Overview of polar exhibit tanks and List of the creatures in house

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions : [OB] Polar Biology, Wed. 4 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor) , National Institute of Polar Researc

Evaluation and Clinical Validity of a New Questionnaire for Mikulicz's Disease

Objectives. The characteristic features of Mikulicz's disease (MD) are diffuse enlargement of the lacrimal and submandibular glands, elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G4, and abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive plasmacytes into both glands. No disease index is available to properly evaluate MD, so we developed a functional assessment of MD, the Mikulicz's disease activity questionnaire (MAQ), and evaluated its clinical efficacy. Methods. We selected 18 patients who were either being treated for MD or who had presented with recurrence. The patients completed a self-assessment and were scored according to the MAQ sheet during each visit between December 2009 and August 2011. Assessment items were in regard to increases or decreases in lacrimal and salivary gland enlargement and severity of sicca symptoms. Results. On the first visits, MAQ scores were high, but scores decreased rapidly as treatment progressed. When doses of glucocorticoid were reduced, some patients showed increased scores. Dry-symptom scores increased initially. MAQ scores for patients with recurrent MD gradually increased over several months before relapse. However, some patients displayed no elevation in MAQ scores due to relapses at other sites. Conclusion. MAQ score can be used to quantify flares and treatment response and is useful for functional assessment of MD

Temperature evolution of magnetic phases near the thickness-dependent metal-insulator transition in La1−x_{1-x}Srx_xMnO3_3 thin films observed by XMCD

Perovskite-type manganites, which are well-known for their intriguing physical properties such as colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) and half metalicity, have been considered as candidate materials for spintronics. However, their ferromagnetic (FM) properties are often suppressed in thin films when the thickness is reduced down to several monolayers (MLs). In order to investigate how the magnetic phases evolve near the paramagnetic (PM)-to-FM phase transition boundary, we have performed temperature-dependent x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) experiments on a La$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$MnO$_3$ (LSMO, $x=0.4$) thin film, whose thickness (8 ML) is close to the boundary between the FM-metallic and the PM-insulating phases. By utilizing the element-selectiveness of XMCD, we have quantitatively estimated the fractions of the PM and superparamagnetic (SPM) phases as well as the FM one as a function of temperature. The results can be reasonably described based on a microscopic phase-separation model.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Efficacy of sitting balance training with delayed visual feedback among patients with stroke: a randomized crossover clinical trial

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the effect of delayed visual feedback on the center of pressure and sitting balance in patients with stroke. [Participants and Methods] This was a single-blinded, randomized crossover trial. The duration of each intervention in real-time visual feedback and delayed visual feedback conditions while sitting on the platform was five days. We measured the center of pressure, function in sitting test, and functional independence measure for physiotherapy assessment. [Results] Twenty patients with stroke were included in this study. The delayed visual feedback condition improved the center of pressure for lateral distance, function in sitting test, and functional independence measure. The lateral center of pressure deviation increased significantly after 500 ms of intervention. The function in sitting test evaluated the interaction between pre- and post-training, and these conditions revealed that timing and condition factors contributed to the improvement. Sitting balance training affected the functional independence measure. [Conclusion] Sensory-motor and cognitive learning was facilitated through balance training with delayed visual feedback, and the internal model was updated with the efference copy of error correction. Sensory-motor feedback to visual stimulation can improve postural control, balance, and activities of daily living

Clinical Study Evaluation and Clinical Validity of a New Questionnaire for Mikulicz's Disease

Objectives. The characteristic features of Mikulicz's disease (MD) are diffuse enlargement of the lacrimal and submandibular glands, elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G4, and abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive plasmacytes into both glands. No disease index is available to properly evaluate MD, so we developed a functional assessment of MD, the Mikulicz's disease activity questionnaire (MAQ), and evaluated its clinical efficacy. Methods. We selected 18 patients who were either being treated for MD or who had presented with recurrence. The patients completed a self-assessment and were scored according to the MAQ sheet during each visit between December 2009 and August 2011. Assessment items were in regard to increases or decreases in lacrimal and salivary gland enlargement and severity of sicca symptoms. Results. On the first visits, MAQ scores were high, but scores decreased rapidly as treatment progressed. When doses of glucocorticoid were reduced, some patients showed increased scores. Dry-symptom scores increased initially. MAQ scores for patients with recurrent MD gradually increased over several months before relapse. However, some patients displayed no elevation in MAQ scores due to relapses at other sites. Conclusion. MAQ score can be used to quantify flares and treatment response and is useful for functional assessment of MD