Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. However, the effects of VGP on the development of microstructural properties in children, particularly ...those associated with negative psychological consequences of VGP, have not been identified to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate this issue through cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective analyses. In the present study of humans, we used the diffusion tensor imaging mean diffusivity (MD) measurement to measure microstructural properties and examined cross-sectional correlations with the amount of VGP in 114 boys and 126 girls. We also assessed correlations between the amount of VGP and longitudinal changes in MD that developed after 3.0±0.3 (s.d.) years in 95 boys and 94 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found that the amount of VGP was associated with increased MD in the left middle, inferior and orbital frontal cortex; left pallidum; left putamen; left hippocampus; left caudate; right putamen; right insula; and thalamus in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Regardless of intelligence quotient type, higher MD in the areas of the left thalamus, left hippocampus, left putamen, left insula and left Heschl gyrus was associated with lower intelligence. We also confirmed an association between the amount of VGP and decreased verbal intelligence in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. In conclusion, increased VGP is directly or indirectly associated with delayed development of the microstructure in extensive brain regions and verbal intelligence.
In this paper, we present the analysis and results of a direct measurement of the cosmic-ray proton spectrum with the CALET instrument onboard the International Space Station, including the detailed ...assessment of systematic uncertainties. The observation period used in this analysis is from October 13, 2015 to August 31, 2018 (1054 days). We have achieved the very wide energy range necessary to carry out measurements of the spectrum from 50 GeV to 10 TeV covering, for the first time in space, with a single instrument the whole energy interval previously investigated in most cases in separate subranges by magnetic spectrometers (BESS-TeV, PAMELA, and AMS-02) and calorimetric instruments (ATIC, CREAM, and NUCLEON). The observed spectrum is consistent with AMS-02 but extends to nearly an order of magnitude higher energy, showing a very smooth transition of the power-law spectral index from -2.81±0.03 (50-500 GeV) neglecting solar modulation effects (or -2.87±0.06 including solar modulation effects in the lower energy region) to -2.56±0.04 (1-10 TeV), thereby confirming the existence of spectral hardening and providing evidence of a deviation from a single power law by more than 3σ.
Extended results on the cosmic-ray electron + positron spectrum from 11 GeV to 4.8 TeV are presented based on observations with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) on the International Space ...Station utilizing the data up to November 2017. The analysis uses the full detector acceptance at high energies, approximately doubling the statistics compared to the previous result. CALET is an all-calorimetric instrument with a total thickness of 30 X_{0} at normal incidence and fine imaging capability, designed to achieve large proton rejection and excellent energy resolution well into the TeV energy region. The observed energy spectrum in the region below 1 TeV shows good agreement with Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) data. In the energy region below ∼300 GeV, CALET's spectral index is found to be consistent with the AMS-02, Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT), and Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), while from 300 to 600 GeV the spectrum is significantly softer than the spectra from the latter two experiments. The absolute flux of CALET is consistent with other experiments at around a few tens of GeV. However, it is lower than those of DAMPE and Fermi-LAT with the difference increasing up to several hundred GeV. The observed energy spectrum above ∼1 TeV suggests a flux suppression consistent within the errors with the results of DAMPE, while CALET does not observe any significant evidence for a narrow spectral feature in the energy region around 1.4 TeV. Our measured all-electron flux, including statistical errors and a detailed breakdown of the systematic errors, is tabulated in the Supplemental Material in order to allow more refined spectral analyses based on our data.
First results of a cosmic-ray electron and positron spectrum from 10 GeV to 3 TeV is presented based upon observations with the CALET instrument on the International Space Station starting in ...October, 2015. Nearly a half million electron and positron events are included in the analysis. CALET is an all-calorimetric instrument with total vertical thickness of 30 X_{0} and a fine imaging capability designed to achieve a large proton rejection and excellent energy resolution well into the TeV energy region. The observed energy spectrum over 30 GeV can be fit with a single power law with a spectral index of -3.152±0.016 (stat+syst). Possible structure observed above 100 GeV requires further investigation with increased statistics and refined data analysis.
The authors report a waveform-selective metasurface that operates at 2.4 GHz band, i.e. one of ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands. This structure gives us an additional degree of freedom ...to control electromagnetic waves and absorbs a particular waveform or pulse width of an incident wave at the same frequency band, while transmitting others. This unique capability is demonstrated using either ideal sinusoidal waves or Wi-Fi signals as a more practical waveform in wireless communications. Especially, this Letter shows how the waveform-selective metasurface interacts with realistic wireless communication signals from the viewpoint of communication characteristics, such as error vector magnitude, bit error rate, and phase error. Thus, the authors’ Letter paves the way for extending the concept of waveform selectivity from a fundamental electromagnetic research field to a more realistic wireless communication field to, for instance mitigate electromagnetic interference occurring at the same frequency band without significantly degrading communication characteristics.
Summary
Background
Distinguishing between patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and Aspergillus fumigatus (Af)‐sensitized asthmatic patients without ABPA is sometimes difficult ...owing to the IgE‐cross‐reactivity between Af and other fungal allergens.
Objective
To establish the usefulness of molecular‐based allergy diagnostics using allergen components from Af in distinguishing ABPA from Af‐sensitized asthma without ABPA.
Methods
Sera from Japanese patients with ABPA (n = 53) and Af‐sensitized asthma without ABPA (n = 253) were studied. The levels of IgE and IgG antibodies to allergen components from Af and IgE antibodies to different fugal allergen extracts were measured by ImmunoCAP. Comorbid atopic dermatitis (AD) was taken into consideration in the sensitization profile analysis.
Results
Patients with ABPA possessed significantly higher levels of IgE antibodies to Asp f 1, and Asp f 2 than asthmatic patients without ABPA. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the levels of IgE to Asp f 1 and Asp f 2 as diagnostic markers of ABPA were 0.75 and 0.78, respectively. The presence of IgE positivity to Asp f 1 and/or Asp f 2 resulted in increased sensitivity while losing little specificity. Comorbid AD was associated with higher levels of IgE to Asp f 6 (manganese superoxide dismutase from Af, a ubiquitous pan‐allergen in fungi) and low but positive levels of IgE to other Af‐components, which hampered the serological discrimination of ABPA.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
The levels of IgE to Asp f 1 and/or Asp f 2 can effectively differentiate ABPA from Af‐sensitized asthma, suggesting that the amounts of IgE specific for these molecules are markers for genuine Af‐sensitization in ABPA. However, comorbid AD must be taken into consideration in the interpretation of high IgE to Asp f 6. Establishing of IgE‐sensitization profiles using panel of Af‐allergen components provides valuable information for distinguishing genuine vs. cross‐reactive sensitization in Af‐sensitized patients.
Achievements of NEDO durability projects on SOFC mode are summarized with a focus on the physicochemical mechanisms characterized by diffusion properties of cell components and chemical reactions of ...cell components with gaseous impurities. Ni sintering and depletion including impurity (P, B, S) effects have been examined in terms of the surface/interface energies of Ni/oxide cermet anodes. The conductivity degradation due to the transformation of the cubic YSZ electrolyte was found to be characterized in terms of two time constants for the reductive and the oxidative regions to be determined by the Y‐diffusivity and its enhancement on NiO internal reduction in YSZ, while observed gaps in conductivity degradation behavior between stacks and button cells were ascribed to differences in those physicochemical properties involved, namely cation diffusion and kinetics associated with NiO internal reduction. The cathode performance degradation due to sulfur poisoning exhibits a variety of dependences on the microstructure (dense or porous) of doped‐ceria interlayers, the thickness of YSZ electrolyte and the humidity in the anode atmosphere, suggesting effects of protons in the cathode vicinity and the SrO activity changes during fabrication the LSCF/GDC/YSZ multilayers. Some defect chemical considerations were made on how such defects are affected by fabrication processes.
Regulatory agencies face challenges in reviewing data from global clinical trials (GCTs) in the era of globalization of drug development. One major challenge is consideration of ethnic factors in ...evaluating GCT data so as to extrapolate foreign population data to one's own national population. Here, we present the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) perspective in reviewing GCT data in new drug applications (NDAs) and discuss future challenges for new drug approval.
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2013); 94 2, 195–198. doi:10.1038/clpt.2013.106
The effect of cultivation temperatures on the resistance reaction to three Potato virus Y strains (PVYO, PVYN and PVYNTN) in potato cultivars carrying Rychc was examined. When potato plants carrying ...Rychc were cultivated at 22 °C, a few small necrotic spots developed on inoculated leaves by 5 days after mechanical inoculation (dpi), and systemic infection of a few symptomless plants was confirmed at 28 dpi by IC‐RT‐PCR. At 28 °C, distinct necrotic spots developed on inoculated leaves by 5 dpi, and systemic symptoms occasionally appeared at 28 dpi. Thus, high temperature weakens Rychc‐conferred resistance. However, the incidence of systemic infection and the titre of virus in resistant cultivars at 28 °C were lower than in a susceptible cultivar. In graft inoculation under high summer temperatures, some plants developed necrosis on the leaves and stem, but PVY was barely detected by RT‐PCR in leaves on potato carrying Rychc. When seedlings from progeny tubers of plants that were inoculated with PVY and grown in a greenhouse at >30 °C in the daytime were examined by ELISA and IC‐RT‐PCR, PVY was not detected in cultivars carrying Rychc. These results show that Rychc confers an extreme resistance to PVY strains occurring in Japan.
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