Two-photon interference of photon pairs created in photonic crystal fibers

We investigate a method to produce photon pairs by four-wave mixing in photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). By controlling the wavelength of the pump light, which determines the phase matching condition for four-wave mixing, we can obtain a broader spectrum of photon pairs than undesired Raman-scattered photons. We observe two-photon interference of photon pairs from a PCF with the help of an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Two-photon interference fringes with 83% visibility, which exceeds the classical limit of 50%, are obtained.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, to be published in JPS

MFH-1 is required for bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced osteoblastic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts

AbstractMesenchyme forkhead-1 (MFH-1), a winged helix/forkhead transcription factor, is expressed in developing cartilaginous tissues, kidney and arch arteries, and is essential for the normal development of the axial skeleton and aortic arch formation of mice. To investigate the possible role of MFH-1 in osteogenesis and osteoblast differentiation, we examined expression of MFH-1 induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in C2C12 myoblasts, and found that MFH-1 protein and also MFH-1 mRNA increased markedly in C2C12 cells after treatment with BMP-2. To confirm the hypothesis that BMP-2 induced osteoblastic differentiation of C2C12 cells by increasing MFH-1 expression, we lowered the endogenous MFH-1 level by stably transfecting C2C12 cells with antisense MFH-1 sequence, and found that in antisense MFH-1 cell lines, both alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and production of osteocalcin induced by BMP-2 decreased markedly in comparison with control cell lines. Our results suggest that the BMP-2-induced MFH-1 protein may play a key role in regulating the commitment to osteoblastic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts and production of osteoblast markers including ALP and osteocalcin

Age-Related Impairment of Bones' Adaptive Response to Loading in Mice is Associated with Sex-Related Deficiencies in Osteoblasts But No Change in Osteocytes

Bones adjust their mass and architecture to be sufficiently robust to withstand functional loading by adapting to their strain environment. This mechanism appears less effective with age, resulting in low bone mass. In male and female young adult (17-week-old) and old (19-month-old) mice, we investigated the effect of age in vivo on bones' adaptive response to loading and in vitro in primary cultures of osteoblast-like cells derived from bone cortices. Right tibias were axially loaded on alternate days for 2 weeks. Left tibias were non-loaded controls. In a separate group, the number of sclerostin-positive osteocytes and the number of periosteal osteoblasts were analyzed 24 hours after a single loading episode. The responses to strain of the primary osteoblast-like cells derived from these mice were assessed by EGR2 expression, change in cell number and Ki67 immunofluorescence. In young male and female mice, loading increased trabecular thickness and the number of trabecular connections. Increase in the number of trabecular connections was impaired with age but trabecular thickness was not. In old mice, the loading-related increase in periosteal apposition of the cortex was less than in young ones. Age was associated with a lesser loading-related increase in osteoblast number on the periosteal surface but had no effect on loading-related reduction in the number of sclerostin-positive osteocytes. In vitro, strain-related proliferation of osteoblast-like cells was lower in cells from old than young mice. Cells from aged female mice demonstrated normal entry into the cell cycle but subsequently arrested in G2 phase, reducing strain-related increases in cell number. Thus, in both male and female mice, loading-related adaptive responses are impaired with age. This impairment is different in females and males. The deficit appears to occur in osteoblasts' proliferative responses to strain rather than earlier strain-related responses in the osteocytes

精神科看護の魅力

本研究の目的は，長期入院の精神障害者の退院支援のための精神科看護の魅力について文献検討により明らかにすることである．日本においては長期入院の精神障害者に対する積極的な退院支援が行われている．しかし，退院後の継続的な支援環境が整わないために，退院できない状況もあり，看護師は仕事への無力感を感じる場合も多い．それでもなお，精神障害者の退院支援に魅力を抱いている看護師がいる．したがって看護師らが退院支援に対して抱く魅力は何かを明らかにすることが長期入院の解決に対して重要である．文献検討の結果，長期入院の精神障害者の退院支援の魅力として（１）患者との相互作用のなかでの自己洞察と自らの人間的成長，（２）患者と看護師の関係発展過程から得られる患者の本質的な理解，（３）看護師が主体性を持って患者と関わることができるという特徴が示唆された．The purpose of this literature study is to clarify the fascination of positive programmed discharge support （PPDS）and psychiatric nursing for long-term inpatient with mental disorders. Long-term psychiatric hospitalization remains as a major problem in Japan. PPDS is performed to such inpatient with social hospitalization. Despite nurses’ efforts with the best intentions, some nurse feel powerless to work because patient cannot discharge from a hospital by reason that living environment after patient leaves hospital was not ready. Therefore, it is important to clarify nurses’ fascination for PPDS and their achievement motive to work to solve prolonged hospitalization. The result of literature review, it was suggested that fascination of psychiatric nursing have the following features : （１）nurse’s self-insight and personal growth in the interaction between patient and nurse, （２）intrinsically understanding of patient obtain from developmental process in the interaction between patient and nurse, and （３）psychiatric nurse is able to intervene to the patient independently

アルコール依存症と感情障害への支援

アルコール依存症と感情障害の関係性は以前から指摘されている．アルコール依存症とうつ病は，自殺企図者の精神障害の内訳の半数を占め，それらが合併した場合には自殺の危険性を一層高める．また，アルコール依存症治療において，患者がうつ症状を呈している場合，再飲酒のリスクが高くなり治療の継続を妨げる原因となりうる．そのため，うつ病の治療にも注意を払うことが求められる．さらに，家族からの支援はアルコール依存症患者の断酒を継続するなどの治療において重要な役割を果たしている．しかし，患者の断酒の継続に注意を払いすぎるあまり，それがストレスとなり患者の問題飲酒を助長することになったり，家族自身がさまざまな悩みを抱え苦しんだりすることが考えられ，家族への支援もとても重要となる．加えて，親がアルコール依存症である場合，子どもも将来アルコール依存症となる危険性が高くなるなど，子どもに与える影響も大きい．そこで医師，看護師，ソーシャルワーカーが支援に関わることや自助グループを活用することが重要となる．本総説ではアルコール依存症と感情障害の関係と治療方法，アルコール依存症と感情障害を抱える患者とその家族への支援に焦点を当て，包括的な支援のありかたを検討した．The relationship between alcohol dependency and affective disorder has been noted. Alcohol dependence and depression account for approximately half of psychiatric disorders which suicidal persons have, and in case of the combination of them, the risk for suicide would be much higher. Also, in case of patient suffering from alcohol dependence and depression as a complicated disease, it becomes an obstructive factor to provide appropriate alcoholism treatment. Therefore, it is desired to pay attentions to care of depression. In addition, the support from self-help group and patient’s family plays a great role in the alcoholism and depression treatment. However, too much attention of patient’s family to continuation of abstinence becomes a cause of stress for patient. That stress fosters problem drinking. Furthermore, it is conceivable that family has many worries and is plagued with anxiety, so family support is also very important. In this review, we focus on comprehensive support for people with both alcohol dependency and affective disorder, and their families

Three Japanese patients with congenital pituitary hormone deficiency and ophthalmological anomalies

The clinical phenotype of congenital pituitary hormone deficiency is variable and can be associated with a number of structural abnormalities of the central nervous system. We report three Japanese patients with congenital pituitary hormone deficiency and ophthalmological anomalies. Two of the patients initially showed strabismus and unilateral optic nerve hypoplasia. Thereafter, growth failure became evident, leading to the diagnosis of pituitary hormone deficiency. The other patient had severe congenital hypopituitarism with respiratory distress and hypoglycemia from the first day of life. In addition, he had prolonged jaundice and impaired liver function with bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia. Neuroimaging of the pituitary region in all three patients demonstrated a small anterior pituitary lobe and no pituitary stalk. Our findings indicate that clinical variability of congenital hypopituitarism must be considered. In a patient with ophthalmological symptoms, endocrine evaluation and neuroimaging of the CNS including the pituitary region should be considered

断酒に至る過程に関する実態調査

断酒に至るまでには，どのような問題があり，その問題に断酒会会員がどのように対処しながら，断酒に至ったかを明らかにすることが目的である．断酒会会員２９４人を調査対象として質問紙および留め置き調査を行った．回収率は５６．８％（１６７名：男性１５０名，女性１７名）であった．調査対象者の平均年齢は５８．６±１１．１（mean±SD）（男性５９．７±１０．５，女性４８±１１．７）歳であった．初回飲酒年齢は平均１８．４±６．３歳であり，１５歳未満の初回飲酒は男性２８名，女性５名であった．飲酒歴は平均２５．４±１１．３年（男性２６．４，女性１６．５年）で，平均断酒期間は１０年１ヵ月±９年６ヵ月（男性１０年７ヵ月，女性４年６ヵ月）であった．調査対象者は飲酒によって家庭や仕事における深刻な問題を引き起こしたため，酒量の調節を試みたが，逆に飲酒量が増し連続飲酒状態に陥り医療機関を受診していた．断酒例会への継続参加により，断酒が可能となり，信用と健康を取り戻し，自信となっていることがあきらかになった．アルコール依存症者が再び社会で正常な日常生活が送れるようになる為には断酒が唯一の方法であることがあらためて確認された．Aim : The purpose of this survey is to clarify alcohol-related problems, the coping methods and how to reach total abstinence in the self-help group members for total abstinence. Method : A mail survey and/or a placement method survey of alcohol dependency were conducted in two prefectures. Subjects were ２９４ recovering alcoholic and they were members of regular meeting for total abstinence. The response rate was５６．８％（１５０males,１７females）. Results : Subjects average age was ５８．６±１１．１ （mean±SD） years （male, ５９．７±１０．５； female, ４８±１１．７ years）. The average of first alcoholic experience of them was at the age of １８．４±６．３. Twenty eight men （１８．６％） and five women （２９．４％） started drinking at the age of less than １５years old. Average duration of drinking was ２５．４±１１．３ years （male, ２６．４； female, １６．５years）, and average abstinence periods were １０．１±９．５years （male, １０．６； female, ４．５years）. They tried to regulate the amount of alcohol because of serious social problems at a home and/or workplace by drinking. However, they could not visit hospitals or clinics until they lapsed into the continuous excessive drinking state. They could quit drinking with continuous participation to regular meeting for total abstinence （Dansyu Reikai） and regained trust, health, and self-confidence. Conclusion : These results suggest that the method to quit drinking is not a self-regulation of amount of alcohol but an attendance of Dansyu Reikai （self-help group participation）