Natural Variation of Ambient Dose Rate in Air of Izu-Oshima Island After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

The ambient dose rate in air and radioactivity concentration in soil samples collected on Izu-Oshima Island were observed in 2012, 2013 and 2014, i.e., one, two and three years after the severe accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. A car-borne survey for the ambient dose rate in air was carried out for the entire island. Soil samples were collected for the radioactivity concentration measurements from 22 points. The ambient dose rates in air were 36 nGy h⁻¹ in 2012, 34 nGy h⁻¹ in 2013 and 29 nGy h⁻¹ in 2014, respectively. The corresponding radioactivity concentrations in those years for ¹³⁴Cs were 53 Bq kg⁻¹, 39 Bq kg⁻¹ and 29 Bq kg⁻¹ and for ¹³⁷Cs, 87 Bq kg⁻¹, 73 Bq kg⁻¹ and 75 Bq kg⁻¹. All the values have decreased every year

Amino-terminal enhancer of split gene AES encodes a tumor and metastasis suppressor of prostate cancer

A major cause of cancer death is its metastasis to the vital organs. Few effective therapies are available for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa), and progressive metastatic lesions such as lymph nodes and bones cause mortality. We recently identified AES as a metastasis suppressor for colon cancer. Here, we have studied the roles of AES in PCa progression. We analyzed the relationship between AES expression and PCa stages of progression by immunohistochemistry of human needle biopsy samples. We then performed overexpression and knockdown of AES in human PCa cell lines LNCaP, DU145 and PC3, and determined the effects on proliferation, invasion and metastasis in culture and in a xenograft model. We also compared the PCa phenotypes of Aes/Pten compound knockout mice with those of Pten simple knockout mice. Expression levels of AES were inversely correlated with clinical stages of human PCa. Exogenous expression of AES suppressed the growth of LNCaP cells, whereas the AES knockdown promoted it. We also found that AES suppressed transcriptional activities of androgen receptor and Notch signaling. Notably, AES overexpression in AR-defective DU145 and PC3 cells reduced invasion and metastasis to lymph nodes and bones without affecting proliferation in culture. Consistently, prostate epithelium-specific inactivation of Aes in Ptenflox/flox mice increased expression of Snail and MMP9, and accelerated growth, invasion and lymph node metastasis of the mouse prostate tumor. These results suggest that AES plays an important role in controlling tumor growth and metastasis of PCa by regulating both AR and Notch signaling pathways

カンゴ ガクブ ガクセイ ニ オケル ドウニュウ キョウイク ノヒョウカ : A ダイガク ニ オケル チョウサ ケッカ ノ ケントウ

背景 近年, 少子化の影響を受け大学への進学希望者と入学定員数がほぼ同数となる時代が到来した. このような状況の中, 大学生の学習意欲や学力の低下が指摘されており, 学習意欲の向上および適切な学習スキルを身につけるために導入教育を取り入れている大学が多い. 大学生に対する導入教育の必要性が認識され実施されているが, 具体的な導入教育プログラムの基準や評価方式が未だ定まっていない現状があり, 共通教材の必要性も指摘されている. 目的 本稿は看護学部学生を対象に, コミュニケーション能力の向上や日常生活スキルの習得を目指した導入教育の効果を調査によって検討することを目的とした. 方法 対象は看護学部1年生全員 (71名) である. 導入教育の効果は, 「親和性」 「リーダーシップ」 「計画性」 「感受性」 「情報要約力」 「自尊心」 「前向きな思考」 「対人マナー」 の8因子からなる日常生活スキル尺度 (大学生版) と自由記載式の感想用紙を使用し評価した. 倫理的配慮として, 対象には研究への参加を拒否しても不利益を被ることは一切ないこと, 研究への参加は自由意思によって決定してよいことを伝えた. 結果 日常生活スキル尺度 (大学生版) は, 導入教育の開始前と終了後で全ての因子において有意差が認められなかった. しかし, 導入教育の終了後に調査した学生の感想を共通内容ごとに分類し研究者間で検討した結果, 『コミュニケーションの成立度』 『学習スキル向上』 『カリキュラム上の課題』 の3つの大きな項目にわけられた. また, 「リーダーシップ」 の得点が低い傾向にあることが明らかとなり, 今後の導入教育に加え授業や臨地実習の中でリーダーシップ能力の向上を目指した教育や指導を取り入れることが必要とされた. 結論 今回の導入教育では有意差が認められなかった. しかし, 学生の感想にはコミュニケーションの充実や学習への積極的な姿勢についての記載がみられた. また, リーダーシップ能力の向上を目指す教育が必要とされた.Objective The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of the introductory education on improvement in communications skills, and acquisition of life skills for the nursing students. Methods Subjects were 71 first-year nursing students. The introductory education was evaluated by using an eight-point life skills scale (compatibility, leadership, planning ability, sensitivity, ability to grasp information, self-esteem, proactive thinking, and manners (and a written comment of their candid impressions.Results/Discussion The differences in life skills categories between before and after introductory educational program are not significant. However, nursing students pointed out the improvement in communications skills, and tackling study positively after introductory education.Conclusions In addition to introductory education, it is necessary to take in the education and instruction which aimed at improvement in leadership capability in a lesson or training based on this research

Valproate, a Mood Stabilizer, Induces WFS1 Expression and Modulates Its Interaction with ER Stress Protein GRP94

Valproate is a standard treatment for bipolar disorder and a first-line mood stabilizer. The molecular mechanisms underlying its actions in bipolar disorder are unclear. It has been suggested that the action of valproate is linked to changes in gene expression and induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-response proteins.Here we show that valproate modulates the ER stress response through the regulation of WFS1, an important component for mitigating ER stress. Therapeutic concentrations of valproate induce expression of WFS1 mRNA and activate the WFS1 promoter. In addition, WFS1 forms a complex with GRP94, an ER stress-response protein, in which valproate dose-dependently enhances its dissociation from GRP94.These results suggest that the therapeutic effects of valproate in bipolar disorder may be mediated by WFS1 expression and its dissociation from GRP94

シンセツ カンゴ ガクブ ニ オケル カンゴ ジッセン ノウリョク イクセイ ノ タメ ノ カンゴ ギジュツ コウモク ノ ケントウ

背景 高齢化社会や医療の高度化の到来から, 看護学生の看護実践能力の強化の必要性が重要課題となっている. 目的 新設看護学部において看護実践能力が高い学生を育成するために必要と考えられる看護技術項目を明らかにすることを目的とした. 方法 各看護学領域代表者で技術項目検討委員会をもち, 本学部の教育理念に従って, 既存文献を参考にしながら, 項目を追加修正し, 各看護学領域が講義・演習・実習のどこで学習するかを確認した. 結果 学生の看護実践能力を育成する為の看護技術項目は19項目の大項目, 131の中項目, 160の小項目と整理し, 看護技術項目のシートを作成した. 結論 作成したシートは, 各看護学領域で学習する内容を講義の教材として活用し, 学生・教員・実習の指導者の3者間で, 個々の学生の看護技術の習得に有効であると考える. またそれは, 学生の看護実践能力の強化へと期待できる.Background With the aging of society and the advances in medical care technologies, it is increasingly important and necessary for nursing students to be able to use their nursing knowledge and skills in a practical setting. Educational institutions are therefore urged to provide the students with such training.Purpose The purpose of this paper is to clarify what skills are actually necessary and useful for students to become effective in their practice as nurses, and what training should be given at the new nursing department in order to enhance the practical nursing skills of students.Methods First, scholars and representatives of nursing-related fields formed a committee where skills required for achieving the purpose stated above were redefined in accordance with the university\u27s educational objectives. In revising the existing skills items, published information was also used as a reference. How each of the skills is learned, either in lectures, classroom training, or practical training, was confirmed by the committee.Results The nursing skills identified by the committee were classified into 19 skills of major importance, 131 skills of medium importance and 160 skills of less importance. The committee summarized them as a list of nursing skills.Conclusion The list can be used as teaching materials in the class, and can be used not only by teachers and advisors in the training but also by students. Students would refer to the list when learning nursing skills. Such use of the list may reinforce students\u27 ability to apply the obtained skills in their nursing performance

A human PSMB11 variant affects thymoproteasome processing and CD8+ T cell production

The Psmb11-encoded β5t subunit of the thymoproteasome, which is specifically expressed in cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs), is essential for the optimal positive selection of functionally competent CD8+ T cells in mice. Here, we report that a human genomic PSMB11 variation, which is detectable at an appreciable allele frequency in human populations, alters the β5t amino acid sequence that affects the processing of catalytically active β5t proteins. The introduction of this variation in the mouse genome revealed that the heterozygotes showed reduced β5t expression in cTECs and the homozygotes further exhibited reduction in the cellularity of CD8+ T cells. No severe health problems were noticed in many heterozygous and 5 homozygous human individuals. Long-term analysis of health status, particularly in the homozygotes, is expected to improve our understanding of the role of the thymoproteasome-dependent positive selection of CD8+ T cells in humans