Effects of temperature and humidity on cerebrovascular disease hospitalization in a super-aging society.

Weather conditions influence the incidence of cardiovascular disease. However, few studies have investigated the association between weather temperature and humidity and cerebrovascular disease hospitalizations in a super-aging society. We included 606,807 consecutive patients with cerebrovascular disease admitted to Japanese acute-care hospitals between 2015 and 2019.

Divergent mechanisms of reduced growth performance in Betula ermanii saplings from high-altitude and low-latitude range edges.

The reduced growth performance of individuals from range edges is a common phenomenon in various taxa, and considered to be an evolutionary factor that limits the species' range. However, most studies did not distinguish between two mechanisms that can lead to this reduction: genetic load and adaptive selection to harsh conditions. To address this lack of understanding, we investigated the climatic and genetic factors underlying the growth performance of Betula ermanii saplings transplanted from 11 populations including high-altitude edge and low-latitude edge population.

Computed tomography findings in acute decompensated heart failure: periportal collar sign and lymphedema in the hepatoduodenal ligament and retroperitoneal space.

We report two cases that were diagnosed with either acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure or acute decompensated heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction; both cases exhibited computed tomography (CT) findings of the periportal collar sign in the liver and lymphedema in the hepatoduodenal ligament and retroperitoneal space. Both of these signs, particularly lymphedema in the hepatoduodenal ligament and anterior pararenal space, are considered very important CT findings when diagnosing acute decompensated heart failure.

A wearable ECG-HR detector and its application to automatic assist-mode selection of an electrically assisted bicycle.

Recently, an electrically assisted bicycle has been widely used in daily life and becomes very popular. The user selects the stepwise assist-mode to determine the assistive torque for pleasurable running. From the viewpoint of improvement of health by exercise, the electrically assisted bicycle can be an exercise machine like a treadmill.

[An autopsy case of microscopic polyangiitis associated with bacterial endocarditis].

The patient was an 87-year-old man whose initial symptom was general fatigue and inappetence. His laboratory data revealed a rise in C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC), and CT scan showed suspicious pneumonia. Antibiotics were given to the patient, but his fever and laboratory data were sustained.

Fluoride antireflection coatings for deep ultraviolet optics deposited by ion-beam sputtering.

Optically high quality coatings of fluoride materials are required in deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography. We have applied ion-beam sputtering (IBS) to obtain fluoride films with smooth surfaces. The extinction coefficients were of the order of 10(-4) at the wavelength of 193 nm due to the reduction of their absorption loss.