A survey on education for deepening awareness of issues relating to disabilities and people with disabilities: Focusing on the lessons the university students took at elementary and secondary school.

大学４年次生を対象として、①障害理解教育の授業を受けた経験がどのように大学生活に活かされているのか、②教員志望学生がいかなる理由からどのような障害理解教育の授業を必要であると考えるのか、③障害理解教育の授業を受けた経験の有無により障害観に差異がみられるのか、の３点を明らかにすることを目的に質問紙調査を実施した。①に関しては、障害理解教育の授業を受けた経験が、偏見を持たなくなることや具体的行動につながったとする意見が多く挙げられた。②においては、当事者の状況や気持ちについて理解することや行動に向けたきっかけとすることが理由として主に挙げられた。③の結果としては、授業を受けた経験のある者の方が、障害者本人にとっての困難を想起しやすいことや悲観的・否定的なイメージを持っていないことが示唆された。加えて、経験のない者においては、障害者と共に働くことについて積極的な考えを持ちづらい状況にあることがうかがえた。The purpose of this study was to investigate the following:（ i） How the experience of taking lessons of “education for deepening awareness of issues relating to disabilities and people with disabilities” affects respondent’s university life; （ii） What components of the education are thought as necessary by teacher students, and why are selected; （iii） Association between respondent’s prior experience of taking lessons of the education and their conception of disability. A total of 83 university students completed and returned questionnaires with no missing date. The results were as follows: （i） Student’s prior experiences of taking lessons of the education was found to be related to decreased prejudice toward people with disabilities, and to some behaviors such as “helping people with disabilities”. （ii） As the reasons for selecting necessary components of the education, they have a lot of opinions. Major examples are “to understand the situation and feeling of people with disabilities” or“ to apply what student learn to real situations”.（ iii） It was implied that those who experienced the education are more likely to aware difficulties for people with disabilities, and to do not have pessimistic or negative ideas of disability. Furthermore, students may benefit from the experiences to think about working with people with disabilities more easily

Status of Implementation and Issues of Classes on Disabilities in Public Elementary Schools: Questionnaire Survey toward Teachers in Charge

「障害に関する授業」の実態及び困難・課題を探り、困難・課題と関係する要素について探ることを目的として、公立小学校の教員に対する質問紙調査を実施した。カテゴリカル主成分分析の結果、困難・課題としては【１．授業を実施に移す上での困難・課題】【２．前提知識における困難・課題】【３．人的環境や時間に関する困難・課題】の３成分が抽出された。第１成分は、当該授業の指導法に関する研修会等により軽減される可能性が、第２成分は、読書教材による授業を実施することで高まり、当該授業に関する「６学年にわたる計画」があることで低減される可能性が、第３成分は、障害者講演の授業の実施者は抱きにくくLD・ADHD を取り扱った授業の実施者は抱きやすい可能性が、それぞれ示された。これらの結果から、困難・課題を低減するには、第１成分に関しては当該授業の指導法に着目した研修会の充実を図ること、第２成分に関しては教科書の記述も勘案した上で全校的に当該授業に取り組むこと、第３成分に関しては教員養成・現職段階での学びや研修会を充実させることや当該授業実践例を更に蓄積していくことが重要であると考えられた。The purpose of this study was to examine the accrual state and difficulties and issues of classes on disabilities, and examine the elements related to the difficulties and issues. We conducted a questionnaire survey toward teachers working in public elementary schools. As a result of Categorical Principal Components Analysis（ CATPCA）, three components were extracted as difficulties and issues:［ 1. Difficulties and issues in processes of carrying out the classes］［ 2. Difficulties and issues in prerequisite knowledge］［ 3. Difficulties and issues on human environment and time］. As a result of further analysis, nonparametric tests, these possibilities were revealed:［ 1. Difficulties and issues in processes of carrying out the classes］ may be reduced by participating in workshops about teaching methods of the classes. ［2. Difficulties and issues in prerequisite knowledge］ may increase by practicing classes with reading materials, but, decrease because of “plans over six grades” with regard to the classes.［ 3. Difficulties and issues on human environment and time］ may not be difficult to teachers who conduct the classes participating people with disabilities, while they may be significant to teachers who conduct the classes about LD/ADHD. For these results, in order to reduce these difficulties and issues, we should put the following into practice:（ 1） Enhancing workshops focusing on the teaching methods of the classes,（ 2） Working on the classes schoolwide planning and conducting, taking into account the description in the textbooks,（ 3） Increasing opportunities of learning and workshops of the teacher training course or in-service stage, and accumulating practical examples or reports of the classes relating to disabilities

Chemogenetic dissection of the primate prefronto-subcortical pathways for working memory and decision-making

「何を買うんだっけ」と「どれにしよう」を処理する2つの脳回路を明らかに --霊長類の生体脳で神経経路を可視化・操作する技術で解明、高次脳機能の理解へ大きく前進--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-06-24.The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) is situated at the core of higher brain functions via neural circuits such as those linking the caudate nucleus and mediodorsal thalamus. However, the distinctive roles of these prefronto-subcortical pathways remain elusive. Combining in vivo neuronal projection mapping with chemogenetic synaptic silencing, we reversibly dissected key pathways from dorsolateral part of the PFC (dlPFC) to the dorsal caudate (dCD) and lateral mediodorsal thalamus (MDl) individually in single monkeys. We found that silencing the bilateral dlPFC-MDl projections, but not the dlPFC-dCD projections, impaired performance in a spatial working memory task. Conversely, silencing the unilateral dlPFC-dCD projection, but not the unilateral dlPFC-MDl projection, altered preference in a decision-making task. These results revealed dissociable roles of the prefronto-subcortical pathways in working memory and decision-making, representing the technical advantage of imaging-guided pathway-selective chemogenetic manipulation for dissecting neural circuits underlying cognitive functions in primates

Chemogenetic attenuation of cortical seizures in nonhuman primates

「てんかん」の発生を時間的・空間的にピンポイントで抑える画期的な治療法を開発 --世界で初めてサルでの有効性を実証、臨床応用に向け大きく前進--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-03-01.Epilepsy is a disorder in which abnormal neuronal hyperexcitation causes several types of seizures. Because pharmacological and surgical treatments occasionally interfere with normal brain function, a more focused and on-demand approach is desirable. Here we examined the efficacy of a chemogenetic tool—designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs)—for treating focal seizure in a nonhuman primate model. Acute infusion of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline into the forelimb region of unilateral primary motor cortex caused paroxysmal discharges with twitching and stiffening of the contralateral arm, followed by recurrent cortical discharges with hemi- and whole-body clonic seizures in two male macaque monkeys. Expression of an inhibitory DREADD (hM4Di) throughout the seizure focus, and subsequent on-demand administration of a DREADD-selective agonist, rapidly suppressed the wide-spread seizures. These results demonstrate the efficacy of DREADDs for attenuating cortical seizure in a nonhuman primate model

Novel Urinary Glycan Biomarkers Predict Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Multicenter Prospective Study With 5-Year Follow Up (U-CARE Study 2)

Background: Although various biomarkers predict cardiovascular event (CVE) in patients with diabetes, the relationship of urinary glycan profile with CVE in patients with diabetes remains unclear. Methods: Among 680 patients with type 2 diabetes, we examined the baseline urinary glycan signals binding to 45 lectins with different specificities. Primary outcome was defined as CVE including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. Results: During approximately a 5-year follow-up period, 62 patients reached the endpoint. Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that urinary glycan signals binding to two lectins were significantly associated with the outcome after adjustment for known indicators of CVE and for false discovery rate, as well as increased model fitness. Hazard ratios for these lectins (+1 SD for the glycan index) were UDA (recognizing glycan: mixture of Man5 to Man9): 1.78 (95% CI: 1.24-2.55, P = 0.002) and Calsepa [High-Man (Man2-6)]: 1.56 (1.19-2.04, P = 0.001). Common glycan binding to these lectins was high-mannose type of N-glycans. Moreover, adding glycan index for UDA to a model including known confounders improved the outcome prediction [Difference of Harrel's C-index: 0.028 (95% CI: 0.001-0.055, P = 0.044), net reclassification improvement at 5-year risk increased by 0.368 (0.045-0.692, P = 0.026), and the Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion decreased from 725.7 to 716.5, and 761.8 to 757.2, respectively]. Conclusion: The urinary excretion of high-mannose glycan may be a valuable biomarker for improving prediction of CVE in patients with type 2 diabetes, and provides the rationale to explore the mechanism underlying abnormal N-glycosylation occurring in patients with diabetes at higher risk of CVE

Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a marker for renal outcome of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (U-CARE study 3)

Introduction ACE cleaves angiotensin I (Ang I) to angiotensin II (Ang II) inducing vasoconstriction via Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor, while ACE2 cleaves Ang II to Ang (1-7) causing vasodilatation by acting on the Mas receptor. In diabetic kidney disease (DKD), it is still unclear whether plasma or urine ACE2 levels predict renal outcomes or not. Research design and methods Among 777 participants with diabetes enrolled in the Urinary biomarker for Continuous And Rapid progression of diabetic nEphropathy study, the 296 patients followed up for 9 years were investigated. Plasma and urinary ACE2 levels were measured by the ELISA. The primary end point was a composite of a decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by at least 30% from baseline or initiation of hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The secondary end points were a 30% increase or a 30% decrease in albumin-to-creatinine ratio from baseline to 1 year. Results The cumulative incidence of the renal composite outcome was significantly higher in group 1 with lowest tertile of plasma ACE2 (p=0.040). Group 2 with middle and highest tertile was associated with better renal outcomes in the crude Cox regression model adjusted by age and sex (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.99, p=0.047). Plasma ACE2 levels demonstrated a significant association with 30% decrease in ACR (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.044 to 2.035, p=0.027) after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and eGFR. Conclusions Higher baseline plasma ACE2 levels in DKD were protective for development and progression of albuminuria and associated with fewer renal end points, suggesting plasma ACE2 may be used as a prognosis marker of DKD.Trial registration number UMIN000011525