Sample records for japanese badger meles

  1. WIND TURBINES CAUSE CHRONIC STRESS IN BADGERS (MELES MELES) IN GREAT BRITAIN.

    PubMed

    Agnew, Roseanna C N; Smith, Valerie J; Fowkes, Robert C

    2016-07-01

    A paucity of data exists with which to assess the effects of wind turbines noise on terrestrial wildlife, despite growing concern about the impact of infrasound from wind farms on human health and well-being. In 2013, we assessed whether the presence of turbines in Great Britain impacted the stress levels of badgers ( Meles meles ) in nearby setts. Hair cortisol levels were used to determine if the badgers were physiologically stressed. Hair of badgers living <1 km from a wind farm had a 264% higher cortisol level than badgers >10 km from a wind farm. This demonstrates that affected badgers suffer from enhanced hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal activity and are physiologically stressed. No differences were found between the cortisol levels of badgers living near wind farms operational since 2009 and 2012, indicating that the animals do not become habituated to turbine disturbance. Cortisol levels in the affected badgers did not vary in relation to the distance from turbines within 1 km, wind farm annual power output, or number of turbines. We suggest that the higher cortisol levels in affected badgers is caused by the turbines' sound and that these high levels may affect badgers' immune systems, which could result in increased risk of infection and disease in the badger population.

  2. Cost-benefit analysis model of badger (Meles meles) culling to reduce cattle herd tuberculosis breakdowns in Britain, with particular reference to badger perturbation.

    PubMed

    Wilkinson, D; Bennett, R; McFarlane, I; Rushton, S; Shirley, M; Smith, G C

    2009-10-01

    Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an important economic disease. Badgers (Meles meles) are the wildlife source implicated in many cattle outbreaks of TB in Britain, and extensive badger control is a controversial option to reduce the disease. A badger and cattle population model was developed, simulating TB epidemiology; badger ecology, including postcull social perturbation; and TB-related farm management. An economic cost-benefit module was integrated into the model to assess whether badger control offers economic benefits. Model results strongly indicate that although, if perturbation were restricted, extensive badger culling could reduce rates in cattle, overall an economic loss would be more likely than a benefit. Perturbation of the badger population was a key factor determining success or failure of control. The model highlighted some important knowledge gaps regarding both the spatial and temporal characteristics of perturbation that warrant further research.

  3. Model of Selective and Non-Selective Management of Badgers (Meles meles) to Control Bovine Tuberculosis in Badgers and Cattle

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Graham C.; Delahay, Richard J.; McDonald, Robbie A.

    2016-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes substantial economic losses to cattle farmers and taxpayers in the British Isles. Disease management in cattle is complicated by the role of the European badger (Meles meles) as a host of the infection. Proactive, non-selective culling of badgers can reduce the incidence of disease in cattle but may also have negative effects in the area surrounding culls that have been associated with social perturbation of badger populations. The selective removal of infected badgers would, in principle, reduce the number culled, but the effects of selective culling on social perturbation and disease outcomes are unclear. We used an established model to simulate non-selective badger culling, non-selective badger vaccination and a selective trap and vaccinate or remove (TVR) approach to badger management in two distinct areas: South West England and Northern Ireland. TVR was simulated with and without social perturbation in effect. The lower badger density in Northern Ireland caused no qualitative change in the effect of management strategies on badgers, although the absolute number of infected badgers was lower in all cases. However, probably due to differing herd density in Northern Ireland, the simulated badger management strategies caused greater variation in subsequent cattle bTB incidence. Selective culling in the model reduced the number of badgers killed by about 83% but this only led to an overall benefit for cattle TB incidence if there was no social perturbation of badgers. We conclude that the likely benefit of selective culling will be dependent on the social responses of badgers to intervention but that other population factors including badger and cattle density had little effect on the relative benefits of selective culling compared to other methods, and that this may also be the case for disease management in other wild host populations. PMID:27893809

  4. Model of Selective and Non-Selective Management of Badgers (Meles meles) to Control Bovine Tuberculosis in Badgers and Cattle.

    PubMed

    Smith, Graham C; Delahay, Richard J; McDonald, Robbie A; Budgey, Richard

    2016-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes substantial economic losses to cattle farmers and taxpayers in the British Isles. Disease management in cattle is complicated by the role of the European badger (Meles meles) as a host of the infection. Proactive, non-selective culling of badgers can reduce the incidence of disease in cattle but may also have negative effects in the area surrounding culls that have been associated with social perturbation of badger populations. The selective removal of infected badgers would, in principle, reduce the number culled, but the effects of selective culling on social perturbation and disease outcomes are unclear. We used an established model to simulate non-selective badger culling, non-selective badger vaccination and a selective trap and vaccinate or remove (TVR) approach to badger management in two distinct areas: South West England and Northern Ireland. TVR was simulated with and without social perturbation in effect. The lower badger density in Northern Ireland caused no qualitative change in the effect of management strategies on badgers, although the absolute number of infected badgers was lower in all cases. However, probably due to differing herd density in Northern Ireland, the simulated badger management strategies caused greater variation in subsequent cattle bTB incidence. Selective culling in the model reduced the number of badgers killed by about 83% but this only led to an overall benefit for cattle TB incidence if there was no social perturbation of badgers. We conclude that the likely benefit of selective culling will be dependent on the social responses of badgers to intervention but that other population factors including badger and cattle density had little effect on the relative benefits of selective culling compared to other methods, and that this may also be the case for disease management in other wild host populations.

  5. Use of cattle farm resources by badgers (Meles meles) and risk of bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) transmission to cattle.

    PubMed

    Garnett, B T; Delahay, R J; Roper, T J

    2002-07-22

    Nocturnal observations, radio telemetry and time-lapse camera surveillance were used to investigate visits by badgers (Meles meles L.) to two cattle farms. During 59 half-nights (ca. 295 h) of observation and 17 nights (ca. 154 h) of camera surveillance, 139 separate visits to farm buildings, by at least 26 individually identifiable badgers from two social groups, were recorded. The badgers, which included three individuals infected with bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis), used cowsheds, feedsheds, barns, haystacks, slurry pits, cattle troughs and farmyards to exploit a range of food resources, including cattle feed and silage. Cattle feed was contaminated with badger faeces and badgers also came into close contact with cattle. The minimum number of badgers visiting farm buildings per night was negatively correlated with local 24 h rainfall. We conclude that exploitation by badgers of resources provided by cattle farms constitutes a potentially important mechanism for tuberculosis transmission from badgers to cattle.

  6. Molecular detection of Sarcocystis lutrae in the European badger (Meles meles) in Scotland.

    PubMed

    Lepore, T; Bartley, P M; Chianini, F; Macrae, A I; Innes, E A; Katzer, F

    2017-09-01

    Neck samples from 54 badgers and 32 tongue samples of the same badgers (Meles meles), collected in the Lothians and Borders regions of Scotland, were tested using polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) directed against the 18S ribosomal DNA and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region of protozoan parasites of the family Sarcocystidae. Positive results were obtained from 36/54 (67%) neck and 24/32 (75%) tongue samples using an 18S rDNA PCR. A 468 base pair consensus sequence that was generated from the 18S rDNA PCR amplicons (KX229728) showed 100% identity to Sarcocystis lutrae. The ITS1 PCR results revealed that 12/20 (60%) neck and 10/20 (50%) tongue samples were positive for Sarcocystidae DNA. A 1074 bp consensus sequence was generated from the ITS1 PCR amplicons (KX431307) and showed 100% identity to S. lutrae. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis support the finding that the rDNA found in badgers is identical to that of S. lutrae. This parasite has not been previously reported in badgers or in the UK. Sarcocystis lutrae has previously only been detected in tongue, skeletal muscle and diaphragm samples of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in Norway and potentially in the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus).

  7. Comparing badger (Meles meles) management strategies for reducing tuberculosis incidence in cattle.

    PubMed

    Smith, Graham C; McDonald, Robbie A; Wilkinson, David

    2012-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, continues to be a serious economic problem for the British cattle industry. The Eurasian badger (Meles meles) is partly responsible for maintenance of the disease and its transmission to cattle. Previous attempts to manage the disease by culling badgers have been hampered by social perturbation, which in some situations is associated with increases in the cattle herd incidence of bTB. Following the licensing of an injectable vaccine, we consider the relative merits of management strategies to reduce bTB in badgers, and thereby reduce cattle herd incidence. We used an established simulation model of the badger-cattle-TB system and investigated four proposed strategies: business as usual with no badger management, large-scale proactive badger culling, badger vaccination, and culling with a ring of vaccination around it. For ease of comparison with empirical data, model treatments were applied over 150 km(2) and were evaluated over the whole of a 300 km(2) area, comprising the core treatment area and a ring of approximately 2 km. The effects of treatment were evaluated over a 10-year period comprising treatment for five years and the subsequent five year period without treatment. Against a background of existing disease control measures, where 144 cattle herd incidents might be expected over 10 years, badger culling prevented 26 cattle herd incidents while vaccination prevented 16. Culling in the core 150 km(2) plus vaccination in a ring around it prevented about 40 cattle herd breakdowns by partly mitigating the negative effects of culling, although this approach clearly required greater effort. While model outcomes were robust to uncertainty in parameter estimates, the outcomes of culling were sensitive to low rates of land access for culling, low culling efficacy, and the early cessation of a culling strategy, all of which were likely to lead to an overall increase in cattle disease.

  8. Detection and characterization of Histoplasma capsulatum in a German badger (Meles meles) by ITS sequencing and multilocus sequencing analysis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A wild badger (Meles meles) with a severe nodular dermatitis was presented for post mortem examination. Numerous cutaneous granulomas with superficial ulceration were present especially on head, dorsum, and forearms were found at necropsy. Histopathological examination of the skin revealed a severe ...

  9. Association of quantitative interferon-γ responses with the progression of naturally acquired Mycobacterium bovis infection in wild European badgers (Meles meles)

    PubMed Central

    Tomlinson, Alexandra J; Chambers, Mark A; McDonald, Robbie A; Delahay, Richard J

    2015-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis is one of the biggest challenges facing cattle farming in Great Britain. European badgers (Meles meles) are a reservoir host for the causal agent, Mycobacterium bovis. There have been significant recent advances in diagnostic testing for tuberculosis in humans, cattle and badgers, with the development of species-specific assays for interferon-γ (IFN-γ), an important cytokine in tuberculous infections. Using data collected from longitudinal studies of naturally infected wild badgers, we report that the magnitude of the IFN-γ response to M. bovis antigens at the disclosing test event was positively correlated with subsequent progression of disease to a seropositive or excreting state. In addition, we show that the magnitude of the IFN-γ response, despite fluctuation, declined with time after the disclosing event for all badgers, but remained significantly higher in those animals with evidence of disease progression. We discuss how our findings may be related to the immunopathogenesis of natural M. bovis infection in badgers. PMID:25109384

  10. Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma): description, molecular identification, and Wolbachia screening.

    PubMed

    Uni, Shigehiko; Bain, Odile; Suzuki, Kazuo; Agatsuma, Takeshi; Harada, Masashi; Motokawa, Masaharu; Martin, Coralie; Lefoulon, Emilie; Fukuda, Masako; Takaoka, Hiroyuki

    2013-02-01

    Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae: Onchocercinae) is described based on adult filarioids and microfilariae obtained from subcutaneous connective tissues and skin, respectively, of Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma) in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. No endemic species of the genus had been found in Japan. Recently, some filarioids (e.g., Acanthocheilonema reconditum, Dirofilaria spp., and Onchocerca spp.) have come to light as causative agents of zoonosis worldwide. The new species was readily distinguished from its congeners by morphologic characteristics such as body length, body width, esophagus length, spicule length, and the length of microfilariae. Based on the molecular data of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, A. delicata n. sp. was included in the clade of the genus Acanthocheilonema but differed from two other congeneric species available for study, A. viteae and A. reconditum. Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. did not harbor Wolbachia. It is likely that the fauna of filarioids from mammals on the Japanese islands is characterized by a high level of endemicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Use of multiple den sites by Eurasian badgers, Meles meles, in a Mediterranean habitat.

    PubMed

    Loureiro, Filipa; Rosalino, Luís Miguel; Macdonald, David W; Santos-Reis, Margarida

    2007-10-01

    Den sites are a conspicuous feature of Eurasian badgers, Meles meles, and in many environments include large communal burrows used by several group members. In Serra de Grândola, southwest Portugal, nine badgers from three social groups were captured and radio collared from 2000 to 2004. A total of 1,787 locations of badgers in their resting sites were registered along with a brief description of the type of site and weather conditions. Resting sites were grouped according to structure (burrows, shrubs, rocks, hollow trees and man-made structures) and function (main, secondary and occasional). Although main setts were the most frequently used shelter (62.25%), an average of 14 (SD 7.55) resting sites were used in each territory. The pattern of use varied seasonally, showing differences according to sex and social group. Overall, females used more than twice as many occasional resting sites as did males. Generally burrows, predominantly main setts, were most frequently used during winter and autumn, whilst non-burrow shelters were preferred during spring and summer, when the weather was hot, dry and not windy. Proximity to food patches had no apparent influence on the location of resting sites. Our results offered no support for the foraging-related hypotheses that multiple resting sites are a means of conserving energy or of maintaining proximity to rich food patches. We suggest that other factors such as thermoregulation needs, disturbance, and reproductive status, could be influencing the observed pattern of resting-site use by badgers in Serra de Grândola.

  12. Molecular identification of Sarcocystis lutrae in the European otter (Lutra lutra) and the European badger (Meles meles) from the Czech Republic.

    PubMed

    Máca, Ondřej

    2018-03-01

    Muscular sarcosporidial infections by Sarcocystis lutrae (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) from the otter (Lutra lutra) and badger (Meles meles) (Carnivora: Mustelidae) were found in the Czech Republic. As part of a diversity evaluation of Sarcocystis in wild carnivores during 2016-2017, samples of diaphragm, tongue and hind-limb muscles were collected from nine districts, examined by compression and characterized molecularly. Cyst walls were thin, with no visible protrusions, and histological sections of infected muscle tissue showed no host responses. Fourteen of 17 badgers (82% prevalence) and one otter (100% prevalence) were positive for sarcocysts. Sequence analyses at four loci (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 and cox1) confirmed the identity as S. lutrae. This is also the first report of a co-infection with muscular sarcocystosis and Trichinella in badger. The finding of Trichinella is important from the zoonotic point of view, since badgers are used for meat consumption. Similar and future monitoring of both parasitic taxa are needed.

  13. Testing of a palatable bait and compatible vaccine carrier for the oral vaccination of European badgers (Meles meles) against tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Gowtage, Sonya; Williams, Gareth A; Henderson, Ray; Aylett, Paul; MacMorran, Duncan; Palmer, Si; Robertson, Andy; Lesellier, Sandrine; Carter, Stephen P; Chambers, Mark A

    2017-02-07

    The oral vaccination of wild badgers (Meles meles) with live Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is one of the tools being considered for the control of bovine tuberculosis (caused by Mycobacterium bovis) in the UK. The design of a product for oral vaccination requires that numerous, and often competing, conditions are met. These include the need for a highly palatable, but physically stable bait that will meet regulatory requirements, and one which is also compatible with the vaccine formulation; in this case live BCG. In collaboration with two commercial bait companies we have developed a highly attractive and palatable bait recipe designed specifically for European badgers (Meles meles) that meets these requirements. The palatability of different batches of bait was evaluated against a standardised palatable control bait using captive badgers. The physical properties of the bait are described e.g. firmness and colour. The microbial load in the bait was assessed against European and US Pharmacopoeias. The bait was combined with an edible vaccine carrier made of hydrogenated peanut oil in which BCG vaccine was stable during bait manufacture and cold storage, demonstrating <0.5 log 10 reduction in titre after 117weeks' storage at -20°C. BCG stability in bait was also evaluated at +4°C and under simulated environmental conditions (20°C, 98% Relative Humidity; RH). Finally, iophenoxic acid biomarkers were utilised as a surrogate for the BCG vaccine, to test variants of the vaccine-bait design for their ability to deliver biomarker to the gastrointestinal tract of individual animals. These data provide the first detailed description of a bait-vaccine delivery system developed specifically for the oral vaccination of badgers against Mycobacterium bovis using live BCG. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Winter Is Coming: Seasonal Variation in Resting Metabolic Rate of the European Badger (Meles meles)

    PubMed Central

    McClune, David W.; Kostka, Berit; Delahay, Richard J.; Montgomery, W. Ian; Marks, Nikki J.; Scantlebury, David M.

    2015-01-01

    Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is a measure of the minimum energy requirements of an animal at rest, and can give an indication of the costs of somatic maintenance. We measured RMR of free-ranging European badgers (Meles meles) to determine whether differences were related to sex, age and season. Badgers were captured in live-traps and placed individually within a metabolic chamber maintained at 20 ± 1°C. Resting metabolic rate was determined using an open-circuit respirometry system. Season was significantly correlated with RMR, but no effects of age or sex were detected. Summer RMR values were significantly higher than winter values (mass-adjusted mean ± standard error: 2366 ± 70 kJ⋅d−1; 1845 ± 109 kJ⋅d−1, respectively), with the percentage difference being 24.7%. While under the influence of anaesthesia, RMR was estimated to be 25.5% lower than the combined average value before administration, and after recovery from anaesthesia. Resting metabolic rate during the autumn and winter was not significantly different to allometric predictions of basal metabolic rate for mustelid species weighing 1 kg or greater, but badgers measured in the summer had values that were higher than predicted. Results suggest that a seasonal reduction in RMR coincides with apparent reductions in physical activity and body temperature as part of the overwintering strategy (‘winter lethargy’) in badgers. This study contributes to an expanding dataset on the ecophysiology of medium-sized carnivores, and emphasises the importance of considering season when making predictions of metabolic rate. PMID:26352150

  15. An investigation of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Eurasian badger (Meles meles) scavenging, scattering, and removal of deer remains: forensic implications and applications.

    PubMed

    Young, Alexandria; Márquez-Grant, Nicholas; Stillman, Richard; Smith, Martin J; Korstjens, Amanda H

    2015-01-01

    Within northwest Europe, especially the United Kingdom, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) are the largest wild scavengers capable of modifying a set of remains through scavenging. Knowledge of region-specific and species-typical scavenging behaviors of scavengers within the crime scene area and surroundings can aid in more efficient and accurate interpretations. The scavenging behaviors of captive and wild foxes and badgers were recorded and compared through actualistic methods and direct observation. The scavenging by wild foxes and badgers of surface-deposited baits and whole deer (Cervus nippon; Capreolus capreolus) in a woodland was observed and analyzed. Wild foxes were found to scavenge deer more frequently than badgers. The scavenging of deer remains by foxes was also compared with forensic cases. The scavenging pattern and recovery distances of deer and human remains scavenged by foxes were similar but were potentially affected by the condition and deposition of a body, and the presence of clothing. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  16. The Effect of Oral Vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis BCG on the Development of Tuberculosis in Captive European Badgers (Meles meles).

    PubMed

    Chambers, Mark A; Aldwell, Frank; Williams, Gareth A; Palmer, Si; Gowtage, Sonya; Ashford, Roland; Dalley, Deanna J; Davé, Dipesh; Weyer, Ute; Salguero, Francisco J; Nunez, Alejandro; Nadian, Allan K; Crawshaw, Timothy; Corner, Leigh A L; Lesellier, Sandrine

    2017-01-01

    The European badger ( Meles meles ) is a reservoir host of Mycobacterium bovis and responsible for a proportion of the tuberculosis (TB) cases seen in cattle in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. An injectable preparation of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is licensed for use in badgers in the UK and its use forms part of the bovine TB eradication plans of England and Wales. However, there are practical limitations to the widespread application of an injectable vaccine for badgers and a research priority is the development of an oral vaccine deliverable to badgers in bait. Previous studies reported the successful vaccination of badgers with oral preparations of 10 8 colony forming units (CFU) of both Pasteur and Danish strains of BCG contained within a lipid matrix composed of triglycerides of fatty acids. Protection against TB in these studies was expressed as a reduction in the number and apparent progression of visible lesions, and reductions in the bacterial load and dissemination of infection. To reduce the cost of an oral vaccine and reduce the potential for environmental contamination with BCG, it is necessary to define the minimal efficacious dose of oral BCG for badgers. The objectives of the two studies reported here were to compare the efficacy of BCG Danish strain in a lipid matrix with unformulated BCG given orally, and to evaluate the efficacy of BCG Danish in a lipid matrix at a 10-fold lower dose than previously evaluated in badgers. In the first study, both BCG unformulated and in a lipid matrix reduced the number and apparent progression of visible lesions and the dissemination of infection from the lung. In the second study, vaccination with BCG in the lipid matrix at a 10-fold lower dose produced a similar outcome, but with greater intra-group variability than seen with the higher dose in the first study. Further research is needed before we are able to recommend a final dose of BCG for oral vaccination of badgers against TB

  17. The Effect of Oral Vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis BCG on the Development of Tuberculosis in Captive European Badgers (Meles meles)

    PubMed Central

    Chambers, Mark A.; Aldwell, Frank; Williams, Gareth A.; Palmer, Si; Gowtage, Sonya; Ashford, Roland; Dalley, Deanna J.; Davé, Dipesh; Weyer, Ute; Salguero, Francisco J.; Nunez, Alejandro; Nadian, Allan K.; Crawshaw, Timothy; Corner, Leigh A. L.; Lesellier, Sandrine

    2017-01-01

    The European badger (Meles meles) is a reservoir host of Mycobacterium bovis and responsible for a proportion of the tuberculosis (TB) cases seen in cattle in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. An injectable preparation of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is licensed for use in badgers in the UK and its use forms part of the bovine TB eradication plans of England and Wales. However, there are practical limitations to the widespread application of an injectable vaccine for badgers and a research priority is the development of an oral vaccine deliverable to badgers in bait. Previous studies reported the successful vaccination of badgers with oral preparations of 108 colony forming units (CFU) of both Pasteur and Danish strains of BCG contained within a lipid matrix composed of triglycerides of fatty acids. Protection against TB in these studies was expressed as a reduction in the number and apparent progression of visible lesions, and reductions in the bacterial load and dissemination of infection. To reduce the cost of an oral vaccine and reduce the potential for environmental contamination with BCG, it is necessary to define the minimal efficacious dose of oral BCG for badgers. The objectives of the two studies reported here were to compare the efficacy of BCG Danish strain in a lipid matrix with unformulated BCG given orally, and to evaluate the efficacy of BCG Danish in a lipid matrix at a 10-fold lower dose than previously evaluated in badgers. In the first study, both BCG unformulated and in a lipid matrix reduced the number and apparent progression of visible lesions and the dissemination of infection from the lung. In the second study, vaccination with BCG in the lipid matrix at a 10-fold lower dose produced a similar outcome, but with greater intra-group variability than seen with the higher dose in the first study. Further research is needed before we are able to recommend a final dose of BCG for oral vaccination of badgers against TB or

  18. The first reported case of advanced aelurostrongylosis in Eurasian badger (Meles meles, L. 1758) in Bosnia and Herzegovina: histopathological and parasitological findings.

    PubMed

    Stevanović, Oliver; Trbojević, Igor; Nikolić, Sonja; Santrač, Violeta

    2018-06-23

    This paper represents the first description of advanced aelurostrongylosis in the Eurasian badger (Меles meles, L. 1758) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is an autochthonous species of the country. An adult female badger was found dead on a road; the cause of death was trauma but the emphasis in the paper is on severe verminous pneumonia caused by metastrongylids from genus Aelurostrongylus spp. This parasitological and histopathological finding confirms the presence of Aelurostrongylus in mustelids in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans.

  19. Low genetic variability, female-biased dispersal and high movement rates in an urban population of Eurasian badgers Meles meles.

    PubMed

    Reeve, John D; Frantz, Alain C; Dawson, Deborah A; Burke, Terry; Roper, Timothy J

    2008-09-01

    1. Urban and rural populations of animals can differ in their behaviour, both in order to meet their ecological requirements and due to the constraints imposed by different environments. The study of urban populations can therefore offer useful insights into the behavioural flexibility of a species as a whole, as well as indicating how the species in question adapts to a specifically urban environment. 2. The genetic structure of a population can provide information about social structure and movement patterns that is difficult to obtain by other means. Using non-invasively collected hair samples, we estimated the population size of Eurasian badgers Meles meles in the city of Brighton, England, and calculated population-specific parameters of genetic variability and sex-specific rates of outbreeding and dispersal. 3. Population density was high in the context of badger densities reported throughout their range. This was due to a high density of social groups rather than large numbers of individuals per group. 4. The allelic richness of the population was low compared with other British populations. However, the rate of extra-group paternity and the relatively frequent (mainly temporary) intergroup movements suggest that, on a local scale, the population was outbred. Although members of both sexes visited other groups, there was a trend for more females to make intergroup movements. 5. The results reveal that urban badgers can achieve high densities and suggest that while some population parameters are similar between urban and rural populations, the frequency of intergroup movements is higher among urban badgers. In a wider context, these results demonstrate the ability of non-invasive genetic sampling to provide information about the population density, social structure and behaviour of urban wildlife.

  20. Performance of TB immunodiagnostic tests in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) of different ages and the influence of duration of infection on serological sensitivity

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background In parts of Great Britain and Ireland, Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) constitute a reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis infection and a potential source of infection for cattle. In vitro diagnostic tests for live badgers are an important component of strategies to control TB in this species. Immunological tests have been developed for badgers, although little is known about the influence of the age of the animal on test performance. To address this, we evaluated the performance of three immunological tests for badgers with respect to the age of the animal: the Brock Test and BrockTB STAT-PAK® serological tests and the recently developed interferon-gamma enzyme immunoassay (IFNγ EIA). Data published elsewhere suggested that seropositivity was associated with more progressive forms of TB in the badger. To gain further evidence for this, we used longitudinal data from a well-studied population of badgers to test for an association between the sensitivity of the Brock Test and the duration of TB infection. Results Sensitivity of the two serological tests was approximately 54% for both cubs and adults. Sensitivity of the IFNγ EIA was lower in cubs (57%) compared with adults (85%) when a common cut-off value was used to define test positivity. Taking data from the cubs alone, the IFNγ EIA cut-off value could be adjusted to increase the sensitivity to 71% with no loss in specificity. As a general observation, specificity of all tests was higher in cubs, although only significantly so in the case of the Brock Test. Using logistic regression analysis to adjust for age, sensitivity of the Brock Test was significantly lower at first culture positive event (58%), but increased to >80% as infection progressed. Conclusion These data suggest that serodiagnosis could be a valuable tool for detecting a higher proportion of badgers with the greatest probability of transmitting infection. The age category of the badger appeared to exert little influence on the performance

  1. MHC class II-assortative mate choice in European badgers (Meles meles).

    PubMed

    Sin, Yung Wa; Annavi, Geetha; Newman, Chris; Buesching, Christina; Burke, Terry; Macdonald, David W; Dugdale, Hannah L

    2015-06-01

    The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a crucial role in the immune system, and in some species, it is a target by which individuals choose mates to optimize the fitness of their offspring, potentially mediated by olfactory cues. Under the genetic compatibility hypothesis, individuals are predicted to choose mates with compatible MHC alleles, to increase the fitness of their offspring. Studies of MHC-based mate choice in wild mammals are under-represented currently, and few investigate more than one class of MHC genes. We investigated mate choice based on the compatibility of MHC class I and II genes in a wild population of European badgers (Meles meles). We also investigated mate choice based on microsatellite-derived pairwise relatedness, to attempt to distinguish MHC-specific effects from genomewide effects. We found MHC-assortative mating, based on MHC class II, but not class I genes. Parent pairs had smaller MHC class II DRB amino acid distances and smaller functional distances than expected from random pairings. When we separated the analyses into within-group and neighbouring-group parent pairs, only neighbouring-group pairs showed MHC-assortative mating, due to similarity at MHC class II loci. Our randomizations showed no evidence of genomewide-based inbreeding, based on 35 microsatellite loci; MHC class II similarity was therefore the apparent target of mate choice. We propose that MHC-assortative mate choice may be a local adaptation to endemic pathogens, and this assortative mate choice may have contributed to the low MHC genetic diversity in this population. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Neighbouring-group composition and within-group relatedness drive extra-group paternity rate in the European badger (Meles meles)

    PubMed Central

    Annavi, G; Newman, C; Dugdale, H L; Buesching, C D; Sin, Y W; Burke, T; Macdonald, D W

    2014-01-01

    Extra-group paternity (EGP) occurs commonly among group-living mammals and plays an important role in mating systems and the dynamics of sexual selection; however, socio-ecological and genetic correlates of EGP have been underexplored. We use 23 years of demographic and genetic data from a high-density European badger (Meles meles) population, to investigate the relationship between the rate of EGP in litters and mate availability, mate incompatibility and mate quality (heterozygosity). Relatedness between within-group assigned mothers and candidate fathers had a negative quadratic effect on EGP, whereas the number of neighbouring-group candidate fathers had a linear positive effect. We detected no effect of mean or maximum heterozygosity of within-group candidate fathers on EGP. Consequently, EGP was associated primarily with mate availability, subject to within-group genetic effects, potentially to mitigate mate incompatibility and inbreeding. In badgers, cryptic female choice, facilitated by superfecundation, superfoetation and delayed implantation, prevents males from monopolizing within-group females. This resonates with a meta-analysis in group-living mammals, which proposed that higher rates of EGP occur when within-group males cannot monopolize within-group females. In contrast to the positive meta-analytic association, however, we found that EGP associated negatively with the number of within-group assigned mothers and the number of within-group candidate fathers; potentially a strategy to counter within-group males committing infanticide. The relationship between the rate of EGP and socio-ecological or genetic factors can therefore be intricate, and the potential for cryptic female choice must be accounted for in comparative studies. PMID:25234113

  3. Effects of Weather Conditions on Oxidative Stress, Oxidative Damage, and Antioxidant Capacity in a Wild-Living Mammal, the European Badger (Meles meles).

    PubMed

    Bilham, Kirstin; Newman, Chris; Buesching, Christina D; Noonan, Michael J; Boyd, Amy; Smith, Adrian L; Macdonald, David W

    Wild-living animals are subject to weather variability that may cause the generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress and tissue damage, potentially driving demographic responses. Our 3-yr field study investigated the effects of seasonal weather conditions on biomarkers for oxidative stress, oxidative damage, and antioxidant defense in the European badger (Meles meles). We found age class effects: cubs were more susceptible to oxidative stress and oxidative damage than adults, especially very young cubs in the spring, when they also exhibited lower antioxidant biomarkers than adults. Although previous studies have found that intermediate spring and summer rainfall and warmer temperatures favor cub survival, counterintuitively these conditions were associated with more severe oxidative damage. Oxidative damage was high in cubs even when antioxidant biomarkers were high. In contrast, adult responses accorded with previous survival analyses. Wetter spring and summer conditions were associated with higher oxidative damage, but they were also associated with higher antioxidant biomarkers. Autumnal weather did not vary substantially from normative values, and thus effects were muted. Winter carryover effects were partially evident, with drier and milder conditions associated with greater oxidative damage in the following spring but also with higher antioxidant capacity. Plausibly, warmer conditions promoted more badger activity, with associated metabolic costs at a time of year when food supply is limited. Modeling biomarkers against projected climate change scenarios predicted greater future risks of oxidative damage, although not necessarily exceeding antioxidant capacity. This interdisciplinary approach demonstrates that individual adaptive physiological responses are associated with variation in natural environmental conditions.

  4. Modelling the impact of vaccination on tuberculosis in badgers.

    PubMed

    Hardstaff, J L; Bulling, M T; Marion, G; Hutchings, M R; White, P C L

    2013-07-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) in livestock, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, persists in many countries. In Britain, efforts to control TB through the culling of badgers (Meles meles), the principal wildlife host, have so far been unsuccessful, and there is significant interest in vaccination of badgers as an alternative or complementary strategy [corrected]. Using a simulation model, we show that where TB is self-contained within the badger population and there are no external sources of infection, limited-duration vaccination at a high level of efficacy can reduce or even eradicate TB from the badger population. However, where sources of external infection persist, benefits in TB reduction in badgers can only be achieved by ongoing, annual vaccination. Vaccination is likely to be most effective as part of an integrated disease management strategy incorporating a number of different approaches across the entire host community.

  5. Badgers prefer cattle pasture but avoid cattle: implications for bovine tuberculosis control.

    PubMed

    Woodroffe, Rosie; Donnelly, Christl A; Ham, Cally; Jackson, Seth Y B; Moyes, Kelly; Chapman, Kayna; Stratton, Naomi G; Cartwright, Samantha J

    2016-10-01

    Effective management of infectious disease relies upon understanding mechanisms of pathogen transmission. In particular, while models of disease dynamics usually assume transmission through direct contact, transmission through environmental contamination can cause different dynamics. We used Global Positioning System (GPS) collars and proximity-sensing contact-collars to explore opportunities for transmission of Mycobacterium bovis [causal agent of bovine tuberculosis] between cattle and badgers (Meles meles). Cattle pasture was badgers' most preferred habitat. Nevertheless, although collared cattle spent 2914 collar-nights in the home ranges of contact-collared badgers, and 5380 collar-nights in the home ranges of GPS-collared badgers, we detected no direct contacts between the two species. Simultaneous GPS-tracking revealed that badgers preferred land > 50 m from cattle. Very infrequent direct contact indicates that badger-to-cattle and cattle-to-badger M. bovis transmission may typically occur through contamination of the two species' shared environment. This information should help to inform tuberculosis control by guiding both modelling and farm management. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  6. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination reduces the severity and progression of tuberculosis in badgers

    PubMed Central

    Chambers, Mark A.; Rogers, Fiona; Delahay, Richard J.; Lesellier, Sandrine; Ashford, Roland; Dalley, Deanna; Gowtage, Sonya; Davé, Dipesh; Palmer, Si; Brewer, Jacky; Crawshaw, Timothy; Clifton-Hadley, Richard; Carter, Steve; Cheeseman, Chris; Hanks, Chris; Murray, Alistair; Palphramand, Kate; Pietravalle, Stéphane; Smith, Graham C.; Tomlinson, Alexandra; Walker, Neil J.; Wilson, Gavin J.; Corner, Leigh A. L.; Rushton, Stephen P.; Shirley, Mark D. F.; Gettinby, George; McDonald, Robbie A.; Hewinson, R. Glyn

    2011-01-01

    Control of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle has proven particularly challenging where reservoirs of infection exist in wildlife populations. In Britain and Ireland, control is hampered by a reservoir of infection in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles). Badger culling has positive and negative effects on bovine TB in cattle and is difficult, costly and controversial. Here we show that Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination of captive badgers reduced the progression, severity and excretion of Mycobacterium bovis infection after experimental challenge. In a clinical field study, BCG vaccination of free-living badgers reduced the incidence of positive serological test results by 73.8 per cent. In common with other species, BCG did not appear to prevent infection of badgers subjected to experimental challenge, but did significantly reduce the overall disease burden. BCG vaccination of badgers could comprise an important component of a comprehensive programme of measures to control bovine TB in cattle. PMID:21123260

  7. Patterns of direct and indirect contact between cattle and badgers naturally infected with tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Drewe, J A; O'Connor, H M; Weber, N; McDonald, R A; Delahay, R J

    2013-07-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis is transmitted between cattle and badgers (Meles meles) in the UK and Ireland but it is unclear where or when transmission occurs. We investigated direct and indirect interactions between badgers and cattle using automated proximity loggers on animals and at badger latrines located on pasture, in an area of south-west England with a high-density badger population. Direct contacts (interactions within 1.4 m) between badgers and cattle at pasture were very rare (four out of >500000 recorded animal-to-animal contacts) despite ample opportunity for interactions to occur. Indirect interactions (visits to badger latrines by badgers and cattle) were two orders of magnitude more frequent than direct contacts: 400 visits by badgers and 1700 visits by cattle were recorded. This suggests that indirect contacts might be more important than direct contacts in terms of disease transmission at pasture. The TB infection status of individual badgers (ascribed with 93% accuracy using three diagnostic tests) did not affect the frequency or duration of their visits to latrines located on pasture grazed by cattle. Nevertheless, there was wide variation in contact behaviour between individuals, which highlights the importance of understanding heterogeneity in contact patterns when developing strategies to control disease spread in wildlife and livestock.

  8. Super-ranging. A new ranging strategy in European badgers.

    PubMed

    Gaughran, Aoibheann; Kelly, David J; MacWhite, Teresa; Mullen, Enda; Maher, Peter; Good, Margaret; Marples, Nicola M

    2018-01-01

    We monitored the ranging of a wild European badger (Meles meles) population over 7 years using GPS tracking collars. Badger range sizes varied seasonally and reached their maximum in June, July and August. We analysed the summer ranging behaviour, using 83 home range estimates from 48 individuals over 6974 collar-nights. We found that while most adult badgers (males and females) remained within their own traditional social group boundaries, several male badgers (on average 22%) regularly ranged beyond these traditional boundaries. These adult males frequently ranged throughout two (or more) social group's traditional territories and had extremely large home ranges. We therefore refer to them as super-rangers. While ranging across traditional boundaries has been recorded over short periods of time for extraterritorial mating and foraging forays, or for pre-dispersal exploration, the animals in this study maintained their super-ranges from 2 to 36 months. This study represents the first time such long-term extra-territorial ranging has been described for European badgers. Holding a super-range may confer an advantage in access to breeding females, but could also affect local interaction networks. In Ireland & the UK, badgers act as a wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (TB). Super-ranging may facilitate the spread of disease by increasing both direct interactions between conspecifics, particularly across social groups, and indirect interactions with cattle in their shared environment. Understanding super-ranging behaviour may both improve our understanding of tuberculosis epidemiology and inform future control strategies.

  9. Super-ranging. A new ranging strategy in European badgers

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, David J.; Good, Margaret; Marples, Nicola M.

    2018-01-01

    We monitored the ranging of a wild European badger (Meles meles) population over 7 years using GPS tracking collars. Badger range sizes varied seasonally and reached their maximum in June, July and August. We analysed the summer ranging behaviour, using 83 home range estimates from 48 individuals over 6974 collar-nights. We found that while most adult badgers (males and females) remained within their own traditional social group boundaries, several male badgers (on average 22%) regularly ranged beyond these traditional boundaries. These adult males frequently ranged throughout two (or more) social group’s traditional territories and had extremely large home ranges. We therefore refer to them as super-rangers. While ranging across traditional boundaries has been recorded over short periods of time for extraterritorial mating and foraging forays, or for pre-dispersal exploration, the animals in this study maintained their super-ranges from 2 to 36 months. This study represents the first time such long-term extra-territorial ranging has been described for European badgers. Holding a super-range may confer an advantage in access to breeding females, but could also affect local interaction networks. In Ireland & the UK, badgers act as a wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (TB). Super-ranging may facilitate the spread of disease by increasing both direct interactions between conspecifics, particularly across social groups, and indirect interactions with cattle in their shared environment. Understanding super-ranging behaviour may both improve our understanding of tuberculosis epidemiology and inform future control strategies. PMID:29444100

  10. The variability and seasonality of the environmental reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis shed by wild European badgers.

    PubMed

    King, Hayley C; Murphy, Andrew; James, Phillip; Travis, Emma; Porter, David; Hung, Yu-Jiun; Sawyer, Jason; Cork, Jennifer; Delahay, Richard J; Gaze, William; Courtenay, Orin; Wellington, Elizabeth M

    2015-08-06

    The incidence of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, has been increasing in UK cattle herds resulting in substantial economic losses. The European badger (Meles meles) is implicated as a wildlife reservoir of infection. One likely route of transmission to cattle is through exposure to infected badger urine and faeces. The relative importance of the environment in transmission remains unknown, in part due to the lack of information on the distribution and magnitude of environmental reservoirs. Here we identify potential infection hotspots in the badger population and quantify the heterogeneity in bacterial load; with infected badgers shedding between 1 × 10(3)- 4 × 10(5) M. bovis cells g(-1) of faeces, creating a substantial and seasonally variable environmental reservoir. Our findings highlight the potential importance of monitoring environmental reservoirs of M. bovis which may constitute a component of disease spread that is currently overlooked and yet may be responsible for a proportion of transmission amongst badgers and onwards to cattle.

  11. The variability and seasonality of the environmental reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis shed by wild European badgers

    PubMed Central

    King, Hayley C.; Murphy, Andrew; James, Phillip; Travis, Emma; Porter, David; Hung, Yu-Jiun; Sawyer, Jason; Cork, Jennifer; Delahay, Richard J.; Gaze, William; Courtenay, Orin; Wellington, Elizabeth M.

    2015-01-01

    The incidence of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, has been increasing in UK cattle herds resulting in substantial economic losses. The European badger (Meles meles) is implicated as a wildlife reservoir of infection. One likely route of transmission to cattle is through exposure to infected badger urine and faeces. The relative importance of the environment in transmission remains unknown, in part due to the lack of information on the distribution and magnitude of environmental reservoirs. Here we identify potential infection hotspots in the badger population and quantify the heterogeneity in bacterial load; with infected badgers shedding between 1 × 103 − 4 × 105 M. bovis cells g−1 of faeces, creating a substantial and seasonally variable environmental reservoir. Our findings highlight the potential importance of monitoring environmental reservoirs of M. bovis which may constitute a component of disease spread that is currently overlooked and yet may be responsible for a proportion of transmission amongst badgers and onwards to cattle. PMID:26247348

  12. Lethal distemper in badgers (Meles meles) following epidemic in dogs and wolves.

    PubMed

    Di Sabatino, Daria; Di Francesco, Gabriella; Zaccaria, Guendalina; Malatesta, Daniela; Brugnola, Luca; Marcacci, Maurilia; Portanti, Ottavio; De Massis, Fabrizio; Savini, Giovanni; Teodori, Liana; Ruggieri, Enzo; Mangone, Iolanda; Badagliacca, Pietro; Lorusso, Alessio

    2016-12-01

    Canine distemper virus (CDV) represents an important conservation threat to many wild carnivores. A large distemper epidemic sustained by an Arctic-lineage strain occurred in Italy in 2013, mainly in the Abruzzi region, causing overt disease in domestic and shepherd dogs, Apennine wolves (Canis lupus) and other wild carnivores. Two badgers were collected by the end of September 2015 in a rural area of the Abruzzi region and were demonstrated to be CDV-positive by real time RT-PCR and IHC in several tissues. The genome of CDV isolates from badgers showed Y549H substitution in the mature H protein. By employing all publicly available Arctic-lineage H protein encoding gene sequences, six amino acid changes in recent Italian strains with respect to Italian strains of dogs from 2000 to 2008, were observed. A CDV strain belonging to the European-wildlife lineage was also identified in a fox found dead in the same region in 2016, proving co-circulation of an additional CDV lineage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Exclusions for resolving urban badger damage problems: outcomes and consequences.

    PubMed

    Ward, Alastair I; Finney, Jason K; Beatham, Sarah E; Delahay, Richard J; Robertson, Peter A; Cowan, David P

    2016-01-01

    Increasing urbanisation and growth of many wild animal populations can result in a greater frequency of human-wildlife conflicts. However, traditional lethal methods of wildlife control are becoming less favoured than non-lethal approaches, particularly when problems involve charismatic species in urban areas. Eurasian badgers ( Meles meles ) excavate subterranean burrow systems (setts), which can become large and complex. Larger setts within which breeding takes place and that are in constant use are known as main setts. Smaller, less frequently occupied setts may also exist within the social group's range. When setts are excavated in urban environments they can undermine built structures and can limit or prevent safe use of the area by people. The most common approach to resolving these problems in the UK is to exclude badgers from the problem sett, but exclusions suffer a variable success rate. We studied 32 lawful cases of badger exclusions using one-way gates throughout England to evaluate conditions under which attempts to exclude badgers from their setts in urban environments were successful. We aimed to identify ways of modifying practices to improve the chances of success. Twenty of the 32 exclusion attempts were successful, but success was significantly less likely if a main sett was to be excluded in comparison with another type of sett and if vegetation was not completely removed from the sett surface prior to exclusion attempts. We recommend that during exclusions all vegetation is removed from the site, regardless of what type of sett is involved, and that successful exclusion of badgers from a main sett might require substantially more effort than other types of sett.

  14. In situ adaptive response to climate and habitat quality variation: spatial and temporal variation in European badger (Meles meles) body weight.

    PubMed

    Byrne, Andrew W; Fogarty, Ursula; O'Keeffe, James; Newman, Chris

    2015-09-01

    Variation in climatic and habitat conditions can affect populations through a variety of mechanisms, and these relationships can act at different temporal and spatial scales. Using post-mortem badger body weight records from 15 878 individuals captured across the Republic of Ireland (7224 setts across ca. 15 000 km(2) ; 2009-2012), we employed a hierarchical multilevel mixed model to evaluate the effects of climate (rainfall and temperature) and habitat quality (landscape suitability), while controlling for local abundance (unique badgers caught/sett/year). Body weight was affected strongly by temperature across a number of temporal scales (preceding month or season), with badgers being heavier if preceding temperatures (particularly during winter/spring) were warmer than the long-term seasonal mean. There was less support for rainfall across different temporal scales, although badgers did exhibit heavier weights when greater rainfall occurred one or 2 months prior to capture. Badgers were also heavier in areas with higher landscape habitat quality, modulated by the number of individuals captured per sett, consistent with density-dependent effects reducing weights. Overall, the mean badger body weight of culled individuals rose during the study period (2009-2012), more so for males than for females. With predicted increases in temperature, and rainfall, augmented by ongoing agricultural land conversion in this region, we project heavier individual badger body weights in the future. Increased body weight has been associated with higher fecundity, recruitment and survival rates in badgers, due to improved food availability and energetic budgets. We thus predict that climate change could increase the badger population across the Republic of Ireland. Nevertheless, we emphasize that, locally, populations could still be vulnerable to extreme weather variability coupled with detrimental agricultural practice, including population management. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Spatial and temporal analyses of metrics of tuberculosis infection in badgers (Meles meles) from the Republic of Ireland: Trends in apparent prevalence.

    PubMed

    Byrne, A W; Kenny, K; Fogarty, U; O'Keeffe, J J; More, S J; McGrath, G; Teeling, M; Martin, S W; Dohoo, I R

    2015-12-01

    Badgers are a wildlife host of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), and an important contributor to the epidemiology of bTB in cattle in Ireland and Britain. Repeated culling of badgers in high prevalence cattle bTB areas has been used in the Republic of Ireland as one tool to reduce intra- and interspecific transmission of M. bovis. We assessed factors that influenced infection prevalence of culled badgers from 2009 to 2012 (n=4948) where spatial, temporal and intrinsic factor data were available using multivariable modelling. Prevalence appeared higher in western areas than eastern areas of Ireland and badgers were more likely to be test-positive if caught at a sett (burrow system) which was close to other infected setts (spatial clustering of infection). There was a significant positive association between badger test-status and cattle prevalence of M. bovis infection at a spatial scale of 1km around setts. Badgers were more likely to be deemed test positive if they were male (OR: 1.9) or a parous female (OR: 1.7), compared to a female who had never conceived. Our results are consistent with different groups within badger populations having differential exposures and therefore infection risk (for example, parous vs. non-parous females). Furthermore, bTB clusters within the badger population, with greater risk to badgers in setts that are closest to other infected setts. The effective scale of the association of bTB risk between badger and cattle populations may be relatively large in Ireland. Our data indicate that the overall trend in prevalence of M. bovis infection in badgers has decreased in Ireland (P<0.001) while controlling for significant confounders over the study period, and follows a longer temporal trend from 2007 to 2013, where unadjusted apparent prevalence declined from 26% to 11% during 2007 to mid-2011, followed by a stable trend between 9 and 11% thereafter (n=10,267). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  16. Differential associations of Borrelia species with European badgers (Meles meles) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in western Poland.

    PubMed

    Wodecka, Beata; Michalik, Jerzy; Lane, Robert S; Nowak-Chmura, Magdalena; Wierzbicka, Anna

    2016-07-01

    European badgers and raccoon dogs and their associated ticks and lice were assayed for the presence of Lyme borreliosis and relapsing fever-group spirochete DNA in western Poland. Analyses of blood, ear-biopsy and liver samples revealed that 25% of 28 raccoon dogs and 12% of 34 badgers were PCR positive for borreliae. Borrelia garinii was the dominant species in raccoon dogs (62.5%), followed by B. afzelii (25%) and B. valaisiana (12.5%). PCR-positive badgers were infected only with B. afzelii. A total of 351 attached ticks was recovered from 23 (82%) of the raccoon dogs and 13 (38%) of the badgers. Using a nested PCR targeting the ITS2 fragments of Ixodes DNA, four Ixodes species were identified: I. ricinus, I. canisuga, I. hexagonus, and one provisionally named I. cf. kaiseri. Ixodes canisuga and I. ricinus prevailed on both host species. The highest infection prevalence was detected in I. ricinus, followed by I. canisuga and I. cf. kaiseri. Borrelia garinii and B. afzelii accounted for 61.6% and 30.1% of the infections detected in all PCR-positive ticks, respectively. Four other Borrelia species (B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. valaisiana, B. lusitaniae and B. miyamotoi) were detected only in I. ricinus from raccoon dogs. Moreover, Borrelia DNA, mostly B. garinii, was detected in 57 (81.4%) of 70 Trichodectes melis lice derived from 12 badgers. The detection of B. afzelii in one-half of PCR-positive biopsies reconfirms previous associations of this species with mammalian hosts, whereas the high prevalence of B. garinii in feeding lice and I. ricinus ticks (including larvae) demonstrates that both carnivores serve as hosts for B. garinii. The lack of B. garinii DNA in the tissues of badgers versus its prevalence in raccoon-dog biopsies, however, incriminates only the latter carnivore as a potential reservoir host. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. Exploration of the power of routine surveillance data to assess the impacts of industry-led badger culling on bovine tuberculosis incidence in cattle herds.

    PubMed

    Donnelly, C A; Bento, A I; Goodchild, A V; Downs, S H

    2015-10-24

    In the UK, badgers (Meles meles) are a well-known reservoir of infection, and there has been lively debate about whether badger culling should play a role within the British Government's strategy to control and eventually eradicate tuberculosis (TB) in cattle. The key source of information on the potential for badger culling to reduce cattle TB in high-cattle-TB-incidence areas remains the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT). In late 2013, two pilot areas were subjected to industry-led badger culls. These culls differed importantly from RBCT culling in that free-ranging as well as cage-trapped badgers were shot, and culling took place over a longer time period. Their impacts will be harder to evaluate because culling was not randomised between comparable areas for subsequent comparisons of culling versus no culling. However, the authors present calculations that explore the power of routine surveillance data to assess the impacts of industry-led badger culling on cattle TB incidence. The rollout of industry-led culling as a component of a national cattle TB control policy would be controversial. The best possible estimates of the effects of such culling on confirmed cattle TB incidence should be made available to inform all stakeholders and policy-makers. British Veterinary Association.

  18. Impact of external sources of infection on the dynamics of bovine tuberculosis in modelled badger populations.

    PubMed

    Hardstaff, Joanne L; Bulling, Mark T; Marion, Glenn; Hutchings, Michael R; White, Piran C L

    2012-06-27

    The persistence of bovine TB (bTB) in various countries throughout the world is enhanced by the existence of wildlife hosts for the infection. In Britain and Ireland, the principal wildlife host for bTB is the badger (Meles meles). The objective of our study was to examine the dynamics of bTB in badgers in relation to both badger-derived infection from within the population and externally-derived, trickle-type, infection, such as could occur from other species or environmental sources, using a spatial stochastic simulation model. The presence of external sources of infection can increase mean prevalence and reduce the threshold group size for disease persistence. Above the threshold equilibrium group size of 6-8 individuals predicted by the model for bTB persistence in badgers based on internal infection alone, external sources of infection have relatively little impact on the persistence or level of disease. However, within a critical range of group sizes just below this threshold level, external infection becomes much more important in determining disease dynamics. Within this critical range, external infection increases the ratio of intra- to inter-group infections due to the greater probability of external infections entering fully-susceptible groups. The effect is to enable bTB persistence and increase bTB prevalence in badger populations which would not be able to maintain bTB based on internal infection alone. External sources of bTB infection can contribute to the persistence of bTB in badger populations. In high-density badger populations, internal badger-derived infections occur at a sufficient rate that the additional effect of external sources in exacerbating disease is minimal. However, in lower-density populations, external sources of infection are much more important in enhancing bTB prevalence and persistence. In such circumstances, it is particularly important that control strategies to reduce bTB in badgers include efforts to minimise such

  19. Impact of external sources of infection on the dynamics of bovine tuberculosis in modelled badger populations

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The persistence of bovine TB (bTB) in various countries throughout the world is enhanced by the existence of wildlife hosts for the infection. In Britain and Ireland, the principal wildlife host for bTB is the badger (Meles meles). The objective of our study was to examine the dynamics of bTB in badgers in relation to both badger-derived infection from within the population and externally-derived, trickle-type, infection, such as could occur from other species or environmental sources, using a spatial stochastic simulation model. Results The presence of external sources of infection can increase mean prevalence and reduce the threshold group size for disease persistence. Above the threshold equilibrium group size of 6–8 individuals predicted by the model for bTB persistence in badgers based on internal infection alone, external sources of infection have relatively little impact on the persistence or level of disease. However, within a critical range of group sizes just below this threshold level, external infection becomes much more important in determining disease dynamics. Within this critical range, external infection increases the ratio of intra- to inter-group infections due to the greater probability of external infections entering fully-susceptible groups. The effect is to enable bTB persistence and increase bTB prevalence in badger populations which would not be able to maintain bTB based on internal infection alone. Conclusions External sources of bTB infection can contribute to the persistence of bTB in badger populations. In high-density badger populations, internal badger-derived infections occur at a sufficient rate that the additional effect of external sources in exacerbating disease is minimal. However, in lower-density populations, external sources of infection are much more important in enhancing bTB prevalence and persistence. In such circumstances, it is particularly important that control strategies to reduce bTB in badgers include

  20. Validation of the BrockTB Stat-Pak Assay for Detection of Tuberculosis in Eurasian Badgers (Meles meles) and Influence of Disease Severity on Diagnostic Accuracy▿

    PubMed Central

    Chambers, Mark A.; Crawshaw, Tim; Waterhouse, Sue; Delahay, Richard; Hewinson, R. Glyn; Lyashchenko, Konstantin P.

    2008-01-01

    A lateral-flow immunoassay (BrockTB Stat-Pak) for detecting tuberculosis in Eurasian badgers was 49% sensitive and 93% specific against culture for M. bovis (n = 1,464) at necropsy. However, the sensitivity was significantly higher (66 to 78%) in animals with more severe tuberculosis, indicating that the BrockTB Stat-Pak may be useful for the detection of badgers with the greatest risk of transmitting disease. PMID:18272706

  1. Avoiding verisimilitude when modelling ecological responses to climate change: the influence of weather conditions on trapping efficiency in European badgers (Meles meles).

    PubMed

    Noonan, Michael J; Rahman, M Abidur; Newman, Chris; Buesching, Christina D; Macdonald, David W

    2015-10-01

    The signal for climate change effects can be abstruse; consequently, interpretations of evidence must avoid verisimilitude, or else misattribution of causality could compromise policy decisions. Examining climatic effects on wild animal population dynamics requires ability to trap, observe or photograph and to recapture study individuals consistently. In this regard, we use 19 years of data (1994-2012), detailing the life histories on 1179 individual European badgers over 3288 (re-) trapping events, to test whether trapping efficiency was associated with season, weather variables (both contemporaneous and time lagged), body-condition index (BCI) and trapping efficiency (TE). PCA factor loadings demonstrated that TE was affected significantly by temperature and precipitation, as well as time lags in these variables. From multi-model inference, BCI was the principal driver of TE, where badgers in good condition were less likely to be trapped. Our analyses exposed that this was enacted mechanistically via weather variables driving BCI, affecting TE. Notably, the very conditions that militated for poor trapping success have been associated with actual survival and population abundance benefits in badgers. Using these findings to parameterize simulations, projecting best-/worst-case scenario weather conditions and BCI resulted in 8.6% ± 4.9 SD difference in seasonal TE, leading to a potential 55.0% population abundance under-estimation under the worst-case scenario; 38.6% over-estimation under the best case. Interestingly, simulations revealed that while any single trapping session might prove misrepresentative of the true population abundance, due to weather effects, prolonging capture-mark-recapture studies under sub-optimal conditions decreased the accuracy of population estimates significantly. We also use these projection scenarios to explore how weather could impact government-led trapping of badgers in the UK, in relation to TB management. We conclude that

  2. [The microclimate of an unoccupied wintering sett of the badger, Meles meles (Carnivora: Mustelidae), in the Darwin State Nature Reserve, Vologda Region].

    PubMed

    Sidorchuk, N V; Rozhnov, V V

    2008-01-01

    Data on the microclimate (air temperature and humidity) within an unoccupied badger sett in the Darwin Reserve (the Vologda Region) between September 2005 and May 2006 have been analyzed in relation to changes in the temperature and humidity of the ground air layer and soil. A positive correlation has been revealed between the temperature regime of the soil and air temperature within the sett. After the establishment of snow cover, air and soil temperatures within the sett vary slightly and barely depend on ambient air temperature.

  3. Wildlife disease ecology from the individual to the population: Insights from a long-term study of a naturally infected European badger population.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Jenni L; Robertson, Andrew; Silk, Matthew J

    2018-01-01

    Long-term individual-based datasets on host-pathogen systems are a rare and valuable resource for understanding the infectious disease dynamics in wildlife. A study of European badgers (Meles meles) naturally infected with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) at Woodchester Park in Gloucestershire (UK) has produced a unique dataset, facilitating investigation of a diverse range of epidemiological and ecological questions with implications for disease management. Since the 1970s, this badger population has been monitored with a systematic mark-recapture regime yielding a dataset of >15,000 captures of >3,000 individuals, providing detailed individual life-history, morphometric, genetic, reproductive and disease data. The annual prevalence of bTB in the Woodchester Park badger population exhibits no straightforward relationship with population density, and both the incidence and prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis show marked variation in space. The study has revealed phenotypic traits that are critical for understanding the social structure of badger populations along with mechanisms vital for understanding disease spread at different spatial resolutions. Woodchester-based studies have provided key insights into how host ecology can influence infection at different spatial and temporal scales. Specifically, it has revealed heterogeneity in epidemiological parameters; intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting population dynamics; provided insights into senescence and individual life histories; and revealed consistent individual variation in foraging patterns, refuge use and social interactions. An improved understanding of ecological and epidemiological processes is imperative for effective disease management. Woodchester Park research has provided information of direct relevance to bTB management, and a better appreciation of the role of individual heterogeneity in disease transmission can contribute further in this regard. The Woodchester Park study system now offers a rare

  4. Innovative Techniques for Estimating Illegal Activities in a Human-Wildlife-Management Conflict

    PubMed Central

    Cross, Paul; St. John, Freya A. V.; Khan, Saira; Petroczi, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    Effective management of biological resources is contingent upon stakeholder compliance with rules. With respect to disease management, partial compliance can undermine attempts to control diseases within human and wildlife populations. Estimating non-compliance is notoriously problematic as rule-breakers may be disinclined to admit to transgressions. However, reliable estimates of rule-breaking are critical to policy design. The European badger (Meles meles) is considered an important vector in the transmission and maintenance of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle herds. Land managers in high bTB prevalence areas of the UK can cull badgers under license. However, badgers are also known to be killed illegally. The extent of illegal badger killing is currently unknown. Herein we report on the application of three innovative techniques (Randomized Response Technique (RRT); projective questioning (PQ); brief implicit association test (BIAT)) for investigating illegal badger killing by livestock farmers across Wales. RRT estimated that 10.4% of farmers killed badgers in the 12 months preceding the study. Projective questioning responses and implicit associations relate to farmers' badger killing behavior reported via RRT. Studies evaluating the efficacy of mammal vector culling and vaccination programs should incorporate estimates of non-compliance. Mitigating the conflict concerning badgers as a vector of bTB requires cross-disciplinary scientific research, departure from deep-rooted positions, and the political will to implement evidence-based management. PMID:23341973

  5. Innovative techniques for estimating illegal activities in a human-wildlife-management conflict.

    PubMed

    Cross, Paul; St John, Freya A V; Khan, Saira; Petroczi, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    Effective management of biological resources is contingent upon stakeholder compliance with rules. With respect to disease management, partial compliance can undermine attempts to control diseases within human and wildlife populations. Estimating non-compliance is notoriously problematic as rule-breakers may be disinclined to admit to transgressions. However, reliable estimates of rule-breaking are critical to policy design. The European badger (Meles meles) is considered an important vector in the transmission and maintenance of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle herds. Land managers in high bTB prevalence areas of the UK can cull badgers under license. However, badgers are also known to be killed illegally. The extent of illegal badger killing is currently unknown. Herein we report on the application of three innovative techniques (Randomized Response Technique (RRT); projective questioning (PQ); brief implicit association test (BIAT)) for investigating illegal badger killing by livestock farmers across Wales. RRT estimated that 10.4% of farmers killed badgers in the 12 months preceding the study. Projective questioning responses and implicit associations relate to farmers' badger killing behavior reported via RRT. Studies evaluating the efficacy of mammal vector culling and vaccination programs should incorporate estimates of non-compliance. Mitigating the conflict concerning badgers as a vector of bTB requires cross-disciplinary scientific research, departure from deep-rooted positions, and the political will to implement evidence-based management.

  6. Presence of Bartonella Species in Wild Carnivores of Northern Spain

    PubMed Central

    Gerrikagoitia, Xeider; Gil, Horacio; García-Esteban, Coral; Anda, Pedro; Juste, R. A.

    2012-01-01

    The genus Bartonella was detected by PCR in 5.7% (12/212) of wild carnivores from Northern Spain. Based on hybridization and sequence analyses, Bartonella henselae was identified in a wildcat (Felis silvestris), Bartonella rochalimae in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and in a wolf (Canis lupus), and Bartonella sp. in badgers (Meles meles). PMID:22138983

  7. Oral vaccination of guinea pigs with a Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine in a lipid matrix protects against aerosol infection with virulent M. bovis.

    PubMed

    Clark, Simon; Cross, Martin L; Nadian, Allan; Vipond, Julia; Court, Pinar; Williams, Ann; Hewinson, R Glyn; Aldwell, Frank E; Chambers, Mark A

    2008-08-01

    Increased incidence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the United Kingdom caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis is a cause of considerable economic loss to farmers and the government. The Eurasian badger (Meles meles) represents a wildlife source of recurrent M. bovis infections of cattle in the United Kingdom, and its vaccination against TB with M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an attractive disease control option. Delivery of BCG in oral bait holds the best prospect for vaccinating badgers over a wide geographical area. Using a guinea pig pulmonary challenge model, we evaluated the protective efficacy of candidate badger oral vaccines, based on broth-grown or ball-milled BCG, delivered either as aqueous suspensions or formulated in two lipids with differing fatty acid profiles (one being animal derived and the other being vegetable derived). Protection was determined in terms of increasing body weight after aerosol challenge with virulent M. bovis, reduced dissemination of M. bovis to the spleen, and, in the case of one oral formulation, restricted growth of M. bovis in the lungs. Only oral BCG formulated in lipid gave significant protection. These data point to the potential of the BCG-lipid formulation for further development as a tool for controlling tuberculosis in badgers.

  8. Mathematical model for transmission of tuberculosis in badger population with vaccination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tasmi, Aldila, D.; Soewono, E.; Nuraini, N.

    2016-04-01

    Badger was first time identified as a carrier of Bovine tuberculosis disease in England since 30 years ago. Bovine tuberculosis can be transmitted to another species through the faces, saliva, and breath. The control of tuberculosis in the badger is necessary to reduce the spread of the disease to other species. Many actions have been taken by the government to tackle the disease such as culling badgers with cyanide gas, but this way destroys the natural balance and disrupts the badger population. An alternative way to eliminate tuberculosis within badger population is by vaccination. Here in this paper a model for transmission of badger tuberculosis with vaccination is discussed. The existence of the endemic equilibrium, the stability and the basic reproduction ratio are shown analytically. Numerical simulations show that with proper vaccination level, the basic reproduction ratio could be reduced significantly. Sensitivity analysis for variation of parameters are shown numerically.

  9. Effectiveness of biosecurity measures in preventing badger visits to farm buildings.

    PubMed

    Judge, Johanna; McDonald, Robbie A; Walker, Neil; Delahay, Richard J

    2011-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis is a serious and economically important disease of cattle. Badgers have been implicated in the transmission and maintenance of the disease in the UK since the 1970s. Recent studies have provided substantial evidence of widespread and frequent visits by badgers to farm buildings during which there is the potential for close direct contact with cattle and contamination of cattle feed. Here we evaluated the effectiveness of simple exclusion measures in improving farm biosecurity and preventing badger visits to farm buildings. In the first phase of the study, 32 farms were surveyed using motion-triggered infrared cameras on potential entrances to farm buildings to determine the background level of badger visits experienced by each farm. In the second phase, they were divided into four treatment groups; "Control", "Feed Storage", "Cattle Housing" and "Both", whereby no exclusion measures were installed, exclusion measures were installed on feed storage areas only, cattle housing only or both feed storage and cattle housing, respectively. Badger exclusion measures included sheet metal gates, adjustable metal panels for gates, sheet metal fencing, feed bins and electric fencing. Cameras were deployed for at least 365 nights in each phase on each farm. Badger visits to farm buildings occurred on 19 of the 32 farms in phase one. In phase two, the simple exclusion measures were 100% effective in preventing badger entry into farm buildings, as long as they were appropriately deployed. Furthermore, the installation of exclusion measures also reduced the level of badger visits to the rest of the farmyard. The findings of the present study clearly demonstrate how relatively simple practical measures can substantially reduce the likelihood of badger visits to buildings and reduce some of the potential for contact and disease transmission between badgers and cattle.

  10. Badger Army Ammunition Plant groundwater data management system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hansen, J.P.

    1994-12-31

    At the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (Badger), there are currently over 200 wells that are monitored on a quarterly basis. Badger has had three active production periods since its construction in 1942. During these periods, various nitrocellulose based propellants were produced including single base artillery propellants were produced including single base artillery propellant, double base rocket propellant and BALL POWDER{reg_sign} propellant. Intermediate materials used in the manufacture of these propellants were also produced, including nitroglycerine, and sulfuric and nitric acids. To meet the challenge of managing the data in-house, a groundwater data management system (GDMS) was developed. Although such systemsmore » are commercially available, they were not able to provide the specific capabilities necessary for data management and reporting at Badger. The GDMS not only provides the routine database capabilities of data sorts and queries, but has provided an automated data reporting system as well. The reporting function alone has significantly reduced the time and efforts that would normally be associated with this task. Since the GDMS was developed at Badger, the program can be continually adapted to site specific needs. Future planned modifications include automated reconciliation, improved transfer of data to graphics software, and statistical analysis and interpretation of the data.« less

  11. Eliminating bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers: insight from a dynamic model.

    PubMed

    Brooks-Pollock, Ellen; Wood, James L N

    2015-06-07

    Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a multi-species infection that commonly affects cattle and badgers in Great Britain. Despite years of study, the impact of badgers on BTB incidence in cattle is poorly understood. Using a two-host transmission model of BTB in cattle and badgers, we find that published data and parameter estimates are most consistent with a system at the threshold of control. The most consistent explanation for data obtained from cattle and badger populations includes within-host reproduction numbers close to 1 and between-host reproduction numbers of approximately 0.05. In terms of controlling infection in cattle, reducing cattle-to-cattle transmission is essential. In some regions, even large reductions in badger prevalence can have a modest impact on cattle infection and a multi-stranded approach is necessary that also targets badger-to-cattle transmission directly. The new perspective highlighted by this two-host approach provides insight into the control of BTB in Great Britain.

  12. Eliminating bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers: insight from a dynamic model

    PubMed Central

    Brooks-Pollock, Ellen; Wood, James L. N.

    2015-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a multi-species infection that commonly affects cattle and badgers in Great Britain. Despite years of study, the impact of badgers on BTB incidence in cattle is poorly understood. Using a two-host transmission model of BTB in cattle and badgers, we find that published data and parameter estimates are most consistent with a system at the threshold of control. The most consistent explanation for data obtained from cattle and badger populations includes within-host reproduction numbers close to 1 and between-host reproduction numbers of approximately 0.05. In terms of controlling infection in cattle, reducing cattle-to-cattle transmission is essential. In some regions, even large reductions in badger prevalence can have a modest impact on cattle infection and a multi-stranded approach is necessary that also targets badger-to-cattle transmission directly. The new perspective highlighted by this two-host approach provides insight into the control of BTB in Great Britain. PMID:25972466

  13. How well do farmers know their badgers? Relating farmer knowledge to ecological survey data.

    PubMed

    Robertson, A; Delahay, R J; Wilson, G J; Vernon, I J; McDonald, R A; Judge, J

    2017-01-14

    Knowledge of badger distribution is important for the management of bovine tuberculosis. At the farm level, typically the only information on badger activity available is from the farmers themselves. This study compares how well farmer perceptions of badger activity match data obtained from ecological surveys. Farmer estimates of numbers of badger setts (burrows) surrounding their farms were generally correlated with field survey results, but tended to be underestimates. Farmers correctly recorded 50 per cent of setts recorded in surveys, with larger setts and active setts more likely to be correctly recorded. Badger visits to farm buildings and yards were also monitored using surveillance cameras. The majority of farmers were aware of badger visits to their farm buildings, but in 22 per cent of cases farmers were not aware of badger visits. At the farm level, knowledge of badger activity will be useful in informing vets and animal health professionals of the potential risks of disease transmission, and hence directing management interventions. However, the tendency to underestimate activity, combined with a lack of detailed knowledge of sett locations, means that farmer estimates of badger activity should be interpreted with caution and in isolation may not be sufficient to inform management interventions. British Veterinary Association.

  14. Pathogen and rodenticide exposure in American badgers (Taxidea taxus) in California.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Jessica H; Girard, Yvette A; Gilardi, Kirsten; Hernandez, Yvette; Poppenga, Robert; Chomel, Bruno B; Foley, Janet E; Johnson, Christine K

    2012-04-01

    Urban and agricultural land use may increase the risk of disease transmission among wildlife, domestic animals, and humans as we share ever-shrinking and fragmented habitat. American badgers (Taxidae taxus), a species of special concern in California, USA, live in proximity to urban development and often share habitat with livestock and small peridomestic mammals. As such, they may be susceptible to pathogens commonly transmitted at this interface and to anticoagulant rodenticides used to control nuisance wildlife on agricultural lands. We evaluated free-ranging badgers in California for exposure to pathogens and anticoagulant rodenticides that pose a risk to wildlife, domestic animals, or public health. We found serologic evidence of badger exposure to Francisella tularensis, Toxoplasma gondii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, canine distemper virus, and three Bartonella species: B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, and B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii. Badger tissues contained anticoagulant rodenticides brodifacoum and bromadiolone, commonly used to control periurban rodent pests. These data provide a preliminary investigation of pathogen and toxicant exposure in the wild badger population.

  15. Mobil/Badger to market zeolite-based cumene technology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rotman, D.

    1993-02-24

    Badger (Cambridge, MA) and Mobil (Fairfax, VA) are ready to jointly license a new cumene technology that they say achieves higher yields and product purity than existing processes. The zeolite-based technology is scheduled to be introduced at next month's DeWitt Petrochemical Review in Houston. The Mobil/Badger technology aims to challenge the dominant position of UOP's (Des Plaines, IL) solid phosphoric acid (SPA) catalyst process - which accounts for 80%-90% of the world's cumene production. In addition, Monsanto/Kellogg's aluminum chloride-based technology has gained significant momentum since its introduction in the 1980s. And late last year, ABB Lummus Crest (Bloomfield, NJ) alsomore » began marketing a zeolite-based cumene technology. While all the technologies make cumene via the alkylation of benzene with propylene, the Mobil/Badger process uses a zeolite-containing catalyst designed by Mobil to selectively catalyze the benzene/propylene reaction, avoiding unwanted propylene oligomerization. Because the olefin reactions are so fast, says Frank A. Demers, Badger's v.p./technology development and marketing, other zeolite technologies are forced to use complex reactor arrangements to stop the propylene-propylene reactions. However, he says, Mobil has designed a catalyst that wants to react benzene with propylene to make cumene.'« less

  16. "Reversed" intraguild predation: red fox cubs killed by pine marten.

    PubMed

    Brzeziński, Marcin; Rodak, Lukasz; Zalewski, Andrzej

    2014-01-01

    Camera traps deployed at a badger Meles meles set in mixed pine forest in north-eastern Poland recorded interspecific killing of red fox Vulpes vulpes cubs by pine marten Martes martes . The vixen and her cubs settled in the set at the beginning of May 2013, and it was abandoned by the badgers shortly afterwards. Five fox cubs were recorded playing in front of the den each night. Ten days after the first recording of the foxes, a pine marten was filmed at the set; it arrived in the morning, made a reconnaissance and returned at night when the vixen was away from the set. The pine marten entered the den several times and killed at least two fox cubs. It was active at the set for about 2 h. This observation proves that red foxes are not completely safe from predation by smaller carnivores, even those considered to be subordinate species in interspecific competition.

  17. Subepidermal vesiculobullous filarial dermatitis in free-ranging American badgers (Taxidea taxus).

    PubMed

    O'Toole, D; Williams, E S; Welch, V; Nunamaker, C E; Lynn, C

    1993-07-01

    Skin and superficial lymph nodes from the 65 juvenile (< 1 year old) and adult free-ranging American badgers (Taxidea taxus) of both sexes that were killed from late July to late October 1991 as part of the recovery program for the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) were examined for evidence of Filaria taxideae. Fifty-one badgers (51/64, 80%) were infected. Both adult badgers (30/32, 94%) and juvenile badgers (21/32, 67%) were infected by adult filarial worms, which occurred most commonly in subcutaneous tissues of the inguinal area, proximal thigh, and ventral abdomen. Sections of formalin-fixed skin and, from many badgers, subcutaneous lymph nodes were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Jones' methenamine silver (for basement membrane), and an avidin biotin peroxidase complex method (for factor VIII-related antigen). Superficial dermatitis attributable to embryonated filarial ova and larvae was present in 26/64 badgers (41%), all of them adult (> 1 year old). Acute lesions consisted of multifocal vesiculobullous dermoepidermal separation and superficial perivascular dermatitis. Ultrastructural examination and Jones' silver-stained sections revealed separation between basal keratinocytes and the basal lamina (subepidermal vesiculation). Older lesions consisted of ulcerative superficial granulomatous dermatitis associated with ova and larvae. Multifocal granulomatous endolymphangitis, which involved afferent lymphatics of subcutaneous lymph nodes, was associated with viable as well as degenerative ova and larvae. Adult filarial worms were found in the subcutis alone and did not provoke an inflammatory reaction.

  18. Interactions among American badgers, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs in the grasslands of western North America

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Eads, David A.; Biggins, Dean E.; Grassel, Shaun M.; Livieri, Travis M.; Licht, Daniel S.; Proulx, Gilbert; Do Linh San, Emmanuel

    2016-01-01

    American badgers (Taxidea taxus) and black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) sometimes occur sympatrically within colonies of prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) in the grasslands of western North America. From the perspective of a simplified food web, badgers are consumers of ferrets and, to a greater extent, prairie dogs; ferrets are specialized consumers of prairie dogs; and prairie dogs are consumers of vegetation. We review information on the predatory behaviours of badgers, which collectively demonstrate that badgers exhibit complex hunting strategies to improve their probability of capturing prairie dogs and, perhaps, ferrets. We also review studies of interactions between badgers and ferrets, which suggest that there is selective pressure on badgers to compete with ferrets, and pressure on ferrets to compete with and avoid badgers. We then speculate as to how prairie dogs might shape interactions between badgers and ferrets, and how badgers could spread the plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) among prairie dog colonies. Lastly, we provide recommendations for research on this tractable system of semi-fossorial predators and prey.

  19. Farmer attitudes to vaccination and culling of badgers in controlling bovine tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Warren, M; Lobley, M; Winter, M

    2013-07-13

    Controversy persists in England, Wales and Northern Ireland concerning methods of controlling the transmission of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) between badgers and cattle. The National Trust, a major land-owning heritage organisation, in 2011, began a programme of vaccinating badgers against bTB on its Killerton Estate in Devon. Most of the estate is farmed by 18 tenant farmers, who thus have a strong interest in the Trust's approach, particularly as all have felt the effects of the disease. This article reports on a study of the attitudes to vaccination of badgers and to the alternative of a culling programme, using face-to-face interviews with 14 of the tenants. The results indicated first that the views of the respondents were more nuanced than the contemporary public debate about badger control would suggest. Secondly, the attitude of the interviewees to vaccination of badgers against bTB was generally one of resigned acceptance. Thirdly, most respondents would prefer a combination of an effective vaccination programme with an effective culling programme, the latter reducing population of density sufficiently (and preferably targeting the badgers most likely to be diseased) for vaccination to have a reasonable chance of success. While based on a small sample, these results will contribute to the vigorous debate concerning contrasting policy approaches to bTB control in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  20. American badgers selectively excavate burrows in areas used by black-footed ferrets: implications for predator avoidance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Eads, David A.; Biggins, Dean E.; Livieri, Travis M.; Millspaugh, Joshua J.

    2013-01-01

    We evaluated how American badgers (Taxidea taxus) might exert selective pressure on black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) to develop antipredator defenses. In a colony of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in South Dakota, badgers concentrated their activities where burrow openings and prairie dogs were abundant, a selective behavior that was exhibited by ferrets in the same colony. Badgers excavated burrows more often when in areas recently used by a ferret, suggesting that badgers hunt ferrets or steal prey from ferrets, or both. We also conducted an analysis of survival studies for ferrets and Siberian polecats (M. eversmanii) released onto prairie dog colonies. This polecat is the ferret's ecological equivalent but evolved without a digging predator. Badgers accounted for 30.0% of predation on polecats and 5.5% of predation on ferrets. In contrast, both polecats and ferrets have evolutionary experience with canids, providing a plausible explanation for the similar relative impact of coyotes (Canis latrans) on them (65.0% and 67.1% of predation, respectively). We hypothesize that ferrets and badgers coexist because ferrets are superior at exploitation competition and are efficient at avoiding badgers, and badgers are superior at interference competition.

  1. Spatial Targeting for Bovine Tuberculosis Control: Can the Locations of Infected Cattle Be Used to Find Infected Badgers?

    PubMed

    Smith, Catherine M; Downs, Sara H; Mitchell, Andy; Hayward, Andrew C; Fry, Hannah; Le Comber, Steven C

    2015-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of historical importance to human health in the UK that remains a major animal health and economic issue. Control of the disease in cattle is complicated by the presence of a reservoir species, the Eurasian badger. In spite of uncertainty in the degree to which cattle disease results from transmission from badgers, and opposition from environmental groups, culling of badgers has been licenced in two large areas in England. Methods to limit culls to smaller areas that target badgers infected with TB whilst minimising the number of uninfected badgers culled is therefore of considerable interest. Here, we use historical data from a large-scale field trial of badger culling to assess two alternative hypothetical methods of targeting TB-infected badgers based on the distribution of cattle TB incidents: (i) a simple circular 'ring cull'; and (ii) geographic profiling, a novel technique for spatial targeting of infectious disease control that predicts the locations of sources of infection based on the distribution of linked cases. Our results showed that both methods required coverage of very large areas to ensure a substantial proportion of infected badgers were removed, and would result in many uninfected badgers being culled. Geographic profiling, which accounts for clustering of infections in badger and cattle populations, produced a small but non-significant increase in the proportion of setts with TB-infected compared to uninfected badgers included in a cull. It also provided no overall improvement at targeting setts with infected badgers compared to the ring cull. Cattle TB incidents in this study were therefore insufficiently clustered around TB-infected badger setts to design an efficient spatially targeted cull; and this analysis provided no evidence to support a move towards spatially targeted badger culling policies for bovine TB control.

  2. The genome phylogeny of domestic cat, red panda and five mustelid species revealed by comparative chromosome painting and G-banding.

    PubMed

    Nie, Wenhui; Wang, Jinhuan; O'Brien, Patricia C M; Fu, Beiyuan; Ying, Tian; Ferguson-Smith, Malcolm A; Yang, Fengtang

    2002-01-01

    Genome-wide homology maps among stone marten (Martes foina, 2n = 38), domestic cat (Felis catus, 2n = 38), American mink (Mustela vison, 2n = 30), yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula, 2n = 40), Old World badger (Meles meles, 2n = 44), ferret badger (Melogale moschata, 2n = 38) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens, 2n = 36) have been established by cross-species chromosome painting with a complete set of stone marten probes. In total, 18 stone marten autosomal probes reveal 20, 19, 21, 18 and 21 pairs of homologous chromosomal segments in the respective genomes of American mink, yellow-throated marten. Old World badger, ferret badger and red panda. Reciprocal painting between stone marten and cat delineated 21 pairs of homologous segments shared in both stone marten and cat genomes. The chromosomal painting results indicate that most chromosomes of these species are highly conserved and show one-to-one correspondence with stone marten and cat chromosomes or chromosomal arms, and that only a few interchromosomal rearrangements (Robertsonian fusions and fissions) have occurred during species radiation. By comparing the distribution patterns of conserved chromosomal segments in both these species and the putative ancestral carnivore karyotype, we have reconstructed the pathway of karyotype evolution of these species from the putative 2n = 42 ancestral carnivore karyotype. Our results support a close phylogenetic relationship between the red panda and mustelids. The homology data presented in these maps will allow us to transfer the cat gene mapping data to other unmapped carnivore species.

  3. Mobil-Badger technologies for benzene reduction in gasoline

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goelzer, A.R.; Ram, S.; Hernandez, A.

    1993-01-01

    Many refiners will need to reduce the barrels per day of benzene entering the motor gasoline pool. Mobil and Badger have developed and now jointly license three potential refinery alternatives to conventional benzene hydrosaturation to achieve this: Mobil Benzene Reduction, Ethylbenzene and Cumene. The Mobil Benzene Reduction Process (MBR) uses dilute olefins in FCC offgas to extensively alkylate dilute benzene as found in light reformate, light FCC gasoline, or cyclic C[sub 6] naphtha. MBR raises octanes and lowers C[sub 5]+ olefins. MBR does not involve costly hydrogen addition. The refinery-based Mobil/Badger Ethylbenzene Process reacts chemical-grade benzene extracted from light reformatemore » with dilute ethylene found in treated FCC offgas to make high-purity ethylbenzene. EB is the principal feedstock for the production of styrene. The Mobil/Badger Cumene Process alkylates FCC-derived dilute propylene and extracted benzene to selectively yield isopropyl benzene (cumene). Cumene is the principal feedstock for the production of phenol. All three processes use Mobil developed catalysts.« less

  4. 75 FR 43556 - Badger Meter, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers From Sourcepoint Staffing, Seek, and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-73,666] Badger Meter, Inc... of Badger Meter, Inc., including on-site leased workers from Sourcepoint Staffing, Milwaukee..., Wisconsin location of Badger Meter, Inc. The Department has determined that these workers were sufficiently...

  5. A Badger Teaches in Hawaii.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sumida, Anna

    2000-01-01

    Describes how a visit to the principal's office to see his family heirloom (a quilted Hawaiian flag), and reading the book "Badger's Parting Gifts," created powerful and ongoing lessons for the author's second graders, imparting an eternal way of thinking about gifts, family, friends, and human values. (SR)

  6. Fecal virome analysis of three carnivores reveals a novel nodavirus and multiple gemycircularviruses.

    PubMed

    Conceição-Neto, Nádia; Zeller, Mark; Heylen, Elisabeth; Lefrère, Hanne; Mesquita, João Rodrigo; Matthijnssens, Jelle

    2015-05-20

    More knowledge about viral populations in wild animals is needed in order to better understand and assess the risk of zoonotic diseases. In this study we performed viral metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from three healthy carnivores: a badger (Meles meles), a mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) and an otter (Lutra lutra) from Portugal. We detected the presence of novel highly divergent viruses in the fecal material of the carnivores analyzed, such as five gemycircularviruses. Four of these gemycircularviruses were found in the mongoose and one in the badger. In addition we also identified an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene from a putative novel member of the Nodaviridae family in the fecal material of the otter. Together these results underline that many novel viruses are yet to be discovered and that fecal associated viruses are not always related to disease. Our study expands the knowledge of viral species present in the gut, although the interpretation of the true host species of such novel viruses needs to be reviewed with great caution.

  7. The prevalence, distribution and severity of detectable pathological lesions in badgers naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis

    PubMed Central

    JENKINS, H. E.; MORRISON, W. I.; COX, D. R.; DONNELLY, C. A.; JOHNSTON, W. T.; BOURNE, F. J.; CLIFTON-HADLEY, R. S.; GETTINBY, G.; McINERNEY, J. P.; WATKINS, G. H.; WOODROFFE, R.

    2008-01-01

    SUMMARY The Randomized Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) began in 1998 to determine the impact of badger culling in controlling bovine tuberculosis in cattle. A total of 1166 badgers (14% of total) proactively culled during the RBCT were found to be tuberculous, offering a unique opportunity to study the pathology caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a large sample of badgers. Of these, 39% of adults (~6% of all adults culled) had visible lesions (detectable at necropsy) of bovine tuberculosis; cubs had a lower prevalence of infection (9%) but a higher percentage of tuberculous cubs (55·5%) had visible lesions. Only ~1% of adult badgers had extensive, severe pathology. Tuberculous badgers with recorded bite wounds (~5%) had a higher prevalence of visible lesions and a different distribution of lesions, suggesting transmission via bite wounds. However, the predominance of lesions in the respiratory tract indicates that most transmission occurs by the respiratory route. PMID:18047751

  8. 78 FR 2988 - Badger Creek Limited; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. EL13-38-000; QF87-120-012] Badger Creek Limited; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order Take notice that on January 8, 2013....205(c) (2012), Badger Creek Limited filed a petition for declaratory order requesting a limited waiver...

  9. Herd-level bovine tuberculosis risk factors: assessing the role of low-level badger population disturbance.

    PubMed

    Wright, David M; Reid, Neil; Ian Montgomery, W; Allen, Adrian R; Skuce, Robin A; Kao, Rowland R

    2015-08-17

    Bovine TB (bTB) is endemic in Irish cattle and has eluded eradication despite considerable expenditure, amid debate over the relative roles of badgers and cattle in disease transmission. Using a comprehensive dataset from Northern Ireland (>10,000 km(2); 29,513 cattle herds), we investigated interactions between host populations in one of the first large-scale risk factor analyses for new herd breakdowns to combine data on both species. Cattle risk factors (movements, international imports, bTB history, neighbours with bTB) were more strongly associated with herd risk than area-level measures of badger social group density, habitat suitability or persecution (sett disturbance). Highest risks were in areas of high badger social group density and high rates of persecution, potentially representing both responsive persecution of badgers in high cattle risk areas and effects of persecution on cattle bTB risk through badger social group disruption. Average badger persecution was associated with reduced cattle bTB risk (compared with high persecution areas), so persecution may contribute towards sustaining bTB hotspots; findings with important implications for existing and planned disease control programmes.

  10. Badger (Taxidea taxus) disturbances increase soil heterogeneity in a degraded shrub-steppe ecosystem

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In the western United States, overgrazing, weed invasion and wildfire have resulted in the conversion of shrub-steppe to annual grasslands, with substantial effects on ecosystem function. In these landscapes, badgers disturb large areas of soil while foraging for prey. Mounds created by badgers cont...

  11. Badger macrophages fail to produce nitric oxide, a key anti-mycobacterial effector molecule.

    PubMed

    Bilham, Kirstin; Boyd, Amy C; Preston, Stephen G; Buesching, Christina D; Newman, Chris; Macdonald, David W; Smith, Adrian L

    2017-04-06

    The European badger is recognised as a wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (bTB); the control of which is complex, costly and controversial. Despite the importance of badgers in bTB and the well-documented role for macrophages as anti-mycobacterial effector cells, badger macrophage (bdMφ) responses remain uncharacterised. Here, we demonstrate that bdMφ fail to produce nitric oxide (NO) or upregulate inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA following Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist treatment. BdMφ also failed to make NO after stimulation with recombinant badger interferon gamma (bdIFNγ) or a combination of bdIFNγ and lipopolysaccharide. Exposure of bdMφ to TLR agonists and/or bdIFNγ resulted in upregulated cytokine (IL1β, IL6, IL12 and TNFα) mRNA levels indicating that these critical pathways were otherwise intact. Although stimulation with most TLR agonists resulted in strong cytokine mRNA responses, weaker responses were evident after exposure to TLR9 agonists, potentially due to very low expression of TLR9 in bdMφ. Both NO and TLR9 are important elements of innate immunity to mycobacteria, and these features of bdMφ biology would impair their capacity to resist bTB infection. These findings have significant implications for the development of bTB management strategies, and support the use of vaccination to reduce bTB infection in badgers.

  12. The first human case of Trichinella spiralis infection in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Han-Mo; Chung, Dong-Il; Yee, Sung Tae

    2000-01-01

    Three cases of human infection by Trichinella spiralis were first confirmed by detecting encysted larvae in the biopsied muscle in December 1997, in Korea. The patients were one 35- and two 39-year-old males residing in Kochang-gun, Kyongsangnam-do. They had a common past history of eating raw liver, spleen, blood and muscle of a badger, Meles meles melanogenys, and complained of high fever, facial and periorbital edema, and myalgia. Hematologic and biochemical examinations revealed leukocytosis and eosinophilia, and highly elevated levels of GOT, GPT, LDH and CPK. In the gastrocnemius muscle of a patient, roundly coiled nematode larvae were detected. The larvae measured 0.775-1.050 (av. 0.908) mm in length, and 0.026-0.042 (av. 0.035) mm in maximum width. The specific IgG antibody levels in three patients' sera were significantly higher when compared with those of normal controls. The patients were treated with flubendazole and albendazole for 15-30 days, and discharged at 13-34 days post-admission. From the above findings, it was confirmed that T. spiralis is present in Korea, and the badger plays a role of as the natural host. PMID:10905075

  13. Molecular Characterization of Cryptically Circulating Rabies Virus from Ferret Badgers, Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Chiou, Hue-Ying; Hsieh, Chia-Hung; Jeng, Chian-Ren; Chan, Fang-Tse; Wang, Hurng-Yi

    2014-01-01

    After the last reported cases of rabies in a human in 1959 and a nonhuman animal in 1961, Taiwan was considered free from rabies. However, during 2012–2013, an outbreak occurred among ferret badgers in Taiwan. To examine the origin of this virus strain, we sequenced 3 complete genomes and acquired multiple rabies virus (RABV) nucleoprotein and glycoprotein sequences. Phylogeographic analyses demonstrated that the RABV affecting the Taiwan ferret badgers (RABV-TWFB) is a distinct lineage within the group of lineages from Asia and that it has been differentiated from its closest lineages, China I (including isolates from Chinese ferret badgers) and the Philippines, 158–210 years ago. The most recent common ancestor of RABV-TWFB originated 91–113 years ago. Our findings indicate that RABV could be cryptically circulating in the environment. An understanding of the underlying mechanism might shed light on the complex interaction between RABV and its host. PMID:24751120

  14. Assessment of different formulations of oral Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine in rodent models for immunogenicity and protection against aerosol challenge with M. bovis.

    PubMed

    Clark, Simon; Cross, Martin L; Smith, Alan; Court, Pinar; Vipond, Julia; Nadian, Allan; Hewinson, R Glyn; Batchelor, Hannah K; Perrie, Yvonne; Williams, Ann; Aldwell, Frank E; Chambers, Mark A

    2008-10-29

    Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis is causing considerable economic loss to farmers and Government in the United Kingdom as its incidence is increasing. Efforts to control bTB in the UK are hampered by the infection in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) that represent a wildlife reservoir and source of recurrent M. bovis exposure to cattle. Vaccination of badgers with the human TB vaccine, M. bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), in oral bait represents a possible disease control tool and holds the best prospect for reaching badger populations over a wide geographical area. Using mouse and guinea pig models, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy, respectively, of candidate badger oral vaccines based on formulation of BCG in lipid matrix, alginate beads, or a novel microcapsular hybrid of both lipid and alginate. Two different oral doses of BCG were evaluated in each formulation for their protective efficacy in guinea pigs, while a single dose was evaluated in mice. In mice, significant immune responses (based on lymphocyte proliferation and expression of IFN-gamma) were only seen with the lipid matrix and the lipid in alginate microcapsular formulation, corresponding to the isolation of viable BCG from alimentary tract lymph nodes. In guinea pigs, only BCG formulated in lipid matrix conferred protection to the spleen and lungs following aerosol route challenge with M. bovis. Protection was seen with delivery doses in the range 10(6)-10(7) CFU, although this was more consistent in the spleen at the higher dose. No protection in terms of organ CFU was seen with BCG administered in alginate beads or in lipid in alginate microcapsules, although 10(7) in the latter formulation conferred protection in terms of increasing body weight after challenge and a smaller lung to body weight ratio at necropsy. These results highlight the potential for lipid, rather than alginate, -based vaccine formulations as suitable delivery

  15. A citizen science based survey method for estimating the density of urban carnivores.

    PubMed

    Scott, Dawn M; Baker, Rowenna; Charman, Naomi; Karlsson, Heidi; Yarnell, Richard W; Mill, Aileen C; Smith, Graham C; Tolhurst, Bryony A

    2018-01-01

    Globally there are many examples of synanthropic carnivores exploiting growth in urbanisation. As carnivores can come into conflict with humans and are potential vectors of zoonotic disease, assessing densities in suburban areas and identifying factors that influence them are necessary to aid management and mitigation. However, fragmented, privately owned land restricts the use of conventional carnivore surveying techniques in these areas, requiring development of novel methods. We present a method that combines questionnaire distribution to residents with field surveys and GIS, to determine relative density of two urban carnivores in England, Great Britain. We determined the density of: red fox (Vulpes vulpes) social groups in 14, approximately 1km2 suburban areas in 8 different towns and cities; and Eurasian badger (Meles meles) social groups in three suburban areas of one city. Average relative fox group density (FGD) was 3.72 km-2, which was double the estimates for cities with resident foxes in the 1980's. Density was comparable to an alternative estimate derived from trapping and GPS-tracking, indicating the validity of the method. However, FGD did not correlate with a national dataset based on fox sightings, indicating unreliability of the national data to determine actual densities or to extrapolate a national population estimate. Using species-specific clustering units that reflect social organisation, the method was additionally applied to suburban badgers to derive relative badger group density (BGD) for one city (Brighton, 2.41 km-2). We demonstrate that citizen science approaches can effectively obtain data to assess suburban carnivore density, however publicly derived national data sets need to be locally validated before extrapolations can be undertaken. The method we present for assessing densities of foxes and badgers in British towns and cities is also adaptable to other urban carnivores elsewhere. However this transferability is contingent on

  16. A citizen science based survey method for estimating the density of urban carnivores

    PubMed Central

    Baker, Rowenna; Charman, Naomi; Karlsson, Heidi; Yarnell, Richard W.; Mill, Aileen C.; Smith, Graham C.; Tolhurst, Bryony A.

    2018-01-01

    Globally there are many examples of synanthropic carnivores exploiting growth in urbanisation. As carnivores can come into conflict with humans and are potential vectors of zoonotic disease, assessing densities in suburban areas and identifying factors that influence them are necessary to aid management and mitigation. However, fragmented, privately owned land restricts the use of conventional carnivore surveying techniques in these areas, requiring development of novel methods. We present a method that combines questionnaire distribution to residents with field surveys and GIS, to determine relative density of two urban carnivores in England, Great Britain. We determined the density of: red fox (Vulpes vulpes) social groups in 14, approximately 1km2 suburban areas in 8 different towns and cities; and Eurasian badger (Meles meles) social groups in three suburban areas of one city. Average relative fox group density (FGD) was 3.72 km-2, which was double the estimates for cities with resident foxes in the 1980’s. Density was comparable to an alternative estimate derived from trapping and GPS-tracking, indicating the validity of the method. However, FGD did not correlate with a national dataset based on fox sightings, indicating unreliability of the national data to determine actual densities or to extrapolate a national population estimate. Using species-specific clustering units that reflect social organisation, the method was additionally applied to suburban badgers to derive relative badger group density (BGD) for one city (Brighton, 2.41 km-2). We demonstrate that citizen science approaches can effectively obtain data to assess suburban carnivore density, however publicly derived national data sets need to be locally validated before extrapolations can be undertaken. The method we present for assessing densities of foxes and badgers in British towns and cities is also adaptable to other urban carnivores elsewhere. However this transferability is contingent on

  17. 77 FR 71587 - Badger Creek Limited; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER13-445-000] Badger Creek Limited; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market- Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization This is a supplemental notice in the above-referenced proceeding, of Badger Creek...

  18. Environmental silica in badger lungs: a possible association with susceptibility to Mycobacterium bovis infection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Higgins, D.A.; Kung, I.T.; Or, R.S.

    1985-04-01

    Badger lungs contain dark granular foci (0.2 to 2.0 mm) comprising aggregates of enlarged macrophages containing birefringent crystalline particles. Particles were examined from the lungs of three badgers; many were silicates and a significant number were pure silica (SiO/sub 2/). The particles and the accompanying pathology resembled mixed dust fibrosis and silicosis in humans, diseases associated with increased susceptibility to tuberculosis.

  19. Mortality trajectory analysis reveals the drivers of sex-specific epidemiology in natural wildlife–disease interactions

    PubMed Central

    McDonald, Jennifer L.; Smith, Graham C.; McDonald, Robbie A.; Delahay, Richard J.; Hodgson, Dave

    2014-01-01

    In animal populations, males are commonly more susceptible to disease-induced mortality than females. However, three competing mechanisms can cause this sex bias: weak males may simultaneously be more prone to exposure to infection and mortality; being ‘male’ may be an imperfect proxy for the underlying driver of disease-induced mortality; or males may experience increased severity of disease-induced effects compared with females. Here, we infer the drivers of sex-specific epidemiology by decomposing fixed mortality rates into mortality trajectories and comparing their parameters. We applied Bayesian survival trajectory analysis to a 22-year longitudinal study of a population of badgers (Meles meles) naturally infected with bovine tuberculosis (bTB). At the point of infection, infected male and female badgers had equal mortality risk, refuting the hypothesis that acquisition of infection occurs in males with coincidentally high mortality. Males and females exhibited similar levels of heterogeneity in mortality risk, refuting the hypothesis that maleness is only a proxy for disease susceptibility. Instead, sex differences were caused by a more rapid increase in male mortality rates following infection. Males are indeed more susceptible to bTB, probably due to immunological differences between the sexes. We recommend this mortality trajectory approach for the study of infection in animal populations. PMID:25056621

  20. Aboveground predation by an American badger (Taxidea taxus) on black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Eads, D.A.; Biggins, D.E.

    2008-01-01

    During research on black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), we repeatedly observed a female American badger (Taxidea taxus) hunting prairie dogs on a colony in southern Phillips County, Montana. During 1-14 June 2006, we observed 7 aboveground attacks (2 successful) and 3 successful excavations of prairie dogs. The locations and circumstances of aboveground attacks suggested that the badger improved her probability of capturing prairie dogs by planning the aboveground attacks based on perceptions of speeds, angles, distances, and predicted escape responses of prey. Our observations add to previous reports on the complex and varied predatory methods and cognitive capacities of badgers. These observations also underscore the individuality of predators and support the concept that predators are active participants in predator-prey interactions.

  1. Causes of mortality and morbidity in free-ranging mustelids in Switzerland: necropsy data from over 50 years of general health surveillance.

    PubMed

    Akdesir, E; Origgi, F C; Wimmershoff, J; Frey, J; Frey, C F; Ryser-Degiorgis, M-P

    2018-06-19

    Although mustelids occur worldwide and include a wide range of species, little is known about the diseases affecting them. Mustelids have regularly been submitted for post mortem investigation in the framework of the program for general wildlife health surveillance in Switzerland, which has been in place for nearly 60 years. We performed a retrospective analysis of the necropsy reports on mustelids submitted to the diagnostic service of the University of Bern. The aims of this study were to present an overview of the causes of mortality and morbidity observed in these carnivores, to assess differences among species, to assess changes in disease detection over the study period, and to describe the pathology of selected diseases. Five hundred and sixty-six reports from 1958 to 2015 were analyzed. Most animals were stone martens (Martes foina, 46%) and badgers (Meles meles, 44%); the remaining species were polecats (Mustela putorius, 4.7%), pine martens (Martes martes, 2%), stoats (Mustela erminea, 1.4%), weasels (Mustela nivalis, 0.8%) and otters (Lutra lutra, 0.3%). Infectious diseases (n = 262) were frequent and were mostly bacterial or viral; non-infectious conditions (n = 169) were less common and were mostly traumatic or due to metabolic disorders. The most frequent diagnoses included distemper (75% were badgers), amyloidosis (96% were martens), bacterial respiratory infections (all mustelids), biting lice (badgers only) and pulmonary and gastro-intestinal helminths (all species). Less frequent diseases included histoplasmosis (badgers only), aspergillosis, toxoplasmosis, hepatozoonosis, and sarcoptic mange. Lesions due to infection with distemper virus were primarily appreciated in the respiratory tract and central nervous system; they presented species-specific characteristics such as necrosis in the ependyma in badgers and absence of syncytia in stone martens. Amyloidosis in martens was multisystemic in most cases and included both AA and AL

  2. 77 FR 51800 - Notice to All Interested Parties of the Termination of the Receivership of 10339, Badger State...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-27

    ... Receivership of 10339, Badger State Bank, Cassville, WI Notice is hereby given that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC'') as Receiver for Badger State Bank, Cassville, Wisconsin (``the Receiver... State Bank. The liquidation of the receivership assets has been completed. To the extent permitted by...

  3. Molecular evidence of a badger-associated Ehrlichia sp., a Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris-like genotype and Anaplasma marginale in dogs.

    PubMed

    Hornok, Sándor; Horváth, Gábor; Takács, Nóra; Farkas, Róbert; Szőke, Krisztina; Kontschán, Jenő

    2018-05-22

    The family Anaplasmataceae contains pathogenic and endosymbiotic bacteria of veterinary-medical importance. In this study, 90 blood samples from rural dogs, five blood samples from road-killed European badgers and 34 ticks, i.e. 27 Ixodes (Pholeoixodes) canisuga, six I. (Ph.) hexagonus and one Haemaphysalis concinna collected from the badgers were molecularly analysed for members of Anaplasmataceae. Apart from the molecular evidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in one dog and Wolbachia sp. associated with Dirofilaria repens in five dogs, four species/genotypes not yet known to occur in canine hosts have also been found. These included A. marginale in two dogs, a badger-associated Ehrlichia sp. in one dog, a Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris-like genotype in six dogs and the DNA of arthropod-associated wolbachiae in three dogs. In two badgers the DNA from the Candidatus N. lotoris-like genotype was identified. Among ticks, four I. canisuga carried the DNA of the above badger-associated Ehrlichia sp., one I. canisuga contained the Candidatus N. lotoris-like genotype, and in H. concinna Wolbachia DNA was present. In conclusion, results shown here should be interpreted as the first molecular evidence for exposure of dogs to three members of Anaplasmataceae, i.e. A. marginale, a badger-associated Ehrlichia sp. and a Candidatus N. lotoris-like agent. The presence of DNA in the blood of relevant animals may also indicate susceptibility to these bacteria, but in support of this, further studies are needed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. PREDICTION OF PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF HICKMAN-BADGER CENTRIFUGAL BOILER COMPRESSION STILL

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bromley, L.A.

    1958-02-01

    Equations are derived to predict the operating characteristics of the Hickman-Badger still and the optimum conditions of opertion. Included are tables of values for use in performance calculations. (J.R.D.)

  5. Initial pen and field assessment of baits to use in oral rabies vaccination of Formosan ferret-badgers in response to the re-emergence of rabies in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Wallace, Ryan M; Lai, Yuching; Doty, Jeffrey B; Chen, Chen-Chih; Vora, Neil M; Blanton, Jesse D; Chang, Susan S; Cleaton, Julie M; Pei, Kurtis J C

    2018-01-01

    Taiwan had been considered rabies free since 1961, until a newly established wildlife disease surveillance program identified rabies virus transmission within the Formosan ferret-badger (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) in 2013. Ferret-badgers occur throughout southern China and Southeast Asia, but their ecological niche is not well described. As an initial feasibility assessment for potential rabies control measures, field camera trapping and pen assessment of 6 oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits were conducted in Taiwan in 2013. 46 camera nights were recorded; 6 Formosan ferret-badgers and 14 non-target mammals were sighted. No baits were consumed by ferret-badgers and 8 were consumed by non-target mammals. Penned ferret-badgers ingested 5 of the 18 offered baits. When pen and field trials were combined, and analyzed for palatability, ferret-badgers consumed 1 of 9 marshmallow baits (11.1%), 1 of 21 fishmeal baits (4.8%), 0 of 3 liver baits, and 3 of 3 fruit-flavored baits. It took an average of 261 minutes before ferret-badgers made oral contact with the non-fruit flavored baits, and 34 minutes for first contact with the fruit-based bait. Overall, ferret-badgers sought out the fruit baits 8 times faster, spent a greater proportion of time eating fruit baits, and were 7.5 times more likely to have ruptured the vaccine container of the fruit-based bait. Ferret-badgers are now recognized as rabies reservoir species in China and Taiwan, through two independent 'dog to ferret-badger' host-shift events. Species of ferret-badgers can be found throughout Indochina, where they may be an unrecognized rabies reservoir. Findings from this initial study underscore the need for further captive and field investigations of fruit-based attractants or baits developed for small meso-carnivores. Non-target mammals' competition for baits, ants, bait design, and dense tropical landscape represent potential challenges to effective ORV programs that will need to be considered in future

  6. Na Mele Ho Ona Auao (The Songs That Instruct). Hawaiian Studies Music Resource Book.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawaii State Dept. of Education, Honolulu. Office of Instructional Services.

    This music resource book is a compilation of traditional Hawaiian mele (songs) for use as a tool in music instruction and as a means to educate students in both the Hawaiian language and in various aspects of Hawaiian culture. Music and words are provided for each song as well as an English translation. The first section is comprised of songs or…

  7. Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals Local Transmission Patterns of Mycobacterium bovis in Sympatric Cattle and Badger Populations

    PubMed Central

    Wright, David; Mallon, Tom; McCormick, Carl; Orton, Richard J.; McDowell, Stanley; Trewby, Hannah; Skuce, Robin A.; Kao, Rowland R.

    2012-01-01

    Whole genome sequencing (WGS) technology holds great promise as a tool for the forensic epidemiology of bacterial pathogens. It is likely to be particularly useful for studying the transmission dynamics of an observed epidemic involving a largely unsampled ‘reservoir’ host, as for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in British and Irish cattle and badgers. BTB is caused by Mycobacterium bovis, a member of the M. tuberculosis complex that also includes the aetiological agent for human TB. In this study, we identified a spatio-temporally linked group of 26 cattle and 4 badgers infected with the same Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) type of M. bovis. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between sequences identified differences that were consistent with bacterial lineages being persistent on or near farms for several years, despite multiple clear whole herd tests in the interim. Comparing WGS data to mathematical models showed good correlations between genetic divergence and spatial distance, but poor correspondence to the network of cattle movements or within-herd contacts. Badger isolates showed between zero and four SNP differences from the nearest cattle isolate, providing evidence for recent transmissions between the two hosts. This is the first direct genetic evidence of M. bovis persistence on farms over multiple outbreaks with a continued, ongoing interaction with local badgers. However, despite unprecedented resolution, directionality of transmission cannot be inferred at this stage. Despite the often notoriously long timescales between time of infection and time of sampling for TB, our results suggest that WGS data alone can provide insights into TB epidemiology even where detailed contact data are not available, and that more extensive sampling and analysis will allow for quantification of the extent and direction of transmission between cattle and badgers. PMID:23209404

  8. Initial pen and field assessment of baits to use in oral rabies vaccination of Formosan ferret-badgers in response to the re-emergence of rabies in Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, Ryan M.; Lai, Yuching; Doty, Jeffrey B.; Chen, Chen-Chih; Vora, Neil M.; Blanton, Jesse D.; Chang, Susan S.; Pei, Kurtis J. C.

    2018-01-01

    Background Taiwan had been considered rabies free since 1961, until a newly established wildlife disease surveillance program identified rabies virus transmission within the Formosan ferret-badger (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) in 2013. Ferret-badgers occur throughout southern China and Southeast Asia, but their ecological niche is not well described. Methodology/Principle findings As an initial feasibility assessment for potential rabies control measures, field camera trapping and pen assessment of 6 oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits were conducted in Taiwan in 2013. 46 camera nights were recorded; 6 Formosan ferret-badgers and 14 non-target mammals were sighted. No baits were consumed by ferret-badgers and 8 were consumed by non-target mammals. Penned ferret-badgers ingested 5 of the 18 offered baits. When pen and field trials were combined, and analyzed for palatability, ferret-badgers consumed 1 of 9 marshmallow baits (11.1%), 1 of 21 fishmeal baits (4.8%), 0 of 3 liver baits, and 3 of 3 fruit-flavored baits. It took an average of 261 minutes before ferret-badgers made oral contact with the non-fruit flavored baits, and 34 minutes for first contact with the fruit-based bait. Overall, ferret-badgers sought out the fruit baits 8 times faster, spent a greater proportion of time eating fruit baits, and were 7.5 times more likely to have ruptured the vaccine container of the fruit-based bait. Conclusions/Significance Ferret-badgers are now recognized as rabies reservoir species in China and Taiwan, through two independent ‘dog to ferret-badger’ host-shift events. Species of ferret-badgers can be found throughout Indochina, where they may be an unrecognized rabies reservoir. Findings from this initial study underscore the need for further captive and field investigations of fruit-based attractants or baits developed for small meso-carnivores. Non-target mammals’ competition for baits, ants, bait design, and dense tropical landscape represent potential

  9. Review of the Badger report FE-2416-24, conceptual design of a coal to methanol commercial plant, February 1978

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Salmon, R.; Hartman, H.F.; Niemann, B.

    1979-10-01

    This report gives the results of a review by Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the conceptual design study of a 415,000-bbl/day coal-to-methanol facility published in February 1978 by Badger Plants, Incorporated. A critical assessment is made of the technology and economics of the proposed plant and of the Badger-recommended program for concurrent development and construction.

  10. Safety, efficacy and immunogenicity evaluation of the SAG2 oral rabies vaccine in Formosan ferret badgers.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Ai-Ping; Tseng, Chun-Hsien; Barrat, Jacques; Lee, Shu-Hwae; Shih, Yu-Hua; Wasniewski, Marine; Mähl, Philippe; Chang, Chia-Chia; Lin, Chun-Ta; Chen, Re-Shang; Tu, Wen-Jane; Cliquet, Florence; Tsai, Hsiang-Jung

    2017-01-01

    Since 2013, rabies cases have been reported among Formosan ferret badgers in Taiwan, and they have been shown to be the major reservoirs for Taiwanese enzootics. To control and eradicate rabies, the authorities plan to implement a vaccination programme. Before distributing live vaccines in the field, this study assessed the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of SAG2 vaccine on ferret badgers by direct oral instillation. After application of 109 TCID50/dose, no virus was excreted into the oral cavity 1-7 days post-application, and safety was also satisfactorily verified over a 266-day period. Moreover, despite the low level of rabies virus neutralising antibodies induced after vaccination of a 108 TCID50/dose, the efficacy assessment revealed a 100% survival rate (15/15) of vaccinees and an 87.5% fatality rate (7/8) in control animals after a challenge on the 198th day post-vaccination. The immunisation and protection rates obtained more than 6 months after a single vaccination dose demonstrated that SAG2 is an ideal vaccine candidate to protect Formosan ferret badgers against rabies in Taiwan.

  11. Distribution of Wild Mammal Assemblages along an Urban–Rural–Forest Landscape Gradient in Warm-Temperate East Asia

    PubMed Central

    Saito, Masayuki; Koike, Fumito

    2013-01-01

    Urbanization may alter mammal assemblages via habitat loss, food subsidies, and other factors related to human activities. The general distribution patterns of wild mammal assemblages along urban–rural–forest landscape gradients have not been studied, although many studies have focused on a single species or taxon, such as rodents. We quantitatively evaluated the effects of the urban–rural–forest gradient and spatial scale on the distributions of large and mid-sized mammals in the world's largest metropolitan area in warm-temperate Asia using nonspecific camera-trapping along two linear transects spanning from the urban zone in the Tokyo metropolitan area to surrounding rural and forest landscapes. Many large and mid-sized species generally decreased from forest landscapes to urban cores, although some species preferred anthropogenic landscapes. Sika deer (Cervus nippon), Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis), Japanese marten (Martes melampus), Japanese badger (Meles anakuma), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) generally dominated the mammal assemblage of the forest landscape. Raccoon (Procyon lotor), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) dominated the mammal assemblage in the intermediate zone (i.e., rural and suburban landscape). Cats (feral and free-roaming housecats; Felis catus) were common in the urban assemblage. The key spatial scales for forest species were more than 4000-m radius, indicating that conservation and management plans for these mammal assemblages should be considered on large spatial scales. However, small green spaces will also be important for mammal conservation in the urban landscape, because an indigenous omnivore (raccoon dog) had a smaller key spatial scale (500-m radius) than those of forest mammals. Urbanization was generally the most important factor in the distributions of mammals, and it is necessary to consider the spatial

  12. Distribution of wild mammal assemblages along an urban-rural-forest landscape gradient in warm-temperate East Asia.

    PubMed

    Saito, Masayuki; Koike, Fumito

    2013-01-01

    Urbanization may alter mammal assemblages via habitat loss, food subsidies, and other factors related to human activities. The general distribution patterns of wild mammal assemblages along urban-rural-forest landscape gradients have not been studied, although many studies have focused on a single species or taxon, such as rodents. We quantitatively evaluated the effects of the urban-rural-forest gradient and spatial scale on the distributions of large and mid-sized mammals in the world's largest metropolitan area in warm-temperate Asia using nonspecific camera-trapping along two linear transects spanning from the urban zone in the Tokyo metropolitan area to surrounding rural and forest landscapes. Many large and mid-sized species generally decreased from forest landscapes to urban cores, although some species preferred anthropogenic landscapes. Sika deer (Cervus nippon), Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis), Japanese marten (Martes melampus), Japanese badger (Meles anakuma), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) generally dominated the mammal assemblage of the forest landscape. Raccoon (Procyon lotor), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) dominated the mammal assemblage in the intermediate zone (i.e., rural and suburban landscape). Cats (feral and free-roaming housecats; Felis catus) were common in the urban assemblage. The key spatial scales for forest species were more than 4000-m radius, indicating that conservation and management plans for these mammal assemblages should be considered on large spatial scales. However, small green spaces will also be important for mammal conservation in the urban landscape, because an indigenous omnivore (raccoon dog) had a smaller key spatial scale (500-m radius) than those of forest mammals. Urbanization was generally the most important factor in the distributions of mammals, and it is necessary to consider the spatial scale of

  13. Safety, efficacy and immunogenicity evaluation of the SAG2 oral rabies vaccine in Formosan ferret badgers

    PubMed Central

    Hsu, Ai-Ping; Tseng, Chun-Hsien; Barrat, Jacques; Lee, Shu-Hwae; Shih, Yu-Hua; Wasniewski, Marine; Mähl, Philippe; Chang, Chia-Chia; Lin, Chun-Ta; Chen, Re-Shang; Tu, Wen-Jane; Cliquet, Florence

    2017-01-01

    Since 2013, rabies cases have been reported among Formosan ferret badgers in Taiwan, and they have been shown to be the major reservoirs for Taiwanese enzootics. To control and eradicate rabies, the authorities plan to implement a vaccination programme. Before distributing live vaccines in the field, this study assessed the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of SAG2 vaccine on ferret badgers by direct oral instillation. After application of 109 TCID50/dose, no virus was excreted into the oral cavity 1–7 days post-application, and safety was also satisfactorily verified over a 266-day period. Moreover, despite the low level of rabies virus neutralising antibodies induced after vaccination of a 108 TCID50/dose, the efficacy assessment revealed a 100% survival rate (15/15) of vaccinees and an 87.5% fatality rate (7/8) in control animals after a challenge on the 198th day post-vaccination. The immunisation and protection rates obtained more than 6 months after a single vaccination dose demonstrated that SAG2 is an ideal vaccine candidate to protect Formosan ferret badgers against rabies in Taiwan. PMID:28977009

  14. Performing Arts Program, Badger High School: Justification, Proposal, Implementation, Stage One Implementation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmes, Dan

    This document presents a justification, proposal, and implementation plan for a comprehensive theatre arts program at Badger High School, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin that would offer a full schedule of amateur and professional arts programs involving the students and the community. The brief Justification section notes that every elementary and…

  15. "My Business Was Not with Lost Souls and the Underprivileged": The Contribution of Colin Badger (1906-1993) to Adult Education in Victoria, Australia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rushbrook, Peter

    Colin Badger was an adult educator who contributed to Victorian adult education in Australia. After graduating from the University of Adelaide in 1936, Badger became a tutor for the South Australian Workers Education Association (WEA), where he became aware of the possibilities of adult education. After study in London, he returned to Australia to…

  16. Contact Networks in a Wildlife-Livestock Host Community: Identifying High-Risk Individuals in the Transmission of Bovine TB among Badgers and Cattle

    PubMed Central

    Böhm, Monika; Hutchings, Michael R.; White, Piran C. L.

    2009-01-01

    Background The management of many pathogens, which are of concern to humans and their livestock, is complicated by the pathogens' ability to cross-infect multiple host species, including wildlife. This has major implications for the management of such diseases, since the dynamics of infection are dependent on the rates of both intra- and inter-specific transmission. However, the difficulty of studying transmission networks in free-living populations means that the relative opportunities for intra- versus inter-specific disease transmission have not previously been demonstrated empirically within any wildlife-livestock disease system. Methodology/Principal Findings Using recently-developed proximity data loggers, we quantify both intra-and inter-specific contacts in a wildlife-livestock disease system, using bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in badgers and cattle in the UK as our example. We assess the connectedness of individuals within the networks in order to identify whether there are certain ‘high-risk’ individuals or groups of individuals for disease transmission within and between species. Our results show that contact patterns in both badger and cattle populations vary widely, both between individuals and over time. We recorded only infrequent interactions between badger social groups, although all badgers fitted with data loggers were involved in these inter-group contacts. Contacts between badgers and cattle occurred more frequently than contacts between different badger groups. Moreover, these inter-specific contacts involved those individual cows, which were highly connected within the cattle herd. Conclusions/Significance This work represents the first continuous time record of wildlife-host contacts for any free-living wildlife-livestock disease system. The results highlight the existence of specific individuals with relatively high contact rates in both livestock and wildlife populations, which have the potential to act as hubs in the spread of disease

  17. Experimental oral immunization of ferret badgers (Melogale moschata) with a recombinant canine adenovirus vaccine CAV-2-E3Δ-RGP and an attenuated rabies virus SRV9.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jinghui; Liu, Ye; Zhang, Shoufeng; Fang, Lijun; Zhang, Fei; Hu, Rongliang

    2014-04-01

    Ferret badgers (Melogale moschata) are a major reservoir of rabies virus in southeastern China. Oral immunization has been shown to be a practical method for wildlife rabies management in Europe and North America. Two groups of 20 ferret badgers were given a single oral dose of a recombinant canine adenovirus-rabies vaccine, CAV-2-E3Δ-RGP, or an experimental attenuated rabies virus vaccine, SRV9. At 21 days, all ferret badgers had seroconverted, with serum virus-neutralizing antibodies ranging from 0.1 to 4.5 IU/mL. Titers were >0.50 IU/mL (an acceptable level) in 17/20 and 16/20 animals receiving CAV-2-E3Δ-RGP or SRV9, respectively. The serologic results indicate that the recombinant CAV-2-E3Δ-RGP is at least as effective as the attenuated rabies virus vaccine. Both may be considered for additional research as oral rabies vaccine candidates for ferret badgers.

  18. Contact networks structured by sex underpin sex-specific epidemiology of infection.

    PubMed

    Silk, Matthew J; Weber, Nicola L; Steward, Lucy C; Hodgson, David J; Boots, Mike; Croft, Darren P; Delahay, Richard J; McDonald, Robbie A

    2018-02-01

    Contact networks are fundamental to the transmission of infection and host sex often affects the acquisition and progression of infection. However, the epidemiological impacts of sex-related variation in animal contact networks have rarely been investigated. We test the hypothesis that sex-biases in infection are related to variation in multilayer contact networks structured by sex in a population of European badgers Meles meles naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis. Our key results are that male-male and between-sex networks are structured at broader spatial scales than female-female networks and that in male-male and between-sex contact networks, but not female-female networks, there is a significant relationship between infection and contacts with individuals in other groups. These sex differences in social behaviour may underpin male-biased acquisition of infection and may result in males being responsible for more between-group transmission. This highlights the importance of sex-related variation in host behaviour when managing animal diseases. © 2017 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Traffic mortality and the role of minor roads.

    PubMed

    van Langevelde, Frank; van Dooremalen, Coby; Jaarsma, Catharinus F

    2009-01-01

    Roads have large impacts on wildlife, as they form one of the principal causes of mortality, and disturbance and fragmentation of habitat. These impacts are mainly studied and mitigated on major roads. It is, however, a widespread misconception that most animals are killed on major roads. In this paper, we argue that minor roads have a larger impact on wildlife with respect to habitat destruction, noise load and traffic mortality. We use data on traffic related deaths in badgers (Meles meles) in The Netherlands to illustrate that traffic mortality is higher on minor roads. We ask for a more extensive investigation of the environmental impacts of minor roads. Moreover, we argue that the success of mitigation on roads drastically increases when both major and minor roads are integrated in the planning of traffic flows. Therefore, we propose a strategy based on the concept of a "traffic-calmed area". Traffic-calmed areas create opportunities for wildlife by decreasing limitations for animal movement. We ask for further studies to estimate what size traffic-calmed areas should be to maintain minimum viable animal populations.

  20. Occurrence and molecular genotyping of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in wild mesocarnivores in Spain.

    PubMed

    Mateo, Marta; de Mingo, Marta Hernández; de Lucio, Aida; Morales, Lucía; Balseiro, Ana; Espí, Alberto; Barral, Marta; Lima Barbero, José Francisco; Habela, Miguel Ángel; Fernández-García, José L; Bernal, Rafael Calero; Köster, Pamela C; Cardona, Guillermo A; Carmena, David

    2017-02-15

    There is a surprisingly scarce amount of epidemiological and molecular data on the prevalence, frequency, and diversity of the intestinal protozoan parasites Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in wildlife in general and mesocarnivore species in particular. Consequently, the extent of the cyst/oocyst environmental contamination attributable to these wild host species and their potential implications for public veterinary health remain largely unknown. In this molecular epidemiological survey a total of 193 individual faecal samples from badgers (Meles meles, n=70), ferrets (Mustela putorius furo, n=2), genets (Genetta genetta, n=6), Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus, n=6), beech martens (Martes foina, n=8), mongooses (Herpestes ichneumon, n=2), otters (Lutra lutra, n=2), polecats (Mustela putorius, n=2), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n=87), wildcats (Felis silvestris, n=2), and wolves (Canis lupus, n=6) were obtained from road-killed, hunted, and accidentally found carcasses, and from camera-trap surveys or animals entering rescue shelters, during the period December 2003-April 2016. Investigated specimens were collected in five Spanish autonomous regions including Andalusia (n=1), Asturias (n=69), Basque Country (n=49), Castile-La Mancha (n=38), and Extremadura (n=36). The presence of cysts/oocysts was confirmed by PCR-based methods targeting the small subunit (ssu) ribosomal RNA gene of these parasite species. Genotyping of the obtained isolates were attempted at appropriate markers including the glutamate dehydrogenase (G. duodenalis) and the 60-kDa glycoprotein (C. parvum and C. ubiquitum) loci. Overall, G. duodenalis was detected in 8% (7/87) of red foxes, a single beech marten, and a single wolf, respectively. Cryptosporidium was identified in 3% (2/70) of badgers, 8% (7/87) of red foxes, a single genet, and a single mongoose, respectively. None of the nine G. duodenalis isolates generated could be genotyped at the assemblage/sub-assemblage level. Out of the

  1. Hydrologic analysis of the proposed Badger-Beaver Creeks Artificial-Recharge Project : Morgan County, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Burns, Alan W.

    1980-01-01

    A hydrologic analysis of the proposed Badger-Beaver Creeks artificial-recharge project in Morgan County, Colo., was made with the aid of three digital computer models: A canal-distribution model, a ground-water flow model, and a stream-aquifer model. Statistical summaries of probable diversions from the South Platte River based on a 27-year period of historical flows indicate that an average-annual diversion of 96,000 acre-feet and a median-annual diversion of 43,000 acre-feet would be available. Diversions would sustain water in ponds for waterfowl habitat for an average of about five months per year, with a miximum pond surface area of about 300 acres with the median diversions and a maximum pond surface area of about 1,250 acres at least one-half of the years with the historic diversions. If the annual diversion were 43,000 acre-feet, recharge to the two alluvial aquifers would raise water levels sufficiently to create flowing streams in the channels of Beaver and Badger Creeks while allowing an increase in current ground-water pumping. The only area of significant waterlogging would be along the proposed delivery canal on the west edge of Badger Creek valley. If the total water available were diverted, the aquifer system could not transmit the water fast enough to the irrigation areas to avoid considerable waterlogging in the recharge areas. The impact of the proposed project on the South Platte River basin would be minimal once the ground-water system attained steady-state conditions, but that may take decades with a uniform diversion of the 43,000 acre-feet annually. (USGS)

  2. Heterozygosity-fitness correlations in a wild mammal population: accounting for parental and environmental effects.

    PubMed

    Annavi, Geetha; Newman, Christopher; Buesching, Christina D; Macdonald, David W; Burke, Terry; Dugdale, Hannah L

    2014-06-01

    HFCs (heterozygosity-fitness correlations) measure the direct relationship between an individual's genetic diversity and fitness. The effects of parental heterozygosity and the environment on HFCs are currently under-researched. We investigated these in a high-density U.K. population of European badgers (Meles meles), using a multimodel capture-mark-recapture framework and 35 microsatellite loci. We detected interannual variation in first-year, but not adult, survival probability. Adult females had higher annual survival probabilities than adult males. Cubs with more heterozygous fathers had higher first-year survival, but only in wetter summers; there was no relationship with individual or maternal heterozygosity. Moist soil conditions enhance badger food supply (earthworms), improving survival. In dryer years, higher indiscriminate mortality rates appear to mask differential heterozygosity-related survival effects. This paternal interaction was significant in the most supported model; however, the model-averaged estimate had a relative importance of 0.50 and overlapped zero slightly. First-year survival probabilities were not correlated with the inbreeding coefficient (f); however, small sample sizes limited the power to detect inbreeding depression. Correlations between individual heterozygosity and inbreeding were weak, in line with published meta-analyses showing that HFCs tend to be weak. We found support for general rather than local heterozygosity effects on first-year survival probability, and g2 indicated that our markers had power to detect inbreeding. We emphasize the importance of assessing how environmental stressors can influence the magnitude and direction of HFCs and of considering how parental genetic diversity can affect fitness-related traits, which could play an important role in the evolution of mate choice.

  3. PATHOLOGY AND MOLECULAR DETECTION OF RABIES VIRUS IN FERRET BADGERS ASSOCIATED WITH A RABIES OUTBREAK IN TAIWAN.

    PubMed

    Chiou, Hue-Ying; Jeng, Chian-Ren; Wang, Hurng-Yi; Inoue, Satoshi; Chan, Fang-Tse; Liao, Jiunn-Wang; Chiou, Ming-Tang; Pang, Victor Fei

    2016-01-01

    Until Rabies virus (RABV) infection in Taiwan ferret badgers (TWFB; Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) was diagnosed in mid-June 2013, Taiwan had been considered rabies free for >50 yr. Although rabies has also been reported in ferret badgers in China, the pathologic changes and distribution of viral antigens of ferret badger-associated rabies have not been described. We performed a comprehensive pathologic study and molecular detection of rabies virus in three necropsied rabid TWFBs and evaluated archival paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of six other TWFBs necropsied during 2004 and 2012. As in other RABV-infected species, the characteristic pathologic changes in TWFBs were nonsuppurative meningoencephalomyelitis, ganglionitis, and the formation of typical intracytoplasmic Negri bodies, with the brain stem most affected. There was also variable spongiform degeneration, primarily in the perikaryon of neurons and neuropil, in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and brain stem. In nonnervous system tissues, representative lesions included adrenal necrosis and lymphocytic interstitial sialadenitis. Immunohistochemical staining and fluorescent antibody test demonstrated viral antigens in the perikaryon of the neurons and axonal or dendritic processes throughout the nervous tissue and in the macrophages in various tissues. Similar to raccoons (Procyon lotor) and skunks (Mephitidae), the nervous tissue of rabid TWFBs displayed widely dispersed lesions, RABV antigens, and large numbers of Negri bodies. We traced the earliest rabid TWFB case back to 2004.

  4. 'Mister Badger' Pushing Mars Rock

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1976-01-01

    Viking's soil sampler collector arm successfully pushed a rock on the surface of Mars during the afternoon of Friday, October 8. The irregular-shaped rock was pushed several inches by the Lander's collector arm, which displaced the rock to the left of its original position, leaving it cocked slightly upward. Photographs and other information verified the successful rock push. Photo at left shows the soil sampler's collector head pushing against the rock, named 'Mister Badger' by flight controllers. Photo at right shows the displaced rock and the depression whence it came. Part of the soil displacement was caused by the collector s backhoe. A soil sample will be taken from the site Monday night, October 11. It will then be delivered to Viking s organic chemistry instrument for a series of analyses during the next few weeks. The sample is being sought from beneath a rock because scientists believe that, if there are life forms on Mars, they may seek rocks as shelter from the Sun s intense ultraviolet radiation.

  5. Prediction of a Large-Gap and Switchable Kane-Mele Quantum Spin Hall Insulator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marrazzo, Antimo; Gibertini, Marco; Campi, Davide; Mounet, Nicolas; Marzari, Nicola

    2018-03-01

    Fundamental research and technological applications of topological insulators are hindered by the rarity of materials exhibiting a robust topologically nontrivial phase, especially in two dimensions. Here, by means of extensive first-principles calculations, we propose a novel quantum spin Hall insulator with a sizable band gap of ˜0.5 eV that is a monolayer of jacutingaite, a naturally occurring layered mineral first discovered in 2008 in Brazil and recently synthesized. This system realizes the paradigmatic Kane-Mele model for quantum spin Hall insulators in a potentially exfoliable two-dimensional monolayer, with helical edge states that are robust and that can be manipulated exploiting a unique strong interplay between spin-orbit coupling, crystal-symmetry breaking, and dielectric response.

  6. The topological Anderson insulator phase in the Kane-Mele model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Orth, Christoph P.; Sekera, Tibor; Bruder, Christoph; Schmidt, Thomas L.

    2016-04-01

    It has been proposed that adding disorder to a topologically trivial mercury telluride/cadmium telluride (HgTe/CdTe) quantum well can induce a transition to a topologically nontrivial state. The resulting state was termed topological Anderson insulator and was found in computer simulations of the Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang model. Here, we show that the topological Anderson insulator is a more universal phenomenon and also appears in the Kane-Mele model of topological insulators on a honeycomb lattice. We numerically investigate the interplay of the relevant parameters, and establish the parameter range in which the topological Anderson insulator exists. A staggered sublattice potential turns out to be a necessary condition for the transition to the topological Anderson insulator. For weak enough disorder, a calculation based on the lowest-order Born approximation reproduces quantitatively the numerical data. Our results thus considerably increase the number of candidate materials for the topological Anderson insulator phase.

  7. BADGER v1.0: A Fortran equation of state library

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heltemes, T. A.; Moses, G. A.

    2012-12-01

    The BADGER equation of state library was developed to enable inertial confinement fusion plasma codes to more accurately model plasmas in the high-density, low-temperature regime. The code had the capability to calculate 1- and 2-T plasmas using the Thomas-Fermi model and an individual electron accounting model. Ion equation of state data can be calculated using an ideal gas model or via a quotidian equation of state with scaled binding energies. Electron equation of state data can be calculated via the ideal gas model or with an adaptation of the screened hydrogenic model with ℓ-splitting. The ionization and equation of state calculations can be done in local thermodynamic equilibrium or in a non-LTE mode using a variant of the Busquet equivalent temperature method. The code was written as a stand-alone Fortran library for ease of implementation by external codes. EOS results for aluminum are presented that show good agreement with the SESAME library and ionization calculations show good agreement with the FLYCHK code. Program summaryProgram title: BADGERLIB v1.0 Catalogue identifier: AEND_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEND_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 41 480 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 2 904 451 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Fortran 90. Computer: 32- or 64-bit PC, or Mac. Operating system: Windows, Linux, MacOS X. RAM: 249.496 kB plus 195.630 kB per isotope record in memory Classification: 19.1, 19.7. Nature of problem: Equation of State (EOS) calculations are necessary for the accurate simulation of high energy density plasmas. Historically, most EOS codes used in these simulations have relied on an ideal gas model. This model is inadequate for low

  8. [Complete genome sequencing and analyses of rabies viruses isolated from wild animals (Chinese Ferret-Badger) in Zhejiang province].

    PubMed

    Lei, Yong-Liang; Wang, Xiao-Guang; Liu, Fu-Ming; Chen, Xiu-Ying; Ye, Bi-Feng; Mei, Jian-Hua; Lan, Jin-Quan; Tang, Qing

    2009-08-01

    Based on sequencing the full-length genomes of two Chinese Ferret-Badger, we analyzed the properties of rabies viruses genetic variation in molecular level to get information on prevalence and variation of rabies viruses in Zhejiang, and to enrich the genome database of rabies viruses street strains isolated from Chinese wildlife. Overlapped fragments were amplified by RT-PCR and full-length genomes were assembled to analyze the nucleotide and deduced protein similarities and phylogenetic analyses of the N genes from Chinese Ferret-Badger, sika deer, vole, dog. Vaccine strains were then determined. The two full-length genomes were completely sequenced to find out that they had the same genetic structure with 11 923 nts including 58 nts-Leader, 1353 nts-NP, 894 nts-PP, 609 nts-MP, 1575 nts-GP, 6386 nts-LP, and 2, 5, 5 nts- intergenic regions (IGRs), 423 nts-Pseudogene-like sequence (Psi), 70 nts-Trailer. The two full-length genomes were in accordance with the properties of Rhabdoviridae Lyssa virus by blast and multi-sequence alignment. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences among Chinese strains had the highest similarity, especially among animals of the same species. Of the two full-length genomes, the similarity in amino acid level was dramatically higher than that in nucleotide level, so that the nucleotide mutations happened in these two genomes were most probably as synonymous mutations. Compared to the referenced rabies viruses, the lengths of the five protein coding regions did not show any changes or recombination, but only with a few-point mutations. It was evident that the five proteins appeared to be stable. The variation sites and types of the two ferret badgers genomes were similar to the referenced vaccine or street strains. The two strains were genotype 1 according to the multi-sequence and phylogenetic analyses, which possessing the distinct geographyphic characteristics of China. All the evidence suggested a cue that these two ferret badgers

  9. Shot BADGER, a test of the UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE Series, 18 April 1953. Technical report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Massie, J.; Maag, C.; Rohrer, S.

    1982-01-12

    This report describes the activities of DOD personnel in Shot BADGER, the sixth nuclear test in the UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE atmospheric nuclear weapons testing series. The test, conducted on 18 April 1953, involved military personnel in Exercise Desert Rock V, AFSWP, AFSWC, and AEC test activities. The largest activity was the 2d Marine Corps Provisional Atomic Exercise Brigade maneuver involving 2,167 Marines.

  10. Involvement of two genetic lineages of Sarcoptes scabiei mites in a local mange epizootic of wild mammals in Japan.

    PubMed

    Makouloutou, Patrice; Suzuki, Kazuo; Yokoyama, Mayumi; Takeuchi, Masahiko; Yanagida, Tetsuya; Sato, Hiroshi

    2015-01-01

    Similar to wild mammals on the continents, mange caused by the mange mite, Sarcoptes scabiei (Acari: Sarcoptidae) is spreading in wild mammals in most of Japan. We collected crusted or alopetic skin from 120 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus), three raccoons (Procyon lotor), six Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma), one Japanese marten (Martes melampus), one stray dog (Canis lupus familiaris), four wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax), and one Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus), mainly in an area where mangy wild animals have been increasingly noted in the past 4 yr. The second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region of the ribosomal RNA gene and the partial 16S and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox-1) genes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were characterized in these skin samples. The ITS2 sequencing (404 base pairs [bp]) identified the causative mite for mangy skin lesions of 128 animals as S. scabiei, regardless of host origin. The cat mite (Notoedres cati) was the cause in one raccoon dog and one raccoon. Most mites had almost identical ITS2 nucleotide sequences to those recorded in a variety of mammals worldwide. Partial 16S and cox-1 fragments of mtDNA amplified and sequenced successfully (331 bp and 410 bp, respectively) showed an identical nucleotide sequence except for one site (C vs. T) for the former and four sites (G, C, C, C vs. A, T, T, T, respectively) for the latter fragment. These substitutions were always synchronized, with the two mitochondrial DNA haplotypes (i.e., C/GCCC and T/ATTT) appearing to separately colonize in geographic units. The T/ATTT haplotype fell into a clade where animal-derived mites worldwide dominated, whereas the C/GCCC haplotype formed a geographic branch unique to Japanese isolates. These results suggest that heterologous populations of monospecific S. scabiei are expanding their populations and distributions regardless of host species in an apparently local mange epizootic of wild mammals in Japan.

  11. Canine distemper virus in wild ferret-badgers of Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chen-Chih; Pei, Kurtis Jai-Chyi; Liao, Ming-Huei; Mortenson, Jack A

    2008-04-01

    Canine distemper is an acute or subacute, highly contagious, febrile disease that is caused by canine distemper virus (CDV). Two CDV-infected wild Taiwan ferret-badgers (Melogale moschata subauantiaca) were found in Kaohsiung County, southern Taiwan, in 2005. Each case was confirmed by detecting CDV RNA in lung and brain tissues. A suspected third case was detected based on clinical signs and histology. These cases are the first record of wildlife infected by CDV in Taiwan. It is believed that domestic dogs or coexisting wild carnivores infected with the virus were the most likely source, and a serologic survey is needed to fully understand the host range of this virus in Taiwan. In addition, further genetic sequencing is needed to determine the source of these CDV cases.

  12. Topological winding properties of spin edge states in the Kane-Mele graphene model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Zhigang; Hao, Ningning; Zhang, Ping

    2009-09-01

    We study the spin edge states in the quantum spin-Hall (QSH) effect on a single-atomic layer graphene-ribbon system with both intrinsic and Rashba spin-orbit couplings. The Harper equation for solving the energies of the spin edge states is derived. The results show that in the QSH phase, there are always two pairs of gapless spin-filtered edge states in the bulk energy gap, corresponding to two pairs of zero points of the Bloch function on the complex-energy Riemann surface (RS). The topological aspect of the QSH phase can be distinguished by the difference of the winding numbers of the spin edge states with different polarized directions cross the holes of the RS, which is equivalent to the Z2 topological invariance proposed by Kane and Mele [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 146802 (2005)].

  13. Preinvestigation evaluation of corrective measure technologies for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Benioff, P.A.; Tsai, S.Y.

    1989-02-01

    This report briefly describes and evaluates the suitability of corrective measure technologies for possible use at the solid waste management units (SWMUs) at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP), near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Corrective measure technologies considered for contaminated soils include excavation plus on- or off-site disposal in landfills or by incineration, use of solidification or stabilization methods, and in-situ methods such as bioreclamation and chemical or physical methods. Technologies considered for treatment of contaminated groundwater include groundwater pumping followed by discharge or treatment by air stripping and use of subsurface barriers. 5 refs., 1 tab.

  14. 75 FR 21663 - Maysteel, LLC Including On-Site Leased Workers From Staff One, Badger Tech, Boyd Hunter, Seek...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-72,483] Maysteel, LLC Including On-Site Leased Workers From Staff One, Badger Tech, Boyd Hunter, Seek, QPS, and Service First, Menomonee Falls, WI; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act...

  15. Vaccination against tuberculosis in badgers and cattle: an overview of the challenges, developments and current research priorities in Great Britain.

    PubMed

    Chambers, M A; Carter, S P; Wilson, G J; Jones, G; Brown, E; Hewinson, R G; Vordermeier, M

    2014-07-26

    Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a significant threat to the cattle industry in England and Wales. It is widely acknowledged that a combination of measures targeting both cattle and wildlife will be required to eradicate bovine TB or reduce its prevalence until European official freedom status is achieved. Vaccination of cattle and/or badgers could contribute to bovine TB control in Great Britain, although there are significant gaps in our knowledge regarding the impact that vaccination would actually have on bovine TB incidence. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that vaccination with BCG can reduce the progression and severity of TB in both badgers and cattle. This is encouraging in terms of the prospect of a sustained vaccination programme achieving reductions in disease prevalence; however, developing vaccines for tackling the problem of bovine TB is challenging, time-consuming and resource-intensive, as this review article sets out to explain. British Veterinary Association.

  16. Public health assessment for US Army, Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Sauk County, Wisconsin, Region 5: CERCLIS number WI9210020054. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1999-05-28

    Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) is located in Sauk County, Wisconsin, near the city of Baraboo. Over a 33 year period, until 1975, the plant operated intermittently to produce propellants for cannon, rocket, and small arms ammunition. Past industrial activities at this site have resulted in surface soil and groundwater contamination by organic and inorganic chemicals. A groundwater contamination plume originating from the Propellant Burning Ground extends beyond the plant's southern boundary. In April 1990, chloroform and/or carbon tetrachloride were found at concentrations above the Wisconsin Division of Health completed a public health assessment for the BAAP. The report documentedmore » the evaluation of investigations of environmental conditions and environmentally-related activities taking place at Badger. The Division concluded that people exposed to groundwater contaminants had a slight increased risk of developing cancer.« less

  17. Water conservation study. Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Wisconsin. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-05-01

    The purpose of this water conservation study is to identify projects which result in energy maintenance and cost savings in the process water distribution system at Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin. A leak detection survey was performed on all process water piping with a diameter of 6 inches or greater. The leak detection analysis was performed using a combination of listening devices and preamplified-transducer systems to identify the majority of leak locations. When the location of the leak could not be readily identified using these methods, a leak correlator was used. The leak correlator determines leak locationmore » based on the time it takes for sound to travel from the leak to a waterline connection point.« less

  18. Severe mortality of a population of threatened Agassiz’s desert tortoises: the American badger as a potential predator

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Emblidge, Patrick G.; Nussear, Ken E.; Esque, Todd C.; Aiello, Christina M.; Walde, Andrew D.

    2015-01-01

    In the Mojave Desert of the southwestern United States, adult Agassiz’s desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii typically experience high survival, but population declines associated with anthropogenic impacts led to their listing as a threatened Species under the US Endangered Species Act in 1990. Predation of adult tortoises is not often considered a significant threat as they are adapted to deter most predation attempts. Despite these adaptations, some populations have experienced elevated mortality attributed to predators, suggesting that predation pressure may occasionally increase. During the tortoise activity seasons of 2012 and 2013, we observed unsustainably high mortality in 1 of 4 populations of adult desert tortoises (22 and 84%, respectively) in the western Mojave Desert in the vicinity of Barstow, CA. Photographic evidence from trail cameras and examination of carcass condition suggest that American badgers Taxidea taxus— a sometimes cited but unconfirmed predator of adult tortoises — may have been responsible for some of the mortality observed. We discuss the American badger as a plausible predator of a local tortoise population, but recommend further investigation into these events and the impacts such mortality can have on tortoise persistence.

  19. Environmental readiness pilot study at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Wisconsin

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mays, D.; Bhinge, D.; Patel, J.

    1994-12-31

    The Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) has been on standby status since the mid-1970s, prior to the enactment of the majority of Federal environmental regulations. As a result, BAAP is unprepared to begin production without the implementation of pollution prevention and treatment measures. The Army contracted SAIC to conduct a pilot study to develop an environmental readiness plan for BAAP in the event that the plant is reactivated to produce explosives and propellants for ammunition requirements during mobilization. This paper describes the process developed by SAIC to conduct this pilot study at BAAP and the relationship between this effort andmore » the Army`s overall environmental mission.« less

  20. Analysis of operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE nuclear test BADGER radiological and meteorological data

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Quinn, V.E.

    1986-04-01

    This report describes the Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) analyses of the radiological and meteorological data collected for the BADGER nuclear test of Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE. Inconsistencies in the radiological data and their resolution are discussed. The methods of normalizing the radiological data to a standard time, of converting the aerial data to equivalent ground-level values, and of estimating fallout-arrival times are presented. The meteorological situations on event day and the following day are described. A comparison of the WSNSO fallout analysis with an analysis performed during the 1950's is presented. The radiological data used to derive the WSNSO falloutmore » pattern are tabulated in an appendix.« less

  1. Viral metagenomic analysis of feces of wild small carnivores

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Recent studies have clearly demonstrated the enormous virus diversity that exists among wild animals. This exemplifies the required expansion of our knowledge of the virus diversity present in wildlife, as well as the potential transmission of these viruses to domestic animals or humans. Methods In the present study we evaluated the viral diversity of fecal samples (n = 42) collected from 10 different species of wild small carnivores inhabiting the northern part of Spain using random PCR in combination with next-generation sequencing. Samples were collected from American mink (Neovison vison), European mink (Mustela lutreola), European polecat (Mustela putorius), European pine marten (Martes martes), stone marten (Martes foina), Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) and Eurasian badger (Meles meles) of the family of Mustelidae; common genet (Genetta genetta) of the family of Viverridae; red fox (Vulpes vulpes) of the family of Canidae and European wild cat (Felis silvestris) of the family of Felidae. Results A number of sequences of possible novel viruses or virus variants were detected, including a theilovirus, phleboviruses, an amdovirus, a kobuvirus and picobirnaviruses. Conclusions Using random PCR in combination with next generation sequencing, sequences of various novel viruses or virus variants were detected in fecal samples collected from Spanish carnivores. Detected novel viruses highlight the viral diversity that is present in fecal material of wild carnivores. PMID:24886057

  2. Performance of Proximity Loggers in Recording Intra- and Inter-Species Interactions: A Laboratory and Field-Based Validation Study

    PubMed Central

    Carter, Stephen P.; Bearhop, Stuart; Harrison, Xavier A.; Dall, Sasha R. X.; McDonald, Robbie A.; Delahay, Richard J.

    2012-01-01

    Knowledge of the way in which animals interact through social networks can help to address questions surrounding the ecological and evolutionary consequences of social organisation, and to understand and manage the spread of infectious diseases. Automated proximity loggers are increasingly being used to record interactions between animals, but the accuracy and reliability of the collected data remain largely un-assessed. Here we use laboratory and observational field data to assess the performance of these devices fitted to a herd of 32 beef cattle (Bos taurus) and nine groups of badgers (Meles meles, n  = 77) living in the surrounding woods. The distances at which loggers detected each other were found to decrease over time, potentially related to diminishing battery power that may be a function of temperature. Loggers were highly accurate in recording the identification of contacted conspecifics, but less reliable at determining contact duration. There was a tendency for extended interactions to be recorded as a series of shorter contacts. We show how data can be manipulated to correct this discrepancy and accurately reflect observed interaction patterns by combining records between any two loggers that occur within a 1 to 2 minute amalgamation window, and then removing any remaining 1 second records. We make universally applicable recommendations for the effective use of proximity loggers, to improve the validity of data arising from future studies. PMID:22745704

  3. Emergent Chiral Spin State in the Mott Phase of a Bosonic Kane-Mele-Hubbard Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plekhanov, Kirill; Vasić, Ivana; Petrescu, Alexandru; Nirwan, Rajbir; Roux, Guillaume; Hofstetter, Walter; Le Hur, Karyn

    2018-04-01

    Recently, the frustrated X Y model for spins 1 /2 on the honeycomb lattice has attracted a lot of attention in relation with the possibility to realize a chiral spin liquid state. This model is relevant to the physics of some quantum magnets. Using the flexibility of ultracold atom setups, we propose an alternative way to realize this model through the Mott regime of the bosonic Kane-Mele-Hubbard model. The phase diagram of this model is derived using bosonic dynamical mean-field theory. Focusing on the Mott phase, we investigate its magnetic properties as a function of frustration. We do find an emergent chiral spin state in the intermediate frustration regime. Using exact diagonalization we study more closely the physics of the effective frustrated X Y model and the properties of the chiral spin state. This gapped phase displays a chiral order, breaking time-reversal and parity symmetry, but is not topologically ordered (the Chern number is zero).

  4. Triplet p + ip pairing correlations in the doped Kane-Mele-Hubbard model: A quantum Monte Carlo study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ma, Tianxing; Lin, Hai-Qing; Gubernatis, James E.

    2015-09-01

    By using the constrained-phase quantum Monte Carlo method, we performed a systematic study of the pairing correlations in the ground state of the doped Kane-Mele-Hubbard model on a honeycomb lattice. We find that pairing correlations with d + id symmetry dominate close to half filling, but pairing correlations with p+ip symmetry dominate as hole doping moves the system below three-quarters filling. We correlate these behaviors of the pairing correlations with the topology of the Fermi surfaces of the non-interacting problem. We also find that the effective pairing correlation is enhanced greatly as the interaction increases, and these superconducting correlations aremore » robust against varying the spin-orbit coupling strength. Finally, our numerical results suggest a possible way to realize spin triplet superconductivity in doped honeycomb-like materials or ultracold atoms in optical traps.« less

  5. Feasibility of using building deconstruction at Wisconsin’s Badger Army Ammunition Plant : salvaging lumber for reuse in low-income home construction

    Treesearch

    Robert H. Falk

    2005-01-01

    The buildings at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) were built in the early years of World War II wholly or partially from wood. The standing timber in these and other military structures is some of the last remaining of our Nation’s once vast old-growth forests. A collaborative effort of government, university, military, and community groups was organized to...

  6. Brains of Native and Alien Mesocarnivores in Biomonitoring of Toxic Metals in Europe

    PubMed Central

    Kalisinska, Elzbieta; Lanocha-Arendarczyk, Natalia; Kosik-Bogacka, Danuta; Budis, Halina; Podlasinska, Joanna; Popiolek, Marcin; Pirog, Agnieszka; Jedrzejewska, Ewa

    2016-01-01

    Mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are involved in mammalian brain damage. However, little is known about Pb and Cd brain levels in wildlife that reflect the geochemical background. The aims of the study include the estimation of Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations, and the determination of relationships between these elements in the brains of 94 mesocarnivores. Road-killed or hunted animals were obtained from north-western Poland near the Polish-German border. The investigation covered the native Eurasian otter Lutra lutra, badger Meles meles, pine marten Martes martes, beech marten M. foina, European polecat Mustela putorius, red fox Vulpes vulpes, and alien species: feral and ranch American mink Neovison vison, raccoon Procyon lotor and raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides. Depending on the diet and environmental pollution, the carnivore brains accumulated toxic metals in varying amounts. The highest median Hg levels (in mg/kg dry weight, dw) were found in the piscivorous Eurasian otter and feral mink (2.44 and 3.96), Pb in the omnivorous raccoon (0.47), while Cd in minks (~0.06). We indicated that Pb-based ammunition is a significant source of the element in scavengers from hunting area, and we also found a significant correlation between Pb and Cd levels in the fox brain. Finally, this study is the first to suggest background levels for brain Pb and Cd in mesocarnivores (<0.50 and <0.04 mg/kg dw, respectively). PMID:27513467

  7. Sarcoptic mange in Swedish wildlife.

    PubMed

    Mörner, T

    1992-12-01

    Mange caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. vulpes appeared among red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Scandinavia (south-west Finland) for the first time in this century in 1967. The disease was most probably introduced by foxes crossing the Gulf of Finland from Estonia. The mange epizootic spread northwards through Finland and reached Sweden in late 1975, when mangy foxes appeared in the northern part of the country. In 1984, mange was observed in most parts of Sweden. The disease was observed to spread rapidly in boreal areas, whereas it spread more slowly in agricultural areas. Mortality due to mange was very high. The duration of the disease before death due to emaciation has been shown experimentally to be over 90 days. An outbreak of fox mange among Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) occurred in 1986. The local population of Arctic foxes was caught and successfully treated. The following year, treated foxes were caught again and no signs of disease were found. Sporadic cases of fox mange have also been diagnosed in lynx (Lynx lynx), pine marten (Martes martes) and domestic dogs. Single cases have been observed in other species: wolf (Canis lupus), mountain hare (Lepus timidus), domestic cat and horse. No cases of sarcoptic mange have been recorded in the badger (Meles meles). At present, although fox mange occurs as an epizootic in local populations, the number of foxes has increased again in many parts of Sweden.

  8. Gauge-theoretic invariants for topological insulators: a bridge between Berry, Wess-Zumino, and Fu-Kane-Mele

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monaco, Domenico; Tauber, Clément

    2017-07-01

    We establish a connection between two recently proposed approaches to the understanding of the geometric origin of the Fu-Kane-Mele invariant FKM\\in Z_2, arising in the context of two-dimensional time-reversal symmetric topological insulators. On the one hand, the Z_2 invariant can be formulated in terms of the Berry connection and the Berry curvature of the Bloch bundle of occupied states over the Brillouin torus. On the other, using techniques from the theory of bundle gerbes, it is possible to provide an expression for FKM containing the square root of the Wess-Zumino amplitude for a certain U( N)-valued field over the Brillouin torus. We link the two formulas by showing directly the equality between the above-mentioned Wess-Zumino amplitude and the Berry phase, as well as between their square roots. An essential tool of independent interest is an equivariant version of the adjoint Polyakov-Wiegmann formula for fields T^2 → U(N), of which we provide a proof employing only basic homotopy theory and circumventing the language of bundle gerbes.

  9. Japanese Competitiveness and Japanese Management.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minabe, Shigeo

    1986-01-01

    Analyzes and compares Japanese and American industrial policy and labor practices. Proposes that certain aspects of the Japanese system be adapted by American businesses for purpose of increasing international competitiveness. Proposes specific actions and plans for both the Japanese and American systems. (ML)

  10. Wild boar tuberculosis in Iberian Atlantic Spain: a different picture from Mediterranean habitats

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Infections with Mycobacterium bovis and closely related members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) are shared between livestock, wildlife and sporadically human beings. Wildlife reservoirs exist worldwide and can interfere with bovine tuberculosis (TB) eradication efforts. The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a MTC maintenance host in Mediterranean Iberia (Spain and Portugal). However, few systematic studies in wild boar have been carried out in Atlantic regions. We describe the prevalence, distribution, pathology and epidemiology of MTC and other mycobacteria from wild boar in Atlantic Spain. A total of 2,067 wild boar were sampled between 2008 and 2012. Results The results provide insight into the current status of wild boar as MTC and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) hosts in temperate regions of continental Europe. The main findings were a low TB prevalence (2.6%), a low proportion of MTC infected wild boar displaying generalized TB lesions (16.7%), and a higher proportion of MAC infections (4.5%). Molecular typing revealed epidemiological links between wild boar and domestic – cattle, sheep and goat – and other wildlife – Eurasian badger (Meles meles) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) – hosts. Conclusions This study shows that the likelihood of MTC excretion by wild boar in Atlantic habitats is much lower than in Mediterranean areas. However, wild boar provide a good indicator of MTC circulation and, given the current re-emergence of animal TB, similar large-scale surveys would be advisable in other Atlantic regions of continental Europe. PMID:24010539

  11. Emergence of canine distemper virus strains with modified molecular signature and enhanced neuronal tropism leading to high mortality in wild carnivores.

    PubMed

    Origgi, F C; Plattet, P; Sattler, U; Robert, N; Casaubon, J; Mavrot, F; Pewsner, M; Wu, N; Giovannini, S; Oevermann, A; Stoffel, M H; Gaschen, V; Segner, H; Ryser-Degiorgis, M-P

    2012-11-01

    An ongoing canine distemper epidemic was first detected in Switzerland in the spring of 2009. Compared to previous local canine distemper outbreaks, it was characterized by unusually high morbidity and mortality, rapid spread over the country, and susceptibility of several wild carnivore species. Here, the authors describe the associated pathologic changes and phylogenetic and biological features of a multiple highly virulent canine distemper virus (CDV) strain detected in and/or isolated from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), stone (Martes foina) and pine (Martes martes) martens, from a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), and a domestic dog. The main lesions included interstitial to bronchointerstitial pneumonia and meningopolioencephalitis, whereas demyelination--the classic presentation of CDV infection--was observed in few cases only. In the brain lesions, viral inclusions were mainly in the nuclei of the neurons. Some significant differences in brain and lung lesions were observed between foxes and mustelids. Swiss CDV isolates shared together with a Hungarian CDV strain detected in 2004. In vitro analysis of the hemagglutinin protein from one of the Swiss CDV strains revealed functional and structural differences from that of the reference strain A75/17, with the Swiss strain showing increased surface expression and binding efficiency to the signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM). These features might be part of a novel molecular signature, which might have contributed to an increase in virus pathogenicity, partially explaining the high morbidity and mortality, the rapid spread, and the large host spectrum observed in this outbreak.

  12. Phylogenetic analysis of Austrian canine distemper virus strains from clinical samples from dogs and wild carnivores.

    PubMed

    Benetka, V; Leschnik, M; Affenzeller, N; Möstl, K

    2011-04-09

    Austrian field cases of canine distemper (14 dogs, one badger [Meles meles] and one stone marten [Martes foina]) from 2002 to 2007 were investigated and the case histories were summarised briefly. Phylogenetic analysis of fusion (F) and haemagglutinin (H) gene sequences revealed different canine distemper virus (CDV) lineages circulating in Austria. The majority of CDV strains detected from 2002 to 2004 were well embedded in the European lineage. One Austrian canine sample detected in 2003, with a high similarity to Hungarian sequences from 2005 to 2006, could be assigned to the Arctic group (phocine distemper virus type 2-like). The two canine sequences from 2007 formed a clearly distinct group flanked by sequences detected previously in China and the USA on an intermediate position between the European wildlife and the Asia-1 cluster. The Austrian wildlife strains (2006 and 2007) could be assigned to the European wildlife group and were most closely related to, yet clearly different from, the 2007 canine samples. To elucidate the epidemiological role of Austrian wildlife in the transmission of the disease to dogs and vice versa, H protein residues related to receptor and host specificity (residues 530 and 549) were analysed. All samples showed the amino acids expected for their host of origin, with the exception of a canine sequence from 2007, which had an intermediate position between wildlife and canine viral strains. In the period investigated, canine strains circulating in Austria could be assigned to four different lineages reflecting both a high diversity and probably different origins of virus introduction to Austria in different years.

  13. Fine-scale landscape genetics of the American badger (Taxidea taxus): disentangling landscape effects and sampling artifacts in a poorly understood species

    PubMed Central

    Kierepka, E M; Latch, E K

    2016-01-01

    Landscape genetics is a powerful tool for conservation because it identifies landscape features that are important for maintaining genetic connectivity between populations within heterogeneous landscapes. However, using landscape genetics in poorly understood species presents a number of challenges, namely, limited life history information for the focal population and spatially biased sampling. Both obstacles can reduce power in statistics, particularly in individual-based studies. In this study, we genotyped 233 American badgers in Wisconsin at 12 microsatellite loci to identify alternative statistical approaches that can be applied to poorly understood species in an individual-based framework. Badgers are protected in Wisconsin owing to an overall lack in life history information, so our study utilized partial redundancy analysis (RDA) and spatially lagged regressions to quantify how three landscape factors (Wisconsin River, Ecoregions and land cover) impacted gene flow. We also performed simulations to quantify errors created by spatially biased sampling. Statistical analyses first found that geographic distance was an important influence on gene flow, mainly driven by fine-scale positive spatial autocorrelations. After controlling for geographic distance, both RDA and regressions found that Wisconsin River and Agriculture were correlated with genetic differentiation. However, only Agriculture had an acceptable type I error rate (3–5%) to be considered biologically relevant. Collectively, this study highlights the benefits of combining robust statistics and error assessment via simulations and provides a method for hypothesis testing in individual-based landscape genetics. PMID:26243136

  14. Handling Japanese without a Japanese Operating System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatasa, Kazumi; And Others

    1992-01-01

    The Macintosh HyperCard environment has become a popular platform for Japanese language courseware because of its flexibility and ease of programing. This project created Japanese bitmap font files for the JIS Levels 1 and 2, and writing XFCNs for font manipulation, Japanese kana input, and answer correction. (12 references) (Author/LB)

  15. Emergence of a sylvatic enzootic formosan ferret badger-associated rabies in Taiwan and the geographical separation of two phylogenetic groups of rabies viruses.

    PubMed

    Tsai, K J; Hsu, W C; Chuang, W C; Chang, J C; Tu, Y C; Tsai, H J; Liu, H F; Wang, F I; Lee, S H

    2016-01-01

    Taiwan had been declared rabies-free in humans and domestic animals for five decades until July 2013, when surprisingly, three Formosan ferret badgers (FB) were diagnosed with rabies. Since then, a variety of wild carnivores and other wildlife species have been found dead, neurologically ill, or exhibiting aggressive behaviors around the island. To determine the affected animal species, geographic areas, and environments, animal bodies were examined for rabies by direct fluorescent antibody test (FAT). The viral genomes from the brains of selected rabid animals were sequenced for the phylogeny of rabies viruses (RABV). Out of a total of 1016 wild carnivores, 276/831 (33.2%) Formosan FBs were FAT positive, with occasional biting incidents in 1 dog and suspected spillover in 1 house shrew. All other animals tested, including dogs, cats, bats, mice, house shrews, and squirrels, were rabies-negative. The rabies was badger-associated and confined to nine counties/cities in sylvatic environments. Phylogeny of nucleoprotein and glycoprotein genes from 59 Formosan FB-associated RABV revealed them to be clustered in two distinct groups, TWI and TWII, consistent with the geographic segregation into western and eastern Taiwan provided by the Central Mountain Range and into northern rabies-free and central-southern rabies-affected regions by a river bisecting western Taiwan. The unique features of geographic and genetic segregation, sylvatic enzooticity, and FB-association of RABV suggest a logical strategy for the control of rabies in this nation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Indigenous Wildlife Rabies in Taiwan: Ferret Badgers, a Long Term Terrestrial Reservoir.

    PubMed

    Lan, Yu-Ching; Wen, Tzai-Hung; Chang, Chao-Chin; Liu, Hsin-Fu; Lee, Pei-Fen; Huang, Chung-Yuan; Chomel, Bruno B; Chen, Yi-Ming A

    2017-01-01

    The emerging disease of rabies was confirmed in Taiwan ferret badgers (FBs) and reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on July 17, 2013. The spread of wildlife rabies can be related to neighborhood countries in Asia. The phylogenetic analysis was conducted by maximum likelihood (ML) methods and the Bayesian coalescent approach based on the glycoprotein (G) and nucleoprotein (N) genes. The phylogeographic and spatial temporal dynamics of viral transmission were determined by using SPREAD, QGIS. Therefore, the origin and the change with time of the viruses can be identified. Results showed the rabies virus of FB strains in Taiwan is a unique clade among other strains in Asia. According to the phylogeographic coalescent tree, three major genotypes of the FB rabies virus have circulated in three different geographical areas in Taiwan. Two genotypes have distributed into central and southern Taiwan between two ecological river barriers. The third genotype has been limited in southeastern Taiwan by the natural mountain barrier. The diversity of FB rabies viruses indicates that the biological profile of FBs could vary in different geographical areas in Taiwan. An enhanced surveillance system needs to be established near the currently identified natural barriers for early warnings of the rabies virus outbreak in Taiwan.

  17. Indigenous Wildlife Rabies in Taiwan: Ferret Badgers, a Long Term Terrestrial Reservoir

    PubMed Central

    Wen, Tzai-Hung; Liu, Hsin-Fu; Lee, Pei-Fen; Chomel, Bruno B.

    2017-01-01

    The emerging disease of rabies was confirmed in Taiwan ferret badgers (FBs) and reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on July 17, 2013. The spread of wildlife rabies can be related to neighborhood countries in Asia. The phylogenetic analysis was conducted by maximum likelihood (ML) methods and the Bayesian coalescent approach based on the glycoprotein (G) and nucleoprotein (N) genes. The phylogeographic and spatial temporal dynamics of viral transmission were determined by using SPREAD, QGIS. Therefore, the origin and the change with time of the viruses can be identified. Results showed the rabies virus of FB strains in Taiwan is a unique clade among other strains in Asia. According to the phylogeographic coalescent tree, three major genotypes of the FB rabies virus have circulated in three different geographical areas in Taiwan. Two genotypes have distributed into central and southern Taiwan between two ecological river barriers. The third genotype has been limited in southeastern Taiwan by the natural mountain barrier. The diversity of FB rabies viruses indicates that the biological profile of FBs could vary in different geographical areas in Taiwan. An enhanced surveillance system needs to be established near the currently identified natural barriers for early warnings of the rabies virus outbreak in Taiwan. PMID:28497055

  18. Draft Supplement to the Environmental Statement Fiscal Year 1976 Proposed Program : Facilty Location Evaluation for Franklin-Badger Canyon 230-kV Line and Badger Canyon Substation Study Area 74-6B.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

    1974-10-22

    Proposed is the construction of a 15-mile, 230-kV double-circuit transmission line from Franklin Substation near Pasco, Washington, to a proposed new Badger Canyon Substation to be constructed 5 miles west of Kennewick, Washington. Depending on the final route location chosen, approximately 15 miles of 230-kV double circuit transmission line requiring 5.6 miles of new and 9.4 miles of existing right-of-way would be needed as well as approximately 2500 feet of new access road. Land use affected includes crossing Sacajawea State Park and passig through irrigated cropland and grassland on existing right-of-way, and depending on the alternative route chosen, could crossmore » land proposed for residential development and a proposed interstate highway. An additional 10 to 11 acres of potential cropland would be required for the proposed substation. Disturbance to wildlife during construction would occur and habitat associated with the above land uses would be eliminated. Some erosion and sedimentation would occur. Visual impacts would affect Sacajawea State Park, a proposed highway, and potential residential development land. Noise and other disturbances to residents will occur, primarily during construction.« less

  19. Do American born Japanese children still grow faster than native Japanese?

    PubMed

    Kano, K; Chung, C S

    1975-09-01

    Growth patterns of Japanese schoolchildren in Hawaii, composed of 2,954 boys and 3,213 girls aged between 11 and 17, were compared with those comparable groups of Japanese schoolchildren in Japan based on the data published by the Japanese Ministry of Education. Growth characteristics studied were height, weight, and relative weight index, weight/(height). The Hawaii-Japanese boys were taller at early ages but the difference disappeared by age 16. Native Japanese girls were shorter than Hawaii-Japanese until age 13, but they overtook the latter by age 14, exceeding them in height after age 15. A similar pattern was found in weights of girls but the Hawaii-Japanese boys remained consistently heavier by 5.0 to 9.0 kg than native Japanese. The relative weight measure indicated that the Hawaii boys were more "obese" than native Japanese boys for the growth period studied; whereas the same tendency was maintained until age 15 in girls. These observations indicate a marked degree of convergence of the patterns of physical growth of the two populations, whose differences were unmistakably in favor of American born children in earlier studies. It is concluded that the convergence is due largely to the improved environmental conditions in Japan in recent years.

  20. [Sequencing and analysis of complete genome of rabies viruses isolated from Chinese Ferret-Badger and dog in Zhejiang province].

    PubMed

    Lei, Yong-Liang; Wang, Xiao-Guang; Tao, Xiao-Yan; Li, Hao; Meng, Sheng-Li; Chen, Xiu-Ying; Liu, Fu-Ming; Ye, Bi-Feng; Tang, Qing

    2010-01-01

    Based on sequencing the full-length genomes of four Chinese Ferret-Badger and dog, we analyze the properties of rabies viruses genetic variation in molecular level, get the information about rabies viruses prevalence and variation in Zhejiang, and enrich the genome database of rabies viruses street strains isolated from China. Rabies viruses in suckling mice were isolated, overlapped fragments were amplified by RT-PCR and full-length genomes were assembled to analyze the nucleotide and deduced protein similarities and phylogenetic analyses from Chinese Ferret-Badger, dog, sika deer, vole, used vaccine strain were determined. The four full-length genomes were sequenced completely and had the same genetic structure with the length of 11, 923 nts or 11, 925 nts including 58 nts-Leader, 1353 nts-NP, 894 nts-PP, 609 nts-MP, 1575 nts-GP, 6386 nts-LP, and 2, 5, 5 nts- intergenic regions(IGRs), 423 nts-Pseudogene-like sequence (psi), 70 nts-Trailer. The four full-length genomes were in accordance with the properties of Rhabdoviridae Lyssa virus by BLAST and multi-sequence alignment. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences among Chinese strains had the highest similarity, especially among animals of the same species. Of the four full-length genomes, the similarity in amino acid level was dramatically higher than that in nucleotide level, so the nucleotide mutations happened in these four genomes were most synonymous mutations. Compared with the reference rabies viruses, the lengths of the five protein coding regions had no change, no recombination, only with a few point mutations. It was evident that the five proteins appeared to be stable. The variation sites and types of the four genomes were similar to the reference vaccine or street strains. And the four strains were genotype 1 according to the multi-sequence and phylogenetic analyses, which possessed the distinct district characteristics of China. Therefore, these four rabies viruses are likely to be street viruses

  1. Snapshot of viral infections in wild carnivores reveals ubiquity of parvovirus and susceptibility of Egyptian mongoose to feline panleukopenia virus.

    PubMed

    Duarte, Margarida D; Henriques, Ana Margarida; Barros, Sílvia Carla; Fagulha, Teresa; Mendonça, Paula; Carvalho, Paulo; Monteiro, Madalena; Fevereiro, Miguel; Basto, Mafalda P; Rosalino, Luís Miguel; Barros, Tânia; Bandeira, Victor; Fonseca, Carlos; Cunha, Mónica V

    2013-01-01

    The exposure of wild carnivores to viral pathogens, with emphasis on parvovirus (CPV/FPLV), was assessed based on the molecular screening of tissue samples from 128 hunted or accidentally road-killed animals collected in Portugal from 2008 to 2011, including Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon, n = 99), red fox (Vulpes vulpes, n = 19), stone marten (Martes foina, n = 3), common genet (Genetta genetta, n = 3) and Eurasian badger (Meles meles, n = 4). A high prevalence of parvovirus DNA (63%) was detected among all surveyed species, particularly in mongooses (58%) and red foxes (79%), along with the presence of CPV/FPLV circulating antibodies that were identified in 90% of a subset of parvovirus-DNA positive samples. Most specimens were extensively autolysed, restricting macro and microscopic investigations for lesion evaluation. Whenever possible to examine, signs of active disease were not present, supporting the hypothesis that the parvovirus vp2 gene fragments detected by real-time PCR possibly correspond to viral DNA reminiscent from previous infections. The molecular characterization of viruses, based on the analysis of the complete or partial sequence of the vp2 gene, allowed typifying three viral strains of mongoose and four red fox's as feline panleukopenia virus (FPLV) and one stone marten's as newCPV-2b type. The genetic similarity found between the FPLV viruses from free-ranging and captive wild species originated in Portugal and publicly available comparable sequences, suggests a closer genetic relatedness among FPLV circulating in Portugal. Although the clinical and epidemiological significance of infection could not be established, this study evidences that exposure of sympatric wild carnivores to parvovirus is common and geographically widespread, potentially carrying a risk to susceptible populations at the wildlife-domestic interface and to threatened species, such as the wildcat (Felis silvestris) and the critically

  2. Snapshot of Viral Infections in Wild Carnivores Reveals Ubiquity of Parvovirus and Susceptibility of Egyptian Mongoose to Feline Panleukopenia Virus

    PubMed Central

    Duarte, Margarida D.; Henriques, Ana Margarida; Barros, Sílvia Carla; Fagulha, Teresa; Mendonça, Paula; Carvalho, Paulo; Monteiro, Madalena; Fevereiro, Miguel; Basto, Mafalda P.; Rosalino, Luís Miguel; Barros, Tânia; Bandeira, Victor; Fonseca, Carlos; Cunha, Mónica V.

    2013-01-01

    The exposure of wild carnivores to viral pathogens, with emphasis on parvovirus (CPV/FPLV), was assessed based on the molecular screening of tissue samples from 128 hunted or accidentally road-killed animals collected in Portugal from 2008 to 2011, including Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon, n = 99), red fox (Vulpes vulpes, n = 19), stone marten (Martes foina, n = 3), common genet (Genetta genetta, n = 3) and Eurasian badger (Meles meles, n = 4). A high prevalence of parvovirus DNA (63%) was detected among all surveyed species, particularly in mongooses (58%) and red foxes (79%), along with the presence of CPV/FPLV circulating antibodies that were identified in 90% of a subset of parvovirus-DNA positive samples. Most specimens were extensively autolysed, restricting macro and microscopic investigations for lesion evaluation. Whenever possible to examine, signs of active disease were not present, supporting the hypothesis that the parvovirus vp2 gene fragments detected by real-time PCR possibly correspond to viral DNA reminiscent from previous infections. The molecular characterization of viruses, based on the analysis of the complete or partial sequence of the vp2 gene, allowed typifying three viral strains of mongoose and four red fox’s as feline panleukopenia virus (FPLV) and one stone marten’s as newCPV-2b type. The genetic similarity found between the FPLV viruses from free-ranging and captive wild species originated in Portugal and publicly available comparable sequences, suggests a closer genetic relatedness among FPLV circulating in Portugal. Although the clinical and epidemiological significance of infection could not be established, this study evidences that exposure of sympatric wild carnivores to parvovirus is common and geographically widespread, potentially carrying a risk to susceptible populations at the wildlife-domestic interface and to threatened species, such as the wildcat (Felis silvestris) and the critically

  3. Japaneseplex: A forensic SNP assay for identification of Japanese people using Japanese-specific alleles.

    PubMed

    Yuasa, Isao; Akane, Atsushi; Yamamoto, Toshimichi; Matsusue, Aya; Endoh, Minoru; Nakagawa, Mayumi; Umetsu, Kazuo; Ishikawa, Takaki; Iino, Morio

    2018-04-24

    It is sometimes necessary to determine whether a forensic biological sample came from a Japanese person. In this study, we developed a 60-locus SNP assay designed for the differentiation of Japanese people from other East Asians using entirely and nearly Japanese-specific alleles. This multiplex assay consisted of 6 independent PCR reactions followed by single nucleotide extension. The average number and standard deviation of Japanese-specific alleles possessed by an individual were 0.81 ± 0.93 in 108 Koreans from Seoul, 8.87 ± 2.89 in 103 Japanese from Tottori, 17.20 ± 3.80 in 88 Japanese from Okinawa, and 0 in 220 Han Chinese from Wuxi and Changsha. The Koreans had 0-4 Japanese-specific alleles per individual, whereas the Japanese had 4-26 Japanese-specific alleles. Almost all Japanese were distinguished from the Koreans and other people by the factorial correspondence and principal component analyses. The Snipper program was also useful to estimate the degree of Japaneseness. The method described here was successfully applied to the differentiation of Japanese from non-Japanese people in forensic cases. This Japanese-specific SNP assay was named Japaneseplex. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. [Understanding the symbolic values of Japanese onomatopoeia: comparison of Japanese and Chinese speakers].

    PubMed

    Haryu, Etsuko; Zhao, Lihua

    2007-10-01

    Do non-native speakers of the Japanese language understand the symbolic values of Japanese onomatopoeia matching a voiced/unvoiced consonant with a big/small sound made by a big/small object? In three experiments, participants who were native speakers of Japanese, Japanese-learning Chinese, or Chinese without knowledge of the Japanese language were shown two pictures. One picture was of a small object making a small sound, such as a small vase being broken, and the other was of a big object making a big sound, such as a big vase being broken. Participants were presented with two novel onomatopoetic words with voicing contrasts, e.g.,/dachan/vs./tachan/, and were told that each word corresponded to one of the two pictures. They were then asked to match the words to the corresponding pictures. Chinese without knowledge of Japanese performed only at chance level, whereas Japanese and Japanese-learning Chinese successfully matched a voiced/unvoiced consonant with a big/small object respectively. The results suggest that the key to understanding the symbolic values of voicing contrasts in Japanese onomatopoeia is some basic knowledge that is intrinsic to the Japanese language.

  5. The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davies, Roger J., Ed.; Ikeno, Osamu, Ed.

    This collection of essays offers an overview of contemporary Japanese culture, and can serve as a resource for classes studying Japan. The 28 essays offer an informative, accessible look at the values, attitudes, behavior patterns, and communication styles of modern Japan from the unique perspective of the Japanese people. Filled with examples…

  6. What Is Business Japanese? Designing a Japanese Course for Business Communication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koike, Shohei

    Experiences in developing "Business Japanese" courses for the undergraduate major in Language and International Trade at Eastern Michigan University are described. In 1987, six new courses in Japanese were proposed so that Japanese could be offered as a language specialty in the program. Issues considered in defining business Japanese…

  7. A Confirmatory Model for Substance Use Among Japanese American and Part-Japanese American Adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Williams, John Kino Yamaguchi; Else, 'Iwalani R. N.; Goebert, Deborah A.; Nishimura, Stephanie T.; Hishinuma, Earl S.; Andrade, Naleen N.

    2013-01-01

    Few studies have examined the effect of ethnicity and cultural identity on substance use among Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents. A cross-sequential study conducted in Hawai'i with 144 Japanese American and part-Japanese American adolescents assessed a model integrating Japanese ethnicity, cultural identity, substance use, major life events, and social support. Japanese American adolescents scored higher on the Japanese Culture Scale and on the Peers’ Social Support than the part-Japanese American adolescents. Significant associations for substance use and impairment included culturally intensified events and Japanese cultural identity- behavior subset. Models had good overall fits and suggested that conflict surrounding cultural identity may contribute to substance use. PMID:23480213

  8. Homogamy and Intermarriage of Japanese and Japanese Americans with Whites Surrounding World War II

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ono, Hiromi; Berg, Justin

    2010-01-01

    Although some sociologists have suggested that Japanese Americans quickly assimilated into mainstream America, scholars of Japanese America have highlighted the heightened exclusion that the group experienced. This study tracked historical shifts in the exclusion level of Japanese and Japanese Americans in the United States surrounding World War…

  9. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance and Japanese Expansionism 1902-1923.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-06-05

    Alienation 1919-1952. London: Cambridge University Press. 1982. • The Oriains of the Russo-Japanese War. London: Longman Group Limited. 1985. Nitobe ... Inazo . Bushido - The Soul of Japan. Tokyo: Tuttle. 1981. Okamoto, Shumpei. The Japan Oliaarchv and the Russo-Japanese War. New York: Columbia

  10. A Conceptual Model of Cultural Predictors of Anxiety among Japanese American and Part-Japanese American Adolescents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, John Kino Yamaguchi; Goebert, Deborah; Hishinuma, Earl; Miyamoto, Robin; Anzai, Neal; Izutsu, Satoru; Yanagida, Evelyn; Nishimura, Stephanie; Andrade, Naleen; Baker, F. M.

    2002-01-01

    Develops and assesses a model integrating Japanese ethnicity, cultural identity, and anxiety in Japanese American and part-Japanese American high school seniors. Japanese American adolescents scored higher on the scale and reported fewer anxiety symptoms than part-Japanese American adolescents. The model had a good overall fit, suggesting that…

  11. Statistical Machine Translation of Japanese

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-03-01

    hiragana and katakana) syllabaries…………………….. 20 3.2 Sample Japanese sentence showing kanji and kana……………………... 21 3.5 Japanese formality example...syllabary. 19 Figure 3.1. Japanese kana syllabaries, hiragana for native Japanese words, word endings, and particles, and katakana for foreign...Figure 3.2. Simple Japanese sentence showing the use of kanji, hiragana , and katakana. Kanji is used for nouns and verb, adjective, and

  12. Acculturation of Personality: A Three-Culture Study of Japanese, Japanese Americans, and European Americans.

    PubMed

    Güngör, Derya; Bornstein, Marc H; De Leersnyder, Jozefien; Cote, Linda; Ceulemans, Eva; Mesquita, Batja

    2013-07-01

    The present study tests the hypothesis that involvement with a new culture instigates changes in personality of immigrants that result in (a) better fit with the norms of the culture of destination and (b) reduced fit with the norms of the culture of origin. Participants were 40 Japanese first-generation immigrants to the United States, 57 Japanese monoculturals, and 60 U.S. monoculturals. All participants completed the Jackson Personality Inventory (JPI) as a measure of the Big Five; immigrants completed the Japanese American Acculturation Scale. Immigrants' fits with the cultures of destination and origin were calculated by correlating Japanese American mothers' patterns of ratings on the Big Five with the average patterns of ratings of European Americans and Japanese on the same personality dimensions. Japanese Americans became more "American" and less "Japanese" in their personality as they reported higher participation in the U.S. culture. The results support the view that personality can be subject to cultural influence.

  13. Americans and Japanese Nonverbal Communication. Linguistic Communications 15 (Papers in Japanese Linguistics 3).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Harvey M.

    Each culture has its own nonverbal as well as its verbal language. Movements, gestures and sounds have distinct and often conflicting interpretations in different countries. For Americans communicating with Japanese, misunderstandings are of two types: Japanese behavior which is completely new to the American, and Japanese behavior which is…

  14. Detraditionalisation: Japanese Students in the USA.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ueno, Junko

    2001-01-01

    Focuses on the identity formation of Japanese students temporarily living in the United States. The students were enrolled in Japanese Saturday school and in American public schools. Student interviews reveal a mixture of Japanese and American characteristics. Suggests Japanese students do not reject either culture--Japanese or American--but that…

  15. Japanese-English language equivalence of the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument among Japanese-Americans.

    PubMed

    Gibbons, Laura E; McCurry, Susan; Rhoads, Kristoffer; Masaki, Kamal; White, Lon; Borenstein, Amy R; Larson, Eric B; Crane, Paul K

    2009-02-01

    The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) was designed for use in cross-cultural studies of Japanese and Japanese-American elderly in Japan and the U.S.A. The measurement equivalence in Japanese and English had not been confirmed in prior studies. We analyzed the 40 CASI items for differential item functioning (DIF) related to test language, as well as self-reported proficiency with written Japanese, age, and educational attainment in two large epidemiologic studies of Japanese-American elderly: the Kame Project (n=1708) and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HAAS; n = 3148). DIF was present if the demographic groups differed in the probability of success on an item, after controlling for their underlying cognitive functioning ability. While seven CASI items had DIF related to language of testing in Kame (registration of one item; recall of one item; similes; judgment; repeating a phrase; reading and performing a command; and following a three-step instruction), the impact of DIF on participants' scores was minimal. Mean scores for Japanese and English speakers in Kame changed by <0.1 SD after accounting for DIF related to test language. In HAAS, insufficient numbers of participants were tested in Japanese to assess DIF related to test language. In both studies, DIF related to written Japanese proficiency, age, and educational attainment had minimal impact. To the extent that DIF could be assessed, the CASI appeared to meet the goal of measuring cognitive function equivalently in Japanese and English. Stratified data collection would be needed to confirm this conclusion. DIF assessment should be used in other studies with multiple language groups to confirm that measures function equivalently or, if not, form scores that account for DIF.

  16. The Badger Company conceptual design of a 50 MGD desalination plant. Special report No. 10

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1965-08-01

    The objective of this study is to produce a design which advances the technology of seawater conversion and to present the results in a form which can be used by any qualified individual or firm as the basis for an architectural-engineering design. Ground rules furnished by OSW specified that only the desalination section of a dual-purpose power-water plant be considered and that it be designed for a 30-year life. Process and structural design ideas are to be presented in terms of the complete plant concept. The complex is to be located on a typical California coastal site with capital andmore » operating costs based on December, 1964, values. The Badger study considers the Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) process, achieving a minimum overall pressure drop by an uninterrupted flow path of brine and product water through the evaporator flashing area. A performance ratio of 20 pounds of product water per pound of steam yields a calculated water cost of $0.323 per thousand gallons. The specified 30-year write-off at low interest rates allows comparatively high capital expenditures favoring titanium tubing for brine service which contributes to low maintenance and operating costs. (GRA)« less

  17. Japanese Encephalitis: Frequently Asked Questions

    MedlinePlus

    ... the vaccine, what should I do? What is Japanese encephalitis? Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a potentially severe ... cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Where does Japanese encephalitis occur? JE occurs in Asia and parts ...

  18. Acculturation of Personality: A Three-Culture Study of Japanese, Japanese Americans, and European Americans

    PubMed Central

    Güngör, Derya; Bornstein, Marc H.; De Leersnyder, Jozefien; Cote, Linda; Ceulemans, Eva; Mesquita, Batja

    2013-01-01

    The present study tests the hypothesis that involvement with a new culture instigates changes in personality of immigrants that result in (a) better fit with the norms of the culture of destination and (b) reduced fit with the norms of the culture of origin. Participants were 40 Japanese first-generation immigrants to the United States, 57 Japanese monoculturals, and 60 U.S. monoculturals. All participants completed the Jackson Personality Inventory (JPI) as a measure of the Big Five; immigrants completed the Japanese American Acculturation Scale. Immigrants’ fits with the cultures of destination and origin were calculated by correlating Japanese American mothers’ patterns of ratings on the Big Five with the average patterns of ratings of European Americans and Japanese on the same personality dimensions. Japanese Americans became more “American” and less “Japanese” in their personality as they reported higher participation in the U.S. culture. The results support the view that personality can be subject to cultural influence. PMID:23935211

  19. Enhanced oil recovery utilizing high-angle wells in the Frontier Formation, Badger Basin Field, Park County, Wyoming. Final technical progress report, October 21, 1992--December 31, 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Walker, J.P.; Fortmann, R.G.

    1995-03-21

    Badger Basin Field was discovered in 1931. Production is principally from low-permeability fractured sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation. Though many wells initially produced at about 100 barrels of oil per day or more, they now produce at stripper rates. Only about 12% of the estimated 25 million barrels of oil originally in-place will be produced from the twenty-two attempted vertical completions. The goal of this joint project between Sierra Energy Company (Sierra) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) was to recover addition reserves at economic rates through the use of 3D seismic and horizontal drilling and completingmore » techniques.« less

  20. Homogamy and Intermarriage of Japanese and Japanese Americans With Whites Surrounding World War II.

    PubMed

    Ono, Hiromi; Berg, Justin

    2010-10-01

    Although some sociologists have suggested that Japanese Americans quickly assimilated into mainstream America, scholars of Japanese America have highlighted the heightened exclusion that the group experienced. This study tracked historical shifts in the exclusion level of Japanese and Japanese Americans in the United States surrounding World War II with homogamy and intermarriage with Whites for the prewar (1930-1940) and resettlement (1946-1966) marriage cohorts. The authors applied log-linear models to census microsamples (N = 1,590,416) to estimate the odds ratios of homogamy versus intermarriage. The unadjusted odds ratios of Japanese Americans declined between cohorts and appeared to be consistent with the assimilation hypothesis. Once compositional influences and educational pairing patterns were adjusted, however, the odds ratios increased and supported the heightened exclusion hypothesis.

  1. Trust in One’s Physician: The Role of Ethnic Match, Autonomy, Acculturation, and Religiosity Among Japanese and Japanese Americans

    PubMed Central

    Tarn, Derjung M.; Meredith, Lisa S.; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Matsumura, Shinji; Bito, Seiji; Oye, Robert K.; Liu, Honghu; Kahn, Katherine L.; Fukuhara, Shunichi; Wenger, Neil S.

    2005-01-01

    PURPOSE Trust is a cornerstone of the physician-patient relationship. We investigated the relation of patient characteristics, religiosity, acculturation, physician ethnicity, and insurance-mandated physician change to levels of trust in Japanese American and Japanese patients. METHODS A self-administered, cross-sectional questionnaire in English and Japanese (completed in the language of their choice) was given to community-based samples of 539 English-speaking Japanese Americans, 340 Japanese-speaking Japanese Americans, and 304 Japanese living in Japan. RESULTS Eighty-seven percent of English-speaking Japanese Americans, 93% of Japanese-speaking Japanese Americans, and 58% of Japanese living in Japan responded to trust items and reported mean trust scores of 83, 80, and 68, respectively, on a scale ranging from 0 to 100. In multivariate analyses, English-speaking and Japanese-speaking Japanese American respondents reported more trust than Japanese respondents living in Japan (P values <.001). Greater religiosity (P <.001), less desire for autonomy (P <.001), and physician-patient relationships of longer duration (P <.001) were related to increased trust. Among Japanese Americans, more acculturated respondents reported more trust (P <.001), and Japanese physicians were trusted more than physicians of another ethnicity. Among respondents prompted to change physicians because of insurance coverage, the 48% who did not want to switch reported less trust in their current physician than in their former physician (mean score of 82 vs 89, P <.001). CONCLUSIONS Religiosity, autonomy preference, and acculturation were strongly related to trust in one’s physician among the Japanese American and Japanese samples studied and may provide avenues to enhance the physician-patient relationship. The strong relationship of trust with patient-physician ethnic match and the loss of trust when patients, in retrospect, report leaving a preferred physician suggest unintended

  2. Uranium favorability of tertiary rocks in the Badger Flats, Elkhorn Thrust Area, Park and Teller Counties, Colorado

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Young, P.; Mickle, D.G.

    1976-10-01

    Uranium potential of Tertiary rocks in the Badger Flats--Elkhorn Thrust area of central Colorado is closely related to a widespread late Eocene erosion surface. Most uranium deposits in the area are in the Eocene Echo Park Alluvium and Oligocene Tallahassee Creek Conglomerate, which were deposited in paleodrainage channels on or above this surface. Arkosic detritus within the channels and overlying tuffaceous sedimentary rocks of the Antero and Florissant Formations of Oligocene age and silicic tuffs within the volcanic units provide abundant sources of uranium that could be concentrated in the channels where carbonaceous debris facilitates a reducing environment. Anomalous soil,more » water, and stream-sediment samples near the Elkhorn Thrust and in Antero basin overlie buried channels or are offset from them along structural trends; therefore, uranium-bearing ground water may have moved upward from buried uranium deposits along faults. The area covered by rocks younger than the late Eocene erosion surface, specifically the trends of mapped or inferred paleochannels filled with Echo Park Alluvium and Tallahassee Creek Conglomerate, and the Antero Formation are favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits.« less

  3. The modern Japanese color lexicon.

    PubMed

    Kuriki, Ichiro; Lange, Ryan; Muto, Yumiko; Brown, Angela M; Fukuda, Kazuho; Tokunaga, Rumi; Lindsey, Delwin T; Uchikawa, Keiji; Shioiri, Satoshi

    2017-03-01

    Despite numerous prior studies, important questions about the Japanese color lexicon persist, particularly about the number of Japanese basic color terms and their deployment across color space. Here, 57 native Japanese speakers provided monolexemic terms for 320 chromatic and 10 achromatic Munsell color samples. Through k-means cluster analysis we revealed 16 statistically distinct Japanese chromatic categories. These included eight chromatic basic color terms (aka/red, ki/yellow, midori/green, ao/blue, pink, orange, cha/brown, and murasaki/purple) plus eight additional terms: mizu ("water")/light blue, hada ("skin tone")/peach, kon ("indigo")/dark blue, matcha ("green tea")/yellow-green, enji/maroon, oudo ("sand or mud")/mustard, yamabuki ("globeflower")/gold, and cream. Of these additional terms, mizu was used by 98% of informants, and emerged as a strong candidate for a 12th Japanese basic color term. Japanese and American English color-naming systems were broadly similar, except for color categories in one language (mizu, kon, teal, lavender, magenta, lime) that had no equivalent in the other. Our analysis revealed two statistically distinct Japanese motifs (or color-naming systems), which differed mainly in the extension of mizu across our color palette. Comparison of the present data with an earlier study by Uchikawa & Boynton (1987) suggests that some changes in the Japanese color lexicon have occurred over the last 30 years.

  4. Homogamy and Intermarriage of Japanese and Japanese Americans With Whites Surrounding World War II

    PubMed Central

    Ono, Hiromi; Berg, Justin

    2010-01-01

    Although some sociologists have suggested that Japanese Americans quickly assimilated into mainstream America, scholars of Japanese America have highlighted the heightened exclusion that the group experienced. This study tracked historical shifts in the exclusion level of Japanese and Japanese Americans in the United States surrounding World War II with homogamy and intermarriage with Whites for the prewar (1930–1940) and resettlement (1946–1966) marriage cohorts. The authors applied log-linear models to census microsamples (N = 1,590,416) to estimate the odds ratios of homogamy versus intermarriage. The unadjusted odds ratios of Japanese Americans declined between cohorts and appeared to be consistent with the assimilation hypothesis. Once compositional influences and educational pairing patterns were adjusted, however, the odds ratios increased and supported the heightened exclusion hypothesis. PMID:21116449

  5. Linking bovine tuberculosis on cattle farms to white-tailed deer and environmental variables using Bayesian hierarchical analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Walter, W. David; Smith, Rick; Vanderklok, Mike; VerCauterren, Kurt C.

    2014-01-01

    Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis in livestock and wildlife with hosts that include Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Risk-assessment efforts in Michigan have been initiated on farms to minimize interactions of cattle with wildlife hosts but research onM. bovis on cattle farms has not investigated the spatial context of disease epidemiology. To incorporate spatially explicit data, initial likelihood of infection probabilities for cattle farms tested for M. bovis, prevalence of M. bovis in white-tailed deer, deer density, and environmental variables for each farm were modeled in a Bayesian hierarchical framework. We used geo-referenced locations of 762 cattle farms that have been tested for M. bovis, white-tailed deer prevalence, and several environmental variables that may lead to long-term survival and viability of M. bovis on farms and surrounding habitats (i.e., soil type, habitat type). Bayesian hierarchical analyses identified deer prevalence and proportion of sandy soil within our sampling grid as the most supported model. Analysis of cattle farms tested for M. bovisidentified that for every 1% increase in sandy soil resulted in an increase in odds of infection by 4%. Our analysis revealed that the influence of prevalence of M. bovis in white-tailed deer was still a concern even after considerable efforts to prevent cattle interactions with white-tailed deer through on-farm mitigation and reduction in the deer population. Cattle farms test positive for M. bovis annually in our study area suggesting that the potential for an environmental source either on farms or in the surrounding landscape may contributing to new or re-infections with M. bovis. Our research provides an initial assessment of potential environmental factors that could be incorporated into additional modeling efforts as more knowledge of deer herd

  6. Cultural Competence in Business Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koike, Shohei

    Cultural competence in business Japanese requires more than superficial knowledge of business etiquette. One must truly understand why Japanese people think and act differently from their American counterparts. For example, instruction in the use of Japanese taxis must be accompanied by instruction in the concept and implications of seating order…

  7. Statistics in Japanese universities.

    PubMed Central

    Ito, P K

    1979-01-01

    The teaching of statistics in the U.S. and Japanese universities is briefly reviewed. It is found that H. Hotelling's articles and subsequent relevant publications on the teaching of statistics have contributed to a considerable extent to the establishment of excellent departments of statistics in U.S. universities and colleges. Today the U.S. may be proud of many well-staffed and well-organized departments of theoretical and applied statistics with excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. On the contrary, no Japanese universities have an independent department of statistics at present, and the teaching of statistics has been spread among a heterogeneous group of departments of application. This was mainly due to the Japanese government regulation concerning the establishment of a university. However, it has recently been revised so that an independent department of statistics may be started in a Japanese university with undergraduate and graduate programs. It is hoped that discussions will be started among those concerned on the question of organization of the teaching of statistics in Japanese universities as soon as possible. PMID:396154

  8. Basic English Writers' Japanese-English Wordbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniels, F. J.

    The author of this Japanese-English wordbook suggests that it may be used by Japanese writers of English, by those translating from Japanese into English, and by learners of Japanese, in addition to its main intended uses as an aid to the preparation of teaching material and as a work of reference for teachers. A translator will need to supplement…

  9. Japanese Nationalism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-06-01

    United States. The chief function of this principle is to cut--it separates all things. It classifies everything into black and white, good and bad . The...content included articles on masturbation , petting, and 99 intercourse. One of Japan’s all time best selling books in recent years, Totto-chan, is a...to the th: every Japanese will be judged by whether he celebrates this or not. That is how people will be determined to be good Japanese or bad 112

  10. [The alteration of Japanese anatomical terminology in the early Showa period and the Japanese language reform campaign].

    PubMed

    Sawai, Tadashi; Sakai, Tatsuo

    2010-03-01

    In the second decade of the Showa period, great changes were made in the Japanese anatomical terms. It has been proposed that the presentation of JNA (Jenaer nomina anatomica) was one of the factors leading to the change. The Japanese language reform campaign, however, played an important role. The party kokugoaigo doumei and its successor kokugo kyokai required concise and unified technical terms. The anatomical nomenclature committee of the Japanese Association of Anatomists worked to satisfy this requirement. The committee consulted with nomenclature committees of other medical associations and took account of their opinions. The anatomical nomenclature committee abandoned the literal translation from Latin to Japanese and shaped a succinct Japanese terminology. Modern Japanese anatomical terms are based on this terminology.

  11. Compliment Responses: Comparing American Learners of Japanese, Native Japanese Speakers, and American Native English Speakers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatsumi, Naofumi

    2012-01-01

    Previous research shows that American learners of Japanese (AJs) tend to differ from native Japanese speakers in their compliment responses (CRs). Yokota (1986) and Shimizu (2009) have reported that AJs tend to respond more negatively than native Japanese speakers. It has also been reported that AJs' CRs tend to lack the use of avoidance or…

  12. Japanese American Identity Dilemma.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maykovich, Minako K.

    The major theme of this book is the label "Quiet American" for the Japanese American. In order to locate Japanese Americans sociologically and psychologically in the structure of American society, various concepts such as "marginal man,""alienation," and "inauthenticity" are examined, specifying these…

  13. Population structure in Japanese rice population

    PubMed Central

    Yamasaki, Masanori; Ideta, Osamu

    2013-01-01

    It is essential to elucidate genetic diversity and relationships among even related individuals and populations for plant breeding and genetic analysis. Since Japanese rice breeding has improved agronomic traits such as yield and eating quality, modern Japanese rice cultivars originated from narrow genetic resource and closely related. To resolve the population structure and genetic diversity in Japanese rice population, we used a total of 706 alleles detected by 134 simple sequence repeat markers in a total of 114 cultivars composed of 94 improved varieties and 20 landraces, which are representative and important for Japanese rice breeding. The landraces exhibit greater gene diversity than improved lines, suggesting that landraces can provide additional genetic diversity for future breeding. Model-based Bayesian clustering analysis revealed six subgroups and admixture situation in the cultivars, showing good agreement with pedigree information. This method could be superior to phylogenetic method in classifying a related population. The leading Japanese rice cultivar, Koshihikari is unique due to the specific genome constitution. We defined Japanese rice diverse sets that capture the maximum number of alleles for given sample sizes. These sets are useful for a variety of genetic application in Japanese rice cultivars. PMID:23641181

  14. Non-Native Japanese Listeners' Perception of Vowel Length Contrasts in Japanese and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsukada, Kimiko

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed to compare the perception of short vs. long vowel contrasts in Japanese and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) by four groups of listeners differing in their linguistic backgrounds: native Arabic (NA), native Japanese (NJ), non-native Japanese (NNJ) and Australian English (OZ) speakers. The NNJ and OZ groups shared the first language…

  15. Body composition and anthropometry in Japanese and Australian Caucasian males and Japanese females.

    PubMed

    Kagawa, Masaharu; Binns, Colin B; Hills, Andrew P

    2007-01-01

    The total amount and location of fat deposition are important factors in the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome. To date there have been no reported studies of ethnic and gender differences in body composition and fat distribution patterns in Japanese and Australian young adults. The aim of this study was to assess body composition of young Japanese and Australian Caucasian adults using whole-body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and anthropometry to examine body fat deposition patterns. Body composition of 45 Japanese males and 42 Australian Caucasian males living in Australia (aged 18-40 years) and 139 Japanese females living in Japan (aged 18-27 years) were measured using whole-body DXA scanning and anthropometry. Differences in relationships between BMI and waist circumference (WC), sum of skinfolds (SigmaSF) and %BF obtained from DXA were assessed using multivariate analyses. Distinct gender and ethnic differences (p<0.05) in bone density and waist circumference were observed but no gender differences in BMI and bone mineral content and no ethnic differences in sum of skinfolds and %BF. Both Japanese males and females showed a greater %BF at given BMI, WC and SigmaSF values (p<0.05). The results indicate differences in relationships between %BF and anthropometric measures in young Japanese compared to Caucasians and the importance of population-specific cut-off points for these indices. These findings also have implications for the development of chronic disease and further research, including studies in other Asian countries, is recommended.

  16. The Japanese containerless experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Azuma, Hisao

    1990-01-01

    There are three sets of Japanese containerless experiments. The first is Drop dynamics research. It consists of acoustic levitation and large amplitude drop oscillation. The second is Optical materials processing in an acoustic levitation furnace. And the third is Electrostatic levitator development by two different Japanese companies.

  17. Intercultural Communication Problems in Japanese Multinationals.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nishiyama, Kazuo

    Many large Japanese-owned multinational corporations have established successful subsidiaries in the United States, but distinct ethnic and cultural differences have caused communication problems between Japanese managers and American laborers and business people. Many top executives of the Japanese subsidiaries are sent to the United States on a…

  18. Shattering Myths: Japanese American Educational Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoshiwara, Florence M.

    An historical review of the immigration and resettlement patterns, and a demographic profile of Japanese Americans reveals a myth of the "successful minority." Since the founding of the Japanese American Citizens League in 1928, Japanese Americans have defeated alien land laws, discriminatory immigration quotas, anti-miscengenation laws,…

  19. [History of Japanese Committee for Anatomical Nomenclature].

    PubMed

    Kimura, Kunihiko

    2008-12-01

    This paper records a history of the Japanese Committee of Anatomical Nomenclature since 1990, as a supplement to the previous report (1991), explains a progressing of the edition of Japanese medical terms by the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences and the Ministry of Education, Sciences and Culture, and points out of some problems on terms in Japanese.

  20. Japanese Media in English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanaka, Sachiko Oda

    1995-01-01

    Describes the use of English in the media in Japan, focusing on the role and history of English-language newspapers, radio, and television programs, as well as the proliferation of English-language films shown in Japanese cinemas. Discusses the implications of English in the Japanese media. (20 references) (MDM)

  1. Ordinal Expressions in Japanese. Papers in Japanese Linguistics, Vol. 2, No. 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Backus, Robert L.

    The varied forms and semantic factors of Japanese ordinal expressions are related to one another in a coherent system. In Japanese, the cardinal number form is a numeral compound in construction with a referent. The numeral compound consists of a number and a numeral adjunct. Numeral adjuncts are derived from bound forms, or numeral suffixes, and…

  2. Japanese Interest in “Hotaru” (Fireflies) and “Kabuto-Mushi” (Japanese Rhinoceros Beetles) Corresponds with Seasonality in Visible Abundance

    PubMed Central

    Takada, Kenta

    2012-01-01

    Seasonal changes in the popularity of fireflies [usually Genji-fireflies (Luciola cruciata Motschulsky) in Japan] and Japanese rhinoceros beetles [Allomyrina dichotoma (Linne)] were investigated to examine whether contemporary Japanese are interested in visible emergence of these insects as seasonal events. The popularity of fireflies and Japanese rhinoceros beetles was assessed by the Google search volume of their Japanese names, “Hotaru” and “Kabuto-mushi” in Japanese Katakana script using Google Trends. The search volume index for fireflies and Japanese rhinoceros beetles was distributed across seasons with a clear peak in only particular times of each year from 2004 to 2011. In addition, the seasonal peak of popularity for fireflies occurred at the beginning of June, whereas that for Japanese rhinoceros beetles occurred from the middle of July to the beginning of August. Thus seasonal peak of each species coincided with the peak period of the emergence of each adult stage. These findings indicated that the Japanese are interested in these insects primarily during the time when the two species are most visibly abundant. Although untested, this could suggest that fireflies and Japanese rhinoceros beetles are perceived by the general public as indicators or symbols of summer in Japan. PMID:26466535

  3. First Course in Japanese: Character Workbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niwa, Tamako

    This character workbook is an introduction to Japanese writing designed to be used in conjunction with Parts One and Two of this introductory course in Japanese. All the "hiragana", several "katakana", and 88 Japanese characters are introduced in this text. The workbook, consisting of 30 lessons, is divided into three parts.…

  4. Developing Instructional Materials for Business Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koike, Shohei

    Business Japanese should be the study of Japanese language and culture for business communication and should include values and beliefs and institutional constraints on which the Japanese act as well as business etiquette and terminology. Topics to be covered in instruction will vary depending on the role (seller, buyer, or colleague) played by…

  5. Japanese Quality Control Circles.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nishiyama, Kazuo

    In recent years, United States scholars with an interest in international business and organizational communication have begun to notice the success of Japanese "quality control circles." These are small groups, usually composed of seven to ten workers, who are organized at the production levels within most large Japanese factories. A…

  6. Generations and Identity: The Japanese American.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitano, Harry H. L.

    The story of people of Japanese descent in the United States is told in its historic context. The Japanese came to America with cultural values that differed greatly from the mainstream U.S. society. They were also set apart by appearance. Conflict between Japan and the United States exacerbated the problems between the Japanese Americans and the…

  7. The Work Values of Japanese Women.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engel, John W.

    Empirical studies of Japanese work ethics have tended to focus on male workers while neglecting women. In addition, work values in both Japan and the United States appear to be changing. More information is needed on the work values of American and Japanese female workers. A study was conducted to explore the work ethics of Japanese women and to…

  8. Technological Diversification of Japanese Industry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kodama, Fumio

    1986-01-01

    Describes an approach for measuring industrial technological diversification behavior. Identifies sectoral patterns of Japanese industry as related to diversification behaviors. Delineates the mechanisms and effectiveness of Japanese corporate and government policies relevant to diversification. (ML)

  9. Modalities of Infant-Mother Interaction in Japanese, Japanese American Immigrant, and European American Dyads

    PubMed Central

    Bornstein, Marc H.; Cote, Linda R.; Haynes, O. Maurice; Suwalsky, Joan T. D.; Bakeman, Roger

    2011-01-01

    Cultural variation in relations and moment-to-moment contingencies of infant-mother person-oriented and object-oriented interactions were examined and compared in 118 Japanese, Japanese American immigrant, and European American dyads with 5.5-month-olds. Infant and mother person-oriented behaviors were positively related in all cultural groups, but infant and mother object-oriented behaviors were positively related only among European Americans. In all groups, infant and mother behaviors within each modality were mutually contingent. Culture moderated lead-lag relations: Japanese infants were more likely than their mothers to respond in object-oriented interactions, European American mothers were more likely than their infants to respond in person-oriented interactions. Japanese American dyads behaved more like European American dyads. Interaction, infant effects, and parent socialization findings are set in cultural and accultural models of transactions between young infants and their mothers. PMID:22860874

  10. Pretending to Be Japanese: Artistic Play in a Japanese-American Church and Family

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goto, Courtney T.

    2008-01-01

    With high rates of out-marriage and dwindling need for bilingual worship, Japanese-American churches face a critical question: "Why retain the Japanese part of our identity?" This article explores how one layperson (Naomi Takahashi Goto) draws from her experience as an artist, teacher, and mother to help her congregation answer this question.…

  11. New Frontiers for Japanese Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tucker, Frank H.

    1974-01-01

    Japanese literature, television, movies, and school texts from 1935 to 1955 are analyzed for their influence and contribution to Japanese youths' pioneering spirit and frontiermindedness. "Asian Affairs" is published by the American-Asian Educational Exchange, New York. (DE)

  12. 8 CFR 349.1 - Japanese renunciation of nationality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Japanese renunciation of nationality. 349.1... NATIONALITY § 349.1 Japanese renunciation of nationality. A Japanese who renounced United States nationality... void, shall complete Form N-576, Supplemental Affidavit to be Submitted with Applications of Japanese...

  13. Lifestyle characteristics assessment of Japanese in Pittsburgh, USA.

    PubMed

    Hirooka, Nobutaka; Takedai, Teiichi; D'Amico, Frank

    2012-04-01

    Lifestyle-related chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease are the greatest public health concerns. Evidence shows Japanese immigrants to a westernized environment have higher incidence of lifestyle-related diseases. However, little is known about lifestyle characteristics related to chronic diseases for Japanese in a westernized environment. This study is examining the gap in lifestyle by comparing the lifestyle prevalence for Japanese in the US with the Japanese National Data (the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan, J-NHANS) as well as the Japan National Health Promotion in the twenty-first Century (HJ21) goals. Japanese adults were surveyed in Pittsburgh, USA, regarding their lifestyle (e.g., diet, exercise, smoking, stress, alcohol, and oral hygiene). The prevalence was compared with J-NHANS and HJ21 goals. Ninety-three responded (response rate; 97.9%). Japanese men (n = 38) and women (n = 55) in Pittsburgh smoke less than Japanese in Japan (P < 0.001 for both genders). Japanese in Pittsburgh perform less physical activity in daily life and have lower prevalence of walking more than 1 h per day (P < 0.001 for both genders). Japanese women in Pittsburgh have significantly higher prevalence of stress than in Japan (P = 0.004). Japanese men in Pittsburgh do not reach HJ21 goal in weight management, BMI, use of medicine or alcohol to sleep, and sleep quality. Japanese women in Pittsburgh do not reach HJ21 goal in weight management and sleep quality. In conclusion, healthy lifestyle promotion including exercise and physical activity intervention for Japanese living in a westernized environment is warranted.

  14. A Powerful Protector of the Japanese People: The History of the Japanese Hospital in Steveston, British Columbia, Canada,18961942.

    PubMed

    Vandenberg, Helen

    2017-01-01

    From 1896 to 1942, a Japanese hospital operated in the village of Steveston, British Columbia, Canada. For the first 4 years, Japanese Methodist missionaries utilized a small mission building as a makeshift hospital, until a larger institution was constructed by the local Japanese Fishermen's Association in 1900. The hospital operated until the Japanese internment, after the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. This study offers important commentary about the relationships between health, hospitals, and race in British Columbia during a period of increased immigration and economic upheaval. From the unique perspective of Japanese leaders, this study provides new insight about how Japanese populations negotiated hospital care, despite a context of severe racial discrimination. Japanese populations utilized Christianization, fishing expertise, and hospital work to garner more equitable access to opportunities and resources. This study demonstrates that in addition to providing medical treatment, training grounds for health-care workers, and safe refuge for the sick, hospitals played a significant role in confronting broader racialized inequities in Canada's past.

  15. Some Design Issues for an Online Japanese Textbook

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nagata, Noriko

    2010-01-01

    This paper discusses several design issues in the development of a new online Japanese textbook, called "Robo-Sensei: Japanese Curriculum with Automated Feedback". When it is completed, the new online textbook will present a full Japanese curriculum. It extends a previously published online software program, "Robo-Sensei: Personal Japanese Tutor"…

  16. The Semantics and Pragmatics of Japanese Focus Particles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasegawa, Akio

    2011-01-01

    Japanese has a rich set of focus particles, several exclusive and additive particles, and, in addition, contrastive particles. This thesis provides a formal description of the meanings of Japanese focus particles and addresses two general questions: "What kinds concepts do Japanese focus particles express?" and "Why does Japanese have a larger…

  17. Re-Examining Patriotism in Japanese Education: Analysis of Japanese Elementary School Moral Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anzai, Shinobu

    2015-01-01

    In 1947 the Fundamental Law of Education (FLE) defined the pacifist principles for post-war Japanese education and was revised in 2006 for the first time in nearly 60 years. The revised FLE stipulates the importance of teaching love for country and region and Japanese culture and traditions with special emphasis on moral education. Today, this…

  18. Scores on morningness-eveningness and sleep habits of Korean students, Japanese students, and Japanese workers.

    PubMed

    Park, Y M; Matsumoto, K; Seo, Y J; Shinkoda, H; Park, K P

    1997-08-01

    The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and Life Habits Inventory were given to three groups of the same mean age: 533 Korean students, 468 Japanese students, and 311 Japanese workers. The distributions of scores on the questionnaire for these three groups are normal; however the Japanese students' distribution was slightly skewed towards the Evening type. The self-reported waking times and bedtimes for the three groups were late in the order of Morning, Intermediate, and Evening types. It is noteworthy, however, that the Korean students woke earlier than the Japanese students, and the workers always went to bed and woke earlier than the students. For the groups the variations in bedtime, waking time, and length of sleep were large, the sleep latency was long, and mood of the participants upon waking was bad in the order of the Morning. Intermediate, and Evening types. The scores of the Korean students were distributed more highly in the Morning type than were the Japanese students', but the students' sleep habits in both countries were quite similar. The subjects categorized as Evening types had more irregular sleep habits than those of the Morning type. In comparison with the student groups, Japanese workers of the same mean age had higher scores and slightly different sleep habits. The change in sleep habits could be seen as a result of the demands of employment, and the probable basis for difference in scores.

  19. Japanese Characters in Written Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buck, James H.

    From the sixth to the eighth century A.D., Japan was the recipient of massive cultural infusions from China. This acceptance of the Chinese pattern included, and to a great extent was based on, the acceptance of the Chinese language. The Chinese writing system was applied to Japanese because there was no other model to follow and in spite of the…

  20. Remedial investigation/feasibility study badger army ammunition plant Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 2. Feasibility study report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1994-08-01

    This Feasibility Study (FS) report for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was prepared by ABB Environmental Services, Inc. (ABB-ES) as a component of Task Order 1 of Contract DAAAl5-91-D-OOO8 with the U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC). This report uses the results presented in the Final Remedial Investigation (RI) report (ABB-ES, 1993a) to develop and screen alternatives for remediation of contaminated media at BAAP. The purpose of this FS report is to develop, screen, and evaluate site-specific remedial alternatives to mitigate the impact of site-derived chemicals and ultimately provide protection of human health and the environment. Preferredmore » alternatives for each site are included in this report. Based on previous environmental studies at BAAP, 11 potential hazardous waste sites were ranked according to potential contributions of hazardous chemicals to the environment. These sites were designated as Waste Management Areas because some of the sites contain multiple Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). The sites selected to undergo facility assessment and corrective actions are: the Propellant Burning Ground (including Landfill), Deterrent Burning Ground, existing Landfill, Settling Ponds and Spoils Disposal Area, Rocket Paste Area, Oleum Plant and Oleum Plant Pond, Nitroglycerine Pond, old Acid Area, new Acid Area, and Ballistics Pond. The USAEC added an 11th site, the Old Fuel Oil Tank, to the list in October 1989 after discovery of fuel-contaminated soils during excavation of a water line in the vicinity of the old fuel oil tank foundation.« less

  1. Remedial investigation/feasibility study badger army ammunition plant Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 1. Feasibility study report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1994-08-01

    This Feasibility Study (FS) report for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was prepared by ABB Environmental Services, Inc. (ABB-ES) as a component of Task Order 1 of Contract DAAAl5-91-D-OOO8 with the U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC). This report uses the results presented in the Final Remedial Investigation (RI) report (ABB-ES, 1993a) to develop and screen alternatives for remediation of contaminated media at BAAP. The purpose of this FS report is to develop, screen, and evaluate site-specific remedial alternatives to mitigate the impact of site-derived chemicals and ultimately provide protection of human health and the environment. Preferredmore » alternatives for each site are included in this report. Based on previous environmental studies at BAAP, 11 potential hazardous waste sites were ranked according to potential contributions of hazardous chemicals to the environment. These sites were designated as Waste Management Areas because some of the sites contain multiple Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). The sites selected to undergo facility assessment and corrective actions are: the Propellant Burning Ground (including Landfill), Deterrent Burning Ground, existing Landfill, Settling Ponds and Spoils Disposal Area, Rocket Paste Area, Oleum Plant and Oleum Plant Pond, Nitroglycerine Pond, old Acid Area, new Acid Area, and Ballistics Pond. The USAEC added an 11th site, the Old Fuel Oil Tank, to the list in October 1989 after discovery of fuel-contaminated soils during excavation of a water line in the vicinity of the old fuel oil tank foundation.« less

  2. Japanese/Korean Linguistics, Volume 8.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silva, David J., Ed.

    A collection of research in Japanese and Korean linguistics includes: "Repetition, Reformulation, and Definitions: Prosodic Indexes of Elaboration in Japanese" (Mieko Banno); "Projection of Talk Using Language, Intonation, Deictic and Iconic Gestures and Other Body Movements" (Keiko Emmett); "Turn-taking in Japanese…

  3. Geochemical aspects of some Japanese lavas.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Philpotts, J. A.; Martin, W.; Schnetzler, C. C.

    1971-01-01

    K, Rb, Sr, Ba and rare-earth concentrations in some Japanese lavas have been determined by mass-spectrometric stable-isotope dilution. The samples fall into three rare-earth groups corresponding to tholeiitic, high alumina and alkali basalts. Japanese tholeiites have trace element characteristics similar to those of oceanic ridge tholeiites except for distinctly higher relative concentrations of Ba. Japanese lavas may result from various degrees of partial fusion of amphibole eclogite.

  4. Phylogeography of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) in the Japanese Archipelago based on chloroplast DNA haplotypes.

    PubMed

    Sugahara, Kanako; Kaneko, Yuko; Ito, Satoshi; Yamanaka, Keisuke; Sakio, Hitoshi; Hoshizaki, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Wajiro; Yamanaka, Norikazu; Setoguchi, Hiroaki

    2011-01-01

    Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata: Hippocastanaceae) is one of the typical woody plants that grow in temperate riparian forests in the Japanese Archipelago. To analyze the phylogeography of this plant in the Japanese Archipelago, we determined cpDNA haplotypes for 337 samples from 55 populations covering the entire distribution range. Based on 1,313 bp of two spacers, we determined ten haplotypes that are distinguished from adjacent haplotypes by one or two steps. Most of the populations had a single haplotype, suggesting low diversity. Spatial analysis of molecular variance suggested three obvious phylogeographic structures in western Japan, where Japanese horse chestnut is scattered and isolated in mountainous areas. Conversely, no clear phylogeographic structure was observed from the northern to the southern limit of this species, including eastern Japan, where this plant is more common. Rare and private haplotypes were also found in southwestern Japan, where Japanese horse chestnuts are distributed sparsely. These findings imply that western Japan might have maintained a relatively large habitat for A. turbinata during the Quaternary climatic oscillations, while northerly regions could not.

  5. How the Japanese work.

    PubMed

    Chambers, D W

    1998-01-01

    The Japanese do not work harder or even use different approaches so much as they aim for a different result--one that balances process and results and extends the definition of quality beyond the product itself to include cost and convenience to the customer as well. Ten methods of the Japanese kaizen culture of work are presented with applications and contrasts to American dentistry.

  6. Japanese Language School: Aid or Hindrance to the Americanization of Japanese Americans in Hawaii?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shoho, Alan R.

    A study examined the experiences of 60 Japanese immigrants to Hawaii (Niseis), aged 61-80, who attended Japanese-language schools as children. Using a case study oral history approach, the study gathered oral testimonies through semi-structured interviews. Historical documents were also used as primary sources of information about the schools.…

  7. Japanese encephalitis - the prospects for new treatments.

    PubMed

    Turtle, Lance; Solomon, Tom

    2018-04-26

    Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in Asia and is caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a member of the genus Flavivirus. Although many flaviviruses can cause encephalitis, JEV causes particularly severe neurological manifestations. The virus causes loss of more disability-adjusted life years than any other arthropod-borne virus owing to the frequent neurological sequelae of the condition. Despite substantial advances in our understanding of Japanese encephalitis from in vitro studies and animal models, studies of pathogenesis and treatment in humans are lagging behind. Few mechanistic studies have been conducted in humans, and only four clinical trials of therapies for Japanese encephalitis have taken place in the past 10 years despite an estimated incidence of 69,000 cases per year. Previous trials for Japanese encephalitis might have been too small to detect important benefits of potential treatments. Many potential treatment targets exist for Japanese encephalitis, and pathogenesis and virological studies have uncovered mechanisms by which these drugs could work. In this Review, we summarize the epidemiology, clinical features, prevention and treatment of Japanese encephalitis and focus on potential new therapeutic strategies, based on repurposing existing compounds that are already suitable for human use and could be trialled without delay. We use our newly improved understanding of Japanese encephalitis pathogenesis to posit potential treatments and outline some of the many challenges that remain in tackling the disease in humans.

  8. Validating the Japanese translation of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation and comparing performance levels of American and Japanese students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishimoto, Michi; Thornton, Ronald K.; Sokoloff, David R.

    2014-12-01

    This study assesses the Japanese translation of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). Researchers are often interested in comparing the conceptual ideas of students with different cultural backgrounds. The FMCE has been useful in identifying the concepts of English-speaking students from different backgrounds. To identify effectively the conceptual ideas of Japanese students and to compare them to those of their English-speaking counterparts, more work is required. Because of differences between the Japanese and English languages, and between the Japanese and American educational systems, it is important to assess the Japanese translation of the FMCE, a conceptual evaluation originally developed in English for American students. To assess its appropriateness, we examined the performance of a large sample of students on the translated version of the FMCE and then compared the results to those of English-speaking students. The data comprise the pretest results of 1095 students, most of whom were first-year students at a midlevel engineering school between 2003 and 2012. Basic statistics and the classical test theory indices of the translated FMCE indicate that its reliability and discrimination are appropriate to assess Japanese students' concepts about force and motion. In general, the preconcepts of Japanese students assessed with the Japanese translation of the FMCE are quite similar to those of American students assessed with the FMCE, thereby supporting the validity of the translated version. However, our findings do show (1) that only a small percentage of Japanese students grasped Newtonian concepts and (2) that the percentage of Japanese students who used two different concept models together to answer some questions seems to be higher than that of American students.

  9. "A Powerful Protector of the Japanese People": The History of the Japanese Hospital in Steveston, British Columbia, Canada,1896-1942.

    PubMed

    Vandenberg, Helen

    2017-01-01

    From 1896 to 1942, a Japanese hospital operated in the village of Steveston, British Columbia, Canada. For the first 4 years, Japanese Methodist missionaries utilized a small mission building as a makeshift hospital, until a larger institution was constructed by the local Japanese Fishermen's Association in 1900. The hospital operated until the Japanese internment, after the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. This study offers important commentary about the relationships between health, hospitals, and race in British Columbia during a period of increased immigration and economic upheaval. From the unique perspective of Japanese leaders, this study provides new insight about how Japanese populations negotiated hospital care, despite a context of severe racial discrimination. Japanese populations utilized Christianization, fishing expertise, and hospital work to garner more equitable access to opportunities and resources. This study demonstrates that in addition to providing medical treatment, training grounds for health-care workers, and safe refuge for the sick, hospitals played a significant role in confronting broader racialized inequities in Canada's past.

  10. The Evolution of a Japanese Theory of Conflict Management and Implications for Japanese Foreign Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-12-01

    This thesis explores whether there is a uniquely Japanese method of conflict management Given the delicate balance of stability in Northeast Asia...Japanese leadership needs to use conflict management tools to resolve territorial claims with the governments of China, Russia, and South Korea, Given

  11. Cheilitis Glandularis: Two Case Reports of Asian-Japanese Men and Literature Review of Japanese Cases

    PubMed Central

    Yanagawa, Toru; Yamaguchi, Akira; Harada, Hiroyuki; Yamagata, Kenji; Ishibashi, Naomi; Noguchi, Masayuki; Onizawa, Kojiro; Bukawa, Hiroki

    2011-01-01

    Cheilitis glandularis (CG) is a rare disorder characterized by swelling of the lip with hyperplasia of the labial salivary glands. CG is most frequently encountered in the lower lip, in middle-aged to older Caucasian men; however Asian cases were rarely reported. In this paper we present two cases of CG in Asian-Japanese men. One was a 23-year-old male with CG of the superficial suppurative type. The other was a 54-year-old male with deep suppurative type. We also reviewed the Japanese cases of CG in the literature and discussed about clinical feature of Japanese CG. PMID:21991474

  12. Persistence of Ethnicity: The Japanese of Colorado.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Endo, Russell

    This paper presents an overview of the history of Japanese in Colorado. Japanese immigrants first came to Colorado between 1900 and 1910 as railroad laborers. Some became coal miners in southern Colorado; most others became farm laborers. Although the Japanese population during this period was small, communities developed in several locales. The…

  13. Inequities in Japanese Urban Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, June A.

    2005-01-01

    Interviews with Japanese public school educators allow a distinctive view of how the continuing economic decline in Japan has affected educational motivation and decision-making among students and parents. The nature of socioeconomic stratification within Japanese educational opportunity is seen as a continuing situation exacerbated by the costs…

  14. Sexual partner preference in female Japanese macaques.

    PubMed

    Vasey, Paul L

    2002-02-01

    Whether animals ever exhibit a preference for same-sex sexual partners is a subject of debate. Japanese macaques represent excellent models for examining issues related to sexual preference in animals because females, in certain populations, routinely engage in both heterosexual and homosexual behavior over the course of their life spans. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques is a sexual behavior, not a sociosexual one. Additional evidence indicates that female Japanese macaques do not engage in homosexual behavior simply because acceptable male mates are unavailable or unmotivated to copulate. Patterns of sexual partner choice by female Japanese macaques that are the focus of intersexual competition indicate that females of this species choose same-sex sexual partners even when they are simultaneously presented with a motivated, opposite-sex alternative. Thus, in some populations of Japanese macaques, females prefer certain same-sex sexual partners relative to certain male mates, and vice versa. Taken together, this evidence suggests that female Japanese macaques are best characterized as bisexual in orientation, not preferentially homosexual or preferentially heterosexual.

  15. A Japanese Agenda for Management Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lim, Howard

    1982-01-01

    Discusses myths about the Japanese management styles; what the West can learn from the Japanese; the concept of nonlinear management; and training modules which teach self-discipline, tolerance, and nonlinear management. (CT)

  16. Asian Pacific Perspectives: Japanese Americans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Los Angeles Unified School District, CA.

    These instructional materials on Japanese Americans for elementary students were developed through the K.E.Y.S. project (Knowledge of English Yields Success). Information is included on early immigrants, their historical and cultural background, and current problems of Japanese Americans. Resource guides describe the purpose of the unit, how to…

  17. Academic report on burnout among Japanese nurses.

    PubMed

    Kitaoka, Kazuyo; Masuda, Shinya

    2013-12-01

    Japanese nurses have increasingly experienced "burnout" in the past several years. Studies on Japanese nurses are required in order to explore how to prevent nursing burnout. The objectives of this report were to: (i) introduce the concept, definition, and measurement of burnout; (ii) look at an overview of the prevalence, possible causes, and consequences of burnout among Japanese nurses; and (iii) explore how to prevent burnout among nurses. The authors and co-researchers have been studying burnout among Japanese workers for more than 15 years. Therefore, previously performed studies were reviewed and summarized. In Japan, approximately 36% of human services professionals, such as nurses, were burned out compared to 18% of civil servants, and 12% of company employees. It was quite obvious that nurses are prone to burnout. The possible causes and consequences of burnout among Japanese nurses were reviewed. Excessive workloads and interpersonal conflict in the workplace were possible causes of burnout among Japanese nurses. The consequences of nurse burnout are potentially very serious, including medical accidents/errors. Issues to prevent nursing burnout were then reviewed. Enhancement of cognitive coping skills for female nurses and problem-solving skills for male nurses could contribute to prevention of burnout in nurses. The authors' previous study revealed that the new model of the organizational context of burnout developed by Leiter and Maslach could be applied to Japanese. Further examination is needed. This report supports the call to scale up burnout prevention strategy for Japanese nurses. © 2012 The Authors. Japan Journal of Nursing Science © 2012 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

  18. Japanese Neurosurgeons and Microsurgical Anatomy: A Historical Review

    PubMed Central

    MATSUSHIMA, Toshio; KAWASHIMA, Masatou; MATSUSHIMA, Ken; WANIBUCHI, Masahiko

    2015-01-01

    Research in microneurosurgical anatomy has contributed to great advances in neurosurgery in the last 40 years. Many Japanese neurosurgeons have traveled abroad to study microsurgical anatomy and played major roles in advancing and spreading the knowledge of anatomy, overcoming their disadvantage that the cadaver study has been strictly limited inside Japan. In Japan, they initiated an educational system for surgical anatomy that has contributed to the development and standardization of Japanese neurosurgery. For example, the Japanese Society for Microsurgical Anatomy started an annual educational meeting in the middle of 1980s and published its proceedings in Japanese every year for approximately 20 years. These are some of the achievements that bring worldwide credit to Japanese neurosurgeons. Not only should Japanese neurosurgeons improve their educational system but they should also contribute to the international education in this field, particularly in Asia. PMID:25797782

  19. Issei: Japanese Immigrants in Hawaii.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimura, Yukiko

    Coming to Hawaii before July 1, 1924, when the Japanese Exclusion Act became effective, the experiences of the Issei or first generation are described. Divided into four parts, this book examines the experiences of Japanese immigrants in Hawaii from 1885 through 1970. Part 1, "The Formation and Stabilization of the Issei Community,"…

  20. Pair-List Readings in Korean-Japanese, Chinese-Japanese and English-Japanese Interlanguage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marsden, Heather

    2008-01-01

    In English and Chinese, questions with a "wh"-object and a universally quantified subject (e.g. "What did everyone buy?") allow an individual answer ("Everyone bought apples.") and a pair-list answer ("Sam bought apples, Jo bought bananas, Sally bought..."). By contrast, the pair-list answer is reportedly unavailable in Japanese and Korean. This…

  1. Identification of Cha o 3 homolog Cry j 4 from Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar) pollen: Limitation of the present Japanese cedar-specific ASIT.

    PubMed

    Osada, Toshihiro; Tanaka, Yuki; Yamada, Akira; Sasaki, Eiji; Utsugi, Teruhiro

    2018-03-07

    About one-third of the Japanese population suffers from Japanese cedar pollinosis, which is frequently accompanied by Japanese cypress pollinosis. Recently, a novel major Japanese cypress pollen allergen, Cha o 3, was discovered. However, whether a Cha o 3 homolog is present in Japanese cedar pollen remains to be determined. Western blot analysis was performed using Cha o 3-specific antiserum. In addition, cloning of the gene encoding Cry j 4 was conducted using total cDNA from the male flower of Japanese cedar trees. Allergen potency and cross-reactivity were investigated using a T-cell proliferation assay, basophil activation test, and ImmunoCAP inhibition assay. A low amount of Cha o 3 homolog protein was detected in Japanese cedar pollen extract. The deduced amino acid sequence of Cry j 4 showed 84% identity to that of Cha o 3. Cross-reactivity between Cry j 4 and Cha o 3 was observed at the T cell and IgE levels. Cry j 4 was discovered as a counterpart allergen of Cha o 3 in Japanese cedar pollen, with a relationship similar to that between Cry j 1-Cha o 1 and Cry j 2-Cha o 2. Our findings also suggest that allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) using Japanese cedar pollen extract does not induce adequate immune tolerance to Cha o 3 due to the low amount of Cry j 4 in Japanese cedar pollen. Therefore, ASIT using Cha o 3 or cypress pollen extract coupled with Japanese cedar pollen extract is required in order to optimally control allergy symptoms during Japanese cypress pollen season. Copyright © 2018 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Marine Biodiversity in Japanese Waters

    PubMed Central

    Fujikura, Katsunori; Lindsay, Dhugal; Kitazato, Hiroshi; Nishida, Shuhei; Shirayama, Yoshihisa

    2010-01-01

    To understand marine biodiversity in Japanese waters, we have compiled information on the marine biota in Japanese waters, including the number of described species (species richness), the history of marine biology research in Japan, the state of knowledge, the number of endemic species, the number of identified but undescribed species, the number of known introduced species, and the number of taxonomic experts and identification guides, with consideration of the general ocean environmental background, such as the physical and geological settings. A total of 33,629 species have been reported to occur in Japanese waters. The state of knowledge was extremely variable, with taxa containing many inconspicuous, smaller species tending to be less well known. The total number of identified but undescribed species was at least 121,913. The total number of described species combined with the number of identified but undescribed species reached 155,542. This is the best estimate of the total number of species in Japanese waters and indicates that more than 70% of Japan's marine biodiversity remains un-described. The number of species reported as introduced into Japanese waters was 39. This is the first attempt to estimate species richness for all marine species in Japanese waters. Although its marine biota can be considered relatively well known, at least within the Asian-Pacific region, considering the vast number of different marine environments such as coral reefs, ocean trenches, ice-bound waters, methane seeps, and hydrothermal vents, much work remains to be done. We expect global change to have a tremendous impact on marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Japan is in a particularly suitable geographic situation and has a lot of facilities for conducting marine science research. Japan has an important responsibility to contribute to our understanding of life in the oceans. PMID:20689840

  3. Developmental Sentence Scoring for Japanese

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miyata, Susanne; MacWhinney, Brian; Otomo, Kiyoshi; Sirai, Hidetosi; Oshima-Takane, Yuriko; Hirakawa, Makiko; Shirai, Yasuhiro; Sugiura, Masatoshi; Itoh, Keiko

    2013-01-01

    This article reports on the development and use of the Developmental Sentence Scoring for Japanese (DSSJ), a new morpho-syntactical measure for Japanese constructed after the model of Lee's English Developmental Sentence Scoring model. Using this measure, the authors calculated DSSJ scores for 84 children divided into six age groups between 2;8…

  4. Remedial investigation/feasibility study badger army ammunition plant Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 3. Feasibility study report (Final)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1994-08-01

    This Feasibility Study (FS) report for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was prepared by ABB Environmental Services, Inc. (ABB-ES) as a component of Task Order 1 of Contract DAAAl5-91-D-OOO8 with the U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC). This report uses the results presented in the Final Remedial Investigation (RI) report (ABB-ES, 1993a) to develop and screen alternatives for remediation of contaminated media at BAAP. The purpose of this FS report is to develop, screen, and evaluate site-specific remedial alternatives to mitigate the impact of site-derived chemicals and ultimately provide protection of human health and the environment. Preferredmore » alternatives for each site are included in this report. Based on previous environmental studies at BAAP, 11 potential hazardous waste sites were ranked according to potential contributions of hazardous chemicals to the environment. These sites were designated as Waste Management Areas because some of the sites contain multiple Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). The sites selected to undergo facility assessment and corrective actions are: the Propellant Burning Ground (including Landfill), Deterrent Burning Ground, existing Landfill, Settling Ponds and Spoils Disposal Area, Rocket Paste Area, Oleum Plant and Oleum Plant Pond, Nitroglycerine Pond, old Acid Area, new Acid Area, and Ballistics Pond. The USAEC added an 11th site, the Old Fuel Oil Tank, to the list in October 1989 after discovery of fuel-contaminated soils during excavation of a water line in the vicinity of the old fuel oil tank foundation.« less

  5. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis induced by Japanese pear pollen.

    PubMed

    Yanagisawa, S; Nagaki, Y; Hiraki, S; Kadoi, C; Hayasaka, S; Teranishi, H

    1999-01-01

    To evaluate the ocular findings in patients with Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) pollinosis. Twenty-two farmers working on artificial pollination in Japanese pear orchards were examined for ocular itching, conjunctival conditions, presence of eosinophils in the conjunctival specimen, and nasal symptoms. Serum IgE antibody to Japanese pear pollen was determined in 16 farmers. Of the 22 subjects, 3 (Nos. 3, 4, and 13) exhibited ocular itching, conjunctival hyperemia, eosinophils in the conjunctival specimen, and positive serum IgE antibodies to Japanese pear pollen. In these patients, the conjunctivitis disappeared after treatment with topical cromoglycate. The present study demonstrated that seasonal allergic conjunctivitis may be induced by Japanese pear pollen (entomophilous flower pollen).

  6. Acquisition of Japanese contracted sounds in L1 phonology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsurutani, Chiharu

    2002-05-01

    Japanese possesses a group of palatalized consonants, known to Japanese scholars as the contracted sounds, [CjV]. English learners of Japanese appear to treat them initially as consonant + glide clusters, where there is an equivalent [Cj] cluster in English, or otherwise tend to insert an epenthetic vowel [CVjV]. The acquisition of the Japanese contracted sounds by first language (L1) learners has not been widely studied compared with the consonant clusters in English with which they bear a close phonetic resemblance but have quite a different phonological status. This is a study to investigate the L1 acquisition process of the Japanese contracted sounds (a) in order to observe how the palatalization gesture is acquired in Japanese and (b) to investigate differences in the sound acquisition processes of first and second language (L2) learners: Japanese children compared with English learners. To do this, the productions of Japanese children ranging in age from 2.5 to 3.5 years were transcribed and the pattern of misproduction was observed.

  7. Adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines in relation to metabolic risk factors in young Japanese women.

    PubMed

    Nishimura, Terumi; Murakami, Kentaro; Livingstone, M Barbara E; Sasaki, Satoshi; Uenishi, Kazuhiro

    2015-08-28

    While Japanese diets have attracted considerable attention because of, for example, the long-life expectancy in Japan, their health benefits have not been examined. In the present study, we cross-sectionally examined whether adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines is associated with metabolic risk factors in 1083 Japanese women aged 18-22 years. Based on the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top, adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines was assessed using dietary information on consumed servings of grain dishes, vegetable dishes, fish and meat dishes, milk and fruits and energy from snacks and alcoholic beverages during the preceding month, which was derived from a comprehensive diet history questionnaire. Higher dietary adherence was associated with higher intakes of protein, carbohydrate, dietary fibre, Na, K and vitamin C, and lower intakes of total and saturated fat. There was also an inverse association between dietary adherence and dietary energy density. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, dietary adherence was inversely associated with waist circumference (P for trend = 0·002). It also showed an inverse association with LDL-cholesterol concentrations (P for trend = 0·04). There was no association with the other metabolic risk factors examined, including BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total and HDL-cholesterol, TAG, glucose, glycated Hb and insulin concentrations. In conclusion, higher adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines, which was characterised by favourable dietary intakes of foods and nutrients as well as lower energy density, was associated with lower waist circumference and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in this group of young Japanese women.

  8. A Comparison of Maternal Care and Infant Behavior in Japanese-American, American, and Japanese Families.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caudill, William; Frost, Lois

    Previous studies have shown that American mothers, in contrast to Japanese, do more lively chatting to their babies, and that as a result, the American babies have a generally higher level of vocalization and, particularly, they respond with greater amounts of happy vocalization and gross motor activity than do Japanese babies. Thus, it appears…

  9. Generational Differences in Japanese Attitudes toward Women's Employment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engel, John W.

    Traditional ideals discourage Japanese women from working outside the home. This study was conducted to explore generational differences in Japanese attitudes toward women's employment and to interpret those differences in terms of social change. Questionnaires were distributed to approximately 900 Japanese men and women. Subjects were classified…

  10. Japanese International Business Communication: The Place of English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hilton, Chadwick B.

    1992-01-01

    Examines the use of English in Japanese business communication. Finds that English is an important element of Japanese international business policy and that an awareness of both Japanese corporate commitment to employee English proficiency and of the complexities of the use of English for special purposes benefits business communicators involved…

  11. Japanese Flagship Universities at a Crossroads

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yonezawa, Akiyoshi

    2007-01-01

    The increasing pace and scope of global structural change has left Japanese flagship universities at a crossroads. Reflecting upon historical trends, current policy changes and respective institutional strategies for global marketing among Japanese top research universities, the author discusses possible future directions for these institutions…

  12. Hotel Employees' Japanese Language Experiences: Implications and Suggestions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Makita-Discekici, Yasuko

    1998-01-01

    Analyzes the Japanese language learning experiences of 13 hotel employees in Guam. Results of the study present implications and suggestions for a Japanese language program for the hotel industry. The project began as a result of hotel employees frustrations when they were unable to communicate effectively with their Japanese guests. (Auth/JL)

  13. Differences in nutrient intakes and physical activity levels of Japanese and Australian Caucasian males living in Australia and Japanese males living in Japan.

    PubMed

    Kagawa, Masaharu; Saito, Yoko; Kerr, Deborah; Uchida, Hayato; Binns, Colin W

    2006-01-01

    The aim of the study was to determine the nutritional status and nutrient intakes of young Japanese males living in Australia and compared with Japanese males living in Japan and Australian Caucasian males. Four-day dietary records were obtained from 65 Japanese living in Australia (JA), 81 Japanese living in Japan (JJ), and 70 Australian Caucasian males (AA) aged 18-30 years old, together with body composition and physical activity level assessments using anthropometry and the questionnaire. Australian males were significantly taller and heavier than the Japanese counterparts and also showed a greater percent body fat (%BF) and height-corrected sum of skinfolds compared with Japanese males living in Japan (%BF: JJ = 16.6 +/- 5.2, AA = 18.7 +/- 5.6; height corrected sum of skinfolds: JJ = 78.8 +/- 37.3, AA = 96.0 +/- 39.5) (P<0.05). A greater proportion of Australian Caucasian males (98.6%) were involved in vigorous physical exercise than Japanese males (JA = 72.3%; JJ = 85.2%). The JA group consumed a greater amount of energy from protein and fat sources as well as greater calcium, iron, dietary fibre and niacin equivalents intakes than the JJ group (P<0.05). The results suggest that Japanese males living in Australia consumed more energy-dense westernised diet than Japanese males living in Japan. Because of lower physical activity level than Australian males, consumption of energy-dense diet may increase the risk of weight gain among Japanese males who stay in Australia for a long-term.

  14. The Sound Pattern of Japanese Surnames

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanaka, Yu

    2017-01-01

    Compound surnames in Japanese show complex phonological patterns, which pose challenges to current theories of phonology. This dissertation proposes an account of the segmental and prosodic issues in Japanese surnames and discusses their theoretical implications. Like regular compound words, compound surnames may undergo a sound alternation known…

  15. Japanese Children's Understanding of Notational Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Takahashi, Noboru

    2012-01-01

    This study examined Japanese children's understanding of two Japanese notational systems: "hiragana" and "kanji". In three experiments, 126 3- to 6-year-olds were asked to name words written in hiragana or kanji as they appeared with different pictures. Consistent with Bialystok ("Journal of Experimental Child…

  16. Japanese Experiment Module arrival

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-03-29

    Several components for delivery to the International Space Station sit in test stands inside the Space Station Processing Facility highbay. To the right, from back to front, are the Japanese Experiment Module, the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, and the European Space Agency's Columbus scientific research module. To the left in front is the starboard truss segment S5. Behind it is the test stand that will hold the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

  17. Ethnic difference in liver fat content: a cross-sectional observation among Japanese American in Hawaii, Japanese in Japan, and non-Hispanic whites in United States.

    PubMed

    Azuma, Koichiro; Curb, J David; Kadowaki, Takashi; Edmundowicz, Daniel; Kadowaki, Sayaka; Masaki, Kamal H; El-Saed, Aiman; Nishio, Yoshihiko; Seto, Todd B; Okamura, Tomonori; Cetinel, Cemal; Kadota, Aya; Sutton-Tyrrell, Kim; Miura, Katsuyuki; Evans, Rhobert W; Takamiya, Tomoko; Maegawa, Hiroshi; Miljkovic, Iva; Kuller, Lewis H; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Kelley, David E; Sekikawa, Akira

    2013-01-01

    We recently reported that Japanese had higher liver fat at a lower level of BMI compared with non-Hispanic whites (NHW). We hypothesize that ethnic difference in fat storage capacity contributes to this ethnic difference in liver fat. To examine this, we assessed liver fat among 244 Japanese-American aged 40-49, using regional computed-tomography images, along with metabolic variables. Despite the similar BMI between Japanese-Americans and NHW men, Japanese-Americans had more liver fat (liver to spleen attenuation ratio: 1.03 ± 0.22 for Japanese-Americans, and 1.07 ± 0.15 for NHW men; p < 0.05) and tended to have a greater disposition for fatty liver with an increase in BMI than NHW, indicating a clear difference between the two groups. In addition, liver fat is less in Japanese-Americans compared with Japanese men (1.03 ± 0.22 vs. 1.01 ± 0.16; p < 0.05), despite of a much higher BMI. These ethnic differences support the hypothesis that higher fat storage capacity indeed seems to be associated with less liver fat. In all the groups, liver fat content strongly correlated with triglycerides, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Nevertheless, these metabolic variables were worse in Japanese-Americans, despite of less liver fat, compared with Japanese. Moreover, CRP levels were least among Japanese with highest liver fat, and highest among NHW men with least liver fat, despite of a strong positive association between CRP and fatty liver within each population. Fat content in the liver is intermediate for Japanese-Americans compared with Japanese and NHW men, which supports the hypothesis of less fat storage capacity among Japanese, closely linked to ethnic difference in predisposition to fatty liver. © 2011 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Japanese experiment module (JEM)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kato, T.

    1986-01-01

    Japanese hardware elements studied during the definition phase of phase B are described. The hardware is called JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) and will be attached to the Space Station core. JEM consists of a pressurized module, an exposed facility, a scientific/equipment airlock, a local remote manipulator, and experimental logistic module. With all those hardware elements JEM will accommodate general scientific and technology development research (some of the elements are to utilize the advantage of the microgravity environment), and also accommodate control panels for the Space Station Mobile Remote Manipulator System and attached payloads.

  19. Anthropometric differences in preschool children of Japanese ancestry in Lima, Peru.

    PubMed

    Shimabuku, Roberto; Teruya, Alberto; Nakachi, Graciela

    2009-08-01

    Ethnic differences in the pattern and trend of growth and weight have been described in studies of migrant populations. Our objective was to compare anthropometric parameters and overweight prevalence in third and fourth generation Japanese descendant preschoolers within the Peruvian preschool population. A total of 337 measurements of height and weight from 284 children, three to five years of age, were taken over three years in one Japanese-Peruvian preschool center in Lima, Peru. The data of each parameter were classified into three ethnic groups according to their parents' surnames: Japanese descendant children (n = 104), with both parents with Japanese surnames; Japanese-Peruvian descendant (n = 93), one parent with a Japanese surname and one with a non-Japanese surname; and Peruvian descendant (n = 140), both parents with non-Japanese surnames. We used the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) 2000 growth charts as reference values to obtain centiles, Z scores, and body mass index (BMI). In boys, the three groups differed significantly in height, weight, BMI, Z scores, and overweight prevalence. Peruvian descendant boys were taller and heavier than Japanese-Peruvian and Japanese descendants. Moreover, Japanese-Peruvian descendant boys were taller and heavier than Japanese descendant boys. In girls, there were no significant differences in height and weight and in overweight prevalence among the three ethnic groups. Japanese descendants in Peru have height, weight and BMI values similar to those of Japanese children in Japan but lesser than Peruvian children. These findings may be related to differences in ethnic background.

  20. Study on Japanese Cornmint in Mississippi

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Japanese cornmint (Mentha canadensis L.) is a subtropical essential oil crop grown in Asia and South America. The essential oil of Japanese cornmint is the source for production of crystal (-)-menthol, which is a major aromatic agent used as a flavor, fragrance, and cooling sensation vector in the ...

  1. Risk factors for coronary artery calcification in Japanese patients.

    PubMed

    Shikada, Tomoki; Washio, Masakazu; Nishizaki, Akiko; Kakino, Takamori; Ooe, Kensuke; Ishibashi, Yuuji; Sagara, Shuuichirou; Morishige, Kunio; Tashiro, Hideki

    2015-07-01

    Because the prevalence of coronary artery calcification is lower among Japanese than among Western individuals, aspects of the Japanese lifestyle might be related to the development of calcification. We aimed to clarify the relationship between coronary artery calcium scores in Japanese patients and various lifestyle factors among the Japanese population. Study subjects were patients aged ≥20 years who underwent multidetector-row computed tomography. A total of 201 patients agreed to take part in this study and answered a questionnaire regarding lifestyle, medical history, and other factors. Old age, current and former smoking, sedentary work, short sleep time, coronary artery stenosis, treatment with statins, medical history of cerebrovascular disease, medical history of angina pectoris, medical history of ischemic heart disease, and medical history of dyslipidemia were associated with higher odds ratios than the other factors examined, while the Japanese-style breakfast (e.g. boiled rice, miso soup, grilled fish) was associated with lower odds ratios. In this study, smoking, sedentary work, short sleep time, and the Japanese-style breakfast were lifestyle factors related to coronary artery calcification. The lifestyle of Japanese people may be related to coronary calcification. Copyright © 2014 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Are Australian Fans of Anime and Manga Motivated to Learn Japanese Language?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armour, William S.; Iida, Sumiko

    2016-01-01

    Recent research into Japanese as a foreign language education has strongly emphasized the link between Japanese popular culture and learning Japanese. However, these studies have only targeted Japanese language learners in formal education contexts and have largely ignored those who are not studying Japanese or studying Japanese informally. This…

  3. Inhibition of chemically induced inflammation and pain by orally and topically administered leaf extract of Manihot esculenta Crantz in rodents.

    PubMed

    Adeyemi, Olufunmilayo O; Yemitan, Omoniyi K; Afolabi, Lateef

    2008-09-02

    The aqueous leaf extract of Manihot esculenta Crantz (MELE) is being used orally and topically in traditional African medicine for the treatment of inflammation and pain, and claimed to be safe. The anti-inflammatory effects of MELE (100-400 mg/kg, p.o. or 1-4%, w/w in petroleum jelly, topically) were tested against carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats as well as against xylene-induced ear oedema in mice. The analgesic effect of MELE (100-400 mg/kg, p.o. or 1-4%, w/w in petroleum jelly, topically) was tested against acetic acid-induced (20 microl, 0.6%, v/v in normal saline, i.p.) and acetylcholine-induced (8.3 mg/kg, i.p.) mouse writhing models. At 100-400 mg/kg, p.o. and 1-4% (w/w), topically, MELE produced significant inhibitions of carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and xylene-induced ear swelling in mice. Effects produced by MELE were significantly higher than those produced by indomethacin (10 mg/kg, s.c. or 1%, w/w in petroleum jelly) in the anti-inflammatory models. For the analgesic effect, MELE (100-400 mg/kg, orally) and (1-4%, w/w, topically), like aspirin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited significant (P<0.05) inhibition of acetic acid- and acetylcholine-induced mouse writhing tests, compared to untreated control. Effects produced by MELE were significantly lower than those produced by aspirin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) in the analgesic models, except for the topically administered extract on acetylcholine-induced pain. Acute oral administration up to 10 g/kg did not cause death within 14 days, but mortalities were produced in i.p. administered extract with LD(50) of 2.5+/-0.3 g/kg. Based on these, the extract may contain orally safe, topically and orally effective anti-inflammatory and analgesic principles, which justify its use in traditional African medicine.

  4. Japanese encephalitis in a French traveler to Nepal.

    PubMed

    Lagarde, S; Lagier, J-C; Charrel, R; Quérat, G; Vanhomwegen, J; Desprès, P; Pelletier, J; Kaphan, E

    2014-02-01

    Japanese encephalitis is frequent in Asia, with a severe prognosis, but rare in travelers. Culex mosquitoes transmit Japanese encephalitis virus. Risk factors are destination, duration of stay, summer and fall seasons, outdoor activities, and type of accommodation. We report the case of a French traveler to Nepal with neutralization-based serological confirmed Japanese encephalitis. He presented classical clinical (viral syndrome before an encephalitis status with behavioral disorder, global hypotonia, mutism, movement disorders, seizure, and coma), radiological (lesions of thalami, cortico-spinal tracts, and brainstem) and biological features (lymphocytic meningitis). Nowadays, the presence of Japanese encephalitis virus in Nepal, including mountain areas, is established but Japanese encephalitis remains rare in travelers returning from this area and neurologist physicians need to become familiar with this. We recommend vaccination for travelers spending a long period of time in Nepal and having at-risk outdoor activities.

  5. Japanese Moral Education Past and Present.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khan, Yoshimitsu

    For generations, moral development has been both a conscious aim and a formal process in Japanese education. This book investigates the history and development of Japanese moral education and analyzes and compares current moral education with the concepts of the Imperial Rescript on Education (1890) and the "shushin" moral education of…

  6. The Strategies Used in Japanese Advertisement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kurose, Yuki

    This paper investigates the possibility of using Japanese advertising language as a teaching tool in the second language classroom. First, it reviews the aims of advertising and the advantages of learning advertising language in the classroom based on previous research. Next, it discusses language strategies used in Japanese advertising,…

  7. Numeral Incorporation in Japanese Sign Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ktejik, Mish

    2013-01-01

    This article explores the morphological process of numeral incorporation in Japanese Sign Language. Numeral incorporation is defined and the available research on numeral incorporation in signed language is discussed. The numeral signs in Japanese Sign Language are then introduced and followed by an explanation of the numeral morphemes which are…

  8. Intercultural Orientations as Japanese Language Learners' Motivation in Mainland China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lv, Leining; Gao, Xuesong; Teo, Timothy

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on a study that investigated how 665 Japanese language learners, who had started learning Japanese at different times in the last 3 decades, had been motivated to learn Japanese in China. Analysis of the survey data revealed that the participants displayed similar intercultural orientations when learning Japanese despite the…

  9. Japanese Experiment Module arrival

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-03-29

    The Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Space Station Processing Facility. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

  10. Japanese Experiment Module arrival

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-03-29

    Inside the Space Station Processing Facility, the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module is revealed after the top of the crate is removed. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

  11. Japanese Experiment Module arrival

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-03-29

    The Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Space Station Processing Facility for uncrating. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

  12. Japanese Suffixal Accentuation and Lexical Phonology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsujimura, Natsuko

    A study examined the applicability of the Ordering Hypothesis to Japanese suffixes. The hypothesis, which claims that affixes that trigger phonological rules (cyclical affixes) do not appear external to affixes that do not, is found to be an inappropriate assumption in Japanese. Examples in English and Chamorro support this finding. It is…

  13. Japanese-Style Management: A Bibliometric Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noguchi, Sachie

    1988-01-01

    Reports results of a bibliometric study of the literature on Japanese-style management published in western languages from 1971-84 in order to: (1) determine Japanese contributions to the literature; (2) determine whether there are nuclear journals for the subject; and (3) investigate how the flow of information from Japan to overseas countries…

  14. Metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese Japanese children.

    PubMed

    Yoshinaga, Masao; Tanaka, Satoru; Shimago, Atsushi; Sameshima, Koji; Nishi, Junichiro; Nomura, Yuichi; Kawano, Yoshifumi; Hashiguchi, Jun; Ichiki, Takeo; Shimizu, Shinichiro

    2005-07-01

    To determine the prevalence of and sex differences related to the metabolic syndrome among obese and overweight elementary school children. Subjects were 471 overweight or obese Japanese children. Children meeting at least three of the following five criteria qualified as having the metabolic syndrome: abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, and high fasting glucose levels. Fasting insulin levels were also examined. Japanese obese children were found to have a significantly lower prevalence (17.7%) of the metabolic syndrome than U.S. obese adolescents (28.7%, p = 0.0014). However, Japanese overweight children had a similar incidence (8.7%) of the metabolic syndrome compared with U.S. overweight adolescents (6.8%). Hyperinsulinemia in girls and abdominal obesity in boys are characteristic features of individual metabolic syndrome factors in Japanese children. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is not lower in preteen Japanese overweight children than in U.S. overweight adolescents, although it is significantly lower in Japanese obese preteen children than in U.S. obese adolescents. Primary and secondary interventions are needed for overweight preteen children in Japan.

  15. Cytokine profile and proviral load among Japanese immigrants and non-Japanese infected with HTLV-1 in a non-endemic area of Brazil.

    PubMed

    Domingos, João Américo; Soares, Luana Silva; Bandeira, Larissa M; Bonin, Camila Mareti; Vicente, Ana C P; Zanella, Louise; Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira; Tozetti, Inês Aparecida; Motta-Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio

    2017-01-01

    The lifetime risk of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) development differs among ethnic groups. To better understand these differences, this prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the cytokine profile and the HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in Japanese and non-Japanese populations with HAM/TSP and asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were quantified using the Cytometric Bead Array in 40 HTLV-1-infected patients (11 HAM/TSP and 29 ACs) and 18 healthy controls (HCs) in Brazil. Among ACs, 15 were Japanese descendants and 14 were non-Japanese. Of 11 patients with HAM/TSP, only one was a Japanese descendant. The HTLV-1 PVL was quantified by real-time PCR. The HTLV-1 PVL was 2.7-fold higher in HAM/TSP patients than ACs. Regardless of the clinical outcome, the PVL was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than older patients. The HAM/TSP and ACs had higher IL-10 serum concentrations than that of HCs. The ACs also showed higher IL-6 serum levels than those of HCs. According to age, the IL-10 and IL-6 levels were higher in ACs non-Japanese patients older than 60 years. HAM/TSP patients showed a positive correlation between IL-6 and IL-17 and a negative correlation between the PVL and IL-17 and IFN-γ. In the all ACs, a significant positive correlation was observed between IL-2 and IL-17 and a negative correlation was detected between IL-10 and TNF-α. Only 6.25% of the Japanese patients were symptomatic carriers, compared with 41.67% of the non-Japanese patients. In conclusion, this study showed that high levels of HTLV-1 PVL was intrinsicaly associated with the development of HAM/TSP. A higher HTLV-1 PVL and IL10 levels found in non-Japanese ACs over 60 years old, which compared with the Japanese group depicts that the ethnic background may interfere in the host immune status. More researches also need to be undertaken regarding the host genetic

  16. Cytokine profile and proviral load among Japanese immigrants and non-Japanese infected with HTLV-1 in a non-endemic area of Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Domingos, João Américo; Soares, Luana Silva; Bandeira, Larissa M.; Bonin, Camila Mareti; Vicente, Ana C. P.; Zanella, Louise; Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira; Tozetti, Inês Aparecida; Motta-Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio

    2017-01-01

    The lifetime risk of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) development differs among ethnic groups. To better understand these differences, this prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the cytokine profile and the HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in Japanese and non-Japanese populations with HAM/TSP and asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were quantified using the Cytometric Bead Array in 40 HTLV-1-infected patients (11 HAM/TSP and 29 ACs) and 18 healthy controls (HCs) in Brazil. Among ACs, 15 were Japanese descendants and 14 were non-Japanese. Of 11 patients with HAM/TSP, only one was a Japanese descendant. The HTLV-1 PVL was quantified by real-time PCR. The HTLV-1 PVL was 2.7-fold higher in HAM/TSP patients than ACs. Regardless of the clinical outcome, the PVL was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than older patients. The HAM/TSP and ACs had higher IL-10 serum concentrations than that of HCs. The ACs also showed higher IL-6 serum levels than those of HCs. According to age, the IL-10 and IL-6 levels were higher in ACs non-Japanese patients older than 60 years. HAM/TSP patients showed a positive correlation between IL-6 and IL-17 and a negative correlation between the PVL and IL-17 and IFN-γ. In the all ACs, a significant positive correlation was observed between IL-2 and IL-17 and a negative correlation was detected between IL-10 and TNF-α. Only 6.25% of the Japanese patients were symptomatic carriers, compared with 41.67% of the non-Japanese patients. In conclusion, this study showed that high levels of HTLV-1 PVL was intrinsicaly associated with the development of HAM/TSP. A higher HTLV-1 PVL and IL10 levels found in non-Japanese ACs over 60 years old, which compared with the Japanese group depicts that the ethnic background may interfere in the host immune status. More researches also need to be undertaken regarding the host genetic

  17. Japanese encephalitis

    PubMed Central

    Yun, Sang-Im; Lee, Young-Min

    2014-01-01

    Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an infectious disease of the central nervous system caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a zoonotic mosquito-borne flavivirus. JEV is prevalent in much of Asia and the Western Pacific, with over 4 billion people living at risk of infection. In the absence of antiviral intervention, vaccination is the only strategy to develop long-term sustainable protection against JEV infection. Over the past half-century, a mouse brain-derived inactivated vaccine has been used internationally for active immunization. To date, however, JEV is still a clinically important, emerging, and re-emerging human pathogen of global significance. In recent years, production of the mouse brain-derived vaccine has been discontinued, but 3 new cell culture-derived vaccines are available in various parts of the world. Here we review current aspects of JEV biology, summarize the 4 types of JEV vaccine, and discuss the potential of an infectious JEV cDNA technology for future vaccine development. PMID:24161909

  18. Acoustic Sources of Accent in Second Language Japanese Speech.

    PubMed

    Idemaru, Kaori; Wei, Peipei; Gubbins, Lucy

    2018-05-01

    This study reports an exploratory analysis of the acoustic characteristics of second language (L2) speech which give rise to the perception of a foreign accent. Japanese speech samples were collected from American English and Mandarin Chinese speakers ( n = 16 in each group) studying Japanese. The L2 participants and native speakers ( n = 10) provided speech samples modeling after six short sentences. Segmental (vowels and stops) and prosodic features (rhythm, tone, and fluency) were examined. Native Japanese listeners ( n = 10) rated the samples with regard to degrees of foreign accent. The analyses predicting accent ratings based on the acoustic measurements indicated that one of the prosodic features in particular, tone (defined as high and low patterns of pitch accent and intonation in this study), plays an important role in robustly predicting accent rating in L2 Japanese across the two first language (L1) backgrounds. These results were consistent with the prediction based on phonological and phonetic comparisons between Japanese and English, as well as Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. The results also revealed L1-specific predictors of perceived accent in Japanese. The findings of this study contribute to the growing literature that examines sources of perceived foreign accent.

  19. Business Japanese, a HyperCard Simulation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saito-Abbott, Yoshiko; Abbott, Thomas

    This paper describes Business Japanese (BJ), a HyperCard based tutorial designed as courseware for use in a third-year Japanese course at the University of Texas, Austin (UTA). A major objective was to develop good courseware based on proven language learning theory that would integrate theory, practice, and technology. BJ stresses a realistic and…

  20. Adult perceptions of phonotactic violations in Japanese

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fais, Laurel; Kajikawa, Sachiyo; Werker, Janet; Amano, Shigeaki

    2004-05-01

    Adult Japanese speakers ``hear'' epenthetic vowels in productions of Japanese-like words that violate the canonical CVCVCV form by containing internal consonant clusters (CVCCV) [Dupoux et al., J. Exp. Psychol. 25, 1568-1578 (1999)]. Given this finding, this research examined how Japanese adults rated the goodness of Japanese-like words produced without a vowel in the final syllable (CVC), and words produced without vowels in the penultimate and final syllables (CVCC). Furthermore, in some of these contexts, voiceless vowels may appear in fluent, casual Japanese productions, especially in the Kanto dialect, and in some, such voiceless vowels may not appear. Results indicate that both Kanto and Kinki speakers rated CVC productions for contexts in which voiceless vowels are not allowed as the worst; they rated CVC and CVCC contexts in which voiceless vowel productions are allowed as better. In these latter contexts, the CVC words, which result from the loss of one, final, vowel, are judged to be better than the CVCC words, which result from the loss of two (final and penultimate) vowels. These results mirror the relative seriousness of the phonotactic violations and indicate listeners have tacit knowledge of these regularities in their language.

  1. [Emotional display rules of Japanese and Koreans].

    PubMed

    Lee, Ye-jin; Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki

    2011-12-01

    Hypothetical stories designed to arouse feelings of happiness, sadness, or anger were presented to Japanese (n = 310) and Koreans (n = 286) university students. They were asked to rate the intensity of the emotion experienced, and to select the corresponding facial expression to display in an individual situation and in a social situation. Analyses of covariance were conducted on the rating scores of facial expression using the intensities of emotion as the covariance, except for happiness where the within-class regression coefficients were not homogeneous. The results showed that Japanese and Koreans shared the emotional display rules about the expressions of emotions in individual situations more than in social situations. Japanese thought that they should suppress emotions more than Koreans did. Moreover, the differences in facial expressions between Japanese and Koreans were greater in the individual situations than in the social situations.

  2. The Influence of Japanese Public Opinion and Government Policy on the Planning and Execution of U.S. - Japanese Bilateral Ground Exercises

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-06-01

    baseline knowledge of the 6 0L aa Y.S 00 evolution of Japanese Defense Policy focused on major defense-policy agreements and issues. The baseline...bilaterally with their Japanese counterparts. (Japanese soldiers stationed in northern Japan are excellent military skiers .) U.S. soldiers who receive...other cases, interviewees had knowledge and expertise regarding the evolution of bilateral exercises and negotiations necessary to initiate bilateral

  3. Japanese Robotic SFA during Expedition 22

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2010-03-10

    ISS022-E-089764 (10 March 2010) --- Looking through the Kibo airlock, the Japanese robotic Small Fine Arm (SFA), also known as ?Ko-bot?, is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 22 crew member in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station during its installation on the external Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility.

  4. [Evaluation of "Japanese Journal of Psychology" using citation analysis].

    PubMed

    Kato, Tsukasa; Baba, Mamiko; Tabata, Naoya; Shimoda, Shunsuke; Fukuda, Mildki; Okubo, Nobutoshi

    2013-06-01

    This study investigated the professional impact of "Japanese Journal of Psychology." Thirty four psychological journals written in Japanese were selected to register articles in a new database. This database included approximately 23,900 articles published through 2010. Using citations extracted from the references and footnotes in these scholarly journals, the Psychology Citation Index for Japanese Papers was created. The citation impact factors in Japanese psychology was determined on the basis of the number of times a journal was cited, cumulative impact factors, and the cited half-life of the journal; five years was a valid period for impact factor of psychological journals in Japan. The changes in the 5-year impact factors of "Japanese Journal of Psychology" were reviewed by comparing it with other journals.

  5. 75 FR 66748 - City of Kaukauna, WI; Notice of Authorization for Continued Project Operation

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-29

    ... City of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, licensee for the Badger-Rapide Croche Hydroelectric Project, filed an... thereunder. The Badger-Rapide Croche Hydroelectric Project is on the Fox River in Outagamie County, near the... operation of the Badger-Rapide Croche Hydroelectric Project, until such time as the Commission acts on its...

  6. 77 FR 3807 - Post Office Closing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-25

    ... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. A2012-110; Order No. 1149] Post Office Closing AGENCY... the closing of the Badger, Iowa post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and... for review of the Postal Service's determination to close the Badger post office in Badger, Iowa. The...

  7. Use of spoken and written Japanese did not protect Japanese-American men from cognitive decline in late life.

    PubMed

    Crane, Paul K; Gruhl, Jonathan C; Erosheva, Elena A; Gibbons, Laura E; McCurry, Susan M; Rhoads, Kristoffer; Nguyen, Viet; Arani, Keerthi; Masaki, Kamal; White, Lon

    2010-11-01

    Spoken bilingualism may be associated with cognitive reserve. Mastering a complicated written language may be associated with additional reserve. We sought to determine if midlife use of spoken and written Japanese was associated with lower rates of late life cognitive decline. Participants were second-generation Japanese-American men from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, born 1900-1919, free of dementia in 1991, and categorized based on midlife self-reported use of spoken and written Japanese (total n included in primary analysis = 2,520). Cognitive functioning was measured with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scored using item response theory. We used mixed effects models, controlling for age, income, education, smoking status, apolipoprotein E e4 alleles, and number of study visits. Rates of cognitive decline were not related to use of spoken or written Japanese. This finding was consistent across numerous sensitivity analyses. We did not find evidence to support the hypothesis that multilingualism is associated with cognitive reserve.

  8. Registry of the Japanese Society of Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation: the official Japanese lung transplantation report 2008.

    PubMed

    Shiraishi, Takeshi; Okada, Yoshinori; Sekine, Yasuo; Chida, Masayuki; Bando, Toru; Minami, Masato; Oto, Takahiro; Nagayasu, Takeshi; Date, Hiroshi; Kondo, Takashi

    2009-08-01

    The year 2008 marked the 10th anniversary of the Japanese lung transplantation program started in accordance with the Japanese Organ Transplant Law, which took effect in 1997. A total of 105 lung transplantations, including 39 deceased-donor transplants and 66 living-related transplants, had been performed as of the end of 2007. This article is the 2008 official report of the Japanese Society of Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation. It summarizes the data for clinical lung transplantation during the period 1998-2007 and discusses the current status of Japanese lung transplantation. The overall 5-year survival rate was 67.0%: including 53.4% and 74.6% for deceased-donor lung transplantation and living-donor lobar lung transplantation groups, respectively. The total operation-related and 1-month mortality rates after surgery were 3.8% and 10.4%, respectively. These data are better, or at least acceptable, in comparison with the international registry data.

  9. Use of Spoken and Written Japanese Did Not Protect Japanese-American Men From Cognitive Decline in Late Life

    PubMed Central

    Gruhl, Jonathan C.; Erosheva, Elena A.; Gibbons, Laura E.; McCurry, Susan M.; Rhoads, Kristoffer; Nguyen, Viet; Arani, Keerthi; Masaki, Kamal; White, Lon

    2010-01-01

    Objectives. Spoken bilingualism may be associated with cognitive reserve. Mastering a complicated written language may be associated with additional reserve. We sought to determine if midlife use of spoken and written Japanese was associated with lower rates of late life cognitive decline. Methods. Participants were second-generation Japanese-American men from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, born 1900–1919, free of dementia in 1991, and categorized based on midlife self-reported use of spoken and written Japanese (total n included in primary analysis = 2,520). Cognitive functioning was measured with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scored using item response theory. We used mixed effects models, controlling for age, income, education, smoking status, apolipoprotein E e4 alleles, and number of study visits. Results. Rates of cognitive decline were not related to use of spoken or written Japanese. This finding was consistent across numerous sensitivity analyses. Discussion. We did not find evidence to support the hypothesis that multilingualism is associated with cognitive reserve. PMID:20639282

  10. Enhanced oil recovery utilizing high-angle wells in the Frontier Formation, Badger Basin Field, Park County, Wyoming. Quarterly technical progress report, 1 October 1993--31 December 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fortmann, R.G.

    1994-01-14

    The goals during this period included the following objectives from the Statement of Work: in Phase 2A, completion of Subtask 2.1.4 -- Interpret data, of Task 2.1 -- Acquire 3-D seismic data; and, in Phase 2B, completion of Subtask 2.2.1 -- Solicit bids and award, and initiation of Subtask 2.2.2 -- Acquire cores, of Task 2.2 -- Drill slant hole. Subtask 2.1.4 -- Interpret data: Interpretation of the 3- D seismic survey was completed on a Sun Sparcstation10 workstation (UNIX based), using Landmark Graphics latest version of Seisworks 3D software. Subtask 2.2.2 -- Acquire cores: Sierra had picked a locationmore » and prepared a drilling plan for the slant/horizontal wellbores. Sierra was ready to submit an Application for Permit to Drill. However, due to the fact that Sierra entered into an agreement to sell the Badger Basin property, the drilling phase was put on hold.« less

  11. Education for International Understanding in Japanese Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sato, Teruo

    1979-01-01

    Describes the evolution and current status of education for international understanding within the Japanese school system. Topics discussed include the UNESCO associated schools, Japanese schools overseas, experimental schools for students who have returned from abroad, curricula, and objectives by grade level. (DB)

  12. Nucleotide sequences of Japanese isolates of citrus vein enation virus.

    PubMed

    Nakazono-Nagaoka, Eiko; Fujikawa, Takashi; Iwanami, Toru

    2017-03-01

    The genomic sequences of five Japanese isolates of citrus vein enation virus (CVEV) isolates that induce vein enation were determined and compared with that of the Spanish isolate VE-1. The nucleotide sequences of all Japanese isolates were 5,983 nt in length. The genomic RNA of Japanese isolates had five potential open reading frames (ORF 0, ORF 1, ORF 2, ORF 3, and ORF 5) in the positive-sense strand. The nucleotide sequence identity among the Japanese isolates and Spanish isolate VE-1 ranged from 98.0% to 99.8%. Comparison of the partial amino acid sequences of ten Japanese isolates and three Spanish isolates suggested that four amino acid residues, at positions of 83, 104, and 113 in ORF 2 and position 41 in ORF 5, might be unique to some Japanese isolates.

  13. Regional Classification of Traditional Japanese Folk Songs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawase, Akihiro; Tokosumi, Akifumi

    In this study, we focus on the melodies of Japanese folk songs, and examine the basic structures of Japanese folk songs that represent the characteristics of different regions. We sample the five largest song genres within the music corpora of the Nihon Min-yo Taikan (Anthology of Japanese Folk Songs), consisting of 202,246 tones from 1,794 song pieces from 45 prefectures in Japan. Then, we calculate the probabilities of 24 transition patterns that fill the interval of the perfect fourth pitch, which is the interval that maintains most of the frequency for one-step and two-step pitch transitions within 11 regions, in order to determine the parameters for cluster analysis. As a result, we successively classify the regions into two basic groups, eastern Japan and western Japan, which corresponds to geographical factors and cultural backgrounds, and also match accent distributions in the Japanese language.

  14. Offers and Requests: Performance by Japanese Learners of English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fukushima, Saeko

    1990-01-01

    A comparison of native and nonnative (Japanese) English speakers' expressions for offers and requests found that Japanese subjects were typically too direct in most situations and sounded rude, even when they intended to be polite. This suggests that the pragmatic competence of Japanese learners of English needs to be reinforced in language…

  15. The Japanese Automobile Worker: A Microcosm of Japan's Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaderabeck, Elizabeth A.

    A teaching unit on the Japanese automobile worker was developed from a compilation of on-site interviews with Japanese company managers and production line employees, and official publications of the Japanese car industry. The unit is designed to present a balanced picture of Japan's economic success and labor relations and to develop global…

  16. [Research on Japanese monograph of comprehensive dietetic materia medica, the Pao chu bei yong wo ming ben cao (Japanese Materia Medica Prepared for Kitchen)].

    PubMed

    Zhou, M; Ye, J

    2017-11-28

    Japanese physicians of Edo Period (1603-1867) wrote many dietetic books, by combining the knowledge system (content and compiling style) and thoughts of diet therapy from China with local condition in Japan. Among them, the Pao chu bei yong wo ming ben cao ( Japanese Materia Medica Prepared for Kitchen ), written by Mukai Genshou, a physician in the early Edo, is the earliest comprehensive work of dietetic materia medica. In this book, the choice and usage of Japanese dietetic materia medica reveals obvious Japanese local color, including the name, morphology, cultivation, collection, identification, nature and flavor, and indication etc., reflecting the sprouting idea of edible herbal plant at the beginning of Edo period and the characteristic of absorbing Chinese diet thoughts by Japanese physician. This is the important first-hand historical material to understand the development of Japanese dietetic herbalism in early Edo and its dietotherapy culture.

  17. The Japanese and the American First-Line Supervisor.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bryan, Leslie A., Jr.

    1982-01-01

    Compares the American and Japanese first-line supervisor: production statistics, supervisory style, company loyalty, management style, and communication. Also suggests what Americans might learn from the Japanese methods. (CT)

  18. Japanese Experiment Module arrival

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-03-29

    Inside the Space Station Processing Facility, workers monitor progress as a huge crane is used to remove the top of the crate carrying the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

  19. Standardisation of the Japanese diet for use in animal experiments.

    PubMed

    Sugawara, Saeko; Mizowaki, Yui; Iwagaki, Yui; Sakamoto, Yu; Yamamoto, Kazushi; Tsuduki, Tsuyoshi

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a purified diet that mimics the characteristics of the Japanese diet using readily available materials with a simpler composition and a focus on quality, with the goal of facilitating performance of studies on the Japanese diet worldwide. The utility of the new diet was examined as a mimic of the standard Japanese diet for use in animal experiments. We examined whether a key characteristic of the Japanese diet of being less likely to cause obesity could be reproduced. The mimic diet had a balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate based on the 1975 Japanese diet, which is the least likely to cause obesity, and materials chosen with reference to the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHNS). To examine similarities of the mimic diet with the model 1975 Japanese diet, we created a menu of the 1975 diet based on the NHNS and prepared the freeze-dried and powdered diet. The mimic diet, the 1975 Japanese diet, a control AIN-93G diet and a Western diet were fed to mice for 4 weeks. As a result, the mimic diet and the 1975 diet resulted in less accumulation of visceral fat and liver fat. Mice given these two diets showed similar effects. This indicates that the mimic diet used in this study has characteristics of the 1975 Japanese diet and could be used as a standard Japanese diet in animal experiments.

  20. Comparison of performance-based measures among native Japanese, Japanese-Americans in Hawaii and Caucasian women in the United States, ages 65 years and over: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Aoyagi, Kiyoshi; Ross, Philip D; Nevitt, Michael C; Davis, James W; Wasnich, Richard D; Hayashi, Takuo; Takemoto, Tai-ichiro

    2001-01-01

    Background Japanese (both in Japan and Hawaii) have a lower incidence of falls and of hip fracture than North American and European Caucasians, but the reasons for these differences are not clear. Subjects and Methods A cross-sectional study. We compared neuromuscular risk factors for falls using performance-based measures (chair stand time, usual and rapid walking speed, and grip strength) among 163 Japanese women in Japan, 681 Japanese-American women in Hawaii and 9403 Caucasian women in the United States aged 65 years and over. Results After adjusting for age, the Caucasian women required about 40% more time to complete 5 chair stands than either group of Japanese. Walking speed was about 10% slower among Caucasians than native Japanese, whereas Japanese-American women in Hawaii walked about 11% faster than native Japanese. Grip strength was greatest in Japan, which may reflect the rural farming district that this sample was drawn from. Additional adjustment for height, weight or body mass index increased the adjusted means of chair stand time and grip strength among Japanese, but the differences remained significant. Conclusions Both native Japanese and Japanese-American women in Hawaii performed better than Caucasians on chair stand time and walking speed tests, and native Japanese had greater grip strength than Japanese in Hawaii and Caucasians. The biological implications of these differences in performance are uncertain, but may be useful in planning future comparisons between populations. PMID:11696243

  1. Subarashii: Encounters in Japanese Spoken Language Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bernstein, Jared; Najmi, Amir; Ehsani, Farzad

    1999-01-01

    Describes Subarashii, an experimental computer-based interactive spoken-language education system designed to understand what a student is saying in Japanese and respond in a meaningful way in spoken Japanese. Implementation of a preprototype version of the Subarashii system identified strengths and limitations of continuous speech recognition…

  2. Connective Choice between Native and Japanese Speakers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tabuki, Masatoshi; Shimatani, Hiroshi

    A study investigated the use of connectors in English conversation between native Japanese-speakers and teachers outside the classroom. Data were drawn from six videotaped conversations between pairs of Japanese students, all learning beginning-level English, with conversational support provided by English teachers. The functions of four…

  3. Japanese Educational Patterns in Science and Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birnbaum, Henry

    1973-01-01

    Describes the Japanese educational system, and outlines some of the obstacles faced by students in progressing through successive levels from elementary school to university. Emphasizes undergraduate education, especially in science and engineering. The organization of the Japanese school system is schematically presented in a diagram. (JR)

  4. Comparison of the evapotranspiration and its components before and after thinning in Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress forest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tateishi, Makiko; Xiang, Yang; Matsuda, Hiroki; Saito, Takami; Sun, Haotian; Otsuki, Kyoichi; Kasahara, Tamao; Onda, Yuichi

    2014-05-01

    Water source area of Japan is often covered by forest, and 40 % of forest cover is coniferous plantation. Thinning has become a major tool in the management of plantation in recent years, but its effects on water cycle and its components are yet to be evaluated well. In this study, we investigated the changes in evapotranspiration and its components, including stand transpiration and canopy interception loss, after thinning in 50 years old Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress plantation at Yayama experimental catchment in Fukuoka, Japan. We established study plot in each Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress stand. Sap flow measurement was conducted for evaluating stand transpiration in each plot. Through fall and stem flow were also monitored to estimate canopy interception loss. The experiments were conducted over two years. During the measurements, 50 % of trees were thinned randomly in entire catchment, which has an area of 2.98 ha. Stem density was changed from 3945 to 1977 trees per ha after thinning. The reduction of daily stand transpiration in the studied Japanese cedar and cypress stands after thinning were 31.6 % and 48.2 % under the same condition of microclimate, respectively. These values were comparable to the changes in total sapwood area, 34.2 % and 44.5 %, and sap flow density did not change after thinning. It implies that sapwood area is a primary determinant of stand transpiration. Canopy interception ratios were 27 % and 26 % for Japanese cedar and cypress before thinning, and the ratios decreased to 24 % and 21 % after thinning, respectively. Thus, we obtained the changes in annual evapotranspiration and its components at catchment scale by using observation and models. The changes in partitioning of evapotranspiration is also discussed. The evapotranspiration before and after thinning were also compared to water balance data in this study site.

  5. Bilingual Dual Coding in Japanese Returnee Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taura, Hideyuki

    1998-01-01

    Investigates effects of second-language acquisition age, length of exposure to the second language, and Japanese language specificity on the bilingual dual coding hypothesis proposed by Paivio and Desrochers (1980). Balanced Japanese-English bilingual returnee (having resided in an English-speaking country) subjects were presented with pictures to…

  6. Genetic researches on growth traits of Japanese quail

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atalay, Sertaç

    2017-04-01

    The main objective of the poultry industry is to increase genetic capacity of animals. Growth is one of the most important economic trait in poultry production. Thus, to obtain genetically superior animals related to growth traits is one of the most important issues of poultry breeding programs. Japanese quail is one of the most productive animals in poultry species. Although Japanese quail is small body size, It has high meat and egg production yield. Japanese quail has also important breeding advantages such as short time generation interval, capacity to have a great number of birds per unit area, great reproductive performance, high resistance to diseases and low breeding cost. Therefore, Japanese quail has great advantages for genetic researches and can be used as model animal for major poultry species.

  7. Korean speech sound development in children from bilingual Japanese-Korean environments

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jeoung Suk; Lee, Jun Ho; Choi, Yoon Mi; Kim, Hyun Gi; Kim, Sung Hwan; Lee, Min Kyung

    2010-01-01

    Purpose This study investigates Korean speech sound development, including articulatory error patterns, among the Japanese-Korean children whose mothers are Japanese immigrants to Korea. Methods The subjects were 28 Japanese-Korean children with normal development born to Japanese women immigrants who lived in Jeonbuk province, Korea. They were assessed through Computerized Speech Lab 4500. The control group consisted of 15 Korean children who lived in the same area. Results The values of the voice onset time of consonants /ph/, /t/, /th/, and /k*/ among the children were prolonged. The children replaced the lenis sounds with aspirated or fortis sounds rather than replacing the fortis sounds with lenis or aspirated sounds, which are typical among Japanese immigrants. The children showed numerous articulatory errors for /c/ and /l/ sounds (similar to Koreans) rather than errors on /p/ sounds, which are more frequent among Japanese immigrants. The vowel formants of the children showed a significantly prolonged vowel /o/ as compared to that of Korean children (P<0.05). The Japanese immigrants and their children showed a similar substitution /n/ for /ɧ/ [Japanese immigrants (62.5%) vs Japanese-Korean children (14.3%)], which is rarely seen among Koreans. Conclusion The findings suggest that Korean speech sound development among Japanese-Korean children is influenced not only by the Korean language environment but also by their maternal language. Therefore, appropriate language education programs may be warranted not only or immigrant women but also for their children. PMID:21189968

  8. Communication attitudes of Japanese school-age children who stutter.

    PubMed

    Kawai, Norimune; Healey, E Charles; Nagasawa, Taiko; Vanryckeghem, Martine

    2012-01-01

    Past research with the Communication Attitude Test (CAT) has shown it to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing speech-associated attitude of children who stutter (CWS). However, in Japan, the CAT has not been used extensively to examine the communication attitude of CWS. The purpose of this study was to determine if a Japanese version of the CAT could differentiate between the communication attitude of Japanese elementary school CWS and children who do not stutter (CWNS). A Japanese translation of the 1991 version of the Communication Attitude Test-Revised (CAT-R) was used in this study. Eighty Japanese CWS and 80 gender- and grade level-matched CWNS participated in the study. The results showed that CWS had a significantly more negative communication attitude than CWNS. Both CWS and CWNS in 1st grade showed significantly more positive communication attitudes than children in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Furthermore, a link between stuttering severity and CWS' communication attitude was found. Additional research is needed to confirm the results of the current study, which indicate that the communication attitude of Japanese CWS becomes more negative as they get older. The reader will be able to: (1) Describe the process that was used to develop a Japanese version of the Communication Attitude Test (CAT-J). (2) Discuss attitude differences between Japanese children who stutter and those who do not and how grade level impacts a negative attitude toward communication. (3) Explain the link between stuttering severity and attitudes of Japanese children who stutter. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Meningitis Patients, Japan

    PubMed Central

    Ito, Mikako; Takao, Shinichi; Shimazu, Yukie; Fukuda, Shinji; Miyazaki, Kazuo; Kurane, Ichiro; Takasaki, Tomohiko

    2005-01-01

    Cerebrospinal fluid specimens from 57 patients diagnosed with meningitis were tested for Japanese encephalitis virus. Total RNA was extracted from the specimens and amplified. Two products had highest homology with Nakayama strain and 2 with Ishikawa strain. Results suggest that Japanese encephalitis virus causes some aseptic meningitis in Japan. PMID:15757569

  10. Argumentative Strategies in American and Japanese English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamimura, Taeko; Oi, Kyoko

    1998-01-01

    A study examined differences in argumentative strategies in Japanese and American English by analyzing English essays on capital punishment written by 22 American high school seniors and 30 Japanese college sophomores. Differences were found in the organizational patterns, content and use of rational appeals, preference for type of diction, and…

  11. A MANUAL OF JAPANESE WRITING, BOOK 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    CHAPLIN, HAMAKO ITO; MARTIN, SAMUEL E.

    THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE VOLUMES WRITTEN TO TEACH THE 881 ESSENTIAL OR "EDUCATION" CHARACTERS TO ENGLISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS OF JAPANESE. THE AUTHORS ASSUME THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY LEARNED THE HIRAGANA AND KATAKANA SYLLABARIES AND HAVE A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF JAPANESE GRAMMAR. ORTHOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONS USED FOLLOW CLOSELY THOSE…

  12. Travel-related health problems in Japanese travelers.

    PubMed

    Mizuno, Yasutaka; Kudo, Koichiro

    2009-09-01

    Although the number of Japanese individuals traveling abroad has increased steadily, reaching approximately 17.3 million in 2007, the incidence of various travel-related health problems in Japan remains unknown. The travel-related health problems of Japanese travelers returning to Japan from abroad are analyzed by assessing the records. Data were collected retrospectively on returning travelers who visited the authors' travel clinic during the period from January 2005 through to December 2006 with any health problem acquired overseas. A total of 345 patients were included in this study (200 male, 145 female; average age, 34+/-12.3 years). Reasons for travel included leisure (45.8%); business (39.1%); visiting friends and relatives or accompanying other travelers (8.7%); volunteering (3.8%); and long stays in order to study or live (2.6%). The most visited destination was Asia (n=260), followed by Africa (n=105). The most commonly reported health problems were gastro-intestinal infections (39.1%), followed by respiratory tract infections (16.2%), animal bites (8.1%), and skin problems (5.8%). Together, malaria and dengue accounted for 10% of diagnoses in 125 febrile patients (36.2%). Although the profile of travel-related health problems in Japanese travelers is similar to that of Western travelers, the characteristics of travel were quite different. Therefore Japanese travel advice should be tailored to suit the Japanese traveler.

  13. Spatial interactions between sympatric carnivores: asymmetric avoidance of an intraguild predator

    PubMed Central

    Grassel, Shaun M; Rachlow, Janet L; Williams, Christopher J

    2015-01-01

    Interactions between intraguild species that act as both competitors and predator–prey can be especially complex. We studied patterns of space use by the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), a prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) specialist, and the American badger (Taxidea taxus), a larger generalist carnivore that competes for prairie dogs and is known to kill ferrets. We expected that ferrets would spatially avoid badgers because of the risk of predation, that these patterns of avoidance might differ between sexes and age classes, and that the availability of food and space might influence these relationships. We used location data from 60 ferrets and 15 badgers to model the influence of extrinsic factors (prairie dog density and colony size) and intrinsic factors (sex, age) on patterns of space use by ferrets in relation to space use by different sex and age categories of badgers. We documented asymmetric patterns of avoidance of badgers by ferrets based on the sex of both species. Female ferrets avoided adult female badgers, but not male badgers, and male ferrets exhibited less avoidance than female ferrets. Additionally, avoidance decreased with increasing densities of prairie dogs. We suggest that intersexual differences in space use by badgers create varying distributions of predation risk that are perceived by the smaller carnivore (ferrets) and that females respond more sensitively than males to that risk. This work advances understanding about how competing species coexist and suggests that including information on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors might improve our understanding of behavioral interactions between sympatric species. PMID:26306165

  14. Spatial interactions between sympatric carnivores: asymmetric avoidance of an intraguild predator.

    PubMed

    Grassel, Shaun M; Rachlow, Janet L; Williams, Christopher J

    2015-07-01

    Interactions between intraguild species that act as both competitors and predator-prey can be especially complex. We studied patterns of space use by the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), a prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) specialist, and the American badger (Taxidea taxus), a larger generalist carnivore that competes for prairie dogs and is known to kill ferrets. We expected that ferrets would spatially avoid badgers because of the risk of predation, that these patterns of avoidance might differ between sexes and age classes, and that the availability of food and space might influence these relationships. We used location data from 60 ferrets and 15 badgers to model the influence of extrinsic factors (prairie dog density and colony size) and intrinsic factors (sex, age) on patterns of space use by ferrets in relation to space use by different sex and age categories of badgers. We documented asymmetric patterns of avoidance of badgers by ferrets based on the sex of both species. Female ferrets avoided adult female badgers, but not male badgers, and male ferrets exhibited less avoidance than female ferrets. Additionally, avoidance decreased with increasing densities of prairie dogs. We suggest that intersexual differences in space use by badgers create varying distributions of predation risk that are perceived by the smaller carnivore (ferrets) and that females respond more sensitively than males to that risk. This work advances understanding about how competing species coexist and suggests that including information on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors might improve our understanding of behavioral interactions between sympatric species.

  15. Harnessing Furigana to Improve Japanese Learners' Ability to Read Kanji

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirwan, Leigh

    2005-01-01

    The historical development of written Japanese has resulted in an extremely complex system. Modern Japanese is usually written in logosyllabic script consisting of a combination of "kanji," the Chinese characters, and "kana," the Japanese syllables originally formed from them. There are two types of "kana," the…

  16. Other Japanese Educations and Japanese Education Otherwise. Review Essay

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Takayama, Keita

    2011-01-01

    Education in the United States was in a state of "crisis" at the time of the 1983 release of "A Nation at Risk," the landmark report on the US education reform. This was the time when the rising Japanese economy started threatening the post-war US economic dominance and conservative figures such as Ronald Reagan gained popular…

  17. The Stroop effect in English-Japanese bilinguals: the effect of phonological similarity.

    PubMed

    Sumiya, Hiromi; Healy, Alice F

    2008-01-01

    English-Japanese bilinguals performed a Stroop color-word interference task with both English and Japanese stimuli and responded in both English and Japanese. The Japanese stimuli were either the traditional color terms (TCTs) written in Hiragana or loanwords (LWs) from English written in Katakana. Both within-language and between-language interference were found for all combinations of stimuli and responses. The between-language interference was larger for Katakana LWs (phonologically similar to English) than for Hiragana TCTs, especially with Japanese responses. The magnitude of this phonological effect increased with self-rated reading fluency in Japanese. Overall responding was slower and the Stroop effect larger with English than with Japanese stimuli. These results suggest that unintentional lexical access elicits automatic phonological processing even with intermediate-level reading proficiency.

  18. 7 CFR 301.48-6 - Movement of live Japanese beetles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Movement of live Japanese beetles. 301.48-6 Section... INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Japanese Beetle Quarantine and Regulations § 301.48-6 Movement of live Japanese beetles. Regulations requiring a permit for and otherwise...

  19. 7 CFR 301.48-6 - Movement of live Japanese beetles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Movement of live Japanese beetles. 301.48-6 Section... INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Japanese Beetle Quarantine and Regulations § 301.48-6 Movement of live Japanese beetles. Regulations requiring a permit for and otherwise...

  20. 7 CFR 301.48-6 - Movement of live Japanese beetles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Movement of live Japanese beetles. 301.48-6 Section... INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Japanese Beetle Quarantine and Regulations § 301.48-6 Movement of live Japanese beetles. Regulations requiring a permit for and otherwise...

  1. The Japanese value of harmony and nursing ethics.

    PubMed

    Konishi, Emiko; Yahiro, Michiko; Nakajima, Naoko; Ono, Miki

    2009-09-01

    Harmony is one of the most fundamental Japanese values. It is derived from Confucianism and encompasses a state of mind, an action process and outcomes of the action. This article draws on research data and discusses Japanese nurses' perceptions of harmony as reflected in their everyday practice. The most important virtues for these nurses were reported as politeness and respect for other persons. The outcome from the nurses' harmonious practice, it is claimed, benefited patients and created peaceful, harmonious relationships for all. Because of the unique link between harmony and the location of interaction, the ideal 'workplace harmony' threatened some nurses' professional decision making. These nurses confused harmony with conformity by superficial agreement. The Japanese seniority system could be a major factor contributing to this problem. Ethics education that includes traditional values and concepts in Japanese culture is strongly urged.

  2. The Art of Japanese Masks and Kimonos

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Nancy Johnston

    2009-01-01

    Japanese masks have been worn for a number of reasons. In the past they were often used in plays and celebrations. Today in Japan, social masks are essential in many party gatherings as a form of expressing one's personality. In this article, the author describes an art project wherein students created Japanese masks and kimonos.

  3. Distinctive Features of Japanese Education. NIER Occasional Paper 01/91.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Inst. for Educational Research, Tokyo (Japan).

    For the past decade there has been a surge of international interest in Japanese education in the wake of its economic and technological successes. This paper discusses eight distinctive features of Japanese education, identifying their advantages and disadvantages and how they have been brought about. These eight features of Japanese schooling…

  4. Der Begriff des "Ki" und die japanische Padagogik: Uber Konflikte zwischen westlicher und japanischer Padagogik (The Concept of "Ki" and Japanese Pedagogy: On Conflicts between Western and Japanese Pedagogics).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fujikawa, Nobuo

    1997-01-01

    Sketches the characteristics of the Japanese educational tradition and analyzes conflicts between modern western pedagogies and traditional education. Argues that Japanese socialization processes stress a specifically Japanese construction of the "self" and of behavior. Concludes that Japanese educators should be more aware of this…

  5. Paleolithic Contingent in Modern Japanese: Estimation and Inference using Genome-wide Data

    PubMed Central

    He, Yungang; Wang, Wei R.; Xu, Shuhua; Jin, Li; SNP Consortium, Pan-Asia

    2012-01-01

    The genetic origins of Japanese populations have been controversial. Upper Paleolithic Japanese, i.e. Jomon, developed independently in Japanese islands for more than 10,000 years until the isolation was ended with the influxes of continental immigrants about 2,000 years ago. However, the knowledge of origin of Jomon and its contribution to the genetic pool of contemporary Japanese is still limited, albeit the extensive studies using mtDNA and Y chromosomes. In this report, we aimed to infer the origin of Jomon and to estimate its contribution to Japanese by fitting an admixture model with missing data from Jomon to a genome-wide data from 94 worldwide populations. Our results showed that the genetic contributions of Jomon, the Paleolithic contingent in Japanese, are 54.3∼62.3% in Ryukyuans and 23.1∼39.5% in mainland Japanese, respectively. Utilizing inferred allele frequencies of the Jomon population, we further showed the Paleolithic contingent in Japanese had a Northeast Asia origin. PMID:22482036

  6. Center for Japanese Study Abroad. Fastback 386.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jassey, William

    The Center for Japanese Study Abroad (CJSA) is a Japanese immersion and study abroad program implemented as a magnet program at inner-city Brien MacMahon High School in Norwalk, Connecticut. The program is supported by a grant from the state department of education. Attended by 60-70 students from high schools in southern Fairfield County…

  7. Classroom Silence: Voices from Japanese EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harumi, Seiko

    2011-01-01

    This article explores Japanese EFL learners' classroom silence in a Japanese EFL context. The existence of silence in second language learning contexts can be a source of conflict between students and teachers and even among students themselves. It can also be an obstacle to acquiring the target language. In order to tackle this problem and to…

  8. Validation of the Japanese disease severity classification and the GAP model in Japanese patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Kondoh, Shun; Chiba, Hirofumi; Nishikiori, Hirotaka; Umeda, Yasuaki; Kuronuma, Koji; Otsuka, Mitsuo; Yamada, Gen; Ohnishi, Hirofumi; Mori, Mitsuru; Kondoh, Yasuhiro; Taniguchi, Hiroyuki; Homma, Sakae; Takahashi, Hiroki

    2016-09-01

    The clinical course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) shows great inter-individual differences. It is important to standardize the severity classification to accurately evaluate each patient׳s prognosis. In Japan, an original severity classification (the Japanese disease severity classification, JSC) is used. In the United States, the new multidimensional index and staging system (the GAP model) has been proposed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the model performance for the prediction of mortality risk of the JSC and GAP models using a large cohort of Japanese patients with IPF. This is a retrospective cohort study including 326 patients with IPF in the Hokkaido prefecture from 2003 to 2007. We obtained the survival curves of each stage of the GAP and JSC models to perform a comparison. In the GAP model, the prognostic value for mortality risk of Japanese patients was also evaluated. In the JSC, patient prognoses were roughly divided into two groups, mild cases (Stages I and II) and severe cases (Stages III and IV). In the GAP model, there was no significant difference in survival between Stages II and III, and the mortality rates in the patients classified into the GAP Stages I and II were underestimated. It is difficult to predict accurate prognosis of IPF using the JSC and the GAP models. A re-examination of the variables from the two models is required, as well as an evaluation of the prognostic value to revise the severity classification for Japanese patients with IPF. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Kids Explore America's Japanese American Heritage. Westridge Young Writers Workshop.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jefferson County School District R-1, Denver, CO.

    This book was written by 94 students, aged 8-14, at Westridge Elementary School (Littleton, Colorado) during a summer enrichment class. The book was written for anyone who wants to learn about Japanese-American culture and heritage. Chapter 1 gives an overview of Japanese history before American contact, the immigration of Japanese to America, the…

  10. Low mitochondrial DNA diversity of Japanese Polled and Kuchinoshima feral cattle.

    PubMed

    Mannen, Hideyuki; Yonesaka, Riku; Noda, Aoi; Shimogiri, Takeshi; Oshima, Ichiro; Katahira, Kiyomi; Kanemaki, Misao; Kunieda, Tetsuo; Inayoshi, Yousuke; Mukai, Fumio; Sasazaki, Shinji

    2017-05-01

    This study aims to estimate the mitochondrial genetic diversity and structure of Japanese Polled and Kuchinoshima feral cattle, which are maintained in small populations. We determined the mitochondrial DMA (mtDNA) displacement loop (D-loop) sequences for both cattle populations and analyzed these in conjunction with previously published data from Northeast Asian cattle populations. Our findings showed that Japanese native cattle have a predominant, Asian-specific mtDNA haplogroup T4 with high frequencies (0.43-0.81). This excluded Kuchinoshima cattle (32 animals), which had only one mtDNA haplotype belonging to the haplogroup T3. Japanese Polled showed relatively lower mtDNA diversity in the average sequence divergence (0.0020) than other Wagyu breeds (0.0036-0.0047). Japanese Polled have been maintained in a limited area of Yamaguchi, and the population size is now less than 200. Therefore, low mtDNA diversity in the Japanese Polled could be explained by the decreasing population size in the last three decades. We found low mtDNA diversity in both Japanese Polled and Kuchinoshima cattle. The genetic information obtained in this study will be useful for maintaining these populations and for understanding the origin of Japanese native cattle. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  11. COMPARING 3D FOOT SHAPE MODELS BETWEEN TAIWANESE AND JAPANESE FEMALES.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yu-Chi; Kouchi, Makiko; Mochimaru, Masaaki; Wang, Mao-Jiun

    2015-06-01

    This study compares foot shape and foot dimensions between Taiwanese and Japanese females. One hundred Taiwanese and 100 Japanese female 3D foot scanning data were used for comparison. To avoid the allometry effect, data from 23 Taiwanese and 19 Japanese with foot length between 233 to 237 mm were used for shape comparison. Homologous models created for the right feet of the 42 subjects were analyzed by Multidimensional Scaling. The results showed that there were significant differences in the forefoot shape between the two groups, and Taiwanese females had slightly wider feet with straighter big toe than Japanese females. The results of body and foot dimension comparison indicated that Taiwanese females were taller, heavier and had larger feet than Japanese females, while Japanese females had significantly larger toe 1 angle. Since some Taiwanese shoemakers adopt the Japanese shoe sizing system for making shoes, appropriateness of the shoe sizing system was also discussed. The present results provide very useful information for improving shoe last design and footwear fit for Taiwanese females.

  12. An Analysis of Japanese Medical Periodicals

    PubMed Central

    Taniguchi, Mayumi

    1965-01-01

    Medical periodicals published in Japan were studied by analyzing the journals abstracted in Igaku Chuo Zasshi (ICZ), the most comprehensive abstracting service for Japanese medical journal articles. Since the inauguration of medical periodicals in 1869, the number of journals has increased remarkably. In 1963 ICZ abstracted 1,074 journals published in Japan (960 in Japanese and 114 in other languages). Of these 1,074 titles, 855 were on medical sciences, of which 740 were substantive. A subject analysis of the substantive journals in ICZ, as compared to the 124 Japanese journals currently indexed in Index Medicus, was also made. Data were presented relating the number of periodicals to the size of the medical scene in Japan and the United States, and it was pointed out that good control of the literature, by whatever methods, requires a knowledge of the extent of the publications. PMID:14223738

  13. Affective Variables and Japanese L2 Reading Ability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kondo-Brown, Kimi

    2006-01-01

    This study investigates how 17 affective factors are related to Japanese second language (L2) reading comprehension and "kanji" knowledge test scores of 43 university students in advanced Japanese courses. Major findings are that: a) reading comprehension ability and "kanji" knowledge have direct associations with…

  14. Learning from Japanese Middle School Math Teachers. Fastback.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitman, Nancy C.

    This document reviews the Japanese educational system and examines middle school education in particular to identify cultural differences and help improve educational quality in the United States. Contents include: (1) "An Overview of Japanese Education"; (2) "Teacher Behavior in the Classroom"; (3) "Teacher Behavior…

  15. [Dentistry in Korean during the Japanese occupation].

    PubMed

    Shin, Jae-Eu

    2004-12-01

    The Japanese introduction of dentistry into Korea was for treating the Japanese residing in Korea Noda-Oji was the first Japanese dentist for Japanese people in Korea in 1893, and Narajaki doyoyo, an invited dentist was posted in the Korean headquarter of Japanese army in September, 1905. The imperialist Japan licensed the dental technicians (yipchisa) without limit and controlled them generously so they could practice dentistry freely. This measure was contrary to that in Japan. (In Japan no new dental technician was licensed.) Komori, a dental technician opened his laboratory at Chungmuro in 1902. The dental technician had outnumbered by 1920. In 1907, the first Korean dental technician Sung-Ryong Choi practiced dentistry in Jongno. The imperialist Japan made the regulations for dental technicians to set a limit to the advertisement and medical practice of dental technicians. The first Korean dentists Suk-Tae Ham was register No. 1 in the dentist license. The Kyungsung dental school was established by Nagira Dasoni for the purpose of educating some Korean people that contributed to Japanese colonization. It made progress with the help of Japan, it was was given the approval of the establishment of the professional school in January the 25th, 1929. It was intended to produce Korean dentists in the first place but became the school for Japanese students later on. The association of Chosun dentist, which had been founded by Narajaki doyoyo, was managed by Japanese dentists in favor of the colonial ruling. The Hansung Association of Dentists established in 1925 was the organization made by the necessity of the association for Koreans only. The Japanese forcefully annexed the Association of Hansung Dentists (Koreans only) to the Association of Kyungsung Dentists to avoid collective actions of Korean dentists in the name of 'Naesunilche' -- 'Japan and Korea and one'. Their invading intention was shown in the event of 'decayed tooth preventive day'. Japanese controlled

  16. LEARN JAPANESE--ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEXT, VOLUME II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    SATO, YAEKO; AND OTHERS

    THIS TEXT WAS WRITTEN FOR THE USE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF JAPANESE. IT IS TO BE USED IN THE SECOND SEMESTER OF JAPANESE LANGUAGE STUDY AND FOLLOWS THE AUDIO-LINGUAL ORIENTATION OF VOLUME I. THE MAIN GOAL OF BOTH VOLUMES IS "TO ELEVATE THE PUPIL'S MOTIVATION AND TO CULTIVATE PROPER PRONUNCIATION HABITS." THE NEW ITEMS IN VOLUME II…

  17. Telling her story: narrating a Japanese lesbian community.

    PubMed

    Welker, James

    2010-01-01

    This article explores queer Japanese women's narratives of their own histories and the history of the "Japanese lesbian community," which has been constructed as a space outside the heterosexual mainstream, a space where queer women can find at least temporary refuge. It begins with the acknowledgment that the evolution and the shape of the community, along with the identities of the women who comprise it, are shifting and contested. This article specifically looks at the long history of the lesbian bar scene as well as more recent history of lesbian dance parties; the early role of lesbian feminism and activism; lesbian community-based and commercial publications, paying special attention to the critical role translation has played in Japanese lesbian discourse and the construction of multiple lesbian identities; and, finally, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride events and film festivals, through which the larger LGBT community has been gaining increasing visibility. This article argues that while some of the building blocks of the community are borrowed, from the "West" as well as from the Japanese gay community, there has also been creative translation, adaptation, and resistance to these imports. The resulting Japanese lesbian community is a complex and local construct, an innovative bricolage firmly sited in Japan.

  18. Sexuality education in Japanese medical schools.

    PubMed

    Shirai, M; Tsujimura, A; Abdelhamed, A; Horie, S

    2017-07-01

    The present study aimed to investigate current sexuality education in Japanese medical schools and the impact of position title in the Japanese Society for Sexual Medicine (JSSM). Questionnaires were mailed to urology departments in all Japanese medical schools. The responses were evaluated according to four factors: the number of lecture components, curriculum hours, degree of satisfaction with the components and degree of satisfaction with the curriculum hours. We also investigated differences in these four factors among three groups: Directors, Council members and non-members of the JSSM. The medians of curriculum hours and the number of the lecture components were 90.0 min and 7.0, respectively. The curriculum hours of the Directors (140.0 min) were significantly longer than those of the non-members (90.0 min; P<0.05). The number of lecture components taught by Directors (9.5) was significantly higher than that of the Council (4.0; P<0.01) and non-members (7.0; P<0.05). More than half of the faculties were not satisfied with the lecture components and curriculum hours. This is the first study on sexuality education in Japanese medical schools. It showed the inadequacy of both curriculum hours and lecture components, and that the position title of department chair affects sexuality education in medical schools.

  19. U.S. and Japanese Source Reliance for Environmental Information.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pierce, John C.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Examines environmental information source reliance among American and Japanese citizens. Finds that the Japanese are inclined to rely on non-mass media sources, whereas Americans exhibit greater differentiation among sources. (RS)

  20. Acculturation and Perceptions of a Good Death Among Japanese Americans and Japanese Living in the U.S.

    PubMed

    Mori, Masanori; Kuwama, Yuichiro; Ashikaga, Takamaru; Parsons, Henrique A; Miyashita, Mitsunori

    2018-01-01

    Acculturation is the phenomenon of the attitudinal changes of individuals who come into continuous contact with another culture. Despite the long history of Japanese immigration to America, little is known about the impact of acculturation on perceptions of a good death. To examine differences in perceptions of a good cancer death among Japanese Americans (JA/A), Japanese living in America (J/A), and the Japanese living in Japan (J/J). We administered surveys among JA/A and J/A and used historical J/J data for reference. Primary endpoint was the proportion of respondents who expressed the necessity of core and optional items of the Good Death Inventory. Group differences ≥20% were deemed clinically important. In total, 441 survey responses in America and 2548 in Japan were obtained. More than 80% of respondents consistently considered nine of 10 core items necessary without significant group differences. No core item reached a ≥20% group difference. Three of the eight optional items reached ≥20% group difference: fighting against disease until one's last moment (49%, P < 0.0001; 52%, P < 0.0001; and 73% in JA/A, J/A, and J/J, respectively), knowing what to expect about one's condition in the future (83%, P < 0.0001; 80%, P < 0.0001; and 58%, respectively), and having faith (64%, P = 0.0548; 43%, P = 0.0127; and 38%, respectively). Although most core items of a good death were preserved throughout the levels of acculturation, perceptions of some optional items shifted away from Japanese attitudes as individuals became more acculturated. Understanding of different levels of acculturation may help clinicians provide culturally sensitive end-of-life care. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The Effectiveness of a Japanese Language Course on Cross-Cultural Competence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miyamoto, Yumi; Rasmussen, Roger

    1998-01-01

    A quasi-experimental research design was employed to measure the effectiveness of a Japanese language and culture course entitled "Japanese for the Business Community." The study analyzed seven cross-cultural competence attributes in interactions with Japanese people in business settings. (Auth/JL)

  2. Japanese women's experiences of pharmacological pain relief in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Doering, Keiko; Patterson, Jean; Griffiths, Christine R

    2014-06-01

    In Japan, most women manage labour pain without pharmacological interventions. However, New Zealand statistics show a high percentage of epidural use amongst Asian women. Entonox (a gas mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen) and pethidine are also available to women in New Zealand. This article investigates how Japanese women in New Zealand respond to the use of pharmacological pain relief in labour. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) How do Japanese women experience and manage labour pain in New Zealand? (2) How do they feel about the use of pharmacological pain relief? Thirteen Japanese women who had given birth in New Zealand were interviewed individually or in a focus group. The conversations were analysed using thematic analysis. Although in Japan very few women use pain relief, nine women received epidural and/or Entonox out of 11 women who experienced labour pain. The contrast between their Japanese cultural expectations and their birth experiences caused some of the women subsequent personal conflict. Japanese women's cultural perspectives and passive attitudes were demonstrated to influence the decision-making process concerning pain relief. It was concluded that understanding Japanese cultural worldviews and approaches to the role of pain in labour would help maternity providers in their provision of appropriate care for Japanese women. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The Japanese Experience of the NameExoWorlds Competition: Translating Official Information into Japanese to Enable Domestic Groups to Participate in a Global Event

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Usuda-Sato, K.; Iizuka, R.; Yamaoka, H.; Handa, T.

    2018-02-01

    Translation of information from English is an essential step toward ensuring the involvement of non-English speakers in global events. The NameExoWorlds competition, led by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), was held from 9 July 2014 to 15 December 2015. It was a unique event that invited the public to name celestial bodies. In Japan, language acts as a significant barrier for amateur astronomers and school students to participate in global events hosted in English. To address this concern, we established a domestic working group to set up a Japanese website and provided a translation of the IAU's official site for the NameExoWorlds competition. We also developed additional original information in Japanese when needed and sent announcements to a mailing lists of astronomy societies in Japan. As a result, 28% of the registered groups and 47% of proposals for names were from Japan, making Japan the most active country for these stages of the competition. After the competition had ended, we carried out a survey in the Japanese astronomy community and received 124 responses. We found that most of the Japanese participants referred to our official Japanese website in order to overcome the language barrier and participate in the competition. This article explores our work of translating the competition information into Japanese and our evaluation of the impact of this action on the uptake by Japanese astronomy enthusiasts.

  4. Economic Statistics and Information Concerning the Japanese Auto Industry

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-12-01

    The report examines the following aspects of the Japanese automobile Industry: Identification of Japanese agencies that receive statistical data on the automobile industry; Determination of research and development and capital investment procedures; ...

  5. Japanese Educational System Improving Ongoing Practice in Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arimoto, Masahiro

    1995-01-01

    Describes the Japanese education system's unique characteristics. Japanese schools provide a prescribed curriculum, with pupils confined to desks. Teachers identify with their schools and are committed to service. Teachers and students try to improve schools by working harder. Understanding school effectiveness requires frameworks deeply rooted in…

  6. Standardization of Weed Pollen Extracts, Japanese Hop and Mugwort, in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Jeong, Kyoung Yong; Son, Mina; Choi, Soo-Young; Park, Kyung Hee; Park, Hye Jung; Hong, Chein-Soo; Lee, Jae-Hyun

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Japanese hop (Humulus spp.) and mugwort (Artemisia spp.) are notable causes of autumn pollinosis in East Asia. However, Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts, which are widely used for the diagnosis, have not been standardized. This study was performed to standardize Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts. Materials and Methods Allergen extracts were prepared in a standardized way using locally collected Humulus japonicus and purchased Artemisia vulgaris pollens. The immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivities of prepared extracts were compared with commercial extracts via IgE immunoblotting and inhibition analyses. Intradermal skin tests were performed to determine the bioequivalent allergy unit (BAU). Results The IgE reactive components of the extracts via IgE immunoblotting were similar to those of commercial extracts. A 11-kDa allergen showed the strongest IgE reactivity in Japanese hop, as did a 28-kDa allergen in mugwort pollen extracts. Allergenic potencies of the investigatory Japanese hop and mugwort extracts were essentially indistinguishable from the commercial ones. Sums of erythema of 50 mm by the intradermal skin test (ΣED50) were calculated to be 14.4th and 13.6th three-fold dilutions for Japanese hop and mugwort extracts, respectively. Therefore, the allergenic activity of the prepared extracts was 90827.4 BAU/mg for Japanese hop and 34412 BAU/mg for mugwort. Conclusion We produced Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts using a standardized method. Standardized Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts will facilitate the production of improved diagnostic and immunotherapeutic reagents. PMID:26847293

  7. Sociocultural dilemma of Japanese steeplejacks.

    PubMed

    Iwata, H

    1997-12-01

    Japanese steeplejacks are good at working in high places as construction workers, and they have been called tobi for a longtime. They now play an important role in completing modern civil engineering projects and in the construction of high-rise buildings; however, their lifestyle is considered by most to be quaint but outdated. Originally, they were unskilled workmen at construction sites. In the 18th century, they were engaged in repairing houses or setting up scaffolding, helping carpenters, but they worked as firefighters whenever fires broke out. Their traditional work system did not change throughout the Meiji era, although Japanese society became greatly modernized. After World War II, the industrialization of Japanese society required highly developed technology in civil engineering and architecture. This provided an opportunity for them to establish their positions as trained professional workers. However, the number of skilled tobi professionals has continued to decrease because the younger generation does not consider this profession desirable career. Improving not only the professional skills but also the way of living to the extent as a modern high-tech society demands will be the key for the tobi's work system to become attractive.

  8. Compulsory "Foreign Language Activities" in Japanese Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hashimoto, Kayoko

    2011-01-01

    From 2011, the new curriculum for introducing English to Japanese primary schools will be fully implemented in the form of "foreign language activities". This innovation forms part of the government's plan to cultivate "Japanese with English abilities", a development based on the awareness, particularly in the business sector,…

  9. On the Processing of Japanese Wh-Questions: An ERP Study

    PubMed Central

    Ueno, Mieko; Kluender, Robert

    2009-01-01

    The processing of Japanese wh-questions was investigated using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Unlike in English or German, a wh-element in Japanese need not be displaced from its canonical position, but instead needs a corresponding Q(uestion)-particle to indicate its interrogative scope. We tested to see if there were any processing correlates specific to these features of Japanese wh-questions. Both mono-clausal and bi-clausal Japanese wh-questions elicited right-lateralized anterior negativity (RAN) between wh-words and corresponding Q-particles, relative to structurally-equivalent yes/no-question control conditions. These results suggest a reliable neural processing correlate of the dependency between wh-elements and Q-particles in Japanese, which is similar to effects of (left) anterior negativity seen between wh-fillers and gaps in English and German, but with a right- rather than left-lateralized distribution. It is suggested that wh-in-situ questions in Japanese are processed by the incremental formation of a long-distance dependency between wh-elements and their Q-particles, resulting in a working memory load for keeping track of the scopeless wh-elements. PMID:19501576

  10. Neural Measures of a Japanese Consonant Length Discrimination by Japanese and American English Listeners: Affects of Attention

    PubMed Central

    Hisagi, Miwako; Shafer, Valerie L.; Strange, Winifred; Sussman, Elyse S.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined automaticity of discrimination of a Japanese length contrast for consonants (miʃi vs. miʃʃi) in native (Japanese) and non-native (American-English) listeners using behavioral measures and the event-related potential (ERP) mismatch negativity (MMN). Attention to the auditory input was manipulated either away from the auditory input via a visual oddball task (Visual Attend), or to the input by asking the listeners to count auditory deviants (Auditory Attend). Results showed a larger MMN when attention was focused on the consonant contrast than away from it for both groups. The MMN was larger for consonant duration increments than decrements. No difference in MMN between the language groups was observed, but the Japanese listeners did show better behavioral discrimination than the American English listeners. In addition, behavioral responses showed a weak, but significant correlation with MMN amplitude. These findings suggest that both acoustic-phonetic properties and phonological experience affects automaticity of speech processing. PMID:26119918

  11. Japanese Culture in the United States of America; An Annotated Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Connor, John W., Comp.

    This bibliography describes and briefly reviews, from an anthropological perspective, books and articles on the Japanese in the United States. Works cited include: (1) bibliographies; (2) general studies on Japanese Americans; (3) works dealing with the cultural heritage of the Japanese immigrant generation; (4) literature on the Japanese…

  12. Taming the Wild: Approaches to Nature in Japanese Early Childhood Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Rachael S.

    2014-01-01

    The Japanese early childhood curriculum provides ample opportunities for children to interact with nature and to learn about natural phenomena. However, using Kalland (1995) and Martinez's (2008) theories about Japanese constructions of nature, this paper argues that most Japanese early childhood experiences do not constitute direct contact with…

  13. Normalizing Social Networking in a Beginners' Japanese Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morofushi, Mari; Pasfield-Neofitou, Sarah Ellen

    2014-01-01

    With the spread of the Internet, students now have greater opportunities to use Japanese outside of the classroom. For example, they can interact with other Japanese speakers through instant messaging or social networking, or utilize online dictionaries and translation tools to decipher websites in ways that would be impossible with traditional…

  14. Sibling Relationships Cognition in Japanese Female University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sawai, Misae; Kato, Daiki

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the factor structure of sibling relationships in Japanese female university students. Two hundred and fifteen Japanese female university students participated in this study. The Adult Sibling Relationship Scale (ASRQ, Stocker et al., 1997) was used to measure sibling relationship cognition. The model was constructed as a result…

  15. Japanese High School Teachers' Views on Pupil Misbehaviour

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kyriacou, Chris

    2010-01-01

    This study aimed to explore Japanese high school teachers' views of pupil misbehaviour in order to contribute to the growing international literature on discipline in schools. A total of 141 Japanese high school teachers completed a questionnaire which explored their views regarding the factors accounting for pupil misbehaviour, the frequency of…

  16. Women among First Authors in Japanese Cardiovascular Journal.

    PubMed

    Fujii, Tomoko; Matsuyama, Tasuku; Takeuchi, Jiro; Hara, Masahiko; Kitamura, Tetsuhisa; Yamauchi-Takihara, Keiko

    2018-03-30

    The representation of women in Japanese academic medicine is not evident. We aimed to assess trends related to the proportion of female first authors in Japanese cardiovascular journals.We reviewed original research articles in 6 journals published in English by Japanese societies between 2006 and 2015 related to cardiovascular fields. We conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess the factors associated with the gender of first authors and plotted the trend of predicted probability for female first authors over the study period. Of 7,005 original articles, 1,330 (19.0%) had female first authors. Affiliations located in Japan (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.81), concurrent first and corresponding authors (aOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.64-0.74), and the total number of listed authors (aOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99) were negatively associated with female first authors. The adjusted probability of a female first author increased from 13% to 20% on an average between 2006 and 2009, but the increase reached a plateau after 2010.Female first authors of original research articles published in Japanese cardiovascular journals increased over the examined decade. However, the representation of women is still low and has plateaued in recent years. A gender gap in authorship for Japanese cardiovascular journals remains.

  17. Content Analysis of Life Exhibitions in Japanese Science Museums and Centres

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kazama, Tomoko; Ogawa, Masakata

    2015-01-01

    Life exhibitions in Japanese science museums (SMs) face difficulties in coping with rapid progress in the life sciences owing to certain constraints around the frequency of exhibit renovations, and the Japanese indigenous understanding of the natural world (Shizen) that Japanese visitors unconsciously bring with them. To what extent do current…

  18. On A Project Work for International Students Paired with Japanese Partners in a Summer Intensive Japanese Program for Science and Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fudano, Hiroko

    A project work in which learners of a foreign language engage in a task with the native speakers is one of the effective ways to bring in ample real communication opportunities to a classroom. This scheme also gives both parties meaningful experiences for intercultural understanding. This paper reports a “Pythagoras” machine production project in which international students were paired up with Japanese students as a part of a Japanese for science and technology course in a summer intensive program. Based on the participants‧ course evaluation data, the paper also discusses the effectiveness of the project for Japanese language learning and for promoting intercultural understanding.

  19. 2011 Japanese Nuclear Incident

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA’s RadNet system monitored the environmental radiation levels in the United States and parts of the Pacific following the Japanese Nuclear Incident. Learn about EPA’s response and view historical laboratory data and news releases.

  20. Japanese guidelines for childhood asthma 2017.

    PubMed

    Arakawa, Hirokazu; Hamasaki, Yuhei; Kohno, Yoichi; Ebisawa, Motohiro; Kondo, Naomi; Nishima, Sankei; Nishimuta, Toshiyuki; Morikawa, Akihiro

    2017-04-01

    The Japanese Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Diseases 2017 (JAGL 2017) includes a minor revision of the Japanese Pediatric Guideline for the Treatment and Management of Asthma 2012 (JPGL 2012) by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The section on child asthma in JAGL 2017 provides information on how to diagnose asthma between infancy and adolescence (0-15 years of age). It makes recommendations for best practices in the management of childhood asthma, including management of acute exacerbations and non-pharmacological and pharmacological management. This guideline will be of interest to non-specialist physicians involved in the care of children with asthma. JAGL differs from the Global Initiative for Asthma Guideline in that JAGL emphasizes diagnosis and early intervention of children with asthma at <2 years or 2-5 years of age. The first choice of treatment depends on the severity and frequency of symptoms. Pharmacological management, including step-up or step-down of drugs used for long-term management based on the status of asthma control levels, is easy to understand; thus, this guideline is suitable for the routine medical care of children with asthma. JAGL also recommends using a control test in children, so that the physician aims for complete control by avoiding exacerbating factors and appropriately using anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, inhaled corticosteroids and leukotriene receptor antagonists). Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Tanko Bushi: Designing a Japanese-American Dance Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sweeting, Terry; Werner, Peter; Williams, Lori H.; Crump, Alyssa

    2012-01-01

    Many folk dances reflect the everyday activities of the people, celebrating the commonplace through physical forms of expression. The traditional Japanese folk dance, Tanko Bushi, is still performed in Japan and among Japanese-Americans today, and its theme of coal mining makes it relatable to many cultures around the world. With its traditional…

  2. Business Communication Needs of Japanese Companies in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Su, Yeoh Lee; Mahadi, Tengku Sepora Tengku; Singh, Manjet Kaur Mehar

    2016-01-01

    Business relationship between Japan and Malaysia has developed very quickly in recent years. This has caused a dramatic increase in the need for individuals who possess language skills to function in Japanese businesses. In order to investigate the needs of our Malaysian graduates, a survey was conducted involving graduates of Japanese language…

  3. Video Game Play in British and Japanese Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colwell, John; Kato, Makiko

    2005-01-01

    Results from research into negative correlates of computer/video game play in the United Kingdom and in Japan are presented, with new analyses across cultures. Patterns of play are similar, although Japanese adolescents have been playing for longer, they play fewer aggressive games, and there is greater perceived concern by Japanese parents.…

  4. Japanese Americans: The Evolution of a Subculture. Ethnic Groups in American Life Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitano, Harry H. L.

    Japanese-American accomplishments are a logical outcome of Japanese-American culture and institutions, but, more importantly, of the energy and spirit of the hundreds of thousands of Japanese, some prominent figures now, who have made places for themselves in the American society. Nevertheless, the Japanese-American, like any American, must adapt…

  5. [Study of Japanese anatomical terms, such as 'sphenoid bone'].

    PubMed

    Sawai, Tadashi

    2008-12-01

    Japanese anatomical terms (butterfly-shaped bone) have an interesting history. Galen named a bone (wedge-like). This Greek term was introduced into Latin anatomical texts by transcribing into 'os sphnoides' or translating it as 'os cuneiforme'. Both terms mean equally wedge-like bone. From 16th century on, these two terms prevailed in European anatomical textbooks, but in 18th century some anatomists merged this bone with some kinds of winged creatures and named their wings "Ala major' and 'Ala minor'. In mid-19th century English-Chinese anatomical book, this bone was named (butterfly bone) by a medical missionary Benjamin Hobson. This term was introduced into Japanese textbooks. In Meiji Era both terms were used in Japanese textbooks, and (wedged-like bone). Some anatomists insisted on using because this echoed original Latin term's sense. Eventually, Japanese Associations of Anatomists adopted in 1943.

  6. The fine-scale genetic structure and evolution of the Japanese population.

    PubMed

    Takeuchi, Fumihiko; Katsuya, Tomohiro; Kimura, Ryosuke; Nabika, Toru; Isomura, Minoru; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Tabara, Yasuharu; Yamamoto, Ken; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Liu, Xuanyao; Saw, Woei-Yuh; Mamatyusupu, Dolikun; Yang, Wenjun; Xu, Shuhua; Teo, Yik-Ying; Kato, Norihiro

    2017-01-01

    The contemporary Japanese populations largely consist of three genetically distinct groups-Hondo, Ryukyu and Ainu. By principal-component analysis, while the three groups can be clearly separated, the Hondo people, comprising 99% of the Japanese, form one almost indistinguishable cluster. To understand fine-scale genetic structure, we applied powerful haplotype-based statistical methods to genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data from 1600 Japanese individuals, sampled from eight distinct regions in Japan. We then combined the Japanese data with 26 other Asian populations data to analyze the shared ancestry and genetic differentiation. We found that the Japanese could be separated into nine genetic clusters in our dataset, showing a marked concordance with geography; and that major components of ancestry profile of Japanese were from the Korean and Han Chinese clusters. We also detected and dated admixture in the Japanese. While genetic differentiation between Ryukyu and Hondo was suggested to be caused in part by positive selection, genetic differentiation among the Hondo clusters appeared to result principally from genetic drift. Notably, in Asians, we found the possibility that positive selection accentuated genetic differentiation among distant populations but attenuated genetic differentiation among close populations. These findings are significant for studies of human evolution and medical genetics.

  7. The fine-scale genetic structure and evolution of the Japanese population

    PubMed Central

    Katsuya, Tomohiro; Kimura, Ryosuke; Nabika, Toru; Isomura, Minoru; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Tabara, Yasuharu; Yamamoto, Ken; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Liu, Xuanyao; Saw, Woei-Yuh; Mamatyusupu, Dolikun; Yang, Wenjun; Xu, Shuhua

    2017-01-01

    The contemporary Japanese populations largely consist of three genetically distinct groups—Hondo, Ryukyu and Ainu. By principal-component analysis, while the three groups can be clearly separated, the Hondo people, comprising 99% of the Japanese, form one almost indistinguishable cluster. To understand fine-scale genetic structure, we applied powerful haplotype-based statistical methods to genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data from 1600 Japanese individuals, sampled from eight distinct regions in Japan. We then combined the Japanese data with 26 other Asian populations data to analyze the shared ancestry and genetic differentiation. We found that the Japanese could be separated into nine genetic clusters in our dataset, showing a marked concordance with geography; and that major components of ancestry profile of Japanese were from the Korean and Han Chinese clusters. We also detected and dated admixture in the Japanese. While genetic differentiation between Ryukyu and Hondo was suggested to be caused in part by positive selection, genetic differentiation among the Hondo clusters appeared to result principally from genetic drift. Notably, in Asians, we found the possibility that positive selection accentuated genetic differentiation among distant populations but attenuated genetic differentiation among close populations. These findings are significant for studies of human evolution and medical genetics. PMID:29091727

  8. Language as Fluid: A Description of the Conduit Metaphor in Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nomura, Masuhiro

    1993-01-01

    The question of how 'communication' is metaphorized in Japanese is examined and this metaphorization is contrasted with Reddy's (1979) conduit metaphor. A claim is made that there is a strong tendency for Japanese to conceptualize 'word' as 'fluid' and to fuse 'word' and 'meaning.' English, which unlike Japanese, has overt count/mass and…

  9. Western and Japanese Discourse Style in a Consensus-Building Task Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirabayashi, Haruma; Long, Christopher

    2011-01-01

    The current study analyzes discourse style differences between western and Japanese interlocutors in a group consensus-building task discussion. Four discussants (American male, Japanese male, German female and Japanese female) first created a ranking of 5 life values and then participated in a group discussion to arrive at a common group ranking.…

  10. Sex and cultural differences in spatial performance between Japanese and North Americans.

    PubMed

    Sakamoto, Maiko; Spiers, Mary V

    2014-04-01

    Previous studies have suggested that Asians perform better than North Americans on spatial tasks but show smaller sex differences. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between long-term experience with a pictorial written language and spatial performance. It was hypothesized that native Japanese Kanji (a complex pictorial written language) educated adults would show smaller sex differences on spatial tasks than Japanese Americans or North Americans without Kanji education. A total of 80 young healthy participants (20 native Japanese speakers, 20 Japanese Americans-non Japanese speaking, and 40 North Americans-non Japanese speaking) completed the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT), the Mental Rotations Test (MRT), and customized 2D and 3D spatial object location memory tests. As predicted, main effects revealed men performed better on the MRT and RCFT and women performed better on the spatial object location memory tests. Also, as predicted, native Japanese performed better on all tests than the other groups. In contrast to the other groups, native Japanese showed a decreased magnitude of sex differences on aspects of the RCFT (immediate and delayed recall) and no significant sex difference on the efficiency of the strategy used to copy and encode the RCFT figure. This study lends support to the idea that intensive experience over time with a pictorial written language (i.e., Japanese Kanji) may contribute to increased spatial performance on some spatial tasks as well as diminish sex differences in performance on tasks that most resemble Kanji.

  11. Construction and reliability of the Japanese version of the Adolescent Egocentrism-Sociocentrism (AES) scale and its preliminary application in the Japanese university students.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Mayumi; Tomotake, Masahito; Ohmori, Tetsuro

    2008-08-01

    In recent years, the problem of interpersonal relationships has been reported to be associated with various adolescent psychiatric problems. Egocentrism is one factor related to the problem of interpersonal relationships. The Adolescent Egocentrism-Sociocentrism (AES) scale is used to assess egocentrism in Western countries, but no such scale has been developed in Japan. The purpose of our current study was to develop the Japanese version of the AES scale and investigate the relationship between the egocentrism assessed by the AES scale and the self-consciousness assessed by the Japanese version of the self-consciousness scale. The original version of the AES scale was first translated into Japanese using the forward-backward method and examined for factorial reliability and validity. The results demonstrated that the Japanese version of the AES scale shows adequate factorial reliability and validity, but different from the original version the "egocentrism personal fable" subscale which measures the feeling that oneself is special and unique was not extracted in the Japanese version. We found a moderate correlation between the non-social focuses of the AES scale and the public self-consciousness subscale of the self-consciousness scale. This correlation suggests that a strong attention of others' view on oneself results in the avoidance of others. The Japanese version of the AES scale can examine egocentrism adequately together with sociocentrism and non-social focuses. As this scale is self-reporting and easy to complete, it may have practical utility in a clinical setting.

  12. Skills and Life Strategies of Japanese Business Women.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iwao, Sumiko

    In this paper, case studies of two successful Japanese businesswomen illustrate how traditional Japanese cultural values and female sex roles have enabled women to succeed in business. These two cases were chosen as representative from a sample of 56. The businesses discussed are in very different sectors of the economy. One is a traditional and…

  13. Comparative macroanatomical study of the neurocranium in some carnivora.

    PubMed

    Karan, M; Timurkaan, S; Ozdemir, D; Unsaldi, E

    2006-02-01

    This study was carried out to investigate the specific anatomical features of the neurocranium of the skull of the dog, cat, badger, marten and otter. Twenty-five animals (five from each species) were used without sexual distinction. The neurocranium consists of os occipitale, os sphenoidale, os pterygoideum, os ethmoidale, vomer, os temporale, os parietale and os frontale. The processus paracondylaris is projected ventrally in the cat, dog, marten and badger, and caudally in the otter. Two foramina were found laterally on each side of the protuberantia occipitalis externa in the otter, and one foramen was found near the protuberantia occipitalis externa in the badger. Foramen was not seen in other species. Paired ossa parietalia joined each other at the midline, forming the sutura sagittalis in the badger, dog, otter and cat while it was separated by the linea temporalis in the marten. The os frontale was small in otters, narrow and long in martens, and quite wide in cats and dogs. The bulla tympanica was rounded in the marten, dog, cat and badger, dorsoventral compressed in otter, and it was very large in all species examined. These observations represented interspecies differences in the neurocranium of marten, otter, badger, cat and dog.

  14. Mapping Japanese medical terms to UMLS Metathesaurus.

    PubMed

    Onogi, Yuzo; Ohe, Kazuhiko; Tanaka, Masaaki; Nozoe, Atsutake; Sasaki, Tetsuro; Sato, Megumi; Kikuchi, Yuko; Shinohara, Tsuneki; Suzuki, Hiromichi; Kaihara, Shigekoto; Seyama, Yousuke

    2004-01-01

    This paper introduces and reports the results for a project to map Japanese medical terms to the UMLS Metathesaurus. The "Thesaurus for Medical and Health related Terms version 5" published in 2003 by the Japan Medical Abstracts Society and UMLS version 2002AC provided by NLM were used in this study. The goal was to judge the validity of the correlation between the Japanese and English terms that belong to the same MeSH concept. Fifteen medicine, nursing, and library science professionals, excluding JAMAS, used a custom designed Web interface to perform this task. About 10% of the concepts were judged as invalid, and the reasoning behind these failures were analyzed. Experience from this project can be used to estimate the manpower required to revise the Japanese thesaurus after future revisions to UMLS or MeSH.

  15. The Army’s Procurement and Conditional Acceptance of Medium Tactical Vehicles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-21

    appreciate the courtesies extended to the staff. Questions should be directed to Mr. John E. Meling at (703) 604-9091 (DSN 664-9091) or Mr. Kevin W...Office of Inspector General, also contributed to the report. Richard B. Jolliffe Bruce A. Burton John E. Meling Kevin W. Klein James A. Hoyt...Celia J. Harrigan Tracey E. Dismukes Roberta Dameron Michael Y. Kwan Chandra P. Sankhla Jillisa H. Milner

  16. Japanese Terms of Address: Some Usages of the First and Second Person Pronouns. Papers in Japanese Linguistics, Vol. 1, No. 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kurokawa, Shozo

    This paper examines the following points: (1) how Japanese personal pronouns are used according to the speakers' social constraints, and (2) differences between males and females of the same occupational group in their use of personal pronouns. The dialect analyzed is the speech of Japanese faculty members at the University of Hawaii. A speaker of…

  17. Daily Life in Japanese High Schools. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Marcia L.; Johnson, Jeffrey R.

    This ERIC Digest asserts that the Japanese education system is one of the most influential agents molding Japanese youth. This influence is especially great due to the large amount of time students spend in schools. Six topics examine aspects of daily high school life: (1) Getting to School; (2) At School; (3) Extracurricular Activities; (4)…

  18. Bumping into Someone: Japanese Students' Perceptions and Observations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lieske, Carmella

    2010-01-01

    This pilot study explores the apologies Japanese nursing college students thought they would use in their L1 (i.e. Japanese) and their L2 (i.e. English) when bumping into each other. The students completed a questionnaire, the results of which indicated that they believed they should always apologize for bumping into someone. The paper describes…

  19. The decline in BMI among Japanese women after World War II.

    PubMed

    Maruyama, Shiko; Nakamura, Sayaka

    2015-07-01

    The body mass index (BMI) of the Japanese is significantly lower than is found in other high-income countries. Moreover, the average BMI of Japanese women is lower than that of Japanese men, and the age-specific BMI of Japanese women has decreased over time. The average BMI of Japanese women at age 25 decreased from 21.8 in 1948 to 20.4 in 2010 whereas that of men increased from 21.4 to 22.3 over the same period. We examine the long-term BMI trend in Japan by combining several historical data sources spanning eleven decades, from 1901 to 2012, to determine not only when but also how the BMI decline among women began: whether its inception was period-specific or cohort-specific. Our nonparametric regression analysis generated five findings. First, the BMI of Japanese women peaked with the 1930s birth cohort. This means that the trend is cohort-specific. Second, the BMI of men outpaced that of women in the next cohort. Third, the BMI of Japanese children, boys and girls alike, increased steadily throughout the 20th century. Fourth, the gender difference in the BMI trend is due to a gender difference in the weight trend, not the height trend. Fifth, these BMI trends are observed in urban and rural populations alike. We conclude that the BMI decline among Japanese women began with those who were in their late teens shortly after World War II. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. [Development of a Japanese version of the TALE scale].

    PubMed

    Ochiai, Tsutomu; Oguchi, Takashi

    2013-12-01

    The Thinking About Life Experiences (TALE) Scale (Bluck & Alea, 2011) has three subscales that assess the self, social, and directive functions of autobiographical memory. This study constructs a Japanese version of the TALE Scale and examines its reliability and validity. Fifteen items that assess the three functions of autobiographical memory were translated into Japanese. We conducted an online investigation with 600 men and women between 20-59 years of age. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis identified that the three-factor structure of the Japanese version of the TALE Scale was the same as the original TALE Scale. Sufficient internal consistency of the scale was found, and the construct validity of the scale was supported by correlation analysis. Study 2 confirmed that the test-retest reliabilities of the three subscales were sufficient. Thus, this Japanese version of the TALE Scale is useful to assess autobiographical memory functions in Japan.

  1. Japanese Temple Geometry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vincent, Jill; Vincent, Claire

    2004-01-01

    Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Japanese government closed its borders to the outside world in an attempt to become more powerful. Foreign books were banned, people could not travel, and foreigners were not allowed to enter the country. One result of this isolation was the flourishing of sangaku--wooden tablets inscribed with intricately…

  2. The Concept of Learning Japanese: Explaining Why Successful Students of Japanese Discontinue Japanese Studies at the Transition to Tertiary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oshima, Ryoko; Harvey, Sharon

    2017-01-01

    Student attrition and falling tertiary education enrolments afflict languages education across the "inner circle" English speaking world. In the southern hemisphere, in New Zealand and Australia, Japanese has become one of the most successful languages of education. However, numbers of students are now declining. This paper examines why…

  3. [The registry report of Japanese lung transplantation--2009].

    PubMed

    2010-07-01

    To scrutinize the status of lung transplantation in Japan, the Japanese Society of Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation started to collect and present registry data from 2005. This is the 5th official registry report of Japanese lung transplantation. The data of cadaveric lung transplantation and living-donor lobar transplantation performed by the end of 2008 were registered to the database and analyzed with respect to the number of transplants, recipient survival rates, recipient functional and working status, and cause of death after transplantation. Survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Fifty-three (30 single and 23 bilateral) cadaveric lung transplantations and 77 living-donor lobar transplantations were performed by the end of 2008. Five-year survival rates of cadaveric single and bilateral lung transplantations were 61.9% and 62.5%, respectively, which were both superior to those in the International Registry (47.1% and 55.0%, respectively). Five-year and 10-year survival rates of living-donor lobar transplantation were excellent at 79.9% and 77.0%, respectively. The functional status of >80% of recipients was restored to Hugh-Jones I or II after transplantation. Infection was the leading cause of death after lung transplantation. The results of Japanese lung transplantation are so far satisfactory although we should note the small number of lung transplant cases in Japan. The Japanese Society of Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation will continue to present the annual report of Japanese lung transplantation.

  4. Verb-raising and Numeral Classifiers in Japanese: Incompatible Bedfellows.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fukushima, Kazuhiko

    2003-01-01

    Examines verb raising in Japanese and looks at Koizumi's (2000) evidence for verb-raising based on data involving, among other things, numeral classifiers. Demonstrates that Koizumi's evidence based on numeral classifiers does not support his claim that verb-raising occurs in Japanese. (Author/VWL)

  5. Cathepsin B expression in prostate cancer of native Japanese and Japanese-American patients: an immunohistochemical study.

    PubMed

    Sinha, Akhouri A; Morgan, Jenifer L; Betre, Konjit; Wilson, Michael J; Le, Chap; Marks, Leonard S

    2008-01-01

    Japanese-American (J-A) men who have immigrated to the U.S.A. and acquired the Western lifestyle usually have more invasive prostate cancer (PCa) than native Japanese (NJ) living in Japan. The specific reasons for these differences remain unknown. The objective of this study was to examine immunostainings of cathepsin B (CB) and its endogenous inhibitor stefin A (SA) in tissue microarray (TMA) and radical prostatectomy (RP) tissue sections in the hope of obtaining insights into the invasiveness of PCa in Japanese patients. TMA and RP sections were evaluated in 50 men (25 NJ and 25 J-A) for CB and SA reaction products. The CB and SA immunostainings were imaged directly from microscope slides to a computer using a high performance charge coupled device (CCD) digital camera, quantified using Metamorph software, analyzed using the two-sample t-test, and confirmed by multiple regression analysis. The CB and SA proteins were localized in the carcinomatous glands and isolated cancer cells in the TMA and RP sections. The Gleason scores and pre-surgery serum total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels did not differ significantly in the NJ and J-A patients (p = 0.14, p = 0.16, respectively). The Chi-square analysis of clinical stage versus place of birth showed that the NJ patients had significantly more T2a and T2b clinical stages than the J-A patients who had more advanced T2c and T3a stages (p = 0.003). The CB and SA immunostainings and their ratios in Gleason score 6 tumors did not show any difference, but the CB:SA ratios in score > or = 7 tumors approached significance levels. The overall matching of specimens according to the Gleason grade/score, pre-RP serum total PSA levels, clinical stage and age prior to evaluation of immunostainings greatly minimizes subjectivity associated with the evaluation of markers in this ethnic sub-population of PCa patients. CB and SA immunostaining is similar in Japanese patients who have organ-confined and moderately

  6. Characteristics of MUTYH variants in Japanese colorectal polyposis patients.

    PubMed

    Takao, Misato; Yamaguchi, Tatsuro; Eguchi, Hidetaka; Tada, Yuhki; Kohda, Masakazu; Koizumi, Koichi; Horiguchi, Shin-Ichiro; Okazaki, Yasushi; Ishida, Hideyuki

    2018-06-01

    The base excision repair gene MUTYH is the causative gene of colorectal polyposis syndrome, which is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with a high risk of colorectal cancer. Since few studies have investigated the genotype-phenotype association in Japanese patients with MUTYH variants, the aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathological findings in Japanese patients with MUTYH gene variants who were detected by screening causative genes associated with hereditary colorectal polyposis. After obtaining informed consent, genetic testing was performed using target enrichment sequencing of 26 genes, including MUTYH. Of the 31 Japanese patients with suspected hereditary colorectal polyposis, eight MUTYH variants were detected in five patients. MUTYH hotspot variants known for Caucasians, namely p.G396D and p.Y179D, were not among the detected variants.Of five patients, two with biallelic MUTYH variants were diagnosed with MUTYH-associated polyposis, while two others had monoallelic MUTYH variants. One patient had the p.P18L and p.G25D variants on the same allele; however, supportive data for considering these two variants 'pathogenic' were lacking. Two patients with biallelic MUTYH variants and two others with monoallelic MUTYH variants were identified among Japanese colorectal polyposis patients. Hotspot variants of the MUTYH gene for Caucasians were not hotspots for Japanese patients.

  7. [A Japanese in Marburg : Excerpts from the Memories - Jiden - of the Japanese Bacteriologist Taichi Kitashima (1870-1956)].

    PubMed

    Enke, Ulrike; Ishihara, Aeka

    2017-06-01

    The heart of this article is the transmission of selected chapters from the Japanese bacteriologist Taichi Kitashima's (1870-1956) autobiographical memoirs (in Japanese, Jiden) published in 1955, in which Kitashima reports on his stay in Marburg in a very personal and subjective way. Like other Japanese physicians of his generation, Kitashima spent several years in Germany in order to work with the serum researcher Emil von Behring and continued his education there. The contact came through Kitashima's teacher Shibasaburô Kitasato, who had worked with Behring in Berlin on questions of immunology. The memoir gives insight into Behring's laboratory work and his relation to his "subordinates". The editors investigate to what extent Kitashima's assessment, made from a distance of fifty years, of his stay in Germany as "wasted time" was accurate, given the advantages that arose from having been part of a vibrant European scientific community, including encounters in the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and why he cultivated his contacts with Germany and the Behring family during National Socialism.

  8. Sequential-Simultaneous Analysis of Japanese Children's Performance on the Japanese McCarthy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishikuma, Toshinori; And Others

    This study explored the hypothesis that Japanese children perform significantly better on simultaneous processing than on sequential processing. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) served as the criterion of the two types of mental processing. Regression equations to predict Sequential and Simultaneous processing from McCarthy…

  9. Beliefs about Overcoming Psychological Problems among British and Japanese Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furnham, Adrian; Ota, Hiromi; Tatsuro, Hosoe; Koyasu, Masuo

    2000-01-01

    Examines the cultural differences among Japanese students, British students, and Japanese students studying in Britain, concerning their beliefs on overcoming five psychological problems: depression, obesity, smoking cessation, agoraphobia, and lack of confidence. (CMK)

  10. Evaluate styrene production

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hagopian, C.R.; Lewis, P.J.; McDonald, J.J.

    1983-02-01

    Improvements and innovations in styrene production since 1966 are outlined. Rigorous process models are attributed to the changes. Such models are used to evaluate the effects of changing raw material costs, utility costs, and available catalyst choices. The process model can also evaluate the best operating configuration and catalyst choice for a plant. All specified innovations are incorporated in the Mobil/Badger ethylbenzene and the Cosden/Badger styrene processes (both of which are schematicized). Badger's training programs are reviewed. Badger's Styrenics Business Team converts information into plant design basis. A reaction model with input derived from isothermal and adiabatic pilot plant unitsmore » is at the heart of complete computer simulation of ethylbenzene and styrene processes.« less

  11. Reimagining Japanese Education: Borders, Transfers, Circulations, and the Comparative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willis, David Blake, Ed.; Rappleye, Jeremy, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    Sparked by the confluence of accelerating domestic transformation and increasingly explicit impacts from "globalization", the Japanese education system has undergone tremendous changes during the turbulence of the past decade. This volume, which brings together some of the foremost scholars in the field of Japanese education, analyzes…

  12. Disruption and Reconnection: Counseling Young Adolescents in Japanese Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeTendre, Gerald K.

    1995-01-01

    Using two case studies, examines the systems used by Japanese middle school teacher/counselors to counsel troubled early adolescents. The system works well for prevention, but can substantially drain a teacher's time. Cautions against wholesale adoption of Japanese organizational techniques in California schools, since teachers are already…

  13. Japanese for Tourism and Trade

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klarberg, F.

    1974-01-01

    Discusses the desirability of Japanese as a second language for Australians in tourism and trade industries. Initial instruction using Roman alphabet followed by job training in Japan is recommended. (RM)

  14. Midlife use of written Japanese and protection from late life dementia

    PubMed Central

    Crane, Paul K.; Gibbons, Laura E.; Arani, Keerthi; Nguyen, Viet; Rhoads, Kristoffer; McCurry, Susan M.; Launer, Lenore; Masaki, Kamal; White, Lon

    2011-01-01

    Background The cognitive reserve hypothesis would predict that use of written Japanese should confer protection against dementia because of the complexity of its ideograms compared with written English. We sought to test this hypothesis in analyses from a longitudinal study of Japanese-American men. Methods Participants were second-generation Japanese-American men (Nisei) on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, who were seen in 1965 and in subsequent examinations to detect dementia beginning in 1991-1993. Use of spoken and written Japanese was self-reported in 1965 (Analyses 1 and 2), and mid-life use of written Japanese and written English was self-reported in 1994-1996 (Analysis 3). We analyzed prevalent dementia outcomes in 1991-1993 (Analysis 1, n=3,139) using logistic regression, and incident dementia outcomes in 1994-2002 (Analysis 2, n=2,299) and in 1997-2002 (Analysis 3, n=1,655) using Cox proportional hazards regression. Dementia outcomes included all-cause dementia, probable and possible Alzheimer disease, and probable vascular dementia. We adjusted models for probable and possible confounders. Results Participants who reported proficiency with written Japanese were older and had lower incomes. For Analysis 1, there were 154 prevalent cases of dementia, 74 of Alzheimer disease, and 43 of vascular dementia; for Analysis 2, 236 incident cases of dementia, 138 of Alzheimer disease, and 45 of vascular dementia; and for Analysis 3, 125 incident cases of dementia, 80 of Alzheimer disease, and 20 of vascular dementia. There was no relationship in adjusted models between self-reported proficiency with written Japanese and any dementia outcomes. Conclusions Proficiency with written Japanese does not appear to be protective for dementia. PMID:19593152

  15. Japanese children's family drawings and their link to attachment.

    PubMed

    Behrens, Kazuko Y; Kaplan, Nancy

    2011-09-01

    This study explored the applicability of family drawings as a tool to estimate attachment security in a sample of Japanese six-year-olds (N = 47), applying Kaplan and Main's ( 1986 ) Family Drawing system. Maternal secure/insecure attachment status judged by the Adult Attachment Interview predicted family drawings' secure/insecure distinction produced by Japanese six-year-olds. However, insecure Japanese drawings took forms not seen in the original Berkeley drawings, such as a lineup of faces alone. Further examination of the Japanese children's drawings using global rating scales (Fury, Carlson, & Sroufe, 1997 ) yielded significant gender differences, rarely reported in the attachment literature, with girls scoring higher in scales that predict attachment security and boys scoring higher in scales that predict attachment insecurity. However, attachment security, as captured in the drawings, was not related to attachment security, observed behaviorally using Main and Cassidy's ( 1988 ) sixth-year reunion system. Implications of the findings are discussed in light of measurements, gender, and culture.

  16. Evaluating genetic risk for prostate cancer among Japanese and Latinos

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Iona; Chen, Gary K.; Nakagawa, Hidewaki; He, Jing; Wan, Peggy; Laurie, Cathy; Shen, Jess; Sheng, Xin; Pooler, Loreall C.; Crenshaw, Andrew T.; Mirel, Daniel B.; Takahashi, Atsushi; Kubo, Michiaki; Nakamura, Yusuke; Al Olama, Ali Amin; Benlloch, Sara; Donovan, Jenny L.; Guy, Michelle; Hamdy, Freddie C.; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Neal, David E.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Monroe, Kristine R.; Stram, Daniel O.; Muir, Kenneth; Eeles, Rosalind A.; Easton, Douglas F.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Henderson, Brian E.; Le Marchand, Loïc; Haiman, Christopher A.

    2012-01-01

    Background There have been few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of prostate cancer among diverse populations. To search for novel prostate cancer risk variants, we conducted GWAS of prostate cancer in Japanese and Latinos. In addition, we tested prostate cancer risk variants and developed genetic risk models of prostate cancer for Japanese and Latinos. Methods Our first stage GWAS of prostate cancer included Japanese (cases/controls=1,033/1,042) and Latino (cases/controls=1,043/1,057) from the Multiethnic Cohort. Significant associations from stage 1 (P < 1.0×10−4) were examined in silico in GWAS of prostate cancer (stage 2) in Japanese (cases/controls=1,583/3,386) and Europeans (cases/controls=1,854/1,894). Results No novel stage 1 SNPs outside of known risk regions reached genome-wide significance. For Japanese, in stage 1, the most notable putative novel association was seen with 10 SNPs (P<8.0. x10−6) at chromosome 2q33; however, this was not replicated in stage 2. For Latinos, the most significant association was observed with rs17023900 at the known 3p12 risk locus (stage 1: OR=1.45; P=7.01×10−5 and stage 2: OR=1.58; P =3.05×10−7). The majority of the established risk variants for prostate cancer, 79% and 88%, were positively associated with prostate cancer in Japanese and Latinos (stage I), respectively. The cumulative effects of these variants significantly influence prostate cancer risk (OR per allele=1.10; P = 2.71×10−25 and OR=1.07; P = 1.02×10−16 for Japanese and Latinos, respectively). Conclusion and Impact Our GWAS of prostate cancer did not identify novel genome-wide significant variants. However, our findings demonstrate that established risk variants for prostate cancer significantly contribute to risk among Japanese and Latinos. PMID:22923026

  17. Evaluating genetic risk for prostate cancer among Japanese and Latinos.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Iona; Chen, Gary K; Nakagawa, Hidewaki; He, Jing; Wan, Peggy; Laurie, Cathy C; Shen, Jess; Sheng, Xin; Pooler, Loreall C; Crenshaw, Andrew T; Mirel, Daniel B; Takahashi, Atsushi; Kubo, Michiaki; Nakamura, Yusuke; Al Olama, Ali Amin; Benlloch, Sara; Donovan, Jenny L; Guy, Michelle; Hamdy, Freddie C; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Neal, David E; Wilkens, Lynne R; Monroe, Kristine R; Stram, Daniel O; Muir, Kenneth; Eeles, Rosalind A; Easton, Douglas F; Kolonel, Laurence N; Henderson, Brian E; Le Marchand, Loïc; Haiman, Christopher A

    2012-11-01

    There have been few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of prostate cancer among diverse populations. To search for novel prostate cancer risk variants, we conducted GWAS of prostate cancer in Japanese and Latinos. In addition, we tested prostate cancer risk variants and developed genetic risk models of prostate cancer for Japanese and Latinos. Our first-stage GWAS of prostate cancer included Japanese (cases/controls = 1,033/1,042) and Latino (cases/controls = 1,043/1,057) from the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). Significant associations from stage I (P < 1.0 × 10(-4)) were examined in silico in GWAS of prostate cancer (stage II) in Japanese (cases/controls = 1,583/3,386) and Europeans (cases/controls = 1,854/1,894). No novel stage I single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) outside of known risk regions reached genome-wide significance. For Japanese, in stage I, the most notable putative novel association was seen with 10 SNPs (P ≤ 8.0 × 10(-6)) at chromosome 2q33; however, this was not replicated in stage II. For Latinos, the most significant association was observed with rs17023900 at the known 3p12 risk locus (stage I: OR = 1.45; P = 7.01 × 10(-5) and stage II: OR = 1.58; P = 3.05 × 10(-7)). The majority of the established risk variants for prostate cancer, 79% and 88%, were positively associated with prostate cancer in Japanese and Latinos (stage I), respectively. The cumulative effects of these variants significantly influence prostate cancer risk (OR per allele = 1.10; P = 2.71 × 10(-25) and OR = 1.07; P = 1.02 × 10(-16) for Japanese and Latinos, respectively). Our GWAS of prostate cancer did not identify novel genome-wide significant variants. However, our findings show that established risk variants for prostate cancer significantly contribute to risk among Japanese and Latinos. ©2012 AACR.

  18. Transcultural stress factors of Japanese mothers living in the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    Ozeki, Nobuko

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the stressors experienced by Japanese mothers living in the United Kingdom. An ethnomethodological design was used by means of an openended, in-depth interview. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 Japanese mothers living in the United Kingdom. Analysis was performed using the KJ (Kawakito Jiro) method, equivalent to content analysis and data reduction. The main stressors were participation in the small hierarchical society of the Japanese business climate, isolation, language and cultural barriers, and raising Japanese children in a British cultural context. Unsatisfactory experiences of childbirth, child rearing, and contacts with medical services were reported. Recognizing cultural differences and the difficulties that may be experienced by Japanese clients is a first step. Resources may be provided to help these clients widen their social contacts and improve communication with providers of health care and education for their children.

  19. 3. View of Japanese village, type C structure, facing eastsoutheast ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    3. View of Japanese village, type C structure, facing east-southeast - Nevada Test Site, Japanese Village, Type C Structure, Area 4, Yucca Flat, 4-04 Road near Rainier Mesa Road, Mercury, Nye County, NV

  20. 78 FR 18629 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Water Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-27

    ... ash discharges after BADGER's 2014 operating system, perform other injunctive relief, and pay a $25... with the defendant's discharge of ash from BADGER, a coal- fired, stream-driven ferry that operates...

  1. Japanese Patterns of Behavior.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lebra, Takie Sugiyama

    This book attempts to shed light on the seemingly contradictory aspects of Japanese behavior. Separate chapters, grounded in interaction-oriented social scientific theory, focus on the themes of social relativism, belongingness, empathy, dependency, occupying the proper place, reciprocity, situational interaction, early socialization, selfhood,…

  2. Validation of the Japanese Version of the Body Vigilance Scale.

    PubMed

    Saigo, Tatsuo; Takebayashi, Yoshitake; Tayama, Jun; Bernick, Peter J; Schmidt, Norman B; Shirabe, Susumu; Sakano, Yuji

    2016-06-01

    The Body Vigilance Scale is a self-report measure of attention to bodily sensations. The measure was translated into Japanese and its reliability, validity, and factor structure were verified. Participants comprised 286 university students (age: 19 ± 1 years). All participants were administered the scale, along with several indices of anxiety (i.e., Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Short Health Anxiety Inventory Illness Likelihood Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The Japanese version of the Body Vigilance Scale exhibited a unidimensional factor structure and strong internal consistency. Construct validity was demonstrated by significant correlations with the above measures. Results suggest that the Japanese version of the scale is a reliable, valid tool for measuring body vigilance in Japanese university students. © The Author(s) 2016.

  3. Installation-restoration program environmental technology development. Task Order 12. Field demonstration - composting of propellant-contaminated sediments at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP). Final report, Jul 87-Mar 89

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, R.T.; Ziegenfuss, P.S.; Marks, P.J.

    1989-03-01

    A field-scale demonstration of composting propellants-contaminated sediment was conducted at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP). Composting, as used at BAAP, is a treatment process in which organic-chemical contaminated soils or sediments are mixed with organic materials such as manure to enhance the role of microbial metabolism in degrading and stabilizing soil/sediment contaminants. Sediments contaminated with the propellant nitrocellulose (NC) were mixed with manure, alfalfa, livestock feed, and wood chips and composted in four static piles. Negative pressure aeration was used to maintain aerobiosis and remove excess heat. Experimental variables investigated during the study were temperature (mesophilic, 35 C vs.more » thermophilic, 55 C), sediment loading (19 to 32 weight percent), and NC loading. Small aliquots of compost (approximately 400 cu cm) were spiked with pure NC, placed in porous nylon bags and buried in compost piles. These bagged compost samples were used to determine if high levels of NC could be successfully composted. Thermophilic temperatures resulted in the highest percent reduction in NC concentration.« less

  4. Citation Behaviors Observed in Japanese EFL Students' Argumentative Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamimura, Taeko

    2014-01-01

    Effective use of outside source texts is one of the key components of successful academic writing. This study aims at clarifying Japanese university EFL students' citation behaviors in producing argumentative writing. Twenty-six Japanese university EFL students wrote an argumentative essay. Their essays were analyzed quantitatively by six…

  5. Clarendon Alternative School Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program: Curriculum Sampler.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    San Francisco Unified School District, CA.

    Sample lessons and instructional materials from a Japanese bilingual/bicultural elementary school program are presented. The lessons are designed to integrate Japanese language instruction with content instruction, using thematic units related to the core curriculum. The ten lessons are organized by target grade (K-5), and describe classroom…

  6. Work Environment and Japanese Fathers' Involvement in Child Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishii-Kuntz, Masako

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies mainly examined individual and family factors affecting Japanese fathers' involvement in child care. Along with these factors, we examine how work-related factors such as father-friendly environment at work, workplace's accommodation of parental needs, job stress, and autonomy are associated with Japanese men's participation in…

  7. English/Japanese Professional Interpretation: Its Linguistic and Conceptual Problems.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishikawa, Luli

    1995-01-01

    A study of simultaneous interpretation from Japanese to English focused on problems inherent in simultaneous language processing. Data were drawn from a discussion session at an international conference of physicians concerning nuclear war. Transcription of the Japanese source text (romanized), English product, and a gloss of lexical equivalents…

  8. Japanese and Korean Kindergartners' Perspectives of Play Using Photos

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Izumi-­Taylor, Satomi; Ro, Yeonsun; Han, Jihee; Ito, Yoko

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine Japanese and Korean kindergarteners' perspectives by asking them to photograph play and explain why their photos represent play (photo elicitation interviews). The participants consisted of 50 kindergarteners on Japan's main island and 50 kindergarteners in South Korea. Japanese and Korean kindergartners…

  9. Integrating Language and Content: Challenges in a Japanese Supplementary School in Victoria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okumura, Shinji; Obara, Yumi

    2017-01-01

    The Melbourne International School of Japanese (MISJ) is a supplementary Saturday school which offers Japanese language and mathematics taught in Japanese from kindergarten to senior secondary level. Classes are scheduled on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm and approximately half of the program is dedicated to mathematics. While mathematics education…

  10. Overcoming Ambivalence: The Case for Japanese Martial Internationalism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-09-01

    served this effort. All of these liberal reforms culminated in the establishment of the bicameral National Diet and the development and adoption of...widespread protests, in July Kishi forced through the Diet passage of the renewed treaty using police to drive opposition party members from the Diet ...serious discussions of constitutional reforms to permit overseas Japanese military activities. In June 1992, with great difficulties, the Japanese Diet

  11. The Japanese artificial organs scene: current status.

    PubMed

    Mitamura, Yoshinori; Murabayashi, Shun

    2005-08-01

    Artificial organs and regenerative medicine are the subjects of very active research and development (R&D) in Japan and various artificial organs are widely used in patients. Results of the R&D are presented at the annual conference of the Japanese Society for Artificial Organs (JSAO). Progress in the fields of artificial organs and regenerative medicine are reviewed annually in the Japanese Journal of Artificial Organs. The official English-language journal of JSAO, Journal of Artificial Organs, also publishes many original articles by Japanese researchers. Although the annual conference and the publications of JSAO provide the world with update information on artificial organs and regenerative medicine in Japan, the information is not always understood appropriately in the rest of the world, mainly due to language problems. This article therefore introduces the current status of artificial organs and regenerative medicine in Japan. Artificial hearts and metabolic support systems are reviewed here and other interesting areas such as regenerative medicine can be found elsewhere.

  12. Non-Grammatical Reflexive Binding Phenomena: The Case of Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakakibara, Sonoko

    Two non-syntactic phenomena of Japanese reflexive binding by "zibun" ("self") are analyzed with respect to a pragmatic use condition on "zibun," a culture-specific condition, and the Maxim of Politeness (Fukada 1986). The first phenomenon is the tendency by native speakers of Japanese to avoid referring to an honored…

  13. Curricular, Relational, and Physical Spaces in the Japanese Hoikuen

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferguson, Daniel E.; Kuby, Candace R.

    2015-01-01

    Recent scholarship looks at the relationship of learning to space and place within educational research. The purpose of this article was to put data produced from teaching in four Japanese preschools into conversation with spatial theory and Ma, a Japanese spatial esthetic. We seek to understand "how" and "what" spaces…

  14. Motivational Factors Affecting Online Learning by Japanese MBA Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kikuchi, Hisayo

    2006-01-01

    In Japan, Internet based learning is still at an early stage. However, adult learners in Japanese society expect the development of flexible e-learning programs. This case study examines motivational factors affecting online learning in a Japanese and Australian MBA program, using observations, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The data were…

  15. [A VALIDATION STUDY OF THE IMPROVED PRODUCT FOR MEASURING JAPANESE CYPRESS POLLEN-SPECIFIC IgE (THERMO SCIENTIFIC™ ImmunoCAP™ ImmunoCAP JAPANESE CYPRESS POLLEN-SPECIFIC IgE)].

    PubMed

    Yonekura, Syuji; Okamoto, Yoshitaka; Nakayama, Satoshi

    Japanese cypress pollen is a major causative allergen of seasonal allergic rhinitis in Japan. Although ImmunoCAP-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) reagent Japanese cypress pollen has been widely used as a diagnostic aid, its sensitivity requires enhancement. This study evaluated an improved version of this reagent. Serum samples from 61 subjects who underwent Japanese cypress pollen exposure testing in an environmental challenge chamber in Chiba University were assessed using the conventional ImmunoCAPspecific IgE Japanese cypress pollen product and the improved product. In addition, specific IgE for Cha o 1 and Cha o 2, the primary allergen components of Japanese cypress pollen, was evaluated and their reactivity to specific IgE was compared between the conventional and improved products. The antibody titer of the improved product was approximately 1.8-fold that of the conventional product. In addition, higher correlations with Cha o 1 and Cha o 2 were observed for the improved product than for the conventional product. The clinical sensitivity (≥class 2) in 56 exposure test-positive subjects was better for the improved product (80.4%) than for the conventional product (71.4%). An improvement of the ImmunoCAP-specific IgE reagent Japanese cypress pollen resulted in enhanced Japanese cypress pollen-specific IgE sensitivity. The primary reason for this appeared to be an improved Cha o 1- and Cha o 2-specific IgE detectability.

  16. Comparison of Motivational Factors between Japanese and United States High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kavanaugh, Debbie

    2009-01-01

    Spanning multiple subjects and age groups, U.S. students rate poorly while Japanese students rate highly when subject to international testing. Japanese children complete twice as much homework as their U.S. counterparts and sometimes attend school on Saturdays. The literature review looks at motivation in both U.S. American and Japanese students…

  17. 75 FR 4373 - City of Kaukauna, WI; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-27

    ... application for a new license for the 8-megawatt (MW) Badger-Rapide Croche Hydroelectric Project located on.... Please affix ``Badger-Rapide Croche Project No. 2677-019'' to all comments. Comments may be filed...

  18. Oral self-care behaviours: comparing Greek and Japanese dental students.

    PubMed

    Polychronopoulou, Argy; Kawamura, Makoto

    2005-11-01

    This study explored cross-cultural differences of self-reported oral health behaviours between Greek and Japanese dental students. The sample population included 877 dental students, 539 students registered at the University of Athens Dental School, and 338 registered at the Hiroshima University Dental School. Oral health behaviour was assessed using the Greek and Japanese versions of a 20-item questionnaire entitled Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI). The mean questionnaire score of the Japanese students (7.40) was significantly greater than that of the Greek peers (6.86, P = 0.001), indicating better oral self-care behaviour amongst the Japanese students; however, the overall difference was mainly attributed to their additional sixth study year. Greek and Japanese students provided significantly different answers to 14 of 20 HU-DBI items. Greeks significantly more often were required by their dentist to evaluate their brushing technique (OR = 14.4, P < 0.01), checked their teeth in the mirror after brushing (OR = 8.1, P < 0.01), worried about bad breath (OR = 6.7, P < 0.01), and believed that gum disease is preventable by tooth brushing alone (OR = 2.1, P < 0.05), whereas their Japanese peers significantly more often felt comfortable to clean their teeth without the use of a toothpaste (OR = 0.3, P < 0.01), believed that they take much time to brush their teeth (OR = 0.3, P < 0.01), used a child-sized toothbrush (OR = 0.2, P < 0.01), and put off going to the dentist until having toothache (OR = 0.4, P < 0.01). Considerable differences in dental health attitudes/behaviour exist amongst students in the two countries reflecting the different culture and the health education system of the students; moreover, it is possible to distinguish Greek dental students from Japanese peers with a probability of more than 89% by using the HU-DBI instrument.

  19. The 2016 American Orthopaedic Association-Japanese Orthopaedic Association Traveling Fellowship.

    PubMed

    Nandi, Sumon; Cho, Samuel K; Freedman, Brett A; Firoozabadi, Reza

    2017-06-07

    The American Orthopaedic Association-Japanese Orthopaedic Association (AOA-JOA) Traveling Fellowship, which began in 1992 as a collaborative effort between the 2 orthopaedic communities, is aimed at fostering leadership among early-career surgeons through clinical, academic, and cultural exchange. Over 3 weeks, we experienced an extraordinary journey that led us across nearly 800 miles of the picturesque Japanese countryside, with stops at 6 distinguished academic centers. The opportunity to become personally acquainted with orthopaedic leaders in Japan, learn from their experiences, and immerse ourselves in the ancient and storied culture of a beautiful country was one that we will not soon forget. Along the way, we accumulated a wealth of information while enjoying the legendary hospitality of the Japanese people. There is a ubiquitous challenge in delivering cost-effective, accessible health care while maintaining a commitment to education and research. The U.S. orthopaedic community may take solace in the fact that our Japanese colleagues stand with us as partners in this pursuit, and our relationship with them continues to grow stronger through endeavors such as the AOA-JOA Traveling Fellowship. We look forward to honoring our Japanese colleagues in 2017 when we host them in the United States.

  20. New Japanese encephalitis vaccines: alternatives to production in mouse brain.

    PubMed

    Halstead, Scott B; Thomas, Stephen J

    2011-03-01

    Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a flavivirus maintained in a zoonotic cycle and transmitted by the mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus, causes epidemics of encephalitis throughout much of Asia. Resident populations, including short- or long-term visitors to enzootic regions, are at risk of infection and disease. For the past several decades, killed viral vaccines prepared in tissue culture or mouse brain have been used effectively to immunize travelers and residents of enzootic countries. Cost, efficacy and safety concerns led to the development of a live-attenuated virus vaccine (SA14-14-2) and more recently, to the licensure in the USA, Europe, Canada, and Australia of a purified inactivated, tissue culture-based Japanese encephalitis vaccine (IXIARO(®), referred to as IC51; Intercell AG, Vienna, Austria). In addition, a live-attenuated yellow fever-Japanese encephalitis chimeric vaccine (IMOJEV™, referred to as Japanese encephalitis-CV; Sanofi Pasteur, Lyon, France) was recently licensed in Australia and is under review in Thailand. A broad portfolio of safe and effective Japanese encephalitis vaccines has become available to meet the needs of at-risk populations; when appropriately delivered, these new vaccines should greatly diminish the burden of disease.

  1. Effects of Social Environment on Japanese and American Communication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitao, Kenji; Kitao, S. Kathleen

    The social backgrounds of Japanese and Americans differ in ways that impede complete communication. The Japanese people, historically controlled by the forces of nature, have formed groups as the minimum functioning social units. The individual is only part of the group, and individual rights and obligations have not been clearly developed.…

  2. Gender Representation in Japanese EFL Textbooks--A Corpus Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Jackie F. K.

    2018-01-01

    This paper seeks to investigate whether the Japanese government's attempt to promote a 'gender-equal' society in recent decades and the improved status of women are reflected in patterns of gender representation in Japanese English as a foreign language textbooks. The study made an analysis of four popular series of English language textbooks…

  3. Screening for major depressive episodes in Japanese patients with epilepsy: validation and translation of the Japanese version of Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E).

    PubMed

    Tadokoro, Yukari; Oshima, Tomohiro; Fukuchi, Toshihiko; Kanner, Andres M; Kanemoto, Kousuke

    2012-09-01

    We validated and translated into Japanese the English version of the screening instrument Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) to identify major depressive episodes in patients with epilepsy. A total of 159 Japanese subjects with epilepsy underwent a psychiatric structured interview with the Japanese version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.-J) followed by completion of the Japanese version of NDDI-E (NDDI-E-J). Twelve participants met the M.I.N.I.-J criteria of current major depressive episode. Participants had no difficulties completing the NDDI-E-J. Its Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.83 and a cut-off score greater than 16 provided a sensitivity of 0.92, a specificity of 0.89, and a negative predictive value of 0.99. The NDDI-E-J appears to be useful for primary care clinicians to screen for major depressive episodes in epilepsy patients. Routine use of this brief and self-administered instrument in busy clinical settings will likely improve management of depression in Japanese individuals with epilepsy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. The Japanese Academic Profession.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shimbori, Michiya

    1981-01-01

    The history of Japanese higher education includes development of a patronage system that, despite the broadening of the system, still affects faculty careers. Institutional ranking limits professional mobility, and individuals may spend undergraduate, graduate, and faculty careers at the same institution. Teaching abroad is also severely limited.…

  5. Langenbeck's Archives--an international communication forum between Japanese and German surgeons.

    PubMed

    Kitajima, Masaki; Hiki, Yoshiki

    2010-04-01

    Japan's first encounter with Western Medicine was in 1543. Japanese doctors were introduced to surgical treatment by Portuguese missionaries who visited Japan mainly to propagate Christianity and trade with Japan. Until that time, Japanese doctors have treated internal diseases by using mainly traditional Chinese medicine and had not experienced modern Western medicine, particularly surgery. In 1639, the Tokugawa shogunate issued the policy of seclusion (national isolation policy) and prohibited contacts with foreign countries except the Netherlands and China. All European culture came into Japan through Dutch traders. Japanese doctors studied medical books written in Dutch, but could not imagine that the original versions had been written by German doctors. Japanese doctors who studied Dutch medicine founded private schools in various places nationwide, prompting the development of Western medicine. In 1868 the Edo shogunate collapsed, and the newly established Meiji government opened Japan to the rest of the world. In an effort to introduce European civilization, which had been closed to the Japanese under the 250 years, the Meiji government followed Western styles when framing policy and building social systems. In terms of medicine, for the sake of reaching the world's highest level, the government decided to learn from Germans. Many of the young Japanese doctors travelled to Germany. However, as a world war loomed ahead, interchange with foreign countries became difficult. Peace was threatened, and even the progress of science was impeded. Although the United States led the world in the medical field, some Japanese doctors still studied in Germany after World War II to learn their medical traditions and look at the starting point of clinical medicine; and they continued the interchange between Japan and Germany. While continuing active relationship, in 1990, the German and Japanese Surgical Societies was established, and planned to hold a triennial joint

  6. Issues in healthcare services in Malaysia as experienced by Japanese retirees.

    PubMed

    Kohno, Ayako; Musa, Ghazali; Nik Farid, Nik Daliana; Abdul Aziz, Norlaili; Nakayama, Takeo; Dahlui, Maznah

    2016-05-05

    Worldwide, international retirement migration is growing in its popularity and Japanese retirees choose Malaysia as their most preferred destination. This study examines the pertinent issues related to healthcare services as experienced by Japanese retirees in this country. From January to March 2015, we conducted focus group discussions with 30 Japanese retirees who live in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. Guided by the social-ecological model, we discovered seven pertinent themes: 'language barriers','healthcare decisions', 'medical check-ups','healthcare insurance', 'nursing and palliative care', 'trust and distrust of healthcare services', and 'word-of-mouth information'. We identified seven pertinent issues related to healthcare services among Japanese retirees in Malaysia, of which four are especially important. These issues are explained as integrated themes within the social-ecological model. Language barriers prohibit them from having difficulty accessing to healthcare in Malaysia, but lack of will to improve their language skills exist among them. For that reason, they rely heavily on word-of-mouth information when seeking for healthcare. As a consequence, some develop feelings of trust and distrust of healthcare services. In addition, we have identified the needs for provide nursing and palliative care among Japanese retirees in Malaysia. Based on the magnitude of the discussion, we concluded that there are four crucial healthcare issues among Japanese retirees; 'language barriers', 'trust and distrust of healthcare services', 'word-of-mouth information' and 'nursing and palliative care'. We propose that further dialogue by healthcare stakeholders should be carried out to improve further the healthcare service provisions for Japanese retirees in Malaysia.

  7. Applying RUG-III in Japanese Long-Term Care Facilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ikegami, Naoki; And Others

    1994-01-01

    Tested U.S. nursing home case-mix system, Resource Utilization Groups, Version III (RUG-III) in Japanese long-term care facilities. Measured staff time and resident characteristics for 871 patients. Found acceptable reliability for items defining RUG-III, and system explained 44% of variance in wage-weighted staff time (cost). Japanese and U.S.…

  8. Contrastive Pragmatics of English and Japanese Offers and Requests.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christianson, Kiel

    This paper analyzes a study by Fukushima (1990) of the English offers and responses of Japanese English as a foreign language (EFL) college students and reports on an experiment designed to address the perceived weaknesses of Fukushima's work. Fukushima's study found that many Japanese EFL learners could not use appropriate levels of politeness in…

  9. Assessing Japanese Language Needs for Business and Professional Use.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saito, Yoshiko

    A study is reported that aimed to: (1) assess perceived needs of Japanese language by students and business faculty; (2) assess Japanese language needs of business professionals who work with Japan; (3) determine what language abilities and levels of proficiency are desired; and (4) identify perceived problem areas and ways that they are handled…

  10. Silence in the Second Language Classrooms of Japanese Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Jim

    2013-01-01

    Japanese language learners' proclivity for silence has been alluded to by various writers (e.g. Anderson 1993; Korst 1997; Greer 2000) and is supported by plenty of anecdotal evidence, but large-scale, empirical studies aimed at measuring the extent of macro-level silence within Japanese university L2 classrooms are notably lacking. This article…

  11. Registry of the Japanese society of lung and heart-lung transplantation: the official Japanese lung transplantation report 2012.

    PubMed

    Oto, Takahiro; Okada, Yoshinori; Bando, Toru; Minami, Masato; Shiraishi, Takeshi; Nagayasu, Takeshi; Chida, Masayuki; Okumura, Meinoshin; Date, Hiroshi; Miyoshi, Shinichiro; Kondo, Takashi

    2013-04-01

    The Japanese Organ Transplant Law was amended, and the revised law took effect in July 2010 to overcome extreme donor shortage and to increase the availability of donor organs from brain-dead donors. It is now possible to procure organs from children. The year 2011 was the first year that it was possible to examine the results of this first extensive revision of the Japanese Organ Transplant Law, which took effect in 1997. Currently, seven transplant centers, including Tohoku, Dokkyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Okayama, Fukuoka and Nagasaki Universities, are authorized to perform lung transplantation in Japan, and by the end of 2011, a total of 239 lung transplants had been performed. The number of transplants per year and the ratio of brain-dead donor transplants increased dramatically after the revision of the Japanese Organ Transplant Law. The survival rates for lung transplant recipients registered with the Japanese Society for Lung and Heart-lung Transplantation were 93.3 % at 1 month, 91.5 % at 3 months, 86.3 % at 1 year, 79.0 % at 3 years, and 73.1 % at 5 years. The survival curves for brain-dead donor and living-donor lung transplantation were similar. The survival outcomes for both brain-dead and living-donor lung transplants were better than those reported by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. However, donor shortage remains a limitation of lung transplantation in Japan. The lung transplant centers in Japan should continue to make a special effort to save critically ill patients waiting for lung transplantation.

  12. Teaching Japanese-American Incarceration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miksch, Karen L.; Ghere, David

    2004-01-01

    Few events in American history are so universally deplored as the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The United States government has acknowledged the error and the injustice that resulted with an official Presidential apology and a Congressional disbursement of reparations to the victims of the incarceration policy. The…

  13. Japanese Experiences: "Hentai" Narratives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kama, Amit

    2011-01-01

    For those acquainted with Japanese lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues, "Queer Voices from Japan" can be good reading. But with only 1 of its 22 chapters informative for researchers, those interested in LGBT youth studies will only indirectly gain insight into a non-Western perspective on youth and sexuality.

  14. Factors affecting Japanese retirees' healthcare service utilisation in Malaysia: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Kohno, Ayako; Nik Farid, Nik Daliana; Musa, Ghazali; Abdul Aziz, Norlaili; Nakayama, Takeo; Dahlui, Maznah

    2016-01-01

    Objective While living overseas in another culture, retirees need to adapt to a new environment but often this causes difficulties, particularly among those elderly who require healthcare services. This study examines factors affecting healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia. Design We conducted 6 focus group discussions with Japanese retirees and interviewed 8 relevant medical services providers in-depth. Guided by the Andersen Healthcare Utilisation Model, we managed and analysed the data, using QSR NVivo 10 software and the directed content analysis method. Setting We interviewed participants at Japan Clubs and their offices. Participants 30 Japanese retirees who live in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, and 8 medical services providers. Results We identified health beliefs, medical symptoms and health insurance as the 3 most important themes, respectively, representing the 3 dimensions within the Andersen Healthcare Utilisation Model. Additionally, language barriers, voluntary health repatriation to Japan and psychological support were unique themes that influence healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees. Conclusions The healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia could be partially explained by the Andersen Healthcare Utilisation Model, together with some factors that were unique findings to this study. Healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia could be improved by alleviating negative health beliefs through awareness programmes for Japanese retirees about the healthcare systems and cultural aspects of medical care in Malaysia. PMID:27006344

  15. Will Japanese Women Ever Achieve Equality? Sex-Role Differentiations Related to Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inoue, Yukiko

    Controversy exists concerning whether or not sex discrimination is the norm in Japan and what will happen with the status of Japanese women. One U.S. scholar was surprised after talking to female students at a Japanese college that only a few of them had a view of their future. It is fair to say that Japanese women are not taught to become…

  16. Fallout from Bikini: the explosion of Japanese medicine.

    PubMed

    Homei, Aya

    2007-12-01

    On 23 September 1954, Mr Aikichi Kuboyama died, the first Japanese victim of the Bikini incident--an American hydrogen bomb experiment on Bikini Atoll that took place on 1 March under the codename Operation Castle. This tragedy had several important consequences, influencing post-war negotiations between Japan and the United States over nuclear weapons, stimulating Japanese research into the biological effects of radiation and inspiring a commitment to the treatment of radiation sickness.

  17. Doing Business in the Global Village: Japanese Professionals on EL Needs in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoneda, Mitaka

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents an analysis of English language (EL) education from the perspectives of Japanese and non-Japanese professionals in Singapore, based on their experiences of "doing business" in Singapore. As established career business people, the perspectives of Japanese participants offer a retrospective evaluation of their…

  18. History and progress of Japanese acupuncture.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Akiko; Uefuji, Miwa; Yasumo, Washiro

    2010-09-01

    After Chiso brought acupuncture to Japan from Wu (China) in the sixth century, it has progressed in unique ways within the various historical milieus of the past 1500 years. Ishitsu-rei, the first medical law of Japan established in 701, explains the medical system of acupuncture in detail showing that acupuncture was being administered under the authorization of the national government. For the next 1200 years, acupuncture continued to be an important facet of public health in Japan. From the Azuchimomoyama through the Edo period, the knowledge exchange with China became active and people who studied in China developed new styles and techniques of acupuncture treatment and organized their own private schools or ryu-ha in Japan. In 1635, when the Edo government decided to close the country, Japan cut-off exchange with foreign countries for over 200 years. The national isolation caused some development that was unique to Japan. During that time, acupuncture filtered into people's everyday lives. Moxibustion, in particular, became popular as a treatment that ordinary people could practice by themselves. Also in this period of isolation, Western medicine was imported from Holland, the only country allowed to maintain trade with Japan. This novel modern medicine had a strong impact on Japanese medicine, which has its foundation of Chinese traditional medicine. At the same time, Japanese acupuncture was introduced into Europe via Holland. When Japan opened its borders in 1865 period, the new government was eager to accept Western culture to the extent of prohibiting the progress of Japanese acupuncture for a period of time. Even so, Japanese acupuncture has survived and flourished up to the present day due to the strong demand and the great efforts of the practitioners. Scientific studies are now in the process of establishing a firm evidence base for over a millennium of clinical use, respecting the classic ideas of the traditional treatment.

  19. Japanese supercomputer technology.

    PubMed

    Buzbee, B L; Ewald, R H; Worlton, W J

    1982-12-17

    Under the auspices of the Ministry for International Trade and Industry the Japanese have launched a National Superspeed Computer Project intended to produce high-performance computers for scientific computation and a Fifth-Generation Computer Project intended to incorporate and exploit concepts of artificial intelligence. If these projects are successful, which appears likely, advanced economic and military research in the United States may become dependent on access to supercomputers of foreign manufacture.

  20. The Lived Experiences of "Taibatsu" in Japanese High School Wrestling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kumate, James M.; Falcous, Mark

    2015-01-01

    The issue of "taibatsu" (physical punishment) in Japanese sport has received high-profile media and public attention in recent years. This article addresses the retrospective experiences of "taibatsu" within Japanese high school wrestling, drawing upon a three-month ethnography that included semi-structured interviews. Our…

  1. Beliefs and Practices of Writing Instruction in Japanese Elementary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spence, Lucy K.; Kite, Yuriko

    2018-01-01

    Focusing on writing instruction within an era of international curricular reform, this study analysed classroom observations, educator interviews, and documents related to Japanese elementary writing instruction. A deductive approach using discourses of writing framework and an inductive approach to Japanese cultural practices uncovered beliefs…

  2. 5. NORTHWEST FACADE OF JAPANESE TEA HOUSE, 1950s, BY YOSHIMIERA ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    5. NORTHWEST FACADE OF JAPANESE TEA HOUSE, 1950s, BY YOSHIMIERA IN SUKIYA SHOIN STYLE AFTER THE KATSURA IMPERIAL VILLA - Kykuit, Japanese Tea House, 200 Lake Road, Pocantico Hills, Westchester County, NY

  3. Potent antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities of traditional Japanese cereal grains.

    PubMed

    Higashi-Okai, Kiyoka; Ishida, Emi; Nakamura, Yumiko; Fujiwara, Satomi; Okai, Yasuji

    2008-12-01

    To estimate the preventive potential of Japanese traditional cereals against oxygen radical-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities in the extracts of five Japanese traditional cereal grains were analyzed by using an assay system of lipid peroxidation and a radical compound, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). DPPH radical-scavenging activities in the extracts of Japanese cereal grains were divided into two groups. One group including Japanese sorghum, black rice and red rice showed strong radical-scavenging activities, but the other group including Japanese barnyard millet and foxtail millet did not exhibit significant radical-scavenging activities. The DPPH radical-scavenging activities of these extracts were closely correlated to the contents of phenolic compound in the extracts, but not to the sugar or protein content in the extracts. In contrast, all the methanol and water extracts of the cereal grains caused significant antioxidant activities against hydroperoxide generation in the peroxidation of linoleic acid, in which the water extracts of these cereal grains caused much higher antioxidant activities than the methanol extracts of the same cereals. These results suggest that Japanese traditional cereals contain qualitatively different principles associated with antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities, and possible principles responsible for the antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities in the cereal grains are discussed.

  4. Unaccusative Mismatches in Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsujimura, Natsuko

    Two instances of unaccusative verb mismatches in Japanese are examined. An unaccusative mismatch is the situation in which a different accusative diagnostic singles out different classes of intransitive verbs within and across languages. One type of unaccusative mismatch has to do with group C verbs, or verbs of manner with protagonist control.…

  5. I Can Learn Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubin, Michael; Funato, Makiko

    This set of materials for Japanese second language instruction was designed for students who can be taught most effectively through a functional, conversational approach. It is intended as a supplement to the regular course of study so that all students, regardless of ability level, can be provided with an effective instructional program. It…

  6. An overview of Japanese occupational health.

    PubMed Central

    Reich, M R; Frumkin, H

    1988-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of Japanese occupational health and evaluates the current situation from three perspectives. Major occupational health hazards are assessed using four sources of data, showing patterns similar to those found in other advanced industrial societies. Institutional structures for occupational health policy are then examined, illustrating strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese legal and administrative systems. Trade union activities are presented, indicating the constraints of enterprise unions, and the tendency for a greater orientation toward compensation than prevention. Significant occupational health problems persist among marginal workers in Japan, including women and various minority groups. The analysis demonstrates a record for occupational health in Japan considerably more mixed than the conventional view. PMID:2968056

  7. Language, Culture and Ethnicity: Interplay of Ideologies within a Japanese Community in Brazil

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakuma, Tomoko

    2011-01-01

    This dissertation is a sociolinguistic study of the ideologies about language, culture and ethnicity among Japanese immigrants and descendants in Brazil (hereafter, Nikkeis) who gather at a local Japanese cultural association, searching for what it means to be "Japanese" in Brazil. This study focuses on how linguistic behaviors are…

  8. World War I, international participation and reorganisation of the Japanese chemical community.

    PubMed

    Kikuchi, Yoshiyuki

    2011-07-01

    What kind of "war" did Japanese chemists fight during World War I, and what impact did their experiences have on Japanese chemistry in its aftermath? By focusing on the role of Jōji Sakurai (1858-1939), this paper attempts to answer these questions by looking at the drastic changes in the international relationships of the Japanese chemical community caused by the war. It examines how the Japanese National Research Council was established in 1920 as part of the International Research Council, a product of the reconfiguration of international scientific powers triggered by World War I. This paper argues that Sakurai advocated the establishment of the National Research Council after the American model of wartime mobilisation of science, coordinated fractured Japanese chemical communities for international functions, and facilitated Japan's participation and increased influence in international scientific associations such as the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, established in 1919.

  9. 7 CFR 301.48-6 - Movement of live Japanese beetles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Movement of live Japanese beetles. 301.48-6 Section 301.48-6 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Japanese Beetle Quarantine and...

  10. 7 CFR 301.48-6 - Movement of live Japanese beetles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Movement of live Japanese beetles. 301.48-6 Section 301.48-6 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Japanese Beetle Quarantine and...

  11. Changes in Academic Entrepreneurship among Japanese University Bioscientists, 1980-2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kameo, Nahoko

    2014-01-01

    The dissertation examines how Japanese university scientists in the biosciences responded to legal and institutional changes in academic entrepreneurship. Beginning in the 1990s, the Japanese government initiated a series of policy initiatives that attempted to imitate the U.S. academic environment's approach to promoting entrepreneurship. Using…

  12. Food nitrogen footprint reductions related to a balanced Japanese diet.

    PubMed

    Oita, Azusa; Nagano, Ichiro; Matsuda, Hiroyuki

    2018-04-01

    Dietary choices largely affect human-induced reactive nitrogen accumulation in the environment and resultant environmental problems. A nitrogen footprint (NF) is an indicator of how an individual's consumption patterns impact nitrogen pollution. Here, we examined the impact of changes in the Japanese diet from 1961 to 2011 and the effect of alternative diets (the recommended protein diet, a pescetarian diet, a low-NF food diet, and a balanced Japanese diet) on the food NF. The annual per capita Japanese food NF has increased by 55% as a result of dietary changes since 1961. The 1975 Japanese diet, a balanced omnivorous diet that reportedly delays senescence, with a protein content similar to the current level, reduced the current food NF (15.2 kg N) to 12.6 kg N, which is comparable to the level in the recommended protein diet (12.3 kg N). These findings will help consumers make dietary choices to reduce their impacts on nitrogen pollution.

  13. Antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds.

    PubMed

    Sato, Itaru; Kofujita, Hisayoshi; Suzuki, Tadahiko; Kobayashi, Haruo; Tsuda, Shuji

    2006-05-01

    The antiinflammatory effects of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds were examined in vivo and in vitro. The extract of this seed (HCSE) inhibited croton oil-induced swelling of the mouse concha. HCSE inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 and -2 activities, but had no effect on 15-lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2 activities. Inhibition of COX-2 occurred at a lower concentration of HCSE than for COX-1. Japanese horse chestnut seeds contain coumarins and saponins, but these chemicals did not inhibit COX activities. These results suggest that the antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut seeds is caused, at least partly, by the inhibition of COX. The inhibitor of COX in this seed may be a chemical(s) other than coumarins and saponins.

  14. Officials welcome the arrival of the Japanese Experiment Module

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-04-17

    In the Space Station Processing Facility, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcome the arrival of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, to the Kennedy Space Center. Seen here at right are JAXA representatives, including Japanese astronaut Takao Doi (center of front row), who is a crew member for mission STS-123 that will deliver the module to the space station. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module.

  15. Availability of Japanese subsidies for international telemedicine projects.

    PubMed

    Nakajima, I; Tsurumi, T; Sawada, Y; Juzoji, H; Ogushi, Y

    1999-10-01

    In this article, the authors report the methods for obtaining subsidies for overseas telemedicine projects from Japanese sources based on their own personal experiences. The Japanese Government is already subsidizing such specialized NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) as the Telemedicine Society of Japan and Basic Human Needs and, Japanese trading companies are also hiring telemedicine experts. Prospective methods for obtaining subsidies are outlined as under the following headings: Assistance without compensation, Technology transfer, Grass-roots grant assistance, the Telecommunications Advancement Organization, Postal Savings for International Voluntary Aid, Venture business development funds provided by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Mission demonstration satellites by the National Space Development Agency of Japan, the Sasakawa Pacific Island Nations Fund, and International Communications Foundation. Key points of the applications are noted under (1) Degree of contribution to local residents, (2) Significance of project continuation and (3) Novelty and economic impact.

  16. Adaptive ingredients against food spoilage in Japanese cuisine.

    PubMed

    Ohtsubo, Yohsuke

    2009-12-01

    Billing and Sherman proposed the antimicrobial hypothesis to explain the worldwide spice use pattern. The present study explored whether two antimicrobial ingredients (i.e. spices and vinegar) are used in ways consistent with the antimicrobial hypothesis. Four specific predictions were tested: meat-based recipes would call for more spices/vinegar than vegetable-based recipes; summer recipes would call for more spices/vinegar than winter recipes; recipes in hotter regions would call for more spices/vinegar; and recipes including unheated ingredients would call for more spices/vinegar. Spice/vinegar use patterns were compiled from two types of traditional Japanese cookbooks. Dataset I included recipes provided by elderly Japanese housewives. Dataset II included recipes provided by experts in traditional Japanese foods. The analyses of Dataset I revealed that the vinegar use pattern conformed to the predictions. In contrast, analyses of Dataset II generally supported the predictions in terms of spices, but not vinegar.

  17. Japanese workplace health management in pneumoconiosis prevention

    PubMed Central

    JP, Naw Awn; Imanaka, Momo; Suganuma, Narufumi

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The Japanese government established the Pneumoconiosis Law in 1960 to protect health and promote the welfare of workers engaged in dust-exposed works. This article describes Japanese practice in workplace health management as regulated by the Pneumoconiosis Law to reduce pneumoconiosis in Japan. Methods: We collected information addressing pneumoconiosis and the health care of dust-exposed workers. We included all types of scientific papers found through a PubMed search as well as official reports, guidelines, and relevant laws published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan and other academic institutions. Results: In the past, pneumoconiosis has been a major cause of mortality and morbidity for Japanese workers engaged in dust-exposed work. The Pneumoconiosis Law introduced a system of pneumoconiosis health examination and health supervision to protect workers' health. According to the periodic pneumoconiosis health examination reports in Japan, the prevalence of pneumoconiosis fell from the highest reported figure of 17.4% in 1982, where 265,720 examinations were conducted, to 1% in 2013 in which 243,740 workers were examined. The number of new cases of pneumoconiosis dropped from 6,842 cases in 1980 to 227 cases in 2013. One hundred and seventy two workers were diagnosed as having pneumoconiosis complications in 1980; however, the number fell to five in 2013. Conclusion: After reaching its peak in the 1980s, pneumoconiosis and its complications fell each year. The achievement of Japanese pneumoconiosis prevention can be credited to a comprehensive provision for worker health, regulated by a thorough legal framework. PMID:27980247

  18. [Quality of life in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis: using the SF-8 health status questionnaire (Japanese version)].

    PubMed

    Fujii, Tsukasa; Ogino, Satoshi; Arimoto, Hiroe; Irifune, Morihiro; Iwata, Nobuko; Ookawachi, Ichiro; Kikumori, Hiroshi; Seo, Ritsu; Takeda, Mariko; Tamaki, Akiko; Baba, Kenji; Nose, Michihiro

    2006-10-01

    The number of patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) is increasing, and now, has extended up to about 15% of the Japanese. It is reported that the QOL is an important outcome in the JCP treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the QOL in patients with JCP by means of the SF-8 Health Survey (Japanese Version), a new, even shorter generic health survey. 411 patients with JCP who visited 10 ENT clinics in Osaka from March 14 to March 26 (peak pollen season) were questioned, and 204 patients without any treatments in this season were engaged in this study as subjects. In this study, the QOL scores were evaluated using the SF-8. This is an 8-item version of the SF-36 that yields a comparable 8-dimension health profile and comparable estimates of summary scores for the physical and mental components of health. The QOL score depressed in the patients with JCP compared with healthy subjects (Japanese national norms). Both Mental Component Score (MCS) and Physical Component Score (PCS) scores decreased more in females than in males. In females, MCS were significantly lower than national norms. The older the patients were, the lower PCS scores were showed. The severity of nasal symptoms influenced the PCS scores. These results showed the tendency similar to the early studies using SF-36 questionnaire. The sensitivity of SF-8 in the individual is not better than that of other specific QOL questionnaires, but SF-8 can be answered in a short time compared with other questionnaires including SF-36. We suggested that SF-8 become a useful questionnaire in the future.

  19. A Japanese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: translation and equivalence assessment.

    PubMed

    Mimura, Chizu; Griffiths, Peter

    2007-05-01

    A Japanese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) was developed through the forward-backward translation procedure. Married couples consisting of a native English speaker and a native Japanese speaker acted as translators to enhance the representativeness of language in the target population. Multiple translations were produced, and a panel of reviewers identified problems in conceptual and semantic equivalence between the original scale and the translated version. The Japanese version was altered accordingly with reference to alternate Japanese forms from the original English to Japanese translations. The altered translation was again retranslated into English, and problematic differences were checked. This forward-backward process was repeated until satisfactory agreement had been attained. The RSES was administered to 222 native English speakers, and the developed Japanese version (RSES-J) was administered to 1320 native Japanese speakers. Factor analysis revealed nearly identical factor structure and structural coefficients of the items between two sets of data. Target rotation confirmed the factorial agreement of the two scales in different cultural groups. High Cronbach's alpha coefficients supported the reliability of test scores on both versions. The equivalence between the RSES and the RSES-J was supported in this study. It is suggested that the RSES and the RSES-J are potential tools for comparative cross-cultural studies.

  20. Japanese International Female Students' Experience of Discrimination, Prejudice, and Stereotypes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonazzo, Claude; Wong, Y. Joel

    2007-01-01

    This qualitative study examined four Japanese international female college students' experience of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes in a predominately white university. Four themes emerged from the analysis of data: (1) overt forms of prejudice and discrimination; (2) stereotypes common to Asians; (3) stereotypes unique to the Japanese;…

  1. Japanese Fathers of Preschoolers and Their Involvement in Child Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishii-kuntz, Masako; Makino, Katsuko; Kato, Kuniko; Tsuchiya, Michiko

    2004-01-01

    We examine how relative resources, time availability, gender ideology, living arrangement, child-care demand, and job satisfaction are associated with the levels of younger Japanese fathers involvement in child care for preschoolers. A theoretical model that includes these factors is tested using 1994 data collected from Japanese fathers and…

  2. "Delays and Vexation": Jack London and the Russo-Japanese War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sweeney, Michael S.

    1998-01-01

    Contributes to scholarship on journalism history and censorship by discussing Jack London's efforts as a war correspondent to cover the Russo-Japanese War in Korea and Manchuria in 1904. Focuses on the difficulties he encountered as a result of systematic and highly restrictive censorship by the Japanese. (SR)

  3. Synchronous versus Asynchronous CMC and Transfer to Japanese Oral Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirotani, Maki

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of synchronous and asynchronous CMC (computer-mediated communication)on the development of linguistic features of learners' speech in Japanese. Using learners from fourth-semester Japanese classes, the following research questions were examined: (a) Does CMC have positive effects on the development of oral…

  4. Semantic Bias in the Acquisition of Relative Clauses in Japanese

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozeki, Hiromi; Shirai, Yasuhiro

    2010-01-01

    This study analyzes the acquisition of relative clauses in Japanese to determine the semantic and functional characteristics of children's relative clauses in spontaneous speech. Longitudinal data from five Japanese children are analyzed and compared with English data (Diessel & Tomasello, 2000). The results show that the relative clauses produced…

  5. Japanese Physical Education Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sato, Takahiro; Hodge, Samuel R.; Murata, Nathan M.; Maeda, Julienne K.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe Japanese physical education (PE) teachers' beliefs about teaching students with disabilities in integrated classes. Participants were five Japanese PE teachers (one women and four men). The research was descriptive and qualitative, using an interviewing method. Data were gathered in interviews, analysed…

  6. The Integration of Religious Traditions in Japanese Children's View of Death and Afterlife

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sagara-Rosemeyer, Miharu; Davies, Betty

    2007-01-01

    Open and public discussion of death, particularly among children, remains one of the greatest Japanese societal taboos; therefore, little is known about Japanese children's perceptions of death. To explore Japanese children's notions of life and death, 16 healthy children (7 girls and 9 boys, mean age 8.9) were each interviewed 3 times and asked…

  7. Ecological Effects in Cross-Cultural Differences Between U.S. and Japanese Color Preferences.

    PubMed

    Yokosawa, Kazuhiko; Schloss, Karen B; Asano, Michiko; Palmer, Stephen E

    2016-09-01

    We investigated cultural differences between U.S. and Japanese color preferences and the ecological factors that might influence them. Japanese and U.S. color preferences have both similarities (e.g., peaks around blue, troughs around dark-yellow, and preferences for saturated colors) and differences (Japanese participants like darker colors less than U.S. participants do). Complex gender differences were also evident that did not conform to previously reported effects. Palmer and Schloss's (2010) weighted affective valence estimate (WAVE) procedure was used to test the Ecological Valence Theory's (EVT's) prediction that within-culture WAVE-preference correlations should be higher than between-culture WAVE-preference correlations. The results supported several, but not all, predictions. In the second experiment, we tested color preferences of Japanese-U.S. multicultural participants who could read and speak both Japanese and English. Multicultural color preferences were intermediate between U.S. and Japanese preferences, consistent with the hypothesis that culturally specific personal experiences during one's lifetime influence color preferences. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  8. The Impact of Western Criticisms of Japanese Rhetorical Approaches on Learners of Japanese

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKinley, Jim

    2014-01-01

    For learners of Japanese, a conundrum arises at university level as they are expected to be able to shift between direct and indirect language in various writing tasks. The apparent indirectness in inductive language is required of regular writing tasks such as response essays and e-mails, while the directness of deductive academic writing, a…

  9. Case Study on Codeswitching in a Japanese-English Bilingual Family

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Numadate, Jenny

    2008-01-01

    This paper showcases a case study documenting the intended and actual language practices of a Japanese-English bicultural family. The study focuses on a family consisting of a Japanese father, Australian mother, son and daughter living in Japan. The parents were interviewed by questionnaire to determine their intended language practices. The…

  10. Children of the "Danchi": A Japanese Primary School for Newcomers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, June A.

    2009-01-01

    Practices and policies of Japanese schooling for immigrant and marginalised students are examined through the lens of a primary school which serves one of the largest foreign student populations in Japan. Student families include Southeast Asian refugees, South American immigrants of Japanese descent, recent and longstanding Chinese and Koreans,…

  11. Variability in Written Japanese: Towards a Sociolinguistics of Script Choice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Janet S.; Schmidt, David L.

    1996-01-01

    Tests widely-held associations among script types, genres, writers, and target readers via statistical analysis in popular Japanese fiction. Subjects texts to lexical analysis to see whether choice of vocabulary can account for variability in script selection. Finds that Japanese writers fashion their script type choices to specific contexts, as…

  12. Japanese encephalitis.

    PubMed

    Morita, K; Nabeshima, T; Buerano, C C

    2015-08-01

    Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an inflammation of the central nervous system in humans and animals, specifically horses and cattle. The disease, which can sometimes be fatal, is caused by the flavivirus Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), of which there are five genotypes (genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). The transmission cycle of the virus involves pigs and wild birds as virus amplifiers and mosquitoes as vectors for transferring the virus between amplifying hosts and to dead- end hosts, i.e. humans, horses and cattle. In horses and cattle the disease is usually asymptomatic, but when clinical signs do occur they include fever, decreased appetite, frothing at the mouth, rigidity of the legs and recumbency, and neurological signs, such as convulsive fits, circling, marked depression and disordered consciousness. In pigs, it can cause abortion and stillbirths. At present, the virus is detected in a wide area covering eastern and southern Asia, Indonesia, northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and Pakistan. JEV RNA has also been detected in Italy, first in dead birds in 1997 and 2000 and then in mosquitoes in 2010. Genotype shift, i.e. a change of genotype from genotype 3 to genotype 1, has occurred in some countries, namely Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Vietnam. Laboratory methods are available for confirming the causative agent of the disease. There are control measures to prevent or minimise infection and, among them, vaccination is one of the most important and one which should be adopted in endemic and epidemic areas.

  13. Japanese Americans' health concerns and depressive symptoms: implications for disaster counseling.

    PubMed

    Cheung, Monit; Leung, Patrick; Tsui, Venus

    2013-07-01

    This study examined factors contributing to depressive symptoms among Japanese Americans. Data were collected in Houston, Texas, in 2008, before the March 2011 Japan earthquake, through a community survey including demographic and mental health questions and the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist. Among 43 Japanese American respondents in this convenience sample, the depression prevalence was 11.6 percent. Chi-square results found that having anxiety symptoms and holding a master's degree had statistically significant relationships with depressive symptoms. An independent sample t test found that those having depressive symptoms experienced significantly more health issues than those without depressive symptoms. When these statistically significant variables were entered into a logistic regression model, the overall effect of having health issues, anxiety symptoms, and a master's degree collectively predicted depressive symptoms. It was also found that Japanese Americans rarely consult mental health professionals; in particular, female Japanese American respondents tend to seek help from religious leaders. As implied by these findings, the reluctance of Japanese Americans to seek formal help can be explained by social stigma, a health-oriented approach to treatment, and other cultural considerations. Practice implications focus on disaster counseling with a connection between mental health needs and health care support.

  14. Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2012: General view of the pathogens' antibacterial susceptibility.

    PubMed

    Yanagihara, Katsunori; Watanabe, Akira; Aoki, Nobuki; Matsumoto, Tetsuya; Yoshida, Masaki; Sato, Junko; Wakamura, Tomotaro; Sunakawa, Keisuke; Kadota, Junichi; Kiyota, Hiroshi; Iwata, Satoshi; Kaku, Mitsuo; Hanaki, Hideaki; Ohsaki, Yoshinobu; Fujiuchi, Satoru; Takahashi, Manabu; Takeuchi, Kenichi; Takeda, Hiroaki; Ikeda, Hideki; Miki, Makoto; Nakanowatari, Susumu; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Utagawa, Mutsuko; Nishiya, Hajime; Kawakami, Sayoko; Morino, Eriko; Takasaki, Jin; Mezaki, Kazuhisa; Chonabayashi, Naohiko; Tanaka, Chie; Sugiura, Hideko; Goto, Hajime; Saraya, Takeshi; Kurai, Daisuke; Katono, Yasuhiro; Inose, Rika; Niki, Yoshihito; Takuma, Takahiro; Kudo, Makoto; Ehara, Shigeru; Sato, Yoshimi; Tsukada, Hiroki; Watabe, Nobuei; Honma, Yasuo; Mikamo, Hiroshige; Yamagishi, Yuka; Nakamura, Atsushi; Ohashi, Minoru; Seki, Masafumi; Hamaguchi, Shigeto; Toyokawa, Masahiro; Fujikawa, Yasunori; Mitsuno, Noriko; Ukimura, Akira; Miyara, Takayuki; Nakamura, Takahito; Mikasa, Keiichi; Kasahara, Kei; Ui, Koji; Fukuda, Saori; Nakamura, Akihiro; Morimura, Mika; Yamashita, Mikio; Takesue, Yoshio; Wada, Yasunao; Sugimoto, Keisuke; Kusano, Nobuchika; Nose, Motoko; Mihara, Eiichirou; Kuwabara, Masao; Doi, Masao; Watanabe, Yaeko; Tokuyasu, Hirokazu; Hino, Satoshi; Negayama, Kiyoshi; Mukae, Hiroshi; Kawanami, Toshinori; Ota, Toshiyuki; Fujita, Masaki; Honda, Junichi; Hiramatsu, Kazufumi; Aoki, Yosuke; Fukuoka, Mami; Magarifuchi, Hiroki; Nagasawa, Zenzo; Kaku, Norihito; Fujita, Jiro; Higa, Futoshi; Tateyama, Masao

    2017-09-01

    The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from the patients in Japan was conducted by Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese association for infectious diseases and Japanese society for Clinical Microbiology in 2012. The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period between January and December in 2012 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institutes. Susceptibility testing was evaluated in 1236 strains (232 Staphylococcus aureus, 225 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 16 Streptococcus pyogenes, 231 Haemophilus influenzae, 147 Moraxella catarrhalis, 167 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 218 Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Ratio of methicillin-resistant S. aureus was 51.3%, and those of penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae was 0.4%. Among H. influenzae, 5.6% of them were found to be β-lactamase-producing ampicillin-resistant strains, and 37.2% to be β-lactamase-non-producing ampicillin-resistant strains. Extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae and multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa with metallo β-lactamase were 4.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Continuous national surveillance is important to determine the actual situation of the resistance shown by bacterial respiratory pathogens to antimicrobial agents. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Social Networks and the Maintenance of Conformity: Japanese sojourner women

    PubMed Central

    Saint Arnault, Denise; Roles, Deborah J.

    2011-01-01

    Asian immigrant women have the lowest utilization of mental health services of any ethnic minority (Garland, Lau, Yeh & McCabe 2005). Because help seeking for distress occurs within social networks, we examined how social networks supported or disabled help seeking for Japanese sojourners living in the US. Unfortunately, most of the literature about Japanese social relationships focuses on men in organizational settings. This study used intensive ethnographic interviewing with 49 Japanese expatriate women to examine how social relationships influenced psychosocial distress and help seeking. We found that the women in these samples engaged in complex, highly regulated, complicated and obligatory relationships through their primary affiliation with other “company wives.” Like many immigrant women, increased traditional cultural norms (referred to in Japanese as ryoosai kenbo, or good wives and wise mothers), were expected from these modern women, and the enactment of these roles was enforced through scrutiny, gossip and the possibility of ostracism. Fears of scrutiny was described by the women as a primary barrier to their self-disclosure and ultimate help seeking. Understanding the social organization and support within the Japanese women's community is central to understanding how culturally specific social networks can both give support, as well as create social constraints to help seeking. Health oriented prevention programs must consider these social factors when evaluating the immigration stressors faced by these families. PMID:23162609

  16. Social Networks and the Maintenance of Conformity: Japanese sojourner women.

    PubMed

    Saint Arnault, Denise; Roles, Deborah J

    2012-08-01

    Asian immigrant women have the lowest utilization of mental health services of any ethnic minority (Garland, Lau, Yeh & McCabe 2005). Because help seeking for distress occurs within social networks, we examined how social networks supported or disabled help seeking for Japanese sojourners living in the US. Unfortunately, most of the literature about Japanese social relationships focuses on men in organizational settings. This study used intensive ethnographic interviewing with 49 Japanese expatriate women to examine how social relationships influenced psychosocial distress and help seeking. We found that the women in these samples engaged in complex, highly regulated, complicated and obligatory relationships through their primary affiliation with other "company wives." Like many immigrant women, increased traditional cultural norms (referred to in Japanese as ryoosai kenbo, or good wives and wise mothers), were expected from these modern women, and the enactment of these roles was enforced through scrutiny, gossip and the possibility of ostracism. Fears of scrutiny was described by the women as a primary barrier to their self-disclosure and ultimate help seeking. Understanding the social organization and support within the Japanese women's community is central to understanding how culturally specific social networks can both give support, as well as create social constraints to help seeking. Health oriented prevention programs must consider these social factors when evaluating the immigration stressors faced by these families.

  17. Altered brain activity for phonological manipulation in dyslexic Japanese children

    PubMed Central

    Yamamoto, Hisako; Oba, Kentaro; Terasawa, Yuri; Moriguchi, Yoshiya; Uchiyama, Hitoshi; Seki, Ayumi; Koeda, Tatsuya; Inagaki, Masumi

    2013-01-01

    Because of unique linguistic characteristics, the prevalence rate of developmental dyslexia is relatively low in the Japanese language. Paradoxically, Japanese children have serious difficulty analysing phonological processes when they have dyslexia. Neurobiological deficits in Japanese dyslexia remain unclear and need to be identified, and may lead to better understanding of the commonality and diversity in the disorder among different linguistic systems. The present study investigated brain activity that underlies deficits in phonological awareness in Japanese dyslexic children using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We developed and conducted a phonological manipulation task to extract phonological processing skills and to minimize the influence of auditory working memory on healthy adults, typically developing children, and dyslexic children. Current experiments revealed that several brain regions participated in manipulating the phonological information including left inferior and middle frontal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and bilateral basal ganglia. Moreover, dyslexic children showed altered activity in two brain regions. They showed hyperactivity in the basal ganglia compared with the two other groups, which reflects inefficient phonological processing. Hypoactivity in the left superior temporal gyrus was also found, suggesting difficulty in composing and processing phonological information. The altered brain activity shares similarity with those of dyslexic children in countries speaking alphabetical languages, but disparity also occurs between these two populations. These are initial findings concerning the neurobiological impairments in dyslexic Japanese children. PMID:24052613

  18. Infant sleeping arrangements and cultural values among contemporary Japanese mothers

    PubMed Central

    Shimizu, Mina; Park, Heejung; Greenfield, Patricia M.

    2014-01-01

    We examined infant sleeping arrangements and cultural values of Japanese mothers in 2008 and 2009. Based on Greenfield's theory of social change and human development, we predicted that social change in Japan over the last decades (higher economic and education level, urbanization, complex technology, more women in the work force) would lead to a decline in mother-infant co-sleeping, compared with published findings concerning Japanese sleeping arrangements in the 1960s and 1980s. We also predicted that the practice of having babies sleep in their own beds and/or own rooms would be supported by ethnotheories stressing infant independence and other values adaptive in an urban, technologically sophisticated, relatively wealthy, and highly educated populace. Fifty-one Japanese mothers' comments posted on Internet parenting forums were analyzed. Contrary to our hypothesis, co-sleeping was as frequent among Japanese mothers in 2008-2009 as it had been in the 1960s and 1980s. However, analysis of the values of co-sleeping mothers revealed frequent discrepancies between values and practices. In contrast, the minority of mothers whose babies slept alone in a separate room all expressed consonant values. Our qualitative analysis indicates that it is not always easy for Japanese mothers to construct values for child rearing and gender roles that integrate traditional infant care practices with current sociodemographic conditions. PMID:25191281

  19. Altered brain activity for phonological manipulation in dyslexic Japanese children.

    PubMed

    Kita, Yosuke; Yamamoto, Hisako; Oba, Kentaro; Terasawa, Yuri; Moriguchi, Yoshiya; Uchiyama, Hitoshi; Seki, Ayumi; Koeda, Tatsuya; Inagaki, Masumi

    2013-12-01

    Because of unique linguistic characteristics, the prevalence rate of developmental dyslexia is relatively low in the Japanese language. Paradoxically, Japanese children have serious difficulty analysing phonological processes when they have dyslexia. Neurobiological deficits in Japanese dyslexia remain unclear and need to be identified, and may lead to better understanding of the commonality and diversity in the disorder among different linguistic systems. The present study investigated brain activity that underlies deficits in phonological awareness in Japanese dyslexic children using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We developed and conducted a phonological manipulation task to extract phonological processing skills and to minimize the influence of auditory working memory on healthy adults, typically developing children, and dyslexic children. Current experiments revealed that several brain regions participated in manipulating the phonological information including left inferior and middle frontal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and bilateral basal ganglia. Moreover, dyslexic children showed altered activity in two brain regions. They showed hyperactivity in the basal ganglia compared with the two other groups, which reflects inefficient phonological processing. Hypoactivity in the left superior temporal gyrus was also found, suggesting difficulty in composing and processing phonological information. The altered brain activity shares similarity with those of dyslexic children in countries speaking alphabetical languages, but disparity also occurs between these two populations. These are initial findings concerning the neurobiological impairments in dyslexic Japanese children.

  20. Characteristics of the Japanese Diet Described in Epidemiologic Publications: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Nozomu; Goto, Yoshihito; Ota, Haruka; Kito, Kumiko; Mano, Fumika; Joo, Erina; Ikeda, Kaori; Inagaki, Nobuya; Nakayama, Takeo

    2018-01-01

    International interest in the Japanese diet has grown in recent years. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate and organize the Japanese diet and dietary characteristics from an epidemiological perspective, mainly focusing on the nutritional and dietary elements. PubMed, Web of Science, Japan Medical Abstracts Society, JDream III, and CiNii databases were searched. The eligibility criteria included research with an epidemiological study design that was either cross-sectional, cohort, or case-control-based that defined the dietary patterns of the Japanese diet using dietary pattern analysis. A total of 39 research articles that described the Japanese diet were included. The data that were extracted included the following: implementing country, location, study design, participant characteristics, key outcomes, methods used in the analysis of dietary patterns, and descriptions of the Japanese diet. As a result of the systematic review analyzing the descriptions of the Japanese diet from 39 selected articles, we were able to aggregate the descriptions into 16 categories from 33 factors. After performing a content analysis using a further aggregation of categories, we found that the top three applicable categories were soybeans/soybean-derived products, seafood, and vegetables; these were followed by rice and miso soup. The Japanese dietary content was found to be diverse based on an examination of epidemiological studies; however, we were able to aggregate the content into 16 categories. The Japanese diet is considered to be a dietary pattern that contains a combination of factors: the dietary staple, side dishes, and soup.

  1. Factor structure of the Japanese Interpersonal Competence Scale.

    PubMed

    Matsudaira, Tomomi; Fukuhara, Taihei; Kitamura, Toshinori

    2008-04-01

    Assessing social competence is important for clinical and preventive interventions of depression. The aim of the present paper was to examine the factor structure of the Japanese Interpersonal Competence Scale (JICS). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the survey responses of 730 participants. Simultaneous multigroup analyses were conducted to confirm factor stability across psychological health status and sex differences. Two factors, which represent Perceptive Ability and Self-Restraint, were confirmed to show a moderate correlation. Perceptive Ability involves a more cognitive aspect of social competence, while Self-Restraint involves a more behavioral aspect, both of which are considered to reflect the emotion-based relating style specific to the Japanese people: indulgent dependence (amae) and harmony (wa). In addition, Self-Restraint may be linked to social functioning. Both constructs may confound a respondent's perceived confidence. Despite its shortcomings, the JICS is a unique measure of social competence in the Japanese cultural context.

  2. Experiences of Japanese Nurse Scholars: Insights for U.S. Faculty.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doutrich, Dawn

    2001-01-01

    Phenomenological analysis of interviews with 22 Japanese nurses with graduate degrees from U.S. schools and 3 Japanese nurse consultants showed how graduate education changed their ways of being and sense of self. They became more verbal, direct, and articulate about personal preferences. Some experienced a sense of loss or alienation upon…

  3. Development of Text Reading in Japanese: An Eye Movement Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jincho, Nobuyuki; Feng, Gary; Mazuka, Reiko

    2014-01-01

    This study examined age-group differences in eye movements among third-grade, fifth-grade, and adult Japanese readers. In Experiment 1, Japanese children, but not adults, showed a longer fixation time on logographic kanji words than on phonologically transparent hiragana words. Further, an age-group difference was found in the first fixation…

  4. "Juku" and the Performance of Japanese Students: An American Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dolly, John P.

    This report outlines the role of after school programs (Juku) in preparing Japanese students for high school and university entrance examinations and presents some growing concerns about the movement. Juku plays a major role in insuring the success of Japanese students on tests administered within the country and on international comparisons made…

  5. Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ)

    PubMed Central

    Nakano, Hideki; Kodama, Takayuki; Ukai, Kazumasa; Kawahara, Satoru; Horikawa, Shiori; Murata, Shin

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to (1) translate the English version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ), which assesses motor imagery ability, into Japanese, and (2) investigate the reliability and validity of the Japanese KVIQ. We enrolled 28 healthy adults in this study. We used Cronbach’s alpha coefficients to assess reliability reflected by the internal consistency. Additionally, we assessed validity reflected by the criterion-related validity between the Japanese KVIQ and the Japanese version of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R) with Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the KVIQ-20 were 0.88 (Visual) and 0.91 (Kinesthetic), which indicates high reliability. There was a significant positive correlation between the Japanese KVIQ-20 (Total) and the Japanese MIQ-R (Total) (r = 0.86, p < 0.01). Our results suggest that the Japanese KVIQ is an assessment that is a reliable and valid index of motor imagery ability. PMID:29724042

  6. Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ).

    PubMed

    Nakano, Hideki; Kodama, Takayuki; Ukai, Kazumasa; Kawahara, Satoru; Horikawa, Shiori; Murata, Shin

    2018-05-02

    In this study, we aimed to (1) translate the English version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ), which assesses motor imagery ability, into Japanese, and (2) investigate the reliability and validity of the Japanese KVIQ. We enrolled 28 healthy adults in this study. We used Cronbach’s alpha coefficients to assess reliability reflected by the internal consistency. Additionally, we assessed validity reflected by the criterion-related validity between the Japanese KVIQ and the Japanese version of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R) with Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the KVIQ-20 were 0.88 (Visual) and 0.91 (Kinesthetic), which indicates high reliability. There was a significant positive correlation between the Japanese KVIQ-20 (Total) and the Japanese MIQ-R (Total) (r = 0.86, p < 0.01). Our results suggest that the Japanese KVIQ is an assessment that is a reliable and valid index of motor imagery ability.

  7. Factors affecting Japanese retirees' healthcare service utilisation in Malaysia: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Kohno, Ayako; Nik Farid, Nik Daliana; Musa, Ghazali; Abdul Aziz, Norlaili; Nakayama, Takeo; Dahlui, Maznah

    2016-03-22

    While living overseas in another culture, retirees need to adapt to a new environment but often this causes difficulties, particularly among those elderly who require healthcare services. This study examines factors affecting healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia. We conducted 6 focus group discussions with Japanese retirees and interviewed 8 relevant medical services providers in-depth. Guided by the Andersen Healthcare Utilisation Model, we managed and analysed the data, using QSR NVivo 10 software and the directed content analysis method. We interviewed participants at Japan Clubs and their offices. 30 Japanese retirees who live in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, and 8 medical services providers. We identified health beliefs, medical symptoms and health insurance as the 3 most important themes, respectively, representing the 3 dimensions within the Andersen Healthcare Utilisation Model. Additionally, language barriers, voluntary health repatriation to Japan and psychological support were unique themes that influence healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees. The healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia could be partially explained by the Andersen Healthcare Utilisation Model, together with some factors that were unique findings to this study. Healthcare service utilisation among Japanese retirees in Malaysia could be improved by alleviating negative health beliefs through awareness programmes for Japanese retirees about the healthcare systems and cultural aspects of medical care in Malaysia. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  8. Motion Verbs with Goal PPs in the L2 Acquisition of English and Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inagaki, Shunji

    2001-01-01

    Suggests that Japanese learners will learn manner-of-motion verbs with goal prepositional phrases in English from positive feedback. Immediate Japanese learners of English and advanced learners of Japanese were tested using a grammaticality judgment task with pictures. Results support the prediction. (Author/VWL)

  9. Screening for Malnutrition in Community Dwelling Older Japanese: Preliminary Development and Evaluation of the Japanese Nutritional Risk Screening Tool (NRST).

    PubMed

    Htun, N C; Ishikawa-Takata, K; Kuroda, A; Tanaka, T; Kikutani, T; Obuchi, S P; Hirano, H; Iijima, K

    2016-02-01

    Early and effective screening for age-related malnutrition is an essential part of providing optimal nutritional care to older populations. This study was performed to evaluate the adaptation of the original SCREEN II questionnaire (Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition, version II) for use in Japan by examining its measurement properties and ability to predict nutritional risk and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older Japanese people. The ultimate objective of this preliminary validation study is to develop a license granted full Japanese version of the SCREEN II. The measurement properties and predictive validity of the NRST were examined in this cross-sectional study of 1921 community-dwelling older Japanese people. Assessments included medical history, and anthropometric and serum albumin measurements. Questions on dietary habits that corresponded to the original SCREEN II were applied to Nutritional Risk Screening Tool (NRST) scoring system. Nutritional risk was assessed by the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) and the short form of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. The nutritional risk prevalences determined by the GNRI and MNA-SF were 5.6% and 34.7%, respectively. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.3%. Mean NRST scores were significantly lower in the nutritionally at-risk than in the well-nourished groups. Concurrent validity analysis showed significant correlations between NRST scores and both nutritional risk parameters (GNRI or MNA-SF) and sarcopenia. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of NRST for the prediction of nutritional risk were 0.635 and 0.584 as assessed by GNRI and MNA-SF, respectively. AUCs for the prediction of sarcopenia were 0.602 (NRST), 0.655 (age-integrated NRST), and 0.676 (age and BMI-integrated NRST). These results indicate that the NRST is a

  10. The Japanese Keigo Verbal Marker

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahayu, Ely Triasih

    2013-01-01

    This research studies Japanese "keigo" in the office domain, a case study at XXX Corporation Japan. "Keigo" consists of "sonkeigo," "kenjougo," and "teineigo." Each of those speech levels is going to be analyzed based on linguistic and nonlinguistic factors. In this qualitative research, the data…

  11. [History of the German-Japanese Society of Dermatology].

    PubMed

    Nishioka, Kiyoshi

    2017-03-01

    The relationships between German and Japanese dermatology are traditionally very strong. This fact led Professor Hornstein and Professor Nishiyama to organize joint meetings of dermatologists from both countries. The first meeting of the German-Japanese Society of Dermatology was held in Erlangen, Germany, following the 16th World Congress of Dermatology in 1967. Since then, meetings have been held alternating between Germany and Japan. These meetings were successfully organized by professors from both countries. In this article, I present memorable photos from these joint meetings.

  12. Japanese Economic Victory Over America: Fact or Fiction

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-04-01

    together. 8 ENDNOTES CHAPTER I 1. Kobayashi Kaorli, "That Yen for Power," Japan Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 2, April-June 1989, p. 217. 2. S. Prakarah Sethi... Nobuaki Namiki;and Carl L. Swanson, The False Promise cf the Japanese Miracle, p. 8. 3. Ibid., p. 7. 4. Ibid., p. 7. 5. U. S. Central Intelligence...Parakash S. Sethi; Nobuaki Namiki; and Carl E. Swanson, The False Promise of the Japanese Miracle, p. 43. 6. U.S. Department of Labor, p. 15. 7. Akino

  13. [Clinical features of idiopathic restless legs syndrome in Japanese patients].

    PubMed

    Kume, Akito; Kume, Hideaki

    2010-06-01

    Little is known about the diagnosis and management of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in Japanese neurology clinics. To validate the diagnostic criteria of the International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG) and the treatment algorithm of the Mayo Clinic in a Japanese neurology clinic setting and to clarify the features of Japanese patients with idiopathic RLS. Patients with RLS symptoms were examined by a neurologist and the assessment included neurological examination, tests for periodic limb movements (PLM) and dopaminergic response, and the clinical diagnosis was made according to IRLSSG diagnostic criteria. Patients diagnosed with idiopathic RLS were treated with dopaminergic agents and the efficacy was evaluated. The study subjects were 151 Japanese patients who presented with RLS symptoms. Idiopathic RLS was diagnosed in 113 patients, secondary RLS in 16 and RLS mimics in 22. The cause of RLS mimics was either myelopathy, radiculopathy or neuropathy in 11 patients. The mean age of patients with idiopathic RLS was 50.1 (SD 20.0) years, 63% were woman, 97% had daily RLS, 31% had family history (40% of the early-onset subgroup), 86% reported unpleasant sensations in the lower legs, 43% had PLM in the daytime suggested immobilization test, 81% suffered from insomnia, 49% had limitations of work and activities, 71% reported impaired mood, 27% had consulted physicians about their symptoms, 4% had been diagnosed with RLS, 73% improved after dopaminergic treatments, and 33% experienced complete remission. The clinical features of Japanese patients with idiopathic RLS were identical to those reported in western countries, which suggests that IRLSSG diagnostic criteria and Mayo Clinic treatment algorism are valid in Japanese neurology clinics. Both patients and physicians were not fully aware of RLS in this country. Neurological examination was important in excluding RLS mimics and making a diagnosis of RLS.

  14. Peace Education in Japanese Universities. Peace Education Miniprints No. 36.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fujita, Hideo; Ito, Takehiko

    This paper contends that peace education is necessary for all university students in Japan for several reasons: students are going to take leading roles in society; the world is changing rapidly; and university teachers have a social responsibility not to repeat the faults of Japanese teachers in World War II. Japanese peace education has been…

  15. Picture This Character: Using Imagery To Teach a Japanese Syllabary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Joyce D.; Wakefield, John F.

    This study examined the effectiveness of imagery to teach native English speakers to associate hiragana characters (a Japanese script) with the spoken Japanese syllables that the characters represent. Twenty-one adults in a psychology of learning class for teachers were taught to picture a hiragana character in such a way as to establish an…

  16. Interlanguage Pragmatics Study of Indirect Complaint among Japanese ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baba, Junko

    2010-01-01

    This interlanguage pragmatics study of linguistic expressions of affect focuses on how Japanese learners of English may express themselves in an affect-laden speech act of indirect complaint. The English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' data are compared with the baseline data of native speakers of Japanese (JJ) and American English (AA). The…

  17. Differences in reported linguistic thermal sensation between Bangla and Japanese speakers.

    PubMed

    Khatun, Aklima; Hasib, Md Abdul; Nagano, Hisaho; Taimura, Akihiro

    2017-06-05

    Thermal sensation is a fundamental variable used to determine thermal comfort and is most frequently evaluated through the use of subjective reports in the field of environmental physiology. However, there has been little study of the relationship between the semantics of the words used to describe thermal sensation and the climatic background. The present study investigates the linguistic differences in thermal reports from native speakers of Bangla and Japanese. A total of 1141 university students (932 in Bangladesh and 209 in Japan) responded to a questionnaire survey consisting of 20 questions. Group differences between Bangladeshi and Japanese respondents were then tested with a chi-square test in a crosstab analysis using SPSS (version 21). For the Bangla-speaking respondents, the closest feeling of thermal comfort was "neutral" (66.6%) followed by "slightly cool" (10.2%), "slightly cold" (6.0%), "slightly hot" (4.1%), and "cold" (3.8%). For the Japanese respondents, the closest feeling of thermal comfort was "cool" (38.3%) followed by "slightly cool" (20.4%), "neutral" (14.6%), "slightly warm" (13.1%), and "warm" (10.7%). Of the Bangladeshi respondents, 37.7% reported that they were sensitive to cold weather and 18.1% reported that they were sensitive to hot weather. Of the Japanese respondents, 20.6% reported that they were sensitive to cold weather and 29.2% reported that they were sensitive to hot weather. Of the Bangladeshi respondents, 51.4% chose "higher than 29 °C" as hot weather and 38.7% of the Japanese respondents chose "higher than 32 °C" as hot weather. In the case of cold weather, 43.1% of the Bangladeshi respondents selected "lower than 15 °C" as cold weather and 53.4% of the Japanese respondents selected "lower than 10 °C" as cold weather. Most of the Bangla-speaking respondents chose "neutral" as the most comfortable temperature, and most of the Japanese respondents chose "cool." Most of the Bangladeshi respondents reported that they

  18. How the Japanese Learn To Work. Second Edition. Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dore, Ronald; Sako, Mari

    This book examines how the Japanese learn to work by exploring the following topics: common assumptions about vocational education and training (VET) that Japan brings into question; Japan's general education system and the moral quality and prestige status of the teaching and learning process; screening processes within Japan's education system…

  19. German words: still used by Japanese obstetrics and gynecology doctors.

    PubMed

    Matsubara, Shigeki

    2018-03-01

    German used to be frequently employed in Japanese obstetric and gynecologic (OBGYN) practice; however, it is now less frequently used. Description and analysis of this situation may shed some light on the change of OBGYN practice and education in Japan, which may at least partly hold true to counties other than Japan. Three eras were classified according to the relationship between German and Japanese OBGYN, with each era characterized. Frequently used German words in Japanese OBGYN practice were described as examples. German words have become less frequently used with each successive generation. Even though English may suffice in practical OBGYN practice, German usage will still be passed on to these new generations.

  20. A Japanese logographic character frequency list for cognitive science research.

    PubMed

    Chikamatsu, N; Yokoyama, S; Nozaki, H; Long, E; Fukuda, S

    2000-08-01

    This paper describes a Japanese logographic character (kanji) frequency list, which is based on an analysis of the largest recently available corpus of Japanese words and characters. This corpus comprised a full year of morning and evening editions of a major newspaper, containing more than 23 million kanji characters and more than 4,000 different kanji characters. This paper lists the 3,000 most frequent kanji characters, as well as an analysis of kanji usage and correlations between the present list and previous Japanese frequency lists. The authors believe that the present list will help researchers more accurately and efficiently control the selection of kanji characters in cognitive science research and interpret related psycholinguistic data.

  1. Risk and promotive factors related to depressive symptoms among Japanese youth.

    PubMed

    Laser, Julie; Luster, Tom; Oshio, Toko

    2007-10-01

    Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness, loneliness, suicidal ideation, and self-dislike. Adolescent depression is viewed as a problem in Japan, but there is little research on the correlates of depression in Japanese youth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression in Japanese youth and to examine correlates of depression using a risk and promotive factor framework. This study examined the symptoms of depression among 802 Japanese youth attending postsecondary schools in the Sapporo area. Separate analyses were conducted for males and females to determine whether the importance of risk and promotive factors varied by gender. The results showed that many factors that had been linked to depressive symptoms in Western samples were predictive of depressive symptoms in Japanese youth. The risk and promotive factors accounted for 50% and 59% of the variance in depressive symptoms for the female and male subsamples, respectively.

  2. Reciprocal Predicates in Japanese.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishii, Yasuo

    A study of reciprocals in Japanese compares two kinds: (1) a verbal suffix "aw"; and (2) an NP argument "otagai." Although "otagai" appears to be taken care of by syntactic binding theory, it is proposed that there is no evidence for the existence of a syntactic position of the object NP in the case of "aw." The suffix can be characterized as…

  3. Mele-Maat Revisited.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stone, James C.

    1984-01-01

    This study evaluates the quality of the teaching in an English immersion program on a South Pacific island. Naturalistic versus rationalistic language acquisition is discussed. The language proficiency of nonnative English speaking teachers is tested and related to the children's language proficiency. (MT)

  4. Reviewing Japanese Concepts of Amae and Ie to Deeper Understand the Relevance of Secure-Base Behavior in the Context of Japanese Caregiver-Child Interactions.

    PubMed

    Umemura, Tomo; Traphagan, John W

    2015-12-01

    Attachment theorists believe that children rely on their caregivers for protection and exploration. Due to this emphasis on independent exploration, however, the extent to which this notion of secure-base behavior is valid in societies emphasizing belongingness, such as Japan, has been questioned. By conducting an in-depth exploration of two Japanese collectivistic concepts, amae and ie, the present paper reexamines the relevance of secure-base behavior in Japan. Current discussions of amae have relied on psychoanalytic concepts that were developed in Western culture, and thus may not accurately represent Japanese parent-child relations. By examining another traditional concept of the family system, ie, this paper proposes that attachment theory is relevant in Japanese culture because children's individual competence is important to their families.

  5. The evolution of Japanese employer-sponsored retirement plans.

    PubMed

    Rajnes, David

    2007-01-01

    This article examines the development of Japanese voluntary employer-sponsored retirement plans with an emphasis on recent trends. Until 2001, companies in Japan offered retirement benefits as lump-sum severance payments and/or benefits from one of two types of defined benefit (DB) pension plans. One type of DB plan was based on the occupational pension model used in the United States before the adoption of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), but lacked the funding, vesting, and other protective features contained in ERISA. The other type of DB plan allowed companies to opt out of the earnings-related portion of social security, commonly referred to as "contracting out." Landmark laws passed in 2001 introduced a new generation of occupational retirement plans to employers and employees. One law increased funding requirements and enhanced employee protections for employer-sponsored DB plans, while a second law introduced defined contribution (DC) plans for several reasons, chiefly to increase retirement savings and help boost Japanese financial markets. These laws complemented earlier changes in the tax code and financial accounting standards already affecting employer-sponsored retirement plans. As a result, new retirement plan designs will replace most prereform era company retirement plans by 2012. In 2001, the experience of 401(k) plans in the United States, where 42 million participants had accumulated more than $1.8 trillion in assets over 20 years, attracted considerable attention among Japanese lawmakers finalizing provisions of the DC pension law. Even with government support and encouragement from the financial services industry, Japanese companies have not adopted these new DC plans in large numbers. As a result, occupational retirement plans in Japan have remained predominantly DB-a surprising development in light of the shift in a number of countries from DB to DC plans observed in recent decades. However, recent proposals to

  6. Conveying misinformation: Top-ranked Japanese books on tobacco

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Tobacco control efforts in Japan have lagged other high income countries, possibly because the Japanese government partially owns Japan Tobacco, Inc. In Japan, tobacco use is still often regarded as an issue of manners rather than an issue of health. Information about tobacco is available, but may not always be accurate. We explored what information Japanese consumers might access by reading popular Japanese books about tobacco. Methods We searched Amazon.com Japan using the term "Tobacco", identifying the top 12 books by "relevance" and "bestselling." We eliminated duplicates and books not concerned with tobacco use and classified the remaining books as pro-smoking, anti-smoking, or neutral. We reviewed the pro-smoking books, published 2004-2009, and analyzed examples of misinformation by theme. Results Pro-smoking popular books conveyed five types of misinformation: doubt about science; suggestions that smoking increased health, longevity, virility, etc.; trivializing tobacco's effects; attacking public health advocates/authorities; and linking tobacco use with authenticity, history, or civil rights. At least one book was authored by a former Japan Tobacco employee; another used a popular Japan Tobacco advertising phrase. Conclusions Creating doubt and confusion about tobacco serves tobacco industry interests and re-creates a strategy developed by US tobacco interests more than 40 years ago. Japanese readers may be misled by texts such as those reviewed. Tobacco control and public health advocates in Japan and globally should expose and counter such misinformation. "Naming and shaming" may be effective. PMID:21261991

  7. Conveying misinformation: Top-ranked Japanese books on tobacco.

    PubMed

    Kanamori, Yuko; Malone, Ruth E

    2011-01-24

    Tobacco control efforts in Japan have lagged other high income countries, possibly because the Japanese government partially owns Japan Tobacco, Inc. In Japan, tobacco use is still often regarded as an issue of manners rather than an issue of health. Information about tobacco is available, but may not always be accurate. We explored what information Japanese consumers might access by reading popular Japanese books about tobacco. We searched Amazon.com Japan using the term "Tobacco", identifying the top 12 books by "relevance" and "bestselling." We eliminated duplicates and books not concerned with tobacco use and classified the remaining books as pro-smoking, anti-smoking, or neutral. We reviewed the pro-smoking books, published 2004-2009, and analyzed examples of misinformation by theme. Pro-smoking popular books conveyed five types of misinformation: doubt about science; suggestions that smoking increased health, longevity, virility, etc.; trivializing tobacco's effects; attacking public health advocates/authorities; and linking tobacco use with authenticity, history, or civil rights. At least one book was authored by a former Japan Tobacco employee; another used a popular Japan Tobacco advertising phrase. Creating doubt and confusion about tobacco serves tobacco industry interests and re-creates a strategy developed by US tobacco interests more than 40 years ago. Japanese readers may be misled by texts such as those reviewed. Tobacco control and public health advocates in Japan and globally should expose and counter such misinformation. "Naming and shaming" may be effective.

  8. On the Teaching of Japanese: The State of the Art.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Samuel E.

    Until the coming of World War II, little interest was shown in the teaching of Japanese outside Japan except for the elementary schools set up to inculcate the ways of the homeland among the offspring of Japanese emigrants to places like Hawaii, the Pacific Coast of North America, and Brazil. A few European and American universities offered…

  9. Effects of Three Types of Japanese Honey on Full-Thickness Wound in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Nakajima, Yukari; Nakano, Yuki; Fuwano, Sono; Hayashi, Natsumi; Hiratoko, Yukiho; Kinoshita, Ayaka; Miyahara, Megumi; Mochizuki, Tsuyoshi; Nishino, Kasumi; Tsuruhara, Yusuke; Yokokawa, Yoshika; Iuchi, Terumi; Kon, Yuka; Mukai, Kanae; Kitayama, Yukie; Murakado, Naoko; Okuwa, Mayumi; Nakatani, Toshio

    2013-01-01

    Although many previous studies reported that honey promotes wound healing, no study has examined the effects of Japanese honey. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three types of Japanese honey, Acacia, Buckwheat flour, and Chinese milk vetch honey, on wound healing in comparison with hydrocolloid dressing. Circular full-thickness skin wounds were produced on male mice. Japanese honey or hydrocolloid dressing was applied daily to the mice for 14 days. The ratio of wound area for the hydrocolloid dressing group increased initially in the inflammatory and early proliferative phases and then decreased rapidly to heal with scarring. However, the ratios of wound area for the Japanese honey groups decreased in the inflammatory phase, increased in the proliferative phase, and decreased in the proliferative phase, and some wounds were not completely covered with new epithelium. These findings indicate that using Japanese honey alone has limited benefit, but since it reduces wound size in the inflammatory phase, it is possible to apply a combined treatment in which Japanese honey is applied only in the inflammatory phase, followed by hydrocolloid dressing from the proliferative phase, which would effectively contract the wound. PMID:23401714

  10. Japanese at Mimosa Elementary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uchihara, Azusa

    2001-01-01

    Describes the Japanese program at Mimosa Elementary School in Roswell, Georgia. The success of the program has been aided by collaborative team teaching, a spiraled curriculum, creative teaching methods, Teacher -made materials, and communication among teachers, parents, and administrators. he challenges are also discussed. (Author/VWL)

  11. The development of fears of compassion scale Japanese version

    PubMed Central

    Asano, Kenichi; Tsuchiya, Masao; Ishimura, Ikuo; Lin, Shuzhen; Matsumoto, Yuki; Miyata, Haruko; Kotera, Yasuhiro; Shimizu, Eiji; Gilbert, Paul

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Cultivation of compassion is a useful way to treat mental problems, but some individuals show resistance. Fears of compassion can be an obstacle for clinicians when providing psychotherapy, and for clients when engaging in interpersonal relationships. Despite its importance, a Japanese version of fears of compassion scales (for others, from others, and for self) has not yet been developed. This study developed a Japanese version of the Fears of Compassion Scales and tested its reliability and validity. Design This study used a cross-sectional design, and a self-report procedure for collecting data. Methods A total of 485 students (121 males and 364 females) answered self-report questionnaires, including the draft Fears of Compassion Scales—Japanese version. Results There were distinctive factor structures for fear of compassion from others, and for self. The fear of compassion from others scale consisted of concern about compassion from others and avoidance of compassion from others. All scales had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, face validity, and construct validity. Discrimination and difficulty were also calculated. Conclusions These results indicate that the Fears of Compassion Scales—Japanese version is a well-constructed and useful measure to assess fears of compassion and the existence of cultural differences in fears of compassion. PMID:29023461

  12. The development of fears of compassion scale Japanese version.

    PubMed

    Asano, Kenichi; Tsuchiya, Masao; Ishimura, Ikuo; Lin, Shuzhen; Matsumoto, Yuki; Miyata, Haruko; Kotera, Yasuhiro; Shimizu, Eiji; Gilbert, Paul

    2017-01-01

    Cultivation of compassion is a useful way to treat mental problems, but some individuals show resistance. Fears of compassion can be an obstacle for clinicians when providing psychotherapy, and for clients when engaging in interpersonal relationships. Despite its importance, a Japanese version of fears of compassion scales (for others, from others, and for self) has not yet been developed. This study developed a Japanese version of the Fears of Compassion Scales and tested its reliability and validity. This study used a cross-sectional design, and a self-report procedure for collecting data. A total of 485 students (121 males and 364 females) answered self-report questionnaires, including the draft Fears of Compassion Scales-Japanese version. There were distinctive factor structures for fear of compassion from others, and for self. The fear of compassion from others scale consisted of concern about compassion from others and avoidance of compassion from others. All scales had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, face validity, and construct validity. Discrimination and difficulty were also calculated. These results indicate that the Fears of Compassion Scales-Japanese version is a well-constructed and useful measure to assess fears of compassion and the existence of cultural differences in fears of compassion.

  13. Influence of facial convexity on facial attractiveness in Japanese.

    PubMed

    Ioi, H; Nakata, S; Nakasima, A; Counts, Al

    2007-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess and determine the range of the top three most-favored facial profiles for each sex from a series of varying facial convexity, and to evaluate the clinically acceptable facial profiles for Japanese adults. Questionnaire-based study. Silhouettes of average male and female profiles were constructed from the profiles of 30 Japanese males and females with normal occlusions. Chin positions were protruded or retruded by 2 degrees , 4 degrees , 6 degrees , 8 degrees and 10 degrees , respectively, from the average profile. Forty-one orthodontists and 50 dental students were asked to select the three most-favored profiles for each sex, and they were also asked to indicate whether they would seek surgical orthodontic treatment if that image represented their own profile. For males, both the orthodontists and dental students chose the average profile as the most-favored profile. For females, both the orthodontists and dental students chose a slightly more retruded chin position as the most-favored profile. Japanese raters tended to choose class II profiles as more acceptable profiles than class III profiles for both males and females. These findings suggest that Japanese patients with class III profiles tend to seek surgical orthodontic treatment more often.

  14. Autobiographical memory functions in young Japanese men and women.

    PubMed

    Maki, Yoichi; Kawasaki, Yayoi; Demiray, Burcu; Janssen, Steve M J

    2015-01-01

    The present study examined whether the three major functions of autobiographical memory observed in Western societies (i.e., directing-behaviour, social-bonding and self-continuity) also exist in an East Asian society. Two self-report measures were used to assess the autobiographical memory functions of Japanese men and women. Japanese young adults (N = 451, ages 17-28 years) first completed the original Thinking About Life Experiences (TALE) Questionnaire. They subsequently received three TALE items that represented memory functions and attempted to recall a specific instance of memory recall for each item. Confirmatory factor analyses on the TALE showed that the three functions were replicated in the current sample. However, Japanese participants reported lower levels of all three functions than American participants in a previous study. We also explored whether there was an effect of gender in this Japanese sample. Women reported higher levels of the self-continuity and social-bonding functions than men. Finally, participants recalled more specific instances of memory recall for the TALE items that had received higher ratings on the TALE, suggesting that the findings on the first measure were supported by the second measure. Results are discussed in relation to the functional approach to autobiographical memory in a cross-cultural context.

  15. History and Progress of Japanese Acupuncture

    PubMed Central

    Uefuji, Miwa; Yasumo, Washiro

    2010-01-01

    After Chiso brought acupuncture to Japan from Wu (China) in the sixth century, it has progressed in unique ways within the various historical milieus of the past 1500 years. Ishitsu-rei, the first medical law of Japan established in 701, explains the medical system of acupuncture in detail showing that acupuncture was being administered under the authorization of the national government. For the next 1200 years, acupuncture continued to be an important facet of public health in Japan. From the Azuchimomoyama through the Edo period, the knowledge exchange with China became active and people who studied in China developed new styles and techniques of acupuncture treatment and organized their own private schools or ryu-ha in Japan. In 1635, when the Edo government decided to close the country, Japan cut-off exchange with foreign countries for over 200 years. The national isolation caused some development that was unique to Japan. During that time, acupuncture filtered into people's everyday lives. Moxibustion, in particular, became popular as a treatment that ordinary people could practice by themselves. Also in this period of isolation, Western medicine was imported from Holland, the only country allowed to maintain trade with Japan. This novel modern medicine had a strong impact on Japanese medicine, which has its foundation of Chinese traditional medicine. At the same time, Japanese acupuncture was introduced into Europe via Holland. When Japan opened its borders in 1865 period, the new government was eager to accept Western culture to the extent of prohibiting the progress of Japanese acupuncture for a period of time. Even so, Japanese acupuncture has survived and flourished up to the present day due to the strong demand and the great efforts of the practitioners. Scientific studies are now in the process of establishing a firm evidence base for over a millennium of clinical use, respecting the classic ideas of the traditional treatment. PMID:18955321

  16. Single-dose pharmacokinetic study comparing the pharmacokinetics of recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin in healthy Japanese and Caucasian women and recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin and urinary human chorionic gonadotropin in healthy Japanese women.

    PubMed

    Bagchus, Wilhelmina; Wolna, Peter; Uhl, Wolfgang

    2018-01-01

    Recombinant hCG (r-hCG) was approved in Japan in 2016. As a prerequisite for a Phase III study in Japan related to this approval, the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of r-hCG was investigated. An open-label, partly randomized, single-center, single-dose, group-comparison, Phase I PK-bridging study was done that compared a single 250 μg dose of r-hCG with a single 5000 IU dose of urinary hCG (u-hCG) in healthy Japanese women, as well as comparing a single 250 μg dose of r-hCG in Japanese and Caucasian women. The Japanese participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either r-hCG or u-hCG, while the Caucasian participants were weight-matched to the Japanese participants who were receiving r-hCG in a 1:1 fashion. The primary PK parameters were the area under the serum concentration-time curve from time 0 extrapolated to infinity (AUC 0-∞ ) and the maximum serum concentration (C max ). The mean serum hCG concentration-time profiles of r-hCG in the Japanese and Caucasian participants were a similar shape, but the level of overall exposure was ~20% lower in the Japanese participants. For the Japanese participants, r-hCG resulted in an 11% lower C max but a 19% higher AUC 0-∞ compared with u-hCG. No new safety signal was identified. This study cannot exclude a potential difference in the PK profile of r-hCG between Japanese and Caucasian participants. However, this study does not indicate that there are clinically relevant differences in the serum PK of r-hCG and u-hCG in the Japanese participants.

  17. A comparison of hand-arm vibration syndrome between Malaysian and Japanese workers.

    PubMed

    Su, Anselm Ting; Fukumoto, Jin; Darus, Azlan; Hoe, Victor C W; Miyai, Nobuyuki; Isahak, Marzuki; Takemura, Shigeki; Bulgiba, Awang; Yoshimasu, Kouichi; Maeda, Setsuo; Miyashita, Kazuhisa

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of HAVS in a tropical environment in comparison with a temperate environment. We conducted a series medical examinations among the forestry, construction and automobile industry workers in Malaysia adopting the compulsory medical examination procedure used by Wakayama Medical University for Japanese vibratory tools workers. We matched the duration of vibration exposure and compared our results against the Japanese workers. We also compared the results of the Malaysian tree fellers against a group of symptomatic Japanese tree fellers diagnosed with HAVS. Malaysian subjects reported a similar prevalence of finger tingling, numbness and dullness (Malaysian=25.0%, Japanese=21.5%, p=0.444) but had a lower finger skin temperature (FST) and higher vibrotactile perception threshold (VPT) values as compared with the Japanese workers. No white finger was reported in Malaysian subjects. The FST and VPT of the Malaysian tree fellers were at least as bad as the Japanese tree fellers despite a shorter duration (mean difference=20.12 years, 95%CI=14.50, 25.40) of vibration exposure. Although the vascular disorder does not manifest clinically in the tropical environment, the severity of HAVS can be as bad as in the temperate environment with predominantly neurological disorder. Hence, it is essential to formulate national legislation for the control of the occupational vibration exposure.

  18. Canadian and Japanese Teachers' Conceptions of Critical Thinking: A Comparative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howe, Edward R.

    2004-01-01

    Canadian and Japanese secondary teachers' conceptions of critical thinking were compared and contrasted. Significant cross-cultural differences were found. While Canadian teachers tended to relate critical thinking to the cognitive domain, Japanese teachers emphasized the affective domain. The quantitative data, effectively reduced through factor…

  19. Attitudes towards the Use of Masculine and Feminine Japanese among Foreign Professionals: What Can Learners Learn from Professionals?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Itakura, Hiroko

    2009-01-01

    Subordinate femininity associated with feminine Japanese has been found to pose barriers for foreign language learners of Japanese, especially among Western female learners of Japanese. The present study investigates attitudes towards the use of both masculine and feminine Japanese among non-native professional speakers of Japanese. The latter's…

  20. Information Systems for the Museum of Japanese History, Archaeology and Folklore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terui, Takehiko

    General idea and outline of museums of Japanese history, archaeology and folklore are introduced, and the relationship between exhibits and information in them is described. Then the information systems of these museums are explained in some detail. As an example, the author describes the information systems for the museum of Japanese history, archaeology and folklore by comparing the computer system with the traditional manual system. Japanese language processing and image handling derived from the systems are also described. Significance and problems of nationwide information network linking these museums each other, and problems of staffs in the information sections are mentioned.