Downsian Positions of Parties and Districts from the Numbers of Votes with Examples of Japanese Congressional Elections 1983 - 2004

This paper proposes, under assumptions of sincere voters with some additional conditions, to calculate the positions of parties and districts by “solving” a system of equations whose left hand sides are theoretical predictions and theright hand sides are the actual numbers of votes gained by the parties in the districts. The positions of parties and prefectures are calculated for the seats for the proportional representation in the Japanese congressional elections 1983 – 2004. The result reveals that the competition in these elections was not between the right and the left, but between the urban and the rural

Strategic Transformation of Ford Motor Company

Executive Summary New Mobility is a relatively new term used to represent an exciting and imminent reality. Our individual and societal transportation needs are complex and rapidly-evolving, while being shaped, constrained, transformed, and defined by a host of global pressures and trends. Within this context, New Mobility offers a fresh understanding of how we can meet transportation needs for both people and goods through an integrated network of products, services, and information technology. As the concept of New Mobility begins to take root, certain human-induced trends are putting unprecedented pressures on our global society. “Megatrends” such as climate change, increasing social disparity, shifting demographics, urbanization, and congestion are affecting the rate and degree to which populations, regions, and economies can grow and prosper. This project builds on the work of previous groups, including the Canadian think-tank Moving the Economyi and a group of three University of Michigan graduate students who, in 2005, produced a report for Ford Motor Company entitled New Mobility: Future Opportunities for Ford as a Mobility Integrator. Our team consists of eight MS students at the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. Through a combination of primary and secondary research, we surveyed the current and future potential for New Mobility products, services, and technologies in five global cities, vis-à-vis the growing urgency of addressing the aforementioned megatrends. Our results from each city combined a conventional Market Attractiveness Analysis with a progressive New Mobility Market Analysis. We then overlaid these results with Ford’s specific strengths, core competencies, and leadership potential in each of the five cities. In so doing, we have created a novel new approach to business project evaluation. Our results indicate that Bangalore, India is the most attractive New Mobility market, due not only to the overall market size, but also to the transportation infrastructure gap which is rapidly emerging as Megatrend pressures intensify. However, our Discussion & Analysis section identifies a number of other key factors for Ford to consider when selecting how, when, and why to assume a leadership role in the New Mobility Market.Master of ScienceSchool of Natural Resources & EnvironmentUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48792/1/FMFinal_121306.pd

高齢で発症した重症筋無力症は重症化しやすい

Objective: The continuous increase in the number of patients presenting with late-onset myasthenia gravis (LOMG) underscores the need for a better understanding of the clinical course and the establishment of an optimal therapeutic strategy. We aimed to clarify factors associated with clinical outcomes in LOMG. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical profiles of 40 patients with early-onset MG (EOMG) (onset age: 49 years or younger), 30 patients with non-elderly LOMG (onset age: 50–64 years), and 28 patients with elderly LOMG(onset age: 65 years or older) and compared the subgroups according to onset age and thymus status. The evaluated parameters were MGFA classification before treatment, MG-ADL score, complicating diseases, antibody titer, treatment, and MGFA post-intervention status. Results: Elderly LOMG patients showed transition to generalized symptoms at a higher frequency and underwent thymectomyless frequently than EOMG and non-elderly LOMG patients (p < 0.001). The frequencies of crisis and plasmapheresis were significantly lower in thymectomized LOMG patients without thymoma than in thymectomized LOMG patients with thymoma or non-thymectomized LOMG patients (p < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively). However, the outcome was not significantly different. All of the thymectomized LOMG patients without thymoma presenting with hyperplasia or thymic cyst had a favorable clinical course. Conclusions: Our study showed that elderly LOMG patients are more prone to severity, suggesting that they require aggressive immunomodulatory therapy

Haem-dependent dimerization of PGRMC1/Sigma-2 receptor facilitates cancer proliferation and chemoresistance

Progesterone-receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1/Sigma-2 receptor) is a haem-containing protein that interacts with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cytochromes P450 to regulate cancer proliferation and chemoresistance; its structural basis remains unknown. Here crystallographic analyses of the PGRMC1 cytosolic domain at 1.95 Å resolution reveal that it forms a stable dimer through stacking interactions of two protruding haem molecules. The haem iron is five-coordinated by Tyr113, and the open surface of the haem mediates dimerization. Carbon monoxide (CO) interferes with PGRMC1 dimerization by binding to the sixth coordination site of the haem. Haem-mediated PGRMC1 dimerization is required for interactions with EGFR and cytochromes P450, cancer proliferation and chemoresistance against anti-cancer drugs; these events are attenuated by either CO or haem deprivation in cancer cells. This study demonstrates protein dimerization via haem-haem stacking, which has not been seen in eukaryotes, and provides insights into its functional significance in cancer

Risk factors for nasal bleeding in patients undergoing transnasal gastrointestinal endoscopy

Transnasal endoscopy is widely used in screening for upper gastrointestinal lesions because of less associated pain. Nasal bleeding is the most severe adverse effect, but specific risk factors have not been identified. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for nasal bleeding during transnasal endoscopy. Nasal bleeding occurred in 160/3035 (5.3%) of patients undergoing transnasal endoscopy as part of health checkups. Patient data were retrospectively evaluated including anthropometric, medical, and life-style parameters with multiple logistic regression analysis. Multiple logistic regression revealed that nasal bleeding was significantly associated with age in decades [odds ratio/10 years 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63–0.97, p = 0.027], female gender (2.15, 95% CI 1.48–3.12, p < 0.001), a history of previous upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.82, p = 0.004), and chronic/allergic rhinitis (0.60, 95% CI 0.36–0.98, p = 0.043). Other factors including the use of antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant drugs were not significantly associated with nasal bleeding. Female and young patients are significantly associated with an increased risk of bleeding from transnasal endoscopy, but antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant medications and a history of chronic/allergic rhinitis may not be associated. Keywords: Transnasal endoscopy, Nasal bleeding, Risk factor

Phlegmonous Gastritis after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for early Gastric Cancer

A 74-year-old man with diabetic nephropathy developed epigastric pain and high fever after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer. Gastroscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography and computed tomography showed ulceration with a purulent lake, thickened entire gastric mucosal layers suggesting focal abscess formation, leading to the diagnosis of phlegmonous gastritis. He underwent total gastrectomy as an emergency. Histological findings of the resected specimen showed severe inflammatory cell infiltration and multiple focal abscess formation spreading to the entire gastric wall. In patients with poorer general conditions, phlegmonous gastritis should be considered as a serious complication after ESD, indicating a requirement of antibiotic prophylaxis