Developmental Changes in the Trail Making Test

　Trail Making Test（TMT）は，ワーキングメモリや反応抑制，反応の切り替えなどの能力が求められる神経心理学的検査である。TMT は実行機能評価法の一つとして広く用いられているが，子どもを対象とした標準値の作成や臨床応用に関する報告はいまだ少ない。そこで本研究では，TMT の小児期から青年期までの各年齢群別標準値を作成するとともに，各指標の発達的変化について検討した。その結果，Part A の遂行時間，Part B の遂行時間，B－A 値およびB/A 値の４指標において年齢による有意な発達的変化が認められ，本検査は子どもの実行機能の発達の程度を反映しうるものと考えられた。本法は従来のTMT よりも刺激数を削減し簡便化したものであり，注意欠陥／動性障害などの発達障害をともなう子 どもへの臨床応用が期待される

Transient improvement of urticaria induces poor adherence as assessed by Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8.

Poor adherence to medication is a major public health challenge. Here, we aimed to determine the adherence to oral and topical medications and to analyze underlying associated factors using the translated Japanese version of Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 regarding urticaria treatment. Web-based questionnaires were performed for 3096 registered dermatological patients, along with a subanalysis of 751 registered urticaria patients in this study. The adherence to oral medication was significantly associated with the frequency of hospital visits. Variables that affected the adherence to topical medication included age and experience of drug effectiveness. The rate of responses that "It felt like the symptoms had improved" varied significantly among the dermatological diseases treated with oral medications. Dermatologists should be aware that adherence to the treatment of urticaria is quite low. Regular visits and active education for patients with urticaria are mandatory in order to achieve a good therapeutic outcome by increasing the adherence

Astrometry of Galactic Star Forming Region Sharpless 269 with VERA : Parallax Measurements and Constraint on Outer Rotation Curve

We have performed high-precision astrometry of H2O maser sources in Galactic star forming region Sharpless 269 (S269) with VERA. We have successfully detected a trigonometric parallax of 189+/-8 micro-arcsec, corresponding to the source distance of 5.28 +0.24/-0.22 kpc. This is the smallest parallax ever measured, and the first one detected beyond 5 kpc. The source distance as well as proper motions are used to constrain the outer rotation curve of the Galaxy, demonstrating that the difference of rotation velocities at the Sun and at S269 (which is 13.1 kpc away from the Galaxy's center) is less than 3%. This gives the strongest constraint on the flatness of the outer rotation curve and provides a direct confirmation on the existence of large amount of dark matter in the Galaxy's outer disk.Comment: 7 pages and 4 figures, Accepted by PASJ (Vol. 59, No. 5, October 25, 2007 issue

Effect of isolated AMP deaminase deficiency on skeletal muscle function

Jidong Cheng, Hiroko Morisaki, Naomi Sugimoto, Atsushi Dohi, Takuya Shintani, Erika Kimura, Keiko Toyama, Masahito Ikawa, Masaru Okabe, Itsuro Higuchi, Satoshi Matsuo, Yasuaki Kawai, Ichiro Hisatome, Takako Sugama, Edward W. Holmes, Takayuki Morisaki, Effect of isolated AMP deaminase deficiency on skeletal muscle function, Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports, Volume 1, 2014, Pages 51-59, ISSN 2214-4269, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymgmr.2013.12.004

Distance to Orion KL Measured with VERA

We present the initial results of multi-epoch VLBI observations of the 22 GHz H2O masers in the Orion KL region with VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry). With the VERA dual-beam receiving system, we have carried out phase-referencing VLBI astrometry and successfully detected an annual parallax of Orion KL to be 2.29+/-0.10 mas, corresponding to the distance of 437+/-19 pc from the Sun. The distance to Orion KL is determined for the first time with the annual parallax method in these observations. Although this value is consistent with that of the previously reported, 480+/-80 pc, which is estimated from the statistical parallax method using proper motions and radial velocities of the H2O maser features, our new results provide the much more accurate value with an uncertainty of only 4%. In addition to the annual parallax, we have detected an absolute proper motion of the maser feature, suggesting an outflow motion powered by the radio source I along with the systematic motion of source I itself.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. PASJ, in press (Vol. 59, No. 5, October 25, 2007 issue

Absolute Proper Motions of H2O Masers Away from the Galactic Plane Measured with VERA in the "Superbubble" Region NGC 281

We report on absolute proper-motion measurements of an H2O maser source in the NGC 281 West molecular cloud, which is located ~320 pc above the Galactic plane and is associated with an HI loop extending from the Galactic plane. We have conducted multi-epoch phase-referencing observations of the maser source with VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) over a monitoring period of 6 months since May 2006. We find that the H2O maser features in NGC 281 West are systematically moving toward the southwest and further away from the Galactic plane with a vertical velocity of ~20-30 km/s at its estimated distance of 2.2-3.5 kpc. Our new results provide the most direct evidence that the gas in the NGC 281 region on the HI loop was blown out from the Galactic plane, most likely in a superbubble driven by multiple or sequential supernova explosions in the Galactic plane.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, PASJ in press (Vol. 59, No. 4; August 25, 2007 issue

神経心理学的検査を用いて評価した実行機能の発達的側面

Children with executive dysfunction may have a decreased quality of life. Neuropsychological tests include the Stroop test, Trail-making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Test, and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test are administered to evaluate the above functions. To broaden the opportunities for clinical application,we have modified these tests to make them applicable to younger children and to obtain their standard values. The purpose of this research is to study the developmental aspects of these tests, focusing on the difference between the original method and the modified method. Index scores that reflected executive function were rapidly reduced until 9 to 11 years of age, and developments showed a deceleration during the adolescent period. This result was comparable with that of the index scores of the original tests. We also discussed the involvement of background neuronal maturation associated with developmental changes in these tests.実行機能の障害は、子どもの生活の質の低下につながる可能性があるため、Stroop Test,Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Test,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Testなどの神経心理学的検査を用いて同機能を適切に評価することが求められている。すでに我々は、これら検査の臨床応用の機会を広げるために、低年齢の子どもに運用が可能な短縮版を開発し成果の報告を行ってきた。本研究は、従来の方法と短縮化された方法との成績の違いに焦点を当て、これらのテストの発達的側面を研究することを目的とした。実行機能を反映した指標のスコアは、9歳から11歳まで急速に減少し、発達は青年期に減速傾向を示した。この結果は、従来の検査の指数スコアと同等であった。我々はまた、これらの検査指標における発達的変化と背景に存在するニューロン成熟課程との関連についても考察した

Efficacy and Safety of a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Hochu-ekki-to in the Long-term Management of Kikyo (Delicate Constitution) Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A 6-month, Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study

Hochu-ekki-to is a traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine that has been shown to be effective for patients with Kikyo (delicate, easily fatigable, or hypersensitive) constitution. Previous case reports have suggested that this herbal drug was effective for a certain subgroup of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Hochu-ekki-to in the long-term management of Kikyo patients with AD. In this multicenter, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 91 Kikyo patients with AD were enrolled. Kikyo condition was evaluated by a questionnaire scoring system. All patients continued their ordinary treatments (topical steroids, topical tacrolimus, emollients or oral antihistamines) before and after their protocol entry. Hochu-ekki-to or placebo was orally administered twice daily for 24 weeks. The skin severity scores, total equivalent amount (TEA) of topical agents used for AD treatment, prominent efficacy (cases with skin severity score = 0 at the end of the study) rate and aggravated rate (more than 50% increase of TEA of topical agents from the beginning of the study) were monitored and evaluated. Seventy-seven out of 91 enrolled patients completed the 24-week treatment course (Hochu-ekki-to: n = 37, placebo: n = 40). The TEA of topical agents (steroids and/or tacrolimus) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the Hochu-ekki-to group than in the placebo group, although the overall skin severity scores were not statistically different. The prominent efficacy rate was 19% (7 of 37) in the Hochu-ekki-to group and 5% (2 of 40) in the placebo group (P = 0.06). The aggravated rate was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the Hochu-ekki-to group (3%; 1 of 37) than in the placebo group (18%; 7 of 39). Only mild adverse events such as nausea and diarrhea were noted in both groups without statistical difference. This placebo-controlled study demonstrates that Hochu-ekki-to is a useful adjunct to conventional treatments for AD patients with Kikyo constitution. Use of Hochu-ekki-to significantly reduces the dose of topical steroids and/or tacrolimus used for AD treatment without aggravating AD

The rate of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome in a clinic where primary care physicians are working in Japan

We analyzed the rate of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome, both characterized as seronegative inflammatory arthritis in elderly, in an outpatient unit where primary care physicians are working in Japan to better understand the epidemiological characteristics of the diseases in Japan. Consecutive outpatients who newly visited at Department of General Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Japan, between April 2004 and March 2010 were analyzed. Each parameter such as age, sex, diagnosis, and biochemical examination was investigated. During the 6 years, 10 or 3 patients were diagnosed as PMR or RS3PE syndrome, respectively. The patients with PMR were 7 women and 3 men, and the average age at diagnosis was 69. Out of all patients aged over 50 (n = 3,347), the rate of PMR was 0.22% in men or 0.36% in women, respectively. On the other hand, RS3PE syndrome was diagnosed in 3 men (76, 76, and 81 years old). The rate of patients with RS3PE syndrome was 0.09% among outpatients aged over 50 indicating that the rate of PMR in an outpatient clinic in Japan is not far from previous findings reported from western countries. When compared with PMR, the rate of RS3PE syndrome was approximately one-third, providing for the first time the rate of RS3PE syndrome when compared with PMR. These epidemilogical data might help us pick up the diseases in primary care setting in Japan