Reading anxiety scales: Do they measure the same construct?

This article discusses the interchangeability of three self-report measures for reading anxiety. Despite their differences in target constructs, the three scales have been used for similar lines of research. After computing shared variance between the target scales and examining the behavior of anxiety indexes in relation to the amount of graded reading and reading comprehension performance, the author reaches the conclusion that each of the three scales should be treated as a unique research tool (i.e., the scales are non-interchangeable with one another). The overall results also suggest the utility of each reading anxiety scale in educational research and practice

A Preliminary Assessment of Facilitating Anxiety in Second Language Reading

Facilitating anxiety in second language (L2) learning research has not been thoroughly discussed for both methodological and conceptual reasons. This trend is also evident in the field of L2 reading, where reading anxiety has been viewed as a negative force. This study takes the initial step to explore the nature of facilitating anxiety in L2 reading. The behavior of facilitating anxiety measured by a domain-general measure is examined in relation to various L2-reading-specific variables, and the necessity of a new skill-specific measure for facilitating anxiety is discussed. Based on the results of partial correlation and stepwise regression analyses, this study proposes that incorporating a new skill-specific measure for facilitating anxiety could assist future research in gaining a better understanding of the role of anxiety in L2 reading and reading practice

The threshold of anxiety in low-stakes testing for foreign language reading

The following question has yet to be answered by researchers: when does anxiety have a systematic downward bias on foreign language (FL) reading test scores? The results of the correlation and regression analyses conducted in this study indicate that, at least in the case of university-level English learners in Japan, anxiety-induced bias occurs in a low-stakes FL reading test when the test becomes objectively challenging for students. Our data also suggest that concerns about unsuccessful text comprehension play a central role in the elevation of anxiety in a low-stakes test situation

Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology guidelines 2015 for the treatment of vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer

BackgroundVulvar cancer and vaginal cancer are relatively rare tumors, and there had been no established treatment principles or guidelines to treat these rare tumors in Japan. The first version of the Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology (JSGO) guidelines for the treatment of vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer was published in 2015 in Japanese.ObjectiveThe JSGO committee decided to publish the English version of the JSGO guidelines worldwide, and hope it will be a useful guide to physicians in a similar situation as in Japan.MethodsThe guideline was created according to the basic principles in creating the guidelines of JSGO.ResultsThe guidelines consist of five chapters and five algorithms. Prior to the first chapter, basic items are described including staging classification and history, classification of histology, and definition of the methods of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to give the reader a better understanding of the contents of the guidelines for these rare tumors. The first chapter gives an overview of the guidelines, including the basic policy of the guidelines. The second chapter discusses vulvar cancer, the third chapter discusses vaginal cancer, and the fourth chapter discusses vulvar Paget’s disease and malignant melanoma. Each chapter includes clinical questions, recommendations, backgrounds, objectives, explanations, and references. The fifth chapter provides supplemental data for the drugs that are mentioned in the explanation of clinical questions.ConclusionOverall, the objective of these guidelines is to clearly delineate the standard of care for vulvar and vaginal cancer with the goal of ensuring a high standard of care for all women diagnosed with these rare diseases

Observation of a new charmonium state in double charmonium production in e+ e- annihilation at \sqrt{s} ~ 10.6 GeV

We report the first observation of a new charmonium state at a mass of $(3.943 \pm 0.006 \pm 0.006) {GeV}/c^2$. This state, called X(3940), is observed in the process $e^+ e^- \to J/\psi X(3940)$ in the spectrum of masses recoiling against a reconstructed $J/\psi$. We also observe the decay of the X(3940) into $D^* \bar{D}$ and measure the intrinsic width of this state to be less than $52 MeV/c^2$ at the 90% C.L. These results are obtained from a $350 fb^{-1}$ data sample collected with the Belle detector near the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance, at the KEKB asymmetric energy $e^+ e^-$ collider.Comment: BELLE-CONF-051

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

Motion of a Graph by R-Curvature

We show the existence of weak solutions to the partial differential equation which describes the motion by R-curvature in Rd, by the continuum limit of a class of infinite particle systems. We also show that weak solutions of the partial differential equation are viscosity solutions and give the uniqueness result on both weak and viscosity solutions

堆肥とれき汁を発生源とするハナアブ類(双翅目:ハナアブ科)

A total of 566 individuals of droneflies belonging to 3 genera and 5 species emerged from manure and effluent of manure as a breeding media in Ebetsu and Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan. Of these species, Eristalis (Eoseristalis) cerealis Fabricius was the predominant species, followed by Eristalis (Eristalis} tenax (Linnaeus), Helophilus (Helophilus) virgatus Coquillett, Eristalis (Eoseristalis) rossica Stackelberg and Eristalinus (Lathyrophthalmus) tarsalis (Macquart). The eggs of the five species examined showed little differences, but the units on the egg shell surface of H. virgatus were glabrous and differed from the other four excavation formed species. It was determined that the shape, arrangement and number of sensilla, proleg, crochets, spine of 7th proleg and lappets are the useful characteristics for identifying the 3rd instar larvae. Distinct differences were observed on the shape of the anterior spiracles, and the shape and length of thoracic respirator process in pupae. A key to the 3rd instar larvae of dronefly species occurring from the effluent of manure in Hokkaido is provided. 堆肥とその浸出液である「れき汁」から発生するハナアブ科の種を,北海道江別市と静内町で産卵羽化トラップ法によって調査した.また,発生が確認されたハナアブ類の卵,終齢幼虫,蛹の形態学的特徴を双眼実体顕微鏡と走査型電子顕微鏡を用いて観察した.その結果シマハナアブ(Eristalis (Eoseristalis) cerealis Fabricius)を優占種とし,ナミハナアブ(Eristalis (Eristalis) tenax (Linnaeus)),アシブトハナアブ(Helophilus (Helophilus) virgatus Coquillett),キタハナアブEristalis (Eoseristalis) Rossica Stackelberg),ホシメハナアブ(Eristalinus (Lathyrophthalmus) tarsalis (Macquart))が続く3属5種のハナアブ類がれき汁から発生することが確認された.形態学的特徴を見ると,卵殻表面のユニットの形態では分類するのは困難であるが,アシブトハナアブのみ中央の凹みがなく,他の4種と異なった. 3齢幼虫では,体表に生えている感覚棘毛や剛毛,棘,乳頭突起の形,太さ,長さおよび配列などが種を分ける重要な特徴として認められた.蛹では,前方気門や呼吸角の長さや形態に相違が見られ,前方気門の形で種を容易に判別できることが明らかとなった