512 research outputs found

    Mouse spermatozoa with higher fertilization rates have thinner nuclei

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    Mashiko D, Ikawa M, Fujimoto K. 2017. Mouse spermatozoa with higher fertilization rates have thinner nuclei. PeerJ 5:e3913 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.391

    Guided Lock of a Suspended Optical Cavity Enhanced by a Higher Order Extrapolation

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    Lock acquisition of a suspended optical cavity can be a highly stochastic process and is therefore nontrivial. Guided lock is a method to make lock acquisition less stochastic by decelerating the motion of the cavity length based on an extrapolation of the motion from an instantaneous velocity measurement. We propose an improved scheme which is less susceptible to seismic disturbances by incorporating the acceleration as a higher order correction in the extrapolation. We implemented the new scheme in a 300-m suspended Fabry-Perot cavity and improved the success rate of lock acquisition by a factor of 30

    3D-Plotting Algorithm for Insects using YOLOv5

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    In ecological research, accurately collecting spatiotemporal position data is a fundamental task for understanding the behavior and ecology of insects and other organisms. In recent years, advancements in computer vision techniques have reached a stage of maturity where they can support, and in some cases, replace manual observation. In this study, a simple and inexpensive method for monitoring insects in three dimensions (3D) was developed so that their behavior could be observed automatically in experimental environments. The main achievements of this study have been to create a 3D monitoring algorithm using inexpensive cameras and other equipment to design an adjusting algorithm for depth error, and to validate how our plotting algorithm is quantitatively precise, all of which had not been realized in conventional studies. By offering detailed 3D visualizations of insects, the plotting algorithm aids researchers in more effectively comprehending how insects interact within their environments

    The Effects of Molecular Crowding on the Structure and Stability of G-Quadruplexes with an Abasic Site

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    Both cellular environmental factors and chemical modifications critically affect the properties of nucleic acids. However, the structure and stability of DNA containing abasic sites under cell-mimicking molecular crowding conditions remain unclear. Here, we investigated the molecular crowding effects on the structure and stability of the G-quadruplexes including a single abasic site. Structural analysis by circular dichroism showed that molecular crowding by PEG200 did not affect the topology of the G-quadruplex structure with or without an abasic site. Thermodynamic analysis further demonstrated that the degree of stabilization of the G-quadruplex by molecular crowding decreased with substitution of an abasic site for a single guanine. Notably, we found that the molecular crowding effects on the enthalpy change for G-quadruplex formation had a linear relationship with the abasic site effects depending on its position. These results are useful for predicting the structure and stability of G-quadruplexes with abasic sites in the cell-mimicking conditions

    Noninvasive quantitative evaluation of viable islet grafts using ¹¹¹In-exendin-4 SPECT/CT

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    Islet transplantation (IT) is an effective β-cell replacement therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes; however, the lack of methods to detect islet grafts and evaluate their β-cell mass (BCM) has limited the further optimization of IT protocols. Therefore, the development of noninvasive β-cell imaging is required. In this study, we investigated the utility of the ¹¹¹Indium-labeled exendin-4 probe {[Lys12(111In-BnDTPA-Ahx)] exendin-4} (¹¹¹In exendin-4) to evaluate islet graft BCM after intraportal IT. The probe was cultured with various numbers of isolated islets. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice were intraportally transplanted with 150 or 400 syngeneic islets. After a 6-week observation following IT, the ex-vivo liver graft uptake of ¹¹¹In-exendin-4 was compared with the liver insulin content. In addition, the in-vivo liver graft uptake of ¹¹¹In exendin-4 using SPECT/CT was compared with that of liver graft BCM measured by a histological method. As a result, probe accumulation was significantly correlated with islet numbers. The ex-vivo liver graft uptake in the 400-islet-transplanted group was significantly higher than that in the control and the 150-islet-transplanted groups, consistent with glycemic control and liver insulin content. In conclusion, in-vivo SPECT/CT displayed liver islet grafts, and uptakes were corroborated by histological liver BCM. ¹¹¹In-exendin-4 SPECT/CT can be used to visualize and evaluate liver islet grafts noninvasively after intraportal IT

    Pole Exercise on Thorax Cage and its Influence on the Flexibility in Low Back-pain Patients

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    Background: Low back pain (LBP) has been common clinical and neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Authors have continued clinical practice and research concerning LBP and rehabilitation, associated with the efficacy of pole exercise movement and application. Methods: Subjects were 18 LBP patients with 46.6 ± 5.8 years old. They were randomly assigned to two groups, which are pole exercise and control groups. Group 1 continued axial rotation, lateral bending and forward/backward rotation along Moriyasu method 10 times 3 sets per day for 2 weeks. Group 2 continued Slump Stretching and Gluteus Stretch in the same way. The biomarkers include Finger Floor Distance (FFD) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) before and after the intervention. Results: Both groups showed significant improved results in FFD and NRS between before and after the intervention. Group 1 showed significant improved results in FFD and NRS after intervention, which were 5.2 ± 9.4 cm vs. 15.7 ± 7.0 cm, and 3.0 ± 2.1 vs. 5.1 ± 1.3 respectively. Conclusion: The results suggested that continuous daily pole exercise would be effective for improved flexibility and motor function for thorax cage and vertebrae. Further study and comparative evaluation among LBP, pole exercise, FFD and other biomarkers will be expected in the future

    Pilot Analysis of Asbestos-induced Diffuse Pleural Thickening with Respiratory Compromise

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    We investigated the clinical features of asbestos-induced diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) with severe respiratory compromise. We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive subjects with asbestos-induced DPT. Medical data such as initial symptoms, radiological findings, respiratory function test results, and clinical course were collected and analyzed. There were 24 patients between 2003 and 2012. All were men, and the median age at the development of DPT was 74 years. The top occupational category associated with asbestos exposure was dockyard workers. The median duration of asbestos exposure was 35.0 years, and the median latency from first exposure to the onset of DPT was 49.0 years. There were no significant differences in respiratory function test results between the higher and lower Brinkman index groups or between unilateral and bilateral DPT. Thirteen patients had a history of benign asbestos pleural effusion (BAPE), and the median duration from pleural fluid accumulation to DPT with severe respiratory compromise was 28.4 months. DPT with severe respiratory compromise can develop after a long latency following occupational asbestos exposure and a history of BAPE

    Thermal-noise-limited underground interferometer CLIO

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    We report on the current status of CLIO (Cryogenic Laser Interferometer Observatory), which is a prototype interferometer for LCGT (Large Scale Cryogenic Gravitational-Wave Telescope). LCGT is a Japanese next-generation interferometric gravitational wave detector featuring the use of cryogenic mirrors and a quiet underground site. The main purpose of CLIO is to demonstrate a reduction of the mirror thermal noise by cooling the sapphire mirrors. CLIO is located in an underground site of the Kamioka mine, 1000 m deep from the mountain top, to verify its advantages. After a few years of commissioning work, we have achieved a thermal-noise-limited sensitivity at room temperature. One of the main results of noise hunting was the elimination of thermal noise caused by a conductive coil-holder coupled with a pendulum through magnets.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, Proceedings of the 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Wave
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