The Developmental Relationship between “What Children Want to be When They Grow up” and Time Perception in Early Childhood

The present study aimed to investigate the developmental relationship between “what children want to be when they grow up” and time perception in early childhood. The researcher questioned 88 participants (aged from four to six) about two “something to want to be” and time perception. The results showed that, as age increased, realistic answers increased for “something to want to be,” as did and a reason and a way change into a social role and an effort. Time perception became more accurate as age increased, but future perception was difficult for six-year-olds. The answers for “something to want to be” were more realistic for children with a higher time perception score. These results suggest that children may assume possible self by acquiring perception of time

ECEC Teachers’ cognition of Externalizing Problems of Children with Special Needs, and Effectiveness of Feedback of Cognitive Tendencies

Two surveys were conducted to examine the cognition of externalizing problems by early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers, and the effectiveness of feedback on cognitive tendencies. Survey 1 administered a questionnaire to ECEC teachers on the description of a 5-year-old child’s daily situation at the ECEC to examine their cognition of the severity, burden, background factors, and correspondence with the externalizing problems and their relationship to childcare. The analysis of the 77 open-ended responses generated six categories of background factors for externalizing problems, as recognized by ECEC teachers, and ten categories of correspondence. The results showed that the more group-cohesion-oriented teachers were, the higher they recognized the severity and burden of actions related to externalization. In childcare, emphasizing the needs of each child, and behaviors related to externalizing problems were considered less severe. These teachers tended to reflect on the relationships in the ECEC, and chose environmental adjustment over direct instruction, based on their understanding of the child. In Study 2, the results of Study 1 were used as feedback to analyze the relationship between the effectiveness of feedback and daily reflections. There were 80 participants in the analysis. The mean score for effectiveness was 4.89 (on a 6-point scale), indicating that the feedback was generally effective. The higher the reflection score, the higher the score of effectiveness. Based on these results, support for ECEC teachers is important to prevent the vicious cycle surrounding externalizing problems.本研究は，科学研究費補助金（課題番号：18K13134，研究代表者：濱田祥子）の助成を受けて行った

Constructing Model of Bicycle Behavior on Non-signalized lntersection Using Nonlinear Autoregressive Exogenous Model

This study focuses on bicycle travel flow to prevent traffic accidents at non-signalized intersections. A bicycle's behavior can be characterized by various parameters, such as travel speed position, trajectory, acceleralion, and deceleration. The prevention of vehicle collisions with bicycles traveling at 10-15 km/h was regulated in the Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) for passenger cars in regulation No. 152 of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations in the United Nations. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the characteristics of bicycles in a reall trafflc environment to prevent traffic accidents involving cyclists. Meijer et. al. (2017) investigated bicycle behavior and charactericics using measurement devices installed on biccycles [1 ]. Ma et al. (2016) conducted a model of acceleration behavior on eleven cyclists using GPS data [2]. And it was pointed out that there was a need for modeling research for more cyclists.Hirose et al. (2021) examined bicycles' both travel speed and trajectory as bicycle travel flows based on data obtained from fixed-point observations at a non-signalized intersection in Tokyo, Japan [3]. This used fixed-point observalions to obtain raw data of bicycle travel flows in real traffic environment and reported various traffel speed, trajectory, and acceleration/deceleration patterns for bicycles entering intersections. The purpose of this study was to construct a model of bicycle travel flows based on fixed-point observations. It could simulate actual bicycle behaviors based on data that was obtained from measuring bicycle travel flows for 2828 cases from fixed-point observations. Furthermore, the data was divided into five patterns of bicycles entering intersections, and the accuracy of the model was evaluated for each pattern

Brain structure alterations in girls with central precocious puberty

PurposeCentral precocious puberty (CPP) is puberty that occurs at an unusually early age with several negative psychological outcomes. There is a paucity of data on the morphological characteristics of the brain in CPP. This study aimed to determine the structural differences in the brain of patients with CPP.MethodsWe performed voxel- and surface-based morphometric analyses of 1.5 T T1-weighted brain images scanned from 15 girls with CPP and 13 age-matched non-CPP controls (NC). All patients with CPP were diagnosed by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were evaluated using Levene’s test for equality of variances and a two-tailed unpaired t-test for equality of means. False discovery rate correction for multiple comparisons was applied using the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure.ResultsMorphometric analyses of the brain scans identified 33 candidate measurements. Subsequently, increased thickness of the right precuneus was identified in the patients with CPP using general linear models and visualizations of cortical thickness with a t-statistical map and a random field theory map.ConclusionThe brain scans of the patients with CPP showed specific morphological differences to those of the control. The features of brain morphology in CPP identified in this study could contribute to further understanding the association between CPP and detrimental psychological outcomes

Endoscopic findings of gastric neoplasms in familial adenomatous polyposis are associated with the phenotypic variations and grades of dysplasia

Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are at increased risk of developing gastric neoplasms. However, endoscopic findings have not been sufficiently investigated. We investigated the phenotypic expression of gastric adenoma (low-grade dysplasia) and gastric cancer (high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma) in patients with FAP and clarified their relationships to endoscopic findings. Of 29 patients with FAP who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy between 2005 and 2020, 11 (38%) had histologically confirmed gastric neoplasms, including 23 lesions of gastric adenoma and 9 lesions of gastric cancer. The gastric neoplasms were classified into 3 phenotypes (gastric, mixed, or intestinal type) according to the immunostaining results and evaluated for location (U or M region: upper or middle third of the stomach or L region: lower third of the stomach), color (same as the background mucosa, whitish, or reddish), macroscopic type (elevated, flat, or depressed), background mucosal atrophy (present or absent), fundic gland polyps in the surrounding mucosa (present or absent), and morphologic changes in tumor size. Elevated whitish gastric adenomas were further subdivided by macroscopic type (flat elevated, protruded, or elevated with a central depression) and color (milky- or pinkish-white). The gastric adenomas included gastric (11/23, 48%), mixed (4/23, 17%), and intestinal (8/23, 35%) phenotypes. In contrast, no lesions of gastric cancers showed a gastric phenotype (0/9, 0%), while 5 (56%) and 4 (44%) lesions were intestinal and mixed phenotypes, respectively. Gastric cancers were significantly more likely than gastric adenomas to present as reddish depressed lesions with gastric atrophy. All gastric-type adenomas occurred in non-atrophic mucosa, in mucosa with fundic gland polyps in the periphery, in the U or M region, and as flat elevated or protruded lesions with a milky-white color. Half of the lesions increased in size. Meanwhile, the typical endoscopic features of intestinal-type adenomas included occurrence in the L region and elevated pinkish-white lesions with central depression. None of the intestinal-type adenomas increased in size during the observation period. We believe that these endoscopic features will be useful for the prompt diagnosis and appropriate management of gastric neoplasms in patients with FAP

Clinical significance of gastrointestinal bleeding history in patients who undergo left atrial appendage closure

Background and Aim: Anticoagulant users with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) sometimes suffer from gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) and have difficulty continuing the medication. Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been developed for such situations. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of a history of GIB in comparison to other factors in patients who had undergone LAAC. Methods: From October 2019 to September 2023, patients with NVAF who underwent LAAC at our hospital were enrolled. We investigated the percentage of patients with a history of GIB who underwent LAAC and compared the incidence of post-LAAC bleeding in these patients compared to those with other factors. Results: A total of 45 patients were included. There were 19 patients (42%) with a history of GIB who underwent LAAC. In a Kaplan–Meier analysis, the cumulative incidence of bleeding complications after LAAC was significantly higher in patients with a history of GIB in comparison to patients with other factors. There were eight cases of post-LAAC bleeding in total, and seven cases had GIB. Conclusions: We need to recognize that GIB is a significant complication in patients who undergo LAAC. The management of GIB by gastroenterologists is essential to the success of LAAC

The Actual Conditions of creation and utilization of the Records of Children with Disabilities during the School Transition Period: A Survey of Early Childhood Facilities and Elementary Schools

The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual conditions of personal records such as “support files” and “transition support sheets” created by early childhood facilities (kindergartens and nursery schools) to provide transition support to children with disabilities. The study seeks to examine how these records are created by early childhood facilities and used by elementary schools. A nationwide questionnaire survey targeting public and private kindergartens, nursery schools, and elementary schools was carried out. The survey results show that about half of the early childhood facilities created these records and that the records were being effectively utilized by the elementary schools that received them. However, there were also differences based on the type of institution: for instance, the rate of record creation was high at public kindergartens and low at private kindergartens and nursery schools. In terms of record content, there is a possibility of a gap between the information recorded by early childhood facilities and that sought by elementary schools. Based on these actual conditions, this study identifies issues to be considered in the effective creation and utilization of records.本研究は平成28年度文科省委託「幼児期の教育内容等深化・充実調査研究」（調査研究課題：幼保小接続における学習機会の保障としての合理的配慮に関する研究，研究受託機関：名古屋市立大学）の助成を受けて行われた研究成果の一部である。なお，本稿の一部は日本教育心理学会第59回総会において発表した

Vasopressin-oxytocin–type signaling is ancient and has a conserved water homeostasis role in euryhaline marine planarians

Vasopressin/oxytocin (VP/OT)–related peptides are essential for mammalian antidiuresis, sociosexual behavior, and reproduction. However, the evolutionary origin of this peptide system is still uncertain. Here, we identify orthologous genes to those for VP/OT in Platyhelminthes, intertidal planarians that have a simple bilaterian body structure but lack a coelom and body-fluid circulatory system. We report a comprehensive characterization of the neuropeptide derived from this VP/OT-type gene, identifying its functional receptor, and name it the “platytocin” system. Our experiments with these euryhaline planarians, living where environmental salinities fluctuate due to evaporation and rainfall, suggest that platytocin functions as an “antidiuretic hormone” and also organizes diverse actions including reproduction and chemosensory-associated behavior. We propose that bilaterians acquired physiological adaptations to amphibious lives by such regulation of the body fluids. This neuropeptide-secreting system clearly became indispensable for life even without the development of a vascular circulatory system or relevant synapses

A Survey on Cooperation between Early Childhood Facilities and Elementary Schools regarding Children with Disabilities

This survey aimed to reveal the current conditions of cooperation between early childhood facilities and elementary schools regarding children with disabilities. A nationwide questionnaire was administered to 172 nursery schools (public), 242 nursery schools (private), 200 kindergartens (public), 481 kindergartens (private), and 592 elementary schools. Overall, for cooperation with elementary school for children with disabilities, the percentage of practice with kindergarten (public) was highest among early childhood facilities. In particular, for “Exchange activities between early childhood facilities and elementary schools” and “Introduction of approach curriculum,” the percentage of practice with kindergarten (public) was higher when compared with that in other early childhood facilities. The newly found information in this survey was that nursery schools (public) were most likely to take advantage of the “Individual education program.” The major problem was that nursery school and kindergarten teachers were willing to cooperate on early childhood education and care with elementary school teachers, but elementary school teachers answered that it was difficult to cooperate with many of the early childhood facilities. The ideal method for cooperation between early childhood facilities and elementary schools needs to be considered within each community.本研究は平成26年度文部科学省委託「幼児教育の改善・充実調査研究」（研究代表者：山崎 晃）及び平成25～27年度科学研究費・基盤研究（C）（研究課題番号：25381325，研究代表者：山崎 晃）の助成を受けて行われた研究成果の一部である

What experience is exchange activity between preschool and primary school for preschool children? : From the analysis of the interview before and after the exchange

There is an exchange activity between preschool and primary school as one of the approaches of preschool and primary school cooperation. The research that searches for an exchange activity from preschool children's aspect is a little. Therefore, this investigation aimed to search what experience exchange activity between preschool and primary school was for preschool children. The interview was executed to preschool children before and after the exchange activity. As a result, it was shown that the exchange activity was a happy experience for preschool children. However, the child who was holding the tension and uneasiness before the exchange activity. Moreover, preschool children got a stronger impact shown from the content of the exchange activity receiving from the grade-schooler. In addition, it was shown that the yearning to the grade-schooler became clearer through the exchange activity