Anticipatory Postural Adjustments During Lateral Step Motion in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis

Patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA) have difficulty with mediolateral postural control. Since the symptom of hip OA includes joint pain, which mostly occurs upon initial movement, patients with hip OA might have disabling problems with movement initiation. This study aimed to identify the movement strategy during the anticipatory postural adjustments in the lateral step motion in patients with hip OA. We studied 18 female subjects with unilateral hip OA and 10 healthy subjects, and measured temporal, kinetic, and kinematic variables. Patients with hip OA required a longer duration of anticipation phase than the control subjects, the total duration of lateral stepping was not different between the groups. Displacement of the center of mass to the supporting (affected) side during the anticipation phase was not different between the two groups. These findings suggest that, in patients with hip OA, the center of mass slowly moved to the affected side. Furthermore, patients with hip OA showed greater shift of the trunk to the supporting side than did the control subjects. These movement characteristics might contribute to the achievement of both protection of the affected hip joint and quickness in the subsequent lateral step in patients with hip OA

Protein Kinase C α Associates with Phospholipase D1 and Enhances Basal Phospholipase D Activity in a Protein Phosphorylation-Independent Manner in Human Melanoma Cells

It is well known that phospholipase D plays a crucial part in the signal transduction of many types of cells, and is activated by protein kinase C α when cells are stimulated. To elucidate the role of phospholipase D in melanoma, the expression of phospholipase D1 and protein kinase C α in primary and metastatic lesions of acral lentiginous melanoma and superficial spreading melanoma was investigated using immunohistologic techniques. In addition, the mechanism of regulation of phospholipase D1 by protein kinase C α was examined in a human melanoma cell line HM3KO using an adenovirus-mediated gene transfer technique. Both phospholipase D1 and protein kinase C α were strongly expressed in primary and metastatic lesions of superficial spreading melanoma. Conversely, in acral lentiginous melanoma lesions, the expression of these two proteins increased dramatically with tumor progression; the expression of both phospholipase D1 and protein kinase C α was almost negative in the radial growth phase of primary acral lentiginous melanoma lesions, and increased synchronously in a progression-related manner in advanced acral lentiginous melanoma lesions, including vertical growth phase and metastatic lesions. Immunoprecipitation study showed that phospholipase D1 and protein kinase C α are associated physiologically in resting melanoma cells. Further immunoprecipitation study using HM3KO cells after adenovirus-mediated simultaneous overexpression of phospholipase D1 and protein kinase C α, or phospholipase D1 and the kinase-negative mutant of protein kinase C α revealed that both protein kinase C α and the kinase-negative mutant of protein kinase C α are associated with phospholipase D1 in melanoma cells in the absence of an external signal. Overexpression of protein kinase C α or the kinase-negative mutant of protein kinase C α in melanoma cells by the adenovirus vectors resulted in the enhancement of basal phospholipase D activity in a viral concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, enhanced basal phospholipase D activity increased the in vitro invasive potential of HM3KO cells. These results suggest that upregulation of phospholipase D1 and protein kinase C α plays a part in the progression of acral lentiginous melanoma from the radial growth phase to the vertical growth phase. The present results also suggest that protein kinase C α associates with phospholipase D1 and enhances basal phospholipase D activity in a protein phosphorylation-independent manner in melanoma cells, which contributes to the cell's high invasive potential

Preparation of Preyssler-type Phosphotungstate with One Central Potassium Cation and Potassium Cation Migration into the Preyssler Molecule to form Di-Potassium-Encapsulated Derivative

A mono-potassium cation-encapsulated Preyssler-type phosphotungstate, [P5W30O110K]14− (1), was prepared as a potassium salt, K14[P5W30O110K] (1a), by heating mono-bismuth- or mono-calcium-encapsulat ed Prey ssler-type p hosphot ungstates (K12[P5W30O110Bi(H2O)] or K13[P5W30O110Ca(H2O)]) in acetate buffer. Characterization of the potassium salt 1a by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis, 31P and 183W nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy, and elemental analysis revealed that one potassium cation is encapsulated in the central cavity of the Preyssler-type phosphotungstate molecule with a formal D5h symmetry. Density functional theory calculations have confirmed that the potassium cation prefers the central position of the cavity over a side position, in which no water molecules are coordinated to the encapsulated potassium cation. 31P NMR and cyclic voltammetry analyses revealed the rapid protonation−deprotonation of the oxygens in the cavity compared to that of other Preyssler-type compounds. Heating of 1a in the solid state afforded a di-K+-encapsulated compound, K13[P5W30O110K2](2a), indicating that a potassium counter-cation is introduced in one of the side cavities, concomitantly displacing the internal potassium ion from the center to a second side cavity, thus providing a new method to encapsulate an additional cation in Preyssler compounds.M.S. is grateful for the A-STEP program of the Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST), and Furukawa Foundation for the Promotion of Technology. X.L. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) (project CTQ2011-29054-C02-01/BQU), the DGR of the Generalitat de Catalunya (grant no. 2014SGR199), and the XRQTC. This work was also supported by the Center for Functional Nano Oxide at Hiroshima University. M.N.K.W. thanks the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), Ministry of Finance, Republik Indonesia, for a Ph.D. scholarship

Hyperglycemia in non-obese patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with low muscle mass: The Multicenter Study for Clarifying Evidence for Sarcopenia in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Hyperglycemia is a risk factor for sarcopenia when comparing individuals with and without diabetes. However, no studies have investigated whether the findings could be extrapolated to patients with diabetes with relatively higher glycemic levels. Here, we aimed to clarify whether glycemic control was associated with sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study participants consisted of patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 746, the average age was 69.9 years) and an older general population (n = 2, 067, the average age was 68.2 years). Sarcopenia was defined as weak grip strength or slow usual gait speed and low skeletal mass index. RESULTS: Among patients with type 2 diabetes, 52 were diagnosed as having sarcopenia. The frequency of sarcopenia increased linearly with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, particularly in lean individuals (HbA1c <6.5%, 7.0%, ≥6.5% and <7.0%: 18.5%; HbA1c ≥7.0% and <8.0%: 20.3%; HbA1c ≥8.0%: 26.7%). The linear association was independent of major covariates, including anthropometric factors and duration of diabetes (HbA1c <6.5%: reference; ≥6.5% and <7.0%: odds ratio [OR] 4.38, P = 0.030; HbA1c ≥7.0% and <8.0%: 4.29, P = 0.024; HbA1c ≥8.0%: 7.82, P = 0.003). HbA1c level was specifically associated with low skeletal mass index (HbA1c ≥8.0%: OR 5.42, P < 0.001) rather than weak grip strength (OR 1.89, P = 0.058) or slow gait speed (OR 1.13, P = 0.672). No significant association was observed in the general population with a better glycemic profile. CONCLUSIONS: Poor glycemic control in patients with diabetes was associated with low muscle mass

外国産胡麻の成分に関する研究(自然科学)

現在わが国では胡麻はほとんど輸入に依存しており,その量は年間約8万トンに達する。わが国への胡麻の輸出国は20ヶ国にもおよび,その量は年により変遷がある。本報告では,スリランカ産,ガテマラ産,タイ産,中国産,メキシコ産,スーダン産,エルサルバドル産,コロンビア産の輸入胡麻について,それらの一般成分,蛋白質のアミノ酸組成について検討した。一般成分分析では,粗灰分は4.02～6.18%で,タイ産黒胡麻が比較的多いほかは,他は余り差が認められなかった。粗脂肪含量は43.97～55.38%で,9試料中6試料は50%以上,多いものでは55%をこえるものもあった。粗蛋白質含量は16.13～23.13%で,胡麻種子の脱脂・脱水物に換算すると,含量は34.28～51.65%で,脱脂粕は高蛋白質含有資源であることが分った。粗繊維の含量は4.19～11.84%で,試料によってかなりの差があり黒胡麻に多い傾向があった。蛋白質のアミノ酸組成では,全般的にグルタミン酸,アルギニン,アスパラギン酸が多いことが分り,味覚の点での期待が考えられる。必須アミノ酸では,アルギニン,ロイシン,バリンなどの含量が比較的多かった。またそのアミノ酸組成からして,胡麻油しぼり粕中の蛋白質は高い栄養価をもつことが示唆された。本研究を行なうにあたり種種御支援をいただいた,四日市市九鬼産業株式会社に御礼を申し上げる

Clozapine and Antipsychotic Monotherapy

Background: Although clozapine is effective for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), the rate of clozapine prescription is still low. Whereas antipsychotic monotherapy is recommended in clinical practice guidelines, the rate of antipsychotic polypharmacy is still high. There is little evidence on whether a clozapine prescription influences changes in the rate of monotherapy and polypharmacy, including antipsychotics and other psychotropics. We therefore hypothesized that the rate of antipsychotic monotherapy in patients with TRS who were prescribed clozapine would be higher than that in patients with schizophrenia who were not prescribed clozapine. Methods: We assessed 8306 patients with schizophrenia nationwide from 178 institutions in Japan from 2016 to 2019. We analyzed the psychotropic prescription data at discharge in patients diagnosed with TRS and with no description of TRS (ND-TRS) based on the diagnosis listed in the discharge summary. Results: The rate of antipsychotic monotherapy in the TRS with clozapine group (91.3%) was significantly higher than that in the TRS without clozapine group (45.9%; P < 2.0 × 10−16) and the ND-TRS without clozapine group (54.7%; P < 2.0 × 10−16). The rate of antipsychotic monotherapy without any other concomitant psychotropics in the TRS with clozapine group (26.5%) was significantly higher than that in the TRS without clozapine group (12.6%; P = 1.1 × 10−6) and the ND-TRS without clozapine group (17.0%; P = 5.9 × 10−6). Conclusions: Clozapine prescription could be associated with a high rate of antipsychotic monotherapy. Patients will benefit from the correct diagnosis of TRS and thus from proper clozapine prescription

EGUIDE project and treatment guidelines

Background Clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia and major depressive disorder have been published. However, these have not had sufficient penetration in clinical settings. We developed the Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in Psychiatric Treatment (EGUIDE) project as a dissemination and education programme for psychiatrists. Aims The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the EGUIDE project on the subjective clinical behaviour of psychiatrists in accordance with clinical practice guidelines before and 1 and 2 years after participation in the programmes. Method A total of 607 psychiatrists participated in this study during October 2016 and March 2019. They attended both 1-day educational programmes based on the clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, and answered web questionnaires about their clinical behaviours before and 1 and 2 years after attending the programmes. We evaluated the changes in clinical behaviours in accordance with the clinical practice guidelines between before and 2 years after the programme. Results All of the scores for clinical behaviours in accordance with clinical practice guidelines were significantly improved after 1 and 2 years compared with before attending the programmes. There were no significant changes in any of the scores between 1 and 2 years after attending. Conclusions All clinical behaviours in accordance with clinical practice guidelines improved after attending the EGUIDE programme, and were maintained for at least 2 years. The EGUIDE project could contribute to improved guideline-based clinical behaviour among psychiatrists