A TABLE OF TWISTED KNOTS WITH CROSSING NUMBER 3

Virtual knot theory is a generalization of knot theory which is based on Gauss chord diagrams and link diagrams on closed orientable surfaces. Twisted knots are a generalization of virtual knots, which correspond to link diagrams in possibly non-orientable surfaces. In this paper, we construct a table of twisted knots with crossing numbers 3. We use the multivariable polynomial invariants, JKSS invariants of double covering of twisted knots, and the twisted knot quandles for classification of twisted knots. We determine invertibility, chirality and checkerboard colorability for some twisted knots in our table

Commensal Flora, is it an Unwelcomed Companion as a Triggering Factor of Autoimmune Pancreatitis?

The etiopathogenesis of many autoimmune disorders has not been identified. The aim of this paper is to focus on the involvement of bacterial exposure, as an environmental factor, in the pathogenesis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), which is broadly categorized as autoimmune disorders involving pancreatic lesions. Avirulent and/or commensal bacteria, which may have an important role(s) as initiating/progressing factors in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorder AIP, will be emphasized

High-frequency earthquake swarm associated with the May 1991 dome extrusion at Unzen Volcano, Japan

Abstract \nThe 1990-1995 eruption of Unzen Volcano in southwestern Japan was characterized by the extrusion of a dacite lava dome and frequent pyroclastic flows during the dome growth. Associated with the dome emergence on May 20, 1991, an intense swarm of high-frequency (HF) microearthquakes occurred just beneath the crater at very shallow depths. We used data from FG3, a seismic station located 500 m SSW of the crater, to identify 29,401 HF earthquakes between May 11 and 31, 1991. The rate of HF earthquakes increased starting on May 12 and peaked on May 17. The high seismicity continued until May 26, then dropped sharply, coinciding with a marked decline in the swelling on the southern upper flank of the volcano. The seismicity increased and decreased repeatedly within a 1- to 2-h period, which was correlated with tilt cycles observed 680 m west of the crater in such a way that the seismicity increased during uplifting on the craterward side. Defining an earthquake group as a series of earthquakes with waveforms that are similar or vary only slightly over time, we identified 10 such groups, each containing more than 300 events. The largest group comprised 3,214 events over 18 days. Seismicity rates of eight groups, including the largest, increased and decreased repeatedly, correlated with the tilt cycles. As the waveform data from station FG3 were considerably clipped for relatively large events, we analyzed data from two additional stations, KRA and CJA, located 3.5 and 8.7 km from the crater, respectively, and identified a total of five new groups. The activity of two groups recorded at KRA was correlated with the tilt cycles, but those of three groups recorded at CJA did not always show such a correlation. Hypocenters for the groups recorded at KRA were distributed to the east side of the conduit and a focal mechanism suggested that the events in this area occurred due to compressional stress produced by the inflation of the conduit. The groups recorded at CJA occurred to the north side of the dike trending westward from the conduit. The focal mechanisms have P-axes roughly trending to the dike, which can be explained by the compressional stress generated by the increasing thickness of the dike

A Case of Orbital Xanthogranuloma Treated by Surgical Excision

Orbital xanthogranuloma is an uncommon tumor. It is usually associated with a systemic or hematological disease. This report presents a rare case of orbital xanthogranuloma associated with heart disease and thrombocytopenia. A 52-year-old female presented with a bilateral periorbital subcutaneous tumor that had existed for 3 years. Although immunoglobulin levels were within the normal limits, thrombocytopenia, slight anemia and increased levels of C-reactive protein and alkaline phosphatase were observed. The mass was excised successfully. The malar flap elevation technique made it easy to approach the periorbital subcutaneous mass. A histopathological study led to a diagnosis of xanthogranuloma based on the presence of infiltration of histiocytes and Touton-type giant cells

Perspective Chapter: The Japanese Coal Mining Industry Reconsidered: From Mechanized Longwall Mining to Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage

This chapter investigates the role of the Japanese coal mining industry in global coal mining development. In the twenty-first century, the Japanese coal mining industry was a marginal contributor to global production, with an annual domestic production of only 750,000 tons. However, as explained below, Japan has contributed to clean coal technologies and coal mining. The combination of chock shields and a double-ended ranging drum shearer is one of the major mechanized longwall mining systems worldwide. It was developed by the Taiheiyo Coal Mining Company in Japan in the mid-1960s and subsequently spread among major coal-producing countries. Japanese coal production systems and clean coal technologies have been transferred to Asian countries since the late-1980s. Currently, carbon dioxide capture and storage system in a mine under the seabed is being implemented by the Kushiro Coal Mine Company which succeeded the mine of Taiheiyo. In addition, Japan has developed technologies for coal-fired power plants to burn coal more efficiently and contains the world’s most efficient ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plants. Furthermore, the world’s largest Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle power plants started operating to reconstruct Fukushima and reduce carbon emissions

Narrowing Down the Mapping of Plant Sex-Determination Regions Using New Y-Chromosome-Specific Markers and Heavy-Ion Beam Irradiation-Induced Y-Deletion Mutants in Silene latifolia

Silene latifolia is a well-studied model system for plant XY sex determination. Three maleness factors are thought to function on the Y chromosome, gynoecium suppression factor (GSF), stamen-promoting factor (SPF), and male fertility factor (MFF), and their deletions result in hermaphrodites, anther defects, and pollen defects, respectively. Although a framework map of the Y chromosome exists, the sex determination genes have not been identified, and no markers close enough to potentially be used for BAC library screening are yet available. The analysis of Y deletion mutants by Y-chromosome-specific STS markers is an efficient way to isolate sex determination regions, but more Y-specific STS markers are needed to accelerate the exploration of sex determination factors. Herein, we report a marker design method that uses simple sequence repeats, which is especially effective on the Y chromosome of S. latifolia because it contains many simple sequence repeats. Six new Y-chromosome-specific STS markers were obtained, SmicSy1–6. These were used to detect relatively small Y deletion sites in heavy-ion beam irradiation-induced mutants. The mapping of male sex determination regions was narrowed down by using more markers and smaller-sized Y deletion mutants. One new marker, SmicSy6, is a proximal marker to SPF and, thus, a second index for SPF. The region including SPF is thought to be located between two SPF proximal markers. The flower phenotype correlates with the deletion size of SPF using SPF proximal markers. These findings represent new progress in isolating the sex determination factor, which has been studied for more than 50 years

Acute Encephalitis Caused by Intrafamilial Transmission of Enterovirus 71 in Adult

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a common cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease and sometimes causes severe neurologic complications, mainly in children. We report a case of adult-onset encephalitis caused by intrafamilial transmission of a subgenogroup C4 strain of EV71. This case elucidates the risk for EV71 encephalitis even in adults