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Irradiation-induced crystallization of an amorphous phase was stimulated at a Pd-Si amorphous/silicon oxide (a(Pd-Si)/SiOx) interface at 298K by electron irradiation at acceleration voltages ranging between 25 kV and 200 kV. Under irradiation, a Pd-Si amorphous phase was initially formed at the crystalline face-centered cubic palladium/silicon oxide (Pd/SiOx) interface, followed by the formation of a Pd2Si intermetallic compound through irradiation-induced crystallization. The irradiation-induced crystallization can be considered to be stimulated not by defect introduction through the electron knock-on effects and electron-beam heating, but by the electronic excitation mechanism. The observed irradiation-induced structural change at the a(Pd-Si)/SiOx and Pd/SiOx interfaces indicates multiple structural modifications at the metal/silicon oxide interfaces through electronic excitation induced by the electron-beam processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiotani, H, Mizokuchi, T, Yamashita, R, Naito, M, and Kawakami, Y. Influence of body mass on running-induced changes in mechanical properties of plantar fascia. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): e588-e592, 2023--Body mass is a major risk factor for plantar fasciopathy; however, evidence explaining the process between risk factors and injury development is limited. Long-distance running induces transient and site-specific reduction in plantar fascia (PF) stiffness, reflecting mechanical fatigue and microscopic damage within the tissue. As greater mechanical loads can induce greater reduction in tissue stiffness, we hypothesized that the degree of running-induced change in PF stiffness is associated with body mass. Ten long-distance male runners (age: 21 2 23 years, body mass: 55.564.2 kg; mean6SD) and 10 untrained men (age: 20224 years, body mass: 58.465.6 kg) ran for 10 km. Before and immediately after running, the shear wave velocity (SWV) of PF at the proximal site, which is an index of tissue stiffness, was measured using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Although the PF SWV significantly decreased after running in runners (2 4.0%, p 50.010) and untrained men (221.9%, p, 0.001), runners exhibited smaller changes (p ,0.001). The relative changes in SWV significantly correlated with body mass in both runners (r520.691, p 5 0.027) and untrained individuals (r520.723, p 5 0.018). These results indicate that a larger body mass is associated with a greater reduction in PF stiffness. Our findings provide in vivo evidence of the biomechanical basis for body mass as a risk factor for plantar fasciopathy. Furthermore, group differences suggest possible factors that reduce the fatigue responses, such as adaptation enhancing the resilience of PF and running mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Pd-Si amorphous phase was formed at a palladium/silicon oxide (Pd/SiOx) interface at room temperature by electron irradiation at acceleration voltages ranging between 25 kV and 200 kV. Solid-state amorphization was stimulated without the electron knock-on effects. The total dose required for the solid-state amorphization decreases with decreasing acceleration voltage. This is the first report on electron irradiation induced metallic amorphous formation caused by the electronic excitation at metal/silicon oxide interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we investigated endocrine disrupting effects of 17 β-estradiol (E2) on Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) in the avian reproduction test according to the testing guidelines, in which new endpoints such as blood vitellogenin (VTG) concentration in parent quails and pathology of F1 chicks were added, and consequently these additional endpoints suggested to be sensitive markers for detecting any impacts of endocrine disrupting effects (Shibuya et al., 2005b). In the present study, to investigate low dose effects of estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals in birds, the avian reproduction study of E2 at low dose levels was conducted using Japanese quail with additional endpoints such as observations of F1 chicks until 10 weeks of age, histopathology of F1 chicks at 14 days and 10 weeks of age and blood VTG concentration in parent quails. Sixteen pairs of 10-week-old quails were fed a low phytoestrogen diet containing E2 at 0 (control), 0.3, 3, and 30 ppm for 6 weeks, and parent quails, eggs and offspring were examined. F1 chicks were maintained up to 14 days or 10 weeks of age. Serum E2 and VTG concentrations in males of the E2 3- and 30-ppm groups and in females of the E2 30-ppm groups were significantly elevated. In the E2 30-ppm group, two parent females died, and toxic changes such as suppression of body weight gain, decrease in food consumption and atrophic and degenerative changes of the reproductive organs were observed in parent quails. In the same group, the number of eggs laid and the fertility rate of eggs were significantly decreased. In addition, the viability of F1 chicks in the E2 30-ppm group were significantly decreased at 10 weeks of age. On the other hand, no abnormalities described above were observed in any parent quails, eggs and F1 chicks in the E2 3- and 0.3-ppm groups, although the fertility rates of eggs in both groups were decreased and the body weight gain of F1 females in the E2 3-ppm group was significantly suppressed. In the histopathological examination of F1 chicks maintained up to 10 weeks of age, persistent right oviduct and atrophy of the oviduct gland were observed in females of E2-treatment groups with significantly high incidences. Moreover, cystic dilatation and tubular degeneration of the seminiferous tubules and atrophy of the cloacal gland were also observed in males of the E2-treatment groups. Thus, the dietary treatment of low dose E2 (even 0.3 ppm) to parent quails resulted in decreased viability and induction of abnormalities in the oviduct, testis and cloacal gland in F1 chicks maintained up to 10 weeks of age. These results suggest that additional endpoints such as observations of F1 chicks until 10 weeks of age, histopathology of F1 chicks at 14 days and 10 weeks of age and blood VTG concentration in parent quails would be useful and sensitive endpoints for evaluating estrogenic endocrine disrupting effects in the avian reproduction study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With image recognition based digital watermarking technology, the cameras of mobile devices are used to detect with high accuracy invisible ID (identifier) information embedded in printed matter such as item packaging. This article overviews this technology and a collaborative experiment conducted with the retail group Seven & i Holdings that began in November 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]