic radiograph and a lateral cephalometric radiograph. The patients were divided into the following five groups according to the appearance of the hyoid bone in the panoramic radiograph: Group 1: hyoid bone could not be observed, or part of the greater horn was observed; Group 2: part of the hyoid body was observed, but not the most supero-anterior point of the hyoid bone; Group 3: the most supero-anterior point of the hyoid bone was observed; Group 4: all of the hyoid body was observed; Group 5: the hyoid body overlapped the mandible. The gold standard for measurement of hyoid bone position is the lateral cephalometric radiograph. Hyoid bone position as revealed by lateral cephalometric radiograph was compared among the groups. Hyoid bones that were observed in higher positions on lateral cephalometric radiograph were also observed in higher positions on panoramic radiograph. Hyoid bone position can be assessed by panoramic radiography, and this modality might be useful as a screening method for oral hypofunction

The Wnt Signaling Antagonist Kremen1 is Required for Development of Thymic Architecture

Wnt signaling has been reported to regulate thymocyte proliferation and selection at several stages during T cell ontogeny, as well as the expression of FoxN1 in thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Kremen1 (Krm1) is a negative regulator of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, and functions together with the secreted Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf (Dkk) by competing for the lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)-6 co-receptor for Wnts. Here krm1 knockout mice were used to examine krm1 expression in the thymus and its function in thymocyte and TEC development. krm1 expression was detected in both cortical and medullary TEC subsets, as well as in immature thymocyte subsets, beginning at the CD25+CD44+ (DN2) stage and continuing until the CD4+CD8+(DP) stage. Neonatal mice show elevated expression of krm1 in all TEC subsets. krm1− / − mice exhibit a severe defect in thymic cortical architecture, including large epithelial free regions. Much of the epithelial component remains at an immature Keratin 5+ (K5) Keratin 8+(K8) stage, with a loss of defined cortical and medullary regions. A TOPFlash assay revealed a 2-fold increase in canonical Wnt signaling in TEC lines derived from krm1− / − mice, when compared with krm1+ / + derived TEC lines. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of dissociated thymus revealed a reduced frequency of both cortical (BP1+EpCAM+) and medullary (UEA-1+ EpCAMhi) epithelial subsets, within the krm1− / − thymus. Surprisingly, no change in thymus size, total thymocyte number or the frequency of thymocyte subsets was detected in krm1− / − mice. However, our data suggest that a loss of Krm1 leads to a severe defect in thymic architecture. Taken together, this study revealed a new role for Krm1 in proper development of thymic epithelium

Nutritional Intakes of Obese Elementary School Children Residing in the Shimokita Peninsula of Aomori, Japan

This researchexamined the lifestyles and eating habits of 42 elementary school fifth graders(20 boys and 22 girls) over a 3-day period; these children resided in theShimokita Peninsula, Aomori prefecture, which has the highest childhood obesityrate in Japan. The childrens nutritionalintakes were recorded via questionnaires and self-documented meal recorddiaries overa 3-day period (1 weekday and the weekend). The meal record diaries recorded which meals the children ate (including snacks) during the 3-day period. A regular feature of these childrens lifestyle was theviewing of at least 3 hours of television per day. Compared with the National Health and Nutrition Survey conductedby the Japanese government, the nutritionaland energy intake levels were the same but when we examined food group intakes,the vegetable intake was lower on weekends in comparison to the weekdays whenthe children were provided school lunches. In addition, salt intake exceededthe recommended standard in more than 80% of the study sample. We suggest thatthe pattern of reduced vegetable intake juxtaposed with high salt intake stemsfrom childhood and is repeated and passed down through generations; therefore, theguardians of these children require nutritional guidance and education

Copy number loss of (src homology 2 domain containing)-transforming protein 2 (SHC2) gene: discordant loss in monozygotic twins and frequent loss in patients with multiple system atrophy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a sporadic disease. Its pathogenesis may involve multiple genetic and nongenetic factors, but its etiology remains largely unknown. We hypothesized that the genome of a patient with MSA would demonstrate copy number variations (CNVs) in the genes or genomic regions of interest. To identify genomic alterations increasing the risk for MSA, we examined a pair of monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for the MSA phenotype and 32 patients with MSA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>By whole-genome CNV analysis using a combination of CNV beadchip and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH)-based CNV microarrays followed by region-targeting, high-density, custom-made oligonucleotide tiling microarray analysis, we identified disease-specific copy number loss of the (Src homology 2 domain containing)-transforming protein 2 (<it>SHC2</it>) gene in the distal 350-kb subtelomeric region of 19p13.3 in the affected MZ twin and 10 of the 31 patients with MSA but not in 2 independent control populations (<it>p </it>= 1.04 × 10^-8, odds ratio = 89.8, Pearson's chi-square test).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Copy number loss of <it>SHC2 </it>strongly indicates a causal link to MSA. CNV analysis of phenotypically discordant MZ twins is a powerful tool for identifying disease-predisposing loci. Our results would enable the identification of novel diagnostic measure, therapeutic targets and better understanding of the etiology of MSA.</p