Unique magnetic transition process demonstrating the effectiveness of bond percolation theory in a quantum magnet.

Like the crystallization of water to ice, magnetic transition occurs at a critical temperature after the slowing down of dynamically fluctuating short-range correlated spins. Here, we report a unique type of magnetic transition characterized by a linear increase in the volume fraction of unconventional static short-range-ordered spin clusters, which triggered a transition into a long-range order at a threshold fraction perfectly matching the bond percolation theory in a new quantum antiferromagnet of pseudo-trigonal Cu(OH)Cl. Static short-range order appeared in its Kagome lattice plane below ca.

Advanced liver fibrosis is associated with decreased gait speed in older patients with chronic liver disease.

This study investigated whether the progression of liver fibrosis affects the prevalence of sarcopenia and incidence of decreased gait speed in older patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Patients with CLD aged ≥ 60 years were classified into low, intermediate, and high fibrosis 4 (FIB-4) index groups according to the degree of liver fibrosis. The prevalence of sarcopenia and incidence of decreased gait speed (< 1.

Case-control study of the correlation between the five times sit to stand and 6-min walk distance in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: Cases of pancreatic cancer are increasing, and the risk of developing this disease reportedly increases with age. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports on physical function in patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods such as the 6-min walk distance (6 MWD) should be established to evaluate physical function, as a decline in exercise capacity is an important index in these patients.

Over-the-Gap Conductance Oscillations in Superconducting Vanadium Nanocontacts Induced by Hydrogen Impurities.

We have investigated the current-voltage (-) characteristics of Josephson junctions made by a low-temperature superconductor of vanadium (V) with a small amount of hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) impurities using a mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ) technique. Below the superconducting transition temperature , the differential conductance d/d spectra show distinct peaks within the superconducting gap, known as the subgap structure, which result from multiple Andreev reflections in pure V nanocontacts. Additionally, the H and D impurities in V nanocontacts induce several new conductance peaks outside the gap, referred to as an over-the-gap structures (OGSs).

Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation during Aerobic Exercise at Different Exercise Intensities.

Few studies have examined the effects of different aerobic-exercise intensities on intraocular-pressure (IOP) changes. This may be important for eye diseases that are impacted by IOP or its fluctuation, including glaucoma, and diabetes that is complicated by diabetic retinopathy. We investigated the effects of low-, moderate-, and high-intensity exercise on IOP in healthy subjects.

Reliability of joint position sense measured in the knee using the level function of the iPhone "Measure" application.

An impaired joint position sense (JPS) causes activity limitations, postural imbalance, and falls. This study compares the reliability of knee JPS measurements between the iPhone's "Measure" application and VICON motion capture system. Eleven healthy participants were recruited for the study.

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory oximetry monitoring in a patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for assisting in the discharge instruction on activities of daily living: a case report.

[Purpose] Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) often develop remarkable exercise-induced hypoxemia and are hospitalized for management. The pre-discharge management of activities of daily living (ADL) should determine the amount of exercise-induced hypoxemia permitted during daily activities and inform concrete instructions based on these results. This clinical report aimed to promote 24-hour ambulatory oximetry monitoring in a patient with IPF to guide the pre-discharge management of ADL.

Changes in motor function and quality of life after surgery in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Objective: To determine the changes in motor function and health-related quality of life after pancreatectomy and identify factors influencing postoperative physical functioning in health-related quality of life.

Methods: This single-centre, prospective, observational study measured 6-min walking distance, grip strength, knee extension strength and health-related quality of life variables in patients with pancreatic cancer, before and after surgery. Paired t- and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare pre- and postoperative motor function and health-related quality-of-life variables.

Fermionic order by disorder in a van der Waals antiferromagnet.

CeTe is a unique platform to investigate the itinerant magnetism in a van der Waals (vdW) coupled metal. Despite chemical pressure being a promising route to boost quantum fluctuation in this system, a systematic study on the chemical pressure effect on Ce(4f) states is absent. Here, we report on the successful growth of a series of Se doped single crystals of CeTe.

Loss of lower extremity muscle strength based on diabetic polyneuropathy in older patients with type 2 diabetes: Multicenter Survey of the Isometric Lower Extremity Strength in Type 2 Diabetes: Phase 2 study.

Aims/introduction: Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a factor that reduces lower extremity muscle strength (LEMS) in older type 2 diabetes patients. This relationship remains unclear in longitudinal studies. Therefore, we longitudinally investigated the apparent effects of DPN on changes in LEMS.

Effect of the use of passive body trunk exercise equipment on oxygen consumption and self-efficacy for carrying out exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims/introduction: Considering the difficulty in inculcating the habit of exercise among patients with type 2 diabetes, devising an easily maintained means of exercise is preferable. Passive body trunk exercise equipment (PBTE) developed for home use might solve several problems related to exercise therapy, both for patients and clinical staff involved in diabetes treatment; however, its efficacy as a therapeutic exercise device for patients with diabetes has not been ascertained. The purpose of this study was to measure the exercise intensity and self-efficacy of PBTE, and to determine whether PBTE is a useful tool for exercise therapy.

Precise absolute Seebeck coefficient measurement and uncertainty analysis using high-Tc superconductors as a reference.

The intrinsic properties of superconductors enable the direct determination of the absolute Seebeck coefficient at low temperature due to the disappearance of the Seebeck effect to obey the Meissner effect. We report a precision absolute Seebeck coefficient measurement for the fine Pt sample determined using the high-Tc YBaCuO (YBCO) superconductor as a reference and an analysis of the measurement uncertainty. To make a precision measurement and aid in the verification of the uncertainty components, we developed a cryostat system that enables temperature control in a stable manner.

Whole-body vibration enhances effectiveness of "locomotion training" evaluated in healthy young adult women.

[Purpose] Locomotion training is recommended as a countermeasure against locomotive syndrome. Recently, whole-body vibration has been clinically applied in rehabilitation medicine. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the preliminary effectiveness of whole-body vibration on locomotion training.

Temperature dependence of spherical electron transfer in a nanosized [Fe] complex.

The study of transition metal clusters exhibiting fast electron hopping or delocalization remains challenging, because intermetallic communications mediated through bridging ligands are normally weak. Herein, we report the synthesis of a nanosized complex, [Fe(Tp)(CN)][Fe(HO)(DMSO)] (abbreviated as [Fe], Tp, hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide), which has a fluctuating valence due to two mobile d-electrons in its atomic layer shell. The rate of electron transfer of [Fe] complex demonstrates the Arrhenius-type temperature dependence in the nanosized spheric surface, wherein high-spin centers are ferromagnetically coupled, producing an S = 14 ground state.

Aging, physical activity, and diabetic complications related to loss of muscle strength in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Patients with type 2 diabetes may have motor dysfunctions such as loss of muscle strength. Compared with non-diabetic subjects, patients with diabetes show decreased lower extremity muscle strength. The aim of this review was to describe the influence of factors associated with loss of muscle strength in patients with type 2 diabetes.

A Mobile Cough Strength Evaluation Device Using Cough Sounds.

Although cough peak flow (CPF) is an important measurement for evaluating the risk of cough dysfunction, some patients cannot use conventional measurement instruments, such as spirometers, because of the configurational burden of the instruments. Therefore, we previously developed a cough strength estimation method using cough sounds based on a simple acoustic and aerodynamic model. However, the previous model did not consider age or have a user interface for practical application.

Exercise loading for cardiopulmonary assessment and evaluation of endurance in amputee football players.

[Purpose] It is difficult for amputees to perform conventional cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Values were determined for two-legged, one-legged, and two-armed exercise testing in healthy adult males (Study 1), for comparison with preliminary measurements of endurance in amputee football players (Study 2). [Participants and Methods] In Study 1, cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed in healthy adult males.

Estimation of Cough Peak Flow Using Cough Sounds.

Cough peak flow (CPF) is a measurement for evaluating the risk of cough dysfunction and can be measured using various devices, such as spirometers. However, complex device setup and the face mask required to be firmly attached to the mouth impose burdens on both patients and their caregivers. Therefore, this study develops a novel cough strength evaluation method using cough sounds.

Assessment of lower extremity muscle mass, muscle strength, and exercise therapy in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.

The increase in the proportion of elderly people in the population is one of the most remarkable sociodemographic phenomena of the twenty-first century. The number of patients with diabetes is also increasing worldwide with this demographic change. Given these facts, consideration of the problems the general elderly population is facing in the management of diabetes is essential.

Cluster-Based Haldane State in an Edge-Shared Tetrahedral Spin-Cluster Chain: Fedotovite K_{2}Cu_{3}O(SO_{4})_{3}.

Fedotovite K_{2}Cu_{3}O(SO_{4})_{3} is a candidate of new quantum spin systems, in which the edge-shared tetrahedral (EST) spin clusters consisting of Cu^{2+} are connected by weak intercluster couplings forming a one-dimensional array. Comprehensive experimental studies by magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, heat capacity, and inelastic neutron scattering measurements reveal the presence of an effective S=1 Haldane state below T≅4  K. Rigorous theoretical studies provide an insight into the magnetic state of K_{2}Cu_{3}O(SO_{4})_{3}: an EST cluster makes a triplet in the ground state and a one-dimensional chain of the EST induces a cluster-based Haldane state.

Anti-gravity treadmill can promote aerobic exercise for lower limb osteoarthritis patients.

[Purpose] The anti-gravity treadmill (Alter-G) allows the load on the lower limbs to be adjusted, which is considered useful for patients with lower limb osteoarthritis. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of aerobic exercise using an anti-gravity treadmill in patients with lower limb osteoarthritis by using a cardiopulmonary exercise load monitoring system. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 20 patients with lower limb osteoarthritis.

The effect of anti-gravity treadmill training for prosthetic rehabilitation of a case with below-knee amputation.

Background: The aim of this case study was to verify the efficacy and safety of anti-gravity treadmill training for prosthetic rehabilitation following below-knee amputation.

Case Description And Methods: The patient underwent left below-knee amputation as a result of diabetic foot gangrene. Since his physical strength and vitality had declined during the perioperative period, anti-gravity treadmill training was introduced for his outpatient prosthetic rehabilitation.

The neural influence on the occurrence of locomotor-respiratory coordination.

This study focused on the neurogenic mechanisms of coordination between locomotor and respiratory rhythms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of peripheral neurogenic drive from moving limbs, and the level of consciousness, on locomotor-respiratory coordination. Subjects performed movement for 20 min in a supine position using a bicycle ergometer.

A new reusable skin-protective sphygmomanometer cuff.

Objective: Repeated blood pressure measurement with a sphygmomanometer often produces skin redness and subcutaneous bleeding in clinical settings. Recently, we have produced a new reusable skin-protective cuff with an additional sheet.

Methods: We evaluated skin damage and blood pressure measurement accuracy when using the new cuffs.