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Motivated by a spectral analysis of the generator of completely positive trace-preserving semigroup, we analyze a real functional $$ A,B \in M_n(\mathbb{C}) \to r(A,B) = \frac{1}{2}\Bigl(\langle [B,A],BA\rangle + \langle [B,A^\ast],BA^\ast \rangle \Bigr) \in \mathbb{R} $$ where $\langle A,B\rangle := {\rm tr} (A^\ast B)$ is the Hilbert-Schmidt inner product, and $[A,B]:= AB - BA$ is the commutator. In particular we discuss the upper and lower bounds of the form $c_- \|A\|^2 \|B\|^2 \le r(A,B) \le c_+ \|A\|^2 \|B\|^2$ where $\|A\|$ is the Frobenius norm. We prove that the optimal upper and lower bounds are given by $c_\pm = \frac{1 \pm \sqrt{2}}{2}$. If $A$ is restricted to be traceless, the bounds are further improved to be $c_\pm = \frac{1 \pm \sqrt{2(1-\frac{1}{n})}}{2}$. Interestingly, these upper bounds, especially the latter one, provide new constraints on relaxation rates for the quantum dynamical semigroup tighter than previously known constraints in the literature. A relation with B\"{o}ttcher-Wenzel inequality is also discussed., Comment: 19 pages

Remote control process system with distributed time-delay has attracted much attention in different fields. In this paper, non-linear remote control of a single tank process system with wireless network is considered. To deal with the distributed time-delay in a large-scale plant, the time-delay compensation controller based on DCS devices is designed by using operator theory and particle filter. Distributed control system (DCS) device is developed to monitor and control from the central monitoring room to each process. The particle filter is a probabilistic method to estimate unobservable information from observable information. First, remote control system and experimental equipment are introduced. Second, control system based on an operator theory is designed. Then, process system with distributed time-delay using particle filter is carried out. Finally, the actual experiment is conducted by using the proposed time-delay compensation controller. When estimating with the proposed method, the result is close to the case in which the distributed time-delay does not exist. The effectiveness of the proposed control system is confirmed by experiment results.

Background Sleep disturbance is a common psychiatric disorder in patients with cancer. However, many patients with incurable cancer have difficulty receiving oral administrations, which limits treatment options during disease progression. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy and safety of intravenous chlorpromazine treatment for sleep disturbances in patients with incurable cancer, with oral administration difficulty. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted among 52 patients with incurable cancer, with oral administration difficulty received daily intravenous chlorpromazine treatment for sleep disturbance from 2018 to 2020 at a single-unit university hospital. St. Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMHSQ) compared sleep before and after intravenous chlorpromazine administration. The primary endpoint was the efficacy rate of sleep quality [defined as a score of ≥4 (range: 1-6)] 7 days after receiving chlorpromazine. Results Beginning the day after receiving chlorpromazine, sleep quality significantly improved from a mean score of 1.6±0.7 to 4.3±1.2, and 80.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 66.5-89.1%] and 69.2% (95% CI: 53.8-79.6%) of patients reported good sleep quality 3 and 7 days after receiving chlorpromazine, respectively. The patients reported increased total sleep time and fewer awakenings during sleep, and satisfaction with sleep and difficulty falling asleep improved. Some adverse events occurred [akathisia (n=2), dry mouth (n=2), and somnolence (n=3)]; all were Grade 1 (CTCAE ver5.0) and improved with chlorpromazine discontinuation. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate displayed no clinically problematic changes. Conclusions Intravenous chlorpromazine has a high tolerability and effectively treats sleep disturbances in patients with incurable cancer with oral administration difficulties.

An experiment at J-PARC, E16 experiment, which aims to measure the spectral modification of vector meson in nuclear matter is planned. The experiment will measure light vector mesons (ρ/ω/ϕ mesons) generated in nuclear target through the 30 GeV p+A reactions. The mass spectra can be reconstructed with e^+e^− pairs originating from their decays. The spectral modification in finite baryon density is studied systematically. The detail of the experimental plan and expected results are presented with a particular focus on first physics run.

Nivolumab, an anti-programmed cell death 1 antibody, has been approved for the treatment of unresectable advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although immune-related adverse events (irAEs) such as dermatologic, digestive, endocrine, hepatic, and pulmonary toxicities are known to occur upon administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors, case reports of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) associated with nivolumab use are rare. We report a case of an NSCLC patient who developed PMR during treatment with nivolumab and received corticosteroids. A 74-year-old man without a history of autoimmune diseases received nivolumab at a dosage of 3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks for the treatment of stage IIIB squamous cell carcinoma. After 12 cycles of nivolumab treatment, he developed grade 3 muscle pain and arthralgia, requiring hospitalization and discontinuation of nivolumab. A bone scintigraphy revealed no bone metastasis. Serological tests showed that although creatine phosphokinase did not increase, C-reactive protein and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate were both high. Tests for the rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, and anti-nuclear antibody were negative. In addition to the serological findings, joint ultrasonography data and clinical symptoms were evaluated, leading to the diagnosis of PMR. Oral prednisolone 20 mg/d was started to treat the PMR without giant-cell arteritis. The patient's symptoms improved within 5 d of the initiation of treatment. Prednisolone was tapered to 5 mg/d without recurrence of PMR. Although grade 3 or 4 irAEs (except in type 1 diabetes) are generally treated with high-dose corticosteroids, grade 3 PMR associated with nivolumab use may be treatable with low-dose corticosteroids.

Linear polystyrene-stabilized PdO nanoparticles (PS-PdONPs) were prepared in water by thermal decomposition of Pd(OAc)(2) in the presence of polystyrene. The immobilization degree of palladium was dependent on the molecular weight of polystyrene, while the size of the Pd nanoparticles was not. Linear polystyrene-stabilized Pd nanoparticles (PS-PdNPs) were also prepared using NaBH(4) and phenylboronic acid as reductants. The catalytic activity of PS-PdONPs was slightly higher than that of PS-PdNPs for Suzuki coupling reaction in water. PS-PdONPs exhibited high catalytic activity for Suzuki and copper-free Sonogashira coupling reactions in water and recycled without loss of activity.