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The paper is concerned with an unbalanced cylindrical rotor containing a small amount of fluid, spun out to form a thin layer on the inner surface of the cylinder. The main interest is in the possibility of this fluid layer to counterbalance an unbalanced point mass. By such an application, the system is often called a ‘fluid balancer.’ The paper considers the case where the fluid is not locked-in to the forcing frequency dictated by the unbalanced mass, but is, with the rotor, in a state of asynchronous whirl. This will imply an inherent slow drift away from a balanced condition. Another main interest of the paper is the derivation of approximate analytical solutions to the nonlinear, forced equation that governs the fluid layer thickness perturbation. This equation is of the forced Korteweg–de Vries–Burgers type, and the analysis is based on the method of multiple scales. The leading-order solution is capable of giving a qualitative explanation of the balancing effect of the fluid, in other words, to explain the mechanics of the fluid balancer. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental results is found.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new methodology for constructing semantic networks of English prepositions, a network reasonably regarded as psychologically real. As a case study, we will specifically dis-cuss the preposition for. Another aim of this paper is to apply our semantic networks to a pedagogical purpose of helping Japanese English learners to learn the semantics of English prepositions more effectively.

Aims: Phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R) has multiple biological functions other than functioning as a receptor for secretory PLA2s. Two nonsynonymous polymorphisms in the C-type lectin-like domains (CTLD) 1 of PLA2R gene have been associated with idiopathic membranous nephropathy. This study examined whether the same PLA2R polymorphisms may alter functions of PLA2R in cells expressing the variant PLA2R. In addition, the clinical relevance of the experiment was examined. Methods: Two nonsynonymous polymorphisms (T/C at rs3749117 and G/C at rs35771982) in CTLD1 of PLA2R gene were completely linked. HEK293 cells expressing human wild-type PLA2R (T at rs3749117 and G at rs35771982) or human mutant PLA2R that had double mutations (C at rs3749117 and C at rs35771982) were constructed. Results: HEK293 cells expressing mutant PLA2R had lower migratory and proliferative responses to collagen I compared with cells expressing wild-type PLA2R. In 580 male patients, PLA2R gene polymorphisms were associated with an increase in maximum intima-media thickness (maxIMT) of the carotid artery. The multivariate regression model showed that PLA2R gene polymorphisms were a risk factor of an increased maxIMT that was independent of conventional risk factors (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.17–3.19, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The nonsynonymous common variants of PLA2R gene altered biological functions in cells expressing variant PLA2R. PLA2R gene polymorphisms present a genetic risk of an increased IMT of the carotid artery in male. The functional changes in the variant PLA2R may potentially be responsible for its association with an increased IMT of the carotid artery.

Transfer of the bedridden from bed to another place(wheelchair, etc.)is a very tough-job. We are developing transfer supporting bed with two separated frames.