Pectin and high-amylose maize starch increase caecal hydrogen production and relieve hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

We investigated whether the feeding of high H2-generating dietary fibre and resistant starch (RS) could suppress hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, which results from oxidative stress, in rats fed a pectin (Pec) or high-amylose maize starch (HAS) diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a control (C) diet, with or without Pec (0-5 % Pec) or HAS (0-30 % HAS) supplementation for 7 d. Portal H2 concentration showed a significant dose-dependent increase with the amount of Pec or HAS supplementation. Plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities remarkably increased in the C rats (5 % cellulose) due to IR treatment, while it decreased significantly or showed tendencies to decrease in 5 % Pec and 20 % HAS diet-fed rats. The hepatic oxidised glutathione (GSSG):total glutathione ratio increased significantly in IR rats maintained on the C diet compared with sham-operated rats. On the other hand, reduced glutathione (GSH):total glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratios decreased significantly. The GSSG:total glutathione ratio that increased due to IR treatment decreased significantly on HAS and Pec intake, while GSH:total glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratios increased significantly. Hepatic sinusoids of IR rats fed the C diet were occluded, but those of IR rats fed the Pec diet were similar to those in the sham-operated rats. In conclusion, we found that Pec or HAS, which enhance H2 generation in the large intestine, alleviated hepatic IR injury. The present study demonstrates another physiological significance of dietary fibre and RS.We investigated whether the feeding of high H2-generating dietary fibre and resistant starch (RS) could suppress hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, which results from oxidative stress, in rats fed a pectin (Pec) or high-amylose maize starch (HAS) diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a control (C) diet, with or without Pec (0-5 % Pec) or HAS (0-30 % HAS) supplementation for 7 d. Portal H2 concentration showed a significant dose-dependent increase with the amount of Pec or HAS supplementation. Plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities remarkably increased in the C rats (5 % cellulose) due to IR treatment, while it decreased significantly or showed tendencies to decrease in 5 % Pec and 20 % HAS diet-fed rats. The hepatic oxidised glutathione (GSSG):total glutathione ratio increased significantly in IR rats maintained on the C diet compared with sham-operated rats. On the other hand, reduced glutathione (GSH):total glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratios decreased significantly. The GSSG:total glutathione ratio that increased due to IR treatment decreased significantly on HAS and Pec intake, while GSH:total glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratios increased significantly. Hepatic sinusoids of IR rats fed the C diet were occluded, but those of IR rats fed the Pec diet were similar to those in the sham-operated rats. In conclusion, we found that Pec or HAS, which enhance H2 generation in the large intestine, alleviated hepatic IR injury. The present study demonstrates another physiological significance of dietary fibre and RS

マウス胸腺における脂肪化および脂肪細胞分化

The mouse thymus locates on a position close to the pericardial cavity and consists of two lobes. The lobes surrouded by a capsule are subdivided into many lobules by connective tissue trabeculae. Each lobule consists of lymphocytes-accumulated regions, cortex and medulla. In the previous study, since only lymphocytes in many kinds of thymus-constructing cell expressed the long type leptin receptor (OBRL), it was suggested that thymocytes were regulated with leptin produced by adipocytes differenciated and proliferated through thymic age involution. Then it is naturally interested in studying when lipogenesis and adipogenesis begin in the thymus either in embryogenesis or in postnatal growth. We extracted and measured the quantity of total lipid of the thymus and found that that began to increase at the period of 5 to 8 week-old after birth. The quantity of DNA of the thymus was little changed for this period. Then we directly observed histologically HE-stained sections under light microscope. The small number of adipocytes was observed at surrouding connective tissue, but never found in trabeculae of thymus of neonatal. In 5 week-old thymus adipocytes were first observed in small groups in the trabeculae. Secondly, we detected FGF10,PPARγ and leptin mENA expressions by the RTPCR method as the indication of adipogenesis in the thymus from embryo just before birth to 6 month-old. Both FGF10 and PPARγmRNA were detected in all specimens. The expression of PPARγ is slightly less than that of FGF10 in the embryonic thymus, but with incresing age it incresed and apparently more than that of FGF10 in the 6 moth-old thymus. These results suggest that adipogenesis in the thymus begins just before birth at the latest and that lipogenesis in the thymus does at 5 week-old after birth

The state of current use of Home Visiting Nurse Station for home medical care for child and support for child care education

本研究では,小児のための訪問看護ステーションの活用及び,訪問看護ステーションと他施設間の連携・協働に関する現状と課題を明らかにすることを目的とした.調査対象は訪問看護ステーションを利用している子どもの親7名であった.調査方法は半構成型の面接調査とし,結果は記述的に分析した.子どもの主病名は低出生体重児,先天性表皮水泡症,低酵素性虚血脳症,喉頭軟化症,全前脳泡症であり,年齢は3ヶ月以上8歳8ヶ月以下,訪問看護ステーション利用期間は1ヶ月以上2年8ヶ月以下であった.調査結果から次の課題が明らかとなった : 1)退院直後から適切な訪問看護を提供するため,退院前の病院での子どもの状態観察や家族との話し合い,家族への訪問,病棟スタッフとの情報交換を行う必要がある.; 2)訪問看護師は医療面だけではなく,育児支援･指導や両親･家族の援助など幅広い看護ケアを提供していくことが重要である.; 3)各施設間での連携･協働が十分に確立していない状況下で,家族は各職種に対する役割を判断･選択していた.今後各施設間における連携･協働体制を確立していくことが不可欠である.Purposes of this qualitative study were to clarify the state of current use of Home Visiting Nurse Station (HVNSt) for children and cooperation and collaboration between HVNSt and related institutions.Subject population was 7 who used HVNSt for children. Diagnosis of children were very low birth weight, congenital epidermolysis bullosa, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or laryngomalacia. Age of them was from 3 months to 8 years 8 months. Period of use HVNSt were from 1 month to 2 years 8 months.Result were as follows: 1) Visiting Nurse should communicate with family and medical staff in hospital to get much information and provide good home medical care after discharge; 2)It is important for parent, brother and sister; 3)When communication and collaboration were not established with related institutions, family decided the role of each profession; thus connection with Visiting Nurse Station and related institutions must be established

Home Visiting Nurse Stations in pediatric nursing -- 1st report: The state and subject of home visiting nurse station's activity from station's point of view --

本研究は,訪問看護ステーションにおける小児訪問看護活動の現状を明らかにし,今後の課題を明らかにすることを目的とした.全国の看護協会訪問看護ステーションを対象に,半構成型の質問紙調査を実施した.調査結果から小児訪問看護実施上の課題として次の3点が明らかとなった.1)小児訪問看護実施要件についての認識からは,単なる「連携と情報交換」「合同カンファレンス」のみならず,「家族や他職種の小児訪問看護への理解」「家族との信頼関係形成」「退院前の居宅訪問の実施」「退院後の生活を考えた指導」の必要性に対する認識に立脚した実務的な連携を築く必要がある.2)小児訪問看護の実施状況からは,「訪問看護制度に関する訪問看護ステーションからの情報発信と連携への働きかけ」「小児訪問看護の適応の拡大「レスパイトケアや受診同行などの役割充足」が必要である.3)課題解決に導くには,直接的なケア内容の充実化のみならず,訪問看護制度や保険制度の見直しが必要と考えられた.Purposes of this qualitative study were to clarify the state of Home Visiting Nurse Stations (HVNSt) for children. A questionnaire was distributed to 161 Nursing Association Visiting Nursing Stations, and 59 available replies (36.6%) were received. Results were as follows: 1) In understanding the necessary qualifications for home visiting for children, we should build cooperation based on exchanging information with each other. Home visiting nurse's role should be appreciated by families and related institutions. Making good relations between family and nurse for example, visiting home before discharge, discharge preparation and planning to individualize the client's needs after discharge. 2)In home visiting for children, we should extend the number of subjects who can accept services, extend services such as respite support, or nurse helping child and family when they see a doctor. 3)We should provide full direct nursing services. We should reconsider the system of insurance and the role of the Home Visiting Nurse

Mycobacterium bovis BCG Cell Wall-Specific Differentially Expressed Genes Identified by Differential Display and cDNA Subtraction in Human Macrophages

We have analyzed the gene expression profile of monocytes in response to a highly purified cell wall fraction of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, a clinically approved adjuvant known as BCG cell wall skeleton (BCG-CWS). It is composed of mycolic acid, arabinogalactan, and peptidoglycan and confers Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)- and TLR4-dependent signaling that induces monocytes to differentiate into antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Here we report differential gene expression analysis with BCG-CWS-stimulated versus nonstimulated monocytes. BCG-CWS exerted massive induction of genes regulated by TLR signaling. Marked gene regulatory characteristics in BCG-CWS-stimulated cells compared to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cells follow. (i) Spliced mRNAs encoding soluble forms of TREM-1 and TREM-2 (recently discovered inflammatory-signal-amplifying receptors) were regulated by BCG-CWS, resulting in their differential expression. (ii) The genes for zinc-iron transporter protein (ZIP)-like family proteins HKE-1 and LIV-1 were induced exclusively by BCG-CWS. (iii) Interleukin-23 (IL-23), rather than IL-12p70, was induced by BCG-CWS, while interferon-inducible genes were induced only by LPS. By Northern and reverse transcription-PCR analyses, we confirmed the differential expression of more than 30 BCG-CWS regulatory genes, and their expression was compared with that of LPS and other known TLR ligands. A battery of genes responded rapidly and for a short time to LPS but for a long time to BCG-CWS. Structural analysis of the identified novel or hypothetical proteins revealed that some are potential candidates as signaling mediators or transcriptional regulators. Hence, BCG-CWS may profoundly modulate APC responses in a way distinct from that of LPS, leading to possible advantages for its adjuvant-active therapeutic potential