Electron holography observation of electron spin polarization around charged insulating wire.

We report direct observation by electron holography of the spin polarization of electrons in a vacuum region around a charged SiO2 wire coated with Pt-Pd. Irradiating the SiO2 wire with 300-keV electrons caused the wire to become positively charged due to the emission of secondary electrons. The spin polarization of these electrons interacting with the charged wire was observed in situ using a phase reconstruction process under an external magnetic field. The magnetic field of the spin-polarized electrons was simulated taking into account the distribution of secondary electrons and the effect of the external magnetic field.

Time-resolved electron holography and its application to an ionic liquid specimen.

Time-resolved electron holography was implemented in a transmission electron microscope by means of electron beam gating with a parallel-plate electrostatic deflector. Stroboscopic observations were performed by accumulating gated electron interference images while applying a periodic modulation voltage to a specimen. Electric polarization in an ionic liquid specimen was observed under applied fields. While a static electric field in the specimen was reduced by the polarization of the material, an applied field modulated at 10 kHz was not screened. This indicates that time-resolved electron holography is capable of determining the frequency limit of dynamic response of polarization in materials. Graphical Abstract.

Electron holography for observing magnetic bubbles and stripe-shaped domains in magnetic fields.

An electron holography optical system was developed for relatively high magnetic fields up to 500 mT. The objective lens worked as a magnetic field generator for the specimen and the first intermediate lens worked for imaging as one of the pair lens composed of the objective lens. Specimen images were first formed on the object plane of the second intermediate lens. Electron biprism for conventional holography was installed under the second intermediate lens. Reconstruction of phase distributions was performed by the Fourier transform method and the vector maps were used to clarify small phase modulations. By using the developed system, magnetic characteristics of hexaferrite magnets (BaFe12-x-δScxMgδO19), such as magnetic bubbles and stripe-shaped magnetic domains, were observed at smaller than 200 mT. Their magnetization structures and their interactions are demonstrated with the experimental results.

Lorentz scanning electron/ion microscopy.

We have developed an observation and measurement method for spatial electromagnetic fields by using scanning electron/ion microscopes, combined with electron holography reconstruction technique. A cross-grating was installed below the specimen, and the specimens were observed under the infocus condition, and the grating was simultaneously observed under the defocus condition. Electromagnetic fields around the specimen were estimated from grating-image distortions. This method is effective for low and middle magnification and resolution ranges; furthermore, this method can in principle be realizable in any electron/ion beam instruments because it is based on the Lorentz force model for charged particle beams.

Quantitative analysis of selective glycosylation of saccharides with aromatic amines.

Glycosylation, a part of the Maillard reaction, occurs non-enzymatically in food and biological processes. The selectivity of N-glycosylation was analyzed based on the reactivity of monosaccharides with aromatic amines, including aromatic amino acids, and the degree of molecular interaction (MI) measured using liquid chromatography. Furthermore, the chemical structures of reaction products were determined using X-ray crystallography and/or NMR. The possible reaction products were estimated in silico using the optimized energy values of different conformations. The MI energy values of amino groups and saccharides were calculated using in silico analysis using a model phase. Saccharides having larger MI values easily produced stable crystals of N-glycosides. The reaction rate of glucose (an energy saccharide) was slow, and it easily produced the Amadori compounds. The study of the reactivity of aromatic amines with saccharides, the measurement of the retention of monosaccharides on amino phase in chromatography, and the synthesis of N-glycosides for the determination of their structures will provide useful information about selective glycosylation for the modification of drug candidates to improve their water solubility.

Toward the quantitative the interpretation of hole-free phase plate images in a transmission electron microscope.

We present progress toward the quantitative interpretation of phase contrast images obtained using a hole-free phase plate (HFPP) in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). We consider a sinusoidal phase grating test object composed of ~5 nm deep groves in a ~13 nm thick amorphous silicon membrane. The periodic grating splits the beam current into direct beam and diffracted side beams in the focal plane of the imaging lens, where the HFPP is located. The physical separation between the beams allows for a detailed study of the HFPP phase shift evolution and its effect on image contrast. The residual phase shift of the electron beam footprint on the phase plate was measured by electron holography and used as input to image simulations that were compared to experimental data. Our results confirm that phase contrast is established by the phase difference between the direct and side beams, which we can estimate by fitting the image contrast evolution in time with an analytical formula describing the image intensity of a sinusoidal strong phase object. We also observed contrast reversal and frequency doubling of the grating image with time, which we interpret as the phase contrast arising from the interference between side beams becoming dominant. Another observation is the lateral displacement of the image fringes, which can be accounted for by a phase difference between the side beams.

Electron holography on Fraunhofer diffraction.

Electron holography in Fraunhofer region was realized by using an asymmetric double slit. A Fraunhofer diffraction wave from a wider slit worked as an objective wave interfered with a plane wave from a narrower slit as a reference wave under the pre-Fraunhofer condition and recorded as a hologram. Here, the pre-Fraunhofer condition means that the following conditions are simultaneously satisfied: single-slit observations are performed under the Fraunhofer condition and the double-slit observations are performed under the Fresnel condition. Amplitude and phase distributions of the Fraunhofer diffraction wave were reconstructed from the hologram by the Fourier transform reconstruction method. The reconstructed amplitude and phase images corresponded to Fraunhofer diffraction patterns; in particular, the phase steps of π at each band pattern in the phase image were confirmed. We hope that the developed Fraunhofer electron holography can be extended to a direct phase detection method in the reciprocal space.

Interference experiment with asymmetric double slit by using 1.2-MV field emission transmission electron microscope.

Advanced electron microscopy technologies have made it possible to perform precise double-slit interference experiments. We used a 1.2-MV field emission electron microscope providing coherent electron waves and a direct detection camera system enabling single-electron detections at a sub-second exposure time. We developed a method to perform the interference experiment by using an asymmetric double-slit fabricated by a focused ion beam instrument and by operating the microscope under a "pre-Fraunhofer" condition, different from the Fraunhofer condition of conventional double-slit experiments. Here, pre-Fraunhofer condition means that each single-slit observation was performed under the Fraunhofer condition, while the double-slit observations were performed under the Fresnel condition. The interference experiments with each single slit and with the asymmetric double slit were carried out under two different electron dose conditions: high-dose for calculation of electron probability distribution and low-dose for each single electron distribution. Finally, we exemplified the distribution of single electrons by color-coding according to the above three types of experiments as a composite image.

Association between the sense of coherence 13-item version scale score of pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy and threatened premature birth.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the score of the sense of coherence 13-item version (SOC-13) scale in the second trimester of pregnancy is associated with threatened premature birth. METHODS: All the subjects gave their informed written consent before their participation in the study. A self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted on the pregnant women at approximately 18 weeks of pregnancy. The questionnaire consisted of items on demographic characteristics, perinatal abnormalities, stress perception scale (SPS), and SOC-13 scale. Approximately 30 weeks of pregnancy after the first survey, we surveyed whether any treatment had been provided for threatened premature birth during the course of the current pregnancy. The study period was from December 2007 to February 2010. One hundred and seventy-seven pregnant women participated in the study, but only the data from 151 pregnant women were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-three (28.5%) pregnant women had threatened premature birth and received some treatment. Logistic regression analysis was carried out with threatened premature birth as the dependent variable and age, childbirth history, smoking habit, history of miscarriage or premature birth in previous pregnancies, SPS score, and SOC-13 scale score as the independent variables. It was shown that SOC-13 scale score affected threatened premature birth (p < 0.001) and that a low SOC-13 scale score was associated with threatened premature birth. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the SOC-13 scale score in the second trimester of pregnancy could be of great value in clinical health care of pregnant women with a risk of threatened premature birth in the subsequent course of pregnancy.

Do infertile women and government staff differ in the evaluation of infertility-related Web sites?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the evaluation of local government Web sites carrying information on infertility by infertile women and by government staff. In particular, the study investigated whether the women and staff differed with respect to the information they rate as important and their self-reported satisfaction with the Web sites. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Sixty-two local government staff members, of whom 46 were public health nurses managing subsidy programs for infertility treatment in the Hokuriku region of Japan, and 84 infertile women attending local clinics. MEASURES: We measured the level of satisfaction with the local government Web sites and perceptions about the importance of each type of content. Data were descriptively analyzed, as well as by factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Local government Web sites were analyzed with respect to information about the treatment, details of the subsidy program, psychological support, and procedures for making a subsidy application. CONCLUSIONS: The women rated information on the treatment and details of the subsidy programs as important. There was no difference of satisfaction with the Web sites between the infertile women and the staff. Local government staff need to provide reliable data for women who are seeking information on infertility treatment.

Development and evaluation of a self care program on breastfeeding in Japan: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Although the importance of breastfeeding is well known in Japan, in recent years less than 50% of mothers were fully breastfeeding at one month after birth. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-care program for breastfeeding aimed at increasing mothers' breastfeeding confidence and to evaluate its effectiveness. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was conducted in Japan. The intervention, a breastfeeding self-care program, was created to improve mothers' self-efficacy for breastfeeding. This Breastfeeding Self-Care Program included: information on the advantages and basics of breastfeeding, a breastfeeding checklist to evaluate breastfeeding by mothers and midwives, and a pamphlet and audiovisual materials on breastfeeding. Mothers received this program during their postpartum hospital stay.A convenience sample of 117 primiparous women was recruited at two clinical sites from October 2007 to March 2008. The intervention group (n = 55), who gave birth in three odd-numbered months, received standard care and the Breastfeeding Self-Care Program while the control group (n = 62) gave birth in three even numbered months and received standard breastfeeding care.To evaluate the effectiveness of the Breastfeeding Self-Care Program, breastfeeding self-efficacy and breastfeeding rate were measured early postpartum, before the intervention, and after the intervention at one month postpartum. The study used the Japanese version of The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale Short Form (BSES-SF) to measure self-efficacy. RESULTS: The BSES-SF score of the intervention group rose significantly from 34.8 at early postpartum to 49.9 at one month after birth (p < 0.01). For the control group, the score rose from 39.5 at early postpartum to 46.5 at one month after birth (p = 0.03). The early postpartum fully breastfeeding rate was 90% for the intervention group and 89% for the control group. At one month postpartum, the fully breastfeeding rate declined significantly to 65% for the control group compared to 90% for the intervention group (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the Breastfeeding Self-Care Program increased mothers' self-efficacy for breastfeeding and had a positive effect on the continuation of breastfeeding. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000003517.

Support for infertility treatment in Japan: differences in perceptions between female clients and staff.

The aim of this study was to clarify the perceptions of both infertile women accessing support services from local governments related to infertility treatment and the public servants providing that assistance. This cross-sectional descriptive study surveyed 62 local government staff members who managed medical expense subsidy programs for infertility treatment in the Hokuriku region of Japan and 84 infertile women attending the clinics. We measured the levels of satisfaction regarding the support services from local governments and the perceptions of the importance of each type of support. The data were analyzed descriptively and included factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Local governments' support services were analyzed by using four factors: providing information, education and consultation, improving existing services, and improving access. Both the women and the staff endorsed the importance of information provision, the easing of restrictions on subsidies for infertility treatment, reconsideration of the application procedures, and improvement of the publicizing of the available subsidies.

Low serum secretory immunoglobulin A level and sense of coherence score at an early gestational stage as indicators for subsequent threatened premature birth.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the candidate indicators secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) and sense of coherence (SOC) as predictors of threatened premature birth. METHODS: This was a panel study conducted on women in their first and latter half of pregnancy during survey period. The survey period was from December 2005 to June 2006 and from December 2007 to June 2008. The women enrolled in the study were asked to complete the survey questionnaire and provide blood samples for the determinations of physiological indicators. The questionnaire consisted of questions related to the stress perception scale (SPS), SOC score as an indicator of modifiers of stress, demographic data, complications in a previous pregnancy, and the course of the current pregnancy. We used s-IgA and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein as a physiological stress indicator and a marker of infection, respectively. Seventy-two eligible subjects were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (38.9%) subjects had undergone treatment for threatened premature birth, and 44 (61.1%) subjects had not. In the logistic analysis, we set the course of pregnancy as a dependent variable, and age, birth history, smoking habits, a history of miscarriage, premature birth or threatened premature birth, SPS, SOC, and s-IgA in the first half of pregnancy as independent variables. We found that low serum s-IgA levels and low SOC scores in the first half of pregnancy were associated with threatened premature birth. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that low serum s-IgA level and SOC score at an early gestational stage are significant indicators for a threatened premature birth.

Relationship between sense of coherence in final stage of pregnancy and postpartum stress reactions.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated postpartum stress using a postpartum depression scale and by measuring the level of a stress-related substance, to clarify the relationship between the stresscoping capabilities of women in the final stage of pregnancy and their postpartum stress reactions. METHODS: Between April 2004 and October 2004, 54 women participated in a question naire survey and the measurement of their secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) level as a stress-related substance two times in the final stage of their pregnancy (prepartum) and in their early puerperium (postpartum) was carried out. The questionnaire used in the prepartum stage included the following parameters: "basic features", "Sense of Coherence (SOC)" and "Japanese version of the self-assessment depression scale" of Zung. The questionnaire employed in the postpartum stage included the following parameters: "course of delivery", "Self-evaluation of delivery experience", and "Postpartum depression scale". RESULTS: The depression score was higher and the s-IgA level was lower in the low-SOC score group than in the high-SOC score group, indicating that stress reactions were more intense in the low-SOC score group. CONCLUSION: It was revealed that stress reactions were more intense for women with a low SOC score. Moreover, the finding of a relationship between the low SOC score in the prepartum stage and depressive tendency suggests that women who are likely to develop depressive tendency can be predicted in the prepartum stage, and the significance of measuring SOC in the prepartum stage is thus suggested.

Sex-determining region Y levels in maternal plasma: Evaluation in abnormal pregnancy.

AIM: A number of studies for the measurement of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood have been reported; however, their clinical significance has remained unclear. We proposed to clarify the relationship between fetal DNA levels and obstetrical disorders. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-five cases of normal pregnancy, ranging from 8 to 40 weeks' gestation, and 70 cases of abnormal pregnancy were included. SRY levels in maternal plasma were quantified with a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Sex-determining region Y (SRY) levels and the number of patients with positive levels peaked at 33-36 weeks in normal pregnancy. The SRY levels in threatened abortion (11.6 +/- 4.8 copies/mL to 0 +/- 0, P < 0.05) and threatened preterm labor (44.6 +/- 16.1 copies/mL to 15.9 +/- 6.2, P < 0.01) were significantly higher than those of the normal group. In pre-eclamptic patients, SRY levels were markedly higher than those of the normal group (173.2 +/- 94.8 copies/mL to 22.4 +/- 8.9, P < 0.05). Patients with premature separation of the placenta (266.8 +/- 137.1 copies/mL to 4.9 +/- 3.7, P < 0.05) and placenta previa (167.7 +/- 32.4 copies/mL to 37.0 +/- 17.3, p <0.01) also showed elevated SRY levels. CONCLUSION: Sex-determining region Y levels in maternal plasma were elevated in patients with an abnormal pregnancy, particularly those with placental injury of damage. These results suggested that increased SRY levels are consistently caused by the leak of fetal components, and thus the measurement of SRY levels in maternal plasma is useful for the evaluation of placental injuries.

Fetal DNA levels in maternal blood correlated with fetal prognosis in a case of intervillous hematoma.

Several methods for detection of fetal components in maternal blood have been reported. However, few have proven clinically useful for determining the treatment in cases of placental injuries. Here, we report a case of extensive intervillous hematoma diagnosed at 25 weeks of gestation with severe intrauterine growth restriction and oligohydramnios. Marked elevation of fetal DNA levels was observed in maternal blood. Fetal DNA levels decreased after 27 weeks of gestation, concurrent with recovery of fetal growth. We conservatively managed this case until 30 weeks of gestation, when a male infant was delivered. He weighed 508 g and displayed Apgar scores of 7 at 1 minute and 9 at 5 minutes. Histological examination of the placenta revealed intervillous thrombosis without infarction or inflammatory changes. In this case, decreasing fetal DNA levels in maternal plasma correlated with recovery of fetal growth and provided useful information for fetal management as well as insight into the pathogenesis of placental injuries.

Dynamic responses to acute heat stress between 34 degrees C and 38.5 degrees C, and characteristics of heat stress response in mice.

We focused on dynamic responses to acute heat stress between 34 degrees C and 38.5 degrees C. Physiological and neuroendocrinological changes between 34 degrees C and 38.5 degrees C were studied in mice. The influence of humid conditions, 85% relative humidity (RH), on these changes was also investigated. Rectal temperatures increased above 34 degrees C and hematocrit levels increased at 38.5 degrees C 85% RH for 60 min. Food consumption and body weight gains decreased after a daily 60 min exposure to 34, 37 and 38.5 degrees C for 2 weeks. The corticosterone and vasopressin levels in the blood, and catecholamine and serotonin metabolite levels in the hypothalamus were not changed at 34 degrees C, but increased when above 37 degrees C for 60 min. Above 37 degrees C, these physiological and neuroendocrinological changes were accelerated by humid conditions. These results indicated that food consumption and body weight gains decreased above 34 degrees C, and the neuroendocrinological changes, which were accelerated by humid conditions, were induced above 37 degrees C. In comparison with restraint and water immersion stress, heat stress at 37 degrees C 85% RH showed a slower increase in serum corticosterone levels, smaller changes in plasma dopamine and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels, and, after repeated exposure, larger decreases in food consumption and body weight gains. This study clarified the relationships between temperature and humidity conditions and physiological and neuroendocrinological changes, along with the characteristics of responses in acute heat stress.