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The ``big'' seismic data not only acquired by seismometers but also acquired by vibrometers installed in buildings and infrastructure and accelerometers installed in smartphones will be certainly utilized for seismic research in the near future. Since it is impractical to utilize all the seismic big data in terms of the computational cost, methods which can select observation sites depending on the purpose are indispensable. We propose an observation site selection method for the accurate reconstruction of the seismic wavefield by process-driven approaches. The proposed method selects observation sites suitable for accurately estimating physical model parameters such as subsurface structures and source information to be input into a numerical simulation of the seismic wavefield. The seismic wavefield is reconstructed by the numerical simulation using the parameters estimated based on the observed signals at only observation sites selected by the proposed method. The observation site selection in the proposed method is based on the sensitivity of each observation site candidate to the physical model parameters; the matrix corresponding to the sensitivity is constructed by approximately calculating the derivatives based on the simulations, and then, observation sites are selected by evaluating the quantity of the sensitivity matrix based on the D-optimality criterion proposed in the optimal design of experiments. In the present study, physical knowledge on the sensitivity to the parameters such as seismic velocity, layer thickness, and hypocenter location was obtained by investigating the characteristics of the sensitivity matrix. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed method was shown by verifying the accuracy of seismic wavefield reconstruction using the observation sites selected by the proposed method., Comment: Accepted manuscript for publication in Geophysical Journal International

SUMMARY Reconstruction of the distribution of ground motion due to an earthquake is one of the key technologies for the prediction of seismic damage to infrastructure. Particularly, the immediate reconstruction of the spatially continuous wavefield is valuable for decision-making of disaster response decisions in the initial phase. For a fast and accurate reconstruction, utilization of prior information is essential. In fluid mechanics, full-state recovery, which recovers the full state from sparse observation using a data-driven model reduced-order model, is actively used. In this study, the framework developed in the field of fluid mechanics is applied to seismic wavefield reconstruction. A seismic wavefield reconstruction framework based on compressed sensing using the data-driven reduced-order model (ROM) is proposed and its characteristics are investigated through numerical experiments. The data-driven ROM is generated from the data set of the wavefield using the singular value decomposition. The spatially continuous seismic wavefield is reconstructed from the sparse and discrete observation and the data-driven ROM. The observation sites used for reconstruction are effectively selected by the sensor optimization method for linear inverse problems based on a greedy algorithm. The proposed framework was applied to simulation data of theoretical waveform with the subsurface structure of the horizontally stratified three layers. The validity of the proposed method was confirmed by the reconstruction based on the noise-free observation. Since the ROM of the wavefield is used as prior information, the reconstruction error is reduced to an approximately lower error bound of the present framework, even though the number of sensors used for reconstruction is limited and randomly selected. In addition, the reconstruction error obtained by the proposed framework is much smaller than that obtained by the Gaussian process regression. For the numerical experiment with noise-contaminated observation, the reconstructed wavefield is degraded due to the observation noise, but the reconstruction error obtained by the present framework with all available observation sites is close to a lower error bound, even though the reconstructed wavefield using the Gaussian process regression is fully collapsed. Although the reconstruction error is larger than that obtained using all observation sites, the number of observation sites used for reconstruction can be reduced while minimizing the deterioration and scatter of the reconstructed data by combining it with the sensor optimization method. Hence, a better and more stable reconstruction of the wavefield than randomly selected observation sites can be realized, even if the reconstruction is carried out with a smaller number of observations with observation noise, by combining it with the sensor optimization method.

On 11 March 2011, a mega-earthquake followed by a huge tsunami hit a large area of the Pacific coast of Tohoku, Japan, and caused widespread disturbances in marine ecosystems; however, the impacts on virus-bacteria systems have not yet been elucidated. To investigate whether virus-bacteria interactions were affected by the earthquake and tsunami, we analyzed time series data of viral and bacterial abundances in Otsuchi Bay. Data were collected every 2 mo, from July 2011 to September 2015. Bacterial abundance exhibited a recurrent seasonal cycle with high abundance during the warm season. The seasonal trend of viruses generally followed that of the bacteria, yielding an average virus to bacteria ratio (VBR) of 10.8 ± 3.6 (mean ± SD; n = 432). A notable exception was found at the first 2 sampling times (July and September 2011) when the VBR was consistently low, with an average value of 5.9 ± 1.2 (n = 32). The average VBR during these time periods was substantially lower than the VBR observed in the same season of subsequent years. An analysis of the subset of data collected in the warm season of 2011 and 2012 revealed that the viral abundance and VBR were negatively correlated with turbidity. These results support the hypothesis that viruses were scavenged by non-host particles from the resuspended sediments and damaged catchment. The earthquake and tsunami thus exerted a prolonged impact, over several months, on the virus-bacteria dynamics in Otsuchi Bay.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Shorter duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation is required in patients with high bleeding risk (HBR) irrespective of the presence of concomitant high thrombotic risk (HTR). The prevalence of post-stent suboptimal findings in patients with HBR remains unclear. Purpose To clarify the prevalence of post-stent suboptimal findings assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with HBR according to the presence of HTR. Methods A total of 607 consecutive patients with stable coronary disease, who underwent OCT imaging of the culprit lesion were included. HBR was defined based on the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR). HTR was defined as lesions with diffuse long (≧60 mm), treated with more than three stents, chronic total occlusion or diffuse long lesion (≧32 mm) in patients with diabetes mellitus. Post-stent suboptimal OCT criteria was defined as minimum stent area (MSA) Results The prevalence of HBR was 55.8%. The prevalence of HTR was significantly higher in patients with HBR than in those without HBR (35.0 vs. 26.6%, p=0.028) (Figure A). Among patients with HBR, the prevalence of post-stent suboptimal OCT criteria was significantly higher in patients with HTR than in those without HTR (86.2 vs. 64.7%, p Conclusions HTR was associated with a higher prevalence of post-stent suboptimal findings among patients with HBR. The present results may suggest the importance of optimal stenting in patients with HBR, particularly in those with concomitant HTR.

We study the temperature-dependent diffusion of many types of metal and semimetal ions in soda-lime glass using thermal relaxation ion spectroscopy, a technique that provides an electrical readout of thermally activated diffusion of charge carriers driven by built-in concentration gradients and electric fields. We measure the temperature of the onset of the motion, relevant to the long term storage of radioactive elements. We demonstrate the unique behavior of silver in soda-lime glass, enabling a thermal battery with rapid discharge of stored energy above a threshold temperature. We show that the Meyer-Neldel rule applies when comparisons of temperature-dependent diffusion rates are made between related measurements on one sample or between the same measurements on related samples. The results support a thermodynamic interpretation of the Meyer-Neldel rule as an enthalpy-entropy correlation where the Meyer-Neldel temperature (T_{MN}) is the temperature that enables liquidlike, barrier-free motion of the ions, with an upper limit set by the melting point of the host medium. This interpretation explains the observed reduction in T_{MN} by built-in electric fields in depletion layers and why the upper limit for T_{MN} for all ions is set by the glass transition temperature.

Background The impact of the high triglyceride (TG) level on the characteristics of coronary plaque in nonculprit lesion remains to be elucidated. Purpose To clarify the association between the TG level and the characteristics of nonculprit coronary plaque in patients with stable coronary disease using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods A total of 531 consecutive patients who underwent OCT imaging of the nonculprit lesion were included. Patients were classified into either the higher TG group (non-fasting TG ≥150 mg/dL, n=197) or the lower TG group (non-fasting TG Results The median (interquartile range) of TG in the two groups was 193.0 (168.0–244.0) mg/dL and 95.0 (75.0–120.0) mg/dL, respectively. The prevalence of layered plaque was significantly higher in the higher TG group than the lower TG group (40.1 vs. 27.5%, p=0.004), whereas the prevalence of other plaque components was comparable between the two groups (Figure 1). The prevalence of layered plaque was significantly higher in the higher TG group than in the lower TG group among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) (44.2 vs. 28.7%, p=0.037) although it was comparable between the two groups among patients without DM (Figure 2). Conclusion A higher TG level was associated with a higher prevalence of layered plaque in nonculprit plaques in patients with stable coronary disease, particularly in patients with DM. The present results may partly explain the impact of TG on the progression of coronary plaque and the increased incidence of recurrent events in patients with coronary artery disease. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (genus Polerovirus, family Solemoviridae) has been commonly reported affecting cotton plants (Gossypium spp., family Malvaceae) and several weed species (Ramos-Sobrinho et al., 2021; Sedhain et al., 2021). During a recent survey, cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) trees exhibiting virus-like symptoms such as leaf mosaic, vein clearing, and yellow spot were observed in the south part of the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, in 2022. Leaf samples were randomly collected from symptomatic cacao plants (n=30) growing in an affected area of approximately 30 ha. Total RNA obtained from pooled cacao samples were subjected to Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing as previously described (Keith et al., 2021), and partial sequences of cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV), and other virus-specific sequence contigs, were de novo assembled according to Ramos-Sobrinho et al. (2021). To further investigate the presence of CLRDV in cacao leaves, total RNA was individually extracted using a modified silica protocol (Rott and Jelkmann, 2001) and used as template for cDNA synthesis with random hexamers using the SuperScript™ IV First-Strand Synthesis System (Invitrogen, CA, USA) following the manufacturer´s protocol. Detection of CLRDV was carried out by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the primers PL4F and o3-R, which amplify the open reading frame 3 (ORF3) encoding the capsid protein (Corrêa et al., 2005). Expected size amplicons (~0.6 kb) were observed from 16 out of 30 symptomatic plants, indicating ~53% of the cacao trees were infected by CLRDV. Considering 14 symptomatic plants tested negative for CLRDV, the symptoms observed here could also be caused by other viral groups or abiotic stress. To confirm the detection of CLRDV, the first half (~3.5kb) of the viral genome was amplified from two representative cacao samples using the primers P20F and P22R (Avelar et al., 2020). The RT-PCR products were gel-purified using the Wizard® SV Gel and PCR Clean-Up System (Promega, WI, USA) and Sanger sequenced. The RNA Illumina sequencing from pooled cacao samples (n=30) yielded 34,610,572 million trimmed reads. Two contigs of 868 and 839 nucleotides (nt) in length, and sharing high nt identity with CLRDV isolates, were assembled from 6,903 and 10,271 reads, at a coverage depth of 795 and 1,224x, respectively. Together, these contigs represent ~29% of the complete viral genome and included part of the 5´-untraslated region, ORF0 and the second half of ORF1-ORF2. Additional CLRDV-like contigs were observed across the viral genome, but they were not considered for further analyses due to the poor sequence quality. The Illumina- and Sanger-derived ORF0 and partial ORF1-ORF2 sequences shared97% nt identity, suggesting they were congruent. Pairwise sequence comparisons for ORF0, encoding the gene silencing suppressor P0, indicated the cacao-associated isolates shared 99.7 and 99.2% nt and amino acid (aa) identity one with another, respectively. The ORF0 nt sequences showed 91.9-93.8 and 90.7-93.6% identity, while the aa sequences shared 85.8-88.5 and 86.2-90.0% similarity, with CLRDV isolates previously reported in South America and the USA, respectively. Finally, the ~3.5kb nt sequences of cacao-infecting CLRDV isolates shared 92.9-95.8% identity with CLRDV genomes deposited in NCBI-GenBank. The Bayesian phylogenetic tree reconstructed based on ORF0 nt sequences showed the new sequences were more closely related to CLRDV-atypical isolates (GenBank accession nos. KF359946, KF359947, KF906260, and KF906261). Together, these results suggest the new ORF0 sequences belong to CLRDV and were deposited in GenBank under accession nos. ON954058-ON954059. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CLRDV infecting cacao plants, expanding the range of malvaceous hosts of this polerovirus. CLRDV is largely known for causing yield losses in cotton crops, but additional studies are needed to determine if CLRDV infection is detrimental to cacao production.

Background and study aims: This study evaluated the long- term outcomes of mainly endoscopic hemostatic therapy for gastrointestinal variceal bleeding and of the transition of hemostatic therapy. Patients and methods: Among 1,163 patients treated for gastrointestinal varices between April 2006 and June 2020, a total of 125 patients who underwent emergency hemostatic therapy were enrolled. Survival rates and secondary evaluation points were analyzed. Additionally, patients were classified into two groups: the previous and latter term. Patients’ background, therapeutic method, and treatment results were compared between the groups. Results: 94.4% had cirrhosis. The average Child-Pugh score was 8.90. Successful primary hemostasis rate was 98.4%, and 5.6% died within 2 weeks, all with a Child-Pugh score ≥9. The respective 1- and 5-year survival rates for Child-Pugh grade A/B were 81.3% and 55.4%, while those for Child-Pugh grade C were 58.1% and 17.8%. Child-Pugh grade C or hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly associated with poor prognosis. In total, 21.6% experienced variceal re-bleeding; 62.9% of these cases were triggered by continued alcohol consumption. There was no significant difference in survival between patients with and without variceal re-bleeding and in post-treatment survival between the previous and latter terms. In the latter term, the number of cases caused by continued alcohol consumption significantly increased. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary treatment and continuation of proper management after hemostatic therapy for variceal bleeding are crucial. Continued alcohol consumption leads to variceal bleeding and re-bleeding; its proper management, including alcohol abstinence, is one of the major challenges left in the post-direct- acting antivirals era.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Higher level of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is associated with an increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the association between hsCRP and the characteristics of non-culprit plaques in patients with STEMI remains to be elucidated. Purpose To clarify the morphological characteristics of non-culprit plaque in patients with STEMI according to the hsCRP levels using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods A total of 79 non-culprit plaques in 76 consecutive patients with STEMI, who underwent OCT imaging of the non-culprit plaques in a culprit vessel were included. The characteristics of non-culprit plaques assessed by OCT were compared between the higher hsCRP group (hsCRP ≥ 0.16 mg/dL, 38 plaques in 38 patients) and the lower hsCRP group (hsCRP < 0.16 mg/dL, 41 plaques in 38 patients). Results The prevalence of plaque with macrophage (63.2 vs. 31.7%, p = 0.006), plaque with large lipid (maximal lipid arc > 180 °) (57.9 vs. 31.7%, p = 0.018), healed plaque (50.0 vs. 26.8%, p = 0.045) and cholesterol crystal (18.4 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.045) was significantly higher in the higher hsCRP group than in the lower hsCRP group (Figure). In a multivariate analysis, the higher hsCRP was independently associated with the presence of plaque with macrophage (Odds ratio [OR], 3.031; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.112-8.264, p = 0.030), plaque with large lipid (OR, 2.897; 95% CI: 1.122-7.478, p = 0.026) and healed plaque (OR, 2.666; 95% CI: 1.030-6.896, p = 0.040). Conclusions Higher level of hsCRP is associated with a higher prevalence of vulnerable characteristics in non-culprit plaques in patients with STEMI. The present results may partly explain the pathogenesis of an increased incidence of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with STEMI. Abstract Figure.

To realize autonomous onboard fault detection and diagnostics for anomaly with spacecraft propulsion system in limited sensing resource, JAXA is currently conducting research on health monitoring technology focusing on dynamic response of pressure at the time of propellant valve operation [1,2]. The spacecraft propulsion system is equipped with only the minimum number of pressure sensors due to its weight and the limited number of sensor channels. Therefore, the amount of information that can be used for health monitoring is limited. To solve this problem, we thought that lightweight strain sensors, Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), could be applied to the spacecraft propulsion system as a sensor to measure pressure changes at multiple points. However, it is not clear whether FBGs can measure pressure changes in the spacecraft propulsion system with the same accuracy as pressure sensors, and also whether they can be applied to detect anomalies in the propulsion system. In this study, the feasibility of the anomaly detection method was confirmed by conducting a water flow test in a branch piping system that simulates a spacecraft propulsion system configuration. First, we confirmed that the FBGs installed at the same position as the pressure sensor can capture the pressure change with the same accuracy as the pressure sensor. Comparing the pressure PFBG, which is the converted pressure of the strain due to water hammer measured by the FBGs, with the pressure P of the pressure sensor, the error of PFBG is about 2% of P at the maximum water hammer pressure and about 1% at the natural frequency obtained by FFT analysis. In addition, the accuracy of the PFBG in the area without a pressure sensor was evaluated in comparison with simulation results by using the analytical model. As a result, it was found that the FBGs had an error of about 4% in the maximum water hammer pressure and about 2% in the natural frequency from the calculated pressure values in the analytical model. Next, we changed the flow rate of the water flow test to detect the flow anomaly using the FBGs measurement data. As multiple points were measured by the FBGs, the frequency response function (FRF) was obtained between arbitrary FBGs, and the anomaly level was evaluated by confirming the difference in the gain spectrum due to the flow rate change. As a result, as the flow rate decreased due to some anomalies, the difference in the gain spectrum from that at normal flow rate tended to increase, which indicated the feasibility of the anomaly detection method by multipoint strain measurement in FBGs. In conclusion, we confirmed the feasibility of the FBGs-based anomaly detection method for spacecraft propulsion systems. The FBGs have the same level of measurement accuracy as a pressure sensor, and it could become a next-generation pressure sensing device in the spacecraft propulsion system. In addition, it is possible to determine the flow anomaly by comparing the FRF gain spectrum acquired between arbitrary FBGs. For the future, we will improve the determination method and try other method to determine the flow anomaly in more detail.

The vertical pre-reinforcement bolt method is used to stabilize the ground at the top of tunnels with shallow overburden to prevent ground surface settlement and to stabilize slopes. However, the design of this method is mainly empirical, based on similar construction cases, and a quantitative design method has not been established. Model tests simulating the vertical pre-reinforcement bolt method and its numerical analysis were conducted to establish a rational design concept for the vertical pre-reinforcement bolt method. The results of the model test showed that the vertical pre-reinforcement bolt method can improve the continuity of the ground regardless of overburden and slope angle. It was found from numerical analysis that the spacing, width and properties of the bolts were related to the reinforcement effect.

In this chapter, we analyzed the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil, one of the most severely affected countries by the pandemic in the world. We discussed the overall characteristics of the pathogen (SARS-CoV-2) and its diffusion in Brazil over time and its main differences compared to other common infectious diseases in Brazil, such as Dengue and Zika. We then performed quantitative experiments to forecast the trend of confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 using a machine learning method for both country and state levels. We also estimated the instantaneous reproducing number over time for each Brazilian state and grouped them into clusters, aiming at identifying the heterogeneity between the Brazilian States. We also analyzed the magnitude of underreporting of COVID-19 cases in Brazil’s most affected states during the early stages of the pandemic. Moreover, we summarized the impacts of the pandemic on Brazil’s economic activities and social life, analyzing the dynamics of macroeconomic indicators, the effectiveness of the emergency financial assistance granted by the Brazilian government, and the relative level of adherence to social distancing in the Brazilian states since the beginning of lockdown measures. Finally, we presented the main challenges for Brazil after the pandemic fades away, focusing on the economic recovery and future public policies. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

OBJECTIVES: To compare initial treatment with and without corticosteroids for acute pancreatitis in dogs and investigate the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty‐five dogs were included in this non‐blinded, non‐randomised clinical study. Dogs with acute pancreatitis received treatment either with dose of 1 mg/kg/day prednisolone (n=45) or without prednisolone (n=20). Response to treatment was based on changes in the C‐reactive protein concentration, improvement in clinical signs, duration of hospitalisation, mortality and recurrence rate. RESULTS: From the third day of hospitalisation, C‐reactive protein concentration was significantly lower in the prednisolone group than that in the non‐prednisolone group. The number of days required to reach a C‐reactive protein concentration of

形態: カラー図版あり, Physical characteristics: Original contains color illustrations, Accepted: 2019-02-17, 資料番号: PA1910065000

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), has been recognized as a major pest of small grains for over 150 years. Described by Rondani, it was first placed in the genus Aphis (Rondani 1852) and later moved to the genus Toxoptera. There are about 40 recognized Schizaphis species worldwide with seven known from North America (Blackman and Eastop 2000). This document is EENY-353, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Published: July 2005. EENY-353/IN634: Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae) (ufl.edu)

Brown ring patch is a newly described disease of cool-season turfgrass first reported in Japan on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris) (2) and later reported in California on annual bluegrass (Poa annua) (1). The disease is characterized by either patches or rings of discolored to blighted turfgrass that can range from a few centimeters to a meter in diameter. Affected turfgrass plants turn chlorotic and can be blighted from the crown to the leaf tips. Blight symptoms have been associated with fluffy white-to-cream aerial mycelium after extended incubation of the sample. Symptoms including patches of blighted turfgrass approximately 10 cm in diameter were observed on roughstalk bluegrass (Poa trivialis) that had been overseeded onto a dormant ‘Tifdwarf’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) putting green in Palatka, FL. A sample was submitted by the superintendent in June 2005 because symptoms were confused with dollar spot and a fungicide resistance issue was suspected. The sample produced abundant aerial mycelium after incubation. The pathogen was isolated on potato dextrose agar amended with rifampicin (100 ppm) and streptomycin (100 ppm) from Poa plants surface disinfested with 70% ethanol for 30 s. Colony and sclerotia morphology were consistent with Waitea circinata var. circinata as previously described (1,2). The teleomorph W. circinata var. circinata was not observed on plant material or culture plates. Amplified fragments of rDNA including internal transcribed spacers from the isolate were sequenced bidirectionally from four bacterial clones. The consensus sequences (GenBank Accession Nos. FJ029103, FJ029104, FJ029105, and FJ029106) matched with 99% homology (99% sequence overlap) isolate TRGC1.1 of W. circinata var. circinata described by Wong, NCBI Accession No. DQ900586 (1). Pots of ‘Cypress’ roughstalk bluegrass that were 1 week postemergence were inoculated with the pathogen using 10 infested wheat grains. Plants were incubated at 25°C in a sealed plastic bag with a moist paper towel in the bottom. Hyphae grew from the grains and colonized the grass. Individual plants began to turn chlorotic within 3 days and greater than 90% of the turf in pots was dead after 1 week. The fungus was reisolated from affected plants. Control pots were inoculated with uninfested wheat grains and showed no disease symptoms after 1 week. Inoculations were repeated twice more with the same results. To our knowledge, this is the first report of brown ring patch on P. trivialis in Florida. References: (1) K. A. de la Cerda et al. Plant Dis. 91:791, 2007. (2) T. Toda et al. Plant Dis. 89:536, 2005.

20-nm-thick (CoPt)100–xAgx and (CoPd)100–xAgx (001) films (x = 0–20) were grown on MgO(001) substrate at a temperature of 300uC by molecular beam epitaxy, and their crystal structure and magnetic properties were compared with those of FePt-Ag and FePd-Ag films [Y. Tokuoka et al.: J. Appl. Phys., 115, 17B716 (2014)] for the systematic study of the effect of Ag addition into transition metal – noble metal alloy films. For the CoPt-Ag, the addition of 5% Ag increased perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and coercivity. However, for the CoPd-Ag, Ag addition enhanced neither the PMA nor the coercivity. Structural analysis of the CoPt-Ag and CoPd-Ag films revealed that Ag addition promoted L10 phase ordering for CoPt-Ag, while L10 ordering was not found in CoPd-Ag. Although there were some similarities in the effect of Ag addition between CoPt-Ag and FePt-Ag, such as increased PMA, coercivity, and L10 ordering, there were different trends in PMA and L10 ordering between CoPd-Ag and FePd-Ag, except that both films showed reduced coercivity with Ag addition. Ag segregation and L10 ordering are considered important factors to explain the variations of structure and magnetic properties with Ag addition.

The initial microdot and microline patterns were first ink-jet printed onto the surface of polished AISI420 stainless steel mold. This masked mold substrate was nitrided at 693 K for 7.2 ks at 70 Pa by using the high-density plasma nitriding system. The unmasked parts were selectively nitrided to have higher hardness than 1200 HV. This hardness-profiled substrate was mechanically sand-blasted to fabricate the microtextured mold. Microdisk patterned plastic cover-case for cellular phones were injection-molded by using this method for practical demonstration. Both the selective hardening and anisotropic inner nitriding processes were experimentally discussed as a key step in the present processing.

Background Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly malignant and prone to metastasis and relapse, and therefore has poorer prognosis than other sub-types. The mechanism of higher malignancy of TNBC has not been sufficiently elucidated. KLF4is reported to be a transcription factor that is associated with both tumor suppression and oncogenesis. We have reported that breast cancer patients with strong expression of KLF4 had better prognosis, especially in TNBC patients. And here we report that KLF4 negatively regulates the metastasis and growth of TNBC. Methods We assessed the expression levels of KLF4 in 84 patients with TNBC by immunohistochemical staining and studied the patterns of metastasis/recurrence clinicopathologically. The overall survival (OS) rate and the disease free survival (DFS) rate after surgery was calculated by Kaplan-Maier method. In addition, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of TNBC patients were identified and compared with primary lesions in terms of KLF4 expression. Moreover, the expression of KLF4 was inhibited by transfecting cultured TNBC cells (MDA-MB231) with the small interfering RNA (siRNA) of KLF4 to analyze the effects of KLF4 on cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like changes. For the proliferation assay, measurements were made by MTT assays. Cell migration and invasion assays of KLF4 suppressed TNBC cells were also examined. Total RNA was extracted from these cells, cDNA was synthesized, and used for the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. Results In the 84 TNBC patients, higher KLF4 expression was associated with significantly better OS and DFS. An analysis of KLF4 expression in CTCs of the TNBC patients showed that KLF4 expression was lower in CTCs than in primary cancer lesions. TNBC cells (MDA-MB231) that were transfected the KLF4 siRNA exhibited a greater ability to growth than controls. These cells also underwent EMT-like changes with reduced expression of epithelial factors such as E-cadherin. Treating these TNBC cells with eribulin resulted a reduction of the expression of stem cell/EMT markers. Conclusion TNBC patients with reduced KLF4 expression had poor outcomes. The results of our experiments suggest the expression of KLF4 is one of the important factors that inhibit the EMT and growth of TNBC. Citation Format: Nagata T, Sekine S, Arai M, Fujii T. KLF4 improve prognosis of triple negative breast cancer by suppression of epitherial mesenchymal transition [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-01-22.