Factors associated with employment status among mothers of survivors of childhood cancer: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To identify the factors associated with employment status among mothers of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey on mothers of survivors of childhood cancer to clarify practical factors such as care demands, psychological factors such as motivation to work, and support. After calculating descriptive statistics for all variables, binary logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of 171 mothers, 129 (75.4%) were employed. The most common form of employment was non-regular (n = 83; 48.5%), including part-time, dispatched, and fixed-term workers. At the time of the survey, compared with nonworking mothers, working mothers tended to be more motivated to work and have lower scores for "Long-term Uncertainty" on the Parent Experience of Child Illness Scale. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis indicated that employment was related to higher motivation to work, the continuation of employment during treatment, more outpatient visits, and a higher amount of support. CONCLUSION: As employment of CCSs' mothers is associated with psychological factors such as motivation to work and long-term uncertainty, psychological support for CCSs' mothers might promote employment. In addition, because the continuation of employment during treatment affects the employment of mothers after the end of cancer treatment, a leave system that covers the treatment period for childhood cancer needs to be established.

FGF10 is a mesenchymally derived stimulator for epidermal development in the chick embryonic skin.

The development of avian cutaneous appendages, feathers and scales, is known to arise from the epithelial-mesenchymal interaction. Here we show that FGF10 is associated with this developmental process as an early signal from mesenchymal cells underlying nascent cutaneous placodes. Expression of Fgf10 was detected in the mesenchymal cells underneath the developing placodes. Forced expression of Fgf10 in the femoral skin suppressed expression of Shh and a zinc finger gene snail-related (cSnR), while induced expression of Bmp2 in the interbud region, resulting in thickening of the epidermal layer. Furthermore, forced expression of Fgf10 in the foot skin caused marked ingrowings of the epidermis. The cells in the epidermal ingrowings expressed beta-catenin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and an epidermal stem cell marker p63. These results support the idea that FGF10 is a mesenchymally derived stimulator of epidermal development through crosstalk with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), beta-catenin, and other signaling pathways.