Search

Abstract Biological contamination of fresh produce by fungi in storage is becoming a serious problem. Gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has been used to prevent fungal growth on fresh produce; however, the specific effects of gaseous ClO2 at concentrations low enough to be safe for the human body on fungal growth remain unknown. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of low-concentration gaseous ClO2 on fungal growth in sweet potatoes over 1 month. Here, a mechanochemical reaction involving the collision of two types of powders was used to produce low concentrations of gaseous ClO2. The experiment was conducted in a container and chlorine dioxide gas was diffused by a circulator to verify its microbiostatic effect in a large space. A clear microbiostatic effect was observed in potatoes without skin when exposed to low-concentration ClO2 for 3 days. Notably, low concentrations (

Abstract We explored risk indicators likely to result in older adults needing certified long-term care in Japan and ascertained whether this relationship forms a U-shaped link. We analyzed a community-based cohort of residents in Kitanagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Participants were 3718 individuals aged 65 years and above who underwent health examinations between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012. For continuous clinical variables, we applied a time-dependent Cox regression model. Two types of models were applied—a linear and nonlinear model with restricted cubic splines—to assess the U-shaped association. Statistical significance (set at 0.05) for the nonlinearity was tested by comparing the spline and linear models. Among the participants, 701 were certified as needing Level 1 care or higher during a follow-up. Among the continuous clinical variables, the nonlinear model for body mass index, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase revealed significant U-shaped associations as compared with the linear model in which the outcome was a certification of the need for nursing care. These results provide an important insight into the usefulness of nonlinear models for predicting the risk of such certification.

Introduction: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by repeated remissions and relapses. Immunosuppressive drugs have facilitated the induction and maintenance of remission in many patients with UC. However, immunosuppressive drugs cannot directly repair impaired intestinal mucosa and are insufficient for preventing relapse. Therefore, new treatment approaches to repair the damaged epithelium in UC have been attempted through the transplantation of intestinal organoids, which can be differentiated into mucosa by embedding in Matrigel, generated from patient-derived intestinal stem cells. The method, however, poses the challenge of yielding sufficient cells for UC therapy, and patient-derived cells might already have acquired pathological changes. In contrast, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells generated from healthy individuals are infinitely proliferated and can be differentiated into target cells. Recently developed human iPS cell-derived intestinal organoids (HIOs) aim to generate organoids that closely resemble the adult intestine. However, no study till date has reported HIOs injected into in vivo inflammatory models, and it remains unclear whether HIOs with cells that closely resemble the adult intestine or with intestinal stem cells retain the better ability to repair tissue in colitis. Methods: We generated two types of HIOs via suspension culture with and without small-molecule compounds: HIOs that include predominantly more intestinal stem cells [HIO (A)] and those that include predominantly more intestinal epithelial and secretory cells [HIO (B)]. We examined whether the generated HIOs engrafted in vivo and compared their ability to accelerate recovery of the damaged tissue. Results: Findings showed that the HIOs expressed intestinal-specific markers such as caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) and villin, and HIOs engrafted under the kidney capsules of mice. We then injected HIOs into colitis-model mice and found that the weight and clinical score of the mice injected with HIO (A) recovered earlier than that of the mice in the sham group. Further, the production of mucus and the expression of cell proliferation markers and tight junction proteins in the colon tissues of the HIO (A) group were restored to levels similar to those observed in healthy mice. However, neither HIO (A) nor HIO (B) could be engrafted into the colon. Conclusions: Effective cell therapy should directly repair tissue by engraftment at the site of injury. However, the difference in organoid property impacting the rate of tissue repair in transplantation without engraftment observed in the current study should be considered a critical consideration in the development of regenerative medicine using iPS-derived organoids.

The textile and apparel (fashion) industry has been influenced by developments in societal socio-cultural and economic structures. Due to a change in people’s preferences from economic functionality to supra-functionality beyond economic value, the fashion industry is at the forefront of digitalization. The growing digitalization in the fashion industry corresponds to digital fashion, which can satisfy the rapid shift in consumers’ preferences. This paper explores the evolving con-cept of innovations in digital fashion in the textile and apparel industry. Specifically, it centers on the evaluation of Amazon’s digital fashion initiatives, which have made the platform the United States’ top fashion retailer. An analysis of the business model of Amazon’s digital fashion business showed that with the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) powered by advanced Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon has introduced novel digital solutions for the fashion industry, such as advanced digital fashions (ADFs), on-demand manufacturing, neo-luxury, and, ultimately, cloud-based digital fashion platforms, that is, a supra-omnichannel, where all stakeholders are integrated, and their activities are visible in real time. This can be attributed to the learning orchestration externality strategy. This study concludes that with the advancement of digital innovations, Amazon has fused a self-propagating function that advances digital solutions. This study shows that Amazon is the largest R&D company. Its R&D process is based on users’ knowledge gained by their participation through AWS-driven ICT tools. This promotes a culture of experimentation in the development of user-driven innovations. Such innovations have further advanced the functionality of AWS in data analysis and business solutions. This dynamism promotes the development of soft innovation resources and revenue streams. These endeavors are demonstrated in a model, and their reliability is validated through an empirical analysis focused on the emergence of ADF solutions. Therefore, based on an analysis of the development trajectories of Amazon’s digital fashion technologies, such as ADFs, on-demand manufacturing, and neo-luxury, insightful suggestions and a framework for solutions beyond e-commerce are provided.

Abstract Chemically modulated mesoscopic domains in a fcc single phase CrMnFeCoNi equi-atomic high entropy alloy (HEA) are detected by small angle diffraction performed at a synchrotron radiation facility, whereas the mesoscopic domains cannot be detected by conventional X-ray diffraction and 2D mappings of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy by scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The mesoscopic domains are deformed and shrieked, and finally destructed by plastic deformation, which is supported by the comprehensive observations/measurements, such as electrical resistivity, Vickers hardness, electron backscattering diffraction, and hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The destruction of the mesoscopic domains causes the decrease in electrical resistivity via plastic deformation, so called K-effect, which is completely opposite to the normal trend of metals. We confirmed that the presence and the size of local chemical ordering or short-range order domains in the single phased HEA, and furthermore, Cr and Mn are related to form the domains.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) specifically infects human hepatocytes and increases the risks of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, nucleic acid analogs are the main therapeutics for chronic hepatitis caused by HBV infection. Although nucleic acid analogs can eliminate HBV DNA by inhibiting HBV reverse transcriptase, they cannot lead to negative conversion of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). In this study, we revealed that the antifilarial drug ivermectin suppresses HBV production by a different mechanism from the nucleic acid analog entecavir or Na+ taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide-mediated entry inhibitor cyclosporin A. Ivermectin reduced the levels of several HBV markers, including HBsAg, in HBV-infected human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2-hNTCP-C4 cells) and humanized mouse hepatocytes (PXB hepatocytes). In addition, ivermectin significantly decreased the expression of HBV core protein and the nuclear transporter karyopherin α2 (KPNA2) in the nuclei of HepG2-hNTCP-C4 cells. Furthermore, depletion of KPNA1–6 suppressed the production of cccDNA. These results suggest that KPNA1–6 is involved in the nuclear import of HBV and that ivermectin suppresses the nuclear import of HBV by inhibiting KPNA2. This study demonstrates the potential of ivermectin as a novel treatment for hepatitis B.

The strength and electrical conductivity balances in Cu/martensite (α') steel multilayered sheets with various volume ratios were evaluated. Furthermore, the measured tensile properties and electrical conductivity were compared with the values estimated from the rule of mixtures, and the reason for the difference between the measured and estimated values was discussed based on the deformation and fracture behaviors. The multilayered sheets exhibited excellent strength-electrical conductivity balances superior to those of conventional Cu alloys, and their strength and electrical conductivity can be controlled over a wide range by changing the volume fraction of α' steel. The electrical conductivities of the multilayered sheets with different volume ratio were approximately identical to the estimated values based on the rule of mixtures. However, the ultimate tensile stresses of the multilayered sheets with lower volume fractions of the α' layer were slightly lower than the estimated values. A significant strain concentration occurred within the α' steel layer in the multilayered sheet with the lowest volume fraction of α' steel. Furthermore, cracks and/or voids were formed in the α' steel layers even during the uniform-deformation stage. Therefore, the early fracture of the α' steel layers caused lower ultimate tensile stresses in the multilayered sheet with low fractions of the α' steel than the estimated value based on the rule of mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence of mechanical twinning on the crystallographic orientation at the early stage of rolling was investigated. For this purpose, a copper-zinc alloy plate having a sharp {001} texture on the rolling plane (normal direction <001>) was prepared, and the twinning behaviors during rolling were studied in the grains with orientations of rolling direction (RD) parallel to <100>, <210> and <110>. The precise examination revealed that grains with RD // <110> orientation were most prone to twinning among the three crystallographic orientations. Effects of the development of heterogeneous-nano (HN) structure on the tensile properties were also systematically investigated. As the rolling reduction increased from 50% to 70%, the tensile strength increased significantly, and the elongation to failure also increased simultaneously. Considering the microstructural changes, the increase in the strength/ductility balance was attributed to the formation of the HN structure. Further rolling up to 90% resulted in a slight increase in strength and a significant decrease in ductility to about half of the value at 70%. It was suggested that the decrease in the volume fraction of twin domains in the HN structure, instead increase in the other texture components, during the rolling reduction from 70% to 90% complicatedly spoiled the strength/ductility balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructural evolution and changes in hardness and electrical conductivities of a cast hypoeutectic Cu-2.7 at%Zr alloy processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) were investigated. The cast alloy had a net-like microstructure composed of a primary Cu phase and a eutectic consisting of layered Cu and Cu5Zr phases. The Cu and Cu5Zr phases in the eutectic had a cube-on-cube orientation relationship. The cast alloy with the hardness of 137HV exhibited a value of electrical conductivity of 32%IACS. With increasing the number of HPT-revolutions, the eutectic was severely sheared and elongated along the rotational direction. In addition, mechanical dissolution of the Cu5Zr phase into the Cu phase by the HPT was confirmed after 5 HPT-revolutions through XRD measurements and TEM observations. After 20 HPT-revolutions, the Cu phase was significantly refined and formed the lamellar structure having an average grain size of 15 nm. The electrical conductivity decreased and saturated at a value of 8%IACS after 50 HPT-revolutions. The significant decrease in the electrical conductivity was primarily attributable to the mechanical dissolution of the Cu5Zr phase into the Cu phase by the HPT, followed by the formation of a nanocrystalline Cu-Zr supersaturated solid-solution alloy with the hardness of 430HV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) is associated with an increased risk of metabolic diseases, cancer, and neurological disorders, which are major global health concerns. In the present study, mice were fed a HFD containing 40% fat and 0.5% or 1.0% acylated steryl-β-glucosides (ASG) and their gut microbiota was compared to that of mice fed with a low-fat diet (LFD). After 55 d, the epididymal fat weight was higher in the HFD and ASG groups than in the LFD group; however, the epididymal fat weight was lower in the ASG group than in the HFD group. The abundance of gut microbiota increased with HFD in obese micespecific Bacillota, but decreased when ASG was added to the HFD. The number of intestinal bacteria involved in the production of carcinogenic secondary bile acids was increased by the consumption of HFD, but decreased by the addition of ASG to HSD. This finding may indicate the gut bacteria-mediated health benefits of ASG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although regular exercise has been reported to prevent depression, it has not been clarified whether the gut microbiota is involved in the factors that prevent depression through exercise. We investigated the effects of voluntary exercise on the gut microbiota and the prevention of depression-like behaviors using mice. C57BL/6 J male mice were subjected to 10 weeks of sedentary control or wheel running, then they were subjected to social defeat stress (SDS). Exercise attenuated that sucrose drinking was decreased by SDS treatment. Exercise increased the expression of Bdnf and decreased expression of Zo-1 and Claudin5 in the brain. Fecal Turicibacter, Allobaculum, and Clostridium sensu stricto, and propionate in the cecum were decreased by the exercise. Voluntary exercise-induced antidepressant properties might be partially caused by suppression of serotonin uptake into gut microbiota and increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier via reduced propionate production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavily and simply cold-rolled Cu alloys with ultra-low stacking fault energy exhibit superior strength/ductility balance. The excellent mechanical properties are attained by the formation of a heterogeneous-nano (HN) structure consisting of twin domains, shear bands, and lamellar grains. In this study, using a CuZn system alloy, two specimens with different initial textures were subjected to cold rolling. One has a strong ©001ª texture along the normal direction (ND) of the rolling surface, and the other has a ©111ª texture. Then, the effects of the initial texture of specimens on the formation of deformation twins in the early stage of cold rolling were precisely investigated. Also, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloys with finally developed HN structure after 90%-cold-rolling were examined. At the early stage of rolling, the mechanical twinning occurred more frequently in the specimen with ©001ª texture than in the ©111ª one. The difference in the twinning frequency can be reasonably explained by the significant difference in the ratio of the Schmid factor for twinning partial to the one for the perfect dislocation. On the 90% cold rolling, the ©001ª specimen exhibited better strength/ductility balance than that of the ©111ª specimen since the ©001ª one has a higher volume fraction of the deformation twin domains. It can be concluded that the initial texture of the specimen before the cold rolling plays an important role in the mechanical properties of HN structured materials via the formation of the twin domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a commercial hot-extruded AZ80Mg alloy was multi-directionally forged (MDFed) at room temperature by employing pass strains of Δε = 0.1. The effects of the combined processes of MDFing and ageing on the microstructural evolution and strengthening were precisely examined in advance. The coarse initial grains were gradually subdivided into ultrafine grains by multiple mechanical twinning and kinking. As observed, the multiple twinning effectively suppressed the evolution of the sharp basal texture and enabled MDFing at room temperature to high cumulative strains. Although the combined processes of MDFing and ageing tended to increase the hardness and yield stress compared to those fabricated using simple MDFing at lower cumulative strain regions, the mechanical properties were almost comparable and independent of the processes at regions of higher cumulative strain beyond ∑ Δε = 2.0. Yield strength over 505 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of over 612 MPa and ductility of over 7% were constantly achieved in all the processes. Although certain selected processes were applied to bulk samples for fabricating the mechanical components, frequent cracking hindered the MDFing to high cumulative strain regions. This finding signified that adequate MDFing process is dependent on sample size. However, MDFing with smaller pass strains than Δε = 0.1 enabled MDFing to regions of high cumulative strain. Thus, bulk AZ80Mg alloy with well-balanced mechanical properties--yield strength of 420 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 540 MPa, and ductility of 10%--could be successfully fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of beryllium (Be) content and heat-treatment conditions on the development of the heterogeneous nanostructure and mechanical properties of Cu–Be alloys were systematically examined. With increasing Be concentration from 0.4 to 2.14 mass%, the volume fraction of eye-shaped twin domains developed in the 90% cold-rolled samples increased up to 4.9%. Additionally, the volume fraction further increased to 7.1% when Co was excluded, even for a Be concentration of 1.86 mass%. Therefore, Be addition promotes mechanical twinning, while the precipitates appear to impede it. Furthermore, it was revealed that excess Be was consumed for formation of γ- and β-phases in the Cu–Be alloy with 2.14 mass% Be. The age hardenability at 588 K was more significant with increasing Be content, although the increase in tensile strength was not highly significant. These tendencies were more significant when the alloy was solution treated at higher temperatures and for longer times. The highest tensile strength (1.7 GPa) was observed for the Cu–Be alloy with 2.14 mass% Be when tested along the transverse direction, which was slightly higher than the 1.5 GPa measured along the rolling direction. The above results indicated the important role of age hardenability and the volume fraction of eye-shaped twin domains in the heterogeneous nanostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 1 and 2 June, NTT Communication Science Laboratories (CS Labs) hosted the Open House on-site for the first time in four years. We presented 6 talks and 16 exhibits of our latest research efforts in information and human sciences at the event, attracting more than 400 visitors over the two days. We also featured videos of the talks and exhibits on the Open House 2023 website, which received over 3000 views in 20 days after the event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]