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Purpose: This study introduces the idea of "Kyouzai Kenkyuu" and examines its potentiality as a conceptual tool to point to the curriculum design process with a case of social science education. By doing so, this study can contribute to expanding the target of reflection from the practices "inside" classrooms toward the curriculum design "outside" classrooms and the strengthening of teacher professionalism by understanding teachers as curriculum designers. Approach: The authors utilised literature review to illustrate how "Kyouzai Kenkyuu" can be a conceptual tool to point to the curriculum design process. Subsequently, the authors conducted interpretative practitioner research to showcase how "Kyouzai Kenkyuu" can be taught in pre-service teacher education and how teacher educators can educate pre-service teachers as curriculum designers utilising insider's perspectives. Finally, the authors discussed the potential of "Kyouzai Kenkyu" as a conceptual tool to indicate the content and method of designing the curriculum and as an approach to enhance teachers' development as curriculum designers. Findings: "Kyouzai Kenkyuu"--"Kyouzai" meaning learning material(s) and "Kenkyuu" meaning study or research in the Japanese language--is a practice for curriculum design and one of the dispositions to define teachers as professionals. In Japan, teachers are expected to be practitioners who conduct "Kenkyuu" (research) about discipline, students, and the context surrounding students to design suitable "Kyouzai" (learning material[s]) and a curriculum for individual classrooms. In method courses, pre-service teachers verbalize and reflect on their "Kyouzai Kenkyuu" and how it impacts curriculum design. Through these experiences, social science teachers in Japan can enjoy the opportunities to develop their design and teaching rationales. Research limitations: This study is limited to three method courses that the authors have taught; thus, the findings on how to teach "Kyouzai Kenkyuu" may not be generalizable.

Cultivating preservice teachers' "shutaisei" has been the focus of Japanese university-based teacher education since the late 1990s. This article contains the self-study of three teacher educators at different Japanese universities. All three of us believe that helping students cultivate their "shutaisei" should be an important part of our teaching practices; however, framing "shutaisei" and pursuing it in practice poses complex dilemmas. In this article, we explore our individual understandings of "shutaisei's" meaning in theory and practice, and reflect on how and why we considered it in these ways. We discussed our practices every two weeks online; all the conversations were videotaped and analyzed. Ultimately, through this self-study, we (teacher educators) found: (1) We had defined what "shutaisei" means based on our own educational experiences; and (2) We had suggested our own "shutaisei" to the students without being aware that it is based on our own educational experience. Teacher education institutions, we recommend, should provide opportunities for faculty members to explore themselves and their practices.

AbstractThis study analyzed the high school geography curricula in Japan to determine the positioning of concepts, competencies, and attitudes related to education for sustainable development (ESD), as well as the characteristics and background of its implementation. Using qualitative content analysis, the study investigated the 2009 and 2018 Courses of Study. The analysis focused on the establishment of concepts for building a sustainable society, and the abilities and attitudes emphasized by learning instructions from an ESD viewpoint. Comparisons of the descriptions in both the 2009 and 2018 curricula showed that the 2018 version contained more of the sustainability concepts and ESD abilities and attitudes. ESD implementation in Japanese geography education was based on Japan’s unique framework and context, and influenced by international (geography) education policies. In the case of Japan, ESD has contributed to the geography curriculum reform, as seen in the introduction of a geography subject that comprehensively addresses the development of a sustainable society and the fostering of its actors. Moreover, it has provided an opportunity to discuss geography education from an international standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ represents a Japanese freshwater alga that is considered to be the same as or closely related to Aegagropilopsis moravica (Cladophorales), which is distributed in the Eurasian Continent. However, morphological and genetic studies on ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ remain limited. This study aimed to elucidate the taxonomic and phylogenetic positions of ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ and Aegagropilopsis moravica based on comparative morphological observations utilizing light and electron microscopy and molecular phylogenetic analysis. The samples were collected from the Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, where ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ was first recorded. Light microscopy revealed that the morphological characteristics of ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ were generally consistent with those reported for Aegagropilopsis moravica. Transmission electron microscopy of ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ presented a polypyramidal pyrenoid structure surrounded by four or more starch sheaths, indicating the high similarity to the ultrastructure of others of the Cladophorales taxa at the ultrastructure level. Additionally, bilenticular‐ and zonal‐type pyrenoids surrounded by two–three starch sheaths were observed. The 2034 bp nucleotide sequences across 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA exhibited high similarity between ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ and Aegagropilopsis moravica, indicating their monophyletic origin on the molecular phylogenetic tree. Altogether, these results suggested that ‘Tateyama‐marimo’ should not be excluded from being treated as Aegagropilopsis moravica; nevertheless, further taxonomic scrutiny is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host‐guest conjugate is a promising strategy for providing outstanding molecules. Herein, we designed host‐guest conjugate HG1, which comprises a hydrophilic host unit, tetraaza[2.2.1.2.2.1]paracyclophane CPX2 with a microhydrophobic cavity, and a guest unit, 2,3‐naphthalimide fused with two benzothiophenes G1 exhibiting fluorosolvatochromism, linked with an oxyethylene chain. HG1 initially showed a fluorescence band at 585 nm in MeOH/H2O (1/499 v/v); however, this band decreased with time, and instead, a new band at 430 nm appeared. The CIE chromaticity diagram showed that the fluorescent color changed from yellow‐orange to blue via white. NMR analysis of HG1 in methanol‐d4 exhibited different signals of the G1 unit between the blue and yellow fluorescent structures. The blue fluorescent structures showed asymmetrical signals assigned as the G1 unit, affected by the cavity environment of the CPX2 unit. Consequently, HG1 can form two conformations: In‐form and Out‐form. In In‐form, the G1 unit is inside the hydrophobic cavity of the CPX2 unit and shows blue fluorescence. In Out‐form, the G1 unit is outside the CPX2 unit and shows yellow fluorescence in an aqueous solvent. Therefore, HG1 performs as a ratiometric fluorophore depending on the in/out isomerism of the host‐guest conjugate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) plays a key role as an apex-generalist predator in terrestrial ecosystems. We estimated the phylogeographic structure, time to most recent common ancestor (tMRCA), and demographic dynamics based on the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene and partial D-loop region sequences of 182 red foxes in the Japanese Archipelago, and discussed the geohistory and biotic interactions that influenced them. The Hondo red fox (Vulpes vulpes japonica), distributed on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu islands, was supported as a monophyletic group. The tMRCA of the Hondo clade was ~0.148 (95% highest posterior density: 0.236–0.080) Ma. The Hondo clade diverged into two subclades, and each was roughly distributed on the eastern or western area of the Japanese Archipelago. The effective population size of the Hondo red fox remained nearly constant until ~0.03–0.02 Ma; thereafter, it grew ~10-fold. The Kita red fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki) distributed on Hokkaido Island formed a polyphyletic group, not including the Hondo clade. The completely different phylogenetic structures of the Hondo and Kita red fox indicate that they have independent evolutionary backgrounds. These findings provide crucial insights into the formation mechanisms of diversity and endemism of mammals on continental islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously identified Ertredin (3-(2-amino-5-bromophenyl) quinoxalin-2(1H)-one) as a compound that suppresses 3D spheroid formation and tumorigenesis in NIH3T3 cells induced by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) transduction. One of its targets has been shown to be NDUFA12 (NADH Dehydrogenase (Ubiquinone) 1 Alpha Subcomplex Subunit 12), a component protein of oxidative phosphorylation complex I. In this report, we compared the growth inhibitory activity of Ertredin with its methylated analogue 7MeERT (3-(2-amino-5-bromophenyl)-7-methylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one) on human cancer cells. 7MeERT induced the inhibition of the proliferation of various cancer cells similarly to Ertredin and showed higher activity in glioblastoma cells, A431 cells overexpressing EGFR (wild type), and multiple myeloma cells. Molecular docking analysis and a Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) suggested that 7MeERT binds to NDUFA12 similarly to Ertredin. The binding of 7MeERT and Ertredin to NDUFA12 in glioblastoma was further supported by the inhibition of the oxygen consumption rate. These results suggest that 7MeERT also binds to NDUFA12, inhibits oxidative phosphorylation, and has a higher anti-cancer cell growth inhibitory activity than Ertredin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several power assist robots have been developed to reduce workloads, and address worker shortages and an aging workforce. Previously, the authors developed a power assist device to maintain shoulder posture using a braking mechanism; however, the device presented technical issues regarding the rigidity and weight of the mechanism. To address these issues, in this study, a flexible linear brake (FLB), a brake mechanism driven by negative pressure, was developed for power assist devices. Additionally, a braking force model for the FLB is proposed; the proposed model was verified by comparing the measured and modelled values. Finally, a shoulder assist device that uses the FLB and designed based on the proposed model is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]