Warped model

By representing the absorption of a particle into the warped potential by the complex warped potential, it is shown that as a result of the warp, together with periodicity of the complex potential, the generations for fermions are born. We propose a semiempirical mass formula for leptons, up quarks and down ones. It is shown that our mass formula, which is based on our warped model, may reproduce the overall aspects of approximate linear rises of the logarithmic experimental mass values versus the generation number. This gives the evidence that the physical space is warped. Further, it is also shown that our warped model is able to explain the origin of non-existence of νR and νL (C-P violation) in nature

日本の精神科病院に勤務する看護師のストレングス志向の実態

Japanese psychiatric mental health systems are being steadily improved. Psychiatric nurses’ attitude towards strengths of persons with mental disability is critical in order to promote de-institutionalization of patients. However, nurses’ attitudes, particularly their Strengths-Oriented Attitude (SOA) has not been well studied and explained. The purpose of this study was to clarify the SOA of nurses working in psychiatric hospitals in Japan. There were 1148 Psychiatric Registered Nurses (PRN) and Psychiatric Practical Nurses (PPN) employed at 17 psychiatric hospitals in Japan who consented to participate in the study. The self-administered questionnaire was mailed and returned between October 2013 and January 2014. The subjects’ SOA was evaluated using the Strengths-Oriented Attitude Inventory (SOAI) developed by the authors based on the work by Rapp and Goscha. The actual SOA and its relationship to individual characteristics were also analyzed to clarify the SOAI. Factor analysis revealed four components of the SOAI: Factor 1 = “Nursing practice based on the assessment which focused on social resources”; Factor 2 = “Nursing practice based on the holistic assessment of person with mental disability”; Factor 3 = “Support in community which respected the person’s way of living”; and Factor 4 = “Emphasize of the strengths of individual with mental disability.” Results indicated a high orientation toward Factors 2 and 4, but a low orientation toward Factors 1 and 3. There were no significant differences between age, years of psychiatric nursing experience, academic background, and subjects’ SOA. However, differences were observed in gender, current workplace, work position, type of license, and work experience. The subjects showed low orientation toward social resources and respected the patient’s way of life. Nurses working in psychiatric mental health institutions should receive continuing education courses designed to increase their orientation toward Factors 1 and 3

Structural basis of L-glucose oxidation by scyllo-inositol dehydrogenase: Implications for a novel enzyme subfamily classification

For about 70 years, L-glucose had been considered non-metabolizable by either mammalian or bacterial cells. Recently, however, an L-glucose catabolic pathway has been discovered in Paracoccus laeviglucosivorans, and the genes responsible cloned. Scyllo-inositol dehydrogenase is involved in the first step in the pathway that oxidizes L-glucose to produce L-glucono-1,5-lactone with concomitant reduction of NAD+ dependent manner. Here, we report the crystal structure of the ternary complex of scyllo-inositol dehydrogenase with NAD+ and L-glucono-1,5-lactone at 1.8 Å resolution. The enzyme adopts a homo-tetrameric structure, similar to those of the inositol dehydrogenase family, and the electron densities of the bound sugar was clearly observed, allowing identification of the residues responsible for interaction with the substrate in the catalytic site. In addition to the conserved catalytic residues (Lys106, Asp191, and His195), another residue, His318, located in the loop region of the adjacent subunit, is involved in substrate recognition. Site-directed mutagenesis confirmed the role of these residues in catalytic activity. We also report the complex structures of the enzyme with myo-inositol and scyllo-inosose. The Arg178 residue located in the flexible loop at the entrance of the catalytic site is also involved in substrate recognition, and plays an important role in accepting both L-glucose and inositols as substrates. On the basis of these structural features, which have not been identified in the known inositol dehydrogenases, and a phylogenetic analysis of IDH family enzymes, we suggest a novel subfamily of the GFO/IDH/MocA family. Since many enzymes in this family have not biochemically characterized, our results could promote to find their activities with various substrates

Development to the blastocyst stage, the oxidative state, and the quality of early developmental stage of porcine embryos cultured in alteration of glucose concentrations in vitro under different oxygen tensions

BACKGROUND: Recent work has shown that glucose may induce cell injury through the action of free radicals generated by autooxidation or through hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase inhibition. The effect of glucose during early in vitro culture (IVC) period of porcine embryos on their developmental competence, contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH), and the quality of the blastocysts yielded was examined. METHODS: In vitro matured and fertilized porcine oocytes were cultured for the first 2 days (Day 0 = day of fertilization) of IVC in NCSU-37 added with 1.5 to 20 mM glucose (Gluc-1.5 to -20 groups) or pyruvate and lactate (Pyr-Lac group). The embryos in all groups were cultured subsequently until Day 6 in NCSU-37 with 5.5 mM added glucose. The ROS and GSH level were measured at Day 1 and 2. DNA-fragmented nuclei and the total cell numbers in blastocyst were evaluated by TUNEL-staining at Day 6. RESULTS: Under 5% oxygen the blastocyst rates and total cell numbers in the blastocysts in all glucose groups were significantly lower than that in the Pyr-Lac group. Similar result in blastocyst rate was found under 20% oxygen (excluding the Gluc-10 group), but total cell numbers in the blastocysts was similar among the groups. At both oxygen tensions, the H2O2 levels of Day 1 embryos in all glucose groups were significantly higher than that in the Pyr-Lac group, while only the Gluc-1.5 group of Day 2 embryos showed a significantly higher H2O2 level than that in the Pyr-Lac group. The GSH contents of either Day 1 or Day 2 embryos developed under 5% oxygen were similar among the groups. Only the content of Day 2 embryos in 1.5 mM group was significantly lower than the embryos in the Pyr-Lac group under 20% oxygen. Total cell numbers in the blastocysts (except in the Gluc-20 group) were significantly lower in the embryos cultured under 20% oxygen than 5% oxygen. Only the Gluc-20 blastocysts developed under 5% oxygen showed significantly higher DNA fragmentation rate than those of Pyr-Lac blastocysts. CONCLUSION: These results show that a decrease in developmental ability of embryos cultured by use of glucose instead of pyruvate and lactate after the ferilization may be due to the rise in ROS generation in Day 1 embryos. Moreover, results from this study suggest that the concentration of glucose in the medium that can be used by the Day 1–2 embryos is limited to 3.5 mM and exposure to higher glucose concentrations does not improve embryo development

Gender differences of the influential factors on the mental health condition of teachers in the A university

The purpose of this research was to investigate the gender differences of the influential factors on the mental health condition among university teachers in the A university in Japan. A questionnaire survey was mailed to 924 university teachers in Japan, with a survey return rate of 43.8% (N=405). The General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ-28), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Japanese version of the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) and the Work Situation Questionnaire (WSQ) developed by the authors were administered to subjects. The GHQ-28 total score and all of sub-score of the woman was significantly higher than men. In the correlated factor of mental health, level of job satisfaction and job control, social support of significant others was observed in the both sexes. However, gender differences was observed in the coping style. Some copings including self-distraction and self-blame were related to the men, but the woman was related to the substance use. University teachers had some gender differences in the factors affecting their mental health condition. In order to improve university teacher’s mental health condition, it is necessary to increase their level of job satisfaction and feeling of job control in the workplace. Especially, it was considered women’s coping using substance use was important

地域で生活している５５歳以上の方の慢性疾患，年齢の捉え方，睡眠の質，健康関連QOL，日常生活行動との関係性

Japan’s aging population rate is increasing and healthy life expectancy has decreases by 10 years shorter than average life expectancy. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship among chronic disease, sleep quality, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and activities of daily living in people over 55 years old who live in the community. Subjects were 161 persons aged 57 to 90 years who were treated with chronic disease in the outpatient department of the A hospital. Exclusion criteria included patients with dementia, cancer and severe heart disease. The survey evaluation questionnaires included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), HRQOL by Short-Form 8 Health Survey (SF-8), and activities of daily living. Variables associated with quality of sleep, HRQOL in univariate analysis with p < 0.05 were entered into multivariate analysis using logistic regression with a stepwise forward selection procedure to determine independent variables and their association with major causes. The logistic regression analysis was done using SPSS software and the post-hoc power of the study was estimated using G*power. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The risk factor of poor sleep quality was because of history of cancer [odds ratio (OR): 3.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06 - 11.77], and insomnia (OR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.55 - 6.79). The risk factors of poor physical HRQOL were motor disease (OR: 2.62, 95% CI: 1.36 - 5.07), respiratory disease (OR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.27 - 8.26) and having pain (OR: 11.71, 95% CI: 5.35 - 25.66). In addition, anemia was found to be a risk factor of poor mental HRQOL (OR: 4.87, 95% CI: 1.11 - 21.33). The feeling-for-their-body-age (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.15-0.59) was as “younger than actual age” and advanced the risk factor of poor sleep quality. In addition, feeling-for-their-age (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.21 - 0.92) resulted in reduced risk factor of poor physical HRQOL. The risk factor of poor sleep quality was due to a patient with history of cancer. The factor for good sleep quality and the good factor for physical HRQOL were indications of feeling younger than the actual age