Japanese Girls Research Articles

How adolescent Japanese girls arrive at human papilloma virus vaccination: A semistructured interview study.

We examined the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination process in adolescent Japanese girls, including protective and obstructive factors to develop and practice enlightenment activities and educational interventions for promoting HPV vaccination to adolescent Japanese girls and their families. We conducted semistructured interviews with 20 adolescent Japanese girls who lived in the wider Tokyo area. To analyze the interview data, we adopted the modified grounded-theory approach. We identified three stages in the vaccination process: first encounter with cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, thoughts about vaccination, and adjustment with parents toward vaccination. The girls "knew" their knowledge and information on cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine from experts, parents, and friends, "considered and discussed" HPV vaccination in their own way or with parents, and "arranged" actual vaccination. This process was influenced by the promoting/obstructive factors in each stage. Healthcare providers should understand the experiences and feelings of adolescent girls who were confronted with HPV vaccination in the context of their vaccination process and conduct enlightenment activities to promote vaccination, keeping the promoting and obstructive factors suggested in this study in mind.

Akage no An in Japanese girl culture: Muraoka Hanako's translation of Anne of Green Gables

The translation of Anne of Green Gables (1908) by L. M. Montgomery has been one of the most popular girls' books in Japan since it first appeared as Akage no An (Red-haired Anne) in 1952. Many translations by different translators have been published since. There are also manga and anime versions, as well as numerous Anne-themed books and merchandise. While Akage no An originated from Canada, the book constitutes a significant part of Japanese girls' reading experience and Anne has been described as a close and familiar figure by many readers.The focus of this paper is on the translation by the acclaimed translator Muraoka Hanako (1893–1968), who first introduced the book sixty years ago and whose Akage no An has enjoyed continued popularity to this day. The paper explores the characteristics of the Muraoka version that has contributed to forming Akage no An as part of Japanese girl culture, by examining her views of shōjo shōsetsu (girls' novels) and women's domesticity to discuss how they are reflected in her translation.

Evaluation of effects of activator treatment on mandibular growth by analyzing components of condylar growth and mandibular rotation

PurposeThe objective of this study is to clarify the effects of activator treatment on mandibular growth in relation to condylar growth and total rotation of the mandible, and to investigate the relationships between the treatment responses and pretreatment facial morphology. Materials and methodsThirty Japanese girls with Class II division 1 malocclusion treated with activator were examined. Mean age at the start of treatment was 9.6±1.6 years. Mean treatment duration was 19±4 months. Lateral cephalograms obtained before and after treatment were used to analyze skeletal changes during treatment. Regional superimposition analysis was performed to evaluate activator effects by decomposing the mandibular growth into condylar growth and mandibular total rotation. ResultsThe changes in intermaxillary relationships were significantly correlated with vertical condylar growth and mandibular total rotation (P<0.05 and P<0.01). The changes in the forward displacement of the mandible were significantly correlated with sagittal condylar growth and mandibular total rotation (P<0.05 and P<0.01). Vertical condylar growth and mandibular total rotation were significantly correlated with pretreatment mandibular morphology (P<0.05 and P<0.01). ConclusionBoth the sagittal condylar growth and counterclockwise mandibular total rotation attributed to activator treatment contribute to forward displacement of the mandible. The activator effects are expected greater in patients with flat mandibular plane, small gonial angle, backwardly inclined mandibular ramus and long posterior facial height.

Peripheral Sympathetic Nerve Dysfunction in Adolescent Japanese Girls Following Immunization with the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

To investigate the causes of neurological manifestations in girls immunized with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. During the past nine months, 44 girls visited us complaining of several symptoms after HPV vaccination. Four patients with other proven disorders were excluded, and the remaining forty subjects were enrolled in this study. The age at initial vaccination ranged from 11 to 17 years, and the average incubation period after the first dose of the vaccine was 5.47±5.00 months. Frequent manifestations included headaches, general fatigue, coldness of the legs, limb pain and weakness. The skin temperature examined in 28 girls with limb symptoms exhibited a slight decrease in the fingers (30.4±2.6 °C) and a moderate decrease in the toes (27.1±3.7 °C). Digital plethysmograms revealed a reduced height of the waves, especially in the toes. The limb symptoms of four girls were compatible with the Japanese clinical diagnostic criteria for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), while those in the other 14 girls were consistent with foreign diagnostic criteria for CRPS. The Schellong test identified eight patients with orthostatic hypotension and four patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. The girls with orthostatic intolerance and CRPS commonly experienced transient violent tremors and persistent asthenia. Electron-microscopic examinations of the intradermal nerves showed an abnormal pathology in the unmyelinated fibers in two of the three girls examined. The symptoms observed in this study can be explained by abnormal peripheral sympathetic responses. The most common previous diagnosis in the studied girls was psychosomatic disease. The social problems of the study participants remained unresolved in that the severely disabled girls stopped going to school.

Boys, Be Independent! Conformity Development of Japanese Children in the Asch Experiment without Using Confederates

The Asch tasks were presented to 20 foursomes of Japanese 7th graders (10 boy- and girl-four-somes) by means of a presentation trick so that one participant observed different stimuli than the other three. The response order was randomly assigned and the third responders observed different standard lines from the other three children. The results showed that the minority children who had observed different stimuli tended to conform to the majority. Combined with the previous results utilizing the same experimental procedure with two different age groups— six-year old children and undergraduates—a clear tendency was found for Japanese boys becoming more independent as they matured. Six-year-old Japanese boys conformed considerably, while male undergraduates seldom conformed, and the 7th grade boys in the present study showed a moderate level of conformity. On the other hand, Japanese girls showed the same conformity frequencies regardless of age.

Gender Bending and Exoticism in Japanese Girls’ Comics

Gender bending has been a staple of the medium of shōjo manga, Japanese girls’ comics, as best exemplified by cross-dressing “girl knight” characters and “Boys Love” stories, whose plots focus on romance between effeminate beautiful young men. The imaginary space created through the representation of these figures shares many traits in common with another typical feature of shōjo comics, namely their exoticisation of Europe. Both have been used as simultaneously escapist and subversive strategies, as a refuge from contemporary social norms and a platform for critical reflection. In this article, I aim to problematise our understanding of the connection between gender bending and exoticism in shōjo manga through an analysis of the representation of one specific aspect of European culture – namely, the Christian religion – in the genre of Boys Love manga.

Relationship between Dysmenorrhea and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Japanese High School Students 9 Months after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Study ObjectiveTo determine the relationship between dysmenorrhea and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Japanese adolescent girls 9 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake. DesignCross-sectional study. SettingTwo high schools in Sendai, the largest city in northeastern Japan. Participants1489 female adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years. Main Outcome MeasuresImpact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), intensity of menstrual pain. ResultsThe intensity of menstrual pain increased according to the comorbidity of PTSD (P < .001). The IES-R subscale and total scores significantly increased according to the severity of menstrual pain. ConclusionsThis study showed a significant association between natural disaster-induced PTSD and the severity of dysmenorrhea.

The influence of the extend of isolated palatal cleft on craniofacial morphology

PurposeThe aim of this study was to determine what influence that extent of cleft may have on craniofacial morphology in children with a cleft palate by retrospectively comparing craniofacial morphologies in age-matched prepubertal children. Materials and methodsUsing a retrospective study design, we compared the craniofacial morphology cephalometrically, of 14 Japanese girls at age 9 years with a cleft soft palate (Group_CSP), with 13 age-matched Japanese girls with cleft soft and hard palate, not extending as far as the incisive foramen (Group_CPNIF), and 12 age-matched Japanese girls with cleft soft and hard palate, extending as far as the incisive foramen (Group_CPIF), living in the same region (Hokkaido, Japan). None of them had received dentofacial orthopaedic treatment. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsIn Group_CPNIF, the maxilla was significantly short (P < .05), the anterior parts of the maxilla being retruded (P < .05), compared with Group_CSP and, compared with Group_CPNIF, in Group_CPIF, anterior part of the maxilla was positioned posteriorly (P < .05), the maxillary body was significantly smaller (P < .01). ConclusionsThis study suggests that in prepubertal children, as the congenital defect in the tissue of the palate extended, the shortness in the anteroposterior maxillary length, accompanying anterior part of the maxilla in posterior position, was more marked.

Slash Manips: Remixing Popular Media with Gay Pornography

Slash Manips: Remixing Popular Media with Gay Pornography

Objectively-measured physical activity and body weight in Japanese pre-schoolers

Background: The prevalence of thinness has increased among Japanese children.Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physical activity and body mass index (BMI) among Japanese pre-school children.Subjects and methods: Subjects were 425 4–6-year-old Japanese girls and boys. Their weights were classified as normal, overweight or thin, based on Cole’s international cut-offs for BMI. Physical activity was assessed using a triaxial accelerometer (ActivTracer, GMS) for 6 consecutive days.Results: Physical activity in overweight children was comparable to that in normal-weight children after controlling for age and gender. However, thin children spent significantly greater time engaged in low-intensity activities (physical activity ratio < 2) and spent less time engaged in light-intensity physical activity (2 ≤ physical activity ratio < 3) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (physical activity ratio ≥ 3) than normal-weight and overweight children, and less time engaged in higher-intensity physical activity (physical activity ratio ≥ 4) than normal-weight children. Moreover, thin children spent significantly less time engaged in locomotive physical activity than normal-weight or overweight children.Conclusion: This study suggests that thinness, rather than excess weight, is associated with decreased light, moderate and high intensity physical activity in Japanese pre-school children.

Perception of one's own and others' ability by preschool Japanese children

This study examined the perception of one's own and others' ability in preschool Japanese boys and girls. In Study 1, 70 Japanese boys and girls aged 4–6 years rated their own and their close friend's ability on their favorite outdoor and indoor activities. In Study 2, 65 Japanese children aged 5 and 6 years rated their own and their close friend's ability and guessed that of a nonfriend (a mere acquaintance child in the preschool) on their most and least favorite outdoor and indoor activities. The major findings were as follows: (a) the perception of preschool children's own ability correlates with that of their close friend's ability; (b) ability perception was influenced by preference for the activity and by gender; and (c) no difference was found between ratings for a close friend and a nonfriend according to activities preferences, which differed from the ability perception by preadolescent children.

Academic-Community Partnership to Explore High-Smoking Prevalence in Filipina Girls

Smoking prevalence for Asian-Americans (AA) is low compared to non-AAs; however in Hawai`, the prevalence of smoking among Filipina high school girls is more than double that of Japanese high school girls. This study explored socio-cultural factors facilitating or serving as barriers against tobacco use among Filipina girls. Representatives from four community organizations, recognized for their work with Filipinos, were engaged throughout the research to facilitate the project and to ensure cultural relevance. Eleven focus groups (n=88), led by peer facilitators, discussed smoking. Twelve cultural key informants interpreted results presented from the transcripts. Results: Self-reported reasons why Filipina girls may smoke included the need to cope and to fit in. School and family responsibilities were commonly stated as barriers to smoking among Filipina girls. Nonetheless, many girls said they were given cigarettes from family members who smoked. Cultural key informants recommended conducting research on a larger sample of Filipina girls and offering family and school-based tobacco prevention programs. Conclusion: Collaboration with a variety of community partners helped provide rich qualitative data and findings regarding socio-cultural factors associated with smoking and recommendations to prevent smoking among Filipina girls. The role of family in preventing and promoting tobacco use needs further exploration. Family appears to be a promising area to explore future interventions to prevent smoking among Filipina girls.

Novel compound heterozygous mutations of the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor gene in a case of isolated growth hormone deficiency

ObjectiveTo elucidate the pathogenesis of isolated growth hormone (GH) deficiency in a Japanese girl without consanguinity. DesignA 2-year-old girl of height 77.2cm (−3.0 SD for Japanese girls) was found to have an insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 level of 7ng/mL and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) level of 0.41μg/mL. GH responded modestly to a series of pharmacological stimulants, increasing to 2.81ng/mL with insulin-induced hypoglycemia, 3.78ng/mL with arginine, and 3.93 with GH-releasing hormone (GHRH). Following direct sequencing of the GHRH receptor (GHRHR) gene, evaluation by the luciferase reporter assay, immunofluorescence study, and in vitro splicing assay with minigene constructs was conducted. ResultsNovel compound heterozygous GHRHR gene mutations were identified in the patient. A p.G136V substitution elicited no luciferase activity increment in response to GHRH stimulation, with normal membranous expression. Splicing assay demonstrated that the IVS2+3a>g mutation would lead to aberrant splicing. ConclusionsA case of isolated GH deficiency due to novel GHRHR gene mutations was identified.

Over-adaptation and heart rate variability in Japanese high school girls

In the field of educational psychology in Japan, a model of "over-adaptation" has been applied to conceptualize the personality of students who are vulnerable to external stressors and prone to developing psychiatric problems. However, the influence of over-adaptation on physiological functions in adolescents is still largely unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association between an over-adapted tendency and autonomic nervous system activities in high school girls. Circadian profiles of cardiac autonomic nervous system activities in 47 normal high school girls were evaluated using time-domain measures of heart rate variability (HRV) taken from 24-h ambulatory electrocardiogram recordings, and their relation to an over-adaptation scale composed of 5 subscales was evaluated. A significant increase in RMSSD (root mean square of successive difference of normal-to-normal beat intervals) during daytime (09:00-14:00) was observed in students who scored high on the sum of the over-adaptation subscales (n=6). Two of the over-adaptation subscales, namely, "self-restraint" and "self-insufficiency", were positively correlated with time-domain measures. Parasympathetic activity in over-adapted students was elevated during school, and this autonomic response was suggested to be linked to over-adaptation subscales related to repressed emotions in over-adapted students. Thus, in over-adapted students, repressing emotions appears to be a style of coping, and may lead to a quiet, emotionally stable life in school, which in turn may result in parasympathetic activation.

Influence of maturation on anthropometry and body composition in Japanese junior high school students

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine maturity-related differences in anthropometry and body composition in Japanese youth within a single year.MethodsTwo hundred and ten Japanese youth aged from 13 to 13.99 years participated in this study. Their maturity status was assessed using a self-assessment of stage of pubic hair development. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to estimate percent body fat and lean body mass (LBM). Muscle thickness of the anterior thigh, posterior lower leg and rectus abdominis muscles were measured by ultrasound.ResultsFor boys, height, body weight, and LBM in less mature groups were lower than that in more mature groups. The maturity-related differences were still significant after adjusting for chronological age. On the other hand, muscle thickness values in the lower extremity and abdomen differed among the groups at different stages of pubic hair development, whereas there was no maturity-related difference in the relative values corrected by LBM, except for those thickness values measured at the abdomen. For girls, only the muscle thickness at the anterior thigh and muscle thickness relative to LBM1/3 at the posterior lower leg was significantly affected by maturity status, but significant maturity-related difference was not found after adjusting for chronological age.ConclusionsAt least for Japanese boys and girls aged 13 years, maturity status affected body size in boys, but not in girls, and the influence of maturation on the muscularity of the lower extremity and trunk muscles is less in both sexes.

Vivienne Westwood's ‘Seditionaries’ Clothes and the Change in Japanese Girls' Cute Fashions in the Early 1990s

A major change overtook Japanese girls' fashion in the early 1990s. Influenced by the fashion magazine Cutie, a version of the young girl-oriented subculture publication Takarajima, girls began to aggressively express themselves with individualistic clothing that did not go out of its way to pander to the opposite sex. Girls' fashions up until then tended to be imbued with a very Japanese childlike girlishness, but the ‘new’ cute look added boyish elements. This early 1990s trend in Japanese fashion was related to the popularity among Japanese youth at that time of the ‘Seditionaries’ clothing line created by British designer Vivienne Westwood in the late 1970s.

Mediation effects of social support on relationships of perceived environment and self-efficacy with school-based physical activity: A structural equation model tailored for Japanese adolescent girls

Background: Identifying correlates of physical activity that can be targeted as potential mediators is important for developing interventions to promote physical activity in adolescent girls. However, the mediated effects of multilevel correlates of physical activity remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine direct and mediated effects of personal, social and perceived school physical environmental factors on school-based physical activity of Japanese adolescent girls. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey of the Japanese adolescent lifestyles, 344 junior high school girls were invited to complete self-report measures of age, grade, weight, height, self-efficacy, social support (family, friends and teachers), perceived school physical environment (equipment, facilities and safety) and physical activity at school (min per week during lunch time and after- school hours). Structural equation modeling analysis controlling for age was performed to examine the effects of body mass index (BMI), self-efficacy, social support and school physical environmental variables on lunchtime and after-hours physical activity. Results: The final structural model demonstrated an acceptable fit for each context-specific physical activity. During lunch recess, perceived equipment and friend support exhibited direct effects on physical activity; perceived facilities, safety, and self-efficacy were indirectly associated with physical activity through friend support. During after-school hours, both family and friend support directly affected physical activity at school; perceived safety, facilities and self-efficacy exhibited indirect effects on physical activity through family or friend support. However, there were no significant associations between equipment and after-school-hours physical activity. Regardless of contexts, BMI had neither direct nor indirect effects on physical activity. Conclusion: Social support from family and friends was identified as factors mediating the effects of perceived environment and self-efficacy on school-based physical activity among Japanese adolescent girls. This finding encourages the future development of effective interventions to promote physical activity through family and friend support in the future.

Multilevel Longitudinal Analysis of Sex Differences in Height Gain and Growth Rate Changes in Japanese School-Aged Children

BackgroundDetermining standard pubertal growth patterns using longitudinal anthropometric measures is important in growth assessment. We used an appropriate repeated-measurements method to identify height growth patterns in Japanese school-aged girls and boys.MethodsThe participants were children born during the period from 1991 through 1999 who had entered the first grade of elementary school in the Enzan district in Koshu City, Japan. This study was part of the Project Koshu cohort study. Height was measured annually in April from the first grade of elementary school (age, 6–7 years) to the third grade of junior middle school (age, 14–15 years). Height gain and growth rate trajectories in boys and girls were constructed using multilevel analysis.ResultsIn total, 1984 children (1036 boys and 948 girls) were included in this study. Height in boys and girls was similar at age 6.5 to 9.5 years. Girls subsequently grew faster and were taller than boys at age 10.5 to 11.5 years. Starting at age 12.5 years, male height caught up and exceeded female height. Height gain trajectories showed that annual height gain among girls increased slowly and peaked during age 9.5 to 11.5 years, while male height gains declined slightly at first and peaked at age 11.5 to 12.5 years. Sex differences in height gains were significant during the period from age 7.5 to 14.5 years (P < 0.0001). Growth rate and height gain trajectories were similar between sexes.ConclusionsSex differences in growth trajectory were significant, and female height gain peaked approximately 2 years earlier than male height gain.

Premenstrual Symptoms and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Japanese High School Students 9 Months after the Great East-Japan Earthquake

On March 11, 2011, the Great East-Japan Earthquake occurred and a massive tsunami hit the northeastern coast of Japan. Catastrophic disasters such as earthquakes and war cause tremendous damage, not only physically but also mentally. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that occurs in the aftermath of a traumatic event. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cluster of psychological and somatic symptoms that are limited to the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is considered a severe form of PMS. To determine the relationship between premenstrual symptoms and natural disaster-induced PTSD among Japanese adolescent girls, we conducted a cross-sectional study. Overall, 1489 high school students who belong to two high schools in Sendai, the largest city in northeastern Japan, were assessed 9 months after the earthquake. These schools are located inland, far from the seashore, and were not damaged by the tsunami. Premenstrual symptoms were assessed using the Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire, and PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Japanese-language version of Impact of Event Scale-Revised, which is a widely used self-assessment questionnaire about PTSD symptoms. We analyzed the data of 1,180 girls who completed the questionnaires and 118 girls (10.0%) were classified as having PTSD. The prevalence rates of PMDD and moderate to severe PMS increased according to the comorbidity of PTSD (p < 0.001), showing a correlation between the severity of PMS/PMDD and natural disaster-induced PTSD. The comorbidity of PMS/PMDD and PTSD may complicate the follow-up of both conditions.

Congenital hypothyroidism caused by a novel mutation of the dual oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene

The dual oxidase 2 (DUOX2) mutation results in an impairment of the hydrogen peroxidase-generating system and is identified as a dyshormonogenic cause of congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Here, we describe two unrelated Japanese girls with CH due to a novel DUOX2 mutation. They had high serum thyrotropin levels and low free thyroxine/thyroxine concentrations during the neonatal period. A novel missense mutation with a transversion of G to A at position 1462 in exon 12 of the DUOX2 gene that caused a replacement of glycine (G) with arginine (R) at codon 488 of the protein (c.1462G>A, p.[G488R]) was identified. One patient was a compound heterozygote for p.[L479SfsX3]+[G488R]. The other was homozygous for p.[G488R]. This p.G488R substitution occurred in a highly conserved glycine residue of the mammalian DUOX2 protein. The two patients had different haplotypes, suggesting that the p.G488R alleles were the result of independent, recurrent mutations. Later in life, both patients were still euthyroid even after discontinuing thyroid hormone therapy. We conclude that this p.G488R missense mutation in the DUOX2 gene of the patients is associated with thyroid dysfunction that presents during the neonatal period.