A case of hemoperitoneum after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma.

We report a case of hemoperitoneum after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A 60-year-old female was hospitalized for the treatment of thrombasthenia and cirrhosis caused by chronic Hepatitis C, and computed tomography revealed hepatocellular carcinoma, which was treated by percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. After the ablation, hemoperitoneum was suspected because of the low hemoglobin level with abdominal pain. Approximately 6 h after the ablation treatment, the patient suddenly fell into a shock state and died. In this case, medical treatment-related death including malpractice was suspected, and forensic autopsy was performed. The abdominal cavity contained 910 mL of dark red fluid blood and 210 g of soft hemocoagula. Moreover, several puncture marks were observed on the liver surface and diaphragm, and there was no clear damage to the main arteries and veins. Considering the macroscopic and microscopic findings, the cause of death was assumed as hemorrhagic shock due to the hemoperitoneum caused by the damage to the liver by radiofrequency ablation. It is important to consider all the indications and adverse effects of radiofrequency ablation.

Visualization of Wall Teichoic Acid Decoration in Bacillus subtilis.

Teichoic acids are important for the maintenance of cell shape and growth in Gram-positive bacteria. Bacillus subtilis produces major and minor forms of wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid during vegetative growth. We found that newly synthesized WTA attachment to peptidoglycan occurs in a patch-like manner on the sidewall with the fluorescent labeling compound of the concanavalin A lectin. Similarly, WTA biosynthesis enzymes fused to the epitope tags were localized in similar patch-like patterns on the cylindrical part of the cell, and WTA transporter TagH was frequently colocalized with WTA polymerase TagF, WTA ligase TagT, and actin homolog MreB, respectively. Moreover, we found that the nascent cell wall patches, decorated with the newly glucosylated WTA, were colocalized with TagH and WTA ligase TagV. In the cylindrical part, the newly glucosylated WTA patchily inserted into the bottom of the cell wall layer and finally reached the outermost layer of the cell wall after approximately half an hour. Incorporation of newly glucosylated WTA was arrested with the addition of vancomycin but restored with the removal of the antibiotic. These results are consistent with the prevailing model that WTA precursors are attached to newly synthesized peptidoglycan. IMPORTANCE In Gram-positive bacteria, the cell wall is composed of mesh-like peptidoglycan and covalently linked wall teichoic acid (WTA). It is unclear where WTA decorates peptidoglycan to create a cell wall architecture. Here, we demonstrate that nascent WTA decoration occurred in a patch-like manner at the peptidoglycan synthesis sites on the cytoplasmic membrane. The incorporated cell wall with newly glucosylated WTA in the cell wall layer then reached the outermost layer of the cell wall after approximately half an hour. Incorporation of newly glucosylated WTA was arrested with the addition of vancomycin but restored with the removal of the antibiotic. These results are consistent with the prevailing model that WTA precursors are attached to newly synthesized peptidoglycan.

The Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicts Survival Outcomes in Patients with Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) is an inflammation-related score based on C-reactive protein and albumin concentrations. Few studies have assessed the correlation between the GPS and the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the utility of the GPS in predicting the survival outcomes of patients with ES-SCLC. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated patients with ES-SCLC who had undergone chemotherapy between February 2008 and November 2021. GPS values were evaluated before the initiation of first-line chemotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The GPS values of the 113 patients were zero (54 patients, 48%), 1 (37 patients, 33%), and 2 (22 patients, 19%). The median follow-up duration was 10.7 months. Median PFS was 6.2, 5.6, and 3.8 months in the GPS 0, 1, and 2 groups, respectively, suggesting that the GPS zero group had a significantly more favorable PFS than the GPS 2 group (p < 0.001). Median OS was 17.1, 9.4, and 5.6 months in the GPS 0, 1, and 2 groups, respectively, suggesting that the GPS zero group had a significantly more favorable OS than the GPS 2 group (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that a GPS of 2 independently predicted unfavorable PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68-4.88; p < 0.001) and OS (HR, 3.49 [95% CI: 1.83-6.63], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The study's findings suggest that the GPS can predict the survival outcomes of patients with ES-SCLC who have undergone chemotherapy. The GPS is an easy-to-calculate biomarker and would be ideal for routine use in clinical settings.

The Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicts Outcomes of Pembrolizumab or Atezolizumab Monotherapy in Patients with Pretreated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Predictors of the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy in previously treated patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain ill-defined. We investigated whether the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) could serve as such predictors. METHODS: Eighty patients treated with pembrolizumab or atezolizumab monotherapy as second- or subsequent-line therapy for NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed, and the associations between GPS, body mass index (BMI), and each of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 11.1 months. Patients with a BMI ≥20.4 kg/m2 had significantly longer PFS and OS (3.7 and 22.2 month, respectively) than did those with a BMI <20.4 kg/m2 (2.2 and 11.5 months, respectively). Patients with a GPS of 0 had a significantly longer PFS (6.6 months) than did those with a GPS of 1 (2.2 months, p = 0.002) and 2 (1.8 months, p = 0.029). Patients with a GPS of 0 also had a significantly longer OS (22.2 month) than did those with a GPS of 1 (9.2 months, p = 0.002) and 2 (4.7 months, p = 0.002). Notably, the GPS, BMI, and clinical stage were independent predictors of PFS, while the GPS and performance status were independent predictors of OS. The response rate of patients with a GPS of 0 was significantly higher than that of patients with a GPS of 1-2 (26.2% vs. 7.9%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The GPS is an independent predictor of PFS and OS in patients with NSCLC who received second- or subsequent-line pembrolizumab or atezolizumab monotherapy.

The Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicts Survival in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring Sensitive Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations Who Are Treated with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the standard first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with sensitive EGFR mutations. The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) is an inflammation-assessing score based on C-reactive protein and albumin concentrations. Information regarding the association between the GPS and EGFR-TKI treatment effectiveness is limited; hence, we investigated whether the GPS can predict the response of NSCLC to EGFR-TKIs. METHODS: We evaluated 340 patients with NSCLC harboring sensitive EGFR mutations who received EGFR-TKI monotherapy between March 2009 and July 2021. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 26.6 months, patients with a GPS of 0, 1, and 2 had PFS of 15.7, 10.0, and 6.3 months, respectively, and OS of 40.1, 25.8, and 14.4 months, respectively; patients with a GPS of 0 had significantly better PFS and OS than those with a GPS of 1 (p = 0.03, p = 0.001, respectively) or 2 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis identified poor performance status, stage 4 at diagnosis, type of EGFR-TKI (gefitinib/erlotinib vs. afatinib), and GPS = 2 as predictors of a short PFS. Meanwhile, poor performance status, gefitinib/erlotinib administration, and GPS = 2 were predictors of a short OS. CONCLUSION: The GPS predicted the survival of NSCLC patients harboring sensitive EGFR mutations who were undergoing EGFR-TKI treatment. The GPS might be ideal for routine use in clinical practice, given that it is an easily calculated parameter.

Mechanism of Reductive Fluorination by PTFE-Decomposition Fluorocarbon Gases for WO3.

Reductive fluorination, which entails the substitution of O2- from oxide compounds with F- from fluoropolymers, is considered a practical approach for preparing transition-metal oxyfluorides. However, the current understanding of the fundamental reaction paths remains limited due to the analytical complexities posed by high-temperature reactions in glassware. Therefore, to expand this knowledgebase, this study investigates the reaction mechanisms behind the reductive fluorination of WO3 using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in an Ni reactor. Here, we explore varied reaction conditions (temperature, duration, and F/W ratio) to suppress the formation of carbon byproducts, minimize the dissipation of fluorine-containing tungsten (VI) compounds, and achieve a high fluorine content. The gas-solid reaction paths are analyzed using infrared spectroscopy, which revealed tetrafluoroethylene (C2F4), hexafluoropropene (C3F6), and iso-octafluoroisobutene (i-C4F8) to be the reactive components in the PTFE-decomposition gas during the reactions with WO3 at 500 °C. CO2 and CO are further identified as gaseous byproducts of the reaction evincing that the reaction is prompted by difluorocarbene (:CF2) formed after the cleavage of C═C bonds in i-C4F8, C3F6, and C2F4 upon contact with the WO3 surface. The solid-solid reaction path is established through a reaction between WO3 and WO3-xFx where solid-state diffusion of O2- and F- is discerned at 500 °C.

[A CASE OF SUSPECTED ALLERGIC BRONCHOPULMONARY MYCOSIS CAUSED BY SCEDOSPORIUM APIOSPERMUM THAT SHOWED CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT AFTER BRONCHOSCOPIC REMOVAL OF A MUCUS PLUG].

A 69-year-old woman presented with a persistent cough and high fever. Thoracic computed tomography revealed atelectasis and high-attenuation mucus. The blood test results showed eosinophils at 18.2%, an absolute eosinophil count of 980 cells/µL, and a total serum immunoglobulin E of 1980IU/mL. Bronchoscopy revealed a mucous plug, which upon photomicrograph examination, showed eosinophils. A culture study of the mucus yielded Scedosporium apiospermum, leading to the suspicion of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) caused by the fungus. After the bronchoscopic removal of the mucous plug, her symptoms quickly diminished. She was successfully treated without medication, and ABPM has not recurred for 2 years. To our knowledge, ABPM caused by Scedosporium apiospermum is rare, and close follow-up was effective without the administration of systemic steroids or antifungal drugs.

Scattered migrating colony formation in the filamentous cyanobacterium, Pseudanabaena sp. NIES-4403.

BACKGROUND: Bacteria have been reported to exhibit complicated morphological colony patterns on solid media, depending on intracellular, and extracellular factors such as motility, cell propagation, and cell-cell interaction. We isolated the filamentous cyanobacterium, Pseudanabaena sp. NIES-4403 (Pseudanabaena, hereafter), that forms scattered (discrete) migrating colonies on solid media. While the scattered colony pattern has been observed in some bacterial species, the mechanism underlying such a pattern still remains obscure. RESULTS: We studied the morphology of Pseudanabaena migrating collectively and found that this species forms randomly scattered clusters varying in size and further consists of a mixture of comet-like wandering clusters and disk-like rotating clusters. Quantitative analysis of the formation of these wandering and rotating clusters showed that bacterial filaments tend to follow trajectories of previously migrating filaments at velocities that are dependent on filament length. Collisions between filaments occurred without crossing paths, which enhanced their nematic alignments, giving rise to bundle-like colonies. As cells increased and bundles aggregated, comet-like wandering clusters developed. The direction and velocity of the movement of cells in comet-like wandering clusters were highly coordinated. When the wandering clusters entered into a circular orbit, they turned into rotating clusters, maintaining a more stable location. Disk-like rotating clusters may rotate for days, and the speed of cells within a rotating cluster increases from the center to the outmost part of the cluster. Using a mathematical modeling with simplified assumption we reproduced some features of the scattered pattern including migrating clusters. CONCLUSION: Based on these observations, we propose that Pseudanabaena forms scattered migrating colonies that undergo a series of transitions involving several morphological patterns. A simplified model is able to reproduce some features of the observed migrating clusters.

Intrathrombotic appearances of AQP-1 and AQP-3 in relation to thrombus age in murine deep vein thrombosis model.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane-bound proteins for water transportation and are useful for diagnosing drowning and wound vitality in forensic pathology. Here, we examined intrathrombotic expression of AQP-1 and AQP-3 using deep vein thrombosis models in mice. To perform immunohistochemical analyses, we used anti-AQP-1 and anti-AQP-3 antibodies. In thrombus samples with the post-ligation intervals of 1 to 5 days, AQP-1+ areas were over 70%. At 7 days after the IVC ligation, AQP-1+ areas became less than 50%, eventually decreasing to 11% at 21 days. At 3 days after the IVC ligation, AQP-3+ cells started to appear from the peripheral area. Thereafter, the positive cell number progressively increased and reached to a peak at 10 days after the IVC ligation. When the intrathrombotic AQP-1+ area was as large as the intrathrombotic collagen area or smaller, it would indicate a thrombus age of ≥ 10 days. AQP-3+ cell number of > 30 would indicate a thrombus age of 10-14 days. Collectively, our study implied that the detection of AQP-1 and AQP-3 would be useful for the determination of thrombus age.

Complete decapitation by a self-constructed guillotine in a burned body - complex suicide or postmortem burning?

We report a suicide case of complete decapitation using a self-constructed guillotine. A 45-year-old man, whose body was severely burned, was found dead. The head was completely separated from the middle level of the neck, and a sharp blade with a steel frame was placed between the head and neck. The severance plane passed between the C4 and C5 vertebrae. Vital reactions such as hemorrhage could not be confirmed at the decapitated skin edge because the body was severely burned. Both common carotid arteries were sharply transected. Subendocardial hemorrhage was detected in the left ventricle. Only a little blood, but no soot, was detected in the respiratory tract, including the trachea and bilateral bronchi. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was noted at the edge of the cervical spinal cord. The saturation level of CO-Hb was 5.7% in the left cardiac blood, 5.9% in the right cardiac blood, and 5.8% in the peripheral blood from the femoral vein. Cervical transection was diagnosed as the cause of death. We believe that he was unintentionally burned by spread fire from an automobile after decapitation by a self-constructed guillotine.

Resting-state functional connectivity predicts recovery from visually induced motion sickness.

Movies depicting certain types of motion often provoke uncomfortable symptoms similar to motion sickness, termed visually induced motion sickness (VIMS). VIMS generally evolves slowly during the viewing of a motion stimulus and, when the stimulus is removed, the recovery proceeds over time. Recent human neuroimaging studies have provided new insights into the neural bases of the evolution of VIMS. In contrast, no study has investigated the neural correlates of the recovery from VIMS. Study of the recovery process is critical for the development of a way to promote recovery and could provide further clues for understanding the mechanisms of VIMS. We thus investigated brain activity during the recovery from VIMS with functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging. We found enhanced recovery-related functional connectivity patterns involving brain areas such as the insular, cingulate and visual cortical regions, which have been suggested to play important roles in the emergence of VIMS. These regions also constituted large interactive networks. Furthermore, the increase in functional connectivity was correlated with the subjective awareness of recovery for the following five pairs of brain regions: insula-superior temporal gyrus, claustrum-left and right inferior parietal lobules, claustrum-superior temporal gyrus and superior frontal gyrus-lentiform nucleus. Considering the previous findings on the functions of these regions and the present results, it is suggested that the increase in FC may reflect brain processes such as enhanced interoceptive awareness to one's own bodily state, a neuroplastic change in visual-processing circuits and/or the maintenance of visual spatial memory.

Quantification of Intracellular Thiols by HPLC-Fluorescence Detection.

Biothiols, such as cysteine and glutathione, play important roles in various intracellular reactions represented by the redox equilibrium against oxidative stress. In this study, a method for intracellular thiol quantification using HPLC-fluorescence detection was developed. Thiols were derivatized with a thiol-specific fluorescence derivatization reagent, viz. ammonium 7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-sulfonate (SBD-F), followed by reversed-phase separation on an InertSustain AQ-C18 column. Six different SBD-thiols (homocysteine, cysteine, cysteinylglycine, γ-glutamylcysteine, glutathione, and N-acetylcysteine as an internal standard) were separated within 30 min using a citric buffer (pH 3.0)/MeOH mobile phase. The calibration curves of all the SBD-thiols had strong linearity (R2 > 0.999). Using this developed method, the thiol concentrations of human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cell samples were found to be 5.5-153 pmol/1 × 106 cells. The time-dependent effect of a thiol scavenger, viz. N-ethyl maleimide, on intracellular thiol concentrations was also quantified. This method is useful for elucidating the role of intracellular sulfur metabolism.

[Nivolumab and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for a Gastric Cancer Patient with Brain Metastasis-A Case Report].

The prognosis of patients with brain metastasis is very poor. Very few cases of combined treatment with nivolumab(240 mg/body, day 1, q2w, a programmed cell death-1[PD-1]inhibitor)and gamma knife radiosurgery(GKR)(27 Gy/3 Fr) for gastric cancer patients with brain metastasis have been reported. Here, we discuss the case of a 55-year-old man with HER2-positive poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma with multiple bone and intra-abdominal lymph node metastases. After 25 courses of SOX(oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2, day 1, q3w plus S-1 120 mg/day, day 1-14, po, q3w)plus trastuzumab( 6 mg/kg, q3w)treatment, brain metastasis was detected. Subsequently, combined treatment with GKR and nivolumab(8 courses, anti-PD-1 monotherapy)was initiated. Both intra-abdominal and brain lesions decreased in response to this treatment, showing that combined therapy with nivolumab and GKR could be effective for treating gastric cancer patients with brain metastasis.

Fluorosilane Activation by Pd/Ni→Si-F→Lewis Acid Interaction: An Entry to Catalytic Sila-Negishi Coupling.

A new mode of bond activation involving M→Z interactions is disclosed. Coordination to transition metals as σ-acceptor ligands was found to enable the activation of fluorosilanes, opening the way to the first transition-metal-catalyzed Si-F bond activation. Using phosphines as directing groups, sila-Negishi couplings were developed by combining Pd and Ni complexes with external Lewis acids such as MgBr2. Several key catalytic intermediates have been authenticated spectroscopically and crystallographically. Combined with DFT calculations, all data support cooperative activation of the fluorosilane via Pd/Ni→Si-F→Lewis acid interaction with conversion of the Z-type fluorosilane ligand into an X-type silyl moiety.

The application of autophagy to thrombus age estimation in murine deep vein thrombosis model.

We immunohistochemically examined the intrathrombotic dynamics of autophagy during thrombogenesis using murine deep vein thrombosis (DVT) models. To perform the immunohistochemical analyses, we used anti-LC3 antibody and anti-p62 antibody for detecting the intrathrombotic autophagic functions. We estimated dynamics of the intrathrombotic autophagy as LC3+ cell number (×1000, five fields) with the thrombus ages (each group n = 5). The number of LC3+ cells was once decreased at 3 days, and then increased until 10 days. On the contrary, the number of p62+ cells progressively increased until 10 days after the inferior vena cava (IVC) ligation, and then gradually decreased. Especially, in all of thrombus samples with the postligation intervals of 5-10 days, both numbers were larger than 10. Subsequently, we compared the number of LC3+ cells to that of p62+ cells. Although, at 1 day after the IVC ligation, LC3+ cell number significantly exceeded p62+ cell number, the former was significantly or relatively less than the latter at 3 days or more after the IVC ligation. Thus, positive cells of > 10 in both LC3 and p62 indicated the thrombus age of 5-10 days. Upon comparison of immunopositive cells in LC3 and p62, the p62/LC3 ratio was > 1.0 in 29 out of 30 thrombus samples aged 3-21 days, and all of 1-day-old thrombus had the p62/LC3 ratio of < 0.5. Thus, the ratio of > 1.0 and that of < 0.5 could indicate thrombus age of 3 days or more and that of 1 day, respectively. Collectively, our study implied that the detection of autophagy-related molecules such as LC3 and p62 would be useful for the determination of thrombus age.

Forensic pathological study on temporal appearance of dendritic cells in skin wounds.

Dendritic cells (DCs) can essentially contribute to innate and adaptive immune system in various organs. A double-color immunofluorescence analysis was carried out with anti-CD11c and -HLA-DRα antibodies to detect DCs in 53 skin wounds (their postinfliction intervals: group I, 0-3 days; group II, 4-7 days; group III, 9-14 days; and group IV, 17-21 days). CD11c+HLA-DRα+ DCs were first observed in skin wounds with postinfliction intervals of 3 days, and the DC numbers were found to be elevated in skin wounds with the subsequent increase in postinfliction intervals. Semi-quantitative morphometric analyses showed that the DC number was the highest in the 12-day-old wound. More than 50 DCs were present in 8 of 10 samples (80%) in group II and 14 of 16 samples (87.5%) in group III, and there was no difference between the two groups. Thus, the presence of DCs in a skin wound was possibly estimated as postinfliction intervals of at least 3 days. Furthermore, when a skin wound contained > 50 DCs, its age would be judged as 4-14 days. Collectively, the appearance of DCs in human skin wounds may provide useful information in determining the age of a wound.

A case of complex suicide due to acute nicotine intoxication caused by cigarette ingestion.

This paper presents an unusual complex suicide case that died of nicotine addiction. The deceased was a 40-year-old male who was found lying dead on the floor in his room. In external findings, many incision wounds on his forearms and skin discoloration with epidermolysis on his cervical region could be seen. In the room, a blood-stained scissors and electric cord hanged on the exercise bike were found. Moreover, nine cigarette residues which were only the filter part and empty bottle of coffee were found on his side. At autopsy, we found that those injuries were not serious enough to lead him to the death. Toxicologically, caffeine, nicotine, cotinine, mirtazapine, and olanzapine could be detected, and the concentrations of nicotine were 3.740, 2.140, 3.100, and 451.100 µg/ml in cardiac blood, peripheral blood, urine, and stomach contents, respectively. These concentrations were evaluated as the fatal levels, and the cause of his death was diagnosed as acute nicotine intoxication.

The limited contribution of early visual cortex in visual working memory for surface roughness.

Are visual representations in the human early visual cortex necessary for visual working memory (VWM)? Previous studies suggest that VWM is underpinned by distributed representations across several brain regions, including the early visual cortex. Notably, in these studies, participants had to memorize images under consistent visual conditions. However, in our daily lives, we must retain the essential visual properties of objects despite changes in illumination or viewpoint. The role of brain regions-particularly the early visual cortices-in these situations remains unclear. The present study investigated whether the early visual cortex was essential for achieving stable VWM. Focusing on VWM for object surface properties, we conducted fMRI experiments, while male and female participants performed a delayed roughness discrimination task in which sample and probe spheres were presented under varying illumination. By applying multi-voxel pattern analysis to brain activity in regions of interest, we found that the ventral visual cortex and intraparietal sulcus were involved in roughness VWM under changing illumination conditions. In contrast, VWM was not supported as robustly by the early visual cortex. These findings show that visual representations in the early visual cortex alone are insufficient for the robust roughness VWM representation required during changes in illumination.

Association between synesthetic colors and sensitivity to physical colors changed by type of synesthetic experience in grapheme-color synesthesia.

Grapheme-color synesthesia is a condition in which visual perception of letters induces simultaneous perception of a specific color. Previous studies indicate that grapheme-color synesthetes are more sensitive to physical colors than non-synesthetes. Synesthetic colors are found to be concentrated in multiple regions of the color space, forming "synesthetic color clusters". The present study investigated whether color sensitivity corresponding to synesthetic color clusters (clustered colors) is higher than color sensitivity that does not correspond to synesthetic color clusters (non-clustered colors). However, we found no difference in the color sensitivity for clustered and non-clustered colors. We also investigated whether the color sensitivity is dependent on the synesthetic experience (associators and projectors). We found that the greater the tendency toward associator characteristics, the greater the sensitivity for clustered colors compared to that for non-clustered colors. Our findings suggest an association between synesthetic colors and physical color sensitivity that is modulated by synesthetic experience.

Soft x-ray laser beamline for surface processing and damage studies.

We have developed a soft x-ray laser (SXRL) beamline equipped with an intensity monitor dedicated to ablation study such as surface processing and damage formation. The SXRL beam having a wavelength of 13.9 nm, pulse width of 7 ps, and pulse energy of around 200 nJ is generated from Ag plasma mediums using an oscillator-amplifier configuration. The SXRL beam is focused onto the sample surface by the Mo/Si multilayer coated spherical mirror. To get the correct irradiation energy/fluence, an intensity monitor composed of a Mo/Si multilayer beam splitter and an x-ray charge-coupled device camera has been installed in the beamline. The Mo/Si multilayer beam splitter has a large polarization dependence in the reflectivity around the incident angle of 45°. However, by evaluating the relationship between reflectivity and transmittance of the beam splitter appropriately, the irradiation energy onto the sample surface can be derived from the energy acquired by the intensity monitor. This SXRL beamline is available to not only the ablation phenomena but also the performance evaluation of soft x-ray optics and resists.