Compensatory saccade in the vestibular impaired monkey

IntroductionLoss of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) affects visual acuity during head movements. Patients with unilateral and bilateral vestibular deficits often use saccadic eye movements to compensate for an inadequate VOR. Two types of compensatory saccades have been distinguished, covert saccades and overt saccades. Covert saccades occur during head rotation, whereas overt saccades occur after the head has stopped moving. The generation of covert saccades is part of a central vestibular compensation process that improves visual acuity and suppresses oscillopsia. Understanding the covert saccade mechanism may facilitate vestibular rehabilitation strategies that can improve the patient’s quality of life. To understand the brain mechanisms underlying covert saccades at the neural level, studies in an animal model are necessary. In this study, we employed non-human primates whose vestibular end organs are injured.MethodsWe examined eye movement during the head-impulse test, which is a clinical test to evaluate the vestibulo-ocular reflex. During this test, the monkeys are required to fixate on a target and the head is rapidly and unexpectedly rotated to stimulate the horizontal semi-circular canals.ResultsSimilar to human subjects, monkeys made compensatory saccades. We compared these saccades with catch-up saccades following a moving target that simulates the visual conditions during the head impulse test. The shortest latency of the catch-up saccades was 250 ms, which indicates that it requires at least 250 ms to induce saccades by a visual signal. The latency of some compensatory saccades is shorter than 250 ms during the head impulse test, suggesting that such short latency compensatory saccades were not induced visually. The peak velocity of the short latency saccades was significantly lower than that of longer latency saccades. The peak velocity of these longer latency saccades was closer to that of visually guided saccades induced by a stepping target.ConclusionThese results are consistent with studies in human patients. Thus, this study demonstrates, for the first time, compensatory covert saccades in vestibular impaired monkeys

The health and daily-life problem of the aged at homes for three months after discharge from the hospital

今後の継続看護・在宅看護を考えてゆく際の参考にするために、医療施設から自宅へ退院した高齢患者が3カ月経過後に、どのような健康上や日常生活上の問題点をもち、家庭や地域でどのような援助や支援を受けて生活しているかについて報告をする。総合病院に入院していた70歳以上の高齢者で自宅に退院する患者92名のうち、退院後3カ月経過後の時点で回答を得た70名（76.0％）について分析を行った。病状については約8割の者は特に問題を持っていない、しかし約2割の者は病状に悪化が見られた。現在困っていることは「健康上の問題」とした者は約3割であった。日常生活の自立状況では「仕事もできる」とする者が退院時の18.6％より、3カ月後は40.0％に増加しており、「生きがいがかなりある」とする者は退院時の34.3％より、3カ月後は45.7％に増加していた。しかし、回答が得られなかった22名（24.0％）の高齢者は、より重要な問題を包含している可能性があり、追跡をする必要がある。We report that for the guidance to consider future continuing-nursing and home-nursing, the elderly patient who living in homes for three months after discharged from the hospital, have what problems in their health and daily lives and what sort of supports they are receiving in their homes and from the vicinities. Analysis was done on the health and daily-life problems of 70 elderly who responded to a survey which was mailed, three months after discharged from the hospital, among 92 elderly more than 70 years old. 80% of them had no problems in their conditions, but in 20% conditions got worse. About 30% of them complained of the problem of health with respect to independence of daily life. Patients who were able to work increased from 18.6% to 40.0%, and the ptients who felt worth living increased from 34.3% to 45.7%. 22 elderly who hadn't answer seemed to have more severe problems however, further surveys are needed

The research on the problems of health care and living of the aged (Pursuing the cases of home treatment given to the elderly patients for one year after their discharge)

退院後の生活に目を向けた適切な退院指導がなされることは、高齢患者が安心して在宅療養を送る上で、重要な意味を持つ。そこで病院から在宅療養に移行した70歳以上の高齢者の抱える問題を4回に渡って1年間調査し、これまでに退院時、3ヵ月後、6ヵ月後の調査結果を報告した。本稿では1年を通じて回答のあった53名について健康と生活上の問題の変化を分析し、考察した。在宅療養に移行した高齢者の健康状態と生活上の問題は、ほぼ一致して退院後6ヵ月から1年後までに変化を認め、特に日常生活上の問題は著しく増加した。その原因として病状の悪化との関連が考えられた。また、高齢者の問題についての意識は、研究者の専門的な問題意識に比べて低かった。従って入院中に退院後の生活を予測することには限界があり、今後は退院指導の充実と伴に在宅サービスとの連携が重要であることを認めた。We planned to make emerge the problems felt by the elderly patients of 70 years and over given home treatment. As a means of our research, four times a year we sent a questinnaire to the aged who had been discharged. After collecting the answers of the questionnaires, we decided to focus on the 53 elderly patients who answered all four questionnaires, and then tried to make their problems emerge. The contents of the questionnaires were about their health care in a year and how their daily life changed. We can see that the condition of the elderly patients under home treatment and their living problems have changed almost without exceptions six months to a year after their discharge. Especially the number of the problems in their daily life increased remarkably. These results might be considered to be caused by the aggravation of their diseases. In addition, the elderly patients are not as conscious of their own problems as a specialist with a critical mind. Therefore, there is a limit to estimating the change in lifestyle of a discharged patient while they remain hospitalized. We consider it essential to get full discharge-care closely connected with home service for elderly patients

Inhibition of interleukin-6 signaling attenuates aortitis, left ventricular hypertrophy and arthritis in interleukin-1 receptor antagonist deficient mice

The aim of the present study was to examine whether inhibition of Interleukin (IL)-6 signaling by MR16-1, an IL-6 receptor antibody, attenuates aortitis, cardiac hypertrophy, and arthritis in IL-1 receptor antagonist deficient (IL-1RA KO) mice. Four weeks old mice were intraperitoneally administered with either MR16-1 or non-immune IgG at dosages that were adjusted over time for 5 weeks. These mice were stratified into four groups: MR16-1 treatment groups, KO/MR low group (first 2.0 mg, following 0.5 mg/week, n=14) and KO/MR high group (first 4.0 mg, following 2.0 mg/week, n=19) in IL-1RA KO mice, and IgG treatment groups, KO/IgG group (first 2.0 mg, following 1.0 mg/week, n=22) in IL-1RA KO mice, and wild/IgG group (first 2.0 mg, following 1.0 mg/week, n=17) in wild mice. Aortitis, cardiac hypertrophy and arthropathy were histologically analyzed. Sixty-eight percent of the KO/IgG group developed aortitis (53% developed severe aortitis). In contrast, only 21% of the KO/MR high group developed mild aortitis, without severe aortitis (P<0.01, vs KO/IgG group). Infiltration of inflammatory cells, such as neutrophils, T cells, and macrophages, was frequently observed around aortic sinus of the KO/IgG group. Left ventricle and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy were observed in IL-1RA KO mice. Administration of high dosage of MR16-1 significantly suppressed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. MR16-1 attenuated the incidence and severity of arthritis in IL-1RA KO mice in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, blockade of IL-6 signaling may exert a beneficial effect to attenuate severe aortitis, left ventricle hypertrophy, and arthritis

Notices about using elementary statistics in psychology

Improper uses of elementary statistics that were often observed in beginners' manuscripts and papers were collected and better ways were suggested. This paper consists of three parts: About descriptive statistics, multivariate analyses, and statistical tests

Morphologic change of Yoshida sarcoma cells and coelothelioma cells after exposing to the cell toxin from X-ray-irradiated animal

The unsaturated fatty acid fraction extracted from the liver of rabbit irradiated with X-rays exerts a strong cytotoxic effect on human coelothelioma cells and Yoshida sarcoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. The cell damage seems to initiate at the nucleus, finally leading to the complete cytolysis. The inhibiting effect of this substance on the mitosis of Yoshida sarcoma cells can be observed, especially marked from prophase up to metaphase giving almost the same results obtained after X-ray irradiation. From these results and the observations reported by several authors on the cell damage by X-ray irradiation, weshould call special attention to the fact that the essential mechanism of X-ray irradiation can be attributed to the cell toxin produced after the irradiation.</p

The health and daily-life problems of the elderly living in their own homes for six months after being discharged from the hospital

病院を退院した高齢者の療養上の問題を把握することは、退院指導や継続看護を進める上でも重要である。著者らは退院時、退院後3か月、6か月、1年のそれぞれの時点で、在宅での看護上の問題について調査研究を行い、すでにこれらの一部は報告した。今回は退院後6ヵ月を経過した高齢者の在宅療養時の健康及び日常生活の問題について報告する。総合病院に入院していた70歳以上の高齢者で、退院時に調査を行った93名のうち、退院後6ヵ月の時点で回答を得た60名（64.5％）について分析した。調査は郵送法により、調査内容は健康状態、自立度、困っていること等で、結果は退院時の状態と比較・検討した。退院6か月後の日常生活の自立度がよい者の割合は退院時より8.4％増加し、体の調子が「良くなった」とする者は50％を越えた。しかし、困っていることとして「健康面」の問題をあげた者は23.3％と高く、退院時の2倍になっていた。また退院時の問題点の70％はなお持続しており、食事療法・移動動作・下肢痛・視聴覚障害・排泄障害・気管支炎等の順に多かった。6ヶ月後の新たな問題として注目すべきものとしては人間関係やコミュニケションの障害が認められた。The purpose of this study is to investigate the medical care problems of the elderly living in their own homes for six months after being discharged from the hospital. Analysis was done on the health and daily-life problems of 60 elderly people who responded to a survey which was mailed. The results are as follows ; 34 persons (56.7%) answered that their health had improved compared to the time of their discharge and the health condition of 16 persons (26.7%) had improved to the point where they were able to work. Nevertheless, 14 persons (23.3%) had health problems and 4 persons had problems in their daily life, 3 persons had mental problems and 2 persons had economic problems. Some of them still had problems such as diet, disability in moving, arthralgia and low back pain

Research of the problems on the elderly patients at discharge from the hospital concerning their health and daily life at home

高齢者の退院指導及び在宅看護の在り方を検討した研究は少ない。そこで、高齢者の自宅院時に持つ健康上及び生活上の問題を明らかにすることを目的に、面接調査を行った。対象は、中・四国の3国立大学付属病院と1総合病院で退院許可のあった70歳以上の患者78名とした。調査内容は、退院時の患者の身体状態・日常生活動作・退院時の患者の状況・家族の状況・健康に対する意識や取り組みについてとした。その結果、(1)高齢の自宅退院患者の23.1％は、身体状態上継続看護が必要であった。(2)退院患者の20.5％が、退院後生活を自立する為に介助が必要であるとしていた。(3)退院患者の57.7％は心配事を持ち、50％は相談・指導を希望していた。(4)患者の世話人の42.3％は職業を持ち、27.3％は健康を害していた。(5)退院患者の73.1％は何らかの健康管理がなされ、84.7％は生きがいを持っていた。Now there are few researehes into the guidance which be done for the elderly patients at the time of leaving the hospital and into the ways of their home nursing care. Therefore, we did interview the elderly patients in order to make it clear what problems they have about their health and their life. In the three national university hospitals in Chugoku District and Shikoku District and one general hospial, we focussed on the 78 patients more than seventy years old who were allowed to leave the hospital. The purpose of our research is to know body condition and the situation of the patients leaving the hospital, activities of their daily life, the situation of their family and their consciousness and care about their health. After having done this research we conclude as follows, (1) 23.1 percent of all the patients need continuing nursing care from the viewpoint of their body condition after leaving the hospital. (2) 20.5 percent of all the patients need help from their family or others to support themselves at home. (3) 57.7 percent of all the patients have worries and 50 percent of them have a wish to consult with the doctors or the nurses and to be guided by them. (4) 42.3 percent of people who take care of patients have their own job and suffer from poor health. (5) 73.1 percent of all the patients who leaves the hospital were given some health care before entering the hospital and 84.7 percent of them seem to lead a life worth living

Probrems and needs on elderly patients after discharge from hospital - Analysis from the interview records of their patients -

高齢者人口の増加に伴い慢性疾患をもつ老人が増え在宅医療の必要性が叫ばれているが、一旦入院すると症状が軽快しても自宅への退院は困難とする事例が多い。そこで、高齢者の在宅医療がスムーズに行われるための退院指導のあり方、継続看護の方向性を得るために患者が自宅退院を迎える時どのような問題を持ち、どのような援助を希望しているかを質問紙を用い面接調査した。70歳以上の患者が自宅へ退院する時の心配なこと、医療従事者に相談したいことは1、健康面で病気のこと、2、日常生活面で食事のことが多かった。退院後、困る事では1、健康面の事が多く、次いで2、日常生活面、3、精神面の順であった。援助の希望では1、日常生活面が最も多く次いで2、健康面、3、精神面であった。このような心配事、ニーズが退院後どのように変化しているのか調査中である。The population of the aged people with the chronic disease is increasing. It produces demands for the home health care. We focused on the home health care for the aged above 70 and interviewed with a questionnaire to them who were ready to discharge. We also have been investigating every three months how problems and needs were changing after discharge. In this paper, we report on results of this interview and discuss problems and needs they have to provide our better nursing care for them