Development of the tool for artistic representation of internal information of the body

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科情報システム金沢大学工学部In this paper, we describe the idea of a new artistic representation tool to project performer\u27s internal state of the body. To solve the problem of complicated wires and for detecting biological signals, the flexible conductive wear for wearable computing named as "TextileNet system" was applied to the system. In this paper, we also describe the experimental results of trial growing of the tool. The advantage of the conductive fabric was not only solving the problem but shielding effect, which could make the amplifier simple. Using the feature of TextileNet, huge number of biological information can be treated at same time, and more complex representation is expected. © 2006 ACM

Seismic refraction and wide-angle reflection exploration by JARE-43 on Mizuho Plateau, East Antarctica

The 43rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-43) carried out seismic exploration experiments on Mizuho Plateau,East Antarctica,in the austral summer season of ,2001-2002. The exploration was composed of seven large explosions and 161seismic stations distributed along the 151 km-long seismic line.The first arrival time data are analyzed by a refraction method.It is found that the ice sheet is composed of two layers:the upper layer with P wave velocity of 2.7-2.9 km/s has thickness of 35-45 m,and the lower layer with P wave velocity of 3.7-3.9 km/s continues to the bedrock.Lateral velocity variation in the upper-most crust is revealed:P wave velocity for the upper-most crust in the southern and central parts is 6.1-6.2 km/s and that in the northern part is5.9 km/s. This result implies that the geological boundary observed along the coast in the Lu tzow-Holm Bay and Prince Olav Coast regions possibly continues to the inland area.The S wave velocity is also obtained to be roughly 3.5km/s for the whole upper-most crust.Travel time analysis of two distinct reflection phases shows two horizontal reflecting planes located at 19 and 40km depth; the latter corresponds to the Moho discontinuity

A local anesthetic, ropivacaine, suppresses activated microglia via a nerve growth factor-dependent mechanism and astrocytes via a nerve growth factor-independent mechanism in neuropathic pain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Local anesthetics alleviate neuropathic pain in some cases in clinical practice, and exhibit longer durations of action than those predicted on the basis of the pharmacokinetics of their blocking effects on voltage-dependent sodium channels. Therefore, local anesthetics may contribute to additional mechanisms for reversal of the sensitization of nociceptive pathways that occurs in the neuropathic pain state. In recent years, spinal glial cells, microglia and astrocytes, have been shown to play critical roles in neuropathic pain, but their participation in the analgesic effects of local anesthetics remains largely unknown.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Repetitive epidural administration of ropivacaine reduced the hyperalgesia induced by chronic constrictive injury of the sciatic nerve. Concomitantly with this analgesia, ropivacaine suppressed the increases in the immunoreactivities of CD11b and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the dorsal spinal cord, as markers of activated microglia and astrocytes, respectively. In addition, epidural administration of a TrkA-IgG fusion protein that blocks the action of nerve growth factor (NGF), which was upregulated by ropivacaine in the dorsal root ganglion, prevented the inhibitory effect of ropivacaine on microglia, but not astrocytes. The blockade of NGF action also abolished the analgesic effect of ropivacaine on neuropathic pain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ropivacaine provides prolonged analgesia possibly by suppressing microglial activation in an NGF-dependent manner and astrocyte activation in an NGF-independent manner in the dorsal spinal cord. Local anesthetics, including ropivacaine, may represent a new approach for glial cell inhibition and, therefore, therapeutic strategies for neuropathic pain.</p

Sox11 balances dendritic morphogenesis with neuronal migration in the developing cerebral cortex

The coordinated mechanisms balancing promotion and suppression of dendritic morphogenesis are crucial for the development of the cerebral cortex. Although previous studies have revealed important transcription factors that promote dendritic morphogenesis during development, those that suppress dendritic morphogenesis are still largely unknown. Here we found that the expression levels of the transcription factor Sox11 decreased dramatically during dendritic morphogenesis. Our loss- and gain-of-function studies using postnatal electroporation and in utero electroporation indicate that Sox11 is necessary and sufficient for inhibiting dendritic morphogenesis of excitatory neurons in the mouse cerebral cortex during development. Interestingly, we found that precocious suppression of Sox11 expression caused precocious branching of neurites and a neuronal migration defect. We also found that the end of radial migration induced the reduction of Sox11 expression. These findings indicate that suppression of dendritic morphogenesis by Sox11 during radial migration is crucial for the formation of the cerebral cortex. © 2016 the authors

Expression of EGF and, Ras and Myc Oncogene Products in Normal, Graves\u27 Thyroid, Adenoma, and Carcinoma of the Thyroid

An immunohistochemical study of EGF, and products of ras and myc oncogenes was carried out in 47 cases of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the thyroid. Normal thyroid tissues showed no significant immunostaining reaction to antibodies for EGF, and products of ras and myc oncogenes. The incidence of EGF positivity was 27%, 46% and 76% in Graves\u27 disease, follicular adenoma, and carcinoma, repectively. The incidence of positivity of ras oncogene product was 27%, 38%, and 82% in Graves\u27 disease, follicular adenoma and carcinoma, respectively. The incidence of positivity of myc oncogene product was 18%, 46% and 71% in Graves\u27 disease, Follicular adenoma, and carcinoma, respectively. These results suggest that EGF, and ras and myc oncogenes or proto-oncogenes play a role in neoplastic lesions of the thyroid

Skill evaluation method based on variability of antagonism power of EMG

金沢大学理工研究域電子情報学系We can more effectively take the physical skills of individual people into consideration from various points of view when we focus on evaluating their skills while exercising. We can focus on their maximum levels of speed and power, their smoothness through a series of exercises, their instantaneous force, repeatability, and their adjustability to agitation or obstacles such as circumjacent people or nature. A lot of exercise skills can relatively and easily be quantitatively evaluated by carefully analyzing the results and performance. However, it is difficult to evaluate the "repeatability" aspect, which is only one of exercise skill, when judging its degree from only viewing the given exercise. An example of a physical exercise process that can contribute stable results would need to be equivalent to a "skill" such as hitting a home run each time. We believe that the acquisition of a given skill is very useful in fields such as physical training. Therefore, we examined the repeatability aspect from this point of view. We also used an antagonism power index calculated using EMG to achieve such purposes. The index represents any adjustments made in the output power from the muscles. I thought that the adjust function of the output power of the muscles would be very useful when evaluating the exercise skills of a given individual. The antagonism power was calculated using the quasi-muscular tension and a skeletal muscle model consisting of one joint and two muscles. We also made a comparison between the unskilled state and a skilled state. As a result, the differences in exercise skill appeared to be antagonism power. Therefore, we thought that antagonism power was effective enough for creating a new exercise skill evaluation index that we define in this paper. Copyright 2011 ACM