Structure refinement of the δ1p phase in the Fe-Zn system by single-crystal X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy.

The structure of the δ1p phase in the iron-zinc system has been refined by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy. The large hexagonal unit cell of the δ1p phase with the space group of P63/mmc comprises more or less regular (normal) Zn12 icosahedra, disordered Zn12 icosahedra, Zn16 icosioctahedra and dangling Zn atoms that do not constitute any polyhedra. The unit cell contains 52 Fe and 504 Zn atoms so that the compound is expressed with the chemical formula of Fe13Zn126. All Fe atoms exclusively occupy the centre of normal and disordered icosahedra. Iron-centred normal icosahedra are linked to one another by face- and vertex-sharing forming two types of basal slabs, which are bridged with each other by face-sharing with icosioctahedra, whereas disordered icosahedra with positional disorder at their vertex sites are isolated from other polyhedra. The bonding features in the δ1p phase are discussed in comparison with those in the Γ and ζ phases in the iron-zinc system

Mechanically rational forms of curved surface structures shaped from the uniform strain elements

The paper proposes a method for finding mechanically rational and practical forms of curved surface by using the uniform strain elements. Numerical methods for form finding already published give exact solutions but the application is restricted to the problems with the conditions possible to form a minimal surface. This is because the methods use the mechanical model without material stiffness but with only the geometric stiffness of isotropic tension. When the uniform strain elements composing a structural form have even isotropic strain in all over the form, the form is an isotropic tension form. Since the uniform strain element has the material stiffness, the method can stably yield a form with the strains varying as narrowly as possible in the curved surface under the condition impossible to shape a minimal surface

Bipolar localization of putative photoreceptor protein for phototaxis in thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus

Funding Information: This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan (no. 11640653 to K.M.).We identified an open reading frame from a database of the entire genome of Synechococcus elongatus, the product of which was very similar to pixJ1, which was proposed as photoreceptor gene for phototaxis in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 [Yoshihara et al. (2000) Plant Cell Physiol. 41: 1299]. The mRNA of S. elongatus pixJ (SepixJ) was expressed in vivo as a part of the product of an operon. SePixJ was detected exclusively in the membrane fraction after cell fractionation. Immunogold labeling of SePixJ in ultra-thin sections indicated that it existed only in both ends of the rod-shaped cell; probably bound with the cytoplasmic membrane.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Isolation of mucosa-associated microbiota dysbiosis in the ascending colon in hepatitis C virus post-sustained virologic response cirrhotic patients

BackgroundAchieving sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) reduces all-cause mortality. However, the mechanisms and risk factors for liver fibrosis and portal hypertension post-SVR remain incompletely understood. In the gut-liver axis, mucosa-associated microbiota (MAM) substantially influence immune and metabolic functions, displaying spatial heterogeneity at the anatomical intestinal site. We analyzed MAM composition and function to isolate the locoregional MAM involved in chronic liver disease progression in HCV post-SVR patients.MethodsWe collected MAM samples from three intestinal sites (terminal ileum, ascending colon, and sigmoid colon) via brushing during colonoscopy in 23 HCV post-SVR patients and 25 individuals without liver disease (controls). The 16S rRNA of bacterial DNA in specimens collected with a brush and in feces was sequenced. The molecular expression of intestinal tissues and hepatic tissues were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsIn the post-SVR group, the microbial β-diversity of MAM, especially in the ascending colon, differed from the control group and was associated with liver fibrosis progression. In PICRUSt analysis, MAM in the ascending colon in the liver cirrhosis (LC) group showed compromised functions associated with the intestinal barrier and bile acid production, and FGF19 expression was markedly decreased in the terminal ileum biopsy tissue in the LC group. At the genus level, six short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacterial genera, Blautia, Alistipes, Roseburia, Agathobaculum, Dorea, and Pseudoflavonifractor were reduced in the ascending colon of post-SVR LC patients.ConclusionIn patients of HCV post-SVR, we identified the association between the degree of liver fibrosis and dysbiosis of mucosa-associated SCFA-producing bacterial genera that may be related to intestinal barrier and bile acid production in the ascending colon

精神科領域での医療および福祉機関における 退院支援で生じる信念対立の構造 - 精神科病院と相談支援事業所へのインタビューによる実態調査-

今日、精神保健医療福祉領域では「精神障害にも対応した地域包括ケアシステム」の構築を目指し、重層的な機関連携による支援体制の整備が求められている。そのような中、精神科病院と地域事業所がチームとなり、プログラムを実施し、退院促進を支援することが重要とされる。しかし、チームを形成することは容易なことではなく、多様な阻害要因があると想定され、その一つとして「信念対立」が挙げられる。 本研究の目的は、精神科領域の退院支援において医療福祉機関の間で生じる信念対立の構造を明らかにすることである。精神科病院ならびに相談支援事業所に所属するソーシャルワーカーを対象とし、インタビュー調査を実施した。構造構成的質的研究法をメタ研究法とし、事例-コード・マトリックスを用いて分析した。 今回、医療および福祉機関の退院支援において生じる信念対立の要因には【職種的要因】【所属施設的要因】【対人援助職的要因】が確認された。また、その要因により【支援者】が≪心理的反応≫が生じ、【連携】に対する≪拒否感≫に至り、最終的には【対象者】への≪負担≫が起きていることが示唆された。一方で、【思考的】【行動的】に適切な対処を行うことで信念対立の低減および≪チーム支援の促進≫に至る可能性が示唆された。journal articl

Relationship between Dietary and Other Lifestyle Habits and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Men

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prevalence of men with cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) is increasing in Japan. Few studies have comprehensively examined the relation between lifestyles and CMRF.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the baseline data from 3,498 male workers ages 19 to 69 years who participated in the high-risk and population strategy for occupational health promotion (HIPOP-OHP) study at 12 large-scale companies throughout Japan. The physical activity of each participant was classified according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Dietary intake was surveyed by a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. We defined four CMRF in this study as follows: 1) high blood pressure (BP): systolic BP ≥ 130 mmHg, or diastolic BP ≥ 85 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive drugs; 2) dyslipidemia: high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration < 40 mg/dl, or triglycerides concentration ≥ 150 mg/dl, or on medication for dyslipidemia; 3) impaired glucose tolerance: fasting blood sugar concentration ≥110 mg/dl; 4) obese: a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m².</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Those who had 0 to 4 CMRF accounted for 1,597 (45.7%), 1,032 (29.5%), 587 (16.8%), 236 (6.7%), and 44 (1.3%) participants, respectively, in the Poisson distribution. Poisson regression analysis revealed that independent factors that contributed to the number of CMRF were age (b = 0.020, P < 0.01), IPAQ (b = -0.091, P < 0.01), alcohol intake (ml/day) (b = 0.001, P = 0.03), percentage of protein intake (b = 0.059, P = 0.01), and total energy intake (kcal)(b = 0.0001, P < 0.01). Furthermore, alcohol intake and its frequency had differential effects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Alcohol intake, percent protein and total energy intake were positively associated, whereas drinking frequency and IPAQ were inversely associated, with the number of CMRF.</p

JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire: initial report

AbstractBackgroundThere is no widely accepted objective evaluation for lumbar spine disorders. New outcome measures should be patient-oriented and should measure symptoms and self-reported functional status in multiple dimensions. The aim of this study was to identify items to be included in the disease-specific quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for the assessments of patients with lumbar spine disorders.MethodsThe draft of the QOL questionnaire that consisted of a total of 60 items, including 24 items derived from the Japanese version of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) and 36 items derived from the Japanese version of Short Form 36 (SF-36), were administered to patients and controls. After obtaining written informed consent, the following data were collected from the patient group (n = 328) and the control group (n = 213): (1) background characteristics, including age, diagnosis, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and finger to floor distance; (2) responses to the questionnaire; (3) the identification rate by discrimination analysis to select the candidates for adoption and by adopting explanatory variables. The items to be excluded were determined by examining the explanatory variables, which were selected after the discrimination analysis, by setting the candidate to-be-excluded items as an objective variable.ResultsBased on the distribution of the responses, two items, RDQ-15 and RDQ-19, were excluded. From the results of the correlation coefficient calculation for each question in the patient group, 33 items were excluded and 27 candidate items were adopted. Based on the adoption explanatory variable used in the discrimination analysis, 25 of the 27 candidate items for adoption were accepted.ConclusionsThis study identified the 25 specific questionnaire items that should be included in the questionnaire to evaluate QOL of patients with various lumbar spine disorders

Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ): Part 2. Endorsement of the alternative item

AbstractBackgroundA new self-administered questionnaire as an outcome measure for patients with cervical myelopathy was drawn up in Part 1 (Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire, JOACMEQ). Because a question with regard to driving a car (C-41) was not suitable for this patient group, the authors composed an alternative question related to neck motion (C-41-2). The purposes of the present study were to perform a secondary survey on patients with cervical myelopathy and to statistically analyze the responses to validate the JOACMEQ, and also to determine if it was possible to convert item C-41 to the alternative question.MethodsA member of the Subcommittee on Low Back Pain and Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation from each hospital administered the questionnaire to more than 50 patients with cervical myelopathy in each hospital. The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions, 24 of which were extracted in the primary survey. The authors statistically examined whether it was possible to convert question C-41 to C-41-2.ResultsThree hundred and sixty-eight patients with cervical myelopathy were enrolled in the present study. No questions elicited no answer or “I am not sure” in more than 5% of patients except question C-41. There were no questions that the patients answered with difficulty. There was no tendency that was concentrated on one option as an answer to questions. There was a high correlation between questions C-41 and C-41-2. Spearman’s correlation coefficient and κ value showed that there was high coincidence between the two questions C-41 and C-41-2. It is possible to convert the question C-41 to the alternative question C41-2.ConclusionThe questionnaire has sufficient reliability for clinical use. It is possible that the JOACMEQ will prevail and become a global standard to evaluate outcomes in patients with cervical myelopathy