Hand-motion Analysis for Development of Double-unders Skill

Double-unders is one of interesting physical skills combining multiple primitive motions of different frequencies. This paper discusses an analyzing method of trajectory on hand-motion in double-unders. It also tackles to design an environment for the staged learning in acquisition process of the skill. We focus on the radius of motion-trajectory of the hand and spatial positions of moving hand. We measure some parameters relating to the hand-motions, and observe relative hand positions to the body. Then, we observe the difference of them between persons who have acquired the skill and others who have not acquired the skill yet. As a result, it has clarified that our proposal relating to the hand-motions is not irrelevant to success or failure of double-unders

Kyphectomy for severe kyphosis with pyogenic spondylitis associated with myelomeningocele: a case report

A 32-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for a refractory ulcer on her back. She had a history of myelomeningocele with spina bifida that was treated surgically at birth. The ulcer was located at the apex of the kyphosis. An X-ray film revealed a kyphosis of 154° between L1 and 3 and a scoliosis of 60° between T11 and L5. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and laboratory data indicated the presence of a pyogenic spondylitis at L2/3. To correct the kyphosis and remove the infected vertebrae together with the skin ulcer, kyphectomy was performed. Pedicle screws were inserted from T8 to T12 and from L4 to S1. The dural sac was transected and ligated at L2, followed by total kyphectomy of the L1-L3 vertebrae. The spinal column was reconstructed by approximating the ventral wall of the T12 vertebral body and the cranial endplate of the L4 vertebra. Postoperatively, the kyphosis was corrected to 61° and the scoliosis was corrected to 22°. In the present case, we treated the skin ulcer and pyogenic spondylitis successfully by kyphectomy, thereby, preventing recurrence of the ulcer and infection, and simultaneously obtaining sufficient correction of the spinal deformity

Development of an optimal laser for chirp cooling of positronium based on chirped pulse-train generator

We report the development and characterization of a pulsed 243 nm laser that is optimal for the cooling of positronium (Ps). The laser, which is based on the recent chirped pulse-train generator (CPTG) demonstrated by K. Yamada et al. (Phys. Rev. Appl. 16, 014009 (2021)), was designed to output a train of pulses with linewidths of 10 GHz, and with the center frequency of each pulse shifting upward (up-chirped) in time by $4.9\times10^2\,\mathrm{GHz\,\mu s^{-1}}$. These parameters were determined by the mechanism of chirp cooling, which is the best scheme for cooling many Ps atoms to the recoil temperature of laser cooling. To achieve the designed performance, we drove an optical phase modulator in the CPTG with a deep modulation depth based on the operating principle of the cooling laser. Time-resolved spectroscopic measurements confirmed that the developed laser satisfied the chirp rate and linewidth requirements for efficient chirp cooling. Combined with pulse energy of hundreds of microjoules, we believe that the experimental demonstration of Ps laser cooling has become possible using realistic methods for the generation and velocity measurement of Ps.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure

Strategic vision toward the next-generation telecom industry

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 111).Telecommunication industry is experiencing volatile change in technology and business model. Every telecom company needs strategy that gives direction through rapidly shifting environment. NTT, Japanese telecom giant is not exception. In this thesis, Delta model is utilized to obtain strategy that leads effective management and operation of future NTT. Another objective of this thesis is to understand the effect of different strategic bias and finding way to overcome difficulty of distinction between strategic opinions. Although Delta model is containing theoretical essence from all strategic fields, it has focus on rational planning and positioning view. This results some difficulty to apply Delta model for NTT that recently biased by emergent strategic view through experiences of continuous fight against threat from emerging new technologies and services. To fill this gap, alternative theories of Disruptive Technology, Invisible Asset, Overextension, and Organizational Knowledge Creation are applied in combination with Delta model and examined. Through experimental mixture of Delta model and alternative theories, I obtained NTT's strategic perspective and recommendations for technology development, business globalization, and preparation against future threat.by Kenji Yoshioka.S.M

Preoperative Use of Alpha-1 Receptor Blockers in Male Patients Undergoing Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy for a Ureteral Calculus

In this retrospective single-center cohort study, we investigated the impact of preoperative use of an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor (AR) blocker on the outcome of single-session extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) in 193 male patients who underwent SWL for a single ureteral calculus between 2006 and 2016. We reviewed their medical records to obtain the data on the preoperative use of alpha-1 AR blockers. The primary outcome was treatment success after single-session SWL. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for clinically important confounders to examine the association between preoperative use of alpha-1 AR blockers and the treatment success of SWL. Among the 193 patients, 15 (7.8%) were taking an alpha-1 AR blocker preoperatively. A multivariable analysis showed that preoperative use of an alpha-1 AR blocker was a significant negative predictor for treatment success of SWL (adjusted odds ratio 0.17; 95% confidence intervals, 0.04-0.74). Our findings suggest that the preoperative use of an alpha-1 AR blocker was a negative predictor of treatment success of SWL in male patients with a single ureteral calculus. Clinicians should pay more attention to the preoperative drug use in determining an appropriate stone therapy modality

Soluble Siglec-9 suppresses arthritis in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model and inhibits M1 activation of RAW264.7 macrophages

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of soluble sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectin (sSiglec)-9 on joint inflammation and destruction in a murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model and in monolayer cultures of murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages) and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) derived from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: DBA/1J mice were immunized with type II collagen. Effects of sSiglec-9 were evaluated using a physiologic arthritis score, histological analysis, serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α concentration, and the proportion of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3)-positive regulatory T (Treg) cells. In vivo biofluorescence imaging was used to assess the distribution of sSiglec-9. Levels of M1 (TNF-α, interleukin [IL]-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase) and M2 (CD206, Arginase-1, and IL-10) macrophage markers and phosphorylation of intracellular signaling molecules were examined in macrophages, and levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 were examined in FLS. Results: sSiglec-9 significantly suppressed the clinical and histological incidence and severity of arthritis. The proportion of Foxp3-positive Treg cells significantly improved and serum TNF-α concentration decreased in vivo. Although sSiglec-9 reduced the expression of M1 markers in macrophages, it did not affect the expression of M2 markers and MMPs in FLS. Nuclear factor (NF)-kB p65 phosphorylation was attenuated by sSiglec-9, and chemical blockade of the NF-kB pathway reduced M1 marker expression in RAW264.7 cells. Conclusions: In this study, we have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of sSiglec-9 in a murine CIA model. The mechanism underlying these effects involves the suppression of M1 proinflammatory macrophages by inhibiting the NF-kB pathway. sSiglec-9 may provide a novel therapeutic option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis refractory to currently available drugs