Muscle Fiber Type-Predominant Promoter Activity in Lentiviral-Mediated Transgenic Mouse

Variations in gene promoter/enhancer activity in different muscle fiber types after gene transduction was noticed previously, but poorly analyzed. The murine stem cell virus (MSCV) promoter drives strong, stable gene expression in hematopoietic stem cells and several other cells, including cerebellar Purkinje cells, but it has not been studied in muscle. We injected a lentiviral vector carrying an MSCV-EGFP cassette (LvMSCV-EGFP) into tibialis anterior muscles and observed strong EGFP expression in muscle fibers, primary cultured myoblasts, and myotubes isolated from injected muscles. We also generated lentiviral-mediated transgenic mice carrying the MSCV-EGFP cassette and detected transgene expression in striated muscles. LvMSCV-EGFP transgenic mice showed fiber type-dependent variations in expression: highest in types I and IIA, intermediate in type IID/X, and lowest in type IIB fibers. The soleus and diaphragm muscles, consisting mainly of types I and IIA, are most severely affected in the mdx mouse model of muscular dystrophy. Further analysis of this promoter may have the potential to achieve certain gene expression in severely affected muscles of mdx mice. The Lv-mediated transgenic mouse may prove a useful tool for assessing the enhancer/promoter activities of a variety of different regulatory cassettes

IgA Nephropathy Complicated with X-linked Thrombocytopenia

Renal involvement is occasionally observed in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) and X-linked thrombocytopenia (XLT). It has been reported that galactose-deficient IgA is a closely linked to IgA nephropathy (IgAN), suggesting that patients with XLT/WAS associated with reduced galactosylation on serum IgA are susceptible to IgAN. It is necessary to pay more attention to patients with IgAN due to the potential complication with XLT/WAS. We here present a patient of XLT complicated with mild IgAN who underwent tonsillectomy combined with steroid pulse therapy to achieve complete clinical remission

一人暮らしの女子大学生を対象とした朝食献立の提案

目的：一人暮らしをしている女子大学生を対象として，朝食で摂取することが望ましいエネルギー量及び各種栄養素量（以下，栄養目標量と略記）を満たし，且つ簡便に調理可能な朝食献立を作成して提案することを目的とした。方法：提案する献立は，一人暮らしをしている女子大学生を対象とした28種類の朝食とした。献立作成にあたっては，日本人の食事摂取基準（2015年版）に示された18-29歳女性の身体活動レベルⅡにおける1日当たりのエネルギー量及び各種栄養素量を基準とした。朝食の栄養目標量は1日当たりのエネルギー量及び各種栄養素量の25％とした。献立の構成は主食・主菜・副菜を基本とし，主食は米飯，パン，麺類とした。主菜には肉類，魚介類，卵類，大豆製品を主として用いた。結果：作成した簡便に調理可能な朝食献立は，栄養目標量を満たしていた。結論：栄養バランスがとれ，且つ簡便に調理可能な朝食献立を作成した。作成した献立は，肉類，魚介類，卵類，大豆製品を使用した朝食として提案する

Different Characteristics of Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease in the Mild Cognitive Impairment Stage

We compared indices of the revised version of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-R) and scaled scores of the five subtests of the revised version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R) in 30 elderly schizophrenia (ES) patients and 25 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in the amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) stage (AD-aMCI). In the WMS-R, attention/concentration was rated lower and delayed recall was rated higher in ES than in AD-aMCI, although general memory was comparable in the two groups. In WAIS-R, digit symbol substitution, similarity, picture completion, and block design scores were significantly lower in ES than in AD-aMCI, but the information scores were comparable between the two groups. Delayed recall and forgetfulness were less impaired, and attention, working memory and executive function were more impaired in ES than in AD-aMCI. These results should help clinicians to distinguish ES combined with AD-aMCI from ES alone

The Effect of Medical Cooperation in the CKD Patients: 10-Year Multicenter Cohort Study

Introduction: While chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most important contributors to mortality from non-communicable diseases, the number of nephrologists is limited worldwide. Medical cooperation is a system of cooperation between primary care physicians and nephrological institutions, consisting of nephrologists and multidisciplinary care teams. Although it has been reported that multidisciplinary care teams contribute to the prevention of worsening renal functions and cardiovascular events, there are few studies on the effect of a medical cooperation system. Methods: We aimed to evaluate the effect of medical cooperation on all-cause mortality and renal prognosis in patients with CKD. One hundred and sixty-eight patients who visited the one hundred and sixty-three clinics and seven general hospitals of Okayama city were recruited between December 2009 and September 2016, and one hundred twenty-three patients were classified into a medical cooperation group. The outcome was defined as the incidence of all-cause mortality, or renal composite outcome (end-stage renal disease or 50% eGFR decline). We evaluated the effects on renal composite outcome and pre-ESRD mortality while incorporating the competing risk for the alternate outcome into a Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model. Results: The medical cooperation group had more patients with glomerulonephritis (35.0% vs. 2.2%) and less nephrosclerosis (35.0% vs. 64.5%) than the primary care group. Throughout the follow-up period of 5.59 +/- 2.78 years, 23 participants (13.7%) died, 41 participants (24.4%) reached 50% decline in eGFR, and 37 participants (22.0%) developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD). All-cause mortality was significantly reduced by medical cooperation (sHR 0.297, 95% CI 0.105-0.835, p = 0.021). However, there was a significant association between medical cooperation and CKD progression (sHR 3.069, 95% CI 1.225-7.687, p = 0.017). Conclusion: We evaluated mortality and ESRD using a CKD cohort with a long-term observation period and concluded that medical cooperation might be expected to influence the quality of medical care in the patients with CKD

ダイガクセイ ニ タイスル ゲートキーパー ヨウセイ コウザ ノ ヨビテキ ケンキュウ : ミヤギケン ワカモノ ココロ ノ シエン モデル ジギョウ ノ トリクミ

宮城県では、若者こころの支援モデル事業を発足し、県内大学生に対して自殺予防に関する理解促進に向けたゲートキーパー養成講座の実施を図っている。本稿では、2019年度に試験的に試みた大学生に対するゲートキーパー養成講座（以下、講座）の実施について報告した。A大学の心理学を専攻する1年生に対して、週に1回約90分の講座を3コマ実施した。講座の実施前後およびその2か月後に質問紙調査を実施し、45名から回答を得た。その結果、対象者のゲートキーパー自己効力感は講座実施後において向上し、かつ2か月後においてもその効果は維持されていた。自殺予防プログラムは各地で散見されるものの、実証的な効果検証は十分に行われていない。今後も若者の自殺予防プログラムを推進するとともに、効果検証についても合わせて行い、さらにはその効果の維持についての実証的な知見を蓄積していく必要があるだろう

Current status of Iceland-Syowa conjugate observation in 2019

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OS] Space and upper atmospheric sciences, Wed. 4 Dec. / Institute of Statistics and Mathematics (ISM) Seminar room 2 (D304) (3rd floor

Biallelic mutations in <i>KDSR </i>disrupt ceramide synthesis and result in a spectrum of keratinization disorders associated with thrombocytopenia

Mutations in ceramide biosynthesis pathways have been implicated in a few Mendelian disorders of keratinization, although ceramides are known to have key roles in several biological processes in skin and other tissues. Using whole-exome sequencing in four probands with undiagnosed skin hyperkeratosis/ichthyosis, we identified compound heterozygosity for mutations in KDSR, encoding an enzyme in the de novo synthesis pathway of ceramides. Two individuals had hyperkeratosis confined to palms, soles, and anogenital skin, whereas the other two had more severe, generalized harlequin ichthyosis-like skin. Thrombocytopenia was present in all patients. The mutations in KDSR were associated with reduced ceramide levels in skin and impaired platelet function. KDSR enzymatic activity was variably reduced in all patients, resulting in defective acylceramide synthesis. Mutations in KDSR have recently been reported in inherited recessive forms of progressive symmetric erythrokeratoderma, but our study shows that biallelic mutations in KDSR are implicated in an extended spectrum of disorders of keratinization in which thrombocytopenia is also part of the phenotype. Mutations in KDSR cause defective ceramide biosynthesis, underscoring the importance of ceramide and sphingosine synthesis pathways in skin and platelet biology

Kansai University Library 100th anniversary

目次 【序文】記念誌の刊行にあたって（図書館長　内田慶市）図書館創設100周年によせて（学長　楠見晴重）記念誌の編集について【第1部　この20年を振り返って】高槻図書室開館（広瀬雅子）…3阪神・淡路大震災（高橋真澄）…8図書館システムの変遷（徳岡久実・濱生快彦）…12図書館ビジョン7項目の制定（濱生快彦）…20図書館におけるアウトソーシング（高橋真澄）…26電子展示（濱生快彦）…36市民利用開始（広瀬雅子）…41図書館ウェブサイト（濱生快彦）…442010プロジェクトによる新図書館（高橋真澄・田中恵美）…48図書館リニューアル工事（新谷大二郎）…60図書館の現在と未来（堀口和弘）…68【第2部　図書館に想う】関西大学図書館創設100周年に寄せて（市川訓敏）…79図書館の思い出、図書館への思い（北川勝彦）…85図書館在職時の思い出（柴田真一）…91数々の貴重書（田中登）…95関西大学図書館100周年にあたって : 私の夢想する図書館（内田慶市）…100【第3部　図書館の文庫・コレクション】文庫・コレクションの紹介（鵜飼香織）…111【第4部　資料編】図書館年譜（明治19.3 ～平成26.7）…119サービスに係る統計（総合図書館）…146サービスに係る統計（高槻図書室・ミューズ大学図書館・堺キャンパス図書館）…148蔵書数の推移…149図書費執行額の推移…150展示一覧…152他大学図書館との協定一覧…160【「図書館コラム」】新人時代の思い出（高松和美）…11エレベーターにまつわる話（吉田有輝）…19泣き別れたり、親子になったり（嶋田有理香）…35貴重なのは本だけ？貴重書担当のつぶやき（大上良樹）…40会長校のころ（金東瀅）…46『コアラ博士』にまつわるあれこれ（松本和剛）…57広報誌『KULione 』誕生秘話（白髪友賀）…59本と夢を運んだテレリフト（芝谷秀司）…66LOUIS VUITTON（加藤博之）…7

Brain Training Game Improves Executive Functions and Processing Speed in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The beneficial effects of brain training games are expected to transfer to other cognitive functions, but these beneficial effects are poorly understood. Here we investigate the impact of the brain training game (Brain Age) on cognitive functions in the elderly.Thirty-two elderly volunteers were recruited through an advertisement in the local newspaper and randomly assigned to either of two game groups (Brain Age, Tetris). This study was completed by 14 of the 16 members in the Brain Age group and 14 of the 16 members in the Tetris group. To maximize the benefit of the interventions, all participants were non-gamers who reported playing less than one hour of video games per week over the past 2 years. Participants in both the Brain Age and the Tetris groups played their game for about 15 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Each group played for a total of about 20 days. Measures of the cognitive functions were conducted before and after training. Measures of the cognitive functions fell into four categories (global cognitive status, executive functions, attention, and processing speed). Results showed that the effects of the brain training game were transferred to executive functions and to processing speed. However, the brain training game showed no transfer effect on any global cognitive status nor attention.Our results showed that playing Brain Age for 4 weeks could lead to improve cognitive functions (executive functions and processing speed) in the elderly. This result indicated that there is a possibility which the elderly could improve executive functions and processing speed in short term training. The results need replication in large samples. Long-term effects and relevance for every-day functioning remain uncertain as yet.UMIN Clinical Trial Registry 000002825