Boron Particle Composite Plating with Ni-B Alloy Matrix

Ni–B alloy films containing amorphous boron particles (referred to as “Ni–B alloy composite films”) were fabricated by electrodeposition and were subsequently subjected to heat-treatment. Their compositions and microstructures were characterized, and their hardness was evaluated. The content of boron particles in the alloy composite films increased with boron particle concentration in the plating baths. In addition, the total boron content in the films increased with decreasing current density, reaching a maximum value of 34.3 atom %. The boron particles were homogeneously distributed in these alloy composite films and exhibited no cohesion. Heat-treatment of the alloy composite films consisting of a Ni–B alloy matrix and the boron particles led to a phase conversion from an inhomogeneous amorphous phase to stable homogeneous crystalline phases, which were similar to those in the Ni–B binary alloy phase diagram. The hardness of the Ni–B alloy 34.3 atom % B composite film was higher than that of a Ni–B alloy film both before and after heat-treatment.ArticleJOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY. 157(2):D119-D125 (2010)journal articl

Can late gadolinium enhancement on cardiovascular magnetic resonance describe cardiac involvement in patients with systemic sarcoidosis and/or suspect of cardiac involvement of sarcoidosis with cardiac symptoms?

2011 SCMR/Euro CMR Joint Scientific Sessions Nice, France. 3-6 February 201

Dose T2-weighted short TI inversion recovery images on cardiac magnetic resonance reflect disease activity in cardiac involvement of sarcoidosis patients?

The 76th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society 2012年03月18日 Fukuok

Conductance Anomaly and Fano Factor Reduction in Quantum Point Contacts

We report an experimental study on the shot noise as well as the dc transport properties of a quantum point contact (QPC) whose conductance anomaly can be tuned electrostatically by the gate electrodes. By controlling the single QPC so that it has no anomaly or an anomaly at $0.5 G_0$, $0.8 G_0$ or $0.9 G_0$ ($G_0 = 2e^2/h$), we prove that the anomaly always accompanies the Fano factor reduction due to the asymmetric transmission of the two spin-dependent channels for the conductance lower than $G_0$. For the QPC tuned to have the anomaly at $0.5 G_0$ the channel asymmetry is found to be as large as 67% with the spin gap energy gradually evolving as the conductance increases.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, 3 figure

Comparison of anti-scatter grids for digital imaging with use of a direct-conversion flat-panel detector

Our purpose in this study was to establish a selection standard for anti-scatter grids for a direct conversion flat-panel detector (FPD) system. As indices for grid evaluation, we calculated the selectivity, Bucky factor, and the signal-to-noise ratio improvement factor (SIF) by measuring rates of scatter transmission, primary transmission, and total transmission (based on the digitally displayed measurement values of the FPD system), using 4 acrylic phantoms of different thicknesses. The results showed that the SIF was less than 1.0 when the phantom thickness was 5 cm. When the phantom thickness was 25 cm and the grid ratio was 16:1, the SIF was 1.505 and 1.518 (maximum value) at 90 and 120 kV, respectively. Compared with the grid ratio of 12:1, the SIF at the grid ratio 16:1 was improved by 6.1% at 90 kV, and by 7.0% at 120 kV. In a direct-conversion FPD system, the grid ratio of 16:1 is considered adequate for eliminating the scattered-radiation effect when much scattered radiation is present, such as with a thick imaged object or a high X-ray tube voltage. © Japanese Society of Radiological Technology and Japan Society of Medical Physics 2011.Thesis of Mizuta, Masayoshi / 水田 正芳 博士学位論文(金沢大学 / 大学院医薬保健学総合研究科

CNVs in Three Psychiatric Disorders

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the similarities and differences in the roles of genic and regulatory copy number variations (CNVs) in bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia (SCZ), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: Based on high-resolution CNV data from 8708 Japanese samples, we performed to our knowledge the largest cross-disorder analysis of genic and regulatory CNVs in BD, SCZ, and ASD. RESULTS: In genic CNVs, we found an increased burden of smaller (500 kb) exonic CNVs in SCZ/ASD. Pathogenic CNVs linked to neurodevelopmental disorders were significantly associated with the risk for each disorder, but BD and SCZ/ASD differed in terms of the effect size (smaller in BD) and subtype distribution of CNVs linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. We identified 3 synaptic genes (DLG2, PCDH15, and ASTN2) as risk factors for BD. Whereas gene set analysis showed that BD-associated pathways were restricted to chromatin biology, SCZ and ASD involved more extensive and similar pathways. Nevertheless, a correlation analysis of gene set results indicated weak but significant pathway similarities between BD and SCZ or ASD (r = 0.25–0.31). In SCZ and ASD, but not BD, CNVs were significantly enriched in enhancers and promoters in brain tissue. CONCLUSIONS: BD and SCZ/ASD differ in terms of CNV burden, characteristics of CNVs linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, and regulatory CNVs. On the other hand, they have shared molecular mechanisms, including chromatin biology. The BD risk genes identified here could provide insight into the pathogenesis of BD