Herbal Medicine Containing Licorice May Be Contraindicated for a Patient with an HSD11B2 Mutation

Licorice ingestion, as well as mutations in the HSD11B2 gene, inhibits 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) enzyme activity, causing the syndrome of apparent mineral corticoid excess (AME). However, the combined effect of licorice ingestion and an HSD11B2 mutation has never been reported, until now. In this study, we demonstrated that licorice ingestion can produce overt hypertension in an individual without medical history of hypertension who is heterozygous for wild-type and mutant HSD11B2 genes. Our patient was a 51-year-old female with serious hypertension who had been taking herbal medicine containing licorice for more than one year. She was clinically diagnosed as having licorice intoxication, because she did not present with hypertension after ceasing the herbal medicine. Molecular analysis showed that she carried a missense mutation, c.40C>T, in HSD11B2. In conclusion, licorice ingestion is an environmental risk factor for hypertension or AME state in patients with a mutation in HSD11B2. Carrying a mutation in HSD11B2 is, conversely, a genetic risk factor for licorice-induced hypertension or AME state. Herbal medicine containing licorice may, therefore, be contraindicated in patients with an HSD11B2 mutation

重度認知症高齢者に対する熟練看護師の実践行動

　熟練看護師の重度認知症高齢者に対する実践知から導き出された実践行動を４つのスキルから明らかにするため、半構成的面接を行いカテゴリー化を実施した。その結果、ヒューマンスキルでは、高齢者の想いを傾聴し重度認知症高齢者が他者と良い人間関係を維持できるよう努めていた。テクニカルスキルでは、多くを行動・心理症状への実践行動が占め、熟練看護師はこれまでのキャリアの発達段階で獲得したスキルを活かし、行動・心理症状や安全管理を大切にする実践行動へ繋げていた。メタ認知スキルでは、熟練看護師自身の実践行動について振り返り、次の実践行動へ繋げていた。コンセプチュアルスキルでは、重度認知症高齢者や家族の困難な状況に対して、問題解決やビジョン立案のスキルを発揮し実践行動へ繋げていた。これら重度認知症高齢者への実践行動は、熟練看護師自身の実践行動を振り返る省察の繰り返しによる継続性によってもたらされたものと考える

Highly Sensitive Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide and Glucose by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

BACKGROUND: Because H(2)O(2) is generated by various oxidase-catalyzed reactions, a highly sensitive determination method of H(2)O(2) is applicable to measurements of low levels of various oxidases and their substrates such as glucose, lactate, glutamate, urate, xanthine, choline, cholesterol and NADPH. We propose herein a new, highly sensitive method for the measurement of H(2)O(2) and glucose using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: FCS has the advantage of allowing us to determine the number of fluorescent molecules. FCS measures the fluctuations in fluorescence intensity caused by fluorescent probe movement in a small light cavity with a defined volume generated by confocal illumination. We thus developed a highly sensitive determination system of H(2)O(2) by FCS, where horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalyzes the formation of a covalent bond between fluorescent molecules and proteins in the presence of H(2)O(2). Our developed system gave a linear calibration curve for H(2)O(2) in the range of 28 to 300 nM with the detection limit of 8 nM. In addition, by coupling with glucose oxidase (GOD)-catalyzed reaction, the method allows to measure glucose in the range of 80 nM to 1.5 µM with detection limit of 24 nM. The method was applicable to the assay of glucose in blood plasma. The mean concentration of glucose in normal human blood plasma was determined to be 4.9 mM. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In comparison with commercial available methods, the detection limit and the minimum value of determination for glucose are at least 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive in our system. Such a highly sensitive method leads the fact that only a very small amount of plasma (20 nL) is needed for the determination of glucose concentration in blood plasma

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae

We systematically surveyed period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae based on newly obtained data and past publications. In many systems, the evolution of superhump period are found to be composed of three distinct stages: early evolutionary stage with a longer superhump period, middle stage with systematically varying periods, final stage with a shorter, stable superhump period. During the middle stage, many systems with superhump periods less than 0.08 d show positive period derivatives. Contrary to the earlier claim, we found no clear evidence for variation of period derivatives between superoutburst of the same object. We present an interpretation that the lengthening of the superhump period is a result of outward propagation of the eccentricity wave and is limited by the radius near the tidal truncation. We interpret that late stage superhumps are rejuvenized excitation of 3:1 resonance when the superhumps in the outer disk is effectively quenched. Many of WZ Sge-type dwarf novae showed long-enduring superhumps during the post-superoutburst stage having periods longer than those during the main superoutburst. The period derivatives in WZ Sge-type dwarf novae are found to be strongly correlated with the fractional superhump excess, or consequently, mass ratio. WZ Sge-type dwarf novae with a long-lasting rebrightening or with multiple rebrightenings tend to have smaller period derivatives and are excellent candidate for the systems around or after the period minimum of evolution of cataclysmic variables (abridged).Comment: 239 pages, 225 figures, PASJ accepte

超極細ナイロン6繊維の機械的特性に見られる繊維径の影響

Mechanical properties for four Nylon6 fibers of different diameters have been examined. The diameters of the fibers are 82, 24, 9.1 (micro-fiber), and 2.5(super-micro-fiber)μm. The apparatus for the tensile test has been newly designed for measuring the mechanical properties of the super micro fiber. The breaking forces measured for many super micro fibers have been grouped into those with large and small values. The distribution of the breaking forces has been correlated to the distribution of the diameters. The super micro fiber has finally been clustered into five groups in order to evaluate mechanical properties. The breaking strength, breaking strain and the elastic modulus of super micro fiber at standard state were similar to those at wet

ナイロン-6繊維の水分収着及び拡散挙動に見られる繊維径の影響

Sorption and diffusion properties of water for four Nylon-6 fibers of different diameters have been systematically examined at 25℃. The diameters of the fibers are 82, 24, 9.1 (micro-fiber), and 2.5 (super-micro-fiber) μm. The quartz spring weighing method has been employed for measuring the water sorption to the fibers. The amount of sorbed water has been separated into that absorbed to the volume of non-crystallline part of the fibers and that adsorbed to the surface of the fibers, in order to explain the absorption by the diffusion of water into the fibers. The change in the amount of diffused water with time was described by Fick\u27s second law of diffusion

断面直径が異なるナイロン6繊維の標準時、湿潤時、浸水時における機械的特性

Mechanical properties measured by tensile test of Nylon6 fibers with various diameters have been examined in standard, wet, and water-immersed conditions. Tensile test in wet condition was performed under JIS L 1030. Tensile test in water-immersed condition was applied to the fibers dipped in water. Diameters of the fibers used for the tests were 2.5 (super micro fiber), 9.1 (micro fiber), 24 and 82μm. An influence of water evaporation to the mechanical properties measured in wet condition has been discussed, compared with those obtained in water-immersed condition

EVALUATION OF TACTILE SENSATION FOR FABRICS OF VARIOUS FIBER FINENESS

Tactile sensation for four nylon6 satin fabrics of different fiber fineness has been examined. Four grades of fineness of the fibers were employed as 0.74(micro-fiber). 1.4, 4.4, and 56 dtcx. Several tactile adjectives effective to express tactile sensation were selected by means of factor analysis for questionnaire data. The tactile adjectives selected were related to feeling and sense to heat and moisture. The evaluation data for tactile sensation of fabrics were analyzed by paired comparison method using the selected adjectives. It is stressed that the correspondence of tactile sensation to physical properties of the fabrics was observed for fiber fineness of about 1dtex or more. It has been further clarified tin the present work that the micro fiber fabric shows a specific tactile sensation compared with normal fiber fabric

EVALUATION OF TACTILE SENSATION FOR FABRICS OF VARIOUS FIBER FINENESS

Tactile sensation for four nylon6 satin fabrics of different fiber fineness has been examined. Four grades of fineness of the fibers were employed as 0.74(micro-fiber). 1.4, 4.4, and 56 dtcx. Several tactile adjectives effective to express tactile sensation were selected by means of factor analysis for questionnaire data. The tactile adjectives selected were related to feeling and sense to heat and moisture. The evaluation data for tactile sensation of fabrics were analyzed by paired comparison method using the selected adjectives. It is stressed that the correspondence of tactile sensation to physical properties of the fabrics was observed for fiber fineness of about 1dtex or more. It has been further clarified tin the present work that the micro fiber fabric shows a specific tactile sensation compared with normal fiber fabric