Stability of Externally Driven Magnetic Islands in a Helical Plasma

Influence of external resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) on a helical plasma is numerically investigated, using a set of reduced magnetohydrodynamic equations. Coexistence of the resistive interchange mode and RMP is simulated. In nonlinear simulations, saturated magnetic islands by the RMP typically show two states: oscillating small islands and locked large islands. In the former state, rotation of magnetic islands by neoclassical transport-driven poloidal flows disturbs growth of islands. On the other hand, in the latter state, locking of poloidal flows due to the RMP and growth of islands occur simultaneously. It is found that the curvature driven current enhances magnetic reconnection, and width of the large islands overcomes that of vacuum islands

保育内容「人間関係」の指導法の意識に関する一考察 ―保育者の経験年数に着目した質問紙調査の結果から―

The study we conducted a questionnaire survey to examine consciousness of pedagogyof “human relationships” by chidcare teachers years of experience. The target of thequestionnaire is kindergarten teachers and nursery teachers (N=70). Experienced childcareteachers evaluated the learning of the college of early childhood education and showed thatthey are taking childcare taking “acceptance and sympathy” into consideration. The novicechildcare teachers were dissatisfied with the learning of the college of early childhoodeducation and showed confidence and response in the leadership skill of pedagogy of “humanrelationships”. It was suggested that it is important for novice childcare teachers to reflectionon their childcare

Mechanisms of tissue degeneration mediated by periostin in spinal degenerative diseases and their implications for pathology and diagnosis: a review

Periostin (POSTN) serves a dual role as both a matricellular protein and an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein and is widely expressed in various tissues and cells. As an ECM protein, POSTN binds to integrin receptors, transduces signals to cells, enabling cell activation. POSTN has been linked with various diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and the progression of multiple cancers. Recently, its association with orthopedic diseases, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis resulting from cartilage destruction, degenerative diseases of the intervertebral disks, and ligament degenerative diseases, has also become apparent. Furthermore, POSTN has been shown to be a valuable biomarker for understanding the pathophysiology of orthopedic diseases. In addition to serum POSTN, synovial fluid POSTN in joints has been reported to be useful as a biomarker. Risk factors for spinal degenerative diseases include aging, mechanical stress, trauma, genetic predisposition, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, but the cause of spinal degenerative diseases (SDDs) remains unclear. Studies on the pathophysiological effects of POSTN may significantly contribute toward the diagnosis and treatment of spinal degenerative diseases. Therefore, in this review, we aim to examine the mechanisms of tissue degeneration caused by mechanical and inflammatory stresses in the bones, cartilage, intervertebral disks, and ligaments, which are crucial components of the spine, with a focus on POSTN

A Study of responsive teaching of Communication Ability of Young Children - A Text Analysis of Open-Ended Survey Questions of Parents and Nursery School Teachers -

本稿は、認定こども園の1 ~ 5 歳児の園児の保護者63名と、保育者24名を対象に、保護者と保育者の自由記述を基にしたテキストマイニングによる分析を行い、保護者と保育者の幼児のコミュニケーション能力に関する意識の比較を通して、幼児のコミュニケーション能力に関する指導法についての知見を得ることを目的として行った。その結果、保護者と保育者が共通して幼児のコミュニケーション能力が育っている場面としてとらえていたのは、「友達」と「遊ぶ」場面や、「伝える」場面であった。保護者も言葉の重要性を感じていたが、保育者は、「自分」の「気持ち」を「言葉」で伝える場面を大切にしていた。また、「言葉」で「伝える」ことがうまくいかず「泣く」「姿」のような葛藤する場面、「子ども」「同士」の「貸し借り」をする「姿」、相互交渉する場面も保育者は幼児のコミュニケーション能力が育っている場面ととらえていたことが明らかになった。保育者は保護者に対して、「言葉」で伝える際に、上手くいかない際にもその葛藤を支え、子どもの思いを代弁しながら支持していくかかわりが求められることが示唆された。departmental bulletin pape

メタン発酵消化液を用いた微細藻類培養とバイオガス精製同時プロセス

Anaerobic digestion is an energy-generating, ecologically friendly waste/wastewater treatment process. However, treatment of anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE) and purification of carbon dioxide in the biogas, commonly called biogas upgrading, are two issues that prevent propagation of this process. Since ADE contains high concentrations of nutrients, it can be utilized for microalgal cultivation if the chemical composition is optimized for the purpose. Microalgal cultivation is at the same time a promising platform to capture and utilize carbon dioxide in biogas. Therefore, simultaneous ADE utilization and biogas upgrading can be possible by coupling microalgal culture. Previous studies using the simultaneous process adopted open pond systems with algal-bacterial consortium. Although these processes were effective in treatment of both ADE and biogas, the volumetric productivity and economic value of the microalgal biomass are low in such systems. Thus, this study aimed to establish a simultaneous algal pure culture and biogas upgrading using centrifuged supernatant of anaerobic digestion effluent from an activated sludge treatment facility. To achieve this goal, the ADE concentration, pH, dissolved inorganic carbon, and metal composition were adjusted by batch optimization tests with Chlorella sorokiniana. The optimized ADE media was then scaled up to 4-L photobioreactor (PBR) coupled with a 1.8-L gas/liquid exchange column for simultaneous processing. Since the current study adopted algal pure culture in a closed PBR, gas/liquid transfer was expected to be different from previous studies, and thus, three liquid circulation flow rates (1, 2 and 4 L d-1) were tested, which resulted in liquid to gas ratio (L/G) of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5. As a result, the ADE media was optimized to 10% ADE content, pH 8.0, 0.1 mol L-1 bicarbonate addition, and Mg + Mn addition. While the raw ADE did not allow the growth of Chlorella sorokiniana, the maximum algal specific growth rate using the optimized media reached more than 2 d-1, which equals a doubling time of less than 9 hours. The optimized media was then used for the simultaneous microalgae cultivation and biogas upgrading process. The average productivity in the PBR was 206 ±138 mg L-1 d-1. The carbon dioxide recovery rates for L/G 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 were 90, 94, and 99%, respectively. On the other hand, O2 contents in the upgraded gas were 8.5, 8, and 14%, respectively. The content of carbon dioxide and O2 were in a reverse relationship over various L/G ratios. The current study demonstrated the effectiveness of carbon capture from the biogas, but also suggested further challenge in prevention of oxygen intrusion from algal pure culture. Comparisons with other studies suggest that optimization in gas/PBR volume may enhance the quality of biogas upgrading

Evaluation Tendency of Experienced Child Care Providers on the Appropriateness of Manner of Speaking by Current Child Care Providers and Students to 3-Year-Old Children —Focusing on Reflection, Evaluation, Interpretation, and Meaning Making—

The purpose of this study was to clarify the evaluation tendency of experienced caregivers on the appropriateness of manner of speaking by current caregivers and students, who were interacting with 3 -year-old children with "desirable attitude" and "attitude needs consideration". We analyzed evaluations by a former public kindergarten director who had worked for 36 years and a child care provider who had worked at a private kindergarten for 15 years and had no experience in a supervisory position. In both evaluations, a similar trend was found for the "attitude needs consideration". However, there was a discrepancy between the two in terms of the “desirable attitude”. This result suggests that reflection, evaluation criteria, interpretation, and meaning making based on childcare experience are more important in capturing "manner of speaking" for "attitude needs consideration”.departmental bulletin pape

Rubber elasticity of realizable ideal networks

The rubber elasticity of four types of defectless crystalline-like networks has been investigated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to test the validity of Kuhn’s affine network theory of rubber elasticity. The shear moduli of the realizable ideal networks are obtained through their uniaxial deformation. The relation between the shear modulus and the partial chain density reveals that the elasticity of the phantom ideal networks with no excluded volume interactions can be explained by a generalized Kuhn’s theory. In addition, the shear moduli of the real networks with excluded volume interactions are usually lower than those of the corresponding phantom networks, which is because of a decrease in the conformational entropy of each partial chain. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of phantom networks is a promising approach to deeply understand cross-linked rubbers