Economic effects analysis of public investment in road improvement works in Hokkaido. Simulation analysis based on a macro-econometric model of Hokkaido

The objective of this study is to clarify how public investment in road improvement projects over a given analytical period of time has affected Hokkaido`s economic structure on the whole in relation to the industrial economy, prefectural income, household consumption, and commodity prices, through a simulation analysis based on a macro-econometric model. More specifically, our goal is to model both the direct effects achieved through the use of improved roads including the reduction of time-distance coefficients, the reduction of transportation costs and market expansion, and the indirect effects such as enhancement of lifestyles and convenience and influence on other public projects including living area improvement and promotion of regional areas, and to identify these effects quantitatively. Taking data availability into consideration, this study covers a 21-year analysis period covering the years 1976 through 1996. In constructing a quantitative model, the effect flow to be modeled was examined from two perspectives: 1) an effect flow showing the effects of road improvement works on production efficiency and market efficiency; and 2) an effect flow showing the effects of road improvement works on living standards considering convenience and lifestyle improvement. Then we attempted building a model that could indicate the occurrence of these effects in both Flow and Stock contexts. As a result of the simulation analysis, it was clarified that application of road improvement works would bring about pronounced positive economic benefits in tertiary industries, particularly in the transportation-service and wholesale/retail sectors, and greatly expand the prefectural net product on the whole. It was also revealed that these expansion effects would stimulate an increase in the prefectural income and in private final consumption expenditure. Furthermore, a simulation analysis on the economic effects that the expansion of the express-highway network would have on Hokkaido`s entire economy revealed that there would be a large effect particularly on investment and production within the transportation/communication industry and also on the commercial output of the wholesale/retail industry.

Robotic servicing system for space material experiment

A containerless image furnace with an electrostatic positioning device has been developed as one of the material experiment facilities on the Japanese experimental module (JEM). It is characterized by heating/melting/cooling the sample whose position is kept without any contacts by actively controlled electrostatic force exerted between the sample and a set of electrodes. The experiment using the image furnace requires various servicing operations. We have been developing a robotic servicing system with an internal robot accommodated in the rack as an alternative to the crew. It aims to reduce the load on the crew by automating regular tasks and to increase the flexibility applicable to simple irregular tasks by introducing a remote teleoperation scheme. The present robot has poor capability to replace the crew. In order to compensate it, introducing of the concept of the robot friendliness and improving the controllability of the teleoperation by the ground operator aids are essential. In this paper, we identify the tasks to be performed by the robotic servicing system and discuss the way to compensate the capability of the robot. In addition we describe the evaluation tests using an experimental model

Recurrent venous thromboembolism after discontinuation of rivaroxaban therapy in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome

A Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by thrombembolic events including thromboembolism (VTE) in association with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. The standard treatment of VTE historically consists of anticoagulation therapy with warfarin, a vitamin K antagonist. Recently, direct oral anticoagulants, including rivaroxaban have become available for the treatment of VTE. However, the choice of anticoagulant, and the duration of anticoagulation in patients with APS has not been determined yet due to lack of evidence. Here, we report a case of recurrent venous thrombosis after discontinuation of rivaroxaban therapy and avoiding sedentary life style in a patient with APS. We suggest that indefinite anticoagulation therapy might be needed even in low risk APS cases

Hydrogen-assisted fabrication of spherical gold nanoparticles through sonochemical reduction of tetrachloride gold(III) ions in water

Spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were selectively synthesized through sonochemical reduction of tetrachloride gold(III) ions ([AuCl4](-)) in an aqueous solution of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(III) tetrahydrate (HAuCl4.H2O) with the aid of hydrogen (H-2) gas in the absence of any additional capping agents. On the other hand, various shaped-AuNPs such as spherical nanoparticles, triangular and hexagonal plates were formed from sonochemical reduction of [AuCl4](-) in argon (Ar)-, nitrogen (N-2)- or oxygen (O-2)-purged aqueous [AuCl4](-) solutions. The selective fabrication of spherical AuNPs assisted by H-2 gas is most likely attributed to the generation of hydrogen radicals (H center dot) promoted by the reaction of H-2 introduced and hydrogen oxide radicals (center dot OH) produced by sonolysis of water.ArticleULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY. 21(3):946-950 (2014)journal articl

A new containerless image furnace with electro-static positioning device

A new containerless image furnace with a microwave discharge plasma lamp and electrostatic positioning device was developed for the use of the microgravity experiment on the Japanese experimental module (JEM). The electrostatic positioning system was tested under the reduced gravity environment in the MU-300 aircraft. Solid specimens (maximum weight is 1.3 gr and 10 mm in diameter) and water drops (maximum weight is 0.11 gr and 6 mm in diameter) were successfully controlled under the 0.02G environment. Rotation control of the dielectric specimen was also possible by means of supplying a rotating electric field while the specimen is levitating. The measured rotation speed of the glass shell specimen (0.08 gr, 10 mm) was up to 110 rpm, when the rotating field frequency was 6Hz

Regional cerebral tissue blood flow measured by the colored microsphere method during retrograde cerebral perfusion

AbstractBrain tissue blood flow was measured precisely by the colored microsphere method during retrograde cerebral perfusion in 10 normothermic mongrel dogs. The average tissue blood flow rates to the cerebral cortex, cerebral medulla, brain stem, cerebellum, and spinal cord during retrograde cerebral perfusion at 25 mm Hg of external jugular venous pressure were 10.5 ± 10.3, 4.2 ± 4.6, 11.1 ± 9.8, 12.3 ± 8.6, and 9.1 ± 5.8 ml/min per 100 gm, respectively. The brain was perfused wholly by retrograde cerebral perfusion without lateralization. Total cerebral blood flow was calculated as the sum total rates of blood flow to each area. Total cerebral blood flow during retrograde cerebral perfusion at 25 mm Hg was 7.8 ± 4.4 ml/min, which represented 3.5% ± 1.9% of whole body blood flow and one third of the total cerebral blood flow (28.0 ± 4.2 ml/min) during cardiopulmonary bypass at a flow rate of 1000 ml/min. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide elimination by the total cerebrum during retrograde cerebral perfusion at 25 mm Hg were 0.54 ± 0.23 ml/min and 34 ± 15 μmol/min, respectively, or 8.6% ± 3.6% and 7.0% ± 3.1% of the corresponding whole body value and represented about one third of that measured during cardiopulmonary bypass (1.21 ± 0.39 ml/min and 96 ± 15 μmol/min). Total cerebral blood flow, total cerebral oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide elimination increased as the external jugular venous pressure increased from 15 to 25 mm Hg; however, no further increase occurred once the external jugular venous pressure exceeded 25 mm Hg. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1995;109:772-9

Surfactant- and reducer-free synthesis of gold nanoparticles in aqueous solutions

We report here the surfactant- and reducer-free synthesis of gold nanoparticles from an aqueous hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (III) tetrahydrate (HAuCl(4)center dot 4H(2)O) solution using a high-frequency (950 kHz) ultrasound (in the absence of any stabilizing, capping and reducing agents). In particular, size, shape and stability of gold nanoparticles prepared by the 950 kHz ultrasound irradiation (sonication) for 8 min in the surfactant-free aqueous solutions were examined in terms of AuCl(4)(-) concentration (in the range of 0.01-0.1 mM), additional salts (NaCl, HCl and NaOH) and temperature (in the range of 4-60 degrees C). We found that higher AuCl(4)(-) concentration promoted particle growth (size increase) and plate formation. In addition, the plate formation was enhanced with the addition of NaCl or HCl (but not NaOH). This is most likely due to the AuCl(4)(-) reduction on a certain crystal facets (e.g. (1 1 0) facets) caused by the adsorption of Cl(-) ions on specific crystal facets (e.g. (1 1 1) facets). Furthermore, we revealed that the temperature elevated above 50 degrees C led to the formation of spherical gold nanoparticles with the diameter of 20-60 nm from a 0.1 mM AuCl(4)(-) aqueous solution while triangular plates formed coexisting with spherical nanoparticles below 50 degrees C.ArticleCOLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS. 347(1-3):18-26 (2009)journal articl

Association of the C825T polymorphism of the G-protein β3 subunit gene with hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, diabetic complications, and diabetic therapies among Japanese

金沢大学大学院医学系研究科環境社会医学A C825T polymorphism of the gene encoding the G-protein β3 subunit (GNB3) is associated with increased intracellular signal transduction. We know that this C825T polymorphism may influence hypertension and obesity. In whites, the C825T polymorphism has been reported to induce hypertension, obesity, and diabetic nephropathy. Thus, we investigated how genetic variation in the GNB3 gene is associated with hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, diabetic complications, and diabetic therapies in 427 Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and in 368 Japanese subjects who underwent general health examinations. The frequency of the GNB3 gene polymorphism was 0.48 and 0.47 in subjects with diabetes and in those who had general health examinations, respectively. The amount of hyperlipidemia of the CT allele was significantly lower than the amount in the CC allele in the Japanese subjects with diabetes. Our results suggest that the C825T polymorphism influences lipid metabolism and is not associated with hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, diabetic complications, or diabetic therapies. © 2007