FOSTERING AUTONOMOUS LEARNERS OF VOCABULARY ACQUISITION USING CONTENT-BASED ICT METHODS

Purpose: This paper investigated that (1) the effective use of content-based ICT methods of vocabulary acquisition through reading activities, and (2) the encouragement of learner's vocabulary building up autonomous learning. A considerable number of studies have been conducted on vocabulary acquisition in the EFL field in Japan,and researchers advocate vocabulary knowledge is the most important factor contributing to reading comprehension, yet, a firm effective pedagogy has not been established. In fact, university students encounter difficulties in reading comprehension because of their deficiencies in vocabulary knowledge during English reading class. Methodology: The free applications, Quizlet and Kahoot!, were adopted to incorporate language-focused learning while adding some gamification aspects to aid in vocabulary acquisition. The experiment was conducted in a Japanese undergraduate first-year reading class over an 11-week period. Quizlet was used for vocabulary learning prior to the reading class. Students were given multiple-choice vocabulary Cloze tests of new words from the textbook using Kahoot!, a free game-based educational platform. Main Findings: The results of this study indicated that content-based vocabulary instruction using ICT is effective and improves learner’s academic performance in vocabulary acquisition. Moreover, questionnaires were thoroughly reviewed and uncovered that students felt they developed more autonomy and this enhanced their motivation for vocabulary learning. Implications: In view of this study, ICT methods closely related to reading contexts and a variety of applications for vocabulary acquisition and improvement of reading performance should be introduced in EFL classrooms. Originality: This study was conducted in a Japanese undergraduate first-year reading class by author researcher

Kansei Intelligence’s Contributions to Psychological Safety in Online Workplaces

This research aims to examine how Kansei Intelligence contributes to psychological safety in remote workplaces and suggests ways to create pedagogical workshops for workers by applying Kansei Intelligence. Based on the literature, three concepts associated with Kansei Intelligence are identified: 1. Kansei’s meaning changes according to time, people, and space, 2. Kansei involves the capacity to sense one’s own surroundings, have environmental perceptions, and cultivate a sense of belonging to nature, and 3. It is important to be aware of one’s own Kansei status, as well as that of others. Applied qualitative research was conducted in this study; data were ultimately gathered from six interviews and four workshops in various settings, either in Finland or Japan. Applying Kansei Intelligence, four workshops were designed with collaborators. This thesis addresses the two research questions through thematic analysis. The interview data describe different approaches to studying how Kansei Intelligence contributes to the fostering of psychological safety in workplaces. The workshop data indicate how Kansei Intelligence works in online workshops and result in suggestions for subsequent workshops. This thesis indicates that Kansei Intelligence can contribute to psychological safety in online work-places, foster interpersonal relationships through emotional reflection exercises. This also suggests that Kansei Intelligence can create a sense of togetherness and non-verbal communication that normally cannot be created merely with ordinary communication among participants in an online environment

Extracellular Vesicles in Periodontal Medicine : The Candidates Linking Oral Health to General Health

The term, periodontal medicine is used to describe the multitude of systemic diseases which are regarded to link periodontal disease. The concept of periodontal medicine has been widely accepted today, however, the molecular mechanisms which periodontal diseases impact general health in whole body are not elucidated in detail. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are the nano-sized particles released from mammalian cells and bacterial cells resectively, which influence the health and various disease by transporting biological factors to the neighbor and distant cells. In this review, we will discuss whether EVs and OMVs produced in periodontal diseases could be implicated in periodontal medicine

Two sisters reveal autosomal recessive inheritance of epidermodysplasia verruciformis: a case report

BACKGROUND: Epidermodysplasia verruciformis is a rare genodermatosis characterized by a unique susceptibility to cutaneous human papillomaviruses infection. Most patients show autosomal recessive patterns of inheritance. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of two sisters with clinically epidermodysplasia verruciformis specific lesions on the face, neck, trunk, and extremities. PCR analysis indicated the presence of human papillomavirus type 5 in the lesions. Electron microscopic examination showed viral-like particles in keratinocyte nuclei and the stratum corneum of the epidermodysplasia verruciformis lesions. In addition, we examined the EVER1 and EVER2 genes using eight different primer pairs without finding any nonsense or frameshift mutations in the gDNA from lymphocytes of the elder sister. CONCLUSIONS: In this report, the patient’s parents did not have epidermodysplasia verruciformis lesions or a consanguineous marriage. EV did not develop in the elder sister until five years of age, so the parents did not perceive EV as an inherited disease. The probability that EV developed in both sisters was only 6.25%. Thus, it is rare for both sisters to develop epidermodysplasia verruciformis lesions considering that the parents were presumed to be carriers and the disease reveal an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance

Nucleosynthesis in Baryon-Rich Outflows Associated With Gamma-Ray Bursts

Robust generation of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) implies the formation of outflows with very low baryon loads and highly relativistic velocities, but more baryon-rich, slower outflows are also likely to occur in most GRB central engine scenarios, either as ``circum-jet winds'' or ``failed GRBs''. Here we study the possibility of nucleosynthesis within such baryon-rich outflows by conducting detailed reaction network calculations in the framework of the basic fireball model. It is shown that high baryon load fireballs attaining mildly relativistic velocities can synthesize appreciable quantities of heavy neutron capture elements with masses up to the platinum peak and beyond. Small but interesting amounts of light elements such as deuterium and boron can also be produced. Depending on the neutron excess and baryon load, the combination of high entropy, rapid initial expansion and gradual expansion at later times can cause the reaction flow to reach the fission regime, and its path can be intermediate between those of the $r$- and $s$-processes (``$n$-process''). The nucleosynthetic signature of these outflows may be observable in the companion stars of black hole binary systems and in the most metal-poor stars, potentially offering an important probe of the inner conditions of the GRB source. Contribution to the solar abundances for some heavy elements may also be possible. The prospects for further developments in various directions are discussed.Comment: ApJ, in press; 11 pages, 3 figure

c-fos Gene Expression in Postnatal Rat Retinas with Light/Dark Cycle

AbstractWe examined the diurnal variation of c-fos gene expression during a 12:12 light/dark cycle in developing rat retinas by in situ hybridization histochemistry. c-fos Gene was not expressed before postnatal day 10 (P10) but was expressed on P15 in the outer nuclear layer throughout the dark period and in the inner nuclear layer and the ganglion cell layer during the light period. These results demonstrated that the earliest c-fos gene expression occurred between P11 and P15. The good correlation between the expression of c-fos gene and the genes coding for proteins involved in phototransduction, in terms of their diurnal variation and in their development, suggested that c-fos gene may play a role in the regulation of these genes in retinal cells during the light/dark cycle. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) inhibits monocyte–endothelial cell interaction by regulating of RhoA activity

AbstractRecent studies suggest that sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) protects against atherosclerosis. We assessed the effects of S1P on monocyte–endothelial interaction in the presence of inflammatory mediators. Pretreatment of THP-1 cells with S1P abolished Phorbol 12 myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced THP-1 cell adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). S1P inhibited PMA-induced activation of RhoA, but not PKCs. S1P activated p190Rho GTPase activation protein (GAP) only in the presence of PMA, suggesting an inhibitory effect of S1P and PMA to suppress RhoA. In conclusion, S1P inhibited monocyte–endothelial interactions by inhibiting RhoA activity which may explain its anti-atherogenic effects