Expansion and Changes in Upper Secondary Education : History and Function of Supplementary Instruction (HOSYU-KA) during Post War Era

This investigation is about the history and function of supplementary instruction (HOSYU-KA) in Japan after the war. Education of Japan became democratic after the war. Its education system and law changed into a democratic one. But, the HOSYU-KA continued. The main purpose of HOSYU-KA like the Pre War Era was to upgrade scholastic ability while HOSYU-KA was a formal function of the school during the Pre War Era, it became an informal function of the school during the Post War period. This was became the educational system and educational idea changed. However, the HOSYU-KA continued to exist. That explained the existence of strict control and competition in the educational system. HOSYU-KA disappeared in 1960\u27s as a result of the high school entrance examination reform. At present, only Kagawa, Okayama, Shimane, and Tottori prefecture remained to adopt HOSYU-KA. (HOSYU-KA was a specialty in Tottori prefecture) HOSYU-KA in these prefectures became a strong district education administration. Aside from upgrading scholastic ability, HOSYU-KA provided opportunities for students to disperse in various areas of specialization. It also served the safekeeping function of the school. After HOSYU-KA disappeared, high school students were pressured to study harder. Still, like the Pre War Era, the teacher\u27s opinion on the field of specialization a student must choose played an influential factor that are sough by parents. Another factor that HOSYU-KA revealed was that educational organization expanded making the government take control of the maintenance of the system while encouraging academic competition. Although educational system and educational laws in Pre War Era and Post War Period were changed, commonalties also exist. At present, high school education in Japan became a semi-compulsory education. It is confronted with various problems and difficulties. Issues and problems revealed in the study of HOSYU-KA may provide essential suggestions and solution to the present educational problems of Japan

Expansion and Changes in Secondary Education : History and Function of Supplementary Instruction (HOSYU-KA) during Pre War Era

This investigation is about the history and function of supplementary instruction (HOSYU-KA) of Japan in Pre War Era. One characteristic of education of Japan in the Pre War Era was competition and control. High-education of Japan in those days was considered great elitist educational. Due to waiting period of graduates of secondary schools of four (4) months to enter high school, the HOSYU-KA was introduced in those days. Later on however, with the change of school calendar, HOSYU-KA became an individual concern. HOSYU-KA continued from 1894 to 1943 in the Pre War Era and was abolished during the World War II. The main purpose of HOSYU-KA was to train and upgrade one\u27s scholastic ability. It was also used for safekeeping function of the school. But, it eventually dispersed students to different areas of society. The area on field of specialization which a student must take was highly influenced by a teacher in Japan during the Pre War Era. And such opinion was highly agreed upon by parents. The increased adoption of HOSYU-KA resulted to expansion of educational organization thereby making the government improve the maintenance of the school system, academic control and competition. Issues and problems emerging from the HOSYU-KA would suggest alternative measures and solutions in the present education problems

Comparison of postmenopausal endogenous sex hormones among Japanese, Japanese Brazilians, and non-Japanese Brazilians

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Differences in sex hormone levels among populations might contribute to the variation in breast cancer incidence across countries. Previous studies have shown higher breast cancer incidence and mortality among Japanese Brazilians than among Japanese. To clarify the difference in hormone levels among populations, we compared postmenopausal endogenous sex hormone levels among Japanese living in Japan, Japanese Brazilians living in the state of São Paulo, and non-Japanese Brazilians living in the state of São Paulo.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted using a control group of case-control studies in Nagano, Japan, and São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were postmenopausal women older than 55 years of age who provided blood samples. We measured estradiol, estrone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), testosterone and free testosterone by radioimmunoassay; bioavailable estradiol by the ammonium sulfate precipitation method; and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) by immunoradiometric assay. A total of 363 women were included for the present analyses, comprising 185 Japanese, 44 Japanese Brazilians and 134 non-Japanese Brazilians.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Japanese Brazilians had significantly higher levels of estradiol, bioavailable estradiol, estrone, testosterone and free testosterone levels, and lower SHBG levels, than Japanese. Japanese Brazilians also had significantly higher levels of bioavailable estradiol, estrone and DHEAS and lower levels of SHBG and androstenedione than non-Japanese Brazilians. Levels of estradiol, testosterone and free testosterone, however, did not differ between Japanese Brazilians and non-Japanese Brazilians. These differences were observed even after adjustment for known breast cancer risk factors. We also found an increase in estrogen and androgen levels with increasing body mass index, but no association for most of the other known risk factors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found higher levels of estrogens and androgens in Japanese Brazilians than in Japanese and levels similar to or higher than in non-Japanese Brazilians. Our findings may help explain the increase in the incidence and mortality rate of breast cancer among Japanese Brazilians.</p

Role of hepatic STAT3 in brain-insulin action on hepatic glucose production

SummarySTAT3 regulates glucose homeostasis by suppressing the expression of gluconeogenic genes in the liver. The mechanism by which hepatic STAT3 is regulated by nutritional or hormonal status has remained unknown, however. Here, we show that an increase in the plasma insulin concentration, achieved either by glucose administration or by intravenous insulin infusion, stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 in the liver. This effect of insulin was mediated by the hormone's effects in the brain, and the increase in hepatic IL-6 induced by the brain-insulin action is essential for the activation of STAT3. The inhibition of hepatic glucose production and of expression of gluconeogenic genes induced by intracerebral ventricular insulin infusion was impaired in mice with liver-specific STAT3 deficiency or in mice with IL-6 deficiency. These results thus indicate that IL-6-STAT3 signaling in the liver contributes to insulin action in the brain, leading to the suppression of hepatic glucose production

Frequency analyses of CSF flow on cine MRI in normal pressure hydrocephalus

Abstract Our objective was to clarify intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow dynamics in normalpressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Frequency analyses of CSF flow measured with phase-contrast cine MRI were performed. The CSF flow spectra in the aqueduct were determined in patients (n=51) with NPH, brain atrophy or asymptomatic ventricular dilation (VD), and in healthy volunteers (control group; n=25). The changes in CSF flow spectra were also analyzed after intravenous injection of acetazolamide. Moreover, a phase transfer function (PTF) calculated from the spectra of the driving vascular pulsation and CSF flow in the aqueduct were assessed. These values were compared with the pressure volume response (PVR). The amplitude in the NPH group was significantly larger than that in the VD or control group because of a decrease in compliance. The phase in the NPH group was significantly different from that in either the VD or the control group, but no difference was found between the VD and control groups. The amplitude increased in all groups after acetazolamide injection. The PTF in the NPH group was significantly larger than in the control group, and a positive correlation was noted between PTF and PVR. Frequency analyses of CSF flow measured by cine MRI make it possible to noninvasively obtain a more detailed picture of the pathophysiology of NPH

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma with leukocytosis. A case report of G-CSF-producing soft-tissue tumors, possible association with undifferentiated liposarcoma lineage

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) functions as a hematopoietic growth factor and it is responsible for leukocytosis. G-CSF-producing tumors associated with leukocytosis include various types of malignancies.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 72-year-old man with dedifferentiated liposarcoma characterized by dedifferentiated components of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH)-like features in addition to well-differentiated lipoma-like liposarcoma, arising from his upper arm. Preoperative laboratory data showed leukocytosis (103,700/μl). The serum level of G-CSF was also elevated (620 pg/ml [normal, <8 pg/ml]). Nine days after the surgery, the leukocytosis was relieved (WBC; 6,920/μl) and the elevated serum G-CSF level was significantly decreased (G-CSF; 12 pg/ml). One month after the surgery, leukocytosis gradually began to appear again. Three months after the surgery metastatic lung lesions were confirmed, and the patient subsequently died of respiratory problems. In the English literature regarding soft-tissue tumors with leukocytosis, including the current case, we could review a total of 6 cases of liposarcoma with leukocytosis. The subtype of these 6 liposarcoma cases was undifferentiated liposarcoma, comprising dedifferentiated liposarcoma in 4 cases and pleomorphic liposarcoma in 2 cases.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Since the only other soft-tissue tumor that was associated with leukocytosis was MFH, and since MFH is characterized by the absence of any specific differentiation, we would like to propose a possible association between G-CSF-producing soft-tissue tumors and an undifferentiated liposarcoma lineage, such as dedifferentiated liposarcoma or pleomorphic liposarcoma.</p

Neural Network Based Approach to Recognition of Meteor Tracks in the Mini-EUSO Telescope Data

Mini-EUSO is a wide-angle fluorescence telescope that registers ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the nocturnal atmosphere of Earth from the International Space Station. Meteors are among multiple phenomena that manifest themselves not only in the visible range but also in the UV. We present two simple artificial neural networks that allow for recognizing meteor signals in the Mini-EUSO data with high accuracy in terms of a binary classification problem. We expect that similar architectures can be effectively used for signal recognition in other fluorescence telescopes, regardless of the nature of the signal. Due to their simplicity, the networks can be implemented in onboard electronics of future orbital or balloon experiments.Comment: 15 page