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Abstract With the continuous increase in carbon dioxide emissions due to human activities and the resulting severe climate issues, there is global concern about energy conservation and emission reduction. However, detailed data on energy consumption and emissions at a fine-grained scale, particularly regarding spatial dimensions and sector-specific emissions, remains insufficient and in need of refinement and timely updates. In Japan, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, there has been a significant shift from nuclear power generation to reliance on fossil fuels across various sectors, highlighting disparities in emissions data across different regions and industries. Our work extends the emissions time series for Japan’s 47 prefectures, incorporating their socioeconomic characteristics over a broader time frame and with a more detailed sectoral classification. The emissions inventory, covering the period from 1990 to 2020, is based on the consumption of the three main fossil fuels across 32 sectors, with emissions carefully allocated for regional power generation. This dataset, presented in a unified format, is expanded to include longer time scales and more detailed socioeconomic data. It is anticipated to offer crucial insights for establishing regional emission reduction targets and identifying sectoral priorities for decarbonization.

Abstract Background The effect of laparoscopic surgery on short-term outcomes in colorectal cancer patients over 90 years old has remained unclear. Methods We reviewed 87 colorectal cancer patients aged over 90 years who underwent surgery between 2016 and 2022. Patients were divided into an open surgery group (n = 22) and a laparoscopic surgery group (n = 65). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of laparoscopic surgery on postoperative outcome in elderly colorectal cancer patients, as compared to open surgery. Results Seventy-eight patients (89.7%) had comorbidities. Frequency of advanced T stage was lower with laparoscopic surgery (p = 0.021). Operation time was longer (open surgery 146 min vs. laparoscopic surgery 203 min; p = 0.002) and blood loss was less (105 mL vs. 20 mL, respectively; p

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) underscores the urgent need for innovative approaches to estimate their lithium-ion batteries’ state of health (SOH), which is crucial for ensuring safety and efficiency. This study introduces SOH-TEC, a transformer encoder-based model that processes raw time-series battery and vehicle-related data from a single EV trip to estimate the SOH. Unlike conventional methods that rely on lab-experimented battery cycle data, SOH-TEC utilizes real-world EV operation data, enhancing practical application. The model is trained and evaluated on a real-world dataset collected over nearly three years from three EVs. This dataset includes reliable SOH labels obtained through periodic constant-current full-discharge tests using a chassis dynamometer. Despite the challenges posed by noisy EV real-world data, the model shows high accuracy, with a mean absolute error of 0.72% and a root mean square error of 1.17%. Moreover, our proposed pre-training strategies with unlabeled data, particularly SOH ordinal comparison, significantly enhance the model’s performance; using only 50% of the labeled data achieves results nearly identical to those obtained with the full dataset. Self-attention map analysis reveals that the model primarily focuses on stationary or consistent driving periods to estimate SOH. While the study is constrained by a dataset featuring repetitive driving patterns, it highlights the significant potential of transformer for SOH estimation in EVs and offers valuable insights for future data collection and model development.

Accurately quantifying runoff sources and understanding hydrological processes in glaciated mountain basins is essential for effective water resource management in the face of climate change. This study aimed to determine the contributions from various runoff sources in glaciated basins within the inner Tien-Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan by utilizing integrated land surface, glacier energy-mass balance, and river routing models. To account for local topographic influences on solar radiation and cloud transmissivity processes, gridded meteorological forcing data were downscaled. The integrated models were then evaluated against observed discharge, glacier mass balance, and snow water equivalent, with a focus on the Kara-Batkak glacier reference site. Shortwave radiation correction was particularly important for improving the accuracy of model simulations. The results indicate that the peak glacier melt contribution occurs in July and August, with some basins reaching up to 54%. On an annual basis, the average contribution from glaciers across the basins was found to be 19%, while the ratios of snowmelt and rainfall were 58% and 23%, respectively. This study highlights the utility of integrated modelling approaches in understanding and quantifying runoff components in data-scarce high mountain regions. The incorporation of observed glacier data proved to be crucial for accurately representing hydrological processes under current climatic conditions. These findings underscore the significance of considering glacier dynamics and their influence on water resources to inform effective water management strategies in glaciated mountain basins.

Abstract Household consumption significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions as it is the largest component of final demand in the national accounting system. Nevertheless, there is an apparent lack of comprehensive and consistent datasets detailing emissions from household consumption. Here, we expand and update Japan’s multiscale monthly household carbon footprint from January 2011 to September 2022, combining data from government statistics and surveys. We constructed a dataset comprising 37,692 direct and 4,852,845 indirect emission records, covering households at the national, regional, and prefectural city levels. The dataset provides critical spatiotemporal information that allows for revealing carbon emission patterns, pinpointing primary sources of emissions, and discerning regional variances. Moreover, the inclusion of micro-scale carbon footprint data enables the identification of specific consumption habits, thereby regulating individual consumption behavior to achieve a low-carbon society.

Summary: The intricate interplay between gut microbes and the onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) remains poorly understood. Here, we uncover remarkable similarities between CD4+ T cells in the spinal cord and their counterparts in the small intestine. Furthermore, we unveil a synergistic relationship between the microbiota, particularly enriched with the tryptophan metabolism gene EC:1.13.11.11, and intestinal cells. This symbiotic collaboration results in the biosynthesis of kynurenic acid (KYNA), which modulates the recruitment and aggregation of GPR35-positive macrophages. Subsequently, a robust T helper 17 (Th17) immune response is activated, ultimately triggering the onset of EAE. Conversely, modulating the KYNA-mediated GPR35 signaling in Cx3cr1+ macrophages leads to a remarkable amelioration of EAE. These findings shed light on the crucial role of microbial-derived tryptophan metabolites in regulating immune responses within extraintestinal tissues.

Traditional learning procedures for artificial intelligence rely on digital methods not suitable for physical hardware. Here, Nakajima et al. demonstrate gradient-free physical deep learning by augmenting a biologically inspired algorithm, accelerating the computation speed on optoelectronic hardware.

Abstract Background Esophageal duplication cyst (EDC) is a type of gastrointestinal duplication cyst that involves congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract. EDCs are frequently found in the mediastinum and thoracoabdominal region, but rarely occur in the abdominal cavity. However, intra-abdominal EDCs are frequently found in the upper abdomen near the abdominal esophagus. Here, we report, for the first time, a case of intra-abdominal EDC that occurred in the ileum. Case presentation A 14-year-old female patient presented to our hospital with complaints of epigastric pain and vomiting. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a cystic tumor in the pelvis, suspected of ovarian origin. She was admitted to our gynecology department and underwent emergency surgery. The laparoscopic examination revealed that both ovaries were intact and that a primary tumor had developed from the ileal mesentery. Since the patient’s condition was not urgent at the time of the gynecological surgery, the procedure was completed by only performing exploratory laparotomy; the patient was admitted to our department after the surgery. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging performed on the next day revealed a cystic mass measuring 90 × 65 mm with a smooth margin and homogeneous signal intensity, arising posterior to the uterus. The mass was suspected as an intestinal duplication cyst. On another day, after the examinations were completed, we resected the portion of the small intestine containing the tumor by laparoscopy. The patient had a successful postoperative course and was discharged on the 5th postoperative day. Histological examination showed that the cyst was lined by stratified squamous epithelium, contained esophageal glands, and had a two-layer muscularis propria. Therefore, a diagnosis of intra-abdominal EDC was performed. Conclusions An intra-abdominal EDC cyst is relatively rare; this is the first case reported at the distal ileum.

Here the authors demonstrate chip-scale high-peak-power lasers by vertical integration of semiconductor and solid state laser gain mediums to reach the same maturity level as existing semiconductor lasers, which are suitable for miniaturization and cost-effective mass production.

Abstract The anti-vaccine movement has gained traction in many countries since the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, their aggressive behaviour through replies on Twitter—a form of directed messaging that can be sent beyond follow-follower relationships—is less understood, and even less is known about the language use differences of this behaviour. We conducted a comparative study of anti-vaxxers’ aggressive behaviours by analysing a longitudinal dataset of COVID-19 tweets in English and Japanese. We found two common features across these languages. First, anti-vaxxers most actively transmit targeted messages or replies to users with different beliefs, especially to neutral accounts, with significantly toxic and negative language, and these replies are often directed to posts about vaccine operations. Second, influential users with many followers and verified accounts are more likely to receive the most toxic replies from the anti-vaxxers. However, pro-vaccine accounts with a few followers receive highly toxic replies in English, which is different from the Japanese case. These results provide insights into both language-dependent and independent countermeasures against anti-vaxxers’ aggressive behaviour.

The copolyester of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydoxyhexanoate (3HHx), PHBHHx, is a biodegradable plastic characterized by high flexibility, softness, a wide process window, and marine biodegradability. PHBHHx is usually produced from structurally related carbon sources, such as vegetable oils or fatty acids, but not from inexpensive carbon sources such as sugars. In previous studies, we demonstrated that engineered strains of a hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium, Cupriavidus necator, synthesized PHBHHx with a high cellular content not only from sugars but also from CO2 as the sole carbon source in the flask culture. In this study, the highly efficient production of PHBHHx from CO2 was investigated via pH-stat jar cultivation of recombinant C. necator strains while feeding the substrate gas mixture (H2/O2/CO2 = 80:10:10 v/v%) to a complete mineral medium in a recycled-gas, closed-circuit culture system. As a result, the dry cell mass and PHBHHx concentration with the strain MF01/pBPP-ccrMeJAc-emd reached up to 59.62 ± 3.18 g·L−1 and 49.31 ± 3.14 g·L−1, respectively, after 216 h of jar cultivation with limited addition of ammonia and phosphate solutions. The 3HHx composition was close to 10 mol%, which is suitable for practical applications. It is expected that the autotrophic cultivation of the recombinant C. necator can be feasible for the mass production of PHBHHx from CO2.

Abstract The explosive 2022 Tonga submarine volcanic eruption produced a globally propagated atmospheric disturbance. A leading Lamb wave pulse was recorded as a pressure pulse worldwide. A weather‐station network in Japan recorded the pressure pulse together with temperature and wind conditions during the passage of the pulse. Individual temperature and wind records indicate little simultaneous change. However, after alignment of records at the time of pressure pulse arrivals and stacking, clear temperature and wind changes synchronized with the pressure change are evident. Assuming Lamb wave propagation, the synthesized temperature and wind changes from the pressure record show a good match with the observed waveforms. The observed wind speed and pressure change of the Lamb pulse yielded a total energy transported by the pulse of 4.2 × 1016 J.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease, characterized by autoantibody production, synovial inflammation, and joint destruction. Its pathogenesis is due to environmental factors and genetic backgrounds. Bruton's tyrosine kinase is a cytoplasmic non-receptor tyrosine kinase, expressed in most hematopoietic cell lineages, except T cells and plasma cells, and regulates various immune-related signaling pathways, thereby playing a crucial role in pathogenesis. Thus, inhibiting Bruton's tyrosine kinase may prove beneficial in treating autoimmune diseases. In the present study, we characterized Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, TAS5315, in vitro and evaluated its therapeutic effects in experimental arthritis models. TAS5315 markedly inhibited Bruton's tyrosine kinase enzyme activity and suppressed the B-cell receptor signaling pathway in Ramos cells. Moreover, it suppressed the expression of CD69, CD86, and MHC class II in mouse B lymphocytes and the production of TNF-α and MIP-1α in mouse macrophages and decreased bone resorption activity in mouse osteoclasts. Furthermore, it ameliorated the pathological changes in two rodent models of collagen-induced arthritis in vivo. TAS5315 improved bone mineral density and bone intensity. Thus, these results suggest that TAS5315 could be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is a scalp recording of potentials produced by sound stimulation, and is commonly used as an indicator of auditory function. However, the ABR threshold, which is the lowest audible sound pressure, cannot be objectively determined since it is determined visually using a measurer, and this has been a problem for several decades. Although various algorithms have been developed to objectively determine ABR thresholds, they remain lacking in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and convenience. Accordingly, we proposed an improved algorithm based on the mutual covariance at adjacent sound pressure levels. An ideal ABR waveform with clearly defined waves I–V was created; moreover, using this waveform as a standard template, the experimentally obtained ABR waveform was inspected for disturbances based on mutual covariance. The ABR testing was repeated if the value was below the established cross-covariance reference value. Our proposed method allowed more efficient objective determination of ABR thresholds and a smaller burden on experimental animals.

This study analyzes how the electricity demand and supply constitutions affect electricity independence and power trading within a community and between a community and a grid through simulation analysis. To that aim, we create a simulation model equipped with a community-building function and trading capability. We first construct a community consisting of various types of residential and industrial consumers, and renewable power plants deployed in the community. Residential and industrial consumers are characterized by a state of family/business and ownership and the use of energy equipment such as rooftop solar PV and stationary battery storage in their homes/offices. Consumers’ electricity demand is estimated from regression analyses using training data. Using the hypothetical community constructed for the analysis, the simulation model performs rule-based electricity trading and provides outputs comprising the total electricity demand in the community, the state of use of battery storage and solar PV, the trading volume, and the electricity independence rate of the community. From the simulation results, we discuss policy implications on the effective use of renewable energy and increasing electricity independence by fully utilizing battery and trading functions in a community.

Abstract The JAXA’s Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission is planned to reveal the origin of Phobos and Deimos. It will remotely observe both moons and return a sample from Phobos. The nominal instruments include the TElescopic Nadir imager for GeOmOrphology (TENGOO) and Optical RadiOmeter composed of CHromatic Imagers (OROCHI). The scientific objective of TENGOO is to obtain the geomorphological features of Phobos and Deimos. The spatial resolution of TENGOO is 0.3 m at an altitude of 25 km in the quasi-satellite orbit. The scientific objective of OROCHI is to obtain material distribution using spectral mapping. OROCHI possesses seven wide-angle bandpass imagers without a filter wheel and one monochromatic imager dedicated to the observation during the landing phase. Using these two instruments, we plan to select landing sites and obtain information that supports the analysis of return samples. Graphical Abstract

A diversity of prokaryotes currently exhibit multicellularity with different generation mechanisms in a variety of contexts of ecology on Earth. In the present study, we report a new type of multicellular bacterium, HS-3, isolated from an underground stream. HS-3 self-organizes its filamentous cells into a layer-structured colony with the properties of a nematic liquid crystal. After maturation, the colony starts to form a semi-closed sphere accommodating clusters of coccobacillus daughter cells and selectively releases them upon contact with water. This is the first report that shows that a liquid-crystal status of cells can support the prokaryotic multicellular behavior. Importantly, the observed behavior of HS-3 suggests that the recurrent intermittent exposure of colonies to water flow in the cave might have been the ecological context that cultivated the evolutionary transition from unicellular to multicellular life. This is the new extant model that underpins theories regarding a role of ecological context in the emergence of multicellularity.

Abstract Background 1,5-anhydroglucitol is a reduction product of 1,5-anhydrofructose. Circulating 1,5-anhydroglucitol is usually excreted by the kidneys and is reabsorbed via sodium-glucose co-transporter 4 in the renal tubules. In patients on hemodialysis, serum levels of 1,5-anhydroglucitol have been reported to be low; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods We measured inter-dialysis changes in the levels of serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol and 1,5-anhydrofructose-derived advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in 78 patients on hemodialysis. Serum levels of 1,5-anhydrofructose-derived AGEs were also determined using a polyclonal antibody. Results The serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol level was decreased to as low as 2.0 μg/mL in the regular hemodialysis group; however, we could not verify changes in the serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol level during inter-dialysis days because of undetectable levels in 29 patients. The measured serum level of 1,5-anhydrofructose-derived AGEs was significantly increased in both patient groups. In addition, the 1,5-anhydrofructose-derived AGEs/1,5-anhydroglucitol ratio was higher in patients on hemodialysis than in controls. Conclusions Accelerated glycation of 1,5-anhydrofructose is one possible mechanism by which serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol levels are lowered in patients on HD, and we propose that the 1,5-anhydrofructose-derived AGEs/1,5-anhydroglucitol ratio should be measured in clinical settings in which patients have low serum levels of 1,5-AG.

Air conditioning is a significant consumer of electricity in buildings, accounting for around 40% of the total consumption. While previous studies have focused on planning methods to minimize electricity costs, recent years have seen an increasing need for energy management methods that consider environmental performance, such as CO2 emissions, alongside economic efficiency. This study proposes a mechanism to support stakeholders’ decision-making by calculating Pareto solutions based on the multi-objective optimization of economic and environmental characteristics for entities that own renewable energy generation facilities. Unlike many existing studies that assume a specific equation for COP (Coefficient of Performance) estimation, this study adopts a nonparametric COP estimation method using machine learning, resulting in a more realistic and flexible modeling of the system. The study also presents a model for selecting an operation strategy that balances environmental and economic goals, incorporating a thermal storage facility to improve the renewable energy rate. Specifically, we proposed and compared methods for calculating solutions using only the GA (Genetic Algorithm) and a two-step optimization method combining a GA and gradient-based optimization method, confirming the superiority of the two-step optimization method. The case study unveiled unique operational profiles corresponding to cost-saving, renewable-energy, and balanced orientation points, suggesting the existence of specific strategies tailored to each orientation. The findings of this study can help stakeholders make more informed decisions regarding energy management in air conditioning systems, with benefits for both the environment and the bottom line.

In the global trend towards decarbonization, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading is garnering increasing attention. Furthermore, energy management on the demand side plays a crucial role in decarbonization efforts. The authors have previously developed an automated bidding agent that considers user preferences for renewable energy (RE), assuming users own electric vehicles (EVs). In this study, we expand upon this work by considering users who own not only EVs but also heat pump water heaters, and we develop an automated bidding agent that takes into account their preferences for RE. We propose a method to control the start time and presence of daytime operation shifts for heat pump water heaters, leveraging their daytime operation shift function. Demonstration experiments were conducted to effectively control devices such as EVs and heat pumps using the agent. The results of the experiments revealed that by controlling the daytime operation of heat pumps with our method, the RE utilization rate can be improved compared to scenarios without daytime operation shifts. Furthermore, we developed a simulator to verify the outcomes under different scenarios of demand-side resource ownership rates, demonstrating that higher ownership rates of EVs and heat pumps enable more effective utilization of renewable energy, and that this effect is further enhanced through P2P trading. Based on these findings, we recommend promoting the adoption of demand-side resources such as EVs and heat pumps and encouraging P2P energy trading to maximize the utilization of renewable energy in future energy systems.

Abstract Background Previous epidemiological studies have demonstrated the prevalence and relationship of various factors associated with sarcopenia in older adults; however, few have examined the status of sarcopenia in middle-aged adults. In this study, we aimed to, 1) evaluate the validity of the finger-circle test, which is potentially a useful screening tool for sarcopenia, and 2) determine the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults. Methods We conducted face-to-face surveys of 525 adults, who were aged 40–91 years and resided in Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan to evaluate the validity of finger-circle test. The finger-circle test evaluated calf circumference by referring to an illustration printed on the survey form. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) was plotted to evaluate the validity of the finger-circle test for screening sarcopenia and compared to that evaluated by skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) measured using bioimpedance. We also conducted multisite population-based cross-sectional anonymous mail surveys of 9337 adults, who were aged 40–97 years and resided in Settsu and Hannan Cities, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling by sex and age in the elementary school zones of their respective cities. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to explore associations between characteristics and prevalence of sarcopenia. Results Sarcopenia, defined by SMI, was moderately predicted by a finger-circle test response showing that the subject’s calf was smaller than their finger-circle (AUROC: 0.729,

Study region: Mekong River Basin. Study focus: The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) recently announced an updated version of general circulation models (GCMs). This study investigated the performance of improved CMIP6 over those of CMIP5 with respect to precipitation and flood representations in the Mekong River Basin (MRB). The correlation and error comparison from the referenced precipitation exhibited a significant improvement in the peak value representation. Hence, the impacts of climate change on future floods in the MRB were simulated and assessed using a distributed rainfall–runoff–inundation model. New hydrological insights for the region: The results indicated that precipitation from CMIP6 had a higher correlation and a lower error coefficient than CMIP5. Similarly, the simulation of GCM ensembles of monthly discharge from CMIP6 exhibited a comparable average value to the observations, whereas CMIP5 underestimated the discharge simulations. The performance of the mean annual peak discharge improved from 37,220 m3/s (CMIP5) to 45,423 m3/s (CMIP6) compared to 43,521 m3/s (observation). The projections of future floods in the MRB from CMIP6 exhibited an increase of annual peak discharge at Chiang Saen, Vientiane, Pakse, and Kratie stations by 10–15%, 20–22%, and 24–29% for the SSP2-4.5 scenario, and 10–18%, 24–29%, and 41–54% for the SSP5-8.5 scenario in the near future (2026–2050), mid-future (2051–2075), and far future (2076–2100), respectively. The statistical K-S test showed significant changes in all stations and projected periods with a p-value

Abstract Background Conflicting results between bacterial mutagenicity tests (the Ames test) and mammalian carcinogenicity tests might be due to species differences in metabolism, genome structure, and DNA repair systems. Mutagenicity assays using human cells are thought to be an advantage as follow-up studies for positive results in Ames tests. In this collaborative study, a thymidine kinase gene mutation study (TK6 assay) using human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells, established in OECD TG490, was used to examine 10 chemicals that have conflicting results in mutagenicity studies (a positive Ames test and a negative result in rodent carcinogenicity studies). Results Two of 10 test substances were negative in the overall judgment (20% effective as a follow-up test). Three of these eight positive substances were negative after the short-term treatment and positive after the 24 h treatment, despite identical treatment conditions without S9. A toxicoproteomic analysis of TK6 cells treated with 4-nitroanthranilic acid was thus used to aid the interpretation of the test results. This analysis using differentially expressed proteins after the 24 h treatment indicated that in vitro specific oxidative stress is involved in false positive response in the TK6 assay. Conclusions The usefulness of the TK6 assay, by current methods that have not been combined with new technologies such as proteomics, was found to be limited as a follow-up test, although it still may help to reduce some false positive results (20%) in Ames tests. Thus, the combination analysis with toxicoproteomics may be useful for interpreting false positive results raised by 24 h specific reactions in the assay, resulting in the more reduction (> 20%) of false positives in Ames test.

Abstract Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has the potential to improve perioperative outcomes, including less postoperative pain, shorter operation time, less blood loss, and shorter hospital stay. However, SILS is technically difficult and needs a longer learning curve. Between April 2016 and September 2019, a total of 198 patients with clinical stage I/II right colon cancer underwent curative resection. In the case of the SILS approach, an organ retractor was usually used to overcome SILS-specific restrictions. The patients were divided into two groups by surgical approach: the SILS with organ retractor group (SILS-O, n = 33) and the conventional laparoscopic surgery group (LAC, n = 165). Clinical T status was significantly higher in the LAC group (p = 0.016). Operation time was shorter and blood loss was lower in the SILS-O group compared to the LAC group (117 vs. 197 min, p = 0.027; 10 vs. 25 mL, p = 0.024, respectively). In the SILS-O group, surgical outcomes including operation time, blood loss, number of retrieved lymph nodes, and postoperative complications were not significantly different between those performed by experts and by non-experts. Longer operation time (p = 0.041) was significantly associated with complications on univariate and multivariate analyses (odds ratio 2.514, 95%CI 1.047–6.035, p = 0.039). SILS-O was safe and feasible for right colon cancer. There is a potential to shorten the learning curve of SILS using an organ retractor.

Optical computing holds promise for high-speed, low-energy information processing due to its large bandwidth and ability to multiplex signals. The authors propose a recurrent neural network implementation using reservoir computing architecture in an integrated photonic processor capable of performing ~10 tera multiplication–accumulation operations per second for each wavelength channel.

Background Hemodialysis patients who undergo surgery have a high risk of postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to determine whether colon cancer surgery can be safely performed in hemodialysis patients. Methods This multicenter retrospective study included 1372 patients who underwent elective curative resection surgery for colon cancer between April 2016 and March 2020. Results Of the total patients, 19 (1.4%) underwent hemodialysis, of whom 19 (100%) had poor performance status and 18 had comorbidities (94.7%). Minimally invasive surgery was performed in 78.9% of hemodialysis patients. The postoperative complication rate was significantly higher in hemodialysis than non-hemodialysis patients (36.8% vs. 15.5%, p = 0.009). All postoperative complications in the hemodialysis patients were infectious type. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association of hemodialysis with complications (odds ratio, 2.9362; 95%CI, 1.1384–7.5730; p = 0.026). Conclusion Despite recent advances in perioperative management and minimally invasive surgery, it is necessary to be aware that short-term complications can still occur, especially infectious complications in hemodialysis patients.

Abstract Climate change currently affects the resilience and aquatic ecosystem. Climate change alters rainfall patterns which have a great impact on river flow. Annual flooding is an important hydrological characteristic of the Mekong River Basin (MRB) and it drives the high productivity of the ecosystem and biodiversity in the Tonle Sap floodplain and the Mekong Delta. This study aims to assess the impacts of climate change on river flow in the MRB and flood inundation in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB). The changing impacts were assessed by a two-dimensional rainfall-runoff and inundation model (RRI model). The present climate (1979–2003) and future projected climate (2075–2099) datasets from MRI-AGCM3.2H and MRI-AGCM3.2S models were applied with a linear scaling bias correction method before input into the RRI model. The results of climate change suggested that flood magnitude in the LMB will be severer than the present climate by the end of the twenty-first century. The increment of precipitation between 6.6 and 14.2% could lead to increase extreme flow (Q5) 13–30%, peak inundation area 19–43%, and peak inundation volume 24–55% in the LMB for ranging of Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) and sea surface temperature (SST) scenarios while there is no significant change on peak flood timing.

Abstract The northern Japan facing the Japan Sea is known for its heavy snowfall. As snowfall is of great importance as a water resource, accurate measurements are required. We develop an optimal method for adjustment of wind‐induced precipitation undercatch for rain‐gauge‐based daily gridded precipitation data in Japan. In Japan Meteorological Agency's surface observation network, wind speed data are not measured at all precipitation stations; therefore, we tested three approaches for applying wind correction using four years' observational data (2009–2012). First, we interpolate corrected precipitation by using only stations, which measure wind; second, we define gridded correction parameters, interpolate uncorrected precipitation of all stations, and adjust gridded precipitation; third, we interpolate corrected precipitation by using wind data of Japan Meteorological Agency's surface network and a reanalysis at the stations where wind are not measured. Water budget analysis over the mountainous regions (dam's catchments) indicated that the best result among the three was obtained by compensating wind speed using high‐resolution meteorological reanalysis data, followed by a method that applies daily correction parameters to daily gridded precipitation data. The best method increased the winter (December–February) precipitation amount by 12.7% in northern Japan, and the bias in the annual hydrological balance was reduced from 33% to 26% over the mountainous terrain. Proper consideration of the rain gauge meta information, such as the existence/absence of a wind shield, is critically important for quantitative assessment of solid precipitation, especially in regions of heavy snowfall such as northern Japan.

Abstract Background The in vitro micronucleus (MN) test is an important component of a genotoxicity test battery that evaluates chemicals. Although the standard method of manually scoring micronucleated (MNed) cells by microscope is a reliable and standard method, it is laborious and time-consuming. A high-throughput assay system for detecting MN cells automatically has long been desired in the fields of pharmaceutical development or environmental risk monitoring. Although the MN test per se cannot clarify whether the mode of MN induction is aneugenic or clastogenic, this clarification may well be made possible by combining the MN test with an evaluation of γH2AX, a sensitive marker of DNA double strand breaks (DSB). In the present study, we aimed to establish a high-content (HC) imaging assay that automatically detects micronuclei (MNi) and simultaneously measures γH2AX foci in human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells. Results TK6 cells were fixed on the bottom of each well in 96-well plates hypotonically, which spreads the cells thinly to detach MNi from the primary nuclei. Then, the number of MNi and immunocytochemically-stained γH2AX foci were measured using an imaging analyzer. The system correctly judged 4 non-genotoxins and 13 genotoxins, which included 9 clastogens and 4 aneugens representing various genotoxic mechanisms, such as DNA alkylation, cross-linking, topoisomerase inhibition, and microtubule disruption. Furthermore, all the clastogens induced both γH2AX foci and MNi, while the aneugens induced only MNi, not γH2AX foci; therefore, the HC imaging assay clearly discriminated the aneugens from the clastogens. Additionally, the test system could feasibly analyze cell cycle, to add information about a chemical’s mode of action. Conclusions A HC imaging assay to detect γH2AX foci and MNi in TK6 cells was established, and the assay provided information on the aneugenic/clastogenic mode of action.

Motivated by the growing demand for distributed energy resources (DERs), peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity markets have been explored worldwide. However, such P2P markets must be balanced in much smaller regions with a lot fewer participants than centralized wholesale electricity markets; hence, the market has inherent problems of low liquidity and price instability. In this study, we propose applying a market maker system to the P2P electricity market and developing an efficient market strategy to increase liquidity and mitigate extreme price fluctuations. To this end, we construct an artificial market simulator for P2P electricity trading and design a market agent and general agents (photovoltaic (PV) generators, consumers, and prosumers) to perform power bidding and contract processing. Moreover, we introduce market-maker agents in this study who follow the regulations set by a market administrator and simultaneously place both sell and buy orders in the same market. We implement two types of bidding strategies for market makers and examine their effects on liquidity improvement and price stabilization as well as profitability, using solar PV generation and consumption data observed in a past demonstration project. It is confirmed that liquidity and price stability may be improved by introducing a market maker although there is a trade-off relationship between these effects and the market maker’s profitability.

Abstract The pressures on water system are increasing in cities. Rapid urbanisation caused by booming population leads to more impervious area and less infiltration, with the consequence of larger runoff volume and higher flood risk. Launched in 2014, the low impact development (LID), an important part of Sponge City in China initiative, invests in projects that aim to restore the water cycle in the urban area. A comprehensive understanding of the performance of LID measures at watershed scale under different rainfall scenarios and life cycle costs is necessary. The objectives of this study are to assess the hydrological performance and to identify the optimal LID design by using SWMM model and life cycle cost (LCC) method. This study found that LID practices, including bioretention, grass swale, and permeable pavement, showed good performance on urban storm mitigation at watershed scale under different rainfall scenarios. Furthermore, the rates of surface runoff reduction were largely insusceptible to the change of rainfall volume and duration. Regarding the cost‐effectiveness, the priority was grass swale > bioretention > permeable pavement in the study area. The optimal LID scenario was the combination of these three types of LID. The proposed approach can help the decision‐makers to determine the preferable LID plan suitable for the local communities.

Precipitation, as a primary hydrological variable in the water cycle plays an important role in hydrological modeling. The reliability of hydrological modeling is highly related to the quality of precipitation data. Accurate long-term gauged precipitation in the Mekong River Basin, however, is limited. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to assess the performances of various gridded precipitation datasets in rainfall-runoff and flood-inundation modeling of the whole basin. Firstly, the performance of the Rainfall-Runoff-Inundation (RRI) model in this basin was evaluated using the gauged rainfall. The calibration (2000-2003) and validation (2004-2007) results indicated that the RRI model had acceptable performance in the Mekong River Basin. In addition, five gridded precipitation datasets including APHRODITE, GPCC, PERSIANN-CDR, GSMaP (RNL), and TRMM (3B42V7) from 2000 to 2007 were applied as the input to the calibrated model. The results of the simulated river discharge indicated that TRMM, GPCC, and APHRODITE performed better than other datasets. The statistical index of the annual maximum inundated area indicated similar conclusions. Thus, APHRODITE, TRMM, and GPCC precipitation datasets were considered suitable for rainfall-runoff and flood inundation modeling in the Mekong River Basin. This study provides useful guidance for the application of gridded precipitation in hydrological modeling in the Mekong River basin.

We present a case of superficial femoral artery laceration that was identified on computed tomographic angiography. The patient was a 25-year-old man who injured his right proximal thigh while using a wood sanding machine and was transferred to our emergency department in a state of hemorrhagic shock. Following resuscitation, preoperative computed tomographic angiography helped predict the arterial injury and aided us in prompt diagnosis and decisive management. Keywords: Superficial femoral arterial injury, Arterial laceration, Computed tomographic angiography

Abstract γH2AX, the phosphorylated form of a histone variant H2AX at Ser 139, is already widely used as a biomarker to research the fundamental biology of DNA damage and repair and to assess the risk of environmental chemicals, pollutants, radiation, and so on. It is also beginning to be used in the early non-clinical stage of pharmaceutical drug development as an in vitro tool for screening and for mechanistic studies on genotoxicity. Here, we review the available information on γH2AX-based test systems that can be used to develop drugs and present our own experience of practically applying these systems during the non-clinical phase of drug development. Furthermore, the potential application of γH2AX as a tool for in vivo non-clinical safety studies is also discussed.

In this paper, we present stability of a field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based emulator for single-phase half-bridge inverters operated in stand-alone and grid connected modes. The emulator is not only sufficiently accurate to emulate the characteristic behavior of the inverters, but also is sufficiently simple to be implementable on limited FPGA resources. This implementation enables the inverter developers to evaluate the FPGA-based high-speed controller in the early process by a real-time simulator system, which is unable for offline commercial simulation software packages. The discrete-time models, which are implementable on FPGA, are derived by discretizing the continuous-time models of the inverter using the forward-difference method. The stability analysis for the proposed inverter models showed that the quite small values of internal resistances of the inductors may have a serious effect on the stability, which is one of the most important properties of the inverter mathematical model. The experimental results show that the proposed emulator yields voltage, and current responses, which match with that of the real inverter circuit almost exactly under the same digital controller. The results also show that the responses of the emulators are consistent with the stability analysis for the inverter models.

Abstract Background The long-term effects of some surgical treatment procedures of arch replacement for aortic dissection or aortic aneurysm are unknown. Case presentation The present study reports the case of a 68-year-old man admitted to our hospital for aortic arch anastomotic pseudoaneurysm with concomitant aortic root enlargement and coronary artery stenosis. Eleven years ago, at the age of 56 years, he underwent total arch replacement with island reconstruction for chronic aortic dissection. We performed a second total arch replacement, aortic root replacement, and coronary artery bypass, using a cardiopulmonary bypass with cannulation through the right subclavian artery, femoral artery, and femoral vein prior to re-sternotomy. We also used selective cerebral perfusion. Postoperatively, the patient temporarily required reintubation; however, he was discharged in good condition on the fiftieth postoperative day. Conclusions This case suggests that island reconstruction has the potential to cause arch anastomotic pseudoaneurysms, particularly after a long postoperative period.

As the world strives to decarbonize, the effective use of renewable energy has become an important issue, and P2P power trading is expected to unlock the value of renewable energy and encourage its adoption by enabling power trading based on user needs and user assets. In this study, we constructed a bidding agent that optimizes bids based on electricity demand and generation forecasts, user preferences for renewable energy (renewable energy-oriented or economically oriented), and owned assets in a P2P electricity trading market, and automatically performs electricity trading. The agent algorithm was used to evaluate the differences in trading content between different asset holdings and preferences by performing power sharing in a real scale environment. The demonstration experiments show that: EV-owning and economy-oriented users can trade more favorably in the market with a lower average execution price than non-EV-owning users; forecasting enables economy-enhancing moves to store nighttime electricity in batteries in advance in anticipation of future power generation and market prices; EV-owning and renewable energy-oriented users can trade more favorably in the market with other users. EV-owning and renewable energy-oriented users can achieve higher RE ratios at a cost of about +1 yen/kWh compared to other users. By actually issuing charging and discharging commands to the EV and controlling the charging and discharging, the agent can control the actual use of electricity according to the user’s preferences.

The copolyester of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydoxyhexanoate (3HHx), PHBHHx, is one of the most practical kind of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates due to its high flexibility and marine biodegradability. PHBHHx is usually produced from vegetable oils or fatty acids through β-oxidation, whereas biosynthesis from sugars has been achieved by recombinant strains of hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium Cupriavidus necator. This study investigated the biosynthesis of PHBHHx from CO2 as the sole carbon source by engineered C. necator strains. The recombinant strains capable of synthesizing PHBHHx from fructose were cultivated in a flask using complete mineral medium and a substrate gas mixture (H2/O2/CO2 = 8:1:1). The results of GC and 1H NMR analyses indicated that the recombinants of C. necator synthesized PHBHHx from CO2 with high cellular content. When 1.0 g/L (NH4)2SO4 was used as a nitrogen source, the 3HHx composition of PHBHHx in the strain MF01∆B1/pBBP-ccrMeJ4a-emd was 47.7 ± 6.2 mol%. Further investigation demonstrated that the PHA composition can be regulated by using (R)-enoyl-CoA hydratase (PhaJ) with different substrate specificity. The composition of 3HHx in PHBHHx was controlled to about 11 mol%, suitable for practical applications, and high cellular content was kept in the strains transformed with pBPP-ccrMeJAc-emd harboring short-chain-length-specific PhaJ.

To further implement decentralized renewable energy resources, blockchain based peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading is gaining attention and its architecture has been proposed with virtual demonstrations. In this paper, to further socially implement this concept, a blockchain based peer to peer energy trading system which could coordinate with energy control hardware was constructed, and a demonstration experiment was conducted. Previous work focused on virtually matching energy supply and demand via blockchain P2P energy markets, and our work pushes this forward by demonstrating the possibility of actual energy flow control. In this demonstration, Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles(PHEVs) and Home Energy Management Systems(HEMS) actually used in daily life were controlled in coordination with the blockchain system. In construction, the need of a multi-tagged continuous market was found and proposed. In the demonstration experiment, the proposed blockchain market and hardware control interface was proven capable of securing and stably transmitting energy within the P2P energy system. Also, by the implementation of multi-tagged energy markets, the number of transactions required to secure the required amount of electricity was reduced.

Distributed energy resources (DERs) play an indispensable role in mitigating global warming. The DERs require flexibility owing to the uncertainty of their power output when connected to the power grid. Recently, blockchain technology has actualized peer-to-peer (P2P) energy markets, promoting efficient and resilient flexibility in the power grid. This study aimed to extract insights about the contribution of the P2P energy markets to ensuring flexibility through analyzing transaction data. The data source was a demonstration project regarding the P2P energy markets conducted from 2019 to 2020 in Urawa-Misono District, Japan. The participants in the project were photovoltaic generators (PVGs), convenience stores (CSs), and residences equipped with battery storage as the only flexibility in the market. We quantitatively analyzed the prices and volumes ordered or transacted by each participant. The execution prices purchased by the residences were lower than those purchased by CSs; the differences between execution prices and order prices of the residences were narrower than those of PVGs and CSs; the lower state-of-charge (SoC) in the storage battery induced the higher purchasing prices. Thus, P2P energy markets, where holding flexibility resulted in the advantageous position, can promote installing flexibility through market mechanisms.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading is gaining attention as a technology to effectively handle already existing distributed energy resources (DER). In order to manage a large number of DER, it is necessary to increase the number of P2P energy trading participants. For that, designing incentives for participants to engage in P2P energy trading is important. This paper describes a user-centric cooperative mechanism that enhances user participation in P2P energy trading. The key components of this incentive for participants to engage in P2P energy trading are described and evaluated in this study. The goal of the proposal is to make it possible to conduct economic transactions while reflecting the preferences of the traders in the ordering process, making it possible to conduct transactions with minimal effort. As a case study, the Higashi-Fuji demonstration experiment conducted in Japan verified the proposed mechanism. In this experiment, 19 households and 9 plugin hybrid vehicles (PHV) were evaluated. As a result, the study confirmed that prosumers were able to sell their surplus electricity, and consumers were able to preferentially purchase renewable energy when it was available. In addition, those trades were made economically. All trades were made automatically, and this efficiency allowed the users to continue using the P2P energy trading.

Abstract Background Pefcalcitol, an analog of vitamin D3 (VD3), is an anti-psoriatic drug candidate that is designed to achieve much higher pharmacological effects, such as keratinocyte differentiation, than those of VD3, with fewer side effects. Genotoxicity of the compound was evaluated in a rat skin micronucleus (MN) test. Results In the rat skin MN test, pefcalcitol showed positive when specimens were stained with Giemsa, whereas neither an in vitro chromosome aberration test in CHL cells nor an in vivo bone marrow MN test in rats indicated clastogenicity. To elucidate the causes of the discrepancy, the MN specimens were re-stained with acridine orange (AO), a fluorescent dye specific to nucleic acid, and the in vivo clastogenicity of the compound in rat skin was re-evaluated. The MN-like granules that had been stained by Giemsa were not stained by AO, and AO-stained specimens indicated that pefcalcitol did not increase the frequency of micronucleated (MNed) cells. Histopathological evaluation suggested that the MN-like granules in the epidermis were keratohyalin granules contained in keratinocytes, which had highly proliferated after treatment with pefcalcitol. Conclusions Pefcalcitol was concluded to be negative in the rat skin MN test. The present study demonstrated that Giemsa staining gave a misleading positive result in the skin MN test, because Giemsa stained keratohyalin granules.

Climate change and shrinking of the Aral Sea have significantly affected the region’s temperature variations. Observed interannual changes in Uzbekistan’s air temperature compared to the duration of synoptic weather types (SWT) in Middle Asia were analyzed. Nonparametric Mann–Kendall statistical test and climate trends coefficients were used to identify trend characteristics of observed temperature from 1961–2016 to the baseline period of 1961–1990. The results showed increasing temperature trends average to 1 °C in warm and cold half years over Uzbekistan. The 1991–2016 decadal temperature trend ranged from 0.25 °C/decade in the northwest to 0.52 °C/decade in the center, especially pronounced in the oasis and Aral Sea zones. There were also significant changes in the structure of regional SWT. The main difference in the structure of SWT in Middle Asia relative to the baseline period was expressed in a decrease of cold mass invasion duration from 113.4 to 76.1 days and an increase in low-gradient baric field duration from 65.8 to 134.6 days. The process of anthropogenic warming, which began in Uzbekistan in the 1960s of the twentieth century, has accelerated from the mid-1970s with a higher mean annual air temperature than the baseline period’s climate normals (1961–1990) and is associated with changes in the regional SWT over Middle Asia.

The submicron grinding of BaTiO3 powder was studied by a ball mill with small alumina balls of 0.75 mmΦ to 30 mmΦ. BaTiO3 clinker, which was obtained by calcining an equimolar mixture of TiO2 and BaCO3, was preground to 1.8 micron. Submicron grinding of the BaTiO3 powder was possible by ball milling with several mmΦ balls. For a ball diameter of 2 mm, the specific surface area was maximized.An attempt was made to represent the specific surface area in terms of volume per ball and total surface area of used balls, and the following experimental equation with a time term was obtained,In(SS) = -0.247lnr3 - 0.738/r + 0.429 lnt + 1.57where SS is the specific surface area, r is the ball radius, and t is time. The multiple correlation coefficient R was found to be 0.982 when calculated by computer.† This report was originally printed in J. Soc. Materials Science, Japan, 35(388), 54-58 (1986) in Japanese, before being translated into English by KONA Editorial Committee with the permission of the editorial committee of the Soc. Materials Science, Japan.

When Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 3626 was cultured to the stationary phase in a medium that contained glucose, needle-like structures that emitted autofluorescence were observed in almost all cells by fluorescence microscopy under UV excitation. The needle-like structures completely overlapped with the profile of straight elongated mitochondria. Therefore, these structures were designated as mitochondrial fluorescent inclusion bodies (MFIBs). The MFIB-enriched mitochondrial fractions were successfully isolated and 2D-gel electrophoresis revealed that a protein of 54 kDa was only highly concentrated in the fractions. Determination of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 54-kDa protein identified it as a mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase, Ald4p. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that anti-Ald4p antibody specifically stained MFIBs. Freeze-substitution electron microscopy demonstrated that cells that retained MFIBs had electron-dense filamentous structures with a diameter of 10 nm in straight elongated mitochondria. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that Ald4p was localized to the electron-dense filamentous structures in mitochondria. These results together showed that a major component of MFIBs is Ald4p. In addition, we demonstrate that MFIBs are common features that appear in mitochondria of many species of yeast.

Constrained sintering of a substrate with a sandwich structure, which was the laminated inner-constraining alumina layer between the glass-alumina mixed layers, has been studied. The influence of specific surface area of the particles and porosity of inner constraining particle layer upon sintering shrinkage was investigated. Specific surface area of the alumina powder for the inner constraining particle layer could be changed by grinding and blending two different particle size powders. As for the debinded sheet used with ground alumina powder, the pore distribution was sharp, and the bending strength was proportional to the specific surface area. In the case of inner constraining particle layer used with ground alumina powder, penetration length of molten glass from glass-alumina mixed layers obeyed Kozeney-Carman’s equation. On the other hand, as for the debinded sheet with particle size blended powder, the effects of specific surface area on the bending strength and the penetration length of molten glass differed from the results of the grounded one. Sintering shrinkage in X-Y direction of the sandwich substrate was basically related to the bending strength of debinded alumina powder sheet for inner constraining particle layer in both cases.† This report was originally printed in J. Soc. Powder Technology, Japan, 41, 730-737 (2004) in Japanese, before being translated into English by KONA Editorial Committee with the permission of the editorial committee of the Soc. Powder Technology, Japan.

We investigated the sol-gel synthesis process of barium titanate ultrafine particles with using barium hydroxide aqueous solution and titanium alkoxide solution. Emphasis was placed on the relationship between the mixing condition of both solutions and the properties of the particles. A static mixer was used as reactor and the mixing condition was quantitatively characterized by the f low rate of solutions in a static mixer. Mean particle size and the width of size distribution of cubic barium titanate ultrafine particles decreased with increasing f low rate, because the initial concentration of nuclei increased by rapidly mixing the solutions. Since the density of the hydroxyl group in the lattice of cubic barium titanate increased with increasing f low rate, barium titanate had a lattice structure of expanded cubic perovskite.† This report was originally printed in J. Ceramic Society of Japan, 111(1), 67-72 (2003) in Japanese, before being translated into English by KONA Editorial Committee with the permission of the editorial committee of The Ceramic Society of Japan.

Understanding long-term trends in hydrological and climatic variables is of high significance for sustainable water resource management. This study focuses on the annual and seasonal trends in precipitation, temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and river discharge over the Kamo River basin from the hydrological years 1962 to 2017. Homogeneity was examined by Levene’s test. The Mann−Kendall and a modified Mann−Kendall test as well as Sen’s slope estimator were used to analyze significant trends (p < 0.05) in a time series with and without serial correlation and their magnitudes. The results indicate that potential evapotranspiration calculated by the Penman−Monteith equation was highly related to temperature, and significantly increased in the annual and summer series. Annual river discharge significantly decreased by 0.09 m3/s. No significant trend was found at the seasonal scale. Annual, autumn, and winter precipitation at Kumogahata station significantly increased, while no significant trend was found at Kyoto station. Precipitation was least affected by the modified Mann−Kendall test. Other variables were relatively highly autocorrelated. The modified Mann−Kendall test with a full autocorrelation structure improved the accuracy of trend analysis. Furthermore, this study provides information for decision makers to take proactive measures for sustainable water management.