DV被害女性の心理的自立支援のためのサポートグループの開発とその効果に関する一研究

本研究は, DV被害女性のためのサポートグループの開発とその効果について検討することを目的とした。研究1では, DV被害女性のためのサポートグループの効果に関する仮説を提示することを目的として, サポートグループに参加した7名のDV被害女性のプロセス分析を行った。その結果, 1.DV被害への囚われ, 2.　DV被害の客観的理解, 3.過去のトラウマ体験への直面, 4.自己肯定感の表明, 5.現在最も深刻な被害への直面, 6.現実的対処の提案という6つの段階を経て心理的自立を促進させるという仮説が見出された。続く研究2では, 研究1で提示されたサポートグループの効果に関する仮説を検証するために, 別のグループに参加した3人のDV被害女性のプロセス分析を行った。その結果, 5の段階を除く, 5つの段階(1～4, 及び6)が妥当なものとして確認された。これにより, サポートグループの効果に関する仮説はほぼ支持されたと言える。The purpose of this study is to develop a support group for helping women victimized by DV (Domestic Violence) and to examine its effects. In the first study, we provided the process analysis with seven women victimized by DV to formulate some hypotheses on the effects of the support group. As a result, we obtained the following six hypotheses: 1. persistence in DV victimization; 2. an objective understanding of DV victimization; 3. confrontation with the psychological traumatic experiences in the past; 4. an expression of self affirmation; 5. confrontation with the severest victimization; 6. suggestions for realistic coping. In the second study, we provided the process analysis with three women victimized by DV to examine the validity of each hypothesis. Our results revealed that the hypotheses on the effects of the support group was almost all valid because all hypotheses of them were supported except 5

Structural and functional analyses of the Arg-Gly-Asp sequence introduced into human lysozyme

This research was originally published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. T Yamada, M Matsushima, K Inaka, T Ohkubo, A Uyeda, T Maeda, K Titani, K Sekiguchi and M Kikuchi. Structural and functional analyses of the Arg-Gly-Asp sequence introduced into human lysozyme. J. Biol. Chem. 1993; 268: 10588-10592 © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog

Normal mitochondrial respiratory function is essential for spatial remote memory in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with pathogenic mutations has been found in patients with cognitive disorders. However, little is known about whether pathogenic mtDNA mutations and the resultant mitochondrial respiration deficiencies contribute to the expression of cognitive alterations, such as impairments of learning and memory. To address this point, we used two groups of <it>trans</it>-mitochondrial mice (mito-mice) with heteroplasmy for wild-type and pathogenically deleted (Δ) mtDNA; the "low" group carried 50% or less ΔmtDNA, and the "high" group carried more than 50% ΔmtDNA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both groups had normal phenotypes for not only spatial learning, but also memory at short retention delays, indicating that ΔmtDNA load did not affect learning and temporal memory. The high group, however, showed severe impairment of memory at long retention delays. In the visual cortex and dentate gyrus of these mice, we observed mitochondrial respiration deficiencies, and reduced Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent kinase II-α (α-CaMKII), a protein important for the establishment of spatial remote memory.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicated that normal mitochondrial respiratory function is necessary for retention and consolidation of memory trace; deficiencies in this function due to high loads of pathogenically mutated mtDNA are responsible for the preferential impairment of spatial remote memory.</p

Fatal Asthma with Rhabdomyolysis Induced by Hair Dye

Hair dyes have been reported to cause exacerbation of asthma in hairdressers through occupational exposure. We report a 54-year-old housewife who developed a fatal asthma attack following the use of a hair dye at home. She was admitted semiconscious with multiple organ failure. Laboratory findings were indicative of rhabdomyolysis. Skin prick and interdermal tests with hair dyes were performed. Hair dyes can be nonspecific stimuli that cause an asthma attack. But in our case, we cannot deny the possibility that the attack resulted from antigen-antibody reaction by the hair dye. We should warn that hair dyes can cause an asthma attack not only through occupational exposure but also through occasional domestic use