Quiet eye duration is responsive to variability of practice and to the axis of target changes

We tested the hypothesis that quiet eye the final fixation before the initiation of a movement in aiming tasks, is used to scale the movement's parameters. Two groups of 12 participants (N=24) threw darts to targets in the horizontal and vertical axes under conditions of higher (random) or lower (blocked) target variability. Supporting our predictions, random practice and target changes in the vertical axis led to longer quiet eye duration than did blocked practice and target changes in the horizontal axis. Our data suggest that quiet eye is not simply a mediating factor in accuracy, but is responsive to the task's programming demands, being influenced by the necessity to reparameterize the movement from one trial to the next.     

Effects of intense exercise on the physiological and mental condition of female university judoists during a training camp

To clarify the physical and mental fatigue caused by intense exercise and the relationship between the two types of fatigue, we examined changes in anthropometric and biochemical variables, neutrophil function, and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire in 13 female university judoists attending a one-week training camp. Blood glucose, total cholesterol, haemoglobin, leukocyte count, IgG, and phagocytic activity all decreased after the training camp compared with baseline (P < or = 0.046). Aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and neutrophil oxidative burst activity increased after the training camp (P < or = 0.007). Of the POMS scores, that for Fatigue increased after the training camp (P = 0.041) and that for Vigour decreased (P = 0.042). The changes in several POMS scores correlated with the changes in blood biochemical variables. In particular, the change in Total mood disturbance was negatively associated with changes in myogenic enzymes (P < or = 0.032). Our results suggest that intense exercise during training camps for female judoists leads to the appearance and accumulation of mental and physical fatigue, which are related to each other.     

Characterization of low viscosity polymer solutions for microchip electrophoresis of non-denatured proteins on plastic chips

In this paper, we study characteristics of polymers (methylcellulose, hypromellose ((hydroxypropyl)methyl cellulose), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), and poly(vinyl alcohol)) with different chemical structures for microchip electrophoresis of non-denatured protein samples in a plastic microchip made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Coating efficiency of these polymers for controlling protein adsorption onto the channel surface of the plastic microchip, wettability of the PMMA surface, and electroosmotic flow in the PMMA microchannels in the presence of these polymers were compared. Also relative electrophoretic mobility of protein samples in solutions of these polymers was studied. We showed that when using low polymer concentrations (lower than the polymer entanglement point) where the sieving effect is substantially negligible, the interaction of the samples with the polymer affected the electrophoretic mobility of the samples. This effect can be used for achieving better resolution in microchip electrophoresis of protein samples.     

DNA separation by cholesterol-bearing pullulan nanogels

We present an application of a novel DNA separation matrix, cholesterol-bearing pullulan (CHP) nanogels, for microchip electrophoresis. The solution of the CHP showed a unique phase transition around 30 mg∕ml and formed gel phase over this critical concentration. This gel phase consists of the weak hydrophobic interactions between the cholesterols could be easily deformed by external forces, and thus, loading process of the CHP nanogels into microchannels became easier. The high concentration of the CHP nanogels provided excellent resolutions especially for small DNA fragments from 100 to 1500 bp. The separation mechanism was discussed based on Ogston and Reptation models which had developed in gels or polymer solutions. The result of a single molecule imaging gave us an insight of the separation mechanism and the nanogel structures as well.     

学校再生的哲学——学习共同体与活动系统

学校改革的草根运动正在席卷日本全土。这种静悄悄的革命是如何生成的,提示了怎样的学校未来的形象呢?作为"学习共同体"的学校创建,在课堂教学的实践中实现着活动性、合作性、反思性的学习;在教职员室里孕育着作为反思性实践家的教师的同僚性;实现着社区的家长与市民参与的合作性学习。其基础就是立足于"倾听他者声音"的对话性沟通的创造。本文阐述了"学习共同体"的改革哲学是基于怎样的教育发展背景产生的,这种实践又将导致怎样的学校改革的愿景。