487 research outputs found

    Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for seizure suppression in patients with extratemporal lobe epilepsy—A pilot study

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    SummaryWe evaluated the effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on seizure frequency in adult patients with medically intractable extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE). Seven patients with medically intractable ETLE received low-frequency rTMS at 0.9Hz, basically two sets of 15min stimulation per day for five days in a week, with the stimulus intensity of 90% of resting motor threshold (RMT). The number of seizures during two weeks before and after the stimulation of one week was compared. Furthermore, RMT and active motor threshold (AMT) were measured before and after rTMS for each daily session. After low-frequency rTMS of one week, the frequency of all seizure types, complex partial seizures (CPSs) and simple partial seizures was reduced by 19.1, 35.9 and 7.4%, respectively. The patients with smaller difference between RMT and AMT before rTMS had higher reduction rate of CPSs. A favorable tendency of seizure reduction, though not statistically significant, during two weeks after low-frequency rTMS was demonstrated in medically intractable ETLE patients. As far as CPSs are concerned, smaller decrease of motor threshold by voluntary muscle contraction was associated with better response to rTMS

    The meaning of life for an elderly man living alone : a narrative approach

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    Aim: To improve nursing care for the elderly in order to allow them to live independently. This study has used the narrative of an elderly man to learn about what has given his life meaning.Method: Fifteen key concepts were extracted from interviews using the narrative approach.Results and Conclusions: Mr. A, now near the end of his life, has found meaning in living his life, not only for himself, but also for those around him. The elderly support their own physical and mental health,and adjust to day-to-day life. Nursing care for the elderly should watch for and support these self-supporting efforts

    母体副腎が胎子精巣の発達に及ぼす影響

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    成体ラット精巣にはグルココルチコイド・レセプター(GR)が存在し,グルココルチコイドはGRを介してテストステロン合成を抑制していることはよく知られている。胎生期精巣にもGRが存在することから,グルココルチコイドが胎子精巣の発達および機能に何らかの影響を及ぼしている可能性が考えられる。そこで,本実験は,妊娠6日目に母体両側副腎を除去することによって,胎子精巣の機能がどのように変化するかを検討することを目的とした。 妊娠6日に母体ラット両側副腎を除去し(ADX群),妊娠18,19,20及び21日目に剖検し,胎子から採血し,精巣を採取した。採取した精巣からRNAを抽出し,mRNA(StAR,P450scc,P450_17a,GR,AR)発現量を半定量的PCR法によって定量した。またRIA法を用いて血漿テストステロンおよびコルチコステロン濃度を測定した。 通常,胎生末期のコルチコステロンは胎齢19日に,テストステロンは胎齢18にピークとなるが,ADX群の胎齢19日のコルチコステロンのピークはピークは明瞭ではなくなり,テストステロンのピークは1日遅れていた。これに呼応するように,胎齢18日のADX群のStAR及びP450scc mRNA発現量は変化していたが,GRおよびAR mRNA発現量に変化はなかった。以上の結果から,母体由来の副腎皮質ホルモンは胎子精巣のホルモン合成に関与していることが示唆された。It is well known that the glucocorticoid inhibits the synthesis of testosterone in the testis of adult rats through glucocorticoid receptors(GR) in their testis. Because the fetal testis also has GR, it seems that the glucocorticoid may have an ability to influences the development of fetal testicular function. In the present study, to investigate the effect of maternal adrenocortical hormone on the development of fetal testis, pregnant mothers were adrenalectomy on day 6 of gestation. Testes from fetuses on days 18 to 21 of gestation were examined. In generally, the fetal plasma corticosterone concentration reaches to the peak on day 18, the testosterone level shows the peak on day 19. However, both the hormone levels in fetuses from adrenalectomised mothers decreased. In the adrenalectomised group, StAR and P450scc mRNA, a factor and an enzyme in the steroidogenesis procedure, expression levels changed to respond the changes of hormones, although the level of GR and AR mRNA expression did not alter. These results indicate that the maternal glucocorticoid affects the synthesis of testosterone in the fetal testis

    A Study on Learning Processes for Understanding Genetic Recombination and Genome Editing : Implications from “Genome Editing Using Site Specific Nucleases and its Application in Animals”

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    本研究では,専門科学者の研究論文の構成と構造の分析,関連研究内容による読解,関連専門科学の基礎概念や基礎理論による読解,及び専門科学者の研究過程すなわち学習過程の再構成を通して,専門科学者の学習過程を学習者の学習過程に変換し,教材化に必要な内容と方法を探究することを目的とする。対象の研究論文は,「部位特異的ヌクレアーゼによるゲノム編集と動物における利用」(山本・佐久間・鈴木・坂本,2014)である。本研究の結果,専門科学者の学習過程を4段階で示した。そして,高等学校理科の『生物基礎』において,生物と遺伝子に関する探究活動を通して学習内容の理解を深めるとともに生物学的に探究する能力を高めるため,また,高等学校理科の『生物』において,遺伝子を扱った技術についてその原理と有用性を理解するため,この科学者の研究過程を考慮し,学習者の学習過程に修正し,教材開発を考案した。実際の授業に取り入れるべき学習過程として,①分子生物学の発展の歴史についての理解,②遺伝子組換え技術やゲノム編集技術の原理や安全性,重要性,現状の理解,③遺伝子組換えやゲノム編集の実験,④科学的証拠に基づく論証活動 (argumentation),の4つを提案した。The current study aimed to explore the content and methods appropriate for teaching materials by transforming a specialized scientist’s learning processes into a learning process of a student. This was achieved through analysis of the composition and construction of a research paper written by a specialized scientist, reading comprehension of associated research topics, and comprehension of basic concepts and theories in associate fields of science. The current study examined a paper entitled, “Genome Editing Using Site Specific Nucleases and its Application in Animals” (Yamamoto, Sakuma, Suzuki, and Sakamoto, 2014). We first organized the scientist’s learning processes into 4 stages. Then, by applying this scientist’s research processes onto a student’s learning processes, we considered teaching material development for “Basic Biology” in the high school science curriculum that aimed at deepening the understanding through investigational activities regarding organisms and genes and improving the skills of biological investigation. The strategy was also applied to “Advanced Biology” in the high school science curriculum that aimed at understanding of principles and applications of genetic technology. The learning processes that should be included in teaching in an actual classroom include (1) understanding of history of molecular biology, (2) understanding of the principles, safety, significance, and the current status of gene recombination and genome editing technologies, (3) experiments on gene recombination and genome editing, and (4) argumentation based on scientific evidence

    Spatial variability in recruitment of benthos near drilling sites in the Iheya North hydrothermal field in the Okinawa Trough

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    Due to increasing anthropogenic impacts on deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems, it is essential to understand population structure and maintenance through larval recruitment and recovery of vent faunas after disturbances. In this study, we quantified vent animal recruitment in the Okinawa Trough, in the western Pacific Ocean. This is the first study to investigate recruitment patterns at a man-made hydrothermal vent. Colonization plates were deployed at three sites. Site 1 manifested new hydrothermal shimmering with small chimneys, white bacterial mats, and some alvinocaridid shrimp that arrived after drilling. Site 2 showed no evidence of newly arrived foundation species after drilling, and Site 3 had pre-existing animal communities in the vicinity of the new vent. Twenty-two months after deployment, colonization plates were retrieved and recruited animals were inventoried. Species composition and abundance differed among sites, but relatively high similarity in species composition was observed at Sites 1 and 3, though not at Site 2. Newly established communities on the plates at Sites 1 and 2 (no pre-existing fauna) showed lower species richness and abundance than at Site 3. Differences in abundance and size-frequency distributions of major recruits on the plates (i.e. Lepetodrilus mix, Bathymodiolus spp.) suggest the importance of reproductive and early life-history characteristics in spatial variability of recruitment. Lepetodrilus mix populations established on the plates at Site 1 showed high genetic connectivity. These results illustrate the importance of localized recruitment, which may have a significant impact on sustainability of vent faunal populations, despite the existence of regional metapopulations

    Periostin in Allergic Inflammation

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    ABSTRACTPeriostin, an extracellular matrix protein belonging to the fasciclin family, has been shown to play a critical role in the process of remodeling during tissue/organ development or repair. Periostin functions as a matricellular protein in cell activation by binding to their receptors on cell surface, thereby exerting its biological activities. After we found that periostin is a downstream molecule of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, signature cytokines of type 2 immune responses, we showed that periostin is a component of subepithelial fibrosis in bronchial asthma, the first formal proof that periostin is involved in allergic inflammation. Subsequently, a great deal of evidence has accumulated demonstrating the significance of periostin in allergic inflammation. It is of note that in skin tissues, periostin is critical for amplification and persistence of allergic inflammation by communicating between fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Furthermore, periostin has been applied to development of novel diagnostics or therapeutic agents for allergic diseases. Serum periostin can reflect local production of periostin in inflamed lesions induced by Th2-type immune responses and also can predict the efficacy of Th2 antagonists against bronchial asthma. Blocking the interaction between periostin and its receptor, αv integrin, or down-regulating the periostin expression shows improvement of periostin-induced inflammation in mouse models or in in vitro systems. It is hoped that diagnostics or therapeutic agents targeting periostin will be of practical use in the near future

    Experimental validation of blood flow derived from pulse oximeter wave signals in beagles

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    Purpose Pulse oximeter wave reflects blood volume changes in tissue, suggesting the possibility of monitoring changes in tissue blood flow. Thus, our aim was to examine the correlation between tissue blood flow derived from pulse oximeter wave signals (Q_pulse) at a toe and the arterial flow measured by a Doppler probe at the femoral artery (Q_Doppler).Methods Six beagles under general anesthesia were studied. A 24-G catheter was placed in the proximal femoral artery for drug infusion and an ultrasonic transit-time flow probe applied to the artery to measure Q_Doppler. The pulse oximeter signals from the right toe were processed with in-house-developed software to obtain Q_pulse. Three saline solutions containing respectively the vasodilators isosorbide dinitrate (20μg/mL), adenosine (20μg/mL), and nicardipine (10μg/mL) were infused at increasing rates of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, or 20 mL/h for 8 minutes into the femoral artery with a syringe pump. Results Both Q_Doppler and Q_pulse increased fourfold with increasing rates of infusion of the three vasodilators. Plotting of Q_Doppler and Q_pulse across the three vasodilators in each animal revealed linear correlations (R^2 = 0.17-0.76). Overall regression analysis showed a less strong but still statistically significant linear relation (y=3.68x + 18.5, R^2 = 0.25, P < 0.01). Conclusions We found a linear correlation between Q_Doppler and Q_pulse in a wide range of femoral arterial blood flow measures induced by different vasodilators in each animal. Arterial flow wave derived from pulse oximetry was quantitatively validated
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