Development of a Neuropsychological Test to Evaluate Cognitive Flexibility

[Background] Cognitive flexibility is also referred to as set-shifting and is considered to be an important activity of the frontal lobe. The objective of this study was to produce a Cognitive Flexibility Test (CFT) that can evaluate cognitive flexibility in a short time and in a simple manner and to verify the usefulness of the test. [Methods] The CFT, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), and Geriatric Depression Scale 15 (GDS-15) were implemented among a total of 94 elderly people who live at home. An “A” version of CFT (CFT-A), which asked about the possible uses of a plastic bottle other than drinking and a “B” version (CFT-B), which asked about the possible uses of a ballpoint pen other than writing, were produced. [Results] In the case of CFT-A, after adjusting the number of years of education, a significant correlation was found between CFT-A and the variables age, VFT, and MMSE. As for CFT-B, after adjusting the number of years of education, it was found to have a significant correlation with age and VFT. The number of responses for CFT-A and CFT-B were significantly lower than that of VFT. The number of responses for CFT-B was significantly lower than that of CFT-A. [Conclusion] The CFT-A may be useful as a neuropsychological test to evaluate cognitive flexibility among elderly people that can be implemented easily in a short time

フィリピンにおける社会林業 (Social Forestry) 政策の展開と展望

森林荒廃国の一つであるフィリピンにおいて, 森林再生の一方法として公有林内居住者の生活の向上と荒廃林地の再開発に重点を置いた社会林業 (Social Forestry) 政策が1982年に制度化された。本研究の目的は, フィリピンの全公有林が対象である社会林業政策が, 気候的, 社会経済的に異なる条件下のいかなる社会構造の中で受け入れられているかを明らかにすることである。住民に植林を促す要因としては果実や林産物市場の存在と土地占有権の確立が考えられる。土地の収益性の向上は土地の占有意識の私有化を促すと考えられ, 両者は密接に関連していると言える。一方, 植林行動を抑制する要因としては, 既存の商品作物との空間的競合, 農業収入の多さおよび気候と密接に関連する労働投入条件が挙げられる。フィリピンにおいて社会林業政策が最も効果的に受け入れられるのは, 湿潤熱帯気候区に属し, 植栽木の市場が存在するという環境のもとで占有面積4ha以上, 農業収入の中間所得者層に属する住民であると考えられる。This study focuses on how climatic and socioeconomic conditions influences farmers' receptiveness to the social forestry program in the Philippines. This research shows that the marketing factor for the wood products, as well as the specific land tenure arrangement of the households seem to adopt the practice of tree planting as an economic activity. Farmers' consciousness of demesne over the forestlands is reinforced in particular by the marketability variable. On the other hand, spatial competition with existing cash crops, income level from cash crops, and labor input for agricultural work influenced by climatic conditions seem to constrain farmers against tree planting activities. The social forestry program in the Philippines therefore seems to function most effectively when farmers are favored by the following conditions : (a) their lands are located within humid tropical area ; (b) they occupy areas larger than 4 ha ; (c) they are in the middle-income class in relation to their agricultural output ; and (d) they have easy access to markets for the wood products from the trees

ラバーウッド : その供給特性と利用の発展

While the sustainability of timber production in natural forests in Southeast Asia has seemed to be in peril, rubberwood, a by-product of natural rubber production, has attracted more interest and its utilization steadily developed through the 1980's. In the 1990's, however, especially in countries like Malaysia where utilization expanded intensively, a shortage problem has emerged and prices have increased. Since rubberwood production is a secondary concern for farmers, even when there is increased demand the supply doesn't respond to it. This is a problem for rubberwood supply as an industrial resource, differing from other timbers.天然林からの持続的な木材生産が危ぶまれている東南アジアにおいて、天然ゴム(ラテックス)を産出するパラゴムノキの木部ラバーウッドが、1980年代から着実に需要を伸ばしている。資源量が豊富で価格が安いことに加え、あくまでもラテックスを採取した後の廃材を有効に利用しているがゆえに、ラバーウッドは理想的な木材として期待を集め、特に木製家具産業において大量に利用されている。ところが、ラバーウッドは、現時点では価格が低すぎ、生産者は積極的な生産意欲を持たないため、廃材として供給される以上の量が市場に出てこない。つまり、ラバーウッドの供給は、需要の増減に弾力的に反応しないという特性を持つために、需要が拡大したマレーシアでは不足状況が生じ、利用者にとって価格上昇が深刻な問題となりつつある

Effects of a Classroom-Based Stress Management Program by Cognitive Reconstruction for Elementary School Students

Background: The present study evaluates the effects of a classroom-based universal program for stress management among elementary school students. Methods: The participating children (aged 11-12 years) were assigned to either an intervention (n = 172) or a control group (n = 100). The program involved one 45-minute session during school hours. The program taught students about cognitive distortions and trained them using cognitive reconstruction. Cognitive distortions were characterized so that children could easily understand them. Students were asked to complete the Children’s Stress Response Test, comprised of five questions about self-efficacy about cognitive reconstruction before and after the program, to assess the program’s effects. Results: The results as observed in the intervention group were as follows: (a) stress responses decreased, (b) self-efficacy in the awareness about one’s feelings and thinking improved, (c) understanding how thinking affects feelings was prompted, (d) self-efficacy to review one’s thinking improved when they felt uncomfortable, and (e) self-efficacy to change one’s negative thinking to adaptive thinking improved. Conclusion: These results suggest that the program was useful for reducing stress responses and improving self-efficacy in cognitive reconstruction among children

Classes of the assertion for bringing up self-esteem-oriented communication without losing respectful attitude to others under the COVID-19 pandemic.

新型コロナウイルス感染症に対する不安や恐れから他者に対してストレスをぶつける行動を取る人がみられている。そこで子ども達に対して新型コロナウイルスの正しい知識と予防行動について学習を行った。その上で自己尊重他者尊重に基づいたアサーティブネス・トレーニングを実施した。その結果「相手の気持ちを聞く」「相手のせいにしない」という他者尊重に関することについて意識の変化がみられた。また授業後の感想では自分の主張傾向を振り返り相手の気持ちを考えながら自分の気持ちを伝えていきたいと記述している者が多くみられた。Because of the stress from the fear of getting infected by the new coronavirus or its serious symptoms, there seems to be a lot of people making aggressive and negative actions toward others. That is the reason why we conducted classes on scientific know l edge about the virus and how to prevent students from getting infect ed by it. After that, they experienced “assertiveness training,” in which they were targeted to have an awareness of assertiveness toward themselves and others. As a result, the students became more aware of respecting others as shown in their actions like “trying to listen to others and understand what they mean” or “trying not to blame others on some bad things that happened.” Also, according to the descriptions on the class, many students wrote in the questionnaire that they understood how they assert their ideas and that they should make self assertive actions without hurting others’ feelings

Prospect for Future MeV Gamma-ray Active Galactic Nuclei Population Studies

While the X-ray, GeV gamma-ray, and TeV gamma-ray skies have been extensively studied, the MeV gamma-ray sky is not well investigated after the Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) scanned the sky about two decades ago. In this paper, we investigate prospects for active galactic nuclei population studies with future MeV gamma-ray missions using recent spectral models and luminosity functions of Seyfert and flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). Both of them are plausible candidates as the origins of the cosmic MeV gamma-ray background. If the cosmic MeV gamma-ray background radiation is dominated by non-thermal emission from Seyferts, the sensitivity of 10^-12 erg cm^-2 s^-1 is required to detect several hundred Seyferts in the entire sky. If FSRQs make up the cosmic MeV gamma-ray background, the sensitivity of ~4 x 10^-12 erg cm^-2 s^-1 is required to detect several hundred FSRQs following the recent FSRQ X-ray luminosity function. However, based on the latest FSRQ gamma-ray luminosity function, with which FSRQs can explain up to ~30% of the MeV background, we can expect several hundred FSRQs even with the sensitivity of 10^-11 erg cm^-2 s^-1 which is almost the same as the sensitivity goal of the next generation MeV telescopes.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in PAS

The Effect of Nurses’ Work–Life Balance on Work Engagement: The Adjustment Effect of Affective Commitment

[Background] This study aimed to examine the effects of nurses’ work–life balance (WLB), job demands and resources, and organizational attachment on their work engagement (WE). The second aim was to shed light on whether the relationships among WLB, job demands, resources, and WE are modulated by organizational attachment. [Methods] In total, 425 nurses working in a university hospital responded to the questionnaire. The primary statistical analysis method was hierarchical multiple regression with WE as the dependent variable. [Results] In the model in which all variables were applied, affective commitment (AC) (β = 0.41), family-to-work positive spillover (β = 0.25), and number of children (β = 0.13) were found to have a significant association with WE. Family-to-work negative spillover (FWNS) and AC had significant interaction effects. The result suggests that when AC was low, WE tended to decline further due to FWNS; however, when AC was high, WE did not change due to the effect of FWNS. [Conclusion] These results confirmed that to improve nurses’ WE, hospital organizations should implement initiatives to facilitate WLB that considers nurses’ household roles. Furthermore, high organizational attachment buffered the home’s negative influence on work, thereby helping nurses work energetically