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It is uncertain whether cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT‐D) provides better survival benefits than a CRT‐pacemaker (CRT‐P) in heart failure patients with a reduced ejection fraction (≦35%, HFrEF) treated with contemporary HF therapy. We retrospectively analyzed the ventricular arrhythmia (VAs; sustained ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation) events in HFrEF patients who underwent CRT without a prior history of VAs or aborted sudden cardiac death before the CRT implantation. Between January/2010 and December/2020, a CRT device was implanted in 79 HFrEF patients (mean age: 69 ± 12 years, male: 57, ischemic cardiomyopathy: 16). CRT‐D and CRT‐P devices were implanted in 50 and 29 patients, respectively, at each physician's discretion. CRT‐Ds were indicated in younger patients than were CRT‐Ps (66 ± 12 vs. 73 ± 12 years, p= 0.03), but the gender distribution did not differ (female, 24% [12 of 50] vs. 35% [10 of 29], p= 0.44). The VA events during a median follow‐up of 3.5‐years (interquartile range [IQR]:1.6–5.5) and their predictors were analyzed. VA events occurred in 9 patients with CRT‐Ds (18%) and one with a CRT‐P (3%, p= 0.08). The VA event rate was significantly lower in patients without a prior non‐sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT: ≥3 beats; rate, ≥120 bpm; lasting <30 s, HR 0.05; 95% CI 0.01–0.30; p< 0.01) and females (HR 0.11; 95% CI 0.01–0.93; p= 0.04). Of note, no female patients without a prior history of NSVT experienced VA events. HFrEF CRT candidates without a prior history of NSVT and females may obtain less benefit from a primary preventive defibrillator indication.

Objectives:Bacteria and viruses are rarely isolated from the middle ear fluid in cases of otitis media with effusion (OME). However, since endotoxins are often detected in such effusions, it is suspected that patients with OME have a previous history of gram-negative infection. Recently, fungi have drawn attention as microorganisms that cause chronic sinusitis. We investigated the involvement of fungi in the formation of middle ear effusions of patients with OME and eosinophilic otitis media, in which patients have viscous middle ear effusions and a history of adult bronchial asthma indicating definite involvement of eosinophils.Methods:Middle ear effusions and nasal secretions were collected from patients with eosinophilic otitis media (7 patients) or OME (12 patients), and smears were prepared for methenamine silver staining. The remaining specimens were embedded in Epon and stained with toluidine blue for observation under a light microscope, and ultrathin sections were prepared for examination under an electron microscope.Results:Fungal hyphae were detected in the middle ear fluid in all of the patients with eosinophilic otitis media or OME. Charcot-Leyden crystals (CLCs) were observed in 6 of the 7 patients with eosinophilic otitis media. In regard to the findings in the nasal secretions, fungal hyphae were also detected in the nasal secretions of all patients, whereas CLCs were detected in only 1 patient with eosinophilic otitis media.Conclusions:It was clarified by use of the methenamine silver staining method that fungi were present in the middle ear fluid in 100% of the studied cases of eosinophilic otitis media or OME. Whether fungi are also present in the middle ear cavity of normal persons is unknown, but the possibility that they may contribute as a cause of both diseases cannot be excluded. Particularly in eosinophilic otitis media, the observation of numerous CLCs in the middle ear fluid suggests that many eosinophils have degenerated. The eosinophil granule proteins released from the degenerated eosinophils can cause epithelial injury of the middle ear. The possibility that fungi induce the eosinophils in the middle ear also cannot be excluded.

Wood‐based epoxy resins were synthesized from resorcinol‐liquefied wood. Wood was first liquefied in the presence of resorcinol with or without a sulfuric acid catalyst at high temperature. Because of the hydroxyl groups, the resorcinol‐liquefied wood was considered as a precursor for synthesizing wood‐based epoxy resin. Namely, the phenolic OH groups of the liquefied wood reacted with epichlorohydrin under alkali condition. By the glycidyl etherification, epoxy functionality was introduced to the liquefied wood. The epoxy functionality of the resins was controlled by the concentration of phenolic OH groups in the liquefied wood, which would be a dominant factor for crosslink density and properties of the cured epoxy resins. The flexural strength (150–180 MPa) and the modulus of elasticity (3.2 GPa) of the highly crosslinked wood‐based epoxy resin were equivalent to those of the commercially available epoxy resin, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). Also, the shear adhesive strength of the wood‐based epoxy resin was higher than that of DGEBA when plywood was used as the adhesive substrates. The mechanical and adhesive properties suggested that the wood‐based epoxy resins would be well suited for matrix resins of natural plant‐fiber reinforced composites. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 2285–2292, 2006

One of the conventional methods to develop biodegradable plastics at a reasonable cost is manufacturing the blend of expensive polycaprolactone (PCL) and lower‐priced starch. However, past studies have shown that the amount of starch blended with plastics is relatively small and the dynamic properties are not sufficiently improved. This study focuses on the improvement of physical properties of starch, including thermal plasticity, compatibility with PCL and dynamic properties. Starch was blended with glycerine and water to achieve thermal plasticity and improve compatibility with PCL. Addition of maleic anhydride to PCL improved compatibility, which resulted in improved dynamic properties. Addition of clay results in dispersed thermo plastic starch, which improves compatibility with PCL. In addition, it was clarified that addition of clay accelerates the positive effect of electron irradiation on the blend. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stress analysis on the femur after insertion of afemoral prosthesis with a modular interchangeable neck withadjustable neck version was performed using in vitro experimentalprocedures and cemented strain gauges. Althoughstrain on the anterior and posterior aspects was less than onthe medial and lateral aspects, it was more markedly affectedby adjusting the interchangeable neck from straight toanteverted (or retroverted) than strain on the medial andlateral aspects, particularly around the stem tip. There was ahighly significant correlation between compressive strain onthe side toward which the prosthetic neck was oriented andthe extent of neck version, whether anteverted or retroverted.Insertion of a femoral implant in excessive anteversion (orretroversion) may cause noticeably increased stress on theanterior and posterior aspects of the proximal femoral shaft.

Abstract:  Stress analysis on the femur after insertion of a femoral prosthesis with a modular interchangeable neck with adjustable neck version was performed using in vitro experimental procedures and cemented strain gauges. Although strain on the anterior and posterior aspects was less than on the medial and lateral aspects, it was more markedly affected by adjusting the interchangeable neck from straight to anteverted (or retroverted) than strain on the medial and lateral aspects, particularly around the stem tip. There was a highly significant correlation between compressive strain on the side toward which the prosthetic neck was oriented and the extent of neck version, whether anteverted or retroverted. Insertion of a femoral implant in excessive anteversion (or retroversion) may cause noticeably increased stress on the anterior and posterior aspects of the proximal femoral shaft.

We carried out tensile impact test and very low speed tensile test on ethylene-based Ionomers (E/15wt %MAA) to clarify the relation between impact toughness and high-ordered structure. We also studied the changes in high-ordered structure under deformation by observing Differential Scanning Calorimetory (DSC) and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) of fractured surface. Na Ionomers showed ductile fracture in both high speed tensile impact (3 m/s) and very low speed tensile (2 mm/min). The disappearance of secondary melting point (Ti) in Na Ionomers was due to the destruction of ordered structure surrounding the ionic aggregate. Similar behavior was observed in 60% (or less) neutralized Zn Ionomers. However, 80% neutralized Zn Ionomer showed brittle failure in high-speed tensile impact, and Ti did not disappear. SAXS studies of Na and Zn Ionomers after fracture, show no change both after molding (no aging) and after aging. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 1712–1720, 2001

The dynamics of semiconductor lasers with photorefractive phase conjugate optical feedback are experimentally studied. Photorefractive fringes considered here are rather static compared with time fluctuations of laser output power. Therefore, it is expected that a semiconductor laser with photorefractive feedback shows similar dynamics to those with conventional optical feedback. We examine relaxation oscillation and external cavity modes of laser output power in the presence of photorefractive phase conjugate feedback. It is proved that the dynamics of photorefractive phase conjugate feedback are fundamentally the same as those of conventional optical feedback.

By use of DSC, X-ray diffraction and dynamic mechanical spectroscopies, phase separation and ordered structure were investigated for 4, 4′″-dihydroxy-p-quaterphenyl/ethylene glycol/adipic acid copolymers (xDHQ copolyesters, x: DHQ content in mol%, 0

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Fresh hop peltate glandular trichomes, in which hop bitter resins and essential oils were biosynthesized and accumulated, were used as standard to identify the optimal conditions for direct SEM viewing and taking photographs under a recording time of 50 sec by an ordinary SEM equipped with a rapid pre-evacuation system. Entire procedures were carried out within 10 min at room temperature to minimize the damage on the fresh specimens caused by drying and electron irradiation. The fine structure was well preserved in detail in the SEM photographs taken at accelerating voltages of 5 and 10 κV. The advantages of this method are as follows: (1) freedom from chemical fixation and subsequent procedures employed in ordinary SEM specimen preparation, (2) simplicity, speediness, and economy in preparation, and (3) high possibility to provide vivid three-dimensional information on the fine structure of fresh plant materials.