Influence on uncertainty of earthquake response analysis results by initial particle arrangements and cohesion parameters in extended distinct element method

Following the occurrence of extremely large earthquakes, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, the level of design for earthquake ground motion in nuclear power plants has been enhanced. Additionally, the quantitative evaluation of the seismic performance of critical facilities, such as nuclear power plants, and earthquake-induced failure of surrounding slopes are becoming increasingly important as deterministic approaches in regulation. However, evaluation of other aspects besides the design for earthquake ground motion in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) needs to be conducted voluntarily by the corporation. For the earthquake response analysis, including the seamless transition of the slope from continuum to dis-continuum, the extended distinct element method (EDEM) is an effective approach; however, EDEM is characterised by initial particle arrangement uncertainty. Therefore, we investigated the uncertainty in the EDEM results with respect to failure timing and region. Although essential in the evaluation of impact force in the PRA framework, there are few researches regarding the uncertainty of impact force on the wall of the reactor building after slope failure caused by numerous initial particle arrangements. Furthermore, reducing the computational time is crucial in PRA. Hence, the parameters that do not have an influence on the EDEM results can be omitted, resulting in their dispersion and a reduction in the computational time. This research aims to investigate the impact force uncertainty caused by initial particle arrangements and the influence of cohesion uncertainty. For the former, we conducted 50 numerical simulations for the uncertainty of EDEM results caused by the initial particle arrangements. For the latter, we conducted 50 numerical simulations with two uncertainty factors, namely, cohesion and initial particle arrangement. The simulation results revealed that the largest and second largest loads on the wall occurred in two cases, namely, when there were single particles impacting the wall and when there were group particles impacting the wall. Additionally, the uncertainty caused by cohesion was less than that arrangement when the coefficient of variation was 0.1. Thus, the cohesion uncertainty can be ignored if it is somewhat small

Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Tomato as Affected by Root Zone Restriction in Combination with Solar-mediated Fertigation Regime

　Plant growth and fruit development of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. House Momotaro) grown in different sized plastic pots (root zone volume, RZV, of 250, 500, 1,000 mL/plant) in combination with high or low rate of drip fertigation (HF and LF) were investigated. In the February-sown experiment, the plants were fertigated with standard to half strength of Ohtsuka-A solution in proportion to solar radiation keeping the ratio of drainage to supplied solution as 10 to 20ｵ, in 500mL- and 250mL-RZV for HF and LF, respectively. Stem and leaf growth decreased with decrease in RZV and the fertigation rate. The decreases were not significant in the distal plant part lower than the 4th inflorescence. The average fruit weight was greater in HF than LF and increased with increase in RZV only for HF. The incidence of blossom-end rot (BER) was more frequent in HF compared to LF and increased with increase in RZV only for LF. Consequently, fruit yield increased with increase in RZV for HF, but it decreased with increase in RZV for LF. Total soluble solid content (TSS) was significantly higher in LF than in HF and increased with decrease in RZV. Qualified fruits, called ‘fruit tomato’ having 8ｵ of TSS or higher, were obtained with 250 to 500mL of RZV in the successive October-sown experiment where the standard solution was supplied throughout. For ‘fruit tomato’ production with a substrate culture system, root zone restriction, in combination with solar-mediated fertigation control, can be a useful and stable stress factor, reducing shoot and fruit growth, but inducing fruit sugar accumulation and reducing BER incidence simultaneously

Time-series photometry of Earth flyby asteroid 2012 DA14

Context. The object 2012 DA14 is a near-Earth asteroid with a size of several tens of meters. It had approached closely the Earth on 15 February, 2013 UT, providing an opportunity for precise measurements of this tiny asteroid. Aims. The solar phase angle of 2012 DA14 had varied widely around its closest approach but was almost constant during the following night. We performed time-series photometric observations on those two nights to determine the rotational properties and phase effect. Methods. The observations were carried out using the 0.55-m telescope at Saitama University, Japan. The R-band images were obtained continuously over a 2 hr period at the closest approach and for about 5 hr on the next night. Results. The lightcurve data from the second night indicates a rotational period of 11.0 +1.8/-0.6 hr and a peak-to-peak amplitude of 1.59 +/- 0.02 mag. The brightness variation before and after the closest approach was separated into two components that are derived from the rotation and phase effect. We found that the phase curve slope of this asteroid is significantly shallower than those of other L-type asteroids. Conclusions. We suggest that 2012 DA14 is coated with a coarse surface that lacks fine regolith particles and/or a high albedo surface.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Endobronchial embolization using a watanabe spigot for persistent air leakage

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Effects of ezetimibe add-on therapy for high-risk patients with dyslipidemia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ezetimibe (Zetia^®) is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol absorption that has been approved for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Statin, an inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis, is the first-choice drug to reduce low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) for patients with hypercholesterolemia, due to its strong effect to lower the circulating LDL-C levels. Because a high dose of statins cause concern about rhabdomyolysis, it is sometimes difficult to achieve the guideline-recommended levels of LDL-C in high-risk patients with hypercholesterolemia treated with statin monotherapy. Ezetimibe has been reported to reduce LDL-C safely with both monotherapy and combination therapy with statins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To investigate the effect of ezetimibe as "add-on" therapy to statin on hypercholesterolemia, we examined biomarkers and vascular endothelial function in 14 patients with hypercholesterolemia before and after the 22-week ezetimibe add-on therapy. Ezetimibe add-on therapy reduced LDL-C by 24% compared with baseline (p < 0.005), with 13 patients (93%) reaching their LDL cholesterol goals. Of the Ezetimibe add-on therapy significantly improved not only LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and apolipoprotein (apo)B levels, but also reduced levels of triglyceride (TG), the ratio of LDL/HDL-C, the ratio of apoB/apoA-I, and a biomarker for oxidative stress (d-ROMs). Furthermore, ezetimibe add-on therapy improved vascular endothelial function in high-risk patients with hypercholesterolemia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, ezetimibe as add-on therapy to statin might be a therapeutic good option for high-risk patients with atherosclerosis.</p

An immune-adrenergic pathway induces lethal levels of platelet-activating factor in mice

Acute immune responses with excess production of cytokines, lipid/chemical mediators, or coagulation factors, often result in lethal damage. In addition, the innate immune system utilizes multiple types of receptors that recognize neurotransmitters as well as pathogen-associated molecular patterns, making immune responses complex and clinically unpredictable. We here report an innate immune and adrenergic link inducing lethal levels of platelet-activating factor. Injecting mice with toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 ligand lipopolysaccharide (LPS), cell wall N-glycans of Candida albicans, and the α₂-adrenergic receptor (α₂-AR) agonist medetomidine induces lethal damage. Knocking out the C-type lectin Dectin-2 prevents the lethal damage. In spleen, large amounts of platelet-activating factor (PAF) are detected, and knocking out lysophospholipid acyltransferase 9 (LPLAT9/LPCAT2), which encodes an enzyme that converts inactive lyso-PAF to active PAF, protects mice from the lethal damage. These results reveal a linkage/crosstalk between the nervous and the immune system, possibly inducing lethal levels of PAF

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Skin Autofluorescence and Tubular Injury Defined by Urinary Excretion of Liver-Type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein in People with Type 2 Diabetes

It has previously been unclear whether the accumulation of advanced glycation end products, which can be measured using skin autofluorescence (SAF), has a significant role in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), including glomerular injury and tubular injury. This study was therefore carried out to determine whether SAF correlates with the progression of DKD in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In 350 Japanese people with T2D, SAF values were measured using an AGE Reader®, and both urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), as a biomarker of glomerular injury, and urine liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uLFABP)-to-creatinine ratio (uL-FABPCR), as a biomarker of tubular injury, were estimated as indices of the severity of DKD. Significant associations of SAF with uACR (p < 0.01), log-transformed uACR (p < 0.001), uL-FABPCR (p < 0.001), and log-transformed uL-FABPCR (p < 0.001) were found through a simple linear regression analysis. Although SAF was positively associated with increasing uL-FABPCR (p < 0.05) and increasing log-transformed uL-FABPCR (p < 0.05), SAF had no association with increasing uACR or log-transformed uACR after adjusting for clinical confounding factors. In addition, the annual change in SAF showed a significant positive correlation with annual change in uL-FABPCR regardless of confounding factors (p = 0.026). In conclusion, SAF is positively correlated with uL-FABP but not with uACR in people with T2D. Thus, there is a possibility that SAF can serve as a novel predictor for the development of diabetic tubular injury

Phase angle and extracellular water-to-total body water ratio estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis are associated with levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit in patients with diabetes

Background: Anemia is one of the common complications of diabetes and is associated with mortality. Phase angle (PhA), ratio of extracellular water to total body water (ECW/TBW) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) have been used as prognostic indicators for various chronic diseases and frailty. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of PhA, ECW/TBW and SMI for anemia in patients with diabetes. Materials and methods: The values of PhA, ECW/TBW and SMI were estimated by a portable BIA device and blood samples were collected in 371 Japanese patients with diabetes. The relationships of PhA, ECW/TBW and SMI with hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct) were statistically evaluated. Results: In simple linear regression analysis, PhA and SMI were positively correlated with Hgb and Hct levels in total subjects, male subjects and female subjects. In contrast, ECW/TBW was negatively correlated with Hgb and Hct levels regardless of sex. Multivariate regression analysis showed that both PhA and ECW/TBW but not SMI independently contributed to Hgb and Hct levels after adjustment of clinical confounding factors in both males and females. Conclusions: PhA and ECW/TBW but not SMI were associated with levels of Hgb and Hct in patients with diabetes. Therefore, aberrant values of PhA and ECW/TBW suggest a risk of anemia in diabetic patients