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Japanese higher education has a low proportion of women in academic areas such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The results of recent empirical studies in Japan suggest that from the elementary school stage, boys are more likely to recognize themselves as "science types" than girls, and that such gender differentiation is maintained in later educational stages. Based on the idea that there are values that tend to regard boys rather than girls as "science types" and that these may be transmitted during the socialization process, and the discussion of the critical role of significant others in the formation of science identity, this study focused on the values held by mothers, who are the main socializers in early childhood. We first tested the hypothesis that mothers are more likely to recognize their children as "science types" if they are boys, regardless of their children's academic abilities. Second, we tested the hypothesis that such double standards may be caused by gender-related cultural beliefs. A statistical analysis of the results of a survey of 1,000 mothers who have children in the first grade clearly supported both hypotheses. The results suggest that girls need to overcome their parents' low expectations to develop "science type" self-concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Japanese Journal of Educational Research / Kyoikugaku Kenkyu is the property of Japanese Educational Research Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Mahalanobis-Taguchi system (MTS) is one of the multi-variate analyses which can classify data by correlations among multi-variables. The MTS has significant advantage of applying a cause analysis which provides effective variable combinations to upgrade the accuracy of the classification. In this study, droppings, which were extruded from Japanese rhinoceros beetle larva were selected to classify into male/female based on their shape-related features using the MTS. Based on the cause analysis, the projected area/Feret's diameter (A/F) and solidity were the best variable combination which all the larval droppings were classified into male/female. Both the variable has surface roughness-related factors with size effect (A/F) without size effect (solidity). The MTS has the great ability to classify from the powders' minor difference and will be an effective tool for particle design in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the state-anxiety of Japanese college students (N=86) in dyadic conversations both quantitatively and qualitatively from the following four perspectives; 1) the state anxiety change before/after the conversation, 2) the state anxiety change between the conversations with a stranger/friend, 3) an influence of other relevant factors such as trait-anxiety and agari (broad psychological and physical experiences including “stage-fright”) on the state anxiety, and 4) an influence of the cognitive factors such as self-construals, living abroad experiences, and the conversation situation with a stranger/friend. The participants had 20-minute conversations with both a same-sex stranger/friend. State-anxiety was measured twice with The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory right before/after the conversation. The study also measured the trait-anxiety, independent/interdependent self-construals, agari, and the pulse before/during/after the conversation as quantitative data. After all quantitative data was collected, participants were interviewed about their emotion experiences and perceptions of the conversation. The quantitative questionnaire data was statistically analyzed with MANOVA (repeated measures). The qualitative interview data was coded and analyzed. The results show the participants’ state-anxiety level tended to decrease after the conversation with both a stranger and a friend. The participants’ state anxiety level before the conversation with a stranger was likely higher than with a friend. The study also reveals a significant influence of living abroad experiences and self-construals on their state-anxiety level. The interview results suggest their perception of the conversation situation with a stranger/friend influences their state-anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mahalanobis-Taguchi system (MTS) is one of the multi-variate analyses which can classify data by correlations among multi-variables. The MTS has significant advantage of applying a cause analysis which provides effective variable combinations to upgrade the accuracy of the classification. In this study, droppings, which were extruded from Japanese rhinoceros beetle larva were selected to classify into male/female based on their shape-related features using the MTS. Based on the cause analysis, the projected area/Feret’s diameter (A/F) and solidity were the best variable combination which all the larval droppings were classified into male/female. Both the variable has surface roughness-related factors with size effect (A/F) without size effect (solidity). The MTS has the great ability to classify from the powders’ minor difference and will be an effective tool for particle design in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impression of sharpness of body movements (Kire in Japanese) is critical for aesthetical evaluation of body movements in dance, gymnastics, and martial arts' Kata. However, the basis of impression formation of sharpness has not been empirically investigated to date. This study was designed to clarify how body movements' speed affected impression formation regarding body movements' sharpness. We also examined the effects of unexpectedly fast body movements on impressions of sharpness. Participants rated the impressions of sharpness, subjective speed, and unexpectedness of body movements when viewing movies of Karate Kata performance. Multiple regression analysis and path analysis revealed that subjective speed and unexpectedness affected impressions of sharpness of body movements and that subjective speed also affected them through unexpectedness. These results suggest that manipulating the speed and unexpectedness of movements effectively enhances impressions regarding the sharpness of body movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Groundwater Hydrology is the property of Japanese Association of Groundwater Hydrology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Process Analytical Technology (PAT) is played an important role in the realization of stable production in continuous pharmaceutical production. NIR, which is representative of PAT tools, is typically implemented, and knowledge or experience of spectrum preprocessing, wavelength selection, and multivariate analysis is indispensable to develop a prediction model. Moreover, cross-validation is used to evaluation of the calibration model, however big gap between the actual measured value and the predicted value being observed on the process. We examined the applicability of an efficient prediction model that can produce a high accuracy model at a manufacturing site without specialized knowledge or experience based on the actual process of the continuous tablet coating process, as one step of continuous production. In this study, the importance of calculating standard error of prediction and validating verification by measuring unknown samples at an early stage is concluded. In addition, in this coating process, process visualization was performed by principle component analysis of process parameters without using NIR, and process behavior between batches and equipments was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plating is a quite important technology used in a variety of sectors such as industrial products and decorative accessories. It is a special processing technology that handles various chemical substances and consists of long serial processes, plating is likely to encounter quality problems. Therefore, it is necessary to realize a method to maintain and manage plating process and evaluate the quality of plated products. The purpose of this study is the state recognition in the plating process and the quantitative evaluation of the quality of the processed surface using hyperspectral data for electroless nickel plating. The hyperspectral data is a combination of two-dimensional spatial information and spectral information with high wavelength resolution. Actual process recognition system with a hyperspectral camera was constructed to obtain and analyze the hyperspectral data of both the plating solution and the processed surface based on multivariate analysis. The non-contact and high-speed monitoring method could be realized to estimate phosphorous acid concentration which causes deterioration of plating solution. Furthermore, the quantitative evaluation of plating surface with newly defined parameters was proposed, and the monitoring results confirmed the validity of the proposed method.

While decreased renal function is a known risk factor for hypermagnesemia caused by magnesium oxide (MgO), few studies have comprehensively investigated other contributing factors. In this study, the researchers analyzed the risk factors for hypermagnesemia development in 256 inpatients receiving MgO treatment at the Matsuyama Shimin Hospital. Multivariate analysis identified blood urea nitrogen ≧22 mg/dL, estimated glomerular filtration rate ≦43.1 mL/min, and MgO ≧1000 mg/d as risk factors. Additionally, the researchers' findings suggest a correlation between the number of risk factors and the incidence of hypermagnesemia, including the prevalence of Grade 3 cases. Interestingly, low body mass index emerged as a potential risk factor even in patients without the three identified factors. These findings highlight the importance for pharmacists to advocate for routine serum Mg level monitoring in patients with the risk factors identified in this study.

In Japan, use of a report for providing information from pharmacies to medical institutions called as "tracing report (TR)" is not widespread especially in the field of cancer chemotherapy. Identification of the factors related to submission of TRs could enhance the necessity of TRs. The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors related to submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy through a questionnaire survey. A questionnaire survey was conducted at the live web-based seminar regarding cancer chemotherapy held for pharmacists in January 2023. After the questionnaire survey, the participants were divided into those who had submitted at least one TR regarding cancer chemotherapy within one month before the seminar (TR group) and those who had not (non-TR group). The multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors related to submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy. Of 118 participants, the responses from 93 pharmacy pharmacists involved in dispensing drugs who agreed to participate in this study and fulfilled all questionnaire were analyzed. TR group included 21 participants and non-TR group included 72. As a result of multivariate analysis, "Years of experience in counseling and following-up with patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy (odds ratio: 4.81, p=0.02)" and "Types of workplaces (odds ratio: 3.79, p=0.02)" significantly increased the incidence of submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy. It was revealed that experience of intervention in cancer chemotherapy cases and an environment in which prescriptions for cancer chemotherapy can be handled on a daily basis are important for submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy.

Kansei engineering is a Japanese approach by which products and services are developed and improved with consumers' psychological feelings and needs incorporated into the design domain. This paper proposes a new Kansei evaluation method in which human perception properties in vehicle steering wheel operation are considered. The method does not involve consideration of steering wheel machine characteristics in their pure form; rather, psychological feelings and needs (Kansei) are evaluated using statistical techniques after these characteristics have been converted for representation in a human subjective force perception space. In this way, the relationship between Kansei evaluation results obtained using a semantic differential method and the machine characteristics of a steering wheel can be modeled. Kansei items can also be optimally designed using mathematical programming. In this study, an algorithm for the proposed method was formulated and a Kansei evaluation experiment was conducted. The results clearly showed that modeling accuracy for all Kansei items is improved by the conversion of machine characteristics for representation in a human subjective force perception space as compared to a case in which machine characteristics were used without conversion. The outcomes (1) confirmed the validity of converting machine characteristics for representation in a human subjective force perception space, and (2) proved that optimal design using estimated models of Kansei evaluation allows the derivation of machine characteristics suitable for a targeted Kansei item.

Radical Polymerization of N-alkylacrylamides was investigated to control the stereospecificity by taking advantage of hydrogen bonding interactions. The stereospecificity was found to depend on the structure of the hydrogen-bond-assisted complexes of the monomers. As a result, a wide range of stereoregular polymers, such as isotactic, syndiotactic and heterotactic polymers, were successfully obtained. Furthermore, the effect of stereoregularity on the phase transition behavior of aqueous poly(N-alkylacrylamide) solutions was investigated. A combination of stereoregularity and N-substituent affected significantly the phase transition behavior. In particular, N-n-propylacrylamide units in syndiotactic and isotactic stereosequences induced large hysteresis between heating and cooling cycles. In addition, multivariate analysis extracted successfully information on stereoregularities from NMR spectra of stereoregular poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rigakuryoho Kagaku is the property of International Press Editing Center Incorporation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose To epidemiologically investigate the relationship between a heavy for gestational age infant (HGA) and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) resulting mainly from uterine atony. Methods This retrospective observational study included Japanese women at a single tertiary obstetric hospital in Tokyo metropolitan area. The inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) vaginal delivery between 2007 and 2010, 2) single delivery at term, 3) primipara, and 4) maternal age of ≥20 years. HGA is defined as an infant with a birth weight greater than the 90th percentile of the new intrauterine growth curves in Japan. The primary outcomes were PPH (blood loss, ≥500 ml) and severe PPH (SPPH; blood loss, ≥1,000 ml). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PPH and SPPH in association with HGA. Results Of the 2,340 women studied, PPH and SPPH were found to occur in 593 (25.3%) and 63 (2.7%) women, respectively. The results of the multivariate analyses indicated that HGA was significantly associated with PPH (adjusted OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.71-3.19) and SPPH (adjusted OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.21-4.86). Conclusion HGA was considered an independent risk factor for PPH that results mainly from uterine atony. Thus, physicians and midwives could identify women at risk for PPH from uterine atony before delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Purpose] In this study, we investigate the characteristics of patients who received home visit investigations (home visit) before discharge. [Subjects] The subjects were 136 patients of our hospital who were discharged to home. We categorized them into two groups: the home visit group and the non-home visit group. [Methods] We compared them on the basis of rehabilitation records. [Results] Logistic regression analysis identified three factors: disease classification (OR: 4.797, 95%CI 1.15-20.08, p=0.032), length of hospital stay (OR: 0.965, 95%CI 0.93-0.99, p=0.016) and wheelchair driving independence at admission (OR: 0.008, 95%CI 0.01-0.03, p=0.009). [Conclusion] For patients who have central nervous system disease or cannot move independently in a wheelchair at admission, we need to consider home visits at an early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborations between hospital and community pharmacists play a key role in ensuring consistent continuation of pharmacotherapy within official medical care plans designed to promote community-based healthcare. A previous study conducted by the authors clarified the constructs of collaboration between the hospital and community pharmacists from the hospital pharmacist's perspective. In this study, a similar questionnaire was used to survey a group of pharmacies with 424 outlets nationwide, and 244 responses were collected. Factor analysis from the community pharmacists' perspective extracted five latent factors comprising 18 variables, and structural equation modeling yielded a model with a high goodness-of-fit. In the latter model, variables representing "Organizational climate" and "Basic policy on collaboration" formed the foundation of the collaboration between hospital and community pharmacists, while variables representing "Understanding of healthcare policy", "Resources for collaboration", and "Community support systems" represented concepts that flexibly compensated for fluctuations in medical policy. These trends were similar to those of the constructs previously indicated by hospital pharmacists. We performed multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling to confirm the impact of the inclusion of "Need for collaboration" as a dependent variable on the proposed constructs of hospital-community pharmacist collaboration using different analytical methods. Our results indicated that "Organizational climate", "Basic policy on collaboration", and "Community support systems" affected the "Need for collaboration". Our findings indicate that future studies are needed to confirm and clarify the causal relationships demonstrated by the constructs of hospital-community pharmacist collaboration seen within the current study.

The goal of this study was to investigate reciprocal causal relationships between identity and romantic relationship among university students having a boyfriend or a girlfriend. A three-wave panel study was conducted at approximately threemonth intervals. Structural Equation Modeling on the cross-lagged effect model used panel data obtained from 126 university students (38 males and 88 females) who completed the Multidimensional Ego Identity Scale (MEIS; Tani, 2001) and an Effects of Romantic Relationships scale (Kosaka, 2010). The results suggest that relationship anxiety had positive causal effects on identity. The investigation further suggests the ego-developmental meaning of having a boyfriend or girlfriend in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We often modify the number of factors, or factor patterns, in order to improve models of factor analysis. However, these techniques have the disadvantage of skewing the meaning of factors. Moreover, although there could be correlations among unique factors used in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the criterion for adding correlations to unique factors is not clear. We developed a new approach to SEM by using covariance selection for graphical modeling. We have verified the effectiveness of this method by describing and analyzing three examples. It is concluded that we can modify models of factor analysis by using this technique, while maintaining the meaning of common factors without violating their normal distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to estimate and examine correlations between individual preferences for alternatives using the present Scheffé-type paired comparison models. In this paper, we propose two models that address individual preferences for alternatives. One is a simple model that makes it possible to estimate correlations between individual preferences. The other is an improved model that makes it possible to extract independent components from those correlations. Paired comparison data were collected in a survey about preferences for several new product names. Analysis of this data shows that the proposed models enabled the estimation not only of average preferences for alternatives, but also correlations between individual preferences and loading matrices for independent components. The effectiveness of the proposed methods was confirmed by the interpretations of those estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of hypervigilant narcissism on the tendency to avoid intimacy, as well as anthropophobic tendency, among Japanese adolescents. Junior college, university, and graduate students (N443) completed a questionnaire measuring the tendency to avoid intimacy, anthropophobic tendency, and hypervigilant narcissistic tendency. Path analysis using the hypervigilant narcissistic tendency subscales showed that both the tendency to avoid intimacy and the anthropophobic tendency were positively influenced by an "insufficient sense of purpose" and an "inhibition of self-exhibition." Only the anthropophobic tendency was positively influenced by "hypersensitivity to approval/admiration." The tendency to avoid intizmacy was negatively influenced by "insufficiency of self-soothing" and positively influenced by "covert sense of entitlement." These results suggest that the tendency to avoid intimacy involves different aspects of the hypervigilant narcissistic tendency than the anthropophobic tendency, although they both occur in the context of hypervigilant narcissism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the influence of depressive rumination and negative rumination on depression. In a longitudinal study with a 4-week interval, undergraduates completed measures of depressive rumination, negative rumination, and depression at Time 1, and measures of depression and stressors during the study at Time 2. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that depressive rumination, but not negative rumination, predicted depression at Time 2, even after controlling both for depression at Time 1 and for stressors. These results indicate that depressive rumination is a useful concept for research and clinical practices involving depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tests the validity of hypotheses about the interpretations of Rorschach father/mother cards by having subjects select the cards. The results showed that regardless of the subject's gender, Card IV is far more often selected as the father card. However Card VII is not more often chosen as the mother card, if anything, the Color Cards are usually selected. The result of a correspondence analysis suggest that a certain combination of father and mother cards is more often selected. When the frequency of card selection is applied to the cluster of cards obtained in the study of Fukui et al (2008), the mother card is predominantly selected from the feminine/maternity-cards cluster. However, the father card was selected equally often from three clusters, indicating variation of the father figure. The results indicate the predominance of Card IV as the father card, and also confirm the lack of individuality with Card VII. Therefore, Card IV fulfills prerequisites for the father card hypothesis, while Card VII does not meet the criteria. The results do not support the validity of the hypothesis about the mother card interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies Bourdieu's social space approach to Japanese data, where two theses proposed in Distinction, that is, a `chiastic structure' of a social space and `homology' between it and behavior/opinion spaces are examined. Data from the 2005 SSM survey are analyzed by multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and a Euclidean classification of individuals. The analysis reveals that differences by 'volume of capital' appear clearly both in social and behavior/opinion spaces but differences by 'composition of capital' are unexpectedly small in the former space and are quite unclear in the latter spaces. Through these analyses, effectiveness of a social space approach in class and stratification research is suggested as well as characteristics of Japanese social space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of resignation have had inconsistent findings, which may be due to difficulties in measuring this concept. This study developed a "Resignation Orientation Scale" (ROS) which measures an individual's tendency to have intentions in giving up goals. The ROS consists of 2 factors: Proactive Resignation (PR) and Avoidant Resignation (AR). A cluster analysis using data from ROS, classified subjects into 3 clusters. Cluster 1 had low scores for both factors. Cluster 2 had high AR scores, and was lowest in Rumination Response for Problem Solving and highest in Depression and Distraction Response for Avoidance. Cluster 3 had high PR scores, and was lowest in Depression and Negative Rumination Response, and highest in Distraction Response for Mood Change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupation is one of the major factors impacting our lives. In Japan, the Occupational Prestige Score or occupational categories have been used as occupational indexes. However, no occupational index reflecting job content exists. This article focuses on job complexity and how to formulate a job complexity score. Data from the 4th edition of Dictionary of Occupational Titles(DOT) and Japan Survey on Information Society (JIS) are used to formulate the Job Complexity Score. This score is formulated in three different ways. Moreover, we investigate the attributes or attitudes that job complexity has an effect on using the proposed job complexity score. Using multiple regression analysis, we found that job complexity has an effect on income, status identification, and the perception of unfairness, even after controlling the occupational prestige score. These results show the validity and effectiveness of the proposed job complexity score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The important point to mold a heat swelling microcapsule is to disperse uniformly without destroying a micro-balloon in the molded article. Accordingly the optimization of the steam pressure of the foaming reagent, the diffusion to the shell polymer, the heat-resistance of the shell polymer and character of gas barrier for is required. According to the technique of the multivariate analysis, the statistical model was designed and constructed for the foaming start temperature (Ts) and the maximum foaming temperature (Tmax), using the raw material value of the microcapsule which has core/shell structure, grain diameter distribution and for the stirring conditions. The faction to influence the Ts and Tmax could be specified by use of the statistical model. The core/shell constitution lowering the diffusion coefficient was applied to statistic models. It was necessary to use the increase of core weight, the cross-linking agent with low functional group in the presence of sodium hydroxide, simultaneously, and a narrow size distribution of the polymer in order to form the polymer at high temperature. In addition to, rotation number under polymerization conditions was found to influence the forming character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]