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Phonological processing of written characters has been recognized as a crucial element in acquiring literacy in any language, both native and foreign. This study aimed to assess Japanese primary school students' phoneme-grapheme recognition skills using both paper-based and touch-interface tests. Differences between the two test formats and the relationship between phoneme-grapheme recognition skills and interaction with digital tests were investigated. We hypothesized a relationship between paper test performance and digital item performance. Participants were sixth-grade students from two public schools. The results of comparison tests indicated that the touch-interface test had lower success rates compared to the paper-based test for most items, suggesting a difference in performance patterns. A consistent relationship between phoneme-grapheme knowledge tested on paper and successful digital interaction was found. Findings highlight the potential of touch-interface assessments for assessing phoneme-grapheme recognition skills in primary school classrooms and suggest incorporating more digital tasks to enhance student adaptation. [Note: The issue number (1) shown in the citation on the PDF is incorrect. The correct issue number is 2.]

This paper represents a summary and discussion of the three studies presented at the morning session of the Fall 2022 JALT Vocabulary SIG. The papers, which were written by Ali Al-Hoorie, Masaki Eguchi, Derek Canning, Stuart McLean, Christopher Nicklin, and Joseph Vitta, represent a range of topics and study designs that are common in recent vocabulary research. These include a systematic scoping review, a vocabulary assessment validation study, and a study of the relationship between features of productive lexical use and oral proficiency. For each study, a brief summary, followed by a discussion of the particularly admirable qualities of each study and suggestions for future research have been provided. Furthermore, the studies are discussed in light of the open science movement.

Sensitizers are used to prepare photosensitive materials for ink-printing and thermal-recording media. Typical sensitizers contain an aromatic ring and exhibit aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity. They can accumulate in aquatic biota, leading to the disruption of ecosystems. Effluent from paper recycling plants has been identified as a source of contamination, and the presence of sensitizers in toilet paper may represent a new source of contamination in aquatic environments. To examine possible sources of contamination by sensitizers, this study investigated the levels of sensitizers in recycled toilet paper. We also studied the prevalence of sensitizers in rivers receiving effluents from sewage treatment plants in Japan, from 2020 to 2022. We detected eight sensitizers and related compounds in both toilet paper and river water samples; their total concentrations ranged from 0.78 to 34 µg/g (mean: 12 µg/g) in toilet paper and 58–1167 µg/L (median: 77 µg/L) in water. In the water samples, sensitizers were partitioned between liquid and suspended solid phases, and in suspended solids, sensitizers accounted for an average of 42% of the total. Correlation analysis showed a high correlation between sensitizer composition in the water from a river receiving sewage treatment plant effluents and toilet paper. Since these compounds were also detected in the river water analyzed in this study, toilet paper should be considered a novel source of sensitizers contamination in sewage treatment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article investigates the relative effectiveness of online and paper-based formative assessment in the learning of English as a second language. For this study, 74 Japanese university second language (L2) students took online quizzes, while 71 were given paper-based quizzes to complete. The quiz content was drawn from learning material found in the class textbook. Both groups were assigned the exercises as homework. At the end of the 15-week study period, both groups were administered a summative assessment that also covered learning points from the textbook. After controlling for the learners' L2 proficiency through their TOEIC test scores, the performance of the two groups on the formative quiz was compared through correlation and regression analysis. While there was found to be a statistically significant relationship between the online formative assessment and summative exam scores, this was not the case for the paper-based homework. When compared through an analysis of covariance, there was found to be a significant interaction between group and homework on exam scores. The online group was more affected by their homework score than the pencil and paper group. The findings from this study have implications for teachers, learners and curriculum developers.

Several researchers have compared the efficacy of digital flashcards (DFs) versus paper flashcards (PFs) to improve L2 vocabulary and have concluded that using DFs is more effective (Azabdaftari & Mozaheb, 2012; Basoglu & Akdemir, 2010; Kiliçkaya & Krajka, 2010). However, these studies did not utilize vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) as a way to support the vocabulary development of those using PFs. This is significant because DFs often offer a range of features to promote vocabulary development, whereas PFs are much more basic; thus, learners who study via paper materials are at a disadvantage compared with those who use DFs. Given the success that VLSs have had in fostering L2 vocabulary enhancement (e.g., Mizumoto & Takeuchi, 2009), their incorporation could have influenced the previous studies. Therefore, one of the primary aims of this study was to find if there were significant differences in receptive and productive L2 vocabulary improvements between students who used PFs in conjunction with 3 VLSs -- dropping, association, and oral rehearsal -- and those who used the DF tools Quizlet and Cram. Additionally, the researchers examined the learners' opinions to see if there was a preference for either study method. A total of 52 EFL students at two Japanese universities participated in the 12-week study. Pre- and post-tests were administered to measure the vocabulary gains in the PF group (n = 26) and the DF group (n = 26). Results from a paired t-test revealed that both groups made significant improvements in receptive and productive vocabulary. However, the difference between the gains was not significant, which contrasts with past comparison studies of DFs and PFs and highlights the importance of VLSs. A 10-item survey with closed and Likert-scale questions was also administered to determine the participants' opinions towards the study methods. Higher levels of agreement were found in the experimental group, indicating that the students viewed DFs more favorably than PFs.

Aim: The Japanese Society for Respiratory Care and Rehabilitation, Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty, Japanese Society of Respiratory Physical Therapy, and Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Nutrition proposed the definition and diagnosis of respiratory sarcopenia using low respiratory muscle strength and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM; ASM/height 2 ) instead of respiratory muscle mass; however, these parameters have not been validated. This study aimed to confirm the validity of the respiratory sarcopenia definition proposed by these four professional organizations., Methods: Participants of our cohort study in 2015 of 468 community-dwelling older people who were evaluated for sarcopenia and underwent spirometry were included in this analysis. We determined two respiratory sarcopenia models based on low skeletal muscle mass and respiratory muscle strength. Low skeletal muscle mass was defined by low ASM/height 2 , and low respiratory muscle strength was defined by peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) or percentage of predicted PEFR (%PEFR). Survival status was assessed 5 years after baseline assessment (in 2020). To evaluate the validity of the cut-off values for PEFR and %PEFR, we determined different respiratory sarcopenia models by sequentially varying the cut-off values for each parameter, including ASM/height 2 , from high to low. We subsequently calculated the hazard ratio (HR) for mortality for each respiratory sarcopenia model using the Cox proportional hazards model. Additionally, we plotted the HR for each combination of cut-off values for ASM/height 2 and PEFR or %PEFR on a three-dimensional chart to observe the relationship between the different cut-off values and HR., Results: A total of 31 people died during the 5-year observation period. With ASM/height 2 cut-off values of approximately 7.0 kg/m 2 for men and 5.7 kg/m 2 for women and %PEFR cut-off values of 66-75%, respiratory sarcopenia was associated with mortality risk (HR, 2.36-3.27, point estimation range)., Conclusions: The definition of respiratory sarcopenia by the four professional organizations is related to future health outcomes, and this definition is valid. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 948-953., (© 2024 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

This article explores the conception and execution of paper currency schemes in Tokugawa Japan (1603–1868). Paper currency was widely used as a form of local money in early modern Japan, but has received close to no attention in Anglophone scholarship even amid a recent upsurge in interest in the global history of money. From the perspective of monetary history, Tokugawa paper currency presents an intriguing puzzle. Even as paper currencies repeatedly collapsed in value, they remained in common use as an essential component of the early modern monetary system. Using the case of Sendai domain, a large fiefdom in northeastern Japan, the article argues that the monetary practices and expectations of ordinary subjects transformed paper money, created through partnerships between the samurai ruling class and powerful merchant financiers, from a tool meant to serve the interests of state finances into a low‐denomination currency convenient for everyday transactions, resulting in the bills' surprising longevity as a form of small change. Drawing on approaches that centre the role of non‐state and marginal actors in the making of money, it sheds new light on the political economy of late Tokugawa Japan and offers new insights into the global history of money. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the striking resemblance of a late nineteenth-century obstetrical simulator to contemporary commercial paper dolls. This period is often characterised in histories of medicine as one of increasing institutionalisation and professionalisation of childbirth through hospital training and state regulation. But this narrative is only part of the story. It marginalises the perspective of patients and midwives, and those outside of the geographic 'West', and it silences aspects of medical culture: social and caring relationships, emotion, play, and humour. While these aspects of medical history are less well represented in textual sources, material objects like Shibata Kōichi's 'Obstetrical Pocket-Phantoms' can help to give a fuller picture. Beginning by situating Shibata's phantoms in the conventional histories of obstetric training and the intermedial spaces of the clinic and lecture theatre, I then ask how the phantoms might have been used and understood differently outside of these spaces. Using Robin Bernstein's concept of 'scriptive things', I employ a visual and material study of the objects, informed by the wider cultural contexts of dolls and popular print culture in Germany, the USA and Japan, to argue for a history of Shibata's phantoms as paper dolls that encouraged many forms of play: from learning and explorative, to mothering and caring, to humorous and subversive. By acknowledging that Shibata's phantoms would also have been recognised as paper dolls, I present a history that centres unrecorded aspects of, and under-studied agents in, medical culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional papermaking was a significant innovation that intrigued the information-sharing society in a wide range of the globe. The importance of finding the historical background hidden behind the historical traditional paper is critical to understanding societies in history. Advanced molecular biological research is applied to many forensic studies to identify the origin and criminal events. Yet, biological research refrained from the heritage science of traditional papers due to its damage to the samples. The current study explores the Pearson correlation between DNA in traditional paper and non-destructive measurement of characteristics of traditional paper. DNA concentration and purity were found to have a proportional relationship based on the CIEL*a*b* color system. The color of the traditional paper was assessed assessment shows green and yellow rather than red and blue. The DNA concentration demonstrated a positive linear correlation with the peaks of 992 cm−1, 1599 cm−1, and 1628 to 1638 cm−1 region, which were lignin-specific functional groups. The presence of lignin in traditional paper defines the colors green and yellow, which is related to the presence of a cell wall. The quantity of cell walls present is linked to DNA survival during the traditional papermaking process. Furthermore, the partial least square (PLS) regression model is established. The prediction model based on DNA, paper properties, and smoothing + the second derivative preprocessed attenuated total reflection-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectral data demonstrated valid purity predictions. The evaluation parameter of the cross-validated prediction model contains a low Root Mean Square Error of Cross-Validation (RMSECV) of 0.091 for DNA purity. The determination coefficient was close to 1. However, the further establishment of a validated DNA extraction methodology is required for the consistency of the prediction model for DNA concentration. The hierarchical clustering analysis demonstrated the agglomerative dendrogram on traditional paper samples. For the dendrogram, the Nasu paper mulberry (originating in northern Japan) was distinguished from another paper mulberry (originating in southwestern Japan) by clustering. By multivariate statistical analysis, the DNA presence and quality were predictable from the Japanese traditional papers. In addition, the clustering analysis provided the possible origin of paper mulberry materials for traditional papers. Based on the preliminary information, the need for DNA analysis on historical traditional paper can be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The XY model of oil‐paper insulation connects the dielectric properties of oil, paper and oil‐paper system. Its equivalent circuit is the basis of the application of dielectric response technology in the state diagnosis of transformer oil‐paper insulation. To better apply the XY model to the study of the dielectric properties of oil‐paper insulation, the dielectric properties of the coaxial oil‐paper insulation system built in the laboratory, XY model and its equivalent circuits are compared. Then an improved circuit of XY model which can reflect the properties of the oil‐paper insulation more truly is proposed. The results show that there is no difference between the XY model and the coaxial model, and both can well characterize the oil‐paper insulation system. The two equivalent circuits of XY model, "Series to Parallel" circuit and "Parallel to Series" circuit, ignore the current tangential component and the electric field distortion in oil‐paper insulation, respectively, resulting in deviations from the XY model. By introducing a new branch C*XY, the improved circuit can reflect the tangential current and electric field distortion in oil‐paper insulation, which can be completely equivalent to XY model. In addition, there is a characteristic frequency point in the oil‐paper insulation system, where the dielectric loss factor tan δ of oil, paper and oil‐paper system are the same. There is no difference between the XY model and its two equivalent circuits at this point. The characteristic frequency is determined by the dielectric properties of oil and paper, and not affected by the insulation structure. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of electronic patient-reported outcomes has increased recently, and smartphones offer distinct advantages over other devices. However, previous systematic reviews have not investigated the reliability of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6) when used with smartphones, and this has not been fully explored. This study aimed to evaluate the equivalence of the paper and smartphone versions of the CES-D, GAD-7, and K6, which were compared following a randomized crossover design method in 100 adults in Gunma, Japan. Participants responded to the paper and smartphone versions at 1-week intervals. The equivalence of paper and smartphone versions was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC agreement ). The mean participant age was 19.86 years (SD = 1.08, 23% male). The ICC agreements for the paper and smartphone versions of the CES-D, GAD-7, and K6 were 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.83), 0.68 (95% CI 0.59-0.77), and 0.83 (95% CI 0.75-0.88), respectively. Thus, the CES-D and K6 scales are appropriate for use in a smartphone version, which could be applied to clinical and research settings in which the paper or smartphone versions could be used as needed.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used as a color developer in a thermal paper that after a heating process reacts with a leuco dye and changes it to a colored form. Receipts from cash registers are considered as the main source of consumer exposure to bisphenols together with polycarbonates and epoxy resins. Levels of BPA and its possible alternatives were determined in thermal paper samples collected between May 2018 and May 2019 in 22 European and 17 non-European countries on all inhabited continents (220 samples in total, 133 of which were from Europe and 87 from other countries). These measurements were intended to check the level of BPA presence in receipts originating from different countries, especially from Europe in the light of changing regulations restricting its use. The effect of thermal printing on developer content was also analyzed, but no major changes in concentrations of bisphenols were observed during the process. Thus, printed receipts could be used for the determination of bisphenol content. Analysis of receipts from 39 countries has shown that BPA is still the most common compound used around the world with 69% samples containing this color developer. Among other tested bisphenols, BPS was used as a color developer in 20% samples, but it was noted that all samples collected from Japan and the United States of America were found to contain only BPS. Other bisphenols (F, AF, E, and B) considered as possible alternatives for BPA were detected only at trace levels or not detected at all, which showed that they were not used as color developers. The relatively large use of BPS as a BPA substitute is worrying because this compound not only has similar endocrine properties but is also poorly biodegradable. Besides, its relatively high polarity facilitates spreading in the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Since the emergence of COVID-19, university education has drastically transformed into digital-based learning (DBL). Online education has been well recognised as a promising mode of teaching; however, only a limited number of studies have reported the students' preferred format for academic learning., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: The study was conducted in a university setting in Japan. A Google Forms online questionnaire was distributed to the participants between April and May 2022., Participants: A total of 939 undergraduate medical, nursing and pharmaceutical students in the pre-clinical grade were recruited, and 344 were included in the final analysis., Primary and Secondary Outcome: The questionnaire assessed students' format preferences between paper-based learning (PBL) and DBL as it pertained to academic performance and eyestrain. In terms of academic performance, comprehension, memory retention and absorption (concentration) were assessed. We also explored the association between students' daily time spent using DBL and their digital preference by the Cochran-Armitage trend test and logistic regression analysis., Results: A total of 344 (191 medical, 73 nursing and 80 pharmaceutical) university students completed the questionnaire (response rate 36.6%). An even distribution was observed in the preferred learning format for comprehension: PBL (32.0%), both formats equivalent (32.8%) and DBL (35.2%; digital preference). Only few students preferred DBL for memory retention (6.1%), absorption (6.7%) and eyestrain (1.2%). Although a positive association was observed between daily time spent using DBL and digital preference for comprehension, there was no association for memory retention, absorption and eyestrain., Conclusion: Among university students, DBL was just as preferred as PBL for comprehension; however, only a few students reported that DBL was better in terms of memory retention, absorption and eyestrain. A learning environment where students can study using PBL should be continued., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Academic reading has been less emphasized compared with academic writing as a site of research inquiry. Although some studies have examined reading strategy use in academic reading (e.g., Block, 1986; Plakans, 2009), these studies used short passages only, and there have been a few studies that have focused on the mental representation constructed while we read research papers (e.g., Wyatt et al., 1993). Considering that academic discourse has a particular, distinct structure (e.g., Swales, 1990), it is necessary to examine the process of reading academic papers separately from that of reading in general, focusing on the rhetorical particularities of academic discourse. Against this research background, we investigated how Japanese EFL students read English academic papers, focusing on the interactions among L2 proficiency, reading strategies, and the rhetorical features of the papers. We used the following methods: video observation, the "think-aloud protocol," document analysis of notes taken by the participants while reading, and a post-reading interview. The reading strategies identified on the basis of the think-aloud protocol were categorized into local, global, and metacognitive strategies. The main results were as follows. First, the Japanese EFL readers had difficulty recognizing academic discourse. Therefore, they could not read the papers efficiently. Second, the students focused on understanding formulas and figures presented in the documents. Third, although the students used local and global strategies frequently, their purposes in using these strategies varied depending on their L2 competence, their background knowledge about the topic of the paper, and their familiarity with the discipline-specific academic discourse.

The Australian Science Teachers Association offers an innovative international professional development program for science teachers called the Science Teachers Exchange -- Japan. The program offers Australian and Japanese teachers an opportunity to travel to the corresponding country, allowing the teachers to grow in their knowledge of the culture and teaching practices of that country and potentially develop national and international networks. The article herein was written by Takeshi Tsuji, an elementary teacher from Tokyo, who participated in the 2017 Exchange program to Australia. As part of this program, Tsuji visited Mudgeeraba Creek State School on the Gold Coast, where he observed a fifth grade STEM lesson taught by STEM science teacher Megan Hayes, and later taught a lesson to the same class. On entering Hayes' classroom, Tsuji immediately noticed a large poster with the word 'FAIL' on it; an acronym standing for 'First Attempt In Learning'. It translates to "failure = first step in learning," meaning that learning starts from failure. This [unedited] translation of the article -- taken from a Japanese equivalent to "Teaching Science" -- takes on the theme of how students face failure and how teachers can deepen classroom learning with this acronym in mind.

Background: Health-related patient-reported outcomes (HR-PROs) are crucial for assessing the quality of life among individuals experiencing low back pain. However, manual data entry from paper forms, while convenient for patients, imposes a considerable tallying burden on collectors. In this study, we developed a deep learning (DL) model capable of automatically reading these paper forms., Methods: We employed the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire, a globally recognized assessment tool for low back pain. The questionnaire comprised 25 low back pain-related multiple-choice questions and three pain-related visual analog scales (VASs). We collected 1305 forms from an academic medical center as the training set, and 483 forms from a community medical center as the test set. The performance of our DL model for multiple-choice questions was evaluated using accuracy as a categorical classification task. The performance for VASs was evaluated using the correlation coefficient and absolute error as regression tasks., Result: In external validation, the mean accuracy of the categorical questions was 0.997. When outputs for categorical questions with low probability (threshold: 0.9996) were excluded, the accuracy reached 1.000 for the remaining 65 % of questions. Regarding the VASs, the average of the correlation coefficients was 0.989, with the mean absolute error being 0.25., Conclusion: Our DL model demonstrated remarkable accuracy and correlation coefficients when automatic reading paper-based HR-PROs during external validation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

When toilet paper disappeared from store shelves across Japan in November 1973, the housewives who searched their neighborhood markets and stood in long lines for the scarce packs were described as unwitting perpetrators of a "toilet paper panic." The word "panic" evoked well-established notions of a social frenzy, irrational and overwrought. This article overturns a conception of panic laden with condescension and adopts, instead, a more empathetic approach to examining why a run on toilet paper and other daily necessities occurred in late 1973, and why it resonated so deeply across Japan as a "panic." In the broader context of the early 1970s, the toilet paper scare and its characterization as a "panic" can be understood as responses to sweeping and multifaceted economic challenges that destabilized daily life and threatened to upend middle-class lifestyles. After more than fifteen years of high economic growth, that sense of middle-class comfort and security was shaken by shortages and inflation as well as mounting evidence of government ineptitude and corporate profiteering. Buffeted by insecurity and uncertainty, Japanese "middle-classness" as both an experience and an ideal had never seemed as vulnerable as it did in the early 1970s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency‐domain dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) of humid insulating paper has been measured at different temperatures. The data show three independent dielectric processes: electrode polarization, hopping conductivity and interfacial polarization. The dielectric properties of humid insulating paper are composed of hopping conductivity and interfacial polarization, and its equivalent dielectric model can be represented by a Havriliak‐Negami (HN) relaxation branch parallel hopping conductivity. At high temperatures and low frequencies, the measured dielectric spectroscopy bends downward, which is caused by the electrode polarization. In this case, the equivalent dielectric model is composed of the body impedance of insulating paper and the electrode polarization in series. According to the equivalent dielectric model, the components of electrode polarization, hopping conductivity, and interface polarization can be separated, thereby eliminating the parasitic effect of electrode polarization on the dielectric properties of insulating paper. Both of hopping conductivity and interface polarization of insulating paper move toward high‐frequency direction with temperature increasing. For humid insulating paper with a moisture content of 5.9%, the activation energies of hopping conductivity and interface polarization are 1.18 and 0.99 eV, respectively. This difference in activation energies results in the inability of the spectrums of insulating paper to overlap with each other at different temperatures. Based on the insulating paper without oil immersion, the results obtained in this article are not affected by oil or oil‐immersion operations. This provides a reference for exploring the dielectric properties and physical mechanisms of oil‐paper composite insulation materials widely used in high‐voltage equipment. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of the aging of oil‐paper insulation is analyzed in this article, based on an improved fractional Poynting‐Thomson model, which includes dc and hopping conductivity (P‐T model2). Based on samples of oil paper produced in laboratories with different thermal aging times, it has been found that the proposed improved model provides a better fit and a higher index of coincidence concerning the measured values than the traditional P‐T model and the model that only incorporates the effect of dc conductivity (P‐T model1). Nevertheless, comparing the proposed improved P‐T model with the traditional Cole–Cole (C‐C), Davidson–Cole (D‐C), and Havriliak–Negami (H‐N) models, the improved P‐T model2 also demonstrated a superior fit for the measured value and a higher coincidence index than another model. In addition, there was an excellent exponential relationship between the quantities εa, εb and τ of the improved model and the furfural content of the samples. Consequently, these characteristic quantities could be utilized to estimate the furfural content in the oil‐paper insulation and evaluate the insulation's condition. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]