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Identification of local strains is crucial because the local strains largely influence the ferroelectric property of BaTiO3. The effects of local strains induced by external pressures on the Ti-L2,3 electron energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) of BaTiO3 were theoretically investigated using first-principles multiplet calculations. We revealed that the effects appear in the position of the spectral threshold, namely the spectrum shifts to lower and higher energy sides by the tensile and compressive pressures, respectively. We concluded that conventional ELNES observations can identify only large strains induced by −10 GPa, and 0.1 eV energy resolution is required to identify ±2% of strains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Morning blood pressure (BP) surge seems to be a risk factor for cardiovascular events. Although physical activity after arising significantly affects morning BP surge, it has remained unclear whether morning BP surge after controlling for physical activity (morning BP reactivity) is associated with target organ damage. Methods: We performed ambulatory BP monitoring with simultaneous actigraphy and echocardiography in 120 community-dwelling Japanese subjects. We determined the waking time by actigraphy, and defined morning BP surge (MBPS) as the average of systolic BP during the 2 h after awakening minus the average of systolic BPs during the 1 h that included the lowest sleep BP. The ratio of MBPS/(sum of the 2-h physical activity after the arising time)0.5 was calculated as the morning BP reactivity (MBPR). Results: In all the subjects studied (n = 120), MBPR was positively associated with left ventricular (LV) mass index (r = 0.30, P = .001). The MBPR had a positive association with both 24-h BP variability (SD) (r = 0.373, P < .001) and awake BP variability (r = 0.20, P < .05). The MBP hyper-reactive group (the highest quartile [Q4] of MBPR: n = 30) had significantly higher LV mass index than the nonreactive group (the other quartiles [Q1 to 3]: n = 90) (140 v 113 g/m2, P < .001). Even after controlling for age, body mass index, gender, and 24-h systolic BP, the MBP hyper-reactive status still remained a strong predictor for LV hypertrophy. Conclusions: Exaggerated MBPS, adjusted for physical activity, is associated with cardiac hypertrophy independent of ambulatory BP level in a community-dwelling population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Morning blood pressure (BP) surge in ambulatory BP monitoring was a risk factor for stroke in our previous study. We studied the determinants of the morning minus evening systolic BP difference (ME difference) in self-measured BP monitoring, as a possible risk factor for stroke in medicated hypertensive patients. Methods: Nine hundred sixty-nine hypertensive outpatients receiving stable antihypertensive drug treatment were studied using self-measured BP monitoring in the morning and evening. Results: The ME difference ranged from −37.3 to 53.3 mm Hg (mean 7.9 mm Hg). The highest quartile (Q4) of the ME difference group (>15.0 mm Hg) had older age (68.0 ± 9.8 years v 66.2 ± 10.3 years, P = .01) and higher prevalence of men (48.3% v 39.9%, P = .02), regular alcohol drinkers (34.7% v 26.0%, P = .01) and β-blocker use (26.9% v 19.9%, P = .03) than the other quartile groups (Q1 to Q3), whereas there was no significant difference in the average of morning and evening (ME average) BP. In logistic regression analysis controlling for ME average and other confounding factors, independent risks for Q4 of ME difference were older age (10 years older: odds ratio [OR] 1.21, P = .01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.42), regular alcohol drinker (OR 1.51, P = .04, 95% CI 1.01–2.26), and β-blocker use (OR 1.50, P = .02, 95% CI 1.06–2.12). Conclusions: Older age, β-blocker use, and regular alcohol drinking were significant determinants of the exaggerated ME difference in medicated hypertensive patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Under 266-nm (deep ultraviolet, DUV) laser irradiation, an SrB 4 O 7 (SBO) single crystal has been found to exhibit a surface laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of ∼ 16.4 J/cm 2 , which is higher than those of a synthetic silica glass (4.8 J/cm 2 ) and a calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) crystal (11.4 J/cm 2 ). By catalyst-referred etching (CARE), the LIDT of an SBO crystal can also be improved to around 24.1 J/cm 2 , which is 1.4 and 6.0 times higher compared to an unetched crystal and a silica glass, respectively. With high surface LIDTs, SBO single crystals can then be used as optical window materials for high-power DUV laser systems.

A 70-year-old woman was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2014. She achieved complete remission (CR) after bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone (VCD) therapy and lenalidomide, dexamethasone (Rd) therapy; however, she relapsed in 2017. Although she achieved second CR by carfilzomib, dexamethasone (Kd) therapy, serum creatinine levels increased with urinary protein after 17 courses of Kd therapy. Urinary protein test revealed albuminuria, whereas M-protein was undetectable. Carfilzomib-induced renal impairment was suspected due to absence of other causes, such as progression of myeloma or autoimmune disease. On discontinuation of Kd therapy, urinary protein decreased rapidly with improvement of serum creatinine levels within a month. Carfilzomib-induced nephrotoxicity is a rare but important adverse event.