Anatomy-based prediction method for determining ipsilateral lung doses in postoperative breast radiation therapy assisted by diagnostic computed tomography images

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether ipsilateral lung doses (ILDs) could be predicted by anatomical indexes measured using diagnostic computed tomography (CT) prior to the planning stage of breast radiation therapy (RT). Materials and methods: The thoracic diameters and the length of lines drawn manually were measured on diagnostic CT images. The parameters of interest were the skin maximum lung distance (sMLD), central lung distance (CLD), Haller index (HI), and body mass index (BMI). Lung dose-volume histograms were created with conformal planning, and the lung volumes receiving 5–40 Gy (V5–V40) were calculated. Linear regression models were used to investigate the correlations between the anatomical indexes and dose differences and to estimate the slope and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 160 patients who had undergone three-dimensional conformal RT after breast-conserving surgery were included. Univariable analysis revealed that the sMLD (p < 0.001), CLD (p < 0.001), HI (p = 0.002), and BMI (p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with the V20. However, multivariable analysis revealed that only the sMLD (slope: 0.147, p = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.162–0.306) and CLD (0.157, p = 0.005, 0.048–0.266) were strongly correlated with the V20. The p-value for the sMLD was the lowest among the p-values for all indexes, thereby indicating that the sMLD had the best predictive power for ILD. Conclusions: sMLD and CLD are anatomical markers that can be used to predict ILD in whole breast RT. An sMLD > 20.5 mm or a CLD > 24.3 mm positively correlated with a high ILD.

Novel Prophylactic Vaccine Using a Prime-Boost Method and Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan-Envelope against Tuberculosis

Objective. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is a major global threat to human health. The only tuberculosis (TB) vaccine currently available is bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), although it has no efficacy in adults. Therefore, the development of a novel vaccine against TB for adults is desired. Method. A novel TB vaccine expressing mycobacterial heat shock protein 65 (HSP65) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) delivered by the hemagglutinating virus of Japan- (HVJ)- envelope was evaluated against TB infection in mice. Bacterial load reductions and histopathological assessments were used to determine efficacy. Results. Vaccination by BCG prime with IgHSP65+murine IL-12/HVJ-envelope boost resulted in significant protective efficacy (>10, 000-fold versus BCG alone) against TB infection in the lungs of mice. In addition to bacterial loads, significant protective efficacy was demonstrated by histopathological analysis of the lungs. Furthermore, the vaccine increased the number of T cells secreting IFN-γ. Conclusion. This vaccine showed extremely significant protection against TB in a mouse model, consistent with results from a similar paper on cynomolgus monkeys. The results suggest that further development of the vaccine for eventual testing in clinical trials may be warranted

子ども家庭支援における園内の情報共有―様々な気づきが事務室に集約される園に着目して―

　積極的に生活困難家庭への支援を行う園を対象に，子ども家庭支援に関する情報がどのように実践からすくいあげられ，組織的な支援や他機関連携につなげられていくのかについて明らかにし，それら情報共有を支える要因について検討した。分析対象となった園では，会議やミーティングを情報共有の基盤とし，環境や体制の整備から保育者のみならず管理職側からも日々子どもや家庭にアプローチできるようにしていた。異変が察知された際には事務室に情報が集約され，それぞれの立場から関連する情報の収集が行われていることがわかった。得られた情報に基づき具体的な対応策が対話を通して関係者間で協議され，必要な支援につなげていくというプロセスを有していた。情報共有を支える要因として，情報を他者に伝えるための職員のスキルの高さ，子ども家庭支援に関する園の理念の浸透，対話の重視，情報収集と情報集約に関する管理職のマネジメントが考察された

島根県の妊娠初期における妊婦の栄養摂取状況について(第1報) : 分娩歴による比較

島根県における妊娠初期の妊婦の栄養摂取状況を明らかにすることを目的とし、分娩歴による違いがあるかに注目して研究を行った。妊娠10 週から12 週の妊婦29 名に食物摂取頻度調査を行い、初産婦（15名）、経産婦（14 名）の２群に分けて比較した。各種栄養素摂取量および食品群別栄養素摂取量については、２群間で有意な差はみられなかった。食品群別摂取量の「嗜好品飲料類」について、初産婦の摂取量が有意に多かった。栄養素摂取量の多くが２群とも平均必要量に満たないことが明らかになった

島根県の妊娠初期における妊婦の栄養摂取状況について(第2報) : BMIおよび欠食状況による比較

島根県の低出生体重児の出生割合は高いことが報告されており、児の将来において様々なリスクの可能性がある。　　　我々は、島根県内の妊婦に対して栄養摂取状況の調査を行い、低出生体重児との関連性について検討している。本研究では、妊娠初期における妊婦29 名に食物摂取頻度調査を行い、体格指数（Body Mass Index（BMI））の区分および妊娠後の欠食状況の違いによる栄養素摂取量および食品群別摂取量を算出し検討した。非妊娠時BMI が低い群は、エネルギー、炭水化物、ナトリウム、マンガン、鉄、食物繊維の摂取量が多いことが示唆された。また、妊娠初期の妊婦の44.8％が週一回以上の欠食をし、その結果、栄養素の多くが推奨量に満たないことが示唆された

Transgenic Monkey Model of the Polyglutamine Diseases Recapitulating Progressive Neurological Symptoms

Age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and the polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, are becoming prevalent as a consequence of elongation of the human lifespan. Although various rodent models have been developed to study and overcome these diseases, they have limitations in their translational research utility owing to differences from humans in brain structure and function and in drug metabolism. Here, we generated a transgenic marmoset model of the polyQ diseases, showing progressive neurological symptoms including motor impairment. Seven transgenic marmosets were produced by lentiviral introduction of the human ataxin 3 gene with 120 CAG repeats encoding an expanded polyQ stretch. Although all offspring showed no neurological symptoms at birth, three marmosets with higher transgene expression developed neurological symptoms of varying degrees at 3–4 months after birth, followed by gradual decreases in body weight gain, spontaneous activity, and grip strength, indicating time-dependent disease progression. Pathological examinations revealed neurodegeneration and intranuclear polyQ protein inclusions accompanied by gliosis, which recapitulate the neuropathological features of polyQ disease patients. Consistent with neuronal loss in the cerebellum, brain MRI analyses in one living symptomatic marmoset detected enlargement of the fourth ventricle, which suggests cerebellar atrophy. Notably, successful germline transgene transmission was confirmed in the second-generation offspring derived from the symptomatic transgenic marmoset gamete. Because the accumulation of abnormal proteins is a shared pathomechanism among various neurodegenerative diseases, we suggest that this new marmoset model will contribute toward elucidating the pathomechanisms of and developing clinically applicable therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.ArticleeNeuro.4(2):e0250(2017)journal articl

Traveling EEG slow oscillation along the dorsal attention network initiates spontaneous perceptual switching

An ambiguous figure such as the Necker cube causes spontaneous perceptual switching (SPS). The mechanism of SPS in multistable perception has not yet been determined. Although early psychological studies suggested that SPS may be caused by fatigue or satiation of orientation, the neural mechanism of SPS is still unknown. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has shown that the dorsal attention network (DAN), which mainly controls voluntary attention, is involved in bistable perception of the Necker cube. To determine whether neural dynamics along the DAN cause SPS, we performed simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and fMRI during an SPS task with the Necker cube, with every SPS reported by pressing a button. This EEG–fMRI integrated analysis showed that (a) 3–4 Hz spectral EEG power modulation at fronto-central, parietal, and centro-parietal electrode sites sequentially appeared from 750 to 350 ms prior to the button press; and (b) activations correlating with the EEG modulation traveled along the DAN from the frontal to the parietal regions. These findings suggest that slow oscillation initiates SPS through global dynamics along the attentional system such as the DAN

島根県立看護短期大学の地域貢献と情報ネットワークシステム

島根県立看護短期大学は平成7年4月に関学した。建学の理念は、1.人間愛、2.看護職の責務の探求、3.地域に開かれた大学である。教育、研究の成果を地域に還元し、「開かれた大学」として地域社会の発展に貢献することを一つの重要な柱とした。その目的を達成するための学内体制等を整備すると共に、地域開放事業の実施目標を設定した。本学には「情報と映像で世界と地域を結ぶ島根県立看護短期大学の2つのネットワーク」がある。これはコンピュータ情報ネットワークと音声・映像情報ネットワークの2つのシステムから構成されている。後者のシステムは出雲ケーブルピジョンにより、出雲市の家庭と結ばれている。ここでは、音声・映像情報ネットワークを用いて地域の人々に対する看護・介護支援システムを構築し地域社会に貢献する計画を述べた