The Japanese Society of Pathology Guidelines on the handling of pathological tissue samples for genomic research: Standard operating procedures based on empirical analyses

Genome research using appropriately collected pathological tissue samples is expected to yield breakthroughs in the development of biomarkers and identification of therapeutic targets for diseases such as cancers. In this connection, the Japanese Society of Pathology (JSP) has developed “The JSP Guidelines on the Handling of Pathological Tissue Samples for Genomic Research” based on an abundance of data from empirical analyses of tissue samples collected and stored under various conditions. Tissue samples should be collected from appropriate sites within surgically resected specimens, without disturbing the features on which pathological diagnosis is based, while avoiding bleeding or necrotic foci. They should be collected as soon as possible after resection: at the latest within about 3 h of storage at 4°C. Preferably, snap‐frozen samples should be stored in liquid nitrogen (about −180°C) until use. When intending to use genomic DNA extracted from formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue, 10% neutral buffered formalin should be used. Insufficient fixation and overfixation must both be avoided. We hope that pathologists, clinicians, clinical laboratory technicians and biobank operators will come to master the handling of pathological tissue samples based on the standard operating procedures in these Guidelines to yield results that will assist in the realization of genomic medicine

A multi-ethnic meta-analysis identifies novel genes, including ACSL5, associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating progressive motor neuron disease that affects people of all ethnicities. Approximately 90% of ALS cases are sporadic and thought to have multifactorial pathogenesis. To understand the genetics of sporadic ALS, we conducted a genome-wide association study using 1,173 sporadic ALS cases and 8,925 controls in a Japanese population. A combined meta-analysis of our Japanese cohort with individuals of European ancestry revealed a significant association at the ACSL5 locus (top SNP p = 2.97 × 10−8). We validated the association with ACSL5 in a replication study with a Chinese population and an independent Japanese population (1941 ALS cases, 3821 controls; top SNP p = 1.82 × 10−4). In the combined meta-analysis, the intronic ACSL5 SNP rs3736947 showed the strongest association (p = 7.81 × 10−11). Using a gene-based analysis of the full multi-ethnic dataset, we uncovered additional genes significantly associated with ALS: ERGIC1, RAPGEF5, FNBP1, and ATXN3. These results advance our understanding of the genetic basis of sporadic ALS

イギリス ケイホウ ニ オケル ミスイ ザイ ノ キャッカンテキ ヨウケン ニ ツイテ 1

本稿では、「未遂犯の処罰根拠」という根本的かつ重要な課題に着手するための予備的研究として、まず、イギリスにおける判例の動向を概観し、次に、近時の学説を分析することにより、同国における未遂罪の客観的要件をめぐる問題状況を素描するとともに、その議論の展開や現状について検討を加えることにしたい

Emotion, Choice and the Rationale of the Provocation Defence

ここに訳出するのは、ニュージーランドのオークランド大学ロースクールのジョージ・ムスラーキス助教授の論文(George Mousourakis, Emotion, Choice and the Rationale of the Provocation Defence, Cambrian Law Review 1999, pp. 21-30)である

イギリス ニ オケル ミスイ ホウ ノ ゲンジョウ ト カダイ ニ ツイテ 1 : ホウリツ イインカイ ニ ヨル リッポウ テイアン ト ソノ ギロン オ チュウシン ト シテ

本稿では、ＣＰ183およびＬＣ318における「未遂罪」の部分に焦点を当て、まずＣＰ183における提案・諮問に至るまでの未遂犯論の動向を簡潔に確認したうえで、ＣＰ183における法律委員会の提案・諮問内容を紹介し、次にＬＣ318における法律委員会の最終的な提案内容を紹介するとともに、これに簡潔な検討を加えることにより、イギリスの未遂法が抱える現状と課題を明らかにし、日本法への示唆を探るための礎石としたい