Macroscopic Thermodynamic Reversibility in Quantum Many-Body Systems.

The resource theory of thermal operations, an established model for small-scale thermodynamics, provides an extension of equilibrium thermodynamics to nonequilibrium situations. On a lattice of any dimension with any translation-invariant local Hamiltonian, we identify a large set of translation-invariant states that can be reversibly converted to and from the thermal state with thermal operations and a small amount of coherence. These are the spatially ergodic states, i.e., states that have sharp statistics for any translation-invariant observable, and mixtures of such states with the same thermodynamic potential. As an intermediate result, we show for a general state that if the gap between the min- and the max-relative entropies to the thermal state is small, then the state can be approximately reversibly converted to and from the thermal state with thermal operations and a small source of coherence. Our proof provides a quantum version of the Shannon-McMillan-Breiman theorem for the relative entropy and a quantum Stein's lemma for ergodic states and local Gibbs states. Our results provide a strong link between the abstract resource theory of thermodynamics and more realistic physical systems as we achieve a robust and operational characterization of the emergence of a thermodynamic potential in translation-invariant lattice systems.

Discovery of moganite in a lunar meteorite as a trace of H2O ice in the Moon's regolith.

Moganite, a monoclinic SiO2 phase, has been discovered in a lunar meteorite. Silica micrograins occur as nanocrystalline aggregates of mostly moganite and occasionally coesite and stishovite in the KREEP (high potassium, rare-earth element, and phosphorus)-like gabbroic-basaltic breccia NWA 2727, although these grains are seemingly absent in other lunar meteorites. We interpret the origin of these grains as follows: alkaline water delivery to the Moon via carbonaceous chondrite collisions, fluid capture during impact-induced brecciation, moganite precipitation from the captured H2O at pH 9.5 to 10.5 and 363 to 399 K on the sunlit surface, and meteorite launch from the Moon caused by an impact at 8 to 22 GPa and >673 K. On the subsurface, this captured H2O may still remain as ice at estimated bulk content of >0.6 weight %. This indicates the possibility of the presence of abundant available water resources underneath local sites of the host bodies within the Procellarum KREEP and South Pole Aitken terranes.

Teriparatide Treatment Improved Loosening of Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Along with the increase of osteoporotic patients in an aging society, complications in surgeries associated with osteoporosis are also increasing. In cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA), poor primary stability and subsequent initial loosening of the implant may be seen. CASE REPORT: The patient, a 75-year-old Asian woman with a history of osteoporosis, underwent cementless TKA. Knee radiography at 5 weeks postoperatively showed radiolucent lines outlined beneath the tibial tray and around the stem. The tibial component was considered unstable due to loosening. A 56.5 µg weekly dose of teriparatide (rh [1-34] parathyroid hormone) was administered. After 2 months of treatment, knee pain and knee swelling had disappeared. Tomosynthesis taken after 6 months of treatment confirmed complete ingrowth of the component to the bone. CONCLUSION: This case showed that a weekly teriparatide administration of 56.5 µg improved initial loosening of the tibial implant in cementless TKA. Administration of teriparatide in cases of the osteoporotic patient who has loosening in cementless TKA may be a useful adjuvant to achieve bone ingrowth again.

Neoadjuvant weekly paclitaxel with and without trastuzumab in locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

A phase II clinical trial was conducted to examine the clinical and pathologic efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant paclitaxel with or without trastuzumab in women with advanced or metastatic breast cancer. A total of 49 patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer (clinical stage IIB -IV) were included. Patients with HER2-negative tumors received weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 (days 1, 8, 15) followed by a 1-week break for 4 cycles. Patients with HER2-positive tumors received weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 (days 1, 8, 15) followed by a 1-week break and a trastuzumab 4 mg/kg loading dose, intravenously, followed by 2 mg/kg weekly for 4 cycles. The age of the patients was 51.6 +/- 1.6 years (mean +/- SE) and the size of their tumors was 5.8 +/- 0.4 cm (mean +/- SE). Thirty-two patients had HER2-negative tumors and 17 had HER2-positive tumors. Of 49 patients, 13 (26.5%) had a clinical complete response and 24 (49.0%) had a clinical partial response. Five (10.2%) patients had a pathological complete response (pCR) and three (6.1%) patients had a near pCR in the breast. A total of eight (16.3%) patients had a pCR or near pCR in the breast. The pCR or near pCR rate was 3.1% in the HER2-negative group and 41.2% in the HER2-positive group. With a median follow-up of 28 months (range, 1-45), the 3-year overall survival was 88%. Clinical responders showed a significantly better overall survival than non-responders (p < 0.01). Pathological responders showed a better overall survival than non-responders. There was no significant difference in overall survival between patients with HER2-positive and -negative tumors. In conclusion, combined neoadjuvant weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab achieved high clinical and pathological response rates for HER2 -overexpressing breast cancers, despite the omission of an anthracycline.

[Case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome exacerbated due to cervical spinal cord injury].

A 70-year-old man injured his spinal cord at the fourth cervical vertebra due to a fall and became quadriplegic. Following emergency treatment, the patient was admitted to our hospital for rehabilitation. On admission, respiratory function tests indicated a percent vital capacity value (%VC) of 58.6%, revealing restrictive ventilatory impairment. After admission, we observed difficulty breathing at night and extreme snoring and thus performed a simple full-night polysomnography. Results showed an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 46.5/hr and serious obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Based on these results, we conjectured that a preexisting OSAS condition was exacerbated by the cervical spinal cord injury, and thus administered nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) in addition to respiratory rehabilitation. A speedy disappearance of clinical symptoms was found with the application of NCPAP. Compared to a 3% oxygen desaturation index (ODI 3%) of 31.0 dips/hr prior to treatment, the ODI 3% dropped to 3.5 dips/hr after 14 days, and 0 dips/hr after 60 days, indicating an obvious improvement in nocturnal oxygen desaturation.

Pilot scale microfiltration-coagulation for treatment of retention pond water.

An evaluation of two commonly used coagulants, alum and ferric chloride was conducted to treat retention pond water using microfiltration. To determine the effectiveness of these coagulants in removing turbidity, color, and total suspended solids two different sets of the experiments were performed. Preliminary test was carried out to evaluate the optimum dosages of coagulants. Optimum turbidity removal was achieved with a 4 and 20 mg/L dosage for ferric chloride and alum, respectively. Generally, coupling microfiltration with coagulation using both alum and ferric chloride exhibited excellent effectiveness for turbidity, color, and total suspended solids removal. The efficiency for alum and ferric chloride for turbidity removal were 96 and 98%, respectively, which was greater than 89% removal using microfiltration alone. Furthermore, microfiltration only demonstrated 81 and 83% removal efficiency for color and total suspended solids removal, respectively. However, microfiltration-coagulation using alum and ferric chloride resulted about 83 and 93% color removal, and 92 and 94% total suspended solids removal, respectively.

Malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the jejunum with liver metastasis.

Primary malignant tumors of the small intestine are rare. Malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the third most common neoplasm among primary malignant small bowel tumors. A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of appetite loss and dyspnea with movement. On admission, physical examination revealed severe anemia in her conjunctiva and a tumor in her left abdomen. Her hemoglobin level was 6.2 g/dL and other laboratory data were normal. Abdominal ultrasonograms and computed tomograms revealed a 55 x 70-mm heterogeneous mass and multiple low-density masses in the liver. Superior mesenteric arteriograms revealed a hypervascular tumor fed by the jejunal arteries. A malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor arising from the jejunum with liver metastases was suspected. Partial resection of the affected jejunum and left trisegmentectomy of the liver were performed. The resected primary tumor was 120 x 45 x 65 mm. The tumor was mainly submucosal, but extended outside the jejunum; it was elastically firm and multiloculated. A small ulcer was seen on the mucosal side. The metastatic liver tumors were solid or cystic with diameters of 20 to 40 mm. Histopathological examination revealed that the tumors were characterized by fascicular proliferation of spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for CD34 and c-kit, and negative for S-100 protein and smooth muscle actin. This case was a malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor originating in the jejunum with liver metastases. The primary tumor and liver metastases were successfully resected simultaneously.