大学ダンス授業における鏡の利用が動作習得に関する自己評価に及ぼす影響

本研究は、ダンス授業における鏡の利用の有無が動作習得に及ぼす影響について、エアロビクスダンス実施後の自己評価から比較・検討した。対象は、東京都内私立大学に所属する一般教養体育のダンス授業の受講者18名とし、ビデオで自身の動きを見る前「自身の動きの感覚」の自己評価と、ビデオで自身の動きを見た後「先生との比較」の自己評価および「ダンスの授業では鏡を利用した方が良いと思うか」についてのアンケート調査を行った。調査の結果、「自身の動きの感覚」についての自己評価においては、鏡の有無によっての自己評価に有意な差は認められなかったが、「先生との比較」についての自己評価において、鏡ありの自己評価が有意に高い結果を示した。これらのことから、動きやすさや振りの真似のしやすさ、さらに鏡利用の有無についてのメリット・デメリットをふまえても、ダンス授業において鏡を利用することは、ダンスの動作習得に有効である可能性が示唆された

Characteristics of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in competitive swimmers and judo athletes

Studies have demonstrated that motivation, aggression, excitation intensity, competitive spirit, and tolerance to psychological stress are included in major psychological factors affecting the performance of athletes. However, to date, there have not been sufficient scientific studies on the relationship between genetic polymorphisms affecting psychological abilities and competitive strength/sport. In this study, we compared the distribution of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphism(Val66Met) in athletes between competitive swimming, which needs closed skill without opponents, and judo, which needs open skill with opponents, in order to investigate the genetic basis of sports performance and related psychological factors. The results showed that the prevalence of Met carriers of the BDNF polymorphism associated with vulnerability to psychological stress was lower in judo players, suggesting that judo athletes had a higher stress tolerance. In addition, the prevalence of the BDNF heterozygous group was higher in competitive swimmers, supporting the hypothesis that closed skill sports without opponents receive less stress than open skill sports with opponents, furthre suggesting that they are excellent in motor control and motor learning

Distinct patterns of copy number alterations may predict poor outcome in central nervous system germ cell tumors

Abstract We have previously reported that 12p gain may predict the presence of malignant components and poor prognosis for CNS germ cell tumor (GCT). Recently, 3p25.3 gain was identified as an independent predictor of poor prognosis for testicular GCT. Eighty-one CNS GCTs were analyzed. Copy number was calculated using methylation arrays. Five cases (6.2%) showed 3p25.3 gain, but only among the 40 non-germinomatous GCTs (NGGCTs) (5/40, 12.5%; p = 0.03). Among NGGCTs, those with a yolk sac tumor component showed a significantly higher frequency of 3p25.3 gain (18.2%) than those without (1.5%; p = 0.048). NGGCTs with gain showed significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) than those without (p = 0.047). The 3p25.3 gain and 12p gain were independent from each other. The combination of 3p25.3 gain and/or 12p gain was more frequent among NGGCTs with malignant components (69%) than among those without (29%; p = 0.02). Germinomas containing a higher number of copy number alterations showed shorter PFS than those with fewer (p = 0.03). Taken together, a finding of 3p25.3 gain may be a copy number alteration specific to NGGCTs and in combination with 12p gain could serve as a marker of negative prognosis or treatment resistance. Germinoma with frequent chromosomal instability may constitute an unfavorable subgroup