Hydrogen absorption characteristics and mechanical properties in hydrogen environment of cementite were evaluated by low-temperature thermal desorption analysis and in-situ microbending tests during ...cathodic hydrogen charging using bulk cementite plates obtained through a vacuum carburizing process. In the low-temperature thermal desorption analysis, no hydrogen desorption was identified up to 1073 K. In the microbending test, notched microcantilevers experienced cleavage fracture in an elastic deformation range in air. The cathodic hydrogen charging increased fracture load (i.e., fracture toughness) with appearance of plasticity while it did not change the fracture surface morphology and Young’s modulus. In the present hydrogen charging conditions, the hydrogen atoms are present only near the specimen surface because of high hydrogen migration energy in the cementite. It seems that no hydrogen desorption is detected because the hydrogen atoms are absent in most regions of the specimens. The invariance of the Young’s modulus and the fracture surface morphology can be explained by the same reason. On the other hand, it is considered that the fracture toughness is improved because the hydrogen atoms charged near notch bottom of the microcantilever enhance dislocation nucleation and glide, and cause blunting of the notch during the bending.
To investigate mechanism of hydrogen-induced intergranular fractures, low energy positron beams with different energies were applied to hydrogen-induced intergranular fracture surfaces of 80Ni-20Cr ...alloy, and depth distributions of the lattice defects were evaluated by Doppler broadening spectroscopy and positron annihilation lifetime one. At least at depths between 0.1 µm and 1 µm from the fracture surface, a large number of the lattice defects were homogeneously distributed. Both the dislocation density and monovacancy-equivalent vacancy-type defect one were around ten-times as large as inside the grains. On the other hand, the absolute value of the monovacancy-equivalent vacancy-type defect density was about 9 appm, and obviously not large enough to cause strength reduction and fractures. It was suggested that stress concentration and disordered structures formation at and on the grain boundaries due to hydrogen-enhanced dislocation nucleation, and reduction in the grain boundary cohesive energy due to the trapped hydrogen atoms jointly cause the intergranular fractures.
It is desirable to attend to the mare at the time of foaling in order to assist fetal delivery and prevent complications. The early detection of the onset of labor is an important issue for the ...equine industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of a sensor for foaling detection using the data of surface temperature (ST), roll angle (rotation about the y-axis) and y-axis (long axis of the tail) acceleration which were collected from a multimodal device attached to the ventral tail base of the mare. The data were collected every 3 minutes in 17 pregnant mares. Roll angle differences from the reference values and the mare's posture (standing or recumbent) confirmed by video were compared and associated. Cohen's kappa coefficient was 0.99 when the threshold was set as ± 0.3 radian in roll angle differences. This result clearly showed that the sensor data can accurately distinguish between standing and recumbent postures. The hourly sensor data with a lower ST (LST < 35.5°C), a recumbent posture determined by the roll angle, and tail-raising (TR, decline of 200 mg or more from the reference value in y-axis acceleration) was significantly higher during the last hour prepartum than 2-120 hours before parturition (P < 0.01). The accuracy of foaling detection within one hour was verified using the following three indicators: LST; lying down (LD, change from standing to recumbent posture); and TR. When LST, LD and TR were individually examined, even though all indicators showed that sensitivity was 100%, the precision was 13.1%, 8.1% and 2.8%, respectively. When the data were combined as LST+LD, LST+TR, LD+TR and LST+LD+TR, detection of foaling improved, with precisions of 100%, 32.1%, 56.7% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, the tail-attached multimodal device examined in this present study is useful for detecting foaling.
We prospectively assessed asymptomatic monkeypox virus infections among men who have sex with men in Tokyo, Japan, during the initial phase of the mpox epidemic. Our findings suggest that ...asymptomatic infections were likely underestimated and were comparable in magnitude to symptomatic infections, highlighting the need to improve testing accessibility among high-risk populations.
Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor with high recurrence and fatality rates. Although various therapeutic strategies have been explored, there is currently no effective ...treatment for glioblastoma. Recently, the number of immunotherapeutic strategies has been tested for malignant brain tumors. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play an important role in anti-tumor immunity. To address if iNKT cells can target glioblastoma to exert anti-tumor activity, we assessed the expression of CD1d, an antigen-presenting molecule for iNKT cells, on glioblastoma cells. Glioblastoma cells from 10 of 15 patients expressed CD1d, and CD1d-positive glioblastoma cells pulsed with glycolipid ligand induced iNKT cell-mediated cytotoxicity in vitro. Although CD1d expression was low on glioblastoma stem-like cells, retinoic acid, which is the most common differentiating agent, upregulated CD1d expression in these cells and induced iNKT cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Moreover, intracranial administration of human iNKT cells induced tumor regression of CD1d-positive glioblastoma in orthotopic xenografts in NOD/Shi-scid IL-2RγKO (NOG) mice. Thus, CD1d expression represents a novel target for NKT cell-based immunotherapy for glioblastoma patients.
We aimed to assess the rate and risk factors of postoperative complications following tooth extraction in HIV-infected patients by CD4 count. The study participants were 231 HIV-infected patients who ...underwent tooth extraction at our institution between January 2007 and December 2011. Blood test results, underlying diseases, surgical site, extraction method, and postoperative complication data were obtained from medical records. Potential risk factors of postoperative complications were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Patients were divided into two groups: 61 (26%) patients with a CD4 count < 200/μL, and 170 (74%) with a CD4 count ≥ 200/μL. Of the 231 patients, 12 (5.2%) developed postoperative complications (alveolar osteitis, n = 10; surgical site infection, n = 2). The rate of complications did not differ between the CD4 < 200/μL group (1.6%) and the CD4 ≥200/μL group (6.5%) (adjusted odds ratio aOR: 9.328, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.470, 185.229; P = 0.1431). Surgical extraction with bone excavation, but without CD4 count, was identified as a risk factor for post-extraction complications (aOR: 22.037, 95% CI: 1.519, 319.617; P = 0.0234). A low CD4 count is not a risk factor for post-extraction complications in patients with HIV infection. We conclude that tooth extraction should be performed based on dental/oral conditions, and not delayed until CD4 count improvement.
Anal high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection is widely considered a cause of anal cancer. However, epidemiological data are quite limited in Japan. This study investigated anal HPV ...infections and cytological abnormalities among MSM with or without HIV infection. Anal swabs were obtained, and cytological results were examined. Hybrid capture-based methodology was used for hr-HPV genotyping. The exclusion criterion was a history of vaccination against HPV. 644 subjects participated, and the overall prevalence of hr-HPV was 59.7% (95% CI 54.7-62.3), HIV-infected had higher prevalence than HIV-uninfected (68.9% vs 40.6%) p < .001. Among hr-HPV-infected participants, 82.8% (312/377) were infected with at least one of 9 valent vaccine-covered hr-HPV genotypes. From regression analysis, detection of abnormal cytology correlated positively with HIV infection (OR 2.17 95% CI 1.51-3.13), number of hr-HPV genotypes infected (OR 1.83 1.59-2.10), history of STI (OR 1.58 1.14-2.22) and No. of lifetime sexual partners (OR 1.56 1.10-2.21), albeit multivariate analysis identified the number of detected hr-HPV genotypes (adjusted OR 1.78 1.54-2.06) as the independent risk factor for abnormal cytology. High rates of anal hr-HPV infection, especially 9-valent HPV vaccine-preventable hr-HPV were detected among our MSM participants in Japan. HPV vaccination should also be encouraged for MSM in Japan.
Let ≈ be a substring consistent equivalence relation (SCER) on strings such that for any two strings x,y, x≈y implies that (1) |x|=|y| and (2) xi..j≈yi..j for all 0≤i≤j<|x|. Examples of SCER are ...parameterized pattern matching and order-preserving pattern matching. We present a generalized and efficient algorithm for pattern matching with SCER ≈. Also, we show analogues of Fine and Wilf's periodicity lemma hold for SCER.
Autonomic nervous function evaluated by heart rate variability (HRV) and blood characteristics were compared between Holstein Friesian cows that developed postpartum fever (PF; n = 5) and clinically ...healthy (CH; n = 6) puerperal cows in this case-control study. A cow was defined as having PF when its rectal temperature rose to ≥39.5°C between 1 and 3 days postpartum. We recorded electrocardiograms during this period using a Holter-type electrocardiograph and applied power spectral analysis of HRV. Comparisons between the groups were analyzed by t test or Mann-Whitney U test, and the relationship between rectal temperature and each parameter was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Heart rate was higher in PF cows than in CH cows (Mean ± SE, 103.3 ± 2.7 vs. 91.5 ± 1.7 bpm). This result suggested that PF cows had a relatively dominant sympathetic nervous function. Total (44,472 ± 2,301 vs. 55,373 ± 1,997 ms) and low frequency power (24.5 ± 3.8 vs. 39.9 ± 5.3 ms) were lower in PF cows than in CH cows. These findings were possibly caused by a reduction in autonomic nervous function. The total white blood cell count (54.3 ± 5.1 vs. 84.5 ± 6.4 ×102/μL) and the serum magnesium (2.1 ± 0.1 vs. 2.4 ± 0.1 mg/dL) and iron (81.5 ± 8.0 vs. 134.4 ± 9.1 μg/dL) concentrations were lower and the serum amyloid A concentration (277 ± 33 vs. 149 ± 21 μg/mL) was higher in PF cows than in CH cows. These results imply that more inflammation was present in PF cows than in CH cows. Multiple regression analysis showed that both of low frequency power and concentration of serum iron were associated with rectal temperature. We found differences in changes in hematologic results, biochemical findings, and HRV patterns between PF cows and CH cows.
PDF
