Instanton counting, Macdonald function and the moduli space of D-branes

We argue the connection of Nekrasov's partition function in the \Omega background and the moduli space of D-branes, suggested by the idea of geometric engineering and Gopakumar-Vafa invariants. In the instanton expansion of N=2 SU(2) Yang-Mills theory the Nakrasov's partition function with equivariant parameters \epsilon_1, \epsilon_2 of toric action on C^2 factorizes correctly as the character of SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R spin representation. We show that up to two instantons the spin contents are consistent with the Lefschetz action on the moduli space of D2-branes on (local) F_0. We also present an attempt at constructing a refined topological vertex in terms of the Macdonald function. The refined topological vertex with two parameters of T^2 action allows us to obtain the generating functions of equivariant \chi_y and elliptic genera of the Hilbert scheme of n points on C^2 by the method of topological vertex.Comment: 33 pages, 2 figures, (v2) minor changes, references added, (v3) Comments and more references adde

Reproducibility and validity of food group intake in a short food frequency questionnaire for the middle-aged Japanese population

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility and validity of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for food group intake in Japan, the reproducibility and partial validity of which were previously confirmed for nutrients. Methods: A total of 288 middle-aged healthy volunteers from 11 different areas of Japan provided nonconsecutive 3-day weighed dietary records (DRs) at 3-month intervals over four seasons. We evaluated reproducibility based on the first (FFQ1) and second (FFQ2) questionnaires and their validity against the DRs by comparing the intake of 20 food groups. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (SRs) were calculated between energy-adjusted intake from the FFQs and that from the DRs. Results: The intake of 20 food groups estimated from the two FFQs was mostly equivalent. The median energy-adjusted SRs between the FFQ1 and FFQ2 were 0.61 (range 0.38–0.86) for men and 0.66 (0.45–0.84) for women. For validity, the median de-attenuated SRs between DRs and the FFQ1 were 0.51 (0.17–0.76) for men and 0.47 (0.23–0.77) for women. Compared with the DRs, the proportion of cross-classification into exact plus adjacent quintiles with the FFQ1 ranged from 58 to 86% in men and from 57 to 86% in women. According to the robust Z scores and the Bland–Altman plot graphs, the underestimation errors in the FFQ1 tended to be greater in individuals with high mean levels of consumption for meat for men and for other vegetables for both men and women. Conclusion: The FFQ demonstrated high reproducibility and reasonable validity for food group intake. This questionnaire is short and remains appropriate for identifying associations between diet and health/disease among adults in Japan

Efficacy and safety of garenoxacin tablets on clinically diagnosed atypical pneumonia: Postmarketing surveillance in Japan

We performed a postmarketing surveillance study to determine the efficacy and safety of the oral quinolone antibacterial agent garenoxacin (Geninax R Tablets 200 mg) against atypical pneumonia. Between October 2009 and July 2011, patients with community-acquired pneumonia visited 26 facilities in Japan; we collected survey forms from 105 of these patients who were suspected of having atypical pneumonia based on the Japanese Respiratory Society Guidelines for the Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adults. We examined the safety in 105 patients and the efficacy in 71 patients. 1. The efficacy rates among patients suspected of having atypical pneumonia and those with a confirmed diagnosis of atypical pneumonia were 94.8% (55/58 patients) and 92.3% (12/13 patients), respectively. The efficacy rate was 4/4 for patients in whom Chlamydophila pneumoniae was detected (including 1 patient with a polymicrobial infection with another bacterial strain) and 90% (9/10 patients) for patients in whom Mycoplasma pneumoniae was detected (garenoxacin was ineffective in 1 of 2 patients with a polymicrobial infection with another bacterial strain). 2. The incidence of adverse drug reactions (including abnormal laboratory tests) was 4.8% (5/105 patients). Among the adverse drug reactions, gastrointestinal disorders, infection and infestation, nervous system disorder, and skin and subcutaneous tissue disorder were observed in 2.9% of patients (3/105), 1.0% (1/105), 1.0% (1/105), and 1.0% (1/105), respectively. In conclusion, garenoxacin showed an efficacy rate of greater than 90% for suspected atypical pneumonia and confirmed atypical pneumonia. Garenoxacin is considered to be useful in daily practice

A genome-wide association study in the Japanese population identifies the 12q24 locus for habitual coffee consumption : The J-MICC Study

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, and its role in human health has received much attention. Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have investigated genetic variants associated with coffee consumption in European populations, no such study has yet been conducted in an Asian population. Here, we conducted a GWAS to identify common genetic variations that affected coffee consumption in a Japanese population of 11,261 participants recruited as a part of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) study. Coffee consumption was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and converted from categories to cups/day. In the discovery stage (n = 6,312), we found 2 independent loci (12q24.12–13 and 5q33.3) that met suggestive significance (P < 1 × 10−6). In the replication stage (n = 4,949), the lead variant for the 12q24.12–13 locus (rs2074356) was significantly associated with habitual coffee consumption (P = 2.2 × 10−6), whereas the lead variant for the 5q33.3 locus (rs1957553) was not (P = 0.53). A meta-analysis of the discovery and replication populations, and the combined analysis using all subjects, revealed that rs2074356 achieved genome-wide significance (P = 2.2 × 10−16 for a meta-analysis). These findings indicate that the 12q24.12-13 locus is associated with coffee consumption among a Japanese population

Integrated Electrochemical Analysis System with Microfluidic and Sensing Functions

Abstract: An integrated device that carries out the timely transport of solutions and conducts electroanalysis was constructed. The transport of solutions was based on capillary action in overall hydrophilic flow channels and control by valves that operate on the basis of electrowetting. Electrochemical sensors including glucose, lactate, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), pH, ammonia, urea, and creatinine were integrated. An air gap structure was used for the ammonia, urea, and creatinine sensors to realize a rapid response. To enhance the transport of ammonia that existed or was produced by the enzymatic reactions, the pH of the solution was elevated by mixing it with a NaOH solution using a valve based on electrowetting. The sensors for GOT and GPT used a freeze-dried substrate matrix to realize rapid mixing. The sample solution was transported to required sensing sites at desired times. The integrated sensors showed distinct responses when a sample solution reached the respective sensing sites. Linear relationships were observed between the output signals and the concentration or the logarithm of the concentration of the analytes. An interferent, L-ascorbic acid, could be eliminated electrochemically in the sample injection port