A Proposal of Lean Design Integration Method for Hierarchical Architecture Type Product Systems (A Practical Lean Development Example in Domestic Refrigerator Energy Saving Design with a Combination of CAE, Real experiment and Humanistic collaboration)

In developing process for competitive commercial refrigerator/ air-conditioning system products, practical whole system integration method is very important to realize a compact product with high cost performance. These products are characterized by hierarchical architecture type module product systems. This paper proposes a practical lean development method which combines 1D and 3D-CAE analysis with human decision making process. A Model-based development method using product base platform is also proposed for realizing a practical product family series development. Finally, the effectiveness of this method is demonstrated quantitatively by applying to an energy saving type household refrigerator

Discrete Crowd Model for Simulation of Tsunami-Flood Refuge

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Solving the Difficult Problem of Topic Extraction in Thai Tweets

We tackled in this study the difficult problem of topic extraction in Thai tweets on the country’s historic flood in 2011. After using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to extract the topics, the first difficulty that faced us was the inaccuracy the word segmentation task that affected our interpretation of the LDA result. To solve this, we refined the stop word list from the LDA result by removing uninformative words caused by the word segmentation, which resulted to a more relevant and comprehensible outcome. With the improved results, we then constructed a rule-based categorization model and used it to categorize all the collected tweets on a per-week scale to observe changes in tweeting trend. Not only did the categories reveal the most relevant and compelling topics that people raised at that time, they also allowed us to understand how people perceived the situations as they unfold over tim

The content and the frame which is required to the social welfare practicum

At this article, it did the reexamination based on the various literature and the research about the contents and the frame of the social work practicum about the social worker training-up course. As a result, it is the help which is based on the viewpoint of the respect of the (1)human rights, the right support, the independent support. (2)The thinking much of the attitude to the client (3)The improvement of the communication skill (4)The thing that the points such as the practicing understanding of a work are important became in the clarifying.本稿では、社会福祉士養成課程における社会福祉援助技術現場実習の内容と枠組みについて、各種文献・研究をもとにその再検討を行った。その結果、(1)人権尊重、権利擁護、自立支援の視点に基づく援助 (2)利用者に対する態度の重視 (3)コミュニケーションスキルの向上 (4)援助過程を通したソーシャルワークの実践的理解、といった点が重要であることが明らかになった

Clinical features and pathogenesis of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis: a nationwide analysis of the Japan renal biopsy registry from 2007 to 2015

BackgroundThe incidence and age distribution of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) vary throughout the world by race and ethnicity. We sought to evaluate the clinical features, pathogenesis, and age distribution of MPGN among a large nationwide data from the Japan Renal Biopsy Registry (J-RBR).MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 593 patients with MPGN (types I and III) registered in the J-RBR between 2007 and 2015 was conducted. Clinical parameters, and laboratory findings at diagnosis were compared between children (< 20 years), adults (20–64 years), and elderly patients (≥ 65 years).ResultsThe median age of the patients was 59.0 years and mean proteinuria was 3.7 g/day. The rate of nephrotic syndrome was significantly higher in adults (40.4%) and elderly patients (54.0%) than in children (14.9%), whereas the rate of chronic glomerulonephritis was significantly higher in children (66.2%) than in adults (34.4%) and elderly patients (31.2%). According to the CGA risk classification, high-risk (red zone) cases accounted for 3.4% of children, 52.5% of adults and 84.1% of elderly patients with MPGN. As for pathogenesis, primary MPGN was most frequent (56.0%). Lupus nephritis was the most common disease among adult patients with secondary MPGN, whereas infectious disease was more common in elderly patients. Multiple regression analysis revealed that high systolic blood pressure and high proteinuria were independent factors associated with decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in adults and elderly patients with MPGN.ConclusionsIn Japan, adults and elderly patients with MPGN had a lower eGFR and severer proteinuria than children

Demonstration of intrahepatic accumulated microbubble on ultrasound represents the grade of hepatic fibrosis

OBJECTIVES: To examine the feasibility of perflubutane-based ultrasound for grading hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: This prospective study included 202 subjects; main study (controls:33, F0–1:35, F2:26, F3:23, cirrhosis:29) and subsequent study (controls:16, F0–1:7, F2:20, F3:7, cirrhosis:6). Diagnostic abilities for assessing fibrosis grade were compared between contrast findings and FIB4 (age × AST/[platelet count × ALT(0.5)]). RESULTS: High-power emission produced an intrahepatic band-like structure, and the three-layer appearance was less frequent and monolayer appearance was more frequent in cirrhosis than controls/chronic hepatitis (P < 0.0001). Intensity difference at 15-min phase showed most significant correlation with fibrosis grade (ρ = 0.79, P < 0.0001), and the best areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves are 0.88 for marked fibrosis, 0.95 for advanced fibrosis and 0.97 for cirrhosis, which were significantly higher than those of FIB4, 0.85 for marked fibrosis, 0.89 for advanced fibrosis and 0.90 for cirrhosis. Sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of the intensity difference were 88%, 72% and 81% for marked fibrosis, 85%, 91% and 89% for advanced fibrosis and 97%, 90% and 91% for cirrhosis, respectively. The subsequent study validated the main study results; significant correlation between the intensity difference and the fibrosis grade (ρ = 0.73–0.77, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Perflubutane-based ultrasound accurately predicts the grade of hepatic fibrosis. KEY POINTS: • The behaviour of intrahepatic microbubbles depends on the severity of hepatic fibrosis. • Layer enhancement pattern simply represents the degree of chronic liver disease. • Parenchymal intensity change due to high-power emission predicts the hepatic fibrosis grade

Palmitate-induced Regulation of PPARγ via PGC1α: a Mechanism for Lipid Accumulation in the Liver in Non- alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract The aim was to examine the effect of free fatty acids on the regulation of PPARγ-PGC1α pathway, and the effect of PPARγ/PGC1α in NAFLD. The mRNA and protein expression of PGC1α and phospho/total PPARγ were examined in Huh7 cells after the palmitate/oleate treatment with/without the transfection with siRNA against PGC1a. The palmitate content, mRNA and protein expression of PGC1α and PPARγ in the liver were examined in the control and NAFLD mice. Palmitate (500 μM), but not oleate, increased protein expression of PGC1α and phospho PPARγ (PGC1α, 1.42-fold, P=0.038; phospho PPARγ, 1.56-fold, P=0.022). The palmitate-induced PPARγ mRNA expression was reduced after the transfection (0.46-fold), and the protein expressions of PGC1α (0.52-fold, P=0.019) and phospho PPARγ (0.43-fold, P=0.011) were suppressed in siRNA-transfected cells. The palmitate (12325.8 ± 1758.9 μg/g vs. 6245.6 ± 1182.7 μg/g, p=0.002), and mRNA expression of PGC1α (11.0 vs. 5.5, p=0.03) and PPARγ (4.3 vs. 2.2, p=0.0001) in the liver were higher in high-triglyceride liver mice (&gt;15.2 mg/g) than in low-triglyceride liver mice (&lt;15.2 mg/g). The protein expressions of both PGC1α and PPARγ were higher in the NAFLD group than in the controls (PGC1α, 1.41-fold, P=0.035; PPARγ, 1.39-fold, P=0.042), and were higher in the high-triglyceride liver group (PGC1α, 1.52-fold, p=0.03; PPARγ, 1.22-fold, p=0.05) than in the low-triglyceride liver group. In conclusion, palmitate appear to up-regulate PPARγ via PGC1α in Huh7 cells, and both PGC1α and PPARγ are up-regulated in the NAFLD mice liver, suggesting an effect on lipid metabolism leading to intrahepatic triglyceride accumulation

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for the management of portal hypertension in cirrhosis

Portal hypertension is a major pathophysiological condition in patients with cirrhosis. This accounts for the occurrence and severity of the various manifestations. The degree is determined by the portal pressure or hepatic venous pressure gradients, both of which are obtained by invasive interventional radiological procedures. Ultrasound (US) is a simple and minimally invasive imaging modality for the diagnosis of liver diseases. Owing to the availability of microbubble-based contrast agents and the development of imaging modes corresponding to contrast effects, contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) has become popular worldwide for the detailed evaluation of hepatic hemodynamics, diffuse liver disease, and focal hepatic lesions. Recent advancements in digital technology have enabled contrast-based demonstrations with improved resolution, leading to a wider range of applications. This review article describes the current role, benefits, and limitations of CEUS in the management of portal hypertension