A Case Study on How to Teach English at University Adopting TOEIC

We tried an experiment to see whether or not it was possible to teach English considering the rising emphasis on TOEIC. Each of the three of us was in charge of five lessons out ot fifteen. One taught a section in listening in a language laboratory, another taught a section in grammer and vocabulary, the third taught a section in reading. There was no exam at the end of the semester, but mini-TOEIC tests were administered, and taking the TOEIC was mandatory. Students were evaluated on both their mini-tests and their TOEIC scores. Student evaluations reflected a positive attitude toward the course. Most students favored the standard of TOEIC as a test of course evaluation. Although we realize there are aspects to be improved (i.e., students' listening ability, class-time efficiency), we should continue to develop English ability focusing on the internationally established medium, TOEIC

A Case Study on How to Teach English at University Adopting TOEIC (2) -Evaluation after three years-

Three years ago, we wrote an essay about our new English-teaching program that adopted TOEIC. We gave out questionnaires to the students with questions ranging from what they thought of English in general to what they thought of our new program. In the essay, we discussed some of the results. Even though students' response was relatively positive in this initial survey, we wrote in our conclusion that we would like to renew and reform our classes. Receiving feedback from students periodically would help us improve their English ability. In order to see the change of students' attitude toward English and also toward our program, we conducted the same research last February. This time the results were not as favorable. For example, the number of students who thought their English ability was poor increased and those who showed a positive attitude toward our program decreased. We discussed and wrote what we learned from those results. We raised the question whether there was a gap between what we tried to teach to the students and what they wanted from us. Possible reasons were discussed on why we could not succeed in stimulating the students into studying English further. In April 2003 Okayama University started a new English curriculum, in which the classes for proficiency tests including TOEIC were opened. Similar classes have been set at many other universities. This survey will be a help to the further development of English education adopting TOEIC

Microperimetry and multimodal imaging in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a degenerative macular disease. The study determined the topographical concordance in the areal extent of PCV, defined by indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and the corresponding outcomes from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and microperimetry, in 25 individuals (25 eyes) who had undergone 3 months of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment. The differential light sensitivity within 10° eccentricity was evaluated by Pattern Deviation probability analysis. The concordances and proportional areal extents of the abnormality for ICGA, SD-OCT and microperimetry were compared. The concordance in the areal extent between all three modalities was 59%. The median concordance between ICGA and microperimetry was 60%; between ICGA and SD-OCT, 70%; and between SD-OCT and microperimetry, 72%. SD-OCT and microperimetry each identified a greater areal extent (>20%) compared to ICGA in 13 and 19 eyes, respectively. A greater areal extent (>20%) was present in 9 eyes for microperimetry compared to SD-OCT and in 5 eyes for SD-OCT compared to microperimetry. SD-OCT and microperimetry each identified a greater area of abnormality than ICGA which supports the clinical utility of SD-OCT. Strong concordance was present between SD-OCT and microperimetry; however, microperimetry identified additional areas of functional abnormality

Grid photocoagulation combined with intravitreal bevacizumab for recurrent macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion

Purpose: To report the efficacy of grid photocoagulation combined with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) for macular edema recurring after previous IVBs associated with retinal vein occlusion (RVO).　　Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 19 eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and nine eyes with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), which were treated with grid photocoagulation combined with IVB for recurrent macular edema after previous IVBs. The mean duration of total follow-up was 29.3 ± 5.8 months.　　Results: After this combination therapy, foveal thickness was reduced, significant with slight improvement in visual acuity (VA). At 1 month after treatment, although 25 of the 28 eyes showed complete resolution of the cystoid space, the macular edema recurred to some extent in 19 eyes. Compared with initial values, final foveal thickness was reduced significantly in both BRVO and CRVO groups (P < 0.001), but improvement in VA was significant only for eyes with BRVO (P = 0.012). The total number of IVB was 2.8 ± 0.7 for eyes with either BRVO or CRVO.　　Conclusion: Grid photocoagulation combined with IVB has a substantial effect on reducing recurrent macular edema associated with RVO, but the effect on visual acuity is limited

White dots as a novel marker of diabetic retinopathy severity in ultrawide field imaging

Purpose: To characterize white dots in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and their association with disease severity using ultra-wide-field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. Methods: We randomly selected 125 eyes of 77 patients (25 eyes from individual categories of the international classification of DR severity) for which ultrawide field photographs were obtained. We characterized white dots, which were delineated by higher signal levels on green but not red laser images, and evaluated the relationship between the number of white dots and the international severity scale of DR. Results: Most white dots were located in nonperfused areas, and the number of total white dots was significantly correlated to that of dots in nonperfused areas. White dots corresponded to microaneurysms around the boundary between nonperfused areas and perfused areas or unknown lesions in nonperfused areas. Eyes with DR had significantly more white dots than those with no apparent retinopathy. The numbers of white dots in moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or more severe grades were significantly higher than in mild NPDR. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AROC) analyses demonstrated that the number of white dots had the significance in the diagnosis of DR (0.908-0.986) and moderate NPDR or more severe grades (0.888-0.974). Conclusions: These data suggest the clinical relevance of white dots seen on ultrawide field images in the diagnosis of the severity of DR

Outer retinal circular structures in patients with Bietti crystalline retinopathy.

[Background] : Bietti crystalline retinopathy (BCR) is a distinct retinal degenerative disease characterised by retinal degeneration with many yellow–white crystals located mainly at the posterior pole area. Using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), the structural change in retina was investigated. [Methods] : Patients diagnosed with BCR (n=12), retinitis pigmentosa (RP, n=292) and cone dystrophy (n=16) were included in this study. The authors mainly examined fundus photographs and SD-OCT, infrared and fundus autofluorescence images of these patients. [Results]: Crystalline deposits were detected in portions of the retinal pigment epithelium that lacked patchy degenerated lesions. SD-OCT revealed that most of the observed crystalline deposits were located adjacent to the inner side of retinal pigment epithelium layer. The change most frequently observed was circular hyper-refractive structures in the outer nuclear layer. Although the structures were considered to be previously reported “tubular formation” or “tubular degeneration”, we determined that many of these circular structures were slices of spherical structures and were typically noted in areas suspected of ongoing active degeneration. [Conclusion] : BCR has characteristic structures in the outer nuclear layer. Although the incidence of the structure varies, it may be characteristic of retinal degeneration and can be found in many retinal degenerative diseases

Concentric division of 10° visual field tests in retinitis pigmentosa.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the optimal size of visual field test for detecting longitudinal changes in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by dividing the visual field

Wide-Field Fundus Autofluorescence Abnormalities and Visual Function in Patients With Cone and Cone-Rod Dystrophies

METHODS. Sixteen patients with cone dystrophy (CD) and 41 patients with cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) were recruited at one institution. The right eye of each patient was included for analysis. We obtained wide-field FAF images using a ultra-widefield retinal imaging device and measured the area of abnormal FAF. The association between the area of abnormal FAF and the results of visual acuity measurements, kinetic perimetry, and electroretinography (ERG) were investigated. RESULTS. The mean age of the participants was 51.4 6 17.4 years, and the mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution was 1.00 6 0.57. The area of abnormal FAF correlated with the scotoma measured by the Goldman perimetry I/4e isopter (q ¼ 0.79, P &lt; 0.001). The area also correlated with amplitudes of the rod ERG (q ¼ À0.63, P &lt; 0.001), combined ERG awave (q ¼ À0.72, P &lt; 0.001), combined ERG b-wave (q ¼ À0.66, P &lt; 0.001), cone ERG (q ¼ À0.44, P ¼ 0.001), and flicker ERG (q ¼ À0.47, P &lt; 0.001). CONCLUSIONS. The extent of abnormal FAF reflects the severity of functional impairment in patients with cone-dominant retinal dystrophies. Fundus autofluorescence measurements are useful for predicting retinal function in these patients

Yokonolide B, a Novel Inhibitor of Auxin Action, Blocks Degradation of AUX/IAA Factors

Yokonolide B (YkB; also known as A82548A), a spiroketal-macrolide, was isolated from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes B59 in a screen for inhibitors of beta-glucoronidase expression under the control of an auxin-responsive promoter in Arabidopsis. YkB inhibits the expression of auxin-inducible genes as shown using native and synthetic auxin promoters as well as using expression profiling of 8300 Arabidopsis gene probes but does not affect expression of an abscisic acid- and a gibberellin A3-inducible gene. The mechanism of action of YkB is to block AUX/IAA protein degradation; however, YkB is not a general proteasome inhibitor. YkB blocks auxin-dependent cell division and auxin-regulated epinastic growth mediated by auxin-binding protein 1. Gain of function mutants such as shy2-2, slr1, and axr2-1 encoding AUX/IAA transcriptional repressors and loss of function mutants encoding components of the ubiquitin-proteolytic pathway such as axr1-3 and tir1-1, which display increased AUX/IAAs protein stability, are less sensitive to YkB, although axr1 and tir1 mutants were sensitive to MG132, a general proteasome inhibitor, consistent with a site of action downstream of AXR1 and TIR. YkB-treated seedlings displayed similar phenotypes as dominant AUX/IAA mutants. Taken together, these results indicate that YkB acts to block AUX/IAA protein degradation upstream of AXR and TIR, links a shared element upstream of AUX/IAA protein stability to auxin-induced cell division/elongation and to auxin-binding protein 1, and provides a new tool to dissect auxin signal transduction