Zika Virus Infection at Different Pregnancy Stages: Anatomopathological Findings, Target Cells and Viral Persistence in Placental Tissues

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in humans has been associated with congenital malformations and other neurological disorders, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome. The mechanism(s) of ZIKV intrauterine transmission, the cell types involved, the most vulnerable period of pregnancy for severe outcomes from infection and other physiopathological aspects are not completely elucidated. In this study, we analyzed placental samples obtained at the time of delivery from a group of 24 women diagnosed with ZIKV infection during the first, second or third trimesters of pregnancy. Villous immaturity was the main histological finding in the placental tissues, although placentas without alterations were also frequently observed. Significant enhancement of the number of syncytial sprouts was observed in the placentas of women infected during the third trimester, indicating the development of placental abnormalities after ZIKV infection. Hyperplasia of Hofbauer cells (HCs) was also observed in these third-trimester placental tissues, and remarkably, HCs were the only ZIKV-positive fetal cells found in the placentas studied that persisted until birth, as revealed by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Thirty-three percent of women infected during pregnancy delivered infants with congenital abnormalities, although no pattern correlating the gestational stage at infection, the IHC positivity of HCs in placental tissues and the presence of congenital malformations at birth was observed. Placental tissue analysis enabled us to confirm maternal ZIKV infection in cases where serum from the acute infection phase was not available, which reinforces the importance of this technique in identifying possible causal factors of birth defects. The results we observed in the samples from naturally infected pregnant women may contribute to the understanding of some aspects of the pathophysiology of ZIKV

〈論文〉教員が学生に与える性格的印象と授業評価の関連性

著者専攻(森): 英語教育学・応用言語学, 著者専攻(田邉): 英語教育

授業評価アンケート調査から読み取れる学生の意識と授業の課題(2)--近畿大学法学部英語科目群の分析を通して

[Abstract] As a part of faculty development, most universities now administer student course and teacher evaluation questionnaires in one form or another. Kinki University also started to conduct a campus-wide survey in a unified format in 2008. However, the questionnaire results are usually returned to instructors for individual inspection, and are not yet analyzed systematically. Thus, this paper statistically analyzed part of the survey results that are related to English classes in order to better understand the students\u27 opinions regarding the courses and teachers, and to improve our English programs. Specifically, this study attempted to investigate: (1) how first and second year students evaluate their required English classes and their teachers; (2) how their class and teacher evaluations differ depending on types of classes; (3) how their class and teacher evaluations differ depending on student\u27s proficiency; and (4) what factors contribute to the overall rating of the class and teacher. [要旨] 大学改革の推進とともに学生による授業評価アンケート調査も定着してきたが、単純に集計した結果を個々の教員に返却するだけに留めていては、授業評価が有効的に活用されているとは言い難い。体系的・統計的にその結果を分析し、科学的根拠にもとついたデータをもとに組織レベルで問題点や課題の発見に努め、状況改善のための方策を検討する必要があるだろう。本稿では、近畿大学法学部で実施した授業評価結果を英語科目に焦点を当て、以下の観点から統計的に分析することにより、法学部英語プログラムの現状把握を試み、授業改善のための諸課題を検討した。(1) 1回生と2回生は英語基幹科目の授業とその担当者をどのように評価しているのか。(2) 科目の違いによって授業評価の結果にどのような差異があるのか。(3) 習熟度の違いによって授業評価の結果にどのような差異が生じるのか。(4) 総合評価に影響を及ぼす要因は何か