Spiritual and Secular Existential Meaning-Making Coping Methods among Japanese Cancer Patients

The present article is written on the basis of a sociological international project on meaning-making coping. The aim of the project has been to understand the role of culture in meaning-making coping. The project embarrasses studies among cancer patients in 10 countries. The present article is confined to the results obtained in the study in japan. The main aim was to investigate the impact of culture from a sociological perspective on the choice of coping methods. Twelve participants with various kinds of cancer were interviewed.Several meaning-making coping methods are found in the present study. This study underlines the importance of investigating cultural and social context when investigating into the use of the meaning-making coping methods in different countries

Anthropometrics estimates renal function

In recumbent elderly patients, creatinine clearance (eCCr) estimated by the Cockcroft-Gault (CG) equation may not necessarily reflect renal function. We aimed to develop a novel formula to revise the CG equation using anthropometric measurements in bedridden elderly patients and evaluate its clinical utility. The subjects included 77 bedridden Japanese patients aged ≥ 65, hospitalized at Naruto Yamakami Hospital. The actual CCr (mCCr) value was measured using the 24-hour urine collection method. Anthropometric data, such as skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass (BFM), and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), were collected. We established a novel formula to estimate CCr(BFM) or CCr(TSF) by correcting the eCCr(Enz + 0.2) value with BFM or TSF. The stage of classification of renal dysfunctions in patients with eGFR(BFM) or eGFR(TSF) was equivalent to the GFR(control) based on the mCCr. Notably, the novel equation for eCCr based on TSF (eCCr(TSF)), dubbed the “Naruto” formula, can be useful to evaluate renal function in bedridden elderly patients without expensive equipment or additional costs. In this study, mCCr was considered to be the true renal function of the patient, but whether and to what extent mCCr correlates with inulin clearance is unknown

Effect of Poly (ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors on Hypoadiponectinemia Caused by Chronic Blockade of Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Rats

Oxidant stress-induced activation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) contributes to the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived anti-atherogenic protein. In the present study, we investigated the role of PARP in the development of hypoadiponectinemia caused by chronic blockade of nitric oxide synthesis with N^ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in rats. Decreased production of NO and increased production of O_2^- were observed in aortas from L-NAME-treated rats. Plasma adiponectin levels and adiponectin mRNA levels within adipose tissue were markedly decreased in L-NAME-treated rats. Concurrent administration of potent PARP inhibitors, INO-1001 or PJ34, with L-NAME did not restore plasma adiponectin levels or fat adiponectin mRNA levels. Thus, the cardiovascular protective effects of PARP inhibitors are not associated with adiponectin levels. Therefore, drugs which increase adiponectin levels may be beneficial alongside PARP inhibitors in the treatment of cardiovascular disease

研究ノート : 介護技能自己評価によって規定されるストレッサーへの二次的評価に関する研究 -中国北京市における高齢者介護施設職員を例に-

departmental bulletin pape