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The itinerant-electron metamagnetic transition of La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 becomes indistinct after immersion in distilled-water containing about 8 ppm of the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration because of aqueous corrosion. However, the aqueous corrosion of La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 is significantly suppressed by reducing the DO concentration. Thus, isothermal magnetic entropy change after immersion for 30 days in deaerated distilled-water with a DO concentration less than 0.1 ppm is larger than that after immersion for 5 days in distilled-water containing about 8 ppm of the DO concentration. Consequently, the reduction of the DO concentration is effective for preservation of the excellent magnetocaloric effects of La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 in an aqueous solution, which is a promising heat transfer fluid of room-temperature magnetic refrigeration.

The most common cause of neonatal diabetes, KCNJ11 gene mutation, can manifest as a neurological disorder. The most severe form consists of a constellation of developmental delay, epilepsy, and neonatal diabetes (DEND). Intermediate DEND (iDEND) refers to a milder presentation without epilepsy. We present a child with iDEND, for whom insulin injections were replaced with glibenclamide therapy at 17 months of age because of poor glycemic control and delayed motor development. Three months after initiation of glibenclamide, HbA1c decreased from 10.2% to 5.6%. Continuous glucose monitoring indicated that blood glucose fluctuations were suppressed while on glibenclamide. Furthermore, after initiating glibenclamide therapy, the developmental quotient (DQ) for motor ability markedly improved from 60 to 91, whereas the DQ for language and adoptive ability remained as they had been before the sulfonylurea treatment. Sulfonylurea treatment improved glycemic control and motor development in the present patient.

The functionality of a newly developed silicone oil-free (SOF) syringe system, of which the plunger stopper is coated by a novel coating technology (i-coating™), was assessed. By scanning electron microscopy observations and other analysis, it was confirmed that the plunger stopper surface was uniformly covered with the designed chemical composition. A microflow imaging analysis showed that the SOF system drastically reduced both silicone oil (SO) doplets and oil-induced aggregations in a model protein formulation, whereas a large number of subvisible particles and protein aggregations were formed when a SO system was used. Satisfactory container closure integrity (CCI) was confirmed by means of dye and microorganism penetration studies. Furthermore, no significant difference between the break loose and gliding forces was observed in the former, and stability studies revealed that the SOF system could perfectly show the aging independence in break loose force observed in the SO system. The results suggest that the introduced novel SOF system has a great potential and represents an alternative that can achieve very low subvisible particles, secure CCI, and the absence of a break loose force. In particular, no risk of SO-induced aggregation can bring additional value in the highly sensitive biotech drug market. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 103:1520–1528, 2014

Influence of tungstate ions on the transformation of chloride-containing green rust (GR(Cl − )) to fine goethite (α-FeOOH) particles due to the oxidation reaction via aqueous solution at about 300 K was investigated by in situ measurements of X-ray absorption spectra. Results showed that the transformation rate of GR(Cl − ) in the suspension containing 5 mol% W was lower than that in the suspension without tungstate ions. Almost all tungstate ions in the suspension were adsorbed on GR(Cl − ) and α-FeOOH. It is probable that the adsorption of tungstate ions reduces the transformation rate of GR(Cl − ) and also leads to the precipitation of fine particles.

This paper is devoted to the description and revision of material of Cretaceous soft-shelled turtles (Trionychidae) of Mongolia. It includes the description of seven trionychid species, six of which are new, and two new genera: the cyclanorbine Nemegtemys conflata gen. et sp. nov. from the Nemegt Formation (Maastrichtian), and the trionychines Gobiapalone breviplastra gen. et sp. nov. from the Nemegt and Barungoyot (Campanian) formations, G. orlovi from the Baynshire Formation (Cenomanian–Santonian), ‘Trionyx’ baynshirensis sp. nov. from the Baynshire Formation, ‘T.’ gilbentuensis sp. nov. from the Nemegt Formation, ‘T.’ gobiensis sp. nov. from the Nemegt Formation, and ‘T.’ shiluutulensis sp. nov. from an unknown formation (Campanian). In addition, one shell from the ?Baynshire Formation of Khermin Tsav is assigned to Gobiapalone sp. The type material of Amyda menneri is considered to be Trionychidae indet. and Amyda menneri to be a nomen dubium. Finally, we revise other available materials of Cretaceous...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present initial evaluation of the performance of the iterative model reconstruction algorithm (IMR) in abdominal computed tomography (CT). METHODS Computed tomographic examinations were performed for clinical study of 36 patients and for phantom study. We reconstructed the raw data with 1.0- and 5.0-mm slice thicknesses using filtered back projection (FBP), iDose4, and IMR and evaluated image quality objectively and subjectively. RESULTS For almost all subjective characteristics, the image quality was better using IMR than iDose4. Objective image noise was significantly less using IMR than iDose4 (P < 0.0001). The contrast-noise ratio of both slice thicknesses increased in order from FBP to iDose4 to IMR. The spatial resolution of reconstructed images was almost identical using IMR, FBP, and iDose4. CONCLUSIONS The IMR can significantly improve image noise and low-contrast resolution and maintain edge sharpness in abdominal CT images compared with iDose4 or FBP.

The addition of a small amount of boron and nitrogen is known to improve the creep strength and life of ferritic heat-resistant steels. These light elements are thought to be distributed in the microstructures in a complicated manner during the heat treatment and creep of these steels. In order to understand the influence of the light elements on the mechanical properties of ferritic heat-resistant steels, a microscopic distribution analysis of the light elements is of importance. In this study, two types of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) methods were used to investigate the measurement conditions for analyzing secondary ions derived from boron and nitrogen in steels. In dynamic SIMS with a quadrupole analyzer, boron in the samples was effectively detected as BO 2 - ions under irradiation with primary O 2 + ions. From the time-of-flight (ToF) SIMS using a focused primary Bi 3 2+ ion beam coupled with the exposure of the sample to a low partial pressure of oxygen, it was suggested that boron is enriched in M 23 C 6 carbides in the steels and it may be, more or less, segregated at prior austenite grain boundaries with a moderate amount of nitrogen during normalizing. It was also demonstrated that nitrogen is precipitated as boron nitride in steels containing an excess amount of boron and nitrogen. The characteristics of the distribution of boron and nitrogen in the steels are discussed on the basis of the thermodynamic properties of these elements in the steels.

In situ measurements of X-ray absorption spectra at an Fe K absorption edge were carried out during the transformation of chloride-containing green rust (GR(Cl)) to oxyhydroxide (that is, lepidocrocite (γ FeOOH)), by oxidation via aqueous solution. Results showed that the Fe K absorption edge in X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectrum shifted toward the higher energy side with increasing oxidation time. The factor analysis of the XANES spectra, using reference data, implied that dissolution of GR(Cl) and precipitation of γ -FeOOH occur simultaneously. The fraction of γ -FeOOH in the suspension increased continuously with increasing oxidation time, in response to the continuous decrease of the fraction of GR(Cl). The results lead us to conclude that GR(Cl) transforms to γ -FeOOH during oxidation under the present experimental conditions.

Herein, we synthesized scorodite particles using ultrasound irradiation in a strong sulfuric acidic solution (pH 0.5) and investigated the scorodite particles' size and morphology. The highest crystallinity of scorodite (96%) was synthesized using 200 kHz ultrasonic treatment, and maximum yield of scorodite was obtained in three conditions: 200, 28 kHz, and stirrer. The oxidant generated through 200 kHz ultrasound irradiation enhanced Fe(II) oxidation in the solution resulting in crystal nuclei formation. The crystal nuclei were transformed to scorodite by oxidation with a supply of solute [Fe(III)] from the solution and ostwald ripening. Clustered scorodite (4 μm in size) was obtained via synthesis using 200 kHz ultrasound (pH 0.5). Arsenic could be separated from the clustered scorodite via alkaline treatment; scorodite was changed to porous γ-Fe2O3 comprising nanosized particles. Porous γ-Fe2O3 was evaluated as a cathode in a lithium-ion battery, which showed a 149 mAh g−1 discharge capacity with a 0.5 C rate.

A characteristic modulation of the magnetic domain structure on the (001) plane of an Fe–12.8 at. % Ga alloy single crystal under tensile stress was observed by magneto-optic Kerr effect microscopy. The magnetic domain structure under zero applied stress was composed of magnetic domains with magnetizations in four types of magnetic easy directions on the (001) plane, which were separated by straight 90° domain walls and stair-like 180° domain walls. When a tensile stress of 11.4 MPa was applied parallel to the [010] direction, these 90° domain walls disappeared to release the tensile stress. A stripe domain structure that was composed of straight 180° domain walls parallel to the tensile stress direction was thus formed by the inverse magnetostrictive effect. Young's modulus of the alloy below the applied 11.4 MPa tensile stress was estimated to be 32 GPa, which is 57% smaller than the corresponding value above that tensile stress value. Consequently, a significant reduction in Young's modulus is caused by the characteristic modulation of the magnetic domain structure that occurs as a result of the inverse magnetostrictive effect.

We analyzed the dislocation distribution of cold-drawn pearlitic-steel wire by using the line-profile analysis based on the energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXD). Although this line-profile analysis requires a high resolution in reciprocal space, the resolution for EDXD is generally poor due to the energy resolution of the detector. Our analysis demonstrated that the resolution in the reciprocal space can be maximized at small scattering angles. Using the line-profile analysis based on the EDXD, the microstructural parameters such as the crystallite size and the dislocation density of the ferrite phase in the pearlitic steel were successfully analyzed. In addition, the distribution of the residual stress of the ferrite phase of a pearlitic steel wire was also analyzed using the EDXD measurement.

By annealing at 1323 K, the single-phase formation process of La(Fe0.89Si0.11)13 with a cubic NaZn13-type structure was investigated. A dendritic microstructure composed of an α-Fe phase with a mean size of about 10 μm and a LaFeSi phase in the as-solidified state is completely changed into the NaZn13-type single-phase by annealing for 300 h. The growth of the NaZn13-type phase is steep up to an annealing time ta = 100 h, and then becomes sluggish. As a result, the maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change, Δ S m max , markedly increases with increasing ta up to 100 h in response to the formation of the NaZn13-type phase. In addition, the position of Δ S m max shifts to higher temperature ranges due to the increase of the Curie temperature TC. Accordingly, thorough annealing for the single-phase formation of La(FexSi1−x)13 is important for high-performance magnetic refrigerants.

The ordering process of FePt nanoparticles synthesized in polyol solution at 383 K was investigated. Whereas X-ray diffraction peaks of the as-synthesized specimen corresponded to the fcc structure, the Fe-O correlation and Pt-O correlation peaks were observed in the radial structure functions of Fe and Pt atoms obtained by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Thus, the as-synthesized specimen was composed of crystalline FePt alloy phase and poorly crystallized Fe- and Pt-oxide phase. In X-ray diffraction patterns of the specimens which were heat-treated at temperatures above 568 K in a mixture of 5%H2 in Ar, diffraction peaks corresponding to superlattice lines were observed. Although the lattice constants of the as-synthesized specimen were much larger than that of the bulk fcc-FePt alloy with equiatomic composition, the lattice constants of the specimen heat-treated at 1173 K were very close to the bulk L10-FePt alloy. Additionally, in the radial structure function, peaks corresponding to the Fe-O and Pt-O correlations disappeared and peaks corresponding to Fe-Pt (or Fe) and Pt-Fe (Pt) correlations clearly appeared after heat treatment at temperatures above 568 K. Consequently, it is highly probable that the disorder-order transformation of FePt nanoparticles synthesized in polyol solution is accompanied by compositional homogenization due to the reduction of the poorly crystallized Fe- and Pt-oxide phase.

水酸化ポリ塩化ビフェニル(OH-PCBs)は，人体内におけるPCBの主要代謝物である．LC/MS/MSを用いた血液試料中のOH-PCBs測定法の改良を行った．新しい粒径2µmのLCカラムを採用し，LC/MS/MS測定条件の最適化を行った．改良法では，5gの血液試料で従来法より感度が向上した．また，誘導体化のような試料の特別な処理も不要で，OH-PCB類，PCB類およびダイオキシン類の同一試料による同時定量も可能である．, Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) are well known as metabolites of PCBs in the human body. We improved a measurement method for OH-PCBs in blood samples using LC/MS/MS. A new 2µm particle column was used, and the analytical conditions for the LC/MS/MS measurements were optimized. The improved method is more sensitive than the conventional method for 5g blood samples. And, this method is effective at determining the concentrations of OH-PCBs, PCBs and dioxins from the same sample without special treatment of the sample such as derivatization.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) in measurement of the inner diameter of models of blood vessels and compare performance between MBIR and a standard filtered back projection (FBP) algorithm.Vascular models with wall thicknesses of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm were scanned with a 64-MDCT unit and densities of contrast material yielding 275, 396, and 542 HU. Images were reconstructed images by MBIR and FBP, and the mean diameter of each model vessel was measured by software automation. Twenty separate measurements were repeated for each vessel, and variance among the repeated measures was analyzed for determination of measurement error. For all nine model vessels, CT attenuation profiles were compared along a line passing through the luminal center on axial images reconstructed with FBP and MBIR, and the 10-90% edge rise distances at the boundary between the vascular wall and the lumen were evaluated.For images reconstructed with FBP, measurement errors were smallest for models with 1.5-mm wall thickness, except those filled with 275-HU contrast material, and errors grew as the density of the contrast material decreased. Measurement errors with MBIR were comparable to or less than those with FBP. In CT attenuation profiles of images reconstructed with MBIR, the 10-90% edge rise distances at the boundary between the lumen and vascular wall were relatively short for each vascular model compared with those of the profile curves of FBP images.MBIR is better than standard FBP for reducing reconstruction blur and improving the accuracy of diameter measurement at CT angiography.

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible influence of single-dose 2.0-g azithromycin (AZ-ER) on anticoagulation in patients taking warfarin. Study Design. Eighteen consecutive patients receiving long-term stable warfarin therapy were enrolled in this study. AZ-ER was administered 1 hour prior to tooth extraction. The international normalized ratio (INR) value was measured prior to AZ-ER administration as well as during, 1 day after, and 7 days after the tooth extraction. Additionally, the azithromycin concentration in the extraction wound as well as in the peripheral venous blood was assessed. Results. The changes in INR throughout the study period were not statistically significant (2-factor analysis of variance, NS). The azithromycin concentration in extraction wounds was higher than that in peripheral veins. Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that prophylactic administration of AZ-ER to patients receiving daily warfarin therapy with a stable coagulation status has no relevant effect on the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2013;115:148-151), Article, ORAL SURGERY ORAL MEDICINE ORAL PATHOLOGY ORAL RADIOLOGY. 115(2):148-151 (2013)

In this work, the ZnO spherical nanoparticles with a diameter in the range of 10–30 nm have been prepared via mechanochemical oxidation of metallic Zn powders treated in a vibratory ball mill in the presence of air and liquid nitrogen. The as-prepared nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, HR-TEM, FTIR, XPS, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The results show that metallic zinc powder is completely converted to nanocrystalline ZnO within 48 h of cryomilling. The XPS analysis confirms the presence of incorporated nitrogen as well as Zn(OH)2 and carbonate species formed on the reactive structurally-disordered surface shell of the as-prepared nanoparticles. Compared with the pure ZnO, the light absorption by the as-prepared ZnO nanocrystals was shifted to longer wavelengths.

Background As the presence of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) affects the accuracy of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) analysis methods, HbA1c measurement may not be a good indicator for patients with neonatal diabetes mellitus, whereas glycated albumin (GA) may be a good indicator. Objective To investigate whether total glycated hemoglobin (GHb) or HbF-adjusted HbA1c (adj-HbA1c) can act as a glycemic control marker in infants. Subjects and Methods Plasma glucose (PG), GA, HbF, GHb measured using the affinity method, and HbA1c measured using the latex-immunoturbidimetry (LA) or the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were determined in 26 full-term newborn infants aged 4–234 d. Adj-HbA1c was calculated as HbA1c/(total Hb − HbF). Results GHb, adj-HbA1c measured using the LA and the HPLC methods were 4.8 ± 0.5%, 4.5 ± 0.5%, and 4.7 ± 0.6%, respectively. GA was most positively correlated with PG (r = 0.696, p

Objective We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of digital tomosynthesis (DT) radiography for detecting sinus opacification. Methods For 31 adult patients with signs suggestive of sinusitis who underwent both sinus multi-detector-row computed tomography and DT, 2 readers independently assessed opacification in the maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, and sphenoid sinuses by DT and in consensus determined the presence of opacification in each sinus by multi-detector-row computed tomography as a reference. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of DT and interreader agreement with DT using Cohen κ statistics. Results For the maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, and sphenoid sinuses, opacification was identified in 81.7%, 75.9%, 59.3%, and 40.7%; the sensitivity/specificity for detecting opacification by DT were 93.9/72.7%, 79.5/71.4%, 93.8/72.7%, and 90.9/75.0% for reader 1 and 95.9/100.0%, 95.5/92.9%, 100.0/81.8%, and 81.8/75.0% for reader 2; the interreader agreement was 0.79, 0.42, 0.67, and 0.63, respectively. Conclusions Digital tomosynthesis allows relatively accurate detection of sinus opacification with substantial interreader agreement for all the sinuses except the ethmoid sinuses.

We studied an efficient analytical method for detecting brominated aromatic compounds using negative ion chemical ionization (NICI), with well-known quadruple gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC/MS). We utilized 79 and 35 m/z as monitoring ions of brominated compounds and syringe-spiked PCB#209, thus highly selective and sensitive detection was achieved. With 7.0 m long HP-5 GC column, decabromo-diphenyl ether (DBDE), hexabromobenzene, α-hexabromo cyclododecane (α-HBCD), and tetrabromo bisphenol A were utilized as bromine type flame retardants that are generally consumed in industrial commodities. A shorter column provided more efficient results without degradation of DBDE on GC which are usually observed with longer column (30 m). Also, pseudo environmental water samples can be analyzed without authentic pretreatment procedures. Furthermore, we demonstrated analyses for members regulated by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances. Consequently, the newly developed simple NICI-GC/MS method was effectively worked for screening of flame retardants in a short period of time.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the accuracy of vascular diameter measurement on computed tomographic (CT) angiography using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR). METHODS We scanned 9 vascular models with 3 wall thicknesses and filled with 3 densities of contrast material using a 64-detector CT unit, reconstructed images using ASIR (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%), and repeated 20 separate diameter measurements for each model. We evaluated the distribution of image noise for the 0% and 100% ASIR. RESULTS For all vascular models, measurement errors differed significantly (P < 0.0001) among the percentages of ASIR, tending to increase as the percentage of ASIR increased for models filled with 246 and 354 Hounsfield units of contrast medium. The degree of image noise depended on the substance within the model with 100% ASIR. CONCLUSIONS Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction can enhance errors in diameter measurement on CT angiography and should be applied carefully to evaluate small vessels.

Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a screening marker for the diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency, which may fail to be diagnosed if serum ALP is not elevated. Here, we describe a case of vitamin D deficiency without elevation of serum ALP. A 1-year-old Japanese girl was referred to our hospital for the evaluation of genu varum. Her serum intact PTH level was elevated, while her serum ALP level was normal. Furthermore, her serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was reduced, and her urine phosphoethanolamine (PEA) level was mildly elevated. ALPL gene analysis revealed she was a heterozygous carrier of hypophosphatasia (c.1559delT). Serum intact PTH and urine PEA evaluations were helpful for diagnosing vitamin D deficiency and hypophosphatasia carrier status, respectively. Therefore, the possibility of vitamin D deficiency without elevation of serum ALP should be considered.

In this study, we performed three breath tests - l-[1-(13)C ]phenylalanine breath test (PBT), l-[1-(13)C ] methionine breath test, and [(13)C]methacetin breath test (MethaBT) - in patients with chronic liver disease to determine the optimal timing of expired air collection for diagnosing chronic liver disease and evaluating the grade of fibrosis. The subjects were 61 adults with normal livers, 98 chronic hepatitis patients, and 91 liver cirrhosis patients. We investigated the relationships of breath test results with routine biochemical tests and the Child-Pugh score, as well as the diagnostic capacities of the breath tests for liver dysfunction/cirrhosis and grade of liver fibrosis. For the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and correlations with liver fibrosis, the accuracy of the PBT at 30 min (PBT30) was similar to that of the MethaBT at 15 min (Metha15). For liver function assessment by two-point measurement with (13)C breath tests, we recommend the PBT30 and the Metha15.

For the further advance of Si RF devices and also GaAs/GaN MMIC devices, highly reliable and low leakage MIM structure with thick silicon nitride (SiN) film has to be realized on the basis of deeper understandings on its degradation and breakdown mechanisms. Therefore, a comprehensive study has been performed on the TDDB mechanism of MIM structures with SiN films having various thicknesses fabricated by three different deposition conditions and, then, a new TDDB model, the constant ΔE model, has been proposed. The constant Qbd (charge to breakdown) hypothesis which is assumed in the generally accepted √E-model for SiN films is not valid. In contrast, the field shift until the breakdown (ΔE) monitored by the I-V characteristics is constant independent of the stress voltage, stress method — constant voltage or constant current stress-, temperature, SiN film thickness, and also the deposition condition. Furthermore, the analysis on the deposition condition dependence has revealed that the dielectric breakdown does not occur when ΔE reaches the threshold only at the cathode side. To induce breakdown, ΔE at the anode side or at both sides must reach the threshold. The voltage dependence of TDDB lifetime is also discussed.

Objectives To compare the performance of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) with that of standard filtered back projection (FBP) for measuring vascular wall attenuation. Study design After subjecting 9 vascular models (actual attenuation value of wall, 89 HU) with wall thickness of 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mm that we filled with contrast material of 275, 396, or 542 HU to scanning using 64-detector computed tomography (CT), we reconstructed images using MBIR and FBP (Bone, Detail kernels) and measured wall attenuation at the center of the wall for each model. We performed attenuation measurements for each model and additional supportive measurements by a differentiation curve. We analyzed statistics using analyzes of variance with repeated measures. Results Using the Bone kernel, standard deviation of the measurement exceeded 30 HU in most conditions. In measurements at the wall center, the attenuation values obtained using MBIR were comparable to or significantly closer to the actual wall attenuation than those acquired using Detail kernel. Using differentiation curves, we could measure attenuation for models with walls of 1.0- or 1.5-mm thickness using MBIR but only those of 1.5-mm thickness using Detail kernel. We detected no significant differences among the attenuation values of the vascular walls of either thickness (MBIR, P = 0.1606) or among the 3 densities of intravascular contrast material (MBIR, P = 0.8185; Detail kernel, P = 0.0802). Conclusions Compared with FBP, MBIR reduces both reconstruction blur and image noise simultaneously, facilitates recognition of vascular wall boundaries, and can improve accuracy in measuring wall attenuation.

To evaluate the MR findings of ruptured endometrial cyst, focusing on the differentiation from tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA).We reviewed the records of 21 patients who underwent preoperative MR examinations for TOAs (n=15) or ruptured endometrial cysts (n=6). We evaluated the presence of hyper-intense ascites and hyper-intense peritoneum in T1-weighted sequences, strong enhancement of the peritoneum, hyper-intense content and hyper-intense rim of the ovarian lesion in T1-weighted sequences, and strong wall enhancement of the ovarian lesion. χ2 test was used to assess the relationship between TOA cases versus cases with ruptured endometrial cysts, and the three MR peritoneal findings. We evaluated the relationship between TOA versus non-infected endometrial cysts, and the ovarian MR peritoneal findings, too.Hyper-intense ascites was found in all of the patients with ruptured endometrial cyst and none with TOA (p0.0001). Hyper-intense peritoneum was observed in only TOAs cases (4 of 8). Strong peritoneal enhancement was seen in 3 of the 3 patients with ruptured endometrial cyst and 7 of the 13 patients with TOA (p=0.1366). Hyper-intense content of the ovarian lesion was seen more often in the non-infected endometrial cysts than in the TOAs (p=0.001607), while hyper-intense rim was more frequent in TOAs (p=0.000402). Strong wall enhancement was observed only in TOAs (11 of 15) (p=0.001355).MR images are useful to differentiate ruptured endometrial cyst from TOA.

A novel process for preparing scorodite particles with a diameter of approximately 20 µm from Fe(II) and As(V) in aqueous solution has been developed by DOWA Metals and Mining. In the present study, the dissolution characteristics of iron and arsenic from the scorodite particles synthesized by this process have been investigated under different conditions. The results show that the concentration of arsenic dissolved from the particles in aqueous solution is very low, but it has a complicated dependence on the temperature and pH of the solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) was used to analyze the morphology, structure, and composition of the scorodite particles. The results indicate that the scorodite particles exhibit a nearly octahedral shape with planes composed of almost (111) planes in the orthorhombic structure. The concentration of iron at the surface of the particles is higher than that of iron inside of the particles. This characteristic morphology, along with the minimal surface defects of the scorodite particles, is considered to be responsible for the low dissolution of arsenic from the particles in aqueous solution. Atmospheric temperature and solution conditions were also found to be important for the safe, long-term storage of arsenic using scorodite particles.

Background Glycated albumin (GA) reflects glycemic control in patients with neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM). However, GA in NDM patients is apparently low in relation to glycemia. Objective To establish the reference intervals for GA in healthy infants. Subjects and Methods Fifty-eight healthy, full-term newborn infants were used to define the GA reference values and to investigate its relationship to plasma glucose (PG) and serum albumin. The infants were categorized into three groups according to age: group A, 5 (4–6) median (range) d: n = 18; group B, 33 (30–38) d: n = 19; and group C, 181 (50–352) d: n = 21. We also studied 212 non-diabetic adults [group D, 53 (28–78) yr old] and the 5 NDM patients previously reported for GA comparisons. Results In the infants, GA was strongly positively correlated with logarithmic transformation of age [log (age)] (p = 0.831, p < 0.0001). The GA in groups A, B, C, and D were 7.3 ± 1.0%, 8.6 ± 1.1%, 10.9 ± 0.8%, and 14.0 ± 1.1%, respectively. The GA was more strongly positively correlated with serum albumin (r = 0.768, p < 0.0001) than with PG (r = 0.596, p < 0.0001). When GA levels were compared with the age-dependent reference values, GA in the transient NDM patient was normalized although GA in the four permanent NDM patients decreased but remained high after insulin therapy. Conclusions This study showed that the reference range for GA in infants is lower than that of adults and increases with age, with which we confirmed that GA in the NDM patients reflected the clinical course. Consequently, GA in NDM patients should be compared with the age-based reference values to assess the accurate glycemic status.

Objective Using an anthropomorphic phantom, we have investigated the feasibility of digital tomosynthesis (DT) of flat-panel detector (FPD) radiography to reduce radiation dose for sinonasal examination compared to multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). Materials and methods A female Rando phantom was scanned covering frontal to maxillary sinus using the clinically routine protocol by both 64-detector CT (120 kV, 200 mA s, and 1.375-pitch) and DT radiography (80 kV, 1.0 mA s per projection, 60 projections, 40° sweep, and posterior–anterior projections). Glass dosimeters were used to measure the radiation dose to internal organs including the thyroid gland, brain, submandibular gland, and the surface dose at various sites including the eyes during those scans. We compared the radiation dose to those anatomies between both modalities. Results In DT radiography, the doses of the thyroid gland, brain, submandibular gland, skin, and eyes were 230 ± 90 μGy, 1770 ± 560 μGy, 1400 ± 80 μGy, 1160 ± 2100 μGy, and 112 ± 6 μGy, respectively. These doses were reduced to approximately 1/5, 1/8, 1/12, 1/17, and 1/290 of the respective MDCT dose. Conclusion For sinonasal examinations, DT radiography enables dramatic reduction in radiation exposure and dose to the head and neck region, particularly to the lens of the eye.

In this Study, Influences of P on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Retained Austenite Characteristics in Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) Steels Were Investigated. Microstructure of 0.2mass%P Containing TRIP Steel Was Inhomogeneous and it Resulted in Deterioration of the Mechanical Properties. Retained Austenite Characteristics such as Volume Fraction and Carbon Concentration Were Also Affected by P. The Stability of Retained Austenite in P Containing TRIP Steel Was Different from that in P-Free TRIP Steel. Such Difference in the Stability of Retained Austenite Was Attributed to the Effect of the Carbon Concentration in Retained Austenite as Well as their Different Microstructure.

Changes in the crystal structure of type 430 stainless steel and the oxides on its surface were studied in situ at 1373 K using a high-intensity synchrotron X-ray source provided by SPring-8 in Japan. The surface of the steel was initially covered with Cr2O3, which was then converted to FeCr2O4, and finally Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 formed on it. These results indicated that the reason for the breakaway oxidation in type 430 stainless steel is Cr depletion beneath Cr2O3 layer and the subsequent ionisation of Fe, not the simple mechanical failure of Cr2O3.

Abstruct An influence of the addition of copper (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mass% Cu) on the microstructure andmechanical properties of high purity iron (99.998 mass%) was characterized. The microstructure and microhard-ness of high-purity iron based samples, which were rolled at room temperature and subsequently annealed,were investigated in this work. The microstructure of the samples has been observed by electron back scatter-ing diffraction (EBSD) and the mechanical properties have been studied by using micro-Vickers hardness test.The results of microstructural observation showed that deformation band was formed in high purity iron by roll-ing at room temperature, and it was recovered by annealing up to about 900 K. The microhardness resultsshowed that the softening of high-purity iron occurred by annealing up to about 900 K, while the hardness ofiron added with about 0.5-1.5 mass% copper was kept over 100 Hv and at the early time of annealing reached amaximum. The hardness of iron added with a small amount of copper may be attributed to precipitation harden-ing as well as solution hardening. The orientation of crystal in recrystallized grain was almost same as that ofdeformed grain. (Received November 21, 2011; Revised December 28, 2011; Accepted January 19, 2012)Key words: high purity iron, iron-copper alloy, recrystallization, EBSD, Vickers hardness, annealing, precipitation

Nanoparticles of Ni carbide of about 50nm in diameter were synthesized by the reduction of Ni salt in a polyol solution in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). It was found that the aggregation of nanoparticles was suppressed when PVP was added to the polyol solution during synthesis. Diffraction peaks of the fcc and hexagonal structures were observed for the specimen synthesized without PVP. On the other hand, no peaks assigned to the fcc structure and no spontaneous magnetization were observed for the specimen synthesized with 50g/L PVP, although pure bulk Ni are fcc structure and ferromagnetic at room temperature. Additionally, small peaks were observed in the X-ray diffraction pattern at 2a = 26.2, 35.7 and 47.8°, originated not from the impurity phase but from the hexagonal phase. The specimen synthesized with 50g/L PVP was fundamentally identified as Ni carbide with a Ni3C-type structure, as small peaks mentioned above were assigned to superlattice peaks. The structure parameters of the Ni carbide were refined by Rietveld analysis. It is concluded that the formation of the Ni carbide nanoparticles with Ni3C-type structure in the polyol solution is enhanced by the addition of PVP. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2012160]

The leaching characteristics of scorodite particles synthesized from Fe(II) under different conditions, such as reaction time and temperature, were investigated. The solution conditions, such as pH and temperature, were changed in leaching experiments. The results showed that the leaching characteristics depend on the synthesis temperature of scorodite particles, particle size, type of solvent and so on. Since the amount of As dissolved from particles with the high Fe/As molar ratio is relatively low, the Fe/As molar ratio of the particles is an important factor to control the dissolution of As from scorodite particles. The results of leaching tests with repeated renewal solution showed that pH of solution is the most important factor in the As dissolution. It was found that the addition of goethite to the scorodite is also effective to reduce the amount of As in solution.

Background: Although glycated albumin (GA) is a useful glycemic control marker in neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM), there has been no report comparing GA levels between NDM patients and non-diabetic infants. Moreover, GA in NDM patients may be apparently low in relation to glycemia due to the assumed elevation of albumin metabolism in neonates. Methods: We compared GA levels between 6 patients with NDM and 18 non-diabetic infants or 14 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Mean blood glucose (MBG) was calculated on the basis of self-monitoring of blood glucose for 1 month before GA measurement. Results: GA in NDM patients was significantly higher than that in non-diabetic infants (22.0 ± 5.8 vs. 10.2 ± 1.4%; p < 0.0001), and GA levels significantly correlated with MBG in both NDM and T1DM patients. However, GA in NDM patients was significantly lower than in T1DM patients (25.8 ± 5.3%; p = 0.0046), whereas MBG in NDM patients was significantly higher than in T1DM patients (233 ± 79 vs. 183 ± 41 mg/dl; p = 0.0006). Conclusion: GA levels in NDM patients were apparently low in relation to glycemia. Therefore, reference values for infants should be used for assessing the GA level in NDM.

A 36 month leachable study on water for injection in direct contact within a polymer-based prefillable syringe consisting of a cyclo olefin polymer barrel, a chlorinated isoprene isobutene rubber plunger stopper, a polymer label attached on the barrel, and a secondary packaging was conducted at 25 ± 2 °C and 60 ± 5% relative humidity. Through the various comparison studies, no difference in the leachable amounts was observed between this polymer-based prefilled syringe and a glass bottle as a blank sample reference by 36 months. No influence on the leachables study outcome was noted from the printed label and/or label adhesive or from the secondary packaging. In an additional study, no acrylic acid used as the label adhesive leachable was detected by an extended storage for 45 months at 25 ± 2 °C and 60 ± 5% relative humidity as a worst case. To obtain more details, a comparison extractable study was conducted between a cyclo olefin polymer barrel and a glass barrel. In addition, chlorinated isoprene isobutene rubber and bromo isoprene isobutene rubber were compared. As a result, no remarkable difference was found in the organic extractables for syringe barrels. On the other hand, in the case of element extractable analysis, the values for the cyclo olefin polymer barrel were lower than that for the glass barrel. For the plunger stoppers, the chlorinated isoprene isobutene rubber applied in this study was showing a lower extractable profile as compared to the bromo isoprene isobutene rubber, both for organic and element extractables. In conclusion, the proposed polymer-based prefillable syringe system has great potential and represents a novel alternative that can achieve very low level extractable profiles and can bring additional value to the highly sensitive biotech drug market. LAY ABSTRACT: A 36 month leachable study on water for injection in direct contact within a cyclo olefin polymer barrel and chlorinated isoprene isobutene rubber plunger stopper that has a polymer label attached to the barrel and is wrapped into a secondary packaging was conducted at 25 °C and 60% relative humidity. Through the various comparison studies, no difference in the leachable amounts was observed between polymer-based prefilled syringes and a glass bottle as a blank sample reference by 36 months. No influences on the leachables study outcome were noted from the secondary packaging. To obtain more details, a comparison extractable study was conducted between the cyclo olefin polymer and the glass barrel. In addition, chlorinated isoprene isobutene rubber and bromo isoprene isobutene rubber plunger stoppers were compared as well. As a result, no remarkable difference was found in the organic extractables for barrels. As for element extractable analysis, the values for the cyclo olefin polymer barrel were lower than that for the glass barrel. For the plunger stoppers, the chlorinated isoprene isobutene rubber applied in this study was showing a lower extractable profile as compared to the bromo isoprene isobutene rubber, both for organic and element extractables. In conclusion, the proposed polymer-based prefillable syringe system has great potential and represents a novel alternative that can achieve very low level extractable profiles and can bring additional value to the highly sensitive biotech drug market.

Glucocorticoid hormones play essential roles in the regulation of gluconeogenesis in the liver, an adaptive response that is required for the maintenance of circulating glucose levels during fasting. Glucocorticoids do this by cooperating with glucagon, which is secreted from pancreatic islets to activate the cAMP-signaling pathway in hepatocytes. The cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB)-regulated transcription coactivator 2 (CRTC2) is a coactivator known to be specific to CREB and plays a central role in the glucagon-mediated activation of gluconeogenesis in the early phase of fasting. We show here that CRTC2 also functions as a coactivator for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). CRTC2 strongly enhances GR-induced transcriptional activity of glucocorticoid-responsive genes. CRTC2 physically interacts with the ligand-binding domain of the GR through a region spanning amino acids 561-693. Further, CRTC2 is required for the glucocorticoid-associated cooperative mRNA expression of the glucose-6-phosphatase, a rate-limiting enzyme for hepatic gluconeogenesis, by facilitating the attraction of GR and itself to its promoter region already occupied by CREB. CRTC2 is required for the maintenance of blood glucose levels during fasting in mice by enhancing the GR transcriptional activity on both the G6p and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pepck) genes. Finally, CRTC2 modulates the transcriptional activity of the progesterone receptor, indicating that it may influence the transcriptional activity of other steroid/nuclear receptors. Taken together, these results reveal that CRTC2 plays an essential role in the regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis through coordinated regulation of the glucocorticoid/GR- and glucagon/CREB-signaling pathways on the key genes G6P and PEPCK.

Bi cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is one of the most promising tools for precise analysis of synthetic polymers. However, the sensitivity in the high-mass region is still insufficient compared with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). Accordingly, the effects of metal assistance (cationization agents) were investigated in this study.To investigate the effects caused by varying the ionization agent, three different polyethylene glycol (PEG) samples were prepared, one with an Ag-deposited film, and two others mixed with Ag and Na, respectively. The measurements were performed by using a commercial Bi cluster SIMS and MALDI-TOFMS systems. The mass spectrum obtained with MALDI-TOFMS was used as a reference molecular weight distribution to evaluate the effects of molecular weight and primary ion species (BiThe intensity of each secondary ion was the highest in BiIt was suggested that the cationization mechanism consists of pre-formed ionization and gas-phase ionization processes. The sensitivity of Bi cluster SIMS decreases to approximately one-fiftieth in every 1000 u. These results might help in understanding the mechanism of cationization and further enhancement of secondary ion yields of polymers. Copyright © 2016 John WileySons, Ltd.