An Agent-Based Approach for Social Exclusion from the Perspective of Social Networks

In this paper, we examine the effects of the current state of social exclusion. We focus particularly on the relationship between individual social networks and their effects on reducing social exclusion. To tackle these issues, first, we revise and develop our original 2013 simulation model Secondly, we show the three dimensions of social exclusion as represented in our new simulation model and how these dimensions are passed on to future generations. Thirdly, we examine the relationship between a lack of social connection and the strength of social exclusion and present our results, which show that: 1) the degree of social participation is positively correlated with the number of links for each agent; 2) the gap between agents who have the same number of links is widened at a later point of simulation; 3) the degree of social participation is not correlated with the betweeness centrality of each agent in the random network model, and 4) the degree of social participation is correlated with the betweeness centrality of each agent in the threshold model

An Agent Based Simulation Methodology for Analyzing Poverty and Inequality Problems

本稿では、マルチエージェント型のシミュレーションモデルを用いて貧困層・低所得層への扶助の効果を検討した。(1)財産扶助、(2)貧困層・低所得層の稼得能力の引き上げと稼得の場の提供、を扶助の形態としてモデルに組み込み、1人あたりの財産の変化とジニ係数の変化を比較検討した。検討の結果、以下の二点が明らかとなった。第一は、単に財産を扶助することよりも、貧困層・低所得層の稼得能力を引き上げ、稼得の場を提供することの方が、貧困層・低所得層の1人あたりの財産の伸びが大きくなるということである。第二は、貧困層・低所得層の稼得能力を引き上げると、単に財産を扶助する場合よりも、社会全体の財産格差が縮小するということである

Strict Limit on CPT Violation from Polarization of Gamma-Ray Bursts

We report the strictest observational verification of CPT invariance in the photon sector, as a result of gamma-ray polarization measurement of distant gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which are brightest stellar-size explosions in the universe. We detected the gamma-ray polarization of three GRBs with high significance, and the source distances may be constrained by a well-known luminosity indicator for GRBs. For the Lorentz- and CPT-violating dispersion relation E_{\pm}^2=p^2 \pm 2\xi p^3/M_{Pl}, where \pm denotes different circular polarization states of the photon, the parameter \xi is constrained as |\xi|<O(10^{-15}). Barring precise cancellation between quantum gravity effects and dark energy effects, the stringent limit on the CPT-violating effect leads to the expectation that quantum gravity presumably respects the CPT invariance.Comment: 4 pages; accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters; redshift estimates of GRBs changed (i.e z=0.382 was wrong for GRB 110721A) and calculations of \xi limit improved from the previous versio

The Q223R polymorphism in the leptin receptor associates with objectively measured light physical activity in free-living Japanese

AbstractPhysical activity (PA) is associated with reductions in the risk of all-cause mortality and in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Nevertheless, a large proportion of the general population may not be sufficiently active. PA level has been reported to be influenced by genetic factors, and we investigated whether Q223R polymorphism in the leptin receptor (LEPR) gene was associated with PA level. A total of 556 Japanese adults aged 24–65years old participated in this cross-sectional study. The duration and intensity of PA were objectively evaluated by triaxial accelerometry. Q223R polymorphism was determined by the TaqMan method. The distribution of Q223R polymorphism was: QQ 0.7%, QR 22.6%, and RR 76.6%. The relation between the LEPR genotype and PA level was analyzed by ANCOVA with age and sex as covariates in the Q dominant genetic model. There were significant differences between LEPR genotypes and the time spent in light PA or inactive time. The subjects with RR genotype showed significantly shorter time spent in light PA (RR genotype: 559.4±102.9min/day, QQ/QR genotype: 579.9±103.1min/day) and longer inactive time (RR genotype: 815.5±107.5min/day, QQ/QR genotype: 792.3±107.7min/day) than the subjects with QQ/QR genotype (P<0.05). There were no such differences in the time spent in moderate or vigorous PA. These results suggest that the variety of PA level, especially spontaneous PA in humans, is partly caused by diversity in the LEPR gene

White dots as a novel marker of diabetic retinopathy severity in ultrawide field imaging

Purpose: To characterize white dots in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and their association with disease severity using ultra-wide-field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. Methods: We randomly selected 125 eyes of 77 patients (25 eyes from individual categories of the international classification of DR severity) for which ultrawide field photographs were obtained. We characterized white dots, which were delineated by higher signal levels on green but not red laser images, and evaluated the relationship between the number of white dots and the international severity scale of DR. Results: Most white dots were located in nonperfused areas, and the number of total white dots was significantly correlated to that of dots in nonperfused areas. White dots corresponded to microaneurysms around the boundary between nonperfused areas and perfused areas or unknown lesions in nonperfused areas. Eyes with DR had significantly more white dots than those with no apparent retinopathy. The numbers of white dots in moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or more severe grades were significantly higher than in mild NPDR. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AROC) analyses demonstrated that the number of white dots had the significance in the diagnosis of DR (0.908-0.986) and moderate NPDR or more severe grades (0.888-0.974). Conclusions: These data suggest the clinical relevance of white dots seen on ultrawide field images in the diagnosis of the severity of DR

Demonstration of 2.65 / 3.3 Gbit per sec X Band Radiowave Down Link Communications from LEO Small Satellite

This paper reports our new communication system and downlink demonstrations with a small satellite of 2.65 Gbps data rate with 64 APSK modulation and 3.3Gbps data rate with 256 APSK modulation by utilizing two circular polarization channels of X band. We have developed an on-board X-band transmitter, an on-board dual circularly polarized-wave antenna with 17dBi gain and \u3e37dB Cross Polarization Discrimination (XPD) and a 10m ground station with 39dB/K of G/T and \u3e37dB XPD for low-crosstalk polarization multiplexing. Since there are not real- time demodulator systems in such high communication speed, the downlinked signals are stored in a data recorder at an antenna site. Afterwards, we decode downlinked signals by using our non-real-time software demodulator. The system was demonstrated in orbit the RAPid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite (RAPIS-1) of JAXA in 2019. We have achieved 2.65 Gbps and 3.3Gbps communication speed in the X-band for LEO satellite at 300 M symbols per second (Msps) and polarization multiplexing of 64APSK (coding rate 4/5) and 256APSK (coding rate 3/4) following DVB-S2X protocol with roll-off factor α=0.05. The communication speeds correspond to of frequency efficiency 8.4 bit/s/Hz and 10.8 bit/s/Hz of frequency utilization efficiency. As far as authors know, these direct downlink communication speeds and frequency utilization efficiencies are the highest ones at present in LEO satellites, excluding bent-pipe communication systems

A Study on Disaster-Preventing Effects of IC tags using Multi Agent Simulation

産業界では、ICタグの特性である商品識別・管理技術が注目されている。しかし、その技術を公共性の高い分野に応用しようとする研究は少数である。特に、災害時に建物の中にいる人が情報をICタグから得て避難するといった実証実験やシミュレーションモデルの構築はこれまで行われてこなかった。本稿では、小学校をモデルとしてICタグを利用した避難誘導のシミュレーションを行い、防災対策の効果について考察した。そのために、建部ら(1999)が行った単独避難の経路選択傾向のデータをもとにしてマルチエージュントシミュレーションモデルを構築し、ICタグの効果について考察を行った。ICタグ導入に対する費用の投入には、予算の制約があるので、ある程度基準となるような費用便益を算出しておかねばならない。そこで、この施策が効率的かどうかについて検討するために確率的生命価値の推計を行った

Structural basis for tropomyosin overlap in thin (actin) filaments and the generation of a molecular swivel by troponin-T

Head-to-tail polymerization of tropomyosin is crucial for its actin binding, function in actin filament assembly, and the regulation of actin-myosin contraction. Here, we describe the 2.1 Å resolution structure of crystals containing overlapping tropomyosin N and C termini (TM-N and TM-C) and the 2.9 Å resolution structure of crystals containing TM-N and TM-C together with a fragment of troponin-T (TnT). At each junction, the N-terminal helices of TM-N were splayed, with only one of them packing against TM-C. In the C-terminal region of TM-C, a crucial water in the coiled-coil core broke the local 2-fold symmetry and helps generate a kink on one helix. In the presence of a TnT fragment, the asymmetry in TM-C facilitates formation of a 4-helix bundle containing two TM-C chains and one chain each of TM-N and TnT. Mutating the residues that generate the asymmetry in TM-C caused a marked decrease in the affinity of troponin for actin-tropomyosin filaments. The highly conserved region of TnT, in which most cardiomyopathy mutations reside, is crucial for interacting with tropomyosin. The structure of the ternary complex also explains why the skeletal- and cardiac-muscle specific C-terminal region is required to bind TnT and why tropomyosin homodimers bind only a single TnT. On actin filaments, the head-to-tail junction can function as a molecular swivel to accommodate irregularities in the coiled-coil path between successive tropomyosins enabling each to interact equivalently with the actin helix

Gait-combined closed-loop brain stimulation can improve walking dynamics in Parkinsonian gait disturbances: a randomised-control trial

日本発、歩行リハビリテーションの未来への一歩 パーキンソン病に新たな光明. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-06-23.[Objective] Gait disturbance lowers activities of daily living in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related disorders. However, the effectiveness of pharmacological, surgical and rehabilitative treatments is limited. We recently developed a novel neuromodulation approach using gait-combined closed-loop transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) for healthy volunteers and patients who are post-stroke, and achieved significant entrainment of gait rhythm and an increase in gait speed. Here, we tested the efficacy of this intervention in patients with Parkinsonian gait disturbances. [Methods] Twenty-three patients were randomly assigned to a real intervention group using gait-combined closed-loop oscillatory tES over the cerebellum at the frequency of individualised comfortable gait rhythm, and to a sham control group. [Results] Ten intervention sessions were completed for all patients and showed that the gait speed (F(1, 21)=13.0, p=0.002) and stride length (F(1, 21)=8.9, p=0.007) were significantly increased after tES, but not after sham stimulation. Moreover, gait symmetry measured by swing phase time (F(1, 21)=11.9, p=0.002) and subjective feelings about freezing (F(1, 21)=14.9, p=0.001) were significantly improved during gait. [Conclusions] These findings showed that gait-combined closed-loop tES over the cerebellum improved Parkinsonian gait disturbances, possibly through the modulation of brain networks generating gait rhythms. This new non-pharmacological and non-invasive intervention could be a breakthrough in restoring gait function in patients with PD and related disorders