Effectiveness of Instruction using Electronic Circuit Simulation Software

Traditional teaching (lecturing) method on the design of electronic circuit provides learners with little satisfaction, because they cannot check and confirm the validity of electronic circuit they have designed. A better way to acquire design skills is to actually make the designed electronic circuit and test the validity of design. In spite of the usefulness of such a practical approach, it has a disadvantage that there is only limited time for teaching (lecturing) and it is difficult to fabricate electronic circuit, perform electronic measurement, and test the validity of design in the limited lecture period. An alternative to overcome these disadvantages is to use simulation software that enables learners (students) to operate functionally the designed electronic circuit and verify the appropriateness of design. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of simulation approach and clarify some problems related to such an approach

Changes of Business Environment and Accountability

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Postoperative Swallowing Function in Patients with Deep Neck Infection

Introduction: Early detection of dysphagia risk, initiating rehabilitation, and resumption of appropriate diet based on swallowing function is important during deep neck infection (DNI) control. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of cervical abscess development, particularly in the deep neck space, and its relationship to postoperative swallowing function. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for all DNI cases treated between April 2015 and April 2021. Deep neck spaces were divided into categories based on computed tomography findings. Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores of 4 or higher was defined as normal or slight swallowing disorder and 3 or lower as dysphagia. Results: Seventeen cases were included in the analysis. Based on FOIS, 14 cases were classified into the dysphagia group at 2 weeks after surgery, 11 cases at 4 weeks, and 8 cases at 8 weeks. There was no significant difference between the location of the abscess and dysphagia at 2 weeks after surgery. Patients with anterior cervical space abscess significantly increased dysphagia 4 weeks (p = 0.018) and 8 weeks (p = 0.036) after surgery. Conclusion: Abscess formation in the anterior cervical space may be associated with prolonged dysphagia after treatment due to inflammation and scarring of the muscles associated with swallowing

Impact of Statin Therapy on Plaque Characteristics as Assessed by Serial OCT, Grayscale and Integrated Backscatter–IVUS

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of statin treatment on coronary plaque composition and morphology by optical coherence tomography (OCT), grayscale and integrated backscatter (IB) intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging.BackgroundAlthough previous studies have demonstrated that statins substantially improve cardiac mortality, their precise effect on the lipid content and fibrous cap thickness of atherosclerotic coronary lesions is less clear. While IVUS lacks the spatial resolution to accurately assess fibrous cap thickness, OCT lacks the penetration of IVUS. We used a combination of OCT, grayscale and IB-IVUS to comprehensively assess the impact of pitavastatin on plaque characteristics.MethodsProspective serial OCT, grayscale and IB-IVUS of nontarget lesions was performed in 42 stable angina patients undergoing elective coronary intervention. Of these, 26 received 4 mg pitavastatin after the baseline study; 16 subjects who refused statin treatment were followed with dietary modification alone. Follow-up imaging was performed after a median interval of 9 months.ResultsGrayscale IVUS revealed that in the statin-treated patients, percent plaque volume index was significantly reduced over time (48.5 ± 10.4%, 42.0 ± 11.1%; p = 0.033), whereas no change was observed in the diet-only patients (48.7 ± 10.4%, 50.4 ± 11.8%; p = NS). IB-IVUS identified significant reductions in the percentage lipid volume index over time (34.9 ± 12.2%, 28.2 ± 7.5%; p = 0.020); no change was observed in the diet-treated group (31.0 ± 10.7%, 33.8 ± 12.4%; p = NS). While OCT demonstrated a significant increase in fibrous cap thickness (140 ± 42 μm, 189 ± 46 μm; p = 0.001), such changes were not observed in the diet-only group (140 ± 35 μm, 142 ± 36 μm; p = NS). Differences in the changes in the percentage lipid volume index (−6.8 ± 8.0% vs. 2.8 ± 9.9%, p = 0.031) and fibrous cap thickness (52 ± 32 μm vs. 2 ± 22 μm, p < 0.001) over time between the pitavastatin and diet groups were highly significant.ConclusionsStatin treatment induces favorable plaque morphologic changes with an increase in fibrous cap thickness, and decreases in both percentage plaque and lipid volume indexes

Estrogenic Activities of Fatty Acids and a Sterol Isolated from Royal Jelly

We have previously reported that royal jelly (RJ) from honeybees (Apis mellifera) has weak estrogenic activity mediated by interaction with estrogen receptors that leads to changes in gene expression and cell proliferation. In this study, we isolated four compounds from RJ that exhibit estrogenic activity as evaluated by a ligand-binding assay for the estrogen receptor (ER) β. These compounds were identified as 10-hydroxy-trans-2-decenoic acid, 10-hydroxydecanoic acid, trans-2-decenoic acid and 24-methylenecholesterol. All these compounds inhibited binding of 17β-estradiol to ERβ, although more weakly than diethylstilbestrol or phytoestrogens. However, these compounds had little or no effect on the binding of 17β-estradiol to ERα. Expression assays suggested that these compounds activated ER, as evidenced by enhanced transcription of a reporter gene containing an estrogen-responsive element. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with these compounds enhanced their proliferation, but concomitant treatment with tamoxifen blocked this effect. Exposure of immature rats to these compounds by subcutaneous injection induced mild hypertrophy of the luminal epithelium of the uterus, but was not associated with an increase in uterine weight. These findings provide evidence that these compounds contribute to the estrogenic effect of RJ

Effects of Physical Exercise and of Dietary Protein Levels on Nitrogen Retention in Energy-Restricted Adult Rats

たんぱく質および脂肪含量が異なる種々の実験食を自由摂取時の50〜60%量与え, 同時に1日30分のトレッドミル歩行(20m/分)または50分の遊泳を課して10〜35日間減量させた成熟ラット(約100日齢)について, 窒素出納, 体組成, 血液性状, 筋グリコーゲン量などを測定し, 以下の成績が得られた.1.食餌制限した運動負荷ラットは, たんぱく質摂取水準が等しい非運動ラットに比べて窒素保留量の増加がみられ, 体構成的にも水分とたんぱく質が多くなり脂肪が著るしく減少した.2.運動・非運動群ともに, 25%カゼイン食給与ラットは10%および40%カゼイン食ラットと比較すると, 窒素出納が正に傾き, 減食に伴う体たんぱく質の損失も著るしく軽減された.3.食餌制限下においても, 運動群ラットの血清コレステロール値は同一食の非運動群ラットよりも低下する傾向が認められた.また, 自由摂取時に血清コレステロール上昇作用をもつラードとカゼインは食餌中の添加量が増すにつれ, 減食中のラットに対しても血清コレステロール値を高めるように作用した.4.10%カゼイン食給与ラットを食餌制限と運動負荷を併用して減量させると貧血傾向が出現したが, 25%および40%カゼイン食ラットではこの傾向は認められなかった.運動群ラットの筋グリコーゲン量は非運動群ラットに比べて著明に増加した.以上の結果から, 減食時の運動は体たんぱく質さらには活性組織の損失を抑制し体脂肪の減少を促進するほかに, 血清コレステロール値を低下させ筋グリコーゲン量を高めるなど, 体力・保健上有利な作用を示すことが明らかになった.また, 減食時の体構成の変化に食餌たんぱく質量, 血清コレステロール値には食餌脂肪がそれぞれ強く影響する

Lack of association between the CARD10 rs6000782 polymorphism and type 1 autoimmune hepatitis in a Japanese population

Background: Previous genome-wide association studies have evaluated the impact of common genetic variants and identified several non-HLA risk loci associated with autoimmune liver diseases. More recent genome-wide association studies and replication analyses reported an association between variants of the CARD10 polymorphism rs6000782 and risk of type 1 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). In this case-control study, we genotyped 326 Japanese AIH patients and 214 control subjects. Results: Genomic DNA from 540 individuals of Japanese origin, including 326 patients with type-1 AIH and 214 healthy controls, was analyzed for two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CARD10 gene. We selected CARD10 rs6000782 SNPs and genotyped these using PCR-RFLP method and direct sequencing. The Chi square test revealed that the rs6000782 variant alle (c) was not associated with the susceptibility for AIH in a Japanese population [p = 0.376, odds ratio (OR) 1.271, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.747-2.161] in an allele model. Our data also showed that CARD10 rs6000782 variants were not associated with AIH or with the clinical parameters of AIH. Conclusions: In this study we examined an association between rs6000782 SNPs in the CARD10 gene and type-1 AIH. Results showed no significant association of rs62000782 with type-1 AIH in a Japanese population. This study demonstrated no association between CARD10 rs6000782 variants and AIH in a Japanese population