Impact of Amorphous-C/Ni Multilayers on Ni-Induced Layer Exchange for Multilayer Graphene on Insulators

Layer exchange growth of amorphous carbon (a-C) is a unique technique for fabricating high-quality multilayer graphene (MLG) on insulators at low temperatures. We investigated the effects of the a-C/Ni multilayer structure on the quality of MLG formed by Ni-induced layer exchange. The crystal quality and electrical conductivity of MLG improved dramatically as the number of a-C/Ni multilayers increased. A 600 °C-annealed sample in which 15 layers of 4-nm-thick a-C and 0.5-nm-thick Ni were laminated recorded an electrical conductivity of 1430 S/cm. This value is close to that of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite synthesized at approximately 3000 °C. This improvement is likely related to the bond weakening in a-C due to the screening effect of Ni. We expect that these results will contribute to low-temperature synthesis of MLG using a solid-phase reaction with metals

First isolation of oleate-dependent Enterococcus faecalis small-colony variants from the umbilical exudate of a paediatric patient with omphalitis

An oleate-dependent Enterococcus faecalis isolate representing small-colony variants (SCVs) was isolated from the umbilical exudate of a 31-month-old Japanese male patient in Nagano Children's Hospital, Azumino, Japan. The patient had been suffering from recurrent omphalitis since early infancy. The initial E. faecalis SCV isolate formed small colonies on sheep blood agar plates and tiny colonies on chocolate and modified Drigalski agar, although no visible growth was observed in HK-semi solid medium after 48 h incubation in ambient air. Moreover, the SCV isolate, the colonial morphology of which was reminiscent of Streptococcus species, could not be identified using the MicroScan WalkAway-40 and API 20 Strep systems, both of which yielded profile numbers that did not correspond to any bacterial species, probably as a result of insufficient growth of the isolate. The SCV isolate was subsequently identified as E. faecalis based on its morphological, cultural and biochemical properties, and this was confirmed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene of the organism. Investigations revealed that the addition of oleate, an unsaturated fatty acid, enabled the isolate to grow on every medium with normal-sized colony morphology. Although it has long been known that long-chain fatty acids, especially unsaturated oleic acid, have a major inhibitory effect on the growth of a variety of microorganisms, including not only mycobacteria but also streptococci, this is, to the best of our knowledge, the first clinical isolation of an oleate-dependent E. faecalis SCV isolate. In addition, oleic acid might be considered to affect the cell membrane permeability of carbohydrates or antimicrobial agents such as beta-lactams.ArticleJOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY. 62:1883-1890 (2013)journal articl

Cytology Reporting System for Lung Cancer from the Japan Lung Cancer Society and the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology: An Extensive Study Containing More Benign Lesions

Introduction: The Japan Lung Cancer Society (JLCS) and the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology (JSCC) have proposed a new four-tiered cytology reporting system for lung carcinoma (JLCS-JSCC system). Prior to the proposal, the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology (PSC) had proposed a revised reporting system (PSC system), which comprises the “neoplastic, benign neoplasm, and low-grade carcinoma” category (N-B-LG category), in addition to the 4 categories of the JLCS-JSCC system. This study aimed to evaluate the interobserver agreement of the JLCS-JSCC system with an additional dataset with more benign lesions in comparison with the PSC system. Methods: We analyzed 167 cytological samples, which included 17 benign lesions, obtained from the respiratory system. Seven observers classified these cases into each category by reviewing one Papanicolaou-stained slide per case according to the JLCS-JSCC system and PSC system. Results: The interobserver agreement was moderate in the JLCS-JSCC (k = 0.499) and PSC (k = 0.485) systems. Of the 167 samples, 17 samples were benign lesions: 7 pulmonary hamartomas, 5 sclerosing pneumocytomas, 2 squamous papillomas, one solitary fibrous tumor, one meningioma, and one lymphocytic proliferation. There were diverse sample types as follows: 11 touch smears, 3 brushing smears, 2 aspirations, and one sputum sample. Fourteen samples (82.3%) were categorized into “negative” or “atypical” by more than half of the observers in the JLCS-JSCC system. Conversely, 3 samples were categorized as “suspicious” or “malignant” by more than half of the observers in the JLCS-JSCC system. On the other hand, 11 samples (64.7%) were categorized into the N-B-LG category by more than half of the observers in the PSC system. Conclusions: The concordance rate in the JLCS-JSCC system was slightly higher than that in the PSC system; however, the interobserver agreement was moderate in both the JLCS-JSCC and PSC systems. These results indicate that both the JLCS-JSCC and PSC systems are clinically useful. Therefore, both systems are expected to have clinical applications. It may be important to integrate the 2 systems and construct a universal system that can be used more widely in clinical practice

The prevalence and functional impact of chronic edema and lymphedema in Japan: LIMPRINT study

Background: This was a part of LIMPRINT (Lymphoedema IMpact and PRevalence – INTernational), an international study aimed at capturing the size and impact of lymphedema and chronic edema in different countries and health services across the world. The purpose of this study was to clarify the prevalence and the impact of chronic edema in Japan. Methods and Results: This was a two-phase facility-based study to determine the prevalence and functional impact of chronic edema in the adult population in Japan between 2014 and 2015. The prevalence study involved a university hospital, an acute community hospital, and a long-term medical facility. The impact study involved 6 facilities, including two outpatient clinics in acute care hospitals (one led by a physician and the other led by a nurse), inpatient wards in two acute care hospitals, and two nursing home/long-term care facilities. Various questionnaires and clinical assessments were used to gather patient demographic data and assess the functional impact of chronic edema. The results showed that: chronic edema was much more prevalent in the long-term care facility than in acute care hospitals; cellulitis episodes occurred in approximately 50% of cases in the gynecologist-led outpatient clinic, even though >80.0% of patients received standard management for edema; edema was found in the trunk region, including the buttock, abdomen, and chest-breast areas, in addition to the upper and lower limbs; and subjective satisfaction with edema control was low, even though the quality of life scores were good. Conclusions: The prevalence of chronic edema varied according to the facility type, ranging from 5.0% to 66.1%. The edema was located in all body parts, including the trunk region. Subjective satisfaction with control of edema was poor, while general quality of life was good. This large health care issue needs more attention

MgO-templated nitrogen-containing carbons derived from different organic compounds for capacitor electrodes

Carbons containing nitrogen (C-N composites) were derived from three commercial organic compounds, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), polyacrylamide (PAA), and trimethylolmelamine (TMM) using the MgO template method. The C-N composites formed in nitrogen at 700-1000℃ had nitrogen content, W_[N], of 3-23 mass% and the specific surface area by N2 adsorption, S_[BET], of 60-2000 m2 g^[-1] without activation. Generally high nitrogen content of the starting compound led to larger W_[N], but W_[N] was not proportional to the N/C mole ratio in the compounds. The value of S_[BET] strongly depended on the compound: S_[BET] (PVP) > S_[BET] (PAA) >> S_[BET] (TMM). There was a tendency for W_[N] to decrease with increasing S_[BET]. The capacitance measured in 1 mol dm^[-3] H2SO4 by cyclic voltammetry, C_[M] in F g^[-1], suggested that both W_[N] and S_[BET] are influential in gaining large C_[M]. For the composites with W_[N] > 5 mass%, the capacitance normalized by S_[BET], C_[A] = C_[M]/S_[BET], was 0.17-0.65 F m^[-2], which was larger than the electric double layer capacitance (0.05-0.15 F m^[-2]), indicating that the pseudo-capacitance contributes significantly to C_[M]. The value of C_[A] increased with increasing W_[N], but a correlation between C_[A] and particular nitrogen species on the surface measured by XPS was obscure. It was suggested that the large C_[A] is not simply explained by redox reactions of the surface functional groups. The composite derived from PAA at 900℃ showed 234 F g^[-1] at 2 mV s^[-1] and 181 F g^[-1] at 100 mV s^[-1] with acceptable yield of the composite

What does Klinefelter syndrome mean for men with azoospermia in Japan?

Background & aim: The aim of this study was to explore the men’s perceptions of being diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on five azoospermic men diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome referring to two special infertility treatment clinics for males in Japan. The paqrticipants were selected through purposive sampling technique.The data were collected by semi-structured interviews within April 2013 to March 2015 and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Results: The analysis of the data resulted in the emergence of four themes, including ‘I cannot understand my diagnosis’, ‘the cause of my azoospermia was identified’, ‘I do not have any other healthcare problems besides Klinefelter syndrome’, and ‘Klinefelter syndrome means that I am more likely to have viable sperm’. Through these themes, we found that azoospermic men considered their diagnosis of the chromosomal disorder as good news; and as a reason for their infertility which might not affect their lives. Furthermore, they believed that having Klinefelter syndrome means that they are more likely to have their own child. Conclusion: The men diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome had various feelings about their diagnosis. They were hopeful about the outcome of undergoing micro dissection testicular sperm extraction (Micro-TESE). These findings are useful for healthcare workers and could raise their awareness; as they understand that those men with Klinefelter diagnosis have higher expectations regarding micro-TESE