Effects of an Additional Sequence of Color Stimuli on Visuomotor Sequence Learning

Through practice, people are able to integrate a secondary sequence (e.g., a stimulus-based sequence) into a primary sequence (e.g., a response-based sequence), but it is still controversial whether the integrated sequences lead to better learning than only the primary sequence. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of a sequence that integrated space and color sequences on early and late learning phases (corresponding to effector-independent and effector-dependent learning, respectively) and how the effects differed in the integrated and primary sequences in each learning phase. In the task, the participants were required to learn a sequence of button presses using trial-and-error and to perform the sequence successfully for 20 trials (m × n task). First, in the baseline task, all participants learned a non-colored sequence, in which the response button always turned red. Then, in the learning task, the participants were assigned to two groups: a colored sequence group (i.e., space and color) or a non-colored sequence group (i.e., space). In the colored sequence, the response button turned a pre-determined color and the participants were instructed to attend to the sequences of both location and color as much as they could. The results showed that the participants who performed the colored sequence acquired the correct button presses of the sequence earlier, but showed a slower mean performance time than those who performed the non-colored sequence. Moreover, the slower performance time in the colored sequence group remained in a subsequent transfer task in which the spatial configurations of the buttons were vertically mirrored from the learning task. These results indicated that if participants explicitly attended to both the spatial response sequence and color stimulus sequence at the same time, they could develop their spatial representations of the sequence earlier (i.e., early development of the effector-independent learning), but might not be able to enhance their motor representations of the sequence (i.e., late development of the effector-dependent learning). Thus, the undeveloped effector-dependent representations in the colored sequence group directly led to a long performance time in the transfer sequence

Primary Pancreatic Lymphoma: The Role of Surgical Treatment

Primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) is a rare disease that is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. We describe the youngest case of PPL treated by surgical excision and chemotherapy. A 16-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and jaundice. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 3.0 × 4.5 cm homogeneously enhanced mass localized between the inferior vena cava and pancreatic head; the common pancreatic duct was dilated and the common bile duct was stenosed. Magnetic resonance imaging findings showed a 4.5 cm tumor localized between the inferior vena cava and pancreatic head with low signal intensity on T1W images and high intensity on T2W images, which enhanced inhomogeneously. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography findings were compatible with smooth stenosis of the common bile duct. He was diagnosed as pancreatitis secondary to pancreatic tumor and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Postoperative diagnosis was PPL and chemotherapy was performed. After 4 years of treatment he has no signs of recurrence

Laparoscopically Assisted Low Anterior Resection for Lower Rectal Endometriosis: Usefulness of Laparoscopic Surgery

A 34-year-old woman presented with pain during menstruation and was diagnosed with endometriosis of the lower rectum. Despite treatment with an LH-RH agonist, she was unable to become pregnant and surgical removal of her endometriosis was recommended. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging revealed endometriosis localized between the neck of the uterus and rectum with indentation and scuffing. Laparoscopically assisted low anterior resection was performed. Exfoliation was started from the right side of the rectum to the presacral and retrorectal space, and the rectococcygeus ligament was transected. Exfoliation of the retrorectal space was continued to the levator ani muscle and mobilization of the right side of the rectum was performed. In front of the rectum, exfoliation was started posterior to the wall of the vagina, but layers became unclear near the tumor as the tissue was solid in this region. The left hypogastric nerve close to the tumor was inflamed and it was cut. The layer of the exfoliation was connected to the right side of the rectum, the tumor was isolated from the vagina, and the lower rectum was transected at a point 1 cm distal to the tumor with a 60-mm linear stapler. Reconstruction with a 31-mm circular stapler was performed using the double stapling technique. Operative time was 520 min with a blood loss of 320 ml. On the 9th post operative day, a rectovaginal fistula occurred, and ileostomy was performed. The patient was discharged from the hospital on the 25th postoperative day, and 4 months later, stoma closure was performed

ソウセツ セイタイ デンキ インピーダンス ＢＩ ホウ ソクテイ ゲンリ ト フィールド エノ オウヨウ Ｑ＆Ａ ニヨル カイセツ

生体内の水分量や体脂肪率などの身体組成（体組成ともいう）を測定する技術開発は古くから進められてきており、その一つに生体電気インピーダンス（以下、BI）法がある。BI法は、自治体で市民を対象として実施される ..

Mechanical stability of orthodontic miniscrew depends on a thread shape

Background/purpose: Primary stability of orthodontic miniscrew system is of great importance in maintaining stable anchorage during a treatment period. Thus, this study aimed to examine whether the thread shape of orthodontic miniscrew had an effect on its mechanical stability in bone. Materials and methods: Three different types of miniscrews (type A and B with a regular thread shape; type C with a novel thread shape) were placed in artificial bone block with different artificial cortical bone thickness of 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 mm. Values of maximum insertion torque (MIT), removal torque (RT), torque ratio (TR), screw mobility, static stiffness (K), dynamic stiffness (K∗) and energy dissipation (tan δ) ability were assessed for each miniscrew system. Results: The MIT, RT, TR and K of type C miniscrew were significantly greater than those of type A and B miniscrews when the miniscrews were placed in the thinner artificial bone. Furthermore, the TR value of type C miniscrew was more than 1, indicating the MRT value was larger than the MIT value in the novel miniscrew. The values of K∗ and tan δ were almost similar among the three types of miniscrews. Conclusion: The miniscrew with a novel thread shape showed a higher initial stability compared to those with a regular thread shape. Thus, in order to obtain a sufficient initial stability, it is important to select the type of screw thread that is appropriate for the thickness of the cortical bone

True Carcinosarcoma of the Esophagus: Report of a Case

Carcinosarcoma of the esophagus is a malignant neoplasm involving both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. We report a patient with true esophageal carcinosarcoma who underwent laparoscopy-assisted surgery. An upper gastrointestinal barium study revealed a lobulated intraluminal filling defect in the lower intrathoracic esophagus. The patient underwent esophagectomy and regional lymphadenectomy with gastric tube reconstruction by laparoscopy-assisted surgery and thoracotomy. The esophageal hiatus was entered and the mediastinal esophagus was dissected using a laparoscopic approach. Microscopically, the tumor comprised poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and spindle-shaped cells resembling leiomyosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, spindle-shaped sarcomatous cells displayed strongly positive reaction to vimentin and negative reaction to cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and CD68. No transitional zone was seen between sarcomatous and carcinomatous elements. The patient was finally diagnosed with true esophageal carcinosarcoma. Laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy seems to be a rational and safe procedure for lower esophageal neoplasms, even for patients with impaired respiratory function

Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Forms of Self-Management Group Education in Japanese People with Impaired Glucose Tolerance

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of education on diabetes prevention in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. A total of 100 subjects of impaired glucose tolerance with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels ≥5.5 to <6.1% were assigned randomly to either support or control groups. All subjects received education in 8 sessions over a 6-month period. The support group consisted of 10 members collaborating with a dietitian or a nurse who learned coping skills by employing a participant-centered approach. Participants in the support group were required to keep a diary that monitored weight, food intake and blood glucose levels, while the control group attended several lectures. Subjects assigned to the support group had a reduction in mean HbA1c levels from 5.77 ± 0.36% at baseline to 5.39 ± 0.24% at the endpoint (p<0.01). Weight, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) levels also decreased (p<0.01) in the support group, whereas subjects in the control group had no observable reduction in these indices. After intervention, participants of the support group had improvements in their 2-h post-meal blood glucose levels. Support group education can be effective for improving glycemic control in participants when carried out in collaboration with educators and other team members

Measurement Accuracy of Hand Dynamometers Used for Physical Fitness Testing

The present study was conducted as a field survey to determine the actual degree of hand dynamometer validation performed in schools. The investigation consisted of a questionnaire survey of 43 schools（12 elementary, 6 junior high, and 25 senior high schools）that participated in a workshop for faculty members in the departments of health and physical education, together with actual validation tests for hand dynamometers in 7 of 43 schools（2 public elementary schools and 5 junior high schools）, all 7 of which agreed to the testing. The dynamometer validation device of Takei Scientific Instruments Co., Ltd., was used for this study. The questionnaire responses indicated that 5（12%）of 43 schools had performed hand dynamometer validation and 38（88%）had not. Although this survey was small in scale, this finding suggests that many schools in Japan do not perform hand dynamometer validation, for various reasons. In the present study, in which an error of ±2.5 kg or more was considered large, the maximum deviation from the reference value was +8.0 kg in a hand dynamometer that showed a mean error of +6.5 kg in the test range of 10-70 kg. The present study has highlighted the issues associated with hand dynamometers used in physical fitness tests. It will be necessary in the future for teachers to raise consciousness about the validation testing of hand dynamometers in schools

Histamine-1 receptor is not required as a downstream effector of orexin-2 receptor in maintenance of basal sleep/wake states

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Aim: The effect of orexin on wakefulness has been suggested to be largely mediated by activation of histaminergic neurones in the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) via orexin receptor-2 (OX2R). However, orexin receptors in other regions of the brain might also play important roles in maintenance of wakefulness. To dissect the role of the histaminergic system as a downstream mediator of the orexin system in the regulation of sleep/wake states without compensation by the orexin receptor-1 (OX1R) mediated pathways, we analysed the phenotype of Histamine-1 receptor (H1R) and OX 1R double-deficient (H1R-/-;OX 1R-/-) mice. These mice lack OX1R-mediated pathways in addition to deficiency of H1R, which is thought to be the most important system in downstream of OX2R. Methods: We used H 1R deficient (H1R-/-) mice, H1R -/-;OX1R-/- mice, OX1R and OX 2R double-deficient (OX1R-/-;OX 2R-/-) mice, and wild type controls. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, non-REM (NREM) sleep and awake states were determined by polygraphic electroencephalographic/electromyographic recording. Results: No abnormality in sleep/wake states was observed in H1R-/- mice, consistent with previous studies. H1R-/-;OX 1R-/- mice also showed a sleep/wake phenotype comparable to that of wild type mice, while OX1R-/-; OX 2R-/- mice showed severe fragmentation of sleep/wake states. Conclusion: Our observations showed that regulation of the sleep/wake states is completely achieved by OX2R-expressing neurones without involving H1R-mediated pathways. The maintenance of basal physiological sleep/wake states is fully achieved without both H1 and OX1 receptors. Downstream pathways of OX2R other than the histaminergic system might play an important role in the maintenance of sleep/wake states. © 2009 Scandinavian Physiological Society