Network Features and Pathway Analyses of a Signal Transduction Cascade

The scale-free and small-world network models reflect the functional units of networks. However, when we investigated the network properties of a signaling pathway using these models, no significant differences were found between the original undirected graphs and the graphs in which inactive proteins were eliminated from the gene expression data. We analyzed signaling networks by focusing on those pathways that best reflected cellular function. Therefore, our analysis of pathways started from the ligands and progressed to transcription factors and cytoskeletal proteins. We employed the Python module to assess the target network. This involved comparing the original and restricted signaling cascades as a directed graph using microarray gene expression profiles of late onset Alzheimer's disease. The most commonly used method of shortest-path analysis neglects to consider the influences of alternative pathways that can affect the activation of transcription factors or cytoskeletal proteins. We therefore introduced included k-shortest paths and k-cycles in our network analysis using the Python modules, which allowed us to attain a reasonable computational time and identify k-shortest paths. This technique reflected results found in vivo and identified pathways not found when shortest path or degree analysis was applied. Our module enabled us to comprehensively analyse the characteristics of biomolecular networks and also enabled analysis of the effects of diseases considering the feedback loop and feedforward loop control structures as an alternative path

ダイガクイン シュウシ カテイ ニ オケル ノン ネィティブ ゲンショク ニホンゴ キョウシ ノ イシキ ヘンカ

国際交流基金日本語国際センターでは、各国日本語教育界のリーダーを養成すべく、現職日本語教師のための大学院プログラムを3機関連携で行っている。本稿では、授業研究を行った4名の学生のジャーナルから、プログラムの中での意識変化を分析した。中でも記述が多かったのは、(1)研究に対する姿勢(現場をふまえた研究・テーマの絞り込み)、(2)協働の重要性と難しさ(調整能力の重要性と難しさ・培われる自分の拡がりや自信)、(3)教授観と学習観の変化(授業や活動の目的の必要性・グループ活動の有効性・学習者の視点)に関する内容であった。分析の結果、学生の意識の変化は予想以上に行われていることがわかった。が、一方、その多様性も痛感された。これは、最近注目され始めた教師教育の姿勢と符合する。本プログラムの意義からも、教師は自らの環境の中で成長していくのだという発達観に立脚して、彼らの内省や気づきを促す方法を今後も考えていきたい。Japanese-Language Institute provides a graduate program (Master’s course) for non-native teachers of Japanese in liaison with two other institutes in order to foster future leaders of Japanese language educational communities in their own countries. In this paper, the change of awareness of four students, who did classroom research, was examined through analyzing their journals. Three most common themes shown in their comments were: (1) Approach toward their research (2) Difficulties and importance of the collaborative activities (3) Changes of their teaching and learning beliefs The analysis showed that their change of awareness occurred beyond anticipation. At the same time, the diversity of the changes was also apparently found. These findings coincide with the approach of the teacher education that has begun to garner attention recently. Based on the philosophy that teacher development can be realized in their own contexts, we would like to consider how to encourage student selfreflection and awareness

オンライン ニホンゴ コウザ 「ニホンゴ スターター」 -デンシ ショセキガタ キョウザイ ノ カイハツ ト ウンヨウ-

国際交流基金が放送大学と共同開発した電子書籍型の教材が、JMOOC のオンライン講座として公開されている。本報告では、この教材の概要とその運用の状況について紹介する。教材のレベルは入門(JF日本語教育スタンダードのA1レベル)で、使用言語は英語である。Lesson1～10まで全10冊あり、1冊45分ぐらいで学習できる。各Lesson の目標は「Can-do」で提示され、スキットの動画を中心に、解説、練習問題、Can-do の練習などから構成されている。公開後、日本語や日本文化に関心を持つ様々な国の多様な受講者が登録しており、修了者の事後評価も高い。ただ、MOOC 一般に共通する継続性の課題については、本講座にも当てはまる。現在はFacebook を用いた学習コミュニティの活性化などに取り組んでいるが、今後も本講座の受講者の増加と継続率の高い安定に向けて様々な方策を検討していきたい。This paper reports the development and usage of eBook materials, "NIHONGO Starter". They were co-developed by the Japan Foundation and the Open University of Japan, and have been published as a course of JMOOC. They are for beginner level learners and written in English. There are 10 lessons (10books) and it takes about 45 minutes to study one lesson. Each lesson focuses on a skit video, followed by explanation, exercise, and so on. The goals of each lesson are written as "Can-do". After the online course started, a variety of learners from many countries, who are interested in Japanese language and culture, have registered and we received good feedback from them. Our challenge is to foster the continuation of studying, which is always discussed among MOOC. Therefore, we are activating the learning community via Facebook, and will consider ways to increase and sustain the number of learners

カイガイ ニホンゴ キョウシ タンキ ケンシュウ ソウゴウ ニホンゴ シラバス ノ カイハツ ニ ツイテ

国際交流基金日本語国際センターでは、多様な背景を持つ外国人日本語教師のための短期研修を毎年度3回実施している。本稿の目的は、この短期研修で開発してきた「総合日本語シラバス」を紹介し、その実践例と評価を報告することである。 シラバスはこれまでの授業で行った「話題」「場面」「機能」を組み合わせた教室活動を書き起こす形で作成してきた。その特徴は、次の3点である。(1)4技能を統合している、(2)話題ベースでまとめている、(3)ACTFLの言語運用能力基準に従って「総合的タスク」を配列している。(1)、(2)を選択した理由は、過去の研修生や授業担当講師からの要望と評価に基づいて、研修生の達成感や負担を考慮し、日本文化・日本事情理解の深化と語彙力の増強を図ったためである。(3)に関しては、ACTFLの言語能力観が実際にセンターで行ってきた日本語の授業の考え方と合致したためである。 シラバスは11の話題、7つのレベルから構成されている。研修では、ACTFL-OPIによるプレースメントテストの結果に基づきクラス分けを行い、クラスのレベルや研修スケジュールに応じた話題の選択、配置をして、研修終了時により上位レベルに達することを目標に授業を進めていく。現在までのところ、このシラバスを用いた授業について多くの研修生から「4技能統合型教室活動」「日本文化・日本事情理解」「語彙習得」「教授法観察」の点で肯定的な評価を得ている。また、このシラバス導入について講師からはこれらに加え、客観的な日本語運用能力の自己認識の機会を研修生に与えられた点、学習目標の設定とその共有が講師間で可能になった点などが評価されている。 このシラバスには、研修生が現地で遭遇する場面や機能に結びついたタスクは充分ではない。また、「聞く・話す」活動に比べると、「読む・書く」活動の整備も遅れている。これら2点を中心に、今後もシラバスの充実を図っていきたい

The eukaryotic CO2-concentrating organelle is liquid-like and exhibits dynamic reorganization

Approximately 30%–40% of global CO 2 fixation occurs inside a non-membrane-bound organelle called the pyrenoid, which is found within the chloroplasts of most eukaryotic algae. The pyrenoid matrix is densely packed with the CO 2-fixing enzyme Rubisco and is thought to be a crystalline or amorphous solid. Here, we show that the pyrenoid matrix of the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is not crystalline but behaves as a liquid that dissolves and condenses during cell division. Furthermore, we show that new pyrenoids are formed both by fission and de novo assembly. Our modeling predicts the existence of a “magic number” effect associated with special, highly stable heterocomplexes that influences phase separation in liquid-like organelles. This view of the pyrenoid matrix as a phase-separated compartment provides a paradigm for understanding its structure, biogenesis, and regulation. More broadly, our findings expand our understanding of the principles that govern the architecture and inheritance of liquid-like organelles

Ergothioneine protects Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) from oxidative stresses

Thiol compounds with low-molecular weight, such as glutathione, mycothiol (MSH), bacillithiol, and ergothioneine (ERG), are known to protect microorganisms from oxidative stresses. Mycobacteria and actinobacteria utilize both MSH and ERG. The biological functions of MSH in mycobacteria have been extensively studied by genetic and biochemical studies, which have suggested it has critical roles for detoxification in cells. In contrast, the biological functions of ERG remain ambiguous because its biosynthetic genes were only recently identified in Mycobacterium avium. In this study, we constructed mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), in which either the MSH or ERG biosynthetic gene was disrupted, and examined their phenotypes. A mshC (SC01663)-disruptant completely lost MSH productivity. In contrast, a disruptant of the egtA gene (SC00910) encoding gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase unexpectedly retained reduced productivity of ERG, probably because of the use of L-cysteine instead of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine. Both disruptants showed delayed growth at the late logarithmic phase and were more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide than the parental strain. Interestingly, the ERG-disruptant, which still kept reduced ERG productivity, was more susceptible. Furthermore, the ERG-disruptant accumulated 5-fold more MSH than the parental strain. In contrast, the amount of ERG was almost the same between the MSH-disruptant and the parental strain. Taken together, our results suggest that ERG is more important than MSH in S. coelicolor A3(2)