Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 46 (Usp46) Regulates Mouse Immobile Behavior in the Tail Suspension Test through the GABAergic System

The tail suspension test (TST) is widely recognized as a useful experimental paradigm for assessing antidepressant activity and depression-like behavior. We have previously identified ubiquitin-specific peptidase 46 (Usp46) as a quantitative trait gene responsible for decreasing immobility time in the TST in mice. This Usp46 mutation has a 3-bp deletion coding for lysine in the open reading frame, and we indicated that Usp46 is implicated in the regulation of the GABAergic system. However, it is not known precisely how the immobile behavior is regulated by the GABAergic system. Therefore, in the present study, we examined whether the immobility time is influenced by drugs affecting the action mediated by GABAA receptor using both 3-bp deleted (the Usp46 mutant) and null Usp46 (Usp46 KO) mice. Nitrazepam, an agonist at the benzodiazepine-binding site of the GABAA receptor, which potentiates the action of GABA, produced a dose-dependent increase in TST immobility time in the Usp46 mutant mice without affecting general behaviors. The Usp46 KO mice exhibited short immobility times comparable to the Usp46 mutant mice, which was also increased by nitrazepam administration. The effects of nitrazepam in the Usp46 mutant and KO mice were antagonized by flumazenil. These results indicate that the 3-bp deleted Usp46 mutation causes a loss-of-function phenotype, and that the GABAA receptor might participate in the regulation of TST immobility time

Morphogenesis of the Inner Ear at Different Stages of Normal Human Development

This study examined the external morphology and morphometry of the human embryonic inner ear membranous labyrinth and documented its three-dimensional position in the developing embryo using phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 27 samples between Carnegie stage (CS) 17 and the postembryonic phase during trimester 1 (approximately 6-10 weeks after fertilization) were included. The otic vesicle elongated along the dorso-ventral axis and differentiated into the end lymphatic appendage and cochlear duct (CD) at CS 17. The spiral course of the CD began at CS18, with anterior and posterior semicircular ducts (SDs) forming prominent circles with a common crus. The spiral course of the CD comprised more than two turns at the postembryonic phase, at which time the height of the CD was evident. A linear increase was observed in the length of anterior, posterior, and lateral SDs, in that order, and the length of the CD increased exponentially over the course of development. Bending in the medial direction was observed between the cochlear and vestibular parts from the latero-caudal view, with the angle decreasing during development. The position of the inner ear was stable throughout the period of observation on the lateral to ventral side of the rhombencephalon, caudal to the pontine flexure, and adjacent to the auditory ganglia. The plane of the lateral semicircular canal was approximately 8.0°-14.6° with respect to the cranial caudal (z-)axis, indicating that the orientation of the inner ear changes during growth to adulthood

XAFS Characterization of Active Fe Species in Fe2O3-SiO2 Catalyst for Styrene Dimerization

α-メチルスチレン二量化反応に活性を示す鉄ゾル－ゲル法にて調製した鉄シリカ触媒をX線回折およびX線吸収分光法により評価した．触媒中鉄種の存在状態は仕込みSi /Fe 比に依存し，100 以上では四面体FeOxCl4-x種，50以下ではα-Fe2O3 凝集種が主成分であり，その存在比をXANES解析により求めた．シリカマトリクスに捕捉された孤立FeOxCl4-x が活性種として機能し，固体酸性質を発現する機構について論じた．　Iron ion-promoted silica solid acid catalysts active for α-methylstyrene dimerization were characterized by XRD and Fe K-edge XANES/EXAFS spectroscopic techniques. The possible active species were proposed. The 1 mol % of iron to Si was incorporated in catalyst samples, which was prepared by sol-gel process using iron chloride and tetraethylorthsilicate (TEOS) as the sources. The incorporated trivalent iron species were characterized as tetrahedral FeOxCl4-x , and excess loaded species were aggregated to form α-Fe2O3 during drying process at 403 K. The fraction of [FeOxCl4-x], [FeCl6] and [FeO6] species in the catalyst samples were determined by the least-squares analysis of XANES

高齢がん患者の在宅移行期の文献レビュー

The purpose of this study was to characterize periods of hospital-to-home care transition for elderly cancer patients by extracting definitions of such periods and their characteristics as situations from the literature, and to discuss effective nursing support toward hospital-to-home care transition. Relevant research papers published within the period between ２０１０ and ２０２０ were searched for using Ichushi Web and PubMed. Descriptions related to periods of transition, characteristics of situations, and hindering／promoting factors were extracted without any changes and categorized based on descriptive content similarities. In these papers, a period of hospital-to-home care transition was described as １ week to １ year after discharge. As a situation, it was characterized as “a time when the patient rebuilds his／her life”, and therefore, “a time of instability”. Factors hindering and promoting hospital-to-home care transition were represented by６categories, which suggested the following commonalities between them : ［ physical management］,［patients’／families’ intentions］,［home care systems］,［other family members’ commitments to home care］, ［collaboration systems］, and［nurses’ home care experience］

認知症高齢がん患者の看護実践の関連要因

The purpose of this study was to clarify the current status of nursing practice for elderly cancer patients with dementia receiving treatment in acute care hospitals and related factors. An anonymous， self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted from May to July 2021， involving 400 people with experience of providing nursing care for elderly cancer patients with dementia. Factor analysis identified and as factors of self-evaluation of nursing practice for elderly cancer patients with dementia receiving treatment in acute care hospitals. Such evaluation was influenced by ， ， ， ， ， and

Physical and functional interaction between DDB and XPA in nucleotide excision repair

Damaged DNA-binding protein (DDB), consisting of DDB1 and DDB2 subunits recognizes a wide spectrum of DNA lesions. DDB is dispensable for in vitro nucleotide excision repair (NER) reaction, but stimulates this reaction especially for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD). Here we show that DDB directly interacts with XPA, one of core NER factors, mainly through DDB2 subunit and the amino-acid residues between 185 and 226 in XPA are important for the interaction. Interestingly, the point mutation causing the substitution from Arg-207 to Gly, which was previously identified in a XP-A revertant cell-line XP129, diminished the interaction with DDB in vitro and in vivo. In a defined system containing R207G mutant XPA and other core NER factors, DDB failed to stimulate the excision of CPD, although the mutant XPA was competent for the basal NER reaction. Moreover, in vivo experiments revealed that the mutant XPA is recruited to damaged DNA sites with much less efficiency compared with wild-type XPA and fails to support the enhancement of CPD repair by ectopic expression of DDB2 in SV40-transformed human cells. These results suggest that the physical interaction between DDB and XPA plays an important role in the DDB-mediated NER reaction

Genetic and Molecular Analysis of Wild-Derived Arrhythmic Mice

A new circadian variant was isolated by screening the intercross offspring of wild-caught mice (Mus musculus castaneus). This variant was characterized by an initial maintenance of damped oscillations and subsequent loss of rhythmicity after being transferred from light-dark (LD) cycles to constant darkness (DD). To map the genes responsible for the persistence of rhythmicity (circadian ratio) and the length of free-running period (τ), quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed using F2 mice obtained from an F1 cross between the circadian variant and C57BL/6J mice. As a result, a significant QTL with a main effect for circadian ratio (Arrhythmicity; Arrh-1) was mapped on Chromosome (Chr) 8. For τ, four significant QTLs, Short free-running period (Sfp-1) (Chr 1), Sfp-2 (Chr 6), Sfp-3 (Chr 8), Sfp-4 (Chr 11) were determined. An epistatic interaction was detected between Chr 3 (Arrh-2) and Chr 5 (Arrh-3). An in situ hybridization study of clock genes and mouse Period1::luciferase (mPer1::luc) real-time monitoring analysis in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) suggested that arrhythmicity in this variant might not be attributed to core circadian mechanisms in the SCN neurons. Our strategy using wild-derived variant mice may provide a novel opportunity to evaluate circadian and its related disorders in human that arise from the interaction between multiple variant genes

A Rare Case of Lens-Induced Uveitis with Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy and Massive Encapsulation of Fallen Nuclear Material

We experienced a rare case of lens-induced uveitis (LIU) with severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) diagnosed upon finding lens nuclear material encapsulated by intravitreal proliferative tissue. A 60-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the treatment of vision loss caused by unexplained uveitis in the right eye (OD). Seven months previously, a complicated cataract surgery that required unplanned anterior vitrectomy and transscleral suture of intraocular lens was performed on that eye at another clinic. Severe inflammation with dense vitreous opacity occurred in the OD postoperatively. Although topical and oral administration of steroids reduced the inflammation 7 months after the surgery, PVR with tractional retinal detachment was developed in the OD. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) was performed for the treatment and diagnosis. PPV revealed the presence of lens nuclear fragments within the vitreous, which was approximately 60% the ordinary nucleus size and was encapsulated by intravitreal proliferative tissue. The nuclear fragments were extracted from a superior corneoscleral flap. Intraocular inflammation was reduced with postoperative topical and oral steroid treatments and the retina remained reattached 1 year after the PPV. In conclusion, uveitis with an episode of a complicated cataract surgery may suggest LIU