Mothers' process of understanding their developmental disordered children using after-school care service

The form of the Child Welfare Service changed drastically with the revision of the Child Welfare Act in 2012. In the Act, the section addressing day service for children changed, that is, after-school care for mild disordered children provides more diversified services. The purpose of this study was to clarify mothers' precess of understanding their developmental disordered children by semi-structured interview. The results indicated that mothers' needs and expectation to the service differed in accordance with psychological level of their understanding of their children. In addition, it was suggested that reconfirmation of the needs and expectation was effective for mothers who recognized the service negatively

Study on the effect of space radiation to mammalian ES and iPS cells to their development

It is extremely important to take measure the effects of space radiation on the human body to forecast and defend them. Especially, reproduction and development in space will be an issue of high priority considering a long-term stay in space. We will launch frozen mouse ES cells and iPS cells into space, to expose them to space radiation. After storage at -80 degree in C in space for several months or years, the cells will be returned to the ground. We will microinject the ES or iPS cells into fertilized eggs to produce mice to examine the influence of space radiation on their development and on their descendents.We used iron ion and carbon ion beam by accelerator of HIMAC of National Institute of Radiological Sciences as a ground-based experiment. The embryonic stem cells and iPS cells were irradiated with those beams and microinjected to mouse embryos, and subsequently transplanted to the uterus of pseudopregnant mice. We analyzed their survival, proliferation, and development.21st Annual NASA Space Radiation Investigators’ Worksho

Effect of heavy ion radiation to mouse ES cells

When a long term manned space flight and stay is assumed, it is considered to be one of the most prime issues to evaluate the influence of the space radiation on the human body. Especially damages occurring in the reproductive organs bear the risk to seriously injure the descendant. Because experiments using breeding mouse in space is difficult, we propose an alternative method to evaluate the effect of space radiation to mammals. We plan to launch frozen embryonic stem (ES) cells in space for being exposed to space radiation. After returns to ground, the cells will be microinjected to mouse blastocysts to become chimeric mice. The process of development of ES cells can be followed to judge the radiation effects.We carried out irradiation experiment with heavy particles on ground at HIMAC at Chiba in Japan. We irradiated mouse cultured ES cells after irradiation with doses from 0.01 to 10Gy with carbon (290 MeV/u) and iron ions (500 MeV/u) at room temperature. The survival rate of the cell was analyzed by colony formation. The results show an increase in response in the following order: Fe>C>X-rays. It is planned to launch frozen ES cell; accordingly in a ground-based experiment mouse ES cell frozen at -80 degree-C were also irradiated by dose from 0.01 to 10Gy with carbon (290 MeV/u) and iron ion (500 MeV/u) beams. The number of colonies was counted eight days later and the survival rate of the cells was analyzed. For the dose of 1Gy or more, cells irradiated at standard culture condition are more sensitive than frozen cells.We irradiated the mouse ES cells by the dose to 0.01-10Gy with carbon (290 MeV/u) and iron (500 MeV/u) beams, and the histone H2AX (gamma-H2AX) phosphorylation was followed. The gamma-H2AX was strongly detected at doses greater than 0.5 Gy 1hr after irradiation, while foci formation after X-ray irradiation was moderately, indicating the induction of severer DNA damage by iron beam irradiation. We will evaluate the influence of space radiation by analyzing development of ES cells-microinjected embryos. The system worked well in the experiment with X-rays, showing the generation of an abnormal embryo to be proportional to irradiation dose. In addition, we try to estimate the influence of space radiation on human ontogeny by comparing the effect to human and mouse iPS cells by using microinjection system.Heavy Ions in Therapy and Space Symposium 200

Study of the Effects of Space Radiation on Mouse ES cells

As long-term human space flight is now required for cosmic exploration, the influence of space radiation and microgravity on the human body is an issue of high priority. We plan to launch frozen mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells into space, to expose them to space radiation. After returning to the ground, we will microinject the ES cells into fertilized eggs to produce mice, and evaluate the influence of space radiation on their development and on their descendents

Impact of tissue macrophage proliferation on peripheral and systemic insulin resistance in obese mice with diabetes

Introduction Obesity-related insulin resistance is a widely accepted pathophysiological feature in type 2 diabetes. Systemic metabolism and immunity are closely related, and obesity represents impaired immune function that predisposes individuals to systemic chronic inflammation. Increased macrophage infiltration and activation in peripheral insulin target tissues in obese subjects are strongly related to insulin resistance. Using a macrophage-specific proliferation inhibition mouse model (mac-p27Tg), we previously reported that suppressed plaque inflammation reduced atherosclerosis and improved plaque stabilization. However, the direct evidence that proliferating macrophages are responsible for inducing insulin resistance was not provided.Research design and methods The mac-p27Tg mice were fed a high-fat diet, and glucose metabolism, histological changes, macrophage polarization, and tissue functions were investigated to reveal the significance of tissue macrophage proliferation in insulin resistance and obesity.Results The mac-p27Tg mice showed improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, along with a decrease in the number and ratio of inflammatory macrophages. Obesity-induced inflammation and oxidative stress was attenuated in white adipose tissue, liver, and gastrocnemius. Histological changes related to insulin resistance, such as liver steatosis/fibrosis, adipocyte enlargement, and skeletal muscle fiber transformation to fast type, were ameliorated in mac-p27Tg mice. Serum tumor necrosis factor alpha and free fatty acid were decreased, which might partially impact improved insulin sensitivity and histological changes.Conclusions Macrophage proliferation in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle was involved in promoting the development of systemic insulin resistance. Controlling the number of tissue macrophages by inhibiting macrophage proliferation could be a therapeutic target for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Biobased Polymers: Synthesis of Graft Copolymers and Comb Polymers Using Lactic Acid Macromonomer and Properties of the Product Polymers

For developing broader application of biobased polymers, graft copolymers and comb polymers having poly­(lactic acid) (PLA) side chains have been synthesized by using a macromonomer technique. PLA macromonomers (MM<i>m</i>) having a methacryloyl polymerizable group with different PLA chain length with an average length <i>m</i> = 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, and 30 were prepared via ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide using hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) initiator catalyzed by Sn­(Oct)₂. Radical polymerization behaviors of these macromonomers were examined. Radical copolymerization of MM<i>m</i> (<i>m</i> = 4, 6, and 8), with vinyl monomers like <i>n</i>-butyl methacrylate (BMA) and <i>n</i>-butyl acrylate (BA) in water as the reaction medium, gave stable miniemulsions of poly­[<i>n</i>-butyl (meth)­acrylate-<i>graft</i>-lactic acid]­s [PB­(M)­A-<i>g</i>-PLA<i>m</i>]. MM<i>m</i> with <i>m</i> value higher than 12, however, gave aggregate products in a minor amount besides miniemulsions in a major amount, producing not a stable emulsion system of graft copolymers. The solution copolymerization, on the other hand, produced a wider variety of the graft copolymers, where a wider range of MM<i>m</i> (even <i>m</i> ≥ 12) can be employed. In a 1,4-dioxane solution, the radical copolymerization of MM<i>m</i> with BMA and methyl methacrylate (MMA) gave various graft copolymers [PB­(M)­MA-<i>g</i>-PLA<i>m</i>]. A new type of comb polymers (PMM<i>m</i>) having PLA<i>m</i> as pendant side chains were obtained by radical homopolymerization of MM<i>m</i> in a 1,4-dioxane solution. The graft copolymers and comb polymers obtained here are amorphous. Physical properties of the polymers from miniemulsions suggested them to be applicable for coatings or elastic materials which are environmentally desirable as a new class of biobased polymers. In addition, the present approach provided fundamental information on relationships between the length of PLA side chain and the bulk properties of the product polymers

The SuperKEKB Has Broken the World Record of the Luminosity

The SuperKEKB broke the world record of the luminosity in June 2020 in the Phase 3 operation. The luminosity has been increasing since then and the present highest luminosity is 4.65 x 10³⁴ cm⁻²s⁻¹ with β_{y}^{*} of 1 mm. The increase of the luminosity was brought with an application of crab waist, by increasing beam currents and by other improvements in the specific luminosity. In this paper, we describe what we have achieved and what we are struggling with. Finally, we mention a future plan briefly