Reallocating desk workers' sitting time to standing or stepping: associations with work performance.

BACKGROUND: Studies have suggested that sitting time at work may lead to underperformance but they may underestimate the benefits to desk workers' performance of reducing occupational sitting time without considering the relative effects of the specific activities replaced. AIMS: To estimate differences in work performance (presenteeism, absenteeism and engagement) when occupational sitting time is reallocated to standing/stepping in desk workers. METHODS: Data for middle-aged desk workers were from a Japan-wide online survey (n = 2228). Self-report proportion of occupational sitting and standing/stepping, work hours and work performance indicators, including absolute (ratings relating only to self) and relative (ratings of self, compared to others) presenteeism and absenteeism, and dimensions of work engagement, were collected. Partition and isotemporal substitution models were used to investigate the associations of occupational sitting and standing/stepping time with work performance, including their reallocation effects. RESULTS: In partition models, longer occupational sitting time was associated with a lower absolute presenteeism score (i.e. less productivity), lower absolute absenteeism (i.e. longer-than-expected work hours), and lower engagement. Longer occupational standing/stepping time was associated with lower absolute absenteeism and more engagement. Isotemporal substitution models showed that each hour of occupational sitting reallocated to standing/stepping was favourably associated with overall work engagement (B = 0.087; 95% confidence interval 0.051, 0.122) and its dimensions (B ranged from 0.078 to 0.092), but was not associated with presenteeism or absenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that management support and practical initiatives to encourage desk workers to replace portions of their sitting time with standing/stepping may contribute to enhanced work engagement.

Conservative seed fertility maintains hermaphrodites in gynodioecious Daphne jezoensis: a test of the sex-differential plasticity hypothesis.

Gynodioecy is assumed to be an evolutionary transition from hermaphroditism to dioecy. However, if hermaphrodites can better flexibly regulate seed production depending on resource availability than females, i.e. sex-differential plasticity (SDP), gynodioecy can be a stable state. In the gynodioecious shrub Daphne jezoensis, hermaphrodites generally exhibit low seed fertility and largely act as males. We examined the SDP hypothesis and the cost of fruit production to clarify why D. jezoensis did not evolve into unisexual morphs. We evaluated the size and resource dependency of reproduction in field experiments by manipulating soil nutrient and light conditions. We compared the plant size and pollen production among females, fruiting hermaphrodites and non-fruiting hermaphrodites. We then analysed the effect of current fruit production on subsequent flower production, i.e. the cost of fruit production. The fruiting ability was independent of plant size and resource availability in both sexual phenotypes, indicating the absence of SDP in D. jezoensis. Hermaphrodites produced larger-sized pollen and allocated more resources to pollen production in the non-fruiting year than in the fruiting year. In contrast, the cost of fruit production was not revealed for either sexual phenotype, even in the absence of pollen limitation, and even when fruit production was maximized. SDP could not explain the maintenance of hermaphrodites in D. jezoensis. Alternatively, the lower cost of fruit production in hermaphrodites due to their potentially low fruiting ability may hinder the evolutionary shift to dioecy.

Intraosseous carcinoma of the anterior maxilla identified as the occult primary tumour of carcinoma of unknown primary.

Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is defined as lymph node metastasis without a detectable origin until after the initial treatment has been performed. The most common occult primary site in the head and neck, as revealed by a review of the published literature, is the oropharynx. An occult primary site in the oral region is extremely rare. We report a rare case of head and neck CUP (HNCUP) in a 69-year-old female patient, wherein the occult primary lesion was a primary intraosseous carcinoma (PIOC) invading the anterior maxilla. During the course of the initial diagnostic workup, no primary lesion could be identified; however, cervical lymph node metastasis to left levels IB and IIA were observed in the patient. A neck dissection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy was performed. However, the PIOC of the anterior maxilla was identified 6 months after neck treatment and was confirmed as the occult primary tumour of the HNCUP. This case is quite rare and required a comprehensive workup to guide optimal treatment. Careful follow-up or active biopsy should be considered if osteolytic changes are observed in the jaw.

Efficacy and safety of multitarget therapy with cyclophosphamide and tacrolimus for lupus nephritis: a prospective, single-arm, single-centre, open label pilot study in Japan.

Background Pulsed cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil for lupus nephritis has limited efficacy. We previously reported a case of mixed-class IV + V lupus nephritis successfully treated with cyclophosphamide and tacrolimus. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of multitarget therapy with cyclophosphamide and tacrolimus for the treatment of lupus nephritis. Methods In a prospective, single-arm, open label pilot study, we recruited 15 patients aged 18-64 years with active lupus nephritis who met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (1997). The treatment protocol was a starting dose of prednisolone of 0.6-1.0 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks and then tapered to a maintenance dose, intravenous cyclophosphamide (500 mg biweekly for 3 months) and tacrolimus (3.0 mg/day). Tacrolimus was continued as maintenance therapy. Complete remission was defined as a spot urine protein/creatinine ratio of < 0.5 g/gCr with no active urine casts and a serum creatinine level that was either normal or within 30% of a previously abnormal baseline level. We retrospectively compared results for the study patients with those of 18 historical controls conventionally treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. Results At baseline, the mean patient age was 41.5 ± 14.6 years (male:female ratio 2:13), urine protein/creatinine ratio 3.9 ± 2.3 g/gCr and serum creatinine 84.6 ± 34.6 µmol/L. Lupus nephritis classifications included classes IV ( n = 8), III + V ( n = 1), IV + V ( n = 5) and unclassified ( n = 1). Eleven patients completed the treatment protocol and four withdrew. At 6 months, 12 of 15 (80.0%) had achieved complete remission using intention-to-treat analysis, significantly more than historical controls (seven of 18 patients, 38.9%). A transient increase in serum creatinine and gastric symptoms occurred in three cases. One patient withdrew due to cytomegalovirus antigenemia and severe diabetes, and one patient died of thrombotic microangiopathy. Conclusions Multitarget therapy with cyclophosphamide and tacrolimus can be a therapeutic option for lupus nephritis. Clinical trials registration Combination therapy of tacrolimus and intravenous cyclophosphamide for remission induction of lupus nephritis, UMIN: 000004893, URL: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr.cgi?function=brows&action=brows&type=summary&recptno=R000005830&language=E . Date of registration: 18 January 2011.

Isolation and characterization of avian influenza viruses from raw poultry products illegally imported to Japan by international flight passengers.

The transportation of poultry and related products for international trade contributes to transboundary pathogen spread and disease outbreaks worldwide. To prevent pathogen incursion through poultry products, many countries have regulations about animal health and poultry product quarantine. However, in Japan, animal products have been illegally introduced into the country in baggage and confiscated at the airport. Lately, the number of illegally imported poultry and the incursion risk of transboundary pathogens through poultry products have been increasing. In this study, we isolated avian influenza viruses (AIVs) from raw poultry products illegally imported to Japan by international passengers. Highly (H5N1 and H5N6) and low (H9N2 and H1N2) pathogenic AIVs were isolated from raw chicken and duck products carried by flight passengers. H5 and H9 isolates were phylogenetically closely related to viruses isolated from poultry in China, and haemagglutinin genes of H5N1 and H5N6 isolates belonged to clades 2.3.2.1c and 2.3.4.4, respectively. Experimental infections of H5 and H9 isolates in chickens and ducks demonstrated pathogenicity and tissue tropism to skeletal muscles. To prevent virus incursion by poultry products, it is important to encourage the phased cleaning based on the disease control and eradication and promote the reduction in contamination risk in animal products.

Male-biased hermaphrodites in a gynodioecious shrub, Daphne jezoensis.

Gynodioecy, a state where female and hermaphrodite plants coexist in populations, has been widely proposed an intermediate stage in the evolutionary pathway from hermaphroditism to dioecy. In the gynodioecy-dioecy pathway, hermaphrodites may gain most of their fitness through male function once females invade populations. To test this prediction, comprehensive studies on sex ratio variation across populations and reproductive characteristics of hermaphrodite and female phenotypes are necessary. This study examined the variation in sex ratio, sex expression, flower and fruit production and sexual dimorphism of morphological traits in a gynodioecious shrub, Daphne jezoensis, over multiple populations and years. Population sex ratio (hermaphrodite:female) was close to 1:1 or slightly hermaphrodite-biased. Sex type of individual plants was largely fixed, but 15% of plants changed their sex during a 6-year census. Hermaphrodite plants produced larger flowers and invested 2.5 times more resources in flower production than female plants, but they exhibited remarkably low fruit set (proportion of flowers setting fruits). Female plants produced six times more fruits than hermaphrodite plants. Low fruiting ability of hermaphrodite plants was retained even when hand-pollination was performed. Fruit production of female plants was restricted by pollen limitation under natural conditions, irrespective of high potential fecundity, and this minimised the difference in resources allocated to reproduction between the sexes. Negative effects of previous flower and fruit production on current reproduction were not apparent in both sexes. This study suggests that gynodioecy in this species is functionally close to a dioecious mating system: smaller flower production with larger fruiting ability in female plants, and larger flower production with little fruiting ability in hermaphrodite plants.

Physical Activity, Television Viewing Time, and 12-Year Changes in Waist Circumference.

PURPOSE: Both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior can be associated with adult adiposity. Much of the relevant evidence is from cross-sectional studies or from prospective studies with relevant exposure measures at a single time point before weight gain or incident obesity. This study examined whether changes in MVPA and television (TV) viewing time are associated with subsequent changes in waist circumference, using data from three separate observation points in a large population-based prospective study of Australian adults. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle study collected in 1999-2000 (baseline), 2004-2005 (wave 2), and 2011-2012 (wave 3). The study sample consisted of adults age 25 to 74 yr at baseline who also attended site measurement at three time points (n = 3261). Multilevel linear regression analysis examined associations of initial 5-yr changes in MVPA and TV viewing time (from baseline to wave 2) with 12-yr change in waist circumference (from baseline to wave 3), adjusting for well-known confounders. RESULTS: As categorical predictors, increases in MVPA significantly attenuated increases in waist circumference (P for trend < 0.001). TV viewing time change was not significantly associated with changes in waist circumference (P for trend = 0.06). Combined categories of MVPA and TV viewing time changes were predictive of waist circumference increases; compared with those who increased MVPA and reduced TV viewing time, those who reduced MVPA and increased TV viewing time had a 2-cm greater increase in waist circumference (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Decreasing MVPA emerged as a significant predictor of increases in waist circumference. Increasing TV viewing time was also influential, but its impact was much weaker than MVPA.

Significant contribution of stacking faults to the strain hardening behavior of Cu-15%Al alloy with different grain sizes.

It is commonly accepted that twinning can induce an increase of strain-hardening rate during the tensile process of face-centered cubic (FCC) metals and alloys with low stacking fault energy (SFE). In this study, we explored the grain size effect on the strain-hardening behavior of a Cu-15 at.%Al alloy with low SFE. Instead of twinning, we detected a significant contribution of stacking faults (SFs) irrespective of the grain size even in the initial stage of tensile process. In contrast, twinning was more sensitive to the grain size, and the onset of deformation twins might be postponed to a higher strain with increasing the grain size. In the Cu-15 at.%Al alloy with a mean grain size of 47 µm, there was a stage where the strain-hardening rate increases with strain, and this was mainly induced by the SFs instead of twinning. Thus in parallel with the TWIP effect, we proposed that SFs also contribute significantly to the plasticity of FCC alloys with low SFE.

Genetic epidemiology of tooth agenesis in Japan: a population- and family-based study.

Tooth agenesis is one of the most common congenital anomalies in humans. However, the etiology of tooth agenesis remains largely unclear, as well as evidence base useful for genetic counseling. Therefore, we estimated the prevalence and sibling recurrence risk, and investigated agenetic patterns systematically. Tooth agenesis was classified into two subtypes: hypodontia (one to five missing teeth) and oligodontia (six or more missing teeth). The prevalence of these two subtypes were 6.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.1-7.7%] and 0.1% (95% CI: 0.04-0.3%), respectively, and sibling recurrence risk of these were 24.5% (95% CI: 13.8-38.3%) and 43.8% (95% CI: 26.4-62.3%), respectively. This result suggests that the severe phenotype, oligodontia, might be mostly transmitted in a dominant fashion. Using a simple statistical modeling approach, our data were found to be consistent with a bilateral symmetry model, meaning that there was equal probability of missing teeth from the right and left sides.

DNA double-strand break repair in a cellular context.

Substantial insight into the mechanisms responding to DNA double-strand breaks has been gained from molecular, biochemical and structural approaches. Attention is now focusing on understanding the interplay between the pathways, how they interface through the cell cycle and the communication with other DNA transactions, such as replication and transcription. Understanding these aspects will facilitate an assessment of how cancer cells have modified these processes to achieve unlimited proliferative capacity and adaptability, and pave the way to identify targets suitable for therapy. Here, we briefly overview the processes responding to double-strand breaks and discuss our current understanding of their interplay in a cellular context.

Isolation of lactic acid bacteria from kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) intestine and assessment of immunomodulatory role of a selected strain as probiotic.

Fifty-one lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated and identified based on 16S ribosomal DNA sequence from the intestinal tracts of 142 kuruma shrimps (Marsupenaeus japonicus) collected from Kanmon Strait, Fukuoka and Tachibana Bay, Nagasaki, Japan. Cellular immunomodulatory function of 51 isolated LAB strains was assessed by measuring the level of interferon (IFN)-γ induction in mouse spleen cell culture. The strain Lactococcus lactis D1813 exhibited the highest amount of IFN-γ production and also bactericidal activity and was selected for testing its immunomodulatory role as a probiotic in kuruma shrimp. We also assessed the effect of dietary incorporation of this probiotic on resistance to Vibrio penaeicida infection in the kuruma shrimp. Our results demonstrate that probiotic L. lactis D1813-containing diet-fed (105 cfu g⁻¹) shrimps displayed a significant up-regulation of lysozyme gene expressions in the intestine and hepatopancreas. However, insignificantly higher expression of anti-lipopolysaccharide factor, super oxide dismutase, prophenoloxidase, and toll-like receptor 1 was recorded in the intestine of shrimps fed the probiotic diet. Moreover, significantly increased (P < 0.01) resistance to the bacterial pathogen in term of better post-infection survival (61.7 %) was observed in the shrimps fed with the probiotic-incorporated diet compared with the control diet-fed group (28.3 %). The present study indicates the immunomodulatory role of the LAB L. lactis D1813 on the kuruma shrimp immune system and supports its potential use as an effective probiotic in shrimp aquaculture.

Association between decreasing trend in the mortality of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants in Japan: analysis of Japanese vital statistics and Japan Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (JSHCT).

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a peripheral T-cell neoplasm with a very poor outcome. However, several studies have shown a progress in the treatment. To evaluate the effect of the progress in the treatment of ATLL in a whole patient population, we used vital statistics data and estimated age-adjusted mortality and trends in the mortality from 1995 to 2009. Since allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has been introduced as a modality with curative potential during study period, we also evaluated the association of the annual number of allo-HSCT and the trend of the mortality of ATLL. Endemic (Kyushu) and non-endemic areas (others) were evaluated separately. Significance in the trend of mortality was evaluated by joinpoint regression analysis. During the study period, a total of 14 932 patients died of ATLL in Japan, and mortality decreased significantly in both areas (annual percent change (95% confidence interval (CI)): Kyushu, -3.1% (-4.3, -1.9); others, -3.4% (-5.3, -1.5)). This decreasing trend in mortality seems to be associated with an increase in the number of allo-HSCTs (Kyushu, R-squared=0.70, P=0.003; and others, R-squared=0.55, P=0.058). This study reveals that the mortality of ATLL is now significantly decreasing in Japan and this decreasing trend might be associated with allo-HSCT.

Impact of pre-emptive contact precautions for outborn neonates on the incidence of healthcare-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission in a Japanese neonatal intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a high-risk setting for transmission of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Very few studies have investigated the impact of pre-emptive contact precautions applied to outborn neonates transferred to an NICU on the incidence of healthcare-associated (HA)-MRSA transmission. AIM: To assess the efficacy of pre-emptive contact precautions for outborn neonates implemented in an NICU. METHODS: A before-and-after intervention study was conducted in the NICU of Kobe University Hospital. Pre-emptive contact precautions for outborn neonates were introduced in September 2008. The period before the introduction of pre-emptive contact precautions (January 2007-August 2008) was compared with the period after the introduction of pre-emptive contact precautions (September 2008-December 2010). Data for all admitted neonates, neonates who stayed in the NICU for more than three days, length of NICU stay, incidence of MRSA-positive outborn neonates on admission, hand hygiene compliance and incidence of HA-MRSA transmission were compared between the two periods. FINDINGS: There were no significant differences in the percentage of outborn patients admitted to the NICU, percentage of patients who stayed in the NICU for more than three days, length of NICU stay, and incidence of MRSA-positive outborn patients at NICU admission between the groups enrolled before and after the introduction of pre-emptive contact precautions. However, hand hygiene compliance increased, and the incidence of HA-MRSA transmission reduced significantly from 3.5/1000 to 1.3/1000 patient-days after the introduction of pre-emptive contact precautions (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Pre-emptive contact precautions for outborn neonates were effective in reducing the incidence of HA-MRSA transmission in a Japanese NICU.

Renin is activated in monochorionic diamniotic twins with birthweight discordance who do not have twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess renin, aldosterone, human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in cord blood from monochorionic diamniotic (MD) twins with a birthweight (BW) discordance that do not satisfy the criteria of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). STUDY DESIGN: Cord blood samples were obtained from 28 MD twins without TTTS. They were divided into two groups on the basis of BW discordance as follows: large (>7.5%) and small (7.5%). Cord blood renin, aldosterone, hANP and BNP levels were measured. RESULT: Renin levels in MD twins with a large BW discordance were significantly higher than those in MD twins with a small BW discordance, with no significant differences in aldosterone, hANP and BNP levels. A significant correlation was found between renin levels and BW discordance. CONCLUSION: Renin is activated in MD twins with a BW discordance of >7.5%, even in non-TTTS.

Endogenously induced DNA double strand breaks arise in heterochromatic DNA regions and require ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Artemis for their repair.

Ataxia telangiectasia (ATM) mutated and Artemis, the proteins defective in ataxia telangiectasia and a class of Radiosensitive-Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (RS-SCID), respectively, function in the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), which arise in heterochromatic DNA (HC-DSBs) following exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). Here, we examine whether they have protective roles against oxidative damage induced and/or endogenously induced DSBs. We show that DSBs generated following acute exposure of G0/G1 cells to the oxidative damaging agent, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH), are repaired with fast and slow components of similar magnitude to IR-induced DSBs and have a similar requirement for ATM and Artemis. Strikingly, DSBs accumulate in ATM(-/-) mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) and in ATM or Artemis-defective human primary fibroblasts maintained for prolonged periods under confluence arrest. The accumulated DSBs localize to HC-DNA regions. Collectively, the results provide strong evidence that oxidatively induced DSBs arise in HC as well as euchromatic DNA and that Artemis and ATM function in their repair. Additionally, we show that Artemis functions downstream of ATM and is dispensable for HC-relaxation and for pKAP-1 foci formation. These findings are important for evaluating the impact of endogenously arising DNA DSBs in ATM and Artemis-deficient patients.

Relative decrease in signal intensity of subcortical white matter in spontaneous intracranial hypotension on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In reviewing MR images of patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH), we found an accentuated decrease in the subcortical white matter on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. Our aim was to determine whether the signal intensity of the subcortical white matter decreases on FLAIR and T2-weighted images in SIH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined pretreatment MR images including 7 FLAIR and 10 T2-weighted images obtained from 10 patients with SIH and follow-up images (5 FLAIR and 7 T2-weighted images). Two observers measured the signal intensities in the subcortical white matter on MR images at the level of the centrum semiovale and, to calculate the signal intensity ratios, measured those of the adjacent cortex and corpus callosum. Furthermore, 4 observers performed visual evaluation for accentuated signal intensity decreases for receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: The intensity ratios of the subcortical white matter, both to the adjacent cortex and corpus callosum, were significantly different between the control and pretreatment images in SIH and between pretreatment and follow-up images in SIH on FLAIR images, whereas these showed no significant differences between the control and follow-up images in SIH. On visual inspection, an accentuated decrease in signal intensity in the subcortical white matter was shown on pretreatment FLAIR images, which returned to the control level on follow-up images. However, on the T2-weighted images we could hardly recognize the decrease in the signal intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the decreased signal intensity of the subcortical white matter on FLAIR images could help in the diagnosis of SIH.

Liver cancer risk, coffee, and hepatitis C virus infection: a nested case-control study in Japan.

We examined hepatocellular carcinoma mortality in relation to coffee consumption and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody seropositivity in a nested case-control study involving 96 cases. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for daily coffee drinkers vs non-drinkers were 0.49 (0.25-0.96), 0.31 (0.11-0.85), and 0.75 (0.29-1.92) in all cases, in HCV-positive and in HCV-negative individuals, respectively.