Multi-dimensional Assessment of Precision Machined Surface Texture Based on Laser Speckle Pattern Analysis

AbstractSurface texture of precision machined surfaces plays an important role in providing various functions to product surfaces. This paper presents a surface texture assessment method based on a laser speckle pattern analysis. Considered as simple light scattering phenomenon, laser speckle intensity can represent surface roughness. On the other hand, considered as diffraction phenomenon, the period of anisotropic pattern on a laser speckle is estimated to be inversely proportional to the period of micro structure. The proposed method evaluates multiple properties of surface texture from a laser speckle pattern, such as roughness, period, and degree of similarity in periodic micro surface structures. By investigating experimentally the relation between surface texture and laser speckle pattern of machined surfaces, several characteristic parameters of laser speckle, such as the mean intensity, the autocorrelation length of intensity distribution, and the degree of similarity between adjacent speckle patterns are proposed for evaluating surface texture properties. In addition, the anisotropy of micro surface structure is assessed by using the proposed parameters of laser speckle pattern

Strain distribution analysis of sputter-formed strained Si by tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Simultaneous nanometer-scale measurements of the strain and surface undulation distributions of strained Si (s-Si) layers on strain-relief quadruple-Si1-xGex-layer buffers, using a combined atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) system, clarify that an s-Si sample formed by our previously proposed sputter epitaxy method has a smoother and more uniformly strained surface than an s-Si sample formed by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy. The TERS analyses suggest that the compositional fluctuation of the underlying Si1-xGex buffer layer is largely related to the weak s-Si strain fluctuation of the sputtered sampl

Birth outcomes after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster:A long-term retrospective study

Changes in population birth outcomes, including increases in low birthweight or preterm births, have been documented after natural and manmade disasters. However, information is limited following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster. In this study, we assessed whether there were long-term changes in birth outcomes post-disaster, compared to pre-disaster data, and whether residential area and food purchasing patterns, as proxy measurements of evacuation and radiation-related anxiety, were associated with post-disaster birth outcomes. Maternal and perinatal data were retrospectively collected for all live singleton births at a public hospital, located 23 km from the power plant, from 2008 to 2015. Proportions of low birthweight (<2500 g at birth) and preterm births (<37 weeks gestation at birth) were compared pre- and post-disaster, and regression models were conducted to assess for associations between these outcomes and evacuation and food avoidance. A total of 1101 live singleton births were included. There were no increased proportions of low birthweight or preterm births in any year after the disaster (merged post-disaster risk ratio of low birthweight birth: 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–1.51; and preterm birth: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.38–1.21). No significant associations between birth outcomes and residential area or food purchasing patterns were identified, after adjustment for covariates. In conclusion, no changes in birth outcomes were found in this institution-based investigation after the Fukushima disaster. Further research is needed on the pathways that may exacerbate or reduce disaster effects on maternal and perinatal health

Augmentation of Neovascularizaiton in Hindlimb Ischemia by Combined Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells-Derived Endothelial and Mural Cells

BACKGROUND: We demonstrated that mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells-derived vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2) positive cells could differentiate into both endothelial cells (EC) and mural cells (MC), and termed them as vascular progenitor cells (VPC). Recently, we have established a method to expand monkey and human ES cells-derived VPC with the proper differentiation stage in a large quantity. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of human VPC-derived EC and MC for vascular regeneration. METHODS AND RESULTS: After the expansion of human VPC-derived vascular cells, we transplanted these cells to nude mice with hindlimb ischemia. The blood flow recovery and capillary density in ischemic hindlimbs were significantly improved in human VPC-derived EC-transplanted mice, compared to human peripheral and umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (pEPC and uEPC) transplanted mice. The combined transplantation of human VPC-derived EC and MC synergistically improved blood flow of ischemic hindlimbs remarkably, compared to the single cell transplantations. Transplanted VPC-derived vascular cells were effectively incorporated into host circulating vessels as EC and MC to maintain long-term vascular integrity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the combined transplantation of human ES cells-derived EC and MC can be used as a new promising strategy for therapeutic vascular regeneration in patients with tissue ischemia

MicroRNA-494-3p inhibits formation of fast oxidative muscle fibres by targeting E1A-binding protein p300 in human-induced pluripotent stem cells.

MYOD-induced microRNA-494-3p expression inhibits fast oxidative myotube formation by downregulating myosin heavy chain 2 (MYH2) in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) during skeletal myogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating MYH2 expression via miR-494-3p remain unknown. Here, using bioinformatic analyses, we show that miR-494-3p potentially targets the transcript of the E1A-binding protein p300 at its 3\u27-untranslated region (UTR). Myogenesis in hiPSCs with the Tet/ON-myogenic differentiation 1 (MYOD1) gene (MyoD-hiPSCs) was induced by culturing them in doxycycline-supplemented differentiation medium for 7 days. p300 protein expression decreased after transient induction of miR-494-3p during myogenesis. miR-494-3p mimics decreased the levels of p300 and its downstream targets MYOD and MYH2 and myotube formation efficiency. p300 knockdown decreased myotube formation efficiency, MYH2 expression, and basal oxygen consumption rate. The binding of miR-494-3p to the wild type p300 3\u27-UTR, but not the mutated site, was confirmed using luciferase assay. Overexpression of p300 rescued the miR-494-3p mimic-induced phenotype in MyoD-hiPSCs. Moreover, miR-494-3p mimic reduced the levels of p300, MYOD, and MYH2 in skeletal muscles in mice. Thus, miR-494-3p might modulate MYH2 expression and fast oxidative myotube formation by directly regulating p300 levels during skeletal myogenesis in MyoD-hiPSCs and murine skeletal muscle tissues

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362