Analysis of sweating efficiency and its effects on the heat strain alleviation of clothed subjects

Sweating efficiency (SE) is essential for evaluating heat strain. The dripping of sweat off the skin surface of a nude subject occurs locally at an area where the secreted sweat exceeds the local evaporative capacity. However, in clothed subjects, “dripping” sweat is absorbed by clothing. In the present paper, the cooling efficiency of the sweating of a clothed subject is analyzed in relation to SE. First, typical patterns for the regional distribution of the sweat rate (SR) and the capacity of evaporation (CE) of a nude subject were introduced, and the dripping sweat rate was derived as a surplus of the SR over the CE; an equation of SE was derived from combinations of the two typical SR patterns and the uniform CE pattern. Then, the values of SE were calculated numerically, and the results were found to be approximately equal to those obtained experimentally by Alber–Wallerström & Holmér and theoretically from the equation of 1 − 0.5wsw2 used in ISO7933. Based on these results, the SE was improved by arranging the distribution of the CE by controlling air velocities over the body surface. Further, the improved SE was found to contribute to the heat strain alleviation of clothed subjects

Effect of the Japanese Herbal Kampo Medicine Dai-Kenchu-To on Postoperative Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction Requiring Long-Tube Decompression: A Propensity Score Analysis

Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is an adverse consequence of abdominal surgery. Although the Kampo medicine Dai-kenchu-to is widely used in Japan for treatment of postoperative ASBO, rigorous clinical studies for its use have not been performed. In the present retrospective observational study using the Japanese diagnosis procedure combination inpatient database, we selected 288 propensity-score-matched patients with early postoperative ASBO following colorectal cancer surgery, who received long-tube decompression (LTD) with or without Dai-kenchu-to administration. The success rates of LTD were not significantly different between Dai-kenchu-to users and nonusers (84.7% versus 78.5%; P = .224), while Dai-kenchu-to users showed a shorter duration of LTD (8 versus 10 days; P = .012), shorter duration between long-tube insertion and discharge (23 versus 25 days; P = .018), and lower hospital charges ($23,086 versus$26,950; P = .018) compared with Dai-kenchu-to nonusers. In conclusion, the present study suggests that Dai-kenchu-to is effective for reducing the duration of LTD and saving costs

Ablation of Myeloid Cell MRP8 Ameliorates Nephrotoxic Serum-induced Glomerulonephritis by Affecting Macrophage Characterization through Intraglomerular Crosstalk

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and one of its endogenous ligands myeloid-related protein 8 (MRP8 or S100A8), especially expressed in macrophages, play an important role in diabetic nephropathy and autoimmune disorders. However, detailed mechanisms and consequence of MRP8 expression remain unknown, partly due to embryonic lethality of MRP8 knockout mice. In this study, Myeloid lineage cell-specific MRP8 knockout mice were generated, and nephrotoxic serum-induced glomerulonephritis was developed. Mice with conditional ablation of MRP8 gene in myeloid cells exhibited less severe histological damage, proteinuria and inflammatory changes compared to control mice. Mechanism of MRP8 upregulation was investigated using cultured cells. Co-culture of macrophages with mesangial cells or mesangial cell-conditioned media, but not with proximal tubules, markedly upregulated MRP8 gene expression and inflammatory M1 phenotype in macrophages, which was attenuated in MRP8-deleted bone marrow-derived macrophages. Effects of MRP8 deletion was further studied in the context of macrophage-inducible C-type lectin (Mincle), which is critically involved in maintenance of M1 phenotype of macrophages. MRP8 ablation in myeloid cells suppressed the induction of Mincle expression on macrophages in glomerulonephritis. Thus, we propose that intraglomerular crosstalk between mesangial cells and macrophages plays a role in inflammatory changes in glomerulonephritis, and MRP8-dependent Mincle expression in macrophage may be involved in the process

Osteocrin ameliorates adriamycin nephropathy via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition

Natriuretic peptides exert multiple effects by binding to natriuretic peptide receptors (NPRs). Osteocrin (OSTN) binds with high affinity to NPR-C, a clearance receptor for natriuretic peptides, and inhibits degradation of natriuretic peptides and consequently enhances guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A/NPR1) signaling. However, the roles of OSTN in the kidney have not been well clarified. Adriamycin (ADR) nephropathy in wild-type mice showed albuminuria, glomerular basement membrane changes, increased podocyte injuries, infiltration of macrophages, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. All these phenotypes were improved in OSTN- transgenic (Tg) mice and NPR3 knockout (KO) mice, with no further improvement in OSTN-Tg/NPR3 KO double mutant mice, indicating that OSTN works through NPR3. On the contrary, OSTN KO mice increased urinary albumin levels, and pharmacological blockade of p38 MAPK in OSTN KO mice ameliorated ADR nephropathy. In vitro, combination treatment with ANP and OSTN, or FR167653, p38 MAPK inhibitor, reduced Ccl2 and Des mRNA expression in murine podocytes (MPC5). OSTN increased intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in MPC5 through GC-A. We have elucidated that circulating OSTN improves ADR nephropathy by enhancing GC-A signaling and consequently suppressing p38 MAPK activation. These results suggest that OSTN could be a promising therapeutic agent for podocyte injury

Basic Reseach on the Simulation of "Sensibility Information Processing"

We have studied the information processing of human sensibility from various approaches. In an approach from information retrieval theory, we constructed a "sensibility information retrieval system" which extracts words expressing human feelings from a novel and analyzes the chronological structure of the novel. Novels are thus classified into those with increasing-sadness, those with happy-endings, etc. In an approach from psychology, we constructed a model which simulates the process of evoking emotion. Words expressing feelings are classified, and the influence of past experiences and the effects on future actions are investigated by experiments. In an approach from business management, we point out that the study of sensibility information has a good applicability in the decision making system of an organization because the feelings of its members are crucial in making decisions. In particular, we emphasize that a "good morale" among organizational members is essential in avoiding serious accidents. From a device approach, we study the signal processing of electrical data trains using a modulated laser diode, and propose a potential application to the microwave phase shifter with small variations in amplitude

Ablation of the N-type calcium channel ameliorates diabetic nephropathy with improved glycemic control and reduced blood pressure

Pharmacological blockade of the N-and L-type calcium channel lessens renal injury in kidney disease patients. The significance of specific blockade of α1 subunit of N-type calcium channel, Cav2.2, in diabetic nephropathy, however, remains to be clarified. To examine functional roles, we mated Cav2.2-/- mice with db/db (diabetic) mice on the C57BLKS background. Cav2.2 was localized in glomeruli including podocytes and in distal tubular cells. Diabetic Cav2.2-/- mice significantly reduced urinary albumin excretion, glomerular hyperfiltration, blood glucose levels, histological deterioration and systolic blood pressure (SBP) with decreased urinary catecholamine compared to diabetic Cav2.2+/+ mice. Interestingly, diabetic heterozygous Cav2.2+/- mice also decreased albuminuria, although they exhibited comparable systolic blood pressure, sympathetic nerve activity and creatinine clearance to diabetic Cav2.2+/+ mice. Consistently, diabetic mice with cilnidipine, an N-/L-type calcium channel blocker, showed a reduction in albuminuria and improvement of glomerular changes compared to diabetic mice with nitrendipine. In cultured podocytes, depolarization-dependent calcium responses were decreased by Ω-conotoxin, a Cav2.2-specific inhibitor. Furthermore, reduction of nephrin by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in podocytes was abolished with Ω-conotoxin, cilnidipine or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor. In conclusion, Cav2.2 inhibition exerts renoprotective effects against the progression of diabetic nephropathy, partly by protecting podocytes.</p

Accuracy management survey of nucleic acid amplification tests using inactivated SARS-CoV-2 in Hiroshima Prefecture

At the beginning of 2020, the number of laboratories performing SARS-CoV-2 testing increased with the rapid expansion of COVID-19 in Hiroshima Prefecture. Thus, it is necessary to compare and verify the validity of the test results among local laboratories. In this study, we distributed the same standard samples to laboratories that performed COVID-19 testing using the nucleic acid amplification method and confirmed the accuracy of the tests. The SARS-CoV-2 strain distributed by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Japan, was used for testing. As measured by RT-qPCR, a specific amount of the virus was inactivated by ethanol and dried as specimens for distribution. This study included 27 tests performed at 15 laboratories conducting or planning to conduct nucleic acid amplification tests (RT-qPCR and LAMP methods) for SARSCoV-2. The detection limit of each test method was set at the value provided by the NIID. The accuracy of the tests was examined to determine whether they met the required accuracy criteria. SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA was reliably detected in all 27 tests. The inactivated specimens used in this study were safe to distribute and could be used as positive controls for all methods.This study was supported by a grant from the Government-Academia Collaboration of Hiroshima Prefecture and by a research grant for COVID-19 from AMED, Japan under Grant Number 20he0622011h0001(to J. T.)