京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第21254号 / 医博第4372号 / 新制||医||1029(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 山田 亮, 教授 Shohab YOUSSEFIAN, 教授 小杉 眞司 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

This study examined the impact of the Whole Schools Initiative arts program on the academic achievement of a group of middle school students as measured by the Mississippi Curriculum Test 2 (MCT2) language arts and mathematics assessment. School year 2012-2013 yearly assessment scores for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in 1 middle school in the State of Mississippi were analyzed to determine if a statistically significant difference in academic achievement existed between those who participated in the arts program in elementary school and those who did not. This study was guided by 4 research questions and employed 2 research designs. Correlational research was used to answer research question 1. Question 1 sought to determine the relationships between MCT2 scores of middle school students and the number of years they attended an arts integration school. Questions 2 through 4 was answered using causal comparative research design to determine the differences in MCT2 scores of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who attended an elementary school with an arts program and those who did not. The findings of this study indicated that there was a relationship between MCT2 math scores but no relationship between language arts MCT2 scores and attendance in an arts integrated school. In addition, it was determined that there were no significant differences in sixth grade language arts and sixth and seventh grade math achievement scores of students who attended an elementary school with an arts integration program. However, there were significant differences in seventh and eighth grade language arts and eighth grade math scores of students who attended arts integrated elementary. The study concludes with recommendations for future research.

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Gymnasts must attain extreme ranges of flexibility to execute performance requirements, thus effective stretching proves vital to advancement in the sport. This study examined the acute effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on passive and dynamic flexibility in young, female gymnasts. Participants (n = 27, Junior Olympic levels 5-10) served as their own control. Measurements of passive and dynamic flexibility were obtained using the TOPS forward split testing method to examine passive flexibility and dynamic flexibility was measured via split jumps that were analyzed with video and Dartfish software. According to randomized order, all participants completed a stretching protocol either with the WBV platform turned on (VIB) or off (C) separated by 48 h. Participants performed 4 sets of three stretches on the WBV platform. An ANCOVA was performed (using height, weight, age, years of experience, and gymnastics level as covariates). Significant improvements were found in passive flexibility for both VIB and C conditions, but there was no significant difference between the two stretching conditions (p = 0.17). The maximum split jump decreased significantly from pre to post measurement in both the VIB (p < 0.0001) and C (p = 0.04) conditions. VIB decreased the split jump significantly more than C. Based on the results of our study, an acute session of static stretching or stretching with WBV immediately before performance decreases split jump performance. Therefore, this WBV protocol is not recommended immediately prior to gymnastics competition.

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Low back pain is a leading cause of disability and is associated with whole-body vibration exposure in industrial workers and military personnel. The pathophysiological mechanisms by which whole-body vibration causes low back pain have been studied in vivo, but there is little data that improve diagnosis of low back pain. The overall objective of this research was to elucidate diagnostic biomarkers associated with whole-body vibration. Hence, a rat model for vibration-induced inflammatory responses was developed. Von Frey filaments were used to determine the withdrawal threshold of the hind paw as a surrogate behavioral marker for pain. The concentration of nerve growth factor in the serum was measured every four days using an assay as a potential diagnostic biomarker for low back pain. In the first study, whole-body vibration was applied using a modified commercially available device at 8 or 12 Hz every other day for two weeks, following which animals recovered for one week. At the conclusion of the study, intervertebral discs were graded histologically for degeneration. The nerve growth factor concentration increased threefold in the 8 Hz group and twofold in the 12 Hz group and returned to baseline by the end of the recovery period for 12 Hz, but not 8 Hz. Mechanical sensitivity appeared to change over time due to habituation and not any effect of vibration and was inconclusive. There was no difference in intervertebral disc degeneration scores between groups. In the second study, rats were vibrated at 8 Hz every other day for two or four weeks. The concentrations of nine cytokines were determined in the longissimus muscle, spleen, and thymus using a multiplex assay. These cytokines were ranked according to their ability to differentiate vibrated and non-vibrated animals, and classification models were compared. Nerve growth factor serum concentration peaked on day 13, then returned to baseline on day 17. The withdrawal threshold in vibrated animals decreased throughout the study indicating greater sensitivity to the stimulus, a surrogate for increased pain. Several longissimus muscle and spleen cytokines were important in distinguishing vibrated animals from non-vibrated, while thymus cytokines and weeks of exposure were not significant.

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There has been an increased interest in characterizing and interpreting ecological heterogeneity over space and time in the past two decades. This is mainly due to the renewed recognition of the significance of heterogeneity in ecological theories. However, studies that have combined both spatial and temporal aspects of heterogeneity have been rare. A unified approach to define and quantify heterogeneity has also been lacking. Designed to overcome these problems, this study was conducted in a 40-year-old Pinus elliottii Engelm. forest at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, SC, USA with the following specific objectives: 1) to characterize the spatial patterns of soil and forest floor variables (moisture, pH, soil available nitrogen and phosphate, forest floor and soil carbon and nitrogen), 2) to examine the dynamics of these spatial patterns in response to two types of disturbance: whole-tree harvesting and girdling, and 3) to evaluate some of the current methods for quantifying ecological heterogeneity. In response to both disturbance treatments, spatial heterogeneity measured by sample variance showed a marked "increase and then decline" temporal pattern in soil moisture, soil available nitrogen and phosphorus. Similar patterns were not found in total soil C and N, and total litter C and N. Harvesting resulted in greater and more drastic changes in the variations of soil nutrients and water than did girdling. Despite the popularity of semivariogram analysis in recent ecological studies, the technique did not provide consistent results on patterns of heterogeneity in our system. A simulation experiment demonstrated that semivariogram analysis may suffer from many problems when it is used to characterize patchiness, one form of heterogeneity. The results from this study have a number of implications. First, spatial patterns of soil resources are high dynamic. The dynamics of patterns in soil resources may partly account for the weak correlation between vegetation and soil observed in ecological literature. Second, heterogeneity may be most effectively quantified by first identifying quantifiable components and then quantifying these components individually. A common pattern can be sought by comparing patterns of different components of heterogeneity for a given ecological property and by comparing patterns of different ecological variables for a given component of heterogeneity. Third, compared to surveys, field manipulative experiments can provide information that link patterns with ecological processes. As such, this study adds to ecological literature valuable information on temporal changes of soil heterogeneity following disturbance and conceptual advances in the quantification of ecological heterogeneity. / Ph. D.

The aim of the research is to identify core conditions that support increased delivery of sustainability in the built environment. The selected methodology is constructive research, which is distinguished by the dual focus on practical industry perspectives and theoretical knowledge. The first research question examines how Target Value Design (TVD), an integrated design management process, can elicit better delivery of sustainability values. This is developed through case study research of an exemplary design team and project. The findings identify a gap in the capability of the team to adopt a whole systems approach in order to make explicit the values of sustainable prosperity and develop a unified vision. This provides the basis for the second research question - how can design teams gain an understanding of the systemic nature of sustainability, and how can this understanding impact the design process? �The research proposes an intervention method that aligns learning models from the disciplines of experiential learning cycles, design thinking, behavior modeling, systems thinking and unified vision. This integrated approach leverages creative design activities to capture the learning potential for individual skills and team building. �While the research acknowledges the limitations from the testing of a single workshop experiment, post-workshop data suggests the intervention framework is sufficiently robust and versatile enough to adapt to individual workshop circumstances. �The key research outcome is the importance of the people in the process of collaborative design, in their ability to envision a future state of sustainable prosperity and articulate explicit actionable values. / Ph. D.