40Ar-39Ar analyses of Juvinas fragments

Three fragments of the Juvinas (eucrite) taken from the main mass with a size of about 30cm were analyzed by the ^Ar-^Ar method in order to examine differences of secondary thermal effects. The brecciated matrix shows a scattered pattern in the ^Ar-^Ar age spectrum, indicating excess ^Ar in the higher temperature fractions. Two other fragments show no definite plateau ages but indicate similar age patterns. A probable disturbance event (s) around 4-4.1 Ga is indicated in the 975-1050℃ fractions. Thus, Juvinas shows evidence of secondary thermal events, probably due to impacts

Mechanical properties of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing resin composites assuming perfect silane coupling using in silico homogenization of cryo-electron microscopy images

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the mechanical properties of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) resin composites for dental restoration assuming perfect silane coupling by in silico homogenization analysis using a three-dimensional model constructed from cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) images. Methods: Three-dimensional dataset of a commercial CAD/CAM resin composite block (RCB) was obtained using EM with cryo-stage and focused ion beam at −130 °C. The region of inspection was 1.8 μm × 1.4 μm × 1.2 μm, and 213 slices were obtained from this region. Each slice was processed (noise reduction, threshold setting, and segmentation) using image processing software to design an in silico model. From the processed image slices, a bulk three-dimensional object and stereolithography model were reconstructed using voxel modeling software. To evaluate the elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio of the CAD/CAM RCB, homogenization analysis was performed. Results: The generated voxel model included 37,276,216 voxels, 42,472,040 patches of the surface, 2,123,672 nodes, a volume of 165,748,899, and a surface area of 175,206,723. The mean of the elastic moduli along each axis was 10.71 ± 1.79 GPa. The mean of the Poisson's ratios of each plane was 0.23 ± 0.02. Conclusions: A CAD/CAM resin composite model was successfully reconstructed from cryo-EM images, suggesting that the established image processing method is useful for producing dental restorative materials containing nano-fillers and for predicting homogenized mechanical properties. The homogenized mechanical properties indicated that the mechanical properties of the CAD/CAM RCB assumed perfect silane coupling between the fillers and resin matrix.Lee C., Yamaguchi S., Ohta K., et al. Mechanical properties of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing resin composites assuming perfect silane coupling using in silico homogenization of cryo-electron microscopy images. Journal of Prosthodontic Research 63, 90 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpor.2018.09.001

Acute osteomyelitis of the acetabulum induced by Staphylococcus capitis in a young athlete

Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHOM) of the acetabulum is a rare condition in children and usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus. We present an 11-year-old soccer athlete who suffered from acute osteomyelitis involving the acetabulum caused by S. capitis, a normal flora of the human skin but never reported in this condition. The disease was associated with repetitive skin injuries of the knee and potential osseous microtrauma of the hip joint by frequent rigorous exercise. This unusual case suggests that osseous microtrauma of the acetabulum, in addition to repetitive skin injuries, allowed normal skin flora to colonize to the ipsilateral acetabulum, which served as a favorable niche and subsequently led to AHOM

Spectroscopic estimation of the photon number for superconducting Kerr parametric oscillators

Quantum annealing (QA) is a way to solve combinational optimization problems. Kerr nonlinear parametric oscillators (KPOs) are promising devices for implementing QA. When we solve the combinational optimization problems using KPOs, it is necessary to precisely control the photon number of the KPOs. Here, we propose a feasible method to estimate the photon number of the KPO. We consider coupling an ancillary qubit to the KPO and show that spectroscopic measurements on the ancillary qubit provide information on the photon number of the KPO

Perspectives on enteral tube feeding in Japan

[Introduction] The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the preference of enteral tube feeding between elderly inhabitants of Mugi town, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, and their parents in various physical conditions. [Methods] This population-based questionnaire survey studied 300 randomly selected participants aged 65–80 years. Respondents were to consider a situation where eating was difficult, and were questioned on their desire for tube feeding, using a visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from “do not want tube feeding (0)” to “want tube feeding (100).” [Results] Valid responses of 103 (34.4%) participants were analyzed. Under conditions of being “healthy,” “bedridden,” “with dementia,” and “bedridden and with dementia,” the median (IQR) of the VAS values for the desire for tube feeding were 31.8 (3.3 to 83.8), 19.3 (2.4 to 52.3), 5.2 (0.7 to 18.9), 4.0 (0.3 to 15.2) for respondents and 55.2 (11.6 to 92.2), 48.7 (5.5 to 85.5), 9.0 (1.2 to 46.8), 5.1 (0.1 to 36.5) for parents, respectively. The VAS values for the parents were significantly higher (p=0.001, 0.002, 0.001, and 0.01, respectively for the four conditions described) for the same items. [Conclusion] Surrogate decisions made by family members often differ from what the patients would have desired

25. Intensive Care Unitにおける呼吸管理(第457回千葉医学会例会 第一外科教室談話会)

<p><b>Examples of coronal images and isodose distributions in the coplanar (A) and non-coplanar (B) EF-IMRT plans of a representative patient.</b> On both images, the extents of the right (brown line) and left (cyan line) kidney receiving the blue isodose color wash (10 Gy) are shown. A shift in the isodose distribution is apparent. The kidney area receiving the blue isodose color wash (10 Gy) on non-coplanar EF-IMRT is less than that on coplanar EF-IMRT.</p

Surface transfer doping of hydrogen-terminated diamond probed by shallow nitrogen-vacancy centers

The surface conductivity of hydrogen-terminated diamond is a topic of great interest from both scientific and technological perspectives. This is primarily due to the fact that the conductivity is exceptionally high without the need for substitutional doping, thus enabling a wide range of electronic applications. Although the conductivity is commonly explained by the surface transfer doping due to air-borne surface acceptors, there remains uncertainty regarding the main determining factors that govern the degree of band bending and hole density, which are crucial for the design of electronic devices. Here, we elucidate the dominant factor influencing band bending by creating shallow nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers beneath the hydrogen-terminated diamond surface through nitrogen ion implantation at varying fluences. We measured the photoluminescence and optically detected magnetic resonance of the NV centers as well as the surface conductivity as a function of the implantation fluence. Our findings indicate that band bending is not exclusively determined by the work-function difference between diamond and the surface acceptor material, but by the finite density of surface acceptors. Furthermore, this study also suggests the presence of spatial inhomogeneities in the surface conductivity and the charge state of the NV centers when the implantation fluence is close to the density of negatively charged surface acceptors. This work emphasizes the importance of distinguishing work-function-difference-limited band bending and surface-acceptor-density-limited band bending when modeling the surface transfer doping and provides useful insights for the development of devices based on hydrogen-terminated diamond

Two Cases of Nivolumab Re-Administration after Pneumonitis as Immune-Related Adverse Events

Nivolumab is a recently approved medication for the treatment of unresectable malignant melanoma. Many immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with nivolumab have been reported, such as pneumonitis, hepatitis, dermatitis, and thyroiditis. Prednisolone can effectively treat irAEs. However, it is unclear how or if nivolumab should be administered to patients after they have experienced an irAE. Herein, we show 2 patients who underwent pneumonitis as irAE. Case 1 demonstrated a cryptogenic organizing pneumonia pattern in the CT scan and case 2 had a diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) pattern. Oral corticosteroids improved chest shadow of CT scan in both cases. However, when nivolumab was re-administrated, case 1 demonstrated no symptoms, but case 2 demonstrated pneumonia again. From our cases, it is difficult to re-administrate nivolumab for the patients with pneumonitis which shows a DAD pattern in CT, even if oral corticosteroids improve their symptoms