Some critical issues posed by ‘Theory and Practice of Lesson Study in Mathematics’ from a Western Perspective

This paper constitutes an attempt to produce a critical commentary on this volume that is informed by a ‘classroom action research’ tradition, which originated in the work of Lawrence Stenhouse and others at the Centre for Applied Research in Education (CARE) at the University of East Anglia in England. It involved a series of projects, which engaged groups of ‘teachers as researchers’ in their classrooms, and stimulated the development of a research tradition that impacted across the UK and Europe and more widely in the latter part of the 20th century. The paper begins with a summary of the main ideas embedded in this tradition of collaborative classroom action research, and then goes on to discuss in their light a number of themes and issues posed by contributions in this volume. These include the respective roles of academic experts and teachers in the lesson study process, the role of teachers in constructing accounts of lesson studies and creating ‘knowledge platforms’, the role of teachers as researchers in relation to curriculum development, the use of learning theories to inform lesson study, and the problem of globalizing lesson study methodology across cultures and systems

Assessment of total and segmental body composition in spinal cord-injured athletes in okayama prefecture of Japan.

This study assessed total and segmental distribution of fat mass (FM) in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and examined the relationships between segmental distribution of fat mass and age, injury level, athletic history, and training load in order to provide useful information for improvements in their physical strength and training. Twenty-five male athletes with SCI participated in the study. The whole bone composition was measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method for the calculation of bone minerals, FM, and fat-free mass. The percent fat of the trunk, arms, and legs was also calculated. The percent fat in the legs was highest in comparison with that in the trunk and arms (p &#60; 0.001), and the percent fat in the trunk was higher than that in the arms (p &#60; 0.001). The body fat (p &#60; 0.01), waist circumference (p &#60; 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (p &#60; 0.0001) were higher in the group aged 40 or older in comparison with that aged 39 or younger. Path analysis revealed that training load was a factor decreasing the percent fat on the arms and trunk (p &#60; 0.01), and athletic history was a factor reducing the percent fat on the arms (p &#60; 0.05). Our study suggests that exercise is effective in reducing the waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and percent body fat of SCI individuals, and that such effects can help to enhance athletic performance and likely to protect against development of metabolic syndromes resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.</p

Assessment of total and segmental body composition in spinal cord-injured athletes in okayama prefecture of Japan.

This study assessed total and segmental distribution of fat mass (FM) in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and examined the relationships between segmental distribution of fat mass and age, injury level, athletic history, and training load in order to provide useful information for improvements in their physical strength and training. Twenty-five male athletes with SCI participated in the study. The whole bone composition was measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method for the calculation of bone minerals, FM, and fat-free mass. The percent fat of the trunk, arms, and legs was also calculated. The percent fat in the legs was highest in comparison with that in the trunk and arms (p &#60; 0.001), and the percent fat in the trunk was higher than that in the arms (p &#60; 0.001). The body fat (p &#60; 0.01), waist circumference (p &#60; 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (p &#60; 0.0001) were higher in the group aged 40 or older in comparison with that aged 39 or younger. Path analysis revealed that training load was a factor decreasing the percent fat on the arms and trunk (p &#60; 0.01), and athletic history was a factor reducing the percent fat on the arms (p &#60; 0.05). Our study suggests that exercise is effective in reducing the waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and percent body fat of SCI individuals, and that such effects can help to enhance athletic performance and likely to protect against development of metabolic syndromes resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.</p

Nonlinear hybrid-mode resonant forced oscillations of sagged inclined cables at avoidances

We investigate non-linear forced oscillations of sagged inclined cables under planar 1:1 internal resonance at avoidance. To account for frequency avoidance phenomena and associated hybrid modes actually distinguishing inclined cables from horizontal cables, asymmetric inclined static configurations are considered. Emphasis is placed on highlighting nearly tuned 1:1 resonant interactions involving coupled hybrid modes. The inclined cable is subjected to a uniformly distributed vertical harmonic excitation at primary resonance of a high-frequency mode. Approximate non-linear partial-differential equations of motion, capturing overall displacement coupling and dynamic extensibility effect, are analytically solved based on a multi-mode discretization and a second-order multiple scales approach. Bifurcation analyses of both equilibrium and dynamic solutions are carried out via a continuation technique, highlighting the influence of system parameters on internally resonant forced dynamics of avoidance cables. Direct numerical integrations of modulation equations are also performed to validate the continuation prediction and characterize non-linear coupled dynamics in post-bifurcation states. Depending on the elasto-geometric (cable sag and inclination) and control parameters, and on assigned initial conditions, the hybrid modal interactions undergo several kinds of bifurcations and non-linear phenomena, along with meaningful transition from periodic to quasi-periodic and chaotic responses. Moreover, corresponding spatio-temporal distributions of cable non-linear dynamic displacement and tension are manifested

Comparison of serum ferritin and oxidative stress biomarkers between Japanese workers with and without metabolic syndrome

Objective Metabolic syndrome (MS) is closely associated to life-style and is characterized by central obesity causing severe diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM) or atherosclerosis. This study investigates the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in MS. Subjects Total of 685 workers stratified by gender (293 men and 392 women) with a mean age of 41.2 ± 10.4 in different offices in a city in Japan. Methods Fasting blood and urine tests for MS, oxidative and/or inflammatory biomarker analysis and blood pressure (BP) measurement were performed. MS was defined on the basis of the Japanese criterion. Results Serum ferritin and urinary hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels were significantly higher in subjects with MS than those without. Ferritin was positively correlated with 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in all subjects and it was negatively correlated with 8-isoprostane and H2O2 in men. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between ferritin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) in men. By using multiple regression analysis, ferritin was closely correlated with HOMA-R, γ-GT, 8-OHdG, smoking value and amount of alcohol ingestion in men, and it was correlated with 8-OHdG, γ-GT, HOMA-R in women under 50 years old. Conclusions Ferritin is a useful marker of MS including insulin resistance, reflecting the importance of oxidative stress as a cause of MS, especially in men

Contemporary trends in Brazilian human resource management studies over the last decade (2001–2010)

In seeking to detail what is new in the lesser-known field of Brazilian Human Resource Management (HRM) research, this study analyzes 136 recent Brazilian HRM articles over the last decade from 2001 until 2010. Findings reveal that contemporary Brazilian HRM research contains: a wide range of HRM topics; the isomorphic use of some Western HRM themes; and case-based, descriptive methodologies using non-probability sampling. While the number of recently published Brazilian HRM studies has increased, such research seems ripe for further empirical and theoretical development. Our contributions to knowledge lie in: surfacing and classifying recent Brazilian HRM research trends and identifying potentially fruitful areas for future research. Implications for practitioners include the need to attract and retain expert staff, to use more localized pay and reward systems, and to assess the usefulness of HR interventions in the public sector

Will Governmental Incentives in Developing Countries Support Companies to Innovate More? Evidences from Skin Care Patent Applications in Brazil

Recent Brazilian Governments have provided incentives to support domestic innovation; however, some claim that the country has set conflicting policies towards innovation, industrial property and biodiversity exploitation. After an analysis of patent applications filled in the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property, we observed that current governmental measures have not performed as expected, at least in the skin care industry. Throughout the paper we discuss plausible reasons why this sector has not managed to innovate more, reasons that may affect other businesses as well. This case is exemplary to developing economies that have implemented or are in the process of renewing their innovation policies