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In recent years, there have been several ground surface collapses due to tunnel excavation in Japan. Although such accident is caused by ground loosening and tunnel face collapses due to excavation, there is no accepted theory for estimating the face stability because this phenomenon is quite complicated and highly influenced by the supports and lining types. Specifically, the loosened area is relatively large for the urban NATM method, which applied in a shallow sedimentary rock layer. Therefore, a method to quantitatively evaluate the tunnel face stability by this kind of mechanical property is essential. In this study, 2D tunnel pull-out test was conducted to observe the influence of frictional resistance on tunnel face failure and loosening area by changing the shear resistance angle using three particle sizes of dry silica sand and different variation of earth covering. The result demonstrated that failure region doesn’t reach the ground surface when the shear resistance angle is 46.4° and covering thickness to tunnel height ratio H/D is over 5 or the angle is 55.8° and H/D is over 3. This study considered that there is an arch effect depending on frictional resistance and earth coverings occurred. Furthermore, even with the same earth covering, the smaller the shear resistance is, the earlier the ground surface collapses. Therefore, it could be said that the higher the frictional resistance is, the later the collapse proceeds.

The recent discovery of superconductivity in Nd$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$NiO$_2$ has drawn significant attention in the field. A key open question regards the evolution of the electronic structure with respect to hole doping. Here, we exploit x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) to probe the doping dependent electronic structure of the NiO$_2$ planes. Upon doping, a higher energy feature in Ni $L_3$ edge XAS develops in addition to the main absorption peak. By comparing our data to atomic multiplet calculations including $D_{4h}$ crystal field, the doping induced feature is consistent with a $d^8$ spin singlet state, in which doped holes reside in the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbitals, similar to doped single band Hubbard models. This is further supported by orbital excitations observed in RIXS spectra, which soften upon doping, corroborating with Fermi level shift associated with increasing holes in the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital., 6 pages, 4 figures. Supplemental material included

The uPA/PAI-1 assay and the EPClin® test are useful tools that add to clinico-anatomical characteristics to determine the indication of adjuvant chemotherapy in case of intermediate-prognosis invasive breast cancer. The principal purpose of our study was to analyze the concordance of uPA/PAI-1 and EPClin® in classification of patients into two groups: low and high risk of relapse.We prospectively included 63 patients treated for intermediate-prognosis invasive breast cancer. All of these patients received a uPA/PAI-1 assay and an EPClin® test.The uPA/PAI-1 assay and EPClin® test were consistent for 56.2% and inconsistent for 43.8%. In the event of a discrepancy, the treatment decision was based in 95.2% of patients on the EPClin® test result. In total, 38 patients were selected for adjuvant chemotherapy after achievement of the two tests. The mean time to report results after surgery was 9 days for the uPA/PAI-1 assay and 35 days for the EPClin® test. No cases of recurrence or death were found, with an average follow-up of 32 months.The EPClin® test resulted in more chemotherapy prescriptions than indicated by uPA/PAI-1. However, we can't conclude to the superiority of one of these two tests, survival data and the effectiveness of our study being insufficient. In general, studies comparing different signatures useful to the therapeutic decision of intermediate prognosis breast cancers should be encouraged.

CsI(Tl) scintillation detectors based on a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) were tested for low-energy proton detection. Pulse shape analysis of the SiPM signals with a transimpedance amplifier was conducted to investigate the saturation effect due to the recovery time of a pixel and to evaluate particle identification capability. To recover energy linearity, a saturation correction method based on a non-paralyzable dead time model was proposed. The setup using the SiPM with a 25 μ m pixel pitch well separated protons and deuterons at energies from 3 to 12 MeV. Additionally, a readout circuit without an amplifier was tested to investigate another type of saturation due to the voltage drop effect.

Water intoxication may be induced by the use of intrauterine fluid overload in hysteroscopic surgery. We report a patient with a uterine myoma and anemia (Hb, 9.3 g/dl), who developed severe hyponatremia during a hysteroscopic myomectomy. The submucosal myoma was resected using a monopolar resectoscope following 6 courses of GnRH agonist therapy. The procedure was performed by a combination of lumbar and intravenous anesthesia. The total amount of 3% solbitol was 27,000 ml and the duration of the procedure was 75 minutes. Severe hyponatremia (104 mEq/l) was diagnosed during the procedure, although there were no abnormal symptoms and vital signs. The serum Na level recovered to a normal level following the administration of diuretics. This case suggests that hyponatremia may occur during extensive resection of non-protruding submucosal myomas. Therefore, frequent measurements of intake and output of fluids and measurement of the serum Na level are required to prevent severe hyponatremia during hysteroscopic procedures for such cases.

Four coral-dominated coastal sites within two embayments (Kealakekua Bay and Honokōhau Bay) on the lee of the island of Hawai‘i were studied to assess evidence of anthropogenic impacts in these relatively pristine locales. Nutrient-loading parameters were analyzed in relation to benthic composition data. Statistically, there were significant positive relationships between nitrate + nitrite, silicate, and ammonium with the abundance of macroalgae, coralline algae, and dead coral, and between δ15N and dead coral abundance. The north outside site of Kealakekua Bay and the south outside site of Honokōhau Bay appear to be most impacted by nutrient-loading factors in each bay, respectively. Comparisons with past nutrient data indicate that nutrient inputs have increased to the two bays, and that early impacts of these increased loadings are evident. It is predicted that at current nutrient-loading rates, the north sites of Kealakekua Bay and the south sites of Honokōhau Bay will exhibit evidence of further degradation in future years.

The endothelial function of children with and without vascular disease, consisting of 41 controls, 24 with Kawasaki disease (KD), and 46 with diabetes mellitus (DM), was examined. Age at examination ranged from 3 to 23 years (mean, 12.0 +/- 4.7). The flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and intima-media complex in the common carotid artery were measured. In controls age at examination was not associated with FMD or intima-media complex. FMD significantly decreased in children with KD and DM compared with the control group (control vs KD or DM: 11.7 +/- 14.7 vs 3.0 +/- 11.0 or 6.4 +/- 8.5%, respectively; p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference for intima-media complex among the groups. Furthermore, FMD in KD patients with coronary arterial aneurysm was lower than that in KD patients without aneurysm (-0.5 +/- 9.2 vs 8.3 +/- 9.1%, p < 0.05). In DM patients, FMD in the high HbA1c group (HbA1c = 7%) was lower than that in the normal HbA1c group (HbA1c < 7%) (4.8 +/- 8.1 vs 11.4 +/- 7.8%, p < 0.05). In conclusion, FMD detected endothelial impairment in children with KD or type 1 DM regardless of overt vascular complications, and FMD impairment occurs prior to intima-media complex thickening. By measuring both FMD and intima-media complex, useful information for predicting vascular complications may be obtained.

Novel TTF vinylogues containing phenyl substituents at the vinyl positions were prepared by using oxidative coupling reactions of the 1,4-dithiafulvenes, where fused-pyrazine rings, 1,3-dithiole-2-thione rings, acenaphtho[1,2-b][1,4]dithiine units and ethylenedioxy groups were introduced at the 1,3-dithiole parts. Mono-phenyl substituted derivatives were also prepared to reduce the steric interactions. The cyclic voltammetry and X-ray structure studies revealed the substituent effects on the redox behavior.

Ultraprecision micromachining of hardened steel with a single point diamond tool, which is practically impossible due to rapid tool wear, is realized by applying elliptical vibration cutting technology which has been developed by the authors. A practical ultrasonic elliptical vibration cutting system is developed in the present research, which consists of a practical vibration control system and an ultraprecision planning machine. The control system is fabricated to keep the elliptical vibration to have a desired locus, where the amplitudes of the two directional vibrations and their phase shift are kept to be desired values, and the vibration frequency is locked to an average value of their resonant frequencies. The vibration control system is mounted on the on the ultraprecision planning machine, which consists of three feed tables with double hydrostatic oil guideways in XYZ axes, two rotary index tables in BC axes and a five axis control system. The developed elliptical vibration cutting system is applied to ultraprecision diamond planning of hardened die steel, and a high quality mirror surface is obtained over a large area of the whole finished surface. Maximum roughness of the finished surface is less than 0.04 /spl mu/m Ry, although the cutting distance reaches 1110 m. On the other hand, the surface finished by ordinary cutting without the vibration, is cloudy with maximum roughness of more than 0.52 /spl mu/m Ry, within a cutting distance of 1 m. Based on this advantage, the elliptical vibration cutting system is successfully applied to ultraprecision micromachining of dies for a front light panel of LCD. An optical quality surface with fine microgrooves over a large area of 122 /spl times/ 91 mm/sup 2/ and with surface roughness of less than 0.04 /spl mu/m Ry is obtained by the developed system, which is difficult for any conventional machining methods including grinding, polishing and ordinary cutting.

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of using a multifunctional flow sorter fluoroanalyzer to perform a simple and rapid high throughput assays for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping. Using this system, we have been able to demonstrate the feasibility of performing highly specific detection and discrimination of multiple bi-allelic SNPs in a single reaction.

The authors evaluated the effectiveness and safety of "neo-metoro" or 'mini-metoro" metreurynters plus oxytocin for labor induction and assessed differences in parturition outcomes, according to the metreurynter used at induction initiation.The authors retrospectively reviewed 146 consecutive women with live singleton pregnancies, and who underwent induction. Parturition outcomes were vaginal delivery achieved within the planned schedule (VDPS), vaginal delivery finally achieved (VDF), and induction-to-delivery interval (IDI). Women were divided into neo-metoro, mini-metoro, and without metreurynter groups based on metreurynter use at induction initiation. The authors examined the relationships of metreurynter groups with factors, parturition outcomes, and adverse events. In 113 women who underwent two-day induction, the authors calculated IDI and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for achieving delivery per unit time.VDPS rates were 65% in nulliparous and 81% in multiparous women. VDF rates were 78% in nulliparous and 96% in multiparous women. AORs for VDPS were 0.30 in nulliparous women and 0.18 in Bishop score (BS) 1-3 class. AORs for VDF were 0.04 in BS1-3 class and 0.14 in BS4-5 class. In 113 women undergoing two-day induction, AORs for achieving delivery per unit time were 0.45 in nulliparous women, 0.46 in obese women, and 0.48 in BS1-3 class. Neo-metoro use at induction initiation tended to reduce IDI.Labor induction using these metreurynters plus oxytocin is safe and effective. The advantages of neo-metoro over mini-metoro use at induction initiation remain unclear; neo-metoro use at induction initiation may reduce IDI.

Raman measurements in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}$ $(x=$6.72\char21{}6.82) high-${T}_{c}$ superconductors reveal intense phonon scattering due to an electronic resonance localized near oxygen vacancies on the CuO chains. Below room temperature the resonance can be photobleached in a manner similar to reported persistent photoinduced superconductivity effects, indicating photon-assisted oxygen ordering or electron vacancy capture. By comparing Raman and x-ray diffraction data we establish a correlation between the stability of the photoinduced state and the oxygen-ordering kinetics in the CuO chains.

The deformation behaviour of four Miocene soft rocks, namely Ohya tuff, Yokohama siltstone, Kobe mudstone and sandstone is analyzed on the basis of the results of cyclic CU triaxial tests. A procedure for strain correction, Young's modulus estimation and yield location is introduced. Relative to the ultimate failure stress, soft rocks tend to yield sooner, while their maximum deformation moduli increase, though non-linearly, at higher confining pressures. Both axial strain and axial plastic strain, attained at failure and at the onset of residual state also tend to increase with confining pressure. Once the rocks yield, deformation moduli decrease exponentially with respect to the axial plastic strain, depending on their maximum, elastic magnitude and confining pressures and a fitted equation is proposed.

Materials used in fusion reactors need to withstand against intense heat, particle, and x-ray fluxes. Those expected values are of 10 to 100 MW/m2 at MFE divertor and 109 W/cm2 or higher at IFE first walls. Laser ablation scheme can cover such heat flux intensity range and can serve as a heat source at its laser focus spot from 103 W/cm2 to 1014 W/cm2. These intensities cover the ones expected at the divertor (MFE) and the first walls (IFE). The ablation may include plasma, gas, liquid, or solid: all possible phases at an extreme condition where temperature may exceed 1 eV with corresponding densities. The areas of these mixed phases at extreme conditions (MPEC) have not been systematically studied. The inside of the solid wall becomes so called “Warm Dense Matter” where the details of the states should still be clarified.

The paper outlines the installation of a STATCOM for suppression of flicker generated by an electric arc furnace in a steel plant connected to a weak feeding grid. Salient design features of the STATCOM are given, and performance results from field measurements are presented and discussed.

We have demonstrated x‐ray nanospectroscopy for two‐dimensional nanomaterials with attogram ( = 10−18 gram) weight samples. The x‐ray nanospectroscopic characterization of the nanomaterials was performed using SPELEEM (Spectroscopic Photoemission and Low Energy Electron Microscopy) at BL17SU of the SPring‐8 in Japan. For quantitative x‐ray absorption spectroscopy analysis with high spatial resolution and high stability during the photon energy scan, we have implemented a sample drift correction and a uniform lighting correction by image analysis. Using these corrections, the x‐ray absorption spectra from 80 nm×80 nm. area are significantly improved and the layer‐dependent electronic structure analysis is also demonstrated.

We report on the metastable photo-bleaching of the 2.15 eV yellow Raman resonance in oxygen deficient YBa2Cu3Ox (x=6.35–6.87), extending investigations by Wake et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., 1991, 67, 3728) for x≈7. Polarization, x dependence and phonon spectra indicate that the resonance is localized at oxygen vacancies in long CuO-chains. The resonance is thermally reactivated from the metastable bleached state with a relaxation time τ∼exp[Δ/kBT] with Δ≈1 eV. The resulting temperature dependent equilibrium resonance intensity essentially mirrors the oxygen superstructure disordering around T*≈100°C observed in the same crystals by hard X-ray diffraction, thus offering a new effective probe of chain-oxygen dynamics in YBa2Cu3Ox.

We discuss the model-acquisition and model-matching aspects of a model-based vision system for the bin-picking of twisted tubular parts. The system uses both 3-D structured-light vision and 2-D binary vision in a synergistic manner. Binary vision kicks in when the robot picks up a tube using a graspable fragment identified as such by the 3-D vision system; the tube thus picked up is placed on a backlit table so that its pose can be calculated from its 2D image with sufficient precision to allow its assembly with another object. The binary vision carries out pose calculation by affine matching the projected image with a small set of model projections, each corresponding to a separate stable pose of the object on a flat surface and each represented by the coordinates of only four points. This paper presents a heuristic algorithm for determining the placement of the four points for representing the model projections. >

Using high-quality barium titanate single crystals, its microscopic and macroscopic symmetries were investigated by Raman scattering and a polarizing microscope, respectively. Their temperature dependences were also studied through Curie temperature. The microscopic symmetry of P4mm observed at 21.7/spl deg/C did not change through Curie temperature. On the other hand, the macroscopic symmetry was P4mm below 133.0/spl deg/C while that was Pm3m above 133.0/spl deg/C. This difference between the microscopic and macroscopic symmetries above Curie temperature suggested that the barium titanate above 133.0/spl deg/C has intrinsically some disordered behavior. We proposed the model, that the flipping behavior of the polar vector can be origin of the disordered behavior.

Protein kinase C (PKC) has been known to play an important role in ischemic preconditioning (IP). This study was designed to examine whether the translocation of PKC is associated with the cardioprotective effects of IP in vivo on infarct size and ventricular arrhythmias in a rat model. Using anesthetized rats, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, infarct size and ventricular arrhythmias during 45 min of coronary occlusion were measured. PKC activity was assayed in both the cytosolic and cell membrane fraction. Brief 3-min periods ofischemia followed by 10 min ofreperfusion were used to precondition the myocardium. Calphostin C was used to inhibit PKC. Infarct size was significantly reduced by IP (68.1 (2.5)%, mean (S.E.) vs. 45.2 (3.4)%, p0.01). The reduction in infarct size by IP was abolished by pretreatment with calphostin C. The total number of ventricular premature complex (VPC) during 45 min of coronary occlusion was reduced by IP (1474 (169) beats/45 min vs. 256 (82) beats/45 min, p0.05). The reduction the total number of VPC induced by IP was abolished by the administration of calphostin C before the episode of brief ischemia. The same tendency was observed in the duration of ventricular tachycardia and the incidence of ventricular fibrillation. PKC activity in the cell membrane fraction transiently increased immediately after IP (100 vs. 142%, p0.01) and returned to baseline 15 min after IP. Pretreatment with calphostin C prevented the translocation of PKC. The translocation of PKC plays an important role in the cardioprotective effect of IP on infarct size and ventricular arrhythmias in anesthetized rats.

We report on Raman scattering study of changes in the phonon spectrum and low-energy electronic excitations for Sr14Cu24O41. From the polarization and Ca-doping dependence, and from a comparison with previous reports on isostructural compounds, we identify the Raman-allowed modes within the simple structure, consisting of two orthorhombic CuO subcells. At low temperatures, the spectra exhibit a number of normally forbidden phonons as well as additional low-energy excitations. For T < ~200 K, we observe a large loss of low-energy spectral weight that linked to changes in the linewidth of the 246-cm-1 phonon. These effects, analogous to the pseudogap effect in the high-Tc cuprates, can be correlated with recentiy reported resistivity experiments that show the pair formations in the ladders for T< ~-200 K.

The p51/p63 gene is a homologue of p53, the product of which acts as a transcriptional activator by binding to p53-responsive elements in the promoter regions of several p53 downstream genes. Recently, we identified four distinct mutations in the p51/p63 gene after screening200 human tumors and cell lines. Because all of the detected p51/p63 mutations were missense mutations, the pathogenic effect of these mutations is difficult to determine without performing a functional analysis. In this study, we examined the transcriptional activity of tumor-derived p51/p63 missense mutations using a yeast-based assay and compared the data with that of artificial p51/p63 missense mutations at residues corresponding to the positions and substituted residues of p53 mutation "hotspots." Although most of the p51/p63 missense mutations at the p53 hotspot residues were unable to transactivate the promoters used in this study, the tumor-derived p51/p63 missense mutations retained their ability to transactivate the MDM2 and/or the BAX promoter but not the p21/WAF1 promoter. These results suggest that the p51/p63 mutation might be involved in an unknown tumor suppression pathway distinct from that of p53.

The antiarrhythmic effect of magnesium sulfate (Mg) as well as the hemodynamics were studied using the coronary ligation and reperfusion models in rats. In the study on coronary ligation arrhythmia, i.v. administration of Mg (0.6, 2, 6, 20 and 60 micromol) was conducted at 5 min after coronary ligation. Mg had an action to decrease the total number of premature ventricular contraction (PVC), the duration of ventricular tachycardia (VT), the frequency of VT and ventricular fibrillation (Vf) and the mortality ratio for 30 min after coronary ligation. In the 6-60 micromol groups, significant antiarrhythmic action (p0.01 vs. control) was attained. In the study on reperfusion arrhythmia, i.v. administration of Mg (20, 60 and 200 micromol) was conducted at 4 min after coronary ligation, and at 1 min after ligation, the coronary artery was reperfused. Mg had an action to decrease the frequency of Vf, the mortality ratio and the duration of VT and Vf and to extend the interval between the initiation of reperfusion and the occurrence of VT and Vf for 10 min after reperfusion. In the 200 micromol group, significant antiarrhythmic action (p0.05 vs. control) was attained. Administration of Mg decreased the heart rate and blood pressure. We concluded that Mg can control myocardial ischemia-induced and reperfusion-induced arrhythmia and that sudden cardiac death which occurs as a result of arrhythmia can be prevented.

The biological inter- and intra-individual variations of serum immunochemical constituents were estimated by the analysis of variance. Twelve samples taken at weekly intervals were analyzed for 22 healthy individuals. As for immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, IgM, IgE, C-reactive protein, anti-streptolysin O, alpha-fetoprotein, complement component 3 and 4, and ferritin, the intra-individual variations (with coefficient of variations (CVs) ranging from 4.8% to 51.7%) were smaller than the inter-individual variations (with CVs ranging from 14.6% to 107.6%). The values for carcinoembryonic antigen (with CVs of inter- and intra-individual variation being 31.6% and 39.6%, respectively) and beta 2-microglobulin (with CVs of inter- and intra-individual variation being 14.4% and 13.1%, respectively) were similar. The biological variations of serum immunochemical constituents, examined in this study, were larger than those of serum chemical constituents. Based on our data, we propose allowable limits of analytical error, which is less than one-half of the average intra-individual variation for evaluation of imprecision and is less than one-quarter of the inter- plus intra-individual variation for evaluation of inaccuracy.