An analysis of the length of hospital stay for cataract patients in Japan using the discrete-type proportional hazard model

We analyze the length of hospital stays of patients hospitalized for cataract and related diseases (Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) 2041) in Japan, utilizing the data pertaining to 3436 patients on whom one-eye lens operations are performed. We use the discrete-type proportional hazard model to analyze variables that may affect the length of stay.     

Development of a non-contact micro-liquid mixing method and application to chemical auto-analyzers

A new mixing method, which can mix some hundred microliters of liquid in a vessel without any physical contact, was developed. This mixing method used free surface waves in a vessel generated by ultrasound irradiation from outside the vessel. First, feasibility of circulation flow induced by waves was discussed with a numerical simulation. The mixing mechanism was then experimentally verified by flow visualization using a dye. Next, the method was applied to mixing serums and reagents. The serum-reagent mixture was visualized by using the Schlieren method, and the mixing performance was quantified from the visualized images. The experimental results show that the new mixing method is suitable for volumes of serum-reagent mixtures ranging up to . Finally, by implementing the new mixing method in a standard chemical auto-analyzer, a new kind of chemical auto-analyzer that does not suffer cross-contamination between samples was produced.     

NEIL1 binding to DNA containing 2'-fluorothymidine glycol stereoisomers and the effect of editing

Thymine glycol (Tg), one of the oxidized bases formed in DNA by reactive oxygen species, is repaired by the DNA glycosylases such as NEIL1, NTH1 and Endo III. In our recent studies, we showed that NEIL1's catalytic efficiency and lesion specificity are regulated by an RNA-editing adenosine deamination reaction. In this study, we synthesized oligodeoxynucleotides containing 2'-fluorothymidine glycol with either ribo or arabino configuration and investigated the binding of these modified DNAs with the unedited and edited forms of human NEIL1 along with E. coli Endo III. For the two forms of hNEIL1, binding affinities to FTg-containing DNA were similar indicating that the editing effect is more subtle than to simply alter substrate affinity. While the NEIL1-binding to FTg-containing DNAs was largely insensitive to C5 and 2' stereochemistry, a preference was observed for the FTg-G pair over the FTg-A pair. In addition, we found that optimal binding is observed with Endo III and duplex DNA with riboFTg(5S) paired with dG. The modified DNAs reported here will provide useful tools for further characterizing the interaction between DNA repair glycosylases and thymine glycol containing DNA.     

A case-based construction method for a fault-restoration support system in secondary power systems

The authors have already clarified that case-based reasoning (CBR) is very useful for the fault-restoration support system in electrical power networks. This paper describes the case-based construction method, adaptation and modification method of a case which is a fundamental process of CBR, and the results of evaluation. The following points were clarified through the simulations of fault restoration under various conditions with electrical power networks of practical scale: (1) a case-based construction method and the guide to the selection of cases which should be included in the case were made clear. Restoration plans which include many cases are registered in the base. Cases which would require long computation time are also registered in the case base. In the application which requires high-speed processing, such as fault restoration, there exists an optimum value in the total numbers of cases in the case base; (2) the function of load switching which is essential to perform adaptation and modification of a case flexibly was studied and embedded in the system herein. Inference power was augmented by the implemented of this function, and optimum for suboptimum solutions were obtained. Processing time with CBR is considerably shorter than other methods, and this feature is remarkable with complicated cases.     

Social intelligence design in online chat communication: a psychological study on the effects of “congestion”

Social intelligence design (SID) is an essential concept for constructing electronic communities or computer-supported communication systems which effectively support various intelligent activities. This study is focused on one example of such systems, that is, online chat for real-time computer-mediated communication. We examined various dimensions of human information processing in online chat sessions from both the cognitive and social perspectives within psychology. A key variable which affects the process of a chat session is what we call communication congestion. We regard this quality as characterizing online chat sessions and are experimentally exploring its effects on chat performance and cognition processing by participants. Results of this experimental study suggest that medium-density congestion with a relevant topic might activate communication, particularly for experienced participants. Based on our findings, we discuss some suggestions regarding future innovations for chat systems.

The computation and dynamic display of three-dimensional streaklines for natural convection in enclosures

The rate of heat transfer in an inclined enclosure is critically dependent on the mode of circulation. The pattern of circulation in all finite enclosures is three dimensional. Streaklines are an effective means of displaying the mode and detailed pattern of such complex circulations. A computer program is presented for the calculation of the streaklines and another program for their dynamic display.     

Monocular hyper‐realistic AR head‐up display

We proposed and developed a novel monocular hyper‐realistic head dome projector for an amusement application and a novel monocular windshield augmented reality projector for augmented reality and head‐up display applications. They use monocular vision that eliminates the depth cues caused by binocular parallax information. Our developed monocular hyper‐realistic head dome projector and windshield augmented reality projector system achieved a high hyper‐reality performance with free depth perception and high visibility.     

Dissolution of Nb(C,N) in mild steel during annealing

A formula for the solubility products of Nb and C in mild steel containing small amount of Ti which has been annealed in the austenitic region for 90s is presented. This solubility product gives closer agreement than that calculated from Smith's formula based on long-term annealing. Fine ferrite grains were achieved by dissolving Nb(C,N) into the matrix during annealing due to the increased supercooling during the austenite → ferrite transformation.     

Effects of zirconia additives on β-tricalcium-phosphate cement for high strength and high injectability

Injectable calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) exhibit many advantages as bone substitution materials. However, the strength of injectable CPCs after setting are often insufficient. In our previous studies, mechano-chemically modification of β-tricalcium phosphate cement powder through a planetary ball-milling process exhibited simultaneous improvement in the strength and injectability of CPC. Two plausible effects of this process are: changes in the CPC powder properties and zirconia abrasion powder contamination from the milling pot and balls. The objective of the present study is to separately evaluate these two effects on the strength and injectability of CPCs.The calculated injectability of the cement paste with and without the addition of zirconia powder were higher than 65% at 6 h after mixing. These values were much higher than that of the CPC paste without mechano-chemically modification, and similar to that of CPC with zirconia abrasion powder contamination. By contrast, the compression strength of the set CPC with zirconia powder additives were higher than that without the addition, and similar to that of CPC with zirconia abrasion powder contamination. These results suggest that the changes in the CPC powder properties due to mechano-chemically modification mainly affected the injectability of the CPC paste, and the zirconia abrasion powder contamination of the CPC powder affected the strength of the set CPC.     

The behavior of misfit dislocations during interdiffusion

The behavior of misfit dislocations during interdiffusion was studied by means of a hot stage in an electron microscope. An analysis was made on the basis of previous theoretical calculations of forces on dislocations. Misfit dislocations were found to exist in an interwomen network such that each of the dislocations could not move independently of those in a perpendicular orientation. The analysis of the experimental results indicated that the motion of the misfit dislocations was controlled by the osmotic force arising from interdiffusion.