A Review of Research on Class Management in Early Childhood Education : Focusing on the Whole-Group Activities

The class management in the whole-group activities have been practiced for a long time in Japanese Early Childhood Education (ECE), since it plays an important role in the holistic development of children, such as cognitive, social emotional, physical abilities. This paper reviews the research on the whole-group activities of preschool children from the following viewpoints: 1) the historical change toward revision of national curriculum about the whole-group activities in ECE, 2) analysis about the whole-group activities in Japanese approach, and 3) sorting about mainly specific activities in the whole-group activities. This review reveals that the whole-group activities try to keep child-initiative and context in which it takes place, but teachers also have ambiguous structure to power relationship toward children

Dehydrocostus lactone, a naturally occurring polar auxin transport inhibitor, inhibits epicotyl growth by interacting with auxin in etiolated Pisum sativum seedlings

We have isolated germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactones with an α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety, dehydrocostus lactone (DHCL), costunolide, santamarine, and a novel compound denoted artabolide [3-hydroxy-4,6,7(H)-germacra-1(10),11(13)-dien-6,12-olide] from oriental medicinal Asteraceae plants as novel naturally occurring inhibitors of polar auxin transport detected by the radish hypocotyl bioassay. To investigate the mode of action of natural sesquiterpene lactones on the inhibition of polar auxin transport as well as its relation to the growth of seedlings, the function of DHCL on growth and auxin dynamics in etiolated pea seedlings was studied intensively. DHCL reduced polar auxin transport in a dose-dependent manner together with the inhibition of the accumulation of mRNA of PsAUX1 and PsPIN1 genes encoding influx and efflux carrier proteins of auxin, respectively. DHCL applied to the apical hook region as a lanolin paste substantially inhibited elongation growth in the subapical region of epicotyls in intact etiolated pea seedlings, coupled with a significant reduction of endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). DHCL also revealed the inhibition of IAA-induced cell elongation in etiolated pea epicotyl segments by affecting IAA-induced changes in the mechanical properties of cell walls. These facts suggest that germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactones with an α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety affect the expression of PsAUX1 and PsPINs genes, and then inhibit polar auxin transport and reduce endogenous levels of IAA necessary for stem growth in etiolated pea seedlings. These compounds are also suggested to show the inhibitory effects on auxin action in pea stem growth

Initial In-Orbit Operation Result of Microsatellite HIBARI: Attitude Control by Driving Solar Array Paddles

We have developed a 50kg class microsatellite HIBARI . The mission of this satellite is to demonstrate a novel attitude control method for microsatellites which is called “Variable Shape Attitude Control (VSAC).” VSAC is a method using anti-torque by driving variable shape structures. HIBARI has four drivable solar array paddles, and will demonstrate VSAC. The development of HIBARI began in 2019, and it was injected into orbit in November 2021 under the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program led by JAXA. Currently, HIBARI has completed its critical phase and paddle deployment phase, and is conducting paddle drive experiments in orbit. In paddle drive experiments, the paddles are driven according to the command values, and the accompanying attitude change is confirmed. These results indicate that the satellite can generate angular velocities of 4 deg/s or more and achieve the target agile maneuver of 30deg in 10seconds, which is comparable to that of CMG for microsatellite

In-Orbit Demonstration of Propellant-Less Formation Flight with Momentum Exchange of Jointed Multiple CubeSats in the MAGNARO Mission

Recently, small satellites such as CubeSats have been applied to a variety of missions such as scientific observations and remote sensing. One of attractive applications that can be relatively easily achieved by small satellites are multi-satellite missions such as formation flight and constellation. As a new method to realize these multi-satellite missions, we propose a method to separate jointed multiple satellite magnetically to generate ΔV without thrusters. To demonstrate the proposed method, we are developing a 3U sized CubeSat called MAGNARO (MAGnetically separating NAnosatellite with Rotation for Orbit control)

Monitoring method for transgene expression in target tissue by blood sampling

In this study, we have developed a novel method to monitor transgene expression in tissues by blood sampling. We administered plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding non-secretory form of firefly luciferase as a reporter gene and pDNA encoding secretable Gaussia princeps luciferase as a monitor gene simultaneously into mice. Good positive correlations were found between log-transgene expression of the reporter gene and the monitor gene in the treated muscle, between the monitor gene in the treated muscle and plasma, and consequently between the reporter gene in the treated muscle and the monitor gene in plasma after naked pDNA transfer into the muscle of mice. Such positive correlations were also found with gastric serosal surface instillation of naked pDNA, intravenous injection of lipoplex, and hydrodynamics-based injection of naked pDNA. We developed monitoring method of transgene expression in tissues by blood sampling, which was named ‘Therapeutic transgene monitoring (TTM)’, after ‘Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)’

Endometriosis of the ileum treated by laparoscopic ileocecal resection

A ２９-year-old female was admitted due to abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography showed a tumor in terminal ileum and expanded jejunum, and colonoscopy showed a collection of lymph follicles. Biopsy finding showed a lymphoid tissue hyperplasia and no malignant finding. Therefore, we performed a laparoscopic ileocecal resection for diagnosis and treatment. Histopathological findings showed endometrial tissue in the muscular layer, and we diagnosed endometriosis of ileum. We performed a laparoscopic ileocecal resection with lymph node dissection, because the possibility of malignant tumor could not be ruled out. Laparoscopic operation is useful for the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal endometriosis, because it prevents the adhesion and abdominal wall destruction possibly