Haptic feedback intervention decreases the spatial margin when older adults walk through a narrow space.

BACKGROUND: The ability to avoid obstacles efficiently and safely is important for older adults to prevent injuries from tripping and falling. It is important to find an optimal spatial margin between the body and an obstacle considering both safety and efficiency. One side of finding the optimal margin is to decrease the margin in terms of motor efficiency. In this study, we tested whether fingertip-contact intervention to obtain haptic feedback information to perceive the relationship between body and the environment could immediately improve spatial perception and collision avoidance behavior (an instantaneous effect). METHODS: Twenty-seven older adults (12 males and 15 females) participated in the experiment. In the intervention of the fingertip-contact group, they lightly touched the edge of a door with both fingertips while walking. The test task before and after the intervention involved grasping a horizontal bar and passing through a narrow opening. As dependent variables, we measured the spatial margin and the collision rate. RESULTS: The fingertip-contact group showed a significant decrease in the spatial margin after the intervention. On the other hand, there was no significant improvement in the collision rate after the intervention but rather a decrease only in the control group. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study indicate that touching obstacles with the fingertips had an instantaneous effect, leading to efficient movement learning, although a possible side effect of an increased collision rated was also found. The proposed intervention might promote an efficiency-based strategy due to learning the spatial relationship between the body and the environment, and it may suppress the excessive avoidance of older adults.

DS02R1: Improvements to Atomic Bomb Survivors' Input Data and Implementation of Dosimetry System 2002 (DS02) and Resulting Changes in Estimated Doses.

Individual dose estimates calculated by Dosimetry System 2002 (DS02) for the Life Span Study (LSS) of atomic bomb survivors are based on input data that specify location and shielding at the time of the bombing (ATB). A multi-year effort to improve information on survivors' locations ATB has recently been completed, along with comprehensive improvements in their terrain shielding input data and several improvements to computational algorithms used in combination with DS02 at RERF. Improvements began with a thorough review and prioritization of original questionnaire data on location and shielding that were taken from survivors or their proxies in the period 1949-1963. Related source documents varied in level of detail, from relatively simple lists to carefully-constructed technical drawings of structural and other shielding and surrounding neighborhoods. Systematic errors were reduced in this work by restoring the original precision of map coordinates that had been truncated due to limitations in early data processing equipment and by correcting distortions in the old (WWII-era) maps originally used to specify survivors' positions, among other improvements. Distortion errors were corrected by aligning the old maps and neighborhood drawings to orthophotographic mosaics of the cities that were newly constructed from pre-bombing aerial photographs. Random errors that were reduced included simple transcription errors and mistakes in identifying survivors' locations on the old maps. Terrain shielding input data that had been originally estimated for limited groups of survivors using older methods and data sources were completely re-estimated for all survivors using new digital terrain elevation data. Improvements to algorithms included a fix to an error in the DS02 code for coupling house and terrain shielding, a correction for elevation at the survivor's location in calculating angles to the horizon used for terrain shielding input, an improved method for truncating high dose estimates to 4 Gy to reduce the effect of dose error, and improved methods for calculating averaged shielding transmission factors that are used to calculate doses for survivors without detailed shielding input data. Input data changes are summarized and described here in some detail, along with the resulting changes in dose estimates and a simple description of changes in risk estimates for solid cancer mortality. This and future RERF publications will refer to the new dose estimates described herein as "DS02R1 doses."

Identification of matrix metalloproteinase-12 as a candidate molecule for prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disease.

Obesity is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors that predispose to the development of the cardiometabolic diseases: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Prevention of metabolic syndrome requires novel interventions to address this health challenge. The objective of this study was the identification of candidate molecules for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis, conditions that underlie type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, respectively. We used an unbiased bioinformatics approach to identify molecules that are upregulated in both conditions by combining murine and human data from a microarray experiment and meta-analyses. We obtained a pool of eight genes that were upregulated in all the databases analysed. This included well known and novel molecules involved in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Notably, matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP12) was highly ranked in all analyses and was therefore chosen for further investigation. Analyses of visceral and subcutaneous white adipose tissue from obese compared to lean mice and humans convincingly confirmed the up-regulation of MMP12 in obesity at mRNA, protein and activity levels. In conclusion, using this unbiased approach an interesting pool of candidate molecules was identified, all of which have potential as targets in the treatment and prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

A Predictive Model of Plasma Lamotrigine Levels.

Introduction: Lamotrigine is one of several mood stabilizers and its effects for the treatment and prevention of depressive episodes, particularly in bipolar disorder, are generally accepted. Although the findings about a therapeutic window of lamotrigine are yet to be determined, it seems important to obtain information on individual pharmacokinetic peculiarities. This study was conducted to formulate the predictive model of plasma lamotrigine levels. Methods: Using the data of 47 patients whose lamotrigine levels, liver function, and renal function were measured, predictive models of lamotrigine levels were formulated by stepwise multiple regression analyses. The predictive power of the models was compared using another dataset of 25 patients. Results: Two models were created using stepwise multiple regression. The first model was: plasma lamotrigine level (µg/mL)=2.308+0.019×lamotrigine dose (mg/day). The second model was: plasma lamotrigine level (µg/mL)=0.08+0.024×lamotrigine dose (mg/day)+4.088×valproate combination (no=0, yes=1). The predictive power of the second model was better than that of the first model. Discussion: The present study proposes a prompt and relatively accurate equation to predict lamotrigine levels.

Postcomparison of [(18) F]-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the brain after short-term bright light exposure and no intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Bright light therapy is widely used as the treatment of choice for seasonal affective disorder. Nonetheless, our understanding of the mechanisms of bright light is limited and it is important to investigate the mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to examine the hypothesis that bright light exposure may increase [(18) F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in olfactory bulb and/or hippocampus which may be associated neurogenesis in the human brain. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial comparing 5-day bright light exposure + environmental light (bright light exposure group) with environmental light alone (no intervention group) was performed for 55 participants in a university hospital. The uptake of [(18) F]FDG in olfactory bulb and hippocampus using FDG positron emission tomography was compared between two groups. RESULTS: There was a significant increase of uptake in both right and left olfactory bulb for bright light exposure group vs. no intervention group. After adjustment of log-transformed illuminance, there remained a significant increase of uptake in the right olfactory bulb. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest a possibility that 5-day bright light exposure may increase [(18) F]FDG in the right olfactory bulb of the human brain, suggesting a possibility of neurogenesis. Further studies are warranted to directly confirm this possibility.

A report from the 2013 international symposium: the evaluation of the effects of low-dose radiation exposure in the life span study of atomic bomb survivors and other similar studies.

The RERF International Low-Dose Symposium was held on 5-6 December 2013 at the RERF campus in Hiroshima, Japan, to discuss the issues facing the Life Span Study (LSS) and other low-dose studies. Topics included the current status of low-dose risk detection, strategies for low-dose epidemiological and statistical research, methods to improve communication between epidemiologists and biologists, and the current status of radiological studies and tools. Key points made by the participants included the necessity of pooling materials over multiple studies to gain greater insight where data from single studies are insufficient; generating models that reflect epidemiological, statistical, and biological principles simultaneously; understanding confounders and effect modifiers in the current data; and taking into consideration less studied factors such as the impact of dose rate. It is the hope of all participants that this symposium be used as a trigger for further studies, especially those using pooled data, in order to reach a greater understanding of the health effects of low-dose radiation.

Prognostic implications of CEBPA mutations in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group.

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) mutations are a favorable prognostic factor in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients; however, few studies have examined their significance in pediatric AML patients. Here we examined the CEBPA mutation status and clinical outcomes of pediatric AML patients treated in the AML-05 study. We found that 47 (14.9%) of the 315 evaluable patients harbored mutations in CEBPA; 26 cases (8.3%) harbored a single mutation (CEBPA-single) and 21 (6.7%) harbored double or triple mutations (CEBPA-double). After excluding core-binding factor-AML cases, patients harboring CEBPA mutations showed better overall survival (OS; P=0.048), but not event-free survival (EFS; P=0.051), than wild-type patients. Multivariate analysis identified CEBPA-single and CEBPA-double as independent favorable prognostic factors for EFS in the total cohort (hazard ratio (HR): 0.47 and 0.33; P=0.02 and 0.01, respectively). CEBPA-double was also an independent favorable prognostic factor for OS (HR: 0.30; P=0.04). CEBPA-double remained an independent favorable factor for EFS (HR: 0.28; P=0.04) in the normal karyotype cohort. These results suggest that CEBPA mutations, particularly CEBPA-double, are an independent favorable prognostic factor in pediatric AML patients, which will have important implications for risk-stratified therapy.

Therapeutic window of lamotrigine for mood disorders: a naturalistic retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Lamotrigine is widely used for mood disorders including bipolar disorder and major depression, but its therapeutic levels have yet to be determined. This study was conducted to investigate the hypothesis that lamotrigine may have a therapeutic window for mood disorders. METHODS: 25 patients with mood disorders received lamotrigine for more than one year during which time plasma lamotrigine levels were measured at least once. Their mental state was retrospectively and regularly but blindly assessed using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale. In order to investigate our hypothesis, we depicted the relationship between the last lamotrigine levels and the last CGI scores in 25 patients. If any, the potential therapeutic window was further investigated. RESULTS: The relationship between the last lamotrigine levels and the last CGI scores in the 25 patients indicated the presence of a therapeutic window of lamotrigine from 5 to 11 µg/mL. The repeated measures of ANOVA reached a significant tendency of the effects of lamotrigine levels within 5-11 µg/mL on better CGI-S scores, and the CGI-S scores at the last observation of the 15 patients whose lamotrigine levels were within 5-11 µg/mL were significantly better than those of 10 patients whose lamotrigine levels were not within 5-11 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that lamotrigine may have a therapeutic window for patients with mood disorder from 5 to 11 µg/mL.

Kosterlitz-Thouless-type transition in a charge ordered state of the layered organic conductor α-(BEDT-TTF)2I3.

The current-voltage characteristics in the charge order state of the two-dimensional organic conductor α-(BEDT-TTF)(2)I(3) exhibit power law behavior at low temperatures. The power law is understood in terms of the electric-field-dependent potential between electrons and holes, which are thermally excited from the charge order state. The power law exponent steeply changes from 1 to 3 in the range from 30 to 45 K with decreasing temperature, thereby suggesting the occurrence of a Kosterlitz-Thouless-type transition; many (few) unbound electron-hole pairs are thermally excited above (below) the transition. The effects of the finite size and interlayer coupling on the power law behavior are discussed.

Radiation and cancer risk in atomic-bomb survivors.

With the aim of accurately assessing the effects of radiation exposure in the Japanese atomic-bomb survivors, the Radiation Effects Research Foundation has, over several decades, conducted studies of the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort, comprising 93 000 atomic-bomb survivors and 27 000 controls. Solid cancer: the recent report on solid cancer incidence found that at age 70 years following exposure at age 30 years, solid cancer rates increase by about 35%  Gy(-1) for men and 58% Gy(-1) for women. Age-at-exposure is an important risk modifier. In the case of lung cancer, cigarette smoking has been found to be an important risk modifier. Radiation has similar effects on first-primary and second-primary cancer risks. Finally, radiation-associated increases in cancer rates appear to persist throughout life. Leukaemia: the recent report on leukaemia mortality suggests that radiation effects on leukaemia mortality persisted for more than 50 years. Moreover, significant dose-response for myelodysplastic syndrome was observed in Nagasaki LSS members even 40-60 years after radiation exposure. Future perspective: given the continuing solid cancer increase in the survivor population, the LSS will likely continue to provide important new information on radiation exposure and solid cancer risks for another 15-20 years, especially for those exposed at a young age.

Spin and orbital Ti magnetism at LaMnO3/SrTiO3 interfaces.

In systems with strong electron-lattice coupling, such as manganites, orbital degeneracy is lifted, causing a null expectation value of the orbital magnetic moment. Magnetic structure is thus determined by spin-spin superexchange. In titanates, however, with much smaller Jahn-Teller distortions, orbital degeneracy might allow non-zero values of the orbital magnetic moment, and novel forms of ferromagnetic superexchange interaction unique to t(2g) electron systems have been theoretically predicted, although their experimental observation has remained elusive. In this paper, we report a new kind of Ti(3+) ferromagnetism at LaMnO(3)/SrTiO(3) epitaxial interfaces. It results from charge transfer to the empty conduction band of the titanate and has spin and orbital contributions evidencing the role of orbital degeneracy. The possibility of tuning magnetic alignment (ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic) of Ti and Mn moments by structural parameters is demonstrated. This result will provide important clues for understanding the effects of orbital degeneracy in superexchange coupling.