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Background: We previously reported that indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI)-guided laparoscopic lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND) was able to increase the total number of harvested lateral pelvic lymph nodes without impairing functional preservation. However, the long-term outcomes of ICG-FI-guided laparoscopic LPLND have not been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to compare the long-term outcomes of ICG-FI-guided laparoscopic LPLND to conventional laparoscopic LPLND without ICG-FI. Methods: This was a retrospective, multi-institutional study with propensity score matching. The study population included consecutive patients with middle-low rectal cancer (clinical stage II to III) who underwent laparoscopic LPLND between January 2013 and February 2018. The main evaluation items in this study were the 3-year overall survival, relapse-free survival (RFS), local recurrence rate, and lateral local recurrence (LLR) rate. Results: A total of 172 patients with middle-lower rectal cancer who had undergone laparoscopic LPLND were included in this study. After propensity score matching, 58 patients were matched in each of the ICG-FI and non-ICG-FI groups. There were no substantial differences in the baseline characteristics between the two groups. The ICG-FI group and non-ICG-FI group included 40 and 38 women and had a median age of 65 (IQR 60–72) and 66 (IQR 60–73) years, respectively. The median follow-up for all patients was 63.7 (IQR 51.3–76.8) months. The estimated respective 3-year overall survival, RFS, and local recurrence rates were 93.1%, 70.7%, and 5.2% in the ICG-FI group and 85.9%, 71.7%, and 12.8% in the non-ICG-FI group (p = 0.201, 0.653, 0.391). The 3-year cumulative LLR rate was 0% in the ICG-FI group and 9.3% in the non-ICG-FI group (p = 0.048). Conclusions: This study revealed that laparoscopic LPLND combined with ICG-FI was able to decrease the LLR rate. It appears that ICG-FI could contribute to improving the quality of laparoscopic LPLND and strengthening local control of the lateral pelvis. Trials Registration: This study was registered with the Japanese Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000041372 (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy and safety of transanal lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (TaLPLND) in rectal cancer has not yet been clarified. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short-term results as an initial experience of TaLPLND. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with middle to lower rectal cancer who underwent TaLPLND from July 2018 to July 2021. Our institutions targeted lymph nodes in the internal iliac area and the obturator area for lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND). Results: A total of 30 consecutive patients with rectal cancer were included in this analysis. The median age was 60 years (range, 36–83 years), and the male–female ratio was 2:1. The median operative time was 362 min (IQR, 283–661 min), and the median intraoperative blood loss was 74 ml (IQR, 5–500 ml). Intraoperative blood transfusion was required in one case. No cases required conversion to laparotomy. TaLPLND was performed bilaterally in 13 patients (43.3%). Five patients (16.7%) underwent LPLND with combined resection of the internal iliac vessels. The median distance of the distal margin from the anal verge was 20 mm. The pathological radial margin (pRM) was positive in one case, and the negative pRM rate was 96.7%. Short-term postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo classification grade ≥ II) were observed in nine cases (30.0%). There were no cases of reoperation or mortality. The median number of harvested lateral pelvic lymph nodes was 11 (range, 3–28). On pathological examination, lateral pelvic lymph nodes were positive for metastasis in seven cases (23.3%). Conclusions: TaLPLND appeared to be beneficial from an oncological point of view because it was close to the upstream lymphatic drainage from the tumor. The short-term outcomes of this initial experience indicate that this novel approach is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied transport properties of composite oxides composed of ferrimagnetic conductor Fe 3 O 4 (magnetite) and insulating α -Fe 2 O 3 (hematite) at room temperature. High-density composite oxides with different Fe 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 ratios were successfully synthesized by melting Fe 2 O 3 rods at high temperatures in ambient atmosphere. Transport properties of Fe 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 composites were measured and compared with that of Fe 3 O 4 single crystals. As the ratio of the insulating Fe 2 O 3 concentration to the conductive Fe 3 O 4 one increases, the longitudinal resistivity increases exponentially, while the Seebeck coefficient decreases linearly. The contrasting dependences of electric and thermoelectric transports on the insulating Fe 2 O 3 concentration indicate that the thermoelectric transport is less susceptible to disorder effects than electric ones. The measurement of the Hall effect shows that the anomalous Hall effect due to the ferrimagnetic Fe 3 O 4 phase is clearly observed in the composite oxides. In line with the resistivity increase with the Fe 2 O 3 concentration, the anomalous Hall resistivity increases, following the universal scaling relation established in the dirty limit. The anomalous Nernst effect due to the Fe 3 O 4 phase is also observed in the composite oxides. The anomalous Nernst coefficient decreases with increasing Fe 2 O 3 concentration, and the decrease is found to be related to the anomalous Hall effect through the Mott relation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although a third of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients are refractory to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, the underlying mechanism of the refractoriness remains unclear. We compared the level of gastric acid suppression during PPI treatment between responders and non-responders by directly measuring gastric acid secretion in GERD patients taking PPIs. Methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients receiving standard-dose PPI therapy for GERD were prospectively recruited, irrespective of persistent GERD symptoms. They were asked about their GERD symptoms using a validated questionnaire, and simultaneously underwent both a routine endoscopic examination and a gastric acid secretory testing using an endoscopic gastrin test. Associations between residual gastric acid secretion during PPI treatment and persistent GERD symptoms were analyzed by a logistic regression analysis. Results: Overall, 26 of 75 (34.7%) patients were judged to be positive for persistent GERD symptoms. The patients with and without persistent symptoms showed similar gastric acid secretion levels (1.3 [1.3] mEq/10 min vs. 1.4 [2.0] mEq/10 min). Sufficient gastric acid suppression, defined as < 0.6, was not significantly associated with persistent GERD symptoms (odds ratio 1.1, 95% confidence interval 0.40–3.5). Conclusions: This study provided solid evidence to support that the gastric acid suppression level during PPI treatment does not differ between patients with and without persistent GERD symptoms. The insignificant role of residual gastric acid in the persistent GERD symptoms suggests that the use of medications other than those that enhance gastric acid inhibitory effects would be an essential approach for the management of PPI-refractory GERD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining oral function in older individuals with missing teeth is important for leading a healthy and independent life. This study aimed to evaluate whether simple isometric exercises can maintain and improve the oral function [maximum occlusal force (MOF) and masticatory ability (MA)] and the masticatory muscle properties [masseter muscle thickness (MMT) and echo intensity (MMEI)] in older adults during the maintenance phase of removable prosthetic treatment. Participants were randomly categorized into the intervention and control groups. The mouthpieces were distributed, and participants were instructed to use them for exercising. The intervention group was instructed to perform maximum clenching for 10 s, whereas the control group was instructed to tap the teeth at an arbitrary speed for 10 s. Both were repeated five times at an interval of 5 s between each activity and twice daily for 4 weeks. The outcomes were measured after a month of exercise. The intervention group showed a significant improvement in the MOF, MMT during contraction, MMT at rest and MMEI during contraction. There were no significant differences in the MA and MMEI at rest. In the control group, no improvement was observed in any of the parameters. When the isometric exercises were performed using a mouthpiece, there was an improvement in the oral function and masseter muscle properties in older individuals with Eichner B status who used dentures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of CD49a+ CD8+ resident memory T cells in vitiligo-like lesions associated with nivolumab treatment for melanoma CD103+ T SB RM sb cells, generated as a result of melanoma-related vitiligo, mediated protection against melanoma in a murine model.[8] Another report revealed that CD49a+ CD103+ CD8+ T SB RM sb cells in human vitiligo vulgaris were poised for cytotoxic functions.[6] Our data suggest that vitiligo vulgaris, and vitiligo-like lesions induced by nivolumab likely share a similar aetiology mediated by CD49a+ CD103+ CD8+ T SB RM sb cells. Further studies are desired to understand the role of CD49a+ CD103+ CD8+ T SB RM sb cells in vitiligo-like lesion related with ICI treatment for melanoma. [Extracted from the article]

We systematically studied on ion dose, energy, and species dependencies of strain relaxation ratios for SiGe buffer layers fabricated by ion implantation technique where the epitaxial growth of SiGe layers was carried out on Si or Ar ion preimplanted Si substrates. For Si+ implantation, we found that there was an optimal ion-implantation condition to effectively enhance strain relaxation of the SiGe layers, that is, relaxation ratios increased with the ion dose but reduced remarkably when it exceeded a certain critical dose (∼1×1015 cm-2). The drop of relaxation also occurred as the implantation energy increased. Based on simulations and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, it was concluded that end-of-range (EOR) defects generated by Si+ implantation crucially caused formation of high-density misfit dislocations at the heterointerface, and the observed complicated results were well understood in terms of the position of EOR defects from the heterointerface. We confirmed this conclusion by observing that relaxation ratios monotonically increased as the EOR defects position from the heterointerface was decreased by means of surface etching. On the other hand, for Ar+ implantation, relaxation ratios were seen to increase monotonically with the increase in ion dose without any drop even in the high dose region. Void-related defects formed around projected range of ion implantation were thought to dominate strain relaxation of the SiGe layers differently from Si+ implantation case. This difference in the relaxation mechanism between Si+ and Ar+ implantation was also found in and confirmed by TEM and atomic force microscopy observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Absolute photoabsorption cross sections of C70 thin films were determined for hv values from 1.3 to 42 eV using photon attenuation. The spectrum showed a prominent peak of 1320 Mb at 21.4 eV with several fine structures mostly due to σ→σ* single-electron excitation. The complex refractive index and complex dielectric function were calculated up to 42 eV with Kramers–Kronig analyses. From the present data of C70 thin films, the cross section curve of molecular C70 was calculated using the standard Clausius–Mossotti relation dealing with correction of the local electromagnetic field, with a plausible assumption that the anisotropy in molecular structure of C70 was smeared out by molecular rotation at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-phase crystallization of Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] (x=0-1.0) alloy layers deposited on a Si (100) substrate was investigated by ellipsometric spectroscopy. From a dispersion analysis of dielectric spectra, we deduced a crystallinity corresponding to the degree of average lattice alignment of the composed polycrystalline Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] layers and investigated the dynamical change in crystallinity during crystallization. We found that the crystallinity and crystallization temperature (T[sub C]) rapidly decreased with increasing Ge concentration (x). When x was small (=0-0.3), the highest crystallinity was ∼0.8 of that for single crystals while the lowest one was considerably below 0.6 when x>0.8. Moreover, the crystallinity decreased with increasing temperature above T[sub C]. We investigated the nucleation rate during crystallization and found that the decrease in crystallinity at both large Ge concentration and high temperature can be explained by a trade-off between the nucleation and crystallization rates; nucleation was dominant under these conditions. An overview of the crystallinity of solid-phase crystallized Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] alloy layers is provided. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the relationship between the ability to press Process Lead (PL) in the oral cavity and the tongue pressure and recommended diet form for elderly individuals in nursing homes, using PL normalized physical properties. Design: Cross-sectional observation study. Setting: Geriatric facilities. Participants: A 100 elderly individuals aged between 67–96 years. Measurements: PL was pressed between the tongue and palate to evaluate its deformation. The thickness was set at 6, 9, and 18 mm. The tongue pressure was measured with a JMS tongue pressure manometer. The number of chewing cycles until an 18-mm thick PL was first swallowed was measured (PL chewing test). The diet was set to level 4, and the recommended form was evaluated by video endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (VE). The results of the PL pressing test and correlations between PL chewing test, tongue pressure, and diet level were statistically examined. Results: The tongue pressure was significantly decreased in groups that could not press the PL. The PL pressing test and recommended diet form showed a significant correlation, and the elderly with difficulty in pressing the PL had a lower diet level. In addition, the diet level decreased with decreased PL chewing test performance in those without molar occlusion. Conclusions: The PL pressing and chewing tests may aid in ascertaining the appropriate diet level. In the future, we would like to verify the usefulness of these tests in determining the diet level of elderly people requiring long-term care at the time of entering the facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a method for fabricating atomic layer doping structures in silicon using a combination of molecular-beam and solid-phase epitaxy. Physicochemical characterization of the layer using secondary ion mass spectrometry; Results of Hall voltage and resistivity measurements; Angular dependence of magnetoresistance.

Analyzes the morphology of CoSi[sub2] films on silicon (111). Details on the experiment; Characterization of deposited layers; Possible causes of a change in morphology.

Provides information on a study that examined the limited-area molecular-beam epitaxial growth of Si[sub1-x]Ge[subx] films on a silicon substrate with patterned SiO[sub2] in order to eliminate misfit dislocations in Si[sub1-x]Ge[subx]/silicon heterostructures. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study.

Reports on an in situ observation of the strain of cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) deposited on palladium (Pd) (111) by reflection high energy electron diffraction. Monatomic layers of the interface between Co and Pd; Relationship between the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of Co/Pd and Ni/Pd multilayer films; Difference of lattice constant between Ni and Pd.

Background: Anatomical knowledge of the duodenojejunal flexure is necessary for abdominal surgeries, and also important for physiologic studies about the duodenum. But little is known about the anatomy of this region in mammals. Here, we examined comparative anatomy to understand the anatomical formation of the duodenojejunal flexure in mammals.Materials and Methods: The areas around the duonenojejunal flexure were ob-served in mouse, rat, dog, pig, and human, and the anatomical structures around the duodenojejunal junction in the animals were compared with those in human.Results: The superior and inferior duodenal folds, and the superior and inferior duodenal fossae were identified in all examined humans. In pig, the structures were not clearly identified because the duodenum strongly adhered to the retroperitoneum and to the mesocolon. In mouse, rat, and dog, only the plica duodenocolica, which is regarded as the animal counterpart of the superior duo-denal fold in human, was identified, and other folds or fossae were not observed, probably because the duodenum was not fixed to the parietal peritoneum in those animals. Transection of the plica duodenocolica could return the normally rotated intestine back to the state of non-rotation in rat.Conclusions: This study showed the anatomical similarities and dissimilarities of the duodenojejunal flexure among the mammals. Anatomical knowledge of the area is useful for duodenal and pancreatic surgeries, and for animal studies about the duodenum. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 2: 286-292). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Swallowing reflex is known to be evoked by gastroesophageal regurgitation or oesophageal stimulation in animal studies. However, details regarding the stimulating material, bolus size and stimulation area remain unclear for the stimulation‐induced type of swallowing reflex in humans. Here, we evaluated the effects of different kinds of stimulation via water and air injection of the oesophagus on the initiation of the swallowing reflex. Nine healthy individuals participated in this study. A fibre‐optic endoscope was passed transnasally, and a thin catheter for injection was passed through the other side. The tip of the catheter was placed at the upper, upper middle, lower middle or lower region of the oesophagus, and the rate of injection was controlled at 0.2 mL/s. Swallowing reflex latency was calculated as the time from injection via air or thin/thick fluid until the onset of white‐out in endoscopic images. Reflex latency was significantly shorter when injection occurred at the upper region of the oesophagus than at the lower region, for both thin and thick fluids (P < .01). At the upper region of the oesophagus, the latency was significantly shorter after injection of thin fluid than with thick fluid (P < .05). Injection of air did not induce the swallowing reflex at all sites. These findings suggest that while the swallowing reflex is evoked by stimulation via fluid injection of the oesophagus in humans, sensitivity is greatest in the upper region of the oesophagus compared with the lower region and can vary depending on the injecting material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently reported that wearing unstable rocker shoes (Masai Barefoot Technology: MBT) may enhance recovery from marathon race‐induced fatigue. However, this earlier study only utilized a questionnaire. In this study, we evaluated MBT utilizing objective physiological measures of recovery from marathon‐induced muscle damages. Twenty‐five university student novice runners were divided into two groups. After running a full marathon, one group wore MBT shoes (MBT group), and the control group (CON) wore ordinary shoes daily for 1 week following the race. We measured maximal isometric joint torque, muscle hardness (real time tissue elastography of the strain ratio) in the lower limb muscles before, immediately after, and 1, 3, and 8 days following the marathon. We calculated the magnitude of recovery by observing the difference in each value between the first measurement and the latter measurements. Results showed that isometric torques in knee flexion recovered at the first day after the race in the MBT group while it did not recover even at the eighth day in the CON group. Muscle hardness in the gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis showed enhanced recovery in the MBT group in comparison with the CON group. Also for muscle hardness in the tibialis anterior and biceps femoris, the timing of recovery was delayed in the CON group. In conclusion, wearing MBT shoes enhanced recovery in lower leg and thigh muscles from muscle damage induced by marathon running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niobate nanosheets are assembled into thin membranes by a vacuum filtration. The nanosheet membranes have a dense and stable structure in water via chemical cross-linking and show higher permeance and salt rejection compared with graphene oxide membranes. A water pathway model based on the void structure is presented to explain the membrane performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated photo-excited carrier relaxation dynamics in the strongly correlated organic superconductors κ-(BEDT-TTF)Cu(NCS) and κ-(BEDT-TTF)Cu[N(CN)]Br, using different polarizations of pump and probe pulses. Below the glasslike transition temperature ( T ) anisotropic responses for probe polarization were observed in both compounds. Decomposing the data into anisotropic and isotropic components, we found the anisotropic component shows no pump polarization dependence, meaning that dissipative excitation process was dominant for the anisotropic carrier relaxation. This behavior indicates that the appearance of anisotropic responses can be associated with spatial symmetry breaking due to structural change of BEDT-TTF molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determines the deformation of silicon surface under ultra high vacuum (UHV). Use of new crystal growth techniques of silicon molecular-beam epitaxy to cause homoepitaxy and heteroepitaxy; Comparison of the heating characteristics in UHV with that in inert gases; Investigation of the surface melting phenomena at the face-centered cubic crystals.

Reports the results of in situ measurements of stress and surface morphology for cobalt/palladium multilayer films fabricated by rf sputtering. Experiment conducted; Results; Discussion.

Objectives Cytochrome P450 ( CYP) 2C19 plays a role in the biotransformation of clinically relevant drugs as well as endogenous compounds, including sex hormones, which are known to be modulators of food intake and energy balance in humans. We attempted to investigate the influence of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on valproic acid (VPA)-induced weight gain. Materials and Methods This retrospective longitudinal study included 85 VPA-treated and 93 carbamazepine (CBZ)-treated (as a reference) young patients with epilepsy. The body mass index ( BMI) gap between the patient's BMI and the cutoff value for being overweight was calculated in each patient during the follow-up period. The longitudinal associations of the CYP2C19 genotype with the BMI gap and risk for becoming overweight during VPA or CBZ therapy were examined retrospectively using the generalized estimating equations approach and the Kaplan-Meier method. Results During the follow-up period, the values of the BMI gap were significantly greater ( P = 0.002 or P = 0.005) and the cumulative incidence of becoming overweight tended to be higher ( P = 0.032) in the VPA-treated female patients with one or two loss-of-function CYP2C19 alleles than in the females without the loss-of-function CYP2C19 alleles. No associations were observed among the VPA-treated male patients and CBZ-treated male and female patients ( P > 0.05). Conclusions This is the first report to show a relationship between the CYP2C19 polymorphism and VPA-induced weight gain in female patients with epilepsy. Further investigations are needed to verify these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adverse oral symptoms gradually appear in advanced cancer patients as the disease progresses. We retrospectively investigated the associations between the incidence of oral problems and the days to death (DTD) in patients receiving palliative care.Methods: The dental assessment sheets and medical charts of 105 patients who had been admitted into the palliative care unit at our hospital were examined. Case data included evaluations of organic and functional oral conditions at the time of admission for all patients. The cohort was divided into two groups according to the DTD as the short group (<28 days from the time of dental assessment until death) and the long group (≥28 days). We compared the incidences of organic and functional oral problems between these groups.Results: Dry mouth, tongue inflammation, and bleeding spots were significantly more frequent in the short group than in the long group (78 vs. 54% for dry mouth, 67 vs. 46% for tongue inflammation, 35 vs. 14% for bleeding spots, respectively; p < 0.05). Tongue coating and candidiasis were comparable between the two groups. Dysphagia was significantly more common in the short group (43%) than in the long group (20%) (p = 0.01), as was assistance with oral health care (76 vs. 50%) (p = 0.01).Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, during palliative care, oral complications appear more frequently when the DTD period is shorter. These symptoms may be useful indicators when deciding on the proper timing of intensive oral care intervention to decrease oral problems and pain in terminally ill patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) becomes an increasingly important cause of stroke as patients get older. The aim of the study was to determine whether risk factors of cerebral embolism among elderly patients with AF differed from those of younger patients by using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).Design and Setting: Cross-sectional study at a university hospital.Methods: Cardiovascular lesions with the potential for thromboembolism in patients with AF were investigated using TEE. Left atrial spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC), peak flow velocity in the left atrial appendage (LAA-flow), and aortic atherosclerosis of the thoracic aorta were assessed in 67 elderly (> or = 70 years old) and 135 younger (< 70 years old) patients. All patients underwent either brain CT (n = 54) or MRI (n = 148) to assess presence of cerebral infarction.Results: Cerebral infarction due to embolism was noted in 113 patients with AF. There was a higher prevalence of cerebral embolism in elderly patients when compared with younger patients (78% vs 45%; p < 0.001). Cerebral embolism found in younger patients was associated with high grade of SEC and lower LAA-flow (p < 0.05). In addition to these TEE findings, aortic atherosclerosis was more severe in elderly patients with cerebral embolism than in those without cerebral embolism (p < 0.0001). By multivariate logistic analysis, LAA-flow was an independent predictor of cortical infarction in younger patients, but not in elderly patients, whereas aortic atherosclerosis was a useful marker in predicting embolic risk in elderly patients.Conclusions: TEE findings indicative of left atrial blood stasis were useful to identify the embolic risk of younger patients with AF, while atherosclerosis of the thoracic aorta appears to be an important marker for cerebral embolism in elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a three-month-old girl patient who started to suffer target-like erythematous lesions and diagnosed with deficiency of adenosine deaminase type 2 (DADA2). The paedritic patient was presented with as recurrent fever and erythema with no evidence of systemic vasculopathy.

Objective To investigate time intervals of the ductus venosus ( DV) flow velocity waveform ( FVW) and those of the cardiac cycle that correspond with each DV-FVW component in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction ( IUGR) due to placental insufficiency. Methods Women with a pregnancy complicated by IUGR were recruited into the study, as was a normal control group. Time intervals for systolic (S) and diastolic (D) components were measured in DV-FVW as follows: SDV, from the nadir of the a-wave during atrial contraction to the nadir between the S-wave and D-wave; DDV, from the nadir between S-wave and D-wave to the nadir of the a-wave. Regarding cardiac cycles, the following variables were measured from ventricular inflow through the tricuspid valve ( TV) and mitral valve ( MV): STV and SMV, from the second peak of ventricular inflow caused by atrial contraction (A-wave) to the opening of the atrioventricular valve; DTV and DMV, from the opening of the atrioventricular valve to the peak of the A-wave. In the IUGR group, only the last examination performed within 1 week of delivery was used for analysis. All variables were analyzed statistically using Z-scores. Results Data were obtained from 249 normal fetuses and 26 fetuses with IUGR. Compared to normal fetuses, SDV showed a significant decrease ( P < 0.001), while DDV showed a significant increase ( P < 0.001) in the IUGR group. Regarding cardiac cycles, STV and SMV showed significant decreases ( P = 0.014 and P < 0.001, respectively) and DTV and DMV showed significant increases ( P = 0.008 and P = 0.002, respectively) in fetuses with IUGR. Conclusion Time-interval alterations of DV-FVW in growth-restricted fetuses reflect the hemodynamic events caused by placental insufficiency. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the Al layer thickness on the critical current density Jc of transformation-processed \Nb3\Al superconductors was investigated. The Al layer thickness in the jerry-roll filaments of precursor wires was varied from 120 to 250 nm; the Nb layer thickness is proportional to the Al thickness, keeping the Nb–Al composition ratio to 3. The rapid heating and quenching (RHQ) operation condition was varied within a range of the conditions to form the ductile body-centered cubic (BCC) Nb–Al phase. The RHQ wires were also followed by an areal reduction process prior to the \Nb3\Al phase transformation. Thinner Al thickness wires show a steeper increase in Jc with reduction in the area, whereas thicker Al thickness wires show a slower increase. The best Jc performance was obtained for the thinnest Al thickness sample. Without areal reduction, there was not much difference in the optimum Jc with respect to the Al thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]