Study on a welfare robotic-type exoskeleton system for aged people's transportation.

International audienceIn recent years, the rate of aged people is continuously increasing in Japan: in ten years, around 30% of the Japanese population will be aged more than 65 years old. These people often need some help from caretakers, and this causes a problem for the caretakers: it takes a very big burden for caretakers, for example, to lift people from their bed, when they need to go to toilets. So, a system to help caretakers would be needed: This is a master-slave unit exoskeleton, which helps the caretaker while loading the patient. It is moved by a Hydraulic Bilateral Servo system, whose master cylinders are moved by servo-motors. Presently, the conceptions of the body and hardware are finished. We are developing the servo-loop system and the driving software for the system, and more specially the pulse generation software for the motor of the master part of the exoskeleton. We will be able to discuss about the driving of the entire robotic-type exoskeleton system with a computer, through a PCMCIA interface system

Endoscopic and clinical evaluation of treatment and prognosis of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome: a Japanese nationwide survey.

BackgroundFirst reported in 1955, Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS), a rare syndrome characterized by ectodermal abnormalities and inflammatory changes of the gastrointestinal tract mucosa, has been associated with a poor prognosis and life-threatening malignant complications. In a large population survey, we endeavored to characterize the course and treatment outcome of CCS through clinical and endoscopic assessment, and to explore its optimal treatment and surveillance strategy.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 210 patients with CCS was conducted via a questionnaire-based nationwide survey of 983 teaching hospitals located throughout Japan. We assessed clinical features, endoscopic findings, treatments used, and short- and long-term outcomes.ResultsThe average age at diagnosis was 63.5 years. In all cases, upper or lower gastrointestinal tract polyposis was confirmed, accompanied by characteristic ectodermal abnormalities. Of the treatments used, oral corticosteroids (30-49 mg/day) were the most effective treatment for active disease, with adjunctive nutritional support considered beneficial. With corticosteroid treatment, abdominal symptoms were relieved within a few months, whereas polyp regression often required more than 6 months. Maintenance of endoscopic remission with or without steroids for 3 years significantly lowered the development of CCS-related cancer, compared with relapsers or nonresponders, underscoring the importance of sustained endoscopic remission for cancer prevention.ConclusionsThe prognosis of CCS has greatly improved through the use of improved medical treatment. Although CCS continues to be relentlessly progressive, carrying a high cancer risk, a sufficient dose and duration of corticosteroid therapy accompanied by nutritional support and periodic endoscopic surveillance appears to improve its natural history

Critical Diagnosis of Electronic Dimensionality Reduction in Semiconductor Quantum Well Structures

Two-dimensional (2D) systems, such as high-temperature superconductors, surface states of topological insulators, and layered materials, have been intensively studied using vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In semiconductor films (heterostructures), quantum well (QW) states arise due to electron/hole accumulations at the surface (interface). The quantized states due to quantum confinement can be observed by VUV-ARPES, while the periodic intensity modulations along the surface normal (kz) direction of these quantized states are also observable by varying incident photon energy, resembling three-dimensional (3D) band dispersion. We have conducted soft X-ray (SX) ARPES measurements on thick and ultrathin III-V semiconductor InSb(001) films to investigate the electronic dimensionality reduction in semiconductor QWs. In addition to the dissipation of the kz dispersion, the SX-ARPES observations demonstrate the changes of the symmetry and periodicity of the Brillouin zone in the ultrathin film as 2D QW compared with these of the 3D bulk one, indicating the electronic dimensionality reduction of the 3D bulk band dispersion caused by the quantum confinement. The results provide a critical diagnosis using SX-ARPES for the dimensionality reduction in semiconductor QW structures

Crystal structure of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus lipase complex with the anti-obesity drug orlistat

抗肥満薬が黄色ブドウ球菌の病原因子を阻害するメカニズムを解明. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-03-31.Staphylococcus aureus lipase (SAL), a triacylglycerol esterase, is an important virulence factor and may be a therapeutic target for infectious diseases. Herein, we determined the 3D structure of native SAL, the mutated S116A inactive form, and the inhibitor complex using the anti-obesity drug orlistat to aid in drug development. The determined crystal structures showed a typical α/β hydrolase motif with a dimeric form. Fatty acids bound near the active site in native SAL and inactive S116A mutant structures. We found that orlistat potently inhibits SAL activity, and it covalently bound to the catalytic Ser116 residue. This is the first report detailing orlistat–lipase binding. It provides structure-based information on the production of potent anti-SAL drugs and lipase inhibitors. These results also indicated that orlistat can be repositioned to treat bacterial diseases

Structural basis for the sequence-specific RNA-recognition mechanism of human CUG-BP1 RRM3

The CUG-binding protein 1 (CUG-BP1) is a member of the CUG-BP1 and ETR-like factors (CELF) family or the Bruno-like family and is involved in the control of splicing, translation and mRNA degradation. Several target RNA sequences of CUG-BP1 have been predicted, such as the CUG triplet repeat, the GU-rich sequences and the AU-rich element of nuclear pre-mRNAs and/or cytoplasmic mRNA. CUG-BP1 has three RNA-recognition motifs (RRMs), among which the third RRM (RRM3) can bind to the target RNAs on its own. In this study, we solved the solution structure of the CUG-BP1 RRM3 by hetero-nuclear NMR spectroscopy. The CUG-BP1 RRM3 exhibited a noncanonical RRM fold, with the four-stranded b-sheet surface tightly associated with the N-terminal extension. Furthermore, we determined the solution structure of the CUG-BP1 RRM3 in the complex with (UG)3 RNA, and discovered that the UGU trinucleotide is specifically recognized through extensive stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds within the pocket formed by the b-sheet surface and the N-terminal extension. This study revealed the unique mechanism that enables the CUG-BP1 RRM3 to discriminate the short RNA segment from other sequences, thus providing the molecular basis for the comprehension of the role of the RRM3s in the CELF/Bruno-like family

保安職業従事者とその家族へのソーシャルワークに関する試論 (2) : 米国の Military Social Work の現状と養成課程を参考に

本研究では、前稿「保安職業従事者とその家族へのソーシャルワークに関する試論 (1)」に引き続き、保安職業従事者（特に自衛官）とその家族を対象としたソーシャルワークに関し､NASW Standards for Social Work Practice with Services, Vetarans & Their Familiesを題材に論考を行った。それにより、Military Social Workの展開に際しては、その対象領域の固有性を考慮した倫理･価値ならびに展開過程における知識・技術等の習得が必要であることが明らかとなった。また、それらは保安職業従事者（特に自衛官）とその家族を取り巻く生活環境の変化等に伴い、彼らが直面する可能性のある生活課題への支援活動について、予防的に検討を進める際の一助になることを提言した。In this research, a study was carried out using the "NASW Standards for Social Work Practice with Services, Veterans & Their Families" to examine social work, specifically in regard to defense force servicemen (particularly Self-Defense Force Officials) and their families, and continues the work of the previous manuscript: "A Consideration of Social Work for Security workers and their families (1)." In doing so, the conclusion has been met that in the development of military social work, not only is it necessary employ the acquisition of the ethics / values inherent to the field of study, but also the knowledge/skills in the development process. Furthermore, the findings make it clear that the consideration to recommend support services as a preventative measure against any potential problems that may confront Security workers (particularly Self-Defense Force Officials) and their families as they undergo changes to their living environments may be helpful