Observation of elastic anomalies driven by coexisting dynamical spin Jahn-Teller effect and dynamical molecular spin state in paramagnetic phase of the frustrated MgCr2_2O4_4$

Ultrasound velocity measurements of magnesium chromite spinel MgCr$_2$O$_4$ reveal elastic anomalies in the paramagnetic phase that are characterized as due to geometrical frustration. The temperature dependence of the tetragonal shear modulus $(C_{11}-C_{12})/2$ exhibits huge Curie-type softening, which should be the precursor to spin Jahn-Teller distortion in the antiferromagnetic phase. The trigonal shear modulus $C_{44}$ exhibits nonmonotonic temperature dependence with a characteristic minimum at $\sim$50 K, indicating a coupling of the lattice to dynamical molecular spin state. These results strongly suggest the coexistence of dynamical spin Jahn-Teller effect and dynamical molecular spin state in the paramagnetic phase, which is compatible with the coexistence of magnetostructural order and dynamical molecular spin state in the antiferromagnetic phase.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Lipoprotein(a) is a predictor for cardiovascular mortality of hemodialysis patients

Lipoprotein(a) is a predictor for cardiovascular mortality of hemodialysis patients.BackgroundAlthough hemodialysis (HD) patients have been associated with elevations in serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels, relatively little has been published on the link between Lp(a) and the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular death in HD patients.MethodsLipoprotein(a) was measured in 390 HD patients. The relationship between Lp(a) and mortality (overall and cardiovascular) was determined during 28 months of prospective follow-up.ResultsHemodialysis patients demonstrated Lp(a) concentrations that were approximately two times as high as that of healthy controls (median, 16 vs. 8 mg/dl, P < 0.001; mean, 22.9 vs. 12.1 mg/dl, P < 0.01). Lp(a) showed a significant correlation between albumin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and C-reactive protein. The high-Lp(a) group [Lp(a) ≥ 30 mg/dl] showed significantly higher mortality than the low-Lp(a) group [Lp(a) < 30 mg/dl] in a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated albumin, age, and diabetic state as significant risk factors for overall death. However, if confined to atherosclerotic cardiovascular death, Lp(a) (P < 0.01), age, and diabetic state were the only independent contributors.ConclusionsLp(a) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular death in Japanese patients receiving chronic dialysis therapy

Effects of Oral Administration of Moringa oleifera Lam on Glucose Tolerance in Goto-Kakizaki and Wistar Rats

Medicinal plants constitute an important source of potential therapeutic agents for diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) Lam, Moringacea, on glucose tolerance in Wistar rats and Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, modeled type 2 diabetes. Major polyphenols in MO powder were quercetin glucosides, rutin, kaempferol glycosides and chlorogenic acids by HPLC analysis. As the results of glucose tolerance test, MO significantly decreased the blood glucose at 20, 30, 45and 60 min for GK rats and at 10, 30 and 45 min for Wistar rats (p<0.05) compared to the both controls after glucose administration. The area under the curve of changes in the blood glucose was significantly higher in the GK control group than in the GK plus MO group (p<0.05) in the periods 30–60 min and 60–120 min. Furthermore, MO significantly decreased stomach emptying in GK rats (p<0.05). The results indicated that MO has an ameliorating effect for glucose intolerance, and the effect might be mediated by quercetin-3-glucoside and fiber contents in MO leaf powder. The action of MO was greater in GK rats than in Wistar rats

Gender-specific regulation of response to thyroid hormone in aging

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Similar to other systems, the endocrine system is affected by aging. Thyroid hormone, the action of which is affected by many factors, has been shown to be associated with longevity. The most useful marker for the assessment of thyroid hormone action is TSH level. Although age and gender are believed to modify the pituitary set point or response to free thyroid hormone concentration, the precise age- and gender-dependent responses to thyroid hormone have yet to be reported.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed the results of 3564 thyroid function tests obtained from patients who received medication at both out- and inpatient clinics of Shinshu University Hospital. Subjects were from among those with thyroid function test results in the normal or mildly abnormal range. Based on a log-linear relationship between the concentrations of FHs and TSH, we established the putative resistance index to assess the relation between serum FH and TSH levels.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Free thyroid hormone and TSH concentration showed an inverse log-linear relation. In males, there was a negative relationship between the free T3 resistance index and age. In females, although there were no relationships between age and FHs, the indices were positively related to age.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings indicated that there is a gender-specific response to thyroid hormone with aging. Although the TSH level is a useful marker for the assessment of peripheral thyroid hormone action, the values should be interpreted carefully, especially with regard to age- and gender-related differences.</p

High-Phosphorus Diet Induces Osteopontin Expression of Renal Tubules in Rats

High-phosphorus (P) diet induces nephrocalcinosis in rats; however, the mechanism for onset of this disorder is unclear. The calcium (Ca) deposits in kidney are a form of hydroxyapatite, while osteopontin is combined with hydroxyapatite. Based on these observations, we speculated that the osteopontin play an important role in the formation of the Ca deposits induced by high-P diet. This study was investigated the effect of high-P diet on osteopontin expression in kidney. Female Wistar rats were fed diets containing P concentrations of either 0.3% (control diet) or 1.5% (high-P diet) for 14 days. On von Kossa staining, Ca deposits were seen in the tubules of the cortex, outer medulla and inner medulla in rats fed on the high-P diet. Expression of osteopontin was confirmed in rats fed on the high-P diet by immunohistochemical staining, and the localization of this protein was in the same region as the Ca deposits. On the other hand, no evidence of Ca deposits and osteopontin expression was observed in the tubules of the cortex, outer medulla or inner medulla of rats fed on the control diet. These results suggest that high-P diet induces osteopontin expression in the renal tubules. Moreover, our results suggest that increase in osteopontin expression in the renal tubules is presumably involved in the formation of Ca deposits induced by high-P diet

Kinetic Analysis and Prediction of Thermal Decomposition Behavior of Tertiary Pyridine Resin in the Nitrate Form

AbstractThe thermal decomposition behavior of the tertiary pyridine resin, which was used during the nuclide-separation process in the Advanced Optimization by Recycling Instructive Elements (Advanced ORIENT) cycle, was investigated in its nitrate form (TPR-NO3), in order to determine ways of preventing its runaway reaction. A thermal analysis of TPR-NO3 and an analysis of the gases produced during decomposition were employed for the purpose. In addition, the kinetics parameters were evaluated via a kinetic analysis of the empirical thermal data. Finally, the validity of the reaction model was assessed by comparing the thermal behavior predicted by the estimated reaction model with that determined by the results of a gram-scale heating test performed in our previous study. We found that, when TPR-NO3 was heated, first, nitric acid was removed. Subsequently, TPR-NO3 was oxidized by the removed nitric acid. Under the assumption that it took place an autocatalytic oxidation and nth order thermal decomposition in parallel, the thermogravimetric analysis data could be fitted very well using a nonlinear regression model. The thermal behavior of TPR-NO3 could be predicted by the reaction model determined in this study under conditions where the cooling effect owing to evaporation was ignored. In addition, the maximum temperature and time to maximum rate of a runaway reaction predicted using the determined reaction model gave the result on the side of prudence

A study of dependence tendency on friend and parents-child relationship in adolescence

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dependence tendency associated with the interpersonal relationship and the parents-child relationship in adolescence. Subjects were 398 undergraduate students, who were asked to perform a set of questionnaires on dependence tendency and parents-child relationship. The results of this study showed that sex differences, existence of sibling, wether living with parents, and school year affect on their dependence tendency and parents-child relationship