Partitioned Method of Insect Flapping Flight for Maneuvering Analysis

This study proposed a partitioned method to analyze maneuvering of insects during flapping flight. This method decomposed the insect flapping flight into wing and body subsystems and then coupled them via boundary conditions imposed on the wing’s base using one-way coupling. In the wing subsystem, the strong coupling of the flexible wings and surrounding fluid was accurately analyzed using the finite element method to obtain the thrust forces acting on the insect’s body. The resulting thrust forces were passed from the wing subsystem to the body subsystem, and then rigid body motion was analyzed in the body subsystem. The rolling, yawing, and pitching motions were simulated using the proposed method as follows: In the rolling simulation, the difference of the stroke angle between the right and left wings caused a roll torque. In the yawing simulation, the initial feathering angle in the right wing only caused a yaw torque. In the pitching simulation, the difference between the front- and back-stroke angles in both the right and left wings caused a pitch torque. All three torques generated maneuvering motion comparable with that obtained in actual observations of insect flight. These results demonstrate that the proposed method can adequately simulate the fundamental maneuvers of insect flapping flight. In the present simulations, the maneuvering mechanisms were investigated at the governing equation level, which might be difficult using other approaches. Therefore, the proposed method will contribute to revealing the underlying insect flight mechanisms

Computational Fluid-Structure Interaction Framework for Simulating Characteristic Deformations in Insect Flapping Wings

In this study, a computational fluid­structure interaction (FSI) framework for characteristic deformations in insect's wings is proposed. The proposed framework consists of a pixel wing model using a structured shell finite element mesh, a projection method for the monolithic FSI monolithic equations using an algebraic splitting, and the FSI dynamic similarity law to measure dynamic similarity between model's and actual insect's flights. It is shown that the proposed framework can directly simulate passive feathering and cambering in insect's wings caused by the FSI, whose magnitudes are very close to those of actual insects

Pseudoelastic mesh–moving using a general scenario of the selective mesh stiffening

The selective mesh stiffening in this study changes the stiffness of the element based on both the element area and shape. It includes the stiffening in the previous studies as a specific case, and leads to a general scenario in the pseudoelastic mesh–moving. This scenario gives better mesh quality in the mesh-moving of a rectangular domain with a structure consisting of a square and a fin undergoes large rotations. This is because the shear deformation of the element is adaptively considered

cis interaction of CD153 with TCR/CD3 is crucial for the pathogenic activation of senescence-associated T cells

老化T細胞が自己免疫病や慢性炎症疾患を引き起こすメカニズムを解明 --老化関連疾患克服への新しいアプローチ--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-09-22.With age, senescence-associated (SA) CD4+ T cells that are refractory to T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation are increased along with spontaneous germinal center (Spt-GC) development prone to autoantibody production. We demonstrate that CD153 and its receptor CD30 are expressed in SA-T and Spt-GC B cells, respectively, and deficiency of either CD153 or CD30 results in the compromised increase of both cell types. CD153 engagement on SA-T cells upon TCR stimulation causes association of CD153 with the TCR/CD3 complex and restores TCR signaling, whereas CD30 engagement on GC B cells induces their expansion. Administration of an anti-CD153 antibody blocking the interaction with CD30 suppresses the increase in both SA-T and Spt-GC B cells with age and ameliorates lupus in lupus-prone mice. These results suggest that the molecular interaction of CD153 and CD30 plays a central role in the reciprocal activation of SA-T and Spt-GC B cells, leading to immunosenescent phenotypes and autoimmunity

Relationship between the Hip Abductor Muscles and Abduction Strength in Patients with Hip Osteoarthritis

This study aimed to determine which muscle the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus (Gmin), or tensor fasciae latae (TFL) contributes most to hip abduction strength and to identify effective sites for cross-sectional area (CSA) Gmin and TFL measurement in hip osteoarthritis (OAhip) patients. Twenty-eight patients with OAhip were included. The muscle CSA and volume were determined using magnetic resonance imaging. Peak isometric strength was determined using hand-held dynamometry. Muscle volumes were normalized to the total muscle volume of hip abductors. Multiple regression analysis was performed. The difference between the CSA of Gmin and TFL was calculated, and correlations with volume and muscle strength were determined. Gmin volume was related to abductor muscle strength (p=0.042). The peak CSA of the Gmin correlated with muscle volume and strength. The CSA of the TFL correlated with volume, with no difference between the CSA of the most protruding part of the lesser trochanter and peak CSA. Gmin volume was strongly related to abductor muscle strength. Peak CSA is a useful parameter for assessing the CSA of the Gmin among patients with OAhip. The CSA of the TFL should be measured at the most protruding part of the lesser trochanter

ヘルシンキ メトロポリア オウヨウ カガク ダイガク エノ タンキ リュウガク ニオケル カツドウ ホウコク

We visited Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences from August 14th to 22nd as a short-term study abroad supported by Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). We participated in the basic and clinical training of the oral hygiene course. Furthermore, we also visited the institution for elderly in Espoo and the orthopedic hospital in Helsinki. We reported the outline of the study abroad here

Alteration of Bentonite Reacted with Cementitious Materials for 5 and 10 Years in the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory (CI Experiment)

The cement–clay interaction (CI) experiment was carried out at the Mont Terri rock laboratory to complement the current knowledge on the influence that cementitious materials have on Opalinus Clay (OPA) and bentonite (MX). Drill cores including the interface of OPA, concrete (LAC = low-alkali binder, and OPC = ordinary Portland cement), and MX, which interacted for 4.9 and 10 years, were successfully retrieved after drilling, and detailed analyses were performed to evaluate potential mineralogical changes. The saturated compacted bentonites in core samples were divided into ten slices, profiling bentonite in the direction towards the interface, to evaluate the extent and spatial variation of the mineralogical alteration of bentonite. Regarding the mineral compositions of bentonite, cristobalite was dissolved within a range of 10 mm from the interface in both LAC-MX and OPC-MX, while calcite precipitated near the interface for OPC-MX. In LAC-MX and OPC-MX, secondary products containing Mg (e.g., M-S-H) also precipitated within 20 mm of the interface. These alterations of bentonite developed during the first 4.9 years, with very limited progress observed for the subsequent 5 years. Detectable changes in the mineralogical nature of montmorillonite (i.e., the formation of illite or beidellite, increase in layer charge) did not occur during the 10 years of interaction