Physical Properties of Magnetic Domain Switching in a Single Crystal of an Anti-Ferro Magnetic Medium Cr₂O₃

The physical properties of a domain switching under an application of electric and magnetic fields are described, with respect to a single crystal of Cr₂O₃ which belongs in a magnetic point group 3 m. Major results obtained in this study are as follows : (1) experimental results on anisotropic tensor components of a magnetic susceptibility in the C_2O₃ single crystal are found to be in reasonable agreement with the theoretical result in the case of 3m, in which the non-diagonal elements xᵢj are zero and X₁₁＝X₂₂ is required. (2) A temperature dependence of a domain switching time τₛ of the used Cr₂O₃ single crystal follows to approximately 1.6×10¹⁷ exp (―9550/T). From the numerical value in the parenthesis, it appears that the used crystal has an average energy of domain walls corresponding to 0.86 eV. Further, it is concluded that an inversion probability in the domain switching in general depends on the Boltzmann factor

Magnetic-statetuning of the rhombohedralgraphitefilm by interlayerspacing and thickness

Based on first-principles total-energy calculations, we systematically investigate how the electronic and magnetic properties of rhombohedralgraphite thin films depend on the interlayerspacing and number of layers. Our calculations show that the magnetic ordering of the thin films depends on the interlayerspacing. Thin films under compression normal to the layers possess finite magnetic moments, indicating parallel spin coupling between the two surfaces. We also find that thin graphitefilms with seven or more atomic layers exhibit magnetic ordering while films with six or less atomic layers are metallic with no magnetic ordering

ツギ ノ ナンカイ ジシン ツナミ ライシュウジ ニオケル シコク エンガンイキ ノ ジンテキ ヒガイ ケイゲンカ ニ カンスル ケンキュウ

In the following Nankai Earthquake Tsunami, the characteristics of the tsunami height and its arrival time in the coastal area of the Seto Inland Sea was discussed. It found that their values could be estimated by the simple operation of Aida’s Ansei Nankai Earthquake Model(1981). Next, it proposed the evacuation model as the death toll increases as to be behind in the taking evacuation beginning time for the example of Usa , Kochi Prefecture . Moreover, based on this method, it measured the opening and shutting effect of the gates which was put to the embankment to exert on the death toll, and then it evaluated the effectivity of the protection against disasters

An epidemiologically rare case of Vibrio vulnificus infection that occurred in October in an inland city of Japan

　A 68-year-old man with alcohol addiction, who lived in the suburbs of Tsuyama, an inland city located in northeast Okayama prefecture, was transported to the emergency unit of the Tsuyama Central Hospital in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). Despite rigorous systemic investigation and treatment, the patient died 2 hours after arrival. After his death, Vibrio vulnificus was isolated from his blood culture. 　Vibrio vulnificus causes fatal infection in humans, usually only in areas located close to the sea where appropriate temperature and suitable salt concentration for its growth are available. Therefore, its occurrence is epidemiologically restricted ; in Japan, the western coastal areas, especially in summers, are reported to be the high-risk regions. This is a rare case because it occurred in a city approximately 50 kilometers from both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific coast of Okayama, and at the end of October in 2011. Economic development and distribution systems have made it possible to transport various food products from coastal areas or abroad to any place in a short time, such that these infections can potentially develop in areas other than expected. We should be aware of the increasing risk of Vibrio vulnificus infection during any season and at any place, especially in patients with abnormal liver function

Pulmonary aspergillosis as a late complication after surgery for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with induction chemoradiotherapy

Purpose Some long-term survivors after surgery for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with induction chemoradiotherapy (trimodality treatment) develop chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). The aim of our study was to assess the characteristics and outcomes of CPA that develops after trimodality treatment. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 187 NSCLC patients who underwent trimodality treatment between 1999 and 2018. Results Six male ever-smoker patients developed CPA. All 6 patients had undergone extended resection for NSCLC and had a history of either adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 3) or radiation pneumonitis (n = 4). Among the 4 patients with CPA localized in a single lung, 3 patients were treated surgically (completion pneumonectomy or cavernostomy) and 1 patient was treated with antifungal therapy alone. Both treatments led to the improved control of CPA. In contrast, patients with CPA in both lungs were not candidates for surgery, and died of CPA. The survival rates after trimodality treatment in the CPA group and the group without CPA were comparable (10-year survival rate, 50.0% vs. 57.6%, P = 0.59). Conclusion The early diagnosis of CPA localized in a single lung after NSCLC surgery is critical to improving control and survival in patients with CPA

Detection of EGFR Gene Mutations Using the Wash Fluid of CT-Guided Biopsy Needle in NSCLC Patients

IntroductionIn this study, we examined whether epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were detectable using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay and wash fluid of computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsy needles.MethodsDNA was extracted from wash fluid of CT-guided biopsy needles of 53 lung tumors (as diagnosed according to the results of the CT-guided biopsies). EGFR mutations, specifically exon19 deletions and exon21 L858R mutations, were examined using a mutant-enriched polymerase chain reaction assay. We also examined the presence of EGFR mutations in 26 surgically resected tumor specimens and compared the results with those obtained for the corresponding wash fluid samples.ResultsThe amount of DNA obtained for the wash fluid of the CT-guided biopsy needles ranged from 35 to 2360 ng. There were no significant differences in the amount of extracted DNA according to the tumor characteristics, including tumor size and the percentage of ground glass opacity. Thirty-four of the 53 lung tumor samples were histologically diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Exon19 deletions and exon21 L858R mutations in EGFR were detected in 4 (12%) and 13 (38%) of 34 NSCLC cases, respectively. No EGFR mutations were found in the non-NSCLC cases. The EGFR mutation status in the wash fluid samples was consistent with those obtained for all 26 corresponding surgical specimens.ConclusionOur results indicate that EGFR mutations can be detected using wash fluid of CT-guided biopsy needles. In this manner, the DNA genotype can be determined even in extremely small clinical specimens using highly sensitive assays

Quiet Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging of the Brain for Pediatric Patients with Moyamoya Disease

PURPOSE: Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) is an essential sequence for evaluating pediatric patients with moyamoya disease (MMD); however, acoustic noise associated with DWI may lead to motion artifact. Compared with conventional DWI (cDWI), quiet DWI (qDWI) is considered less noisy and able to keep children more relaxed and stable. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of qDWI compared with cDWI for pediatric patients with MMD. METHODS: In this observational study, MR examinations of the brain were performed either with or without sedation in pediatric patients with MMD between September 2017 and August 2018. Three neuroradiologists independently evaluated the images for artifacts and restricted diffusion in the brain. The differences between qDWI and cDWI were compared statistically using a chi-square test. RESULTS: One-hundred and six MR scans of 56 patients with MMD (38 scans of 15 sedated patients: 6 boys and 9 girls; mean age, 5.2 years; range, 1-9 years; and 68 scans of 42 unsedated patients: 19 boys and 23 girls; mean age, 10.7 years; range, 7-16 years) were evaluated. MR examinations were performed either with or without sedation (except in one patient). In sedated patients, no artifact other than susceptibility was observed on qDWI, whereas four artifacts were observed on cDWI (P = .04). One patient awoke from sedation during cDWI scanning, while no patient awoke from sedation during qDWI acquisition. For unsedated patients, three scans showed artifacts on qDWI, whereas two scans showed artifacts on cDWI (P = .65). Regarding restricted diffusion, qDWI revealed three cases, while two cases were found on cDWI (P = .66). CONCLUSION: qDWI induced fewer artifacts compared with cDWI in sedated patients, and similar frequencies of artifacts were induced by qDWI and by cDWI in unsedated patients. qDWI showed restricted diffusion comparable to cDWI

A comparative method for evaluating ecosystem services from the viewpoint of public works

Nature-based solutions (NbS), such as the implementation of environmental conservation and restoration as public works projects, require accurate and cost-effective assessments of the values related to the projects. The values should represent collective ecosystem services, individual services such as food provision and water purification, and other intangible services. To comprehensively assess such services, we proposed a novel method, which we call the comparative evaluation method. Our method is able to assess the value of each service category of an NbS project from a single questionnaire survey. Survey participants are asked to compare values of multiple services having anchoring prices. Our method determines the permissible economic value of environmental public works (PEP) in response to the quantity of service. The questionnaire results used for analysis are limited to those from respondents who made their PEP evaluation on the basis of their consideration of the appropriate expenditure of taxes. In addition, the method controls for the effect of the satisfaction that a person experiences from doing good deeds to reduce an overestimation of the values of services. Moreover, PEPs are not influenced by the respondent's annual income, age, sex, or educational background, and are based on personal values. Applying this new method, we surveyed residents of the watersheds of Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay and evaluated nine ecosystem services. Overall, our new method is shown to be an effective method for evaluating the ecosystem services of NbS projects from the viewpoint of public works