Nucleosynthesis of Light and Heavy Elements in Baryon-Rich Outflows Associated with Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) must originate from low baryon load, ultrarelativistic outflows; however, slower, more baryon-rich outflows (BROs) should also arise in connection with GRBs as ``circum-jet winds'' and/or ``failed GRBs''. We study the possibility of nucleosynthesis within such BROs by conducting detailed reaction network calculations in the framework of the fireball model, showing that they can be interesting sites for synthesis of heavy neutron capture elements, as well as of light elements such as deuterium. These products may be observable in the companion stars of black hole binary systems or in extremely metal-poor stars, offering an interesting probe of conditions in the central engine.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, slightly modified version of article to be published in Proc. of "GRBs in the Afterglow Era: 3rd Workshop (Rome 2002)

Effort-reward imbalance and its association with health among permanent and fixed-term workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the past decade, the changing labor market seems to have rejected the traditional standards employment and has begun to support a variety of non-standard forms of work in their place. The purpose of our study was to compare the degree of job stress, sources of job stress, and association of high job stress with health among permanent and fixed-term workers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Our study subjects were 709 male workers aged 30 to 49 years in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional study to compare job stress using an effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model questionnaire. Lifestyles, subjective symptoms, and body mass index were also observed from the 2008 health check-up data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The rate of job stress of the high-risk group measured by ERI questionnaire was not different between permanent and fixed-term workers. However, the content of the ERI components differed. Permanent workers were distressed more by effort, overwork, or job demand, while fixed-term workers were distressed more by their job insecurity. Moreover, higher ERI was associated with existence of subjective symptoms (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.42-3.03) and obesity (OR = 2.84, 95% CI:1.78-4.53) in fixed-term workers while this tendency was not found in permanent workers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study showed that workers with different employment types, permanent and fixed-term, have dissimilar sources of job stress even though their degree of job stress seems to be the same. High ERI was associated with existing subjective symptoms and obesity in fixed-term workers. Therefore, understanding different sources of job stress and their association with health among permanent and fixed-term workers should be considered to prevent further health problems.</p

臨床社会学の構築をめぐって : 文化の臨床

臨床社会学の歴史は、1930年代のシカゴ学派の社会学にまで遡ることができるが、再びアメリカで活性化されたのは70年代に入ってからであった。日本においてもここ2、3年、臨床社会学への関心が急速に高まってきている。臨床社会学は、社会学的な観点から危機介入(crisis　intervention)や改革を行うことをめざす実践志向性の強い学問であるが、方法論的な特性は問題への文化論的アプローチにある。このアプローチにおいて重視されるのは、介入を必要とする問題が、クライエントによってどのように定義され意味づけられているかということである。臨床社会学者は、定義とそれを規定する文化をめぐってクライエントと相互作用を行い、彼ないし彼女が定義の呪縛から脱して問題の再定義に至るのを助ける。政策過程への介入のようにクライエントが複数の集団・個人である場合は、複数の定義を対峙させ、交渉や調整等の相互作用によって問題の再定義が行われる過程に介入を行う。The idea of clinical sociology is not new. Almost 70 years ago, Louis Wirth of Chicago School, in a pioneering article entitled "Clinical Sociology", described the sociologists' contribution through the "cultural approach" in the child guidance clinics. In the cultural approach of clinical sociological intervention, client's "definition of situation" and its cognitive, cultural background are attached importance to. Redefiniton of client's internalized meanings and alteration of cognitive maps is mainly a concern of clinical sociologists. When one turns to macrolevel,clinical sociologists try to understand multiple,competing definitions of situation of actors concerned in the problem. Reconstruction of the operating definition of situation through group procedures is the main task of macrolevel clinical sociological intervention

Oscillation dynamics underlie functional switching of NF-κB for B-cell activation.

Transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) shows cooperative switch-like activation followed by prolonged oscillatory nuclear translocation in response to extracellular stimuli. These dynamics are important for activation of the NF-κB transcriptional machinery, however, NF-κB activity regulated by coordinated actions of these dynamics has not been elucidated at the system level. Using a variety of B cells with artificially rewired NF-κB signaling networks, we show that oscillations and switch-like activation of NF-κB can be dissected and that, under some conditions, these two behaviors are separated upon antigen receptor activation. Comprehensive quantitative experiments and mathematical analysis showed that the functional role of switch activation in the NF-κB system is to overcome transient IKK (IκB kinase) activity to amplify nuclear translocation of NF-κB, thereby inducing the prolonged NF-κB oscillatory behavior necessary for target gene expression and B-cell activation

The changes in the gender-role expectations through the classification of gender related traits

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in the gender-role expectations through the classification of gender related traits. The gender-role expectations of university students in recent times were investigated using items of the M-H-F scale (Ito, 1978) which composed of gender related traits. Sixty-eight university students, 37 males and 31 females, were participated in this study. Participants asked to answer the M-H-F scale of self-concept, desirability for males and females, and Communion-Agency Scale (Dohi & Hirokawa, 2004). The main results were as follows: (1) Factor analysis on scores of gender importance for males or females showed the male role factor and the female role factor. However, some female role factor traits in this study included traits which were classified as masculinity traits in Ito (1978). (2) There were significant correlation with corresponding CAS factors. (3) The female role factor scores were higher than the male role factor scores in both males and females. These results suggested that female role expectations is changing

Nucleosynthesis in Baryon-Rich Outflows Associated With Gamma-Ray Bursts

Robust generation of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) implies the formation of outflows with very low baryon loads and highly relativistic velocities, but more baryon-rich, slower outflows are also likely to occur in most GRB central engine scenarios, either as ``circum-jet winds'' or ``failed GRBs''. Here we study the possibility of nucleosynthesis within such baryon-rich outflows by conducting detailed reaction network calculations in the framework of the basic fireball model. It is shown that high baryon load fireballs attaining mildly relativistic velocities can synthesize appreciable quantities of heavy neutron capture elements with masses up to the platinum peak and beyond. Small but interesting amounts of light elements such as deuterium and boron can also be produced. Depending on the neutron excess and baryon load, the combination of high entropy, rapid initial expansion and gradual expansion at later times can cause the reaction flow to reach the fission regime, and its path can be intermediate between those of the $r$- and $s$-processes (``$n$-process''). The nucleosynthetic signature of these outflows may be observable in the companion stars of black hole binary systems and in the most metal-poor stars, potentially offering an important probe of the inner conditions of the GRB source. Contribution to the solar abundances for some heavy elements may also be possible. The prospects for further developments in various directions are discussed.Comment: ApJ, in press; 11 pages, 3 figure

Does the Group Size during a Picture Book-reading Affect the Pre-school Children's Response?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of group size on the response during a picture book-reading by the pre-school children. Five or six-year old children of kindergarten (N=28) were assigned to the "3 people" group and "8 people" group. The checklist was created from the responses observed during the picture book-reading. The checklist consisted of 16 responses categorized into 5 types, i.e., "utterance", "facial expression", "action", "gaze", and "response to other people" . Analysis of variance for each response, with group size ( "3 people" group, "8 people" group) and time section (first half, latter half) as independent variables, were performed. The main results were as follows: (1) The response to "see the child who talked" was higher in the "8 people" group than the "3-person" group, in the latter half. (2) The "laugh out loud" response was higher in the "8 people" group than the "3 people" group, in both the first half and the latter half. Based on these results, the features of each group size were discussed

TGF-βおよびIL-10による協調的液性免疫制御機構の解明

学位の種別: 課程博士審査委員会委員 : （主査）東京大学教授 矢冨 裕, 東京大学教授 門脇 孝, 東京大学特任准教授 神田 浩子, 東京大学准教授 内田 寛治, 東京大学講師 浅野 善英University of Tokyo(東京大学

Dermoscopic Features of Pigmented Bowen's Disease in a Japanese Female Mimicking Malignant Melanoma

Various structures have been reported for dermoscopic features of pigmented Bowen's disease (BD), which could be a mimic of various pigmented skin lesions. A 79-year-old Japanese woman presented with a 3-year history of brown-black macule on her right upper arm without symptom. Dermoscopic examination demonstrated irregular flossy streaks, irregular brown dots/globules, blue-whitish regression structures, and overlaying whitish scaly areas. We suspected pigmented skin lesions including seborrheic keratosis, pigmented eccrine poroma, and malignant melanoma and excised completely with a 5 mm margin. Histopathological features were consistent with a diagnosis of pigmented BD. Although similar dermoscopic features might be revealed in pigmented skin lesions and it may occasionally be difficult to distinguish between pigmented BD and other pigmented skin lesions, dermoscopy would be useful in speculating pathologic features of pigmented BD

Worry about crime and loneliness in nine countries of the former Soviet Union

Worry about crime has been linked to several detrimental outcomes including worse mental health. However, there has been little research on the association between worry about crime and loneliness, even though loneliness is increasingly being recognised as a serious public health issue. To address this deficit, this study examined the association between worry about crime and loneliness in nine countries of the former Soviet Union (FSU - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine), using data from 18, 000 respondents aged 18 and above that were collected during the Health in Times of Transition (HITT) survey in 2010/11. Results from a pooled logistic regression analysis showed that compared to those who reported no worry about crime, individuals with a high level of worry had significantly higher odds of loneliness (odds ratio [OR]: 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17–1.75). Sex- and age-stratified analyses further showed that the association was observed in women with a mid (OR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.10–1.71) and a high level (OR: 1.70, 95%CI: 1.33–2.17) of worry about crime but not in men, and that a high level of worry about crime was linked to loneliness in adults aged 35–59 (OR: 1.39, 95%CI: 1.02–1.91) and 60 and above (OR: 1.64, 95%CI: 1.12–2.40) but not in those aged 18–34. High levels of worry about crime are associated with loneliness in the FSU countries. Reducing crime and its associated worries may have important public health benefits in these countries