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This paper describes a case in which no complete demolishment was observed in a geofoam (expanded polystyrene foam EPS) embankment. Used for local roads situated over active faults at a mountainous site in Mashiki Town, Kumamoto, Japan, the EPS withstood two successive strong earthquakes that struck Kumamoto and Oita prefectures in 2015. The EPS blocks of this EPS embankment were markedly shifted sideways both horizontally and vertically because earthquake-caused landslides occurred behind the EPS fills. Nevertheless, only a part of the EPS embankment collapsed, causing no damage to the temple nearby. Thereafter, the road surface was remediated temporarily immediately after the earthquakes and was maintained for the opening of traffic. This case demonstrates that EPS presents great benefits: most importantly, the partly collapsed EPS road was put into practical use as a temporary road supporting the daily life of local residents. This report describes an engineering perspective of why the road was not collapsed completely. Future issues to be considered by local governments and engineering institutions are explained for the preparation of great earthquake countermeasures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The effects of heat shock transcription factor 1 ( HSF1) deficiency on the fibre type composition and the expression level of nuclear factor of activated T cells ( NFAT) family members ( NFATc1, NFATc2, NFATc3 and NFATc4), phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3 α (p- GSK3 α) and p- GSK3 β, micro RNA-208b (miR-208b), miR-499 and slow myosin heavy chain (My HC) m RNAs (Myh7 and Myh7b) of antigravitational soleus muscle in response to unloading with or without reloading were investigated. Methods HSF1-null and wild-type mice were subjected to continuous 2-week hindlimb suspension followed by 2- or 4-week ambulation recovery. Results In wild-type mice, the relative population of slow type I fibres, the expression level of NFATc2, p- GSK3 ( α and β), miR-208b, miR-499 and slow My HC m RNAs (Myh7 and Myh7b) were all decreased with hindlimb suspension, but recovered after it. Significant interactions between train and time (the relative population of slow type I fibres; P = 0.01, the expression level of NFATc2; P = 0.001, p- GSK β; P = 0.009, miR-208b; P = 0.002, miR-499; P = 0.04) suggested that these responses were suppressed in HSF1-null mice. Conclusion HSF1 may be a molecule in the regulation of the expression of slow My HC as well as miR-208b, miR-499, NFATc2 and p- GSK3 ( α and β) in mouse soleus muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine whether kojic acid (KA) exerts a promoting effect on thyroid carcinogenesis, male F344 rats were initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (BHP; 2800 mg/kg body wt, single s.c. injection) and, starting 1 week later, received pulverized basal diet containing 2 or 0% KA for 12 weeks. Untreated control rats were given basal diet for 13 weeks. As an additional experiment, two groups without BHP initiation received basal diet or diet containing 2% KA for 20 weeks. The serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels were significantly decreased (half to one-third of values of the BHP alone group) and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was markedly increased (13-19 times higher than the values of the BHP-alone group) in the BHP + KA group at weeks 4 and 12. Similar changes in serum thyroid-related hormones were observed in the group with 2% KA alone at week 4, but not at week 20. Thyroid weights were significantly increased in the BHP + KA and KA-alone groups. Focal thyroid follicular hyperplasias and adenomas were observed in 4/5 and 3/5 rats in the BHP + KA group at week 4, respectively. At weeks 12, these lesions were observed in either the BHP alone or the untreated control groups. Measurement of liver T4-uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UDP-GT) activity at week 4 revealed no significant intergroup differences. These results suggest that thyroid proliferative lesions were induced by KA administration due to continuous serum TSH stimulation through the negative feedback mechanism of the pituitary-thyroid axis, with decreases of T3 and T4 caused by a mechanism independent of T4-UDP-GT activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Among the extensive infrastructure collapses which resulted from the cataclysmic earthquake that struck off the eastern coast of Japan on March 11, 2011, long-term settlement and deformation of clay deposits during the earthquakes has sometimes been overlooked. This paper describes a case history of post-earthquake settlement of clay deposits underlying river dykes and their adjacent residences. Particularly, an attempt is made to assess reactive countermeasures designed to mitigate damage from such settlement and deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report presents carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation properties of an iron and steel slag containing calcium, in order to contribute to a geotechnical application for the formation of a sound material-cycle society and a low-carbon society. To investigate the properties of CO2 fixation, CO2 fixation tests with constant flow were conducted. Results show that when the CO2 concentration 4500 μL- CO2/L was flowed in a specimen by 0.05 L/min, for a non-aged steelmaking slag, the amount of CO2 fixed was the maximum: 0.04 g- CO2/g-slag. The amount of CO2 fixed in the steelmaking slag resulted from about 20% of soluble calcium in the chemical reaction. Therefore, it is possible that the quantity of CO2 fixation can be evaluated from the viewpoint of the mechanism of CO2 fixation using the quantity of water-soluble calcium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan is an area affected strongly by land surface upheaval and by climate change instability. Background evidence of increasing and magnifying geo-disasters includes the following: (i) frequent and extremely severe torrential rainfall; (ii) high and increasing frequency of strong earthquakes (5+ and 6- as the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale); and (iii) typhoons with magnified damage effects. Based on a review of that information stated above, an attempt has been made to overview the present situation and future trends of geo-disasters in the context of climate change and to present possible adaptive measures against disasters. Particularly, emphasis is assigned to the importance of the combined effects of plural events, which increases the probability of extreme events, sometimes triggering devastating consequences. Adaptive measures against climate change-associated geo-disasters are presented by classification into software and hardware. Special emphasis is devoted to the availability of information and communication technology (ICT) and information, communication and robot technology (ICRT) involving devices such as IC-sensors and Un-crewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV, drones), which are useful in early warning systems and in simple monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular polymerization using two-dimensional π-conjugated chiral monomers has been mainly demonstrated because the supramolecular polymerization can be controlled by stereocommunication through π-π stacking between the two-dimensional chiral monomers. We herein report supramolecular copolymerization utilizing three-dimensional pentahedrons with twisted helical chirality through different combinations of helical-chiral acidic and basic pillar[5]arenes as comonomers. In this case, helical-sense matching is key to facilitating the supramolecular copolymerization. Based on the unique helical chirality of the three-dimensional pillared structure of the pillar[5]arenes and alternate ion-pairing interactions between acidic and basic groups on their bilateral rims, the homochiral helical-sense matching system forms kinetically stable nanowire-shaped supramolecular copolymers, generating the supramolecular gel in high concentrations. At elevated temperatures, the nanowire structure undergoes a transformation into thermodynamically stable nanoparticles, resulting in a gel-to-sol transition. This process can be hindered by introducing linear guest molecules, which prohibit the unit swing of pillar[5]arenes and stabilize the nanowires and supramolecular gel. By tailoring the enantiomeric ratio (e.r.) values of the chiral combinations, the helical-sense-dependent gel-to-sol transition was realized, specifically by decreasing the e.r. values. Because of helical-sense mismatching, the heterochiral system generates short, branched nanowires and presents as a turbid solution. These distinct differences reveal that the helical-sense matching between three-dimensional chiral pillar[5]arene comonomers is important for supramolecular copolymerization.

Objectives: In this multicentre retrospective observational study, we present the early outcomes of physician-modified fenestrated/inner-branched endovascular repair for pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms in patients at high risk for open surgical repair., Methods: We comprehensively reviewed the clinical data and outcomes of consecutive patients treated with physician-modified fenestrated/inner-branched endovascular repair for pararenal or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms at 6 centres between December 2020 and December 2021. Primary end-points included technical success, in-hospital mortality rates, major adverse events., Results: Seven and 31 patients (median age, 80.5 years) had pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms, respectively, involving 93 renal-mesenteric arteries incorporated through 10 fenestrations or 83 inner branches. Seven patients (18.4%) were treated non-elective conditions. The technical success rate was 89.5%. The median operative time was 334.5 min. Ten patients (26.3%) experienced major adverse events, including in-hospital mortality in 6 patients (15.8%), acute kidney injury in 3 patients (7.9%), respiratory failure in 3 patients (7.9%), bowel ischaemia in 1 patient (2.6%), stroke in 1 patient (2.6%) and paraplegia in 1 patient (2.6%). Among elective cases, in-hospital deaths occurred in 3 patients (9.7%), while in non-elective cases, the mortality rate was higher, with 3 patients (42.9%) succumbing. The median follow-up duration was 14 months., Conclusions: Physician-modified fenestrated/inner-branched endovascular repair is a viable treatment for pararenal or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms in patients at high risk for open surgical repair. It provides customization without location constraints or production delays, but further validation is needed to ensure long-term reliability., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Myxomas are the most common type of benign cardiac tumors, and the right atrium is the second most common location among them, with an incidence ranging from 8.6% to 20% of all cardiac myxomas. Herein, we described a rare case of right atrial myxoma originating from the inferior vena cava orifice. In this case, main pulmonary artery cannulation and moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest were helpful to obtain a clear and simple view of the operative field without blood, which led to complete resection of the tumor with safety and better outcomes with no future recurrence., Competing Interests: All authors declare that they have no potential conflicting interests with respect to the research, authorship, or publication of this article., (Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. © The Author(s) 2024.)

Growing evidence supports pathogenic roles for chronically elevated hyaluronidase activity in numerous conditions. Elevated expression of one such hyaluronidase, the Cell Migration Inducing and hyaluronan binding Protein (CEMIP), has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of several cancers as well as demyelinating diseases in the central nervous system (CNS). Developing effective and selective CEMIP inhibitors could therefore have efficacy in treating a variety of conditions where CEMIP is chronically elevated. Using two distinct screens for novel hyaluronidase inhibitors, we identified two synthetic thiocarbamates and one plant-derived flavonoid, sulfuretin, that effectively blocked CEMIP activity in live cells, including a tumorigenic cell line and primary cultures of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). None of these agents influenced cell proliferation, but they had differential dose-dependent and cell type-specific effects on cell survival. Furthermore, we found that each of these agents could promote oligodendrocyte maturation by OPCs in the presence of high molecular weight (>2 Mda) hyaluronan, the accumulation of which is linked to the inhibition of OPC maturation and remyelination failure in demyelinating diseases. These findings indicate that CEMIP can be inhibited through distinct chemical interactions and that CEMIP inhibitors have potential efficacy for treating demyelinating diseases or other conditions where CEMIP is elevated., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Certain derivatives of terarylene are able to undergo a highly efficient oxidative cycloreversion cascade effect, a ring opening reaction with quantum yields above unity, resulting in a colored-to-colorless transition in solution. In the presence of chloroform, high-energy UV and X-rays can trigger this phenomenon, potentially acting as a visual detection system for ionizing radiation. However, chloroform is sensitive to different irradiation wavelengths without distinction, making it difficult to adapt to a reusable device. Chlorobenzene was chosen as an alternative halogenated solvent, as it offers wavelength selectivity between photocyclization and cascade effect cycloreversion. Nile Red was also incorporated into the system with the aim of improving the sensitivity of the visual detection via fluorescence photoswitching. Finally, microencapsulation of both terarylene and Nile Red was targeted to obtain both the cascade effect and photoswitching in a single system. In microcapsules made from a Pickering emulsion, this terarylene-Nile Red system showed high fatigue resistance to repeated photocyclization and cycloreversion irradiation, giving access to repeated ON/OFF fluorescence photoswitching. The cascade effect was also successfully demonstrated along with fluorescence recovery, showing the versatility of the two phenomena in different media.

This paper describes the synthesis of a cerium(IV)-based molecular gear composed of a thioether functionalized phthalocyanine anchoring ligand, and a helical naphthalocyanine rotating cogwheel functionalized with four carbazoles. The naphthalocyanine ligand 9 was obtained after eleven steps (overall yield of 0.2 %) as a mixture of three geometrical isomers, two of which are chiral and exhibit high levels of steric hindrance, as shown by DFT calculations. Their attributions have been made using 1 H-NMR based on their different symmetry groups. The ratio of isomers was also determined and the prochiral C 4h naphthalocyanine shown to be the major compound (55 %). Its heteroleptic complexation with cerium (IV) and the anchoring phthalocyanine ligand 10 gave the targeted molecular gear in a 16 % yield., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The interplay between the molecular shape and the intermolecular interaction plays a decisive role in self-assembled structures. Recently, inherent randomness of low ordered assemblies, resulting from lack of short- and long-range periodicities, has attracted significant attention due to the unique structural, electronic, and mechanical properties. Here, we present procrystalline self-assemblies of pentaphenyl cyclopentadienyl derivatives on Ag(111) and Au(111) with scanning tunneling microscopy, operating at 4.3 K under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Two examples, using 5-fold symmetric molecules substituted with methyl or fluorine groups, show that weak interactions, such as π-π stacking, CH-π interactions, and CH···F hydrogen bonding, play a pivotal role in formation of the procrystalline assembly. Our results may give insights into the intricate relationship between the molecular shape and the intermolecular interaction in the formation of non-crystalline assemblies.

Introduction: We sought to examine midterm results and remodeling effect of false-lumen occlusion treatment using AFX VELA in case of chronic dissection repair., Material and Methods: From June 2019 to May 2022, we performed false lumen occlusion treatment using a modified Candy-Plug technique with AFX VELA on 8 chronic aortic dissection patients with a patent false lumen. We collected operative data, short-term clinical outcomes, mid-term clinical outcomes and imaging test results. We conducted follow-up examinations at postoperative, 6-month and 1-, 2- and 3-year intervals, including contrast-enhanced computed tomography to evaluate the diameter, false lumen thrombosis and any events., Results: The average time from the symptom onset to the thoracic endovascular repair was 81.5 (35-155) months. The aorta showed aneurysmal dilation with an average maximum short-axis diameter of 58.9 (41-91) mm. Two cases needed emergency surgery due to rupture and impending rupture. There were no postoperative deaths. Complete thrombosis within the false lumen was achieved in 6 cases (75%), but 2 cases had incomplete thrombosis, requiring additional treatment. The mean maximum diameter showed a significant decrease at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years postoperatively compared to preoperative measurements ( P < .05)., Conclusion: We showed the results of false lumen occlusion treatment using the AFX VELA cuff. We observed favorable clinical outcomes and remodeling effects. While the long-term durability and efficacy of this technique in aortic remodeling will need to be monitored with further observation, the use of this cuff is considered a reliable approach to false lumen occlusion treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Financial burden of cancer treatment can negatively affect patients and their families. This study aimed to evaluate the financial toxicity of patients treated with molecular-targeted and immune therapies and explore the relationship between financial toxicity and patient experiences associated with the financial burden of cancer treatment., Methods: This anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey conducted across nine hospitals in Japan included patients aged 20-60 years who were receiving molecular-targeted agents or immune checkpoint inhibitors for any type of cancer for ≥ 2 months. Financial toxicity was evaluated using the COmprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST). Patient experience was examined using 11 items based on previous studies. Independent factors related to financial toxicity were explored using multiple regression analyses., Results: The mean COST score was 17.0 ± 8.4, and 68 (49.3%) participants reported COST scores at or below the cutoff point. The factors contributing to financial toxicity were "hesitation regarding continuing treatment based on finances" (sβ = - 0.410, p < 0.001), "cutting through my deposits and savings" (sβ = - 0.253, p = 0.003), and "reducing spending on basics like food or clothing" (sβ = - 0.205, p = 0.046) along with comorbidities (sβ = - 0.156, p = 0.032)., Conclusion: Patients receiving molecular-targeted and immune therapies are at risk of experiencing profound financial toxicity and a reduced quality of life. The independently related factors that we identified have the potential to serve as indicators of profound financial toxicity and the need for specialized intervention., (© 2024. The Author(s).)