Search

Climate services are largely supported by satellite Climate Data Records (CDRs). This paper demonstrates how CDR development and uptake benefit from simulations. We identify three classes of application. Using global reanalyses and an offline radiance simulator, we provide three examples for each application class. The first application is to validate assumptions. Hereto we establish the order of channels in the U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor H (SSH) data record, rescued from oblivion thanks to inter-agency collaboration. We then show the value of applying advanced quality controls to geostationary European (Meteosat) and Japanese (Himawari) images. We also investigate the corrections applied during reprocessing of DMSP Special Sensor Microwave Temperature sounder (SSM/T-1) data. The second application is to assess the coherence between and observations. Hereto we show the capability of reanalyses to reconstruct spectra observed by the Spektrometer Interferometer (SI-1) flown on Soviet satellites before 1980. We also explore the coherence of the impact of two major volcanic eruptions between Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) data. Finally, we investigate how advanced bias correction can help improve coherence between reanalysis and Nimbus-3 Medium-Resolution Infrared Radiometer (MRIR) in 1969. The third application is to inform CDR users about particular quality aspects. Hereto we show, with the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SSMR), the Meteosat Second Generation imager, and the DMSP Special Sensor Microwave Water Vapor Profiler (SSM/T-2), how simulations bring information that should help to make a better-informed use of the corresponding CDR.

Thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis/renal failure, and organomegaly comprise TAFRO syndrome, which was proposed as a distinct clinical entity from iMCD without TAFRO syndrome (iMCD-NOS) due to its aggressive clinical course, refractoriness to corticosteroids, presence of thrombocytopenia, increased level of alkaline phosphatase, and normal level of gammaglobulin. However, diagnosing TAFRO syndrome in its early stages is challenging because it is rare and its diagnostic criteria are complicated. We describe a patient with TAFRO syndrome and adrenal hemorrhage who demonstrated a rapid decline in her clinical condition and did not respond to steroid pulse therapy, resulting in a fatal outcome. In the early stage of her clinical course, she developed unilateral adrenal hemorrhage with mild thrombocytopenia and normal clotting times, suggesting adrenal hemorrhage as a unique manifestation of TAFRO syndrome. In general, patients with TAFRO syndrome exhibit a more aggressive clinical course and poorer outcome than those with iMCD-NOS. To ameliorate this poor prognosis, it is important to diagnose the disease early and immediately start powerful immunosuppressive agents such as tocilizumab. Based on this case, adrenal hemorrhage may suggest TAFRO syndrome, and facilitate the rapid diagnosis of this complicated and rare disease.

Background Chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is defined as Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-positive T/NK cell-related neoplasia, and its major clinical symptom is systemic inflammation presenting as infectious mononucleocytosis, whereas enteritis and diarrhea are minor clinical symptoms. The complex mixture of tumorigenic processes of EBV-positive cells and physical symptoms of systemic inflammatory disease constitutes the varied phenotypes of CAEBV. Herein, we describe a case of CAEBV that was initially diagnosed as Crohn’s disease (CD) based on ileal ulcers and clinical symptoms of enteritis. Case presentation A 19-year-old woman complained of abdominal pain and fever. Blood examination showed normal blood cell counts without atypical lymphocyte but detected modest inflammation, hypoalbuminemia, slight liver dysfunction, and evidence of past EBV infection. The esophagogastroduodenoscopic findings were normal. However, colonoscopy revealed a few small ulcers in the terminal ileum. The jejunum and ileum also exhibited various forms of ulcers, exhibiting a cobblestone appearance, on capsule endoscopy. Based on these clinical findings, she was strongly suspected with CD. In the course of treatment by steroid and biologics for refractory enteritis, skin ulcers appeared about 50 months after her initial hospital visit. Immunohistology of her skin biopsy revealed proliferation of EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER)-positive atypical lymphocytes. We retrospectively assessed her previous ileal ulcer biopsy before treatment and found many EBER-positive lymphocytes. Blood EBV DNA was also positive. Therefore, she was diagnosed with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma with CAEBV-related enteritis rather than CD. She was treated with cyclosporine and prednisolone combination therapy for CAEBV-related systemic inflammation and chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma. Unfortunately, her disease continued to progress, leading to multiple organ failure and death at the age of 23 years. Conclusion Clinicians need to remember the possibility of CAEBV as a differential diagnosis of refractory enteritis. Enteritis with intestinal ulcer is a rare symptom of CAEBV, and it is impossible to acquire a definitive diagnosis by ulcer morphology only. In cases where the possibility of CAEBV remains, tissue EBVR expression should be checked by in situ hybridization and blood EBV DNA.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthy older adults have been less willing to engage in group exercise for fear of contracting this illness. Therefore, there is a need for an effective home-based exercise program to prevent frailty in the elderly. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of ankle weights as a frailty prevention device for older adults. The study participants were aged 50–90 years and were screened for falls using the Motor Fitness Scale. Participants were divided into two age groups (≤70 and >70 years) for analysis. Older community-dwelling adults were invited to use ankle weights for 3 months. Seventy-four people responded to the invitation. Physical and cognitive status and performance (body composition, grip strength, standing on one leg with eyes open, the 30 s chair stand test (CS-30), Timed Up and Go test, walking speed, body sway, Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) were assessed before and after 3 months of intervention. CS-30 performance improved during the study. CS-30 reflects lower limb/trunk muscle strength and can be used to indicate the risk of falls. Wearing ankle weights can be recommended for strengthening the muscles of the lower limb and trunk in the elderly.

A compact, low loss and high power handling high temperature superconducting filter using dual-mode double-strip resonators (DSRs) was developed. We proposed new superconducting feeding structure, which was replaced from the previously reported brass center pin feeding structure, to improve insertion loss. A four-pole elliptic function dual-mode DSR filter was designed by the electromagnetic simulator based on the moment method. The center frequency and bandwidth of the filter are a 5.0-GHz and an 80-MHz. The compact filter was fabricated using YB2Cu3Oy thin films on r-Al2O3 substrates (25 mm × 25 mm). The measured frequency responses of the filter were in reasonable agreement with the simulated ones. The measured insertion loss was 0.08 dB. The measured power handling capability of the proposed filter was more than 40 W at 60 K.

We study magnetic and transport properties of Co 1+x FeV 1-x Si epitaxial films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Even though we co-evaporate each element with stoichiometry, Co-rich and V-poor CoFeVSi films are obtained, which results in a relatively large value of the saturation magnetic moment compared with the theoretical value. However, for the nonstoichiometric films, electrical and magnetotransport properties indicate a spin-gapless semiconductor-like electronic band structure.

This study evaluates the latest Japanese Reanalysis for Three Quarters of a Century (JRA-3Q) conducted by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), focusing on a semi-period of pre-satellite era (1960s and 1970s). The reanalysis is the third Japanese global atmospheric reanalysis covering the period from late 1940s onward, which is produced with the JMA's operational system as of December 2018. The atmospheric model has a TL479 horizontal resolution and 100 vertical layers up to 0.01 hPa, and the core component of the JRA-3Q data assimilation system is the 6-hourly 4D-Var of the atmospheric state with a T319-resolution inner model. Because there are only few global-covered observational datasets during the pre-satellite era, evaluation of the JRA-3Q is mainly to conduct an intercomparison of other reanalysis datasets such as representation Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55), a JRA-55's subset of atmospheric reanalysis assimilating conventional observations only (JRA-55C), and version 3 of the Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CRv3), and also an intercomparison of JRA-3Q between the pre-satellite and satellite eras. Emphasis of this evaluation during the non-satellite era is placed on the representation of tropical circulation, the consistency in time of the reanalysed fields, detection of tropical cyclones, and the quality of the stratospheric water vapor and ozone. For example, the surface circulation over the tropical Africa is improved by means of reducing spurious anticyclonic circulation anomalies that were found in JRA-55. Although the atmospheric model can produce self-generated quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) by introducing non-orographic gravity wave drag, the evaluation reveals that JRA-3Q has a shorter period of around one year in the middle stratosphere and diminished QBO amplitude in the lower stratosphere, indicating that representation of the QBO in JRA-3Q is not as good as that in JRA-55.

Background Since the emergence of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), safety management in gymnastics classrooms has been difficult. As a result, healthy older adults are more likely to voluntarily refrain from attending because of fear of contracting COVID-19, and thus engage in less exercise. In this context, it is important to develop methods for self-prevention of frailty that can be conducted safely and easily at home. We examined the effectiveness of providing ankle weights to older adults as a frailty prevention device. Methods All participants were 50–90 years old and were screened for falls using the Motor Fitness Scale (MFS). Participants were divided into two groups (≤ 70 and ≥ 71 years old) and analyzed. We rented ankle weights for 3 months to older adults in the community and evaluated changes in physical and motor function before and after wearing them. A total of 75 people who responded to the call for participants used ankle weights for 3 months, and underwent various measures of physical condition, cognitive condition, and performance (body composition, grip strength, standing on one leg with eyes open, 30-second chair stand test [CS-30], timed up-and-go test [TUG], walking speed, body sway measurement, and the Japanese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MOCA-J]) before and 3 months after wearing ankle weights. Results CS-30 performance improved in both younger and older participants. Conclusions CS-30 reflects lower limb/trunk muscle strength and can be used as an index of fall risk. Our results suggest that wearing ankle weights can be recommended as a fall-prevention measure. Trial registration: University hospital Medical Information Network ID 000038073) and registration date at April 14th 2020

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is conducting the third Japanese global atmospheric reanalysis named Japanese Reanalysis for Three Quarters of a Century (JRA-3Q) using the JMA operational data assimilation system that has been upgraded and improved since the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55) was conducted. Main points of improvement in the specifications of the data assimilation system are as follows (specifications of the JRA-55 data assimilation system are shown in parentheses for comparison): Vertical levels are increased up to 100 (60) layers; The top level of the system is 0.01 (0.1) hPa; The inner model resolution for 4D-Var is also increased up to TL319 (T106); Various parameterization schemes have been improved and several new schemes have been implemented. In addition, we use observations newly rescued and digitized by the ERA-CLIM and other projects as well as newly reprocessed and improved satellite observations. As for GNSS radio occultation, bending angle is assimilated up to 60 km (refractivity up to 30 km).The early results show that both overestimation of precipitation in the tropics and dry bias in the middle troposphere are diminished compared with those in JRA-55, and the representation of diabatic heating rate is also improved. In addition, biases of surface heat fluxes and radiation fluxes at the top of the atmosphere are also reduced.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravesical KRP-116D, 50% dimethyl sulfoxide solution compared with placebo, in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients. Methods Japanese interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with an O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index score of ≥9, who exhibited the bladder-centric phenotype of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome diagnosed by cystoscopy and bladder-derived pain, were enrolled. Patients were allocated to receive either KRP-116D (n = 49) or placebo (n = 47). The study drug was intravesically administered every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. Results For the primary endpoint, the change in the mean O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index score from baseline to week 12 was -5.2 in the KRP-116D group and -3.4 in the placebo group. The estimated difference between the KRP-116D and placebo groups was -1.8 (95% confidence interval -3.3, -0.3; P = 0.0188). Statistically significant improvements for KRP-116D were also observed in the secondary endpoints including O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index score, micturition episodes/24 h, voided volume/micturition, maximum voided volume/micturition, numerical rating scale score for bladder pain, and global response assessment score. The adverse drug reactions were mild to moderate, and manageable. Conclusions This first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial shows that KRP-116D improves symptoms, voiding parameters, and global response assessment, compared with placebo, and has a well-tolerated safety profile in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with the bladder-centric phenotype.

Background We aimed to demonstrate the contribution of anti-inflammatory and anti-virulence effects of azithromycin (AZM) in ocular surface infection treatment. Methods Staphylococcus aureus was injected into the corneal stroma of rabbits to induce keratitis. AZM at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1% was instilled into the eye twice daily. The eyes were examined using a slit lamp and scored. The viable bacteria in the cornea were counted at 48 h post infection. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of AZM, S. aureus culture supernatant-induced anterior ocular inflammation in rabbit was examined using a slit lamp and scored. To evaluate the inhibitory effect of AZM on bacterial toxin production, S. aureus was cultured with AZM and hemolytic reaction in the culture supernatant was determined. Results In the bacterial keratitis model, AZM dose-dependently inhibited the increase in the clinical score. The viable bacterial count in the cornea treated with 1% AZM significantly decreased compared with that of the vehicle, whereas bacterial count in 0.01 and 0.1% AZM-treated corneas was similar to that of the vehicle. In the anterior ocular inflammation model, 0.1 and 1% AZM inhibited the increase in the clinical score. AZM inhibited hemolytic reaction at concentrations that did not inhibit bacterial growth. Conclusions The results demonstrated that AZM has not only anti-bacterial, but also anti-inflammatory effects, and inhibits bacterial toxin production leading to ocular surface damage in bacterial infection. Thus, the therapeutic effect of AZM against ocular infections is expected to be higher than that which could be assumed if it only had anti-bacterial activity.

This report outlines the structure of and summarizes the recommendations made at the 5th International Conference on Reanalysis (ICR5), attended by 259 participants from 37 countries, in Rome (Italy), on 13-17 November 2017. It first summarizes the conference structure. Then, the key recommendations of ICR5 are given for the five main conference topics: production; observations (data rescue and preparation); data assimilation methods; quality assurance of reanalysis; and applications in science, services, and policymaking. Lastly, five high-level recommendations are proposed to managing agencies on how best to advance the field of reanalyses, which serves tens of thousands of users, via enhanced research, development, and operations.

text, 紀要論文 / Departmental Bulletin Paper

Reversible denaturation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c551 (PAc551) could be followed using five systematic urea derivatives that differ in the alkyl chain length, i.e. urea, N-methylurea (MU), N-ethylurea (EU), N-propylurea (PU), and N-butylurea (BU). The BU concentration was the lowest required for the PAc551 denaturation, those of PU, EU, MU, and urea being gradually higher. Furthermore, the accessible surface area difference upon PAc551 denaturation caused by BU was found to be the highest, those by PU, EU, MU, and urea being gradually lower. These findings indicate that urea derivatives with longer alkyl chains are stronger denaturants. In this study, as many as five systematic urea derivatives could be applied for the reversible denaturation of a single protein, PAc551, for the first time, and the effects of the alkyl chain length on protein denaturation were systematically verified by means of thermodynamic parameters.

To better understand the impacts of climate change, environmental monitoring capabilities must be enhanced by deploying additional and more accurate satellite- and ground-based (including in situ) sensors. In addition, reanalysis of observations collected decades ago but long forgotten can unlock precious information about the recent past. Historical, in situ observations mainly cover densely inhabited areas and frequently traveled routes. In contrast, large selections of early meteorological satellite data, waiting to be exploited today, provide information about remote areas unavailable from any other source. When initially collected, these satellite data posed great challenges to transmission and archiving facilities. As a result, data access was limited to the main teams of scientific investigators associated with the instruments. As archive media have aged, so have the mission scientists and other pioneers of satellite meteorology, who sometimes retired in possession of unique and unpublished information. This paper presents examples of recently recovered satellite data records, including satellite imagery, early infrared hyperspectral soundings, and early microwave humidity soundings. Their value for climate applications today can be realized using methods and techniques that were not yet available when the data were first collected, including efficient and accurate observation simulators and data assimilation into reanalyses. Modern technical infrastructure allows serving entire mission datasets online, enabling easy access and exploration by a broad range of users, including new and old generations of climate scientists.

Objectives To analyze the effects of feeding Helianthus tuberosus (HT) tubers on glucose tolerance and lipid profile in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods A normal HFD or HFD including 10 w/w% HT tubers (HFD + HT) was fed to F334/Jcl rats. After 10 weeks, organ weights, glucose tolerance, and lipid profile were analyzed. Results The body weight, liver weight, and epidermal fat content in the HFD group were higher than those of the normal group, and similar to those of the HFD + HT group. The oral glucose tolerance test at 10 weeks revealed that the blood glucose level 30 min after beginning the test in the HFD + HT group was significantly lower than that in the HFD group. Liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in the HFD + HT group were significantly lower than those in the HFD group. Fecal triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in the HFD + HT group were higher than those in the HFD group. Histological analyses revealed that fat and glycogen accumulation increased in the HFD group, but decreased in the HFD + HT group. Conclusions These results indicate that HT tubers have anti-fatty liver effects based on improvements in glucose tolerance and the hepatic lipid profile.