Practical Virtual Cell Designing Environment

Abstract-We have developed a novel and practical virtual cell designing environment. For the practical use, the system provides simulators highly calibrated and adaptive to new structure devices and processes; tools for analyzing the effect of process variations on device characteristics or parasite capacitance; and easy-to-use GUI. This environment is used in practical work and has reduced TAT of cell designing to less than one eighth: Furthermore, it has enabled evaluation of even new structured devices

Experimental evidence of a strong image force between highly charged electrosprayed molecular ions and a metal screen

We investigated the capturing mechanisms of highly charged macromolecular ions of polyethylene glycol electrosprayed onto a metal screen. Our experiments assessed how the charge state, size of the macromolecular ions, and filtration velocity affected the penetration of the ions through the metal screen. The single fiber efficiencies were plotted as functions of the Peclet number and image force parameter. Highly charged molecular ions had much higher collection efficiencies than neutralized macromolecules, suggesting the presence of a strong image force between the ions and metal surface. The single fiber efficiency by image force was proportional to the square root of an image force parameter predicted by theory. When using the prefactor of 9.7 proposed by Alonso et al. (2007), we found fair agreement between the experimental data and theoretical predictions on the collection efficiency of highly charged molecular ions with mobility diameters from 2.6 to 4.8 nm and numbers of electrical charges from 2 to 7. The experimental evidence from our study reveals that image force contributes strongly to the collection of multicharged macromolecular ions by a metal wire screen. © Taiwan Association for Aerosol Research

Observations of hard X-rays of auroral origin with Polar Patrol Balloons No. 8 and 10

In the Polar Patrol Balloon (PPB) project, two balloons named PPB-8 and -10 were launched in rapid succession to form a cluster of balloons during their flight on January 13, 2003, from Syowa Station, Antarctica. In order to make the two-dimensional images for auroral X-rays and to obtain the energy spectra of auroras with energy range from 30 keV to 778 keV, the same instruments for hard X-rays were installed on PPB-8 and -10, respectively. These detection systems observed several auroral X-ray events during the flight. In particularly on January 25, 2003, strong auroral events were detected at about 0919 UT by PPB-10 and at 0927 UT by PPB-8. The aurora observed by PPB-10 was observed after about 8 min by PPB-8 located a 650 km west of PPB-10. The energy spectra of the bright aurora at 0919 UT and 0927 UT for PPB-10 and -8 is obtained as E0 = (78+-5) keV and (70+-5) keV, respectively

三尖弁閉鎖症術後に発症した WPW 症候群の1治験例

The occurrence of both tricuspid atresia and WPW syndrome is quite rare. To our knowledge, only two operated cases have been reported. In this report, a 8-year-old boy with this combination was reported. Tachycardia via the right side accessory pathway was for the first time pointed out after Kreutzer\u27s operation. Epicardial mapping showed the earliest excitation at the right free wall. When fatty tissue around this area was removed by CUSA, a large cardiac vein appeared. By holding this vein with a forceps, the delta wave disappeared temporarily. ACP seemed to be present near this vein. Permanent disappearance of the delta wave was obtained after ligation and division. Four months after surgery, he is free from tachycardia attacks

「農業体験学習事業」 農業体験を通した地域連携による家政学群学生の学び 平成23（2011）～ 25（2013）年度和洋女子大学教育振興支援助成成果報告

平成23年度から同25年度に和洋女子大学教育振興支援助成を受け、農業体験を通して家政学群学生の学びを促進した。体験実習にあたり、学外の農業従事者、自治体（長野県立科町、千葉県市川市、千葉県神崎町）の農業担当職員や農業委員、JA職員、農業に関するNPO法人スタッフ、静岡大学、千葉大学の関係者など、様々な地域の方々と交流し、指導されて実践した農業体験により、学生はコミュニケーション能力や連携力を身につけた。また、農作物や花を育てる方法を学び、食べ物や花を育てることは生きている植物を自然と共生しながら育てることであることを認識し、農業の大変さと喜びも体験した。学内では農業ファッション制作の活動も行い、農業する女性のための作業服づくりを初めて体験し、専門技術の修得にも繋げた。また、収穫物から加工食品を開発、販売する活動も行い、地域の人たちから高い評価を受けた。現場での作業体験は学生同士や教員と学生間の協力や協調の体験となり、同時に様々な活動体験から実践力、判断力などの育成に繋がった。これらの農業体験を通して実施した実践的学習は、家政学を学ぶ学生に大きな刺激と成長をもたらしたと考える。本稿では本取り組みにおける家政学群学生の学びの内容と学生の様子について報告した

White-skinned sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) acutely suppresses postprandial blood glucose elevation by improving insulin sensitivity in normal rats

Long-term administration of Ipomoea batatas L. (white-skinned sweet potato, WSSP) has been reported to help manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in humans and animals; however, the mechanisms of blood glucose regulation by WSSP remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the acute effects of WSSP on blood glucose homeostasis under normal conditions and the underlying mechanisms. Three fractions of WSSP (≤10, 10–50, and >50 kDa) were obtained via ultracentrifugation. Rats were subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after a single administration of WSSP. The insulin tolerance test (ITT) and pyruvate tolerance test (PTT) were performed to evaluate insulin sensitivity and gluconeogenesis, respectively. Single WSSP administration markedly reduced blood glucose levels as revealed by the OGTT. Serum insulin levels were not increased by WSSP treatment. Blood glucose levels during ITT were significantly reduced due to WSSP treatment. WSSP treatment activated the phosphorylation of Akt, thereby activating insulin signaling in the skeletal muscles and liver. The ≤10 kDa fraction considerably reduced blood glucose levels per the OGTT and ITT. In contrast, gluconeogenesis in PTT and the expression of key enzymes in hepatocytes were suppressed by the >50 kDa fraction. This study demonstrated that WSSP acutely reduced postprandial blood glucose levels by improving insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscles in normal rats, which was attributed to constituents with a molecular weight of ≤10 kDa. Moreover, WSSP treatment suppressed gluconeogenesis in the liver, for which constituents of >50 kDa were responsible. Thus, WSSP can acutely regulate blood glucose homeostasis via multiple mechanisms. Since postprandial hyperglycemia leads to the onset of T2DM, WSSP, as a functional food, may possess potential active compounds that prevent T2DM