Expression of α1-Adrenergic Receptor Subtypes and Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor in the Prostate of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Background :To clarify the mechanisms of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), we investigated the expression of α1-adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) within the prostate of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Methods :Twelve male 25-week-old SHRs and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were randomly separated into two groups (n =6 each). One group was given 20 ml 0.9% sodium chloride solution (saline) orally per kg-body weight daily for one week. The other group received no treatment. After 7 days of saline loading, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and prostate weight were measured. The prostates were immunohistochemically analyzed for α1-AR subtypes and AT1. Results :After 7 days, the SBP and prostate weight of saline-loaded SHRs tended to increase, but was not significantly different compared to the untreated rats.The expression ofα1-AR subtypes and AT1 within the prostates of saline-loaded SHRs was higher than in the untreated ones. In contrast, the expression in the saline-loaded WKY rat prostates did not increase compared to the untreated ones. Conclusion : Increased numbers of α1-AR subtypes and AT1 in saline-loaded SHR prostates might play important roles in the development of LUTS associated with BPH.Article信州医学雑誌. 58(3): 103-114 (2010)journal articl

Mismatch between theory and practice: Problem of determining base forms for Miyako verbs

In thinking about the relationships between linguistic practice, theory, and application, we typically assume that our theoretical understanding of grammatical structure matches the reality of linguistic practice (and speakers' intuition) and can be directly applicable to teaching and revitalization of the language. Unfortunately, this does not seem necessarily the case. In this presentation we will discuss the difficulty we encountered when we try to determine 'the base form' of a word in our work with Miyako, an endangered Ryukyuan language spoken in Okinawa, Japan. Verbs in Miyako exhibit multiple inflected forms (in the same way English verbs do, e.g. jump, jumped, jumping, etc.). When a word has variant forms, linguists identify the base form on the basis of the inflectional pattern and use it as the representative or reference form, e.g. as a dictionary headword. This notion of a representative form also seems to be very much in speakers' minds as they tend to talk about verbs using a single form rather than using different forms at different times. However, the problem is that the forms that linguists and speakers choose as representative are different in Miyako. Linguists working on Miyako typically represent verbs with the non-past form (e.g., fau 'eat'), but in contrast, native speakers consistently cite the verb in the converb form (e.g., fai ‘eating’), and in fact, word lists compiled by them list verbs in this form. Linguists' choice of the non-past form as the representative is most likely something that has been carried over from the research tradition of the more socially dominant language, Japanese. Native speaker intuition, on the other hand, likely stems from the fact that the converb form is the most frequently used in natural discourse. No matter what the sources are, this discrepancy raises a question about the identity and validity of the 'base form' of Miyako verbs. Although this may seem like a small problem, it nonetheless reveals a serious clash between the grammatical organization linguists would see and the way speakers would understand and use the grammar. We will explore in our presentation factors that contributed to this difference. It is important to be aware of such mismatches when we think about ways to relate theory, practice, and application

Bench Testing of New Polarimeter with Silicon Photoelastic Modulator for Short Wavelength FIR Laser

A short wavelength laser whose wavelength is about 50 μm is preferable for a polarimeter and an interferometer in large fusion devises. This paper reports the development of a polarimeter with a photoelastic modulator(PEM) for a CH3OD laser (wavelengths of 57.2 and 47.6 μm). The PEM with a high-resistive silicon as a photoelastic element has been newly developed. The transmissivity of the high-resistive silicon is high in a far infrared region. The polarimeter with the Si PEM has been tested and the polarization angle is successfully measured. Noise sources (a multi-reflection of the laser beam in the photoelastic element, a measurement error of amplitude of a detector output and an estimation error of the retardation) of the measured angle are also discussed

Pulse-Driven Magnetoimpedance Sensor Detection of Cardiac Magnetic Activity

This study sought to establish a convenient method for detecting biomagnetic activity in the heart. Electrical activity of the heart simultaneously induces a magnetic field. Detection of this magnetic activity will enable non-contact, noninvasive evaluation to be made. We improved the sensitivity of a pulse-driven magnetoimpedance (PMI) sensor, which is used as an electric compass in mobile phones and as a motion sensor of the operation handle in computer games, toward a pico-Tesla (pT) level, and measured magnetic fields on the surface of the thoracic wall in humans. The changes in magnetic field detected by this sensor synchronized with the electric activity of the electrocardiogram (ECG). The shape of the magnetic wave was largely altered by shifting the sensor position within 20 mm in parallel and/or perpendicular to the thoracic wall. The magnetic activity was maximal in the 4th intercostals near the center of the sterna. Furthermore, averaging the magnetic activity at 15 mm in the distance between the thoracic wall and the sensor demonstrated magnetic waves mimicking the P wave and QRS complex. The present study shows the application of PMI sensor in detecting cardiac magnetic activity in several healthy subjects, and suggests future applications of this technology in medicine and biology

Prehospital emergency life-saving technicians promote the survival of trauma patients: A retrospective cohort study

Objective Appropriate decisions by medical technicians at a trauma scene may influence a patient's prognosis. Emergency life-saving technicians (ELSTs) are certified specialists trained with the knowledge to provide advanced techniques for prehospital emergency care in Japan. However, the benefit of treatment by ELSTs compared to basic emergency medical technicians (BEMTs) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to determine whether treatment by ELSTs improves outcomes for trauma patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the Japan Trauma Data Bank for the years 2004 to 2017. Patients transferred to the hospital directly from the trauma scene and at least 16 years old were included in this study. The following criteria were used to exclude patients; presence of burns, untreatable severe traumas, unknown ELST attendance, and missing prognosis. We compared two groups (ELST group: patients transported by emergency medical services (EMS) with the presence of at least one ELST; BEMT group: patients transported only by BEMTs). Primary outcome was survival to discharge. Secondary outcomes were the need of definitive treatments defined by surgical intervention, intravascular radiology and blood transfusion at the receiving hospital within 24 h. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) adjusted by age, sex, revised trauma score, and Injury severity score (ISS). Results Overall survival to discharge did not improve significantly (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.99–1.30) with ELST intervention. In-hospital blood transfusion was more frequently required in the ELST group (adjusted OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01–1.20). Emergency interventions (adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97–1.09) were not different between the groups. In stratified analysis, the benefit of ELST attendance for survival was observed among patients with ISS Conclusions Dispatch systems with ELST should be considered for trauma transports, which may benefit elderly or moderate severity trauma groups, with shorter transportation time conditions

ヤスパース倫理学の射程-<実存倫理>から<理性倫理>へ-

早大学位記番号:新7567早稲田大

Implantation of Autologous Bone-Marrow-Derived Cells Reconstructs Functional Urethral Sphincters in Rabbits

The purpose of this study was to determine if implantation of autologous bone-marrow-derived cells has the potential to treat stress urinary incontinence caused by intrinsic sphincter deficiency. Bone marrow cells harvested from femurs of New Zealand White rabbits were cultured for 10 days. Seven days before implantation, the urethral sphincters located at the internal urethral orifice were cryo-injured by spraying liquid nitrogen for 15 s. The cultured autologous bone-marrow-derived cells were implanted 7 days after cryo-injury. For controls, cell-free solutions were injected. At 7 and 14 days after implantation, leak point pressures were determined and the urethral sphincters were examined by immunohistochemistry. At 7 and 14 days, the cell-implanted regions contained numerous striated and smooth muscle-like cells expressing myoglobin and smooth muscle actin, respectively. The proportions of myoglobin- and smooth muscle actin-expressing areas in both the 7- and 14-day cell-implanted regions were significantly higher than in controls. By 14 days, these differentiated cells formed contacts with similar cells, creating layered muscle structures. At that time, the leak point pressure of the cell-implanted rabbits was significantly higher than that of the controls. In conclusion, autologous bone-marrow-derived cells can reconstruct functional urethral sphincters.ArticleTISSUE ENGINEERING PART A. 17(41098):1069-1081 (2011)journal articl

Gosha-jinki-gan Reduces Transmitter Proteins and Sensory Receptors Associated with C Fiber Activation Induced by Acetic Acid in Rat Urinary Bladder

This is a preprint of an article published in [NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS. 27(8):832-837 (2008)].ArticleNEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS. 27(8):832-837 (2008)journal articl

Advanced Laser Diagnostics for Electron Density Measurements

This paper describes innovative laser diagnostics under development at the National Institute for Fusion Science, aiming for the establishment of reliable density measurement techniques in the next step magneticallyconfined fusion devices. There are two approaches, interferometry and polarimetry. A new type of two color laser (47.6/57.2-μm CH3OD) interferometer has been developed and its original function, vibration subtraction,was confirmed in a test stand. The line integrated density measurement at Compact Helical System by using the polarimeter based on Cotton-Mouton effect was demonstrated by the use of a 337-μm HCN laser source