Positive Effects of Tubificid Worms on Rice Growth and Yield in Organic Farming System

Poster Sessio

From Mott insulator to ferromagnetic metal: a pressure study of Ca2_{2}RuO4_{4}

We show that the pressure-temperature phase diagram of the Mott insulator Ca$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ features a metal-insulator transition at 0.5GPa: at 300K from paramagnetic insulator to paramagnetic quasi-two-dimensional metal; at $T \leq$ 12K from antiferromagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic, highly anisotropic, three-dimensional metal. % We compare the metallic state to that of the structurally related p-wave superconductor Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, and discuss the importance of structural distortions, which are expected to couple strongly to pressure.Comment: 4 pages, 4figure

Extracellular-to-intracellular water ratios are associated with functional disability levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis: results from the Nagahama Study.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that greater extracellular-to-intracellular water (ECW/ICW) ratios in lower-limb muscles are associated with worsened functional abilities in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: We analyzed data from 787 participants (82.2% female; mean age, 69.6 ± 5.3 years) from the Nagahama Prospective Cohort who were ≥60 years old and had radiographically confirmed bilateral knee OA. The Knee Scoring System (KSS) was used to assess functional abilities. Lower-limb ECW/ICW ratios and skeletal mass index values were determined with multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test for associations between ECW/ICW ratios and functional abilities. Subgroup analyses based on OA severities and symptomaticity were also conducted. RESULTS: Increased ECW/ICW ratios were associated with a 4.38-point decrease in the KSS function scores (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.15-5.62 points) after adjusting for covariates. This association varied according to the degree of knee symptoms, especially in individuals with radiologically mild OA. ECW/ICW ratios in individuals with asymptomatic mild OA were associated with a 2.14-point decrease in the KSS function score (95% CI, 0.32-3.96 points), whereas those in individuals with severe symptomatic mild OA were associated with a 6.16-point decrease (95% CI, 2.13-10.19 points). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that higher ECW/ICW ratios are associated with greater functional disability in patients with knee OA. Therefore, ECW/ICW ratio measurements with multi-frequency BIA can serve as valuable indicators for functional disability in patients with knee OA. Key Points • Higher extracellular-to-intracellular water (ECW/ICW) ratios are associated with greater functional disability levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). • ECW/ICW ratios are useful clinical signs as a biomarker for poor functional abilities in patients with knee OA

Association of Phase Angle Dynamics with Sarcopenia and Activities of Daily Living in Osteoporotic Fracture Patients

Background This study aimed to determine whether changes in phase angle during rehabilitation are associated with clinical outcomes such as activities of daily living (ADL), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and strength in patients with osteoporotic fractures. Methods This retrospective observational study included patients with osteoporotic fractures admitted to convalescent rehabilitation wards. Changes in phase angle were defined as the difference between the phase angle values at discharge and on admission. The primary outcome was the Functional Independence Measure motor (FIM-motor) score at discharge. The secondary outcomes were SMI and handgrip strength at discharge. We used multivariate analysis to adjust for confounding factors and examine the association between changes in the phase angle and outcomes. Results We analyzed a total of 115 patients (97 women, mean age of 81.0±10.0 years), with a median change in phase angle of 0° during hospitalization. We observed increased phase angles in 49 patients (43%), with a median increase of 0.2°. Multiple regression analysis showed that changes in phase angle were independently associated with FIM-motor score at discharge (β=0.238, p=0.027). Changes in phase angle were not significantly associated with SMI (β=0.059, p=0.599) or handgrip strength (β=-0.032, p=0.773) at discharge. Conclusion An increased phase angle during rehabilitation was positively associated with ADL improvement in patients with osteoporotic fractures. These findings may help clinicians make informed decisions regarding patient care and treatment strategies for better outcomes

<研究ノート>第42 回世界遺産委員会からみる世界遺産条約履行上の問題点の分析

本稿は、第42 回世界遺産委員会マナマ会合を事例にして、世界遺産条約履⾏上の問題点の分析を試みた。シャフリサブス及びアハサーオアシスの事例からは、今後の登録抹消の回避及び逆転登録の先例として参照される危険性が⽰唆された。また、ナウンブルクの事例からは、ICOMOS の⼀貫性のない態度が逆転登録を招いたことが明らかになった。今後、委員会には後の影響に配慮した決議、諮問機関には資産の評価に対する⼀貫性が求められる

Prognostic value of metastin expression in human pancreatic cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>KiSS-1 </it>was identified as a metastasis-suppressing gene in melanoma cells. The <it>KiSS-1 </it>gene product (metastin) was isolated from human placenta as the ligand of GPR54, a G-protein-coupled receptor. The role of metastin and GPR54 in tumor progression is not fully understood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the clinical significance of metastin and GPR54 expression in pancreatic cancer. We evaluated immunohistochemical expression of metastin and GPR54 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues obtained from 53 consecutive patients who underwent resection between July 2003 and May 2007 at Kyoto University Hospital. In 23 consecutive patients, the plasma metastin level was measured before surgery by enzyme immunoassay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Strong immunohistochemical expression of metastin was detected in 13 tumors (24.5%), while strong expression of GPR54 was detected in 30 tumors (56.6%). Tumors that were negative for both metastin and GPR54 expression were significantly larger than tumors that were positive for either metastin or GPR54 (p = 0.047). Recurrence was less frequent in patients who had metastin-positive tumors compared with those who had metastin-negative tumors (38.5% versus 70.0%, p = 0.04). Strong expression of metastin and GPR54 was significantly correlated with longer survival (p = 0.02). Metastin expression by pancreatic cancer was an independent prognostic factor for longer survival (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–4.7; p = 0.03), and the patients with a high plasma metastin level (n = 6) did not die after surgical resection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Strong expression of metastin and GPR54 by pancreatic cancer is associated with longer survival. Metastin expression is an independent prognostic factor for the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. The plasma metastin level could become a noninvasive prognostic factor for the assessment of pancreatic cancer.</p