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Purpose: To evaluate real-world evidence for young Japanese patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) by retrospectively examining surgical procedures and clinical outcomes in the Japan Clinical Retina Study group., Methods: This was a multicentre retrospective study of the medical records of 562 young patients (384 males and 178 females; mean age: 33.0 ± 11.8 years) who had been diagnosed with RRD and who underwent surgical procedures in participating centres during the period between April 2013 and August 2016., Results: The selected surgeries were scleral buckling (SB) for 295 eyes (49.7%) and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for 262 eyes (44.1%). Between the two surgical procedures, there was no significant difference in the primary anatomical reattachment rate (PARR, SB = 92.2%, PPV = 93.9%); improvements in vision were noted in both groups. The incidences of proliferative vitreoretinopathy and cataract formation within 1 year of PPV were 2.3% (p = 0.0047) and 6.5% (p = 0.0005), whereas they were 0% and 1.0% in the SB group, respectively., Conclusion: Scleral buckling (SB) and PPV were chosen with almost equal frequency for young patients with RRD. Clinical outcomes for SB and PPV exhibited a similar PARR. The incidence of cataract formation after PPV may constitute an important limitation of the procedure., (© 2019 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

• Provide a state-of-the-art review of buckling restrained braces (BRBs). • Discuss the development and classifications of BRBs. • Outline the advantages and limitations of the various types of BRBs. • Explore some innovative applications of BRBs in earthquake-resistant design of buildings. As an earthquake-resistant structural element, buckling-restrained brace (BRB) not only adds strength and stiffness but provides excellent energy absorption capability to a structure. Since its inception in the late 1980s, BRB has been the subject of research by many researchers. Different types of BRBs have been proposed for use to address miscellaneous structural requirements by researchers and practitioners primarily in Japan, U.S. and China. Research is continuing toward the development of BRBs that are more efficient, compact, lightweight, less expensive to fabricate and easier to install. This paper summarizes the development of BRBs in the past few decades including their history, classifications, applications and scientific research. A discussion on the advantages offered by different types of BRBs and some insights into the future prospects for BRBs are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: To determine the preoperative ocular factors and surgical methods that led to best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) or scleral buckling (SB) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD)., Methods: This was a prospective, nationwide, multicentre, observational study. Data from the Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society registry from 2016 to 2017 were used to determine the association between preoperative clinical factors, surgical procedures and postoperative BCVA at 6 months. Japanese individuals >40 years of age were included. Eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy were included. The primary outcome was the percentage of eyes that achieved 20/25 vision., Results: Of the 3219 registered cases, 2192 met the inclusion criteria (344 SB, 1738 PPV, 110 PPV+SB). Cases with preoperative BCVA (≤0 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units) had good postoperative BCVA (OR=3.97, CI 2.87 to 5.51). Older age (>70 years), low intraocular pressure (<10 mm Hg), high myopia (<-5 dioptres), multiple retinal breaks (>4), giant retinal tear (>90°), wide retinal detachment (>3 quadrants) and macula-off detachment were associated with less probability of postoperative 20/25 vision (OR=0.39, 0.64, 0.62, 0.60, 0.12, 0.51 and 0.36, respectively). Postoperative BCVA was 0.03±0.23 and 0.10±0.32 logMAR units after SB and PPV, respectively. The percentage of cases that achieved 20/25 vision was not significantly different after PPV or SB if cases that had concurrent cataract surgery were excluded (p=0.251)., Conclusions: Better BCVA in patients with RRD who had undergone PPV was observed. However, if concurrent cataract surgery is not performed, BCVA will be comparable with either PPV or SB., Competing Interests: Competing interests: TB reports personal fees from Bayer Yakuhin, personal fees from Kowa, personal fees from Santen, personal fees from Senju, grants and personal fees from Novartis Pharma KK, personal fees from Alcon Japan, outside the submitted work. RK reports personal fees and other from Topcon, grants and personal fees from Senju, grants and personal fees from Novartis Pharma KK, grants from Pfizer, grants and personal fees from Bayer Yakuhin, personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Takeda, personal fees from Kowa, personal fees from Novo Nordisk, personal fees from Astellas, personal fees from Santen, personal fees from Nitto Medic, personal fees from Office Future, personal fees from Predictive Analytics, personal fees from MICIN, outside the submitted work. KY reports personal fees from Bayer Yakuhin, personal fees from HOYA Corporation, personal fees from Novartis Pharma KK, personal fees from Alcon Japan, personal fees from RE Medical, outside the submitted work. TK reports personal fees from Santen, personal fees from Bayer Yakuhin, personal fees from Novartis Pharma KK, personal fees from HOYA Corporation, personal fees from Ellex, personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from Kowa, personal fees from Senju, outside the submitted work. KN reports personal fees from Santen, personal fees from RE Medical, personal fees from Carl Zeiss, personal fees from Alcon Japan, personal fees from Novartis Pharma KK, personal fees from Kowa, personal fees from Johnson & Johnson, personal fees from Senju, personal fees from Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, personal fees from HOYA Corporation, outside the submitted work. SY reports grants and personal fees from Santen, grants and personal fees from Jamecs, personal fees from HOYA Corporation, personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from Senju, personal fees from Alcon Japan, personal fees from Nidek, personal fees from Kowa, personal fees from Bayer Yakuhin, outside the submitted work. TS reports personal fees from Bayer Yakuhin, personal fees from HOYA Corporation, personal fees from Novartis Pharma KK, personal fees from Alcon Japan, personal fees from RE Medical, personal fees from Santen, personal fees from Senju, outside the submitted work., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The present study assessed the Bailey Bridge's condition and investigated its adaptation as a permanent structure, targeted the Acrow Bailey Bridge in Japan. Field diagnostic loading experiments were performed under various loading conditions, such as dynamic and static loading tests. The onsite data were obtained using a transducer, friction strain gauge, target measurements for the image processing approach, and accelerometer. From the field measurements, the deflection and stresses of the bridge were found to operate within the linear elastic region. The bridge was then accurately modeled based on the in situ geometric configuration of the bridge, and Finite Element Analysis was performed. The model's accuracy was validated with the onsite data under the linear elastic domain. The model was deployed to check for resistance of critical members. A nonlinear analysis based on the linear and nonlinear buckling method was performed to determine the subject bridge's Serviceability Limit State and Ultimate Limit State. The results showed that the first out-of-plane eigenvalue buckling analysis could monolithically assess bridge members. Further, the study established digital twin models resolve for historical data through in situ modeling measurements. Therefore, the findings obtained in this study highlight the bridge's Structural Health Condition, bearing capacity, and propose a framework for adaptation as a permanent structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have been operating ten RF cavities loaded with magnetic alloy (MA) cores with a high field gradient of more than 20kV/m in Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) 3GeV Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) since September 2007. During 3 years operation, we detected three times the impedance reductions of RF cavities resulting from the buckling of MA cores. To find out the origin of the MA core buckling, we evaluated the thermal stress inside the MA cores in operation and studied the relationship between the MA core buckling and core structure. We figured out that the MA core buckling was caused by the thermal stress that was enhanced due to the impregnation with low viscosity epoxy resin. We improved the MA cores without the low viscosity epoxy resin impregnation and replaced all the cores in one RF cavity with them in March 2010. Up to now we operated the RF cavity loaded with the improved MA cores for 1500h, it showed no impedance reduction and no buckling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To evaluate the association between the duration of macular detachment (DMD) and visual prognosis in patients with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD)., Design: Prospective observational cohort study., Participants: This study analyzed 719 eyes with macula-off rhegmatogenous RD registered with the Japan-Retinal Detachment Registry created by the Japan Retina and Vitreous Society., Methods: We included patients with macular detachment without a history of prior surgery, except cataract surgery and vitrectomy. Reoperation cases, hereditary RD, and macular hole RD were excluded. We compared the visual prognosis between patients with DMD of N days or less and those with DMD of N + 1 days or more (N = 2-5). For these 4 comparisons, the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) methodology was employed, to balance 20 baseline characteristics between the shorter and longer DMD groups. The baseline characteristics included age, sex, axial length, baseline visual acuity, operative procedures, and detailed characteristics of RD. P-values < 0.01 were considered statistically significant., Main Outcome Measures: The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 6 months after surgery., Results: The final analysis included 719 eyes. For all comparisons, the patients' backgrounds were well balanced after IPTW with standardized differences < 0.10. The IPTW regression analysis revealed that the BCVA after 6 months was significantly better after surgeries for DMD of ≤ 2 days than that for DMD of ≥ 3 days. Similarly, the 6-month BCVA for surgeries for DMD of ≤ 3 days was significantly better than that for surgeries for DMD of ≥ 4 days (differences in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution: -0.113, P = 9.1 × 10 -7 ; -0.076, P = 1.6 × 10 -3 , respectively). On the other hand, there were no statistically significant differences for the other comparisons., Conclusions: Earlier surgical treatment within 3 days from the onset of macular detachment should be considered, after accounting for social circumstances, such as weekends., Financial Disclosure(s): The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article., (Copyright © 2023 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the incidence, patient background, and postoperative prognosis of implantable collamer lens (ICL) dislocation. We retrospectively reviewed all cases of ICL dislocation at four major refractive surgery centers in Japan until December 2019. The incidence, patient background, cause of dislocation, complications of repositioning surgery, and postoperative visual function were investigated. Seven ICL dislocations [0.072% of total ICL-implanted eyes (9775 eyes)] occurred at an average of 28.6 months (11–82 months) postoperatively. All patients were male. Five eyes were injured during sports activities, one due to a fall from a bicycle, and another due to ocular blunt trauma caused by a mortuary tablet. Two patients had re-dislocation in the same eye. Retinal detachment occurred after repositioning surgery in one patient, and scleral buckling surgery was performed without ICL removal. ICL dislocation is a rare complication of ICL surgery; repositioning surgery is effective, but retinal complications may occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of retinal detachment (RD) and compare the outcomes of surgical interventions, such as scleral buckling (SB), pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), or PPV combined with SB, conducted on holidays and on workdays to determine the optimal surgical timing for primary RD treatment in clinical practice., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Methods: The cohort included 3178 patients with primary RD registered in the Japan Retinal Detachment Registry between February 2016 and March 2017. Surgery data were divided into holiday and workday groups. A descriptive analysis of primary RD characteristics was performed, and the outcomes for each surgical intervention were assessed. The primary outcome was anatomical failure at 6 months post-surgery classified as follows: level 1, inoperable state; level 2, anatomical recovery with silicone-oil use; and level 3, additional surgery required for RD repair., Results: The holiday group comprised 108 and the workday, 3070 cases of primary RD. Compared with those in the workday group, surgery in the holiday group took longer (PPV, P < 0.0001; SB, P = 0.047) and was performed by less experienced surgeons (P = 0.014). However, there were no statistically significant differences in surgical failure 6 months post-surgery between the workday and holiday groups., Conclusion: Although surgery conducted on holidays and workdays was not significantly different in terms of outcome, some surgery should be postponed with proper preoperative interim measures to limit RD progress until it can be conducted on workdays by a well-prepared team., (© 2022. Japanese Ophthalmological Society.)

Buckling Restrained Bracings (BRBs) are widely used to improve the seismic behavior of buildings. They are employed for bridges as well, but their application in this respect is limited. BRBs can also be used as a function of the individual damper rather than the structural component or the bracing, in which case the device may be called a Buckling Restrained Damper (BRD). Yet, such application has not been explored much. There are quite a few bridges designed according to the old design codes in Japan. Their seismic resistance may not be satisfactory for the current seismic design codes. Against this background, the behavior of a steel truss bridge under a large seismic load was investigated by nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis. Some members were indeed found to be damaged in the earthquake. Retrofitting is needed. To this end, the application of BRD was tried in the present study: a parametric study on the seismic behavior of the truss bridge with BRD was conducted by changing the length, the cross-sectional area, the location and the inclination of BRD. The effectiveness of BRD was then discussed based on the numerical results thus obtained. In all the analyses, ABAQUS was used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of surgeon-related factors on the surgical outcome of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and scleral buckling (SB) surgery on eyes with a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). This was a nationwide, multicenter, observational study of the data in the Japan-RD Registry. Registered cases that had undergone surgery for a RRD by 128 accredited surgeons in 26 institutions were studied. The surgeon-related factors that significantly affected surgical success and visual outcomes of simple RRD treated by PPV or SB at 6 months postoperatively were analyzed and compared. Among 3446 registered cases, 2533 cases met the inclusion criteria with 1896 in the PPV group and 637 cases in the SB group. The median total number of lifetime cases was 150 and the rate of surgeries/year was 22. Multivariate regression analyses showed that the number and rate of surgeries/year were not significantly associated with the surgical outcome in the PPV group. However, surgeons with a higher average annual number of surgeries had significantly better surgical outcomes in the SB group (P = 0.038). Analyses of a nationwide registry showed that SB but not PPV surgeries require sufficient experience and case numbers to acquire and maintain skills to treat RRDs successfully., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: We clarified recent trends in vitreoretinal surgery in Japan, which is a rapidly aging country., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Methods: We used the Diagnostic Procedure Combination database (2010-2017), a national inpatient database in Japan. Patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery were included. We measured the number of surgeries stratified by procedures, diagnoses, age categories, and combined cases of cataract surgery per fiscal year. We also considered changes in the Japanese population., Results: From 2010 to 2017, the total number of vitreoretinal surgeries per fiscal year increased by 7.8% (from 36,988 to 39,873). Among the diagnoses categories, epiretinal membrane (ERM) increased by 71%, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) by 50%, and macular hole (MH) by 12% throughout the observed period. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) decreased by 20%, RRD with scleral buckling (SB) by 40%, and vitreous hemorrhage (VH) by 10%. We observed remarkable increases in ERM among patients in their 60s and 70s, in MH in their 70s and 80s, and in RRD with PPV in their 50s and 60s. We observed remarkable decreases in RRD with SB in patients in their 20s-70s, in DR in their 60s, and in VH in their 60s and 70s. These findings did not change greatly when population changes were considered. All age groups from the 30 to 80s showed significant increases in the proportions of combined vitreoretinal and cataract surgery., Conclusion: The total number of cases of vitreoretinal surgery per fiscal year increased throughout the period. The increases in ERM and RRD with PPV and the decreases in DR and RRD with SB were remarkable.

In the last ten years, Chile and Japan have experienced several subduction earthquakes that lasted for extended periods of time. These occurrences have emphasized the need for a thorough examination of how the duration of ground motion impacts the performance of the components of the lateral load resisting system. In the present study, three large‐scale experiments were conducted on the wide‐flange brace member to evaluate the seismic vulnerability of the braces under the hazard consistent loading protocol. The loading sequences consider in the study are standard symmetric cyclic loading sequences, collapse‐consistent loading sequences representing subduction zone tension dominated and collapse‐consistent loading sequences representing subduction zone compression dominated. The subassemblage test‐set‐up was taken in the study to consider the effect of the end‐protect zone on the seismic assessments of the brace members. The evolution of strain at the mid‐section of the brace member is observed to be higher in case of the standard loading sequences as compared to the subduction zone loading sequences. The post yielding stiffness and the collapse resistance of the brace member under the subduction zone earthquake are present. The damage state of the open section brace member and evolution of the local bucking at the mid of the brace member were discussed. It is observed that open section delays the accumulation of strain at brace member and delay the fracture initiation. The ductility of the different brace members is compared to highlight the influence of the cross‐section properties of the brace on the ductility of the braced system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-period ground motions observed in recent subduction-zone earthquake events (e.g., 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan) have subjected high-rise buildings to large numbers of lateral cyclic deformations. Concrete-filled steel tube (CFT) columns, which are often utilized in high-rise buildings in Japan, have been studied under lateral demands with a few loading cycles. However, their seismic performance under a larger number of repeated loading cycles is a considerable concern for future seismic events. Moreover, the use of ultra-high-strength steel materials in CFT columns has recently gained popularity. However, studies on CFT columns made using ultra-high-strength steel materials are still limited. In this study, the seismic performance of CFT columns made using conventional steel or ultra-high-strength steel were investigated experimentally under repeated lateral loading cycles. Four cantilever CFT column specimens were tested with a combined constant compressive axial loading and cyclic symmetric lateral loading. Each specimen was tested with two different lateral loading protocols: the conventional protocol with two cycles at each drift amplitude level, and a second protocol with twenty cycles at each amplitude level to represent the lateral drift demand under a long-period ground motion. The effects of the number of loading cycles on the seismic performance of the CFT columns are discussed. Based on the experimental observations, design recommendations are also presented. Moreover, an approach is proposed to estimate the onset of local buckling of the CFT columns under seismic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigates the ultimate behavior of slender base-isolated buildings caused by buckling fracture in laminated rubber bearings through the use of shaking table tests in Japan. It mentions that the practical use of base isolation which is a structural technology is on the 1980s which was effectively recognize since the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake. It states that the shaking table test was performed with unidirectional input during the occurrence of fracture in the bearings. The result of the study shows that the buckling behavior of the bearings can be expressed in the large deformation range through the proposed model, time history response analysis.

Purpose: To determine the early efficacy of scleral buckling for active neovascularization by fundus fluorescein angiography (FA) in eyes with stage 4A retinopathy of prematurity. Design: A retrospective, nonrandomized, observational case series. Methods: Patients who underwent scleral buckling for stage 4A ROP at the National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan, from October 2007 through November 2008 were included. Preoperative and postoperative FA and fundus photographs obtained with a wide-field digital pediatric imaging system were reviewed. Three patients (5 eyes; gestational ages at birth, 23 to 25 weeks; birth weights, 574 to 811 g) with zone II stage 4A ROP who underwent postoperative FA, 2 weeks or less after scleral buckling (range, 7 to 12 days; postmenstrual ages at postoperative FA, 41 to 45 weeks) were evaluated. Patients who underwent postoperative FA 2 weeks or more after scleral buckling were excluded. Results: Despite fluorescein leakage from fibrovascular tissue in all eyes before surgery, markedly decreased leakage occurred only between 7 to 12 days after surgery. The retinas were reattached completely in all eyes after surgery. Conclusions: Scleral buckling may prevent progression of retinal detachment in stage 4A ROP by reducing the tractional force and stabilizing the neovascular activity of the fibrovascular tissue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Review of provisions for seismic qualification of BRBs prescribed in various codes. • BRB core strain (JP) is a more practical way to specify the deformation amplitudes. • The AISC (US) loading protocol specifies the largest target deformation amplitude. • Requirement of minimum cumulative inelastic deformation in JP code is the most severe. • EN 15129 (EU) loading protocol imposed the largest cumulative inelastic demands. • Two new loading protocols for qualification of BRBs with enhanced requirements. The paper presents a research on testing protocols for seismic performance assessment and qualification of buckling-restrained braces (BRBs). The purpose of the study was to propose new loading protocols that consider the most demanding performance requirements available worldwide. In this study, the loading protocols for qualification testing of BRBs prescribed in the codes of four countries/regions, United States, Europe, China, and Japan, plus a non-official Canadian loading protocol, were consulted. The review focused on the background and characteristics, such as the maximum deformation amplitude, deformation range, and number of cycles, of each loading sequence. Then, a database composed of 35 BRB specimens, selected from 16 past experimental studies, was compiled to perform a series of simulations of quasi-static cyclic tests of BRBs under the five different loading histories. The OpenSees platform was used to carry out the modeling, calibration, and analyses. The demands imposed to BRBs were evaluated in terms of cumulative inelastic deformation and cumulative dissipated energy. In addition, the cumulative distribution of the hysteretic energy was defined as a parameter for the assessment of the amplitude-growth rule of the loading protocols. Based on the code review and analyses results, a series of criteria were established and two new loading protocols, GLP-1 and GLP-2, were proposed. Results demonstrated that both proposed loading histories impose superior cumulative inelastic demands and showed a good agreement with the reference cumulative distribution of the hysteretic energy. Thus, they are recommended as loading protocols for BRB qualification testing with global applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A computational study was conducted to examine the seismic performance of steel moment‐resisting frames (MRFs) provided with chevron concentric braces. Such steel systems are widely used for buildings in Japan. Nonlinear finite‐element‐method models were validated against data and observations from previously tested chevron‐braced MRF specimens. The validated models were used to conduct a parametric study to understand how the cyclic‐loading performance of chevron‐braced MRFs may be affected by the torsional and translational restraint of the beam intersected by braces, the relative strength of the beam with respect to the braces, and the type of bracing connection. The results suggest that the lack of bracing of the beam intersected by braces may not be detrimental to the global hysteretic behavior of the structural system, although out‐of‐plane buckling of the braces can cause severe inelastic lateral‐torsional deformation of the beam. The torsional moment delivered by the braces was evaluated for the unfavorable arrangement where the bracing connections are rigid, and the braces are oriented to buckle out of the plane. A design procedure was examined that can account for the dependency of the energy dissipation mechanism on the cyclic loading history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the causes of macular serous retinal detachment without hemorrhage at the macula in patients 40 years and older., Methods: Seventy-one eyes of 71 consecutive Japanese patients 40 years and older with the disease were examined using optical coherence tomography, digital simultaneous fluorescein and indocyanine green angiographies with a confocal laser scanning system., Results: Of 71 eyes, 17 eyes (24%) had central serous chorioretinopathy, including three eyes with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy, 40 eyes (56%) had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), 10 eyes (14%) had occult choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration, one had Harada disease, and another had retinal macroaneurysms. In two eyes, the diagnosis could not be established because of difficulty differentiating among chronic central serous chorioretinopathy, PCV, and occult choroidal neovascularization. Thirty-eight of 59 (64%) eyes of patients in the sixth decade of life and older had PCV., Conclusions: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy is a primary cause of macular serous retinal detachment without hemorrhage in Japanese patients over 50 years of age. Since clinical and fluorescein angiographic findings are indistinguishable among central serous chorioretinopathy, PCV, and occult choroidal neovascularization, indocyanine green angiography might help to establish a more definitive diagnosis.

Purpose: Epidemiological and clinical study of retinal detachment associated with atopic dermatitis., Methods: A multicenter retrospective study., Results: We analyzed the records of 417 eyes of 348 patients operated on during 5 years from 1989 to 1993 and followed up for more than 6 months by vitreo-retinal specialists in 33 hospitals throughout Japan. The number of eyes operated on increased yearly from 42 in 1989 to 132 in 1993. These cases associated with atopic dermatitis were 2.3% of the average number of eyes operated on for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment during the same period, but when restricted to the Kanto area or further to Tokyo only, the percentage was as high as 3.8% and 4.7%, respectively., Conclusion: Clinical characteristics of retinal detachment previously reported, such as traumatic slapping or rubbing of the lids by patients as the most likely pathogenetic factor, and high incidence of cataract and proliferative vitreoretinopathy, were confirmed. The primary surgical procedure was scleral buckling in 78% of the cases and vitreous surgery in 22%, and initial and final reattachment rates were 75.3% and 92.6%, respectively.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of a 1-year treatment with either alendronate or risedronate on the proximal femoral geometry among Japanese women with osteoporosis by hip structure analysis. Postmenopausal women who had taken at least 90% of their prescription for alendronate (35 mg/week, 94 patients) or risedronate (17.5 mg/week, 181 patients) for 1 year were retrospectively analyzed. In the alendronate treatment group, bone mineral density (BMD), cross-sectional area (CSA), section modulus and average cortex significantly increased by 0.81, 1.35, 2.23 and 0.97% at the narrow neck and increased by 2.19, 2.28, 2.85 and 1.11% at the intertrochanteric, respectively. Buckling ratio at the intertrochanteric significantly decreased by 2.50%. The CSA, section modulus and average cortex at the shaft significantly increased at 1 year. In the risedronate treatment group, the CSA, section modulus and average cortex at the narrow neck significantly increased by 0.80, 0.95 and 0.89%, respectively. BMD, CSA, section modulus, and average cortex at the intertrochanteric significantly increased by 1.61, 0.88, 2.05 and 0.79%, respectively, and buckling ratio significantly decreased by 1.53%. BMD, CSA, section modulus, and average cortex at the shaft significantly increased. The percent change of section modulus was significantly correlated with that of BMD, CSA and average cortex and negatively correlated with that of buckling ratio at all regions in both treatment groups. Statistically significant differences between the alendronate and risedronate groups were seen for section modulus in the narrow neck and CSA in the intertrochanteric. In conclusion, Japanese osteoporotic women treated by either alendronate or risedronate showed significant improvements of geometry in proximal femur within 1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of 2-year treatment with raloxifene on the proximal femoral geometry among Japanese patients with osteoporosis by hip structure analysis. One hundred ninety-eight community-dwelling postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were enrolled. The structural variables were areal bone mineral density (BMD), cross-sectional area (CSA), section modulus (index of resistance to bending forces), and buckling ratio (index of cortical instability). BMD, CSA, and section modulus at the narrow neck significantly increased by 1.27, 2.67, and 3.90% at 2 years, respectively. BMD, CSA, and section modulus at the intertrochanter significantly increased by 2.55, 4.49, and 6.60% at study termination, respectively. The buckling ratio at the intertrochanter decreased by 2.36% at 1 year, but differences at 2 years became non-significant. Parameters at the shaft were qualitatively similar to those of the narrow neck and intertrochanter. The percent change of the section modulus was significantly higher than that of BMD at 2 years in all three regions. The percent changes of the section modulus is strongly correlated with the percent changes of BMD and CSA, and negative correlated with the percent changes of buckling ratio in all regions. In conclusion, Japanese osteoporotic women on raloxifene therapy have significant improvements of both BMD and geometry in the proximal femur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation has been conducted to examine the effect of gravity loads on the seismic responses of the doubly asymmetric, three-dimensional structures comprising walls and frames. The proposed model includes the P-Δ effects induced by the building weight. Based on the variational approach, a 3D finite element with two nodes and six DOF per node including P-Δ effects is formulated. Dynamic and static governing equations are derived for dynamic and buckling analyzes of buildings braced by wall-frame systems. The influences of P-Δ effects and height of the building on tip displacements under Hachinohe earthquake record are investigated through many structural examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Database of 79 steel-encased precast concrete pile tests collected. • Bending capacity checked by stress distribution and strain compatibility methods. • Validated numerical model includes high-strength concrete and steel pipe buckling. • Model reproduces curvature, moment, drift and hysteresis behavior. • Effect of hollow core on concrete confinement, and buckling are important factors. The use of steel-encased precast concrete (SC) piles has risen rapidly for the construction of earthquake-resilient foundation systems for buildings in Japan and Southeast Asia. SC piles are used near the pile-pile cap connection owing to their increased ductility, and resistance against large bending moments and axial forces, compared to the other precast concrete piles. However, there are no official guidelines available for the design of SC piles in severe earthquakes, except for a proposed draft by the AIJ committee for the determination of bending capacities. In this work, a database of 79 tests on SC piles, all tested under axial-flexural loads, was created. The bending capacities obtained from these tests were used to verify the provisions of the proposed draft and the provisions for composite member design in AIJ, Eurocode 4 and, AISC. Furthermore, a distributed plasticity formulation was adopted to develop a non-linear static model, that takes into account the concrete confinement and local buckling of steel casing, for prediction of moment and drift capacities. The accuracy of the model was verified against various experiments, and the capability to reproduce the moment-drift relations was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space structures are generally light and rich in redundancy. These two characteristics caused this assumption for a while that these structures are aseismic. However, some events like Kobe 1995 earthquake, Japan, showed that although the space structures are safer than ordinary structures, but are not aseismic. Alot of research based on the seismic behavior of the space structures are carried out since then [1, 2, 3 and 4], however few of the is lead to practical results. Sadeghi in 2004 have established some formula for assessing the equivalent static earthquake action on the double layer barrel vaults. In the current work, those formulae are considered in the design of six double layer barrel vaults with different rise to span ratios and support conditions. Then the seismic behavior of these double layer barrel vaults are compared with corresponding barrel vaults which are designed without considering the seismic actions. To do this, the finite element package of ANSYS is utilized. The results show that these formulae are practically useful and versatile and application of them on the barrel vaults improves the structures' seismic safety significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: An efficient component model has been developed that captures strength and stiffness deterioration of steel hollow structural section (HSS) columns. The proposed model consists of two fiber‐based segments at a member's ends along with an elastic segment in between. The fibers exhibit nonlinear uniaxial stress–strain behavior, which is explicitly defined by uniaxial monotonic tensile and cyclic round coupon tests. The postbuckling behavior of an HSS column is traced through a proposed uniaxial effective stress–strain constitutive formulation, which includes a softening branch in compression and an energy‐based deterioration rule to trace the influence of cyclic deterioration in the inelastic cyclic straining. These may be inferred by uniaxial stub‐column tests. The component model captures the coupling between the column axial force and flexural demands. Consistent model parameters for a number of steel materials used in the steel construction in North America and Japan are proposed along with the associated model calibration process. The efficiency of the proposed model in predicting the hysteretic behavior of HSS columns is demonstrated by comparisons with physical steel column tests subjected to various loading histories, including representative ones of ratcheting prior to earthquake‐induced collapse. The proposed model is implemented in an open‐source finite element software for nonlinear response history analysis of frame structures. The effectiveness of the proposed model in simulating dynamic instability of steel frame buildings is demonstrated through nonlinear response simulations of a four‐story steel frame building, which was tested at full‐scale through collapse. Limitations as well as suggestions for future work are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lap splices and bar cutoffs introduce reinforcement discontinuities in reinforced concrete structures. A two-step approach was used to investigate the effect of longitudinal reinforcement discontinuities on the seismic performance of reinforced concrete structural walls. In the first step, six cyclic tests on small-scale reinforced concrete structural walls were conducted to study the effect of bar cutoffs. Three of the six specimens had web longitudinal reinforcement cutoffs to simulate the effects of a retrofit practice used in Japan. The test results indicated that this discontinuity resulted in approximately 50% increase in the unit tensile strains in the longitudinal reinforcing bars in boundary elements. Larger unit tensile strains caused an increase in permanent strain accumulation, increasing the likelihood of bar buckling. In the second step, the mentioned test results were combined with test results from previous tests (that investigated discontinuities related to lap splices) to calibrate equations for estimating drift capacity of structural walls with and without reinforcement discontinuities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, a monopile is the most commonly used foundation type for offshore wind turbines. Existing connections between the monopile (MP) and transition piece (TP) are generally bolts or grout, but another new method is the slip joint. In this method, the joints between the MP and TP are conically shaped and are simply joined together, which is expected to improve workability and reduce maintenance and management costs. In order to apply this structure in Japan, it is necessary to verify its seismic resistance. This paper reports the results of shaking table tests using a scaled specimen to verify the structural safety of the structure against earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overturning accidents involving jacks, movable cranes and pile driving machines during construction have often occurred in Japan. In this article, a theoretical study is made by assuming that structural stability, like buckling, is related to a fundamental cause. Overturning mechanisms can be categorized as: (1) the overturning moment exceeds the resisting moment; (2) the load exceeds the critical load; and (3) the deformation exceeds the stability limit. In order to study these three mechanisms, two structural analysis approaches, i.e. the moment approach and the stability approach, are applied. By the moment approach, mechanism (1) is explained by comparing the overturning moment with the resisting moment, which has been utilized mostly in past investigations. On the other hand, the stability approach is applied to cases of types (2) and (3), by which the overturning mechanism of movable heavy machines on soft ground can be rationally explained. On soft ground, theoretically even with no overturning moment there is a possibility that machines could overturn. This article investigates the fundamental cause of overturning accidents based not only on the overturning moment approach but mainly on the structural stability approach. By understanding the overturning mechanisms, further accidents may be prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cyclic tests were carried out on SHS columns under small amplitude loading. • Local buckling was observed in specimens subjected to small inelastic cycles. • Different deterioration behavior was found for cyclic small amplitude loading. • A stability limit representing the start of significant deterioration was proposed. • A method to predict the number of cycles until the stability limit was proposed. Structural components can be subjected to a limited number of cyclic large drifts during strong earthquakes (e.g., Northridge earthquake, 1994; Kobe earthquake, 1995), as well as many cyclic small amplitude loading during long-duration earthquake excitations (e.g., Tohoku earthquake, 2011). Traditional studies on cyclic behaviors of structural components mainly focused on large drifts and neglected small amplitude loading, rendering them inadequate to represent different seismic loading cases. Square hollow section (SHS) columns are widely used in low- and middle-rise steel building structures in Japan. The bottoms of the first story columns yield under severe earthquakes, even though the strong-column-weak-beam concept is adopted during building design. To better understand the deformation capacities and hysteretic behaviors of steel columns under cyclic small amplitude loading, tests on 26 SHS columns were carried out in this study. The width-to-thickness, axial force, shear span ratios, and loading history of the columns were the main test parameters. The loading histories consisted of monotonic loading, variable amplitude loading, and several constant small amplitude loadings. All specimens exhibited local buckling at the bottom of the columns. Under small amplitude loading, it was observed that the strength of the specimens deteriorated slightly within a certain number of cycles, while the restoring force decreased rapidly afterwards. The stability limit concept was proposed to represent the point when the column's strength starts to deteriorate rapidly; it is based on the axial deformation in the flange in the local buckling region. Accurate prediction methods for the stability limit values and the numbers of cycles until the stability limits were reached were also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of the study on thin walled steel portal frames, which are used in Japan as basic structural frames for motorway viaducts. A serious problem found in many such frames is the development of fatigue cracks at the beam to column connection. To act as a measure against the fatigue failure, in some cases a hole is provided at the beam-column connection of the frames. In this study, dynamic analysis using real earthquake data from 3 different earthquakes were carried out to examine the influence of such a hole on the global behavior of the frame and also on the local out of plane displacement around the location of the hole. Non-linear, large displacement analysis was performed using the FEM program MSC. Marc. The hole radius was varied and used as a parameter of study. The hole had significant effect on local out of plane displacement and global behavior, specifically when the radius of the hole was larger than 100mm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The failure mode of concrete columns in subway stations during seismic events can be affected by the dynamic fluctuation of the axial forces. This study conducted quasi-static tests with bidirectional loading on three scaled rectangular columns to investigate the influence of highly variable axial compression ratio (ACR). A detailed analysis was conducted of the impact of the highly variable ACR on the column failure mode, reinforcement strains, and hysteretic behavior, and the repairability assessment was discussed. Numerical analysis of the effect of ACR variations was carried out based on the experimental results. In these experiments, the failure modes of central columns in Dakai Station, Japan, during the Kobe earthquake were reproduced, and three columns exhibited compressive-bending-shear damage and compressive-bending damage. As the ACR varied up to three cycles during one horizontal loading cycle, the hysteresis curve of the columns exhibited notable asymmetry. Furthermore, with a large variation of ACR amplitude, the stirrups of the column were fractured due to excessive shear effects. The bearing capacity, energy dissipation, and stiffness degradation of the columns were significantly adversely affected. A reparability assessment of the columns, based on the distribution of reinforcement strains, residual displacements, and concrete damage, is proposed. The effects of varying frequency and amplitude of different vertical ACRs on the hysteretic behavior of columns were analyzed numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effects of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling on retinal attachment after a single surgery, and on postoperative visual acuity (VA) at 6 months, in eyes with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)., Study Design: Nationwide, multicenter retrospective cohort study., Methods: The Japan-RD Registry database was used for analysis of patients who had undergone vitrectomy for macula-off RRD complicated by PVR. Multivariate analysis was performed to detect prognostic factors for retinal attachment after a single surgery and for VA at 6 months postoperatively. Retinal attachment after a single surgery or VA at 6 months postoperatively was the objective variable; ILM peeling, preoperative VA, PVR grade, age, and intraocular pressure were explanatory variables., Results: Eighty-nine eyes met the inclusion criteria; ILM peeling was performed in 25 eyes (28%). Preoperative VA was significantly associated with retinal attachment, but ILM peeling did not (odds ratios = 2.1 and 1.3, respectively; p = 0.009 and 0.67, respectively). Poor preoperative VA and younger patient age were significantly associated with poor postoperative VA, but ILM peeling was not (β-values = 0.37, -0.008, and 0.15, respectively; p < 0.001, p = 0.02, and p = 0.15, respectively., Conclusions: Preoperative VA was a risk factor associated with retinal attachment. Preoperative VA and patient age were risk factors associated with postoperative poor VA. In eyes with macula-off RRD complicated by PVR, ILM peeling did not have a clear beneficial effect on anatomical and functional outcomes, suggesting that it may be unnecessary for eyes with this condition., (© 2023. Japanese Ophthalmological Society.)

Six full-scale specimens were tested to examine the cyclic-loading performance of steel moment connections between an I-section beam and I-section column. The specimens represented the current practice in Japan in materials, dimensions, detailing, and fabrication. Three of the specimens had the beam welded to the web of the column; the other three had the beam welded to the flange of the column. Some of the specimens had doubler plates welded to the column web. Regardless of the framing orientation, the specimens displayed similar strength and stiffness. All specimens met the performance requirement for special moment frames according to US seismic provisions except for one specimen, which had the beam welded to the column web, and which failed prematurely by fracture of the continuity plate. Yielding of the continuity plate was found to be an important factor that can lead to such failure. Therefore, by making the continuity plates stronger than the beam flanges, either by adopting a sufficiently strong steel or thicker plate, moment connections to the column web, fabricated according to the current Japanese practice, may behave very similarly to moment connections to the column flange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) after inciting events (eye trauma or intraocular surgery). Retrospective cohort study. Patients experiencing inciting events between 2012 and 2019. Onset of SO was defined as the first date of SO diagnosis. Using a nationwide administrative claims database in Japan, we calculated the cumulative incidence of SO after inciting events stratified by sex, 10-year age groups, and a categorical variable of primary or repeated, reflecting the history of inciting events in the past year (no inciting events, inciting events without trauma, or inciting events with trauma) using the Kaplan-Meier approach. We also estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) by Cox regression. We then restricted the population to those with only 1 inciting event during the observation period to investigate the pure effect of each inciting event. Cumulative incidence of SO over 60 months. A total of 888 041 inciting events (704 717 patients) were eligible. The total number of SO cases was 263, and the cumulative incidence of SO was 0.044% over 60 months. Female sex was not associated with onset of SO (aHR, 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79–1.29; P = 0.95). The group 40 to 49 years of age showed the highest incidence of 0.104% among the age groups (aHR vs. ≥80 years of age group [0.041%], 2.44 [95% CI, 1.56–3.80]; P < 0.001). Repeated inciting events with and without trauma showed higher incidences of SO (0.469% and 0.072%, respectively) than primary inciting events (0.036%) (aHR 11.68 [7.74–17.64] and 2.21 [95% CI, 1.59–3.07], respectively); P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). The incidence of SO after vitrectomy was much lower than after trauma (0.016% vs. 0.073%), and the incidence after scleral buckling was even lower. The cumulative incidence of SO over 60 months was estimated to be 0.044% at minimum. Repeated inciting events, especially those with trauma, increased the risk of SO developing. Trauma was 4 to 5 times as likely to induce SO than vitrectomy. The present findings will be valuable for counseling patients about the risks of SO after trauma and before performing intraocular surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Occupational musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in ophthalmic surgeons and can impact surgeons' well-being and productivity. Heads-up displays may reduce ergonomic stress compared to conventional microscopes. This cross-sectional, non-interventional study compared ergonomic experience between heads-up display and conventional ocular microscopes. Methods: The study protocol was approved by the independent ethics committee and nonprofit organization MINS Institutional Review Board. An online questionnaire was distributed to a sample of ophthalmic surgeons in Japan with experience operating with heads-up display. The questionnaire captured surgeon-specific variables, the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and custom questions to compare heads-up display and conventional microscope and understand long-term impacts of musculoskeletal disorders. Results: Analysis was conducted on responses from 67 surgeons with a mean 25 years of practice and 2.7 years using heads-up display. Many surgeons agreed or strongly agreed that heads-up display reduced the severity (40%) and frequency (40%) of pain and discomfort, improved posture (61%), and improved overall comfort (61%). Of respondents who experienced asthenopia (n = 59) or pain/discomfort during operation (n = 61), 54% reported improvement in asthenopia and 72% reported feeling less pain/discomfort since using heads-up display. Overall, 69% reported preference for heads-up display. Conclusion: This study provides novel data on musculoskeletal disorders and the long-term impacts of ergonomic strain reported by ophthalmologists building on existing literature demonstrating ergonomic and other advantages of heads-up display. Future studies with objective ergonomic assessment are warranted to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to present the demographic and clinical characteristics of sports-related pure (rim-sparing) orbital blowout fractures and to analyze these differences by type of sport. Ten years of sports-related orbital fracture data were accumulated. Patients were classified into similar sports (i.e., soccer and futsal) wherein orbital blowout fractures were obtained, producing 14 groups. This study included 377 sides from 374 patients. The majority of patients were male (83.4%), and the mean population age was 20.9 ± 10.8 years. The most common sports causing injuries were baseball/softball, rugby/football, and martial arts. Single-wall fractures were found in 78.8% of patients, but baseball/softball had a higher frequency of multiple-wall fractures (p = 0.035). Concomitant ocular and periocular injuries occurred in 18.6% of patients, which were frequently caused by baseball/softball (p < 0.001). The field of binocular single vision (BSV) included primary gaze in 84.2% of patients. Surgical management was conducted in 52.1% of patients. This study showed that baseball and softball had the highest rate of multi-wall fractures and concomitant ocular and periocular injuries. The field of BSV measured during the first examination was acceptable in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold-formed thin-walled steel residential building systems, because of their good environment protection, seismic performance, and high construction efficiency, have been widely used in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia, and recently, they also have had good application in China. Although a variety of studies have been carried out all over the world in the last 20 years, there is no related design code for this kind of building in China. For this reason, a series of research has been conducted in China recently, considering the consistency of standard systems in structural design in China and the newest development in the world. The contents of the paper can be divided into two parts. First, the major research works conducted by the authors over the last 5 years and the main findings are reviewed and summarized. Second, based on a Chinese professional standard, a brief summary of the design methods for cold-formed thin-walled steel framing residential buildings developed by the authors and other researchers in China is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To determine the factors associated with the development of amacular hole (MH) after successful rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery. Methods. Of 1260 eyes that underwent surgery for RRD between April 2005 and March 2010 in our hospital, the medical records of 4 cases from our hospital and one case from another hospital that had undergone RRD surgery and later developed MH were reviewed. This is a retrospective study. Results. 837 eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with or without scleral buckling (SB), and 423 eyes underwent SB. The four cases that developed MH had PPV alone and one case had PPV with SB. After including the results of three earlier reports, the mean interval for the MH to develop after SB alone was significantly shorter than after PPV alone or after PPV with SB. Conclusions. The SB procedures might accelerate the development of MH after RRD surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We analyzed 2,107 hip dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images from the Japanese Population-based Osteoporosis Study with the Hip Structure Analysis (HSA) program to obtain age-specific reference values of HSA indices for the Japanese female population. These references may help physicians accurately assess HSA results and aid researchers in making interracial comparisons of the indices. Introduction: Hip geometry is expected to improve hip fracture risk assessment, which is usually assessed by bone mineral density (BMD) alone. We aimed to establish a reference database for Japanese women. Methods: We studied 2,107 Japanese women (15-79 years old) with no history of bone metabolism-related diseases from the Japanese Population-based Osteoporosis Study performed in 1996. Hip geometry was conducted on DXA images with the HSA program, which yielded data for cross-sectional area (CSA), subperiosteal diameter (PD), endocortical diameter (ED), mean cortical thickness (CT), section modulus (SM), and buckling ratio at the narrow neck (NN), intertrochanter (IT), and femoral shaft (FS) regions. Mean HSA indices were determined for each 5-year age group after adjustment for height and weight based on most recent Japanese population values. Results: Age-related changes in HSA indices were evident for the 50-54 year group in the NN and IT regions and for the 55-59 year group in the FS region; these changes increased with age thereafter. Age-related changes in CSA and CT were almost identical to that of BMD. Japanese subjects exhibited BMD and CT values similar to those reported for US non-Hispanic white women, but had 16-23% smaller SM values. CSA and CT were highly correlated with conventional BMD, whereas ED, SM, and PD showed lower correlations. Conclusions: Age-specific reference values of HSA indices for the Japanese female population were obtained. This database will form the foundation for accurate HSA result evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From mathematical models of growth to computer simulations of pigmentation, the study of shell formation has given rise to an abundant number of models, working at various scales. Yet, attempts to combine those models have remained sparse, due to the challenge of combining categorically different approaches. In this paper, we propose a framework to streamline the process of combining the molecular and tissue scales of shell formation. We choose these levels as a proxy to link the genotype level, which is better described by molecular models, and the phenotype level, which is better described by tissue-level mechanics. We also show how to connect observations on shell populations to the approach, resulting in collections of molecular parameters that may be associated with different populations of real shell specimens. The approach is as follows: we use a Quality-Diversity algorithm, a type of black-box optimization algorithm, to explore the range of concentration profiles emerging as solutions of a molecular model, and that define growth patterns for the mechanical model. At the same time, the mechanical model is simulated over a wide range of growth patterns, resulting in a variety of spine shapes. While time-consuming, these steps only need to be performed once and then function as look-up tables. Actual pictures of shell spines can then be matched against the list of existing spine shapes, yielding a potential growth pattern which, in turn, gives us matching molecular parameters. The framework is modular, such that models can be easily swapped without changing the overall working of the method. As a demonstration of the approach, we solve specific molecular and mechanical models, adapted from available theoretical studies on molluscan shells, and apply the multiscale framework to evaluate the characteristics of spines from three distinct populations of Turbo sazae. Author summary: Connecting genotype to phenotype is a fundamental goal in developmental biology. While many studies examine this link in model organisms for which gene regulatory networks are well known, for non-model organisms, different techniques are required, and multiscale computational modeling offers a promising direction. In this paper, we develop a framework linking molecular-scale interactions to tissue-level growth and mechanics to organ-level characteristics in order to investigate spine formation in T. sazae, a species of mollusc that displays remarkable phenotypic plasticity in spine form. Our analysis uncovers a subtle but statistically significant difference in spine form between shell specimens collected from three different localities in Japan. Moreover, by tracing the difference in form through parametric differences in the multiscale framework, we provide mechanistic insight as to how environmental differences may translate to a change in form. The methodology we present may readily be extended to more detailed modeling of this system, and the conceptual framework is amenable for multiscale analysis in other systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epiretinal membrane (ERM) causes visual impairment such as reduction in visual acuity and metamorphopsia due to retinal traction. With the improvement of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and microincision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS), the surgery of ERM has significantly advanced. However, there have been no large-scale studies on the following: (1) how to evaluate visual impairment in ERM, (2) the relationship between OCT findings and visual function, (3) when is the optimal timing of surgery, and (4) the relationship between the surgical instruments as well as techniques and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to obtain evidence regarding these ERM surgeries. Methods and design: This is a prospective, multicenter cohort study of ERM surgery in Japan from March 1, 2023, to March 31, 2027 (UMIN000048472, R-3468-2). Patients who underwent ERM surgery during the study period and agreed to participate in this study will be included. The goal is to have a total of 5,000 eyes surgically treated for ERM. The following data will be collected: age, gender, medical history, subjective symptoms, visual function before and 6 and 12 months after surgery, clinical findings, OCT data, surgical technique, instruments used in surgery, and complications. Discussion: The results of this study will support the surgical decisions and procedures in ERM practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method for applying forging to high-density wood. A cylindrical container was formed using a closed die, and the appropriate conditions for temperature and punch length were evaluated. Ulin, which is a high-density wood, and Japanese cedar, which is a low-density wood and widely used in Japan, were used as test materials. The pressing directions were longitudinal and radial based on wood fiber orientation, and the shape and density of the resulting containers were evaluated. In the case of ulin, cracks decreased by increasing the temperature, while temperature had little effect on Japanese cedar. Containers without cracks were successfully formed by using a punch of appropriate length. The density of the containers was uniform in the punch length l = 20 and 40 mm in the L-directional pressing and l = 20 mm in the R-directional pressing when using ulin, with an average density of 1.34 g/cm3. This result indicates the forging ability of ulin is high compared to that of commonly used low-density woods. In summary, this paper investigated the appropriate parameters for forging with ulin. As a result, products of more uniform density than products made by cutting were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, resonance in high‐rise buildings due to long‐period ground motion, which induces large‐amplitude cyclic deformation of seismic dampers, has become a matter of significant concern. Performance requirements for seismic dampers that are installed in vibration‐controlled buildings have become more stringent, and durability against cyclic deformation has become essential. An Fe‐15Mn‐4Si‐10Cr‐8Ni alloy with enhanced low‐cycle fatigue resistance has been developed to produce steel seismic dampers that are durable against large‐amplitude cyclic deformations. We used this alloy to develop two types of fatigue‐resistant seismic dampers (shear panel and brace‐type) that counteract long‐period ground motion. Furthermore, cyclic loading tests were conducted to validate the deformation performance and fatigue resistance of the developed damper. The results indicated that these dampers exhibit significantly better fatigue life than conventional steel dampers and exhibit outstanding deformation performance and durability under low‐cycle fatigue. The proposed two types of dampers were installed on steel structure buildings in Japan. These dampers ensured that the buildings with seismic performance margins can withstand long‐period and long‐duration ground motion and repeated after‐quakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationship between contractional deformation of sedimentary mass in the upper crust and the geodetic strain rate in a high-strain zone (part of the Niigata–Kobe Tectonic Zone) of the mid-Niigata region, Central Japan. We observed numerous examples of layer-parallel slip (bedding-plane slip) generated by folding. The slip layers have an average spacing of ~ 3.6 m (measured normal to bedding planes) at the Katagai site. In shallow sedimentary units of the upper crust, numerous bedding-plane slip events act to reduce the mechanical strength (effective elastic thickness) of sedimentary rocks under contractional deformation. The results support an existing model, based on geodetic observations, of mechanical decoupling between the weak sedimentary layers and basement. On the layer-parallel slip, we measured the friction coefficient of gouge generated by bedding-plane slip and of mud around non-slip surfaces using double-direct shear tests, and found no difference in frictional coefficient between slip and non-slip surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an engineer, his grand thought, prominent works, and contribution to the advancement of spatial structures based on geometry and mechanism. He is Dr Mamoru Kawaguchi, who lived in Japan for almost 90 years from 1932 to 2019. In his life, he designed a large number of epoch-making structures in the field of spatial structures in Japan and worldwide. These encompass structures of wood, concrete, steel, fabrics, and even air and water. His approach for structural design is very strict and broad with respect to geometry and mechanism and with respect to design concept, analysis, construction, fail-safe, and control as same as an academician of philosophy. The structures of Yoyogi Swimming Pool for the Tokyo Olympic Games 1964, the Grand Roof of the Osaka World Exhibition 1970, Fuji Group Pavilion, Pantadome, Suspendome, and a jumbo fabric carp flying across the sky are introduced in this article in order to remember him and to highlight his grand thought and eminent spatial structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]