BGDL-II: a GPS data logger for birds

We have developed a new GPS data logger consisting of a receiver, timer, memory, and battery. It is principally designed for long period tracking of migratory birds. It can fix 600 positions with one small lithium battery. We can set an arbitrary measuring schedule prior to each experiment. We can, for example, track a bird over six months, fixing positions three times a day. The whole unit weighs 67 g including battery and casing. The casing is pressure-resistant up to 3 bars. The main advantages compared to tracking methods based on the ARGOS system are: 1) several times cheaper equipment, 2) no charge for the use of satellite links, 3) the errors in the position data obtained are more than 10 times smaller, 4) the schedule setting has greater flexibility, and 5) the fixing has a lesser failure rate. However these advantages are realized at the cost of real time delivery of position data as users must re-capture the birds to obtain the stored data. In this paper, we explain the configuration of equipment, principles of operation, and the performance. We also discuss some results of albatross tracking. In the experiment the failure rate in the fixing of the albatross positions averaged 20%

Shootins mediate collective cell migration and organogenesis of the zebrafish posterior lateral line system

The zebrafish sensory posterior lateral line is an excellent model system to study collective cell migration and organogenesis. Shootin1 is a cytoplasmic protein involved in neuronal polarization and axon guidance. Previous studies have shown that shootin1 couples actin filament retrograde flow with extracellular adhesive substrates at the leading edge of axonal growth cones, thereby producing mechanical force for the migration and guidance of axonal growth cones. However, the functions of shootin in peripheral cells remain unknown. Here we identified two novel shootin family members, shootin2 and shootin3. In zebrafish, shootin1 and shootin3 are expressed in the posterior lateral line primordium (PLLP) and neuromasts during embryonic development. A shootin1 mutant displayed a reduced speed of PLLP migration, while shootin1;shootin3 double mutation inhibited cell proliferation in the PLLP. Furthermore, our results suggest that shootin1 and shootin3 positively regulate the number of neuromasts and the number of cells in deposited neuromasts. Our study demonstrates that shootins mediate collective cell migration of the posterior lateral line primordium and formation of neuromasts in zebrafish

The Exercise of Power and Participants' Emergent Network in Faculty Meeting

大学の教員会議での参与者は、それぞれ異なる社会的地位にあるが、会話の中で常にそれが顕在化されているわけではない。本稿では、パワーというものを会話を自分の望む方向に持って行く力と位置付け、その行使の方法について分析を行なった。その結果、(1)会話におけるパワーの行使は他の参与者の承認を得た上で成し遂げられていること、(2)会話における割り込みでは、相手の発話の中断だけでなく、参与者の反応に見られるトピックの移行によってもパワーの行使やその場その場の地位の変化がより顕在化すること、(3)状況説明によって物事の決定がなされていることから、会話内での地位の形成は会議で決定される事項に大きく関わっていることを明らかにした。以上をふまえ、教員会議というフォーマルで社会的地位の順位づけがはっきりしている場面においても、会話における参与者の地位はその都度変化し、創発的なネットワークを作り上げていることを主張する。Each participant in a faculty meeting is in different social status, but it is not always crucial in a conversation. The authors, then, define power as the capacity to bring conversation to desired goals for one of the participants to analyze the way that power is exercised. Through the analysis, they show the following three results: (1) Social role of the participants is used for exercising power in the conversation. (2) About interruption, not only interruption itself but also others' reaction to the interruption or changing topics clarifies the exercise of power. (3) The explanation of circumstances leads to the final decision in a faculty meeting and the fact makes it clear that the formation of the participants' status in the conversation bears a deep relation to what is decided in the meeting. Based on these three results, the authors argue that a participant's status in conversation changes from occasion to occasion to create the emergent network among the participants even in a faculty meeting which is systematic and reveals their ranks in latent status

High Rate of Awarding Compensation for Claims of Injuries Related to Clinical Trials by Pharmaceutical Companies in Japan: A Questionnaire Survey

<div><p>Introduction</p><p>International norms and ethical standards have suggested that compensation for research-related injury should be provided to injured research volunteers. However, statistical data of incidence of compensation claims and the rate of awarding them have been rarely reported.</p><p>Method</p><p>Questionnaire surveys were sent to pharmaceutical companies and medical institutions, focusing on industry-initiated clinical trials aiming at new drug applications (NDAs) on patient volunteers in Japan.</p><p>Results</p><p>With the answers from pharmaceutical companies, the incidence of compensation was 0.8%, including 0.06% of monetary compensation. Of the cases of compensation claims, 99% were awarded. In turn, with the answers from medical institutions, the incidence of compensation was 0.6%, including 0.4% of serious but not death cases, and 0.04% of death cases. Furthermore, most claims for compensation were initiated by medical institutions, rather than by the patients. On the other hand, with the answers from clinical trial volunteers, 3% of respondents received compensations. These compensated cases were 25% of the injuries which cannot be ruled out from the scope of compensation.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Our study results demonstrated that Japanese pharmaceutical companies have provided a high rate of compensation for clinical trial-related injuries despite the possibility of overestimation. In the era of global clinical development, our study indicates the importance of further surveys to find each country's compensation policy by determining how it is being implemented based on a survey of the actual status of compensation coming from statistical data.</p></div