X-ray and Neutron Study on the Structure of Hydrous SiO2 Glass up to 10 GPa

The structure of hydrous amorphous SiO2 is fundamental in order to investigate the effects of water on the physicochemical properties of oxide glasses and magma. The hydrous SiO2 glass with 13 wt.% D2O was synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions and its structure was investigated by small angle X-ray scattering, X-ray diffraction, and neutron diffraction experiments at pressures of up to 10 GPa and room temperature. This hydrous glass is separated into two phases: a major phase rich in SiO2 and a minor phase rich in D2O molecules distributed as small domains with dimensions of less than 100 angstrom. Medium-range order of the hydrous glass shrinks compared to the anhydrous SiO2 glass by disruption of SiO4 linkage due to the formation of Si-OD deuterioxyl, while the response of its structure to pressure is almost the same as that of the anhydrous SiO2 glass. Most of D2O molecules are in the small domains and hardly penetrate into the void space in the ring consisting of SiO4 tetrahedra

Localization and Quantum Hall Effect in Two-Dimensional Systems Under Strong Magnetic Fields(Transport and Fermiology)

Experimental researches of quantum transport properties of semiconductor two-dimensional electron systems in Si-MOSFETs and GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures in high magnetic fields up to 27 T and at low temperatures down to 20 mK are performed. Analysis of the Hall conductivity of Si-MOSFETs based on a mobility edge model shows that the temperature dependence of the mobility edge can not be explained by existing theory of localization. The fractional quantum Hall effect is observed at the filling factor of 1/7 in heterostructures. Sample size dependence and magnetic field dependence of the breakdown of the integral quantum Hall effect in heterostructures reveal that the Hall current is carried not by the edge states but by the extended states in the localization in the bulk of the two-dimensional systems

Study on Building a Traceability System for Whale Meat

Whale meat has been one of traditional diets in Japan. However whaling is now prohibited except for the purpose of scientific research. Therefore it is important to keep an eye on poaching and to make distribution routes clear to obtain an international credibility. Then it is highly required to build a pilot traceability system and test it immediately. On the basis of this context, we made a study on building a traceability system for whale meat. This study will contribute to clamping down any illegal trades of whale meat, ensuring safety of foods and wining confidence by consumers. This study is composed of following three studies. 1) Development of a technology, which makes it possible consumers to know the whale meat's history from its production through distribution by cellular phone. 2) Development of a technology, which makes it possible to prevent other species or poaching meat from mixing into, or to prevent a weight of whale meat from being manipulated during distribution. We developed these three basic systems by an examination with flatfish. As the next stage, we intend to examine whale meat traceability system in the field this year.Keywords: cellular phone, traceability, distribution, marine products, Fisheries Economics, Fish Processing, Marketing, And Consumptio

Enabling Secured Traceability of Fishery Products Using 2D Code and Digital Encryption

Technologies that enable traceability for fishery products are increasing their demands. Recently proposed technologies are mainly based on disposal RF(IC) tags which are able to record information directly onto them. However, the current systems based on RF tags have problems of expensive price of tags, and weakness of reading information if applied onto surface of products containing much water, which prevents to construct practically feasible systems using the RF tags. To provide a traceability system that uses much inexpensive media and that assures as high security as the RF tags, we propose a system based on a combination of printed 2D codes and internet connection, with security control similar to on-line electronic transactions. The proposed system identifies a fishery product by giving it a unique serial ID, which is issued by a database server, and printed in 2D code onto a paper or a plastic plate, which is directly put on the product. All the trace information sent from client (producer, transporters, and retailer) via internet is associated to the ID and stored to the server. Since 2D code is able to be read by such as mobile phones with built-in camera, a consumer is able to get history of the product with a single scanning operation. For the weakness of printed codes against duplication by copying, we propose a method to identify its validity by digital encryption, along with identification by weight information. The system is assured its usability by a series of experiments conducted for the distribution of cultured flounder in Hakodate, Japan.Keywords: Mobile Phone, Fisheries Economics, Falsification, Brand Fish, 2D Code, Fish Processing, Marketing, And Consumption, TraceabilityKeywords: Mobile Phone, Fisheries Economics, Falsification, Brand Fish, 2D Code, Fish Processing, Marketing, And Consumption, Traceabilit

Expert Panel Statement on Laparoscopic Living Donor Hepatectomy

Background: With improvements in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) techniques and the increased experience of surgeons in laparoscopic major liver resection, laparoscopic donor hepatectomy is performed increasingly. Therefore, expert opinion on this procedure is required. Objective: The study aimed to report the current status and summarize the expert opinion on laparoscopic donor hepatectomy. Methods: An expert consensus meeting was held on September 8, 2016, in Seoul, Korea. Results: Laparoscopic donor left lateral sectionectomy could be considered the standard practice in pediatric LDLT. In adult LDLT, laparoscopy-assisted donor hepatectomy or left hepatectomy is potentially the next need, requiring more evidence for becoming standard practice. Laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy is still in the developmental stage, and more supporting evidence is required. Waving the cost consideration, the robotic approach could be a valid alternative for the suitable approaches of laparoscopy. Conclusions: Laparoscopic donor hepatectomy is increasing its role in both pediatric and adult LDLT. However, for major donor hepatectomy, more evidence is needed

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

The effect of a prostaglandin E-1 derivative on the symptoms and quality of life of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis

Quality of life (QOL) is a concern for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). In this study, QOL was examined using the 5-item EuroQol (EQ-5D). QOL and activities of daily living (ADL) were surveyed for 91 patients who visited 18 medical institutions in our prefecture and were diagnosed with LSS-associated intermittent claudication. A second survey was performed after a parts per thousand yen6 weeks for 79 of the subjects to evaluate therapy with limaprost (an oral prostaglandin E1 derivative) or etodolac (an NSAID). Symptoms, maximum walking time, QOL, ADL items, and relationships among these variables were investigated for all 91 patients. Leg pain, leg numbness, and low back pain while walking were surveyed by use of VAS scores (0-100). Leg pain, leg numbness, and low back pain while walking (VAS a parts per thousand yen25) were present in 83.5, 62.6, and 54.9 % of the patients in the first survey, and approximately half of the patients had a maximum walking time 30 min, showing that maximum walking time affected health-related QOL. Of the 79 patients who completed the second survey, 56 had taken limaprost and 23 (control group) had received etodolac. Limaprost improved possible walking time, reduced ADL interference, and significantly increased the EQ-5D utility score, whereas no significant changes occurred in the control group. Maximum walking time was prolonged by a parts per thousand yen10 min and the EQ-5D utility value was improved by a parts per thousand yen0.1 points in significantly more patients in the limaprost group than in the control group. According to the findings of this survey, at an average of 8 weeks after administration limaprost improved symptoms, QOL, and ADL in LSS patients whereas treatment with an NSAID reduced pain but did not have any other effects.ArticleJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE. 18(2):208-215 (2013)journal articl

Changes in expression levels of ERCC1, DPYD, and VEGFA mRNA after first-line chemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer: results of a multicenter study

Our previous study showed that administering oxaliplatin as first-line chemotherapy increased ERCC1 and DPD levels in liver colorectal cancers (CRCs) metastases. Second, whether the anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab alters tumoral VEGFA levels is unknown. We conducted this multicenter observational study to validate our previous findings on ERCC1 and DPD, and clarify the response of VEGFA expression to bavacizumab administration. 346 CRC patients with liver metastases were enrolled at 22 Japanese institutes. Resected liver metastases were available for 175 patients previously treated with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (chemotherapy group) and 171 receiving no previous chemotherapy (non-chemotherapy group). ERCC1, DPYD, and VEGFA mRNA levels were measured by real-time RT-PCR. ERCC1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the chemotherapy group than in the non-chemotherapy group (P = 0.033), and were significantly correlated (Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient = 0.42; P < 0.0001). VEGFA expression level was higher in patients receiving bevacizumab (n = 51) than in those who did not (n = 251) (P = 0.007). This study confirmed that first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy increases ERCC1 and DPYD expression levels, potentially enhancing chemosensitivity to subsequent therapy. We also found that bevacizumab induces VEGFA expression in tumor cells, suggesting a biologic rationale for extending bevacizumab treatment beyond first progression

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