Multiaxial Fatigue of Notched Steel Plates and Investigation of CFRP Retrofits for Crack Initiation Prevention

Fatigue cracks are cracks that result from repeated loading over time, often following millions of loading cycles. Fatigue cracks occur even if the applied load is not large enough to cause material yield. Once a fatigue crack initiates, resulting stress concentrations at the crack tip often make it difficult to arrest the growth of the crack. In order to prevent growth and propagation of fatigue cracks within structural components, it is necessary to alter the stress condition at the crack tip. Fatigue cracks in steel structures resulting from multiaxial loading and or geometry conditions that result in complex states of stress [1] can be particularly challenging to address, as many existing crack mitigation approaches (which aim to alter the crack-tip stress) often target uniaxial stress conditions. The objective of this research project is to observe how cracks initiate and develop in notched steel plates under different multi-axial stress states, and to assess the effectiveness of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) orientations as a retrofit strategy to delay fatigue crack growth

Exploring effective learning sessions to enhance self-awareness and promote interest in self-care among medical professionals

Background Self-awareness among medical professionals is becoming more important. However, it is difficult to practice self-awareness unless consciously. We held in-hospital learning sessions to enhance self-awareness and to support self-care of medical professionals. The session introduced mindfulness, meditation, and self-care from the perspectives of "psychological safety" and "end-of-life care." Objective To investigate the effects of sessions based on participants' reactions. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 128 medical professionals who participated in the sessions, and the free description was analyzed according to the qualitative coding procedure. Results As a result of analyzing the contents of 97 entries described in the free description of the questionnaire. Six categories were generated in the end: Stressful experience, Active practice of meditation, The need for self-care, Knowledge of mindfulness, Healing through narrative, Self-awareness through the learning session. Discussion Stressful experience about "psychological safety" and "end-of-life care" were narrated. We found that they are receptive to mindfulness, meditation, and self-care, and want to actively incorporate it. The experience of self-awareness was enhanced through the learning sessions. Introducing meditation, mindfulness, and self-care as methods of coping with specific stresses in clinical settings was effective in enhancing self-awareness among medical professionals. &nbsp

Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children

Self-esteem is the "feeling of self-appreciation" and is an indispensable emotion for people to adapt to society and live their lives. For children, in particular, the environment in which they are raised contributes profoundly to the development of their self-esteem, which in turn helps them to adapt better to society. Various psychologists have provided definitions of self-esteem, and examined methods of objectively evaluating self-esteem. Questionnaire-style assessment methods for adult include Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Janis-Field Feeling of Inadequacy Scale, and these for children include Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, Pope's 5-Scale Test of Self-Esteem for children, and Kid- KINDL®. Other methods include Ziller Social Self-Esteem Scale and Implicit Association Test. The development of children's self-esteem is heavily influenced by their environment, that is, their homes, neighborhoods, and schools. Children with damaged self-esteem are at risk of developing psychological and social problems, which hinders recovery from low self-esteem. Thus, to recover low self-esteem, it is important for children to accumulate a series of successful experiences to create a positive concept of self. Evaluating children's self-esteem can be an effective method for understanding their past and present circumstances, and useful to treat for children with psychosomatic disorders

Phylogeography of Infraspecific Differentiation of Hydrangea serrata (Hydrangeaceae), a Widespread Shrub Species in the Japanese Archipelago

departmental bulletin pape

Molecular Phylogenetic Analyses of Geographical and Ecological Speciation of Anaphalis margaritacea

departmental bulletin pape

The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Iberin on TNF-α-Stimulated Human Oral Epithelial Cells : In Vitro Research

Iberin is a bioactive chemical found in cruciferous plants that has been demonstrated to have anticancer properties. However, there have been no reports on its effects on periodontal resident cells, and many questions remain unanswered. The aim of this study was to examine whether iberin had anti-inflammatory effects on human oral epithelial cells, including influences on signal transduction pathway activation in TNF-α-στιμυλατεd χελλσ. Iberin inhibited the production of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), as well as the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated TR146 cells, a human oral epithelial cell line. Moreover, iberin administration increased the expression of antioxidant signaling pathways, such as Heme Oxygenase (HO)-1 and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1). Furthermore, we found that iberin could inhibit the activation of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3, and p70S6 kinase (p70S6K)-S6 ribosomal protein (S6) pathways in TNF-α-stimulated TR146 cells. In conclusion, iberin reduced inflammatory mediator expression in human oral epithelial cells by preventing the activation of particular signal transduction pathways

Quality of life and physical/psychosocial factors in children and adolescents with orthostatic intolerance

Background　Orthostatic intolerance (OI), which is common in children and adolescents, negatively impacts their quality of life (QOL) due to physical symptoms that limit work, school, and daily activities. The purpose of this study is to explore the association of physical and psychosocial factors with QOL scores in children and adolescents with OI. Methods　A cross sectional observational study was conducted. The study participants included 95 Japanese pediatric patients of age 9-15 years who were diagnosed with OI from April 2010 to March 2020. The QOL scores and the QOL T-scores of children with OI assessed using the KINDL-R questionnaire at the initial visit were compared with conventional normative data. The associations of physical and psychosocial factors with the QOL T-scores were examined using multiple linear regression. Results　Pediatric patients with OI had significantly lower QOL scores than healthy children in both elementary (50.7 +/- 13.5 vs. 67.9 +/- 13.4, p Conclusions　These results suggest that the assessment of QOL, including both physical and psychosocial aspects, especially school factors, needs to be implemented earlier in children and adolescents with OI

終末糖化産物(AGE) は高リノール酸および高グルコース摂取下のアゾキシメタン投与F344 ラットの大腸粘膜においてAGE 受容体(RAGE) を発現誘導する

BACKGROUND:Advanced glycation end products (AGE) and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) are closely associated with colorectal cancer progression. The association between RAGE and AGE in colon carcinogenesis needs to be clarified.METHODS:Levels of RAGE and AGE were examined in azoxymethane (AOM)-injected Fischer 344 rats fed a control diet (Group C), a 15 % linoleic acid (LA) diet (Group L), a control diet with 10 % glucose drink (Group G), and a 15 % LA diet with 10 % glucose drink (Group L + G). Group L + G showed the most pronounced increase of body weight, blood sugar, and serum insulin.RESULTS:The rats in Group L + G showed the most pronounced multiplicity of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and carcinomas with increased mucosal RAGE and AGE. IEC6 rat intestinal epithelial cells treated with AGE showed increased RAGE expression, which was inhibited by treatment with metformin or losartan. In the AOM-injected rat colon cancer model, the levels of RAGE and AGE, and the multiplicity of ACF and carcinomas, in Group L + G rats were suppressed by treatment with metformin or losartan.CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that AGE-RAGE induced by high-LA and high-glucose diets substantially enhances colon cancer development; thus, suppression of AGE-RAGE could be a potential target for colon cancer chemoprevention.博士（医学）・乙第1307号・平成25年3月15日© Springer International Publishing AG,2012© Japanese Society of Gastroenterology 201

Chryseobacterium indologenes Peritonitis in a Peritoneal Dialysis Patient: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Peritonitis is one of the most important complications in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Appropriate antibiotic treatment against PD-associated peritonitis is necessary to prevent PD catheter removal and withdrawal from PD. Chryseobacterium indologenes is a Gram-negative rod that occurs in the natural environment. C. indologenes is thought to acquire resistance to β-lactam drugs through the production of metallo-β-lactamase and to become resistant to antibiotic therapy through the formation of biofilms. Only a few cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes have been reported to date, and appropriate treatment strategies have not been clarified. In the past, 5 cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes have been reported and 2 patients required catheter removal because of recurrence or refractoriness. In this case, a 51-year-old man with PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes was treated with 2 susceptible antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones to prevent acquired resistance and biofilm formation. There was no recurrence, and catheter removal was not necessary in this case. Collectively, the present case highlighted that PD-associated peritonitis caused by C. indologenes should be treated with 2 susceptible antibiotics including fluoroquinolones for 3 weeks