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Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have difficulties inhaling as the diaphragm becomes flattened and weakened due to lung hyperinflation. This weakened respiratory function is compensated for by the increased activity of the accessory respiratory muscles, such as the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the difference in the SCM thickening fraction (SCM TF) of each respiratory phase (end-expiration, resting inspiration, and end-inspiration), as measured using ultrasonography (US), between patients with COPD and control subjects. We also evaluate the correlation between the SCM TF of each respiratory phase and exercise tolerance in patients with COPD. Methods: Patients with COPD (n = 44) and age-matched controls (n = 20) underwent US for determination of the SCM TF. Ventilation parameters, including the peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and the change in the inspiratory capacity, were measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The SCM thickness and TF was measured during end-expiration, resting breathing, and end-inspiration. Results: The SCM was significantly thinner in patients with COPD than in controls at end-expiration. The increase in the SCM TF from end-expiration to end-inspiration in patients with COPD did not differ significantly from that in control subjects. In contrast, the SCM TF from end-expiration to resting inspiration was significantly greater in patients with COPD than in control subjects. The peak VO2 was strongly positively correlated with the SCM TF from end-expiration to end-inspiration in patients with COPD (r = 0.71, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The SCM may be thinner in patients with COPD than in controls. The SCM TF may also be associated with exercise tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the maximum level of diaphragm excursion (DEmax) is correlated with dynamic lung hyperinflation and exercise tolerance. This study aimed to elucidate the utility of DEmax to predict the improvement in exercise tolerance after pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with COPD.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Of the 62 patients with stable COPD who participated in the outpatient PR programme from April 2018 to February 2021, 50 completed the programme. Six-minute walk distance (6MWD) was performed to evaluate exercise tolerance, and ultrasonography was performed to measure DEmax. Responders to PR in exercise capacity were defined as patients who demonstrated an increase of > 30 m in 6MWD. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the cut-off point of DEmax to predict responses to PR.Results: Baseline levels of forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 6MWD, maximum inspiratory pressure, DEmax and quadriceps muscle strength were significantly higher, and peak dyspnoea of modified Borg (mBorg) scale score was lower in responders (n = 30) than in non-responders (n = 20) to PR (p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, DEmax was significantly correlated with an increase of > 30 m in 6MWD. The area under the ROC curve of DEmax to predict responders was 0.915, with a sensitivity and specificity of 83% and 95%, respectively, at a cut-off value of 44.9 mm of DEmax.Conclusion: DEmax could adequately predict the improvement in exercise tolerance after PR in patients with COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the relationship between the activity rhythms of Camponotus japonicus worker ants and their interactions. Specifically, one or two workers collected from either inside or outside the nest in a breeding colony were placed in a measurement system under a constant dark condition, and their activity rhythms were measured for 14 days. We thereby examined the relationship between the activity rhythm in the system and the experimental conditions, which consisted of four different combinations of working locations during breeding (in/outside the nest) and single/double workers (one ant / two ants) in the measurement system, over a total of 96 samples. A large number of the sampled ants (about 90% of the total) showed circadian activity rhythms. The proportion of circadian activity rhythm was lower and the dispersion of the period was larger in the circadian activity rhythm observed in single workers collected from within the nest than in the other three experimental conditions. In all four experimental conditions, the amplitude of the circadian activity rhythm decayed on an approximate 5-day scale. These results provide quantitative evidence that the activity rhythm of ants is determined by the location of labor and individual interactions during breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The band structure of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)/metal system, including a shift in the vacuum level which appears at the SWNT/metal interface, was characterized by using a Kelvin-probe force microscopy method. In the SWNT/gold system, the shift (Δ) of the vacuum level was observed to be +5.2 meV, which is one order of magnitude smaller than previously observed. When we carried out carrier doping of the SWNTs, the observed Δ was downshifted from +5.2 to -52 meV, which introduced some upshift in the band structure of the doped SWNTs. This change induced easier hole injection, which coincides with the field effect transistor characteristics of undoped and doped SWNT transistors. A similar analysis was also carried out for a SWNT/ferromagnet system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Strategy of diverse stochasticity(SDS) optimizes the group foraging of ants. • SDS extends the well-known idea of the strategy of errors (Deneubourg 1983 JTB). • Efficiency of SDS was checked using a phenomenological model of garden ants' foraging. • Optimal distribution for SDS drastically changes with the environmental condition. • Optimal colony consists of highly and weakly stochastic ants in typical environments. Abstract A mathematical model of garden ants (Lasius japonicus) is introduced herein to investigate the relationship between the distribution of the degree of stochasticity in following pheromone trails and the group foraging efficiency. Numerical simulations of the model indicate that depending on the systematic change of the feeding environment, the optimal distribution of stochasticity shifts from a mixture of almost deterministic and mildly stochastic ants to a contrasted mixture of almost deterministic ants and highly stochastic ants. In addition, the interaction between the stochasticity and the pheromone path regulates the dynamics of the foraging efficiency optimization. Stochasticity could strengthen the collective efficiency when the variance in the sensitivity to pheromone for ants is introduced in the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Although the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation ( PR) have been well defined for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD), it remains controversial whether PR improves physical activity ( PA). The purpose of the present study was to identify factors associated with the effect of PR on PA. Methods This was a prospective study of 29 patients with COPD. They underwent pulmonary rehabilitation twice weekly for 12 weeks, and were assessed using the hospital anxiety and depression score, 6-min walk distance ( 6MWD), and the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire ( SGRQ) before and after they underwent PR. The PA of patients was measured by a three-axis accelerometer. Physical activity level ( PAL) was calculated by dividing each patient's total energy expenditure by basal metabolic rate. Correlations between changes in PAL after PR and 6MWD, St. George Respiratory Questionnaire, and hospital anxiety and depression score scores, and clinical parameters, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s were determined. Results 6MWD was significantly increased, but PAL was unchanged after PR. PAL was positively correlated with 6MWD, but not with percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s nor St. George Respiratory Questionnaire scores before PR. The increase in PAL was negatively correlated with changes in hospital anxiety and depression score anxiety and depression scores, but was not correlated with the change in 6MWD. Conclusions A PR program for COPD patients improved results of the 6MWD, but not PAL. Increased PAL was associated with improvements in anxiety and depression, but not with increased exercise capacity. Treating the depression and anxiety of patients with COPD might not only reduce emotional distress, but also improve their PAL. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 17-23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social insects often share tasks among individuals. In this study, we analyzed the foraging activity of ants (Camponotus japonicus) and recorded the daily passage event counts of individual workers between a nest chamber and a foraging arena in five monodomous colonies. We proposed two hypotheses on the time series of foraging frequency by individual worker ants as follows: (i) for the time series of foraging frequency by individual worker ants, the foraging frequency on a certain day could be expressed by the product of the foraging frequency on the previous day and the exponential of a random number. (ii) The random numbers are correlated between some pairs of worker ants. The results for the five tested ant colonies showed that the probability of total daily passage counts (the sum of an individual's passage count) followed a log-normal distribution. The worker ants behaved differently in terms of active days and foraging frequency. However, for > 54% of the worker ants, the probability of the daily passage count was characterized by a log-normal distribution, and these worker ants performed > 72% of the tasks in each colony. Furthermore, for > 73% of the worker ants, the time development of the passage count was mathematically modeled; the logarithmic first difference between the passage counts on a certain day and those on the previous day was a random normal variable. These results support hypothesis (i). Additionally, the random numbers that were equivalent to the logarithmic first difference were correlated for some pairs of worker ants. These results support hypothesis (ii). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Molecular spintronics is recognized as an attractive new research direction in the field of spintronics, following to metallic spintronics and inorganic semiconductor spintronics, and attracts many people in recent decades. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the history of molecular spintronics by introducing important achievements and to show the current status of this field. In addition, the authors briefly introduce several theories for implementing studies in molecular spintronics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Characteristics of aggregated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) as a channel of field effect transistors (FETs) were examined. SWNTs were dispersed in a solution of dimethylformamide in a narrow bundle structure to form non-aligned arrays, which became channels of FETs. The network-SWNT-FETs produced in this solution process was found to have a mobility of 10.9 cm2/V s, ≈100 times as high as those reported for other solution-processed organic thin-film FETs formed by solution processes, and the present product exhibited the ambipolar character observed in individual-SWNT-FETs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The electrical conduction behavior of single-walled carbon nanotube networks was investigated. Although the nanotubes were entangled with each other and multiple junctions were formed within the network, they showed an apparently strong Tomonaga–Luttinger-liquid (TL-liquid) character, which seemed to be attributable to their quasi one-dimensional structures. The appearance of the TL-liquid behavior was induced by removing impurities in the junctions. This fact indicates that the TL-liquid can be observed in the entangled SWNTs after the purification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gas–solid interactions between hydrogen and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were investigated using highly purified SWNTs. The activation energy of hydrogen desorption, measured to be 0.21 eV, indicates that hydrogen is physisorbed in the pores and that inter-tube pores have an adsorption potential of about −0.21 eV, which induces hydrogen physisorption at ambient temperature. The total amount of adsorbed hydrogen, about 0.3 wt% at 9 MPa, shows that 38% of the inter-tube sites are occupied. These findings are interpreted in terms of the chemical potential of hydrogen and the adsorption potential of the inter-tube pores. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Desorption of molecular hydrogen from single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles and peapods (C60 encapsulated SWNTs) have been observed at about 350 K by the temperature-programmed-desorption (TPD) method. A treatment with NaOH after purification is found to be crucial for obtaining clean SWNTs and for desorbing hydrogen at this moderate temperature. A clear difference observed in gas evolution from SWNTs and peapods shows that the storage site for the hydrogen molecule is an inter-tube space and that `sub-nanometer'' sized spaces are indispensable for storing hydrogen molecules in this system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The transport properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were examined to investigate their conduction mechanisms. By measuring the temperature dependence of the resistance, it was clarified that the conduction mechanism in SWNT mats can be changed from the non-metallic to the coexistence of metallic and non-metallic modes as the thickness of the mats changed. This change is attributable to the quality and the quantity of metallic nanotubes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Graphene field-effect transistors with Co contacts as source and drain electrodes show anomalous distorted transfer characteristics. The anomaly appears only in short-channel devices (shorter than approximately 3 μm) and originates from a contact-induced effect. Band alteration of a graphene channel by the contacts is discussed as a possible mechanism for the anomalous characteristics observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We implemented a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study on rubrene (C42H28)-Co nanocomposites that exhibit an enhanced magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of 80%. The 59Co NMR spin echo experiment enabled clarification of the hyperfine field of Co at the interface between the ferromagnet and the molecules, which has not been investigated for molecular spintronics. An enhanced hyperfine field of the Co was observed in the rubrene-Co nanocomposites, which may be related to the enhancement of the MR ratio. This study demonstrates the importance of microscopic investigation of the interface between molecules and ferromagnets that governs spin-dependent transport in molecular spin devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors fabricated random-network single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (FETs) with high-κ gate insulators. The gate insulator in the FETs was changed from SiO2 to Ba0.4Sr0.6Ti0.96O3 (BST, [variant_greek_epsilon]s=100), which was fabricated by a sol-gel method. The gate-switching voltage of a FET with a BST insulator is about one-tenth of that of a FET with a SiO2 insulator, and the values of the transconductance and the on/off ratio are 0.18 μS and 105, respectively. In addition, hysteresis in the operation of the FETs was dramatically decreased, probably because of improvements in the surface condition of the insulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined transistor characteristics of tetracyano-p-quinodimethane encapsulated single-walled carbon nanotubes (TCNQ@SWNTs). In device operations, a clear conversion to a p-type character was observed and the stability of carriers, previously doped into SWNTs, were simultaneously clarified. Because of an energy band shift, between the electrodes and the doped SWNTs induced by the doping, electron injection was achieved only by application of a high source-drain voltage, while holes were easily injected because of decrease in hole barrier height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a simple implementation of calculation of spin current profiles using a partial differential equation platform. By solving multiple scalar potentials, spin injection, spin/charge inter-conversion, and thermal spin injection phenomena can be well reproduced numerically. As a demonstration, we show spin current generation and detection in a composite of ferromagnetic, spin conducting, and spin-Hall-metallic materials. Furthermore, we present a model extended to three-dimensionally polarized spin current and describe the matrix for spin/charge current inter-conversion in a conductive ferromagnet, which allows for numerical reproduction of anomalous and planar Hall effects. It is found that the planar Hall voltage is in part generated by spin Hall conductivities, though its magnitude is orders smaller than that induced by the anisotropic magnetoresistance. Our method will contribute to further development of effective and feasible simulations of spin-current-mediated systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the association between the level of tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) and quadriceps/skeletal muscle dysfunction, measured using the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and ultrasonography, in critically ill patients. Thirty-four patients hospitalized at the Critical Care Medicine Center of Kindai University Hospital, between January 2022 and March 2023, were enrolled in this study. The StO2 of the quadriceps muscle was measured via near-infrared spectroscopy. Muscle atrophy was measured by the thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), and echo intensity of the rectus femoris (RF). These values were evaluated every alternate day until 13 days after admission or until discharge, whichever occurred first. Muscle weakness was assessed using the sum score of the MRC scale (MRC-SS), with the patient sitting at bedside. The mean age of the patients was 67.3 ± 15.3 years, and 20 (59%) were men. Seven patients (21%) were admitted for trauma, and 27 (79%) were admitted for medical emergencies or others. The mean score for the MRC-SS was 51.0 ± 7.9 points. RF thickness and CSA significantly decreased after day 7 (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in StO2 levels during hospitalization. However, there were positive correlations between the nadir StO2 during hospitalization and MRC-SS, and changes in RF thickness and CSA at discharge (r = 0.41, p = 0.03; r = 0.37, p = 0.03; and r = 0.35, p = 0.05, respectively). StO2 in the quadriceps muscle may be useful for predicting muscle atrophy and dysfunction in patients with critical illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spin-splitting state due to a Rashba-type spin–orbit interaction is investigated using two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the surface of SrTiO3. The circular photogalvanic effect is utilized to detect the spin-splitting state. Both the polarization and incident light angle dependence of the measured photocurrent generated in the 2DEG unequivocally show the presence of surface spin splitting in the 2DEG, and variation of the carrier densities of the 2DEG provides further supporting evidence. This finding could pave the way for investigating spin textures and spin physics in two-dimensional carrier gas systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, electron spin resonance (ESR) systems are routinely used to measure the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in a wide range of experiments. However, the number of spins in ferromagnets far exceeds the small number of spins in paramagnetic systems that ESR systems were originally designed for. In this study, we show that high spin concentration and microwave input power—conditions routinely met in various FMR experiments—lead to the strong distortion of the FMR shape due to the sublinear operating regime of the microwave detector. We introduce the additional imbalance term in the FMR Lorentzian fitting function that allows extracting correct values of the Gilbert damping parameter under such conditions. Our results are crucial for the quantitative estimation of the Gilbert damping—the key parameter in many magnetic and spintronics measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain fundamental information for the effective use of scallop Patinopecten yessoensis mantle, which is one of the underutilized marine resources. Some properties of collagen contained in the mantle were examined by chemical and histochemical techniques. Collagen content in the mantle varied annually, ranging from 0.98 to 1.72% of wet tissue, 7.7 to 12.6% of dry tissue and 13.5 to 26.5% of total protein, being relatively in high level of collagen content of invertebrate muscles. Collagen fiber was densely distributed in the inner connective tissue matrix of the mantle pallial, in contrast to the inner fold part which was rich in muscle fibers. The collagen contained in the crude collagen fraction (residue after alkali extraction), prepared from the mantle, was revealed to have considerably low solubility on hot-water extraction, constantly less than 20% of the total collagen at the temperatures in the range of 20–90°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on single electron transistor (SET) operation in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to estimate the length of ballistic conduction in laser-synthesized SWNTs. The devices were fabricated by an alternating current-aligned method and the SWNTs were side-contacted to the electrodes. At 5K, Coulomb oscillation and Coulomb diamonds were observed and the Coulomb island length, i.e., the ballistic conduction length, was calculated to be about 200–300nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an SET using an aligned-fabrication methodology and a solution process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The spin Hall effect (SHE) and inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) have played central roles in modern condensed matter physics especially in spintronics and spin-orbitronics, and much effort has been paid to fundamental and application-oriented research towards the discovery of novel spin–orbit physics and the creation of novel spintronic devices. However, studies on gate-tunability of such spintronics devices have been limited, because most of them are made of metallic materials, where the high bulk carrier densities hinder the tuning of physical properties by gating. Here, we show an experimental demonstration of the gate-tunable spin–orbit torque in Pt/Ni80Fe20 (Py) devices by controlling the SHE using nanometer-thick Pt with low carrier densities and ionic gating. The Gilbert damping parameter of Py and the spin-memory loss at the Pt/Py interface were modulated by ionic gating to Pt, which are compelling results for the successful tuning of spin–orbit interaction in Pt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC voltages via spin rectification effect (SRE), VDC, under microwave irradiation are investigated for three platinum (Pt)/ferromagnetic metal (FM) bilayer structures: Pt/Ni80Fe20, Pt/Co, and Pt/Fe. At the microwave frequency region lower than the resonant frequency, large VDC is obtained at zero DC magnetic field for all devices. In frequency dependence just around the resonant frequency, sharp rise and drop of magnitude in VDC are observed. These behaviors are well explained by the numerically calculated magnetic susceptibility. It is also found that the magnitude of VDC is strongly dependent on the slope of magnetoresistance spectrum. These findings lead to developments of sensitive detection technique for nano-scale magnetization switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-terminal (3T) measurement is a method of detecting spin accumulation at a ferromagnetic/semiconductor interface. Spin polarization (P) at the injector with an electric field (Pinjector) and that at the detector without an electric field (Pdetector) were measured separately by using the nonlocal (NL)-Hanle and 3T measurements, and Pinjector and Pdetector exhibited the same behavior with increasing temperature. We also found that the spin lifetime (τsp) in highly doped silicon measured by using the 3T method coincides with that estimated by the NL-Hanle measurement, which shows that the localized state does not exist at the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated a role of a Schottky barrier (SB) in carrier doped random-network single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors (RN-SWNT-FETs) and the precise estimation of the SB height by a suitable combination of the gate and source-drain voltages. The SB heights were 70 meV for hole and 100 meV for electron in p- and n-type FETs, respectively. Furthermore, the barrier height was able to be modulated by changing the doping level, which indicates the possibility of controlling the characteristics of RN-SWNT-FETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gate-induced modulation of the spin–orbit interaction (SOI) in a 1.5 nm-thick Pd thin film grown on a ferrimagnetic insulator was investigated. Efficient charge accumulation by ionic gating enables a substantial upshift in the Fermi level of the Pd film, which was corroborated by the suppression of the resistivity in the Pd. Electromotive forces arising from the inverse spin Hall effect in Pd under spin pumping were substantially modulated by the gating, in consequence of the modulation of the spin Hall conductivity of Pd as in an ultrathin Pt film. The same experiment using a thin Cu film, for which the band structure is largely different from Pd and Pt and its SOI is quite small, provides further results supporting our claim. The results obtained help in developing a holistic understanding of the gate-tunable SOI in solids and confirm a previous explanation of the significant modulation of the spin Hall conductivity in an ultrathin Pt film by gating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for efficient spin conversion in Bi has attracted great attention in spin–orbitronics. In the present work, we employ spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance to investigate spin conversion in Bi/Ni80Fe20(Py) bilayer films with a continuously varying Bi thickness. In contrast with previous studies, sizable spin-transfer torque (i.e., a sizable spin-conversion effect) is observed in the Bi/Py bilayer film. Considering the absence of spin conversion in Bi/yttrium–iron–garnet bilayers and the enhancement of spin conversion in the Bi-doped Cu, the present results indicate the importance of material combinations to generate substantial spin-conversion effects in Bi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study spin transport through a suspended Cu channel by an electrical non-local 4-terminal measurement for future spin mechanics applications. A magnetoresistance due to spin transport through the suspended Cu channel is observed, and its magnitude is comparable to that of a conventional fixed Cu lateral spin valve. The spin diffusion length in the suspended Cu channel is estimated to be 340 nm at room temperature from the spin signal dependence on the distance between the ferromagnetic injector and detector electrodes. This value is found to be slightly shorter than in a fixed Cu. The decrease in the spin diffusion length in the suspended Cu channel is attributed to an increase in spin scattering originating from naturally oxidized Cu at the bottom of the Cu channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gate voltage application in a Si-based spin metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (spin MOSFET) modulates spin accumulation voltages, where both electrical conductivity and drift velocity are modified while keeping constant electric current. An unprecedented reduction in the spin accumulation voltages in a Si spin MOSFET under negative gate voltage applications is observed in a high electric bias current regime. To support our claim, the electric bias current dependence of the spin accumulation voltage under the gate voltage applications is investigated in detail and compared with a spin drift diffusion model including the conductance mismatch effect. The drastic decrease in the mobility and spin lifetime in the Si channel is ascribable to the optical phonon emission at the high electric bias current, which consequently reduced the spin accumulation voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate stability of the spin exclusive or (XOR) gate operation in silicon(Si) -based lateral spin devices whose spin transport properties have large variations. The optimum charge current, I0, for the spin XOR gate operation is calculated by using the one dimensional spin-drift-diffusion model with variable spin polarization, interface resistance of the ferromagnetic contact, channel length and channel conductivity. I0 is strongly modulated by changing the spin transport parameters particularly under the condition with small spin polarization and short channel length. In contrast, I0 shows constant value irrespective of the interface resistance of one ferromagnetic contact under spin extraction condition. Our results provide a device design guideline for the robust spin XOR gate operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With information technology consuming a sizeable part of the total energy, “Green IT” information storage and computing technology will have a major impact on addressing societal challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral thermal gradient of an yttrium iron garnet (YIG) film under microwave application in the cavity of the electron spin resonance system (ESR) was measured at room temperature by fabricating a Cu/Sb thermocouple onto it. To date, thermal transport in YIG films caused by the Damon-Eshbach mode (DEM)—the unidirectional spin-wave heat conveyer effect—was demonstrated only by the excitation using coplanar waveguides. Here, we show that the effect exists even under YIG excitation using the ESR cavity—a tool often employed to realize spin pumping. The temperature difference observed around the ferromagnetic resonance field under 4 mW microwave power peaked at 13 mK. The observed thermoelectric signal indicates the imbalance of the population between the DEMs that propagate near the top and bottom surfaces of the YIG film. We attribute the DEM population imbalance to different magnetic dampings near the top and bottom YIG surfaces. Additionally, the spin wave dynamics of the system were investigated using the micromagnetic simulations. The micromagnetic simulations confirmed the existence of the DEM imbalance in the system with increased Gilbert damping at one of the YIG interfaces. The reported results are indispensable to the quantitative estimation of the electromotive force in the spin-charge conversion experiments using ESR cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Physical activity ( PA) has been associated with an improvement in survival for individuals with cancer. However, little is known about the effect of postoperative pulmonary rehabilitation on PA after lobectomy in patients with lung cancer. The present study investigated the effect of outpatient rehabilitation on PA in patients with cancer after lung resection. Methods A total of 19 patients with lung cancer were recruited for this study and completed a preoperative rehabilitation program. One group of nine patients completed a postoperative outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program (rehabilitation) and another group of 10 patients did not (control), but were similarly followed up. Preoperative lung function, assessed by forced expiratory volume in 1 s ( FEV1), body mass index ( BMI) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire ( SGRQ) score were not different between groups. PA was measured before and 2 months after surgery using a three-axis accelerometer for 5-6 days. PA level ( PAL) was defined as total energy expenditure divided by basal metabolic rate. Results Preoperative PAL was not different between groups. However, postoperative versus preoperative PAL was significantly lower in the control versus the rehabilitation group ( P < 0.01), and PAL decline was less for the rehabilitation versus the control group ( P < 0.001). A subgroup analysis showed improvement in postoperative PAL in rehabilitation patients aged <75 years and older. Conclusions Two months after lung resection surgery, patients had not recovered to the preoperative PAL. However, compared with the control group, there was an improvement in the postoperative PAL in patients, including older patients, who underwent outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 550-555. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadband ferromagnetic resonance (bbFMR) spectroscopy is an established experimental tool to quantify magnetic properties. Due to frequency-dependent transmission of the microwave setup, bbFMR measurements in the frequency domain require a suitable background removal method. Here, we present a measurement and data analysis protocol that allows us to perform quantitative frequency-swept bbFMR measurements without the need for a calibration of the microwave setup. We furthermore compare the results of the proposed frequency space analysis and a conventional analysis in field-space of bbFMR data obtained from a permalloy thin film. The very good agreement of the extracted parameters using the two methods shows the reliability of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We detected the spin polarizationdue to charge flow in the spinnondegenerate surface state of a three-dimensional topological insulatorby means of an all-electrical method. The charge current in the bulk-insulatingtopological insulator Bi1.5Sb0.5Te1.7Se1.3(BSTS) was injected/extracted through a ferromagneticelectrode made of Ni80Fe20, and an unusual current-direction-dependentmagnetoresistance gave evidence for the appearance of spin polarization,which leads to a spin-dependent resistance at the BSTS/Ni80Fe20interface. In contrast, our control experiment onBi2Se3gave null result. These observationsdemonstrate the importance of the Fermi-level control for the electricaldetection of the spin polarization in topological insulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room temperature local magnetoresistance in two-terminal scheme is reported. By employing 1.6 nm-thick MgO tunnel barrier, spin injection efficiency is increased, resulting in large non-local magnetoresistance. The magnitude of the non-local magnetoresistance is estimated to be 0.0057 Ω at room temperature. As a result, a clear rectangle signal is observed in local magnetoresistance measurement even at room temperature. We also investigate the origin of local magnetoresistance by measuring the spin accumulation voltage of each contact separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large linear magnetoresistance (MR) in electron-injected p-type silicon at very low magnetic field is observed experimentally at room temperature. The large linear MR is induced in electron-dominated space-charge transport regime, where the magnetic field modulation of electron-to-hole density ratio controls the MR. as indicated by the magnetic field dependence of Hall coefficient in the silicon device. Contrary to the space-charge-induced MR effect in umpolar silicon device, where the large linear MR is inhomogeneity-induced, our results provide a different insight into the mechanism of large linear MR in nonmagnetic semiconductors that is not based on the inhomogeneity model. This approach enables homogeneous semiconductors to exhibit large linear MR at low magnetic fields that until now has only been appearing in semiconductors with strong inhomogeneities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conductance mismatch problem limits the spin-injection efficiency significantly, and spin injection into graphene usually requires high-quality tunnel barriers to circumvent the conductance mismatch. We introduce an approach which enables the generation of pure spin current into single-layer graphene (SLG) that is free from electrical conductance mismatch by using dynamical spin injection. An experimental demonstration of spin-pumping-induced spin current generation and spin transport in SLG at room temperature was successfully achieved, and the spin coherence length was estimated to be 1.36 μm by using a conventional theoretical model based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The spin coherence length is proportional to the quality of SLG, which indicates that spin relaxation in SLG is governed by the Elliot-Yafet mechanism, as was reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spin battery concept is applied for the dynamical generation of pure spin current and spin transport in p-type silicon (p-Si). Ferromagnetic resonance and effective s-d coupling in Ni80Fe20 results in spin accumulation at the Ni80Fe20/p-Si interface, inducing spin injection and the generation of spin current in the p-Si. The pure spin current is converted to a charge current by the inverse spin Hall effect of Pd evaporated onto the p-Si. This approach demonstrates the generation and transport of pure spin current in p-Si at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A high resistance ferromagnetic oxide Fe2⋅5Mn0⋅5O4 (FMO) property as a novel spin injector was investigated with a structure of a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) composed of FMO/Al–O/Ni80Fe20, in order to reduce an impedance mismatch problem on molecular spintronics. A tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect in the MTJs was observed. The maximum TMR ratio observed in the MTJs was approximately 0.85% at room temperature (RT), and the spin-polarization of FMO was estimated to be at least 0.94% at RT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We demonstrate the evidence of electrical spin injection into silicon (Si) using the Fe/MgO tunnel barrier by the following two methods: 1) non-local (NL) four-terminal magnetoresistance (MR) scheme with their respective corresponding ferromagnetic (FM) electrode and 2) Hanle-type spin precession scheme. These results are compatible and in agreement with each other. The spin injection signals in the non-local scheme were observed up to 150 K, and the spin diffusion length (λN) was estimated to be 2.8 µm at 8 K. The experimental data completely matches every detail of the Hanle measurements equation, and spin lifetime (τ) was estimated to be 9.44 ns at 8 K. We will be able to discuss the physical properties of a pure spin current in silicon by this compelling data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We demonstrate fabrication of rubrene-Co nano-composites, yielding an introduction of a spin degree of freedom in rubrene-based electronics devices, and report on large magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of 78% at 4.2K. It is elucidated that the observed MR effect is ascribed to the magnetization of the Co nano-particles, and this indicates spin-dependent transport via rubrene molecules is achieved. In addition, the MR effect can be observed even at room temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigated the annealing temperature dependence of differential tunneling conductance spectra ( as a function of ) in CoFeB/textured MgO(001)/CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) that exhibit the giant tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect at room temperature. The spectra were strongly affected by annealing the MTJs. A reduction in at around ±300 mV was observed only in annealed MTJs in which the CoFeB electrodes were crystallized in a bcc(001) structure. Because the reduction in conductance was observed in both MTJs that have a 1.8-nm-thick MgO barrier and MTJs that have a 3.2-nm-thick MgO barrier, we concluded that and evanescent states, which rapidly decay in the MgO tunneling barrier, are not the cause of the reduction in conductance. We believe the cause of the reduction is either the electronic structure of the interfaces between MgO(001)/bcc CoFeB(001) after annealing or a particular feature of states in MgO(001) or bcc CoFeB(001). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We measured differential tunneling conductance (dI/dV, d2 I/dV 2) spectra of spin-valve-type magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a MgO(001) tunnel barrier layer and amorphous CoFeB ferromagnetic electrodes that show 315% magnetoresistance (MR) ratio at 4.3K. The dI/dV spectra showed clear reduction in the conductance at around ±400mV for a parallel magnetic configuration. Such anomalous spectra have never been observed for MTJs with an amorphous Al–O barrier. The d2 I/dV 2 spectra showed several distinct peaks between 5 and 100mV. Magnon excitations are assigned to an origin of those peaks and thought to be a dominant process to reduce MR at finite bias voltage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]