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Kazuki Matsuura,1,2 Nao Takanashi2 1Department of Ophthalmology, Nojima Hospital, Kurayoshi-city, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tottori University, Yonago-city, JapanCorrespondence: Kazuki Matsuura, Nojima Hospital, 2714-1, Sesaki-machi, Kurayoshi-city, Tottori Prefecture, 6820863, Japan, Tel +81-858-22-6231, Fax +81-858-22-6843, Email matsuura.kzk@gmail.comAbstract: The stop-and-chop technique, which involves occlusion and chopping using vacuum to stabilize the nucleus, is an excellent combination of the divide-and-conquer and phaco-chop techniques. However, effectively chopping an un-solid (soft to moderate) nucleus is not easy, since the optimal vacuum to hold an un-solid nucleus is often associated with breaking of occlusion and aspiration of the nucleus. We modified the stop-and-chop technique such that occlusion and tight nucleus holding using ultrasound (US) power is not necessary. After completing the central groove and cracking the nucleus into two hemi-sections, the right nucleus half is chopped without nucleus rotation and occlusion. The right hemi-nucleus is stabilized by pressing against the right sac with the US tip without occlusion. Since this technique can reduce the risk of nucleus perforation and posterior capsular rupture, the surgeons can place the US tip firmly in a deep position, which provide safe and efficient nucleus division.Keywords: cataract surgery, divide-and-conquer technique, stop-and-chop technique, power free phacoemulsification, stop-and-press technique

Noriko Takebe,1,2 Kozo Tanno,2,3 Hideki Ohmomo,2 Mari Hangai,1,2 Tomoyasu Oda,1 Yutaka Hasegawa,1,2 Nobuyuki Takanashi,2,3 Ryohei Sasaki,2,4 Atsushi Shimizu,2 Akira Sasaki,5 Kiyomi Sakata,2,3 Makoto Sasaki,2 Yasushi Ishigaki1,2 1Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Yahaba, Japan; 2Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, Yahaba, Japan; 3Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Yahaba, Japan; 4Department of Human Sciences, Center for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Yahaba, Japan; 5Department of Surgery, Iwate Medical University, Yahaba, JapanCorrespondence: Yasushi IshigakiDivision of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 2-1-1 Idai-Dori, Yahaba, Iwate, 028-3695, JapanTel +81 19 613 7111Fax +81 19 907 8270Email ishigaki@iwate-med.ac.jpPurpose: It is unclear what kind of modifiable lifestyle factors are associated with long-time weight gain in adulthood. To clarify the lifestyle behavior related to body weight gain since the age of 20 years, we explored the lifestyle risk factor, independently associated with excessive weight gain after 20 years of age as compared to those in subjects with a stable weight, with matching of age, gender, and the current body mass index (BMI).Patients and Methods: From baseline data of a general population-based cohort study, we designed a cross-sectional analysis collecting individual data of medical health check-ups and a questionnaire related to lifestyle, including amount of sleep, frequency of eating breakfast, average times per day engaged in walking and sitting in the prior year, and smoking habits. These data were compared between the subjects with weight gain ≥ 10kg (n=3601) and < 10kg (n=3601) after age 20, matched by a propensity score model which included current BMI, age and gender. We used multivariable logistic regressions to assess the lifestyle factor’s association with high weight gain.Results: Participants who gained ≥ 10 kg were significantly more likely to sleep < 5 hours or ≥ 9 hours per night, skip breakfast, engage in walking < 1 hour per day, and sit ≥ 5 hours per day than those who gained < 10kg. Multivariable logistic regressions analyses showed that, with adjusting for potential confounder, the lifestyles with the positive association with high weight gain were skipping breakfast (OR 1.252; 95% CI 1.053– 1.489, vs regularly), long sleeping duration (9 hours/day≤ OR 1.613; 95% CI 1.018– 2.557 vs 5≤-< 7 hours/day), and former smoker (OR 1.163; 95% CI 1.008– 1.343 vs never smoker), while walking duration was negatively associated with high weight gain. Furthermore, despite similar current BMI, participants with weight gain ≥ 10kg had significantly higher values for waist circumference, blood pressure, HbA1c, LDL-C, triglycerides, and hepatic enzyme levels than those with weight gain < 10kg. Similarly, the prevalence rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and former smoker were higher in the participants with weight gain ≥ 10kg.Conclusion: Major weight gain after 20 years of age was associated with unfavorable lifestyle factors and greater waist circumference, possibly leading to elevated risk for MetS and other non-communicable diseases. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining both weight at age 20 and a favorable lifestyle throughout adulthood.Keywords: metabolic syndrome, physical activity, skipping breakfast, sleep duration, waist circumference, weight gain

Continuous-variable optical quantum information processing, where quantum information is encoded in a traveling wave of light called a flying qubit, is a candidate for a practical quantum computer with high clock frequencies. Homodyne detectors for quadrature-phase amplitude measurements have been the major factor limiting the clock frequency. Here, we developed a real-time amplitude measurement method using a modular optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and a broadband balanced photodiode that is commercially used for coherent wavelength-division multiplexing telecommunication of the fifth-generation mobile communication systems (5G). The OPA amplifies one quadrature-phase component of the quantum-level signal to a loss-tolerant macroscopic level and suppresses the loss after the OPA from 92.4% to only 0.4%. This method was applied to a broadband squeezed vacuum measurement with a center wavelength of 1545.32 nm. In the time-domain measurement, the squeezing level of 5.1 ± 0.1 dB without loss correction was obtained by a real-time oscilloscope with a sampling rate of 160 GHz and an analog bandwidth of 63 GHz. The frequency-domain analysis also shows that a squeezing level of 5.2 ± 0.5 dB is obtained from DC to 43 GHz, which is limited by the balanced detector. This indicates that the proposed method can be easily broadened by using a broader bandwidth measurement instrument. By applying this method, not only can optical quantum computers with high clock frequencies be realized but also multi-core systems can be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have analysed multiband light curves of 328 intermediate-redshift (0.05 ≤ z < 0.24) Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II Supernova Survey. The multiband light curves were parametrized by using the multiband stretch method, which can simply parametrize light-curve shapes and peak brightness without dust extinction models. We found that most of the SNe Ia that appeared in red host galaxies (u - r > 2.5) do not have a broad light-curve width and the SNe Ia that appeared in blue host galaxies (u - r < 2.0) have a variety of light-curve widths. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test shows that the colour distribution of SNe Ia appearing in red/blue host galaxies is different (a significance level of 99.9 per cent). We also investigate the extinction law of host galaxy dust. As a result, we find that the value of Rv derived from SNe Ia with medium light-curve widths is consistent with the standard Galactic value, whereas the value of Rv derived from SNe Ia that appear in red host galaxies becomes significantly smaller. These results indicate that there may be two types of SNe Ia with different intrinsic colours, and that they are obscured by host galaxy dust with two different properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We create new U-, B-, V-, R- and I-band light-curve templates of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and re-analyse 122 nearby (redshift < 0.11) SNe Ia using a new ‘Multiband Stretch method’, which is a revised Stretch method extended to five bands. We find (i) our I-band template can fit about 90 per cent of SNe Ia I-band light curves, (ii) relationships between luminosity, colours and stretch factors, (iii) possible subgroups of SNe Ia and (iv) the ratio of total to selective extinction R in other galaxies can be consistent with that in the Milky Way under the assumption that SNe Ia have diversity in their intrinsic colour. Based on these results, we discuss how to select subsets of SNe Ia to serve as good distance indicators for cosmology. We find two possibilities: one is to choose ‘BV bluest’[ ] objects and the other is to use only SNe Ia which occur in E or S0 galaxies. Within these subsets, we find the root mean square (rms) of peak B-band magnitudes is 0.17 mag (‘BV bluest’ sample) and 0.12 mag (E or S0 sample). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present recent activities delivering astronomy to the public by the Tenpla project in Japan. One is voluntary activities in the disaster area of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The other is holding tens of star parties and public lectures in the central area of Tokyo. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]