One-Step Synthesis of Copper and Cupric Oxide Particles from the Liquid Phase by X-Ray Radiolysis Using Synchrotron Radiation

The deposition of copper (Cu) and cupric oxide (Cu4O3, Cu2O, and CuO) particles in an aqueous copper sulfate (CuSO4) solution with additive alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and ethylene glycol has been studied by X-ray exposure from synchrotron radiation. An attenuated X-ray radiation time of 5 min allows for the synthesis of Cu, Cu4O3, Cu2O, and CuO nano/microscale particles and their aggregation into clusters. The morphology and composition of the synthesized Cu/cupric oxide particle clusters were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed that the clusters comprised cupric oxide core particles covered with Cu particles. Neither Cu/cupric oxide particles nor their clusters were formed without any alcohol additives. The effect of alcohol additives is attributed to the following sequential steps: photochemical reaction due to X-ray irradiation induces nucleation of the particles accompanying redox reaction and forms a cluster or aggregates by LaMer process and DLVO interactions. The procedure offers a novel route to synthesize the Cu/cupric oxide particles and aggregates. It also provides a novel additive manufacturing process or lithography of composite materials such as metal, oxide, and resin

Intravitreal Bevacizumab Alone or Combined with Macular Laser Photocoagulation for Recurrent or Persistent Macular Edema Secondary to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Background. To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection with or without macular laser photocoagulation (MLP) for recurrent or persistent macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods. Thirty-four eyes underwent IVB injection for ME secondary to BRVO as a primary treatment. Twenty of the 34 eyes experienced recurrent or persistent ME after the first IVB. Nine of the 20 eyes (Group 1) were retreated with IVB combined with MLP. The remaining 11 eyes (Group 2) were retreated with IVB alone. Results. In Group 1, the postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved compared with the preoperative value at all follow-up visits, although no statistically significant improvement was observed at 6 months. In contrast, BCVA significantly improved from 0.53 to 0.40 at 6 months (P<0.05) in Group 2. Conclusion. Combined therapy tended to have a smaller effect on visual acuity compared with IVB monotherapy

〈資料〉学齢肢体不自由児の就学実態について : 一肢体不自由特別支援学校通学区域に着目して

本研究は、特定の地域における義務教育段階にある肢休不自由児の就学先ごとの彼らの障害の状態等の実態を明らかにした。肢休不自由特別支援学校とその通学区域にある小・中学校の通常学級、知的障害特別支援学級、知的障害特別支援学校を対象に質間紙調査を実施した。その結果、障害部位では、どの形態においても下肢障害の割合が最も高かった。移動の自立度が高い児童生徒が通常学級に多く在籍するのに対して、肢休不自由特別支援学校では、独歩や移動の自立度の割合が低かった。また、肢体不自由特別支援学校では、独歩の割合は中学部段階で増え、自立度も高くなる傾向があることから、小学校綽から肢体不自由特別支援学校の中学部へと就学先を変更している可能性が示唆された。本研究において得られた結果は地域における肢体不自由児の多様な学びの場における指導の連続性を考究する基礎的な資料となると考えられる。This study investigated the school attendance of children with physical disabilities and clarified the conditions of their disabilities. Therefore, the participants were students from a special needs school for children with physical disabilities (School B) and from other schools in the same district, including those of elementary and lower secondary schools, special classes for children with intellectual disabilities in elementary and lower secondary schools, and special needs schools for children with intellectual disabilities. With regard to the state of disability, the occurrence rate of lower limb disability was highest among students in all types of schools. With regard to the mobilities, the rate of self-gait was highest among students in regular classes and lowest among students in School B. Moreover, the rate of self-gait increased and the degree of independent mobilities tended to become higher among students in the lower secondary departments of School B. This finding suggests the possibility of changing school attendance from regular elementary schools to the lower secondary departments of special needs schools for children with physical disabilities. These results provide the fundamental data needed to discuss the continuous teaching of children with physical disabilities in diverse and community-based learning environments

Hyper Suprime-Camera Survey of the Akari NEP Wide Field

The extragalactic background suggests half the energy generated by stars was reprocessed into the infrared (IR) by dust. At z ∼1.3, 90% of star formation is obscured by dust. To fully understand the cosmic star formation history, it is critical to investigate infrared emission. AKARI has made deep mid-IR observation using its continuous 9-band filters in the NEP field (5.4 deg2), using ∼10% of the entire pointed observations available throughout its lifetime. However, there remain 11,000 AKARI infrared sources undetected with the previous CFHT/Megacam imaging (r ∼25.9ABmag). Redshift and IR luminosity of these sources are unknown. These sources may contribute significantly to the cosmic star-formation rate density (CSFRD). For example, if they all lie at 1 z g, r, i, z, and y) using Hyper Suprime-Camera (HSC), which has 1.5 deg field of view in diameter on Subaru 8m telescope. This will provide photometric redshift information, and thereby IR luminosity for the previously-undetected 11,000 faint AKARI IR sources. Combined with AKARI's mid-IR AGN/SF diagnosis, and accurate mid-IR luminosity measurement, this will allow a complete census of cosmic star-formation/AGN accretion history obscured by dust

Infrared luminosity functions based on 18 mid-infrared bands: revealing cosmic star formation history with AKARI and Hyper Suprime-Cam*

Much of star formation is obscured by dust. For a complete understanding of the cosmic star formation history (CSFH), infrared (IR) census is indispensable. AKARI carried out deep mid-infrared observations using its continuous nine-band filters in the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) field (5.4 deg2). This took a significant amount of the satellite’s lifetime, ∼10% of the entire pointed observations. By combining archival Spitzer (five bands) and WISE (four bands) mid-IR photometry, we have, in total, 18-band mid-IR photometry, which is the most comprehensive photometric coverage in the mid-IR for thousands of galaxies. However, we only had shallow optical imaging (∼25.9 AB magnitude) in a small area, 1.0 deg2. As a result, thousands of AKARI’s infrared sources remained undetected in the optical. Using the new Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Subaru telescope, we obtained deep enough optical images of the entire AKARI NEP field in five broad bands (g ∼ 27.5 mag). These provided photometric redshift, and thereby IR luminosity, for the previously undetected faint AKARI IR sources. Combined with the accurate mid-IR luminosity measurement, we constructed mid-IR luminosity functions (LFs), and thereby performed a census of dust-obscured CSFH in the entire AKARI NEP field. We have measured restframe 8 μm and 12 μm LFs, and estimated total infrared LFs at 0.35 z z ∼ 2

Real-world management of treatment-naïve diabetic macular oedema : 2-year visual outcome focusing on the starting year of intervention from STREAT-DMO study

Background/aims To investigate the yearly change of real-world outcomes for best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after 2-year clinical intervention for treatment-naïve diabetic macular oedema (DMO). Methods Retrospective analysis of aggregated, longitudinal medical records obtained from 27 retina specialised institutions in Japan from Survey of Treatment for DMO database. A total of 2049 treatment-naïve centre involving DMO eyes of which the initial intervention started between 2010 and 2015, and had been followed for 2 years, were eligible. As interventions, antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents, local corticosteroids, macular photocoagulation and vitrectomy were defined. In each eye, baseline and final BCVA, the number of each intervention for 2 years was extracted. Each eye was classified by starting year of interventional treatment. Results Although baseline BCVA did not change by year, 2-year improvement of BCVA had been increased, and reached to +6.5 letters in the latest term. There is little difference among starting year about proportions of eyes which BCVA gained >15 letters, in contrast to those which lost >15 letters were decreased by year. The proportion of eyes receiving anti-VEGF therapy was dramatically increased, while those receiving the other therapies were gradually decreased. The proportion of eyes which maintained socially good vision of BCVA>20/40 has been increased and reached to 59.0% in the latest term. Conclusion For recent years, treatment patterns for DMO have been gradually but certainly changed; as a result, better visual gain, suppression of worsened eyes and better final BCVA have been obtained. Anti-VEGF therapy has become the first-line therapy and its injection frequency has been increasing