Monotonic infrasound with stable peaked frequency of 0.77 Hz was recorded at Volcan Villarrica in January 2010. Similar monotonic infrasound had been previously reported at Villarrica (e.g., Ripepe ...et al. 2010). Using joint infrasound and visual observations from a suspended camera we demonstrate that the likely source of infrasound is Helmholtz resonance produced from a cavity with volume 105 m3 that separates the active convecting lava lake from an overhanging spatter roof. Spatter roof dimension (65 m diameter) and vent diameter (10 m) in the roof are constrained from video observations. Assuming a cylindrical cavity we infer a cavity height of 31 m that is corroborated by video records of spatter drips. The drips take as long as 2.2 s to fall from the roof into the lake, corresponding to a height of more than 24 m, which is in good agreement with the observed resonance frequency.
Maximal conservative management (MCM) may be an appropriate alternative option for dialysis in some elderly patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Evidence about the impact of dialysis or MCM ...on quality of life (QoL) in older patients is sparse. In the GOLD (Geriatric assessment in OLder patients starting Dialysis) Study the trajectory of QoL was assessed in patients starting dialysis or MCM.
Patients ≥65 years old were included just prior to dialysis initiation or after decision for MCM. Baseline data included demographics, frailty as measured with a geriatric assessment, comorbidity (CIRS-G) and QoL, measured with the EQ-5D-3 L (EQ-5D Index and overall self-rated health). Six months follow-up data included QoL, hospitalizations and mortality. Change of QoL was assed with paired t-tests. Cox-regression was used to assess survival of MCM and dialysis patients.
The cohort comprised 192 dialysis and 89 MCM patients. The MCM patients were older (mean age 82 ± 6 vs. 75 ± 7 years, p < 0.01) and mean kidney function was better (eGFR 11.5 ± 4.0 vs. 8.0 ± 2.9 ml/min/1.73m
, p < 0.01). Baseline QoL did not differ significantly between the groups. After six months, EQ-5D Index did not improve significantly in the dialysis group with mean ± standard error (SE) 0.026 ± 0.014 (p = 0.10; not clinically relevant), but a small but clinically relevant decline was seen in the conservative group: 0.047 ± 0.022 (p < 0.01; between group difference p < 0.01). Hospitalization occurred in 50% of dialysis patients vs. 24% of conservative patients (p < 0.01). In patients over 80 years old, no survival benefit could be found for dialysis patients starting dialysis vs. MCM.
A small decline of QoL was found for conservative patients, while QoL did not change in dialysis patients. However, hospitalization rate was higher in patients starting dialysis. In patients over 80 years, no survival benefit was found.
While past research suggested that living arrangements are associated with suicide death, no study has examined the impact of sustained living arrangements and the change in living arrangements. ...Also, previous survival analysis studies only reported a single hazard ratio (HR), whereas the actual HR may change over time. We aimed to address these limitations using causal inference approaches.
Multi-point data from a general Japanese population sample were used. Participants reported their living arrangements twice within a 5-year time interval. After that, suicide death, non-suicide death and all-cause mortality were evaluated over 14 years. We used inverse probability weighted pooled logistic regression and cumulative incidence curve, evaluating the association of time-varying living arrangements with suicide death. We also studied non-suicide death and all-cause mortality to contextualize the association. Missing data for covariates were handled using random forest imputation.
A total of 86,749 participants were analysed, with a mean age (standard deviation) of 51.7 (7.90) at baseline. Of these, 306 died by suicide during the 14-year follow-up. Persistently living alone was associated with an increased risk of suicide death (risk difference RD: 1.1%, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.3-2.5%; risk ratio RR: 4.00, 95% CI: 1.83-7.41), non-suicide death (RD: 7.8%, 95% CI: 5.2-10.5%; RR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.38-1.74) and all-cause mortality (RD: 8.7%, 95% CI: 6.2-11.3%; RR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.42-1.79) at the end of the follow-up. The cumulative incidence curve showed that these associations were consistent throughout the follow-up. Across all types of mortality, the increased risk was smaller for those who started to live with someone and those who transitioned to living alone. The results remained robust in sensitivity analyses.
Individuals who persistently live alone have an increased risk of suicide death as well as non-suicide death and all-cause mortality, whereas this impact is weaker for those who change their living arrangements.
Baikal sculpins are a unique group of fishes, including both externally and internally fertilizing species. Sperm traits, such as morphology and motility, are predicted to undergo adaptive changes ...due to species fertilization modes. However, studies exploring such traits in Baikal sculpins are lacking. Here, we conducted a field study and investigated sperm traits of three sculpins with external fertilization (Cottocomephorus grewingkii, Leocottus kesslerii and Paracottus knerii) and one sculpin with internal fertilization (Comephorus dybowskii). Sperm head morphology was spherical in both types of fertilizing species; however, the head cross‐sectional area of the sperm of the internal fertilizer was smaller than that of external fertilizers. This result implies that sperm head morphology might be adapted to swim in a viscous ovarian fluid. The internal fertilizer, C. dybowskii, had longer and faster‐swimming sperms with longer motility duration than the external fertilizers, perhaps due to different sperm competition levels. Sperms of the internal fertilizer were only motile in isotonic solutions, whereas sperms of the external fertilizers were motile in lake waters, suggesting that sperm motilities are specialized according to their external/internal environments. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate sperm traits of Baikal sculpins, which may have evolved adaptively along with changing fertilization modes.
Baikal sculpins have both externally and internally fertilizing species among close relatives, and different fertilization mode is one of the factors that produce sperm diversity. We analysed sperm traits of Baikal sculpin and revealed that sperm morphology and motility may have adapted to their fertilization environments and mating systems.
PURPOSEOver the last decade or so, ethical and societal aspects of radiological protection have received increasing attention. This is also reflected in the publications of the International ...Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The current paper aims at identifying relevant ethical and societal topics which should receive attention in the context of radiological protection for offspring and next generations.MATERIALS AND METHODSWe present a non-comprehensive review of the subject, based on presentation made at an ICRP workshop in Budapest in 2022. We first discuss the ethical values promoted by ICRP, and the application of these values in cases of (potential) pre-conceptual and prenatal radiation exposures. We then consider experience gained after the Fukushima accident indicating particular societal concerns about the health effects of such exposures.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSBeneficence/non-maleficence, prudence, justice and dignity, the "core values" of the system of radiological protection have special roles to play when heritable and/or in utero effects are to be considered. Prudence, in particular, must be taken account of in view of the fact that solid scientific data in humans are largely lacking in this area, and it is necessary to rely on insights from animal experiments as well as theoretical considerations. As regards societal considerations, the perception of risk among (potentially) affected populations needs to be taken seriously. Accountability, transparency, and inclusivity, the "procedural values" promoted by ICRP for the practical implementation of the system of radiological protection play a central role in overcoming skepticism and creating trust. Stakeholder involvement should emphasize cooperation and dialogue, which allows for the joint evaluation of an exposure situation by experts and affected people.
Evidence is limited regarding the association between low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) score and mortality among Asians, a population that consumes a large amount of carbohydrates.
The present study ...examined the association between low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) score (based on percentage of energy as carbohydrate, fat, and protein) and the risk of total and cause-specific mortality among Asians.
This study was a prospective cohort study in Japan with follow-up for a median of 16.9 years involving 43008 men and 50646 women aged 45–75 years. Association of LCD score, LCD score based on animal sources of protein and fat, and LCD score based on plant sources of protein and fat with risk of mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards model.
A U-shaped association was observed between LCD score and total mortality: the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CI) of total mortality for lowest through highest scores were 1.00, 0.95 (0.91, 1.01), 0.93 (0.88, 0.98), 0.93 (0.88, 0.98), and 1.01 (0.95, 1.07) (P-non-linearity <0.01). A similar association was found for mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart disease. LCD score based on carbohydrate, animal protein, and animal fat also showed a U-shaped association for total mortality (P-non-linearity <0.01). In contrast, LCD score based on carbohydrate, plant protein, and plant fat was linearly associated with lower total (HR, 0.89; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.94 for highest versus lowest quintile), CVD 0.82 (0.73, 0.92), heart disease 0.83 (0.71, 0.98), and cerebrovascular disease 0.75 (0.62, 0.91) mortality.
Both LCD with high animal protein and fat and high-carbohydrate diet with low animal protein and fat were associated with higher risk of mortality. Meanwhile, LCD high in plant-based sources of protein and fat was associated with a lower risk of total and CVD mortality.
Low molecular weight compounds that reduce the expression of MMP13 at the mRNA level might serve as disease-modifying osteoarthritis (OA) drugs (DMOADs). The objective of this study was to identify a ...candidate DMOAD that targets MMP13 expression.
High-throughput screening was performed to identify compounds that suppress inflammatory cytokine-induced MMP13 expression. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ)-based proteomic analysis was conducted to identify signaling pathways related to cytokines. MMP13 expression in chondrocytes was evaluated through RT-qPCR and western blotting analyses. Additionally, 10-week-old mice were subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery to induce OA and were sacrificed 12 weeks post-surgery for pathological examination. OA was evaluated using the OARSI scoring system.
Colchicine was identified as a DMOAD candidate as it inhibited inflammatory cytokine-induced MMP13 expression in vitro, and the colchicine-administered mice with DMM presented significantly lower OARSI scores (adjusted P: 0.0242, mean difference: 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) of difference: 0.1651–3.035) and significantly lower synovial membrane inflammation scores (adjusted P: 0.0243, mean difference: 0.6, 95% CI of difference: 0.06158–1.138) than mice with DMM. IPA further revealed that components of the Rho signaling pathways are regulated by cytokines and colchicine. IL-1β and TNF-α activate RAC1 and SRC signals, respectively, leading to the phosphorylation of PLC-γ1 and synergistic induction of MMP13 expression. Most notably, colchicine abrogates inflammatory cytokine-induced phosphorylation of PLC-γ1, leading to the induction of MMP13 expression.
Colchicine is a potential DMOAD candidate that inhibits MMP13 expression and consequent cartilage degradation by disrupting the SRC/RAC1-phospho-PLCγ1-Ca2+ signaling pathway.
Determining the atomic structures of oxide surfaces is critical for understanding their physical and chemical properties but also challenging because the breaking of atomic bonds in the formation of ...the surface termination can involve complex reconstructions. We used advanced transmission electron microscopy to directly observe the atomic structure of reduced titania (TiO₂) (110) surfaces from directions parallel to the surface. In our direct atomic-resolution images, reconstructed titanium atoms at the top surface layer are clearly imaged and are found to occupy the interstitial sites of the TiO₂ structure. Combining observations from two orthogonal directions, the three-dimensional positioning of the Ti interstitials is identified at atomic dimensions and allows a resolution of two previous models that differ in their oxygen stoichiometries.
Following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, a series of health literacy training workshops for local health workers was developed and implemented. This study aimed to ...analyse who among the intended audience gained the greatest benefit from the training. Nine health workers attended a workshop consisting of classroom training and a follow-up feedback assessment of materials they created in the workshop. The materials were assessed by a total of 131 intended readers. Using Sakai’s tool, those items asking readers to rate the accessibility of written information were used to compare the materials before and after revision. The total score for Sakai’s measure showed a significant improvement, and the elderly and those without regular doctor visits were more likely to notice improvements after revision. Such health literacy training could serve as a model programme to prevent inequity in access to health information in the face of a regional health crisis.
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