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Abstract Direct growth of oxide film on silicon is usually prevented by extensive diffusion or chemical reaction between silicon (Si) and oxide materials. Thermodynamic stability of binary oxides is comprehensively investigated on Si substrates and shows possibility of chemical reaction of oxide materials on Si surface. However, the thermodynamic stability does not include any crystallographic factors, which is required for epitaxial growth. Adsorption energy evaluated by total energy estimated with the density functional theory predicted the orientation of epitaxial film growth on Si surface. For lower computing cost, the adsorption energy was estimated without any structural optimization (simple total of energy method). Although the adsorption energies were different on simple ToE method, the crystal orientation of epitaxial growth showed the same direction with/without the structural optimization. The results were agreed with previous simulations including structural optimization. Magnesium oxide (MgO), as example of epitaxial film, was experimentally deposited on Si substrates and compared with the results from the adsorption evaluation. X-ray diffraction showed cubic on cubic growth [MgO(100)//Si(100) and MgO(001)//Si(001)] which agreed with the results of the adsorption energy.

There have been a lot of interest in developing synthesis methods for the preparation of homogeneous multicomponent metal oxides for wide range of applications in the literature. One synthesis method of metal oxides was patented by Pechini in 1967, which involved an intermediate metal containing resin formation followed by calcination. Extensive research based on this patent took place over last few decades. However, many works in past would include confusions and contradictions among so called “sol–gel methods”, “co-precipitation methods” and “solution routes”. Even now, the confusion between the sol–gel method and the method described in the patent by Pechini prevails in the literatures. Interestingly, (i) the synthesis method described by Pechini is different from the so-called sol–gel methods, (ii) chemically, complex formation and polymerization reactions take place at the early stage and (iii) the performance of materials produced by this method is excellent for many applications. Herein, based on the extensive research, a scientific name such as the polymer complex (PC) method has been proposed. Furthermore, the general development and advancement of this method and recent advances in the area of thermoelectric, energy storage and photocatalytic materials preparation, respectively involving the PC method have been discussed.

α-Alkylation of β-keto esters is a frequently used reaction for carbon–carbon bond formation, but a general, stereoselective version of this reaction is challenging to realize. Here, the authors report a combined ruthenium and palladium catalytic system for the asymmetric dehydrative condensation between cinnamyl-type allylic alcohols and β-keto esters.

Abstract Growth morphology of carbon clusters deposited on different substrates were investigated by theoretical and experimental approach. For theoretical approach, molecular dynamics was employed to evaluate an adsorptive stability of different size of carbon clusters placed on different substrates. The adsorptive stability was estimated by the difference of total energy of supercell designed as carbon cluster placed on a certain crystal plane of substrate. Among the simulations of this study, carbon cluster flatly settled down on the surface of SrTiO $$_{3}$$ 3 (001). The result was experimentally verified with layer by layer growth of graphene by pulsed laser deposition in carbon dioxide atmosphere. The absorptive stability can be useful reference for screening substrate for any target material other than graphene.

Abstract Objective We aimed to establish a novel sperm quality evaluation technology by measuring mitochondrial oxygen metabolism in human spermatozoa. Results Normozoospermic human sperm samples were used. After establishing the optimal parameters for measuring the oxygen metabolism of human sperm cells using the extracellular flux analyzer, we measured the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of human spermatozoa exposed to different storage temperatures. Although sperm motility was significantly lower at 4 °C when compared with sperm motility at 37 °C, there were no significant differences in sperm vitality and the OCR under both conditions. The present study established a methodology for human sperm quality evaluation using extracellular flux analysis technology. The OCR evaluation could be a reliable measurement tool for assessing human sperm quality.

The continuous production of high-quality, few-layer graphene nanosheets (GNSs) functionalized with nitrogen-containing groups was achieved via a two-stage reaction method. The initial stage produces few-layer GNSs by utilizing our recently developed glycine-bisulfate ionic complex-assisted electrochemical exfoliation of graphite. The second stage, developed here, uses a radical initiator and nitrogen precursor (azobisisobutyronitrile) under microwave conditions in an aqueous solution for the efficient nitrogen functionalization of the initially formed GNSs. These nitrile radical reactions have great advantages in green chemistry and soft processing. Raman spectra confirm the insertion of nitrogen functional groups into nitrogen-functionalized graphene (N-FG), whose disorder is higher than that of GNSs. X-ray photoelectron spectra confirm the insertion of edge/surface nitrogen functional groups. The insertion of nitrogen functional groups is further confirmed by the enhanced dispersibility of N-FG in dimethyl formamide, ethylene glycol, acetonitrile, and water. Indeed, after the synthesis of N-FG in solution, it is possible to disperse N-FG in these liquid dispersants just by a simple washing–centrifugation separation–dispersion sequence. Therefore, without any drying, milling, and redispersion into liquid again, we can produce N-FG ink with only solution processing. Thus, the present work demonstrates the ‘continuous solution processing’ of N-FG inks without complicated post-processing conditions. Furthermore, the formation mechanism of N-FG is presented.

Background The mammalian Notch family ligands delta‐like 3 (DLL3) is reported to be a potential therapeutic target for large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC). The effect of DLL3 expression on LCNEC prognosis has not yet been elucidated. Methods We reviewed the medical records of 70 LCNEC patients undergoing surgical resection between 2001 and 2015 using a prospectively maintained database. We performed immunohistochemistry for DLL3 and investigated the correlation between the sensitivity of LCNEC to platinum‐based adjuvant chemotherapy. Results DLL3 expression was positive in 26 (37.1%) LCNEC patients. A total of 23 patients (32.9%) received platinum‐based adjuvant chemotherapy. Among patients with DLL3 expression‐positive tumors, no difference was found in the five‐year overall survival (OS) or recurrence‐free survival (RFS) between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy (surgery + chemotherapy vs. surgery alone, five‐year OS: 58.3% vs. 35.7% P = 0.36, five‐year RFS: 41.7% vs. 35.7% P = 0.74). In contrast, among patients with DLL3‐negative tumors, significantly greater five‐year OS and RFS rates were observed for patients with adjuvant chemotherapy than for those without it (surgery + chemotherapy vs. surgery alone: five‐year OS: 90.0% vs. 26.9% P

This study compares two leadership styles, emergent leader (EL) and assigned leader (AL), to explore effective leadership in second language (L2) group work. ELs were spontaneously chosen by the group, while ALs were pre-assigned by teachers before the task. The study involved 45 university students, who were divided into seven EL groups (n = 21) and eight AL groups (n = 24). Complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) was used to explore how these leadership styles impacted group work dynamics, motivation, and task outcomes. Findings revealed that having a group leader was beneficial for task performance, regardless of the leadership style. However, the study identified qualitative differences in group work dynamics and motivation between EL and AL groups. Behaviors contributing to group work activation were more frequently observed in the AL groups. Additionally, motivation increased gradually in the EL groups, while it peaked early and remained high in the AL groups. Results suggest that pre-assigning a leader with a clear role can ensure favorable initial conditions for the group, leader, and members, while accelerating the growth of group work dynamics and motivation in short-timed group tasks. Therefore, the study provides evidence supporting the effectiveness of pre-assigning a leader in L2 group work.

Here, we introduce a 2D metal-organic framework (MOF) into the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix, which has been comparatively less explored in this field. Highly 2D Ni-MOF has been synthesized in this regard via hydrothermal route and has been incorporated into PVDF matrix via solvent casting technique with ultralow filler (0.5 wt%) loading. The polar phase percentage of 0.5 wt% Ni-MOF loaded PVDF film (NPVDF) has been found to be increased to ~85% from a value of ~55% for neat PVDF. The ultralow filler loading has inhibited the easy breakdown path along with increased dielectric permittivity and hence has enhanced the energy storage performance. On the other hand, significantly enriched polarity and Young’s Modulus has helped in improving its mechanical energy harvesting performance, thereby enhancing the human motion interactive sensing activities. The piezoelectric and piezo-tribo hybrid devices made up of NPVDF film have shown improved output power density of ~3.26 and 31 μW/cm2 compared to those of the piezoelectric and piezo-tribo hybrid devices comprising of neat PVDF (output power density ~0.6 and 17 μW/cm2, respectively). The developed composite can thus be considered an excellent candidate for multifunctional applications.

Background Partner of Sld five 3 (Psf3) is a member of the heterotetrameric complex that consists of SLD5, Psf1, Psf2, and Psf3. We have shown in previous studies that high Psf3 expression was a poor prognostic marker for pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Here, we statistically evaluated the relationship between clinicopathologic factors and Psf3 expression in stage I pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Methods A total of 583 patients who had undergone complete resection of stage I pulmonary adenocarcinoma from January 2002 to December 2009 were included in the study. Tissue microarrays were performed, and the resected tumors were divided into groups according to Psf3 expression. Results Of 583 patients, high expression of Psf3 was observed in 211 (36.2%) and low expression of Psf3 observed in 372 (63.8%) patients. Among stage I patients, the five‐year survival rate was 76.7% in the Psf3 high expression group and 90.9% in the Psf3 low expression group (P

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to identify subgroups with good or bad prognosis in patients with pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) based on immunostaining patterns with neuroendocrine markers and compare them with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Methods From January 2001 to December 2017, of all patients with resected LCNEC and SCLC, we selected patients whose pathological tumor sizes were ≤30 mm in diameter (defined as small‐sized tumors) and who underwent complete resection with lymphadenectomy. We classified patients with small‐sized LCNEC (sLCNEC) into two subgroups based on immunostaining patterns with three neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and NCAM) and compared them to small‐sized SCLC (sSCLC). Results A total of 48 patients with sLCNEC and 39 patients with sSCLC were enrolled. Of 48 patients with sLCNEC, 21 were categorized as the small‐sized triple‐positive group (sTP), whose patients were positive for the three neuroendocrine markers, and 27 patients were categorized as the small‐sized nontriple‐positive group (sNTP), whose patients were not positive for all three neuroendocrine markers. The percentage of lymph node metastasis was significantly lower in sNTP than in sTP and sSCLC. There was no significant difference in overall survival, but recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and tumor‐specific survival (TSS) were significantly poorer in sTP and sSCLC than in sNTP. Multivariate analysis revealed sTP and sSCLC were independent prognostic factors for poorer RFS and TSS than those of sNTP. Conclusions The sNTP subgroup had a good prognosis and the sTP subgroup a poor prognosis. There were some similarities in clinicopathological features between sTP and sSCLC.

Abstract Aims/Introduction Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors reduce bodyweight (BW) by creating a negative energy balance. Previous reports have suggested that this BW reduction is mainly loss of body fat and that ~20% of the reduction is lean mass. However, the effects of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors on BW and body composition remain unclear. We examined these effects in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with insulin. Materials and Methods In this open‐label, randomized controlled trial, 49 overweight patients (body mass index ≥23 kg/m2) with inadequate glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c >7.0%) receiving insulin treatment were randomly assigned to receive add‐on ipragliflozin or no additional treatment (control group). Patients were followed for 24 weeks. The goal for all patients was to achieve glycated hemoglobin

A pneumatocele is a cystic change of the lung that is caused by a check valve in the bronchiole due to infection, trauma and positive-pressure ventilation. We herein report a case of pneumatocele triggered by using of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) after pulmonary resection. A 69-year-old man underwent right upper lobectomy for lung cancer and developed interstitial pneumonia (IP) 10th postoperative day (POD). He was treated with steroid pulse therapy (solmedrol 500 mg × 3 days), and thereafter with oral steroid therapy (predonin 30mg/day). Well responded to the steroid therapy, IP was improved. However, he noticed bloody sputum 29th POD, and chest computed tomography showed a giant cystic lesion on the dorsal right lower lobe. We resected the cyst and the pathological findings revealed that the cystic lesion was pneumatocele, and CPAP was strongly suspected of triggering this disease.

We report the development of a simple, one-pot solution-processing synthesis of nitrogen (N) and boron (B) co-doped in few-layered graphene by submerged liquid plasma exfoliation (SLPE). Simultaneous graphite exfoliation and N, and B co-doping in few layered graphene nanosheets (NB-GNs) were produced by micro-plasma discharge at the graphite tip immersed in the acetonitrile (ACN) solvent containing sodium tetraphenylborate. Higher boron contents led to an amorphous nano-carbon, while a few-layered NB-GNs was obtained at low boron content in the ACN reaction mixture. To analyze the structural defect, nanosheet morphology, N and B co-doping in a few-layered graphene, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used. This solution-processing strategy will be useful for the practical option of exploring a large family of two-dimensional (2D) materials.

Silicon carbide materials are excellent candidates for high-performance applications due to their outstanding thermomechanical properties and their strong corrosion resistance. SiC materials can be processed in various forms, from nanomaterials to continuous fibers. Common applications of SiC materials include the aerospace and nuclear fields, where the material is used in severely oxidative environments. Therefore, it is important to understand the kinetics of SiC oxidation and the parameters influencing them. The first part of this review focuses on the oxidation of SiC in dry air according to the Deal and Grove model showing that the oxidation behavior of SiC depends on the temperature and the time of oxidation. The oxidation rate can also be accelerated with the presence of H2O in the system due to its diffusion through the oxide scales. Therefore, wet oxidation is studied in the second part. The third part details the effect of hydrothermal media on the SiC materials that has been explained by different models, namely Yoshimura (1986), Hirayama (1989) and Allongue (1992). The last part of this review focuses on the hydrothermal corrosion of SiC materials from an application point of view and determine whether it is beneficial (manufacturing of materials) or detrimental (use of SiC in latest nuclear reactors).

Enhanced secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been suggested as a possible mechanism underlying the improvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). However, the reason for enhanced GLP-1 secretion during glucose challenge after LSG remains unclear because LSG does not include intestinal bypass. In this study, we focused on the effects of LSG on GLP-1 secretion and intestinal motility during the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) using cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and 3 months after LSG.LSG was performed in 12 obese patients with a body mass index >35 kg/m(2). Six patients had T2DM. OGTT was performed before and 3 months after the surgery. Body weight, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and GLP-1 levels during OGTT were examined, and intestinal motility during OGTT was assessed using cine MRI.Body weight was significantly decreased after surgery in all the cases. HbA1c was markedly decreased in all the diabetic subjects. In all cases, GLP-1 secretion during OGTT was enhanced and cine MRI showed markedly increased intestinal motility at 15 and 30 min during OGTT after LSG.LSG leads to accelerated intestinal motility and reduced intestinal transit time, which may be involved in the mechanism underlying enhanced GLP-1 secretion during OGTT after LSG.

Amid the increasing popularity of task-based language teaching, task motivation is considered one of the keys to success, but motivational influence among learners has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. The purpose of this study is to investigate the process of motivation contagion in language learning pair work. Specifically, it tests the hypothesis that motivation contagion in pairs occurs either by observing the motivational orientation of the partner (i.e., priming), or as a result of the perceived expectations of the learning task (i.e., expectancy formation). A total of 140 Japanese university students worked in pairs on a picture description task. The analysis of the post-task questionnaires indicated that motivation contagion occurred both by priming and expectancy formation, but the impact of the latter was more significant. It was also found that highly motivated learners were strongly affected by expectancies about the quality of task involvement and interpersonal relations, while less motivated learners were influenced more by their partners' motivation levels. Through the learners' retrospective accounts, we also found that mutually supportive attitudes and behaviors play an essential role in boosting motivation contagion. The findings provide pedagogical implications for designing dyadic activities that can help learners motivate each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Partner of Sld five (Psf ) 3 is a member of the evolutionarily conserved heterotetrameric complex GINS (Go-Ichi-Ni-San). We previously reported that Psf3 could serve as a biomarker of poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma. Here, we used tissue microarrays to analyse Psf3 expression in lung adenocarcinoma and investigated whether its expression is associated with survival outcomes. METHODS: The study included 864 consecutive patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent complete resection at Hyogo Cancer Center between January 2002 and December 2009. Tissue microarrays were prepared, and Psf3 was detected using mouse antihuman Psf3 primary monoclonal antibodies. The status of Psf3 expression was determined using these microarrays. RESULTS: Of the 864 patients, 375 had high-positive Psf3 expression and 489 had low-positive expression. Psf3 expression was significantly associated with age, sex, T factor, lymph node metastasis, stage and P factor. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was significantly lower in patients with high-positive Psf3 expression than in those with low-positive expression, and Psf3 expression, sex, age, T factor and lymph node metastasis were identified as independent and significant prognostic determinants. Among patients with Stage I adenocarcinoma, the 5-year DFS rate was significantly lower in those with high-positive Psf3 expression than in those with low-positive expression, and Psf3 expression was the most powerful survival predictor. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings strengthened our previous data demonstrating that high Psf3 expression in primary lung adenocarcinoma plays an important role in disease progression and is a prognostic indicator, particularly in early-stage adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the clinical benefit of segmentectomy for patients with cT1bN0M0 lung cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 178 patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy for cT1bN0M0 lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma from January 1995 to December 2005. We investigated the association of surgical outcomes with the presence of pathological invasion. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 93.4 months. Of 178 patients, 37 were scheduled for segmentectomy, but 6 of these patients were switched to receive lobectomy due to surgical N1 or N2 in 3 patients and insufficient surgical margins in 3 patients. In total, 31 patients underwent segmentectomy, and 147 underwent lobectomy. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was similar between the patients who underwent lobectomy (5-year OS, 81.6%) and segmentectomy (5-year OS, 77.4%, P = 0.73). Among pN0 patients without pathological invasion, there was no difference in OS between patients who underwent lobectomy (5-year OS, 89.9%) and segmentectomy (5-year OS, 88.9%, P = 0.80). In contrast, among pN0 patients with pathological invasion, OS was greater in patients who underwent lobectomy (5-year OS, 80.9%) than in those who underwent segmentectomy (5-year OS, 54.6%; P = 0.19).Moreover, a significantly higher rate of local and local + distant recurrence was observed in patients who underwent segmentectomy (45%) than in those who underwent lobectomy (15%) in this group (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that segmentectomy may not be recommended for cT1b tumours if pathological invasion is suspected before surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This multicentre study aimed to investigate the predictors of pathological lymph node status in patients with clinical stage IA squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, to select candidates for sublobar resection. METHODS: In total, we analysed 100 patients with clinical stage IA squamous cell carcinoma of the lung who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy with systematic lymph node dissection. The relationship between lymph node status and tumour size on computed tomography, maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) on [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and serum tumour markers were examined. RESULTS: Lymph node metastases were present in 12% of the study subjects, and 54% had evidence of pathological tumour invasiveness such as lymph node metastasis and/or lymphatic, vascular or pleural invasion. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for tumour size, maximum SUV, serum carcinoembryonic antigen and serum cytokeratin-19 fragments used to predict lymph node metastasis were 0.54 (P = 0.69), 0.46 (P = 0.67), 0.47 (P = 0.74) and 0.42 (P = 0.37), respectively. After multivariate analysis, no independent predictive factors for lymph node metastasis remained among those preoperative parameters. Likewise, we could find no preoperative predictors from either the ROC curves or multivariate analysis for pathological tumour invasiveness. CONCLUSIONS: All examined factors in this dataset were not predictive for lymph node metastasis or pathological invasiveness in patients with clinical stage IA squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Systematic lymphadenectomy is advisable for this type of tumour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously reported that cancer cells may be detected through pleural lavage cytology (PLC). In this study, we sought to re-examine the prognostic significance of the PLC status based on an extended dataset with an additional follow-up period. Pleural lavage following thoracotomy was cytologically examined in 1,317 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with NSCLC between 1987 and 2004 at the Thoracic Surgery Units of Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine and Hyogo Cancer Center. Among the investigated patients, 46 exhibited positive cytological findings. The prognosis of these patients was significantly worse compared to that of patients without positive PLC. Of the 844 pathological stage I patients, 18 had a positive PLC status and their prognosis was significantly worse compared to that of patients with stage I disease without positive PLC. In conclusion, positive PLC findings were associated with a poor prognosis and this finding was significant for patients with stage I disease. These results suggest the need for PLC status evaluation during staging and treatment planning in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Even with complete resection, the prognosis of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer is poor due to local and distant recurrence, and it remains unclear which biomarkers are clinically useful for predicting recurrence or for determining the efficacy of chemotherapy. Recently, several lines of evidence have indicated that the enzymatic activity of cyclin-dependent kinases could be a clinically relevant prognostic marker for some cancers. We investigated whether the specific activity of cyclin-dependent kinases 1 and 2 could predict recurrence or death in early non-small cell lung cancer patients. Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed, pathologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer were entered into this blinded cohort study. The activity of cyclin-dependent kinases was determined in 171 samples by the C2P® assay, and the results were subjected to statistical analysis with recurrence or death as a clinical outcome. Results: The Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 1, but not 2, was a predictor of recurrence, independent of sex, age, and stage. By contrast, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity was a predictor of death, independent of sex and stage. Conclusion: This study suggested the possible clinical use of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 as a predictor of recurrence and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 as a predictor of overall survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Thus, a combination of activity of cyclin-dependent kinases 1 and 2 is useful in decision-making regarding treatment strategies for non-small cell lung cancer after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histological subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a significant factor when selecting treatment strategies. However, cases are occasionally encountered that are diagnosed as 'not otherwise specified' (NOS) prior to surgery, due to an uncertain histological subtype. The present study investigated the prognostic significance of the NOS subtype for patients with resectable NSCLC. Between 2001 and 2011, 1,913 patients were diagnosed with NSCLC using transbronchial biopsy and underwent surgical resection at two facilities in Japan. Of these patients, 151 (7.9%) were pre-operatively diagnosed with NSCLC-NOS (NOS group) and the remainder had confirmed histological subtypes (confirmed group). The present study compared the clinicopathological features and prognoses of these groups. Analyses of resected specimens revealed that pleomorphic cell carcinoma, large cell neuroendocrine cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma were significantly more common in the NOS group than in the confirmed group (P<0.001, P=0.002, P=0.019 and P=0.014, respectively). The five-year survival rate was significantly poorer in the NOS group (60.5 vs. 67.1%; P=0.010), particularly for stage I disease (70.8 vs. 80.7%; P=0.007). The results of a multivariate analysis of overall survival indicated that NOS was a significant independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.86; P=0.041). These results indicated that pre-operative NOS was significantly associated with poorer survival, including for stage I disease. In conjunction with other clinicopathological parameters, NOS can be a useful prognostic factor when deciding on a treatment strategy for NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study objective was to examine the incidence, risk factors, and mortality rate of acute exacerbation of interstitial lung diseases in patients with lung cancer undergoing pulmonary resection in a large-scale multi-institutional cohort. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1763 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had undergone pulmonary resection and presented with a clinical diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases between January 2000 and December 2009 at 61 hospitals in Japan. The incidence and outcomes of acute exacerbation within 30 days from the operation were investigated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors of acute exacerbation. Results: Acute exacerbation occurred in 164 patients (9.3%; 95% confidence interval, 8.0-10.8), with a mortality rate of 43.9%, and was the top cause of 30-day mortality (71.7%). The following 7 independent risk factors of acute exacerbation were identified: surgical procedures, male sex, history of exacerbation, preoperative steroid use, serum sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6 levels, usual interstitial pneumonia appearance on computed tomography scan, and reduced percent predicted vital capacity. Surgical procedures showed the strongest association with acute exacerbation (using wedge resection as the reference, lobectomy or segmentectomy: odds ratio, 3.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.94-7.57; bi-lobectomy or pneumonectomy: odds ratio, 5.70; 95% confidence interval, 2.38-13.7; P < .001). The effect of perioperative prophylactics, such as steroids and sivelestat, was not confirmed in this study. Conclusions: Pulmonary resection for patients with lung cancer with interstitial lung diseases may provoke acute exacerbation at a substantially high rate and has high associated mortality. Surgical procedures that proved to be a risk factor for acute exacerbation should be chosen cautiously for these high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soldering is an ancient process, having been developed 5000 years ago. It remains a crucial process with many modern applications. In electronic devices, electric currents pass through solder joints.Anew physical phenomenon - the supersaturation of solders under high electric currents - has recently been observed. It involves (1) un-expected supersaturation of the solder matrix phase, and (2) the formation of unusual "ring-shaped" grains. However, the origin of these phenomena is not yet understood. Here we provide a plausible explanation of these phenomena based on the changes in the phase stability of Pb-Sn solders. Ab initio-aided CALPHAD modeling is utilized to translate the electric current-induced effect into the excess Gibbs free energies of the phases. Hence, the phase equilibrium can be shifted by current stressing. The Pb-Sn phase diagrams with and without current stressing clearly demonstrate the change in the phase stabilities of Pb-Sn solders under current stressing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glow discharge polymerization is not well understood due to the rapid/complex reaction at the plasma/gas precursor interface. Plasma reaction in a submerged condition allows post-plasma-polymerization, leading to further polymer growth and thus a stable structure. Electron collision with acetonitrile at the interface initiates the formation of radical monomers, which undergoes further rearrangement to form low-molecular (LM) nitrogen polymers (NPs). The radical-rich LM NPs go through further polymerization, forming stable high-molecular (HM) NPs (as determined using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry).LMNPs absorb light at a wavelength of 270 nm(λ max) whereasHMNPs show absorption at 420 nm (λ max), as determined from ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra. The fluorescence spectra ofHM NPs show characteristic emission at 430 nm, which indicates the presence of nitrogen functional groups with external conjugation. The proposed structure of HM NPs is verified with different analytical instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach for the preparation of “coupling-type noise suppressors” in which ferrite films are directly deposited onto the components of the printed circuit board is reported. Crystalline MnxZnyFe3−x−yO4films were fabricated on IC chips and polyimide substrates by a soft-chemistry route at temperatures below 100 °C. A “reaction-solution” comprising MCl2(M = Mn, Zn, Fe) and an “oxidizing-solution” (pH buffer + oxidizing agent) were sprayed simultaneously onto a substrate maintained at 90 °C on a rotating disk. The as-prepared films were highly crystalline and hence do not require any post annealing. The magnetic and electrical properties of the films were studied. The films exhibited a large magnetic loss (imaginary permeability µ″) in GHz range and also exhibited high resistivity in accordance to overcome the heat treatment during the reflow soldering process. Resistivity of 2 × 105Ω sq−1was found to be the lower limit for the coupling-type noise suppressors. Noise suppression of above 50% at 10 GHz was obtained for a 6.7 µm thick MnZn-ferrite film and was equivalent to that of commercialized composite sheet noise suppressors of 50 µm thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Most of the existing methods of crystalline ceria (CeO2) films preparation consume much time and cost. Here we describe a straightforward and relatively cost-effective method of CeO2 films preparation that involves direct spray deposition process on glass substrates at moderate temperatures (300–400 °C) using cerium acetate precursor in mixture of water and ethanol. X-ray diffraction analysis of obtained films revealed that they were polycrystalline, at least for a certain extent, with cubic fluorite structure and showed the existence of nanocrystallites. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed that the films were crack-free and consists of nanocrystalline(E g) value of 3.06–3.08 eV. The film formation mechanism to obtain the transparent film has also been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  We have proposed an innovative concept and technology, “soft processing” or “soft solution processing,” which aims at low energetic (environmentally benign) fabrication of shaped, sized, located, and oriented ceramic materials by chemical reactions in or from solutions. By activating or stimulating those reactions locally and/or moving the reaction point dynamically, we can obtain patterned ceramic films directly in solution without any postheating, masking, or etching. Using those “direct patterning” concepts and technologies, we have developed methods for direct patterning of CdS, PbS, and CaWO4 on paper substrates by ink-jet reaction at RT and TiO2 patterning on a glass substrate by ink-jet deposition at 3 pattern by a laser beam-assisted process and a carbon pattern by a needle electrode, directly in solutions at ambient temperatures and pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a challenging disease with regard to diagnosis and treatment; early and accurate diagnosis would lead to appropriate therapeutic strategies, including extrapleural pneumonectomy. Immunohistochemistry has proven valuable for the diagnosis of the most common epithelioid mesothelioma, although it is often difficult to differentiate it from pulmonary or metastatic adenocarcinoma with absolute certainty if a single antibody is employed. The current study was designed to identify an immunodiagnostic panel for pleural mesothelioma.Large surgical specimens from 66 cases with pleural mesothelioma and 66 with lung adenocarcinoma were immunohistochemically reevaluated under uniform conditions. The antibodies examined were directed against the novel mesothelial marker D2‐40, as well as calretinin, CEA, and TTF‐1.For mesothelioma the sensitivities of D2‐40 and calretinin were 84.8% and 87.9%, respectively, and their specificities were both 95.5%. For adenocarcinoma, the sensitivities of CEA and TTF‐1 were 95.5% and 92.4%, respectively, and their specificities were both 100%. Immunoreactivity to D2‐40 and calretinin was observed in most areas of epithelioid differentiation in mesothelioma. Western blots also showed higher levels of D2‐40 antigen in pleura invaded by epithelioid mesothelioma as compared with unaffected pleura.These data strongly suggest the significant usefulness of D2‐40 and calretinin as positive markers, and of CEA and TTF‐1 as negative markers, for pleural mesothelioma. The 4‐antibody immunohistochemical panel showed high sensitivity and specificity with regard to differentiation of epithelioid mesothelioma from lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare and aggressive malignant tumor, which was proposed as a novel type of neuroendocrine tumor in 1991. Although it is categorized as a non-small cell lung carcinoma, the precise pathological condition is unknown due to its rare occurrence. The present study outlines the case of a patient presenting with an LCNEC that exhibited pagetoid spread from the region of the primary tumor to the bronchial epithelium (distance, >30 mm). The pagetoid spread was unconfirmed preoperatively, however, was identified by intraoperative rapid diagnosis. This caused us to suffer the perioperative decision of additional resection and resulted in an incomplete resection, as suture of the bronchus was not possible. Pagetoid spread, which is often apparent in the breast, presents as a rare pattern of infiltration of cancer cells when a massive carcinoma is identified beneath the intraepithelial spread. Although preoperative diagnosis of pagetoid spread is difficult due to its rarity and undefined clinical features, it is important for surgeons and pathologists treating lung cancer patients to be aware of potential pagetoid spread in the thoracic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

7Li and 51V NMR measurements up to 9.8 GPa have been made to elucidate local magnetic properties of a heavy-fermion spinel oxide LiV2O4 which undergoes a metal-insulator transition above ~7 GPa. The temperature T and pressure P dependences of the 7Li and 51V Knight shifts and the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rates 1/T1 show that in the metallic phase, there is a crossover from a high-T region with weak ferromagnetic fluctuations to a low-T one with antiferromagnetic (AFM) fluctuations. The AFM fluctuations are enhanced below 20 K and 1.5 GPa, where a heavy Fermi-liquid state with the modified Korringa relation is formed. The evolution of the magnetic fluctuations is discussed from the aspect of the competition among several magnetic interactions. Above PMI~6.7 GPa, we find the coexistence of metallic and insulating phases due to the first-order metal-insulator transition. The 7Li and 51V NMR spectra coming from the insulating phase have T-independent small Knight shifts and 7(1/T1) with the thermally activated T dependence, indicating the formation of a spin-singlet cluster. We propose a model of a spin-singlet tetramer as discussed in geometrically frustrated materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have applied a novel 'melt synthesis technique' rather than a conventional solid-state reaction to rapidly synthesize phosphor materials. During a synthesis, the mixture of oxides or their precursors is melted by light pulses (10–60 s) in an arc-imaging furnace on a water-cooled copper hearth to form a globule of 1–5 mm diameter, which is then rapidly cooled by turning off the light. Using this method, we synthesized several phosphor compounds including Y3Al5O12:Ce(YAG) and SrAl2O4:Eu,Dy. Complex phosphor oxides are difficult to produce by conventional solid-state reaction techniques because of the slow reaction rates among solid oxides; as a result, the oxides form homogeneous compounds or solid solutions. On the other hand, melt reactions are very fast (10–60 s) and result in homogeneous compounds owing to rapid diffusion and mixing in the liquid phase. Therefore, melt synthesis techniques are suitable for preparing multi component homogeneous compounds and solid solutions.