Element Material Exposure Experiment by EFFU

The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) is planning to perform an 'Element Material Exposure Experiment' using the Exposed Facility Flyer Unit (EFFU). This paper presents an initial design of experiments proposed for this project by our company. The EFFU is installed on the Space Flyer Unit (SFU) as a partial model of the Space Station JEM exposed facility. The SFU is scheduled to be launched by H-2 rocket in January or February of 1994, then various tests will be performed for three months, on orbit of 500 km altitude, and it will be retrieved by the U.S. Space Shuttle and returned to the ground. The mission sequence is shown

Bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, reduces cerebral aneurysm rupture in Ovariectomized rats.

BackgroundEstrogen deficiency is thought to be responsible for the higher frequency of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in post- than premenopausal women. Estrogen replacement therapy appears to reduce this risk but is associated with significant side effects. We tested our hypothesis that bazedoxifene, a clinically used selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator with fewer estrogenic side effects, reduces cerebral aneurysm rupture in a new model of ovariectomized rats.MethodsTen-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to ovariectomy, hemodynamic changes, and hypertension to induce aneurysms (ovariectomized aneurysm rats) and treated with vehicle or with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg/day bazedoxifene. They were compared with sham-ovariectomized rats subjected to hypertension and hemodynamic changes (HT rats). The vasoprotective effects of bazedoxifene and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy were analyzed.ResultsDuring 12 weeks of observation, the incidence of aneurysm rupture was 52% in ovariectomized rats. With no effect on the blood pressure, treatment with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg/day bazedoxifene lowered this rate to 11 and 17%, almost the same as in HT rats (17%). In ovariectomized rats, the mRNA level of ERα, ERβ, and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 was downregulated in the cerebral artery prone to rupture at 5 weeks after aneurysm induction; the mRNA level of interleukin-1β and the matrix metalloproteinase-9 was upregulated. In HT rats, bazedoxifene restored the mRNA level of ERα and ERβ and decreased the level of interleukin-1β and matrix metalloproteinase-9. These findings suggest that bazedoxifene was protective against aneurysmal rupture by alleviating the vascular inflammation and degradation exacerbated by the decrease in ERα and ERβ.ConclusionsOur observation that bazedoxifene decreased the incidence of aneurysmal rupture in ovariectomized rats warrants further studies to validate this response in humans

Decrease in heart rates by artificial CO2 hot spring bathing is inhibited by beta(1)-adrenoceptor blockade in anesthetized rats

Hashimoto, M; Yamamoto, N, JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY, 96(1), 226-232, 2004. "Copyright 2004 by the American Physical Society." publisherTo investigate the effects of carbon dioxide (CO_2) hot spring baths on physiological functions, head-out immersion of urethane-anesthetized, fursheared male Wistar rats was performed. Animals were immersed in water (30 or 35°C) with high-CO_2 content (〜1,000 parts/million; CO_2-water). CO_2-water for bathing was made by using an artificial spa maker with normal tap water and high-pressure CO_2 from a gas cylinder. When a human foot was immersed for 10 min in the CO_2-water at 35°C, the immersed skin reddened, whereas skin color did not change in normal tap water at the same temperature. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate (HR), underwater skin tissue blood flow, and temperatures of the colon and immersed skin were continuously measured while animals were immersed in a bathtub of water for 〜30 min at room temperature (26°C). Immersed skin vascular resistance, computed from blood pressure and tissue blood flow, was significantly lower in the CO_2-water bath than in tap water at 30°C, but no differences were apparent at 35°C. HR of rats in CO_2-water was significantly slower than in tap water at 35°C. Decreased HR in CO_2-water was inhibited by infusion of atenolol (β1-adrenoceptor blocker), but it was unaffected by atropine (muscarinic cholinoceptor blocker). Theses results suggest that bradycardia in CO_2 hot spring bathing is caused by inhibition of the cardiac sympathetic innervation. This CO_2-water maker should prove a useful device for acquiring physiological evidence of balneotherapy

Hyperhomocysteinemia induced by excessive methionine intake promotes rupture of cerebral aneurysms in ovariectomized rats.

BackgroundHyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is associated with inflammation and a rise in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the vascular wall. However, the role of HHcy in the growth and rupture of cerebral aneurysms remains unclear.MethodsThirteen-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were subject to bilateral ovariectomy and ligation of the right common carotid artery and fed an 8 % high-salt diet to induce cerebral aneurysms. Two weeks later, they underwent ligation of the bilateral posterior renal arteries. They were divided into two groups and methionine (MET) was or was not added to their drinking water. In another set of experiments, the role of folic acid (FA) against cerebral aneurysms was assessed.ResultsDuring a 12-week observation period, subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm rupture was observed at the anterior communicating artery (AcomA) or the posterior half of the circle of Willis. HHcy induced by excessive MET intake significantly increased the incidence of ruptured aneurysms at 6-8 weeks. At the AcomA of rats treated with MET, we observed the promotion of aneurysmal growth and infiltration by M1 macrophages. Furthermore, the mRNA level of MMP-9, the ratio of MMP-9 to the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2, and the level of interleukin-6 were higher in these rats. Treatment with FA abolished the effect of MET, suggesting that the inflammatory response and vascular degradation at the AcomA is attributable to HHcy due to excessive MET intake.ConclusionsWe first demonstrate that in hypertensive ovariectomized rats, HHcy induced by excessive MET intake may be associated with the propensity of the aneurysm wall to rupture

Enhancing the ESIM (Embedded Systems Improving Method) by Combining Information Flow Diagram with Analysis Matrix for Efficient Analysis of Unexpected Obstacles in Embedded Software

In order to improve the quality of embedded software, this paper proposes an enhancement to the ESIM (Embedded Systems Improving Method) by combining an IFD (Information Flow Diagram) with an Analysis Matrix to analyze unexpected obstacles in the software. These obstacles are difficult to predict in the software specification. Recently, embedded systems have become larger and more complicated. Theoretically therefore, the development cycle of these systems should be longer. On the contrary, in practice the cycle has been shortened. This trend in industry has resulted in the oversight of unexpected obstacles, and consequently affected the quality of embedded software. In order to prevent the oversight of unexpected obstacles, we have already proposed two methods for requirements analysis: the ESIM using an Analysis Matrix and a method that uses an IFD. In order to improve the efficiency of unexpected obstacle analysis at reasonable cost, we now enhance the ESIM by combining an IFD with an Analysis Matrix. The enhancement is studied from the following three viewpoints. First, a conceptual model comprising both the Analysis Matrix and IFD is defined. Then, a requirements analysis procedure is proposed, that uses both the Analysis Matrix and IFD, and assigns each specific role to either an expert or non-expert engineer. Finally, to confirm the effectiveness of this enhancement, we carry out a description experiment using an IFD.14th Asia-Pacific Software Engineering Conference (APSEC\u2707), 4-7 Dec. 2007, Aichi, Japa

A Case Study of Requirements Elicitation Process with Changes

Requirements changes sometimes cause a project to fail. A lot of projects now follow incremental development processes so that new requirements and requirements changes can be incorporated as soon as possible. These processes are called integrated requirements processes, which function to integrate requirements processes with other developmental processes. We have quantitatively and qualitatively investigated the requirements processes of a specific project from beginning to end. Our focus is to clarify the types of necessary requirements based on the components contained within a certain portion of the software architecture. Further, each type reveals its typical requirements processes through its own rationale. This case study is a system to manage the orders and services of a restaurant. In this paper, we introduce the case and categorize its requirements processes based on the components of the system and the qualitative characteristics of ISO-9126. We could identify seven categories of the typical requirements process to be managed and/or controlled. Each category reveals its typical requirements processes and their characteristics. The case study is our first step of practical integrated requirements engineering