Wind- and Operation-Induced Vibration Measurements of the Main Reflector of the Nobeyama 45 m Radio Telescope

As deformations of the main reflector of a radio telescope directly affect the observations, the evaluation of the deformation is extremely important. Dynamic characteristics of the main reflector of the Nobeyama 45 m radio telescope, Japan, are measured under two conditions: The first is when the pointing observation is in operation, and the second is when the reflector is stationary and is subjected to wind loads when the observation is out of operation. Dynamic characteristics of the main reflector are measured using piezoelectric accelerometers. When the telescope is in operation, a vibration mode with one nodal line horizontally or vertically on the reflector is induced, depending on whether the reflector is moving in the azimuthal or elevational planes, whereas under windy conditions, vibration modes that have two to four nodal lines are simultaneously induced. The predominant mode is dependent on the direction of wind loads.Comment: Accepted for publication in Journal of Vibration Engineering & Technologie

Association between induction of the self-management system for preventing readmission and disease severity and length of readmission in patients with heart failure

[Objective] We recently developed the self-management system using the HF points and instructions to visit hospitals or clinics when the points exceed the pre-specified levels. We found that the self-management system decreased the hospitalization for HF with an increase in unplanned visits and early intervention in the outpatient department. However, it is unclear whether we managed severe HF outpatients who should have been hospitalized. In this study, we aimed to compare HF severity in rehospitalized patients with regard to self-management system use. [Results] We retrospectively enrolled 306 patients (153 patients each in the system user and non-user groups) using propensity scores (PS). We compared HF severity and length of readmission in rehospitalized patients in both groups. During the 1-year follow-up period, 24 system users and 43 non-system users in the PS-matched cohort were hospitalized. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of brain natriuretic peptide levels at readmission, maximum daily intravenous furosemide dose, percentage of patients requiring intravenous inotropes, duration of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality. These results suggest that the HF severity in rehospitalized patients was not different between the two groups

Expressions of the "Expect-potential" in Manga : On the Effects of Turning Pages and a Grammer of Japanese Comics

本論文では、ソシオン理論における「荷重」概念を通してマンガ表現に光を当てることを試みた。まず最初に、そのための導入部としてソシオン理論における「荷重」概念を荷重記号論の観点から整理した。続いて、マンガにおいて荷重を表現する要素をまとめたうえで、「驚き」や「恐怖」などの表現を具体的に分析した。そこで、マンガは「絵・コマ・言葉」という要素だけでなく、見えないものまでも描くことのできる図号（形喩） ・絵と言葉と音の融合した音号（音喩）などのマンガ的記号を活用して荷重を豊かに表現していることが明らかにされた。またマンガが、ページのめくりによって荷重を効果的に伝えるような「語り」の形式、マンガの「文法」を持っていることを指摘し、そのうえで、マンガがそのような「文法」を「ズラす」ことによって新しい表現を生み出し続けていることにも言及した。さらに、マンガにおける荷重表現と文学作品における荷重表現との比較を行った。Various expressions of semio-weights in Manga (Japanese story comics) are discussed. Semio-weight is the potential of expect ("cathexis") which determines the strength of surprise, laughter and other emotions. Manga is abundantly charged with the expressions of semio-weights, not only in the form of pictorial description but also by the peculiar symbolic codes. We distinguish two emerging types of semiotic expression, the visual symbols systematized by writers such as Osamu Tezuka and the phonetic symbols derived from the language. The former (formpher) will be simply looked and understood and the latter (sonopher) will be read or pronounced silently. In Manga reading, "turning pages" effectively induces the dimension of semio-weights. Manga has created a new grammar of semiotic expressions very different from the literature, which can be explained "multiplicity principle" of socion theory.特集・ソシオン理論の冒

Association of IL28B gene polymorphism with development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

IL28B single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with spontaneous and treatment-induced elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV). To assess whether the IL28B rs8099917 SNP also affects the progression of chronic HCV infection, we genotyped 511 Japanese HCV patients, including 69 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The T/T genotype of rs8099917 was not associated with the development of HCC (p = 0.623), although stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that liver cirrhosis, age greater than 68 years, and serum albumin <4.2 mg/dl were associated with HCC onset. It appears that the IL28B SNP does not directly influence hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic HCV infection.ArticleHUMAN IMMUNOLOGY. 73(3):298-300 (2012)journal articl

Multiple preferred escape trajectories are explained by a geometric model incorporating prey\u27s turn and predator attack endpoint

The escape trajectory (ET) of prey - measured as the angle relative to the predator\u27s approach path - plays a major role in avoiding predation. Previous geometric models predict a single ET; however, many species show highly variable ETs with multiple preferred directions. Although such a high ET variability may confer unpredictability to avoid predation, the reasons why animals prefer specific multiple ETs remain unclear. Here, we constructed a novel geometric model that incorporates the time required for prey to turn and the predator\u27s position at the end of its attack. The optimal ET was determined by maximizing the time difference of arrival at the edge of the safety zone between the prey and predator. By fitting the model to the experimental data of fish Pagrus major, we show that the model can clearly explain the observed multiple preferred ETs. By changing the parameters of the same model within a realistic range, we were able to produce various patterns of ETs empirically observed in other species (e.g., insects and frogs): a single preferred ET and multiple preferred ETs at small (20-50°) and large (150-180°) angles from the predator. Our results open new avenues of investigation for understanding how animals choose their ETs from behavioral and neurosensory perspectives

Cellular Morphology Visualization to Probe Cell Differentiation

Nuclear and cytoplasmic morphological changes provide important information about cell differentiation processes, cell functions, and signal responses. There is a strong desire to develop a rapid and simple method for visualizing cytoplasmic and nuclear morphology. Here, we developed a novel and rapid method for probing cellular morphological changes of live cell differentiation process by a fluorescent probe, TAP-4PH, a 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene derivative. TAP-4PH showed high fluorescence in cytoplasmic area, and visualized cytoplasmic and nuclear morphological changes of live cells during differentiation. We demonstrated that TAP-4PH visualized dendritic axon and spine formation in neuronal differentiation, and nuclear structural changes during neutrophilic differentiation. We also showed that the utility of TAP-4PH for visualization of cytoplasmic and nuclear morphologies of various type of live cells. Our visualizing method has no toxicity and no influence on the cellular differentiation and function. The cell morphology can be rapidly observed after addition of TAP-4PH and can continue to be observed in the presence of TAP-4PH in cell culture medium. Moreover, TAP-4PH can be easily removed after observation by washing for subsequent biological assay. Taken together, these results demonstrate that our visualization method is a powerful tool to probe differentiation processes before subsequent biological assay in live cells