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Aims: Although evidence has accumulated that white matter hyperintensity (WMH) is associated with the deterioration of cognitive function and impairment of activities of daily living (ADL), the clinical relevance of WMH in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is not still clear. The aim of this study was to examine whether WMH volume is associated with ADL and cognitive function and whether glucose control and glucose variability can affect WMH volume in these patients.Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the associations of WMH with cognitive function and instrumental ADL (IADL), as well as metabolic and vascular risk factors in a total of 178 elderly patients with diabetes. The study assessed WMH volumes and the functional status of cognition and IADL. WMH volumes were evaluated by obtaining axial T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence images on brain magnetic resonance imaging and assessing the images using Software for Neuro-Image Processing in Experimental Research.Results: We found a significant association between WMH volumes and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (p = 0.039) and between WMH and IADL status (p = 0.006). Furthermore, we found significant relations of large WMH volumes with a high glycoalbumin/glycohemoglobin ratio (GA/HbA1c) (p < 0.001). Large WMH volumes were also found to be associated with a low body mass index (p = 0.014) and a low diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.024), but not with HbA1c. Multiple regression analysis showed that high GA/HbA1c, which reflects high glucose variability, was a significant determining factor for large WMH volumes. We also found that GA/HbA1c was negatively associated with both MMSE (p = 0.036) and IADL (p < 0.001).Conclusion: GA/HbA1c, which is a marker of glucose variability, was independently associated with WMH volumes, which could lead to the decline of cognition and IADL in elderly patients with DM.

We applied magnesiothermic reduction to silica glass substrates at various conditions including solid state or solid-Mg liquid reaction, and solid-Mg vapor reaction. Magnesium silicide with highly oriented to the 110 direction against the substrate surface was obtained in the solid state reaction at temperatures from 600 • C to 700 • C using Mg grains while Si crystallites were obtained in the reaction with Mg film deposited on the glass substrate at 560 • C. On the other hand, in the reduction with Mg vapor at 575 • C, brown and amorphous layer was formed on the surface of the silica glass substrate. The layer was transparent in the visible and near-infrared regions, and showed an interference pattern in the transmission spectra, indicating the homogeneity of the layer. The thickness and refractive index were estimated as 770 nm and 1.94, respectively. As the reaction with Mg vapor proceeded further, Mg 2 Si and MgO crystallites were formed. Oxidation states and their depth profiles of silicon atoms in the layers were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The silicon atoms in the brown and amorphous layer existed in intermediate oxidation states, −2 and +3. The reaction proceeding, the formal charge of the silicon atoms varied to −4 corresponding to Mg 2 Si and +2.

Bacillus aeoliusTwelve strains of moderately thermophilic bacteria were isolated from a saline hot spring (55°C, pH 8.3) located in Odaito, Hokkaido, Japan. All strains showed over 99% sequence similarities in the 16S rRNA gene. However, only eight strains grew well at 55°C and demonstrated detectable activities. The representative strains, BEK6 and BEK11, were chosen from individual phenotypic groups and were further characterized. The nucleotide sequence of the almost full-length 16S rRNAgenes of the representative strains showed 97.1% and 96.6% similarity with and , respectively, indicating that the strains belonged to a novel species of the genus . The cells of both strains were Gram-positive and showed catalase and oxidase activities. The optimal growth temperature and pH of strains BEK6 and BEK11 was approximately 50°C and 7-8, respectively. These strains grew in a medium containing 10% NaCl, in contrast to and that grew in a medium containing maximum of 4-5% NaCl. The strain BEK11 showed relatively strong protease and amylase activities in the presence of 3% NaCl, suggesting the potential industrial uses of these enzymes under saline conditions. Key words: thermophile, hot spring, novel species, Dua belas galur bakteri termofilik telah diisolasi dari sumber air panas berkadar garam tinggi (55°C, pH 8.3) yang terletak di Odaito, Hokkaido, Jepang. Semua galur bakteri menunjukkan lebih dari 99% persamaan sekuens dalam gen rRNA 16S. Hanya delapan galur bakteri yang dapat tumbuh dengan baik pada suhu 55°C dan mempunyai aktivitas -galaktosidase. Dari kelompok fenotipe individu BEK6 dan BEK11 dipilih sebagai perwakilan. Urutan nukleotida 16S rRNA secara parsial dari BEK6 dan BEK11 menunjukkan masing-masing 97.1% dan 96.6% kesamaan dengan dan , menunjukkan bahwa galur tersebut adalah spesies baru dari genus . Kedua bakteri adalah Gram-positif dan mempunyai aktivitas katalase dan oksidase. Suhu pertumbuhan optimal galur BEK6 dan BEK11 ialah sekitar 50°C dan pH 7-8. Berbeda dengan dan yang hanya dapat tumbuh dalam medium yang mengandung NaCl maksimum 4-5%, kedua galur bakteri tersebut dapat tumbuh dalam medium yang mengandung NaCl 10%. Galur BEK11 menunjukkan aktivitas protease dan amilase yang yang relatif tinggi dalam kondisi NaCl 3%, sehingga menjanjikan potensinya sebagai produsen enzim industri.Kata kunci: termofil, sumber air panas, spesies baru, β-galactosidase β

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