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ObjectiveBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionThe present study examined how the number of interrupting events (interruption load) influences the effect of task load on human-automation trust and resource allocation in a low-fidelity flight simulation environment.Trust is one critical factor that influences successful human-automation interaction. In the previous research, operators reported lower trust scores and made fewer fixation toward an automated system, which assisted a task, when competing task in the same workspace demanded more attention from the operator. However, it is unclear whether human-automation trust is influenced by frequent shift of attention away from a task assisted by an automated signaling system.Participants concurrently performed a tracking task, a system monitoring task, and a communication task. An automated signaling system was employed to assist the system monitoring task with 70% reliability. Task load was manipulated by the difficulty of the tracking task while interruption load was manipulated by the varying the frequency of auditory messages in the communication task.Results demonstrated an effect of task load on human-automation trust and resource allocation, replicating previous findings. Further, participants responded faster to an auditory message that occurred less frequently when performing a tracking task at the low difficulty level but automation trust did not vary.While operators reported higher trust levels to imperfect automation under lower task load, number of interrupting events does not influence their trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined how task priority influences operators' scanning patterns and trust ratings toward imperfect automation. Previous research demonstrated that participants display lower trust and fixate less frequently toward a visual display for the secondary task assisted with imperfect automation when the primary task demanded more attention. One account for this phenomenon is that the increased primary task demand induced the participants to prioritize the primary task than the secondary task. The present study asked participants to perform a tracking task, system monitoring task, and resource management task simultaneously using the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) II. Automation assisted the system monitoring task with 70% reliability. Task load was manipulated via difficulty of the tracking task. Participants were explicitly instructed to either prioritize the tracking task over all other tasks (tracking priority condition) or reduce tracking performance (equal priority condition). The results demonstrate the effects of task load on attention distribution, task performance and trust ratings. Furthermore, participants under the equal priority condition reported lower performance-based trust when the tracking task required more frequent manual input (tracking condition), while no effect of task load was observed under the tracking priority condition. Task priority can modulate automation trust by eliminating the adverse effect of task load in a dynamic multitasking environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation and the chemical characterization of single atoms of dubnium (Db, element 105), in the form of its volatile oxychloride, was investigated using the on‐line gas phase chromatography technique, in the temperature range 350–600 °C. Under the exactly same chemical conditions, comparative studies with the lighter homologues of Group 5 in the Periodic Table clearly indicate the volatility sequence being NbOCl3 > TaOCl3 ≥ DbOCl3. From the obtained experimental results, thermochemical data for DbOCl3 were derived. The present study delivers reliable experimental information for theoretical calculations on chemical properties of transactinides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation and the chemical characterization of single atoms of dubnium (Db, element 105), in the form of its volatile oxychloride, was investigated using the on‐line gas phase chromatography technique, in the temperature range 350–600 °C. Under the exactly same chemical conditions, comparative studies with the lighter homologues of Group 5 in the Periodic Table clearly indicate the volatility sequence being NbOCl3 > TaOCl3 ≥ DbOCl3. From the obtained experimental results, thermochemical data for DbOCl3 were derived. The present study delivers reliable experimental information for theoretical calculations on chemical properties of transactinides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The distribution of body mass in populations of Western countries differs from that of populations of East Asian countries. In East Asian countries, fewer people have a high body mass index than those in Western countries. In Japan, the country with the highest number of older adults worldwide, many people have a low body mass index. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between a low body mass index and mortality in patients with sepsis in Japan. Methods: We conducted this retrospective analysis of 548 patients with severe sepsis from a multicenter prospective observational study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses determined the association between body mass index and 28-day mortality adjusted for age, sex, pre-existing conditions, the occurrence of septic shock, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores. Furthermore, the association between a low body mass index and 28-day mortality was analyzed. Results: The low body mass index group represented 18.8% of the study population (103/548); the normal body mass index group, 57.3% (314/548); and the high body mass index group, 23.9% (131/548), with the 28-day mortality rates being 21.4% (22/103), 11.2% (35/314), and 14.5% (19/131), respectively. In the low body mass index group, the crude and adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for 28-day mortality relative to the non-low body mass index (normal and high body mass index groups combined) group were 2.0 (1.1–3.4) and 2.3 (1.2–4.2), respectively. Conclusion: A low body mass index was found to be associated with a higher 28-day mortality than the non-low body mass index in patients with sepsis in Japan. Given that older adults often have a low body mass index, these patients should be monitored closely to reduce the occurrence of negative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new approach to formally describing the requirement for statistical inference and checking whether a program uses the statistical method appropriately. Specifically, we define belief Hoare logic (BHL) for formalizing and reasoning about the statistical beliefs acquired via hypothesis testing. This program logic is sound and relatively complete with respect to a Kripke model for hypothesis tests. We demonstrate by examples that BHL is useful for reasoning about practical issues in hypothesis testing. In our framework, we clarify the importance of prior beliefs in acquiring statistical beliefs through hypothesis testing, and discuss the whole picture of the justification of statistical inference inside and outside the program logic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust is a critical construct that influences human–automation interaction in multitasking workspaces involving imperfect automation. Karpinsky et al. (Appl Ergon, 70, 194–201, 2018) investigated whether trust affects operators' attention allocation in high-load scenarios using the multi-attribute task battery II (MATB). Results suggested that task load reduces trust towards imperfect automation, then reducing visual attention allocation to the monitoring task aided by the automation. Participants also reported reduced levels of trust in high-load conditions. However, it is possible that the participants in high-load conditions did not trust the system because their poor task performance did not have expressly adverse consequences (i.e., risk). The current experiments aimed to replicate and extend Karpinsky et al. (2018) by asking forty participants to concurrently perform a tracking task and system monitoring task in the MATB II with or without risk. The reliability of the automated aid supporting the system monitoring task was 70%. The study employed a 2 × 2 split-plot design with task load (easy vs. difficult) via magnitude of errors in the tracking task as a within-participant factor and risk (high vs. low) as a between-participant factor. Participants in the high-risk group received an instruction that poor performance would result in a repeat of the experiment, whereas participants in the low-risk group did not receive this instruction. Results showed that trust was comparable between the high- and the low-load conditions, but the high risk elevated trust in the high-load condition. This implies that operators display greater levels of trust when a multitasking environment demands greater attention and they perceive risk of receiving expressly adverse consequence, regardless of the true reliability of automated systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bundled measures have been recommended to reduce the risk of central venous catheter (CVC)-related bloodstream infection. However, the importance of each procedure involved in CVC insertion/management for preventing catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) has not been thoroughly assessed. We aimed to analyze the effectiveness of maintenance antisepsis at the CVC insertion site in reducing the CRBSI risk through comparing the use of 0.05% chlorhexidine to 1% chlorhexidine. In the South Miyagi Medical Center, Japan, 372 patients with a CVC who had undergone antisepsis maintenance using 0.05% chlorhexidine swabs 12 months prior to implementing 1% chlorhexidine swabs, and 344 patients at 12 months post-implementation of 1% chlorhexidine swabs, were followed prospectively for the development of CRBSI and signs of infection, and their data compared. Post-implementation of the 1% chlorhexidine swabs, the CRBSI rate decreased from 3.64/1000 catheter-days to 1.77/1000 catheter-days. The risk of CRBSI decreased to 0.465 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.216–1.001). Furthermore, the risk of CRBSI ≥20 days after CVC insertion decreased to 0.200 (95% CI: 0.049–0.867); however, we found no difference between 0.05% and 1% chlorhexidine use within 19 days of CVC insertion. The increased number of patients with insertion site tenderness after implementing 1% chlorhexidine indicated a possible adverse effect of chlorhexidine. Maintenance antisepsis with 1% chlorhexidine decreased the risk of developing CRBSI ≥20 days after CVC insertion, indicating the effectiveness of antisepsis with 1% chlorhexidine. Our data highlight the importance of maintenance antisepsis in reducing the rate of late-phase CRBSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(FeyPt100-y)100-xCux nanoparticles with various compositions were synthesized by the simultaneous polyol reduction of Pt(acac)2 and Cu(acac)2 and the thermal decomposition of Fe(CO)5. The as-made particles had a disordered fcc structure and an average diameter of ∼4.8 nm. The result of x-ray diffraction indicated a transformation from fcc structure to fct structure in some samples after annealing at 400 °C for 1 h, and the c/a ratio of lattice constant decreased with increasing Cu content. The doping of Cu clearly plays a significant role on the reduction of the ordering temperature in the ternary (FeyPt100-y)100-xCux alloy. In addition, the ordering of (FeyPt100-y)100-xCux nanoparticles is significantly dependent on the composition of Fe and Pt. As a result, (Fe47Pt53)74Cu26 nanoparticles have the coercive fields of ∼10 and ∼2 kOe at 10 K and room temperature, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the structure formation of short chain molecules consisting of CH[sub 2] groups using molecular dynamics simulations. Formation of the structures from a random configuration by quenching; Growth process of the local orientationally-ordered domains; Parallel ordering of the chain molecules; Evidence of chain sliding diffusion in the hexagonal phase.

An isothermal gas-chromatographic (IGC) device has been developed and tested for on-line gas phase studies of volatile oxychlorides of short-lived group-5 transition metals. Radioisotopes of niobium and tantalum, produced in nuclear fusion evaporation reactions, are directly flushed into the IGC setup by an inert gas-jet. Oxychloride compounds are formed by the addition of SOCl2 and O2. Parameters influencing the formation and transport of NbOCl3 and TaOCl3 are discussed. For nuclides with half-lives (t1/2) of about 30 s, an overall efficiency of 7% is obtained, rendering the IGC setup suitable for the chemical exploration of 262Db (t1/2 = 34 s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The development of efficient catalyst materials for water oxidation is bottleneck to construct artificial photosynthesis that is a promising future energy-providing system. We review the recent progress on development of IrO x electrocatalyst films for water oxidation based on our latest research works. A controlled fabrication approach of an efficient IrO x electrocatalyst films is introduced by a facile spin-coating of a homogenous solution of Ir precursor complexes followed by simple annealing at different temperature. The composition and crystallinity of the IrO x film are tunable by a simple annealing treatment. The electrocatalytic properties of the IrO x film dramatically depended on annealing temperature are characterized to give the noticeably high performance at 300 °C annealing. A soft-template-assisted technique using different polymer surfactants as structure directing agents (SDAs) is illustrated in the spin-coating procedure to reveal impacts of SDAs on nanostructures and electrocatalytic water oxidation performances of the IrO x films. The characterization of the first accessible channel-like open pore architecture of the ordered 2D-hexagonal mesoporous IrO x film is described by a facile one-pot strategy using Pluronic F127 as SDA. The novel controlled nanostructures including mesoporous architecture of IrO x improves electrocatalytic performance for water oxidation relative to a conventional nanoparticulate structure of IrO x coating. Highlights • Recent development of IrO x electrocatalyst films for water oxidation is reviewed. • Controlled fabrications of efficient IrO x electrocatalyst films are introduced. • Controlled nanostructures improve electrocatalytic performance for water oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Niobium. • Tantalum. • Dubnium. • Oxychlorides. • Adsorption enthalpy. Abstract The formation of NbOCl 3 and TaOCl 3 and their adsorption behavior on quartz surfaces was explored by applying an isothermal gas-chromatographic method. Trace amounts of short-lived Nb and Ta isotopes were used. Adsorption enthalpy values (Δ H ads) at zero surface coverage of –Δ H ads (NbOCl 3) = 102 ± 4 kJ/mol and –Δ H ads (TaOCl 3) = 128 ± 5 kJ/mol were determined by analyzing the chromatographic behavior of the Nb and Ta complexes with a Monte-Carlo simulation method based on an adsorption–desorption kinetic model. By applying an empirical correlation, the experimental Δ H ads values were successively related to the macroscopic standard sublimation enthalpy, Δ H° subl , as a measure of the volatility of each substance. The inferred sublimation enthalpies are in agreement with tabulated thermochemical values. Thus, the linear empirical correlation between Δ H ads and Δ H° subl for metal-oxychlorides was updated with the inclusion of the present data. According to the predicted Δ H° subl (DbOCl 3), a Δ H ads (DbOCl 3) value of 135 ± 2 kJ/mol was extrapolated. The future accomplishment of comparative studies with DbOCl 3 under the same experimental conditions will provide valuable information on the volatility trend in Group-5 elements, together with an indication on the magnitude of relativistic effects on the electronic structure of dubnium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The optimal duration of hemoperfusion therapy with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column has not yet been verified. Methods: This analysis examined whether hemoperfusion therapy with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column lasting longer than 2 h (prolonged polymyxin) improved outcomes for patients with septic shock compared to 2-h polymyxin therapy (sub-analysis of data from the DESIRE trial). Results: The 2-h and prolonged polymyxin groups contained 22 and 14 patients, respectively. Both groups had similar characteristics. The polymyxin duration per session in the prolonged polymyxin group was significantly longer (median, 5.5 h) than in the 2-h polymyxin group (p < 0.01). The 28-day mortality rate was significantly higher in the 2-h polymyxin group (7, 31.8%) than in the prolonged polymyxin group (0, 0%; p = 0.019). Conclusion: Prolonged polymyxin therapy might be associated with better clinical outcomes than 2-h polymyxin therapy in patients with septic shock. Video Journal Club "Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco" at http://www.karger.com/?doi=491744. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the Giry monad is not strong with respect to the canonical symmetric monoidal closed structure on the category Meas of all measurable spaces and measurable functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the structural formation of a single polymer chain using molecular dynamics simulations. Formation of bond-orientationally ordered structure at low temperatures from a random-coil structure at high temperatures; Growth of the anisotropy of a polymer chain during the growth of the bond-orientational order.

The photodissociation of ozone at 226 nm is studied for O3→O2(X3 Σ-g)+O(2p3Pj) by probing O(3Pj) atomic photofragments with a resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization method. Angular and kinetic energy distributions are determined by measuring time-of-flight spectra as a function of the angle between the polarization vector of the dissociation laser and the detector axis. The Doppler width of O(3Pj) photofragments is also measured. The translational energy distribution is well represented by assuming the formation of vibrationally excited O2 molecules with an average vibrational quantum number of 12. The anisotropy parameter β for the angular distribution is found to be 0.7±0.1. The predissociation dynamics from the photoprepared O3(1B2) state to the repulsive potential surface is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacitance-based method is an alternative method for measuring the void fraction of refrigerants. The relative permittivity of the liquid phase is an essentially required property for the capacitance-based method. Unlike pure refrigerants, the composition in the liquid phase of zeotropic refrigerants and their saturation temperature depend on the vapor quality; therefore, zeotropic refrigerants have a change in the relative permittivity of the liquid phase during the phase change process. To generally apply the capacitance-based method to zeotropic refrigerants for which relative permittivity information is relatively insufficient, it is necessary to accurately predict the relative permittivity of liquid zeotropic refrigerants during phase change based on the relative permittivity of pure refrigerants. In this study, the relative permittivity of the liquid phase of a two-phase refrigerant was measured using the parallel plate method. And the measured results were compared to that estimated by five types of mixing rules. The measurements were performed at saturation pressures of 1.04–1.72 MPa and vapor qualities of 0–0.7 for R454C refrigerant. The saturation temperature variation ranged from 18 to 44 °C. Landau and Lifshitz's mixing rule best predicts the relative permittivity with a mean percentage error (MAPE) of 1.02% as the vapor quality of R454C varies. • Liquid phase of R454C's relative permittivity is measured in two phase state. • Relative permittivity is a prerequisite for capacitance-based sensor design. • The prediction considers temperature and composition change during the phase change. • Landau and Lifshitz's mixing rule shows best prediction for the phase change of R454C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hexagonal-shaped β -Co(OH) 2 discs were electrophoretically deposited on an electrode to yield a stably adherent and uniform β -Co(OH) 2 layer. The electrocatalytic water oxidation at the β -Co(OH) 2 layer-deposited electrode was investigated to seek efficient water oxidation catalyst for artificial photosynthesis as promising energy-providing systems for the future. The β- Co(OH) 2 layer did not work as a water oxidation catalyst in a K 2 SO 4 solution at pH 7.0 when applying 1.70 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), although the layer was oxidized to the CoO(OH) layer. In a phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0), the β- Co(OH) 2 layer was dissolved and oxidatively re-deposited as the Co-Pi catalyst ( Science, 321 (2008) 1072–1075.) when applying the same potential. While in a Na 2 B 4 O 7 solution at pH 9.4, the β- Co(OH) 2 layer was oxidized to the CoO(OH) layer with the hexagonal-disc-shape remained when applying 1.7 V vs. RHE, and the formed CoO(OH) layer works efficiently for electrocatalytic water oxidation in contrast to no catalytic activity in a K 2 SO 4 solution at pH 9.4. The catalytic performance of the formed CoO(OH) layer was evaluated; the overpotential (η) of 0.42 V for current generation of 100 μA cm −2 and the Tafel slope of 0.21 ∼ 0.29 V dec −1 were provided for water oxidation at pH 9.4, which are comparable with efficient cobalt-based catalyst films reported so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of important biological processes. Here, we describe a novel Drosophila miRNAs involved in aging. We selected eight Drosophila miRNAs, displaying high homology with seed sequences of aging‐related miRNAs characterized in other species, and investigated whether the over‐expression of these miRNAs affected aging in Drosophila adult flies. The lifespan of adults over‐expressing miR‐305, a miRNA showing high homology with miR‐239 in C. elegans, was significantly shorter. Conversely, a reduction in miR‐305 expression led to a longer lifespan than that in control flies. miR‐305 over‐expression accelerated the impairment of locomotor activity and promoted the age‐dependent accumulation of poly‐ubiquitinated protein aggregates in the muscle, as flies aged. Thus, we show that the ectopic expression of miR‐305 has a deleterious effect on aging in Drosophila. To identify the targets of miR‐305, we performed RNA‐Seq. We discovered several mRNAs encoding antimicrobial peptides and insulin‐like peptides, whose expression changed in adults upon miR‐305 over‐expression. We further confirmed, by qRT‐PCR, that miR‐305 over‐expression significantly decreases the mRNA levels of four antimicrobial peptides. As these mRNAs contain multiple sequences matching the seed sequence of miR‐305, we speculate that a reduction in target mRNA levels, caused by ectopic miRNA expression, promotes aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article suggests a potential scientific approach in finding colour effects on human emotions and seasonal associations. A visual assessment of the colour samples was carried out with the help of Turkish observers in Denizli, Turkey. From the study, it was found that Turkish four season colours of spring, summer, autumn and winter were bright green, vivid yellow, dull yellow and dark grayish brown respectively. Moreover, the colour data were arranged in terms of gender and age of the observers. In this analysis, it was observed that the colour preferences changed according to the gender and age of the observers. For instance, the top spring colour preference of young ladies were vivid bluish green, light blue and bright purple, on the other hand the top spring colour preference of adult ladies was light yellow green and the top spring colour preference of young and adult men was bright green. In the study, the observers were also asked about elicited emotional associations of the main colours on their mind and the data were collected in a table. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 41, 523-529, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hi-C analysis has revealed the three-dimensional architecture of chromosomes in the nucleus. Although Hi-C data contains valuable information on long-range interactions of chromosomes, the data is not yet widely utilized by molecular biologists because of the quantity of data. Results: We developed a web tool, ChromContact, to utilize the information obtained by Hi-C. The web tool is designed to be simple and easy to use. By specifying a locus of interest, ChromContact calculates contact profiles and generates links to the UCSC Genome Browser, enabling users to visually examine the contact information with various annotations. Conclusion: ChromContact provides wide-range of molecular biologists with a user-friendly means to access high-resolution Hi-C data. One of the possible applications of ChromContact is investigating novel long-range promoter-enhancer interactions. This facilitates the functional interpretation of statistically significant markers identified by GWAS or ChIP-seq peaks that are located far from any annotated genes. ChromContact is freely accessible at http://bioinfo.sls.kyushu-u.ac.jp/chromcontact/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General relations for nonequilibrium spin transport at a magnetic junction between a normal metal and a ferromagnetic insulator are derived from the quantum fluctuation theorem. They include the extended Onsager relations between the spin conductance and the spin-current noise that hold for nonequilibrium states driven by an external current. These relations are valid for a general setup of spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) when the main contribution is due to the interfacial spin conductance. Unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance (UMR) in insulating ferromagnetic junctions can be understood in a similar way. Therefore, our work can provide a comprehensive viewpoint for understanding of SMR and UMR in insulating ferromagnetic junctions. Our result also predicts relations for higher-order coefficients with respect to the external current in terms of higher-order cumulants in a unified framework. • General relations were derived from the fluctuation theorem for nonequilibrium spin transport at a normal-metal/ferromagnetic-insulator interface. • The obtained formulas include the extended Onsager relation that holds between the spin conductance and the spin-current noise. • Our results will attribute to comprehension of the unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in insulating ferromagnetic junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a copper iodide (CuI)-doped nylon mesh prepared using polyiodide ions as a precursor toward anti-biofouling polymer textile. The CuI-doped nylon mesh was subjected to the prevention of biofouling in marine environments. The attachment of the marine organisms was markedly inhibited on the CuI-doped nylon mesh surface until 249 days. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicated that copper compounds were maintained in the nylon mesh after the field experiment, although copper content in the nylon mesh was reduced. Therefore, the copper ions slowly dissolved from nylon mesh will contribute to the long-term prevention of biofouling. Furthermore, electron spin resonance analysis revealed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from CuI-doped nylon mesh after the field experiment. One of the possibilities for toxic action of copper ions will be the direct effect of Cu-induced ROS on biofilm forming on nylon mesh surface. The proposed polymer textile can be applied to fishing and aquafarming nets, mooring rope for ship, or silt fence to restrict polluted water in marine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study demonstrated the antiviral properties of copper iodide (CuI) nanoparticles against the non-enveloped virus feline calicivirus (FCV) as a surrogate for human norovirus. The effect of CuI nanoparticles on FCV infectivity to Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cells was elucidated. The infectivity of FCV to CRFK cells was greatly reduced by 7 orders of magnitude at 1000μgml−1 CuI nanoparticles. At the conditions, electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis proved hydroxyl radical production in CuI nanoparticle suspension. Furthermore, amino acid oxidation in the viral capsid protein of FCV was determined by nanoflow liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric (nano LC-MS) analysis. The use of CuI nanoparticles showed extremely high antiviral activity against FCV. The high antiviral property of CuI nanoparticles was attributed to Cu+, followed by ROS generation and subsequent capsid protein oxidation. CuI nanoparticles could be proposed as useful sources of a continuous supply of Cu+ ions for efficient virus inactivation. Furthermore, this study brings new insights into toxic actions of copper iodide nanoparticles against viruses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many textiles have been often used in marine environments for a wide variety of purposes. Consequently, effective and clean methods to prevent biofouling in these textiles are needed. In this study, a nylon mesh doped with AgI was examined for its antifouling performance. The nylon mesh was iodinated with an iodine–potassium iodide aqueous solution and subsequently immersed in silver nitrate solution to form AgI particles in the fiber. SEM-EDX analysis indicated that the AgI crystals were highly incorporated into the nylon 6,6 polymer (173wt% gain). The bactericidal activity of AgI-doped nylon mesh was more than 200 times higher than that of silver-coated nylon mesh. Furthermore, continuous prevention of biofouling in the coastal marine environment was attained for 437days by using the AgI-doped nylon mesh. Since the concentration of the released silver ions from the nylon mesh was estimated to be less than 1ppb, the proposed nylon mesh is useful as an effective and clean method for prevention of biofouling in polymer textiles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We investigated the antiviral activity of nanosized copper(I) iodide (CuI) particles having an average size of 160 nm. CuI particles showed aqueous stability and generated hydroxyl radicals, which were probably derived from monovalent copper (Cu+). We confirmed that Cul particles showed antiviral activity against an influenza A virus of swine origin (pandemic [H1N1] 2009) by plaque titration assay. The virus titer decreased in a dose-dependent manner upon incubation with CuI particles, with the 50% effective concentration being approximately 17 μg/ml after exposure for 60 mi SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed the inactivation of the virus due to the degradation of viral proteins such as hemagglutinin and neuraminidase by CuI. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy revealed that CuI generates hydroxyl radicals in aqueous solution, and radical production was found to be blocked by the radical scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Taken together, these findings indicate that CuI particles exert antiviral activity by generating hydroxyl radicals. Thus, CuI may be a useful material for protecting against viral attacks and may be suitable for applications such as filters, face masks, protective clothing, and kitchen cloths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel polymorph of the ferric spin crossover complex, β-[Fe(qsal)]I [qsalH = N-(8-quinolyl)salicylaldimine], has been prepared and characterized by magnetic susceptibilities and Mössbauer spectra. β polymorph exhibited a cooperative complete spin transition with a thermal hysteresis of 25 K and a tendency to be quenched in the high-spin (HS) state, which is contrastive to a gradual incomplete spin conversion in α polymorph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

lthough slow/no-reflow is a serious problem complicating primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and is associated with a poor prognosis, its efficacious treatment remains problematic. We compared the acute, in-hospital and long-term (1 year) effects of nitroprusside (NTP) with those of nicorandil (NC) on the slow/no-reflow phenomenon. Forty-nine of 442 consecutive patients with AMI who underwent primary PCI complicated by slow/no-reflow and who received intracoronary NTP ( n = 25) or NC ( n = 24) administration were studied. Both NTP and NC induced significant improvements in coronary flow, with increases in TIMI flow grade from 1.64 ± 0.62 to 2.74 ± 0.36 ( p < 0.001) and 1.60 ± 0.86 to 2.23 ± 0.91 ( p < 0.001), and in corrected TIMI frame count from 37.8 ± 15.1 to 13.7 ± 7.1 ( p < 0.001) and 30.8 ± 20.7 to 19.3 ± 17.9 ( p < 0.001), respectively. The degree of improvement in TIMI flow grade (post-pre/pre) and TIMI frame count (pre-post/pre) showed that NTP was more effective than NC (NTP vs. NC: 0.88 ± 0.79, 0.37 ± 0.37, p = 0.008; 0.59 ± 0.23, 0.36 ± 0.27, p = 0.003, respectively). Congestive heart failure did not tend to last beyond 3 days after onset in the NTP group, which was more than in the NC group, during hospitalization (1/25, 4/24, p = 0.143, respectively). At the 1-year follow-up, the NTP group tended to show more improvement than the NC group in MACE (5/25, 9/24, p = 0.175, respectively). NTP is a more effective treatment for slow/no-reflow associated with PCI in patients with AMI and may improve long-term clinical outcomes compared with NC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tanaka E, Sato T, Ishihara M, Tsutsumi Y, Hisano M, Chikamoto H, Akioka Y, Dohno S, Maeda A, Hattori M, Wakiguchi H, Fujieda M. Asymptomatic high Epstein-Barr viral load carriage in pediatric renal transplant recipients. Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: 306-313. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. High viral load carriage of EBV is one of the risks for PTLD in transplant recipients. We reviewed retrospectively in pediatric renal transplant recipients with EBV seronegative. EBV loads in peripheral blood and EBV-CTLs were measured every 1-3 months in 13 patients after grafting. Immunosuppressants were reduced when the patients were considered to have persistent high EBV loads (>1000 copies/μgDNA for over six months). All showed primary EBV infection: six with asymptomatic persistent high EBV loads (group A) and seven with neither EBV-associated symptoms nor persistent high EBV loads (group B). No patient developed PTLD in either group. Chronic rejection occurred in one patient in group A after immunosuppressants' reduction. There was no difference in renal dysfunction rates between the two groups. The maximum and increase rates in EBV loads were significantly higher in group A. The CTLs' percentage was significantly lower in group A when EBV loads first rose above 100 copies/μg DNA. This study suggests the possibility that EBV loads and CTLs' monitoring may be useful for avoidance of PTLD, as patients with asymptomatic persistent high EBV loads had higher EBV loads and lower percentages of CTLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A precooled turbojet engine has been developed by JAXA used for the hypersonic airplane and spaceplane. The subscale engine named “S-engine” whose thrust and weight are about 1.2kN and 100kg was designed, fabricated and tested. The components and the system firing tests under the sea-level-static condition were successfully conducted.In the next phase, a flight test of the S-engine is planned using a stratospheric balloon in 2010 called balloon-based operation vehicle (BOV). The vehicle is dropped from an altitude of 40km by a high altitude balloon. After 40s free-fall, the vehicle is pulled up and the S-engine operates for 30s at about Mach 2. High-altitude tests of the core-engine verified the performance and healthiness of the engine under the condition corresponding to the BOV flight trajectory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A tridentate ligand ((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)histamine (abbreviated as H2L2-Me), that is the 1:1 condensation product of 2-methyl-4-formylimidazole and histamine, was used for the syntheses of a new family of iron(II) spin-crossover (SCO) complexes with the general chemical formulas [Fe(H2L2-Me)2]X2∙solvent (X=Clm ClO4, and BPh4; solvent = 2-PrOH and CH3CN) and Fe(H2L2-Me)2]X∙Y∙solvent (X = Cl and Br; Y = ClO4, BF4, PF6, and AsF6; solvent = EtOH and 2-PrOH). The complex cation [Fe(H2L2-Me)2]2+ is a chiral species due to an octahedral coordination of two unsymmetrical tridentate ligands, has a ligand field strength around the spin-crossover point, and is hydrogen-bonded to anions to form a variety of network structures. The dichloride complexes [Fe(H2L2-Me)2]Cl2∙2-PrOH ∙0.5H2O (1) and [Fe(H2L2-Me)2]Cl2∙2-PrOH∙H2O(1') have a one-dimesional (1D) structure, in which adjacent two chiral complex-cations are doubly bridged by two Cl- ions through NH(histamine)⋯Cl-⋯HN(2-methyl-4-formylimidazole) hydrogen bonds to give a chiral 1D rod. The chiral rods with the same chirality are stacked in the crystal lattices to give a conglomerate, 1, and those with the opposite chiralities are stacked to give a racemic compound, 1'. The enentiomeric circular dichromism spectra of 1 gave definitive evidence of the conglomerate. Compound 1 showed a two-step SCO, while the devastated sample showed a steep one-step SCO at T1/2=180 K.… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dubnium, gas chromatography, Group 5 elements, thermochemistry, transactinides Keywords: dubnium; gas chromatography; Group 5 elements; thermochemistry; transactinides EN dubnium gas chromatography Group 5 elements thermochemistry transactinides 18347 18347 1 08/05/21 20210809 NES 210809 B Extreme gas-phase chemistry b with the exotic transactinide dubnium and its lighter homologues tantalum and niobium is described by Nadine M. Chiera, Tetsuya K. Sato, and co-workers in their Communication on page 17871. Inside Back Cover: Chemical Characterization of a Volatile Dubnium Compound, DbOCl3 (Angew. [Extracted from the article]

Innenrücktitelbild: Chemical Characterization of a Volatile Dubnium Compound, DbOCl3 (Angew. Keywords: dubnium; gas chromatography; Group 5 elements; thermochemistry; transactinides EN dubnium gas chromatography Group 5 elements thermochemistry transactinides 18495 18495 1 08/05/21 20210809 NES 210809 B Die Gasphasenchemie b des exotischen Transactinoids Dubnium und seiner leichteren Homologen Tantal und Niob wird in der Zuschrift auf S. 18015 von Nadine M. Chiera, Tetsuya K. Sato und Mitarbeitern beschrieben. Dubnium, gas chromatography, Group 5 elements, thermochemistry, transactinides. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection can lead to life-threatening post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). The aim of the present study was to establish EBV monitoring methods to prevent PTLD. Methods: EBV-DNA load was investigated, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and anti-EBV antibody titers, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 21 renal transplant patients (seven recipients who were EBV-seronegative, R[−]; 14 who were EBV-seropositive, R[+]) before grafting. The mean age at entry and the mean follow-up period was 7.8 years of age (range, 3.3–12.0 years) and 1.8 years (range, 0.4–4.0 years), respectively, in the R(−) group, and 12.5 years of age (range, 3.9–17.7 years) and 3.8 years (range, 0.8–8.2 years) in the R(+) group, respectively. Results: The mean maximum load of the EBV genome was 1071 copies/μg DNA (range, 106–20700 copies/μg DNA) in the R(−) group, and 61 copies/μg DNA (range, <50–552 copies/μg DNA) in the R(+) group. During follow up no patient in the R(+) group had any noticeable symptoms that could be related to EBV, but three recipients in the R(−) group developed EBV-related symptoms including adenoid hypertrophy, cervical lymphadenopathy, and PTLD (B cell lymphoma), in one patient each. In the R(−) group the first leukocyte-associated viremia was detected at 30–180 days, and seroconversion at 43–266 days after transplantation. Conclusions: Viral DNA detection using PCR is a useful tool for EBV surveillance, but the maximum EBV load was not markedly elevated (2474 copies/μg DNA) in a patient with PTLD. Therefore, EBV surveillance using only monitoring of EBV load in peripheral leukocyte may be insufficient. Histology may therefore be necessary to accurately diagnose PTLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We evaluated the efficacy of antepartum screening for cord presentation by trans-vaginal ultrasonography (TVS) on predicting and preventing umbilical cord prolapse (UCP) in term breech delivery. Methods: We investigated every woman with a breech-presenting fetus for cord presentation by weekly TVS after 36 weeks of gestation since 1995. If the cord was found in advance of fetal presenting parts, we recommended her to undergo elective cesarean section to avoid UCP. We studied the incidence of cord presentation by TVS and the clinical courses of the cases with it for 198 women who delivered breech after 36 weeks from 1995 to 2005 (group A). Further, the incidence of UCP was compared between group A and another 230 women who delivered breech at term from 1983 to 1994 (group B). Results: Cord presentation was detected by TVS at least once in eight (4%) group A patients. Seven of them underwent elective cesarean section and, in six of these (86%), cord presentation was still found at the time of operation. The eighth patient became free of cord presentation at the later examinations and delivered vaginally without UCP. A hundred and twenty-one (61%) women in group A and 159 (69%) women in group B delivered vaginally. No UCP occurred in group A, while it occurred in 10 (4%) cases of group B ( P < 0.01), and one baby died of it. Conclusions: Detection of cord presentation by TVS has a potential to predict and reduce UCP in breech delivery at term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes a development study of a precooled-cycle hypersonic turbojet engine for the first stage of TSTO space plane and hypersonic airplane. With reflecting the key technologies accumulated from ATREX (expander cycle ATR engine) ground tests, the next flyable subscale engine “S-engine” is now developed. S-engine has of rectangular cross-section, 2.2m of the overall length and about 100kg of the weight employing a variable-geometry rectangular inlet and nozzle. It produces 1.2kN of thrust at SLS, which corresponds to of the ATREX engine. Design of the hypersonic components such as the inlet, precooler and nozzle has been finished and their aerodynamic performances were verified by wind tunnel tests and CFD analyses. A prototype model of the diagonal-flow compressor whose pressure ratio is 6 was manufactured. Its rotating tests under the very-low pressure conditions are now in progress. The reverse-flow annular combustion chamber was successfully tested. The first flight test of the S-engine is to be conducted in 2008 by the balloon-based operation vehicle (BOV) which is about 5m in length, 0.55m in diameter and 500kg in weight. The vehicle is dropped from an altitude of 40km by a high altitude balloon. After 40-s free-fall, the vehicle pulls up and S-engine operates for 30s at about Mach 2. High altitude tests of the engine components corresponding to the BOV''s flight condition have been conducted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We synthesized silicon films (hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon in hydrogenated amorphous silicon) and silicon nitride films by electron-beam-induced-chemical vapor deposition combined with low-temperature H tunneling reactions on cooled substrates, which adsorb source gases (SiH4 or Si2H6). The photoconductivity of the silicon film was 0.7×10−5 Ω−1 cm−1 and the dark conductivity was 3.3×10−5 Ω−1 cm−1. The dielectric constant of the silicon nitride film was estimated to be 6.5–7.0. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The bipolar nature of unipolar depression with depressive mixed sates (DMX) needs further validation studies. The seasonality of depressive episodes is indicated to be different between unipolar and bipolar depressions. We therefore explored the seasonal pattern of depressive episodes in unipolar depressive patients with DMX. Methods: The subjects were 958 consecutive depressive inpatients for a 6-year period. For defining DMX, previously validated operational criteria were used (2 or more of 8 manic or mania-related symptoms: flight of idea, logorrhea, aggression, excessive social contact, increased drive, irritability, racing thoughts, and distractibility). Onsets of the index depressive episodes during each of the 12 calendar months were summed up over the 6-year for bipolar depressive patients (N = 95), and unipolar depressive patients with (N = 77) and without DMX (N = 786) separately. An appropriate statistic was used for testing seasonality. Results: A significant seasonal variation with a large peak in spring was recognized in unipolar depression without DMX, while both bipolar depression and unipolar depression with DMX had a significant fall peak. The monthly distribution of depressive episodes was significantly different between unipolar depression without DMX and other 2 diagnostic categories. Similar results were obtained in separate analyses for each gender. Limitations: Further replication study using an epidemiological or outpatient sample is needed. Bipolar I and II patients were combined due to a small number of bipolar II patients in this sample. Conclusion: Unipolar depression with DMX has a seasonal pattern similar to bipolar depression. The finding provides further evidence of the bipolar nature of unipolar depression with DMX. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Earth Simulator Research Project started in March 2002 with the primary objective of producing reliable prediction data for global climate change. Within a couple of months after the start of operation, the Earth Simulator achieved an amazing performance of 35.86 Teraflops (about 90% of the peak performance of 40.96 Teraflops) in the Linpack benchmark test and, more surprisingly, 26.58 Teraflops for a typical application program of global atmospheric circulation model (called AFES) with a horizontal resolution of 10km. These facts ensure us that the real contribution of the Earth Simulator be far greater than originally expected. Undoubtedly, the Earth Simulator would work to make a paradigm shift in science, industry, and human thinking, as well as finding the best human’s wisdom to keep a sustainable symbiotic relationship with nature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Depressive mixed state (DMX) is understudied, although this diagnostic concept may be of clinical and theoretical importance. Our goal was to provide preliminary evidence of the inter-episode stability of DMX. The inter-episode stability is known to be an important validator for establishing a distinct clinical entity. Methods: Out of depressive patients consecutively hospitalized at our institute, those who experienced two or more hospitalizations due to discrete depressive recurrences during a 6-year period were selected. All depressive episodes were directly observed and assessed using a standardized rating instrument in terms of eight intra-episode manic symptoms (flight of idea, logorrhea, aggression, excessive social contact, increased drive, irritability, racing thoughts, and distractibility). Assessments for subsequent episodes were performed blindly to those for previous episodes within each patient. Results: The inter-episode stability of categorical DMX diagnoses and the number of intra-episode manic symptoms was moderate but significantly high. Approximately 50% of patients with DMX in the index episode obtained a DMX diagnosis in the second episode. Approximately 40% of the total variance of the number of intra-episode manic symptoms was explained by agreements across several depressive episodes. Depressive patients who experienced a diagnostic switch from unipolar to bipolar disorder had a higher frequency of DMX and a greater number of intra-episode manic symptoms in the index as well as subsequent episodes. Limitations: All consecutive patients were not followed up. Bipolar I and II patients were combined due to a small number of bipolar II patients in this sample. Conclusion: The inter-episode stability of DMX may not be so high as is required for establishing a distinct clinical entity. However, the findings strongly suggest that some depressive patients have a long-lasting liability to DMX. It is important to determine whether such a liability to DMX is mediated by affective temperaments, as was originally hypothesized by Akiskal [J. Clin. Psychopharmacol. 16 (1996) 4S–14S]. DMX may be a risk factor to the diagnostic switch from unipolar to bipolar disorder. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An air-precooling system before compression is indispensable to extend the flight envelope and the improvement of the performance of turbo-based air breathing engines for the space plane. One of the critical problems on a shell-and-tube-type precooler is a deterioration of its heat exchange and pressure recovery performance due to the thick frost formation on its tube surface. An innovative method is proposed to mix a condensable additive like ethanol, methanol, etc. in the airflow as a defrosting system. The defrosting effectiveness and essential factors on the additive were investigated by using a small heat exchanger under two different cooling temperature conditions, that is, lower and higher cooling wall temperatures than the melting point of mixture of the water vapor and the additive. It was cleared in the test that most of the alcohols had good effectiveness with methanol the best. This methanol addition concept was applied in the precooler of the practical ATREX engine. A methanol injection system worked well and the thick frost layer formed on the tube surface at the entrance side of precooler could be eliminated. The required methanol mass along the ATREX engine flight path is estimated to be less than 3% of fuel hydrogen consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Reports of potential differences in psychopathological presentations between early and late-onset schizophrenia have been controversial. However, such differences in first-episode neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients have not been discussed. The authors evaluated symptom profiles in 473 neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients before and after first-admission treatments. Both before and after treatment, (1) late-onset schizophrenia had a lower score on affective flattening/social withdrawal than did the earlier-onset counterpart of the illness, even after controlling for potential secondary sources of negative symptoms; (2) systematic persecutory delusion was more severe in patients with late-onset schizophrenia; and (3) the overall effect of age of onset on the psychopathological presentations was greater than the gender-related effects, including the interaction between age of onset and gender. Consideration of late-onset schizophrenia may be important in order to develop an etiologically and clinically reasonable conceptualization of the subtypes of schizophrenia. A factor–analytical study that attempts to compare directly the structure of broad psychopathological presentations in early and late-onset schizophrenia may be a reasonable approach to investigate the longstanding unsolved controversy as to whether or not the neurobiological backgrounds underlying the psychopathological presentations are comparable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Case observations imply that depressed patients with mixed features are of high risk for maniform switch during acute treatment. Methods: The medical records of 158 bipolar I depressives were examined with respect to mixed depressive features at admission, naturalistic medications, and maniform switch during inpatient treatment. Results: Besides pharmacological variables, the number of mixed depressive symptoms (flight of ideas, racing thoughts, logorrhea, aggression, excessive social contact, increased drive, irritability, and distractibility) at admission was associated with a higher risk for, and the acceleration of, maniform switch during inpatient treatment. Limitations: This was a retrospective study in patients receiving naturalistic treatment. The cohort was hospital based and thus not representative of the full range of bipolar affective disorder. Conclusions: In line with recent studies, our results underline the factors inherent in subjects at a higher risk of switch. Investigation of the relationships between several inherent factors and their interactions with pharmacological treatments may be important in resolving the controversy surrounding antidepressant-induced mania. Further validation studies on mixed depression are warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to study the structure formation of a single polymer chain in solution. A random conformation of a polymer chain in solution at high temperature (550K) is quenched to several lower temperatures (300, 350, and 400K). Our simulations show the following characteristics: 1) At lower quenching temperature (300K), local orientationally ordered domains are formed first, and they grow to be a folded orientationally ordered structure. 2) At a higher quenching temperature (400K), a toroidal structure can be formed. 3) At an intermediate quenching temperature (350K), a toroidal structure can be formed before a folded orientationally ordered structure is formed. The last characteristic indicates that an intermediate toroidal structure at 350K is in a metastable state. We also find that it depends on the initial conformation of a polymer chain, whether a toroidal structure is formed or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the duration of untreated psychosis, premorbid functioning and outcome from first inpatient treatment in schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients. Method: The data of 196 first-hospitalized patients with a schizophrenic or schizoaffective disorder according to the ICD-10 criteria were analyzed using univariate and multivariate methods. Patients' characteristics were prospectively assessed using standardized instruments at the time of first admission and discharge. Results: The analyses revealed that a duration of untreated psychosis longer than 12 months was independently and significantly associated with a poorer outcome from first inpatient treatment. Premorbid functioning might have an additional influence on outcome, but this influence seems to be dependent on the diagnostic category. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the duration of untreated psychosis is an independent prognostic factor for the outcome in schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feasibility of ATREX (Air-Turbo-Ram Expander cycle) engine with conventional aft-turbine configuration has been studied to be developed in about 10 years, if the development project has started under enough resources. The novel tip-turbine of the original ATREX engine is replaced by a conventional aft-turbine, and the maximum turbine inlet temperature (TTT) is reduced to 1200K, to realize the engine by only using approved metal technologies of modern jet engines. The capability of the performance has been shown by parametric studies by changing components'' design parameters. The study shows that the performance of the ATREX engine is not less than that of pre-cooled turbo jet.Some technical issues on developing the new ATREX engine have been addressed. The most important issue would come from the transient total temperature change due to the rapid acceleration from sea level static (SLS) condition (288K) to Mach 6 at 30km of altitude (1680K) in 6 minutes. The deformation due to transient thermal expansion has to be controlled. Especially, the change of the tip clearance and the clearance between rotors and stators are pointed out to be important design issues. The ATREX engine, which has shorter axial length and simpler rotor, has structural advantage over turbo jet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the coexistence of atypical manic features among manic patients. Information on the symptoms representative of depressive inhibition in manic patients; Diagnostic criteria for manic episodes; Role of depressive inhibition mixed states of mania.

Background: Little is known as to whether or not the seven personality dimensions of Cloninger’s theory, particularly the three character dimensions newly included in the theory, are independent of the states of depression. Methods: One hundred and eight patients with major depression filled out the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) before and after a 16-week antidepressant treatment. Results: The level of depression, as assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, was correlated positively to the harm avoidance score and negatively to the self-directedness and cooperativeness scores. During the treatment, the scores on these three dimensions significantly changed toward normal values in treatment-responders, but were stable in treatment-nonresponders. The changes in these dimensions were significantly explained by the change in the depression severity during treatment. Scores on novelty seeking, reward dependence, persistence, and self-transcendence were not correlated significantly to the level of depression and did not change significantly during the treatment in either treatment-responders or nonresponders. Limitations: The changes in the TCI scores during treatment in this study may reflect a non-specific tendency for the scores to change on retest. Conclusions: The results suggest that a depressive state can significantly affect assessments of harm avoidance, self-directedness, and cooperativeness in major depression. The administration of the TCI during a depressive episode may elevate the HA score, and may lower the SD and C scores. These findings highlight the importance of considering the state of depression before drawing conclusions about the TCI personality traits, when a patient with major depression is still experiencing a depressive episode. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]