Comparability of Weighed Dietary Records and a Self-Administered Diet History Questionnaire for Estimating Monetary Cost of Dietary Energy

An increasing number of studies have estimated monetary diet cost using various dietary assessment methods, based on databases on retail food prices, for investigating its association with dietary intake and health outcomes. However, information regarding the comparability of monetary diet cost across dietary assessment methods is absolutely lacking. This study compared monetary cost of dietary energy estimated from weighed dietary records (DRs) with that estimated from a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ). The subjects were 92 Japanese women aged 31–69 years and 92 Japanese men aged 32–76 years. The DHQ (assessing diet during the preceding month) and 4-day DRs (one weekend day and three weekdays) were completed in each season over a 1-year period (DHQs1-4 and DRs1-4, respectively). An additional DHQ was completed at one year after completing DHQ1 (DHQ5). Monetary cost of dietary energy (Japanese yen/4184 kJ) was calculated using food intake information derived from each dietary assessment method, based on retail food prices. Pearson correlation between the mean of DRs1-4 and mean of DHQs1-4 was 0.64 for women and 0.69 for men. Pearson correlation between the mean of DRs1-4 and DHQ1 was 0.60 for women and 0.52 for men, while intraclass correlation between DHQ1 and DHQ5 was 0.64 for women and 0.51 for men. These data indicate reasonable comparability of monetary cost of dietary energy across DR and a DHQ as well as usefulness of a single administration of the DHQ for estimating monetary cost of dietary energy

A Fundamental Study on Teaching Materials and Methods for Developing Integrated Learning of Japanese Language (V) : Some considerations on two Japanese language units for thinking environments around us.

本研究の目的は, 小中の発達段階に照らしながら他者を学習場面に効果的に設定し, 他者とのかかわり合いの中から学習者が自分の言葉を豊かにしていく学習活動・単元を開発するための基礎的な知見を得ることにある。他者の設定については, 大きく二つに分けて考えた。一つめは「教材としての多様な他者の言葉」であり, 二つめは「協同的な学び」である。また, 「発信型の授業構成」を設定することで教室内外の他者との出会いをつくり出し, 協同的な学びを発展させることができると考えた。検証の材料として用いるのは, 子どもの学習記録や作品, 授業記録などである。結果として, 多様な他者に出会わせることによって子どもたちはより多角的・客観的に言葉をとらえ, 興味を持って教材に向き合うことができた。また他者を設定することで, 子どもたちは言葉をとおしてかかわり合い, 自分の考えの広がりや深まりを確かめたりすることができるようになってきた。このように他者の存在を通して, 学習者はより豊かな言葉を得ることができる。今後は, 実生活においても他者とつながる言葉をつくり出す学びへと発展させていきたい

Practical Approaches to New Course of Study for Japanese Language Education by MEXT : Developing students' language competencies through collaborative learning.

本研究は, 学習者が自分のまわりの他者と出会いかかわり合うことをとおして, 自分自身の言葉の世界を広げ, 学びを探究していくことができるようにするための効果的な指導法を開発していくことを目的としている。他者とのかかわり合いをとおして, 自分の思いを表現し, 知識をもとにした的確な判断を行う学習を積み重ねることで, さまざまな場面で活躍していくための力を育み, 学びを実生活や社会の中に生かしていくことで他者とのよりよい関係を築いていくことにつながると考えた。そこで, 「言葉を学ぶ意欲の喚起」「多様な他者との出会い」「コミュニケーションを大事にした協同的な学び」「認識の広がりや深まりを実感させる場の設定」「表現を磨き合う場の設定」の5点に留意して単元構成を行った。その結果, 4年生では, 筆者の主張について, より深く考えさせ, 教材文の筆者の工夫を, 調べ学習の発表原稿やまとめ方の工夫に生かさせることができた。6年生では, 多くの他者の存在を意識して学習を進め, 本校の子どもたちに報道する事を意識し, 様々な視点からニュース番組を構成させることができた。今後も, 学習者を取り巻く環境を考慮し, 他者を意識した多様な実践を積み重ねていきたい

Practical Approaches based-on New Course of Study for Japanese Language Education by MEXT : Japanese language learning for developing students' world of language through collaborative leaning.

本研究は, 学習者が自分のまわりの他者と出会いかかわり合うことをとおして, 自分自身の言葉の世界を広げ, 自らの学びを探究していくことができるようにするための効果的な指導法を開発していくことを目的としている。そこで, 「さまざまな他者と出会い, 問いを立てる」「個の考えを深め吟味する」「他者とともによりよい方法で問題解決に取り組む」「学びの成果を適切に表現する」「学びを振り返り新たな学びにつなげる」という学習のプロセスに留意して単元構成を行った。2年生では, 自分の発想を言葉として表現したものを, 身近な他者に伝える経験を積ませる学習活動を構成することによって, 達成感を感じさせることができた。また, 子どもたちの意欲を喚起し学習に見通しをもたせることで, 発想豊かにお話作りに取り組ませることができた。3年生では, 説明文の内容を地域の行事と比べながら読ませたり, 今まで何気なく経験してきている行事の意味を改めて見つめ直させたりすることができた。また, 既習教材との比較によって, 筆者の意図や論理構成の工夫に気付かせることができた。今後も, 言葉の世界をひらき, 学びを自ら探求する学習のあり方を探っていきたい

Alterations of circulating endothelial cell and endothelial progenitor cell counts around the ovulation.

Context:Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and progenitor cells (CEPs) have been intensively studied as a promising tool for treating ischemic diseases and monitoring cancer treatments, but how the menstrual cycle affects the variation in their counts remains unclear. Objective:The aims of the study were to determine the influence of the menstrual cycle on the number of CECs and CEPs and to investigate the association of their counts with circulating hormones and angiogenesis-associated factors. Design:CEP and CEC counts by flow cytometry and the CellSearch system and circulating factor levels were measured eight times during the menstrual cycle in 18 volunteers. The menstrual cycle was divided into six phases based on hormone concentrations. Results:CEP counts peaked in the periovulatory and middle luteal phases with a drop in the early luteal phase. CEC counts showed no significant variation. There were significant correlations between the CEP counts and the serum concentrations of estradiol (E2), LH, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P = 0.01, respectively). The difference in CEP counts between two adjacent phases was significantly correlated with that in E2, LH, G-CSF, and serum vascular endothelial growth factor (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.02, and P = 0.006, respectively). Conclusion:CEP counts peaked in the periovulatory and middle luteal phases, with a drop in the early luteal phase, and were correlated with serum E2, LH, and G-CSF concentrations. Consideration of the variation in CEP counts would be important for the clinical application of CEPs

Novel Urinary Glycan Biomarkers Predict Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Multicenter Prospective Study With 5-Year Follow Up (U-CARE Study 2)

Background: Although various biomarkers predict cardiovascular event (CVE) in patients with diabetes, the relationship of urinary glycan profile with CVE in patients with diabetes remains unclear. Methods: Among 680 patients with type 2 diabetes, we examined the baseline urinary glycan signals binding to 45 lectins with different specificities. Primary outcome was defined as CVE including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. Results: During approximately a 5-year follow-up period, 62 patients reached the endpoint. Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that urinary glycan signals binding to two lectins were significantly associated with the outcome after adjustment for known indicators of CVE and for false discovery rate, as well as increased model fitness. Hazard ratios for these lectins (+1 SD for the glycan index) were UDA (recognizing glycan: mixture of Man5 to Man9): 1.78 (95% CI: 1.24-2.55, P = 0.002) and Calsepa [High-Man (Man2-6)]: 1.56 (1.19-2.04, P = 0.001). Common glycan binding to these lectins was high-mannose type of N-glycans. Moreover, adding glycan index for UDA to a model including known confounders improved the outcome prediction [Difference of Harrel's C-index: 0.028 (95% CI: 0.001-0.055, P = 0.044), net reclassification improvement at 5-year risk increased by 0.368 (0.045-0.692, P = 0.026), and the Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion decreased from 725.7 to 716.5, and 761.8 to 757.2, respectively]. Conclusion: The urinary excretion of high-mannose glycan may be a valuable biomarker for improving prediction of CVE in patients with type 2 diabetes, and provides the rationale to explore the mechanism underlying abnormal N-glycosylation occurring in patients with diabetes at higher risk of CVE

Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a marker for renal outcome of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (U-CARE study 3)

Introduction ACE cleaves angiotensin I (Ang I) to angiotensin II (Ang II) inducing vasoconstriction via Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor, while ACE2 cleaves Ang II to Ang (1-7) causing vasodilatation by acting on the Mas receptor. In diabetic kidney disease (DKD), it is still unclear whether plasma or urine ACE2 levels predict renal outcomes or not. Research design and methods Among 777 participants with diabetes enrolled in the Urinary biomarker for Continuous And Rapid progression of diabetic nEphropathy study, the 296 patients followed up for 9 years were investigated. Plasma and urinary ACE2 levels were measured by the ELISA. The primary end point was a composite of a decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by at least 30% from baseline or initiation of hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The secondary end points were a 30% increase or a 30% decrease in albumin-to-creatinine ratio from baseline to 1 year. Results The cumulative incidence of the renal composite outcome was significantly higher in group 1 with lowest tertile of plasma ACE2 (p=0.040). Group 2 with middle and highest tertile was associated with better renal outcomes in the crude Cox regression model adjusted by age and sex (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.99, p=0.047). Plasma ACE2 levels demonstrated a significant association with 30% decrease in ACR (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.044 to 2.035, p=0.027) after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and eGFR. Conclusions Higher baseline plasma ACE2 levels in DKD were protective for development and progression of albuminuria and associated with fewer renal end points, suggesting plasma ACE2 may be used as a prognosis marker of DKD.Trial registration number UMIN000011525

Development of unit for elective subject from fifth to ninth grade to improve cooperative creation (3)

本研究は, 「21世紀型の教科学力」の新たな観点としての「協同的創造力」の育成をめざして, 自分たちで新たな文化を創造する子どもを育てる協同的創造学習のあり方について実証的に研究を進め, 単元モデルと評価方法を開発することを目的としている。そこで, 教科学習を「協同的創造学習」としてとらえ直すとともに, 中学校での従来の選択教科の時間に加えて, 小学校第5・6学年合同の選択教科の時間を新設して「協同的創造力」を特化して育むことにし, 本年度は, 選択教科の単元モデルの充実・改善と評価方法の確立に取り組んだ。その結果, 選択教科において, これまで開発した単元モデルをより充実させたり, 新たな単元モデルを開発したりすることができた。また, 評価の観点を整理し, 子どもの意識調査やカリキュラム評価に継続して取り組むことによって, 子どもの思いを汲み取り単元を見直していくことができた。今後も必修教科と選択教科のつながりや関連性, 各学年の系統性を整理するとともに, 協同的創造力育成の手だてを整理し, 来年度に向けて, これまで培ったものを生かす新たな学習開発を模索していきたいと考えている

Analysis of the effectiveness of control measures against Schistosoma mekongi using an intra- and inter-village model in Champasak Province, Lao PDR

Schistosomiasis mekongi is prevalent in the Khong district of Lao PDR, made up of one big island. Khong, and numerous small islands in the Mekong River. Schistosoma mekongi is spread by Neotricula aperta as the intermediate host along the Mekong River. Therefore, even if an epidemic of S. mekongi were stamped out in a certain village, infection may recur if the source of infection is a village located in the upper reaches of the Mekong River. The purpose of this study was to construct a mathematical model for the transmission of S. mekongi among villages from the upper to lower Mekong River to estimate the effect of control measures against it. The chief characteristic of the present model is competence in dealing with the spread of infection among villages through the Mekong River in consideration of the reduction in longevity of cercariae and miracidia and their diffusion in the river. The model also takes into account seasonal fluctuation in the water level of the Mekong River, which affects human behavior in terms of water contact. The results of simulations indicated that the prevalence of schistosomiasis mekongi would be suppressed to a low level for a long time in a village further downstream when universal mass treatment is performed in villages further upstream simultaneously