Experimental characterization of the electronic structure of anatase TiO2: Thermopower modulation

Thermopower (S) for anatase TiO2 epitaxial films (n3D: 1E17-1E21 /cm3) and the gate voltage (Vg) dependence of S for thin film transistors (TFTs) based on TiO2 films were investigated to clarify the electronic density of states (DOS) around the conduction band bottom. The slope of the |S|-log n3D plots was -20 {\mu}V/K, which is an order magnitude smaller than that of semiconductors (-198 {\mu}V/K), and the |S| values for the TFTs increased with Vg in the low Vg region, suggesting that the extra tail states are hybridized with the original conduction band bottom.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Water temperature and precipitation stimulate small-sized Japanese eels to climb a low-height vertical weir

Although river-crossing structures can have a detrimental effect on the movement and distribution of anguillid eels (genus Anguilla), they have inhabited locations upstream of river-crossing structures in many rivers. However, the growth stage in which the eels start to climb river-crossing structures remains unclear. In this study, we directly observed, using infrared video camera systems, that the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) climbs a low-height vertical weir as a migratory barrier, confirming the ability of eels to climb over a low-height weir within a river. All eels climbed the weir at night, between sunset and sunrise. We observed that the total length of Japanese eels that climbed the weir ranged from 60 to 140 mm, suggesting that eels inhabiting the upstream area of a weir climbed it when they were small and then lived and grew upstream. Moreover, the general additive model showed considerable effects of water temperature and precipitation on eel climbing, suggesting that water temperature and precipitation are important for its activation. The results of this study also show the effectiveness of infrared video cameras in monitoring eel climbing, which could be applied to monitor fish migratory behavior through fish passages. The findings of this study are useful for the comprehensive management and conservation of wild eel stocks

A case of metastatic cancer with markedly elevated PSA level that was not detected by repeat prostate biopsy

BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a widely used specific tumor marker for prostate cancer. We experienced a case of metastatic prostate cancer that was difficult to detect by repeat prostate biopsy despite a markedly elevated serum PSA level. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old man was referred to our hospital with lumbar back pain and an elevated serum PSA level of 2036 ng/mL. Computed tomography, bone scintigraphy, and magnetic resonance imaging showed systemic lymph node and osteoblastic bone metastases. Digital rectal examination revealed a small, soft prostate without nodules. Ten-core transrectal prostate biopsy yielded negative results. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was started because of the patient’s severe symptoms. Twelve-core repeat transrectal prostate biopsy performed 2 months later, and transurethral resection biopsy performed 5 months later, both yielded negative results. The patient refused further cancer screening because ADT effectively relieved his symptoms. His PSA level initially decreased to 4.8 ng/mL, but he developed castration-resistant prostate cancer 7 months after starting ADT. He died 21 months after the initial prostate biopsy from disseminated intravascular coagulation. CONCLUSION: CUP remains a considerable challenge in clinical oncology. Biopsies of metastatic lesions and multimodal approaches were helpful in this case

Electric-Field Modulation of Thermopower for the KTaO3 Field Effect Transistors

We show herein fabrication and field-modulated thermopower for KTaO3 single-crystal based field-effect transistors (FETs). The KTaO3 FET exhibits field effect mobility of ~8 cm2/Vs, which is ~4 times larger than that of SrTiO3 FETs. The thermopower of the KTaO3 FET decreased from 600 to 220 microV/K by the application of gate electric field up to 1.5 MV/cm, ~400 microV/K below that of an SrTiO3 FET, clearly reflecting the smaller carrier effective mass of KTaO3.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

蒸しタオルを使用した背部温罨法による生体への影響

清潔ケア時、背部や腹部に蒸しタオルをあてることは日常的によく行われている。背部への蒸しタオルを使用した温罨法による生体への影響については、皮膚温の上昇や血流量の増加、交感神経系の活動を抑制することが報告されている。本研究では、蒸しタオルの上に電気温パックをあてて、タオルの温度低下を防ぎ、被験者（男性2人、女性5人）の体位を左側臥位として温罨法を実施した。背部の血流は、施行前に比べ3倍となり、皮膚温も5.88℃上昇し、罨法除去後20分で基準値に戻った。左側臥位で下側となった左手手掌の皮膚温や血流量は背部に比べてわずかな上昇であった。罨法貼用後10分で体温、血圧、脈拍ともに上昇したが生理的許容範囲であった。血圧、脈拍の変動には個人差があった。温冷感は貼用後全員が温かいと感じ、快適感は快適、不快、どちらでもないにわかれた

看護過程展開のための自己学習プログラムの開発と評価

看護過程の展開をロイ適応モデルを用いて教授している。学生のレポートの分析、パソコンの利用技術の習得状況から、学生の自己学習活動を活発にし、看護過程の理解を深めるために、HTML （Hyper Text Markup Language）を用いた学習プログラムを開発し、授業で使用した。使用後、学生に質問紙を用いた調査を行い、プログラムの評価を行った。その結果、「反復利用」、「学生の技術・態度」については評価が高く、自己学習教材としての活用の点からは評価が得られた。一方、看護過程の展開上の鍵となる、「看護過程、専門的知識の理解」を促進するという点からは達成は不十分であった。結果の分析から、プログラムの内容・量、説明内容、コンピューターによる利用のしやすさ、HTMLの特性の活用、に関連する課題が残った

Impact of human-derived hemoglobin based oxygen vesicles as a machine perfusion solution for liver donation after cardiac death in a pig model.

The recent clinical application of perfusion technology for the machine preservation of donation after cardiac death (DCD) grafts has some advantages. Oxygenation has been proposed for the preservation of DCD liver grafts. The aim of this study is to clarify whether the use of HbV-containing preservation solution during the subnormothermic machine perfusion (SNMP) of the liver graft improves the graft function of DCD porcine livers in an ex vivo reperfusion model. Pig livers were excised after 60 minutes of warm ischemic time and were preserved under one of three preservation conditions for 4 hours. The preservation conditions were as follows: 4°C cold storage (CS group; N = 5), Hypothermic machine preservation (HMP) with UW gluconate solution (HMP group; N = 5), SNMP (21°C) with UW gluconate solution (SNMP group; N = 5), SNMP (21°C) with HbVs (Hb; 1.8 mg/dl) perfusate (SNMP+HbV group; N = 5). Autologous blood perfusion was performed for 2 hours in an isolated liver reperfusion model (IRM). The oxygen consumption of the SNMP and SNMP+HbV group was higher than the HMP groups (p < 0.05). During the reperfusion, the AST level in the SNMP+HbV group was lower than that in the CS, HMP and SNMP groups. The changes in pH after reperfusion was significantly lower in SNMP+HbV group than CS and HMP groups. The ultrastructural findings indicated that the mitochondria of the SNMP+HbV group was well maintained in comparison to the CS, HMP and SNMP groups. The SNMP+HbVs preservation solution protected against metabolic acidosis and preserved the liver function after reperfusion injury in the DCD liver