Relationship between Echo Intensity of Vastus Lateralis and Knee Extension Strength in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: This study aimed to determine the association between echo intensity (EI) of vastus lateralis and knee extension strength (KES) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 304 patients (189 males and 115 females) with T2DM who were hospitalized for treatment or care. EI and muscle thickness (MT) of the right vastus lateralis were assessed from transverse ultrasound images. Maximal isometric KES was evaluated using a dynamometer and normalized for body weight (%KES). Results: %KES was significantly positively correlated with MT and stages of change for exercise behavior, and significantly negatively correlated with age, T2DM duration, and EI. %KES was significantly higher in male than in female. %KES was significantly higher in non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) than in DPN. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that sex, age, T2DM duration, EI, and stages of change for exercise behavior were significant determinants of %KES. Conclusion: The study results suggest that EI is associated with %KES in patients with T2DM.     

Conical support for double-stage diamond anvil apparatus

ABSTRACT

Both micro-paired and conical support type double-stage diamond anvil cells (ds-DAC) were tested using a newly synthesized ultra-fine nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD). Well-focused X-ray sub-micron beam and the conically supported 2nd stage anvils (micro-anvils) with 10?μm culet enable us to obtain good quality X-ray diffraction peaks from the sample at around 400?GPa. The relationship between confining pressure and sample pressure depends heavily on the initial height (thickness) of micro-anvils, the difference of a few micrometers leads to a quite different compression path. The conical support type is a solution to retain both enough thickness and strength of micro-anvils at higher confining pressure conditions. All conical support ds-DAC experiments terminated by the failure of the 1st stage anvil instead of 2nd one. The combination of ultra-fine NPD 2nd stage anvil and NPD 1st stage anvil opens a new frontier for measurement of the X-ray absorption spectrum above 300?GPa.     

Photocatalytic formation of dimethyllepidopterene from 9,10-dimethylanthracene via electron-transfer oxidation

[Structure: see text] Photocatalytic carbon-carbon bond formation of 9,10-dimethylanthracene (DMA) in chloroform occurs efficiently via the electron-transfer oxidation of DMA with the photoinduced electron-transfer state of 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion (Acr+-Mes), followed by deprotonation from the methyl group of DMA radical cation and the radical coupling reaction between anthracenylmethyl radicals to produce dimethyllepidopterene.     

Trace analysis of high-purity copper by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis after the separation of matrix element was studied for the determination of trace impurity elements (Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Zn) in high purity copper. Matrix copper was removed by electrolysis (0.2 A, 8 h) of a nitric acid solution. A 10 μL aliquot of the remaining solution of the electrolysis was dropped on a silicon-wafer sample-carrier and dried in a vacuum. This was repeated five times and the precipitate of five 10 μL-aliquots was analyzed by TXRF using a W-Lβ beam with an incident angle of 0.05 °. TXRF analytical values were obtained by using relative sensitivity factors of the analytes to the internal standard element (Pd). Detection limits of the analytes ranges from 0.077 ng for Zn to 0.785 ng for Ca. Received: 25 December 1997 / Revised: 30 March 1998 / Accepted: 2 April 1998     

The effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on muscle EMG activity and the initial phase rate of force development during tetanic contractions in the knee extensor muscles of healthy adult males

Objective: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been noted as an effective pre- contraction for an increase of neural and muscle factors during twitch contractions. However, it is unknown if this intervention is effective for the rate of force development (RFD), which is the ability to increase joint torque strength as quickly as possible, during tetanic contractions. NMES can be safely used by anyone, but, the strength setting of NMES requires attention so as not to cause pain. Therefore, the purpose of this study investigated whether NMES at less painful levels was effective for RFD during tetanic contractions. We also investigated effect activation by analyzing electromyogram (EMG) and RFD for each phase. Methods: Eighteen healthy males were studied. Before and after NMES intervention at 10% or 20% maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) level (10%NMES, 20%NMES respectively), EMG activity and the initial phase (30-, 50-, 100-, and 200-msec) RFD were measured. Visual analog scale (VAS) was also measured as an indicator of pain during each NMES. Results: 20%NMES increased EMG activity and 30-, 50-, and 100-msec of RFD during MVIC, but could not improve 200 msec of RFD. However, 10%NMES could be failed to increase all phases RFD, but VAS was lower than that of 20% NMES. Conclusion: These results suggest that muscle pre-contraction using 20%NMES could induce moderate pain, but could be an effective intervention to improve RFD via neural factor activity.     

Local Structure of Glassy Lithium Phosphorus Oxynitride Thin Films: A Combined Experimental and Ab Initio Approach

Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) is an amorphous solid-state lithium ion conductor displaying exemplary cyclability against lithium metal anodes. There is no definitive explanation for this stability due to the limited understanding of the structure of LiPON. Herein, we provide a structural model of RF-sputtered LiPON. Information about the short-range structure results from 1D and 2D solid-state NMR experiments. These results are compared with first principles chemical shielding calculations of Li-P-O/N crystals and ab initio molecular dynamics-generated amorphous LiPON models to unequivocally identify the glassy structure as primarily isolated phosphate monomers with N incorporated in both apical and as bridging sites in phosphate dimers. Structural results suggest LiPON′s stability is a result of its glassy character. Free-standing LiPON films are produced that exhibit a high degree of flexibility, highlighting the unique mechanical properties of glassy materials.     

Concentrated Equilibrium and Intraday Patterns in Financial Markets

Abstract

We introduce endogenous participation of market makers into a Kyle-type model with long-lived asymmetric information. In our model with plausible parameter values, the trading volume and price volatility show a U-shaped intraday pattern, often observed in actual financial markets. It will be shown that the pattern is caused not only by the trading behaviour of liquidity traders but also by that of market makers. Our findings shed new light on the stylized fact of the trade concentration at the opening and closing periods.