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Objective: Although relatively costly and non-scalable, non-invasive neuromodulation interventions are treatment alternatives for neuropsychiatric disorders. The recent developments of highly-deployable transcranial electric stimulation (tES) systems, combined with mobile-Health technologies, could be incorporated in digital trials to overcome methodological barriers and increase equity of access. The study aims are to discuss the implementation of tES digital trials by performing a systematic scoping review and strategic process mapping, evaluate methodological aspects of tES digital trial designs, and provide Delphi-based recommendations for implementing digital trials using tES.Methods: We convened 61 highly-productive specialists and contacted 8 tES companies to assess 71 issues related to tES digitalization readiness, and processes, barriers, advantages, and opportunities for implementing tES digital trials. Delphi-based recommendations (>60% agreement) were provided.Results: The main strengths/opportunities of tES were: (i) non-pharmacological nature (92% of agreement), safety of these techniques (80%), affordability (88%), and potential scalability (78%). As for weaknesses/threats, we listed insufficient supervision (76%) and unclear regulatory status (69%). Many issues related to methodological biases did not reach consensus. Device appraisal showed moderate digitalization readiness, with high safety and potential for trial implementation, but low connectivity.Conclusions: Panelists recognized the potential of tES for scalability, generalizability, and leverage of digital trials processes; with no consensus about aspects regarding methodological biases. Significance: We further propose and discuss a conceptual framework for exploiting shared aspects between mobile-Health tES technologies with digital trials methodology to drive future efforts for digitizing tES trials. (C) 2022 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Although relatively costly and non-scalable, non-invasive neuromodulation interventions are treatment alternatives for neuropsychiatric disorders. The recent developments of highly-deployable transcranial electric stimulation (tES) systems, combined with mobile-Health technologies, could be incorporated in digital trials to overcome methodological barriers and increase equity of access. We convened 61 highly-productive specialists and contacted 8 tES companies to assess 71 issues related to tES digitalization readiness, and processes, barriers, advantages, and opportunities for implementing tES digital trials. Delphi-based recommendations (>60% agreement) were provided. Device appraisal showed moderate digitalization readiness, with high safety and the possibility of trial implementation, but low connectivity. Panelists recognized the potential of tES for scalability, generalizability, and leverage of digital trials processes; although they reached no consensus about aspects regarding methodological biases. We further propose and discuss a conceptual framework for exploiting shared aspects between mobile-Health tES technologies with digital trials methodology to drive future efforts for digitizing tES trials.Graphical Abstract. Consensus Roadmap(A) Recruitment process. The study procedure started with defining the components of the research problem by the core research team. After defining the problems, two different sets of participants (the steering committee (SC) including key leaders of the field identified by the core team and the expert panel (EP) as a more diverse group of experts identified based on the number of publications based on a systematic review) were identified and were invited to participate in a Delphi study. The study facilitators (first and last authors) led the communications with the SC to design the initial questionnaire through an iterative approach. (B) Evidence synthesis: To collect the available evidence, companies producing portable tES (ptES) devices were contacted, based on the companies suggested by the SC and EP to provide details about the available devices. For mapping methodological processes of digitizing tES trials, two distinct strategies were performed and embedded into the questionnaire, namely SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customer) and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) assessment were performed and embedded into the questionnaire. (C) Consensus development: In the next phase, the questionnaire was validated and finalized via collecting and summarizing opinions. Afterward, the SC and EP responded to the final questionnaire, and results were analyzed providing a list of recommendations for running tES digital trials based on a pre-registered consensus threshold.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether carbohydrate mouth rinse (CMR) improves physical performance of cyclists during a 30-km time trial test and its influence on water balance compared to other strategies of fluid intake. Eleven recreationally trained male cyclists completed a 30 km time trial cycle ergometer under three experimental interventions: (a) CMR, (b) drinking to replace all weight loss (DWL), and (c) drinking “ad libitum” (DAL). Time to complete the 30 km time trial, heart rate, average power, velocity, weight loss, urine color, urine density and pH were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) and generalized estimating equations (GEE) with Bonferroni adjustment (p < 0.05). Time to complete the 30 km time trial was similar among CMR 54.5 ± 2.9 min, DWL 53.6 ± 3.9 min and DAL 54.5 ± 2.5 min (p = 0.13). CMR (1.7 ± 0.4%) elicited similar water loss compared to the DAL (1.4 ± 0.6%) intervention, but it was higher than the DWL intervention (0.6 ± 0.6%) (p < 0.01). CMR did not improve the performance of recreationally trained cyclists in a 30 km time trial test compared to other fluid intake strategies. Furthermore, CMR causes higher water loss compared to DWL intervention.

We developed a CMOS image sensor (CIS) chip, which is stacked pixel/DRAM/logic. In this CIS chip, three Si substrates are bonded together, and each substrate is electrically connected by two-stacked through-silica vias (TSVs) through the CIS or dynamic random access memory (DRAM). We obtained low resistance, low leakage current, and high reliability characteristics of these TSVs. Connecting metal with TSVs through DRAM can be used as low resistance wiring for a power supply. The Si substrate of the DRAM can be thinned to 3 pm, and its memory retention and operation characteristics are sufficient for specifications after thinning. With this stacked CIS chip, it is possible to achieve less rolling shutter distortion and produce super slow motion video.

Fatigue failure of steel occurs when small cracks form in a component and then continue to grow to a size large enough to cause failure. In order to understand the strength of steel components, it is important to find the cracks, which eventually grow to cause failures. However, at present, it is not easy to distinguish, in the early stages of growth, the cracks that will grow fast and cause failure. We hypothesized that it may be possible to distinguish them by comparing changes in the magnetic flux density around the tips of those cracks that grew to failure. In order to measure these changes in magnetic flux density, we developed a scanning Hall probe microscope and observed the fatigue cracks growing from artificial slits in soft bearing steels. Note that we did not magnetize the specimens artificially but succeeded to measure the changes in magnetic flux density during the fatigue tests. We also compared the changes in magnetic flux density around crack tips, which grew under different loads, and found that there is a strong correlation between the magnetic flux density, crack growth and stress intensity factors. In order to understand this, we looked into the relation between stress field, residual strain and magnetic flux density, and concluded that the changes in magnetic flux density are caused not only by the residual strain occurring around the crack tips but also by the increase in the elastic stress.

The microwave spectra of two conformers of ( E )-2-methylpropanal oxime ((CH 3 ) 2 CH CH NOH) and its deuterated species ((CH 3 ) 2 CH CH NOD) were observed in the frequency range from 8 to 40 GHz. The absorption lines in the ground and excited vibrational states were assigned. The rotational constants of normal species in the ground vibrational state were determined to be A = 7343.5(25), B = 1847.20(2), and C = 1607.29(2) MHz for ( E )- sp isomer and A = 7073.15(84), B = 2006.01(1), and C = 1686.62(1) MHz for ( E )- ac isomer. The planar moments ( P bb = ( I c + I a − I b )/2) of the normal and deuterated species were determined to be 54.829(15) and 54.829(8) uA 2 for the ( E )- sp , and 59.578(6) and 59.768(7) uA 2 for the ( E )- ac , respectively. The P bb values of the ( E )- sp of normal and deuterated species suggest that the ( E )- sp has C s symmetry. The r s coordinates of the hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl group were determined for the ( E )- sp and the ( E )- ac . They indicated that their OH bonds took trans positions with respect to the C N double bond. The four and six structural parameters were adjusted by fitting to the rotational constants of the ( E )- sp and ( E )- ac , respectively. The observed rotational constants ( B and C ) of the ( E )- sp and the ( E )- ac isomers were in better agreement with those calculated using the MP2/6-31++G( d , p ) level than with those calculated using the MP2/6-31G( d , p ) level.

There are many complications of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), but infected pancreatic necrosis and pancreatic abscess are very serious and relate to the mortality and morbidity. Recently there have been many studies about the utility of procalcitonin (PCT) as a factor of prediction for infective complications in SAP.

The role of calmodulin (CaM) during mating in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined by using a set of Phe-to-Ala substitutions. We identified ten CaM mutants that exhibited significantly reduced mating efficiencies when crossed to a strain of the opposite mating type harboring the same CaM mutation. Most of the mating-defective CaM mutants were bilateral, i.e., they also exhibited mating defects, albeit minor ones, when crossed to the wild type. When strains carrying different bilateral CaM mutations were mated, the mating efficiencies recovered dramatically. We termed this phenomenon "intragenic mating complementation", and classified the mating-defective CaM mutations into two intragenic mating complementation groups. Two mutant alleles belonging to different groups showed minor defects in cell adhesion and cell fusion, but exhibited severe defects in karyogamy. CaM is known to bind to the essential spindle pole body component Nuf1p. This binding appears to be important for karyogamy because the nuf1(C911R) mutation, which impairs CaM-Nuf1p binding, resulted in a severe defect in karyogamy. Indeed, the two mating-defective CaM mutations were found to compromise formation of the CaM/Nuf1p complex, and the mating defects of these two CaM mutants were suppressible by a dominant, CaM-independent, mutation in NUF1. Taken together, these results suggest that loss of CaM binding to Nuf1p causes a defect in karyogamy, thereby inhibiting productive mating.

When combined with a nonlinear waveguide crystal, Cherenkov phase matching allows for highly effective generation of high power and broadband terahertz (THz) waves. Using a ridged Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) waveguide coupled with a specially designed silicon lens, we successfully generated THz waves with intensity of approximately three orders of magnitude stronger than those from conventional photoconductive antenna. The broadband spectrum was from 0.1 THz to 7 THz with a maximum dynamic range of 80 dB. The temporal shape of time domain pulse is a regular single cycle which could be used for high depth resolution time of flight tomography. The generated THz wave can also be easily monitored by compact room-temperature THz camera, enabling us to determine the spatial characteristics of the THz propagation.

Patients with constipation may have various pelvic complaints of difficult evacuation coexisting with infrequent evacuation and other abdominal complaints, and the overlapping of symptoms makes it difficult to select appropriate therapy based on clinical history and routine office examination alone. Cinedefecography is an objective method for examining patients who have complex subjective symptoms. This study assessed the value of cinedefecography for evaluating patients with constipation with multiple complaints. We divided 185 patients with constipation into two those with (group 1) or without (group 2) cinedefecographic evidence of difficult evacuation. These groups were compared relative to complaints, manometric results, cinedefecography findings, and the success of biofeedback treatment. Group 1 patients were further evaluated according to the type of abnormal findings: sigmoidocele, rectocele, intussusception, and perineal descent. We found no significant differences in patient complaints between the groups. However, there were more patients in group 2 with intussusception than in group 1; there were also significant differences between the groups in mean resting pressure, maximum resting pressure, and maximum squeeze pressure. In group 1 patients with rectocele complained more frequently of excessive straining, and those with intussusception complained more frequently of incomplete evacuation. Sensory threshold and maximal tolerable capacity were significantly higher in patients with intussusception. Rectocele was predominant in women, and biofeedback treatment was extremely advantageous (86%) for patients in group 1 with a rectocele in association with other pathology. Whether the intussusception or the descent causes decreased mean resting and mean and maximum squeeze pressures is unknown but is an additional and potentially important finding which needs further elucidation for it to have therapeutic significance.

Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) are currently in use for visual inspections within reactor pressure vessels (RPV). In boiling water reactors (BWR), there is a complex RPV consisting of structures which are not disassembled during outages. To inspect the large volume of the RPV and associated components, the inspection vehicle must be compact and easily maneuverable. Toshiba has developed an ROV for the purpose of visual inspections in BWRS. This paper describes this ROV, the most compact visual inspection submersible yet manufactured and used in a BWR.

Picosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction has been performed on a 300-ps laser-irradiated germanium crystal at 1.2 GW/cm2. Lattice deformation due to shock compression and the propagation of shock waves are directly observed. The observed lattice compression is 4.3% at maximum, which is higher than that at the Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL). The data suggest that the germanium-crystal lattice behaves elastically under shock compression at 7.5 GPa (above HEL) for 27 ps.

The results of generation of fast protons from 5-μm-thick copper foil targets by 60fs laser irradiation at 1.5×1017W∕cm2 are presented. Both polyvinylmethylether (PVME)-coated and uncoated copper foil targets are examined. Fast protons are measured using a Thomson mass spectrometer and maximum proton energies are 570 and 280keV for the PVME-coated and the uncoated target, respectively. The intensity of fast protons with energy of 160keV from the PVME-coated target is approximately 80-fold higher than that from the uncoated target.

Recently, the electromagnetic damper, which is composed of an electric motor, a ball screw, and a nut, was proposed. The electromagnetic damper has high responsiveness, controllability, and energy saving performance. It has been reported that it improved ride comfort and drivability. In addition, the authors have proposed a coupling method of two electromagnetic dampers. The method enables the characteristics of bouncing and rolling or pitching motion of a vehicle to be tuned independently. In this study, the authors increase the number of coupling of electromagnetic dampers from two to four, and propose a method to couple four electromagnetic dampers. The proposed method enables the characteristics of bouncing, rolling and pitching motion of a vehicle to be tuned independently. Basic experiments using proposed circuit and motors and numerical simulations of an automobile equipped with the proposed coupling electromagnetic damper are carried out. The results indicate the proposed method is effective.

We propose a novel evacuation system with excited fluorine being injected into the outlet port of a turbomolecular pump to improve the existing hydrogen pressure ratio at the outlet and at the inlet. The object of this system is to convert hydrogen into a heavy weight molecule such as HF, which has high pressure ratio, by the reaction between fluorine and hydrogen in the outlet port. It was confirmed that the injection of fluorine increases the hydrogen pressure ratio up to 104–106 from 103 when the hydrogen partial pressure in the evacuated chamber is more than 10−8 Torr. We employed a relatively low‐duty turbomolecular pump, whose compression ratio for hydrogen is near 1000, to demonstrate the effect of fluorine injection more explicitly.

Production forecasts for petroleum reservoirs are essentially uncertain due to the lack of data. The unknown parameters are calibrated so that the simulated profile can match the observed data. A Bayesian framework has been applied to the evaluation of CO2 injection test in a tight oil reservoir. The observed data used for history-matching include the bottom-hole flowing pressure at the injector well and the gas composition at the wellhead of the producer wells. The key is starting with a simple model, because it is much quicker to adjust large-scale heterogeneity in a simple model than in a detailed model. The in-place volumes and connectivity between the wells have been calibrated in the simple models using a stochastic sampling method called the Neighbourhood Approximation algorithm. The aim of our study is to quantify uncertainty of reservoir connectivity. A Bayesian framework along with Markov Chain Monte Carlo and Neighbourhood Approximation in parameter space is used to calculate the posterior probability. We showed the best fit model for the gas breakthrough and the P10-90 envelopes in the forecast of the CO2 mole fraction in the produced gas. Our results contribute to the evaluation of the pilot test for a continuous CO2 injection.

UT-7 is a human leukemic cell line capable of growing in interleukin-3 (IL-3), granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or erythropoietin (Epo) (Komatsu et al, Cancer Res 51:341, 1991). To study the effect of Epo on proliferation and differentiation of UT-7, we maintained the UT-7 cell culture for more than 6 months in the presence of Epo. As a result, a subline, UT-7/Epo, was established. The growth of UT-7/Epo could be supported by Epo but not by GM-CSF or IL-3. UT- 7/Epo showed a greater level of heme content and ratio of benzidine- positive staining cells than did UT-7. Butyric acid promoted the synthesis of hemoglobin in UT-7/Epo, but not UT-7. Further, the mRNA concentrations of the c-myb oncogene and GM-CSF receptor beta-subunit were decreased substantially in UT-7/Epo cells. These findings showed that UT-7/Epo cells had progressed further in erythroid development than UT-7 cells, and suggested that long-term culture in Epo had promoted this differentiation. Whereas availability of the Epo receptor (Epo-R) for binding of Epo was reduced in UT-7/Epo cells compared with UT-7 cells, the Epo-R showed a similar affinity for Epo. This observation suggested that change(s) in postreceptor signaling step might be involved in the establishment and maintenance of the UT-7/Epo phenotype.

A steady-state H-mode plasma with frequent ELMs (edge localized modes) was obtained by applying magnetic fields with high poloidal mode numbers resonant in the plasma edge. The induced ELMs limit the density and impurity accumulation normally observed during ELM-free H-mode. An EML coil with numerous resonant modes ( m 10) in the plasma edge appears the most effective. This method of control is extended to higher auxiliary heating power by increasing the magnitude of the magnetic perturbations.