Evaluation of Fiber Crops as Adsorption Materials for Cesium and Strontium Ions

After the accident of atomic power plants in Fukushima, Japan, the removal of radioactive materials released to environment is most important task and rapid response to the severe problem is required. It is well known that various biomass have adsorption ability for toxic metal ions from aqueous media. We have evaluated the adsorption ability of many fiber crops for cesium and strontium ions. As the results, several fiber crops have considerable ability for the adsorption of such metal ions and are useful for a water and soil purification system in large scale

Taurine's health influence on Japanese high school girls

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in children and adolescents has been increasing at an alarming rate. MS risks during childhood and adolescence adversely affect health conditions in later life. Thus, the characterization of their MS risks is a critical research field. The aims of this study are to survey the health status of Japanese adolescent females, a poorly characterized population, and to investigate the potential relationship between their MS risks and dietary factors like potassium (K) and taurine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Anthropometric characteristics of 243 healthy school girls aged 13 to 18 years were measured. Serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and plasma levels of glucose and insulin were analyzed in fasting blood samples. We assessed overweight, disturbed lipid prolife, higher blood pressure (hBP) and higher plasma glucose (hGlc) levels as indicators of MS risks. The relationships between MS risks and urinary K or taurine excretion were investigated by dividing into higher and lower groups at medians of their urinary excretions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Half of junior high school (JHS) and one-quarter of senior high school (SHS) girls had at least one MS risk. The quite common risk was hGlc, the rates being 21% in JHS girls and 14% in SHS. The prevalence of being overweight and obesity were only small portions, the rate being 0% and 0% in JHS girls, and 10% and 1% in SHS, respectively. Substantial differences in the prevalence of hBP were observed between JHS (22%) and SHS (4%) girls. Furthermore, higher urinary K excretion group showed a significant decrease in triglyceride level (<it>P </it>= 0.03) and increase in HDL level (<it>P </it>= 0.003) compared with the lower. Also, the higher urinary taurine excretion group exhibited a significant reduction in triglyceride level (<it>P </it>= 0.04) compared with the lower.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that control of plasma glucose level rather than body weight is a crucial task in Japanese pubertal girls, and that a dietary habit rich in K and taurine could improve their lipid profile. Nutritional education based on these findings would help to prevent the future development of MS in Japanese female adolescents.</p

短期記憶および作業記憶の評価系の確立

Memory can be classified into at least short-term memory and long-term memory based on its retention time. Short-term memory usually disappears immediately, but when some event, gaze or novelty happens at the same time, it is selectively converted to long-term memory. Work memory is given as a very short memory retention, but this is used as temporary memory retention. In this research, we have established a fundamental research and evaluation system for short-term memory and work memory using spatial object recognition task and modified T-maze. These tests will be used to quantify cognitive deficits in transgenic strains of mice and evaluate novel chemical entities for their effects on cognition

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

Ultra-High-Resolution Computed Tomography of the Lung: Image Quality of a Prototype Scanner

Purpose: The image noise and image quality of a prototype ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT) scanner was evaluated and compared with those of conventional high-resolution CT (C-HRCT) scanners. Materials and Methods: This study was approved by the institutional review board. A U-HRCT scanner prototype with 0.25 mm × 4 rows and operating at 120 mAs was used. The C-HRCT images were obtained using a 0.5 mm × 16 or 0.5 mm × 64 detector-row CT scanner operating at 150 mAs. Images from both scanners were reconstructed at 0.1-mm intervals; the slice thickness was 0.25 mm for the U-HRCT scanner and 0.5 mm for the C-HRCT scanners. For both scanners, the display field of view was 80 mm. The image noise of each scanner was evaluated using a phantom. U-HRCT and C-HRCT images of 53 images selected from 37 lung nodules were then observed and graded using a 5-point score by 10 board-certified thoracic radiologists. The images were presented to the observers randomly and in a blinded manner. Results: The image noise for U-HRCT (100.87 ± 0.51 Hounsfield units [HU]) was greater than that for C-HRCT (40.41 ± 0.52 HU; P <.0001). The image quality of U-HRCT was graded as superior to that of C-HRCT (P <.0001) for all of the following parameters that were examined: margins of subsolid and solid nodules, edges of solid components and pulmonary ves sels in subsolid nodules, air bronchograms, pleural indentations, margins of pulmonary vessels, edges of bronchi, and interlobar fissures. Conclusion: Despite a larger image noise, the prototype U-HRCT scanner had a significantly better image quality than the C-HRCT scanners

Current status of space gravitational wave antenna DECIGO and B-DECIGO

Deci-hertz Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space mission with a frequency band of 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. DECIGO aims at the detection of primordial gravitational waves, which could be produced during the inflationary period right after the birth of the universe. There are many other scientific objectives of DECIGO, including the direct measurement of the acceleration of the expansion of the universe, and reliable and accurate predictions of the timing and locations of neutron star/black hole binary coalescences. DECIGO consists of four clusters of observatories placed in the heliocentric orbit. Each cluster consists of three spacecraft, which form three Fabry-Perot Michelson interferometers with an arm length of 1,000 km. Three clusters of DECIGO will be placed far from each other, and the fourth cluster will be placed in the same position as one of the three clusters to obtain the correlation signals for the detection of the primordial gravitational waves. We plan to launch B-DECIGO, which is a scientific pathfinder of DECIGO, before DECIGO in the 2030s to demonstrate the technologies required for DECIGO, as well as to obtain fruitful scientific results to further expand the multi-messenger astronomy.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

シュウサンキ リョウイキ ニオケル Gガタ カンエン ウイルス ノ リンショウテキ イギ : オナジ フラビ ウイルス カ ニ ゾクスル Cガタ カンエン ウイルス ト ヒカク シテ

HBV, HCV 同様血清肝炎を惹起する可能性を示唆されているHGV の(1)妊婦における検出率,(2)母子感染の自然史,そのリスクファクター及びキャリア化児の予後,(3)キャリア妊婦及びキャリア化児における肝機能を前方視的に調査し,同ウイルスの周産期における臨床的意義を同じフラビウイルス科に属するHCV と比較検討した.対象は1996&#12316;2004 年に当科を受診した妊婦3,738 名(HGV),4,023 名(HCV)とキャリア妊婦の出生児14 名(HGV),24 名(HCV)である.HGV RNA は RT-PCR 法(定性)k,real-time PCR(定量)及びcycle-sequence 法(genome sequence)により,HGV-E2 抗体はELISA 法を用いて,またHCV RNA はnested RT-PCR(定性),real- time PCR(定量)により,またHCV-Ab は2nd 及び3rd generation EIA を用いて測定した.対象児の血清サンプルは臍帯血から最長119 ヶ月まで定期的に検査に供された.妊婦におけるHGV RNA, HCV RNA の検出率は各々0.64%(24/3,738),0.60%(24/4,023)であり両者に有意差を認めなかった(p=0.7984).HGV-E2 抗体の検出率は4.4%(82/1,858)であり,HGV RNA とHGV-E2 抗体は相互排他的であった.HGV RNA 単独陽性妊婦で肝機能異常は見られなかった.出生児におけるHGV RNA,HCV RNA 陽性はそれぞれ64.3%(10/16),12.5%(3/24)に認められ,両ウイルス陽性児とも経膣分娩症例であり,キャリア妊婦のviral loads はそれぞれ107 及び105 copies/ml 以上の症例であった.HGV 母子感染と推測された4 組の母子ペア血清を用いたHGV RNA シークエンス相同性の検討では各母子間で100%の一致率が得られ,HGV 母子感染の直接的証拠が得られた.キャリア化した9 名の児のうち1名が肝機能異常(sALT 値>110 U/L)を呈したが,これはHCV との重複感染例であった.フォローアップ中にHCV では約16.7%がキャリア化後3 年以内に脱キャリア化したが,HGV キャリア児ではRNA 陰性化は少なくとも最長約10 年間のフォローアップ期間中には皆無であった.妊婦のHGV 及びHCV 保有率(キャリア率)はほぼ同等であり,一方母子感染率は前者が後者の約5.1 倍に達し,母子感染がHGV キャリアの主たる供給源であることが示唆された.HGV およびHCV 母子感染では,キャリア妊婦の血中viral loads 及び経膣分娩がリスクファクターであることが示された.さらに,同じフラビウイルス科に属しながら,HGV はHCV とは異なり,肝傷害性が殆ど無いことが判明した.The epidemiology and natural history of mother-to-childtransmission( MTCT) of hepatitis G virus( HGV) were investigatedto evaluate potential clinical significance of HGVin perinatal periods. The data was discussed by comparisonwith those of a well-known flavivirus, hepatitis C virus(HCV).During the periods from 1996 to 2006, 3,738 pregnantwomen received screening tests for HGV RNA and 4,023pregnant women received screening tests for HCV Antibodies(Ab). HGV RNA-positive pregnant women weretested for HGV-E2 Ab and HCV Ab-positive pregnantwomen were tested for HCV RNA. HGV- and HCV RNApositivewomen underwent the measurement of viral loadswith use of real-time PCR. With informed consent, 14 infantsborn to HGV carrier mothers and 24 infants born toHCV carrier mothers were followed from birth to 19months of age by receiving the measurement of serumHGV- or HCV RNA and sAST/sALT levels.HGV RNA was detected in 0.64 % (24/3,738) of thewomen tested and HCV RNA was detected in 0.60 %(24/4,023) of the women tested. HGV-E2 Ab was detectedin 4.4 % and mutually exclusive with HGV RNA. Nine ofthe 14 infants born to HGV carrier mothers( 64.3%) and 3of 24 infants born to HCV carrier mothers (12.5 %) developedHGV and HCV carrier-states respectively. The homologyof HGV RNA sequences was perfectly identical betweenthe 4 paired sera of mother-child.Both of vaginal delivery mode and maternal viral loads atdelivery (HGV>107, HCV>105 copies/ml) were suggestedas one of risk factors for MTCT. The elevation of sAST/sALT levels (>110 U/L) in the HGV and HCV carrier infantswere 7.1%( 1/9) and 66.7%(2/3) respectively. However,one HGV carrier infant with elevated sAST/sALTlevels was found to be a HCV carrier.We conclude that HGV MTCT occurs very frequently,but HGV is not so significant in perinatal periods comparedwith another flavivirus, HCV

The status of DECIGO

DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) is the planned Japanese space gravitational wave antenna, aiming to detect gravitational waves from astrophysically and cosmologically significant sources mainly between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz and thus to open a new window for gravitational wave astronomy and for the universe. DECIGO will consists of three drag-free spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle with 1000 km arm lengths whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry-Perot interferometer, and four units of triangular Fabry-Perot interferometers are arranged on heliocentric orbit around the sun. DECIGO is vary ambitious mission, we plan to launch DECIGO in era of 2030s after precursor satellite mission, B-DECIGO. B-DECIGO is essentially smaller version of DECIGO: B-DECIGO consists of three spacecraft arranged in an triangle with 100 km arm lengths orbiting 2000 km above the surface of the earth. It is hoped that the launch date will be late 2020s for the present

Current status of space gravitational wave antenna DECIGO and B-DECIGO

The Deci-hertz Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (DECIGO) is a future Japanese space mission with a frequency band of 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. DECIGO aims at the detection of primordial gravitational waves, which could have been produced during the inflationary period right after the birth of the Universe. There are many other scientific objectives of DECIGO, including the direct measurement of the acceleration of the expansion of the Universe, and reliable and accurate predictions of the timing and locations of neutron star/black hole binary coalescences. DECIGO consists of four clusters of observatories placed in heliocentric orbit. Each cluster consists of three spacecraft, which form three Fabry–Pérot Michelson interferometers with an arm length of 1000 km. Three DECIGO clusters will be placed far from each other, and the fourth will be placed in the same position as one of the other three to obtain correlation signals for the detection of primordial gravitational waves. We plan to launch B-DECIGO, which is a scientific pathfinder for DECIGO, before DECIGO in the 2030s to demonstrate the technologies required for DECIGO, as well as to obtain fruitful scientific results to further expand multi-messenger astronomy