Efficacy of bus service reorganization utilizing a hub-and-spoke topology and DRT to meet community needs: A case study of Tokigawa town

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to verify the efficacy of a route/timetable reorganization methodology focused on a hub-and-spoke schedule bus architecture as well as the introduction of demand responsive transport (DRT) in suburban or underpopulated areas in Japan to accommodate local requirements.We selected Tokigawa town for our reorganization trial and there were many local characteristics that needed to be addressed, including town residents' demands for origins and destinations that were linearly arranged within the town but also scattered outside of the town, geographically far flung, and in this scenario, route reorganization utilizing a hub-and-spoke architecture proved effective. Particularly, by changing the timetable whereby long routes running longitudinally and across the town connected with spoke-style short routes, service frequency was increased considerably without significantly increasing expenses.Also, by implementing a system to alternatively operate regular route buses and DRT with a fixed schedule and area for routes in the mountain area, bus availability for residents living in low traffic areas was successfully increased due to increased efficiencies

Hyperuricemia in obese children and adolescents: the relationship with metabolic syndrome

The prevalence of hyperuricemia in obese children and adolescents and its association with metabolic syndrome are largely unknown. The objective of our study was to characterize hyperuricemia in relation to metabolic syndrome in Japanese children and adolescents with obesity. Between 2005 and 2008, we performed a cross-sectional study of 1,027 obese children and adolescents aged 6–14 years. Based on the reference value of serum uric acid we had established previously, hyperuricemia was defined as one standard deviation over the mean value at each age. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was made based on the Japanese criteria for children. A total of 213 children and adolescents (20.7%) was found to have hyperuricemia. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was significantly higher in the male gender and older age group. Sixty-five out of 213 subjects with hyperuricemia (30.5%) had metabolic syndrome, whereas 111 out of 814 subjects without hyperuricemia (13.6%) had metabolic syndrome. The most common abnormal component of metabolic syndrome was triglyceride, followed by diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and HDL-cholesterol. Such a tendency was almost identical between the two groups. We concluded that considering the association between hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome in obese Japanese children and adolescents, the role of hyperuricemia in metabolic syndrome should receive more attention, beginning in early childhood

Fatigue Status in Relation to Lifestyle in Healthy Japanese Adolescents

In order to investigate the prevalence of physical, mental, and chronic fatigue syndrome-(CFS-) related fatigue and its relation to lifestyle, 1,225 adolescents (591 males, 634 females) aged 11 to 16 years were asked to complete a self-reported questionnaire on fatigue status and lifestyle in the past one month. There was no gender difference in physical and mental fatigue scores, but CFS-related scores were significantly higher in females than in males. These scores were found to increase with the increase of age. After adjusting for age and gender, multiple regression analysis showed that physical and mental fatigue scores were associated with sleeping hours, extracurricular sports activity, food balance, the frequencies of snacks between regular meals, intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, and visits to the nurse's room. This paper is the first large cross-sectional study on fatigue in healthy adolescents in Japan, albeit there were numerous such studies in Western countries

Retrorectal epidermoid cyst with unusually elevated serum SCC level, initially diagnosed as an ovarian tumor

Retrorectal epidermoid cyst is one of the developmental cysts which arise from remnants of embryonic tissues. We report a rare case of retrorectal epidermoid cyst, initially diagnosed as an ovarian tumor. Serum SCC value as tumor marker was elevated to the high level. Laparoscopy revealed ovaries, uterus and other pelvic organs were all normal. This tumor existed in the retroperitoneal cavity and compressed the rectum. Later, complete tumor resection was performed by laparotomy. Histological study revealed the epithelium of this tumor consisted of only squamous cells without atypia, and the diagnosis of this tumor was retrorectal epidermoid cyst. Retrorectal epidermoid cyst is very rare, and difficult to diagnose before surgery. However, if we have-knowledge of developmental cysts, and by careful digital examination and image diagnosis, a differential diagnosis can be made

Tissue Determinants of Human NK Cell Development, Function, and Residence.

Immune responses in diverse tissue sites are critical for protective immunity and homeostasis. Here, we investigate how tissue localization regulates the development and function of human natural killer (NK) cells, innate lymphocytes important for anti-viral and tumor immunity. Integrating high-dimensional analysis of NK cells from blood, lymphoid organs, and mucosal tissue sites from 60 individuals, we identify tissue-specific patterns of NK cell subset distribution, maturation, and function maintained across age and between individuals. Mature and terminally differentiated NK cells with enhanced effector function predominate in blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lungs and exhibit shared transcriptional programs across sites. By contrast, precursor and immature NK cells with reduced effector capacity populate lymph nodes and intestines and exhibit tissue-resident signatures and site-specific adaptations. Together, our results reveal anatomic control of NK cell development and maintenance as tissue-resident populations, whereas mature, terminally differentiated subsets mediate immunosurveillance through diverse peripheral sites. VIDEO ABSTRACT

Dwarf Novae in the Shortest Orbital Period Regime: I. A New Short Period Dwarf Nova, OT J055717+683226

We report the observation of a new dwarf nova, OT J055717+683226, during its first-ever recorded superoutburst in December 2006. Our observation shows that this object is an SU UMa-type dwarf nova having a very short superhump period of 76.67+/- 0.03 min (0.05324+/-0.00002 d). The next superoutburst was observed in March 2008. The recurrence time of superoutbursts (supercycle) is, hence, estimated to be ~480 d. The supercycle is much shorter than those of WZ Sge-type dwarf novae having supercycles of >~ 10 yr, which are a major population of dwarf novae in the shortest orbital period regime (<~85 min). Using a hierarchical cluster analysis, we identified seven groups of dwarf novae in the shortest orbital period regime. We identified a small group of objects that have short supercycles, small outburst amplitudes, and large superhump period excesses, compared with those of WZ Sge stars. OT J055717+683226 probably belongs to this group.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in PAS

The Echogenic Patterns of the Pancreatic Parenchyma in the Endoscopic Ultrasonography

Using the pancreas of the Japanese Macaque and human pancreas from autopsy cases, the echogenic patterns of the pancreatic parenchyma obtained by the ultrasonic endoscopy were compared with the histological findings. The parenchyma of the normal pancreas was observed as an echogenic pattern with homogeneous accumulation of small granular echoes. Such granular echoes are suggested to represent pancreatic acini on comparison with the tissue structure. This was confirmed by widening the pancreatic interstitium by infusing physiological saline into the main pancreatic duct. Such granular echoes became indistinct in the pancreas from autopsy cases due to autolysis. In the experimental pancreatic lesion produced by local injection of 1 % deoxycholic acid into the pancreas of Japanese Macaque, hemorrhage and fibrosis were noted 1 week later and fibrosis appears after 2 to 3 weeks. Hemorrhagic lesions were appeared as an area of high echogenicity, and fibrosis was appeared as an area of low echogenicity, with irregularity of the granular structure seen in the normal tissue

Distribution and Compartmentalization of Human Circulating and Tissue-Resident Memory T Cell Subsets

SummaryKnowledge of human T cells derives chiefly from studies of peripheral blood, whereas their distribution and function in tissues remains largely unknown. Here, we present a unique analysis of human T cells in lymphoid and mucosal tissues obtained from individual organ donors, revealing tissue-intrinsic compartmentalization of naive, effector, and memory subsets conserved between diverse individuals. Effector memory CD4+ T cells producing IL-2 predominated in mucosal tissues and accumulated as central memory subsets in lymphoid tissue, whereas CD8+ T cells were maintained as naive subsets in lymphoid tissues and IFN-γ-producing effector memory CD8+ T cells in mucosal sites. The T cell activation marker CD69 was constitutively expressed by memory T cells in all tissues, distinguishing them from circulating subsets, with mucosal memory T cells exhibiting additional distinct phenotypic and functional properties. Our results provide an assessment of human T cell compartmentalization as a new baseline for understanding human adaptive immunity

A Spectral Study of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1752-223 in the High/Soft State with MAXI, Suzaku and Swift

We report on the X-ray spectral analysis of the black hole candidate XTE\ J1752--223 in the 2009--2010 outburst, utilizing data obtained with the MAXI/Gas Slit Camera (GSC), the Swift/XRT, and Suzaku, which work complementarily. As already reported by Nakahira et al. (2010) MAXI monitored the source continuously throughout the entire outburst for about eight months. All the MAXI/GSC energy spectra in the high/soft state lasting for 2 months are well represented by a multi-color disk plus power-law model. The innermost disk temperature changed from $\sim$0.7 keV to $\sim$0.4 keV and the disk flux decreased by an order of magnitude. Nevertheless, the innermost radius is constant at $\sim$41 $D_{3.5}(\cos{\it i})^{-1/2}$ km, where $D_{3.5}$ is the source distance in units of 3.5 kpc and $i$ the inclination. The multi-color disk parameters obtained with the MAXI/GSC are consistent with those with the Swift/XRT and Suzaku. The Suzaku data also suggests a possibility that the disk emission is slightly Comptonized, which could account for broad iron-K features reported previously. Assuming that the obtained innermost radius represents the innermost stable circular orbit for a non-rotating black hole, we estimate the mass of the black hole to be 5.51$\pm$0.28 $M_{\odot}$ $D_{3.5}(\cos{\it i})^{-1/2}$, where the correction for the stress-free inner boundary condition and color hardening factor of 1.7 are taken into account. If the inclination is less than 49$^{\circ}$ as suggested from the radio monitoring of transient jets and the soft-to-hard transition in 2010 April occurred at 1--4% of Eddignton luminosity, the fitting of the Suzaku spectra with a relativistic accretion-disk model derives constraints on the mass and the distance to be 3.1--55 $M_{\odot}$ and 2.3--22 {\rm kpc}, respectively. This confirms that the compact object in XTE J1752--223 is a black hole.Comment: 12 pages including 7 figures and 4 tables, accepted for publication in PAS