How did Children Perceive Cross-Border Distance Education?: From the Questionnaire Responses of Children Participating in the "Local Study to Encourage Wide Area Communication" in Higashihiroshima City

Distance education enables students to encounter others who are socially and culturally heterogeneous beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom space. However, the advantages of distance education have not been fully utilized in the past. Based on this awareness of the problem, the "Local Study to Encourage Wide Area Communication" in Higashihiroshima City was implemented. In this study, we examine how the children received the cross-border distance education. Specifically, we analyzed the questionnaires of the children (2,288 students in the 3rd and 4th grades) who participated in the study. Considering the results, the following three points were derived. (1) Distance education enables children to focus on and observe through a screen what they cannot see and hear in their daily lives. (2) Distance education enables children to create new knowledge through discussions with children who do not usually interact with each other. (3) Distance education enables children to learn about towns that they do not usually visit.広島大学大学院人間社会科学研究科からは「令和３年度研究科裁量経費・東広島市連携・広域交流型オンライン社会科地域学習支援事業」を交付いただいた

Effect of aging on pancreatic exocrine function -Aging and fecal chymotrypsin activity-

膵外分泌機能に及ぼす加齢の影響を検討する目的で，健常人43名，非膵疾患患者41名，老人ホーム入居者39名を対象として比色法により糞便中キモトリプシン活性（FCA）を測定し，以下の結論を得た。1）FCAは逐齢的に低下し，60歳以上は60歳未満より有意の低値を示した。しかし，分布図のretrospectiveな検討からは，膵外分泌機能の低下は，実際には65～70歳あたりから明らかになることが示唆された。2）FCAの正常下限値を14.5U/gに定めたが，高齢者の診療にあたってはこの正常値のみを根拠にして疾病の有無を判定すべきではない。3）老人ホーム入居者のFCAは特に低値を取ったがその主要因は高齢者が多いためと考えられた。To examine the effect of aging on the pancreatic exocrine function, fecal chymotrypsin activity (FCA) was measured by the photometric method in 43 healthy controls, 39 controls in an old-age home and 41 patients with non-pancreatic diseases. Following conclusions were obtained. 1) Pancreatic exocrine function showed a significant decrease with aging as indicated by the present prospective study : ① a significantly lower FCA in the B group of 22 healthy controls (≧ 60 years of age) than the A group of 21 healthy controls (< 60 years of ago) ; ② significant correlationship between aging and FCA in the 43 healthy controls and also in the 41 patients with non-pancreatic diseases. 2) FCA in controls in an old-age home was especially low. Presumably it was due to their far-advanced aging. 3) The calculated lower limit of normal in FCA was 14.5U/g. However, the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases should not be coined solely on the basis of decreased FCA value

Diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis

近年，各種膵疾患に対する検査法の発達には目を見張るものがあるが，実際の運用にあたっては各検査法の適応，限界，組合わせおよび実施する順序等に迷うことが少なくない。本研究では，最近我々が経験した慢性膵炎Ⅰ群116例の診断過程を振り返ることにより，慢性膵炎の診断における理想的な検査法の組合わせとそれぞれの役割を検討し，同時に診断名のみならず病態と病期が容易に理解できる表現方法を提案した。画像診断法，膵外分泌機能検査法（EX），膵内分泌機能検査法（EN）を比較検討し，以下の結果を得た。①画像診断法は必須である。②内視鏡的逆行性膵胆管造影（ERCP）を軸とした腹部超音波検査（US）あるいは腹部CTスキャン（CT）の組合わせは欠くことができない。③EXもまた必須の検査法である。④ENは慢性膵炎の診断に必要不可欠ではないが，治療方針を決めるうえで重要である。⑤純粋膵液（PPJ）の生化学的検査と組織化学的検査は膵炎の診断と病態生理の解明に重要である。⑥PPJ中の細胞診は慢性膵炎に合併した膵癌の検索に有用である。⑦以下に示すような診断の記載方法を提案した。"Calcified chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic, diffuse,　ERCP-3, US-2, CT-3, EX-2, EN-1, Lf(＋)"。Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), exocrine pancreatic function test (EX), endocrine pancreatic function test (EN), and analysis of pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) are currently available for the investigation of pancreatic diseases. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the roles and preferable combinations of these tests in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and then to propose a way to describe the results of the tests along with diagnosis for a better understanding of the disease process. Comparative studies of imaging, EX and EN led to the following conclusions. 1) imaging procedures (ERCP, US and CT) are mandatory, partly because they were frequently the test that showed diagnostic changes and partly because they often gave key information for operative treatment. Among the imaging procedures, ERCP combined with US and/or CT is mandatory because these combinations alone can reveal detailes of structural changes attendant on chronic pancreatitis. 2) EX is also mandatory, because it was occasionally the only test that showed diagnostic changes and partly because it often gave important information for medical treatment. 3) EN is also important, not because it was indispensable for detecting chronic pancreatitis, but because it often gave important information for medical treatment. For btter understanding of the disease process as well as diagnosis, we propose, as suggested by Seligson, that the test used for the establishment of the diagnosis and the degree as well as extent of abnormalities. An example is "Calcified chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic, diffuse, ERCP-3, US-2, CT-3, EX-2, EN-1, Lf(+)". This attitude will lead to a more rational approach to both diagnosis and treatment

価値内在化に伴う教化の克服をめざした市民性教育論 : 欧州評議会「民主的文化のためのコンピテンシー参照枠」を手がかりに

This paper aims to examine teaching the values required for democratic citizenship while avoiding indoctrination by analyzing the case of “The reference framework of competence for democratic culture". The background of this paper is the long debate about how to teach democratic values democratically in the social studies educational field. This is related to the issue of value neutrality and independence. As a result of the analysis, the Council of Europe attempted to realize value education that avoids unconscious indoctrination by making learners explicitly aware of values and then critically examining them. This approach has the potential to become a powerful alternative approach in Japanese social studies education

東広島市・広域交流型オンライン学習の成立要件 : 欧州評議会デジタルコンピテンシー開発モデルの５つの柱を手がかりに

"Local Study to Encourage Wide Area Communication" in Higashihiroshima City is a remarkable project that is continuously implementing large-scale distance education. The project has attracted attention as an ongoing large-scale distance education project. This study investigates the establishment of it by referencing the five pillars (Policies, Stakeholders, Strategies, Infrastructures and resources, and Evaluation) outlined in The Council of Europe model for digital competence development. The result, two crucial conditions for the success of this project have been identified. Firstly, the presence of a university played a pivotal role, contributing significantly in various aspects. This involvement encompassed project planning and proposals, specialized course development, as well as the operation and support of classes. Secondly, a robust financial support system was crucial for sustaining the project. Funding for the project has been allocated from both the university and the city, establishing a stable financial foundation

A tissue microRNA signature that predicts the prognosis of breast cancer in young women

<div><p>Since breast cancers in young women are generally aggressive, young patients tend to be intensively treated with anti-cancer drugs. To optimize the strategy for treatment, particularly in young women, prognostic biomarkers are urgently required. The objective of this study was to identify a tissue microRNA (miRNA) signature that predicts prognosis in young breast cancer patients. Total RNA from 45 breast cancer patients aged <35 years was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and analyzed using miRNA microarrays. Patients were categorized into two groups according to recurrence status within the 5 year period after surgery: recurrence (n = 11) and non-recurrent (n = 34). Histological parameters of hormone receptors and Ki-67 were statistically compared between the two groups. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, and their associations with overall survival (OS) were evaluated by log-rank test. The median observation period was 5.8 years for the recurrent group, and 9.1 years for the non-recurrent group. Nine miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between the recurrent and non-recurrent groups. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the identified miRNAs, and the resultant area under the curve was >0.7. Five of the miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR, and the expression levels of three of those five (miR-183-5p, miR-194-5p, and miR-1285-5p), both alone and in combination, were associated with OS. In conclusion, we identified three candidate miRNAs that could be used separately or in combination as prognostic biomarkers in young breast cancer patients. This miRNA signature may enable selection of better treatment choices for young women with this disease.</p></div

Candidate miRNA selection based on miRNA microarrays.

<p>(A) Box plots of nine miRNA candidates with significant differences in expression between recurrence and non-recurrence groups. P-values were calculated using a <i>t</i>-test comparing levels between groups, divided according to recurrence status within 5 years after surgery. The middle line indicates the median, the box the interquartile range, and the whiskers the most extreme data point less than 1.5× the interquartile range away from the box. (B) Hierarchical clustering analysis with heatmap for nine candidate miRNAs, considering recurrence status within 5 years after surgery.</p

Histopathological characteristics of the two groups stratified by recurrence status within the 5 year period after surgery.

<p>Histopathological characteristics of the two groups stratified by recurrence status within the 5 year period after surgery.</p