Variable-Length Intrinsic Randomness Allowing Positive Value of the Average Variational Distance

This paper considers the problem of variable-length intrinsic randomness. We propose the average variational distance as the performance criterion from the viewpoint of a dual relationship with the problem formulation of variable-length resolvability. Previous study has derived the general formula of the $\epsilon$-variable-length resolvability. We derive the general formula of the $\epsilon$-variable-length intrinsic randomness. Namely, we characterize the supremum of the mean length under the constraint that the value of the average variational distance is smaller than or equal to a constant $\epsilon$. Our result clarifies a dual relationship between the general formula of $\epsilon$-variable-length resolvability and that of $\epsilon$-variable-length intrinsic randomness. We also derive a lower bound of the quantity characterizing our general formula

Technical Note: Solid Wood Properties of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis Planted for Pulpwood Production in Thailand

Solid wood properties of two Eucalyptus camaldulensis clones (clone A and clone B), derived from different pulp and paper companies and planted in Thailand for pulpwood production, were investigated to evaluate the possibility for lumber production. Clone A had significantly higher Young's modulus, greater density, and straighter grain compared with clone B. These results suggest that some clones may have more favorable properties for lumber production than others. Thus, wood properties should be included in clonal trials and early testing of this species

Integral Effects of Systemic Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition on Carotid Arterial Compliance

Decreased arterial compliance (increased arterial stiffness) is associated with cardiovascular events. Nitric oxide regulates vascular tone, which can influence arterial compliance. We previously investigated the effects of systemic nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition on arterial compliance under the systemic α-adrenergic receptor blocking. In the present study, we investigated the effect of systemic NOS inhibition alone on central arterial compliance (via carotid arterial ultrasound imaging and applanation tonometry). Eighteen apparently healthy young adults (26±1 years) underwent intravenous infusions of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) or placebo (saline) on separate days. In the placebo control condition, no significant changes were observed in mean arterial pressure, cross-sectional compliance, and β-stiffness index. Mean arterial pressure increased significantly (84±2 vs. 96±3 mmHg) after the administration of L-NMMA, whereas there were no significant changes in cross-sectional compliance (0.11±0.01 vs. 0.12±0.01 mm2/mmHg), β-stiffness index (6.44±0.37 vs. 5.51±0.41 unit), or isobaric arterial compliance. Theses results in young healthy adults are not consistent with the idea that carotid arterial compliance is modulated by nitric oxide. Grant Support: This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (18300215, 18650186), JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research Abroad, and NIH grant AG20966

Magnetic Resonance in the Chiral Helimagnet CrNb3S6

Recently, magnetic substances with chirality, namely the handedness of the magnetic structure, have attracted considerable attention because of the anomalous phenomena which appear in magnetic fields. CrNb3S6 is one of the chiral magnets formed by exchange and Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya (DM) interactions. Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements of CrNb3S6 in magnetic fields parallel to the c-axis (helical axis) have been performed to evaluate the exchange and the DM constants that determine the helical structure. Fitting the ESR data to a calculated mode based on a spin wave theory yields values for the ferromagnetic inter-plane exchange constant J/kB = 16.2 K, the DM constant D/kB = 1.29 K, and the single-ion anisotropy constant K /kB = 1.02 K. From the Curie-Weiss temperature θCW ~ 145 K, large intra-plane ferromagnetic exchange interactions are suggested.20th International Conference on Magnetism(ICM 2015), 5th to 10th July, 2015, Barcelona, Spai

Inference of Gene Regulation via miRNAs During ES Cell Differentiation Using MiRaGE Method

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a critical regulator of cell growth, differentiation, and development. To identify important miRNAs in a biological process, many bioinformatical tools have been developed. We have developed MiRaGE (MiRNA Ranking by Gene Expression) method to infer the regulation of gene expression by miRNAs from changes of gene expression profiles. The method does not require precedent array normalization. We applied the method to elucidate possibly important miRNAs during embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation to neuronal cells and we infer that certain miRNAs, including miR-200 family, miR-429, miR-302 family, and miR-17-92 cluster members may be important to the maintenance of undifferentiated status in ES cells

Extensive expansion and diversification of the chemokine gene family in zebrafish: Identification of a novel chemokine subfamily CX

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The chemokine family plays important roles in cell migration and activation. In humans, at least 44 members are known. Based on the arrangement of the four conserved cysteine residues, chemokines are now classified into four subfamilies, CXC, CC, XC and CX3C. Given that zebrafish is an important experimental model and teleost fishes constitute an evolutionarily diverse group that forms half the vertebrate species, it would be useful to compare the zebrafish chemokine system with those of mammals. Prior to this study, however, only incomplete lists of the zebrafish chemokine genes were reported.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We systematically searched chemokine genes in the zebrafish genome and EST databases, and identified more than 100 chemokine genes. These genes were CXC, CC and XC subfamily members, while no CX3C gene was identified. We also searched chemokine genes in pufferfish fugu and <it>Tetraodon</it>, and found only 18 chemokine genes in each species. The majority of the identified chemokine genes are unique to zebrafish or teleost fishes. However, several groups of chemokines are moderately similar to human chemokines, and some chemokines are orthologous to human homeostatic chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL14. Zebrafish also possesses a novel species-specific subfamily consisting of five members, which we term the CX subfamily. The CX chemokines lack one of the two N-terminus conserved cysteine residues but retain the third and the fourth ones. (Note that the XC subfamily only retains the second and fourth of the signature cysteines residues.) Phylogenetic analysis and genome organization of the chemokine genes showed that successive tandem duplication events generated the CX genes from the CC subfamily. Recombinant CXL-chr24a, one of the CX subfamily members on chromosome 24, showed marked chemotactic activity for carp leukocytes. The mRNA was expressed mainly during a certain period of the embryogenesis, suggesting its role in the zebrafish development.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The phylogenic and genomic organization analyses suggest that a substantial number of chemokine genes in zebrafish were generated by zebrafish-specific tandem duplication events. During such duplications, a novel chemokine subfamily termed CX was generated in zebrafish. Only two human chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL14 have the orthologous chemokines in zebrafish. The diversification observed in the numbers and sequences of chemokines in the fish may reflect the adaptation of the individual species to their respective biological environment.</p

Anomalous spiked structures in ESR signals from the chiral helimagnet CrNb3S6

We have performed X-band electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements on a single crystal of the metallic chiral helimagnet CrNb3S6 from 3.5 to 180 K and for the external magnetic fields Hext , up to 4 kOe, perpendicular to the c axis (the helical axis of CrNb3S6). This field-crystalline configuration is expected to provide the chiral soliton lattice (CSL) state in this system. The main resonance line can be fit with a Dysonian function above Tc = 127 K, but additional features in the spectra were observed below 105 K. Specifically, spiked anomalies superposed on the main signals were observed for magnetic fields between Hc1 and Hc2 that are the appearing and disappearing fields of the spiked anomalies, respectively. The resulting magnetic field vs temperature phase diagram possesses three regions, which are interpreted as different dynamical responses in the CSL phase. In addition, the values of Hc2 are close to those reported by the d2M/dH2 curve [Tsuruta et al., Phys. Rev. B 93, 104402 (2016)]. Furthermore, the field range between Hc1 and Hc2, where the spiked anomalies exist, depends on the field direction and shifts to higher fields when turning to the c axis, thereby providing additional evidence that these spiked anomalies must be related to the chiral soliton dynamics

R : Homogeneous catalyst modifier for alkyne semi-hydrogenation : systematic screening in an automated flow reactor and computational study on mechanisms

The selectivity of palladium catalysed hydrogenation can be improved by adding a homogeneous modifier (or poison) such as quinoline to the reaction mixture. Although such selectivity improvement by modifiers (selective catalyst poisoning) has been known for decades, we still know little about them. We, ultimately, cannot select a modifier to improve a particular process. In this study, 21 types of modifiers are screened for the semi-hydrogenation of alkynes with varying catalyst type, reaction time, and target substrate using an automated flow reactor system. All of the studied variables changed affected hydrogenation activity and selectivity confirming the effectiveness of a multi-parameter optimization. 1,10-phenanthroline marked the best selectivity beyond quinoline. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that 1,10-phenanthroline has a remarkable ability to adsorb on the irregular surface of the catalyst that effects undesirable reaction

Cytology Reporting System for Lung Cancer from the Japan Lung Cancer Society and the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology: An Extensive Study Containing More Benign Lesions

Introduction: The Japan Lung Cancer Society (JLCS) and the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology (JSCC) have proposed a new four-tiered cytology reporting system for lung carcinoma (JLCS-JSCC system). Prior to the proposal, the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology (PSC) had proposed a revised reporting system (PSC system), which comprises the “neoplastic, benign neoplasm, and low-grade carcinoma” category (N-B-LG category), in addition to the 4 categories of the JLCS-JSCC system. This study aimed to evaluate the interobserver agreement of the JLCS-JSCC system with an additional dataset with more benign lesions in comparison with the PSC system. Methods: We analyzed 167 cytological samples, which included 17 benign lesions, obtained from the respiratory system. Seven observers classified these cases into each category by reviewing one Papanicolaou-stained slide per case according to the JLCS-JSCC system and PSC system. Results: The interobserver agreement was moderate in the JLCS-JSCC (k = 0.499) and PSC (k = 0.485) systems. Of the 167 samples, 17 samples were benign lesions: 7 pulmonary hamartomas, 5 sclerosing pneumocytomas, 2 squamous papillomas, one solitary fibrous tumor, one meningioma, and one lymphocytic proliferation. There were diverse sample types as follows: 11 touch smears, 3 brushing smears, 2 aspirations, and one sputum sample. Fourteen samples (82.3%) were categorized into “negative” or “atypical” by more than half of the observers in the JLCS-JSCC system. Conversely, 3 samples were categorized as “suspicious” or “malignant” by more than half of the observers in the JLCS-JSCC system. On the other hand, 11 samples (64.7%) were categorized into the N-B-LG category by more than half of the observers in the PSC system. Conclusions: The concordance rate in the JLCS-JSCC system was slightly higher than that in the PSC system; however, the interobserver agreement was moderate in both the JLCS-JSCC and PSC systems. These results indicate that both the JLCS-JSCC and PSC systems are clinically useful. Therefore, both systems are expected to have clinical applications. It may be important to integrate the 2 systems and construct a universal system that can be used more widely in clinical practice