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We describe the detection of cell nuclei in oral cytology using artificial intelligence (AI). We focused on the detection of cell nuclei because the ratio of cell nuclei to cytoplasm increases with increasing cell malignancy. As an initial step in the development of AI-assisted cytology, we investigated two methods for the automatic detection of cell nuclei in blue-stained cells in cytopreparation images. We evaluated the usefulness of the sliding window method (SWM) and the mask region-based convolutional neural network (Mask-RCNN) method in identifying cell nuclei in oral cytopreparation images. Thirty cases of liquid-based oral cytology were analyzed. First, we performed the SWM by dividing each image into 96 × 96 pixels. Overall, 591 images with or without blue-stained cell nuclei were prepared as the training data and 197 as the test data (from among 1576 images in total). Next, we performed the Mask-RCNN method by preparing 130 images of Class II and III lesions and creating mask images showing cell regions based on these images. By the SWM method, the highest detection rate for blue-stained cells in the evaluation group was found to be 0.9314. For Mask-RCNN, 37 cell nuclei were identified, and 1 cell nucleus was identified as a non-nucleus after 40 epochs (error rate: 0.027). Mask-RCNN was shown to be more accurate than SWM in identifying the cell nuclei. If the bluestained cell nuclei can be correctly identified automatically, the entire cell morphology can be grasped faster, and the diagnostic performance of cytology can be improved., Sensors and Materials, 35(2), pp.399-409; 2023

Endoscopic submucosa dissection (ESD) procedures, used to remove cancerous tissue from thin-walled organs such as the duodenum, often result in compromising the organ’s functionality, resulting in problematic leakage. While a device has been developed to enable the adherence of a cell sheet to provide additional protection (thickness) to the lining, the device is not suited to laparoscopic application. We have developed and tested a new device and procedure that can be used laparoscopically to adhere cell sheets to organs., Sensors and Materials, 33(3), pp. 973-979; 2021

We are currently developing a mobile scaffolding device that can dodge the piers of bridges without dismantling the scaffold when moving between spans to improve efficiency and safety in bridge inspections. The mobile scaffolding device treated in this paper is split in the center of the device when it crosses the piers. In this process, the mobile scaffold is cantilevered and poses a danger to the workers on board. Therefore, we implemented horizontal holding control by wire reeling to keep the mobile scaffold horizontal. However, in this control method, the direction of motion of the mobile scaffold is only partially constrained by the wire. Thus, the device is greatly excited when an external force is applied. It is difficult to damp these oscillations in wire-reeling control. We designed a semi-active dynamic absorber for vibration control by applying the skyhook theory, a basic theory of the active suspension. When a random input that simulates the wind force was given to the mobile scaffolding device with the dynamic absorber, the vibration of the device was reduced by half compared with that of the mobile scaffolding device without the dynamic absorber., Sensors and Materials, 33(3), pp. 959-972; 2021

A path planning algorithm for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) performing docking operations in the presence of tidal current disturbances is presented. The path planner is composed a way-point generator (WPG), an Model Predictive Control based optimal planner (OP), and a tidal current estimator (TCE). The WPG defines the next way-point with respect to the vehicle position and the OP iteratively generates the trajectory over a prescribed future horizon whilst satisfying certain physical and logical constraints. The TCE estimates the tidal current disturbance speed enabling to adapt the AUV trajectory for reducing actuators power consumption. The proposed path planning policy has been evaluated in a set of simulation scenarios to illustrate the ability of the policy to drive the AUV by satisfying specifications and limiting power consumption.

Internet usage has become an essential part of our daily lives, it has become universal. The aim of this research is to consider existing Internet-based networks with regard to their support for the remote operation of robotic technology, in particular, looking at transmission speed and delay time as it relates to teleoperation. Currently dedicated connections are typically used when a high Quality of Service (QoS) is required for mission critical services or safety-critical systems (SCS), however such connections are very expensive to set up and maintain. Therefore, this study focuses on modifying existing internet networks in a manner to provide a better QoS with little additional cost. Using a number of microcontrollers, computers, and routers, two different protocols were used to control a robotic device remotely. Use of the Point-to-Point Tunnelling Protocol (PPTP) used for implementing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) was found to provide higher average transmission speeds compared to the using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which is a regular internet connection.

Food consumption is increasing as the world population increases. While the eating of fish is spreading worldwide, the depletion of fishery resources has become a problem owing to overfishing, and the importance of aquaculture is increasing in order to continue to supply fish as food. In marine aquaculture, fish are grown in aquaculture cages in the sea. Thus, if a harmful algal bloom (HAB) reaches the cages, it will cause serious damage. Countermeasures against HAB are one of the important problems for aquaculture fishermen. In Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan, countermeasures against HAB include patrolling and sampling water by ships. These samples are then submitted to HAB experts for analysis. Following this analysis, notification is provided to aquaculture fishermen. When HAB is detected early, aquaculture fishermen can minimize the damage of HAB by stopping feeding and moving the aquaculture cages. In this study, we developed a system of early detection and notification of HAB to aquaculture fishermen. This is carried out by patrolling and sampling water using drones, detection of HAB by microscope and PC operation, and automatic notification by email and web application. As a result of this developed system, the identification accuracy of harmful plankton is more than 90%, and the time taken to find HABs can be shortened from the 6 h of the conventional approach to 15 min using this newly developed system., Sensors and Materials, 31(12), pp.4155-4171; 2019

In this study, the authors used the Fujifilm Prescale Pressure Measuring System to measure the contact pressure and distribution at the jaws of laparoscopic grasping forceps. This data was then correlated with measured pressures at the forceps handles to understand the relationship between the surgeon’s actuating pressure and that on the organ being manipulated. The purpose of this study is to create a database of tactile information to provide guidelines in defining minimally invasive surgery (MIS). This is expected to be important as today's society continues to progress in the use of automation, IoT, AI and MIS. In order to achieve the above, the authors developed an experimental device consisting of an actuator, a load cell and an MCU to stably actuate and control the handle side of grasping forceps. Target organs were simulated using triangular prisms of various silicone rubber materials. The experimental method involved actuating the handle side with preset pressure values for fixed time periods and using sensitive film to measure the pressure at the forceps tip. The film data was then scanned, processed and analyzed.

The purpose of the present study was to identify the structures of cannabidiol (CBD) metabolites during CO formation by human liver microsomes and human recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. CBD was NADPH-dependently metabolized by human liver microsomes and human recombinant CYP enzymes. Less-polar metabolites were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry monitoring, and their estimated molecular ions were m/z 286, 358 and 481 after non-derivatization, trimethylsilylation and pentafluorobenzyl oxime formation, respectively. We tentatively identified novel decarbonylated metabolites of CBD as keto-enol tautomers. Among eight major recombinant human CYP enzymes, only CYP3A4 catalyzed the formation of decarbonylated metabolites. CBD was biotransformed to two decarbonylated metabolites, an enol-form (cyclopentadienol structure), and a keto-form (cyclopentenone structure) by human liver microsomes and CYP3A4.

A control system for driving an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) performing docking operations in presence of tidal current disturbances is proposed. The nonlinear model of the vehicle has been modelled in a Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) form. This is suitable for the design of the control system using a model-based approach. The LPV model was used for a Model Predictive Control (MPC) design for computing the set of forces and moments driving the nonlinear vehicle model. The LPV-MPC control action is mapped into the reference signals for the actuators by using a Thrust Allocation (TA) algorithm. This was based on the nonlinear models for the actuators and their position and orientation on the vehicle’s hull. The structural decomposition of MPC and TA reduces the computational burden involved in computing the control law on-line on an embedded control board. Both MPC and TA algorithms use the vehicle’s linear and angular positions, and velocities that are estimated by an LPV based Kalman Filter (KF). The proposed control system has been tested in different docking scenarios using various tidal current disturbances acting on the vehicle as an unmeasured disturbance. The simulation results show the controller is effective in controlling the AUV over the range of control scenarios meeting the constraints and specifications.

∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), major psychoactive constituents of marijuana, induce potentiation of pentobarbital-induced sleep in mice. We have elucidated the mechanism of enhancement of the anesthetic effect of pentobarbital by cannabinoids. We carried out pharmacological experiment and cannabinoid1 (CB1) receptor binding assay using CB1 antagonists to clarify whether the CB1 receptor is involved in the synergism or not. The affinities of cannabinoids for the CB1 receptor in the mouse brain synaptic membrane were evaluated using a specific CB1 ligand, [3H]CP55940. Although the potentiating effect of ∆9-THC on pentobarbital-induced sleep was attenuated by co-administration of CB1 receptor antagonists, such as SR141716A and AM251, at a dose of 2 mg/kg, intravenously (i.v.) to mice, the CBD-enhanced pentobarbital-induced sleep was not inhibited by SR141716A. The inhibitory constant (Ki) values of ∆9-THC and CBD were 6.62 and 2010 nM, respectively, showing a high affinity of ∆9-THC and a low affinity of CBD for the CB1 receptor, respectively. A high concentration of pentobarbital (1 mM) did not affect specific [3H]CP55940 binding on the mouse brain synaptic membrane. These results suggest that binding of ∆9-THC to the CB1 receptor is involved in the synergism with pentobarbital, and that potentiating effect of CBD with pentobarbital may differ from that of ∆9-THC. We successfully demonstrated that ∆9-THC enhanced the anesthetic effect of pentobarbital through the CB1 receptor.

The authors have developed an articulated medical instrument which assists with the movement of and maintenance of the position of such as a lung during surgery to assist providing improved viewability and providing the necessary space required to work efficiently and effectively. Conventionally holding such as, a lung in a given position is achieved by arranging gauze in an appropriate configuration with the aid of a simple shaft like surgical instrument, however for various reasons the gauze requires constant replacement and rearrangement resulting in significant surgical inefficiency. By using an articulated mechanism that mimics the functionality of fingers, we have developed a surgical device that inherently provides greater mechanical stability and does not require the use of gauze, thus enabling more efficient surgery. The prototyping process was assisted with the use of 3D-CAD to simulate static and dynamic conditions and a 3D-printer to confirm the concept and then a working prototype was created. In order to validate the dynamic functionality of this surgical instrument, it was tested on a porcine lung which closely approximates human lungs by a clinical doctor of thoracic surgery. The result was that the developed prototype articulated mechanism was able to stably move and hold the lung in position during surgery thus confirming the dynamic efficacy of the mechanism.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inspection of salivary analyte is performed by pretreatment, RNA extraction setup, RNA extraction, PCR setup, and the PCR process. However, the pretreatment process is conducted manually, and it is a bottleneck to the overall process. The author created automatic preprocessing logistics and prototypes using robotic technology for the pretreatment process. A dissolving agent of saliva is poured into the salivary container, the transfer syringe is automated, and a transfer robot injects an inactivating solubilizer using a robotic hand. Ninety-six inactivated vessel units are processed for the next RNA extraction process. The automatic preprocessing equipment is successfully developed and used in the inspection at a hospital. Pretreatment efficiency is up to eight times greater compared to that with the conventional manual process. The 96 units/h inspection is made possible by a single of equipment. The developed automatic preprocessing method assures high efficiency, standardization, and safety for coronavirus inspection.

While laparoscopic surgery has become increasingly widely used, many laparoscopic procedures are time-consuming and difficult to accomplish compared to open surgery. One such procedure is the ligation of endless organs. In this paper, the development and prototyping of a laparoscopic instrument that could significantly increase the efficiency of laparoscopic ligation is outlined. The mechanism is based on a snake-like flexible structure which is actuated by control wires. A simple simulation was carried out by both experienced surgical staff as well as non-surgical persons to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism., Computer Assisted Surgery, 22(S1), pp.36-44; 2017

We propose a method for detecting slug flow generated in horizontal pipes as a basic study for detecting slug flow generated in production facilities in oil and gas mining areas offshore. Generally, in process control, the damping function (low-pass filter) provided in a pressure sensor is used. However, in the proposed detection method, by not using such a damping function, the raw data measured by the existing sensor are sampled at a higher speed, and the obtained high-precision data are utilized. The effectiveness of the proposed detection method is confirmed by experiments and simulations., Sensors and Materials, 33(3), pp. 947-957; 2021

The increasing presence of coastal debris is problematic in many parts of the world. Coastal cleanups are very time-consuming and expensive. Part of this cost involves the monitoring of debris washed ashore. An effective way to enable careful analysis of the amounts of types of debris is the use of drone-based photography. However, many coastlines are not easily accessible. Therefore, to monitor extensive coastlines for coastal debris, an autonomous surface vessel (ASV) is being developed for use as a drone base station. The concept is for the user to remotely guide the ASV out of any given harbor, and once in the open sea, the vessel proceeds autonomously on preprogrammed GPS routes to specified locations. At the specified locations, when the conditions for drone operation are appropriate, the drone is released and takes photographs of coastal areas before returning to the ASV for recharging. This technology is expected to have wide potential for both open sea and coastal monitoring and potential application in assisting search and rescue operations., Sensors and Materials, 33(3), pp. 873-881; 2021

Transferring between a ship and an offshore platform is potentially dangerous owing to excessive motion caused by rough conditions. In this paper, we focus on a small vessel with consideration of three degrees of freedom of motion: heaving, rolling, and surging. To stabilize these motions using a relatively small device, we propose an underactuated mechanism including two linear actuators and a two-degree-of-freedom gangway connected to the transfer platform. First, we clarify the degrees of freedom and range of the mechanism. Next, we derive a model and design a controller to stabilize the system. Finally, the effectiveness of the mechanism and its controller are tested by numerical simulation as well as by an actual experiment on a small-scale model of the mechanism., Sensors and Materials, 33 (3), pp. 897-906; 2021

To meet a surgeon’s need to compare the physical properties of conventional surgical spring forceps (tweezers), a hydraulic-driven system (HDS) based on syringes and syringe pumps is used for driving a left–right symmetrical lever linkage system of a testing device. Furthermore, by using an Arduino microcontroller and four load cells, a simple real-time feedback control system was built to digitally control the operating tweezers in the bar parts and monitor the forces on the jaw side of a surgical tweezers. Then, the same models of surgical tweezers from two different manufacturers were tested with the following test items: (1) the transmission relationship between the input side (bar area) and the output side (jaw side), (2) the contact pressure between the input side and the output side (tested using a Fujifilm Prescale System), (3) the horizontal friction on the jaw side, (4) the horizontal friction in the pinch bar area, and (5) the vertical friction in the pinch bar area. Finally, by analyzing the test results, the performances of the two surgical tweezers were compared and evaluated., Sensors and Materials, 33 (3), pp. 919-932; 2021

AimsWe herein investigated the inducibility of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol, three major phytocannabinoids, using human hepatoma HepG2 cells.Main methodsThe expression of CYP1A1 and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was measured by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and/or Western blotting.Key findingsΔ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and CBD concentration-dependently induced the expression of CYP1A1 mRNA, whereas cannabinol showed little or no induction. Among the phytocannabinoids tested, CBD was the most potent inducer of CYP1A1 expression. The induction of CYP1A1 expression by CBD was significantly attenuated by the knockdown of AhR expression with AhR small interfering RNAs. The role of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) in the CBD-mediated induction of CYP1A1 was then examined using herbimycin A, a PTK inhibitor. The upregulation of CYP1A1 by CBD was significantly suppressed by herbimycin A as was the induction by omeprazole but not 3-methylcholanthrene. The inducibility of CYP1A1 by CBD-related compounds was examined to clarify the structural requirements for CBD-mediated CYP1A1 induction. Olivetol, which corresponds to the pentylresorcinol moiety of CBD, significantly induced the expression of CYP1A1, whereas d-limonene, CBD-2′-monomethyl ether, and CBD-2′,6′-dimethyl ether did not.SignificanceThese results showed that CBD may have induced human CYP1A1 expression through the activation of PTK-dependent AhR signaling, in which two phenolic hydroxyl groups in the pentylresorcinol moiety of CBD may play structurally important roles., Article, LIFE SCIENCES.136:87-93(2015)

The author developed key technologies for the next long cruising autonomous underwater vehicle. Layout is designed by CAD, the prototype vehicle is manufactured and tested in the tanks. As results, longer cruising than the conventional type underwater vehicle like Urashima is possible by low resistance shape and with hydrofoils.

The generation of clean renewable energy is becoming increasingly critical, as pollution and global warming threaten the environment in which we live. While there are many different kinds of natural energy that can be harnessed, marine tidal energy offers reliability and predictability. However, harnessing energy from tidal flows is inherently difficult, due to the harsh environment. Current mechanisms used to harness tidal flows center around propeller-based solutions but are particularly prone to failure due to marine fouling from such as encrustations and seaweed entanglement and the corrosion that naturally occurs in sea water. In order to efficiently harness tidal flow energy in a cost-efficient manner, development of a mechanism that is inherently resistant to these harsh conditions is required. One such mechanism is a simple oscillatory-type mechanism based on robotic fish tail fin technology. This uses the physical phenomenon of vortex-induced oscillation, in which water currents flowing around an object induce transverse motion. We consider two specific types of oscillators, firstly a wing-type oscillator, in which the optimal elastic modulus is being sort. Secondly, the optimal selection of shape from 6 basic shapes for a reciprocating oscillating head-type oscillator. A numerical analysis tool for fluid structure-coupled problems?ANSYS?was used to select the optimum softness of material for the first type of oscillator and the best shape for the second type of oscillator, based on the exhibition of high lift coefficients. For a wing-type oscillator, an optimum elastic modulus for an air-foil was found. For a self-induced vibration-type mechanism, based on analysis of vorticity and velocity distribution, a square-shaped head exhibited a lift coefficient of more than two times that of a cylindrically shaped head. Analysis of the flow field clearly showed that the discontinuous flow caused by a square-headed oscillator results in higher lift coefficients due to intense vortex shedding, and that stable operation can be achieved by selecting the optimum length to width ratio., Applied Sciences, 7(10), 1070; 2017

The authors have developed wrist rehabilitation robot for hemiplegic patients. The robot is much effective for repetitive rehabilitation, and useful for patients. Mirror effect control system is developed based on the experience that a patient can easily move a limb while moving a limb on the other side. The effectiveness is successfully confirmed by the practical test in the hospital., 3rd International Conference on Advanced Materials Design and Mechanics, ICAMDM 2014; ; 23 May 2014 through 24 May 2014, Applied Mechanics and Materials, 597, pp.397-400; 2014

We previously demonstrated that cannabidiol (CBD) was a potent mechanism-based inhibitor of human cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1). However, the moiety of CBD that contributes to the potent mechanism-based inhibition of human CYP1A1 remains unknown. Thus, the effects of compounds structurally related to CBD on CYP1A1 activity were examined with recombinant human CYP1A1 in order to characterize the structural requirements for potent inactivation by CBD. When preincubated in the presence of NADPH for 20 min, olivetol, which corresponds to the pentylresorcinol moiety of CBD, enhanced the inhibition of the 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity of CYP1A1. In contrast, d-limonene, which corresponds to the terpene moiety of CBD, failed to inhibit CYP1A1 activity in a metabolism-dependent manner. Pentylbenzene, which lacks two free phenolic hydroxyl groups, also did not enhance CYP1A1 inhibition. On the other hand, preincubation of the CBD-2′-monomethyl ether (CBDM) and CBD-2′,6′-dimethyl ether (CBDD) enhanced the inhibition of CYP1A1 activity. Inhibition by cannabidivarin (CBDV), which possessed a propyl side chain, was strongly potentiated by its preincubation. Orcinol, which has a methyl group, augmented CYP1A1 inhibition, whereas its derivative without an alkyl side chain, resorcinol, did not exhibit any metabolism-dependent inhibition. The preincubation of CBD-hydroxyquinone did not markedly enhance CYP1A1 inhibition. We further confirmed that olivetol, CBDM, CBDD, CBDV, and orcinol, as well as CBD (kinact = 0.215 min−1), inactivated CYP1A1 activity; their kinact values were 0.154, 0.0638, 0.0643, 0.226, and 0.0353 min−1, respectively. These results suggest that the methylresorcinol structure in CBD may have structurally important roles in the inactivation of CYP1A1., Article, CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS.215:62-68(2014)

The authors have developed a shark ray robotic fish based on biomimetic approaches. The paper describes the newly developed robotic fish technology and its application to mechatronics in the space. It is found that robotic fish technology creates not only new underwater robotics, but also the next generation space mechatronics for geological survey of lunar/planets and dust cleaning in the space station., 2013 the 3rd International Conference on Mechatronics and Applied Mechanics (ICMAM2013), Dec.27-28, 2013 Paris, France, Applied Mechanics and Materials, 527, pp.224-229; 2014

In this study, we have developed a device with the aim of understanding the relationship between the force exerted by a surgeon on the handles/grips of laparoscopic forceps and the force transmitted to the forceps jaw side. To measure this relationship, force is applied to the handles/grips of a set of laparoscopic forceps using an electrically powered actuator and a pressure sensor load cell is used to measure the force applied. On the jaw side, a forcesensitive resistor (FSR) generates pressure information. A microprocessor uses the load cell data, and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller stably maintains the actuation pressure to match that requested by the user's settings. A user interface has been developed for this device to allow both engineers and surgeons to use it. To date, two types of forceps have been analyzed, both Olympus HiQ+ series graspers, and the mechanical force transmission mechanisms involved have been described. The pressure distribution exerted on the jaw side has also been obtained using a Fujifilm PrescaleR system (FPS)., Sensors and Materials, 31(12), pp.4205-4214; 2019

In our previous report, an 80% ethanol bitter gourd seed extract (BGSE) was found to suppress proliferation of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cell lines. The present study aimed to identify the bioactive compounds from BGSE specific against ATL. From the result of an HPLC-MS analysis, α-eleostearic acid (α-ESA) was present in BGSE at 0.68% ± 0.0022% (±SD, n = 5). In the cell proliferation test, α-ESA potently suppressed proliferation of two ATL cell lines (ED and Su9T01; IC50 = 8.9 and 29.3 µM, respectively) more than several other octadecanoic acids. However, α-ESA moderately inhibited phytohemagglutinin-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC; IC50 = 31.0 µM). These results suggest that BGSE-derived α-ESA has potential as a functional food constituent because of its activity against ATL, particularly against ED cells. Moreover, α-ESA might be effective for the prevention of moderate adverse effects of ATL on normal T cells.

The authors developed low cost unmanned helicopter, real time video data transmitting system and a new type flying robots. The effectiveness is confirmed by real field experiment tests. Hazard map for disaster countermeasures is made on the basis of data obtained by the aviation vehicle system. The hazard map is delivered directly to a smart phone and a tablet PC. Therefore residents can keep track of disaster information quickly and accurately., 2013 International Conference on Materials, Transportation and Environmental Engineering, CMTEE 2013; Taichung; Taiwan; 21 August 2013 through 23 August 2013, Advanced Materials Research, 779-780, pp,908-915; 2013

Summary: The present study investigated the inhibitory effect of cannabidiol (CBD), a major constituent of marijuana, on the catalytic activity of cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19). (S)-Mephenytoin 4′-hydroxylase activities of human liver microsomes (HLMs) and recombinant CYP2C19 were inhibited by CBD in a concentration-dependent manner (IC 50 = 8.70 and 2.51 μΜ, respectively). Omeprazole 5-hydroxylase and 3- O -methylfluorescein O -demethylase activities in recombinant CYP2C19 were also strongly inhibited by CBD (IC 50 = 1.55 and 1.79μΜ, respectively). Kinetic analysis for inhibition revealed that CBD showed a mixed-type inhibition against ( S )-mephenytoin 4′-hydroxylation by recombinant CYP2C19. To clarify the structural requirements for CBD-mediated CYP2C19 inhibition, the effects of CBD-related compounds on CYP2C19 activity were examined. Olivetol inhibited the ( S )-mephenytoin 4′-hydroxylase activity of recombinant CYP2C19 with the IC 50 value of 15.3 μΜ, whereas d -limonene slightly inhibited the activity (IC 50 > 50 μΜ). The inhibitory effect of CBD-2′-monomethyl ether (IC 50 = 1.88 μΜ) on CYP2C19 was comparable to that of CBD, although the inhibitory potency of CBD-2′,6′-dimethyl ether (IC 50 = 14.8 μΜ) was lower than that of CBD. Cannabidivarin, possessing a propyl side chain, showed slightly less potent inhibition (IC 50 = 3.45 μΜ) as compared with CBD, whereas orcinol and resorcinol did not inhibit CYP2C19 activity at all. These results indicate that CBD caused potent CYP2C19 inhibition, in which one free phenolic hydroxyl group and the pentyl side chain of CBD may play important roles.

This paper describes development of autonomous robot to clean dust in the International Space Station. Clean robot having an autonomous flight control and navigation in Japanese Experiment Module named "KIBO". And, it has function to collect dust which can't be recovered by ISS air conditioning. In this study, the authors chose to fish shapes for cleaning robot. Elastic oscillation fin was realized to have high controllability and soft behavior of creatures. Robotic fish takes evasive action by detecting the astronauts, walls, and obstacles. Then, cleaning work continues safe in cabin. The purpose of robotic fish is to reduce the cleaning workload of astronauts. And, the basic technology contributes to establish autonomous flight control and navigation in zero gravity., 9th IFAC Conference on Control Applications in Marine Systems, CAMS 2013; Osaka; Japan; 17 September 2013 through 20 September 2013, IFAC Proceedings Volumes, 9(1), pp.386-391; 2013