Evaluation of a Real-Time Control System for Combined Sewer Networks

In this study, we evaluated the amount of reduction of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) load using real-time control (RTC) for a combined sewer system region where a storage basin had been constructed. Reduction of the load is especially high when the amount of rainfall is 10mm. Moreover, the amount of BOD load was reduced by 18-26%, and the overflow frequency by 14-29% using on RTC system based on annual analysis. In addition, it was clarified that the effect of the reduction in cost of the RTC system was high as a result of cost-effectiveness analysis. It was confirmed that the introduction in RTC system was effective for reducing the CSO

Monocyte/macrophage response to β2-microglobulin modified with advanced glycation end products

Monocyte/macrophage response to β2-microglobulin modified with advanced glycation end products. We recently found that acidic β2-microglobulin (β2m), a major isoform of β2m in amyloid fibrils of patients with dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA), contained early Amadori products and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formed nonenzymatically between sugar and protein. Further analysis revealed that acidic β2m induces monocyte chemotaxis and macrophage secretion of bone-resorbing cytokines, suggesting the involvement of acidic β2m in the pathogenesis of DRA. Acidic β2m, however, is a mixture of heterogeneous molecular adducts due to various types of modification. In the present study, we investigated the modification responsible for the biological activity of acidic β2m toward monocytes/macrophages. The presence of a fair amount of β2m species with deamidation was detected in acidic β2m isolated from urine of non-diabetic long-term hemodialysis patients, but deamidated β2m had no biological activity. In contrast, normal β2m acquired the activity upon incubation with glucose in vitro. Among the glycated β2m, the pigmented and fluorescent β2m that formed after a long incubation period, that is, AGE-modified β2m, exhibited biological activity, whereas β2m modified with Amadori products, major Maillard products in acidic β2m, had no such activity. These findings suggest that AGEs, although only a minor constituent of acidic β2m, are responsible for monocyte chemotaxis and macrophage secretion of cytokines, implicating the contribution of AGEs to bone and joint destruction in DRA

Effect of Hydrogen Gas Pressure on the Mechanical Properties of Low Alloy Steel for Hydrogen Pressure Vessels

ABSTRACT To provide engineering data useful in design, manufacture and operation of hydrogen storage vessels in hydrogen refueling stations, fatigue test machine equipped with highpressure hydrogen autoclave was introduced. The effect of steel's strength level, temperature effect, fracture toughness and pressure effect were evaluated in gaseous hydrogen environment. When steel's strength level exceeds around 930MPa to 1000MPa, the elongation and notch tensile properties deleteriously degraded. The elongation reduction by the effect of hydrogen increased with lowering the temperature. The same sensitivity to temperature on crack growth behavior was observed. However, it was shown that the gaseous hydrogen environment only affect the slow stable crack growth but did not affect the critical flaw growth of the steel at low temperature, i.e. fast fracture. The pressure dependence of notch tensile strength ranging from 0.1MPa to 75MPa hydrogen pressure shows approximately 1/2 power dependence

Intake of Calcium from Marine Resources for Prevention of Osteoporosis

（Abstract）In order to fill up the shortage of calcium intake,particular attention was paid to the absorbable calcium derived from fishes and she11fishes.The diets prepared from cuttlefish shell calcium(C-Ca),bonito head oil(fish oil)were administered to rats,and the bone metabolism and the bone modeling were investigated the calcium and inorganic phosphate contents and the measurement of the trabecular bone mineral density(BMD),the corticalBMD and the stress strain index(SSI)of rat femur.From these results the bone modeling was accelerated more effectively by the administration of cuttlefish calcium and fish oil,compared to the administration of control diet calcium. It is suggested that cuttlefish shell calcium was effective in bone modeling,and these are available as new calcium resources

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor associated with neurofibromatosis type 1, with metastasis to the heart: a case report

A rare case is presented of a 61-year-old man with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor associated with neurofibromatosis type 1, with metastasis to the heart. The primary tumor originated in the right thigh in 1982. Since then, the patient has had repeated local recurrences in spite of repeated surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy. He has developed previous metastases of the lung and heart. The patient died of cardiac involvement

Walking and Sports Participation and Mortality From Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke

ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the impact of exercise on mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Asian populations.BackgroundFew data have been available in Asian countries, where job-related physical activity is higher than that in Western countries.MethodsBetween 1988 and 1990, 31,023 men and 42,242 women in Japan, ages 40 to 79 years with no history of stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), or cancer, completed a self-administered questionnaire. Systematic mortality surveillance was performed through 1999, and 1,946 cardiovascular deaths were identified. We chose the second lowest categories of walking and sports participation as the reference to reduce a potential effect of ill health.ResultsMen and women who reported having physical activity in the highest category (i.e., walking ≥1 h/day or doing sports ≥5 h/week) had a 20% to 60% lower age-adjusted risk of mortality from CVD, compared with those in the second lowest physical activity category (i.e., walking 0.5 h/day, or sports participation for 1 to 2 h/week). Adjustment for known risk factors, exclusion of individuals who died within two years of baseline inquiry, or gender-specific analysis did not substantially alter these associations. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for the highest versus the second lowest categories of walking or sports participation were 0.71 (0.54 to 0.94) and 0.80 (0.48 to 1.31), respectively, for ischemic stroke (IS); 0.84 (0.64 to 1.09) and 0.51 (0.32 to 0.82), respectively, for CHD; and 0.84 (0.75 to 0.95) and 0.73 (0.60 to 0.90), respectively, for CVD.ConclusionsPhysical activity through walking and sports participation might reduce the risk of mortality from IS and CHD

Mycobacterium caprae Infection in Captive Borneo Elephant, Japan

In 2016, disseminated tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium caprae was diagnosed in a captive Borneo elephant in Japan. The bacterium was initially identified from clinical isolates. An isolate collected during a relapse showed isoniazid monoresistance and a codon 315 katG mutation

Deficiency of cathepsin S reduces atherosclerosis in LDL receptor–deficient mice

Human atherosclerotic lesions overexpress the lysosomal cysteine protease cathepsin S (Cat S), one of the most potent mammalian elastases known. In contrast, atheromata have low levels of the endogenous Cat S inhibitor cystatin C compared with normal arteries, suggesting involvement of this protease in atherogenesis. The present study tested this hypothesis directly by crossing Cat S–deficient (CatS–/–) mice with LDL receptor–deficient (LDLR–/–) mice that develop atherosclerosis on a high-cholesterol diet. Compared with LDLR–/– mice, double-knockout mice (CatS–/–LDLR–/–) developed significantly less atherosclerosis, as indicated by plaque size (plaque area and intimal thickening) and stage of development. These mice also had markedly reduced content of intimal macrophages, lipids, smooth muscle cells, collagen, CD4+ T lymphocytes, and levels of IFN-γ. CatS–/–LDLR–/– monocytes showed impaired subendothelial basement membrane transmigration, and aortas from CatS–/–LDLR–/– mice had preserved elastic laminae. These findings establish a pivotal role for Cat S in atherogenesis