Hydration of vinyl ether groups by unsaturated glycoside hydrolases and their role in bacterial pathogenesis

Many pathogenic microorganisms invade mammalian and/or plant cells by producing polysaccharide-degrading enzymes (lyases and hydrolases). Mammalian glycosaminoglycans and plant pectins that form part of the cell surface matrix are typical targets for these microbial enzymes. Unsaturated glycoside hydrolase catalyzes the hydrolytic release of an unsaturated uronic acid from oligosaccharides, which are produced through the reaction of matrix-degrading polysaccharide lyase. This enzymatic ability suggests that unsaturated glycoside hydrolases function as virulence factors in microbial infection. This review focuses on the molecular identification, bacterial distribution, and structure/function relationships of these enzymes. In contrast to general glycoside hydrolases, in which the catalytic mechanism involves the retention or inversion of an anomeric configuration, unsaturated glycoside hydrolases uniquely trigger the hydrolysis of vinyl ether groups in unsaturated saccharides but not of their glycosidic bonds. [Int Microbiol 2007; 10(4):233-243

Mental and physical effects of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake on School Children, and Health Support initiatives by YogoTeachers: Findings from a survey of high school yogo teachers 5 years after the disaster

Objective: To clarify the current mental and physical state of students 5 years after experiencing the Great East Japan earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident, and to shed light on the practical initiatives and issues faced by yogo teachers in supporting students’ health. Method: In May 2016, we conducted a mail-based questionnaire of yogo teachers at 15 prefectural high schools in Soma District and Futaba District (collectively, “Soso”) in Fukushima Prefecture, one of the areas most heavily affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.　The questionnaire focused on (1) health and school life of students; and (2) current initiatives and issues faced by yogo teachers in supporting student health. Results: We received responses from 8 of the 15 high school yogo teachers surveyed (response rate: 53.3％).Six yogo teachers (75％) responded that the “students are calm.” However, 6 yogo teachers (75％) recognized a tendency among students towards weight gain and obesity, as well as reduced physical stamina and sporting ability, while 4 yogo teachers (50％) indicated that some students were anxious about their future and career path, and were receiving personal support from the school counselor.　The yogo teachers provided support to students while attempting to ascertain their mental and physical well-being through greater health monitoring and questionnaires, and while coordinating with the school physician and counselor. Conclusion: Five years after the earthquake, high school students in the Soso district are now leading a more relaxed school life, but still feel anxious about their future health and career path due to lingering concerns about radiation, highlighting the need for long-term support by yogo teachers

Health Support Provided by Yogo Teachers for Adolescent Female Students with a Thin Body Type

Purpose: To clarify the realities and challenges involved in health support provided by yogo teachers to adolescent girls who have a thin body type. Methods: A semi-structured interview survey was conducted with yogo teachers at a Japanese high school with experience of providing health support to thin adolescent female students and the results of the survey were subjected to qualitative analysis. Results: With regard to health support provided by yogo teachers, the results of analysis found that the actual situation consisted of the five categories of 【sharing information throughout the school organization to investigate methods of support】,【 realizing studentsʼ situations through the provision of individual support】, 【referring students and parents to specialist agencies】,【investigating collaborations with parents with students ʼ consent】, and 【carrying out prevention and awareness-raising activities about thin physiques】.　 However, the analysis also found that the practical challenges for providing such health support consisted of the six categories of 【working with parents to liaise with medical institutions】,【continuous support in collaboration with specialist agencies】,【 educational health support that enables all students to manage their own health】,【 yogo teachersʼ professional knowledge and assessment of eating disorders】,【 support methods that students can engage with on their own initiative, according to their situation】, and 【creating a counseling- friendly environment to facilitate early detection】.Discussion: While yogo teachers had an overall grasp of studentsʼ situations through their organizational engagements in cooperation with faculty and school physicians, as well as individual support activities, it was clear that they faced difficulties and challenges in relation to working together with parents and specialist agencies.　In the future, improving collaboration with parents will require that they, too, be encouraged to recognize that being excessively thin represents a health problem for adolescent female students.　In addition, it will also be necessary to work towards building daily collaboration systems, such as by having yogo teachers keep track of potential partner medical institutions as a matter of routine.　It was further suggested that yogo teachers will need to provide educational and preventive health support oriented toward helping female students acquire the ability to manage their own health

Clinical response in Japanese metastatic melanoma patients treated with peptide cocktail-pulsed dendritic cells

BACKGROUND: Metastatic, chemotherapy-resistant melanoma is an intractable cancer with a very poor prognosis. As to immunotherapy targeting metastatic melanoma, HLA-A2(+ )patients were mainly enrolled in the study in Western countries. However, HLA-A24(+ )melanoma patients-oriented immunotherapy has not been fully investigated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy on metastatic melanoma patients with HLA-A2 or A24 genotype. METHODS: Nine cases of metastatic melanoma were enrolled into a phase I study of monocyte-derived dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy. HLA-genotype analysis revealed 4 cases of HLA-A*0201, 1 of A*0206 and 4 of A*2402. Enriched monocytes were obtained using OptiPrep™ from leukapheresis products, and then incubated with GM-CSF and IL-4 in a closed serum-free system. After pulsing with a cocktail of 5 melanoma-associated synthetic peptides (gp100, tyrosinase, MAGE-2, MAGE-3 and MART-1 or MAGE-1) restricted to HLA-A2 or A24 and KLH, cells were cryopreserved until used. Finally, thawed DCs were washed and injected subcutaneously (s.c.) into the inguinal region in a dose-escalation manner. RESULTS: The mean percentage of DCs rated as lin(-)HLA-DR(+ )in melanoma patients was 46.4 ± 15.6 %. Most of DCs expressed high level of co-stimulatory molecules and type1 phenotype (CD11c(+)HLA-DR(+)), while a moderate number of mature DCs with CD83 and CCR7 positive were contained in DC products. DC injections were well tolerated except for transient liver dysfunction (elevation of transaminases, Grade I-II). All 6 evaluable cases except for early PD showed positive immunological responses to more than 2 melanoma peptides in an ELISPOT assay. Two representative responders demonstrated strong HLA-class I protein expression in the tumor and very high scores of ELISPOT that might correlate to the regression of metastatic tumors. Clinical response through DC injections was as follows : 1CR, 1 PR, 1SD and 6 PD. All 59 DC injections in the phase I study were tolerable in terms of safety, however, the maximal tolerable dose of DCs was not determined. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that peptide cocktail-treated DC-based immunotherapy had the potential for utilizing as one of therapeutic tools against metastatic melanoma in Japan

Protective Efficacy of Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever

Ebola virus (EBOV) is the causative agent of severe hemorrhagic fever in primates, with human case fatality rates up to 90%. Today, there is neither a licensed vaccine nor a treatment available for Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF). Single monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) have been successfully used in passive immunization experiments in rodent models, but have failed to protect nonhuman primates from lethal disease. In this study, we used two clones of human-mouse chimeric MAbs (ch133 and ch226) with strong neutralizing activity against ZEBOV and evaluated their protective potential in a rhesus macaque model of EHF. Reduced viral loads and partial protection were observed in animals given MAbs ch133 and ch226 combined intravenously at 24 hours before and 24 and 72 hours after challenge. MAbs circulated in the blood of a surviving animal until virus-induced IgG responses were detected. In contrast, serum MAb concentrations decreased to undetectable levels at terminal stages of disease in animals that succumbed to infection, indicating substantial consumption of these antibodies due to virus replication. Accordingly, the rapid decrease of serum MAbs was clearly associated with increased viremia in non-survivors. Our results indicate that EBOV neutralizing antibodies, particularly in combination with other therapeutic strategies, might be beneficial in reducing viral loads and prolonging disease progression during EHF

高等学校養護教諭が感じている 性教育に関する困難感と今後の課題

本研究は、高校に勤務する養護教諭が、性教育を行ううえで感じている困難感や課題について明らかにすることを目的に、G 県内の高等学校に勤務する養護教諭を対象に、2014年6月、半構成的面接によるインタビュー調査を実施した。 結果、養護教諭が感じている性教育に対する困難感は、5つのカテゴリー【カリキュラムの位置づけがない】【校内の指導体制が整っていない】【養護教諭の指導力不足】【個人差が大きく実態把握が困難】【費用の捻出が出来ない】で構成された。養護教諭は、現任校では性教育がカリキュラムとして位置づけられておらず、校内の指導体制も整っていないと感じており、費用の捻出が難しいこと等の困難感が明らかになった。生徒群馬大学教育学部紀要 芸術・技術・体育・生活科学編 第 51巻 67―76頁 2016 67の家庭環境や受けてきた教育背景の個人差が大きいことから、性に関する実態の把握が困難であることとともに、養護教諭自身が、性教育を行うための指導力不足を認識していることも困難感につながっていた。 また、今後の性教育の課題としては、5つのカテゴリー【人間教育としての性教育の確立】【指導方法の検討】【専門機関との連携】【カリキュラムへの位置づけ】【生徒の実態把握】で構成された。女性のライフスタイルや生徒自身の今後の生活に活かすことが出来るような【人間教育として性教育】を行う必要性が、全コード数の半数を占め、大きな課題として示された。養護教諭は、性教育を効果的に行うための指導方法の検討をすることや専門機関とのネットワーク作りも重要であると考えていた。さらに、性教育を正規のカリキュラムとして位置づけること、そして生徒のニーズに即した性教育を行うために生徒の実態把握をすることも課題であることが明らかとなった。 今後は、性教育を学校教育の中の人間教育として位置づけ、生徒が自らの人間観やライフスタイルについて考える機会となるよう、教育内容や指導体制を検討する必要性が示唆された

口腔乾燥の改善に関する研究 : Capparis属植物配合タブレットの味覚特性と口腔内の潤い感について

本研究では、口腔乾燥を自覚したひとへのCapparis masaikai(マビンロウ)を配合したタブレット(MT)の応用にあたって、MTの嗜好性及び口腔内の潤い感を把握するため、成人を対象に官能評価を行った。その結果、1.MTは、甘味・渋味・苦味・粉っぽさがあり、爽やかさが少ないと評価された。2.MTの若年女性の嗜好性に対する評価が低かった。このことから、MTは味の嗜好性の評価や総合評価を向上させる必要性があると考えられた。3.MTは口腔内での潤い感が60分持続し、その効果が特に高齢者群で高かった。このことから、今後口腔乾燥症を有する成人・高齢者に口腔内の潤い感を付与する有効な手立ての一つとなると考えられた。As the taste characteristic of the tablet which mixed Capparis masaikai, a sensory evaluation was carried out among young panelists (23 men, average age 25.5 and 31 women, average age 22.2) and elderly panelists (15 men, average age 72.1 and 17 women, average age 74.3) in order to grasp the preference of taste and moisture sensation in the oral cavity. The sample of the sensory evaluation was made to be two kinds of the tablets of MT (the tablet including the 15% Capparis masaikai extract) and N-MT (the tablet of the identical composition without the Capparis masaikai extract). The sensory evaluation items were made to be the time until the tablets melted in the oral cavity, and strength and weakness and preference, total evaluation of the taste of the tablet in licking and after the licking. The following results were obtained: 1. MT was evaluated that sweetness, astringent taste and bitterness and powder were stronger than N-MT, but it was evaluated that refreshingness was weaker than N-MT. 2. An evaluation for the preference of the young women of MT was low. From this result, there seemed to be a necessity of improving evaluation and total evaluation of the preference of taste of MT. 3. Moisture sensation in the oral cavity kept 60 minutes on MT, and the effect was especially high in the elderly panelists. From this result, MT seemed to be one of the effective ways that gave moisture sensation in the oral cavity to adult and elderly people who would be conscious of the dry mouth in future