A personal tourism navigation system to support traveling multiple destinations with time restrictions

AINA2004 : The 18th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications , Mar 29 -31, 2004 , Fukuoka, JapanWe propose a personal navigation system (called PNS) which navigates a tourist through multiple destinations efficiently. In our PNS, a tourist can specify multiple destinations with desired arrival/stay time and preference degree. The system calculates the route including part of the destinations satisfying tourist's requirements and navigates him/her. For the above route search problem, we have developed an efficient route search algorithm using a genetic algorithm. We have designed and implemented the PNS as a client-server system so that the portable device users can use the PNS through the Internet. Experiments using general map data and PDAs show that our PNS can calculate a semioptimal route almost in real-time

PP2A Inhibition Assay Using Recombinant Enzyme for Rapid Detection of Okadaic Acid and Its Analogs in Shellfish

Okadaic acid and its analogs (OAs) responsible for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) strongly inhibit protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and thus are quantifiable by measuring the extent of the enzyme inhibition. In this study, we evaluated the suitability of the catalytic subunit of recombinant human PP2A (rhPP2Ac) for use in a microplate OA assay. OA, dinophysistoxin-1(DTX1), and hydrolyzate of 7-O-palmitoyl-OA strongly inhibited rhPP2Ac activity with IC50 values of 0.095, 0.104, and 0.135 nM, respectively. The limits of detection and quantitation for OA in the digestive gland of scallops and mussels were 0.0348 μg/g and 0.0611 μg/g respectively, and, when converted to the whole meat basis, are well below the regulation level proposed by EU (0.16 μg/g whole meat). A good correlation with LC-MS data was demonstrated, the correlation coefficient being 0.996 with the regression slope of 1.097

Analysis of hip geometry by clinical CT for the assessment of hip fracture risk in elderly Japanese women.

Two case-control studies were designed to investigate the contribution of the geometry and bone mineral density (BMD) of the proximal femur to bone strength in Japanese elderly women. We also investigated whether clinical CT is useful to assess the risk of hip fracture. Subjects in the neck fracture study included 20 Japanese women with neck fracture (age: mean+/-SD; 80.1+/-4.5 years old) and 20 age-matched control women (79.2+/-2.6 years old). Subjects in the trochanteric fracture study included 16 Japanese women with trochanteric fracture (82.6+/-5.0 years old) and 16 age-matched control women (80.8+/-3.8 years old). CT examination of the proximal femur was performed between the date of admission and the date of surgery. The CT scanners used were an Aquillion 16 (Toshiba) and Somatom 64 (Siemens); the scanning conditions including spatial resolution and scanning energy were adjusted, and the same type of reference phantom containing hydroxyapatite was used. QCT PRO software (Mindways) was used to analyze data for BMD, geometry, and biomechanical parameters. Both the neck and trochanteric fracture cases had significantly lower total and cortical BMD, a significantly smaller cortical cross-sectional area (CSA), and a larger trabecular CSA. Both had significantly thinner cortex and smaller distance to center of bone mass, and women with trochanteric fracture had a significantly smaller cortical perimeter in the cross-sectional femoral neck. Women with neck fracture had a longer hip axis length (HAL) and women with trochanteric fracture had a significantly larger neck-shaft angle (NSA). Both groups had significantly lower cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), and only women with neck fracture had a significantly higher buckling ratio (BR) compared to their respective controls. According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, women with neck fracture had a significantly longer HAL, lower CSMI, and higher BR, and women with trochanteric fracture had a significantly smaller cortical CSA of the femoral neck. We conclude that clinical CT may be useful for the assessment of the risk of neck and trochanteric fracture

High molecular weight amyloid β1-42 oligomers induce neurotoxicity via plasma membrane damage.

Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) molecules tend to aggregate and subsequently form low MW (LMW) oligomers, high MW (HMW) aggregates such as protofibrils, and ultimately fibrils. These Aβ species can generally form amyloid plaques implicated in the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer disease (AD), but therapies designed to reduce plaque load have not demonstrated clinical efficacy. Recent evidence implicates amyloid oligomers in AD neuropathology, but the precise mechanisms are uncertain. We examined the mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction from HMW-Aβ1-42 exposure by measuring membrane integrity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, membrane lipid peroxidation, membrane fluidity, intracellular calcium regulation, passive membrane electrophysiological properties, and long-term potentiation (LTP). HMW-Aβ1-42 disturbed membrane integrity by inducing ROS generation and lipid peroxidation, resulting in decreased membrane fluidity, intracellular calcium dysregulation, depolarization, and impaired LTP. The damaging effects of HMW-Aβ1-42 were significantly greater than those of LMW-Aβ1-42. Therapeutic reduction of HMW-Aβ1-42 may prevent AD progression by ameliorating direct neuronal membrane damage.-Yasumoto, T., Takamura, Y., Tsuji, M., Watanabe-Nakayama, T., Imamura, K., Inoue, H., Nakamura, S., Inoue, T., Kimura, A., Yano, S., Nishijo, H., Kiuchi, Y., Teplow, D. B., Ono, K. High molecular weight amyloid β1-42 oligomers induce neurotoxicity via plasma membrane damage

Evidence for suboceanic small-scale convection from a “garnet”-bearing lherzolite xenolith from Aitutaki Island, Cook Islands

海洋マントルにおける小スケール対流の証拠検出 --南太平洋アイツタキ島マントル捕獲岩からのアプローチ --.京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-07-08.Garnet peridotite xenoliths have been rarely reported from suboceanic mantle. Petrographic and geochemical characteristics of garnet-bearing oceanic peridotite xenoliths provide precious information on dynamics of the suboceanic lithosphere and asthenosphere interaction. We examined a lherzolite xenolith included in olivine nephelinite lava from Aitutaki Island, a member of the Cook-Austral volcanic chain. The lherzolite xenolith contains reddish fine-grained (< 5 µm in size) mineral aggregates (FMAs) with size range of 0.5–6 mm, consisting of olivine, calcic and sodic plagioclases, aluminous spinel, native iron, and nepheline. Microstructural observations and chemical data corroborate that the FMA is a decomposed pyrope-rich garnet including chromian spinel grains with an irregular highly indented morphology in the center. The FMA is surrounded by pyroxene-poor and olivine-rich aureole. The spatial and morphological relationships of FMA and chromian spinel with pyroxene-depleted margin suggest a reaction of aluminous spinel + pyroxenes → pyrope-rich garnet + olivine, which requires a compression before decomposition of the garnet to FMA. An orthopyroxene grain shows slight but clear chemical zoning characterized by increase in Al, Ca, and Cr from the grain center to the rim. The zoning patterns of Al and Ca in the orthopyroxene grain can be modeled by diffusion-controlled solid-state reactions induced by pressure and temperature changes, keeping surface concentrations in equilibrium with the other coexisting mineral phases. The results indicate that the mantle, from which the lherzolite xenolith was derived, underwent isothermal decompression followed by a weak heating on a time scale of a few tenths of million years before the xenolith extraction. From the deduced compression and decompression histories, we hypothesize that the mantle beneath Aitutaki Island was once dragged down to a garnet-stable deep mantle region and brought up later by small-scale sublithospheric convection

Live imaging of center of calcification formation during septum development in primary polyps of Acropora digitifera

Recent studies have revealed that stony corals create their extracellular skeletons via biologically controlled calcification, in which amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), regarded as precursors of aragonite crystals, have been observed at nanoscale using electron microscopy. However, the exact mechanism by which ACC is generated, and how it contributes to skeletal growth in coral calcifying tissue, remains enigmatic. The septal skeleton of an individual polyp is composed of radially aligned plates extending upward from the aboral calcifying tissue. This structure includes microstructure known as the centers of calcification (CoC). However, despite its importance, direct in vivo observation of septal growth has not been reported. Observations under transmitted illumination using polarized light microscopy on calcifying tissue of young Acropora digitifera revealed small crystals, a few micrometers in size, that accompany subtle movements and that emerge exclusively on the inner wall of the pocket in extracellular calcifying fluid (ECF). Crystal growth initiated from small, scattered crystals on a glass plate resembles this phenomenon observed in coral skeletons. Time-lapse photographs of 12 individuals in early primary polyp settlement revealed this process in three individuals, documenting 13 of these crystal events. This phenomenon occurred solely at the bases of subsequently formed septa. These crystals differ notably from fusiform crystals and from dumbbell-like or rod-like crystals growing individually. Upright two-photon microscopy captured movement of sub-micron-sized fluorescent calcein-accumulating particles, emphasizing their presence on the surface of the growing fronts of septa. Methodological advances that facilitate comprehensive in vivo observation of sub-micron-sized structures, calcein-accumulating particles to the skeleton, are needed to develop a more detailed understanding of coral skeletal growth

Usefulness Differs Between the Visual Assessment and Specific Binding Ratio of 123I-Ioflupane SPECT in Assessing Clinical Symptoms of Drug-Naïve Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Background: In clinical practice, assessment of the striatal accumulation in 123I-ioflupane single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is commonly performed calculating the specific binding ratio (SBR) for the whole striatum. On the other hand, visual assessment of striatal accumulation in the SPECT was recently established. However, correlations of visual assessment with motor and cognitive functions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have rarely been examined. Differences in the usefulness of these assessments at clinics are uncertain.Objective: We performed this study to compare correlations of cognitive and motor functions in drug-naive PD between the SBR and visual assessment using 123I-ioflupane SPECT.Methods: Cognitive and motor assessments and 123I-ioflupane SPECT were performed in 47 drug-naïve PD patients with Mini-mental State Examination scores of ≥25. Cognitive function was assessed using the total score and 6 subscores of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and 10 separate subtests of the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (COGNISTAT). Motor function was assessed using the Hoehn and Yahr scale and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Accumulation of 123I-ioflupane was determined by visual assessment based on five grades: 1, burst striatum; 2, egg-shaped; 3, mixed type; 4, eagle wing; 5, normal striatum; and by calculating SBR averaged for the bilateral striatum using the DaTView computer software commonly used in clinical practice. Each SPECT assessment was compared with each subscore for cognitive and motor assessments.Results: Spearman correlation analysis showed SBR was significantly correlated with the MoCA subscores of visuospatial function and attention, and with COGNISTAT subtests of attention. Visual assessment showed significant negative correlation with the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Mean score of postural instability in patients with visual grade of 1 was significantly higher than those in patients with visual grades of 2 and 3.Conclusion: Clinical symptoms reflected by 123I-ioflupane SPECT differ between the SBR and visual assessment. SBR reflects some cognitive functions, whereas a visual assessment grade of 1, which signifies decreased uptake of 123I-Ioflupane in the caudate nucleus, reflects postural instability. Thus, the caudate nucleus may play an important role in posture maintenance. Our results suggest that performing both assessments is of value

Influence of functionalized S–SBR on silica–filled rubber compound properties

Styrene–butadiene–Rubber, SBR, is most often used in tread compounds in order to improve the Rolling Resistance (RR). The functionalized SBRs are used to increase the polymer–filler interaction in the compound to improve RR. In this study, the effect of different types of functional groups in SBR was investigated. Several types of functionalized S–SBR’s were synthesized by anionic polymerization: (i) SBR with an amine group at one end of the polymer chain, (ii) SBR with an alkoxy silane group at one end (iii) SBR with an amine group at one end and an alkoxy silane group at the other end of the polymer chain. A model reaction of silanization was conducted in a solvent to estimate how the amine functional group affects the silanization. Silica filled compounds were prepared with these SBR types. Payne effect and bound rubber measurement were done. The model silanization reaction of TESPT (Bis(triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulfide) with silica in the presence of amine shows that a higher amount of ethanol (EtOH) is released from TESPT compared to the amine free system. This result indicates that the silanization reaction can be accelerated by the presence of an amine functional group at the SBR polymer chain used in silica–filled compounds. The amine functionalized SBR and the alkoxy silane functionalized SBR show less Payne effect of the compounds which indicates that both functional groups can decrease the filler–filler interaction. More chemical bound rubber was obtained in branched SBRs compared to the corresponding linear SBRs. A branched polymer chain has a higher molecular weight compared to the linear type. Therefore, when one branched polymer chain reacts with silica or creates a silica–silane–polymer bond, more bound rubber can be obtained for the branched than for the linear type. The compound of the SBR with the alkoxy–silane functional group shows lower tan δ compared to the non–functionalized SBR and the amine functionalized SBR compounds. The influence of the type of functionalization of the SBR on tan δ at 70 °C was more significant in branched SBRs than in linear SBRs, due to the before–mentioned effect of the functional group on silanization and bound rubber