Principal Sensitivity Analysis

We present a novel algorithm (Principal Sensitivity Analysis; PSA) to analyze the knowledge of the classifier obtained from supervised machine learning techniques. In particular, we define principal sensitivity map (PSM) as the direction on the input space to which the trained classifier is most sensitive, and use analogously defined k-th PSM to define a basis for the input space. We train neural networks with artificial data and real data, and apply the algorithm to the obtained supervised classifiers. We then visualize the PSMs to demonstrate the PSA's ability to decompose the knowledge acquired by the trained classifiers

Dysphagia Screening Questionnaire : Swallow-10

The Seirei dysphagia screening questionnaire (namely, Seirei dsq) has been used to screen for oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). Some of the questions in the questionnaire are difficult for people with cognitive decline to answer. We selected 10 items from the Seirei dsq that could be assessed by others, such as care workers (named Swallow-10). This study aims to verify the validity of the scoring method used in Swallow-10. The dataset used in this study was the one used in the development of Seirei dsq : 50 patients with cerebrovascular disease who were diagnosed with OD, 145 patients with cerebrovascular disease who did not have OD, and 170 healthy subjects. Among the answer choices, “A” for severe symptom, “B” for mild symptom and “C” for no symptom were scored with 4, 1 and 0 points respectively. Factor analysis extracted two factors : one related to pharyngeal function and another related to oral function. In addition, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.84. ROC analysis indicated that optimal cutoff value was 5 points, with a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 88.5%. These results suggest that Swallow-10 may be useful as an OD screening tool for subjects with cognitive decline

チイキ コウレイシャ トノ フクシ タイケン ガクシュウ ノ キョウイク コウカ ト チイキ コウケン ジギョウ トシテノ ヒョウカ

本研究の目的は，地域高齢者との福祉体験学習における学生への教育効果と、地域貢献事業としての評価をすることである。徳島大学歯学部では，医療人を志すものとしての自覚を持つことを目的とした取り組みを県内16カ所の施設で合計28回実施した。これは，学生が口腔保健指導「お口の健康長寿教室」において，高齢者を対象とした口腔機能訓練の補助者として体験学習するものである。学習後のレポートから， 到達目標とした地域貢献の在り方や歯科専門職としての役割を認識する学生が多くを占めた。一方，地域貢献事業として評価するため，参加職員への調査を行った結果，利用者への役立ちに加え，多くの施設職員の理解も深まったとのアンケート結果が得られた。以上から，本取り組みは学生への教育目標「医療人としての自覚を持つ」に沿った成果が得られており，また，施設職員の口腔機能向上プ口グラムへの盤解の深まりから，今後の継続が期待される。The purose of this study is to evaluate the educational effect by the welfare-experience learning program with aged people in community，and to evaluate this program as the regional contribution. This program is to aim at having a consciousness of becoming the dental professional in the University of Tokushima，Faculty of Dentistry，and they were carried out with 16 institutions (a total of 28 times).This program makes students accompany the oral health guidance"long-life oral healthy classroom"，and they carried out the experience study as on auxiliary person of the variaus functional oral-training for elderly people.By the investigation of the student's report, there are students who recognized the achievement objectives which are roles of the way concerning regional contribution as dental professionals in community. On the other hand，the questionnaire to the participating persoonnel was conducted in order to evalaote this program as the regional contrtbution. As a result，this program is useful to elderly people and the understanding of institution personnel is also deepened this practice. As mentioned above，the result of having is suitable for the educational goal "to have a consciousness of becoming the dental professional". Furthermore，this program was considered that future continuation is also expected by deepening of an understanding to the personnel's functional oral-training program

A Study of Clinical Features and the Worsening Factors Among Patients with Behget\u27s Disease in Japan

A cross-sectional survey of Beliefs disease in Japan was held to investigate the correlation of clinical-features and HLA-B51, pathergy test and the worsening factors among patients. The questionnaires were sent to 200 hospitals selected geographically at random in Japan. The diagnosis was made with Japanese Criteria for the classification and patients who did not satisfy the criteria were excluded from the study. The differences in data were analyzed by Pearson\u27s corrected chi-square test, and multiple logistic regression analyses with SPSS. A total of 180 patients (80 men and 100 women) were used as subjects. The rate of positive HLA-B51 was 57.4% (66.7% in men, 44.8% in women). HLA-B51 positivity was significantly higher in patients with eye lesions than without, and significantly lower in patients with gastrointestinal lesions than without. The rate of positive pathergy test was 53.0 % (67.3 % in men, 42.4 % in women). The pathergy test positivity was significantly higher in male patients, patients with skin lesions, and with central nerve system symptoms. The number of patients with worsening factors affecting the symptoms, such as seasonal influences, infectious states, psychological fatigue and physical fatigue was 88, with significantly more among patients with skin lesions and those with arthritis, and less among those with eye lesions. As the results of multiple regression analyses show, HLA-B51 negativity was most associated with patients with gastrointestinal lesions and the positivity was most associated with male patients. The pathergy test positivity was most associated with male patients. It was suggested that the rates of positive HLA - B51 and pathergy test were significantly higher among male patients. As the worsening factors might be concerned with the etiology of Behcet\u27s disease, this study only provided some suggestions for further examination

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 attenuates the toxicity of carbon tetrachloride

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is routinely used as a model compound for eliciting centrilobular hepatotoxicity. It can be bioactivated to the trichloromethyl radical, which causes extensive lipid peroxidation and ultimately cell death by necrosis. Overactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) can rapidly reduce the levels of (β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and adenosine triphosphate and ultimately promote necrosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether inhibition of PARP-1 could decrease CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity, as measured by degree of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lipid peroxidation,and oxidative DNA damage. For this purpose, male ICR mice were administered intraperitoneally a hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 with or without 6(5H)-phenanthridinone, a potent inhibitor of PARP-1. Animals treated with CCl4 exhibited extensive poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in centrilobular hepatocytes, elevated serum levels of LDH, and increased lipid peroxidation. In contrast, animals treated concomitantly with CCl4 and 6(5H)-phenanthridinone showed significantly lower levels of poly(ADP-ribosyl) ation, serum LDH, and lipid peroxidation. No changes were observed in the levels of oxidative DNA damage regardless of treatment. These results demonstrated that the hepatotoxicity of CCl4is dependent on the overactivation of PARP-1 and that inhibition of this enzyme attenuates the hepatotoxicity of CCl4

Ichthyofauna of the Kubo, Tochikura, and Ichinono river systems (Kitakami River drainage, northern Japan), with a comparison of predicted and surveyed species richness

The potential fish species pool of the Kubo, Tochikura, and Ichinono river systems (tributaries of the Iwai River, Kitakami River drainage), Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, was compared with the observed ichthyofauna by using historical records and new field surveys. Based on the literature survey, the potential species pool comprised 24 species/subspecies but only 20, including 7 non-native taxa, were recorded during the fieldwork. The absence during the survey of 11 species/subspecies from the potential species pool suggested either that sampling effort was insufficient, or that accurate determination of the potential species pool was hindered by lack of biogeographic data and ecological data related to the habitat use of the species. With respect to freshwater fish conservation in the area, Lethenteron reissneri, Carassius auratus buergeri, Pseudorasbora pumila, Tachysurus tokiensis, Oryzias latipes, and Cottus nozawae are regarded as priority species, and Cyprinus rubrofuscus, Pseudorasbora parva, and Micropterus salmoides as targets for removal