In Vivo Effects of Cadmium Acetate on Rat Complement

Male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally or intravenously with various doses of cadmium acetate (i.p.: 1 mg, 2 mg or 4 mg Cd/kg body weight, i.v.: 1 mg, 2 mg or 3 mg Cd/kg body weight). Twenty-four hours following the injection, functional activities of the classical (CH50) and alternative complement pathways (APCH50), and the complement component C3 concentrations in the sera were significantly reduced in the Cd-treated rats. Histopathological examinations of the livers and kidneys, as well as laboratory tests for serum transaminases (SGOT, SGPT) and serum urea nitrogen (SUN), revealed that cadmium acetate induced moderate to severe hepatic injury depending on the dose administered, whereas kidney lesions were less evident

Influence of Ethanol Pretreatment on Serum Complement Levels in Rats Treated with Carbon Tetrachloride

Pretreating male Wistar rats with a single oral dose (6ml/kg) of ethanol clearly potentiated the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity (0.2 ml/kg ip), as shown by the elevated SGOT and SGPT levels, or histopathological observation of the liver sections. Serum hemolytic complement (CH50) and C3 levels were slightly reduced by the administration of CC14, but significantly reduced when rats were treated with ethanol 18 hours prior to CC14 administration

Student-Oriented “Child Rearing Support Activities” (1): Significance of Experiential Learning Through Practice

本研究は、保育者養成校で学生が主体となって運営・実施する子育て支援活動を通し、学生の子育て支援に関する理解の深化がどのように図られたかを検証するとともに、独自にカリキュラム化された「子育て支援活動」の教育的意義や課題を明らかにした。この活動は「子ども学フィールドワークⅢ」の前期授業計画に基づき、計4回の実践を軸に準備、実践、省察、改善を繰り返した。教員が全体の大まかな枠組みを示し、学生はグループに分かれ役割分担をして取り組んだ。反省的思考の習慣が身につき、PDCA活動を有効に行うことができた学生による省察レポートを整理・分析した結果、次のことがわかった。 　学生は、回数を重ねたことで一定の達成感は得たが、子育て支援活動の運営に関してコミュニケーション力やチームワーク力など保育の協働性についてや、自らの保育技能や知識の向上についてなど様々な課題意識を持った。これは、1年次からの履修科目全体を振り返ることで明確に持ち得た意識でもあった。一方、本学の子育て支援活動の質は担保されたものの、授業展開において事前学習の内容、実践回数、省察の時期及び方法などを再検討し、よりブラッシュアップさせる必要性があることがわかった。また参加者の支援ニーズの把握についても示唆された。 　今後も引き続き、「カリキュラム化された学生主体の地域に根差す子育て支援活動」の意義と課題と探求したい。departmental bulletin pape

Effects of a 'social activity program that encourages interaction' on rural older people's psychosocial health : Mixed-methods research

Background: We developed a program that encourages interaction among older people living at home by combining face-to-face and online activities and examined its effects on older adults' psychosocial health.Methods: In this mixed-methods study, we recruited 11 women and 6 men (Mage = 79.5 +/- 6.4 years), who lived in a rural community and participated in a senior citizen club. The intervention was conducted for 13 months, comprising monthly face-to-face group and social media activities. For the program process evaluation, we collected focus-group interview data on participants' perceptions of their personal lives, club membership, and community post-intervention. For the outcome evaluation, we collected six outcome measures pre- and post-intervention: loneliness, subjective health, subjective well-being, self-esteem, social support and social activity satisfaction. Finally, through the integration of the process-outcome evaluation, we inferred what effects the program had on participants' psychosocial health.Results: In the process evaluation, we identified four themes: 'Stimulation brought about by relationships with peers,' 'Realization as to where they feel they belong,' 'Rethinking of oneself in the community,' and 'Awareness of attachment to and coexistence with the community.' In the outcome evaluation, the outcome measures were maintained without significant decline post-intervention.Conclusion: Through the integration of the process-outcome evaluation, we deduced three effects of the program on psychosocial health: (1) fulfilment of subjective health, (2) maintenance and assurance of moderate distance connectedness and (3) orientation toward aging in place.Implications for practice: This study offers a promising opportunity for further development and research into community-based preventive nursing care intervention strategies to maintain the psychosocial health of homebound older people in communities with social activity groups