Structural Changes in Molluscan Community over a 15-Year Period before and after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Subsequent Tsunami around Matsushima Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Northeastern Japan

Abstract Background To examine changes in psychological distress prevalence among pregnant women in Miyagi Prefecture, which was directly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and compare it with the other, less damaged areas of Japan. Methods This study was conducted in conjunction with the Japan Environment and Children`s Study. We examined 76,152 pregnant women including 8270 in Miyagi Regional Center and 67,882 in 13 other regional centers from the all-birth fixed data of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. We then compared the prevalence and risk of distress in women in Miyagi Regional Center and women in the 13 regional centers for 3 years after the disaster. Results Women in the Miyagi Regional Center suffered more psychological distress than those in the 13 regional centers: OR 1.38 (95% CI, 1.03–1.87) to 1.92 (95% CI, 1.42–2.60). Additionally, women in the inland area had a consistently higher prevalence of psychological distress compared to those from the 13 regional centers: OR 1.67 (95% CI, 1.18–2.38) to 2.19 (95% CI, 1.60–2.99). Conclusions The lack of pre-disaster data in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study made it impossible to compare the incidence of psychological distress before and after the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. However, 3 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the prevalence of pregnant women with psychological distress did not improve in Miyagi Regional Center. Further, the prevalence of mental illness in inland areas was consistently higher than that in the 13 regional centers after the disaster.

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Investigation of Hydrothermally Stressed Silicone Rubber/Silica Micro and Nanocomposite for the Coating High Voltage Insulation Applications

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14133567 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (13) ◽

pp. 3567

Author(s):

Faiza Faiza ◽

Abraiz Khattak ◽

Safi Ullah Butt ◽

Kashif Imran ◽

Abasin Ulasyar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Silicone Rubber ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Polymer Chains ◽

Hydrothermal Conditions ◽

Silica Filler ◽

Before And After ◽

Aging Conditions ◽

The Stability ◽

Micro Silica ◽

Applied Stresses

Silicone rubber is a promising insulating material that has been performing well for different insulating and dielectric applications. However, in outdoor applications, environmental stresses cause structural and surface degradations that diminish its insulating properties. This effect of degradation can be reduced with the addition of a suitable filler to the polymer chains. For the investigation of structural changes and hydrophobicity four different systems were fabricated, including neat silicone rubber, a micro composite (with 15% micro-silica filler), and nanocomposites (with 2.5% and 5% nanosilica filler) by subjecting them to various hydrothermal conditions. In general, remarkable results were obtained by the addition of fillers. However, nanocomposites showed the best resistance against the applied stresses. In comparison to neat silicone rubber, the stability of the structure and hydrophobic behavior was better for micro-silica, which was further enhanced in the case of nanocomposites. The inclusion of 5% nanosilica showed the best results before and after applying aging conditions.

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Redox Mechanism of Azathioprine and Its Interaction with DNA

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22136805 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (13) ◽

pp. 6805

Author(s):

Mihaela-Cristina Bunea ◽

Victor-Constantin Diculescu ◽

Monica Enculescu ◽

Horia Iovu ◽

Teodor Adrian Enache

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Differential Pulse ◽

Immunosuppressive Drug ◽

Redox Mechanism ◽

Before And After ◽

Dna Film ◽

Scanning Electron

The electrochemical behavior and the interaction of the immunosuppressive drug azathioprine (AZA) with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were investigated using voltammetric techniques, mass spectrometry (MS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The redox mechanism of AZA on glassy carbon (GC) was investigated using cyclic and differential pulse (DP) voltammetry. It was proven that the electroactive center of AZA is the nitro group and its reduction mechanism is a diffusion-controlled process, which occurs in consecutive steps with formation of electroactive products and involves the transfer of electrons and protons. A redox mechanism was proposed and the interaction of AZA with DNA was also investigated. Morphological characterization of the DNA film on the electrode surface before and after interaction with AZA was performed using scanning electron microscopy. An electrochemical DNA biosensor was employed to study the interactions between AZA and DNA with different concentrations, incubation times, and applied potential values. It was shown that the reduction of AZA molecules bound to the DNA layer induces structural changes of the DNA double strands and oxidative damage, which were recognized through the occurrence of the 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine oxidation peak. Mass spectrometry investigation of the DNA film before and after interaction with AZA also demonstrated the formation of AZA adducts with purine bases.

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A Vibration-Based Structural Health Monitoring System for Transmission Line Towers

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics8050515 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 515 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Long Zhao ◽

Xinbo Huang ◽

Ye Zhang ◽

Yi Tian ◽

Yu Zhao

Keyword(s):

Structural Health Monitoring ◽

Transmission Line ◽

Natural Frequency ◽

Health Monitoring ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Natural Frequencies ◽

Transmission Tower ◽

Health Monitoring System ◽

Wind Speeds ◽

Before And After

In this paper, we present a vibration-based transmission tower structural health monitoring system consisting of two parts that identifies structural changes in towers. An accelerometer group realizes vibration response acquisition at different positions and reduces the risk of data loss by data compression technology. A solar cell provides the power supply. An analyser receives the data from the acceleration sensor group and calculates the transmission tower natural frequencies, and the change in the structure is determined based on natural frequencies. Then, the data are sent to the monitoring center. Furthermore, analysis of the vibration signal and the calculation method of natural frequencies are proposed. The response and natural frequencies of vibration at different wind speeds are analysed by time-domain signal, power spectral density (PSD), root mean square (RMS) and short-time Fouier transform (STFT). The natural frequency identification of the overall structure by the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) method reveals that the number of natural frequencies that can be calculated at different wind speeds is different, but the 2nd, 3rd and 4th natural frequencies can be excited. Finally, the system was tested on a 110 kV experimental transmission line. After 18 h of experimentation, the natural frequency of the overall structure of the transmission tower was determined before and after the tower leg was lifted. The results show that before and after the tower leg is lifted, the natural frequencies of each order exhibit obvious changes, and the differences in the average values can be used as the basis for judging the structural changes of the tower.

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Infection Control Campaign at Evacuation Centers in Miyagi Prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/661224 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 32 (8) ◽

pp. 824-826 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Hajime Kanamori ◽

Hiroyuki Kunishima ◽

Koichi Tokuda ◽

Mitsuo Kaku

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Great East Japan Earthquake ◽

Miyagi Prefecture ◽

Control Campaign

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Degradation of Great Tit (Parus Major) Song Before And After Foliation: Implications for Vocal Communication in a Deciduous Forest

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539042360152 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 141 (8) ◽

pp. 935-958 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Sandra Blumenrath ◽

Torben Dabelsteen

Keyword(s):

Information Transfer ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Vocal Communication ◽

Deciduous Forest ◽

Parus Major ◽

Great Tit ◽

Transmission Experiment ◽

Distance Information ◽

Before And After ◽

The Impact

AbstractSongbirds living in temperate forests experience great seasonal changes in habitat acoustics during the part of the breeding season when singing activity is high. These changes, which are brought about by accelerated vegetation growth and leaf burst in spring, affect sound propagation and potentially render vocal communication more difficult as the total number of scattering and absorbing obstacles increases. We investigated this in a sound transmission experiment in which representative great tit (Parus major) songs were broadcast in a typical forest habitat before and after foliation. Speaker and microphone were placed at natural separation distances and in typical sender and receiver positions. For each song note we quantified several aspects of sound degradation and found that they all increased considerably when leaves were present. Before foliation the same amount of degradation would only be obtained by doubling the transmission distance, i.e. foliage shortens the active space of great tit song. This inevitably alters distance information, provided that distance-dependent, structural changes of received songs are used as ranging cues. Moreover, sender and receiver positions within the canopy become unfavourable compared to heights just below the canopy when the aim is to maximise song propagation distances. Altogether, the presence of foliage greatly affects the potential for vocal information transfer in great tits and requires behavioural and/or perceptual adjustment of the communicating individuals to counteract or reduce the impact of foliage on signal degradation.

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ANALYSIS OF THE ACTUAL SITUATION OF HYPOTHERMIA VICTIMS IN MIYAGI PREFECTURE IN CASE OF THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE

Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers Ser B2 (Coastal Engineering) ◽

10.2208/kaigan.77.2_i_1075 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 77 (2) ◽

pp. I_1075-I_1080

Author(s):

Hirokazu KAMATA ◽

Shuji SETO ◽

Anawat SUPPASRI ◽

Fumihiko IMAMURA

Keyword(s):

Great East Japan Earthquake ◽

Actual Situation ◽

Miyagi Prefecture

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Structural changes in clays subjected to heat treatment: an analysis by structural refinement using the Rietveld method

Revista Mexicana de Física ◽

10.31349/revmexfis.67.061602 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 (6 Nov-Dec) ◽

Author(s):

Mauro Quiroga Agurto ◽

Elvira Leticia Zeballos Velásquez ◽

Felipe Americo Reyes Navarro

Keyword(s):

Heat Treatment ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Rietveld Method ◽

Mineralogical Composition ◽

Structural Factors ◽

Expansive Clay ◽

Structural Refinement ◽

Weight Percentage ◽

Before And After ◽

Cerro De Pasco

Structural factors in clays influence their physical properties. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the effects of heat treatment on the structure of the material during the ceramic process. In this work, we have analyzed clays from quarries in the Cerro de Pasco region, Peru, to evaluate their characteristics and the structural changes produced by heating, particularly in the interlaminar region. The samples were thermally treated between 150 oC and 800 oC with intervals of 50 oC. To evaluate the structural changes produced by temperature, X-ray diffraction were carried out before and after each heat treatment. The qualitative analysis of the measurements allowed to identify the mineralogical composition of the samples, finding phases of calcium montmorillonite, kaolinite, illite and quartz. The quantitative analysis by the Rietveld method found structural changes, particularly in the Ca-montmorillonite expansive clay. It was also possible to determine the decrease in the weight percentage of the kaolinite until the collapse of its structure between 450 °C and 500 °C. The illite presented greater thermal stability, with slight variations in its weight percentage during heat treatment, without compromising its structure. Although the quartz phase did not show relevant structure changes, it slightly increased its weight percentage with increasing temperature.

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Impact of freeze-thaw cytoablation on aqueous outflow patterns in ex vivo anterior chamber perfusion cultures and whole eyes

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.53572.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 525

Author(s):

Raoul Verma-Fuehring ◽

Mohamad Dakroub ◽

Alicja Strzalkowska ◽

Piotr Strzalkowski ◽

Hong Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Trabecular Meshwork ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Anterior Segment ◽

Large Change ◽

Invasive Technique ◽

Freeze Thaw ◽

Before And After ◽

Human Eyes ◽

Porcine Eyes

Background: Porcine eyes have been widely used as ex vivo models in glaucoma research, as they share similar features with human eyes. Freeze-thawing is a non-invasive technique that has been used to obliterate living cells in anterior segment ex vivo cultures, to prepare them for further research such as cellular repopulation. This technique has previously been shown to reduce the intraocular pressure (IOP) in porcine eyes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether freeze-thaw cytoablation causes corresponding canalogram outflow changes in perfused anterior segment cultures (AFT) and whole porcine eyes (WFT). We hypothesized that the known IOP drop in AFT after trabecular meshwork ablation by freeze-thaw would be accompanied by a similarly large change in the distal outflow pattern. Methods: Two-dye (fluorescein and Texas red) reperfusion canalograms were used to compare the outflow time before and after two -80°C cycles of freeze-thaw. We assigned 28 freshly enucleated porcine eyes to four groups: perfused anterior segment dye controls (ACO, n = 6), perfused whole eye dye controls (WCO, n = 6), freeze-thaw treated anterior segment cultures (AFT, n = 10), and freeze-thaw treated whole eyes (WFT, n = 6). Results: In control groups ACO and WCO, the two different dyes had similar filling times. In AFT, the outflow pattern and filling times were unchanged. In WFT, the temporal superior quadrant filled more slowly (p = 0.042) while all others remained unchanged. The qualitative appearance of distal outflow spaces was altered only in some eyes. Conclusions: Freeze-thaw cytoablation caused neither loss nor leakage of distal outflow structures. Surprisingly, the loss of an intact trabecular meshwork over the entire circumference did not result in a general acceleration of quadrant outflow times. The results validate freeze-thawing as a method to generate an extracellular matrix without major structural changes.

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