Quality of Life Among Patients with Mucopolysaccharidoses

To investigate preference-based quality of life (i.e., utility) in patients with mucopolysaccharidoses, a cross-sectional survey was carried out among proxy respondents. Preference-based quality of life of the six main subtypes of mucopolysaccharidoses was evaluated by utility measurement tools: visual analogue scale, standard gamble and time trade-off. Subjects were 93 medical students in a medical school and 6 medical experts on mucopolysaccharidoses in Japan. Group and individual interviews were carried out respectively. In standard gamble measurement among medical students, the mean utility value of mucopolysaccharidosis IH was the lowest (0.24), followed by mucopolysaccharidosis IIs (0.30) and mucopolysaccharidosis III (0.35). That of mucopolysaccharidosis IIm was the highest (0.76). The utility values of visual analogue sacle were significantly lower than those of standard gamble in all subtypes. All the correlation coefficients of utility values in each subtype of mucopolysaccharidoses between the three methods, using standard gamble as a reference standard, were statistically significant. The results among medical experts were similar to those among medical students. The utility values of patients with mucopolysaccharidoses were at low or medium levels. These results indicate that mucopolysaccharidoses pose a significant burden on overall health in these patients.     

The influence of Hangul learning upon laterality differences in Hangul word recognition by native Japanese subjects

Single-character Hangul words were presented tachistoscopically in the left or right visual field to 34 normal, right-handed Japanese subjects who did not know Hangul. The reaction time was measured. A significant left-field superiority for Hangul recognition was shown. When 18 out of 34 subjects learned Hangul stimuli, they showed no lateral asymmetry for Hangul recognition. However, the other 16 subjects, without Hangul learning, again exhibited a significant left-field superiority. The results show that the initial left-field superiority shifted to no laterality difference for Hangul recognition by poor Hangul learners.     

Visual behaviors of soccer players while kicking with the inside of the foot

This study analyzed the visual behaviors of soccer players while they kicked with the inside of the foot, which involved near and far aiming skills. Participants (N = 8) were required to step forward and kick a ball to hit a target. The top three scorers were defined as the High-score group, and the three low scorers were defined as the Low-score group. Analysis indicated that the High-score group was characterized by longer quiet eye durations, which were defined as the final fixation durations on the target prior to the initiation of a kicking movement, than the Low-score group in the preparation phase. The High-score group also set their visual pivot on the frontal space between the target and the ball in the kicking phase. These two visual behaviors of the High-score group are important for soccer players to kick a ball successfully with the inside of the foot.     

Tool-use by rats (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rattus norvegicus</Emphasis>): tool-choice based on tool features

In the present study, we investigated whether rats (Rattus norvegicus) could be trained to use tools in an experimental setting. In Experiment 1, we investigated whether rats became able to choose appropriate hook-shaped tools to obtain food based on the spatial arrangements of the tool and food, similar to tests conducted in non-human primates and birds. With training, the rats were able to choose the appropriate hooks. In Experiments 2 and 3, we conducted transfer tests with novel tools. The rats had to choose between a functional and non-functional rake-shaped tool in these experiments. In Experiment 2, the tools differed from those of Experiment 1 in terms of shape, color, and texture. In Experiment 3, there was a contradiction between the appearance and the functionality of these tools. The rats could obtain the food with a functional rake with a transparent blade but could not obtain food with a non-functional rake with an opaque soft blade. All rats chose the functional over the non-functional rakes in Experiment 2, but none of the rats chose the functional rake in Experiment 3. Thus, the rats were able to choose the functional rakes only when there was no contradiction between the appearance and functionality of the tools. These results suggest that rats understand the spatial and physical relationships between the tool, food, and self when there was no such contradiction.     

Influence of vision and static stretch of the calf muscles on postural sway during quiet standing

The purpose of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of vision and stretching of the calf muscles on postural sway during quiet standing. Under pre-stretch conditions, participants stood on a force plate for 30s and the sway of the ground reaction force center of pressure was recorded. The following postural sway variables were calculated off-line: sweep speed, sway speed, standard deviation, maximal mediolateral range, maximal anteroposterior range, mean mediolateral position and mean anteroposterior position. For post-stretch conditions, participants stood quietly on a device that was utilized to impose a static 3 min ankle joint dorsiflexion stretch. Immediately thereafter, participants moved onto the force platform where postural sway parameters were again recorded. Randomized eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions were tested in both cases. Results showed that postural sway significantly increased due to stretch (sweep speed, sway speed, standard deviation, maximal anteroposterior range, mean anteroposterior position), as well as eye closure (sweep speed, sway speed, standard deviation, maximal mediolateral range, maximal anteroposterior range). The interaction between stretch and eye closure was also significant (sweep speed, sway speed, standard deviation, maximal mediolateral range), suggesting that there were only minor increases in postural sway after stretch under the eyes-open condition. It was suggested that stretching of the calf muscles has the effect of increasing postural sway, although this effect can be greatly compensated for when vision is included.     

Induction of arginine vasopressin-enhanced green fluorescent protein expression in the locus coeruleus following kainic acid-induced seizures in rats

Seizure causes autonomic, neuroendocrine and stress responses. We examined the effects of kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures on the expression of the arginine vasopressin (AVP)-enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in the locus coeruleus (LC), an area known to contain noradrenergic cells, in AVP-eGFP transgenic male and female rats, with the rationale to identify stressors which induce AVP synthesis in the LC. Subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of KA caused a progressive development of seizure behavior within 24 h. AVP-eGFP fluorescence in the LC was detected 6, 24, and 48 h and 1 week after administration of KA (12 mg/kg). From a nearly undetectable level, it reached a maximum at 48 h after s.c. administration of KA and returned to the basal levels after 2 weeks. AVP-eGFP fluorescence in the LC after s.c. administration of KA was significantly reduced by the pretreatment with MK-801 (nonselective N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist). In the KA-administered rats, immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) revealed that the eGFP fluorescence was co-localized with TH-immuno-reactivity in the LC. These results suggest that the synthesis of AVP-eGFP is potentially up-regulated in noradrenergic neurons in the LC after KA-induced seizures through the activation of NMDA receptors.     

Development of a cognitive function test using virtual reality technology: examination in healthy participants

We developed a virtual reality test to assess the cognitive function of Japanese people in near-daily-life environment, namely, a virtual shopping test (VST). In this test, participants were asked to execute shopping tasks using touch panel operations in a “virtual shopping mall.” We examined differences in VST performances among healthy participants of different ages and correlations between VST and screening tests, such as the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Everyday Memory Checklist (EMC). We included 285 healthy participants between 20 and 86 years of age in seven age groups. Therefore, each VST index tended to decrease with advancing age; differences among age groups were significant. Most VST indices had a significantly negative correlation with MMSE and significantly positive correlation with EMC. VST may be useful for assessing general cognitive decline; effects of age must be considered for proper interpretation of the VST scores.     

Sexually dimorphic preference for altruism in the opposite sex according to recipient

Sexual selection may affect human altruistic behaviour. Evolutionary psychology predicts that human mate preference reflects sexual selection. We investigated sex differences in preference for opposite‐sex altruism according to recipient because the reasons for altruistic behaviour differ according to the relationship between actor and recipient. We employed the Self‐Report Altruism Scale Distinguished by the Recipient, which was newly developed to evaluate altruism among Japanese undergraduates. We asked participants to evaluate preferences for each item based on the recipient of the altruistic behaviour (family members, friends or acquaintances, and strangers). Preference for opposite‐sex altruism differed according to recipient, gender of the participant, and relationship type, and several significant interactions were observed among these factors. We suggest that whereas women use a potential partner's altruism towards strangers as a costly signal of their resource‐holding potential when choosing a mate, they consider altruism towards family when they are in a long‐term relationship to ensure that resources are not allocated to non‐relatives.