Economic Growth with Mechanization of the Production Process

This paper considers endogenous technological changes of inputs from labor to capital in operations of a production process, i.e., a kind of mechanization of the production process. While retaining the property of decreasing returns in capital, we can show that because of complementary relationships between the accumulation of capital and the mechanization of the production process, long-run growth is possible through the accumulation of capital only. It involves no growth of total factor productivity. Furthermore, our model can partly present a micro-foundation of constant-elasticity-of-substitution production function. Investigating our model empirically, we confirm both technological progress and our technological change.Capital Accumulation, Mechanization of a Production Process, Total Factor Productivity, Envelope, Elasticity of Substitution

RESISTENZA ALLA CORROSIONE AD ALLA TENSOCORROSIONE DI ACCIAI BASSOLEGATI ED ACCIAI RESISTENTI ALLA CORROSIONE (CRAS) IN CONDIZIONI RAPPRESENTATIVE LA STIMOLAZIONE ACIDA

Nell’operazione di stimolazione acida negli impianti di estrazione di idrocarburi, sono necessari materiali altamente resistenti alla corrosione. In questo lavoro viene valutata la resistenza alla corrosione di acciai bassolegati, di acciai inossidabili martensitici e duplex, di leghe base Nichel, in alcune condizioni rappresentative la fase di ritorno degli acidi usati per la stimolazione dei pozzi, quali ad es in soluzioni di 28% HCl e 12% HCl + 3% HF in presenza di H2S e CO2 ad elevate temperature. Tutti i materiali testati per pH superiori a 4.0, hanno mostrato scarsa suscettibilità alla corrosione localizzata e alla tensocorrosione. L’acciaio superduplex e le leghe base nichel hanno mostrato un’elevata resistenza anche a pH inferiori a 3.5, mentre l’acciaio bassolegato T95e gli acciai martensitici hanno presentato tendenza alla corrosione generale e localizzata

Photochemical characterization of actinorhodopsin and its functional existence in the natural host

Actinorhodopsin (ActR) is a light-driven outward H+ pump. Although the genes of ActRs are widely spread among freshwater bacterioplankton, there are no prior data on their functional expression in native cell membranes. Here, we demonstrate ActR phototrophy in the native actinobacterium. Genome analysis showed that Candidatus Rhodoluna planktonica, a freshwater actinobacterium, encodes one microbial rhodopsin (RpActR) belonging to the ActR family. Reflecting the functional expression of RpActR, illumination induced the acidification of the actinobacterial cell suspension and then elevated the ATP content inside the cells. The photochemistry of RpActR was also examined using heterologously expressed RpActR in Escherichia coli membranes. The purified RpActR showed lambda(max) at 534 nm and underwent a photocycle characterized by the very fast formation of M intermediate. The subsequent intermediate, named P-620, could be assigned to the 0 intermediate in other H+ pumps. In contrast to conventional 0, the accumulation of P620 remains prominent, even at high pH. Flash-induced absorbance changes suggested that there exists only one kind of photocycle at any pH. However, above pH 7, RpActR shows heterogeneity in the H+ transfer sequences: one first captures H+ and then releases it during the formation and decay of P-650, while the other first releases H+ prior to H+ uptake during P-620 formation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Risk of bleeding and repeated bleeding events in prasugrel-treated patients: a review of data from the Japanese PRASFIT studies

Prasugrel is a third-generation thienopyridine that achieves potent platelet inhibition with less pharmacological variability than other thienopyridines. However, clinical experience suggests that prasugrel may be associated with a higher risk of de novo and recurrent bleeding events compared with clopidogrel in Japanese patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this review, we evaluate the risk of bleeding in Japanese patients treated with prasugrel at the doses (loading/maintenance doses: 20/3.75 mg) adjusted for Japanese patients, evaluate the risk factors for bleeding in Japanese patients, and examine whether patients with a bleeding event are at increased risk of recurrent bleeding. This review covers published data and new analyses of the PRASFIT (PRASugrel compared with clopidogrel For Japanese patIenTs) trials of patients undergoing PCI for acute coronary syndrome or elective reasons. The bleeding risk with prasugrel was similar to that observed with the standard dose of clopidogrel (300/75 mg), including when bleeding events were re-classified using the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria. The pharmacodynamics of prasugrel was not associated with the risk of bleeding events. The main risk factors for bleeding events were female sex, low body weight, advanced age, and presence of diabetes mellitus. Use of a radial puncture site was associated with a lower risk of bleeding during PCI than a femoral puncture site. Finally, the frequency and severity of recurrent bleeding events during continued treatment were similar between prasugrel and clopidogrel. In summary, this review provides important insights into the risk and types of bleeding events in prasugrel-treated patients. Trial registration numbers: JapicCTI-101339 and JapicCTI-111550

Structural damage to houses and buildings induced by liquefaction in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, Japan

金沢大学理工研究域地球社会基盤学系BackgroundIn April 2016, Kumamoto City, Japan, and its surroundings were hit by a sequence of strong and devastating earthquakes including two significant events, one on April 14th, 2016, at 21:26 JST (Mw6.2) and the other on April 16th, 2016, at 01:25 JST (Mw7.0). These disasters caused 120 fatalities (including indirect fatalities), 2337 people injured and 177,914 residential houses were damaged. This paper aims to ascertain the damage to residential houses and buildings caused by liquefaction during this earthquake and suggests possible mitigation methods.ResultsField reconnaissance was conducted in the target area on May 27th–30th, 2016. The post-earthquake inclination angle and the tilt direction of 68 affected houses and buildings in the liquefied sites in Kumamoto City were measured by using a laser rangefinder (Leica DISTO D 510). Ground structure and condition were also determined from topographic maps, bore data and the calculated liquefaction resistance factor, FL.ConclusionsBased on this investigation, the inclination angle of the houses in the target area seems to be related to the type of building structure and their foundation as well to the local ground composition. The tilt direction has a tendency to be associated with the location of the nearby river. The results presented could be useful to develop future liquefaction mitigation measures for detached residential houses

A Genetic Variant of the CD14 C-159T in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia (FD) in Japanese Subjects

Inflammatory changes in the gastric mucosa are commonly observed in Japanese patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). However, detailed data regarding the relationship between the genetic regulatory factors of inflammation and FD are not available. CD14 is an important mediator of the inflammatory response in the first line of host defense by recognition of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We aimed to investigate the association between CD14 promoter C-159T polymorphism and FD in a Japanese population. 108 patients with FD and 99 non-dyspeptic subjects enrolled in this study. Dyspeptic symptoms were divided according to Rome III criteria. CD14 gene C-159T polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. In the non-dyspeptics, the CD14 genotype distribution was 28CC (28.3%), 51CT (51.5%), 21TT (21.2%). Meanwhile, the CD14 genotype distribution in FD was 31CC (28.4%), 56CT (51.4%), 22TT (20.2%). The genotype distribution was not significantly different. There was no significant difference between two groups in the genotype distribution. We did not found any association between CD14 genotypes and dyspeptic patients in different gender and Helicobacter pylori infection status. No significant association was also found between CD14 polymorphism and any of different subtypes of FD according to Rome III while there was a weak correlation between TT genotype and PDS in male subjects (TT vs others, OR = 3.18, 95% CI = 0.98−10.26, p = 0.06). In conclusion, our results suggest that CD14 polymorphism is unlikely to associate with susceptibility of dyspeptic symptoms. The role of inflammation related-gene polymorphisms to the development of dyspepsia needs to further evaluation

Analytic Solutions of The Wheeler-DeWitt Equation in Spherically Symmetric Space-time

We study the quantum theory of the Einstein-Maxwell action with a cosmological term in the spherically symmetric space-time, and explored quantum black hole solutions in Reissner-Nordstrom-de Sitter geometry. We succeeded to obtain analytic solutions to satisfy both the energy and momentum constraints.Comment: LaTeX file, 15 page

Correlation between magnifying narrow band imaging and histopathology in gastric protruding/or polypoid lesions: a pilot feasibility trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several study showed usefulness of microscopic capillaries, seen by magnifying narrow band imaging (NBI) endoscopy for predicting histopathology among superficial depressed or flat elevated gastric neoplasia (GN). Here we assessed the diagnostic efficacy of magnifying NBI for predicting histopathology among gastric protruding/or polypoid lesions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using endoscopic pictures of magnifying NBI from 95 protruding/or polypoid lesions (19 fundic gland polyps: FGP, 47 hyperplastic polyps: HP, and 29 GN), fine mucosal patterns were classified into four categories: small round, prolonged, villous or ridge, and unclear patterns, and micro vascular patterns were classified into five categories: honey comb, dense vascular, fine net work, core vascular, and unclear patterns.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most suggestive micro vascular patterns for predicting FGP, and HP were honeycomb (sensitivity 94.7%, specificity 97.4%), and dense vascular patterns (sensitivity 93.6%, specificity 91.6%), respectively. Fine net work, core vascular, and unclear patterns presented higher specificity (97%, 100%, and 100%) for predicting GN, and diagnostic efficacy of combined of those patterns was favorable (sensitivity 86.2%, specificity 97.0%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Micro vascular patterns by using magnifying NBI provides meaningful information for predicting the histopathology of gastric protruding/or polypoid lesions.</p