Interdisciplinary Class in Okayama University on the Climate Environment around Japan in Association with the Variety of Seasonal Feeling (with Attention to the Seasonal Cycle of Rainfall in the Warm Season)

The present study is a part of the activity to develop an interdisciplinary class on the climate environment around the Japan Islands in association with the “seasonal feeling”, with attention to the seasonal cycle of the weather systems and the rainfall characteristics during the warm season. Firstly, the school song “Wa-ka-ba” (which means the deep green leaves) was analyzed as a typical song expressing the season just between the spring and the Baiu, for developing study materials for the joint activity of meteorology to music. Next, seasonal difference of the rainfall characteristics around the Japan Islands was reviewed together with the new preliminary analyses, with attention to the contribution of the “heavy rainfall days” to the total precipitation amount. Finally, the joint activity of the art with meteorology for the class at the Faculty of Education, Okayama University was reported, together with the analyses of the students’ works expressing the rainfall event in a specified season by themselves

Evaluation of Urinary Stone Composition and Differentiation between Urinary Stones and Phleboliths Using Single-source Dual-energy Computed Tomography

The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of single-source dual-energy computed tomography (SS-DECT) composition analysis in characterizing different types of urinary stones and differentiating them from phleboliths. This study included 29 patients with urinary stones who were scheduled for surgery. All patients were scanned, first using single-energy computed tomography acquisition and then DECT acquisition on SS-DECT. Dual-energy data were archived to a Gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) viewer (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA). Hounsfield units (HU) and effective atomic numbers (Zeff) were estimated using the GSI viewer. The results of dual-energy analysis were compared with the biochemical constitution of the stones. The chemical analysis determined that the stones included 32 calcium-based, 6 cystine and 1 struvite stone. Both HU and Zeff values were helpful in differentiating calcium-based stones from cystine and struvite stones and phleboliths. The Zeff values of phleboliths were significantly higher than those for struvite and cystine stones, whereas it was difficult to distinguish phleboliths from struvite and cystine stones using the HU values. Composition analysis using SS-DECT is helpful for distinguishing urinary stone types and discriminating phleboliths from urinary stones. Zeff values may be more useful than HU values for differentiating urinary stones from phleboliths

School social work education and welfare collaboration; a case study of school social work practice

departmental bulletin pape

Decreased Wave V Amplitude in Auditory Brainstem Responses of Children with Cerebellar Lesions

【Background】 This study aims to elucidate the effect of isolated cerebellar lesions sparing the brainstem on the auditory brainstem responses in children. 【Methods】 We enrolled 10 children (aged 1?16 years) with cerebellar lesions on neuroimaging but lacking clinical brainstem involvement signs and with normal brainstem volumes on magnetic resonance imaging. 【Results】 The interpeak latency of waves I and V was normal in 9 patients and was marginally prolonged in 1 patient. While amplitudes of waves I and III were normal, we noted a decreased amplitude of wave V and/or an increased I/V amplitude ratio in 6 patients; these included 5 of 8 patients with cerebellar hypoplasia/atrophy and 1 patient with acute cerebellar ataxia. 【Conclusion】 Our results support the hypothesis of an inhibitory input from the cerebellar fastigial nucleus on the inferior colliculus, which might be disinhibited because of Purkinje cells dysfunction due to cerebellar cortex lesions, especially within the cerebellar vermis

Microglial re-modeling contributes to recovery from ischemic injury of rat brain: A study using a cytokine mixture containing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-3

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and permanent disability. Chronic stroke lesions increase gradually due to the secondary neuroinflammation that occurs following acute ischemic neuronal degeneration. In this study, the ameliorating effect of a cytokine mixture consisting of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-3 was evaluated on ischemic brain injury using a rat stroke model prepared by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). The mixture reduced infarct volume and ameliorated ischemia-induced motor and cognitive dysfunctions. Sorted microglia cells from the ischemic hemisphere of rats administered the mixture showed reduced mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-1β at 3 days post-reperfusion. On flow cytometric analysis, the expression of CD86, a marker of pro-inflammatory type microglia, was suppressed, and the expression of CD163, a marker of tissue-repairing type microglia, was increased by the cytokine treatment. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry data showed that the cytokines increased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL in neurons in the ischemic lesion. Thus, the present study demonstrated that cytokine treatment markedly suppressed neurodegeneration during the chronic phase in the rat stroke model. The neuroprotective effects may be mediated by phenotypic changes of microglia that presumably lead to increased expression of Bcl-xL in ischemic lesions, while enhancing neuronal survival

Relationship between home care service use and changes in the care needs level of Japanese elderly

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With the introduction of long-term care insurance (LTCI) in Japan, more home care services are available for the community-dwelling elderly. To deliver effective home care services, it is important to know the effects of service use. In this study, as the first step to determine this, we sought to describe different home service use in the sustained/improved group and deteriorated group in their care needs levels, and to report the relationship between the use of home care services and changes in care needs levels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The participants included 624 of a total of 1,474 users of LTCI services in one city in Japan. Home care service users were stratified into a 'lower care needs level subgroup' and a 'higher care needs level subgroup' based on the baseline care needs level. Simple statistical comparison and multiple logistic regression analyses in which the change in care needs level was set as a dependent variable were performed. Gender, age, and baseline care needs level were designated as control variables. Home based services were treated as independent variables. In this study, home care services consisted of home help, home bathing services, a visiting nurse, home rehabilitation, nursing home daycare, health daycare, loan of medical devices, respite stay in a nursing home, respite stay in a health care facility, respite stay in a sanatorium-type medical care facility, and medical management by a physician.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the lower care needs level subgroup, age (OR = 1.04, CI, 1.01-1.08), use of respite stay in a nursing home (OR = 2.55; CI, 1.43-4.56), and the number of types of long-term care services (OR = 1.33; CI, 1.02-1.74) used during an 11 month period were significantly related to a deterioration of the user's care needs level. In the higher care needs level subgroup, use of medical management by a physician (OR = 6.99; CI, 1.42-41.25) was significantly related to a deterioration of the user's care needs level. There were no home based services significantly related to sustaining or improving the user's care needs level.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There were different home service use in two groups (the sustained/improved group and the deteriorated group). Respite stay in a nursing home service use and more types of service use were related to experiencing a deterioration of care needs level in lower care needs level community-dwelling elderly persons in Japan. Further, medical management by a physician service was related to experiencing a deterioration of care needs level in higher care needs level community-dwelling elderly persons.</p

修士論文要旨 : F. 臨床心理学研究領域

departmental bulletin pape

Juxtaposition.

This collection of original compositions shows the juxtaposition of modern jazz and contemporary classical music. The aim was to create original and interesting compositions based on linear ideas from a variety of pentatonic scales; both existing scales and those of my own device. These works explore and combine heterophonic texture1 with jazz modality. The works were composed and arranged within two distinct genres and four ensembles; a jazz big band, a small jazz combo, a chamber orchestra group and a reduced orchestra. Elements of modern classical, jazz and non-western harmonies were incorporated into these compositions, with melodic ideas limited to five-note scales. The compositions implemented jazz improvisational methods to develop each piece. They were inspired by ancient Japanese literature, poems and some current events, which of these descriptions have been included at the beginning of each piece. My three big band jazz pieces are called A Piece of Hope in the Darkness, Effect, and Rainforest. Each piece explores the compositional methods that have been explained above. All three works were composed and arranged for a regular jazz big band setting, consisting of a saxophone section (two altos, two tenors and baritone); a brass section (three trombones, bass trombone and four trumpets); and a rhythm section (guitar, piano, double bass and drum set). In the composition Effect, however, the first alto saxophone is substituted by clarinet to add a gloomy texture. I tried to achieve linear approach of writing style in each part of the compositions. Resulted sounds like delicate and smooth sounding than the punchy normal setting of the big band sound. A small ensemble piece called Blue Butterfly is in a sonata form. The work was based around the following five-note scale: D, F, A, Bb, C. Performers are required to improvise in a linear fashion within this mode for the improvisation section. The instrumentation of this piece is alto and tenor saxophones, piano, double bass and drums. The pianist and bassist on this piece were to spontaneously create chords based on the five-note scale. Two modern classical setting pieces are called Reminiscence of a Japanese Garden and Conspiracy Theory. Reminiscence of a Japanese Garden is composed with the following two sets of five-note modes: D, E, G, A and Bb; and D, F#, A, C and E as a base. A very prominent heterophonic texture was utilised in this composition, which resulted a very linear work. The ensemble consists of flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano. The cadenza that is performed by the flute is improvised in this mode. Conspiracy Theory is based around the following five notes: D, E, F, G and A. The ensemble consists of flute, clarinet, string sections (violin, viola and cello), piano, timpani and marimba. The resulting compositions are much more linear than my previous works. Performers of these compositions enjoyed working with this concept and have shown great understanding and flexibility. Working within the limited framework of different pentatonic scales has been both restrictive and liberating and the use of heterophonic textures presented me with new dimensions and perspectives on my writing style. The process of writing and recording these compositions has been a rewarding and enlightening experience. 1 Heterophonic texture is the use of a simultaneous variety of single melody lines with embellishment. It can be described as complex monophony. Heterophonic textures are often a feature of non-­Western traditional music and can be found in Japanese Gagaku, gamelan music, and traditional music from Thailand