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This study proposes a navigation method of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) where low‐cost AUVs (child AUVs) estimate their self‐states including their position, yaw angle, and horizontal moving velocity accurately thanks to a single high‐performance AUV (parent AUV) without any external support. Since the child AUVs have only simple navigational sensors, positioning performance is not enough. The parent AUV, on the other hand, can conduct accurate self‐state estimation using high‐grade navigational sensors without any external support. The parent AUV supports the child AUVs through all processes of deployment, surveying, recovery, and surfacing. This study focuses on the accurate positioning method for the phase of the surveying. The child AUVs have acoustic devices for positioning and communication or cameras; hence, they build a parent‐centered wireless positioning and communication network and can also estimate their self‐states as accurately as the parent AUV, thanks to the positioning relative to the parent AUV. Field experiments with AUVs were conducted in a deep sea (hydrothermal vent field) and a shallow area. We confirmed that long‐range navigation could be achieved while keeping an accuracy that is 5–10 times greater than that achieved by the child AUV alone based on state estimation using sensor data from the experiments in postprocessing. The performance of the proposed system does not depend on the child AUV's performance. We also verified that the proposed method has a certain scalability and a high‐level performance in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and cost by a comparison with other existing navigation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RA) are used for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus worldwide. However, some patients do not respond well to the therapy, and caution must be taken for certain patients, including those with reduced insulin secretory capacity. Thus, it is clinically important to predict the efficacy of GLP‐1RA therapy. GLP‐1R‐targeted imaging has recently emerged to visualize and quantify β‐cells. We investigated whether GLP‐1R‐targeted imaging can predict the efficacy of GLP‐1RA treatment. Materials and Methods: We developed 111Indium‐labeled exendin‐4 derivative (111In‐Ex4) as a GLP‐1R‐targeting probe. Diabetic mice were selected from NONcNZO10/LtJ male mice that were fed for different durations with 11% fat chow. After 3‐week administration of dulaglutide as GLP‐1RA therapy, mice with non‐fasting blood glucose levels <300 mg/dL and >300 mg/dL were defined as responders and non‐responders, respectively. In addition, ex vivo111In‐Ex4 pancreatic accumulations (111In‐Ex4 pancreatic values) were examined. Results: The non‐fasting blood glucose levels after treatment were 172.5 ± 42.4 mg/dL in responders (n = 4) and 330.8 ± 20.7 mg/dL in non‐responders (n = 5), respectively. Ex vivo111In‐Ex4 pancreatic values showed significant correlations with post‐treatment glycohemoglobin and glucose area under curve during an oral glucose tolerance test (R2 = 0.76 and 0.80; P < 0.01 and <0.01, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic area under curve for identifying responders by ex vivo111In‐Ex4 pancreatic values was 1.00 (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Ex vivo111In‐Ex4 pancreatic values reflected dulaglutide efficacy, suggesting clinical possibilities for expanding GLP‐1R‐targeted imaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Human vascular senescence, which mainly occurs in media, is not completely understood. Here, we used proteomic approaches to investigate age‐associated changes in human aortic media with the goal of understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying vascular senescence. Method: Cryopreserved autopsy samples of aortic media from older‐aged (aged 70–100 years, n = 25), middle‐aged (aged 49–68 years, n = 24), and young (aged 21–39 years, n = 12) subjects were collected. We used two proteomic techniques, two‐dimensional differential gel electrophoresis and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation, and we subjected differentially‐expressed proteins among age groups to immunohistochemical analyses. Results: Proteomic analyses showed that the expression of lactadherin, which produces medin, was elevated in aortic media of older‐aged individuals. Immunohistochemical and Congo red staining showed that lactadherin and apolipoprotein E were deposited, and that amyloidosis was enhanced in older‐aged aortic media. Furthermore, the markers of oxidative damage (8‐hydroxy‐2'‐deoxyguanosine and 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal) were significantly elevated in aortic media of middle‐aged or older‐aged individuals. The immunohistochemical expression of anti‐oxidant proteins (thioredoxin and extracellular superoxide dismutase) was also high in middle‐aged and older‐aged groups. Oxidative damage might induce the disruption of smooth muscle cells, resulting in the decrement of α‐actin, a highly‐expressed protein in smooth muscle cells, and matrix remodeling, in which several proteins associated with extracellular matrix were altered with aging. Conclusions: Proteomic approaches showed that the elevated expression of lactadherin might contribute to amyloid deposition, enhancement of oxidative stress, induction of antioxidant proteins and matrix remodeling in older‐aged aortic media. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1054–1062. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY In recent years, the number of vehicles with automatic gap control (AGC) (e.g., adaptive cruise control) has increased with the development of vehicle control technology. AGC mainly helps to ease driver fatigue on highways. Vehicles equipped with AGC can maintain an appropriate distance between two vehicles. Therefore, the traffic flow can be improved by AGC-equipped vehicles. In this research, we develop a traffic flow model that considers AGC-equipped vehicles, and is based on the Nagel-Schreckenberg model, which is a probabilistic cellular automaton model. The Nagel-Schreckenberg model can reproduce the basic features of traffic flow. On analyzing the mathematical model for the traffic including AGC-equipped vehicles, we can obtain analytical solutions of the traffic flow and the average velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Living in a poor food environment and its association with an increased risk of inadequate nutrient intake are increasingly important issues in Japan due to an increase in the elderly population. Methods The present study examined the relationships between neighborhood food environment and the protein and fat intakes of elderly Japanese individuals ( n = 181) living in the metropolitan Tokyo suburb of Kisarazu. Results A logistic regression analysis adjusted for sociodemographic and shopping behavior variables revealed associations between subjectively evaluated poor neighborhood food environment and deficient protein intake. However, there was no significant association between excessive fat intake and neighborhood food environments. Conclusion The findings demonstrate that living in a poor neighborhood food environment, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in Japan and other developed countries, has the potential to result in malnutrition, or at least in a low-quality diet, in elderly populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This paper proposes a model for merging sections in transportation systems and then analyzes traffic flow under this model. For this analysis, vehicles are represented by an idealized model based on a Markov chain model. Vehicles arrive at the merging section randomly in either of two inflow lines. When a vehicle arrives at the merging section, if no vehicle is present in the other line, then the vehicle must wait in order to connect with another vehicle on the other line before entering. In this merging section model, the queue length is restricted according to the travel time from the origin to destination. The mean queue length and mean queuing delay at the two inflow lines are explicitly derived here. The relation between the maximum queue length and the behavior of traffic is examined, and the obtained results clarify some characteristics of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a transportation system, a merging control strategy is necessary to avoid collisions between vehicles at a merging section with entry lines. In this study, under the assumption that each entry line is assigned time-independent priority, we analyze traffic congestion with a stochastic model. A quantitative estimation of the congestion is successfully obtained in terms of the average queue length and the average queuing delay. On the basis of analytical results, we propose a control strategy that changes the priority periodically. Using simulation, it is clarified that the proposed control strategy gives arbitrary values of the queue length and the queuing delay on each line. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 95(8): 34-43, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (). DOI 10.1002/ecj.11374 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to discuss the behavior of traffic at merging sections for the design and realization of an automated guided vehicle system (AGVS). In this study, we deal with a merging section of the AGVS by considering the time limit for the merging of vehicles. Near the merging section, the traffic flow in one direction forms a queue to avoid collisions between vehicles. We present an improvement of the control strategy proposed in previous research. However, since it is difficult to analyze the mathematical model of the merging section, analysis can be performed only for the case in which the time limit is set to the least values. We also propose a method for analyzing the model for an arbitrary time limit by using a linear recurrence relation. We discuss quantitatively the influence of the time limit on the average queue length and the detour rate. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 178(1): 56-68, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (). DOI 10.1002/eej.21190 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane-bound proteases are involved in various regulatory functions. A previous report indicates that the N-terminal region of PH1510 (1510-N) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii is a serine protease with a catalytic Ser-Lys dyad (Ser97 and Lys138), and specifically cleaves the C-terminal hydrophobic region of the p-stomatin PH1S11. According to the crystal structure of the wild-type 1510-N in dimeric form, the active site around Ser97 is in a hydrophobic environment suitable for the hydrophobic substrates. This article reports the crystal structure of the K138A mutant of 1510-N at 2.3 Å resolution. The determined structure contains one molecule per asymmetric unit, but 1510-N is active in dimeric form. Two possible sets of dimer were found from the symmetry-related molecules. One dimer is almost the same as the wild- type 1510-N. Another dimer is probably in an inactive form. The L2 loop, which is disordered in the wild-type structure, is significantly kinked at around A-138 in the K138A mutant. Thus Lys138 probably has an important role on the conformation of L2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessment of the pathobiological determinants of atherosclerosis is crucial for a better understanding of cardiovascular events. Methods: The study was conducted in 178 autopsy cases of in-hospital death (104 men and 74 women; mean age, 81 years), for whom serum lipid values recorded during outpatient follow ups for chronic diseases were available. Severity of the atherosclerosis was semiquantitatively assessed in 10 arteries, and the correlations with age, sex, serum levels of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and the history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or smoking were evaluated. Results: The statistically significant risk factors differed between the genders and among the arterial systems. The effect of total cholesterol and HDL-C was more prominent in women than in men. The odds ratio of an elevated total cholesterol value (per 0.1 g/L) for coronary atherosclerosis was 1.56 (95% confidence interval, 1.25–1.95, P < 0.001) in women and 1.19 (1.07–1.33, P = 0.002) in men. Hypertension, but not serum lipid profiles, was significantly associated with cerebral atherosclerosis in both genders ( P < 0.05). Diabetes mellitus and smoking were associated with atherosclerosis in selected arteries. Conclusion: Dyslipidemia is a major determinant of atherosclerosis in the elderly, and control of dyslipidemia is still necessary in the elderly population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to determine standard organ weights among the elderly, because little has been reported on this subject. To analyze the human aging process in terms of organ weights, age-associated changes and correlations among organ weights and the contributions of age and nutrition to organ weights were also examined. The subjects included 1615 consecutive autopsy cases of patients aged 60–99 years who died between 1995 and 2003, and cases of 50 centenarians who died between 1973 and 2005. The weights of nine organs were measured before formalin fixation. If affected by serious diseases, such as cancer, the organs were excluded from the study. Values beyond 99% of the bilateral measurement limits were also excluded. In this manner the standard organ weights were obtained. The organ weights decreased significantly according to age in all organs except for the heart in men and the lungs in both genders. Undernutrition strongly contributed to organ weight except for the hypophysis, and was especially apparent in the heart and liver. In conclusion, the standard organ weights of elderly patients who died while hospitalized were determined. Undernutrition contributed significantly to a reduction in organ weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenal adenomatoid tumor (AT) is a recently recognized disease with marked male predominance. Herein is presented a case of adrenal AT incidentally found in a 30-year-old man and results of immunohistochemical examination of the tumor. The left adrenal gland, weighing 17 g, contained a mass measuring 3 × 2.5 × 2.5 cm in the cortical tissue. Cut surface showed a relatively well-circumscribed firm tumor with a white solid appearance. Histologically, the tumor had the typical appearance of AT described in the genital tract. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for calretinin, D2-40, WT1, mesothelial cell antigen, CA125, thrombomodulin, vimentin and cytokeratins (stained by AE1 + AE3, OV-TL 12/30, CAM5.2 and MNF116), and negative for endothelial markers (CD31, CD34 and factor VIII-related antigen) and CD56. CD56-positive adrenocortical cells were diffusely scattered in the tumor, especially in its periphery. Immunohistochemistry of estrogen, progesterone and androgen receptors was negative. These findings confirm mesothelial origin of the tumor and suggest that this tumor has little relation to sex hormone despite male predominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the merging section of the automated transit system which is a new transportation method. The behavior of the vehicle when the arrival rate of the vehicle of one of the lines varies is analyzed by the Marker chain technique. In past studies of the merging section, the case in which the arrival rate of the vehicle is kept constant in time is the one considered most of the time. When, however, some control is exerted on the vehicle traffic before the merging section, the arrival rate of the vehicle at the merging section will not be kept constant. This paper aims at a strategy considering the arrival rate variation of the vehicle and analyzes the situation in the merging section when the ensemble of the arrival from one of the lines exhibits a variation of the state as a Markov chain. To analyze the vehicle behavior in such a model for the merging section, the state variable is defined and formulated considering the elates of the ensemble of he arriving vehicle. From the analysis results, the effect of the variation of the vehicle arrival rate on the queueing delay through the merging section is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the merging section of an APM (automated people mover), which is an approach to the new traffic system. The behavior of the vehicles at the merging section is modeled, and the situation, when different strategies are adopted, is analyzed using the technique of Markov chain. An APM system is considered, where the vehicles in the system do not always run individually, but sometimes run in the form of a train. This paper attempts to point out the essential dependencies of the vehicle behavior on the control strategy. It is assumed that the vehicles arrive individually. The basic idea of the control strategy is that the individually incoming vehicles are connected at the merging section. Thus the vehicle capacity of the outgoing line from the merging section is equivalently increased. As the result of analysis, the relations among the arriving traffic of the vehicles in two incoming tines, the average waiting time of the vehicles in the individual lines, the average number of connected vehicles in a train, and the density of train operations are derived explicitly. The dependencies of the average waiting time of the vehicle and the outflow traffic density of the train on different control strategies are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a merging section of the Automated Guided Vehicle system under a time limit for merging. Near the merging section, one flow of traffic must form a queue to avoid collision of vehicles. The vehicle behavior is analyzed using approximate analysis with the Markov chain approach; the analysis is based on an idealized model. It is important to consider the behavior of traffic at merging sections in the design of the overall AGV system, and also in the realization of the system. We derive the average queue length and the average waiting time by using recurrence. The relationship between queuing delay and traffic density is examined. Therefore, we can make quantitative analysis of the behavior of traffic. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn 119(2): 36–45, 1997 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A control algorithm and a probability-theoretical traffic analysis of a grade-separated intersection model of the personal rapid transit (PRT) systems under the quasi-synchronous scheme is presented. At the intersection, vehicles diverge from the less preferential subline and merge into the preferential mainline. To realize efficient cell-assignment, this algorithm makes a slot-slipping decision before the diverge point and performs the actual slot-slipping after it is on the off line. Even a diverge-minded vehicle is forced to go straight (be adopted) when the number of maneuvering cells exceeds its limit and passes the intersection without the maneuver. The behavior of this algorithm under the random arrival assumption is formulated as a Markov chain, the analysis of which leads to the explicit expressions for the delay distribution, the average delay, and the abort rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article about accidental deaths in older people, which appeared in the previous issue.

The article discusses a case report of toxic epidermal necrolysis induced by leflunomide, an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory agent, in a 51-year-old woman. The patient has been using leflunomide for rheumatoid arthritis treatment. The principal adverse effects of leflunomide therapy include gastrointestinal symptoms, elevated liver enzymes, hypertension, headache, alopecia, and allergic cutaneous reaction.