Aichi Toho University

This research aims to emphasize the characteristics of social studies and civic education practice in Japan through a case study of junior high school 3rd grade practice of œhuman rights learning through participatory hands-on learning and to show comparative viewpoints on social studies in Indonesia. The following points became clear as a result of this research. First, through the unit of social studies and civic education, students could have fun and realize the value of human rights by adopting a participatory experiential approach to learning with the inclusion of workshops and simulated trials. This point is one of the important characteristics of citizenship in a democratic society. Second, in a social studies and civic education lesson, the students actively respected others opinions and learned from each other by actively participating in group activities and discussions. This point forms the basis of the citizenship necessary to form a democratic society. The above two points are thought to have implications for the social studies and civic education in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Deadlift (DL) and back squat (BSQ) are considered different exercises because of their kinematic and kinetic characteristics. However, there are similarities, such as joint movement and the maximal muscle strength generated. Although there are differences and similarities, it is unclear which is more related to athletic performance. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the relationship between DL and jump, acceleration, and change of direction and compare whether DL or BSQ differ in their relationship to jumping, acceleration, and change of direction. METHODS: Eighty male volleyball players (age: 19.6 [Formula: see text] 0.9 years, height: 179.2 [Formula: see text] 6.7 cm, mass: 71.9 [Formula: see text] 9.4 kg) volunteered to participate in this study. Countermovement jump (CMJ), 10-m sprint, and 1–5 repetition maximum (1–5 RM) BSQ were measured on day 1. The T-test and 1–5 RM DL were measured on day 2. RESULTS: DL had a significant and moderate relationship with all parameters of CMJ ([Formula: see text] 0.328, [Formula: see text] 0.01), 10-m sprint ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]0.471, [Formula: see text] 0.01), and T-test ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]0.441, [Formula: see text] 0.01). BSQ showed a significant and moderate relationship with the 10-m sprint ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]0.489, [Formula: see text] 0.01) and T-test ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]0.356, [Formula: see text] 0.01), but a significant and weak relationship only with CMJ ([Formula: see text] 0.289, [Formula: see text] 0.01). In addition, no significant differences were found in the comparison of correlation coefficients ([Formula: see text] 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Deadlift may be introduced as an alternative exercise to BSQ when there are limitations in the training environment, such as the lack of a squat rack to safely perform BSQ or home confinement due to external factors like pandemics.

Isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) is used to measure and monitor the peak force and the rate of force development. However, current IMTP implementation is costly and time-consuming. Thus, a quick, lowcost, and easy method is needed to monitor muscle strength. This case series study aimed to examine the relationship between IMTP assessed using a back strength dynamometer and jumping abilities and determine whether relative strength (N/body weight [BW]) can indicate jumping abilities. Eleven female collegiate basketball players in division III female Tokai Student Basketball League participated in this study. A back strength dynamometer was used to measure IMTP. The starting posture was a 145 relative angle at the knee and hip joints with the chain extended. Jumping measurements were performed for squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and rebound jump (RJ) using a jump mat. Additionally, the highest rebound jump index (RJI), jump height, and ground contact time for the highest RJI were used in the statistical analysis. Participants were divided into high (HG) and low (LG) groups based on the median value of relative strength. Cohen’s d as an effect size (ES) with a 95% confidence interval was used to compare the jumping abilities between the groups. The relationship between relative strength and jumping abilities was determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The HG showed significantly moderate ES for SJ height (d=1.19), CMJ height (d=1.08), RJ height (d=1.19), and ground contact time (d=0.83) and significantly larger ES for RJI (d=1.36) relative to those of the LG. In addition, no significant correlations were observed between relative strength and any of the jump measures. However, relative strength exhibited a moderate correlation coefficient for the correlation between RJI and ground contact time. Therefore, IMTP assessed using a back strength dynamometer can be used to monitor muscle variables related to jumping abilities at a lower cost and training time than those of conventional methods.

In emerging countries, traditional retail, such as wet markets, still accounts for a large proportion of retail sales. Traditional retail has poor infrastructure compared to modern retail, and is often associated with problems of waste, water, and environmental pollution. Therefore, traditional retail faces extreme difficulties in achieving sustainability. This study aimed to determine what value traditional retail contributes to sustainability. We generated and applied a conceptual framework of sustainability to explore this question. We used a single case study of a small-scale wet market in Vietnam. The results showed that wet markets have significant value for the development of sustainable retail, including economic, environmental, social, and community value. This study extends the literature by providing a comprehensive and accurate view about the value of traditional retail in contributing to sustainability. It suggests strategies for traditional retail in emerging countries to survive sustainably.

There is a lack of studies that investigated the effect of a wide range of work environmental factors on stress and depression in Japan. To examine the association of work environment factors with stress and depression among workers in Japan. We conducted questionnaire surveys of workers that mainly engage in desk work in Japan. Stress was assessed through the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), depression through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and work environment through physical and psychological workplace environment questionnaires. Workers were divided into low and high stress groups based on PSS score (median split), and divided into non-depressed and depressed groups based on their PHQ-9 score (< 5, and ≥5); these groups were then compared with their working environment. In addition, a multiple regression analysis was performed. Responses were obtained from 210 subjects. Multiple regression analysis showed that "Ability to work at one's own pace" and "Ability to apply personal viewpoint to work," etc., had effect on stress, while "Workplace harassment" and "Support from colleagues," etc., had effect on depression. The results suggest that stress and depression in Japanese workers are related to factors such as job demands, control of work, workplace harassment, and psychological safety.

The importance of workers’ well-being has been recognized in recent years. The assessment of well-being has been subjective, and few studies have sought potential biomarkers of well-being to date. This study examined the relationship between well-being and the LF/HF ratio, an index of heart rate variability that reflects sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity. Pulse waves were measured using photoplethysmography through a web camera attached to the computer used by each participant. The participants were asked to measure their pulse waves while working for 4 weeks, and well-being was assessed using self-reported measures such as the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Flourishing Scale (FS). Each of the well-being scores were split into two groups according to the median value, and the LF/HF ratio during work, as well as the number of times an LF/HF ratio threshold was either exceeded or subceeded, were compared between the high and low SWLS, positive emotion, negative emotion, and FS groups. Furthermore, to examine the effects of the LF/HF ratio and demographic characteristics on well-being, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. Data were obtained from 169 participants. The results showed that the low FS group had a higher mean LF/HF ratio during work than the high FS group. No significant differences were seen between the high and low SWLS groups, the high and low positive emotion groups, or the high and low negative emotion groups. The multiple regression analysis showed that the mean LF/HF ratio during work affected the FS and SWLS scores, and the number of times the mean LF/HF ratio exceeded +3 SD had an effect on the positive emotion. No effect of the LF/HF ratio on negative emotions was shown. The LF/HF ratio might be applicable as an objective measure of well-being.

Problem Statement: Many studies have examined changes in pitching speed and limitations in the number of pitches during repeated pitching motions by subjects with baseball experience. However, findings during repeated pitching by subjects with little baseball experience have not been reported. Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the transition of the speed and the spin rate of a ball thrown repeatedly by an unskilled subject. Materials and Methods: A healthy male subject threw a ball repeatedly for a total of 100 throws (5 sets at 20 balls/set), and changes in ball speed and spin rate were examined. Ball speed and spin rate were calculated by digitizing eight analysis points on the ball for five frames after ball release. Results and Discussion: Results showed that ball speed was significantly lower in the second set than the first set. However, the ball spin rate did not change during the repetitive throwing. When the relative speed to the maximum ball speed was compared with that of baseball players, it was found that not only did the ball speed decrease earlier than that of baseball pitchers during repetitive pitching, but it did not stabilize even during the first set when the effect of fatigue was less. When the coefficient of variation of ball speed within a set was compared with that of male baseball players from adolescents to adults, unskilled players showed the same degree of stability as the adolescent boys, suggesting that training experience may contribute to ball speed stability. When the relationship between ball speed and spin rate was compared with that of baseball players, it became clear that unskilled players had less ball spin to ball speed, suggesting the need to compare pitching motions, including finger movements. Conclusions: These results suggest that it is crucial for unskilled players to throw fewer pitches than experienced players during games and to receive training in order to achieve a high pitching speed.

Abstract Seismic shaking has been regarded as an essential source of resurfacing on asteroids. The Small Carry‐on Impactor (SCI) operation on Hayabusa2 has been expected to be a unique opportunity for testing in situ seismic shaking whose energy is sufficiently large to excite observable surface modification. However, no obvious regolith hopping was identified even immediately outside of the crater formed by the SCI impact. To understand this discrepancy from the expectation, we simulate seismic wave propagation on Ryugu with a wide range of surface material properties and evaluate maximum acceleration on the surface. Numerical results reveal that low‐quality factor or low seismic efficiency is required to explain the lack of geomorphological change after the SCI experiment. Considering that scattering under anhydrous conditions cannot efficiently dissipate energy, such a low‐quality factor is not plausible. The weak yield strength in porous materials can efficiently decrease seismic wave energies, making the apparent seismic efficiency extremely low. Based on this hypothesis, we propose a formulation of surface mobility on asteroids that considers the physical properties of regolith. We consistently estimate the occurrence of seismic shaking with the existence of unstable boulders on Ryugu.

Analyses of meteorites and theoretical models indicate that some carbonaceous near-Earth asteroids may have been thermally altered due to radiative heating during close approaches to the Sun1–3. However, the lack of direct measurements on the subsurface doesn’t allow us to distinguish thermal alteration due to radiative heating from parent-body processes. In April 2019, the Hayabusa2 mission successfully completed an artificial impact experiment on the carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu4,5, which provided an opportunity to investigate exposed subsurface material and test potential effects of radiative heating. Here we report observations of Ryugu’s subsurface material by the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Reflectance spectra of excavated material exhibit a hydroxyl (OH) absorption feature that is slightly stronger and peak-shifted compared with that observed for the surface, indicating that space weathering and/or radiative heating have caused subtle spectral changes in the uppermost surface. The strength and shape of the OH feature suggests that the subsurface material experienced heating above 300 °C, similar to the surface. In contrast, thermophysical modelling indicates that radiative heating cannot increase the temperature above 200 °C at the estimated excavation depth of 1 m, even at the smallest heliocentric distance possible for Ryugu. This supports the hypothesis that primary thermal alteration occurred on Ryugu’s parent body. Hayabusa2 created an artificial crater on Ryugu to analyse the subsurficial material of the asteroid. Results show that the subsurface is more hydrated than the surface. It experienced alteration processes that can be traced back to Ryugu’s parent body.