書誌： Neuroscience Letters,2011  

Neuroscience Letters 495 (2011) 192–195

Hideo Shimizu, Korehito Yamanouchi

It is known that over-exercise or forced running interrupts the regular ovulatory (estrous) cycle in female mammals, including women. The serotonin content of the brain changes under stress conditions. In this experiment, radiofrequency lesions were made in the dorsal (DRL) or median (MRL) raphe nuclei of the midbrain, in which serotonergic neurons are abundant, and changes in the estrous cycle with forced running using an electric-motor running wheel were examined in female rats. Through the tests, the estrous cycle was checked by taking vaginal smears. Female rats with a regular 4-day estrous cycle were forced to run in the wheel for 30 min daily over 15 days. As a result, 27.3% of the control and 30.0% of the sham-operated rats showed an irregular estrous cycle. In contrast, 100% of the DRL and 87.5% of the MRL rats showed an irregular cycle (P < 0.05 vs. control and sham). Statistical analysis revealed that the median onset day of an irregular cycle was in excess of 15 days in both the control and sham groups. In the DRL and MRL groups, the median onset days of the irregular cycle were day 5 and 3, respectively, being shorter than those in control and sham groups (P < 0.01). These results indicate that the dorsal and median raphe nuclei play an important role in preventing the effect of stress conditions in the ovulatory system in female rats. 

書誌： J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL ,2011

J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL VOLUME 127, NUMBER 4, 1038-1045

Yuki Nakamura,Daisuke Harama, Naomi Shimokawa, PhD, Mutsuko Hara, Ryuyo Suzuki, MD, PhD, Yu Tahara, Kayoko Ishimaru, Ryohei Katoh, MD, PhD, Ko Okumura, MD, PhD, Hideoki Ogawa, MD, PhD, Shigenobu Shibata, PhD, and Atsuhito Nakao, MD, PhD

Background: IgE-mediated immediate-type skin reaction shows a diurnal rhythm, although the precise mechanisms remain uncertain. Period2 (Per2) is a key circadian gene that is essential for endogenous clockworks in mammals. Objective: This study investigated whether Per2 regulates a time-of-day–dependent variation in IgE-mediated immediatetype skin reaction. Methods: The kinetics of a passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction were compared between wild-type mice and mice with a loss-of-function mutation of Per2 (mPer2 m/m mice). The effects of adrenalectomy, aging, and dexamethasone on the kinetics of a passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction were also examined. In addition, the extent of IgE-mediated degranulation in bone marrow–derived mast cells (BMMCs) was compared between wild-type and mPer2 m/m mice. Results: A time-of-day–dependent variation in a passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction observed in wild-type mice was absent in mPer2 m/m mice and in adrenalectomized and aged mice associated with the loss of rhythmic secretion of corticosterone. In addition, mPer2 m/m mice showed decreased sensitivity to the inhibitory effects of dexamethasone on the passive cutaneous anaphylactic reactions. IgE-mediated degranulation in BMMCs was comparable between wild-type and mPer2 m/m mice, but Per2 mutation decreased sensitivity to the inhibitory effects of dexamethasone on IgE-mediated degranulation in BMMCs. Conclusion: A circadian oscillator, Per2, regulates a time-ofday–dependent variation in a passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction in mice. Per2 may do so by controlling the rhythmic secretion of glucocorticoid from adrenal glands and/or by gating the glucocorticoid responses of mast cells to certain times of the day (possibly when Per2 levels are high in mast cells). (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127:1038-45.)

Key words: Circadian rhythm, clock, Period2, IgE, mast cell, anaphylactic reaction, mouse 

書誌：   Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport ,2010

H. Hobara, K. Kimura, K. Omuro, K. Gomi, T. Muraoka, M. Sakamoto, K. Kanosue (2010).  Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13, 106-111.

Abstract

An understanding of lower extremity stiffness is important for evaluation of sports performance and injury prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate whether stiffness regulation during hopping differed between endurance-trained athletes and untrained subjects. Eight endurance-trained athletes and eight untrained subjects performed two-legged hopping at 2.2 Hz. We determined leg and joint stiffness of hip, knee and ankle from kinetic and kinematics data. The endurance-trained athletes demonstrated significantly higher leg stiffness than untrained subjects. Further, the differences in leg stiffness were attributable to differences in ankle and knee joint stiffness. This study demonstrates a possibility that endurance training, like power training, increases leg and joint stiffness.

Keywords: Biomechanics; Training adaptation; Stiffness; Athlete

書誌：   Behavioral Medicine ,2011

Shuhei Izawa, Yumi Eto, Kosuke C. Yamada, Masako Nakano, Haruyo Yamada, Masatoshi Nagayama, Takenori Kikuchi & Shinobu Nomura., (2011), Cynical hostility, anger expression style, and acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged Japanese men, Behavioral Medicine, 37(3), 81-86.

Abstract Studies using American and European populations have demonstrated that high levels of anger/ hostility are predictive of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality. However, Japanese studies did not show consistent relationship between anger/hostility and CHD. This study examines the association of cynical hostility and anger expression style with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in middle-aged Japanese men through a case-control study. The patients with acute myocardial infarction (N = 96, mean age = 50.8 years) and the healthy participants in a health check-up program (N = 77, mean age = 50.3 years) were studied. Both groups completed the Cynicism Questionnaire (CQ) and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI). The patients exhibited higher scores on CQ than the healthy controls. Logistic regression analyses controlling for biological risk factors revealed that the CQ score was associated with increased risk of AMI (OR = 1.11 [95% CI 1.00–1.22]). In addition, the score of Angercontrol, a subscale of STAXI, was associated with decreased risk of AMI (OR = 0.75 [95% CI 0.62–0.92]). These results indicated that higher levels of cynical hostility increased the risk of AMI and that anger-control strategies could have some benefit in reducing the risk of AMI in middle-aged Japanese men.

☆書誌：　臨床精神医学，2013

抄録:パニック障害では，前頭前野機能の低下は一部の記憶指標を除くと目立たないが，症状の悪化に伴って心臓副交感神経の低下が強くなると，それと並行して抑制機能の悪化が認められる可能性がある。一方で,反応が過剰になるものとして，脳幹部が司る驚愕反応の増強による感覚情報に対する過度な対応と，前頭前野における情動処理の過敏性があり， パニック障害に関わる刺激に対する注意バイアスや解釈バイアスを引き起こす認知機能異常が認められる。   

書誌：　日本建築学会大会学術梗概集,2013

書誌： The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine ,2013

Takuya Chiba, Kesu Dong, Shoko Nishizono, Isao Shimokawa. (2013). The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports MedicineVol. 2, No. 3 p. 259-266. Abstract    Restriction of food intake (calorie restriction [CR]) in laboratory animals extends their lifespan and delays the onset of various age-associated diseases, including cancer development. Recent studies revealed that the molecular mechanisms underlying CR-mediated antiaging effects may be regulated by a confined number of signal transduction pathways that are triggered by neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons in the neuroendocrine system. On the other hand, possible peripheral regulators of the beneficial effects of CR involve a transcriptional regulator complex, the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-α (HNF-4α/PGC-1α) complex. This complex could regulate not only glucose and lipid metabolism, but also DNA damage responses in the liver. Therefore, maintenance of optimal glucose and lipid levels to prevent metabolic syndrome, and activation of the DNA damage response for suppression of tumor development, may depend on the HNF-4α/PGC-1α complex. Hence, small molecules modulating the activity of this complex could be an important target for development of CR mimetics (CRM), which mimic the beneficial effects of CR without actual food restriction. Keywords : aging, calorie restriction, glucose metabolism, neuroendocrine, oxidative stress