Effect of Emitted Wavelength and Light Guide Type on Irradiance Discrepancies in Hand-Held Dental Curing Radiometers

The purpose of this study was to determine any discrepancies in the outputs of five commercial dental radiometers and also to evaluate the accuracy of these devices using a laboratory-grade spectroradiometer. The power densities of 12 different curing light sources were repeatedly measured for a total of five times using each radiometer in a random order. The emission spectra of all of the curing light sources were also measured using the spectroradiometer, and the integral value of each spectrum was calculated to determine the genuine power densities, which were then compared to the displayed power densities measured by the dental radiometers. The displayed values of power density were various and were dependent on the brand of radiometer, and this may be because each radiometer has a different wavelength sensitivity. These results cast doubt upon the accuracy of commercially available dental radiometers

A non-obese, diet-induced animal model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in Wistar/ST rats compared to Sprague-Dawley rats

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a subtype of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a potentially progressive liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis. Obesity increases the risk of NAFLD/NASH, but this disease can also be observed in non-obese individuals. Methods: We investigated the metabolic and histopathological changes in 13 obesity-resistant Slc:Wistar/ST rats fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFC) diet for 9 weeks, and also retrospectively compared the results of 41 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that were previously fed with the same protocol to the results of the Slc:Wistar/ST rats. Results: Of the 13 Slc:Wistar/ST rats fed an HFC diet containing 1.25% or 2.5% cholesterol, 11 (84.6%) developed histologically proven NASH without obesity, an increased visceral fat volume, insulin resistance, histopatological severe lobular inflammation and severe hepatic fibrosis. The HFC diets significantly increased the levels of mRNA encoding collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). The SD rats also developed NASH without obesity, an increased visceral fat volume and insulin resistance, but the metabolic and histopathological effects, such as lower serum adiponectin levels, higher serum leptin levels, histopatological severe lobular inflammation and hepatic fibrosis, seemed to be more pronounced in the SD rats than in the Slc:Wistar/ST rats. Conclusions: These two rat models may reflect the human etiology of NASH that is influenced by dietary factors, and the obesity-resistant Slc:Wistar/ST rat model may be particularly useful for elucidating the pathophysiological mechanism of the so-called “lean NASH”

ガクサイテキ ブンヤ ニオケル ガクシ カテイ コウチク オ シヤ ニ イレタ ジュギョウ ヒョウカ アンケート ト ソノ カツヨウ

FD活動は、学士課程において平成20年度から、全ての大学においてその実施が義務化された。 大学教育のなかでも、学際的な学問分野をどの様にして体系化いくかについては課題となっている。 現在授業評価アンケートは、多くの大学で実施されているのが、その内容については大学の教育目標と の関連づけなどに改善の余地がある。本稿では、学際的な分野における授業評価アンケートについて、 ディプローマポリシーに関連する能力達成の項目を導入し、カリキュラム全体のチェックを行うことで、 組織的な評価をおこなう。これを組織的なFD活動に反映させ、学士課程の構築を目指すことの可能性について考察する。Activity for faculty development (FD) was obligated in the course of bachelor in all the university from 2008. An establishment for systematic planning of curriculum for general education and cultural studies in university education. Although class evaluation questionnaires are already employed in most of the univesities，some problems such as lacking the object of education in each university remain to be improved.Qualification of the undergraduate program is required for establishment of the systematic curriculum for various levels or aims of study for students. In the present paper，we discuss on the significance of the reflection of class evaluation questionnaires included the achievement of competences in the class to check the valance of curriculum for evaluation of the university education.We also discuss on the possibility of reflection of the class evaluation questionnaires for the appropriate FD activities that have direction to the qualification of undergraduate program

〔研究ノート〕 グリーンナッツオイルの摂取は マウスのDHAおよびEPAを増加させるか

In general, it has been recognized that n-3 fatty acids have the effect of suppressing inflammation and deterioration of cognitive ability. In addition, it is reported that a-linolenic acid is partially converted into DHA and EPA in the human body. On the other hand, like linseed oil and perilla oil, green nut oil （GNO） is rich in a-linolenic acid, one of the n-3 fatty acids, but not enough research on green nut oil has been done yet.Therefore, using mice, we investigated the effects of green nut oil intake on fatty acid composition in the liver, erythrocyte membrane, and brain. The result suggested that a-linolenic acid in green nut oil increases DHA and EPA in the bodies of mice. While mice that ingested corn oil （as a contrast） showed a slight decrease in brain DHA in 20-week-old mice as compared with 8-week-old mice, mice that ingested green nut oil showed no significant difference between 8 and 20-week-olds

Left-right axis formation in the dorsalized or ventralized Xenopus laevis embryos : Does dorsal-midline development affect the left-right orientation of visceral organs?

Yostら(1995)は、ツメガエル受精卵の表層回転を阻害することで頭部組織を欠損させた胚や、卵割期の背側割球にXwnt-8 mRNAを微量注射することで頭部組織を欠損させた胚において、心臓逆位が高率に生じることを発見した。彼らはその理由について「頭部中軸組織は内臓の左右軸の決定に関与する因子を放出するので、頭部が欠けると内臓が左右軸の手がかりを失い内臓逆位が生じる」とした。筆者らは、彼らとは異なる以下の3つの処理方法を用いて頭部欠損症状を持った胚を人工的に作出し、それらの心臓や腸管の左右非対称性の正位/逆位を調べた。頭部欠損の程度と内臓逆位の出現率とが相関するか否かを解析することで、Yostらの仮説の検証を試みた。胚の頭部形成を阻害することが知られるレチノイン酸で短時間暴露処理(パルス処理)したツメガエル胞胚∿神経胚の内臓逆位の出現率について調べた。1-10μMレチノイン酸処理胚は著しい頭部欠損症状を示したにもかかわらず、それらの内臓逆位出現率は1%(3/263)と、無処理胚における逆位の自然発生率と同レベルであった。カルシウムイオノフォアA23187のパルス処理によって、発生段階依存的に頭部欠損胚または尾部欠損胚が得られる(後藤ら, 1994)が、その場合の内臓逆位出現率について調べた。後藤らの報告では、初期卵割期の処理では胴尾部欠損胚が得られ、卵割後期∿胞胚期の処理では頭部欠損胚が得られるとあるが、我々の実験結果はそれと正反対のものであった。初期卵割期の処理では頭部欠損が見られ、後期胞胚∿原腸胚期の処理では胴尾部欠損(特に尾部欠損)が観察された。原腸胚期にA23187処理を行った胚の63%(15/24)が内臓逆位を示した。処理によって尾部を欠損した胚の多くは内臓逆位胚であった。塩化リチウム処理で内臓逆位が生じることが、高谷(1949)によって明らかにされており、一方、品川ら(1989)により胞胚期∿原腸胚期のリチウム処理で頭部欠損胚が得られることが報告されている。そこで、リチウム処理による頭部欠損の程度と内臓逆位の出現との相関について調べた。原腸胚期のリチウム処理で、11%(8/72)の個体に内臓逆位が生じた。同じ処理群の中に頭部が欠損した胚も多数得られ、頭尾軸欠損指標Dorso-Anterior Index (Kao & Elinson, 1988)の平均は4.35であった(n=72)。しかしながら、個々の胚について頭部欠損の程度と逆位発生との相関を調べると、逆位胚の75%はDAI 5の頭尾軸は正常な胚であり、頭部欠損の度合いと内臓逆位出現率とは相関がなかった。以上の結果から、「胞胚期以降の胚においては、内臓の左右性に関連する位置情報はすでに心臓や腸管の予定細胞群自身が獲得していて、それらの左右軸は、頭部組織の有無に影響を受けない程度には決定されている。」と考えられる

地方都市中学生における食育課題の男子・女子間の比較検討

OBJECTIVE: We investigated dietary consciousness, dietary behavior, dietary environment and students feeling about their own health in Japanese male and female junior high school students, and examined the differences and similarities between the two gender groups to understand what we need to do in dietary education. METHODS: The survey was conducted during the month of October, 2006. Participants: The subjects were 477 junior high school boys (257) and girls (220) (age 12-14 years). Measure:1.We gave subjects a questionnaire of 68 questions asking about their perceptions of their own weight, dietary consciousnesses, dietary behavior, dietary environment, how healthy they believed themselves to be, and their lifestyles.2.Age, height and body weight were measured or supplied by the subjects teachers. Subjects whose weight was greater than or equal to 120% of the baseline degree of obesity as determined by the Ministry of Education were considered to have a tendency toward obesity, and subjects whose weight was less than or equal to 80% of the Ministry of Educations baseline degree of obesity were considered underweight. The TANITA scale was used and BMI was calculated based on the degree of obesity as established by the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity. RESULTS:1.Significant differences were observed between the two gender groups in the disparities between their classification of their own body types and their actual BMI scores (p<0.001). Many girls perceived themselves as overweight even though their weight was at an appropriate level.2.Significant differences were observed between the two groups in the subjective symptoms (p<0.001). Many girls claimed that their health condition was poor.3.Significant differences were observed between the two groups in their cooking skills (p<0.01). Fewer boys are able to cook than girls.4.Some other noteworthy results were obtained between the two groups about the degree of satisfaction with their lives and homes

地方都市と大都市における女子生徒の食育課題検出のための研究

OBJECTIVE: In this study we investigated dietary consciousness, dietary behavior, dietary environments, life-style and subjects evaluation of their own health in Japanese urban and suburban adolescents to get ideas for improving dietary education for these groups.METHODS: The survey was conducted in October and November, 2006. Participant: The subjects were 262 urban junior high school girls (Age 13-14 yrs) and 220 suburban junior high school girls (Age 12-14 yrs). Measure: 1.The questionnaire consisted of 76 questions related to subjects dietary behavior, dietary environments, lifestyles, and their evaluation of their own health.2.Age, height and body weight were measured by their teacher. Subjects body weight was checked using the TANITA scale. And subjects BMI was calculated based on the degree of obesity as established by the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity. RESULTS 1.In urban areas a lot of students thought that they are overweight. They perceived themselves to be overweight even when they were not.2.More students in urban areas than in suburban areas did not understand how much one should eat and what would constitute overeating. 3.More than 50% of both suburban and urban subjects reported feeling irritated. Subjects also reported experiencing headaches, stiff shoulders, and backaches.4.All subjects reported being basically satisfied with their lives and families.5.Significantly fewer urban subjects than suburban subjects reported having breakfast and supper with their families. 6.50% of both groups reported having conversations with their families during meals and that they are happy at home

Experience of Mothers of Hikikomori Children during their High School and University Days : The Process of Mother’s Participation in a Hikikomori “Parents’ Group”

The goal of this study is to clarify the experience process up to joining a parents' group, for mothers of school refusal children who refused to go to school or university and ended up as hikikomori, refusing to go out at all. Another goal is to examine support for such mothers. Semistructured interviews were conducted with twelve mothers. By analyzing the interviews using the revised version of the grounded theory approach, five categories and twelve concepts were extracted. The central category was looking for a guidepost and this affected the other three categories. In (makeshift solution for child) mothers repeatedly tried to find some stopgap solution. In (anguish amid a sense of isolation) they struggled on alone, feeling isolated. In this process, mothers made the (decision to join a parents' group) because they wanted to meet someone who would understand, obtain useful information and have some idea of what the future might hold. Since the looking for a guidepost situation continued for some time before they made the (decision to join a parents' group) it is highly likely that these mothers' psychological state can be stabilized through an appropriate response, and that they will be able to deal with their child head on, and adopt an attitude which seeks to understand him. From the analysis results, it is suggested that “mother's acceptance” and “encouragement of supporter's understanding of hikikomori” are important elements in supporting responses to looking for a guidepost.本研究は、高校・大学時にひきこもった子どもの母親の、親の会に参加するまでの体験のプロ セスを明らかにし支援の検討を目的とした。母親12名を対象に半構造化面接を行い、面接内容を 修正版グラウンデッド・セオリー・アプローチを用いて分析した結果、５つのカテゴリーと12の 概念が抽出された。コアカテゴリーは≪探し求める道しるべ≫であり、その後の３つのカテゴ リーに影響を与えていた。〈子どもには対症療法〉でその場しのぎの対応を繰り返し〈孤独感の 中で苦悩〉し、わかる人とつながり有効な情報を得て先の展望を持ちたいという思いで〈親の会 への参加決断〉をしていた。≪探し求める道しるべ≫状態が継続していることから、ここへの適 切な対応で早期に母親の心理的安定を図ることができる可能性が高く、“母親の受容”、”支援 者のひきこもりに関する理解の促進”が重要な要素と考えられる