Non-LTE Line-Formation and Abundances of Sulfur and Zinc in F, G, and K Stars

Extensive statistical-equilibrium calculations on neutral sulfur and zinc were carried out, in order to investigate how the non-LTE effect plays a role in the determination of S and Zn abundances in F, G, and K stars. Having checked on the spectra of representative F-type stars (Polaris, Procyon, and alpha Per) and the Sun that our non-LTE corrections yield a reasonable consistency between the abundances derived from different lines, we tried an extensive non-LTE reanalysis of published equivalent-width data of S I and Zn I lines for metal-poor halo/disk stars. According to our calculations, S I 9212/9228/9237 lines suffer significant negative non-LTE corrections amounting to <~ 0.2--0.3 dex, while LTE is practically valid for S I 8683/8694 lines. Embarrassingly, as far as the very metal-poor regime is concerned, a marked discordance is observed between the [S/Fe] values from these two abundance indicators, in the sense that the former attains a nearly flat plateau (or even a slight downward bending) while the latter shows an ever-increasing trend with a further lowering of metallicity. The reason for this discrepancy is yet to be clarified. Regarding Zn, we almost confirmed the characteristic tendencies of [Zn/Fe] reported from recent LTE studies (i.e., an evident/slight increase of [Zn/Fe] with a decrease of [Fe/H] for very metal-poor/disk stars), since the non-LTE corrections for the Zn I 4722/4810 and 6362 lines (tending to be positive and gradually increasing towards lower [Fe/H]) are quantitatively of less significance (<~ 0.1 dex).Comment: 33 pages, 7 figures, PASJ, Vol. 57, No. 5 (2005) in pres

4/3-Law of Granular Particles Flowing through a Vertical Pipe

Density waves of granular material (sand) flowing through a vertical pipe have been investigated. Clear density waves emerge when the cock attached to bottom end of the pipe is closed. The FFT power spectra were found to show a stable power-law form $P(f) \sim f^{-\alpha}.$ The value of the exponent was evaluated as $\alpha \cong 4/3$. We also introduce a simple one-dimensional model which reproduces $\alpha = 4/3$ from both simulation and theoretical analysis. (to be published in Phys.Rev.Lett.)Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, a style fil

サギョウ ト カラダ ノ ゲンショウガク トウゴウ シッチョウショウシャ ノ セイシン ビョウリ オ テガカリ ニ

This article considered possibility of the recovery in the occupational therapy of the Schizophrenia Patients by paying its attention to the phenomenological embodiment. In consideration of the concrete psychopathology and problem of the Schizophrenia Patients， I examined importance of the foundation and a possibility of the treatment of the Occupation transcendental composition based on phenomenological analysis about the Carpenter Saw Activity

Increased tissue levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prevents pathological preterm birth

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have anti-inflammatory effects. Preterm birth is an important problem in modern obstetrics and one of the main causes is an inflammation. We here showed that abundance of omega-3 fatty acids reduced the incidence of preterm birth induced by LPS with fat-1 mice, capable of converting omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. We also indicated that the gene expression of IL-6 and IL-1β in uteruses and the number of cervical infiltrating macrophages were reduced in fat-1 mice. The analyses of lipid metabolomics showed the high level of 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoate in fat-1 mice, which was derived from EPA and was metabolized to anti-inflammatory product named resolvin E3 (RvE3). We finally showed that the administration of RvE3 to LPS-exposed pregnant wild type mice lowered the incidence of preterm birth. Our data suggest that RvE3 could be a potential new therapeutic for the prevention of preterm birth

On the Nature of Long-Period Dwarf Novae with Rare and Low-Amplitude Outbursts

There are several peculiar long-period dwarf-nova like objects, which show rare, low-amplitude outbursts with highly ionized emission lines. 1SWASP J162117$+$441254, BD Pav, and V364 Lib belong to this kind of objects. Some researchers even doubt whether 1SWASP J1621 and V364 Lib have the same nature as normal dwarf novae. We studied the peculiar outbursts in these three objects via our optical photometry and spectroscopy, and performed numerical modeling of their orbital variations to investigate their properties. We found that their outbursts lasted for a long interval (a few tens of days), and that slow rises in brightness were commonly observed during the early stage of their outbursts. Our analyses and numerical modeling suggest that 1SWASP J1621 has a very high inclination, close to 90 deg, plus a faint hot spot. Although BD Pav seems to have a slightly lower inclination ($\sim$75 deg), the other properties are similar to those in 1SWASP J1621. On the other hand, V364 Lib appears to have a massive white dwarf, a hot companion star, and a low inclination ($\sim$35 deg). In addition, these three objects possibly have low transfer rate and/or large disks originating from the long orbital periods. We find that these properties of the three objects can explain their infrequent and low-amplitude outbursts within the context of the disk instability model in normal dwarf novae without strong magnetic field. In addition, we suggest that the highly-ionized emission lines in outburst are observed due to a high inclination and/or a massive white dwarf. More instances of this class of object may be unrecognized, since their unremarkable outbursts can be easily overlooked.Comment: 17 pages, 18 figures, 2 tables with supporting information. Accepted for publication in PAS

Endoscopic Laryngeal Findings in Japanese Patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms

Objective. To know the characteristics of endoscopic laryngeal and pharyngeal abnormalities in Japanese patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms (LPRS). Methods. A total of 146 endoscopic images of the larynx and pharynx (60 pairs for the rabeprazole group and 13 pairs for the control group) were presented to 15 otolaryngologists blinded to patient information and were scored according to several variables potentially associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux. The median value of the 15 scores for each item from each image was obtained. The mean pretreatment scores of each item and total score were assessed in both rabeprazole and control groups. In the rabeprazole group, the endoscopic findings before and after the 4-week treatment with rabeprazole were compared. Changes between corresponding duration in the control group were also evaluated. Results. The median and mean pretreatment total score was 3 and 3.02, respectively, from the 73 patients with LPRS. No significant differences were observed before and after treatment in either the rabeprazole or control groups for any item or total score. In 24 patients with a high pretreatment score (total score ≥ 4) from the rabeprazole group, significant decreases in scores for “thick endolaryngeal mucous” (0.54 to 0.17, P = 0.017) and total (4.77 to 3.58, P = 0.0003) were observed after the 4-week treatment

Examining the loss of natural self-evidence with occupational therapy students

日本福祉大学健康科学部リハビリテーション学科作業療法学専攻 2 年生を対象とする授業『精神障害作業療法学Ⅰ』では，統合失調症を中心に精神疾患や生活障害，支援のためのアセスメントの方法を学習する．患者を支援するためには客観的な把握に留まらず，患者自身の体験する作業への困難さについての理解が必要である．そのため，症状の内容やその変遷がもつ人間学的な意味に焦点をあてたブランケンブルグの著書『自然な自明性の喪失』を教材としてディスカッションを通して得られた学生の声を取り上げ，統合失調者の抱える作業への困難について，学生が見出した 7 つのカテゴリーに基づきながら検討する．departmental bulletin pape

Photosynthesis-irradiance relationship of phytoplankton and primary production in the vicinity of kuroshio warm core ring in spring

The light-saturated maximum value (P B max ) and initial slope (α) of the photosynthesisirradiance (P-E) curve were examined in a warm streamer, a cold streamer and a warm core ring off the Sanriku area in the subarctic western North Pacific Ocean during an ADEOS/OCTS Sanriku field campaign in early May 1997. Both P B max and α were within the ranges of temperate populations. A regional difference was apparent in P B max : populations in the warm streamer tended to show higher value ranging between 1.92 and 4.74 mgC (mgChl a) -1 h -1 than those in the cold streamer and the warm core ring (1.35-2.87 mgC (mgChl a) -1 h -1 ). A depth variation was also observed in α in both the warm streamer and the warm core ring: shallow populations tended to have lower α than deep populations. The depth variations in both P B max and α resulted in a lower light intensity of the light saturation in a deeper population than that of a shallower one. These depthrelated variations in the P-E parameters were likely a manifestation of &quot;shade-adaptation&quot; of photosynthesis. Photoinhibition was not observed over in situ surface light intensity varying below ca 1600 µmol photon m -2 s -1 . Water-column primary productivity was biooptically estimated to be 233 to 949 mgC m -2 d -1 using vertical distributions of the P-E parameters, chlorophyll a, phytoplankton light absorption and underwater irradiance. Applicability of surface data sets for estimation of water-column productivity is discussed