Development of J-Assist, a statistical analysis support tool for Julia

Julia is a new programming language that was released in 2012. Similar to Python, in the future, Julia has the potential for use in numerical analysis applications. In this study, we developed a free software named J-Assist that automatically executes statistical analysis operations in Julia version 1.4, which could introduce and popularize Julia among researchers and clinicians in the field of health and medical welfare. J-Assist provides a simple graphical user interface and is easy to install. Through this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to configure a system that automatically executes calculations and scripts in Julia. We compare J-Assist with EZR and Jupyter Notebook. J-Assist can be considered a simpler version of EZR. However, the execution languages used in J-Assist and EZR are different. J-Assist is intended for users who are new to Julia and programming and want to use Julia for quick statistical analysis; by contrast, Jupyter Notebook is suitable for users who want to develop complex programs and perform other complex analyses in Julia. This study also discusses the limitations of the current J-Assist software and functions that might be added to it in the future to expand its applicability for statistical analysis

Psychosocial Factors and Change in Time Spent Studying by Students in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examines predictive associations between psychosocial variables as independent variables and “Change in Time Spent Studying by Students” as the dependent variable. Data collected by the Cabinet Office of Japan amid the COVID-19 pandemic are analyzed with multivariate models to screen for the best combination of variables that can account for the effects on the dependent variable. A series of binary logistic regression analyses illuminates that the model with motivation to study, anxiety, life satisfaction, satisfaction with health status, and satisfaction with social bonds as explanatory variables is the fittest of all tested models. In particular, the importance of motivation, anxiety, and life satisfaction is deliberated regarding their effects on study-related variables. Furthermore, these variables’ implications for evidence-based school policies and curricula are discussed

Self-Assessed Reading Comprehension in English Among Adults in Japan : Implications of Lifestyle and Information Technology

This study commences with statistical data analysis of Japanese adults’ self-assessment of their English reading comprehension and various explanatory variables. Data from the Japanese General Social Survey (JGSS) were analyzed in two stages. In the first stage, a series of bivariate analyses were conducted with demographic, socio-economic, and lifestyle-related indicators as independent variables and self-assessed reading comprehension in English as the dependent variable. In the second stage, several multivariate models were constructed to determine which model best accounts for the effects on the dependent variable. The variables in the category of lifestyle-related factors—which includes the degree of information technology (IT) utilization—surfaced as predictive of the variable on self-assessed reading comprehension in English for Japanese adults. Subsequent to the analyses, implications and possibilities of IT as a reading resource for Japanese adult learners of English are discussed

Crystal Growth by Electrodeposition with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Emulsion

葉黃素為護眼保健食品的重要成分，屬於脂溶性營養素，因此限制了保健食品之應用。本研究目的為開發水溶性較高的葉黃素酯，以提升在保健食品之實用性。首先將廠商提供的原料進行超音波攪拌萃取葉黃素酯，溶劑為正己烷、丙酮及四氫呋喃，溶固比為 80，萃取時間為 60 分鐘，結果顯示四氫呋喃萃出物含有 25.3 % 葉黃素。將四氫呋喃萃出物進行甲醇-正己烷(1:1, v/v)的液液萃取，可將葉黃素提純至 44.7 %，但水中溶離率幾近於零。再將提純之材料加入 β - 環狀糊精(β-cyclodextrin, β-CD)進行超臨界二氧化碳抗溶結晶(supercritical carbon dioxide antisolvent, SAS)，產製易溶水的葉黃素酯包覆物。在固定溫度 55 ºC、抗溶時間 10 min、進料流速 0.5 ml/min 下、探討乳化劑種類 (Tween 20、Tween 80)、乳化劑含量(15 %、25 %)、攪拌時間(0.5、2、4、6 hr) 、壓力(120、140 bar)、提純材料和 β- 環狀糊精之進料量比(Wext/Wβ-CD) (0.5、1、2)對包覆物之總產率、葉黃素濃度、包覆率、回收率以及溶離率的影響。結果顯示乳化劑以 25% tween 80、攪拌時間 4 hr、壓力 140 bar、 Wext/Wβ-CD 0.5 可得較佳之包覆效率 77.9 % 、回收率 43.6 % 及溶離率 30.6 %，沉澱物總產率 69.0% 、葉黃素濃度 94.1 mg/g。因此固定上述條件，以應答曲面實驗設計(response surface methodology, RSM)之中心混成方法(central composite design, CCD)尋找 SAS操作溫度(45、55、65 ºC)及乳化劑含量(15、25、35 %)之最適條件。RSM 預測溫度 57.3 ºC及乳化劑含量 33.6 %時，可得包覆效率 68.8 %、回收率 43.3 % 及溶離率 31.4 %，沉澱物總產率 71.7 %、葉黃素濃度 89.2 mg/g。以 SAS 技術進行 β- CD及乳化劑包覆富含葉黃素酯之萃出物可提升其水中溶離度約 31%。包覆後之產物水溶性明顯增加，可提升葉黃素酯在保健食品之應用性。Lutein is an important component of health food for protecting the eyes. However, its applications in actual health supplements are rather limited as the substance is a fat soluble nutrient and has very low water solubility. This study aimed to develop a form of lutein ester with improved water solubility to enhance its applications in health supplements. Raw materials provided by the supplier first underwent ultrasonic stirring to extract lutein ester using hexane, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) at a solvent-to-solid ratio (SSR) of 80 with an extraction time of 60 minutes. Results found that the THF extract provided 25.3% of lutein. The THF extract was then subject to liquid-liquid extraction using a methanol / hexane (1:1, v/v) solvent to further raise lutein purity to 44.7%. However, the solubility of hexane-extract in water was still very close to zero. β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was then added to the purified material in the supercritical carbon dioxide antisolvent (SAS) process to generate an encapsulated lutein ester with improved water solubility. The process was carried out under a fixed temperature of 55ºC, time of 10 min, and feed flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Total yield (TY) of the encapsulated material, lutein ester concentration (Clut), encapsulation efficiency (EE), recovery (R), and dissolution rate (RD) were investigated under different emulsifiers (Tween 20 and Tween 80), emulsifier concentrations (15 % and 25 %), stirring times (0.5, 2, 4, and 6 hr), pressures (120 and 140 bar), and feed ratios of the extracted material and β-cyclodextrin (Wext/Wβ-CD) (0.5, 1, and 2). Results showed that the experimental conditions of 25 % of Tween 80 as emulsifier, 4-hr stirring time, 140 bar, and Wext/Wβ-CD of 0.5 gave better results of 77.9% EE, 43.6% R, 30.6% DR, 69.0% TY, and 94.1 mg/g Clut. A response surface methodology (RSM) experiment with central composite design (CCD) was then employed using the aforementioned conditions to identify the optimal SAS temperature (45, 55, and 65ºC) and emulsifier concentration (15, 25, and 35 %). Results of the RSM experiment predicted an optimal condition of 58oC for the temperature and emulsifier concentration of 33.6 %, which would provide the following: 68.8% EE, 43.3% R, 31.0% DR,71.7% TY, and 89.2 mg/g Clut. Using SAS for β-CD with emulsifier encapsulation of extracts rich in lutein ester would help improve dissolution rate in water about 31%. Water solubility was significantly increased for the encapsulated product, improving the applicability of lutein ester in health foods.摘要 i Abstract iii 縮寫表 v 目錄 vi 表目錄 viii 圖目錄 ix 附表目錄. x 第一章 緒論 1 1-1 研究動機 1 1-2 研究目的與規劃 2 第二章 文獻回顧 4 2-1類胡蘿蔔素簡介 4 2-2葉黃素簡介 5 2-2-1 葉黃素及葉黃素酯結構 5 2-2-2葉黃素特性 6 2-3 乳化劑介紹 7 2-4 環糊精介紹 8 2-5 超臨界二氧化碳的技術與應用 11 第三章 實驗材料與方法 15 3-1 原料與材料製備 15 3-2 試劑與藥品 16 3-2-1 氣體 16 3-2-2 藥品 16 3-2-3標準 18 3-3 實驗設備 19 3-3-1 超音波攪拌萃取設備 19 3-3-2 超臨界抗溶結晶設備 20 3-3-3高效能液相層析儀(HPLC)24 3-3-4 場發射掃描式電子顯微鏡 25 3-3-5動態光散射粒徑分析儀 25 3-3-6 其他設備 25 3-4 實驗方法與步驟 26 3-4-1 葉黃素定量 26 3-4-2超音波攪拌萃取葉黃素酯 32 3-4-3 液液萃取葉黃素酯 31 3-4-4 溶解度實驗 32 3-4-5 超臨界抗溶沉澱過程 33 3-4-6 溶離率實驗36 3-5 粒徑分析37 3-6電子顯微鏡(SEM)分析37 第四章 結果與討論 38 4-1超音波萃取 38 4-2液液萃取 41 4-3葉黃素酯液液萃取萃出物與 β-CD 在溶劑的溶解度實驗 45 4-4 SAS包覆液液萃出物的預實驗 45 4-4-1 包覆物及乳化劑的影響 45 4-4-2 攪拌時間以及乳化劑種類的影響 45 4-4-3 乳化劑的影響 46 4-4-4進料量比(Wext/Wβ-cd)的影響 46 4-4-5 壓力(P)的影響 47 4-5 應答曲面設計SAS 實驗 49 4-5-1溶離率(DR)應答分析值 53 4-5-2葉黃素濃度(Clut)應答分析值 53 4-5-3總產率(TY)應答分析值 53 4-5-4包覆率(EE)應答分析值 54 4-5-5回收率(R)應答分析值 55 4-5-6 RSM的預測值與實驗值比較 55 4-6 粒徑分析 58 4-7 電子顯微鏡(SEM)分析 59 第五章 結論 62 參考文獻 68   表目錄 表一、各種化學物質的臨界壓力、溫度和密度 13 表二、HPLC定量葉黃素之檢量線 29 表三、超音波攪拌萃取金盞草萃出物 40 表四、液液萃取 42 表五、溶解度實驗 44 表六、超臨界二氧化碳抗溶沉澱葉黃素酯萃出物預實驗 48 表七、超臨界二氧化碳抗溶沉澱之應答曲面設計實驗數據 50 表八、應答曲面實驗設計的預測值與實驗值比較 57 圖目錄 圖一、實驗流程圖 3 圖二、葉黃素及葉黃素酯結構 5 圖三、三種環狀糊精示意圖 9 圖四、超臨界二氧化碳相圖與臨界點相變圖 12 圖五、二氧化碳的密度-壓力的相圖 12 圖六、原料包裝以及原料 15 圖七、超臨界抗溶沉澱實驗設備圖 23 圖八、HPLC 圖譜 30 圖九、SAS 包覆程序之Tween 80進料量與抗溶溫度應答曲面圖 52 圖十、葉黃素酯萃出物與 β-CD 共沉澱物之粒徑分佈 58 圖十一、金盞草萃出物及液液萃出物 SEM圖 60 圖十二、不同條件下 SAS 沉澱物之 SEM 圖 61 附表目錄 附表一、SAS 溶離率(DR)的變方分析與回歸方程式 63 附表二、SAS 葉黃素濃度(Clut)的變方分析與回歸方程式 64 附表三、SAS 包覆物之總產率(TY)的變方分析與回歸方程式 65 附表四、SAS包覆率(EE)的變方分析與回歸方程式 66 附表五、SAS 回收率(R)的變方分析與回歸方程式 6

A study on the relationship between domestic noise complaints and local government ordinances in Japan

In Japan, domestic noise is not covered by national noise control law but left to local governments to regulate. In the interest of reducing domestic noise control, this study investigates the relationship between the existence of domestic noise control ordinances and the number of domestic noise complaints reported to local law enforcement. The data set was compiled from law enforcement noise control surveys and local government databases in Japan. Complaints of “domestic noise,” “industrial noise,” and “construction work noise” were included along with each local body’s relevant ordinances, that is, cities and special wards. These were further divided into three groups: domestic noise control ordinances, ordinances present only in the prefecture, and existing ordinances. For three groups, the number of domestic, industrial, and construction work noise complaints were compared. In the residual analysis, the number of domestic noise complaints significantly increased in locations with no domestic noise control ordinance. In the subgroup analysis by population density, the number of domestic noise complaints decreased significantly in locations with prefecture noise control ordinances and with a population density below the average of cities. In higher population density locations, where domestic noise control ordinances were already in place, the number of domestic noise complaints showed a decreasing trend. The results of the study suggest that the noise control ordinances established by local governments do reduce the number of domestic noise complaints

B. I. T. : Development of a dynamic visualization tool for Bayesian inference on normal distributions

Bayesian inference Tool (B. I. T.) is a software program developed to support medical professionals and students in the application of Bayesian inference to medical decision-making and education. This software program makes it possible to visualize the posterior probability distributions of Bayesian inference. In addition, its interface aims to facilitate the intuitive understanding of the operative procedures. For many cases of Bayesian inference with normal distributions, the graphical representation of the posterior probability distribution changes dynamically when the input value is assigned by the user with the use of a computer mouse; this procedure also enables the dynamic calculation of the posterior probability. When operating this software, it is desirable for the user to have basic knowledge and understanding of the presuppositions as well as applications of Bayesian inference

The mobility performance of the elderly before, during and after crossing over an obstacle

Purpose. Tripping over objects is a major cause of fall-related injuries. The elderly feature decreased locomotor velocity with aging and delays in locomotion when encountering obstacles. Numerous studies have analyzed how the mobility performance of the elderly is affected when crossing over an obstacle. However, how is mobility performance affected when performing sequences of various locomotor movements (gait, changing direction, standing up and sitting down) that make up activities of daily living? To answer this question, this study investigated the changes in locomotor velocity when encountering an obstacle during various locomotor movements in both older adults and young adults by using the TUG, a representative mobility test. Methods. Thirty older adults who were judged to be able to walk independently by the Berg Balance Scale (BSS) (age: 70.0 ± 6.94 yrs; BB S: 54.7 ± 1.78 pts) and seventeen male young adults (age: 21.7 ± 2.37 yrs) participated in the "Timed Up & Go" (TUG) test with and without an obstacle. Using the TUG score (the total time required to complete the test), a rate of the total times (with an obstacle/ without an obstacle) was calculated to create an index of the decline in mobility performance by the obstacle. Results. The decline in the mobility performance of the elderly was significantly larger than the young adults for the following measurements: in the single stance phases just before and after an obstacle, the time needed to change direction 180 degrees, and for level walking after crossing over an obstacle. Conclusions. The elderly require a longer period of time for stepping over obstacles. Gait and the ability to change direction after encountering an obstacle was found to be slower when compared to the younger male population

Duodenoportal fistula caused by peptic ulcer after extended right hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: A fistula between the duodenum and the main portal vein near a peptic ulcer is extremely rare, and only two cases of duodenal ulcers have been reported in the past. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 68-year-old man with a diagnosis of anemia who had a history of extended right hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma 20 months previously. The first endoscopic examination revealed a giant peptic ulcer with active bleeding at the posterior wall of the duodenal bulbs, and hemostasis was performed. Endoscopic treatment and transarterial embolization were performed repeatedly because of uncontrollable bleeding from the duodenal ulcer. Nevertheless, he died of sudden massive hematemesis on the 20(th )hospital day. At autopsy, communication with the main portal vein and duodenal ulcer was observed. CONCLUSION: It should be borne in mind that the main portal vein is exposed at the front of the hepatoduodenal ligament in cases with previous extrahepatic bile duct resection

Examination of factors affecting gait properties in healthy older adults: Focusing on knee extension strength, visual acuity, and knee joint pain

Background and Purpose: Gait properties change with age because of a decrease in lower limb strength and visual acuity or knee joint disorders. Gait changes commonly result from these combined factors. This study aimed to examine the effects of knee extension strength, visual acuity, and knee joint pain on gait properties of for 181 healthy female older adults (age: 76.1 (5.7) years). Methods: Walking speed, cadence, stance time, swing time, double support time, step length, step width, walking angle, and toe angle were selected as gait parameters. Knee extension strength was measured by isometric dynamometry; and decreased visual acuity and knee joint pain were evaluated by subjective judgment whether or not such factors created a hindrance during walking. Results: Among older adults without vision problems and knee joint pain that affected walking, those with superior knee extension strength had signifi cantly greater walking speed and step length than those with inferior knee extension strength (P <.05). Persons with visual acuity problems had higher cadence and shorter stance time. In addition, persons with pain in both knees showed slower walking speed and longer stance time and double support time. Conclusion: A decrease of knee extension strength and visual acuity and knee joint pain are factors affecting gait in the female older adults. Decreased knee extension strength and knee joint pain mainly affect respective distance and time parameters of the gait. © 2014 The Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited

Daily intake of Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 relieves fatigue and stress-related symptoms in male university Ekiden runners : A double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial

The heat-inactivated, enteric-colonizing Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 (CP2305) ameliorates psychological stress-related symptoms. In this study, we examined effects of CP2305 on top athletes experiencing physical and mental stresses. Forty-nine male university Ekiden (long distance relay race) runners daily took the CP2305-containing beverage for 12 weeks during training for and competing in All-Japan university championships. The CP2305 intake significantly facilitated recovery from fatigue and relieved anxiety and depressive mood, compared with placebo intake. The CP2305 intake significantly prevented the training-induced reduction of hemoglobin and facilitated exercise-induced increase in serum growth hormone levels. The CP2305 intake significantly increased the alpha- and beta-diversities of fecal microbiota, and the compositions of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium. Gene expression profiling of peripheral blood leukocytes indicated that CP2305 prevented the stress-induced changes in the expression of genes related to mitochondrial functions. Our results suggest that daily intake of paraprobiotic CP2305 may be beneficial to athletes facing stressful situations