Study on Optimizing Airport Runway Design by Economic Analysis

A rapid increase of air traffic is anticipated by the main airports in Japan. The existing airport facilities of the main airports in Japan are already thought to be insufficient, and it is earnestly requested that these facilities will be reinforced as urgently as possible. It is vital that we determine the ultimate runway capacity to make a plan more accurately for long range development of adequate airport facilities on a schedule which will meet the projected increase in air traffic. Mathematical models have been developed that can be used in forecasting the operating rates of runways with associated delays. These models have been devised covering delays under preemptive priority type operations. The optimum runway design is that which will manage to keep the balance between operating cost and total annual costs of runway. The optimum design then is determined by the economic analysis of the factors that affect runway operations. Economic analysis have been developed that could be used in determining the break-even volume for the improvement of runways

Expression and functional analysis of the barley Nud gene using transgenic rice

Most cereal crops have hulless grains (naked caryopses) with a free-threshing trait, whereas the majority of barley cultivars show hulled (covered) caryopses. The naked caryopsis in barley is genetically controlled by a single locus, nod. The Nud gene (the covered caryopsis allele) encodes an ethylene response factor (ERF) family transcription factor that regulates a lipid biosynthetic pathway. For functional analysis of the barley Nud gene, we produced transgenic rice expressing Nod in the developing caryopses. All transgenic lines had caryopses that were easily dehulled at maturity, indicating that the naked caryopsis phenotype remained in spite of expression of the Nod transgene. Histochemical and lipid analyses of the transgenic rice caryopses did not show increased lipid accumulation on the surface of developing caryopses, suggesting that the Nud-mediated lipid pathway may not function in rice caryopses. The predicted rice ortholog of Nod, Os06ERF was expressed specifically in the developing caryopses. However, expression of Os06ERF ceased at an earlier developmental stage than that of the native Nod gene in barley caryopses, which was also the case for expression of the Nod transgene. This raises the alternative hypothesis that the timing of Nod expression may be critical for activating the pathway for hull-caryopsis adhesion

Structure of n-clique networks embedded in a complex network

We propose the n-clique network as a powerful tool for understanding global structures of combined highly-interconnected subgraphs, and provide theoretical predictions for statistical properties of the n-clique networks embedded in a complex network using the degree distribution and the clustering spectrum. Furthermore, using our theoretical predictions, we find that the statistical properties are invariant between 3-clique networks and original networks for several observable real-world networks with the scale-free connectivity and the hierarchical modularity. The result implies that structural properties are identical between the 3-clique networks and the original networks.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Breast Cancer Metastasis in the Skin with Hyperkeratotic Pigmentation Caused by Melanocyte Colonization

Pigmented breast cancer in the skin caused by nonneoplastic melanocytes of epidermal origin is a rare condition of metastasis from breast cancer, but the pathogenesis of this phenomenon is almost unknown. In this report, we describe a case of breast cancer metastasis in the skin with prominent hyperkeratotic pigmentation caused by nonneoplastic melanocyte colonization. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the metastatic tumor cells produced IL-23, which is reported not only to induce IL-17 but also to inhibit cell apoptosis in breast cancer cells, which affects tumor progression. In addition to IL-23, substantial numbers of IL-17-producing cells were detected at the peritumoral area, suggesting that IL-17 might induce not only melanogenesis but also keratinocyte proliferation and tumorigenesis. Our report suggests possible mechanisms of hyperkeratotic pigmentation of breast cancer metastasis in the skin

健常者における主観的身体垂直の再テスト法による信頼性と加齢による差異

The subjective postural vertical (SPV) reflects gravity perception when the eyes are closed. Changes in the SPV on both the frontal and sagittal planes occur in response to neurological disorders and aging; however, these changes on the diagonal plane are unclear. Here we examined test–retest reliability (n=16) of and age-related changes (n=38) in the SPVon the diagonal plane. Subjects sat on an electrical vertical board (EVB), which was used to measure the SPVon the diagonal plane. An experimenter controlled and moved the EVB seat at a constant speed on the diagonal plane and measured the seat’s tilt using a digital inclinometer when subjects verbally reported that they had reached a true vertical position. Measurement was performed for eight trials, and the mean (tilt direction) and standard deviation (variability) were calculated. To determine test–retest reliability, the same experimenter repeatedly measured the SPV 1 week later. To assess age-related changes, tilt direction and variability were compared between the young (n=20) and elderly (n=18) groups. Test–retest reliability on the right and left diagonal planes was 0.61 or more. Moreover, tilt direction on the right diagonal plane – but not on the left diagonal plane – indicated a significant diagonally backward deviation in the elderly group compared with that in the young group.Variability was significantly higher in the elderly group on both planes. SPV measurement on the diagonal plane was indicated, and age-related changes were identified. Thus, future studies should assess the potential clinical applications of SPV in neurological disorders.首都大学東京学位論文甲第966号副論

Assessment of bone healing and hypoesthesia in the upper lip after Le Fort I osteotomy with self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate and absorbable plates

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate hypoesthesia of the upper lip and bone formation using self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate (Biopex ®) between the segments following Le Fort I osteotomy with bent absorbable plate fixation. Subjects and methods: The subjects were 47 patients (94 sides) who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy with and without mandibular osteotomy. They were divided into a Biopex ® group (48 sides) and a control group (46 sides). The Biopex ® was inserted into the anterior part of the gap between the segments in the Biopex ® group. Trigeminal nerve hypoesthesia at the region of the upper lip was assessed bilaterally by the trigeminal somatosensory-evoked potential (TSEP) method. The area of the Biopex ® at the anterior part in the maxilla was assessed immediately after surgery and 1 year postoperatively by computed tomography (CT). Results: The mean measurable period and standard deviation were 13.2 ± 18.5 weeks in the control group, 14.5 ± 17.9 weeks in the Biopex ® group, and there was no significant difference in TSEP. The area of the Biopex ® after 1 year was significantly smaller than that immediately after surgery (right side: P = 0.0024, left side: P = 0.0001) and bone defects between the segments could not be found in the Biopex ® group. In the control group, although the areas of bone defect after 1 year were significantly smaller than that immediately after surgery on the right side (P = 0.0133) and left side (P = 0.0469) in the frontal view, complete healing of the bone defects could be seen in 12 of 46 sides after 1 year. Conclusion: This study suggested that inserting Biopex ® in the gap between the maxillary segments was useful for new bone formation and it did not prevent the recovery of upper lip hypoesthesia after Le Fort I osteotomy with absorbable plate fixation. © 2012 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery

Maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy with self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate and an absorbable plate

The purpose of this study was to compare retrospectively postoperative differences in maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy and fixation with an unsintered hydroxyapatite (u-HA)/poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) plate with or without self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate (Biopex ®) as interpositional material. Subjects comprised 45 patients diagnosed with mandibular prognathism with maxillary retrognathism and mandibular prognathism with bimaxillary asymmetry. All patients underwent Le Fort I osteotomy and bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy with fixation by uHA/PLLA plates. Patients were divided into 4 groups consisting of 9 maxillary impaction cases with Biopex ® (group 1) to fill the gap between the bone segments, 14 maxillary advancement cases with Biopex ® (group 2), 8 maxillary impaction cases without Biopex ® (group 3) and 14 maxillary advancement cases without Biopex ® (group 4). Changes in cepahalometric parameters at time intervals (1, 3 and 12 months) between the groups were compared. Results showed that stability did not depend on the use or otherwise of Biopex ®. © 2012 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article