Cassini's floating potential in Titan's ionosphere: 3-D Particle-In-Cell Simulations

Accurate determination of Cassini's spacecraft potential in Titan's ionosphere is important for interpreting measurements by its low energy plasma instruments. Estimates of the floating potential varied significantly, however, between the various different plasma instruments. In this study we utilize 3-D particle-in-cell simulations to understand the key features of Cassini's plasma interaction in Titan's ionosphere. The spacecraft is observed to charge to negative potentials for all scenarios considered, and close agreement is found between the current onto the simulated Langmuir Probe and that observed in Titan's ionosphere. These simulations are therefore shown to provide a viable technique for modeling spacecraft interacting with Titan's dusty ionosphere.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication at URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium 2023, Sapporo, Japa

A Multi-Scale Electromagnetic Particle Code with Adaptive Mesh Refinement and Its Parallelization

AbstractSpace plasma phenomena occur in multi-scale processes from the electron scale to the magnetohydrodynamic scale. In order to investigate such multi-scale phenomena including plasma kinetic effects, we started to develop a new electromagnetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code with Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) technique. AMR can realize high-resolution calculation saving computer resources by generating and removing hierarchical cells dynamically. In the parallelization, we adopt domain decomposition method and for good locality preserving and dynamical load balancing, we will use the Morton ordered curve. In the PIC method, particle calculation occupies most of the total calculation time. In our AMR-PIC code, time step intervals are also refined. To realize the load balancing between processes in the domain decomposition scheme, it is the most essential to consider the number of particle calculation loops for each cell among all hierarchical levels as a work weight for each processor. Therefore, we calculate the work weights based on the cost of particle calculation and hierarchical levels of each cell. Then we decompose the domain according to the Morton curve and the work weight, so that each processor has approximately the same amount of work. By performing a simple one-dimensional simulation, we confirmed that the dynamic load balancing is achieved and the computation time is reduced by introducing the dynamic domain decomposition scheme

Efficacy of Semiannual Single Fixed Low-Dose Rituximab Therapy in Steroid-Dependent Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome: A Case Series

The frequency of using rituximab to treat refractory nephrotic syndrome has recently been increasing, and the conventional dose of rituximab used to treat it, 375 mg/m2 body surface area once weekly for 4 weeks, has been modelled on the chemotherapy regimen for B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The dose and intervals of rituximab in refractory nephrotic syndrome remain controversial. Clear lymphoma cell hyperplasia is seen in lymphoma patients, but not in nephrotic syndrome patients. Since we thought that it might be possible to reduce the dose of rituximab if only used for the purpose of depleting CD20-positive B cells in nephrotic patients’ peripheral blood, we tried semiannually with a single fixed rituximab dose of 100 mg/body, and a complete remission was attained in 3 cases without treatment with prednisolone or cyclosporine. Our report strongly suggests considering appropriate dose and interval of rituximab therapy in the treatment of steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome

Parthenogenetic mosaicism: generation via second polar body retention and unmasking of a likely causative PER2 variant for hypersomnia

Background Parthenogenetic mosaicism is an extremely rare condition identified only in five subjects to date. The previous studies indicate that this condition is mediated by parthenogenetic activation and is free from a specific phenotype ascribed to unmaking of a maternally inherited recessive variant in the parthenogenetic cell lineage. Results We examined a 28-year-old Japanese 46,XX female with Silver-Russell syndrome and idiopathic hypersomnia. The results revealed (1) predominance of maternally derived alleles for all the differentially methylated regions examined; (2) no disease-related copy-number variant; (3) two types of regions for all chromosomes, i.e., four BAF (B-allele frequency) band regions with single major microsatellite peaks of maternal origin and single minor microsatellite peaks of non-maternal (paternal) origin, and six BAF band regions with single major microsatellite peaks of maternal origin and two minor microsatellite peaks of maternal and non-maternal (paternal) origin; (4) an unmasked extremely rare PER2 variant (c.1403G>A:p.(Arg468Gln)) with high predicted pathogenicity; (5) mildly affected local structure with altered hydrogen bonds of the p.Arg468Gln-PER2 protein; and (6) nucleus-dominant subcellular distribution of the p.Arg468Gln-PER2 protein. Conclusions The above findings imply that the second polar body retention occurred around fertilization, resulting in the generation of the parthenogenetic cell lineage by endoreplication of a female pronucleus and the normal cell lineage by fusion of male and female pronuclei, and that the homozygous PER2 variant in the parthenogenetic cells is the likely causative factor for idiopathic hypersomnia

A surgical orthodontic case with multiple tooth losstreated by bite splint with CAD/CAM method

Recently, the number of middle–aged and elderly orthognathic surgery patients with un-healthy oral conditions has been increasing. Although an interdisciplinary approach in-volving orthodontist, oral surgeon and prosthodontist is required in orthognathic surgery of these patients, deciding the jaw position after orthognathic surgery is difficult due to unhealthy oral conditions such as edentulous jaw and tooth loss. In the recently study, preoperative simulation methods for orthognathic surgery have been developed through the use of virtual reality computed technology. A male first examined at the age of 36 years and 7 months was diagnosed as having mandibular protrusion with multiple tooth loss and mandibular deviation. The patient was treatedinterdisciplinary by a team of specialists in surgical orthodontic, dental prosthetic and periodontal treatment. Using the interdisciplin-ary approach and haptic device with virtual tactile perception showed satisfactory results loss treated with orthognathic surgery

A chin cap type protractor device was used for skeletal mandibular protrusion,A case of orthodontic treatment by extracting maxillary and maxillary premolars while paying attention to lateral changes

Summary This case was a 10–years and 10–month–old girl who visited the hospital with a complaint of opposite anterior bite. Facial findings showed no anterior asymmetry, but lateral features showed a concave type. The molar relationship was Angle Class III on both sides,and the left side showed a more prominent class III relationship. Anterior cross bite and labial inclination of both upper and lower side anterior teeth were observed. The diagnosis was a case of skeletal mandibular protrusion with functional factors. It was decided to use a chin–cap type anterior traction device of the upper jaw that can promote the growth of the upper jaw and suppress the growth of the lower jaw. In the phase of adult treatment, it was decided to extract the maxillary right first premolar, the maxillary left second premolar,and the mandibular bilateral first premolar to establish Angle Class I. At the end of the dynamic treatment, the molar relationship showed Angle Class I on both the left and right sides, and a tight and stable cusp fitting was maintained. Although ANB did not change on the lateral cephalogram, labial inclination was observed on both upper and lower anterior teeth. The dynamic treatment period was 2 years and 11 months, and the end age was 18 years and 1 month. No problem was observed in the occlusal state 4 years after the device was removed, but it will be carefully observed in the future

A case of skeletal mandibular prognathism in which due to lateral incisor root resorption caused by impacted maxillary canines on both sides,lateral incisors on both sides were extracted and the canines were arranged in the side incisor area.

Summary.In this case,marked root resorption of maxillary incisors on both sides due to impaction of maxillary canines on both sides was observed.Treatment for impacted maxillary canines includes induction in the row of teeth using fenestration and traction,extraction,transplantation,observation,and so on.It is necessary to select a method of treatment taking into account the position of the crowns and roots of the impacted teeth,the amount of movement in the direction of traction,and the effect on neighboring teeth and periodontium,as well as the degree of invasiveness and the prognosis.In this case,in the first stage of treatment,the maxillary lateral incisors on both sides were extracted and fenestration and traction of the maxillary canines on both sides was performed.Subsequently,observation was conducted till the end of the growth spurt.However,because vigorous forwards growth of the mandible was observed,at the start of the second stage of treatment,skeletal mandibular prognathism accompanying loss of the maxillary lateral incisors on both sides was diagnosed.In the second stage of treatment it was decided that surgical orthodontic treatment would be performed to improve the chief complaint.However due to the patient’s desire,surgical orthodontic treatment employing osteotomy of the mandible in isolation was performed.It was feared that performing Angle Class II finishing conducted with extraction of maxillary lateral incisors and no extraction of mandibular teeth would result in the amount of recession of the mandible becoming large and retraction.Therefore,treatment consisting of extraction of mandibular second premolar teeth and Angle Class I finishing was performed,and the canines on both sides were arranged in the lateral incisor area.We report that as a result of this treatment,a favorable treatment result and stable post–treatment progress were obtained

Therapeutic effect of hybrid FKO on congenital Mandibular ramus length asymmetric case

Hemifacial microsomia (HM) and Russell–Silver Syndrome are a congenital craniofacialmalformation caused by hypoplasia of anatomical structures deriving from the first and second branchial arches. HM involves absence or insufficiency of facial skeleton, soft tissues,ear, and cranial nerves1）.Under these conditions, orthodontic treatment in combination with surgery has been performed in HM patients after growth. However, in case of congenital facial asymmetry, asymptomatic facial expression becomes severe as a result of only the follow–up observation until the end of the growing period. Recently, the therapeutic approach has included the use of an asymmetrical FKO (hybrid FKO) tostimulate the growth of the affected side and consequently to improve symmetry of the mandible deficiency. This study reports on patients of HM treated with a nonsurgical approach using a hybrid FKO and effectiveness of the treatment

Case of anterior teeth crowding in which canine teeth extraction was performed for maxillary left canine impaction

An impacted tooth is one that fails to erupt into the dental arch. Teeth become impacted because of dense adjacent teeth, excessive soft tissue or a genetic cause. An inadequate arch length and jaw space in which to erupt are the most common reasons for impaction. This most commonly in happens the wisdom teeth. As a general rule, many impacted teeth must be removed, and canine teeth remain impacted or undergo fenestration. In orthodontic treatment, the extraction of impacted canines is one of the treatment plans for patients with malocclusion. This report describes the orthodontic treatment of a patient with anterior tooth crowding with horizontal impaction of the maxillary left canine. A 34-year–old male patient presented with the chief complaint of crowding. Extraction of the impacted canine instead of the first premolar on the left side of the maxilla was chosen for this patient. After orthodontic treatment, there was no significant change in the facial profile, and acceptable occlusion was achieved. No relapse had been observed after two years of retention