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Perovskite-type oxides have been the subject of intense research due to their various fascinating physical properties stemming from their charge degree of freedom. PbFeO3has an unusual Pb2+0.5Pb4+0.5Fe3+O3charge distribution with a long-ranged ordering of Pb2+and Pb4+and two inequivalent Fe3+sites in a perovskite structure. Combined synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed a change to an orthorhombic GdFeO3structure with a unique Fe3+site and randomly distributed Pb2+and Pb4+at 29.0 GPa, namely, pressure-induced amorphization of Pb2+and Pb4+. The absence of a charge transfer transition to the Pb2+Fe4+O3phase, which was expected from the comparison with PbCrO3and PbCoO3, was verified using ab initio density functional theory calculations in the range of 0–70 GPa.

Objectives Despite existing patient safety measures, both outside and inside hospitals, barriers to patient safety prevail. We aimed to identify the current contributory factors to patient safety in Japan.Methods This qualitative study included nine expert Japanese health care providers working both inside and outside hospitals. These participants, who included six physicians, one nurse, one pharmacist, and one physical therapist, work across a broad spectrum in government policy and public health, academia, and safety management. Root cause analysis using the online Kawakita Jiro method (KJ method or affinity diagram) was conducted. We labeled and summarized the classification in a fishbone diagram to elucidate barriers to patient safety in Japan.Results We identified specific factors in six main groups: the hospital system, education, law and policy, culture and society, patient centricity, and multidisciplinary cooperation. Quality of care, patient engagement, and shortage of patient safety specialists were crucial factors for multiple groups.Conclusions This study clarifies components of patient safety in Japan and provides basic data for promoting comprehensive patient safety in the future. Periodic root cause analysis of comprehensive patient safety issues can help develop strategies to promote patient safety at both the hospital and national levels.

Digital drainage systems can continuously and numerically monitor air leakage, which may lead to a shorter duration of drainage and hospitalization; however, the usefulness of digital drainage systems compared to that of analog drainage systems for patients with primary or secondary spontaneous pneumothorax remains unclear.

Aging generally predisposes stem cells to functional decline, impairing tissue homeostasis. Here, we report that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) acquire metabolic resilience that promotes cell survival. High-resolution real-time ATP analysis with glucose tracing and metabolic flux analysis revealed that old HSCs reprogram their metabolism to activate the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), becoming more resistant to oxidative stress and less dependent on glycolytic ATP production at steady state. As a result, old HSCs can survive without glycolysis, adapting to the physiological cytokine environment in bone marrow. Mechanistically, old HSCs enhance mitochondrial complex II metabolism during stress to promote ATP production. Furthermore, increased succinate dehydrogenase assembly factor 1 (SDHAF1) in old HSCs, induced by physiological low-concentration thrombopoietin (TPO) exposure, enables rapid mitochondrial ATP production upon metabolic stress, thereby improving survival. This study provides insight into the acquisition of resilience through metabolic reprogramming in old HSCs and its molecular basis to ameliorate age-related hematopoietic abnormalities.

Dependence on lithium-ion batteries for automobile applications is rapidly increasing. The emerging use of anionic redox can boost the energy density of batteries, but the fundamental origin of anionic redox is still under debate. Moreover, to realize anionic redox, many reported electrode materials rely on manganese ions through π-type interactions with oxygen. Here, through a systematic experimental and theoretical study on a binary system of Li3NbO4–NiO, we demonstrate for the first time the unexpectedly large contribution of oxygen to charge compensation for electrochemical oxidation in Ni-based materials. In general, for Ni-based materials, e.g., LiNiO2, charge compensation is achieved mainly by Ni oxidation, with a lower contribution from oxygen. In contrast, for Li3NbO4–NiO, oxygen-based charge compensation is triggered by structural disordering and σ-type interactions with nickel ions, which are associated with a unique environment for oxygen, i.e., a linear Ni–O–Ni configuration in the disordered system. Reversible anionic redox with a small hysteretic behavior was achieved for LiNi2/3Nb1/3O2with a cation-disordered Li/Ni arrangement. Further Li enrichment in the structure destabilizes anionic redox and leads to irreversible oxygen loss due to the disappearance of the linear Ni–O–Ni configuration and the formation of unstable Ni ions with high oxidation states. On the basis of these results, we discuss the possibility of using σ-type interactions for anionic redox to design advanced electrode materials for high-energy lithium-ion batteries.

We present two cases that highlight the role of pharmacists in the diagnostic process and illustrate how a culture of safety and teamwork between pharmacists and physicians can help prevent diagnostic errors.

Today, virtual teams composed by dispersed team members relying on computer-supported collaborative work are common in the information technology (IT) service provisioning industry. Despite the increasing interest in virtual team research, there is a limited understanding of a multidimensional view of team dispersion and its effect on the performance of virtual teams via the team´s socioemotional states. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of team distribution and variety of work practices on the performance of virtual IT service provisioning teams via the emergent states of trust and cohesiveness. To this aim, an input-process-output framework was adopted to develop a conceptual model and a survey with IT service provisioning professionals was conducted. The results suggest that a variety of work practices constitutes a barrier to the performance of virtual IT service provisioning teams; and that trust and cohesiveness are important mediators in this cause-effect relationship.

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) is an intriguing physical phenomenon. Layered Ca2RuO4exhibits giant NTE over a wide temperature range from 200 to 400 K, which makes it attractive for fundamental research and industrial applications. However, a clear physical understanding is lacking for the appearance of NTE over such a wide temperature range and the oxygen-content-dependent switch from NTE to positive thermal expansion (PTE). Herein, we present insights into the average crystal structure, local structure, and electronic and orbital states of Ca2RuO4. Surprisingly, a previously overlooked monoclinic distortion is identified by electron diffraction and synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD). X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and synchrotron X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) analyses show large local distortions in monoclinic Ca2RuO4. Moreover, local stress on Ru cations is confirmed by the existence of over-bonding states, which relaxes along with NTE. Theoretical calculations indicate that dxyorbital ordering and disordering in the monoclinic structure are the origins of NTE. Moreover, interstitial oxygen plays a critical role in stabilizing elongated RuO6and locally breaks the dxyorbital ordering, facilitating the occurrence of PTE. This work elucidates the electronic and orbital states in NTE materials with defective lattices and provides a different route to designing unconventional NTE materials.

Background. Amplification or overexpression of the c-erbB-2 gene have reported to correlate with poor patient prognosis in human breast, gastric, and ovarian cancer. Recently, the c-erbB-2 gene product was found to be expressed frequently in the urinary bladder carcinoma. In the current study, the presence of the c-erbB-2 gene product in urinary bladder carcinomas was compared with patient outcome to evaluate whether c-erbB-2 gene product could identify a subset of patients who are destined to have a poor prognosis. Methods. Immunohistologic study of the c-erbB-2 gene product was done in formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens obtained from 88 transitional cell carcinomas of the human urinary bladder. Eighty-three patients who underwent complete tumor resection by total cystoprostatectomy (30 patients) or by bladder-preserving operations such as transurethral surgery (50 patients) or partial cystectomy (3 patients) entered a follow-up study. The other five patients did not enter the follow-up study because of lost follow-up (2 patients) or distant metastasis at the time of surgery. Results. The c-erbB-2 gene product was expressed in 23 of 88 patients (26%), showing an increase in the expression rate corresponding to the advancement of tumor grade (P < 0.05) and tumor stage (P

This study sought to investigate the incidence and characteristics of the real-world safety profile of second-generation cryoballoon ablation (2nd-CBA) in Japan.

A solid solution between polar perovskite oxides BiInO3and BiZn1/2Ti1/2O3with the atomic displacement of Bi3+and B-site (In and Zn1/2Ti1/2) as the origin of spontaneous electric polarization was investigated. Polar orthorhombic to nonpolar orthorhombic transition accompanied by negative thermal expansion (NTE) with constant volume shrinkage was observed for x≤ 0.3 in BiIn1–xZnx/2Tix/2O3. A relative shift of electrical polarization from A-site Bi3+to B-site ions reduced the transition temperature and enabled NTE in a wide temperature range with suppressed temperature hysteresis. In addition, new LiNbO3-type phases were found for 0.4 ≤ x≤ 0.8 with ferroelastic and piezoelectric behaviors, featuring a very high switching strain and demonstrating the potential for enhanced domain wall mobility.

Thin films often exhibit fascinating properties, but the understanding of the underlying mechanism behind such properties is not simple. This is partially because of the limited structural information available. The hurdle in obtaining such information is especially high for textured thin films such as Mg-rich MgxTi1–x, a promising switchable smart coating material. Although these metastable thin films are seen as solid solution alloys by conventional crystallographic methods, their hydrogen-induced optical transition is hardly understood by a solid solution model. In this study, we collect atomic pair distribution function (PDF) data for a Mg0.7Ti0.3Hythin film in situ on hydrogenation and successfully resolve TiH2clusters of an average size of 30 Å embedded in the Mg matrix. This supports the chemically segregated model previously proposed for this system. We also observe the emergence of a previously unknown intermediate face-centered tetragonal phase during hydrogenation of the Mg matrix. This phase appears between Mg and MgH2to reduce lattice mismatch, thereby preventing pulverization and facilitating rapid hydrogen uptake. This work may shed new light on the hydrogen-induced properties of Mg-rich MgxTi1–xthin films.

Spin state transitions and intermetallic charge transfers can essentially change material structural and physical properties while excluding external chemical doping. However, these two effects have rarely been found to occur sequentially in a specific material. In this article, we show the realization of these two phenomena in a perovskite oxide PbCoO3with a simple ABO3composition under high pressure. PbCoO3possesses a peculiar A- and B-site ordered charge distribution Pb2+Pb4+3Co2+2Co3+2O12with insulating behavior at ambient conditions. The high spin Co2+gradually changes to low spin with increasing pressure up to about 15 GPa, leading to an anomalous increase of resistance magnitude. Between 15 and 30 GPa, the intermetallic charge transfer occurs between Pb4+and Co2+cations. The accumulated charge-transfer effect triggers a metal–insulator transition as well as a first-order structural phase transition toward a Tetra.-I phase at the onset of ∼20 GPa near room temperature. On further compression over 30 GPa, the charge transfer completes, giving rise to another first-order structural transformation toward a Tetra.-II phase and the reentrant electrical insulating behavior.

Magnesium-based transition-metal hydrides are attractive hydrogen energy materials because of their relatively high gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities combined with low material costs. However, most of them are too stable to release the hydrogen under moderate conditions. Here we synthesize the hydride of Mg2FexSi1–x, which consists of Mg2FeH6and Mg2Si with the same cubic structure. For silicon-rich hydrides (x< 0.5), mostly the Mg2Si phase is observed by X-ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy indicates the formation of an octahedral FeH6unit. Transmission electron microscopy measurements indicate that Mg2FeH6domains are nanometer-sized and embedded in a Mg2Si matrix. This synthesized metallographic structure leads to distortion of the Mg2FeH6lattice, resulting in thermal destabilization. Our results indicate that nanometer-sized magnesium-based transition-metal hydrides can be formed into a matrix-forced organization induced by the hydrogenation of nonequilibrium Mg–Fe–Si composites. In this way, the thermodynamics of hydrogen absorption and desorption can be tuned, which allows for the development of lightweight and inexpensive hydrogen storage materials.

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) induced by simultaneous mechanisms, that is, charge transfer and polar–nonpolar transitions, was observed for the first time in BiNi1–xFexO3(0.25 ≤ x≤ 0.5). The low-temperature phase was found to have a polar structure (space group of R3c) with a Bi3+0.5(1+x)Bi5+0.5(1–x)Ni2+1–xFe3+xO3charge distribution and short-range ordering of Bi3+and Bi5+. The volume reduction upon heating that was induced by charge transfer between Bi5+and Ni2+decreased with increasing xbecause of the reduction in the amount of Ni2+. Simultaneous polar–nonpolar transition also contributed to NTE, and a composition-independent enhanced volume reduction of ∼2% was observed.

Currently, there is no effective treatment for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most frequent and malignant type of brain tumor. The blood–brain (tumor) barrier (BB(T)B), which is composed of tightly connected endothelial cells and pericytes (with partial vasculature collapse), hampers nanomedicine accumulation in tumor tissues. We aimed to explore the effect of nanomedicine size on passive targeting of GBM. A series of size-tunable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted copolymers (gPEGs) were constructed with hydrodynamic diameters of 8–30 nm. Biodistribution studies using orthotopic brain tumor-bearing mice revealed that gPEG brain tumor accumulation was maximized at 10 nm with ∼14 dose %/g of tumor, which was 19 times higher than that in the normal brain region and 4.2 times higher than that of 30-nm gPEG. Notably, 10-nm gPEG exhibited substantially higher brain tumor accumulation than 11-nm linear PEG owing to the prolonged blood circulation property of gPEGs, which is derived from a densely PEG-packed structure. 10 nm gPEG exhibited deeper penetration into the brain tumor tissue than the larger gPEGs did (>10 nm). This study demonstrates, for the first time, the great potential of a nanomedicine downsizing strategy for passive GBM targeting.

To assess the reproducibility of ADC, T1, T2, and proton density (PD) measurements on the cortex across the entire brain using high-resolution pseudo-3D diffusion-weighted imaging using echo-planar imaging with compressed SENSE (EPICS-DWI) and 3D quantification with an interleaved Look-Locker acquisition sequence with T2 preparation pulse (3D-QALAS) in normal healthy adults.

The degree of anisotropy and the domain arrangement of crystal structures in ferroelectrics are affected by the grain boundaries and by the shape and size of the grains. To understand the grain boundary effects that occur in ferroelectric ceramics, we introduce a technique for nondestructively observing the internal lattice strain distribution of a submicrometer-sized ferroelectric grain in polycrystalline materials. The ferroelectric phase transition of a single grain in the polycrystalline materials was evaluated by tracking the changes in the Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction (CXD) patterns. The internal lattice strain distribution of the grains in the paraelectric phase was visualized via Bragg CXD imaging. A pair of 90° domains in the ferroelectric phase were also imaged in three dimensions, and showed a domain boundary correlated with the internal lattice strain caused by the stresses from the adjacent grains.

A compositional variety of planetary cores provides insight into their core/mantle evolution and chemistry in the early solar system. To infer core composition from geophysical data, a precise knowledge of elastic properties of core‐forming materials is of prime importance. Here, we measure the sound velocity and density of liquid Fe‐Ni‐S (17 and 30 at% S) and Fe‐Ni‐Si (29 and 38 at% Si) at high pressures and report the effects of pressure and composition on these properties. Our data show that the addition of sulfur to iron substantially reduces the sound velocity of the alloy and the bulk modulus in the conditions of this study, while adding silicon to iron increases its sound velocity but has almost no effect on the bulk modulus. Based on the obtained elastic properties combined with geodesy data, S or Si content in the core is estimated to 4.6 wt% S or 10.5 wt% Si for Mercury, 9.8 wt% S or 18.3 wt% Si for the Moon, and 32.4 wt% S or 30.3 wt% Si for Mars. In these core compositions, differences in sound velocity profiles between an Fe‐Ni‐S and Fe‐Ni‐Si core in Mercury are small, whereas for Mars and the Moon, the differences are substantially larger and could be detected by upcoming seismic sounding missions to those bodies. To estimate core compositions of terrestrial planets using geophysical data with high‐pressure physical property of core‐forming materials, we measure the sound velocity and density of liquid Fe‐Ni‐S and Fe‐Ni‐Si at high pressures. The effect of S and Si on elastic properties are quite different in the present conditions. Based on the obtained physical properties combined with geodesy data, S or Si content in the core of Mercury, Moon, and Mercury are estimated. In these core compositions, differences in sound velocity profiles between an Fe‐Ni‐S and Fe‐Ni‐Si core in Mars and the Moon are substantially large and could be detected by upcoming seismic sounding mission to Mars. The sound velocity and density of liquid Fe‐Ni‐S (17 and 30 at% S) and Fe‐Ni‐Si (29 and 38 at% Si) were measured up to 14 GPaBased on the obtained elastic properties, estimated S contents in the core are 4.6 wt% S for Mercury and 32.4 wt% S for MarsDifference in sound velocity between the Fe‐Ni‐S and Fe‐Ni‐Si core is large enough to be detected in the core compositions of Mars and Moon

We report on the formation of a new icosahedral quasicrystal (iQC) in the Au–Sn–Yb alloy system. This iQC has a primitive icosahedral lattice with a lattice constant aicoof 0.5447(7) nm and a composition that was determined to be Au60.0Sn26.7Yb13.3. X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurement of the near Yb L3edge demonstrates that the Yb valence in the iQC is an intermediate valence between divalent (4f14) and trivalent (4f13) at ambient pressure and was determined to be 2.18+. The results are compared to those for a corresponding 2/1 cubic approximant crystal. The formation of this new iQC is discussed in terms of the atomic size factor (δ) and the valence electron-to-atom ratio (e/a).

Perovskite-oxide Bi1–xPbxNiO3for 0.60 ≤ x≤ 0.80 was found to show a polar orthorhombic-to-nonpolar orthorhombic phase transition accompanied by negative thermal expansion. Bi1–xPbxNiO3showed successive crystal structure changes depending on the amount of Pb. As the amount of Pb increased, the crystal structure changed from a triclinic one with Bi3+/Bi5+long-range ordering to an orthorhombic one with Bi3+/Bi5+short-range ordering; then, it changed into a polar orthorhombic structure without Bi3+/Bi5+ordering and finally to a polar LiNbO3-type one. The key to the inversion symmetry breaking in PbNiO3, where both 6s2lone-pair and Jahn–Teller active cations are absent, is the high-valency state of Pb4+. Our results suggest that the polar orthorhombic phase can be realized by using high-valence A-site cations in addition to controlling the tolerance factor.

Hydrogenation of nonequilibrium alloys may form nanometer-sized metal hydride clusters, depending on the alloy compositions and hydrogenation conditions. Here in the Ti-rich compositions of the immiscible Mg-Ti system MgH2clusters are embedded in a Ti-H matrix. Our previous works have indicated that the interface energy between the two metal hydrides reduces the stability of MgH2. The aim of our study is to obtain the structural information on the nanometer-sized clusters. Indeed, MgD2clusters embedded in a face-centered-cubic (FCC) Ti-D matrix is found in Mg0.25Ti0.75D1.65by means of 2H magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR). The atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of neutron total scattering data suggests that the MgD2clusters have an orthorhombic structure, which is different from a rutile-type body-centered-tetragonal (BCT) structure of α-MgD2observed in the Mg-rich compositions. Our results suggest that we can tune the thermodynamics of hydrogen absorption and desorption in Mg-H using the interface energy effect and accompanying stress-induced structural change, which contributes to the substantial development of lightweight and inexpensive hydrogen storage materials.

Strong evidence exists regarding multiple benefits of physical activity among cancer patients. Patients undergoing esophagectomy received counseling for physical activity by a nurse and instructions to keep a diary of physical activities before surgery, followed by 2 counseling sessions after surgery. Physical activity, body mass index, psychological distress, and quality of life were measured at baseline, 2–4 weeks, and 3 and 6 months after discharge. Of 29 participants (mean age = 65.9 years), 72.5% underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position with 3-field lymphadectomy. The results of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire indicated that postoperative physical activity returned to nearly preoperative level, and the number of inactive patients gradually decreased by half at 6 months after discharge. Quality of life scores, except those for role function and social function, tended to return to the baseline at 6 months after discharge. Psychological distress measured by the Kessler 6 remained lower than the baseline, whereas the mean score of body mass index gradually declined after discharge. Patients undergoing esophagectomy and receiving nurse counseling can return to preoperative physical activity level in their daily lives after surgery. Nurses should integrate physical activity promotion into cancer care.

Reproductive timing in many taxa plays a key role in determining breeding productivity1 , and is often sensitive to climatic conditions2 . Current climate change may alter the timing of breeding at different rates across trophic levels, potentially resulting in temporal mismatch between the resource requirements of predators and their prey3 . This is of particular concern for higher-trophic-level organisms, whose longer generation times confer a lower rate of evolutionary rescue than primary producers or consumers4 . However, the disconnection between studies of ecological change in marine systems makes it difficult to detect general changes in the timing of reproduction5 . Here, we use a comprehensive meta-analysis of 209 phenological time series from 145 breeding populations to show that, on average, seabird populations worldwide have not adjusted their breeding seasons over time (−0.020 days yr−1) or in response to sea surface temperature (SST) (−0.272 days °C−1) between 1952 and 2015. However, marked between-year variation in timing observed in resident species and some Pelecaniformes and Suliformes (cormorants, gannets and boobies) may imply that timing, in some cases, is affected by unmeasured environmental conditions. This limited temperature-mediated plasticity of reproductive timing in seabirds potentially makes these top predators highly vulnerable to future mismatch with lower-trophic-level resources2 . Time of reproduction may be altered as the climate changes. For seabirds, it is shown that there has not been an adjustment in timing as the climate changes and the sea surface warms. This lack of plasticity could result in a mismatch with food resources.

A 40-year-old man presented to our hospital with low-grade fever and acute pain in the neck, which had both begun a day before his visit and persisted through the night. [...]

The Frozenix J graft open stent graft has been available since 2014 in Japan. This stent is widely used for the frozen elephant trunk technique in many institutions, mainly for cases of acute type A aortic dissection and also for cases of a true aneurysm and chronic aortic dissection. We treated a rare case in which the metal wires of the Frozenix J graft were broken and embolized to the periphery half a year after being implanted.The surgical method of total arch replacement (TAR) using the frozen elephant trunk (FET) was reported by Kato et al.in 1996 [1].

We demonstrated the usefulness of Cu light-harvesting plasmonic nanoantennae for the development of inexpensive and efficient artificial organic photoelectric conversion systems. The systems consisted of the stacked structures of layers of porphyrin as a dye molecule, oxidation-suppressing layers, and plasmonic Cu arrayed electrodes. To accurately evaluate the effect of Cu nanoantenna on the porphyrin photocurrent, the production of Cu2O by the spontaneous oxidation of the electrode surfaces, which can act as a photoexcited species under visible light irradiation, was effectively suppressed by inserting the ultrathin linking layers consisting of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid, titanium oxide, and poly(vinyl alcohol) between the electrode surface and porphyrin molecules. The reflection spectra in an aqueous environment of the arrayed electrodes, which were prepared by thermally depositing Cu on two-dimensional colloidal crystals of silica with diameters of 160, 260, and 330 nm, showed clear reflection dips at 596, 703, and 762 nm, respectively, which are attributed to the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). While the first dip lies within the wavelengths where the imaginary part of the Cu dielectric function is moderately large, the latter two dips lie within a region of a quite small imaginary part. Consequently, the LSPR excited at the red region provided a particularly large enhancement of porphyrin photocurrent at the Q-band (ca. 59-fold), compared to that on a Cu planar electrode. These results strongly suggest that the plasmonic Cu nanoantennae contribute to the substantial improvement of photoelectric conversion efficiency at the wavelengths, where the imaginary part of the dielectric function is small.

During feeding trips, central-place foragers make decisions on whether to feed at a single site, move to other sites and/or exploit different habitats. However, for many marine species, the lack of fine-resolution data on foraging behaviour and success has hampered our ability to test whether individuals follow predictions of the optimal foraging hypothesis. Here, we tested how benthic foraging habitat usage, time spent at feeding sites and probability of change of feeding sites affected feeding rates in European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) using time–depth–acceleration data loggers in 24 chick-rearing males. Foraging habitat (rocky or sandy) was identified from characteristic differences in dive patterns and body angle. Increase in body mass was estimated from changes in wing stroke frequency during flights. Bout feeding rate (increase in body mass per unit time of dive bout) did not differ between rocky and sandy habitats, or in relation to the order of dive bouts during trips. Bout feeding rates did not affect the duration of flight to the next feeding site or whether the bird switched habitat. However, the likelihood of a change in habitat increased with the number of dive bouts within a trip. Our findings that shags did not actively move further or switch habitats after they fed at sites of lower quality are in contrast to the predictions of optimal foraging theory. Instead, it would appear that birds feed probabilistically in habitats where prey capture rates vary as a result of differences in prey density and conspecific competition or facilitation.

Carbon is one of the possible light elements in the cores of the terrestrial planets. The Pwave velocity (VP) and density (ρ) are important factors for estimating the chemical composition and physical properties of the core. We simultaneously measured the VPand ρof Fe‐3.5 wt % C up to 3.4 GPa and 1850 K by using ultrasonic pulse‐echo method and X‐ray absorption methods. The VPof liquid Fe‐3.5 wt % C decreased linearly with increasing temperature at constant pressure. The addition of carbon decreased the VPof liquid Fe by about 2% at 3 GPa and 1700 K and decreased the Fe density by about 2% at 2 GPa and 1700 K. The bulk modulus of liquid Fe‐C and its pressure (P) and temperature (T) effects were precisely determined from directly measured ρand VPdata to be K0,1700 K= 83.9 GPa, dKT/dP= 5.9(2), and dKT/dT= −0.063dρdT=ρT0/exp∫T0TαdTdT=−αρT0exp∫T0TαdT.GPa/K. The addition of carbon did not affect the isothermal bulk modulus (KT) of liquid Fe, but it decreased the dK/dTof liquid Fe. In the ρ‐VPrelationship, VPincreases linearly with ρand can be approximated as VP(m/s) = −6786(506) + 1537(71) × ρ(g/cm3), suggesting that Birch's law is valid for liquid Fe‐C at the present P‐Tconditions. Our results imply that at the conditions of the lunar core, the elastic properties of an Fe‐C core are more affected by temperature than those of Fe‐S core. We developed simultaneous density sound velocity measurements of liquid Fe‐alloy to determine accurate elastic properties of liquidsWe precisely obtained elastic properties, such as bulk modulus and its pressure and temperature derivatives, of liquid Fe‐CWe found that these thermoelastic properties can explain differences in dVP/dT of Fe‐C, Fe, and Fe‐S liquids

Idiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (IPPFE) is heterogeneous, with some patients showing a progressive decline in forced vital capacity (FVC). However, the clinical features of these cases with progressive phenotypes remain unknown.

Chemical substitution for the tuning of the working temperature of phase-transition-type negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials generally reduces the volume shrinkage during the transition. We have investigated the effects of electron doping and reduction of 6s2lone-pair activity in PbVO3with a large polar distortion (c/a= 1.23) and found that the combination of Bi and Sr substitutions for Pb enables a temperature-induced polar to non-polar transition with 11% volume shrinkage, even larger than the pressure-induced volume collapse of PbVO3(∼10.6%), and is the largest value among the NTE materials reported so far. The domain structure of the coexisting cubic and tetragonal phases with such a huge volume difference was successfully observed by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and the spatial distribution of domains by Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging. The temperature hysteresis is reduced by repeated heating/cooling cycles, suggesting that the changes in the domain structure dominate the NTE properties.

Other than genetically engineered mice, few reliable platforms are available for the study of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) quiescence. Here we present a platform to analyze HSC cell cycle quiescence by combining culture conditions that maintain quiescence with a CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system optimized for HSCs. We demonstrate that preculture of HSCs enhances editing efficiency by facilitating nuclear transport of ribonucleoprotein complexes. For post-editing culture, mouse and human HSCs edited based on non-homologous end joining and cultured under low-cytokine, low-oxygen, and high-albumin conditions retain their phenotypes and quiescence better than those cultured under the proliferative conditions. Using this approach, HSCs regain quiescence even after editing by homology-directed repair. Our results show that low-cytokine culture conditions for gene-edited HSCs are a useful approach for investigating HSC quiescence ex vivo.

The shapes and sizes of grains influence the anisotropy of crystal structures and the configuration of ferroelectric domains. In order to better understand these effects, we introduce a method to observe a ferroelectric phase transition in a single ferroelectric particle of sub-micrometer size. The phase transition was observed by cooling the sample through its Curie temperature, and studying the pattern variations of Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction from a single particle of 500 nm sized BaTiO3. A change from a single 200 peak (cubic phase) to both 200 and 002 peaks (tetragonal phase); was seen, with fringes connecting them like a bridge. The pattern from the BaTiO3particle in the cubic phase was also imaged using Bragg coherent diffraction imaging. The apparent strain distribution caused by dislocation internal to the BaTiO3crystal was visible in the reconstructed image.

Introduction: Previous reports have shown that higher altitudes can alter human perception. We add further evidence to this claim, describing a new finding in which higher altitudes inhibit the perception of illusory self-motion, i.e., vection. Method: We compared vection strength under both normal and high altitude (hypobaric hypoxia) conditions. In the high altitude condition, atmospheric pressure in the climatic chamber was decreased to 13,123 ft (4000 m; 492 ft/150 m . min-1) for 28 min and then maintained at the 13,123-ft (4000-m) level for 30 min by a preprogrammed operation. Vection was induced by an optic flow stimulus. Results: Significant differences were observed between the normal and high altitude conditions for all three of the vection strength measurements (latency, duration, and magnitude). Vection was decreased by 14.6%, and Sp02 was decreased by 16.7% in the hypoxia condition. Conclusion: Vection was inhibited in the high altitude condition. Applications of this finding include informing aircraft pilots of this effect of self-motion perception inhibition at higher altitudes to promote safer flying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long cycle life of metal hydrides is paramount for applications. We present an investigation of the degradation mechanism against hydrogenation cycles in Mg2–xPrxNi4(x= 0.6 and 1.0). Mg1.0Pr1.0Ni4shows significant degradation and loss of capacity after only a few cycles. In stark contrast, Mg1.4Pr0.6Ni4did not show any reduction of hydrogen storage capacity until 100 cycles at 313 K. The peak broadening of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and accumulation of lattice strain were observed concomitantly with an increase of hydrogenation cycles only in Mg1.0Pr1.0Ni4. These changes were not observed in Mg1.4Pr0.6Ni4. In pair distribution function (PDF) patterns, r-dependent peak broadening was observed and it became significant with an increasing number of cycles in Mg1.0Pr1.0Ni4, suggesting an increase of the dislocation density. Mg1.4Pr0.6Ni4showed higher hardness and more pulverization upon hydrogenation than Mg1.0Pr1.0Ni4. These results suggest that the dominant mechanism, the stress induced by hydrogen occupation release, must change from the formation of dislocations to pulverization by increasing the Mg content of the alloy. We discuss how this leads to better cycling properties.

Reduction in reversible hydrogen storage capacity with increasing hydrogenation and dehydrogenation cycle number is observed in numerous hydrogen storage materials, but the mechanism behind this unfavorable change has not been elucidated yet. In this study, we have investigated the development of structural defects or disorders in V1–xTixH2, x= 0, 0.2, and 0.5, during the first 15 hydrogen absorption and desorption cycles using the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of synchrotron X-ray total scattering data to find out the possible structural origin of the poor cyclic stability of V1–xTixalloys. While pure vanadium shows no significant change in the PDF, alloy samples subject to several hydrogenation and dehydrogenation cycles display fast decaying of the PDF profile due to a progressive increase in the PDF peak width with increasing r. This r-dependent PDF peak broadening effect becomes stronger with cycle number. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated that dislocation defects explain characteristic features in our experimental PDFs very well and suggested that a large number of dislocations are formed during hydrogen cycling. We found there is a close relation between the reduced amount of the reversible hydrogen content of V0.8Ti0.2and the amount of generated dislocations. On the basis of the PDF analysis results, a possible mechanism behind degradation in the reversible hydrogen storage capacity of V1–xTixis discussed.

The article presents a study which discusses the use of Noh lyrics as themes for designing Kosode (small sleeve kimono) throughout the Edo period in Japan.

We have studied successive magnetic transitions of HoCoGa5at TN1= 9.6 K and TN2= 7.5 K by using powder neutron diffraction. Apparent superlattice peaks were observed at temperatures below TN1. With further decreases temperature, the patterns exhibit a substantial change at temperatures below TN2. The observed magnetic peaks at 8 K (AntiFerromagnetic InCommensurate (AFIC) phase: TN2〈 T< TN1) can be represented by the propagation vector qL= (1/2 0 τ) with τ= 0.35(2). In contrast, the magnetic structure becomes commensurate with qC= (1/2 0 1/2) at 4 K (AntiFerromagnetic Commensurate (AFC) phase: T< TN2). The temperature dependence of magnetic intensity shows an apparent temperature hysteresis at TN2, indicates a first-order transition at TN2. Analysis of the integrated intensity at 4 K reveals that the Ho moment with a size of 8.6(2) µB, oriented parallel to the c-axis in the AFC phase. While the successive transitions of HoCoGa5are different from those of TbCoGa5, the magnetic structure in the AFC phase of HoCoGa5is the same as the AFITbof TbCoGa5, and may indicate an additional transition at a lower temperature in HoCoGa5.

To improve alkaline resistance, a newly mixed powder coating film using thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was investigated. Two kinds of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and two kinds of polyamide (PA) were chosen as the secondary polymer. The melting temperatures (Tms) of these materials were lower than that of primary PET polymer so the mixed powder coating was able to form a dual phase film through a fluidized bed coating process. Microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) observations revealed that the dual phase structure was indeed successfully formed and there was a secondary layer over the entire surface area of the film. This mixed powder coating film significantly enhanced the alkaline resistance to an environment filled with NaOH solution at 40°C in which a secondary material would be effective in protecting the film. With regard to both alkaline resistance and film formability, PET/PVB was superior to the PET/PA mixture.

A prospective study of de novo degenerative lumbar scoliosis in a community-based cohort.