Pain following COVID-19 vaccination

Pain at the injection site is the most frequent reaction among COVID-19 vaccine recipients, but its characteristics were not fully described yet. The purpose of this study was to investigate multiple domains of pain following BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. We included 107 subjects undergoing primary shot of the vaccination twice into deltoid muscle with a 3-week interval. They completed 6 sessions of pain assessments, one before the first and second dose (1-0, 2-0), and 1st / 7th day after the first and second dose (1-1 / 1-7, 2-1 / 2-7). Pain visual analog scale (VAS), pain distribution, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) on deltoid muscle were evaluated in each session. The mean VAS (at rest / shoulder motion) was 6.0 / 27.6 mm at 1-1, and 12.8 / 34.0 mm at 2-1. Approximately, 90% of recipients showed localized pain within the upper arm. Percentage change of PPTs at 1-1 and 2-1 was bilaterally (ipsilateral / contralateral) decreased to 87.4 / 89.4% and 80.6 / 91.0%, which was recovered to the baseline level at 1-7 and 2-7. Temporary, mild-to-moderate intensity, localized distribution, concomitant with bilateral mechanical hyperalgesia on the deltoid muscle, were typical pain characteristics following this vaccination. These findings provide a rationale that will be informative for future recipients

Ribosome binding protein GCN1 regulates the cell cycle and cell proliferation and is essential for the embryonic development of mice.

Amino acids exert many biological functions, serving as allosteric regulators and neurotransmitters, as constituents in proteins and as nutrients. GCN2-mediated phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (elF2α) restores homeostasis in response to amino acid starvation (AAS) through the inhibition of the general translation and upregulation of amino acid biosynthetic enzymes and transporters by activating the translation of Gcn4 and ATF4 in yeast and mammals, respectively. GCN1 is a GCN2-binding protein that possesses an RWD binding domain (RWDBD) in its C-terminus. In yeast, Gcn1 is essential for Gcn2 activation by AAS; however, the roles of GCN1 in mammals need to be established. Here, we revealed a novel role of GCN1 that does not depend on AAS by generating two Gcn1 mutant mouse lines: Gcn1-knockout mice (Gcn1 KO mice (Gcn1-/-)) and RWDBD-deleted mutant mice (Gcn1ΔRWDBD mice). Both mutant mice showed growth retardation, which was not observed in the Gcn2 KO mice, such that the Gcn1 KO mice died at the intermediate stage of embryonic development because of severe growth retardation, while the Gcn1ΔRWDBD embryos showed mild growth retardation and died soon after birth, most likely due to respiratory failure. Extension of pregnancy by 24 h through the administration of progesterone to the pregnant mothers rescued the expression of differentiation markers in the lungs and prevented lethality of the Gcn1ΔRWDBD pups, indicating that perinatal lethality of the Gcn1ΔRWDBD embryos was due to simple growth retardation. Similar to the yeast Gcn2/Gcn1 system, AAS- or UV irradiation-induced elF2α phosphorylation was diminished in the Gcn1ΔRWDBD mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), suggesting that GCN1 RWDBD is responsible for GCN2 activity. In addition, we found reduced cell proliferation and G2/M arrest accompanying a decrease in Cdk1 and Cyclin B1 in the Gcn1ΔRWDBD MEFs. Our results demonstrated, for the first time, that GCN1 is essential for both GCN2-dependent stress response and GCN2-independent cell cycle regulation

2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)-polymer suppresses an increase of oral bacteria: a single-blind, crossover clinical trial

Objectives The biocompatible 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)-polymers, which mimic a biomembrane, reduce protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion and inhibit cell attachment. The aim of this study is to clarify whether MPC-polymer can suppress the bacterial adherence in oral cavity by a crossover design. We also investigated the number of Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is the key bacterium forming dental plaque, in clinical samples. Materials and methods This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind, crossover study, with two treatment periods separated by a 2-week washout period. We conducted clinical trial with 20 healthy subjects to evaluate the effect of 5% MPC-polymer mouthwash after 5 h on oral microflora. PBS was used as a control. The bacterial number in the gargling sample before and after intervention was counted by an electronic bacterial counter and a culture method. DNA amounts of total bacteria and F. nucleatum were examined by q-PCR. Results The numbers of total bacteria and oral streptcocci after 5 h of 5% MPC-polymer treatment significantly decreased, compared to the control group. Moreover, the DNA amounts of total bacteria and F. nucleatum significantly decreased by 5% MPC-polymer mouthwash. Conclusions We suggest that MPC-polymer coating in the oral cavity may suppress the oral bacterial adherence. Clinical relevance MPC-polymer can be a potent compound for the control of oral microflora to prevent oral infection

チイキ コウレイシャ トノ フクシ タイケン ガクシュウ ノ キョウイク コウカ ト チイキ コウケン ジギョウ トシテノ ヒョウカ

本研究の目的は，地域高齢者との福祉体験学習における学生への教育効果と、地域貢献事業としての評価をすることである。徳島大学歯学部では，医療人を志すものとしての自覚を持つことを目的とした取り組みを県内16カ所の施設で合計28回実施した。これは，学生が口腔保健指導「お口の健康長寿教室」において，高齢者を対象とした口腔機能訓練の補助者として体験学習するものである。学習後のレポートから， 到達目標とした地域貢献の在り方や歯科専門職としての役割を認識する学生が多くを占めた。一方，地域貢献事業として評価するため，参加職員への調査を行った結果，利用者への役立ちに加え，多くの施設職員の理解も深まったとのアンケート結果が得られた。以上から，本取り組みは学生への教育目標「医療人としての自覚を持つ」に沿った成果が得られており，また，施設職員の口腔機能向上プ口グラムへの盤解の深まりから，今後の継続が期待される。The purose of this study is to evaluate the educational effect by the welfare-experience learning program with aged people in community，and to evaluate this program as the regional contribution. This program is to aim at having a consciousness of becoming the dental professional in the University of Tokushima，Faculty of Dentistry，and they were carried out with 16 institutions (a total of 28 times).This program makes students accompany the oral health guidance"long-life oral healthy classroom"，and they carried out the experience study as on auxiliary person of the variaus functional oral-training for elderly people.By the investigation of the student's report, there are students who recognized the achievement objectives which are roles of the way concerning regional contribution as dental professionals in community. On the other hand，the questionnaire to the participating persoonnel was conducted in order to evalaote this program as the regional contrtbution. As a result，this program is useful to elderly people and the understanding of institution personnel is also deepened this practice. As mentioned above，the result of having is suitable for the educational goal "to have a consciousness of becoming the dental professional". Furthermore，this program was considered that future continuation is also expected by deepening of an understanding to the personnel's functional oral-training program

ARDUINO およびKINECT を使用したフィジカルコンピューティングに関する研究

この研究は、人間の動きをモーションキャプチャーという仕組みで記録することが可能な装置「KINECT」を使用し、人間の動作や感覚を機械が記憶するインタラクティブで基礎的なメカニズムの制作、またそれを使用した作品の制作を目的としている。KINECT はゲーム用センサーであり、一般家庭に数多く普及した装置である。本体から赤外線を照射し、その反射を読み取り人間の骨格を認識し、手足や胴体や顔の位置や角度のデータを生成することができる。これらの生成された一瞬一瞬の人間のデータを連続的につなぐことができれば、時間的に変化する人間の「動作」をデータ化することが可能となる。そして人間の身体の動きを記録することが可能であるならば、記録したデータを再生することがその技術の延長として可能になる。またこの再生はリアルタイムに再生することだけではなく、「時間」と「空間」を移して再生することも考えられる。開発した基礎技術「KINECTaction recognition software」によって、現在ここで行われている人間の動作を、ロボットを使用して他の都市で再生することも、あるいは同じ場所において20 年後に再生することも可能となる。We conducted this study using a KINECT motion-capture device capable of recording physical movements to operate a very basic interactive mechanism to recognize human gestures and behaviours, which might then be used to control a creative work or project. The KINECT device is widely available for home use and often used as a sensor for electronic games. The unit sends out infrared beams, then reads the reflections so as to map a human figure and generate data for the position and angle of limbs, torso and face.Such data strings linked continually moment-by-moment can help render time-based digitized pictures of physical actions, which might by extension be recorded and replayed — not only in realtime, but also across great removes in time and space.Thus, we could conceivably use our KINECT-based system to have robots replay today\u27s immediate gestures and movements in a distant city or in the same location twenty years hence

Excitation of helically-trapped-energetic-ion driven resistive interchange modes with intense deuterium beam injection and enhanced effect on beam ions/bulk plasmas of LHD

Energetic ion driven resistive InterChange modes (EICs) accompanying repeated bursts of the magnetic fluctuations were found in hydrogen campaign of large helical device. The pressure gradient of helically trapped energetic particles, which are mainly produced by perpendicularly injected beams, drives this mode. Recently, perpendicular neutral beam injection (PERP-NBI) systems are upgraded for deuterium plasma campaign. The beam energies of the two PERP-NBIs are increased from 40/40 keV to 60/80 keV, respectively. And the injection powers increase from 6/6 MW to 9/9 MW, as well. As results of these upgrades of NBIs, the β value of helically trapped energetic ions, , has increased up to  ∼0.35% and induced EICs with larger bursts and smaller repetition frequencies. It is found that the threshold of to excite EICs increases with deuterium PERP-NBIs. The amplitude of each burst and effect on energetic beam ions become larger when is larger. In addition, a large electrostatic potential about  −25 kV is observed when EICs are excited, which is about two times larger than the potential observed in hydrogen campaign. The transient increases of the electron density and temperature in edge regions are clearly observed when the electrostatic potential is formed

The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory

The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the high-energy universe via a suite of four instruments, covering a very wide energy range, from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. These instruments include a high-resolution, high-throughput spectrometer sensitive over 0.3-2 keV with high spectral resolution of Delta E < 7 eV, enabled by a micro-calorimeter array located in the focal plane of thin-foil X-ray optics; hard X-ray imaging spectrometers covering 5-80 keV, located in the focal plane of multilayer-coated, focusing hard X-ray mirrors; a wide-field imaging spectrometer sensitive over 0.4-12 keV, with an X-ray CCD camera in the focal plane of a soft X-ray telescope; and a non-focusing Compton-camera type soft gamma-ray detector, sensitive in the 40-600 keV band. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral resolution, will enable the pursuit of a wide variety of important science themes.Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, Proceedings of the SPIE Astronomical Instrumentation "Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray

The Quiescent Intracluster Medium in the Core of the Perseus Cluster

Clusters of galaxies are the most massive gravitationally-bound objects in the Universe and are still forming. They are thus important probes of cosmological parameters and a host of astrophysical processes. Knowledge of the dynamics of the pervasive hot gas, which dominates in mass over stars in a cluster, is a crucial missing ingredient. It can enable new insights into mechanical energy injection by the central supermassive black hole and the use of hydrostatic equilibrium for the determination of cluster masses. X-rays from the core of the Perseus cluster are emitted by the 50 million K diffuse hot plasma filling its gravitational potential well. The Active Galactic Nucleus of the central galaxy NGC1275 is pumping jetted energy into the surrounding intracluster medium, creating buoyant bubbles filled with relativistic plasma. These likely induce motions in the intracluster medium and heat the inner gas preventing runaway radiative cooling; a process known as Active Galactic Nucleus Feedback. Here we report on Hitomi X-ray observations of the Perseus cluster core, which reveal a remarkably quiescent atmosphere where the gas has a line-of-sight velocity dispersion of 164+/-10 km/s in a region 30-60 kpc from the central nucleus. A gradient in the line-of-sight velocity of 150+/-70 km/s is found across the 60 kpc image of the cluster core. Turbulent pressure support in the gas is 4% or less of the thermodynamic pressure, with large scale shear at most doubling that estimate. We infer that total cluster masses determined from hydrostatic equilibrium in the central regions need little correction for turbulent pressure.Comment: 31 pages, 11 Figs, published in Nature July

インタラクションデザインの教育方法に関する研究/地域連携、企業連携、大学連携、学部・大学院連携を基盤とする実践的デザイン教育

本研究は、情報社会へと移行している現代における社会構造の変化と社会環境の変化に対応したこれからのデザインのあり方を研究し、その教育の基盤となるカリキュラムを開発、これを実践的に運営することを通して教育方法の構築を行うことを目的としている。　特に現代の情報環境において失われつつある人間の「身体」をテーマとして未来のデザインの枠組みを考えること、また「ポストデザイン」をテーマとしてこれからのデザイン領域の変化そのものを考えることを研究の中心におく。新しい教育方法の実践としては、国際ワークショップなどの開催、大学連携、企業連携を通じて教育方法の調査・研究を行う。また国内外のデザイン研究機関および教育組織と連携し、わが国におけるインタラクションデザインという新しいデザイン領域の教育研究拠点としての活動を行った。At IDI(Interaction Design Institute), we aim to investigate how design is to respond to contemporary society in transition to the post-industrial information age, to develop curricula basic to such learning, and to establish appropriate teaching methods through actual practice.One central theme of our research concerns the loss of "body experience" in today\u27s information environments and the shift from existing concepts of design itself to "post-design" ideas. Specifically, we have conducted man-machine experiments and published findings on robotic replication of movement using KINECT platform devices to visually collect and compile data on human motion.Likewise, another direction toward new educational practices involves holding international workshops in collaboration with IAMAS, the RCA in London and other progressive institutions both in Japan and abroad so as to share and improve methodologies across the field of design-related education