Improvement of Critical Current Density and Flux Trapping in Bulk High-Tc Superconductors

International audienc

A System Utilizing Metal Hydride Actuators to Achieve Passive Motion of Toe Joints for Prevention of Pressure Ulcers: A Pilot Study

This paper describes the influence of human toe movement on blood flow and the design of a toe joint passive motion system for preventing pressure ulcers. First, we measured lower extremity blood flow in the foot during active and passive motion of the toe to facilitate the design of new rehabilitation equipment. Also, the flexion and extension angles and the force of the toe joints were measured to determine appropriate specifications for the system. Increases in blood flow were observed at the external malleolus during movement. Flexion and extension angles and the force of the toe joints were found to differ significantly among participants. It is shown that a toe joint passive motion system can be effective in preventing pressure ulcers. On the basis of these results, a device using alloys of metal hydride (MH) as an actuator that is suitable for the system to initiate toe motion, was developed

Depression in Family Caregivers of the Frail Elderly in Sapporo, Japan : A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Depression affecting caregivers is a risk factor for discontinuing at-home care. Objective: The present cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate factors related to depression of family caregivers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to evaluate factors related to depression among family aregivers for the frail elderly with periodic nurse service in 2008, in 7 home-visiting nursing service stations in Sapporo, Japan. Caregivers were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire about various factors that might affect their depression, and also to complete a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Evaluation (CES-D). We analyzed 71 pairs in total. Results: Factors related to poor health (OR=3.40, 95%CI: 1.13, 10.18) and a longer time spent physically caregiving (OR=3.08, 95%CI: 1.02, 9.35) were associated with being depressed. On the other hand, factors related to a good or fair economic position (OR=0.30, 95%CI: 0.10, 0.91), having a sister or brother who could help from the outside (OR=0.21, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.91), being able to relieve irritation caused by caregiving (OR=0.10, 95%CI: 0.03, 0.36), using the care service at home well (OR=0.24, 95%CI: 0.06, 0.98), and being able to pay more than 10,000 Japanese Yen by themselves as part of the total care service costs (OR=0.15, 95%CI: 0.04, 0.57) were associated with not being depressed. Conclusion: Caregivers should be supported not only informally but also by a new government funded system

High-pressure synthesis of superconducting Nb{1-x}B2 (x = 0-0.48) with the maximum Tc = 9.2 K

Superconductivity with Tc above 9 K was found in metal-deficient NbB2 prepared under 5 GPa, while no clear superconductivity was observed down to 3 K in stoichiometric NbB2. The superconductivity was observed above x = 0.04 in Nb1-xB2. and the lattice parameters also changed abruptly at x = 0.04. As x increased, the transition temperature Tc slightly rose and fell with the maximum value of 9.2 K at x = 0.24 for the samples sintered at 5 GPa and 1200 C. The Tc-value changed in the range from 7 K to 9 K, depending on the sintering pressure. A series of Ta1-xB2 (0 =< x =< 0.24) was also synthesized under high pressure to examine a special effect of high-pressure synthesis.Comment: 24 pages including 2 tables and 7 figures, accepted for publication in Physica

H1821+643: The most X-ray and infrared luminous AGN in the Swift/BAT survey in the process of rapid stellar and supermassive black hole mass assembly

H1821+643 is the most X-ray luminous non-beamed AGN of $L_\mathrm{14-150 keV}= 5.2\times 10^{45}$ erg s$^{-1}$ in the Swift/BAT ultra-hard X-ray survey and it is also a hyper-luminous infrared (IR) galaxy $L_\mathrm{IR} = 10^{13.2} L_\odot$ residing in the center of a massive galaxy cluster, which is a unique environment achieving the rapid mass assembly of black holes (BH) and host galaxies in the local universe. We decompose the X-ray to IR spectral energy distribution (SED) into the AGN and starburst component using the SED fitting tool CIGALE-2022.0 and show that H1821+643 consumes a large amount of cold gas ($\dot{M}_\mathrm{con}$) with star-formation rate of $\log ( \mathrm{SFR}/M_{\odot}~\mathrm{yr}^{-1}) = 3.01 \pm 0.04$ and BH accretion rate of $\log (\dot{M}_\mathrm{BH}/M_{\odot}~\mathrm{yr}^{-1}) = 1.20 \pm 0.05$. This high $\dot{M}_\mathrm{con}$ is larger than the cooling rate ($\dot{M}_\mathrm{cool}$) of the intra-cluster medium (ICM), $\dot{M}_\mathrm{con}/\dot{M}_\mathrm{cool} \gtrsim 1$, which is one to two order magnitude higher than the typical value of other systems, indicating that H1821 provides the unique and extreme environment of rapid gas consumption. We also show that H1821+643 has an efficient cooling path achieving from $10^7$ K to $10^2$ K thanks to [OIII] 63 $\mu \mathrm{m}$, which is a main coolant in low temperature range ($10^4$ K to $10^2$ K) with a cooling rate of $\dot{M}_{\mathrm{cool}}=3.2\times 10^5\ M_{\odot}\mathrm{~yr^{-1}}$, and the star-forming region extends over 40 kpc scale.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Promoter Polymorphism of RGS2 Gene Is Associated with Change of Blood Pressure in Subjects with Antihypertensive Treatment: The Azelnidipine and Temocapril in Hypertensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Study

We performed a prospective study to examine the genetic effect on the response to a calcium (Ca) channel blocker, azelnidipine and an ACE inhibitor, temocapril treatment in patients with hypertension, as a part of the prior clinical trial, the Azelnidipine and Temocapril in Hypertensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Study (ATTEST). Methods and Results. All subjects who gave informed consent for genetic research were divided into two groups: the subjects treated with azelnidipine or temocapril, for 52 weeks. We selected 18 susceptible genes for hypertension and determined their genotypes using TaqMan PCR method. RNA samples were extracted from peripheral blood, and quantitative real time PCR for all genes was performed using TaqMan method. One of the polymorphisms of the RGS2 gene was extracted as being able to influence the effect of these treatments to reduce BP. At eight weeks, BP change showed a significant interaction between the A-638G polymorphism of Regulator of G protein signaling-2 (RGS2) gene and treatment with azelnidipine or temocapril. There was no gene whose expression was associated with BP phenotypes or the polymorphisms of each gene. Conclusions. A-638G polymorphism of the RGS-2 gene could be a predictive factor for therapeutic performance of Ca channel blockers

Formation of two-dimensional weak localization in conducting Langmuir-Blodgett films

We report the magnetotransport properties up to 7 T in the organic highly conducting Langmuir-Blodgett(LB) films formed by a molecular association of the electroactive donor molecule bis(ethylendioxy)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDO-TTF) and stearic acid CH$_3$(CH$_2$)$_{16}$COOH. We show the logarithmic decrease of dc conductivity and the negative transverse magnetoresistance at low temperature. They are interpreted in the weak localization of two-dimensional (2D) electronic system based on the homogeneous conducting layer with the molecular size thickness of BEDO-TTF. The electronic length with phase memory is given at the mesoscopic scale, which provides for the first time evidence of the 2D coherent charge transport in the conducting LB films.Comment: 5 pages, 1 Table and 5 figure

特別養護老人ホームにおける介護職の看取りに対する態度に影響尾及ぼす要因 : 日本における縦断研究

Aim: The aim of the present study was to clarify that the effects of accumulated experience in end-of-life care and communication skill on the attitudes of care workers’ toward end-of-life care. Methods: A study implemented 2012 to 2014. Two hundred and fifty-three questionnaires were returned (40.2%), and 170 were fully completed by care workers in special nursing homes. We sorted the responses into two groups by experience level: the experienced end-of-life care (EE) group and the inexperience end-of-life care (IE) group. Responses were also sorted by communication skill level: a high score communication (HSC) group and a low score communication (LSC) group. A two-way repeated measure analysis of variance was used for the statistical analysis. Results: The EE group was more likely to be younger (P = .04), to have a longer duration of employment (P < .001), and to have participated in an EOL care seminar in their facility (P = .02) than the IE group. Attitudes toward end-of-life care were significantly different between the EE and IE groups (df = 2, F = 3.35, P < .05). Attitudes toward end-of-life care were not significantly different when comparing the HSC and LSC groups (df = 2, F = 0.17, P = .85). The communication skill between the HSC and LSC groups differed significantly at 2012, 2013, and 2014. Conclusions: The accumulation of end-of-life care experience prompted a positive change in attitudes toward end-of-life care. Meanwhile, communication skill had no significant effect to change attitudes toward end-of-life care

Factors influencing attitudes toward end-of-life care by care workers at special nursing homes for the elderly A Cross-sectional study in Japan

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clarify factors influencing care workers\u27 attitudes toward end-of-life (EOL) care characteristics at special nursing homes (SNHs). Methods: A questionnaire was initially sent to 630 care workers at 19 SNHs in October 2012. Written informed consent was obtained from 253 of these workers (40.2%), who then completed and returned the questionnaires. Participants were asked to reply to questions covering demographic data, work environment, depression status, experiences/education concerning EOL, communication skills, and attitudes toward EOL care. The Japanese version of the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale, Form B (FATCOD-B-J) assessment instrument was used in the analysis of the data received. Using the median value of the FATCOD-B-J score, 130 subjects were allocated to the high score (HS) group (FATCOD-B-J?23) and 123 to the low score (LS) group (FATCOD-B-J<23). In the LS group, the odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of participants exhibiting relatively negative attitudes toward EOL care were calculated and adjusted for potential confounding factors using multivariate logistic regression model analysis. Results: Length of employment in the facilities of between 5 and 9 years (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.87) as well as over 10 years (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.16-0.96) was significantly associated with a decreased risk of placement in the LS group. Furthermore, moderate (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24-0.80) as well as high (OR 0.35, 95%CI 0.17-0.75) communication skills in accepting other opinions, were significantly associated with decreased risk of placement in the LS group. Conclusions: After adjustments for potential confounding variables, results indicated that extended experience as a care worker and higher communication skills in accepting other opinions were significantly associated with a reduced risk of negative attitudes toward EOL care