Biosorption of Uranium and Rare Earth Elements Using Biomass of Algae

In order to investigate the behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) and uranium (U) in marine organism, the concentrations of REEs and U in some brown algae samples taken on the coast of Niigata Prefecture were determined. In addition, laboratory model experiment to uptake these elements using living and dried algae (Undaria pinnatifida and Sargassum hemiphyllum) was also carried out to survey the uptake and bioaccumulation mechanism of REEs and U in algae. Consequently, the following matters have been mainly clarified. (1) The order of the concentration of REEs for each organ in Sargassum hemiphyllum is “main branch” > “leaf” > “vesicle,” however for U, the order is “leaf” > “vesicle” > “main branch.” (2) The concentration of REEs in Sargassum hemiphyllum may be strongly affected by suspended solid in seawater. (3) The uptake and/or accumulate mechanism of REEs in brown algae may be different from that of U

Vacuum Effects and Compressional Properties of Nuclear Matter in Cutoff Field Theory

Including the vacuum effects, the compressional properties of nuclear matter are studied in the cutoff field theory. Under the Hartree approximation, the low-energy effective Lagrangian is derived in the framework of the renormalization group methods. The coefficients are determined in a way where the physical results hardly depend on the value of the cutoff which is conveniently introduced into the theory. It is shown that, to reproduce the empirical data of the nucleus incompressibility, the compressibility of the nuclear matter is favorable to be 250$\sim$350MeV.Comment: PACS numbers, 21.65.+

Distribution and life histories of tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) in Tottori Sand Dunes (Tottori City, Honshu, Japan) with remarks on the extinction of Calomera angulata.

2013年から2014年にかけて鳥取砂丘の全域でハンミョウ類の生息調査をおこない，カワラハンミョウの幼虫の巣穴が砂丘のほぼ全域にみられるのに対し，エリザハンミョウのそれはオアシス周辺の湿り気のある砂泥地表に限定されていることを確認した。1990年代までオアシス周辺で生息が確認されていたハラビロハンミョウは確認できず，鳥取砂丘からは絶滅したと判断される。当地は環境省国立公園の特別保護地区であり，採集は厳密に規制されているのでこの絶滅は1994年からはじまった除草に影響された可能性が強く疑われる。本種の鳥取砂丘内での最終確認は1997年である。カワラハンミョウとエリザハンミョウについてはコドラート調査により，カワラハンミョウは基本的に年1化で1 ～ 2齢の幼虫で越冬，エリザハンミョウも年1化だがすべての齢で越冬していると推定された。巣穴は1年をとおして集中分布でとくに若齢幼虫の多い秋季にはその傾向がめだった。We surveyed distributions and life histories of cicindelid beetles in Tottori Sand Dunes, Tottori Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. Larval nests of Chaetodera laetescripta were widely found in the bare arenaceous ground around vegetation of sandy shore plants in the dunes, while those of Cilindela elisae were limited to the bare silt-mingling arenaceous ground along the stream flowing into the pool called “Oasis”. No adults and nests of Calomera angulata (Fabricius, 1798) that had been found up to 1990s around “Oasis”were found. Absence of the records of Calomera angulata from Tottori Sand Dunes after the last observation in 1997 strongly suggests extinction of the species in the area. It is highly suggested that weeding activities that started in 1994 in Tottori Sand Dunes influenced negatively for the occurrence of the species, because Tottori Sand Dunes has been designated as a special protection area of the national parks by the Japan Ministry of Environment and collecting animals and plants and other activities that may influence conservation of the environment are strictly regulated. Chaetodera laetescripta and Cilindela elisae were univoltine and adults appeared from July. Analyses of dispersion pattern of larval nests for the two species showed contagious distribution

A case of acute myocardial infarction during perioperative period of non-cardiac surgery in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome and a history of coronary artery bypass surgery

AbstractA 65-year-old woman underwent coronary artery bypass surgery and was diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) at the same time in 1985. She was admitted to our hospital to undergo mastectomy for left breast cancer in 2012. She was put on intravenous infusion of heparin and stopped receiving both antiplatelet agents and warfarin. The operation was performed without complications, and antithrombotic therapy was restarted one day after the operation. On day 6 postoperative, she complained of sudden chest pain and on examination she was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction. The culprit lesion was in a saphenous vein graft and coronary intervention was performed.<Learning objective: Antithrombotic therapy for patients with APS is complicated because of prolonged baseline activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). An effective perioperative antithrombotic therapy for APS patients who have a history of coronary artery disease and have undergone non-cardiac surgery has not yet been established. A safe strategy for such a therapy should therefore be discussed.

Shape mixing dynamics in the low-lying states of proton-rich Kr isotopes

We study the oblate-prolate shape mixing in the low-lying states of proton-rich Kr isotopes using the five-dimensional quadrupole collective Hamiltonian. The collective Hamiltonian is derived microscopically by means of the CHFB (constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov) + Local QRPA (quasiparticle random phase approximation) method, which we have developed recently on the basis of the adiabatic self-consistent collective coordinate method. The results of the numerical calculation show the importance of large-amplitude collective vibrations in the triaxial shape degree of freedom and rotational effects on the oblate-prolate shape mixing dynamics in the low-lying states of these isotopes.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figure

Current research and future directions for realizing the ideal One-Health approach: A summary of key-informant interviews in Japan and a literature review

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of the One Health (OH) approach, which considers the health of humans, animals, and the environment in preventing future pandemics. A wide range of sustainable interdisciplinary collaborations are required to truly fulfill the purpose of the OH approach. It is well-recognized, however, that such collaborations are challenging. In this study, we undertook key-informant interviews with a panel of stakeholders from Japan to identify their perceived needs and challenges related to OH research. This panel included scientists, government officials, journalists, and industry stakeholders. By combining a thematic analysis of these interviews and a literature review, we summarized two key themes pertinent to the effective implementation of OH research: types of required research and systems to support that research. As a technological issue, interviewees suggested the importance of research and development of methodologies that can promote the integration and collaboration of research fields that are currently fragmented. An example of such a methodology would allow researchers to obtain high-resolution metadata (e.g. ecological and wildlife data) with high throughput and then maximize the use of the obtained metadata in research, such as in environmental DNA analysis, database construction, or the use of computational algorithms to find novel viral genomes. In terms of systems surrounding OH research, some interviewees stressed the importance of creating a sustainable research system, such as one that has continuous budget support and allows researchers to pursue their academic careers and interests. These perceptions and challenges held by Japanese stakeholders may be common to others around the world. We hope this review will encourage more researchers and others to work together to create a resilient society against future pandemics