Supporting Lifelong Learning In The Information Age

Many countries are considering lifelong learning, which is becoming an important education goal, and promoting lifelong learning in the information age. With the development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), digital divides have become a major concern in the world. In this study, we focus on three dimensions of digital divides in the field of lifelong learning: education organization, age, and national penetration. Next, we report our findings that provide solutions for combating digital divides by developing web-based learning and support environments over a three-year period: (1) a blended learning support system that helps teachers manage learning resources and create blended learning programs and learners choose and participate in learning activities; (2) an “E-namoSupport” system for senior beginners to use the Internet, as implemented in Japan; (3) a “Senior Internet Support & Learning Environment” to help senior citizens improve their Internet literacy and enjoy the information age in China

Proposal And Pilot Study Of Introductory Learning Course In Personal Computers For Japanese Senior Citizens

We propose a new introductory course in personal computers for senior citizens who have not yet successfully learned how to operate them. In this paper, we discuss that existing IT class courses, their relevant problems, and the development of a course to solve these problems

A Museum Exhibits Support System Based on History and Culture Literacy

[[abstract]]Museums need an interactive data collection and visualisation tool for their artefacts. This paper describes a study in which we enable access to Chinese and Japanese cultural heritage information from two history museums, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan and the Tokugawa Art Museum in Japan. Results from these museum databases were used to develop a prototype system to demonstrate advanced cultural learning and historical timeline functionalities for foreigners. This system is based on temporal data from the museums’ databases, and provided the user with powerful data manipulation and graphical visualisation tools. It might become a basis of an interactive digital museum system for Chinese and Japanese heritages especially for foreign users.[[journaltype]]國外[[ispeerreviewed]]Y[[booktype]]電子版[[countrycodes]]GB

Current Performance and On-Going Improvements of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope

An overview of the current status of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope constructed and operated at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is presented. The basic design concept and the verified performance of the telescope system are described. Also given are the status of the instrument package offered to the astronomical community, the status of operation, and some of the future plans. The status of the telescope reported in a number of SPIE papers as of the summer of 2002 are incorporated with some updates included as of 2004 February. However, readers are encouraged to check the most updated status of the telescope through the home page, http://subarutelescope.org/index.html, and/or the direct contact with the observatory staff.Comment: 18 pages (17 pages in published version), 29 figures (GIF format), This is the version before the galley proo

Induction of hepatocyte growth factor production in human dermal fibroblasts and their proliferation by the extract of bitter melon pulp

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is useful as a potential therapeutic agent for hepatic and renal fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases through inducing proliferation of epithelial and endothelial cells. HGF inducers may also be useful as therapeutic agents for these diseases. However, there have been no reports on induction of HGF production by plant extracts or juices. An extract of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) pulp markedly induced HGF production. There was a time lag of 72 h before induction of HGF production after the extract addition. Its stimulatory effect was accompanied by upregulation of HGF gene expression. Increases in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were observed from 72 h after the extract addition. Inhibitors of MAPKs suppressed the extract-induced HGF production. The extract also stimulated cell proliferation. Both activities for induction of HGF production and cell proliferation were eluted together in a single peak with 14,000 Da on gel filtration. The results indicate that bitter melon pulp extract induced HGF production and cell proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and suggest that activation of MAPKs is involved in the HGF induction. Our findings suggest potential usefulness of the extract for tissue regeneration and provide an insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the wound-healing property of bitter melon

研修生参画型院内教育において教育委員に求める能力の検討

研修生参画型院内教育を企画・支援した教育委員の学び・感想より、そのプロセスを明らかにし、教育委員に求める能力を明らかにすることを目的とした。具体的には、本教育方法を担当した教育委員7名に、学び・感想を人10～ 15枚のカードに記入してもらい、K」法により図解化した。その結果、本教育方法のプロセスは、［参画支援要素］と［相互成長促進要素］が循環する「研修生－教育委員の相互成長循環モデル」として表すことができた。教育委員に求める能力として、〈研修生の力を信じる力〉が必要であり、研修生の成長や満足感を知って喜ぶことができ、〈こだわりと決断を使い分けられる力〉〈連携・調整する力〉〈やる気を引き出す力〉が抽出できた

RANKL Is a Downstream Mediator for Insulin-Induced Osteoblastic Differentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Several reports have shown that circulating insulin level is positively correlated with arterial calcification; however, the relationship between insulin and arterial calcification remains controversial and the mechanism involved is still unclear. We used calcifying vascular smooth muscle cells (CVSMCs), a specific subpopulation of vascular smooth muscle cells that could spontaneously express osteoblastic phenotype genes and form calcification nodules, to investigate the effect of insulin on osteoblastic differentiation of CVSMCs and the cell signals involved. Our experiments demonstrated that insulin could promote alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin expression and the formation of mineralized nodules in CVSMCs. Suppression of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) with small interfering RNA (siRNA) abolished the insulin-induced ALP activity. Insulin induced the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt). Furthermore, pretreatment of human osteoblasts with the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, but not the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY294002, or the Akt inhibitor, 1L-6-hydroxymethyl-chiro-inositol 2-(R)-2-O-methyl-3-O-octadecylcarbonate (HIMO), abolished the insulin-induced RANKL secretion and blocked the promoting effect of insulin on ALP activities of CVSMCs. Recombinant RANKL protein recovered the ALP activities decreased by RANKL siRNA in insulin-stimulated CVSMCs. These data demonstrated that insulin could promote osteoblastic differentiation of CVSMCs by increased RANKL expression through ERK1/2 activation, but not PI3K/Akt activation

Schwann-Spheres Derived from Injured Peripheral Nerves in Adult Mice - Their In Vitro Characterization and Therapeutic Potential

Multipotent somatic stem cells have been identified in various adult tissues. However, the stem/progenitor cells of the peripheral nerves have been isolated only from fetal tissues. Here, we isolated Schwann-cell precursors/immature Schwann cells from the injured peripheral nerves of adult mice using a floating culture technique that we call “Schwann-spheres." The Schwann-spheres were derived from de-differentiated mature Schwann cells harvested 24 hours to 6 weeks after peripheral nerve injury. They had extensive self-renewal and differentiation capabilities. They strongly expressed the immature-Schwann-cell marker p75, and differentiated only into the Schwann-cell lineage. The spheres showed enhanced myelin formation and neurite growth compared to mature Schwann cells in vitro. Mature Schwann cells have been considered a promising candidate for cell-transplantation therapies to repair the damaged nervous system, whereas these “Schwann-spheres" would provide a more potential autologous cell source for such transplantation

CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies (COMING) IV. Overview of the Project

Observations of the molecular gas in galaxies are vital to understanding the evolution and star-forming histories of galaxies. However, galaxies with molecular gas maps of their whole discs having sufficient resolution to distinguish galactic structures are severely lacking. Millimeter wavelength studies at a high angular resolution across multiple lines and transitions are particularly needed, severely limiting our ability to infer the universal properties of molecular gas in galaxies. Hence, we conducted a legacy project with the 45 m telescope of the Nobeyama Radio Observatory, called the CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies (COMING), which simultaneously observed 147 galaxies with high far-infrared flux in $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO, and C$^{18}$O $J=1-0$ lines. The total molecular gas mass was derived using the standard CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor and found to be positively correlated with the total stellar mass derived from the WISE $3.4 \mu$m band data. The fraction of the total molecular gas mass to the total stellar mass in galaxies does not depend on their Hubble types nor the existence of a galactic bar, although when galaxies in individual morphological types are investigated separately, the fraction seems to decrease with the total stellar mass in early-type galaxies and vice versa in late-type galaxies. No differences in the distribution of the total molecular gas mass, stellar mass, and the total molecular gas to stellar mass ratio was observed between barred and non-barred galaxies, which is likely the result of our sample selection criteria, in that we prioritized observing FIR bright (and thus molecular gas-rich) galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASJ; 47 pages, 5 tables, 29 figures. On-line supplementary images are available at this URL (https://astro3.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/~radio/coming/publications/). CO data is available at the Japanese Virtual Observatory (JVO) website (https://jvo.nao.ac.jp/portal/nobeyama/coming.do) and the project website (https://astro3.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/~radio/coming/data/