Observation of a Highly Spin Polarized Topological Surface State in GeBi2_{2}Te4_{4}

Spin polarization of a topological surface state for GeBi$_2$Te$_4$, the newly discovered three-dimensional topological insulator, has been studied by means of the state of the art spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. It has been revealed that the disorder in the crystal has a minor effect on the surface state spin polarization and it exceeds 75% near the Dirac point in the bulk energy gap region ($\sim$180 meV). This new finding for GeBi$_{2}$Te$_{4}$ promises not only to realize a highly spin polarized surface isolated transport but to add new functionality to its thermoelectric and thermomagnetic properties.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Visible fluorescence induced by the metal semiconductor transition in composites of carbon nanotubes with noble metal nanoparticles

We show that single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles emit visible fluorescence in the presence of noble metal nanoparticles and nanorods in the solid state. Conductivity measurements with metallic nanotubes, isolated from pristine SWNTs, show that they become semiconducting in the presence of the metal nanoparticles. Nanoparticle binding increases the defects in the nanotube structures which is evident in the Raman spectra. The metal-semiconductor transition removes the nonradiative decay channels of the excited states enabling visible fluorescence. Nanotube structures are imaged using this emission with resolution below the classical limits

Current management strategies for the pain of elderly patients with burning mouth syndrome : a critical review

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS), a chronic intraoral burning sensation or dysesthesia without clinically evident causes, is one of the most common medically unexplained oral symptoms/syndromes. Even though the clinical features of BMS have been astonishingly common and consistent throughout the world for hundreds of years, BMS remains an enigma and has evolved to more intractable condition. In fact, there is a large and growing number of elderly BMS patients for whom the disease is accompanied by systemic diseases, in addition to aging physical change, which makes the diagnosis and treatment of BMS more difficult. Because the biggest barrier preventing us from finding the core pathophysiology and best therapy for BMS seems to be its heterogeneity, this syndrome remains challenging for clinicians. In this review, we discuss currently hopeful management strategies, including central neuromodulators (Tricyclic Antidepressants - TCAs, Serotonin, and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors - SNRIs, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - SSRIs, Clonazepam) and solutions for applying non-pharmacology approaches. Moreover, we also emphasize the important role of patient education and anxiety management to improve the patients’ quality of life. A combination of optimized medication with a short-term supportive psychotherapeutic approach might be a useful solution

Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease and Quality of Life Among Older Individuals in the Community

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding the association of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease with quality of life (QOL) is mainly from selected clinical populations or relatively small clinical cohorts. Thus, we investigated this association in community-derived populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using data of 5115 participants aged 66 to 90 years from visit 5 (2011-2013) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, we quantified the associations of ankle-brachial index (ABI) with several QOL parameters, including 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), after accounting for potential confounders using linear and logistic regression models. Peripheral arterial disease defined by an ABI <0.90 (n=402), was independently associated with a low SF-12 Physical Component Summary score (-3.26 [95% CI -5.60 to -0.92]), compared to the ABI reference 1.10 to 1.19 (n=1900) but not with the Mental Component Summary score (-0.07 [-2.21 to 2.06]). A low ABI was significantly associated with poorer status of all SF-12 physical domains (physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, and general health) but only vitality out of 4 mental domains. Similarly, low ABI values were more consistently associated with other physically related QOL parameters (leisure-time exercise/activity/walking) than mentally related parameters (significant depressive symptoms and hopeless feeling). Lower physical QOL was observed even in individuals with borderline low ABI (0.90 to 0.99; n=426). CONCLUSIONS: Low ABI (even borderline) was independently associated with poor QOL, especially for physical components, in community-dwelling older adults. QOL is a critical element for older adults, and thus, further studies are warranted to assess whether peripheral arterial disease-specific management can improve QOL in older populations

Observing Quantum Tunneling in Perturbation Series

We apply Borel resummation method to the conventional perturbation series of ground state energy in a metastable potential, $V(x)=x^2/2-gx^4/4$. We observe numerically that the discontinuity of Borel transform reproduces the imaginary part of energy eigenvalue, i.e., total decay width due to the quantum tunneling. The agreement with the exact numerical value is remarkable in the whole tunneling regime 0.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. Phyzzx, Tables.tex, The final version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases from esophageal carcinoma after definitive chemoradiotherapy: Experience from a single institution

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases is known to be a safe and potentially curative procedure for various primary malignancies. However, there are few reports regarding the prognostic role of surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases from esophageal carcinoma, especially after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed 5 patients who underwent surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases from esophageal carcinoma at our institution. The primary treatment for esophageal carcinoma was definitive CRT, and a complete response (CR) was achieved in all patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The surgical procedure for pulmonary metastases was wedge resection, and pathological complete resection was achieved in all 5 patients. The disease free interval after definitive CRT varied from 7 to 36 months, with a median of 19 months. There were no perioperative complications, but postoperative respiratory failure occurred in 1 patient. The postoperative hospital stay varied from 4 to 7 days, with a median of 6 days. Three patients are now alive with a good performance status (PS) and are disease free. The other 2 patients died of primary disease. The overall survival after surgical treatment varied from 20 to 90 months, with a median of 29 months.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Surgical treatment should be considered for patients with pulmonary metastases from esophageal carcinoma who previously received CRT and achieved a CR, because it provides not only a longer survival, but also a good postoperative PS for some patients.</p

Herbig Ae/Be Stars in the Magellanic Bridge

We have found Herbig Ae/Be star candidates in the western region of the Magellanic Bridge. Using the near infrared camera SIRIUS and the 1.4 m telescope IRSF, we surveyed about 3.0 deg x 1.3 deg (24 deg < RA < 36 deg, -75 deg < Dec. < -73.7 deg) in the J, H, and Ks bands. On the basis of colors and magnitudes, about 200 Herbig Ae/Be star candidates are selected. Considering the contaminations by miscellaneous sources such as foreground stars and early-type dwarfs in the Magellanic Bridge, we estimate that about 80 (about 40%) of the candidates are likely to be Herbig Ae/Be stars. We also found one concentration of the candidates at the young star cluster NGC 796, strongly suggesting the existence of pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars in the Magellanic Bridge. This is the first detection of PMS star candidates in the Magellanic Bridge, and if they are genuine PMS stars, this could be direct evidence of recent star formation. However, the estimate of the number of Herbig Ae/Be stars depends on the fraction of classical Be stars, and thus a more precise determination of the Be star fraction or observations to differentiate between the Herbig Ae/Be stars and classical Be stars are required.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

Lung of Fgf10-CRISPR mosaic mouse

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing often generates founder generation (F0) mice that exhibit somatic mosaicism in the targeted gene(s). It has been known that Fibroblast growth factor 10 (Fgf10)-null mice exhibit limbless and lungless phenotypes, while intermediate limb phenotypes (variable defective limbs) are observed in the Fgf10-CRISPR F0 mice. However, how the lung phenotype in the Fgf10-mosaic mutants is related to the limb phenotype and genotype has not been investigated. In this study, we examined variable lung phenotypes in the Fgf10-targeted F0 mice to determine if the lung phenotype was correlated with percentage of functional Fgf10 genotypes. Firstly, according to a previous report, Fgf10-CRISPR F0 embryos on embryonic day 16.5 (E16.5) were classified into three types: type I, no limb; type II, limb defect; and type III, normal limbs. Cartilage and bone staining showed that limb truncations were observed in the girdle, (type I), stylopodial, or zeugopodial region (type II). Deep sequencing of the Fgf10-mutant genomes revealed that the mean proportion of codons that encode putative functional FGF10 was 8.3 ± 6.2% in type I, 25.3 ± 2.7% in type II, and 54.3 ± 9.5% in type III (mean ± standard error of the mean) mutants at E16.5. Histological studies showed that almost all lung lobes were absent in type I embryos. The accessory lung lobe was often absent in type II embryos with other lobes dysplastic. All lung lobes formed in type III embryos. The number of terminal tubules was significantly lower in type I and II embryos, but unchanged in type III embryos. To identify alveolar type 2 epithelial (AECII) cells, known to be reduced in the Fgf10-heterozygous mutant, immunostaining using anti-surfactant protein C (SPC) antibody was performed: In the E18.5 lungs, the number of AECII was correlated to the percentage of functional Fgf10 genotypes. These data suggest the Fgf10 gene dose-related loss of the accessory lobe and decrease in the number of alveolar type 2 epithelial cells in mouse lung. Since dysfunction of AECII cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of parenchymal lung diseases, the Fgf10-CRISPR F0 mouse would present an ideal experimental system to explore it

Ankle-brachial index and physical function in older individuals: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Most prior studies investigating the association of lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) with physical function were small or analyzed selected populations (e.g., patients at vascular clinics or persons with reduced function), leaving particular uncertainty regarding the association in the general community