障害を持つ子どもときょうだいを育てる父親の思い

【目的】本研究では、障害を持つ子どもときょうだいを育てるにあたっての父親の思いを明らかにすることを目 的とした。 【方法】障害を持つ子どもを含めて２人以上の子どもを持つ父親16名を対象に、自由記述形式の自記式質問紙調 査を行い、Berelson, Bの内容分析を用いて分析した。 【結果】障害を持つ子どもときょうだいを育てる父親の思いとして、「障害を持つ子どもとの関わり方」「子ども を育てる上での教育方針」「「障害をもつ子どもに対して感じること」「きょうだい間に対して感じること」「きょ うだいに対して感じること」「障害を持つ子どもを育てるにあたっての苦労」「障害を持つ子どもの将来への心配」 の７カテゴリが形成された。 【考察】父親の思いは、先行研究に示されている母親の思いと共通する面もあるが、母親に比べ「きょうだい同 じように育てている」という思いが見られるという相違点もあった。また、健常児と同様の期待をしてしまう一 方甘やかしてしまうという葛藤を抱いていることも明らかとなった

A Candidate for Multitopic Probes for Ligand Discovery in Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry

Multifunctionalized materials are expected to be versatile probes to find specific interactions between a ligand and a target biomaterial. Thus, efficient methods to prepare possible combinations of the functionalities is desired. The concept of dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC) is ideal for the generation of any possible combination, as well as screening for target biomaterials. Here, we propose a new molecular design of multitopic probes for ligand discovery in DCC. We synthesized a new Gable Porphyrin, GP1, having prop-2-yne groups as a scaffold to introduce various functional groups. GP1 is a bis(imidazolylporphyrinatozinc) compound connected through a 1,3-phenylene moiety, and it gives macrocycles spontaneously and quantitatively by strong imidazole-to-zinc complementary coordination. Some different types of functional groups were introduced into GP1 in high yields. Formation of heterogeneous macrocycles composed of GP1 derivatives having different types of substituents was accomplished under equilibrium conditions. These results promise that enormous numbers of macrocycles having various functional groups can be provided when the kinds of GP components increase. These features are desirable for DCC, and the present system using GP1 is a potential candidate to provide a dynamic combinatorial library of multitopic probes to discover specific interactions between a ligand and a biomaterial

Plant stem cell research is uncovering the secrets of longevity and persistent growth

Plant stem cells have several extraordinary features: they are generated de novo during development and regeneration, maintain their pluripotency, and produce another stem cell niche in an orderly manner. This enables plants to survive for an extended period and to continuously make new organs, representing a clear difference in their developmental program from animals. To uncover regulatory principles governing plant stem cell characteristics, our research project ‘Principles of pluripotent stem cells underlying plant vitality’ was launched in 2017, supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas from the Japanese government. Through a collaboration involving 28 research groups, we aim to identify key factors that trigger epigenetic reprogramming and global changes in gene networks, and thereby contribute to stem cell generation. Pluripotent stem cells in the shoot apical meristem are controlled by cytokinin and auxin, which also play a crucial role in terminating stem cell activity in the floral meristem; therefore, we are focusing on biosynthesis, metabolism, transport, perception, and signaling of these hormones. Besides, we are uncovering the mechanisms of asymmetric cell division and of stem cell death and replenishment under DNA stress, which will illuminate plant-specific features in preserving stemness. Our technology support groups expand single-cell omics to describe stem cell behavior in a spatiotemporal context, and provide correlative light and electron microscopic technology to enable live imaging of cell and subcellular dynamics at high spatiotemporal resolution. In this perspective, we discuss future directions of our ongoing projects and related research fields

Lactosylceramide synthases encoded by B4galt5 and 6 genes are pivotal for neuronal generation and myelin formation in mice

糖脂質ガングリオシドが脳の形成に必須であることを解明 --神経系の構築異常のモデルを提示--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2018-08-28.It is uncertain which β4-galactosyltransferase (β4GalT; gene name, B4galt), β4GalT-5 and/or β4GalT-6, is responsible for the production of lactosylceramide (LacCer) synthase, which functions in the initial step of ganglioside biosynthesis. Here, we generated conditional B4galt5 knockout (B4galt5 cKO) mice, using Nestin-Cre mice, and crossed these with B4galt6 KO mice to generate B4galt5 and 6 double KO (DKO) mice in the central nervous system (CNS). LacCer synthase activity and major brain gangliosides were completely absent in brain homogenates from the DKO mice, although LacCer synthase activity was about half its normal level in B4galt5 cKO mice and B4galt6 KO mice. The DKO mice were born normally but they showed growth retardation and motor deficits at 2 weeks and died by 4 weeks of age. Histological analyses showed that myelin-associated proteins were rarely found localized in axons in the cerebral cortex, and axonal and myelin formation were remarkably impaired in the spinal cords of the DKO mice. Neuronal cells, differentiated from neurospheres that were prepared from the DKO mice, showed impairments in neurite outgrowth and branch formation, which can be explained by the fact that neurospheres from DKO mice could weakly interact with laminin due to lack of gangliosides, such as GM1a. Furthermore, the neurons were immature and perineuronal nets (PNNs) were poorly formed in DKO cerebral cortices. Our results indicate that LacCer synthase is encoded by B4galt5 and 6 genes in the CNS, and that gangliosides are indispensable for neuronal maturation, PNN formation, and axonal and myelin formation