Multiple scattering of flexural waves on Mindlin plates with circular scatterers

The multiple scattering of flexural waves on an elastic plate with circular scatterers is analyzed in the frequency domain based on the Mindlin plate theory accounting for the rotary inertia and shear deformation of the plate. To this purpose, a semi-analytical numerical method is formulated as an extension of the previous study based on the Kirchhoff plate theory. It consists of expressing the flexural wave field in terms of the superposition of the wave function expansion, and determining the expansion coefficients by a collocation technique. As demonstrative examples, the transmission of a plane flexural wave across a square array of circular through-thickness holes or thin-plate inclusions is analyzed using the proposed method. The comparison between the results based on the Mindlin and Kirchhoff theories is shown for the case of multiple holes. The analysis shows that the transmission amplitude of the flexural wave is reduced at certain frequencies due to the Bragg reflection by the inclusions. In the case of thin-plate inclusions, the resonance of the inclusions also brings about a sharp decrease of the transmission amplitude

The Kuroshio Region off Southwest Japan ASUKA 1993-95 Inverted Echo Sounder Data Report

In order to study the time-varying volume and heat transports of the Kuroshio off southwest Japan, a large number of scientists from Japan and a small number from the U.S.A. formed a group called ASUKA. This group carried out a coordinated investigation which was concentrated in time on the years 1993-95, and in space on a 1,000 km segment of a TOPEX/POSEIDON suborbital track running south-southeast from western Shikoku. This report describes the techniques used to process data collected by ten inverted echo sounders (IES) on this 1,000 km line off Japan, as part of the ASUKA study. The University of Rhode Island (URI) was responsible for all the IES\u27s except IES5 and IES8 which were from the Hydrographic Department of the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency (MSA/HD). The URI IES\u27s were deployed from the Training Vessel Keiten-maru in October 1993 and recovered from the same vessel in November 1995. The MSA/HD IES\u27s were deployed from the Survey Vessel Shoyo in July 1993. IES8 was recovered by Shoyo in May 1994, but unfortunately IES5 was not recovered

Characteristics of urine spraying and scraping the ground with hind paws as scent-marking of captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

Olfactory communication is common in felids. We observed two scent-markings, urine spraying and scraping the ground with hind paws during excretion, of 25 captive cheetahs. We analyzed the association of sniffing with the timing of urine spraying and scraping, and differences in these behaviors based on sex, age, and captive environment to understand the olfactory communication among cheetahs. Both scent-markings were strongly associated with sniffing, especially scraping, and the presence or absence of scent was thought to be a trigger. Both behaviors were observed only in adults; scraping was observed only in males. To our knowledge, this study was first to confirm the discharge of secretions from the anal glands during scraping. The frequencies of both behaviors were significantly higher in males kept in shared enclosures containing other individuals than in males kept in monopolized enclosures, while there was no difference in the frequencies among females. Female cheetahs are solitary and have non-exclusive home range, whereas male cheetahs are either solitary or live in coalition groups and there are territorial and non-territorial males. Our results could be attributed to the differences in sociality between the sexes and effect of the living environment

Ectopic expression of Klotho in fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)-producing tumors that cause tumor-induced rickets/osteomalacia (TIO)

Tumor-induced rickets/osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome caused by tumors that ectopically express fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 is a bone-derived hormone that regulates serum phosphate concentrations. Patients with TIO develop hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia due to FGF23 excess and suffer from symptoms such as leg deformities, bone pain, skeletal muscle myopathy, and multiple fractures/ pseudofractures. Usually, successful surgical removal of the causative tumors normalizes serum FGF23 and phosphate concentrations in patients with TIO. Most FGF23-producing tumors associated with TIO are histologically called phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor, mixed connective tissue variant (PMTMCT). The precise mechanism by which these tumors ectopically overproduce FGF23 outside of bone is yet to be clarified. Therefore, we performed an RNA sequencing analysis of a PMTMCT that was found in the left parotid gland of a patient with TIO. Among the upregulated genes, we focused on Klotho, the protein product of which is a single pass transmembrane protein that works along with an FGF receptor 1c as a receptor complex for FGF23. Subsequent histological analysis confirmed the ectopic expression of Klotho in other PMTMCTs. From these results, we assume that the ectopic expression of Klotho in PTMMCTs enables a positive feedback loop in FGF23 production via the activation of FGF receptor 1c and exacerbates disease manifestations in TIO

ras Mutations in Endocrine Tumors : Mutation Detection by Polymerase Chain Reaction‐Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism

To elucidate the molecular basis for endocrine tumorigenesis, ras mutations in human endocrine tumors were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction‐single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR‐SSCP) analysis. Mutations of the H‐, K‐, N‐ras genes were examined in genomic DNAs from 169 successfully amplified primary endocrine tumors out of 189 samples. Four out of 24 thyroid follicular adenomas analyzed contained mutated N‐ras codon 61, and one contained the mutated H‐ras codon 61. One of the 19 pheochromocytomas revealed mutation of the H‐ras codon 13. No mutations of the ras gene were detected in pituitary adenomas, parathyroid tumors, thyroid cancers, endocrine pancreatic tumors, and adrenocortical tumors. Based on these findings we conclude that activation of the ras gene may play a role in the tumorigenesis of a limited number of thyroid follicular adenomas and pheochromocytomas, and that mutation of the ras gene is not frequent in other human endocrine tumors

Analysis of gut microbiome, host genetics, and plasma metabolites reveals gut microbiome-host interactions in the Japanese population

Interaction between the gut microbiome and host plays a key role in human health. Here, we perform a metagenome shotgun-sequencing-based analysis of Japanese participants to reveal associations between the gut microbiome, host genetics, and plasma metabolome. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for microbial species (n = 524) identifies associations between the PDE1C gene locus and Bacteroides intestinalis and between TGIF2 and TGIF2-RAB5IF gene loci and Bacteroides acidifiaciens. In a microbial gene ortholog GWAS, agaE and agaS, which are related to the metabolism of carbohydrates forming the blood group A antigen, are associated with blood group A in a manner depending on the secretor status determined by the East Asian-specific FUT2 variant. A microbiome-metabolome association analysis (n = 261) identifies associations between bile acids and microbial features such as bile acid metabolism gene orthologs including bai and 7β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Our publicly available data will be a useful resource for understanding gut microbiome-host interactions in an underrepresented population.Tomofuji Yoshihiko, Kishikawa Toshihiro, Sonehara Kyuto, et al. Analysis of gut microbiome, host genetics, and plasma metabolites reveals gut microbiome-host interactions in the Japanese population. Cell Reports 42, 113324 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113324

Chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-1 is required for normal cartilage development

CS (chondroitin sulfate) is a glycosaminoglycan species that is widely distributed in the extracellular matrix. To understand the physiological roles of enzymes involved in CS synthesis, we produced CSGalNAcT1 (CS N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1)-null mice. CS production was reduced by approximately half in CSGalNAcT1-null mice, and the amount of short-chain CS was also reduced. Moreover, the cartilage of the null mice was significantly smaller than that of wild-type mice. Additionally, type-II collagen fibres in developing cartilage were abnormally aggregated and disarranged in the homozygous mutant mice. These results suggest that CSGalNAcT1 is required for normal CS production in developing cartilage

A hybrid method of laparoscopic-assisted open liver resection through a short upper midline laparotomy can be applied for all types of hepatectomies

Background Although hepatectomy procedures should be designed to provide both curability and safety, minimal invasiveness also should be pursued. Methods We analyzed the data related to our method for laparoscopy-assisted open resections (hybrid method) through a short upper midline incision for various types of hepatectomies. Of 215 hepatectomies performed at Nagasaki University Hospital between November 2009 and June 2012, 102 hepatectomies were performed using hybrid methods. Results A hybrid method was applicable for right trisectionectomy in 1, right hemihepatectomy in 32, left hemihepatectomy in 29, right posterior sectionectomy in 7, right anterior sectionectomy in 1, left lateral sectionectomy in 2, and segmentectomy in 7 patients, and for a minor liver resection in 35 patients (12 combined resections). The median duration of surgery was 366.5 min (range 149-709) min, and the median duration of the laparoscopic procedure was 32 min (range 18-77) min. The median blood loss was 645 g (range 50-5,370) g. Twelve patients (12 %) developed postoperative complications, including bile leakage in three patients, wound infections in two patients, ileus in two patients, and portal venous thrombus, persistent hyperbilirubinemia, incisional hernia, local liver infarction each in one patient. There were no perioperative deaths. Conclusions Our method of hybrid hepatectomy through a short upper midline incision is considered to be applicable for all types of hepatectomy and is a reasonable approach with no abdominal muscle disruption, which provides safe management of the hepatic vein and parenchymal resection even for patients with bilobular disease