Web Omnidirectional Image Viewer for Field Event Extraction

A Web-based image viewer for observing an omnidirectional image of fields is proposed. Conventional monitoring systems are monitoring a narrow area of fields, and their image viewers are not optimized for comparing accumulated images. We implemented two functions of the viewer to compare images and conducted an experiment to evaluate their performance. The experimental results showed that Time-travel mode, which partially shows another image in a circular region on an omnidirectional image, had a high degree of usability for extracting field events from accumulated images. The proposed system can help farmers capture comprehensive, panoramic views of their farm for field management.</jats:p

Critical Core Masses for Gas Giant Formation with Grain-Free Envelopes

We investigate the critical core mass and the envelope growth timescale, assuming grain-free envelopes, to examine how small cores are allowed to form gas giants in the framework of the core accretion model. This is motivated by a theoretical dilemma concerning Jupiter formation: Modelings of Jupiter's interior suggest that it contains a small core of < 10 Earth mass, while many core accretion models of Jupiter formation require a large core of > 10 Earth mass to finish its formation by the time of disk dissipation. Reduction of opacity in the accreting envelope is known to hasten gas giant formation. Almost all the previous studies assumed grain-dominated opacity in the envelope. Instead, we examine cases of grain-free envelopes in this study. Our numerical simulations show that an isolated core of as small as 1.7 Earth mass is able to capture disk gas to form a gas giant on a timescale of million years, if the accreting envelope is grain-free; that value decreases to 0.75 Earth mass, if the envelope is metal-free, namely, composed purely of hydrogen and helium. It is also shown that alkali atoms, which are known to be one of the dominant opacity sources near 1500 K in the atmospheres of hot Jupiters, have little contribution to determine the critical core mass. Our results confirm that sedimentation and coagulation of grains in the accreting envelope is a key to resolve the dilemma about Jupiter formation.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, Accepted for publication in Ap

Carbon(sp2)-carbon(sp3) Bond-forming Cross-coupling Reactions Using Sulfur-Modified Au-Supported Nickel Nanoparticle Catalyst

We report a carbon(sp2)-carbon(sp3) bond-forming cross-coupling reactions by employing a nano-size nickel catalyst supported on sulfur-modified gold (SANi). This transformation demonstrates an efficient synthesis of functionalized aryl compounds, including heterocycles. Notably, the reactions proceeded in good yields with significantly low leaching of nickel from SANi. Moreover, SANi could be recycled several times without significant loss of catalytic activity.This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Ohta R., Shio Y., Akiyama T., et al. Carbon(sp2)-carbon(sp3) Bond-forming Cross-coupling Reactions Using Sulfur-Modified Au-Supported Nickel Nanoparticle Catalyst. Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/ajoc.202200229. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited

An Experimental Functional Evaluation of End to Side Anastomosis Related to Operative Procedures of Tracheobronchial Reconstruciotn

End to side anastomosis between the trachea and the bronchus was widely employed as one of bronchial reconstructed method. However, functional evaluation undergone bronchial reconstruction did not completely display its superiority functionally. This study was undertaken to determine whether end to side anastomosis was far superior in regard to reserved pulmonary function by means of observation on changes in size of anastomotic area on xp film delineated during inspiration and exspiration simultaneously and also by intrabronchial pressure tracing. The results were as follows. 1) The creation of window defect on the tracheal wall prior to anastomosis was necessary to maintain an adequate anastomotic area. 2) The end to side anastomosis obliquely results in an excellent ventilation functionally. In contrast, the ill effects were disclosed by moderate angulation as far as exceeded 45 degree against tracheal wall owing to loss of rigidity in bronchial wall. From the present study, we concluded that end to side anastomosis obliquely with moderate degree should be avoided because of bronchial stenosis produced by bronchial collapse due to loss of supporting ability of bronchial cartilage

Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide and High Glucose on the Glucose Metabolism of Lymphoma-derived U937 Cells

Our study aimed to clarify specific oxidative stress and glucose metabolic disorders in hemodialysis patients, by examining hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) - and high glucose-induced oxidative stress, glucose transport and the failure of glycolysis. As an in vitro blood cell model of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with diabetes, human monocytic U937 cells of malignant lymphoma origin were exposed to high glucose (28.9mM) for 6 days, with 5mM H2O2 added on the last day. The generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), glucose levels, lactate levels, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity and Glut4 levels were examined. Exposure of U937 cells to H2O2 resulted in a significant increase in intracellular ROS generation and glucose levels. Under high glucose conditions, treatment with H2O2 significantly promoted these actions. In H2O2-induced U937 cells, AMPK activity and Glut4 levels were significantly increased, but lactate and pyruvate levels were significantly decreased. Thus, exposure of U937 cells to H2O2 and a high glucose load promoted an increase in intracellular ROS, and exposure to H2O2 induced increased glucose transport and high intracellular glucose due to reduced glycolytic metabolism. This suggests that reduced glycolytic metabolism might be induced in states of high oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients with diabetes

Variations in the structure of airborne bacterial communities in Tsogt-Ovoo of Gobi desert area during dust events

Asian dust events transport the airborne bacteria in Chinese desert regions as well as mineral particles and influence downwind area varying biological ecosystems and climate changes. However, the airborne bacterial dynamics were rarely investigated in the Gobi desert area, where dust events are highly frequent. In this study, air samplings were sequentially performed at a 2-m high above the ground at the sampling site located in desert area (Tsogt-Ovoo of Gobi desert; Mongolia 44.2304°N, 105.1700°E). During the dust event days, the bacterial cells and mineral particles increased to more than tenfold of concentrations. MiSeq sequencing targeting 16S ribosomal DNA revealed that the airborne bacteria in desert area mainly belonged to the classes Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Bacilli, Alpha-proteobacteria, Beta-proteobacteria, and Gamma-proteobacteria. The bacterial community structures were different between dust events and non-dust events. The air samples collected at the dust events indicated high abundance rates of Alpha-proteobacteria, which were reported to dominate on the leaf surfaces of plants or in the saline lake environments. After the dust events, the members of Firmicutes (Bacilli) and Bacteroidetes, which are known to form endospore and attach with coarse particles, respectively, increased their relative abundances in the air samples. Presumably, the bacterial compositions and diversities in atmosphere significantly vary during dust events, which carry some particles from grassland (phyllo-sphere), dry lake, and sand surfaces, as well as some bacterial populations such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes maintain in the atmosphere for longer time. © 2016 The Author(s)Embargo Period 12 month

Vertical distribution of airborne bacterial communities in an Asian-dust downwind area, Noto Peninsula

Bacterial populations transported from ground environments to the atmosphere get dispersed throughout downwind areas and can influence ecosystem dynamics, human health, and climate change. However, the vertical bacterial distribution in the free troposphere was rarely investigated in detail. We collected aerosols at altitudes of 3000 m, 1000 m, and 10 m over the Noto Peninsula, Japan, where the westerly winds carry aerosols from continental and marine areas. During the sampling period on March 10, 2012, the air mass at 3000 m was transported from the Chinese desert region by the westerly winds, and a boundary layer was formed below 2000 m. Pyrosequencing targeting 16S rRNA genes (16S rDNA) revealed that the bacterial community at 3000 m was predominantly composed of terrestrial bacteria, such as Bacillus and Actinobacterium species. In contrast, those at 1000 m and 10 m included marine bacteria belonging to the classes Cyanobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. The entire 16S rDNA sequences in the clone libraries were identical to those of the terrestrial and marine bacterial species, which originated from the Chinese desert region and the Sea of Japan, respectively. The origins of air masses and meteorological conditions contribute to vertical variations in the bacterial communities in downwind atmosphere. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Embargo Period 24 month

Regular-Triangle Trimer and Charge Order Preserving the Anderson Condition in the Pyrochlore Structure of CsW2_2O6_6

Since the discovery of the Verwey transition in magnetite, transition metal compounds with pyrochlore structures have been intensively studied as a platform for realizing remarkable electronic phase transitions. We report the discovery of a unique phase transition that preserves the cubic symmetry of the beta-pyrochlore oxide CsW$_2$O$_6$, where each of W 5d electrons are confined in regular-triangle W3 trimers. This trimer formation is an unprecedented self-organization of d electrons, which can be resolved into a charge order satisfying the Anderson condition in a nontrivial way, orbital order caused by the distortion of WO6 octahedra, and the formation of a spin-singlet pair in a regular-triangle trimer. Electronic instability due to the unusual three-dimensional nesting of Fermi surfaces and the localized nature of the 5d electrons characteristic of the pyrochlore oxides were found to play important roles in this unique charge-orbital-spin coupled phenomenon.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Periostin as a novel biomarker for postoperative recurrence of chronic rhinosinitis with nasal polyps

We previously reported that chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) was subdivided into four chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) subtypes using the JESREC scoring system. We sought to identify the gene expression profile and biomarkers related with CRSwNP by RNA-sequence. RNA-sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed genes between nasal polyps (NPs) and inferior turbinate mucosa from 6 patients with CRSwNP, and subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR was performed to verify the results. ELISA was performed to identify possible biomarkers for postoperative recurrence. In the RNA-sequencing results, periostin (POSTN) expression was the highest in NP. We focused on POSTN and investigated the protein level of POSTN by immunohistochemistry and ELISA. POSTN was diffusely expressed in moderate and severe eosinophilic CRS using immunohistochemistry, and its staining pattern was associated with the severity of the phenotype of the CRSwNP (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between the POSTN high/low groups for postoperative recurrence when the cutoff point was set at 115.5 ng/ml (P = 0.0072). Our data suggests that the protein expression level of POSTN was associated with the severity of CRSwNP, and serum POSTN can be a novel biomarker for postoperative recurrence of CRSwNP

The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) for AKARI

The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) is one of two focal plane instruments on the AKARI satellite. FIS has four photometric bands at 65, 90, 140, and 160 um, and uses two kinds of array detectors. The FIS arrays and optics are designed to sweep the sky with high spatial resolution and redundancy. The actual scan width is more than eight arcmin, and the pixel pitch is matches the diffraction limit of the telescope. Derived point spread functions (PSFs) from observations of asteroids are similar to the optical model. Significant excesses, however, are clearly seen around tails of the PSFs, whose contributions are about 30% of the total power. All FIS functions are operating well in orbit, and its performance meets the laboratory characterizations, except for the two longer wavelength bands, which are not performing as well as characterized. Furthermore, the FIS has a spectroscopic capability using a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS). Because the FTS takes advantage of the optics and detectors of the photometer, it can simultaneously make a spectral map. This paper summarizes the in-flight technical and operational performance of the FIS.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, and 2 tables. Accepted for publication in the AKARI special issue of the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japa