Quality of life of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic : a 1-year follow-up study

This study aimed to reveal changes in the quality of life (QOL) of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents, and the interaction between their QOL and parental mental state during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Eighty-nine school-aged children and parents participated in surveys in May 2020 (T1) and May 2021 (T2). The parents completed questionnaires that assessed their QOL, depression, parenting stress, and living conditions. Children's temporary mood status was evaluated using the self-reported visual analog scale (VAS). Children's QOL and VAS at T2 were higher than their QOL at T1. Parents' QOL at T2 was lower than their QOL at T1. Severe parental depression at T1 had a synergistic effect on severe parenting stress and severe depressive state at T2. Additionally, children's high QOL at T1 had a synergistic effect on low parenting stress and children's high QOL at T2. Furthermore, children's low VAS scores and parents' low QOL at T2 were associated with deterioration of family economic status. Children and parents' QOL changed during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Improvement in children's QOL was influenced by reduced maternal depressive symptoms. Public support for parental mental health is important to avoid decreasing QOL.Peer reviewe

Validation and Factor Analysis of the Japanese Version of the Highs Scale in Perinatal Women

Background: The Highs scale has been developed to evaluate hypomanic symptoms in the first postpartum week. However, it has not been elucidated whether this scale is also applicable to pregnant women. To address this issue, we confirmed the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Japanese version of the Highs scale for pregnant and postpartum women.Methods: 418 women provided effective responses to both the Highs scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during early pregnancy (before week 25), late pregnancy (around week 36), at 5 days and at 1 month after delivery. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed for each group. Cronbach's alpha was calculated and the correlation of the Highs scale with EPDS was analyzed. The correlation between the subscales was analyzed at four time points, and the correlation of subscales between the four time points was confirmed.Results: This scale was found to have the two-factor structure with elation and agitation subscales. The two subscales had reasonable internal consistency at all time points (Cronbach's alpha range: Factor 1, 0.696–0.758; Factor 2, 0.553–0.694). The overall scale had reasonable internal consistency at all time points (Cronbach's alpha range: 0.672–0.738). Based on the correlation analysis of the two subscales and EPDS, discriminative and convergent validity were indicated at all time points, confirming the construct validity of the Highs scale. Subscale scores showed a significant correlation with EPDS at all time points (r = 0.388, 0.384, 0.498, and 0.442, p < 0.01).Conclusions: The Japanese version of the Highs scale is reliable and valid, and can be applied for evaluating the hypomanic symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum period

Young Japanese People\u27s Views On Civic (Dis)Engagement

本稿は社会参加に関する意識調査を目的とする記述式アンケートに回答した日本の青年151名の意見を報告し、その社会参加に消極的な理由を解明すると共に、状況是正への提言を行うものである。In this article, we report on opinions held by 151 Japanese youth who responded to open-ended questions about civic engagement. The study sheds light on some reasons for Japanese youths\u27 civic disengagement and concludes with suggestions to remedy the situation

Association between the examination rate of treatment-resistant schizophrenia and the clozapine prescription rate in a nationwide dissemination and implementation study

Background: The decision to initiate clozapine treatment should be made on an individual basis and may be closely related to the early detection of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), although there is evidence that the early use of clozapine results in a better response to treatment. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the examination rate of TRS and the prescription rate of clozapine. Methods: After attending a 1-day educational program on schizophrenia based on the "Guidelines for the Pharmacological Treatment of Schizophrenia," we asked the participating facilities to submit records of whether or not TRS was evaluated for each patient. We calculated the clozapine prescription rate from the schizophrenic patients prescribed clozapine and all of the schizophrenic patients. Forty-nine facilities in 2017 were included in the study. Results: There were dichotomous distributions in the examination rate of TRS and a non-normal distribution in the prescription rate of clozapine. There was a significant correlation between the prescription rate of clozapine and the examination rate of TRS (r s = 0.531, P = 1.032 × 10−4). A significant difference was found in the prescription rate of clozapine between the three groups of facilities according to the examination rate of TRS. Conclusion: As a preliminary problem for the use of clozapine, in Japan, the examination rate of TRS varies, and there are many facilities that typically do not consider the possibility of TRS; this trend leads to a low rate of clozapine use. Clearly, further clinician training is needed for the early detection and appropriate management of TRS that includes an explanation of TRS and how to introduce clozapine therapy to patients and their families

EGUIDE project and treatment guidelines

Background Clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia and major depressive disorder have been published. However, these have not had sufficient penetration in clinical settings. We developed the Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in Psychiatric Treatment (EGUIDE) project as a dissemination and education programme for psychiatrists. Aims The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the EGUIDE project on the subjective clinical behaviour of psychiatrists in accordance with clinical practice guidelines before and 1 and 2 years after participation in the programmes. Method A total of 607 psychiatrists participated in this study during October 2016 and March 2019. They attended both 1-day educational programmes based on the clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, and answered web questionnaires about their clinical behaviours before and 1 and 2 years after attending the programmes. We evaluated the changes in clinical behaviours in accordance with the clinical practice guidelines between before and 2 years after the programme. Results All of the scores for clinical behaviours in accordance with clinical practice guidelines were significantly improved after 1 and 2 years compared with before attending the programmes. There were no significant changes in any of the scores between 1 and 2 years after attending. Conclusions All clinical behaviours in accordance with clinical practice guidelines improved after attending the EGUIDE programme, and were maintained for at least 2 years. The EGUIDE project could contribute to improved guideline-based clinical behaviour among psychiatrists

The Yeast Tor Signaling Pathway Is Involved in G2/M Transition via Polo-Kinase

The target of rapamycin (Tor) protein plays central roles in cell growth. Rapamycin inhibits cell growth and promotes cell cycle arrest at G1 (G0). However, little is known about whether Tor is involved in other stages of the cell division cycle. Here we report that the rapamycin-sensitive Tor complex 1 (TORC1) is involved in G2/M transition in S. cerevisiae. Strains carrying a temperature-sensitive allele of KOG1 (kog1-105) encoding an essential component of TORC1, as well as yeast cell treated with rapamycin show mitotic delay with prolonged G2. Overexpression of Cdc5, the yeast polo-like kinase, rescues the growth defect of kog1-105, and in turn, Cdc5 activity is attenuated in kog1-105 cells. The TORC1-Type2A phosphatase pathway mediates nucleocytoplasmic transport of Cdc5, which is prerequisite for its proper localization and function. The C-terminal polo-box domain of Cdc5 has an inhibitory role in nuclear translocation. Taken together, our results indicate a novel function of Tor in the regulation of cell cycle and proliferation

聖隷クリストファー大学看護基礎教育における高機能患者シミュレーターを用いたシミュレーション教育の経緯と展望

報告Reports　本報告では、聖隷クリストファー大学看護基礎教育におけるシミュレーション教育チームの発足や試行に至る経緯および今後の課題や展望を概観することを目的とする。　本学は米国サミュエルメリット大学と2013 年に大学間交流協定を締結して以来、学生や教員が毎年、研修に赴きシミュレーション教育について学んできた。　2016 年に看護学部の教員有志によるワーキンググループを発足し、高機能患者シミュレーターを導入した。試行によって、シミュレーション教育は、看護実践能力を向上し、学生自身が主体的に学びを深めていくアクティブラーニングが遂行できる手法であることが分かった。　今後、シミュレーション教育を遂行する上で、以下の課題と展望がある。１．学生の看護実践能力のさらなる向上、２．教員のファシリテーション力の向上、３．教育環境の充実、４．地域の拠点としてのシミュレーション教育、５．活動のための運営資金の獲得、６．ワーキンググループであるシミュレーション教育チームの役割の明確化である

看護実践力育成のための発展型データベース・シミュレーション教材「Web 聖隷タウン」の開発 : 第1報

報告Reports　本稿は、保健師助産師看護師学校養成所指定規則の一部改正（2022 年４月１日施行）に伴う、本学看護学部のカリキュラム改革推進の一環として、2021 年度より検討が開始された看護実践力育成のための発展型データベース・シミュレーション教材「Web 聖隷タウン」の開発に関する第一報である。本学シミュレーション教育委員会は、「Web 聖隷タウン」の実用に向けた開発として、（１）地域の中の看護視点を育てるためのプロットの開発、（２）Web 聖隷タウン制作の技術的課題解決に向けた実用可能な制作環境の試用および検討を行っている。本稿では、「Web 聖隷タウン」の開発経緯と開発推進のための資源確保について、本教材の持つ機能、これまでの活動経過および今後の課題について報告する

聖隷クリストファー大学看護基礎教育におけるシミュレーション教育の実践

紀要委員会企画Special Articles　本報告では、聖隷クリストファー大学看護基礎教育におけるシミュレーション教育の実践環境の構築、各領域における実践、教育力向上の取り組み、そして課題も含め今後の展望を報告する。本学は米国サミュエルメリット大学と2013 年に大学間交流協定を締結して以来、学生や教員が毎年、研修に赴きシミュレーション教育について学んできた。2016年に看護学部の教員有志によるワーキンググループが結成し、2017 年度より看護学部諮問委員会としてシミュレーション教育委員会が発足した。本学では、看護学部を中心にアクティブラーニングを実践するひとつの手法としてシミュレーション教育を検討し環境構築、研修会など学習の機会の提供、シミュレーションルームの機材および備品管理、シミュレーション教育実施の支援、広報活動など推進してきた。今後、シミュレーション教育を遂行する上で、以下の課題と展望がある。1．教育環境のさらなる充実、2．人員の確保、3．地域の拠点としてのシミュレーション教育の推進、4．活動のための運営資金の獲得である

聖隷クリストファー大学看護基礎教育における2020年度シミュレーション教育の実践報告

紀要委員会企画Special Articles　本報告では、聖隷クリストファー大学看護基礎教育における2020 年度のシミュレーション教育委員会の活動報告および各領域における実践について、以下の内容をふまえ報告する。　①シミュレーション教育の実践環境の構築および学内研修、②コロナ禍における通信設備・運用のテクニカルサポート、③シミュレーション教育の実践（看護学部各領域におけるシミュレーション教育の実践内容）、④看護学部シミュレーション教育ホームページ、⑤本学看護学部のシミュレーション教育に関する国内外の学会発表の実績　今後もシミュレーション教育を推進するための本学の課題である、教育環境のさらなる充実、人員の確保、地域の拠点としてのシミュレーション教育の推進、活動のための運営資金の獲得を目指すべく、近隣施設との連携、研究推進とともに、教員の理解と同意を得ながらさらなる教育環境の整備や教育力の向上のため邁進していく