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For decades, it has been reported that some organic crystals suddenly crack, break, or jump when they are heated from room temperature. Recently, such crystals have been intensively studied both in fundamental science and for high-speed mechanical device applications. According to these studies, the sudden crystal motions have been attributed to structural phase transitions induced by heating. Stress created by the phase transition is released through the sudden and rapid motion of the crystals. Here we report that single crystal nanofibers of coronene exhibit a new type of ultrafast motion when they are cooled from room temperature and subsequently heated to room temperature. The nanofibers make centimeter-scale jumps accompanied by surprisingly unique behaviors such as sharp bending and wriggling. We found that the motions are caused by a significantly fast structural phase transition between two polymorphs of coronene. A theoretical investigation revealed that the sudden force generated by the phase transition together with the nanoscale dimensions and elastic properties create dynamical instability in the nanofibers that results in the motions. Our finding demonstrates the novel mechanism that leads to ultrafast, large deformation of organic crystals.

An ionic liquid (IL)-containing porous polyurea (PU) nanogel electrolyte was synthesized from its constituent monomers and the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide using...

Humans do not feel pain when bitten by mosquitos; therefore, we have attempted to develop a microneedle that mimics the puncturing mechanism of mosquitos. We have quantitatively evaluated the puncturing performance of the developed microneedle by puncturing an artificial skin made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a kind of silicon rubber. Unlike the mono-layered PDMS, however, animal skin including human skin is structured to have a hard stratum corneum, epidermis and dermis over soft subcutaneous tissue. In this paper, we propose an artificial skin having a two-layered hard/soft structure, constructed from PDMS with a human-hair-derived keratin film adhered onto the top surface. We evaluated the hardness of the keratin film (Young’s modulus) and found that it could qualitatively simulate the hard layers of the skin including the stratum corneum. The artificial skin we developed reproduced the following phenomena: the decrease in resistance force of animal skin at the point when the needle penetrates the surface followed by variation in resistance due to the stick-slip phenomenon as the needle penetrates more deeply.

Study Objective To identify the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, operative or medical management, and postoperative recurrence of umbilical endometriosis. Design A retrospective national survey. Setting Obstetrics and Gynecology and Plastic Surgery Departments at a teaching hospital in Japan. Patients Patients with umbilical endometriosis or malignant transformation. Interventions A national survey was conducted to identify and evaluate cases of umbilical endometriosis or malignant transformation documented between 2006 and 2016. Measurements and Main Results The following were evaluated for each patient: age at diagnosis, body mass index, medical history, presence of extragenital endometriosis, surgical history, symptoms, imaging modalities, surgical therapy, hormonal therapy, follow-up period, postoperative recurrence, and time to recurrence. Ninety-six patients were identified with pathologically diagnosed benign umbilical endometriosis. The patients frequently had swelling (86.5%), pain (81.3%), or bleeding (44.8%) in the umbilicus. Sensitivity was 87.1% for physical examination, 76.5% for transabdominal ultrasonography, 75.6% for computed tomography, and 81.8% for magnetic resonance imaging. The cumulative recurrence rate was 1.34% at 6 months, 6.35% at 12 months, and 6.35% at 60 months after surgery. Importantly, there was no recurrence after wide resection including of the peritoneum (0 of 37 cases). The efficacy of dienogest (an oral progestin), gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, and oral contraceptives was 91.7%, 81.8%, and 57.1%, respectively. Finally, 2 cases of malignant transformation were identified. Conclusion There was a low recurrence rate following surgery, and hormonal treatment is an option, although the current findings suggest surgical therapy as the first choice of treatment for umbilical endometriosis.

Lymphedema is a common complication seen in patients with cancer who undergo lymph node dissection. Lymphedema is a debilitating progressive condition that severely restricts the quality of life owing to the accompanying cellulitis and angiosarcoma, which suggest that immune dysfunction is associated with lymphedema. However, the immune status of peripheral T cells during lymphedema remains poorly understood. Using the peripheral blood T cells of patients with lymphedema and age-matched healthy controls (HC), we compared the profile of various functional T cell subsets in this study. Expression of PD-1, Tim-3, and Lag-3 increased in peripheral CD4 + but not CD8 + T cell populations, and the proportion of regulatory T cells was higher in lymphedema patients than in HC. The proportions of naïve CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were lower in lymphedema patients than in HC, although proportions of stem cell-like memory T cell subsets were constant. These observations suggest the distinct immunosuppressive status of patients with lymphedema, which might be related to the development of the accompanying cellulitis and angiosarcoma. This study might provide new insights into the late complication after undergoing lymph node dissection as a cancer treatment.

The aim of this study was to assess the potential for application of Hudson River sediment as a plant growth medium by mixing with various proportions of soil. The growth medium obtained by the admixture of soil and Hudson River sediment was characterized by optimal pH, reduced salinity, and presence of macro- (K, Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn). Apart from beneficial nutrients and organic matter, the riverine sediment also contained toxic metals (Zn 86 mg; Cu 17.8 mg; Ni 16.6 mg; Cr 20.7 mg; Cd 0.46 mg; Pb 20.7 mg/kg, at concentrations below the threshold effect concentration) and PCBs (total concentration 254 ng/g), which can have a negative impact on soil ecosystems. The results ecological risk assessment of six trace elements and PCBs in sediment suggested medium/moderate risk (PECq = 0.21) and the need for ecotoxicological tests prior to its use as a growth medium. However, ecotoxicity tests of the soil/sediment admixture indicated that it was non-toxic or less-toxic to crustacean Heterocypris incongruens (PE = − 8–38%) and bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri (PE = − 20–38). For Sinapis alba L. and Lepidium sativum L., the germination index (GI) indicated the dominance of inhibitory effect on plant growth; whereas for the Sorghum saccharatum L., the GI value showed the stimulatory effect. Based on the above physicochemical and ecotoxicological analyses, the sediment was found suitable for use as a growth medium, for non-edible plants. It is worth to underline that this sediment was collected from relatively less contaminated location of the river and therefore the results may not represent sediments from entire stretch of the Hudson River.

Ionic liquid, ethyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl), (IL: [N1112] [TFSA]) that has a melting point of 109 °C, was deposited at room temperature on α-Al2O3(0001) substrates by continuous-wave infrared laser deposition in a vacuum. No decomposition of IL molecules occurred during the thermal evaporation and the polycrystalline nature of the deposits at RT was found identical to that of the corresponding powder IL. The thin film IL (TF-IL) on a non-treated α-Al2O3(0001) substrate, with droplet-like shapes in morphology, exhibited almost no ionic conductivity even above the melting point because the IL would not spread over the non-treated substrate. In contrast, the TF-IL, with more dense, granular structures in morphology, deposited on a chemically-modified, wettable α-Al2O3(0001) substrate, did exhibit a substantial ionic conductivity even at temperatures lower than the melting point, and it was then followed by a drastic increase of the ionic conductivity through its solid-liquid phase transition. The behaviors of the deposited IL growing and melting on the substrate are discussed based on the results of in situ laser microscope and ionic conductivity measurement experiments.

Purpose From the perspective of infection prevention during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a recommendation was made to use surgical masks after extubation in patients in the operating room. For compliance with this recommendation, anesthesiologists need to administer oxygen to the patient with an oxygen mask over the surgical mask. However, no studies have investigated whether this method allows good maintenance of oxygenation in patients. This study aimed to investigate which method of oxygen administration lends itself best to use with a surgical mask in terms of oxygenation. Method We administered oxygen to the study subjects using all the following three methods in random order: an oxygen mask over or under a surgical mask and a nasal cannula under the surgical mask. Oxygenation was assessed using the oxygen reserve index (ORi) and end-tidal oxygen concentration (EtO2). Result This study included 24 healthy volunteers. ORi values with administration of oxygen were higher in the order of a nasal cannula under the surgical mask, an oxygen mask under the surgical mask, and an oxygen mask over the surgical mask, with median values of 0.50, 0.48, and 0.43, respectively, and statistically significant differences between all groups (P 2 values were in the same order as ORi, with median values of 33.0%, 31.0%, and 25%, respectively, and statistically significant differences between all groups (P Conclusion Wearing a surgical mask over the nasal cannula during oxygen administration is beneficial for oxygenation and might help prevent aerosol dispersal.

A heterogeneous phase/structure distribution in the bulk of spinel lithium nickel manganese oxides (LNMOs) is the key to maximizing the performance and stability of the cathode materials of lithium-ion batteries. Herein, we report the use of two-dimensional ptychographic X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) to visualize the density and valence maps of manganese and nickel in as-prepared LNMO particles and unsupervised learning to classify the three-phase group in terms of different elemental compositions and chemical states. The described approach may increase the supply of information for nanoscale characterization and promote the design of suitable structural domains to maximize the performance and stability of batteries.

AIM We aimed to describe the clinical presentation, operative or medical management, and postoperative recurrence of bladder endometriosis (BE). METHODS We conducted a national survey to investigate BE cases from 2006 to 2016 in Japan. Histologically diagnosed cases were extracted and then investigated for the following factors: age at diagnosis, body mass index, symptoms, imaging modalities, surgical therapy, hormonal therapy, follow-up period, and postoperative recurrence. RESULTS Eighty-nine patients with pathologically benign BE were identified. Eighty patients underwent surgery, whereas nine did not. Moreover, 34 and 44 patients underwent transurethral resection (TUR) and partial cystectomy (PC), respectively. Cumulative recurrence rates were significantly higher with TUR than with PC (p

Magnesium hemithioacetates were used as model cysteine compounds to mimic natural hemithioacetals, and their biomimetic oxidation reactions using a model NAD+ compound were investigated. Cyclic hemithioacetate was found to be the best substrate for the reaction with the model NAD+ compound, which gave the corresponding NADH analog in excellent yield.

Human exposure to pesticides is widespread and has received much attention in recent years because of its link to adverse health outcomes. Measurement of urinary concentrations of pesticides and their metabolites is often used in the assessment of body burdens of these chemicals. However, pesticides and their metabolites can be present in blood circulatory system, although little is known on serum levels of pesticides. In this study, we aimed to examine the occurrence and profile of four organophosphate (OP), five pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides, two phenoxy acid (PA) herbicides, 14 neonicotinoid (neonic) insecticides and six dialkylphosphate metabolites in serum from 25 individuals diagnosed with osteoarthritis in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 2-Isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (IMPY), 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid, N-desmethyl acetamiprid, dimethylphosphate (DMP) and dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) were detected in ≥80% of the serum samples analyzed. Metabolites of OPs, DMTP (median concentration: 2.14 ng/mL), DMP (1.04 ng/mL) and TCPY (0.84 ng/mL), collectively accounted for 67–83% of the total serum pesticide concentrations. Serum concentrations of pesticides were similar to or lower than those reported in urine. Our preliminary evidence suggests that serum can be used as a matrix for the assessment of exposure to OPs, PYRs, PAs and neonics.

Despite the increasing detection of emerging substances in the environment, the identity of most are left unknown due to the lack of efficient identification methods. We developed a non-target analysis method for identifying unknown substances in the environment by liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS) with a product ion and neutral loss database (PNDB). The present analysis describes an elucidation method with elemental compositions of the molecules, product ions, and corresponding neutral losses of the unknown substance: (1) with the molecular formula, possible molecular structures are retrieved from two chemical structure databases (PubChem and ChemSpider); then (2) with the elemental compositions of product ions and neutral losses, possible partial structures are retrieved from the PNDB; and finally, (3) molecular structures that match the possible partial structures are listed in order of number of hits. A molecular structure with a higher number of hits is more similar to the structure of the analyzed substance. The performance of the non-target method was evaluated by simulated analysis of 150 LC/HRMS spectra registered in MassBank. First, all substances of the same mass data (41/41) and 68% (39/57) of the mass data of the same substances not registered in the PNDB were elucidated. It was demonstrated that 14% (7/52) and 31% (16/52) of the substances with no mass spectral data registered in the PNDB were obtained at the first and within the fifth place, respectively. Owing to the fact that 10 of the total hits occurred in product ions and neutral losses, almost 50% of the substances evaluated with this method were placed at the top 4 positions in the similarity ranking. Importantly, the proposed method is effective for analyzing mass spectral data that has not been registered in the PNDB and thus is expected to be used for a variety of non-target analyses.

International audience; Nickel is a major element in the Earth. Due to its siderophile nature, 93% of Ni is hosted in the core and the Ni isotope composition of the bulk silicate Earth might inform on the conditions of terrestrial core formation. Whether Earth’s mantle is fractionated relative to the chondritic reservoir, and by inference to the core, is a matter of debate that largely arises from the uncertain Ni isotope composition of the mantle. We address this issue through high-precision Ni isotope measurements of fertile- to melt-depleted peridotites and compare these data to chondritic meteorites. Terrestrial peridotites that are free from metasomatic overprint display a limited range in δ60/58Ni (deviation of 60Ni/58Ni relative to NIST SRM 986) and no systematic variation with degree of melt depletion. The latter is consistent with olivine and orthopyroxene buffering the Ni budget and isotope composition of the refractory peridotites. As such, the average Ni isotope composition of these peridotites (δ60/58Ni = 0.115 ± 0.011‰) provides a robust estimate of the δ60/58Ni of the bulk silicate Earth. Peridotites with evidence for melt metasomatism range to heavier Ni isotope compositions where the introduction of clinopyroxene appears to drive an increase in δ60/58Ni. This requires a process where melts do not reach isotopic equilibrium with buffering olivine and orthopyroxene, but its exact nature remains obscure. Chondritic meteorites have variability in δ60/58Ni due to heterogeneity at the sampling scale. In particular, CI1 chondrites are displaced to isotopically lighter values due to sorption of Ni onto ferrihydrite during parent body alteration. Chondrites less extensively altered than the CI1 chondrites show no systematic differences in δ60/58Ni between classes and yield average δ60/58Ni = 0.212 ± 0.013‰, which is isotopically heavier than our estimate of the bulk silicate Earth. The notable isotopic difference between the bulk silicate Earth and chondrites likely results from the segregation of the terrestrial core. Our observations potentially provide a novel constraint on the conditions of terrestrial core formation but requires further experimental calibration.

The problem of dendrite growth remains unresolved in secondary zinc batteries. In order to improve the cycle life of zinc-secondary batteries, we developed an organic/inorganic composite separator that exhibits an inhibitory effect on short circuits caused by zinc dendrite growth. This separator is designed to have a sufficient ionic conductivity as well as suppression properties for preventing a short circuit. To obtain these performances, inorganic particles and hydrophobic particles are utilized which provide no extra space and no extra electrolyte for dendrite growth. Additionally, this material exhibits a good ionic conductivity. It was also confirmed that the separator we developed provided the carbon-zinc hybrid capacitor with a long life. It was also found that the carbon-zinc hybrid capacitor systems are preferable for evaluating the cyclability of separators used for zinc secondary batteries because the system has a good reproducibility. Consequently, the cycle life using the organic/inorganic composite separator was more than 10 times longer than that of conventional microporous membranes.

Various risk factors and causative genes of osteosarcoma have been reported in the literature; however, its etiology remains largely unknown. Bone formation is a shared phenomenon in all types of osteosarcomas, and sclerostin is an extracellular soluble factor secreted by osteocytes that prevents bone formation by inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway. We aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of sclerostin against osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma model mice were prepared by transplantation into the dorsal region of C3H/He and BALB/c-nu/nu mice using osteosarcoma cell lines LM8 (murine) and 143B (human), respectively. Cell proliferations were evaluated by using alamarBlue and scratch assays. The migratory ability of the cells was evaluated using a migration assay. Sclerostin was injected intraperitoneally for 7 days to examine the suppression of tumor size and extension of survival. The administration of sclerostin to osteosarcoma cells significantly inhibited the growth and migratory ability of osteosarcoma cells. Kaplan–Meier curves and survival data demonstrated that sclerostin significantly inhibited tumor growth and improved survival. Sclerostin suppressed the proliferative capacity and migratory ability of osteosarcoma cells. Osteosarcoma model mice inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival periods by the administration of sclerostin. The effect of existing anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin should be investigated for future clinical applications., Article, Cancers 13(23) : 6015(2021)

A 100 W blue diode laser with an optical fiber having a core diameter of 100 μm was developed and installed into a blue diode laser metal deposition system (B-LMD), achieving a laser intensity of 7.58 × 104 W/cm2, four times higher than that of the previous B-LMD system. The increase in laser intensity is expected to enable faster and more efficient 3D processing of pure copper. The authors conducted the rod formation experiment by varying the processing speed. The rod formation process is observed with a high-speed video camera to clarify the mechanism of copper rod formation. As a result of rod formation as a 3D modeling of pure copper, a 30 mm rod was formed in 1.5 s under the following conditions: a laser intensity of 1.27×106W/cm2, a powder feed rate of 220 mg/s, and a processing speed of 20 mm/s. It was found that the mode of rod forming changed depending on the processing speed. When the processing speed is high, the mode becomes molten layer type and the energy efficiency becomes high. In addition, the processing point became closer to the focal point at high speed, and the cross-sectional shape of the formed rod was closer to the circular ones.

We developed and reported on a 3-D stacked CMOS image sensor (CIS) with a massive number of micro-bump interconnections placed at a narrow pitch between silicon substrates that pushes the envelope of CIS functions. The resistances of the interconnections were measured to be less than one hundredth of an ohm per bump with a test structure. There were, however, a small number of defective micro bumps with much higher impedance among the four million interconnections of the sensor. We developed a method for distinguishing defective interconnections from other defects and evaluated all interconnection resistances in a short amount of time with additional circuits in the CIS with reduced variable factors by using a modified current flow mode. This method makes it possible not only to identify defective interconnections but also to measure their impedances with less fluctuation.

Nitric oxide (NO) has a range of biological activities in living systems. Because NO is a gaseous and short-lived molecule, the development of methods to enable a temporally and spatially resolved NO supply has been a challenging task. Herein, 3-aryl-4-alkoxy furoxan is revealed as a potent photoinduced NO donor. Whilst negligible levels of NO release were observed under ambient fluorescent light, a significant amount of NO was released under UV irradiation (λ=300–400 nm). A thiol mediator that contains a pendant amino group was found to be indispensable for NO release from aryl alkoxy furoxans. Analysis of the NO-releasing mechanism of aryl alkoxy furoxan revealed that the main co-product was the corresponding aryl nitrile, which was derived from fragmentation of the furoxan ring. Based on these results, we have proposed a plausible mechanism for photoinduced NO release, in which the key steps are nucleophilic attack of the thiol at the 3-position of the furoxan, thereby leading to fragmentation of the furoxan ring, and the formation of a tetrahydrothiazole that contains a C-nitroso group. A comparison of fluorofuroxan and alkoxy furoxan is also discussed.

Square single crystals of perylene (α-crystals) exhibit a peculiar emission pattern when excited by a focused laser beam. Fluorescence spots are observed at the point of excitation and at four edges, with the lines connecting the excitation point and edge emissions being perpendicular to the edges irrespective of the excitation position. Two different mechanisms explaining this emission pattern have been proposed so far. Our newly designed experiment and analysis revealed that the involved mechanism features a combination of the waveguide effect and total internal reflection by crystal edges.

Glottal incompetence, i.e., reduced ability to produce effective glottal closure, is a problem often associated with aging. The study protocol is presented to determine whether blood substance P (SP) serves as an indicator of glottal closure function among the elderly. SP is involved in the neuromuscular mechanisms of cough; reduced concentration of SP may be a marker for increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. The antihypertensive angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, which also inhibits degradation of SP, has been found to be effective in preventing aspiration pneumonia by strengthening the cough reflex. In this study, we will employ National Hospital Organization self-controlled vocal exercise (NHOEx), which has been shown to improve glottal closure by strengthening the laryngeal adduction muscles. We hypothesize that improved glottal closure by NHOEx may lead to the increase in the plasma concentration of SP, which reflects effective cough reflex. Maximum phonation time (MPT), an indicator of glottal closure, will be measured to assess improvement of glottis-closing function. The study will include 180 patients over 65 years old with dysphonia, dysphagia, or MPT of less than 15 seconds. Based on the speculation that the improved MPT may be associated with changes in SP expression, we will measure the plasma SP before and after 6-month treatment of glottal incompetence using NHOEx. The goal is to verify the reliability of SP as an indicator for glottal closure and swallowing function. Measurement of plasma SP may be helpful for earlier detection of subjects with higher risk of aspiration pneumonia among the elderly.

Posttranslational modifications of histone proteins, which form nucleosome cores, play an important role in gene regulation. Ubiquitination is one such modification. We previously reported on the synthesis of ubiquitinated histone H3 with an isopeptide mimetic structure. In this report, we describe the preparation of ubiquitinated histone H3 peptides with a native isopeptide structure, which showed a slightly weaker effect on the enzymatic activity of DNA methyltransferase 1 than the previous ubiquitinated H3 peptide analogs. These findings show that a native structure is important for determining the mechanism of the function, although ubiquitinated H3 peptide analogs can mimic the role of the original ubiquitinated H3. We also report on the successful preparation of the ubiquitinated full length histone H3.

Infrahepatic inferior vena cava (IIVC) clamping is beneficial for reducing the amount of bleeding during hepatic surgery, although the associated systemic circulatory deterioration is noticeable. The relationship between changes in the degree of IIVC clamping and postoperative renal function was retrospectively evaluated. A total of 59 patients who underwent elective hepatic surgery with surgical IIVC clamping in the two years were analyzed. In 2016, constant 80% clamping of the IIVC was performed (29 cases), and in 2017, hemodynamically adjusted IIVC clamping was performed (30 cases). Intraoperative parameters, including total blood loss and number of blood transfusions, were examined. The use of each vasoactive agents was analyzed. Renal function in the acute postoperative phase was evaluated using serum creatinine (Cr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values. Comparison of the two groups showed that bolus doses of both ephedrine and phenylephrine were significantly higher in the 2016 group (P = 0.0221, 0.0017). Continuous doses of dopamine were significantly higher in the 2016 group, while those of noradrenaline were not. Postoperative serum Cr levels relative to baseline (%) were significantly higher in the 2016 group immediately after surgery and on postoperative day (POD) 1 (P = 0.0143, 0.0012). Postoperative eGFR relative to baseline (%) was significantly higher in the 2016 group immediately postoperatively and on PODs 1 and 2 (P = 0.0042, 0.0003, 0.0382). Hemodynamically adjustable IIVC clamping might be superior to uniformly fixed clamping in preserving renal function without compromising the desired effect on hemostasis.

Ligation of nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs) by retinoic acid (RA) activates transcription and promotes cell differentiation. RARs can also participate in non-genomic functions in extra-nuclear spaces. Here we identify an alternative isoform of RARα expressed in the cytoplasm of T lymphocytes. Extranuclear RARα functions in T cell receptor (TCR) proximal signaling and NOTCH/c-MYC-driven proliferation. In contrast to nuclear RARα, RA negatively affects extra-nuclear RARα function in T cells. Upon activation, TCR signaling induces expression of the cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2 (CRABP2), which transports RA from the cytoplasm to the nucleus to activate nuclear RARα and at the same time sequesters RA away from extra-nuclear RARα thereby promoting TCR-driven proliferation. These data show that T cell proliferation and differentiation are reciprocally regulated by extra-nuclear and nuclear RARα and that activation-induced CRABP2 functions as a rheostat of TCR signaling via its dual control over the non-genomic and genomic actions of cytoplasmic and nuclear RARα.

Structural change during cyclic stretching/shrinking of drawn film of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) was analyzed using a combination of in-situ X-ray and NMR measurements. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for the original drawn LLDPE film before stretching exhibits a split-layer-line pattern, indicating lamellar tilt. Stretching the film transforms the pattern into the straight-layer-line one, and subsequent shrinking regains the original split-layer-line one. Solid-state 1H-NMR measurements detected three components having different relaxation times for both originally shrunk and subsequently stretched states. Among these components, the intermediate one exhibits reversible change in relaxation time, synchronizing the stretching/shrinking cycles. This component is attributed to tie molecules, bridging the rigid components of crystalline lamellae and accompanying a small amount of the mobile component consisting of unrestricted amorphous chains. Stretching and shrinking such tie molecules induces reversible transformation of the microscopic lamellar arrangements, which causes macroscopic actuation of drawn LLDPE.

High arsenic abundance of 50-700μg/L in the groundwater from the Chianan Plain in southwestern Taiwan is a well-known environmental hazard. The groundwater-associated sediments, however, have not been geochemically characterized, thus hindering a comprehensive understanding of arsenic cycling in this region. In this study, samples collected from a 250m sediment core at the centre of the Chianan Plain were analyzed for arsenic and TOC concentrations (N=158), constituent minerals (N=25), major element abundances (N=105), and sequential arsenic extraction (N=23). The arsenic data show a prevalence of >10mg/kg with higher concentrations of 20-50mg/kg concentrated at 60-80 and 195-210m. Arsenic was extracted mainly as an adsorbate on clay minerals, as a co-precipitate in amorphous iron oxyhydroxide, and as a structural component in clay minerals. Since the sediments consist mainly of quartz, chlorite, and illite, the correlations between arsenic concentration and abundances of K2O and MgO pinpoint illite and chlorite as the major arsenic hosts. The arsenic-total iron correlation reflects the role of chlorite along with the contribution from amorphous iron oxyhydroxide as indicated by arsenic extraction data. Organic matter is not the dominant arsenic host for low TOC content, low arsenic abundance extracted from it, and a relatively low R(2) of the arsenic-TOC correlation. The major constituent minerals in the sediments are the same as those of the upriver metapelites, establishing a sink-source relationship. Composition data from two deep groundwater samples near the sediment core show Eh values and As(V)/As(III) ratios of reducing environments and high arsenic, K, Mg, and Fe contents necessary for deriving arsenic from sediments by desorption from clay and dissolution of iron oxyhydroxide. Therefore, groundwater arsenic was mainly derived from groundwater-associated sediments with limited contributions from other sources, such as mud volcanoes.

Basic-oxygen furnace (BOF) slag is the second abundant by-product from the steel-making process. It is not readily recycled for high phosphorus content and volume instability. To eliminate its phosphorus-hosting dicalcium silicate (C2S) and volumetrically unstable free-lime, reductive heating experiments on BOF-slag are carried out at 1300–1600 °C using quartz-sand or serpentine as a basicity modifier. In the products, C2S and free-lime are consumed through reacting with CaO and MgO, which are produced by Ca-ferrite and Mg-wustite reduction, respectively, to form merwinite and akermanite. The products are also characterized by silicate–metal segregation and the extent of that increases with increasing temperature and decreasing particle size of starting mixtures. Thermodynamic calculations show that phosphorus in C2S is mostly converted to Fe2P in the metal domain. Compared to the slag–serpentine experiments, the slag–quartz experiments resulted in higher extents of silicate–metal segregation with lower phosphorus contents of ≈0.1% in the silicate domain, which therefore is recyclable. To optimize silicate–metal segregation for recycling BOF-slag, it is suggested (i) bringing the BOF-slag composition within the low-temperature side of the C2S–merwinite–akermanite Alkemade triangle by adding quartz-sand; (ii) reductively heating to 1500–1600 °C; and (iii) cooling slowly then quenching to suppress C2S crystallization from melts.

Basic-oxygen furnace slag (BOF-slag) contains >35% CaO, a potential component for CO2 sequestration. In this study, slag-water-CO2 reaction experiments were conducted with the longest reaction duration extending to 96hr under high CO2 pressures of 100-300kg/cm(2) to optimize BOF-slag carbonation conditions, to address carbonation mechanisms, and to evaluate the extents of V and Cr release from slag carbonation. The slag carbonation degree generally reached the maximum values after 24hr slag-water-CO2 reaction and was controlled by slag particle size and reaction temperature. The maximum carbonation degree of 71% was produced from the experiment using fine slag of ≤0.5mm under 100°C and a CO2 pressure of 250kg/cm(2) with a water/slag ratio of 5. Vanadium release from the slag to water was significantly enhanced (generally >2 orders) by slag carbonation. In contrast, slag carbonation did not promote chromium release until the reaction duration exceeded 24hr. However, the water chromium content was generally at least an order lower than the vanadium concentration, which decreased when the reaction duration exceeded 24hr. Therefore, long reaction durations of 48-96hr are proposed to reduce environmental impacts while keeping high carbonation degrees. Mineral textures and water compositions indicated that Mg-wustite, in addition to CaO-containing minerals, can also be carbonated. Consequently, the conventional expression that only considered carbonation of the CaO-containing minerals undervalued the CO2 sequestration capability of the BOF-slag by ~20%. Therefore, the BOF-slag is a better CO2 storage medium than that previously recognized.

Benzo[a]pyrene and N-nitrosodimethylamine are major genotoxic compounds present in cigarette smoke, food and oil. To examine the type(s) of DNA damage induced by these compounds, we used a panel of DNA-repair-pathway-deficient mutants generated from chicken DT40 cells and achieved metabolic activation of the test compounds by including rat liver S9 mix. Consistent with expections, benzo[a]pyrene and N-nitrosodimethylamine require metabolicactivation to become genotoxic. The REV3(-/-) mutant cell line exhibited the highest sensitivity, in terms of increased cytotoxicity, to the both compounds after metabolic activation consistent with the known ability of these two compounds to induce DNA adducts. Strikingly, we found that the RAD54(-/-)/KU70(-/-) cell line, a mutant defective in the repair of double-strand breaks, is sensitive to benzo[a]pyrene, suggesting that this compound also induces strand breaks in these cells. In this study we combined a previously employed method, metabolic activation by S9 mix, with the use of a DNA-repair mutant panel, thereby broadening the range of compounds that can be screened for potential genotoxicity.

It is found that cooling dramatically changes the waveguiding properties of organic nanofibers of thiacyanine (TC), which function as active waveguides. At liquid nitrogen temperature (T = 83 K), nanofibers with a width of less than 100 nm efficiently propagate fluorescence (λ = 460–480 nm) over their entire length of ∼100 μm, whereas they propagate no fluorescence at room temperature. Moreover, the fluorescence is observed to be transmitted through sharply bent nanofibers with a bend radius of a few hundred nanometers at T = 83 K. We show that these waveguiding properties result from a modulation of the light–matter interaction in the nanofibers by cooling, which leads to a high refractive index and a low extinction coefficient. Our result demonstrates that nanoscale light manipulation with sub-100-nm-width waveguides is possible by simply cooling TC nanofibers to liquid nitrogen temperature, which can be easily accessed.

The [Cu2Br2(DIB)2(PPh2)2]n complex, obtained by the reaction between [Cu4Br4(PPh3)4] and 1,4-diisocyanobenzene (DIB), was found to have a bridged polymeric structure with a planar {Cu2Br2} core. The compound exhibited bluish-green (λmax = 498 nm) and green (λmax = 515 nm) luminescence at 295 and 77 K, respectively, corresponding to the emissions from XLCT (HE band) and (X + M)LCT (LE band), respectively. The dual emission, which is attributed to the luminescence from both bands, was observed at around 178 K. The complex also displayed a change in luminescence color from bluish-green to yellow (λmax = 529 nm) upon applying external mechanical stimuli. The film containing [Cu2Br2(DIB)2(PPh2)2]n was prepared by a cast method using polymethyl methacrylate as a binding agent. The rubbed part of the film turned yellow and the other parts maintained bluish-green luminescence. Restoration of the initial color was feasible by annealing, even in film state., 7p. ORCID iDs Mitsuaki Suzuki https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7226-2665

This study aims to develop a novel oral delivery system for middle-molecular drugs, such as bioactive peptides, using osmolarity-sensitive liposomes. Osmolarity-sensitive liposomes were prepared to include hypertonic sucrose solution (1.0 M) inside the liposomes (hypertonic liposomes) and were expected to release the encapsulated drug quickly depending on the osmotic difference between inside/outside the liposomes. As a first step, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran 4000 (FD-4), a non-degradable middle molecular compound, was used as a model drug. In vitro experiments were performed using dialysis film and Caco-2 cell monolayers to measure permeation rates of FD-4 from liposomes under various conditions. Liposomes composed of distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC-Lip) showed a high stability in the intestinal fluid and released the encapsulated FD-4 depending on the osmotic difference. In contrast, liposomes composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC-Lip) was unstable in the intestinal fluid to release FD-4 quickly regardless of the osmotic difference. Addition of cholesterol in DPPC improved the stability of liposomes whereas the encapsulated efficiency of FD-4 decreased. In vivo intestinal absorption of FD-4 from those liposomes well reflected in vitro observations. Hypertonic DSPC-Lip showed the highest absorption of FD-4 (about 20% dose/4 h s) which was more than 10-times higher than that from FD-4 solution. Observation of fluorescence intensity in the intestinal loop after incubation with FD-4 solution or DSPC-Lip demonstrated that liposomes can be retained in the intestinal tract for longer period. In conclusion, osmolarity-sensitive liposomes composed of DSPC lipid were proven to have a high potency to enhance the absorption of middle-molecular drugs having low membrane permeability.

Retinal projection is required for xR applications that can deliver immersive visual experience throughout the day. If general-purpose retinal projection methods can be realized at a low cost, not only could the image be displayed on the retina using less energy, but there is also a possibility of cutting off the weight of projection unit itself from the AR goggles. Several retinal projection methods have been previously proposed. Maxwellian optics based retinal projection was proposed in 1990s [Kollin 1993]. Laser scanning [Liao and Tsai 2009], laser projection using spatial light modulator (SLM) or holographic optical elements were also explored [Jang et al. 2017]. In the commercial field, QD Laser1 with a viewing angle of 26 degrees is available. However, as the lenses and iris of an eyeball are in front of the retina, which is a limitation of a human eyeball, the proposal of retinal projection is generally fraught with narrow viewing angles and small eyebox problems. Due to these problems, retinal projection displays are still a rare commodity because of their difficulty in optical schematics design.

A three-dimensional closed-circuit numerical model of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) module has been constructed with COMSOL® Multiphysics to verify a module test system. The Seebeck, Peltier, and Thomson effects and Joule heating are included in the thermoelectric conversion model. The TEG model is employed to simulate the operation of a 16-leg TEG module based on bismuth telluride with temperature-dependent material properties. The module is mounted on a test platform, and simulated by combining the heat conduction process and thermoelectric conversion process. Simulation results are obtained for the terminal voltage, output power, heat flow, and efficiency as functions of the electric current; the results are compared with measurement data. The Joule and Thomson heats in all the thermoelectric legs, as functions of the electric current, are calculated by finite-element volume integration over the entire legs. The Peltier heat being pumped at the hot side and released at the cold side of the module are also presented in relation to the electric current. The energy balance relations between heat and electricity are verified to support the simulation.

Thousands of organohalogen compounds, including hazardous chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs), were selectively and simultaneously detected and identified with simple, or no, purification from environmental sample extracts by using several advanced methods. The methods used were software extraction from two-dimensional gas chromatography–high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC–HRTofMS) data, measurement by negative chemical ionization with HRTofMS, and neutral loss scanning (NLS) with GC × GC–MS/MS. Global and selective detection of organochlorines and bromines in environmental samples such as sediments and fly ash was achieved by NLS using GC × GC–MS/MS (QQQ), with the expected losses of 35Cl and 79Br. We confirmed that negative chemical ionization was effective for sensitive and selective ionization of organohalogens, even using GC × GC–HRTofMS. The 2D total ion chromatograms obtained by using negative chemical ionization and selective extraction of organohalogens using original software from data measured by electron impact ionization were very similar; the software thus functioned well to extract organohalogens. Combining measurements made by using these different methods will help to detect organohalogens selectively and globally. However, to compare the data obtained by individual measurements, the retention times of the peaks on the 2D chromatograms need to match. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-015-5059-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aims/Introduction: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) play a key regulating role in homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the effects of DSP-8658, a novel selective PPARa/γ modulator, on adipogenesis and glucose metabolism in diabetic obese mice and compared these effects to those of pioglitazone, a PPARγ full agonist. Materials and Methods: DSP-8658 functional activity was assessed by PPARγ-target genes expression in adipose 3T3-L1 cells and its anti-diabetic efficacy evaluated in db/db mice. The effects of DSP-8658 on adipogenesis were investigated diet induced obese (DIO) KK-A y mice. Results: DSP-8658 reduced the expression of PPARγ-target gene 11 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 with an EC 50 value 2.1-fold that of pioglitazone and 28.4-fold that of rosiglitazone. On the other hand, DSP-8658 increased the expression of fatty acid binding protein 4 and glycerol kinase genes with EC 50 values 33-fold and >15-fold those of pioglitazone and 163-fold and >38-fold those of rosiglitazone, respectively. In db/db mice, DSP-8658, like pioglitazone, decreased blood glucose, HbA1c, and plasma triglyceride levels and increased plasma insulin concentration and pancreatic insulin contents. In DIO KK-A y mice, DSP-8658, unlike pioglitazone, decreased subcutaneous adipose tissue weight and mean adipocyte size. However, both DSP-8658 and pioglitazone improved blood glucose and HbA1c levels with similar efficacy. Although DSP-8658 did not change the expression levels of fatty acid transport protein 1 and glycerol kinase genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue of KK-A y mice, pioglitazone increased these gene expression levels. Conclusion: Unlike PPARγ full agonists, DSP-8658 ameliorates blood glucose without increasing adipogenesis in diabetic obesity mice.

Thermoelectric modules consisting of n-type Mn2.7Cr0.3Si4Al2 and p-type MnSi1.75 legs have been fabricated by use of composite pastes of Ag with Pt or Pd. For the module prepared by Ni-B plating and with Ag paste, the specific power density reached 370 mW/cm2 at a heat-source temperature of 873 K. Ni-B plating 5 μm thick on the surfaces of the silicide legs reduced both the internal resistance and degradation of the power generated by silicide modules at temperatures up to 873 K in air. This is because of oxidation of Al diffusing into the n-type legs and reaching the Ag electrodes on both the hot and cold sides. Ni-B plating can suppress Al diffusion into n-type legs. However, cracking was observed parallel to the contact surface in the middle of the Ni-B plating layer on the p-type legs. It was also found that incorporating Pt or Pd into the Ag paste effectively suppressed degradation of the contact resistance between the silicide legs and the Ag electrodes.