Facile formation of barium titanium oxyhydride on a titanium hydride surface as an ammonia synthesis catalyst.

Oxyhydrides are promising compounds as supports for ammonia synthesis catalysts because they suppress hydrogen poisoning on the catalyst surface and enhance the ammonia synthesis activity. Herein, we developed a facile method for preparing BaTiO2.5H0.5, a perovskite oxyhydride, on a TiH2 surface via the conventional wet impregnation method using TiH2 and Ba hydroxide. Scanning electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that BaTiO2.5H0.5 crystallized as nanoparticles of ca. 100-200 nm on the TiH2 surface. The Ru-loaded catalyst Ru/BaTiO2.5H0.5-TiH2 exhibited 2.46 times higher ammonia synthesis activity (3.05 mmol-NH3 g-1 h-1 at 400 °C) than the benchmark Ru catalyst Ru-Cs/MgO (1.24 mmol-NH3 g-1 h-1 at 400 °C) because of the suppression of hydrogen poisoning. The analysis of reaction orders showed that the effect of suppressing hydrogen poisoning on Ru/BaTiO2.5H0.5-TiH2 was equivalent to that of the reported Ru/BaTiO2.5H0.5 catalyst, thus supporting the formation of BaTiO2.5H0.5 perovskite oxyhydride. This study demonstrated that the selection of appropriate raw materials facilitates the formation of BaTiO2.5H0.5 oxyhydride nanoparticles on the TiH2 surface using the conventional synthesis method.

A Patient with Werner's Syndrome Who Underwent Aortic Valve Replacement through Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery.

Werner's syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder presenting with premature senility. In the present study, we performed minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS)-aortic valve replacement (AVR) on a patient with Werner's syndrome who presented with aortic stenosis. The patient, a 49-year-old Japanese man, was brought to the emergency room with dyspnea during exercise. On echocardiography, severe aortic stenosis was found and surgery was planned. He had poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and underwent MICS-AVR to avoid the risk of sternal osteomyelitis, which resulted in a good outcome. The aortic valve had sclerotic changes and a genetic disease was suspected based on the onset of aortic stenosis at a young age, characteristic appearance, and various signs of aging. Genetic testing led to the diagnosis of WS.

A patient with Marfan's syndrome who developed an acute aortic dissection at 28 weeks of pregnancy treated with aortic root replacement.

The patient was a 31-year-old pregnant woman who gave birth to her first child by vaginal delivery 7 years ago. She was diagnosed with Marfan's syndrome based on physical findings; however, the condition was not diagnosed before the onset. The patient developed acute aortic dissection at 28 weeks of pregnancy. A cesarean section was first performed to save the patient's life; then, a total hysterectomy was performed to prevent the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Furthermore, aortic root replacement was performed using a temporary mechanical valve. The patient and her child have survived without any complications.

Maintenance of Complex Life Cycles Via Cryptic Differences In The Ecophysiology Of Haploid And Diploid Spores Of An Isomorphic Red Alga1.

Recognition of the wide diversity of organisms that maintain complex haploid-diploid life cycles has generated interest in understanding the evolution and persistence of such life cycles. We empirically tested the model where complex haploid-diploid life cycles may be maintained by subtle/cryptic differences in the vital rates of isomorphic haploid-diploids, by examining the ecophysiology of haploid tetraspores and diploid carpospores of the isomorphic red alga Chondrus verrucosus. While tetraspores and carpospores of this species did not differ in size or autofluorescence, concentrations of phycobiliproteins of carpospores were greater than that of tetraspores. However, tetraspores were more photosynthetically competent than carpospores over a broader range of photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFDs) and at PPFDs found at both the depth that C. verrucosus is found at high tide and in surface waters in which planktonic propagules might disperse. These results suggest potential differences in dispersal potential and reproductive success of haploid and diploid spores. Moreover, these cryptic differences in ecological niche partitioning of haploid and diploid spores contribute to our understanding of some of the differences between these ploidy stages that may ultimately lead to the maintenance of the complex haploid-diploid life cycle in this isomorphic red alga.

Reproduction and population structure of the sea urchin Heliocidaris crassispina in its newly extended range: The Oga Peninsula in the Sea of Japan, northeastern Japan.

Ocean warming has facilitated the range expansion of commercially important sea urchin species to higher latitudes. Heliocidaris crassispina was recorded to extend northward to Toga Bay along the Oga Peninsula, Japan following an increase in seawater temperatures, and replacement of local sea urchin species Mesocentrotus nudus. In order to identify evidence of adaptation occurring in response to a range extension of H. crassispina to the newly extended environments, we randomly collected 106 H. crassispina in August 2014 in Toga Bay, determined the growth and age composition and examined gonad traits (size, color and development). To confirm the gonad development, 30 H. crassispina with > 30 mm diameter were collected in July, August and September 2017. We found slower growth in the extended range than the central range. More delayed gonad development of males than those of females and a large variety of developmental stages in the acini of testis indicated that the spawning of both sexes of the sea urchins were asynchronous. In terms of gonad color, L* (lightness) values increased with increasing GI, while b* (yellowness) values decreased with increasing age. The population consisted of seven year-classes from 2006 to 2012, suggesting persistent juvenile recruitment. Long-term water temperature data indicated that the range extension of H. crassispina was due to ocean warming, in particular during the summer spawning season.

Analysis of life-history traits in a sex-changing marine shrimp (decapoda: caridea: rhynchocinetidae).

The hypothesis of protandrous (male to female) sex change was tested for the first time in a rhynchocinetid shrimp, Rhynchocinetes uritai, with an analysis of life-history traits. Samples were taken monthly for 2 years in Oura Bay, Japan, using a combination of bait and refuge traps. Breeding was seasonal but extended from spring through autumn, with female-phase individuals (FPs) producing broods successively, with their ovaries maturing for a new spawn during incubation of a previous brood. Females incubated numerous (∼500-4000) embryos that suffered insignificant mortality before hatching. Recruitment of juveniles after planktonic larval development began in summer and peaked during the autumn, with negligible recruitment during winter and spring. Cohort analysis confirmed the hypothesis of protandric sex change in this species, with juveniles maturing into the male phase (MP) during their first reproductive season at an age of 6-10 mon, depending on the time of recruitment. Sex change occurred during the following winter when transitional individuals matured into FPs during their second reproductive season at an age of ≥18 mon. Two cohorts were followed from recruitment until the end of the study, indicating a life span of 21-25 mon. Aside from its sexual system, this sex-changing species showed no obvious differences in reproductive and other life-history traits from those of gonochoric species from similar latitudes and habitats.

New method of posterior scallop augmentation for ischemic mitral regurgitation.

We report a new method of posterior middle scallop (P2) augmentation for ischemic mitral regurgitation to achieve deep coaptation. First, P2 was divided straight at the center and partially detached from the annulus in a reverse T shape. A narrow pentagon-shaped section of pericardium was sutured to the divided P2 and annular defect. The tip of the pentagon was attached directly to the papillary muscle, thus creating a very large P2 scallop. A standard-sized ring was placed. We adopted this technique in 2 patients with advanced ischemic cardiomyopathy, and no mitral regurgitation was observed during a 1-year follow-up.

Unusual distribution of floating seaweeds in the East China Sea in the early spring of 2012.

Floating seaweeds play important ecological roles in offshore waters. Recently, large amounts of rafting seaweed have been observed in the East China Sea. In early spring, juveniles of commercially important fish such as yellowtail accompany these seaweed rafts. Because the spatial distributions of seaweed rafts in the spring are poorly understood, research cruises were undertaken to investigate them in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Floating seaweed samples collected from the East China Sea during the three surveys contained only Sargassum horneri. In 2010 and 2011, seaweed rafts were distributed only in the continental shelf and the Kuroshio Front because they had become trapped in the convergence zone of the Kuroshio Front. However, in 2012, seaweed was also distributed in the Kuroshio Current and its outer waters, and massive strandings of seaweed rafts were observed on the northern coast of Taiwan and on Tarama Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago. Environmental data (wind, currents, and sea surface height) were compared among the surveys of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Two factors are speculated to have caused the unusual distribution in 2012. First, a continuous strong north wind produced an Ekman drift current that transported seaweed southwestward to the continental shelf and eventually stranded seaweed rafts on the coast of Taiwan. Second, an anticyclonic eddy covering northeast Taiwan and the Kuroshio Current west of Taiwan generated a geostrophic current that crossed the Kuroshio Current and transported the rafts to the Kuroshio Current and its outer waters. Such unusual seaweed distributions may influence the distribution of fauna accompanying the rafts.

Seamless reconstruction of mitral leaflet and chordae with one piece of pericardium.

OBJECTIVES: Mitral valve repair is challenging when enough pliable mitral leaflets and chordae are not left intact because of extensive infective endocarditis or chronic sclerotic degeneration. For those cases, we developed a simple method to reconstruct defective leaflets and chordae en bloc with a piece of pericardium, and the mid-term results were evaluated. METHODS: From January 2009 to November 2013, 25 patients with the mean age of 63 (range 20-88) years underwent this operation. The causes of mitral regurgitation were infective endocarditis in 8, sclerotic degeneration in 8, leaflet dehiscence of previous repair in 2, mitral annular calcification in 3, rheumatic in 2 and congenital in 2. After complete debridement of infected or consolidated tissue, we reconstructed defective mitral leaflets and chordae en bloc with a piece of glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium. To substitute posterior leaflet and chordae, the pericardium was trimmed into a narrow pentagonal shape. The pointed end was attached directly to the corresponding papillary muscle, basal side edges to remnant leaflets on both sides, and the base to the annulus. For anterior leaflet, the pericardium was trimmed into a triangular shape if the lesion was confined in the left or right half or into a double-triangle shape if the lesion involved whole anterior leaflet. The summit of triangle was fixed to corresponding papillary muscle, and the base to remnant anterior leaflet, thus reconstructing coaptation zone and chordae seamlessly. RESULTS: There was no hospital death, and mitral regurgitation at discharge was none or trivial in all patients. During 1-59 months (mean 12.7) of complete follow-up, death, infection or hemolysis was not observed. In one patient, mitral regurgitation recurred 8 months postoperatively because the fixation suture of the pericardium to the papillary muscle broke. The valve was re-repaired with re-attaching the leg of the pericardium. Regurgitation was less than moderate in all other patients. One patient with rheumatic lesion who underwent anterior leaflet repair and Maze operation suffered minor stroke 1 month postoperatively but fully recovered. CONCLUSIONS: Seamless reconstruction of leaflets and chordae with pericardium seemed promising to repair extensively destructed mitral valve.

A novel inorganic solid state ion conductor for rechargeable Mg batteries.

The conduction of the bivalent magnesium cation, Mg(2+), in an inorganic solid state material, Mg(BH4)(NH2), has been demonstrated. This material exhibited a high ionic conductivity of 10(-6) S cm(-1) at 150 °C, and its electrochemical window was estimated to be approximately 3 V using cyclic voltammetry.

[Can local administration of tranexamic acid reduce aspirin-induced bleeding in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting( CABG) ?].

OBJECTIVES: We examined the effect of local administration of tranexamic acid( TA) on reducing aspirin-induced bleeding in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG). METHODS: From July 2009 to January 2011, 88 cases with off-pump CABG were divided into 4 groups:group C including 19 cases without preoperative aspirin or local administration of TA, group A including 23 cases with preoperative aspirin alone, group T including 19 cases with local administration of TA alone, and group AT including 27 cases with both preoperative aspirin and local administration of TA. RESULTS: The bleeding volume after 24 hours in group A was significantly larger than that in group C(p=0.0085). The bleeding volume in group AT was significantly smaller than that in group A (p<0.0001), and the bleeding volume in group T was also significantly smaller than that in group C (p=0.0054). There was no significant difference between group T and AT. CONCLUSIONS: The use of local administration of tranexamic acid indicated the reduction of postoperative bleeding even in patients with preoperative aspirin use.

Perioperative use of a beta blocker in coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVES: Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery is associated with increases in the risk of complications, length of intensive care unit stay, and cost of care. Beta blockers are effective for controlling myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia and suppressing inflammatory cytokines. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of administrating a short-acting beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, landiolol, on postoperative atrial fibrillation. METHODS: 136 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were single-blindly assigned randomly to landiolol (n = 68) and non-landiolol (control, n = 68) groups. In the landiolol group, the beta blocker was administered from the beginning of the operation until postoperative day 2. The primary endpoint was the incidence of atrial fibrillation until postoperative day 7, and the secondary endpoints were the postoperative levels of troponin I, creatine kinase MB-isoenzyme, and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: The incidence of atrial fibrillation was significantly lower in the landiolol group compared to the control group (13/68, 19% vs. 25/68, 37%, p = 0.02, logrank test). Landiolol also significantly reduced the postoperative peak C-reactive protein level compared to the control group (132 ± 55.4 vs. 161 ± 50.9 mgcL(-1), p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Low-dose continuous infusion of landiolol reduced the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, and significantly suppressed inflammation.

[Efforts to achieve anastomosis forms in coronary artery bypass grafting; cuff-like and skirt-like anastomoses].

As the type of anastomotic site is considered to be one of the decisive factors for graft-patency in coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG),our aim is to achieve anastomosis forms that potentially promote long-term graft-patency rates. When an arterial graft is used, side-to-side anastomosis is performed, with its incision length being longer than that of the coronary artery, to achieve a cuff-like anastomosis form. When a vein graft is used, on the other hand, it is incised shorter than the coronary artery to achieve a skirt-like anastomosis form instead of a purse-like one. It is thus expected that reliable anastomosis forms can be observed in postoperative angiography.

Local administration of tranexamic acid in off-pump coronary artery bypass.

PURPOSE: We administered tranexamic acid locally to patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass, to investigate the hemostatic effects and safety. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The subjects were 100 consecutive patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass between July 2009 and January 2011. We assigned 50 patients in the early phase, in which tranexamic acid was not employed, to group N, and 50 in the late phase, in which tranexamic acid was employed, to group T. In group T, 10 mL of a solution containing 1 g of tranexamic acid in was sprayed into the pericardial cavity and mediastinum before the sternum was closed. We compared the volume of postoperative blood loss, blood transfusion volume, and complications between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The volume of blood loss in 24 h after intensive care unit admission was 492 mL in group N and 303 mL in group T (p<0.0001); the decrease in blood loss in the group receiving tranexamic acid was approximately 40%. There was no significant difference in the blood transfusion volumes. There were no side effects of tranexamic acid. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass, local administration of tranexamic acid may decrease the volume of postoperative blood loss. The local administration method is simple, inexpensive, and safe.

Embryonic development and expression analysis of Distal-less in Caprella scaura (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidea).

The Caprellidea generally possess rudimentary abdomens and degenerated third and fourth pereopods. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies support the concept that their unique body plan is derived from a gammarid-like body plan from which the abdomen or third and fourth pereopods have been lost in the Caprellidea. To understand the developmental and genetic mechanisms for the morphological evolution of the Caprellidea, we observed the embryonic development of Caprella scaura. Although in the early embryonic stage limb buds appeared in all of the pereonites, we found that elongation of the limb buds did not occur in the third and fourth pereonites; instead, only oval projections (possibly primordial gills) were observed. We next examined the gene expression of Distal-less (Dll) by in situ hybridization and found that Dll was not expressed in the third and fourth pereonites. This suggests that the suppression of Dll expression is responsible for the reduction of Caprellidea pereopods.

Complicated evolution of the caprellid (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida: Amphipoda) body plan, reacquisition or multiple losses of the thoracic limbs and pleons.

The Caprellidea (Crustacea) have undergone an interesting morphological evolution from their ancestral gammarid-like form. Although most caprellid families have markedly reduced third and fourth pereopods (the walking thoracic limbs) and pleons (the posterior body parts), one family, Caprogammaridae, has developed pleon with swimming appendages (pleopods), whereas another family, Phtisicidae, possesses well-developed functional third and fourth pereopods. The unique character status of these families implies that there has been reacquisition or multiple losses of both pereopods and the pleon within the Caprellidea lineages. Although the Caprellidea are fascinating animals for the study of morphological evolution, the phylogenetic relationships among the Caprellidea are poorly understood. One obstacle to studying the evolution of the Caprellidea is the difficulty of collecting samples of caprogammarid species. In this study, we obtained live samples of a Caprogammaridae species and confirmed that its pleon and pleopods could perform similar locomotive functions and swimming movements as observed in gammarids. From the phylogenetic analyses on 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences, we identified three distinct clades of Caprellidea. The ancestral state reconstruction based on the obtained phylogeny suggested that once lost, the third and fourth pereopods were regained in the Phtisicidae, while the pleon was regained in the Caprogammaridae, while we could not exclude the possibility of independent losses. In either case, the caprellid lineage underwent a quite complicated morphological evolution, and possibly the Caprellidea may be an exception to Dollo's law.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Caprella scaura (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidea), with emphasis on the unique gene order pattern and duplicated control region.

The nucleotide and amino acid sequences and the gene order of the mitochondrial genome are highly informative for studying phylogeny, population genetics, and phylogeography. This study determined the complete mitochondrial genome of the caprellid species Caprella scaura. The mitochondrial genome of C. scaura has a total length of 15,079 bp, with an AT content of 66.43%. The mitochondrial genome contains typical gene components, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes. In comparison with the mitochondrial genome of a gammarid, some distinct characteristics were found. For example, the order of the two conserved gene blocks is inverted between Gammaridea and C. scaura. In addition, two copies of almost identical control regions were found in the mitochondrial genome of C. scaura. These unique characteristics will be useful for determining the evolutionary history of the Caprellidea.

[The usefulness of COPD questionnaire for screening COPD subjects].

To evaluate the usefulness of the COPD questionnaire of the International Primary Care Airways Group (IPAG) for screening the subjects with COPD in a given cohort, the questionnaires were given to subjects aged 40 or older, regardless of smoking habit at a general health check-up program in 4 institutions (Miyagi, Osaka, Okayama and Fukuoka) of the Japan Anti-tuberculosis Association (JATA) prefectural branch from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008. The questionnaires scores of 11,166 participants were collated with their FEV1/FVC, with their agreement. The prevalence of cases at high-risk of COPD receiving a score of 17 or more was 27.5%, and airflow limitation defined as FEV1/FVC < 70% was found in 6.5% among these cases, i.e. 2.7% among all subjects. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC), sensitivity, and specificity were 0.755, 0.666, and 0.736, respectively. Airflow limitation was observed more frequently in those older than 59, more than 24 pack-years, and frequent wheezes but not in those of cough affected by weather, sputum in the morning, and allergies. Among 4 institutions, sensitivities of airflow limitation varied from 0.581 to 1.000 and these were remarkably elevated to 0.702 and more by excluding the subjects with P x Y0-14. This questionnaire seemed to be effective using a cut-off level of 17 for screening cases at high risk of COPD.

FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED MICROSPECTROSCOPY AS A TOOL TO IDENTIFY MACROALGAL PROPAGULES(1).

Understanding of macroalgal dispersal has been hindered by the difficulty in identifying propagules. Different carrageenans typically occur in gametophytes and tetrasporophytes of the red algal family Gigartinaceae, and we may expect that carpospores and tetraspores also differ in composition of carrageenans. Using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy, we tested the model that differences in carrageenans and other cellular constituents between nuclear phases should allow us to discriminate carpospores and tetraspores of Chondrus verrucosus Mikami. Spectral data suggest that carposporophytes isolated from the pericarp and female gametophytes contained κ-carrageenan, whereas tetrasporophytes contained λ-carrageenan. However, both carpospores and tetraspores exhibited absorbances in wave bands characteristic of κ-, ι-, and λ-carrageenans. Carpospores contained more proteins and may be more photosynthetically active than tetraspores, which contained more lipid reserves. We draw analogies to planktotrophic and lecithotrophic larvae. These differences in cellular chemistry allowed reliable discrimination of spores, but pretreatment of spectral data affected the accuracy of classification. The best classification of spores was achieved with extended multiplicative signal correction (EMSC) pretreatment using partial least squares discrimination analysis, with correct classification of 86% of carpospores and 83% of tetraspores. Classification may be further improved by using synchrotron FT-IR microspectroscopy because of its inherently higher signal-to-noise ratio compared with microspectroscopy using conventional sources of IR. This study demonstrates that FT-IR microspectroscopy and bioinformatics are useful tools to advance our understanding of algal dispersal ecology through discrimination of morphologically similar propagules both within and potentially between species.

Phylogenetic analysis of caprellid and corophioid amphipods (Crustacea) based on the 18S rRNA gene, with special emphasis on the phylogenetic position of Phtisicidae.

Members of the amphipod suborder Caprellidea exhibit degenerated abdomens and pereopods 3 and 4. Some genera of Podoceridae (Gammaridea, Corophioidea) such as Dulichia also show reduced abdomens and pereopods and thus are generally regarded as a sister group of the Caprellidea. In addition, one of the caprellid families, the Caprogammaridae, exhibits abdominal segments that are similar to those of the podocerids, as well as rudimentary pereopods 3 and 4, which are more consistent with those of other caprellids. Therefore, an evolutionary scheme has been suggested on the basis of the gradual degeneration of the pereopods and abdomen: [Dulichia, (caprogammarids, caprellids)]. However, the Phtisicidae (Caprellidea) contradict this hypothesis because they exhibit well-developed pereopods 3 and 4, along with degenerated abdomens. Therefore, previous studies have suggested that the Phtisicidae and other caprellids may be polyphyletic. We examined the phylogenetic position of the Phtisicidae and other caprellid amphipods, using 18S rRNA gene sequence data. The results strongly indicate that the Phtisicidae and other caprellid families form a monophyletic clade. However, a close phylogenetic relationship among Dulichia (Corophioidea) and taxa belonging to the Caprellidea was not definitively supported. This study is the first to use molecular data to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among the Caprellidea.