Characteristic Traits of Young Female Consumers of Pornography in Japan

There are two significant genres of pornographic manga for young female readers in contemporary Japan. One is called “Teens’ Love” (or “Ladies’ Comics”), and the other is called “Boys’ Love”. The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristic traits of female consumers of pornographic manga, focusing on the Seventh National Survey of Sexuality among Young People (2011). These surveys are conducted every six years by the Japanese Association for Sex Education (JASE). The study compares the girls aged 12 to 22 whose source of information about sex was manga with those who cited other sources. The former had a positive image of sex and sexual open-mindedness, and demonstrated more knowledge of sex. Extrapolating from this data, I argue that pornography for young female readers can have a positive effect.　日本には女性向けのポルノコミックがジャンルとして成立している。一つは、「レディコミ」あるいは「TL（ティーンズラブ）」で、もう一つは「BL（ボーイズラブ）」である。そのほかにもさまざまな少女・女性向けコミックのうちに性的表現が広く広がっている。本稿は、少女・女性向けマンガのうちに広がる性的表現の女性読者に着目し、その実態にせまる。具体的には、「第7 回青少年の性全国調査」のデータに基づき、性の情報源がマンガである女子とそうではない女子を比較する。性の情報源がマンガの女子は、セックスに対するポジティブなイメージと、性に対する寛容性をもつと同時に、性知識も高かった。このようなデータを通じて、ポルノグラフィが女性の読者にもつ有用性を明らかにする

Insect-induced daidzein, formononetin and their conjugates in soybean leaves.

In response to attack by bacterial pathogens, soybean (Gylcine max) leaves accumulate isoflavone aglucones, isoflavone glucosides, and glyceollins. In contrast to pathogens, the dynamics of related insect-inducible metabolites in soybean leaves remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the biochemical responses of soybean leaves to Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) herbivory and also S. litura gut contents, which contain oral secretion elicitors. Following S. litura herbivory, soybean leaves displayed an induced accumulation of the flavone and isoflavone aglycones 4',7-dihyroxyflavone, daidzein, and formononetin, and also the isoflavone glucoside daidzin. Interestingly, foliar application of S. litura oral secretions also elicited the accumulation of isoflavone aglycones (daidzein and formononetin), isoflavone 7-O-glucosides (daidzin, ononin), and isoflavone 7-O-(6'-O-malonyl-β-glucosides) (malonyldaidzin, malonylononin). Consistent with the up-regulation of the isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway, folair phenylalanine levels also increased following oral secretion treatment. To establish that these metabolitic changes were the result of de novo biosynthesis, we demonstrated that labeled (13C9) phenylalanine was incorporated into the isoflavone aglucones. These results are consistent with the presence of soybean defense elicitors in S. litura oral secretions. We demonstrate that isoflavone aglycones and isoflavone conjugates are induced in soybean leaves, not only by pathogens as previously demonstrated, but also by foliar insect herbivory

Economic Evaluations of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Screening: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: This study aims to find evidence of the cost-effectiveness of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening and assess the quality of current economic evaluations which have shown different conclusions with a variation in screening methods, data sources, outcome indicators, and implementation in diverse organizational contexts. SEARCH STRATEGY: Embase, Medline, Web of Science, HTA, and NHSEED databases were searched till June 2019. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies on economic evaluation reporting both cost and health outcomes of GDM screening programs in English language. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The quality of the studies was assessed using Drummond's checklist. The general characteristics, main assumptions, and results of the economic evaluations were summarized. MAIN RESULTS: Our search yielded ten eligible economic evaluations with different screening strategies comparison in different settings and perspectives. The selected papers scored 81% (68%-97%) on the items in Drummond's checklist on average. In general, a screening program is cost-effective (C-E) or even dominant over no screening. The 1-step screening, with more cases detected, is more likely to be C-E than the 2-step screening. Universal screening is more likely to be C-E than screening targeting the high-risk population. Parameters affecting cost-effectiveness include: diagnosis criteria, epidemiological characteristics of the population, efficacy of screening and treatment, and costs. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies found GDM screening to be cost-effective, though uncertainties remain due to many factors. The quality assessment identified weaknesses in the economic evaluations in terms of integrating existing data, measuring costs and consequences, analyzing perspectives, and adjusting for uncertainties

日本の若者の性情報のニーズ : 第7回青少年の性行動全国調査に基づいて

本稿は、2011年に行われた第7回青少年の性行動全国調査(JASE)のデータに基づき、日本の若者の性行動の現状を明らかにすることを目的としている。この調査は、7640人から回答を得ており、若者が性的関心をもたなくなってきたのはなぜかといった問題に焦点をあててきた。本稿は、この調査の項目のうちから、「あなたがいま、性について知りたいことは何ですか」という質問に着目して分析を行った。分析から得られた第一の結果は、性情報のニーズは、性別と学校段階によって、いくつかのタイプに分けることができるという点である。第二の結果は、性情報のニーズは、「性行為と妊娠」「性的な悩み」「性病」「恋愛」という4つのカテゴリーに収斂していくプロセスとみることができるという点である。特に、日本の若者にとって、「セックス（性交）」は、恋愛としてよりもむしろ妊娠に関わるものとして意識されているということ、その一方で性交によって生じる別種のリスクである「性感染症」や「エイズ」のリスクは性交とは独立したものとして意識されていることが明らかになった。また、第三に、性的関心が性情報ニーズと正の相関がみられたことから、性的関心が性情報ニーズに強い影響を与えていることが明らかになった。This study examines the sexual behavior of Japanese youths. Using quantitative data gathered from the 7,640 respondents to the 7th National Survey of the Sexual Behavior of Japanese Youths, it explores why sexual interest is declining in Japan. The main question of our study posed is "What would you like to know about sexuality?" Our analysis provides the following results. First, Japanese youths need several types of sexual information, varying in accordance with gender and school level. Second, sexual information needs to address four factors: (1) sexual intercourse and pregnancy, (2) the anguish of sexuality, (3) sexual diseases, and (4) romantic love. We think it important to note that Japanese youths consider sexual intercourse to be strongly related to pregnancy but not to romantic love. Additionally, Japanese youths do not seem to link sexual intercourse to the risk of contracting an STD. Third, sexual interest was correlated with the need for sexual information

Mohawk promotes the maintenance and regeneration of the outer annulus fibrosus of intervertebral discs.

The main pathogenesis of intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation involves disruption of the annulus fibrosus (AF) caused by ageing or excessive mechanical stress and the resulting prolapse of the nucleus pulposus. Owing to the avascular nature of the IVD and lack of understanding the mechanisms that maintain the IVD, current therapies do not lead to tissue regeneration. Here we show that homeobox protein Mohawk (Mkx) is a key transcription factor that regulates AF development, maintenance and regeneration. Mkx is mainly expressed in the outer AF (OAF) of humans and mice. In Mkx(-/-) mice, the OAF displays a deficiency of multiple tendon/ligament-related genes, a smaller OAF collagen fibril diameter and a more rapid progression of IVD degeneration compared with the wild type. Mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing Mkx promote functional AF regeneration in a mouse AF defect model, with abundant collagen fibril formation. Our results indicate a therapeutic strategy for AF regeneration