Takachiho University

Abstract Japan and South Korea are experiencing rapid depopulation and population aging, with a growing number of older adults living alone while striving to remain independent. In these East Asian cultures, maintaining harmony and avoiding burdening others are highly valued. This study examines whether the desire to avoid dependence differs from a preference for independence. Data were collected in February 2025 through online surveys of 800 Japanese and 600 Korean participants (Mage=58.0, SD = 10.2, range=40-81; 50.9% women). Multiple regression analyses revealed that, in both countries, women and older age were associated with greater reluctance to depend on or inconvenience people outside their in-group. However, when considering in-group members (i.e., family, close friends, colleagues), this association was found only for older adults in Japan. Similarly, a preference for independence was linked solely to older age in Japan. These findings suggest that women and older individuals may refrain from seeking support from those outside their in-group, such as community members or government service providers, even when their in-group members are no longer dependable. Furthermore, a reluctance to depend on others may not necessarily equate to a preference for independence. Given that women in these nations have some of the world’s longest life expectancies, our findings highlight the need for accessible support systems tailored to older women while respecting their cultural values. This study underscores the importance of culturally sensitive approaches to aging support in East Asian societies, recognizing the distinction between avoiding dependence and preferring independence.

Facing a super-aged society, Japan experiences increasing demand for efficient senior care. This study addresses the underutilization of near-miss reports, valuable for accident prevention, in aged care facilities. Researchers conducted interviews at a care facility in Japan and identified key issues in recordkeeping, particularly that internal reports are rarely used for feedback or improvement. Focusing on 407 near-miss cases over six months, the study applied text mining, clustering, decision tree learning, and co-occurrence network analysis. Key findings include that “going to the toilet alone” and incidents in the dining room were major factors to near-misses, often involving specific individuals. Seasonal and individual fluctuations were also observed. The results were shared with care staff, leading to actionable measures such as targeted monitoring and consideration of automated alerts for fall risks. The study concludes that data-driven approaches can significantly improve safety and efficiency in elder care.

Programming learning at an early age effectively fosters logical thinking and self-centeredness, but an appropriate evaluation method for young learners has yet to be established. Herein we propose a new learning evaluation method that incorporates problem constructs and the complexity metrics used in software engineering quality assessments. Specifically, we investigate the relationships between changes in block pro-gramming complexity, personality traits, and learning effects. Evaluation rubrics and log data assess complexity, while person-ality traits are based on Big-5. Then the learning effects of 34 kindergarten children participating in workshops are analyzed in terms of complexity and personality traits. After learning, first-time programmers tend to show a large increase in complexity. The correlation with the rubric score is <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\rho=0.43$</tex>, and the correlation with log data is <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\mathbf{r}s=0.92$</tex>. Furthermore, analysis using the Big-5 gives <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\rho=0.609$</tex> for the rate of increase in extraversion and complexity, indicating a strong relationship between learning effects and personality traits. In the future, this data will be used to build AI tools for automatic evaluations, feedback, and learning curriculum recommendations.

A critical degree of podocyte depletion causes glomerulosclerosis, and persistent podocyte loss in glomerular diseases drives the progression to end-stage kidney disease. The extent of podocyte injury at a point in time can be histologically assessed by measuring podocyte number, size, and density (“Biopsy podometrics”). However, repeated invasive renal biopsies are associated with increased risk and cost. A noninvasive method for assessing podocyte injury and depletion is required. Albuminuria and proteinuria do not always correlate with disease activity. Podocytes are located on the urinary space side of the glomerular basement membrane, and as they undergo stress or detach, their products can be identified in urine. This raises the possibility that urinary podocyte products can serve as clinically useful markers for monitoring glomerular disease activity and progression (“Urinary podometrics”). We previously reported that urinary sediment podocyte mRNA reflects disease activity in both animal models and human glomerular diseases. This includes diabetes and hypertension which together account for 60% of new-onset dialysis induction patients. Improving approaches to preventing progression is an urgent priority for the renal community. Sufficient evidence now exists to indicate that monitoring urinary podocyte markers could serve as a useful adjunctive strategy for determining the level of current disease activity and response to therapy in progressive glomerular diseases.

The importance of general trading companies in Japan’s economic development is widely acknowledged, but little is known about their role in the transfer of technology and innovations. We address this issue by examining the emerging aircraft industry in Japan during the 1920s, focusing on its main foreign partner, France, and one of the largest Japanese groups, Mitsubishi. We show that while the French influence in the Japanese market remained unchallenged up to the mid-1920s, it faded away afterward due to the absence of French trading companies on the ground, despite considerable support from the French government. This contrasts with our analysis of the Japanese side. Using its worldwide network, Mitsubishi Trading Co. provided Mitsubishi Motors Co. with appropriate information and contracts with French as well as German companies. It eventually succeeded in creating joint ventures with these close partners. Their early failure in 1926 sparked a shift from importing technology via trade agreements to developing the industry through manufacturing (e.g., creation of Mitsubishi Aircraft Co. in 1928). Thus, Mitsubishi Trading proved to be an efficient early market developer for the Japanese side, whereas French business suffered from not having similar trading companies in Japan and being overdependent on state structures.

Abstract The present study investigated influence of various treatment on activity of Shirasu-based materials for hydrogen evolution from aqueous ammonia borane solution. Various solution treatments and calcination treatment significantly affected on the morphology, compositions, and activity. The sample with high surface aluminum ratio and low silicon oxide crystalline impurity showed high activity for the hydrogen evolution. The sample treated with treated with ammonia following calcination at 723 K included the highest surface aluminum ratio and the lowest silicon oxide crystals impurity and exhibited the highest activity for the hydrogen evolution.

Aims] There are few scientific studies that have examined the relationship between genetic polymorphisms that influence psychological abilities and athletic performance.The purpose of this study was to examine the genetic basis of psychological factors that influence athletic performance by examining the relationship between the BDNF Val66Met gene polymorphism and athletic performance of competitive swimmers.[Methods] The subjects were 57 male competitive swimmers.The FINA points set by the World Swimming Federation (FINA) were used as an index of competitive performance.To examine the relationship between athletic performance and genetic polymorphisms, this study analyzed the BDNF Val66Met genetic polymorphism, which has been shown to influence vulnerability to mental stress.[Results] As a result of oneway analysis of variance and multiple comparisons, the mean FINA points were significantly higher in the Met homozygous group than in the Val homozygous and heterozygous groups, and a correlation was found between BDNF gene polymorphism and athletic performance.[Conclusions] Although the Met form of BDNF is thought to increase vulnerability to mental stress, it has also been pointed out that it is associated with higher levels of concentration, suggesting that in closed-skill events such as swimming, pre-competition concentration may reduce the effects of pressure-induced stress.

This study designed a science course following collaborative problem solving (CPS) processes, and examined the effect on students’ CPS awareness. The Limnic Eruption CPS course was implemented using a Moodle system in a tenth-grade class. Considering the complex and coordinated nature of CPS, in order to improve CPS skills, it is important to identify what are related with the development of all sub-skills of CPS. Thus this study aimed to determine potential factors that affect the use of CPS skills in students’ motivational and behavioral dimensions. Multiple data sources including learning tests, questionnaire feedback, and learning logs were collected and examined by learning analytics approach. The relationships between students’ CPS awareness with their learning motivation and learning behaviors were explored. The research findings indicated a significant positive correlation between CPS awareness and certain learning motivation factors and learning behavior factors. Considering the students’ individual differences in learning abilities, we also compared the results of high and low performance groups. As a result, low performers’ learning motivation and learning behaviors were correlated with the social domain of CPS awareness, while those of high performers were correlated with their cognitive awareness.

This chapter deals with an overview of the history of the Course of Study Guidelines from the first guidelines announced in 1947. It examines the latest guidelines reform in primary and secondary schools by discussing promote project-based learning (PjBL) in comparison with problem-based learning, a similar but separate pedagogical approach and offers pedagogical implications from a genre-based English for Specific Purposes (ESP) perspective. The chapter discusses the introduction of a genre-based ESP approach prior to tertiary education can help students understand, or at least raise their awareness of, the concept of genre and enable them to smoothly continue on to English for academic purposes studies at the university level. English education in junior high school focuses on the development of communication skills to convey ideas and feelings in English, instead of grammar and translation. The chapter also discusses the possibility of a genre-based ESP approach leading to positive effects on the introduction of PjBL to English education in primary and secondary schools in Japan.