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Unconventional quasiparticles emerging in the fractional quantum Hall regime1,2 present the challenge of observing their exotic properties unambiguously. Although the fractional charge of quasiparticles has been demonstrated for nearly three decades3–5, the first convincing evidence of their anyonic quantum statistics has only recently been obtained6,7 and, so far, the so-called scaling dimension that determines the propagation dynamics of the quasiparticles remains elusive. In particular, although the nonlinearity of the tunnelling quasiparticle current should reveal their scaling dimension, the measurements fail to match theory, arguably because this observable is not robust to non-universal complications8–12. Here we expose the scaling dimension from the thermal noise to shot noise crossover and observe an agreement with expectations. Measurements are fitted to the predicted finite-temperature expression involving both the scaling dimension of the quasiparticles and their charge12,13, in contrast to previous charge investigations focusing on the high-bias shot-noise regime14. A systematic analysis, repeated on several constrictions and experimental conditions, consistently matches the theoretical scaling dimensions for the fractional quasiparticles emerging at filling factors ν = 1/3, 2/5 and 2/3. This establishes a central property of fractional quantum Hall anyons and demonstrates a powerful and complementary window into exotic quasiparticles.The scaling dimension of fractional quantum Hall anyons shows agreement with expectations following examination of thermal-to-shot-noise crossover measurements by fitting to the predicted finite-temperature expression involving both the scaling dimension of quasiparticles and their charge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma-ray transition edge sensors (TESs) are intensively studied not only to measure isotopic composition of nuclear materials but to monitor transuranic radionuclides inside the human body. We have recently proposed a thick-trilayer membrane as an alternative to silicon-nitride (Si x N y ) single-layer ones. It consists of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), Si x N y , and SiO 2 layers. Their total thickness is 6.9 μ m and exhibits almost the same thermal conductance as conventional Si x N y ones with 1- μ m thickness. The thick-trilayer membrane is expected to have better mechanical strength against implementing heavy-bulk absorbers. In this paper, the gamma-ray TES with the thick-trilayer membrane is used to carry out the spectroscopy for the nuclear radiation source. Neptunium-237 and its decay product Protactinium-233 emit 86.5 and 86.6-keV lines, respectively, and they are clearly resolved by four pixels with the full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) resolution of ( 43.7 ± 0.9 ) eV. Furthermore, their intensity ratio agrees with the radioactive equilibrium between the two nuclides. Our experimental results predict that a vast array of pixel formats will reduce the statistical uncertainty in less measuring time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Few prospective cohort studies have evaluated the relationship between dairy product intake frequency and risk of osteoporotic fractures in Asians. This study aimed to investigate the association between habitual dairy product intake and risk of osteoporotic fractures. Design: Secondary analysis of prospective cohort study. Setting: Five municipalities of Japan. Participants: This study included 1,429 postmenopausal Japanese women (age ≥45 years at baseline). Measurements: Baseline milk-intake frequency was obtained using nurse-administered questionnaires. Intakes of yogurt and cheese, and estimated calcium intake, were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Osteoporotic fracture was defined as a clinical fracture diagnosed using radiography. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Over a median follow-up period of 15.1 years (interquartile range [IQR], 10.1–15.4 years; total, 18,118 person-years), 172 women sustained at least one osteoporotic fracture. The proportions of participants with milk intakes <1, 1, and ≥2 cups/d were 34.4%, 48.0%, and 17.6%, respectively. After adjustment for age, frequency of yogurt intake, frequency of cheese intake, body mass index, history of osteoporotic fractures, and frequency of natto intake, the HRs compared with that for milk intake <1 cup/d were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.51–0.98) and 0.57 (95% CI: 0.35–0.92) for 1 cup/d and ≥2 cups/d, respectively. After adjustment for bone mineral density, HR significance for milk intakes ≥2 cups/d remained significant. Yogurt and cheese intakes were not related to the risk of osteoporotic fractures. Conclusion: High habitual milk intake, but not a habitual yogurt or cheese intake is associated with a decreased risk of osteoporotic fractures, independent of bone mineral density, in postmenopausal Japanese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rapid determination of the fatigue limit using temperature second harmonic, which is the temperature variation with twice the frequency of the cyclic load, is attractive in terms of time and cost effectiveness. However, the temperature second harmonic contains non-fatigue-related factors (e.g., internal friction and load second harmonic), in addition to fatigue-related factors (e.g., plastic deformation); therefore, this presents challenges in uniquely determining the fatigue limit. Objective: An experimental procedure for uniquely determining the fatigue limit based on temperature second harmonic measurements is developed. Methods: In the developed procedure, the temperature second harmonic amplitude is accurately measured using the present phase double frequency (2f) lock-in thermography, and the fatigue limit is then uniquely determined based on the generation mechanism of the temperature second harmonic. The present phase 2f lock-in thermography requires only simple post-processing, considering the phase information of both the non-fatigue-related and fatigue-related factors. The fatigue limit estimation accuracies of the developed procedure and four existing methods are quantitatively evaluated in comparison with the actual fatigue limit for heat-treated carbon steel plate specimens subjected to annealing, normalizing, and quenching–tempering. Results: By performing simple post-processing, the present phase 2f lock-in thermography easily eliminates the influence of internal friction and load second harmonic. The developed procedure exhibits the second-best estimation accuracies among all the methods for all the heat-treated specimens. Conclusions: The developed procedure is validated through its reasonable estimation accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive study of direct-contact condensation heat transfer for turbulent, counter-current, liquid/vapour flow in a nearly horizontal channel at high pressure (i.e. 5 MPa) has been carried out based on Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and highly-resolved Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approaches. To simulate the two-phase flow situation, driven in this case by a constant pressure gradient, a single set of Navier–Stokes equations, coupled with an enthalpy conservation equation, have been employed. The interfacial mass transfer, seen in this case to be dominated by condensation, has been calculated directly from the heat flux at the liquid/vapour interface. To investigate the effect of condensation on the turbulence phenomena, and vice versa, cases have been considered involving two friction Reynolds numbers: namely R e ∗ = u ∗ h / ν = 178 and R e ∗ = u ∗ h / ν = 590 ( u ∗ = (h Δ P / ρ) 1 / 2 ). At the lower Reynolds number, three levels of water subcooling—0 K, 10 K and 40 K—have been investigated. The use of water subcooling of 0 K has enabled the validation and verification procedures associated with the numerical approach to be compared against experimental and numerical data reported in the literature. The choice of the maximum degree of water subcooling is dictated by the need to justify the periodic boundary conditions applied in this numerical study. In the simulation for the higher Reynolds number, only the case of 10 K subcooling has been included, as a consequence of the very high computation effort involved. A detailed statistical analysis of the DNS and LES data obtained from the application of the well-known wall laws has also been assessed. In the vicinity of the liquid/vapour interface, the characteristics of the turbulent motions appear somewhat diverse, depending on whether the interface is basically flat or wavy in character. For a flat interface, some damping effect of the presence of the interface on the turbulence intensity has been observed, a feature which becomes enhanced as the level of liquid subcooling is increased. In the case of a wavy interface, the damping effect is predicted as considerably less pronounced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether combination assessment of phase angle (PhA) and skeletal muscle index (SMI), was a possible predictor of physical function at discharge from the hospital in patients with acute stroke. Research Methods & Procedures: In this retrospective cohort study that was conducted from May 2020 and July 2021, we determined PhA and SMI using bioimpedance analysis (BIA) in patients with acute stroke. Patients were classified as normal, low PhA + SMI group, pre-sarcopenia (low SMI only), and dynapenia (low PhA only) using cut-off points (men: SMI < 7.0 kg/m2, PhA < 4.05 degrees; women: SMI < 5.7 kg/m2, PhA < 3.55 degrees). The main outcome was physical function based on functional independence measure motor (FIM-motor) score at discharge. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the association between low PhA + SMI and FIM-motor score. Results: We included 244 patients (161 men; mean age, 73.9 years). low PhA + SMI was found in 21 (8.6%) patients. Multiple regression analysis showed that low PhA + SMI was independently associated with the FIM-motor score at discharge (β= −0.099, 95%CI: −0.193,−0.005, p = 0.039). The PhA cutoff values for determining good functional results using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were 5.36 for men (sensitivity = 0.769, specificity = 0.586, area under the curve [AUC] = 0.682), and 3.85 for women (sensitivity = It was 0.881, specificity = 0.481, AUC). Further, pearson correlation coefficient showed that PhA was significantly related to FIM-motor score in patients with mild or moderately severe stroke (mild: r = 0.472, p < 0.001; moderate: r = 0.524, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Combination of low PhA and SMI values at baseline, was an independent predictor of physical function at discharge in patients with acute stroke. The findings highlighted the importance of measuring PhA and SMI using BIA in patients with acute stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kondo lattice materials, where localized magnetic moments couple to itinerant electrons, provide a very rich backdrop for strong electron correlations. They are known to realize many exotic phenomena, with a dramatic example being recent observations of quantum oscillations and metallic thermal conduction in insulators, implying the emergence of enigmatic charge-neutral fermions. Here, we show that thermal conductivity and specific heat measurements in insulating YbIr3Si7 reveal emergent neutral excitations, whose properties are sensitively changed by a field-driven transition between two antiferromagnetic phases. In the low-field phase, a significant violation of the Wiedemann-Franz law demonstrates that YbIr3Si7 is a charge insulator but a thermal metal. In the high-field phase, thermal conductivity exhibits a sharp drop below 300 mK, indicating a transition from a thermal metal into an insulator/semimetal driven by the magnetic transition. These results suggest that spin degrees of freedom directly couple to the neutral fermions, whose emergent Fermi surface undergoes a field-driven instability at low temperatures. Charge-neutral excitations have been proposed to explain metal-like thermal transport in Kondo insulators. Here, the authors demonstrate the coupling between charge-neutral excitations and spin degrees of freedom in a Kondo insulator YbIr3Si7, which puts restrictions on current theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Areal BMD (aBMD) from DXA is not a sufficiently accurate predictor of fracture. Novel volumetric BMD derived from 3D modeling of the hip from DXA images significantly improved the predictive ability for hip fracture relative to aBMD at the femoral neck, but not aBMD at the total hip. Introduction: To clarify whether volumetric and geometric indices derived from novel three-dimensional (3D) modeling of the hip using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometric (DXA) images improve hip fracture prediction relative to areal bone mineral density (aBMD). Methods: We examined 1331 women who had completed the baseline survey and at least one follow-up survey over 20 years (age 40–79 years at baseline). Each survey included aBMD measurement at the hip by DXA. Volumetric and geometric indices of the hip at baseline and the 10-year follow-up were estimated from DXA images using a 3D modeling algorithm. Incident hip fractures during the 20-year follow-up period were identified through self-report. Cox proportional hazards regression models allowing for repeated measurements of predictors and outcomes were constructed, and their predictive ability for hip fracture was evaluated using areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and net reclassification improvement (NRI) over aBMD at the femoral neck (FN) and total hip (TH) as references. Results: During a median follow-up of 19.8 years, 68 incident hip fractures were identified (2.22/1000 person-years). A significantly larger AUC of trabecular volumetric BMD (vBMD) at the total hip (AUC = 0.741), femoral neck (AUC = 0.748), and intertrochanter (AUC = 0.738) and significant NRI (0.177, 0.149, and 0.195, respectively) were observed compared with FN-aBMD (AUC = 0.701), but not TH-aBMD. Conclusions: vBMD obtained from 3D modeling using routinely obtained hip DXA images significantly improved hip fracture risk prediction over conventional FN-aBMD, but not TH-aBMD. Trial registration: The Japanese Population-Based Osteoporosis (JPOS) Cohort Study was retrospectively registered as UMIN000032869 in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry on July 1, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously demonstrated that the histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), improves the development of cat-cow interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) embryos. In this study, we investigated if 50 nM TSA treatment for 24 h would improve the rate of embryo development to the blastocyst stage in cat-pig iSCNT embryos, compared with cat-cow iSCNT embryos under same treatment. Despite the SCNT technique (Piezo technique) differing from our previous study (conventional technique), we confirmed that TSA supplementation at 50 nM improved the development of cat-cow iSCNT blastocysts. Porcine oocytes showed the capability to support cat iSCNT embryo development up to the blastocyst stage without TSA treatment although bovine oocytes did not. The blastocyst developmental rate of TSA treated cat-pig iSCNT embryos was significantly lower than that of the non-treated groups (0.68 and 7.95%, respectively, p < 0.05). We used in vitro-fertilized (IVF) porcine embryos to compare the effects of acetylation levels on H3K9 between cat-pig iSCNT embryos and naturally fertilized embryos. We found no differences in acetylation levels of H3K9 between the TSA treated and non-treated iSCNT groups, and the levels were lower than that of IVF embryos. In conclusion, the effects of TSA treatment on iSCNT embryo production were found to be species-specific and dependent on individual characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5 Pathological findings show metastatic adenocarcinoma (the tumor thrombus in the left external iliac vein) with invasion of the external iliac artery Author contributions Not applicable. We catheterized double J-stents into the ureters preoperatively; this facilitated recognition of the ureters by palpation during the operation (Fig. 1 Positron emission tomography showing the tumor thrombus in the left external iliac vein infiltrating the left external iliac artery (yellow dotted circle) Graph: Fig. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, the current state of understanding of grain structure evolution during friction-stir welding is briefly reviewed. The broad aspects of this process and experimental techniques for its examination are critically addressed. The specific character of the microstructural evolutions in body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed metals are considered in details. In all cases, the grain structure evolution is shown to be a relatively complex process, which usually involves geometric effect of strain, continuous recrystallization and discontinuous recrystallization. Moreover, mechanical twinning, annealing twinning and grain convergence may also occur in particular cases. It is also demonstrated that activation of a specific microstructural mechanism is primarily governed by crystal structure and stacking fault energy but may also be influenced by welding temperature. Specifically, microstructure evolution in cubic metals with high stacking-fault energy is primarily governed by the continuous recrystallization whereas grain structure development in materials with low stacking-fault energy is mainly driven by the discontinuous recrystallization. In the case of transient stacking-fault energy, the materials may experience a transition from the continuous to the discontinuous mechanism. In hexagonal metals, microstructural changes are shown to be directly linked with crystallographic texture. Specifically, a formation of very sharp texture may promote the grain convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissimilar material joining between Al alloys and steel may be effective in decreasing the weight of automobile bodies. In this study, dissimilar lap joining of Al alloys containing certain alloying elements, such as Ni, Cr, Mn, Ti, or Si, to interstitial-free steel was performed by tungsten inert gas arc brazing, and the effect of the alloying element on the joint strength associated with the Al-Fe intermetallic compound layer at the dissimilar interface was examined. The addition of an appropriate amount of an alloying element to the alloy increased the joint strength; the addition of Ni exhibited the most effective improvement. The additions of some elements changed the grain structure of the η-FeAl layer but not its chemical composition. This is the first study to clarify that smaller grain size of η-FeAl correlated to greater strength of the Al/Fe dissimilar joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effect of welding temperature on material flow during friction stir welding (FSW) of AZ31 magnesium alloy was examined. To this end, FSW was conducted in the temperature range of 0.65-0.85 Tm (Tm is the melting point) and sample-scale EBSD mapping was employed to characterize texture distribution. Despite that the low-temperature welds contained macro-scale defects (which presumably affected material flow), several important observations were made. In the entire temperature range, the global material motion was shown to consist of two principal components, viz. shoulder-induced flow and probe-induced flow. In some cases, however, a synergetic effect of these two constituents resulted in transitional orientation of macro-scale shear plane thus giving rise to a transitional material flow. During low-temperature FSW, the global material transportation was dominated by the probe. However, the contribution of the shoulder and transitional components was found to increase with welding temperature. This effect was attributed to the dominant role of the shoulder in generation of FSW heat. Above ~ 0.8 Tm, however, the transitional material flow was found to abruptly disappear. This result was associated with reduction of temperature sensitivity of flow stresses and the resulting equilibration of their distribution within the stir zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissimilar metal joining between Al and Cu is effective to reduce the cost and weight of electrical components. In this study, dissimilar laser lap brazing of Al containing Ni to pure Cu was conducted, and the effect of the addition of Ni on the joint strength and microstructure at the dissimilar interface was examined. The addition of Ni higher than 2.8 at. pct improved the joint strength effectively, even though the thickness of the IMC layer at the dissimilar interface increased. The addition of Ni additionally produced not only (Ni,Cu)Al particles in θ-Al2Cu but also a (Ni,Cu)Al layer at the θ-Al2Cu/γ1-Al4Cu9 interface. This study implied that the addition of Ni to Al resulted in the formation of a (Ni,Cu)Al layer at the weakest interface between θ-Al2Cu and γ1-Al4Cu9, drastically increasing the strength of the Al/Cu dissimilar joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T1 rho and T2 mapping are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to detect early degenerative changes in cartilage. Recent advancements have enabled 3D acquisition for both techniques. The objective of the present study was to examine the correlation of 3D T1 rho and 3D T2 mapping with macroscopic and histological characteristics of knee cartilage. Twenty-one patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis with involvement of the medial compartment but with minimum involvement of the lateral compartment were enrolled. Prior to surgery, five series of MRI were acquired with a 3-T scanner. 3D T1 rho/T2 analyses were performed following determination of regions to be assessed using in-house software that incorporated three series of MRI acquisitions data (3D-MERGE, 3D-SPGR, and 3D-CUBE). During surgery, the cartilage of the lateral compartment was macroscopically assessed with the International Cartilage Research Society (ICRS) articular classification system. The extracted specimens were histologically assessed using the OARSI histology score. Three regions of interest (ROI) were assessed for each slice (two slices per knee): the central lateral femoral condyle (cLFC), the posterior portion of the lateral femoral condyle (pLFC), and the lateral tibia plateau (LTP). For each ROI, the mean T1 rho and T2 relaxation time, the ICRS grade, and the OARSI score were compared. Neither the T1 rho nor the T2 reflected the macroscopic grading. The T1 rho could discriminate between histological grades 1 and 2. However, the T2 could not. The T1 rho relaxation time was higher in the pLFC than in the cLFC even in the same grade. Compared to T2 mapping, T1 rho mapping may have an advantage in differentiating grades I and II cartilage degeneration on OARSI histological grading system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We found that community-dwelling women with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels <20 ng/mL compared to levels ≥20 ng/mL indicated increased risks for clinical, non-vertebral, and fragility fractures during 5 years. Furthermore, the increased risks of non-vertebral fractures remained significant in 10 and 15 years after adjusting for age and bone mineral density. Introduction: We examined whether total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are associated with fracture risk over 15 years in a Japanese female cohort. Methods: Of 1437 community-dwelling women aged ≥50 years in the baseline survey, 1236 provided information regarding fractures during a 15-year follow-up period. The analysis included 1211 women without early menopause or diseases affecting bone metabolism. Results: Over 15 years, 269 clinical (224 non-vertebral, 149 fragility) fracture events were confirmed. Incidence rates categorized by 25(OH)D levels (<10, 10-20, 20-30, and ≥30 ng/mL) indicated a significant divergence for any clinical fractures in 5 years (log rank test p = 0.016) and for non-vertebral fractures in 5, 10, and 15 years ( p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.017, respectively). Hazard ratios (HRs) for 25(OH)D levels <10 and 10-20 ng/mL compared to levels ≥30 ng/mL during 5 years indicated significances for clinical fractures (HR 4.93 with p = 0.009, HR 3.00 with p = 0.034) and for non-vertebral fractures (HR 6.55 with p = 0.005, HR 3.49 with p = 0.036). Those with levels <20 ng/mL compared to those with levels ≥20 ng/mL indicated significant increased risks for clinical fractures (HR 1.72 with p = 0.010), non-vertebral fractures (HR 2.45 with p < 0.001), and fragility fractures (HR 2.00 with p = 0.032) in 5 years. The HR of non-vertebral fractures for levels <20 ng/mL remained significant during 15 years (HR 1.42 with p = 0.012) after adjustment for age and femoral neck bone mineral density. Conclusions: Low 25(OH)D levels, especially <20 ng/mL, were associated with elevated fracture risks in Japanese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Frail elderly individuals have elevated risks of both fracture and mortality. We found that incident fractures were associated with an increased risk of death even after adjusting for pre-fracture frailty status as represented by physical performance tests and laboratory tests for common geriatric diseases in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men. Introduction: While fractures reportedly increase the risk of mortality, frailty may complicate this association, generating a false-positive result. We evaluated this association after adjusting for pre-fracture levels of frailty. Methods: We examined 1998 community-dwelling ambulatory men aged ≥65 years at baseline in the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men Study for frailty status as represented by activities of daily living (ADL), physical performance tests (grip strength, one-foot standing balance with eyes open, timed 10-m walk), and laboratory sera tests. Participants were then followed for 5 years for incident clinical fractures and death. Effects of incident fracture on death were determined by Cox proportional hazards model with the first fracture during follow-up as a time-dependent predictor and with frailty status indices as covariates. Results: We identified 111 fractures in 99 men and 138 deaths during the follow-up period (median follow-up, 4.5 years). Participants with incident fractures did not have significantly worse frailty statuses, but did show a significantly higher cumulative mortality rate than those without fractures ( p = 0.0047). Age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of death for incident fracture was 3.57 (95 % confidence interval: 2.05, 6.24). When adjusted for physical performance, this decreased to 2.77 (1.51, 5.06), but remained significant. The HR showed no significant change when adjusted for laboratory test results (3.96 (2.26, 6.94)). Exclusion of deaths within the first 24 months of follow-up did not alter these results. Conclusion: Incident clinical fracture was associated with an elevated risk of death independently of pre-fracture levels of frailty in community-dwelling elderly men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: The quantitative impact of weight gain on prediabetic glucose dysregulation remains unknown; only one study quantitated the impact of weight loss. We quantified the impact of weight gain on the evolution and regression of prediabetes (PDM).Subjects/methods: In 4234 subjects without diabetes, using logistic regression analysis with a 4.8-year follow-up period, we analyzed the relationship between (1) δBMI (BMIfollow-up-basal) and the progression from normal glucose regulation (NGR) to PDM or diabetes, and (2) δBMI and the regression from PDM to NGR.Results: Mean (±s.d.) δBMI was 0.17 (±1.3) kg/m2 in subjects with NGR and δBMI was positively and independently related to progression (adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) (95% CI), 1.24 (1.15-1.34), P<0.01). Mean (±s.d.) δBMI was -0.03 (±1.25) kg/m2 in those with PDM and δBMI was negatively related to the regression (ORadj, 0.72 (0.65-0.80), P<0.01). The relation of δBMI to the progression was significant in men (ORadj, 1.42 (1.28-1.59), P<0.01) but not in women (ORadj, 1.05 (0.94-1.19), P=0.36). Also, the negative impact of δBMI on the regression was significant only in men (men, ORadj, 0.65 (0.57-0.75), P<0.01; women, ORadj, 0.94 (0.77-1.14), P=0.51).Conclusions: In Japanese adults, an increase in the BMI by even 1 kg/m2 was related to 24% increase in the risk of development of PDM or diabetes in NGR subjects and was related to 28% reduction in the regression from PDM to NGR. In women, we did not note any significant impact of weight gain on the evolution or regression of PDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction products of isolated single iron atoms in a low concentration matrix of ethylene were studied using in-beam Mössbauer spectroscopy with a short-lived Mn ( T =1.45 m) beam. The in-beam Mössbauer spectrum of Fe arising from Mn in a matrix of ethylene and argon measured at 16 K was analyzed with four components. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to confirm the assignments. It was suggested that the reaction produced monoiron species of Fe(C H ) with a spin state of S = 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I have, as the Principal Investigator of this study, identified an error in the computation of TBS values in the JPOS cohort, which resulted in the publication of incorrect TBS absolute values [1]. This error was linked to the calibration process for calculating standardized TBS values in the R&D TBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Li, O, F)-Auger electron, and X-ray photoelectron spectra (AES, VXPS) of solid lithium compounds (Li metal, LiCl, LiF, LiO) are simulated by deMon density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the model molecules of the unit cell. Calculated valence XPS, core-electron binding energies (CEBE)s, and Li-, O-, and F-KVV AES for the substances correspond considerably well to experimental results. For the calculation of VXPS, the observed spectra of LiO pellet with chemisorbed CO almost show agreement with simulation curve of the valence XPS according to the model for the 1/1 ratio of LiO/LiCO. In the case of AES calculation, we analyze the experimental AES with our modified Auger electron kinetic energy calculation method which corresponds to the two final-state holes at the ground state and at the transition-state in DFT calculation by removing 1 and 2 electrons, respectively. Experimental KVV AES of the Li atom, and (O, F) KVV AES of (LiO and LiF) in the substances almost agree well to the AES calculated with maximum kinetic energies at the ground state, and at the transition-state, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly energetic Mn ( T = 1.45 m) was generated by nuclear projectile fragmentation in a heavy-ion accelerator, and implanted into lithium hydride (LiH) and lithium deuteride (LiD) at 578 K. Mössbauer spectroscopy with β − γ coincidence detection was then carried out on the Fe obtained from βdecay of the Mn to study the time dependence of the site distributions and coordination environments of dilute Fe atoms implanted in the LiH and LiD. The results suggest that the Fe atoms can substitute for either the Li and H or D atoms within 100 ns. Additionally, the displacement behavior of the substitutional Fe atoms on the lattice sites is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-beam Mössbauer spectra of Fe after Mn ( T= 1.45 min) implantation into a CH matrix and mixture matrices of CH and Ar at 18 K were measured. The spectrum obtained in the CH matrix was analyzed well with a doublet and a singlet peaks. These components were assigned to two constitutional isomers of Fe(CH ) $_{\mathrm {2}}^{\mathrm {+}}$ as derived from density functional theory calculations and the Mössbauer parameters. In the case of the low concentration of CH with an Ar matrix, the Fe (3d 4s) in the excited state atomic configuration and Fe (3d 4s ) in the ground state were observed, as observed in our previous implantation experiment into Ar and Xe matrices. The formation yields of Fe(CH ) $_{\mathrm {2}}^{\mathrm {+}}$ are discussed in term of the number of first-nearest-neighbor CH molecules around an Fe ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature oxidation behavior of Ta-75at%Al was investigated by thermogravimetry at 800 and 900 °C in oxygen with NaCl vapor of 7.2, 32.1 and 123 volume ppm. Without NaCl vapor, pest oxidation took place and the aluminide crushed into particles at both temperatures from earlier stage. In contrast, with a slight NaCl vapor, the pest oxidation was effectively reduced to achieve very small mass gain values. For samples without pest oxidation, there formed a thin AlO outer filmed scale and AlO scale along the grain boundaries inside the alloy. The reducing mechanism of pest oxidation by NaCl vapor was considered from the viewpoint of thermodynamics. Namely, it was considered that NaCl vapor reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere at high temperatures to produce chlorine gas, and this Cl selectively chlorinates Al than Ta, which produces AlO on the gas/scale interface where the oxygen potential is higher. This AlO was thought to construct a protective film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:The aim of this study was to identify the best sedation/analgesia protocol for laser photocoagulation (PC) of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).Study Design:This multicenter observational study included five hospitals, each using a specific sedation/analgesia protocol: local anesthesia with oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (Group L); intravenous pentazocine (Group P); intravenous fentanyl (Group F); air, oxygen and sevoflurane (AOS) inhalation (Group I). The groups were compared for pain responses, vital signs and adverse events.Results:Heart rates and systemic blood pressures were elevated by PC in Groups L and P and Groups L, P and F, respectively. Moreover, poor analgesic efficacy was recognized in Groups L, P and F. In contrast, Group I experienced hypothermia, enteral feeding intolerance and apnea more frequently.Conclusion:From the viewpoint of sedation/pain relief, AOS anesthesia should be the best protocol. However, considering all the various factors together, the most reasonable one can be varied based on the patient's condition and hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the radioactive material leak accident at the J-PARC hadron experimental facility on May 23, 2013, we designed a new production target, which is capable of a primary proton beam with the energy of 30 GeV and power of 50 kW. It is made of gold and cooled by water through a copper block. For the countermeasures of the recurrence of the accident, the target is enclosed by an airtight chamber and helium gas is circulated to monitor the target soundness. In this paper, technical details of the new target design are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synaptic roles for neurofilament (NF) proteins have rarely been considered. Here, we establish all four NF subunits as integral resident proteins of synapses. Compared with the population in axons, NF subunits isolated from synapses have distinctive stoichiometry and phosphorylation state, and respond differently to perturbations in vivo. Completely eliminating NF proteins from brain by genetically deleting three subunits (α-internexin, NFH and NFL) markedly depresses hippocampal long-term potentiation induction without detectably altering synapse morphology. Deletion of NFM in mice, but not the deletion of any other NF subunit, amplifies dopamine D1-receptor-mediated motor responses to cocaine while redistributing postsynaptic D1-receptors from endosomes to plasma membrane, consistent with a specific modulatory role of NFM in D1-receptor recycling. These results identify a distinct pool of synaptic NF subunits and establish their key role in neurotransmission in vivo, suggesting potential novel influences of NF proteins in psychiatric as well as neurological states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A plate made of Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) was built by vacuum selective laser melting (SLM) at a pressure of 10 Pa. The vacuum SLM system employed a single-mode fiber laser and three-axis galvanic mirror in order to form 3D metallic structure. In order to investigate the surface morphology on the fabricated plates, Vickers microhardness and surface roughness R were measured. From the results, the Vickers microhardness of the fabricated plates was recorded at 391 HV, higher than the typical 340 HV for a Ti64 plate. It was also determined that crystal orientation was evaluated with X-ray diffraction. From the results, the crystal orientation of powder is composed mainly of martensitic alpha. Diffraction peaks corresponding to β (110) were detected in vacuum SLM processed samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effects of milk intake on bone health are not clear in elderly Asian men with low dietary calcium intake. This study showed that greater milk intake is associated with lower bone turnover, higher bone density, and higher bone microarchitecture index in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men. Introduction: The consumption of milk or dairy products is widely recommended for maintaining bone health regardless of gender or age. However, little evidence exists on the beneficial effects of milk intake on bone health in elderly Japanese men characterized with relatively low dietary calcium intake. Here we examined whether or not greater milk intake was associated with lower bone turnover, higher bone density, and stronger bone microarchitecture in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men. Methods: Interviews were conducted to obtain information on medical history and lifestyle, including the amount of habitual milk intake, nutrient intake calculations based on a 1-week food diary, and measurements of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the lumbar spine (LS), total hip (TH), and femoral neck (FN) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), trabecular bone score (TBS) using DXA images at LS, and biochemical markers of bone turnover in sera. Participants with a history of diseases or medications that affect bone metabolism, or with missing data, were excluded from the analysis. Results: The median intake of milk in the 1479 participants (mean age, 73.0 ± 5.1 years) was one glass of milk per day. Bone turnover markers showed a decreasing trend ( p < 0.05) and aBMD at TH ( p = 0.0019) and FN ( p = 0.0057) and TBS ( p = 0.0017) showed increasing trends with greater milk intake after adjusting for demographic and behavioral confounding factors. This association was attenuated after further adjusting for nutrient intake, in particular, calcium intake. Conclusions: Greater milk intake was associated with lower bone turnover, higher aBMD, and higher TBS in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Trabecular bone score (TBS), a surrogate measure of bone microarchitecture, represents fracture risk independently of bone density. We present normative TBS values from a representative population study of Japanese women. This database would enhance our understanding of trabecular bone microarchitecture and improve osteoporosis management. Introduction: TBS is a texture parameter that quantifies local variation in gray level distribution within dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images of the lumbar spine. While TBS is associated with fracture risk independently of areal bone mineral density (aBMD), normative TBS values have only been reported for Caucasian women. This study provides age-specific normative values of TBS from a representative sample of Japanese women. Methods: We randomly selected 4,550 women aged 15-79 years from 7 areas throughout Japan. Women younger than 20 years and those with any medical history which might affect bone metabolism were excluded, and the remaining 3,069 with at least two assessable vertebrae from the first to the fourth vertebrae were subjected to analysis. TBS values were calculated from spine DXA images using TBS iNsight software (Med-Imaps, France). Age-related models of TBS were constructed using piecewise linear regression analysis. Results: Participant age, body mass index (BMI), spine aBMD, and TBS (mean ± SD) were 48.7 ± 16.8 years, 22.9 ± 3.4, 0.888 ± 0.169 g/cm, and 1.187 ± 0.137, respectively. A three-piece linear regression model of TBS on age explained 70.7 % of the total variance in TBS and comprised very small age-related changes in the youngest segment of the regression line, rapid loss in the middle segment, and small loss in the oldest segment. TBS was lower in Japanese women than in Caucasian women across all age ranges, with the difference increasing with age up through 65 years. Conclusions: The normative values of TBS for Japanese women presented here would enhance our understanding of trabecular bone microarchitecture and help improve the management of osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When phylogenetically close, two competing species may reproductively interfere, and thereby affect their population dynamics. We tested for reproductive interference (RI) between two congeneric haplo-diploid spider mites, Tetranychus evansi and Tetranychus urticae, by investigating their interspecific mating and their population dynamics when they competed on the same plants. They are both pests of tomato, but differ in the host plant defences that they suppress or induce. To reduce the effect of plant-mediated interaction, we used a mutant tomato plant lacking jasmonate-mediated anti-herbivore defences in the competition experiment. In addition, to manipulate the effect of RI, we introduced founder females already mated with conspecific males in mild RI treatments or founder, virgin females in strong RI treatments (in either case together with heterospecific and conspecific males). As females show first-male sperm precedence, RI should occur especially in the founder generation under strong RI treatments. We found that T. urticae outcompeted T. evansi in mild, but not in strong RI treatments. Thus, T. evansi interfered reproductively with T. urticae. This result was supported by crossing experiments showing frequent interspecific copulations, strong postmating reproductive isolation and a preference of T. evansi males to mate with T. urticae (instead of conspecific) females, whereas T. urticae males preferred conspecific females. We conclude that interspecific mating comes at a cost due to asymmetric mate preferences of males. Because RI by T. evansi can improve its competitiveness to T. urticae, we propose that RI partly explains why T. evansi became invasive in Europe where T. urticae is endemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic inflammation is frequently associated with tumorigenesis in elderly people. By contrast, young people without chronic inflammation often develop tumors considered independent of chronic inflammation but driven instead by mutations. Thus, whether inflammation has a significant role in tumor progression in tumors driven by mutations remains largely unknown. Here we show that TNFα is required for the tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma, the most common tumor in children and adolescents. We show that transplantation of AX osteosarcoma cells, which harbor mutations driving c-Myc overexpression and Ink4a-deficiency, in wild-type mice promotes lethal tumorigenesis accompanied by ectopic bone formation and multiple metastases, phenotypes seen in osteosarcoma patients. Such tumorigenesis was completely abrogated in TNFα-deficient mice. AX cells have the capacity to undergo osteoblastic differentiation; however, that activity was significantly inhibited by TNFα treatment, suggesting that TNFα maintains AX cells in an undifferentiated state. TNFα inhibition of AX cell osteoblastic differentiation occurred through ERK activation, and a pharmacological TNFα inhibitor effectively inhibited both AX cell tumorigenesis and increased osteoblastic gene expression and increased survival of tumor-bearing mice. Lethal tumorigenesis of AX cells was also abrogated in IL-1α/IL-1β doubly deficient mice. We found that both TNFα and IL-1 maintained AX cells in an undifferentiated state via ERK activation. Thus, inflammatory cytokines are required to promote tumorigenesis even in mutation-induced tumors, and TNFα/IL-1 and ERK may represent therapeutic targets for osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dislocations are linear lattice defects in a crystalline solid. Since the unusual atomistic environment of the dislocation may greatly influence various material properties, control of the composition would offer more opportunities to obtain unique one-dimensional structures. In the present study, we have characterized the structure of dislocations in a low-angle tilt grain boundary of strontium titanate (SrTiO). High-spatial resolution elemental mapping by electron energy loss spectroscopy combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy has enabled visualization of the enrichment of titanium (Ti) and the depletion of strontium (Sr) near the dislocation cores. The Ti enrichment and the Sr depletion have been observed at all of the dislocations, and the grain boundary is considered to be Ti excess. The extra Ti ions are located on the positions different from the normal perovskite lattice, suggesting that the local structure is largely reconstructed. It has been proposed that tensile strain at the dislocations may be a cause of the Ti enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Eribulin mesilate (eribulin), a non-taxane microtubule dynamics inhibitor, has shown trends towards greater overall survival (OS) compared with progression-free survival in late-stage metastatic breast cancer patients in the clinic. This finding suggests that eribulin may have additional, previously unrecognised antitumour mechanisms beyond its established antimitotic activity. To investigate this possibility, eribulin's effects on the balance between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) in human breast cancer cells were investigated.Methods:Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, which are oestrogen receptor (ER−)/progesterone receptor (PR−)/human epithelial growth receptor 2 (HER2−) and have a mesenchymal phenotype, were treated with eribulin for 7 days, followed by measurement of EMT-related gene and protein expression changes in the surviving cells by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and immunoblot, respectively. In addition, proliferation, migration, and invasion assays were also conducted in eribulin-treated cells. To investigate the effects of eribulin on TGF-β/Smad signalling, the phosphorylation status of Smad proteins was analysed. In vivo, the EMT/MET status of TNBC xenografts in mice treated with eribulin was examined by qPCR, immunoblot, and immunohistochemical analysis. Finally, an experimental lung metastasis model was utilised to gauge the metastatic activity of eribulin-treated TNBC in the in vivo setting.Results:Treatment of TNBC cells with eribulin in vitro led to morphological changes consistent with transition from a mesenchymal to an epithelial phenotype. Expression analyses of EMT markers showed that eribulin treatment led to decreased expression of several mesenchymal marker genes, together with increased expression of several epithelial markers. In the TGF-β induced EMT model, eribulin treatment reversed EMT, coincident with inhibition of Smad2 and Smad3 phosphorylation. Consistent with these changes, TNBC cells treated with eribulin for 7 days showed decreased capacity for in vitro migration and invasiveness. In in vivo xenograft models, eribulin treatment reversed EMT and induced MET as assessed by qPCR, immunoblot, and immunohistochemical analyses of epithelial and mesenchymal marker proteins. Finally, surviving TNBC cells pretreated in vitro with eribulin for 7 days led to decreased numbers of lung metastasis when assessed in an in vivo experimental metastasis model.Conclusions:Eribulin exerted significant effects on EMT/MET-related pathway components in human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, consistent with a phenotypic switch from mesenchymal to epithelial states, and corresponding to observed decreases in migration and invasiveness in vitro as well as experimental metastasis in vivo. These preclinical findings may provide a plausible scientific basis for clinical observations of prolonged OS by suppression of further spread of metastasis in breast cancer patients treated with eribulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a major inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in different cell types. TGF-β-mediated EMT is thought to contribute to tumour cell spread and metastasis. Sialyl Lewis antigens synthesised by fucosyltransferase (FUT) 3 and FUT6 are highly expressed in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and are utilised as tumour markers for cancer detection and evaluation of treatment efficacy. However, the role of FUT3 and FUT6 in augmenting the malignant potential of CRC induced by TGF-β is unclear.Methods:Colorectal cancer cell lines were transfected with siRNAs for FUT3/6 and were examined by cell proliferation, invasion and migration assays. The expression and phosphorylation status of TGF-β downstream molecules were analysed by western blot. Fucosylation of TGF-β receptor (TβR) was examined by lectin blot analysis.Results:Inhibition of FUT3/6 expression by siRNAs suppressed the fucosylation of type I TβR and phosphorylation of the downstream molecules, thereby inhibiting the invasion and migration of CRC cells by EMT.Conclusion:Fucosyltransferase 3/6 has an essential role in cancer cell adhesion to endothelial cells by upregulation of sialyl Lewis antigens and also by enhancement of cancer cell migration through TGF-β-mediated EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Molecular pathways determining the malignant potential of premalignant breast lesions remain unknown. In this study, alterations in DNA methylation levels were monitored during benign, premalignant and malignant stages of ductal breast cancer development.Methods:To study epigenetic events during breast cancer development, four genomic biomarkers (Methylated-IN-Tumour (MINT)17, MINT31, RARβ2 and RASSF1A) shown to represent DNA hypermethylation in tumours were selected. Laser capture microdissection was employed to isolate DNA from breast lesions, including normal breast epithelia (n=52), ductal hyperplasia (n=23), atypical ductal hyperplasia (n=31), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, n=95) and AJCC stage I invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC, n=34). Methylation Index (MI) for each biomarker was calculated based on methylated and unmethylated copy numbers measured by Absolute Quantitative Assessment Of Methylated Alleles (AQAMA). Trends in MI by developmental stage were analysed.Results:Methylation levels increased significantly during the progressive stages of breast cancer development; P-values are 0.0012, 0.0003, 0.012, <0.0001 and <0.0001 for MINT17, MINT31, RARβ2, RASSF1A and combined biomarkers, respectively. In both DCIS and IDC, hypermethylation was associated with unfavourable characteristics.Conclusion:DNA hypermethylation of selected biomarkers occurs early in breast cancer development, and may present a predictor of malignant potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:We recently isolated vasohibin-1 (VASH1), a novel angiogenic molecule that is specifically expressed in activated vascular endothelial cells (ECs), and the status of VASH1 expression has been documented in various cancer angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of VASH1 expression in prostate cancer (PCa).Methods:In this study, we retrospectively analysed the clinical records and evaluated the VASH1 expression of tumour microvessels in 167 patients with PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy. We immunohistochemically examined the microvessels positive for anti-CD34 as microvessel density (MVD) and the microvessels with activated ECs positive for VASH1 density.Results:We found that the VASH1 expression was restricted to ECs in the tumour stroma. VASH1 density was significantly associated with pathological T stage, Gleason score and MVD. The 5-year PSA recurrence-free survival rate was 58.8% in patients with higher VASH1 density (≧12 per mm2) and 89.1% in patients with lower VASH1 density (<12 per mm2), respectively (P<0.001). Microvessel density was not an independent predictor of PSA recurrence. Multivariate analysis revealed that high VASH1 density was an independent prognostic indicator of PSA recurrence (P=0.007, HR=2.950).Conclusion:VASH1 density represents a clinically relevant predictor of patient prognosis and can be a new biomarker that would provide additional prognostic information in PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]