ブロックチェーンにおけるストレージを考慮したDHT負荷分散クラスタリング

首都大学東京, 2019-03-25, 修士（工学）首都大学東

Peak IgG antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein following immunization with the Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine

This study investigated the immune response and outcome of BNT162b2 vaccination among 12 staff at a hospital in Fukushima, Japan. Blood samples were collected from participants before their first vaccination, with subsequent sampling performed during the participants' work days for six weeks thereafter. Antibody titers peaked 6-13 days after the second vaccination (days 27-34 after the first), followed by a steady decrease. Six males had significantly lower peak antibody titers than six females (p = 0.016 with t-test); the older six (median age 53 years) had lower antibody titers than the younger six (median age 35 years) but without statistical significance (p value=0.24 with t-test)

Five doses of the mRNA vaccination potentially suppress ancestral-strain stimulated SARS-CoV2-specific cellular immunity: a cohort study from the Fukushima vaccination community survey, Japan

The bivalent mRNA vaccine is recommended to address coronavirus disease variants, with additional doses suggested for high-risk groups. However, the effectiveness, optimal frequency, and number of doses remain uncertain. In this study, we examined the long-term cellular and humoral immune responses following the fifth administration of the mRNA severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine in patients undergoing hemodialysis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to monitor long-term data on humoral and cellular immunity dynamics in high-risk populations after five doses of mRNA vaccination, including the bivalent mRNA vaccine. Whereas most patients maintained humoral immunity throughout the observation period, we observed reduced cellular immune reactivity as measured by the ancestral-strain-stimulated ELISpot assay in a subset of patients. Half of the individuals (50%; 14/28) maintained cellular immunity three months after the fifth dose, despite acquiring humoral immunity. The absence of a relationship between positive controls and T-Spot reactivity suggests that these immune alterations were specific to SARS-CoV-2. In multivariable analysis, participants aged ≥70 years showed a marginally significant lower likelihood of having reactive results. Notably, among the 14 individuals who received heterologous vaccines, 13 successfully acquired cellular immunity, supporting the effectiveness of this administration strategy. These findings provide valuable insights for future vaccination strategies in vulnerable populations. However, further research is needed to evaluate the involvement of immune tolerance and exhaustion through repeated vaccination to optimize immunization strategies

Glucoraphanin Ameliorates Obesity and Insulin Resistance Through Adipose Tissue Browning and Reduction of Metabolic Endotoxemia in Mice

Low-grade sustained inflammation links obesity to insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, therapeutic approaches to improve systemic energy balance and chronic inflammation in obesity are limited. Pharmacological activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)–like 2 (Nrf2) alleviates obesity and insulin resistance in mice; however, Nrf2 inducers are not clinically available owing to safety concerns. Thus, we examined whether dietary glucoraphanin, a stable precursor of the Nrf2 inducer sulforaphane, ameliorates systemic energy balance, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and NAFLD in high-fat diet (HFD)–fed mice. Glucoraphanin supplementation attenuated weight gain, decreased hepatic steatosis, and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed wild-type mice but not in HFD-fed Nrf2 knockout mice. Compared with vehicle-treated controls, glucoraphanin-treated HFD-fed mice had lower plasma lipopolysaccharide levels and decreased relative abundance of the gram-negative bacteria family Desulfovibrionaceae in their gut microbiomes. In HFD-fed mice, glucoraphanin increased energy expenditure and the protein expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) in inguinal and epididymal adipose depots. Additionally, in this group, glucoraphanin attenuated hepatic lipogenic gene expression, lipid peroxidation, classically activated M1-like macrophage accumulation, and inflammatory signaling pathways. By promoting fat browning, limiting metabolic endotoxemia-related chronic inflammation, and modulating redox stress, glucoraphanin may mitigate obesity, insulin resistance, and NAFLD

Monocular Underwater Stereo – 3D Measurement Using Difference of Appearance Depending on Optical Paths –

Abstract — Sensing in aquatic environments meets the difficulty that, when a camera is set in air behind a watertight glass plate, image distortion occurs by refraction of light at the boundary surface between air and water. This paper proposes an aquatic sensing method to execute three dimensional measurement of objects in water by taking refraction of light into account. The proposed method is based on a monocular stereo technique using a difference of appearance depending on optical paths. Optimization of the angles of refracting surfaces which are key elements of the sensing device is given to realize the accurate measurement. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method. I

Hidemitsu Sakai Sloshing in a Horizontal Cylindrical Tank Subjected to Pitching Excitation and Damping Effects by Perforated Plates

Natural gas is relatively clean, and its demand is currently increasing. In most cases, gas fields are located at the bottom of the sea. Therefore, floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) systems are now attracting considerable attention. This paper is related to the dynamical design of a FPSO system; in particular, it focuses on the free surface elevation induced by the waves in a horizontal cylindrical and axisymmetric liquid vessel with end caps. In this study, the theory of the wave height and resonant frequency in a horizontal cylinder subjected to pitching via external excitation is developed. Then, a theory taking into account the effect of perforated plates is introduced. A special discussion is made with regard to the number and location of the perforated plates and the effect of a partial opening in a perforated plate on the damping. Finally, the experimental data of resonant wave heights up to the third mode are shown in comparison to the theoretically derived results