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Lifelong education for dietitians in Japan is based mainly on competencies according to years of experience. Because learning content differs depending on the desired position and specialty, training programs that reflect the individual learning needs of public health dietitians are needed. This study aimed to assess the individual learning needs of public health dietitians via years of experience in health promotion. In 2021, an online survey of public health dietitians involved in health promotion in prefectures, designated cities, and other municipalities throughout Japan was conducted. Years of experience in health promotion were categorized as early (

This study proposes new pantograph testing methods for railway pantograph/overhead catenary systems (OCS), based upon substructured testing consisting of a physical pantograph and a numerical OCS model. Hence, this work builds upon a previously presented work, (using the dynamically substructured system approach developed by Stoten and Hyde), which was conducted on a relatively simple mechanical structure in the Automatic Control and Test Laboratory (ACTLab), University of Bristol, UK. In this current paper, the dynamically substructured system (DSS) testing method is applied to a real shinkansen pantograph, using various actuator/DSS configurations that have been implemented at the Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan. In the first of these tests, a conventional servohydraulic actuated rig is used to represent phenomena due to the dropper-passing frequency. Resulting DSS test data are compared with those generated by a numerical simulation of the emulated system, i.e. the system to be represented by the DSS experimentation. Then, in the second set of investigations, the DSS method is used in conjunction with a new ‘rotational disc’ test rig that is arranged to be in dynamic interaction with the shinkansen pantograph contact head. This novel experimental system enables the investigation of dynamic interactions between the overhead catenary system contact wire and the pantograph head, due to span-passing. Again, results from this experimental investigation are compared with those generated by a purely numerical simulation of the emulated system.

Vaccination is the key infection control measure against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Most municipalities in Japan have adopted an opt-in system for COVID-19 vaccination, but its background information is limited. We, therefore, aimed to examine the differences in vaccination coverages and their cancellation rates between opt-in and opt-out settings for COVID-19 vaccination in 10 cities in A prefecture, Japan. 10 cities in A Prefecture were surveyed by email as of 10 October 2021 on the vaccination coverage by age group (12 years and older) and the cancellation rate on the day of vaccination. We also checked on the complaints received in the opt-out group. Opt-out was adopted in one of the ten cities in which vaccination was designed for all household members aged 15-64, thus serving as the opt-out group. Vaccination coverage in the opt-out group was 88.2%-89.2% for the first dose and 84.9%-86.0% for the second dose at 95% confidence intervals in the comparable 20–64-year age group. In contrast, the overall opt-in group (nine cities, one of which did not have an identified vaccination rate) was 51.3%-83.6% for the first dose and 63.5%-74.8% for the second dose in the same age group. For the opt-out group, the cancellation rate on the day was 11.3% for the first dose and 3.7% for the second dose, which had a lower cancellation rate than that of the opt-out on influenza vaccines in previous studies, 71%. Meanwhile, the opt-in group did not monitor them. There were no complaints about default changes in the opt-out group. While there is room for further research, such as understanding the reasons for accepting the default change by residents in the opt-out group, it was suggested that making opt-out the default would promote COVID-19 vaccination.

[目的] 現在，食事調査は日々の食事の栄養価などの食事摂取状況を把握するために行われている。しかしながら，食事からの栄養価の算出は第二次世界大戦以降の人々の食事を対象としている場合が多く，それ以前の時代の人々の食事はほとんど対象にされていない。したがって，古文書などの史料から，昭和初期以前の食事の栄養価の算出を試みようとした研究はほとんどない。そこで，本研究では，江戸時代における弘前藩の史料である[年中行事御祝献立並三方等御飾]に記載されている食事の描写から栄養価の算出を試み，その結果から，江戸時代の史料が食事の栄養価の算出のための新たな既存資料として利用できるか栄養価の算出方法の検討を行った。[方法] [年中行事御祝献立並三方等御飾]から一部料理を抜粋し，日本食品標準成分表2015年版(七訂)を用いて，雑煮，田作り，数の子，うちまめの栄養価を算出した。[結果] [年中行事御祝献立並三方等御飾]から食事の栄養価を算出することができ，雑煮のエネルギーは446kcal，田作りは81kcal，数の子は49kcal，うちまめは46kcalと推定された。[結論] 本研究で算出した各料理の栄養価は，現代の食事調査法の1つである写真法によって栄養価を算出された結果に相当すると考えられる。したがって，江戸時代などの史料からの食事の栄養価の算出は，現代の食事調査の知識を活かすことで可能となることが示唆された。, [Objective] Currently, a dietary survey is conducted to understand the dietary intake such as the nutritional values of daily diet. However, the calculation of nutritional values from diet is often targeted at the diet of people after World War II, and the diet of people before that time are rarely targeted. Therefore, few studies have tried to calculate the nutritional values of diet before the early Showa period from historical records such as ancient document. In this study, we tried to calculate the nutritional values from description of the diet in［Nenchu gyoji oiwai kondate narabini sanpo nado okazari］; historical records of Hirosaki domain in Edo period. Based on the result, we examined whether historical records in Edo period can be used to estimate the nutritional values of diet.[Methods]We selected zoni, tazukuri, kazunoko and uchimame from the［Nenchu gyoji oiwai kondate narabini sanpo nado okazari］, and estimated the nutritional values of these dishes by using the Standard Table of Food Composition in Japan 2015 (Seventh Revised Version).[Results]The nutritional values of the diet can be estimated from the［Nenchu gyoji oiwai kondate narabini sanpo nado okazari］. The energy of zoni, tazukuri, kazunoko and uchimame was estimated to be 446kcal, 81kcal, 49kcal, and 46kcal, respectively.[Conclusions]The nutritional values of each dish estimated in this study is considered to be equivalent to the result of nutritional values by the photograph method, which is one of the current dietary survey. Therefore, this study suggested that the nutritional values of diet from historical records such as in Edo period can be estimated by utilizing the knowledge of current dietary surveys.

[目的] 農林水産業従事者を対象に，「主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事を1 日2 回以上とる」ことと関連する食習慣を把握すること。[方法] 2018年12月，青森県A 町の農協組合員及び漁協組合員180人を対象に，横断的自記式質問紙調査を行った。主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事の摂取頻度について回答のあった176名を解析対象とした。主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事が1 日2 回以上ある日が“ほぼ毎日”である者と，“ほぼ毎日”でない者2 群の生活習慣を比較した。[結果] 主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事がほぼ毎日である者は71人(40％)であり， 2 群間で男女比，年齢，家族構成，飲酒頻度，喫煙状況に有意差は認められなかった。主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事がほぼ毎日である者は野菜の摂取量が多く，肉類や魚介類，卵，漬物，果物をほぼ毎日摂取する割合が高く，持ち帰り弁当や惣菜の利用頻度が低かった。主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事がほぼ毎日である者は経済的，時間的，総合的にゆとりがあると回答する割合がいずれも高かった。[結論] 主食・主菜・副菜を組み合わせた食事の摂取頻度が高い農林水産業従事者は，野菜の摂取量が多く，肉類や魚介類，卵だけでなく，果物の摂取頻度が高く，持ち帰り弁当や惣菜の利用頻度が低いこと，ゆとりがあると回答する者が多いことが示された。, [Objective] This study aimed to determine the association between having the "Japanese well-balanced meals", consisted of grain dishes, vegetables dishes, and meat and fish dishes more than twice per day and other dietary habits among Japanese agriculture and fisheries workers in Aomori prefecture, Japan.[Methods] This cross-sectional study was conducted in a town of Aomori prefecture in December 2018. The data were collected from 180 agriculture and fisheries workers by a self-administered questionnaire, comprising the information on dietary habits; e.g. "How often do you have well-balanced meals in a week?". We analyzed the data obtained from 176 workers who answered the questions on the frequency of having a well-balanced meal. We divided the study subjects into two groups according to the frequency of having a well-balanced meal, so as to compare their lifestyle behaviors.[Results] Regarding the frequency of eating a well-balanced meal, 71 workers(40％) answered "every day". The main characteristics of those who ate a well-balanced diet every day were; 1) high vegetable intake, 2) having meats, fishes, eggs, pickles, and fruits almost every day, 3) low frequency of purchasing takeaway lunch box and ready-made side dishes, and 4） having relatively rich life, in terms of economy and time as a whole.[Conclusions] Among the study subjects, Japanese agriculture and fisheries workers in Aomori prefecture, those who eat a well-balanced diet every day were more likely to eat vegetables, meat, fishes, eggs and fruits, less likely to purchase takeaway lunch box and ready-made side dishes, and tended to have relatively rich life, in terms of economy and time as a whole.

Local recurrence after colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) resection severely affects survival; however, the required surgical margin width remains controversial. This study investigated the impact of KRAS status on surgical margin width and local recurrence rate (LRR) post-CRLM resection. Overall, 146 resected CRLMs with KRAS status (wild-type KRAS (wtKRAS): 98, KRAS mutant (mKRAS): 48) were included. The LRR for each group, R1 (margin positive) and R0 (margin negative), was analyzed by KRAS status. R0 was further stratified into Ra (margin ≥ 5 mm) and Rb (margin < 5 mm). Patients with local recurrence had significantly worse 5-year overall survival than those without local recurrence (p = 0.0036). The mKRAS LRR was significantly higher than wtKRAS LRR (p = 0.0145). R1 resection resulted in significantly higher LRRs than R0 resection for both wtKRAS and mKRAS (p = 0.0068 and p = 0.0204, respectively), and while no significant difference was observed in the Ra and Rb LRR with wtKRAS, the Rb LRR with mKRAS (33.3%) was significantly higher than Ra LRR (5.9%) (p = 0.0289). Thus, R0 resection is sufficient for CRLM with wtKRAS; however, CRLM with mKRAS requires resection with a margin of at least 5 mm to prevent local recurrence.

〔目的〕 青森県の勤労若年女性のやせ・肥満の背景因子として，「女子会」という新たな視点を含めた分析を行い，幅広い支援的方策を探索することを目的とした．〔方法〕 青森県の勤労女性（20～34歳；1,833名）を対象とした横断調査（2014年）データを用い，現BMI3 区分別，やせ群・高BMI 群での1 年間の体重変化別に，食習慣及び体型認識との関連，特に「女子会」への参加や消費行動上の価値観にも焦点を当てて検討した．〔結果〕 脂肪分の多いものをよく食べる者の割合は，高BMI 群でやせ群に比べ有意に高く，早食いの者の割合は，高BMI 群でやせ群と標準群に比べ高かった．「女子会」のメニュー選びでは，高BMI 群は価格，やせ群は味を重視する傾向がみられた．やせ群，標準群は，実際の体型よりも過大評価する割合が高かった．美容と健康のために一番重要なことは， 3 群ともに睡眠の割合が高く，特にやせ群で高かった．高BMI の体重増加者は，就寝前の2 時間以内に夕食を摂る割合，夕食開始時刻が21時以降である割合，生活習慣を改善しようと思う割合が高かった．〔結論〕 高BMI 群には摂取量を適切に自己判断できるような支援が，やせ群や標準群には適正体重を維持することへの支援が必要である．「女子会」での消費行動上の価値観についてBMI による差異が見られ，新たな視点からの支援の必要性が示唆された．, [Objective] To explore a wide scope of supportive measures on eating habits among young working women in Aomori prefecture, we analyzed the background factors influencing underweight and overweight physiques from a new viewpoint of “get-togethers of women”.[Methods] We examined the associations between the current BMI categories and weight change in the past one year, and eating habits, perception of physique, and the values in consumption behavior at “get-togethers of women”. The datasets of a cross-sectional survey undertaken in 2014 for 1,833 working women aged 20-34 years in Aomori Prefecture were used.[Results] The proportion of those frequently consuming high-fat meals in the overweight group was higher than that in the underweight group. The proportion of fast eating in the overweight group was also higher than that in other groups. When selecting from the menu at “get-togethers of women”, the overweight group was more likely to focus on price while the underweight group focused on taste. The underweight and normal-weight groups tended to overestimate their physiques. All three groups answered that adequate sleep was the most important factor for maintaining their beauty and health, with the highest proportion in the underweight group. Among the women who gained weight in the overweight group, the proportions of those eating within 2 hours of going to bed, those consuming meals after 9 p.m., and those willing to improve their lifestyles were higher than those in other groups.[Conclusion] The support to practice self-management of the amount of their food intake is needed for the overweight group, whereas the support to maintain the ideal body weight is needed for the underweight and normal-weight groups. The different values in consumption behaviors at “get-togethers of women” were shown by the BMI category assigned in this study. A support should be established from this new viewpoint.

〔目的〕 近年，科学的根拠に基づいた栄養学の実践が求められている。科学的根拠を理解するためには推測統計の知識が必要である。信頼区間の理解のために実施した，カードを用いたシミュレーション教育について報告する。〔方法〕 2019年1 月に大学3 年生23名を対象に実施した。1 ～ 9 までの数字が書かれたカード2 枚ずつ計18枚を用意し，この18枚のカードを母集団とみなし，母集団から無作為に4 枚のカードを抽出させた。引いた4 枚のカードが，母集団から無作為抽出された標本に相当することを説明した。カードを引くごとに平均値および95％信頼区間を計算した。この手順について，カードを引く学生と引かれる学生を順次交代し100回実施した。100回の95％信頼区間をグラフ表示し，100個の95％信頼区間のうち，95回は母平均を含み， 5 回は母平均を含まないことを視覚的に理解できるようにした。〔結果〕 今回の試行では，95回が母平均を含み， 5 回が母平均を含まない結果となった。各回の結果が表示されるようにグラフを作成することで， 1 回ごとの95％信頼区間は母平均を含むか含まないかのいずれかであり，100回を通して考えたとき95回は母平均を含んでいることが視覚的に理解できるようにした。〔結論〕 本シミュレーション教育は，学生の95％信頼区間の理解が高まる教材となる可能性がある。, [Objective] Recently, practice of evidence-based nutrition has been required. Knowledge on inferential statistics is necessary to understand the scientific evidence. This paper reports on the simulation education using cards to understand the confidence interval.[Methods] Lectures on statistics were held in January 2019 for 23 third-year undergraduate students. A total of 18 cards with numbers from 1 to 9 were prepared, and these 18 cards were regarded as a “population”, from which four cards were randomly extracted. The undergraduate students received the explanation that the four cards drawn was considered as a “sample”, randomly selected from the “population”. Mean and 95％ confidence intervals were calculated for each trial. Student conducted these samplings 100 times in turns. A graph of 100 trials of estimated 95％ confidence intervals was shown for the students to understand visually.[Results] Out of 100 trials, 95 trials of estimated 95％ confidence intervals included the population mean, whereas 5 trials of estimated 95％ confidence intervals did not include it. Showing 100 trials of estimated 95％ confidence intervals as a graph would help the students visually understand the above results.[Conclusions] This simulation education could possibly be a learning material that enhances the undergraduate students to understand 95％ confidence interval.

The aim of this study was to describe the transition in the evidence of digestibility for setting the protein requirement in the Japanese population. Evidence cited by the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Japanese (RDAs-J) third, fourth, fifth and sixth revisions and Dietary Reference Intakes in Japan (DRIs-J) 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 editions was searched and assessed. From the RDAs-J third revision to the fifth revision, the relative utilization of high-quality protein was used instead of digestibility to correct the results of nitrogen balance studies. From the RDAs-J sixth revision to the DRIs-J 2015 edition, digestibility of mixed proteins was used to correct the results of nitrogen balance studies. Digestibility was set to 90% by quoting experimental results that used a practical diet based on the National Nutrition Survey of 1975 and 1982. Although DRIs-J 2020 also uses digestibility to correct the results of nitrogen balance studies, it quotes only the results of experiments that used mixed proteins on the basis the results of the National Nutrition Survey in 1982 and set the digestibility at 90%. In conclusion, when setting protein requirements for the Japanese population, digestibility has remained the same (90%) since the RDAs-J, sixth revision, that was established in 1999.

This study investigated the association between parent and child sodium and potassium intakes using data from the 2016 Aomori Prefectural Health and Nutrition Survey. We analyzed one day dietary record data of 103 mothers, 94 fathers, 51 children aged 1&ndash, 3 years, 39 children aged 4&ndash, 6 years, 91 children aged 7&ndash, 14 years, and 56 children aged 15&ndash, 19 years. We also examined the association of sodium and potassium intake between co-habiting grandparents and their grandchildren. After adjusting for covariates, the total daily sodium intake in mothers was positively associated with that in children for every age group. Potassium intakes by the mothers during breakfast and dinner were positively associated with those in children aged 1&ndash, 3, 4&ndash, 6, and 7&ndash, 14 years. The associations in sodium and potassium intakes between fathers and children were weaker. In addition, these associations were similar to those between the sodium intakes of grandchildren and their grandparents. The association between mother and child sodium and potassium intakes at breakfast and dinner was related to the consumption of similar foods, which suggests the importance of home environment in influencing total dietary sodium and potassium intake in Japanese people.

We describe the case of a 45-year-old man with congenital thrombophilia induced by antithrombin resistance. He had recurrent venous thrombosis without traditional risk factors or abnormal coagulation function and had a family history of venous thrombosis which included his mother, brother, and nephew. We suspected the association of hereditary antithrombin resistance, which has been reported in some cases of familial venous thromboses due to prothrombin mutations. Although prothrombin abnormality typically shows a bleeding tendency, variations of arginine at position 596 in the gene encoding prothrombin have been reported to conversely cause thrombosis. Therefore, we tested and detected antithrombin resistance in the patient's plasma. We also performed genetic analysis for his second filial generation, and found a missense mutation (c.1787G>A), resulting in a substitution of arginine for glutamine at position 596 (p.Arg596Gln) in the gene encoding prothrombin (called prothrombin Belgrade). The Gln596 substitution caused the susceptibility to thrombosis. This variation is the same as one previously reported in Serbia and India, and it is the third report in Japan. .

A Japanese-style diet consists of meals that include grain (shushoku), fish and meat (shusai), and vegetable dishes (fukusai). Little is known about the association of such meals (designated well-balanced meals hereafter) with nutrient intake. We therefore examined the frequency of well-balanced meals required to prevent nutrient deficiency. Participants were Japanese people, ages 40 to 59 y, from Toyama, recruited for INTERMAP, in an international population-based study. Each person provided 4 in-depth 24-h dietary recalls (149 men, 150 women). The prevalence of risk ratios of not meeting the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2015) was calculated. Well-balanced diets were assessed by the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top. We counted the frequencies of meals in which participants consumed 1.0 or more servings of all 3 dishes categories. We divided the frequency of consumption of well-balanced meals into the following 4 groups

Some armed conflicts recur over and over between the same organizations, while in others the participating rebel groups vary with each recurrence, i.e., they are “recast.” However, this distinction between “repeated conflicts” and “recast conflicts” has been largely ignored in the existing empirical literature of armed conflict recurrence. In this study, I demonstrate how the distinction casts doubt on and allows a more detailed interpretation of the empirical findings in the literature. Most of the variables that have been found significant determinants of conflict recurrence in general are shown to be, in fact, determinants for a specific type of conflict recurrence. Further, I develop and test a hypothesis explaining the two distinct paths; while relational variables that are relevant to bargaining problems, such as types of conflict termination and deployment of PKOs, are correlated with repeated conflicts, structural conditions such as natural resources and poverty are to recast conflicts. These findings and the high frequency of recast conflicts strongly imply that the literature has relied too much on bargaining theory to understand conflict recurrence and that recast conflicts deserve more attention.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Total fat intake is linked to the intake of other nutrients. Little data are available on the extent to which total fat affects diet quality in Japanese people. We investigated the relationship between total fat intake and other nutrient intake using INTERLIPID/INTERMAP data on Japanese people living in Japan. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: The participants included 371 men and 401 women with a healthy body mass index and between the ages of 40 and 59 from 4 population samples in Japan. Nutrient intake data were based on four in-depth 24-hour dietary recalls per person. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance adjusted for age revealed that total fat intake was positively related to intakes of calcium, thiamine, riboflavin, meat, eggs, and milks and dairy products for both sexes. Total fat intake was inversely associated with carbohydrate and cereals intake for both sexes. On average, men with total fat intake between 25.0 and 27.4% of total energy had saturated fatty acids above 7%, which is the upper limit recommended for preventing lifestyle-related diseases. Men with total fat intake less than 20% of total energy had a higher risk of not meeting the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2015) for some nutrients. CONCLUSIONS: Total fat intake was positively associated with calcium, thiamine, and riboflavin intakes and inversely associated with carbohydrate intake. Our results suggest that in 40–59-year-old men with a healthy body mass index, total fat intake between 20 and 27% of total energy may best support adequate intake of other nutrients.

Contact force between a pantograph and catenary is one of the most important indices for evaluating the contact performance of the pantograph-catenary system. Hence, some contact force measuring methods have been developed. However, currently used measurement methods have some problems. Firstly, the installation of sensors in a panhead could affect the dynamic characteristics of the pantograph. Secondly, they need data transmitting equipment, because built-in sensors are set under high-voltage condition. Thirdly, some kinds of pantographs cannot be equipped with sensors in a panhead because of structural restriction. To eliminate these problems, the authors have developed a new contact force measuring method by using image processing sensors mounted on the rooftop of a train.

In this study, the authors investigated the mechanisms behind undulating wear formation by examining the sliding surfaces of overhead conductor rails and the dynamic characteristics of pantographs used on commercial lines. Undulating wear can result in contact loss between the line and the pantograph and lead to more frequent arcing, one of the main sources of extreme conductor rail and contact strip wear. The authors found that periodic unevenness is formed by mechanical wear due to the dynamic characteristics of a pantograph, particularly its anti-resonance. Arcs due to contact loss often occur along the undulating conductor rail when the wear amplitude increases such that the pantograph cannot keep contact with the rail. The authors also determined that the interval between pantograph heads is related to the wavelength of extreme undulating wear.

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) activates not only the AKT pathway responsible for skeletal myogenesis but also the extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 cascade that inhibits myogenesis. The ephrinA/EphA signal facilitates IGF-I–induced myogenesis by inhibiting the Ras-ERK1/2 pathway via p120 Ras GTPase-activating protein., Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) activates not only the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)–AKT cascade that is essential for myogenic differentiation but also the extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 cascade that inhibits myogenesis. We hypothesized that there must be a signal that inhibits ERK1/2 upon cell–cell contact required for skeletal myogenesis. Cell–cell contact–induced engagement of ephrin ligands and Eph receptors leads to downregulation of the Ras-ERK1/2 pathway through p120 Ras GTPase-activating protein (p120RasGAP). We therefore investigated the significance of the ephrin/Eph signal in IGF-I–induced myogenesis. EphrinA1-Fc suppressed IGF-I–induced activation of Ras and ERK1/2, but not that of AKT, in C2C12 myoblasts, whereas ephrinB1-Fc affected neither ERK1/2 nor AKT activated by IGF-I. IGF-I–dependent myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts was potentiated by ephrinA1-Fc. In p120RasGAP-depleted cells, ephrinA1-Fc failed to suppress the Ras-ERK1/2 cascade by IGF-I and to promote IGF-I–mediated myogenesis. EphrinA1-Fc did not promote IGF-I–dependent myogenesis when the ERK1/2 was constitutively activated. Furthermore, a dominant-negative EphA receptor blunted IGF-I–induced myogenesis in C2C12 and L6 myoblasts. However, the inhibition of IGF-I–mediated myogenesis by down-regulation of ephrinA/EphA signal was canceled by inactivation of the ERK1/2 pathway. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the ephrinA/EphA signal facilitates IGF-I–induced myogenesis by suppressing the Ras-ERK1/2 cascade through p120RasGAP in myoblast cell lines.

We have investigated phase relationships of the sesquisilicide alloys in the Ru-Mn-Si system. A series of chimney–ladder phases Ru1xMnxSiy (0.14 £ x £ 0.97, 1.584 £ y £ 1.741) are formed over a wide compositional range between Ru2Si3 and Mn4Si7. We also investigated thermoelectric properties of the directionally solidified Ru1xMnxSiy alloys as a function of Mn content and temperature. The dimensionless figure of merit ZT for alloys with high Mn content (x ‡ 0.75) increases as the Mn content increases. The alloy with x = 0.90 exhibits ZT as high as 0.76 at 874 K.