Field surveys of September 2018 landslide-generated waves in the Apporo dam reservoir, Japan:Combined hazard from the concurrent occurrences of a typhoon and an earthquake

We report and analyze a case study of landslide-generated waves that occurred in the Apporo dam reservoir (Hokkaido, Japan) culminating from the rare incident of hazard combination from the September 2018 Typhoon Jebi and Hokkaido earthquake (Mw 6.6 on 5 September 2018). The typhoon and earthquake were concurrent and produced thousands of landslides in the area by the combined effects of soil saturation and ground acceleration. Here, we report the results of our field surveys of the landslides that occurred around the Apporo dam and generated damaging waves in the reservoir. We identified six landslides at a close distance to the dam body; the largest one has a length of 330 m, a maximum width of 140 m and a volume of 71,400 m3. We measured wave runup at a single point with height of 5.3 m for the landslide-generated wave in the reservoir and recorded the damage made to the revetments at the reservoir banks. By considering the locations of the landslides and their potential propagation paths, we speculate that possibly three of the six surveyed landslides contributed to the measured wave runup. The surveyed runup was reproduced by inputting landslide parameters into two independent empirical equations; however, other independent empirical relationships failed to reproduce the observed runup. Our field data from the Apporo dam can be used to improve the quality of predictions made by empirical equations and to encourage further research on this topic. In addition, our field data serves as a call for strengthening dams’ safety to landslide-generated waves in reservoirs

ヨウジ ニオケル ワライ ノ ハッタツ SMILE ト LAUGHTER ノ チガイ ニ チュウモク シテ

本研究の目的は幼児（4歳児、5歳児、6歳児）の笑いを、年齢要因、性別要因および状況要因から検討することである。保育園の中での日常生活において比較的長期にわたる自然観察によってデータを収集した。　エピソード分析の結果、①笑いの出現頻度は年齢だけで変化するのではなく、年齢と状況の交互作用があること、②Laughterは女児よりも男児において出現頻度が高いこと、③Smileが出現しやすい状況とLaughterが出現しやすい状況が異なることなどが明らかになった。Smileは社会的挨拶および達成場面で多く出現し、　Laughterは社会的遊びと感覚的場面で出現しやすいことから、最後に2種の笑いメカニズムについての議論を行った。The　purpose　of　the　present　study　is　to　find　factors　affecting　the　appeatance　of“smile”and “laughter”in　infants（four－five－and　six－year－olds）．　Data　were　collected　by　natural　observation method　in　a　kindergarten．　The　main　results　of　the　analyses　are　as　follows． ①The　apPearance　of　smile　and　laughter　is　determined　by　age，　situation　and・　their　interactlon・ ②The　apPearance　of　laughter　is　more　frequent　in　boys　than　in　girls・ ③Although　smile　is　often　observed　in　the　situations　of　greeting　and　achievement・the　frequency 　　of　laughter　was　higher　in　those　of　social　playing　and　feeling． 　　Also　discussed　are　the　two　types　of　mechanism　of　smile　and　laughter

Abdominal wall and thigh abscess resulting from the penetration of ascending colon cancer.

An unusual case is described in which an abdominal wall and thigh abscess was an initial symptom of ascending colon cancer. A 76-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for investigation of fever and abdominal and thigh swelling. Computed tomography revealed a right abdominal wall, retroperitoneal, psoas and thigh abscess formation suspected to be caused by colon perforation. Due to the patient's poor general condition, local drainage of the abscess was performed on the following day of hospitalization. Histological examination of necrotic tissues removed form the retroperitoneal cavity demonstrated adenocarcinoma of the colon. The patient subsequently underwent right hemicolectomy with lymph nodal dissection after 19 days of the drainage procedure and was transferred to another hospital on the 49th day following the second surgery.</p

Identification of candidate flowering and sex genes in white Guinea yam (D. rotundata Poir.) by SuperSAGE transcriptome profiling

Open Access JournalDioecy (distinct male and female individuals) combined with scarce to non-flowering are common features of cultivated yam (Dioscorea spp.). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying flowering and sex determination in Dioscorea are unknown. We conducted SuperSAGE transcriptome profiling of male, female and monoecious individuals to identify flowering and sex-related genes in white Guinea yam (D. rotundata). SuperSAGE analysis generated a total of 20,236 unique tags, of which 13,901 were represented by a minimum of 10 tags. Of these, 88 tags were significantly differentially expressed in male, female and monoecious plants. Of the 88 differentially expressed SuperSAGE tags, 18 corresponded to genes previously implicated in flower development and sex determination in multiple plant species. We validated the SuperSAGE data with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR)-based analysis of the expression of four candidate genes. Our findings suggest that mechanisms of flowering and sex determination are likely conserved in Dioscorea. We further investigated the flowering patterns of 1938 D. rotundata accessions representing diverse geographical origins over two years, revealing that over 85% of the accessions are either male or non-flowering, and that less than 15% are female, while monoecious plants are rare. Intensity of flowering appeared to be a function of sex, with male plants flowering more abundantly than female ones. Candidate genes identified in this study can be targeted with the aim to induce regular flowering in poor to non-flowering cultivars. Findings of the study provide important inputs for further studies aiming to overcome the challenge of flowering in yams and to improve the efficiency of yam breeding

ヒカンジケイ ニホンゴ ガクシュウシャ ニオケル カンジ パターン ニンシキ ノウリョク ト カンジ シュウトク ニ カンスル ケンキュウ

非漢字系日本語学習者の漢字学習を巡る先行研究では、まず漢字の「字形」に対するパターン認識能力が漢字学習に影響を与えるのではないかという結果 を得ている。しかし、パターン認識能力がどのように漢字学習に影響を及ぼすのか、またどのようにすればパターン認識能力が促進されるのかは明確でなかった。そこで本研究では、パターン認識能力と漢字学習の関係を明らかにする目的で、実験という枠組みの中で、非漢字系日本語学習者の漢字パターン認識能力を調べ、さらに漢字パターン認識能力が促進されるであろう教授項目を取り込み、指導を行なった。実験計画は1要因、2水準の被験者内計画(要因名:パターン認識能力を促進させる漢字指導法)である。実験の結果 、非漢字系日本語学習者の漢字学習では、漢字の「字形」に対するパターン認識能力を促進することが漢字習得を高めるということが分かった。また、指導法の効果 も認められたことから、非漢字系日本語学習者に対する漢字指導では、漢字パターン認識能力が促進するような教授項目を含める必要があると思われる。Past studies of the comprehension of kanji among non-kanji-area students reached the conclusion that the ability to recognize kanji shape patterns played a role in kanji acquisition. Nevertheless, issues such as the manner in which pattern recognition affected the learning progress and how such pattern recognition could be enhanced remained outstanding questions. The objective of this study was to clarify the connection between pattern recognition and the learning process itself. It was carried out by testing the capacity of non-kanji area students to recognize kanji Patterns under an experimental format and by trying out instructional approaches that incorporated modes that were expected to boost kanji-pattern recognition. The experiment rated the efficacy of the instructional methodology for kanji-pattern recognition as a factor in kanji acquisition on the basis of pre- and post-instructional test scores. It can be concluded from this study that increasing the kanji pattern recognition among non-kanji area students will boost their acquisition and comprehension of kanji. These findings underscore the need for the introduction of methodologies aimed to boost the the pattern-recognition capacity of such students in the course of their studies of kanji

米粉マフィンの性状に及ぼすトレハロースの影響

The effects of trehalose was studied on the properties of rice flour muffins where 5 to 15% of trehalose (flour basis) was added and sugar was adjusted to give the same sweetness. The volume of muffins tended to increase as trehalose level increased. Trehalose lowerd water activity and improved storage property. Hardness of muffins increased during storage but T-10 muffin was softer than other rice flour muffins after 96hr of storage. Evaluating muffins by pair test, the taste of T-10 was significantly prefered to that of T-0

Genome analyses reveal the hybrid origin of the staple crop white Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata)

西アフリカの主食作物ギニアヤムの起源を解明 --ギニアヤムはサバンナと熱帯雨林に生育する野生種の雑種起源--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-12-11.White Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata) is an important staple tuber crop in West Africa. However, its origin remains unclear. In this study, we resequenced 336 accessions of white Guinea yam and compared them with the sequences of wild Dioscorea species using an improved reference genome sequence of D. rotundata. In contrast to a previous study suggesting that D. rotundata originated from a subgroup of Dioscorea praehensilis, our results suggest a hybrid origin of white Guinea yam from crosses between the wild rainforest species D. praehensilis and the savannah-adapted species Dioscorea abyssinica. We identified a greater genomic contribution from D. abyssinica in the sex chromosome of Guinea yam and extensive introgression around the SWEETIE gene. Our findings point to a complex domestication scenario for Guinea yam and highlight the importance of wild species as gene donors for improving this crop through molecular breeding