High-pressure and high-temperature synthesis of heavy lanthanide sesquisulfides Ln2S3 ( Ln=Yb and Lu)

Detailed pressure-temperature phase diagrams of heavy lanthanide sesquisulfides Ln2S3 (Ln = Yb and Lu) have been investigated by in-situ x-ray diffraction experiments under high pressure and high temperature using synchrotron radiation and multi-anvil press. Based on the results of the in-situ observation, the single γ-phase (Th3P4-type structure, I3d) samples of Ln2S3 (Ln = Yb and Lu) have been synthesized under high pressure. The physical properties of the compounds were studied by electrical resistivity, specific heat, and magnetic susceptibility measurements between 2 K and 300 K

Suppression of ferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the filled skutterudite superconductor SrOs4 As12 revealed by 75As NMR-NQR measurements

Motivated by the recent observation of ferromagnetic spin correlations in the filled skutterudite SrFe4As12 [Q.-P. Ding et al., Phys. Rev. B 98, 155149 (2018)], we have carried out As-75 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements to investigate the role of magnetic fluctuations in the newly discovered isostructural superconductor SrOs4As12 with a superconducting transition temperature of T-c similar to 4.8 K. Knight shift K determined by the NQR spectrum under a small magnetic field (\u3c= 0.5 T) is nearly independent of temperature, consistent with the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate divided by temperature, 1/T1T, is nearly independent of temperature above similar to 50 K and increases slightly with decreasing temperature below the temperature. The temperature dependence is reasonably explained by a simple model where a flat band structure with a small ledge near the Fermi energy is assumed. By comparing the present NMR data with those in SrFe4As12, we found that the values of vertical bar K vertical bar and 1/T1T in SrOs4As12 are smaller than those in SrFe4As12, indicating no obvious ferromagnetic spin correlations in SrOs4As12. From the temperature dependence of 1/T-1 in the superconducting state, an s-wave superconductivity is realized

Ferrimagnetism in EuFe4As12 revealed by Eu-153 NMR and As-75 NQR measurements

Filled skutterudite compound EuFe4As12 shows the highest magnetic ordering temperature of TC=154K among Eu-based skutterudite compounds, but its magnetic ground state has not been determined yet. Here, we performed 153Eu nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 75As nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements on EuFe4As12 to reveal its magnetic ground state as well as the physical properties from a microscopic point of view. From the temperature and magnetic field dependence of 153Eu NMR spectrum in the magnetically ordered state, we found that the Eu ions are in Eu2+ state with a nearly 7 μB corresponding to S=7/2 spins. Combined with the magnetization measurements, which show the reduced saturation moments of 4.5 μB/f.u., we determined the ground magnetic structure in EuFe4As12 to be ferrimagnetic where the Eu2+ 4f and the Fe3d ordered moments are ferromagnetically aligned in each sublattice but the moments between the sublattices are antiferromagnetically aligned. We also found the local distortion at the Eu site from the cubic symmetry in the magnetically ordered state. The relationship between the rattling motion of Eu atoms and the local symmetry of the Eu ions is discussed. From the 75As NQR nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time measurements as well as 153Eu NMR measurements, we found that the 4f electrons of the Eu ions are well described by the local moment picture in both the magnetic and paramagnetic metallic states

Quantitative evaluation of movement using the timed up-and-go test

藤元早鈴病院金沢大学理工研究域機械工学

A CASE OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 COMPLICATED BY VENTILATORASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA, LUNG ABSCESS, AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS BACTEREMIA

Complications of healthcare-associated infections have been reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We encountered a case of ventilator-associated pneumonia and lung abscess, complicated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and multiple abscesses, in a patient with COVID-19. Streptococci and anaerobes were cultured from the sputum, which was considered to be the causative organism of the lung abscess. In the management of severe COVID-19, care should be taken to prevent complications of healthcare-associated infections; when secondary respiratory tract infections are suspected, the presence of lung abscess and anaerobic culture should be considered

Analysis of the Antioxidative Function of the Radioprotective Japanese Traditional (Kampo) Medicine, Hangeshashinto, in an Aqueous Phase

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common and painful complication of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Hangeshashinto (HST), a Japanese traditional medicine, is known to alleviate radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy-induced OM; however, the detailed mechanism has not yet been clarified. The aim of the present study is to clarify the details of the antioxidative functions of HST against reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by radiation. The hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging ability and reduction ability was simultaneously measured using a modified electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping method. The superoxide (O2•−) scavenging ability was estimated by an EPR redox probing method. Water suspension of powdered HST and its seven constitutive crude drugs were tested. In addition, some of the main water soluble ingredients of the crude drugs were also tested. HST was found to scavenge both •OH and O2•−. Furthermore, HST was observed to reduce relatively stable nitroxyl radicals. Glycyrrhizae Radix (kanzo), Ginseng Radix (ninjin), Zizyphi Fructus (taiso), and glycyrrhizin (an ingredient of kanzo) were all found to be relatively good •OH scavengers. Scutellariae Radix (ogon) and Coptidis Rhizoma (oren) demonstrated reducing ability. In addition, acteoside and berberine chloride, which are water soluble ingredients of ogon and oren, respectively, also demonstrated reducing ability. Oren exhibited oxidative ability at higher concentrations, which may have a function to maintain catalytic redox action. The antioxidative function of HST probably worked in a balance of scavenging ROS, reducing stable free radicals and some minor oxidative effects

Augmented expression of cardiac ankyrin repeat protein is induced by pemetrexed and a possible marker for the pemetrexed resistance in mesothelioma cells

BackgroundPemetrexed (PEM) is an anti-cancer agent targeting DNA and RNA synthesis, and clinically in use for mesothelioma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. A mechanism of resistance to PEM is associated with elevated activities of several enzymes involved in nucleic acid metabolism.MethodsWe established two kinds of PEM-resistant mesothelioma cells which did not show any increase of the relevant enzyme activities. We screened genes enhanced in the PEM-resistant cells with a microarray analysis and confirmed the expression levels with Western blot analysis. A possible involvement of the candidates in the PEM-resistance was examined with a WST assay after knocking down the expression with si-RNA. We also analyzed a mechanism of the up-regulated expression with agents influencing AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and p53.ResultsWe found that expression of cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP) was elevated in the PEM-resistant cells with a microarray and Western blot analysis. Down-regulation of CARP expression with si-RNA did not however influence the PEM resistance. Parent and PEM-resistant cells treated with PEM increased expression of CARP, AMPK, p53 and histone H2AX. The CARP up-regulation was however irrelevant to the p53 genotypes and not induced by an AMPK activator. Augmented p53 levels with nutlin-3a, an inhibitor for p53 degradation, and DNA damages were not always associated with the enhanced CARP expression.ConclusionsThese data collectively suggest that up-regulated CARP expression is a potential marker for development of PEM-resistance in mesothelioma and that the PEM-mediated enhanced expression is not directly linked with immediate cellular responses to PEM

Ferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the filled skutterudite SrFe4As12 revealed by 75As NMR-NQR measurements

75As nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements have been carried out to investigate the magnetic and electronic properties of the filled skutterudite metallic compound SrFe4As12. The temperature dependence of Knight shift K determined by the NQR spectrum under a small magnetic field (≤0.5T) shows the similar temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility χ which exhibits a broad maximum at T∗∼50 K. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate divided by temperature 1/T1T increases with decreasing temperature and exhibits a broad maximum at T∼70 K, similar to the case of χ. The temperature dependence of K and 1/T1T is reasonably explained by a simple model where we assume a concave-shaped band structure near the Fermi energy. Based on a Korringa ratio analysis using the T1 and K data, ferromagnetic spin fluctuations are found to exist in SrFe4As12. These results indicate that SrFe4As12 can be characterized to be a metal with ferromagnetic correlations and also the peculiar band structure responsible for the suppression of 1/T1T and K at low temperatures