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The size tunability and chemical versatility of nanostructures enable electron sources of high brightness and temporal coherence, both of which are important characteristics for high-resolution electron microscopy1–3. Despite intensive research efforts in the field, so far, only conventional field emitters based on a bulk tungsten (W) needle have been able to yield atomic-resolution images. The absence of viable alternatives is in part caused by insufficient fabrication precision for nanostructured sources, which require an alignment precision of subdegree angular deviation of a nanometre-sized emission area with the macroscopic emitter axis4. To overcome this challenge, in this work we micro-engineered a LaB6 nanowire-based electron source that emitted a highly collimated electron beam with good lateral and angular alignment. We integrated a passive collimator structure into the support needle tip for the LaB6 nanowire emitter. The collimator formed an axially symmetric electric field around the emission tip of the nanowire. Furthermore, by means of micromanipulation, the support needle tip was bent to align the emitted electron beam with the emitter axis. After installation in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, we characterized the performance of the electron source in a vacuum of 10−8 Pa and achieved atomic resolution in both broad-beam and probe-forming modes at 60 kV beam energy. The natural, unmonochromated 0.20 eV electron energy loss spectroscopy resolution, 20% probe-forming efficiency and 0.4% probe current peak-to-peak noise ratio paired with modest vacuum requirements make the LaB6 nanowire-based electron source an attractive alternative to the standard W-based sources for low-cost electron beam instruments. So far, only conventional field emitters based on a bulk W needle have achieved atomic resolution in electron microscopy. Here, through the integration of a passive collimator structure and micromanipulation-based alignment of the support needle, a LaB6 nanowire emitter yields stable emission under moderate vacuum conditions and allows for atomic-resolution images and high energy resolution.

Background This study aimed to clarify predictors of preterm birth in pregnancy of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the predictors of preterm birth before pregnancy from the perspective of the importance of preconception care. Methods We analysed fetal outcomes of 108 pregnancies in 74 SLE patients in a retrospective study. We compared pre-pregnancy clinical characteristics and disease activity in these women between the preterm birth and full-term birth groups to select predictive factors for preterm birth before pregnancy. Results Eighty-three of 108 pregnancies resulted in live births, of which 27 (25.0%) were preterm births. Pre-pregnancy serum complement 3 (C3) level was significantly lower in the preterm birth group (77.0 mg/dl) than the full-term birth group (87.5 mg/dl) (P = 0.029). Multivariate analysis identified history of lupus nephritis (odds ratio: 5.734, 95% CI 1.568–21.010, P = 0.008) and low C3 level (< 85 mg/dl) at pre-pregnancy (odds ratio 4.498, 95% CI 1.296–15.616, P = 0.018) as risk factors for preterm birth. The greater the number of these risk factors, the higher was the preterm birth rate (P = 0.0007). In the case of SLEDAI score ≤ 4, the preterm birth rate was higher in the pre-pregnancy low C3 group (< 85 mg/dl) (42.1%) than in the high C3 group (C3 ≥ 85 mg/dl) (14.7%) (P = 0.018). Conclusion For patients with a history of LN, treatment management focusing on pre-pregnancy serum complement levels is very important.

Aim This study examined whether the intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) prevented post-partum depression and if interleukin 6 (IL-6) was involved in this effect. We hypothesized that omega-3 supplementation has a protective effect against post-partum depression. Methods We measured eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the arachidonic acid (AA)/EPA ratio, and IL-6 in 80 singleton pregnant women during the first and second trimesters, and post-partum. The women also completed a dietary questionnaire, and post-partum depression was measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). We examined the correlations between the frequency of eating fish and EPA, the AA/EPA ratio and IL-6 in the first and second trimesters, and post-partum. We also investigated the correlation between the EPDS and the EPA, the AA/EPA ratio and IL-6. Results The frequency of eating fish was significantly correlated with EPA in the second trimester and post-partum and with the AA/EPA ratio in the second trimester. There was no correlation between IL-6 levels and the frequency of eating fish. Post-partum levels of EPA and the AA/EPA ratio were higher in the EPDS >7 group than in the EPDS ≤7 group. In the second trimester, a higher AA/EPA ratio was associated with EPDS >7. IL-6 levels did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion In conclusion, a low dietary intake of omega-3 PUFA during pregnancy was correlated with lower EPA levels, which tended to lead to post-partum depression. The relationship between the IL-6 level and the pathogenesis of post-partum depression was unclear from the results of this study.

[Purpose] To clarify the effect of asymmetrical buttock pressure on the shear forces exerted on a buttock. [Participants and Methods] Sixteen healthy adult males participated in this study. A cushion 0 or 2 cm high was placed on the left side of the seat for all participants. The 0- and 2-cm height conditions were called "without difference condition" and "difference condition", respectively. The back support was inclined at increasing angles, starting at the upright position, to a fully reclined position, and back to the upright position. [Results] With the "difference condition", the force on the left buttock was 147.4% body weight and that on the right buttock was 105.6% body weight. In contrast, with the "without difference condition", there was no significant difference in the force on the left buttock and right buttock in terms of percent body weight. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that asymmetrical buttock pressure while in the sitting position causes a difference in shear force exerted on the left and right buttocks when using a reclining chair.

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine whether pulmonary oxygen uptake on-kinetics at the onset of moderate-intensity exercise can predict acute cardiovascular responses to resistance exercise. [Participants and Methods] The association between pulmonary oxygen uptake on-kinetics and acute cardiovascular responses to a single resistance exercise session was investigated in seven patients with low-risk coronary artery disease who underwent revascularization through percutaneous coronary intervention. The participants performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a cycle ergometer and a single resistance exercise session at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction on a bilateral leg-extension machine 1 week after surgery. We measured the ventilatory anaerobic threshold and pulmonary oxygen uptake on-kinetics during the cardiopulmonary exercise test; left ventricular ejection fraction at rest; and heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and rate pressure product during the single resistance exercise session. [Results] Pulmonary oxygen uptake on-kinetics showed a positive association with the amount of increase in systolic blood pressure and rate pressure product during the single resistance exercise session, but had no association with the amount of increase in heart rate. Ventilatory anaerobic threshold and left ventricular ejection fraction were not associated with these parameters. [Conclusion] These data suggested that pulmonary oxygen uptake on-kinetics can be a useful evaluation index for predicting acute systolic blood pressure and rate pressure product responses to low-intensity resistance exercise 1 week after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with low-risk coronary artery disease.

This purpose was to investigate developed seat-cover assemblies' effect on decreasing the fluctuation of the shear force exerted onto the buttocks as the factors causing decubitus ulcers when the back-support was inclined.The participants were 10 wheelchair users. The force plate was used to measure the horizontal force as the shear force. The back-support was inclined at increasing angles, starting from the upright position (IUP), then proceeding to a fully reclined position (FRP), and returning to the upright position (RUP). The experimental conditions were two conditions; the seat-cover assembly conditions and without the seat-cover assembly as the control conditions.The average values in the seat-cover assembly condition were 14.4 ± 3.3, 13.9 ± 2.3, and 17.3 ± 3.3% body weight in the IUP, FRP, and RUP, respectively. The average values in the control condition were 14.8 ± 2.6, 11.4 ± 1.7, and 24.0 ± 6.7% body weight in the IUP, FRP, and RUP, respectively. In the FUP and the RUP, there were significant differences between two conditions (These results suggested that the shear force exerted onto the buttocks may to be decreased by using novel seat-cover assembly.Implications for rehabilitationIt is possible to decrease the fluctuations in the shear force by moving the body up and down according the novel seat-cover assembly attached the back-support incline.Disabled, older individuals can be provided with a comfortable life on a reclining wheelchair while preventing decubitus ulcers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the frequency of typical Japanese dietary pattern (JDP) meal consumption and nutrient intake in Japanese university athletes. Dietary information was collected on three non-consecutive days using the 24-hour dietary recall method in the summer of 2013 and 2015. JDP meals were defined based on the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top. A total of 272 (145 males) university athletes were divided into four groups based on their daily frequency of JDP meal consumption: daily consumption was ≤0.67 times in Group I (36 males, 57 females), once in Group II (39 males, 22 females), 1.33 times in Group III (35 males, 21 females), and ≥1.67 times in Group IV (35 males, 27 females). Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the odds ratio of not meeting the reference intake value of the dietary recommendation for athletes (DRA) or the recommended daily allowance for Japanese (2015) (RDA). The median JDP meal consumption was once a day. In both males and females, a significant trend was observed in energy intake, which progressively increased in Groups II, III, and IV compared to Group I (p < 0.001 for both genders). The higher the frequency of JDP meal consumption, the higher the intake of both food groups and nutrients. The higher the JDP meal frequency, the lower the risk of not meeting the DRA or RDA. These observations in summer suggest that increasing the frequency of JDP meal consumption may prevent inadequate nutrient intake for Japanese university athletes.

Heterogeneous atoms doping has been proven as an efficient route to tune the physical and chemical properties of semiconductors, represented by the technically mature boron and phosphorus doping in...

Energy storage devices using electrochemical reactions have become an integral part of our daily lives, and further improvement of their performance is highly demanded. An important task for this purpose is to thoroughly understand the electrochemical processes governing their chemistry. Here we develop a method based on Kelvin probe force microscopy that enables dynamic visualization of changes in the internal potential distribution in an operating electrochemical device and use it to characterize an all-solid-state lithium ion battery. Observation of the cathode composite regions during a cyclic voltammetry operation reveals differences between the behavior of local electrochemical reactions in the charge and discharge processes. Based on careful inspection of the results, we show that the difference arises from a change in the state of an electronic conductive path network in the composite electrode. Our method provides new insights into the local electrochemical reactions during electrochemical operation of devices. Understanding the working mechanisms of electrochemical energy storage devices is crucial for the design of those with improved performances. Here the authors use Kelvin probe force microscopy to dynamically image the internal potential distribution in an operating all-solid-state Li ion battery.

OBJECTIVE One of the major problems with artificial intelligence (AI) is that it is generally known as a "black box". Therefore, the present study aimed to construct an emergency cesarean section (CS) prediction system using an AI-based rule extraction approach as a "white box" to detect the cause for the emergency CS. METHODS Data were collected from all perinatal records of all delivery outcomes at Osaka Medical College between December 2014 and July 2019. We identified the delivery method for all deliveries after 36 gestational weeks as either (1) vaginal delivery or scheduled CS, or (2) emergency CS. From among these, we selected 52 risk factors to feed into an AI-based rule extraction algorithm to extract rules to predict an emergency CS. RESULTS We identified 1513 singleton deliveries (1285 [84.9%] vaginal deliveries, 228 emergency CS [15.1%]) and extracted 15 rules. We achieved an average accuracy of 81.90% using five-fold cross-validation and an area under the receiving operating characteristic curve of 71.46%. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study to use interpretable AI-based rule extraction technology to predict an emergency CS. This system appears to be useful for identifying hidden factors for emergency CS.

It is predicted that there are 600,000 to 1,000,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Japan. To quantitatively diagnose RA using X-ray images, the modified total sharp score (mTSS) has been used, although, the evaluation method depends on the experience of the physicians. It desires computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems to improve the quality of diagnosis for RA patients. In this study, we compare a method using ridge regression (RR) and methods using 3 models (VGG16, DenseNet201 and Xception) of convolutional neural network (CNN) on mTSS prediction methods for hand rheumatoid arthritis of the hand. To compare the 4 method, we conducted an experiment on 90 RA patients using X-ray images of their hands. The experimental results showed that the mTSS prediction of erosion was best with RR, and the mTSS prediction of JSN was best with VGG16.

Gait parameters calculated from trunk acceleration reflect the features of gait; however, they cannot evaluate the gait pattern corresponding to the gait cycle. This study is aimed at investigating the differences in gait parameters calculated from trunk acceleration during gait corresponding to the gait cycle in healthy subjects with restricted knee extension. Participants included eight healthy volunteers who walked normally (NW) and with knee orthosis that restricted knee extension (ER). The ground reaction force (GRF), joint angles, and trunk acceleration during walking were measured using four force plates, a three-dimensional motion analysis system, and an inertial measurement unit. The peak GRF of the vertical components, joint ranges of motion, and moments of force were analyzed. The root mean square (RMS) and amplitude peak ratio (AR) of autocorrelation function were calculated from the trunk acceleration waveform. The first peak GRF and peak ankle dorsiflexion angles significantly increased during ER. The peak hip extension, knee flexion, knee extension angles, and the peak moment of knee extension significantly decreased during ER compared to that during NW. The acceleration AR significantly decreased during ER compared to that during NW. There was no significant difference in the RMS between the two conditions. The acceleration AR may show the temporal postural structure with restricted knee extension from the terminal stance phase for the ipsilateral limb to the initial stance phase for the contralateral limb. These results suggest that novel metrics for accelerometry gait analysis can reveal gait abnormalities, with restricted knee extension corresponding to the gait cycle.

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effect of the combination of 15° tilt-in-space and recline angles on the fluctuation of shear forces exerted on the buttocks. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 11 healthy adult males. The parameters of the shear forces were the parallel and perpendicular forces exerted on the buttocks as measured by a force plate. The two conditions tested were T0R100-130 and T15R100-130. The tilt-in-space angles were set to 0° and 15° in the T0R100-130 and T15R100-130 conditions, respectively. The reclining angles were determined to be 100° to 130° in both conditions. [Results] Upon comparing the two conditions, the parallel and the perpendicular forces exerted on the buttocks in the T15R100-130 condition were significantly lower than those in the T0R100-130 condition in all positions of back support. Upon comparing the fluctuation values of the parallel and perpendicular forces, those applied in the T15R100-130 condition were significantly higher than those in the T0R100-130 condition. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the fluctuation of shear forces exerted on the buttocks could be decreased by using a combination of 15° tilt-in-space and reclining functions.

To date, the applications of photoplethysmograms in the estimation of cuff-less blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and so on have been studied. Photoplethysmogram waveform features have often been used to estimate the target volumes. For these estimations, it is necessary to acquire photoplethysmogram waveforms and changes in their derivative waveform details, for which the photoplethysmograms measured at comparatively high sampling rates have been used. The performance of smartphone cameras and wearable photoplethysmogram sensors has improved; with regard to mobile health technology, photoplethysmograms measured at lower sampling rates offer considerable advantages. These include lower computational resources, compression of accumulated data, and lower sensor power consumption. However, compared to photoplethysmograms measured at a high sampling rate, photoplethysmogram measurement at a low sampling rate will result in waveform signal degradation. This paper investigates the possibility of using photoplethysmograms measured at a low sampling rate. To this end, we statistically compared photoplethysmogram waveform features obtained from 63 male subjects free of circulatory diseases, at a sampling rate of 240 Hz, with waveform features obtained at low sampling rates (120, 60, 30, 20, and 10 Hz) through downsampling, and evaluated possible commercial use.

The size tunability and chemical versatility of nanostructures provide attractive engineering potential to realize an electron source of high brightness and spatial temporal coherence, which is a characteristic ever pursued by high resolution electron microscopy. (1–3) Regardless of the intensive research efforts, electron sources that have ever produced atomic resolution images are still limited to the conventional field emitters based on a bulk W needle. It is due to the lack of fabrication precision for nanostructured sources, that is required to align a nanometric emission volume along a macroscopic emitter axis with sub-degree angular deviation. (4) In this work, we produced a LaB6 nanowire electron source which was micro-engineered to ensure a highly collimated electron beam with perfect lateral and angular alignment. Such electron source was validated by installing in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, where atomic resolution in both broad-beam and probe-forming modes were demonstrated at 60kV beam energy. The recorded un-monochromated 0.20eV electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) resolution, together with 20% probe forming efficiency and 0.4% probe current peak-to-peak noise ratio under a wide vacuum range, presented the unique advantages of nanotechnology and promised high performance low-cost electron beam instruments.

Dynamic regulation of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinase 2 (GRK2) expression restores cellular function by protecting from overstimulation via GPCR and non-GPCR signaling. In the primary afferent neurons, GRK2 negatively regulates nociceptive tone. The present study tested the hypothesis that induction of GRK2 in the primary afferent neurons contributes to the resolution of acute pain after tissue injury. GRK2 expression in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was analyzed at 1 and 7 days after the incision. Intraperitoneal administration of a GRK2 inhibitor was performed 7 days post-incision in male Sprague-Dawley rats who underwent plantar incisions to analyze the pain-related behavioral effect of the GRK2 inhibitor. Separately, GRK2 expression was analyzed after injecting insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) into the rat hind paw. In addition, an IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) inhibitor was administered in the plantar incision rats to determine its effect on the incision-induced hyperalgesia and GRK2 expression. Plantar incision induced an increase in GRK2 in the DRG at 7 days, but not at 1 day post-incision. Acute hyperalgesia after the plantar incision disappeared by 7 days post-incision. Intraperitoneal injection of the GRK2 inhibitor at this time reinstated mechanical hyperalgesia, although the GRK2 inhibitor did not produce hyperalgesia in naive rats. After the incision, IGF1 expression increased in the paw, but not in the DRG. Intraplantar injection of IGF1 increased GRK2 expression in the ipsilateral DRG. IGF1R inhibitor administration prevented both the induction of GRK2 and resolution of hyperalgesia after the plantar incision. These findings demonstrate that induction of GRK2 expression driven by tissue IGF1 has potent analgesic effects and produces resolution of hyperalgesia after tissue injury. Dysregulation of IGF1-GRK2 signaling could potentially lead to failure of the spontaneous resolution of acute pain and, hence, development of chronic pain after surgery.

Background. This study aimed to clarify predictors of preterm birth in pregnancy of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the predictors of preterm birth before pregnancy from the perspective of the importance of preconception care.Methods. We analysed foetal outcomes of 108 pregnancies in 74 SLE patients. We compared pre-pregnancy clinical characteristics and disease activity in these women between the preterm birth and full-term birth groups to select predictive factors for preterm birth before pregnancy.Results. Eighty-three of 108 pregnancies resulted in live births, of which 27 (25.0%) were preterm births. Pre-pregnancy serum complement 3 (C3) level was significantly lower in the preterm birth group (77.0 mg/dl) than the full-term birth group (87.5 mg/dl) (P = 0.029). Multivariate analysis identified history of lupus nephritis (odds ratio: 5.734, 95% CI: 1.568-21.010, P = 0.008) and low C3 level (

Time crystal was conceived in the 1970s as an autonomous engine made of only clocks to explain the life-like features of a virus. Later, time crystal was extended to living cells like neurons. The brain controls most biological clocks that regenerate the living cells continuously. Most cognitive tasks and learning in the brain run by periodic clock-like oscillations. Can we integrate all cognitive tasks in terms of running clocks of the hardware? Since the existing concept of time crystal has only one clock with a singularity point, we generalize the basic idea of time crystal so that we could bond many clocks in a 3D architecture. Harvesting inside phase singularity is the key. Since clocks reset continuously in the brain&ndash, body system, during reset, other clocks take over. So, we insert clock architecture inside singularity resembling brain components bottom-up and top-down. Instead of one clock, the time crystal turns to a composite, so it is poly-time crystal. We used century-old research on brain rhythms to compile the first hardware-free pure clock reconstruction of the human brain. Similar to the global effort on connectome, a spatial reconstruction of the brain, we advocate a global effort for more intricate mapping of all brain clocks, to fill missing links with respect to the brain&rsquo, s temporal map. Once made, reverse engineering the brain would remain a mere engineering challenge.

Objectives We explored rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity before, during, and after pregnancy in patients treated with tight control and investigated the association between disease activity in the postpartum period and those before and during pregnancy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed disease activity and medications of 27 patients before pregnancy, at every trimester, and in the postpartum period. Results Prednisolone was administered to 33% of patients with a median dose of 0 (0-2.5) mg/day and biologic agents was 78% in the third trimester. The median remission rates during all periods were the Disease Activity Score-28-C-reactive Protein assessed with three variables (DAS28-CRP-3) 85%, Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) 55%, and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) 54%. Although SDAI and CDAI decreased significantly from before pregnancy to the first trimester and increased from the third trimester to the postpartum period, DAS28-CRP-3 did not change during all periods. Although SDAI and CDAI before and during pregnancy were significantly correlated with those in the postpartum period, DAS28-CRP-3 was not. Conclusions Tight control before pregnancy suppressed RA disease activity during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. SDAI/CDAI before and during pregnancy were predictive for disease activity in the postpartum period.

Ritodrine hydrochloride is used for preterm labor, although serious side effects, including agranulocytosis, are reported. We report a case of ritodrine hydrochloride-induced agranulocytosis accompanied by bacteremia due to catheter infection. At 24 weeks of gestation, a female patient presented due to threatened premature labor and was administered continuous intravenous infusion of ritodrine hydrochloride. On day 36 after starting intravenous ritodrine hydrochloride, she was diagnosed with agranulocytosis. The white blood cell and granulocyte count nadirs were 1,660/μl and 438/μl. The cumulative dose of ritodrine hydrochloride was 2,610 mg. Ritodrine therapy was immediately stopped, and she was given an intravenous injection of antibiotics and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. From her blood culture, methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was detected. However, she started vaginal delivery two days after we stopped the ritodrine infusion. When using ritodrine hydrochloride, it is necessary to frequently check the white blood cell count, regardless of the total dose and treatment period.

Kelps form extensive underwater forests that underpin valuable ecosystem goods and services in temperate and polar rocky coastlines globally. Stressors, such as ocean warming and pollution are causing regional declines of kelp forests and their associated services worldwide. Kelp forest restoration is becoming a prominent management intervention, but we have little understanding of what drives restoration success at appropriate spatial scales. Though most restoration guidelines stress the importance of planning, stressor mitigation and ecological knowledge, other factors, such as lack of resources or institutional support are rarely discussed despite being potentially critical to achieving desired restoration outcomes. In this paper, we work to understand the importance of finances and institutions in the context of four of the world’s largest kelp restoration projects. These projects span four countries, six kelp genera and were initiated in response to different causes of decline. We argue that to restore kelp at desired scales, adequate financing, and institutional support are critical to overcome ecological and environmental limitations. Acknowledging limitations, we outline ways to mobilize resources and encourage institutions to support kelp restoration. Published version

Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are the most important energy storage devices. Novel methods for directly characterizing the behavior of Li ions during battery operations are highly coveted for understanding the fundamental working principles of the batteries and improving their device performances. In this study, we developed a novel method to visualize the change in Li ion distribution in the electrodes of all-solid-state (ASS) LIBs based on the time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry technique with an in situ electrical measurement system. We succeeded in directly visualizing the decrease/increase of Li concentration in the cathode composite electrode during the charging/discharging cycles. Our method paves the way to characterize the fundamental aspects of ASS LIBs for improving device performance, including the evaluation of Li-depleted regions, visualization of the conductive paths and analysis of the causes of device degradation.

This paper proposes a method that applies the Mahalanobis-Taguchi (MT) method in situations where the number of variables exceeds the number of training samples. In the proposed method, the diagnostic effectiveness of the variables is first evaluated using signal-to-noise (SN) ratio, and the MT method is then applied using only those variables with high diagnostic effectiveness. Accordingly, the variables are selected via a two-step process: (1) variables are selected before creating the unit space and (2) conventional variable selection is carried out using the MT method. The results of experimental evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed method using four different datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository indicate that its diagnostic performance is superior to that of the RT method.

The advanced confocal Raman microscopy provides a unique nondestructive, submicron feature resolving, and utility-convenient methodology for material stress analysis. Conventionally, only materials transparent to the excitation laser are allowed for depth-resolved 3D characterization. For opaque materials, the collected Raman scattering signal is inevitably an ensemble of contributions from multiple specimen layers. In this work, an informatics approach was adopted while considering both laser attenuation and confocal exclusivity to decompose true local stress components in three dimensions with submicron resolution. Such analytical power was demonstrated on a laser-opaque silicon wafer, where a depth-dependent study of stress dynamics was made possible. The technique extends to narrow band semiconductor-based microelectronic, solar cell, and battery materials, where stress plays a key role in the device performance and durability.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate outcome of limb fracture repair in rabbits. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 139 client-owned rabbits with limb fractures treated between 2007 and 2015. PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed for information on fracture location, fracture treatment, and time to fracture healing. RESULTS 25 rabbits had fractures involving the distal aspects of the limbs (ie, metacarpal or metatarsal bones, phalanges, and calcaneus or talus). Fractures were treated in 23 of these 25 rabbits (external coaptation, n = 17; external skeletal fixation, 4; and intramedullary pinning, 2) and healed in all 23, with a median healing time of 28 days (range, 20 to 45 days). One hundred ten rabbits had long bone fractures, and fractures were treated in 100 of the 110 (external skeletal fixation, n = 89; bone plating, 1; intramedullary pinning, 3; and external coaptation, 7). The percentage of fractures that healed was significantly lower for open (14/18) than for closed (26/26) tibial fractures and was significantly lower for femoral (19/26) and treated humeral (4/6) fractures than for radial (23/24) or closed tibial (26/26) fractures. Micro-CT was used to assess fracture realignment during external skeletal fixator application and to evaluate fracture healing. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The prognosis for rabbits with limb fractures was good, with fractures healing in most rabbits following fracture repair (109/123). Micro-CT was useful in assessing fracture realignment and evaluating fracture healing.

Summary The electrical potential distribution within photovoltaic devices plays critical roles in governing charge carrier dynamics and the device performance. Here we present the electrical potential distribution within highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in working status. We found the major potential drop existing at the perovskite/mesoporous TiO 2 interface, indicating one diode junction in mesoporous PSCs. In contrast, the major potential drop was found on both sides of the perovskite layer in planar PSCs, exhibiting two diode junctions where the charge carriers could be recombined more easily than single-junction PSCs. We further controlled the position of diode junctions in planar PSCs by changing the dopant concentration. The undesirable charge recombination was largely suppressed, which enabled a better ideality factor and a higher efficiency 20.12% for planar PSCs with the increase of donor concentration. The present study will be helpful for understanding the fundamental mechanism within PSCs and achieving high device efficiency.

[Purpose] Although the abdominal draw-in maneuver improves delayed onset of transverse abdomen in patients with low back pain, it is difficult to perform. We investigated whether the maneuver with tape measure-based feedback was more effective in facilitating isolated transverse abdominal muscle contractions than that without feedback in healthy participants. [Participants and Methods] Twenty healthy males performed the maneuver without feedback (control condition) and then with feedback using a tape measure (tape measure condition) in the crook lying, sitting, and standing positions. A B-mode ultrasonography imaging system was used to determine lateral abdominal muscle thicknesses, the percent changes from before the maneuver were calculated for each condition, and the main effects and interactions for each tested muscle were determined. [Results] The percent change in the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle was significantly greater under the tape measure condition than under the control condition. The percent change in internal oblique thickness during the maneuver was significantly greater in the standing position than in the crook lying or sitting positions. Significant condition-by-position interactions were not observed for any of the examined muscles. [Conclusion] The abdominal draw-in maneuver with tape measure-based feedback may be more effective at facilitating isolated transverse abdominal contractions in all the positions than that without feedback.

In this study, we describe a new variable selection method for the Mahalanobis Taguchi (MT) method. Typically, an orthogonal array is used for variable selection in the MT method. However, in this study, we developed a more intuitive and simpler variable selection method using a screening approach for identification of appropriate variables for diagnosis prior to creating the Mahalanobis space, in contrast to the conventional method, in which selection of the variables was carried out by repeated updating of the Mahalanobis space. Thus, the calculation in the proposed method was simpler than that in the conventional approach. We confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method using a two-class diagnosis method (normal and abnormal). The results suggested that the proposed method had better diagnostic accuracy and robustness for changing supervised data.

Atomically thin, two-dimensional materials ranging from superconductors, metals, semiconductors to insulators are emerging as potential candidates for the next-generation digital electronics and optoelectronic applications. Their synthesis on a commonly used substrate and fast transfer to a plenty of desired substrates need to be addressed to meet the industrialization criteria for practical applications. In this study, fused silica, which is amorphous, transparent, and inexpensive, was examined as a substrate for MoS2 synthesis. The MoS2 growth behavior on fused silica and its crystal quality were evaluated. In addition, a novel way was developed to quickly peel off MoS2 from the fused silica surface within 15 s (i.e., etching in an acidic solution to detach the edge and completing the delamination via a capillary force at the interface between air and water). The fused silica could be reused at least three times. Moreover, the produced MoS2 domains showed no obvious degradation of quality. These results support the feasibility of MoS2 synthesis on amorphous and recyclable substrates and also the time-saving transfer for the cost-effective and high-quality production of other two-dimensional materials.

Background Fall preventive exercise for community-dwelling older people in Japan has a certain effect. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of fall risk in older people engaging in preventive exercise. Methods In this prospective study, we recruited 162 community-dwelling older people. We had them complete a self-report questionnaire containing items on weekly exercise frequency, exercise duration, exercise efficacy, amount of pain, number of diagnosis chronic diseases, health anxiety level, vision impairment, difficulty using the stairs, insomnia, fear of falling, history of falls, and forgetfulness, as well as the Falls Efficacy Scale. Walking speed and trunk acceleration during walking were also measured in all participants. From trunk acceleration, we calculated five gait parameters: fluctuation, weight shift, lateral balance, anteroposterior balance, and rhythm. Participants were classified as fallers or non-fallers according to the incidence of falls over a 1-year period from baseline assessment. Results Of all participants, 19 (11.7%) were classified as fallers and 143 (88.3%) as non-fallers. In comparing the fallers and non-fallers, we found significant differences in their exercise duration, exercise efficacy, amount of pain, history of falls, walking speed, and the gait parameters of weight shift and anteroposterior balance. A logistic regression analysis revealed that walking speed (odds ratio: 0.049, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.005-0.265, p=0.008) and weight shift (odds ratio: 0.021, 95%CI: 0.000-0.877, p=0.043) were predictors of falls. Conclusion The gait parameter of weight shift is the amplitude ratio of the auto-correlation function from vertical acceleration. This gait parameter is an original metrics and might show the temporal structure around the terminal stance. Measurement of gait parameters, in addition to physical performance, using an accelerometer seems beneficial for fall risk identification among community-dwelling older people engaged in fall preventive exercise.

Objective: To describe the pre-conception status, pregnancy outcomes, and medication prevalence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn’s disease (CD), and ulcerativ...

Purpose To clarify whether pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics ( τ V ˙ O 2 p ) at the onset of moderate-intensity exercise can predict acute physiological responses to resistance exercise training (RET). Methods We investigated the relationship between τ V ˙ O 2 p and acute metabolic and hemodynamic responses to a single RET session in 27 healthy young adult men. Cardiopulmonary exercise was on a cycle ergometer, and a single RET at 30% or 60% of one-repetition maximum was on a bilateral leg-extension machine. We measured the anaerobic threshold, peak V ˙ O 2 and τ V ˙ O 2 p while cardiopulmonary exercising, and the rates of increase in blood lactate (Bla), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and rate pressure product (RPP) for a single RET. Results There were significant positive associations between τ V ˙ O 2 p and the rates of increase in Bla, HR, SBP and RPP during a single RET session (P V ˙ O 2 did not significantly affect these parameters. Conclusion The τ V ˙ O 2 p is a useful evaluation index for predicting acute physiological responses to RET.

Objectives We investigated the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (TAC) by monitoring its serum concentration for mothers and infants in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods We measured trough concentrations of TAC in 25 pregnant patients with SLE to assess influence of TAC on the disease activity. Additionally, we measured the concentrations of TAC in umbilical arterial blood, breast milk, and breastfed infants to investigate the safety of TAC for the mothers and infants. Results The trough concentrations of TAC in the mothers significantly decreased in the second trimester as compared with those before pregnancy. However, the decrease in the trough concentrations of TAC did not lead to the deterioration of SLE. When examined, the doses of TAC were significantly lower in the second trimester and postpartum in the deteriorating group than those in the non-deteriorating group. There were no adverse events by TAC in mothers and fetuses. The concentrations of TAC in the umbilical cord blood were lower than those in the maternal blood. The relative infant dose in breastfed infants of TAC was Conclusion These findings suggest that TAC is one of the most effective and safest immunosuppressive drugs for use in pregnant patients with SLE.

Introduction Uterine fibroids, which are common benign tumors, rarely cause acute complications. We herein report a case of hemoperitoneum associated with uterine fibroid that could be diagnosed preoperatively with contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CT). Patient concerns A 48-year-old woman with uterine fibroid developed extremely severe lower abdominal pain on the first day of her menstrual period. Diagnosis Ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced CT revealed a uterine fibroid and extravasation from the dilated vessels of the uterine fibroid. Intervention Emergent abdominal hysterectomy was performed. Outcomes The total amount of bleeding was 4,600 mL. Intraoperative blood salvage (1,357 mL), 6 units of red blood cells, 4 units of fresh frozen plasma, and 20 units of platelet concentrates were transfused. The postoperative course was uneventful. Pathological examination confirmed a benign uterine fibroid. Conclusion CT could be useful to determine a diagnosis for bleeding from ruptured subserosal uterine fibroid.

We report here the direct observation of charge accumulation in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well (MQW) solar cells by employing cross-sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). This sample is characterized by thin barrier layers that enable miniband formation. The contact potential difference, or potential between the tip and the semiconductor sample, was measured along the p–i–n junction. We observed, under illuminated conditions, a change in the potential gradient, or bending, at a position of the MQW layer, but not in the reference sample without quantum well. This clearly shows that charge is accumulated in the MQW region. We also found that electron accumulation in the MQW layer and the density measured on the surface is about 1 × 1011 cm−2. Our experimental results show that KPFM is a powerful way of understanding the device physics of nanostructure-based solar cells.

Looking beyond ionic communication in bio-systems that is limited to a narrow band of kHz frequency domain is our objective. Microtubule, a vital subcellular biomolecule found in almost all eukaryotic living systems, plays an important role in processing the cellular information. Therefore, here we introduce a microtubule analogue device, which wirelessly communicates with the neighboring microtubules and harvest energy from the noise present in the environment. The device is composed of spatially arranged lattice geometry with two different lattice parameters made of capacitors as tubulin protein analogue arranged on cylindrical shape structures. To demonstrate that the noise is harvested, both the devices are operated by noise, no ordered signal is applied in any measurement. Separation between both the devices is varied, while nearing the distance, the transmitted signal increases continuously and when they are taken further apart, the signal decreases gradually to null at ~140 cm. We image live, the generation and transmission of magnetic flux condensate between these two devices. This experiment is also repeated by inserting a magnetic shield 99.99% pure Ni sheet between two structures, which allows very less wireless transmission due to the shielding. The wireless communication frequency is in the range kHz–MHz.

Introduction Placental insufficiency is one of the major risk factors for growth restriction and preeclampsia. The aim of this study is to investigate whether recombinant human Thrombomodulin(r-TM) improves fetal conditions and physiological outcomes. Methods We used CBA/J × BALB/C mice as a control and CBA/J × DBA/2 mice – a well-studied model of recurrent spontaneous miscarriage. Pregnant mice received daily subcutaneous injections of r-TM or saline from day 0–15. The fetal resorption rate, fetal weight, and litter size were calculated at day 15. Additionally, we analyzed the mRNA expression of angiogenic factors and the concentration of soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1) using the ELISA kit. Results The rate of fetal resorption in CBA/J × DBA/2 mice treated with r-TM was significantly lower compared with mice without r-TM treatment. Additionally, fetal weight and litter size were also significantly higher in the r-TM treated mice. Fibrinogen deposition in the labyrinth area of the CBA/J × DBA/2 mice treated with r-TM was significantly lower compared with deposits in the mice untreated with r-TM. As well, r-TM significantly increased the gene expression level of VEGF and Flt-1 mRNA in the placentas of the CBA/J × DBA/2 mice. r-TM treatment also significantly decreased the production of sFlt-1 protein in the placentas of preeclampsia-like diseased mice. Conclusion r-TM as an anticoagulation therapy has the potential for the medical treatment of recurrent miscarriage and fetal growth restriction due to improved angiogenic factors. Additionally, r-TM treatment has the potential for the recovery of preeclampsia.

Scanning helium ion microscope (SHIM) is based on the similar principle with field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) (Guo in Scanning Helium Ion Microscopy, Characterization of Materials. Wiley, pp. 1–9, 2012 [1]). The difference between them is that scanning beam of SHIM is a positively charged helium ion (He+) beam from a gas field ion source (GFIS), but not a negatively charged electron beam. An enlarged image of the sample surface is obtained like FE-SEM. Helium gas is field-ionized almost only from the top-most atoms by applying a high voltage to a sharp tip made of monocrystalline refractory metals in a diluted helium gas. Only the He+ beam emitted from a single atom is focused by the ion optical system and is scanned over the sample surfaces. If a backscattered ion detector is equipped, the secondary electrons (SE) and backscattered ions (BSI) can be acquired simultaneously. SHIM can observe the sample image with less current than FE-SEM. If the neutralizing flood gun is equipped, it is easier to observe insulating materials than FE-SEM. SHIM can also be used for direct nanofabrication like focused ion beam (FIB) systems. Since He+ beam does not have such a sputtering capability as a gallium ion beam, it cannot process on the micron-scale, but nanoscale ultrafine modification utilizing the nanoscale-focused He+ beam is possible. If a gas introduction system is installed, deposition of gas-decomposition microstructures by a precisely controlled He+ beam is possible

Background Accelerometers provide information regarding balance and gait, but they are rarely used in clinical settings for stroke patients. Clinically, balance is assessed with simple tests, but their relationships with accelerometry results after stroke are unknown. Objective We examined the relationship between accelerometry-assessed gait indices calculated from trunk acceleration and results of the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) tests in stroke patients. Methods Twenty-nine stroke patients completed assessments with the TUG, BBS, and trunk acceleration during walking using a tri-axial accelerometer. The root mean square (RMS), stride regularity (SR), and step symmetry (SS), which indicate gait fluctuations, regularity, and symmetry, respectively, were calculated based on trunk acceleration. These were calculated in the vertical (VT), anteroposterior, and mediolateral directions. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine whether these gait indices contributed independently to TUG and BBS results. Results VT-RMS and VT-SS were significant determinants of TUG, and VT-SS, VT-RMS, and VT-SR were significant determinants of BBS. Conclusions This study suggested that the gait indices calculated from trunk acceleration that were relevant to balance were those in the VT direction. These may be useful for evaluating dynamic gait balance in patients with stroke.