Estrogen is required for maintaining the quality of cardiac stem cells

Compared to the age-matched men, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is lower in premenopausal but higher in postmenopausal women, suggesting the cardio-protective role of estrogen in females. Although cardiac stem cells (CSCs) express estrogen receptors, yet the effects of estrogen on CSCs remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the potential role of estrogen in maintaining the quality of CSCs by in vivo and in vitro experiments. For the in vivo study, estrogen deficiency was induced by ovariectomy in 6-weeks-old C57BL/6 female mice, and then randomly given 17β-estradiol (E2) replacements at a low dose (0.01 mg/60 days) and high dose (0.18 mg/60 days), or vehicle treatment. All mice were killed 2 months after treatments, and heart tissues were collected for ex vivo expansion of CSCs. Compared to age-matched healthy controls, estrogen deficiency slightly decreased the yield of CSCs with significantly lower telomerase activity and more DNA damage. Interestingly, E2 replacements at low and high doses significantly increased the yield of CSCs and reversed the quality impairment of CSCs following estrogen deficiency. For the in vitro study, twice-passaged CSCs from the hearts of adult healthy female mice were cultured with the supplement of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μM E2 in the medium for 3 days. We found that E2 supplement increased c-kit expression, increased proliferative activity, improved telomerase activity, and reduced DNA damage of CSCs in a dose-dependent manner. Our data suggested the potential role of estrogen in maintaining the quality of CSCs, providing new insight into the cardio-protective effects of estrogen

食事内容の工夫が咀嚼回数および食事時間や咀嚼行動に対する意識に及ぼす影響

調理法を工夫して食事内容を変えた2種類の被験食において咀嚼回数や食事時間がどのように変化するかを調べた｡また､咀嚼行動に対する意識についてｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査を行い､咀嚼力､咀嚼回数および食事時間との関連性について検討した｡被験食Aに比し､被験食Bは有意にかたい食事内容であった｡咀嚼回数は被験食AとBともに個人差があり､その差はかたい食事内容になるように工夫したBの方が顕著であった｡被験食Aの咀嚼回数と被験食Bの咀嚼回数との間に正の相関を認めた(r=0.799, p<0.01)｡また､被験食Bにおける咀嚼回数と食事時間との間に正の相関を認めた(r=0.727,p<0.01)｡咀嚼力が高い人ほど被験食Aにおける｢自分の一口量｣が多くなり､被験食Bであっても｢噛みごたえ｣をあまり感じていなかった｡We examined how mastication count and meal duration varied with two kinds of test meals that differed in terms of their specifically devised dietary constituents using a cooking method. We also conducted a questionnaire survey to understand the awareness surrounding mastication behavior and examined the relationship between mastication force, mastication frequency, and meal duration. In comparison with test meal A, test meal B contained harder constituents. Mastication frequency was notably different from person to person between test meal A and test meal B owing to the harder constituents in test meal B. A positive correlation existed in terms of mastication count between test meal A and test meal B (r=0.799, p<0.01) . Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between mastication count and meal duration (r=0.727, p<0.01) for test meal B. The higher the mastication force, the more amount of food per mouthful. Moreover, the chewy feeling was found to be less even in test meal B

病院における摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事のﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ

佐世保市内の病院で提供されている摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事(嚥下調整食)について､ﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ測定により数値化して客観的ﾃﾞｰﾀに基づいた食品条件を把握することを目的に､ﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ測定値からみた食事形態の現状を検討した｡嚥下調整食は､同じ食種であっても硬さ､凝集性､付着性の範囲が広く､食事形態には差があった｡病院における提供の目安とﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ測定値からみた UDF の区分や嚥下食ﾋﾟﾗﾐｯﾄﾞのﾚﾍﾞﾙを比較した結果､UDF の区分4の｢かまなくてよい｣を目安に提供している食事には､測定値からみた区分が3の｢舌でつぶせる｣に該当するものもあり､また､嚥下食ﾋﾟﾗﾐｯﾄﾞのﾚﾍﾞﾙ1･2･3の｢嚥下食｣を目安に提供している食事には､測定値からみたﾚﾍﾞﾙが4の｢移行食｣に該当するものもあった｡We analyzed objective data from texture measurements of food for the dysphagia diet provided in a hospital at the Sasebo city, to examine and understand the current food style in this hospital. Dysphagia diets vary in food style (hardness, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness) even when the same kind of food is provided. We compared the classified UDFs with the levels of the standard dysphagia diets provided at hospitals. We found that some foods in Class 4 (i.e., "Do not need to chew") provided in accordance with the standard regulations, actually belonged to Class 3 (i.e., "can crush with the tongue") based on our texture measurements. Moreover, among the classes of food provided under the "dysphagia diet" standard at levels 1, 2, and 3 of the dysphagia diet pyramid, several foods belonged to level 4 of the "transition diet" standard

咀嚼能力低下者に対する食事のテクスチャーからみた食品選択と調理法

本研究では、既存のレシピに基づいて調理した介護食について、テクスチャーを測定後、ユニバーサルデザインフード（UDF）に基づいて分類し、調理上の工夫と食品テクスチャーの調整の現状分析を行った。さらに UDF の「容易にかめる」であったものは、UDF の「歯ぐきでつぶせる」「舌でつぶせる」「かまなくてよい」介護食への展開を検討し、咀嚼能力低下者が摂取できる食品の制約を軽減する調理上の工夫を食品テクスチャーから調べた。①食塊を形成しやすくする②かみ切りやすくする③食品の水分含量を保持・増加するという工夫により UDF の「歯ぐきでつぶせる」「舌でつぶせる」「かまなくてよい」にかたさを調整することができ、咀嚼能力低下者の食生活の維持、向上に寄与することが示唆された

摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事に関するｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査

嚥下調整食の提供を取り巻く現状を把握することで､よりよい嚥下調整食の提供に向けた情報の交換･伝達を行うための基礎資料を得ることを目的に､摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事に関するｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査を行った｡摂食･嚥下等の判定方法について､病院では嚥下造影検査と嚥下内視鏡検査が多かったが､施設では､水飲みﾃｽﾄ､体調の確認など日頃より行える判定方法が採られていた｡摂食･嚥下訓練の実施頻度や訓練によって改善がみられた患者または利用者の割合は､病院･施設で様々であった｡また､摂食･嚥下障害の原因は､病院では加齢が最も多く､次いで脳血管疾患であった｡一方､施設では認知症が最も多かった｡佐世保市内の病院で提供されている嚥下調整食の種類は､1病院あたり平均10種類､1施設あたり平均6種類であった｡また､一般的に用いられている名称以外に病院･施設独自に細分化した名称をつけているところも複数あった｡To understand the present situation for serving the dysphagia diets and gain the basic knowledge and materials for sharing the information necessary to improve the situation, we carried out a questionnaire-based survey of the foods, regarding eating and swallowing function. While videofluoroscopic and endoscopic examinations of swallowing and endoscopic examination were mostly employed at hospitals, easily administered methods such as the water drinking test and physical examination were adopted at welfare facilities for the elderly. The percentage of patients who showed improvement by the implementation of and training in the eating and swallowing exercise varied among hospitals and facilities. In the hospitals, aging was found to be the most prominent cause of difficulty in swallowing, followed by cerebrovascular diseases. On the contrary, in the facilities, dementia was the most frequent cause. On an average, hospitals provided 10 kinds of dysphagia diets, whereas facilities provided 6 kinds of diets, in Sasebo city. Moreover, several hospitals / facilities employed sub-divided names other than the ones generally used

Late-onset spastic ataxia phenotype in a patient with a homozygous DDHD2 mutation

Autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias and autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegias (ARHSPs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous neurological disorders. Herein we describe Japanese siblings with a midlife-onset, slowly progressive type of cerebellar ataxia and spastic paraplegia, without intellectual disability. Using whole exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous missense mutation in DDHD2, whose mutations were recently identified as the cause of early-onset ARHSP with intellectual disability. Brain MRI of the patient showed a thin corpus callosum. Cerebral proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed an abnormal lipid peak in the basal ganglia, which has been reported as the hallmark of DDHD2-related ARHSP (SPG 54). The mutation caused a marked reduction of phospholipase A(1) activity, supporting that this mutation is the cause of SPG54. Our cases indicate that the possibility of SPG54 should also be considered when patients show a combination of adult-onset spastic ataxia and a thin corpus callosum. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of patients with spastic ataxia phenotype.ArticleSCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 4:7132 (2014)journal articl

VSOP Data Archive System

Abstract We present the new VSOP data archive system installed on the Data ARchive and Transmission System (DARTS) at ISAS. The current test archive for VSOP visibility data started in June 2002, and about 50 datasets are available now (http://www.darts.isas.ac.jp)

The case of double primary lung adenocarcinomas with an EGFR mutation and ALK translocation successfully treated with alectinib at the post-surgicalrecurrence

A 36-year-old male was found two nodules in the right lower lobe of the lung. After the surgical resection, both lesions were diagnosed as invasive adenocarcinomas. One lesion was primarily lepidic growth component with EGFR-L858R mutation, and the other was micropapillary component with ALK translocation accompanying mediastinal lymphnode metastases. While he experienced disease recurrence, the disease was controlled by an ALK inhibitor, given based on the findings of surgical specimens. This is the first case who had two simultaneous lung cancers with EGFR mutation and ALK translocation in each respective lesion, and was successfully treated with ALK inhibitor at the post-surgical recurrence

On-line microdevice for stress proteomics

The handing of the cells or tissues is essential for proteomics research or drug screening, where labor is not avoidable. The steps of cell wash, protein extraction, protein denaturing are complicated procedures in conventional method using centrifugation and pipetting in the laboratory. This is the bottle-neck for proteome research. To solve these problems, we propose to utilize the nanotechnology, which will improve the proteomics methodology. Utilizing the nanotechnology, we developed a novel microseparation system, where centrifugation and pipetting are needless. This system has a nanostructured microdevice, by which the cell handling, protein extraction, and antibody assay can be performed. Since cell transfer is needless, all cells are corrected without any loss during the cell-pretreatment procedures, which allowed high reproducibility and enabled the detection of low amount of protein expression. Utilizing the microdevice, we analyzed the stress induced proteins. We further succeeded the screening of food that was useful for immunity and found that an extraction from seaweed promoted the apoptosis of T-lymphoblastic cells. Here, we present an on-line microdevice for stress proteomics