THE EFFECTS OF GUITAR-ACCOMPANIED SINGING INTERVENTION ON SUNDOWNING IN ELDERLY PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a guitar-accompanied singing intervention on agitated behaviors associated with the transition from day to night, referred to as sundowning, in individuals with dementia. Eleven guardians signed the informed consent; however, two eligible participants declined to take part in the study. The data on one participant were used to train the research assistant regarding the data collection method; therefore, her information and data were excluded from this thesis. Out of the remaining 8 participants (N=8), four (n=4) of them received music therapy, and other four (n=4) listened to newspaper reading. The investigator provided both conditions. A single 10-min individual session was offered to each participant approximately between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The investigator provided a guitar-accompanied singing intervention to the music therapy treatment group. She read the inner sections of the Kansas City Star newspaper to the control group. All sessions were video recorded, and a 15-s time sampling method was used to collect data using rubrics derived from the Pittsburg Agitation Scale (PAS) for both groups. The results are discussed as a series of case studies due to the small sample size. All 4 participants in the music therapy condition completed the entire 10-min session whereas 2 out of 4 participants in the newspaper reading condition completed only part of the session due to increased agitation and a participant's decision. Motor agitation was most common, and aberrant vocalization was the next. No aggressiveness was observed during the sessions. This study was preliminary, and the results cannot be generalized; however, noteworthy observations were made. Recommendations for future research implementations are discussed. Keywords: music therapy, music, singing, agitation, dementia, sundownin

Electrical Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS)法を用いた培養細胞の微細挙動の定量的評価法 - 細胞-細胞間隙と細胞-電極間隙の評価 -

We have proposed a mathematical model for the micro-dynamics for cultured cells measured with ECIS system for the detection of nanometer-order dynamics of cells cultured on a small gold electrode and could separately evaluate cell-to-cell distance (A) and cell-to-substrate distance (h). For wide applications of this method, we constructed mathematical models which express cell-to-electrode impedances for some kinds of confluent conditions. Based on this mathematical model, we defined new parameters S(A) and S(h) in order to evaluate cell-to-cell distance and cell-to-substrate distance. As the application, we investigated the effect of X-irradiation to bovine aortic endothelial cell (BAEC). We analyzed the micro-dynamics of cells from the impedance of BAEC before and after X-irradiation. It was proved that the stimulation of 100 Gy X-irradiation to the BAEC resulted in the large scale of increase in the cell-to-cell distances (A), and the slight increase in the cell-to-substrate distances (h) accompany with continuous fluctuations.[背景] Electrical Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS)は培養細胞の電気的計測により,その微細挙動を評価する工学的手法である｡我々はECISを用いてこの微細挙動を細胞-細胞間隙と細胞-電極間隙に分離して推定することが可能な数学的モデルを提案してきた｡本研究ではこの数学的モデルを使用して,Ⅹ線を照射した牛大動脈内皮細胞(bovine aortic endothelial cell : BAEC)の微細挙動の経時変化を評価した｡ [方法と結果] ECISシステム(Model 1600R Applied BioPhysics)を用いてBAECのコンフルエント到達前後で計測を行い,数学的モデルを構築した｡このモデルは細胞の微細挙動を検出するために重要な周波数レンジである1-10kHzにおいて測定結果とよく一致し,Cole-Cole円弧則に従う｡さらに細胞-細胞間距離Aの増減に対応する校正定数S(A)と細胞-電極間距離hの増減に対応する校正定数S(h)を導入し,ベクトルインピーダンスの変化に対応した値を算出することで細胞の微細挙動を評価することとした｡次に本法によりX線(150kV, 100Gy)を照射したBAECの微細挙動を評価した｡Ⅹ線照射細胞では時間経過と共に抵抗成分の変化が支配的なインピーダンスの減少が確認された｡この現象はS(A)の大きな増加とS(h)の微小な減少をもたらした｡このパラメータの変化は細胞間隙が拡大したことを示しており,Ⅹ線照射による細胞内損傷により細胞密度が低下したと考えられた｡ [結論] 本法は培養細胞の微細動態の変化を細胞-細胞間隙と細胞-電極間隙に分けてリアルタイムに定量評価することが可能であり,各臓器の細胞レベルでの薬物の治療効果や Ⅹ線に対する耐性の評価に適応できるものと考える

テイラー気泡後流が後続気泡速度変化に与える効果についての研究

関西大

Anticancer and antimetastatic effects of cordycepin, an active component of Cordyceps sinensis

AbstractCordyceps sinensis, a fungus that parasitizes on the larva of Lepidoptera, has been used as a valued traditional Chinese medicine. We investigated the effects of water extracts of Cordyceps sinensis (WECS), and particularly focused on its anticancer and antimetastatic actions. Based on in vitro studies, we report that WECS showed an anticancer action, and this action was antagonized by an adenosine A3 receptor antagonist. Moreover, this anticancer action of WECS was promoted by an adenosine deaminase inhibitor. These results suggest that one of the components of WECS with an anticancer action might be an adenosine or its derivatives. Therefore, we focused on cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine) as one of the active ingredients of WECS. According to our experiments, cordycepin showed an anticancer effect through the stimulation of adenosine A3 receptor, followed by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β activation and cyclin D1 suppression. Cordycepin also showed an antimetastatic action through inhibiting platelet aggregation induced by cancer cells and suppressing the invasiveness of cancer cells via inhibiting the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, and accelerating the secretion of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 from cancer cells. In conclusion, cordycepin, an active component of WECS, might be a candidate anticancer and antimetastatic agent

Compositions of REE, K, Rb, Sr, Ba, Mg, Ca, Fe, and Sr isotopes in Antarctic"unique" meteorites

The abundances of Mg, Ca, Fe, K, Rb, Sr, Ba, and REE in five Antarctic "unique" meteorites, acapulcoite-lodranite type, Yamato (Y)-74063,Y-74357,Y-8002,and Allan Hills (ALH)-78230,and winonaite type, Y-75300 were determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. The Sr isotopic compositions of Y-74063,Y-75300,Y-8002,and ALH-78230 were also measured to investigate the whole-rock Rb-Sr isotopic systematics. In terms of the REE abundance pattern, these meteorites are grouped as follows; (1) Y-74063 and ALH-78230 with chondritic REE patterns, (2) Y-74357 with light REE depletion plus alkali and alkaline earth element depletion, and (3) Y-75300 and Y-8002 with middle REE depletion (V-shaped REE pattern) plus a positive Eu anomaly). The mineralogy of these meteorites is closely related to the above REE classification. The ^Rb-^Sr age determined from \u27whole-rock samples\u27 for Y-74063,Y-75300,Y-8002,and ALH-78230 is consistent with their formation of 4.5Ga, albeit with a large uncertainty due to the blank correction. Using the mineral/liquid partition coefficients of trace elements, the petrogenetic model calculations were performed. The results give indication on the origin of these "unique" meteorites. Y-74063 and ALH-78230 could be formed through a small degree of partial melting (less than a few%) from a chondritic starting material. Y-74357 could be formed by a larger degree (12%) of partial melting. On the other hand, the V-shaped REE pattern of the third group (Y-75300 and Y-8002) could not be explained by a simple partial melting process. The V-shaped REE pattern may be explained only by assuming the solid state equilibration within a reservoir with chondritic composition. It is suggested that Y-75300 and Y-8002 might be derived from parental materials depleted in phosphate and clinopyroxene

Evaluating object and region of concentric electrode in bio-electrical impedance measurement

Concentric electrode is easy to use and used widely for measuring bio-electrical impedance. But, its evaluating region was not investigated in detail. Then, the characteristics of concentric electrode were studied from various points of view. In case of use without electrode paste, impedance is determined with the contacting condition between electrode and skin surface over all frequency range. In case of use with electrode past, impedance is composed of stratum corneum in the frequency range of 20 Hz-1 kHz and is mainly composed of subcutaneous tissue in the range of 200 kHz-1 MHz. In the high frequency range, evaluating region of concentric electrode is the area less than the radius or the gap of center electrode

通常学級における集団随伴性が着席行動に及ぼす効果

　　The authors examined the effect of interdependent group-oriented contingencies on sitting behaviors of elementary students at the beginning of the regular classes. The study was conducted in a 2nd-grade classroom of a public elementary school. Participants were 25 children（14 boys, 11 girls）. The target behavior was described as follows: “I will sit down as soon as the chime rings.”　　The authors observed and recorded 42 sessions including the first 1-17 baseline phase, the following 18-34 intervention phase, and the final 35-42 follow-up phase. After the 17th session, the target behavior was set for all the children for sessions 18-34, and the class teacher announced that a medal sticker with a popular cartoon character would be attached to the class goal poster each time they all sat down as soon as the chime rang, and promised that when they achieved this 15 times, a fun event would be held as a reward. 　　All through the intervention period the frequency of sitting behavior increased and the completion time was shortened. Application of interdependent group-oriented contingencies was effective in improving the sitting behavior of the children

カナダのケベック州におけるインターカルチュラリズムと非宗教性をめぐって (平成29年度 兵庫海外研究ネットワーク(HORN)事業による共同研究)

　D’après les données du recensement de 2016, la population immigrante canadienne représente 21,9 % de la population totale, soit plus d\u27un Canadien sur cinq, et cette proportion d\u27immigrants se trouve être plus élevée que celle de 2011, qui représentait 20,6 % de la population. En fait, le Canada a accueilli 1.212.080 immigrants pendant la période allant de 2011 à 2016, y compris 26.550 réfugiés syriens, comme l’avait promis le premier ministre Justin Trudeau lors de la campagne électorale qu\u27il avait remportée le 19 octobre 2015, sa promesse étant de recevoir environ 25 000 réfugiés dès que possible. L’accueil constant d’immigrants et la diversité ethnoculturelle au Canada semblent être considérés comme ce qui fait la force du pays. Or, il existe, dans le même pays, deux manières de gérer la diversité ethnoculturelle : d’un côté le multiculturalisme du gouvernement fédéral canadien, et de l’autre l’interculturalisme du gouvernementquébécois. Le Québec s’opposait et s’oppose à la politique canadienne de multiculturalisme, officialisée d’abord en 1971 par le premier ministre de l’époque Pierre Trudeau. Si la province du Québec n’a pas adopté la loi constitutionnelle de 1982, comprenant La Charte canadienne des droits et libertés, à cause, entre autres raisons, de l\u27article 27 de ladite Charte sur « le maintien et la valorisation du patrimoine multiculturel », c’est parce que, pour promouvoir l’égalité culturelle, avaient été ignorés le principe de la dualité linguistique et culturelle et la spécificité du Québec où la population était majoritairement francophone. Il fallait donc que la province invente son propre modèle pour aménager la diversité ethnoculturelle provenant de l’immigration, modèle convenant à la situation et aux aspirations du Québec ; d’où la naissance de l’interculturalisme québécois. Toutefois, le terme d’interculturalisme québécois n’est pas défini officiellement. Un certain paradigme mettant le français au rang de langue commune des rapports interculturels peut être retracé depuis les années 1980, mais le terme s’est fait plus largement connaître dans le fameux Rapport Bouchard-Tayor intitulé Fonder l’avenir, le temps de la conciliation, publié en 2008.　Dans cet article, après avoir expliqué la genèse et le terme d’interculturalisme québécois, nous réfléchirons sur la laïcité au Québec, en particulier, par rapport à la Loi 62, adoptée le 18 octobre 2017, sur la neutralité religieuse de l’État, et prévoyant que les prestations des services publics seront dispensées et reçues à visage découvert. En effet, à l’heure actuelle, certains pays prennent ce genre de mesure concernant le voile intégral, interdit pour la première fois en France en 2010. Enfin, à partir de nos réflexions sur l’interculturalisme et la laïcité au Québec, nous aimerions penser à une société multiculturelle à venir, dans le Japon d’aujourd’hui dont la population diminue progressivement, afin de créer un « vivre-ensemble » de façon harmonieuse, non seulement pour les résidents au Japon mais aussi pour les personnes en mobilité chez nous