Assessing the impact of a wildlife education program on Japanese attitudes and behavioral intentions

Human–wildlife conflicts are common in agricultural communities and mountainous villages in Japan. Tochigi prefecture has one of the highest amounts of agricultural damage caused by wildlife in the country. To reduce conflicts, the Nature Preservation Division of Tochigi Prefecture launched a wildlife damage prevention program. We evaluated the effects of this program on residents’ attitudes and behavioral intentions by comparing a model district receiving the treatment program to a nearby control district. We conducted a survey of all households registered either in the residential organization or telephone book in each district (n?=?423), with a 46% response rate. The model district did not differ from the control except for greater perceived behavioral control regarding wildlife damage among residents in the model district (F?=?3.83, df?=?1, p?=?0.05). An unanticipated outcome was the development of a community-based wildlife group in the model district. In both model and control districts, subjective norm (perceived social pressure to engage or not to engage in a behavior) was the strongest predictor of behavioral intentions, unlike results of studies conducted in the US.     

Simulation of reductive dechlorination processes in a lab-scale anaerobic biobarrier with enriched TCP dechlorinating consortium

In order to design and predict the dechlorination processes for remediating the halogenated aromatic compounds in the biobarrier system applied in situ,an anaerobic continuous-flow column was set up with the introduction of an enriched 2,4,6-trichlorophenol(TCP) reductive dechlorinating consortium.The fates of TCP and its metabolites were simulated according to the first-order sequential dechlorination kinetic model.The enriched TCP anaerobic dechlorinating consortium dechlorinated 100 μmol/L TCP to 4-chlorophenol(4-CP) via 2,4-dichlorophenol(DCP) in 10 d.The consortium was predominated with the phylum of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes,based on the PCRdenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE) analysis.After the consortium was applied to the column,the experimental data in the steady state were fitted by the least square method,and the first-order dechlorination kinetic constants from TCP to 2,4-DCP,from 2,4-DCP to 4-CP and from 4-CP to phenol,were 1.58 d-1,2.23 d-1 and 0.206 d-1,respectively.According to the fitting results,the required biobarrier width for the complete remediation of TCP,2,4DCP and 4-CP were 126 cm,130 cm and 689 cm,respectively.The dechlorination/degradation of 4-CP must be increased when the technology is applied to the real site.     

Continuous Efforts over 10 Years for Storage Re-organization at the National Museum of Ethnology,Japan

ABSTRACT

The National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan, collects a vast amount of materials and information related to peoples’ life and culture, and makes them available to society through exhibitions and other activities. The number of collected items is increasing every year: 343581 objects have been collected from Japan and abroad as of March 2017. The continuous efforts have been necessary to improve storage conditions and to save space for both general and special storerooms. The former, which account for 90% of the storage capacity of the museum, are air-conditioned during working hours, with temperature and relative humidity (RH) settings varying with the seasons. The latter, which house objects for which strict conservation conditions are required, are air-conditioned for 24 hours with fixed settings of temperature/RH throughout the year determined by the nature of the materials from which the objects have been made or formed. Storage re-organization began with special storerooms, for which the number of objects and the storage area are far more limited in comparison with the general storerooms. The storage shelves for fur/skin/feather (almost 1000 objects) and for carpets (almost 550 objects) were all renewed in FY2007/2008. Then two large-scale innovation projects for general storerooms were conducted: construction of storage areas for ships equipped with a CO₂-based and anoxic pest treatment facility (FY2015), and a complete refurbishing of the general storeroom for large objects (FY2016). Windows were set in the corner of this storeroom to provide visitors an opportunity to view and learn about the museum activities. In parallel to the above projects, daily storage improvement efforts have been undertaken. Storeroom No. 3, chosen as an example for general storerooms for small and medium-sized objects, was used to investigate the range of issues related to the shelving arrangement and storage conditions. Guidelines for storage re-organization were formulated according to the results of the investigation and according to the experiences gained through the renewal of special storerooms. Storage re-organization undertaken in storeroom No. 3 was conducted for 6 years at the rate of around 2000–4000 objects per year with a low budget and with reuse of existing shelves. In FY2016, all objects in storeroom No. 3 were properly redistributed. About 40% of the storage space was saved. Over these 10 years of storage re-organization, preventive measures have been taken for sustainable collection management. As early as FY1992, pest trap investigations have been carried out seasonally. Since FY2004, the results of investigations have been analyzed using a customized computer program. Subsequently, appropriate integrated pest management measures have been taken. In addition, since FY2014, energy-efficient air-condition control has been adopted for general storerooms. It consists of switching off air-conditioning in spring and autumn, and of starting it only when the temperature or RH values become too high in summer or too low in winter. Because the turning-off of air-conditioning causes comparable or even less climatic fluctuation, it was considered acceptable both economically and from a conservation perspective. It is estimated that turning the air-conditioning off during transitional seasons brings cost savings of about 3000000–4000000 JPY (about 26800–35700 USD as of 23 September 2017) per annum, which accounts for almost 30% of the electricity expenditures for all general storerooms.     

Cognitive predictors of literacy acquisition in syllabic Hiragana and morphographic Kanji

We examined the role of different cognitive skills in word reading (accuracy and fluency) and spelling accuracy in syllabic Hiragana and morphographic Kanji. Japanese Hiragana and Kanji are strikingly contrastive orthographies: Hiragana has consistent character-sound correspondences with a limited symbol set, whereas Kanji has inconsistent character-sound correspondences with a large symbol set. One hundred sixty-nine Japanese children were assessed at the beginning of grade 1 on reading accuracy and fluency, spelling, phonological awareness, phonological memory, rapid automatized naming (RAN), orthographic knowledge, and morphological awareness, and on reading and spelling at the middle of grade 1. The results showed remarkable differences in the cognitive predictors of early reading accuracy and spelling development in Hiragana and Kanji, and somewhat lesser differences in the predictors of fluency development. Phonological awareness was a unique predictor of Hiragana reading accuracy and spelling, but its impact was relatively weak and transient. This finding is in line with those reported in consistent orthographies with contained symbol sets such as Finnish and Greek. In contrast, RAN and morphological awareness were more important predictors of Kanji than of Hiragana, and the patterns of relationships for Kanji were similar to those found in inconsistent orthographies with extensive symbol sets such as Chinese. The findings suggested that Japanese children learning two contrastive orthographic systems develop partially separate cognitive bases rather than a single basis for literacy acquisition.     

PHILOSOPHY AS TRANSLATION: DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION FROM DEWEY TO CAVELL

A bstract .  Dewey's idea of "mutual national understanding" faces new challenges in the age of globalization, especially in education for global understanding. In this essay Naoko Saito aims to find an alternative idea and language for "mutual national understanding," one that is more attuned to the sensibility of our times. She argues for Stanley Cavell's idea of philosophy as translation as such an alternative. Based upon Cavell's rereading of Thoreau's Walden , Saito represents Thoreau as a cross-cultural figure who transcends cultural and national boundaries. On the strength of this, she proposes a Cavellian education for global citizenship, that is, a perfectionist education for imperfect understanding in acknowledgment of alterity. Our founding of democracy must depend upon a readiness to "deconfound" the culture we have come from, the better to find new foundations together. The "native" is always in transition, by and through language, in processes of translation.     

Contrasting experiences in Japanese returnee adjustment: Those who adjust easily and those who do not

This study examined how returnees who experienced more adjustment difficulties (Bumpies) differed from those who experienced fewer (Smoothies). Three open-ended items from 512 returnees¹ were analyzed. Ward et al.’s [Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. East Sussex: Routledge] adjustment model was used as the theoretical framework for this study.Prior to examining the open-ended items, preliminary analyses were conducted to confirm that these two groups, in fact, differed from each other in their returnee experience. Results suggested that one function, which we named “Lack of Acceptance,” differentiated the two groups; Smoothies felt more accepted by others compared to Bumpies.In the next stage, the open-ended questions related to the items that loaded significantly on the function identified by the discriminant analysis were coded and analyzed. Results suggested that the two groups’ experiences were similar in some respects (e.g., being stereotyped as a returnee, language-related problems) and different in others (e.g., Smoothies felt more accepted by others compared to Bumpies, Bumpies reported more incidents of discrimination and bullying). Results underscored Ward et al.’s [Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. East Sussex: Routledge] assertion that adjustment is a result of a two-way interaction between individual and societal variables.     

Physical activity levels in American and Japanese men from the ERA-JUMP Study and associations with metabolic syndrome

Background:Metabolic syndrome(MetS) is a global health problem.Physical activity(PA) is a known modifiable risk factor for MetS and individual MetS components.However,the role of PA could differ between sub-populations due to differences in the variability of PA and other MetS risk factors.To examine these differences,multi-country studies with standardized outcome measurement methods across cohorts are needed.Methods:Cross-sectional PA levels(total and domain specific) in healthy middle-aged(44-56 years) men in the Risk Factor Assessment among Japanese and U.S.Men in the Post-World War Ⅱ Birth Cohort(ERA-JUMP) Study(n=730;American:n=417;Japanese:n=313;from population-representative samples in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,USA,and Kusatsu,Shiga,Japan) were compared.The relationships between PA levels and MetS(overall and specific components) in/across the American and Japanese sub-cohorts(adjusting for age,smoking,and alcohol consumption)were also assessed using the same instruments(pedometer and validated questionnaire) to measure PA in both cohorts.Results:A total of 510 individuals provided complete data on PA(American:n=265;Japanese:n=245).The American cohort had significantly lower mean±SD steps/day(7878±3399 steps/day) vs.the Japanese cohort(9055±3797 steps/day)(p <0.001) but had significantly higher self-reported moderate-vigorous leisure PA(American:15.9(7.4-30.3) metabolic task equivalent hours per week(MET-b/week) vs.Japanese:4.0(0-11.3) METh/week,p <0.0001).In both sub-cohorts,each 1000 steps/day increase was associated with lower odds of having MetS(American:OR=0.90,95%CI:0.83-0.98;Japanese:OR=0.87,95%CI:0.79-0.95) and the individual MetS component of high waist circumference(American:OR=0.86,95%CI:0.79-0.94;Japanese:OR=0.87,95%CI:0.80-0.95).In the American cohort only,higher self-reported leisure PA(Met-b/week) was associated with lower odds of MetS and high waist circumference(OR=0.98,95%CI:0.97-0.99 for MetS and waist circumference,respectively).Conclusion:Higher total step counts/day had an important protective effect on MetS prevalence in both the Japanese and American cohorts,despite differences in PA levels and other MetS risk factors.The effect of steps/day(across all intensity levels) was much greater than domainspecific moderate-vigorous PA captured by questionnaire,suggesting the need for measurement tools that can best capture total movement when examining the effects of PA on MetS development.     

Pragmatism and the Tragic Sense: Deweyan Growth in an Age of Nihilism

In the context of contemporary nihilistic tendencies in democracy and education, Dewey's pragmatism must respond to the criticism that it lacks a tragic sense. By highlighting the Emersonian perfectionist dimension latent in the concept of growth, this paper attempts to reveal a sense of the tragic in Dewey's work—his humble recognition of the double nature of democracy as both attained and unattained. It is precisely the lack of this sense of the tragic that characterises contemporary nihilism. In resistance to this, Deweyan growth points to a perfectionist education committed to the re–awakening of intensity of impulse.