Interactive Assembly and Animation of 3D Digital Garments

We present a novel real-time tool for sewing together 2D patterns, enabling quick assembly of visually plausible, interactively animated garments for virtual characters. The process is assisted by ad-hoc visual hints and allows designers to import 2D patterns from any CAD-tool, connect them using seams around a 3D character with any body type, and assess the overall quality during the character animation. The cloth is numerically simulated including robust modeling of contact of the cloth with itself and with the character\u27s body. Overall, our tool allows for fast prototyping of virtual garments, achieving immediate feedback on their behaviour and visual quality on an animated character, in effect speeding up the content production pipeline for visual effects applications involving clothed characters

Low fat intake is associated with pathological manifestations and poor recovery in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to clarify whether dietary deviation is associated with pathological manifestations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS: Dietary intake was estimated in 35 HCC cases before and after hospitalization by referencing digital camera images of each meal. Pathological conditions were evaluated in nitrogen balance, non-protein respiratory quotient (npRQ), neuropsychiatric testing and recovery speed from HCC treatment. RESULTS: On admission, nitrogen balance and npRQ were negative and less than 0.85, respectively. Five patients were judged to have suffered from minimal hepatic encephalopathy that tended to be associated with a lowered value of npRQ (p = 0.082). The energy from fat intake showed a tendency of positive correlation with npRQ (p = 0.11), and the patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy took significantly fewer energy from fat (p = 0.024). The energy difference from fat between diets at home versus those in the hospital showed a significant positive correlation with npRQ change after admission (p = 0.014). The recovery speed from invasive treatments for HCC showed a significant negative correlation with npRQ alteration after admission (p = 0.0002, r = −0.73). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the lower fat intake leads to deterioration of energy state in HCC patients, which associates with poor recovery from invasive treatments and various pathological manifestations

Haploinsufficiency of SAMD9L, an Endosome Fusion Facilitator, Causes Myeloid Malignancies in Mice Mimicking Human Diseases with Monosomy 7

SummaryMonosomy 7 and interstitial deletion of 7q (−7/7q−) are well-recognized nonrandom chromosomal abnormalities frequently found among patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) and myeloid leukemias. We previously identified candidate myeloid tumor suppressor genes (SAMD9, SAMD9-like = SAMD9L, and Miki) in the 7q21.3 subband. We established SAMD9L-deficient mice and found that SAMD9L+/− mice as well as SAMD9L−/− mice develop myeloid diseases resembling human diseases associated with −7/7q−. SAMD9L-deficient hematopoietic stem cells showed enhanced colony formation potential and in vivo reconstitution ability. SAMD9L localizes in early endosomes. SAMD9L-deficient cells showed delays in homotypic endosome fusion, resulting in persistence of ligand-bound cytokine receptors. These findings suggest that haploinsufficiency of SAMD9L and/or SAMD9 gene(s) contributes to myeloid transformation

ナンキョク ショウワキチ ダイ10 キョジュウトウ ノ ユセイ コーキングザイ オヨビ ゴム カンジョウ ガスケット ノ ケイネン ヘンカ ト タイキュウセイ

昭和基地の第10居住棟壁材の目地に施工され、29年経過した油性コーキング材・ゴム環状ガスケットの劣化性状について調査を行った。調査は、油性コーキングについては指触試験・針入度試験、並びにゴム環状ガスケットについては外観観察・引張試験・硬さ試験を行い、それぞれ劣化性状について検討を行った。その結果、油性コーキング材については、硬く脆化し機能を果たしてはいないが、パネルが動かない、2次シール材が設けられていた等の理由で故障等は顕在化しなかった。また、ゴム環状ガスケットについては、力学的・形状的には実用上の使用には耐えられるが、亀裂の激しい部分もあり使用限界であると思われた。Deterioration of aged oil-based caulking and rubber gaskets that had been used for sealing in the joints between wall panels of the old living hut built in 1969 at Syowa Station was studied. As for oil-based caulking, tack and penetration measurements were carried out. The caulking turned from flexible to brittle in mechanical property by degradation. Fortunately, no water leakage from the joints was reported in the service period of the building though the material had not severely moved by rigid structural design. As for rubber gaskets, appearance observation, tensile and hardness tests were carried out, they keep at good level in mechanical property, however severe cracks occurred on their surfaces, and they were judged to have reached the limit of their useful lifetimes

Large-scale analysis of full-length cDNAs from the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivar Micro-Tom, a reference system for the Solanaceae genomics

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Solanaceae family includes several economically important vegetable crops. The tomato (<it>Solanum lycopersicum</it>) is regarded as a model plant of the Solanaceae family. Recently, a number of tomato resources have been developed in parallel with the ongoing tomato genome sequencing project. In particular, a miniature cultivar, Micro-Tom, is regarded as a model system in tomato genomics, and a number of genomics resources in the Micro-Tom-background, such as ESTs and mutagenized lines, have been established by an international alliance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To accelerate the progress in tomato genomics, we developed a collection of fully-sequenced 13,227 Micro-Tom full-length cDNAs. By checking redundant sequences, coding sequences, and chimeric sequences, a set of 11,502 non-redundant full-length cDNAs (nrFLcDNAs) was generated. Analysis of untranslated regions demonstrated that tomato has longer 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions than most other plants but rice. Classification of functions of proteins predicted from the coding sequences demonstrated that nrFLcDNAs covered a broad range of functions. A comparison of nrFLcDNAs with genes of sixteen plants facilitated the identification of tomato genes that are not found in other plants, most of which did not have known protein domains. Mapping of the nrFLcDNAs onto currently available tomato genome sequences facilitated prediction of exon-intron structure. Introns of tomato genes were longer than those of Arabidopsis and rice. According to a comparison of exon sequences between the nrFLcDNAs and the tomato genome sequences, the frequency of nucleotide mismatch in exons between Micro-Tom and the genome-sequencing cultivar (Heinz 1706) was estimated to be 0.061%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The collection of Micro-Tom nrFLcDNAs generated in this study will serve as a valuable genomic tool for plant biologists to bridge the gap between basic and applied studies. The nrFLcDNA sequences will help annotation of the tomato whole-genome sequence and aid in tomato functional genomics and molecular breeding. Full-length cDNA sequences and their annotations are provided in the database KaFTom <url>http://www.pgb.kazusa.or.jp/kaftom/</url> via the website of the National Bioresource Project Tomato <url>http://tomato.nbrp.jp</url>.</p

Nationwide retrospective observational study of idiopathic dendriform pulmonary ossification : clinical features with a progressive phenotype

Background: Diffuse pulmonary ossification is a specific lung condition that is accompanied by underlying diseases. However, idiopathic dendriform pulmonary ossification (IDPO) is extremely rare, and the clinical features remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to report the clinical characteristics of IDPO. Methods: We conducted a nationwide survey of patients with IDPO from 2017 to 2019 in Japan and evaluated the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings of patients diagnosed with IDPO. Results: Twenty-two cases of IDPO were identified. Most subjects (82%) were male, aged 22-56 years (mean (SD), 37.9 (9.1)) at diagnosis. Nearly 80% of the subjects were asymptomatic, and the condition was discovered during a medical check-up. However, 36% of the subjects showed a decline in forced vital capacity (%FVC) predicted <80% at diagnosis. The typical radiological features of high-resolution CT (HRCT) are calcified branching structures that are predominantly distributed in the lower lung fields without any other conspicuous finding. Histopathological analysis also showed dendriform ossified lesions from the intraluminal areas to interstitial areas. Notably, during the follow-up period of 20 years, disease progression was found in 88% on HRCT and more than 50% on pulmonary function tests (FVC and/or forced expiratory volume in 1s). Two cases with rapid decline of 10% /year in %FVC predicted were observed.)) at diagnosis. Nearly 80% of the subjects were asymptomatic, and the condition was discovered during a medical check-up. However, 36% of the subjects showed a decline in forced vital capacity (%FVC) predicted <80% at diagnosis. The typical radiological features of high-resolution CT (HRCT) are calcified branching structures that are predominantly distributed in the lower lung fields without any other conspicuous finding. Histopathological analysis also showed dendriform ossified lesions from the intraluminal areas to interstitial areas. Notably, during the follow-up period of 20 years, disease progression was found in 88% on HRCT and more than 50% on pulmonary function tests (FVC and/or forced expiratory volume in 1s). Two cases with rapid decline of 10% /year in %FVC predicted were observed. )) at diagnosis. Nearly 80% of the subjects wereasymptomatic, and the condition was discovered during a medical check-up. However, 36% of the subjects showed a decline in forced vital capacity (%FVC) predicted <80% at diagnosis. The typical radiological features of high-resolution CT (HRCT) are calcified branching structures that are predominantly distributed in the lower lung fields without any other conspicuous finding. Histopathological analysis also showed dendriform ossified lesions from the intraluminal areas to interstitial areas. Notably, during the follow-up period of 20 years, disease progression was found in 88% on HRCT and more than 50% on pulmonary function tests (FVC and/or forced expiratory volume in 1s). Two cases with rapid decline of 10% /year in %FVC predicted were observed. Conclusions: IDPO develops at a young age with gradually progressive phenotype. Further research and long-term (>20 years) follow-up are required to clarify the pathogenesis and clinical findings in IDPO