Field resilient superconductivity in atomic layer crystalline materials

The recent study [S. Yoshizawa et al., Nature Communications 12, 1 (2021)] reported the field resilient superconductivity, that is, the enhancement of an in-plane critical magnetic field $H^{||}_{\rm c2}$ exceeding the paramagnetic limiting field in an atomic layer crystalline ($\sqrt{7}\times\sqrt{3}$)-In on a Si(111) substrate. The present article elucidates the origin of the observed field resilient noncentrosymmetric superconductivity in the highly crystalline two dimensional material. We developed the quasiclassical theory by incorporating the Fermi surface anisotropy together with an anisotropic spin splitting specific to atomic layer crystalline systems. The enhancement of the rescaled $H^{||}_{\rm c2}$ by the critical temperature at zero field occurs not only due to the disorder effect but also to an anisotropic non-ideal Rashba spin texture depending on the field direction. We also study the parity mixing effect to show the enhancement of $H^{||}_{\rm c2}$ is limited in the moderately clean regime because of the fragile $s$-wave pairing against nonmagnetic scattering in the case of the dominant odd parity component of a pair wavefunction. Furthermore, from the analysis of the transition line, we identify the field resilience factor taking account of the scattering and suppression of paramagnetic effects and discuss the origin of the field resilient superconductivity. Through the fitting of the $H^{||}_{\rm c2}$ data, the normal state electron scattering is discussed, mainly focusing on the role of atomic steps on a Si(111) surface.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl

Short-Term Effects of Acupuncture on Open-Angle Glaucoma in Retrobulbar Circulation: Additional Therapy to Standard Medication

Background. The relation between glaucoma and retrobulbar circulation in the prognosis has been indicated. Purpose. To investigate the effects of acupuncture on retrobulbar circulation in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients. Methods. Eleven OAG patients (20 eyes with OAG) who were treated by topical antiglaucoma medications for at least 3 months were enrolled. Acupuncture was performed once at acupoints BL2, M-HN9, ST2, ST36, SP6, KI3, LR3, GB20, BL18, and BL23 bilaterally. Retrobulbar circulation was measured with color Doppler imaging, and intraocular pressure (IOP) was also measured at rest and one hour after rest or before and after acupuncture. Results. The Δ value of the resistive index in the short posterior ciliary artery (P < .01) and the Δ value of IOP (P < .01) were decreased significantly by acupuncture compared with no acupuncture treatment. Conclusions. Acupuncture can improve the retrobulbar circulation and IOP, which may indicate the efficacy of acupuncture for OAG

Cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine as a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a prospective observational study

[Background] Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrotic lung disease that leads to respiratory failure and death. Although there is a greater understanding of the etiology of this disease, accurately predicting the disease course in individual patients is still not possible. This study aimed to evaluate serum cytokines/chemokines as potential biomarkers that can predict outcomes in IPF patients. [Methods] A multi-institutional prospective two-stage discovery and validation design using two independent cohorts was adopted. For the discovery analysis, serum samples from 100 IPF patients and 32 healthy controls were examined using an unbiased, multiplex immunoassay of 48 cytokines/chemokines. The serum cytokine/chemokine values were compared between IPF patients and controls; the association between multiplex measurements and survival time was evaluated in IPF patients. In the validation analysis, the cytokines/chemokines identified in the discovery analysis were examined in serum samples from another 81 IPF patients to verify the ability of these cytokines/chemokines to predict survival. Immunohistochemical assessment of IPF-derived lung samples was also performed to determine where this novel biomarker is expressed. [Results] In the discovery cohort, 18 cytokines/chemokines were significantly elevated in sera from IPF patients compared with those from controls. Interleukin-1 receptor alpha (IL-1Rα), interleukin-8 (IL-8), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1α), and cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK) were associated with survival: IL-1Rα, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.04 per 10 units, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01–1.07; IL-8, HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.08; MIP-1α, HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.00–1.36; and CTACK, HR = 1.12 per 100 units, 95% CI 1.02–1.21. A replication analysis was performed only for CTACK because others were previously reported to be potential biomarkers of interstitial lung diseases. In the validation cohort, CTACK was associated with survival: HR = 1.14 per 100 units, 95% CI 1.01–1.28. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of CTACK and CC chemokine receptor 10 (a ligand of CTACK) in airway and type II alveolar epithelial cells of IPF patients but not in those of controls. [Conclusions] CTACK is a novel prognostic biomarker of IPF

Remarkable Acceleration of Benzimidazole Synthesis and Cyanosilylation Reactions in a Supramolecular Solid Catalyst

[EN] A solid metal organic catalyst with hydrophobic pockets and Lewis acid centers strongly accelerates the reaction rate for organic reactions. This is exemplified for the cyanosilylation of ketones and for the synthesis of benzimidazoles, for which very high selectivities are obtained. The solid can be recovered and reused and its behavior approaches that of a functional enzyme mimic.This work was funded by the Generalitat Valenciana (Prometeo). The Severo Ochoa program (SEV-2012-0267) is thankfully acknowledged. S. R-B acknowledges a PhD fellowship from the Generalitat Valenciana.Rojas-Buzo, S.; García-García, P.; Corma Canós, A. (2017). Remarkable Acceleration of Benzimidazole Synthesis and Cyanosilylation Reactions in a Supramolecular Solid Catalyst. ChemCatChem. 9(6):997-1004. https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201601407S99710049

Molecular phylogeny reveals genital convergences and reversals in the barklouse genus Trichadenotecnum (Insecta: Psocodea: 'Psocoptera': Psocidae)

Trichadenotecnum is one of the most diverse genera among the non-parasitic members of Psocodea (Insecta: "Psocoptera"). The genus shows a world-wide distribution (excluding the Australian Region, where only one introduced species is known) with its center of diversity in southern to eastern Asia. Several species groups had been proposed for this large genus based on morphology, but their validity and phylogenetic relationships are still unclear because of great morphological diversity in the genitalia, systematically the most relevant character. In this study, we estimated the molecular phylogeny of the Old World species of Trichadenotecnum based on extensive taxon sampling. As a result, the monophyly of morphology-based species groups was very strongly supported in most cases. However, two groups were recovered as non-monophyletic, which had been inadequately defined on the basis of plesiomorphies or convergences of genital characters. First, the monophyly of the sexpunctatum group was not supported because the medium group was found to be embedded within this group. The simpler genitalia observed in the medium group were considered to be derived from the more complicated genitalia present in the sexpunctatum group. Second, the monophyly of the majus group was not supported for two reasons: (1) It was divided into two distant clades which initially had been united on the basis of convergent similarities of the male genitalia. (2) Two species groups were revealed to be embedded within the main clade of the majus group; the initial separation of these groups had been based on reversals to the ancestral genital condition

Systematic Position of the Enigmatic Psocid Family Lesneiidae (Insecta : Psocodea : Psocomorpha), With Description of Two New Species

The systematic placement of an enigmatic psocid family restricted to Africa, Lesneiidae, was estimated by using a multiple gene data set. The candidates for its close relatives are now classified under two different infraorders, the family Archipsocidae of the infraorder Archipsocetae or the families Elipsocidae/Mesopsocidae of the infraorder Homilopsocidea. The maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the molecular data set strongly suggested that the Lesneiidae belongs to Homilopsocidea and forms a Glade with Elipsocidae/ Mesopsocidae/Eolachesillinae (Lachesillidae). However, the relationships among these (sub)families and Lesneiidae, including the monophyly of Elipsocidae and Mesopsocidae, were ambiguous or questionable, showing the necessity of further investigations for elucidating their relationships and validating the status of these families. Two species, L. johnsoniYoshizawa & Lienhard, n. sp. and L. testudinataYoshizawa & Lienhard, n. sp. (Psocodea: Lesneiidae), were described from South Africa. There appears to be a tight association between the reproductive biology and morphological specialization of this group