Requirements for ‘Good Notes’ that College Students, Faculty and Administrative Staff Assume : From the Comments at Koshien University Best Notebook Award

This paper analyzes comments on ‘good notes’ by college students, faculty and administrative staff. The analysis demonstrates their ideas of notes and differences in perspective according to their status. Students regard color highlighting as a major means in making notes, and make use of color highlighting under a variety of learning strategies. They also attach importance to organizing learning outcomes on their notebooks, while supplementing them with relevant information by themselves. Faculty members rather prefer simple notebooks in which pieces of information are classified in several zones. The possibility is suggested that chances for students to talk with administrative staff and hear about their experiences and thoughts provide students with favorable inspiration in somewhat different perspectives from those of faculty

Genotoxicity of nano/microparticles in in vitro micronuclei, in vivo comet and mutation assay systems

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recently, manufactured nano/microparticles such as fullerenes (C₆₀), carbon black (CB) and ceramic fiber are being widely used because of their desirable properties in industrial, medical and cosmetic fields. However, there are few data on these particles in mammalian mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. To examine genotoxic effects by C₆₀, CB and kaolin, an <it>in vitro </it>micronuclei (MN) test was conducted with human lung cancer cell line, A549 cells. In addition, DNA damage and mutations were analyzed by <it>in vivo </it>assay systems using male C57BL/6J or <it>gpt </it>delta transgenic mice which were intratracheally instilled with single or multiple doses of 0.2 mg per animal of particles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In <it>in vitro </it>genotoxic analysis, increased MN frequencies were observed in A549 cells treated with C₆₀, CB and kaolin in a dose-dependent manner. These three nano/microparticles also induced DNA damage in the lungs of C57BL/6J mice measured by comet assay. Moreover, single or multiple instillations of C₆₀and kaolin, increased either or both of <it>gpt </it>and Spi^-mutant frequencies in the lungs of <it>gpt </it>delta transgenic mice. Mutation spectra analysis showed transversions were predominant, and more than 60% of the base substitutions occurred at G:C base pairs in the <it>gpt </it>genes. The G:C to C:G transversion was commonly increased by these particle instillations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Manufactured nano/microparticles, CB, C₆₀and kaolin, were shown to be genotoxic in <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>assay systems.</p

Inhibition of Epsilon-Poly-l-Lysine Biosynthesis in Streptomycetaceae Bacteria by Short-Chain Polyols

Antimicrobial epsilon-poly-l-lysine (ePL) is secreted by Streptomycetaceae bacteria, and the mechanism of ePL biosynthesis remains to be elucidated. We previously reported that an unknown ePL derivative accumulates in the culture medium of ePL-producing bacteria when glycerol is added to the culture medium (Nishikawa and Ogawa, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:3575-3581, 2002). In this study, by using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization—time of flight mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance, we identified the unknown derivative as the ester formed between the hydroxyl group of a glycerol molecule and the terminal carboxyl group of an ePL molecule. When a short-chain aliphatic polyol, such as ethylene glycol, propanediol, or butanediol, was added instead of glycerol, a corresponding ePL-polyol monoester accumulated in the culture medium of ePL-producing bacteria. ePL esterification was accompanied by ePL synthesis in intact cells and a cell-free system, but no esterification of exogenous ePL was observed. ePL-polyol esters were formed during lysine polymerization. The number of lysine residues of ePL-polyol esters decreased with increasing polyol concentration. Taken together, these results indicate that ePL synthesis is inhibited by polyols via esterification and that ePL elongation occurs via the incorporation of lysine monomers into the carboxyl terminus of ePL

Antimicrobial Activity of a Chelatable Poly(Arginyl-Histidine) Produced by the Ergot Fungus Verticillium kibiense

We have recently developed a convenient method of screening a broad range of microorganisms that produce ɛ-poly-l-lysine (M. Nishikawa and K. Ogawa, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:3575-3581, 2002). Using this method, we found an ergot fungus that secretes a charged polypeptide other than ɛ-poly-l-lysine. It was identified as a new species on the basis of its 28S rRNA sequence and was named Verticillium kibiense (formerly Epichloe kibiensis). Peptide sequencing and mass spectrometry revealed that the polypeptide is a linear peptide composed of repeated units of arginyl-histidine. The numbers of repeated units were in most cases five and in some cases four or six. This peptide showed activity against a broad range of bacteria and fungi but lost its activity under conditions of high ionic strength. Zinc and copper ions specifically changed the circular dichroism spectra of the peptide and restored the antimicrobial activity from abrogation under high ionic conditions, although these ions had no reinforcing effect on antimicrobial activity when they were added to solutions at a low ionic strength. The peptide labeled with fluorescein was able to permeate the cell membranes of target microbes, but its ability to permeate cell membranes decreased under conditions of high ionic strength. This decreased ability was partially recovered specifically by the addition of zinc and copper ions. These results indicate that poly(arginyl-histidine) is a cationic polypeptide characterized by specific metal binding and resistance to salts

Ndドープハイドロキシアパタイト薄膜を用いた湿度センサの特性

A Na-doped hydroxyapatite (Na-HAp) thin film was prepared on a porous Al_2O_3 substrate using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Crystallinity and composition were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. A humidity sensor was formed by establishing an inter-digital type Au electrode on the Na-HAp film. The humidity-impedance and humidity response of impedance characteristics were measured by an LCR meter. The results indicated that the Na-HAp thin film sensor showed excellent sensitivity and responsiveness to humidity conditions. 　（和文）　パルスレーザーデポジション(PLD)法により、Ndドープハイドロキシアパタイト(Na-HAp)薄膜を多孔質Al_2O_3基板上に成膜した。薄膜の結晶性や組成はX線回折(XRD)およびエネルギー分散型蛍光X線分析(EDX)によって評価した。Na-HAp薄膜上にインターデジタル型の金電極を設けて、湿度センサとした。インピーダンスの湿度による変化と、湿度応答性をLCRメータにより測定した。その結果、薄膜センサは湿度に対して優れた感度と応答性を示した。This study was partially supported by the Project Research of the Faculty of Biology Oriented Science and Technology No.09-IV, 200