Utsunomiya University

About: Utsunomiya University is a education organization based out in Utsunomiya, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Holography. The organization has 4139 authors who have published 6812 publications receiving 91975 citations. The organization is also known as: Utsunomiya daigaku.

Toward the problem-centered classroom: trends in mathematical problem solving in Japan

Abstract: In this paper, I summarize the influence of mathematical problem solving on mathematics education in Japan. During the 1980–1990s, many studies had been conducted under the title of problem solving, and, therefore, even until now, the curriculum, textbook, evaluation and teaching have been changing. Considering these, it is possible to identify several influences. They include that mathematical problem solving helped to (1) enable the deepening and widening of our knowledge of the students’ processes of thinking and learning mathematics, (2) stimulate our efforts to develop materials and effective ways of organizing lessons with problem solving, and (3) provide a powerful means of assessing students’ thinking and attitude. Before 1980, we had a history of both research and practice, based on the importance of mathematical thinking. This culture of mathematical thinking in Japanese mathematics education is the foundation of these influences.

Comprehensive cloning and expression analysis of glycolytic genes from the filamentous fungus, Aspergillus oryzae.

Abstract: We cloned all the glycolytic genes from Aspergillus oryzae and analyzed their transcriptional regulation by the carbon source in the medium. The deduced amino-acid sequences of the glycolytic genes showed high identity (approximately 41-93%) to those from other lower eukaryotes. Genomic Southern hybridization indicated that all the genes existed as a single copy in the genome. Comparison of mRNA levels between mycelia grown on glucose and on pyruvate showed that most of the A. oryzae glycolytic genes were induced by glucose in the medium. The overall expression profiles of the A. oryzae glycolytic genes resembled those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The expression of one of the phosphofructokinase genes (pfkB), however, was repressed by glucose while both PFK1 and PFK2 were induced in S. cerevisiae. These findings indicate that further analysis of the transcriptional regulation of the A. oryzae glycolytic genes will be useful for investigating the evolutionary change of transcription regulation in lower eukaryotes and to construct promoters for industrial applications.