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The spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method was developed by Aki (1957) to estimate subsurface velocity structure from the coherence of ambient seismic noise. The SPAC method has been widely used and extended to various cases. Separation of Rayleigh and Love waves is essential to obtain reliable phase velocity dispersion curves. Three-component displacement data is necessary (e.g., Okada and Matsushima, 1989; Chouet et al., 1998). Cross-correlation between the vertical-radial components helps isolate Rayleigh waves (Haney et al., 2012). Recently, the formulation of the SPAC method was extended to strain, rotation, and tilts by Nakahara et al. (2021) and to the mixed correlations between displacement and strain by Nakahara and Haney (2022). Here, we revisit the separation of Rayleigh and Love waves based on these recent developments of the SPAC theory. Isolation of Rayleigh waves is possible using the following components: vertical displacement, areal strain, and tilts. On the other hand, isolation of Love waves is possible using only the vertical-component rotation. Both Rayleigh and Love waves contribute to most auto- and cross-correlation pairs. Therefore, a reasonable method is to isolate Rayleigh waves first and then estimate the contribution of Love waves. Recently, measurements of strain and rotation are becoming possible thanks to the developments of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and rotational seismometers. These technical developments, along with the extended SPAC theory, will clearly distinguish Rayleigh and Love waves from ambient noise, which makes it possible to measure radial anisotropy by virtue of the difference between SV and SH velocities.&nbsp, The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

Surface morphology of monolayers related to solid-state structure for methacrylate comb copolymers having fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon side-chains was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). From the XRD profiles, two kinds of short spacing peaks were confirmed at 5.0 and 4.2 A, which assigned the sub-cells for both side-chains. Furthermore, two kinds of endothermic peaks, which corresponded to melting peaks of the both side-chain crystals, appeared in the thermograms. From the AFM observation, it was found that there were hydrogenated domains at a few hundred nm diameter in their monolayers, whereas corresponding acrylate copolymer monolayers form the phase-separated structure at 10–30 nm order scales.

The molecular orientation in monolayer and multilayer films of fluorinated comb copolymers with various monomer ratios can be characterized by in-plane and out-of plane X-ray diffraction (XRD), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structures (NEXAFS) spectroscopy at the C K-edges, and atomic force microscopic observation. And further, the fine structure in the solid state and phase transition behavior of newly synthesized comb copolymers having fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon side-chains were investigated by temperature controlled wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From the WAXD profiles, two kinds of short spacing peaks based on the formation of the sub-cell for fluorinated and hydrogenated side-chains were confirmed at 5.0 and 4.1 A, respectively. Furthermore, two kinds of endothermic peaks, which corresponded to melting peaks of both side-chain crystals, appeared in the heating process of the DSC thermograms. From these experimental findings, the phase separation structure having the independently packed immiscible side-chain crystalline formed in the whole polymer crystal. In addition, it was found that these comb polymers formed highly ordered (double) layer structures estimated using WAXD and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). These fluorinated comb copolymers form the monolayer on the water surface and their transferred film with phase separated structure at nanometer size on the solid. There were hydrogenated domains at 10–20 nm diameter scales in these phase separated surface structures of the monolayers. From these experimental results, these copolymer monolayers are expected to be used as in new molecular devices such as nano-lithography based on the surface patterning of polymer nano-materials. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Although conventional bypass grafting is commonly used to treat ischemia in lower extremities, graft failure often occurs. This study retrospectively analyzed the factors that affect graft patency to help establish more effective treatment of obstructive arterial disease of the lower limbs. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate graft patency in 90 legs of 80 patients who underwent femoropopliteal bypass (28 vein grafts and 62 expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts) between 1984 and 2003. Patients were randomly selected for graft materials in sequential surgical treatment order. After initial analysis, several risk factors and postoperative medication regimens were analyzed to ascertain any association with graft failure. The overall mean patency period for femoropopliteal bypass was 10.5 +/- 0.7 years. Graft occlusion occurred in 20 limbs. Neither the materials composing the grafts nor the position of distal anastmosis had any influence on patency maintenance. Graft occlusion rates were significantly greater in patients with either diabetes (p = 0.0049) or rest pain before surgery (p = 0.0011). Postoperative administration of beraprost sodium significantly increased the patency period (p = 0.0082). Diabetes and rest pain before surgery are important factors for late graft failure after femoropopliteal bypass. Our data also suggest that administration of beraprost sodium increases the graft patency period.

Background: The optimal timing of valve surgery is very important. In patients who are severely symptomatic, the marked improvement in symptomatic status observed following successful valve surgery. However, in patients with no or only mild symptoms, the decision is more difficult. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether the measurement of plasma brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) levels is useful to decide surgical timing for valve disease. Methods: Fifty-one patients with valve disease underwent single valve surgery (mitral stenosis, MS, 13; mitral regurgitation, MR, 16; aortic stenosis, AS, 14; aortic regurgitation, AR, 8 patients). Blood samples, echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization data were obtained before operation and echocardiographic examination were performed after 1-year of operations. Results: In patients subjected to single heart valve surgery, plasma BNP mean levels were 214.6±48.5 pg/ml. In plasma BNP levels, there was only significant difference between MS and AS group (MS 67.5±9.7 vs. AS 314.3±112.0 pg/ml, P=0.04). There were no relationships between plasma BNP levels and pre-operative cardiac functions. After 1-year of the valve surgery, NYHA functional class was reduced in 36 patients (70.6%) and plasma BNP levels before the surgery significantly correlated with post-operative NYHA functional class. Conclusions: In this retrospective study, patients with high plasma BNP levels significantly impaired the improvement of clinical symptoms after surgery. We have suggested that plasma BNP levels is useful for detecting asymptomatic valvular disease, and is a clinical marker useful in determining the optimal surgical timing.

We experienced a case of chronic traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic arota due to a traffic accident. This paper presents the case with a review of the relevant literature in Japan. A 26-years-old man was seen at the hospital because of an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray film which was incidentally found 7 years after blunt trauma on the chest at the traffic accident. With contrast enhanced CT and angiography of the chest, the patient diagnosed as having a chronic traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. The patient was asymptomatic, but was operated on because of possible enlargement of the aneurysm and risk of rupture. Operative procedures included left posterolateral thoracotomy and grafting under partial extracorporeal circulation. Postoperative course was uneventful without particular complication. The patient was discharge from the hospital on the 18th hospital day. Chronic traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorata is a rare disease. If the disease is suspected from a blunt trauma on the chest, early diagnosis followed by surgical operation is essential.

Concomitant injuries of abdominal and thoracic organs are frequently encountered in an acute phase of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia and strangulation often occurs in latent or obstructive phase. Recently three cases of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia caused by blunt injury in a different phase were successfully operated on a Case 1: A 27-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for gastric obstruction. There was a history of blunt chest and abdominal injury 2 months before admission. He was operated on through the thoracic approach after the reduction of gastric obstruction by naso-gastric tube. The stomach and omentum prolapsed into the left thoracic cavity with adhesions to the diaphragm and lung. Reduction of the prolapsed organs into the abdominal space was followed by the direct closure of the diaphragmatic rupture. Case 2: A 46-year-old woman was admitted 12 hours after injury. The stomach, omentum, colon and spleen protruded through the diaphragmatic rent into the pleural cavity with splenic rupture, mesenteric hematoma and bilateral hemo-pneumothorax. The flail chest due to multiple rib fractures necessitated her to be placed on the ventilator for a week. She was operated on through the thoracoabdominal approach. Splenectomy, reduction of prolapsed organs and direct closure of the ruptured diaphragm were performed. Case 3: A 58-year-old woman was in a latent phase, 3 years after injury. After reduction of the stomach and omentum which had prolapsed into the left thoracic cavity and adhered to the diaphragm, the rupture was repaired directly through the thoracic approach. In these cases, the lacerations run along the course of muscle fibers and were located in and around the centrum tendineum, so the repair of the diaphragm could be done easily through the thoracic approach.

症例は49歳の女性で冠動脈硬化症の危険因子は高血圧症のみであった. 狭心症発症より3か月で心内膜下梗塞の疑いにて近医に緊急入院し, 不安定狭心症のため当院へ転院した. 冠動脈造影検査の結果左冠動脈入口部の90%の孤立性狭窄が認められた. 手術は心停止下に大動脈前壁を左冠動脈口に向って斜切開し左冠動脈主幹に約8mm切開を延長した. 大伏在静脈パッチを6-0 monofilament 糸の連続縫合にて冠動脈切開部と大動脈切開部に縫合し入口部拡大を行った. 術後経過は順調で狭心症は消失した. 術後造影では左冠動脈入口部はよく拡大されていた. 術後約1年の経過観察で狭心痛の再発を認めていない.

The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic value of monitoring end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO(2)) levels for patients in cardiogenic shock undergoing percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). Fifteen patients in whom PCPS was used to treat cardiogenic shock were enrolled in this study. For hemodynamic measurements, a thermodilution catheter was inserted into the pulmonary artery and an infrared absorption sensor was placed in the main stream of exhaled air between the respiration tube and the respirator to measure ETCO(2) levels. Nine patients (group II, 60%) died of multiple organ failure. In the six survivors (group I), there was a significant increase in average ETCO(2) level from 8.8 +/- 3.9 mmHg before treatment to 20.5 +/- 2.1 mmHg 24 h after the start of PCPS compared with values in group II patients (8.8 +/- 3.9 mmHg, P = 0.0411). Also, serum lactate concentrations fell significantly in group I patients (group I 2.8 +/- 0.47 mmol/l, group II 9.0 +/- 2.31 mmol/l, P = 0.0435). The mean ETCO(2) level in group I patients gradually returned to 23 mmHg, which was within the normal healthy range; these patients were successfully weaned from PCPS. These results suggest that, in cardiogenic shock patients, ETCO(2) level is a possible index of cardiac recovery during PCPS support.

Two seismic wave attenuation factors, scattering attenuation Qs-1 and intrinsic absorption Qi-1 are measured using the Multiple Lapse Time Window (MLTW) analysis method for three different frequency bands, 1-2, 2-4, and 4-8 Hz. Data from 54 temporally deployed seismic stations located in northern Chile are used. This method compares time integrated seismic wave energies with synthetic coda wave envelopes for a multiple isotropic scattering model. In the present analysis, the wave energy is assumed to decay with distance in proportion to1/GSF,exo(-(Qs-1+Qi-1).w r/v), where r, w and v are the propagation distance, angular frequency and S wave velocity, respectively, and GSF is the geometrical spreading factor. When spatial uniformity of Qs-1, Qi-1 and v is assumed, i.e. GSF = 4pr2, the estimates of the reciprocal of the extinction length, Le-1 (=(Qs-1+Qi-1).w/v), are 0.017,0.012 and 0.010 km-1, and those of the seismic albedo, B0(=Qs-1/(Qi-1+Qi-1)), are 0.48, 0.40 and 0.34 for 1-2, 2-4 and 4-8 Hz, respectively, which indicates that scattering attenuation is comparable to or smaller than intrinsic absorption. When we assume a depth dependent velocity structure, we also find that scattering attenuation is comparable to or smaller than intrinsic absorption. However, since the quantitative estimates of scattering attenuation depend on the assumed velocity structure (strength of velocity discontinuity and/or Moho depth), it is important to consider differences in velocity structure models when comparing attenuation estimates.

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) isolated from the oral cavity of healthy human volunteers, spontaneously generated superoxide, nitric oxide (NO) and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) which exhibited strong luminol chemiluminescence (LCL). To understand the physiological roles of oral PMN (OPMN), biochemical properties of the cells were analyzed. Biochemical analysis revealed that OPMN were already primed under physiological conditions. Western blot analysis revealed that they strongly expressed the inducible type of NO synthase (NOS II) and exhibited the activity to catalyze tyrosine phosphorylation of various proteins including a 115 kDa protein (cbl product). OPMN also generated H2O2 and .OH by some superoxide dismutase (SOD)-sensitive mechanism and released myeloperoxidase (MPO). Kinetic analysis using specific inhibitors revealed that OCl- generated by OPMN was predominantly responsible for the enhanced LCL. During the incubation under standard culture conditions, OPMN underwent apoptosis which proceeded more rapidly than that of the circulating PMN (CPMN). Immunochemical analysis revealed that expression of apoptosis-related gene products, such as Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Bax, was below detectable levels with both cell types. However, caspase-3 but not caspase-1 was markedly activated in OPMN. These results indicate that the primed OPMN spontaneously generate ROS and play an important role in the defense mechanism in the oral cavity and that the generated ROS activate caspase-3 thereby inducing apoptosis of the cells.

A fifty-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray film. She was asymptomatic. Chest X-ray film showed a scimitar-like vessel in the right lung, dextroposition of the heart, and hypoplasia of the right pulmonary artery. MRI revealed that the scimitar vein was anomalous pulmonary venous return from the right lung. Normal venous return from the right lower lobe to the left atrium was confirmed by pulmonary artery angiography. MRI findings have been useful in the diagnosis of scimitar syndrome.