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BackgroundHoarding disorder (HD) is characterized by cognitive control impairments and abnormal brain activity in the insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during disposal of personal items or certain executive function tasks. However, whether there are any changes in resting-state functional connectivity of the insula and ACC remains unclear.MethodsA total of 55 subjects, including 24 patients with HD and 31 healthy controls (HCs), participated in the study. We acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data and examined group differences in functional connectivity from the insula and ACC in whole-brain voxels.ResultsIn patients with HD, functional connectivity was significantly lower between the right insula and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and left superior temporal gyrus (STG) compared to HCs. There was no correlation between these connectivities and HD symptoms.ConclusionsAlthough the clinical implication is uncertain, our results suggest that patients with HD have resting-state functional alterations between the insula and IFG and STG, corresponding with the results of previous fMRI studies. These findings provide new insight into the neurobiological basis of HD.

Abstract Pursuing the exotic quantum spin liquid (QSL) state in the Kitaev material α-RuCl3 has intrigued great research interest recently. A fascinating question is on the possible existence of a field-induced QSL phase in this compound. Here we perform high-field magnetization measurements of α-RuCl3 up to 102 T employing the non-destructive and destructive pulsed magnets. Under the out-of-plane field along the c* axis (i.e., perpendicular to the honeycomb plane), two quantum phase transitions are uncovered at respectively 35 T and about 83 T, between which lies an intermediate phase as the predicted QSL. This is in sharp contrast to the case with in-plane fields, where a single transition is found at around 7 T and the intermediate QSL phase is absent instead. By measuring the magnetization data with fields tilted from the c* axis up to 90° (i.e., in-plane direction), we obtain the field-angle phase diagram that contains the zigzag, paramagnetic, and QSL phases. Based on the K-J-Γ- $${{{\Gamma }}}^{{\prime} }$$ Γ ′ model for α-RuCl3 with a large Kitaev term we perform density matrix renormalization group simulations and reproduce the quantum phase diagram in excellent agreement with experiments.

BackgroundPatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have deficits in decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). However, no study has investigated the parameters of the prospect valence learning (PVL) model in the IGT for OCD.AimsThis study aimed to investigate deficits in decision-making in OCD using the PVL model and identify whether the parameters of the PVL model were associated with obsessive-compulsive severity.MethodsForty-seven medication-free patients with OCD were compared with 47 healthy controls (HCs). Decision-making was measured using the total net and block net scores of the IGT. A PVL model with a decay-reinforcement learning rule (PVL-DecayRI) was used to investigate the parameters of the model. Correlation analysis was conducted between each parameter of the PVL-DecayRL and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.ResultsThe total net score of patients with OCD was significantly lower than that of the HCs. The block net scores of the OCD group did not differ across the five blocks, whereas in the HCs, the fifth block net score was significantly higher than the block net scores of the first and second blocks. The values of the recency and response consistency parameters of the PVL-DecayRI in patients with OCD were significantly lower than those in HCs. The recency parameter positively correlated with the Y-BOCS obsessive score. Meanwhile, there was no correlation between consistency parameter values and symptom severity in OCD.ConclusionOur detailed analysis of the decision-making deficit in OCD suggests that the most recent outcome has a small influence on the expectancy of prospect valence, as indicated by the lower recency parameter, and is characterized by more impulsive choices, as indicated by the lower consistency parameter.

Abstract We have successfully synthesized new Ru4+ double perovskite oxides SrLaInRuO6 and SrLaGaRuO6, which are expected to be a spin–orbit coupled J eff = 0 Mott insulating ground state. Their magnetic susceptibility is much significant than that expected for a single Ru4+ ion for which exchange coupling with other ions is negligible. Their isothermal magnetization process suggests that there are about 20 percent isolated spins. These origins would be the Ru3+/Ru5+ magnetic defects, while the regular Ru4+ sites remain nonmagnetic. Moreover, SrLaGaRuO6 shows a spin-glass-like magnetic transition at low temperatures, probably caused by isolated spins. The observed spin-glass can be interpreted by the analogy of a dilute magnetic alloy, which can be seen as a precursor to the mobile J eff = 1 exciton as a dispersive mode as predicted.

Object detection and tracking in camera images is a fundamental technology for computer vision and is used in various applications. In particular, object tracking using high-speed cameras is expected to be applied to real-time control in robotics. Therefore, it is required to increase tracking speed and detection accuracy. Currently, however, it is difficult to achieve both of those things simultaneously. In this paper, we propose a tracking method that combines multiple methods: correlation filter-based object tracking, deep learning-based object detection, and motion detection with background subtraction. The algorithms work in parallel and assist each other’s processing to improve the overall performance of the system. We named it the “Mutual Assist tracker of feature Filters and Detectors (MAFiD method)”. This method aims to achieve both high-speed tracking of moving objects and high detection accuracy. Experiments were conducted to verify the detection performance and processing speed by tracking a transparent capsule moving at high speed. The results show that the tracking speed was 618 frames per second (FPS) and the accuracy was 86% for Intersection over Union (IoU). The detection latency was 3.48 ms. These experimental scores are higher than those of conventional methods, indicating that the MAFiD method achieved fast object tracking while maintaining high detection performance. This proposal will contribute to the improvement of object-tracking technology.

BackgroundSymptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have been conceptualized as manifestations of decision-making deficits. Patients with OCD exhibit impairment during the decision-making process, as assessed by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). This impairment is independent of clinical severity and disease progression. However, the association between the decision-making deficit and resting-state brain activity of patients with OCD has not been examined.MethodsFifty unmedicated patients with OCD and 55 matched control subjects completed IGT. Resting-state brain activity was examined using the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFFs). fALFF analysis focused on the slow-4 and 5 bands. Group comparisons were performed to determine the association between IGT performance and fALFFs.ResultsThere was a significant group difference in the association between the IGT total net score and slow-4 fALFFs in the left putamen (voxel height threshold of p < 0.001; cluster size threshold of p < 0.05; family wise error-corrected). Higher putamen slow-4 fALFFs were correlated with lower IGT scores for OCD patients (r = −0.485; p < 0.0005) and higher IGT scores for control subjects (r = 0.402; p < 0.005). There was no group difference in the association between the IGT total net score and slow-5 fALFFs.ConclusionsThese findings in unmedicated patients demonstrate the importance of resting-state putamen activity for decision-making deficit associated with OCD, as measured by IGT. The inverse correlation may be explained by the hypersensitive response of the putamen in patients with OCD.

There exist many theoretical models of frustrated quantum magnetism, most of which lack convincing experimental realisations. Here the authors combine several experimental methods to argue that KCu6AlBiO4(SO4)5Cl behaves as a square-kagome-lattice quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet.

Objective Oral implant loss has been recognized to be associated with smoking. Nicotine is affected by peri-implant soft tissue with vasoconstriction and impaired cellular healing response. However, a gap between preclinical and clinical research outcomes was observed. A cross-sectional, nationwide survey was conducted to examine the relationship between tobacco smoking and oral diseases among the Japanese population. Methods Questionnaire survey sheets were sent to 489 designated facilities by postal mail, and in all, 251 (50.4%) facilities responded. Among these, 246 were valid responses. The following demographic items were corrected: number of implants placed, duration of observation period after implantation, smoking habits, number of cigarettes, smoking duration, drinking habits, diabetes mellitus morbidity, and number of implant failures for those who underwent implantation between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Pack-years in implant loss were evaluated in three groups: at ≤12 months (early loss group), ≤120 months (late loss group) and >120 months of implant loss (non-implant loss group). Results During the survey period, 1,966 patients were analyzed. The odds ratio for implant failure was 2.20 (95%CI: 1.34–3.63) for current smokers in a selected age group (≤20 years). The pack-years were higher in the late implant loss group (35.7 ± 18.4) than those in the non-implant loss group (26.1 ± 18.1). The result indicated that a higher number of pack-years was associated with late implant loss. However, the number of pack-years was not associated with early implant loss. Conclusions This cross-sectional survey conducted in Japan suggested that smoking is significantly associated with implant failure. Irrespective of the duration of smoking exposure, smoking habit was associated with early implant loss.

Structural health monitoring has been used to confirm the durability evaluation and safety of a structure in which long-term use is required. Because the transmission loss of the optical fiber sensor is extremely small, it can measure the present status of structures from far away. Generally the FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) optical sensing systems are often used to get reliable indices from structures. The shipping industry recently, there has been a growing interest in fuel efficiency improvements and energy regulation in international shipping. Therefore, during sailing, to measure the exact power of the main shaft of the ship has become important. We proposed the monitoring system using space optical transmitting of the FBG optical fiber to get information from a rotational shaft. And we evaluated the performance of the space optical transmission of the FBG optical fiber sensing system for rotational shaft in the previous study. Consequently, we reported that it can be effectively measured and space optical transmission metric is effective for performance prediction. In this paper, the strain and the temperature on the rotating torsion shaft, is measured by the FBG optical fiber sensor and the space optical transmission. We confirm reliability of the information that is retrieved from the rotating shaft subjected to torsion in the experiment. The conditions for reliable data from the rotating shaft under loading is obtained on the basis of the experimental results of the proposed systems.

Structural health monitoring is intended as a mechanism to ensure the operation and to evaluate the durability of the structure whose use is expected during a long time. It reduces life-cycle costs with ensuring the safety and the reliability of the structural systems. In addition, the optical fiber sensing systems are used for structural health monitoring because the high accuracy measurement and the transmission line, can be combined by the optical fibers. On the other hand, accurate measurement of horsepower for a rotary shaft in ships is needed for higher fuel efficiency and the energy regulation in international shipping. The FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) optical fibers sensing are applied to measure several strains at different location which are induced by the torsion for the rotary shaft rotating in 100-400 rpm. The measured data of the strains have to be transmitted to the outside of the rotary shaft to use the FBG optical fiber sensing. The optical space transmission system makes it possible to transmit the data of the strains on the surface of the rotary shaft to outside the measurement system. In this study, we propose to use FBG optical fiber sensor to the shaft horsepower meter of main rotary shaft in ship. The optical transmission efficiency of the FBG measurement system is studied by a static and rotational experiment. Based on the experimental results, we verify the effectiveness of the optical space transmission performance of the system, and of the metrics for its improving performance.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of rebamipide in preventing chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with oral cancer.Material and Methods: Patients with oral cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy (daily radiotherapy plus docetaxel hydrate once a week) were enrolled for this study. They were assigned in a double-blind fashion to receive either rebamipide gargle or placebo on the days of chemoradiotherapy. Oral mucositis was assessed using the WHO grading system. The primary endpoint of this study was the incidence of grade 3 - 4 mucositis after exposure to 40 Gy radiation (4 weeks). The secondary endpoint was the effect of rebamipide gargle on tumour response to chemoradiotherapy.Results: Twenty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive rebamipide gargle (n = 12) or placebo-gargle (n = 12) during chemoradiotherapy. The number of patients with severe mucositis (WHO ≥ 3) was higher in the placebo group than in the rebamipide group (83.3% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.036). In addition, no effect of rebamipide gargle on tumour response to chemoradiotherapy was recognized compared with the placebo group.Conclusions: For patients with oral cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy, rebamipide gargle may contribute to decrease the severity of oral mucositis.

It remains unclear why type-II antiferromagnetic order with a propagation vector along a trigonal axis and a tetragonal Jahn-Teller deformation coexist in a low-temperature phase of CoO. Nanocrystals generally have a lower magnetic transition temperature but crystal size reduction does not affect structural transition locally induced by a crystal field. On this basis, we investigated the magnetic and structural properties of CoO nanocrystals. Both transition temperatures were equally reduced in nanocrystals, which indicates that magnetic order triggers the tetragonal deformation. This observation is consistent with a model that the Jahn-Teller deformation is assisted by spin-orbit energy splitting of t2g electrons in the high-spin Co2+ ion, proposed by Kugel and Khomskii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have deficits in decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). However, no study has investigated the parameters of the prospect valence learning (PVL) model in the IGT for OCD. Aims: This study aimed to investigate deficits in decision-making inOCD using the PVLmodel and identify whether the parameters of the PVLmodel were associated with obsessive-compulsive severity. Methods: Forty-seven medication-free patients with OCD were compared with 47 healthy controls (HCs). Decision-making was measured using the total net and block net scores of the IGT. A PVL model with a decay-reinforcement learning rule (PVL-DecayRI) was used to investigate the parameters of the model. Correlation analysis was conducted between each parameter of the PVL-DecayRL and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Results: The total net score of patients with OCD was significantly lower than that of the HCs. The block net scores of the OCD group did not differ across the five blocks, whereas in the HCs, the fifth block net score was significantly higher than the block net scores of the first and second blocks. The values of the recency and response consistency parameters of the PVL-DecayRI in patients with OCD were significantly lower than those in HCs. The recency parameter positively correlated with the Y-BOCS obsessive score. Meanwhile, there was no correlation between consistency parameter values and symptom severity in OCD. Conclusion: Our detailed analysis of the decision-making deficit in OCD suggests that themost recent outcome has a small influence on the expectancy of prospect valence, as indicated by the lower recency parameter, and is characterized by more impulsive choices, as indicated by the lower consistency parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some preceding studies have provided evidence that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-prolyl hydroxylase (PH) inhibitors have therapeutic potential against tubular interstitial fibrosis (TIF). Recently, transformation of renal interstitial fibroblasts (RIFs) into α-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblasts with loss of their hypoxia-inducible erythropoietin (EPO) expression has been hypothesized as the central mechanism responsible for TIF with renal anemia (the RIF hypothesis). These reports have suggested that HIF-PH inhibitors may suppress TIF via suppressing transformation of RIFs. However, the direct effect of HIF-PH inhibitors on transformation of RIFs has not been demonstrated because there has been no appropriate assay system. Here, we established a novel in vitro model of the transformation of RIFs. This model expresses key phenotypic changes such as transformation of RIFs accompanied by loss of their hypoxia-inducible EPO expression, as proposed by the RIF hypothesis. Using this model, we demonstrated that JTZ-951, a newly developed HIF-PH inhibitor, stabilized HIF protein in RIFs, suppressed transformation of RIFs, and maintained their hypoxiainducible EPO expression. JTZ-951 also suppressed the expression of FGF2, FGF7, and FGF18, which are upregulated during transformation of RIFs. Furthermore, expression of Fgf2, Fgf7, and Fgf18 was correlated with TIF in an animal model of TIF. We also demonstrated that not only FGF2, which is a well-known growth-promoting factor, but also FGF18 promoted proliferation of RIFs. These data suggest that JTZ-951 has therapeutic potential against TIF with renal anemia. Furthermore, FGF2, FGF7, and FGF18, which faithfully reflect the anti-TIF effects of JTZ-951, have potential as TIF biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The pedicle screw system is widely used in spine surgery, and it provides rigid fixation and leads to successful subsequent deformity correction and bony fusion. The standard imaging technique for pedicle screw insertion is two-dimensional images obtained from C-arm-type X-ray fluoroscopy. Artis Zeego is an emerging intraoperative imaging technique that can provide conventional two-dimensional fluoroscopic images and rapid three-dimensional fluoroscopic computed tomography reconstruction imaging. The aim of this study is to compare the insertion accuracies of PS placement using Artis Zeego and conventional 2D X-ray fluoroscopy. Methods In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the postoperative images of thoracolumbar fusion patients who underwent surgery using pedicle screws between 2013 and 2018. Pedicle screw malplacement was assessed using a four-grade classification by Rao et al. Misplacement rates were compared between pedicle screws assisted with Artis Zeego and two-dimensional fluoroscopy. Results A total of 1107 pedicle screws in 153 patients were inserted using Artis Zeego, and 427 pedicle screws in 80 patients were inserted using fluoroscopy. The overall perforation rate was 4.2% (46 perforations of 1106 pedicle screws) in the Artis Zeego group and 7.7% (33 perforations of 427 pedicle screws) in the fluoroscopy group. In the Artis Zeego group, 43 (3.9%) screws were classified as grade 1, and three (0.3%) screws were classified as grade 2. In the fluoroscopy group, 21 (4.9%) screws were classified as grade 1, 10 (2.3%) screws were classified as grade 2, and 2 (0.5%) screws were classified as grade 3. The use of Artis Zeego was associated with a significantly lower screw malplacement rate than was the use of fluoroscopy (p

Water freezes into ice in winter and evaporates into vapor in summer. Scientifically, the transformations between solid, liquid, and gas are called phase transitions and can be classified through the changes in symmetry which occur in each case. A fourth phase of matter was discovered late in the 19th century: the liquid crystal nematic, in which rod- or disk-shaped molecules align like the atoms in a solid, while continuing to flow like a liquid. Here we report thermodynamic evidence of a quantum analog of the classical nematic phase, the quantum spin nematic (SN). In an SN, the spins of a quantum magnet select a common axis, like a nematic liquid crystal, while escaping conventional magnetic order. Our state-ofthe- art thermal measurements in high pulsed magnetic fields up to 33 T on the copper mineral volborthite with spin 1/2 on a frustrated lattice provide thermodynamic evidence for SN order, half a century after the theoretical proposal [Blume M, Hsieh YY (1969) J Appl Phys 40:1249; Andreev AF, Grishchuk IA (1984) J Exp Theor Phys 97:467-475]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the magnetism of FeVMoO7 by performing magnetization, specific heat, electron spin resonance, and neutron diffraction experiments. We observed an antiferromagnetically ordered state below TN = 10.8 K. We consider that the probable spin model is an interacting antiferromagnetic spin-5/2 dimer model where spin dimers are connected by interdimer interactions. The intradimer interaction was evaluated to be J = 10.5 ± 0.5 K. The magnitude of ordered magnetic moments is 4.00(7)μB at 4K. The magnitude at 0 K is considered to be smaller than the classical value 4.95μB (g = 1.98). We confirmed a reduction of ordered magnetic moments by quantum fluctuation in high-spin (spin-5/2) clusters as known in high-spin chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic properties of K2Mn3(OH)2(VO4)2 are investigated up to a very high magnetic field of over 200 T. In this material, Mn atoms form a two-dimensional multi-kagome-strip (MKS) lattice, which has the characteristics of both kagome and diamond-chain lattices. The Weiss temperature Θ (≈ -347 K) indicates strong antiferromagnetic interactions, but the Néel temperature TN (= 50 K) is much lower than the absolute value of ±. This demonstrates the effect of geometric frustration and low dimensionality. The high-field magnetization curve, obtained by a Faraday rotation measurement up to 207 T, exhibits a narrow plateau at about 1=3 of the saturation magnetization. The slope of the magnetization curve is much steeper above the plateau than below the plateau. This behavior can be interpreted in terms of a spin-lattice coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign body ingestion in trachea is a common occurrence in children. However, pharyngeal foreign bodies are rare. Unlike the trachea, the lumen of the pharynx is not kept patent by tracheal cartilage. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish the lumen of the pharynx from the surrounding tissues. In addition, tracheal foreign bodies are photographed in the lung window, so radiolucent objects may be seen, but the pharynx in the mediastinal window may sometimes appear to be invisible. If a pharyngeal foreign body is suspected, then it is important to obtain a CT scan of the neck and to also obtain a lung window image. However, the most important thing is not to rely on CT alone, but to also use endoscopy when necessary.

Alkali superoxide CsO2 is one of the candidates for the spin -1/2 one-dimensional (1D) antiferromagnet, which may be sequentially formed by an ordering of the π-orbital of O2- molecule below TS ~ 70 K. Here, we report the magnetism and the high-magnetic field magnetization in pulsed-magnetic fields up to 60 T in powder CsO2. We obtained the low temperature phase diagram around the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature TN = 9.6 K under the magnetic field. At T = 1.3 K, we observed a remarkable up-turn curvature in the magnetization around a saturation field of ~60 T, which indicates the low-dimensional nature of the spin system. The saturated magnetization is also estimated to be ~1μB, which corresponds to spin -1/2. In this study we compare it with the theoretical calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new model compound of an S = 1=2 frustrated system with ferromagnetic interaction composed of verdazyl radical β-2,3,5-Cl3-V. The ab initio molecular orbital calculation indicates the formation of an S = 1=2 trellis lattice in which zigzag chains and ladders with ferromagnetic rung interaction are two-dimensionally coupled. We observe a field-induced successive phase transition and an unconventional change in the magnetization curve near the saturation field, accompanied by T² dependence on the magnetic specific heat. A two-dimensional spin-nematic state attributed to the ferromagnetic rung interactions is a possible candidate for the ground state in high-field regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional clinical treatments for allergy management remain suboptimal; new, orally available medications that improve a wide range of allergic signs have been desired. We previously demonstrated that JTE-852, a novel spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor, potently and simultaneously suppresses secretion of granule contents, arachidonate metabolites, and cytokines from mast cells stimulated by immunoglobulin E-crosslinking. In the present study, we investigated the effects of JTE-852 in four rat models (sneezing, rhinorrhea, airway constriction, and airway inflammation) as representatives of allergy models. Rats were sensitized and challenged with antigen. Allergic reactions developed after challenge were detected. JTE-852 and current anti-allergic drugs (ketotifen, pranlukast, and prednisolone) were administered orally before challenge. JTE-852 showed significant blocking effects on antigen-induced allergic reactions in all models, indicating that JTE-852 in oral dosage form would improve a wide range of allergic signs. The current anti-allergic drugs, on the other hand, failed to display significant suppression in several models. Because JTE-852 suppresses the secretion of all three groups of allergic mediators from mast cells, it would be capable of targeting signs that current drugs cannot sufficiently relieve. We anticipate JTE-852 to be a promising new anti-allergic drug that is potentially more effective than conventional drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Pedicle screw loosening is a major complication following spinal fixation associated with osteoporosis in elderly. However, denosumab is a promising treatment in patients with osteoporosis. The effect of denosumab on pedicle screw fixation is unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether denosumab treatment improves pedicle screw fixation in elderly patients with osteoporosis. Methods This was a 2-year prospective open-label study. From February 2015 to January 2016, we included 21 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis who received initial denosumab treatment. At baseline, 12 months, and 24 months, we measured volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and performed CT-based finite element analysis (FEA). Finite element models of L4 vertebrae were created to analyze the bone strength and screw fixation. Results BMD increased with denosumab treatment. FEA revealed that both pullout strength of pedicle screws and compression force of the vertebra increased significantly at 12 and 24 months following denosumab treatment. Notably, pullout strength showed a stronger correlation with three-dimensional volumetric BMD around pedicle screw placement assessed by QCT (r = 0.83, at 24 months) than with two-dimensional areal BMD assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (r = 0.35, at 24 months). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal that denosumab treatment achieved strong pedicle screw fixation with an increase in BMD around the screw assessed by QCT and FEA; therefore, denosumab could be useful for osteoporosis treatment during spinal surgery in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

We have succeeded in synthesizing a new organic biradical F4BIPBNN [= 2,2′-(3,3′,5,5′-tetrafluorobiphenyl-4,4′) bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazolin-1-oxyl 3-oxide)] which forms an S = 1/2 Heisenberg three-dimensional honeycomb antiferromagnet. Each site of a honeycomb layer alternately couples with upper or lower layers, which results in the unique three-dimensional honeycomb network with four nearest neighbors. At zero magnetic field, antiferromagnetic long-range order has been observed below TN = 2.7 K. Magnetic susceptibility in both paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic states and the magnetization curves are well reproduced by quantum Monte Carlo calculations with three antiferromagnetic interactions in the range of 4.3 to 6.6 K. From the concave shape of the magnetization curve, the shrinkage of spin due to spin fluctuations is evaluated to approximately 30% with respect to its classical value. The phase diagram of magnetic field versus temperature was determined by heat capacity and magnetization. In the field region below 3 T, a slight increase of TN was observed, which reflects the effect of spin fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Most of the previous studies about the surgical treatment of dropped head syndrome (DHS) are small case series, and their primary outcome measures were cervical alignment parameters. Therefore, little is known about the associations between pre- and postoperative global sagittal alignment in the whole spine and the clinical outcomes of the surgical treatment of DHS. In this study, we investigated the surgical outcomes of DHS, including correction of cervical and global spinal sagittal alignment. Methods This study was a retrospective observational study. Fifteen patients with DHS who had undergone correction surgery were enrolled. Surgical outcomes, including complications and implant failures, were investigated. We assessed cervical alignment parameters as well as spinopelvic global alignment parameters, including pelvic incidence (PI), lumbar lordosis (LL), and C7-sacral sagittal vertical axis (SVA). We examined the changes in these parameters using pre- and posoperative whole spine lateral radiographs. The parameters were compared between the failure and nonfailure groups. Results Recurrence of sagittal imbalance and horizontal gaze difficulty was observed in 6 cases (40%). In all, 3 cases (20%) exhibited a distal junctional failure and required multiple surgeries with extension of fusion. Of all the radiographic parameters compared between the failure and nonfailure groups, significant differences were only observed in pre and postoperative SVA and PI-LL. Conclusions Our results suggest that the global sagittal alignment parameters, including PI-LL and SVA, were different between the patients with failure and non failure, and these parameters might have notable impacts on surgical outcomes. Surgeons should consider PI-LL and SVA while determining the surgical course for patients with DHS.

We report magnetic and structural studies on the two-dimensional antiferromagnets (MCl)LaNb2O7 (M = Mn, Cr, Co), prepared by topochemical reactions of a layered perovskite RbLaNb2O7. Electron diffraction of these oxyhalides revealed a superstructure with a √ ? √ cell for M = Mn and Co, and a 2a × 2a cell for M = Cr, indicating that the MCl networks are distorted from an ideal square lattice. Neutron diffraction experiments showed that M = Mn and Co exhibit a (Π 0 Π) antiferromagnetic order as observed for the S = 1/2 counterparts. (CoCl)LaNb2O7 with a strong spin anisotropy shows an antiferro to weak-ferromagnetic transition at low field, followed by novel two-step metamagnetic transitions likely associated with a 1/2 plateau for 27-54 T. Possible spin structures under magnetic field are discussed in terms of an Ising-type model. By contrast, (CrCl)LaNb2O7 exhibits a (Π Π Π) order, which is the first observation among related oxyhalides, and a spin-flop transition at 12 T due to a weak spin anisotropy. These results suggest that a slight difference in the MCl structure and spin anisotropy provides a crucial influence on the magnetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-plane resistivity, Hall resistivity, and magnetization of graphite were investigated in pulsed magnetic fields applied along the c-axis. The Hall resistivity approaches zero at approximately 53 T where the in-plane and out-of-plane resistivities steeply decrease. The differential magnetization also shows an anomaly at around this field with an amplitude similar to that of de Haas-van Alphen oscillations at lower fields. This transition field appears insensitive to disorder, but reduces with hole doping. These results suggest the realization of the quantum limit states above 53 T. As a plausible explanation for the observed gapped out-of-plane conduction above 53 T, the emergence of the excitonic BCSlike state in graphite is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the crystal structure of Ba2CoSi2O6Cl2, which was synthesized in this work, and investigated its quantum magnetic properties using single crystals. This compound should be described as a two-dimensionally coupled spin-1/2 XY-like spin dimer system. Ba2CoSi2O6Cl2 exhibits a stepwise magnetization process with a plateau at half of the saturation magnetization, irrespective of the field direction, although all the Co2+ sites are equivalent. This indicates that spin triplets are localized owing to the almost perfect frustration of interdimer exchange interactions. Thus, the spin states for the zero and 1/2 magnetization-plateau states are almost exactly given by the simple product of singlet dimers and the alternate product of singlet and triplet dimers, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a frustrated J1-J2 chain with the nearest-neighbor ferromagnetic interaction J1 and the next-nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interaction J2, novel magnetic states such as a spin-nematic state are theoretically expected. However, they have been rarely examined in experiments because of the difficulty in obtaining suitable model compounds. We show here that the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet NaCuMoO4(OH), which comprises edge-sharing CuO2 chains, is a good candidate J1-J2 chain antiferromagnet. The exchange interactions are estimated as J1 = -51K and J2 = 36K by comparing the magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and magnetization data with the data obtained using calculations by the exact diagonalization method. High-field magnetization measurements at 1.3K show a saturation above 26 T with little evidence of a spin nematic state expected just below the saturation field, which is probably due to smearing effects caused by thermal fluctuations and the polycrystalline nature of the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the crystal structure of Ba2CoSi2O6Cl2, which was synthesized in this work, and investigated its quantum magnetic properties using single crystals. This compound should be described as a two-dimensionally coupled spin-½ XY-like spin dimer system. Ba2CoSi2O6Ci2 exhibits a stepwise magnetization process with a plateau at half of the saturation magnetization, irrespective of the field direction, although all the Co2+ sites are equivalent. This indicates that spin triplets are localized owing to the almost perfect frustration of interdimer exchange interactions. Thus, the spin states for the zero and ½ magnetization-plateau states are almost exactly given by the simple product of singlet dimers and the alternate product of singlet and triplet dimers, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic and dielectric properties of akermanite Ca2CoSi2O7 single crystals were investigated in pulsed high magnetic fields. In magnetic fields along the c-axis, Ca2CoSi2O7 shows a magnetization plateau in a wide field range below saturation. Magnetization processes for fields along the a- and b-axes show multiple anomalies and different traces, indicating the breaking of four-fold symmetry. Measurements of the magnetoelectric effect exhibit changes in electric polarization depending on changes in the spin system. The experimentally determined quadratic magnetoelectric tensor is consistent with that expected in the crystal symmetry of orthorhombic P21212. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the magnetic properties of the modified pyrochlore fluorides ACr2F6 (A = Rb and Cs), which consist of antiferromagnetically interacting Cr3+ and Cr2+. Both systems have Curie-Weiss temperatures of about -40 K and exhibit magnetic ordering at about 17 K. Below the ordering temperatures, RbCr2F6 has a small spontaneous magnetic moment but not CsCr2F6. In a magnetic field, they exhibit a change in the slope of their magnetization curves at about 3 T, which is likely to be due to a spin flop. In addition, we found field-induced magnetic transitions of RbCr2F6 at 25 T, where it has a magnetic moment of about 4 μB per formula unit. The spin structure at about 25 T is considered to be a collinear one, in which all Cr2+ ions and half of the Cr3+ ions are aligned parallel to the field and the other half of the Cr3+ ions are antiparallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in "osteosarcopenia" as the coexistence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia exacerbates negative outcomes. However, limited information is available regarding the risk factors of osteosarcopenia development in patients with osteoporosis. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed 276 consecutive patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis who regularly visited Showa University Hospital. Patients were eligible for the study if they were ≥65 years of age and underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, blood sampling, and physical performance assessment. Patients were divided into the osteosarcopenia and osteoporosis alone groups according to the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Of the 276 patients with osteoporosis, 54 patients (19.6%) had osteosarcopenia. Patients in the osteosarcopenia group had a greater risk of frailty than did those in the osteoporosis alone group (odds ratio 2.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-4.80, P = 0.028). Low body mass index seemed to be the strongest factor related to the development of osteosarcopenia, and none of the patients in the osteosarcopenia group were obese (BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that patients aged 65-74 years who had comorbidities such as kidney dysfunction and high levels of HbA1c were at risk of developing osteosarcopenia. Thus, we strongly recommend the assessment of the key components of the diagnosis of osteosarcopenia in an osteoporosis clinic for patients with low body mass index. Furthermore, appropriate assessments, including comorbidities, will help in identifying patients at greater risk of developing osteosarcopenia.

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a surgical process of new bone generation through the gradual extension of two segments of existing bone. DO is applied for maxillofacial surgeries to manage defects in mandibular continuity. Vertical DO with an oral device is often employed to augment the alveolar bone height for better implant anchorage for esthetic purposes or functional prosthetic requirements. To determine how the periosteum affects the vertical DO in mandibular reconstruction, we extracted the teeth and resected the alveolar parts of the mandible on both sides of dogs, along with removal of the surrounding periosteum in the right, but not left side. Three months later, box-shaped bone segments (vectors) were prepared from the resected alveolar part, and the segments were vertically elongated using a distraction device on both sides at 0.9 mm/day for one week. The extent of bone formation after distraction was determined with micro-focused computed tomography and by measuring incorporation of tetracycline and calcein with confocal laser scanning microscopy. During the initial two months after distraction, new bone formation was observed more prominently in the left side than in the right side of mandible with the periosteum. However, this difference was less clear during the bone-remodeling period. One notable change was the reduced height of the alveolar part of the right-side mandible, a sign of external bone resorption, observed in two out of three dogs at 6-month post-consolidation. These findings suggest that preservation of periosteum prevents the external bone resorption during the vertical DO of mandible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a very rare (5~7%) case of bilateral C5 palsy after cervical surgery. A 71-year-old male patient with cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) with foraminal stenosis at bilateral C4/5 underwent posterior decompression and fusion surgery. After surgery, muscle weakness in his both deltoid and biceps was detected and gradually deteriorated to complete paralysis. Postoperative MRI showed sufficient decompression of the spinal cord and posterior shifting. Subsequently, an additional bilateral foraminotomy at C4/5 was performed, with a suspicion that bilateral foraminal stenosis at C4/5 may have been the cause of the paresis. After foraminotomy, muscular contraction was seen in both deltoid and biceps. Finally, complete motor recovery was achieved in a year. Although the gold standard procedure for the prevention and treatment of postoperative C5 palsy has not yet been established, an additional foraminotomy may be recommended for severe C5 palsy in cases of foraminal stenosis even after the occurrence of palsy.

We measured the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility χ(T) and the specific heat C(T) and the magnetic-field dependence of the magnetization M(H) of A2Ni2Mo3O12(A = Rb or K) powder. We consider that the probable spin model is an interacting spin-1 antiferromagnetic tetramer model. We evaluated values of the intratetramer interactions as J1=9 K and J2=18 K, and the effective intertetramer interaction as Jeff=4 K for Rb2Ni2Mo3O12. The susceptibility and magnetization at 1.3 K of K2Ni2Mo3O12 are very close to those of Rb2Ni2Mo3O12. We observed a phase transition to a magnetically ordered state in C(T)/T in magnetic fields above 3 T. The transition temperature increases with magnetic field. Probably, the ordered state appears around 1.8 K even in 0 T. The ordered state in 0 T, however, is not stable enough like an order in the vicinity of a quantum critical point. Longitudinal-mode magnetic excitations may be observable in single crystalline A2Ni2Mo3O12(A = Rb or K). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of absorption behavior of solubilizers on drug dissolution in the gastrointestinal tract. After oral administration of FITCedextran (FD-10), a nonabsorbable marker, and cilostazol (CZ), a low-solubility drug, with or without solubilizers (dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], and D-a-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate [TPGS]), the in vivo rat luminal concentrations of these compounds were determined by direct sampling of residual water in each segment of the gastrointestinal tract. DMSO was rapidly absorbed and not detected in the middle small intestine. Conversely, the TPGS concentration increased by 1.5-and 2-fold relative to the initial dose concentration in the middle and lower small intestine, respectively, owing to condensation. Then, normalized area under the luminal concentrationetime curve of solid CZ was calculated from the luminal concentrationetime profiles of FD-10 and solid CZ to evaluate in vivo dissolution behavior of CZ. The dissolution of CZ was marked when administered with TPGS compared with that when administered with DMSO, especially in the lower small intestine. This clearly indicates that absorbability of solubilizers is one of the important factors in determining the solubilizing effect. These findings may be beneficial to development of oral lipophilic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural and magnetic properties of cubic spinel selenides GaM4Se8 (M=Nb, Ta), which are candidates for the molecular Jeff=3/2 Mott insulators, are investigated. The effective magnetic moments are reduced compared to the spin only value, indicating the presence of sizable spin-orbit coupling. GaNb4Se8 and GaTa4Se8 exhibit phase transitions into the nonmagnetic ground states with orthorhombic and tetragonal structures, respectively, which are robust against magnetic field up to at least 60 T. A cubic-cubic phase transition is observed in GaNb4Se8 preceding the magnetic transition, suggesting the existence of a quadrupolar-ordered phase theoretically predicted in the Jeff=3/2 Mott insulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat and the magnetic-field dependence of the magnetization of CuInVO5. An antiferromagnetically ordered state appears below TN = 2.7 K. We observed a 1/2 quantum magnetization plateau above 30 T at 1.3 K. We consider that the probable spin model for CuInVO5 is an interacting spin-1/2 tetramer model. We evaluated values of the intratetramer interactions as J1 = 240±20 K (antiferromagnetic) and J2 = -142±10 K (ferromagnetic). The ground state of the isolated spin tetramer with the J1 and J2 values is spin singlet. The shrinkage of ordered magnetic moments by quantum fluctuation can be expected. Detectable low-energy longitudinal-mode magnetic excitations may exist in CuInVO5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiCuCu2PO6, a spin-gapped material in a frustrated two-leg ladder lattice, exhibits a complex (H,T) phase diagram in external magnetic fields. We have characterized the field-induced phases through specific heat, magnetocaloric effect, Faraday rotation, and magnetization measurements in fields up to 120 T. In addition to observing a magnetic phase above 60 T which we attribute to the crystallization of triplet excitations, our measurements reveal the emergence and the subsequent disappearance of a high-entropy (short-range-ordered) phase at first and second critical magnetic fields, respectively. This is in good agreement with the theoretical prediction of a quantum soliton lattice at intermediate fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]