Using relations between Japanese and Korean international students in U.S. universities as a model for international peace building

This research examines the use of the relations between Japanese and Korean students at U.S. universities as a model for international peace building. A close look at the histories of Korea and Japan reveals that historic conflict still exists in the hearts and minds of the people from these countries. This paper explores a new perspective of today\u27s U.S. international education by investigating the interactions between Japanese and Korean students at U.S. universities. The research then examines the application of studying the relationships between Japanese and Korean students in the U.S. to international peace building practices between the students\u27 home countries. A questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews were used to collect information from 52 Japanese and Korean students attending the University of Idaho, Washington State University, Western Oregon University, and Bellevue University in Nebraska. In-depth interviews involved 8 students chosen out of the original 52 students surveyed. The collected data was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods in relation to the Inter-group Contact Hypothesis. The research shows that there is a link between the interactions of Japanese and Korean students on U.S. university campuses and common peace building practices in those countries. Professionals in the field of peace building, conflict transformation, and international education will find the data presented in this research useful. International student advisors and ESL staff members can also use the information from this research to better understand and assist their international student populations

One-Step Biotinylation of Cellulose Paper by Polymer Coating to Prepare a Paper-Based Analytical Device

Cellulose paper has strong potential as an analytical platform owing to its unique characteristics. In the present study, we investigated a procedure for functionalizing the surface of cellulose paper by dip-coating a mixture of a functional polymer and a perfluoroalkylated surfactant (surfactant 1). The functional polymer comprised a mixture of methyl methacrylate and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate monomers. The monomer ratio in the functional polymer affected the hydrophilicity and water absorbance of the cellulose paper after dip-coating. Furthermore, the presence of surfactant 1 during dip-coating promoted the surface segregation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties in the polymer, which enhanced the hydrophilicity, prevented nonspecific protein adsorption, and maintained the water absorbance of the dip-coated cellulose paper. Dip-coating with another functional polymer containing biotin groups produced a cellulose paper with a biotin-decorated surface in a one-step procedure. The displayed biotin groups immobilized avidin on the surface, and the PEG moieties in the polymer prevented nonspecific protein adsorption. We then immobilized a thrombin-binding DNA aptamer on the avidin-immobilized cellulose paper to prepare a paper-based analytical device. It is possible to visualize thrombin in model solutions and serum using the paper-based analytical device

DNA shuttling between plasmid vectors and a genome vector: systematic conversion and preservation of DNA libraries using the Bacillus subtilis genome (BGM

The combined use of the contemporary vector systems, the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector and the Bacillus subtilis genome (BGM) vector, makes possible the handling of giant-length DNA (above 100 kb). Our newly constructed BGM vector efficiently integrated DNA prepared in the BAC vector. A BAC library comprised of 18 independent clones prepared from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Arabidopsis thaliana was converted to a parallel BGM library using the new BGM vector. The effectiveness of the combined use of the vector systems was confirmed by the stable recovery of all 18 DNAs as BAC clones from the respective BGM clones. We show that DNA in BGM was stably preserved at room temperature after spore formation of the host B. subtilis. Rapid and stable shuttling between Escherichia coli and the B. subtilis host, combined with spore-mediated DNA storage, may facilitate the long-term and low-cost preservation and the transportation of DNA resources

Phospholamban Ablation Using CRISPR/Cas9 System Improves Mortality in a Murine Heart Failure Model

<div><p>Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) and its inhibitory protein called phospholamban (PLN) are pivotal for Ca²⁺ handling in cardiomyocyte and are known that their expression level and activity were changed in the heart failure patients. To examine whether PLN inhibition can improve survival rate as well as cardiac function in heart failure, we performed PLN ablation in calsequestrin overexpressing (CSQ-Tg) mice, a severe heart failure model, using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) system. According this method, generation rate of PLN wild type mice (PLN copy >0.95) and PLN homozygous knockout (KO) mice (PLN copy <0.05) were 39.1% and 10.5%, respectively. While CSQ overexpression causes severe heart failure symptoms and premature death, a significant ameliorating effect on survival rate was observed in PLN homozygous KO/CSQ-Tg mice compared to PLN wild type/CSQ-Tg mice (median survival days are 55 and 50 days, respectively). Measurement of cardiac function with cardiac catheterization at the age of 5 weeks revealed that PLN ablation improved cardiac function in CSQ-Tg mice without affecting heart rate and blood pressure. Furthermore, increases in atrial and lung weight, an index of congestion, were significantly inhibited by PLN ablation. These results suggest that PLN deletion would be a promising approach to improve both mortality and cardiac function in the heart failure.</p></div

Hemodynamic parameters.

<p>Cardiac catheterization was performed in CSQ non-Tg mice, PLN wild type (WT)/CSQ-Tg mice, and PLN homozygous KO/CSQ-Tg mice. (A) dP/dt_max, (B) dP/dt_min, (C) Tau, (D) LVEDP, (E) MBP, (F) HR. Values represent the mean ± SD, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 vs. CSQ non-Tg mice, ^#P < 0.05 vs. PLN WT/CSQ-Tg mice by Student's <i>t</i>-test.</p

sgRNAs and ssODN targeting <i>Pln</i> coding region.

<p>Targeting sequences of each sgRNA are capitalized and NGG PAM (protospacer-adjacent motif) sequences are underlined. Exons are indicated by closed boxes. The sgRNA targeting sites were designed to sandwich <i>Pln</i> coding region (filled with black). The ssODN is containing homologies of 60 bases on both sides flanking each of the sgRNA targeting sequences.</p

Number of transferred embryos, pups, PLN homozygous KO mice, and PLN wild type (WT) mice in five lots.

<p>Number of transferred embryos, pups, PLN homozygous KO mice, and PLN wild type (WT) mice in five lots.</p