Structural origin of thermal shrinkage in soda-lime silicate glass below the glass transition temperature: A theoretical investigation by microsecond timescale molecular dynamics simulations.

Microscopic dynamical features in the relaxation of glass structures are one of the most important unsolved problems in condensed matter physics. Although the structural relaxation processes in the vicinity of glass transition temperature are phenomenologically expressed by the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts function and the relaxation time can be successfully interpreted by Adam-Gibbs theory and/or Narayanaswamy's model, the atomic rearrangement, which is the origin of the volume change, and its driving force have not been elucidated. Using the microsecond time-scale molecular dynamics simulations, this study provides insights to quantitatively determine the origin of the thermal shrinkage below T in a soda-lime silicate glass.

Potential asbestos exposure among patients with primary lung cancer in Japan.

Objective: To investigate the extent of asbestos exposure among patients with primary lung cancer in Japan.

Methods: A retrospective estimation of potential asbestos-exposed individuals, as determined by the presence of pleural plaques identified on chest computed tomography (CT), was conducted on 885 pathologically confirmed primary lung cancer patients (mean age 71.3 years, 641 males).

Safety and efficacy of high-dose leukocytapheresis in patients with refractory asthma.

Objective And Design: An open-label, non-randomized, single-arm study was performed to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-dose leukocytapheresis (pulse LCAP) for refractory asthma.

Subjects: Six patients who fulfilled the ATS workshop criteria for refractory asthma were enrolled and completed this clinical study.

Treatment: After 4 weeks of observation, pulse LCAP using a large LCAP filter, Cellsorba(®) CS-180S, was performed twice with a 1-week interval at a target dose of 5 L per treatment session.