The Effect of Dual-Hemisphere Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Parietal Operculum on Tactile Orientation Discrimination

The parietal operculum (PO) often shows ipsilateral activation during tactile object perception in neuroimaging experiments. However, the relative contribution of the PO to tactile judgment remains unclear. Here, we examined the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over bilateral PO to test the relative contributions of the ipsilateral PO to tactile object processing. Ten healthy adults participated in this study, which had a double-blind, sham-controlled, cross-over design. Participants discriminated grating orientation during three tDCS and sham conditions. In the dual-hemisphere tDCS conditions, anodal and cathodal electrodes were placed over the left and right PO. In the uni-hemisphere tDCS condition, anodal and cathodal electrodes were applied over the left PO and contralateral orbit, respectively. In the tDCS and sham conditions, we applied 2 mA for 15 min and for 15 s, respectively. Computational models of electric fields (EFs) during tDCS indicated that the strongest electric fields were located in regions in and around the PO. Compared with the sham condition, dual-hemisphere tDCS improved the discrimination threshold of the index finger contralateral to the anodal electrode. Importantly, dual-hemisphere tDCS with the anodal electrode over the left PO yielded a decreased threshold in the right finger compared with the uni-hemisphere tDCS condition. These results suggest that the ipsilateral PO inhibits tactile processing of grating orientation, indicating interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) of the PO

Diel changes in the vertical distribution of larval cutlassfish Trichiurus japonicus

Diel vertical migration of the cutlassfish Trichiurus japonicus larvae were investigated by consecutive 24-h collections at 3-h intervals at a station in the central Seto Inland Sea, Japan in June and September. Only one larva was collected in June 2017, while 224 and 40 larvae were collected in September 2016 and 2017, respectively. Larvae were present only at depths of ≥ 11 m during the day, whereas they were present at depths of 1, 6, 11 and 16 m during the night. Migration was observed in larvae in which swim bladder formation was completed. A similar pattern, namely nocturnal occurrence at shallow depths only of the developed larvae, was observed in another 24-h survey, suggesting that the swim bladder regulates the upward movement of larvae at night.This work was partly supported by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (S-13) granted by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Three-dimensional shapes and distributions of long-period stacking ordered structures in Mg₉₇Zn₁Gd₂ cast alloys characterized by electron tomography

Three-dimensional (3D) configurations of 14H long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structures formed in Mg97Zn1Gd2 cast alloys at intermediate stages of the formation process have been studied by single tilt-axis electron tomography using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. Lateral morphology of the 14H LPSO is clearly visualized by reconstructing 3D volumes. An existence of "dent-shaped" area was found in a 3D reconstructed volume for the first time. The edge of LPSO shows a characteristic triangular shape with an angle of 60°, which indicates that the growth front is parallel to {112¯0}Mg. It is suggested that in-plane irregular or characteristic shapes are related to the lateral growth mechanism of LPSO. Electron tomography has proven to be an indispensable tool to characterize in-plane structural information of LPSO formed in α-Mg matrix

Winter longitudinal variation in the body size of larval fishes in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

This study revealed the spatial variation in abun-dance and body size of larval fishes in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, in January 2014 and 2015. Fish larvae were col-lected by a 1.3-m-diameter ring net towed at the surface and at 10-m depth at 21 stations. The most dominant spe-cies was the sandlance Ammodytes japonicus, constituting 82% of total larval fish caught. The body size of A. japoni-cus was greater [ca. 9 mm total length (TL) in 2014] in eastern areas than in western areas (ca. 5 mm TL in 2014). This trend was also observed in rockfishes (Sebastiscus marmoratus and Sebastes inermis species complex), sug-gesting a common phenomenon in this region. Because the water temperature was lower in eastern areas, it is likely that the longitudinal differences in larval body size are attributable to earlier spawning in eastern areas caused by different temperature conditions.This work was partly supported by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (S-13) granted by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.Electronic supplementary material: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12562-017-1076-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.アクセプト後にアブストラクト・キーワードの変更あり

Photoprecursor approach as an effective means for preparing multilayer organic semiconducting thin films by solution processes

[プレスリリース]「重ね塗り」で有機薄膜太陽電池を高性能化～光を当てると固まる材料使い、有効性を実証～プラスチック上にも作製可能 （2014/11/19）The vertical composition profile of active layer has a major effect on the performance of organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs). While stepwise deposition of different materials is a conceptually straightforward method for controlled preparation of multi-component active layers, it is practically challenging for solution processes because of dissolution of the lower layer. Herein, we overcome this difficulty by employing the photoprecursor approach, in which a soluble photoprecursor is solution-deposited then photoconverted in situ to a poorly soluble organic semiconductor. This approach enables solution-processing of the p-i-n triple-layer architecture that has been suggested to be effective in obtaining efficient OPVs. We show that, when 2,6-dithienylanthracene and a fullerene derivative PC71BM are used as donor and acceptor, respectively, the best p-i-n OPV affords a higher photovoltaic efficiency than the corresponding p-n device by 24% and bulk-heterojunction device by 67%. The photoprecursor approach is also applied to preparation of three-component p-i-n films containing another donor 2,6-bis(59-(2-ethylhexyl)-(2,29-bithiophen)-5-yl)anthracene in the i-layer to provide a nearly doubled efficiency as compared to the original two-component p-i-n system. These results indicate that the present approach can serve as an effective means for controlled preparation of well-performing multi-component active layers in OPVs and relatedorganic electronic devices

A discrepancy between clinical course and magnetic resonance imaging in a case of non-herpetic acute limbic encephalitis

We report the case of a 64-year old man who presented memory disturbance, low-grade fever, weight loss, and bilateral hand tremors for three months. He was diagnosed with non-herpetic acute limbic encephalitis (NHALE). Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed new lesions after symptomatic improvement following steroid pulse therapy. This may indicate that there is a time lag between the disturbance or recovery of neurons and astrocytes. Thus, other lesions might occasionally appear during convalescence in patients with NHALE, even if only minimal lesions were found on the initial MRI

Effect of Film-Forming Additive in Ionic Liquid Electrolyte on Electrochemical Performance of Si Negative-Electrode for LIBs

1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (EMI-TFSA) is one of the promising ionic liquids as electrolyte solvent to enhance the electrochemical performance of Si electrode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its low viscosity and high conductivity. However, it has low stability against reduction and its reductive decomposition product inhibits Li+ insertion to electrodes, leading to poor cycling stability. To exert a potential of EMI-TFSA, we employed vinylene carbonate (VC) as film-forming additive. Si electrode exhibited very high cycling stability and rate capability in 20 vol.% VC-added EMI-TFSA-based electrolyte. In addition, by replacing TFSA anion with bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide (FSA) for Li salt and ionic liquid solvent, an excellent cycling performance and outstanding rate capability was achieved. VC cannot only fabricate a good surface film but also lower the interaction between Li+ and FSA-, providing smooth desolvation of FSA- to obtain better high-rate performance. Non-flammability of the VC-added electrolytes was confirmed by fire resistance test in closed-system: no ignition was observed even at 300°C. Consequently, we found that mixture electrolyte consisted of EMI-based ionic liquid and VC, especially 1 M LiFSA/EMI-FSA with 20 vol.% VC, is a prospective candidate for simultaneously enhancing the electrochemical performance of Si electrode as well as safety of LIBs

Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer in Early Stage — The Clinical Ob­servation of Operated Cases

1. An attempt has been made to find the diagnostic criteria for early gastric cancer. It is most important to detect the evidences or suspected features of the malignant growth in incipient stage in order to attain the radical cure by surgical operation. 2. Twelve patients with early gastric cancer (groups A and B) were selected out of 476 patients who had undergone gastrectomy during the past three years in the Okayama Saiseikai General Hospital. The other 6 patients in the &#34;precancerous group&#34; (group C) were also studied, who had abnormal epithelial proliferation in the resected stomach membrane during the same period. 3. The processes of discovery of early cancer have been described. Fairly precise diagnosis can be made in the mucosal carcinoma, but it is not in the ulcer-carcinoma. It was generally difficult to estimate the degree of the malignancy and the extension of the growth preoperatively. 4. The details of the diagnostic aids are as follows. i. Negative occult blood of stool does not always mean the definite diagnostic aid. ii. The malignant gastric change may occur even in non-anacidity. Further investigations should be followed up on gastric ulcer patients if malignant alteration is under the consideration. iii. Minor roentgenological findings, such as the absence or irregularity of mucosal folds, rigid and/or overlapped contour, localized absence or decrease of the peristaltic waves and absence or bow-shaped deformity of the angulus, are of important significance. Such changes should be minutely sought for by X-ray film examination. iv. On gastroscopy and gastrocamera photography, such changes as erosion or irregular granular thickening of the membrane with abnormal reddening and edematous appearance, irregularity of ulcer edge, uneven swelling on ulcer margin with reddening and unsharpness of the edge of adherent coat on ulcer floor, must be noted in the early gastric cancer. v. It is not safe to leave a patient having stomach ulceration under a mere conservative management because it is often quite difficult to dissolve the question of malignancy of the lesion with all sorts of examinations. vi. So far as clinical examinations have indicated malignancy, histological examination must be carried out immediately at the time of operation, even when malignant lesion is absent in inspection and palpation on the exposure of the stomach. vii. On the gross observation of the resected stomach, a particular attention must be paid to erosion, depression or atrophy, irregular granular thickening and abnormal reddening on the restricted areas of the mucosal surface.</p

早期糖尿病性腎症での腎臓におけるα-Klotho 発現の低下とその尿中カルシウム排世に対する役割についての検討

Hypercalciuria is one of the early manifestations of diabetic nephropathy. We explored here the role of α-Klotho, a protein expressed predominantly in distal convoluted tubules that has a role in calcium reabsorption. We studied 31 patients with early diabetic nephropathy and compared them with 31 patients with IgA nephropathy and 7 with minimal change disease. Renal α-Klotho expression was significantly lower and urinary calcium excretion (UCa/UCr) significantly higher in diabetic nephropathy than in IgA nephropathy or minimal change disease. Multiple regression analyses indicated that α-Klotho mRNA was inversely correlated with calcium excretion. We next measured these parameters in a mouse model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy, characterized by glomerular hyperfiltration, as seen in early diabetic nephropathy. We also confirmed a reduction of renal α-Klotho mRNA down to almost 50% and enhanced calcium excretion in mice with STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy in comparison with nondiabetic mice. Hypercalciuria was exacerbated in heterozygous α-Klotho knockout mice in comparison with wild-type mice, each with STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy. Thus, α-Klotho expression was decreased in distal convoluted tubules in diabetic nephropathy in humans and mice. Renal loss of α-Klotho may affect urinary calcium excretion in early diabetic nephropathy.博士（医学）・乙第1293号・平成24年5月28日© 2012 International Society of Nephrolog