尊厳ある食と排泄ケアを考える啓発活動 : しまね女性ファンド助成事業実施報告

咀嚼や嚥下機能に障害があっても安全に楽しくおいしい食生活が送れるよう、知恵と工夫を出し合う“場”と“情報”と“サービス”を提供していきたいと考え、 3年前に「食べ蔵（たべぞう）の会」を設立し、活動してきた。食の問題だけでなく、同時に尊厳ある排泄ケアにも取り組んでいく必要があると考えるようになった。そこで、学び合い、啓発を目的に、 しまね女性ファンド助成により「豊かに生きる－食べること・出すこと・・・自分らしく－」をテーマに、研修会を企画・実施した。その結果、継続の必要性を実感し、参加者のアンケート結果を元に、今後の活動の方向性を検討した

The Ganymede Laser Altimeter (GALA) for the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE): Mission, science, and instrumentation of its receiver modules

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is a science mission led by the European Space Agency, being developed for launch in 2023. The Ganymede Laser Altimeter (GALA) is an instrument onboard JUICE, whose main scientific goals are to understand ice tectonics based on topographic data, the subsurface structure by measuring tidal response, and small-scale roughness and albedo of the surface. In addition, from the perspective of astrobiology, it is imperative to study the subsurface ocean scientifically. The development of GALA has proceeded through an international collaboration between Germany (the lead), Japan, Switzerland, and Spain. Within this framework, the Japanese team (GALA-J) is responsible for developing three receiver modules: the Backend Optics (BEO), the Focal Plane Assembly (FPA), and the Analog Electronics Module (AEM). Like the German team, GALA-J also developed software to simulate the performance of the entire GALA system (performance model). In July 2020, the Proto-Flight Models of BEO, FPA, and AEM were delivered from Japan to Germany. This paper presents an overview of JUICE/GALA and its scientific objectives and describes the instrumentation, mainly focusing on Japan’s contribution

Characterization of the Terephthalate Degradation Genes of Comamonas sp. Strain E6

We isolated Comamonas sp. strain E6, which utilizes terephthalate (TPA) as the sole carbon and energy source via the protocatechuate (PCA) 4,5-cleavage pathway. Two almost identical TPA degradation gene clusters, tphR(I)C(I)A2(I)A3(I)B(I)A1(I) and tphR(II)C(II)A2(II)A3(II)B(II)A1(II), were isolated from this strain. Based on amino acid sequence similarity, the genes tphR, tphC, tphA2, tphA3, tphB, and tphA1 were predicted to code, respectively, for an IclR-type transcriptional regulator, a periplasmic TPA binding receptor, the large subunit of the oxygenase component of TPA 1,2-dioxygenase (TPADO), the small subunit of the oxygenase component of TPADO, a 1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dicarboxylate (DCD) dehydrogenase, and a reductase component of TPADO. The growth of E6 on TPA was not affected by disruption of either tphA2(I) or tphA2(II) singly; however, the tphA2(I) tphA2(II) double mutant no longer grew on TPA, suggesting that both TPADO genes are involved in TPA degradation. Introduction of a plasmid carrying tphR(II)C(II)A2(II)A3(II)B(II)A1(II) conferred the TPA utilization phenotype on Comamonas testosteroni IAM 1152, which is able to grow on PCA but not on TPA. Disruption of either tphR(II) or tphC(II) on this plasmid resulted in the loss of the growth of IAM 1152 on TPA, suggesting that these genes are essential to convert TPA to PCA in E6. The genes tphA1(II), tphA2(II), tphA3(II), and tphB(II) were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the resultant cell extracts containing TphA1(II), TphA2(II), and TphA3(II) converted TPA in the presence of NADPH into a product which was transformed to PCA by TphB(II). On the basis of these results, TPADO was strongly suggested to be a two-component dioxygenase which consists of the terminal oxygenase component (TphA2 and TphA3) and the reductase (TphA1), and tphB codes for the DCD dehydrogenase

Safety of live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine in patients with underlying illnesses compared with healthy adults: a prospective cohort study

Abstract Background In Japan, freeze-dried live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine is available for adults aged ≥50 years to prevent herpes zoster. However, limited evidence has been accumulated regarding vaccine safety for patients with underlying illnesses, who have been considered as the high-risk group for herpes zoster. Methods A prospective cohort study of 1200 healthy adults and 300 patients with underlying illnesses such as malignancy, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diseases, and renal diseases was conducted. All subjects were vaccinated and then their adverse events (AEs) were followed for 28 days after vaccination. Key safety measures included any AEs, severe AEs (SAEs), and vaccine-related AEs such as injection-site AEs and systemic AEs. The frequencies and 95% confidence intervals of AEs were calculated. Results During the follow-up period, 2 SAEs (bone fracture and acute cholecystitis) among healthy adults and 1 SAE (disseminated mycobacteriosis) among patients with underlying illnesses were reported, although none of them was diagnosed as vaccine-related. Vaccine-related AEs were reported in 42% of healthy adults and patients with underlying illnesses, and the proportions were similar between the groups. The most frequent AEs were injection-site AEs in both groups (i.e., 41 and 39%), and systemic AEs were observed in 4% of both groups. Only among healthy adults, those with a history of herpes zoster were more likely to report injection-site AEs than those without a history of herpes zoster (53% vs 39%). Conclusions The present study confirmed the safety of freeze-dried, live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine even in patients with underlying illnesses. A history of herpes zoster might be related to development of injection-site AEs in healthy adults. Trial registration The study was prospectively registered on Japic-Clinical Trials Information as JapicCTI-163415 on October 31, 2016

Effectiveness of Live Attenuated Varicella-Zoster Vaccine in Adults Older than 50 Years in Japan: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: In Japan, freeze-dried live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine BIKEN is available for adults aged ≥50 years to prevent herpes zoster (HZ). A prospective cohort study of 1200 healthy adults and 300 patients with underlying illness confirmed vaccine safety between 2016 and 2017. However, evidence of vaccine effectiveness (VE) is limited. Methods: VE against HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) was evaluated in the vaccinated cohort of the previous safety study in a follow-up study between 2021 and 2022 and compared with unvaccinated family members. Self-administered questionnaires determined retrospective experiences of HZ and PHN diagnosis. Logistic regression estimated the VE by calculating the outcome odds ratio (OR) in vaccinated vs. unvaccinated groups: VE = (1 − OR) × 100(%). Results: Overall, 1098 vaccinated and 518 unvaccinated subjects were analysed. Between 2016 and 2022, 26 vaccinated (2.4%) and 22 unvaccinated (4.2%) subjects reported HZ diagnosis, and 3 vaccinated (0.3%) and 2 unvaccinated (0.4%) subjects reported PHN. Adjusted VE against a clinical diagnosis was 41% for HZ [−6% to 67%], with marginal significance, and 16% [−408% to 86%] for PHN. Stratification by age, sex, or comorbidities had an adjusted VE against HZ of ~40%, which was similar between strata. Conclusion: Freeze-dried live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine reduces the risk of HZ regardless of age, sex, or comorbidities