In-Operando Lithium-Ion Transport Tracking in an All-Solid-State Battery.

An all-solid-state battery is a secondary battery that is charged and discharged by the transport of lithium ions between positive and negative electrodes. To fully realize the significant benefits of this battery technology, for example, higher energy densities, faster charging times, and safer operation, it is essential to understand how lithium ions are transported and distributed in the battery during operation. However, as the third lightest element, methods for quantitatively analyzing lithium during operation of an all-solid-state device are limited such that real-time tracking of lithium transport has not yet been demonstrated. Here, the authors report that the transport of lithium ions in an all-solid-state battery is quantitatively tracked in near real time by utilizing a high-intensity thermal neutron source and lithium-6 as a tracer in a thermal neutron-induced nuclear reaction. Furthermore, the authors show that the lithium-ion migration mechanism and pathway through the solid electrolyte can be determined by in-operando tracking. From these results, the authors suggest that the development of all-solid-state batteries has entered a phase where further advances can be carried out while understanding the transport of lithium ions in the batteries.

Carnitine supplements for people with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Carnitine deficiency is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who require dialysis. Several clinical studies have suggested that carnitine supplementation is beneficial for dialysis-related symptoms. However, the clinical effectiveness and potential adverse effects of carnitine supplementation in dialysis patients have not been determined. OBJECTIVES: This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of carnitine supplementation for the treatment of dialysis-related complications in CKD patients requiring dialysis. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies up to 16 August 2022 through contact with the Information Specialist using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Register (ICTRP) Search Portal and ClinicalTrials.gov. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs (RCTs in which allocation to treatment was obtained by alternation, use of alternate medical records, date of birth, or other predictable methods) that compared carnitine supplements with placebo or standard care in people with CKD requiring dialysis. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently extracted study data and assessed study quality. We used a random-effects model to perform a quantitative synthesis of the data.  We used the I² statistic to measure heterogeneity amongst the studies in each analysis. We indicated summary estimates as a risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes, mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes, or standardised mean differences (SMD) if different scales were used, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed the certainty of the evidence for each of the main outcomes using the GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. MAIN RESULTS: We included 52 studies (47 parallel RCTs and five cross-over RCTs) (3398 randomised participants). All studies compared L-carnitine with a placebo, other treatment, or no treatment. Standard care was continued as co-interventions in each group. Most studies were judged to have an unclear or high risk of bias. L-carnitine may have little or no effect on the quality of life (QoL) SF-36 physical component score (PCS) (4 studies, 134 participants: SMD 0.57, 95% CI -0.15 to 1.28; I² = 73%; low certainty of evidence), and the total QoL score (Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL), VAS (general well-being), or PedsQL) (3 studies, 230 participants: SMD -0.02, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.25; I² = 0%; low certainty of evidence). L-carnitine may improve SF-36 mental component score (MCS) (4 studies, 134 participants: SMD 0.70, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.18; I² = 42%; low certainty of evidence). L-carnitine may have little or no effect on fatigue score (2 studies, 353 participants: SMD 0.01, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.23; I² = 0%; low certainty of evidence), adverse events (12 studies, 1041 participants: RR, 1.14, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.51; I² = 0%; low certainty of evidence), muscle cramps (2 studies, 102 participants: RR, 0.44, 95% CI 0.18 to 1.09; I² = 23%; low certainty of evidence), and intradialytic hypotension (3 studies, 128 participants: RR, 0.76, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.69; I² = 0%; low certainty of evidence). L-carnitine may improve haemoglobin levels (26 studies, 1795 participants: MD 0.46 g/dL, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.74; I² = 86%; low certainty of evidence) and haematocrit values (14 studies, 950 participants: MD 1.78%, 95% CI 0.38 to 3.18; I² = 84%; low certainty of evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence does not currently support the use of carnitine supplementation in the treatment of dialysis-related carnitine deficiency. Although carnitine supplementation may slightly improve anaemia-related markers, carnitine supplementation makes little or no difference to adverse events. However, these conclusions are based on limited data and, therefore, should be interpreted with caution.

Significance of Overactive Bladder as a Predictor of Falls in Community Dwelling Older Adults: 1-Year Followup of the Sukagawa Study.

PURPOSE: Little is known about the fall risk of older adults with overactive bladder, especially in the absence of urgency incontinence. We evaluated the impacts of overactive bladder with and without urgency incontinence (overactive bladder wet and overactive bladder dry) on the fall risk in older adults, and investigated the importance of overactive bladder as a predictor of falls by using tree based models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 630 community dwelling, independent older adults 75 years old or older who attended a health checkup in 2017 with a 1-year followup. The associations of overactive bladder dry and overactive bladder wet with a fall history, and future fall risk compared to no overactive bladder were assessed using logistic regression models. The contribution of overactive bladder as a predictor of falls was examined using a random forest and decision tree approach. RESULTS: Of the 577 analyzed participants (median age 79 years), 273 (47%) were men. The prevalence of overactive bladder dry and overactive bladder wet at baseline was 15% and 14%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that both overactive bladder dry and overactive bladder wet were associated with a higher likelihood of prior falls (adjusted ORs vs no overactive bladder 2.03 and 2.21, respectively; 95% CI 1.23-3.37 and 1.29-3.78, respectively). Among the 363 participants without a fall history, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of overactive bladder dry and overactive bladder wet for the occurrence of falls during the 1-year followup were 2.74 (1.19-6.29) and 1.35 (0.47-3.87), respectively. The tree based approach used for all participants showed that overactive bladder was an important predictor of falls in adults without a fall history, and the model had 83.6% accuracy and 81.8% AUC. CONCLUSIONS: Overactive bladder, even in the absence of urgency incontinence, is an important predictor of falls in older adults with a low absolute fall risk.

Gait speed and overactive bladder in the healthy community-dwelling super elderly: The Sukagawa Study.

AIM: The objective of this study is to assess the association of muscle mass, grip strength, and gait speed with overactive bladder (OAB) in community-dwelling elderly adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on the data collected from 350 Japanese healthy community-dwelling elderly individuals aged 75 years or older from the Sukagawa Study. Muscle mass (kg) was measured by bioelectrical impedance, whereas grip strength (kg) and gait speed (m/s) were measured by performance testing. Muscle mass and grip strength were corrected for body mass index (BMI). The primary outcome was the presence of OAB, evaluated using the OAB symptom score. RESULTS: Of the 314 participants analyzed, 146 (47%) were men and 88 (28%) presented with OAB. The mean (SD) BMI, muscle mass, grip strength, and gait speed were 23.2 (3.2) kg/m 2 , 38.4 (7.5) kg, 26.6 (8.1) kg, and 1.2 (0.2) m/s, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that slower gait speed was associated with a greater likelihood of OAB (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] per -1 SD, 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.95). No significant associations between muscle mass or grip strength and OAB were noted (aOR per -1 SD, 0.75, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.41-1.37, 0.62-1.72, respectively). Slower gait speed was also associated with higher likelihood of urgency and urgency incontinence (aOR per -1 SD, 1.35, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.04-1.74, 1.06-1.84, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the healthy community-dwelling elderly, gait speed was associated with OAB, including urgency and urgency incontinence. Our findings may provide a new framework for OAB management with respect to functional mobility.

Operando Nanomechanical Mapping of Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Electrodes in All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Battery Configuration during Electrochemical Lithiation and Delithiation.

An operando bimodal atomic force microscopy system was constructed to perform nanomechanical mapping of an amorphous Si thin film electrode deposited on a Li6.6La3Zr1.6Ta0.4O12 solid electrolyte sheet during electrochemical lithiation/delithiation. The evolution of Young's modulus maps of the Si electrode was successfully tracked as a function of apparent Li content x in lithium silicide (LixSi) simultaneously with real-time surface topography observation. At the initial stage of lithiation, the average modulus steeply decreased due to the generation of LixSi from intrinsic Si, followed by a moderate modulus reduction until the electrode capacity reached 3300 mAh g-1 (Li content x = 3.46). In the following delithiation, the gradual recovery of the average modulus of LixSi was observed up to 1467 mAh g-1 (Li content x = 1.54) at which delithiation stopped due to the significant volume change induced by phase transformation of LixSi.

Origin of O2 Generation in Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Batteries and its Impact on High Energy Density.

The cathode surface of sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries (SBs) is commonly coated with amorphous-LiNbO3 in order to stabilize charge-discharge reactions. However, high-voltage charging diminishes the advantages, which is caused by problems with the amorphous-LiNbO3 coating layer. This study has investigated the degradation of amorphous-LiNbO3 coating layer directly during the high-voltage charging of SBs. O2 generation via Li extraction from the amorphous-LiNbO3 coating layer is observed using electrochemical gas analysis and electrochemical X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This O2 leads to the formation of an oxidative solid electrolyte (SE) around the coating layer and degrades the battery performance. On the other hand, elemental substitution (i.e., amorphous-LiNbxP1- xO3) reduces O2 release, leading to stable high-voltage charge-discharge reactions of SBs. The results have emphasized that the suppression of O2 generation is a key factor in improving the energy density of SBs.

Risk of cardiovascular disease associated with repeated proteinuria across annual kidney function screening among the middle-aged and older general population in Japan: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the association between repetitive proteinuria and cardiovascular events among the middle-aged and older general Japanese population. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: We used repeated health screening results and medical claim data from one of the largest health insurers in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Among the middle-aged and older participants (40-74 years, n=179 840), 90 752 were excluded for undergoing health screening fewer than two times and 344 were excluded for having a history of cardiovascular diseases; 88 744 who underwent kidney function screenings at least two times (from April 2011 to March 2015) were included in the analysis. Based on dipstick proteinuria test results, the participants were divided into 'Repetitively-positive' (positive two times or more (positive proteinuria was defined as≥1+)), 'Once-positive' and 'All-negative' groups. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome of major cardiovascular events from baseline screening to June 2021 was hospitalisation or death due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cerebrovascular diseases, heart failure (HF) or peripheral vascular diseases (PVDs). The association between proteinuria and major cardiovascular events was assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Of the 88 744 participants, 8775 (9.9%) and 5498 (6.2%) had Once-positive and Repetitively-positive proteinuria, respectively. During the follow-up period of 402 799 person-years (median 5.25 years), 660 cardiovascular events were observed, with an incidence of 1.64 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 1.52 to 1.77). Despite adjusting for major cardiovascular risk factors, we observed a high incidence of cardiovascular events in the Repetitively-positive (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.67 to 2.59) and Once-positive groups (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.72). We found similar associations for AMI, cerebrovascular disease, HF and PVD. CONCLUSIONS: Proteinuria is often repeatedly detected during annual renal screening in the general population. Repetitive proteinuria is a risk factor for major cardiovascular events.

Social Isolation/Loneliness and Tooth Loss in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Sukagawa Study.

Background and Objectives: The relationship between social isolation/loneliness and oral health is unclear. This study investigated the association between social isolation/loneliness and tooth loss in older Japanese adults. Research Design and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a population-based cohort (the Sukagawa Study); 5,490 cohort study participants aged ≥75 years and who were independent answered a self-administered questionnaire in 2018. Social isolation was defined based on the 6-item Japanese version of the Lubben Social Network Scale. Loneliness was measured by the 3-item Japanese version of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale version 3. The primary outcome was tooth loss, defined as having fewer than 20 teeth. The secondary outcomes were decreased toothbrushing frequency and diminished ability to chew food. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were estimated using a modified Poisson regression analysis in 2 models-Model 1, which adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, alcohol consumption, low annual income, and short education period, and Model 2, which added history of depression, history of diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, and cognitive impairment to Model 1. Results: The primary analysis included 4,645 participants. Adjusted PRs of social isolation and loneliness for tooth loss (Model 1) were 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92-1.01) and 1.06 (95% CI 1.01-1.12), respectively; those for decreased toothbrushing frequency were 1.13 (95% CI 0.95-1.36) and 1.56 (95% CI 1.26-1.92), respectively; and those for chewing difficulty were 1.61 (95% CI 1.06-2.43) and 2.94 (95% CI 1.91-4.53), respectively. The adjusted PRs in Model 2 demonstrated results similar to that of Model 1. Discussion and Implications: Loneliness is associated with tooth loss among older adults, whereas social isolation is not. Our findings can inform plans for policymakers, professionals, and organizations to identify lonely older adults and provide social prescriptions to improve their access to oral health care services.

Effects of sevelamer hydrochloride on mortality, lipid abnormality and arterial stiffness in hemodialyzed patients: a propensity-matched observational study.

BACKGROUND: Cause-and-effect associations between sevelamer hydrochloride (HCl) and mortality have yet to be clarified. The effects of sevelamer HCl on mortality, lipid abnormality and arterial stiffness were examined in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5D. METHODS: The effects of sevelamer HCl were studied by a single-center cohort study that was conducted from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2008 (n = 483). By the end of the study, 172 patients (Sevelamer group) had succeeded in continuing sevelamer HCl for >6 months (median 37 months), and 300 patients (Control group) had received calcium carbonate (n = 264) or no phosphate binder (n = 36). The mortality and other outcomes were compared between these two groups after matching by a propensity score calculated using age, gender, diabetes prevalence, and dialysis vintage. RESULTS: All-cause [hazard ratio (HR) 0.4, P = 0.02] and cardiovascular (CV)-cause [HR 0.29, P = 0.03] cumulative mortality were significantly lower in the matched Sevelamer group than in the matched Control group. The matched Sevelamer group showed increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.003) and no change in pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI), whereas the matched Control group showed increased serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P = 0.003), increased PWV (P = 0.03), and decreased ABI (P = 0.0009). Change in serum LDL cholesterol level correlated inversely with sevelamer HCl dosage (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced mortality in patients with sevelamer HCl may, at least in part, be explained by an improvement in dyslipidemia and arterial stiffness by sevelamer HCl.

Sputter-Deposited Amorphous Li3PO4 Solid Electrolyte Films.

This paper reports the thin-film synthesis of Li3PO4 solid electrolytes by RF magnetron sputtering. A relatively high ionic conductivity of more than 1 × 10-6 S cm-1 is achieved. It is revealed that the crystallization of Li3PO4 impedes ionic conduction, and a moderate amount of O2 addition to Ar suppresses the crystallization and guarantees long-term deposition. Another important finding in this study is that when Li3PO4 is deposited on a LiCoO2 film to construct a thin-film battery, the LiCoO2 film can be damaged depending on the substrate bias potential relative to the cathode potential propagated through the sputtering plasma. Active control of the bias potential to avoid the damage realizes negligible interface resistance in the thin-film battery.

Electrochemical Lithiation and Delithiation in Amorphous Si Thin Film Electrodes Studied by Operando X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

The electrochemical lithiation/delithiation in amorphous Si thin film electrodes deposited on a L6.6La3Zr1.6Ta0.4O12 are dynamically analyzed by operando X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the initial lithiation, the Si 2p peak corresponding to bulk Si0 significantly shifts to a lower binding energy due to the formation of LixSi and then monotonically with increasing capacity, i.e., the Li content x in LixSi. When the lithiation stops at capacity of 2200 mAh g-1 (x = ∼2.3), the peak recovers monotonically to a higher binding energy throughout the successive delithiation. When Li is inserted into LixSi up to 3400 mAh g-1 (x = 3.5), however, the peak drastically shifts in the capacity range of 1520-1920 mAh g-1 (x = 1.6-2.0) in the successive delithiation. This shift is attributed to the phase transition of crystalline Li15Si4 formed in the preceding lithiation to the amorphous phase. The mechanism of initial lithiation/delithiation at each step is summarized on the basis of the state of charge, Li content x in LixSi, and positions of XPS peaks.

Electronic properties of lithium-ion conductive amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride.

The valence band maxima of Li+ conductive amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) electrolyte depend on the chemical bonding states, and isolated nonbonding oxygen raises them. In contrast, the conduction band minima of the LiPON are independent of the composition and the values are less than the work function of Li.

In Situ Observation of Lithiation and Delithiation Reactions of a Silicon Thin Film Electrode for All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is applied to electrochemical lithiation/delithiation processes of an amorphous Si electrode sputter-deposited on a Li6.6La3Zr1.6Ta0.4O12 solid electrolyte. After the first lithiation, a broad Li peak appears at the Si surface, and peaks corresponding to bulk Si and Si suboxide significantly shift to lower binding energy. The appearance of the Li peak and shift of the Si peaks confirm the formation of lithium-silicide and lithium-silicates due to the lithiation of Si and native suboxide. The composition of lithium-silicide is estimated to be Li3.44Si by quantitative analysis of electrochemical response and photoelectron spectra. Peak fitting analysis shows the formation of Li2O and Li2CO3 due to side reactions. Upon the following delithiation, the peak corresponding to Li3.44Si phase shifts back to higher binding energy to form Li0.15Si phase, while lithium-silicates, Li2O, and Li2CO3 remained as irreversible species. Thus, electrochemical reactions accompanied with lithiation/delithiation processes are successfully observed.

Low Predialysis Plasma Calculated Osmolality Is Associated with Higher All-Cause Mortality: The Japanese Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (J-DOPPS).

INTRODUCTION: Patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) have higher predialysis plasma osmolality. Several studies have suggested lower osmolality to be associated with worse outcomes in patients not undergoing HD. However, no studies have examined the association between osmolality and mortality among patients undergoing HD. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the association between predialysis plasma calculated osmolality and all-cause mortality. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 1,240 patients undergoing HD participating in the Japanese Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study phase 5 (2012-2015). The exposure was predialysis plasma osmolality, calculated as 2 × (serum sodium concentration [mmol/L]) + (serum urea nitrogen [mg/dL])/2.8 + (serum glucose [mg/dL])/18. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was the change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) during HD. We used a marginal structural model with stabilized weights to estimate the association between calculated osmolality and all-cause mortality in the presence of time-varying confounders affected by prior exposure. RESULTS: Mean baseline plasma calculated osmolality was 306.8 ± 8.6 mOsm/kg. Low predialysis calculated osmolality was associated with higher mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30-1.78 by each 10 mOsm/L lower osmolality). The association was consistent across clinically relevant subgroups. Predialysis osmolality was significantly associated with intradialytic SBP change (mean difference 0.96 [95% CI: 0.05-1.88] mm Hg per each 10 mOsm/L lower osmolality). CONCLUSIONS: Low predialysis calculated osmolality was an independent risk factor of all-cause mortality.

Postdialysis Hypokalemia and All-Cause Mortality in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Almost half of patients on dialysis demonstrate a postdialysis serum potassium ≤3.5 mEq/L. We aimed to examine the relationship between postdialysis potassium levels and all-cause mortality. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS, & MEASUREMENTS: We conducted a cohort study of 3967 participants on maintenance hemodialysis from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study in Japan (2009-2012 and 2012-2015). Postdialysis serum potassium was measured repeatedly at 4-month intervals and used as a time-varying variable. We estimated the hazard ratio of all-cause mortality rate using Cox hazard regression models, with and without adjusting for time-varying predialysis serum potassium. Models were adjusted for baseline characteristics and time-varying laboratory parameters. We also analyzed associations of combinations of pre- and postdialysis potassium with mortality. RESULTS: The age of participants at baseline was 65±12 years (mean±SD), 2552 (64%) were men, and 96% were treated with a dialysate potassium level of 2.0 to <2.5 mEq/L. The median follow-up period was 2.6 (interquartile range, 1.3-2.8) years. During the follow-up period, 562 (14%) of 3967 participants died, and the overall mortality rate was 6.7 per 100 person-years. Compared with postdialysis potassium of 3.0 to <3.5 mEq/L, the hazard ratios of postdialysis hypokalemia (<3.0 mEq/L) were 1.84 (95% confidence interval, 1.44 to 2.34) in the unadjusted model, 1.44 (95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 1.82) in the model without adjusting for predialysis serum potassium, and 1.10 (95% confidence interval, 0.84 to 1.44) in the model adjusted for predialysis serum potassium. The combination of pre- and postdialysis hypokalemia was associated with the highest mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.35 to 2.19, reference; pre- and postdialysis nonhypokalemia). CONCLUSIONS: Postdialysis hypokalemia was associated with mortality, but this association was not independent of predialysis potassium.

Two-dimensional Gaussian fitting for precise measurement of lattice constant deviation from a selected-area diffraction map.

Unlike X-ray diffraction or Raman techniques, which suffer from low spatial resolution, transmission electron microscopy can be used to obtain strain maps of nanoscaled materials and devices. Convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) and nanobeam electron diffraction (NBED) techniques detect the deviation of a lattice constant (i.e. an indicator of strain) within 0.01%; however, their use is restricted to beam-insensitive samples. Selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) does not have such limitations but has low spatial resolution and precision. The use of a spherical aberration corrector and a nanosized selected-area aperture improves the spatial resolution, but the precision is still low. In this study, a two-dimensional stage-scanning system is used to acquire arrays of diffraction patterns at different positions of the sample under fixed beam conditions. Data processing with iterative nonlinear least-squares fitting enabled the spot displacement for each point of the scan area to be measured with precision comparable to that of the CBED or NBED technique. The precise strain determination, in combination with the simplicity of the measurement process, makes the nanosized SAED technique competitive with other methods for strain mapping at nanoscale dimensions.

High Electron Mobility of Nb-Doped SrTiO3 Films Stemming from Rod-Type Sr Vacancy Clusters.

Achieving high electron mobility in SrTiO3 films is of significant interest, particularly in relation to technological applications such as oxide semiconductors, field-induced superconductors, and thermoelectric generators. One route to achieving high electron mobility is growth of high quality SrTiO3 films with low defect concentrations. Another approach for mobility enhancement is applying a strain to the crystal. However, the maximum mobilities obtainable by these approaches are limited both by external and internal factors (currently available fabrication techniques, and maximum crystal strain, for example). In this paper, we demonstrate a unique crystal engineering approach to alter the strain in Nb-doped SrTiO3 films based on the deliberate introduction of Sr vacancy clusters. Nb-doped SrTiO3 films produced in this manner are found to exhibit remarkably enhanced electron mobilities (exceeding 53,000 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)). This method of defect engineering is expected to enable tuning and enhancement of electron mobilities not only in SrTiO3 films, but also in thin films and bulk crystals of other perovskite-type materials.

Water-soluble fullerene materials for bioapplications: photoinduced reactive oxygen species generation.

The photoinduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation from several water-soluble fullerenes was examined. Macromolecular or small molecular water-soluble fullerene complexes/derivatives were prepared and their (1)O(2) and O(2)˙(-) generation abilities were evaluated by ESR spin-trapping methods. As a result, efficient (1)O(2) generation was detected from photoexcited C(60), not only in organic solvents, but also in aqueous media and especially from small molecule C(60)-carboxylic acid derivatives. Whereas efficient O(2)˙(-) generation was observed in the aqueous solution of the C(60)/γ-CD complex under photoirradiation.

Multicenter study on the long-term (3-year) efficacy of lanthanum carbonate in dialysis patients.

We previously conducted a multicenter study enrolling 101 dialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia in which lanthanum carbonate (LC) was administered for 2 years. In this study, the administration has been continued for an additional year, and we have evaluated the long-term (a total of 3 years) effects of LC. The average serum phosphorus (P) level was 6.05 mg/dL at the start and decreased to 5.84 mg/dL after 3 years, but no significant differences were observed at both points. The average serum corrected calcium (Ca) level significantly reduced after 3 years (P < 0.001). As results of evaluating the achievement rates with the management target values of serum P, Ca and intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) stated in the Japanese guideline, the achievement rates increased after 3 years. From these results, LC is considered to be a useful P binder that can be used for long-term treatment of hyperphosphatemia, without causing a Ca load.