タンキ ダイガクブセイ ノ チュウガク エイゴリョク オヨビ ソレト TOEFL TOEIC スコア トノ ソウカン カンケイ ニ カカワル ブンセキ

本研究の目的は、筆者が本学短期大学部において担当する英語必修科目の受講生の英語基礎力、とりわけ中学英語力に焦点を当て、中学文法力や語彙力の弱点を明らかにすると共に、それとTOEFL 及びTOEIC スコアとの相関関係を分析し、その結果を今後の授業計画に活かしていくことである。その結果を踏まえて、留学・編入・就職に向けてTOEFL 及びTOEIC のスコアアップが喫緊の課題となっている本学短期大学部生をより効果的に指導するための方向性を示すことを狙うものである。文法・訳読中心の英語教授法への反省から、コミュニカティブアプローチヘと大きく舵が切られてきている日本の英語教育の流れの中で、中学英文法を中心とする基礎的な文法力の大切さを今一度認識し、その弱点の洗い出しと克服による基礎力の養成がTOEFL及びTOEIC スコアの伸長にも結果的につながっていく可能性があることを明らかにしていきたい

ダイニ ゲンゴ シュウトク ニオケル タドク ノ イギ オヨビ タドク シドウ ジッセン ト ソノ コウカ ケンショウ

本稿においては、多読の歴史や第二言語習得における多読の意義・位置づけについて論じた後、多読指導・成果検証の先行研究を取り上げる。それを踏まえた上で、筆者が本学短期大学部において担当する英語必修科目の受講学生1年生を対象に2018年度に実施した多読指導の概要を紹介し、その効果をリーディングスピード・TOEFL・TOEICスコアの観点から検証し、多読が読みの流暢さ向上、ひいては、TOEFL・TOEICスコアの伸びにも貢献することを明らかにする。さらに、各コースの最後に実施した多読に関するアンケート調査結果についても分析し、その分析結果を通して、学生が多読とどのように向き合い・取り組んできたか、またその効果を学生自身がどのように感じているのかを論じる。最後に、今後の多読指導改善に活かすべく、本稿における多読指導及びその成果検証の課題を考察する

ダイニ ゲンゴ シュウトク ニオケル ヨウガク シヨウ ノ イギ オヨビ ジュギョウ ジッセン ホウコク ヨウガク デ TOEIC スコア アップ オ メザス ジュギョウ ジッセン

本稿では、まず、洋楽を用いた英語授業の歴史及び第二言語習得における洋楽使用の意義・位置づけについて考察し、授業実践報告を先行研究として取り上げ、洋楽が英語学習者の動機づけ・その維持・向上・情意フィルターを下げる上で極めて重要な役割を果たすことを明らかにする。次に、筆者が2020年度・2021年度の秋学期に本学短期大学部において実践した、洋楽を用いてTOEICスコアアップを目指す授業の狙い・具体的内容を詳述し、その意義や効果を授業の最後に実施したアンケート結果から分析する。その中で、TOEICスコアアップという明確な目標と結び付けることが、第二言語習得理論の枠組み、とりわけ目標設定論に照らし意義があること、洋楽の使用が英語学習者の動機づけ・その維持・向上に大きく貢献するという先行研究の結果と一致することを検証する。最後に、本授業実践の課題・今後の方向性について触れる

pH dependence of copper geometry, reduction potential, and nitrite affinity in nitrite reductase.

Contains fulltext : 52498.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)Many properties of copper-containing nitrite reductase are pH-dependent, such as gene expression, enzyme activity, and substrate affinity. Here we use x-ray diffraction to investigate the structural basis for the pH dependence of activity and nitrite affinity by examining the type 2 copper site and its immediate surroundings in nitrite reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3. At active pH the geometry of the substrate-free oxidized type 2 copper site shows a near perfect tetrahedral geometry as defined by the positions of its ligands. At higher pH values the most favorable copper site geometry is altered toward a more distorted tetrahedral geometry whereby the solvent ligand adopts a position opposite to that of the His-131 ligand. This pH-dependent variation in type 2 copper site geometry is discussed in light of recent computational results. When co-crystallized with substrate, nitrite is seen to bind in a bidentate fashion with its two oxygen atoms ligating the type 2 copper, overlapping with the positions occupied by the solvent ligand in the high and low pH structures. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy is used to assign the pH dependence of the binding of nitrite to the active site, and EPR spectroscopy is used to characterize the pH dependence of the reduction potential of the type 2 copper site. Taken together, these spectroscopic and structural observations help to explain the pH dependence of nitrite reductase, highlighting the subtle relationship between copper site geometry, nitrite affinity, and enzyme activity

Site-directed mutagenesis of azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa enhances the formation of an electron-transfer complex with a copper-containing nitrite reductase from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6

AbstractKinetic analysis of electron transfer between azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and copper-containing nitrite reductase (NIR) from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6 was carried out to investigate the specificity of electron transfer between copper-containing proteins. Apparent values of kcat and Km of NIR for azurin were 300-fold smaller and 172-fold larger than those for the physiological redox partner, pseudoazurin from A. faecalis S-6, respectively, suggesting that the electron transfer between azurin and NIR was less specific than that between pseudoazurin and NIR. One of the major differences in 3-D structure between these redox proteins, azurin and pseudoazurin, is the absence and presence of lysine residues near their type 1 copper sites, respectively. Three mutated azurins, D11K, P36K, and D11K/P36K, were constructed to evaluate the importance of lysine residues in the interaction with NIR. The redox potentials of D11K, P36K, and D11K/P36K azurins were higher than that of wild-type azurin by 48, 7, and 55 mV, respectively. As suggested by the increase in the redox potential, kinetic analysis of electron transfer revealed reduced ability of electron transfer in the mutated azurins. On the other hand, although each of the single mutations caused modest effects on the decrease in the Km value, the simultaneous mutations of D11K and P36K caused significant decrease in the Km value when compared to that for wild-type azurin. These results suggest that the introduction of two lysine residues into azurin facilitated docking to NIR

The dual control of TFIIB recruitment by NC2 is gene specific

Negative co-factor 2 (NC2) is a conserved eukaryotic complex composed of two subunits, NC2α (Drap1) and NC2β (Dr1) that associate through a histone-fold motif. In this work, we generated mutants of NC2, characterized target genes for these mutants and studied the assembly of NC2 and general transcription factors on target promoters. We determined that the two NC2 subunits mostly function together to be recruited to DNA and regulate gene expression. We found that NC2 strongly controls promoter association of TFIIB, both negatively and positively. We could attribute the gene-specific repressor effect of NC2 on TFIIB to the C-terminal domain of NC2β, and define that it requires ORF sequences of the target gene. In contrast, the positive function of NC2 on TFIIB targets is more general and requires adequate levels of the NC2 histone-fold heterodimer on promoters. Finally, we determined that NC2 becomes limiting for TATA-binding protein (TBP) association with a heat inducible promoter under heat stress. This study demonstrates an important positive role of NC2 for formation of the pre-initiation complex on promoters, under normal conditions through control of TFIIB, or upon activation by stress via control of TBP

Recent structural insights into the function of copper nitrite reductases.

Copper nitrite reductases (CuNiR) carry out the first committed step of the denitrification pathway of the global nitrogen cycle, the reduction of nitrite (NO2(-)) to nitric oxide (NO). As such, they are of major agronomic and environmental importance. CuNiRs occur primarily in denitrifying soil bacteria which carry out the overall reduction of nitrate to dinitrogen. In this article, we review the insights gained into copper nitrite reductase (CuNiR) function from three dimensional structures. We particularly focus on developments over the last decade, including insights from serial femtosecond crystallography using X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) and from the recently discovered 3-domain CuNiRs

APOBEC3 deaminases induce hypermutation in human papillomavirus 16 DNA upon beta interferon stimulation

Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide 3 (APOBEC3) proteins are interferon (IFN)-inducible antiviral factors that counteract various viruses such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) by inducing cytidine (C)-to-uracil (U) mutations in viral DNA and inhibiting reverse transcription. However, whether APOBEC3 proteins (A3s) can hypermutate human papillomavirus (HPV) viral DNA and exhibit antiviral activity in human keratinocyte remains unknown. Here we examined the involvement of A3s in the HPV life cycle using cervical keratinocyte W12 cells, which are derived from low-grade lesions and retain episomal HPV16 genomes in their nuclei. We focused on the viral E2 gene as a potential target for A3-mediated hypermutation because this gene is frequently found as a boundary sequence in integrated viral DNA. Treatment of W12 cells with beta interferon (IFN-ß) increased expression levels of A3s such as A3A, A3F, and A3G and induced C-to-U conversions in the E2 gene in a manner depending on inhibition of uracil DNA glycosylase. Exogenous expression of A3A and A3G also induced E2 hypermutation in W12 cells. IFN-ß-induced hypermutation was blocked by transfection of small interfering RNAs against A3G (and modestly by those against A3A). However, the HPV16 episome level was not affected by overexpression of A3A and A3G in W12 cells. This study demonstrates that endogenous A3s upregulated by IFN-ß induce E2 hypermutation of HPV16 in cervical keratinocytes, and a pathogenic consequence of E2 hypermutation is discussed. © 2014, American Society for Microbiology

Coordinated recruitment of Spir actin nucleators and myosin V motors to Rab11 vesicle membranes

There is growing evidence for a coupling of actin assembly and myosin motor activity in cells. However, mechanisms for recruitment of actin nucleators and motors on specific membrane compartments remain unclear. Here we report how Spir actin nucleators and myosin V motors coordinate their specific membrane recruitment. The myosin V globular tail domain (MyoV-GTD) interacts directly with an evolutionarily conserved Spir sequence motif. We determined crystal structures of MyoVa-GTD bound either to the Spir-2 motif or to Rab11 and show that a Spir-2:MyoVa:Rab11 complex can form. The ternary complex architecture explains how Rab11 vesicles support coordinated F-actin nucleation and myosin force generation for vesicle transport and tethering. New insights are also provided into how myosin activation can be coupled with the generation of actin tracks. Since MyoV binds several Rab GTPases, synchronized nucleator and motor targeting could provide a common mechanism to control force generation and motility in different cellular processes

沖縄県におけるひとり親世帯の就業・保育・住宅問題

本研究は沖縄県におけるひとり親世帯の生活問題を就業，子育て，住宅という視点から分析することを目的とし，「ひとり親世帯等実態調査報告書」の分析と，ひとり親世帯の生活に関するアンケートおよびインタビュー調査を実施した。,沖縄県におけるひとり親世帯の多くは，乳幼児を抱える母子世帯であり，離婚を機に世帯主として家計を支えながら子育てを両立しなければならないなど就業と保育の両立に関する問題が深刻であった。子の成長段階によって，ひとり親世帯が抱える生活問題は変化した。小学校低学年以下の子を抱える場合には，平日昼に勤務する職業を得ようとする傾向があるものの，希望する職に就くことが困難である例も多く，希望する職を得られた場合でも，親族のサポートを利用しながら就業と保育を両立させていた。子が高学年になると，親の就業時間はより柔軟になり，より良い就業機会を得るために資格取得講座に通う親も確認された。This study comprehensively analyzed the daily problems for single-parent families in Okinawa. First, we analyzed a survey of single-parent families in Okinawa published by the prefectural government. Then, we showed the results from questionnaires and interview surveys of singleparent families, which focused on the relationship between child age and daily problems of singleparent families. Finally, we adopted the life-course perspectives to understand why and how the daily problems of these families occurred over time. In Okinawa, single-father families have troubles mainly in childcare and education because of the fathers\u27 poor skills at housekeeping or childcare. In contrast, about half the single-mother families have troubles as a result of their poor economic condition: limited job opportunities, inadequate childcare services, and difficulties in finding affordable housing were the most important problems. As children grew up, the daily problems of single-parent families changed gradually. When children were small infants, most of the single mothers worried about difficulties in finding jobs because of the age of their children and the care required. When children entered nursery school, most single mothers started thinking about future education for their children: there was a problem funding that education. In the same period, the balance between job opportunities and use of childcare service became a serious problem for single mothers. As children enter elementary school, the problems of single mothers became more complex than before: difficulties in 1） finding jobs suited to their childcare schedule, 2） balancing locations of jobs, residences, and after-school childcare services, and 3） gaining a stable income so that children can afford higher education. In order to solve these problems, total care in matters of employment, childcare, and housing was required. Support from local government, groups like the association for single-mother support, and relatives must contribute to filling these needs for single-parent families