Comparison of Nitrogen Budgets in Agricultural Watersheds

Poster Sessio

Visualization of spatiotemporal activation of Notch signaling: Live monitoring and significance in neural development

AbstractNotch signaling plays various key roles in cell fate determination during CNS development in a context-dependent fashion. However, its precise physiological role and the localization of its target cells remain unclear. To address this issue, we developed a new reporter system for assessing the RBP-J-mediated activation of Notch signaling target genes in living cells and tissues using a fluorescent protein Venus. Our reporter system revealed that Notch signaling is selectively activated in neurosphere-initiating multipotent neural stem cells in vitro and in radial glia in the embryonic forebrain in vivo. Furthermore, the activation of Notch signaling occurs during gliogenesis and is required in the early stage of astroglial development. Consistent with these findings, the persistent activation of Notch signaling inhibits the differentiation of GFAP-positive astrocytes. Thus, the development of our RBP-J-dependent live reporter system, which is activated upon Notch activation, together with a stage-dependent gain-of-function analysis allowed us to gain further insight into the complexity of Notch signaling in mammalian CNS development

Prospective identification, isolation, and systemic transplantation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells in murine bone marrow

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are defined as cells that undergo sustained in vitro growth and can give rise to multiple mesenchymal lineages. Because MSCs have only been isolated from tissue in culture, the equivalent cells have not been identified in vivo and little is known about their physiological roles or even their exact tissue location. In this study, we used phenotypic, morphological, and functional criteria to identify and prospectively isolate a subset of MSCs (PDGFRα+Sca-1+CD45−TER119−) from adult mouse bone marrow. Individual MSCs generated colonies at a high frequency and could differentiate into hematopoietic niche cells, osteoblasts, and adipocytes after in vivo transplantation. Naive MSCs resided in the perivascular region in a quiescent state. This study provides the useful method needed to identify MSCs as defined in vivo entities

On-demand erythrocyte disposal and iron recycling requires transient macrophages in the liver

Iron is an essential component of the erythrocyte protein hemoglobin and is crucial to oxygen transport in vertebrates. In the steady state, erythrocyte production is in equilibrium with erythrocyte removal1. In various pathophysiological conditions, however, erythrocyte life span is severely compromised, which threatens the organism with anemia and iron toxicity2,3. Here we identify an on-demand mechanism that clears erythrocytes and recycles iron. We show that Ly-6Chigh monocytes ingest stressed and senescent erythrocytes, accumulate in the liver via coordinated chemotactic cues, and differentiate to ferroportin 1 (FPN1)-expressing macrophages that can deliver iron to hepatocytes. Monocyte-derived FPN1+ Tim-4neg macrophages are transient, reside alongside embryonically-derived Tim-4high Kupffer cells, and depend on Csf1 and Nrf2. The spleen likewise recruits iron-loaded Ly-6Chigh monocytes, but these do not differentiate into iron-recycling macrophages due to the suppressive action of Csf2. Inhibiting monocyte recruitment to the liver leads to kidney and liver damage. These observations identify the liver as the primary organ supporting rapid erythrocyte removal and iron recycling and uncover a mechanism by which the body adapts to fluctuations in erythrocyte integrity

A Study on the Education for International Understanding through "Teddy Bear Project"

This paper addresses the issue of the education for international understanding through a case of "Teddy. Bear Project" between Mitsujyou Elementary School in Japan and Elmhurst Elementary School in North Carolina in U.S.A. Children of each partner school exchanged a "Teddy Bear" and they wrote a diary from the bear's viewpoints. Our results based on children's descriptions in their dairies suggest that this project can promote education for international understanding, especially understanding of their own culture, understanding of their identities and their self esteem. The "Teddy Bear Project" was found to be very successful in to enhancing understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures

Developing for New International Exchange Study : Through Exchange Program about Exploris Middle School and Odyssay School

本研究では, アメリカのExploris Middle Schoolへの生徒の渡米交流及びOdyssay Schoolとの宮島交流, e-mailによる交流実践を通して, 中学校における新しい国際交流プログラムの指針を示そうとした。英語を学び始めて間もない中学生にとって国際交流においての最大の不安は語学力であり, 指導・支援する側の教師も, 言語によって意志疎通が図れることに腐心しがちである。しかし, 本実践研究の結果から, 語学力が十分でない中学生であるからこそ尚更, 国際交流の場面では, 伝えたい内容を明確にしてやる指導・支援が重要であることがわかった。もちろん語学力が全くなければ意思疎通が難しいこともあろうし, 決して語学力が必要ないとは言わない。しかし, 人は伝えたいことがあれば必ずしも言語に頼らずともありとあらゆる媒体を通して意思疎通を図り, そのことが結果として, 語学への学習意欲を高めたり, 他国や自国の文化に対する理解を深めたり, またグローバル・マインドの醸成につながるであろう

A Report on Overseas Teaching Practicum by Graduate Students in Elementary / Secondary Schools in the United States (III)

The purpose of this report is to examine the significance of the teaching practice in elementary / middle schools in the United States by a group of Japanese graduate students. In Overseas Teaching Practicum held in schools in the State of North Carolina, the United States of America, for a week in September, 2009, the six Japanese graduate students majoring in education planned and gave lessons in some schools in America on Japanese society and culture in English. As a result, it was recognized that the teaching experiences in the international setting could contribute to the enhancement of the teaching skills, international understanding, understanding of home culture, and self-transformation of the participant students. Furthermore, considering the overall achievements of the projects during the past years, some commonalities were identified in the processes and focuses of their lesson planning/implementation, and the changes which took place during the project