Exercise enhanced functional recovery and expression of GDNF after photochemically induced cerebral infarction in the rat

Exercise has been considered to affect the functional recovery from central nervous damage. Neurotrophic factors have various effects on brain damage. However, the effects of exercise for expression of GDNF on functional recovery with brain damage are not well known. We investigated the difference in functional recovery between non-exercise and beam-walking exercise groups, and the expression of GDNF in both groups after photochemical infarction. Adult male Wistar rats (N = 64) were used. Animals were divided into two groups: non-exercise (N = 35), and beam-walking exercise (N = 29). All rats underwent surgical photochemical infarction. The rats of the beam-walking group were trained every day to walk on a narrow beam after a one-day recovery period and those of the non-exercise group were left to follow a natural course. Animals were evaluated for hind limb function every day using a beam-walking task with an elevated narrow beam. The number of GDNF-like immunoreactive cells in the temporal cortex surrounding the lesion was counted 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after the infarction. Functional recovery of the beam-walking exercise group was significantly earlier than that of the non-exercise group. At 3 days after infarction, the number of GDNF-positive cells in the temporal cortex surrounding the infarction was significantly increased in the beam-walking exercise group compared with that in the non-exercise group. In the exercise group, motor function was remarkably recovered with the increased expression of GDNF-like immunoreactive cells. Our results suggested that a rehabilitative approach increased the expression of GDNF and facilitated functional recovery from cerebral infarction

Contralateral cortical role on functional recovery in a rat model of hemiplegia

The role of the contralateral cerebral cortical plasticity in functional recovery after cerebral infarction is controversial. To clarify this role, we made a second contralateral cortical infarction after recovery from the first cerebral infarction. To produce the first infarction, Wistar rats were intravenously injected with Rose Bengal to the sensorimotor area of the right hemisphere of the cerebral cortex under green-light irradiation. Two weeks after the first hemiplegia, a secondary infarction was induced in the left cerebral cortex. Functional recovery was evaluated in a beam-walking test. Hemiplegia observed 1 day after both the first and second infarctions was given a score of 1. At 14 days after the first infarction, the average recovery score (± standard error) was 6.8 ± 0.1. In contrast, functional recovery was slower after the second infarction, reaching an average score of only 3.5 ± 0.5 after 14 days. Therefore, recovery after the contralateral secondary infarction was slower than that from the first, and received a lower recovery score compared to the recovery after the first infarction. These results suggest that the undamaged contralateral cortex plays an important role in motor recovery after hemiplegia caused by cerebral infarction

〔研究ノート〕グリーンナッツオイルの 抗アレルギー効果と脂肪酸組成

　　The number of individuals with allergic disease has been increasing in recent years. One suspected reason for this increase is excessive consumption of n-6 fatty acids, which are contained at high levels in vegetable oils and meats. In contrast, n-3 fatty acids are believed to have an inhibitory effect on allergic disease. Various foods including blueback fish contain high levels of n-3 fatty acids. Green nut oil（GNO）also contains approximately 50％ α-linoleic acid. Therefore, we investigated the inhibitory effect of GNO on atopic dermatitis.　　Four-week-old male NC/Nga TndCrlj mice were divided into a GNO-treated group and a corn oil-treated（CO）group and reared for 7 weeks. Once a week, a picryl chloride solution was applied to the backs and auricles of the mice to induce allergic dermatitis. 　Erythrocyte membrane and liver EPA and DHA contents were significantly higher in the GNO group compared to the CO group, suggesting that the EPA and DHA was converted from α-linoleic acid. Erythrocyte membrane and liver arachidonic acid contents were higher in the CO group. The progress of allergic disease was slower in the GNO group compared to the CO group. Blood serum IgE levels tended to be lower in the GNO group compared to the CO group, suggesting that GNO may have an anti-allergic effect

Effect of Superchilling (Hyo-On) Aging on the Total Bacterial Count and Concentration of Taste Components of Pork Loin

氷温を利用した肉類の長期熟成処理の有用性を評価するために、従来の熟成処理温度である4℃および氷温である−1℃で豚ロース肉の熟成処理を行い、一般生菌数、イノシン酸および遊離アミノ酸濃度に及ぼす影響を評価した。−1℃熟成処理の一般生菌数は、4℃熟成処理と比較して、熟成処理7、14および21日で有意に低下した。さらに−1℃熟成処理42日後でも、肉類が腐敗したと判断する一般生菌数である108コロニー形成単位/gには達していなかった。一方、−1℃熟成処理のイノシン酸濃度は、4℃熟成処理と比較して、緩やかな減少がみられた。腐敗の指標の1 つである一般生菌数が同等であった4℃熟成処理14日および−1℃熟成処理42日について遊離アミノ酸濃度の測定および官能評価を実施した。その結果、豚ロース肉の−1℃熟成処理42日は、4℃熟成処理14日と比較して、うま味に関わるグルタミン酸濃度の有意な上昇と嗜好型官能評価において総合的に好ましいと評価された。これらの結果より豚ロース肉の−1℃熟成処理は、4℃熟成処理よりも、一般生菌数の増殖抑制と食味性を向上させることで付加価値の向上に寄与できると考えられる。To evaluate the effects of long-term meat aging at superchilling, the total bacterial count, concentration of taste components, and palatability of pork loin were compared for samples aged at 4 °C and −1 °C. At 7, 14, and 21 days of aging, the total bacterial count of pork aged at −1℃ had significantly decreased compared to that of the sample aged at 4 ℃. Even after aging pork at −1 °C for 42 days, the total bacterial count did not reach 108 colony forming unit/g, which is generally considered to be the spoilage of meat. The concentration of inosinic acid in the pork loin aged at −1 ℃ was s decreased more slowly than that of the sample aged at 4 ℃. Free amino acid analysis and sensory evaluation were performed on the samples aged at 4 °C for 14 days and at −1 ℃ for 42 days, in which the total bacterial count was almost equivalent. Further, the glutamic acid concentration and overall palatability of pork loin sample aged at −1 ℃ for 42 days were significantly increased as compared to those of samples aged at 4 °C for 14 days. From these results, it was concluded that aging at −1 ℃ increased the added value of pork by suppressing the growth of bacteria and improving its palatability over that achieved from samples aged at 4 °C.本研究の一部は、2020年度関西大学若手研究者育成経費（個人研究）において、研究課題「熱成処理温度の違いが食肉の呈味成分の生成に関与するアミノペプチダーゼ活性に及ぼす影響」として研究費を受け、その成果を公表するものである

Passive Repetitive Stretching for a Short Duration within a Week Increases Myogenic Regulatory Factors and Myosin Heavy Chain mRNA in Rats' Skeletal Muscles

Stretching is a stimulation of muscle growth. Stretching for hours or days has an effect on muscle hypertrophy. However, differences of continuous stretching and repetitive stretching to affect muscle growth are not well known. To clarify the difference of continuous and repetitive stretching within a short duration, we investigated the gene expression of muscle-related genes on stretched skeletal muscles. We used 8-week-old male Wistar rats () for this study. Animals medial gastrocnemius muscle was stretched continuously or repetitively for 15 min daily and 4 times/week under anesthesia. After stretching, muscles were removed and total RNA was extracted. Then, reverse transcriptional quantitative real-time PCR was done to evaluate the mRNA expression of MyoD, myogenin, and embryonic myosin heavy chain (MyHC). Muscles, either stretched continuously or repetitively, increased mRNA expression of MyoD, myogenin, and embryonic MyHC more than unstretched muscles. Notably, repetitive stretching resulted in more substantial effects on embryonic MyHC gene expression than continuous stretching. In conclusion, passive stretching for a short duration within a week is effective in increasing myogenic factor expression, and repetitive stretching had more effects than continuous stretching for skeletal muscle on muscle growth. These findings are applicable in clinical muscle-strengthening therapy

A new non-human primate model of photochemically induced cerebral infarction.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rat models of photochemically induced cerebral infarction have been readily studied, but to date there are no reports of transcranial photochemically induced infarctions in the marmoset. In this report, we used this non-human primate as a model of cerebral thrombosis and observed the recovery process. METHODS: Five common marmosets were used. Cerebral ischemia was produced via intravascular thrombosis induced by an intravenous injection of Rose Bengal and irradiation with green light. After inducing cerebral infarction, we observed the behavior of marmosets via a continuous video recording. We evaluated maximum speed, mean speed, and distance traveled in 1 min. In addition, we evaluated scores for feeding behavior, upper limb grip, and lower limb grip. We confirmed the infarct area after cerebral infarction using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining in a separate marmoset. RESULTS: We found functional decreases 2 days after creating the cerebral infarction in all measurements. Total distance traveled, average speed, upper limb score, and feeding behavior score did not recover to pre-infarction levels within 28 days. Maximum speed in 1 min and lower limb score recovered 28 days after infarction as compared to pre-infarction levels. We confirmed the infarct area of 11.4 mm × 6.8 mm as stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. CONCLUSION: We were able to create a primate photothrombosis-induced cerebral infarction model using marmosets and observe functional recovery. We suggest that this is a useful model for basic research of cerebral infarction

The Effects of Utilizing Cartilage Conduction Hearing Aids among Patients with Conductive Hearing Loss

The cartilage-conduction hearing aid (CC-HA) is a new hearing device that is suitable for use in patients with conductive hearing loss. It has been 5 years since the introduction of the CC-HA. Although the number of users has increased, the CC-HA is not yet widely known. This study examines the effects of CC-HA on patients with conductive hearing loss and investigates factors that affect the willingness to use the device by comparing purchasers and non-purchasers of CC-HA in patients with unilateral conductive hearing loss. Eight patients had bilateral conductive hearing loss, and 35 had unilateral conductive hearing loss. Each patient underwent sound field tests and speech audiometry, and the effects of the CC-HA were compared with those of conventional bone conduction hearing aids (BC-HA). In patients with bilateral conductive hearing loss, the CC-HA was non-inferior to BC-HA. The CC-HA improved the hearing thresholds and speech recognition in patients with unilateral conductive hearing loss. Moreover, in patients with unilateral conductive hearing loss, experiencing the effect of wearing the CC-HA under conditions such as putting noise in the better ear could affect patients’ willingness to use the CC-HA