Characteristics and Transition of Sleep-Wake Rhythm in Nursery School Children: The Importance of Nocturnal Sleep.

In this study, we investigated the sleep-wake rhythm of nursery school children with the aim of supporting their health and mental/physical development. We analyzed 4881 children from infancy to 6 years of age, using 2 week sleep tables recorded by their guardians. The tables contained night bedtimes, wake times, nighttime/daytime sleep duration, and the differences in these between weekdays and weekends.

Giant umbilical cord and hypoglycemia in an infant with Proteus syndrome.

Proteus syndrome (PS) is characterized by the progressive, segmental, or patchy overgrowth of the skin, and other tissues. This is the first case report of recurrent severe insulin-independent hypoglycemia in an infant with PS. Somatic p.

Therapeutic vaccination based on side population cells transduced by the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene elicits potent antitumor immunity.

Among cancer immunotherapies, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene-transduced tumor cell vaccine (GVAX) therapies appear promising and have been shown to be safe and effective in multiple clinical trials. However, the antitumor efficacies of GVAX therapy alone are in some cases limited. Here we showed that GVAX therapy targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) substantially suppressed tumor development in syngeneic immunocompetent mice recapitulating normal immune systems.

Absence of LTB4/BLT1 axis facilitates generation of mouse GM-CSF-induced long-lasting antitumor immunologic memory by enhancing innate and adaptive immune systems.

BLT1 is a high-affinity receptor for leukotriene B4 (LTB4) that is a potent lipid chemoattractant for myeloid leukocytes. The role of LTB4/BLT1 axis in tumor immunology, including cytokine-based tumor vaccine, however, remains unknown. We here demonstrated that BLT1-deficient mice rejected subcutaneous tumor challenge of GM-CSF gene-transduced WEHI3B (WGM) leukemia cells (KO/WGM) and elicited robust antitumor responses against second tumor challenge with WEHI3B cells.

Mammalian formin fhod3 regulates actin assembly and sarcomere organization in striated muscles.

Actin filament assembly in nonmuscle cells is regulated by the actin polymerization machinery, including the Arp2/3 complex and formins. However, little is known about the regulation of actin assembly in muscle cells, where straight actin filaments are organized into the contractile unit sarcomere. Here, we show that Fhod3, a myocardial formin that localizes to thin actin filaments in a striated pattern, regulates sarcomere organization in cardiomyocytes.

The roles of satellite cells and hematopoietic stem cells in impaired regeneration of skeletal muscle in old rats.

Sarcopenia is the involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging, resulting in physical frailty. One potential explanation for sarcopenia is the failure of muscle to regenerate after damage, some of which may be due to changes in the function of satellite cells. Recent studies have identified novel populations of adult stem cells in skeletal muscle, such as hematopoietic stem cells.

Effects of prolonged voluntary wheel-running on muscle structure and function in rat skeletal muscle.

We examined the effects of prolonged voluntary wheel-running on skeletal muscle functional and/or structural characteristics in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (5 weeks old) were divided into five groups: (1) 15W-SC, sedentary controls housed in normal plastic cages until age 15 weeks; (2) 15W-VE, housed in a voluntary-exercise (running-wheel) device equipped with housing space until age 15 weeks; (3) 35W-SC, housed in normal plastic cages until age 35 weeks; (4) 35W-VE, housed in the voluntary-exercise device until age 35 weeks, and (5) 35W-MVE, housed in normal plastic cages until age 15 weeks, then in the voluntary-exercise device from age 16 weeks to 35 weeks ("middle age"). At the end of each rat's experimental period, the plantaris muscle was dissected from each hindlimb for analysis of the muscle's functional and/or structural characteristics.

Age-related differences in the effect of running training on cardiac Myosin isozyme composition in rats.

We examined the effect of running training on age-related changes in cardiac myosin isozyme composition in rats. Female Fischer 344 rats (6, 12, 20, and 27 months old) were divided into two groups: sedentary control and trained. The trained group rats were trained by treadmill running for up to 60 minutes per day, 5 days per week for 8 weeks at up to 30 m per minute.

Lack of effect of running training at two intensities on cardiac myosin isozyme composition in rats.

Little information is available regarding the influence of the intensity of endurance training over biochemical profiles in cardiac muscle. We assessed the effect of running training at two different intensities on cardiac myosin isozyme composition in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (4 weeks old) were divided into four groups: sedentary control (SC), trained at 20 m/min (T20), trained at 40 m/min (T40), and weight-matched sedentary control (WMSC) groups.

Alterations in contractile properties of human skeletal muscle induced by joint immobilization.

The effects of joint immobilization on the contractile properties of human skeletal muscle were examined using the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle. The middle finger, index finger and thumb were immobilized for a period of 6 weeks, and the contractile properties of FDI were tested before immobilization, after 3 and 6 weeks of immobilization, and after a 6 week recovery period. Twitch and tetanic contractions of FDI were evoked by per-cutaneous electrical stimulation.

Effects of joint immobilization on firing rate modulation of human motor units.

We investigated the effects of 6 weeks of immobilization on firing rate modulation in motor units in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) of human volunteers. The middle finger, index finger and thumb were immobilized for a period of 6 weeks in a fibre-glass cast, which kept FDI in a shortened position. During isometric contraction at 20, 40, 60 and 80 % of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) (index finger abduction), motor unit action potentials were recorded from the FDI using a tungsten microelectrode, and the relationship between voluntary force and mean firing rate (MFR) was obtained by plotting the MFR of each motor unit action potential train as a function of voluntary force.

Relation between the size of motor units and the spectral characteristics of their action potentials. kazuseki@iname.com.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the influence of the size of an individual motor unit on the spectral characteristics of its motor unit action potentials (MUAPs).

Methods: In 4 human subjects, we first averaged the isometric force and the surface EMG signals triggered by the intramuscularly recorded action potentials of each motor unit during voluntary isometric contraction. Then, we obtained averaged twitch contraction curves, averaged MUAPs derived from surface EMG signals (S-MUAPs), and the power spectrum of the S-MUAPs.

Firing rate modulation of human motor units in different muscles during isometric contraction with various forces.

To examine the factors affecting the control of human motor units, rate coding strategies of the motor units were investigated in upper limb and intrinsic hand muscles during voluntary isometric contraction of steady force levels up to 80% of maximal voluntary contraction. Numerous spike trains from single motor units were recorded from the m. first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and the m.

The mdx mouse diaphragm reproduces the degenerative changes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Although murine X-linked muscular dystrophy (mdx) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are genetically homologous and both characterized by a complete absence of dystrophin, the limb muscles of adult mdx mice suffer neither the detectable weakness nor the progressive degeneration that are features of DMD. Here we show that the mdx mouse diaphragm exhibits a pattern of degeneration, fibrosis and severe functional deficit comparable to that of DMD limb muscle, although adult mice show no overt respiratory impairment. Progressive functional changes include reductions in strength (to 13.

Surface electromyogram spectral characterization and motor unit activity during voluntary ramp contraction in men.

The relationships were investigated between the surface electromyographic (SEMG) power spectrum analysed by the 20 order autoregressive model (AR spectrum) and underlying motor unit (MU) activity during isometric contractions increasing linearly from 0% to 80% maximal voluntary contraction. Intramuscular spikes and SEMG signals were recorded simultaneously from biceps brachii muscle; the former were analysed by a computer-aided intramuscular MU spike amplitude-frequency (ISAF) histogram and the latter subjected to AR spectral analysis. Results indicated that there was a positive correlation between the force output and the mean amplitude of the ISAF histogram but not with the mean frequency.

Slow myosin in developing rat skeletal muscle.

Through S1 nuclease mapping using a specific cDNA probe, we demonstrate that the slow myosin heavy-chain (MHC) gene, characteristic of adult soleus, is expressed in bulk hind limb muscle obtained from the 18-d rat fetus. We support these results by use of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) which is highly specific to the adult slow MHC. Immunoblots of MHC peptide maps show the same peptides, uniquely recognized by this antibody in adult soleus, are also identified in 18-d fetal limb muscle.

Change in fiber type in partially-denervated soleus muscle of the rat.

In 30% or less partially denervated muscle, the reinnervation of denervated muscle fiber may give rise to a change in motor unit size or number of muscle fibers innervated by a single motor neuron. This study was designed to evaluate changes in fiber type and contractibility of partially denervated rat soleus muscle. Partial denervation (by 30% or less) of the soleus nerve does not cause a decrease in the number of muscle fibers.

Population of muscle fibers during postnatal development in the rat hindlimb.

Changes in the numbers of muscle fibers during the postnatal development (1, 7, 14 and 21 days old) of rat EDL and SOL muscles were studied. Quantitative analysis of fibers was performed using cryosectioned specimens. The 1 micrometer-thick sections were taken from epon-embedded blocks of these muscle, and light micrographs were obtained.

Effects of relative metabolic rate and heart rate variation on the performance of flight attendants.

The main work of the cabin attendants in an actual flight in service for passengers. The effects of flight attendant duties in flight differ from the effects of the same tasks performed on the ground. In this study, the relative metabolic rate (RMR) and heart rate (HR) of cabin attendants in a cruising aircraft galley and cabin are compared with those of a crew working in a mock-up apparatus on the ground.