INTERNATIONALIZATION POLICIES OF JESUIT UNIVERSITIES: A CASE STUDY OF JAPAN AND THE U.S.

In the wake of globalization, higher education institutions almost inevitably have adopted and implemented internationalization policies as their primary strategy for responding to the challenges and opportunities brought about by globalization. This study concerns the comparison of the motivations, program strategies, and organization strategies of the internationalization policies of two Jesuit universities: Sophia University in Japan and Georgetown University in the United States. This study focuses on understanding internationalization policies at the two universities and developing a conceptual framework that might be useful in the expansion of scholarship of internationalization theory. There are three key research questions: (a) Is the noticeable shift from social and cultural rationales for internationalization to for-profit rationale ubiquitous?; (b) How do the policies of internationalization of the two universities resonate with the particular contexts surrounding them?; and (c) To what extent do the programs of internationalization reflect the core value of the Jesuit philosophy of education which is to prepare men and women for others? Qualitative comparative case study was conducted at both research sites through semi-structured interviews with senior administrators, deans, faculty, and administrative staff members. On-site materials are collected and analyzed. Cross-case analysis is used to compare and synthesize the findings of the two single case studies. This study found that no noticeable shift from socio-cultural rationale to for-profit rationale has taken place at the two universities. Despite financial constraints, the two universities' internationalization polices are affected most strongly by the socio-cultural rationale and the academic rationale. Sophia puts an emphasis on the motivation for intercultural understanding stemming from its history and origin, while Georgetown gives its highest attention to the motivation for human development. The two universities are able to appropriate their contexts and surroundings so that the universities' idiosyncratic features of local contexts play a significant role in defining their specific responses to the challenges of globalization which are inscribed in their international programs and projects. Finally, the Jesuit philosophy of education, "men and women for others," plays a crucial role as a bedrock on which the direction of internationalization policies is defined. However, despite the strong relationship between the Jesuit philosophy of education and policy, there is only a weak correlation between the philosophy of education and programs. This research will contribute to a wider perspective on internationalization policies through cross-cultural comparative research at an institutional level, an expansion of literature about a global university, and a re-visioning of internationalization for the sake of conscientizing internationalization at an individual level and responsible internationalization at an institutional level

Temperature-scaling behavior of the Hall conductivity for Hg-based superconducting thin films

The Hall conductivities of HgBa_{2}CaCu_{2}O_{6+\delta}and HgBa_{2}Ca_{2}Cu_{3}O_{8+\delta} thin films are investigated for a magnetic field parallel to the c axis. The mixed-state Hall conductivity for these compounds is well described by \sigma_{xy}=C_{1}/H+C_{2}+C_{3}H. The prefactor C_1 shows a temperature dependence of the form C_1 = A(1-t)^n near T_c, where t=T/T_c is the reduced temperature. Contrary to the previous results, C_2 also follows a temperature-scaling behavior similar to that of the coefficient C_1. The observed value of n = 1.8 - 2.3 is comparable to the previously observed values for YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-\delta} and La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}.Comment: 5 pages, 4 eps figure

Microfluidics for simultaneous quantification of platelet adhesion and blood viscosity

Platelet functions, including adhesion, activation, and aggregation have an influence on thrombosis and the progression of atherosclerosis. In the present study, a new microfluidic-based method is proposed to estimate platelet adhesion and blood viscosity simultaneously. Blood sample flows into an H-shaped microfluidic device with a peristaltic pump. Since platelet aggregation may be initiated by the compression of rotors inside the peristaltic pump, platelet aggregates may adhere to the H-shaped channel. Through correlation mapping, which visualizes decorrelation of the streaming blood flow, the area of adhered platelets (A(Platelet)) can be estimated without labeling platelets. The platelet function is estimated by determining the representative index I-A.T based on A(Platelet) and contact time. Blood viscosity is measured by monitoring the flow conditions in the one side channel of the H-shaped device. Based on the relation between interfacial width (W) and pressure ratio of sample flows to the reference, blood sample viscosity (mu) can be estimated by measuring W. Biophysical parameters (IA.T, mu) are compared for normal and diabetic rats using an ex vivo extracorporeal model. This microfluidic-based method can be used for evaluating variations in the platelet adhesion and blood viscosity of animal models with cardiovascular diseases under ex vivo conditions.119Ysciescopu

Peculiar liquid-feeding and pathogen transmission behavior of Aedes togoi and comparison with Anopheles sinensis

Female mosquitoes transmit various diseases as vectors during liquid-feeding. Identifying the determinants of vector efficiency is a major scientific challenge in establishing strategies against these diseases. Infection rate and transmission efficiency are interconnected with the mosquito-induced liquid-feeding flow as main indexes of vector efficiency. However, the relationship between liquid-feeding characteristics and pathogen remains poorly understood. The liquid-feeding behavior of Aedes togoi and Anopheles sinensis was comparatively investigated in conjunction with vector efficiency via micro-particle image velocimetry. The flow rates and ratio of the ejection volume of Aedes togoi were markedly higher than those of Anophels sinensis. These differences would influence pathogen re-ingestion. Wall shear stresses of these mosquito species were also clearly discriminatory affecting the infective rates of vector-borne diseases. The variations in volume of two pump chambers and diameter of proboscis of these mosquito species were compared to determine the differences in the liquid-feeding process. Liquid-feeding characteristics influence vector efficiency; hence, this study can elucidate the vector efficiency of mosquitoes and the vector-pathogen interactions and contribute to the development of strategies against vector-borne diseases.112Ysciescopu

Correction to: Does transcranial direct current stimulation improve functional locomotion in people with Parkinson’s disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis

In the original article [1], we mentioned that some study characteristics of the article by Dagan and colleagues [2] were unavailable. However, we realized that the authors provided the relevant information in their supplementary file. As such, we added participant characteristics (i.e., age = 68.8 ± 6.8, gender = 17 M, 3 F, PD duration = 9.0 ± 5.7, and UPDRS Part III at baseline = Total 39.7 ± 14.6) to Table 1, stimulation parameters (i.e., intensity = 3 mA, duration = 20 min, areas = 3 cm2) to Table 2, and methodological quality assessments (i.e., allocation concealment = 1 and Total score = 9) to Table 3. Based on the new information, we updated Fig. 2 with the corrected selection bias and performance bias results. Finally, we confirmed that these corrections did not change the meta-analytic findings in the original article

Root Multiplicities of the Kac-Moody Algebras HA(1)n

AbstractWe give a root multiplicity formula for all the roots of almost hyperbolic Kac-Moody algebras HA(1)n. We use the path realization of crystal bases for the irreducible highest weight modules over quantum affine Lie algebras Uq(A(1)n) to determine the root multiplicities

Characterization of a wheat HSP70 gene and its expression in response to stripe rust infection and abiotic stresses

Members of the family of 70-kD heat shock proteins (HSP70 s) play various stress-protective roles in plants. In this study, a wheat HSP70 gene was isolated from a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library of wheat leaves infected by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. The gene, that was designated as TaHSC70, was predicted to encode a protein of 690 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 73.54 KDa and a pI of 5.01. Further analysis revealed the presence of a conserved signature that is characteristic for HSP70s and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that TaHSC70 is a homolog of chloroplast HSP70s. TaHSC70 mRNA was present in leaves of both green and etiolated wheat seedlings and in stems and roots. The transcript level in roots was approximately threefold less than in leaves but light–dark treatment did not charge TaHSC70 expression. Following heat shock of wheat seedlings at 40°C, TaHSC70 expression increased in leaves of etiolated seedlings but remained stable at the same level in green seedlings. In addition, TaHSC70 was differentially expressed during an incompatible and compatible interaction with wheat-stripe rust, and there was a transient increase in expression upon treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments had no influence on TaHSC70 expression. These results suggest that TaHSC70 plays a role in stress-related responses, and in defense responses elicited by infection with stripe rust fungus and does so via a JA-dependent signal transduction pathway

Cluster persistence in one-dimensional diffusion--limited cluster--cluster aggregation

The persistence probability, $P_C(t)$, of a cluster to remain unaggregated is studied in cluster-cluster aggregation, when the diffusion coefficient of a cluster depends on its size $s$ as $D(s) \sim s^\gamma$. In the mean-field the problem maps to the survival of three annihilating random walkers with time-dependent noise correlations. For $\gamma \ge 0$ the motion of persistent clusters becomes asymptotically irrelevant and the mean-field theory provides a correct description. For $\gamma < 0$ the spatial fluctuations remain relevant and the persistence probability is overestimated by the random walk theory. The decay of persistence determines the small size tail of the cluster size distribution. For $0 < \gamma < 2$ the distribution is flat and, surprisingly, independent of $\gamma$.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, RevTeX4, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Development of wirelessly-powered, extracranial brain activator (ECBA) in a large animal model for the future non-invasive human neuromodulation

As transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is an emerging and promising technique for neuromodulation, we developed a novel device; wirelessly-powered, extracranial brain activator (ECBA), which is mounted subcutaneously, and its neuromodulation effect was investigated. The oscillatory changes in electrocorticography (EcoG) were analyzed from two types of stimulation. Two weeks prior to the recording experiment, we underwent surgery for implantation of subdural strips and ECBA module over centroparietal regions of anesthetized beagles. Low-frequency stimulation (LFS) and subsequent high-frequency stimulation (HFS) protocols (600 pulses respectively) were applied. Then, the power changes before and after each stimulation in five different bands were compared. A significantly larger voltage difference with subcutaneous than transcutaneous stimulation measured at EcoG channels indicated a substantial current attenuation between the skin and skull. Compared with the baseline, all subjects showed consistently decreased delta power and increased gamma power after HFS. LFS also induced a similar, but opposite, pattern of power change in four beagles. The results from this study indicate that LFS and HFS with our novel ECBA can consistently and effectively modulate neural activity of the cortex, inducing neural inhibition and facilitation functions, respectively. Future studies are necessary to further ensuring a consistent efficacy and long-term safety.11Ysciescopu

Defective synapse maturation and enhanced synaptic plasticity in Shank2 Δex7(-/-) mice

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders with a strong genetic etiology. Since mutations in human SHANK genes have been found in patients with autism, genetic mouse models are used for a mechanistic understanding of ASDs and the development of therapeutic strategies. SHANKs are scaffold proteins in the postsynaptic density of mammalian excitatory synapses with proposed functions in synaptogenesis, regulation of dendritic spine morphology, and instruction of structural synaptic plasticity. In contrast to all studies so far on the function of SHANK proteins, we have previously observed enhanced synaptic plasticity in Shank2 Δex7(-/-) mice. In a series of experiments, we now reproduce these results, further explore the synaptic phenotype, and directly compare our model to the independently generated Shank2 Δex6-7(-/-) mice. Minimal stimulation experiments reveal that Shank2 Δex7(-/-) mice possess an excessive fraction of silent (i.e., α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid, short, AMPA receptor lacking) synapses. The synaptic maturation deficit emerges during the third postnatal week and constitutes a plausible mechanistic explanation for the mutants' increased capacity for long-term potentiation, both in vivo and in vitro. A direct comparison with Shank2 Δex6-7(-/-) mice adds weight to the hypothesis that both mouse models show a different set of synaptic phenotypes, possibly due to differences in their genetic background. These findings add to the diversity of synaptic phenotypes in neurodevelopmental disorders and further support the supposed existence of "modifier genes" in the expression and inheritance of ASDs