Borehole water and hydrologic model around the Nojima fault, SW Japan

International audienceThe active fault drilling at Nojima Hirabayashi after the 1995 Hyogoken-nanbu (Kobe) earthquake (MJMA = 7.2) provides us with a unique opportunity to investigate subsurface fault structure and the in-situ properties of fault and fluid. The borehole intersected the fault gouge of the Nojima fault at a depth interval of 623m to 625m. The lithology is mostly Cretaceous granodiorite with some porphyry dikes. The fault core is highly permeable due to fracturing. The borehole water was sampled in 1996 and 2000 from the depth interval between 630 and 650 m, just below the fault core. The chemical and isotopic compositions were analyzed. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of carbonates from the fault core were analyzed to estimate the origin of fluid. The following conclusions were obtained. (1) The ionic and isotopic compositions of borehole water did not change from 1996 to 2000. They are mostly derived from local ground water as mentioned by Sato and Takahashi (2000). (2) Geochemical speciation revealed that the borehole water was derived from a relatively deep reservoir, which may be situated at a depth of 3 to 4 km where the temperature is about 80-90 ̊C. (3) The shallower part of the Nojima fault (shallower than the reservoir depth) has not been healed from the hydrological viewpoints 5 years after the event, in contrast to the rapid healing detected by S wave splitting (Tadokoro and Ando, 2002). (4) Precipitation of calcite from present borehole water since drilling supports the idea of precipitation of some calcite in coseismic hydraulic fractures in the fault core (Boullier et al., 2004). (5) Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of calcite indicated that the meteoric water flux had been localized at the fault core. (6) A difference in the carbon isotope ratio between the footwall and the hangingwall suggests that the fault has been acted as a hydrologic barrier, although the permeability along the fault is still high

La5Ti2Cu1-xAgxS5O7 photocathodes operating at positive potentials during photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution under irradiation of up to 710 nm

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell based on a series-connected photocathode and photoanode made of particulate semiconductors is a potentially scalable and inexpensive device for renewable solar hydrogen production via PEC water splitting without any external power supply. The realisation of such PEC devices hinges on the development of photoelectrodes that operate at a small applied voltage. In this study, solid solutions of La5Ti2CuS5O7 (LTC) and La5Ti2AgS5O7 (LTA) were synthesised, and their physical, optical, and PEC properties in the water splitting reaction were discussed. LTC and LTA formed a La5Ti2Cu1-xAgxS5O7 solid solution (LTC(1-x)A(x)) over the whole compositional range. The indirect bandgap energy of LTC(1-x)A(x) changed nonlinearly with respect to composition, attaining its minimum value (ca. 1.8 eV) at a composition of x approximate to 0.16. Photoelectrodes of Al-doped LTC(1-x)A(x) solid solution powder fabricated using the particle transfer method exhibited a photocathodic response regardless of the Ag content. 1% Al-LTC(0.9)A(0.1) photocathodes exhibited the best PEC properties in the hydrogen evolution reaction and yielded a hypothetical half-cell solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of 0.25% at +0.6 V vs. RHE, three times higher than the previously reported 1% Sc-LTC. In addition, 1% Al-LTC(0.9)A(0.1) photocathodes were fairly stable at + 0.7 V vs. RHE without any protective modifications. Owing to the positive operational electrode potential of 1% Al-LTC(0.9)A(0.1), unassisted PEC water splitting was accomplished using series-connected photoelectrodes made of 1% Al-LTC(0.9)A(0.1) and BaTaO2N, particulate semiconductors with absorption edge wavelengths of 710 and 660 nm, respectively, at a Faradaic efficiency of unity and a solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of approximately 0.1%.ArticleEnergy & Environmental Science.8(11):3354-3362(2015)journal articl

Clinical Characteristics of Low Androgen Status in Males with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

To determine the clinical characteristics of low androgen status in adult males with diabetes, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in whom serum free testosterone (FT) levels were examined for 1 year. Among the 46 patients (56 ± 1.5 years old), decreases in serum FT levels to < 8.5 pg/ml (indicating the occurrence of late-onset hypogonadism [LOH]) were detected in 18 (39%). The per-centages of patients with low FT levels were high in the ≥ 50 years age group (83%), the HbA1c < 7% group (67%), and the 25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2 group (56%). The serum FT levels tended to decrease age-dependently. The level of HbA1c was significantly correlated with the Heinemann Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) score (R = 0.47). The low-FT group had decreased levels of hemoglobin. Of note, the serum FSH level (R = −0.32) was negatively correlated with the serum FT level, whereas the serum TSH level (R = 0.36) was positively correlated with the serum FT level. Collectively, these results revealed that many diabetic males may have low FT levels and that the AMS score is related to the HbA1c level. A slightly anemic condition, thyroid dysfunction, and obesity (class 1) might be involved in LOH in middle-aged diabetic males

Pretransplant serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels predict response to antiviral treatment after living donor liver transplantation.

[Background]Given the limited efficacy and high adverse event rate associated with treatment of recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation, an individualized treatment strategy should be considered. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of response to antiviral therapy for hepatitis C after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and to study the associated adverse events. [Methods]A retrospective chart review was performed on 125 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive LDLT recipients who received interferon plus ribavirin and/or peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy at Kyoto University between January 2001 and June 2011. [Results]Serum HCV RNA reached undetectable levels within 48 weeks in 77 (62%) of 125 patients, and these patients were defined as showing virological response (VR). Of 117 patients, 50 (43%) achieved sustained VR (SVR). Predictive factors associated with both VR and SVR by univariate analysis included low pretransplant serum HCV RNA levels, a non-1 HCV genotype, and low pretreatment serum HCV RNA levels. In addition, LDLT from ABO-mismatched donors was significantly associated with VR, and white cell and neutrophil counts before interferon therapy were associated with SVR. Multivariate analysis showed that 2 variables–pretransplant serum HCV RNA level less than 500 kIU/mL and a non-1 HCV genotype–remained in models of both VR and SVR and that an ABO mismatch was associated with VR. No variables with a significant effect on treatment withdrawal were found. [Conclusions]Virological response to antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C recurring after LDLT can be predicted prior to transplant, based on pretransplant serum HCV-RNA levels and HCV genotype. LDLT from ABO-mismatched donors may contribute to more efficacious interferon therapy

Oral hypofunction in the older population : Position paper of the Japanese Society of Gerodontology in 2016

Background: There is growing international interest in identifying the effects of ageing on oral health and on appropriate strategies for managing oral disorders. The Japanese Society of Gerodontology (JSG), as the official representative of researchers and clinicians interested in geriatric dentistry in Japan, makes several recommendations on the concept of “oral hypofunction.” Aims: This study proposes diagnostic criteria and management strategies to reduce the risk of oral hypofunction among older people. Conceptual Framework: We define oral hypofunction as a presentation of 7 oral signs or symptoms: oral uncleanness; oral dryness; decline in occlusal force; decline in motor function of tongue and lips; decline in tongue pressure; decline in chewing function; and decline in swallowing function. The criteria of each symptom were determined based on the data of previous studies, and oral hypofunction was diagnosed if the criteria for 3 or more signs or symptoms were met. Conclusions: We recommend that more evidence should be gathered from clinical studies and trials to clarify our diagnostic criteria and management strategies

Clinical Characteristics of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Diagnosed in Patients with Long COVID

Background and Objectives: COVID-19 can be serious not only in the acute phase but also after the acute phase and some patients develop ME/CFS. There have been few studies on patients with long COVID in whom ME/CFS was diagnosed by physicians based on standardized criteria after examinations and exclusion diagnosis and not based on only subjective symptoms. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the detailed characteristics of ME/CFS in patients with long COVID. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was performed for patients who visited a COVID-19 aftercare clinic established in Okayama University Hospital during the period was from February 2021 to April 2022. Results: Clinical data were obtained from medical records for 281 patients, and 279 patients who met the definition of long COVID were included. The overall prevalence rate of ME/CFS diagnosed by three sets of ME/CFS criteria (Fukuda, Canadian and IOM criteria) was 16.8% (48.9% in male and 51.1% in females). The most frequent symptoms in ME/CFS patients were general fatigue and post-exertional malaise (89.4% of the patients), headache (34.0%), insomnia (23.4%), dysosmia (21.3%) and dysgeusia (19.1%). Dizziness, chest pain, insomnia and headache were characteristic symptoms related to ME/CFS. The male to female ratio in ME/CFS patients was equal in the present study, although ME/CFS was generally more common in women in previous studies. Given that patients with ME/CFS had more severe conditions in the acute phase of COVID-19, the severity of the acute infectious state might be involved in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS. Conclusions: The prevalence rate of ME/CFS and the characteristic sequelae in the long COVID condition were revealed in this study

Association of Clinical Features with Human Leukocyte Antigen in Japanese Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

【Background】 The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is classified into ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), by genome-wide association studies. The aim of this study was to confirm whether HLA-alleles confer susceptibility to UC and to determine whether HLA-allel1es are associated with the clinical phenotypes in Japanese patients with UC. 【Methods】 In this study, HLA typing was performed by PCR-sequence-specific oligonucleotides (PCR-SSO) to confirm the correlation between UC and HLA alleles (for HLA-A, B, DRB1) in 45 Japanese UC patients. In addition, whether the HLA alleles are related to patient and clinical background characteristics was examined. 【Results】 Overall, 62.2%, and 66.7% of the 45 UC patients had HLA-B*52 and HLA-DRB1*15, respectively. These allele frequencies were significantly higher than in previously reported Japanese control persons (P < 0.0001). The frequencies of extraintestinal manifestations [odds ratio (OR) = 0.12, P = 0.039] and a history of colectomy (OR = 0.18, P = 0.046) were lower in HLA-B*52-positive UC patients than in HLA-B*52 negative UC patients. The white blood cell (WBC) count was significantly higher in HLA-DRB1*15-positive patients (9430 ± 4592/μL) than in HLA-DRB1*15-negative patients (6729 ± 2160/μL). Thus, HLA-B*52 and DRB1*15 appear to be associated with disease features and severity in Japanese UC patients. 【Conclusion】 These results indicate that HLA-B*52 and DRB1*15 are not only associated with overall UC susceptibility, but also with the clinical phenotypes in Japanese patients