Stand-to-sit motion in older women

Objectives : The aims of this study were to examine the biomechanics of StandTS movements in older adults and to identify their optimal StandTS motion by measuring sitting impact forces. Methods : Healthy older women (n = 17) and healthy young women (n = 18) were asked to perform SitTS and StandTS motions at a natural speed using a chair. We measured the ground reaction forces from the participants’ feet and the chair, the angle of the trunk and ankle, vertical velocity, and postural muscle activities using a force plate, motion analyzer, and electromyography, respectively. Results : Sitting impact force was significantly greater in the older women than in the young women during the StandTS motion. There was a significant difference between the trunk angle and the ankle angle during the StandTS motion and sitting impact force had a significant negative correlation with the ankle joint motion in the older women. Conclusions : The ankle joint strategy was characterized by body sway resembling a single-segment-inverted pendulum and suggests that this response is less developed in the older adult. These results indicate that the ankle joint strategy may be an important factor involved in the sitting impact force

Characterization of candidate intermediates in the Black Box of the ecdysone biosynthetic pathway in Drosophila melanogaster: Evaluation of molting activities on ecdysteroid-defective larvae

Early steps of the biosynthetic pathway of the insect steroid hormone ecdysone remains the “Black Box” wherein the characteristic ecdysteroid skeleton is built. 7-Dehydrocholesterol (7dC) is the precursor of uncharacterized intermediates in the Black Box. The oxidation step at C-3 has been hypothesized during conversion from 7dC to 3-oxo-2, 22, 25-trideoxyecdysone, yet 3-dehydroecdysone is undetectable in some insect species. Therefore, we first confirmed that the oxidation at C-3 occurs in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster using deuterium-labeled cholesterol. We next investigated the molting activities of candidate intermediates, including oxidative products of 7dC, by feeding-rescue experiments for Drosophila larvae in which an expression level of a biosynthetic enzyme was knocked down by the RNAi technique. We found that the administration of cholesta-4, 7-dien-3-one (3-oxo-Δ4, 7C) could overcome the molting arrest of ecdysteroid-defective larvae in which the expression level of neverland was reduced. However, feeding 3-oxo-Δ4, 7C to larvae in which the expression levels of shroud and Cyp6t3 were reduced inhibited molting at the first instar stage, suggesting that this steroid could be converted into an ecdysteroid-antagonist in loss of function studies of these biosynthetic enzymes. Administration of the highly conjugated cholesta-4, 6, 8(14)-trien-3-one, oxidized from 3-oxo-Δ4, 7C, did not trigger molting of ecdysteroid-defective larvae. These results suggest that an oxidative product derived from 7dC is converted into ecdysteroids without the formation of this stable conjugated compound. We further found that the 14α-hydroxyl moiety of Δ4-steroids is required to overcome the molting arrest of larvae in loss of function studies of Neverland, Shroud, CYP6T3 or Spookier, suggesting that oxidation at C-14 is indispensable for conversion of these Δ4-steroids into ecdysteroids via 5β-reduction

Five-minute resolved spatial distribution of radiocesium in sea sediment derived from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant

AbstractThe spatial distributions of radiocesium concentration in sea sediment to a core depth of 14 cm were investigated in the offshore region from the Fukushima Prefecture to the northern part of the Ibaraki Prefecture in February and July 2012, at a spatial resolution of 5 min of latitude and longitude. The concentrations in the area south of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) were generally higher than those in the area north of it. In the southern area, a band of especially high concentration with a width about 20 km was present in the region shallower than 100 m, and a narrow minimal concentration band was found along the 200-m isobaths. In more than half of all cases, the vertical core profiles of radiocesium concentration generally showed an exponential decreasing trend with depth. However, in the area north of the FDNPP, where the radiocesium concentrations tended to be very low, radiocesium concentrations that had similar or larger magnitude compared with those of the most-surface layer were often found in deeper layers. Relatively good correlations were found between radiocesium concentrations and grain sizes of the most-surface sediment. The vertical profile of radiocesium concentration also had a relationship with grain size. In other case, the radiocesium concentration in the sediment seems to have had a dependence on the radiocesium concentration in bottom seawater, suggesting that the quantity of radiocesium supplied and the grain size were major factors determining the spatial distribution pattern of the radiocesium concentration after the FDNPP accident

Invasive non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae infection due to endometritis associated with adenomyosis

Background The widespread administration of the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine has led to the predominance of non-typable H. influenzae (NTHi). However, the occurrence of invasive NTHi infection based on gynecologic diseases is still rare. Case presentation A 51-year-old Japanese woman with a history of adenomyoma presented with fever. Blood cultures and a vaginal discharge culture were positive with NTHi. With the high uptake in the uterus with 67Ga scintigraphy, she was diagnosed with invasive NTHi infection. In addition to antibiotic administrations, a total hysterectomy was performed. The pathological analysis found microabscess formations in adenomyosis. Conclusions Although NTHi bacteremia consequent to a microabscess in adenomyosis is rare, this case emphasizes the need to consider the uterus as a potential source of infection in patients with underlying gynecological diseases, including an invasive NTHi infection with no known primary focus.

Tryptophan and Kynurenine Enhances the Stemness and Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Aging tissues present a progressive decline in homeostasis and regenerative capacities, which has been associated with degenerative changes in tissue-specific stem cells and stem cell niches. We hypothesized that amino acids could regulate the stem cell phenotype and differentiation ability of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSCs). Thus, we performed a screening of 22 standard amino acids and found that D-tryptophan (10 mu M) increased the number of cells positive for the early stem cell marker SSEA-4, and the gene expression levels of OCT-4, NANOG, and SOX-2 in hBMSCs. Comparison between D- and L-tryptophan isomers showed that the latter presents a stronger effect in inducing the mRNA levels of Oct-4 and Nanog, and in increasing the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. On the other hand, L-tryptophan suppressed adipogenesis. The migration and colony-forming ability of hBMSCs were also enhanced by L-tryptophan treatment. In vivo experiments delivering L-tryptophan (50 mg/kg/day) by intraperitoneal injections for three weeks confirmed that L-tryptophan significantly increased the percentage of cells positive for SSEA-4, mRNA levels of Nanog and Oct-4, and the migration and colony-forming ability of mouse BMSCs. L-kynurenine, a major metabolite of L-tryptophan, also induced similar effects of L-tryptophan in enhancing stemness and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro and in vivo, possibly indicating the involvement of the kynurenine pathway as the downstream signaling of L-tryptophan. Finally, since BMSCs migrate to the wound healing site to promote bone healing, surgical defects of 1 mm in diameter were created in mouse femur to evaluate bone formation after two weeks of L-tryptophan or L-kynurenine injection. Both L-tryptophan and L-kynurenine accelerated bone healing compared to the PBS-injected control group. In summary, L-tryptophan enhanced the stemness and osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs and may be used as an essential factor to maintain the stem cell properties and accelerate bone healing and/or prevent bone loss

Consistent characterisation factors at midpoint and endpoint relevant to agricultural water scarcity arising from freshwater consumption

ABSTRACT: Purpose The shortage of agricultural water from freshwater sources is a growing concern because of the relatively large amounts needed to sustain food production for an increasing population. In this context, an impact assessment methodology is indispensable for the identification and assessment of the potential consequences of freshwater consumption in relation to agricultural water scarcity. This paper reports on the consistent development of midpoint and endpoint characterisation factors (CFs) for assessing these impacts. Methods Midpoint characterisation factors focus specifically on shortages in food production resulting from agricultural water scarcity. These were calculated by incorporating country-specific compensation factors for physical availability of water resources and socio-economic capacity in relation to the irrigation water demand for agriculture. At the endpoint, to reflect the more complex impact pathways from food production losses to malnutrition damage from agricultural water scarcity, international food trade relationships and economic adaptation capacity were integrated in the modelling with measures of nutritional vulnerability for each country. Results and discussion The inter-country variances of CFs at the midpoint revealed by this study were larger than those derived using previously developed methods, which did not integrate compensation processes by food stocks. At the endpoint level, both national and trade-induced damage through international trade were quantified and visualised. Distribution of malnutrition damage was also determined by production and trade balances for commodity groups in water-consuming countries, as well as dependency on import ratios for importer countries and economic adaptation capacity in each country. By incorporating the complex relationships between these factors, estimated malnutrition damage due to freshwater consumption at the country scale showed good correlation with total reported nutritional deficiency damage. Conclusions The model allows the establishment of consistent CFs at the midpoint and endpoint for agricultural water scarcity resulting from freshwater consumption. The complex relationships between food production supply and nutrition damage can be described by considering the physical and socio-economic parameters used in this study. Developed CFs contribute to a better assessment of the potential impacts associated with freshwater consumption in global supply chains and to life cycle assessment and water footprint assessments

Evaluation of two-dimensional electronic portal imaging device using integrated images during volumetric modulated arc therapy for prostate cancer

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate analysis criteria for the identification of the presence of rectal gas during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for prostate cancer patients by using electronic portal imaging device (EPID)-based in vivo dosimetry (IVD). Materials and methods: All measurements were performed by determining the cumulative EPID images in an integrated acquisition mode and analyzed using PerFRACTION commercial software. Systematic setup errors were simulated by moving the anthropomorphic phantom in each translational and rotational direction. The inhomogeneity regions were also simulated by the I’mRT phantom attached to the Quasar phantom. The presence of small and large air cavities (12 and 48 cm3) was controlled by moving the Quasar phantom in several timings during VMAT. Sixteen prostate cancer patients received EPID-based IVD during VMAT. Results: In the phantom study, no systematic setup error was detected in the range that can happen in clinical ( < 5-mm and < 3 degree). The pass rate of 2% dose difference (DD2%) in small and large air cavities was 98.74% and 79.05%, respectively, in the appearance of the air cavity after irradiation three quarter times. In the clinical study, some fractions caused a sharp decline in the DD2% pass rate. The proportion for DD2% < 90% was 13.4% of all fractions. Rectal gas was confirmed in 11.0% of fractions by acquiring kilo-voltage X-ray images after the treatment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that analysis criteria of 2% dose difference in EPID-based IVD was a suitable method for identification of rectal gas during VMAT for prostate cancer patients

KUS121, a VCP modulator, has an ameliorating effect on acute and chronic heart failure without calcium loading via maintenance of intracellular ATP levels

KUS121は新規の心不全治療薬となる --Ca2+負荷なしに血行動態を改善--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-12-15.[Aims] As heart failure (HF) progresses, ATP levels in myocardial cells decrease, and myocardial contractility also decreases. Inotropic drugs improve myocardial contractility but increase ATP consumption, leading to poor prognosis. Kyoto University Substance 121 (KUS121) is known to selectively inhibit the ATPase activity of valosin-containing protein, maintain cellular ATP levels, and manifest cytoprotective effects in several pathological conditions. The aim of this study is to determine the therapeutic effect of KUS121 on HF models. [Methods and results] Cultured cell, mouse, and canine models of HF were used to examine the therapeutic effects of KUS121. The mechanism of action of KUS121 was also examined. Administration of KUS121 to a transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced mouse model of HF rapidly improved the left ventricular ejection fraction and improved the creatine phosphate/ATP ratio. In a canine model of high frequency-paced HF, administration of KUS121 also improved left ventricular contractility and decreased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure without increasing the heart rate. Long-term administration of KUS121 to a TAC-induced mouse model of HF suppressed cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. In H9C2 cells, KUS121 reduced ER stress. Finally, in experiments using primary cultured cardiomyocytes, KUS121 improved contractility and diastolic capacity without changing peak Ca²⁺ levels or contraction time. These effects were not accompanied by an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate or phosphorylation of phospholamban and ryanodine receptors. [Conclusions] KUS121 ameliorated HF by a mechanism totally different from that of conventional catecholamines. We propose that KUS121 is a promising new option for the treatment of HF