First Observation of Λπ

Using the data sample of 980 fb^{-1} collected with the Belle detector operating at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider, we present the results of an investigation of the Λπ^{+} and Λπ^{-} invariant mass distributions looking for substructure in the decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Λπ^{+}π^{+}π^{-}. We find a significant signal in each mass distribution. When interpreted as resonances, we find for the Λπ^{+} (Λπ^{-}) combination a mass of 1434.3±0.6(stat)±0.9(syst) MeV/c^{2} [1438.5±0.9(stat)±2.5(syst) MeV/c^{2}], an intrinsic width of 11.5±2.8(stat)±5.3(syst) MeV/c^{2} [33.0±7.5(stat)±23.6(syst) MeV/c^{2}] with a significance of 7.5σ (6.2σ). As these two signals are very close to the K[over ¯]N threshold, we also investigate the possibility of a K[over ¯]N cusp, and find that we cannot discriminate between these two interpretations due to the limited size of the data sample.

Non-invasive transcriptomic analysis using mRNAs in skin surface lipids obtained from children with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Specimens for analysing the molecular pathology of skin disease are generally obtained through invasive methods, such as biopsy. However, less burdensome methods are desirable for paediatric patients. We recently established a method that comprehensively analyses RNA present in sebum (skin surface lipid-RNAs: SSL-RNAs) using a next-generation sequencer. Using this method, biological information can be obtained from the skin in a completely non-invasive manner. OBJECTIVES: To verify the applicability of the SSL-RNA method for analysis of paediatric skin and analyse the molecular pathology of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in children. METHODS: We collected sebum specimens from the whole faces of 23 healthy children and 16 children with mild-to-moderate AD (eczema area and severity index (EASI) score: 5.9 ± 2.6) ranging in age from 6 months to 5 years, using an oil-blotting film. We then extracted SSL-RNAs from the samples and performed an AmpliSeq transcriptomic analysis. RESULTS: The expressions of genes related to keratinization (LCE, PSORS1C2, IVL and KRT17), triglyceride synthesis and storage (PLIN2, DGAT2 and CIDEA), wax synthesis (FAR2), ceramide synthesis (GBA2, SMPD3 and SPTLC3), antimicrobial peptides (DEFB1) and intercellular adhesion (CDSN), all of which are related to the skin barrier, are lower in children with AD than in healthy children. The children with AD also have higher expression of CCL17, a Th2-cytokine and an increased Th2-immune response as demonstrated by a gene set variation analysis. Moreover, KRT17 and CCL17 expression levels are significantly correlated with the EASI score. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular changes associated with abnormal immune responses and the epidermal barrier in children with mild-to-moderate AD can be determined using the SSL-RNA method. This non-invasive method could therefore be a useful means for understanding the molecular pathology of paediatric AD.

Transverse Single-Spin Asymmetry for Very Forward Neutral Pion Production in Polarized p+p Collisions at sqrt[s]=510 GeV.

Transverse single-spin asymmetries of very forward neutral pions generated in polarized p+p collisions allow us to understand the production mechanism in terms of perturbative and nonperturbative strong interactions. During 2017, the RHICf Collaboration installed an electromagnetic calorimeter in the zero-degree region of the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and measured neutral pions produced at pseudorapidity larger than 6 in polarized p+p collisions at sqrt[s]=510 GeV. The large nonzero asymmetries increasing both in longitudinal momentum fraction x_{F} and transverse momentum p_{T} have been observed at low transverse momentum p_{T}<1 GeV/c for the first time, at this collision energy. The asymmetries show an approximate x_{F} scaling in the p_{T} region where nonperturbative processes are expected to dominate. A non-negligible contribution from soft processes may be necessary to explain the nonzero neutral pion asymmetries.

First Determination of the Level Structure of an sd-Shell Hypernucleus, _{Λ}

We report on the first observation of γ rays emitted from an sd-shell hypernucleus, _{Λ}^{19}F. The energy spacing between the ground state doublet, 1/2^{+} and 3/2^{+} states, of _{Λ}^{19}F is determined to be 315.5±0.4(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.6}(syst) keV by measuring the γ-ray energy of the M1(3/2^{+}→1/2^{+}) transition. In addition, three γ-ray peaks are observed and assigned as E2(5/2^{+}→1/2^{+}), E1(1/2^{-}→1/2^{+}), and E1(1/2^{-}→3/2^{+}) transitions. The excitation energies of the 5/2^{+} and 1/2^{-} states are determined to be 895.2±0.3(stat)±0.5(syst) and 1265.6±1.2(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.7}(syst) keV, respectively. It is found that the ground state doublet spacing is well described by theoretical models based on existing s- and p-shell hypernuclear data.

First Observation of the Doubly Cabibbo-Suppressed Decay of a Charmed Baryon: Λ_{c}

We report the first observation of the decay Λ_{c}^{+}→pK^{+}π^{-} using a 980 fb^{-1} data sample collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. This is the first observation of a doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decay of a charmed baryon. We measure the branching ratio of this decay with respect to its Cabibbo-favored counterpart to be B(Λ_{c}^{+}→pK^{+}π^{-})/B(Λ_{c}^{+}→pK^{-}π^{+})=(2.35±0.27±0.21)×10^{-3}, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.

Observation of Spin-Dependent Charge Symmetry Breaking in ΛN Interaction: Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy of _{Λ}

The energy spacing between the spin-doublet bound state of _{Λ}^{4}He(1^{+},0^{+}) was determined to be 1406±2±2 keV, by measuring γ rays for the 1^{+}→0^{+} transition with a high efficiency germanium detector array in coincidence with the ^{4}He(K^{-},π^{-})_{Λ}^{4}He reaction at J-PARC. In comparison to the corresponding energy spacing in the mirror hypernucleus _{Λ}^{4}H, the present result clearly indicates the existence of charge symmetry breaking (CSB) in ΛN interaction. By combining the energy spacings with the known ground-state binding energies, it is also found that the CSB effect is large in the 0^{+} ground state but is vanishingly small in the 1^{+} excited state, demonstrating that the ΛN CSB interaction has spin dependence.

Three-body nonmesonic weak decay of the (Lambda)12C hypernucleus.

We have measured the branching ratio of the three-body process in the nonmesonic weak decay of Lambda12C to be 0.29+/-0.13. This result was obtained by reproducing the nucleon and the nucleon pair yields introducing a measured final state interaction. At the same time, we have determined the absolute decay widths, Gamma(n) and Gamma(p), along with Gamma2N, whose relative ratio has been a long-standing puzzle. Including the three-body process, we have successfully reproduced the nucleon energy distribution, the coincidence two-nucleon angular correlation, and the momentum sum distribution simultaneously.

Carboplatin chemotherapy in a pregnant patient with undifferentiated ovarian carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

There are already 12 reports of women treated by chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer during pregnancy. However, most cases received chemotherapy of single cisplatin or cisplatin-based regime, and only four cases received carboplatin-containing chemotherapy. We report the case of a woman treated with single-agent carboplatin during pregnancy. The patient underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at 18 weeks of gestation and was diagnosed as having stage IC undifferentiated ovarian carcinoma. She was treated with four courses of carboplatin (area under the curve = 6.0) chemotherapy during pregnancy without severe toxicity. At 33 weeks of gestation, cesarean section was performed, followed by total hysterectomy, omentectomy, and pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. No residual disease was histologically shown. The patient underwent additional chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel. After one year of follow-up, the baby shows normal growth and the patient has no evidence of disease. Postponing the termination of pregnancy by single-agent carboplatin chemotherapy during pregnancy might be considered as an option for therapy in selected women with ovarian malignancies.

What is the best method of detecting endometrial cancer in outpatients?-endometrial sampling, suction curettage, endometrial cytology.

OBJECTIVE: Office methods of endometrial sampling for outpatients with abnormal uterine bleeding should be minimally invasive. The purpose of this study was to determine the best method for detecting endometrial cancer in an outpatients setting. METHODS: In all, 114 symptomatic women who were suspected of having endometrial disease by their local gynaecologist were enrolled in this study. After pelvic examination and transvaginal ultrasonography, endometrial cytology, suction endometrial curettage, and four-site endometrial biopsy were performed, in this order without anaesthesia in each patient. After endometrial sampling, the patient was asked to comment on the intensity of any pain experienced during each procedure. Then the final histological diagnosis made from the surgical materials was compared with the results of the three pre-operative methods. RESULTS: Among the 114 consecutive patients, 56 had endometrial carcinoma, three had carcinosarcoma, six had endometrial hyperplasia, and 49 had benign conditions. The sensitivity of detecting malignancy was 88% (52/59) with endometrial cytology, 92% (54/59) with suction curettage, and 88% (52/59) with four-site biopsy. When endometrial cytology was combined with suction curettage, the sensitivity of detecting malignancy was increased from 92% to 98%, whereas the sensitivity was increased from 88% to 97%, when endometrial cytology was added to four-site biopsy. Suction curettage was significantly less painful than four-site biopsy. CONCLUSION: Our data indicated that suction curettage plus endometrial cytology was the best combination for pathological examination of outpatients with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Exclusive measurement of the nonmesonic weak decay of the lambda(5)He hypernucleus.

We performed a coincidence measurement of two nucleons emitted from the nonmesonic weak decay of lambda(5)He formed via the 6Li(pi+, K+) reaction. The energies of the two nucleons and the pair number distributions in the opening angle between them were measured. In both np and nn pairs, we observed a clean back-to-back correlation coming from the two-body weak reactions of lambda p --> np and lambda n --> nn, respectively. The ratio of the nucleon pair numbers was N(nn)/N(np) = 0.45 +/- 0.11(stat) +/- 0.03(syst) in the kinematic region of cos theta(NN) < -0.8. Since each decay mode was exclusively detected, the measured ratio should be close to the ratio of gamma(lambda p --> np)/gamma(lambda n --> nn). The ratio is consistent with recent theoretical calculations based on the heavy meson and/or direct-quark exchange picture.

Production of the neutron-rich hypernucleus 10LambdaLi in the (pi-,K+) double charge-exchange reaction.

In order to produce a neutron-rich Lambda hypernucleus for the first time, we carried out an experiment by utilizing the (pi-,K+) double charge-exchange reaction on a 10B target. We observed the production of a 10LambdaLi hypernucleus. The cross section for the Lambda bound region was found to be 11.3+/-1.9 nb/sr with the 1.2 GeV/c incident momentum, which is compared with the 10LambdaB hypernucleus production cross section, 7.8+/-0.3 microb/sr, in the (pi+,K+) reaction with a 1.05 GeV/c incident momentum beam.

[Treated case with horizontally impacted mandibular first molar caused by submerged primary molar].

A case is here presented in which mandibular first molar was horizontally impacted under the submerged primary molar. The patient was an 8 year-old-boy referred from a general dentist through the Department of Pedodontics in this hospital, whose chief complaint was a horizontally impacted mandibular first molar. Skeletally, diagnosis revealed an Angle Class II Division 2 malocclusion. The impacted first molar was uprighted with a lingual arch and a utility arch following the extraction of the submerged primary molar. The submerged primary molar was probably ankylosed causing a locking of the first molar which rotated as the root formed. The result of rotation during forming twisted the roots of the first molar, which will make root canal treatment difficult if the pulp is infected in the future. It may concluded that dental arches should be carefully observed even in the deciduous dentition.

[Orthodontic treatment of adults with periodontal disease].

Orthodontic treatment has diversified in recent years along with progress in other dental specialties. Adult orthodontic treatment has become more popular as patients appreciate the need for a higher level of oral health accompanied with progress in orthodontic objectives and treatment methods. At the same time, patients with periodontal disease in number every year. Recently, two adult females with periodontal disease, one with crowding (20 y 1 m at her initial visit) and the other with bimaxillary protrusion (34 y 9 m at her initial visit), obtained good occlusion and periodontal health through orthodontic treatment. As a result of free mandibular movement by applied mild orthodontic forces and balanced occlusion, infrabony defects improved to achieve a higher level of the alveolar crest.

[Production and inhibition of eosinophil colony stimulating factor by lymphocytes from patients with bronchial asthma].

To clarify the mechanism of the eosinophilia in patients with bronchial asthma (BA), we examined the production and inhibition of eosinophil colony stimulating factor (Eo-CSF) of mononuclear cells (MNC) and lymphocytes from BA. After bone marrow cells from normal volunteers (NA) were incubated with culture media of MNC or lymphocytes cultured in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2, 1 U/ml) or Dermatophagoides farinae (10 micrograms/ml, Df), the number of eosinophils was increased and GM-CSF production was increased after 5 days of culture. Interleukin 5 (IL-5) production was increased in some cases of BA, but did not differ between BA and NA delete. When MNC were incubated in the presence of IL-2 and interleukin 4 (IL-4), neither eosinophilia nor GM-CSF production occurred. These results suggest first that MNC and T cells in BA have increased responsiveness to IL-2 and Df, second that increased GM-CSF production partly causes eosinophilia, and third that IL-4 inhibited IL-2-induced eosinophil proliferation by inhibition of GM-CSF production.

Mechanical stress as a stimulant to the production of osteocalcin in osteoblast-like cells.

When mechanical stress is applied, osteoblasts have shown to produce bone turnover stimulating hormones and enzymes like prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclic AMP, alkaline phosphatase, and collagenase. Osteocalcin (bone Gla protein) is also a protein produced by osteoblasts to control bone metabolism. Thus, its production may also be stimulated by mechanical stress. The purpose of this investigation was to test if mechanical stress stimulates osteoblast-like cells to produce osteocalcin in vitro. The results suggest that osteocalcin production is stimulated at the initial stage of the culture by cyclic tension and relaxation force, and secretion may decrease with time.

The lactic acid and citric acid content in the gingival fluid of orthodontic patients.

Alveolar bone turnover has two phases: bone resorption and formation. Bone resorption entails both mineral removal and collagenolysis. A pH decrease over the local bone surface is required for mineral removal. Both lactic acid and citric acid has been suggested as the acids which remove crystals. During the orthodontic movement of teeth, a process of overall bone resorption occurs during displacement, whereas at the retention stage this process needs to be stopped in order to stabilize the alveolar bone. Thus, lactic acid and citric acid may be valid parameters of bone resorption intensity. The purpose of this investigation is firstly to test if these acids can be detected in gingival fluid around the moving teeth, and secondly to find if any changes occur before, during and after orthodontic tooth movement. The results indicate that these acids can be good parameters which show how favorably tooth movement is proceeding. They also show how stable the teeth are when orthodontic force is stopped to apply.

[Chronic trismus in the severe skeletal Class III cases].

In general, patients who have trismus as chief complaint often have acute symptoms, but limited number of these patients have chronic trismus. We studied 51 patients (mean age; 18y 4n) with severe skeletal class III (less than ANB less than or equal to O), who need surgical treatment. Three types were classified according to the movement of the mandibular head at the maximum mouth opening at their first visit. A-type; the mandibular head hardly move. B-type; it dose not move beyond articular eminence. C-type; it moves beyond articular eminence. These classifications were applied to the both sides of the mandibular head in the 51 patients to divide into 5 types (Type AA, Type AB, Type BB, Type BC, Type CC). Those patients were analyzed according to these five types. The results obtained were as follows; 1) Seventy-three percent of all the cases were female in this study. Sixty-five percent of both the sexes had chronic trismus without having subjective symptoms on the mandibular joints in their daily lives. Type AA, AB, BB, and BC accounted for 12%, 6%, 31%, and 16% respectively. 2) There were fewer contacts in the upper posterior antagonist teeth in AA and AB; particularly at 5. In all the cases of Type CC, contacts with the antagonist tooth 5 were seen. 3) As a conclusion, movement of the mandibular head in the patients with trismus are found to have a characteristic limitation at the maximum mouth opening and the stress points in the occlusal contacts at the centric occlusion to be the posterior area.

Physiological investigation of automobile driver's activation index using simulated monotonous driving.

Monotonous automobile operation in our daily life may cause the lowering of what might be termed an activation state of the human body, resulting in an increased risk of an accident. We therefore propose to create a more suitable environment in-car so as to allow active operation of the vehicle, hopefully thus avoiding potentially dangerous situations during driving. In order to develop such an activation method as a final goal, we have firstly focused on the acquisition of physiological variables, including cardiovascular parameters, during presentation to the driver of a monotonous screen image, simulating autonomous travel of constant-speed on a motorway. Subsequently, we investigated the derivation of a driver's activation index. During the screen image presentation, a momentary electrical stimulation of about 1 second duration was involuntarily applied to a subject's shoulder to obtain a physiological response. We have successfully monitored various physiological variables during the image presentation, and results suggest that a peculiar pattern in the beat-by-beat change of blood pressure in response to the involuntary stimulus may be an appropriate, and feasible, index relevant to activation state.

Some considerations about maintenance of the mandibular position for adult patient with TMJ disorder.

The patient was twenty-three year old female with TMJ disorder and crowding. She had often had a clicking sound caused probably by malocclusion since she was eighteen years of age. Limitation of mouth opening with TMJ locking has been occurring since she had an impacted right lower third molar extracted at nineteen. A stabilization splint was applied for better mandibular position to rectify the TMJ disorder. The clinical symptom was relieved one month later, so the malocclusion was treated with a multi-bracket appliance. Since cross bite in [formula: see text] was corrected in a year and three months, symptoms of the TMJ disorder disappeared and this condition has remained stable for the past year. A stabilization retainer worn at night was considered necessary to prevent a relapse of the dentition and mandibular position, and to keep the masticatory muscles relaxed. For the purpose of stabilizing the TMJ condition and occlusion, the patient was taught unilateral mastication in order to diminish the difference between sides in chewing force, because only one side had been habitually used for a long time. It is suggested that such an alternative chewing habit will improve functional stability following the structural correction.