Prostomium Morphology as a Criterion for the Identification of Nephtyid Polychaetes (Annelida : Phyllodocida), with Reference to the Taxonomic Status of Aglaophamus neotenus

The morphology of the prostomium is suggested as a taxonomic character in Nephtyidae. In the present study, the prostomium morphology of eight species of Nephtys (N. australiensis, N. gravieri, N. semiverrucosa, N. inomata, N. mesobranchia, N. oligobranchia, N. po(ybranchia and N. sukumoensis) which show replacement of barred (laddered) setae was examined. Characteristics of the shape of the antennae and their position were used to divide these species into two groups, one consisting of the first three species and the other, the remaining five species. The two groups are suggested to have different phylogenetic origins. The present study also suggested that Aglaophamus neotenus should be placed in Nephtys as Nephtys neotena new combination

On the essential role of kinetic theory in numerical methods for fluid-dynamic equations

The essential role of kinetic theory in the numerical methods for the Navier‐Stokes equations (compressible and incompressible) is discussed. The easy theory of characteristics for kinetic equations brings about drastic simplification of approximate Riemann solver employed in various shock‐capturing schemes. The lattice Boltzmann method is shown to essentially solve an artificial compressibility PDE system. The asymptotic behavior of solution of kinetic equations for small mean free path does not play the essential role in these kinetic numerical methods

Serotonin Improves High Fat Diet Induced Obesity in Mice

There are two independent serotonin (5-HT) systems of organization: one in the central nervous system and the other in the periphery. 5-HT affects feeding behavior and obesity in the central nervous system. On the other hand, peripheral 5-HT also may play an important role in obesity, as it has been reported that 5-HT regulates glucose and lipid metabolism. Here we show that the intraperitoneal injection of 5-HT to mice inhibits weight gain, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance and completely prevented the enlargement of intra-abdominal adipocytes without having any effect on food intake when on a high fat diet, but not on a chow diet. 5-HT increased energy expenditure, O2 consumption and CO2 production. This novel metabolic effect of peripheral 5-HT is critically related to a shift in the profile of muscle fiber type from fast/glycolytic to slow/oxidative in soleus muscle. Additionally, 5-HT dramatically induced an increase in the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator 1α (PGC-1α)-b and PGC-1α-c in soleus muscle. The elevation of these gene mRNA expressions by 5-HT injection was inhibited by treatment with 5-HT receptor (5HTR) 2A or 7 antagonists. Our results demonstrate that peripheral 5-HT may play an important role in the relief of obesity and other metabolic disorders by accelerating energy consumption in skeletal muscle

Hydrophobic Effect on Alkaline Stability of Graft Chains in Ammonium-type Anion Exchange Membranes Prepared by Radiation-Induced Graft Polymerization

Vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (VBA) and styrene (St) cografted poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) anion exchange membranes (VBA/St-AEM) were prepared by the radiation-induced graft polymerization of chloromethylstyrene and St and sequential quaternization and anion exchangereactions. Increasing the St content in the grafts to 63% resulted in a gradual 21% and 34% decrease in the conductivity and water uptake, respectively, compared to those in the VBA-homo-grafted AEM. AEMs with a higher St content (81%) showed a 9% and 18% higher conductivity and water uptake, respectively. Small-angle neutron scattering showed that the sudden growth of “water puddles” consisting of waterrich nano-domains dispersed randomly in phase-separated hydrophilic ion channels enhanced the conductivity and wateruptake. In the alkaline durability test of VBA/St-AEM in 1 M potassium hydroxide at 80°C for 720 h, the loss of the conductivity was suppressed from 43% to 8%, when the St contents in the grafts were increased from 0% to 63%

Case of Six-Year Disease-Free Survival with Undifferentiated Carcinoma of the Pancreas

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas (UDC) is rare and has a dismal prognosis. Here, we report a case of 6-year disease-free survival with a mixed type of UDC and UDC with osteoclast-like giant cells, with a high mitotic index as well as perineural, lymphatic, vessel, and diaphragmatic invasion. The patient underwent radical distal pancreatectomy and was subsequently treated with adjuvant chemotherapy using gemcitabine plus S-1 followed by maintenance chemotherapy with oral tegafur-uracil. The patient has been doing well with no evidence of recurrence for more than 6 years after surgery

Hydrophobic Effect on Alkaline Stability of Graft Chains in Ammonium‐type Anion Exchange Membranes Prepared by Radiation‐Induced Graft Polymerization

Vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (VBA) and styrene (St) cografted poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) anion exchange membranes (VBA/St-AEM) were prepared by the radiation-induced graft polymerization of chloromethylstyrene and St and sequential quaternization and anion exchange reactions. Increasing the St content in the grafts to 63 % resulted in a gradual 21 % and 34 % decrease in the conductivity and water uptake, respectively, compared to those in the VBA-homo-grafted AEM. AEMs with a higher St content (81 %) showed a 9 % and 18 % higher conductivity and water uptake, respectively. Small-angle neutron scattering showed that the sudden growth of “water puddles” consisting of water-rich nano-domains dispersed randomly in phase-separated hydrophilic ion channels enhanced the conductivity and water uptake. In the alkaline durability test of VBA/St-AEM in 1 M potassium hydroxide at 80 °C for 720 h, the loss of the conductivity was suppressed from 43 % to 8 %, when the St contents in the grafts were increased from 0 % to 63 %