Simulation of Information Spreading on Twitter Concerning Radiation After the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Information spreading on social media is a crucial issue to build a safe society. In particular, during emergencies, misinformation and uncertain information can lead to social disruption and cause significant damage to our lives. Here we built a retweet network from 24 million radiation-related tweets by 1.3 million accounts in the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in 2011. Then we simulated the information spreading on the network to explore ways to spread scientifically accurate information. Our simulation replicated the reality in which the number of scientific evidence-based tweets experienced a gradual decline while the number of emotional tweets increased. We also showed that increasing new direct retweets from the influencers could effectively spread scientific evidence-based information in our hypothetical simulations

Cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine as a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a prospective observational study

[Background] Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrotic lung disease that leads to respiratory failure and death. Although there is a greater understanding of the etiology of this disease, accurately predicting the disease course in individual patients is still not possible. This study aimed to evaluate serum cytokines/chemokines as potential biomarkers that can predict outcomes in IPF patients. [Methods] A multi-institutional prospective two-stage discovery and validation design using two independent cohorts was adopted. For the discovery analysis, serum samples from 100 IPF patients and 32 healthy controls were examined using an unbiased, multiplex immunoassay of 48 cytokines/chemokines. The serum cytokine/chemokine values were compared between IPF patients and controls; the association between multiplex measurements and survival time was evaluated in IPF patients. In the validation analysis, the cytokines/chemokines identified in the discovery analysis were examined in serum samples from another 81 IPF patients to verify the ability of these cytokines/chemokines to predict survival. Immunohistochemical assessment of IPF-derived lung samples was also performed to determine where this novel biomarker is expressed. [Results] In the discovery cohort, 18 cytokines/chemokines were significantly elevated in sera from IPF patients compared with those from controls. Interleukin-1 receptor alpha (IL-1Rα), interleukin-8 (IL-8), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1α), and cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK) were associated with survival: IL-1Rα, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.04 per 10 units, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01–1.07; IL-8, HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.08; MIP-1α, HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.00–1.36; and CTACK, HR = 1.12 per 100 units, 95% CI 1.02–1.21. A replication analysis was performed only for CTACK because others were previously reported to be potential biomarkers of interstitial lung diseases. In the validation cohort, CTACK was associated with survival: HR = 1.14 per 100 units, 95% CI 1.01–1.28. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of CTACK and CC chemokine receptor 10 (a ligand of CTACK) in airway and type II alveolar epithelial cells of IPF patients but not in those of controls. [Conclusions] CTACK is a novel prognostic biomarker of IPF

ダイガク ト チイキ ジュウミン ガ レンケイ キョウドウ スル ｢ニンチショウ カフェ｣ ノ カイサイ ガ リヨウシャ ニ モタラス セイカ : グループ インタビュー ニヨル シツテキ ブンセキ

本研究の目的は、大学と地域住民が連携協働する「認知症カフェ」の開催が利用者にもたらす成果および継続的な運営に向けた課題を明らかにすることである。認知症カフェ継続利用者６名に対しグループインタビューを行った結果、35のコードから11サブカテゴリー、さらに５つのカテゴリーである【認知症の情報や予防の共有ができる場】【学生ボランティアとの異世代間交流を通した自尊感情の高まり】【安心・安全な地域の居場所】【連携がもたらす多彩なプログラム効果】【継続利用を可能にする両者の連携と課題】を生成した。連携協働による成果では、“学ぶ・相談する”については大学がもつ認知症に関する知識の提供ができ、一方で地域の特性を生かした“楽しむ”を主としたアクティビティの提供により、両者のもつ利点を結集できたことが利用者のニーズと合致し、成果へと繋がった。また、学生ボランティアの接待や傾聴を通した異世代間交流は利用者の自尊感情の高まりに繋がり高評価を得た。利用の継続要因として、開催地との関連が示された。高齢者にとって徒歩圏内にある場は重要であり、利便性がある安心・安全な地域の居場所であったことが利用者の継続利用に繋がった。The principal aim of the present study was to clarify the outcome of and issues related to the continuation of a “dementia café” operated through cooperation between A University and local residents. A group interview was conducted for six dementia cafe consecutive users and qualitatively analyzed. Based on the analysis results, 5 categories and 10 sub-categories were extracted from 35 codes. The 5 categories were: “A place where information on dementia and prevention can be shared,” “Enhancement of self-esteem through intergenerational exchange with student volunteers,” “A place in the local community to feel safe and secure,” “Various program effects brought about by cooperation,” and “Collaboration between the two that enable continuous use and related issues.”Regarding the achievement of collaboration/cooperation, the university could provide knowledge concerning dementia to residents. Moreover, the fact that we could conduct activities that focused on “enjoyment” ensured that the achievements of users were linked to the specific characteristics of the community. In addition, student volunteers who participated in the dementia café gave high evaluations regarding their experiences. The intergenerational exchanges between students and users increased the self-esteem of the users. The characteristics of the venue were found to be factors that contribute to continuation of utilization. For elderly persons, it is important that the facility is located within walking distance, and the facilityʼs convenience, safety, and security in the local community were associated with continued use by users. Based on the present results, it will be necessary in the future to consider programs to attract withdrawn elderly persons with pre-dementia and users with different levels of cognitive functioning

Dysregulation of IFN System Can Lead to Poor Response to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis C

Despite being expensive, the standard combination of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)- α and ribavirin used to treat chronic hepatitis C (CH) results in a moderate clearance rate and a plethora of side effects. This makes it necessary to predict patient outcome so as to improve the accuracy of treatment. Although the antiviral mechanism of genetically altered IL28B is unknown, IL28B polymorphism is considered a good predictor of IFN combination treatment outcome

新たな教材としての電子カルテ教育システムの効果と課題 : 呼吸障害患者の看護過程の展開から

新見公立短期大学看護学科(以下本学)の取組『電子カルテ教育システムによる看護基礎教育』が文部科学省平成19年度『現代的教育ニーズ取組支援プログラム』(現代GP)に選定された。取り組みの背景としては、国では病院などで電子カルテの導入を推進していることがある。そこで電子カルテシステムを導入している病院において、基礎看護学実習で学生が電子カルテを活用してよかったこと及び困ったことについて明らかにし、学内で電子カルテシステムを活用した教育システムの課題と有効性を検討した。さらに現在行っている教材としての電子カルテ教育システムの取組の一端として取り組みの実際とその評価を行ったので報告する。Basic nursing education using an electronic chart-based training system, an initiative by the Department of Nursing Science, Niimi College (hereinafter called the College) was selected as a target for the 2007 Contemporary Education Needs Initiative Support Program (Contemporary GP) sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This initiative was designed in view of the Government\u27s promoting of the introduction of electronic medical charts to hospitals. Thus, at a hospital employing an electronic chart system, we identified what nursing students had found beneficial or troublesome on using electronic medical charts during the basic nursing practice, and discussed the effectiveness and future tasks of electronic chart-based training systems in the College. As part of the present initiative for electronic chart-based training systems as a training tool, we report the current status and interim evaluation of the initiative

キャリア形成を促進する看護基礎教育への課題 : 短大卒業生の母校四大化への期待

新見公立短期大学は昭和55年度に開学し,看護学科では既に1,500人を超える卒業生を送り出してきた。また,平成16年度に1年間の保健師養成課程の地域看護学専攻科を新設した.しかし,看護学科3年間と専攻科1年間の積み上げによる過密なカリキュラムの中での教育では,現代の社会ニーズに対応できる人材育成には余裕がないのが現状である.学生の約4割が四年制大学編入や保健師・助産師養成課程への進学を希望しており,その傾向は強まっている.学生の主体性や豊かな人間性を育み,十分な専門的知識と技術とを兼ね備え,医療施設のみならず,家庭,地域,社会への幅広い視点を持った保健師・看護師の育成を図ることを目的として,四年制大学への移行を考えた.本稿では,看護基礎教育の四大化において,短大卒業生の反応や期待を調査し,卒業後のキャリア形成に寄与する基礎教育の枠組みを明確にすることを目的とした.その結果,回答した卒業生の約9割が四年制大学への移行を望んでおり,教育内容としては専門的な知識技術や人間関係能力など,人間力と看護力を備えた有意な人材の育成を期待していることがわかった.Our college was founded in 1980 and the nursing department has already turned out more than 1500 graduates. Also, one-year community health nursing course to become a health nurse was established in 2004. However, the fact is that there is not enough room to cultivate human resources that can deal with today\u27s social needs in the busy curricula of three-year nursing department and one-year community health nursing course that are built up each year. About 40% of the students want to transfer to a four-year college or go on to the training course of a health nurse or a midwife, and this tendency is increasing. The transition to a four-year college was considered for the purpose of developing students\u27 independence and rich humanity, and fostering nurses and health nurses that have a good knowledge, skill and a wide viewpoint on a household, a community and a society as well as healthcare facilities. The purpose of this study was to clarify a framework for basic education that helps to shape the career after graduation through the research on our graduates\u27 responses and expectations for the transition to a four-year college. The result shows that about 90% of the respondents hope for the transition and that, as for educational contents, they expect for the cultivation of human resources equipped with relationship skills and professional nursing knowledge and skills

Exploring the Positional Effects in Sound Symbolism: The Case of Hardness Judgments by English and Japanese Speakers

Sound symbolism refers to the systematic and iconic relationships between sounds and meanings. While the research on this topic is growing rapidly, one issue that is understudied in the literature is whether segments in psycholinguistically salient positions (e.g., word-initial position) exhibit stronger sound–symbolic effects. We report two experiments that, together, show Japanese speakers are more sensitive to the sound–symbolic values of segments in initial syllables, whereas English speakers, rather surprisingly, are more sensitive to the sound–symbolic values of segments in final syllables. This cross-linguistic difference is intriguing, and we believe it opens up opportunities for future experimentation

Exploring the Positional Effects in Sound Symbolism: The Case of Hardness Judgments by English and Japanese Speakers

Sound symbolism refers to the systematic and iconic relationships between sounds and meanings. While the research on this topic is growing rapidly, one issue that is understudied in the literature is whether segments in psycholinguistically salient positions (e.g., word-initial position) exhibit stronger sound–symbolic effects. We report two experiments that, together, show Japanese speakers are more sensitive to the sound–symbolic values of segments in initial syllables, whereas English speakers, rather surprisingly, are more sensitive to the sound–symbolic values of segments in final syllables. This cross-linguistic difference is intriguing, and we believe it opens up opportunities for future experimentation