Electron spin phase relaxation of phosphorus donors in nuclear spin enriched silicon

We report a pulsed EPR study of the phase relaxation of electron spins bound to phosphorus donors in isotopically purified 29^Si and natural abundance Si single crystals measured at 8 K.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

AO入試の何が変わり，何が変わらなかったか : 広島大学AO入試の10年 <ノート>

広島大学でAO入試を開始して10年、この間、導入当初の制度設計から変更した点もあれば、現在に至るまで変わらない点もある。大学入試センター試験を課す入試方式（AO入試Ⅱ型）への移行や入試期間の短縮等当初から変更した点は、より適切な入試制度として変更が求められたものであり、入試時期等当初からずっと変わらなかった点は、本学のAO入試制度として適切であったものと言える。このような観点からの入試制度の検証と入学者の学業成績の追跡調査等から、現時点での本学のAO入試の成果と課題をまとめる

ハワイ州における高大連携プログラム <ノート>

米国では、現在、初等教育から高等教育までのシームレスな接続をめざす「P-16（またはK-16, P-20）」と呼ばれる教育政策が多くの州において展開されている。広島県の公立高校と姉妹校締結を行っているハワイ州の高校における高大接続に関する調査の際に、P-20（ハワイ州）プログラムについて調査を行う機会を得た。米国全体における最近の状況とハワイ州における状況についてその特徴を分析し、我が国における高大連携及び高大接続への示唆を検討したい。本研究はJSPS科研費 23653268 の助成を受けたものである

Effect of mobile phase composition on retention factor in supercritical fluid chromatography

　In supercritical fluid chromatography with a mixture of carbon dioxide and a modifier as the mobile phase, the relationship between retention factor k and modifier mole fraction x was derived as 1/kmix=xCO2/k0CO2 + xmod/k0mod, where kmix, k0CO2, and k0mod are the retention factors for the mixture solvent, pure CO2 and pure modifier, respectively, and xCO2 and xmod are the mole fractions of CO2 and a modifier, respectively. Since k0CO2 and k0mod are often difficult to determine due to too large of a value for k0CO2 and an invalid value of k0mod for the liquid phase, both values were estimated experimentally from the two retention factors available at the lowest and highest modifier mole fractions at each temperature and pressure. The equation was effective for the retention factors of the R- and S-forms of racemic transstilbene oxide measured in the present study by supercritical fluid chromatography using a modifier such as methanol, ethanol or acetonitrile. Moreover, the equation was also valid for the retention data of various enantioselective separations as well as achiral separations reported in the literature

Preoperative multidisciplinary treatment with hyperthermia for soft tissue sarcoma

We report the results of phase I/II studies of preoperative multidisciplinary treatment of 14 patients with soft tissue sarcoma using hyperthermia from November 1990 to April 1995. The preoperative treatment was conducted with thermo-radio-chemotherapy in 11 cases of stage III, and with thermo-radiotherapy as well as thermo-chemotherapy in three cases of stages I and II. Hyperthermia was carried out twice a week with totals ranging from 4 to 14 times (average: 8.4 times); each session lasted 60min. Radiotherapy was administered four or five times per week, and the dose was 1.8 2Gy/fraction, with a total of 30-40Gy in a four week period. Chemotherapy was mainly in the form of MAID regimen (2-mercaptoethanesulphonic acid (mesna), adriamycin, ifosfamide and dacarbazine). The tumors were surgically resected in all patients after completing the preoperative treatment. The efficacy rate, as expressed by the percentage of either tumors in which reduction rate was 50% or more, or tumors for which post-treatment contrast enhanced CT image revealed low density volumes occupying 50% or more of the total mass, was 71 % (ten of the 14 tumors). The mean tumor necrosis rate in the resected specimens was 78%. The tumor necrosis rate was significantly high (P &#60; 0.05) in patients whose Time &#8805; 42°C was of long duration. Postoperative complications were observed in six patients; among these, two patients developed wound infection that required surgical treatment as a complication of surgery performed in the early stage following the preoperative treatment. After a mean postoperative follow-up of 27 months, distant metastasis occurred in four patients resulting in three fatalities. The three-year cumulative survival rate was 64.3%. No local recurrence was observed in any patient during the follow-up, thus confirming our hypothesis that preoperative multidisciplinary treatment has an excellent local efficacy. We think that it would be valuable to conduct, at many facilities, phase III studies on the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma by a combination of surgery and preoperative multidisciplinary treatment using hyperthermia, paying close attention to the interval between these two modalities.</p

Application of modified shrinking field radiation in RT-DeVIC chemoradiotherapy for treating localized extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

　Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the recommended treatment for localized extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKL). In 2009, the Japan Clinical Oncology Group first documented the safety and efficacy of a regimen involving radiotherapy (RT) plus dexamethasone, etoposide, ifosfamide, and carboplatin (DeVIC) in their phase I/II trials (JCOG0211 study). The application of this regimen has drastically improved outcomes of patients with localized ENKL. In 2013, the current guidelines were made to the cost in JCOG0211 study.　We retrospectively investigated the outcomes of three patients who received CRT for stage localized ENKL at the Kawasaki Medical School Hospital between August 2007 and March 2011. Our CRT protocol differed from that used in the JCOG0211 study as we used a different shrinking field RT method. A recent report on shrinking or extended-field RT raised questions regarding which fields are appropriate. Thus, we compared our clinical results with those of the JCOG0211 study and analyzed the effect of the differences in field size on clinical results. The median follow-up of the three patients in the present study was 9 months (range, 5-106 months), two and one of whom achieved complete and partial responses, respectively. Regarding adverse events, no severe acute side effects (e.g., mucositis) higher than Grade 4 were observed.　We reviewed cases and the JCOG0211 study which we experienced in the past about fields of the RT. The present study described our experiences with three patients receiving shrinking field RT

SLPI is a critical mediator that controls PTH-induced bone formation

Osteoclastic bone resorption and osteoblastic bone formation/replenishment are closely coupled in bone metabolism. Anabolic parathyroid hormone (PTH), which is commonly used for treating osteoporosis, shifts the balance from osteoclastic to osteoblastic, although it is unclear how these cells are coordinately regulated by PTH. Here, we identify a serine protease inhibitor, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), as a critical mediator that is involved in the PTH-mediated shift to the osteoblastic phase. Slpi is highly upregulated in osteoblasts by PTH, while genetic ablation of Slpi severely impairs PTH-induced bone formation. Slpi induction in osteoblasts enhances its differentiation, and increases osteoblast–osteoclast contact, thereby suppressing osteoclastic function. Intravital bone imaging reveals that the PTH-mediated association between osteoblasts and osteoclasts is disrupted in the absence of SLPI. Collectively, these results demonstrate that SLPI regulates the communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts to promote PTH-induced bone anabolism.Morimoto A., Kikuta J., Nishikawa K., et al. SLPI is a critical mediator that controls PTH-induced bone formation. Nature Communications 12, 2136 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22402-x

Latitudinal cline in the foraging dichotomy of loggerhead sea turtles reveals the importance of East China Sea for priority conservation

Special Issue: Biological traits, geographic distributions and species conservation in aquatic ecosystems[Aim]Quantifying the importance of habitat areas for conservation of highly migratory marine species with complex life histories can be challenging. For example loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting in Japan forage both oceanically and neritically after their reproductive period. Here, we aimed to quantify the proportions of turtles using these two contrasting habitats (foraging dichotomy) to suggest priority conservation areas. [Location]North Pacific Ocean. [Methods]We examined the occurrence of foraging dichotomy at three nesting sites (Ishigaki, Okinoerabu Islands and Ichinomiya) based on stable isotope analysis of the egg yolks for 82 turtles and satellite tracking of post-nesting migration for 12 turtles. Moreover, we used the data of three other sites from previous studies (Yakushima Island, Minabe and Omaezaki). [Results]Two neritic foraging grounds (East China Sea and the coastal area of the Japanese archipelago), and an oceanic ground (North Pacific Ocean) were identified. We found a latitudinal cline with respect to the occurrence of foraging dichotomy; >84% of the females nesting at southern sites (Ishigaki and Okinoerabu Islands), 73% at middle sites (Yakushima Island and Minabe) and <46% at northern sites (Omaezaki and Ichinomiya) were neritic foragers; the proportion of oceanic foragers increased at northern sites. Based on the annual number of nests in the entire nesting region of Japan, satellite tracking and the latitudinal cline of foraging dichotomy, we estimated that 70% and 9% of annual nesting females in Japan utilize the neritic foraging habitat in the East China Sea and the coastal area of the Japanese archipelago, respectively, and that and 22% utilize the oceanic habitat of the North Pacific Ocean. [Main conclusions]The East China Sea represents a critical foraging habitat for the North Pacific populations of endangered loggerhead sea turtles. Our findings emphasize the need for international management to ensure their protection