Assessment of antioxidant properties in selected pigmented and non-pigmented rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm and determination of its association with Rc gene haplotypes.

Background: Antioxidant properties of rice provide various health benefits due to its ability to inhibit cellular oxidation. Antioxidant content of rice is known to be linked with the pericarp pigmentation. The Rc gene of rice (Os07g0211500) codes for a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein, acting as a transcriptional factor in regulating proanthocyanidin biosynthesis.

A Re-audit of the Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): The Importance of the Seven-Day Working Inpatient Diabetes Specialist Nurse Service.

Background Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening metabolic emergency due to insulin deficiency in patients with diabetes mellitus. The United Kingdom national survey and local audits of the management of DKA have revealed several areas of suboptimal care, and room for improvement, necessitating the need for intensified education, updating local guidelines, and increased recruitment of seven-day working inpatient diabetes specialist nurses. Therefore, this project aimed to re-audit our adherence to the DKA treatment guidelines.

A Case of Recurrent Gestational Hypokalemia Due to an Exaggerated Physiological Response to Pregnancy: The Importance of Using Pregnancy-Specific Reference Ranges.

Hypokalemia in pregnancy can occur secondary to hemodilution of pregnancy, physiological changes during pregnancy, or other pathological conditions. It should be investigated the same way as in non-pregnancy with particular emphasis on the importance of using pregnancy-specific reference ranges when interpreting clinical laboratory test results. Here, we present a case of a woman who had late-trimester gestational hypokalemia requiring potassium supplementation affecting four consecutive pregnancies.

Interpretation and Misinterpretation of Medical Abbreviations Found in Patient Medical Records: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction  Medical abbreviations are used in patient medical records across all departments within the hospital setting and upon discharge. Abbreviations can have more than one contradictory or ambiguous definition, which can result in errors in communication due to misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Modern patient care is multidisciplinary, so there should be no room for ambiguity in patient medical records.

A comparative study of dietary fiber content, In vitro starch digestibility and cooking quality characteristics of pigmented and non-pigmented traditional and improved rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Thirty-two traditional and newly improved pigmented and non-pigmented rice varieties were evaluated for their eating and cooking quality and dietary fiber (DF) content. Seasonal variability of DF content, in-vitro starch digestion rate (DR) and expected glycemic index (eGI) were evaluated using selected representative samples. Rice varieties were categorized either high or intermediate amylose content but with hard, medium or soft gel consistency.

Stabilometric analysis of neck orientations during mealtime by a wearable device for dysphagia patients.

Postural changes are commonly used treatment to prevent the elderly from the risk of aspiration pneumonia. However, the evidence-based studies regarding effectiveness of this treatment remains unclear since no systematic method exists to measure constantly changing postures without disturbing usual eating behaviors. In this paper, using IMU system attached to a smart-phone based wearable technology, we analyzed data of the neck orientation angles obtained from the dysphagia patients and healthy adults during their mealtime and attempted to see if the obtained data can show differences regarding the dynamics of the angles.

Deep Learning-Based Swallowing Monitor for Realtime Detection of Swallow Duration.

Aspiration pneumonia is a life-threatening disease for the elderly. To prevent its risk, regular swallowing assessment is necessary; however, current screening tools for swallow assessment are not widely available and medical experts are insufficient. As a portable assessment tool, we have been developing a smartphone-based realtime monitoring device (GOKURI) which can evaluate swallowing ability based on swallow sounds.

A portable sensor sheet for measuring the eating pace in meal assistance care.

In this paper, we introduce the development of a new sensing device for measuring the pace, time, order, and intake of meal consumption for the elderly in a nursing home. The developed device is a portable sensor sheet which is suitable for use in nursing homes because it is designed not to disturb meal consumption and can be used conveniently. We first describe the measurement method of food intake using the proposed device such as the pace, time, order of meal.

Automatic Measurements of Neck Angles toward the Bedside Treatment for the Dysphagia Patients at the Community-Based Health Care.

For the elderly with dysphagiais, postural changes are a popular method to reduce the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Among them, the reclining position, a postural change set by the bed angles, has been widely used in practical settings. However, setting the reclining positions is difficult since all beds do not have a system to measure angles especially at the nursing facilities and patient's homes.

Smartphone-based swallowing monitoring and feedback device for mealtime assistance in nursing homes.

As many of the elderly are prone to dysphagia, preventing aspirations during mealtime assistance is a huge concern, especially for institutions operated with limited staff. Two of the main course of actions that are taken usually to prevent aspiration are the altering of bolus consistency and altering of the swallowing posture. To assist prevention of pneumonia, we have been developing a smartphone-based wearable technology that can evaluate swallowing ability in real-time.

Smartphone-Based Real-time Assessment of Swallowing Ability From the Swallowing Sound.

Dysphagia can cause serious challenges to both physical and mental health. Aspiration due to dysphagia is a major health risk that could cause pneumonia and even death. The videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), which is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of dysphagia, is not widely available, expensive and causes exposure to radiation.

Genetic mapping and marker development for resistance of wheat against the root lesion nematode Pratylenchus neglectus.

Background: The Rlnn1 locus, which resides on chromosome 7A of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) confers moderate resistance against the root lesion nematode Pratylenchus neglectus. Prior to this research, the exact linkage relationships of Rlnn1 with other loci on chromosome 7A were not clear and there were no simple codominant markers available for selection of Rlnn1 in wheat breeding.

Robot assisted physiotherapy to support rehabilitation of facial paralysis.

We have been developing the Robot Mask with shape memory alloy based actuators that follows an approach of manipulating the skin through a minimally obtrusive wires, transparent strips and tapes based pulling mechanism to enhance the expressiveness of the face. For achieving natural looking facial expressions by taking the advantage of specific characteristics of the skin, the Robot Mask follows a human anatomy based criteria in selecting these manipulation points and directions. In this paper, we describe a case study of using the Robot Mask to assist physiotherapy of a hemifacial paralyzed patient.

A novel quantitative trait locus for Fusarium head blight resistance in chromosome 7A of wheat.

A Chinese Spring-Sumai 3 chromosome 7A disomic substitution line (CS-Sumai 3-7ADSL) was reported to have a high level of Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance for symptom spread within a spike (Type II) and low deoxynivalenol accumulation in infected kernels (Type III), but a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 7A has never been identified from this source. To characterize QTL on chromosome 7A, we developed 191 7A chromosome recombinant inbred lines (7ACRIL) from a cross between Chinese Spring and CS-Sumai 3-7ADSL and evaluated both types of resistance in three greenhouse experiments. Two major QTL with Sumai 3 origin, conditioning both Type II and III resistance, were mapped in the short arm of chromosomes 3B (3BS) and near the centromere of chromosome 7A (7AC).

A human YAC transgene rescues craniofacial and neural tube development in PDGFRalpha knockout mice and uncovers a role for PDGFRalpha in prenatal lung growth.

The platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor (PDGFRalpha) plays a vital role in the development of vertebrate embryos, since mice lacking PDGFRalpha die in mid-gestation. PDGFRalpha is expressed in several types of migratory progenitor cells in the embryo including cranial neural crest cells, lung smooth muscle progenitors and oligodendrocyte progenitors. To study PDGFRalpha gene regulation and function during development, we generated transgenic mice by pronuclear injection of a 380 kb yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) containing the human PDGFRalpha gene.