departmental bulletin paper

Microscopic observation is one of the most basic and important skills for experiments in biology classes from compulsory education through to higher education. Microscopic observation in biology can help us better understand the microstructures of organisms and convey notions of beauty and fascination regarding the detailed nature of the microworld, which we cannot observe through our unaided eyes. However, many lab classes were postponed for the summer break because it was difficult for the faculty to conduct lab classes using equipment such as microscopes for non-face-toface learning at the university in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this situation, we planned that students do the experiment at home using handmade microscope. Students could make a simple Leeuwenhoek microscope very easily and use to understand the principle of the microscope. A non-face-to-face class required students to take the initiative in learning, which led to a better understanding of the principles of microscopy. Hence, the future integration of this nonface-to-face learning using a handmade microscope into an existing face-to-face lab class will be very useful for the teaching of science, especially biology, at many schools by science teachers and researchers.

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and its linked arrhythmias play a crucial role in determining the prognosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Our paper aimed to explore the potential protective effects of direct pharmacological intervention in the RV muscle using dantrolene (DAN), a stabilizer of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2), against RV dysfunction and arrhythmia in a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH. To induce PAH, male 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats received MCT injections. The study also assessed the induction of ventricular tachycardia (VT) by catecholamines, examining RyR2-mediated Ca^{2+} release properties in isolated cardiomyocytes. Additionally, a pulmonary artery-banding model was established to evaluate the independent effects of chronic pressure overload on RV morphology and function. In the MCT-induced PAH rat model, findings revealed RV hypertrophy, dilation, and functional decline, resulting in 0% survival rate two months post-MCT induction. Conversely, chronic DAN treatment demonstrated improvements in these RV parameters and an 80% increase in survival. Furthermore, chronic DAN treatment prevented the dissociation of calmodulin from RyR2, inhibiting Ca^{2+} sparks and spontaneous Ca^{2+} transients in MCT-induced hypertrophied RV cardiomyocytes. Epinephrine induced VT in over 50% of rats with MCT-induced PAH, while chronic DAN treatment achieved complete suppression of VT. The paper concludes that stabilizing RyR2 with DAN holds promise as a novel therapeutic approach against the development of RV dysfunction and fatal arrhythmias associated with PAH.

資産価格はしばしばファンダメンタル・バリューから乖離し，時として金融市場は資産価格の大きな下落や変動に見舞われる．急激な資産価格変動を緩和するための措置として，多くの国々で空売り規制が導入されてきた．本稿は空売り規制の導入が資産価格に与える影響を分析する．私的情報や価格支配力を持つ投資家と私的情報を持たない価格受容的な投資家が混在する資産市場を想定する．空売り規制の導入が事前に予期されていない場合，空売り規制が資産価格をファンダメンタル・バリューから乖離させることが明らかになった．これは資産価格の変動を大きくすることにもつながる．とりわけ資産価格の下支えが望まれるような下落相場の状況では，空売り規制の導入はより一層の価格下落をもたらすことになる．

What can be done when the hot programming language Python is usedas a tool for macroeconomic data analysis? In this paper, while writingcode in Python, we explain the estimation of consumption functions asan example, discuss what advantages there are in analyzing economicdata using Python, and also discuss the possibilities and directions ofmacroeconomic data analysis in the future.

本研究では大学進学に関する進路決定方法と大学生活の満足度の関連について, 個々の学生について事例的に検討を行い, 学生の進路決定や大学生活の適応を支える知見を得ることを目的とした。大学3年生5名に対し, 大学進学の進路決定と大学生活に関する内容で構成された質問紙を実施した。その結果, 進路決定方法に関しては対象者全員が自分の考えで決定していた。しかし自分の考えで進路決定をしたにも関わらず, 大学入学後の教育内容のミスマッチがあるという対象者もみられた。一方でそのような対象者であっても大学生活に関しては, 新たな人間関係や経験などにより満足であるという面もあった。今回の結果から, 自分で進路選択をさせるだけではなく, 進路選択の際に大学の教育内容も十分に検討させ, 進学後の修学イメージを持つことができるよう進路指導を行うことが重要であると考えられた。また, 大学生活の満足度には進路決定のみでなく, 大学入学後の生活の人間関係や視野の広がり等が重要になることが示唆された。よって, 大学において入学後の人間関係や視野の広がりに繋がるような支援を行うことが有益であると考えられた。

秋芳洞などの鍾乳洞は、共有の財産として適切な保護・保全・活用が行なわなければならない。しかし、鍾乳洞の形状は凹凸に富んで複雑であり、自然光が届かない中でその全貌を把握するのは難しい。本稿では、小型化・低価格化したLiDAR装置を用いて、美祢市秋芳洞・大正洞を計測することを試み、その有効性について検討した。その結果、モバイルLiDAR（Livox社製Avia）による点群データ及び3Dモデルは1963年測量の実測図と整合的であり、その有効性は認められた。しかし、優れた3Dモデルには十分な点群密度が必要である。

The Kuomintang （KMT） initiated nuclear power generation in Taiwan in the 1970s, resulting in three nuclear power plants being built. The debate over building a fourth nuclear power plant became a controversy that divided Taiwan before it was decided by the Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） that all nuclear power plants, including existing ones, would be phased out by 2025. However, once nuclear power plant operations are terminated, developing alternative power sources and promoting energy conservation will become major issues. The Atomic Energy Council（ AEC） is responsible for ensuring that Taiwan Power Company（ Taipower） is compliant with the license conditions throughout the operating license period of the nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the AEC has earned public trust by fulfilling its responsibilities. Taiwan is currently promoting the conversion from nuclear to renewable energy and energy conservation measures with the end of nuclear power plant operations. This study outlines the political process involved in abolishing nuclear power plants and the plans for alternative power sources and energy conservation after nuclear power plants have been shut down.