Generalised Acanthosis Nigricans in Childhood with Short Stature Associated with Poor Response to Growth Hormone Provocation

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a skin disorder characterised by skin hyperpigmentation and thickening, especially in the intertriginous regions. AN is usually classified as either malignant, benign, obesity-associated, syndromic, unilateral, acral, drug-induced and mixed (1). A generalised form of AN frequently occurs together with internal malignancy in adult patients, but it is rare in childhood (2-7). Here, we report a paediatric case of generalised AN associated with short stature accompanied with decreased growth hormone levels.ArticleACTA DERMATO-VENEREOLOGICA. 94(4):486-487 (2014)journal articl

What is ‘Being Learned’ in The Period for Integrated Studies?: Problems and possibilities for teaching derived from a student survey

Based on a retrospective survey of university students, this paper clarifies their perceptions about what was learned in the curriculum of The Period for Integrated Studies in Japanese high schools. Based on the results of the survey, we examined the kind of teaching that is necessary and effective. The results revealed the following: First, according to the learners’ experiences and perceptions, those who had more experience with the “presentation” method were more likely to experience improvement in the various skills that the curriculum aimed to develop. Second, it was observed that graduates from high schools that place more emphasis on preparing students to enter university tend to use the “presentation” method. These two points indicate that the “presentation” learning method plays an important role in the integrated studies curriculum in high schools. This finding emphasizes the importance of the “presentation” learning method and encourages teachers to employ it to attain the goals of the curriculum of The Period for Integrated Studies

A preliminary study on the infection of anisakid larvae in juvenile greater amberjack Seriola dumerili imported from China to Japan as mariculture seedlings

Juvenile greater amberjack Seriola dumerili (fork length: 39.5-43.0 cm) imported from China to Japan as mariculture seedlings were found infected with larval anisakid nematodes in the spring of 2005. The parasite was morphologically identified as Anisakis type I larva causing human anisakiasis. Based on the nucleotide sequence of ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region, the parasite was tentatively identified as A. pegreffii, one of the species comprising A. simplex sensu lato. The main infection site was the wall and serous membrane of the stomach. No worms were found in the ventral side of the body muscle of fish. This is the first documented case of Anisakis infection in cultured marine fishes

Transcription Factors Runx1 and Runx3 Suppress Keratin Expression in Undifferentiated Keratinocytes

The Runt-related transcription factor (Runx) family has been suggested to play roles in stem cell regulation, tissue development, and oncogenesis in various tissues/organs. In this study, we investigated the possible functions of Runx1 and Runx3 in keratinocyte differentiation. Both Runx1 and Runx3 proteins were detected in primary cultures of mouse keratinocytes. Proteins were localized in the nuclei of undifferentiated keratinocytes but translocated to the cytoplasm of differentiated cells. The siRNA-mediated inhibition of Runx1 and Runx3 expression increased expression of keratin 1 and keratin 10, which are early differentiation markers of keratinocytes. In contrast, overexpression of Runx1 and Runx3 suppressed keratin 1 and keratin 10 expression. Endogenous Runx1 and Runx3 proteins were associated with the promoter sequences of keratin 1 and keratin 10 genes in undifferentiated but not differentiated keratinocytes. In mouse skin, the inhibition of Runx1 and Runx3 expression by keratinocyte-specific gene targeting increased the ratios of keratin 1- and keratin 10-positive cells in the basal layer of the epidermis. On the other hand, inhibition of Runx1 and Runx3 expression did not alter the proliferation capacity of cultured or epidermal keratinocytes. These results suggest that Runx1 and Runx3 likely function to directly inhibit differentiation-induced expression of keratin 1 and keratin 10 genes but are not involved in the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation