Land Snail Fauna of Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

We surveyed the land snail fauna of 13 localities including three limestone outcropsin Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. Land snails were sampled using manual collection and identified tospecies level where possible. In this study, a total of 39 species was recorded. Species diversityin limestone areas was higher than that in non-calcareous areas. The genus Opisthostoma wasfound in all the 3 limestone outcrops. A random sample of about 20 shells of this genus fromeach site contained single but unique taxa among the three limestone outcrops. The threelimebtone outcrops were isolated by more than 20 km from one another. This result confirmedthe high endemicity of this genus. At areas deforested and perturbed by humans, we found twoinvasive species, Bradybaena similaris (Rang, 1831) and Subulina octona (Bruguibre, 1792),which have been widely spread over the world

Comparison of Internal Fixations for Distal Clavicular Fractures Based on Loading Tests and Finite Element Analyses

It is difficult to apply strong and stable internal fixation to a fracture of the distal end of the clavicle because it is unstable, the distal clavicle fragment is small, and the fractured region is near the acromioclavicular joint. In this study, to identify a superior internal fixation method for unstable distal clavicular fracture, we compared three types of internal fixation (tension band wiring, scorpion, and LCP clavicle hook plate). Firstly, loading tests were performed, in which fixations were evaluated using bending stiffness and torsional stiffness as indices, followed by finite element analysis to evaluate fixability using the stress and strain as indices. The bending and torsional stiffness were significantly higher in the artificial clavicles fixed with the two types of plate than in that fixed by tension band wiring (P<0.05). No marked stress concentration on the clavicle was noted in the scorpion because the arm plate did not interfere with the acromioclavicular joint, suggesting that favorable shoulder joint function can be achieved. The stability of fixation with the LCP clavicle hook plate and the scorpion was similar, and plate fixations were stronger than fixation by tension band wiring

Correlation between the Bone Mineral Density and Stress on Femur around a Duetto SI Stem

In cementless stem fixation, BMD reduction around the stem is of concern because it may cause loosening. This BMD reduction is assumed to be caused by stem implantation-induced alteration of the physiological feedback system, which may cause stress shielding and result in loosening, but the causal relationship has not been clarified. In this study, using a Duetto SI stem, we investigated the correlation between the postoperative BMD around the stem and stress. In patients who underwent their first THA at the orthopedic department of our university, the BMD was measured using DEXA, and FEA was performed with an equivalent time course. Time-course changes in the BMD, von Mises stress, and triaxial stress in Gruen zones 1 through 7 were calculated from those measured at 2 weeks and 5 months after surgery. The BMD and von Mises stress showed a bidirectional correlation when Gruen’s classification was plotted on the horizontal axis. An increase in stress loaded on bone was assumed to be a factor increasing the BMD. The Duetto SI stem was fixed on the distal side, suggesting its stable fixation. BMD measurement and FEA were useful for quantification of the bone dynamics around the stem from an early phase

Exercise habituation is effective for improvement of periodontal disease status: a prospective intervention study

Background and purpose: Periodontal disease is closely related to lifestyle-related diseases and obesity. It is widely known that moderate exercise habits lead to improvement in lifestyle-related diseases and obesity. However, little research has been undertaken into how exercise habits affect periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise habits on periodontal diseases and metabolic pathology.Methods: We conducted a prospective intervention research for 12 weeks. The subjects were 71 obese men who participated in an exercise and/or dietary intervention program. Fifty subjects were assigned to exercise interventions (exercise intervention group) and 21 subjects were assigned to dietary interventions (dietary intervention group). This research was conducted before and after each intervention program.Results: In the exercise intervention group, the number of teeth with a probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥4 mm significantly decreased from 14.4% to 5.6% (P<0.001), and the number of teeth with bleeding on probing (BOP) significantly decreased from 39.8% to 14.4% (P<0.001). The copy counts of Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola decreased significantly (P=0.001). A positive correlation was found between the change in the copy count of T. denticola and the number of teeth with PPD ≥4 mm (P=0.003) and the number of teeth with BOP (P=0.010). A positive correlation was also found between the change in the copy count of T. denticola and body weight (P=0.008), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.049), and fasting insulin (P=0.041). However, in the dietary intervention group the copy count of T. denticola decreased significantly (P=0.007) and there was no correlation between the number of periodontal disease-causing bacteria and PPD and BOP.Conclusion: Our results are the first to show that exercise might contribute to improvements in periodontal disease

Hydrogen Supplementation of Preservation Solution Improves Viability of Osteochondral Grafts

Allogenic osteochondral tissue (OCT) is used for the treatment of large cartilage defects. Typically, OCTs collected during the disease-screening period are preserved at 4°C; however, the gradual reduction in cell viability during cold preservation adversely affects transplantation outcomes. Therefore, improved storage methods that maintain the cell viability of OCTs are needed to increase the availability of high-quality OCTs and improve treatment outcomes. Here, we evaluated whether long-term hydrogen delivery to preservation solution improved the viability of rat OCTs during cold preservation. Hydrogen-supplemented Dulbecco’s Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) and University of Wisconsin (UW) solution both significantly improved the cell viability of OCTs during preservation at 4°C for 21 days compared to nonsupplemented media. However, the long-term cold preservation of OCTs in DMEM containing hydrogen was associated with the most optimal maintenance of chondrocytes with respect to viability and morphology. Our findings demonstrate that OCTs preserved in DMEM supplemented with hydrogen are a promising material for the repair of large cartilage defects in the clinical setting

膀胱癌における抗クローディン4細胞外ドメイン中和抗体の化学療法増感効果

Bladder cancer displays an aggressive phenotype in the muscle-invasive phase, and is associated with a high mortality rate. Therefore, novel molecular therapeutic targets are needed to improve patient survival. A monoclonal antibody against the extracellular domain of the claudin-4 (CLDN4) tight junction protein was established by immunizing rats with a plasmid vector encoding human CLDN4. A hybridoma clone, producing a rat monoclonal antibody recognizing CLDN4 (clone 4D3), was obtained. Immunohistochemistry by using the 4D3 antibody showed that CLDN4 expression was associated with local invasion, nodal metastasis, distant metastasis, and advanced stage in 86 cases of bladder cancer. The 4D3 antibody inhibited growth, invasion, and survival, associated with abrogation of the intratumoral microenvironment; lowered concentrations of epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor were found in three-dimensional cultures of T24 and RT4 cells. In combination with cisplatin therapy, 4D3 enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity by increasing cellular permeability, leading to increased intracellular cisplatin concentrations. In mouse models of subcutaneous tumors and lung metastasis, 4D3 enhanced tumor growth inhibition, alone and with concurrent cisplatin treatment. The anti-tumor activity of the newly established 4D3 antibody suggests that it may be a powerful tool in CLDN4-targeting therapy, and in combination with chemotherapy.博士（医学）・甲第649号・平成28年3月15日Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

大学生の自閉スペクトラム症傾向と心理的症状の関連における社会的カモフラージュ行動,体験の回避,概念化された自己の媒介効果の検討

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