Superfluidity and BEC of liquid 4He confined in a nanometer-size channel

We have studied the heat capacity and superfluidity of liquid 4He confined in a uniform and straight nanometer-size channel. The heat capacity of liquid 4He in the channel has a bend at a certain temperature TB; below this temperature a small amount of the superfluid fraction appears. This means that 4He atoms enter a BEC-like low-entropy state below TB. Additionally, the superfluid fraction showed a second growth far below TB under low pressure, accompanied by the dissipation. This two-stage growth is possibly a feature of the quasi-one-dimensional system

William Godwin\u27s attempt at writing for the stage : Tragedy of Antonio

　William Godwin（1756‒1836）はロマン派時代の「最も信頼できる戯曲の恋人」の一人であったと言われている。彼は半世紀の間におよそ2000 回も劇場に足を運び、自らも戯曲を執筆、出版した。Godwinを英国の急進的政治思想家、小説家として評価する研究が数多くある中、彼の戯曲や劇作家としての活動に関しては、これまであまり注目されることはなかった。フランス革命の影響を受け、政治的動乱期にあった1790年代において、Political Justice（1793）の出版で英国知的社会に華々しくデビューして以来、その生涯で最も活躍した時期に、Godwinが他のどの著作にも勝るとも劣らないほどの心血を注いで戯曲を執筆していたことはあまり知られていない。また彼がDrury LaneやCovent Gardenを始めとする劇場や多くの劇作家、俳優たちにとって少なからず影響力のある存在であったことも注目されてこなかった。Godwinが戯曲の執筆に精力を傾けた期間は1790年からの20年足らずであるが、その時期が彼の政治思想の発展における最も重要な時期であったことを考えれば、Godwin研究において彼の戯曲への取り組みは再評価されるべきであると思われる。Godwinが戯曲の執筆に並々ならない情熱を抱いていたこと、それが彼の社会改革思想と強く結びついていたことは彼の手記や日記、書簡に明らかである。近年、David O\u27ShaughnessyがGodwin研究においてこれまで周縁的地位に置かれてきた彼の戯曲を体系的に再評価する研究を発表した。Godwinの哲学思想や小説を論じる上で、彼の戯曲の価値が改めて見直されつつある。本稿ではGodwinの戯曲への取り組みの再評価の一端として、彼の戯曲の一つを取り上げ、絶えず発展し、修正され続けるGodwin思想の一片をその中に模索してみたい。まずGodwinの社会改革思想における戯曲と劇場の位置づけについて、当時の文化背景を交えて考察し、それから彼の思想の媒体である戯曲の考察に移りたい

Shelley\u27s quest for the ideal of a social reform in The Revolt of Islam

This paper examines Percy Bysshe Shelley\u27s revolutionary poem, The Revolt of Islam, and his idealistic theory as to a social reform. In this poem, Shelley quested for the new prospects of a social reform grounded on the analysis of the course of the French Revolution. Shelley\u27s ideals concerning a social reform are clearly influenced by the philosophical ideas of William Godwin, a political philosopher. Specifically, he shared Godwin\u27s gradualist theory of human progress adopted in his famous work, Political Justice.Although it is definite that Shelley embraced Godwinian philosophy in which reason and universal benevolence are essential elements of human perfectibility, in some ways, he evolved his own ideas as to the ever-increasing stream of human enlightenment in his poem. The paper attempts to analyze the revolution and social reform which his protagonists direct, and explores Shelleyan philosophy of the everlasting human progress

The association between problematic internet use and neck pain among Japanese schoolteachers

Objectives: Problematic internet use (PIU) has been suggested in relation to psychological symptoms among schoolteachers, but the relationship with physical symptoms remains unclear. We examined whether PIU or longer Internet usage time is associated with neck pain in schoolteachers. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 2582 teachers aged 20 years or older (35.6% women) in Shimane and Tottori, Japan in 2018. Neck pain was defined as ≥5 points on the Neck Disability Index. The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) was used to assess PIU. Internet usage time on weekdays and weekends was divided into five groups: 0, 1–29, 30–59, 60–119, and ≥120 min/day. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of the CIUS score and Internet usage time on weekdays or weekends with neck pain, adjusting for sex, age, position at school, insomnia, and psychological distress. Results: We observed 800 (31.0%) teachers with neck pain. The median (interquartile range) of their CIUS scores was 7 (2, 14). A higher CIUS score was independently associated with a higher prevalence of neck pain (odds ratio of 4th vs. 1st quartiles, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.87; trend P = .006). Compared with non-Internet users, Internet users on weekdays had almost double the odds of neck pain although the difference did not reach the customary level for designating statistical significance. Conclusions: In conclusion, teachers with higher scores in CIUS were associated with a higher prevalence of neck pain in Japan, suggesting adults with PIU being at risk of physical disorders

Beatrice : a new heroine in the historical novel Valperga

Valperga : or, The Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca (1823) は Mary Shelly (1797-1851) が歴史を題材にした最初の小説である。この物語の中で Mary は傑出した2人のヒロインを創りだした。フィレンツェの女性指導者 Euthanasia とフェラーラの予言者 Beatrice である。タイトルにある Castruccio とは14世紀イタリアの実在の君主 Castruccio Castracani (1281-1328) であり、英国ではルネサンス期の政治思想家 Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) による伝記を通してよく知られた人物であった。それに対し、Eythanasia と Beatrice は架空の存在であり、Valperga とはこの2人を象徴する架空の城である。タイトルに見られる虚構と史実の並置はこの物語の特徴であり、それは同時にヒロインたちの重要性を示すものでもある。Mary の父 William Godwin (1756-1836) と夫 Percy Bysshe Shelly (1792-1822) はヒロインたちの存在をもって Valperga が彼女の前作 (Frankenstein (1818) よりも優れた小説であると認めている。Godwin や Shelley に加え、後年の多くの批評者の感心を特に呼び起こしたのは Beatrice である。本稿ではヒロイン Beatrice に焦点を当て、このヒロインが歴史小説の新しい局面を切り開くための Mary の試みの産物であることを確認し、Valperga の歴史小説としての特異性とその価値について考察する

Mary Shelley\u27s philosophical conception in Valperga : a reassessment of the historical hero Castruccio

　This paper examines Mary Shelley\u27s historical novel, Valperga; or, the Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca (1823) and the social revolution adopted in it. Under the influence of her father, William Godwin, a political philosopher, and her husband, the radical Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary was consistently concerned with political matters during her life. While she was researching and writing the novel, there were revolutionary uprisings on the Continent against the Vienna system established after the failure of the French Revolution. By understanding the context of the composition of Valperga, we can more clearly see how Mary\u27s criticism of reactionary forces in the early nineteenth century was formed, and how her political philosophy was shaped.　The protagonist of Valperga, Castruccio, was an actual figure of medieval Italy, the lord of Lucca who had been generally considered a hero in England. Through the reassessment of the background of his career as a successful military leader, however, Mary transforms him from a prince to a tyrant, the very reverse of a hero. By so doing, she presents her own moral standards in the masculine world of power politics. This paper reexamines Mary\u27s view of the contemporary social system, and explores Mary Shelley\u27s political and ethical philosophy, as incorporated in the creation of an antihero.論

Postoperative Swallowing Function in Patients with Deep Neck Infection

Introduction: Early detection of dysphagia risk, initiating rehabilitation, and resumption of appropriate diet based on swallowing function is important during deep neck infection (DNI) control. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of cervical abscess development, particularly in the deep neck space, and its relationship to postoperative swallowing function. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for all DNI cases treated between April 2015 and April 2021. Deep neck spaces were divided into categories based on computed tomography findings. Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores of 4 or higher was defined as normal or slight swallowing disorder and 3 or lower as dysphagia. Results: Seventeen cases were included in the analysis. Based on FOIS, 14 cases were classified into the dysphagia group at 2 weeks after surgery, 11 cases at 4 weeks, and 8 cases at 8 weeks. There was no significant difference between the location of the abscess and dysphagia at 2 weeks after surgery. Patients with anterior cervical space abscess significantly increased dysphagia 4 weeks (p = 0.018) and 8 weeks (p = 0.036) after surgery. Conclusion: Abscess formation in the anterior cervical space may be associated with prolonged dysphagia after treatment due to inflammation and scarring of the muscles associated with swallowing

Chemosensitivity of three patient-derived primary cultures of canine pericardial mesothelioma by single-agent and combination treatment

IntroductionCanine mesothelioma is a rare malignant tumor that mostly affects body cavities, such as the pericardial and pleural cavities. Chemotherapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of canine mesotheliomas. We aimed to compare the antitumor effects of single-agent and combination chemotherapeutic agents on patient-derived primary cultures of canine pericardial mesothelioma established in this study. We planned to generate xenograft models for future studies.Material and methodsEffusion samples were collected from three dogs with histologically diagnosed pericardial mesothelioma and used for primary culture. Cultured cells were characterized by immunostaining for pan-cytokeratin AE1/AE3, vimentin, Wilms' tumor suppressor gene 1 (WT1), and cytokeratin 5 (CK5). To assess the tumorigenic properties of cells in the effusion and generate a xenograft model, the cell suspension was injected into a severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse either subcutaneously (SC) or intraperitoneally (IP). Lastly, chemosensitivity of established primary cultures against four drugs, doxorubicin, vinorelbine, carboplatin, and gemcitabine, by single-agent treatment as well as combination treatment of carboplatin at a fixed concentration, either 10 or 100 μM, and gemcitabine at different concentrations ranging from 0–1000 μM was assessed by cell viability assay.ResultsPrimary cultures were successfully generated and characterized by dual positivity for AE1/AE3 and vimentin and positive staining for WT-1 and CK5, confirming the mesothelial origin of the cells. In the xenograft models, SC mouse developed a subcutaneous mass, whereas IP mouse developed multiple intraperitoneal nodules. The masses were histopathologically consistent with mesotheliomas. The chemosensitivity assay revealed that carboplatin had the highest anti-tumor effects among the four tested single-agent treatments. Furthermore, carboplatin at 100 μM combined with gemcitabine at clinically relevant doses demonstrated the augmented anti-tumor effects compared to single-agent treatment.Discussion and conclusionPrimary cultures and xenograft models generated in this study could be useful tools for in vitro and in vivo studies of canine mesothelioma. Carboplatin is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent against canine mesothelioma when used as a sole agent and in combination with gemcitabine

Pericardial Mesothelioma in a Dog: The Feasibility of Ultrasonography in Monitoring Tumor Progression

A 6-year-old neutered male Yorkshire Terrier presented with recurrent pericardial effusion. Although clinical examinations including computed tomography were inconclusive, an exploratory thoracotomy revealed multiple small nodules and plaques on the inner surface of the pericardial sac (Day 1). A subtotal pericardiectomy was performed to prevent cardiac tamponade due to the increasing pericardial effusion, and the resected section of the pericardium was histopathologically diagnosed with mesothelioma. After surgery, chemotherapy with intrathoracic carboplatin was commenced. During the course of the treatment, a detailed follow-up ultrasonographic scan was performed to detect early lesions disseminated on the pleura, originating from the primary pericardial mesothelioma. On Day 101, the minute pleural nodules, which were disseminated lesions as predicted, were successfully imaged by ultrasonography. As the clinical stage advanced, the nodules were observed to gradually increase in size and number, implying tumor progression. These observations highlight the feasibility of ultrasonography in detecting minute disseminated lesions at an early stage, monitoring tumor progression, and thereby, predicting the prognosis of canine pericardial mesothelioma