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The discharge of harmful dyes in water bodies is a serious pollution problem, dangerous for the ecosystem's equilibrium and human health. In this sense, the aim of this work was to determine the influence of electrolytes (NaCl, KCl, CaCl

Background Long-term dysphonia may persist after thyroid surgery even in the absence of overt nerve injury. Therefore, we evaluated long-term dysphonia after thyroidectomy using a validated survey. Methods Patients undergoing thyroidectomy at a single institution from 1990 to 2018 were surveyed via telephone to complete the Voice Handicap Index-10 Survey. Individuals with documented nerve injury were excluded. Results In total, 308 patients completed the survey (mean age 51 ± 14 years, 78% female). Median time since surgery was 10.7 (interquartile range 2.3–17.5) years. The mean Voice Handicap Index-10 Survey score was 2.6 ± 5.2. Of the 113 (37%) patients who reported subjective dysphonia, the mean Voice Handicap Index-10 Survey score was 7.1 ± 6.5. Twenty-two (7.1%) patients had a Voice Handicap Index-10 Survey score above the empiric normative cutoff of 11, with a mean score of 17.6 ± 6.8. The most frequent complaints included “The clarity of my voice is unpredictable” (N = 71, 23%), “People have difficulty understanding me in a noisy room” (N = 70, 23%), and “I feel as though I have to strain to produce voice” (N = 65, 21%). Conclusion Long-term follow-up of patients after thyroidectomy suggests that more than 30% without nerve injury report dysphonia. Research to further assess the etiology and impact of these changes on quality of life is needed.

Background Transoral Endocrine Surgery (TES) represents an alternative to the open approach with no visible scar. Studies have shown TES has a safety profile similar to the open approach, but adoption has been limited. Public perception and preference for TES are factors associated with adoption that have not been explored. Here we aim to understand the perception of TES by the public and factors which influence decision making. Materials and methods A 38-question survey was designed to assess factors which influence willingness to pursue TES. The survey was distributed utilizing Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a crowdsourcing marketplace in which individuals perform tasks virtually based on interest. Descriptive analyses, Pearson chi-squared tests, Student's t-tests, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate theoretical decision to pursue TES. Results Respondents (n = 795) were 47% female, 78% white, 70% held a college degree or higher, and had a mean age of 37. The majority (69%) preferred a mouth incision over a neck incision. Respondents were willing to pursue TES for a theoretical cancer despite increased cost (52%) and longer operative time (70%). Respondents top two most important surgical factors were safety and experience. Conclusions Our data suggest the general public is willing to pursue TES and factors thought to be barriers to choosing TES may not deter the public. An informed discussion with appropriately-selected patients should be had between the patient and surgeon regarding specific surgical and postoperative differences including risks, safety, and experience.

Background Lutein is gaining attention as a strong antioxidant contained in foods. It accumulates in the human blood and retina, and is considered to play an important role in the body, especially in the eyes. Objective A method to determine the lutein content of raw spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) was developed with the aim of its enactment as a Japanese agricultural standard (JAS) measurement method for components beneficial to human health. Methods An interlaboratory study was conducted to evaluate an analytical method for the determination of lutein in spinach. The detection limit and quantification limit of lutein for this method were 0.2 and 0.7 mg/kg, respectively. Twelve participating laboratories independently analyzed test samples (five pairs of blind duplicates) using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results After removal of a few outliers, the repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr), reproducibility (RSDR), and predicted RSDR of the evaluated method were 3.4–7.5, 4.6–13, and 7.5–8.5%, respectively, in a concentration range from 64.9–150 mg/kg. Conclusions The HorRat values (RSDR/predicted RSDR) of the lutein concentration were calculated to be 0.61–1.6. Highlights The study results indicate the acceptable precision of this method.

We investigated the superfluorescent decay process of dense rubidium atomic vapor in a cell. Using a femtosecond laser pulse, the atoms were excited from the 5S ground state to the 6P state. The 2.73 μ m and 1.37 μ m fields were generated on the cascaded decay, 6P → 6S → 5P, which further stimulated the 780 nm forward emission on the 5P → 5S transition. Using sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, we observed all emission fields and the time delay between them, with sufficient temporal resolution. The experimental results were successfully reproduced using semiclassical simulations.

We investigated the polarization properties of superfluorescence (SF) emitted from dense cesium atomic vapor in a cell. The atoms were excited from the 6 S ground to the 8 P state using a femtosecond laser pulse. The SF fields generated on the cascaded decay, 8 P → 8 S → 7 P , mediated the nonlinear optical process. We observed 4.2-µm and 456-nm forward directional emissions generated on the 8 S → 7 P and 7 P → 6 S transitions, respectively. The polarizations of the two fields were correlated in each laser shot, and their directions fluctuated from shot to shot, reflecting the noise that initiated the 4.2-µm emission.

In this article, the density effect on superradiance is investigated through the field suppression of superradiance. It is shown that increasing density, which increases the number of atoms and lea...

The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing at a rapid rate. Prior studies have demonstrated financial burden and decreased quality of life in patients with thyroid cancer. Here, we characterize patient-reported financial burden in patients with thyroid cancer over a 28y period.Patients who underwent thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer from 1990-2018 completed a phone survey assessing financial burden and its related psychological financial hardship. Descriptive statistics were performed to characterize these outcomes and correlation with sociodemographic data was assessed.Respondents (N = 147) were 73% female, 75% white, and had a median follow up of 7 y. The majority had a full-time job (59%) and private insurance (81%) at the time of diagnosis. Overall, 16% of respondents reported financial burden and 50% reported psychological financial hardship. Those reporting financial burden were disproportionately impacted by psychological financial hardship (87% versus 43%, P0.001). One in four (25%) respondents reported not being adequately informed about costs.Financial burdens are important outcomes of thyroid cancer which occur even among patients with protective financial factors, suggesting an even greater impact on the general population of patients with thyroid cancer. Further research is needed to explore the intersection of financial burden, cost, and quality of life.

Soluble soybean polysaccharide (SSPS) is a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted and refined from soybean. SSPS consists mainly of the dietary fibre of the soybean cotyledon and has relatively low viscosity and high stability in an aqueous solution. SSPS has various functions such as dispersion, stabilization, emulsification, and adhesion. Therefore, SSPS can be used not only as a dietary raw material for fibre-fortified food, but also for pharmaceutical and industrial applications as well as for many other food applications. The chemical structure, properties and applications of SSPS as a functional food ingredient are summarized.

We investigated nonlinear optical processes driven by superfluorescent (SF) fields and their controllability with external laser fields. Cesium atoms were excited from the $6S$ ground state to the $8P$ state by a femtosecond laser pulse. The cascaded SF decay, $8P\ensuremath{\rightarrow}8S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}7P$, created coherence between the $7P$ and ground states, and led to the emission of a 455-nm pulse. A nanosecond laser pulse was applied to switch the $8S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}7P$ transition to the $8S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6P$ one and newly generate an 852-nm pulse. At the same time, the nanosecond pulse suppressed the 852-nm emission through the inhibition of the development of the SF field between the $8P$ and $8S$ states, which led to the saturation of the 852-nm power with the increase of the nanosecond pulse power. The presented results offer an approach to investigate cooperative radiation processes in many-body systems and to develop an alternate light source.

This paper reviews recent developments in ultra-high field (UHF) superconducting magnets for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the Asia regionin particular, those for high-resolution NMR magnets using high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coils. In Japan, a power supply driven-mode 1.02 GHz (24.0 T) NMR magnet using a Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (Bi-2223) inner coil was developed in 2015, providing the first high-resolution NMR at a 1H NMR frequency of >1 GHz (23.5 T). In late 2017, a new project was started to develop a persistent-mode 1.3 GHz (30.5 T) NMR magnet comprising a RE(rare earth)Ba2Cu3O7-δ (REBCO) inner coil, a Bi-2223 middle coil, and a low-temperature superconductor (LTS) outer coil. The magnet employs the newly developed state-of-the-art superconducting joints between HTSs necessary for the persistent-mode operation, as well as magnet technologies providing an ultra-high magnetic field of >30.5 T with high temporal stability and spatiality homogeneity for high-resolution NMR measurement. In China, a ∼20 mm cold bored magnet comprising an LTS outer coil and no-insulation (NI) REBCO inner coils was developed and recorded a field of 32.35 T, the highest magnetic field ever achieved with an all-superconducting magnet, which can be used as a small cold-bored NMR. In Korea, a liquid helium-free 400 MHz (9.39 T) all REBCO NMR magnets using NI winding was developed, which is operational. These technologies provide future perspectives for a UHF NMR magnet with key features of persistent-mode operation, an operating field of 1.4 GHz using (32.9 T)-class magnets, and the liquid helium-free operation.

Superconducting magnets used in applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) require significant temporal magnetic field stability, which can be achieved when the MRI and NMR magnets are operated in the persistent current mode (persistent-mode) using superconducting joints. However, the ultra-high field MRI and NMR magnets are sometimes operated in the driven mode. Herein, we present an analysis of the temporal magnetic field drift and fluctuations observed for MRI and NMR magnets operating in the driven mode and an exploration of effective methods for stabilizing the temporal magnetic field fluctuations. In the last decade, substantial improvements have been achieved in superconducting joints between high-temperature superconductors (HTSs). These superconducting joints enable the development of persistent-mode ultra-high field magnets using HTS coils. Therefore, we herein review the superconducting joint technology for HTS conductors and describe the results of the persistent-mode operation achieved by a medium-field NMR magnet using an HTS coil. Particularly, the cutting-edge progress achieved concerning HTS superconducting joints, including joining methods, superconducting properties, and future prospects, is highlighted along with the issues that need to be addressed.

We have developed a three-dimensional structure database of natural metabolites (3DMET). Early development of the 3DMET database relied on content auto-generated from 2D-structures of other chemical databases. From 2009, we began manual curation, obtaining new compounds from published works. In the process of curation, problems of digitizing 3D-structures from structure drawings of documents were accumulated. As the same as auto-generation, structure drawings should be also payed attention about stereochemistry. Our experiences in manual curation of 3DMET, as described herein, may be useful to others in this field of research and for the development of supporting systems of a chemical structure database. Manual curation is still necessary for proper database entry of the 3D-configurations of chiral atoms, a problem encountered frequently among natural products.

Recently, degradation of a high-field REBCO coil due to strong electromagnetic forces, has been identified. This issue is related to a conductor movement, forming a kink in the conductor body, and hence epoxy impregnation should be effective to prevent it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of epoxy impregnation on the electromagnetic force-induced degradation of a REBCO coil. We made an epoxy impregnated solenoid coil and charged it at 4.2 K in an external field of 11 T. A notable characteristic behavior, which is different from that of a dry or paraffin impregnated coil, was observed in the coil’s performance. The coil did not show any normal voltage below 408 A, at 65% on the coil load line, but it showed a sudden voltage jump at 408 A, resulted from a sudden fracture of the REBCO conductor. The outward bending, combined with a strong circumferential stress, caused the REBCO layer to fracture. Although epoxy impregnation is effective to suppress a conductor movement inside the winding, avoiding self-supported sites at a coil edge is required to eliminate degradation of the thin and flexible REBCO conductor.

Postoperative sore throat has a negative impact on patient satisfaction and recovery. Benzydamine hydrochloride is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug available for topical use. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of topical application of benzydamine to prevent postoperative sore throat in adults undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify relevant randomised controlled trials and pooled the data using a random effects model. The primary outcomes were the incidence and severity of sore throat 24 h after surgery/extubation, and adverse events. The quality of evidence was assessed using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Thirteen randomised controlled trials involving 1842 patients were included. Compared with control patients who did not receive analgesia, benzydamine was associated with a decreased incidence of postoperative sore throat, with a risk ratio (95%CI) of 0.31 (0.20-0.47), but not with significantly reduced severity, the standardised mean difference (95%CI) being -0.27 (-0.63 to 0.08). There were no significant adverse events related to benzydamine. Benzydamine was also associated with a reduced incidence of postoperative sore throat when compared with lidocaine, with a risk ratio (95%CI) of 0.18 (0.07-0.43). We judged the evidence for the outcome 'incidence of postoperative sore throat' as high quality.

We performed spectroscopic measurements of the 3 snp (21 ≤ n ≤ 51) 3 P° and the 3 snf (26 ≤ n ≤ 55) 3 F° Rydberg states of magnesium (Mg) atom using two-step laser resonant excitation of Mg in the 3 s 3 p 3 P° metastable states. The metastable states of Mg were produced in a pulsed discharge, which was initiated each time a Mg rod was ablated by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser in between low-voltage electrodes. The quantum defects of the 3 snp 3 P 0 , 1 ∘ and the 3 snf 3 F 2 , 3 ∘ states were determined as 1.114(6) and 0.04(1), respectively.

We investigated the transverse properties of 420-nm yoked superfluorescence (YSF) emitted from the atomic vapor of rubidium by driving the $5S\text{\ensuremath{-}}5D$ two-photon transition with an ultrashort laser pulse. From the observed interferograms of the superfluorescent pulses, we derived both the amplitude and phase properties of their electric fields. By increasing the pump-pulse intensity, the spatial profile of the 420-nm YSF changed from a central bright spot into a ring-shaped radial profile, accompanied by a simultaneous distortion of the wave front. This behavior can be explained by considering the intensity-dependent phase shifts of the $5S\text{\ensuremath{-}}5D$ wave packets during the excitation process, which was further imprinted to the 420-nm YSF wave front. The single-shot experiments enabled us to clarify the locally coherent regions of the 420-nm YSF as well as their stochastic feature.

Enzymatic catalysis is an ecofriendly strategy for the production of high-value low-molecular-weight aromatic compounds from lignin. Although well-definable aromatic monomers have been obtained from synthetic lignin-model dimers, enzymatic-selective synthesis of platform monomers from natural lignin has not been accomplished. In this study, we successfully achieved highly specific synthesis of aromatic monomers with a phenylpropane structure directly from natural lignin using a cascade reaction of β-O-4-cleaving bacterial enzymes in one pot. Guaiacylhydroxylpropanone (GHP) and the GHP/syringylhydroxylpropanone (SHP) mixture are exclusive monomers from lignin isolated from softwood (Cryptomeria japonica) and hardwood (Eucalyptus globulus). The intermediate products in the enzymatic reactions show the capacity to accommodate highly heterologous substrates at the substrate-binding sites of the enzymes. To demonstrate the applicability of GHP as a platform chemical for bio-based industries, we chemically generate value-added GHP derivatives for bio-based polymers. Together with these chemical conversions for the valorization of lignin-derived phenylpropanone monomers, the specific and enzymatic production of the monomers directly from natural lignin is expected to provide a new stream in "white biotechnology" for sustainable biorefineries., 海洋性細菌の酵素で木材成分のリグニンから機能性化学品を創る : ホワイトバイオテクノロジーの新展開. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2016-12-22.

Background In some patients, non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections manifest in solitary nodules (solitary nodular [SN] type) generally caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). In patients treated using surgical resection, the American Thoracic Society guidelines state that postoperative chemotherapy is not necessary in the absence of lesions, although there have been a few reports of such cases. Methods Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with NTM who underwent solitary pulmonary nodule resection at Toneyama Hospital, Osaka, Japan, between January 2000 and October 2012 were enrolled. We evaluated the influence of the surgical procedure and chemotherapy on outcomes in this retrospective study. Results Of the 28 patients, 12 were males and 16 were females; the mean age was 58.6 ± 13.2 years. Twenty-five patients were asymptomatic and bronchoscopy was performed in 18; only 2 had a definitive diagnosis of NTM. The pathogen responsible was MAC in 27 patients and M. kansasii in 1. The surgical procedure used was wedge resection in 22 patients, segmentectomy in 1 and lobectomy in 5. Postoperative chemotherapy was administered to 9 patients. Twenty-six patients had no recurrence. Conclusion We believe that wedge resection is a valid surgical intervention for SN type NTM; additional postoperative chemotherapy is unnecessary in cases with no residual lesions in the operated lung lobe.

In this study, we developed a new frequency-tuning method for 700-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) pickup coils. We determined an optimal Helmholtz-type one-turn coil, by using an electromagnetic simulator, and fabricated a pickup coil using YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) thin films. We examined the resonance frequency shift of the pickup coils obtained with a sapphire plate by using a 3-D electromagnetic-field simulator and obtained a 31.5-MHz shift. We also examined the frequency shift obtained using a quasi-NMR pickup coil system and found that it was 29.3 MHz. This value is sufficient for the frequency tuning in an actual NMR system. It became clear that resonance frequency tuning using a sapphire plate was possible.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are hazardous pollutants that are biodegraded by soil bacteria and the soil sphingomonads are thought to be major contributors to PAH biodegradation. To predict PAH environmental fates it is necessary to understand the chemistry and genetics of PAH biodegradation by sphingomonads. When the soil sphingomonad Sphingobium barthaii KK22 was exposed to low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs and biotransformation products were investigated by comprehensive chemical analyses, at least twenty products were identified by different techniques and both intradiol- and extradiol-aromatic ring cleavage pathways were found to be active in this organism. Sphingomonads, a large and diverse group, have been studied in regard to PAH biodegradation, however intradiol-ring cleavage of LMW PAHs has never been reported. Whole genome sequencing and prediction of S. barthaii KK22 functional genes revealed sets of aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases and PAH biotransformation genes. Combined with chemical analyses results, novel, near complete PAH biotransformation pathways for soil sphingomonads were constructed. In conjunction with quantitative assays, a comprehensive view of PAH biodegradation was obtained that revealed divergent downstream pathways that advanced our understanding of the PAH biotransformation capabilities of these versatile soil bacteria and shall aid in predictions of PAH environmental fate during soil bioremediation.

We have made microwave spectroscopy to precisely measure the two-photon transition frequencies between the 5snf ${}^{1}\mathrm{F}_{3}$ and the $5\mathrm{s}(n+3)p\ {}^{1}\mathrm{P}_{1}$ Rydberg states of strontium (Sr) atom in the region of $40\leq n\leq 49$ . Revised values of quantum defects of the Sr 5snf ${}^{1} \mathrm{F}_{3}$ series have been preliminary determined.

We investigated both spatial and temporal profiles of the 420-nm yoked superfluorescence (YSF) from the atomic vapor of rubidium by driving the $5S\ensuremath{-}5D$ two-photon transition with an ultrashort laser pulse. By increasing the pump-pulse power beyond the saturation intensity, the spatial profile of the 420-nm YSF periodically changed between a central bright spot and a ring-shaped radial profile. The temporal profile of the 420-nm YSF was measured with a sampling oscilloscope with a time resolution of 50 ps. The experimental results were successfully reproduced by simulations using the Maxwell-Bloch equations. The simulated results confirmed that, in the strong excitation regime, the 420-nm emission from the lower transition component of the YSF is significantly delayed with respect to the 5.2-$\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ emission from the upper transition, while they are overlapped in the weak excitation regime.

Altererythrobacter sp. strain B11 is an aromatic monomer-degrading bacterium newly isolated from sediment under the seabed off Kashima, Japan, at a depth of 2,100 m. Here, we report the complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of strain B11.

Postoperative sore throat negatively affects patient satisfaction and recovery. Numerous randomised trials have tested the efficacy of corticosteroids applied to tracheal tubes to prevent postoperative sore throat. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Wanfang Database, and the China Academic Journal Network Publishing Database from inception to 7 December 2017. We included randomised controlled trials that assessed the efficacy and safety of corticosteroids applied to tracheal tubes, compared either with non-analgesic controls and analgesic agents, in adults undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. We pooled the data using a random-effects model and assessed the risk of random error by applying trial sequential analysis. Our primary outcomes were postoperative sore throat 24 h after surgery/extubation, and adverse events. The evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. We included 20 randomised controlled trials involving 2200 patients. Compared with non-analgesic controls, corticosteroids applied to tracheal tubes were associated with a reduced incidence of postoperative sore throat, risk ratio (95%CI) 0.39 (0.32-0.49) (18 trials, 1506 patients). Two randomised trials reported no adverse events. Compared with lidocaine, corticosteroids applied to tracheal tubes were associated with reduced incidence of postoperative sore throat, risk ratio (95%CI) 0.42 (0.35-0.51) (nine trials, 706 patients). Trial sequential analyses suggested the presence of firm evidence that corticosteroids applied to tracheal tubes were superior both to non-analgesic controls and lidocaine, in preventing postoperative sore throat. Evidence for postoperative sore throat for both comparisons was assessed as high quality. Only two trials sought adverse events; none were recorded.

A Gram-stain-negative, yellow, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain KK22T, was isolated from a microbial consortium that grew on diesel fuel originally recovered from cattle pasture soil. Strain KK22Thas been studied for its ability to biotransform high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny, strain KK22Twas affiliated with the genusSphingobiumin the phylumProteobacteriaand was most closely related toSphingobium fuliginisTKPT(99.8 %) and less closely related toSphingobium quisquiliarumP25T(97.5 %). Results of DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) revealed relatedness values between strain KK22Tand strain TKPTand between strain KK22Tand strain P25Tof 21 ± 4 % (reciprocal hybridization, 27 ± 2 %) and 15 ± 2 % (reciprocal hybridization, 17 ± 1 %), respectively. Chemotaxonomic analyses of strain KK22Tshowed that the major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10, that the polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyl-N-methylethylethanolamine and sphingoglycolipid, and that C18 : 1ω7cand C14 : 02-OH were the main fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acids, respectively. This strain was unable to reduce nitrate and the genomic DNA G+C content was 64.7 mol%. Based upon the results of the DDH analyses, the fact that strain KK22Twas motile, and its biochemical and physiological characteristics, strain KK22Tcould be separated from recognized species of the genusSphingobium. We conclude that strain KK22Trepresents a novel species of this genus for which the nameSphingobium barthaiisp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is KK22T( = DSM 29313T = JCM 30309T).

We propose a Helmholtz-type probe coil that uses a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) for use as 700-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) RF coils with a high unloaded quality factor (Q u ). We analyzed the microwave resonant properties of a one-turn coil set face-to-face. The coils were made of a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) film deposited on an r-plane sapphire substrate. The film thickness was 300 nm. The resonant frequency was found to split into in-phase (lower frequency) and out-phase (higher frequency) modes. We focused on the self-resonant frequency of the one-turn coil. We simulated the horizontal magnetic field caused by the RF coil. Although the coil could generate a sufficiently large transverse magnetic field in the in-phase mode, such a large field could not be generated in the out-phase mode. Therefore, we decided to use the in-phase mode. We also measured and simulated Qu to confirm that it was large enough for use in the 700-MHz NMR system.