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Combined dimerization and charge ordering are rare to observe in the chemical bonding of a material. Here, a metal-metal phase transition is observed in NaRu2O4, in which site-centered charge ordering coexists with dimerization.

Influenza vaccination is necessary to reduce severe influenza complications, especially in immunocompromised people such as cancer patients. However, few studies have examined influenza vaccination uptake among adult Japanese patients with cancer; their attitudes toward vaccination, as well as factors related to vaccine hesitancy, are unclear. From September 1 to October 31, 2020, we disseminated a web-based questionnaire to patients with a history of cancer via snowball sampling through e-mails and social media of two Japanese cancer patients associations. A total of 163 surveys were completed. One hundred (61.3%) participants received an influenza vaccination in the 2019/2020 season, and the main reasons for vaccination were as follows: recommendation by medical professionals, positive awareness of vaccination through books or the internet, and provision of vaccination in the workplace. The main reasons for not receiving a vaccination were fear of adverse events, lack of concern about influenza infection, and lack of trust in vaccine effectiveness. In terms of the 2020/2021 season, 120 participants (73.6%) reported their intention to receive an influenza vaccination. Multiple regression analysis showed that significant factors for positive intention were the the treatment without chemotherapy (p = .009), vaccination history in the 2019/2020 season (p

ObjectivesLittle is known regarding how natural disasters affect patients with cancer in low-income and middle-income countries. The objective of the present study was to assess the impact of the 2015 Nepal earthquake on the admission of patients with cancer at a core medical institution in Kathmandu.Design, setting and participantsWe considered all 3520 cancer patient admissions to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, from 25 April 2013 to 24 April 2017 (2 years before and 2 years after the earthquake).Outcome measuresThe number of cancer patient admissions was calculated for each month. Using a negative binomial model, we estimated the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for admission numbers each month after the earthquake compared with the pre-earthquake baseline and investigated chronological change.ResultsThe total admission number in the first month after the earthquake was decreased compared with that of the predisaster baseline (IRR=0.66, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.00), which largely reflected decreased admissions of patients from outside of the most disaster-affected districts. From the second month, the admission number consistently exceeded the predisaster baseline for the remaining postdisaster period. In contrast to the month of the disaster, the continuation of increased admissions was most prominent among those from outside of the most affected districts.ConclusionsAfter a transient decrease immediately following the 2015 Nepal earthquake, there was a long-term increase in cancer patient admissions in a core hospital in Kathmandu. These changes were seen most prominently in patients from outside the most disaster affected areas.

Objectives Little is known regarding how natural disasters affect patients with cancer in low-income and middle-income countries. The objective of the present study was to assess the impact of the 2015 Nepal earthquake on the admission of patients with cancer at a core medical institution in Kathmandu. Design, setting and participants We considered all 3520 cancer patient admissions to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, from 25 April 2013 to 24 April 2017 (2 years before and 2 years after the earthquake). Outcome measures The number of cancer patient admissions was calculated for each month. Using a negative binomial model, we estimated the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for admission numbers each month after the earthquake compared with the pre-earthquake baseline and investigated chronological change. Results The total admission number in the first month after the earthquake was decreased compared with that of the predisaster baseline (IRR=0.66, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.00), which largely reflected decreased admissions of patients from outside of the most disaster-affected districts. From the second month, the admission number consistently exceeded the predisaster baseline for the remaining postdisaster period. In contrast to the month of the disaster, the continuation of increased admissions was most prominent among those from outside of the most affected districts. Conclusions After a transient decrease immediately following the 2015 Nepal earthquake, there was a longterm increase in cancer patient admissions in a core hospital in Kathmandu. These changes were seen most prominently in patients from outside the most disaster affected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensational newspaper article concerning a possible adverse reaction to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was published in March 2013 in Japan. In June 2013, the Japanese government suspended their proactive recommendation for vaccination, despite the lack of proof for a causal relationship. We searched Nikkei Telecom 21, the largest newspaper database in Japan, for articles published from January 2011 to December 2015 to evaluate the characteristics of newspaper publications about human papillomavirus vaccination. We identified 1138 HPV vaccine-related articles. Compared with those published before March 2013, articles concerning human papillomavirus vaccination after March 2013 were more likely to include adverse reaction-related and authority-related keywords; articles that included efficacy-related keywords decreased significantly. Negative-negative and negative-neutral articles became more frequent, and positive-positive and positive-neutral articles were less frequent. A sensational case report shaped the tone of negative media coverage as a catalyst, regardless of scientific statements from health authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the growth of high quality Bi2-xSbxTe3-ySey ultrathin nanoplates (BSTS-NPs) on an electrically insulating fluorophlogopite mica substrate using a catalyst-free vapor solid method. Under an optimized pressure and suitable Ar gas flow rate, we control the thickness, the size, and the composition of the BSTS-NPs. Raman spectra showing systematic change indicate that the thicknesses and compositions of the BSTS-NPs are indeed accurately controlled. Electrical transport demonstrates a robust Dirac cone carrier transport in the BSTS-NPs. Since the BSTS-NPs provide superior dominant surface transport of the tunable Dirac cone surface states with negligible contribution of the conduction of the bulk states, the BSTS-NPs provide an ideal platform to explore intrinsic physical phenomena as well as technological applications of 3-dimensional topological insulators in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All the six lattice parameters (a, b, c, α, β and γ) of a Si (001) layer grown on a sapphire (1$$\overline{1}$$02) substrate were determined by convergent-beam electron diffraction with no assumption of crystal lattice symmetry. A lattice compression in the Si (001) plane and an elongation in the [001] direction were revealed. An anisotropic lattice compression in the (001) plane was clearly detected for the first time. That is, the lattice compression in the Si [100] direction, which is parallel to the sapphire [$$\overline{1}$$101] direction, was larger than that of the Si [010] direction, which is parallel to the sapphire [$$\overline{1}$$$$\overline{1}$$20] direction. It was also revealed that the lattice parameters of the Si-layer depend on the distance from the interface. Anisotropy of carrier mobility was reasonably explained in terms of the anisotropy of the lattice parameters determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six lattice parameters (a, b, c, α, β and γ) of Si1−xGex, which was grown epitaxially on a Si (001) substrate with a varying Ge concentration, were determined by convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) without any assumption of crystal lattice symmetry. It was revealed that the lattice parameter c of Si1−xGex varies linearly with the Ge concentration and that the lattice symmetry is lowered from cubic to tetragonal, excluding an artifact due to the thinning of the specimen. The effect of strain relaxation that is caused by thinning specimens is discussed. Ge concentrations of examined specimen areas are evaluated using the obtained lattice parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All the six lattice parameters (a, b, c, α, β and γ) of a strained area of an InAs layer grown on a GaAs substrate were determined without any assumption of the crystal lattice symmetry from the higher-order Laue zone (HOLZ) lines appearing in one convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) pattern. The analysis was performed with three steps. Firstly, the parameters α and β were determined from the deviations of the HOLZ lines from the mirror symmetry perpendicular to the [001] direction. Secondly, the parameter c was determined from the distance between the intersections of the HOLZ lines, which have the same h and k indices but different l indices. Finally, the parameters a, b and γ were determined simultaneously from several distances between the intersections of the HOLZ lines. The lattice parameters determined for the strained area were a = 0.611(2) nm, b = 0.615(1) nm, c = 0.6119(7) nm, α = 89.5(1)°, β = 89.0(2)° and γ = 89.1(2)°. This result implies that the cubic lattice of InAs is elongated approximately in the [111] direction and the exact lattice symmetry is triclinic. The same analysis procedure was applied to another two specimen areas. It was found that the areas have orthorhombic distortions with lattice parameters a = 0.607(2) nm, b = 0.604(1) nm and c = 0.6085(7) nm for one area, and with a = 0.607(2) nm, b = 0.605(1) nm and c = 0.6065(7) nm for the other area. It is should be emphasized that the present analysis of lattice distortions is immediately applicable to the other semiconductors, such as Si, SiGe or GaAs layers, without assuming any crystal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristic signals were detected from As-doped (<1 at.%) regions of silicon by dark-field transmission electron microscopy and convergent-beam electron diffraction. A slight intensity increase was observed in 22¯0 dark-field images, which may be explained by an increase of scattering amplitude due to the As doping. The doped region showed a much higher intensity in 004 dark-field images. The characteristic high intensity was observed for specimens with As concentrations of about 0.09-0.8 at.%. Convergent-beam electron diffraction patterns obtained from the As-doped region showed a characteristic rocking curve for 004 reflection. These characteristics should originate from incoherent elastically scattered electrons due to a static lattice distortion around the doped As atoms. The observed characteristics in dark-field images and rocking curves of the 004 reflection should be a good probe not only for investigating the concentration of doped atoms in Si lattice, but also for the amount of impurity and/or point defects in other crystalline materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Lenalidomide Plus Rituximab As Initial Treatment for Mantle-cell Lymphoma," by J. Ruan et al that was published in a 2015 issue.

Nanometer-scale local structures of the paraelectric cubic phase of potassium niobate (KNbO3) are examined by convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) using a nanometer-size electron probe. The breaking of the cubic symmetry has been directly observed in the nanometer-scale areas of the cubic phase of KNbO3. This indicates the existence of local polarization clusters in the cubic phase. Symmetry breaking index maps for the fourfold rotation symmetry are given at different temperatures with the combined use of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and CBED (STEM–CBED). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor regarding measles vaccination for international airport workers in Japan is presented.

Nanometer-scale local structures of the cubic phase of barium titanate (BaTiO3) are investigated by convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) using a nanometer-size electron probe. Breaking of the cubic symmetry has been discovered in the nanometer-scale areas of the cubic phase. This indicates the existence of local polarization clusters as a precursor of the phase transition. Symmetry-breaking index maps for the fourfold rotation symmetry are given at different temperatures with the combined use of scanning transmission electron microscopy and CBED methods (STEM-CBED). A spatially hierarchical structure of the cubic phase is proposed, which may explain different local symmetries reported using different experimental probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhombohedral nanostructures previously found in the orthorhombic phase of KNbO3, by convergent-beam electron diffraction [Tsuda et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 051913 (2013)], have been investigated by the combined use of scanning transmission electron microscopy and convergent-beam electron diffraction. Two-dimensional distributions of the rhombohedral nanostructures, or nanometer-scale spatial fluctuations of polarization clusters, have been successfully visualized. The correlation length of the observed spatial fluctuations of local polarizations is related to the cpc/apc ratio and the transition entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local lattice strains of semiconductor devices have been so far examined using higher order Laue zone (HOLZ) line patterns of convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED). Recently, strain analyses in highly strained regions near interfaces have been reported using split HOLZ line patterns. In the present paper, it is demonstrated for arsenic-doped silicon that the use of CBED rocking curves of low-order reflections provides a promising new tool for the determination of strain distributions of highly strained specimen areas. That is, the anomalous intensity increase in the CBED rocking curves of low-order reflections is explained using a model structure with a strain gradient in the electron beam direction, which is similar to the models used for the split HOLZ line patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Lenalidomide plus dexamethasone for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma" by M.V. Mateos and colleagues in the August 1, 2013 issue, one on why a therapy is required for myeloma and myeloma patients in Sweden.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the study by Mathias Rummel and colleagues on the use of bendamustine plus rituximab on patients with indolent lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma in the April 6, 2013 issue.