Preliminary Study About The Application Of Gravicorder For Weight-Shifting and-Bearing Exercise As a New Educational Device of Physiotherapists

Background: To establish an objective evaluation of basic physiotherapy technique, we recorded a mechanical aspect during a lateral weight-shifting (WS) using gravicorder. Methods: Subjects were 18 physiotherapists divided into three groups based on experience year. Our originally developed software converted center of gravity data during WS to 3-dimensional mechanical value. Results: All direction data showed significantly lower in the long experience year group (p<0.05). The coefficient of variation was high vertical for all three groups. Conclusion: In the group with more years of experience, it was confirmed that it was compactly implemented. In the vertical direction, it is thought to be implemented by empirical rules because there is no constant normal pattern or common recognition among physiotherapists

Identification of the X-linked germ cell specific miRNAs (XmiRs) and their functions

<div><p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in multiple aspects of biology. Dicer, an RNase III endonuclease, is essential for the biogenesis of miRNAs, and the germ cell-specific <i>Dicer1</i> knockout mouse shows severe defects in gametogenesis. How miRNAs regulate germ cell development is still not fully understood. In this study, we identified germ cell-specific miRNAs (miR-741-3p, miR-871-3p, miR-880-3p) by analyzing published RNA-seq data of mouse. These miRNA genes are contiguously located on the X chromosome near other miRNA genes. We named them X chromosome-linked miRNAs (XmiRs). To elucidate the functions of XmiRs, we generated knockout mice of these miRNA genes using the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing system. Although no histological abnormalities were observed in testes of F0 mice in which each miRNA gene was disrupted, a deletion covering <i>miR-871</i> and <i>miR-880</i> or covering all <i>XmiRs</i> (<i>ΔXmiRs</i>) resulted in arrested spermatogenesis in meiosis in a few seminiferous tubules, indicating their redundant functions in spermatogenesis. Among candidate targets of XmiRs, we found increased expression of a gene encoding a WNT receptor, FZD4, in <i>ΔXmiRs</i> testis compared with that in wildtype testis. miR-871-3p and miR-880-3p repressed the expression of <i>Fzd4</i> via the 3′-untranslated region of its mRNA. In addition, downstream genes of the WNT/β-catenin pathway were upregulated in <i>ΔXmiRs</i> testis. We also found that <i>miR-871</i>, <i>miR-880</i>, and <i>Fzd4</i> were expressed in spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids, and overexpression of <i>miR-871</i> and <i>miR-880</i> in germ stem cells in culture repressed their increase in number and <i>Fzd4</i> expression. Previous studies indicated that the WNT/β-catenin pathway enhances and represses proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonia, respectively, and our results consistently showed that stable β-catenin enhanced GSC number. In addition, stable β-catenin partially rescued reduced GSC number by overexpression of <i>miR-871</i> and <i>miR-880</i>. The results together suggest that <i>miR-871</i> and <i>miR-880</i> cooperatively regulate the WNT/β-catenin pathway during testicular germ cell development.</p></div

Comparison of heterosubtypic protection in ferrets and pigs induced by a single-cycle influenza vaccine

Influenza is a major health threat, and a broadly protective influenza vaccine would be a significant advance. Signal Minus FLU (S-FLU) is a candidate broadly protective influenza vaccine that is limited to a single cycle of replication, which induces a strong cross-reactive T cell response but a minimal Ab response to hemagglutinin after intranasal or aerosol administration. We tested whether an H3N2 S-FLU can protect pigs and ferrets from heterosubtypic H1N1 influenza challenge. Aerosol administration of S-FLU to pigs induced lung tissue-resident memory T cells and reduced lung pathology but not the viral load. In contrast, in ferrets, S-FLU reduced viral replication and aerosol transmission. Our data show that S-FLU has different protective efficacy in pigs and ferrets, and that in the absence of Ab, lung T cell immunity can reduce disease severity without reducing challenge viral replication

Research Activities in the Department of Nursing

Research activity at the Department of Nursing is overviewed from the point of research topics, the theme of the projects admitted for grant from the Ministry of Education and Science of Japan, and expected research topics, trying to clarify the needs and challenges of the Department from multilateral aspects in future research activities. The Department of Nursing, Aino University is currently divided into the five areas and further into 12 fields. On the other hand, according to the Scientific Research Grant Program (2015 fiscal year), the research topics in nursing science is subdivided into the five areas; a) basic nursing, b) clinical nursing, c) lifelong developmental nursing, d) elderly nursing, and e) community health nursing

地域在住高齢者の趣味の有無と認知機能の関連

高齢者の趣味の有無が認知機能と関連しているとの報告が多くなされている。今回、地域在住一般高齢者272名（平均年齢72.3歳）を対象に趣味の有無と認知機能の関連を検討した。趣味を有する群（186名）と無趣味群（86名）では、主観的幸福感、抑うつ程度、 日常生活動作には有意差は見られなかったが、認知機能においては、趣味を有する群では無趣味群に比して有意に高値であった。また、趣味を有する群では、無趣味群に比して、物事に好奇心があり、社交的な性格であった。認知症予防において、趣味を持つことを積極的に勧めることは重要と思われる

地域在住高齢者の認知機能とビタミンEの関連

抗酸化ビタミンの１つであるビタミンEと認知機能の関連について検討した。対象は地域在住一般高齢者254名（73.1±5.2歳、男性101名、女性153名）で、認知機能はミニメンタルテスト（MMSE）で測定し、また、MMSE特典の1年間の変化により、改善群（MMSEにて2-6ポイント増加）24名（平均年齢72.9歳）、不変群（1ポイント以内）45名（73.5歳）、悪化群（2-6ポイント減少）25名（73.9歳）の3群に分け検討した。年齢、主観的幸福感、抑うつ程度、日常生活動作と血漿ビタミンE値の間には相関はみられなかったが、MMSEとビタミンE値とは弱いながらも正相関が認められた（p=0.046）。MMSE改善群、不変群、悪化群の血漿ビタミンE値は、それぞれ10.5±2.5μg/mL、11.1±4.3μg/mL、10.5±3.9μg/mLと各群間には有意差は認められなかった。ビタミンEは認知機能の程度とは関連している可能性があるが、認知機能低下の進行とは関連が見られなかった

Mechanisms for Enhanced Hydrophobicity by Atomic-Scale Roughness.

It is well known that the close-packed CF3-terminated solid surface is among the most hydrophobic surfaces in nature. Molecular dynamic simulations show that this hydrophobicity can be further enhanced by the atomic-scale roughness. Consequently, the hydrophobic gap width is enlarged to about 0.6 nm for roughened CF3-terminated solid surfaces. In contrast, the hydrophobic gap width does not increase too much for a rough CH3-terminated solid surface. We show that the CF3-terminated surface exists in a microscopic Cassie-Baxter state, whereas the CH3-terminated surface exists as a microscopic Wenzel state. This finding elucidates the underlying mechanism for the different widths of the observed hydrophobic gap. The cage structure of the water molecules (with integrated hydrogen bonds) around CH3 terminal assemblies on the solid surface provides an explanation for the mechanism by which the CH3-terminated surface is less hydrophobic than the CF3-terminated surface