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Background Biologics are commonly used for the treatment of Crohn’s disase (CD); however, the proportion of biologics used and their initiation time from diagnosis differs widely between different regions. There is limited information about the patient characteristics and the treatment persistence of each initial biologics, and the treatment persistence of top-down and step-up therapy. iCREST-CD is a prospective, non-interventional, longitudinal, observational registry study conducted at 19 tertiary centres to understand the characteristics of CD treatments in actual clinical settings in Japan. We conducted an interim analysis (cutoff date: 30 June 2022) of iCREST-CD to mainly evaluate the indication and outcomes of initial biologic therapy. Methods Patients newly diagnosed with CD after June 2016 based on the diagnostic criteria of the Japanese Guidelines, aged ≥16 years at the time of informed consent with no prior exposure to biologics were enrolled. Patient demographics, clinical data, disease activity and medical treatment were recorded. Biologic use without prior steroid use was defined as top-down and biologic use with prior steroid use was defined as step-up. Results A total of 672 eligible patients (68.2% male) with mean age (±SD) of 29.4 (13.1) years were analysed. Cumulative proportion of patients prescribed 5-aminosalicylic acid, steroids, immunomodulators, and biologics at 6- and 12-months from diagnosis were 71.3%, 40.6%, 31.4%, and 47.5%; and 75.0%, 43.6%, 36.0%, and 59.7%, respectively (Figure 1). A total of 498 patients received biological therapy—infliximab (IFX; 121 [24.3%]), adalimumab (ADA; 244 [49.0%]), ustekinumab (UST; 107 [21.5%]), and vedolizumab (VDZ; 26 [5.2%]). The mean age (±SD) at the initiation of biologic treatment was IFX: 28.2 (11.3), ADA: 26.6 (10.8), UST: 30.4 (14.1), and VDZ: 36.2 (17.4), and the mean (±SD) levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (mg/L) was IFX: 25.9 (26.8), ADA: 18.9 (26.0), UST: 13.5 (17.9), and VDZ: 9.5 (19.0) (Table.1). The initial biologic treatment persistence rates of IFX, ADA, UST and VDZ at 36-months were 77.5%, 75.8%, 79.8%, and 49.0%, respectively (Figure 2). Patients receiving top-down and step-up therapy were 284 (57.0%) and 214 (43.0%), respectively. The treatment persistence rate of initial biologics by top-down and step-up therapy at 36-months from diagnosis was 81.6% and 66.9%, respectively (P=0.001) (Figure 3). Conclusion This registry study that demonstrated the treatment persistence rate of initial biologic therapy was significantly higher in the top-down than the step-up approach.

Observation techniques of high-energy gamma rays using air showers have remarkably progressed via the Tibet AS$\gamma$, HAWC, and LHAASO experiments. These observations have significantly contributed to gamma-ray astronomy in the northern sky's sub-Peta electron volts (PeV) region. Moreover, in the southern sky, the ALPACA experiment is underway at 4,740\,m altitude on the Chacaltaya plateau in Bolivia. This experiment estimates the gamma-ray flux from the difference between the number of on-source and off-source events by real data, utilizing the gamma-ray detection efficiency calculated through Monte Carlo simulations, which in turn depends on the hadronic interaction models. Even though the number of cosmic-ray background events can be experimentally estimated, this model dependence affects the estimation of gamma-ray detection efficiency. However, previous reports have assumed that the model dependence is negligible and have not included it in the error of gamma-ray flux estimation. Using ALPAQUITA, the prototype experiment of ALPACA, we quantitatively evaluated the model dependence on hadronic interaction models for the first time. We evaluate the model dependence on hadronic interactions as less than 3.6\,\% in the typical gamma-ray flux estimation performed by ALPAQUITA; this is negligible compared with other uncertainties such as energy scale uncertainty in the energy range from 6 to 300 TeV, which is dominated by the Monte Carlo statistics. This upper limit of 3.6\,\% model dependence is expected to apply to ALPACA.

Clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) patients frequently develop refractory interstitial lung disease (ILD), with a poor prognosis. We aimed to verify the efficacy and safety of plasma exchange (PE) treatment for ILD in CADM.A retrospective case-control study was conducted to compare clinical outcomes with and without PE treatment in CADM-ILD patients refractory to combination therapy of high-dose glucocorticoids, calcineurin inhibitors, and cyclophosphamide. Among 19 enrolled patients, 11 were further treated with PE. We compared survival rates and other clinical characteristics. PE consisted of either fresh-frozen plasma or albumin as a replacement solution.Basal clinical characteristics at diagnosis, including age, gender, serum ferritin, Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), C-reactive protein, and respiratory function tests, did not differ between the two groups. The survival rate for treatment with PE was higher than for treatment without PE (91% and 50%, respectively, p 0.05). Among PE-treated patients, anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene-5 (anti-MDA-5) antibody titre, ferritin, and KL-6 as serological activity markers were sustainably reduced only after initiating PE. Therapeutic intervention with PE reduced the frequency of exacerbation of ILD requiring methylprednisolone pulse therapy. The occurrence of bacterial, fungal, and cytomegalovirus infection did not differ between the groups with and without PE, and adverse events associated with PE resolved with appropriate intervention.Combination therapy with PE was associated with an improved survival rate, and may be effective for the management of refractory ILD in CADM patients. A personalized therapeutic strategy including PE could be introduced for fatal rapidly progressive ILD.

HESS J1843–033 is a very high energy gamma-ray source whose origin remains unidentified. This work presents, for the first time, the energy spectrum of gamma rays beyond 100 TeV from the HESS J1843–033 region using the data recorded by the Tibet air shower array and its underground muon detector array. A gamma-ray source with an extension of 0.°34 ± 0.°12 is successfully detected above 25 TeV at (α, δ) = (281.°09 ± 0.°10, −3.°76 ± 0.°09) near HESS J1843–033 with a statistical significance of 6.2σ, and the source is named TASG J1844–038. The position of TASG J1844–038 is consistent with those of HESS J1843–033, eHWC J1842–035, and LHAASO J1843–0338. The measured gamma-ray energy spectrum in 25 TeV < E < 130 TeV is described with dN / dE = ( 9.70 ± 1.89 ) × 10 − 16 (E/40 TeV)−3.26±0.30 TeV−1 cm−2 s−1, and the spectral fit to the combined spectra of HESS J1843–033, LHAASO J1843–0338, and TASG J1844–038 implies the existence of a cutoff at 49.5 ± 9.0 TeV. Associations of TASG J1844–038 with SNR G28.6–0.1 and PSR J1844–0346 are also discussed in detail for the first time.

It has been known that, in field deposits of soils located several meters below the ground water table, the velocity of longitudinal wave propagation is smaller than that of fully saturated soils. This fact suggests that the soils in such deposits are partly saturated near full saturation. It has also been known that the cyclic resistance of sand tends to increase with decreasing saturation ratio. Thus, it is expected that some correlation exists between the longitudinal wave velocity and cyclic resistance of sand. To explore this aspect, two sequences of laboratory tests were conducted on sand specimens with saturation of 97–100 % : one involving measurements of the P-wave velocity and the other for determination of cyclic strength. The results of these tests revealed the fact that the cyclic strength increases significantly with reduction in the P-wave velocity. Based on the correlation established and also drawing upon of the conception that the P-wave velocity could be a parameter to liase saturation conditions of laboratory specimens with those of in-situ soil deposit, a method is suggested to accurately evaluate the liquefaction resistance of in-situ sand deposits below the ground water table.

We investigated the inter-level time-dependent dielectric breakdown (VTDDB) degradation mechanisms in Cu/low-k damascene structures. Considering the dependence of VTDDB reliability and ILD film properties on the post etching treatment (PET) condition, it was found that defect generation near the anode-side interface impacts the VTDDB lifetime and that the absolute value of the lifetime could be improved by reducing the number of Si-H bonds near the anode side. On the other hand, the electric field acceleration factor is independent of the anode-side defects, which is discussed based on the "Impact Damage model." Furthermore, we demonstrated experimentally the relationship between the intra-level TDDB (LTDDB) and the VTDDB failure mechanisms.

Background Mitral regurgitation (MR) is sometimes observed in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), and might be related to worsening heart failure. However, mechanism and clinical significance of MR associated with CS remains undetermined. Methods We retrospectively analyzed consecutive 51 CS patients, and identified 16 patients with moderate to severe MR evaluated by quantitative echocardiography. According to the assessment of coaptation point and tenting height, main mechanisms of the 16 patients with MR were classified into prolapse (P) in 5, and tethering in 11 (T). Prednisolone was started from 30 mg/day, gradually tapered over a period of 6 months to a maintenance dose of 5 to 10 mg/day and continued a lifetime. Results At the first visit, patients with MR showed higher incidence of NYHA class IV heart failure as compared to those without MR (56 vs. 9%, p Conclusions MR associated with CS has variety of mechanisms including prolapse, tethering and inflammation of the LV papillary muscle, and may be related to ventricular remodeling and poor clinical outcome.

The lifetime distribution of electromigration in a Cu pillar interconnection with Electroless Nickel Electroless Palladium Immersion Gold (ENEPIG or Ni-P/Pd/Au) pad finish was investigated. The Cu pillar interconnection with a Ni cap showed a bimodal lifetime distribution under high current stressing. It was found that Ni diffusion from the pad finish to solder plays a key role in the mechanism of this early failure mode. By removing the Ni cap and increasing the ratio of the Cu post diameter to solder resist opening size, we could achieve a significant suppression of the early failure.

In this study, we perform a comprehensive comparison of the transport hysteresis width in deuterium (D) plasmas, hydrogen (H) plasmas, and D-H mixed plasmas. The core focused modulation electron cyclotron resonance heating (MECH) is applied as the heat source perturbation, and the heat flux is evaluated using the energy conservation equation with the measured electron temperature response and the ECH deposition profile calculated by the ray-tracing scheme. Systematic density scan in plasmas with different ion mass reveals that there is no significant isotope effect in their hysteresis width. It is found that plasmas with heavier isotope mass can easily form the electron internal transport barrier. As the hysteresis width is insensitive to the isotope mass, the classical part of the diffusivity is considered to be responsible for the isotope effect in the transport barrier formation.

The ALPACA experiment is a new international project between Bolivia and Japan. It is going to consist of an 83,000 m2 surface air-shower array and a 5,400 m2 underground water Cherenkov muon detector array, and the experimental site is at Mt. Chacaltaya plateau at an altitude of 4,740 m. Its main target is to observe 100 TeV gamma rays and explore high-energy gamma-ray sources in the southern sky. This is because such high-energy gamma rays hold the key to identify the origin of cosmic rays at the knee region of the energy spectrum. So far many high-energy gamma-ray sources have been found in the southern sky. They are emitting gamma rays of several tens of TeV, so some of them could be PeVatrons which accelerate cosmic rays to PeV energy region in the Galaxy. By observing them in higher energy region, we will obtain new knowledge of cosmic-ray acceleration to the knee region, and discover new gamma-ray sources. As the prototype experiment of ALPACA, the ALPAQUITA experiment is now under construction. In a MC simulation, we found that ALPAQUITA has the ability of detecting bright gamma-ray sources in the southern hemisphere such as Vela X within 1 year.

This paper describes an EM (electromigration) mechanism on interconnected Cu pillar in flip chip package. It will be clarified that the EM life depends on Cu pillar interconnection structure. Recently, it was reported that the EM life was deteriorated by applying ENEPIG (electroless Ni-P/Pd/Au) plating layers on a substrate pad used for solder connection [1]. It was because Ni diffusion into solder lead to connection failure forming Ni3P layer. In this study, we found that an optimized structure was realized by applying no Ni barrier on the Cu pillar. Diffusion of CuSn IMCs (Inter Metallic Compounds) from Cu pillar accumulated onto Ni-P layer of substrate pad and they blocked Ni atom diffusion. It improved EM life about 2 times longer than that of Cu pillar with Ni barrier. Kirkendall voids were slightly formed on an interface between Cu pillar and solder after 500 hours at 175 deg C, however, shear strength was stable and any crack on the interface was not observed.

It has recently been reported that the transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) is helpful in determining the position of the acetabular component in total hip replacement (THR). In this study we used a computer-assisted navigation system to determine whether the TAL is useful as a landmark in THR. The study was carried out in 121 consecutive patients undergoing primary THR (134 hips), including 67 dysplastic hips (50%). There were 26 men (29 hips) and 95 women (105 hips) with a mean age of 60.2 years (17 to 82) at the time of operation. After identification of the TAL, its anteversion was measured intra-operatively by aligning the inferomedial rim of the trial acetabular component with the TAL using computer-assisted navigation. The TAL was identified in 112 hips (83.6%). Intra-observer reproducibility in the measurement of anteversion of the TAL was high, but inter-observer reproducibility was moderate.Each surgeon was able to align the trial component according to the target value of the angle of anteversion of the TAL, but it was clear that methods may differ among surgeons. Of the measurements of the angle of anteversion of the TAL, 5.4% (6 of 112 hips) were outliers from the safe zone.In summary, we found that the TAL is useful as a landmark when implanting the acetabular component within the safe zone in almost all hips, and to prevent it being implanted in retroversion in all hips, including dysplastic hips. However, as anteversion of the TAL may be excessive in a few hips, it is advisable to pay attention to individual variations, particularly in those with severe posterior pelvic tilt.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:306–11.

We developed a highly reliable enhanced nitride Interface (ENI) process of barrier low-k using an ultra-thin SiN (UT-SiN) for 40-nm node devices and beyond. The UT-SiN (3nm) exhibits stable thickness uniformity and an excellent moisture blocking capability. By using this process, a lower effective k and high via yields were obtained. Compared to the conventional SiCN bi-layer process, 5x via electro-migration improvement, 50x time dependent dielectric breakdown improvement and no stress induced voiding failure within 1000h were observed. The ENI process was analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. From these analyses, we propose the mechanism for these reliability performance improvements.

The moisture absorption impacts on electromigration (EM) and time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) were investigated in Cu/low-k interconnects that is adopting CuAl alloy seed technique. A long queue time (Q-time) has a serious impact on kinetics of both EM and TDDB characteristics. The moisture absorption causes the loss of alloy effects on EM lifetime improvements. The ultra-thin SiN (UT-SiN) remarkably suppresses the moisture absorption impacts due to Q-time. It also inhibits kinetics degradations of EM and TDDB that depend on the moisture absorption to low-k.

The lifetime distribution of stress-induced voiding with area scaling is investigated on a void nucleation and growth framework. The distribution resulting from the convolution integrals of the time to void nucleation and the time for void growth was applied to observed data. The time to void nucleation showed non-Poisson area scaling, whereas the time for void growth showed Poisson area scaling. Therefore, the area scaling effects were applied to a negative binominal distribution and a Poisson distribution, respectively. With a Monte Carlo simulation, it was found that the time for void growth will be dominant for the product-level lifetime.

We investigated the time-dependent clustering (TDC) model for time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of non-uniform dielectrics and revealed for the first time that the TDC model is a compound Weibull model that is expressed as a superposition of Weibull distributions. The Weibull model has two statistical parameters, scale parameter η and shape parameter β We clarified the precondition that the TDC model holds when term ηβ of the Weibull model is distributed according to an inverse-gamma distribution. By using our finding, we proposed a new method to directly estimate the variations of electric field and effective space from TDDB data. We found that the corresponding electric field distribution is a generalization of extreme value distribution, which is a natural consequence since the lifetime is determined by the maximum value of the electric field.

Twelve high schools in Japan (of which six are in Fukushima Prefecture), four in France, eight in Poland and two in Belarus cooperated in the measurement and comparison of individual external doses in 2014. In total 216 high-school students and teachers participated in the study. Each participant wore an electronic personal dosimeter 'D-shuttle' for two weeks, and kept a journal of his/her whereabouts and activities. The distributions of annual external doses estimated for each region overlap with each other, demonstrating that the personal external individual doses in locations where residence is currently allowed in Fukushima Prefecture and in Belarus are well within the range of estimated annual doses due to the terrestrial background radiation level of other regions/countries. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.

A comparison of characteristics between a nonlocal transport phenomenon and an electron internal transport barrier (ITB) in the Large Helical Device is performed with a transient transport analysis and from the viewpoint of a dynamic behavior of transport state. The electron ITB is characterized by a jump of electron temperature gradient. In contrast, the transient transport analysis indicates the nonlocal transport phenomenon is characterized by a jump of electron heat flux. And seen from the viewpoint of the dynamic behavior of transport state, the physical mechanism of the appearance of the nonlocal transport phenomenon is found to be qualitatively different from that of the formation of the electron ITB (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

We focused on failure within fine copper patterning on a semiconductor chip. Three grades of samples were prepared; hard CMP treatment, soft CMP treatment and standard, and compared the differences by shave-off profiling. The shave-off profiles of CMP treatment revealed a saw-toothed structure, and the shave-off profile of a standard chip was revealed as a periodic triangular wave. The difference can be explained by the existence of residue on the CMP process. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This paper reports on the clinicopathological features of four patients with solitary fibrous tumours arising from the extremities and presents a review of the relevant literature. The patients consisted of three women and one man, with a mean age of 47.8 years. Standard pre-operative work-up data were examined, including: history, clinical examination, plain radiography, computed tomography scans of the lesion and chest, magnetic resonance imaging, angiography, technetium-99m bone scan, thallium-201 scintigraphy and routine laboratory tests. Immunohisto chemical staining was performed for CD34, Bcl-2 protein, vimentin, S-100 protein, desmin and smooth muscle actin, and pathological material was reviewed for the presence of histologically malignant components. Immunohistochemically, all of the tumours were diffusely positive for CD34. Clinical and radiological findings of solitary fibrous tumours affecting the extremities are reminiscent of those of aggressive or malignant soft tissue tumours. Pathological and immunohistochemical studies are important in making the correct diagnosis.

In this paper, the performance of a two-port single-mode fiber-silicon wire waveguide coupler module which utilizes an identical spot-size converter (SSC) at the input and output ports is reported. Each of the silicon (Si)-based SSCs comprised cascaded horizontal linear and vertical nonlinear up-tapers measured 300 and 200 mum in length, respectively, in a common silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The structural parameters of the tapers were designed for compactness and relaxed tolerance to fabrication errors. The total length of the two-port coupler module was 1000 mum plus the variable length of the wire waveguide connecting the two SSCs. The mode-field diameter (MFD) of the Si-wire waveguide, 0.32 times 0.46 mum2, was transformed to the diameter of 2.8 times 8.0 mum2 at the wavelength of 1.55 mum (corresponding to an area expansion of about 150 times) and vice versa by the SSCs with a net transmission loss of 4.1 dB/port. The field-mismatch loss between the SSC and the single-mode fiber with the MFD of 5.2 mum was 2.1 dB/port.

The Tibet-III air shower array, consisting of 533 scintillation detectors, has been operating successfully at Yangbajing in Tibet, China since 1999. Using the dataset collected by this array from 1999 November through 2005 November, we obtained the energy spectrum of $\gamma$-rays from the Crab Nebula, expressed by a power law as $(dJ/dE) = (2.09\pm0.32)\times10^{-12} (E/{\rm 3 TeV})^{-2.96\pm0.14} {\rm cm}^{-2} {\rm s}^{-1} {\rm TeV}^{-1}$ in the energy range of 1.7 to 40 TeV. This result is consistent with other independent $\gamma$-ray observations by imaging air Cherenkov telescopes. In this paper, we carefully checked and tuned the performance of the Tibet-III array using data on the moon's shadow in comparison with a detailed Monte Carlo simulation. The shadow is shifted to the west of the moon's apparent position as an effect of the geomagnetic field, although the extent of this displacement depends on the primary energy positively charged cosmic rays. This finding enables us to estimate the systematic error in determining the primary energy from its shower size. This error is estimated to be less than $\pm$12% in our experiment. This energy scale estimation is the first attempt among cosmic-ray experiments at ground level. The systematic pointing error is also estimated to be smaller than $0\fdg011$. The deficit rate and position of the moon's shadow are shown to be very stable within a statistical error of $\pm$6% year by year. This guarantees the long-term stability of point-like source observation with the Tibet-III array. These systematic errors are adequately taken into account in our study of the Crab Nebula., Comment: 12 pages, 16 figures, accepted by ApJ

Long pulse operation up to 1 msec of a high frequency gyrotron with a pulse magnet has been successfully carried out in a frequency range including 1 THz. In the experiments, the timing of an electron beam pulse injection is adjusted at the top of the magnetic field pulse, where the variation of field intensity is negligible. The operation cavity modes seem to be TE1, 12 and TE4,12 at the second harmonics. The corresponding frequencies are 903 GHz and 1,013 GHz, respectively. Additionally several features of radiation measurement results of the gyrotron are described and brief considerations are presented.

Dissipation by the vortex motion in cuprate superconductors was investigated by the microwave surface impedance measurement. We discuss our experimental results, with particular interest in comparison with the quasiparticle scattering time in the vortex core with that in the Meissner state, and in the effect of impurity doping. It was found that the moderately clean core picture was rather generic in the high-Tc cuprate. This means the importance of the Andreev reflection at the core boundary for the dissipation by the vortex motion. We argue that the large dissipation by the motion of vortex core is the manifestation of the novel mechanism characteristic of the moderately clean core.

Sub-THz gyrotron series named 'Gyrotron FU Series' developed in Research Center for Development of Far Infrared Region, University of Fukui (FIR FU) has achieved the maximum frequency of 889 GHz with the output power of several hundred watt and has been successfully applied to plasma diagnostics and material physics. Recently, a THz gyrotron with a pulsed magnet has been designed, constructed and operated in FIR FU. The gyrotron has achieved the first experimental result for high frequency operations whose radiation frequency exceeds 1 THz. In this paper, the design detail and the operation test results for sub-terahertz to terahertz range are described. The second harmonic operation is confirmed experimentally at the expected frequency of 1.01 THz due to TE6,11cavity mode at the magnetic field intensity of 19.1 T.

The Tibet hybrid experiment composed of emulsion chambers, burst detectors and the Tibet-II air-shower array was done at Yangbajing (4,300m above sea level, 606 g/cm2) in Tibet. For 3-year operation, we have observed 177 γ-families (ΣEγ > 20 TeV) accompanying air showers with the shower size Ne > 2 × 105. Using this data set and a neural network method to select proton and helium induced events, the primary proton and helium energy spectra are deduced between 1015 and 1016eV. The proton spectrum, thus obtained, can be expressed by a single power-law function with a differential index of −3.01±0.11 and −3.05±0.12 based on the QGSJET+HD and SIBYLL+HD models, respectively, which are steeper than that extrapolated from the direct observations of −2.74±0.01 in the energy range below 1014 eV. Our result suggests that the main component responsible for making the knee structure of the all-particle spectrum should be composed of nuclei heavier than helium.

We have investigated electromigration (EM) lifetimes and void formation at cumulative failure probability of around 50 ppm. We carried out EM test in damascene Cu lines using sudden-death test structures. Cumulative failure probability of the test ranges from 50 ppm to 90%. To investigate the void nucleation and growth behaviour, Cu microstructures were investigated by using scanning transmission electron microscopy (S-TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. EM lifetime shows strong correlation with the void nucleation site and the void volume. In addition, the worst case for EM lifetime is that wide angle grain boundary exists just under the via as a void nucleation site.

A THz gyrotron with a pulse magnet has been designed, constructed and operated in FIR FU. It is developed as one of high frequency gyrotrons included in Gyrotron FU Series. The gyrotron has already achieved the first experimental result for high frequency operations whose radiation frequency exceeds 1 THz. In this paper, the design detail and the operation test results for sub-terahertz to terahertz range are described. The second harmonic operation is confirmed experimentally at the expected frequency of 1.005 THz due to TE6,11 cavity mode at the magnetic field intensity of 19.0 T.

We examined the priming effects of four plant defense activators (probenazole [PBZ], methyl jasmonate [MeJA], acibenzolar-S-methyl [ASM], and carpropamid [CRP]) in rice cells. Activators potentiated the elicitor-responsive expression of Cht-1 gene by 4-to 7-fold. MeJA greatly activated PBZ1 and Os PAL1 gene expression by over 50-fold, and CRP also enhanced PBZ1 gene expression to the same degree. On the other hand, activators accelerated the elicitor-responsive photon emission and augmented its peak intensity by 2- to 3-fold. These results indicated that each elicitor response was potentiated by plant defense activators in different but overlapping manners. Among elicitor responses, photon emission can be a useful marker for priming because of its sensitivity to various kinds of activators and a simple strategy for its estimation.

Extending previous 77 Se NMR studies [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 72 (2003) 483], the microscopic magnetic properties of superconducting (\(T_{\text{C}}\cong 5{\mbox{--}}6\) K) λ-(BETS) 2 GaCl 4 [BETS = bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene] have been investigated by 1 H NMR in the normal state between 7.1 and 140 K on randomly oriented single crystals. Contrary to almost T -independent 1/( 77 T 1 T ) of the 77 Se NMR, 1/( 1 T 1 T ) of the 1 H NMR shows a significant increase below about 25 K. This quite contrasting low- T behavior in 1/( T 1 T ) between 77 Se and 1 H is shown to be explained consistently in terms of the development of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations of π-electrons, which has already been indicated by the 77 Se NMR as a significant low- T decrease in the intrinsic uniform susceptibility χ q =0 ( T ) and no concomitant decrease in 1/( 77 T 1 T ). In the explanation, it is pointed out that the inter-atomic dipolar interaction with the extended spin polarization of the HOMO plays an important r...

The microscopic magnetic properties of superconducting (\(T_{\text{C}}\cong 6\) K) λ-(BETS) 2 GaCl 4 (BETS = bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene) have been investigated by 77 Se NMR in the normal state between 7.1 and 100 K on randomly oriented single crystals with κ-(BETS) 2 GaCl 4 as a reference compound. From the T -dependences of the Knight shift and the linewidth, the intrinsic uniform susceptibility χ q =0 ( T ) has been found to decrease with decreasing T below 30 K for λ-(BETS) 2 GaCl 4 . Nevertheless, 1/( T 1 T ) does not show any corresponding decrease but is constant down to the lowest T , which indicates increasing contributions with decreasing T from antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations. The Knight shift and 1/( T 1 T ) have been analyzed quantitatively and the enhancement factor K (α)>1 is deduced in the low- T limit. On the basis of these results, the development of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations of π-electrons at low T is concluded for λ-(BETS) 2 GaCl 4 .

In 11 patients juxta-articular osteosarcoma around the knee was treated by intraepiphyseal excision of the tumour and reconstruction of the bone defect by distraction osteogenesis. Preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy was given to eight patients with high-grade tumours. The articular cartilage of the epiphysis and a maximum of healthy soft tissues were preserved. Distraction osteogenesis was then carried out. The mean gain in length was 9.7 cm. Full function of the limb was preserved in all except one patient, with a mean follow-up of 53.8 months. Treatment of juxta-articular osteosarcomas around the knee with joint preservation and biological reconstruction using distraction osteogenesis can give excellent functional results.