Designing the stripe-ordered cuprate phase diagram through uniaxial-stress.

The ability to efficiently control charge and spin in the cuprate high-temperature superconductors is crucial for fundamental research and underpins technological development. Here, we explore the tunability of magnetism, superconductivity, and crystal structure in the stripe phase of the cuprate La[Formula: see text]Ba[Formula: see text]CuO[Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text] = 0.115 and 0.135, by employing temperature-dependent (down to 400 mK) muon-spin rotation and AC susceptibility, as well as X-ray scattering experiments under compressive uniaxial stress in the CuO[Formula: see text] plane. A sixfold increase of the three-dimensional (3D) superconducting critical temperature [Formula: see text] and a full recovery of the 3D phase coherence is observed in both samples with the application of extremely low uniaxial stress of [Formula: see text]0.1 GPa. This finding demonstrates the removal of the well-known 1/8-anomaly of cuprates by uniaxial stress. On the other hand, the spin-stripe order temperature as well as the magnetic fraction at 400 mK show only a modest decrease under stress. Moreover, the onset temperatures of 3D superconductivity and spin-stripe order are very similar in the large stress regime. However, strain produces an inhomogeneous suppression of the spin-stripe order at elevated temperatures. Namely, a substantial decrease of the magnetic volume fraction and a full suppression of the low-temperature tetragonal structure is found under stress, which is a necessary condition for the development of the 3D superconducting phase with optimal [Formula: see text]. Our results evidence a remarkable cooperation between the long-range static spin-stripe order and the underlying crystalline order with the three-dimensional fully coherent superconductivity. Overall, these results suggest that the stripe- and the SC order may have a common physical mechanism.

Usefulness and accuracy of segmental adrenal venous sampling on localisation and functional diagnosis of various adrenal lesions in primary aldosteronism.

AIM: To clarify the usefulness and accuracy of segmental adrenal venous sampling (sAVS) on localisation and functional diagnosis of various adrenal lesions in primary aldosteronism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients (n=162) who underwent adrenalectomy and 138 patients indicated for medication following sAVS were analysed retrospectively. Based on immunohistopathological diagnosis, the positive predictive value (PPV) of computed tomography (CT)-detectable aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) was calculated. Moreover, endocrinological and sAVS characteristics were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively among APA, CT-undetectable aldosterone-producing nodules (APNs), multiple aldosterone-producing micronodules (MAPM), and medication groups. RESULTS: The PPV of APA by sAVS was 137/141 (97.1%; 95% confidence interval, 92.9-99.2%). Compared to the medication cases, the APA group showed stronger disease activity clinically and significant differences in adrenal hormones, such as a higher aldosterone level and aldosterone-to-cortisol ratio, and lower cortisol levels in the adrenal central vein and aldosterone maximum tributaries on the dominant side after cosyntropin stimulation. The APA group shows focal aldosterone hypersecretion, such as mean number of aldosterone elevated segments (1.7 ± 0.7 versus 2 ± 0.9, p=0.003) and presence of aldosterone-not-elevated segments (93% versus 41%, p<0.001). Clinically and in terms of sAVS, APN and MAPM showed similar characteristics to APA and to the medication cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: sAVS can localise functionally active tissues of CT-detectable and CT-undetectable lesions enabling decisions on surgical or medical treatment.

Multifaceted array-based keloidal gene expression profiling reveals specific MDFI upregulation in keloid lesions.

BACKGROUND: Keloid lesions are characterized by mesenchymal cell proliferation and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Previous microarray analyses have been performed to investigate the mechanism of keloid development. However, the molecular pathology that contributes to keloid development remains obscure. AIM: To explore the underlying essential molecules of keloids using microarrays. METHODS: We performed microarray analyses of keloid and nonlesional skin tissues both in vivo and in vitro. Gene expression levels were compared between tissues and cells. Quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR and immunohistochemical staining were used to determine the expression levels of molecules of interest in keloid tissues. RESULTS: Several common molecules were upregulated in both keloid tissues and keloid-lesional fibroblasts. PTPRD and NTM were upregulated both in vivo and in vitro. The genes MDFI and ITGA4 were located at the centre of the gene coexpression network analysis using keloid tissues. qRT-PCR revealed significant expression levels of PTPRD and MDFI in keloid tissues. Immunopathological staining revealed that MDFI-positive cells, which have fibroblast characteristics, were located in the keloid-associated lymphoid tissue (KALT) portion of the keloid tissue. CONCLUSION: Our gene expression profiles of keloids could distinguish the difference between lesional tissue and cultured lesional fibroblasts, and MDFI was found to be commonly expressed in both tissues and cells. Thus, MDFI-positive cells, which were located in the KALT, may play an important role in keloid pathogenesis and thus might be useful for in vitro keloid studies.

Using Uniaxial Stress to Probe the Relationship between Competing Superconducting States in a Cuprate with Spin-stripe Order.

We report muon spin rotation and magnetic susceptibility experiments on in-plane stress effects on the static spin-stripe order and superconductivity in the cuprate system La_{2-x}Ba_{x}CuO_{4} with x=0.115. An extremely low uniaxial stress of ∼0.1 GPa induces a substantial decrease in the magnetic volume fraction and a dramatic rise in the onset of 3D superconductivity, from ∼10 to 32 K; however, the onset of at-least-2D superconductivity is much less sensitive to stress. These results show not only that large-volume-fraction spin-stripe order is anticorrelated with 3D superconducting coherence but also that these states are energetically very finely balanced. Moreover, the onset temperatures of 3D superconductivity and spin-stripe order are very similar in the large stress regime. These results strongly suggest a similar pairing mechanism for spin-stripe order and the spatially modulated 2D and uniform 3D superconducting orders, imposing an important constraint on theoretical models.

High-Temperature Charge-Stripe Correlations in La_{1.675}Eu_{0.2}Sr_{0.125}CuO_{4}.

We use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to investigate charge-stripe correlations in La_{1.675}Eu_{0.2}Sr_{0.125}CuO_{4}. By differentiating elastic from inelastic scattering, it is demonstrated that charge-stripe correlations precede both the structural low-temperature tetragonal phase and the transport-defined pseudogap onset. The scattering peak amplitude from charge stripes decays approximately as T^{-2} towards our detection limit. The in-plane integrated intensity, however, remains roughly temperature independent. Therefore, although the incommensurability shows a remarkably large increase at high temperature, our results are interpreted via a single scattering constituent. In fact, direct comparison to other stripe-ordered compounds (La_{1.875}Ba_{0.125}CuO_{4}, La_{1.475}Nd_{0.4}Sr_{0.125}CuO_{4}, and La_{1.875}Sr_{0.125}CuO_{4}) suggests a roughly constant integrated scattering intensity across all these compounds. Our results therefore provide a unifying picture for the charge-stripe ordering in La-based cuprates. As charge correlations in La_{1.675}Eu_{0.2}Sr_{0.125}CuO_{4} extend beyond the low-temperature tetragonal and pseudogap phase, their emergence heralds a spontaneous symmetry breaking in this compound.

Granulocyte and monocyte apheresis can control juvenile generalized pustular psoriasis with mutation of IL36RN.

Patients with deficiency of interleukin-36 receptor antagonist (DITRA), due to mutation of IL36RN, exhibit psoriatic phenotypes, typically generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP). We report a paediatric patient with DITRA, whose cutaneous lesions varied from psoriasis vulgaris in infancy to annular pustular psoriasis with acute exacerbation to GPP at 13 years of age. Conventional systemic treatments for GPP, which include oral retinoids, ciclosporin and methotrexate, are controversial in paediatric cases, because of their adverse effects and uncertain long-term consequences. Granulocyte monocyte apheresis, a process associated with few adverse events, promptly controlled the GPP of our paediatric patient, and has potential as a suitable alternative treatment for paediatric patients with DITRA.

Formula feeding and systemic hypoxia synergistically induce intestinal hypoxia in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis.

PURPOSE: Feeding and systemic hypoxia are major stresses inducing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This study aims to investigate the role of systemic hypoxia in NEC and its effect before and after feeding. METHODS: Neonatal mice were studied in three groups. Control (N = 9): breast feeding; NEC A (N = 8), gavage feeding + lipopolysaccharide (LPS) + preprandial hypoxia; and NEC B (N = 9), feeding + LPS + postprandial hypoxia. Pimonidazole, a hypoxia marker, was injected intraperitoneally before ileum was harvested for histology and quantitative RT-PCR studies. Statistical analysis was done using the ANOVA and Chi-square test. RESULTS: NEC incidence was 62.5% in NEC A and 88.9% in NEC B. The mortality in NEC B (55.6%) but not A (25%) is significantly higher than control (0%, p < 0.05). Pimonidazole staining elevated in both NEC A and B with higher pimonidazole grade in NEC B (p < 0.01). Both NEC groups had increased the expression of hypoxia-related genes: HIF-1α, GLUT-1, and PHD-3 with GLUT-1 expressed more in NEC B compared with NEC A (p < 0.01). The inflammation marker, IL6, was similarly raised in both NEC A and B. CONCLUSION: Feeding and postprandial hypoxia synergistically induce intestinal hypoxia in NEC. As feeding increases intestinal oxygen demand, maintaining a balance between intestinal oxygen supply and demand is important to prevent NEC.

Real space imaging of spin polarons in Zn-doped SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2).

We report on the real space profile of spin polarons in the quasi-two-dimensional frustrated dimer spin system SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2) doped with 0.16% of Zn. The (11)B nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum exhibits 15 additional boron sites near nonmagnetic Zn impurities. With the help of exact diagonalizations of finite clusters, we have deduced from the boron spectrum, the distribution of local magnetizations at the Cu sites with fine spatial resolution, providing direct evidence for an extended spin polaron. The results are confronted with those of other experiments performed on doped and undoped samples of SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2).

Glycosaminoglycan and versican deposits in taxane-induced sclerosis.

Docetaxel and paclitaxel are widely used in the treatment of various malignant neoplasms. Taxane-induced sclerosis is dose-dependent and usually not generalized. Little information on the pathogenesis of scleroderma is currently available. Here, we report a case of generalized scleroderma and a case of early-stage oedematous sclerosis, both of which presented with intense versican deposits after administration of taxane for angiosarcoma.

Role of lattice coupling in establishing electronic and magnetic properties in quasi-one-dimensional cuprates.

High resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering has been performed to reveal the role of lattice coupling in a family of quasi-1D insulating cuprates, Ca2+5xY2-5xCu5O10. Site-dependent low-energy excitations arising from progressive emissions of a 70 meV lattice vibrational mode are resolved for the first time, providing a direct measurement of electron-lattice coupling strength. We show that such electron-lattice coupling causes doping-dependent distortions of the Cu-O-Cu bond angle, which sets the intrachain spin exchange interactions. Our results indicate that the lattice degrees of freedom are fully integrated into the electronic behavior in low-dimensional systems.

A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial on the efficacy of carbon dioxide insufflation in gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation is expected to be safe and effective in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as well as in other endoscopic procedures. The present study aimed to clarify the usefulness and safety of CO2 insufflation in gastric ESD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 102 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to CO2 insufflation (CO2 group, n = 54) or air insufflation (Air group, n = 48). Abdominal pain and distension were chronologically recorded on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). The volume of residual gas in the digestive tract was measured by computed tomography performed immediately after ESD. RESULTS: Abdominal pain on a 100-mm VAS in the CO2 vs. Air group was 4 vs. 3 immediately after ESD, 4 vs. 4 one hour after the procedure, 3 vs. 3 three hours after the procedure, and 1 vs. 4 the next morning, showing no difference between the groups. In addition, there was no difference in abdominal distension on the 100-mm VAS over the time course of the study. The volume of residual gas in the digestive tract in the CO2 group was significantly smaller than that in the Air group (643 mL vs. 1037 mL, P < 0.001). The dose of sedative drugs did not differ between the groups. Neither the incidences of complications nor clinical courses differed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with air insufflation, CO2 insufflation during gastric ESD significantly reduced the volume of residual gas in the digestive tract but not the VAS score of abdominal pain and distension.

A pilot study to assess mediastinal emphysema after esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection with carbon dioxide insufflation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mediastinal emphysema sometimes develops following esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) without perforation because the esophagus has no serosa. Carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation during esophageal ESD may reduce the incidence of mediastinal emphysema. The aim of the present study was to compare the incidence and severity of post-ESD mediastinal emphysema in patients receiving CO2 insufflation vs. standard air insufflation during esophageal ESD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 27 patients who had undergone esophageal ESD with insufflation of CO2 between July 2009 and March 2010 were enrolled in this study (CO2 group). Another 105 patients who had undergone esophageal ESD with air insufflation between March 2004 and May 2009 were included as historical controls (air group). Multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) was carried out immediately after ESD. A conventional chest radiograph was taken the next day. Mediastinal emphysema findings on MDCT and radiography were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Mediastinal emphysema detected by chest radiography was 0 % in the CO2 group vs. 6.6 % in the air group (n.s.). Mediastinal emphysema on MDCT was significantly less frequent in the CO2 group compared with the air group (30 % vs. 63 %; P = 0.002). The severity of mediastinal emphysema also tended to be lower in the CO2 group. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas mediastinal emphysema detected by radiography is not so common, MDCT immediately after ESD revealed a certain prevalence of post-ESD mediastinal emphysema. Insufflation of CO2 rather than air during esophageal ESD significantly reduced postprocedural mediastinal emphysema. CO2 can be considered as insufflating gas for esophageal ESD.

Hidden itinerant-spin phase in heavily overdoped La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4 superconductors revealed by dilute Fe doping: a combined neutron scattering and angle-resolved photoemission study.

We demonstrated experimentally a direct way to probe a hidden propensity to the formation of a spin-density wave in a nonmagnetic metal with strong Fermi surface nesting. Substituting Fe for a tiny amount of Cu (1%) induced an incommensurate magnetic order below 20 K in heavily overdoped La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4). Elastic neutron scattering suggested that this order cannot be ascribed to the localized spins on Cu or doped Fe. Angle-resolved photoemission revealed a strong Fermi surface nesting inherent in the pristine La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) that likely drives this order. Our finding presents the first example of the long-sought "itinerant-spin extreme" of cuprates, where the spins of itinerant doped holes define the magnetic ordering ground state; it complements the current picture of cuprate spin physics that highlights the predominant role of localized spins at lower dopings.

Endpoint stiffness magnitude increases linearly with a stronger power grasp.

Humans can increase the endpoint stiffness of their arm to reduce self-generated movement variability and to reject unpredictable perturbations from the environment, like during handheld drilling, thereby increasing movement precision. Existing methods to estimate changes in the endpoint stiffness use robotic interfaces to apply position or force perturbations to measure the arm's dynamic response. We propose an alternative method of measuring changes in the power grasp force to estimate adaptations in the magnitude of the arm's endpoint stiffness. To validate our method, we examined how the strength of the power grasp, when holding onto a robotic manipulandum, affected the arm's endpoint stiffness in three different locations of the workspace. The endpoint stiffness magnitude increased linearly with the grasp force, and this linear relationship did not depend on the arm's posture or position in the workspace. The endpoint stiffness may have increased as a combination of greater grasp stiffness and greater arm stiffness, since larger co-contraction was observed in the elbow and shoulder with a stronger grasp. Changes in the grasp force could serve as a metric in assessing how humans adapt their endpoint stiffness magnitude.

Basement membrane proteoglycan in various tissues: characterization using monoclonal antibodies to the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm mouse tumor low density heparan sulfate proteoglycan.

The Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm mouse tumor has been found to produce at least two molecular species of heparan sulfate proteoglycan, a low density one (LD) and a high density one, which differ not only in core proteins but also in glycosaminoglycan structures (Kato, M., Y. Koike, Y. Ito, S. Suzuki, and K. Kimata. 1987. J. Biol. Chem. 262:7180-7188). With aim at investigating their distribution and possible functions in tissues, monoclonal antibodies were produced. Hybridomas obtained by fusion of NS-1 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells from the rat immunized with a mixture of these proteoglycans were selected by their ability to react with the antigen. Two of them secreted monoclonal antibodies (IgG2a), designated HK-84 and HK-102, that recognize specifically the core protein moiety of LD. Immunofluorescent staining of various tissues (skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, lung, brain, and kidney) with these monoclonal antibodies has demonstrated that the antigen molecules were present in all basement membranes of these tissues. SDS-PAGE of heparitinase-treated proteoglycan fractions prepared from these tissues and subsequent immunoblotting using these monoclonal antibodies have confirmed that the antigen molecule was LD, and further suggested that there was a tissue-specific variation in the core molecular size. Based on these results, we propose that LD may be an essential component in all basement membranes.

Increase in Grasp Force Reflects a Desire to Improve Movement Precision.

Grasping is an action engraved in the human genome, enabling newborn infants to hang from a monkey-bar immediately after birth. The grasp force provides rich information about the brain's control of arm movements. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the grasp force increases to improve the hand's movement precision during reaching. In two reaching experiments, subjects increased grasp force to suppress movement imprecision that arose from both self-generated motor noise and from an unpredictable environment. Furthermore, the grasp force did not increase constantly, but increased specifically along the movement where the hand's deviation was greatest. The increased grasp was premeditated and was not a reaction to environmental forces, suggesting that the central nervous system has a predictive, state-dependent model of movement precision during reaching. The grasp force provides a high temporal resolution and calibration-less estimate of movement precision adaptation.

High mortality rate of (NZW x BXSB)F1 mice induced by administration of lipopolysaccharide attributes to high production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha by increased numbers of dendritic cells.

(NZW x BXSB)F1 mice (W/BF1 mice) have been reported to be a type of autoimmune-prone mice, showing symptoms of proteinuria, anti-DNA antibodies and anti-platelet antibodies. In this paper, we report that W/BF1 mice show hyperproduction of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, responding to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in comparison with normal mice, resulting in induction of death. In normal mice, monocytes/macrophages (Mo/MØ) are the main producer of TNF-alpha, while both Mo/MØ and dendritic cells (DCs) produce TNF-alpha in W/BF1 mice. Because the number of DCs is higher in W/BF1 mice, the main producers of TNF-alpha in W/BF1 mice are thought to be DCs. Moreover, administration of anti-TNF-alpha antibodies rescued the W/BF1 mice from death induced by LPS, suggesting that TNF-alpha is crucial for the effect of LPS. Although there is no significant difference in the expression of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) on DCs between B6 and W/BF1 mice, nuclear factor kappa b activity of DCs from W/BF1 mice is augmented under stimulation of LPS in comparison with that of normal mice. These results suggest that the signal transduction from TLR-4 is augmented in W/BF1 mice in comparison with normal mice, resulting in the hyperproduction of TNF-alpha and reduced survival rate. The results also suggest that not only the quantity of endotoxin, but also the host conditions, the facility to translate signal from TLR, and so on, could reflect the degree of bacterial infections and prognosis.