The vomeronasal system plays an essential role in sensing various environmental chemical cues. Here we show that mice exposed to blood and, consequently, hemoglobin results in the activation of ...vomeronasal sensory neurons expressing a specific vomeronasal G protein-coupled receptor, Vmn2r88, which is mediated by the interaction site, Gly17, on hemoglobin. The hemoglobin signal reaches the medial amygdala (MeA) in both male and female mice. However, it activates the dorsal part of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHd) only in lactating female mice. As a result, in lactating mothers, hemoglobin enhances digging and rearing behavior. Manipulation of steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons in the VMHd is sufficient to induce the hemoglobin-mediated behaviors. Our results suggest that the oxygen-carrier hemoglobin plays a role as a chemosensory signal, eliciting behavioral responses in mice in a state-dependent fashion.
Abstract
A new injection septum magnet 1 (Inj-SM1) was installed in the Main Ring (MR) of J-PARC in 2016 as an upgrade. We confirmed that the leakage field upstream from the circulating duct of ...Inj-SM1 was sufficiently smaller than that for the previous Inj-SM1. Nevertheless, we attempted to further reduce the leakage field by using a new magnetic shield to achieve a higher proton beam intensity. In 2017, the first version of the new magnetic shield was produced and installed. The strength of the leakage field with the shield was ≈30% of that without the shield; however, the magnetic field of a quadrupole magnet (QM) upstream of Inj-SM1 was reduced to below the permissible limit, ≈0.1% of the total field integral of the QM, from the point of view of beam optics. Consequently, the first version failed. A second shield, for which the defects of the first version were fixed, was produced in 2018. The strength of the leakage field of Inj-SM1 with the second shield was reduced to ≈30% of that without the shield, while that of the QM was maintained. Thus, we decided to use the second shield for beam operation starting in November 2019. We confirmed that the impact of the leakage field on the circulating beam was 1/20 of that of the previous Inj-SM1.
In the present work, operation characteristics of a disk-type rotating detonation engine (DRDE) with a constant chamber area were experimentally studied for various total mass flow rates and a wide ...variety of equivalence ratios of hydrogen–air mixtures. From the direct visualizations, the rotating detonation wave was found to propagate near the outer wall of the combustion chamber, regardless of the wave mode. For the present test conditions, single- and double-wave modes are observed, depending on the equivalence ratio of the mixture. The pressure gain was evaluated based on a one-dimensional flow model together with the chamber static pressure measured with the capillary tube average pressure technique. Although the present DRDE configuration provided a negative pressure gain for all the test conditions, it was found that the single-wave mode was superior to the double-wave mode in terms of the pressure gain.
Abstract
Background
Studies have suggested that sitting time at work may lead to underperformance but they may underestimate the benefits to desk workers’ performance of reducing occupational sitting ...time without considering the relative effects of the specific activities replaced.
Aims
To estimate differences in work performance (presenteeism, absenteeism and engagement) when occupational sitting time is reallocated to standing/stepping in desk workers.
Methods
Data for middle-aged desk workers were from a Japan-wide online survey (n = 2228). Self-report proportion of occupational sitting and standing/stepping, work hours and work performance indicators, including absolute (ratings relating only to self) and relative (ratings of self, compared to others) presenteeism and absenteeism, and dimensions of work engagement, were collected. Partition and isotemporal substitution models were used to investigate the associations of occupational sitting and standing/stepping time with work performance, including their reallocation effects.
Results
In partition models, longer occupational sitting time was associated with a lower absolute presenteeism score (i.e. less productivity), lower absolute absenteeism (i.e. longer-than-expected work hours), and lower engagement. Longer occupational standing/stepping time was associated with lower absolute absenteeism and more engagement. Isotemporal substitution models showed that each hour of occupational sitting reallocated to standing/stepping was favourably associated with overall work engagement (B = 0.087; 95% confidence interval 0.051, 0.122) and its dimensions (B ranged from 0.078 to 0.092), but was not associated with presenteeism or absenteeism.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that management support and practical initiatives to encourage desk workers to replace portions of their sitting time with standing/stepping may contribute to enhanced work engagement.
This study estimated differences in work performance (presenteeism, absenteeism and engagement) when occupational sitting time is reallocated to standing/stepping in desk workers. We found that time of occupational sitting reallocated to standing/stepping was favourably associated with overall and dimensions of work engagement but not presenteeism or absenteeism. These findings suggest that management support and practical initiatives to encourage desk workers to replace their sitting time with standing/stepping may contribute to enhanced work engagement.
Abstract
The upgrade of the beam power of J-PARC Main Ring to 750 kW by reducing the cycle from 2.48 s to 1.3 s is underway, and the upgrade of the four high-field (HF) septa will be completed by ...summer of 2023. The operation test of one HF septum, SM31, was conducted in 2020. First trial was 1 Hz operation test, and we confirmed the joule heating at the magnetic coil was lower than limit. Second was magnetic field measurement. We obtained a good linearity between the applied current and the gap field without saturation. The field integral of the gap field was measured to estimate the optimal current for beam extraction, and we found it is 3,400 A. We compared the gap field between in the neutrino line and that in the beam abort line, then we found the longitudinal distributions have a small discrepancy but it was acceptable. The large leakage field was observed around the end-fringes, therefore, in order to reduce the leakage field, we produced an additional duct shield for mounting in the circulating duct in 2022. We verified that the additional duct shield reduced the leakage field to ≈2% of unshielded leakage field. The new SM31 and other two HF septa have been installed in MR by end of May 2022. The beam operation with the new HF septa will be started in June 2022.
Abstract
As part of the goal of increasing the beam power of the Main Ring for Fast eXtraction (FX) in J-PARC to 750 kW, we have been evaluating new FX low-field septa of induced eddy current type ...(Eddy-septum) since 2014. To reduce the leakage field in the circulating line of the eddy-septa, new pure iron duct-type magnetic shields were produced in July 2021, and in March 2022 we verified that the leakage field was greatly reduced. The construction of the two eddy-septa and their power supplies was completed in May 2022. Beam operation with a new 1.3-s cycle will be started in June 2022.
Oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) that contain unmethylated CpG dinucleotides trigger a strong innate immune response in vertebrates. CpG ODN show promise as vaccine adjuvants, anti-allergens, and ...immunoprotective agents in animal models. Their transition to clinical use requires the identification of motifs that are optimally stimulatory in humans. Analysis of hundreds of novel ODN resulted in the identification and characterization of two structurally distinct "clusters" of immunostimulatory CpG ODN. One cluster ("D") preferentially stimulates IFN-gamma production by NK cells, whereas the other ("K") stimulates cell proliferation and the production of IL-6 and IgM by monocytes and B cells. The distinct immunostimulatory properties of K and D ODN can improve the design of CpG-based products to achieve specific therapeutic goals.
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