Long Island doctor Richard Batista to estranged wife: Give me my kidney back
Doctor Wants Kidney Back As Part of Divorce
A 49-year-old New York surgeon donated one of his kidneys to his wife eight years ago. But she repaid the gift by cheating on him. Now he is heading to court to get his kidney back, or the compensation of the kidney, 1.5 million dollars, as divorce settlement.
Shylock is the Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice". In the play, he contracts with the merchant Antonio that Antonio allows Shylock to take a pound of his flesh if he will be unable to repay his loan by the specified date. Antonio fails to satisfy the bond, and so Shylock requires his flesh. But Shylock is not allowed to shed any drop of Antonio's blood and he forfeits his lands and goods under Venetian laws.
Will the doctor win the case in court? Maybe, he has to get his kidney back without shedding any drop of her blood.
Of course, I sympathize with the poor doctor than Shylock. He is as miserable as the Bridgestone dog.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Change and Kanji
While the new President Obama was taking the presidential oath and calling on Americans across the US to renew their responsibility as citizens, the Japan Prime Minster Aso was taking a test of "Kanji" by the deputy leader of the DPJ, the largest opposition party.
As Bushism, the Prime Minster Aso often makes linguistic errors on pronunciation of Kanji in his public speech. The deputy leader of the opposition party tried to trip him up, during the Budget Committee.
This news disappointed many people, including me. Japan's economy also calls for action, bold and swift. But they won't act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. All this they can't do. And all this they won't do.
Yes, they can't.
As Bushism, the Prime Minster Aso often makes linguistic errors on pronunciation of Kanji in his public speech. The deputy leader of the opposition party tried to trip him up, during the Budget Committee.
This news disappointed many people, including me. Japan's economy also calls for action, bold and swift. But they won't act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. All this they can't do. And all this they won't do.
Yes, they can't.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Breadmaker
On Jan 2, Mari went to New-Year sale of an electric store and bought a breadmaker.
She was very excited getting it and promised me to make a lot of delicious breads.
At the night, she made bread using the breadmaker with ingredients on hand. The next morning, we had sour bread that has strong fermentation odor. She raised her motivation too and challenged again with newly purchased ingredients. The bread rose well (see the photos), and we had a good one at the next breakfast.
She regained her confidence and tried a recipe in the book. The next morning, she made fine bread comparable to that of baker's. The success satisfied her; she has left the breadmaker until now.
The bredmaker costs only 60 dollars, but thus it never compete with bakery.
She was very excited getting it and promised me to make a lot of delicious breads.At the night, she made bread using the breadmaker with ingredients on hand. The next morning, we had sour bread that has strong fermentation odor. She raised her motivation too and challenged again with newly purchased ingredients. The bread rose well (see the photos), and we had a good one at the next breakfast.
She regained her confidence and tried a recipe in the book. The next morning, she made fine bread comparable to that of baker's. The success satisfied her; she has left the breadmaker until now.The bredmaker costs only 60 dollars, but thus it never compete with bakery.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
On Dec 26, a woman living in Kyoto was arrested on charges of attempting to kill her daughter with contaminated water. A camera in the hospital caught her injecting the water into an intravenous drip for her daughter. Her three other daughters had died by mysterious infections before reaching to 4-year-old.
She denied her intention to kill her daughters and said that she only wanted to take care of her daughters who got sick. Several articles on the news said that possibly she has "Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSbP)", a rare mental disorder.
MSbP was first described in 1977 by a pediatrician in the UK and soon gained a following among medics and social workers. Patients with "fabricated or induced illness (FII)" or "Munchausen syndrome" feign illness by injuring themselves to garner attention, whereas MSbP sufferers harm other person, mainly their child, to gain acclaim for their dedications. It seems that MSbP sufferers are very likely to shift their target if the former has died. The case of the arrested woman appears to be consisted with the description.
Does the President Bush have MSbP? He damaged the US to win plaudits for his "justice". Today, Barack Obama is going to be sworn in as the 44th President of the USA. Change has come to America. I believe he can, if he is not Baron Munchausen.
She denied her intention to kill her daughters and said that she only wanted to take care of her daughters who got sick. Several articles on the news said that possibly she has "Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSbP)", a rare mental disorder.
MSbP was first described in 1977 by a pediatrician in the UK and soon gained a following among medics and social workers. Patients with "fabricated or induced illness (FII)" or "Munchausen syndrome" feign illness by injuring themselves to garner attention, whereas MSbP sufferers harm other person, mainly their child, to gain acclaim for their dedications. It seems that MSbP sufferers are very likely to shift their target if the former has died. The case of the arrested woman appears to be consisted with the description.
Does the President Bush have MSbP? He damaged the US to win plaudits for his "justice". Today, Barack Obama is going to be sworn in as the 44th President of the USA. Change has come to America. I believe he can, if he is not Baron Munchausen.
Digit ratio
"Financial Crisis Has Biological Roots, Too"
British scientists reported a study in the PNAS journal published on Jan 13 that the most successful traders tended to have longer ring fingers than index fingers.
"Second-to-fourth digit ratio predicts success among high-frequency financial traders"
http://www.pnas.org/content/106/2/623
The second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) has been proposed as a marker of prenatal exposure to androgens, male sex hormones. Lower digit ratio (i.e., longer ring fingers than index fingers) is believed to correlate to higher prenatal androgen exposure and the subsequent testosterone level in adult.
The researchers from the University of Cambridge measured fingers of 44 male traders in the City of London who were engaged in high-frequency trading and found that 2D:4D predicted the traders' long-term profitability as well as the number of years they remained in the business. The 2D:4D also predicted the sensitivity of their profitability to increases both in circulating testosterone and in market volatility. They say that the success and longevity of traders exposed to high levels of prenatal androgens suggests that financial markets may select for biological traits rather than rational expectations.
It has been suggested that the digit ratio also correlated to health, behavior, physical ability, and sexual orientation for men. A study in the UK showed that the 2D:4D would correlate with the relative difference between numeracy and literacy abilities. In the study, children having lower 2D:4D had higher numeracy scores than literacy scores on the College Board's Scholastic Assessment Test in the UK.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17535470
As shown in the photo, my ring fingers are longer than the index fingers. I do not know whether I have profitability to be a good trader, however; researchers need the ability to process information quickly enough to keep one step ahead of competitors, as well as traders.
British scientists reported a study in the PNAS journal published on Jan 13 that the most successful traders tended to have longer ring fingers than index fingers.
"Second-to-fourth digit ratio predicts success among high-frequency financial traders"
http://www.pnas.org/content/106/2/623
The second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) has been proposed as a marker of prenatal exposure to androgens, male sex hormones. Lower digit ratio (i.e., longer ring fingers than index fingers) is believed to correlate to higher prenatal androgen exposure and the subsequent testosterone level in adult.
The researchers from the University of Cambridge measured fingers of 44 male traders in the City of London who were engaged in high-frequency trading and found that 2D:4D predicted the traders' long-term profitability as well as the number of years they remained in the business. The 2D:4D also predicted the sensitivity of their profitability to increases both in circulating testosterone and in market volatility. They say that the success and longevity of traders exposed to high levels of prenatal androgens suggests that financial markets may select for biological traits rather than rational expectations.
It has been suggested that the digit ratio also correlated to health, behavior, physical ability, and sexual orientation for men. A study in the UK showed that the 2D:4D would correlate with the relative difference between numeracy and literacy abilities. In the study, children having lower 2D:4D had higher numeracy scores than literacy scores on the College Board's Scholastic Assessment Test in the UK.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17535470
As shown in the photo, my ring fingers are longer than the index fingers. I do not know whether I have profitability to be a good trader, however; researchers need the ability to process information quickly enough to keep one step ahead of competitors, as well as traders.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Intra-lasik
At the end of last year, Mari had intra-lasik, a laser surgery for vision correction.
Several years ago, my elder brother had lasik and suffered some troubles from the aftereffect. So I recommended her to reconsider it, but she gave the operation at a specialized hospital in Shinagawa. She has good vision now, but I worry whether she will have troubles in the future. Although lasik has become common along with the technological advance, that has only a short history.
I have no wish to have lasik surgery. I do not feel benefit for the operation worth the risk.
Several years ago, my elder brother had lasik and suffered some troubles from the aftereffect. So I recommended her to reconsider it, but she gave the operation at a specialized hospital in Shinagawa. She has good vision now, but I worry whether she will have troubles in the future. Although lasik has become common along with the technological advance, that has only a short history.
I have no wish to have lasik surgery. I do not feel benefit for the operation worth the risk.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Wonderland of fungi and moyashimon
"Moyashimon--Tales of Agriculture" is a Japanese manga series created by Masayuki Ishikawa. It follows a campus life of college students at an agricultural university. "Moyashimon" means the mold-starter producer. Tadayasu Souemon Sawaki, the main protagonist, has a unique ability to see and communicate with microorganisms. This series gained much popularity in Japan and an anime TV series was aired in 2007. Highly abstracted characters of various microorganisms, which Sakwaki recognizes like that, win the hearts and minds of people.
On Jan 2, Mari, Ken and I visited an exhibition "the wonderland of fungi" held at the National Science Museum (http://www.kahaku.go.jp/english) . The exhibition consisted of seven parts: i) birth and diversification of fungi; ii) phylogenetic position of fungi; iii) what is fungi? iv) wonder of luminescent fungi; v) room of fungi scientists; vii) roles of fungi in the forest; vii) future of fungi and earth. I fully enjoyed this exhibition, but Mari and Ken walked through there soon.
Posters in the exhibition hall. (Left) Classification on fungi. (Right) Phylogenetic tree of life.
(Left) An advertising poster. (Right) A drawing of principal characters of moyashimon by the creator. Sawaki is the nearest guy.
There are a steam train at the entrance of museum (left) and a whale at the exit (right).
(Left) Ticket for the exhibition. It looks like a bill. (right) Entrance of the exhibition hall.
(Left) Plastic model of Aspergillus oyzae, a fungal known as koji-mold. (Right) This mold is recognized by Sawaki as illustrated.
A. oryzae is closely related to A. flavus, an aflatoxin-producing fungus, whereas that has no aflatoxin-producing enzyme. The Brewing Society of Japan regards this fungi as the "nation's fungi" of Japan.
There are many figures of moyashimon characters of microorganisms.
A. oryzae (left) and A. niger (right) .
Specimens of various mushrooms (left) and a long net stinkhorn (Dictyophora indusiata; right) fixed with resin.
Shiitake mushroom fungi (Lentinus edodes; left) are living in the kitchen (right).
(Left) Plant has highly toxic neurotoxin-producing bacteria (i.e. Clostridium botulinum). (Right) Oranges have numerous Penicillium fungi.
(Left) O-157, a strain of pathogenic Escherichia coli, are present in the restroom. (Right) Saccharomyces cerevisae, or baker's yeast. I frequently used it for my research.
(Left) An illustration of A. oryzae drawn with living cells. Green, A. oryzae; black, A. niger. (Right) Cladosporium tricoides in the restroom.
In the exhibition hall, there are a lot of drawings made by moyashimon creator.
Ken and I appeared in a photo with moyashimon characters (left). Fungi said us, "Everyone is looking you!" (middle) and "It's embarrassing, but hold on! (right)
The creator displayed several original drawings of moyashimon at the exhibition hall.
Goods (left) and a comic (right) of moyashimon.
Regarding discovery of the ability of slime molds to solve puzzles, five Japanese scientists won the 18th Ig Nobel Prize of Cognitive science in 2008. Unfortunately, I could not find any section for slime molds in the exhibition hall; this is probably because slime molds are not involved in fungi.
This exhibition obtained full cooperation of the Moyashimon creator and succeeded in attracting many people. The visitors would like either fungi or moyashimon, although it appeared the later was the majority. Since I graduated a Faculty of Agriculture at a University, I love both of them.
On Jan 2, Mari, Ken and I visited an exhibition "the wonderland of fungi" held at the National Science Museum (http://www.kahaku.go.jp/english) . The exhibition consisted of seven parts: i) birth and diversification of fungi; ii) phylogenetic position of fungi; iii) what is fungi? iv) wonder of luminescent fungi; v) room of fungi scientists; vii) roles of fungi in the forest; vii) future of fungi and earth. I fully enjoyed this exhibition, but Mari and Ken walked through there soon.
Posters in the exhibition hall. (Left) Classification on fungi. (Right) Phylogenetic tree of life.
(Left) An advertising poster. (Right) A drawing of principal characters of moyashimon by the creator. Sawaki is the nearest guy.
There are a steam train at the entrance of museum (left) and a whale at the exit (right).
(Left) Ticket for the exhibition. It looks like a bill. (right) Entrance of the exhibition hall.
(Left) Plastic model of Aspergillus oyzae, a fungal known as koji-mold. (Right) This mold is recognized by Sawaki as illustrated.
A. oryzae is closely related to A. flavus, an aflatoxin-producing fungus, whereas that has no aflatoxin-producing enzyme. The Brewing Society of Japan regards this fungi as the "nation's fungi" of Japan.
There are many figures of moyashimon characters of microorganisms.
A. oryzae (left) and A. niger (right) .
Specimens of various mushrooms (left) and a long net stinkhorn (Dictyophora indusiata; right) fixed with resin.
Shiitake mushroom fungi (Lentinus edodes; left) are living in the kitchen (right).
(Left) Plant has highly toxic neurotoxin-producing bacteria (i.e. Clostridium botulinum). (Right) Oranges have numerous Penicillium fungi.
(Left) O-157, a strain of pathogenic Escherichia coli, are present in the restroom. (Right) Saccharomyces cerevisae, or baker's yeast. I frequently used it for my research.
(Left) An illustration of A. oryzae drawn with living cells. Green, A. oryzae; black, A. niger. (Right) Cladosporium tricoides in the restroom.
In the exhibition hall, there are a lot of drawings made by moyashimon creator.
Ken and I appeared in a photo with moyashimon characters (left). Fungi said us, "Everyone is looking you!" (middle) and "It's embarrassing, but hold on! (right)
The creator displayed several original drawings of moyashimon at the exhibition hall.
Goods (left) and a comic (right) of moyashimon.
Regarding discovery of the ability of slime molds to solve puzzles, five Japanese scientists won the 18th Ig Nobel Prize of Cognitive science in 2008. Unfortunately, I could not find any section for slime molds in the exhibition hall; this is probably because slime molds are not involved in fungi.
This exhibition obtained full cooperation of the Moyashimon creator and succeeded in attracting many people. The visitors would like either fungi or moyashimon, although it appeared the later was the majority. Since I graduated a Faculty of Agriculture at a University, I love both of them.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Employment issues
The world is now in a great economic depression.
The subprime mortgage crisis caused a declining of US economy. The US big three automakers are nearly out of cash and asking for government assistances. The Japanese automaker Toyota forecasts an operating loss of 150 billion yen (1.7 billion dollar) to end the business year. Japan automakers fired numerous temporary workers while their contract periods. More than 80 thousands temporary workers lost their job and so that became a huge social issue of Japan.
Additionally, cancellation of informal job appointments also became a serious issue in Japan. Since most Japanese companies hire workers once a year, informal appointments are regarded as effective job contracts. So the cancelation requires reasonable excuses.
These companies have desired to intake only new graduates as regular workers in spring, even after working styles in Japan had diversified. Curiously, they prefer innocent fresh graduates than older experienced workers. Universities in Japan allow graduates to stay there to let them be "fresh" graduates.
On the other hand, mobility of employment has incompletely increased. Unlike temporary workers, regular workers are less likely fired even under economic depression. Adverse working conditions of temporary workers oblige them being a lower class permanently.
After a barrage of criticism, Japan automakers shift to share the pain equally among regular and temporary workers. Now, temporary workers account for one-third of all labor force population in Japan. Considering the falling birthrate and aging population, addressing employment issues may be a top priority for Japan.
The subprime mortgage crisis caused a declining of US economy. The US big three automakers are nearly out of cash and asking for government assistances. The Japanese automaker Toyota forecasts an operating loss of 150 billion yen (1.7 billion dollar) to end the business year. Japan automakers fired numerous temporary workers while their contract periods. More than 80 thousands temporary workers lost their job and so that became a huge social issue of Japan.
Additionally, cancellation of informal job appointments also became a serious issue in Japan. Since most Japanese companies hire workers once a year, informal appointments are regarded as effective job contracts. So the cancelation requires reasonable excuses.
These companies have desired to intake only new graduates as regular workers in spring, even after working styles in Japan had diversified. Curiously, they prefer innocent fresh graduates than older experienced workers. Universities in Japan allow graduates to stay there to let them be "fresh" graduates.
On the other hand, mobility of employment has incompletely increased. Unlike temporary workers, regular workers are less likely fired even under economic depression. Adverse working conditions of temporary workers oblige them being a lower class permanently.
After a barrage of criticism, Japan automakers shift to share the pain equally among regular and temporary workers. Now, temporary workers account for one-third of all labor force population in Japan. Considering the falling birthrate and aging population, addressing employment issues may be a top priority for Japan.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Banana diet
Recent diet craze in Japan is banana. At the peak of the boom, bananas were sold out in supermarkets across Japan.
A few years ago, a craze of natto (sticky, smelly fermented soybeans) diet also swept Japan. A TV program presented evidences of the effect on weight loss and led to a huge boom of natto diet. The fad resulted in a nationwide natto shortage, but later it was revealed that the program had used fake experimental results about the potential of natto.
Similar to the case of natto, some broadcast TV programs presented an effect of bananas on weight loss and caused a craze for banana diet.
In the TV programs, a scientist claimed that bananas have many benefits as follows: i) bananas are rich in carbohydrases (mostly amylases), which help one enhance the body metabolism and burn the body fat; ii) bananas have a strong antioxidative effect, which activates cells and improves cell metabolism; iii) bananas are rich in dietary fiber, which promotes bowel movements.
He says that enzymes in the body are defficient in the morning and one needs to supply them from fruits.
However, I do not agree with the claim. One cannot supply enzymes from food. First, amylases may be inactivated in stomach by gastric acid; second, no enzyme can be absorbed into body remaining the activity. I do not know whether bananas serve as a dieting food or not, but I cannot miss such a pseudoscience as a scientist.
The official site for banana diet is here.
The recipe for the banana diet is quite easy--you have to consume only bananas and water for breakfast.
"I was on a diet for a month and lost 30 bananas."
A few years ago, a craze of natto (sticky, smelly fermented soybeans) diet also swept Japan. A TV program presented evidences of the effect on weight loss and led to a huge boom of natto diet. The fad resulted in a nationwide natto shortage, but later it was revealed that the program had used fake experimental results about the potential of natto.
Similar to the case of natto, some broadcast TV programs presented an effect of bananas on weight loss and caused a craze for banana diet.
In the TV programs, a scientist claimed that bananas have many benefits as follows: i) bananas are rich in carbohydrases (mostly amylases), which help one enhance the body metabolism and burn the body fat; ii) bananas have a strong antioxidative effect, which activates cells and improves cell metabolism; iii) bananas are rich in dietary fiber, which promotes bowel movements.
He says that enzymes in the body are defficient in the morning and one needs to supply them from fruits.
However, I do not agree with the claim. One cannot supply enzymes from food. First, amylases may be inactivated in stomach by gastric acid; second, no enzyme can be absorbed into body remaining the activity. I do not know whether bananas serve as a dieting food or not, but I cannot miss such a pseudoscience as a scientist.
The official site for banana diet is here.
The recipe for the banana diet is quite easy--you have to consume only bananas and water for breakfast.
"I was on a diet for a month and lost 30 bananas."
Fat and fad
Mari is on a diet again.
She has tried a variety of fad diets: a lot of diet foods, supplements, beauty salon treatments, and so on.
She is now trying "banana diet". It is very simple; the thing only to do is to eat bananas for breakfast. She says, "If I have bananas at breakfast, I can eat any food after then!". I am afraid but I doubt her scientific literacy.
She hates exercising. A few years ago, she decided to train in the gym, but she went to there only once. Sometimes I took her and Ken swimming, but she watched us out of the window of the pool.
Ken is getting fat too. I am trying to exercise him anyway.
She has tried a variety of fad diets: a lot of diet foods, supplements, beauty salon treatments, and so on.
She is now trying "banana diet". It is very simple; the thing only to do is to eat bananas for breakfast. She says, "If I have bananas at breakfast, I can eat any food after then!". I am afraid but I doubt her scientific literacy.
She hates exercising. A few years ago, she decided to train in the gym, but she went to there only once. Sometimes I took her and Ken swimming, but she watched us out of the window of the pool.
Ken is getting fat too. I am trying to exercise him anyway.
Startup screen
Up to OS 9, the Japanese versions of Mac OS used to display the words "ake-mashite omede-tou gozai-masu" (that means "happy New Year", see the left photo below) on the startup screen on Jan 1. This "Easter egg" had lost on OSX, although you could see it on the splash screen of "classic" OS9. Mac OS10.5 does not support classic mode; however, alternatively you can see the word "ake-mashite omede-tou" on the screen of the screensaver "Word of the Day" on Jan 1 if you set the default language in Japanese (日本語) (see the right photo).
Happy New Year
I hope 2009 is filled with joy and happiness for everyone.
Ox is "eto" (干支; 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac) animal in 2009.
Ox is "eto" (干支; 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac) animal in 2009.
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