Superconductivity in Ternary Scandium Telluride Sc6MTe2 with 3d, 4d, and 5d Transition Metals

We report the discovery of bulk superconductivity in Sc6MTe2 with seven kinds of transition-metal elements M. The critical temperatures for M = 3d elements are higher than those for 4d and 5d elements and increase in the order of M = Ni, Co, and Fe with the highest Tc of 4.7 K in Sc6FeTe2. First principles calculations indicate the presence of significant contribution of Fe 3d orbitals at the Fermi energy, which most likely enhance the Tc of Sc6FeTe2. The upper critical field for M = Os is considerably enhanced by the strong spin-orbit coupling. These results show Sc6MTe2 to constitute a unique family of d-electron superconductors, in which d electrons of 3d and 5d M atoms strongly influence the superconducting properties.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

Analysis of knockout mice suggests a role for VGF in the control of fat storage and energy expenditure

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies of mixed background mice have demonstrated that targeted deletion of <it>Vgf </it>produces a lean, hypermetabolic mouse that is resistant to diet-, lesion-, and genetically-induced obesity. To investigate potential mechanism(s) and site(s) of action of VGF, a neuronal and endocrine secreted protein and neuropeptide precursor, we further analyzed the metabolic phenotypes of two independent VGF knockout lines on C57Bl6 backgrounds.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Unlike hyperactive VGF knockout mice on a mixed C57Bl6-129/SvJ background, homozygous mutant mice on a C57Bl6 background were hypermetabolic with similar locomotor activity levels to <it>Vgf+/Vgf+ </it>mice, during day and night cycles, indicating that mechanism(s) other than hyperactivity were responsible for their increased energy expenditure. In <it>Vgf-/Vgf- </it>knockout mice, morphological analysis of brown and white adipose tissues (BAT and WAT) indicated decreased fat storage in both tissues, and decreased adipocyte perimeter and area in WAT. Changes in gene expression measured by real-time RT-PCR were consistent with increased fatty acid oxidation and uptake in BAT, and increased lipolysis, decreased lipogenesis, and brown adipocyte differentiation in WAT, suggesting that increased sympathetic nervous system activity in <it>Vgf-/Vgf- </it>mice may be associated with or responsible for alterations in energy expenditure and fat storage. In addition, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and UCP2 protein levels, mitochondrial number, and mitochondrial cristae density were upregulated in <it>Vgf-/Vgf- </it>BAT. Using immunohistochemical and histochemical techniques, we detected VGF in nerve fibers innervating BAT and <it>Vgf </it>promoter-driven reporter expression in cervical and thoracic spinal ganglia that project to and innervate the chest wall and tissues including BAT. Moreover, VGF peptide levels were quantified by radioimmunoassay in BAT, and were found to be down-regulated by a high fat diet. Lastly, despite being hypermetabolic, VGF knockout mice were cold intolerant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We propose that VGF and/or VGF-derived peptides modulate sympathetic outflow pathways to regulate fat storage and energy expenditure.</p

Resting energy expenditure in patients undergoing pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomies for bile duct cancer or pancreatic tumors

We measured the energy expenditure weekly in patients undergoing a pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for bile duct cancer or pancreatic tumors. Twelve patients (5 women and 7 men; mean age 70.1 years) were enrolled in this study, and their resting energy expenditure levels were determined by indirect calorimetry. In these patients, a significant correlation was observed between the measured resting energy expenditures and the predicted resting energy expenditures calculated by the Harris-Benedict equation. The resting energy expenditures measured before surgery were almost the same as the predicted resting energy expenditures (measured resting energy expenditure: 22.4 ± 3.9 kcal/kg/day vs predicted resting energy expenditure: 21.7 ± 2.0 kcal/kg/day). The measured resting energy expenditure/predicted resting energy expenditure ratio, which reflects the stress factor, was 1.02 ± 0.10. After the pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy, a significant increase in energy expenditure was observed, and the measured resting energy expenditure was 25.7 ± 3.5 kcal/kg/day on postoperative day 7 and 25.4 ± 4.9 kcal/kg/day on postoperative day 14. The measured resting energy expenditure/predicted resting energy expenditure ratio was 1.16 ± 0.14 on postoperative day 7, and 1.16 ± 0.18 on postoperative day 14 respectively. In conclusion, patients undergoing a pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy showed a hyper-metabolic status as evaluated by their measured resting energy expenditure/predicted resting energy expenditure ratio. From our observations, we recommend that nutritional management based on 30 kcal/body weight/day (calculated by the measured resting energy expenditure×activity factor 1.2–1.3) may be optimal for patients undergoing a pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy

南部黒瀬川帯寒谷層と坂州不整合

The Sakashu Unconformity, a representative unconformity between Late Permian accretionary comprex and Late Triassic shallow-marine sediments in the South Kurosegawa Terrane, has investigated in stratigraphy, sedimentary facies, allochthonous and autochthonous faunas with the view point of post-accretional environmental changes. The accretion mélange of the Hisone Group, basement of the unconformity, yields Late Permian radiolarians. The lower member of the Upper Triassic Sabudani Formation is associated with two types of debris flows. One contains blocks of pelagic chert, carbonates, and greestones. The other is composed of mylonitized granitic breccias and fragments. The latter probably derived from the Mitaki Granites (400+ Ma) of the Kurosegawa Tectonic Zone that form the substratum of the Silurian limestone. The basal middle member of the Sabudani Formation contains huge blocks of weathered limestone/chert that yields late Early Permian conodont fauna (M. bisseli - S. whitei Zone). The hummocky cross-stratification in the middle member of the Sabudani Formation indicates a lower off-shore facies. Existence of the Permian conodont-bearing huge eroded limestone/chert blocks, and early Late Permian radiolarians in chert pebbles of the hummocky cross-stratified lag sediments suggests probable derivation of the conglomerates from the blocks in the Permian accretionary complexes. The Triassic mollusk fauna of the middle and upper members of the Sabudani Formation is correlative with the Carnian (-Norian) Kochigatani bivalve-fauna in the clastic facies of the Kurosegawa Terrane (Outer Zone of SW Japan) as well as with the Mine and Nabae groups, Primorye, Zabaikal and NE Siberia. From a paleobiogeographic point of view, the bivalve-fauna of the clastic sand- and marlstone Kochigatani facies is regarded to differ from that of the carbonate Tethyan facies in the South Chichibu Jurassic Accretionary Terrane

Marbles from Tokushima Prefecture, used in the National Diet Building : Part 1: locality and geological framework

The quarries of marbles for the construction of the National Diet Building (Nagata-cho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo) were identified in Tokushima Prefecture. The geological setting and microfossil age of the marbles were studied. Seven brands, "Akebono", "Kito-ishi ", "Hototogisu", "Kamo-sarasa", "Awayuki ", "Kotajima" and "Shin-awayuki" were used in the House of Councilors and the Central part of the building. The "Akebono", used for the wall along the Councilor's Second Stairway, is Silurian limestone from the Hiakari-yama lenticular body of the Kurosegawa Tectonic Zone in the Koyama-daira area (Kisawa Village). The "Kito-ishi" from the Misago-yama area (Kisawa Village), used for the fireplace in the reception room of the Vice-president of the House of Councilors, is the limestone and greenstone breccia intercalated in the Upper Carboniferous alternation of chert and pelagic limestone in the Permian accretion terrene (Masaki Belt of the Kurosegawa Terrane). The "Hototogisu", used for the well-ornamented entrance gate of the Emperor's room "Gokyujo", is the Upper Triassic dolimitic limestone in the Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous accretion mélange of the South Chichibu Terrane (Tsunomine Subbelt) from the Arida area (Asebi-cho, Anan City). The "Kamo-sarasa", used for the inside wall of the central entrance of the building, is the Upper Triassic limestone with some green reticulation in Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous accretion mélange of the South Chichibu Terrane (Tsunomine Subbelt) from the Oji area (Kuwano-cho, Anan City). The "Awayuki", used for the lower part of the wall along the square in front of the Emperor's room, and the lower part of the wall around the assembly hall of the House of Councilors, presumed to be a kind of "Kamo-sarasa", is proved to be the Upper Triassic Megalodon limestone with hexacoral-bearing dark limestone blocks in the accretion mélange of the South Chichibu Terrane (Tsunomine Subbelt) from the Kurogo area (Kamo-cho, Anan City). The "Kotajima", used for the lower part of the wall along the passage of the second floor, and the wall along the "Kisha Kaidan" stairway, is proved to be the Upper Triassic limestone with reticulation of black cleavages in Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous accretion mélange of the South Chichibu Terrane (Tsunomine Subbelt) from the Higashibun area (Tsunomine-cho, Anan City). The "Shin-awayuki", used for the mosaic on the floor of the Central Hall and the lower part of the wall along the passage of the southern central part of the first floor, is the Upper Carboniferous limestone in Jurassic accretion mélange of the South Chichibu Belt (Hosono Subbelt) from the Izeki area (Takarada-cho, Anan City)

Resting energy expenditure and nutritional status in patients undergoing transthoracic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

This study was to assess the resting energy expenditure of patients with esophageal cancer using indirect calorimetry. Eight male patients with esophageal cancer and eight male healthy controls were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent transthoracic esophagectomy with lymph nodes dissections. The resting energy expenditure was measured preoperatively, and on postoperative day 7 and 14 using indirect calorimetry. Preoperatively, the measured resting energy expenditure/body weight in these patients was significantly higher than that of the controls (23.3 ± 2.1 kcal/kg/day vs 20.4 ± 1.6 kcal/kg/day), whereas the measured/predicted energy expenditure from the Harris-Benedict equation ratio was 1.01 ± 0.09, which did not differ significantly from the control values. The measured resting energy expenditure/body weight was 27.3 ± 3.5 kcal/kg/day on postoperative day 7, and 23.7 ± 5.07 kcal/kg/day on postoperative day 14. Significant increases in the measured resting energy expenditure were observed on postoperative day 7, and the measured/predicted energy expenditure ratio was 1.17 ± 0.15. In conclusion, patients with operable esophageal cancers were almost normometabolic before surgery. On the other hand, the patients showed a hyper-metabolic status after esophagectomy. We recommended that nutritional management based on 33 kcal/body weight/day (calculated by the measured resting energy expenditure × active factor 1.2–1.3) may be optimal for patients undergoing esophagectomy

Identification of a Predictive Biomarker for the Beneficial Effect of Keishibukuryogan, a Kampo (Japanese Traditional) Medicine, on Patients with Climacteric Syndrome

Keishibukuryogan (KBG; Guizhi-Fuling-Wan in Chinese) is one of the Kampo (Japanese traditional) medicines used to treat patients with climacteric syndrome. KBG can be used by patients who cannot undergo hormone replacement therapy due to a history of breast cancer. We evaluated whether cytosine-adenine (CA) repeat polymorphism of the estrogen receptor β gene can be a predictor of the beneficial effect of KBG on climacteric syndrome. We also investigated the relationship between CA repeat polymorphism, the patients’ profiles, and the therapeutic effect. We found that CA was an SS, SL, or LL genotype according to the number of repeats. We studied 39 consecutive patients with climacteric disorders who took KBG for 12 weeks. The diagnosis of climacteric disorders was made on the basis of the Kupperman index. KBG significantly improved the patients’ climacteric symptoms (i.e., vasomotor symptoms in the patients with the LL genotype and melancholia in the patients with the SL genotype). No relationship between the patients’ profiles and CA repeat polymorphism was recognized. CA repeat polymorphism could thus be a potential biomarker to predict the efficacy of KBG in climacteric syndrome, and its use will help to reduce the cost of treating this syndrome by focusing the administration of KBG on those most likely to benefit from it

Anti-PD-1 antibody decreases tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cells

Background There are many types of therapies for cancer. In these days, immunotherapies, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, are focused on. Though many types of immune checkpoint inhibitors are there, the difference of effect and its mechanism are unclear. Some reports suggest the response rate of anti-PD-1 antibody is superior to that of anti-PD-L1 antibody and could potentially produce different mechanisms of action. On the other hand, Treg also express PD-1; however, their relationship remains unclear. Methods In this study, we used osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro and osteosarcoma mouse model in vivo. In vitro, we analyzed the effect of IFN gamma for expression of PD-L1 on the surface of cell lines by flowcytometry. In vivo, murine osteosarcoma cell line LM8 was subcutaneously transplanted into the dorsum of mice. Mouse anti-PD-1 antibody was intraperitoneally administered. we analysed the effect for survival of anti-PD-1 antibody and proportion of T cells in the tumour by flowcytometry. Results We discovered that IFN gamma increased PD-L1 expression on the surface of osteosarcoma cell lines. In assessing the relationship between anti-PD-1 antibody and Treg, we discovered the administration of anti-PD-1 antibody suppresses increases in tumour volume and prolongs overall survival time. In the tumour microenvironment, we found that the administration of anti-PD-1 antibody decreased Treg within the tumour and increased tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes. Conclusions Here we clarify for the first time an additional mechanism of anti-tumour effect-as exerted by anti-PD-1 antibody decreasing Treg- we anticipate that our findings will lead to the development of new methods for cancer treatment.ArticleBMC CANCER. 20(1):25 (2020)journal articl