Utilization of Chinese fast-growing trees and the effect of alternating lamination using mixed-species eucalyptus and poplar veneers

Over the past few decades, the sustainable forest area in China has increased remarkably, with 2400 million cubic meters of eucalyptus produced in 2018 in Guangxi which is the largest plantation area in China. In this study, the effect of alternating lamination using soft poplar veneers and hard eucalyptus veneers, on the mechanical properties of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), was examined. Eucalyptus and poplar veneers were imported from China to Japan to manufacture the LVL. For both eucalyptus and poplar veneers, the pith side (innerwood) sheets were lighter in density than the bark side (outerwood) sheets. The specific Young’s modulus of alternating LVL with hard eucalyptus veneers and soft poplar veneers was smaller than that of the mono-species LVL of eucalyptus and poplar. Strain distributions were obtained with the compression test by using the digital image correlation method. Normal strains showed that the hard eucalyptus layer behaved as a thin plate, whereas the soft poplar layer mitigated the movement of the hard eucalyptus layer. Alternating lamination decreased the variation in the elastic modulus of LVL made from fast-growing species. Therefore, the soft layers mitigated the movement of the hard layers, which had large variations in mechanical properties

Magnetic Full-Heusler Compounds for Thermoelectric Applications

Full-Heusler compounds exhibit a variety of magnetic properties such as non-magnetism, ferromagnetism, ferrimagnetism and anti-ferromagnetism. In recent years, they have attracted significant attention as potential thermoelectric (TE) materials that convert thermal energy directly into electricity. This chapter reviews the theoretical and experimental studies on the TE properties of magnetic full-Heusler compounds. In Section 1, a brief outline of TE power generation is described. Section 2 introduces the crystal structures and magnetic properties of full-Heusler compounds. The TE properties of full-Heusler compounds are presented in Sections 3 and 4. The relationship between magnetism, TE properties and order degree of full-Heusler compounds is elaborated

An experimental study of use of absorbable plate in combination with self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate for orthognathic surgery

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Objective: The purpose of this study was to histologically and immunohistochemically evaluate bone formation using both self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP; Biopex) and absorbable plate (Super Fixsorb-MX) in rabbit cranium bone. Study design: Twelve adult male Japanese white rabbits (12-16 wk, 2.5-3.0 kg) were used. The surgical defects were made in the nasal bone of a rabbit, and Biopex was implanted in the left side and no material in the right side. Two-hole absorbable plate and 2 screws (Super Fixsorb-MX) were fixed across the defect in each side. The rabbits were killed at 1, 4, 12, and 24 weeks after surgery, and formalin-fixed specimens were embedded in acrylic resin. The specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. For immunohistochemical analysis, the specimens were treated with bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) antibodies. Finally, these were evaluated microscopically. Results: New bone formation was observed in the region of absorbable plate and nasal membrane after >4 weeks. The area of new bone with Biopex was significantly larger than that of the control side after 1, 4, and 12 weeks (P < .05). The number of BMP-2stained cells in the experimental side was significantly larger than in the control side after 4 and 12 weeks (P < .05). Conclusion: This study suggests that the use of absorbable plate (Super Fixsorb-MX) in combination with Biopex could be useful and that both of Super Fixsorb-MX and Biopex could provide adequate bone regeneration. © 2010 Mosby, Inc

Changes in the lip closing force of patients with Class III malocclusion before and after orthognathic surgery

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in lip pressure before and after orthognathic surgery for skeletal Class III patients. The subject groups were 32 female and 31 male patients diagnosed with mandibular prognathism and/or maxillary retrognathism who underwent orthognathic surgery. Control groups consisted of 20 women and 20 men with normal occlusion without dento-alveolar deformity. Maximum and minimum lip closing force was measured with Lip De Cum ® for the control groups and subject groups preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. The difference between the pre- and postoperative values of the groups was examined statistically. The maximum lip closing force in men was significantly larger than that in women in both the preoperative Class III group (p = 0.0330) and the control group (p = 0.0097). The preoperative Class III group was significantly smaller than the control group in maximum lip closing force in both men (p < 0.0001) and women (p < 0.0001). The postoperative maximum lip closing force was significantly larger than the preoperative value in both men (p = 0.0037) and women (p = 0.0273) in the Class III group. This study suggested that the maximum lip closing force increases after orthognathic surgery in Class III patients. © 2012 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Position of mandibular canal and ramus morphology before and after sagittal split ramus osteotomy

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the mandibular canal and ramus morphology before and after a sagittal split ramus osteotomy. Patients and Methods: The subjects were 30 patients (60 sides) with mandibular prognathism who had undergone bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy setback surgery. The mandibular canal position and ramus morphology were measured at the 3 horizontal planes under the mandibular foramen level (level A), 1 cm lower than level A (level B), and 2 cm lower than level A (level C) preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively by computed tomography. Results: Postoperative ramus width, lateral distance, lateral marrow distance, and canal length were significantly larger than the preoperative values at the foramen, 1 cm lower, and 2 cm lower. The mandibular canal completely contacted the lateral cortex without lateral bone marrow in 6 sides (10%) in levels A and B and 4 sides (6.7%) in level C preoperatively and 6 sides (10%) in level C postoperatively. Conclusion: This study suggested that postoperative mandibular canal position was located more posteriorly and the postoperative lateral bone marrow became thicker compared with the preoperative state. ﾂｩ 2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Assessment of ramus, condyle, masseter muscle, and occlusal force before and after sagittal split ramus osteotomy in patients with mandibular prognathism

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the morphologies of the masseter muscle and the ramus and occlusal force before and after sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) in patients with mandibular prognathism. Patients and methods: The study group consisted of 26 patients with mandibular prognathism. All patients underwent bilateral SSRO as well as 3-dimensional computed tomography on which the masseter muscle, ramus, and condyle were measured preoperatively and at 1 year postoperation. Occlusal force and contact area were also recorded with pressure-sensitive sheets. Results: In the cross-sectional area of the masseter muscle, there were no significant differences between the pre- and postoperative status. However, postoperative ramus width and area were significantly larger than preoperative values (P < .0001). Postoperative right condylar area was significantly larger than the preoperative value (P = .0120). Occlusal force and contact area 1 year after surgery were significantly larger than the preoperative values (P = .0016, P = .0190). Conclusion: This study suggested that the masseter muscle area did not significantly differ from preoperative status 1 year after SSRO, although occlusal force, contact area, and ramus area and width increased significantly 1 year after SSRO. © 2009

Assessment of bone healing after Le Fort I osteotomy with 3-dimensional computed tomography

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine bone healing after Le Fort I osteotomy in Class III patients. Patients and methods: The study group consisted of 18 Japanese patients with mandibular prognathism with and without asymmetry, maxillary retrognathism or open bite. A total of 36 sides were examined. Le Fort I osteotomy was performed without a pterygoid osteotome, with an ultrasonic curette used to remove interference at the pterygomaxillary region. Titanium plates (Universal Mid-face fixation module, Stryker, Freiburg, German) were used for four patients, absorbable plates (poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA): NEOFIX®, Gunze, kyoto, Japan) were used for four patients and other absorbable plates (uncalcined and unsintered hydroxyapatite and poly-L-lactic acid (uHA/PLLA): super FIXSORB®MX, Takiron Co. Ltd, Osaka, Japan) were used for 10 patients, in the same manner. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) was analyzed for all patients pre-operatively and 1 year postoperative. The anterior and lateral areas between the maxillary segments were measured with 3-dimensional (3D) CT. Bone healing at the pterygomaxillary region was also assessed. Results: There were no significant differences in the area of bone defect healing among the plate types. The areas of bone defect after 1 year were significantly smaller than that immediately after surgery on the right side (p = 0.0145) and left side (p = 0.0010) in the frontal view and right side in the lateral view (p = 0.0118). Bone healing at the pterygomaxillary junction was found in all cases without artificial pterygoid plate fracture. Fourteen of 22 sides with artificial pterygoid plate fracture by an ultrasonic curette showed bone continuity between the pterygoid plate and posterior part of maxilla. Conclusion: This study suggested that bony healing could occur in spaces between the segments of maxilla and pterygomaxillary regions as well as the region of the anterior and lateral walls in the maxilla, but it is not always complete within 1 year after Le Fort I osteotomy. © 2010 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery

Skeletal Stability After Mandibular Setback Surgery: Comparisons Among Unsintered Hydroxyapatite/Poly-L-Lactic Acid Plate, Poly-L-Lactic Acid Plate, and Titanium Plate

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the time-course changes in condylar long-axis and skeletal stability after sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) with an unsintered hydroxyapatite (u-HA)/poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) plate, PLLA plate, or titanium plate. Patients and Methods: Of 60 Japanese patients diagnosed with mandibular prognathism, 20 underwent SSRO with a u-HA/PLLA plate system, 20 underwent SSRO with a PLLA plate system, and 20 underwent SSRO with a conventional titanium plate system. The time-course changes in condylar long-axis and skeletal stability were assessed by use of axial, frontal, and lateral cephalograms. Results: Compared with the u-HA/PLLA group, the titanium group showed a significantly greater change in the right condyle angle between initially and 1 month (P = .0105) and intercondylar axes angle between 1 and 3 months (P = .0013). The PLLA group showed a significantly greater change than the titanium group (P = .0043) and u-HA/PLLA group (P = .0002) in terms of ramus inclination between 1 and 3 months; however, there were no significant differences among the 3 groups in the other measurements for each time interval. Conclusion: This study suggests that there are no significant differences in postoperative time-course changes among a u-HA/PLLA plate system, PLLA plate system, and conventional titanium plate system. © 2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Predictions for the 21 cm-galaxy cross-power spectrum observable with LOFAR and Subaru

The 21 cm-galaxy cross-power spectrum is expected to be one of the promising probes of the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), as it could offer information about the progress of reionization and the typical scale of ionized regions at different redshifts. With upcoming observations of 21 cm emission from the EoR with the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), and of high-redshift Ly α emitters with Subaru's Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), we investigate the observability of such cross-power spectrum with these two instruments, which are both planning to observe the ELAIS-N1 field at z = 6.6. In this paper, we use N-body + radiative transfer (both for continuum and Ly α photons) simulations at redshift 6.68, 7.06 and 7.3 to compute the 3D theoretical 21 cm-galaxy cross-power spectrum and cross-correlation function, as well as to predict the 2D 21 cm-galaxy cross-power spectrum and cross-correlation function expected to be observed by LOFAR and HSC. Once noise and projection effects are accounted for, our predictions of the 21 cm-galaxy cross-power spectrum show clear anti-correlation on scales larger than ∼60 h−1 Mpc (corresponding to k ∼ 0.1 h Mpc−1), with levels of significance p = 0.003 at z = 6.6 and p = 0.08 at z = 7.3. On smaller scales, instead, the signal is completely contaminated. On the other hand, our 21 cm-galaxy cross-correlation function is strongly contaminated by noise on all scales, since the noise is no longer being separated by its k modes

Oral Clostridium butyricum on mice endometritis through uterine microbiome and metabolic alternations

Endometritis occurs frequently in humans and animals, which can negatively affect fertility and cause preterm parturition syndrome. Orally administered Clostridium butyricum, a butyrate-producing gram-positive anaerobe, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects. However, the precise mechanism by which Clostridium butyricum attenuates endometritis remains unclear. This in vivo study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of orally administered Clostridium butyricum on uterine tissues. In addition, we conducted uterine microbiome and lipid metabolome analyses to determine the underlying mechanisms. Female Balb/c mice were divided into the following four groups (n = 5–20): (1) mock group, (2) only operation group (mice only underwent operation to exposed uterine horns from the side), (3) control group (mice underwent the same operation with the operation group + perfusion of lipopolysaccharide solution from uterine horns), and (4) Clostridium butyricum administration group (mice underwent the same operation with the control group + oral Clostridium butyricum administration from days 0 to 9). Clostridium butyricum was administered via oral gavage. On day 10, we investigated protein expression, uterine microbiome, and lipid metabolism in uterine tissues. Consequently, orally administered Clostridium butyricum altered the uterine microbiome and induced proliferation of Lactobacillus and Limosilactobacillus species. The effects can contribute to show the anti-inflammatory effect through the interferon-β upregulation in uterine tissues. Additionally, oral Clostridium butyricum administration resulted in the upregulations of some lipid metabolites, such as ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid resolvin D5, in uterine tissues, and resolvin D5 showed anti-inflammatory effects. However, the orally administered Clostridium butyricum induced anti-inflammatory effect was attenuated with the deletion of G protein-coupled receptor 120 and 15-lipooxgenase inhibition. In conclusion, Clostridium butyricum in the gut has anti-inflammatory effects on uterine tissues through alterations in the uterine microbiome and lipid metabolism. This study revealed a gut-uterus axis mechanism and provided insights into the treatment and prophylaxis of endometritis