Development of Japanese elementary curriculum that emphasises spoken-ness

This paper discusses the curriculum development which aims to enhance the spoken-ness or naturalness of two-way spoken conversation in Japanese. There are many special features in Japanese spoken conversation, such as particle omission, sentence-final particles, response tokens, fillers, repeat/repair and inversion. Being special characteristics of spoken Japanese, these features are indispensable to �natural� Japanese, and should be included in Japanese learning process if the goal of the Japanese education is to acquire natural Japanese. Despite their significance, these features have not sufficiently and systematically been taught in the current Japanese education. This is due to the fact that these features have not been recognised as formal learning objectives by Japanese teachers. However, there is no theoretical or empirical evidence that these features are too difficult for beginners and should not be taught at the elementary level. The study will discuss the curriculum development in the elementary courses of Japanese program at the Australian National University (ANU), which systematically adopts these features at the early stage of learning process. It will detail the development background, curriculum contents, and assessment of the special features. Since the curriculum was first implemented in the Japanese elementary courses at the ANU five years ago, no students or teachers have provided negative comments about learning/teaching these features. It is crucial that teachers first recognise those features as formal learning objectives and include in their Japanese courses

Clinical disease characteristics according to karyotype in Turner syndrome

Purpose : Turner syndrome (TS) is a disorder in which various anomalies can be accompanied, especially cardiovascular, renal, thyroid and auditory problems. The aim of this study is to identify the incidence of these disorders in patients with TS according to karyotype. Methods : We reviewed medical records of 90 patients with TS diagnosed by chromosomal analysis in 4 hospitals from Jan 1998 to Dec 2007. We evaluated these cases by prepared protocol of 4 medical problems. Results : The distribution of karyotype was 45,X (47.8%), mosaic pattern (34.4%) and structural aberration group (17.8 %). Renal anomalies, cardiovascular anomalies, thyroid disorders and auditory problems are accompanied in 4.4%, 10.0 %, 11.1% and 5.6%, respectively. 45,X group had renal anomalies (7.0%), cardiovascular anomalies (18.6%), thyroid disorders (9.3%) and auditory problems (11.6%). Mosaic group had renal anomalies (3.2%), thyroid disorders (12.9%), no cardiovascular anomalies and auditory problems. Structural aberration group had cardiovascular anomalies (6.3%), thyroid disorders (12.5%) and no other 2 problems. Patients with 45,X group had a significant higher incidence of cardiovascular anomalies (P=0.025). Conclusion : Our results indicate that there are differences clinically according to karyotype of TS, especially in incidence of cardiovascular anomalies

Performance Comparison of Spectral Wave Models Based on Different Governing Equations Including Wave Breaking

The performance of three spectral wave models based on different types of governing equations, REF/DIF S, MIKE 21 BW module and SWAN, was compared by using four laboratory and field experimental data. The comparison was focused on accurate prediction of the measured wave height. Characteristics of the three wave models were discussed and their overall predictability of the measured data was evaluated by calculating mean absolute relative errors of wave height. All the numerical models simulated fairly well shoaling and breaking of waves propagating on a plane sloping beach, but the model accuracy was somewhat degenerated in simulating waves propagating over a barred beach. Among the three models, MIKE 21 BW was the most insensitive to the bathymetric change. Combined refraction-diffraction over a shoal without breaking was quite well simulated by the models, especially by REF/DIF S and MIKE 21 BW. When waves break over the shoal, however, all the models failed to reproduce the wave field behind the shoal. The agreement with data in simulating wave diffraction around breakwater was remarkably good for MIKE 21 BW, but very poor for other two models. Except the last simulation, the mean absolute relative errors of wave height from the three models ranged between 3 and 27%

The Role of Sphingosine Kinase 1/Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Pathway in the Myogenic Tone of Posterior Cerebral Arteries

AIMS: The goal of the current study was to determine whether the sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1)/sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) pathway is involved in myogenic vasoconstriction under normal physiological conditions. In the present study, we assessed whether endogenous S1P generated by pressure participates in myogenic vasoconstriction and which signaling pathways are involved in SK1/S1P-induced myogenic response under normal physiological conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: We measured pressure-induced myogenic response, Ca(2+) concentration, and 20 kDa myosin light chain phosphorylation (MLC(20)) in rabbit posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs). SK1 was expressed and activated by elevated transmural pressure in rabbit PCAs. Translocation of SK1 by pressure elevation was blocked in the absence of external Ca(2+) and in the presence of mechanosensitive ion channel and voltage-sensitive Ca(2+) channel blockers. Pressure-induced myogenic tone was inhibited in rabbit PCAs treated with sphingosine kinase inhibitor (SKI), but was augmented by treatment with NaF, which is an inhibitor of sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphohydrolase. Exogenous S1P further augmented pressure-induced myogenic responses. Pressure induced an increase in Ca(2+) concentration leading to the development of myogenic tone, which was inhibited by SKI. Exogenous S1P further increased the pressure-induced increased Ca(2+) concentration and myogenic tone, but SKI had no effect. Pressure- and exogenous S1P-induced myogenic tone was inhibited by pre-treatment with the Rho kinase inhibitor and NADPH oxidase inhibitors. Pressure- and exogenous S1P-induced myogenic tone were inhibited by pre-treatment with S1P receptor blockers, W146 (S1P1), JTE013 (S1P2), and CAY10444 (S1P3). MLC(20) phosphorylation was increased when the transmural pressure was raised from 40 to 80 mmHg and exogenous S1P further increased MLC(20) phosphorylation. The pressure-induced increase of MLC(20) phosphorylation was inhibited by pre-treatment of arteries with SKI. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the SK1/S1P pathway may play an important role in pressure-induced myogenic responses in rabbit PCAs under normal physiological conditions