A FORMULA FOR PREDICTION OF FREQUENCY OF TONAL SOUND IN CAVITY FLOWS WITH ACOUSTIC RESONANCE

ABSTRACT Self-sustained oscillations with tonal sound in flows over a cavity are investigated by experiments using a wind tunnel and direct numerical simulation of flow and acoustic fields. The effects of the length-to-depth ratio of the cavity and the ratio of the cavity length L to the momentum thickness of the incoming boundary layer on the mode of the oscillations are clarified. The simultaneous measurements of flow pattern and sound pressure are also performed. The results show that a time lag between the generation of an expansion wave due to the collision of a vortex with the downstream edge and the radiation of the expansion wave from the cavity becomes larger for the cavity flow with the acoustic resonance. The computational results explain why the delay becomes larger. Moreover, considering this delay, a new formula for the frequency of the tonal sound in cavity flows with the acoustic resonance is proposed. The frequencies predicted by this formula agree well with those measured

Cross-conjugated isothianaphthene quinoids: a versatile strategy for controlling electronic structures

The elucidation of new structure–property relationships in π-conjugated molecules bearing quinoidal moieties is of relevance because of their use in organic electronics applications and their traditional assimilation as models of doped conducting polymers. Quinoidal oligothiophenes are ground state electronic hybrids between closed-shell Kekulé quinoidal and open-shell aromatic diradicaloid forms. The prominent contribution of the diradical character in longer oligomers beyond thiophene 4-mers results in a low stability, thereby limiting the ability to tune their properties. Thus, the control of these quinoidal/aromatic contributions is an important prerequisite to develop long quinoidal oligothiophenes. To address this problem, a series of quinoidal pentathiophenes with benzene-annelated isothianaphthene units were designed and successfully synthesized as stable structures. Combined molecular spectroscopies and theoretical modelling indicated that cross-conjugation appears upon the introduction of multiple benzene-annelated units, and that the number and position of the benzene-annelated units have a significant influence on the quinoidal/aromatic/cross-conjugated electronic structures. The newly developed quinoidal pentathiophenes functioned as organic semiconducting materials in transistor and near infrared phototransistor devices. This study demonstrates that modification of the cross-conjugated quinoidal structure is a promising strategy for fine-tuning electronic structures in π-extended quinoidal systems, which could help us to understand unique π-electronic features and to develop novel organic electronic materials.This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (20H02814, 20K21224, 20H05841, 20KK0123, 19K15505, 20H04639, 20K15352, 21K05213, 20H00379, 20H05833, and 20K15261), CREST (J205101030), NEDO (21500248-0), and “Dynamic Alliance for Open Innovation Bridging Human, Environmental and Materials” from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. We are grateful to Prof. Toshihiro Ohnishi for helpful discussion. The authors thank the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities MCIU and MINECO/FEDER of the Spanish Government (project PGC2018-098533-B-100), the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Spanish Government (project RED2018-102626-T) and the Junta de Andalucía, Spain (UMA18FEDERJA057). We also thank the Research Central Services (SCAI) of the University of Málaga. // Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Association of Dietary Acid Load with the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Participants in Baseline Survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study

The association between dietary acid load and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has not been fully investigated. A cross-sectional study was performed on 14,042 men and 14,105 women (aged 35–69 years) who participated in a baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort study. Dietary acid load was assessed using the net-endogenous-acid-production (NEAP) score that is closely correlated with the rate of renal net acid excretion. MetS was diagnosed according to the Joint Interim Statement Criteria of 2009 using body-mass index instead of waist circumference. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher NEAP scores were associated with a significantly increased odds ratio (OR) of MetS, obesity, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood glucose. These associations remained significant after further adjustment for carbohydrate intake or two nutrient-pattern scores significantly associated with MetS. After adjustment for fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamin pattern scores, the OR of MetS for the highest quartile of NEAP scores, relative to the lowest quartile, was 1.25 (95% confidence interval 1.12–1.39). There was no significant interaction between sex, age, or body-mass index and NEAP. Higher dietary acid load was associated with a higher prevalence of MetS and several of its components, independently of carbohydrate intake or nutrient patterns

Metabolic syndrome and metabolically unhealthy obesity with cancer mortality

Purpose The association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the risk of death from cancer is still a controversial issue. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of MetS and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUHO) with cancer mortality in a Japanese population. Methods We used data from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. The study population consisted of 28,554 eligible subjects (14,103 men and 14,451 women) aged 35–69 years. MetS was diagnosed based on the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) and the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO), using the body mass index instead of waist circumference. The Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for total cancer mortality in relation to MetS and its components. Additionally, the associations of obesity and the metabolic health status with cancer mortality were examined. Results During an average 6.9-year follow-up, there were 192 deaths from cancer. The presence of MetS was significantly correlated with increased total cancer mortality when the JASSO criteria were used (HR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.04–2.21), but not when the NCEP-ATP III criteria were used (HR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.78–1.53). Metabolic risk factors, elevated fasting blood glucose, and MUHO were positively associated with cancer mortality (P <0.05). Conclusion MetS diagnosed using the JASSO criteria and MUHO were associated with an increased risk of total cancer mortality in the Japanese population

Associations between Dietary Patterns, ADRβ2 Gln27Glu and ADRβ3 Trp64Arg with Regard to Serum Triglyceride Levels : J-MICC Study

Interactions between dietary patterns and 2 β-adrenergic receptor (ADRβ) gene polymorphisms (ADRβ2 Gln27Glu and ADRβ3 Trp64Arg) were examined with regard to the effects on serum triglyceride levels. The cross-sectional study comprised 1720 men and women (aged 35–69 years) enrolled in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study. Genotyping was conducted using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based invader assay. We used 46 items from a validated short food frequency questionnaire and examined major dietary patterns by factor analysis. We identified four dietary patterns: healthy, Western, seafood and bread patterns. There was no significant association between any dietary pattern and serum triglyceride levels. After a separate genotype-based analysis, significant interactions between ADRβ3 Trp64Arg genotype and the bread pattern (p for interaction = 0.01) were associated with serum triglyceride levels; specifically, after adjusting for confounding factors, Arg allele carriers with the bread pattern had lower serum triglycerides (p for trend = 0.01). However, the Trp/Trp homozygous subjects with the bread pattern showed no association with serum triglycerides (p for trend = 0.55). Interactions between other dietary patterns and ADRβ polymorphisms were not significant for serum triglyceride levels. Our findings suggest that ADRβ3 polymorphism modifies the effects of the bread pattern on triglyceride levels

Genetic variants of SLC17A1 are associated with cholesterol homeostasis and hyperhomocysteinaemia in Japanese men

Hyperuricaemia is an undisputed and highly predictive biomarker for cardiovascular risk. SLC17A1, expressed in the liver and kidneys, harbours potent candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms that decrease uric acid levels. Therefore, we examined SLC17A1 polymorphisms (rs1165196, rs1179086 and rs3757131), which might suppress cardiovascular risk factors and that are involved in liver functioning, via a large-scale pooled analysis of the Japanese general population in a cross-sectional study. Using data from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study, we identified 1842 participants of both sexes, 35–69-years-old, having the requisite data and analysed their SLC17A1 genotypes. In men, logistic regression analyses revealed that minor alleles in SLC17A1 polymorphisms (rs1165196 and rs3757131) were associated with a low-/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio >2.0 (rs1165196: odds ratio [OR], 0.703; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.536–0.922; rs3757131: OR, 0.658; 95% CI, 0.500–0.866) and with homocysteine levels of >10.0 nmol/mL (rs1165196: OR, 0.544; 95% CI, 0.374–0.792; rs3757131: OR, 0.509; 95% CI, 0.347–0.746). Therefore, these polymorphisms had dominant negative effects on cholesterol homeostasis and hyperhomocysteinaemia, in men, independent of alcohol consumption, physical activity, or daily energy and nutrition intake. Thus, genetic variants of SLC17A1 are potential biomarkers for altered cholesterol homeostasis and hyperhomocysteinaemia in Japanese men

Association of perceived stress and coping strategies with the renal function in middle-aged and older Japanese men and women

Elucidating the risk factors for chronic kidney disease is important for preventing end-stage renal disease and reducing mortality. However, little is known about the roles of psychosocial stress and stress coping behaviors in deterioration of the renal function, as measured by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). This cross-sectional study of middle-aged and older Japanese men (n = 31,703) and women (n = 38,939) investigated whether perceived stress and coping strategies (emotional expression, emotional support seeking, positive reappraisal, problem solving, and disengagement) were related to the eGFR, with mutual interactions. In multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for age, area, lifestyle factors, and psychosocial variables, we found a significant inverse association between perceived stress and the eGFR in men (Ptrend = 0.02), but not women. This male-specific inverse association was slightly attenuated after adjustment for the history of hypertension and diabetes and was more evident in lower levels of emotional expression (Pinteraction = 0.003). Unexpectedly, problem solving in men (Ptrend < 0.001) and positive reappraisal in women (Ptrend = 0.002) also showed an inverse association with the eGFR. Perceived stress may affect the eGFR, partly through the development of hypertension and diabetes. The unexpected findings regarding coping strategies require the clarification of the underlying mechanisms, including the hormonal and immunological aspects

Effect of the interaction between physical activity and estimated macronutrient intake on HbA1c : population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal studies

Introduction Healthy diet and physical activity (PA) are essential for preventing type 2 diabetes, particularly, a combination of diet and PA. However, reports on interaction between PA and diet, especially from large epidemiological studies, are limited. We investigated the effect of interaction between PA and macronutrient intake on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in the general population. Research design and methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 55 469 men and women without diabetes who participated in the baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. A self-administered questionnaire ascertained PA and macronutrient intake (carbohydrate, fat, and protein). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to adjust for confounding variables and examine the interactions. In addition, we conducted a longitudinal study during a 5-year period within a subcohort (n=6881) with accelerometer-assessed PA data. Results Overall, PA had a weak inverse association (β=−0.00033, p=0.049) and carbohydrate intake had a strong positive association (β=0.00393, p<0.001) with HbA1c. We observed a tendency of interactions between PA and carbohydrate or fat intake, but not protein intake, on HbA1c levels after adjusting for age, sex, study area, total energy intake, alcohol consumption, smoking, and medication for hypertension or hypercholesterolemia (Pinteraction=0.054, 0.006, and 0.156, respectively). The inverse associations between PA and HbA1c level were more evident in participants with high-carbohydrate (or low-fat) intake than in participants with low-carbohydrate (or high-fat) intake. Although further adjustment for body mass index slightly attenuated the above interactions (Pinteraction=0.098 for carbohydrate and 0.068 for fat), the associations between PA and HbA1c level in stratified analyses remained unchanged. Similar associations and interactions were reproduced in the longitudinal study. Conclusions The present results suggest that the effect of PA on HbA1c levels is modified by intake of macronutrient composition