Effect of dietary components on renal inorganic phosphate (Pi) excretion induced by a Pi-depleted diet

Dietary inorganic phosphate (Pi) is the most important factor in the regulation of renal Pi excretion. Recent studies suggest the presence of an enteric-renal signaling axis for dietary Pi as well as the existence of a mechanism by which the intestine detects changes in luminal Pi concentrations. The mechanisms of intestinal Pi sensing, however, are unknown. In the present study, we focused on Pi depletion signals and investigated the effects of dietary components on intestinal Pi sensing. After feeding rats experimental diets for 3 days, we investigated urinary Pi excretion and plasma biochemical parameters. Renal Pi excretion was suppressed in rats fed a low-Pi diet (0.02% Pi). Elimination of dietary calcium (Ca) completely blocked the suppression of Pi excretion, suggesting that the presence of Ca is essential for the Pi depletion signal. Furthermore, a minimum Ca content of more than 0.02% was necessary for the Pi depletion signal. Magnesium, lanthanum, and strontium, which are agonists of calcium sensing receptor, instead of Ca, reduced Pi excretion.Therefore, dietary Ca appears to be important for the Pi depletion-sensing mechanism in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the calcium sensing receptor may be involved in the Pi depletion signal

Changes in the quality of democracy from 1970 to 2020

Bakalaura darba nosaukums ir “Demokrātijas kvalitātes izmaiņas no 1970.gada līdz 2020.gadam”. Izvirzītais pētnieciskais jautājums ir: kādi apstākļi rada izmaiņas valsts demokrātiskās kvalitātes līmenī? Darba mērķis ir analizēt demokrātijas kvalitātes līmeņa izmaiņas septiņās valstīs laika posmā no 1970.gada līdz 2020.gadam. Darba teorētiskajā pamatā ir Roberta Dāla darbs “Polyarchy” un Semuela Hantingtona “Trešais vilnis”. Darba gadījuma pētniecība balstās uz Freedom House veikto apskatu par atbilstošo valsti un tās padziļinātu vēstures apskatu. Kopumā, tiek apskatītas sešas Eiropas valstis un Amerikas Savienotās valstis, kas sniegs informāciju par demokrātijas kvalitāti un mainošajiem apstākļiem. Darba rezultātā tiek noskaidrots, ka demokrātijas kvalitāti ietekmē sabiedrības pieredze ar demokrātisku sistēmu, terorisma draudi, konstitūcija un sabiedrības mainošie uzskati.The name of this paper is “Changes in the quality of democracy from 1970 to 2020”. The paper raises a research question: what circumstances cause change in a state’s level of democratic quality? The aim of this paper is to analyze the changes in the quality of democracy within seven countries between 1970 and 2020. The theoretical basis of this work formed from Robert Dahl’s work “Polyarchy” and Samuel Huntington’s work “The Third Wave”. The paper uses the case study method to inspect each country’s political history and Freedom House to attach a reliable score to its relative situation. The paper draws the conclusion that countries with long term democratic experience have less problems with threats to its systems or faster recoveries from a sudden stop of its democracy system, terrorism affects the quality of democracy and so does a state’s constitution. Changes in views are also a factor of change in the quality of democracy

On-chip in vitro cell-network pre-clinical cardiac toxicity using spatiotemporal human cardiomyocyte measurement on a chip

To overcome the limitations and misjudgments of conventional prediction of arrhythmic cardiotoxicity, we have developed an on-chip in vitro predictive cardiotoxicity assay using cardiomyocytes derived from human stem cells employing a constructive spatiotemporal two step measurement of fluctuation (short-term variability; STV) of cells repolarization and cell-to-cell conduction time, representing two origins of lethal arrhythmia. Temporal STV of field potential duration (FPD) showed a potential to predict the risks of lethal arrhythmia originated from repolarization dispersion for false negative compounds, which was not correctly predicted by conventional measurements using animal cells, even for non-QT prolonging clinical positive compounds. Spatial STV of conduction time delay also unveiled the proarrhythmic risk of asynchronous propagation in cell networks, whose risk cannot be correctly predicted by single-cell-based measurements, indicating the importance of the spatiotemporal fluctuation viewpoint of in vitro cell networks for precise prediction of lethal arrhythmia reaching clinical assessment such as thorough QT assay

胸腔鏡下動脈管開存症結紮術の麻酔経験

雑誌掲載版全国36大学医学部6年生3303人に対して質問紙を用いた心肺蘇生法の知識調査を行った.全13問のアンケートは1992年版の心肺蘇生法の指針をもとに作成され,このうち心肺蘇生の実技に重要と思われる6問を選び検討した.その結果,84%の学生はこれら6問全てを正解することができず,指針に基づく正しい蘇生の施行が困難と判断された.この原因として,医学生の蘇生法修得に対する自覚不足,心肺蘇生の講義・実習時間の不足,蘇生に関する知識の混同が考えられた.状況の改善のためには,指針に忠実な指導を行い,心肺蘇生に触れる機会を増やし,医学生自身に蘇生法修得の重要性を認識させることが必要と思われ