The Development of a Feeding Coparenting Scale for Japanese Parents of Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Elementary School Children

Aim: Recently, the role of feeding coparenting has gained attention in the child eating research field. The Feeding Coparenting Scale (FCS), a measure of how caregivers interact with their partners when feeding their children was developed in the United States in 2019. However, there is no valid and reliable measure to assess feeding coparenting among caregivers of school-aged children in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the FCS (FCS-J) questionnaire for caregivers with school-aged children. Methods: This was a web-based cross-sectional survey completed by caregivers of children aged 10-12 years. A preliminary survey using interviews and a web-based survey was conducted and found that the translated items of the FCS into Japanese were understandable to Japanese people. The developed survey was administered to parents of children at an elementary school. The reliability of the survey was assessed using both test-retest reliability and internal consistency analysis. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test construct validity, and known population validity was examined in relation to attributes, marital satisfaction, and feeding tasks. Results: Findings with 135 parents of school-aged children showed good internal reliability and validity of the FCS-J. The mean score for the overall FCS-J score was 46.2 (SD = 6.2), with Cronbach’s α of 0.72. For the subscales, Cronbach’s α ranged from 0.75 to 0.79. In sum, the present study’s results support the three-factor structure of the FCS in Japanese caregivers in Japan. Conclusions: The developed FCS-J was found to have a certain degree of reliability and validity. In this study, a Japanese version of the FCS-J was developed. .

Therapeutic potential of stem cells in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Aneurysm rupture can result in subarachnoid hemorrhage,a condition with potentially severe consequences,such as disability and death.In the acute stage,early brain injury manifests as intracranial pressure elevation,global cerebral ischemia,acute hydrocephalus,and direct blood–brain contact due to aneurysm rupture.This may subsequently cause delayed cerebral infarction,often with cerebral vasospasm,significantly affecting patient outcomes.Chronic complications such as brain volume loss and chronic hydrocephalus can further impact outcomes.Investigating the mechanisms of subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced brain injury is paramount for identifying effective treatments.Stem cell therapy,with its multipotent differentiation capacity and anti-inflammatory effects,has emerged as a promising approach for treating previously deemed incurable conditions.This review focuses on the potential application of stem cells in subarachnoid hemorrhage pathology and explores their role in neurogenesis and as a therapeutic intervention in preclinical and clinical subarachnoid hemorrhage studies.

Comparing role of ATP between acute pain in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and peripheral neuropathic pain

In this article, we present our previous research, which highlighted adenosine triphosphate(ATP) as the cause of neuropathic pain during the acute phase of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder(NMOSD). In NMOSD pathology, damageassociated molecular patterns(DAMPs), including ATP, are released from damaged astrocytes, triggering the activation of innate immune cells. ATP is a central mediator of acute pain in NMOSD.

C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 pathway as a therapeutic target and regulatory mechanism for spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury involves non-reversible damage to the central nervous system that is characterized by limited regenerative capacity and secondary inflammatory damage.The expression of the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis exhibits significant differences before and after injury.Recent studies have revealed that the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis is closely associated with secondary inflammatory responses and the recruitment of immune cells following spinal cord injury,suggesting that this axis is a novel target and regulatory control point for treatment.This review comprehensively examines the therapeutic strategies targeting the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis,along with the regenerative and repair mechanisms linking the axis to spinal cord injury.Additionally,we summarize the upstream and downstream inflammatory signaling pathways associated with spinal cord injury and the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis.This review primarily elaborates on therapeutic strategies that target the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis and the latest progress of research on antagonistic drugs,along with the approaches used to exploit new therapeutic targets within the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis and the development of targeted drugs.Nevertheless,there are presently no clinical studies relating to spinal cord injury that are focusing on the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 axis.This review aims to provide new ideas and therapeutic strategies for the future treatment of spinal cord injury.

Single-cell and spatial omics:exploring hypothalamic heterogeneity

Elucidating the complex dynamic cellular organization in the hypothalamus is critical for understanding its role in coordinating fundamental body functions. Over the past decade, single-cell and spatial omics technologies have significantly evolved, overcoming initial technical challenges in capturing and analyzing individual cells. These high-throughput omics technologies now offer a remarkable opportunity to comprehend the complex spatiotemporal patterns of transcriptional diversity and cell-type characteristics across the entire hypothalamus. Current single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing methods comprehensively quantify gene expression by exploring distinct phenotypes across various subregions of the hypothalamus. However, single-cell/single-nucleus RNA sequencing requires isolating the cell/nuclei from the tissue, potentially resulting in the loss of spatial information concerning neuronal networks. Spatial transcriptomics methods, by bypassing the cell dissociation, can elucidate the intricate spatial organization of neural networks through their imaging and sequencing technologies. In this review, we highlight the applicative value of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics in exploring the complex molecular-genetic diversity of hypothalamic cell types, driven by recent high-throughput achievements.

Role of resident memory T cells in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervous system

The immune system has been attracting increasing attention in the field of chronic neurological disorders in the central nervous system(CNS).Autoreactive T cells targeting CNS antigens play a crucial role in the development of various autoimmune diseases,such as multiple sclerosis(MS)and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder(NMOSD).Moreover,T cells are now recognized as a pivotal contributor to the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders,including Alzheimer's disease(AD),Parkinson's disease(PD),and multiple system atrophy.

Roles of N-cadherin in cerebral cortical development:cooperation with membrane trafficking and actin cytoskeletal regulation

Cell adhesion plays pivotal roles in the morphogenesis of multicellular organisms.Epithelial cells form several types of cell-to-cell adhesion,including zonula occludens(tight junctions),zonula adhaerens(adherens junctions),and macula adhaerens(desmosomes).Although these adhesion complexes are basically observed only in epithelial cells,cadherins,which are the major cell adhesion molecules of adherens junctions,are expressed in both epithelial and non-epithelial tissues,including neural tissues(Kawauchi,2012).The cadherin superfamily consists of more than 100 members,but classic cadherins.

High mobility group box 1 in the central nervous system:regeneration hidden beneath inflammation

High-mobility group box 1 was first discovered in the calf thymus as a DNA-binding nuclear protein and has been widely studied in diverse fields,including neurology and neuroscience.High-mobility group box 1 in the extracellular space functions as a pro-inflammatory damage-associated molecular pattern,which has been proven to play an important role in a wide variety of central nervous system disorders such as ischemic stroke,Alzheimer’s disease,frontotemporal dementia,Parkinson’s disease,multiple sclerosis,epilepsy,and traumatic brain injury.Several drugs that inhibit high-mobility group box 1 as a damage-associated molecular pattern,such as glycyrrhizin,ethyl pyruvate,and neutralizing anti-high-mobility group box 1 antibodies,are commonly used to target high-mobility group box 1 activity in central nervous system disorders.Although it is commonly known for its detrimental inflammatory effect,high-mobility group box 1 has also been shown to have beneficial pro-regenerative roles in central nervous system disorders.In this narrative review,we provide a brief summary of the history of high-mobility group box 1 research and its characterization as a damage-associated molecular pattern,its downstream receptors,and intracellular signaling pathways,how high-mobility group box 1 exerts the repair-favoring roles in general and in the central nervous system,and clues on how to differentiate the pro-regenerative from the pro-inflammatory role.Research targeting high-mobility group box 1 in the central nervous system may benefit from differentiating between the two functions rather than overall suppression of high-mobility group box 1.

Molecular mechanism and research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer(PCa)is one of the most common malignant tumors in the male genitourinary system,ranking second in incidence worldwide.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),as an important component of complementary and alternative medicine,shows unique advantages in cancer treatment.Chinese herbal medicine is usually composed of multiple ingredients and involves multiple signaling pathways,which showed function of inducing apoptosis of cancer cells,arresting the cell cycle,inhibiting invasion and metastasis,reducing drug resistance,and regulating immune function.Physical therapy is also an important treatment of TCM.Currently,Physical therapy such as acupuncture or Tai Chi and Qigong are gaining increased recognition in the management of PCa,particularly in addressing issues like urinary incontinence and bone metastasis-related pain.This article reviews the TCM treatment and therapy of PCa,in order to provide new research avenues and treatment options for the treatment of PCa with TCM and improve the quality of life of patients.

Disruption of neuronal actin barrier promotes the entry of disease-implicated proteins to exacerbate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathology

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)is a devastating neurological disease characterized by the accumulation of aberrant proteins in motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord.Patients with ALS develop skeletal muscle weakness,resulting in death from respiratory paralysis,which usually occurs 2-4 years after clinical onset(Goutman et al.,2022).

In vivo direct neuronal conversion as a therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke

Stroke causes neuronal loss,which ultimately results in persistent neurological dysfunction.Globally,stroke was the third-leading cause of death and disability combined in all ages in 2019,after neonatal disorders and ischemic heart disease.In that year,there were 12.2 million incident strokes,101 million prevalent strokes,and 143 million disability-adjusted life-years due to stroke.

Bullous pemphigoid associated with acquired hemophilia A: A case report

BACKGROUND Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare and potentially severe bleeding disordercaused by circulating autoantibodies against factor Ⅷ (FⅧ). In approximately50% of the patients, the condition is associated with autoimmune diseases,cancers, medication use, pregnancy, and the post-partum period. Bullous pemphigoid(BP) is a chronic autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease associatedwith tissue-bound and circulating autoantibodies against BP antigens 180 (BP180)and 230 (BP230). AHA-associated BP has a high mortality rate;hence, the understandingof this disease must improve.CASE SUMMARY A 69-year-old man presented with erythema, blisters, blood blisters, and crustsaccompanied by severe pruritus for more than 20 days, and ecchymosis andswelling on his left upper arm for 3 days. Pathological examination revealed asubepidermal blister that contained eosinophils. Laboratory tests showed that theBP180 autoantibody levels had increased, isolated activated partial thromboplastintime was notably prolonged (115.6 s), and coagulation FⅧ activity wasextremely low (< 1.0%). Furthermore, the FⅧ inhibitor titer had greatlyincreased (59.2 Bethesda units). Therefore, the patient was diagnosed as having BP associated with AHA, prescribed 0.05% topical halometasone cream, and transferred to a higher-level hospitalfor effective treatment;however, he died after 2 days.CONCLUSION AHA associated BP is rare, dangerous, and has a high mortality rate. Therefore, its timely diagnosis and effectivetreatment are necessary.

Translocator protein and neurodegeneration: insights from Alzheimer’s disease

The 18 kDa translocator protein(TSPO)located on the outer mitochondrial membrane regulates several key cellular processes including mitochondrial homeostasis,cholesterol transport,apoptosis,cell proliferation,and maintenance of mitochondrial health(Rupprecht et al.,2022,2023).TSPO is expressed in both peripheral organs and the central nervous system,with a more pronounced expression in tissues that produce steroids.The main reason why TSPO has garnered so much attention is because it plays a key role in neurosteroidogenesis by transferring cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane,which is the rate-limiting step in neurosteroid synthesis.A cholesterol-recognizing amino acid consensus domain has been identified in the cytosolic C terminus of the TSPO protein by both in vitro and site-directed mutagenesis experiments(Li et al.,2001).However,the role of TSPO in the process of neurosteroid synthesis has been challenged by several studies,particularly TSPO knockout models,which suggest that TSPO removal does not affect the phenotype or the system’s viability(Tu et al.,2014).However,ligands targeting TSPO have been shown to enhance levels of neurosteroids which suggests that neurosteroidogenesis is one of the major functional roles mediated by the TSPO protein.

Constructing Donor–Acceptor‑Linked COFs Electrolytes to Regulate Electron Density and Accelerate the Li^(+)Migration in Quasi‑Solid‑State Battery

Regulation the electronic density of solid-state electrolyte by donor–acceptor(D–A)system can achieve highly-selective Li^(+)transportation and conduction in solid-state Li metal batteries.This study reports a high-performance solid-state electrolyte thorough D–A-linked covalent organic frameworks(COFs)based on intramolecular charge transfer interactions.Unlike other reported COFbased solid-state electrolyte,the developed concept with D–A-linked COFs not only achieves electronic modulation to promote highly-selective Li^(+)migration and inhibit Li dendrite,but also offers a crucial opportunity to understand the role of electronic density in solid-state Li metal batteries.The introduced strong electronegativity F-based ligand in COF electrolyte results in highlyselective Li^(+)(transference number 0.83),high ionic conductivity(6.7×10^(-4)S cm^(−1)),excellent cyclic ability(1000 h)in Li metal symmetric cell and high-capacity retention in Li/LiFePO_(4)cell(90.8%for 300 cycles at 5C)than substituted C-and N-based ligands.This is ascribed to outstanding D–A interaction between donor porphyrin and acceptor F atoms,which effectively expedites electron transferring from porphyrin to F-based ligand and enhances Li^(+)kinetics.Consequently,we anticipate that this work creates insight into the strategy for accelerating Li^(+)conduction in high-performance solid-state Li metal batteries through D–A system.

Insights from an academic endeavor into central nervous system drug discovery

Historically,"big pharma"did most central nervous system drug discovery R&D in-house.Yet,in modern times their"management reductionism"resulted in disappointing pipelines and pharma resided to(late)development,regulatory approval,and marketing(Thong,2015).This had significant consequences for financing and executing research,resulting in a larger role for funding by governments and patient-organizations and a shift of research to academia(Mazzucato,2013).

Family Environment Factors to Impact on the Effect of the Smoking Prevention Educational Program for Elementary and Junior High School Students

Smoking is a major health problem in many countries. It has been reported on the effects of education on youth with a reduced smoking rate and developed awareness of avoiding smoking verified as a result of educational intervention. The aim of this study was to verify the relationship between sex, school age, and family smoking and the effectiveness of smoking prevention education program (SPEP) as factors that impact the effectiveness of SPEP in elementary school and junior high school students. The participants in this survey were 6676 students, who attended elementary and junior high schools in Tokushima Prefecture between 2011 and 2015, and attended the SPEP. As factors that influence the effectiveness of the SPEP, we examined school types, sex, smokers in the family. Participants were asked the following questions before and after the SPEP to measure awareness of and attitudes toward smoking: “intention not to smoke cigarettes as adults”, “intention to refuse cigarettes when offered”, “attitude of staying away from smokers”, and “desire that their family will not smoke”. The number of survey collected was 6676, with effective responses from 5974 (90%). Among the 5974, there were 2963 (50%) males and 3011 (50%) females, 5106 elementary school students (86%), and 868 junior high school students (15%). In the case of smoker mother, it was difficult to improve these children’s “intention not to smoke as adults”, “intention to refuse cigarettes when offered”, and smoker father, it was difficult to improve these children’s “attitude of staying away from smokers”, and “desire that their family will not smoke”. Especially, in the case of smoker parents, it was particularly difficult for the SPEP to be effective in improving awareness of and attitudes toward smoking among elementary and junior high school students.

Sources of Sexual Knowledge among Vietnamese High School Students

This study determined the sources from which Vietnamese high school students currently acquire sexual knowledge as well as the sources from which they believe they should acquire it. Participants were eleventh-grade students at three public high schools in Hanoi, Vietnam. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey from September to October 2012, with 1672 students participating. Responses were received from all 1672 students, a response rate of 100%. Complete data were received from 1653 respondents (98.9%), including 896 males (54.2%) and 757 females (45.8%). The survey was a self-administrated questionnaire. Although many participants believed that they were knowledgeable about sex, only a small number of them actually possessed accurate sexual knowledge. Few participants in this study, targeted to a specific age (eleventh grade), had used the Internet as a major source for obtaining sexual knowledge, in contrast to results from previous studies which covered a wider age demographic. Future research should include comparative studies between eleventh and twelfth graders as well as between those of the same age who are and who are not enrolled in high school. Additionally, it might be beneficial to consider the relationship between adolescent age and Internet use to study the influence of the Internet on sexual knowledge. Our results suggest that parents and schoolteachers should shoulder more responsibility in providing sexual education, particularly by improving their own knowledge and ability to provide such education, because many participants indicated that sexual knowledge should be acquired from parents and schools.

Prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections among school-age children in the Cagayan Valley, the Philippines

Objective:To identify the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis(STH)among school-age children in the Cagayan Valley,the Philippines,assess their level of awareness on the disease,and determine predisposing factors of the disease.Methods:A total of 478 GradesⅢ-Ⅴschool-age children in Pamplona and Sanchez-Mira School Districts in the Cagayan Valley answered the questionnaire assessing their knowledge,attitude,and practices on STH,subjected to anthropometric measurements,and provided faecal samples for parasitologic assessment(direct smear,Kato-Katz,and formol-ether concentration techniques).Results:The participants of the study,with 55.86%females,were 8 to 14 years old.Their nutritional status was assessed‘normal’(84.31%),‘severely wasted’(6.49%),‘wasted’(5.23%),‘overweight’(2.72%),and‘obese’(1.26%).The prevalence of infection with at least 1 STH species was 25.99%in Pamplona and 19.40%in SanchezMira.Overall,the prevalence of heavy intensity was 7.11%for Ascaris lumbricoides and 1.67%for Trichuris trichiura.All hookworm infections had light intensities.The majority of the school-age children had a low score in the KAP test.In knowledge of STH,‘stunted growth as a symptom of infection’was associated with a lower risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection(OR 0.448;95%CI 0.212,0.945;P=0.035)while‘playing with soil as a mode of transmission’was associated with an increased risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection(OR 2.067;95%CI 1.014,4.212;P=0.046).In attitude towards STH,‘I think I have intestinal worm now’was associated with a higher risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection(OR 1.681;95%CI 1.061,2.662;P=0.027).Conclusions:The prevalence rate of Ascaris lumbricoides among the school-age children in the Cagayan Valley shows the need to further intensify intervention in the area to meet the threshold set by the World Health Organization.The identified predictors of infection,which concerns the school-age children’s knowledge and attitude toward STH,can be used in augmenting intervention programs in the future.

Comparison of School Building Construction Costs Estimation Methods Using Regression Analysis, Neural Network, and Support Vector Machine

Accurate cost estimation at the early stage of a construction project is key factor in a project’s success. But it is difficult to quickly and accurately estimate construction costs at the planning stage, when drawings, documentation and the like are still incomplete. As such, various techniques have been applied to accurately estimate construction costs at an early stage, when project information is limited. While the various techniques have their pros and cons, there has been little effort made to determine the best technique in terms of cost estimating performance. The objective of this research is to compare the accuracy of three estimating techniques (regression analysis (RA), neural network (NN), and support vector machine techniques (SVM)) by performing estimations of construction costs. By comparing the accuracy of these techniques using historical cost data, it was found that NN model showed more accurate estimation results than the RA and SVM models. Consequently, it is determined that NN model is most suitable for estimating the cost of school building projects.

Direct and indirect effects of multilevel factors on school-based physical activity among Japanese adolescent boys

Purpose: Background: Physical activity is a complex behavior which involves the interaction of multilevel factors at the individual, social and environmental level. However, previous studies have largely focused on psychological and/or social environmental factors and the direct impact of such factors on physical activity. There are few studies having examined how multilevel factors may interact to influence activity level. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine both direct and indirect effects of multilevel factors on school-based physical activity in Japanese adolescent boys. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey of the Japanese adolescent lifestyles, 379 junior high school boys were invited to complete self-report measures of age, grade, weight, height, self-efficacy, social support (family, friends and teachers), school physical environment (equipment, facilities and safety) and average minutes per week of physical activity during lunch time and after-school hours occurring at school. Structural equation modeling analyses controlling for age were utilized to examine the effects of body mass index (BMI), self-efficacy, social support and school physical environmental variables on lunchtime and after-school physical activity. Results: During lunch time, self-efficacy exhibited direct positive effects on physical activity. BMI, facilities, and safety were indirectly associated with lunchtime physical activity through self-efficacy. However, there were no significant relationships of equipment and social support with lunchtime physical activity. During after-school hours, family support and facilities directly affected physical activity. Self-efficacy was indirectly related with physical activity through family support. BMI, equipment, and safety indirectly affected physical activity through self-efficacy and/or family support. Conclusion: Effects of multilevel factor on physical activity among adolescent boys differed according to context, which implies that interventions to promote physical activity should be context-specific. Findings encourage the development of future effective interventions to promote physical activity through self-efficacy during lunch time as well as family support during after-school hours.