Search

Background: Anisakis simplex (AS) is a parasite in seafood and this nematode is a known risk factor for gastro anisakiasis and dermatoses with itching, like urticaria and angioedema. Recently, Japanese cuisine received a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity designation. The number of people consuming raw fish is increasing around the world, and so too are diseases and dermatoses related to AS. We speculated that some cases of urticaria are due to AS allergy rather than being simple atopic dermatitis (AD) cases. In this study, we investigated the sensitization profile of specific IgE against AS in urticaria and AD. Object and methods: We investigated gender, age, score of specific IgE to AS, WBC and eosinophils in patients with urticaria, atopic dermatitis, or both diseases. Results: Our research produced the following interesting results: (1) more male than female patients had a positive score to AS; (2) the number of patients in their 50s and 60s with positive AS score was significantly higher than that for other ages; (3) there were a larger number of AD patients than urticaria patients with a positive score to AS. Conclusion: AS should be considered in some cases of AD. Determining IgE score to AS is useful for treatment of AD and urticaria, especially in older male patients with these diseases.

We studied the conductance of Au/1, 4-benzenedicarbothioamide (BDTA)/Au junctions at room temperature and measured a single-molecule conductance of BDTA. A carbothioamide (thioamide, –CSNH[2]) group of this molecule consists of two potential linkers, thioketone and amine groups, and would thus be expected to show high conductance. The experimental single-molecule conductance of BDTA is (0.8–1.0)×10[-3]G[0] which roughly compares with that of π-conjugated molecules. We consider that this relatively high conductance of Au/BDTA/Au is due to the homoconjugation of π-orbitals of benzene and sulfur while the amine group is likely to remain as a side group. We also observed that Au/BDTA/Au junctions can exist in multiple configurations of different conductances.

A conventional way to identify bridge frequencies is utilizing vibration data measured directly from the bridge. A drawback with this approach is that the deployment and maintenance of the vibration sensors are generally costly and time-consuming. One of the solutions is in a drive-by approach utilizing vehicle vibrations while the vehicle passes over the bridge. In this approach, however, the vehicle vibration includes the effect of road surface roughness, which makes it difficult to extract the bridge modal properties. This study aims to examine subtracting signals of two trailers towed by a vehicle to reduce the effect of road surface roughness. A simplified vehicle-bridge interaction model is used in the numerical simulation; the vehicle - trailer and bridge system are modeled as a coupled model. In addition, a laboratory experiment is carried out to verify results of the simulation and examine feasibility of the damage detection by the drive-by method.

Langerhans cells (LCs) capture irritant substances in the skin, and then LCs migrate to the lymph nodes for presenting antigens.For investigating this, we used mites antigen labeled with PKH26 dye in atopic model NC mice for patch testing. Thereadings of skin reactions were done at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 9, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours after the patch testing. At 24-, 48-, 72- and168-hour, some LCs expressed PKH26 dye were observed in the sinus, T-cell area and marginal area of the regional lymphnodes. The B-cell areas of these lymph nodes were shown as dark and round-shaped at the same time points. By electron microscopy, we found rod-shaped BGs (atypical granules) in the Golgi area of these lymph nodes. We recognized again andshowed that LCs with antigen migrate to the lymph nodes.

The RoboCup Middle-Size League (MSL) is one of the founding leagues of the annual RoboCup competition. Ever since its birth it has been a league where development of hard- and software happens simultaneously in a real-world decentralized multi-robot soccer setting. Over the years the MSL achieved scientific results in robust design of mechatronic systems, sensor-fusion, tracking, world modelling and distributed multi-agent coordination. Because of recent rule changes which actively stimulate passing, matches in RoboCup MSL have become increasingly appealing to a general audience. Approximately five thousand spectators were present during last years final match. In this paper we present our plan to build on this momentum to further boost scientific progress and to attract new teams to the league. We also give a historical overview and discuss the current state of the MSL competition in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

In this paper we discuss improvements in mechanical, electrical and software design, which we did to become RoboCup 2014 world champion. Regarding hardware and control our progress includes first steps towards improved passing accuracy via velocity feedback control on the shooting lever. In terms of intelligent gameplay we have worked on creating possibilities for in-game optimization of strategic decisions. Via qr-code detection we can pass coaching instructions to our robots and with a basic machine learning algorithm success and failure after free-kicks is taken into account. In the final part of this paper we briefly discuss progress we have made in designing a four-wheeled soccer robot with a suspension system.

Coordination is an important aspect of multi-agent teamwork. In the context of robot soccer in the RoboCup Standard Platform League, our focus is on the coach as an external observer of the team, aiming to provide his teammates with effective tactical advice during matches. The coach problem can be approached from different angles: in order to adapt the behaviour of his teammates, he should at first be able to perform plan recognition on their observable actions. Furthermore, in providing them with appropriate advice, he should still adhere to the norms and regulations of the match to prevent penalties for his team. Also, when teammates' profiles and attributes are unknown or the system is only partially observable, coordination should be more 'ad hoc' to ensure robustness of the Multi-Agent System (MAS). In this work, we present a formalization of the problem of designing a coach in robot soccer, employing a temporal deontic logical framework. The framework is based on agent organizations[10], in which social coordination and norms play an important part.

This paper describes MRESim, a multi-robot exploration simulator which aims to provide a middle ground between the RoboCup Agent and Virtual Robot competitions. A detailed description of this new infrastructure is provided, followed by examples and case studies of successful research outcomes arising from the use of MRESim. Our work on MRESim won the 2014 Infrastructure competition of the RoboCup Rescue Simulation League.

This study investigated how damage changes the modal parameters of a real bridge by means of a field experiment which was conducted on a real steel truss bridge consecutively subjected to four artificial damage scenarios. In the experiment, both the forced and free vibrations of the bridge were recorded, the former for identifying higher modes available exclusively and the latter for lower modes with higher resolution. Results show that modal parameters are little affected by damage causing low stress redistribution. Modal frequencies decrease as damage causing high stress redistribution is applied; such a change can be observed if the damage is at the non-nodal point of the corresponding mode shape. Mode shapes are distorted due to asymmetric damage; they show an amplification in the damaged side as damage is applied at the non-nodal point. Torsion modes become more dominant as damage is applied either asymmetrically or on an element against large design loads.