RELATIONSHIP AMONG STUDENTS’ FACING PROBLEM RELATED MATHEMATICS LEARNING AND LESSON

Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine the Japanese junior high school students’ feelings of difficulty in learning mathematics and discuss a possible solution on the ‘Lesson Study’ framework. Methodology: A survey was performed on 616 students of a public junior high school regarding their feelings towards learning mathematics. The survey was carried out at the end of the academic year 2016 in March, and 182 students (44 first-year, 75 second-year, 63 third-year) participated in the study. In this investigation, only those who answered “No Problem” were further scrutinized by means of conjoint analysis for their anxieties towards the specific learning modules following the education system guidelines and classified as ‘Algebra calculations’, ‘Functions’ and ‘Geometrical figures’. Basically, the analysis consisted of assessing these students’ awareness of ‘being good at’ and ‘being not good at’ one specific module relative to the other modules. Data processing and conjoint analysis were performed with Microsoft Excel. Main Findings: Roughly 68% of first year students, 77% of second year female students, and 72% of third year female students felt ‘Not Good At’ towards ‘Algebra calculation’ and ‘Functions’, whereas about 95% of second year male students self-assessed themselves as ‘Not Good At’ towards ‘Functions’, and 79% of third year males as ‘Good At’ towards ‘Algebra calculation’. Thus, even though some students declared “No Problem”, they were actually ‘Not Good At’. Implications: These findings suggest that a class division according to the students’ feelings with ‘Lesson Study’ at the teachers’ level would help struggling students to learn mathematics. In addition, we showed that the use of conjoint analysis-based assessment may help educators and teachers to figure out students’ feelings towards learning mathematics. Novelty: The use of conjoint analysis to analyze the students’ implicit feelings towards learning mathematics is followed by a discussion on the grounds of ‘Lesson Study’, for which a cycle at the individual level is presented

THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LITERACY LEVEL OF NEWLY ENROLLED FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN JAPAN

Purpose: The objective of the study was to assess the self-assessment of information literacy among newly enrolled Japanese female college student in what concerns to the ability to operate office applications; namely, word processors, spreadsheets and presentation software. In addition, researchers also investigated the time period when they started using them.  Methodology: A survey was performed on 272 junior college female students of humanities courses and 41 college students of nutrition science course in April 2018, right after their entrance ceremonies. Statistical free software R was used to process the data, which consisted of chi-square test of independence for a contingency table, and correspondence analysis. The parameters assessed were (1) self-evaluation of the ability to use office applications, and (2) the period of time the students started using time. Main Findings: ‘Upper intermediate’ level students in word processors were correlated with the period around ‘Class in elementary school’ or ‘Class in junior high school’. By contrast, ‘Upper intermediate’ level students in spreadsheeting were associated with the first contact in a ‘Class in junior high school’ or ‘Class in high school’. Presentation software has been used frequently since elementary school up to high school and its club activities. Finally, the results suggest that ‘Advanced’ level students were taught how to use all these applications from family members. Implications: These findings may help teachers to improve their academic curriculum in order to fill the gap between those who are skilled and those who are not. They also can give useful hints to explore new teaching methods on information literacy subjects in higher education. Novelty: The results suggest that that the period of time that students had their first contact with the applications affects the awareness of their importance and the motivation to learn them

Ordinary Pairing Friendly Curve of Embedding Degree 1 Whose Order Has Two Large Prime Factors

Recently, composite order pairing–based cryptographies have received much attention. The composite order needs to be as large as the RSA modulus. Thus, they require a certain pairing–friendly elliptic curve that has such a large composite order. This paper proposes an efficient algorithm for generating an ordinary pairing–friendly elliptic curve of the embedding degree 1 whose order has two large prime factors as the RSA modulus. In addition, the generated pairing–friendly curve has an efficient structure for the Gallant–Lambert–Vanstone (GLV) method

Analysis of Archery Shooting Techniques by Means of Electromyography

The interaction between the processes of excitation and inhibition plays a major role in the mechanisms of motor coordination. In the inhibitory phenomenon, from Hoffmann (1920) cited in Hoff et al. (1934) to Abraham et al. (1987), it has been shown that an electromyographic silent period is evident just before the voluntary movement following the preparatory phase, The present authors (Nishizono et al. 1984, Nishizono et al. 1987) demonstrated the inhibition prior to skilled voluntary movement. In the movement of shooting an arrow, there is a large amount of neuromuscular involvement in the «simple act». Neurophysiologically, the movement of shooting an arrow is the stable posture in a typical tonic neck reflex. To get a good record in an archery competition, one requires a well-balanced and highly reproducible release during the shooting. The stages for archery shooting, such as Bow Hold, Drawing, Full Draw, Aiming, Release and Follow-Through, are the stable sequence of movements and are suitable for studying the motor control and skill-aquiring processes of the voluntary movement. In the present study, first, the shooting techniques of world class archers were analysed compared with middle-class and beginner archers by means of EMGs, and second, archers of three shill levels were employed to measure the EMGs during archery shooting, to clarify the differences of the releasing movement

Responses of Japanese tree species to excessive nitrogen load

国立環境研究所東京農工大学Proceeding : International Symposium of Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program Vol.2(2004),Schedule: February 29(SUN)-March 3(WED), Venue: 29 FEB, Ishikawa Life-Long Learning Center(Former Prefectural Government Building) / 1-3 MAR Kanazawa Art Hall, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program / Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre / United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies, Supported by: Ishikawa Prefectural Government / City of Kanazawa, Eds : Hayakawa, Kazuichi / Kizu, Ryoichi / Kamata, Naok

EFFECT OF AMBIENT LEVELS OF OZONE ON PHOTOSYNTHETIC COMPONENTS AND RADICAL SCAVENGING SYSTEM IN LEAVES OF AFRICAN COWPEA VARIETIES

Tropospheric ozone (O3), a main component of photochemical oxidants, adversely affects not only human health but also vegetation. To clarify the long-term effects of ambient levels of tropospheric ozone (O3) on photosynthetic components and radical scavenging system in the leaves of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L.), two African varieties, Blackeye and Asontem, were grown in open-top chambers and exposed to filtered air (FA), non-filtered air (NF) or non-filtered air with additional O3 of approximately 50 nl l-1. Ambient levels of O3 significantly reduced chlorophyll concentration, quantum yield and activity of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), thus contributing to the reduction in net photosynthetic rate at the reproductive growth stage of both varieties; with no significant variety difference in the sensitivity to O3. The O3-induced significant reduction in catalase activity was observed in Blackeye at vegetative and reproductive growth stages; and in Asontem at reproductive growth stage. On the other hand, exposure to O3 significantly increased ascorbate peroxidase activity in Blackeye at reproductive stage and did not significantly affect that in Blackeye at vegetative growth stage and that in Asontem at both growth stages. At reproductive growth stage, activities of monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase were significantly increased by the exposure to O3 in both varieties. The results obtained in this study suggest that, although ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase played important roles in scavenging O3-induced reactive oxygen species in the leaves, radical scavenging ability of these enzymes is not sufficient to avoid detrimental effects of ambient levels of O3 on photosynthesis in both African cowpea varieties.L\u2019ozone troposph\ue9rique (O3), un composant essential des oxydants photochimiques, a des effets pervers sur la sant\ue9 humaine et la v\ue9g\ue9tation. Afin de clarifier les effets \ue0 long-terme des niveaux ambiants de l\u2019ozone troposph\ue9rique (O3) sur les composantes de la photosynth\ue8se et le syst\ue8me d\u2019\ue9puration des feuilles du ni\ue9b\ue9 ( Vigna unguiculata L.), deux vari\ue9t\ue9s de ni\ue9b\ue9 Africain, Blackeye et Asontem, ont \ue9t\ue9 cultiv\ue9es dans une chambre d\u2019exp\ue9rimentation et expos\ue9es \ue0 l\u2019air filtr\ue9 (FA), l\u2019air non filtr\ue9 (NF) ou air non filtr\ue9 additionn\ue9 de O3 \ue0 50 nl l-1. Les niveaux ambiants d\u2019O3 ont r\ue9duit de fa\ue7on significative la concentration en chlorophylle, le rendement en quantum et l\u2019activit\ue9 de ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), contribuant ainsi \ue0 la r\ue9duction du taux photosynth\ue9tique net au stade reproductif des deux vari\ue9t\ue9s; il n\u2019y a pas eu de diff\ue9rence significative dans la sensibilit\ue9 des vari\ue9t\ue9s \ue0 O3. Une r\ue9duction significative induite par l\u2019O3 dans l\u2019activit\ue9 de catalase a \ue9t\ue9 observ\ue9e aux stades v\ue9g\ue9tatif et reproductif chez la vari\ue9t\ue9 Blackeye; et au stade reproductif chez Asontem. D\u2019autre part, l\u2019exposition \ue0 l\u2019O3 a augment\ue9 de fa\ue7on significative l\u2019activit\ue9 de l\u2019ascorbate peroxidase seulement au stade reproductif chez Blackeye mais aux deux stades v\ue9g\ue9tatif et reproducteur chez la vari\ue9t\ue9 Asontem. Au stade reproductif, l\u2019activit\ue9 de monodehydroascorbate r\ue9ductase et de glutathione r\ue9ductase ont \ue9t\ue9 augment\ue9e de fa\ue7on significative par l\u2019exposition \ue0 l\u2019O3 chez les deux vari\ue9t\ue9s. Les r\ue9sultats obtenus dans cette \ue9tude sugg\ue8rent que malgr\ue9 le role important que jouent ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate r\ue9ductase et glutathione r\ue9ductase dans l\u2019\ue9puration dans les feuilles des esp\ue8ces \ue0 oxyg\ue8ne r\ue9actif induit par l\u2019O3, l\u2019habilet\ue9 d\u2019\ue9puration de ces enzymes n\u2019est pas assez pour \ue9viter les effets nocifs des niveaux ambiants d\u2019O3 sur la photosynth\ue8se chez les vari\ue9t\ue9s de ni\ue9b\ue9 Africain

Gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos de uma processadora de açaí do Vale do Ribeira

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Bruno Victor VeigaCoorientadora: Prof.ª Ma. Valéria de Cássia MacedoTrabalho de Conclusão de Curso (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Agrárias, Curso de Especialização MBA em Gestão AmbientalInclui referênciasResumo: Com o crescimento populacional das últimas décadas cresceu também a geração de resíduos sólidos, causando grandes preocupações. Um grande volume de resíduos gerados requer cuidados enormes para que não haja prejuízo ambiental, e é preciso que cada pessoa (física ou jurídica) repense no seu modo de gerar e descartar resíduos. A preocupação de uma processadora de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart), localizada na região do Vale do Ribeira, no interior do estado de São Paulo, em fazer a sua parte e realizar melhorias para que seus resíduos tenham a destinação correta, fez deste presente trabalho um estudo de caso do gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos da processadora de açaí em questão. O objetivo do estudo foi realizar sugestões de melhorias para a processadora, a fim de conciliar produtividade econômica com responsabilidade ambiental. Para a realização do projeto, foram feitas visitas técnicas e entrevistas no empreendimento, com objetivo de compreender toda a cadeia produtiva e possibilitar a caracterização qualitativa e quantitativa dos resíduos sólidos gerados e também a disposição final atual dos resíduos. Foram feitas pesquisas bibliográficas que possibilitaram a avaliação das destinações atuais de resíduos e a sugestão de melhoriasAbstract: Along with the increase of the world's population, the generation of the solid waste has also increased, causing tremendous concerns. This large amount of waste generation requires maximum attention so that we do not have too much of environmental losses. It is necessary that everyone rethinks its own way of generating and discarding solid waste. The concerns of a company that processes the açaí berry (Euterpe oleracea Mart), on the Vale do Ribeira region, located in the state of São Paulo, on making improvements on its waste management and to find the best waste disposal, has made this project a case study of the solid waste management of this company. The objective of the study was to make suggestions to the company, so that it could conciliate the economic productivity and the environmental responsibility. For the execution of the project some technical visits were made and the staff of the company was interviewed so it could be possible to comprehend the productive chain and to do the qualitative and quantitative characterization of the solid waste and also to understand the final waste disposal that the company uses. Then, a bibliographic survey was done to evaluate the present waste disposal and to make suggestions of improvement