Impacts of university education reform on faculty perceptions of workload

Since the corporatization of national universities, the environment surrounding Japanese universities has dramatically changed in various respects. A series of government-led attempts have intended to support the domestic colleges and universities in gaining a competitive edge by improving the quality of teaching and research as well as guaranteeing the international validity of the country's higher education system. Impacts of all the challenges that have been tackled with internal efforts in the last few years could be enormous on the personnel workload. However, little is known about the impacts of Japan's recent university education reform, particularly on the changing workload of the faculty who engage at the forefront in student teaching and advising, administrative roles as well as research activities. Using results from individual faculty interviews, this paper attempts to link the changing workload of Japanese professors with specific reasons that are rooted in the country's recent university education reform. Reviewing the effects of the reform on faculty workload provides us with important insights for the long term and guides us to prevent the derailment from the endeavour to which a significant amount of resources have been dedicated by the country.     

Selective cell capture and analysis using shallow antibody-coated microchannels

Demand for analysis of rare cells such as circulating tumor cells in blood at the single molecule level has recently grown. For this purpose, several cell separation methods based on antibody-coated micropillars have been developed (e.g., Nagrath et al., Nature 450, 1235–1239 (2007)). However, it is difficult to ensure capture of targeted cells by these methods because capture depends on the probability of cell-micropillar collisions. We developed a new structure that actively exploits cellular flexibility for more efficient capture of a small number of cells in a target area. The depth of the sandwiching channel was slightly smaller than the diameter of the cells to ensure contact with the channel wall. For cell selection, we used anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule antibodies, which specifically bind epithelial cells. First, we demonstrated cell capture with human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells, which are relatively homogeneous in size; in situ single molecule analysis was verified by our rolling circle amplification (RCA) method. Then, we used breast cancer cells (SK-BR-3) in blood, and demonstrated selective capture and cancer marker (HER2) detection by RCA. Cell capture by antibody-coated microchannels was greater than with negative control cells (RPMI-1788 lymphocytes) and non-coated microchannels. This system can be used to analyze small numbers of target cells in large quantities of mixed samples.     

Evaluation of a static stretching intervention on vascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness

Purpose: Maintenance and enhancement of vascular endothelial function contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease and prolong a healthy life expectancy. Given the reversible nature of vascular endothelial function, interventions to improve this function might prevent arteriosclerosis. Accordingly, we studied the effects of a 6-month static stretching intervention on vascular endothelial function (reactive hyperaemia peripheral arterial tonometry index: RH-PAT index) and arterial stiffness (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity: baPWV) and investigated the reversibility of these effects after a 6-month detraining period following intervention completion. Methods: The study evaluated 22 healthy, non-smoking, premenopausal women aged ≥40 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to the full-intervention (n?=?11; mean age: 48.6?±?2.8 years) or a half-intervention that included a control period (n?=?11; mean age: 46.9?±?3.6 years). Results: Body flexibility and vascular endothelial function improved significantly after 3 months of static stretching. In addition to these improvements, arterial stiffness improved significantly after a 6-month intervention. However, after a 6-month detraining period, vascular endothelial function, flexibility, and arterial stiffness all returned to preintervention conditions, demonstrating the reversibility of the obtained effects. Conclusion: A 3-month static stretching intervention was found to improve vascular endothelial function, and an additional 3-month intervention also improved arterial stiffness. However, these effects were reversed by detraining.     

Kinematics of judo breakfall for osoto-gari: Considerations for head injury prevention

Previous studies suggest that increasing the skill level of judokas will decrease the number of head injuries sustained during judo. However, the kinematics are poorly understood, making it difficult to establish an effective breakfall teaching programme. Therefore, we studied the kinematic parameters of breakfall for osoto-gari to identify the risk of judo-related head injuries by comparing experienced and novice judokas. This information will provide insight into developing a better prevention plan for judo-related head injuries.

A total of 10 experienced and 12 novice judokas volunteered to participate in this study. The kinematic data of the breakfall motion for osoto-gari were collected using a three-dimensional motion analysis technique (200 Hz).

We observed a significantly higher peak neck extension momentum in the novice group than in the experienced group. This suggests that neck extension momentum during breakfall is associated with the risk of head injuries during judo. In addition, the novice judokas demonstrated a significantly greater flexed pattern in the trunk and hip movement than the experienced judokas (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the trunk and lower extremity motion are important kinematic parameters that determine the skill level in performing the breakfall for osoto-gari.     

试析日本中小学的健康教育

采用文献资料、归纳综合、逻辑分析等研究方法,对日本中小学目前实施的健康教育进行分析与研究.研究认为日本中小学各年级的健康教育目标贴近生活、简便易行;课程内容实施层次分明、重点突出;健康教育教师培养体系科学、制度规范.提出我国中小学应该加强健康教育的法制管理和高等师范院校应该开设健康教育专业的建议.这对于我国吸收和借鉴日本健康教育的先进经验,提高我国中小学学生的健康水平具有重要意义.     

在社会体育里ア一卜(art)教育的作用

应社会体育国际论坛主办单位的邀请，能够在大家面前做学术报告，感到非常荣幸!我主要的研究领域虽然不是社会体育，但是作为哲学研究者，还是想借这个机会，对社会体育进行一次初步的哲学分析。     

Teaching about International Responsibilities: A comparative analysis of the political construction of development education in schools

In the post-1945 world, the international community has come to recognise the potential of education as a vehicle for promoting world peace. Development education emerges as a medium for such education. This article begins by exploring the idea that as the international position of a nation improves, it tends to become more conscious of the need to instruct its population about new international responsibilities and tries to put this concept into practice, especially at school level. Theorisation of the factors of context for the introduction of development education into schools is attempted on a comparative bases. The article then analyses the case of Japan. It argues that despite the fact that the factors of context for the introduction of development education were present in the mid-1980s, the introduction was delayed in Japan.     

Globalisation and national identity: a reflection on the Japanese music curriculum

This article investigates the relationship between globalisation and national cultural identity through Japanese educational policies for music. Japan is often referred to as a society that provides a model of cultural hybridisation that is a phenomenon in globalisation. However, what actually happened in Japan was not hybridisation, but the replacement of traditional music with western music in the process of the re‐construction of national musical culture. Even the recent state emphasis on Japanese elements in music teaching can be interpreted as no more than an attempt to further transform Japanese music culture so that it will resemble that of Europe.     

Perceptions of world view among Japanese and American university students: A cross‐cultural comparison

The Gilgen & Cho (1979a) Questionnaire to Measure Eastern and Western Thought was administered to 240 Japanese and 163 American respondents. Results indicate that significant differences exist between the two cultures. The Japanese reflect an Eastern thought mode while the Americans favor a Western one. Also, results indicate gender differences between cultures and within the American culture. American females are more Eastern thought inclined than are the males.     

A comparison of social style between Japanese and Americans

Social style is investigated in terms of its two dimensions—assertiveness and responsiveness. Using the Assertiveness‐Responsiveness Scale, populations in Japan and the United States are compared to discover what differences, if any, might exist. Results indicate a significant difference between the two cultures. Also, the males in the two cultures tend to be more assertively inclined; the females more responsively.