A Mobile Quad-Arm Robot ARMS: Wheel-Legged Tripedal Mobility and Quad-Arm Manipulation

This letter proposes a mobile quad-arm robot: ARMS that unifies wheel-legged tripedal mobility, wheeled mobility, and quad-arm manipulation. The four arms have different mechanics and are designed to be general-purpose arms to enable the wheel-legged hybrid mobilities and manipulation. The three-degree-of-freedom (DOF) front arm has an active wheel, which is used for wheel-legged tripedal walking and wheel driving with passive wheels attached to the torso. The three-DOF rear arms are series elastic arms, which are used for wheel-legged tripedal walking, object grasping, and manipulation. The two-DOF upper arm is used for manipulation only; its position and orientation are determined by coordinating all arms. Each motor is controlled by an angle controller and trajectory modification with angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, and torque constraints. ARMS was experimentally validated on the basis of the following four tasks: wheel-legged walking, wheel-driving, wheel-driving with grasping, and carrying a bag

Emergence of Benzimidazole- and Strobilurin-Quinone Outside Inhibitor-Resistant Strains of <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em> sensu lato, the Causal Fungus of Japanese Pear Anthracnose, and Alternative Fungicides to Resistant Strains

Japanese pear anthracnose (JPA) can cause severe tree defoliation during the growing season. Infected trees become weak and produce fewer flower buds the following spring. This economically serious fungal plant disease has affected cultivated pears in Japan since 1910. Initially, JPA was controlled by benzimidazole fungicides. However, benzimidazole-resistant pathogen strains emerged in the late 1990s, and the range of JPA has expanded in Japan. Since then strobilurin-quinone outside inhibitors (ST-QoIs) such as azoxystrobin and kresoxim-methyl became popular, but ST-QoI-resistant pathogen strains appeared. By 2005, JPA control became difficult once again. In this chapter, we outline the history of JPA fungicide resistance problems, assess advantages and disadvantages of available fungicide options, and develop JPA management strategies based on evidences we obtained from a series of field and lab studies

Trend in maternal-child health services

In Japan, outcome measures for maternal and child health measures such as maternal, perinatal, and infant mortality have consistently shown a trend toward improvement. On the other hand, the problems of the declining birth rate, child abuse, and domestic violence have become evident since the 1990s. In terms of Japan’s maternal and child health, it is necessary to take measures to preserve mental health of mothers and children, and also to respond to family issues such as abuse and violence. The services needed such as comprehensive support centers for families with children and new postpartum care programs have been established. It is necessary to further improve the competence of doctors, public health nurses, and midwives working in the maternal and child health field and to promptly construct a cooperation system in the community

Origins of a cyanobacterial 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in plastid-lacking eukaryotes

BackgroundPlastids have inherited their own genomes from a single cyanobacterial ancestor, but the majority of cyanobacterial genes, once retained in the ancestral plastid genome, have been lost or transferred into the eukaryotic host nuclear genome via endosymbiotic gene transfer. Although previous studies showed that cyanobacterial gnd genes, which encode 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, are present in several plastid-lacking protists as well as primary and secondary plastid-containing phototrophic eukaryotes, the evolutionary paths of these genes remain elusive. ResultsHere we show an extended phylogenetic analysis including novel gnd gene sequences from Excavata and Glaucophyta. Our analysis demonstrated the patchy distribution of the excavate genes in the gnd gene phylogeny. The Diplonema gene was related to cytosol-type genes in red algae and Opisthokonta, while heterolobosean genes occupied basal phylogenetic positions with plastid-type red algal genes within the monophyletic eukaryotic group that is sister to cyanobacterial genes. Statistical tests based on exhaustive maximum likelihood analyses strongly rejected that heterolobosean gnd genes were derived from a secondary plastid of green lineage. In addition, the cyanobacterial gnd genes from phototrophic and phagotrophic species in Euglenida were robustly monophyletic with Stramenopiles, and this monophyletic clade was moderately separated from those of red algae. These data suggest that these secondary phototrophic groups might have acquired the cyanobacterial genes independently of secondary endosymbioses. ConclusionWe propose an evolutionary scenario in which plastid-lacking Excavata acquired cyanobacterial gnd genes via eukaryote-to-eukaryote lateral gene transfer or primary endosymbiotic gene transfer early in eukaryotic evolution, and then lost either their pre-existing or cyanobacterial gene

Three minute, but not one minute, ischemia and nicorandil have a preconditioning effect in patients with coronary artery disease

AbstractOBJECTIVESThis study focused on 1) the determination of the optimal preconditioning (PC) duration, and 2) the protective effect of nicorandil (NC), a hybrid nitrate with a Katpchannel opening effect, during a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) model in humans.BACKGROUNDThe ischemic PC effect is induced in 180 s ischemia, but not in 120 s ischemia in rabbit hearts. However, the duration of ischemia that induces PC effect and the role of the Katpchannel in the PC effect in humans are still unclear.METHODSForty-six patients with stable angina were randomly allocated to four groups: the duration of the first inflation as PC ischemia was 60 s in the PC60 group (n = 12), and 180 s in the PC180 group (n = 12). In the other groups, NC (80 μg/kg) was intravenously given for 1 min in the NC group (n = 12), and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) (40 μg/kg) was given in the ISDN group (n = 10). Five minutes after first inflation or drug administration, a second inflation was conducted for 120 s in each group. In the ECG, the lead with the largest shift in ST segment (deltaST max), and the sum of elevated ST levels in all leads (sigmaST) were determined.RESULTSIn the PC60 group, no significant difference was observed in either deltaST max or sigmaST between the first and second inflation. However, the second inflation in the PC180 group showed significantly lower levels of deltaST max and sigmaST compared with those of the first inflation. In the NC group, both deltaST max and sigmaST measured at 30 s and 60 s after balloon inflation were significantly lower than those of the first inflation in the PC60 and PC180 control groups. In the ISDN group, no significant difference was observed in deltaST max or sigmaST.CONCLUSIONIn human PTCA models, a PC effect is observed in 180 s ischemia, but not in 60 s ischemia. A pharmacological PC effect is induced by NC, a Katpchannel opener with a nitrate-like effect but not ISDN. This suggests that the opening of Katpchannels plays an important role in the protecting effect of NC

Erythropoietin Receptor Signaling Mitigates Renal Dysfunction-Associated Heart Failure by Mechanisms Unrelated to Relief of Anemia

ObjectivesWe examined the effect of asialoerythropoietin (asialoEPO), a nonerythrogenic derivative of erythropoietin (EPO), on renal dysfunction-associated heart failure.BackgroundAlthough EPO is known to exert beneficial effects on cardiac function, the clinical benefits in patients with chronic kidney disease are controversial. It remains to be addressed whether previously reported outcomes were the result of relief of the anemia, adverse effects of EPO, or direct cardiovascular effects.MethodsMice underwent 5/6 nephrectomy to cause renal dysfunction. Eight weeks later, when renal dysfunction was established, anemia and cardiac dysfunction and remodeling were apparent. Mice were then assigned to receive saline (control), recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) at 5,000 IU (714 pmol)/kg, or asialoEPO at 714 pmol/kg, twice/week for 4 weeks.ResultsAlthough only rhEPO relieved the nephrectomy-induced anemia, both rhEPO and asialoEPO significantly and similarly mitigated left ventricular dilation and dysfunction. The hearts of rhEPO- or asialoEPO-treated mice showed less hypertrophy, reflecting decreases in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and degenerative subcellular changes, as well as significant attenuation of fibrosis, leukocyte infiltration, and oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid damage. These phenotypes were accompanied by restored expression of GATA-4, sarcomeric proteins, and vascular endothelial growth factor and decreased inflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation. Finally, myocardial activation was observed of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription pathways in the treated mice.ConclusionsEPO receptor signaling exerts direct cardioprotection in an animal model of renal dysfunction-associated heart failure, probably by mitigating degenerative, pro-fibrosis, inflammatory, and oxidative processes but not through relief of anemia

二次元レーザー血流計を用いた血流測定の特徴

Three types of blood flow measurement methods using laser irradiation such as laser-Doppler flowmetry, laser-Doppler imaging, and laser speckle imaging have been utilized for measuring the peripheral blood flow because of the benefits of low invasiveness and as they enable real-time measurements. Laser-Doppler flowmetry has first used for the blood flow measurements but does not appear to be suitable for quantitative measurements as the equipment can not perform measurements over large areas. Laser speckle imaging has recently been reported to measure two-dimensional images of blood flows. The present study was designed to compare the blood flow changes measured by laser speckle imaging and laser-Doppler flowmetry. The blood flow changes were evoked either by parasympathetic mediated vasodilatations in the lip elicited by electrical stimulation of the lingual nerve in urethane-anesthetized rats, or by sympathetic mediated vasoconstrictions in human hands elicited by cold tests. The patterns of blood flow changes in laser speckle imaging and laser-Doppler flowmetry were very similar in blood flow changes, both increases and decreases were measured, although the relative change from the basal blood flow of the laser speckle imaging was smaller (50-60%) than that of laser-Doppler flowmetry. The quantitative analysis in the cold tests with laser speckle imaging showed that tissue perfusion in the fingers resemble the anatomical blood vessel distribution. The advantages of laser speckle imaging for the measurement of blood flow are as the follows: (i) the blood flow is visualized as a two-dimensional image, (ii) the area where the blood flow was measured can be changed on saved image data, (iii) the image sizes can be varied (by zooming) from 8×6mm to 280×210mm, and (iv) the averaged data are not absolute values but can be used quantitatively in comparison studies

Nonmagnetic framboid and associated iron nanoparticles with a space-weathered feature from asteroid Ryugu

リュウグウ試料に初期太陽系の新しい磁気記録媒体を発見～太陽系磁場の新たな研究手法の確立に期待～.京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-04-30.Extraterrestrial minerals on the surface of airless Solar System bodies undergo gradual alteration processes known as space weathering over long periods of time. The signatures of space weathering help us understand the phenomena occurring in the Solar System. However, meteorites rarely retain the signatures, making it impossible to study the space weathering processes precisely. Here, we examine samples retrieved from the asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft and discover the presence of nonmagnetic framboids through electron holography measurements that can visualize magnetic flux. Magnetite particles, which normally provide a record of the nebular magnetic field, have lost their magnetic properties by reduction via a high-velocity (>5 km s⁻¹) impact of a micrometeoroid with a diameter ranging from 2 to 20 μm after destruction of the parent body of Ryugu. Around these particles, thousands of metallic-iron nanoparticles with a vortex magnetic domain structure, which could have recorded a magnetic field in the impact event, are found. Through measuring the remanent magnetization of the iron nanoparticles, future studies are expected to elucidate the nature of the nebular/interplanetary magnetic fields after the termination of aqueous alteration in an asteroid

Copy Number Alteration and Uniparental Disomy Analysis Categorizes Japanese Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas into Distinct Groups

The aim of the present study was to investigate chromosomal aberrations in sporadic Japanese papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), concomitant with the analysis of oncogene mutational status. Twenty-five PTCs (11 with BRAFV600E, 4 with RET/PTC1, and 10 without mutation in HRAS, KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, RET/PTC1, or RET/PTC3) were analyzed using Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0 which allows us to detect copy number alteration (CNA) and uniparental disomy (UPD), also referred to as copy neutral loss of heterozygosity, in a single experiment. The Japanese PTCs showed relatively stable karyotypes. Seven cases (28%) showed CNA(s), and 6 (24%) showed UPD(s). Interestingly, CNA and UPD were rarely overlapped in the same tumor; the only one advanced case showed both CNA and UPD with a highly complex karyotype. Thirteen (52%) showed neither CNA nor UPD. Regarding CNA, deletions tended to be more frequent than amplifications. The most frequent and recurrent region was the deletion in chromosome 22; however, it was found in only 4 cases (16%). The degree of genomic instability did not depend on the oncogene status. However, in oncogene-positive cases (BRAFV600E and RET/PTC1), tumors with CNA/UPD were less frequent (5/15, 33%), whereas tumors with CNA/UPD were more frequent in oncogene-negative cases (7/10, 70%), suggesting that chromosomal aberrations may play a role in the development of PTC, especially in oncogene-negative tumors. These data suggest that Japanese PTCs may be classified into three distinct groups: CNA+, UPD+, and no chromosomal aberrations. BRAFV600E mutational status did not correlate with any parameters of chromosomal defects

The noble gas and nitrogen relationship between Ryugu and carbonaceous chondrites

Carbonaceous chondrites are considered to have originated from C-type asteroids and represent some of the most primitive material in our solar system. Furthermore, since carbonaceous chondrites can contain significant quantities of volatile elements, they may have played a crucial role in supplying volatiles and organic material to Earth and other inner solar system bodies. However, a major challenge of unravelling the volatile composition of chondritic meteorites is distinguishing between which features were inherited from the parent body, and what may be a secondary feature attributable to terrestrial weathering. In December 2020, the Hayabusa2 mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully returned surface material from the C-type asteroid (162173) Ryugu to Earth. This material has now been classified as closely resembling CI-type chondrites, which are the most chemically pristine meteorites. The analysis of material from the surface of Ryugu therefore provides a unique opportunity to analyse the volatile composition of material that originated from a CI-type asteroid without the complications arising from terrestrial contamination. Given their highly volatile nature, the noble gas and nitrogen inventories of chondrites are highly sensitive to different alteration processes on the asteroid parent body, and to terrestrial contamination. Here, we investigate the nitrogen and noble gas signature of two pelletized grains collected from the first and second touchdown sites (Okazaki et al., 2022a), to provide an insight into the formation and alteration history of Ryugu. The concentration of trapped noble gas in the Ryugu samples is greater than the average composition of previously measured CI chondrites and are primarily derived from phase Q, although a significant contribution of presolar nanodiamond Xe-HL is noted. The large noble gas concentrations coupled with a significant contribution of presolar nanodiamonds suggests that the Ryugu samples may represent some of the most primitive unprocessed material from the early solar system. In contrast to the noble gases, the abundance of nitrogen and δ15N composition of the two Ryugu pellets are lower than the average CI chondrite value. We attribute the lower nitrogen abundances and δ15N measured in this study to the preferential loss of a 15N-rich phase from our samples during aqueous alteration on the parent planetesimal. The analyses of other grains returned from Ryugu have shown large variations in nitrogen concentrations and δ15N indicating that alteration fluids heterogeneously interacted with material now present on the surface of Ryugu. Finally, the ratio of trapped noble gases to nitrogen is higher than CI chondrites, and is closer to refractory phase Q and nanodiamonds. This indicates that Ryugu experienced aqueous alteration that led to the significant and variable loss of nitrogen, likely from soluble organic matter, without modification of the noble gas budget, which is primarily hosted in insoluble organic matter and presolar diamonds and is therefore more resistant to aqueous alteration.ISSN:0016-7037ISSN:1872-953