Experimental Study on Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting using the Temperature Distribution on Bridge Components

To secure power supplies is a critical problem for bridge health monitoring (BHM), and energy harvesting has attracted attention in recent years as one solution to this problem. We focused on the temperature distribution in bridge components which influences the structural behavior of bridges. The thermoelectric energy harvesting uses the Seebeck effect and converts temperature differences into electricity. As a fundamental study on the thermoelectric energy harvesting using the temperature distribution on bridge components, temperature measurements on an existing steel girder bridge was carried out. The appropriate components of bridges and installation locations for high conversion efficiency of energy harvesting were discussed from the results. Abilities of a prototype thermoelectric generator were tested, and the characteristic curves between power generation and temperature differences were formulated. Finally, the harvesting energy was estimated by using the characteristic curves of the thermoelectric generator and the measured temperature on the target bridge

Evaluation of VI index forecasting model by machine learning for Yahoo! stock BBS using volatility trading simulation

The risk avoidance is very crucial in investment and asset management. One commonly used index as a risk index is the VI index. Suwa et al. (2017) analyzed stock bulletin board messages and predicted it rise. In our study, we developed a simulation of trading Nikkei stock index options using intra-day data and verified the validity of the VI index prediction model proposed by Suwa et al. In a period from November 18, 2014, to June 29, 2016, we conducted a simulation using a long straddle strategy. The profit and loss from trading with the instructions of their model was +3,021 yen. The benchmark\u27s profit and loss was -3,590 yen. The improvement with their model was +6,611 yen. Therefore, we confirmed that Suwa et al.\u27s VI index prediction model might be effective

Molecular and virulence characteristics of an outer membrane-associated RTX exoprotein in Pasteurella pneumotropica

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Pasteurella pneumotropica </it>is a ubiquitous bacterium that is frequently isolated from laboratory rodents and causes various clinical symptoms in immunodeficient animals. Currently two RTX toxins, PnxIA and PnxIIA, which are similar to hemolysin-like high-molecular-weight exoproteins are known in this species. In this study, we identified and analyzed a further RTX toxin named PnxIIIA and the corresponding type I secretion system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The RTX exoprotein, PnxIIIA, contains only a few copies of the RTX repeat-like sequence and 3 large repeat sequences that are partially similar to the outer membrane protein found in several prokaryotes. Recombinant PnxIIIA protein (rPnxIIIA) was cytotoxic toward J774A.1 mouse macrophage cells, whereas cytotoxicity was attenuated by the addition of anti-CD11a monoclonal antibody. rPnxIIIA could bind to extracellular matrices (ECMs) and cause hemagglutination of sheep erythrocytes. Binding was dependent on the 3 large repeat sequences in PnxIIIA. Protein interaction analyses indicated that PnxIIIA is mainly localized in the outer membrane of <it>P. pneumotropica </it>ATCC 35149 in a self-assembled oligomeric form. PnxIIIA is less cytotoxic to J774A.1 cells than PnxIA and PnxIIA.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results implicate that PnxIIIA is located on the cell surface and participates in adhesion to ECMs and enhanced hemagglutination in the rodent pathogen <it>P. pneumotropica</it>.</p

Prevalence and analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in chinchillas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chinchillas (<it>Chinchilla laniger</it>) are popular as pets and are often used as laboratory animals for various studies. <it>Pseudomonas aeruginosa </it>is a major infectious agent that causes otitis media, pneumonia, septicaemia enteritis, and sudden death in chinchillas. This bacterium is also a leading cause of nosocomial infections in humans. To prevent propagation of <it>P. aeruginosa </it>infection among humans and animals, detailed characteristics of the isolates, including antibiotic susceptibility and genetic features, are needed. In this study, we surveyed <it>P. aeruginosa </it>distribution in chinchillas bred as pets or laboratory animals. We also characterized the isolates from these chinchillas by testing for antibiotic susceptibility and by gene analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>P. aeruginosa </it>was isolated from 41.8% of the 67 chinchillas included in the study. Slide agglutination and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis discriminated 5 serotypes and 7 unique patterns, respectively. For the antibiotic susceptibility test, 40.9% of isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, 77.3% to ciprofloxacin, 77.3% to imipenem, and 72.7% to ceftazidime. DNA analyses confirmed that none of the isolates contained the gene encoding extended-spectrum β-lactamases; however, 2 of the total 23 isolates were found to have a gene similar to the <it>pilL </it>gene that has been identified in the pathogenicity island of a clinical isolate of <it>P. aeruginosa</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>P. aeruginosa </it>is widely spread in chinchillas, including strains with reduced susceptibility to the antibiotics and highly virulent strains. The periodic monitoring should be performed to help prevent the propagation of this pathogen and reduce the risk of infection from chinchillas to humans.</p

Thyroid metastasis of p16-positive OPSCC

Thyroid metastasis is rarely diagnosed, and the treatment outcomes in p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients with rare thyroid metastasis have not been fully investigated. Here we describe the case of a patient with p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who was diagnosed with cT4 N2M1 with rare thyroid metastasis. The patient was a current smoker and was positive for human papillomavirus DNA, with disease progression at 49 days and death at 113 days after completion of cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Study on Static and Dynamic Instability of Super Long-Span Cable-Stayed Bridges

ABSTRACT: In this paper, the static and dynamic wind-induced instability analyses of super long-span cable-stayed bridges with main span length of 1200～1800m are presented. Firstly, the static behaviors of bridges against displacement-dependent wind load are investigated by three-dimension geometrical nonlinear analysis. Secondly, the free vibration and flutter analyses are carried out and the comparison of dynamic structural properties between cable-stayed and suspension bridges are discussed. Finally, the possibility and limitations of long-span cablestayed bridges based on static and dynamic instability analyses are discussed. The analytical results show that static instability controls the dimension of the girder and the safety against both static and dynamic instabilities can be ensured even with main span length of 1800m

Zee model and phenomenology of lepton sector

The virtual effects of the Zee charged scalar boson on the lepton-family-number (LFN) violating processes are studied. We obtain the constraints on the individual Yukawa coupling constants of the Zee boson to leptons. Using these constraints, we predict the upper bounds on the muonium-antimuonium conversion probability, the branching fractions of the LFN violating decays such as $\tau \to e\gamma$, $\tau \to \mu\gamma$, $\tau^- \to \mu^+e^-e^-$ and $\tau \to e^+\mu^-\mu^-$. The contribution of the Zee boson to the muon anomalous magnetic moment is also consideredComment: 13pages, 2figures, Latex; Notes added, two references adde

The Function of β2-glycoprotein I in Angiogenesis and Its in Vivo Distribution in Tumor Xenografts

Intact β2-glycoprotein I (iβ2GPI) is a glycoprotein that regulates coagulation and fibrinolysis. Nicked β2GPI (nβ2GPI) possesses an angiogenic property at a relatively low concentration, and an antiangiogenic property at a high concentration. Here we investigated the functions of βi 2GPI and nβ2GPI in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A-induced endothelial cell proliferation and tube formation. We used noninvasive PET imaging to analyze the in vivo distribution of intravenously injected β2GPI variants in tumor lesions in mice. iβ2GPI was incubated with plasmin to obtain nβ2GPI, and its N-terminal sequence was analyzed. nβ2GPI had at least one other cleavage site upstream of the β2GPIʼs domain V, whereas the former plasmin-cleavage site locates between K317 and T318. Both of intact and nicked β2GPI significantly inhibited the VEGF-A-induced cell proliferation and the tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). PET imaging visualized considerably distributed intensities of all tested β2GPI variants in tumor lesions of pancreatic tumor cell-xenografts. These results indicate that β2GPI may be physiologically and pathophysiologically important in the regulation of not only coagulation and fibrinolysis, but also angiogenesis