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Background Worsening renal function (WRF) at short term after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is reportedly associated with subsequent poor clinical outcomes. We previously reported preoperative albuminuria predicted mid-term WRF after TAVR. However, the impact of albuminuria on short-term WRF after TAVR is unknown. Methods Overall, 206 patients who underwent TAVR for severe aortic stenosis were investigated retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups according to the preoperative urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR): high (ACR ≥30 mg/g) and low (ACR Results More than half of the examined patients (n=106/206 [51.5%]) had a high ACR. Patients with a high ACR had significantly lower eGFR at baseline than those with a low ACR (49.3 [32.5–57.8] vs. 51.4 [37.7–65.8] mL/min/1.73 m2, p=0.03). Patients with a high ACR more frequently had acute kidney injury (8.5% vs. 1.0%, p=0.01) and 1-month WRF than those with a low ACR (29.2% vs. 12.0%, p=0.002). Multivariate analysis showed a high ACR was independently associated with 1-month WRF (odds ratio, 3.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.72–8.08; p Conclusions Patients with preoperative albuminuria (ACR ≥30 mg/g) more frequently developed AKI and 1-month WRF after TAVR. Albuminuria was independently associated with 1-month WRF, suggesting albuminuria to be a universal predictor of deterioration of renal function at various time points. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Background The relationship between carotid artery ultrasound findings and clinical outcomes in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients has not been fully elucidated. Purpose To investigate the relationship between carotid artery ultrasound findings and cardiovascular risks in PCI patients. Methods This was a single-center retrospective study investigating 691 patients who underwent PCI and carotid ultrasound testing. Maximum carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was defined as the greatest CIMT at the maximally thick point among the common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery. A carotid plaque was defined as vessel wall thickening with a CIMT ≥1.5 mm. The characteristics of carotid plaque (heterogeneity, calcification, or irregular/ulcerated surface) were evaluated visually. Patients were divided into those with and without heterogeneous carotid plaque (maximum CIMT ≥1.5 mm and heterogeneous texture). The endpoint was the incidence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. Results Among 691 patients, 312 were categorized as having a heterogeneous plaque. Patients with heterogeneous plaques were at a higher risk of MACE than those without (p=0.002). A heterogeneous plaque was independently associated with MACE after adjusting for covariates (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–3.04; p=0.03). Calcified or irregular/ulcerated plaques were correlated with a higher incidence of MACE but both were not independently associated with MACE (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.70–2.67, p=0.36 and HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.66–1.93; p=0.66, respectively). Conclusions The presence of a heterogeneous carotid plaque in patients who underwent PCI predicted future cardiovascular events. These patients may require more aggressive medical therapy and careful follow-up. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Extending healthy life expectancy (HALE), defined as the average number of years that a person can expect to live in "full health" by taking into account years lived in less than full health due to disease and/or injury, is a common topic worldwide. This study aims to clarify the relationships between the Mediterranean diet score (MDS) and life expectancy (LE) and HALE globally using publicly available international data.Analyses were conducted on 130 countries with populations of 1 million or more for which all data were available. Individual countries were scored from 0 to 9 to indicate adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to the MDS scoring method. The supply of vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts, cereals, fish, and olive oil per 1,000 kcal per country was calculated based on the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database, with a score of 1 for above the median and 0 for below. The same method was used to calculate scores of presumed detrimental components (meat and dairy), with consumption below the median given a value of 1, and consumption above the median given a value of 0. For ethanol, a score of 1 was given for 10g to 50 g of consumption. We investigated the cross-sectional associations between the MDS and LE and HALE at birth in 2009, and the longitudinal associations between the MDS in 2009 and LE and HALE between 2009 and 2019, controlling for covariates at baseline using linear mixed models.In the cross-sectional analysis, the MDS was significantly positively associated with LE (β=0.906 [95% confidence interval, 0.065-1.747], p=0.037) and HALE (β=0.875 [0.207-1.544], p=0.011) after controlling for all covariates. The longitudinal analysis also revealed significantly positive associations between the MDS and LE (0.621 [0.063-1.178], p=0.030) and HALE (0.694 [0.227-1.161], p=0.004) after controlling for all covariates.The present study, based on an analysis using 10 years of international data, showed that countries with a higher MDS showed a positive association with HALE.

BackgroundGenome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified 29 disease-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in non-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) regions (1-7). While these GWASs have clarified genetic architectures of SSc, study subjects were mainly Caucasians limiting application of the findings to Asians.ObjectivesThe study was conducted to identify novel causal variants for SSc specific to Japanese subjects as well as those shared with European population. We also aimed to clarify mechanistic effects of the variants on pathogenesis of SSc.MethodsA total of 114,108 subjects comprising 1,499 cases and 112,609 controls were enrolled in the two-staged study leading to the ever-largest Asian GWAS for SSc. After applying a strict quality control both for genotype and samples, imputation was conducted using the reference panel of the phase 3v5 1,000 genome project data combined with a high-depth whole-genome sequence data of 3,256 Japanese subjects. We conducted logistic regression analyses and also combined the Japanese GWAS results with those of Europeans (6) by an inverse-variance fixed-effect model. Polygenicity and enrichment of functional annotations were evaluated by linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC), Haploreg and IMPACT programs. We also constructed polygenic risk score (PRS) to predict SSc development.ResultsWe identified three (FCRLA-FCGR, TNFAIP3, PLD4) and four (EOMES, ESR1, SLC12A5, TPI1P2) novel loci in Japanese GWAS and a trans-population meta-analysis, respectively. One of Japanese novel risk SNPs, rs6697139, located within FCGR gene clusters had a strong effect size (OR 2.05, P=4.9×10-11). We also found the complete LD variant, rs10917688, was positioned in cis-regulatory element and binding motif for an immunomodulatory transcription factor IRF8 in B cells, another genome-wide significant locus in our trans-ethnic meta-analysis and the previous European GWAS. Notably, the association of risk allele of rs10917688 was significant only in the presence of the risk allele of the IRF8. Intriguingly, rs10917688 was annotated as one enhancer-related histone marks, H3K4me1, in B cells, implying that FCGR gene(s) in B cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SSc. Furhtermore, significant heritability enrichment of active histone marks and a transcription factor C-Myc were found in B cells both in European and Japanese populations by LDSC and IMPACT, highlighting a possibility of a shared disease mechanism where abnormal B-cell activation may be one of the key drivers for the disease development. Finally, PRS using effects sizes of European GWAS moderately fit in the development of Japanese SSc (AUC 0.593), paving a path to personalized medicine for SSc.ConclusionOur study identified seven novel susceptibility loci in SSc. Downstream analyses highlighted a novel disease mechanism of SSc where an interactive role of FCGR gene(s) and IRF8 may accelerate the disease development and B cells may play a key role on the pathogenesis of SSc.References[1]F. C. Arnett et al. Ann Rheum Dis, 2010.[2]T. R. Radstake et al. Nat Genet, 2010.[3]Y. Allanore et al. PLoS Genet, 2011.[4]O. Gorlova et al. PLoS Genet, 2011.[5]C. Terao et al. Ann Rheum Dis, 2017.[6]E. López-Isac et al. Nat Commun, 2019.[7]W. Pu et al. J Invest Dermatol, 2021.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared

We created a Traditional Japanese Diet Score (TJDS), and to clarify the relationship between TJDS and obesity, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and healthy life expectancy (HALE). Ecological study Food (g/day/capita) and energy (kcal/day/capita) supply was determined using the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics Division database. The sum of characteristic traditional Japanese foods (beneficial food components in the Japanese diet: rice, fish, soybeans, vegetables, eggs, and seaweeds; food components rarely used in the Japanese diet: wheat, milk, and red meat) was divided as tertiles (beneficial food components: −1, 0, 1; rarely used food components: 1, 0, −1). Obesity rate was determined using the World Health Organization database. Incidence of IHD, HALE and smoking rate were determined using the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 database. Gross domestic product per capita, percentage of population > 65 years old, and health expenditure were determined using the World Bank database. Education years were obtained from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Institute for Statistics. Associations between TJDS and obesity, IHD and HALE were examined in 132 countries with a population of 1 million or greater using a general linear model controlled for co-variables. Results: TJDS was distributed from −6 to 7. TJDS was inversely correlated to obesity (β±SE; −0.70±0.19, p

Summary Background & aims The associations between dietary magnesium intake and stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) incidences are inconsistent and not established in Asian. We aimed to determine the association between dietary magnesium intake and the risk of stroke and CHD in a Japanese population. Subjects/Methods We studied 85,293 Japanese subjects by questionnaire at baseline (age 45–74 years, without cardiovascular disease or cancer in 1995 and 1998 for Cohorts I and II, respectively). The participants were followed until the end of 2009 and 2010 in Cohorts I and II, respectively. Dietary magnesium intake was estimated from a self-administered 138-item food-frequency questionnaire. Results After 1,305,738 person-years of follow-up, 4110 strokes and 1283 cases of CHD were documented. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs, 95% confidence intervals, 95%CIs) of CHD for the fourth and fifth quintiles of dietary magnesium intake were 0.70 (0.50–0.99) and 0.66 (0.44–0.97) in men (P for trend = 0.036), respectively, and third quintile of dietary magnesium intake was 0.61 (0.39–0.96) in women (P for trend = 0.241), compared with the lowest quintile in men and women. We observed no decreased risks of incident stroke in men or women with higher dietary magnesium intakes. Conclusions Higher dietary magnesium intake was associated with a reduced risk of CHD in Japanese men.

A finding between dietary pattern and cancer may provide visions beyond the assessment of individual foods or nutrients. We examined the influence of dietary pattern with colorectal cancer (CRC) among a Japanese population.A total of 93,062 subjects (43,591 men, 49,471 women) who participated in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study were followed from 1995-1998 to the end of 2012, during which 2482 cases of CRC (1514 men, 968 women) were newly identified. Dietary data was obtained from a validated food-frequency questionnaire between 1995 and 1998.Three dietary pattern was derived from principal components factor: prudent, westernized, and traditional pattern. After controlled for potential confounders, the prudent pattern showed a decreased association of CRC risk in men (HR for highest quintile vs lowest: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.72-1.00; P trend0.05), slightly more strongly with distal colon cancer (P trend0.05); but an increased risk of rectal cancer in women (P trend0.05). The westernized pattern showed a significant positive linear trend for colon (P trend0.05) and distal cancer (P trend0.05) in women. There was no apparent association of traditional Japanese dietary pattern on the overall or any specific sites risk of CRC.A prudent dietary pattern showed an inverse association with CRC risk in men, and a westernized pattern was related with a higher risk of colon and distal cancer in women.

Large avulsed skin flaps of the lower extremity caused by degloving injuries eventually develop skin necrosis in most cases. The current treatment option involves excision of the degloved skin and reapplication as a full- or split-thickness skin graft. We considered that reattachment of avulsed skin flaps without excision would be theoretically beneficial, since some circulation may remain around the connected pedicle and thus facilitate graft take. Furthermore, securing the skin to the original anatomic position is much easier using retained landmarks. We treated a total of 12 patients (13 cases) with degloving injuries of the lower extremity. In all cases, the avulsed skin flap was defatted and sewn back to the original position, then negative-pressure wound therapy was applied over those grafts as a bolster for approximately 7 days. Most of the avulsed skin flap took excellently, particularly close to the connected pedicle. Nine cases did not need any additional surgical procedures. Four cases required secondary skin graft for a small area of open wound due to partial necrosis of the defatted skin, as well as the raw surface left by the primary skin defect in the initial operation. Primary reattachment of the avulsed skin flaps without excision is convenient and efficient to cover the open wound over the exposed fascia and periosteum in degloving injuries. This would potentially offer a better alternative to definitive wound closure.

Background Mid-ventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (MVO-HCM) has different blood flow dynamics from other phenotypes, but there are few detailed data on blood flow dynamics in the left ventricle. Methods 4D-Flow MRI were performed at 1.5 T or 3 T with 9 MVO-HCM patients and 22 control patients (LVEF>50%, no wall motion abnormality). Myocardial infarction, severe valvular disease, HCM cases other than MVO were excluded. We calculated the cardiac function parameters and observed blood flow dynamics in the left ventricle using 4D-Flow MRI. Results LV mass was significantly higher in MVO-HCM group than in Control group (Control group; 73.3g vs MVO-HCM group; 109.5g, P=0.019). LVEF was higher in MVO-HCM group (Control group; 61.6% vs MVO-HCM group; 70.6%, P=0.026), but Stroke volume did not differ between the two groups (Control group; 68.8ml vs MVO-HCM group; 64.4ml, P=0.43).One or two vortices were observed in the left ventricle after opening the mitral valve. Two vortices were observed in 16 cases (72.7%) in the control group and 9 cases (100%) in the MVO-HCM group. Two vortices were formed on the anterior side and the posterior side. Blood flow pattern in which the vortex on the posterior side was formed to be the same size or larger than the vortex on the anterior side was observed only in the MVO-HCM group (Control group; 0% vs MVO-HCM group; 66.7%, P Streamline of MVO-HCM & Control Conclusion Characteristic blood flow patterns in the left ventricle of the MVO-HCM were revealed by using 4D-MRI. We thought that blood flow collides with the left ventricle wall due to the marked hypertrophy in the mid-ventricle, and normal vortex ring can not be formed in the MVO-HCM cases.

Background:Potential efficacy and favorable safety profiles of tocilizumab (TCZ) have been demonstrated in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) [1, 2]. However, clinical outcomes after dose-reduction or discontinuation of TCZ due to an improvement of skin thickness remain unclear.Objectives:To investigate the clinical outcomes after dose-reduction or discontinuation of TCZ in patients with dcSSc in a real-world setting.Methods:This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study using a database of consecutive SSc patients who visited our center between April 2014 and October 2020. For this study, we selected eligible patients from the database based on the following criteria: patients who (i) fulfilled the ACR/EULAR classification criteria, (ii) were classified as having dcSSc, (iii) had been treated with TCZ for at least 6 months, and (iv) were follow-up >6 months after TCZ introduction. Clinical information including demographic and clinical characteristics at TCZ introduction; dosing, administration route, and adherence of TCZ; and serial clinical parameters (modified Rondan total skin thickness score [mRSS], and percent predicted forced vital capacity [%FVC]), safety profiles, and outcomes after TCZ introduction regardless of TCZ continuation were extracted from the database.Results:Of 404 patients enrolled in the database, 13 dcSSc patients were eligible for this study. Baseline characteristics included a mean age of 51 ± 9 years, 85% female, disease duration of 27 ± 24 months, and mRSS of 19.5 ± 10.6. Seven patients (54%) had HRCT-confirmed ILD at baseline, and 9 (69%) were positive for anti-topoisomerase I antibody. Two (14%) and 11 (85%) were on mycophenolate mofetil and low-dose prednisolone (7.2 ± 6.0 mg/day), respectively. Seven patients (54%) each had active skin disease and elevated inflammatory markers defined in the phase III clinical trial [2], while only 4 (31%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. TCZ was initially administered intravenously (8 mg/kg every 4 weeks) in 8 patients and subcutaneously in 5 (162 mg every 2 weeks in 4 and every week in one). At one year, mRSS was improved from 20.9 ± 11.4 to 10.7 ± 8.9 in 11 patients (p = 0.007), and %FVC was stable in 7 patients with ILD (76.8 ± 15.0 to 78.6 ± 16.1). During the observation period of 60.4 ± 26.7 months, 4 patients were treated with a stable dose of TCZ, while TCZ dose was reduced and/or discontinued in 9. Four of them discontinued TCZ due to adverse events (n = 2; acute lung injury and phlegmon) or prominent improvement of skin thickening (n = 2). Of 9 patients with dose reduction/discontinuation of TCZ, 4 patients who discontinued TCZ (n = 3) or received dose reduction of TCZ (n = 1) experienced a recurrence of progressive skin thickening together with inflammatory complications, including edematous induration of the skin, progression of ILD, polyarthritis, and/or pericarditis with increased inflammatory markers. The interval between dose-reduction/discontinuation of TCZ and clinical worsening ranged from 2 to 11 months. These manifestations were promptly improved by dose-escalation or resumption of TCZ in all patients except one who experienced progressive ILD and died of respiratory failure 27 months later.Conclusion:In dcSSc patients who experienced improvement of skin thickness during treatment with TCZ, dose-reduction or discontinuation of TCZ may result in a recurrence of the disease. Randomized comparative studies are necessary to examine optimal timing for dose-reduction or discontinuation of TCZ in dcSSc patients after improvement of skin thickness.References:[1]Khanna, D., et al., Safety and efficacy of subcutaneous tocilizumab in systemic sclerosis: results from the open-label period of a phase II randomised controlled trial (faSScinate). Ann Rheum Dis, 2018. 77(2):212-220.[2]Khanna, D., et al., Tocilizumab in systemic sclerosis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Respir Med, 2020; 8(10): 963-974.Disclosure of Interests:Yohei Isomura: None declared, Yoshioki Yamasaki Speakers bureau: Boehringer-Ingelheim, Nippon Shinyaku, Bristol Myers, Yuichiro Shirai Speakers bureau: Janssen, Grant/research support from: Janssen, Masataka Kuwana Speakers bureau: Abbie, Astellas, Asahi Kasei Parma, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chugai, Eisai, Janssen, MBL, Mochida, Nippon Shinyaku, Ono Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Tanabe-Mitsubishi, Consultant of: Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chugai, Corbus, MBL, Mochida, Grant/research support from: Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chugai, Eisai, MBL, Ono Pharmaceuticals, Tanabe-Mitsubishi

Aims Coping strategies may be significantly associated with health outcomes. This is the first study to investigate the association between baseline coping strategies and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality in a general population cohort. Methods and results The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study asked questions on coping in its third follow-up survey (2000–04). Analyses on CVD incidence and mortality included 57 017 subjects aged 50–79 without a history of CVD and who provided complete answers on approach- and avoidance-oriented coping behaviours and strategies. Cox regression models, adjusted for confounders, were used to determine hazard ratios (HRs) according to coping style. Mean follow-up time was 7.9 years for incidence and 8.0 years for mortality. The premorbid use of an approach-oriented coping strategy was inversely associated with incidence of stroke (HR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73–1.00) and CVD mortality (HR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.55–0.99). Stroke subtype analyses revealed an inverse association between the approach-oriented coping strategy and incidence of ischaemic stroke (HR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.98) and a positive association between the combined coping strategy and incidence of intra-parenchymal haemorrhage (HR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.01–4.10). Utilizing an avoidance coping strategy was associated with increased mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) only in hypertensive individuals (HR = 3.46; 95% CI, 1.07–11.18). The coping behaviours fantasizing and positive reappraisal were associated with increased risk of CVD incidence (HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03–1.50) and reduced risk of IHD mortality (HR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40–0.99), respectively. Conclusion An approach-oriented coping strategy, i.e. proactively dealing with sources of stress, may be associated with significantly reduced stroke incidence and CVD mortality in a Japanese population-based cohort.

Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs) are installed in the electric power system, and expected to limit fault current and improve system stability. In this paper, we focus on the transformer magnetic shielding type SFCL made of REBCO wires. This SFCL limits fault current mainly with reactance for small fault current. When fault current gets larger, resistance component is added and a larger impedance is generated. In this time, we fabricated the transformer type SFCL composed of pancake coils and investigated the basic characteristics. The pancake coil type has the advantage that the amount of superconducting wire is less and the size of SFCL becomes smaller than solenoid coil type. As the results of experiment, it was confirmed that SFCL limits fault current with reactance and resistance properly. Regarding the current limiting impedance, it almost agreed with the designed value, and confirmed the current limiting operation as expected.

We have been developing a conduction cooled 3T HTS(REBCO)-MRI system. The prototype system of 100 mm DSV (diameter spherical volume) was designed and made.The MRI image of a mouse fetus (25 mm long) was obtained successfully with 2.9 T under a power supply driven operation. However, the HTS(ReBCO)-MRI magnet still had a considerable magnetic field fluctuation for clear MRI imaging due to a long-lasting attenuation of screening current induced on the superconducting tapes. To solve this problem, we introduced a power supply system consists of a exciter power supply and a small trimming current supply, which compensates the magnetic field deviation due to the screening current, in parallel. We measured and evaluated the magnetic field stability of a commercial 3T-LTS-MRI magnet under both the power supply driven operation with proposed system and the persistent current operation. The availability of the power supply system was discussed using an experimental HTS-MRI system.

Positron beam facilities are widely used for solid state physics and material science studies. A positron beam facility has been constructed at the Kyoto University Research Reactor (KUR) in order to expand its application range. The KUR is a light-water-moderated tank-type reactor operated at a rated thermal power of 5 MW. A positron beam has been transported successfully from the reactor to the irradiation chamber. The total moderated positron rate was greater than 1.4 × 10 6 /s while the reactor operated at a reduced power of 1 MW. Special attention was paid for the design of the in-pile position source to prevent possible damage of the reactor in case of severe earthquakes.

This paper proposed a battery charging system for intermittent generation from a synchronous generator with a novel Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control method. Analyzing the generation with boost chopper by the state space averaging method, the internal voltage of the generator, the output voltage and the resistance of the output of the boost chopper can be estimated by with only single current sensor. Even though the intermittent generation, the proposed the battery charging system is able to charge the battery constantly because of a bi-directional DC/DC converter and an Electric Double-Layer Capacitor (EDLC). The basic principle of the proposed MPPT control method and the proposed charging system are discussed, and then confirmed by digital computer simulation using PLECS. The simulation results reveal that the proposed MPPT controller controls the maximum power point and the proposed charging system is able to charge the battery constantly.

Background and aims Higher intake of fish or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, it is unclear whether increased blood levels of n-3 PUFAs are associated with reduced risk of CHD in the Japanese population. Methods The relationship between circulating levels of n-3 PUFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid + docosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid) and risk of CHD was examined in a nested case-control study among participants in the Japan Public Health Center (JPHC)-based Study Cohort. Plasma n-3 PUFA phospholipid levels were measured at baseline by gas chromatography in 209 cases with CHD and 418 controls matched for sex, age, date of blood draw, time elapsed since last meal before blood collection, and study location. The CHD cases (n = 209) comprised 168 cases of myocardial infarction and 41 of sudden cardiac death, otherwise classified as 157 non-fatal and 52 fatal coronary events, respectively. Mean duration of follow-up was 13.5 years. Results Multivariate conditional logistic analysis showed no significant association between n-3 PUFAs and risk of total CHD. The odds ratio (OR) for the highest versus lowest quartiles of plasma n-3 PUFAs was 0.79 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.41–1.51, p for trend = 0.51). Subtype analysis of CHD revealed that the multivariate ORs for the highest versus lowest quartiles for n-3 PUFAs were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.43–1.89, p for trend = 0.90) for myocardial infarction, 0.08 (95% CI: 0.01–0.88, p for trend = 0.04) for sudden cardiac death, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.42–1.89, p for trend = 0.97) for nonfatal coronary events, and 0.12 (95% CI: 0.02–0.75, p for trend = 0.03) for fatal coronary events. Conclusions Plasma n-3 PUFA levels were not associated with risk of total CHD but were inversely associated with risks of sudden cardiac death and fatal coronary events among middle-aged Japanese individuals.

Seafood/fish intake has been regarded as a protective factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), while smoking is a strong risk factor. To examine whether associations between smoking and risk of CHD are modified by seafood/fish intake, we studied 72,012 Japanese men and women aged 45-74 years who completed 2 food frequency questionnaires, 5 years apart, during the period 1995-2009. After 878,163 person-years of follow-up, 584 incident cases of CHD (101 fatal and 483 nonfatal), including 516 myocardial infarctions, were documented. There was a clear dose-response association between smoking and CHD risk among subjects with a low seafood/fish intake (

Fe–36 wt%Ni alloy, also called “Invar alloy”, is known for its low-thermal expansion. Since it has only mediocre strength and accordingly its application is limited, effects of addition of several carbide-forming elements, Ti, V, Zr, Nb, and Ta, on age hardness and thermal expansion of Fe–36 wt%Ni–0.2 wt%C alloy were studied for the purpose of developing a high-strength and low-thermal expansion alloy. All the alloys except Zr-added sample showed maximum hardness when aged at 650 °C. Among these additives, V had the largest age-hardenability with vanadium carbides precipitated abundantly and finely. In addition, vanadium carbides were formed with their crystallographic axes parallel to the matrix, causing about 15% of misfit strain. In the viewpoint of strengthening by carbide precipitation, large solubility in the matrix and structure and lattice constant similar to the austenitic matrix are important, and V is a preferred additive to Fe–36 wt%Ni–0.2 wt%C alloy. On the other hand, the V-added alloy in solution-treated condition showed the largest thermal expansion coefficient near room temperature. This was because it composed of larger amount of C and V in solid solution state but it is expected that its thermal expansion will decrease when these elements are eliminated from the matrix by appropriate aging.

Software designers make decisions covering a wide variety of aspects of the software to be designed through nested, intertwined processes. Some of these dependencies among design decisions might not be obvious, especially for people who didn't start with the project at the beginning of the design process. Extending or altering an existing design decision without fully understanding its dependencies might result in a deterioration of the quality of the software design. Design practice streams (DPS) tools help designers browse the segments of video data relevant to a particular topic by specifying a region on a whiteboard or by choosing a few terms used in a meeting transcript to further investigate the point of interest effectively.

In order to minimize contributions to global warming, it is important to develop a perfluorocompound (PFC) abatement system that can remove PFCs effectively with low electric power. We have developed a new PFC abatement system consisting mainly of a 2-MHz ICP plasma source and two Ca(OH)2/CaO columns operated under a decompression pressure. Reactive fluorinated compounds including SiF4 are immobilized in the Ca(OH)2/CaO columns without a water scrubber. Stable compounds such as CF4 are excited by the 2-MHz ICP plasma. When the emissions from an Si oxidation film etching process chamber were treated by this abatement system, F2 equivalent removal efficiency was 99.6%, which was about one order of magnitude larger than that of a conventional abatement system. But the CO2 equivalent removal efficiency was calculated to be 91.4% because over 95% of CO2 equivalent emissions were caused by the plasma source power consumption of 2.4 kWh. It means that minimization of the plasma source power consumption, depending on PFC emissions, is a very effective method of minimizing contributions to global warming in a manner similar to improving the PFC removal efficiency.

We have grown AlN single crystal on 6H-SiC substrate using Al-Cu solution of 1500-1600 °C. Nitrogen is supplied from gas phase under atmospheric pressure and the cold crucible technique is applied. Thickness of AlN reached 40 μm with the growth rate of 10 μm/h. Rather high growth rate in solution method is due to the increase in the melt surface area, dynamic convection of the melt and high temperature gradient along the seeded axis, which are easily realized in cold crucible technique. TEM observation reveals that the dislocation density beyond 10μm from the interface decreases by a factor of 10 to the power of -1 or -2. The melt included in between the substrate and AlN epi-layer eases stress in epi-layer and reduces cracks. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

We have grown thick AlN epilayers on SiC substrates by a new solution growth technique using Cu solvents under atmospheric pressure nitrogen. By using growth apparatus based on CZ growth system with inductive heating, we have grown AlN single crystalline layers of which thickness were more than 200 μm on (4H,6H)-SiC substrates at relatively low growth temperatures such as 1600 °C-1800 °C. Inch-size self standing AlN crystals were also prepared by removing the SiC substrate. TEM observation, ω-scan XRD measurement and cathode luminescence spectroscopy were conducted to characterize the crystallinity of the obtained AlN layers. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

In order to operate a thermal power plant safely, it is necessary to establish the prediction methods of fracture life for heat-resistant steels which is used in thermal power plant. For the establishment of prediction methods, it is necessary to consider the effects of creep damage and creep-fatigue interaction on the fracture life. Therefore, in this paper, creep-fatigue tests were conducted on notched specimens of W-added 9-12Cr steels for various temperatures and load frequencies. From these results, the influence of load frequency on temperature dependence of crack growth life for 9-12Cr steels was determined.

Synthesis of single crystalline AlN has long been the subjects of intensive studies since it has exceptional properties suitable for the substrate materials for optoelectronic and electronic devices. The solution growth technique has some advantages over the sublimation growth technique. Its growth temperature is generally much lower than that of the sublimation growth. The obtained crystal is believed to show superior crystallinity since it is grown under nearly equilibrium condition. In the present study we have developed a new solution growth technique using Cu and Ti as solvents under atmospheric pressure of nitrogen. By using this solution, we have grown AlN single crystalline layer on 6H-SiC substrate at relatively low growth temperatures such as 1600-1800 °C. The thickness of the grown layer was larger than 30 μm. TEM observation revealed the fairly low dislocation density such as 10 5 /cm 2 in the obtained AlN layers.

The Green’s functions for a point force and dislocation interacting with interfacial elliptical rigid inclusion in a bonded bi-material system are obtained by applying complex variable method and conformal mapping technique. The problem of an internal crack or thin rigid line interacting with the interfacial inclusion is then examined. For mapping the half plane with a semi-elliptic notch a rational mapping function is used. This helps in evaluating certain contour integrals quite easily. The Green’s function solutions are then used to simulate internal cracks or thin rigid lines to study their behavior in the presence of interfacial inclusion. Some interesting observations pertaining to the interaction between rigid inclusion and crack as well as between rigid inclusion and thin rigid line are discussed. In particular, stress intensity factors (SIF) at the tips of internal crack or stress singularity coefficients (SSC) at the tips of thin rigid line exhibit markedly different behavior depending on loading direction and distance between interfacial inclusion and crack (thin rigid line).

In this study, we investigated the effect of multiple oral dosing of ketoconazole (KTZ) on pharmacokinetics of quinidine (QN), a CYP3A substrate with low hepatic clearance, after i.v. and oral administration in beagle dogs. Four dogs were given p.o. KTZ for 20 days (200 mg, b.i.d.). QN was administered either i.v. (1 mg/kg) or p.o. (100 mg) 10 and 20 days before the KTZ treatment and 10 and 20 days after start of KTZ treatment. Multiple oral dosing of KTZ decreased significantly alpha and beta, whereas increased t(1/2beta), V(1), and k(a). The KTZ treatment also decreased significantly both total body clearance (Cl(tot)) and oral clearance (Cl(oral)). No significant change in bioavailability was observed in the presence of KTZ. Co-administration of KTZ increased C(max) of QN to about 1.5-fold. Mean resident time after i.v. administration (MRT(i.v.)), and after oral administration (MRT(p.o.)) of QN were prolonged to about twofold, whereas mean absorption time (MAT) was decreased to 50%. Volume of distribution at steady state (V(d(ss))) of QN was unchanged in the presence of KTZ. These alterations may be because of a decrease in metabolism of QN by inhibition of KTZ on hepatic CYP3A activity. In conclusion, multiple oral dosing of KTZ affected largely pharmacokinetics of QN after i.v. and oral administration in beagle dogs. Therefore, KTZ at a clinical dosing regimen may markedly change the pharmacokinetics of drugs primarily metabolized by CYP3A with low hepatic clearance in dogs. In clinical use, much attention should be paid to concomitant administration of KTZ with the drug when given either p.o. or i.v.

The problem of a point dislocation interacting with an elliptical hole located on a bima-terial interface is examined. Analytical solution is obtained by employing the techniquesof complex variables and conformal mapping. A rational mapping function is used tomap a half-plane with a semielliptical notch onto a unit circle. In the first part of thispaper, complex potentials for the bimaterial system with an elliptical hole on the interfaceis derived when a point dislocation is present in the upper half-plane without loss ofgenerality. The solution derived can be used as Green’s function to study internal cracksinteracting with an elliptical interfacial cavity. fDOI: 10.1115/1.1876432g

Hydrocarbon pellets were injected into NBI and ECH plasmas of the Compact Helical System (CHS) heliotron/torsatron. The ablation of the pellet was observed from horizontal and vertical directions using two CCD cameras, and the velocities of the pellet during ablation were measured with an 11 channel fan array. It was observed that the pellet trajectory was strongly curved in NBI cases, whereas in ECH cases it was straight. When the toroidal direction of the tangential NBI was changed from clockwise to counter-clockwise, the direction of the curved trajectory completely changed. For the first time, it was also found that the pellet was accelerated during the ablation, for example from 270 to 600 m/s. The ablation of the pellet is simulated for the case with fast ions from NBI (40 keV). The results strongly support the idea that the pellet can be mainly ablated by collisions with fast ions. As a result, it is found that the pellet is accelerated by a jet of the ablation cloud resulting from one-side heating due to the toroidally circulating fast ions.

Proposes a novel concept of an intelligent navigator that can give a driver timely advice on safe and efficient driving. From both the current traffic conditions obtained from visual data and the driver's goals and preferences in driving, it autonomously generates advice and gives it to the driver. Not only can operational-level advice be generated, such as emergency braking due to an abrupt deceleration of the vehicle in front, but also tactical-level advice, such as lane changing due to a congested situation ahead. Two main components of the intelligent navigator - the advice generation system and the road scene recognition system - are explained. A three-level reasoning architecture is proposed for generating advice in dynamic and uncertain traffic environments. Online experiments using the prototype system show the potential feasibility of the proposed concept.

“Amarna blue” pigments (18 Dynasty, c. 1400 BC) painted on pottery fragments were investigated using the PIXE, XRF and XRD methods in laboratories and also using a portable type of X-ray spectrometer at the sites of excavation. On the blue-colored part enrichment of Na, Al, S, Cl, Ca, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn was found using X-ray spectroscopy, and CaSO4, NaCl and Co(M)Al2O4, M denoting Mn, Fe, Ni and Zn, were found by the help of X-ray diffraction. This means that Amarna blue is a mixture of CaSO4 and Co(M)Al2O4, at least in part.

Structural ceramics are brittle and sensitive to flaws. As a result, the structural integrity of a ceramic component may be seriously affected. To overcome this problem, there are three ways: (a) inspect carefully and repair the unacceptable flaws, (b) toughen the ceramics by fiber reinforcing, (c) heal the flaws and recover strength. At the moment, there is no technique to heal embedded flaws. Therefore, a new technique to guarantee the reliability of ceramics components is demanded and so we proposed new technique: (crack-healing+proof test). For this technique, the mechanical behaviour of the crack-healed zone is very important for the structural integrity. Bending strength and fatigue strength test results of the crack-healed zone at high temperature are described. Using a process zone size failure criterion, an equation for the temperature-dependence of proof stress (σPT) is derived. The accuracy of the equation has been verified for monotonic loading tests up to 1300°C.