著者
TSUNEO SUZUKI SEIICHI KASHIMURA KAZUO UMETSU
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.124, no.3, pp.267-275, 1978 (Released:2008-11-28)
参考文献数
23
被引用文献数
1

LDH and GOT isozyme patterns in the heart muscle of forensic pathological cases were investigated to find out the relationship between their changes and the causes of death. In most cases of death by violence, natural causes, poisoning and cold, the sum of LDH-1 and LDH-2 averaged about 80-90% of the total LDH, and GOTs was equal to or slightly lower than GOTm. In about two thirds of cases of asphyxia and drowning, LDH-1 and LDH-2 decreased and LDH-3, LDH-4 and LDH-5 increased. The activity of GOTs decreased and the ratio of GOTs/GOTm diminished. In neonate, LDH-3 showed the highest activity, followed by LDH-2 and LDH-1. GOTm was much less than GOTs. In most cases of cardiac death from unknown cause and cot death, LDH-3 increased remarkably, though it was less than LDH-1 and LDH-2, and GOTm became much less than GOTs. These findings revealed that there were some similarities in the LDH and GOT isozyme patterns in the heart muscle of the cardiac death from unknown cause and cot death and that of neonate.
著者
Hiroaki Abe Akira Michimata Kazuyoshi Sugawara Naoki Sugaya Shin-Ichi Izumi
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.218, no.3, pp.193-199, 2009 (Released:2009-06-27)
参考文献数
24
被引用文献数
41 66

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability, and many stroke patients have hemiparesis. Hemiparesis induces ankle-control disturbances and equinovarus deformity, leading to difficulty in walking and an increased risk for falling. Plastic ankle-foot orthosis (PAFO) is frequently prescribed to correct ankle joint alignment and increase walking speed and stride length during ambulation. While several studies have shown that PAFO improves gait parameters, such as stride length and walking speed, in hemiplegic patients, the effect of PAFO on gait stability remains unclear. We quantitatively assessed the effect of PAFO on gait stability in 16 hemiplegic stroke patients (mean age 55.9 ± 11.8 years; 5 female and 11 male subjects; and 11 hemorrhagic and 5 ischemic stroke) using an ink footprint record. Wearing PAFO significantly improved the stride length, step length on the unaffected and affected sides, step width, walking speed, step frequency and functional ambulation ability. The coefficient of variation (CV), as an index of stability of movement from trial to trial, provides a measure that defines motor skills for a given task. Unaffected-side step-length CV and step-width CV were significantly decreased, when using PAFO. Furthermore, the correlation was found only between unaffected-side step length and its CV. The decrease in CV indicates that PAFO improved gait stability. We concluded that in addition to providing a faster gait, PAFO improves gait stability during walking. Gait stability and gait efficiency need to be considered separately in evaluating the effects of ankle-foot orthosis on gait performance in hemiplegic patients.
著者
Chuanxi Chen Xiangdong Guan Deborah A. Quinn Bin Ouyang
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.236, no.4, pp.255-261, 2015 (Released:2015-07-08)
参考文献数
34
被引用文献数
2 3

Mechanical ventilation is the most important life supportive therapy for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, increasing evidence from clinical studies suggests that mechanical ventilation can cause lung fibrosis, which may significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality. Recent studies also found fibroproliferation occurred in early stage of ARDS with poor outcome. We have hypothesized that mechanical ventilation-induced lung injury may be a major contributor to lung fibrosis, and antioxidant could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment to mechanic ventilation induced fibroproliferation. We therefore used Sprague-Dawley rats that were ventilated with large tidal volume (20 ml/kg) or low tidal volume (7 ml/kg). We analyzed the time course of collagen level in the lung and the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a thiol antioxidant, on mechanical ventilation-induced collagen accumulation. In addition, normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF) were exposed to mechanical stretch, which mimics ventilator-induced lung inflation, to evaluate the collagen secretion in culture medium. We found that ventilation-induced collagen accumulation occurred even after 2-hour ventilation. Pretreatment with NAC (140 mg/kg) inhibited collagen accumulation in lungs of rats ventilated with large tidal volume. Moreover, mechanical stretch caused the accumulation of collagen in the culture medium of NHLF, the magnitude of which was decreased with the pretreatment with NAC (1 mM). These results indicate that mechanical ventilation can induce collagen accumulation within 2 hours. NAC alleviated the collagen accumulation induced by mechanical ventilation with high tidal volume. Therefore, NAC can be considered as a good candidate in preventing ventilation-induced lung fibrosis.
著者
Kunio Tarasawa Kenji Fujimori Kiyohide Fushimi
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.252, no.1, pp.53-61, 2020 (Released:2020-09-03)
参考文献数
51
被引用文献数
10

The anti-DIC biological agent, recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM), is being used clinically for DIC treatment in Japan. Patients with acute cholangitis associated with DIC are severe and require improved treatment. In addition, although clinical efficacy of rhTM in patients with acute cholangitis and DIC is expected, its efficacy is controversial. Thus, it is useful to evaluate rhTM in patients with acute cholangitis with DIC. This study aimed to validate the hypothesis that rhTM use improves in-hospital mortality in patients with acute cholangitis with DIC. A propensity score-matching analysis using a nationwide administrative database, the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination Inpatient Database from April 2012 to March 2018, was performed. This database includes administrative claims data for all inpatients discharged from more than 1,000 participating hospitals, covering 92% of all tertiary-care emergency hospitals in Japan. Eligible patients (n = 2,865) were categorized into the rhTM (n = 1,636) or control groups (n = 1,229). Propensity score-matching created a matched cohort of 910 pairs with and without rhTM. In-hospital mortality between the groups in the unmatched analysis showed no significant difference (rhTM vs. control; 10.8% vs. 12.2%; p = 0.227). However, in-hospital mortality between the groups in the propensity score-matched analysis showed a significant difference (rhTM vs. control; 9.5% vs. 12.9%; p = 0.021). These results demonstrated that the rhTM group had significantly lower in-hospital mortality for patients with acute cholangitis with DIC. We propose that rhTM should be used for the treatment of patients with acute cholangitis with DIC.
著者
Hideki Okata Waku Hatta Katsunori Iijima Kiyotaka Asanuma Atsuki Tsuruya Naoki Asano Tomoyuki Koike Shin Hamada Toru Nakayama Atsushi Masamune Tooru Shimosegawa
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.244, no.4, pp.317-325, 2018 (Released:2018-04-20)
参考文献数
31
被引用文献数
4

Ethanol is oxidized by alcohol dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde, a recognized carcinogen for the esophagus. However, no previous study has measured the acetaldehyde levels in the esophageal tissue. L-cysteine has been shown to reduce the acetaldehyde levels in the saliva; however, it is unknown whether L-cysteine intake affects the acetaldehyde concentration in the esophageal tissue. The aim of this study was to measure the acetaldehyde concentration in the esophageal tissue after ethanol drinking and evaluate the effect of L-cysteine intake on the acetaldehyde levels in the esophagus. We enrolled 10 male subjects with active acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-2*1/*1 (ALDH2*1/*1) genotype and 10 male subjects with the inactive acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-2*1/*2 (ALDH2*1/*2) genotype, the mean ages of whom were 25.6 and 27.9 years, respectively. In this prospective, single-blind, placebo-controlled study using L-cysteine and placebo lozenges (first and second examination), saliva and blood were collected before and after ethanol drinking. Esophageal tissue was obtained by endoscopic biopsy at 60 minutes after drinking, and the acetaldehyde and ethanol concentrations were measured. The acetaldehyde concentration of the saliva was significantly lower in those taking L-cysteine than in those taking the placebo. Acetaldehyde in the esophageal tissue was detected only in those taking L-cysteine lozenges. There were no correlations between the acetaldehyde concentrations in the esophageal tissue and saliva or blood. In conclusion, we detected acetaldehyde in the human esophageal tissue after ethanol drinking. Unexpectedly, intake of L-cysteine lozenges appears to contribute to detection of acetaldehyde in the esophageal tissue.
著者
Hidekazu Nishimura Mutsuo Yamaya
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.237, no.1, pp.45-50, 2015 (Released:2015-09-03)
参考文献数
30
被引用文献数
11 20

Ebola virus disease (EVD) has been a great concern worldwide because of its high mortality. EVD usually manifests with fever, diarrhea and vomiting, as well as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). To date, there is neither a licensed Ebola vaccine nor a promising therapeutic agent, although clinical trials are ongoing. For replication inside the cell, Ebola virus (EBOV) must undergo the proteolytic processing of its surface glycoprotein in the endosome by proteases including cathepsin B (CatB), followed by the fusion of the viral membrane and host endosome. Thus, the proteases have been considered as potential targets for drugs against EVD. However, no protease inhibitor has been presented as effective clinical drug against it. A synthetic serine protease inhibitor, nafamostat mesilate (NM), reduced the release of CatB from the rat pancreas. Furthermore, it has anticoagulant activities, such as inhibition of the factor VIIa complex, and has been used for treating DIC in Japan. Thus, NM could be considered as a drug candidate for the treatment of DIC induced by EBOV infection, as well as for the possible CatB-related antiviral action. Moreover, the drug has a history of large-scale production and clinical use, and the issues of safety and logistics might have been cleared. We advocate in vitro and in vivo experiments using active EBOV to examine the activities of NM against the infection and the DIC induced by the infection. In addition, we suggest trials for comparison among anti-DIC drugs including the NM in EVD patients, in parallel with the experiments.
著者
Mutsuo Yamaya Hidekazu Nishimura Xue Deng Akiko Kikuchi Ryoichi Nagatomi
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.251, no.1, pp.27-30, 2020 (Released:2020-05-22)
参考文献数
24
被引用文献数
13

The number of patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly increased, although the WHO declared a pandemic. However, drugs that function against SARS-CoV-2 have not been established. SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested to bind angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the receptor of the SARS coronavirus. SARS coronavirus and coronavirus 229E, the cause of the common cold, replicate through cell-surface and endosomal pathways using a protease, the type II transmembrane protease. To examine the effects of protease inhibitors on the replication of coronavirus 229E, we pretreated primary cultures of human nasal epithelial (HNE) cells with camostat or nafamostat, each of which has been used for the treatment of pancreatitis and/or disseminated intravascular coagulation. HNE cells were then infected with coronavirus 229E, and viral titers in the airway surface liquid of the cells were examined. Pretreatment with camostat (0.1-10 μg/mL) or nafamostat (0.01-1 μg/mL) reduced the titers of coronavirus 229E. Furthermore, a significant amount of type II transmembrane protease protein was detected in the airway surface liquid of HNE cells. Additionally, interferons have been reported to have antiviral effects against SARS coronavirus. The additive effects of interferons on the inhibitory effects of other candidate drugs to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as lopinavir, ritonavir and favipiravir, have also been studied. These findings suggest that protease inhibitors of this type may inhibit coronavirus 229E replication in human airway epithelial cells at clinical concentrations. Protease inhibitors, interferons or the combination of these drugs may become candidate drugs to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2.
著者
Yusuke Hiratsuka Maho Aoyama Taiko Kaneta Kento Masukawa Keita Tagami Mitsunori Miyashita Akira Inoue
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.251, no.2, pp.91-96, 2020 (Released:2020-06-23)
参考文献数
18
被引用文献数
2

Providing spiritual care in light of a patient’s religious and/or spiritual background can help improve the quality of end-of-life care. Rinsho-shukyo-shi is a Japanese interfaith chaplain who provides religious and spiritual care to patients. In this study, we qualitatively explore the impressions of patients in a palliative care unit of the activities of an interfaith chaplain in a hospital in Japan. The authors used semi-structured interviews carried out by a male nurse experienced in qualitative and quantitative research in palliative care. The male nurse asked only a few predetermined questions in the interviews, which were conducted from January 19 to December 26, 2018. The interviewees were 15 patients diagnosed with advanced cancer (five men and 10 women; aged 53-81 years), and they were admitted to the palliative care unit of Tohoku University Hospital (the hospital has no religious affiliation). Patients who had spoken to the interfaith chaplain at the hospital at least twice were included in the study. The interviews were digitally audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed. Three main themes were identified through thematic analysis. Resistance varied across patients; no patient felt resistance to the intervention by, or to the presence of, the interfaith chaplain once he/she had spoken with him. Opinions about the interfaith chaplain also varied, with 10 patients claiming that his role was necessary for end-of-life care and beneficial for the chaplain himself. Finally, the patients’ religious beliefs varied widely. In conclusion, the interfaith chaplain is deemed helpful by the interviewed patients in relieving their anxieties.
著者
MASAFUMI SHIRAI MAMORU NAKAMURA NOBUHISA ISHII SHIRO MITSUKAWA YOSHIKAZU SAWAI
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.120, no.4, pp.377-383, 1976 (Released:2008-11-28)
参考文献数
9
被引用文献数
30 35

In 17 impotent patients, radioisotope penography was performed using 99mTc-red blood cells (the patient's own red blood cells labeled with 99mTc) for the quantitative analysis of intrapenial blood volume. A visual sexual stimulation (VSS) was given to the patient after injecting the 99mTc-red blood cells. Patients showing a complete erection had their intrapenial blood volumes 4.2-11.2 times greater than before VSS (mean increase, 8.0 times). In cases of incomplete erection after VSS the intrapenial blood volumes were 3.3-7.0 times greater than before VSS (mean increase, 4.9 times). In cases showing a gentle rise in their penogram curves without evidence of an erection, intrapenial blood volumes after VSS were 2.0-3.3 times those before VSS (mean increase, 2.9 times). By contrast, in cases showing no response to the VSS or no rise in penogram curve, post-VSS increases in intrapenial pool of blood were very slight, only 1.4-1.7 times the original volume of blood.
著者
Takuya Sekiguchi Yoshihiro Hagiwara Haruki Momma Masahiro Tsuchiya Kaoru Kuroki Kenji Kanazawa Yutaka Yabe Shinichiro Yoshida Masashi Koide Nobuyuki Itaya Eiji Itoi Ryoichi Nagatomi
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.243, no.3, pp.173-178, 2017 (Released:2017-11-21)
参考文献数
35
被引用文献数
1 23

Elbow or shoulder injuries are common in overhead sports. Because energy derived from the lower extremity passes through the trunk to the upper extremity in overhead motion, a break in such a kinetic chain could lead to arm injuries. However, there is only limited information about the role of the trunk and lower extremity support in preventing elbow or shoulder injuries. This study aimed to explore the association of trunk and lower extremity pain with elbow/shoulder pain among young overhead athletes. We conducted a cross-sectional study using self-reported questionnaires mailed to young athletes belonging to the Miyagi Amateur Sports Association. The final study population comprised 2,215 young athletes playing baseball (n = 1,422), volleyball (n = 546), softball (n = 14), handball (n = 28), tennis (n = 110), or badminton (n = 95). The median age of the participants was 11 years (range: 6 to 15 years). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed the higher prevalence of elbow and/or shoulder pain in athletes with back pain (OR = 5.52, 95% CI = 3.51-8.69), hip pain (OR = 6.13, 95% CI = 3.35-11.22), knee pain (OR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.48-3.51), and foot pain (OR = 3.03, 95% CI = 1.95-4.72), compared with those without pain. We propose that trunk or lower extremity pain is significantly associated with elbow or shoulder pain among young overhead athletes. Assessing for pain in trunk or lower extremity, as well as elbow and/or shoulder pain, may help prevent serious injuries in young overhead athletes.
著者
Aiko Kohara ChangWan Han HaeJin Kwon Masahiro Kohzuki
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.237, no.3, pp.241-248, 2015 (Released:2015-11-07)
参考文献数
20
被引用文献数
8 3

The improvement of the quality of life (QOL) of children with disabilities has been considered important. Therefore, the Special Needs Education Assessment Tool (SNEAT) was developed based on the concept of QOL to objectively evaluate the educational outcome of children with disabilities. SNEAT consists of 11 items in three domains: physical functioning, mental health, and social functioning. This study aimed to verify the reliability and construct validity of SNEAT using 93 children collected from the classes on independent activities of daily living for children with disabilities in Okinawa Prefecture between October and November 2014. Survey data were collected in a longitudinal prospective cohort study. The reliability of SNEAT was verified via the internal consistency method and the test-pretest method; both the coefficient of Cronbach’s α and the intra-class correlation coefficient were over 0.7. The validity of SNEAT was also verified via one-way repeated-measures ANOVA and the latent growth curve model. The scores of all the items and domains and the total scores obtained from one-way repeated-measures ANOVA were the same as the predicted scores. SNEAT is valid based on its goodness-of-fit values obtained using the latent growth curve model, where the values of comparative fit index (0.983) and root mean square error of approximation (0.062) were within the goodness-of-fit range. These results indicate that SNEAT has high reliability and construct validity and may contribute to improve QOL of children with disabilities in the classes on independent activities of daily living for children with disabilities.
著者
Katsuhiro Toda Toshihide Harada
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.222, no.1, pp.1-5, 2010 (Released:2010-08-25)
参考文献数
37
被引用文献数
13 19

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by resting tremor, slow and decreased movement (hypokinesia and akinesia), rigidity, postural instability, problems with gait, and coordination. The prevalence of PD is between 0.1% and 0.3% in the general population and between 1% and 2% in persons 65 years of age or older. Patients with PD are more likely to suffer from pain. Indeed, the chief complaint of patients with severe motor disturbance and severe pain is pain rather than motor disturbance. Fibromyalgia (FM) is defined by widespread pain (pain in the left and right sides of the body, pain above the waist, pain below the waist, and axial skeletal pain) for more than 3 months and the presence of at least 11 of the 18 specified tender points. FM and chronic widespread pain (CWP), which is usually an incomplete form of FM, cause pain in the musculoskeletal region, but their etiologies are unknown. Therefore, it is almost impossible to determine whether or not pain in the musculoskeletal region is in the musculoskeletal origin. We suspect that dysfunction or degeneration of the nerves that control pain, mind, and movement in the brain causes FM, depression, and PD, respectively. When pain in PD is discussed, FM and CWP should be considered because their prevalence is high. Patients with PD may be likely to suffer from FM and CWP; however, the prevalence of FM and CWP in patients with PD has not been reported. Here, we discuss the relationship between PD and FM or CWP.
著者
Qiaoli Gu Yanzheng Gu Huilin Yang Qin Shi
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.241, no.1, pp.13-19, 2017 (Released:2016-12-23)
参考文献数
40
被引用文献数
10 37

Metformin is the first-line anti-hyperglycemic drugs commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have shown that metformin can enhance bone formation through induction of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Human chorionic villous mesenchymal stem cells (CV-MSCs) are promising candidates for regenerative medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of metformin on the osteogenic and adipocytic differentiation of human CV-MSCs, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. CV-MSCs, prepared from human term placentae, were cultured with different concentrations of metformin. Treatment for 72 hours with 0.05 mM metformin had no noticeable effect on the proliferation of CV-MSCs. Consequently, CV-MSCs were cultured for seven or 14 days in the osteogenic medium supplemented with 0.05 mM metformin. Treatment for seven days with metformin increased the expression levels of osteogenic protein mRNAs, including alkaline phosphatase, runt-related transcription factor 2, and osteopontin. Metformin also enhanced the mineralization of CV-MSCs. Furthermore, metformin induced the expression of eNOS in CV-MSCs during osteogenic differentiation. By contrast, when CV-MSCs were cultured for 14 days in the adipogenic medium, 0.05 mM metformin inhibited the expression of adipogenic protein mRNAs, including proliferators-activated receptor-γ and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α. The lipid droplet accumulation was also reduced on 28 days after metformin treatment. These findings indicate that metformin can enhance osteogenic differentiation of CV-MSCs and reduce adipocyte formation. The effect of metformin on osteogenic differentiation of CV-MSCs may be associated with eNOS expression. Our findings will highlight the therapeutic potential of metformin in osteoporosis and bone fracture.
著者
Masumi Takeuchi Kyoko Nomura Saki Horie Hiroko Okinaga Chithra R. Perumalswami Reshma Jagsi
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.245, no.1, pp.37-44, 2018 (Released:2018-05-12)
参考文献数
30
被引用文献数
30

The purpose of this study is three-fold: (1) to compare harassment (sexual, gender, and academic harassment both directly and indirectly experienced — i.e. “directly harassed” and “have seen or heard of someone who experienced harassment”, respectively) experienced by males and females, (2) to investigate whether such experiences correlate with burnout, and (3) to explore whether social support might mitigate any such relationship between harassment and burnout. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a private university in Japan in February 2014 and is based on a work-life balance survey obtained from 330 academic faculty members. We investigated the association between each of the six subcategories of harassment (direct and indirect forms of each of the three types) and burnout using general linear regression models; we then evaluated interactions between harassment and social support in these models. The prevalence of direct and indirect experiences of harassment was higher in females than in males for all three types of harassment. Males showed higher burnout scores if they had direct experiences of harassment. There were significant interactions between social support and the direct experience of harassment; high social support mitigated the effect size of direct harassment on burnout among males. Females showed higher burnout scores if they had indirect experiences of harassment. However, the same buffering effect of social support on burnout as observed in males was not observed in females. Direct harassment experiences increased the risk of burnout in males, and indirect harassment experiences increased burnout in females.
著者
Takafumi Hasegawa Naoto Sugeno Akio Kikuchi Toru Baba Masashi Aoki
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.242, no.1, pp.63-76, 2017 (Released:2017-05-25)
参考文献数
145
被引用文献数
10 23

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive movement disability and a variety of non-motor symptoms. The neuropathology of PD consists of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain and the appearance of neuronal inclusions called Lewy bodies, which contain insoluble α-synuclein, a relatively small protein originally identified in association with synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic nerve terminals. Drugs that replenish dopamine can partly alleviate the motor symptoms, but they do not cure the disease itself. Therefore, there is an urgent need for disease modification in terms of the delay or prevention of neurodegeneration. Recent advances in genetic and biochemical studies have provided unifying conceptual frameworks of the pathogenesis of PD. Particularly, membrane trafficking has aroused special attention as an initiator or enhancer of the neurodegenerative process that leads to PD. Defects in the cellular trafficking pathway result in synaptic dysfunction and the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein. Likewise, changes in intracellular sorting and degradation profoundly influence the cellular trafficking of misfolded proteins, thereby facilitating the cell-to-cell spreading of hazardous α-synuclein species in a prion-like manner. Here, we will review our current knowledge of the functional roles of membrane trafficking in PD and will discuss how this cellular process could induce or facilitate the functional and pathological alterations in this disease.
著者
Marinda Asiah Nuril Haya Shuhei Ichikawa Hideki Wakabayashi Yousuke Takemura
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.247, no.3, pp.197-207, 2019 (Released:2019-03-20)
参考文献数
48
被引用文献数
19

Japan has adopted community-based integrated long-term care, which has shifted the burden of care from institutions to the home. However, family caregivers have received less attention compared with care recipients. Many family caregivers are also older adults, and it is important that caregivers receive appropriate support to alleviate the burden of care. In rural and sub-urban area with limited resources compared to urban area, it is necessary to know which support to be prioritized. Therefore, this study aimed to understand family caregivers’ perceptions of social support, the type and source of support which were considered important, and how it affected their caregiving burden and quality of life (QOL). We conducted a convergent mixed-method study with 174 primary family caregivers of older adults receiving home care in rural and suburb area of Central Japan. The mixed-method approach enabled qualitative data to complement quantitative results. Strong family support and higher education had positive effects on QOL, while higher caregiving burden and longer duration of care had negative effects on QOL. Provision of tangible support from family and healthcare professionals was central in reducing caregiving burden and improving caregivers’ QOL. Support from distant relatives or neighbors, which was deemed inappropriate by caregivers, had a negative effect on caregivers’ emotional status. In conclusion, family caregivers perceived support positively, but the effects depended on who provided support. While tangible support from close family and professionals was perceived positively, support from neighbors or distant relatives should consider caregivers’ needs and condition to avoid a negative impact.
著者
Pey-Yu Wang Takashi Kaneko Yuan Wang Masato Tawata Akio Sato
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.189, no.1, pp.59-70, 1999 (Released:2005-07-05)
参考文献数
17
被引用文献数
6 11

Some normal people are falsely classified as having impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) if they are given an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) when their last meal contained very few carbohydrates. In this study, the duration of carbohydrate restriction was extended to one and three days and the relationship between the carbohydrate restriction and the glucose tolerance after an OGTT was examined. Two different groups of normal subjects were placed on high-carbohydrate (80% carbohydrates) and low-carbohydrate (10%) diets before an OGTT; one group for one day and the other for 3 days. None of the subjects showed impairment of glucose tolerance when placed on the high-carbohydrate regimens. In contrast, 3 of 12 subjects and 2 of 8 subjects placed on the low-carbohydrate diets for 1 and 3 days, respectively, were classified as having IGT. The impairment of glucose tolerance was invariably accompanied by an increase in the fasting plasma free fatty acid level. The longer the period of carbohydrate restriction, the severer was the glucose tolerance impairment. However, the number of subjects who were classified as having IGT did not depend on the duration of carbohydrate restriction. The impairment of glucose tolerance after carbohydrate restriction may be associated with the Randle effect, which is the activation of the glucose-free fatty acid cycle.
著者
TSUJI ICHIRO NAKAMURA RYUICHI
出版者
Tohoku University Medical Press
雑誌
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (ISSN:00408727)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.155, no.3, pp.225-232, 1988
被引用文献数
3

TSUJI, I. and NAKAMURA, R. <i>Time Course of Tension Development of Knee</i> <i>Extensor Muscle on Twitch, Tetanic, and Fast Voluntary Contraction in Normal</i> <i>Subjects</i>. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1988, <b>155</b> (3), 225-232 - Tension lag time (TLT), a latency from the onset of electromyographic activities of prime mover muscle to the rise of tension, of knee extensor muscle was measured at twitch, tetanic, and fast voluntary contraction in three normal subjects. Twitch and tetanic contractions were evoked by four different strengths of electrical stimuli, and the peak tensions attained at fast voluntary contraction were within the range of tensions evoked by electrical stimulation. In each mode of contraction, the relationship between TLT and peak tension (F<sub>max</sub>) was approximated by a hyperbolic function of F<sub>max</sub> (TLT-a)=b. TLT was influenced by three factors: (1) F<sub>max</sub>, the greater F<sub>max</sub>, the shorter TLT; (2) force detection level to point out timing of the rise of tension, the higher the level, the longer TLT was; and (3) the mode of contraction, shortest at the twitch, longest at the voluntary, and intermediate in the tetanic contraction.