Efficacy and Safety of Transitioning to Lemborexant from Z-drug, Suvorexant, and Ramelteon in Japanese Insomnia Patients: An Open-label, Multicenter Study.

INTRODUCTION: For patients with chronic insomnia, conventional therapy may not always provide satisfactory efficacy and safety. Thus, switching to an alternative therapeutic agent can be explored. However, there is a lack of prospective studies evaluating the effectiveness of such changes. This prospective, non-randomized, open-label, interventional, multicenter study assessed whether Japanese patients with chronic insomnia dissatisfied with treatment could transition directly to lemborexant (LEM) from four cohorts-non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic (zolpidem, zopiclone, or eszopiclone) monotherapy, dual orexin receptor antagonist (suvorexant) monotherapy, suvorexant + benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs), and melatonin receptor agonist (ramelteon) combination. We evaluated whether transitioning to LEM improved patient satisfaction based on efficacy and safety. METHODS: The primary endpoint was the proportion of successful transitions to LEM at 2 weeks (titration phase end), defined as the proportion of patients on LEM by the end of the 2-week titration phase who were willing to continue on LEM during the maintenance phase (Weeks 2-14). Patient satisfaction and safety (the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events [TEAEs]) were assessed at 14 weeks (end of titration and maintenance phases). RESULTS: Among the 90 patients enrolled, 95.6% (95% confidence interval: 89.0-98.8%) successfully transitioned to LEM at 2 weeks. The proportions of patients who successfully continued on LEM were 97.8% and 82.2% at the end of the titration and maintenance phases (Weeks 2 and 14), respectively. The overall incidence of TEAEs was 47.8%; no serious TEAEs occurred. In all cohorts, the proportions of patients with positive responses were higher than the proportions with negative responses on the three scales of the Patient Global Impression-Insomnia version. During the maintenance phase, Insomnia Severity Index scores generally improved at Weeks 2, 6, and 14 of LEM transition. CONCLUSIONS: Direct transition to LEM may be a valid treatment option for patients with insomnia who are dissatisfied with current treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04742699.

Structural Basis for Binding of Potassium-Competitive Acid Blockers to the Gastric Proton Pump.

As specific inhibitors of the gastric proton pump, responsible for gastric acidification, K+-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs) have recently been utilized in the clinical treatment of gastric acid-related diseases in Asia. However, as these compounds have been developed based on phenotypic screening, their detailed binding poses are unknown. We show crystal and cryo-EM structures of the gastric proton pump in complex with four different P-CABs, tegoprazan, soraprazan, PF-03716556 and revaprazan, at resolutions reaching 2.8 Å. The structures describe molecular details of their interactions and are supported by functional analyses of mutations and molecular dynamics simulations. We reveal that revaprazan has a novel binding mode in which its tetrahydroisoquinoline moiety binds deep in the cation transport conduit. The mechanism of action of these P-CABs can now be evaluated at the molecular level, which will facilitate the rational development and improvement of currently available P-CABs to provide better treatment of acid-related gastrointestinal diseases.

Metabolic-Syndrome-Related Comorbidities in Narcolepsy Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study in Japan.

Narcolepsy types 1 (NT1) and 2 (NT2) and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) are thought to be a disease continuum known as narcolepsy spectrum disorders (NSDs). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with metabolic-syndrome-related disorders (MRDs) among patients with NSD. Japanese patients with NSD (NT1, n = 94; NT2, n = 83; and IH, n = 57) aged ≥35 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. MRD was defined as having at least one of the following conditions: hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. Demographic variables and MRD incidence were compared among patients in the respective NSD categories. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the factors associated with MRDs. Patients with NT1 had a higher body mass index (BMI) and incidence of MRD than that had by those with NT2 or IH. Age, BMI, and the presence of OSA were significantly associated with the incidence of MRD in NSDs. Age and BMI in NT1, BMI and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1*06:02 positivity in NT2, and only age in IH were factors associated with the incidence of MRD. Obesity should be carefully monitored in narcolepsy; however, NT2 with HLA-DQB1*06:02 positive should be followed up for the development of MRD even without obesity.

Efficacy and safety of lemborexant over 12 months in Asian adults with insomnia disorder.

Study objectives: Lemborexant (LEM) is a dual orexin receptor antagonist approved for treating adults with insomnia. We analyzed the efficacy (subjective sleep outcomes) and safety of LEM over 12 months in the subgroup of Asian subjects from Study E2006-G000-303 (Study 303). Methods: Study 303 was a 12-month, randomized, placebo-controlled (first 6 months), double-blind, parallel-group, phase 3 study of adults with insomnia disorder. During the 6-month Period 1, subjects were randomized (1:1:1) to placebo, LEM 5 mg (LEM5), or LEM 10 mg (LEM10); LEM subjects continued treatment in the following 6-month Period 2. Outcome measures included subject-reported (subjective) sleep onset latency (sSOL), sleep efficiency (sSE), wake after sleep onset (sWASO), total sleep time (sTST), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Patient Global Impression-Insomnia version (PGI-I). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed. Results: Overall, 178 Asian subjects (Japanese, n = 161; Chinese, n = 4; other Asian, n = 13) were included. Greater decreases in sSOL and sWASO and increases in sSE and sTST from baseline were observed with LEM vs placebo at 6 months; LEM benefits were sustained through 12 months. Greater decreases in ISI total score were seen with LEM vs placebo at 6 months; improvements from baseline with LEM continued through 12 months. For each PGI-I item, LEM-treated subjects had more positive medication effects than placebo-treated subjects at 6 months; these effects were maintained with LEM in Period 2. TEAEs were generally mild to moderate. Conclusions: LEM improved subjective sleep parameters and was well-tolerated in Asian subjects with insomnia disorder over 12 months. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02952820; ClinicalTrialsRegister.eu, EudraCT Number 2015-001463-39.

Structure and dynamics of Odinarchaeota tubulin and the implications for eukaryotic microtubule evolution.

Tubulins are critical for the internal organization of eukaryotic cells, and understanding their emergence is an important question in eukaryogenesis. Asgard archaea are the closest known prokaryotic relatives to eukaryotes. Here, we elucidated the apo and nucleotide-bound x-ray structures of an Asgard tubulin from hydrothermal living Odinarchaeota (OdinTubulin). The guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP)-bound structure resembles a microtubule protofilament, with GTP bound between subunits, coordinating the "+" end subunit through a network of water molecules and unexpectedly by two cations. A water molecule is located suitable for GTP hydrolysis. Time course crystallography and electron microscopy revealed conformational changes on GTP hydrolysis. OdinTubulin forms tubules at high temperatures, with short curved protofilaments coiling around the tubule circumference, more similar to FtsZ, rather than running parallel to its length, as in microtubules. Thus, OdinTubulin represents an evolutionary stage intermediate between prokaryotic FtsZ and eukaryotic microtubule-forming tubulins.

Structures of human pannexin-1 in nanodiscs reveal gating mediated by dynamic movement of the N terminus and phospholipids.

Pannexin (PANX) family proteins form large-pore channels that mediate purinergic signaling. We analyzed the cryo-EM structures of human PANX1 in lipid nanodiscs to elucidate the gating mechanism and its regulation by the amino terminus in phospholipids. The wild-type channel has an amino-terminal funnel in the pore, but in the presence of the inhibitor probenecid, a cytoplasmically oriented amino terminus and phospholipids obstruct the pore. Functional analysis using whole-cell patch-clamp and oocyte voltage clamp showed that PANX1 lacking the amino terminus did not open and had a dominant negative effect on channel activity, thus confirming that the amino-terminal domain played an essential role in channel opening. These observations suggest that dynamic conformational changes in the amino terminus of human PANX1 are associated with lipid movement in and out of the pore. Moreover, the data provide insight into the gating mechanism of PANX1 and, more broadly, other large-pore channels.

Cryo-EM of the ATP11C flippase reconstituted in Nanodiscs shows a distended phospholipid bilayer inner membrane around transmembrane helix 2.

ATP11C is a member of the P4-ATPase flippase family that mediates translocation of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) across the lipid bilayer. In order to characterize the structure and function of ATP11C in a model natural lipid environment, we revisited and optimized a quick procedure for reconstituting ATP11C into Nanodiscs using methyl-ß-cyclodextrin as a reagent for the detergent removal. ATP11C was efficiently reconstituted with the endogenous lipid, or the mixture of endogenous lipid and synthetic dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC)/dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS), all of which retained the ATPase activity. We obtained 3.4 Å and 3.9 Å structures using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) of AlF- and BeF-stabilized ATP11C transport intermediates, respectively, in a bilayer containing DOPS. We show that the latter exhibited a distended inner membrane around ATP11C transmembrane helix 2, possibly reflecting the perturbation needed for phospholipid release to the lipid bilayer. Our structures of ATP11C in the lipid membrane indicate that the membrane boundary varies upon conformational changes of the enzyme and is no longer flat around the protein, a change that likely contributes to phospholipid translocation across the membrane leaflets.

The role of long-term continuous positive airway pressure in the progression of obstructive sleep apnoea: A longitudinal cohort study.

Recent evidence suggests that short-term obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment could affect OSA pathogenesis such as ventilatory control. The aim of our present study was to identify the impact of long-term treatment on the change in pathogenesis and natural progression of OSA. In a longitudinal analysis of a non-obese cohort study, patients with OSA treated with either continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or an oral appliance (OA), interrupted their treatment for 1 week and underwent a polysomnography (PSG) off treatment that was compared with their initial PSG taken 5 years before treatment initiation. In all, 154 consecutive patients with OSA who were treated by CPAP using an auto-titrating continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP-APAP) (n = 112), or by OA (n = 27) or were untreated (n = 15), PSG was performed twice with a median (range) follow-up of 93 (60-176) months. Multivariate logistic regression showed that reduction of body mass index (BMI) and good treatment adherence to be significant predictors of favourable OSA progression, as represented by an improved or unchanged apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (odds ratios were 5.14 and 2.89, respectively). Amongst the patients with an unchanged BMI and good CPAP-APAP adherence (n = 55), the improvement in AHI was significantly associated with the decrease in supine non-rapid eye movement-AHI and mixed apnoea index/apnoea index, which are generally recognised to be determinants of ventilator instability. These findings suggest that not only weight but also treatment adherence are determinants in the natural progression of OSA severity.

Progression of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in Japanese patients.

PURPOSE: The aggravation of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is reportedly associated with weight gain. The present study investigated the factors associated with worsening of respiratory functional parameters in Japanese OSAS patients who showed no body weight change during the follow-up period. METHODS: A follow-up polysomnography (PSG) was performed in 82 patients with a mean of 7.5 years after the diagnostic PSG, and the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), respiratory event duration, minimum percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2), baseline SpO2, and 3 % oxygen desaturation index (ODI) during sleep were compared between the two PSGs. Furthermore, factors associated with worsened AHI, respiratory event duration, and minimum SpO2 were investigated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in AHI, baseline SpO2, and 3 % ODI between the two PSGs. However, there was a significantly increased respiratory event duration and decreased minimum SpO2 observed. In addition, 17 patients had a ≥25 % AHI increase, and the age of 40-60 years and initial OSAS severity (mild and moderate) were the significantly associated factors. Age of ≥60 years and a baseline body mass index (BMI) of ≥25 kg/m(2) were significantly associated with prolonged respiratory event duration. The age of 40-60 years was significantly associated with decreased minimum SpO2. CONCLUSIONS: Untreated middle-aged patients may be at a high risk for worsened AHI and SpO2 even without weight gain.

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Primary Headache and Dream-Enacting Behaviour in Japanese Patients with Narcolepsy or Idiopathic Hypersomnia: A Multi-Centre Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Because the prevalence and characteristics of primary headache have yet to be thoroughly studied in patients with hypersomnia disorders, including narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, we examined these parameters in the Japanese population. METHODS: In a multicentre cross-sectional survey, among 576 consecutive outpatients with sleep disorders, 68 narcolepsy patients and 35 idiopathic hypersomnia patients were included. Additionally, 61 healthy control subjects participated. Semi-structured headache questionnaires were administered to all participants. RESULTS: The patients with narcolepsy (52.9%) and idiopathic hypersomnia (77.1%) more frequently experienced headache than the healthy controls (24.6%; p<0.0001). The prevalence rates were 23.5%, 41.2% and 4.9% for migraine (p<0.0001) and 16.2%, 23.5% and 14.8% (p = 0.58) for tension-type headache among the narcolepsy patients, the idiopathic hypersomnia patients and the control subjects, respectively. Those who experienced migraine more frequently experienced excessive daytime sleepiness, defined as an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of ≥10, than those who did not experience headache among the patients with narcolepsy (93.8% vs. 65.6%, p = 0.040) and idiopathic hypersomnia (86.7% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.026). Dream-enacting behaviour (DEB), as evaluated by the rapid eye movement sleep disorders questionnaire, was more frequently observed in the narcolepsy patients than in the idiopathic hypersomnia patients and the control subjects. An increased DEB frequency was observed in the narcolepsy patients with migraines compared to those without headache. CONCLUSIONS: Migraines were frequently observed in patients with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. DEB is a characteristic of narcolepsy patients. Further studies are required to assess the factors that contribute to migraines in narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia patients.

Factors associated with duration before receiving definitive diagnosis of narcolepsy among Japanese patients affected with the disorder.

BACKGROUND: Narcolepsy (NA) is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and an increased propensity of rapid eye movement sleep. If left untreated, NA can lead to academic underachievement or job loss because of dozing off or mistakes caused by inattentiveness due to sleepiness. PURPOSE: Although untreated narcolepsy patients may suffer from many social disadvantages due to excessive daytime sleepiness, mostly it takes a long time to receive a definitive diagnosis of the disorder. This retrospective study investigated factors related to the period until definitive diagnosis among patients with narcolepsy in Japan. METHODS: We enrolled 181 consecutive patients (108 men, 73 women; mean age 37.6 ± 16.6 years old; narcolepsy with cataplexy/narcolepsy without cataplexy = 131:50). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with period until definitive diagnosis as the dependent variable and descriptive clinical variables as the independent variables. RESULTS: The mean period until receiving the diagnosis among the participants was 9.9 ± 10.1 years. More than half of the patients first learned about the disorder from information provided by the media. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that adult onset (p < 0.01), onset in 1995 or later (p < 0.001), and first learning about the disorder from a sleep disorder specialist physician or a general practitioner (p < 0.001) were associated with a time taken for receiving a definitive diagnosis less than or equal to the median value (7 years). CONCLUSION: Improving access to information about the concept of the disorder and the medical institutions specialized in sleep disorders, especially via the Internet, would be necessary to promote early diagnosis of the disorder.

Differences in brain morphological findings between narcolepsy with and without cataplexy.

OBJECTIVE: Maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can detect microscopic axonal changes by estimating the diffusivity of water molecules using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We applied an MRI voxel-based statistical approach to FA and ADC maps to evaluate microstructural abnormalities in the brain in narcolepsy and to investigate differences between patients having narcolepsy with and without cataplexy. METHODS: Twelve patients with drug-naive narcolepsy with cataplexy (NA/CA), 12 with drug-naive narcolepsy without cataplexy (NA w/o CA) and 12 age-matched healthy normal controls (NC) were enrolled. FA and ADC maps for these 3 groups were statistically compared by using voxel-based one-way ANOVA. In addition, we investigated the correlation between FA and ADC values and clinical variables in the patient groups. RESULTS: Compared to the NC group, the NA/CA group showed higher ADC values in the left inferior frontal gyrus and left amygdala, and a lower ADC value in the left postcentral gyrus. The ADC value in the right inferior frontal gyrus and FA value in the right precuneus were higher for NA/CA group than for the NA w/o CA group. However, no significant differences were observed in FA and ADC values between the NA w/o CA and NC groups in any of the areas investigated. In addition, no correlation was found between the clinical variables and ADC and FA values of any brain areas in these patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: Several microstructural changes were noted in the inferior frontal gyrus and amygdala in the NA/CA but not in the NA w/o CA group. These findings suggest that these 2 narcolepsy conditions have different pathological mechanisms: narcolepsy without cataplexy form appears to be a potentially broader condition without any significant brain imaging differences from normal controls.

Cognitive behavioural therapy with behavioural analysis for pharmacological treatment-resistant chronic insomnia.

This study aimed to determine whether (1) cognitive behavioural therapy with behavioural analysis for insomnia (CBTi-BA) is more effective for insomnia and co-morbid depressive symptoms than treatment as usual (TAU) and (2) whether CBTi-BA promotes earlier reduction of the daily dose of hypnotic medication in chronic insomnia resistant to pharmacological treatment. A total of 63 patients with chronic insomnia aged 20-77 years who already received hypnotic medication regularly were assigned to two interventions: combined therapy or TAU alone. The subjects provided demographic information and completed self-rating scales for insomnia and depressive symptoms. After treatment, the combined therapy group showed significant decreases in the symptoms of both insomnia and depression and significant reductions in the daily dose of hypnotic medication compared with the group receiving TAU alone. In the combined therapy group, 71% of the participants reported a reduction in insomnia to normal levels and 79% succeeded in decreasing the daily dose of hypnotics to 50% or less of the baseline dose. These results revealed that CBTi-BA can reduce insomnia and depressive symptoms as well as the daily dose of hypnotic medication in patients with chronic insomnia resistant to pharmacological treatment.

Efficacy, safety and risk of augmentation of rotigotine for treating restless legs syndrome.

The present study aimed to examine the long-term efficacy and safety of rotigotine treatment for restless legs syndrome (RLS), as well as the rate of clinically significant augmentation, in a 1-year open-label study of Japanese subjects. Japanese patients with RLS who had been treated with rotigotine or placebo in a double-blind trial were enrolled in a 1-year, open-label, uncontrolled extension study and treated with rotigotine at a dose of up to 3 mg/24 h after an 8-week titration phase. Outcomes included International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group rating scale (IRLS scale), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), safety, and investigator-/expert panel-assessed augmentation (including Augmentation Severity Rating Scale). Overall, 185 patients entered the open-label study and 133 completed the study. IRLS and PSQI total scores improved throughout the 52-week treatment period (IRLS, from 23.2±5.1 to 7.8±7.6 and PSQI, from 8.0±3.1 to 5.0±2.9). Treatment-emergent adverse events were mild to moderate in severity, and included application site reactions (52.4%) and nausea (28.6%). Clinically significant augmentation occurred in five patients (2.7%). These results indicate a good long-term efficacy of rotigotine for treating RLS, with a relatively low risk of clinically significant augmentation.

Quality of life in patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy, narcolepsy without cataplexy, and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time: comparison between patients on psychostimulants, drug-naïve patients and the general Japanese population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life of patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy (NA-CA), narcolepsy without cataplexy (NA w/o CA), and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time (IHS w/o LST) who were taking psychostimulant medication, and to ascertain which factors (including psychosocial and environmental variables) influence quality of life in this population. METHODS: In total, 185 patients who had received regular treatment were enrolled in the study (NA-CA, n=83; NA w/o CA, n=48; IHS w/o LST, n=54). Patients were asked to complete questionnaires including the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and items concerning psychosocial and environmental variables. RESULTS: All three diagnostic groups had significantly lower scores for most SF-36 domains compared with the Japanese normative data, and the ESS score was significantly reduced with treatment. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that several SF-36 domains were associated with the ESS score; autonomy in controlling own job schedule, experience of divorce or break up with a partner due to symptoms, experience of being forced to relocate or being dismissed due to symptoms, and perception of support from others. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of subjective sleepiness and psychological and environmental variables influenced quality of life in patients with these hypersomnias of central origin.

Differences in findings of nocturnal polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test between narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.

OBJECTIVES: To compare differences in nocturnal and daytime polysomnographic findings between narcolepsy (NA) with and without cataplexy (CA) and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time (IHS w/o LST). METHODS: Nocturnal polysomnography (n-PSG) and multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) findings were compared among subjects with NA with CA (n=52), NA without CA (n=62), and IHS w/o LST (n=50). RESULTS: The NA with CA group had significantly more disrupted and shallower nocturnal sleep than the other groups. On MSLT, the IHS w/o LST group had significantly longer sleep latency (SL) compared with the two NA groups. The latter two groups did not show statistical differences in diurnal variation of SL. CONCLUSIONS: The IHS w/o LST group had milder objective daytime sleepiness compared with the NA groups. In patients with NA, nocturnal sleep disturbances appeared only in cases with CA, despite a similar trend in diurnal changes in sleep propensity between the two NA groups. SIGNIFICANCE: Objective nocturnal sleep disturbances are specific to NA patients with CA, whereas diurnal variations of sleep propensity are observed irrespective of the presence of CA among NA patients. These findings could be helpful for choosing optimal treatment plans for patients with these disorders.

Relation between morningness-eveningness score and depressive symptoms among patients with delayed sleep phase syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Depressive symptoms are observed in a relatively large series of patients with delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and factors associated with depressive symptoms among DSPS patients. METHODS: This study targeted 90 consecutive patients (54 men, 27.1±9.2 years old) diagnosed as having DSPS. Demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed at their initial visit, including application of the Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) and morningness-eveningness questionnaire. A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the factors associated with depressive symptoms (determined as SDS⩾48). RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of the DSPS patients were in a moderate or severe depressive state. Diurnal variation, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and psychomotor retardation were the main depressive symptom items on SDS in the DSPS patients. Logistic regression analyses showed that SDS⩾48 was significantly associated with moderate and definite evening chronotype. In contrast, self-reported nocturnal sleep onset and offset times were not associated with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among the DSPS patients. The symptomatic structure of depressive symptoms in this population appears to differ from those of typical depression. Moreover, results of our study suggest that depressive symptoms are more associated with the preference of the evening chronotype rather than sleep-wake phase among DSPS patients.

Kaleidoscopic morphologies from ABC star-shaped terpolymers.

Star-shaped terpolymers of the ABC type composed of incompatible polymer components give a variety of ordered structures with mesoscopic length scales depending on their composition ratio. Their peculiar features are summarized in this report. Polymer components adopted are polyisoprene (I), polystyrene (S) and poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P), and many monodisperse samples of the I(X)S(Y)P(Z) type were anionically prepared. Firstly our focus is on molecules of the I(1.0)S(1.0)P(x(1)) type, where x(1) is only a variable. The complex but systematic morphology change was displayed within the range 0.2 ≤ x(1) ≤ 10, that is, their structures change from spherical plus lamellae structure for I(1.0)S(1.0)P(0.2) to periodic tilings (0.4 ≤ x(1) ≤ 1.9), then to lamellae-in-lamella (3.0 ≤ x(1) ≤ 4.9) and lamellae-in-cylinder (7.9 ≤ x(1) ≤ 10) structures with increasing x(1). Here if we pay attention to the structural variation of the P domain inclusively, it transforms from sphere to cylinder, lamella and then to matrix, which is the same as that for linear polymers. Among them, several periodic Archimedean tiling patterns can be naturally formed when the relative lengths of the three chains are close to one another. Moreover, it has been found that the tiling zone is spread out widely. For example, the series I(1.0)S(1.8)P(x(2)) (with 0.8 ≤ x(2) ≤ 2.9) and the other series I(1.0)S(y)P(2.0) (with 1.1 ≤ y ≤ 2.7) show mostly Archimedean tilings. Additionally, block copolymer/homopolymer blends with a composition of I(1.0)S(2.7)P(2.5) reveal a quasicrystalline tiling with dodecagonal symmetry. Furthermore, a zinc-blende-type four-branched network structure was created just a little outside of the tiling region for a block copolymer/homopolymer blend of I(1.0)S(2.3)P(0.8). When some more asymmetry in chain length is introduced, hyperbolic tiling on a gyroid membrane has successfully been constructed for the sample I(1.0)S(1.8)P(3.2) and it transforms into a hierarchical cylinders-in-lamella structure with further increase in P content to I(1.0)S(1.8)P(6.4). Thus, kaleidoscopic morphologies have been generated from ABC star-shaped terpolymers and their structural change has turned out to be very sensitive to relative compositions.

Short sleep duration and long spells of driving are associated with the occurrence of Japanese drivers' rear-end collisions and single-car accidents.

Sleepiness and fatigue are important risk factors for traffic accidents. However, the relation between the accident type and lack of sleep as well as spells of driving has not been examined sufficiently. This study aimed to clarify that short sleep duration and long spells of driving are more associated with rear-end collisions and single-car accidents as compared with accidents of other types in cases of people who cause accidents. After removing drunken driving as a cause of accidents, 1772 parties involved in accidents were questioned. The quantities of rear-end collisions and single-car accidents were, respectively, 240 and 293. Logistic regression analysis showed that short nocturnal sleep (<6 h) and 10-min increments of spells of driving were significantly associated not only with rear-end collisions but also with single-car accidents as compared with accidents of other types. Furthermore, younger age (

Jewelry Box of Morphologies with Mesoscopic Length Scales - ABC Star-shaped Terpolymers.

Among several star molecules studied so far, the results for two similar but slightly different systems composed of all hydrophobic components, i.e. one low T(g) arm and two high T(g) arms were compared and discussed mainly. They are polyisoprene-arm-polystyrene-arm-poly(2-vinylpyridine) stars and polystyrene-arm-polybutadiene-arm-poly(2-vinylpyridine) ones, and are abbreviated as ISP and SBV, respectively, in the original literatures. Several periodic Archimedean tiling patterns can be naturally formed when the relative lengths of three chains are similar one another in both series. Core-shell type morphologies and actually three-phase four layer lamellar structures were also commonly observed for two series. A quasicrystalline tiling with dodecagonal symmetry can also be conformed at the targeted composition of ISP/homopolymer blend and a zinc-blende type structure was created at just a little outside of tiling region for the same blend. Furthermore, the several interesting structures from amphiphilic molecules, composed of a hydrophilic component, poly(ethylene oxide), a hydrophobic component, polymethylmethacrylate and a highly water-repellent polymer poly(perfluoropropyleneoxide) are described and introduced.