The Instructional Thematic Game for Children with Mild Mental Retardation: For Enhancement of Left-Right Recognition Skill

Children with mild mental retardation had several difficulties with interaction, remembering information, problem-solving, physic-motoric, learning problem, etc. Therefore, we proposed a novel framework to increase their learning skill using instructional thematic game rehabilitation framework based on Kinect sensor as the solution. Basically, the framework had three components. First, intellectual functions, which implied to the competencies reached through the game by the student. Second, instructional thematic game model, which was the concept to learn everything from the real single topic of the subject by associating to the abstract objects. Three, computer sensor device, which was the equipment as the bridge between the children and the program application. This research covered enhancement of right and left-hand recognition. We adopted Single Subject Research to evaluate the effectiveness of the system and to explore each of the individual’s progress. This process was divided into 2 steps. Namely, baseline stage and treatment stage. Apparently, from our finding, such framework gave the student an enhanced learning skill covering left-right recognition skill, decreasing the level of disturbance, and improving the level of learning independence

A Framework For Refining Text Classification and Object Recognition from Academic Articles

With the widespread use of the internet, it has become increasingly crucial to extract specific information from vast amounts of academic articles efficiently. Data mining techniques are generally employed to solve this issue. However, data mining for academic articles is challenging since it requires automatically extracting specific patterns in complex and unstructured layout documents. Current data mining methods for academic articles employ rule-based(RB) or machine learning(ML) approaches. However, using rule-based methods incurs a high coding cost for complex typesetting articles. On the other hand, simply using machine learning methods requires annotation work for complex content types within the paper, which can be costly. Furthermore, only using machine learning can lead to cases where patterns easily recognized by rule-based methods are mistakenly extracted. To overcome these issues, from the perspective of analyzing the standard layout and typesetting used in the specified publication, we emphasize implementing specific methods for specific characteristics in academic articles. We have developed a novel Text Block Refinement Framework (TBRF), a machine learning and rule-based scheme hybrid. We used the well-known ACL proceeding articles as experimental data for the validation experiment. The experiment shows that our approach achieved over 95% classification accuracy and 90% detection accuracy for tables and figures.Comment: This paper has been accepted at 'The International Symposium on Innovations in Intelligent Systems and Applications 2023 (INISTA 2023)

A Study for Quality Assurance of Graduate Education using Student Data : Through constructing the Integrated Database of Education and Student Learning

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) had accepted governmental funding project “Quality Assurance for Graduate Education with International Coherence” from 2010 to 2014. We have constructed the integrated database of education and student learning for analysis of graduate education. At the viewpoint of enrollment management, this database covers huge data of education and student learning for the analysis of curriculum development and student engagement. Although some examples of such database on undergraduate education have already been conducted, our challenge will become a leading case on graduate education. As JAIST has an advanced and systematic educational system focusing on coursework, this database will become useful to improve curriculum development and student engagement. This paper describes the approach and process to construct the database, and suggests the rough results and perspectives concerning data analysis

A 55-kDa endonuclease of mammalian mitochondria: comparison of its subcellular localization and endonucleolytic properties with those of endonuclease G

A novel endonuclease of 55-kDa was found in rat liver mitochondria by a zymographic assay, in addition to the 29 kDa enzyme that is well-known as endonuclease G (Endo G). Subcellular localization of these enzymes in rat liver cells was examined by biochemical fractionation. Endo G was located in both nuclei and mitochondria as has been previously reported, while the 55-kDa enzyme was only detected in the mitochondrial fraction. The levels of the endonucleases in the mitochondria varied greatly among the rat organs, and the activity in the heart was about 30 times higher than that in the liver. The 55-kDa enzyme and Endo G were extracted from bovine heart mitochondria with 0.4 M NaCl. During purification the 55-kDa enzyme and Endo G were copurified because of their similar chromatographic behavior, so they were separated by gel filtration or electrophoresis in the presence of SDS and the proteins were then renatured. The nucleolytic properties of the 55-kDa enzyme resembled those of Endo G and other known mitochondrial nucleases. The enzyme degraded single-stranded DNA more rapidly than duplex DNA at a weak alkaline pH, requiring Mg2+ or Mn2+ but not Ca2+ or Zn2+. Nicks generated by the enzyme had 5&#8242;-P and 3&#8242;-OH ends. The 55-kDa enzyme, like Endo G, displayed an unusually strong preference to nick within a (dG)n · (dC)n tract.</p

Amyloid fibrils formed by selective N-, C-terminal sequences of mouse apolipoprotein A-II

In mice, amyloidogenic type C apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II) forms amyloid fibrils in age-associated amyloidosis. To understand the mechanism of amyloid fibril formation by apoA-II, we examined the polymerization of synthetic partial peptides of apoA-II in vitro. None of the partial apoA-II peptides polymerized into amyloid fibrils when tested as a single species mixture. We found a unique mechanism in which N- and C-terminal peptides associated into amyloid fibrils in a 1:1 ratio at pH 2.5. The 11-residue amino acid sequence (6-16), which is a common sequence of type B apoA-II and type C apoA-II proteins in amyloidosis-resistant mice and amyloidosis-susceptible mice, respectively, was critical for polymerization into amyloid fibrils. The 18-residue-long amino acid sequence (48-65) is also necessary for nucleation, but not for the extension phase. These findings suggest that there may be different mechanisms underlying the nucleation and extension phases of apoA-II amyloid fibril formation. We also found that amino acid substitutions between type B apoA-II (Pro5, Val38) and type C apoA-II (Gln5, Ala38) did not affect either phase. The strategy of using synthetic partial peptides of amyloidogenic proteins in vitro is a useful system for understanding amyloid fibril formation and for the development of novel therapies.ArticleBIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS. 1794(10):1517-1529 (2009)journal articl

Phase I study of combined therapy with vorinostat and gefitinib to treat BIM deletion polymorphism-associated resistance in EGFR-mutant lung cancer (VICTROY-J) : a study protocol

The BIM deletion polymorphism is reported to be associated with poor outcomes of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with EGFR-TKIs, including gefitinib. We have shown that a histone deacetylase inhibitor, vorinostat, can epigenetically restore BIM function and apoptosis sensitivity to EGFR-TKIs in EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells with BIM deletion polymorphisms. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of combined treatment of vorinostat with gefitinib in BIM deletion polymorphism positive EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. BIM deletion polymorphism positive EGFR mutant NSCLC patients treated with at least one EGFR-TKI and one regimen of chemotherapy are being recruited to this study. Vorinostat (200-400mg) will be administered orally once daily on days 1-7, and gefitinib 250 mg orally once daily on days 1-14. With a fixed dose of gefitinib, the dose of vorinostat will be escalated following a conventional 3+3 design. The primary endpoint is to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of vorinostat combined with 250 mg of gefitinib. This is the first phase I study of combined therapy with vorinostat and gefitinib for NSCLC patients double selected for an EGFR mutation and BIM deletion polymorphism

Molecular Mechanism of a Green-Shifted, pH-Dependent Red Fluorescent Protein mKate Variant

Fluorescent proteins that can switch between distinct colors have contributed significantly to modern biomedical imaging technologies and molecular cell biology. Here we report the identification and biochemical analysis of a green-shifted red fluorescent protein variant GmKate, produced by the introduction of two mutations into mKate. Although the mutations decrease the overall brightness of the protein, GmKate is subject to pH-dependent, reversible green-to-red color conversion. At physiological pH, GmKate absorbs blue light (445 nm) and emits green fluorescence (525 nm). At pH above 9.0, GmKate absorbs 598 nm light and emits 646 nm, far-red fluorescence, similar to its sequence homolog mNeptune. Based on optical spectra and crystal structures of GmKate in its green and red states, the reversible color transition is attributed to the different protonation states of the cis-chromophore, an interpretation that was confirmed by quantum chemical calculations. Crystal structures reveal potential hydrogen bond networks around the chromophore that may facilitate the protonation switch, and indicate a molecular basis for the unusual bathochromic shift observed at high pH. This study provides mechanistic insights into the color tuning of mKate variants, which may aid the development of green-to-red color-convertible fluorescent sensors, and suggests GmKate as a prototype of genetically encoded pH sensors for biological studies

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead