Iodine-123 β-methyl-P-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic Acid (¹²³I-BMIPP) Myocardial Scintigraphy for Breast Cancer Patients and Possible Early Signs of Cancer-Therapeutics-Related Cardiac Dysfunction (CTRCD)

(1) Background: The mortality of breast cancer has decreased due to the advancement of cancer therapies. However, more patients are suffering from cancer-therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). Diagnostic and treatment guidelines for CTRCD have not been fully established yet. Ultrasound cardiogram (UCG) is the gold standard for diagnosis of CTRCD, but many breast cancer patients cannot undergo UCG due to the surgery wounds or anatomical reasons. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the usefulness of myocardial scintigraphy using Iodine-123 β-methyl-P-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) in comparison with UCG. (2) Methods: 100 breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy within 3 years underwent Thallium (201Tl) and 23I-BMIPP myocardial perfusion and metabolism scintigraphy. The images were visually evaluated by doctors and radiological technologists, and the grade of uptake reduction was scored by Heart Risk View-S software (Nihon Medi-Physics). The scores were deployed in a 17-segment model of the heart. The distribution of the scores were analyzed. (3) Results: Nine patients (9%) could not undergo UCG. No correlation was found between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and Heart Risk View-S scores of 201Tl myocardial perfusion scintigraphy nor those of BMIPP myocardial metabolism scintigraphy. In a 17-segment model of the heart, the scores of the middle rings were higher than for the basal ring. (4) Conclusions: Evaluation by UCG is not possible for some patients. Myocardial scintigraphy cannot serve as a perfect alternative to UCG. However, it will become the preferable second-choice screening test, as it could point out the early stage of CTRCD

Coacervate Formation of Elastin-like Polypeptides in Explicit Aqueous Solution Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with the Martini3 force field to investigate elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coacervate formation and its internal structural and dynamics properties. Coacervate formation was found to be enhanced with increasing polymer concentration and polymer length, whereas no significant changes in the structural and dynamic properties inside the coacervate phase were observed among coacervates with different polymer concentrations and polymer lengths. The ion and water concentrations as well as the diffusion coefficients of water inside a coacervate were found to be reduced compared with that in bulk water. In addition, ELP phase separation behaviors were also observed experimentally and the trend of ELP concentration/length-dependent formation of a coacervate in the simulations was found to be in qualitative agreement with our experimental observations. Furthermore, simulations of the partitioning of RNA polymers demonstrate that an RNA polymer with ethyl (hydrophobic) modification favors the inside of a coacervate and shows a larger radius of gyration in comparison with a normal RNA polymer without modification (negatively charged). Our simulations provide a means to explore the requirement for control over coacervate formation and stability in a wide range of conditions. Understanding how specific sequence and structural features affect coacervate morphology and stability could help in the design of new biopolymers with additional desirable properties

Coacervate Formation of Elastin-like Polypeptides in Explicit Aqueous Solution Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with the Martini3 force field to investigate elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coacervate formation and its internal structural and dynamics properties. Coacervate formation was found to be enhanced with increasing polymer concentration and polymer length, whereas no significant changes in the structural and dynamic properties inside the coacervate phase were observed among coacervates with different polymer concentrations and polymer lengths. The ion and water concentrations as well as the diffusion coefficients of water inside a coacervate were found to be reduced compared with that in bulk water. In addition, ELP phase separation behaviors were also observed experimentally and the trend of ELP concentration/length-dependent formation of a coacervate in the simulations was found to be in qualitative agreement with our experimental observations. Furthermore, simulations of the partitioning of RNA polymers demonstrate that an RNA polymer with ethyl (hydrophobic) modification favors the inside of a coacervate and shows a larger radius of gyration in comparison with a normal RNA polymer without modification (negatively charged). Our simulations provide a means to explore the requirement for control over coacervate formation and stability in a wide range of conditions. Understanding how specific sequence and structural features affect coacervate morphology and stability could help in the design of new biopolymers with additional desirable properties

Coacervate Formation of Elastin-like Polypeptides in Explicit Aqueous Solution Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with the Martini3 force field to investigate elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coacervate formation and its internal structural and dynamics properties. Coacervate formation was found to be enhanced with increasing polymer concentration and polymer length, whereas no significant changes in the structural and dynamic properties inside the coacervate phase were observed among coacervates with different polymer concentrations and polymer lengths. The ion and water concentrations as well as the diffusion coefficients of water inside a coacervate were found to be reduced compared with that in bulk water. In addition, ELP phase separation behaviors were also observed experimentally and the trend of ELP concentration/length-dependent formation of a coacervate in the simulations was found to be in qualitative agreement with our experimental observations. Furthermore, simulations of the partitioning of RNA polymers demonstrate that an RNA polymer with ethyl (hydrophobic) modification favors the inside of a coacervate and shows a larger radius of gyration in comparison with a normal RNA polymer without modification (negatively charged). Our simulations provide a means to explore the requirement for control over coacervate formation and stability in a wide range of conditions. Understanding how specific sequence and structural features affect coacervate morphology and stability could help in the design of new biopolymers with additional desirable properties

Coacervate Formation of Elastin-like Polypeptides in Explicit Aqueous Solution Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with the Martini3 force field to investigate elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coacervate formation and its internal structural and dynamics properties. Coacervate formation was found to be enhanced with increasing polymer concentration and polymer length, whereas no significant changes in the structural and dynamic properties inside the coacervate phase were observed among coacervates with different polymer concentrations and polymer lengths. The ion and water concentrations as well as the diffusion coefficients of water inside a coacervate were found to be reduced compared with that in bulk water. In addition, ELP phase separation behaviors were also observed experimentally and the trend of ELP concentration/length-dependent formation of a coacervate in the simulations was found to be in qualitative agreement with our experimental observations. Furthermore, simulations of the partitioning of RNA polymers demonstrate that an RNA polymer with ethyl (hydrophobic) modification favors the inside of a coacervate and shows a larger radius of gyration in comparison with a normal RNA polymer without modification (negatively charged). Our simulations provide a means to explore the requirement for control over coacervate formation and stability in a wide range of conditions. Understanding how specific sequence and structural features affect coacervate morphology and stability could help in the design of new biopolymers with additional desirable properties

Coacervate Formation of Elastin-like Polypeptides in Explicit Aqueous Solution Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with the Martini3 force field to investigate elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coacervate formation and its internal structural and dynamics properties. Coacervate formation was found to be enhanced with increasing polymer concentration and polymer length, whereas no significant changes in the structural and dynamic properties inside the coacervate phase were observed among coacervates with different polymer concentrations and polymer lengths. The ion and water concentrations as well as the diffusion coefficients of water inside a coacervate were found to be reduced compared with that in bulk water. In addition, ELP phase separation behaviors were also observed experimentally and the trend of ELP concentration/length-dependent formation of a coacervate in the simulations was found to be in qualitative agreement with our experimental observations. Furthermore, simulations of the partitioning of RNA polymers demonstrate that an RNA polymer with ethyl (hydrophobic) modification favors the inside of a coacervate and shows a larger radius of gyration in comparison with a normal RNA polymer without modification (negatively charged). Our simulations provide a means to explore the requirement for control over coacervate formation and stability in a wide range of conditions. Understanding how specific sequence and structural features affect coacervate morphology and stability could help in the design of new biopolymers with additional desirable properties

Classes for teaching methodology and teaching practice in the Japanese language teacher training course

近年、在留外国人数が大幅に増加し、日本語教育の必要性が大きく叫ばれるなか、十文字学園女子大学は2020年度に日本語教員養成課程を開設した。本稿は、本課程のなかでも特に日本語教育技術の養成に主眼をおいた教授法科目および教育実習について2021年度の実施内容を報告するものである。資格必修科目のうち、基礎的な3 科目である「日本語教育概論」「日本語教授法Ⅰ」「日本語教授法Ⅱ」では、日本語教育史、日本の言語政策、コースデザイン、技能ごとの教授法と多岐にわたる内容を扱った。知識を一方的に伝授する講義形式ではなく、実際の教科書を分析させる、他の実習生とディスカッションをさせるなどし、実習生が能動的に参加できる授業を実施した。教育実習への準備という位置づけである「日本語教授法Ⅲ」では、教材分析、教案作成、模擬授業など、授業計画に関わるさまざまな内容を扱った。「日本語教育実習」では、本学留学生別科の一部を教壇実習の場とし、授業見学→授業準備→模擬授業→教壇実習→振り返りというサイクルを2 回実施することができた。また、外国人児童が集まる地域の日本語教室においても１ 人２ 回ずつの参加を実施することができ、受講生たちに多様な日本語教育現場を体験させることができた。今後の課題としては、①教授項目間の順序やつながりの改善、②題材とする教科書の吟味、③受講生の日本語教育経験を考慮した授業計画、④教壇実習スケジュールの緩和、⑤教壇実習における到達目標の設定と振り返りの方法の検討、⑥海外における教壇実習の実施、などが抽出された。【査読なし】departmental bulletin pape