Work-related allergy in medical doctors: atopy, exposure to domestic animals, eczema induced by common chemicals and membership of the surgical profession as potential risk factors

Purpose To investigate the risk factors associated with work-related allergy-like symptoms in medical doctors. Methods Self-administered questionnaire survey and CAP test were conducted among medical school students in the 4th grade of their 6-year medical course in 1993–1996 and 1999–2001. Follow-up questionnaires were sent in 2004 to the graduates. These questionnaires enquired into personal and family history of allergic diseases, lifestyle, history of allergy-like symptoms including work-relatedness and occupational history as medical doctors. Relationships between allergy-like symptoms and relevant factors were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Of 261 respondents at the follow-up survey, 139 (53.3%) and 54 (20.7%) had a history of any allergy-like symptoms and any work-related allergy-like symptoms, respectively. Female gender and family history of allergic diseases were signiWcantly associated with any allergy-like symptoms. Personal history of allergic disease, exposure to domestic animals, eczema caused by rubber gloves, metallic accessories, or cosmetics during schooling days, and membership of the surgical profession were signiW- cant risk factors for work-related allergy-like symptoms. On the contrary, to work-related allergy-like symptoms, gender, age, and smoking status were not signiWcantly related, and consumption of prepared foods was inversely related. Conclusions Personal history of atopy and eczema induced by common goods and the history of keeping domestic animals may be predictors of work-related allergy-like symptoms in doctors. After graduation from medical school, physicians start with exposure to various allergens and irritants at work, which relate to work-related allergy-like symptoms, especially for surgeons

Skin Sensitization Study by Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR)

In silico assessment of skin sensitization is increasingly needed owing to the problems concerning animal welfare, as well as excessive time consumed and cost involved in the development and testing of new chemicals. Skin sensitization positive/negative prediction models with discriminant function were generated and parameter analysis was discussed on the basis of QSAR technology. Samples used in this research were selected from the list of "Maximale Arbeitsplatz-Konzentration" (MAK) and "Biologischer Arbeitsstoff-Toleranz-Wert" (BAT) values 2008, Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for positive samples (skin sensitizers) and from the classification results of the Japanese Globally Harmonized-System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Inter-ministerial Committee of the National Institute for Technology and Evaluation for negative skin sensitizers (controls). A total of 291 compounds (122 positive sensitizers and 169 negative sensitizers) were used in this study. Parameters were generated from 2-D and 3-D structures of compounds. All of the approximately 800 parameters generated were reduced to 47 parameter sets and 32 parameter sets by feature selection. Various linear and non-linear discriminant analysis methods were applied using 2 parameter sets. A11 data analyses were performed using ADMEWORKS/ModelBuilder software. Perfect classification ratios (100%) were achieved using Support Vector Machine and AdaBoost for 32 parameters. The highest prediction ratio of 81.44% by Leave-Ten-Out Cross-Validation was achieved with Neutral Network for 47 parameter sets. Log P was not found to be important. This is the first QSAR model for skin sensitization from Japan. Future studies of this QSAR model are needed to improve its efficacy

保育者養成短期大学の多様性を見据えた 授業や行事（活動）の取り組み

近年本学で行われてきた保育者養成における多様性を見据えた授業や行事（活動）について検討した。本学の特色となる、子どもの多様性を理解し、それを踏まえた保育の展開を促す意味で、これまで教員はそれ ぞれインクルーシブ保育の学びを授業にとりいれる等、授業や行事（活動）を工夫してきた。本論文ではそ れらの授業を示すとともに、今年さらに展開された本学の学内にあるビオトープ「植草共生の森」を活用し た活動による、学生が自分自身の感性を磨き本質に触れる等、学びの質を視野に入れた授業を示した。本研 究は、このような短大教員の専門性を活かした様々な授業や活動はバラバラに存在するのではなく、学生が多様な人や子どもと付き合うことや多様な活動を経験することで多様な見方ができることによって、インクルーシブ保育を促進する保育者を養成する助けとなっていることを明らかにした