A Comparison of SCAT and Ueno’s Qualitative Analysis as the Qualitative Data Analysis: A Study of Interview Data from a Kindergarten Director

The purpose of this study is to compare the characteristics of SCAT (Steps for Coding and Theorization) and Ueno’s qualitative analysis as a form of qualitative data analysis applied to interview data from a kindergarten director. The subject and methods of the study are as follows. (1) We interviewed the director of Kindergarten A. (2) The research question asked why he started to run the child-based kindergarten. (3) We analyzed the interview data using SCAT. (4) We also analyzed the interview data using Ueno’s qualitative analysis. (5) We compared their characteristics. The analyses made the following points clear. First, the SCAT is characterized by the decontextualisation of the segmented text, step by step. By contrast, Ueno’s qualitative analysis is marked by its recontextualization through the mapping and charting of metadata. Second, when we use SCAT, we need to understand the theory of qualitative inquiry and must read the text over and over, analyzing it over time. However, the intellectual excitement when we discover the inherent meaning in the text is great. However, Ueno’s qualitative analysis is superior in terms of cost performance, time saved, and energy savings, though it does not convert qualitative data into words. With this approach, the intellectual excitement we felt when we discovered the meaning inherent in a text was not as great as when using SCAT

Intensity of singular stress fields of wedge-shaped defect in human tooth due to occlusal force before and after restoration with composite resins

Wedge-shaped defects are frequently observed on the cervical region of the human tooth. Previously, most studies explained that improper tooth-brushing causes such defects. However, recent clinical observation suggested that the repeated stress due to occlusal force may induce the formation of these wedge-shaped defects. In this study, therefore, two-dimensional human tooth models are considered with and without a wedge-shaped defect by applying the finite element method. To evaluate large stress concentrations accurately, a method of analysis is discussed in terms of the intensity of singular stress fields appearing at the tip of the sharp wedge-shaped defect. The effects of the position and direction of occlusion on the intensity of singular stress fields are discussed before and after restoration with composite resins

イデンシプログラミング オ オウヨウシタ イモチビョウニンシキパラメータ ノ ジドウセイセイ

日本の主要作物は米であり,その早期の病害検知は重要といえる。しかしその自動診断において,イネは葉が細いため病斑を検知することは非常に難しい。本研究では,米にとって甚大な被害をもたらすいもち病を対象に,その検知手法を検討した。具体的には,先ず仮想水田空間を構築して画像を取得した。次に認識された背景といもち病を識別するパラメータの自動生成手法を開発した。この手法では形状特徴量を組み合わせる遺伝的プログラミング(GP)を導入し,そのアルゴリズムの改良,性能評価を行った。The principal crop in Japan is rice and the early detection of disease is very important. However, because the leaves of the rice plant are very thin, it is extremely difficult to detect symptoms in an automatic diagnosis for plant disease. This study examined techniques for detecting rice blast, which causes serious damage to rice. Specifically, a virtual rice field was constructed and images were acquired first. Next an automatic generation technique for parameters that distinguish between recognized background and rice blast was developed. Genetic programming (GP) that combines shape features was introduced into this technique, and improvement and performance evaluation of the algorithm were carried out

Transient Spinal Segmental Myoclonus during Neuraxial Anesthesia: A Report of Two Cases

We report here two cases of transient spinal segmental myoclonus occurred during neuraxial anesthesia. One case was an 82-year-old woman, who was scheduled to undergo surgery for abdominal aortic aneurism, was indwelled epidural catheter the day before surgery. A quick, involuntary muscle jerk of the lower limbs began 30 minutes after giving a test dose bolus injection of mepivacaine via the epidural catheter. Despite removal of the epidural catheter, the involuntary muscle jerk persisted and ceased spontaneously five hours after injection of mepivacaine. The other case was a 33-year-old woman who underwent an emergency Caesarean section under a combined spinalepidural anesthesia. Involuntary muscle jerk of the upper limbs began 76 minutes after the intrathecal administration of hyperbaric bupivacaine during immediate post-operative period. The involuntary muscle contraction ceased four hours after injection of bupivacaine without any treatment. In both cases, no abnormal findings were detected in the spinal cord in MRI and/or CT. The involuntary muscle jerk observed in those two patients was diagnosed spinal segmental myoclonus by neurologists. The unusual effect of local anesthetics to the spinal cord neurons during neuraxial anesthesia was suspected as the cause of myoclonus. Although the spinal myoclonus caused by neuraxial anesthesia is quite rare and its etiology is unclear, anesthesiologists should be aware of this bizarre and stressful complication.本稿の要旨は日本麻酔科学会　中国・四国支部第50回学術集会（高松市，2013年）で発表した

Seven-Signal Proteomic Signature for Detection of Operable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Their Discrimination from Autoimmune Pancreatitis

There is urgent need for biomarkers that provide early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as well as discrimination of autoimmune pancreatitis, as current clinical approaches are not suitably accurate for precise diagnosis. We used mass spectrometry to analyze protein profiles of more than 300 plasma specimens obtained from PDAC, noncancerous pancreatic diseases including autoimmune pancreatitis patients and healthy subjects. We obtained 1063 proteomic signals from 160 plasma samples in the training cohort. A proteomic signature consisting of 7 mass spectrometry signals was used for construction of a proteomic model for detection of PDAC patients. Using the test cohort, we confirmed that this proteomic model had discrimination power equal to that observed with the training cohort. The overall sensitivity and specificity for detection of cancer patients were 82.6% and 90.9%, respectively. Notably, 62.5% of the stage I and II cases were detected by our proteomic model. We also found that 100% of autoimmune pancreatitis patients were correctly assigned as noncancerous individuals. In the present paper, we developed a proteomic model that was shown able to detect early-stage PDAC patients. In addition, our model appeared capable of discriminating patients with autoimmune pancreatitis from those with PDAC

Construction of a combinatorial pipeline using two somatic variant calling methods for whole exome sequence data of gastric cancer

High-throughput next-generation sequencing is a powerful tool to identify the genotypic landscapes of somatic variants and therapeutic targets in various cancers including gastric cancer, forming the basis for personalized medicine in the clinical setting. Although the advent of many computational algorithms leads to higher accuracy in somatic variant calling, no standardmethod exists due to the limitations of each method. Here, we constructed a new pipeline. We combined two different somatic variant callers with different algorithms, Strelka and VarScan 2, and evaluated performance using whole exome sequencing data obtained from 19 Japanese cases with gastric cancer (GC) ; then, we characterized these tumors based on identified driver molecular alterations. More single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and small insertions/deletions were detected by Strelka and VarScan 2, respectively. SNVs detected by both tools showed higher accuracy for estimating somatic variants compared with those detected by only one of the two tools and accurately showed the mutation signature and mutations of driver genes reported for GC. Our combinatorial pipeline may have an advantage in detection of somaticmutations in GC andmay be useful for further genomic characterization of Japanese patients with GC to improve the efficacy of GC treatments

ACPA-negative RA consists of two genetically distinct subsets based on RF positivity in Japanese.

HLA-DRB1, especially the shared epitope (SE), is strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, recent studies have shown that SE is at most weakly associated with RA without anti-citrullinated peptide/protein antibody (ACPA). We have recently reported that ACPA-negative RA is associated with specific HLA-DRB1 alleles and diplotypes. Here, we attempted to detect genetically different subsets of ACPA-negative RA by classifying ACPA-negative RA patients into two groups based on their positivity for rheumatoid factor (RF). HLA-DRB1 genotyping data for totally 954 ACPA-negative RA patients and 2,008 healthy individuals in two independent sets were used. HLA-DRB1 allele and diplotype frequencies were compared among the ACPA-negative RF-positive RA patients, ACPA-negative RF-negative RA patients, and controls in each set. Combined results were also analyzed. A similar analysis was performed in 685 ACPA-positive RA patients classified according to their RF positivity. As a result, HLA-DRB1*04:05 and *09:01 showed strong associations with ACPA-negative RF-positive RA in the combined analysis (p = 8.8×10(-6) and 0.0011, OR: 1.57 (1.28-1.91) and 1.37 (1.13-1.65), respectively). We also found that HLA-DR14 and the HLA-DR8 homozygote were associated with ACPA-negative RF-negative RA (p = 0.00022 and 0.00013, OR: 1.52 (1.21-1.89) and 3.08 (1.68-5.64), respectively). These association tendencies were found in each set. On the contrary, we could not detect any significant differences between ACPA-positive RA subsets. As a conclusion, ACPA-negative RA includes two genetically distinct subsets according to RF positivity in Japan, which display different associations with HLA-DRB1. ACPA-negative RF-positive RA is strongly associated with HLA-DRB1*04:05 and *09:01. ACPA-negative RF-negative RA is associated with DR14 and the HLA-DR8 homozygote

ガイロジュカンリ・シンダンロボット ヲ ソウテイシタ カソウクウカン ニ オケル ジュモクニンシキ

都市空間にとって街路樹の存在は,交通安全・快適性の向上,都市緑化,アメニティ効果,防災,生態系形成,歴史性/都市文化の継承など,重要な機能・役割を有している。反面,劣悪な生育空間であるため,病虫害と農薬問題,腐朽菌による倒木問題などを抱えている。特に街路樹の数が多いにも拘らずこれを診断できる樹木医は少なく,今後の街路樹管理においては効率性やデータ蓄積による客観性のある診断・管理支援が重要である。そこで本研究では先ず街路樹管理支援システムを提案した。次にその機能の一部として診断ロボットに着目し,3DCGシミュレータを構築した後,仮想空間上で診断ロボットによる樹木認識アルゴリズムの検討を行った。Roadside trees have important roles and functions in the urban space, such as improving traffic safety and comfort, urban greening, amenity effects, disaster prevention, ecosystem formation, and continuance of history and urban culture. On the other hand, due to the poor quality growing space, there are problems such as damage caused by disease and harmful insects, the use of agricultural chemicals, and the problem of fallen trees due to rot bacteria. Despite the fact that there are a large number of roadside trees, there are few tree doctors who can make diagnoses. Efficient and objective diagnoses and management support based on accumulated data is essential for future roadside tree management. Therefore, this study firstly proposed a roadside tree management support system. Then, after turning the focus to diagnostic robots as part of the system\u27s function and constructing a 3DCG simulator, a tree recognition algorithm using a diagnostic robot in virtual space was examined

Association of TUSC1 and DPF3 gene polymorphisms with male infertility

Purpose Recently, a genome-wide association studies of a Hutterite population in the USA revealed that five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with a significant association with sperm quality and/or function in ethnically diverse men from Chicago were significantly correlated with family size. Of these, three SNPs (rs7867029, rs7174015, and rs12870438) were found to be significantly associated with the risk of azoospermia and/or oligozoospermia in a Japanese population. In this study, we investigated whether the rs10966811 (located in an intergenic region between the TUSC1 and IZUMO3 genes) and rs10129954 (located in the DPF3 gene) SNPs, previously related to family size, are associated with male infertility. In addition, we performed association analysis between rs12348 in TUSC1 and rs2772579 in IZUMO3 and male infertility. Methods We genotyped 145 patients with infertility (including 83 patients with azoospermia, and 62 with oligozoospermia) and 713 fertile controls by PCR-RFLP technique for polymorphism. Because rs10966811 has no restriction sites, the SNP rs12376894 with strong linkage disequilibrium was selected as an alternative to rs10966811. Results There was a statistically significant association between rs12376894 proxy SNP of rs10966811, and oligozoospermia. A statistically significant association between rs10129954 and azoospermia, and oligozoospermia were observed. When we assessed the relationship between rs12348 in TUSC1 and rs2772579 in IZUMO3 and male infertility traits, we found that rs12348 in TUSC1 was significantly associated with azoospermia and oligozoospermia, but rs2772579 in IZUMO3 was not associated with male infertility. Conclusion We found that the polymorphisms in TUSC1 and DPF3 displayed strong associations with male infertility