Using a linear discriminant analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) indices, the present study sought to verify the usefulness of autonomic measurement in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients by ...assessing the feasibility of their return to work after sick leave. When reinstatement was scheduled, patients’ HRV was measured using a wearable electrocardiogram device. The outcome of the reinstatement was evaluated at one month after returning to work. HRV indices including high- and low-frequency components were calculated in three conditions within a session: initial rest, mental task, and rest after task. A linear discriminant function was made using the HRV indices of 30 MDD patients from our previous study to effectively discriminate the successful reinstatement from the unsuccessful reinstatement; this was then tested on 52 patients who participated in the present study. The discriminant function showed that the sensitivity and specificity in discriminating successful from unsuccessful returns were 95.8% and 35.7%, respectively. Sensitivity is high, indicating that normal HRV is required for a successful return, and that the discriminant analysis of HRV indices is useful for return-to-work screening in MDD patients. On the other hand, specificity is low, suggesting that other factors may also affect the outcome of reinstatement.
In March 2012, Japan has applied for entry into the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and the Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme (PIC/S), a framework for legally non-binding and informal ...cooperation among Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection authorities; further, it was approved as the 45th member in May 2014. Ensuring the quality of each GMP inspector was a challenge for Japan’s accession to the PIC/S. In response, the education and training programs were strengthened by the expansion of joint GMP mock inspections. In addition, the guidelines for GMP inspection have been revised to define requirements for the inspectors, and stipulate that completion of the training course conducted by the National Institute of Public Health is equivalent to one year of work experience related to GMP. This training course aims to foster inspectors who is capable of performing a GMP inspection at an international level, and has played an important role in the education and training of GMP inspectors since its inception in fiscal year 1987. This article outlines the education and training programs provided for the GMP inspectors in Japan and training course conducted by NIPH to secure quality of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Aim
Globally, evidence from short‐term studies is insufficient for the guidelines to uniformly recommend a particular antipsychotic(s) for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia. Therefore, ...long‐term comprehensive evaluation of antipsychotics is required from a social rehabilitation perspective, especially for drugs that have not yet been studied. The Japan Useful Medication Program for Schizophrenia (JUMPs) is a large‐scale, long‐term naturalistic study to present pivotal 52‐week data on the continuity of second‐generation antipsychotics (SGA: aripiprazole, blonanserin, and paliperidone).
Methods
JUMPs was an open‐label, three‐arm, randomized, parallel‐group, 52‐week study. Enrolled patients had schizophrenia, were ≥20 years old, and required antipsychotic treatment or switched from previous therapy. The primary endpoint was treatment discontinuation rate over 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes included remission rate, social functioning, and quality‐of‐life scores Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) and EuroQol‐5 dimensions, and safety.
Results
In total, 251 patients received aripiprazole (n = 82), blonanserin (n = 85), or paliperidone (n = 84). The discontinuation rate (P = 0.9771) and remission rates (P > 0.05) over 52 weeks did not differ significantly between the three treatment groups. The discontinuation rates were 68.3%, 68.2%, and 65.5% in the aripiprazole, blonanserin, and paliperidone groups, respectively. Significant improvements (all P < 0.05) from baseline in PSP scores were observed at start of monotherapy, week 26, and week 52 in the overall cohort and blonanserin group and at week 26 in the aripiprazole group. The adverse event profile favored blonanserin.
Conclusion
All three SGAs evaluated in this study showed similar treatment discontinuation rates in patients with chronic schizophrenia in Japan.
We examined the phagocytic activities of alveolar macrophages (NR8383 cells) toward poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres (MS) loaded with the anti-tuberculosis agent rifampicin (RFP), ...the sizes of which were between 1 μm and 10 μm. We found that 1) the phagocytosis was dependent greatly on the particle size and the number of particles added; 2) macrophages phagocytosed considerably the PLGA microspheres loaded with RFP, the diameter of which was between 1 μm and 6 μm, but took up few 10-μm particles; 3) the population of the macrophages that phagocytosed 1-μm or 3-μm particles was larger than that of those phagocytosed 6- or 10-μm particles; 4) a considerable population of macrophages were not able to phagocytose even the 1- and 3-μm particles; 5) the most efficient deliveries of RFP into each macrophage cell and a large population of macrophages were achieved by the phagocytosis of 3-μm particles; and 6) phagocytosis did not affect macrophage viability in 4 h after the start of phagocytosis.
Herein we summarize the public health actions taken to mitigate exposure of the public to radiation after the Fukushima accident that occurred on 11 March 2011 in order to record valuable lessons ...learned for disaster preparedness. Evacuations from the radiation-affected areas and control of the distribution of various food products contributed to the reduction of external and internal radiation exposure resulting from the Fukushima incident. However, risk communication is also an important issue during the emergency response effort and subsequent phases of dealiing with a nuclear disaster. To assist with their healing process, sound, reliable scientific information should continue to be disseminated to the radiation-affected communities via two-way communication. We will describe the essential public health actions following a nuclear disaster for the early, intermediate and late phases that will be useful for radiological preparedness planning in response to other nuclear or radiological disasters.
Transmission magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy has been widely used to reveal the spin-dependent band structure of ferromagnetic semiconductors. In these previous studies, some band ...pictures have been proposed from the spectral shapes observed in transmission MCD; however, extrinsic signals originating from optical interference have not been appropriately considered. In this study, we calculate the MCD spectra taking into account the optical interference of the layered structure of samples and show that the spectral shape of MCD is strongly influenced by optical interference. To correctly understand the transmission MCD, we also calculate the intrinsic MCD spectra of GaMnAs that are not influenced by the optical interference. The spectral shape of the intrinsic MCD can be explained by the characteristic band structure of GaMnAs, that is, the spin-polarized valence band and the impurity band existing above the valence band top.
Pulmonary carcinoma is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Because the prognosis remains poor, the development of novel therapeutic approaches is highly desirable. In this study, we ...investigated the effect of Tamibarotene (Am80), a retinoic acid derivative, on the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549. Our ultimate goal in this study is to provide pulmonary carcinoma therapy with a new approach. First, we treated A549 cells with Am80 to clarify the effect of cell-growth inhibition. Am80 significantly reduced the viability of A549 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 value, which was determined using CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability assay, of Am80 and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) against A549 cells at 6 d was 49.1±8.1 µM and 92.3±8.0 µM, respectively. Furthermore, Am80 reduced the anchorage-independent cell-growth ability of A549 cells. However, it was not an apoptosis-mediated mechanism. These results suggest that Am80 can be used as an effective, novel cell-growth inhibitor in lung adenocarcinoma.
A spin metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is a promising spintronics device for future low-power electronics. In this paper, we demonstrate the successful improvement of the ...performance of a spin-MOSFET-type device, a ferromagnetic-semiconductor GaMnAs-based vertical spin electric double-layer transistor (EDLT); the magnetoresistance ratio reaches 37%, which is 7 times larger than those obtained in previous studies. Furthermore, we find that the magnetic anisotropy of our device is modulated by changing the gate voltage. Our results open up the possibility of realizing novel functional devices, in which both current and magnetic anisotropy can be controlled by the gate electric field.
Nanoparticles have widely been studied in drug delivery research for targeting and controlled release. The aim of this article is application of nanoparticles as an inhalable agent for treatment of ...lung cancer. To deposit effectively deep the particles in the lungs, the PLGA nanoparticles loaded with the anticancer drug 6-{2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino}-3-hydroxyl-
7H-indeno2,1-
cquinolin-7-one dihydrochloride (TAS-103) were prepared in the form of nanocomposite particles. The nanocomposite particles consist of the complex of drug-loaded nanoparticles and excipients. In this study, the anticancer effects of the nanocomposite particles against the lung cancer cell line A549. Also, the concentration of TAS-103 in blood and lungs were determined after administration of the nanocomposite particles by inhalation to rats.
TAS-103-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared with 5% and 10% of loading ratio by spray drying method with trehalose as an excipient. The 5% drug-loaded nanocomposite particles were more suitable for inhalable agent because of the sustained release of TAS-103 and higher FPF value. Cytotoxicity of nanocomposite particles against A549 cells was higher than that of free drug.
When the nanocomposite particles were administered in rats by inhalation, drug concentration in lung was much higher than that in plasma. Furthermore, drug concentration in lungs administered by inhalation of nanocomposite particles was much higher than that after intravenous administration of free drug.
From these results, the nanocomposite particle systems could be promising for treatment of lung cancer.
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