Japanese version of voice handicap index for subjective evaluation of voice disorder

Recently, the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), developed in the United States, has been highlighted as a means to assess a patient's perceptions of the severity of his or her voice disorder. The VHI is based on a self-administered questionnaire that quantifies the degree of a patient's disability related to his/her voice disorder. The questionnaire was translated into Japanese and applied to Japanese patients with various kinds of disordered voice or dysphonia. The results were analyzed and the usefulness discussed. In this study, 546 patients (281 males and 265 females) were included. Mean VHI scores were 36.2/120 in males and 44.1/120 in females. In the male patients, VHI scores were the highest among teens. However, VHI scores did not vary with age in the female patients. Patients with vocal fold paralysis, functional dysphonia, psychological dysphonia, and spasmodic dysphonia showed relatively high VHI scores, whereas those with laryngeal granuloma and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease showed low scores. In most diseases, functional and physiological scores were higher than emotional scores. In any treated patients, those with vocal nodule, vocal polyp, polypoid vocal fold, and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, VHI scores decreased after therapeutic intervention. These findings suggest that the Japanese VHI is a useful tool for monitoring a patient's psychological status, choosing appropriate treatment, and assessing the therapeutic outcome.     

Finite type invariants of order 3 for a spatial handcuff graph

We express a basis for the vector space of finite type invariants of order less than or equal to three for an embedded handcuff graph in a 3-sphere in terms of the linking number, the Conway polynomial, and the Jones polynomial of the sublinks of the handcuff graph.     

Solid-state ligand-driven light-induced spin change at ambient temperatures in bis(dipyrazolylstyrylpyridine)iron(II) complexes

We previously reported that an Fe(II) complex ligated by two (Z)-2,6-di(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-4-styrylpyridine ligands (Z-H) presented a solid state ligand-driven light-induced spin change (LD-LISC) upon one-way Z-to-E photoisomerization, although modulation of the magnetism was trivial at ambient temperatures (Chem. Commun.2011, 47, 6846). Here, we report the synthesis of new derivatives of Z-H, Z-CN and Z-NO(2), in which electron-withdrawing cyano and nitro substituents are introduced at the 4-position of the styryl group to attain a more profound photomagnetism at ambient temperatures. Z-CN and Z-NO(2) undergo quantitative one-way Z-to-E photochromism upon excitation of the charge transfer band both in acetonitrile and in the solid state, similar to the behavior observed for Z-H. In solution, these substituents stabilized the low-spin (LS) states of Z-CN and Z-NO(2), and the behavior was quantitatively analyzed according to the Evans equation. The photomagnetic properties in the solid state, on the other hand, cannot be explained in terms of the substituent effect alone. Z-CN displayed photomagnetic properties almost identical to those of Z-H. Z-CN preferred the high-spin (HS) state at all temperatures tested, whereas photoirradiated Z-CN yielded a lower χ(M)T at ambient temperatures. The behavior of Z-NO(2) was counterintuitive, and the material displayed surprising photomagnetic properties in the solid state. Z-NO(2) occupied the LS state at low temperatures and underwent thermal spin crossover (SCO) with a T(1/2) of about 270 K. The photoirradiated Z-NO(2) displayed a higher value of χ(M)T and the modulation of χ(M)T exceeded that of Z-H or Z-CN. Z-NO(2)·acetone, in which acetone molecules were incorporated into the crystal lattice, further stabilized the LS state (T(1/2) > 300 K), thereby promoting large modulations of the χ(M)T values (87% at 273 K and 64% at 300 K) upon Z-to-E photoisomerization. Single crystal X-ray structure analysis revealed that structural factors played a vital role in the photomagnetic properties in the solid state. Z-H and Z-CN favored intermolecular π-π stacking among the ligand molecules. The coordination sphere around the Fe(II) nucleus was distorted, which stabilized the HS state. In contrast, Z-NO(2)·acetone was liberated from such intermolecular π-π stacking and coordination distortion, resulting in the stabilization of the LS state.     

Bioactive Properties of Chitin/Chitosan—Calcium Phosphate Composite Materials

Calcium phosphate coating over phosphorylated derivatives of chitin/chitosan material was produced by a process based on phosphorylation, Ca(OH)₂ treatment and SBF (simulated body fluid solution) immersion. Chitin/chitosan phosphorylated using urea and H₃PO₄ and then soaked in saturated Ca(OH)₂ solution at ambient temperature, which lead to the formation of thin coatings formed by partial hydrolysis of the PO₄ functionalities, were found to stimulate the growth of a calcium phosphate coating on their surfaces after soaking in 1.5 × SBF solution for as little as one day. The Ca(OH)₂ treatment facilitates the formation of a calcium phosphate precursor over the phosphorylated chitin/chitosan, which in turn encourages the growth of a calcium deficient apatite coating over the surface upon immersion in SBF solution. The bio-compatibility of calcium phosphate compound—chitin/chitosan composite materials was evaluated by cell culture test using L-929 cells. The initial anchoring ratio and the adhesive strength of L-929 cells for composites was higher than that for the polystyrene disk (LUX, control). The results of in-vitro evaluation suggested that the calcium phosphate—chitin/chitosan composite materials were suitable for cell carrier materials.     

Box-Ball Systems and Robinson-Schensted-Knuth Correspondence

We study a box-ball system from the viewpoint of combinatorics of words and tableaux. Each state of the box-ball system can be transformed into a pair of tableaux (P, Q) by the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth correspondence. In the language of tableaux, the P-symbol gives rise to a conserved quantity of the box-ball system, and the Q-symbol evolves independently of the P-symbol. The time evolution of the Q-symbol is described explicitly in terms of the box-labels.     

Derivatives of Dedekind sums and their reciprocity law

In this paper derivatives of Dedekind sums are defined, and their reciprocity laws are proved. They are obtained from values at non-positive integers of the first derivatives of Barnes’ double zeta functions. As special cases, they give finite product expressions of the Stirling modular form and the double gamma function at positive rational numbers.     

Frequency dependence of electron spin-lattice relaxation rate at 5–450 MHz in pristine trans-polyacetylene --- new evidence of one dimensional diffusive motion of electron spin (neutral soliton) ---

Electron spin-lattice relaxation rate T_l^?1 has been measured at low frequencies 5–450 MHz in pristine trans-polyacetylene. Frequency dependence of T_l^?1 gave dimensionality of diffusive motion of electron spins (neutral soliton). Relaxation mechanism was identified as dipolar and hyperfine origin based on an electron spin concentration dependence of T_l^?1.     

The study on phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Bacillus thuringiensis: synthesis of homogeneous substrates, substrate specificity and other properties.

The properties of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) from Bacillus thuringiensis were studied in detail. The enzyme was extremely thermostable in 0.1% bovine serum albumin and retained 73% of its activity at 100 degrees C for 10 min, while it was labile in the absence of albumin. The enzymatic activity was inhibited by HgCl2 or p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid and restored by dithiothreitol. The kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) of PI-PLC were determined for the mixed micelle of yeast phosphatidylinositol (PI)/Triton X-100 or sodium deoxycholate. Four PIs having different acyl chains: dilauroylphosphatidylinositol (DLPI), dimyristoylphosphatidylinositol (DMPI), dipalmitoylphosphatidylinositol (DPPI) and dioleoylphosphatidylinositol (DOPI) were synthesized from yeast PI through the processes of deacylation and reacylation, identified by infrared (IR) and Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance (FT-NMR) spectra, and subjected to the action of PI-PLC. All the synthetic PIs were hydrolyzed by this enzyme, with DLPI and DMPI being the best substrates. PI-PLC did not catalyze the hydrolysis of the phosphatidylnucleosides 5'-phosphatidylcytidine, 5'-phosphatidyluridine, 5'-phosphatidylthymidine, 5'-phosphatidyladenosine and 5'-phosphatidyl-2'-deoxyadenosine.     

Alignment of iodine species in stretched polyacetylene films

The¹²⁹I Mössbauer spectroscopy has been applied to iodine-doped highly conducting polyacetylene. For the unstretched polyacetylene films, the iodine species of I^?, I ₃ ^? and I ₅ ^? are observed. The polyiodides have symmetrical charge population. In addition to these anions, a small amount of iodines is covalently bonding to the carbon atoms, breaking the double bonds of the main chain. For the stretched polyacetylene films, the measurements were done under the condition that the stretch direction was parallel or perpendicular to the direction of incident ψ-rays. The relative change of the intensities of the Mössbauer quadrupole-split lines reveals the alignment of the polyiodine anions in the stretched film.