Regression analysis of trends in mortality from hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan, 1972-2001

Background In Japan, higher mortality rates from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been observed than in any other industrialized country and the reported numbers of deaths due to HCC have increased significantly in recent years. We assessed whether there was a real increase in mortality from HCC and which factors contributed to the recent increasing trends of the number of deaths from HCC. Methods Poisson regression models were used to analyse panel data for the period 1972-2001. Results In both sexes, age-standardized mortality rates from HCC increased significantly over the past three decades. Among males the annual percentage increase in age-adjusted mortality rates was approximately 1-3% during the period 1972-96. On the other hand, female mortality trends were less clear. The estimated birth cohort effects suggested that there was a peak in the mortality risk among the cohorts born during the period 1927-36, which corresponded to those aged between 50-64 years during the period 1987-96. This was the period when a large increase of both age-specific mortality rates among older age groups and age-standardized mortality rates were observed particularly among males. Conclusions This study shows that an upward trend of mortality from HCC in Japan was primarily due to the effects among birth cohorts born around 1930, which are consistent with the pattern of past exposure to hepatitis C virus. The cohort effects have contributed to a large increase in mortality from HCC in recent years and the number of deaths from HCC is expected to increase by 2010-1

Morphological Character and Corm Quality of Somatic Hybrid of Taro (Colocasia esculenta Schott)

　Morphological character and quality of corm in somatic hybrid No.12 obtained by protoplast fusion between taro (Colocasia esulenta Schott) cvs. ‘Yatsugahira’and ‘Malaysisa No.4’were investigated. The number of shoot and leaf was smaller than those of ‘Yatsugashira’and was larger than ‘Malaysia No.4’. The length of leaf blade and petiole were shoeter than the two parents. The number of corm was smaller than the two parents. Generally, the shape of top was comoact as compared the two parents. The total weight of corms was about a half of that of ‘Yatsugashira’, and a thirs of that of ‘Malaysia No.4’. The weight of mother corm of somatic hybrid No.12 was 400-500g. The corm morphology of somatic hybrid No.12 was almost intermediate between the two parents. The upper surface of mother corm of somatic hybrid No.12 was smooth; it was much different from that of mother corm of ‘Yatsugashira’. Starch content of borm was similae to ‘Yatsugashira’and smaller than ‘Malaysia No.4’. Sugar and amino acid contents of somatic hybrid No.12 were higher than those of the two parents. Calcium oxalate content was to the parents

Quantitative Measurement and Analysis to Computational Thinking for Elementary Schools in Japan

In Japan, programming education has been made compulsory in elementary schools since 2020. The Programming Education Guide (GPE) explains the purpose of programming education and the abilities that can be fostered through programming education. In addition, the “Portal Site for Programming Education Focusing on Elementary Schools” introduces various examples of programming education. However, there is little information measuring whether programming classes are effective in improving OTWP (Objective Thinking as a Way of Programming) abilities based on CT (Computational Thinking), except for reports of improvement after simple statistical analysis. Therefore, we prepared 30 CT questions, 12 basic and 18 applied, for the CT test considering four key techniques, decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms, of which 14 questions were pre-test and seven questions were assessment test. In the experiment, 18 elementary school students from grades 1st to 6th were given a short workshop only once, and the analysis of the effect was done statistically, considering their habituation to the problems. The results of the experiment showed that there was no effect of the one-time workshop, unlike other reports of improvement that used simple statistical methods. It became clear that the CT ability was not improved by the short education. On the other hand, a new finding is that females may be inferior to males in three techniques: decomposition, algorithm, and abstraction

The Animal Model of Spinal Cord Injury as an Experimental Pain Model

Pain, which remains largely unsolved, is one of the most crucial problems for spinal cord injury patients. Due to sensory problems, as well as motor dysfunctions, spinal cord injury research has proven to be complex and difficult. Furthermore, many types of pain are associated with spinal cord injury, such as neuropathic, visceral, and musculoskeletal pain. Many animal models of spinal cord injury exist to emulate clinical situations, which could help to determine common mechanisms of pathology. However, results can be easily misunderstood and falsely interpreted. Therefore, it is important to fully understand the symptoms of human spinal cord injury, as well as the various spinal cord injury models and the possible pathologies. The present paper summarizes results from animal models of spinal cord injury, as well as the most effective use of these models

キャンパス SNS Social Networking Service サトアイ ニオケル ガクセイ コウドウ ノ ブンセキ ト ガクセイ シエン ノ カノウセイ

現在，新しいコミュニケーションの形として様々なSNS(Social Networking Service)が生まれ，大 学においてもSNSの教育的活用が試行されている.我々はこうした動きに先駆け，新たな学生支援のツ ールとして2007年1月から徳島大学工学部を中心に「キャンパスSNS」 の運用を開始した.本研究で は，学生の視点に立った学生支援の在り方を探求するため本SNSのログデータから学生行動を分析した. その結果，学生は不特定多数の参加者との交流を好まず自分への関心に終始しがちな傾向が見られたが， 面識のない学生や世代の異なる参加者同士がコンテンツを通じて触れ合い現実の世界へと繋がった事例 もあった.これらをさらに発展させるため我々は学生を取り巻く教職員，卒業生，サポータと連携し， 多様な人材が出会うコミュニティの活動を支援した.このような大学版SNSの特徴を活かせば有効な学生支援が可能である.Recently，various Social Networking Services (SNSs) have been created as a new communication form.Educational utilization of SNS has also been attempted at universities. We started a Campus SNS as a new tool for supporting students begun by the Department of Engineering of the University of Tokushima in January 2007. For supporting university students by elucidating the students' perspective，this paper describes results of analyses of the students' online behavior by extracting log data on Campus SNS. Results indicated that the students do not like communications with strangers on this SNS. They are strongly interested in issues relating to themselves. However，in some cases，they developed new actions through contents in the real world and took opportunities to meet unacquainted users of different generations. We cooperated with staff, graduates，and supporters associated with the students. We supported their community activities for building new human relations at universities. The advantages of university SNSs underscore that they are effective as new tools for supportings students