On 11 March 2011, the devastating M9.0 Tohoku Earthquake occurred on the interface of the subducting Pacific plate, and was followed by a huge tsunami that killed about 20,000 people. Several ...geophysical studies have already suggested that the very shallow portion of the plate interface might have played an important role in producing such a large earthquake and tsunami. However, the sparsity of seafloor observations leads to insufficient spatial resolution of the fault slip on such a shallow plate interface. For this reason, the location and degree of the slip has not yet been estimated accurately enough to assess future seismic risks. Thus, we estimated the coseismic slip distribution based on terrestrial GPS observations and all available seafloor geodetic data that significantly improve the spatial resolution at the shallow portion of the plate interface. The results reveal that an extremely large (greater than 50 m) slip occurred in a small (about 40 km in width and 120 km in length) area near the Japan Trench and generated the huge tsunami. The estimated slip distribution and a comparison of it with the coupling coefficient distribution deduced from the analysis of the small repeating earthquakes suggest that the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake released strain energy that had accumulated over the past 1000 years, probably since the Jogan Earthquake in 869. The accurate assessments of seismic risks on very shallow plate interfaces in subduction zones throughout the world can be obtained by improving the quality and quantity of seafloor geodetic observations.
Key Points
Slip of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake is estimated from land and seafloor geodetic data
Maximum slip (85 m) released strain energy accumulated since the 869 Jogan earthquake
Distributions of estimated slip and the seismic activities are consistent
Abstract
In this paper, a simple method to improve sampling efficiency of the generalized hybrid Monte Carlo (GHMC) method is presented. Compared to the standard GHMC method, our method is found to ...allow us to safely increase the time increment for solving an equation-of-motion in the GHMC calculations by a factor of 4. We have demonstrated various algorithmic parameter dependence on the sampling efficiency of a hydrated alanine dipeptide.
Abstract
We propose a new type of liquid hydrogen level sensor and evaluate a prototype system with liquid nitrogen. The level sensor acquires images of the liquid surface, which is illuminated by ...point sources of light, and estimates the liquid level by image processing. This scheme allows us to avoid immersion of the sensor body into the liquid and also eliminate the necessity for any electrical wire connected to the sensor body. The accuracy of the prototype sensor is estimated to be ≈ 4.8 mm in our experiment using a 10 liter liquid nitrogen vessel.
To investigate structural characteristics associated with variations in slip behavior on the plate boundary in the Nankai subduction zone, we conducted seismic reflection surveys in the ...central‐western Nankai Trough. Data were processed by pre‐stack depth migration. The resulting depth map of the top of the subducting Philippine Sea plate shows detailed topographic features of the plate boundary, including subducting seamounts and large‐scale undulations of the plate surface. We report the presence of a structurally anomalous region, potentially with low velocity, in the overriding plate at the boundary between the zone of large coseismic slip during the 1946 Nankai earthquake and the area producing slow earthquakes. This anomaly appears to be related to depth‐dependent variations in plate boundary slip style and plate coupling in the central‐western Nankai Trough.
Plain Language Summary
The central‐western Nankai Trough off southwestern Japan is one of the best locations to study variations in slip style on the plate boundary fault in subduction zones because the fault slip distribution during the latest great earthquake, the distribution of slow earthquakes, and interplate coupling are known from previous studies. We conducted seismic surveys along densely distributed survey lines to image detailed subsurface structures in the central‐western Nankai Trough. A three‐dimensional map of the plate boundary fault geometry was created from seismic profiles used in this study. We found a structural anomaly, interpreted as a low‐velocity zone in the overriding plate, at the boundary between the slip zone of great earthquakes and the zone of slow earthquakes. This anomaly might be related to the variation of the plate boundary fault slip styles.
Key Points
The topography of the subducting plate is mapped with densely spaced seismic profiles in the central‐western Nankai Trough
An arcuate structural anomaly in the overriding plate ∼100 km long with potentially low velocity coincides with the Tosabae Trough
The arcuate anomaly is located at the boundary between regions of strong and weak plate coupling
We have deposited silicon-incorporated diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using monomethylsilane (CH3SiH3; MMS) as a Si source, and systematically ...investigated the impacts of substrate bias and dilution gas on the mechanical and tribological properties of the Si-DLC films. The use of a pulse bias and hydrogen dilution is very effective in suppressing the generation of particles during the deposition. The internal stress of the Si-DLC films deposited using the pulse bias tended to be lower than that of the Si-DLC films deposited using a DC bias, while the hydrogen dilution resulted in the increase in the internal stress. On the other hand, the Si-DLC film deposited with H2 using the pulse bias showed the highest adhesion strength and the lowest friction coefficient. The use of the pulse bias resulted in the increase in the wear resistance.
•Effects of substrate bias and dilution gas on the properties of Si-DLC films have been investigated.•The Si-DLC film prepared using a pulse bias with H2 presents the highest adhesion strength.•The Si-DLC film prepared using a pulse bias with H2 shows the lowest friction coefficient.
We have studied the magnetic and electrical properties of double CoFeB-MgO interface magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with various W insertion layer thicknesses <inline-formula> <tex-math ...notation="LaTeX">t_{\mathrm {W}} </tex-math></inline-formula> annealed at 400 °C and evaluated <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">t_{\mathrm {W}} </tex-math></inline-formula> dependence of thermal stability factor <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\Delta </tex-math></inline-formula>, intrinsic critical current <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">I_{\mathrm {C0}} </tex-math></inline-formula> and damping constant <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\alpha </tex-math></inline-formula>. It was found that spin-transfer torque efficiency (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\Delta /I_{\mathrm {C0}} </tex-math></inline-formula>) values increased with decreasing <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">t_{\mathrm {W}} </tex-math></inline-formula> as compared with the same MTJ size <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">D </tex-math></inline-formula>. <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\alpha </tex-math></inline-formula> measured by ferromagnetic resonance increased with an increase in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">t_{\mathrm {W}} </tex-math></inline-formula>, which is consistent with those calculated from <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\Delta /I_{\mathrm {C0}} </tex-math></inline-formula>. This result indicates that lower damping constant of MTJ with thin W insertion layer contributes to higher <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\Delta /I_{\mathrm {C0}} </tex-math></inline-formula>.
Background
Rikkunshito, a standardized Japanese herbal medicine, is thought to accelerate gastric emptying and relieve dyspepsia, although no large‐scale, randomized, placebo‐controlled trials of ...rikkunshito have been conducted. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of rikkunshito for treating functional dyspepsia (FD).
Methods
FD patients received 2.5 g rikkunshito or placebo three times a day for 8 weeks in this multicenter, randomized, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group trial. The primary end point was the proportion of responders at 8 weeks after starting test drug, determined by global patient assessment (GPA). The improvement in four major dyspepsia symptoms severity scale was also evaluated. In addition, plasma ghrelin levels were investigated before and after treatment.
Key Results
Two hundred forty‐seven patients were randomly assigned. In the eighth week, the rikkunshito group had more GPA responders (33.6%) than the placebo (23.8%), although this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.09). Epigastric pain was significantly improved (p = 0.04) and postprandial fullness tended to improve (p = 0.06) in the rikkunshito group at week 8. Rikkunshito was relatively more effective among Helicobacter pylori‐infected participants (rikkunshito: 40.0% vs placebo: 20.5%, p = 0.07), and seemed less effective among H. pylori‐uninfected participants (rikkunshito: 29.3% vs placebo: 25.6%, p = 0.72). Among H. pylori‐positive individuals, acyl ghrelin levels were improved just in rikkunshito group. There were no severe adverse events in both groups.
Conclusions & Inferences
Administration of rikkunshito for 8 weeks reduced dyspepsia, particularly symptoms of epigastric pain and postprandial fullness. (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, Number UMIN000003954).
This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of rikkunshito, a standardized Japanese herbal medicine, for treating functional dyspepsia. The proportion of responders (GPA scores) and the proportion of participants with individual symptom relief (5‐point Likert scales) were compared between the rikkunshito and placebo groups by using the Fisher's exact test. Administration of rikkunshito for 8 weeks reduced dyspepsia (Responder rates: rikkunshito, 33.6%; placebo, 23.8%; p = 0.09), particularly symptoms of epigastric pain (rikkunshito, 44.0%; placebo 30.3%; p = 0.04) and postprandial fullness (rikkunshito, 50.4%; placebo 37.7%; p = 0.06). Weekly changes in these parameters in the two study groups were compared using the log‐rank test as shown here.
► In mouse sensory neurons, H2S evoked Ca2+i increases which were suppressed by TRPA1 antagonist. ► No response occurred by H2S in neurons of TRPA1−/− mice. ► Two cysteins located internal domain of ...TRPA1 channel may be the site of action. ► H2S evoked acute pain in wild-type, but not TRPA1−/− mice. ► External acid potentiated H2S actions.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous gasotransmitter, modulates various biological functions, including nociception. It is known that H2S causes neurogenic inflammation and elicits hyperalgesia. Here we show that H2S activates mouse transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels and elicits acute pain, using TRPA1-gene deficient mice (TRPA1(−/−)) and heterologous expression system. In wild-type mouse sensory neurons, H2S increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentration (Ca2+i), which was inhibited by ruthenium red (a nonselective TRP channel blocker) and HC-030031 (a TRPA1 blocker). H2S-responsive neurons highly corresponded to TRPA1 agonist-sensitive ones. Ca2+i responses to H2S were observed in neurons from transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1(−/−)) mice but not from TRPA1(−/−) mice. Heterologously expressed mouse TRPA1, but not mouse TRPV1, was activated by H2S. H2S-induced Ca2+i responses were inhibited by dithiothreitol, a reducing agent. Analyses of the TRPA1 mutant channel revealed that two cysteine residues located in the N-terminal internal domain were responsible for the activation by H2S. Intraplantar injection of H2S into the mouse hind paw caused acute pain which was significantly less in TRPA1(−/−) mice. The Ca2+i responses to H2S in sensory neurons and in heterologously expressed channels, and pain-related behavior induced by H2S were enhanced under acidic conditions. These results suggest that H2S functions as a nociceptive messenger through the activation of TRPA1 channels. TRPA1 may be a therapeutic target for H2S-related algesic action, especially under inflammatory conditions.
As prior knowledge is claimed to be an essential key to achieve effective education, we are interested in exploring whether prior knowledge enhances communication effectiveness. To demonstrate the ...effects of prior knowledge, mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony are observed as indicators of communication effectiveness. We conducted an experiment on lecture task between lecturer and student under 2 conditions: prior knowledge and non-prior knowledge. The students in prior knowledge condition were provided the basic information about the lecture content and were assessed their understanding by the experimenter before starting the lecture while the students in non-prior knowledge had none. The result shows that the interaction in prior knowledge condition establishes significantly higher mutual gaze convergence (t(15.03) = 6.72, p < 0.0001; α = 0.05, n = 20) and head nodding synchrony (t(16.67) = 1.83, p = 0.04; α = 0.05, n = 19) compared to non-prior knowledge condition. This study reveals that prior knowledge facilitates mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony. Furthermore, the interaction with and without prior knowledge can be evaluated by measuring or observing mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony.
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