Food production and gas exchange system using blue-green alga (spirulina) for CELSS

In order to reduce the cultivation area required for the growth of higher plants in space adoption of algae, which have a higher photosynthetic ability, seems very suitable for obtaining oxygen and food as a useful source of high quality protein. The preliminary cultivation experiment for determining optimum cultivation conditions and for obtaining the critical design parameters of the cultivator itself was conducted. Spirulina was cultivated in the 6 liter medium containing a sodium hydrogen carbonate solution and a cultivation temperature controlled using a thermostat. Generated oxygen gas was separated using a polypropyrene porous hollow fiber membrane module. Through this experiment, oxygen gas (at a concentration of more than 46 percent) at a rate of 100 to approx. 150 ml per minute could be obtained

Current Performance and On-Going Improvements of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope

An overview of the current status of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope constructed and operated at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is presented. The basic design concept and the verified performance of the telescope system are described. Also given are the status of the instrument package offered to the astronomical community, the status of operation, and some of the future plans. The status of the telescope reported in a number of SPIE papers as of the summer of 2002 are incorporated with some updates included as of 2004 February. However, readers are encouraged to check the most updated status of the telescope through the home page, http://subarutelescope.org/index.html, and/or the direct contact with the observatory staff.Comment: 18 pages (17 pages in published version), 29 figures (GIF format), This is the version before the galley proo

Efficacy of aerosolized liposomal amphotericin B against murine invasive pulmonary mucormycosis

Invasive pulmonary mucormycosis is a life-threatening fungal infection encountered in immunocompromised patients. An intravenous high-dose lipid formulation of amphotericin B, such as liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB), is the recommended treatment. The efficacy of inhaled L-AMB against mucormycosis has not been evaluated. We evaluated the efficacy of inhaled aerosolized L-AMB in murine invasive pulmonary mucormycosis. ICR female mice were immunosuppressed with cortisone acetate and cyclophosphamide and challenged on day 0 with 1 × 106 conidia of Rhizopus oryzae (TIMM 1327) intratracheally. Infected mice were assigned to one of the following 3 treatment groups: (i) control, (ii) treatment only (aerosolized L-AMB from day 1-5 after challenge), and (iii) prophylaxis followed by treatment (aerosolized L-AMB from day -2 to 5 before and after challenge). Survival was monitored until 12 days after challenge. For fungalburden and histopathological examination, mice were sacrificed 4 h after treatment on day 3. Numbers of colony-forming units per lung were calculated. To study the distribution of AMB after inhalation of L-AMB, immunohistochemical studies using AMB antibody were performed. Aerosolized L-AMB significantly improved survival rate and decreased fungal burden compared with control group, and histopathology findings were superior to those of control group. However, no significant differences were detected between the treatment-only and prophylaxis followed by treatment groups. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that L-AMB was promptly distributed in lung tissue after inhalation therapy. Aerosolized L-AMB showed modest efficacy against R. oryzae infection in mice treated after fungal challenge. Prophylaxis with aerosolized L-AMB was not effective in this animal model

Accelerated ice mass depletion revealed by low-degree gravity field from satellite laser ranging: Greenland, 1991-2011

We detect the acceleration of ice mass depletion in Greenland for the period 1991–2011 from the low-degree gravity field up to degree and order 4 derived from the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) data. Between 2003 and 2011, during the era when the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite data are available, our SLR results of gravity changes agree well with GRACE showing significant negative patterns in Greenland. Prior to that, the SLR linear trend maps show a near balance in Greenland ice mass during 1991–2002 (after the glacial isostatic adjustment is accounted for using model values). We further confirm the consistency of our SLR results with the vertical crustal uplift of the region observed by the Global Positining System (GPS) which manifests ice mass loading/unloading. Thus, the SLR data series constitute a continuous benchmark for the time history of the Greenland ice mass changes for over two decades

Examining sufficiency and equity in the geographic distribution of physicians in Japan: A longitudinal study

Objectives: The objective of this study was to longitudinally examine the geographic distribution of physicians in Japan with adjustment for healthcare demand according to changes in population age structure. Methods: We examined trends in the number of physicians per 100 000 population in Japan's secondary medical areas (SMAs) from 2000 to 2014. Healthcare demand was adjusted using health expenditure per capita. Trends in the Gini coefficient and the number of SMAs with a low physician supply were analysed. A subgroup analysis was also conducted where SMAs were divided into 4 groups according to urban-rural classification and initial physician supply. Results: The time-based changes in the Gini coefficient and the number of SMAs with a low physician supply indicated that the equity in physician distribution had worsened throughout the study period. The number of physicians per 100 000 population had seemingly increased in all groups, with increases of 22.9% and 34.5% in urban groups with higher and lower initial physician supply, respectively. However, after adjusting healthcare demand, physician supply decreased by 1.3% in the former group and increased by 3.5% in the latter group. Decreases were also observed in the rural groups, where the number of physicians decreased by 4.4% in the group with a higher initial physician supply and 7.6% in the group with a lower initial physician supply. Conclusions: Although the total number of physicians increased in Japan, demand-adjusted physician supply decreased in recent years in all areas except for urban areas with a lower initial physician supply. In addition, the equity of physician distribution had consistently deteriorated since 2000. The results indicate that failing to adjust healthcare demand will produce misleading results, and that there is a need for major reform of Japan's healthcare system to improve physician distribution