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A systematic experimental study was performed on the Fano line shape exhibited by multilayer structures consisting of an Al layer, a SiO2 spacer layer, and an Al2O3 waveguide layer. In the structures studied, a sharp Fano resonance appears on the background of broad asymmetric resonance attributed to the excitation of a surface plasmon polariton at the Al/SiO2 interface. It is shown that the background asymmetric surface plasmon resonance can be well fitted to a single Fano function, and the sharp Fano line shape can be well fitted to a double Fano function expressed as a product of two single Fano functions. The results of measurements performed by varying the spacer layer thickness indicate that the width (Q factor) of the sharp Fano resonance decreases (increases) monotonously as the thickness increases. The Q factor achieved in the present study is as high as ~ 1500. A comparison with the results of electromagnetic calculations suggests that not only the spacer layer thickness but also the imaginary part of the dielectric constant of the waveguide layer plays an important role in the Fano line shape engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memes within animated graphical interchange formats (GIFs) are developed and shared by Internet users to communicate cultural ideas, symbols, or practices for a wide global audience. Among the billions of GIFs shared internationally, some portray scientists engaged in scientific work. Media and science education scholarship alike have evidenced how scientists are portrayed can influence social perceptions of science and contribute to stereotypes that deter youth's interest in and affinity to science and science occupations. To understand what social perceptions of science may manifest from new media (GIFs), the present study ascertained stereotypes using Warmth and Competence constructs from Fiske's Stereotype Content Model (SCM). The SCM utilizes high, medium, and low warmth and competence dimensions found in media-based imagery to illuminate stereotypes. Researchers coded and categorised 287 meme-based GIFs of scientists sourced the largest online GIF repository, Giphy. A directed qualitative content analysis found high-competence and low-warmth dimensions most represented within the sample that theoretically (per SCM) represent perceptions that contribute to an envious stereotype with elements of admiration and contempt. This study suggests that although there have been improvements in the portrayals of scientists in media, however, GIFs may preserve and perpetuate the trope of the competent, yet cold, scientist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excellent soft magnetic properties of amorphous (a-) CoFeSiB films make it suited for use in the yoke of granular-in-gap sensors, but only if their thermal stability can be improved. To this end, this study investigated the effects of adding small amounts of other metals on the magnetic and structural properties of a-CoFeSiB films. It was found that adding metals with relatively large atomic radii is an effective way to increase thermal stability, with both Ta and Hf showing good thermal stability after annealing at temperatures of 473 to 573 K. Indeed, a -(CoFeSiB)96.2Hf3.8 film was found to maintain its initial coercivity of 0.2 Oe without very little decrease in magnetization after annealing at 623 K. Furthermore, even after annealing at 673K a -(CoFeSiB)93.0Hf7.0 film still had a relatively low coercivity of approximately 0.5 Oe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diamond-based neutral particle analyzer (DNPA) array composed of single-crystal chemical vapor deposition (sCVD) diamond detectors was installed on the Large Helical Device (LHD) for measuring the helically trapped energetic particles. In high neutron flux experiments, the unwanted neutron-induced pulse counting rate should be estimated using the neutron diagnostics because a diamond detector is sensitive to neutrons as well as energetic neutral particles. In order to evaluate the quantitative neutron-induced pulse counting rate on the DNPA, the response functions of the sCVD diamond detector for mono-energetic neutrons were obtained using accelerator-based D–D and D–7Li neutron sources in Fast Neutron Laboratory (FNL). As a result of the neutron flux estimation by the Monte Carlo N-Particle code at the NPA position in the LHD and the response function obtained in the FNL experiment, the counting rate of the neutron-induced signal was predicted to be 1.1 kcps for the source neutron emission rate of Sn = 1 × 1015 n/s. In the LHD experiment, the neutron-induced signals were observed by closing the gate valve during the plasma discharges. It is found that the counting rates of the neutron-induced signals proportional to Sn reached 1.1 kcps at Sn = 1 × 1015 n/s. As a result of the quantitative estimation of the neutron-induced signals on the DNPA using other neutron measurements, it has become possible to accurately measure energetic neutral particles in the high neutron flux experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For understanding the physics of energetic particles, the deuterium experimental campaigns started in Large Helical Device (LHD) from March 2017. To investigate the behavior of energetic particles, a Fast-ion D Alpha (FIDA) diagnostic was installed on the LHD. In the FIDA diagnostic, the Doppler-shifted D alpha light from fast-neutrals are utilized as signals of energetic particles, where these fast-neutrals are produced by the charge exchange process between fast-ions in the plasma and actively injected neutrals by neutral beam (NB). The advantages of the FIDA diagnostic are the velocity and the spatially resolved measurement of fast-ions at the crossing point between its line of sight (LOS) and the incident line of NB. The most recent FIDASIM is enhanced to simulate signals produced in three-dimensional magnetic configurations. The new version of FIDASIM uses the fast-ion distribution function produced by GNET as input to simulate FIDA signals at LHD. In order to validate the new version of the code, measurements of radial profiles of fast-ions using the FIDA diagnostic are performed in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD)-quiescent plasmas. The measured spectra are in good agreement with the theoretical prediction by 3D-supporting FIDASIM at the center of the plasma (R= 3.5 m∼3.7 m, reff/a99= −0.28∼0.05) on the LHD when the line averaged electron density is ne_avg < 1.23 × 1019 m−3. On the other hand, the measured spectra are in disagreement with the theoretical prediction by 3D-supporting FIDASIM at even the center of the plasma when the line averaged electron density is ne_avg ≥ 1.23 × 1019 m−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toroidal Alfvén eigenmode (TAE) bursts are often observed in relatively low-magnetic-field experiments in the Large Helical Device (LHD) with tangential nuclear beam injection. During TAE bursts, hole-clump pairs in real space were observed in previous studies. In order to observe the behavior of the energetic particles during TAE bursts in more detail, a tangential E-parallel-B-type neutral particle analyzer (E||B-NPA) was upgraded to improve the time resolution up to 100 kilo samples per second by updating its measurement electronic circuits. Using this high time resolution E||B-NPA, the clump formations are clearly observed in real space. In order to analyze the observed particles with high time resolution, the conditional averaging technique is used. The lost energetic particles with 150 keV were initially observed just before the TAE burst, and the energy decreases faster than the classical slowing down time. The energetic particles transported by the TAE burst were detected with energy slowing down time of 6–8 ms for more than 6 ms after the TAE burst had finished. According to the orbit trace code Lorentz orbit (LORBIT) calculation, the particle pitch angle and radial location (ρ = r/a99) of the energetic particles resonating with the TAE mode frequency are increased by 5° and 0.2, respectively, during TAE bursts. These results are consistent with the observed downward frequency chirping of the magnetic fluctuation. By comparing the energy of the detected particles by E||B-NPA and the corresponding frequency of the magnetic fluctuation, the pitch angles of the resonant particles are considered to be 15°–25° at 150 keV before they are transported by the TAE burst. The frequency chirping of the magnetic fluctuation shows good agreement with the observed clump structure by considering the pitch angle of the resonant particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently developed a technique to synthesize endohedral fullerenes that involves the collision of vaporized fullerenes and plasma particles produced following the laser ablation of a solid material. Using this technique, we synthesized N@C60 using a boron nitride rod as the source of the plasma particles. Optical emission measurements showed that the kinetic energy of N+ ions could be controlled from 20 to 65 eV by changing the energy of the incident laser beam. The synthesis of N@C60 was performed with a N+ kinetic energy of 65 eV, a C60 vaporizing temperature of 800 °C, and a total reaction time of one hour. By optimizing the kinetic energy for producing the encapsulated particles, we were able to synthesis N@C60 with a purity of 4.52 x 10−3%. The purity of our material was two orders of magnitude higher than that achieved using alternative physical synthetic methods that use solid materials, such as arc discharge and co-evaporation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect and the film structure of Fe/Cu and FeCoNi/Cu multilayers (MLs), where the FeCoNi alloy is in the composition range of the bcc phase. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the layers.

Presents a study that investigated the local structural anisotropy of terbium and iron multilayers. Applications of rare-earth-transition metal amorphous alloys; Details on the experiment; Discussion on the results of the study.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD) is strongly associated with sleep disturbances. Although the mechanisms of this association have not been fully elucidated, nighttime reflux plays a central role. However, the detailed characteristics of nighttime reflux occurring during sleep are unknown. The aim of the present study was to examine the characteristics and prevalence of nighttime reflux in the natural sleep environment of GERD patients. Seventeen patients experiencing daily moderate-to-severe heartburn and/or regurgitation were studied using multichannel intraluminal impedance pH monitoring and electroencephalography off-proton pump inhibitor treatment. Nighttime reflux was divided based on reflux type (liquid or gas), acidity (acidic, weakly acidic, or alkaline) and extent (distal only or proximal migration) according to the standard criteria. Nighttime phases were divided as follows: recumbent-awake before falling asleep, nonrapid eye movement, rapid eye movement, awakening from sleep, and post-awakening in the morning. Among 184 nighttime refluxes, 43 (23%) occurred during recumbent-awake before falling asleep, 28 (15%) during nonrapid eye movement, 14 (8%) during rapid eye movement, 86 (46%) during awakening from sleep, and 13 (7%) during post-awakening in the morning. Liquid reflux was more common in awakening during sleep (92%), nonrapid eye movement (100%), and rapid eye movement (100%) compared with awakening before falling asleep (68%). The prevalence of proximal migration was significantly lower in nonrapid eye movement and rapid eye movement than in the other phases. There were no differences in acidity and bolus clearance time among the phases. Thirteen (65%) of 20 events with GERD symptoms had nighttime reflux, suggesting that only 7.1% (13 of 184) of nighttime refluxes were symptomatic. Nighttime reflux was observed in 48 (11%) of 425 awakening episodes during sleep. Different reflux patterns at each phase during nighttime might explain the pathogenesis of GERD and its related sleep disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulk single crystals of the perovskite Li x La (1− x )/3 NbO 3 , which is one of the materials used as the solid electrolyte in all-solid lithium-ion batteries, have been grown for the first time by the directional solidification method. The ionic conductivity measured in the growth direction of a single crystal wafer of Li x La (1− x )/3 NbO 3 with x =0.08 showed a maximum value of 1.9×10 −4 Scm −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recent advances in laparoscopic surgical technology have made it possible to perform advanced high-level surgery, such as lymph node dissection for malignancy. Grasping the anatomy during such procedures is important for a safe operation. We have developed a new image information system that provides three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed CT images synchronized with the motion of the laparoscope. This study assesses this new navigation system. Methods: Enhanced CT using a custom-made software program can provide 3D angiography images reconstructed as a laparoscopic view. A motion sensor mounted on the laparoscope can detect the direction angle of the laparoscope. The real-time rendered 3D CT images are synchronized with the laparoscopic video images according to the motion of the scope. These 3D CT images are projected on another monitor close to the laparoscopic video monitor. Lymph node dissection can be performed with the help of the real-time navigation system that provides a detailed 3D view of the vasculature. Results: Ten laparoscopic gastrectomies were performed using this navigation system. Real-time intraoperative navigation of the vasculature was available, allowing for an excellent surgical outcome. No complications occurred in this series. Conclusion: Our intraoperative navigation system allows for safe laparoscopic gastric lymph node dissection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The features of proton pump inhibitor-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia ( PPI- REE) are similar to those of eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), but PPI- REE demonstrates symptomatic and histological responses to PPI therapy. Several studies have shown that basophils play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Aim To identify and compare basophil infiltration in the oesophageal epithelium in patients with EoE, PPI- REE, gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD) and normal oesophagus (controls). Methods Biopsy specimens from 43 patients, including 12 with EoE, 11 with PPI- REE, 10 with GERD and 10 normal oesophagus, were analysed. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify the number of basophils and mast cells in the oesophageal epithelium. Double immunofluorescence staining for thymic stromal lymphopoietin ( TSLP) and basophils was performed. Patients with EoE were treated with swallowed fluticasone. Results There were no differences in clinical, endoscopic or histological features between patients with EoE and PPI- REE. There were more basophils and mast cells in patients with EoE and PPI- REE than in patients with GERD and control subjects. Basophil infiltration of the oesophageal epithelium in patients with EoE was higher than that in patients with PPI- REE (3.6 ± 2.8 per high power field vs. 1.2 ± 0.9 per high power field respectively; P = 0.02); however, there was no significant difference in mast cell infiltration between the two groups. TSLP was highly expressed in the oesophageal epithelium in areas infiltrated by basophils. Steroid therapy significantly decreased intraepithelial basophils in patients with EoE. Conclusion Basophils may play an important role in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic oesophagitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify predictive factors for the development of pericardial effusion (PCE) in patients with oesophageal cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT). Methods: From March 2006 to November 2012, patients with oesophageal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using the following criteria were evaluated: radiation dose > 50 Gy; heart included in the radiation field; dose-volume histogram (DVH) data available for analysis; no previous thoracic surgery; and no PCE before treatment. The diagnosis of PCE was independently determined by tw o radiologists. Clinical factors, the percentage of heart volume receiving > 5 -60 Gy in increments of 5 Gy (V5-60, respectively), maximum heart dose and mean heart dose were analysed. Results: A total of 143 patients with oesophageal cancer were reviewed retrospectively. The median follow-up by CT was 15 months (range, 2.1-72.6 months) after RT. PCE developed in 55 patients (38.5%) after RT, and the median time to develop PCE was 3.5 months (range, 0.2-9.9 months). On univariate analysis, DVH parameters except for V60 were significantly associated with the development of PCE (p < 0.001). No clinical factor was significantly related to the development of PCE. Recursive partitioning analysis including all DVH parameters as variables showed a V10 cut-off value of 72.8% to be the most influential factor. Conclusion: The present results showed that DVH parameters are strong independent predictive factors for the development of PCE in patients with oesophageal cancer treated with CRT. Advances in knowledge: A heart dosage was associated with the development of PCE with radiation and without prophylactic nodal irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four-cluster Faddeev-Yakubovsky calculations using two-cluster RGM kernels are carried out for identical clusters. A precise ground-state energy of the α-particle, predicted by the quark-model nucleon-nucleon ( NN) interaction fss2, is E = −26.61 MeV, including approximate effects of the Coulomb force and the charge dependence of the 2 N force. The missing −1.7 MeV in the experimental value −28.3 MeV is about half of 3-4 MeV, predicted by modern meson-exchange 2 N potentials, implying that almost half of 3-4 MeV is attributed to the off-shell effect of our nonlocal NN interaction fss2. As to the applications to four- α system, a method to eliminate the Faddeev redundant components from the basic Faddeev-Yakubovsky equations is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low- and medium-energy nucleon–deuteron ( Nd) scattering less than the incident energy 65 MeV per nucleon is examined by using the quark-model nucleon–nucleon ( NN) interaction fss2. The off-shell effect of this non-local interaction yields a part of the attractive effect given by the three-nucleon force in the standard description by the meson-exchange potentials. The triton binding energy and the spin-doublet scattering length are well described by fss2 without introducing the three-nucleon force. The nucleon analyzing power is slightly improved from the results by the AV18 potential, but the so-called Ay puzzle in the low-energy region is not essentially solved nor is the similar deficiency of the peak heights seen in the vector analyzing power of the deuteron, iT11( θ). Other observables are rather similar to the predictions by meson-exchange potentials, including disagreements of the deuteron breakup differential cross sections with experiment for some particular kinematical configurations. The space-star anomaly of the nd and pd scattering at EN = 13 MeV is not improved. The accurate and systematic KVI data of the $${^{1}H(\overrightarrow{d}, 2p)n}$$ scattering at Ed = 130 MeV are compared with the predictions by fss2 for the breakup differential cross sections and the deuteron analyzing powers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have applied the quark-model nucleon-nucleon interaction fss2 to the nucleon-deuteron scattering. The screened cutoff Coulomb force in the momentum space has been incorporated to the proton-deuteron scattering by extending the matching condition, which is proposed by Vincent and Phatak for the sharply cutoff Coulomb problem. The model fss2 can reproduce the overall characteristics of the experimental data. It is found that fss2 partially incorporates the attractive feature, which accords with the good reproduction of the triton binding energy and neutron-deuteron doublet scattering length. This attractive feature is due to the off-shell effect related to the quark-model description of the short-range repulsion of the two-nucleon force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deuteron breakup differential cross sections and analyzing powers for $${\overrightarrow{d} + p}$$ scattering at E = 16 and 130 MeV are examined using the energy-independent quark-model nucleon-nucleon interaction fss2. The Coulomb effect is incorporated by the sharp cut-off Coulomb force, acting between quarks, without the phase-shift renormalization for the breakup amplitudes. Our results are very similar to those by the meson-exchange potentials, including disagreement for some specific kinematical configurations. The accurate and systematic KVI data at E = 130 MeV are reasonably reproduced by taking the Coulomb cut-off radius ρ ≥ 16 fm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nd and pd breakup differential cross sections for E ≤ 65 MeV are examined using the energy-independent quark-model nucleon-nucleon interaction fss2. The Coulomb effect is incorporated by the sharp cut-off Coulomb force, acting between quarks, without the phase-shift renormalization for the breakup amplitudes. Our model yields the results very similar to the meson-exchange potentials, including disagreement for some specific kinematical configurations. This includes the notorious space star anomaly of the nd and pd scattering at E = 13 MeV. The KVI data for the breakup differential cross sections of E = 130 MeV dp scattering are reasonably reproduced by taking the Coulomb cut-off radius ρ = 16 fm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT On 2011 October 8, the Earth passed through a stream of dust ejected by the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner during its perihelion passage of the year 1900, causing an outburst of October Draconid meteors. 13 Draconids were observed among ∼6300 meteor head echoes with precisely determined orbits during an observational campaign ranging from October 8 05:00 ut to October 9 13:00 ut with the Shigaraki middle and upper atmosphere (MU) radar in Japan (34°.85 N and 136°.10 E). The meteor outburst occurred while the Draconid radiant was descending below and 2 h later rising up above the horizon. Therefore, 11 of the detections were from very low (<15°) elevation. The detection altitudes of the Draconids were high compared to sporadic meteors of the same velocity and radiant elevation. The weighted mean geocentric velocity of the 13 Draconids was 20.6 ± 0.4 km s−1, and the weighted mean radiant located at right ascension α = 263°.3 ± 0°.6 and declination δ = 55°.8 ± 0°.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neutron-deuteron (nd) scattering is studied in the Faddeev formalism, employing the NN sector of the quark-model baryon-baryon interaction fss2. The energy-dependence of the NN interaction, inherent to the resonating-group formulation of two three-quark clusters, is eliminated by the standard off-shell transformation utilizing the square root of the normalization kernel. This procedure yields an extra nonlocality to the quark-model exchange kernel, which is very important to reproduce all the observables for the bound state and the elastic scattering below En ≤ 65 MeV. The deuteron breakup differential cross sections are also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disease. Detailed clinical characteristics of patients with different IBS subtypes have not been well established. Our aim was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of IBS and its subtypes in Japanese adults. We performed a cross-sectional study of Japanese workers who visited a clinic for a routine health check-up and asked them to fill out a self-report questionnaire. Irritable bowel syndrome and its subtypes were defined by ROME III criteria. A logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors. Irritable bowel syndrome was present in 367 (13.5%) of 2717 eligible subjects; 79 had IBS with constipation (IBS-C); 102 had IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D); 89 had mixed IBS (IBS-M); and 97 had unsubtyped IBS (IBS-U). Irritable bowel syndrome was significantly associated with young age [odds ratio (OR) = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-0.95], female gender (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.38-2.29), low body mass index (BMI) (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.99), and the presence of allergic disease (OR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.40-3.54). Analysis of IBS subtypes revealed that IBS-C was associated with young age and female gender; IBS-D with young age, low BMI, and drinking habit; IBS-M with female gender, smoking habits, and allergic diseases; and IBS-U with age, female gender, and allergic diseases. Irritable bowel syndrome was common and associated with young age, female gender, low BMI, and presence of allergic diseases in Japanese adults. Several differences were noted between the risk factors among different IBS subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite recent improvements in supportive care, treatment-related death (TRD) remains a serious problem for lung cancer patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy. However, few studies have formally assessed possible changes in the TRD rate over the past two decades.Patients and methods: We searched phase III trials to address the role of systemic treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Time trend was assessed using linear regression analysis.Results: The overall incidence of TRD was calculated from 119 trials including 263 chemotherapy arms (46 477 patients), with information about the causes of deaths available for 197 arms (75%, 30 147 patients). Cisplatin-based regimens were the most frequently investigated. The crude TRD rate in the overall cohort of 119 trials was 1.26% and has been notably consistent over the investigated time (P = 0.762). The most common cause of death was febrile neutropenia, with no significant change in its incidence over the years (P = 0.139). In contrast, deaths due to renal toxicity decreased significantly (P = 0.042), whereas deaths due to pulmonary disorder increased significantly (P = 0.007). Among the pharmacological agents investigated, docetaxel (Taxotere) and epidermal growth factor receptor–tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) were associated with relatively high rates of deaths from pulmonary disorders, but EGFR-TKIs were not associated with death from any other cause.Conclusions: Despite of potential confounders in our results, the overall TRD rate has remained low, but not negligible, in phase III trials for advanced NSCLC, over the past two decades. Notably, the incidence and pattern of TRD stratified by cause have changed considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive single-hyperon potentials for light nuclei, based on the G-matrix calculations of the quark-model baryon-baryon interactions developed by the Kyoto-Niigata group. The Ξ12C(0+) and Ξ16O potentials have non-trivial oscillating behavior, reflecting strong isospin dependence of the ΞN interaction; namely, attractive isospin I = 0 ΞN interaction and weakly repulsive I = 1 interaction. The latter repulsive effect is largely enhanced in the intermediate region of the Ξ-core potential, resulting in very weak attraction at the surface region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although the introduction of filament twisting with high resistive barrier between the filaments is effective to reduce the AC loss, the J c value of the tape was easily decreased by the filament twisting and insertion of high resistive barrier. This decrease in J c is a problem to achieve low AC loss and high I c tape. In this study, the effects of filament twist and high resistive barrier on the microstructure and J c property were investigated to overcome the J c reduction. The Bi2223 tapes with filament twist or oxide barrier were fabricated by powder-in-tube method. The J c value of twist tape gradually decreased as decreasing the twist pitch, and the degree of J c reduction was small in slim tape compared to wide tape. This reduction would attribute to the small actual cross sectional area of the filament perpendicular to the current direction because the filament has a tilt angle from the tape axis. On the other hand, the conversion ratio of Bi2223 became small as increasing the thickness of SZO barrier layer. Since the SZO barrier has less reactivity with 2223 filament, this suppression of the Bi2223 formation would not be caused by the formation of impurity phase but would be caused by the suppression of gas release from the filaments by oxide barrier. The conversion ratio of Bi2223 increased in the short sample where the gas could be released from the both end of the tape. These results suggest that the gas diffusion from filaments would be important for the formation of Bi2223. Hence, the use of slim tape for decreasing the tilt angle of the filament and keeping the diffusion path of gas from the filaments may improve the J c value of twist and barrier tapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production in an economy is a set of firms' activities as suppliers and customers; a firm buys goods from other firms, puts value added and sells products to others in a giant network of production. Empirical study is lacking despite the fact that the structure of the production network is important to understand and make models for many aspects of dynamics in economy. We study a nation-wide production network comprising a million firms and millions of supplier-customer links by using recent statistical methods developed in physics. We show in the empirical analysis scale-free degree distribution, disassortativity, correlation of degree to firm-size, and community structure having sectoral and regional modules. Since suppliers usually provide credit to their customers, who supply it to theirs in turn, each link is actually a creditor-debtor relationship. We also study chains of failures or bankruptcies that take place along those links in the network, and corresponding avalanche-size distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the incidence and course of upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) related to an implanted central venous port (CV-port) system in cancer patients. From July 2007 to July 2008, 92 consecutive patients who underwent implantation of a CV-port for chemotherapy for colorectal cancer were prospectively enrolled in the study. All patients were examined at prescribed intervals by ultrasonography (US) to estimate the incidence of catheter-related venous thrombosis. We categorised ultrasound diagnosis into three types: Type 0, no thrombus; Type I, thrombi around catheter without obstruction of venous flow; Type II: thrombi with obstruction of venous flow. Upon initial ultrasound examination, 25 cases (27%) were categorised as Type 0, 64 (70%) as Type I and III (3%) as Type II. Of the 64 Type-I cases, 4 cases worsened to Type II within a month, and 3 others (including 1 patient who developed pulmonary embolism) became Type II after 1 month. Of the other Type-I cases, 12 cases improved to Type 0 and 45 cases remained Type I. All 10 patients categorised as Type II underwent anticoagulant therapy and resumed their chemotherapy without exacerbations of thrombosis. In cancer patients undergoing long-term chemotherapy, there is an unexpectedly high prevalence of catheter-related UEDVT, which can be detected by ultrasound at an early stage after implantation of a CV-port. Given that cancer patients with UEDVT may have worse outcomes than those without, clinicians should consider careful monitoring for UEDVT and introducing anticoagulant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We solve the nd scattering in the Faddeev formalism, employing the NN sector of the quark-model baryon-baryon interaction fss2. The energy-dependence of the NN interaction, inherent to the (3q)-(3q) resonating-group formulation, is eliminated by the standard off-shell transformation utilizing the $1/\sqrt{N}$ factor, where N is the normalization kernel for the (3q)-(3q) system. This procedure yields an extra nonlocality to the quark-model exchange kernel, which is very important to reproduce all the observables for the bound state and elastic scattering below En ≤ 65 MeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The quark-model baryon-baryon interaction by the Kyoto-Niigata group is applied to predict hyperon properties in a nuclear medium. Single-hyperon potentials in finite nuclei are generated by folding G-matrices in symmetric nuclear matter in a local density approximation. The Σ-nucleus potential, which serves as a measure of the predictive capability of the potential model, turns out to be consistent with experiment. That is, it is weakly attractive at the nuclear surface and repulsive inside the nucleus. The Ξ-nucleus potential is also attractive at the nuclear surface but oscillates around zero inside. This strength of the Ξ-nucleus potential is different from the presently accepted value of the depth of around 15 MeV. We carried out an independent analysis of the () production spectrum on and found that the experimental data can be explained by the Ξ-nucleus potential obtained from the quark-model interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To understand a strong focusing phenomenon that occurs in a low-energy hydrogen ion beam, the electron temperature, the electron density, and the space potential in an ion source with cusped magnetic fields are measured before and after the transition to the focusing state using an electrostatic probe. The experimental results show that no significant changes are observed before or after the transition. However, we found unique phenomena that are characterized by the position of the electrostatic probe in the ion source chamber. Specifically, the extracted ion beam current density and energy are obviously enhanced in the case where the electrostatic probe, which is covered by a dielectric material, is placed close to an acceleration electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reexamine the spin-orbit splitting of $_\Lambda^9 {\rm{Be}}$ excited states in terms of the SU6 quark-model baryon-baryon interaction. The previous folding procedure to generate the Λα spin-orbit potential from the quark-model ΛN LS resonating-group kernel predicted three to five times larger values for ΔEℓs = Ex(3/2+) - Ex(5/2+) in the model FSS and fss2. This time, we calculate Λα LS Born kernel, starting from the LS components of the nuclear-matter G-matrix for the Λ hyperon. This framework makes it possible to take full account of an important P-wave ΛN-ΣN coupling through the antisymmetric LS(-) force involved in the Fermi-Breit interaction. We find that the experimental value, $\Delta E_{\ell s}^{\exp} = 43 \pm 5\,{\rm{keV}}$, is reproduced by the quark-model G-matrix LS interaction with a Fermi-momentum around kF = 1.0 fm-1, when the model FSS is used in the energy-independent renormalized RGM formalism. On the other hand, the model fss2 gives too large splitting of almost 200 keV, owing to the uncanceled contribution of the scalar-meson exchange LS components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaussian nonlocal potentials for the quark-model baryon–baryon interactions are derived by using the Gauss-Legendre quadrature for the special functions. The reliability of the approximation is examined with respect to the phase shifts and the deuteron binding energy. The potential is accurate enough if one uses seven-point Gauss-Legendre quadrature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although many investigators previously reported the sympathovagal effect of spinal anaesthesia, there is no information about the sympathovagal effects of supplementation with fentanyl. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sympathovagal effects of intrathecal or intravenous fentanyl added to spinal anaesthesia. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients undergoing elective transurethral surgery under spinal anaesthesia were randomly allocated to receive intrathecally either isobaric bupivacaine alone (Group B), bupivacaine supplemented with intrathecal (Group Ft) or with intravenous fentanyl (Group Fv). Heart rate variability was estimated using the MemCalc method (Tarawa, Suwa Trust, Japan) before and after spinal anaesthesia. Results: In all groups, spinal anaesthesia significantly decreased low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) as a marker of sympathovagal balance. However, patients in Group B with a low block height developed a marked increase in LF/HF after spinal anaesthesia, which was attenuated in Group Ft. Meanwhile, intravenous fentanyl did not attenuate this response. Conclusion: We conclude that sympathetic activation observed in patients with a low block height was attenuated by intrathecal fentanyl but not by intravenous fentanyl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We launched a new intervention study called REPRINTS in which senior volunteers engaged in reading picture books to children. Sixty-nine volunteers and 72 participants in a control group, all aged 60 years and over, living in three urban locations, participated in a baseline health checkup in June 2004. After completion of a three-month training seminar, volunteers visited public elementary schools and kindergartens in groups of 6 to 10 for an 18 month period. They were assessed again by a follow-up health checkup in March 2006. At the follow-up, social network scores (frequency of contact with grandchildren and others around the neighborhood) and self-rated health improved or was maintained at a significantly higher rate for the 37 individuals volunteering most intensively as compared to those who did not volunteer or volunteered minimally. In conclusion, through intensively being engaged in the intergenerational volunteer programs during 21 months, self-rated health and social networks were more likely to improve or be maintained among senior volunteers than controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a component of mildly-oxidized LDL and the lipid rich core of atherosclerotic plaques, elicits platelet activation. LPA is the ligand of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) of the EDG family (LPA1-3) and the newly identified LPA4-7 subcluster. LPA4, LPA5 and LPA7 increase cellular cAMP levels that would induce platelet inhibition rather than activation. In the present study we quantified the mRNA levels of the LPA1-7 GPCR in human platelets and found a rank order LPA4 = LPA5 > LPA7 > LPA6 = LPA2 >> LPA1 > LPA3. We examined platelet shape change using a panel of LPA receptor subtype-selective agonists and antagonists and compared them with their pharmacological profiles obtained in heterologous LPA1-5 receptor expression systems. Responses to different natural acyl and alkyl species of LPA, and octyl phosphatidic acid analogs, alpha-substituted phosphonate analogs, N-palmitoyl-tyrosine phosphoric acid, N-palmitoyl-serine phosphoric acid were tested. All of these compounds elicited platelet activation and also inhibited LPA-induced platelet shape change after pre-incubation, suggesting that receptor desensitization is likely responsible for the inhibition of this response. Fatty acid free albumin (10 µM) lacking platelet activity completely inhibited platelet shape change induced by LPA with an IC50 of 1.1 µM but had no effect on the activation of LPA1,2,3,&5 expressed in endogenously non-LPA-responsive RH7777 cells. However, albumin reduced LPA4 activation and shifted the dose-response curve to the right. LPA5 transiently expressed in RH7777 cells showed preference to alkyl-LPA over acyl-LPA that is similar to that in platelets. LPA did not increase cAMP levels in platelets. In conclusion, our results with the pharmacological compounds and albumin demonstrate that LPA does not induce platelet shape change simply through activation of LPA1-5, and the receptor(s) mediating LPA-induced platelet activation remains elusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown a strong association between reflux oesophagitis (RO) and bronchial asthma (BA). The precise mechanisms of interaction between RO and BA are uncertain, possibly due to lack of animal models. AIMS: We established a novel rat model and examined pathogenic interaction of RO and BA. METHODS: RO and BA were induced in Brown-Norway rats by ligating the transitional region between the forestomach and the glandular portion and wrapping the duodenum near the pylorus, and by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitisation and challenge with OVA aerosol. Rats were divided into four groups: control, RO, BA, and RO+BA. OVA-induced airway inflammation was assessed by the number of infiltrating cells and cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Oesophageal lesion index, histology and expression of cytokine mRNA, as determined by real-time RT-PCR, were also examined. RESULTS: Significant increases in the number of cells, especially eosinophils, and IL13 but not IFN-γ concentration in BALF were observed in the RO+BA group compared with the BA group. These enhancements of OVA-induced airway inflammation were prevented by treatment with rabeprazole. Although the oesophagitis lesion index in the RO+BA group did not differ from that in the RO group, eosinophilic infiltration in the oesophageal submucosa and levels of mRNA expression of cytokines such as IL5, IL10, IL13, and RANTES were significantly increased. CONCLUSION: We established a novel rat model of RO and BA, and found significant interactions of the two diseases. This model thus appears to be useful for examining the association between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and bronchial asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong interactions acting between baryons, the nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction among others, play a basic role in building nuclei. Because of its importance enormous efforts, both experimental and theoretical, have hitherto been paid to understand the nature of the NN interaction. The quantum chromodynamics (QCD) [1] is nowadays believed to be a fundamental theory of the strong interaction. From this modern view, Yukawa's meson theory [2] for the nuclear force is regarded as an effective description of the interaction of the composite nucleons, governed by the strongly nonperturbative dynamics of quarks and gluons. A recent lattice QCD calculation [3] confirms this view by producing both the short-range repulsion and medium-range attraction for the three-quark plus three-quark (3q-3q) configuration. Further studies in this direction have to be made for a quantitative description of the nuclear force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dynamics of photoexcited carriers in Er-doped GaAs (GaAs:Er) and Er,O-codoped GaAs (GaAs:Er,O) have been systematically investigated by means of a pump and probe technique. A characteristic ps-scale relaxation was clearly observed in transient reflectance (dR/R) and transmission (dT/T) curves. The relaxation was due to the trapping of photoexcited carriers by an Er-related trap, which was closely related to efficiency of Er3+ luminescence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The objective of this study was to determine whether pre-operative heart rate variability (HRV) estimated using the newly developed MemCalc method predicts hypotension after spinal anaesthesia (SA). Method: Fifty-two patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II, aged 38–84 years, scheduled to undergo elective transurethral surgery were investigated in this study. Ultra short-term entropy (UsEn) as a non-linear index of HRV was estimated before and after SA using the MemCalc method. The patients were then assigned to two groups (Group LO and HI) according to pre-operative UsEn. SA was performed by intrathecal injection of 17.5 mg of isobaric bupivacaine via interlumbar spaces L3-4 or L4-5. After SA, the haemodynamic fluctuations were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results: SA significantly decreased LF/HF (a ratio of the low frequency component of HRV to that of the high frequency component) but did not affect UsEn. The percentage decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) after SA was 11.4 (9.9)% in group HI, whereas it was 17.5 (9.8)% in group LO ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, the number of patients who developed hypotension was significantly higher in group LO. Conclusion: SA significantly decreased LF/HF without affecting UsEn. Patients with a low UsEn developed a greater decrease in SBP after SA. Furthermore, the incidence of hypotension after SA was higher in patients with a low UsEn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A macroscopic approach to a three-body system is presented in order to discuss the consequences of redundant states or Pauli-forbidden states as well as the use of nonlocal potentials of a microscopic origin. The examples include 22C = 20C + n + n, 12C = α + α + α, and t = p + n + n. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Interactions between the octet-baryons () in the spin–flavor quark model are investigated in a unified coupled-channels framework of the resonating-group method (RGM). The interaction Hamiltonian for quarks consists of the phenomenological confinement potential, the color Fermi–Breit interaction with explicit flavor-symmetry breaking (FSB), and effective-meson exchange potentials of scalar-, pseudoscalar- and vector–meson types. The model parameters are determined to reproduce the properties of the nucleon–nucleon (NN) system and the low-energy cross section data for the hyperon–nucleon interactions. Mainly due to the introduction of the vector mesons, the NN phase shifts at non-relativistic energies up to are greatly improved in comparison with the previous quark-model NN interactions. The deuteron properties and the low-energy observables of the interactions, including the inelastic capture ratio at rest for the scattering, are examined in the particle basis with the pion-Coulomb correction. The nuclear saturation properties and the single-particle (s.p.) potentials of in nuclear medium are examined through the -matrix calculations, using the quark-exchange kernel. The s.p. potential is weakly repulsive in symmetric nuclear matter. The s.p. spin–orbit strength for is very small, due to the strong antisymmetric spin–orbit force generated from the Fermi–Breit interaction. The qualitative behavior of the interactions is systematically understood by (1) the spin–flavor symmetry of , (2) the special role of the pion exchange, and (3) the FSB of the underlying quark Hamiltonian. In particular, the interaction becomes less attractive according to the increase of strangeness, implying that there exists no di-baryon bound state except for the deuteron. The strong coupling results from the important tensor component of the one-pion exchange. The coupling in the strangeness and isospin channel is relatively weak, since this coupling is caused by the strangeness exchange. The interactions are then applied to some of the few-baryon systems and light -hypernuclei in a three-cluster Faddeev formalism using two-cluster RGM kernels. An application to the three-nucleon system shows that the quark-model NN interaction can give a sufficient triton binding energy with little room for the three-nucleon force. The hypertriton Faddeev calculation indicates that the attraction of the interaction in the state is only slightly more attractive than that in the state. In the application to the system, the energy spectrum of is well reproduced using the RGM kernel. The very small spin–orbit splitting of the excited states is also discussed. In the Faddeev calculation, the NAGARA event for is found to be consistent with the quark-model interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We calculate Λα, Σα and Ξα potentials from the nuclear-matter G-matrices of the quark-model baryon–baryon interaction. The α-cluster wave function is assumed to be a simple harmonic-oscillator shell-model wave function. A new method is proposed to derive the direct and knock-on terms of the interaction Born kernel from the hyperon–nucleon G-matrices, with explicit treatments of the nonlocality and the center-of-mass motion between the hyperon and α. We find that the quark-model baryon–baryon interactions, FSS and fss2, yield a reasonable bound-state energy for 5 Λ He, from −3.18 to , in spite of the fact that they give relatively large depths for the Λ single-particle potentials, 46–48 MeV, in symmetric nuclear matter. An equivalent local potential derived from the Wigner transform of the nonlocal Λα kernel shows a strong energy dependence for the incident Λ-particle, indicating the importance of the strangeness-exchange process in the original hyperon–nucleon interaction. For the Σα and Ξα potentials, we only discuss the zero-momentum Wigner transform of the interaction kernels, since these interactions turn out to be repulsive when the two isospin contributions for the ΣN and ΞN interactions are added up. These components show a strong isospin dependence: they are attractive in the isospin (Σα) and (Ξα) components and repulsive in (Σα) and (Ξα) components, which indicate that Σ and Ξ potentials could be attractive in some particular systems such as the well-known 4 Σ He system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this study was to compare linear and non-linear analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) in terms of correlation with haemodynamic fluctuation during induction of general anaesthesia. Pre-operatively, HRV was estimated by the MemCalc method in 114 patients scheduled for general anaesthesia. After anaesthesia was induced with propofol, fentanyl and vecuronium bromide, tracheal intubation was performed. Haemodynamic fluctuations during induction of anaesthesia were recorded and the correlation between pre-operative HRV and haemodynamic fluctuation was examined using logistic regression analysis. As an index of non-linear analysis of HRV, ultra short-term entropy (UsEn) correlated better with blood pressure fluctuation than did the ratio of the power of low frequency component of HRV to that of high frequency component (LF/HF). In contrast, although LF/HF significantly correlated with heart rate increase caused by tracheal intubation, the correlation between UsEn and heart rate fluctuation was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are strong determinants of tumour response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Pleural effusion is a common complication of lung cancer. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of detection of EGFR mutations in samples of pleural effusion fluid. We obtained 43 samples, which was the cell-free supernatant of pleural fluid, from Japanese NSCLC patients, and examined them for EGFR mutations. The epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status was determined by a direct sequencing method (exons 18–21 in EGFR). EGFR mutations were detected in 11 cases (E746_A750del in seven cases, E746_T751del insA in one case, L747_T751del in one case, and L858R in two cases). The EGFR mutations were observed more frequently in women and non-smokers. A comparison between the EGFR mutant status and the response to gefitinib in the 27 patients who received gefitinib revealed that all seven patients with partial response and one of the seven patients with stable disease had an EGFR mutation. No EGFR mutations were detected in the patients with progressive disease. The results suggest that DNA in pleural effusion fluid can be used to detect EGFR mutations and that the EGFR mutation status may be useful as a predictor of the response to gefitinib.British Journal of Cancer (2006) 95, 1390–1395. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603428 www.bjcancer.com; Published online 24 October 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although prostaglondin E2 PGE2), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 (mPGES-1) are known to play a role in various inflammatory events, their roles in the pathogenesis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease are not known. Aims: We examined the dynamics of COX-1, COX-2, mPGES-1, mPGES-2, cytosolic PGES (cPGES), and PGE2 synthetic activity in rat acid reflex oesophagitis and the effects of COX-2 inhibitors on the severity of oesophagitis. Methods: Acid reflux aesophagitis was induced by ligating the transitional region between the forestomach and the glandular portion and wrapping the duodenum near the pylorus. Rats were killed an day 3 (acute phase) or day 21 (chronic phase) after induction of aesophagitis. Results: Expression of COX-2 and mPGES-1 was markedly increased in oesophagitis while modest changes in COX-1, cPGES, and mPGES-2 expression were observed. COX-2 and mPGES-1 were colocalised in epithelial cells of the basal layer, as well as inflammatory and mesenchymal cells in the lamina propria and submucosa. COX-2 inhibitors significantly reduced the severity of chronic oesophagitis but did not affect acute oesophageal lesions. COX-2 inhibitors significantly inhibited the increase in PGE2 synthesis in oesophageal lesions on bath days 3 and 21. Epithelial proliferation was significantly increased in the basal layer an day 21. Inflammatory cells and epithelial cells of the basal layer exhibited reactions far EP4 in oesophagitis. Conclusion: PGE2 derived from COX-2 and mPGES-1 plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of chronic acid reflex oesophagitis, and possibly in basal hyperplasia and persistent inflammatory cell infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]