障害科学ゼミナール「ともにいきる」の実践報告 第2報: 年刊プログラム構成の検討

本報告では、高校2年生を対象に総合的な学習として実施しているゼミナール（以下ゼミ）「ともにいきる」の内容と、ゼミ生の感想を報告するとともに、年間プログラムの構成の検討を目的とする。本ゼミは2011年度に筑波大学附属特別支援学校の先生方や卒業生の話を中心に開講し、2期目は特別支援学校との生徒交流、ご家族や当事者の講話を加えて実施した。今回は、さらに障害科学分野の大学教員による障害の本質的な捉え方及びバリアフリー・当事者研究等の講義を加え、教育・交流・研究・社会の視点からアプローチを試みた。全8回中7回を終え、ゼミ生の活動の様子や感想から、障害（者）の捉え方を改め、障害理解を社会に広めようとする姿が見られた。ここでゼミの有効性の検証を行い、今後のゼミの課題・展開について考えていきたい

Terfenadine induces thymocyte apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway

NRC publication: Ye

The murine homolog of SALL4, a causative gene in Okihiro syndrome, is essential for embryonic stem cell proliferation, and cooperates with Sall1 in anorectal, heart, brain and kidney development

Mutations in SALL4, the human homolog of the Drosophila homeotic gene spalt (sal), cause the autosomal dominant disorder known as Okihiro syndrome. In this study, we show that a targeted null mutation in the mouse Sall4 gene leads to lethality during peri-implantation. Growth of the inner cell mass from the knockout blastocysts was reduced, and Sall4-null embryonic stem (ES) cells proliferated poorly with no aberrant differentiation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that anorectal and heart anomalies in Okihiro syndrome are caused by Sall4 haploinsufficiency and that Sall4/Sall1 heterozygotes exhibited an increased incidence of anorectal and heart anomalies, exencephaly and kidney agenesis. Sall4 and Sall1 formed heterodimers, and a truncated Sall1 caused mislocalization of Sall4 in the heterochromatin; thus, some symptoms of Townes-Brocks syndrome caused by SALL1 truncations could result from SALL4 inhibition

International prostate symptom score (IPSS) change and changing factor in intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer

The purposes of this study on prostate cancer are to demonstrate the time course of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) after intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and to examine the factor associated with the IPSS change. This study included 216 patients treated with IMRT between 2006 and 2010. Patients were evaluated in three groups according to baseline IPSS as defined by the American Urological Association classification, where IPSSs of 0 to 7, 8 to 19, and 20 to 35 represent mild (n = 124), moderate (n = 70), and severe (n = 22) symptom groups, respectively. The average IPSSs ± standard deviation at baseline vs. those at 24 months after IMRT were 3.5 ± 2.1 vs. 5.1 ± 3.6 in the mild group (P < 0.001), 12.6 ± 3.4 vs. 10.0 ± 6.0 in the moderate group (P = 0.0015), and 23.8 ± 2.9 vs. 14.4 ± 9.1 in the severe group (P < 0.001). Among factors of patient and treatment characteristics, age, IPSS classification, pretreatment GU medications, and positive biopsy rates were associated with the IPSS difference between baseline and 24 months (P = 0.023, < 0.001, 0.044, and 0.028, respectively). In conclusion, patients with moderate to severe urinary symptoms can exhibit improvement in urinary function after IMRT, whereas patients with mild symptoms may have slightly worsened functions. Age, baseline IPSS, GU medications, and tumor burden in the prostate can have an effect on the IPSS changes