EFFECTS OF ONLINE ORAL PRACTICE ON JAPANESE PITCH ACCENTUATION ACQUISITION

Even though there is a constant learners\u27 need for pronunciation instruction in a Japanese language classroom, some teachers are hesitant to include pronunciation instruction due to time constrains or lack of knowledge on how to teach pronunciation. These problems occur due to the fact that pronunciation instructions were mostly conducted in classrooms. Computer-Assisted Language Learning is a great way to overcome these problems since learners can practice pronunciation through an online program outside of class. For this reason, this study was conducted outside of class using an online program. This research investigated the effectiveness of online oral practice on Japanese pitch accentuation and also, out of the three input methods implemented in the study, which input method enhances acquisition the most. Subjects were 171 first-year Japanese students and were divided into three treatment groups and a control group. Each treatment group received different treatments on pitch accentuation: A) pitch mark + text (hiragana) + video, B) text (hiragana) + video, C) video only. The treatment groups received a pretest, pitch accent practice, a posttest, and a delayed posttest. The control group also received a pretest, vocabulary practice unrelated to pitch accent, a posttest, and a delayed posttest. Also, students were asked to participate in a survey. The present research found that all of the online oral practice treatments were effective for acquiring correct pitch accentuation. It also revealed that having visual aids (pitch mark + text) on the screen in addition to video input significantly helped learners to acquire the accents better and retain them longer than not having any visual information. According to the survey, 95.19% of the participants perceived that pitch accent instruction was useful

Effects of Online Repetition Practice with Animated Visual Aid on the Acquisition of Japanese Pitch Accent and Special Moras

This preliminary study examines the effectiveness of online repetition practice using an animated visual aid, Karaoke Style , in promoting acquisition of Japanese pitch accent and special moras that could be applied to the curriiculum without using any class time

電波掩蔽データの電波ホログラフィ解析による金星大気温度構造の研究

学位の種別: 課程博士審査委員会委員 : （主査）東京大学教授 中村 正人, 京都大学教授 津田 敏隆, 東京大学教授 岩上 直幹, 東京大学教授 吉川 一朗, 東京大学教授 高橋 正明University of Tokyo(東京大学

Teaching Languages Online: Innovations and Challenges

Language professionals long resisted teaching online mainly because it was unthinkable to teach speaking in the online environment. Recent advances in technology, however, have made it conceivable. This chapter presents the design and implementation of online courses in Japanese and Chinese recently developed and being offered at Purdue University. We will highlight not only technologies involved, but also pedagogical innovations that helped resolve difficult issues. The efficacy of online teaching will also be touched upon. Reactions from enrolled students and the instructors that have taught the courses will also be shared

Verification of Japanese language classes that foster logical thinking skills

In this study, based on the hypothesis that it is effective to develop logical thinking ability in the Japanese language department, we will examine the reading comprehension and instruction of "strategy" at low, middle and high levels. By conducting lessons based on these hypotheses, the types of logical thinking and the characteristics of developmental stages were clarified. One is logical thinking as a process of interpreting the logic contained in the content of the story. The other is the logic of linguistic expression, or logical thinking as a process of interpreting the narrator or author of a story

The hypoglycemia-prevention effect of sensor-augmented pump therapy with predictive low glucose management in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a short-term study

Aims/introduction The predictive low glucose management (PLGM) system was introduced in March 2018 in Japan. Although there are some reports demonstrating the benefit of PLGM in preventing hypoglycemia, no data are currently available in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of PLGM with sensor-augmented pump therapy in the prevention of hypoglycemia in Japanese patients. Materials and methods We included 16 patients with T1DM who used the MiniMed®640G system after switching from the MiniMed®620G system. We retrospectively analysed the data of the continuous glucose monitoring system in 1 month after switching to MiniMed®640G. Results The area under the curve (AUC) of hypoglycemia of  180 mg/dL and the duration of hyperglycemia did not change. With the PLGM function, 79.3% of the predicted hypoglycemic events were avoided. Conclusions The hypoglycemia avoidance rate was comparable to those in previous reports. In addition, we demonstrated that PLGM can markedly suppress severe hypoglycemia without deteriorating glycemic control in Japanese T1DM patients. It is necessary to further investigate the effective use of the PLGM feature such as establishing a lower limit and the timing of resumption

Preventive Effect of Pine Bark Extract (Flavangenol) on Metabolic Disease in Western Diet-Loaded Tsumura Suzuki Obese Diabetes Mice

It is known that the metabolic syndrome has a multi-factorial basis involving both genetic and environmental risk factors. In this study, Tsumura Suzuki Obese Diabetes (TSOD) mice, a mouse model of multi-factorial, hereditary, obese type II diabetes, were given a Western diet (WTD) as an environmental factor to prepare a disease model (TSOD-WTD) and to investigate the preventive effects of Pine bark extract (Flavangenol) against obesity and various features of metabolic disease appearing in this animal model. In contrast to control Tsumura Suzuki Non-obesity (TSNO) mice, TSOD mice were obese and suffered from other metabolic complications. WTD-fed TSOD mice developed additional features such as hyperinsulinemia, abnormal glucose/lipid metabolism and fatty liver. The treatment with Flavangenol had a suppressive effect on increase in body weight and accumulation of visceral and subcutaneous fat, and also showed preventive effects on symptoms related to insulin resistance, abnormal glucose/lipid metabolism and hypertension. Flavangenol also increased the plasma concentration of adiponectin and decreased the plasma concentration of TNF-α. We next investigated the effect of Flavangenol on absorption of meal-derived lipids. Flavangenol suppressed absorption of neutral fat in an olive-oil-loading test (in vivo) and showed an inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase (in vitro). The above results suggest that Flavangenol has a preventive effect on severe metabolic disease due to multiple causes that involve both genetic and environmental risk factors. The mechanism of action might involve a partial suppressive effect of meal-derived lipids on absorption

Verification of Japanese language classes that foster logical thinking skills

In this study, based on the hypothesis that it is effective to develop logical thinking ability in the Japanese language department, we will examine the reading comprehension and instruction of "strategy" at low, middle and high levels. By conducting lessons based on these hypotheses, the types of logical thinking and the characteristics of developmental stages were clarified. One is logical thinking as a process of interpreting the logic contained in the content of the story. The other is the logic of linguistic expression, or logical thinking as a process of interpreting the narrator or author of a story

Silica-associated systemic lupus erythematosus with lupus nephritis and lupus pneumonitis A case report and a systematic review of the literature

Introduction Several epidemiological studies have shown that silica exposure triggers the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, the clinical characteristics of silica-associated SLE have not been well studied. Patient concerns A 67-year-old man with silicosis visited a primary hospital because of a fever and cough. His respiratory condition worsened, regardless of antibiotic medication, and he was referred to our hospital. Diagnosis The patient showed leukopenia, lymphopenia, serum creatinine elevation with proteinuria and hematuria, decreased serum C3 level, and was positive for anti-double stranded DNA antibody, anti-nuclear antibody, and direct Coombs test. He was diagnosed with SLE. Renal biopsy was performed, and the patient was diagnosed with lupus nephritis (class IV-G(A/C) + V defined by the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society classification). Computed tomography revealed acute interstitial pneumonitis, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed elevation of the lymphocyte fraction, and he was diagnosed with lupus pneumonitis. Interventions Prednisolone (50 mg/day) with intravenous cyclophosphamide (500 mg/body) were initiated. Outcomes The patient showed a favorable response to these therapies. He was discharged from our hospital and received outpatient care with prednisolone slowly tapered off. He had cytomegalovirus and herpes zoster virus infections during treatment, which healed with antiviral therapy. Review: We searched for the literature on sSLE, and selected 11 case reports and 2 population-based studies. The prevalence of SLE manifestations in sSLE patients were comparative to that of general SLE, particularly that of elderly-onset SLE. Our renal biopsy report and previous reports indicate that lupus nephritis of sSLE patients show as various histological patterns as those of general SLE patients. Among the twenty sSLE patients reported in the case articles, three patients developed lupus pneumonitis and two of them died of it. Moreover, two patients died of bacterial pneumonia, one developed aspergillus abscesses, one got pulmonary tuberculosis, and one developed lung cancer. Conclusion Close attention is needed, particularly for respiratory system events and infectious diseases, when treating patients with silica-associated SLE using immunosuppressive therapies

Enpp1 is an anti-aging factor that regulates Klotho under phosphate overload conditions

Control of phosphate metabolism is crucial to regulate aging in mammals. Klotho is a well-known anti-aging factor that regulates phosphate metabolism: mice mutant or deficient in Klotho exhibit phenotypes resembling human aging. Here we show that ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (Enpp1) is required for Klotho expression under phosphate overload conditions. Loss-of-function Enpp1 ttw/ttw mice under phosphate overload conditions exhibited phenotypes resembling human aging and Klotho mutants, such as short life span, arteriosclerosis and osteoporosis, with elevated serum 1,25(OH)2D3 levels. Enpp1ttw/ttw mice also exhibited significantly reduced renal Klotho expression under phosphate overload conditions, and aging phenotypes in these mice were rescued by Klotho overexpression, a low vitamin D diet or vitamin D receptor knockout. These findings indicate that Enpp1 plays a crucial role in regulating aging via Klotho expression under phosphate overload conditions