Evidence for a finite-momentum Cooper pair in tricolor d-wave superconducting superlattices

Fermionic superfluidity with a nontrivial Cooper-pairing, beyond the conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer state, is a captivating field of study in quantum many-body systems. In particular, the search for superconducting states with finite-momentum pairs has long been a challenge, but establishing its existence has long suffered from the lack of an appropriate probe to reveal its momentum. Recently, it has been proposed that the nonreciprocal electron transport is the most powerful probe for the finite-momentum pairs, because it directly couples to the supercurrents. Here we reveal such a pairing state by the non-reciprocal transport on tricolor superlattices with strong spin-orbit coupling combined with broken inversion-symmetry consisting of atomically thin d-wave superconductor CeCoIn5. We find that while the second-harmonic resistance exhibits a distinct dip anomaly at the low-temperature (T)/high-magnetic field (H) corner in the HT-plane for H applied to the antinodal direction of the d-wave gap, such an anomaly is absent for H along the nodal direction. By carefully isolating extrinsic effects due to vortex dynamics, we reveal the presence of a non-reciprocal response originating from intrinsic superconducting properties characterized by finite-momentum pairs. We attribute the high-field state to the helical superconducting state, wherein the phase of the order parameter is spontaneously spatially modulated.

Mouse TMC4 is involved in the detection of chloride taste of salts

Licking behavior with various salts in transmembrane channel-like 4 (Tmc4) knockout (KO) mice was observed. In Tmc4 KO mice, a significant decrease in sensitivity to chloride salts, such as NaCl, KCl, and NH4Cl, was observed, while no significant decrease in sensitivity to Na-gluconate was observed. This finding suggests that TMC4 may be involved in the detection of chloride taste.

Effect of Addition of Umami and Sour Components on NaCl Taste in Humans

We investigated the effects of adding umami and sour components to the taste characteristics of NaCl (75 mM and 100 mM) using sensory evaluation. Here, we employed a mixture of 1 mM monosodium glutamate (MSG) and 0.5 mM inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) as the umami component and 3 mM citric acid as the sour component. We confirmed that the addition of MSG+IMP significantly enhanced the salty taste intensity of the NaCl solutions. In addition, the addition of MSG+IMP increased the total taste intensity and percentage of participants who sensed umami. The addition of citric acid increased the salty taste intensity of 100 mM NaCl. The addition of citric acid also increased the total taste intensity, a greater percentage of participants discerned a sour taste. Furthermore, we observed the taste characteristics when adding lemon flavor, which evokes sourness, to the citric acid and NaCl mixture. Although the addition of lemon flavor did not affect the salty taste intensity, the number of participants who perceived a sour taste increased compared to those given only citric acid with the NaCl, and improvement in palatability was also observed. These results suggest that the addition of MSG+IMP and citric acid complicates the taste of NaCl solutions, and that they may enhance the salty taste.

Molecular logic of salt taste reception in special reference to transmembrane channel-like 4 (TMC4)

The taste is biologically of intrinsic importance. It almost momentarily perceives environmental stimuli for better survival. In the early 2000s, research into taste reception was greatly developed with discovery of the receptors. However, the mechanism of salt taste reception is not fully elucidated yet and many questions still remain. At present, next-generation sequencing and genome-editing technologies are available which would become pivotal tools to elucidate the remaining issues. Here we review current mechanisms of salt taste reception in particular and characterize the properties of transmembrane channel-like 4 as a novel salt taste-related molecule that we found using these sophisticated tools.

Quantifying the Size and Duration of a Microburst-Producing Chorus Region on 5 December 2017

Microbursts are impulsive (<1 s) injections of electrons into the atmosphere, thought to be caused by nonlinear scattering by chorus waves. Although attempts have been made to quantify their contribution to outer belt electron loss, the uncertainty in the overall size and duration of the microburst region is typically large, so that their contribution to outer belt loss is uncertain. We combine datasets that measure chorus waves (Van Allen Probes [RBSP], Arase, ground-based VLF stations) and microburst (>30 keV) precipitation (FIREBIRD II and AC6 CubeSats, POES) to determine the size of the microburst-producing chorus source region beginning on 5 December 2017. We estimate that the long-lasting (∼30 hr) microburst-producing chorus region extends from 4 to 8Δ MLT and 2-5Δ L. We conclude that microbursts likely represent a major loss source of outer radiation belt electrons for this event.

Collaborative Research Activities of the Arase and Van Allen Probes

This paper presents the highlights of joint observations of the inner magnetosphere by the Arase spacecraft, the Van Allen Probes spacecraft, and ground-based experiments integrated into spacecraft programs. The concurrent operation of the two missions in 2017-2019 facilitated the separation of the spatial and temporal structures of dynamic phenomena occurring in the inner magnetosphere. Because the orbital inclination angle of Arase is larger than that of Van Allen Probes, Arase collected observations at higher L -shells up to L ∼ 10 . After March 2017, similar variations in plasma and waves were detected by Van Allen Probes and Arase. We describe plasma wave observations at longitudinally separated locations in space and geomagnetically-conjugate locations in space and on the ground. The results of instrument intercalibrations between the two missions are also presented. Arase continued its normal operation after the scientific operation of Van Allen Probes completed in October 2019. The combined Van Allen Probes (2012-2019) and Arase (2017-present) observations will cover a full solar cycle. This will be the first comprehensive long-term observation of the inner magnetosphere and radiation belts.

Quasiparticle Nodal Plane in the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov State of FeSe

The Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state, characterized by Cooper pairs condensed at finite momentum, has been a long-sought state that remains unresolved in many classes of fermionic systems, including superconductors and ultracold atoms. A fascinating aspect of the FFLO state is the emergence of periodic nodal planes in real space, but its observation is still lacking. Here we investigate the superconducting order parameter at high magnetic fields H applied perpendicular to the ab plane in a high-purity single crystal of FeSe. The heat capacity and magnetic torque provide thermodynamic evidence for a distinct superconducting phase at the low-temperature/high-field corner of the phase diagram. Despite the bulk superconductivity, spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy performed on the same crystal demonstrates that the order parameter vanishes at the surface upon entering the high-field phase. These results provide the first demonstration of a pinned planar node perpendicular to H, which is consistent with a putative FFLO state.

Transmembrane channel-like 4 is involved in pH and temperature-dependent modulation of salty taste

Human susceptibility to NaCl varies depending on temperature and pH, the molecular mechanisms of which remain unclear. The voltage-dependent chloride channel, transmembrane channel-like 4 (TMC4), is activated at approximately 40 °C and is suppressed at pH 5.5. As these are similar in character to human sensory evaluations, human TMC4 may be involved in human salt taste reception.

TMC4 is a novel chloride channel involved in high-concentration salt taste sensation

"Salty taste" sensation is evoked when sodium and chloride ions are present together in the oral cavity. The presence of an epithelial cation channel that receives Na+ has previously been reported. However, no molecular entity involving Cl- receptors has been elucidated. We report the strong expression of transmembrane channel-like 4 (TMC4) in the circumvallate and foliate papillae projected to the glossopharyngeal nerve, mediating a high-concentration of NaCl. Electrophysiological analysis using HEK293T cells revealed that TMC4 was a voltage-dependent Cl- channel and the consequent currents were completely inhibited by NPPB, an anion channel blocker. TMC4 allowed permeation of organic anions including gluconate, but their current amplitudes at positive potentials were less than that of Cl-. Tmc4-deficient mice showed significantly weaker glossopharyngeal nerve response to high-concentration of NaCl than the wild-type littermates. These results indicated that TMC4 is a novel chloride channel that responds to high-concentration of NaCl.

Half-integer quantized anomalous thermal Hall effect in the Kitaev material candidate α-RuCl3

Half-integer thermal quantum Hall conductance has recently been reported for the two-dimensional honeycomb material α-RuCl₃ We found that the half-integer thermal Hall plateau appears even for a magnetic field with no out-of-plane components. The measured field-angular variation of the quantized thermal Hall conductance has the same sign structure as the topological Chern number of the pure Kitaev spin liquid. This observation suggests that the non-Abelian topological order associated with fractionalization of the local magnetic moments persists even in the presence of non-Kitaev interactions in α-RuCl₃.

Penetration of MeV electrons into the mesosphere accompanying pulsating aurorae

Pulsating aurorae (PsA) are caused by the intermittent precipitations of magnetospheric electrons (energies of a few keV to a few tens of keV) through wave-particle interactions, thereby depositing most of their energy at altitudes ~ 100 km. However, the maximum energy of precipitated electrons and its impacts on the atmosphere are unknown. Herein, we report unique observations by the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radar showing electron precipitations ranging from a few hundred keV to a few MeV during a PsA associated with a weak geomagnetic storm. Simultaneously, the Arase spacecraft has observed intense whistler-mode chorus waves at the conjugate location along magnetic field lines. A computer simulation based on the EISCAT observations shows immediate catalytic ozone depletion at the mesospheric altitudes. Since PsA occurs frequently, often in daily basis, and extends its impact over large MLT areas, we anticipate that the PsA possesses a significant forcing to the mesospheric ozone chemistry in high latitudes through high energy electron precipitations. Therefore, the generation of PsA results in the depletion of mesospheric ozone through high-energy electron precipitations caused by whistler-mode chorus waves, which are similar to the well-known effect due to solar energetic protons triggered by solar flares.

Oxygen torus and its coincidence with EMIC wave in the deep inner magnetosphere: Van Allen Probe B and Arase observations

We investigate the longitudinal structure of the oxygen torus in the inner magnetosphere for a specific event found on 12 September 2017, using simultaneous observations from the Van Allen Probe B and Arase satellites. It is found that Probe B observed a clear enhancement in the average plasma mass (M) up to 3-4 amu at L = 3.3-3.6 and magnetic local time (MLT) = 9.0 h. In the afternoon sector at MLT ~ 16.0 h, both Probe B and Arase found no clear enhancements in M. This result suggests that the oxygen torus does not extend over all MLT but is skewed toward the dawn. Since a similar result has been reported for another event of the oxygen torus in a previous study, a crescent-shaped torus or a pinched torus centered around dawn may be a general feature of the O+ density enhancement in the inner magnetosphere. We newly find that an electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave in the H+ band appeared coincidently with the oxygen torus. From the lower cutoff frequency of the EMIC wave, the ion composition of the oxygen torus is estimated to be 80.6% H+, 3.4% He+, and 16.0% O+. According to the linearized dispersion relation for EMIC waves, both He+ and O+ ions inhibit EMIC wave growth and the stabilizing effect is stronger for He+ than O+. Therefore, when the H+ fraction or M is constant, the denser O+ ions are naturally accompanied by the more tenuous He+ ions, resulting in a weaker stabilizing effect (i.e., larger growth rate). From the Probe B observations, we find that the growth rate becomes larger in the oxygen torus than in the adjacent regions in the plasma trough and the plasmasphere.

Multiple time-scale beats in aurora: precise orchestration via magnetospheric chorus waves

The brightness of aurorae in Earth’s polar region often beats with periods ranging from sub-second to a few tens of a second. Past observations showed that the beat of the aurora is composed of a superposition of two independent periodicities that co-exist hierarchically. However, the origin of such multiple time-scale beats in aurora remains poorly understood due to a lack of measurements with sufficiently high temporal resolution. By coordinating experiments using ultrafast auroral imagers deployed in the Arctic with the newly-launched magnetospheric satellite Arase, we succeeded in identifying an excellent agreement between the beats in aurorae and intensity modulations of natural electromagnetic waves in space called “chorus”. In particular, sub-second scintillations of aurorae are precisely controlled by fine-scale chirping rhythms in chorus. The observation of this striking correlation demonstrates that resonant interaction between energetic electrons and chorus waves in magnetospheres orchestrates the complex behavior of aurora on Earth and other magnetized planets.

Diagonal nematicity in the pseudogap phase of HgBa2CuO4+δ

The pseudogap phenomenon in the cuprates is arguably the most mysterious puzzle in the field of high-temperature superconductivity. The tetragonal cuprate HgBa₂CuO_4+δ, with only one CuO₂ layer per primitive cell, is an ideal system to tackle this puzzle. Here, we measure the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy within the CuO₂ plane with exceptionally high-precision magnetic torque experiments. Our key finding is that a distinct two-fold in-plane anisotropy sets in below the pseudogap temperature T^*, which provides thermodynamic evidence for a nematic phase transition with broken four-fold symmetry. Surprisingly, the nematic director orients along the diagonal direction of the CuO₂ square lattice, in sharp contrast to the bond nematicity along the Cu-O-Cu direction. Another remarkable feature is that the enhancement of the diagonal nematicity with decreasing temperature is suppressed around the temperature at which short-range charge-density-wave formation occurs. Our result suggests a competing relationship between diagonal nematic and charge-density-wave order in HgBa₂CuO_4+δ.

The Space Physics Environment Data Analysis System (SPEDAS)

With the advent of the Heliophysics/Geospace System Observatory (H/GSO), a complement of multi-spacecraft missions and ground-based observatories to study the space environment, data retrieval, analysis, and visualization of space physics data can be daunting. The Space Physics Environment Data Analysis System (SPEDAS), a grass-roots software development platform (www.spedas.org), is now officially supported by NASA Heliophysics as part of its data environment infrastructure. It serves more than a dozen space missions and ground observatories and can integrate the full complement of past and upcoming space physics missions with minimal resources, following clear, simple, and well-proven guidelines. Free, modular and configurable to the needs of individual missions, it works in both command-line (ideal for experienced users) and Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode (reducing the learning curve for first-time users). Both options have "crib-sheets," user-command sequences in ASCII format that can facilitate record-and-repeat actions, especially for complex operations and plotting. Crib-sheets enhance scientific interactions, as users can move rapidly and accurately from exchanges of technical information on data processing to efficient discussions regarding data interpretation and science. SPEDAS can readily query and ingest all International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP)-compatible products from the Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF), enabling access to a vast collection of historic and current mission data. The planned incorporation of Heliophysics Application Programmer's Interface (HAPI) standards will facilitate data ingestion from distributed datasets that adhere to these standards. Although SPEDAS is currently Interactive Data Language (IDL)-based (and interfaces to Java-based tools such as Autoplot), efforts are under-way to expand it further to work with python (first as an interface tool and potentially even receiving an under-the-hood replacement). We review the SPEDAS development history, goals, and current implementation. We explain its "modes of use" with examples geared for users and outline its technical implementation and requirements with software developers in mind. We also describe SPEDAS personnel and software management, interfaces with other organizations, resources and support structure available to the community, and future development plans.

ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

The online version of this article (10.1007/s11214-018-0576-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Novel indole and benzothiophene ring derivatives showing differential modulatory activity against human epithelial sodium channel subunits, ENaC β and γ

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) plays a pivotal role in sodium homeostasis, and the development of drugs that modulate ENaC activity is of great potential therapeutic relevance. We screened 6100 chemicals for their ability to activate sodium permeability of ENaC. We used a two-step strategy: a high throughput cell-based assay and an electrophysiological assay. Five compounds were identified showing common structural features including an indole or benzothiophene ring. ENaC consists of three subunits: α, β, and γ. Changing the heteromeric combination of human and mouse ENaC αβγ subunits, we found that all five compounds activated the human β subunit but not the mouse subunit. However, four of them exhibited lower activity when the human γ subunit was substituted by the mouse γ subunit. Our findings provide a structural basis for designing human ENaC activity modulators. Abbreviations: ENaC: Epithelial sodium channel; ΔRFU: delta relative fluorescence units; EC₅₀: Half-maximal effective concentration; E_max: maximum effect value.

Quantum oscillations of electrical resistivity in an insulator

In metals, orbital motions of conduction electrons on the Fermi surface are quantized in magnetic fields, which is manifested by quantum oscillations in electrical resistivity. This Landau quantization is generally absent in insulators. Here, we report a notable exception in an insulator-ytterbium dodecaboride (YbB₁₂). The resistivity of YbB₁₂, which is of a much larger magnitude than the resistivity in metals, exhibits distinct quantum oscillations. These unconventional oscillations arise from the insulating bulk, even though the temperature dependence of the oscillation amplitude follows the conventional Fermi liquid theory of metals with a large effective mass. Quantum oscillations in the magnetic torque are also observed, albeit with a lighter effective mass.

Pulsating aurora from electron scattering by chorus waves

Auroral substorms, dynamic phenomena that occur in the upper atmosphere at night, are caused by global reconfiguration of the magnetosphere, which releases stored solar wind energy. These storms are characterized by auroral brightening from dusk to midnight, followed by violent motions of distinct auroral arcs that suddenly break up, and the subsequent emergence of diffuse, pulsating auroral patches at dawn. Pulsating aurorae, which are quasiperiodic, blinking patches of light tens to hundreds of kilometres across, appear at altitudes of about 100 kilometres in the high-latitude regions of both hemispheres, and multiple patches often cover the entire sky. This auroral pulsation, with periods of several to tens of seconds, is generated by the intermittent precipitation of energetic electrons (several to tens of kiloelectronvolts) arriving from the magnetosphere and colliding with the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere. A possible cause of this precipitation is the interaction between magnetospheric electrons and electromagnetic waves called whistler-mode chorus waves. However, no direct observational evidence of this interaction has been obtained so far. Here we report that energetic electrons are scattered by chorus waves, resulting in their precipitation. Our observations were made in March 2017 with a magnetospheric spacecraft equipped with a high-angular-resolution electron sensor and electromagnetic field instruments. The measured quasiperiodic precipitating electron flux was sufficiently intense to generate a pulsating aurora, which was indeed simultaneously observed by a ground auroral imager.

Unusual Thermal Hall Effect in a Kitaev Spin Liquid Candidate α-RuCl_{3}

The Kitaev quantum spin liquid displays the fractionalization of quantum spins into Majorana fermions. The emergent Majorana edge current is predicted to manifest itself in the form of a finite thermal Hall effect, a feature commonly discussed in topological superconductors. Here we report on thermal Hall conductivity κ_{xy} measurements in α-RuCl_{3}, a candidate Kitaev magnet with the two-dimensional honeycomb lattice. In a spin-liquid (Kitaev paramagnetic) state below the temperature characterized by the Kitaev interaction J_{K}/k_{B}∼80  K, positive κ_{xy} develops gradually upon cooling, demonstrating the presence of highly unusual itinerant excitations. Although the zero-temperature property is masked by the magnetic ordering at T_{N}=7  K, the sign, magnitude, and T dependence of κ_{xy}/T at intermediate temperatures follows the predicted trend of the itinerant Majorana excitations.

Tuning the Pairing Interaction in a d-Wave Superconductor by Paramagnons Injected through Interfaces

Unconventional superconductivity and magnetism are intertwined on a microscopic level in a wide class of materials. A new approach to this most fundamental and hotly debated issue focuses on the role of interactions between superconducting electrons and bosonic fluctuations at the interface between adjacent layers in heterostructures. Here we fabricate hybrid superlattices consisting of alternating atomic layers of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn_{5} and antiferromagnetic (AFM) metal CeRhIn_{5}, in which the AFM order can be suppressed by applying pressure. We find that the superconducting and AFM states coexist in spatially separated layers, but their mutual coupling via the interface significantly modifies the superconducting properties. An analysis of upper critical fields reveals that, upon suppressing the AFM order by applied pressure, the force binding superconducting electron pairs acquires an extreme strong-coupling nature. This demonstrates that superconducting pairing can be tuned nontrivially by magnetic fluctuations (paramagnons) injected through the interface.

Full-Gap Superconductivity Robust against Disorder in Heavy-Fermion CeCu_{2}Si_{2}

A key aspect of unconventional pairing by the antiferromagnetic spin-fluctuation mechanism is that the superconducting energy gap must have the opposite sign on different parts of the Fermi surface. Recent observations of non-nodal gap structure in the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCu_{2}Si_{2} were then very surprising, given that this material has long been considered a prototypical example of a superconductor where the Cooper pairing is magnetically mediated. Here we present a study of the effect of controlled point defects, introduced by electron irradiation, on the temperature-dependent magnetic penetration depth λ(T) in CeCu_{2}Si_{2}. We find that the fully gapped state is robust against disorder, demonstrating that low-energy bound states, expected for sign-changing gap structures, are not induced by nonmagnetic impurities. This provides bulk evidence for s_{++}-wave superconductivity without sign reversal.

FUT2 non-secretor status is associated with Type 1 diabetes susceptibility in Japanese children

AIM

To examine the contribution of the FUT2 gene and ABO blood type to the development of Type 1 diabetes in Japanese children.

METHODS

We analysed FUT2 variants and ABO genotypes in a total of 531 Japanese children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and 448 control subjects. The possible association of FUT2 variants and ABO genotypes with the onset of Type 1 diabetes was statistically examined.

RESULTS

The se2 genotype (c.385A>T) of the FUT2 gene was found to confer susceptibility to Type 1A diabetes in a recessive effects model [odds ratio for se2/se2, 1.68 (95% CI 1.20-2.35); corrected P value = 0.0075].

CONCLUSIONS

The FUT2 gene contributed to the development of Type 1 diabetes in the present cohort of Japanese children.

Variants associated with autoimmune Type 1 diabetes in Japanese children: implications for age-specific effects of cis-regulatory haplotypes at 17q12-q21

AIMS

The aim of this study was to clarify the significance of previously reported susceptibility variants in the development of autoimmune Type 1 diabetes in non-white children. Tested variants included rs2290400, which has been linked to Type 1 diabetes only in one study on white people. Haplotypes at 17q12-q21 encompassing rs2290400 are known to determine the susceptibility of early-onset asthma by affecting the expression of flanking genes.

METHODS

We genotyped 63 variants in 428 Japanese people with childhood-onset autoimmune Type 1 diabetes and 457 individuals without diabetes. Possible association between variants and age at diabetes onset was examined using age-specific quantitative trait locus analysis and ordered-subset regression analysis.

RESULTS

Ten variants, including rs2290400 in GSDMB, were more frequent among the people with Type 1 diabetes than those without diabetes. Of these, rs689 in INS and rs231775 in CTLA4 yielded particularly high odds ratios of 5.58 (corrected P value 0.001; 95% CI 2.15-14.47) and 1.64 (corrected P value 5.3 × 10^-5 ; 95% CI 1.34-2.01), respectively. Age-specific effects on diabetes susceptibility were suggested for rs2290400; heterozygosity of the risk alleles was associated with relatively early onset of diabetes, and the allele was linked to the phenotype exclusively in the subgroup of age at onset ≤ 5.0 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that rs2290400 in GSDMB and polymorphisms in INS and CTLA4 are associated with the risk of Type 1 diabetes in Japanese children. Importantly, cis-regulatory haplotypes at 17q12-q21 encompassing rs2290400 probably determine the risk of autoimmune Type 1 diabetes predominantly in early childhood.

Tuning the Magnetic Quantum Criticality of Artificial Kondo Superlattices CeRhIn_{5}/YbRhIn_{5}

The effects of reduced dimensions and the interfaces on antiferromagnetic quantum criticality are studied in epitaxial Kondo superlattices, with alternating n layers of heavy-fermion antiferromagnet CeRhIn_{5} and seven layers of normal metal YbRhIn_{5}. As n is reduced, the Kondo coherence temperature is suppressed due to the reduction of effective Kondo screening. The Néel temperature is gradually suppressed as n decreases and the quasiparticle mass is strongly enhanced, implying dimensional control toward a quantum critical point. Magnetotransport measurements reveal that a quantum critical point is reached for the n=3 superlattice by applying small magnetic fields. Remarkably, the anisotropy of the quantum critical field is opposite to the expectations from the magnetic susceptibility in bulk CeRhIn_{5}, suggesting that the Rashba spin-orbit interaction arising from the inversion symmetry breaking at the interface plays a key role for tuning the quantum criticality in the two-dimensional Kondo lattice.

Region-specific dendritic spine loss of pyramidal neurons in dopamine transporter knockout mice

Dopamine transporter (DAT) knockout (KO) mice show numerous behavioral alterations, including hyperlocomotion, cognitive deficits, impulsivity and impairment of prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI), phenotypes that may be relevant to frontostriatal disorders such as schizophrenia. Dendritic spine changes of pyramidal neurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are among the most replicated of findings in postmortem studies of schizophrenia. The mechanisms that account for dendritic changes in the DLPFC in schizophrenia are unclear. Here, we report basal spine density of pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the motor cortex, the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and the basolateral amygdala in DAT KO mice. Pyramidal neurons were visualized using DAT KO mice crossbred with a Thy1-GFP transgenic mouse line. We observed a significant decrease in spine density of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC and the CA1 region of the hippocampus in DAT KO mice compared to that in WT mice. On the other hand, no difference was observed in spine density of pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex or the basolateral amygdala between DAT genotypes. These results suggest that decreased spine density could cause hypofunction of the mPFC and the hippocampus, and contribute to the behavioral abnormalities observed in DAT KO mice, including cognitive deficits. This might suggest that aberrant dopaminergic signaling may trigger dystrophic changes in dendrites of hippocampal and prefrontocortical pyramidal neurons in schizophrenia.

The regulation of oxytocin receptor gene expression during adipogenesis

Although it has been reported that oxytocin stimulates lipolysis in adipocytes, changes in the expression of oxytocin receptor (OTR) mRNA in adipogenesis are still unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of OTR mRNA during adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation in adipocytes. OTR mRNA was highly expressed in adipocytes prepared from mouse adipose tissues compared to stromal-vascular cells. OTR mRNA expression was increased during the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. OTR expression levels were higher in subcutaneous and epididymal adipose tissues of 14-week-old male mice compared to 7-week-old male mice. Levels of OTR mRNA expression were higher in adipose tissues at four different sites of mice fed a high-fat diet than in those of mice fed a normal diet. The OTR expression level was also increased by refeeding for 4 h after fasting for 16 h. Oxytocin significantly induced lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In conclusion, a new regulatory mechanism is demonstrated for oxytocin to control the differentiation and fat accumulation in adipocytes via activation of OTR as a part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adipose axis.

Activin A is stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and modulates collagen gene expression in human amniotic cells

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidence supports the idea of activin A as a modulator of inflammation. In human pregnancy, elevated activin A concentrations in amniotic fluid are reported in women with intra-amniotic infection and inflammation- induced pre-term birth.

AIM

To test the hypothesis that activin A was involved in the pathophysiology of amnionitis, we evaluated the effects of tumor necrosis factor-α and lipopolysaccharide on activin A production in human amniotic epithelial cells, and the effects of activin A on the expression of collagen mRNA in amniotic mesenchymal cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Amniotic membranes were obtained from patients without systemic disease, signs of premature delivery or fetal complications, during elective cesarean sections at term. Amniotic epithelial cells and mesenchymal cells were separately obtained by enzymatic digestion and cultured. Activin A was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and collagen mRNA levels were assessed by quantitative PCR.

RESULTS

Amniotic epithelial cells produced activin A in a cell density- and time-dependent manner. Tumor necrosis factor- α enhanced activin A production in a time-dependent (48-120 h) and dose-dependent (10-300 ng/ml) manner in amniotic epithelial cells. Lipopolysaccharide also stimulated activin A production, but the effect was less prominent. In amniotic mesenchymal cells, the effect of activin A on the expression of type I and type III collagen mRNA was suppressive.

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor necrosis factor-α and lipopolysaccharide stimulated activin A production in amniotic epithelial cells, and activin A modulated expression of collagen mRNA in amniotic mesenchymal cells. These results support the idea that activin A is involved in the pathophysiology of amnionitis.

Correlation-enhanced effective mass of two-dimensional electrons in Mg(x)Zn(1-x)O/ZnO heterostructures

We performed combined magnetotransport and cyclotron resonance experiments on two-dimensional electron systems confined in the Mg(x)Zn(1-x)O/ZnO heterostructures over a wide range of carrier densities, from 1.9 to 12 × 10(11) cm(-2) (3.5 </~ r(s) </~ 10, where r(s) is the Wigner-Seitz radius). As the carrier density was reduced, the transport mass m(tr)* was strongly enhanced. In marked contrast, the effective masses determined from the cyclotron resonance m(CR)(*) were found to be independent of the carrier density and as large as the bulk effective mass. The large enhancement of m(tr)(*), which exceeds m(CR)(*) by ~ 60%, at the lowest carrier density with r(s) 10 is purely attributed to the strong electron correlation.

Relation between maximum phonation time and exercise capacity in chronic heart failure patients

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) commonly fatigue easily due to low peak oxygen uptake (peak VO(2)), an important index of exercise capacity. Maximum phonation time (MPT) is widely used to evaluate maximum vocal capabilities because it is non-invasive, quick, and inexpensive.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the relation between MPT and exercise capacity, and MPT required to attain an exercise capacity of ≥5 metabolic equivalents (METs) in CHF outpatients.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation unit.

POPULATION

We enrolled 111 CHF outpatients (mean age 54.2±10.1 years).

METHODS

Peak VO(2) was assessed during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) as the index of exercise capacity. After CPX, we divided the patients into two groups according to exercise capacity: ≥5 METs group (N.=68) and <5 METs group (N.=43). Measurements of MPT were taken in the seated position. All patients were asked to produce a sustained vowel /a:/ for as long as possible and were verbally encouraged during respiratory effort.

RESULTS

After adjustment for patient clinical characteristics, MPT in the CHF patients was found to be significantly higher in the ≥5 METs group than in the <5 METs group (22.1±8.4 vs. 17.0±11.6 s, F=13.5, P<0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis of exercise capacity of ≥5 METs extracted a cutoff value for MPT of 18.27 s, with a sensitivity of 0.76, 1-specificity of 0.33, and AUC value of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.70-0.87, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

There were differences in MPT in relation to an exercise capacity threshold of ≥5 METs in CHF outpatients. A MPT of 18.27 sec may be the best cutoff value to identify people with or without exercise capacity of ≥5 METs.

CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT

Measurement of MPT may be a useful method for estimating exercise capacity in CHF outpatients.

Eating alone among community-dwelling Japanese elderly: association with depression and food diversity

Eating alone is an emerging social concern these days along with the background of serious aging population growth and increasing number of single-dwellers in Japan. However, little study is focused eating alone and its relation to the health status of community-dwelling elderly.

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the relations between eating alone and geriatric functions such as depression, quantitative subjective quality of life (QOL), activities of daily living (ADL) and dietary status of community-dwelling Japanese elderly.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

Tosa town, one of the "super-aged" towns in Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

The study population consisted of 856 community-dwelling elderly aged ≥65 living in Tosa town.

MEASUREMENTS

Eating alone and living arrangement was defined by the questionnaire. Geriatric functions were assessed by measuring activities of daily living (ADL), depressive symptom using 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS-15), and quality of life (QOL). Food diversity was investigated as a measure of dietary quality using 11-item Food Diversity Score Kyoto (FDSK-11). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using height and body weight during a medical assessment.

RESULTS

The proportion of the elderly who usually eat alone was 33.2% in this study population. Even among 697 elderly subjects who live with others, 136 persons (19.5%) ate alone. The participants who ate alone were significantly depressed according to the assessment using GDS-15 score (5.7±4.3 vs. 4.4±3.8, P<0.001). Those who ate alone have lower scores of QOL items than those who ate with others (Subjective sense of health: 52.5±21.9 vs. 55.7±20.2 P=0.035, Relationship with family: 74.1±23.5 vs. 78.9±18.6 P<0.001, Subjective happiness: 58.5±22.7 vs. 62.2±21.1 P=0.019). A significant close association was found between eating alone and lower food diversity (FDSK-11 score 9.9±1.3 vs. 10.2±1.3, P=0.002). BMI was lower in the elderly subjects who ate alone than those with others. By the multivariate analysis, depression was independently associated with eating alone in the logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, BMI and food diversity as confounding factors (OR: 1.42, CI: 1.00-2.11, P=0.043). Food diversity was also significantly associated even after the adjustment of these confounding factors.

CONCLUSION

Eating alone is an important issue related to depression and QOL as well as dietary status of community-dwellingl elderly in Japan. This study shows the simple and inexpensive way "eating together" may contribute to improve depressive mood of elderly persons, with a strong message that supports of family, friends and neighbors are very important.

Liquid-gated interface superconductivity on an atomically flat film

Liquid/solid interfaces are attracting growing interest not only for applications in catalytic activities and energy storage, but also for their new electronic functions in electric double-layer transistors (EDLTs) exemplified by high-performance organic electronics, field-induced electronic phase transitions, as well as superconductivity in SrTiO(3) (ref. 12). Broadening EDLTs to induce superconductivity within other materials is highly demanded for enriching the materials science of superconductors. However, it is severely hampered by inadequate choice of materials and processing techniques. Here we introduce an easy method using ionic liquids as gate dielectrics, mechanical micro-cleavage techniques for surface preparation, and report the observation of field-induced superconductivity showing a transition temperature T(c)=15.2 K on an atomically flat film of layered nitride compound, ZrNCl. The present result reveals that the EDLT is an extremely versatile tool to induce electronic phase transitions by electrostatic charge accumulation and provides new routes in the search for superconductors beyond those synthesized by traditional chemical methods.

Induction of primary systemic therapy by weekly paclitaxel: Predictive value of hormone receptors, HER-2, topoisomerase II- alpha, and other biological markers in relation to pathological complete response

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Background: Randomized phase II study of epirubicin(E) plus cyclophosphamide (C) vs. weekly paclitaxel (P) as primary systemic therapy (PST) in stage II and III breast cancer(BC) have shown that there was no significant difference in the pathological complete response (pCR) rate between the EC and P groups (#568 ASCO 2008). The aim of this study is to evaluate the predictive value of hormone receptors, HER2, topoisomerase IIα(TOP II) and other biological markers in the EC and P groups as PST. Methods: Tissue samples were obtained before PST from pts who were randomized to either Arm A (EC: E 75 mg/m2 and C 600 mg/m2 every 3 W for 4 cycles) or Arm B (weekly P: P 80 mg/m2 weekly for 12 w). Pts received PST for 12 w, then underwent surgery. All pts received a crossover regimen as adjuvant chemotherapy.The pretreatment expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor(PgR), HER2, P53, Ki67, P21 and CD31 were analized by immunohistochemical staining. The status of TOP II gene was evaluated by FISH. Results: One-hundred- sixty pts (Arm A: n=82, Arm B: n=78 ) were estimable. The pCR rates were 13.4% in Arm A and 17.9% in Arm B(p=0.43). In both arms, pCR rate was significantly higher for pts whose tumors did not express ER nor PgR(ER/PgR-) compared with the receptor positive(ER/PgR+) pts. Pts with HER2 positive tumors tend to have higher pCR rate in Arm B compared with Arm A (32.2% vs. 12.5%;p=0.11). The pCR rate for pts with HER2 negative BC were not different in both Arms(A:14.0% vs. B:8.5%). Pts with triple negative (TN) (ER/PgR, HER2-) BC achieved almost same pCR in both Arms (A:25.0% vs. B:23.1%). However, the pCR rate for pts with nonTN BC was significantly higher in ArmB compared to Arm A (16.9% vs. 8.6%, p<0.001). The deletion and amplification of TOP II gene were not predictive of higher pCR rate to ArmA than to Arm B. The pretreatment expression of P53, Ki67, P21 and CD31 was unlikely to predict the higher response of any Arm. Conclusions: Althogh valuable predictive factor of pCR were not detected between EC and weekly P group, the efficacy of weekly P therapy as PST were equal to EC therapy regardless of HR,HER2 and TOP II gene status. Therefore, induction of PST by weekly P therapy seems to be promising.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Thermal conductivity evidence for a dx2-y2 pairing symmetry in the heavy-fermion CeIrIn5 superconductor

The phase diagram of the quasi-2D Ce(Ir,Rh)In5 system contains two distinct superconducting domes. By the thermal transport measurements in rotating magnetic fields H, we pinned down the superconducting gap structure of CeIrIn5 in the second dome, located distant from the first dome in proximity to an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. Clear fourfold oscillation was observed when H is rotated within the ab plane, while no oscillation was observed within the bc plane. In sharp contrast to previous reports, our results are most consistent with dx2-y2 symmetry, implying that the superconductivity in the second phase is also mediated by antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations.