Century In Japan Research Articles

Global Applications of the Japanese ‟Lesson Study” Teacher Education and Training Model

“Lesson study” has been used for over a century in Japan (Makinae, 2010). However, only recently, in 1999 with the release of The Teaching Gap by Stigler and Hiebert, did the practice begin to spread globally (Fujii, 2013; Ebaeguin & Stephens, 2013). The Teaching Gap is a summary of the Third International Math and Science (TIMSS) video study and included an entire chapter titled “Beyond Reform: Japan’s approach to the improvement of classroom teaching.” This chapter stated that the way the United States was reforming education was not systematic and offered lesson study in eight steps as a way to improve teaching and learning (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999). From 2000-2006 the lesson study process spread across the globe to nations including Indonesia, United States, England, Philippines, Australia, Sweden, and several African Nations (Groves & Doig, 2014). This paper will describe Japan’s lesson study process and the successes and failures of global application.

Archeointensity estimates of a tenth-century kiln: first application of the Tsunakawa\u2013Shaw paleointensity method to archeological relics

Paleomagnetic information reconstructed from archeological materials can be utilized to estimate the archeological age of excavated relics, in addition to revealing the geomagnetic secular variation and core dynamics. The direction and intensity of the Earth’s magnetic field (archeodirection and archeointensity) can be ascertained using different methods, many of which have been proposed over the past decade. Among the new experimental techniques for archeointensity estimates is the Tsunakawa–Shaw method. This study demonstrates the validity of the Tsunakawa–Shaw method to reconstruct archeointensity from samples of baked clay from archeological relics. The validity of the approach was tested by comparison with the IZZI-Thellier method. The intensity values obtained coincided at the standard deviation (1σ) level. A total of 8 specimens for the Tsunakawa–Shaw method and 16 specimens for the IZZI-Thellier method, from 8 baked clay blocks, collected from the surface of the kiln were used in these experiments. Among them, 8 specimens (for the Tsunakawa–Shaw method) and 3 specimens (for the IZZI-Thellier method) passed a set of strict selection criteria used in the final evaluation of validity. Additionally, we performed rock magnetic experiments, mineral analysis, and paleodirection measurement to evaluate the suitability of the baked clay samples for paleointensity experiments and hence confirmed that the sample properties were ideal for performing paleointensity experiments. It is notable that the newly estimated archaomagnetic intensity values are lower than those in previous studies that used other paleointensity methods for the tenth century in Japan.

地域包括ケアの社会理論への課題 : 健康概念の転換期におけるヘルスケア政策( 地域の生活基盤と社会政策-社会政策学会第120回大会共通論題)

地域包括ケアの社会理論への課題 : 健康概念の転換期におけるヘルスケア政策( 地域の生活基盤と社会政策-社会政策学会第120回大会共通論題)

Earth‐Friendly Seawater Desalination System Required in the 21st Century

AbstractAlthough the distillation process was initially applied in seawater desalination plants to solve the current global water shortage, it has been replaced by the energy‐saving type reverse‐osmosis membrane process worldwide since the beginning of this century. Considering the population increase and economic development, the ‘Mega‐ton Water System' research project was conducted to identify the element technologies required for the 21st century in Japan. Enhancing the operational reliability of seawater desalination plants, these development technologies also enable the establishment of earth‐friendly seawater desalination plants anticipating considerable energy savings, lowering of the environmental impact, and reduction of water production costs.

More than 1000 Operations under Anesthesia were Performed in the Early and mid-19th Century in Japan

Background: In 1804, Japanese surgeon Seishu Hanaoka performed the world's first breast cancer surgery under general anesthesia, using the herbal extract, Mafutsusan, and continued to perform numerous operations thereafter. Although Seishu had many students, this method of anesthesia reportedly did not spread to the rest of Japan. Few studies have been made on the achievements of his students and the Hanaoka method performed in various areas of Japan. We therefore examined, through accessible literature, the extent of surgery performed in those days that employed Hanaoka-style general anesthesia.

「21世紀型」教養教育の再検討 : 日米比較と産業界要求・教育実践の視点から( 教育改革を問い直す)

「21世紀型」教養教育の再検討 : 日米比較と産業界要求・教育実践の視点から( 教育改革を問い直す)

A study on the change of the literati’s consciousness: The Chinese student magazines in the early 20th century in Japan ― Focused on Lu Xun’s studying in Japan

A study on the change of the literati’s consciousness: The Chinese student magazines in the early 20th century in Japan ― Focused on Lu Xun’s studying in Japan

Death due to choking caused by swallowing Sushi Rolls

Setsubun is associated with The Chinese New Year, or Lunar Calender which was used for centuries in Japan, so this is a coming of spring festival as well as the traditional newyear.

工業高等学校の隆盛と衰退 : 50年の軌跡を顧みる(創立記念論文,創立40周年記念特集号)

工業高等学校の隆盛と衰退 : 50年の軌跡を顧みる(創立記念論文,創立40周年記念特集号)

長崎における「聖なる空間」の変遷 : キリシタン時代を中心に(新たなキリシタン史構築を目指して-通史的視座からの試み-,パネル, 第73回学術大会紀要)

長崎における「聖なる空間」の変遷 : キリシタン時代を中心に(新たなキリシタン史構築を目指して-通史的視座からの試み-,パネル, 第73回学術大会紀要)

The Role of China and Southeast Asia in Africa’s Agricultural Transformation I

Is the Asian experience more relevant for African renaissance than it is generally assumed? I am alluding to the lessons that could be drawn from a close examination of the transformation that had occurred in the twentieth century in Japan and China, and particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. The answer, I argue, must be definitely yes. In each of these countries, positive economic change was preceded by a sustained and successful effort to raise the productivity and income of the majority of the population: the rural poor. In Africa, too, the vast majority of people live in the countryside. And yet agriculture has been a relatively neglected sector in Africa’s overall developmental strategy. When the sector received some attention, the specific policies in many African countries seemed to have been generally misguided. I argue that both of these trends should be corrected. What this also means is that the key for Africa’s economic modernization is to a large extent in the hands of Africa’s leaders. Ultimately, in other words, the improvement of the African condition hinges on the intent of Africans, particularly its leaders.

Healthy properties of green and white teas: an update.

Green tea has been consumed for centuries in Japan, China and Morocco. White tea, which is considered a variety of green tea, is mostly consumed in China and is very appreciated for its flavor. Currently the consumption of both types of tea has been extended to the western countries even as a functional ingredient. A group of polyphenols called catechins stands out among their bioactive components, the most abundant being the (-) epigallocatechin gallate, with high antioxidant power. Teas also contain other phenolic compounds such as gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic or cinnamic acids, quercetin and proanthocyanidols, caffeine, theophylline, l-theanine and minerals such as fluorine, manganese or chromium. Investigations have mainly been focused on their antioxidant potential and their implication in the prevention and treatment of degenerative diseases. Several studies have evaluated their role in cardiovascular diseases, body weight control, bone mass increase, protection against neurodegenerative diseases and improvement of type 2 diabetes, among other pathologies. The main points of controversy are the design and interpretation of epidemiological and human intervention studies and the lack of information on catechins availability, metabolism and biotransformation. This review compiles and analyzes the latest peer-reviewed papers published from 2002 up to February 2017, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Inventing Saikaku: Collectors, Provenance, and the Social Creation of an Author

This paper examines anthologization in late nineteenth century in Japan, and has broad appeal to those studying concepts of authorship, history of publishing industry, archives and provenance, literary history, study of fandom and fan culture, and Asian studies, in addition to specific and editors under discussion. The paper tells story behind canonization, via print media, of a major figure in Japanese literature, a seventeenth-century generally unknown before 1890s but who is now taught to students around world and researched widely. Ihara Saikaku's collection of complete ( Kōtei Saikaku zenshū, or The Complete Edited Works of Saikaku , 1894) was first of its genre in modern Japan and both reflected and influenced ongoing changes in Japanese conceptions of the author at a time of literary (and general) upheaval at end of nineteenth century. Saikaku's collection is remarkable for making provenance absolutely explicit and thus exposing network of fans and collectors who made his popularization and canonization possible. This is a starting point for a discussion of literary and social networks that are instrumental to canonization and specific print communication channels they used, in this case, to disseminate their favorite author's works and ensure that he became a part of conversation of what it meant to write modern Japanese literature at a pivotal moment in history.

Oxygen and nitrogen isotopic constraints to the origin of saltpetre in historic gunpowder prevailed during the 19th century in Japan

Saltpetre (KNO3) is the major ingredient of gunpowder, which played a driving force in political changes during the late medieval to middle modern times in the world. The intrinsic isotopic parameters of the mineral are useful for elucidating the origin and following its marketing route. Dual isotopic analysis (oxygen together with nitrogen, as expressed by δ18O and δ15N notations, respectively) was made for nitrates from diverse gunpowder samples which prevailed during the 19th century in Japan. Three distinctive sources which represent Japanese domestic (characterized by low δ18O–low δ15N values), British Indian (characterized by clearly higher δ18O–higher δ15N values) and Atacama Desert nitrates (characterized by very high δ18O up to +50‰ - δ15N=around 0‰) were determined by binary plotting. Some samples recovered from portable powder reservoirs for less developed guns tend to exhibit a small shift in δ15N value toward a British Indian origin, reflecting the positive mixing of the imported source saltpetre from British Indian during preparation. Very unique gunpowder was discovered from the powder reservoirs for early models of the Enfield rifle in northeastern (Kiyokawa Village and Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture) and southwestern Japan (Miyoshi City in the inland of Hiroshima Prefecture) and metallic cartridges applicable to Lefaucheux and Smith & Wesson revolvers, all fall close to the alley of nitrates converted from the Atacama Desert nitrate formed by non-mass-dependent fractionation mixed with varying amounts of the British Indian nitrates. The evidence implies the prevalence of a unique marketing route. The saltpetre represents industrial conversion of the Atacama Desert nitratine (NaNO3) by reaction with the mined potassium chloride in the middle 19th to early 20th centuries in Prussia (northern territory of Germany) and Great Britain. Dual isotopic analysis for nitrate in historic gunpowder provides direct evidence for the origin and subsequent marketing route during the 19th century in Japan. Socio-historic consequences of the use of Atacama Desert nitrate in manufacturing the gunpowder are reviewed and discussed, basing on the old documents.

An Overview of NAFLD/NASH in Japan

Clinical identity of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has established it as a chronic liver disease since the 1990s in the USA and in the 21st century in Japan, although its significance is not well recognized in Japanese society. It is characterized as a chronic liver disease, differentiated from viral liver disease and alcoholic liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprises nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and NASH. NASH is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of a metabolic syndrome. It is understood that among individuals with NAFLD, NAFL is a benign condition, whereas NASH can progress to cirrhosis and ultimately to hepatocellular carcinoma. The precise mechanism of NASH is poorly understood, although insulin resistance, oxidative stress and multiple parallel hits theory have been reported. Computed tomography and ultrasonography are performed to detect NAFLD, but these are not sufficient to distinguish between NAFL and NASH. The distinct diagnosis of NAFL and NASH is currently made by liver biopsy, requiring hospitalization. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop simple, non-invasive markers that can accurately distinguish between NASH and NAFL. In Japan, the number of NASH patients is estimated to be about 1 million. The treatment of NASH comprises changes in life style, including eating habits and exercise that will lead to weight loss, and drug intake, including vitamin E. Based on the global increase in obese people, NASH as a chronic liver disease will become the most important chronic liver disease in the 21st century, not only in Japan but also worldwide.

Oyaizu-type almighty farming system with kuntan hiryo (biochar fertilizer) propagated at the beginning of the 20th century in Japan with a focus on its rise and fall over time

Oyaizu-type almighty farming system with kuntan hiryo (biochar fertilizer) propagated at the beginning of the 20^th century in Japan with a focus on its rise and fall over time

Abstract 17059: Temporal Trends in Incidence and Mortality of Acute Myocardial Infarction for 30 Years in Japan -A Report From the Miyagi AMI Registry Study

Background: We have previously demonstrated the trends for increasing incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and decreasing incidence of in-hospital mortality in Japan between the late 1970s and 2000s. However, the temporal trends in incidence and mortality of AMI in the 21st century in Japan remain to be elucidated since the previous report. Methods and Results: Miyagi AMI Registry Study is a prospective and observational study where all AMI patients in the Miyagi prefecture (2.32 million populations) have been registered. In the present study, we divided a total of 27,220 AMI patients (male/female 19,818/7,402) into 4 age groups (≤59, 60-69, 70-79 and ≥80 years) by sex, and examined decennial trends during the last 30 years (1985-1994, 1995-2004 and 2005-2014) in terms of incidence and in-hospital mortality of AMI. Statistical analysis was performed by using the piecewise linear regression model. In patients aged ≤59 years of both sexes, increasing trend in the incidence of AMI was consistently noted throughout the last 30 years (P<0.01 in both sexes), whereas in male patients aged 60-69 years, the incidence of AMI was unaltered during the study period (P=0.11). On the other hand, in the remaining groups, including males aged 70-79 and ≥80 years and females aged 60-69, 70-79 or ≥80 years, the incidence of AMI showed a significant trend of decrease in the last decade (P<0.01 in all groups) (Figure). In-hospital cardiac mortality was also significantly decreased during 1985-1994 in all age groups in both sexes (P<0.01 in all groups), whereas in the last two decades, no such trend of in-hospital cardiac mortality was noted irrespective of sex or age. Conclusions: These results indicate the temporal trends in incidence of AMI in Japan, including the increases in younger ages and the decreases in elderly ages, providing a clue to further improve emergent care for AMI.

Da fugida na perseguição o Apologia em defensão dos Padres da Companhia de Jesus de Japão. Estudio y transcripción de un manuscrito redescubierto

With the aim to present an unpublished manuscript recovered in the British Library in London Mss. 9860, this work carry out a philological study of Da fugida na perseguicao, a treatise attributed to the Portuguese Sebastiao Gonsalves written in Goa in 1598. The old Portuguese manuscript remained unpublished and almost unknown to the researchers of Christian century in Japan since it was cited in a few historical sources. In this essay it was proceeded with its transcription, put into effect according to his own critical apparatus. It is followed by the searching of authorship, the place of publication and, finally, a brief introduction to the manuscript. The treatise features an original theme but remains limited in the apologetic literature engendered in Japan in order to criticize the catechumenate of the Jesuits. The central argument is based on the authority of the Fathers of the Church in order to answer the question posed: is it licit escape from the persecution of the tyrant?

Archeointensity study on baked clay samples taken from the reconstructed ancient kiln: implication for validity of the Tsunakawa-Shaw paleointensity method

In 1972, a reconstruction experiment of a kiln had been done to reproduce an excavated kiln of the seventh century in Japan. Baked clay samples were taken from the floor surface and −20 cm level, and they have been stored after determinations of the paleomagnetic directions by partial alternating field demagnetizations. We recently applied the Tsunakawa-Shaw method to the samples to assess how reliable archeointensity results are obtained from the samples. A suite of the rock magnetic experiments and the scanning electron microscope observations elucidate that dominant magnetic carriers of the floor surface samples are Ti-poor titanomagnetite grains in approximately 10 nm size with single-domain and/or super-paramagnetic states, whereas contributions of multi-domain grains seem to be relatively large for the −20-cm level samples. From the floor surface samples, six out of the eight successful results were obtained and they give an average of 47.3 μT with a standard deviation of 2.2 μT. This is fairly consistent with the in situ geomagnetic field of 46.4 μT at the time of the reconstruction. They are obtained with a built-in anisotropy correction using anhysteretic remanent magnetization and without any cooling rate corrections. In contrast, only one out of four was successful from the −20-cm level samples. It yields an archeointensity of 31.6 μT, which is inconsistent with the in situ geomagnetic field. Considering from the in situ temperature record during the firing of the kiln and the unblocking temperature spectra of the samples, the floor surface samples acquired full thermoremanent magnetizations (TRMs) as their natural remanent magnetizations whereas the −20-cm level samples only acquired partial TRMs, and these differences probably cause the difference in the archeointensity results between the two sample groups. For archeointensity researches, baked clay samples from a kiln floor are considered to be ideal materials.

Design and Simulation the Manipulator SI2M Used in Microfactories

In the precision engineering field, a large number of applications require precise and micro-level manipulation. In the last decade the demand of micro products and miniaturization has seen a wide spread growth. The microfactories concept was first developed in In the precision engineering field, a large number of applications require precise and micro-level manipulation. In the last decade the demand of micro products and miniaturization has seen a wide spread growth. The microfactories concept was first developed in the late twentieth century in Japan. With the development of the microfactories field has evolved the compliant mechanisms field. In this paper a microrobotic cell with an original manipulator for microassembly with a compliant gripper is designed, simulated and analyzed. The compliant gripper is mounted on a five bar mechanism with conventional joints in order to achieve a larger workspace. The vertical motion is produced by the linear actuator. The kinematics of the five bar mechanism and the workspace boundaries are analyzed based on the input parameters. For the compliant gripper is realized a 3D model and FEM analysis is conducted based on input displacement by the piezoelectric actuator. late twentieth century in Japan. With the development of the microfactories field has evolved the compliant mechanisms field. In this paper a microrobotic cell with an original manipulator for microassembly with a compliant gripper is designed, simulated and analyzed. The compliant gripper is mounted on a five bar mechanism with conventional joints in order to achieve a larger workspace. The vertical motion is produced by the linear actuator. The kinematics of the five bar mechanism and the workspace boundaries are analyzed based on the input parameters. For the compliant gripper is realized a 3D model and FEM analysis is conducted based on input displacement by the piezoelectric actuator.