An algebraic description of screw dislocations in SC and BCC crystal lattices

We give an algebraic description of screw dislocations in a crystal, especially simple cubic (SC) and body centered cubic (BCC) crystals, using free abelian groups and fibering structures. We also show that the strain energy of a screw dislocation based on the spring model is expressed by the Epstein-Hurwitz zeta function approximately.Comment: 41 pages, 7 figure

Full MAC System Demonstration of Extended 10G-EPON Uplink with 512 ONU Splits Access Span via Burst-Mode SOA and Enhanced-FEC combined with Burst-Mode 3R

This first Extended 10G-EPON uplink system test achieved the largest access span loss of 37 dB supporting 512 ONU splits over 25 km with an enlarged loss budget of 51.2 dB via burst-mode SOA, E-FEC and burst-mode 3R

ニュウサンキン ノ チョウジュイデンシ サーチュイン ガ ハタス コンゲンテキ ナ キノウ ノ ハッケン ： タンパクシツゴウセイ ト サイボウブンレツ ノ セイギョ

サーチュインは健康長寿を支える遺伝子とされ，ほとんどの生物にある。その実体は，有核生物では，主としてヒストン，p53他のアセチル化タンパク質を基質とするNAD+依存性リジン脱アセチル化酵素，原核生物では，コバラミン合成に関するcobBとして同定された後，代謝酵素，転写制御因子及び走化性タンパク質の脱アセチル化に関わると報告された。一方プロバイオティクスとして注目されている乳酸菌もサーチュインを持つが，その役割は不明であった。乳酸菌自身にとっても，サーチュインは健康維持の長寿遺伝子なのか？それが本研究の出発点であった。プロバイオティクスや醗酵のスターターに用いられてきたLactobacillus paracaseiを対象として，まず遺伝子sirAをクローニングすることから手掛け，組換えタンパク質LpSirAを作成した。次にLpSirAのリジン脱アセチル化酵素反応を検証し，その細胞内基質の一つが30Sリボソームタンパク質S4であることを見出した。続いて，抗LpSirA抗体を作り，菌体細胞内のサーチュインの局在を，免疫染色法及び蛍光タンパク質融合による生細胞の観察，最終的には免疫電子顕微鏡撮影したところ，細胞全長にわたる緩めの螺旋状の局在，または細胞分裂面と細胞極に濃密に局在することを発見した。更にsirA欠損株，sirA過剰発現株を作成してみると，野生株に比べてsirA欠損株は細胞長が短く，逆にsirA過剰発現株は細胞長が長いことが判明した。これらの結果は，タンパク質合成制御に加えて，サーチュインが細胞分裂と細胞形態形成という，生命維持に本質的な機能を持つことを示した。更にストレス耐性に関与するデータも得て，乳酸菌サーチュインを人為的に制御することができれば，プロバイオティクスとしての機能を高め，ひいては宿主の健康長寿維持にも役立つ可能性があるのではないかと考えるに至った。Sirtuin is known as a longevity gene that supports long and healthy life, and most organisms have this gene. In eukaryotes, it works mainly as an NAD+-dependent protein lysine deacetylase, which removes acetyl groups from proteins such as histones, p53 and others. Whereas in prokaryotes it was first identified as cobB which plays a role in cobalamin processing, later it was reported to deacetylate certain metabolic enzymes, transcription factors and chemotactic proteins. Although lactic acid bacteria also have this gene, little is known about its function in the bacteria. ‘Does sirtuin also function as a longevity or health-promoting gene in lactic acid bacteria?’ This question was the starting point of our research. Lactobacillus paracasei, widely used as probiotics and a fermented food starter, was chosen, and its sirtuin gene was cloned and recombinant protein, LpSirA, was produced. Subsequently, deacetylase activity of LpSirA was demonstrated and, furthermore, one of the endogenous substrates was identified as 30S ribosomal protein S4. Next, antibody raised against LpSirA was used to analyze intracellular localization of this protein through immuno-staining, observation of living cells harboring sirA-Venus fusion gene, and finally immunoelectron microscopic observation. It was revealed that it localizes either as a loose spiral throughout cell length or a sharp ring at cell division plates and cell poles. Upon generating deletion mutant (ΔsirA) and highly expressing cells (HE), it was revealed that ΔsirA has shorter cell length, and conversely, HE has longer cell length as compared to the wild type strain. These results indicate that sirtuin plays a role in the regulation of protein synthesis and, further, in the regulation of cell division and cell shape, which are very fundamental to cellular life function. Moreover, it was shown to function in certain stress responses. Together, it provokes the idea that if the control of sirtuin expression levels or function can be artificially manipulated, it may offer a new way to improve probiotic merits of lactic acid bacteria, which in turn, may contribute to promoting long and healthy life for the host organisms

Dismantling and Reconstitution of Prasat Suor Prat, Angkor Thom, Cambodia

This paper presents geotechnical aspects of dismantling process of one of masonry towers named Prasat Suor Prat that had been constructed in the end of the 12th century during the Angkor Period in Cambodia. A series of 12 towers had been constructed from south to north along the east side of Royal Plaza in Angkor Thom. One of the towers, named as N1 Tower, was found badly displaced with inclination of about 5 degrees to the north-west and horizontal spreading at the foundation level. The Tower was dismantled before restoration work by JSA (Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor) to study possible mechanism that had caused inclination of the Tower and horizontal spreading of stair stones. Dismantling upper structures as well as foundation mound were performed by archaeological trench. The trench revealed the mechanism of deformation of the structure as well as foundation. Before the dismantling, the inclination was believed to be caused by tilting of the foundation mound caused by general sliding failure of the foundation towards adjacent pond. However, it was revealed that the mound was not tilted but kept horizontal under yielded state causing only horizontal spreading. It was found that the inclination was caused by slip down of the sidestep cut stones that had covered the side slopes of the mound

Alteration of primary afferent activity following inferior alveolar nerve transection in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In order to evaluate the neural mechanisms underlying the abnormal facial pain that may develop following regeneration of the injured inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), the properties of the IAN innervated in the mental region were analyzed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fluorogold (FG) injection into the mental region 14 days after IAN transection showed massive labeling of trigeminal ganglion (TG). The escape threshold to mechanical stimulation of the mental skin was significantly lower (i.e. mechanical allodynia) at 11-14 days after IAN transection than before surgery. The background activity, mechanically evoked responses and afterdischarges of IAN Aδ-fibers were significantly higher in IAN-transected rats than naive. The small/medium diameter TG neurons showed an increase in both tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant (TTX-R) and -sensitive (TTX-S) sodium currents (<it>I</it>_Na) and decrease in total potassium current, transient current (<it>I</it>_A) and sustained current (<it>I</it>_K) in IAN-transected rats. The amplitude, overshoot amplitude and number of action potentials evoked by the depolarizing pulses after 1 μM TTX administration in TG neurons were significantly higher, whereas the threshold current to elicit spikes was smaller in IAN-transected rats than naive. Resting membrane potential was significantly smaller in IAN-transected rats than that of naive.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data suggest that the increase in both TTX-S <it>I</it>_Naand TTX-R <it>I</it>_Naand the decrease in <it>I</it>_Aand <it>I</it>_kin small/medium TG neurons in IAN-transected rats are involved in the activation of spike generation, resulting in hyperexcitability of Aδ-IAN fibers innervating the mental region after IAN transection.</p

Inhibitory Effect of 1α-Hydroxyvitamin D3 on N-nitrosobis (2-oxopropyl)Amine-induced Cholangiocarcinogenesis in Syrian Hamsters

Sixty-three male 5-week-old Syrian hamsters received the carcinogen N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) s.c. in 5 weekly injections (the first, 70mg/kg body, and the remaining, 20mg/kg each). The hamsters that received BOP were given intragastric administration of 0.2ml of medium chain triglyceride (MCT) with or without 0.04μg of 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 [1α(OH)D3] through a feeding tube for 12 weeks. Thus, 3 groups were assigned:Group 1;BOP alone (n＝20), Group 2;BOP＋MCT (n＝18) and Group 3;BOP＋1α(OH)D3 (n＝25). The mean body weight of Group 3 was lower than those of Groups 1 and 2 at the end of the experiment (p＜0.001,Tukey-Kramer HSD test). At the end of week 12, all surviving hamsters were put to sleep. The incidences of liver tumors were 80%, 72% and 32% in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The incidence of tumors in Group 3 was significantly lower than in Group 1 and Group 2 (p＜0.05, χ2-test). All tumors were cholangiocarcinoma. These results indicated that BOP-induced cholangiocarcinogenesis was suppressed by the supplemental administration of 1α(OH)D3

Development of a pedestrian navigation system that presents the optimum route information for mobility constraint people.

We developed a pedestrian navigation system that presents the optimum route information according to the degree of disablement for handicapped or aged people. The system displays information for town walking with ptimum route on the Google Map or by the direction indication on the AR camera window. Based on the system, we developed a mobile application system, named the\u27SAKAI old town map\u27, for sightseeing and walking around the historical area in Sakai·shi, Osaka. As an evaluation experiment, subjects with wheelchairs moved around the area using the system and we analyzed their behavior and introspection. The results showed that our pedestrian navigation system would be effective to support the daily life of move constraint people.平成26年度関西大学研究拠点形成支援経費：研究課題「利用者別最適経路を選択可能なナビゲ ーションシステムの研究開発と実装地域における社会的変化の研究

Feasibility study of two schedules of sunitinib in combination with pemetrexed in patients with advanced solid tumors

Background Sunitinib is an oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptors, as well as of other receptor types. We have performed a feasibility study to investigate the safety of sunitinib in combination with pemetrexed for treatment of advanced refractory solid tumors. Methods Sunitinib was administered once daily on a continuous daily dosing (CDD) schedule (37.5 mg/day) or a 2-weeks-on, 1-week-off treatment schedule (50 mg/day, Schedule 2/1) in combination with pemetrexed at 500 mg/m2 on day 1 of repeated 21-day cycles. Results Twelve patients were enrolled in the study: six on the CDD schedule and six on Schedule 2/1. None of the treated patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity. Toxicities were manageable and similar in type to those observed in monotherapy studies of sunitinib and pemetrexed. Pharmacokinetic analysis did not reveal any substantial drug–drug interaction. One patient with squamous cell lung cancer showed a partial response and five patients had stable disease. Conclusions Combination therapy with sunitinib administered on Schedule 2/1 (50 mg/day) or a CDD schedule (37.5 mg/day) together with standard-dose pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) was well tolerated in previously treated patients with advanced solid tumors