外国語科教科化に対する小学校教員の意識調査：第2言語習得からの示唆

小学校において外国語科が教科となる2020 年が目前に迫る中、小学校教員は教科化についてどう考えるのか。教科化を肯定的にとらえる点およびその懸念点を自由記述によるアンケートとしてデータ収集したものを、頻度抽出語および共起ネットワークによるテキストマイニングの2 種類の方法で分析した。結果として、児童および教育的観点から教科化は好ましいと考えられる傾向があり、教科化は児童との肯定的な関係性が示唆される一方、教員の立場からは、教員の負担増、英語力不足、制度が万全とは言い難いなど、懸念項目は教員が要因である記述が多くみられた。この結果に基づき第2 言語習得の観点から英語教育に必要な研究および研修内容についての提言を示す。Starting in 2020, English will become a core subject for fifth and sixth graders in Japanese elementary schools. This is one of the biggest changes in the new Course of Study (MEXT, 2017) and the past two years have been a “transitional period” in order to prepare for the reform. Reflecting this historical period as a backdrop, the present research was carried out to explore how elementary school teachers perceive the change. An open-ended questionnaire was distributed to examine what benefits and difficulties these teachers perceive this change is going to bring. The open-ended questionnaires collected from 84 respondents were analyzed in two ways: 1) word frequency; and 2) co-occurrence networks. The results show that the teachers perceive English becoming a core subject brings a positive impact because it should improve children’s English abilities and raise their motivation. On the other hand, the fact that some teachers lack confidence in English and that there are some systematic inconsistency are seen as reasons for concerns. The current paper concludes with some pedagogical implications that might help teachers cope with the change

小学校英語担当教員の研修に対する意識調査

2020 年から教科化される外国語科、及び低学年化される外国語活動の小学校での外国語（英語）教育に関しては、いまだに賛否両論が喧しいが、移行措置が始まり小学校現場では時数の確保にも苦慮しながら指導への模索が続く。担任主導で指導することに変更はなく、従って担任の負担は軽減されることはなく、むしろ外国人指導助手や日本人英語指導担当者とのティームティーチングなど新たな指導形態が増加する模様である。本稿は、小学校の教員に紙面媒体による意識調査を行いそのニーズの分析を行ってきたものの中から、特に研修に焦点を当て、さらに個別インタビュー調査を通して浮上する課題を検討するものである。結果として指導内容や指導方法、指導者の英語力や評価など、山積する課題の中でも特に指導者の懸念は予測されていたものであるとはいえ、詳細な対応が喫緊の課題であることが明確になった。English education in Japanese elementary schools will be formally implemented in 2020, but it is not without various challenges and anxieties. Among them are, who will teach and what will be taught, as well as when to teach English in an already tightly-packed elementary school timetable. The writers have been working on a needs analysis of in-service teachers, to bring out current issues in depth, particularly in this time of systematic transitional period. The needs are looked at through a pedagogical and practical viewpoint, and analysed from the aspects of functional requirements and anxieties. The findings are based on paper-format questionnaires and individual interviews. The purpose of this paper is to clarify such needs and define the teachers’ perceptions of training, so as to be able to design future professional development programs that optimize expertise of teachers

Abdominal obesity exhibits distinct effect on inflammatory and anti-inflammatory proteins in apparently healthy Japanese men

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since visceral fat tissue is known to release various inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, abdominal obesity may play a key role in the inflammation associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, few studies have determined precise relationships of abdominal obesity with inflammatory markers in MetS. To clarify the importance of abdominal obesity in sub-clinical inflammation, we examined the changes of inflammatory markers in clustering of MetS components with or without abdominal obesity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects consisted of 326 apparently healthy Japanese men (age: 30 to 59 years) who underwent health examination in the Osaka University Health Care Center. MetS components were assessed and serum levels of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin (IL)-6 and adiponectin were examined in all subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Subjects with abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 85 cm) showed higher serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels and a lower adiponectin level than those without abdominal obesity. Serum levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 significantly increased in association with clustering of MetS components in the subjects with abdominal obesity, but not in those without abdominal obesity. On the other hand, serum adiponectin level exhibited a little change with clustering of MetS components in the subjects with abdominal obesity. Significant negative correlation between adiponectin and hs-CRP was observed in the subjects with abdominal obesity, however this correlation was not detected in obese subjects defined by body mass index ≥ 25.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Inflammatory status is not exaggerated by clustering of MetS components in the subjects without abdominal obesity. Abdominal obesity may exhibit distinct effect on inflammatory and anti-inflammatory proteins and modulate inflammatory network in MetS.</p

小学校英語に関する意識調査：小学校教員の視点から

小学校に英語が教科として導入見通しとなり、日本の英語教育は大きな転換期を迎えている。本研究の目的は小学校教員を調査対象とし、質問紙を通して現場の小学校教員はそれについてどう考えているかという実態調査を行うことである。本稿はその初期段階の研究発表として、Can-Do 評価尺度形式の質問項目を含む質問紙作成の主旨や手順を明らかにする。またその質問紙を用いて1）小学校教員が「教室英語」「Team Teaching」という観点から、英語教授実践力をどう自己評価しているか、2）小学校教員がこれまでどういった英語研修を受講したか、またこれからどういった研修が必要であるかと考えているかを実態調査する。この2 点の結果を踏まえ、小学校教員が必要とする英語実践能力、およびそれを可能にするにはどういった研修内容や形式が必要であるかを示唆する。The introduction of English education in Japanese elementary schools is approaching and this suggests a significant turning point for the English educational system in Japan. The purpose of this study is to conduct a questionnaire study with Japanese elementary school teachers, in order to explore how they perceive this critical change. The present paper examines the process of questionnaire construction, which includes ‘Can-Do’ list formats in order to verify its validity and reliability. The paper further explores 1） how the teachers evaluate their teaching abilities regarding “classroom English” and “team teaching,” and 2） what trainings these teachers have received regarding English education and what they consider they need further. Based on the results, the paper suggests pedagogical and further research implications

Osimertinib as treatment for EGFR exon 20 insertion-positive lung adenocarcinoma

A 20-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion gene mutation. Although the patient underwent chemotherapy, her lesions progressed. Liquid biopsy for EGFR T790M mutation showed negative results. After administering osimertinib, reduction of the lesions at the primary site was observed, and the patient’s respiratory condition improved. Previous reports showing successful treatment of EGFR exon 20 insertion-positive lung adenocarcinoma with the standard osimertinib dose of 80 mg are limited. The present case demonstrated that osimertinib could be a possible treatment option for EGFR exon 20 insertion-positive lung adenocarcinoma

Enhanced interleukin-10 signaling with 14-member macrolides in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages

Immunomodulatory effects of 14-member macrolides, namely erythromycin (EM) and clarithromycin (CAM), have been reported in chronic respiratory infectious diseases. It has been suggested that 14-member macrolides have immunomodulatory effects on various lung cells such as alveolar macrophages. Interleukin (IL)-10 is an immunomodulatory cytokine that performs an irreplaceable role in negatively regulating inflammation, primarily via a mechanism that selectively blocks the expression of pro-inflammatory genes. It activates sig-nal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3, and subsequently induces the suppres-sor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS-3), resulting in the resolution of inflammatory response in macrophages. However, it has been still unclear whether 14-member macrolides exert immu-nomodulatory effects via IL-10 signaling pathway. We aimed to evaluate whether 14-member macrolides affect the IL-10 signaling pathway. The RAW264.7 macrophage cell line was pre-treated with EM or CAM, and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The levels of IL-10, IL-10 receptor, phosphorylated (p) STAT-3, and SOCS-3 were determined by RT-PCR, ELISA and immunoblotting. We observed increased levels of IL-10, p-STAT-3 and SOCS-3 in the treated cells. In addition, while the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α 6 h after LPS stimulation was equal between vehicle-treated and CAM-treated macrophage cells, those of CAM-treated cells were repressed 36 h following LPS stimulation, compared with those of the control cells. Therefore, the 14-member macrolides may initiate an early resolution of inflammation, in part, via the enhancement of the IL-10/STAT-3/SOCS-3 pathway

4 技能からみる小学校教員の英語力：自己評価を通して

小学校では2020 年から外国語（英語）が教科化され、これまでの国際理解とコミュニケーションの素地を育成するという目標から語学としての学習へと転換される。大きく変わる点はこれまでの「聞く・話す」と「慣れ親しむ」、から「読む・書く」を加えた4 技能の学習が中心になることである。指導は担任主導であることに変化なく、従って担任の役割はより大きく、指導力が問われることになる。外国語教科化に向けて移行措置が始まり小学校現場では時数の確保にも苦慮しながら指導への模索が続く。それを踏まえ本稿は、質問用紙による実態調査を基に小学校教員の英語の4 技能についての分析を行ったものである。自己評価の中から浮かび上がる「読む、書く、聞く、話す」の4 技能の課題を検討し、スキルアップの研修等に役立てることの示唆を得る。また大学で英語教員や児童英語指導者を養成する上でスキルの向上に適応できる工夫を考察する。English Education in elementary schools is facing a drastic change from 2020 when English becomes a formal subject for fifth and sixth graders. It has been treated as ‘activity’ with instruction focused on listening and speaking. However, in the new system, all classroom teachers will also be required to teach reading and writing. This critical change will impact pedagogy, teaching materials and future teacher development. The main purpose of this study is to measure elementary school teachers’ English ability based on self-evaluation questionnaire. The study also identifies what kind of training and resources are necessary to best support these teachers in the transition to 2020

Effect of vasodilators in patient with pulmonary hypertension associated with hemolytic anemia

AbstractPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been described to associate with hemolytic anemia in updated clinical classification of pulmonary hypertension. A 56-year-old woman, diagnosed with warm antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), was treated with oral corticosteroids at the Department of Hematology, Osaka University Hospital for 30 years. Her AIHA worsened 3 months before the admission, and she was treated with rituximab and cyclosporine in combination with prednisolone. Soon after she left the hospital, she developed dyspnea on effort and leg edema, therefore she was re-admitted to the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine. Echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization demonstrated PAH associated with AIHA. She was treated with three types of vasodilatory agents, resulting in an improvement in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance after 6 weeks. A few weeks after she left the hospital, her hemolytic anemia became in remission without intensifying AIHA therapy, and did not worsen for a year of follow-up. Although corticosteroids are the first-line treatment for AIHA, medications for PAH should be considered when the first-line therapy for AIHA failed to improve PAH

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in the anterior mediastinum with a rapidly progressive course

A 77-year-old woman with heart failure was admitted to our hospital. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed an anterior mediastinal tumor. CT-guided biopsy revealed a malignant nonepithelial tumor of unknown origin. She was not treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy because of her poor clinical condition. She died 33 days after admission. Following autopsy, we confirmed that the mediastinal tumor had infiltrated the large blood vessels. After final histological examination, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed. Primary mediastinal sarcomas are very rare; clinicians should be aware of their possibility because some cases may progress rapidly as evidenced in this case