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Abstract We investigate quantum advantages in loss sensing when the two-mode squeezed vacuum state is used as a probe. Following an experimental demonstration in PRX 4, 011049, we consider a quantum scheme in which the signal mode is passed through the target and a thermal noise is introduced to the idler mode before they are measured. We consider two detection strategies of practical relevance: coincidence-counting and intensity-difference measurement, which are widely used in quantum sensing and imaging experiments. By computing the signal-to-noise ratio, we verify that quantum advantages persist even under strong thermal background noise, in comparison with the classical scheme which uses a single-mode coherent state that directly suffers from the thermal noise. Such robustness comes from the fact that the signal mode suffers from the thermal noise in the classical scheme, while in the quantum scheme, the idler mode does. For a fairer comparison, we further investigate a different setup in which the thermal noise is introduced to the signal mode in the quantum schemes. In this new setup, we show that the quantum advantages are significantly reduced. Remarkably, however, under an optimum measurement scheme associated with the quantum Fisher information, we show that the two-mode squeezed vacuum state does exhibit a quantum advantage over the entire range of the environmental noise and loss. We expect this work to serve as a guide for experimental demonstrations of quantum advantages in loss parameter sensing, which is subject to lossy and noisy environment.

The seeds of Cassia tora (C. tora) species mainly contain anthraquinone, anthraquinone glycoside, and naphthalene derivatives. We investigated the anti-apoptotic effects of C. tora seed extract and its isolated compounds on blue-light-induced lipofuscin (A2E)-loaded human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. For analysis of the C. tora extract, high-performance liquid chromatography method was used. A2E-loaded human retinal pigment epithelial cells and blue light were used to create excessive photo-oxidation to induce cell death. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay was used to measure cell cytotoxicity, and the mRNA expression of genes involved in apoptosis was examined to evaluate the mechanism of cell death. C. tora extract, n-hexane fraction, and chrysophanol were found to inhibit apoptotic cell death. Additionally, C. tora extract, n-hexane fraction, and chrysophanol reduced the mRNA expression of genes involved in the apoptosis pathway. C. tora and chrysophanol were considered to inhibit apoptosis and oxidative stress response. The major component of C. tora has a protective effect against apoptosis. The ingredients of C. tora can be used as therapeutic substances or to prevent diseases caused by the excessive oxidation of A2E substances in the retina, such as in age-related macular degeneration.

We experienced an extremely rare case of proximal epithelioid sarcoma (PES) of the vulva in a 77-year-old woman. After history taking and physical examination, the patient was tentatively diagnosed as having Bartholin’s cyst in the right labium. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings, however, a final diagnosis of PES of the vulva was made. After receiving CyberKnife treatment, the patient survived but with recurrent episodes and poor prognosis. In conclusion, our case indicates that patients with PES of the vulva should be appropriately managed with radiotherapy after a differential diagnosis based on histopathological and IHC findings.

Chalcone isomerase (CHI) is a key enzyme in flavonoid biosynthesis. In plants, CHIs occur in multigene families, and they are divided into four types, types I–IV. Type I and II CHIs are bona fide CHIs with CHI activity, and type III and IV CHIs are non-catalytic members with different functions. Rice contains seven CHI family genes (OsCHIs). Molecular analysis suggested that OsCHI3 is a type I CHI, and the other OsCHIs were classified into types III and IV. To elucidate their biochemical functions, OsCHI1, OsCHI3, OsCHI6, and OsCHI7 were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant OsCHI proteins were purified. An activity assay of recombinant OsCHIs showed that OsCHI3 catalyzed the isomerization of naringenin chalcone and isoliquiritigenin, whereas the other recombinant OsCHIs had no CHI activity. OsCHI3 also exhibited a strong preference to naringenin chalcone compared to isoliquiritigenin, which agrees well with the catalytic properties of type I CHIs. These results ascertain OsCHI3 to be a bona fide CHI in rice. OsCHI3 and the other OsCHIs were expressed constitutively throughout the rice growth period and different tissues. OsCHI3 expression was induced immediately in response to ultra-violet (UV) stress, suggesting its involvement in the biosynthesis of sakuranetin, a flavonoid phytoalexin in rice.

When first introduced, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) was performed using a bronchoscope. The bronchoscope itself, however, has several disadvantages, including interruption of ventilation. Modifications of the standard PDT technique have suggested that PDT can be safely performed without a bronchoscope. However, the safety of these modifications is unclear and many modifications have yet to be widely adopted. This study retrospectively evaluated the safety of a simplified PDT technique using the Cook® Ciaglia Blue Rhino™ in 186 patients. After confirming the underlying structures by palpation, PDT was performed without a bronchoscope or blunt dissection, 2.0 cm below the cricothyroid membrane. Ultrasonography was used only when palpation was difficult. Except for bleeding in three patients with coagulopathy, none of the patients experienced any early or late complications, and there were no deaths related to PDT. These findings confirm that PDT can be safely performed using a simplified technique, which may be useful in situations with limited equipment and medical personnel.

BackgroundThis study compared intubating conditions and the onset time associated with administration of cisatracurium, a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocker with a relatively slow onset, according to prior injection of one of two intravenous anesthetic agents: propofol or etomidate.MethodsForty-six female patients, undergoing general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation for elective surgery, were randomized to two groups; group P were administered propofol (2 mg/kg) prior to cisatracurium (0.2 mg/kg); group E were administered etomidate (0.3 mg/kg) prior to cisatracurium (0.2 mg/kg). We measured intubating conditions and the onset time according to the types of intravenous anesthetic administered. Measurements of heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were taken immediately prior to induction; immediately and 1 min after IV anesthetic administration; and immediately and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 15 min after endotracheal intubation.ResultsIntubating conditions were superior in group E compared with group P (P = 0.009). The average onset time of cisatracurium was more rapid in group E (155.74 ± 32.92 s vs. 185.26 ± 38.57 s in group P; P = 0.008). There were no group differences in SBP, DBP, and HR following intravenous anesthetic drug injection and endotracheal intubation. However, SBP and DBP were substantially higher in group E after endotracheal intubation.ConclusionsEtomidate improves intubating conditions and provide a more rapid onset time of cisatracurium during anesthetic induction compared to propofol.

Background5-HT3 receptor antagonist, dexamethasone and droperidol were used for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Recently, neurokinin-1 (NK1) antagonist has been used for PONV. We evaluated the effect of oral aprepitant premedication in addition to ondansetron.MethodsA total 90 patients scheduled for elective rhinolaryngological surgery were allocated to three groups (Control, Ap80, Ap125), each of 30 at random. Ondansetron 4 mg was injected intravenously to all patients just before the end of surgery. On the morning of surgery, 80 mg and 125 mg aprepitant were additionally administered into the Ap80 group and Ap125 group, respectively. The rhodes index of nausea, vomiting and retching (RINVR) was checked at 6 hr and 24 hr after surgery.ResultsTwelve patients who used steroids unexpectedly were excluded. Finally 78 patients (control : Ap80 : Ap125 = 24 : 28 : 26) were enrolled. Overall PONV occurrence rate of Ap125 group (1/26, 3.9%) was lower (P = 0.015) than the control group (7/24, 29.2%) at 6 hr after surgery. The nausea distress score of Ap125 group (0.04 ± 0.20) was lower (P = 0.032) than the control group (0.67 ± 1.24) at 6 hr after surgery. No evident side effect of aprepitant was observed.ConclusionsOral aprepitant 125 mg can be used as combination therapy for the prevention of PONV.

Background and Objectives: acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly called acute renal failure (ARF), is commonly defined as an abrupt decline in renal function, clinically manifesting as a reversible acute increase in nitrogen waste products—measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels—over the course of hours to weeks. AKI occurs in about 20% of all hospitalized patients and is more common in the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of AKI, and to detect and treat early, since it is known that a prolonged period of kidney injury increases cardiovascular complications and the risk of death. Despite advances in modern medicine, there are no consistent treatment strategies for preventing the progression to chronic kidney disease. Through many studies, the safety and efficacy of natural products have been proven, and based on this, the time and cost required for new drug development can be reduced. In addition, research results on natural products are highly anticipated in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In relation to AKI, many papers have reported that many natural products can prevent and treat AKI. Conclusions: in this paper, the results of studies on natural products related to AKI were found and summarized, and the mechanism by which the efficacy of AKI was demonstrated was reviewed. Many natural products show that AKI can be prevented and treated, suggesting that these natural products can help to develop new drugs. In addition, we may be helpful to elucidate additional mechanisms and meta-analysis in future natural product studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Critical care physician staffing is a crucial element of the intensive care unit (ICU) organization, and is associated with better outcomes in ICUs. Adult ICUs in Korea have been suffering from inadequate full-time intensivists and nurses because of insufficient reimbursement rates (<50% of the original critical care cost) from the National Health Insurance System. Recently, full-time intensivists have been introduced as a prerequisite for adult ICUs of tertiary hospitals in Korea. The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of intensivist staffing among critical care program directors regarding the barriers and solutions when implementing an intensivist model of critical care in Korea. Methods: An email survey of critical care program directors in designated teaching hospitals for critical care subspecialty training by the Korean Society of Critical Care Medicine was performed. The survey domains included vision, culture, resources, barriers, and potential solutions to implementing intensivist physician staffing (IPS). Results: Forty-two critical care program directors were surveyed. A total of 28 directors (66.7%) responded to email queries. Of these, 27 directors (96.4%) agreed that IPS would improve the quality of care in the ICU, although half of them reported a negative perception of relevant clinical colleagues for the role of full-time intensivists and poor resources for IPS in their hospitals. Increased financial burden due to hiring full-time intensivists and concerns regarding exclusion from the management of their critically ill patients in the ICU, together with loss of income for primary attending physicians were stated by the respondents to be major barriers to implementing IPS. Financial incentives for the required cost from the health insurance system and enhancement of medical law relevant to critical care were regarded as solutions to these issues. Conclusions: Critical care program directors believe that intensivist-led critical care can improve the outcome of ICUs. They indicated the financial burden due to IPS and underestimation of a full-time intensivist's role to be major barriers. The program directors agreed that a partnership between hospital leaders and the Ministry of Health and Welfare was needed to overcome these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have reported that cancer surgeries involving regional anesthesia have better outcomes than those under general anesthesia. However, the effects of anesthetic technique have not been investigated in patients with bladder cancer. Therefore, this retrospective study was conducted to investigate which anesthetic technique results in a better bladder cancer prognosis. Methods: Sixty-one of 531 patients underwent transurethral resection of a bladder tumor under general anesthesia from 2001 to 2008 in our hospital. Patients who attended five years of follow-up and who had pathological findings of urothelial carcinoma grades I-II were enrolled. Finally, 24 patients (G group) who underwent general anesthesia and 137 (R group) who underwent regional (spinal or epidural) anesthesia were compared. Five-year survival and recurrence-free time were compared using the chi-square and t-tests, respectively. A logistic regression and partial correlation analysis were performed to evaluate other factors affecting survival. Results: Five-year survival was 87.5 % for general anesthesia and 96.3 % for regional (P = 0.099). The regression analysis showed that older age contributed to reduced survival (odds ratio = 0.85, P = 0.001). Regional anesthesia showed higher 5-year survival (coefficient = -0.167, P = 0.044) more than general anesthesia through the partial correlation analysis. Conclusions: Though partial correlation analysis show that five-year survival is higher in patients whose surgery is under regional than general anesthesia, the association was not significant in the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Large prospective studies are needed to determine whether the association between regional anesthesia and survival is causative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a method for reconstructing a surface mesh animation sequence from point cloud animation data. We mainly focus on the articulated body of a subject -- the motion of which can be roughly described by its internal skeletal structure. The point cloud data is assumed to be captured independently without any inter-frame correspondence information. Using a template model that resembles the given subject, our basic idea for reconstructing the mesh animation is to deform the template model to fit to the point cloud (on a frame-by-frame basis) while maintaining inter-frame coherence. We first estimate the skeletal motion from the point cloud data. After applying the skeletal motion to the template surface, we refine it to fit to the point cloud data. We demonstrate the viability of the method by applying it to reconstruct a fast dancing motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There has been little data reporting the usefulness of intensivist-performed bedside drainage of pleural effusion via ultrasound (US)-guided pigtail catheter. The objective of this study is to clarify the usefulness and safety of these methods in comparison with radiologist-performed procedures. Methods: Data of patients with pleural effusion treated with US-guided pigtail catheter drainage were analyzed. All procedures were performed from September 2012 to September. 2013 by a well-trained intensivist or radiologist. Results: Pleural effusion was drained in 25 patients in 33 sessions. A radiologist performed 21 sessions, and an intensivist performed 12 sessions. Procedures during mechanical ventilation were performed in 15 (71.4%) patients by a radiologist and in 10 (83.3%) by an intensivist (p = 0.678). The success rate was not significantly different in radiologist- and intensivist-performed procedures, 95.2% (20/21) and 83.3% (10/12), respectively (p = 0.538). The average duration for procedures (including in-hospital transfer) was longer in radiologist-performed cases (p = 0.001). Although the results are limited because of the small population size, aggravation of oxygenation, CO2 retention, and decrease of mean arterial blood pressure were not statistically different in the groups. Pigtail-associated complications including hemothorax, pneumothorax, hepatic perforation, empyema, kink in the catheter, and subcutaneous hematoma were not found. Conclusions: Intensivist-performed bedside drainage of pleural effusion via ultrasound (US)-guided pigtail catheter is useful and safe and may be recommended in some patients in an intensive care unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To analyze how lidocaine 40 mg mixed prevents injection pain of propofol affects the onset time of rocuronium, tracheal intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes. Methods: This study consisted of 70 patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class 1 or 2 for general anesthesia. All the patients were randomly allocated into two groups: propofol 2 mg/kg plus normal saline 2 ml (Group C) and propofol 2 mg/kg plus 2% lidocaine 40 mg (Group L). Each group was administrated intravenously during induction and the patient was intubated 1 minute after an injection of 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium. The time at disappearance of the first twitch and intubation scores were recorded. Also, blood pressure and heart rate were measured at the baseline, after intravenous injection of propofol, before intubation, and at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes after intubation. Results: There were no significant differences between group C and L (P > 0.05). Conclusions: 40 mg of lidocaine mixed with propofol to prevent injection pain did not affect the onset time of rocuronium, intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic light-emitting diodes and photodetectors represent important, established technologies for solid-state lighting, digital imaging and many other applications. Eliminating mechanical and geometrical design constraints imposed by the supporting semiconductor wafers can enable alternative uses in areas such as biomedicine and robotics. Here we describe systems that consist of arrays of interconnected, ultrathin inorganic light-emitting diodes and photodetectors configured in mechanically optimized layouts on unusual substrates. Light-emitting sutures, implantable sheets and illuminated plasmonic crystals that are compatible with complete immersion in biofluids illustrate the suitability of these technologies for use in biomedicine. Waterproof optical-proximity-sensor tapes capable of conformal integration on curved surfaces of gloves and thin, refractive-index monitors wrapped on tubing for intravenous delivery systems demonstrate possibilities in robotics and clinical medicine. These and related systems may create important, unconventional opportunities for optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generic method for the automatic extraction of apparent semantic document structure from a structural calculation document was proposed in this paper. The method consists of two processes: extracting subtitles and classifying depth levels of the subtitles. The subtitles become tree nodes of the apparent semantic structure. A context model of technical documents was built for the subtitle extraction from plain text information. In addition, a formal classification method for the determination of depth levels of the subtitles was developed and used to build a document tree with sequentially ordered subtitles. An application module of the proposed method, which transforms a plain text document into a semistructured XML document, was implemented. Performance of the developed application module was also evaluated with 40 test documents including structural calculation documents, technical reports, and theses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human shoulder complex is perhaps the most complicated joint in the human body being comprised of a set of three bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Despite this anatomical complexity, computer graphics models for motion capture most often represent this joint as a simple ball and socket. In this paper, we present a method to determine a shoulder skeletal model that, when combined with standard skinning algorithms, generates a more visually pleasing animation that is a closer approximation to the actual skin deformations of the human body. We use a data-driven approach and collect ground truth skin deformation data with an optical motion capture system with a large number of markers (200 markers on the shoulder complex alone). We cluster these markers during movement sequences and discover that adding one extra joint around the shoulder improves the resulting animation qualitatively and quantitatively yielding a marker set of approximately 70 markers for the complete skeleton. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our skeletal model by comparing it with ground truth data as well as with recorded video. We show its practicality by integrating it with the conventional rendering/animation pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a data-driven technique for synthesizing skin deformation from skeletal motion. We first create a database of dynamic skin deformations by recording the motion of the surface of the skin with a very large set of motion capture markers. We then build a statistical model of the deformations by dividing them into two parts: static and dynamic. Static deformations are modeled as a function of pose. Dynamic deformations are caused by the actions of the muscles as they move the joints and the inertia of muscles and fat. We approximate these effects by fitting a set of dynamic equations to the pre-recorded data. We demonstrate the viability of this approach by generating skin deformations from the skeletal motion of an actor. We compare the generated animation both to synchronized video of the actor and to ground truth animation created directly from the large marker set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we deal with the problem of synthesizing novel motions of standing-up martial arts such as Kickboxing, Karate, and Taekwondo performed by a pair of humanlike characters while reflecting their interactions. Adopting an example-based paradigm, we address three nontrivial issues embedded in this problem: motion modeling, interaction modeling, and motion synthesis. For the first issue, we present a semiautomatic motion-labeling scheme based on force-based motion segmentation and learning-based action classification. We also construct a pair of motion transition graphs, each of which represents an individual motion stream. For the second issue, we propose a scheme for capturing the interactions between two players. A dynamic Bayesian network is adopted to build a motion transition model on top of the coupled motion transition graph that is constructed from an example motion stream. For the last issue, we provide a scheme for synthesizing a novel sequence of coupled motions, guided by the motion transition model. Although the focus of the present work is on martial arts, we believe that the framework of the proposed approach can be conveyed to other two-player motions as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 10-bit driver IC for laser projection full high-definition TV (HDTV) applications using a spatial optical modulator (SOM) has been developed. For high-speed data transfer be- tween the timing controller and driver IC, the driver IC adopts a mini-LVDS interface that operates up to 400 Mbps. To reduce the chip area, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) structure including a 7-bit resistor-string DAC and a unity-gain buffer, which has a 3-bit linear DAC, is proposed. The area of the proposed DAC is 40% smaller than that of the typical 8-bit resistor-string DAC. The driver IC, which has 546 channels, is fabricated using a 0.35-nm CMOS process, and its area is 21 700 μm x 3000 μm. The measured INL and DNL of the output voltages are less than 0.13 LSB, and the settling time is 1.93 μs with 40 pF capacitive loads. The output voltage deviation of the driver IC is achieved as 1.3 mV by compensating the nonuniformity among output channels he driver IC is achieved as 1.3 mV by compensating the nonuniformity among output channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During dynamic activities, the surface of the human body moves in many subtle but visually significant ways: bending, bulging, jiggling, and stretching. We present a technique for capturing and animating those motions using a commercial motion capture system and approximately 350 markers. Although the number of markers is significantly larger than that used in conventional motion capture, it is only a sparse representation of the true shape of the body. We supplement this sparse sample with a detailed, actor-specific surface model. The motion of the skin can then be computed by segmenting the markers into the motion of a set of rigid parts and a residual deformation (approximated first as a quadratic transformation and then with radial basis functions). We demonstrate the power of this approach by capturing flexing muscles, high frequency motions, and abrupt decelerations on several actors. We compare these results both to conventional motion capture and skinning and to synchronized video of the actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an improved structure for directional filter banks (DFBs) that preserves the visual information in the subband domain. The new structure achieves this out- come while preserving both the efficient polyphase implementation and the exact reconstruction property. The paper outlines a step-by-step framework in which to examine the DFB, and within this framework discusses how, through the insertion of post-sampling matrices, visual distortions can be removed. In addition to the efficient tree structure, attention is given to the form and design of efficient linear phase filters. Most notably, linear phase hR prototype filters are presented, together with the design details. These filters can enable the DFB to have more than a three-fold improvement in complexity reduction over quadrature mirror filters (QMFs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an integrated framework of on-line motion blending for locomotion generation. We first provide a novel scheme for incremental timewarping, which always guarantees that the time goes forward. Combining the idea of motion blending with that of posture rearrangement, we introduce a motion transition graph to address on-line motion blending and transition simultaneously. Guided by a stream of motion specifications, our motion synthesis scheme moves from node to node in an on-line manner while blending a motion at a node and generating a transition motion at an edge. For smooth on-line motion transition, we also attach a set of example transition motions to an edge. To represent similar postures consistently, we exploit the inter-frame coherency embedded in the input motion specification. Finally, we provide a comprehensive solution to on-line motion retargeting by integrating existing techniques. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new filter bank-based fingerprint feature extraction and matching method without needing to detect minutiae. The proposed method decomposes a fingerprint image into eight directional subband outputs using a directional filter bank (DFB) and then obtains directional energy distributions for each block from the decomposed subband outputs. Only dominant directional energy components are employed as elements of the input feature vector, which serves to reduce noise and improve efficiency. For the rotational alignment, additional input feature vectors in which various rotations are considered are extracted, and these input feature vectors are compared with the enrolled template feature vector. The proposed method significantly reduced the memory cost and processing lime associated with verification, primarily because of the efficient DFB structure and the exploitation of directional specific information. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in extracting fingerprint features and achieving good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a new atomic force microscope (AFM), with a z scanner independent of the xy scanner. Unlike conventional AFM systems, our xy scanner moves only the sample in the xy plane, while the z scanner controls the AFM probe along the z axis. The xy scanner is a single module parallel-kinematics flexure stage that guarantees high orthogonality and minimum out-of-plane motion. The z scanner is a one-dimensional flexure stage with negligible out-of-axis motion. Separating the z scanner from the xy scanner practically eliminates the x–z cross coupling problem inherent in conventional AFMs. Furthermore, the z servo response is no longer limited by the xy scanner characteristics, allowing us to make full use of our high performance z scanner. Our system uses the laser beam bounce detection method, and only the cantilever and the photodetector are mounted on the z scanner to realize a lightweight probing unit. We have devised a unique design such that the photodetector signal measures only the cantilever deflection and not the z-scanner motion. Our new AFM provides fast z servo response and high scan accuracy. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-stage fluidized bed can be used to preheat the combustion air by recovering the waste heat from the exhaust gas from industrial furnaces. The dilute-phase fluidized bed may be formed to exclude the excessive pressure drop across the multi-stage fluidized bed. But, in this case, the solid particles do not reach to the thermal equilibrium due to relatively short residence time in each layer of fluidized bed. In this study, a theoretical analysis on the dilute phase multistage fluidized bed heat exchanger was performed. A parameter related to the degree of thermal equilibrium between gas and solid particles at the dilute-phase fluidized beds was derived. Using this parameter, a relatively simple expression was obtained for the thermal efficiencies of the multi-stage fluidized bed heat exchanger and air preheater. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the development of dynamic contact mode electrostatic force microscopy (DC-EFM) as an operation mode of scanning probe microscope (SPM). Complete separation of the topographic effect from other electrostatic force effect; Use of DC-EFM either as a force microscopy for surface hardness or as a potentiometry for surface potential distribution.

A numerical analysis for the flow and heat transfer of solid particles in moving beds of heat exchangers is presented. The solid particles pass through a bundle of heat source tubes as the result of the gravitational force. Heat energy is transferred through direct contact of particles with the heat source tubes. A viscous-plastic fluid model and a convective heat transfer model are employed in the analysis. The flow field dominantly determines the total heat transfer in the heat exchanger. As the velocities of solid particles around the heat source tubes increase, the heat transfer from the tubes also increases. Examples are presented to show the performance of the numerical model. The effect of flow on heat transfer has also been studied. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermally evaporated molybdenum oxide (MoO3) film was used as a window layer of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cell instead of the conventional p-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (p-a-SiC:H) film. The short circuit current density (JSC) and fill factor were increased due to the wide optical band gap and high conductivity of the MoO3 film. As a result, the conversion efficiency of the fabricated MoO3 solar cell was increased to 6.21% compared to the typical a-Si:H solar cell (5.97%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents approaches for assembly and electrical interconnection of micro/nanoscale devices into functional systems with useful characteristics. Transfer printing techniques provide deterministic control over an assembly process that occurs prior to or simultaneously with a soft lithographic molding step that defines relief features in a receiving polymer. Filling these features with conducting materials that are processable in the form of liquids or pastes yields integrated interconnects and contacts aligned to the devices. Studies of the underlying aspects and application to representative systems in photovoltaics and solid state lighting indicators provide insights into the process and its practical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies charged trapping induced by hot carriers in a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor using a scanning capacitance microscope. Trapped charge generated by hot carriers injected from silicon substrate into silicon dioxide; Shifts in capacitance-voltage curves due to the locally trapped charge.

An acute upper airway obstruction can be caused by symptomatic postintubation or tracheostomy tracheal stenosis, and this serious condition often requires surgery, interventional bronchoscopy therapy (such as balloon dilatation), laser therapy, electrocautery, and stent placement. However, these treatments may not be feasible due to severe hypoxemia, ventilator failure, or shock and cardiac arrest, necessitating an advanced plan to establish airway patency, especially in an emergency department (ED) setting. Previous reports have demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for acute upper airway obstruction from various etiologies. Here, we report on a case of a 69-year-old woman with a history of repeated tracheal stent placement for postintubation tracheal stenosis who developed an acute tracheal obstruction from bloody clots after tracheostomy tube change, which was further complicated by severe bronchospasm. Oxygenation and ventilation were achieved via ED-initiated ECMO support. This case demonstrates how the rapid deployment of ECMO can be viable rescue therapy in the ED for a patient with acute tracheal obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the major causes of inhospital cardiac arrest as well as out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Bedside diagnosis of acute PE in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging, especially in a cardiac arrest setting. Even if the early diagnosis of an acute massive PE had been made, hemodynamic instability may be worsened unless obstructive shock gets resolved. We present a case of a 46-year-old woman who developed pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after complaining of weakness and dyspnea in an ambulance, presumptively diagnosed as acute PE by bedside focused echocardiography. She received thrombolytic therapy and was rescued by extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for recurrent PEA arrest in the ED. Focused bedside echocardiography provides a rapid diagnostic adjunct, and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be a valuable rescue therapy for PEA arrest from massive PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural evolution during heteroepitaxial growth of ZnO/sapphire(001) by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering has been studied using real-time synchrotron x-ray scattering. The two-dimensional (2D) ZnO(002) layers grown in the initial stage are highly strained and well aligned to the substrate having a mosaic distribution of 0.01° full width at half maximum (FWHM), in sharp contrast to the reported transition 2D layers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. With increasing film thickness, the lattice strain is relieved and the poorly aligned (1.25° FWHM) three-dimensional (3D) islands are nucleated on the 2D layers. We attribute the 2D-3D transition to the release of the strain energy stored in the film due to the film/substrate lattice mismatch. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central venous catheterization (CVC) can be difficult, especially with pediatric patients in critical care. Accessing the subclavian vein (SCV) can cause serious complications, including pneumothorax, arterial puncture, and hemothorax. Recently, the ultrasonographic (USG) technique has gained popularity, but its efficiency is not yet confirmed. Subclavian venous catheterization (SCVC) through the supraclavicular approach (SCA) with USG or accessing the brachiocephalic vein through the infraclavicular approach (ICA) has been reported in the past. A useful technique is reported that involves the use of a 40 mm probe rather than the usual 25 mm probe in order to confirm the location of the needle while successfully performing subclavian venous catheterization in pediatric patients weighing 1.1 kg to 15.0 kg.

In this article, the author focuses on studying post-etching silicon crystal defects on 300mm wafers by automatic defect. Topics discussed include need of atomic force microscopy for obtaining three-dimensional information of crystal defects; inspection of bare silicon wafers for surface defects; and comparison between the data collected with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) vs. atomic-force microscopy (AFM) for the same defect.