Integrated Activities of Art Making and Appreciation through Curation : Lessons in the Unit "Create Your Own Art Museum" in Junior High School

対話型鑑賞を導入した授業によって「見る」経験を積み、美術作品に親しんできた岡山市内の公立中学校2年生を対象として、平成18年度に実施した美術家単元「国吉康雄　オリジナル美術館を創る」の実践について、報告と考察を行う。 本単元は、岡山県立美術館で開催された「国吉康雄」展での鑑賞体験を、表現活動と結び付けて展開したものである。立案と実施にあたっては、学習者の立場を「見る」側から「見せる」側へ転換させ、作品収集や研究活動から展示・教育普及活動に至るまでの美術館関係者の仕事、特に展示企画（キュレーション）をモデル化し、美術館（展覧会）を創るという表現の必然と価値を見出していくことを重視した

Effects of Alcohol on Membrane Fluidity of Human Erythrocyte

Membrane fluidity in human erythrocytes was measured by a spin label method using an electron spin resonance spectrometer in healthy volunteers after ingestion of alcohol (1.5 ml of whisky/kg body weight). Fluidity in the lipid bilayer closer to the hydrophilic face decreased at 30 min and 90 min, and fluidity in the hydrophobic core decreased at 90 min after ingestion of alcohol. In the same experiment, the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the serum decreased 30 min after ingestion of alcohol, and the triglyceride level increased and free fatty acid level decreased, and serum superoxide dismutase activity increased 150 min after ingestion. Furthermore, membrane fluidity in human erythrocytes was examined in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome who had not any alcohol for about 26 months. Erythrocyte membrane fluidity of patients with alcohol dependence syndrome was not different from that of healthy controls. However, erythrocyte membrane fluidity of the lipid bilayer closer to the hydrophilic face increased in patients who had concomitant liver cirrhosis compared with those who did not. These results suggest that alcohol affects temporal change of membrane fluidity in human erythrocytes.</p

Plasma S100A12 Levels and Peripheral Arterial Disease in End-Stage Renal Disease

Background: S100A12 is an endogenous ligand of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). Plasma S100A12 levels are high in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common in HD patients and is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates in this population. To date, however, no study has specifically assessed the relationship between plasma S100A12 and PAD in HD patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 152 HD patients in our affiliated hospital. We investigated PAD history and patient characteristics and quantified plasma S100A12 levels in all participants. Results: HD patients with PAD (n = 26; 21.9 [13.6–33.4] ng/ml) showed significantly higher plasma S100A12 levels than HD patients without PAD (n = 126; 11.8 [7.5–17.6]ng/ml; p Conclusion: These results suggest that plasma S100A12 levels are strongly associated with PAD prevalence in ESRD patients undergoing HD

Pathway to psychiatric care in Japan: A multicenter observational study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study examines pathways to psychiatric care in Japan using the same method as the collaborative study carried out in 1991 under the auspices of the World Health Organization.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirteen psychiatric facilities in Japan were involved. Of the 228 patients who contacted psychiatric facilities with any psychiatric illness, eighty four visiting psychiatric facilities for the first time were enrolled. Pathways to psychiatric care, delays from the onset of illness to treatment prior to reaching psychiatrists were surveyed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty three patients (39.4%) directly accessed mental health professionals, 32 patients (38.1%) reached them via general hospital, and 13 patients (15.5%) via private practitioners. The patients who consulted mental health professionals as their first carers took a longer time before consulting psychiatrists than the patients who consulted non-mental health professionals as their first carers. The patients who presented somatic symptoms as their main problem experienced longer delay from the onset of illness to psychiatric care than the patients who complained about depressive or anxiety symptoms. Prior to the visit to mental health professionals, patients were rarely informed about their diagnosis and did not receive appropriate treatments from their physicians. Private practitioners were more likely to prescribe psychotropics than physicians in general hospitals, but were less likely to inform their patients of their diagnosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This first pathway to psychiatric care study in Japan demonstrated that referral pathway in Japan heavily relies on medical resources. The study indicates possible fields and gives indications, underlining the importance of improving skills and knowledge that will facilitate the recognition of psychiatric disorders presenting with somatic and depressive symptoms in the general health care system and by private practitioners.</p

Lifestyle Habits Adjustment for Hypertension and Discontinuation of Antihypertensive Agents

Background: Hypertension is one of lifestyle-related diseases, and prevention and effect of reduction pressure can be expected by non-pharmacological interventions. Authors have continued guidance of adjustment for lifestyle to thousands of hypertensive patients, resulting 4.6%-6.1% case could discontinue hypertensive agents. This study enrolled patients with all necessary related data. Subjects and methods: Subjects were 50 patients with hypertension (M/F: 25/25, age 65.4 ± 8.6 vs. 53.4 ± 6.2 years, BMI 23.4 ± 2.7 vs. 22.3 ± 2.5, respectively), who could discontinued antihypertensive agents. They received consultation and intervention from registered dietitian nutritionists, exercise therapists and nurses. Results: The comparative results on males and females are as follows: smoking habit was 76% vs. 0%, alcohol intake was 60% vs. 0%, diabetes complication was 16% vs. 8%, and hyperlipidemia was 32% vs. 52%, respectively. These cases showed rare to none incidence of cerebral vascular accident (CVA), coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Consultations in median were 4.0 vs. 4.0 times, median weight reduction was 2.2 kg vs. 1.6 kg and median period withdrawal of the drug was 2.0 years vs. 2.5 years. Discussion and conclusion: When living adjustment is advised, blood pressure decreases due to behavior change. Our results suggest that these cases have less arteriosclerosis development, which enables withdrawal of medicine. It is necessary to carefully observe the progress whether the antihypertensive drug will be unnecessary or will be restarted. Current results obtained would become the fundamental data in the future, and the adjustment for diet and exercise would be useful for more adequate treatment for hypertension

Targeting miR-223 in neutrophils enhances the clearance of Staphylococcus aureus in infected wounds

Abstract Argonaute 2 bound mature microRNA (Ago2‐miRNA) complexes are key regulators of the wound inflammatory response and function in the translational processing of target mRNAs. In this study, we identified four wound inflammation‐related Ago2‐miRNAs (miR‐139‐5p, miR‐142‐3p, miR‐142‐5p, and miR‐223) and show that miR‐223 is critical for infection control. miR‐223Y/− mice exhibited delayed sterile healing with prolonged neutrophil activation and interleukin‐6 expression, and markedly improved repair of Staphylococcus aureus‐infected wounds. We also showed that the expression of miR‐223 was regulated by CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha in human neutrophils after exposure to S. aureus peptides. Treatment with miR‐223Y/−‐derived neutrophils, or miR‐223 antisense oligodeoxynucleotides in S. aureus‐infected wild‐type wounds markedly improved the healing of these otherwise chronic, slow healing wounds. This study reveals how miR‐223 regulates the bactericidal capacity of neutrophils at wound sites and indicates that targeting miR‐223 might be of therapeutic benefit for infected wounds in the clinic