A Study on Efforts to Improve “Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care for Infants and Young Children” in Higashihiroshima City: A Comparison of the Level of Recognition of Childcare Workers and Parents

The purpose of this study is to clarify the extent to which the efforts related to the “Action Plan” in Higashihiroshima City, are recognized by the childcare workers engaged in the selected nursery schools, and the parents of the students at these schools, as well as the differences between them. The results revealed that efforts to “incorporate the natural environment, including plants and animals, into childcare” were highly recognized by both, childcare workers, and parents. In addition, Mann-Whitney’s U-test results showed that “childcare with awareness of the five capabilities formulated by the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education,” “efforts for collaboration between day-care centers and elementary schools,” “introduction of a childcare coordinator system, formulated by Higashihiroshima City” and “implementation of parent questionnaire surveys,” were the four initiatives for which childcare workers assign significantly higher value items. On the other hand, the item with significantly higher scores among parents was “Implementation of open class,” but an inadequacy was pointed out in the question setting. Furthermore, since the survey was conducted twice in one year, a within-participant comparison of childcare workers revealed no significant differences between the first and second rounds of the survey.本研究は令和３年度「大学連携政策課題共同研究事業 行政課題解決型共同研究」に提案した「東広島市の就学前保育施設の保育の質と乳幼児の育ちに関する評価研究」の一環として,東広島市 こども未来部 保育課の協力で実施したものである

Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Descending Pain Modulatory System

The descending pain modulatory system is thought to undergo plastic changes following peripheral tissue injury and exerts bidirectional (facilitatory and inhibitory) influence on spinal nociceptive transmission. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) superfamily consists of four main members: the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), the p38 MAPKs, and the ERK5. MAPKs not only regulate cell proliferation and survival but also play important roles in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that noxious stimuli activate MAPKs in several brain regions that are components of descending pain modulatory system. They are involved in pain perception and pain-related emotional responses. In addition, psychophysical stress also activates MAPKs in these brain structures. Greater appreciation of the convergence of mechanisms between noxious stimuli- and psychological stress-induced neuroplasticity is likely to lead to the identification of novel targets for a variety of pain syndromes

Identification of qRBS1, a QTL involved in resistance to bacterial seedling rot in rice

Bacterial seedling rot (BSR), a destructive disease of rice (Oryza sativa L.), is caused by the bacterial pathogen Burkholderia glumae. To identify QTLs for resistance to BSR, we conducted a QTL analysis using chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) derived from a cross between Nona Bokra (resistant) and Koshihikari (susceptible). Comparison of the levels of BSR in the CSSLs and their recurrent parent, Koshihikari, revealed that a region on chromosome 10 was associated with resistance. Further genetic analyses using an F(5) population derived from a cross between a resistant CSSL and Koshihikari confirmed that a QTL for BSR resistance was located on the short arm of chromosome 10. The Nona Bokra allele was associated with resistance to BSR. Substitution mapping in the Koshihikari genetic background demonstrated that the QTL, here designated as qRBS1 (quantitative trait locus for RESISTANCE TO BACTERIAL SEEDLING ROT 1), was located in a 393-kb interval (based on the Nipponbare reference genome sequence) defined by simple sequence repeat markers RM24930 and RM24944

Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care and Child Development Evaluation Research in Higashi-hiroshima.: A report of 2021

In this study, we clarified how the quality of childcare at preschool childcare facilities (kindergartens, nursery schools, certified children’s kindergartens ) in the city is affected by the implementation status of the “Higashi-Hiroshima City Early Childhood Education and Childcare Action Plan.” The Action Plan includes, (1) the creation of an attractive childcare environment that nurtures the five abilities, (2) the promotion of natural childcare, (3) the enhancement of public childcare, and (4) the training and collaboration of childcare coordinators. Specifically, first, we clarified how teachers played a role in the growth of children from 0 years to preschool age through the implementation of the Higashi-Hiroshima City Early Childhood Education and Childcare Action Plan; second, we also evaluated parental childcare

【実践報告】「教育実習Ⅲ（幼稚園）」の報告

application/pdfarticl

Heiji Oikawa's Educational Methodology Focusing on Children's "Interests": Comparison with Taneichi Kitazawa's View of Interest

application/pdfdepartmental bulletin pape

Investigation of Early Protein Changes in the Urinary Bladder Following Partial Bladder Outlet Obstruction by Proteomic Approach

We investigated the pathophysiological mechanism by proteomic approach as a possible tool to detect the marker proteins to develop lower urinary tract symptoms following bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). Rats were randomized into 3 groups; control, sham operation and BOO groups. BOO group was divided into 1, 3, and 5 day-group. Conventional proteomics was performed with high resolution 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by computational image analysis and protein identification using mass spectrometry using rat urinary bladders. A comparison of bladder of BOO group with control bladder showed that three proteins of optineurin, thioredoxin and preprohaptoglobin were over-expressed in the bladder of BOO group. In addition, four proteins, such as peroxiredoxin 2, transgelin, hippocampal cholinergic neurostimulating peptide (HCNP) and beta-galactoside-binding lectin, were under-expressed in the bladder of BOO group. These data supported that down-regulation of HCNP might make detrusor muscle be supersensitive to acetylcholine, up-regulation of optineurin means the protection of nerve injury, and down-regulation of transgelin means the decreased contractility of detrusor muscle. Beside these proteins, other proteins are related to oxidative stress or have a nonspecific function in this study. However more information is needed in human bladder tissue for clinical usage