Observation of Collider Muon Neutrinos with the SND@LHC Experiment.

We report the direct observation of muon neutrino interactions with the SND@LHC detector at the Large Hadron Collider. A dataset of proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13.6 TeV collected by SND@LHC in 2022 is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.8 fb^{-1}. The search is based on information from the active electronic components of the SND@LHC detector, which covers the pseudorapidity region of 7.2<η<8.4, inaccessible to the other experiments at the collider. Muon neutrino candidates are identified through their charged-current interaction topology, with a track propagating through the entire length of the muon detector. After selection cuts, 8 ν_{µ} interaction candidate events remain with an estimated background of 0.086 events, yielding a significance of about 7 standard deviations for the observed ν_{µ} signal.

Plasma natriuretic peptide levels in fetuses with congenital heart defect and/or arrhythmia.

OBJECTIVE: Diagnosing fetal heart failure remains challenging because it is difficult to know how well the fetal myocardium will perform as loading conditions change. In adult cardiology, natriuretic peptides (NPs) are established markers of heart failure. However, the number of studies investigating NP levels in fetuses is quite limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of plasma NP levels in the assessment of heart failure in fetuses with a congenital heart defect (CHD) and/or arrhythmia. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary pediatric cardiac center. A total of 129 singletons with CHD and/or arrhythmia and 127 controls were analyzed between 2012 and 2015. Umbilical cord plasma atrial NP, brain NP and N-terminal pro-brain NP levels at birth were compared with ultrasonography findings indicating fetal heart failure, such as cardiovascular profile (CVP) score and morphological characteristics. RESULTS: Fetuses with CHD and/or arrhythmia had higher NP levels than did controls (P < 0.01). NP levels of fetuses with CHD and/or arrhythmia were correlated inversely with CVP score (P for trend < 0.01). No differences in NP levels were found in fetuses with CHD and/or arrhythmia and a CVP score of ≥ 8 in comparison to controls. Multivariate analysis showed that a CVP score of ≤ 5, tachy- or bradyarrhythmia at birth, preterm birth and umbilical artery pH < 7.15 were associated independently with high NP levels (P < 0.01). Among fetuses with a CVP score of ≤ 7, abnormal venous Doppler sonography findings were significantly more common and more severe in fetuses with tachy- or bradyarrhythmia than in those with CHD, and those with tachy- or bradyarrhythmia had higher NP levels than did those with CHD (P = 0.01). Fetuses with right-heart defect and moderate or severe tricuspid valve regurgitation had significantly higher NP levels than did fetuses with other types of CHD (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma NP levels in fetuses with CHD and/or arrhythmia are correlated with the severity of fetal heart failure. Elevated NP levels are attributed mainly to an increase in central venous pressure secondary to arrhythmia or atrioventricular valve regurgitation due to CHD, rather than to the morphological abnormality itself. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analysis system of submicron particle tracks in the fine-grained nuclear emulsion by a combination of hard x-ray and optical microscopy.

Analyses of nuclear emulsion detectors that can detect and identify charged particles or radiation as tracks have typically utilized optical microscope systems because the targets have lengths from several µm to more than 1000 µm. For recent new nuclear emulsion detectors that can detect tracks of submicron length or less, the current readout systems are insufficient due to their poor resolution. In this study, we developed a new system and method using an optical microscope system for rough candidate selection and the hard X-ray microscope system at SPring-8 for high-precision analysis with a resolution of better than 70 nm resolution. Furthermore, we demonstrated the analysis of submicron-length tracks with a matching efficiency of more than 99% and position accuracy of better than 5 µm. This system is now running semi-automatically.

Visual-statistical interpretation of (18)F-FDG-PET images for characteristic Alzheimer patterns in a multicenter study: inter-rater concordance and relationship to automated quantitative evaluation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The role of (18)F-FDG-PET in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease is increasing and should be validated. The aim of this study was to assess the inter-rater variability in the interpretation of (18)F-FDG-PET images obtained in the Japanese Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, a multicenter clinical research project. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed 274 (18)F-FDG-PET scans (67 mild Alzheimer disease, 100 mild cognitive impairment, and 107 normal cognitive) as baseline scans for the Japanese Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, which were acquired with various types of PET or PET/CT scanners in 23 facilities. Three independent raters interpreted all PET images by using a combined visual-statistical method. The images were classified into 7 (FDG-7) patterns by the criteria of Silverman et al and further into 2 (FDG-2) patterns. RESULTS: Agreement among the 7 visual-statistical categories by at least 2 of the 3 readers occurred in >94% of cases for all groups: Alzheimer disease, mild cognitive impairment, and normal cognitive. Perfect matches by all 3 raters were observed for 62% of the cases by FDG-7 and 76 by FDG-2. Inter-rater concordance was moderate by FDG-7 (κ = 0.57) and substantial in FDG-2 (κ = 0.67) on average. The FDG-PET score, an automated quantitative index developed by Herholz et al, increased as the number of raters who voted for the AD pattern increased (ρ = 0.59, P < .0001), and the FDG-PET score decreased as those for normal pattern increased (ρ = -0.64, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Inter-rater agreement was moderate to substantial for the combined visual-statistical interpretation of (18)F-FDG-PET and was also significantly associated with automated quantitative assessment.

Automatic voxel-based morphometry of structural MRI by SPM8 plus diffeomorphic anatomic registration through exponentiated lie algebra improves the diagnosis of probable Alzheimer Disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The necessity for structural MRI is greater than ever to both diagnose AD in its early stage and objectively evaluate its progression. We propose a new VBM-based software program for automatic detection of early specific atrophy in AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A target VOI was determined by group comparison of 30 patients with very mild AD and 40 age-matched healthy controls by using SPM. Then this target VOI was incorporated into a newly developed automated software program independently running on a Windows PC for VBM by using SPM8 plus DARTEL. ROC analysis was performed for discrimination of 116 other patients with AD with very mild stage (n = 45), mild stage (n = 30) and moderate-to-advanced stages (n = 41) from 40 other age-matched healthy controls by using a z score map in the target VOI. RESULTS: Medial temporal structures involving the entire region of the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala showed significant atrophy in the patients with very mild AD and were determined as a target VOI. When we used the severity score of atrophy in this target VOI, 91.6%, 95.8%, and 98.2% accuracies were obtained in the very mild AD, mild AD, and moderate-to-severe AD groups, respectively. In the very mild AD group, a high specificity of 97.5% with a sensitivity of 86.4% was obtained, and age at onset of AD did not influence this accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: This software program with application of SPM8 plus DARTEL to VBM provides a high performance for AD diagnosis by using MRI.

Asymmetrical interhemispheric fiber tracts in patients with hemimegalencephaly on diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The internal structures of cerebral white matter in patients with hemimegalencephaly have not yet been investigated except for one, which evaluated aberrant fibers. We examined interhemispheric fiber tracts (FT) passing through the corpus callosum using magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). METHODS: MR studies, including DTI, were performed in nine consecutive patients with hemimegalencephaly and in 11 patients with West syndrome as disease controls. The interhemispheric FT passing through the corpus callosum were evaluated in six regional geometric subdivisions in every hemimegalencephaly and West syndrome patient (54 and 66 subregions, respectively), and the distribution and volume differences between affected and unaffected hemispheres were all compared. RESULTS: In patients with hemimegalencephaly, interhemispheric FT were symmetrically distributed in 27 (50%) of the 54 corpus callosum subregions. However, the FT were distributed to different areas in the same lobes in 22 (40%) subregions, and to different lobes in five (9%) subregions. FT volumes were symmetrical in 35 (65%) subregions, while FT volumes on the affected side were greater, but less than those on the unaffected side, in 14 (26%) and five (9%) subregions, respectively. In contrast, in the West syndrome patients, interhemispheric FT showed symmetrical distributions and volumes in all regions. CONCLUSION: Asymmetrical interhemispheric FT are often observed in patients with hemimegalencephaly, and DTI was a useful means of elucidating the internal structures of white matter.

Effect of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the apolipoprotein E polymorphisms on disease progression in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Genetic factors, such as apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphisms, are thought to play an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent association studies have suggested that the Val66Met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene could play a role in the development of AD. To identify genotypic effects of the BDNF and the ApoE genes on disease progression in preclinical AD, we assessed morphological changes using serial magnetic resonance imaging during the preclinical period of AD in 35 individuals. When all subjects were analyzed as one group, progressive atrophy was noted in the limbic, paralimbic and neocortical areas. Individuals of the BDNF Val/Val genotype showed progressive atrophy in the left medial temporal areas, whereas the BDNF Met allele carriers showed additional changes in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the precuneus. An interaction between the BDNF genotype and progressive morphological changes was found in the PCC. The noncarriers for the ApoE epsilon4 allele showed progressive atrophy in the bilateral medial temporal areas. In addition to changes in the medial temporal areas, epsilon4 carriers showed progressive atrophy in the PCC, ACC and precuneus. An interaction between the ApoE genotype and progressive morphological change was noted in the right medial temporal area. The present preliminary study indicates that polymorphisms of the ApoE and the BDNF genes could affect disease progression in preclinical AD and implies that the Met-BDNF polymorphism could be an additional risk factor for rapid disease progression in preclinical AD.

Decrease of 4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide in paddy field soil after aerial application.

Variation in the fungicide, 4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide (phthalide), in paddy field soil was investigated in order to evaluate its decrease after aerial application by a radio-controlled helicopter. The maximum concentrations of phthalide were 309-320 microg/kg dry, which were 83%-96% of the applied phthalide. The organic carbon normalized soil sorption coefficient (K(oc)) was calculated to be 94-96 mL/g at 1 h after the application. The calculated K(oc) values increased to 620-1,300 mL/g from 1 through 9 days after the application and then 4,700-7,200 mL/g 14 days after the application. The half-life of the phthalide was calculated to be 20-31 days.

Variation of 4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide in water after aerial application to rice cultivation area.

Variation in the fungicide, 4,5,6,7-phthalide, in water was investigated in order to evaluate the runoff of the fungicide after aerial application to paddy fields by a radio-controlled helicopter. The survey was conducted for 4 months after the application. The average and maximum concentrations of phthalide were 3.7-4.4 microg/L and 30.5-33.8 microg/L in the paddy fields, 0.37-0.64 microg/L and 2.7-7.5 microg/L in the drainage channels, and 0.18 and 0.83 microg/L in a river, respectively. The runoff ratios of the aerially applied phthalide from the paddy fields into the drainage channels were calculated to be 1.7-2.4%.

Prevention of corticosteroid-induced osteonecrosis in rabbits by intra-bone marrow injection of autologous bone marrow cells.

OBJECTIVES: Femoral head osteonecrosis (ON) is a serious complication of steroid administration. We evaluated bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for preventing corticosteroid-induced ON. METHODS: Rabbits, injected with methylprednisolone (MPSL; 20 mg/kg), were divided into four groups: (i) MPSL alone; MPSL injection only, (ii) MPSL+needling; 2 days after MPSL injection, a hole (1.2 mm diameter) was drilled from the outer cortex 2.5 cm distal to the proximal end of the greater trochanter, (iii) MPSL+saline; 2 days after MPSL injection, 2 ml saline was injected directly into the bone marrow cavity, and (iv) MPSL+BMT; 2 days after MPSL injection, 1 x 10(7)/2 ml bone marrow cells (BMCs) were injected directly into the bone marrow cavity. Platelets, fibrinogen, prothrombin time and total cholesterol in peripheral blood were measured before and after treatment. Tissues were stained with haematoxylin and eosion and terminal deoxynucleotidyl-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labelling stain and immunostained for VEGF, while cell proliferation and viability of whole BMCs in the femur were analysed by cell cycle analysis and [(3)H]-thymidine uptake. RESULTS: The ON incidence in rabbits treated with MPSL alone, MPSL+needling and MPSL+saline was 72.7, 70.0 and 66.7%, respectively, while in the MPSL+BMT group, the incidence was 0%. Serological findings in the MPSL+BMT group were almost normalized. VEGF and TUNEL staining were reduced in the MPSL+BMT group compared with all other groups. There were significantly fewer BMCs in G1 phase from the MPSL+BMT group than the other groups, while uptake of [(3)H]-thymidine was significantly increased. CONCLUSION: Direct injection of autologous BMCs into femurs prevents corticosteroid-induced ON following treatment with high-dose, short-term steroids.

Highly aligned epitaxial nanorods with a checkerboard pattern in oxide films.

One of the central challenges of nanoscience is fabrication of nanoscale structures with well-controlled architectures using planar thin-film technology. Herein, we report that ordered nanocheckerboards in ZnMnGaO4 films were grown epitaxially on single-crystal MgO substrates by utilizing a solid-state method of the phase separation-induced self-assembly. The films consist of two types of chemically distinct and regularly spaced nanorods with mutually coherent interfaces, approximately 4 x 4 x 750 nm3 in size and perfectly aligned along the film growth direction. Surprisingly, a significant in-plane strain, more than 2%, from the substrate is globally maintained over the entire film thickness of about 820 nm. The strain energy from Jahn-Teller distortions and the film-substrate lattice mismatch induce the coherent three-dimensional (3D) self-assembled nanostructure, relieving the volume strain energy while suppressing the formation of dislocations.

CLOCK gene T3111C polymorphism is associated with Japanese schizophrenics: a preliminary study.

The CLOCK gene has attracted attention due to its influence on the circadian rhythm, as well as its impacts on the dopaminergic system. We conducted a preliminary study to examine whether the T3111C single nucleotide polymorphism of the CLOCK gene is associated with the development of schizophrenia by examining samples from schizophrenics (n=145) and normal controls (n=128). Both genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different between schizophrenics and controls (p=0.022, p=0.015, respectively). Schizophrenics had a significantly higher frequency of the C allele compared to controls (odds ratio 1.76, 95% CI 1.12-2.75). In particular, disorganized and residual type schizophrenics had significantly higher C allele frequencies than controls (p=0.004 and p=0.037, respectively). Our results suggest that the T3111C polymorphism of the CLOCK gene is associated with schizophrenia. It is important to explore the association between CLOCK and dopamine function, and to examine the impact of CLOCK on phenotypes such as symptoms and drug response in patients with schizophrenia.

Possible association between nonsynonymous polymorphisms of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene and schizophrenia in a Japanese population.

We examined, for the first time, the possible association between schizophrenia and the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene which plays an important role in neurodevelopment. When two nonsynonymous polymorphisms (Arg1491Lys and Glu1529Asp) were examined, there were significant differences in genotype and allele distributions between patients and controls. Individuals homozygous for the minor allele (1491Lys-1529Asp) were more common in patients than in controls (p = 0.0064, odds ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.3-4.6). These results suggest that genetic variations of the ALK gene might confer susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Repetitive cocaine administration decreases neurogenesis in adult rat hippocampus.

Cocaine HCl (20 mg/kg) was administered to adult male rats to investigate the effects of cocaine on neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Proliferation of granule cells in the dentate gyrus was measured by in vivo labeling with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Rats that received repetitive cocaine treatment for 14 days showed 26% fewer BrdU-positive cells relative to control rats, while no difference was observed in the rats that received a single injection of cocaine. Differentiation of newly born cells was not influenced. The present experiment is the first to demonstrate the influence of cocaine on hippocampal neurogenesis. These data suggest that the regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis may be involved in the emergence of certain symptoms of cocaine addiction, such as cognitive impairment and behavioral sensitization.

The Eating Disorder Inventory-2 in Japanese clinical and non-clinical samples: psychometric properties and cross-cultural implications.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of and cross-cultural differences in the Japanese version of the eating disorder inventory-2 (EDI-2). METHOD: A Japanese version of the EDI-2 was administered to a consecutive series (1995-2001) of 91 Japanese eating disordered inpatients and 119 matched non-clinical controls. Scores were compared with each other and with those of Canadian data previously reported. Internal consistencies were also examined. RESULTS: All subscales (except Ascetism) reached sufficient internal consistencies. The patients' mean scores were significantly higher than controls on most subscales. Restricting anorexics (AN-R) scored higher than controls on body dissatisfaction (BD) and Social Insecurity (SI) subscales. Purging bulimics (BN-P) scored higher than controls on most subscales, except for maturity fears (MF) and SI subscales. Scores of binge-eating/purging type anorexics (AN-B/P) were higher than controls on all subscales. AN-B/P and BN-P scored higher than AN-R on bulimia (B) subscale. Comparison with Canadian subjects showed that Japanese control subjects scored significantly higher on the MF, ineffectiveness (I), impulse regulation (IR), SI subscales, and lower on the perfectionism (P) subscale. DISCUSSION: The EDI-2 is useful and reliable in understanding Japanese clinical and non-clinical samples. High MF and low P subscales in our samples confirm previous findings in Chinese samples suggesting meaningful cultural differences in the emphasis placed on family bonds and individual accomplishments. In addition, high I, IR, and SI scores in Japanese non-clinical samples may reflect recent problems in Japanese culture.

Mice overexpressing human caspase 3 appear phenotypically normal but exhibit increased apoptosis and larger lesion volumes in response to transient focal cerebral ischaemia.

Caspase 3 activation has been implicated in cell death following a number of neurodegenerative insults. To determine whether caspase genes can affect the susceptibility of cells to neurodegeneration, a transgenic mouse line was created, expressing human caspase 3 under control of its own promoter. The human gene was regulated by the murine homeostatic machinery and human procaspase 3 was expressed in the same tissues as mouse caspase 3. These novel transgenic mice appeared phenotypically and developmentally normal and survived in excess of 2 years. Behavioural assessment using the 5-choice serial reaction time task found no differences from wild-type littermates. Caspase activity was found to be tightly regulated under physiological conditions, however, significantly larger lesions were obtained when transgenic mice were subjected to focal cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury compared to wild-type littermates. These data demonstrate that mice overexpressing human caspase 3 are essentially normal, however, they have increased susceptibility to degenerative insults.