TESTING OF ROTATIONAL EXERCISE EQUIPMENT TO IMPROVE THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM

The primary purpose of this study was to test the effect of training using the rotational exercise equipment developed in this study on the improvement of the vestibular system. In order to test the rotational exercise equipment developed in this study, 15 ordinary college students had trainings for 8 weeks and their nystagmus intensity was analyzed. The findings showed that the rotational training using the rotational exercise equipment affected vestibular balance, as it significantly decreased the slow phase velocity (SPV) immediately after rotational stimulation and reduced the recovery time of nystagmus to normal

REMOTE SENSING OF WAVE DIRECTIONALITY BY TWO-DIMENSIONAL DIRECTIONAL WAVELETS: PART 1. THE DETECTION TOOLS OF DIRECTIONALITY IN SIGNALS

This paper presents the results of a study investigating methods of wave directionality based on wavelet transform. In part 1 of this paper, the theoretical background and characteristics of directional wavelet were discussed. Morlet wavelet and Cauchy wavelet were examined to test their efficiency in detection of directionality in signals. These wavelets were tested on numerical images which were considered to describe the basic characteristics of directionality of ocean waves

Alpha-tocopherol exerts protective function against the mucotoxicity of particulate matter in amphibian and human goblet cells

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) in ambient air is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders and mortality. The cytotoxicity of PM is mainly due to the abnormal increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage cellular components such as DNA, RNA, and proteins. The correlation between PM exposure and human disorders, including mortality, is based on long-term exposure. In this study we have investigated acute responses of mucus-secreting goblet cells upon exposure to PM derived from a heavy diesel engine. To this end, we employed the mucociliary epithelium of amphibian embryos and human Calu-3 cells to examine PM mucotoxicity. Our data suggest that acute exposure to PM significantly impairs mucus secretion and results in the accumulation of mucus vesicles in the cytoplasm of goblet cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed that acute responses to PM exposure significantly altered gene expression patterns; however, known regulators of mucus production and the secretory pathway were not significantly altered. Interestingly, pretreatment with alpha-tocopherol nearly recovered the hyposecretion of mucus from both amphibian and human goblet cells. We believe this study demonstrates the mucotoxicity of PM and the protective function of alpha-tocopherol on mucotoxicity caused by acute PM exposure from heavy diesel engines

DNA Checkpoint and Repair Factors Are Nuclear Sensors for Intracellular Organelle Stresses-Inflammations and Cancers Can Have High Genomic Risks.

Under inflammatory conditions, inflammatory cells release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) which cause DNA damage. If not appropriately repaired, DNA damage leads to gene mutations and genomic instability. DNA damage checkpoint factors (DDCF) and DNA damage repair factors (DDRF) play a vital role in maintaining genomic integrity. However, how DDCFs and DDRFs are modulated under physiological and pathological conditions are not fully known. We took an experimental database analysis to determine the expression of 26 DNA D

REMOTE SENSING OF WAVE DIRECTIONALITY BY TWO-DIMENSIONAL DIRECTIONAL WAVELETS : PART 2. APPLICATIONS TO THE NUMERICAL AND FIELD DATA

This paper presents the results of a study investigating methods of interpretation of wave directionality based on wavelet transform. In part 1 of this paper, the tools to be used in detection of wave directionality, i. e., the Morlet and Cauchy wavelets, were described. This paper presents the application results of the directional wavelet to numerically generated images and video images taken in laboratory wave flume, river, and sea. The results showed that directional wavelet transform can be an efficient tool in detecting wave directionality with extremely low effort and cost when it is compared to traditional practices in use

Tactile feedback display with spatial and temporal resolutions.

We report the electronic recording of the touch contact and pressure using an active matrix pressure sensor array made of transparent zinc oxide thin-film transistors and tactile feedback display using an array of diaphragm actuators made of an interpenetrating polymer elastomer network. Digital replay, editing and manipulation of the recorded touch events were demonstrated with both spatial and temporal resolutions. Analog reproduction of the force is also shown possible using the polymer actuators, despite of the high driving voltage. The ability to record, store, edit, and replay touch information adds an additional dimension to digital technologies and extends the capabilities of modern information exchange with the potential to revolutionize physical learning, social networking, e-commerce, robotics, gaming, medical and military applications

Unusual thermopower of inhomogeneous graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition

We report on thermopower (TEP) and resistance measurements of inhomogeneous graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Unlike the conventional resistance of pristine graphene, the gate-dependent TEP shows a large electron-hole asymmetry. This can be accounted for by inhomogeneity of the CVD-graphene where individual graphene regions contribute with different TEPs. At the high magnetic field and low temperature, the TEP has large fluctuations near the Dirac point associated with the disorder in the CVD-graphene. TEP measurements reveal additional characteristics of CVD-graphene, which are difficult to obtain from the measurement of resistance alone

Fipronil Promotes Adipogenesis via AMPKα-mediated Pathway in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Emerging evidence suggests that organochlorine, organophosphorus and neonicotinoid insecticide exposure may be linked to the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, there is no knowledge of the potential influence of fipronil, which belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family, on obesity. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the role of fipronil in adipogenesis using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fipronil treatment, at 10 mM, increased fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes as well as promoted key regulators of adipocyte differentiation (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-γ), and key regulators of lipogenesis (acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase). The activation of AMPKα with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) abolished effects of fipronil on increased adipogenesis. These results suggest that fipronil alters adipogenesis and results in increased lipid accumulation through a AMPKα-mediated pathway