Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation for synchronization in coupled density oscillators

A density oscillator is a fluid system in which oscillatory flow occurs between different density fluids through the pore connecting them. We investigate the synchronization in coupled density oscillators using two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation and analyze the stability of the synchronous state based on the phase reduction theory. Our results show that the anti-phase, three-phase, and 2-2 partial-in-phase synchronization modes spontaneously appear as stable states in two, three, and four coupled oscillators, respectively. The phase dynamics of coupled density oscillators is interpreted with their sufficiently large first Fourier components of the phase coupling function.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure

Experimental study on the bifurcation of a density oscillator depending on density difference

Hydrodynamic instabilities often cause spatio-temporal pattern formations and transitions between them. We investigate a model experimental system, a density oscillator, where the bifurcation from a resting state to an oscillatory state is triggered by the increase in the density difference of the two fluids. Our results show that the oscillation amplitude increases from zero and the period decreases above a critical density difference. The detailed data close to the bifurcation point provide a critical exponent consistent with the supercritical Hopf bifurcation.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Endogenization and excision of human herpesvirus 6 in human genomes

Sequences homologous to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) are integrated within the nuclear genome of about 1% of humans, but it is not clear how this came about. It is also uncertain whether integrated HHV-6 can reactive into an infectious virus. HHV-6 integrates into telomeres, and this has recently been associated with polymorphisms affecting MOV10L1. MOV10L1 is located on the subtelomere of chromosome 22q (chr22q) and is required to make PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). As piRNAs block germline integration of transposons, piRNA-mediated repression of HHV-6 integration has been proposed to explain this association.In vitro, recombination of the HHV-6 genome along its terminal direct repeats (DRs) leads to excision from the telomere and viral reactivation, but the expected "solo-DR scar" has not been describedin vivo. Here we screened for integrated HHV-6 in 7,485 Japanese subjects using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Integrated HHV-6 was associated with polymorphisms on chr22q. However, in contrast to prior work, we find that the reported MOV10L1 polymorphism is physically linked to an ancient endogenous HHV-6A variant integrated into the telomere of chr22q in East Asians. Unexpectedly, an HHV-6B variant has also endogenized in chr22q; two endogenous HHV-6 variants at this locus thus account for 72% of all integrated HHV-6 in Japan. We also report human genomes carrying only one portion of the HHV-6B genome, a solo-DR, supporting in vivo excision and possible viral reactivation. Together these results explain the recently-reported association between integrated HHV-6 and MOV10L1/piRNAs, suggest potential exaptation of HHV-6 in its coevolution with human chr22q, and clarify the evolution and risk of reactivation of the only intact (non-retro)viral genome known to be present in human germlines

On-Orbit Demonstration of Innovative Multifunctional Membrane Structure for Ultra-Lightweight Solar Arrays and Array Antennas by 3U CubeSat OrigamiSat-1

The 3U CubeSat OrigamiSat-1’s deployable membrane structure is 1m-by-1m in size after deployment and is stowed in less than 1U CubeSat (10cm-by-10cm-by-8cm), including a hold-and-release mechanism. The major significance of the structural concept is that it allows the attachment of thin-film devices, such as thin-film solar cells or flexible substrates for antennas throughout the membrane. This was achieved by two features: (i) use of textile and (ii) invention of hybrid boom made of tubular carbon composite and metal convex tape. In addition, a visual membrane measurement system consisting of stereo cameras was developed. This paper describes the new technologies developed for this CubeSat

Complex patterns of spontaneous initiations and terminations of reentrant circulation in a loop of cardiac tissue

A two-component model is developed that consists of a discrete loop of cardiac cells that circulates action potentials together with a cardiac pacing mechanism. Physiological properties of cells such as restitutions of refractoriness and of conduction velocity are given via experimentally measured functions. The dynamics of circulating pulses and their interactions with the pacer are regulated by two threshold relations. Patterns of spontaneous initiations and terminations of reentry (SITR) generated by this system are studied through numerical simulations and analytical observations. These patterns can be regular or irregular; causes of irregularities are identified as the threshold bistability of reentrant circulation (T-bistability) and in some cases, also phase-resetting interactions with the pacer.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, 61 references; A version of this paper (same results) is to appear in the Journal of Theoretical Biology; arXiv V2 adds helpful commments to facilitate reading and corrects minor errors in presentatio

シミュレーション教育を用いた基礎看護技術演習の評価

本研究はSPとシナリオを用いたシミュレーション教育における演習デザインの評価と満足度・自信度、具体的な学びの内容を学生の参加方法別に明らかにすることを目的とした。演習を受講した看護学部2年生85名を対象に、演習デザイン、満足度、自信度、参加方法に関する自記式質問紙調査と同時に演習後のレポートをテキストマイニングで分析した。演習デザインは『フィードバック/リフレクション』の評価が最も高く、『忠実度』、『問題解決過程の活用』が最も低かった。参加形態別の比較で有意差はなく、『目的の理解/情報提示』、『サポート』、『問題解決過程の活用』で有意に低いブースがあった。学生の満足度と自信度で参加方法による有意差はなかった。満足度と『忠実度』以外の演習デザイン(反映度)、自信度と全ての演習デザイン(反映度)に有意な正の相関がみられ、特に満足度と『問題解決過程の活用』r=0.55(p<0.001)、自信度と『サポート』r=0.52(p<0.001)に最も高い相関がみられた。学生の学びの内容は、「患者」に共起するカテゴリでは「不安・不快」「満足・安心」など患者の心情を推察した語が多く、「学生」に共起するカテゴリでは「困る、説明が悪い、不十分さ、改善策」などの実習場面で学生が気づくような内省に類した語が多く抽出された。カテゴリ間の関連からは、全てのブースで「患者、看護師、援助、足浴、説明、体勢」の関連がみられ、「言語的コミュニケーション、非言語的コミュニケーション」が直接または何かを介在して繋がっていた。コミュニケーションからの繋がりが「援助、説明、足浴」等の比較的単純なブースもあれば、「理由・根拠」、「学生- 改善策」などとも繋がっているブースもみられた。ブース間で捉えられた患者の状態や反応、学生の困難や不十分さ、改善策の発展性には相違がみられた

模擬患者(Simulated Patient : SP)に求められる資質 : 訓練されたSPの語り

看護教育における模擬患者(Simulated Patient : SP)参加型学習はシミュレーション教育方法の一つであり、学内演習と臨床実習とのギャップを小さくするためには重要な学習機会である。しかし、求められるSPの資質は十分に明らかにされていない。したがって、本研究は、SPに求められる資質を明らかにすることを目的とする。方法:研究デザインは探索的質的研究である。対象者は現役SP 3名で、養成講座を受講後、経験は5年&#12316;20年であった。データは、半構造化面接法で収集され、質的記述的に分析された。結果:SPの語りの中には、【連続的な自己内省】【リアルな患者の探求】【学生と向き合うスタンス】【自立的な組織力】の4つのカテゴリーが抽出され、各カテゴリーは3つのサブカテゴリーで構成されていた。考察:描かれたSPは、学生との相互作用の中で患者としての自分を表現し、教育的評価者ではなく、現実の患者に限りなく近づこうとしていた。本研究の結果は、SPのキャリア形成上の重要な視点を提供するものであり、SP養成プログラムの軸となり得

Clinical Differentiation of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome from Japanese Spotted Fever

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and Japanese spotted fever (JSF; a spotted fever group rickettsiosis) are tick-borne zoonoses that are becoming a significant public health threat in Japan and East Asia. Strategies for treatment and infection control differ between the two; therefore, initial differential diagnosis is important. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of SFTS and JSF based on symptomology, physical examination, laboratory data, and radiography findings at admission. This retrospective study included patients with SFTS and JSF treated at five hospitals in Nagasaki Prefecture, western Japan, between 2013 and 2020. Data from 23 patients with SFTS and 38 patients with JSF were examined for differentiating factors and were divided by 7:3 into a training cohort and a validation cohort. Decision tree analysis revealed leukopenia (white blood cell [WBC] < 4000/µL) and altered mental status as the best differentiating factors (AUC 1.000) with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Using only physical examination factors, absence of skin rash and altered mental status resulted in the best differentiating factors with AUC 0.871, 71.4% sensitivity, and 90.0% specificity. When treating patients with suspected tick-borne infection, WBC < 4000/µL, absence of skin rash, and altered mental status are very useful to differentiate SFTS from JSF