Effects of Choto-san (Diao-Teng-San) on microcirculation of bulbar conjunctiva and hemorheological factors in patients with asymptomatic cerebral infarction

In this study, the effects of Choto-san ( 釣藤散 ) on the microcirculation of bulbar conjunctiva in 16 patients with asymptornatic cerebral infarction were investigated with a video-microscopic system. After the administration of Choto-san for four weeks, variables of microcirculatory flow of the bulbar conjunctiva, that is, the internal diameter of vessels, flow velocity and flow volume rate were increased (p<0.05) . Erythrocyte aggregability, evaluated by measuring the maximum diameter of a column of intravascular erythrocyte aggregation, was also improved (p<0.05) . Simultaneously, hemorheological factors such as whole blood viscosity, plasrna viscosity, erythrocyte deformability and leukocyte deformability were examined. Choto-san improved deformability of both erythrocytes and leukocytes (p<0.05) , but not blood viscosity. These results suggest that Choto-san may have favorable effects on cerebrovascular disorders through changes in microcirculatory flow, erythrocyte aggregability and blood cell deformability. 今回,無症候性脳梗塞患者16名を対象に,眼球結膜微小循環に及ぼす釣藤散の効果をビデオ顕徴鏡システムを用いて検討した。釣藤散を4週間投与後,眼球結膜微小循環の血管内径,血流速度,血流量が増加した(p<0.05)。血管内赤血球集合現象を認める血管の最大内径で評価ざれる赤血球集合能も改善した(p<0.05)。同時に,血液レオロジー因子である全血粘度,血漿粘度,赤血球変形能,白血球変形能も検討したところ,釣藤散は赤血球と白血球の変形能を改善したが(p<0.05),血液粘度は改善しなかった。以上の結果から,釣藤散は徴小循環血流や赤血球集合能,血球変形能を改善することで,脳血管障害に好影響を与える可能性が示唆された

Development of wide-band log-periodic dipole array antenna for Iitate Planetary Radio Telescope

departmental bulletin pape

Synthesis of single-phase L10-FeNi magnet powder by nitrogen insertion and topotactic extraction

Tetrataenite (L10-FeNi) is a promising candidate for use as a permanent magnet free of rare-earth elements because of its favorable properties. In this study, single-phase L10-FeNi powder with a high degree of order was synthesized through a new method, nitrogen insertion and topotactic extraction (NITE). In the method, FeNiN, which has the same ordered arrangement as L10-FeNi, is formed by nitriding A1-FeNi powder with ammonia gas. Subsequently, FeNiN is denitrided by topotactic reaction to derive single-phase L10-FeNi with an order parameter of 0.71. The transformation of disordered-phase FeNi into the L10 phase increased the coercive force from 14.5 kA/m to 142 kA/m. The proposed method not only significantly accelerates the development of magnets using L10-FeNi but also offers a new synthesis route to obtain ordered alloys in non-equilibrium states

Genetic polymorphism of pleiotrophin is associated with pain experience in Japanese adults Case-control study

Genetic factors play a role in individual differences in pain experience. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify novel loci regulating pain processing. We conducted a 2-stage GWAS and the candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) association study on pain experience using an exploratory cohort of patients with cancer pain. The confirmatory cohort comprised of participants from the general population with and without habitual use of analgesic medication. In the exploratory cohort, we evaluated pain intensity using a numerical rating scale, recorded daily opioid dosages, and calculated pain reduction rate. In the confirmatory cohort, pain experience was defined as habitual nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug usage. Using linear regression models, we identified candidate SNP in the exploratory samples, and tested the association between phenotype and experienced pain in the confirmatory samples. We found 1 novel SNP (rs11764598)—located on the gene encoding for pleiotrophin on chromosome 7—that passed the genome-wide suggestive significance at 20% false discovery rate (FDR) correction in the exploratory samples of patients with cancer pain (P = 1.31 × 10-7, FDR = 0.101). We confirmed its significant association with daily analgesic usage in the confirmatory cohort (P = .028), although the minor allele affected pain experience in an opposite manner. We identified a novel genetic variant associated with pain experience. Further studies are required to validate the role of pleiotrophin in pain processing

Variation of Jupiter's Aurora Observed by Hisaki/EXCEED: 3. Volcanic Control of Jupiter's Aurora:Io's Volcanic Effect on Jovian Aurora

Temporal variation of Jupiter's northern aurora during enhanced Io volcanic activity was detected using the EXCEED spectrometer on board the Hisaki Earth-orbiting planetary space telescope. It was found that in association with reported Io volcanic events in early 2015, auroral power and estimated field-aligned currents were enhanced during day of year 40–120. Furthermore, the far ultraviolet color ratio decreased during the event, indicating a decrease of auroral electron mean energy and total acceleration by <30%. During the episode of enhanced Io volcanic activity, Jupiter's magnetosphere contains more source current via increased suprathermal plasma density by up to 42%; therefore, it would have required correspondingly less electron acceleration to maintain the enhanced field-aligned current and corotation enforcement current. Sporadic large enhancements in auroral emission detected more frequently during the active period could have been contributed by nonadiabatic magnetospheric energization

ミナミアフリカ チュウトウ リスウカ キョウイン サイクンレン ケイカク MSSI ニオケル ジュギョウ ノ ドウニュウ ニツイテ : 2000 2001

Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) Phase 1 (1999-2002) intended to institutionalize the in-service training system through cascading workshop contents, with Curriculum Implementers (CIs) as change agents. More specifically, it aimed at introducing school-based lesson study in South African schools. Lesson Study is a mode of school based, lesson focused professional development which is most commonly practiced in Japanese elementary schools. Based on own observation and secondary analysis of the reports submitted by the short term experts dispatched by JICA to support MSSI, the authors examine he process of introduction and reception of the concept of lesson study in the project. In the analysis, we take the effects of political symbolism elaborated by Jansen on MSSI into consideration. Through this qualitative analytical work, we highlight how the project team practically and frequently adopted itself to the needs of stakeholders and the change of the context for effective and efficient project implementation in order to establish the in-service training system centered on lesson study

アフリカ ノ ダイガク ニヨル キソ キョウイク カイハツ ニ シスル ジリツテキ ケンキュウ エノ シエン : ウガンダ ニオケル ジレイ

The quality of basic education is one of big challenges in developing countries. We are providing Lesson Study activity for school-based INSET to researchers of African counties. We had a workshop for researcher and workshops for schools in Uganda, 2007. Lesson Study was accepted very well because of our strategy for dessemination