Tsunami Propagation from the Open Sea to the Coast

The tsunami generated by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) caused serious damage to the coastal areas of the Tohoku district. Numerical simulations are used to predict damage caused by tsunamis. Shallow-water equations are generally used in numerical simulations of tsunami propagation from the open sea to the coast. This research focuses on viscous shallow-water equations and attempts to generate a computational method using finite-element techniques based on the previous investigations of Kanayama and Ohtsuka (1978). First, the viscous shallow-water equation system is derived from the Navier-Stokes equations, based on the assumption of hydrostatic pressure in the direction of gravity. The derived equations have the horizontal viscosity term hereditary from the original Navier-Stokes equations. Next, a numerical finite element scheme is shown. Finally, tsunami simulations of Tohoku-Oki are shown using the above-mentioned approach. Our main concern in this chapter is how to set the boundary condition on the open boundary

Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Review Aspect Importance

Previous text mining studies identified key common aspects in online restaurant reviews. However, it is not clear how important these aspects are for consumers. In this exploratory study, we used Yelp restaurant reviews on an ethnic food item, ramen noodles, and assessed the importance of each aspect to both U.S. and Japanese consumers. The results show that food and atmosphere are far more important than the other common aspects in both the U.S. and Japan. However, we found noticeable differences between consumers in the two countries regarding how the food aspect plays a role on star ratings. Both implications and a future research agenda are discussed

ラット大脳皮質における電位オシレーターを駆動するための状況に応じた戦略

Information integration in the brain requires functional connectivity between local neural networks. Here, we investigated the interregional coupling mechanism from the viewpoint of oscillations using optical recording methods. Low-frequency electrical stimulation of rat neocortical slices in a caffeine-containing medium induced oscillatory activity between the primary visual cortex (Oc1) and medial secondary visual cortex (Oc2M), in which the oscillation generator was located in the Oc2M and was triggered by a feedforward signal. During to-and-fro oscillatory activity, neural excitation was marked in layer II/III. When the upper layer was disrupted between Oc1 and Oc2M, feedforward signals could propagate through the deep layer and switch on the oscillator in the Oc2M. When the lower layer was disrupted between Oc1 and Oc2M, feedforward signals could propagate through the upper layer and switch on the oscillator in the Oc2M. In the backward direction, neither the upper layer cut nor the lower layer cut disrupted the propagation of the oscillations. In all cases, the horizontal and vertical pathways were used as needed. Fluctuations in the oscillatory waveforms of the local field potential at the upper and lower layers in the Oc2M were reversed, suggesting that the oscillation originated between the two layers. Thus, the neocortex may work as a safety device for interregional communications in an alternative way to drive voltage oscillators in the neocortex

Chemokine and Free Fatty Acid Levels in Insulin-Resistant State of Successful Pregnancy: A Preliminary Observation

Increased insulin resistance and inflammatory action are observed in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), but similar insulin resistance is observed also in successful pregnancy. To estimate insulin resistance and inflammatory activity in normal pregnancy and PIH, serum concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA; corrected with albumin to estimate unbound FFA), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin were measured in severe PIH patients with a BMI less than 25 kg/m2 and were measured 3 times during the course of pregnancy in women with normal pregnancies. FFA/albumin, MCP-1, and HMW adiponectin concentrations were significantly higher in PIH patients than in women with normal pregnancies. The 3 measurements of FFA/albumin showed a significant increase through the course of uncomplicated pregnancies. In contrast, MCP-1 and HMW adiponectin were significantly decreased during the course of pregnancy. These results suggest that the reduced MCP-1 concentration in normal pregnancy may be a pathway to inhibit the induction of pathological features from physiological insulin resistance and homeostatic inflammation

卵巣明細胞腺癌における転写因子HNF-1βはDNA損傷チェックポイント機構の一つであるCHK1タンパクを制御し、抗癌剤耐性を獲得する

Objective Appropriate cell cycle checkpoints are essential for the maintenance of normal cells and chemosensitivity of cancer cells. Clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) of the ovary is highly resistant to chemotherapy. Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β (HNF-1β) is known to be overexpressed in CCA, but its role and clinical significance is unclear. We investigated the role of HNF-1β in regulation of the cell cycle in CCA. Methods To clarify the effects of HNF-1β on cell cycle checkpoints, we compared the cell cycle distribution and the expression of key proteins involved in CCA cells in which HNF-1β had been stably knocked down and in vector-control cell lines after treatment with bleomycin. HNF-1β (+) cells were arrested in G2 phase because of DNA damage. Results HNF-1β (−) cells died because of a checkpoint mechanism. G2 arrest of HNF-1β (+) cells resulted from sustained CHK1 activation, a protein that plays a major role in the checkpoint mechanism. HNF-1β (+) cells were treated with a CHK1 inhibitor after bleomycin treatment. Flow cytometric analysis of the cell cycle demonstrated that DNA damage–induced G2-arrested cells were released from the checkpoint and killed by a CHK1 inhibitor. Conclusions The chemoresistance of CCA may be due to aberrant retention of the G2 checkpoint through overexpression of HNF-1β. This is the first study demonstrating cell cycle regulation and chemosensitization by a CHK1 inhibitor in CCA.博士（医学）・乙第1345号・平成26年12月3日© 2014 by the International Gynecologic Cancer Society and the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology

Diagnosis of Oriental medicine in Dog and Cat

It is not easy to say that it is scientific clearly though in the Oriental medicine, there is a technique peculiar from the diagnosis to treatment. It is a development phase, and it is applied similar to the application to man though the Oriental medicine is being applied by the animal. This time, it explained the feature of an Oriental medicine disease in the dog and the cat. The method is the same as the method to do by the artery of the wrist that man has though Pulls with the groin artery is done in the dog and the cat. Moreover, the respiratory organ can be diagnosed,and because an inter-esting reaction to control it this time was admitted, it reports. On the other hand, it has a lot of volume of information though neither Eye and Pulls diagnosis are made a science. In addition, it reports on the diagnosis of the convulsion in the Oriental medicine this time. Moreover, this report is convinced of it that it is relate about the nervous system and pressure, and can do clarification scientific the Oriental medicine in the future