The Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEXT) has recommended that schools and teachers utilize ‘active learning’ methods to improve students’ English language skills. Despite this effort, English levels of Hachinohe-Kosen students remain low. This study investigated the current attitudes of students at Hachinohe-Kosen toward English and the practicality of introducing English into classes as part of active learning efforts.

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Calix[4]resorcarene(n-Host) is the host molecule that forms complex via multiple hydrogen-bonding with polar organic compounds such as cyclic diols and saccharides. This host shows molecular recognition ability, but this ability is performed in solution. Therefore, the polymer membranes containing n-Host were prepared because materialization of the host molecule is necessary to use functions widely. The characterizations of n-Host in the membranes were examined by adsorption of guest molecules. The polymer membranes were shaken in the solution of each guests (cyclic diols, cyclohexanol, 1,2,3-cyclohexanetriol). The solution before and after the adsorption were investigated by HPLC. Binding amounts of membrane were calculated by HPLC peak area change before and after the adsorption. Binding amounts of cyclic diols became the largest when uses solution of MeOH 25vol% as solvent. In two kinds of solvents, binding amounts of cyclohexanol and 1,2,3-cyclohexanetriol were small comparing with 1,2- , 1,3- and 1,4-cyclohexanediols. On the other hand, the binding amounts for cyclic diols of polymer membranes containing n-Host (10wt%, 15wt% and 20wt%) were compared. The binding amounts were increased by the increment of host molecules in 15wt%, but binding amounts were decreased in 20wt%.

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There have been many literary and theatrical works written after the Disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Some have been played for general audience, but others were made and have been performed by high school students and teachers. There have been criticisms on the works made by those who were not experienced the disaster themselves. Yet, as art for future audience, imagination is more and more demanded.

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The seizure behaviors of metals and plastics are studied under oil-lubricated sliding contacts. The experiments are carried out with balls on a ring wear tester. High carbon chromium steel (SUJ2) and Poly-etherether-ketone (PEEK) are used as the ball specimen with a diameter of 3/4 inches. The ring is made of forged steel (SF540A). The sliding velocity is varied from 4 to 19 m/s. The load is increased at a rate of 1 N/s up to the maximum load of 1177 N. The ring temperature is measured with an alumel-chromel thermocouple with a diameter of 0.5 mm, located 1 mm below the frictional surface. Results indicate that PEEK transits to seizure whenever the ring temperature exceeds about 160℃. In contrast, SUJ2 transits to seizure depending on the load, not on depending the temperature. The particle counter method can detect the seizure in the PEEK and SUJ2 materials. However, the number of wear particle generated in the seizure of PEEK materials is much less than in SUJ2. The wear mechanisms in the seizure are discussed, based on the observation results of scanning electron microscope (SEM).

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Currently, development of fuel cells is rapidly carried out after measures of new energy production. Fuel cells are power generation devices that are high in power generation efficiency and friendly to the global environment. In this research, we are developing a separator which is a component of fuel cell. We are developing separators with superior characteristics at lower cost than conventional products by manufacturing separator materials by powder metallurgy method using ultrafine metal powder prepared by water atomization method. In this study, we conduct investigation of 1000 hours of exposure using atmospheric exposure tester, investigate the oxide film formed on the surface layer of the developed material and investigate the heat resistance. It was confirmed that Fe - 35Cr - 0.49Si which was the first developed product was not suitable for separator material because SiO2 which is an insulator was formed on the surface layer. In the second developed product Fe - 35 Cr - 0.2 Si, though the suppression of SiO2 was successful, the problem of oxide film peeling occurred. Therefore, in this report, we report the investigation results of developed materials with Y2O3 added, which has detachment inhibiting effect.

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Acoustic echo signals generated by acoustic echo path have usually long duration. The echo signals are likely to be generated when meetings are held using TV-conference systems, in which loudspeakers and microphones are used. Because communication quality may become worse, these echo signals should be reduced. FIR-typed echo cancellers, however, have some problems which are increasing circuit scales and large computational burden. From these reasons, An ARMA-typed echo canceller, which is able to estimate and simulate more effectively compared with an FIR-type one, is investigated. IIR-typed adaptive digital filters have problems of stability, so we propose cascade configuration of 2nd order IIR filters, whose stability is easily checked. From extensive simulations, it is confirmed that the proposed method has good echo cancelling performance with less computational burden.

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In order to apply graphene to biosensor and gas sensor, it was fabricated on oxide single crystal substrate with Cu catalytic metal. A Cu thin film was deposited on a c-sapphire and (100) MgO single crystal substrate by a sputtering method. When Cu was sputter deposited on a sapphire substrate at a substrate temperature of 600 ° C., a (111) oriented Cu thin film grew. When Cu was sputtered on a MgO substrate at a substrate temperature of 600 ° C., a (100) oriented Cu thin film grew. Next, graphene was grown on the substrate with Cu thin film by thermal CVD method. It was confirmed that single-layer graphene was growing by Raman spectroscopy.

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Connarus ruber Planchon, a dicotyledon of Connaraceae, is distributed throughout tropical regions; it grows in Maués in the Amazon. We have shown that its aqueous extract has a genotoxicity-suppressing effect against ultra violet C (UVC) in cultured human cells. Recently, we investigated whether it also shows a genotoxicity-suppressing effect against inhaled cigarette smoke in mice. The genotoxicity-suppressing effect against tobacco smoking has been showed clinically, suggesting that it could potentially reduce the risk of tobacco carcinogenesis. Apoptosis is an important factor to determine the fate of mutant cells to develop into cancer cells. In this study, aqueous extract of Connarus was examined to induce apotosis in cells exposed to oxidative stress. Human lymphoblastoid TK6 P53+/+and WTK1 P53-/- cells were exposed to H₂O₂ at 25 μｇ/mL for 30 min, and then culture for 48 and 96 h in the presence of Connarus extract. The tear drop assay slides were prepared immediately after the exposure to H₂O₂, 48 h culture, and 96 h culture. In TK6 P53+/+cells exposed to H₂O₂ but not un-exposed to H₂O₂, the apoptotic cell frequency increased after 96 h culture with Connarus extract in, showing that Connarus extract can induce apoptosis in the cells exposed but not un-exposed to oxidative stress. On the other hand, in WTK1 P53-/-cells either exposed and un-exposed to H₂O₂, the apoptotic cell frequency did nit increased after 96 h culture with Connarus extract in, showing that Connarus extract can induce apoptosis in P53+/+cells exposed to oxidative stress. P53 protein plays an important role to induce apotosis to exclude saviorly damaged cells before the fixation of DNA damage, from which it could be considered that Connarus can inhibit initiation step by to exclusion of saviorly damaged cells. Therefore, it could be concluded that Connarus can be effectively used to reduce carcinogenic risk.

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A combination of propidium monoazide (PMA) with quantitative PCR (PMA-qPCR) have been successfully applied to distinguish between viable and dead microorganisms. However, PMA treatment of the filtered bacteria was reported to show no effect of discrimination. In this study, the efficient filtration procedure was examined to enumerate viable Escherichia coli by PMA-qPCR. After filtration, a final concentration of PMA treatment was regulated with ultrapure water and PBS solution. The treatment with 50μM PMA indicated no significant difference in viable cells between ultrapure water and PBS solution. The treatment with 100μM showed PBS solution had viable cells as high as suspended ones, although ultrapure water resulted in lower viable cells than suspended cells. In addition, the PMA treatment of the membrane filter fixed in the holder was more efficient than those of the filters unfixed.

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