文教大学

The level of acceptance and understanding of biological evolution in less religious countries, such as Japan, has attracted significant attention in evolution education research. This study surveyed first-year university students in Japan using internationally employed inventories to assess their acceptance and understanding of evolution (two surveys using different combinations of scales: MATE and CINS, GAENE and CANS). The results showed a similar level of acceptance of evolution as revealed by surveys in other countries. However, Japanese students, even those who have studied advanced biology in high school, have an extremely limited understanding of evolution compared to students in other countries. The influence of understanding evolution on acceptance of evolution was identified in both surveys; however, the correlation between the two variables was weak.

We perform the first dedicated comparison of five hadronic codes (AM ^3 , ATHE ν A, B13, LeHa-Paris, and LeHaMoC) that have been extensively used in modeling the spectral energy distribution (SED) of jetted active galactic nuclei. The purpose of this comparison is to identify the sources of systematic errors (e.g., implementation method of proton–photon interactions) and to quantify the expected dispersion in numerical SED models computed with the five codes. The outputs from the codes are first tested in synchrotron self-Compton scenarios that are the simplest blazar emission models used in the literature. We then compare the injection rates and spectra of secondary particles produced in pure hadronic cases with monoenergetic and power-law protons interacting on blackbody and power-law photon fields. We finally compare the photon SEDs and the neutrino spectra for realistic proton-synchrotron and leptohadronic blazar models. We find that the codes are in excellent agreement with respect to the spectral shape of the photons and neutrinos. There is a remaining spread in the overall normalization that we quantify, at its maximum, at the level of ±40%. This value should be used as an additional, conservative, systematic uncertainty term when comparing numerical simulations and observations.

BACKGROUND:Periodontal disease affects people globally, requiring approaches to halt progression at the gingivitis stage. Researchers have investigated live probiotics; we studied the effect of a heat-inactivated preparation (postbiotic) of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus ONRICb0240 on gingival inflammation. METHODS:A total of 116 participants with gingival inflammation but no periodontitis were randomized into groups administered placebo or postbiotic gummies containing heat-inactivated L. pentosus ONRICb0240 (b0240GC) twice daily for 6 weeks. The participants maintained their usual oral hygiene practices without additional instruction or treatment. The bleeding on probing percentage (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival index (GI), plaque control record (PCR), and salivary volume were clinically assessed. RESULTS:BOP was the primary endpoint, significantly decreased in the b0240GC group (baseline vs. 6 weeks; 17.6 ± 8.4% vs. 12.3 ± 8.6%, p < 0.001) compared with that in the placebo group (18.9 ± 8.5% vs. 16.6 ± 10.1%, p = 0.344) in a sensitivity analysis excluding participants who used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. PPD, CAL, and PCR were the secondary endpoints that minimally changed, whereas the GI was significantly lower in the b0240GC group (baseline vs. 6 weeks: 1.3 ± 0.4 vs. 1.1 ± 0.6; p = 0.001) than in the placebo group (1.4 ± 0.4 vs. 1.3 ± 0.6). Exploratory post hoc subgroup analysis suggested stronger responses of BOP reduction in the b0240GC group among participants with a body mass index ≥22 kg/m2, a baseline BOP < 20%, or a PCR < 60%. CONCLUSIONS:Continuously consuming b0240GC reduced gingival inflammation, excluding the influence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, with no apparent safety concerns. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ID number: jRCTs031220449; URL: https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCTs031220449 PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease. Gum disease is common worldwide and can lead to tooth loss if not treated early. In the early gingivitis stages, the gums turn red and easily bleed. In addition to regular dental visits, simple methods must be developed for preventing the progression of gum disease, such as methods for safely reducing gum inflammation without disturbing the normal bacteria in the mouth. We tested whether eating gummy candies containing heat-inactivated bacteria (Lactiplantibacillus pentosus ONRICb0240) (b0240GC) improved gum health. We asked 116 adults with mild gum inflammation to eat either b0240GC or placebo gummies twice daily for 6 weeks. The participants did not receive any special instructions for brushing or cleaning their teeth during the study period; therefore, the results reflected real-life conditions. We found that less gum bleeding was experienced by people in the b0240GC group than those in the placebo group at the end of the study, and their gums appeared healthier overall. These findings suggest that b0240GC is helpful for safely improving gum health in daily life.

This study examined whether saline acts as an aversive stimulus for planarians and how it influences learning and memory. Using saline as an unconditioned stimulus, we first tested conditioned place avoidance. Saline did not support conditioned place avoidance acquisition; instead, it disrupted habituation to initially preferred tactile and visual stimuli. Further experiments assessed the establishment of conditioned place preference using food as the reinforcer with visual cues. Following training, exposure to saline impaired the expression of conditioned place preference for both light and dark contexts, indicating that the disruptive effect of exposure to saline extends beyond habituation. These findings suggest that saline interferes with the expression of learned behaviors through state-dependent retrieval failure caused by physiological changes induced by saline exposure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Abstract Autonomy-supportive environments are vital in fostering learning motivation, a core feature of the Guided-Autonomy Syllabus (GAS) implemented in Japanese university EFL classrooms. Based on the self-determination theory framework, learning motivation is maintained by satisfying the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Previous research has shown the GAS to satisfy students’ needs for autonomy and relatedness. However, the need for competence remains underexamined. This study explored, within a Japanese university EFL context, (a) the extent to which lectures on how languages are learned, delivered prior to autonomous study in a Guided-Autonomy Syllabus (GAS), were associated with changes in students’ perceived competence in language learning, (b) whether the use of student response systems (clickers) facilitated retention of lecture content, and (c) whether such retention was associated with maintaining perceived competence over the semester. Two groups of first-year Japanese university EFL students participated in the same GAS course that began with these lectures. One group used clickers during the lectures, whereas the other group responded by raising their hands. Survey and test results, collected at three points during the 15-week course, showed that while the lectures were associated with small initial gains in perceived competence, the overall language learning experience in the GAS appeared to play a larger role in changes to perceived competence and intrinsic motivation over time, and clicker use did not significantly enhance retention of lecture content.