Young Japanese People\u27s Views On Civic (Dis)Engagement

本稿は社会参加に関する意識調査を目的とする記述式アンケートに回答した日本の青年151名の意見を報告し、その社会参加に消極的な理由を解明すると共に、状況是正への提言を行うものである。In this article, we report on opinions held by 151 Japanese youth who responded to open-ended questions about civic engagement. The study sheds light on some reasons for Japanese youths\u27 civic disengagement and concludes with suggestions to remedy the situation

Changes in Pediatric Patient Trends in Eating and Swallowing Disorders: A Comparison between the First and Fifth Year after Establishment of the Special Needs Dental Center

A Special Needs Dental Center （hereafter referred to as the Center） was established at Showa University Dental Hospital in April 2012 to treat patients who need special care. In cooperation with the Division of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, the Division of Hygiene and Oral Health is mainly engaged in the treatment of patients with eating and swallowing disorders. It has been five years since the establishment of the Center. The present study was aimed to establish an effective medical support method through a comparative study of changes in patient trends. A total of 65 patients who visited the Center from April 2017 to March 2018 were examined and their statistics were compared with those of 60 previously reported patients who initially visited the Center for medical examination in 2012. In 2012, many visits occurred during the nursing period; however, in 2017, the number of patients who visited after the weaning period increased. Other noted trends were increased diversity in primary disease, more patient referrals, fewer patients with severe swallowing dysfunction, and more patients with oral dysfunction. The necessity of eating and swallowing practice is thought to increase when lifestyle and oral environment change. The treatment of eating and swallowing disorders is important in the dental profession. Due to the introduction of insurance coverage in Japan in 2018 for developmental insufficiency of oral function, more pediatric patients with eating and swallowing disorders will likely be treated in the future

Clinical Statistics for Dysphagia Patients ≦ 18 Years of Age in the Center of Special Needs Dentistry, April 2012-March 2013

In April 2012, the Center of Special Needs Dentistry (SND) was established at Showa University Dental Hospital to provide function training for children with eating and swallowing disorders. A statistical clinical assessment was performed on new patients ≤18 years of age who visited the Center over a 1-year period (April 2012–March 2013) to assess the conditions present at the initial visit. In all, 60 patients (29 boys, 31 girls, mean (± SD) age 4.2±4.1 years, range 0-18 years of age) were included in the study. Most patients were <1 year of age (32%) and most came from one of four cities in the Johnan area (Shinagawa City, Meguro City, Ota City and Setagaya City). The most common primary diseases at the initial visit were cerebral palsy and cleft lip and palate. The third largest patient group was of healthy children with oral function problem. Over 60% of patients attended the Center of SND because of an eating-related complaint. More than 50% of patients were obtaining nutrients via oral intake; the remaining patients were obtaining nutrients via non-oral or a combination of oral and non-oral intake. Because of the young age of the patients and the fact that most were from neighboring areas, it can be inferred that effective community health care is being provided. It is necessary for the Center of SND to continue to provide professional treatment for dysphagia and to contribute to community medicine

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Measurement of associated Z plus charm production in proton-proton collisions at root s=8TeV

A study of the associated production of a Z boson and a charm quark jet (Z + c), and a comparison to production with a b quark jet (Z + b), in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV are presented. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1), collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The Z boson candidates are identified through their decays into pairs of electrons or muons. Jets originating from heavy flavour quarks are identified using semileptonic decays of c or b flavoured hadrons and hadronic decays of charm hadrons. The measurements are performed in the kinematic region with two leptons with pT(l) > 20 GeV, vertical bar eta(l)vertical bar 25 GeV and vertical bar eta(jet)vertical bar Z + c + X) B(Z -> l(+)l(-)) = 8.8 +/- 0.5 (stat)+/- 0.6 (syst) pb. The ratio of the Z+c and Z+b production cross sections is measured to be sigma(pp -> Z+c+X)/sigma (pp -> Z+b+X) = 2.0 +/- 0.2 (stat)+/- 0.2 (syst). The Z+c production cross section and the cross section ratio are also measured as a function of the transverse momentum of theZ boson and of the heavy flavour jet. The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions.Peer reviewe

Search for a singly produced third-generation scalar leptoquark decaying to a tau lepton and a bottom quark in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search is presented for a singly produced third-generation scalar leptoquark decaying to a tau lepton and a bottom quark. Associated production of a leptoquark and a tau lepton is considered, leading to a final state with a bottom quark and two tau leptons. The search uses proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded with the CMS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1). Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the production cross section of the third-generation scalar leptoquarks as a function of their mass. From a comparison of the results with the theoretical predictions, a third-generation scalar leptoquark decaying to a tau lepton and a bottom quark, assuming unit Yukawa coupling (lambda), is excluded for masses below 740 GeV. Limits are also set on lambda of the hypothesized leptoquark as a function of its mass. Above lambda = 1.4, this result provides the best upper limit on the mass of a third-generation scalar leptoquark decaying to a tau lepton and a bottom quark.Peer reviewe

Measurement of the underlying event activity in inclusive Z boson production in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

This paper presents a measurement of the underlying event activity in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13TeV, performed using inclusive Z boson production events collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 2.1 fb(-1). The underlying event activity is quantified in terms of the charged particle multiplicity, as well as of the scalar sum of the charged particles' transverse momenta in different topological regions defined with respect to the Z boson direction. The distributions are unfolded to the stable particle level and compared with predictions from various Monte Carlo event generators, as well as with similar CDF and CMS measurements at center-of-mass energies of 1.96 and 7TeV respectively.Peer reviewe

Measurement of differential cross sections in the kinematic angular variable phi* for inclusive Z boson production in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV

Measurements of differential cross sections d sigma/d phi* and double-differential cross sections d(2)sigma/ld phi*d/y/ for inclusive Z boson production are presented using the dielectron and dimuon final states. The kinematic observable phi* correlates with the dilepton transverse momentum but has better resolution, and y is the dilepton rapidity. The analysis is based on data collected with the CMS experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1). The normalised cross section (1/sigma) d sigma/d phi*, within the fiducial kinematic region, is measured with a precision of better than 0.5% for phi* <1. The measurements are compared to theoretical predictions and they agree, typically, within few percent.Peer reviewe

Constraints on models of scalar and vector leptoquarks decaying to a quark and a neutrino at root s=13 TeV

The results of a previous search by the CMS Collaboration for squarks and gluinos are reinterpreted to constrain models of leptoquark (LQ) production. The search considers jets in association with a transverse momentum imbalance, using the M-T2 variable. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data at root s = 13 TeV, recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1). Leptoquark pair production is considered with LQ decays to a neutrino and a top, bottom, or light quark. This reinterpretation considers higher mass values than the original CMS search to constrain both scalar and vector LQs. Limits on the cross section for LQ pair production are derived at the 95% confidence level depending on the LQ decay mode. A vector LQ decaying with a 50% branching fraction to t nu, and 50% to b tau, has been proposed as part of an explanation of anomalous flavor physics results. In such a model, using only the decays to t nu, LQ masses below 1530 GeV are excluded assuming the Yang-Mills case with coupling kappa = 1, or 1115 GeV in the minimal coupling case kappa = 0, placing the most stringent constraint to date from pair production of vector LQs.Peer reviewe