MAPPING HUMAN CAPITAL FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT: EDUCATION FOR JOB CREATION—AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

A widely-suggested educational policy solution for youth unemployment is to increase employability; however, this approach tends to neglect an alternative path—that of education for job creation and self-employment. This study emphasizes the importance of this alternative strategy and calls for greater attention to it for two reasons: 1) increasing employability is no longer sufficient in today’s saturated labor market; and 2) the relationship between skills and successful entrepreneurship is still sketchy at best. This study investigates how education can play a role in creating one’s own job, and what the best way to foster self-employment competencies is. It is designed to help policy makers capture perspectives on education in relation to self-employment so that they can debate, design, and implement programs in the future. The study specifically focuses on how education, related to human and social capital, might play a role in the business creation process. The study employs social cartography both to select data for analysis and also to present the final findings of the study. Meta-study procedures were applied for the data analysis. The study found three types of human capital (basic, specific, and entrepreneurial) and two types of social capital (cognitive and structural). The findings from the data-analysis were synthesized and mapped on a time-line of business creation and the management process. This map shows that basic human capital is constantly necessary throughout the process; however, the importance of specific and entrepreneurial human capital shifts along with the progress of business creation. The most effective educational strategies also shift parallel with the type of human capital. The impact of social capital also shifts; cognitive social capital has more of an impact in earlier stages, while structural social capital affects the process more in later stages. The recommendations for policy implications and further research possibility were made based on what the map shows, and does not show. This theoretical study is an effort to elucidate the underlying structures of human and social capital in the job creation process in an attempt to strengthen entrepreneurial education policy and programs in the future

Policies and Practices of School Leaderships in Japan: A Case of Leadership Development Strategies in Akita

Reflecting the social and economic change, Japanese education has shifted to decentralization since the 1980s. With an increased autonomy and responsibility, the local government plays an important role to develop competent school leaders. This descriptive study employs case study approach to illustrate current status of leadership development at the local level in Japan. Through the analysis of current policies and practices, it lays out the strategies of leadership development in Akita prefecture. In addition, semi-structured interviews with 17 education leaders were conducted in 2014 and 2015 to explore their perceptions on the leadership development. The study found that the leadership development in Akita is implemented combining formal and informal training activities. While a comprehensive professional development system is implemented strategically, informal learning of competency is commonly exercised. This dual approach enables school leaders to develop their leadership skills and knowledge

Language Teaching Viewed Through Learning

Through learning English in the ELC of Tasmania University, I viewed language learning from the standpoint of the learner. And I also learned many useful techniques for teaching language. Firstly, I identified 6 problems that are caused by poor observation of learners by teachers. Secondly, I analyzed and described them in detail. And I had two conclusions. One is that teachers should structure the placement test, the length and the content of the class, self-learning, and class activities, according to learners\u27 data. The other is that teachers should respond to learners\u27 complaints as much as possible when they are not satisfied with the classes

A study on Teacher’s Self-efficacy for promoting ICT integrated Education in primary school in Mongolia

Use of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education has been received more attention for improving a quality of education, and this is no exception in Mongolia. This study investigates the current climate of ICT integrated education in Mongolia through a lense of teachers’ self-efficacy. The data were collected from 838 primary school teachers in Mongolia. The pairwise correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationships between three types of perceived self-efficacy (confidence, competency and satisfaction.) and two education aspects, teacher training activities and practical ICT experience at school level. The study found that perceived influence of school-based trainings had the strongest correlation among teacher training activities. It also found that positive institutional attitude toward ICT integrated education is vital to teacher’s self-efficacy. Based on the findings, following points were implied to increase or maintain teacher’s higher self-efficacy: 1) school-based teacher training activities, especially related to ICT integrated education, should be given a priority; and 2) sessions to understand the pedagogical value of ICT should be included in management level trainings

A novel bleb-dependent polysaccharide export system in nitrogen-fixing Azotobacter vinelandii subjected to low nitrogen gas levels

The alginate biofilm-producing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii aerobically fixes nitrogen by oxygensensitivenitrogenases. Here we investigated the bacterial response to nitrogen/oxygen gas mixtures. A. vinelandii cellswere cultured in nitrogen-free minimal media containing gas mixtures differing in their ratios of nitrogen and oxygen.The bacteria did not grow at oxygen concentrations >75 % but grew well in the presence of 5 % nitrogen/25 % oxygen.Growth of wild-type and alginate-deficient strains when cultured with 50 % oxygen did not differ substantially, indicatingthat alginate is not required for the protection of nitrogenases from oxygen damage. In response to decreasing nitrogenlevels, A. vinelandii produced greater amounts of alginate, accompanied by the formation of blebs on the cell surface. Theencystment of vegetative cells occurred in tandem with the release of blebs and the development of a multilayered exine.Immunoelectron microscopy using anti alginate-antibody revealed that the blebs contained alginate molecules. Bycontrast, alginate-deficient mutants could not form blebs. Taken together, our data provide evidence for a novel blebdependentpolysaccharide export system in A. vinelandii that is activated in response to low nitrogen gas levels. [IntMicrobiol 2013; 16(1):35-44

Crystal structure of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus lipase complex with the anti-obesity drug orlistat

抗肥満薬が黄色ブドウ球菌の病原因子を阻害するメカニズムを解明. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-03-31.Staphylococcus aureus lipase (SAL), a triacylglycerol esterase, is an important virulence factor and may be a therapeutic target for infectious diseases. Herein, we determined the 3D structure of native SAL, the mutated S116A inactive form, and the inhibitor complex using the anti-obesity drug orlistat to aid in drug development. The determined crystal structures showed a typical α/β hydrolase motif with a dimeric form. Fatty acids bound near the active site in native SAL and inactive S116A mutant structures. We found that orlistat potently inhibits SAL activity, and it covalently bound to the catalytic Ser116 residue. This is the first report detailing orlistat–lipase binding. It provides structure-based information on the production of potent anti-SAL drugs and lipase inhibitors. These results also indicated that orlistat can be repositioned to treat bacterial diseases

Quorum-dependent expression of rsmX and rsmY, small non-coding RNAs, in Pseudomonas syringae

Pseudomonas syringae pathovars are known to produce N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL) as quorum-sensing molecules. However, many isolates, including P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PtoDC3000), do not produce them. In P. syringae, psyI, which encodes an AHL synthase, and psyR, which encodes the transcription factor PsyR required for activation of psyI, are convergently transcribed. In P. amygdali pv. tabaci 6605 (Pta6605), there is one nucleotide between the stop codons of both psyI and psyR. However, the canonical stop codon for psyI in PtoDC3000 was converted to the cysteine codon by one nucleotide deletion, and 23 additional amino acids extended it to a C-terminal end. This resulted in overlapping of the open reading frame (ORF) for psyI and psyR. On the other hand, stop codons in the psyR ORF of P. syringae 7 isolates, including pv. phaseolicola and pv. glycinea, were found. These results indicate that many pathovars of P. syringae have genetically lost AHL production ability by the mutation of their responsible genes. To examine whether PtoDC3000 modulates the gene expression profile in a population-dependent manner, we carried out microarray analysis using RNAs prepared from low- and high-density cells. We found the expressions of rsmX and rsmY remarkably activated in high-density cells. The activated expressions of rsmX and rsmY were confirmed by Northern blot hybridization, but these expressions were abolished in a ΔgacA mutant of Pta6605. These results indicate that regardless of the ability to produce AHL, P. syringae regulates expression of the small noncoding RNAs rsmX/Y by currently unknown quorum-sensing molecules

コウトウガッコウ デ オコナワレルベキ ハナス ニホンゴ ノ キョウイク

筆者が長年大学で日本語の教育に従事していて痛感するのは、日本人大学生の「話す」、または「口頭で説明する」能力の絶対的な不足である。筆者はこの原因を、日本の高等学校の国語教育における問題ではないかと考え、高等学校国語教科書の口頭表現指導部分、教科書出版社作成の年間指導計画表およびシラバス作成用資料、その他の補足資料を分析した。 その結果、以下のようなことがわかった。まず、高等学校1年で必修として履修する『総合国語』の教科書には「表現編」があるが、最後部に近いところに分量も全体の15%と少なく、この「表現編」は分量だけではなく内容においても十分ではなかった。また、高等学校の生徒が目標とするセンター試験(2008)においても「現代文編読解」のみから出題されており、受験を視野に入れた高等学校の授業において「表現編」が省略される可能性がきわめて高い。そのうえ、「表現編」は教科書内容上も授業運用上も「現代文編読解」とは何の関連もない配置がされているため、文部科学省指導要領の総合国語に記述されるような「読む・聞く・話す・書く」という4技能を組み合わせた総合的、機能的な学習は望むべくもない。以上のことからいくつかの提言を述べる。During my many years of teaching Japanese university students, it has become apparent thatthese students consistently seem to be lacking in speaking ability in general or verbal explanatoryskills. I examine here my hypothesis that these inadequacies derive from Japan\u27s high schoolnational language education system. I analyze the oral expression instruction section of Japan\u27shigh school Japanese language textbooks, corresponding sections in teachers\u27 guides, andsupplementary materials. The results indicate that although expression is covered in the exampletextbook section chosen for analysis, `Integrated Japanese\u27, which is compulsory in the first year ofhigh school, it accounts for just 15% of the entire subject and the `Expression\u27 section overall islacking in both quantity and content. Moreover, the 2008 National Center Test questions concernedonly modern literature reading comprehension; thus, it is probable that the `Expression\u27 section willbe omitted from high school lessons during exam preparation. There is no relationship between the`Expression\u27 section and the `Contemporary Literature\u27 section which aims to teach readingcomprehension. This effectively precludes the prospect of comprehensive, functional learning thatcombines the four skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Some suggestions for the wayforward are presented

ニホンゴ ビジネス ブンショ ライティング ニ ミラレル ニホンジン ダイガクセイ ノ ゴヨウ ブンセキ

本研究では、日本語ビジネス文書ライティングにおける日本人大学生の誤用を収集、分析、考察した。データは2009 年度および2010 年度の前期に実施した科目で学生が作成した社内文書と社外文書各1 種類と敬語の練習問題での誤用である。その結果、語彙選択の誤用、特に受信者名での敬称との不適切な組み合わせ、また動詞と目的語の不適切な組み合わせ、敬語の謙譲表現と尊敬表現の混用、日本語の根本的体系の理解不足による誤用など多数あった。その他レイアウトの不適切さ、略称の誤用、算用数字と漢数字の使い分けの誤用もあった。誤用は繰り返される傾向があり、例文を列挙したテキスト指導だけでは不十分で体系的な日本語のトレーニングが望まれる。In this paper, examples of errors made by Japanese university students in writing Japanese business letters were collected, analyzed, and evaluated. The data were collected from a course taught in the first semester of 2009 and 2010, and consisted of errors ininternal and external letters written as practice on the use of honorific expressions. Many types of errors related to word choice were found. In particular, inappropriate combinations of recipient name and honorific title, inappropriate combinations of verbs and objects, mixing of respectful and humble language, and insufficient understanding of fundamental Japanese constructions were prevalent. Other types of mistakes included inappropriate layout, incorrect use of abbreviations, and incorrect use of Arabic and Japanese numerals. There was a tendency to make the same mistakes repeatedly, and it was concluded that the guidance offered by textbook examples is insufficient and that systematic training in formal written Japanese is desirable