Experimental investigation of a control scheme for a tuned resonant sideband extraction interferometer for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors

LCGT plans to use tuned RSE as the optical configuration for its interferometer. A tuned RSE interferometer has five degrees of freedom that need to be controlled in order to operate a gravitational-wave detector, although it is expected to be very challenging because of the complexity of its optical configuration. A new control scheme for a tuned RSE interferometer has been developed and tested with a prototype interferometer to demonstrate successful control of the tuned RSE interferometer. The whole RSE interferometer was successfully locked with the control scheme. Here the control scheme and the current status of the experiment are presented

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

Factors Promoting Dementia Community Support Program : Focusing on resilience, burnout and network

本研究は、認知症地域支援業務を推進する要因として、レジリエンス、燃え尽き（バーンアウト）の防止、サポート・ネットワークの存在を想定し、その仮説を検証することを目的とした。新しい業務を開拓していくには、職員のレジリエンスが関係し、逆に燃え尽きは抑制的に作用するのではないか。また、特に市町村を超えた現場職員同士のネットワークは、認知症への取組みに関する情報交換の場となり、業務上の困難感を軽減するのではないかとの仮説を立てた。Z府認知症地域支援推進員フォローアップ研修の場で、研修受講者（認知症地域支援推進員、市町村認知症施策担当職員、その他）101名を対象に質問紙を配布した。そのうち93名が研修終了後に質問紙に回答した。質問紙調査は無記名とし、内容は、回答者の属性のほか、認知症地域支援業務尺度、レジリエンス尺度、燃え尽き尺度、ソーシャル・サポート尺度、職場サポート尺度で構成した。認知症地域支援業務得点に関連する要因を見出すために、重回帰分析を行った結果、レジリエンス得点、燃え尽き得点、職種（推進員・それ以外）、推進員連絡会への参加状況が有意に関連していた。すなわち、レジリエンス得点が高いほど、また燃え尽き得点が低いほど、さらに、推進員以外の場合、推進員連絡会に参加している場合に、認知症地域支援業務得点は高い傾向が認められた。本調査により、認知症地域支援業務を推進するためには、推進員のレジリエンスを高め、燃え尽きを予防していくことが重要であることが明らかになった。また定期的に顔を合わせる推進員連絡会は、認知症への取組みに関する情報交換の場となり、専門職間のネットワークやサポートを提供しており、重要な役割を果たしていることが示唆された。The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors promoting a dementia community support program. In this study, we assumed that resilience, prevention of burnout, and support network of individual staff as factors promoting the dementia community support program. Regarding the development of new endeavor, the resilience of the staff in charge is involved, and on the contrary, burnout may act inhibitingly. In addition, we hypothesized that a network of staff members across municipalities would be a place of information exchange on efforts towards dementia， which could alleviate the task difficulty. A questionnaire survey was conducted during the training seminar of Dementia Community Support Promoters (DCSPs). The subjects of the survey were 101 trainees (DCSPs and municipal staff managing programs against dementia), and of them, 93 persons responded to the questionnaire, which consisted of characteristics of subjects, dementia community support program scale, resilience scale, burnout scale, social support scale, and work support scale. A multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the variables related to the dementia community support program score. Results showed that the resilience score, burnout score, role of staff, and liaison meetings of DCSPs were significantly related to the dementia community support program score. Resilience of individual staff and prevention against burnout were found to be important factors that promote the dementia community support program. The liaison meetings of DCSPs, which ensure the network of DCSPs across municipalities and opportunities to exchange information how to tackle dementia, are also promoting factors

Remarkable Growth of Open Access in the Biomedical Field: Analysis of PubMed Articles from 2006 to 2010

IntroductionThis study clarifies the trends observed in open access (OA) in the biomedical field between 2006 and 2010, and explores the possible explanations for the differences in OA rates revealed in recent surveys.MethodsThe study consists of a main survey and two supplementary surveys. In the main survey, a manual Google search was performed to investigate whether full-text versions of articles from PubMed were freely available. Target samples were articles published in 2005, 2007, and 2009; the searches were performed a year after publication in 2006, 2008, and 2010, respectively. Using the search results, we classified the OA provision methods into seven categories. The supplementary surveys calculated the OA rate using two search functions on PubMed: “LinkOut” and “Limits.”ResultsThe main survey concluded that the OA rate increased significantly between 2006 and 2010: the OA rate in 2010 (50.2%) was twice that in 2006 (26.3%). Furthermore, majority of OA articles were available from OA journal (OAJ) websites, indicating that OAJs have consistently been a significant contributor to OA throughout the period. OA availability through the PubMed Central (PMC) repository also increased significantly. OA rates obtained from two supplementary surveys were lower than those found in the main survey. “LinkOut” could find only 40% of OA articles in the main survey.DiscussionOA articles in the biomedical field have more than a 50% share. OA has been achieved through OAJs. The reason why the OA rates in our surveys are different from those in recent surveys seems to be the difference in sampling methods and verification procedures

Experimental investigation of a control scheme for a zero-detuning resonant sideband extraction interferometer for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors

Some next-generation gravitational-wave detectors, such as the American Advanced LIGO project and the Japanese LCGT project, plan to use power recycled resonant sideband extraction (RSE) interferometers for their interferometer's optical configuration. A power recycled zero-detuning (PRZD) RSE interferometer, which is the default design for LCGT, has five main length degrees of freedom that need to be controlled in order to operate a gravitational-wave detector. This task is expected to be very challenging because of the complexity of optical configuration. A new control scheme for a PRZD RSE interferometer has been developed and tested with a prototype interferometer. The PRZD RSE interferometer was successfully locked with the control scheme. It is the first experimental demonstration of a PRZD RSE interferometer with suspended test masses. The result serves as an important step for the operation of LCGT.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figrue

Mitochondrial LETM1 drives ionic and molecular clock rhythms in circadian pacemaker neurons

The mechanisms that generate robust ionic oscillation in circadian pacemaker neurons are under investigation. Here, we demonstrate critical functions of the mitochondrial cation antiporter leucine zipper- EF-hand-containing transmembrane protein 1 (LETM1), which exchanges K+/H+ in Drosophila and Ca2+/H+ in mammals, in circadian pacemaker neurons. Letm1 knockdown in Drosophila pacemaker neurons reduced circadian cytosolic H+ rhythms and prolonged nuclear PERIOD/TIMELESS expression rhythms and locomotor activity rhythms. In rat pacemaker neurons in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), circadian rhythms in cytosolic Ca2+ and Bmal1 transcription were dampened by Letm1 knockdown. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake peaks late during the day were also observed in rat SCN neurons following photolytic elevation of cytosolic Ca2+. Since cation transport by LETM1 is coupled to mitochondrial energy synthesis, we propose that LETM1 integrates metabolic, ionic, and molecular clock rhythms in the central clock system in both invertebrates and vertebrates

Incidence of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of an anti-VEGF agent with or without topical antibiotics

Intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the standard treatment modality in various types of retinal diseases. However, endophthalmitis remains the most serious complication. Despite the lack of evidence that antibiotics prevent endophthalmitis, topical antibiotics are still used routinely in Japan. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study by analyzing records from patients who underwent IVI of anti-VEGF agents with or without antibiotic treatment. In the analysis of a total of 147,440 eyes, the incidence of endophthalmitis was 0.007%: 0.005% with no use of antibiotics, 0.009% with antibiotic pretreatment, 0.012% with posttreatment, and 0.005% with pre- and posttreatment. There was no statistically significant difference among the four groups (chi-square test, p = 0.57). Most facilities used masks, sterilized gloves, and drapes. Nine of the 10 eyes that developed endophthalmitis received topical antibiotics, and all infected eyes underwent IVI with aflibercept, not the prefilled syringe delivery system. In four patients who received multiple IVI, the detection of causative bacteria revealed resistance to used antibiotics. Data from this large population, treated with or without antibiotics, suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis does not reduce the rate of endophthalmitis after IVI

Left atrial volume predicts adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Abstract Aims To prospectively evaluate the relationship between left atrial volume (LAV) and the risk of clinical events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods We enrolled a total of 141 HCM patients with sinus rhythm and normal pump function, and 102 patients (73 men; mean age, 61 ± 13 years) who met inclusion criteria were followed for 30.8 ± 10.0 months. The patients were divided into two groups with or without major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of stroke, sudden death, and congestive heart failure. Detailed clinical and echocardiographic data were obtained. Results MACCE occurred in 24 patients (18 strokes, 4 congestive heart failure and 2 sudden deaths). Maximum LAV, minimum LAV, and LAV index (LAVI) corrected for body surface area (BSA) were significantly greater in patients with MACCE than those without MACCE (maximum LAV: 64.3 ± 25.0 vs. 51.9 ± 16.0 ml, p = 0.005; minimum LAV: 33.9 ± 15.1 vs. 26.2 ± 10.9 ml, p = 0.008; LAVI: 40.1 ± 15.4 vs. 31.5 ± 8.7 ml/mm2, p = 0.0009), while there were no differences in the other echocardiographic parameters. LAV/BSA of ≥ 40.4 ml/m2 to identify patients with cardiovascular complications with a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 88%. Conclusion LAVI may be an effective marker for detecting the risk of MACCE in patients with HCM and normal pump function.</p