Students with dyslexia: research projects at Northumbria University

Northumbria University has about 700 registered disabled students, the majority of whom (around 58 per cent) are registered as having dyslexia and account for approximately two per cent of the total student population. Therefore dyslexic students represent the largest single group of disabled students and are those with whom most staff are likely to come into contact. The research authors were keen to ascertain whether there was a difference in academic performance between dyslexic and non-dyslexic students in respect of degree classification and assignment marks and to investigate whether dyslexic students generally felt supported in their academic studies. Research involved both qualitative and quantitative strands and the areas explored include pre expectations; general support throughout study; methods, flexibility and clarity of learning tasks, in particular assessment and levels of performance throughout and at the end of their study. This research is ongoing, however, findings have proved invaluable as a basis in the construction of good practice guidelines in dealing with the pedagogic needs of this diverse student grou

Enhanced Expression of Integrin αvβ3 Induced by TGF-β Is Required for the Enhancing Effect of Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 (FGF1) in TGF-β-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Mammary Epithelial Cells.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in cancer metastasis, and is regulated by growth factors such as transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and fibroblast growth factors (FGF) secreted from the stromal and tumor cells. However, the role of growth factors in EMT has not been fully established. Several integrins are upregulated by TGF-β1 during EMT. Integrins are involved in growth factor signaling through integrin-growth factor receptor crosstalk. We previously reported that FGF1 directly binds to integrin αvβ3 and the interaction was required for FGF1 functions such as cell proliferation and migration. We studied the role of αvβ3 induced by TGF-β on TGF-β-induced EMT. Here, we describe that FGF1 augmented EMT induced by TGF-β1 in MCF10A and MCF12A mammary epithelial cells. TGF-β1 markedly amplified integrin αvβ3 and FGFR1 (but not FGFR2). We studied if the enhancing effect of FGF1 on TGF-β1-induced EMT requires enhanced levels of both integrin αvβ3 expression and FGFR1. Knockdown of β3 suppressed the enhancement by FGF1 of TGF-β1-induced EMT in MCF10A cells. Antagonists to FGFR suppressed the enhancing effect of FGF1 on EMT. Integrin-binding defective FGF1 mutant did not augment TGF-β1-induced EMT in MCF10A cells. These findings suggest that enhanced integrin αvβ3 expression in addition to enhanced FGFR1 expression is critical for FGF1 to augment TGF-β1-induced EMT in mammary epithelial cells

Effects of heat treatment on human hair keratin film

5ArticleJOURNAL OF JAPANESE COSMETIC SCIENCE SOCIETY. 37(3):165-170 (2013)journal articl

Ocular infestation by a juvenile leech, Myxobdella sinanensis in Japan

[Purpose] The case of ocular infestation by a leech is rare. We reported that Myxobdella sinanensis infests conjunctiva. [Observations] A 5-year-old girl presented with blood clots in the inner corner of the left eye, and a history bloody eye discharge and bloody tears for 5 days. She was prescribed 0.5% levofloxacin ophthalmic drops for conjunctival damage. However, her parent watched a worm moving in her conjunctiva while taking a bath. She presented again the same day, and a worm was found in the left eye of the lower conjunctival fornix and was adsorbed to the inner corner. We removed a worm under eye drop anesthesia, the next day the patient had no symptoms. We captured the worm, and it was identified morphologically and genetically as Myxobdella sinanensis. This was the first case reported of Myxobdella sinanensis be infestation in a human. [Conclusions and Importance] The ecological trait of Myxobdella sinanensis still did not remain clear, so this case report was helpful to find out a life cycle of Myxobdella sinanensis. As the outdoor population continues to increase, the cases of human parasites such as leech are expected to increase. When a patient with bloody eye discharge and bloody tears presents, we should carefully examine the conjunctiva and ocular surfaces, and interview recent history of exposure to stream water

3次元グラフェンが生み出す特異物性の解明と開拓

科学研究費助成事業 研究成果報告書：若手研究(A)2015-2017課題番号 : 15H0547

Comprehensive Identification of Tumor-associated Antigens via Isolation of Human Monoclonal Antibodies that may be Therapeutic

Although the success of trastuzumab and rituximab for treatment of breast cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma, respectively, suggests that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) will become important therapeutic agents against a wider range of cancers, useful therapeutic Abs are not yet available for the majority of the human cancers because of our lack of knowledge of which antigens (Ags) are likely to become useful targets. We established a procedure for comprehensive identification of such Ags through the extensive isolation of human mAbs that may be therapeutic. Using the phage-display Ab library we isolated a large number of human mAbs that bind to the surface of tumor cells. They were individually screened by immunostaining, and clones that preferentially and strongly stained the malignant cells were chosen. The Ags recognized by those clones were isolated by immunoprecipitation and identified by mass spectrometry (MS). We isolated 2,114 mAbs with unique sequences and identified 25 distinct Ags highly expressed on several carcinomas. Of those 2,114 mAbs 434 bound to specifically to one of the 25 Ags. I am going to discuss how we could select proper target Ags for therapeutic Abs and candidate clones as therapeutic agents