On relative tt-designs in polynomial association schemes

Motivated by the similarities between the theory of spherical $t$-designs and that of $t$-designs in $Q$-polynomial association schemes, we study two versions of relative $t$-designs, the counterparts of Euclidean $t$-designs for $P$- and/or $Q$-polynomial association schemes. We develop the theory based on the Terwilliger algebra, which is a noncommutative associative semisimple $\mathbb{C}$-algebra associated with each vertex of an association scheme. We compute explicitly the Fisher type lower bounds on the sizes of relative $t$-designs, assuming that certain irreducible modules behave nicely. The two versions of relative $t$-designs turn out to be equivalent in the case of the Hamming schemes. From this point of view, we establish a new algebraic characterization of the Hamming schemes.Comment: 17 page

Mackey's theory of τ\tau-conjugate representations for finite groups. APPENDIX: On Some Gelfand Pairs and Commutative Association Schemes

The aim of the present paper is to expose two contributions of Mackey, together with a more recent result of Kawanaka and Matsuyama, generalized by Bump and Ginzburg, on the representation theory of a finite group equipped with an involutory anti-automorphism (e.g. the anti-automorphism $g\mapsto g^{-1}$). Mackey's first contribution is a detailed version of the so-called Gelfand criterion for weakly symmetric Gelfand pairs. Mackey's second contribution is a characterization of simply reducible groups (a notion introduced by Wigner). The other result is a twisted version of the Frobenius-Schur theorem, where "twisted" refers to the above-mentioned involutory anti-automorphism. APPENDIX: We consider a special condition related to Gelfand pairs. Namely, we call a finite group $G$ and its automorphism $\sigma$ satisfy Condition ($\bigstar$) if the following condition is satisfied: if for $x,y\in G$, $x\cdot x^{-\sigma}$ and $y\cdot y^{-\sigma}$ are conjugate in $G$, then they are conjugate in $K=C_G(\sigma)$. We study the meanings of this condition, as well as showing many examples of $G$ and $\sigma$ which do (or do not) satisfy Condition ($\bigstar$).Comment: This consists of a 38 pages paper and a 7 pages APPENDIX. The original version of the appendix appeared in the unofficial proceedings, "Combinatorial Number Theory and Algebraic Combinatorics", November 18--21, 2002, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan, pp. 1--

Analytic Solutions of Teukolsky Equation in Kerr-de Sitter and Kerr-Newman-de Sitter Geometries

The analytic solution of Teukolsky equation in Kerr-de Sitter and Kerr-Newman-de Sitter geometries is presented and the properties of the solution are examined. In particular, we show that our solution satisfies the Teukolsky-Starobinsky identities explicitly and fix the relative normalization between solutions with the spin weight $s$ and $-s$.Comment: 24 pages, LaTe

Effects of the Ambient Stratification Condition in Eutrophicated Reservoirs on the Type of Antenna Pigments of Dominant Cyanobacteria

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Role of proteoglycan synthesis genes in osteosarcoma stem cells

Osteosarcoma stem cells (OSCs) contribute to the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma (OS), which is the most common malignant primary bone tumor. The significance and underlying mechanisms of action of proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in OSC phenotypes and OS malignancy are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of PG/GAG biosynthesis and the corresponding candidate genes in OSCs and poor clinical outcomes in OS using scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq datasets of clinical OS specimens, accompanied by biological validation by in vitro genetic and pharmacological analyses. The expression of β-1,3-glucuronyltransferase 3 (B3GAT3), one of the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of the common core tetrasaccharide linker region of PGs, was significantly upregulated in both OSC populations and OS tissues and was associated with poor survival in patients with OS with high stem cell properties. Moreover, the genetic inactivation of B3GAT3 by RNA interference and pharmacological inhibition of PG biosynthesis abrogated the self-renewal potential of OSCs. Collectively, these findings suggest a pivotal role for B3GAT3 and PG/GAG biosynthesis in the regulation of OSC phenotypes and OS malignancy, thereby providing a potential target for OSC-directed therapy

Studies of the efficacy and safety of methotrexate at dosages over 8 mg/week using the IORRA cohort database

The maximum dosage of methotrexate (MTX) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) formally approved in Japan is 8 mg/week. We intended to examine the efficacy and safety of MTX at dosages over 8 mg/week in Japanese rheumatoid arthritis patients using the large Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) cohort database. Among 9,122 patients registered in the IORRA database from the October 2000 survey to the October 2007 survey, 5,201 patients who had been treated with MTX were selected. We attempted to overcome the drawbacks innate to nonrandomized studies by using longitudinal analyses and multifactorial logistic regression analyses. Cross-sectional analysis of data obtained from the October 2007 survey indicated that dosages of MTX higher than 8 mg/week were used in 27.5% of patients treated with MTX. Longitudinal analyses based on data from three consecutive phases showed that final Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28) values were significantly lower [n = 260, mean difference 0.563, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.438–0.688, P < 2.2 × 10−22, two-sided paired t test] than initial values when MTX was increased from 8 mg/week or lower to over 8 mg/week. In addition, longitudinal analyses based on data from two consecutive phases indicated decreases in DAS28 values of 0.26 ± 1.04 (n = 690, P = 6.78 × 10−11, two-sided paired t test) when MTX dosages were increased from 8 mg/week or lower to over 8 mg/week, compared with decreases of 0.07 ± 0.89 (n = 2,125, P = 0.000307) when the dosage was maintained at 8 mg/week. The decreases in DAS28 values were significantly larger in the former than the latter (P = 2.27 × 10−6, two-sided unpaired t test). Concerning safety of MTX at dosages over 8 mg/week, we performed logistic regression analysis in which the objective variable was the existence or nonexistence of self-reported side-effects and the explanatory variable was the MTX dosage in the former phase, with adjustments made for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), steroid administration, folic acid administration, concomitant pulmonary diseases, and renal dysfunction. The results indicated that MTX dosages over 8 mg/week did not have any association with either severe or severe + moderate side-effects. These data regarding both efficacy and safety of MTX at dosages over 8 mg/week in Japanese RA patients would provide the basis for use of the drug at dosages currently not formally approved by the Japanese government

Changes in Knowledge Levels through Lectures on Radiotherapy to Nursing Students in Japan

Background:Recently, the number of patients choosing radiotherapy is increasing in Japan. It is necessary for even nurses to have knowledge of radiotherapy. We measured the degree of awareness with a lecture on how a nursing student can obtain knowledge of radiotherapy.Materials and methods: Forty nursing students who were in their third year and preparing for their national nursing certification in two months were recruited. The 90-min lecture covered a range of topics from general theories to specific concepts. The students were not informed that they would be required to fill a survey at the end of the lecture. This was to avoid bias that could occur from knowing in advance that a survey would be conducted.Results: The following items below were particularly remarkable. The distinction between the radiologist and the radiation oncologist. The radiotherapy is a local therapy. The pain from bone metastasis could be relieved.Conclusion: Students had very little knowledge on radiotherapy before the lecture. the results of this study indicated the need to increase the number of lectures on radiotherapy for nursing as well medical students. As the number of radiotherapy patients increases

Asymmetric reductive cyclization using the intramolecular conjugate addition of enolates onto α,β-unsaturated sulfoxides

Li(sec-Bu)3BH-mediated reductive cyclization of optically pure 8-((S)-p-tolylsulfinyl)-(2E,7Z)-octadienoate 9 and 7-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-2,6-heptadienoate 16 afforded trans-2-((p-tolylsulfinyl)-methyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate and trans-2-((p-tolylsulfinyl)methyl)cyclopentane-1-carboxylate, respectively, as a single isomer

Preparatory acoustic emission activity of hydraulic fracture in granite with various viscous fluids revealed by deep learning technique

To investigate the influence of fluid viscosity on the fracturing process, we conducted hydraulic fracturing experiments on Kurokami-jima granite specimens with resins of various viscosities. We monitored the acoustic emission (AE) activity during fracturing and estimated the moment tensor (MT) solutions for 54 727 AE events using a deep learning technique. We observed the breakdown at 14–22 MPa of borehole pressure, which was dependent on the viscosity, as well as two preparatory phases accompanying the expansion of AE-active regions. The first expansion phase typically began at 10–30 per cent of the breakdown pressure, where AEs occurred three-dimensionally surrounding the wellbore and their active region expanded with time towards the external boundaries of the specimen. The MT solutions of these AEs corresponded to crack-opening (tensile) events in various orientations. The second expansion phase began at 90–99 per cent of the breakdown pressure. During this phase, a new planar AE distribution emerged from the borehole and expanded along the maximum compression axis, and the focal mechanisms of these AEs corresponded to the tensile events on the AE-delineating plane. We interpreted that the first phase was induced by fluid penetration into pre-existing microcracks, such as grain boundaries, and the second phase corresponded to the main fracture formation. Significant dependences on fluid viscosity were observed in the borehole pressure at the time of main fracture initiation and in the speed of the fracture propagation in the second phase. The AE activity observed in the present study was fairly complex compared to that observed in previous experiments conducted on tight shale samples. This difference indicates the importance of the interaction between the fracturing fluid and pre-existing microcracks in the fracturing process