There has been little consensus on Japans welfare regime since Esping-Andersens [1990. The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Cambridge: Polity Press] unclear categorisation of Japan as his only non-Western welfare state. This article is the first attempt to analyse academic research published in both English and Japanese. It presents a review of 40 collected studies (including 15 Western, 6 Asian and 19 Japanese articles), reached a wide variety of conclusions, defining Japan as eight different types: We point out that while the majority of Western studies tend to run statistical models including Japan among otherwise Western welfare states with little theoretical justification, Japanese scholars tend to focus on Japan as a single case. The two very different approaches may have something to learn from each other, as in thesis antithesis synthesis. Now that we are aware of very different approaches to and conclusions about Japans welfare regime, the topic appears ripe for greater co-operation between scholars.

We examined whether hypotension in very low birth weight infants aged⩽1 week was associated with hospital morbidities and overall mortality. Further, we studied whether hypotension was associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in these patients at the corrected age of 18 months. A total of 166 very low birth weight infants were studied during this period. Hospital outcomes and neurodevelopmental outcomes at the corrected age of 18 months were evaluated. Among the 166 very low birth weight infants, 95 patients (57.2%) experienced hypotension at⩽1 week and were associated with an increased incidence of morbidities and mortality. At the corrected age of 18 months, hypotension of the⩽1 week group had significantly lower scores in all three – cognitive, language, and motor – composites of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) screening tests. In addition, a multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that longer mechanical ventilation and periventricular leukomalacia were additionally associated with worse cognitive and language neurodevelopmental outcomes. Hypotension in very low birth weight infants within 1 week of life was associated with increased morbidities and overall mortality. It was also associated with an increased risk of cognitive and language outcomes.

Background: Although D-dimer levels are significantly associated with cardioembolic infarction, the significance of D-dimer levels in relation to the severity and functional outcomes of other stroke subtypes, such as lacunar and large artery atherosclerosis infarction, remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether elevated initial D-dimer levels are significantly and cross-sectionally associated with poor functional outcomes at each time point during a 9-month follow-up period. We also investigated the significance of D-dimer levels in longitudinal temporal changes of functional outcomes in these patients. Methods: We recruited 146 patients with lacunar infarction and 161 patients with large artery atherosclerosis infarction who were consecutively admitted to our hospital after acute stroke. Serum D-dimer levels were evaluated initially and the modified Rankin scale were measured initially and at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-up visits. Results: Patients with higher D-dimer levels had significantly worse initial functional outcomes, and these worse outcomes were maintained throughout the 9-month follow-up period compared with the low D-dimer group. However, regardless of stroke subtype, D-dimer levels did not influence long-term changes in functional outcomes over the 9-month follow-up period. Conclusion: This study suggests that elevated D-dimer levels can be used as a surrogate marker for poor functional outcomes only during the acute stage. Further evaluation of serum D-dimer levels could provide a helpful predictive marker for stroke prognosis.

Steel coils coated with Zn–Mg alloy containing high Mg content develop dark rust when exposed to an extremely limited amount of aqueous environment. To understand the nature of the dark rust and its formation mechanism, the steel is evaluated by the immersion test and high temperature–humidity test followed by critical evaluation with transmission electron microscopy for cross-sectional observation, field-emission scanning electron microscopy for surface morphology observation, Auger electron spectroscopy and glow discharge spectroscopy for identification of chemical composition as a function of depth. The results indicate that the dark rust is formed by precipitation of Mg-based corrosion product on the outermost surface when the steel is exposed to aqueous environment at high temperature. This is due mainly to preferential dissolution of Mg phases by the galvanic action with MgZn2 and Mg2Zn11 composed of the coating layer, and easy precipitation of Mg2+ ion in a form of Mg(OH)2 in a limited volume of the condensed water film on the surface.

Scale-bridging analysis on deformation behavior of high-nitrogen austenitic Fe–18Cr–10Mn–(0.39 and 0.69)N steels was performed by neutron diffraction, electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two important modes of deformation were identified depending on the nitrogen content: deformation twinning in the 0.69 N alloy and strain-induced martensitic transformation in the 0.39 N alloy. The phase fraction and deformation faulting probabilities were evaluated based on analyses of peak shift and asymmetry of neutron diffraction profiles. Semi in situ EBSD measurement was performed to investigate the orientation dependence of deformation microstructure and it showed that the variants of ε martensite as well as twin showed strong orientation dependence with respect to tensile axis. TEM observation showed that deformation twin with a {111}⟨112⟩ crystallographic component was predominant in the 0.69 N alloy whereas two types of strain-induced martensites (ε and α′ martensites) were observed in the 0.39 N alloy. It can be concluded that scale-bridging analysis using neutron diffraction, EBSD, and TEM can yield a comprehensive understanding of the deformation mechanism of nitrogen-alloyed austenitic steels.

Two new species of litter-inhabiting leptonetid spiders from Korea are described: Leptoneta namkungisp. nov. from Mt. Buyong, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Leptoneta kwangreungensissp. nov. from Kwangreung, Gyeonggi-do.

The oxidation behavior of Cu50Zr50 and Cu46Zr46Al8 glasses during continuous heating up to 1073 K has been investigated, with special emphasis on the oxidation resistance in the supercooled liquid (SCL) state. For Cu50Zr50, the oxide layer mostly consists of monoclinic ZrO2 (m-ZrO2), while for Cu46Zr46Al8, the oxide layer consists of two different layers: an outer layer consisting of tetragonal ZrO2 (t-ZrO2) + Al2O3 + metallic Cu (oxidation product from the SCL state of the glass matrix) and inner layer comprised of m-ZrO2 + metallic Cu islands (oxidation product from the crystallized matrix). Cu-enriched regions consisting of Cu51Zr14 (in Cu50Zr50) or AlCu2Zr + Cu70Zr15Al15 + Cu51Zr14 (in Cu46Zr46Al8) are present below the oxide layer. The present study shows that the addition of Al (8 at.%) in Cu50Zr50 results in a significant deterioration of the oxidation resistance in the SCL state since the solutionizing of Al in t-ZrO2 leads to a higher oxygen ion vacancy concentration, thus providing a higher activity of oxygen ions.

12Cr ODS steel samples were prepared by mechanical alloying of the metal powders with 20-30 nm Y2O3 particles followed by isostatic pressing, hot rolling and final heat treatment. Evolutions of oxide particles such as YTaO4 and YCrO3 after each fabrication step were investigated by using TEM with EDS. Crystallographic correlation between oxide particles and the matrix was investigated in a HIPped sample, and interactions between dislocations and oxide particles were observed in hot rolled or heat treated sample. Size distributions of oxide particles were measured by carbon replica samples and it was found that coarsening of oxide particles from 9 to 12 nm occurred during hot rolling process. Additional isothermal annealing at 1250 ˚C revealed that phase transformation of oxide particles from monoclinic YTaO4 to face centered cubic Y3TaO7 was observed.

The purpose of this study is to develop new transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films by using combinatorial approach and to apply them for organic light emitting diodes (OLED) and/or thin film photovoltaic devices. For this, we have explored several TCO films with multi-components and optimized their properties by employing combinatorial sputtering system. For the first, we have fabricated combinatorial libraries composed Zn-In-Sn-O (ZITO) to reduce In content comparing with Sn-doped indium oxide (ITO). The ZITO films showed amorphous structure at the substrate temperature ranged RT∼ 350 °C, high transmittance over 85% at the visible range wavelength, and resistivity as low as 3x10-4∼10-3Ωcm. These results reveal that the ZITO films have indium composition as low as 30∼40% comparing with equivalent ITO films. Furthermore, we have fabricated OLED on glass substrates by using the amorphous ZITO anode. OLED fabricated on amorphous ZITO-coated glasses have exhibited good characteristics comparable to OLED on ITO films. Besides OLED, the amorphous ZITO TCO can be applied for other optoelectronic devices like electronic paper, thin film photovoltaic, and smart window.

Background: The influences of demographics, culture, language, and environmental changes on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores are considerable.

Methods: Using a sample of 7452 healthy, community-dwelling elderly Koreans, aged 55 to 94 years, who participated in the four ongoing geriatric cohorts in Korea, we investigated demographic influences on MMSE scores and derived normative data for this population. Geropsychiatrists strictly excluded subjects with cognitive disorders according to the protocol of the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K) Clinical Assessment Battery (CERAD-K-C).

Results: Education (standardized β = 0.463), age (standardized β = −0.303), and gender (standardized β = −0.057) had significant effects on MMSE scores (p < 0.001). The score of MMSE increase 0.379 point per 1-year education, decrease 0.188 per 1-year older, and decrease 0.491 in women compared to men. Education explained 30.4% of the scores’ total variance, which was much larger than the variances explained by age (8.4%) or gender (0.3%). Accordingly, we present normative data for the MMSE stratified by education (0, 1–3, 4–6, 7–9, 10–12, and ≥ 13 years), age (60–69, 70–79, and 80–89 years), and gender.

Conclusions: We provide contemporary education-, age-, and gender-stratified norms for the MMSE, derived from a large, community-dwelling elderly Korean population sample, which could be useful in evaluating individual MMSE scores.

High-density TiO2-CdS and ZnO-CdS core-shell nanocable arrays were synthesized on large-area Ti substrates. The CdS layers were deposited on the pre-grown vertically-aligned TiO2 (rutile) and ZnO nanowire arrays, with a controlled thickness (10~50 nm), using the vapor transport method. The ZnO-CdS nanocables consisted of single-crystalline wurtzite CdS shells whose [001] direction was aligned along the [001] wire axis of the wurtzite ZnO core, which is distinctive from the polycrystalline shell of the TiO2-CdS nanocables. We fabricated the photoelectrochemical cell using the ZnO-CdS photoelectrode exhibits much more efficient hydrogen generation than that using the TiO2-CdS one.

Semiconductors or metal nanoparticles (NPs) using their monolayer bindings with self-assembly chemicals are an attractive topic for device researchers. Electrical performance of such structures can be investigated for a particular application, such as memory device. Currently, Au NPs has been reported to show a substantial potential in the memory applications. In this study, Au NP and gluing layer were fabricated through a new method of monolayer formation of a chemical bonding or gluing. In this study, a new NPs memory system was fabricated by using organic semiconductor, i.e., pentacene as the active layer, evaporated Au as electrode, SiO2 as the gate insulator layer on silicon wafer. In addition, Au NPs coated with binding chemicals were used as charge storage elements on an APTES (3-amino-propyltriethoxysilane) as a gluing layer. In order to investigate chemical binding of Au NP to the gate insulator layer, GPTMS (3-glycidoxy-propyltrimethoxysilane) were coated on the Au NPs. As a result of that, a layer of gold nanoparticles has been incorporated into a metal-pentacene-insulator-semiconductor (MPIS) structure. The MPIS device with the Au NP exhibited a hysteresis in its capacitance versus voltage analysis. Charge storage in the layer of nanoparticles is thought to be responsible for this effect.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether ethanol extracts of Psoralea corylifolia L. (PCE) and its active component protect against bone loss in ovariectomised rats. We screened oestrogenic activities of the main extract fractions using in vitro assays and identified bakuchiol as the most active oestrogenic component by HPLC and LC/MS, and then demonstrated that bakuchiol had strong binding affinity for oestrogen receptor (ER) α. Seventy female Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned to either a sham-operated group (n 10) or an ovariectomised group (n 60). The ovariectomised group was subdivided into six groups, each containing ten rats: vehicle group, two bakuchiol-treated groups (dose of 15 mg/kg per d or 30 mg/kg per d; ten rats for each group), two PCE-supplemented groups (0·25 % or 0·5 % extracts of diets; ten rats for each group) and a 17β-oestradiol (E2)-treated group (20 μg/kg per d). We recorded weight and feed intake every week, and killed all animals after 6 weeks. Blood was collected, and the uterus, kidneys and livers were removed. Bakuchiol has a three-fold higher binding affinity for ERα than for ERβ. Bakuchiol and PCE treatments had no uterotrophic activity even though they demonstrated oestrogenic activity in the in vitro assays. Bakuchiol and PCE treatments reduced postmenopausal bone loss by increasing alkaline phosphatase, Ca concentrations, serum E2 concentration and bone mineral density, and by decreasing the inorganic P level. The present study indicated that bakuchiol and PCE treatments could protect against bone loss.