Effects of Aspect Ratio and Distance between Two Square Cylinders in a Tandem Arrangement on In-Line Oscillation Characteristics

When multiple structures, such as the main towers for a bridge, heat exchangers and offshore structures, are placed adjacently in fluid, structures placed in the downstream side are exposed to complicated flow regions, because the separated shear layer reattaches to the downstream structures or interferes with the flow. For this reason, the distance between structures greatly influences changes in flow patterns around the downstream cylinder structures, so that the response characteristics of structures can be altered correspondingly. The purpose of this study is to identify the basic in-line oscillation characteristics of two square cylinders in a tandem arrangement. Based on the supposition of actual structures, spring-supported tests, with both square cylinders elastically suspended, were conducted. Not only the distance between the two cylinders but also the aspect ratio, was also chosen as the parameters. Because it was found by past researches that the in-line oscillation characteristics of single cylinder depends on the aspect ratio, it was thought to be important to confirm it by two cylinders. Furthermore, flow visualization tests were performed by forced-oscillating two cylinders for consideration from the results of the spring-supported test.9th International Symposium on Fluid-Structure Interactions, Flow-Sound Interactions, Flow-Induced Vibration & Noise (FIV2018: FSI2 & FIV+N.), July 8-11, 2018, Toronto, Ontario, Canad

Aromatic oil from lavender as an atopic dermatitis suppressant

In atopic dermatitis (AD), nerves are abnormally stretched near the surface of the skin, making it sensitive to itching. Expression of neurotrophic factor Artemin (ARTN) involved in such nerve stretching is induced by the xenobiotic response (XRE) to air pollutants and UV radiation products. Therefore, AD can be monitored by the XRE response. Previously, we established a human keratinocyte cell line stably expressing a NanoLuc reporter gene downstream of XRE. We found that 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ), a tryptophan metabolite and known inducer of the XRE, increased reporter and Artemin mRNA expression, indicating that FICZ-treated cells could be a model for AD. Lavender essential oil has been used in folk medicine to treat AD, but the scientific basis for its use is unclear. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of lavender essential oil and its major components, linalyl acetate and linalool, to suppress AD and sensitize skin using the established AD model cell line, and keratinocyte and dendritic cell activation assays. Our results indicated that lavender essential oil from L. angustifolia and linalyl acetate exerted a strong AD inhibitory effect and almost no skin sensitization. Our model is useful in that it can circumvent the practice of using animal studies to evaluate AD medicines

Oral pathobiont induces systemic inflammation and metabolic changes associated with alteration of gut microbiota.

Periodontitis has been implicated as a risk factor for metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic vascular diseases, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Although bacteremias from dental plaque and/or elevated circulating inflammatory cytokines emanating from the inflamed gingiva are suspected mechanisms linking periodontitis and these diseases, direct evidence is lacking. We hypothesize that disturbances of the gut microbiota by swallowed bacteria induce a metabolic endotoxemia leading metabolic disorders. To investigate this hypothesis, changes in the gut microbiota, insulin and glucose intolerance, and levels of tissue inflammation were analysed in mice after oral administration of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a representative periodontopathogens. Pyrosequencing revealed that the population belonging to Bacteroidales was significantly elevated in P. gingivalis-administered mice which coincided with increases in insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. In P. gingivalis-administered mice blood endotoxin levels tended to be higher, whereas gene expression of tight junction proteins in the ileum was significantly decreased. These results provide a new paradigm for the interrelationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases

Spermatogenic cell-specific type 1 hexokinase is the predominant hexokinase in sperm

Hexokinase is the first enzyme in the glycolytic pathway and utilizes ATP to convert glucose to glucose-6-phosphate (G6P). We previously identified three variant transcripts of Hk1 that are expressed specifically in spermatogenic cells, have different 5′ untranslated regions, and encode a protein (HK1S, spermatogenic cell-specific type 1 hexokinase) in which the porin-binding domain (PBD) of HK1 is replaced by a novel N-terminal spermatogenic cell-specific region (SSR). However, the level of expression of the individual variant transcripts or of the other members of the hexokinase gene family (Hk2, Hk3, and Gck) in spermatogenic cells remains uncertain. We show that Hk1, Hk2, and Hk3 transcripts levels are quite low in spermatocytes and spermatids and Gck transcripts are relatively abundant in spermatids, but that GCK is not detected in spermatozoa. Using real time RT-PCR (qPCR) with primers specific for each of the three variant forms and RNA from whole testis and isolated germ cells, we found that transcripts for Hk1_v2 and Hk1_v3, but not for Hk1_v1, are relatively high in spermatids. Similar results were seen using spermatogenic cells isolated by laser-capture microdissection (LCM). Immunoblotting studies found that HK1S is abundant in sperm, and immunostaining confirmed that HK1S is located mainly in the principal piece of the sperm flagellum, where other spermatogenic cell-specific glycolytic enzymes have been found. These results strongly suggest that HK1, HK2, HK3 and GCK are unlikely to have a role in glycolysis in sperm and that HK1S encoded by Hk1_v2 and Hk1_v3 serves this role

Comparison of Anti-Inflammatory Analgesics for Mechanical Stress-induced Inflammation in a Human Synovial Sarcoma Cell Line

Osteoarthritis is a complicated clinical condition affected by age, mechanical stress, cartilage hypertrophy, cytokines, and genetic predisposition. In this study, we compared the effects of various anti-inflammatory analgesics on mechanical stress-induced inflammation in a synovial sarcoma cell line （SW982 cells）. SW982 cells exposed to mechanical stress by shaking with hydroxyapatite-simulating bone chips were treated with acetaminophen, ketoprofen, triamcinolone acetonide, celecoxib, or neurotrophin for 48hr. The expression of integrin α5β1 receptor, observed in fibroblasts and synovium, was evaluated. Levels of the transcription factor, nuclear factor-κB, the inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α, the proteolytic enzyme, matrix metalloproteinase-3, and prostaglandin E2, which is associated with pain and arachidonate cascade product levels, were measured by ELISA. The expression of integrin α5β1 was significantly increased by mechanical stress. Activation of nuclear factor-κB by mechanical stress was significantly suppressed by celecoxib only. Mechanical stress-induced increases in tumor necrosis factor-α and matrix metalloproteinase-3 levels were significantly suppressed by acetaminophen, triamcinolone acetonide, and neurotrophin. The mechanical stress-induced increase in prostaglandin E2 levels was significantly suppressed by acetaminophen, ketoprofen, and celecoxib. SW982 exposed to mechanical stress is proposed as a model for arthritis, and indeed, the expression of integrin α5β1, a membrane receptor protein that binds to fibronectin and the extracellular matrix, and is involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and neovascularization in osteoarthritis, was significantly upregulated. Following evaluation using this model, acetaminophen was found to possess anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and joint-destruction suppression properties. This drug may, therefore, have applications in the treatment of mechanical stress-induced inflammation

Evaluation of changes in hepatic disposition of phenolsulfonphthalein, indocyanine green and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran at low temperatures using a rat liver perfusion system

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the factor changing the hepatic disposition of a drug during hypothermia using a rat liver perfusion system. Methods The livers of male Wistar rats were perfused at 37, 32 or 28°C in the single-pass mode. Venous outflow dilution patterns and biliary excretion rate patterns of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP), indocyanine green (ICG) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (FD-4, MW 4400) after the injection of a bolus into the perfused rat liver were analysed based on statistical moment theory. Key findings The first-pass extraction ratio (E h) of PSP was significantly decreased at 32 and 28°C compared with 37°C. The biliary recovery of PSP and its conjugate was decreased and the biliary excretion was kept at a high concentration and was prolonged by low perfusion temperatures. ICG was almost extracted by a single-pass through the liver even at 32 and 28°C. The biliary recovery of ICG was significantly decreased at low temperature. Although the distribution volume of FD-4 as a vascular reference was not changed by perfusion temperature, the E h of FD-4 was decreased at 28°C although not markedly. Conclusion The change in hepatic disposition of a drug at low perfusion temperatures differed according to disposition processes under hypothermia

Measurement of neutral mesons in p + p collisions at √s = 200 GeV and scaling properties of hadron production

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured the invariant differential cross section for production of K^_, ω, η', and φ mesons in p + p collisions at √s = 200 GeV. Measurements of ω and φ production in different decay channels give consistent results. New results for the ω are in agreement with previously published data and extend the measured pT coverage. The spectral shapes of all hadron transverse momentum distributions measured by PHENIX are well described by a Tsallis distribution functional form with only two parameters, n and T, determining the high-pT and characterizing the low-pT regions of the spectra, respectively. The values of these parameters are very similar for all analyzed meson spectra, but with a lower parameter T extracted for protons. The integrated invariant cross sections calculated from the fitted distributions are found to be consistent with existing measurements and with statistical model predictions

Discrimination of Stem Cell Status after Subjecting Cynomolgus Monkey Pluripotent Stem Cells to Naïve Conversion

Experimental animal models have played an indispensable role in the development of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) research. The derivation of high-quality (so-called “true naïve state”) iPSCs of non-human primates enhances their application and safety for human regenerative medicine. Although several attempts have been made to convert human and non-human primate PSCs into a truly naïve state, it is unclear which evaluation methods can discriminate them as being truly naïve. Here we attempted to derive naïve cynomolgus monkey (Cm) (Macaca fascicularis) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and iPSCs. Several characteristics of naïve Cm ESCs including colony morphology, appearance of naïve-related mRNAs and proteins, leukaemia inhibitory factor dependency, and mitochondrial respiration were confirmed. Next, we generated Cm iPSCs and converted them to a naïve state. Transcriptomic comparison of PSCs with early Cm embryos elucidated the partial achievement (termed naïve-like) of their conversion. When these were subjected to in vitro neural differentiation, enhanced differentiating capacities were observed after naïve-like conversion, but some lines exhibited heterogeneity. The difficulty of achieving contribution to chimeric mouse embryos was also demonstrated. These results suggest that Cm PSCs could ameliorate their in vitro neural differentiation potential even though they could not display true naïve characteristics

Azimuthal correlations of electrons from heavy-flavor decay with hadrons in p+p and Au+Au collisions at √ sNN = 200 GeV

Measurements of electrons from the decay of open-heavy-flavor mesons have shown that the yields are suppressed in Au+Au collisions compared to expectations from binary-scaled p+p collisions. These measurements indicate that charm and bottom quarks interact with the hot dense matter produced in heavy-ion collisions much more than expected. Here we extend these studies to two-particle correlations where one particle is an electron from the decay of a heavy-flavor meson and the other is a charged hadron from either the decay of the heavy meson or from jet fragmentation. These measurements provide more detailed information about the interactions between heavy quarks and the matter, such as whether the modification of the away-side-jet shape seen in hadron-hadron correlations is presentwhen the trigger particle is from heavy-meson decay andwhether the overall level of away-side-jet suppression is consistent. We statistically subtract correlations of electrons arising from background sources from the inclusive electron-hadron correlations and obtain two-particle azimuthal correlations at √ sNN = 200 GeV between electrons from heavy-flavor decay with charged hadrons in p+p and also first results in Au+Au collisions. We find the away-side-jet shape and yield to be modified in Au+Au collisions compared to p+p collisions

ショウガッコウ ガイコクゴ カツドウ ニオケル ヒョウカ ニ カンスル ジッセン ケンキュウ : キョウイク ジッセン フィールド ケンキュウ ニ モトズイテ

鳴門教育大学大学院では，学校現場における今日的課題について協力学校とともに実践的研究を行う授業「実践フィールド研究」が設定されている。本実践報告では，平成21年度大学院生による「実践フィールド研究」に基づいた実践を報告するものである。平成23年度の小学校外国語活動の本格実施に先駆けて，本学附属小学校では長年英語学習として関連授業に取り組んできた。しかし，評価に関する課題についてはまだ十分検討されておらず本実践において，その可能性について実践研究を行うこととした。また，前年度の継続研究として，全国全ての5，6年生に配付された『英語ノート』の活用についても併せて取り組んでおり，本報告ではこの二点について報告する。特に評価に関しては，最も小学校現場で多く使われている「自己評価」のあり方，実施の際の留意点について検討するとともに「学びのための自己評価」の可能性についても提案する。最後に，次年度へ向けての改訂版振り返りカードの提案も行う