Vertex Operators of the q-Virasoro Algebra; Defining Relations,Adjoint Actions and Four Point Functions

Primary fields of the q-deformed Virasoro algebra are constructed. Commutation relations among the primary fields are studied. Adjoint actions of the deformed Virasoro current on the primary fields are represented by the shift operator f(x) = f(x). Four point functions of the primary fields enjoy the connection formula associated with the Boltzmann weights of the fusion Andrews–Baxter–Forrester model.     

Recovery process of respiratory muscle strength in patients following stroke: A Pilot Study

Objective: To determine the recovery process of respiratory muscle strength during 3 months following stroke, and to investigate the association of change in respiratory muscle strength and physical functions. Additionally, we compared respiratory muscle strength with those of healthy subjects. Method: In this prospective, observational study, 19 stroke patients and 19 healthy subjects were enrolled. Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), motricity index, trunk control test, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and functional independence measure were assessed at 1, 2, and 3 months from stroke onset in stroke patients. MIP and MEP were assessed at arbitrary times in healthy subjects. Repeated one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to compare the change in respiratory muscle strength in each period in stroke patients. Pearson''s correlation coefficient was computed for changes in respiratory muscle strength and physical functions. Student''s t-test was used to compare respiratory muscle strength between stroke patients at 3 months from onset and healthy subjects. Results: MIP was significantly increased at 3 months compared to 1 month. MEP was significantly increased in 2 months and 3 months, compared to 1 month. MIP changes associated with 6MWT changes. Compared to healthy subjects, MIP and MEP at 3 months were significantly lower in stroke patients. Conclusion: Respiratory muscle strength significantly increased during 3 months following stroke. However, the trend of recovery may be different. MIP changes may associated with walking endurance changes. During 3 months following stroke, respiratory muscle strength did not recover to healthy subjects.     

日本寿险业效率变动实证研究:1998-2008

日本是世界上保险业最发达的国家之一.但自20世纪90年代以来随着泡沫经济的破灭,宏观经济和金融环境的恶化,日本保险业尤其是寿险业进入了停滞与调整期.面对这一情况,日本政府层面和公司层面都推出各种措施,振兴踯躅前行中的日本寿险业.利用数据包络分析(DEA)方法对1998 2008年期间日本全部寿险公司的技术效率、纯技术效率和规模效率及其变动趋势进行了测度,对日本寿险市场的发展演变历程进行全面分析,希望对中国寿险业的发展提供经验借鉴.     

High resolution off-magic-angle spinning NMR for cholesteric liquid crystals

High resolution NMR of cholesteric liquid crystals is realized by off-magic-angle spinning (OMAS). Using the average potential theory, it is shown that the pitch axes of a cholesteric liquid crystal with a positive (negative) magnetic susceptibility anisotropy are aligned along the spinning axis with an OMAS angle larger (smaller) than the magic angle without any distortion of the helical structure, which is untwisted or distorted by the static magnetic field in some static samples. Hence, the line broadening due to the anisotropies of chemical shifts and/or quadrupole couplings is removed, while information of the anisotropies in cholesteric alignments can be obtained from the line positions. A detailed theoretical analysis of effects of spinning frequency and molecular diffusion along the pitch axis on the linewidth is given, predicting that the resolution is improved greatly at a spinning frequency much higher than the rotational diffusion coefficient. These theoretical results are verified by ¹³C OMAS experiments on a cholesteric liquid crystal of p-ethoxybenzyl-p-[(S)-2- methylbutyl]aniline (EBMBA) and cholesteric mixtures of p-methoxybenzylidene-p-n-butylaniline (MBBA) and cholesteryl chloride (CC).     

Differences in muscle thickness and echo intensity between stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults

Objective: The stroke survivors exhibit change in muscle quantity and quality compared to healthy older adults. This study aimed to compare the muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) values of individual muscles between stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults. Methods : In total, 27 stroke survivors and 34 healthy older adults participated in this study. The MT and EI values of the following muscles were assessed from transverse ultrasound images: rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis, rectus femoris, vastus intermedius (VI), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (Gas), and soleus (Sol). The MT and EI values of these muscles were compared between stroke survivors and healthy older adults. Results : The MT values of the VL, VM, and RA on the non-paretic sides were significantly higher and those of the TA, Gas, and Sol on the paretic sides were significantly lower in the stroke survivors than in the healthy older adults (P < 0.05). The EI values of the VI, VL, VM, TA on the paretic sides and those of the Gas on both the paretic and non-paretic sides were significantly higher in the stroke survivors than in the healthy older adults (P < 0.05). Conclusion : Stroke survivors seem to develop muscle hypertrophy of the non-paretic thigh muscles owing to a compensatory strategy. In addition, the lower-leg muscles on the paretic side of stroke survivors tend to show both quantitative and qualitative muscle changes.     

Maximum Phonation Time is a Useful Assessment for Older Adults Requiring Long-term Care/support

Objective: The maximum phonation time (MPT) is used to assess simple respiratory functions and can be performed anywhere without special instruments. We investigated the association between MPT and respiration, considering the future utilization of simple respiratory assessments during home-based physical therapy. Method: This cross-sectional study included 140 older adults enrolled in Japanese long-term care insurance (77 men, 63 women; mean age, 77.9±8.0 years). The participants performed the MPT, followed by spirometry. We analyzed the MPT of the three age groups, relative reliability of the MPT values, and the association between MPT and respiratory function. Results: We found that the MPT of older men requiring long-term care or support was related to age. The intraclass correlation coefficient of MPT was >0.8 for all groups. Only forced vital capacity was associated with MPT in the partial correlation and multiple regression analyses. Conclusion: MPT could be an alternative assessment of respiratory function in home-based physical therapy for older adults requiring long-term care or support.     

Existence and Asymptotic Behavior of Radially Symmetric Solutions to a Semilinear Hyperbolic System in Odd Space Dimensions

This paper is concerned with a class of semilinear hyperbolic systems in odd space dimensions. Our main aim is to prove the existence of a small amplitude solution which is asymptotic to the free solution as t→-∞in the energy norm, and to show it has a free profile as t→ ∞. Our approach is based on the work of [11]. Namely we use a weighted L∞norm to get suitable a priori estimates. This can be done by restricting our attention to radially symmetric solutions. Corresponding initial value problem is also considered in an analogous framework. Besides, we give an extended result of [14] for three space dimensional case in Section 5, which is prepared independently of the other parts of the paper.