Magneto-optical Faraday effect is widely applied in optical devices and is indispensable for optical communications and advanced information technology. However, the bismuth garnet Bi-YIG is only the ...Faraday material since 1972. Here we introduce (Fe, FeCo)-(Al-,Y-fluoride) nanogranular films exhibiting giant Faraday effect, 40 times larger than Bi-YIG. These films have a nanocomposite structure, in which nanometer-sized Fe, FeCo ferromagnetic granules are dispersed in a Al,Y-fluoride matrix.
Atp1a3 is the Na‐pump alpha3 subunit gene expressed mainly in neurons of the brain. Atp1a3‐deficient heterozygous mice (Atp1a3+/−) show altered neurotransmission and deficits of motor function after ...stress loading. To understand the function of Atp1a3 in a social hierarchy, we evaluated social behaviors (social interaction, aggression, social approach and social dominance) of Atp1a3+/− and compared the rank and hierarchy structure between Atp1a3+/− and wild‐type mice within a housing cage using the round‐robin tube test and barbering observations. Formation of a hierarchy decreases social conflict and promote social stability within the group. The hierarchical rank is a reflection of social dominance within a cage, which is heritable and can be regulated by specific genes in mice. Here we report: (1) The degree of social interaction but not aggression was lower in Atp1a3+/− than wild‐type mice, and Atp1a3+/− approached Atp1a3+/− mice more frequently than wild type. (2) The frequency of barbering was lower in the Atp1a3+/− group than in the wild‐type group, while no difference was observed in the mixed‐genotype housing condition. (3) Hierarchy formation was not different between Atp1a3+/− and wild type. (4) Atp1a3+/− showed a lower rank in the mixed‐genotype housing condition than that in the wild type, indicating that Atp1a3 regulates social dominance. In sum, Atp1a3+/− showed unique social behavior characteristics of lower social interaction and preference to approach the same genotype mice and a lower ranking in the hierarchy.
Atp1a3+/− showed lower rank in the hierarchy, lower degree of social interaction, and lower barbering incidence than Wt.
Wearable thermoelectric generators (WTEG), being flexible and safe, are the only replacement for conventional batteries for IoT-based wearable electronic devices. In WTEGs, the human body heat and ...atmospheric temperature are used to maintain a thermal gradient across the device which in turn produces electrical energy. In order to achieve an efficient energy conversion from WTEGs, we have investigated the interface-induced carrier scattering approach by growing ZnO nanorods on the conductive carbon fabric (CF). The objective of this work is to grow vertical ZnO nanorods on the surface of conductive CF for wearable thermoelectric applications. To overcome the challenges associated with reaction time in the conventional chemical route of synthesis, we have adopted a rapid growth process using a microwave-assisted solvothermal technique. The XRD analysis confirms the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO nanorods grown on a CF. The morphology and distribution analyses confirm the growth of vertical ZnO nanorods distributed uniformly throughout the fabric surface. Thus, the microwave-assisted solvothermal technique is found to be a promising approach to grow highly dense ZnO nanorods. However, the obtained density was found to be insufficient to influence the thermoelectric conversion of CF. By further tuning the growth parameters like precursor concentration, growth time, growth frequency, and microwave power, we can achieve ideally dense ZnO nanorods for efficient energy conversion from low-grade heat. The optimized thermoelectric material can be used to fabricate a wearable thermoelectric generator in order to power various self-powered bio-medical sensors.
A nationwide cross‐sectional study of 3335 employees was conducted in 320 offices in Japan to estimate the prevalence of building‐related symptoms (BRSs) and determine the risk factors related to ...work environment, Indoor Air Quality, and occupational stress. Data were collected through self‐administered questionnaires. The prevalences of general symptoms, eye irritation, and upper respiratory symptoms were 14.4%, 12.1%, and 8.9%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that eye irritation was significantly associated with carpeting odds ratio (OR), 1.73; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24–2.41, coldness perception (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.13–1.45), and air dryness perception (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.42–1.82). General symptoms were significantly associated with unpleasant odors (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.13–1.65), amount of work (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.06–1.45), and interpersonal conflicts (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.23–1.69). Upper respiratory symptoms were significantly associated with crowded workspaces (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13–1.63), air dryness perception (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.79–2.38), and reported dustiness on the floor (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.16–1.67). Although psychosocial support is important to reduce and control BRSs, maintaining appropriate air‐conditioning and a clean and uncrowded workspace is of equal importance.
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This study assessed the dynamic response of global cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral fuel utilization during and following incremental supine exercise to exhaustion.
Global CBF ...increased more during exercise and recovery at high altitude (HA) compared with sea level (SL) such that cerebral oxygen delivery (CDO2) was maintained.
The increase in cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen during maximal exercise at HA was half the increase observed at SL.
Arterial lactate production during exercise at the same absolute intensities was greater at HA compared with SL, but reduced at the same relative intensities.
Cerebral carbohydrate uptake (lactate and glucose) is greater than oxygen uptake at HA compared with SL, indicating a shift towards an increased non‐oxidative metabolic utilization.
These results suggest that CBF increases to maintain CDO2 during exercise at HA while changes in arterial lactate concentration and exercise intensity augment the oxidative and non‐oxidative pathways to cerebral metabolism at HA.
We examined the hypotheses that: (1) during incremental exercise and recovery following 4–6 days at high altitude (HA) global cerebral blood flow (gCBF) increases to preserve cerebral oxygen delivery (CDO2) in excess of that required by an increasing cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen ( CM RO2); (2) the trans‐cerebral exchange of oxygen vs. carbohydrates (OCI; carbohydrates = glucose + ½lactate) would be similar during exercise and recovery at HA and sea level (SL). Global CBF, intra‐cranial arterial blood velocities, extra‐cranial blood flows, and arterial–jugular venous substrate differences were measured during progressive steady‐state exercise (20, 40, 60, 80, 100% maximum workload (Wmax)) and through 30 min of recovery. Measurements (n = 8) were made at SL and following partial acclimatization to 5050 m. At HA, absolute Wmax was reduced by ∼50%. During submaximal exercise workloads (20–60% Wmax), despite an elevated absolute gCBF (∼20%, P < 0.05) the relative increases in gCBF were not different at HA and SL. In contrast, gCBF was elevated at HA compared with SL during 80 and 100% Wmax and recovery. Notwithstanding a maintained CDO2 and elevated absolute CM RO2 at HA compared with SL, the relative increase in CM RO2 was similar during 20–80% Wmax but half that of the SL response (i.e. 17 vs. 27%; P < 0.05 vs. SL) at 100% Wmax. The OCI was reduced at HA compared with SL during 20, 40, and 60% Wmax but comparable at 80 and 100% Wmax. At HA, OCI returned almost immediately to baseline values during recovery, whereas at SL it remained below baseline. In conclusion, the elevations in gCBF during exercise and recovery at HA serve to maintain CDO2. Despite adequate CDO2 at HA the brain appears to increase non‐oxidative metabolism during exercise and recovery.
Boron-doped nano-polycrystalline diamond (B-NPD) uniformly containing boron atoms in the diamond lattice has been successfully produced by direct conversion sintering under ultra-high pressure and ...high temperature using boron-doped graphite as a starting material, and its wear properties on optical glass materials have been investigated. The chemical wear of B-NPD sliding on glass was highly suppressed under sliding conditions where undoped NPD is worn considerably by chemical reaction with glass because the frictional resistance of NPD decreased and its sliding performance was improved by adding boron. In addition, because B-NPD has electrical conductivity, tribo-microplasma damages attributed to frictional electrification were not observed. Thus, the wear resistance of B-NPD on glass materials was improved greatly in comparison with that of undoped NPD. These results indicate that B-NPD has outstanding potential as a cutting tool material for high-performance and high-precision cutting on various types of glass, nonconductive ceramics and rigid plastics which are difficult to cut by conventional diamonds because of tribo-chemical wear or tribo-electrical wear.
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•Boron-doped nano-polycrystalline diamond (B-NPD) uniformly containing boron atoms in the diamond lattice is produced.•B-NPD uniformly contains boron in the diamond lattice on an atomic level without any other compounds.•The chemical wear and tribo-electrical wear of B-NPD on glass materials are highly suppressed.•The wear resistance of B-NPD on glass materials are considerably improved in comparison with those of conventional diamond.
Most primary breast cancers express estrogen receptor α and can be treated via endocrine therapy using anti-estrogens such as tamoxifen; however, acquired endocrine resistance is a critical issue. To ...identify tamoxifen response-related microRNAs (miRNAs) in breast cancer, MCF-7 cells infected with a lentiviral miRNA library were treated with 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT) or vehicle for 4 weeks, and the amounts of individual miRNA precursors that had integrated into the genome were evaluated by microarray. Compared to the vehicle-treated cells, 5 'dropout' miRNAs, which were downregulated in OHT-treated cells, and 6 'retained' miRNAs, which were upregulated in OHT-treated cells, were identified. Of the dropout miRNAs, we found that miR-574-3p expression was downregulated in clinical breast cancer tissues as compared with their paired adjacent tissues. In addition, anti-miR-574-3p reversed tamoxifen-mediated suppression of MCF-7 cell growth. Clathrin heavy chain (CLTC) was identified as a miR-574-3p target gene by in silico algorithms and luciferase reporter assay using the 3' untranslated region of CLTC mRNA. Interestingly, loss and gain of miR-574-3p function in MCF-7 cells causes CLTC to be upregulated and downregulated, respectively. These results suggest that functional screening mediated by miRNA libraries can provide new insights into the genes essential for tamoxifen response in breast cancer.
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