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A pilot survey in the Central Garhwal Himalayan region, India, assessed radon and thoron inhalation doses using RADUET, CR39 detectors during January to October 2013. Detectors were deployed for 95, 101, and 92 days in winter, summer, and in the rainy season respectively. Highest 222Rn concentration (260 ± 13 Bqm−3) was in cemented categories, followed by 170 ± 8 and 190 ± 10 Bqm−3 in wood-stone dwellings. Wood-mud categories had lower levels (116 ± 6 to 128 ± 8 Bqm−3). Despite significant 222Rn concentration, analysis of seasonal radiation exposures (EECTn and Feq) with short-lived decay products showed reduced doses in winter months ranging from 2.97 (± 0.31) to 6.91 (± 0.32) Bqm−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fibers have been widely used for their lightweight and high mechanical properties. In order to extensively use carbon fibers, it is important to accurately understand and account for their highly anisotropic characteristics. The anisotropy of carbon fibers can be expressed as elastic constants, however evaluation of these constants is very difficult. This study reviews literatures that have analyzed the elastic constants of carbon fibers to clarify the elastic constants of various carbon fibers. This knowledge will lead to more accurate deformation and stress state calculations for structural materials, aiding future development of even higher performance composite materials. The accurate determination of the elastic constants of carbon fibers is also expected to lead to advances in the manufacturing process of carbon fibers and further improve their mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: To investigate the use of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) in pregnant Japanese women and to evaluate their safety in infants. METHODS: Data were extracted from the claims database of the Japan Medical Data Center. The prevalence of CNIs was evaluated 180 days before pregnancy onset, during pregnancy, and within180-days post partum. We investigated the characteristics of the infants, including the presence of major malformations and their diagnoses, for 1 year after birth. RESULTS: A total of 91,865 pregnancies in 80,049 women were included. Fifty-three women were prescribed CNIs between 180-day before pregnancy onset and 180-day postpartum; 35 of the 53 women were prescribed the drugs during pregnancy, and 10 of their infants were born preterm. Three were diagnosed with major congenital malformations, such as patent ductus arteriosus. Six preterm infants presented with infant respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: No congenital anomalies were clearly attributable to the use of CNIs during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater disturbances are the largest error source in Global Navigation Satellite System - Acoustic ranging combination technique (GNSS-A) seafloor geodetic observation. In particular, the gradient of sound speed structure (SSS) directly affects the horizontal accuracy and needs to be examined. Previous studies have not investigated its temporal change component. In this paper, we verified the assumption that the underwater gradient structure does not change significantly during GNSS-A observation for several hours through applying a modified version of an analysis software called GARPOS to actual data of SGO-A (provided by Japan Coast Guard). Obtained results suggested that this assumption holds at many observation data, and the positioning accuracy becomes better. Some non-improved observation epochs were speculated to be accompanied by structure changes for which this assumption was not valid. It is suggested that the SSS change during observation will be an important research topic in GNSS-A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cores recovered during the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program project "Drilling into Seismogenic zones of M2.0 to M5.5 earthquakes in deep South African Gold Mines" include fault breccia from within the aftershock cloud of the 2014 Orkney earthquake (M5.5). The breccia and surrounding intrusive rocks, probably lamprophyres rich in talc, biotite, calcite, and amphibole, had high magnetic susceptibilities owing to the presence of magnetite. All of these characteristics can be attributed to fluid‐related alteration. Both the breccia and the lamprophyres had low friction coefficients and showed evidence of velocity strengthening, which is inconsistent with the occurrence of earthquakes. Variable amounts of talc, biotite, calcite, and amphibole within the lamprophyres might have produced complex frictional properties and spatial heterogeneity of fault stability. The altered lamprophyres may be the host rocks of the 2014 Orkney earthquake, but frictional complexity may have governed the magnitudes of the main‐ and aftershocks and their distributions. Plain Language Summary: Drilling into seismogenic zones is an important scientific endeavor, not only to advance our understanding of the mechanisms of earthquakes, but also to provide information that will improve the resilience of humankind to these deadly hazards. The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program supported deep drilling into the aftershock region of the 2014 Orkney earthquake (M5.5) and successfully recovered samples of faulted rock material from about 3.3 km depth by drilling from a depth of about 3 km in a South African gold mine. The samples were intensively sheared and rich in talc, which is a weak mineral with a very low friction coefficient. The fault zone probably developed within this talc‐rich rock, which would indicate that the earthquake was closely related to a pre‐existing weak geological structure. However, other minerals in the fault rocks might also have influenced the spatial heterogeneity of fault stability and earthquake generation. Key Points: Fault breccia was recovered from within the aftershock cloud of the 2014 Orkney earthquake (M5.5)The fault breccia and surrounding altered lamprophyres had high talc contents and low friction coefficientsVariable amounts of talc, biotite, calcite, and amphibole might have produced complex friction properties in the lamprophyres [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the γ d → d π + π - reaction for a study of a possible N Δ dibaryon state using a deuterium target with a magnetic spectrometer, Neutral Kaon Spectrometer 2 (NKS2), at Research Center for Electron Photon Science (ELPH), Tohoku University. The incident photon energy ranged from 0.78 to 1.08 GeV. Resonance-like structures were found at a mass of ∼ 2.15 GeV / c 2 with a width of ∼ 0.1 GeV / c 2 in the d π + and d π - invariant mass spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheotaxis and migration of cells in a flow field have been investigated intensively owing to their importance in biology, physiology and engineering. In this study, first, we report our experiments showing that the microalgae Chlamydomonas can orient against the channel flow and migrate to the channel centre. Second, by performing boundary element simulations, we demonstrate that the mechanism of the observed rheotaxis and migration has a physical origin. Last, using a simple analytical model, we reveal the novel physical mechanisms of rheotaxis and migration, specifically the interplay between cyclic body deformation and cyclic swimming velocity in the channel flow. The discovered mechanism can be as important as phototaxis and gravitaxis, and likely plays a role in the movement of other natural microswimmers and artificial microrobots with non-reciprocal body deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water content of rail track subgrade materials fluctuates throughout the year due to the number of wetting and drying cycles, introducing unsaturated properties into the subgrade. Conservative rail track design guidelines are, however, mainly based on two extreme saturation conditions: fully dried or fully saturated. Current knowledge on the effects of subgrade water content on residual and resilient behaviour of the track foundation under the effects of Principal Stress Axis Rotation (PSAR) is limited and the potential of expansibility of foundation materials further upsurge the complexities towards the designing of the rail tracks. This study demonstrates the contributions of the PSAR on the resilient behaviour of foundation materials. Three different materials, including an expansive soil type have been subjected to drained cyclic vertical and torsional shear tests in a Modified Multi-Ring Shear (MMRS) apparatus and it is concluded that the resilient behaviour of the foundation materials is functions of the PSAR, material type, water content, and potential of expansibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rudder force, including interference with a ship hull in large drifting conditions, is investigated in this study by captive model tests using a ship model with steering. In the tests, hydrodynamic forces acting on the ship, the rudder normal force, and propeller thrust are measured while changing the hull drift angle β in the range of - 180 ∘ ∼ 180 ∘ , which encompasses forward, lateral, and astern motion. The hull and rudder interaction coefficients, thrust deduction factor, inflow velocity to propeller, and inflow velocity to rudder are obtained in large drifting conditions using the measured hydrodynamic force data. The Maneuvering Model Group (MMG) model (Yasukawa and Yoshimura, 2015) is applicable for estimating the rudder force when the absolute value of β is smaller than 45 ∘ . In this region, the hydrodynamic force parameters for the inflow velocity to the rudder are nearly constant for any hull drift angle. However, in the region where the absolute value of β is greater than nearly 45 ∘ , the MMG model cannot be applied. For improving the formula for the longitudinal inflow velocity component to the rudder ( u R ), we propose a new formula that is applicable to any hull drift angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the electronic and magnetic states of Co and Mn atoms at the interface of the Co2MnβSi (CMS)/MgO (β = 0.69, 0.99, 1.15, and 1.29) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) by means of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. In particular, the Mn composition (β) dependences of the Mn and Co magnetic moments were investigated. The experimental spin magnetic moments of Mn, mspin(Mn), derived from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism weakly decreased with increasing Mn composition β in going from Mn-deficient to Mn-rich CMS films. This behavior was explained by first-principles calculations based on the antisite-based site-specific formula unit (SSFU) composition model, which assumes the formation of only antisite defect, not vacancies, to accommodate off-stoichiometry. Furthermore, the experimental spin magnetic moments of Co, mspin(Co), also weakly decreased with increasing Mn composition. This behavior was consistently explained by the antisite-based SSFU model, in particular, by the decrease in the concentration of CoMn antisites detrimental to the half-metallicity of CMS with increasing β. This finding is consistent with the higher tunnel magnetoresistance ratios which have been observed for CMS/MgO/CMS MTJs with Mn-rich CMS electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here the first evidence of photodesorption induced by low-intensity non-resonant light from an yttrium thin foil, which works as a neutralizer for Rb and Fr ions beam. Neutral atoms are suddenly ejected from the metal surface in a pulsed regime upon illumination with a broadband flash light and then released in the free volume of a pyrex cells. Here atoms are captured by a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT), which is effectively loaded by the photodesorption. Loading times of the order of the flash rise time are measured. Desorption is also obtained in the continuous regime, by exploiting CW visible illumination of the metallic neutralizer surface. We demonstrate that at lower CW light intensities vacuum conditions are not perturbed by the photodesorption and hence the MOT dynamics remains unaffected, while the trap population increases thanks to the incoming desorbed atoms flux. Even with the Y foil at room temperature and hence with no trapped atoms, upon visible illumination, the number of trapped atoms reaches 105. The experimental data are then analyzed by means of an analytical rate equation model, which allows the analysis of this phenomenon and its dynamics and allows the determination of critical experimental parameters and the test of the procedure in the framework of radioactive Francium trapping. In this view, together with an extensive investigation of the phenomenon with 85Rb, the first demonstration of the photodesorption-aided loading of a 210Fr MOT is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concentrated, vertical monolayer of identical spherical squirmers, which may be bottom heavy, and which are subjected to a linear shear flow, is modelled computationally by two different methods: Stokesian dynamics, and a lubrication-theory-based method. Inertia is negligible. The aim is to compute the effective shear viscosity and, where possible, the normal stress differences as functions of the areal fraction of spheres φ, the squirming parameter β (proportional to the ratio of a squirmer’s active stresslet to its swimming speed), the ratio Sq of swimming speed to a typical speed of the shear flow, the bottom-heaviness parameter Gbh, the angle α that the shear flow makes with the horizontal and two parameters that define the repulsive force that is required computationally to prevent the squirmers from overlapping when their distance apart is less than a critical value. The Stokesian dynamics method allows the rheological quantities to be computed for values of φ up to 0.75; the lubrication-theory method can be used for φ > 0.5. For non-bottom-heavy squirmers, which are unaffected by gravity, the effective shear viscosity is found to increase more rapidly with φ than for inert spheres, whether the squirmers are pullers (β > 0) or pushers (β < 0); it also varies with β, although not by very much. However, for bottom-heavy squirmers the behaviour for pullers and pushers as Gbh and α are varied is very different, since the viscosity can fall even below that of the suspending fluid for pushers at high Gbh. The normal stress differences, which are small for inert spheres, can become very large for bottom-heavy squirmers, increasing with β, and varying dramatically as the orientation α of the flow is varied from 0 to π/2. A major finding is that, despite very different assumptions, the two methods of computation give overlapping results for viscosity as a function of φ in the range 0.5 <φ< 0.75. This suggests that lubrication theory, based on near-field interactions alone, contains most of the relevant physics, and that taking account of interactions with more distant particles than the nearest is not essential to describe the dominant physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concentrated, vertical monolayer of identical spherical squirmers, which may be bottom heavy, and which are subjected to a linear shear flow, is modelled computationally by two different methods: Stokesian dynamics, and a lubrication-theory-based method. Inertia is negligible. The aim is to compute the effective shear viscosity and, where possible, the normal stress differences as functions of the areal fraction of spheres $\phi$ , the squirming parameter $\beta$ (proportional to the ratio of a squirmer's active stresslet to its swimming speed), the ratio $Sq$ of swimming speed to a typical speed of the shear flow, the bottom-heaviness parameter $G_{bh}$ , the angle $\alpha$ that the shear flow makes with the horizontal and two parameters that define the repulsive force that is required computationally to prevent the squirmers from overlapping when their distance apart is less than a critical value. The Stokesian dynamics method allows the rheological quantities to be computed for values of $\phi$ up to $0.75$ ; the lubrication-theory method can be used for $\phi > 0.5$. For non-bottom-heavy squirmers, which are unaffected by gravity, the effective shear viscosity is found to increase more rapidly with $\phi$ than for inert spheres, whether the squirmers are pullers ($\beta > 0$) or pushers ($\beta); it also varies with $\beta$ , although not by very much. However, for bottom-heavy squirmers the behaviour for pullers and pushers as $G_{bh}$ and $\alpha$ are varied is very different, since the viscosity can fall even below that of the suspending fluid for pushers at high $G_{bh}$. The normal stress differences, which are small for inert spheres, can become very large for bottom-heavy squirmers, increasing with $\beta$ , and varying dramatically as the orientation $\alpha$ of the flow is varied from 0 to ${\rm \pi} /2$. A major finding is that, despite very different assumptions, the two methods of computation give overlapping results for viscosity as a function of $\phi$ in the range $0.5. This suggests that lubrication theory, based on near-field interactions alone, contains most of the relevant physics, and that taking account of interactions with more distant particles than the nearest is not essential to describe the dominant physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show promising clinical activity in advanced cancers. However, the safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in patients with preexisting antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are unclear. Methods: 191 patients treated with nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, or durvalumab for unresectable advanced cancers between September 2014 and December 2018 were identified retrospectively. Patients were divided into positive (ANA titers ≥ 1:160) and negative ANA groups (ANA titers < 1:160). Development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), the overall response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were monitored. Results: Positive ANA titers were seen in 9 out of 191 patients. Four patients in the positive ANA group and 69 patients in the negative group developed irAEs of any grade without a significant difference between the groups. The development of endocrine, pulmonary, and cutaneous irAEs was not significant, whereas positive ANA was significantly higher in patients who developed colitis (2/9) than in patients who did not (3/182, P = 0.0002). DCR in the positive and negative ANA group was 37.5% and 67.5%, respectively, and was not statistically significant, but had better efficacy in patients without ANA (P = 0.08). ANA-related autoimmune diseases such as SLE, Sjögren's syndrome, MCTD, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis was not induced in either group. However, one patient with preexisting dermatomyositis had a flare up after initiation of atezolizumab. Conclusion: Further studies to identify predictive factors for the development of irAEs are required to provide relevant patient care and maximize the therapeutic benefits of ICIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of snowmelt‐induced soil slope instabilities is increasing in some seasonally cold regions because of climate change. Reliable hazard assessment and risk mitigation of snowmelt‐induced landslides require physically‐based prediction models. However, existing models either apply only at the slope scale or assume precipitation as the sole landslide trigger. In doing so, they neglect the complexity and coupled nature of the thermo‐hydro‐mechanical processes leading to slope instability in seasonally cold regions (such as snow accumulation and melting, infiltration and surface runoff, soil saturation, pore water pressure buildup and dissipation). Here, we present a spatially distributed and sequentially coupled numerical model to simulate snowmelt‐induced slope instabilities at the catchment scale. The model accounts for temperature‐dependent changes in the soil hydraulic behavior related to changes in water state by means of a routine implemented in a geographic information system. We verified the performance of the model using a case study of spring snowmelt‐induced soil slope failures that occurred after the 2004 Mid‐Niigata earthquake in Japan. Considering limitations and simplifications, the model was able to predict the triggering condition, magnitude, and spatial distribution of the snowmelt‐induced landslides with a satisfactory degree of accuracy. We believe that the robustness and simplicity of our numerical approach make it suitable for implementation in early warning systems. Plain Language Summary: Climate change is responsible for an increasing number of natural disasters in seasonally cold regions, where heavier snowfalls and sudden snowmelts can cause destructive landslides on hill slopes. These landslides are not easy to study because the mechanisms that trigger them are different from those of shallow landslides occurring in response to rainfall. Moreover, advanced models that incorporate the complex relations among rain, snow, temperature, soil freezing, melting, and slope stability at a detailed scale are still cumbersome and very demanding in terms of computational power. For these reasons, evaluating the risk to people and assets in seasonally cold regions is not straightforward, and existing models tend to underestimate it. In this paper, we propose a novel modeling strategy to study the stability of soil slopes under the influence of both snowmelt and rainfall at a regional scale. First, we explain the governing mechanisms of snowmelt‐induced landslides; then, we present our strategy along with detailed explanations of the equations we use. We test our model by predicting a known case study (the snowmelt‐induced landslides of 2005 in Niigata, Japan) and obtain a reasonably good result. This simple strategy could be applied in an early warning system for snowmelt‐induced landslides. Key Points: Developed a novel spatially distributed numerical model for snowmelt‐induced shallow landslidesSimplified account of below‐freezing temperature on hydro‐mechanical‐behavior for catchment‐scale slope stability assessmentModel performance evaluated on snowmelt‐induced post‐seismic landslides occurred in Niigata, Japan, in 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The metastatic involvement of regional lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor for overall survival of skin cancer patients. The sonographic technique of freehand real‐time tissue elastography (RTE), which displays tissue rigidity as a colour overlay of the tissue image, was developed. Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the benefit of RTE for detecting lymph node metastases of skin cancer non‐invasively before operation. Methods: We first selected lymph nodes of skin cancer patients which had already been diagnosed by biopsy as being reactive or metastatic, and then retrospectively collected images of RTE and B‐mode and colour Doppler ultrasound on those lymph nodes performed preoperatively. Twenty‐one lymph nodes from 12 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 23 lymph nodes from 14 patients with malignant melanoma (MM) and 14 lymph nodes from six patients with extramammary Paget disease (Paget) were investigated. Elastographic images were assessed on a scale of one to four according to the percentage of high elasticity (hard) area (HEA) in the lymph node. Results: In all three skin cancers, lymph nodes evaluated as grade 3 or 4 by RTE were metastatic. All lymph nodes evaluated as grade 1 or 2 by RTE were reactive in SCC, whereas some lymph nodes evaluated as grade 1 or 2 were metastatic in MM and Paget. Conclusion: Real‐time tissue elastography may aid in distinguishing reactive lymph nodes from metastatic ones especially in SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the γd → π0π0d reaction to study dibaryon resonances. The total cross section as a function of the d center-of-mass energy shows resonance-like behavior peaked at around 2.47 and 2.63 GeV. The measured angular distribution of deuteron emission is rather flat, which cannot be reproduced by kinematics for quasi-free π0π0 production with deuteron coalescence. A clear peak is observed at 2.14 GeV in the π0d invariant-mass distributions. The present work shows a sequential process γd → RIS → π0RIV → π0π0d is dominant with two 2.47- and 2.63-GeV isoscalar dibaryons (RIS) and a 2.14-GeV isovector dibaryon (RIV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two physics programs, determination of low-energy scattering parameters between the eta meson (η) and nucleon (N), and search for a possible bound state between the eta prime meson (η') and deuteron, using η photo-production from the deuteron target are conducted at the Research Center for Electron Photon Science (ELPH), Tohoku University. Among the twobody dynamics of the meson-nucleon systems, the ηN interaction is not well-known although it has been found attractive. An experiment is carried out to determine the low-energy ηN scattering parameters using a special kinematics. The energy and momentum of the emitted proton (p) are measured at 0 degrees for η photoproduction on the deuteron (d) at incident energies around 0.94 GeV, which gives the low relative momentum between η and neutron (n) in the final state. Low-energy ηn scattering is likely to take place in this condition, and the scattering parameters can be determined from the differential cross section as a function of the ηn invariant mass. The measurement is currently in progress to determine the real part of the ηn scattering length. A possible η'd bound state is theoretically predicted, and a structure corresponding to the state can be observed via the γd → ηd reaction at incident energies around 1.2 GeV. In the case of backward η emission, the structure becomes prominent because a background contribution coming from quasi-free single-step η emission is highly suppressed. The γd → ηd reaction has been also studied at ELPH below the incident energy of 1.15 GeV. The angular differential cross sections are determined at backward η emission angles. The tail of the corresponding peak is not observed, and the background level is much higher than predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolactin (PRL) levels can usually be controlled by PRL-inhibiting psychiatric drugs that include anti-dopamine agents. However, the use of dopamine (DA) antagonists may lead to hyperprolactinemia under certain clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate postmortem PRL levels as potential markers of drug abuse, especially that of DA antagonists, in autopsy cases. We examined 121 autopsy cases, excluding cases involving acute hypoxia/ischemia, such as asphyxia, because PRL concentrations are reportedly increased under acute hypoxic conditions. Detected drugs were classified as either DA antagonists, stimulants, psychotropic drugs other than DA antagonists, or other non-psychotropic drugs, and many cases had no detected drugs. Samples comprised blood collected from the right heart chamber and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). PRL protein level was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay, and PRL gene expression in the anterior pituitary of autopsy cases was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The PRL-positive cell ratio in the anterior pituitary gland was also measured by immunohistochemical analysis. The results indicated that PRL levels in the serum and CSF were higher in DA antagonist cases than in other cases. PRL levels in the serum and CSF also correlated with the PRL gene expression in cases with abuse of DA antagonists. However, no significant difference in the PRL-positive cell ratio in the anterior pituitary gland was evident between any of the classes of drug-detected and drug-undetected cases. These results suggest that postmortem measurements of PRL transcription levels may be useful for diagnosing cases of DA antagonist use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term measurements were made in four different types of Chinese cave dwellings, 'ground', 'open-cut', 'aboveground' and 'underground', located in Gansu Province, China, in order to evaluate the diurnal and seasonal variations in indoor radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) concentrations. As a result, in most of the 'ground' and 'open-cut' cave dwellings in summer, the indoor 222Rn concentrations during the nighttime were higher than those during the daytime. In the winter, such fluctuation was not observed. The daily indoor 222Rn concentrations in summer were higher than those in winter, excluding the 'aboveground' cave dwelling, and these concentrations depended on dwelling type, exhalation from the building materials and ventilation. In contrast with 222Rn, there seemed to be only very slight clear variations in 220Rn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, variations in ambient gamma dose rate associated with snow cover were examined in a radioactive-contaminated site in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The ambient gamma dose rates decreased with increasing snow depth. The reduction trends were different between fresh snow (0.1–0.2 g/cm3) and granular snow (0.3–0.4 g/cm3) depending on snow density. Snow cover water content (snow water equivalent) calculated from snow depth and density was a key parameter governing the reduction in the ambient gamma dose rate. The ambient gamma dose rates reduced to 0.6 and 0.5 at 4 g/cm2 and 8 g/cm2 of snow water equivalent, respectively. Based on gamma-ray flux density distributions, the ambient gamma dose rates from the primary gamma rays decreased more compared to those from scattered gamma rays due to snow cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving an esthetic outcome in tooth replacement and implant treatment requires a proper tooth shape and stable surrounding soft tissue profiles. Bone augmentation is considered vital to support the esthetic soft tissue profile around definitive restorations. To prevent recession of the peri-implant soft tissue in cases with multiple implants, buccal bone augmentation of more than 2 mm from the implant platform is necessary to overcome the normal pattern of bone remodeling. Drawing an imaginary horizontal line spanning the space between the remaining healthy interproximal bone peaks is the most reliable vertical augmentation target to create esthetic papillae around an implant prosthesis. Provided that the adjacent bone peaks are at an ideal height and the bone is augmented vertically up to this line, the accepted general guideline of 2 to 3 mm of interproximal vertical bone augmentation from ideally placed implant platforms will invariably also be achieved. In addition, placing pontics in strategic positions to avoid consecutively placed implants has been suggested to facilitate vertical bone height preservation after bone augmentation. Even with esthetically successful results, there have been very few long-term studies on compromised cases with multiple implants. This will become more and more critical over time and must be remedied. (Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent 2010;30:503-511.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-tooth implant in the esthetic region has good potential for success, but it is still challenging to restore multiple-tooth defects with implant-supported prostheses that resemble the natural dentition. This article suggests a strategy to provide a more predictable protocol for esthetic implant treatment for multiple-tooth defects using the root submergence technique (RST). By maintaining the natural tooth root with the RST a much greater amount of surrounding tissue may be preserved than with the commonly used socket preservation technique, which almost always leads to crestal bone resorption and thus reduction of the height of the interdental papillae and width of the edentulous ridge. RST instead maintains the natural attachment apparatus of the tooth in the pontic site, which in turn allows for complete preservation of the alveolar bone frame and assists in the creation of an esthetic result in adjacent multiple-tooth-replacement cases. In situations with periodontal bone loss, orthodontic extrusion is required to create the underlying bone support for the papilla that is necessary to guarantee predictability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To initiate a comprehensive study of the macroscopic and microscopic properties and structure of osmium, solid samples were levitated, melted, deeply undercooled, and resolidified under vacuum. Using noncontact diagnostic methods, several properties of equilibrium and nonequilibrium liquid osmium were measured. Over the 2670–3380 K temperature range, the density could be expressed as ρ(T)=1.91×104-1.16(T-Tm) kg m-3, where Tm is the melting temperature (Tm=3306 K). Similarly, the surface tension and the viscosity measurement data could be fitted, respectively, as σ(T)=2.48×103-0.34(T-Tm) mN m-1 and η(T)=0.001 67 exp[2.2×105/(RT)] mPa s over the 3230–3605 K temperature interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) often report impaired eating, the features of food intake difficulty have rarely been estimated. This study compared subjective difficulty in 4 categories of food intake situations among 3 subgroups of TMD patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 511 TMD patients (402 women, 109 men, mean age 36.4 +/- 15.4, range 12 to 82) participated in this study. Subjects were divided into 3 TMD subgroups: myofascial pain (MFP), disc displacement with/without reduction (DD), and arthralgia or osteoarthritis (Arth). Patients' level of food intake difficulty was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) for 4 categories of food intake situations: difficulty in putting food into mouth (PUT), difficulty in biting off foods (BIT), difficulty in grinding down foods (GRD), and overall difficulty in consuming a meal (OAL). Results: Nearly all patients (98.6%) exhibited food intake difficulty in at least 1 category. In the category of PUT, the DD group exhibited significantly more difficulty than the MFP and Arth groups (P < .048), and the Arth group had a higher VAS score than the MFP group (P = .030). With regard to BIT and GRD, there was no significant difference among the TMD subgroups. In OAL, the DD group showed more difficulty than the MFP group (P = .046). Conclusion: TMD patients experienced impaired food intake ability. In particular, the DD group experienced more difficulty than the MFP group. Concerns about types of food and food intake behavior for each TMD subtype should be taken into account in the management of TMD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS: To identify predictors for anxiety and depression in orofacial outpatients and to investigate the patients' compliance rate in taking a series of psychologic tests. METHODS: Three thousand six hundred sixty-six patients completed a battery of questionnaires. These consisted of items inquiring about sex, age, past history of disease, presence of pain, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Short Form (S-EPQ), a Japanese dental version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (JDMPQ), a visual analog scale (VAS) of pain, pain duration, and diagnosis. After univariate analyses had determined those variables with significant differences between an over-probable group (OPG, HADS scores > or = 8) and an absent group (AG, HADS scores < 8), we estimated the odds ratios of these variables for OPG as independent variables, and every variable was adjusted between the independent variables by multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: For anxiety, 3 variables were independently related to the OPG and considered to be meaningful: age 30 or older, neuroticism score on the S-EPQ, and selection of the JDMPQ pain expression term 'sickening.' For depression, 4 variables were independently related to the OPG and considered to be meaningful: age 30 or older, neuroticism and extroversion scores on the S-EPQ, and selection of the JDMPQ pain expression term 'sickening.' The compliance rate for the tests was under half of the patients (3,666 of 7,542 patients). CONCLUSION: Although the predictability for anxiety or depression by some baseline parameters is considered to be low, age, personality traits, and choice of certain pain expression terms are useful predictors of anxiety or depression. The improvement of the compliance rate for psychologic screening will be a future challenge for Japanese clinics managing orofacial patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glabridin is a prenylated isoflavonoid isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra. We investigated the metabolic effects of glabridin, using healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes. Seven healthy volunteers and 10 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited, and assigned to receive an oral dose of glabridin (300 mg) once daily for 12 weeks. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin, immunoreactive glucagon, and body fat composition significantly decreased in the healthy individuals, after 12 weeks of glabridin administration, while there were subtle effects in the patients with type 2 diabetes. Glabridin significantly improved flow-mediated vasodilatation, and pulse wavelength in the healthy volunteers. The results of our pilot study indicate that glabridin exerted several favorable metabolic effects and improved vascular functions, especially in healthy volunteers. Therefore, glabridin might be better to use in healthy subjects for preventing metabolic disorder rather than the patients with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-derived SiC-polycrystalline fiber (Tyranno SA) shows excellent heat-resistance up to 2000oC, and relatively high strength. However, to extend the application field, increase in the fiber's strength is eagerly required. Up to now, through our research, the relationship between the strength and residual defects of the fiber, which were formed during the heat-treatment processes (degradation of raw fiber and sintering), has been clarified. In this paper, we addressed the relationship between the heat-treatment condition and the surface roughness of the obtained SiC-polycrystalline fiber, using three different raw fibers (Elementary ratio: Si1Al0.01C1.5O0.4~0.5) and three types of carbon vessel (Open system, Partially closed system, and Closed system). With increase in the oxygen content in the raw fiber, the degradation during the heat-treatment process easily proceeded. This led to nearly stoichiometric composition of SiC crystal. And, higher oxygen content in the raw fiber and the closed system led to relatively high partial-pressure of SiO at the initial stage of the degradation process. In this case, the degradation reactions (SiO+2C=SiC+CO and SiO2+3C=SiC+2CO) in the inside of each filament became faster, and then the CO partial pressure at the surface region of each filament was found to be increased. In consequence, according to Le Chatelier's principle, the surface degradation reaction and grain growth of formed SiC crystals would be considered to become slower. That is to say, using the raw fiber with higher oxygen content and closed system (highest CO content in the reactor), much smoother surface of the SiC-polycrystalline fiber could be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a repair method by bonding patch plates is being applied to corroded steel structures. However, one of the issues of patch plate bonding repair is the brittle debonding of the patch plates. Generally, when the delamination of the patch plates occurs, the composite effect acting between the steel members and patch plates abruptly decreases. Therefore, to prevent the brittle debonding of the patch plates, a repair method combining an adhesive and stud bolts is proposed. Till date, tensile and compressive tests have been performed for the proposed method. In this study, plate bending tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of this method under bending conditions. Furthermore, two types of epoxy resin-based adhesives were prepared to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method with different adhesive properties. The test results show that the proposed method is able to prevent the brittle debonding of the patch plates in the case of both epoxy resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which focused on the initial growth stage and optical properties of a three-dimensional indium arsenide structure on gallium arsenide. Results of reflection high-energy electron-diffraction observation; Findings of the transmission electron microscope observation; Details of the photoluminescence spectroscopy.

Presents the results of luminescence studies for free-standing cadmium-zinc-sulfur/zinc-sulfur layer superlattices. Band discontinuity; Growth of the compounds by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy; Photoluminescence characteristics.

Studies the generation and annihilation of positive and negative ion-depleted region in soda-lime silicate glass. Techniques for clarifying the nature of motion of ionic charge carriers in glass under electrical stress; Details on the experiment; Discussion on the results of the study.

Examines properties of platinum-associated deep levels in silicon. Diffusion of platinum into n-type and p-type silicon; Information on the three levels associated with platinum detected using the deep-level transient spectroscopy technique; diffusion profiles of substitutional platinum.

All adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD receiving dupilumab treatment who visited our hospital between June 2018 and December 2018 were included in this study. The EASI score significantly decreased by 44% on average at 1 month and by 69% at 3 months; however, no significant decrease in the EASI scores for the head and neck was found at 1 month after starting dupilumab (Fig. c, d). We observed a mild injection-site reaction in one patient and hair regrowth in another patient with alopecia areata (we have previously reported on the latter patient).[4] No patients have discontinued dupilumab as of 1 March 2019. [Extracted from the article]

We study epitaxial NdNiO3 thin films on NdGaO3(001) single-crystal substrates grown using a pulsed-laser deposition method. The films show a clear first-order metal-insulator transition (MIT) at TMI∼240 K, which is significantly higher than TMI∼190 K in bulk NdNiO3. The x-ray reciprocal space map shows in-plane tensile and out-of-plane compressive strain, stabilizing the more distorted NdNiO3 thin films with the higher transition temperature. Hard x-ray photoemission shows changes across the MIT and the bandwidth-controlled charge-transfer gap opens due to the reduced p-d hybridization in the low-temperature insulating phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effects in Cox(MnyGa1-y)100-x Heusler alloy thin films epitaxially grown on a MgO single-crystal substrate have been investigated by changing their composition in the ranges of x = 44.4–59.2 at. % and y = 0.44–0.55. Negative AMR ratios were observed at measurement temperatures from 5 to 300 K for all the films, indicating that Co2MnGa films have possible half-metallicity. The AMR ratio changed sensitively depending on the composition of the films. In the case of the film with y = 0.44, the AMR ratio peaked at around x = 50 at. %. In addition, the amplitude of the AMR ratio increased with decreasing y when x was approximately 50 at. %. As a notable result, large negative AMR ratios of −2.32% at 5 K and −0.82% at 300 K, whose amplitude is more than four times that of Co2MnSi films, were obtained for the Co−Mn−Ga films. These results suggest that the Co2MnGa films have a high spin polarization due to half-metallicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Previous reports suggest that several serum biomarkers play roles in the pathogenesis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress in periodontitis caused by bacterial infections, linking chronic periodontitis to atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD). The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate, in a Japanese cross‐sectional community survey, potential serum biomarkers of periodontitis that are associated with ASVD and chronic periodontitis. Material and Methods: The study cohort included a total of 108 male subjects who underwent annual health examinations. Serum biomarkers (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein [hs‐CRP], proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 [PCSK9], interleukin‐6, tumor necrosis factor‐α, soluble CD14, myeloperoxidase, matrix metalloproteinase‐3, adiponectin, total bilirubin [TBIL], and serum lipids) were analyzed to determine their association (if any) with periodontal parameters. Aortic stiffness was evaluated using the brachial‐ankle aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) index and the cardio‐ankle vascular index (CAVI). Results: The concentrations of PCSK9 and hs‐CRP were increased (P = .001 and .042, respectively), and the concentration of TBIL was decreased (P = .046), in subjects with periodontal disease (determined as a probing depth of ≥4 mm in at least one site) compared with periodontally healthy subjects. The ratio of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and the concentrations of triglycerides, remnant‐like particles‐cholesterol, and oxidized LDL were elevated in subjects with periodontal disease compared with periodontally healthy subjects (P = .038, .007, .002, and .049, respectively). Multivariate regression analyses indicated that the number of sites with a pocket depth of ≥4 mm was associated with the concentration of PCSK9 and inversely associated with the concentration of TBIL independently (standardized β = .243, P = .040; standardized β = −.443, P = .0002; respectively). Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves of PCSK9 indicated moderate accuracy for predicting the presence of disease sites (probing depth ≥ 4 mm) (area under the curve = 0.740). No significance in the values of PWV and CAVI was observed between subjects with periodontal disease and periodontally healthy subjects. Conclusion: In Japanese male subjects, the concentrations of serum PCSK9 and TBIL were correlated with periodontal parameters. Moreover, PCSK9 could be a candidate biomarker for diagnosing chronic periodontitis, and may also have potential to evaluate the risk for periodontitis to cause ASVD. Longitudinal studies of larger populations are necessary to confirm the exact association of periodontitis with increased serum PCSK9 and decreased TBIL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape is one of the most important traits of agricultural products due to its relationships with the quality, quantity, and value of the products. For strawberries, the nine types of fruit shape were defined and classified by humans based on the sampler patterns of the nine types. In this study, we tested the classification of strawberry shapes by machine learning in order to increase the accuracy of the classification, and we introduce the concept of computerization into this field. Four types of descriptors were extracted from the digital images of strawberries: (1) the Measured Values (MVs) including the length of the contour line, the area, the fruit length and width, and the fruit width/length ratio; (2) the Ellipse Similarity Index (ESI); (3) Elliptic Fourier Descriptors (EFDs), and (4) Chain Code Subtraction (CCS). We used these descriptors for the classification test along with the random forest approach, and eight of the nine shape types were classified with combinations of MVs + CCS + EFDs. CCS is a descriptor that adds human knowledge to the chain codes, and it showed higher robustness in classification than the other descriptors. Our results suggest machine learning's high ability to classify fruit shapes accurately. We will attempt to increase the classification accuracy and apply the machine learning methods to other plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]