Longevity-associated NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit-2 237 Leu/Met Polymorphism Modulates the Effects of Daily Alcohol Drinking on Yearly Changes in Serum Total and LDL Cholesterol in Japanese Men

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase subunit 2 237 leucine/methionine (ND2-237 Leu/Met) polymorphism, is reportedly associated with longevity in the Japanese population. The ND2-237Met genotype may exert resistance to atherogenic diseases, such as myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular disorders. To investigate whether ND2-237 Leu/Met polymorphism is associated with yearly changes in serum lipid levels, we conducted a longitudinal study of 107 healthy Japanese male subjects. Analysis of covariance revealed that the interaction between the ND2-237 Leu/Met genotypes and habitual drinking was significantly associated with yearly changes in serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels (p0.036 and p0.006, respectively). In multiple regression analysis, daily drinking was significantly and positively associated with yearly changes in serum LDLC levels in men with ND2-237Met (p0.026). After adjusting for covariates, yearly changes in serum LDLC levels were significantly lower in non-daily drinkers with ND2-237Met than in those with ND2-237Leu (p0.047). These results suggest that ND2-237Met has a beneficial impact on yearly changes in serum LDLC in non-daily drinkers but not in daily drinkers.</p

カイゴ ショク ノ ジンザイ イクセイ ニ カンスル イチコウサツ

この論文は， 施設職員として介護職を 5 年以上継続している人を対象として実施したインタビューの報告と分析である． 質問項目は， 入職までの生活歴， 教育歴， 介護職を選んだ理由， 介護職へのとらえ方， やりがい， 今後の不安等を中心とした． そして， そこから介護職を選択するまで （過去）， 介護職をどのようにとらえ （現在）， 今後の懸念 （未来） の時系列的視点に従って， 介護職を選択することと介護職としての適性， 介護職のとらえ方， そして介護職を継続していくにあたって必要な労働環境について分析し， 介護職の人材育成のあり方について検討した． その結果， 職業選択の理由として， 幼少時期から高齢者と交流する機会が多いと答えたものが介護職への適性を示していた． また， 介護職を利用者との関わることに主眼をおいた業務であり， 自分はそれを好んでいるというとらえ方と， 自分自身の人生にとってかけがえないもの （生きがい）， というとらえ方の 2 側面が明確となった． また， 5 年以上継続して勤務しているのは介護職にやりがいを感じているからであり， さらに， 介護職の専門性を， 介護固有の技術というより， 広く対人援助職に求められる価値観やアプローチと認識していた． 今後介護職を継続するにあたっての不安は， 体力や腰痛をはじめとする健康問題， 役職やマネジメント業務等への苦手意識， （女性にとっては） 結婚・出産後の働きづらさ等が挙げられた． これらの知見から， 人材育成とキャリア継続について 3 段階に分けて検討し介護職の専門性を論じた

サイガイジ ヨウエンゴシャ ト フクシ ヒナンジョ ノ イチコウサツ

2011 年の東日本大震災では， 未曽有の犠牲者を出し， 中でも高齢者や障害者の死亡率の高さが目立った． 更に， 地震や津波など災害の直接的被害でなく， その後の避難生活での疲労や持病の悪化などによる死亡である 「災害関連死」 の犠牲者も， 高齢者が占める割合が高いことが報告されている． 「災害時要援護者」 への避難対策が 2005 年度から実施されてきているが， 避難支援については， 多くの課題を抱えている． 災害時には， ①災害そのものから命を守るために避難すること． 次に， ②できる限り生活環境を整備し， 必要な生活支援を保障することで， 心身の状態の悪化や災害関連死を防止することが最も重要である． 本稿では， 「災害時要援護者」 とは， どのような人たちなのか， その実態と， 「福祉避難所」 が命を守る機能を果たすには何が求められているかについて考察する

New dimeric flavans from gambir, an extract of Uncaria gambir

Three new dimeric flavans, catechin-(4 alpha -&#62; 8)-ent-epicatechin (7), gambirflavan D1 (8), and gambirflavan D2 (9), were isolated from gambir (an extract from the leaves and young twigs of Uncaria gambir), and their structures were determined based on spectroscopic and chemical data.</p

Fetal Cerebellar Growth Curves Based on Biomathematics in Normally Developing Japanese Fetuses and Fetuses with Trisomy 18

We used biomathematics to describe and compare cerebellar growth in normally developing and trisomy 18 Japanese fetuses. This retrospective study included 407 singleton pregnancies with fetuses at 14-39 weeks of gestation and 33 fetuses with trisomy 18 at 17-35 weeks. We used ultrasonography to measure fetal transverse cerebellar diameter (TCD) and anteroposterior cerebellar diameter (APCD). We hypothesized that cerebellar growth is proportional to cerebellar length at any given time point. We determined the formula L(t) ≒Keat+r, where e is Napier’s number, t is time, L is cerebellar length, and a, K, and r are constants. We then obtained regression functions for each TCD and APCD in all fetuses. The regression equations for TCD and APCD values in normal fetuses, expressed as exponential functions, were TCD(t)=27.85e0.02788t−28.62 (mm) (adjusted R2=0.997), and APCD(t)=324.29e0.00286t−322.62 (mm) (adjusted R2=0.995). These functions indicated that TCD and APCD grew at constant rates of 2.788%/week and 0.286%/week, respectively, throughout gestation. TCD (0.0153%/week) and APCD (0.000430%/week) grew more slowly in trisomy 18 fetuses. This study demonstrates the potential of biomathematics in clinical research and may aid in biological understanding of fetal cerebellar growth

A microscopic model for helical twisting power by the optical isomers of an octahedral metal complex

A computational approach to the evaluation of helical twisting powers (HTP) of chiral metal complexes of [Ru(blade) 2 (backbone)] type is presented. The dopant contains helically attached &apos;&apos;blade&apos;&apos; ligands and an elongated &apos;&apos;backbone&apos;&apos; ligand, and some remarkably powerful examples have been reported. In this work, the observed HTP is interpreted in terms of a microscopic interaction of a dopant and host molecules with atomistic details. For this purpose, the stable structure of a triad system comprising a dopant and two host molecules was obtained by geometry optimization using Gaussian03. As a result, the host molecules interacted attractively with the dopant, being twisted in the same direction as observed experimentally. Interaction energy was assessed as a function of the dihedral angle between the two host molecules, leading to a quadratic dependence with a minimum at the equilibrium twisting angle of À32 . Based on this, the expression was derived, in which helical twisting power was given in terms of the equilibrium twisting angle of a pair of strongly interacting host molecules