Analysis of spinner straightening utilizing the finite element method

This paper presents analysis methods utilizing the Finite Element Method for spinner straightening, and shows a guideline for optimum conditions. Two types of analysis methods were composed. Model [F-Expl], “full actual model with explicit scheme”, considers the rotational movement of dies as the actual process using the explicit scheme. Model [BndCr], “a model carrying out fundamental analysis on one cross section based on simple bending in the Finite Element Method (FEM)”, uses the FEM only for calculation of simple bending without rotation for obtaining the deformed bar shape. A series of experiments were conducted in an actual production line as well as the analyses by Model [F-Expl] and [BndCr]. The examination mainly focused upon the effect of straightening intensity by changing the die positions. The experimental and analytical results show some mechanism of straightening and a basic guideline for the optimum working condition

Competitive Pressure from Neighboring Markets and Optimal Privatization Policy

We formulate a mixed oligopoly model in which one state-owned public enterprise competes with n private firms in the same market and m private firms in the neighboring market. We investigate how n and m affect the optimal degree of privatization. We find a nonmonotone (monotone) relationship between the optimal degree of privatization and the number of private competitors in the neighboring (same) market. The optimal degree of privatization is increasing in the number of private firms in the same market, and the relationship between the optimal degree of privatization and the number of private competitors in the neighboring market is an inverted U-shape. An increase in m more likely increases the optimal degree of privatization when the degree of product differentiation is low. Our results suggest that more competitive pressure from competitors supplying differentiated products can reduce the optimal degree of privatization

The effect of Liquid ice after high-intensity exercise on muscle function compared to Block ice

Cryotherapy is used to recover muscle damage after exercise and to treat acute sports injuries. Liquid ice (LI) can keep cold for a long time, and is assumed more effective than block ice (BI). From this, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of LI on the change of passive stiffness (PS) as muscle function and to validate the effectiveness of LI compared to BI. We performed the experiment as part of a case series of verification of the effects of cryotherapy. 22 healthy men (target area: right leg) were randomized to two groups: LI group and BI group. PS was measured three times during experiment protocol, pre: before exercise; post; after treating each cryotherapy after exercise; 48h: 48 hours after pre. Statistical analysis compared the PS, the amount of change in PS, and the rate of change in PS between the two groups. The rate of change between pre and 48h in LI was significantly lower compared to that in BI (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference regarding other results between groups. It revealed that the difference of effect between LI and BI for PS of muscles after high-intensity exercises. These results could be helpful for the choice of intervention for reducing muscle stiffness after exercise and at sports field

Histological evaluation of nonsurgical periodontal treatment with and without the use of sodium hypochlorite / amino acids and cross-linked hyaluronic acid gels in dogs.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate periodontal wound healing following scaling and root planing (SRP) in conjunction with the application of sodium hypochlorite/amino acids and cross-linked hyaluronic acid (xHyA) gels in dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS In four beagle dogs, 2-wall intrabony defects were created and metal strips were placed around the teeth. Clinical parameters were measured 4 weeks after plaque accumulation. The experimental root surfaces were subjected to SRP with either the subgingival application of a sodium hypochlorite/amino acid gel and a xHyA gel (test group) or SRP alone (control group) using a split-mouth design. Clinical parameters were re-evaluated at 6 weeks. The animals were sacrificed at 8 weeks for histological analysis. RESULTS The test group showed significant improvements in all clinical parameters compared to the control group. Histologically, the test group exhibited statistically significantly greater new bone formation [i.e., length of newly formed bone, new bone area] compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, statistically significantly greater formation of new attachment [i.e., linear length of new cementum adjacently to newly formed bone with inserting collagen fibers] and new cementum was detected in the test group compared with the control group at 8 weeks (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION The adjunctive subgingival application of sodium hypochlorite/amino acid and xHyA gels to SRP offers an innovative novel approach to enhance periodontal wound healing/regeneration. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The present findings have for the first-time shown histologic evidence for periodontal regeneration in support of this novel treatment modality

Involvement of the accumbal osteopontin-interacting transmembrane protein 168 in methamphetamine-induced place preference and hyperlocomotion in mice

Chronic exposure to methamphetamine causes adaptive changes in brain, which underlie dependence symptoms. We have found that the transmembrane protein 168 (TMEM168) is overexpressed in the nucleus accumbens of mice upon repeated methamphetamine administration. Here, we firstly demonstrate the inhibitory effect of TMEM168 on methamphetamine-induced behavioral changes in mice, and attempt to elucidate the mechanism of this inhibition. We overexpressed TMEM168 in the nucleus accumbens of mice by using an adeno-associated virus vector (NAc-TMEM mice). Methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion and conditioned place preference were attenuated in NAc-TMEM mice. Additionally, methamphetamine-induced extracellular dopamine elevation was suppressed in the nucleus accumbens of NAc-TMEM mice. Next, we identified extracellular matrix protein osteopontin as an interacting partner of TMEM168, by conducting immunoprecipitation in cultured COS-7 cells. TMEM168 overexpression in COS-7 cells induced the enhancement of extracellular and intracellular osteopontin. Similarly, osteopontin enhancement was also observed in the nucleus accumbens of NAc-TMEM mice, in in vivo studies. Furthermore, the infusion of osteopontin proteins into the nucleus accumbens of mice was found to inhibit methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion and conditioned place preference. Our studies suggest that the TMEM168-regulated osteopontin system is a novel target pathway for the therapy of methamphetamine dependence, via regulating the dopaminergic function in the nucleus accumbens

Induction of neuronal axon outgrowth by Shati/Nat8l via energy metabolism in mice cultured neurons

A novel N-acetyltransferase, Shati/Nat8l, was identified in the nucleus accumbens of mice repeatedly treated with methamphetamine (METH). Shati/Nat8l has been reported to inhibit the pharmacological action induced by METH. Shati/Nat8l produces N-acetylaspartate from aspartate and acetyl-CoA. Previously, we reported that overexpression of Shati/Nat8l in nucleus accumbens attenuates the response to METH by N-acetylaspartylglutamate (which is derived from N-acetylaspartate)-mGluR3 signaling in the mice brain. In the present study, to clarify the type of cells that produce Shati/Nat8l, we carried out in-situ hybridization for the detection of Shati/Nat8l mRNA along with immunohistochemical studies using serial sections of mice brain. Shati/Nat8l mRNA was detected in neuronal cells, but not in astrocytes or microglia cells. Next, we investigated the function of Shati/Nat8l in the neuronal cells in mice brain; then, we used an adeno-associated virus vector containing Shati/Nat8l for transfection and overexpression of Shati/Nat8l protein into the primary cultured neurons to investigate the contribution toward the neuronal activity of Shati/Nat8l. Overexpression of Shati/Nat8l in the mice primary cultured neurons induced axonal growth, but not dendrite elongation at day 1.5 (DIV). This finding indicated that Shati/Nat8l contributes toward neuronal development. LY341495, a selective group II mGluRs antagonist, did not abolish this axonal growth, and N-acetylaspartylglutamate itself did not abolish axon outgrowth in the same cultured system. The cultured neurons overexpressing Shati/Nat8l contained high ATP, suggesting that axon outgrowth is dependent on energy metabolism. This study shows that Shati/Nat8l in the neuron may induce axon outgrowth by ATP synthesis and not through mGluR3 signaling

Age, gender, will, and use of home-visit nursing care are critical factors in home care for malignant diseases; a retrospective study involving 346 patients in Japan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We aimed to clarify the factors affecting outcomes of home care for patients with malignant diseases.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Of 607 patients who were treated in 10 clinics specialized in home care between January and December 2007 at Chiba, Fukuoka, Iwate, Kagoshima, Tochigi and Tokyo prefectures across Japan, 346 (57%; 145 men and 201 women) had malignant diseases. We collected information on medical and social backgrounds, details of home care, and its outcomes based on their medical records.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Median age of the patients was 77 years (range, 11-102), and 335 patients were economically self-sufficient. Their general condition was poor; advanced cancer (n = 308), performance status of 3-4 (n = 261), and dementia (n = 121). At the beginning of home care, 143 patients and 174 family members expressed their wish to die at home. All the patients received supportive treatments including fluid replacement and oxygenation. Median duration of home care was 47 days (range, 0-2,712). 224 patients died at home. For the remaining 122, home care was terminated due to complications (n = 109), change of attending physicians (n = 8), and others (n = 5). The factors which inhibited the continuity of home care were the non-use of home-visit nursing care (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-3.00, <it>p </it>= 0.03), the fact that the patients themselves do not wish to die at home (HR = 1.83, CI: 1.09-3.07, <it>p </it>= 0.02), women (HR = 1.81, CI: 1.11-2.94, <it>p </it>= 0.02), and age (HR = 0.98, CI: 0.97-1.00, <it>p </it>= 0.02).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Continuation of home care is influenced by patients' age, gender, will, and use of home-visit nursing.</p

Second nationwide surveillance of bacterial pathogens in patients with acute uncomplicated cystitis conducted by Japanese Surveillance Committee from 2015 to 2016: antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus

The Japanese Surveillance Committee conducted a second nationwide surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of uropathogens responsible for acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC) in premenopausal patients aged 16–40 years old at 31 hospitals throughout Japan from March 2015 to February 2016. In this study, the susceptibility of causative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus saprophyticus) for various antimicrobial agents was investigated by isolation and culturing of organisms obtained from urine samples. In total, 324 strains were isolated from 361 patients, including E. coli (n = 220, 67.9%), S. saprophyticus (n = 36, 11.1%), and K. pneumoniae (n = 7, 2.2%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 20 antibacterial agents for these strains were determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) manual. At least 93% of the E. coli isolates showed susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins, whereas 100% of the S. saprophyticus isolates showed susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. The proportions of fluoroquinolone-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli strains were 6.4% (13/220) and 4.1% (9/220), respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility of K. pneumoniae was retained during the surveillance period, while no multidrug-resistant strains were identified. In summary, antimicrobial susceptibility results of our second nationwide surveillance did not differ significantly from those of the first surveillance. Especially the numbers of fluoroquinolone-resistant and ESBL-producing E. coli strains were not increased in premenopausal patients with AUC in Japan

Polycrystalline Silicon Films with Nanometer-Sized Dense Fine Grains Formed by Flash-Lamp-Induced Crystallization

Flash lamp annealing (FLA) with millisecond-order pulse duration can crystallize μm-order-thick a-Si films on glass substrates through explosive crystallization (EC), and flash-lamp-crystallized (FLC) poly-Si films consist of densely-packed nanometer-sized fine grains. We investigate the impact of the hydrogen concentration and the defect density of precursor a-Si films on crystallization mechanism and the microstructures of FLC poly-Si films, by comparing chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) and sputtered precursor a-Si films. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation reveals that FLC poly-Si films with similar periodic microstructures are formed by the FLA of the two kinds of precursor films, meaning no significant influence of hydrogen atoms and defect density on crystallization mechanism. This high flexibility of the properties of precursor a-Si films would contribute to a wide process window to reproducibly form FLC poly-Si films with the particular periodic microstructures

Microstructure of Polycrystalline Silicon Films Formed through Explosive Crystallization Induced by Flash Lamp Annealing

We perform transmission electron microscopy investigation of the microstructures of poly-Si films formed through explosive crystallization induced by flash lamp annealing of precursor amorphous silicon (a-Si) films. Two characteristic regions, formed periodically as a result of EC, show different microstructures: one consists of randomly oriented, densely packed fine grains of approximately 10 nm in size, whereas the other has relatively large (>100 nm), stretched grains, probably formed through liquid-phase epitaxy onto solid-phase-nucleated grains. Little a-Si tissue surrounding grains can be observed in the lattice images of flash-lamp-crystallized poly-Si films, which would be favorable for the rapid transport of photo-carriers