Formation processes of a pocket consisting of bubble-free ice in Hamna ice cliff, Soya Coast, East Antarctica

To clarify the basal hydrology of Soya drainage, East Antarctica, we studied the formation processes of a pocket consisting of bubble-free ice in Hamna ice cliff, Soya Coast by using stable isotope ratios (δ^O andδD). The stable isotopes of this bubble-free ice are almost the same values withoutδ-value fluctuations as those from Rayleigh-type fractionation; isotopically, the bubble-free ice was heavier by 3.8 and 27‰ for δ^O and δD, respectively, than the neighboring bubbly ice. These results suggest that the pocket was formed by meltwater refreezing during the discharge of water to the lower reach under the Soya drainage. Meltwater under the Soya drainage is considered to have flowed through R-channels

THE BEST CONSTANT OF L^p SOBOLEV INEQUALITY CORRESPONDING TO DIRICHLET-NEUMANN BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEM

We have obtained the best constant of the following Lp Sobolev inequality sup 0≤y≤1| u(j)(y)| ≤C (∫ 01 | u(M)(x)| p dx)1/p , where u is a function satisfying u(M) ∈ Lp(0, 1), u(2i)(0) = 0 (0 ≤i ≤ [(M − 1)/2]) and u(2i+1)(1) = 0 (0 ≤ i ≤ [(M − 2)/2]), where u(i) is the abbreviation of (d/dx)iu(x). In [9], the best constant of the above inequality was obtained for the case of p = 2 and j = 0. This paper extends the result of [9] under the conditions p > 1 and 0 ≤ j ≤ M −1. The best constant is expressed by Bernoulli polynomials

Isoliquiritigenin: A Unique Component That Attenuates Adipose Tissue Inflammation and Fibrosis by Targeting the Innate Immune Sensors

Recent studies have suggested that pattern recognition receptors, including inflammasomes and TLRs, in the innate immune system recognize various kinds of endogenous ligands and have critical roles in initiating or promoting obesity‐associated chronic inflammation. These findings have provided new therapeutic strategies based on regulation of the innate immune system. With the rapid advancement of novel technologies and the increased research on natural products, many new plant‐derived extracts and active compounds have been identified to exhibit anti‐inflammatory effects. Isoliquiritigenin (ILG) is a flavonoid derived from Glycyrrhiza uralensis with a chalcone structure. We have reported that ILG inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation resulting in the improvement of diet‐induced adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance. Furthermore, we have also demonstrated that ILG improves diet‐induced fibrosis in adipose tissue by inhibiting TLR4‐ and Mincle‐induced expression of fibrosis‐related genes in obese adipose tissue and macrophages. Thus, ILG can suppress two important dysfunctions of obesity, adipose tissue inflammation and fibrosis by targeting innate immune sensors. Here we overview ILG as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of obesity‐associated diseases. We also summarize anti‐inflammatory actions of other constituents of licorice

CENP-C Functions as a Scaffold for Effectors with Essential Kinetochore Functions in Mitosis and Meiosis

SummaryThe conserved kinetochore protein CENP-C plays a fundamental role in chromosome segregation, but its specific functions remain elusive. We have gained insights into the role of CENP-C through identification of interacting effector proteins required for kinetochore function in fission yeast. Fta1/CENP-L is a primary effector that associates directly with Cnp3/CENP-C, and ectopic localization of Fta1 largely suppresses the mitotic kinetochore defects of cnp3Δ cells. Pcs1 functions downstream of Cnp3 to prevent merotelic attachment. In meiosis, Cnp3 further associates with and recruits Moa1, a meiosis-specific protein exclusively required for the mono-orientation of kinetochores. Genetic and biochemical analyses identified Cnp3 mutants that preserve intact mitotic kinetochore function but abolish the association with Moa1 and meiotic mono-orientation. Overall, therefore, our studies identify effectors of CENP-C in mitosis and meiosis and establish the concept that CENP-C serves as a scaffold for the specific recruitment of essential kinetochore proteins

Experimental investigation of effect of fingertip stiffness on friction while grasping an object

In this study, we experimentally investigated the effect of robot fingertip stiffness on friction during grasping of an object. To make robots more human-friendly, robotic hands with soft surfaces have been developed. A soft fingertip, i.e., one with low stiffness, is considered desirable because it produces high friction. However, in our experiments, we were able to obtain high friction from a stiff fingertip under a certain condition. We initially investigated the maximum resistible force when solid objects with different angled surfaces were grasped by spherical fingertips of different stiffness. When the contact surface was flat, a stiffer fingertip produced larger frictional force. When the contact surface was highly convex, the maximum frictional force increased with decreasing fingertip stiffness. Secondly, we examined the relationships among the contact area, the load, and the maximum frictional force. We reformulated the relationship between the load and the maximum frictional force and, together with our experimental results, used it to determine the factor that increased the maximum frictional force. © 2014 IEEE.2014 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2014; Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CenterHong Kong; China; 31 May 2014 through 7 June 2014; Category numberCFP14RAA-ART; Code 10739

Surgical productivity recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

IntroductionPrevious studies demonstrated that the surgical productivity regressed in 2020. This study therefore explored whether the COVID-19 pandemic had any significant lasting effect of reducing the surgical productivity in Japan. This is a retrospective observational study which is an extension of the previous ones.MethodsThe authors analyzed 18,805 surgical procedures performed during the study period from April 1 through September 30 in 2016–22. A non-radial and non-oriented Malmquist model under the variable returns-to-scale assumptions was employed. The decision-making unit (DMU) was defined as a surgical specialty department. Inputs were defined as (1) the number of assistants, and (2) the surgical duration. The output was defined as the surgical fee. The study period was divided into 42 one-month periods. The authors added all the inputs and outputs for each DMU during these study periods, and computed its Malmquist index, efficiency change and technical change. The outcome measures were its annual productivity, efficiency, and technical changes between the same months in each year.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in annual productivity, efficiency, and technical changes between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods.DiscussionNo evidence was found to suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has any significant lasting effect of reducing the surgical productivity

Systemic production of foreign peptides on the particle surface of tobacco mosaic virus

AbstractBy using a new tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) vector [Hamamoto, H., et al. (1993) Bio/Technology, 11, 930–932], we have constructed TMV particles which present three different kinds of epitopes, two of them from influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA), and one from human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-I) envelope protein, on the surface of the particles. Each of these TMV particles reacted with each anti-peptide antiserum. These results suggest that this TMV vector can be used as an antigen presentation system

Severe macular edema induced by pioglitazone in a patient with diabetic retinopathy: a case study

We report a case of severe diabetic macular edema (DME) that developed after pioglitazone was used by a patient with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A 30-year-old woman with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus visited our clinic in 2004. She had moderate pre-proliferative diabetic retinopathy OU. Because of the rapid progression of the diabetic retinopathy, she received pan-retinal photocoagulation in both eyes. Two weeks before using pioglitazone, her visual acuity was 0.9 OD and 0.7 OS. On October 2007, pioglitazone was prescribed by her internist because of poorly controlled blood glucose level. Two weeks later, her body weight increased, and her face became edematous. Her visual acuity decreased to 0.5 OU, and ophthlamoscopy showed severe DME in both eyes. Two weeks after stopping pioglitazone, her visual acuity improved to 0.8 OD and 0.5 OS, but the DME was still severe in the optical coherence tomographic images. Then, one half the usual dose (25 mg) of spironolactone, a diuretic, was given and her macular edema was resolved. Her final visual acuity improved to 0.9 OD and 0.7 OS. We recommend that when a patient taking pioglitazone complains of decreased vision, the physician should promptly consult an ophthalmologist