Oceanographic features of a submarine eruption that destroyed the Kaiyo-Maru No. 5

When Myojinsho Reef erupted in September 1952, tsunami waves were recorded several times by a. self-registering wave gauge installed on the southwestern coast of Hachijo Island about 130 km from that Reef. The largest one of these tsunamis appeared on 24 September, and it is presumed that this wave ca.used the destruction of the KAIYO-MARU No. 5. Results of investigation of these recorded tsunami waves and other phenomena are reported

On a system of qq-partial differential equations with applications to qq-series

Using the theory of functions of several variables and $q$-calculus, we prove an expansion theorem for the analytic function in several variables which satisfies a system of $q$-partial differential equations. Some curious applications of this expansion theorem to $q$-series are discussed. In particular, an extension of Andrews' transformation formula for the $q$-Lauricella function is given.Comment: 15 pages, accepted for the proceedings of the Alladi 60th birthday conferenc

Children with unilateral aural atresia

The effects of FM system fitted into the normal hearing ear (NHE) or a cartilage conduction hearing aid (CCHA) fitted into the affected ear (AE) on the speech recognition ability in noise were examined in children with unilateral congenital aural atresia (UCAA). In children with bilateral normal hearing (BNH), speech recognition score (SRS) was significantly decreased in the noisy environment of -5 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), compared with those in quiet. In children with UCAA, SRS was significantly decreased in noisy environments of 0 and -5 dB SNR, compared with those in quiet. In noisy environments of 0 and -5 dB SNR, SRS in children with UCAA was significantly decreased, compared those in children with BNH. In the noisy environment of -5 dB SNR, SRS in UCAA children aided by FM system fitted into NHE was significantly better than those in unaided children in the same group. In the noisy environment of 0 dB SNR, SRS in UCAA children aided by CCHA into AE tended to be higher than those in unaided children in the same group. FM system and CCHA can be recommended as an audiological management for the improvement of speech recognition in children with UCHL in classrooms

Functional mutations in spike glycoprotein of Zaire ebolavirus associated with an increase in infection efficiency

Ebola virus (EBOV) is extremely virulent, and its glycoprotein is necessary for viral entry. EBOV may adapt to its new host humans during outbreaks by acquiring mutations especially in glycoprotein, which allows EBOV to spread more efficiently. To identify these evolutionary selected mutations and examine their effects on viral infectivity, we used experimental–phylogenetic–structural interdisciplinary approaches. In evolutionary analysis of all available Zaire ebolavirus glycoprotein sequences, we detected two codon sites under positive selection, which are located near/within the region critical for the host‐viral membrane fusion, namely alanine‐to‐valine and threonine‐to‐isoleucine mutations at 82 (A82V) and 544 (T544I), respectively. The fine‐scale transmission dynamics of EBOV Makona variants that caused the 2014–2015 outbreak showed that A82V mutant was fixed in the population, whereas T544I was not. Furthermore, pseudotype assays for the Makona glycoprotein showed that the A82V mutation caused a small increase in viral infectivity compared with the T544I mutation. These findings suggest that mutation fixation in EBOV glycoprotein may be associated with their increased infectivity levels; the mutant with a moderate increase in infectivity will fix. Our findings showed that a driving force for Ebola virus evolution via glycoprotein may be a balance between costs and benefits of its virulence

Hindlimb Suspension Does Not Influence Mechanical Sensitivity, Epidermal Thickness, and Peripheral Nerve Density in the Glabrous Skin of the Rat Hind Paw

Our aim was to investigate the influence of microgravity on the sensitivity of the skin to mechanical stimulation, epidermal thickness, peripheral nerve density in the upper dermis, and serum levels of a stress marker in a rat hindlimb suspension (HS) model. Thirty 8-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: HS, n=10; sham HS, n=10; control, n=10. The suspension system was attached to rat tails in both the HS and sham-HS groups, but the hindlimbs were suspended only in the HS group. The HS and sham-HS groups were treated for 4 weeks. In behavioral tests using von-Frey filaments (n=5 in each group), mechanical hypersensitivity developed in the HS and sham HS groups. Serum corticosterone levels increased significantly in the HS and sham HS groups compared to the control group, and no changes in epidermal thickness or peripheral nerve density were observed immediately after the removal of HS (n=5 in each group). These data indicated that the mechanical hypersensitivity observed in the HS group was not caused by microgravity or inactivity, but rather by restraint stress. We suggest that microgravity does not affect skin sensitivity and histology in these animals

Analysis of bond strength between a nylon reinforcement structure and dental resins

Nylon is a polymer that its use to reinforce dental resins has shown positive results such as increased flexural strength. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bond strength between dental resins and a nylon reinforcement. Forty cylindrical nylon

Immobilization-induced hypersensitivity associated with spinal cord sensitization during cast immobilization and after cast removal in rats

This study examined mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in the rat hind paw during cast immobilization of the hind limbs for 4 or 8 weeks and following cast removal. Blood flow, skin temperature, and volume of the rat hind paw were assessed in order to determine peripheral circulation of the hind limbs. Sensitization was analyzed by measuring the expression of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the spinal dorsal horn following cast immobilization. Two weeks post immobilization, mechanical and thermal sensitivities increased significantly in all rats; however, peripheral circulation was not affected by immobilization. Cast immobilization for 8 weeks induced more serious hypersensitivity compared to cast immobilization for 4 weeks. Moreover, CGRP expression in the deeper lamina layer of the spinal dorsal horn increased in the rats immobilized for 8 weeks but not in those immobilized for 4 weeks. These findings suggest that immobilization-induced hypersensitivity develops during the immobilization period without affecting peripheral circulation. Our results also highlight the possibility that prolonged immobilization induces central sensitization in the spinal cord.The final publication is available at link.springer.co

Effects of continuous passive motion on the expression of membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase in rat immobilized muscles

We examined the effects of continuous passive motion（ CPM） on membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase（ MT1-MMP） expression in rat immobilized muscles. Eight-week-old male Wister rats were used for each of two trials, one with 2 weeks, and another one with 4 weeks of immobilization with/without CPM. In each trial, rats were immobilized（ immobilization group）, and immobilized and simultaneously given CPM （CPM group）. The soleus muscle of each rat was evaluated by gelatin zymography, western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction（ RT-PCR）. Gelatin zymography revealed a greater level of gelatinase activity in the extract of the muscles of the immobilization group than in those of the control and CPM group. The expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 2 （MMP-2） and MT1-MMP mRNA in the muscle extract of the immobilization group were also greater than those in the control and CPM group. Our results suggested that joint immobilization induces expression of MT1-MMP, a cleavage enzyme of MMP-2 in muscles, resulting in muscular degeneration, and that CPM can prevent these changes

Children with unilateral hearing loss

Objectives : We examined speech recognition ability of elementary school-aged Japanese children with unilateral hearing loss under noisy environments and then examined the effects of the FM system fitted into their normal hearing ear on their speech recognition ability. Methods : Twelve children with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss and ten age-matched children with bilateral normal hearing received speech recognition test in quiet and noisy environments. Other nine children with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss received speech recognition test with or without the FM receiver fitted to the normal hearing ear in quiet and noisy environments. Results : Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in Japanese elementary school classrooms was estimated to be -6.9 dB at a preferential seat. In noisy environment of -5 dB SNR similar to working classrooms, the correct rates of speech recognition test in children with unilateral hearing loss were significantly lower, compared with those in children with bilateral normal hearing. In the noisy environment, the correct rates in children aided by the FM system with unilateral hearing loss were significantly better, compared with unaided ones. Conclusion : The results suggested that the FM system is recommended as an audiological management for improvement of speech recognition of children with unilateral hearing loss in noisy classrooms