Can Corrective Feedback Bring About Substantial Changes in the Learner Interlanguage System?

This paper explores the role of corrective feedback in communicative language classrooms. Seven empirical studies investigating the effectiveness of corrective feedback are examined to determine if corrective feedback can lead to substantial changes in learners’ interlanguage systems over the long term and to find out what factors are necessary for effective feedback. The review of literature reveals that corrective feedback can have an impact on learners’ interlanguage systems if teachers follow the necessary procedures: assessment of learners’ needs, analysis of the nature of errors, and employment of methods that pinpoint errors to make learners notice a mismatch between their output and the target form. However, corrective feedback over a short period is not sufficient and the availability of numerous opportunities to receive corrective feedback and follow-up exposure seems to be a crucial factor in deciding the efficacy of feedback

Ranking by Relational Power based on Digraphs

In this paper we examine the ranking for the case of many judges and manyobjects. We use a directed graph to determine the ranking of the objects. A measureis the function whose domain is the collection of all directed graphs and range is theset of real vectors of as many components as the number of nodes, and the componentsare called relational power. We proposed two measures and showed the validity of themeasures from two aspects: axiomatization and the Shapley value. We also showed thecharacter of measures by some numerical examples

Ratioless full-complementary 12-transistor static random access memory for ultra low supply voltage operation

In this study, a ratioless full-complementary 12-transistor static random access memory (SRAM) was developed and measured to evaluate its operation under an ultra low supply voltage range. The ratioless SRAM design concept enables a memory cell design that is free from the consideration of the static noise margin (SNM). Furthermore, it enables a SRAM function without the restriction of transistor parameter (W/L) settings and the dependence on the variability of device characteristics. The test chips that include both conventional 6-transistor SRAM cells and the ratioless full-complementary 12-transistor SRAM cells were developed by a 180 nm CMOS process to compare their stable operations under an ultralow supply voltage condition. The measured results show that the ratioless full-complementary 12-transistor SRAM has superior immunity to device variability, and its inherent operating ability at the supply voltage of 0.22 V was experimentally confirmed

登園後の移行に対する保育者の配慮に関する研究

本稿では、保育者が登園後の時間をどのように捉えているか、またその際にどのような配慮を行っているかを明らかにするため、保育園や幼稚園での保育経験者3名にグループインタビューを行った。その結果、人的配置の制約がある中で、子どもの安全に配慮する点は共通していたが、登園形態や園の保育方針によって登園後の時間の意味付けや配慮は異なることが分かった。一斉活動主体で、揃って開始するために競争仕立てにして早く身仕度するのを良しとする、移行としての視点はない園がある一方で、自由保育主体の園では、身仕度や荷物を置いてから好きな遊びへ移っていく過程において、子どもが安定して遊び始められるように、分かりやすい配置や子どもを引きつける環境構成および再構成の工夫を行っている。さらに、保育者の見守りのもとで、抱えている葛藤を自分で解消し、気持ちを切り替える時間を保障することの重要性が語られた

Activated STAT1 suppresses proliferation of cultured rat mesangial cells

Activated STAT1 suppresses proliferation of cultured rat mesangial cells.BackgroundJAK-STAT signaling has been shown to promote development and proliferation in lymphopoietic and hematopoietic lineages. We investigated the effect of activated STAT1 on mesangial cell proliferation.MethodsRat mesangial cells of primary culture (rMCs) were used in the following experiments: (1) Whole cell lysates were immunoblotted against JAK1 and JAK2. (2) Whole cell lysates and nuclear proteins were extracted from rMCs with or without treatment with interferon-γ, and immunoblotting was performed against both STAT1 and tyrosine (701)-phosphorylated STAT1. (3) rMCs and rMCs electroporated with either wild-type STAT1, mutated STAT1, or antibody against STAT1 were incubated with interferon-γ for 20 hours, followed by a further incubation with [3H]-thymidine for four hours.ResultsJAK1, JAK2, and STAT1 were detected in whole cell lysates, suggesting that JAK-STAT signaling could be activated by interferon-γ (INF-γ). Using an antibody specific for tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT1, we detected signal in the INF-γ–treated nuclear extracts, which showed translocation of phosphorylated STAT1 to the nucleus. [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the presence of INF-γ was significantly lower than that of control in a dose-dependent manner. The introduction of wild-type STAT1 enhanced the effect of interferon-γ and decreased [3H]-thymidine incorporation, whereas tyrosine-mutated (Y701F) STAT1 and SH2 domain (R602T)-mutated STAT1 reversed INF-γ–induced suppression of [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Electroinjected antibody against STAT1 increased [3H]-thymidine incorporation upon stimulation with INF-γ.ConclusionSTAT1 activated by interferon-γ suppresses mesangial cell proliferation

New mechanism leading to alleviation of salt-sensitive hypertension by a powerful angiotensin receptor blocker, azilsartan

Hypertension is one of the most life-threatening health problems in the modern world. Particularly, salt-sensitive hypertension is often associated with cardiovascular disease and defects in the circadian rhythm of the blood pressure. To date, the effects of angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) against salt sensitivity and the blood pressure’s circadian rhythm have been obscure. A strong ARB, azilsartan, was previously reported to improve the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. In a recently published study, we investigated the mechanism by which azilsartan brought about this reaction. We speculated that azilsartan modulated sodium transporters located in the renal tubules because the circadian rhythm of blood pressure is linked to salt handling in the kidney. We discovered that one sodium transporter, NHE3 protein, in the proximal tubules was greatly attenuated in the kidneys of 5/6 nephrectomized mice that had been treated with azilsartan, although the expression of other sodium transporter proteins remained unchanged. The genetic expression of NHE3, however, was not changed by azilsartan. In a subsequent in vitro study using OKP cells, we found that NHE3 protein reduction was induced by enhanced protein degradation by proteasomes, not lysosomes, leading to enhanced sodium excretion. It is suggested that diminished salt sensitivity in the 5/6 nephrectomized mice treated with azilsartan was due to a change in sodium handling induced by the reduction of NHE3 protein in the proximal tubules. These mechanisms underlying the decreased salt sensitivity by azilsartan treatment may lead to totally new drug discoveries

Prevalence of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment in the Rural Island Town of Ama-cho, Japan

Aims: In order to determine the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we conducted a population-based study in Japan. Methods: Participants included 924 subjects aged 65 years or older who resided in the town of Ama-cho. In phase 1 of the study, the Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating were administered for screening purposes. In phase 2 of the study, the subjects who screened positive were further examined by neurologists. Dementia and MCI were diagnosed by means of DSM-IV and International Working Group on MCI criteria, respectively. Results: By the prevalence date of June 1, 2010, 24 subjects had deceased or lived outside the town. In total, 723 of the remaining 900 subjects received a phase 1 test. In phase 2, 98 subjects were diagnosed with amnestic MCI, 113 subjects with non-amnestic MCI, and 82 subjects with dementia. Of the subjects who did not receive the phase 1 test, 66 subjects were diagnosed as having dementia according to data from their town medical card or the Long-term Care Insurance System. The crude prevalence of amnestic MCI, non-amnestic MCI, and dementia were 10.9, 12.6, and 16.4%, respectively. Conclusion: Consistent with the striking increase in the number of elderly individuals, we report higher prevalence of MCI and dementia in Japan than previously described