Characteristics and changes in the mental health indicators of expecting parents in a couple-based parenting support program in Japan

博士（医学）福島県立医科大

Analyzing the Relationship Between Poverty and Work: Exploring ways to solve the problem of the working poor (Japanese)

International comparison analyses have clarified that the relative poverty rate among working households in Japan is high. Based on this fact, this study analyzed the relationship between poverty and work, using the Keio Household Panel Survey 2004-2010 (KHPS). Our study showed that households where the head of the household is working as a temporary worker have a higher probability of being in poverty than households where the head of the household is unemployed and not engaged in any other income-earning activity. However, concerning the poverty dynamic, households where the head of the household is working in any capacity including temporary work are more likely to exit from poverty than households where the head of the household is not working. Needless to say, households where the head of the household is working as a regular worker have the least probability of falling into poverty, and shifting from temporary work to regular work is an effective solution for the working poor. Because of this fact, our study also analyzed the probability of shifting from temporary workers to regular workers. Results for women showed that those who invest in self-development are more likely to make the shift from temporary workers to regular workers; accordingly, investing in human capital—for instance, in the form of self-training—is important for making this shift. Moreover, among the unemployed who are in poverty, those receiving unemployment benefits and investing in job-training are more likely to get out from poverty than those not eligible for unemployment benefits. This implies that it is necessary to build a support system for those who are not eligible for unemployment benefits.

Photoelectric Dye, NK-5962, as a Potential Drug for Preventing Retinal Neurons from Apoptosis: Pharmacokinetic Studies Based on Review of the Evidence

NK-5962 is a key component of photoelectric dye-based retinal prosthesis (OUReP). In testing the safety and efficacy, NK-5962 was safe in all tests for the biological evaluation of medical devices (ISO 10993) and effective in preventing retinal cells from death even under dark conditions. The long-term implantation of the photoelectric dye-coupled polyethylene film in the subretinal space of hereditary retinal dystrophic (RCS) rats prevented neurons from apoptosis in the adjacent retinal tissue. The intravitreous injection of NK-5962 in the eyes of RCS rats, indeed, reduced the number of apoptotic cells in the retinal outer nuclear layer irrespective of light or dark conditions. In this study, we reviewed the in vitro and in vivo evidence of neuroprotective effect of NK-5962 and designed pharmacokinetic experiments. The in vitro IC50 of 1.7 μM, based on the protective effect on retinal cells in culture, could explain the in vivo EC50 of 3 μM that is calculated from concentrations of intravitreous injection to prevent retinal neurons from apoptosis. Pharmacokinetics of NK-5962 showed that intravenous administration, but not oral administration, led to the effective concentration in the eye of rats. NK-5962 would be a candidate drug for delaying the deterioration of retinal dystrophy, such as retinitis pigmentosa

Cyclophosphamide Promotes Arrested Development of the Dental Root in Mice

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent to treat cancer. Among its many side effects is the well-known consequence on tooth development when administered at early ages. This study elucidated the effects of CPA on development of the mandibular molar in mice. Mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of CPA at different doses and development times. CPA treatment led to weight loss and alopecia but had no effect on disturbances in tooth eruption or crown shape. However, at higher doses, there was arrested root development and early apical foramen closure histologically related to the formation of the cervical loop structure in the apical portion of the root. In cell culture experiments, the Hertwig\u27s epithelial root sheath cell line (HERS01a) was cultured with or without CPA. At high doses of CPA, HERS01a cells showed decreases in E-cadherin expression, while N-cadherin expression was upregulated, indicating that this cadherin switch may promote an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenomenon. These findings suggest that administration of high doses of CPA can lead to arrested root development of the molars and an EMT-like phenomenon.福岡歯科大学2019年

看護大学生への夫婦間の共感性を高める育児支援プログラムの模擬体験実施とその効果

思春期は次世代を育成する世代として重要な時期である．本研究は，妊娠期よりも前段階にある結婚前の看護大学生を対象にした共感性を高める育児支援プログラムの効果を検討することを目的とした．Ａ年度，Ｂ年度の１年生171名とＡ年度２年生82名に対して，本プログラムを講義に組み込む形式で１回実施し，実施前後のアンケートを用いて効果を比較検討した．その結果，１，２年生共にプログラム終了後に共感性尺度の下位尺度に上昇がみられた．また，共感性プログラムを中心に行った１年生では共感性尺度平均点が有意に上昇し，生と性の健康教室の一貫でプログラムが実施された２年生では，出産の自信と妊娠計画への自信の上昇がみられた．リプロダクティブヘルスに関心の高い時期である大学生に対してライフプランを考えるきっかけとなる本プログラムには効果があり，事前に親になるための準備教育を行うことは重要である．Adolescents and young adults undergo important developmental transition. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of delivering a parenting support program aimed at enhancing empathy among nursing university students. We conducted the single-session program for 171 first-year students in FY A and FY B, as well as for 82 second-year students in FY A. The session was integrated into regular classes. Questionnaires were administered before and after the program to compare its effect. Both first- and second-year students showed an increase in the subscales of the Perspective Taking component in the Multidimensional Empathy Scale after the program. Mean empathy subscale scores increased significantly in all first-year students. The second-year students showed increased confidence in childbirth care and family planning. This program was effective in providing nursing students with an opportunity to consider their future life plans within the context of learning about reproductive health

Repurposing bromocriptine for Aβ metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease (REBRAnD) study : randomised placebo-controlled double-blind comparative trial and open-label extension trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of bromocriptine in Alzheimer’s disease with presenilin 1 (PSEN1) mutations

Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common causes of dementia. Pathogenic variants in the presenilin 1 (PSEN1) gene are the most frequent cause of early-onset AD. Medications for patients with AD bearing PSEN1 mutation (PSEN1-AD) are limited to symptomatic therapies and no established radical treatments are available. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based drug repurposing identified bromocriptine as a therapeutic candidate for PSEN1-AD. In this study, we used an enrichment strategy with iPSCs to select the study population, and we will investigate the safety and efficacy of an orally administered dose of bromocriptine in patients with PSEN1-AD. Methods and analysis This is a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. AD patients with PSEN1 mutations and a Mini Mental State Examination-Japanese score of ≤25 will be randomly assigned, at a 2:1 ratio, to the trial drug or placebo group (≥4 patients in TW-012R and ≥2 patients in placebo). This clinical trial consists of a screening period, double-blind phase (9 months) and extension phase (3 months). The double-blind phase for evaluating the efficacy and safety is composed of the low-dose maintenance period (10 mg/day), high-dose maintenance period (22.5 mg/day) and tapering period of the trial drug. Additionally, there is an open-labelled active drug extension period for evaluating long-term safety. Primary outcomes are safety and efficacy in cognitive and psychological function. Also, exploratory investigations for the efficacy of bromocriptine by neurological scores and biomarkers will be conducted. Ethics and dissemination The proposed trial is conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki, and was approved by the Institutional Review Board (K070). The study results are expected to be disseminated at international or national conferences and published in international journals following the peer-review process