Abstract
Quantum triangular-lattice antiferromagnets are important prototype systems to investigate numerous phenomena of the geometrical frustration in condensed matter. Apart from highly unusual ...magnetic properties, they possess a rich phase diagram (ranging from an unfrustrated square lattice to a quantum spin liquid), yet to be confirmed experimentally. One major obstacle in this area of research is the lack of materials with appropriate (ideally tuned) magnetic parameters. Using Cs
2
CuCl
4
as a model system, we demonstrate an alternative approach, where, instead of the chemical composition, the spin Hamiltonian is altered by hydrostatic pressure. The approach combines high-pressure electron spin resonance and r.f. susceptibility measurements, allowing us not only to quasi-continuously tune the exchange parameters, but also to accurately monitor them. Our experiments indicate a substantial increase of the exchange coupling ratio from 0.3 to 0.42 at a pressure of 1.8 GPa, revealing a number of emergent field-induced phases.
Pulsed laser epitaxy of brownmillerite SrCoO2.5 thin films and their phase transformation to the perovskite SrCoO3–δ are investigated. While the direct growth of the fully oxidized perovskite films ...is found to be an arduous task, filling some of oxygen vacancies into SrCoO2.5 by topotactic oxidation accompanies systematic evolution of electronic, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties, useful for many information and energy technologies.
The Fgf family comprises 22 members with diverse functions in development, repair, metabolism, and neuronal activities. Fgf10 mediates biological responses by activating Fgf receptor 2b (Fgfr2b) with ...heparin/heparan sulfate in a paracrine manner. Fgf10 and Fgfr2b are expressed in mesenchymal and epithelial tissues, respectively. Fgf10 is an epithelial-mesenchymal signaling molecule. Fgf10 knockout mice show severe phenotypes with complete truncation of the fore- and hindlimbs and die shortly after birth due to impaired lung development, indicating that Fgf10 serves as an essential regulator of lung and limb formation. Fgf10 also has roles in the development of white adipose tissue, heart, liver, brain, kidney, cecum, ocular glands, thymus, inner ear, tongue, trachea, eye, stomach, prostate, salivary gland, mammary gland, and whiskers. The diverse phenotypes of Fgf10 knockout mice are closely related to those of Fgfr2 knockout mice, suggesting that Fgf10 acts as a major ligand for Fgfr2b in mouse multi-organ development. Aplasia of lacrimal and salivary glands and lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital syndrome are caused by Fgf10 mutations in humans. Variants in Fgf10 may be involved in an increased risk for limb deficiencies and cleft lip and palate. Patients with Fgf10 haploinsufficiency have lung function parameters indicating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Fgf10 induces migration and invasion in pancreatic cancer cells. Fgf10 signaling may be involved in an increased risk for breast cancer. Fgf10 also induces the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into a gut-like structure, cardiomyocytes, and hepatocytes. These findings indicate the crucial roles of Fgf10 in development, disease, and regenerative medicine.
Summary
The associations of multiple vitamin deficiencies on incident fractures were uncertain, the relationships between serum vitamin markers and incident bone fractures were investigated in ...Japanese postmenopausal women. The number of deficiencies was additively associated with incident fracture after adjustment for possible confounding factors including the treatment of osteoporosis.
Introduction
To evaluate the associations of multiple vitamin deficiencies on incident fractures, the relationships between serum vitamin markers and incident bone fractures were investigated in Japanese postmenopausal women.
Methods
This analysis used a subset of the ongoing cohort maintained by a primary care institution. Inclusion criteria of the present study were postmenopausal women aged ≥ 50 years, without vitamin supplementation and secondary osteoporosis. Baseline serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), and homocysteine (Hcy) were measured to assess vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin B, respectively. Since 25(OH) D positively relates to vitamin D, ucOC and Hcy negatively relate to vitamin K and vitamin B nutrients, respectively, the subjects with lower (25(OH)D) or higher (ucOC or Hcy) values than each median value was defined as subjects with the corresponding vitamin deficiency. Subjects were divided into four groups according to the number of deficiency: no deficiency, single deficiency, double deficiencies, and triple deficiencies. Relationships between the vitamin deficiencies and incident fractures were evaluated by Cox regression analysis.
Results
A total of 889 subjects were included in this analysis; their mean and SD age was 68.3 ± 9.5 years, and the follow-up period was 6.3 ± 5.1 years. The numbers of subjects in the four groups were 139 (15.6%), 304 (34.2%), 316 (35.5%), and 130 (14.6%) for the groups with no, single, double, and triple deficiencies, respectively. Incident fractures were observed in 264 subjects (29.7%) during the observation period. The number of deficiencies was significantly associated with incident fracture (hazard ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.50,
P
= 0.018) after adjustment for possible confounding factors including the treatment of osteoporosis.
Conclusion
Accumulation of vitamin deficiencies was related to incident fractures.
Summary
This study investigated the relationships between intakes of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids and bone mineral density in Japanese women aged 19 to ...25 years. Intakes of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3) were positively associated with peak bone mass at the hip.
Introduction
Lifestyle factors such as physical activity and nutrition intake are known to optimize the peak bone mass (PBM). Recently, intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been reported to contribute to bone metabolism. In this study, the relationships of intakes of n-3 and omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids with PBM were evaluated in Japanese female subjects.
Methods
A total of 275 healthy female subjects (19–25 years) having PBM were enrolled, and lumbar and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolic parameters were measured. Dietary intakes of total energy, total n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and total n-6 fatty acids were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Physical activity information was also assessed.
Results
The mean ± SD age was 20.6 ± 1.4 years, and BMI was 21.2 ± 2.7 kg/m
2
. BMI and serum bone alkaline phosphatase contributed significantly to lumbar BMD on multiple regression analysis. Intake of n-3 fatty acids and physical activity were also significantly related to total hip BMD. Using EPA or DHA instead of total n-3 fatty acids in the model did not result in a significant result.
Conclusion
Adequate total n-3 fatty acid intake may help maximize PBM at the hip.
We have synthesized polycrystalline samples of CePtAl2 by arc melting method and examined their magnetic, transport and thermal properties by measuring the magnetization, the electrical resistivity, ...and the specific heat down to 0.4 K. As a result of these measurements, we found that CePtAl2 is a ferromagnetic Ce-based compound with the Curie-temperature Tc = 2.7 K.
Little information is available about the incidence and outcome of incidental dural tears associated with microendoscopic lumbar decompressive surgery. We prospectively examined the incidence of ...dural tears and their influence on the outcome six months post-operatively in 555 consecutive patients (mean age 47.4 years (13 to 89)) who underwent this form of surgery. The incidence of dural tears was 5.05% (28/555). The risk factors were the age of the patient and the procedure of bilateral decompression via a unilateral approach. The rate of recovery of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score in patients with dural tears was significantly lower than that in those without a tear (77.7% vs. 87.6%; p < 0.02), although there were no significant differences in the improvement of the Oswestry Disability Index between the two groups. Most dural tears were small, managed by taking adequate care of symptoms of low cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and did not require direct dural repair. Routine MRI scans were undertaken six months post-operatively; four patients with a dural tear had recurrent or residual disc herniation and two had further stenosis, possibly because the dural tear prevented adequate decompression and removal of the fragments of disc during surgery; as yet, none of these patients have undergone further surgery.
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