A case of cytomegalovirus colitis initially misdiagnosed as colonic ischemia in an immunocompetent Japanese woman.

Cytomegalovirus colitis should be considered in a patient presenting with bloody stool even among immunocompetent patients.

A case of prosthetic valve endocarditis and aortic abscess due to Bacillus cereus.

is commonly found in the environment and is often considered a blood culture contaminant. However, in patients with specific risk factors such as intravenous drug use, central venous access catheters, immunosuppression, or prosthetic valves, can cause severe infections. Herein, we present a case of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by in an 84-year-old woman with a history of aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis five years earlier.

A retrospective cohort study evaluating the incidence of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia after a live attenuated Oka-strain herpes zoster vaccine in a real-world setting in Japan.

Background: In Japan, freeze-dried live attenuated Oka-strain varicella-zoster virus vaccine, VVL (BIKEN), is available for adults aged ≥50 years to prevent herpes zoster (HZ). Although an increase in the antibody titer and cellular immune response has been demonstrated following vaccination with VVL (BIKEN), to date, no clinical studies have shown that the vaccine decreases the incidence of HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). This study investigated the incidence of HZ and PHN among adults aged ≥50 years who received a single dose of VVL (BIKEN) to prevent HZ.

Paget-Schroetter syndrome occurring in the nondominant hand.

Paget-Schroetter syndrome is the primary thrombotic event associated with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. It needs to be suspected when encountering localized brachial swelling and a dilated vein in patients with a history of upper limb exercise.

A case of left leg necrotizing fasciitis caused by in a healthy Japanese man.

•We experienced a case of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) due to Group A streptococcus in a healthy Japanese man.•Cutaneous manifestations with NF can be initially minimal.•It is important to recognize that one of the characteristic symptoms of NF is severe pain out of proportion.

A systematic review assessing the effectiveness of hand therapy programmes in adults with burns using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework.

This systematic review aimed to confirm the effectiveness of hand therapy programmes using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework for each of the three phases of the wound healing process in adults with burns. A systematic review was conducted to determine the efficacy of different hand therapy programmes in the management of burnt hands. Two independent reviewers conducted a literature search using the PubMed and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases for original articles reporting effectiveness of hand therapy programmes for adults with burns.

Disturbance of somatotopic spatial cognition and extra-territorial pain in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Background: Several studies on carpal tunnel syndrome have reported pain that exists beyond the median nerve territory of the affected hand. However, the mechanism is unknown.

Purpose: We investigated the cause of extra-territorial pain by the analysis of clinical assessments and cortical activity using magnetoencephalography.

A magnetoencephalographic study of longitudinal brain function alterations following carpal tunnel release.

We investigate changes in brain function before and after carpal tunnel release. Magnetoencephalography (MEG), during which we recorded somatosensory evoked cortical magnetic fields (SEFs), and a clinical evaluation were performed before surgery and 6 months after. The distance on the vertical axis between the equivalent current dipoles (ECDs) for the first and third digits before surgery was significantly less than after surgery.

Preoperative predictive factors affecting return to work in patients with gliomas undergoing awake brain mapping.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the preoperative predictive factors affecting return to work in patients with gliomas in the left cerebral hemisphere undergoing awake surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 50 consecutive glioma patients who underwent awake surgery from January 2012 to July 2017. Adult patients older than 18 years, who reported working prior to surgery, were recruited for this study.

Upper extremity disability is associated with pain intensity and grip strength in women with bilateral idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome.

Background: The upper extremity disability in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is related to dysfunction due to the median nerve damage. However, there is no report on which dysfunctions affect the upper extremity disability.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate which clinical factors influence upper extremity disability in women with CTS.

Synthesis of Chiral Selenazolines from N-Acyloxazolidinones via a Selenative Rearrangement of Chiral Cyclic Skeletons.

A synthetic route to chiral selenazolines from readily available N-acyloxazolidinones via a selenative rearrangement of a chiral cyclic skeleton is reported. The reaction proceeds in the presence of elemental selenium, a hydrochlorosilane, and an amine. Although the stability of the obtained selenazoline products is relatively low, a wide range of selenazolines was successfully prepared.

LiNbO :Pr : A Multipiezo Material with Simultaneous Piezoelectricity and Sensitive Piezoluminescence.

Red-emitting piezoluminescence (elasticoluminescence) is achieved by doping rare earth Pr into the well-known piezoelectric matrix, LiNbO . By precisely tuning the Li/Nb ratio in nonstoichiometric Li NbO :Pr , a material that exhibits an unusually high piezoluminescence intensity, which far exceeds that of any well-known piezoelectric material, is produced. Li NbO :Pr shows excellent strain sensitivity at the lowest strain level, with no threshold for stress sensing.

Fastest Formation Routes of Nanocarbons in Solution Plasma Processes.

Although solution-plasma processing enables room-temperature synthesis of nanocarbons, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated the routes of solution-plasma-induced nanocarbon formation from hexane, hexadecane, cyclohexane, and benzene. The synthesis rate from benzene was the highest.

Recovery function of somatosensory evoked brain response in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: A magnetoencephalographic study.

Objective: The recovery function of somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) was recorded to investigate excitatory and inhibitory balance in the somatosensory cortex of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Methods: SEFs were recorded in patients and controls. Recordings were taken following median nerve stimulation with single and double pulses with interstimulus intervals of 10-200ms.

Surface plasmon resonance properties of silver nanoparticle 2D sheets on metal gratings.

Grating-coupled propagating surface plasmons associated with silver-nanoparticle 2D crystalline sheets exhibit sensitive plasmonic resonance tuning. Multilayered silver-nanoparticle 2D crystalline sheets are fabricated on gold or silver grating surfaces by the Langmuir- Blodgett method. We show that the deposition of Ag crystalline nanosheets on Au or Ag grating surfaces causes a drastic change in propagating surface plasmon resonance (SPR) both in angle measurements at fixed wavelengths and in fixed incident-angle mode by irradiation of white light.

Spectroscopic properties of multilayered gold nanoparticle 2D sheets.

We report the fabrication technique and optical properties of multilayered two-dimensional (2D) gold nanoparticle sheets ("Au nanosheet"). The 2D crystalline monolayer sheet composed of Au nanoparticles shows an absorption peak originating from a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). It was found that the absorption spectra dramatically change when the monolayers are assembled into the multilayers on different substrates (quartz or Au).

Protein coverage on polymer nanolayers leading to mesenchymal stem cell patterning.

Interactions of gelatin and albumin with a photo-reactive diphenylamino-s-triazine bridged p-phenylene vinylene polymer (DTOPV) were examined by using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy to explore the effect of the polymer structure on protein coverage of DTOPV nanofilms. The SPR data revealed a significant increase of gelatin adsorption on UV-DTOPV nanofilms, while the adsorption of albumin was decreased by UV exposure in the time frame of the experiment. We also found that the selective adsorption of these proteins was highly dependent on the protein concentration; the highest selectivity of protein adsorption was obtained at the lowest concentration (3.

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of composite gold nanorods with a double-shell structure composed of spacer and cyanine dye J-aggregate layers.

The composite gold nanorods (Au NRs) having a double-shell structure composed of Au NR (core), spacer layer (inner shell), and J-aggregate (JA) layer (outer shell) have been synthesized to examine the spectroscopic properties of the hybrid system in which the localized surface plasmon is coupled with the molecular exciton of JA. The spacer layer consisting of N,N,N-trimethyl(11-mercaptoundecyl)ammonium chloride plays a significant role in the formation of JA shell for several kinds of cyanine dyes. The absorption spectra of composite NRs are characterized by a distinct dip near the J-band when the plasmon energy of Au core is close to the exciton energy of JA shell, whereas a normal J-band peak appears when two energies are widely different from each other.

Tuning of the spectroscopic properties of composite nanoparticles by the insertion of a spacer layer: effect of exciton-plasmon coupling.

Composite nanoparticles (NPs) having a double-shell structure, Au core, spacer layer (inner shell), and J-aggregate (JA) layer (outer shell) (Au/spacer/JA) have been synthesized. The spacer layer composed of N,N,N-trimethyl(11-mercaptoundecyl)ammonium chloride played an important role in promoting the J-aggregation of anionic cyanine dyes on the surface, as evidenced by the successful formation of the JA layers with four kinds of anionic cyanine dyes. It was found that the presence of a spacer layer causes a significant change in the line shape of the absorption spectrum, particularly near the J-band; there is the appearance of a peak type absorption for the composite NPs with the double-shell structure, while there is a dip type absorption for the ones without the spacer layer.

Efficient induction of formate hydrogen lyase of aerobically grown Escherichia coli in a three-step biohydrogen production process.

A three-step biohydrogen production process characterized by efficient anaerobic induction of the formate hydrogen lyase (FHL) of aerobically grown Escherichia coli was established. Using E. coli strain SR13 (fhlA (++), DeltahycA) at a cell density of 8.

Enhanced hydrogen production from glucose using ldh- and frd-inactivated Escherichia coli strains.

We improved the hydrogen yield from glucose using a genetically modified Escherichia coli. E. coli strain SR15 (DeltaldhA, DeltafrdBC), in which glucose metabolism was directed to pyruvate formate lyase (PFL), was constructed.

Enhanced hydrogen production from formic acid by formate hydrogen lyase-overexpressing Escherichia coli strains.

Genetic recombination of Escherichia coli in conjunction with process manipulation was employed to elevate the efficiency of hydrogen production in the resultant strain SR13 2 orders of magnitude above that of conventional methods. The formate hydrogen lyase (FHL)-overexpressing strain SR13 was constructed by combining FHL repressor (hycA) inactivation with FHL activator (fhlA) overexpression. Transcription of large-subunit formate dehydrogenase, fdhF, and large-subunit hydrogenase, hycE, in strain SR13 increased 6.