With the advancements of the next-generation communication networking and Internet ofThings(IoT)technologies,a variety of computation-intensive applications(e.g.,autonomous driving and face recognition)have emerged.Th...With the advancements of the next-generation communication networking and Internet ofThings(IoT)technologies,a variety of computation-intensive applications(e.g.,autonomous driving and face recognition)have emerged.The execution of these IoT applications demands a lot of computing resources.Nevertheless,terminal devices(TDs)usually do not have sufficient computing resources to process these applications.Offloading IoT applications to be processed by mobile edge computing(MEC)servers with more computing resources provides a promising way to address this issue.While a significant number of works have studied task offloading,only a few of them have considered the security issue.This study investigates the problem of spectrum allocation and security-sensitive task offloading in an MEC system.Dynamic voltage scaling(DVS)technology is applied by TDs to reduce energy consumption and computing time.To guarantee data security during task offloading,we use AES cryptographic technique.The studied problem is formulated as an optimization problem and solved by our proposed efficient offloading scheme.The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can reduce system cost while guaranteeing data security.展开更多
Polythiophenes(PTs)with flexible backbones possess inherent polymer behaviors,including molecular wire effects and dynamic structural changes inπ-conjugated systems.The chemical sensing at the functionalized side cha...Polythiophenes(PTs)with flexible backbones possess inherent polymer behaviors,including molecular wire effects and dynamic structural changes inπ-conjugated systems.The chemical sensing at the functionalized side chains can manipulate such polymer characteristics,resulting in various optical patterns depending on the analyte structures and their concentrations.The unique optical patterns derived from polymer properties contribute to group categorization over a wide concentration range for pattern recognition.This review aims to provide a concise overview of the potential of PT chemosensor arrays using actual sensing examples in environmental monitoring,medical diagnostics,and food analysis.Furthermore,this review summarizes the methodologies that use polymer gels to realize practical chemosensor array chips for onsite analysis.展开更多
Mpox,formerly known as monkeypox,is a viral zoonotic disease endemic to Central and West Africa that has posed significant public health challenges since its identification in 1970.Despite decades of experience in man...Mpox,formerly known as monkeypox,is a viral zoonotic disease endemic to Central and West Africa that has posed significant public health challenges since its identification in 1970.Despite decades of experience in managing outbreaks,the 2022-2024 Mpox outbreaks exposed substantial gaps in global preparedness and response,leading the World Health Organization(WHO)to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC)in 2022.The resurgence of cases in Europe in 2022 and the more recent emergence of the virulent clade Ib in the Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC)in 2024 have highlighted a critical need for improved proactive and response strategies to curb the epidemic.This narrative review examines the historical and recent epidemiology of Mpox in Africa and explores the factors that have limited effective management.These include objective influences such as viral mutations,zoonotic transmission patterns,and environmental changes like deforestation,as well as subjective factors,including delayed responses,limited vaccine availability,cessation of smallpox vaccinations,and inequitable access to healthcare.In particular,the review emphasizes the ongoing disparities in global health equity,as wealthier nations have been able to secure vaccines and therapeutics quickly,while endemic regions in Africa continue to struggle with limited resources.The review also discusses how socio-economic and cultural factors,combined with weak public health infrastructure and inadequate surveillance systems,perpetuate cycles of outbreak in vulnerable populations.Furthermore,the emergence of clade Ib in 2024,with its higher virulence and mortality rates among children,particularly in rural areas,underscores the urgency of addressing the evolving epidemiological landscape of Mpox.In response to these challenges,this review recommends strengthening healthcare infrastructure,enhancing surveillance systems,ensuring equitable access to vaccines and treatments,and integrating environmental management into public health strategies.Global collaboration remains essential to provide African countries with the resources and support needed to manage and prevent future outbreaks effectively.Without these measures,the world risks a prolonged public health crisis with far-reaching consequences for both Africa and the global community.展开更多
Pancreatic cancer remains difficult to treat and has a high mortality rate.It is difficult to diagnose early mainly due to the lack of screening imaging modalities and specific biomarkers.Consequently,it is important ...Pancreatic cancer remains difficult to treat and has a high mortality rate.It is difficult to diagnose early mainly due to the lack of screening imaging modalities and specific biomarkers.Consequently,it is important to develop biomarkers that enable the detection of early stage tumors.Emerging evidence is accumulating that tumor cells release substantial amounts of RNA into the bloodstream that strongly resist RNases in the blood and are present at sufficient levels for quantitative analyses.These circulating RNAs are upregulated in the serum and plasma of cancer patients,including those with pancreatic cancer,compared with healthy controls.The majority of RNA biomarker studies have assessed circulating microRNAs(miRs),which are often tissue-specific.There are few reports of the tumorspecific upregulation of other types of small noncoding RNAs(ncRNAs),such as small nucleolar RNAs and Piwi-interacting RNAs.Long ncRNAs(IncRNAs),such as HOTAIR and MALAT1,in the serum/plasma of pancreatic cancer patients have also been reported as diagnostic and prognostic markers.Among tissuederived RNAs,some miRs show increased expression even in pre-cancerous tissues,and their expression profiles may allow for the discrimination between a chronic inflammatory state and carcinoma.Additionally,some miRs and IncRNAs have been reported with significant alterations in expression according to disease progression,and they may thus represent potential candidate diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers that may be used to evaluate patients once detection methods in peripheral blood are well established.Furthermore,recent innovations in high-throughput sequencing techniques have enabled the discovery of unannotated tumor-associated ncRNAs and tumor-specific alternative splicing as novel and specific biomarkers of cancers.Although much work is required to clarify the release mechanism,origin of tumor-specific circulating RNAs,and selectivity of carrier complexes,and technical advances must also be achieved,such as creating a consensus normalization protocol for quantitative data analysis,circulating RNAs are largely unexplored and might represent novel clinical biomarkers.展开更多
Micro RNAs(mi RNAs) are small,noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally,targeting thousands of messenger RNAs. Long noncoding RNAs(lnc RNAs),another class of noncoding RNAs,have been ...Micro RNAs(mi RNAs) are small,noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally,targeting thousands of messenger RNAs. Long noncoding RNAs(lnc RNAs),another class of noncoding RNAs,have been determined to be also involved in transcription regulation and translation of target genes. Since deregulated expression levels or functions of miR NAs and lncR NAs in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) are frequently observed,clinical use of noncoding RNAs for novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the management of HCCs is highly and emergently e xpe c t e d. H e r e,we s ummar iz e r e c e nt f indings regarding deregulated mi RNAs and lnc RNAs for their potential clinical use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of HCC. Specifically,we emphasize the deregulated expression levels of such noncoding RNAs in patients' sera as noninvasive biomarkers,a field that requires urgent improvement in the clinical surveillance of HCC. Since nucleotide-based strategies are being applied to clinical therapeutics,we further summarize clinical and preclinical trials using oligonucleotides involving the use of miR NAs and small interfering RNAs against HCC as novel therapeutics. Finally,we discuss current open questions,which must be clarified in the near future for realistic clinical applications of these new strategies.展开更多
There are two types of human pluripotent stem cells: Embryonic stem cells(ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs),both of which launched themselves on clinical trials after having taken measures to overcome pr...There are two types of human pluripotent stem cells: Embryonic stem cells(ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs),both of which launched themselves on clinical trials after having taken measures to overcome problems: Blocking rejections by immunosuppressants regarding ESCs and minimizing the risk of tumorigenicity by depleting exogenous gene components regarding iP SCs.It is generally assumed that clinical applications of human pluripotent stem cells should be limited to those cases where there are no alternative measures for treatments because of the risk in transplanting those cells to living bodies.Regarding lifestyle diseases,we have already several therapeutic options,and thus,development of human pluripotent stem cell-based therapeutics tends to be avoided.Nevertheless,human pluripotent stem cells can contribute to the development of new therapeutics in this field.As we will show,there is a case where only a short-term presence of human pluripotent stem-derived cells can exert long-term therapeutic effects even after they are rejected.In those cases,immunologically rejections of ESC-or allogenic iP SC-derived cells may produce beneficial outcomes by nullifying the risk of tumorigenesis without deterioration of therapeutic effects.Another utility of human pluripotent stem cells is the provision of an innovative tool for drug discovery that are otherwise unavailable.For example,clinical specimens of human classical brown adipocytes(BAs),which has been attracting a great deal of attention as a new target of drug discovery for the treatment of metabolic disorders,are unobtainable from living individuals due to scarcity,fragility and ethical problems.However,BA can easily be produced from human pluripotent stem cells.In this review,we will contemplate potential contribution of human pluripotent stem cells to therapeutic development for lifestyle diseases.展开更多
A central objective in deciphering the nervous system in health and disease is to define the connections of neurons. The propensity of neurotropic viruses to spread among synaptically-linked neurons makes them ideal f...A central objective in deciphering the nervous system in health and disease is to define the connections of neurons. The propensity of neurotropic viruses to spread among synaptically-linked neurons makes them ideal for mapping neural circuits. So far, several classes of viral neuronal tracers have become available and provide a powerful toolbox for delineating neural networks. In this paper, we review the recent developments of neurotropic viral tracers and highlight their unique properties in revealing patterns of neuronal connections.展开更多
In this study, we introduced the temperaturedependent formation phases and crystallographic parameters of hot-pressed silver gallium telluride AgGaTe2 and copper gallium telluride CuGaTe2 with chalcopyrite structure f...In this study, we introduced the temperaturedependent formation phases and crystallographic parameters of hot-pressed silver gallium telluride AgGaTe2 and copper gallium telluride CuGaTe2 with chalcopyrite structure from 300 to 800 K. These two compounds are potential thermoelectric materials in the intermediate temperature range; however, the temperature-dependent formation phases and crystallographic parameters of hotpressed samples have not yet been analyzed in detail. The crystal structure analysis based on synchrotron X-ray diffraction （SXRD） measurements clarifies that impurity phases such as Te and Ag2Te in the AgGaTe2 matrix and Te and CuTe in the CuGaTe2 matrix appear at some temperature regions above 300 K. The existence of such impurity phases could be correlated with the increases of the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of the samples after multiple measurement cycles of the temperature-dependent transport properties from 300 to 800 K. The tetragonal lattice parameters a and c, tetragonal lattice volume, thermal expansion coefficients, tetragonal distortion, anion displacement parameter, and isotropic displacement parameter of the hot-pressed AgGaTe2 and CuGaTe2 were also analyzed. These crystallographic parameters are expected to substantially affect the thermoelectric properties of AgGaTe2 and CuGaTe2. Our results provide prospect of the long-term high-temperature stability and clues of the detailed analysis on the transport properties of hot-pressed AgGaTe2 and CuGaTe2, which should aid their development for thermoelectric applications.展开更多
A large number of 3D models are created on computers and available for networks. Some content-based retrieval technologies are indispensable to find out particular data from such anonymous datasets. Though several sha...A large number of 3D models are created on computers and available for networks. Some content-based retrieval technologies are indispensable to find out particular data from such anonymous datasets. Though several shape retrieval technologies have been developed, little attention has been given to the points on human＇s sense and impression （as known as Kansei） in the conventional techniques, In this paper, the authors propose a novel method of shape retrieval based on shape impression of human＇s Kansei. The key to the method is the Gaussian curvature distribution from 3D models as features for shape retrieval. Then it classifies the 3D models by extracted feature and measures similarity among models in storage.展开更多
AIM: To identify kinases involved in phenotype regulation of vascular endothelial cells(VECs): Proproliferative G-protein signaling 5(RGS5)^(high)(typeⅠ) vs anti-proliferative RGS5^(low)(typeⅡ) VECs.METHODS: Proteom...AIM: To identify kinases involved in phenotype regulation of vascular endothelial cells(VECs): Proproliferative G-protein signaling 5(RGS5)^(high)(typeⅠ) vs anti-proliferative RGS5^(low)(typeⅡ) VECs.METHODS: Proteomic kinase assays were performed to identify the crucial kinase involved in the phenotype regulation of human VECs using typeⅠ VECs, which promotes the proliferation of human vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs), and typeⅡ VECs, which suppress the proliferation of human VSMCs. The assays were performed using multiple pairs of typeⅠ and typeⅡ VECs to obtain the least number of candidates. The involvement of the candidate kinases was verified by evaluating the effects of their specific inhibitors on the phenotype regulation of human VECs as well as the expression levels of regulator of RGS5, which is the causative gene for the "typeⅡ to typeⅠ" phenotype conversion of human VECs. RESULTS: p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38α MAPK) was the only kinase that showed distinctive activities between typeⅠ and typeⅡ VECs: p38α MAPK activities were low and high in type-Ⅰand typeⅡ VECs, respectively. We found that an enforced expression of RGS5 indeed lowered p38α MAPK activitiesin typeⅡ VECs. Furthermore, treatments with a p38α MAPK inhibitor nullified the anti-proliferative potential in typeⅡ VECs. Interestingly, MAPK inhibitor treatments enhanced the induction of RGS5 gene. Thus, there is a vicious cycle between "RGS5 induction" and "p38α MAPK inhibition", which can explain the unidirectional process in the stress-induced "typeⅡ to typeⅠ" conversions of human VECs. To understand the upstream signaling of RGS5, which is known as an inhibitory molecule against the G protein-coupled receptor(GPCR)-mediated signaling, we examined the effects of RGS5 overexpression on the signaling events from sphingosine-1-phosphate(S1P) to N-cadherin, because S1 P receptors belong to the GPCR family gene and N-cadherin, one of their downstream effectors, is reportedly involved in the regulation of VEC-VSMC interactions. We found that RGS5 specifically bound with S1P1. Moreover, N-cadherin localization at intercellular junctions in typeⅡ VECs was abolished by "RGS5 overexpression" and "p38α MAPK inhibition".CONCLUSION: p38α MAPK plays crucial roles in "type-Ⅰ vs type-Ⅱ" phenotype regulations of human VECs at the downstream of RGS5.展开更多
Especially in recent years, deep learning has become a very effective tool for object identification. However, in general, the automatic object identification tends not to work well on ambiguous, amorphous objects suc...Especially in recent years, deep learning has become a very effective tool for object identification. However, in general, the automatic object identification tends not to work well on ambiguous, amorphous objects such as vegetation. In this study, we developed a simple but effective approach to identify ambiguous objects and applied the method to several moss species. The technique called chopped picture method, where teacher images are systematically dissected into numerous small squares. As a result, the model correctly classified 3 moss species and “non-moss” objects in test images with accuracy more than 90%. Using this approach will help progress in computer vision studies for various ambiguous objects.展开更多
Heat treatment of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)has provided a wide variety of functional carbons coordinated with metal compounds.In this study,two kinds of zinc-based MOF(ZMOF),C_(16)H_(10)O_(4)Zn(ZMOF1)and C_(8)H_(...Heat treatment of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)has provided a wide variety of functional carbons coordinated with metal compounds.In this study,two kinds of zinc-based MOF(ZMOF),C_(16)H_(10)O_(4)Zn(ZMOF1)and C_(8)H_(4)O_(4)Zn(ZMOF2),were prepared.ZMOF1 and ZMOF2 were carbonized at 1000℃,forming CZMOF1 and CZMOF2,respectively.The specific surface area(S_(BET))of CZMOF2 was~2700 m^(2)g^(−1),much higher than that of CZMOF1(~1300 m^(2)g^(−1)).A supercapacitor electrode based on CZMOF2 achieved specific capacitances of 360,278,and 221 F g^(−1)at 50,250,and 1000 mA g^(−1)in an aqueous electrolyte(H2SO_(4)),respectively,the highest values reported to date for ZMOF-derived electrodes under identical conditions.The practical applicability of the CZMOF-based supercapacitor was verified in non-aqueous electrolytes.The initial capacitance retention was 78%after 100000 charge/discharge cycles at 10 A g^(−1).Crucially,the high capacitance of CZMOF2 arises from pore generation during carbonization.Below 1000℃,pore generation is dominated by the Zn/C ratio of ZMOFs,as carbon atoms reduce the zinc oxides formed during carbonization.Above 1000℃,a high O/C ratio becomes essential for pore generation because the oxygen functional groups are pyrolyzed.These findings will provide insightful information for other metal-based MOFderived multifunctional carbons.展开更多
AIM:To verify in vivo relevance of the categorization of human vascular endothelial cells(VECs)into type-I(proproliferative)and type-II(anti-proliferative).METHODS:Endothelial layers of murine femoral arteries were re...AIM:To verify in vivo relevance of the categorization of human vascular endothelial cells(VECs)into type-I(proproliferative)and type-II(anti-proliferative).METHODS:Endothelial layers of murine femoral arteries were removed by wire injury(WI)operation,a common technique to induce arteriostenosis.Type-I and type-II VECs produced from human induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs),whose characters were previously determined by their effects on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in in vitro co-culture experiments,were mixed with Matrigel?Matrix.The mixtures were injected into subcutaneous spaces around WI-operated femoral arteries for the transplanted human iPSC-derived VECs(iPSdECs)to take a route to the luminal surface via vasa vasorum,a nutrient microvessel for larger arteries.Histologies of the femoral arteries were examined over time.The presence of human iPSdECs was checked by immunostaining studies using an antibody that specifically recognizes human VECs.Degrees of stenosis of the femoral arteries were calculated after three weeks.To determine the optimal experimental condition,xenotransplantation experiments were performed under various conditions using immunocompromised mice as well as immunocompetent mice with or without administration of immunosuppressants.RESULTS:Because immunocompromised mice showed unexpected resistance to WI-induced arteriostenosis,we performed xenotransplantation experiments using immunocompetent mice along with immunosuppressant administrations.After one week,luminal surfaces of the WI-operated arteries were completely covered by human iPSdECs,showing the efficacy of our novel transplantation technique.After three weeks,type-IiPSdECs-transplanted arteries underwent total stenosis,while type-II-iPSdECs-transplanted arteries remained intact.However,untransplanted arteries of immunosuppressant-treated mice also remained intact by unknown reasons.We found that transplanted human VECs had already been replaced by murine endothelial cells by this time,indicating that a transient existence of human type-II-iPSdECs on arterial luminal surfaces can sufficiently prevent the development of stenosis.Thus,we re-performed xenotransplantation experiments using immunocompetent mice without administrating immunosuppressants and found that arteriostenosis was accelerated or prevented by transplantation of type-I or type-II iPSdECs,respectively.Similar results were obtained from the experiments using human embryonic stem cell-derived VECs at early passages(i.e.,type-II)and late passages(i.e.,type-I).CONCLUSION:Pro-and anti-stenosis capacities of type-I and type-II human iPSdECs were verified,respectively,promising a therapeutic application of allogenic iPSdECs.展开更多
AIM: To integrally understand the effects of human vascular endothelial cells(VECs) on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs).METHODS: Various kinds of human VECs of different origins were co-culture...AIM: To integrally understand the effects of human vascular endothelial cells(VECs) on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs).METHODS: Various kinds of human VECs of different origins were co-cultured with human aortic smooth muscle cells, a representative of human VSMCs. To exclude the irrelevant effects due to growth competition between VECs and VSMCs, the proliferation of VECs had previously been arrested via a low-dose gamma rayirradiation. To discriminately analyze the proliferation of VSMCs from that of VECs, the former cells were labeled with red fluorescent dye while the latter cells were labeled with green fluorescent dye before performing coculture experiments. After 4 d, total cells were harvested and subjected to flow cytometric analyses. Decrements in red fluorescence intensities due to proliferationmediated dilutions were measured and mathematically processed using a specific software to quantitatively evaluate the proliferation of VSMCs. The findings obtained from the flow cytometry-based analyses were further validated by microscopic observations. RESULTS: Commercially available primary cultured human VECs exclusively promoted VSMC proliferation regardless of their tissue origins and we termed these pro-proliferative VECs as "typeⅠ". By contrast, VECs freshly generated from human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitors cells or human pluripotent stem cells including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells suppressed VSMC proliferation and we termed these anti-proliferative VECs as "typeⅡ". Repetitive subcultures as well as oxidative stress induced "type Ⅱ VECs to typeⅠ" conversion along with an induction of Regulator of G-protein signaling 5(RGS5)Compatibly, anti-oxidant treatments suppressed both the subculture-dependent "typeⅡ to typeⅠ" conversion and an induction of RGS5 gene. Immunostaining studies of clinical specimens indicated that RGS5 protein expressions in endothelial layers were low in norma arteries but they were up-regulated in pathologica arteries including hypertension, atherosclerosis and autoimmune vasculitis in a dose-dependent manner Overexpression and knockdown of RGS5 caused that"typeⅡ to typeⅠ" and "typeⅠ to type Ⅱ" phenotype conversions of VECs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Human VECs are categorized into two types: pro-proliferative RGS5^(high) VECs(typeⅠ) and antiproliferative RGS5 ^(low) VECs(typeⅡ).展开更多
In orchards, measuring crown characteristics is essential for monitoring the dynamics of tree growth and optimizing farm management. However, it lacks a rapid and reliable method of extracting the features of trees wi...In orchards, measuring crown characteristics is essential for monitoring the dynamics of tree growth and optimizing farm management. However, it lacks a rapid and reliable method of extracting the features of trees with an irregular crown shape such as trained peach trees. Here, we propose an efficient method of segmenting the individual trees and measuring the crown width and crown projection area (CPA) of peach trees with time-series information, based on gathered images. The images of peach trees were collected by unmanned aerial vehicles in an orchard in Okayama, Japan, and then the digital surface model was generated by using a Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multi-View Stereo (MVS) based software. After individual trees were identified through the use of an adaptive threshold and marker-controlled watershed segmentation in the digital surface model, the crown widths and CPA were calculated, and the accuracy was evaluated against manual delineation and field measurement, respectively. Taking manual delineation of 12 trees as reference, the root-mean-square errors of the proposed method were 0.08 m (R^(2) = 0.99) and 0.15 m (R^(2) = 0.93) for the two orthogonal crown widths, and 3.87 m2 for CPA (R^(2) = 0.89), while those taking field measurement of 44 trees as reference were 0.47 m (R^(2) = 0.91), 0.51 m (R^(2) = 0.74), and 4.96 m2 (R^(2) = 0.88). The change of growth rate of CPA showed that the peach trees grew faster from May to July than from July to September, with a wide variation in relative growth rates among trees. Not only can this method save labour by replacing field measurement, but also it can allow farmers to monitor the growth of orchard trees dynamically.展开更多
A new approach using a low-energy electron beam radiation system was investigated to synthesize carbon hybrid structures in amorphous carbon thin films. Two types of amorphous carbon films, which were 15at% iron conta...A new approach using a low-energy electron beam radiation system was investigated to synthesize carbon hybrid structures in amorphous carbon thin films. Two types of amorphous carbon films, which were 15at% iron containing film and with column/inter-column structures, were deposited onto Si substrates by a sputtering technique and subsequently exposed to an electron shower of which the energy and dose rate were much smaller compared to an intense electron beam used in a transmission electron microscopy. As a result of the low-energy and low-dose electron irradiation process, graphitic structures formed in amorphous matrix at a relatively low temperature up to 450 K. Hybrid carbon thin films containing onion-like structures in an amorphous carbon matrix were synthesized by dynamic structural modification of iron containing amorphous carbon thin films. It was found that the graphitization progressed more in the electron irradiation than in annealing at 773 K, and it was attributed to thermal and catalytic effects which are strongly related to grain growth of metal clusters. On the other hand, a reversal of TEM image contrast was observed in a-C films with column/inter-column structures. It is presumed that preferable graphitization occurred in the inter-column regions induced by electron irradiation.展开更多
Loss of apico-basal polarity is one of the crucial factors that drives epithelial tumor progression, scribbleldiscs largellethal giant larvae （scrib/dlg/lgl）, a group of apico-basal polarity genes, were initially id...Loss of apico-basal polarity is one of the crucial factors that drives epithelial tumor progression, scribbleldiscs largellethal giant larvae （scrib/dlg/lgl）, a group of apico-basal polarity genes, were initially identified as members of ＂neoplastic＂ tumor-suppressors in flies. The components of the Hippo signaling pathway, which is crucial for organ size control and cancer development, were also identified through Drosophila genetic screens as members of ＂hyperplastic＂ tumor-suppressors. Accumulating evidence in recent studies implies that these two tumor-suppressor signaling pathways are not mutually exclusive but rather cooperatively act to give rise to highly malignant tumors. The interaction of these tumor-suppressor pathways could include deregulations of actin cytoskeleton, cell-cell contact, and apical-domain size of展开更多
This paper will document and discuss the results of full scale flume testing of a tapered ACB(articulating concrete block)system utilizing a stabilized stone drainage layer(Shoretec EPEC)under both steady state and hy...This paper will document and discuss the results of full scale flume testing of a tapered ACB(articulating concrete block)system utilizing a stabilized stone drainage layer(Shoretec EPEC)under both steady state and hydraulic jump induced flow conditions.Articulated Concrete Block revetment systems have documented performance improvement when a stone drainage layer is included under the blocks,which was initially discovered in the late 1990’s and has largely remained an unstudied area of ACB testing for the past 25 years.In 2010,testing of a tapered ACB system was conducted in which the length of the test section was increased from 12.2 m to 21.3 m with a 10.2 cm thick stone drainage layer resulting in no apparent issues with the movement of the drainage layer.In 2013,more flume testing was conducted on a tapered ACB system in which the test section was increased from 21.3 m to 30.5 m and the stone drainage layer was increased from 10.2 cm to 15.2 cm.The results of this test showed significant ACB block movement at the 0.91,1.22 and 1.62 m OT(overtopping depth)depths,in some instances exceeding 6.35 cm.In 2017,a 27.4 m test flume was constructed for a tapered ACB system(Shoretec EPEC)utilizing 15.2 cm of stone as a drainage layer with a 3-dimensional load platform added for stone stabilization.The results of this test run showed that,at 1.62 m of OT depth,ACB block movement was kept to under 16 mm in the vertical and hydraulic jump stability was attained up to the maximum discharge flow of 2.579 m3/s/m on a 2:1 slope.Using the new design data,graphs will be presented showing the new range of hydraulic conditions now suitable for ACB tapered revetment systems with a stabilized stone drainage layer.In addition,design criteria necessary for the successful deployment of the 3-dimensional transfer platform system will be presented.展开更多
基金supported in part by Key Scientific Research Projects of Colleges and Universities in Anhui Province(2022AH051921)Science Research Project of Bengbu University(2024YYX47pj,2024YYX48pj)+8 种基金Anhui Province Excellent Research and Innovation Team in Intelligent Manufacturing and Information Technology(2023AH052938)Big Data and Machine Learning Research Team(BBXYKYTDxj05)Funding Project for the Cultivation of Outstanding Talents in Colleges and Universities(gxyqZD2021135)the Key Scientific Research Projects of Anhui Provincial Department of Education(2022AH051376)Start Up Funds for Scientific Research of High-Level Talents of Bengbu University(BBXY2020KYQD02)Scientific Research and Development Fund of Suzhou University(2021fzjj29)Research on Grain Logistics Data Processing and Safety Issues(ALAQ202401017)the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization(SKLTOF20220131)funded by the Ongoing Research Funding Program(ORF-2025-102),King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘With the advancements of the next-generation communication networking and Internet ofThings(IoT)technologies,a variety of computation-intensive applications(e.g.,autonomous driving and face recognition)have emerged.The execution of these IoT applications demands a lot of computing resources.Nevertheless,terminal devices(TDs)usually do not have sufficient computing resources to process these applications.Offloading IoT applications to be processed by mobile edge computing(MEC)servers with more computing resources provides a promising way to address this issue.While a significant number of works have studied task offloading,only a few of them have considered the security issue.This study investigates the problem of spectrum allocation and security-sensitive task offloading in an MEC system.Dynamic voltage scaling(DVS)technology is applied by TDs to reduce energy consumption and computing time.To guarantee data security during task offloading,we use AES cryptographic technique.The studied problem is formulated as an optimization problem and solved by our proposed efficient offloading scheme.The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can reduce system cost while guaranteeing data security.
基金support from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS)KAKENHI(Grant Nos.JP23H03864 and JP24K01315)JST CREST(Grant No.JPMJCR2011)+1 种基金Y.Sasaki thanks JSPS KAKENHI(Grant No.JP24K17667)JST PRESTO(JPMJPR23H2).
文摘Polythiophenes(PTs)with flexible backbones possess inherent polymer behaviors,including molecular wire effects and dynamic structural changes inπ-conjugated systems.The chemical sensing at the functionalized side chains can manipulate such polymer characteristics,resulting in various optical patterns depending on the analyte structures and their concentrations.The unique optical patterns derived from polymer properties contribute to group categorization over a wide concentration range for pattern recognition.This review aims to provide a concise overview of the potential of PT chemosensor arrays using actual sensing examples in environmental monitoring,medical diagnostics,and food analysis.Furthermore,this review summarizes the methodologies that use polymer gels to realize practical chemosensor array chips for onsite analysis.
文摘Mpox,formerly known as monkeypox,is a viral zoonotic disease endemic to Central and West Africa that has posed significant public health challenges since its identification in 1970.Despite decades of experience in managing outbreaks,the 2022-2024 Mpox outbreaks exposed substantial gaps in global preparedness and response,leading the World Health Organization(WHO)to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC)in 2022.The resurgence of cases in Europe in 2022 and the more recent emergence of the virulent clade Ib in the Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC)in 2024 have highlighted a critical need for improved proactive and response strategies to curb the epidemic.This narrative review examines the historical and recent epidemiology of Mpox in Africa and explores the factors that have limited effective management.These include objective influences such as viral mutations,zoonotic transmission patterns,and environmental changes like deforestation,as well as subjective factors,including delayed responses,limited vaccine availability,cessation of smallpox vaccinations,and inequitable access to healthcare.In particular,the review emphasizes the ongoing disparities in global health equity,as wealthier nations have been able to secure vaccines and therapeutics quickly,while endemic regions in Africa continue to struggle with limited resources.The review also discusses how socio-economic and cultural factors,combined with weak public health infrastructure and inadequate surveillance systems,perpetuate cycles of outbreak in vulnerable populations.Furthermore,the emergence of clade Ib in 2024,with its higher virulence and mortality rates among children,particularly in rural areas,underscores the urgency of addressing the evolving epidemiological landscape of Mpox.In response to these challenges,this review recommends strengthening healthcare infrastructure,enhancing surveillance systems,ensuring equitable access to vaccines and treatments,and integrating environmental management into public health strategies.Global collaboration remains essential to provide African countries with the resources and support needed to manage and prevent future outbreaks effectively.Without these measures,the world risks a prolonged public health crisis with far-reaching consequences for both Africa and the global community.
基金Supported by(in part)Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology,Japan,No.25293076,No.26860492,No.25860520 and No.24390183(to Otsuka M,Kishikawa T,Yoshikawa T and Koike K)Health Sciences Research Grants of The Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare of Japan(to Koike K)+2 种基金Japanese Society of Gastroenterology,Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research,and Honjo International Scholarship Foundation(to Otsuka M)Mishima Kaiun Memorial Foundation(to Ohno M)The Japan Prize Foundation and Tokyo Biomarker Innovation Research Association(to Kishikawa T)
文摘Pancreatic cancer remains difficult to treat and has a high mortality rate.It is difficult to diagnose early mainly due to the lack of screening imaging modalities and specific biomarkers.Consequently,it is important to develop biomarkers that enable the detection of early stage tumors.Emerging evidence is accumulating that tumor cells release substantial amounts of RNA into the bloodstream that strongly resist RNases in the blood and are present at sufficient levels for quantitative analyses.These circulating RNAs are upregulated in the serum and plasma of cancer patients,including those with pancreatic cancer,compared with healthy controls.The majority of RNA biomarker studies have assessed circulating microRNAs(miRs),which are often tissue-specific.There are few reports of the tumorspecific upregulation of other types of small noncoding RNAs(ncRNAs),such as small nucleolar RNAs and Piwi-interacting RNAs.Long ncRNAs(IncRNAs),such as HOTAIR and MALAT1,in the serum/plasma of pancreatic cancer patients have also been reported as diagnostic and prognostic markers.Among tissuederived RNAs,some miRs show increased expression even in pre-cancerous tissues,and their expression profiles may allow for the discrimination between a chronic inflammatory state and carcinoma.Additionally,some miRs and IncRNAs have been reported with significant alterations in expression according to disease progression,and they may thus represent potential candidate diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers that may be used to evaluate patients once detection methods in peripheral blood are well established.Furthermore,recent innovations in high-throughput sequencing techniques have enabled the discovery of unannotated tumor-associated ncRNAs and tumor-specific alternative splicing as novel and specific biomarkers of cancers.Although much work is required to clarify the release mechanism,origin of tumor-specific circulating RNAs,and selectivity of carrier complexes,and technical advances must also be achieved,such as creating a consensus normalization protocol for quantitative data analysis,circulating RNAs are largely unexplored and might represent novel clinical biomarkers.
基金Supported by Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology,Japan,Nos.#25293076,#26860492,#25860520,and#24390183(to Otsuka M,Kishikawa T,Yoshikawa T and Koike K)by Health Sciences Research Grants of The Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare of Japan(to Koike K)+1 种基金by grants from the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology,Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research,and Honjo International Scholarship Foundation(to Otsuka M)by a grant from the Mishima Kaiun Memorial Foundation(to Ohno M)
文摘Micro RNAs(mi RNAs) are small,noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally,targeting thousands of messenger RNAs. Long noncoding RNAs(lnc RNAs),another class of noncoding RNAs,have been determined to be also involved in transcription regulation and translation of target genes. Since deregulated expression levels or functions of miR NAs and lncR NAs in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) are frequently observed,clinical use of noncoding RNAs for novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the management of HCCs is highly and emergently e xpe c t e d. H e r e,we s ummar iz e r e c e nt f indings regarding deregulated mi RNAs and lnc RNAs for their potential clinical use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of HCC. Specifically,we emphasize the deregulated expression levels of such noncoding RNAs in patients' sera as noninvasive biomarkers,a field that requires urgent improvement in the clinical surveillance of HCC. Since nucleotide-based strategies are being applied to clinical therapeutics,we further summarize clinical and preclinical trials using oligonucleotides involving the use of miR NAs and small interfering RNAs against HCC as novel therapeutics. Finally,we discuss current open questions,which must be clarified in the near future for realistic clinical applications of these new strategies.
文摘There are two types of human pluripotent stem cells: Embryonic stem cells(ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs),both of which launched themselves on clinical trials after having taken measures to overcome problems: Blocking rejections by immunosuppressants regarding ESCs and minimizing the risk of tumorigenicity by depleting exogenous gene components regarding iP SCs.It is generally assumed that clinical applications of human pluripotent stem cells should be limited to those cases where there are no alternative measures for treatments because of the risk in transplanting those cells to living bodies.Regarding lifestyle diseases,we have already several therapeutic options,and thus,development of human pluripotent stem cell-based therapeutics tends to be avoided.Nevertheless,human pluripotent stem cells can contribute to the development of new therapeutics in this field.As we will show,there is a case where only a short-term presence of human pluripotent stem-derived cells can exert long-term therapeutic effects even after they are rejected.In those cases,immunologically rejections of ESC-or allogenic iP SC-derived cells may produce beneficial outcomes by nullifying the risk of tumorigenesis without deterioration of therapeutic effects.Another utility of human pluripotent stem cells is the provision of an innovative tool for drug discovery that are otherwise unavailable.For example,clinical specimens of human classical brown adipocytes(BAs),which has been attracting a great deal of attention as a new target of drug discovery for the treatment of metabolic disorders,are unobtainable from living individuals due to scarcity,fragility and ethical problems.However,BA can easily be produced from human pluripotent stem cells.In this review,we will contemplate potential contribution of human pluripotent stem cells to therapeutic development for lifestyle diseases.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31671119 and 31871090)the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (JCYJ20160428164440255, JCYJ20170413162938668, JCYJ20170818155056369, and JCYJ20170307170742519)+3 种基金the Shenzhen Discipline Construction Project for Neurobiology (DRCSM [2016]1379)the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI (JP18K08494) the Japan Science and Technology Agency PRESTO (JPMJPR1784)the Ono Medical Research Foundation, and the Novartis Foundation (Japan) for the Promotion of Science
文摘A central objective in deciphering the nervous system in health and disease is to define the connections of neurons. The propensity of neurotropic viruses to spread among synaptically-linked neurons makes them ideal for mapping neural circuits. So far, several classes of viral neuronal tracers have become available and provide a powerful toolbox for delineating neural networks. In this paper, we review the recent developments of neurotropic viral tracers and highlight their unique properties in revealing patterns of neuronal connections.
基金financially supported by a Grantin-Aid for Young Scientists (A) (No. 15H05548) of JapanJST PRESTO of Japan (No. JPMJPR17R4)the Program to Support Research Activities of Female Researchers in Osaka Prefecture University in Japan
文摘In this study, we introduced the temperaturedependent formation phases and crystallographic parameters of hot-pressed silver gallium telluride AgGaTe2 and copper gallium telluride CuGaTe2 with chalcopyrite structure from 300 to 800 K. These two compounds are potential thermoelectric materials in the intermediate temperature range; however, the temperature-dependent formation phases and crystallographic parameters of hotpressed samples have not yet been analyzed in detail. The crystal structure analysis based on synchrotron X-ray diffraction （SXRD） measurements clarifies that impurity phases such as Te and Ag2Te in the AgGaTe2 matrix and Te and CuTe in the CuGaTe2 matrix appear at some temperature regions above 300 K. The existence of such impurity phases could be correlated with the increases of the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of the samples after multiple measurement cycles of the temperature-dependent transport properties from 300 to 800 K. The tetragonal lattice parameters a and c, tetragonal lattice volume, thermal expansion coefficients, tetragonal distortion, anion displacement parameter, and isotropic displacement parameter of the hot-pressed AgGaTe2 and CuGaTe2 were also analyzed. These crystallographic parameters are expected to substantially affect the thermoelectric properties of AgGaTe2 and CuGaTe2. Our results provide prospect of the long-term high-temperature stability and clues of the detailed analysis on the transport properties of hot-pressed AgGaTe2 and CuGaTe2, which should aid their development for thermoelectric applications.
文摘A large number of 3D models are created on computers and available for networks. Some content-based retrieval technologies are indispensable to find out particular data from such anonymous datasets. Though several shape retrieval technologies have been developed, little attention has been given to the points on human＇s sense and impression （as known as Kansei） in the conventional techniques, In this paper, the authors propose a novel method of shape retrieval based on shape impression of human＇s Kansei. The key to the method is the Gaussian curvature distribution from 3D models as features for shape retrieval. Then it classifies the 3D models by extracted feature and measures similarity among models in storage.
基金Supported by A Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of HealthLabour and Welfare of Japan+2 种基金No.KHD1017by that from JSTPRESTO
文摘AIM: To identify kinases involved in phenotype regulation of vascular endothelial cells(VECs): Proproliferative G-protein signaling 5(RGS5)^(high)(typeⅠ) vs anti-proliferative RGS5^(low)(typeⅡ) VECs.METHODS: Proteomic kinase assays were performed to identify the crucial kinase involved in the phenotype regulation of human VECs using typeⅠ VECs, which promotes the proliferation of human vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs), and typeⅡ VECs, which suppress the proliferation of human VSMCs. The assays were performed using multiple pairs of typeⅠ and typeⅡ VECs to obtain the least number of candidates. The involvement of the candidate kinases was verified by evaluating the effects of their specific inhibitors on the phenotype regulation of human VECs as well as the expression levels of regulator of RGS5, which is the causative gene for the "typeⅡ to typeⅠ" phenotype conversion of human VECs. RESULTS: p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38α MAPK) was the only kinase that showed distinctive activities between typeⅠ and typeⅡ VECs: p38α MAPK activities were low and high in type-Ⅰand typeⅡ VECs, respectively. We found that an enforced expression of RGS5 indeed lowered p38α MAPK activitiesin typeⅡ VECs. Furthermore, treatments with a p38α MAPK inhibitor nullified the anti-proliferative potential in typeⅡ VECs. Interestingly, MAPK inhibitor treatments enhanced the induction of RGS5 gene. Thus, there is a vicious cycle between "RGS5 induction" and "p38α MAPK inhibition", which can explain the unidirectional process in the stress-induced "typeⅡ to typeⅠ" conversions of human VECs. To understand the upstream signaling of RGS5, which is known as an inhibitory molecule against the G protein-coupled receptor(GPCR)-mediated signaling, we examined the effects of RGS5 overexpression on the signaling events from sphingosine-1-phosphate(S1P) to N-cadherin, because S1 P receptors belong to the GPCR family gene and N-cadherin, one of their downstream effectors, is reportedly involved in the regulation of VEC-VSMC interactions. We found that RGS5 specifically bound with S1P1. Moreover, N-cadherin localization at intercellular junctions in typeⅡ VECs was abolished by "RGS5 overexpression" and "p38α MAPK inhibition".CONCLUSION: p38α MAPK plays crucial roles in "type-Ⅰ vs type-Ⅱ" phenotype regulations of human VECs at the downstream of RGS5.
文摘Especially in recent years, deep learning has become a very effective tool for object identification. However, in general, the automatic object identification tends not to work well on ambiguous, amorphous objects such as vegetation. In this study, we developed a simple but effective approach to identify ambiguous objects and applied the method to several moss species. The technique called chopped picture method, where teacher images are systematically dissected into numerous small squares. As a result, the model correctly classified 3 moss species and “non-moss” objects in test images with accuracy more than 90%. Using this approach will help progress in computer vision studies for various ambiguous objects.
基金partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(KAKENHI)from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS)(grant number 19H05332)。
文摘Heat treatment of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)has provided a wide variety of functional carbons coordinated with metal compounds.In this study,two kinds of zinc-based MOF(ZMOF),C_(16)H_(10)O_(4)Zn(ZMOF1)and C_(8)H_(4)O_(4)Zn(ZMOF2),were prepared.ZMOF1 and ZMOF2 were carbonized at 1000℃,forming CZMOF1 and CZMOF2,respectively.The specific surface area(S_(BET))of CZMOF2 was~2700 m^(2)g^(−1),much higher than that of CZMOF1(~1300 m^(2)g^(−1)).A supercapacitor electrode based on CZMOF2 achieved specific capacitances of 360,278,and 221 F g^(−1)at 50,250,and 1000 mA g^(−1)in an aqueous electrolyte(H2SO_(4)),respectively,the highest values reported to date for ZMOF-derived electrodes under identical conditions.The practical applicability of the CZMOF-based supercapacitor was verified in non-aqueous electrolytes.The initial capacitance retention was 78%after 100000 charge/discharge cycles at 10 A g^(−1).Crucially,the high capacitance of CZMOF2 arises from pore generation during carbonization.Below 1000℃,pore generation is dominated by the Zn/C ratio of ZMOFs,as carbon atoms reduce the zinc oxides formed during carbonization.Above 1000℃,a high O/C ratio becomes essential for pore generation because the oxygen functional groups are pyrolyzed.These findings will provide insightful information for other metal-based MOFderived multifunctional carbons.
基金Supported by Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of HealthLabour and Welfare of Japan(KHD1017)+1 种基金by that from JSTPRESTO
文摘AIM:To verify in vivo relevance of the categorization of human vascular endothelial cells(VECs)into type-I(proproliferative)and type-II(anti-proliferative).METHODS:Endothelial layers of murine femoral arteries were removed by wire injury(WI)operation,a common technique to induce arteriostenosis.Type-I and type-II VECs produced from human induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs),whose characters were previously determined by their effects on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in in vitro co-culture experiments,were mixed with Matrigel?Matrix.The mixtures were injected into subcutaneous spaces around WI-operated femoral arteries for the transplanted human iPSC-derived VECs(iPSdECs)to take a route to the luminal surface via vasa vasorum,a nutrient microvessel for larger arteries.Histologies of the femoral arteries were examined over time.The presence of human iPSdECs was checked by immunostaining studies using an antibody that specifically recognizes human VECs.Degrees of stenosis of the femoral arteries were calculated after three weeks.To determine the optimal experimental condition,xenotransplantation experiments were performed under various conditions using immunocompromised mice as well as immunocompetent mice with or without administration of immunosuppressants.RESULTS:Because immunocompromised mice showed unexpected resistance to WI-induced arteriostenosis,we performed xenotransplantation experiments using immunocompetent mice along with immunosuppressant administrations.After one week,luminal surfaces of the WI-operated arteries were completely covered by human iPSdECs,showing the efficacy of our novel transplantation technique.After three weeks,type-IiPSdECs-transplanted arteries underwent total stenosis,while type-II-iPSdECs-transplanted arteries remained intact.However,untransplanted arteries of immunosuppressant-treated mice also remained intact by unknown reasons.We found that transplanted human VECs had already been replaced by murine endothelial cells by this time,indicating that a transient existence of human type-II-iPSdECs on arterial luminal surfaces can sufficiently prevent the development of stenosis.Thus,we re-performed xenotransplantation experiments using immunocompetent mice without administrating immunosuppressants and found that arteriostenosis was accelerated or prevented by transplantation of type-I or type-II iPSdECs,respectively.Similar results were obtained from the experiments using human embryonic stem cell-derived VECs at early passages(i.e.,type-II)and late passages(i.e.,type-I).CONCLUSION:Pro-and anti-stenosis capacities of type-I and type-II human iPSdECs were verified,respectively,promising a therapeutic application of allogenic iPSdECs.
基金Supported by A Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of HealthLabour and Welfare of Japan(KHD1017)a Grant-in-Aid from JST and PRESTO
文摘AIM: To integrally understand the effects of human vascular endothelial cells(VECs) on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs).METHODS: Various kinds of human VECs of different origins were co-cultured with human aortic smooth muscle cells, a representative of human VSMCs. To exclude the irrelevant effects due to growth competition between VECs and VSMCs, the proliferation of VECs had previously been arrested via a low-dose gamma rayirradiation. To discriminately analyze the proliferation of VSMCs from that of VECs, the former cells were labeled with red fluorescent dye while the latter cells were labeled with green fluorescent dye before performing coculture experiments. After 4 d, total cells were harvested and subjected to flow cytometric analyses. Decrements in red fluorescence intensities due to proliferationmediated dilutions were measured and mathematically processed using a specific software to quantitatively evaluate the proliferation of VSMCs. The findings obtained from the flow cytometry-based analyses were further validated by microscopic observations. RESULTS: Commercially available primary cultured human VECs exclusively promoted VSMC proliferation regardless of their tissue origins and we termed these pro-proliferative VECs as "typeⅠ". By contrast, VECs freshly generated from human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitors cells or human pluripotent stem cells including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells suppressed VSMC proliferation and we termed these anti-proliferative VECs as "typeⅡ". Repetitive subcultures as well as oxidative stress induced "type Ⅱ VECs to typeⅠ" conversion along with an induction of Regulator of G-protein signaling 5(RGS5)Compatibly, anti-oxidant treatments suppressed both the subculture-dependent "typeⅡ to typeⅠ" conversion and an induction of RGS5 gene. Immunostaining studies of clinical specimens indicated that RGS5 protein expressions in endothelial layers were low in norma arteries but they were up-regulated in pathologica arteries including hypertension, atherosclerosis and autoimmune vasculitis in a dose-dependent manner Overexpression and knockdown of RGS5 caused that"typeⅡ to typeⅠ" and "typeⅠ to type Ⅱ" phenotype conversions of VECs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Human VECs are categorized into two types: pro-proliferative RGS5^(high) VECs(typeⅠ) and antiproliferative RGS5 ^(low) VECs(typeⅡ).
基金This study was partially funded by the“Collaboration Research Program of IDEAS”,Chubu University(IDEAS 201603 and IDEAS201702)the CREST Program“Knowledge Discovery by Constructing AgriBigData”(JPMJCR1512)the SICORP Program“Data Science-based Farming Support System for Sustainable Crop Production under Climatic Change”of the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
文摘In orchards, measuring crown characteristics is essential for monitoring the dynamics of tree growth and optimizing farm management. However, it lacks a rapid and reliable method of extracting the features of trees with an irregular crown shape such as trained peach trees. Here, we propose an efficient method of segmenting the individual trees and measuring the crown width and crown projection area (CPA) of peach trees with time-series information, based on gathered images. The images of peach trees were collected by unmanned aerial vehicles in an orchard in Okayama, Japan, and then the digital surface model was generated by using a Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multi-View Stereo (MVS) based software. After individual trees were identified through the use of an adaptive threshold and marker-controlled watershed segmentation in the digital surface model, the crown widths and CPA were calculated, and the accuracy was evaluated against manual delineation and field measurement, respectively. Taking manual delineation of 12 trees as reference, the root-mean-square errors of the proposed method were 0.08 m (R^(2) = 0.99) and 0.15 m (R^(2) = 0.93) for the two orthogonal crown widths, and 3.87 m2 for CPA (R^(2) = 0.89), while those taking field measurement of 44 trees as reference were 0.47 m (R^(2) = 0.91), 0.51 m (R^(2) = 0.74), and 4.96 m2 (R^(2) = 0.88). The change of growth rate of CPA showed that the peach trees grew faster from May to July than from July to September, with a wide variation in relative growth rates among trees. Not only can this method save labour by replacing field measurement, but also it can allow farmers to monitor the growth of orchard trees dynamically.
文摘A new approach using a low-energy electron beam radiation system was investigated to synthesize carbon hybrid structures in amorphous carbon thin films. Two types of amorphous carbon films, which were 15at% iron containing film and with column/inter-column structures, were deposited onto Si substrates by a sputtering technique and subsequently exposed to an electron shower of which the energy and dose rate were much smaller compared to an intense electron beam used in a transmission electron microscopy. As a result of the low-energy and low-dose electron irradiation process, graphitic structures formed in amorphous matrix at a relatively low temperature up to 450 K. Hybrid carbon thin films containing onion-like structures in an amorphous carbon matrix were synthesized by dynamic structural modification of iron containing amorphous carbon thin films. It was found that the graphitization progressed more in the electron irradiation than in annealing at 773 K, and it was attributed to thermal and catalytic effects which are strongly related to grain growth of metal clusters. On the other hand, a reversal of TEM image contrast was observed in a-C films with column/inter-column structures. It is presumed that preferable graphitization occurred in the inter-column regions induced by electron irradiation.
文摘Loss of apico-basal polarity is one of the crucial factors that drives epithelial tumor progression, scribbleldiscs largellethal giant larvae （scrib/dlg/lgl）, a group of apico-basal polarity genes, were initially identified as members of ＂neoplastic＂ tumor-suppressors in flies. The components of the Hippo signaling pathway, which is crucial for organ size control and cancer development, were also identified through Drosophila genetic screens as members of ＂hyperplastic＂ tumor-suppressors. Accumulating evidence in recent studies implies that these two tumor-suppressor signaling pathways are not mutually exclusive but rather cooperatively act to give rise to highly malignant tumors. The interaction of these tumor-suppressor pathways could include deregulations of actin cytoskeleton, cell-cell contact, and apical-domain size of
文摘This paper will document and discuss the results of full scale flume testing of a tapered ACB(articulating concrete block)system utilizing a stabilized stone drainage layer(Shoretec EPEC)under both steady state and hydraulic jump induced flow conditions.Articulated Concrete Block revetment systems have documented performance improvement when a stone drainage layer is included under the blocks,which was initially discovered in the late 1990’s and has largely remained an unstudied area of ACB testing for the past 25 years.In 2010,testing of a tapered ACB system was conducted in which the length of the test section was increased from 12.2 m to 21.3 m with a 10.2 cm thick stone drainage layer resulting in no apparent issues with the movement of the drainage layer.In 2013,more flume testing was conducted on a tapered ACB system in which the test section was increased from 21.3 m to 30.5 m and the stone drainage layer was increased from 10.2 cm to 15.2 cm.The results of this test showed significant ACB block movement at the 0.91,1.22 and 1.62 m OT(overtopping depth)depths,in some instances exceeding 6.35 cm.In 2017,a 27.4 m test flume was constructed for a tapered ACB system(Shoretec EPEC)utilizing 15.2 cm of stone as a drainage layer with a 3-dimensional load platform added for stone stabilization.The results of this test run showed that,at 1.62 m of OT depth,ACB block movement was kept to under 16 mm in the vertical and hydraulic jump stability was attained up to the maximum discharge flow of 2.579 m3/s/m on a 2:1 slope.Using the new design data,graphs will be presented showing the new range of hydraulic conditions now suitable for ACB tapered revetment systems with a stabilized stone drainage layer.In addition,design criteria necessary for the successful deployment of the 3-dimensional transfer platform system will be presented.
