Research on characteristics of Responses on Floating Structures due to Various Tsunami Wave Profiles

ABSTRACT It is the objective of this research to develop practical estimation methodologies for responses of and the mooring force on a floating structure in shallow seas and to clarify the characteristics of responses induced by various tsunami wave profiles. In the present paper, the estimation methodology is introduced. The Tsunami propagation is numerically simulated from the hypocenter to shallow sea after an initial Tsunami elevation around sea area above the hypocenter is predicted by using Manshinha-Smylie's method. The numerical simulation is carried out two-dimensionally. It is assumed that the floating structure is moored by catenary chains in shallow sea around Japanese Island. The two-dimensional boundary integral method is applied to a computation of the Tsunami propagations on a floating structure. The convolution integral method is applied to the prediction of the motion response with the catenary mooring tethers. In the present paper, some tools of parts of system are verified. The analysis method for the Tsunami exciting forces based on the 2-D BEM simulation program code is verified by comparing with the experimental results and another simulation results. The characteristics of responses due to the difference of Tsunami wave profile are discussed

Novel concept microarray enabling PCR and multistep reactions through pipette-free aperture-to-aperture parallel transfer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The microarray has contributed to developing the omic analysis. However, as it depends basically on the surface reaction, it is hard to perform bulk reactions and sequential multistep reactions. On the other hand, the popular microplate technology, which has a great merit of being able to perform parallel multistep reactions, has come to its limit in increasing the number of wells (currently, up to 9600) and reducing the volume to deal with due to the difficulty in operations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we report a novel microarray technology which enables us to explore advanced applications, termed <it>microarray-with-manageable volumes </it>(MMV). The technical essence is in the pipette-free direct parallel transfer from well to well performed by centrifugation, evading the evaporation and adsorption-losses during handling. By developing the MMV plate, accompanying devices and techniques, generation of multiple conditions (256 kinds) and performance of parallel multistep reactions, including PCR and <it>in vitro tr</it>anslation reactions, have been made possible. These were demonstrated by applying the MMV technology to searching lysozyme-crystallizing conditions and selecting peptides aimed for Aβ-binding or cathepsin E-inhibition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>With the introduction of a novel concept microarray (MMV) technology, parallel and multistep reactions in sub-μL scale have become possible.</p

Local Release of C-Reactive Protein From Vulnerable Plaque or Coronary Arterial Wall Injured by Stenting

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess local release of C-reactive protein (CRP) from atherosclerotic plaques or the vessel wall injured by stenting.BackgroundRecent research has focused on the local production of CRP, especially in inflammatory atherosclerotic plaques.MethodsThe study consisted of two separate protocols. In protocol 1, we measured serum high-sensitivity-CRP (hs-CRP) levels in coronary arterial blood sampled just distal and proximal to the culprit lesions in 36 patients with stable angina and 13 patients with unstable angina. In protocol 2, we measured serial serum hs-CRP levels and activated Mac-1 on the surface of neutrophils in both coronary sinus and peripheral blood in 20 patients undergoing coronary stenting.ResultsIn protocol 1, CRP was higher in distal blood than proximal blood in both stable (p < 0.05) and unstable angina (p < 0.01). The translesional CRP gradient (distal CRP minus proximal CRP, p < 0.05) as well as the proximal CRP (p < 0.05) and distal CRP (p < 0.05) was higher in unstable angina than in stable angina. In protocol 2, the transcardiac CRP gradient (coronary sinus minus peripheral blood) and activated Mac-1 increased gradually after stenting, reaching a maximum at 48 h (p < 0.001 vs. baseline for both). There was a positive correlation between the transcardiac CRP gradient and activated Mac-1 at 48 h (r = 0.45, p < 0.01).ConclusionsC-reactive protein is an excellent marker for plaque instability or poststent inflammatory status, and its source might be the inflammation site of the plaque or the coronary arterial wall injured by stenting

Transmission electron microscopic observations of nanobubbles and their capture of impurities in wastewater

Unique properties of micro- and nanobubbles (MNBs), such as a high adsorption of impurities on their surface, are difficult to verify because MNBs are too small to observe directly. We thus used a transmission electron microscope (TEM) with the freeze-fractured replica method to observe oxygen (O2) MNBs in solutions. MNBs in pure water and in 1% NaCl solutions were spherical or oval. Their size distribution estimated from TEM images close to that of the original solution is measured by light-scattered methods. When we applied this technique to the observation of O2 MNBs formed in the wastewater of a sewage plant, we found the characteristic features of spherical MNBs that adsorbed surrounding impurity particles on their surface

Instrumental Perforation of the Esophagus A Case Report and Review of Literature

Thanks to the improvement of the types of the endoscope and the progress of its techniques, the incidence of esophageal perforation has been decreasing recently. It should be pointed out, however, that esophageal perforation is a very serious iatrogenic disease requiring an early diagnosis and an adequate drainage in order to save the lives of patients. A woman at the age of 68 received gastrofiberscopical examination under suspicion of gastric ulcer, but immediately after the inspection, the patient had severe epigastric pain and dyspnea, and in five hours subcutaneous pneumatosis appeared on her neck. Chest X-ray pictures revealed mediastinal pneumatosis in high degree and pneumothorax on the left, and blood gas analysis showed the decrease in PO2 and the rise in PCO2. Since the patient fell into the state of shock, esophagography and esophagoscopy were not performed, but operation was given immediately. Hematoma was found at a site immediately above the diaphragm and on the left posterior wall, and abscess was formed in the mediastinum. We did not suture the injured region, but drinage of the mediastinum and the left thoracic cavity was given. After the operation, tracheostomy was performed, and her respiration was managed with a ventilator, simultaneously placing the nasogastric tube within the stomach to reduce the pressure inside it. In 15 days after operation, food intake was resumed, and in 46 days the patient was discharged in good health. Thus, it is important for esophageal perforation to give drainage as early as possible at a most appropriate position, which will enable us to same the patient in dyspnea and shock in esophageal perforation

Cytosolic Double-Stranded DNA as a Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern Induces the Inflammatory Response in Rat Pancreatic Stellate Cells: A Plausible Mechanism for Tissue Injury-Associated Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of unknown causes. There are many triggers causing pancreatitis, such as alcohol, common bile duct stone, virus and congenital or acquired stenosis of main pancreatic duct, which often involve tissue injuries. Pancreatitis often occurs in sterile condition, where the dead/dying pancreatic parenchymal cells and the necrotic tissues derived from self-digested-pancreas were observed. However, the causal relationship between tissue injury and pancreatitis and how tissue injury could induce the inflammation of the pancreas were not elucidated fully until now. This study demonstrates that cytosolic double-stranded DNA increases the expression of several inflammatory genes (cytokines, chemokines, type I interferon, and major histocompatibility complex) in rat pancreatic stellate cells. Furthermore, these increase accompanied the multiple signal molecules genes, such as interferon regulatory factors, nuclear factor-kappa B, low-molecular-weight protein 2, and transporter associated with antigen processing 1. We suggest that this phenomenon is a plausible mechanism that might explain how cell damage of the pancreas or tissue injury triggers acute, chronic, and autoimmune pancreatitis; it is potentially relevant to host immune responses induced during alcohol consumption or other causes

Association between ImmunoCard Mycoplasma test and particle agglutination (PA) method in Mycoplasma pneumonia diagnosis

We examined the association between ImmunoCard Mycoplasma test and particle agglutination (PA) method in Mycoplasma pneumonia diagnosis. Subjects were 105 pneumonia patients who were positive for ImmunoCard Mycoplasma test at initial consultation and followed up by PA method using paired sera. The coincidence rates of positive cases of ImmunoCard Mycoplasma test and positive cases of PA method were examined by generation. The results showed that the coincidence rate was 87.5% in aged less than 19 years, 48.8% in aged 20-39 years, 36.4% in aged 40-59 years, 21.1% in aged 60-79 years, and 25.0% in aged 80 or greater, for a total of 44.8% (47 of 105 patients). The results suggested that a positive result for ImmunoCard Mycoplasma test may be due to acute infection in patients aged 19 years or less; however, 50% or more of patients aged 20 years or greater were false positive, which may reflect the presence of past infection