Search

This study investigated whether the eight standard tests of sports vision used in Japan appropriately reflect sports vision; whether all eight tests are necessary; and if not, which combination yields the optimal model. Participants were kendo practitioners (exercise group, n = 41) and those with no exercise habits (non-exercise group, n = 65). The performance of the two groups on all eight tests were compared. The groups differed in static visual acuity, kinetic visual acuity, and eye/hand coordination. A high correlation (r = 0.75) was observed between static visual acuity and kinetic visual acuity, while contrast sensitivity was moderately correlated with static visual acuity and kinetic visual acuity (r = 0.6), and dynamic visual acuity was moderately correlated with eye/hand coordination (r = − 0.66). Logistic regression analysis indicated that it is not necessary to conduct all eight tests; the optimal model included static visual acuity, visual reaction time, and eye/hand coordination. Our results suggest that static visual acuity, visual reaction time, and eye/hand coordination are sufficient for assessing visual function in kendo practitioners. For other sports, it may be possible to construct discriminative models using the same method and determine which aspects of visual function and which training methods to emphasise in a given sport.

To elucidate the resistance mechanisms of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar 'Milyang 44' against rice stink bugs, we compared the number of stylet sheaths, husk perforations, and feeding marks on the surface of the grains caused by Leptocorisa chinensis and Cletus punctiger on Milyang 44 and the control cultivar, i.e., 'Aichinokaori SBL'. We also examined the cross-sectional structure of the rice husks. We found that the number of stylet sheaths per panicle was higher in Milyang 44 than in Aichinokaori SBL for both rice stink bug species, except in one test involving C. punctiger. However, Milyang 44 had significantly less damage per number of stylet sheaths than Aichinokaori SBL, resulting in a lower percentage rates of pecky rice grains in Milyang 44. Interestingly, there was no difference in the percentage rates of pecky rice between the two cultivars after removing one third of the husks. Histological analysis showed that the sclerenchymatous cell wall containing lignin of husk was thicker in Milyang 44 than in Aichinokaori SBL, suggesting that the husk of Milyang 44 plays an important role in its resistance to these two rice stink bug species.

Background Postictal suppression on an electroencephalogram (EEG) represents electrical silence during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and has been considered as a key feature associated with the efficacy of treatment. The present study aimed to predict postictal suppression using heart rate variability (HRV). Methods Participants comprised 21 consecutive patients with depression who underwent bilateral pulse wave ECT. We analyzed the frequency domains of resting HRV before ECT. HRV indices such as the high-frequency component (HF) reflecting parasympathetic activity and the ratio of low-frequency component (LF)/HF reflecting sympathetic activity were natural log transformed for analysis. We evaluated ictal and peri-ictal EEG parameters and investigated their associations with HRV indices. Results Postictal suppression and regularity were positively associated with ln[HF]. Postictal suppression remained significantly associated with ln[HF] after adjusting for age in multiple regression analysis of patients with depression. Limitations The present study could not examine the influence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and polarity on HRV. In addition, the small sample size resulted in low statistical power. Conclusions These results suggested that ln[HF] before ECT could be utilized as a predictor of postictal suppression on EEG during ECT.

In Africa, cold temperatures occur in the highlands of East and Southern Africa and in some areas of the Sahel region of West Africa leading to substantial rice yield losses. Cold tolerance (CT) at booting stage on basis of spikelet fertility after cold water irrigation was evaluated using F2 population derived from a cross between temperate japonica, Hananomai, and tropical japonica, WAB56-104. Two Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for CT were detected on chromosome 8 and 10 with enhanced effects on the trait coming from Hananomai and WAB56-104 allele, respectively. The QTLs explained 30% and 33% of phenotypic variation in spikelet fertility, respectively. CT was negatively correlated with panicle number (r = −0.35, p

Background Electrocardiogram abnormalities have been reported during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). A corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation indicates delayed ventricular repolarization, which can trigger ventricular arrhythmias such as torsade de pointes (TdP). We examined the QTc changes during generalized tonic-clonic seizures induced by ECT, and the effects of atropine sulfate on these QTc changes. Methods We analyzed heart rate, QT interval, and QTc in 32 patients with depression who underwent ECT (25 women, 67.4 ± 8.7 years of age). The QTc from -30 to 0 seconds prestimulation was used as baseline, which was compared with QTc at 20-30 seconds and 140-150 seconds poststimulus onset. Results QTc was significantly prolonged at 20-30 seconds poststimulus, then significantly decreased at 140-150 seconds poststimulus, compared with baseline. QTc prolongation induced by ECT was significantly decreased by atropine sulfate. Conclusions These data suggest that the risk of TdP may be enhanced by ECT. Further, the risk of cardiac ventricular arrhythmias, including TdP, may be reduced by administration of atropine sulfate.

The purpose of this study is to compare the detectability of diseases the new image processing and the conventional image processing by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and to show the usefulness of the new image processing. Radiographs with and without nodular cancer models in the chest phantom were used for observation samples. Totally 200 radiographs were evaluated by 10 radiological technologists (each readers had over 20 years or under 4 years of experience). The mean area under the curve (AUC) calculated from the over 20 years group was 0.754 for the new processing and 0.771 for the conventional processing (p value=0.651, 95% confidence interval=-0.084/0.049 (lower bound/upper bound)). On the other hand, the average AUC calculated from under 4 years group was 0.819 for the new processing and 0.678 for the conventional processing (p value= 0.041, 95% confidence interval=0.019/0.262 (lower bound/upper bound)). New image processing provides high detectability in less than 4 years group compared to conventional processing.

This paper describes characteristics of motion responses and tether tensions of a floating structure with four moon pools, on which one or two vertical axis wind turbine models are installed. Effects of several moon pools founded in a floating structure on motion characteristics have been unclear. In this study, the authors proposed a twin-VAWT installed floating system, which was a pontoon based structure. However four moon pools were set on. The study conducted model experiments in a wave tank using regular waves with 0.6 to 2.0 seconds in wave periods and 0.02 and 0.04 m in wave height. The model had four moon pools and was installed with one or two vertical axis turbine models. From it, gyroscopic moment effects were investigated. Besides, the study performed numerical calculations with the linear potential theory based method which were a Green function method. As a results, responses of the twin-turbine model are not affected by gyroscopic moment. The study discusses motion responses and tether tensions with nonlinear behaviours from mainly the experimental results. Also the effect of moon pools were investigated from the calculations. From comparisons of motion results on calculation models with same displacement but different draft, the results suggested that not only heave motion but also roll motion could be reduced because of the moon pools if the size of the moon pools were optimized.

This paper describes characteristics of motion responses and tether tensions of a floating structure with four moon pools, on which one or two vertical axis wind turbines are installed. In this study, the authors proposed a twin-VAWT installed floating system, which was a pontoon based structure. However four moon pools were set on. The study conducted model experiments in a wave tank using regular waves with 0.6 to 2.0 seconds in wave periods and 0.02 and 0.04 m in wave height. The model had four moon pools and was installed with one or two vertical axis turbine models. From it, gyroscopic moment effects were investigated. Besides, the study performed numerical calculations with the linear potential theory based method which were a Green function method. As a results, responses of the twin-turbine model are not affected by gyroscopic moment. The study discusses motion responses and tether tensions with nonlinear behaviours from mainly the experimental results.

Purpose The effectiveness of antipsychotic treatments in the acute phase of schizophrenia in actual clinical practice remains somewhat unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present naturalistic, multi-center study conducted from 1 year starting in September 2017 was to examine the response rate to an initial or second antipsychotic in newly admitted patients with acute-phase schizophrenia, as well as the response rate and quality of augmentation with two antipsychotics in patients who failed to respond to both the initial and second antipsychotics. Results In total, there were 660 (42.8%) and 243 (15.7%) responders to an initial and a second antipsychotic, respectively; thus, 58.5% of all patients were responders to an initial or second antipsychotic. Among 581 nonresponders (37.7%), the initial antipsychotic or a third antipsychotic was added to the second antipsychotic. Among these patients, 89.8% showed a Clinical Global Impression-Improvement score ≤3 (from ‘minimally improved’ to ‘very much improved’). The rates of adverse events such as hyperglycemia, hyper-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperprolactinemia, QTc prolongation, and extrapyramidal symptoms were not high in patients receiving augmentation with two antipsychotics compared with all patients, and no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion Antipsychotic augmentation may be an option in acute-phase treatment for patients who do not respond to either an initial or a second antipsychotic.

New Rice for Africa (NERICA) is a general name for interspecific rice varieties derived from a cross between the high-yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) between locally adapted African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.). Eight NERICAs were evaluated for cold tolerance (CT) at the reproductive stage and compared with their O. sativa parents and three Japanese standard rice varieties over 3 years. Cold tolerance was evaluated based on the filled grain ratio (FGR) after cold water irrigation. The FGR was greatly reduced by cold water irrigation. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 had higher FGR (51.9–57.9 %), while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 had lower FGR (6.2–14.5 %). NERICA 1, 2 and 7 were less affected by cold stress, with a 31 % mean reduction in FGR, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 were greatly affected, with their FGRs being reduced by more than 80 %. NERICA 3 and 4 were moderately affected by cold stress, with about 45 % reduction rate in FGR. FGR significantly influenced the grain weights of the varieties with strong positive correlations (r = 0.83–0.91; P

Background Rice blast is the most serious disease afflicting rice and there is an urgent need for the use of disease resistance (R) genes in blast tolerance breeding programs. Pb1 is classified as a quantitative resistance gene and it does not have fungal specificity. Pb1-mediated resistance develops in the latter stages of growth. However, some cultivars, such as Kanto209 (K209), cultivar name Satojiman, despite possessing Pb1, do not exert resistance to rice blast during the reproductive stage. Results We found that the expression of WRKY45 gene downstream of Pb1 was weakly induced by rice blast inoculation at the full heading stage in K209. Genetic analysis using the SNP-based Golden Gate assay of K209 crossing with Koshihikari Aichi SBL (KASBL) found at least four regions related to the resistance in the rice genome (Chr8, Chr9, Chr7, Chr11). Mapping of QTL related to Chr7 confirmed the existence of factors that were required for the resistance of Pb1 in the 22 to 23 Mbp region of the rice genome. Conclusion We clarified how the K209 cultivar is vulnerable to the blast disease despite possessing Pb1 and found the DNA marker responsible for the quantitative resistance of Pb1. We identified the QTL loci required for Pb1-mediated resistance to rice panicle blast. Pb1 was negatively dependent on at least three QTLs, 7, 9 and 11, and positively dependent on one, QTL 8, in the K209 genome. This finding paves the way for creating a line to select optimal QTLs in order to make use of Pb1-mediated resistance more effectively. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12284-017-0175-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We examined clinical characteristics including serum olanzapine concentrations for acute schizophrenia patients who required above conventional doses. We performed a rater-blinded, randomized clinical trial in 12 psychiatric emergency sites. Eligible patients were 18-64 years old and met diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, acute schizophrenia-like psychotic disorder, or schizoaffective disorder. A total of 42 patients were randomly assigned by means of sealed envelopes to receive risperidone (3-12 mg/day; n=20) and olanzapine (10-40 mg/day; n=22), with follow-up at 8 weeks. The Negative score of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was significantly higher in patients who required high doses than in patients who responded to conventional doses. Serum olanzapine concentrations at the time of oral 20mg/day could be obtained from 5 out of 7 patients who subsequently required high-dose olanzapine. All values were more than 30 ng/mL after 11-16 h from dosing to sample collection, and the mean value was 47.876 (S.D. 21.546) ng/mL. Such concentrations are appropriate with respect to a therapeutic range of 20-50 ng/mL. The present study has shown evidence that the reason for requiring high-dose olanzapine cannot be explained by pharmacokinetics in the treatment of acute-phase schizophrenia.

Background Due to a 2010 rule revision, attack with the arms or hands below the belt is prohibited, with the penalty being hansoku-make for the first offense. This strict rule must have affected competitors’ technical-tactical behaviors with regards to using hands and arms below the belt in contests. The purpose of the present study is transformation of technical-tactical behaviors for hand techniques attacking below the belt in men’s contests before and after the 2010 rule revision. Material & Methods: 436 men’s contests from the 2009 Grand Slam Tokyo and the 2010 Grand Slam Paris were examined. DVDs of the Federation of All Japan Judo were used. Five hand techniques used in below the belt maneuvers as referenced in the Kodokan manual were investigated. The analysts unanimously decided if the techniques performed by competitors could be categorized within one of the five hand techniques studied. Results: Use of kibisu-gaeshi significantly decreased (p

We examined whether augmentation with olanzapine would be superior to increased risperidone dose among acute schizophrenia patients showing early non-response to risperidone. We performed a rater-blinded, randomized controlled trial at psychiatric emergency sites. Eligible patients were newly admitted patients with acute schizophrenia. Early response was defined as Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale score ≤ 3 following 2 weeks of treatment. Early non-responders were allocated to receive either augmentation with olanzapine (RIS + OLZ group) or increased risperidone dose (RIS + RIS group). The 78 patients who completed 2 weeks of treatment were divided into 52 early responders to risperidone and 26 early non-responders to risperidone (RIS + OLZ group, n = 13; RIS + RIS group, n = 13). No difference in the achievement of ≥ 50% improvement in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score was observed between RIS + OLZ and RIS + RIS groups. Although time to treatment discontinuation for any cause was significantly shorter in the RIS + RIS group (6.8 weeks [95% confidence interval, 5.2–8.4]) than in early responders to risperidone (8.6 weeks [7.9–9.3]; P = 0.018), there was no significant difference between the RIS + OLZ group (7.9 weeks [6.3–9.5]) and early responders to risperidone. Secondary outcomes justify the inclusion of augmentation arms in additional, larger studies comparing strategies for early non-responders.

Warm compaction is known as an efficient way to increase green density, which contributes to increase strength after sintering. In this study, the application of a warm compaction method to the pure magnesium powder was investigated. The compressibility and compaction behavior of pure magnesium powder compacted at various temperatures and pressures were measured. The porosity and ejection stress of the pure magnesium green compacts processed at 373 K under a pressure of 489 MPa were about 0.5 % and 1.4 MPa, respectively. It was found that sintered transverse rupture strength of the warm compacted specimens is higher than that of the cold compacted specimens. The difference in strength between cold and warm compacted specimens increased with increasing sintering temperature. The maximum difference was about 40 MPa. The increase of the sintered strength is considered to be due to the increase in contacting area among the powder particles promoted by the warm compaction. In conclusion, the experimental results showed that the warm compaction method is an effective method to compact a pure magnesium powder into near full density and therefore to increase the sintered strength.

Sulfation represents an essential modification for various molecules and regulates many biological processes. The sulfation of glycans requires a specific transporter for 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) on the Golgi apparatus. This study investigated the expression of PAPS transporter genes in colorectal carcinomas and the significance of Golgi-specific sulfation in the proliferation of colorectal carcinoma cells. The relative amount of PAPST1 transcripts was found to be higher than those of PAPST2 in colorectal cancerous tissues. Immunohistochemically, the enhanced expression of PAPST1 was observed in fibroblasts in the vicinity of invasive cancer cells, whereas the expression of PAPST2 was decreased in the epithelial cells. RNA interference of either of the two PAPS transporter genes reduced the extent of sulfation of cellular proteins and cellular proliferation of DLD-1 human colorectal carcinoma cells. Silencing the PAPS transporter genes reduced fibroblast growth factor signaling in DLD-1 cells. These findings indicate that PAPS transporters play a role in the proliferation of colorectal carcinoma cells themselves and take part in a desmoplastic reaction to support cancer growth by controlling their sulfation status.

This study was investigated the influence of preheat temperature and welding speed by a view point of microstructure of joining zone used by friction stir welding (FSW) between ductile cast irons and stainless steels. FSW conditions were carried out by change of tool rotation by 200, 400 and 600rpm, preheat temperature by non-preheat, 573 and 773K, and welding speed by 1～10mm/s. As a result, microstructure of FCD450 side became a pearlite structure changed by preheat condition. Also, stir zone (SZ) of FSW were crystallized the chill structure because of cast iron melted partially why SZ temperature exceeded the eutectic temperature. However, higher welding speed could inhibited crystallization and found the possibility of bonding between ductile cast irons and stainless steels.

The problem of high-temperature corrosion caused by wood fuel ash produced by the wood biomass combustion apparatus, has arisen from the expanded usage of wood biomass energy in recent years. The purpose of this study is to develop chromium-free composite coating that provides high durability and corrosion resistance against wood fuel ash with cold spray technology.In this study, fabrication of NiAl intermetallic compound coatings by cold spraying using compressed air is examined. Particle velocity and deposition efficiency were measured to attempt a comparison between compressed air and helium gas. The coating characteristics such as microstructure, micro Vickers hardness and corrosion resistance were evaluated. As a result, a dense NiAl intermetallic compound coating was formed with compressed air by using the powder prepared by that blending Ni-Al mechanically milled powder and Al2O3 powder. Moreover, the coating showed excellent corrosion resistance in the polarization measurements and high temperature corrosion tests.

In cold spray, feedstock powders are accelerated by supersonic jet with solid phase and deposited onto substrate. Compared with the conventional thermal spray, the dense coatings can be prepared without oxidation and decomposition of original powders.In this study, two types of Ni-Al mixture powders with different mixture form were used to fabricate Ni-Al composite coatings by cold spraying. Subsequently the coatings were annealed to synthesize NiAl intermetallic compounds.As a result, a dense NiAl intermetallic compounds coating was fabricated by using the Ni-Al mechanical milling powder. Moreover, the adhesive strength and micro vickers hardness of this coating is found to be higher than that formed by Ni-Al blended powder.