Identification of a Predictive Biomarker for the Beneficial Effect of Keishibukuryogan, a Kampo (Japanese Traditional) Medicine, on Patients with Climacteric Syndrome

Keishibukuryogan (KBG; Guizhi-Fuling-Wan in Chinese) is one of the Kampo (Japanese traditional) medicines used to treat patients with climacteric syndrome. KBG can be used by patients who cannot undergo hormone replacement therapy due to a history of breast cancer. We evaluated whether cytosine-adenine (CA) repeat polymorphism of the estrogen receptor β gene can be a predictor of the beneficial effect of KBG on climacteric syndrome. We also investigated the relationship between CA repeat polymorphism, the patients’ profiles, and the therapeutic effect. We found that CA was an SS, SL, or LL genotype according to the number of repeats. We studied 39 consecutive patients with climacteric disorders who took KBG for 12 weeks. The diagnosis of climacteric disorders was made on the basis of the Kupperman index. KBG significantly improved the patients’ climacteric symptoms (i.e., vasomotor symptoms in the patients with the LL genotype and melancholia in the patients with the SL genotype). No relationship between the patients’ profiles and CA repeat polymorphism was recognized. CA repeat polymorphism could thus be a potential biomarker to predict the efficacy of KBG in climacteric syndrome, and its use will help to reduce the cost of treating this syndrome by focusing the administration of KBG on those most likely to benefit from it

Nowcast and forecast of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes in magnetosphere and ionosphere – Extension of WASAVIES to Earth orbit

Real-time estimation of cosmic-ray fluxes on satellite orbits is one of the greatest challenges in space weather research. Therefore, we develop a system for nowcasting and forecasting the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes at any location in the magnetosphere and ionosphere during ground-level enhancement (GLE) events. It is an extended version of the WArning System for AVIation Exposure to SEP (WASAVIES), which can determine event profiles by using real-time data of the count rates of several neutron monitors (NMs) at the ground level and high-energy proton fluxes observed by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) satellites. The extended version, called WASAVIES-EO, can calculate the GCR and SEP fluxes outside a satellite based on its two-line element (TLE) data. Moreover, organ absorbed-dose and dose-equivalent rates of astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) can be estimated using the system, considering its shielding effect. The accuracy of WASAVIES-EO was validated based on the dose rates measured in ISS, as well as based on high-energy proton fluxes observed by POES satellites during large GLEs that have occurred in the 21st century. Agreement between the nowcast and forecast dose rates in ISS, especially in terms of their temporal structures, indicates the usefulness of the developed system for future mission operations

Radiation dose during relativistic electron precipitation events at the International Space Station

AbstractWe provide a quantitative estimate of the radiation dose during relativistic electron precipitation (REP) events at the International Space Station (ISS). To this goal, we take advantage of the data collected by the CALorimetric Electron Telescope, the Monitor of All‐sky X‐ray Image, and the Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment‐Attached Payload. The three ISS detectors offer complementary REP observations, including energy spectra and flux directional information, during a period of approximately 2.5 years, from November 2015 to March 2018. We have identified 762 REP events during this period from which we obtain the distribution of radiation dose, relevant to extravehicular activities outside the ISS

CXCL13-producing CD4⁺ T cells accumulate in the early phase of tertiary lymphoid structures in ovarian cancer

卵巣がんにおける新たな免疫の仕組みを発見 --三次リンパ様構造の形成メカニズムと予後への影響を解明--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-05.Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are transient ectopic lymphoid aggregates whose formation might be caused by chronic inflammation states, such as cancer. However, how TLSs are induced in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and how they affect patient survival are not well understood. We investigated TLS distribution in relation to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and related gene expression in high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) specimens. CXCL13 gene expression correlated with TLS presence and the infiltration of T cells and B cells, and was a favorable prognostic factor for HGSC patients. Coexistence of CD8⁺ T cells and B-cell lineages in the TME significantly improved the prognosis of HGSC and was correlated with the presence of TLSs. CXCL13 expression was predominantly coincident with CD4⁺ T cells in TLSs and CD8⁺ T cells in TILs, and shifted from CD4⁺ T cells to CD21⁺ follicular dendritic cells as TLS matured. In a mouse ovarian cancer model, recombinant CXCL13 induced TLSs and enhanced survival by the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells. These results suggest that TLS formation was associated with CXCL13-producing CD4⁺ T cells and that TLSs facilitated the coordinated antitumor response of cellular and humoral immunity in ovarian cancer

シンセツ カンゴ ガクブ ニ オケル カンゴ ジッセン ノウリョク イクセイ ノ タメ ノ カンゴ ギジュツ コウモク ノ ケントウ

背景 高齢化社会や医療の高度化の到来から, 看護学生の看護実践能力の強化の必要性が重要課題となっている. 目的 新設看護学部において看護実践能力が高い学生を育成するために必要と考えられる看護技術項目を明らかにすることを目的とした. 方法 各看護学領域代表者で技術項目検討委員会をもち, 本学部の教育理念に従って, 既存文献を参考にしながら, 項目を追加修正し, 各看護学領域が講義・演習・実習のどこで学習するかを確認した. 結果 学生の看護実践能力を育成する為の看護技術項目は19項目の大項目, 131の中項目, 160の小項目と整理し, 看護技術項目のシートを作成した. 結論 作成したシートは, 各看護学領域で学習する内容を講義の教材として活用し, 学生・教員・実習の指導者の3者間で, 個々の学生の看護技術の習得に有効であると考える. またそれは, 学生の看護実践能力の強化へと期待できる.Background With the aging of society and the advances in medical care technologies, it is increasingly important and necessary for nursing students to be able to use their nursing knowledge and skills in a practical setting. Educational institutions are therefore urged to provide the students with such training.Purpose The purpose of this paper is to clarify what skills are actually necessary and useful for students to become effective in their practice as nurses, and what training should be given at the new nursing department in order to enhance the practical nursing skills of students.Methods First, scholars and representatives of nursing-related fields formed a committee where skills required for achieving the purpose stated above were redefined in accordance with the university\u27s educational objectives. In revising the existing skills items, published information was also used as a reference. How each of the skills is learned, either in lectures, classroom training, or practical training, was confirmed by the committee.Results The nursing skills identified by the committee were classified into 19 skills of major importance, 131 skills of medium importance and 160 skills of less importance. The committee summarized them as a list of nursing skills.Conclusion The list can be used as teaching materials in the class, and can be used not only by teachers and advisors in the training but also by students. Students would refer to the list when learning nursing skills. Such use of the list may reinforce students\u27 ability to apply the obtained skills in their nursing performance

Examining Long-Term Effects of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Recommendation Messages: A 4-Month Follow-Up Survey of a Randomized Controlled Study in Japan

We previously conducted a randomized controlled study to examine persuasive messages recommending HPV vaccination to mothers with daughters in Japan. That study showed that the three types of intervention message used (statistical information only, a patient’s narrative in addition to statistical information, and a mother’s narrative in addition to statistical information) all significantly improved mothers’ intention to have their daughter(s) receive the HPV vaccine, in comparison with mothers who received no messaging. The present study is a follow-up survey to assess the long-term effect of the intervention. Four months after the initial study, in January 2018, participants in the previous study were contacted and queried about their current intention to have their daughter(s) receive the HPV vaccine. Statistical analysis was conducted using the paired t-test and analysis of variance. A total of 978 mothers participated in the current survey. Vaccination intention 4 months after intervention had decreased to a level that did not differ significantly from the level prior to intervention in all three intervention conditions. The amount of change in vaccination intention 4 months after intervention did not differ significantly among the three intervention groups (p = 0.871). A single exposure to messaging was insufficient to produce a persistent intervention effect