A Survey Analysis of Pronunciation Instruction in Japanese University English Learners

The purpose of this study is to investigate how Japanese university English learners consider pronunciation instructions at their university and also assess their belief in their English-speaking abilities in creating new pronunciation classes. A total of 102 university students were given a survey containing 10 questions exploring the needs for creating new pronunciation classes, with responses using a fi ve-point Likert scale. The results show some significant findings: i.e., many students expressed a strong desire to take pronunciation classes during their university studies and most students expressed a high desire to improve their English pronunciation for their own future benefit

日本人大学生英語学習者に対する語頭子音連続発音指導の効果に関する研究

内容の要約広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(教育学)Doctor of Philosophy in Educationdoctora

A Viewpoint of Authenticity to Enhance Teacher’s Abilities in Studying Teaching Materials : Through an Analysis of the Adaptation Process of a Junior High School English Textbook

本研究は，英語教育における教材の真正性(authenticity)のあり方について検討することにより，教師の教材研究力を涵養するための視座を明らかにすることを目的とする。第二言語習得研究において，できるだけ自然かつ多量の理解可能な目標言語入力にふれることは，必須の条件のひとつとされている。最新のＩＣＴや多様な教材ソフトウエアの開発により，学習者が自然な英語に接する機会は質量ともに格段に向上してきた。しかしながら，教材はできるだけ自然なものでなければならないとする主張に対して，自然な教材の教育的効果を疑問視する主張もあるなど，教材の自然さの有用性については今なお多くの議論がある。さらに，いったい何をもって自然さを定義するかも定まっていない。そこで本論では，英語教育における教師のための真正性の視座について，これまでのさまざまな研究者による定義を概観・整理するとともに，教科書教材の真正性に大きな影響を与えると考えられる教材改作(materials adaptation)過程について検討を行う。教材の真正性に関する理論的考察に加え，テキスト原素材から教科書題材に変化する過程の分析を通して，日本のような外国語としての英語教育環境で必要となる真正性の視座を新たに構築することをねらいとする。The purpose of this article is to consider the meaning of authenticity of teaching materials in English language education, and consequently to clarify the viewpoints for developing teachers’ abilities in studying teaching materials. In second language acquisition studies, it is regarded as essential to be exposed to abundant comprehensible input in the target language. With the advancement of ICT and a variety of educational software, second language learners have the great advantage of getting access to a lot of natural English language resources. Under the recent communicative trend, there is a strong belief that teaching materials must be as real as possible; however, there remains certain skepticism about the effectiveness of authentic materials in second language teaching. Furthermore, there is no unified definition of the term. Therefore, this article will review the concepts of authenticity advanced by several applied linguistics researchers and examine efforts to maintain authenticity in textbook materials adaptation processes. By theoretical consideration of material authenticity and practical analysis of the simplifying process from the original to the adapted textbook material in a Japanese junior high school English textbook, this study will try to construct a viewpoint of authenticity necessitated in an English-as-a foreign-language situation like Japan

Bone regeneration of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from peripheral blood cells in collagen sponge scaffolds

Stem cell-based regeneration therapy offers new therapeutic options for patients with bone defects because of significant advances in stem cell research. Although bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are the ideal material for bone regeneration therapy using stem cell, they are difficult to obtain. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are now considered an attractive tool in bone tissue engineering. Recently, the efficiency of establishing iPSCs has been improved by the use of the Sendai virus vector, and it has become easier to establish iPSCs from several type of somatic cells. In our previous study, we reported a method to purify osteogenic cells from iPSCs. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the osteogenic ability of iPSCs derived from peripheral blood cells. Methodology: Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were obtained from human peripheral blood. Subsequently, T cells were selectively obtained from these MNCs and iPSCs were established using Sendai virus vectors. Established iPSCs were evaluated by the expression of undifferentiated markers and teratoma formation assays. Osteoblasts were induced from these iPSCs and evaluated by the expression of osteoblast markers. Additionally, the induced osteoblasts were transplanted into rat critical size calvaria bone defect models with collagen sponge scaffolds. Samples were evaluated by radiographical and histological assessments. Results: Induced osteoblasts expressed several osteoblast-specific markers. The results of radiographical and histological assessments revealed that the cell transplant group had bone formations superior to those of the control group. Conclusions: This study suggests that peripheral blood MNCs have the potential to differentiate into osteoblasts. Although there are some hurdles in iPSC transplantation, osteoblasts obtained from MNC-iPSCs could be applied to bone regeneration therapy in the future

Thrombosed sinus of Valsalva aneurysm masquer ading as a cardiac tumour: A case report

BackgroundAn aortic sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) often remains undiagnosed until it ruptures. An SVA filled with thrombus can be challenging to diagnose accurately.Case summaryA 70-year-old man was admitted with a clinical diagnosis of well-tolerated complete atrioventricular block (AVB). Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a spherical mass (43 × 49 mm) at the interatrial septum. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a well-defined, hollow, and non-enhanced mass suggesting a cardiac tumour. However, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) showed no uptake in the mass. After implantation of a permanent pacemaker, anticoagulant therapy was started for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Two months later, follow-up evaluation by echocardiography and enhanced CT revealed an increase in size of the hollow interior cavity, suggesting thrombolysis by the anticoagulant. We diagnosed a non-coronary SVA filled with thrombus, which masqueraded as a cardiac tumour and may have caused complete AVB.ConclusionsWe describe a rare case of a giant thrombosed SVA masquerading as a cardiac tumour. Initial 18F-FDG PET/CT and serial imaging studies were helpful in distinguishing it from a cardiac tumour

Targeted reversion of induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with human cleidocranial dysplasia improves bone regeneration in a rat calvarial bone defect model

BackgroundRunt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) haploinsufficiency causes cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) which is characterized by supernumerary teeth, short stature, clavicular dysplasia, and osteoporosis. At present, as a therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation therapy is performed in addition to drug therapy. However, MSC-based therapy for osteoporosis in CCD patients is difficult due to a reduction in the ability of MSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts resulting from impaired RUNX2 function. Here, we investigated whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) properly differentiate into osteoblasts after repairing the RUNX2 mutation in iPSCs derived from CCD patients to establish normal iPSCs, and whether engraftment of osteoblasts derived from properly reverted iPSCs results in better regeneration in immunodeficient rat calvarial bone defect models.MethodsTwo cases of CCD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (CCD-iPSCs) were generated using retroviral vectors (OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC) or a Sendai virus SeVdp vector (KOSM302L). Reverted iPSCs were established using programmable nucleases, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas-derived RNA-guided endonucleases, to correct mutations in CCD-iPSCs. The mRNA expressions of osteoblast-specific markers were analyzed using quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. iPSCs-derived osteoblasts were transplanted into rat calvarial bone defects, and bone regeneration was evaluated using microcomputed tomography analysis and histological analysis.ResultsMutation analysis showed that both contained nonsense mutations: one at the very beginning of exon 1 and the other at the initial position of the nuclear matrix-targeting signal. The osteoblasts derived from CCD-iPSCs (CCD-OBs) expressed low levels of several osteoblast differentiation markers, and transplantation of these osteoblasts into calvarial bone defects created in rats with severe combined immunodeficiency showed poor regeneration. However, reverted iPSCs improved the abnormal osteoblast differentiation which resulted in much better engraftment into the rat calvarial bone defect.ConclusionsTaken together, these results demonstrate that patient-specific iPSC technology can not only provide a useful disease model to elucidate the role of RUNX2 in osteoblastic differentiation but also raises the tantalizing prospect that reverted iPSCs might provide a practical medical treatment for CCD

Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a marker for renal outcome of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (U-CARE study 3)

Introduction ACE cleaves angiotensin I (Ang I) to angiotensin II (Ang II) inducing vasoconstriction via Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor, while ACE2 cleaves Ang II to Ang (1-7) causing vasodilatation by acting on the Mas receptor. In diabetic kidney disease (DKD), it is still unclear whether plasma or urine ACE2 levels predict renal outcomes or not. Research design and methods Among 777 participants with diabetes enrolled in the Urinary biomarker for Continuous And Rapid progression of diabetic nEphropathy study, the 296 patients followed up for 9 years were investigated. Plasma and urinary ACE2 levels were measured by the ELISA. The primary end point was a composite of a decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by at least 30% from baseline or initiation of hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The secondary end points were a 30% increase or a 30% decrease in albumin-to-creatinine ratio from baseline to 1 year. Results The cumulative incidence of the renal composite outcome was significantly higher in group 1 with lowest tertile of plasma ACE2 (p=0.040). Group 2 with middle and highest tertile was associated with better renal outcomes in the crude Cox regression model adjusted by age and sex (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.99, p=0.047). Plasma ACE2 levels demonstrated a significant association with 30% decrease in ACR (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.044 to 2.035, p=0.027) after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and eGFR. Conclusions Higher baseline plasma ACE2 levels in DKD were protective for development and progression of albuminuria and associated with fewer renal end points, suggesting plasma ACE2 may be used as a prognosis marker of DKD.Trial registration number UMIN000011525