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Junya Itou, Masafumi Itoh, Umito Kuwashima, Ken Okazaki Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku 162-8666, JapanCorrespondence: Ken OkazakiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-Cho, Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku 162-8666, JapanTel +81-3-3353-8111Fax +81-3-5269-7618Email okazaki.ken@twmu.ac.jpPurpose: Previously, a simplified model using statistically selected questionnaires from various patients reported outcome measures (PROMs) was proposed to predict patient satisfaction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, this simple and useful model needs to be validated across ethnic and cultural differences. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of this predictive model in Japanese patients.Patients and Methods: Of all knees treated using primary TKA at our institution between August 2017 and June 2018, this study involved 50 knees of 48 patients (11 men, 37 women) to whom the predictive model was applied preoperatively and from whom PROMs were obtained at least 1 year postoperatively. To evaluate PROMs, patients completed the KSS and the Forgotten Joint Score-12. Correlations were analyzed between preoperatively predicted postoperative patient satisfaction and actual postoperative patient satisfaction, as well as each PROM.Results: KSS satisfaction improved from 15.6 ± 6.1 preoperatively to 27.8 ± 8.3 postoperatively, with satisfaction reported for 41 knees (82%). The preoperatively predicted postoperative patient satisfaction score was 26.3 ± 4.6, with no significant correlation with actual postoperative score (r = 0.05, p = 0.72). The difference between preoperatively predicted patient satisfaction and actual postoperative patient satisfaction was positively correlated with the score for question 9 of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, among other instruments constituting the predictive model.Conclusion: Our data suggest that the predictive model had a low predictive value and that it had limited applicability to Japanese patients. The results also suggest that a tendency toward catastrophic thinking is associated with discrepancy between preoperatively predicted postoperative patient satisfaction and actual postoperative patient satisfaction. The predictive model has low utility and needs some modification.Keywords: total knee arthroplasty, satisfaction, prediction

Using the Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) technology, the FANTOM5 consortium provided one of the most comprehensive maps of transcription start sites (TSSs) in several species. Strikingly, ~72% of them could not be assigned to a specific gene and initiate at unconventional regions, outside promoters or enhancers. Here, we probe these unassigned TSSs and show that, in all species studied, a significant fraction of CAGE peaks initiate at microsatellites, also called short tandem repeats (STRs). To confirm this transcription, we develop Cap Trap RNA-seq, a technology which combines cap trapping and long read MinION sequencing. We train sequence-based deep learning models able to predict CAGE signal at STRs with high accuracy. These models unveil the importance of STR surrounding sequences not only to distinguish STR classes, but also to predict the level of transcription initiation. Importantly, genetic variants linked to human diseases are preferentially found at STRs with high transcription initiation level, supporting the biological and clinical relevance of transcription initiation at STRs. Together, our results extend the repertoire of non-coding transcription associated with DNA tandem repeats and complexify STR polymorphism., Nature Communications, 12 (1), ISSN:2041-1723

We conducted the coincidence measurement of α particles inelastically scattered from $^{20}$Ne at 0° and decay charged particles in order to search for the alpha-particle condensed state. We compared the measured excitation-energy spectrum and decay branching ratio with the statistical-decay-model calculations, and found that the newly observed states at Ex=23.6, 21.8, and 21.2 MeV in $^{20}$Ne are strongly coupled to a candidate for the 4α condensed state in $^{16}$O. This result presents the first strong evidence that these states are the candidates for the 5α condensed state.

We conducted the coincidence measurement of α particles inelastically scattered from ²⁰Ne at 0° and decay charged particles in order to search for the alpha-particle condensed state. We compared the measured excitation-energy spectrum and decay branching ratio with the statistical-decay-model calculations, and found that the newly observed states at , Ex = 23.6, 21.8, and 21.2 MeV in ²⁰Ne are strongly coupled to a candidate for the 4α condensed state in ¹⁶O. This result presents the first strong evidence that these states are the candidates for the 5α condensed state., ネオン20原子核の新しい存在形態の発見 --低密度原子核物質の解明に向けて--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-06-15.

The triple alpha reaction is one of the most important reactions in the nuclear astrophysics. However, its reaction rate in high temperature environments at T₉>2 was still uncertain. One of the major origins of the uncertainty was that the radiative-decay probability of the 3⁻₁ state in ¹²C was unknown. In the present work, we have determined the radiative-decay probability of the 3⁻₁ state to be 1.3[+1.2][-1.1] × 10⁻⁶ by measuring the ¹H(¹²C, ¹²Cp) reaction for the first time, and derived the triple alpha reaction rate in high temperature environments from the measured radiative-decay probability. The present result suggests that the 3⁻₁ state noticeably enhances the triple alpha reaction rate although the contribution from the 3⁻₁ state had been assumed to be small.

In eukaryotes, specific DNA-protein structures called telomeres exist at linear chromosome ends. Telomere stability is maintained by a specific capping protein complex. This capping complex is essential for the inhibition of the DNA damage response (DDR) at telomeres and contributes to genome integrity. In Drosophila the central factors of telomere capping complex are HOAP and HipHop. Furthermore, a DDR protein complex Mre11-Rad50-Nbs (MRN) is known to be important for the telomere association of HOAP and HipHop. However, whether MRN interacts with HOAP and HipHop, and the telomere recognition mechanisms of HOAP and HipHop are poorly understood. Here, we show that Nbs interacts with Mre11 and transports the Mre11-Rad50 complex from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, we report that HOAP interacts with both Mre11 and Nbs. The N-terminal region of HOAP is essential for its co-localization with HipHop. Finally, we reveal that Nbs interacts with the N-terminal region of HOAP.

The triple alpha reaction is one of the most important reactions in the nuclear astrophysics. However, its reaction rate in high temperature environments at T9> 2 was still uncertain. One of the major origins of the uncertainty was that the radiative-decay probability of the 31− state in $^{12}$C was unknown. In the present work, we have determined the radiative-decay probability of the 31− state to be 1.3−1.1+1.2×10−6 by measuring the $^{1}$H($^{12}$C,$^{12}$Cp) reaction for the first time, and derived the triple alpha reaction rate in high temperature environments from the measured radiative-decay probability. The present result suggests that the 31− state noticeably enhances the triple alpha reaction rate although the contribution from the 31− state had been assumed to be small.

We searched for the $��$ condensed state in $^{13}$C by measuring the $��$ inelastic scattering at $E_�� = 388$ MeV at forward angles including 0 degrees. We performed the distorted-wave Born-approximation calculation with the single-folding potential and the multipole decomposition analysis to determine the isoscalar transition strengths in $^{13}$C. We found a bump structure around $E_x = 12.5$ MeV due to the isoscalar monopole ($IS0$) transition. A peak-fit analysis suggested that this bump consisted of several $1/2^-$ states. We propose that this bump is due to the mirror state of the 13.5 MeV-state in $^{13}$N, which dominantly decays to the $��$ condensed state in $^{12}$C. It was speculated that the $1/2^-$ states around $E_x = 12.5$ MeV were candidates for the $��$ condensed state, but the $3��+ n$ orthogonality condition model suggests that the $��$ condensed state is unlikely to emerge as the negative parity states. We also found two $1/2^+$ or $3/2^+$ states at $E_x = 14.5$ and 16.1 MeV excited with the isoscalar dipole ($IS1$) strengths. We suggest that the 16.1-MeV state is a possible candidate for the $��$ condensed state predicted by the cluster-model calculations on the basis of the good correspondence between the experimental and calculated level structures. However, the theoretical $IS1$ transition strength for this state is significantly smaller than the measured value. Further experimental information is strongly desired to establish the $��$ condensed state in $^{13}$C., 24 pages, 12 figures, published in PTEP

Koutatsu Nagai,1 Kayoko Tamaki,2 Hiroshi Kusunoki,2 Yosuke Wada,3 Shotaro Tsuji,4 Masako Ito,5 Kyoko Sano,5 Manabu Amano,6 Soji Shimomura,7 Ken Shinmura2 1Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan; 2Department of General Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan; 3Department of Rehabilitation, Hyogo College of Medicine Sasayama Medical Center, Sasayama, Japan; 4Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine Sasayama Medical Center, Sasayama, Japan; 5Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan; 6School of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan; 7Department of General Medicine and Community Health Science, Hyogo College of Medicine Sasayama Medical Center, Sasayama, Japan Objectives: Recently, isotemporal substitution has been developed to substitute activity time for an equivalent amount of another activity. This study employed this method to demonstrate the effects of replacing sedentary behavior (SB) time with an equivalent amount of light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) on the risk for different severities of frailty.Methods: A total of 886 older adults (average age 73.6 years, female 70%) participated in this cross-sectional study. Frailty status was assessed according to the cardiovascular health study criteria.Main outcome measures: Wrist-worn accelerometers were used to measure SB, LPA, and MVPA. Isotemporal substitution models were applied to show the estimated effects of substituting 30 min of SB with an equal amount of time spent in LPA or MVPA on the risk for pre-frailty and frailty.Results: The physical activity level and SB were not associated with the incidence of pre-frailty. However, a 16% (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78–0.90) and 42% (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37–0.92) decrease in frailty risk was noted when SB was substituted with LPA and MVPA, respectively, in the crude model. In the adjusted model, the significant effect was sustained for LPA (OR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.80–0.92) but not for MVPA (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.47–1.17).Conclusions: This study indicates that replacing 30 min of SB with an equivalent amount of LPA decreases the risk for frailty in older adults. Moreover, increasing LPA seems more feasible than increasing MVPA in older adults, with substantial benefit. Keywords: isotemporal substitution, frailty, physical activity, sedentary behavior

We searched for the α condensed state in 13C by measuring the α inelastic scattering at Eα = 388 MeV at forward angles including 0 degrees. We performed the distorted wave Born-approximation calculation with the single-folding potential and the multipole decomposition analysis to determine the isoscalar transition strengths in 13C. We found a bump structure around Ex = 12.5 MeV consisting of several 1/2− states, which were excited by the isoscalar monopole (IS0) transitions from the ground state. We proposed that this bump was due to the mirror state of the 13.5 MeV-state in 13N, which dominantly decayed to the α condensed state in 12C. Although this bump was speculated to be a candidate for the α condensed state, the OCM calculation suggested that the α condensed state is unlikely to emerge as the negative parity states. We also found two 1/2+ or 3/2+ states at Ex = 14.5 and 16.1 MeV excited by the isoscalar dipole (IS1) transitions. We compared the experimental level diagram and the IS0 and IS1 transitions strengths with those predicted by shell-model and cluster-model calculations. We suggested that the 16.1-MeV state is a possible candidate for the α condensed state predicted by the cluster-model calculations. However, the theoretical IS1 transition strength for this state is significantly smaller than the measured value. Further experimental information is strongly desired to establish the α condensed state in 13C.

Tomoyuki Konno,1 Yoichi Aota,2 Hiroshi Kuniya,1 Tomoyuki Saito,1 Ning Qu,3 Shogo Hayashi,3 Shinichi Kawata,3 Masahiro Itoh3 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 2Department of Spine & Spinal Cord Surgery, Yokohama Brain and Spine Center, Yokohama, 3Department of Anatomy,Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan Objective: The superior cluneal nerve (SCN) may become entrapped where it pierces the thoracolumbar fascia over the iliac crest; this can cause low back pain (LBP) and referred pain radiating into the posterior thigh, calf, and occasionally the foot, producing the condition known as “pseudo-sciatica.” Because the SCN was thought to be a cutaneous branch of the lumbar dorsal rami, originating from the dorsal roots of L1–L3, previous anatomical studies failed to explain why SCN causes “pseudo-sciatica”. The purpose of the present anatomical study was to better elucidate the anatomy and improve the understanding of “pseudo-sciatica” from SCN entrapment. Materials and methods: SCN branches were dissected from their origin to termination in subcutaneous tissue in 16 cadavers (5 male and 11 female) with a mean death age of 88 years (range 81–101 years). Special attention was paid to identify SCNs from their emergence from nerve roots and passage through the fascial attachment to the iliac crest. Results: Eighty-one SCN branches were identified originating from T12 to L5 nerve roots with 13 branches passing through the osteofibrous tunnel. These 13 branches originated from L3 (two sides), L4 (six sides), and L5 (five sides). Ten of the 13 branches showed macroscopic entrapment in the tunnel. Conclusion: The majority of SCNs at risk of nerve entrapment originated from the lower lumbar nerve. These anatomical results may explain why patients with SCN entrapment often evince leg pain or tingling that mimics sciatica. Keywords: superior cluneal nerve, entrapment neuropathy, dorsal rami, pseudo-sciatica, osteofibrous tunnel, LBP

Tomoyuki Konno,1 Yoichi Aota,2 Tomoyuki Saito,1 Ning Qu,3 Shogo Hayashi,3 Shinichi Kawata,3 Masahiro Itoh3 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yokohama City University, 2Department of Spine and Spinal Cord, Yokohama Brain and Spine Center, Yokohama City, 3Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan Object: Entrapment of the middle cluneal nerve (MCN) under the long posterior sacroiliac ligament (LPSL) is a possible, and underdiagnosed, cause of low-back and/or leg symptoms. To date, detailed anatomical studies of MCN entrapment are few. The purpose of this study was to ascertain, using cadavers, the relationship between the MCN and LPSL and to investigate MCN entrapment. Methods: A total of 30 hemipelves from 20 cadaveric donors (15 female, 5 male) designated for education or research, were studied by gross anatomical dissection. The age range of the donors at death was 71–101 years with a mean of 88 years. Branches of the MCN were identified under or over the gluteus maximus fascia caudal to the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) and traced laterally as far as their finest ramification. Special attention was paid to the relationship between the MCN and LPSL. The distance from the branch of the MCN to the PSIS and to the midline and the diameter of the MCN were measured. Results: A total of 64 MCN branches were identified in the 30 hemipelves. Of 64 branches, 10 (16%) penetrated the LPSL. The average cephalocaudal distance from the PSIS to where the MCN penetrated the LPSL was 28.5±11.2 mm (9.1–53.7 mm). The distance from the midline was 36.0±6.4 mm (23.5–45.2 mm). The diameter of the MCN branch traversing the LPSL averaged 1.6±0.5 mm (0.5–3.1 mm). Four of the 10 branches penetrating the LPSL had obvious constriction under the ligament. Conclusion: This is the first anatomical study illustrating MCN entrapment. It is likely that MCN entrapment is not a rare clinical entity. Keywords: middle cluneal nerve, sacroiliac joint, low back pain, long posterior sacroiliac ligament, entrapment neuropathy

We conducted the coincidence measurement of $��$ particles inelastically scattered from ${}^{20}$Ne at $0^{\circ}$ and decay charged particles in order to search for the alpha-particle condensed state. We compared the measured excitation-energy spectrum and decay branching ratio with the statistical-decay-model calculations, and found that the newly observed states at $E_x$ = 23.6, 21.8, and 21.2 MeV in ${}^{20}$Ne are strongly coupled to a candidate for the 4$��$ condensed state in ${}^{16}$O. This result presents the first strong evidence that these states are the candidates for the 5$��$ condensed state., 6 pages, 5 figures. The part of the analysis is updated, and some discussions are added

While it was speculated that 5d4 systems would possess nonmagnetic J=0 ground state due to strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC), all such systems have invariably shown the presence of magnetic moments so far. A puzzling case is that of Ba2YIrO6, which in spite of having a perfectly cubic structure with largely separated Ir5+(d4) ions, has consistently hosted weak magnetic moments. We show from muon spin relaxation (μSR) measurements that a change in the magnetic environment of the implanted muons in Ba2YIrO6 occurs as the temperature is lowered below 10 K indicating magnetic response has a temperature dependence unlikely for a J=0 system. Interestingly, the estimated value of SOC obtained by fitting the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrum of Ba2YIrO6 with an effective atomic many-body Hamiltonian is found to be as high as 0.39 eV, comparable to the reported value of SOC in other magnetic d4 iridates with noncubic distortion. We argue that in addition to strong SOC, the presence of intersite hopping triggers delocalization of holes, resulting in the spontaneous generation of magnetic moments. Our theoretical calculations further indicate that these moments favor the formation of spin-orbital singlets in the case of Ba2YIrO6, which is manifested in μSR experiments measured down to 60 mK.

To quantify the air-sea flux of CO2 in a high-latitude coastal region, we conducted shipboard observations of atmospheric and surface water partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) and total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) in the Canadian Beaufort Sea (150° W–127° W; 69° N–73° N) in late summer 2000 and 2002. Surface water pCO2 was lower than atmospheric pCO2 (2000, 361.0 μatm; 2002, 364.7 μatm), and ranged from 250 to 344 μatm. Accordingly, ΔpCO2, which is the driving force of the air-sea exchange of CO2 and is calculated from differences in pCO2 between the sea surface and the overlying air, was generally negative (potential sink for atmospheric CO2), although positive ΔpCO2 values (source) were also found locally. Distributions of surface water pCO2, as well as those of ΔpCO2 and CO2 flux, were controlled mainly by water mixing related to river discharge. The air-sea fluxes of CO2 were −15.0 and −16.8 mmol m−2 d−1 on average in 2000 and 2002, respectively, implying that the area acted as a moderate sink for atmospheric CO2. The air-to-sea net CO2 flux in an extended area of the western Arctic Ocean (411 000 km2) during the ice-free season (=100 days) was calculated as 10.2±7.7 mmol m−2 d−1, equivalent to a regional CO2 sink of 5.0±3.8 Tg C. The estimated buffer factor was 1.5, indicating that the area is a high-capacity CO2 sink. These CO2 flux estimates will need to be revised because they probably include a bias due to the vertical gradients of physical and chemical properties characteristic in the region, which have not yet been adequately considered.

The isoscalar giant monopole, dipole, and quadrupole strength distributions have been deduced in Zr-90,Zr-92 and Mo-92 from "background-free" spectra of inelastic alpha-particle scattering at a beam energy of 385 MeV at extremely forward angles, including 0(degrees). These strength distributions were extracted by a multipole-decomposition analysis based on the expected angular distributions of the respective multipoles. All these strength distributions for the three nuclei practically coincide with each other, affirming that giant resonances, being collective phenomena, are not influenced by nuclear shell structure near A similar to 90, contrary to the claim in a recent measurement.

The neutron density distributions and neutron skin thicknesses in $^{40,48}$Ca are determined from the angular distributions of the cross sections and analyzing powers of polarized proton elastic scattering at $E_p = 295$ MeV. Based on the framework of the relativistic impulse approximation with the density-dependent effective $NN$ interaction, the experimental data is successfully analyzed, providing precise information of neutron and proton density profiles of $^{40,48}$Ca with small uncertainties. The extracted neutron and proton density distributions give neutron skin thicknesses in $^{40,48}$Ca for $-0.010^{+0.022}_{-0.024}$ fm and $0.168^{+0.025}_{-0.028}$ fm, respectively. The results of the density profiles and the neutron skin thickness in $^{48}$Ca are directly compared with the {\it ab initio} coupled-cluster calculations with interactions derived from chiral effective field theory, as well as relativistic and non-relativistic energy density functional theories., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

B2-ordered FeRh alloys show a fascinating first-order magnetic phase transition from the antiferromagnetic (AFM) to the ferromagnetic (FM) state at around 380 K[1]. Recently, the AFM/FM phase transition and its related phenomena have been extensively studied; the transition temperature can be manipulated by substituting ions[2], introducing disorder via ion irradiation[3], injecting a spin-polarized current[4], and applying an electric field[5]. These experimental demonstrations would provide a fundamental basis for the use of FeRh in practical novel spintronic applications such as magnetic recordings, AFM memory resistors, and magnonic devices. Also, we have shown a long-range propagation of spin waves in a ferromagnetic Fe60Rh40 thin wire, demonstrating that FeRh has its potential of an alternative material for magonics [6]. In this study, we report ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in the proximity of lateral AFM/FM FeRh interfaces that are generated by Ne+ ion irradiation. From the FMR measurements, we find a unique dependence of linewidth of the FMR spectra as a function of distance between the rf-antenna and the AFM/FM interface.

Quantum spin liquid involves fractionalized quasipariticles such as spinons and visons. They are expressed as itinerant Majorana fermions and $Z_2$ fluxes in the Kitaev model with bond-dependent exchange interactions on a honeycomb spin lattice. The observation has recently attracted attention for a candidate material $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$, showing spin liquid behaviour induced by a magnetic field. Since the observable spin excitation is inherently composed of the two quasiparticles, which further admix each other by setting in the magnetic field as well as non-Kitaev interactions, their individual identification remains challenging. Here we report an emergent low-lying spin excitation through nuclear magnetic and quadrupole resonance measurements down to $\sim 0.4$ K corresponding to $1/500$ of the exchange energy under the finely tuned magnetic field across the quantum critical point. We determined the critical behaviour of low-lying excitations and found evolution of two kinds of the spin gap at high fields. The two excitations exhibit repulsive magnetic field dependence, suggesting anti-crossing due to the hybridization between fractionalized quasiparticles., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

The isoscalar giant monopole, dipole, and quadrupole strength distributions have been deduced in $^{90, 92}$Zr, and $^{92}$Mo from "background-free" spectra of inelastic $\alpha$-particle scattering at a beam energy of 385 MeV at extremely forward angles, including 0$^{\circ}$. These strength distributions were extracted by a multipole-decomposition analysis based on the expected angular distributions of the respective multipoles. All these strength distributions for the three nuclei practically coincide with each other, affirming that giant resonances, being collective phenomena, are not influenced by nuclear shell structure near $A\sim$90, contrary to the claim in a recent measurement., Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures; Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1607.02198

The isoscalar giant monopole, dipole, and quadrupole strength distributions have been deduced in Zr-90,Zr-92 and Mo-92 from "background-free" spectra of inelastic alpha-particle scattering at a beam energy of 385 MeV at extremely forward angles, including 0(degrees). These strength distributions were extracted by a multipole-decomposition analysis based on the expected angular distributions of the respective multipoles. All these strength distributions for the three nuclei practically coincide with each other, affirming that giant resonances, being collective phenomena, are not influenced by nuclear shell structure near A similar to 90, contrary to the claim in a recent measurement.

While it was speculated that 5$d^4$ systems would possess non-magnetic $J$~=~0 ground state due to strong Spin-Orbit Coupling (SOC), all such systems have invariably shown presence of magnetic moments so far. A puzzling case is that of Ba$_2$YIrO$_6$, which in spite of having a perfectly cubic structure with largely separated Ir$^{5+}$ ($d^4$) ions, has consistently shown presence of weak magnetic moments. Moreover, we clearly show from Muon Spin Relaxation ($\mu$SR) measurements that a change in the magnetic environment of the implanted muons in Ba$_2$YIrO$_6$ occurs as temperature is lowered below 10~K. This observation becomes counterintuitive, as the estimated value of SOC obtained by fitting the RIXS spectrum of Ba$_2$YIrO$_6$ with an atomic $j-j$ model is found to be as high as 0.39~eV, meaning that the system within this model is neither expected to possess moments nor exhibit temperature dependent magnetic response. Therefore we argue that the atomic $j-j$ coupling description is not sufficient to explain the ground state of such systems, where despite having strong SOC, presence of hopping triggers delocalisation of holes, resulting in spontaneous generation of magnetic moments. Our theoretical calculations further indicate that these moments favour formation of spin-orbital singlets in the case of Ba$_2$YIrO$_6$, which is manifested in $\mu$SR experiments measured down to 60~mK., Comment: 20 Pages, 7 Figures

© 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy with Hitomi was expected to resolve the origin of the faint unidentified E ≈ 3.5 keV emission line reported in several low-resolution studies of various massive systems, such as galaxies and clusters, including the Perseus cluster. We have analyzed the Hitomi first-light observation of the Perseus cluster. The emission line expected for Perseus based on the XMM-Newton signal from the large cluster sample under the dark matter decay scenario is too faint to be detectable in the Hitomi data. However, the previously reported 3.5 keV flux from Perseus was anomalously high compared to the sample-based prediction. We find no unidentified line at the reported high flux level. Taking into account the XMM measurement uncertainties for this region, the inconsistency with Hitomi is at a 99% significance for a broad dark matter line and at 99.7% for a narrow line from the gas. We do not find anomalously high fluxes of the nearby faint K line or the Ar satellite line that were proposed as explanations for the earlier 3.5 keV detections. We do find a hint of a broad excess near the energies of high-n transitions of S xvi (E ≃ 3.44 keV rest-frame) - a possible signature of charge exchange in the molecular nebula and another proposed explanation for the unidentified line. While its energy is consistent with XMM pn detections, it is unlikely to explain the MOS signal. A confirmation of this interesting feature has to wait for a more sensitive observation with a future calorimeter experiment.

We have explored the magnetism in the non-geometrically frustrated spin-chain system $\gamma$-CoV$_{2}$O$_{6}$ which possesses a complex magnetic exchange network. Our neutron diffraction patterns at low temperatures ($T$ $\leqslant$ $T_{\mathrm{N}}$ = 6.6 K) are best described by a model in which two magnetic phases coexist in a volume ratio 65(1) : 35(1), with each phase consisting of a single spin modulation. This model fits previous studies and our observations better than the model proposed by Lenertz $et$ $al$ in J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 13981 (2014), which consisted of one phase with two spin modulations. By decreasing the temperature from $T_{\mathrm{N}}$, the minority phase of our model undergoes an incommensurate-commensurate lock-in transition at $T^{*}$ = 5.6 K. Based on these results, we propose that phase separation is an alternative approach for degeneracy-lifting in frustrated magnets.

K$_3$Cu$_3$AlO$_2$(SO$_4$)$_4$ is a highly one-dimensional spin-1/2 inequilateral diamond-chain antiferromagnet. Spinon continuum and spin-singlet dimer excitations are observed in the inelastic neutron scattering spectra, which is in excellent agreement with a theoretical prediction: a dimer-monomer composite structure, where the dimer is caused by strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling and the monomer forms an almost isolated quantum AFM chain controlling low-energy excitations. Moreover, muon spin rotation/relaxation spectroscopy shows no long-range ordering down to 90~mK, which is roughly three orders of magnitude lower than the exchange interaction of the quantum AFM chain. K$_3$Cu$_3$AlO$_2$(SO$_4$)$_4$ is, thus, regarded as a compound that exhibits a Tomonaga-Luttinger spin liquid behavior at low temperatures close to the ground state.

We have explored the magnetism in the non-geometrically frustrated spin-chain system $��$-CoV$_{2}$O$_{6}$ which possesses a complex magnetic exchange network. Our neutron diffraction patterns at low temperatures ($T$ $\leqslant$ $T_{\mathrm{N}}$ = 6.6 K) are best described by a model in which two magnetic phases coexist in a volume ratio 65(1) : 35(1), with each phase consisting of a single spin modulation. This model fits previous studies and our observations better than the model proposed by Lenertz $et$ $al$ in J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 13981 (2014), which consisted of one phase with two spin modulations. By decreasing the temperature from $T_{\mathrm{N}}$, the minority phase of our model undergoes an incommensurate-commensurate lock-in transition at $T^{*}$ = 5.6 K. Based on these results, we propose that phase separation is an alternative approach for degeneracy-lifting in frustrated magnets.

© 2017 Lizio et al. Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) in combination with single-molecule sequencing technology allows precision mapping of transcription start sites (TSSs) and genome-wide capture of promoter activities in differentiated and steady state cell populations. Much less is known about whether TSS profiling can characterize diverse and non-steady state cell populations, such as the approximately 400 transitory and heterogeneous cell types that arise during ontogeny of vertebrate animals. To gain such insight, we used the chick model and performed CAGE-based TSS analysis on embryonic samples covering the full 3-week developmental period. In total, 31,863 robust TSS peaks ( > 1 tag per million [TPM]) were mapped to the latest chicken genome assembly, of which 34% to 46% were active in any given developmental stage. ZENBU, a web-based, open-source platform, was used for interactive data exploration. TSSs of genes critical for lineage differentiation could be precisely mapped and their activities tracked throughout development, suggesting that non-steady state and heterogeneous cell populations are amenable to CAGE-based transcriptional analysis. Our study also uncovered a large set of extremely stable housekeeping TSSs and many novel stage-specific ones. We furthermore demonstrated that TSS mapping could expedite motif-based promoter analysis for regulatory modules associated with stage-specific and housekeeping genes. Finally, using Brachyury as an example, we provide evidence that precise TSS mapping in combination with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR)-on technology enables us, for the first time, to efficiently target endogenous avian genes for transcriptional activation. Taken together, our results represent the first report of genome-wide TSS mapping in birds and the first systematic developmental TSS analysis in any amniote species (birds and mammals). By facilitating promoter-based molecular analysis and genetic manipulation, our work also underscores the value of avian models in unravelling the complex regulatory mechanism of cell lineage specification during amniote development.

The cross sections of the ^{7}Be(n,α)^{4}He reaction for p-wave neutrons were experimentally determined at E_{c.m.}=0.20-0.81 MeV slightly above the big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) energy window for the first time on the basis of the detailed balance principle by measuring the time-reverse reaction. The obtained cross sections are much larger than the cross sections for s-wave neutrons inferred from the recent measurement at the n_TOF facility in CERN, but significantly smaller than the theoretical estimation widely used in the BBN calculations. The present results suggest the ^{7}Be(n,α)^{4}He reaction rate is not large enough to solve the cosmological lithium problem, and this conclusion agrees with the recent result from the direct measurement of the s-wave cross sections using a low-energy neutron beam and the evaluated nuclear data library ENDF/B-VII.1.