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The valence phase transition of YbInCu4 has been investigated by neutron diffraction and high pressure experiments. Rietveld refinement of the crystal structure has showed that the transition occurs with no change in crystal symmetry in a temperature range of about 35-50 K. The transition temperature Tv decreases linearly at a rate of -17 K/GPa with increasing the pressure up to 1 GPa, above which it decreases much faster up to 1. 75GPa. By using the bulk modules of YbInCu4, a Gruneisen type parameter of η=dln (Tv) /dln (V (p) ), which represents the dependence of Tv on the volume V (p) is estimated as -64. This value of η is discussed in a relation to the Kondo volume collapse model for the α-γ transition of Ce metal.

The structural and transport properties of CuIr2 (S1-xSex) 4 spinel compounds under high pressure have been studied up to 10 GPa. Resistivities of all samples were found to become insulating with increasing pressure even for the samples behaving metallic at ambient condition. When pressure was applied to the metallic samples with x=0. 9 and 1. 0, an anomalous peak appeared below 100K in the temperature dependence of the resistivity at lower pressure, but the semiconducting behaviour governed the whole temperature region at higher pressure. No structural change was observed at the temperature above and below the anomalous peak. This behaviour was discussed by the model based on some ordering of the localized charges induced by applied pressure.

More than 10,000 hours accelerated life tests have been carried out for 660 nm GaInP/AlGaInP laser diodes at 5 mW output power. The median lifetime at 60degC is estimated to be 1times106 hours

The Japanese government has set targets for increasing the contribution from renewable energy sources, such as wind power and photovoltaic (PV) generation. The fluctuating power of renewable energy sources, however, might degrade power quality such as voltage and frequency. To increase renewable energy near the demand side, a microgrid that utilizes controllable prime movers such as gas engines to compensate fluctuating demand and output of renewable energy is proposed here. First, measured load data of an office building and an apartment building were analyzed to clarify trends of daily load curve, periodograms, and residual demand. These analyses revealed the appropriate time length for operation planning and the economic load control problems of a hybrid generation system. The results of the optimal operation planning problem indicate that the proposed operation and control method is effective for energy-efficient operation of microgrids.

The ferromagnetic compound La3−3xCa1+3xMn3O10 with a triple perovskite structure can be successfully synthesized by using a thin-film growth method. Sputtered a-axis thin films with x=0.3 have been examined with respect to their magnetotransport properties. For the triple perovskite compound, we have observed the features, including the enhanced magnetoresistene (MR) effect and the characteristic low-temperature MR effect resulting from intragrain spin-polarized tunneling, which were reported for the double perovskite manganites. A comparison of the magnitude of these features in triple and double perovskite manganites suggests that the features are actually determined by the c-axis Mn–O bond configuration in a layered-perovskite ferromagnet.

Epitaxial thin-film and polycrystalline bulk samples of ferromagnetic La2−2xCa1+2xMn2O7 (x=0.3) with a layered perovskite structure have been examined with respect to their magnetotransport properties. In addition to a large magnetoresistance (MR) effect at temperatures around the metal–insulator transition, a-axis thin films exhibit unusual low-temperature MR behavior with apparent hysteresis in applied magnetic fields. The features in the bulk samples are a low-temperature MR effect without such hysteresis, and also an MR effect at high temperatures well above the metal–insulator transition temperature. The unique MR behavior depending on the sample form would reflect an anisotropic nature in the layered-perovskite ferromagnet with two-dimensional Mn-O networks.

A 56-year-old male was admitted for sudden chest pain followed by loss of consciousness and paraplegia. The electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed ST-elevation in leads II, III, and aVF and ST-depression in leads V3 to V6. The ultrasonic cardiography (UCG) demonstrated an intimal flap in the ascending aorta, grade III aortic regurgitation (AR), and akinesis of the posterior wall of the left ventricle. Transesophageal echocardiography directly showed dissection of the left main coronary artery. Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to the left anterior descending artery (LAD), obtuse marginal artery (OM) and posterolateral artery (PL) was performed using the saphenous vein. In addition, valve-sparing aortic root remodeling was performed in conjunction with replacement of the ascending aorta. The left coronary orifice was repaired and reattached to the prosthetic graft. The patient was weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass without catecholamine support. He was discharged from the hospital on foot after rehabilitation of the paraplegia. AR remains mild by UCG 3 years after surgery.

A 42-year-old male was diagnosed as having a traumatic rupture of the ascending aorta 24 hours after traffic accident. On admission, the patient was in a state of shock, but he was successfully treated by emergency surgery. Traumatic rupture of the ascending aorta is a serious condition and the mortality may be very high. Although physicians rarely encounter patients with this condition, it is relatively common among autopsy cases with multiple trauma. Urgent diagnosis and treatment are mandatory.

Bulk samples of La2−2xCa1+2xMn2O7 with the layered Sr3Ti2O7‐type perovskite structure have been successfully synthesized and investigated with respect to their magnetic and electrical properties. It is found that La2−2xCa1+2xMn2O7 (x=0.25) is a metallic ferromagnet with a magnetic transition temperature Tc of 215 K. The large magnetoresistance (MR) effect with Δρ/ρ0 of ∼60% at 1.8 T was observed in a wide temperature range below a cusp temperature in resistivity of 96 K, which is well below the magnetic Tc. This behavior is quite different from that of the well‐known double‐exchange ferromagnets such as La1−xCaxMnO3, where large MR effects are restricted to a narrow temperature range around the ferromagnetic transition. The present result could be interpreted by using the double‐exchange theory incorporating the anisotropy resulting from the two‐dimensional Mn‐O‐Mn networks in La2−2xCa1+2xMn2O7.

Few minutes of suspended malignant ventricular arrhythmia may be permitted for the patient with left ventricular assist system (LVAS). However, longer and continuous ventricular arrhythmia, especially ventricular fibrillation (Vf), may induce the low output of LVAS, which leads circulatory collapse immediately. Our presenting case is a female dilated cardiomyopathy patient who has been supported with LVAS. Four months after the LVAS installation, her electrocardiogram has changed to Vf without any symptoms. Her ventricular function has never recovered, even ventricular tachycardia. She has been a candidate of heart transplantation for more than 19 months with this rare hemodynamic condition (LVAS+Vf), like the Fontan circulation. Her performance status is limited due to deceasing of the LVAS flow, which caused by the change of her position: 2.5-2.9 l/min (lie down) to 2.0 l/min (rise). Her peak VO2/W is 6.9 ml/min/kg measured by the cardio-pulmonary exercise test. However, she has developed her general status by doing rehabilitation program and is able to walk for more than 100-150 meters.

A 51-year-old man, with a history of corticosteroid pulse therapy 3 weeks previously, developed infective endocarditis of the mitral valve due to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and underwent mitral valve replacement. Since the second postoperative day, clinical course was seriously complicated because of recurrent abdominal pain corresponding with commencement of oral intake, unremitting spike fever, and renal and hepatic dysfunction. Various examinations except angiography failed to demonstrate the etiology. Two months later, the patient developed panperitonitis due to perforation of ischemic ulcer of the cecum and underwent ileo-cecal resection. After this operation, he convalesced very quickly. Ischemia is one of the main causes of abdominal complication following cardiac surgery. Angiography should be positively considered in cases like the present one.

Prototype coaxial input couplers with a planar rf window and a high power test stand were designed and fabricated. The high power tests with a 972 MHz pulsed klystron had been successfully carried out. Input rf power of 2.2 MW in a pulsed operation of 0.6 msec and 25 Hz (370 kW in 3.0 msec and 25 Hz) was transferred to the input couplers without any problem.

Electricity power industries around the world are undergoing restructuring. Many challenging issues have arisen under the newly deregulated competitive electric power market. The retail competition in electric power market has been introduced in Japan since March 2000. Although the liberalization is limited in a part of the retail power market having about 30% share of total electricity demand, the liberalized customers is now under competitive circumstance among the Utilities and new entrants. This paper proposes a negotiation model to determine electricity trade contracts between a utility, PPS and eligible customers. In addition, the negotiation price and the investment capacity are decided by negotiation model. The proposed approach has been illustrated with a numerical example to verify its effectiveness.

A 68-year-old woman without angina developed acute antero-septal myocardial infarction. Coronary angiogram revealed saccular coronary artery aneurysm at the origin of the diagonal branch and relatively mild coronary artery stenosis. Emboli from the coronary aneurysm was strongly suggested. We placed coronary bypass grafts onto left anterior descending, diagonal and obtuse marginal branches, and excluded the coronary aneurysm by ligating both its inflow and outflow. The postoperative course was uneventful. There are several treatments of choice for patients with coronary aneurysm. We believe that surgery is mandatory and that exclusion of the coronary aneurysm should be considered in every possible case.

This paper presents simulation results of impact analysis of reliability management in the competitive electricity market. The impact of generation outage on supply reliability is evaluated by using UP (unserved power) calculated from the difference in the supply-demand balance before and after the generator's outage. Furthermore, we estimate change in nodal price and wheeling rate by introduction of the reliability management in the secure operation with consideration of single-transmission line outage (N-1 rule). To verify allocation of the cost related to transmission congestion and reliability management among participants of the electricity market, impact analysis on the cost and operation is conducted by simulation studies using a small-scale test system.

In this paper, the authors present an evaluation procedure of independent power producers' impact on reliability and associated costs of existing power systems under deregulation. Independent power producers (IPPs) with competitive electricity prices can contribute to the cost reduction of electricity supply under the open access power systems. However, there is a concern that the high standard of power system reliability may not be maintained because of possible failures of such new generators. IPPs' effects on supply reliability are closely related to generation and transmission operation of existing power systems. In the proposed approach, the reliability is measured by expected unserved power (EUP) and the additional cost of reliability maintenance is calculated by the cost of generation adjustment. The optimal redispatch problem is solved with the reliability index as a constraint. Also, a transmission system congestion is considered in the redispatch. Numerical simulations have been conducted on a model system with six nodes and seven branches.

The growth of telecommunications data traffic makes increased bandwidth imperative in access networks, as providers must offer subscribers video transmission capabilities. The current several hundred kb/s to several Mb/s currently-available is inadequate, as forecasts for 50 Mb/s by the year 2000, 155 Mb/s and possibly 622 Mb/s by 2005 are commonplace, while rates up to 2.5 Gb/s may be necessary to include video-on-demand services. The concept of the fiber-embedded lightwave circuit is based on the LD being integrated with the associated driving circuits, and being surface-mounted on a Si substrate. The use of Si as the substrate is advantageous, as there exists techniques to use a V-shaped groove etched in Si to hold in place the optical fiber, which is the optical transmission media for this device.

A digital cross-connect system for asynchronous signals of the North American hierarchy has been developed. The system uses time-division switching to handle 128 DS3 signals and provides nonblocking cross-connections for any of the 3584 constituent DS1 signals. By sharing the time-division switch, the system can cross-connect intact DS3 signals to other DS3 signals. Because functions such as provisioning, operation, maintenance, and cross-connect mapping are entirely software-controlled, centralized administration of network equipment is possible. >

Structured surfaces are needed for improving the heat transfer in a lot of industrial processes. The paper deals with the production and the characterization of coatings with rough and porous surface. Structured coatings of inconel or copper are deposited on copper tubes by means of radio-frequency vacuum plasma spraying. The microstructure as well as the surface roughness of the coatings are investigated. Boiling experiments are carried out on the coated tubes to measure their heat transfer coefficient. The results show that the coated tubes exhibit improved heat transfer values in comparison to smooth tubes. The enhancement ratio can reach more than 20 for inconel coatings.

X‐ray diffraction and magnetization measurements have been performed for powdered and field‐oriented samples of Gd1−xDyxCo4B with x=0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2. It has been found that Gd1−xDyxCo4B with x=0.2 has a planar magnetic anisotropy in the temperature region below room temperature; however, the samples with x=0.05 and x=0.1 have an axial magnetic anisotropy at room temperature and transform to a tilted state in the low‐temperature region. By analyzing magnetization curves measured in a pulsed field up to 140 kOe at T=4 K and also in a static field up to 12 kOe at 78 K for the field‐oriented samples with x=0.05 and x=0.1, approximate values of magnetic anisotropy constants of a Dy ion in Gd1−xDyxCo4B, K1(Dy) and K2(Dy), have been determined to be −2.1×10−14 erg/Dy and 1.3×10−14 erg/Dy, respectively. By comparing these values with those of DyCo5.2, it is found that K2(Dy) in the CeCo4B‐type structure is enhanced in one order by the crystallographic change from the CaCu5‐ to the CeCo4B‐type structure.

This paper shows by a quantitative evaluation that nonrestrictive modification in Japanese is a marked factor of prosody, and describes how to extract non-restrictive modification. In Japanese, restrictive and non-restrictive modification have the same syntactic structure, so it is difficult to distinguish them. We propose rules to extract non-restrictive modification in news-text based on the classification of non-restrictive modification and the combination patterns of the head noun and the modifier.

This paper introduces a Japanese text-to-speech (TTS) system, AUDIOTEX, that modifies written-style expressions for listening and generates prosodic information (Kanji reading, accent, and pause). Conventional TTS systems have several problems: most texts are written to be read with the human eye, thus they are inadequate for listening; and Kanji reading errors and accentuation errors reduce intelligibility. To solve these problems, we have developed a rewriting process for listening based on flexible tree conversion rules and a highly accurate morphological analysis which retains word candidates with an error correction environment.

Coplanar two-port transmission line resonators were made using high-T/sub c/ superconducting EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ film on an MgO substrate. The EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ films were prepared by magnetron sputtering and patterned by photolithography and Ar ion milling. The resonator characteristics were measured as a junction of temperature and power. The highest unloaded Q value obtained was 12500 at 28 K and at 3.9 GHz, and the surface resistance of the film was estimated at about 40 mu Omega . No change in Q values was observed at input power level less than -20 dBm. >

A high-speed workstation network system which interconnects distributed workstations and servers through a 100 Mbps optical LAN employing the OSI protocol is developed. The network throughput is maximized by employing a newly developed intelligent high-speed network controller consisted of a 100 Mbps token-ring processor(TRP) and 32-bit MPU which executes all the 7-layered OSI protocol. The remote retrieval capability of database of the system is theoretically confirmed and is experimentally proved. >

Summary form only given. We believe we have demonstrated extremely low tail current 1.3-μm laser diode/photodiode (LD/PD) transceiver module for OSU application for the first time. Also high performance is obtained over a wide temperature range from -40 C to +850 C. These features will help make PDS-TDMA architecture more attractive for subscriber loop networks.

Temperature insensitive characteristics have been demonstrated in single mode 1.06 μm InGaAs SQW-LDs with AlGaInP current blocking layer and GaAsP barrier layers which act as strain compensation and electron barriers.

A 3.3 volt GSM class V power amplifier MMIC has been developed by using AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs and flip chip bonding technology. The amplifier has an output power of 32 dBm and a power added efficiency of 55%. The HBT amplifier inherently requires no negative bias and has very low leak current, 2nA. Th MMIC is assembled to small and low profile package (6.35/spl times/6.35/spl times/1.05 mm).

Low cost, high-performance, and compact optical transceivers are urgently demanded in order to spread passive optical network (PON) systems widely. Especially it is important to realize high sensitivity and wide dynamic range optical transceivers because distances to subscribers for PON systems can be extended and the number of branches can be increased. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a unique, very high sensitivity and wide dynamic range optical receiver in which an in-line photodiode (PD) module and a transimpedance amplifier with AGC function are directly mounted on a ceramic package. In order to attain the optical receiver, we devised a CMOS preamplifier circuit for low noise and wide dynamic range, reduced the parasitic capacitance of the input of the preamplifier and utilized the PD module, which passive alignment technology were applied to.

This paper presents a multi-area economic load dispatching control (EDC) with a combination of spot pricing as a demand side option and economic power interchange as a supply side option to keep demand and supply balance. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by numerical simulations using a test power system model that has three regions.

A 2.5 Gb/s optical packet receiver has been developed for WDM packet routing systems using a rapidly tunable laser diode and a wavelength router. The optical packet receiver can receive the variable burst-length optical packets and keep the optimum phase between the data and the clock automatically.

Recently, a competitive electricity market has been introduced in many countries to improve the economic efficiency of power system operation. From the viewpoint of economic efficiency in the market, the establishment of a new rule for power system operation is indispensable for realizing open-access to the existing transmission network by nonutility generators. The overall objective of this study is to analyze planning for long-term transmission expansion for network reliability in the competitive market, and to assess transmission tariffs with regard to long-term and short-term economic efficiency. In this paper, a transmission expansion strategy for assuring network reliability is proposed in a hypothetical perfect competitive electricity market. The influence on social welfare of planned expansion of the transmission system and of congestion management operation of the network for the purpose of securing reliability is examined. The economic benefit of newly participating generators was shown when effective reliability maintenance measures were implemented.

The hole confinement at threshold on indium content in strain-compensated (In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As/GaAs/sub 0.2/P/sub 0.8/)/GaAs SQW lasers is investigated by rate equation analysis of the lasing delay time. It is shown that the temperature insensitive threshold current in these lasers is due to complete hole confinement in HH (heavy hole) band due to larger energy difference between HH and LH (light hole) bands by the excellent strain-compensated configuration. The spontaneous recombination lifetime increases with x. A temperature insensitive lifetime (8.5 ns) is observed between 20 and 8/spl deg/C for x=0.3.

This paper presents an efficient electric power operation with reliability management under deregulated generation markets. In the proposed operation method, outputs of the pool generators are determined based on economic load dispatching with reliability and transmission congestion management. To apply the reliability management, the expected unserved power (EUP) associated with the outage of generators was selected as an evaluation index of supply reliability. Incremental cost related to the management of supply reliability and transmission congestion by re-dispatching of the pool generators was investigated through simulation studies by using a test system.

Previous clinical results of left ventricular assist system (LVAS) therapy for cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are still unacceptable. Japanese LVAS was designed for left atrial inflow cannulation. However, to obtain higher initial LVAS flow and more decompression of left ventricular (LV) cavity and to avoid thromboembolic event, LV inflow cannulation is a preferable procedure. Therefore, LV inflow cannula for Japanese LVAS (Toyobo) was developed. We treated three AMI cases with Toyobo-LVAS using the new LV inflow cannula. All patients were in cardiogenic shock status since broad antero-septal AMI and treated with percutaneous cardio-pulmonary support before the LVAS installation. The LVAS was effective for recovery from cardiogenic shock status and multiple organ failure. Two patients died because of serious LVAS associated complications such as bleeding (case 1, 8 days) and cerebral thromboembolism (case 2, 45 days). One of them was assisted for 202 days and underwent second operation. Sixty days after removal of LVAS, the patient died due to sepsis. The technique of LV inflow cannulation is improved through our experiences. However, our result suggests that renovation of the regimen for anti-coagulation and anti-septic therapy are necessary.

We carried out a prospective, randomised study of 62 patients to determine the efficacy of a foot sole pump (the A-V Impulse System) for the prevention of pulmonary embolism (PE) after hip surgery. PE was assessed by pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy before and after operation. We defined a PE as any new scintigraphic defect which was larger than a bronchopulmonary segment. The incidence of PE was 55% in the control group and 21% in the treatment group. The foot sole pump significantly reduced the incidence of PE (p = 0.008) and we encountered no side-effects from its use.

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion beam has been utilized for a developing surface cleaning process of high‐Tc superconducting thin films. By means of silver‐contact resistivity measurements, and ex situ surface analysis using x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and reflection high‐energy electron diffraction (RHEED), the effects of ECR treatment on an air‐exposed surface of a‐axis EuBa2Cu3O7−y (EBCO) films are examined. Ag/EBCO contacts are made with exposure of the EBCO surface to an ECR oxygen ion beam with ion current densities of 100 μA/cm2 at room temperature for about 30 min and the in situ deposition of silver. The contacts, which are not annealed in oxygen, exhibit low contact resistivity in the 10−8–10−7 Ω cm2 range. These values are about five orders of magnitude lower than those of samples fabricated without ECR treatment. Based on XPS and RHEED data, change in the EBCO surface caused by ECR treatment is surmised.

The effects of intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) on portal venous flow were assessed using color Doppler echography. A total of 23 heart failure patients treated with IABP were assessed. Balloon inflation was timed to occur with every other cardiac contraction. The maximum, minimum, and mean flow velocity (Vmax, Vmin and Vmean, respectively) in the right portal vein were measured with the IABP ON and OFF, and the values compared. The Vmin with IABP ON and OFF was the same (11 +/- 5 cm/sec), whereas the difference between Vmax and Vmean was small for each patient. The velocities measured with IABP ON were larger than or equal to those with IABP OFF in all cases, however, except one. Thus, Vmax (22 +/- 8 cm/sec) and Vmean (17 +/- 6 cm/sec) with IABP ON were significantly larger (p 0.01) than those with IABP OFF (20 +/- 7 cm/sec and 16 +/- 6 cm/sec, respectively). The flow pattern of the portal vein was characteristically pulsatile either with IABP ON or OFF in most cases.

Port-Access system (P-A) is a catheter-based system for minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) characterized by avoidance of full sternotomy with the aid of Endoaortic Clamp Catheter (EAC) for intra-aortic occlusion instead of the conventional external aortic crossclamping. In our hospital, eleven patients underwent MICS using P-A from August in 1998 to the present time. We compared the intra- and post-operative anesthetic management of these patients with that of fifteen patients done by using our conventional MICS method, Saitama Medical School system (SMS). Anesthetic management of these MICS patients is directed toward early extubation, and therefore all patients receive intravenous anesthesia with a small dose of fentanyl combined with inhalational agent or propofol. Without increasing the time of the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the amount of the intraoperative bleeding, MICS with P-A needs more time to begin CPB than that with SMS because it takes more time to insert these catheters, especially EAC into the suitable position using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and fluoroscopy. The time to start CPB must be shortened by skilled cannulation. There is no difference in the postoperative length of ICU and hospital stays between P-A and SMS. In MICS, TEE is the window to the heart for both surgeon and anesthesiologist and used to guide for the placing of the catheters and weaning from CPB, and anesthesiologist should be skillful in using TEE to evaluate the de-airing procedure and assess volume load and contractility of the left ventricle.

Setting temperature and setting time were obtained readily with good reproducibility. Setting speed was defined from these two values.The relationship between the concentration (C), the cooling temperature

Acinic cell carcinoma of the salivary glands is a rare cancer representing a low grade malignancy. The recurrence of a tumor is sometimes encountered, usually within 5 years of initial operation. We describe an unusual recurrence after a long interval following primary surgery. In 1987, a 60-year-old woman underwent excision of a mass in the superficial lobe of the right parotid gland under the preoperative diagnosis of a benign tumor. A histologic diagnosis of acinic cell carcinoma was made by examining sections from the resected mass. The patient noted several small nodules in the right parotid region in 1995, but she did not visit our clinic until 1998 when tenderness developed. A locally recurrent tumor and cervical lymph nodes containing metastases were resected and postoperative radiotherapy was given 11 years after the first operation. At least 10 years of follow-up may be necessary for patients with acinic cell carcinoma because of slow-tumor growth.

The authors report the low-temperature specific heat and the magnetization measurements of the Cu-O ferromagnet La4Ba2Cu2O10 and the related compounds. The overall feature of the specific heat in La4Ba2Cu2O10 agrees to that of the mean field approximation with 1/2 spin system and is more 3-dimensional than that of 2-dimensional Cu ferromagnet K2CuF4. The measured magnetizations on the single crystals and the estimated anisotropy suggest the Heisenberg system with Ising-like anisotropy due to the comparably large interlayer coupling. In the system of Nd substitution for La, the ferromagnetic transition is not observed because Nd ions having the f-spins may disturb the exchange interaction between interlayer Cu2+ ions.

Tl2Ba2CuO6+ delta shows a gradual transition from a 85-K superconductor to a nonsuperconducting normal metal, which arises from over-doping of hole carriers by excess oxygen. Neutron diffraction study reveals that excess oxygen is incorporated at an interstitial site between double TlO layers. No remarkable changes are observed at the superconductor-metal phase boundary in both Hall coefficient and spin susceptibility, suggesting the very similarity and continuity between both the electronic structures. This is in sharp contrast with the previous observations for La2-xSrxCuO4.

A total of 19,342 psychiatric patients staying in a total of 143 hospitals in Japan for one year or more entered in this study in order to determine the possibility of discharge (POD) and the need for rehabilitation. Those who were assessed by the psychiatrist in charge to have POD provided community support was assured accounted for 32.5%. As for the levels of daily life functions measured with the GAF score, those assessed to have POD showed the maximum frequency between scores 51 and 60, while the others, who were not considered suitable for discharge, showed the maximum frequency between scores 21 and 30. On the other hand, the control group, consisting of subjects with psychiatric disabilities and living in the community while using day care or rehabilitation facilities, showed the maximum frequency of GAF scores between 51 and 60. Two-thirds of the study subjects were older than fifty, while in the control group those aged between 30 and 49 accounted for 49.0%, thus indicating that the residents of mental hospitals tend to be older. More than 60% of the study subjects had been staying in hospital for five years or more. Those without their own home accounted for about 60%.

The effect of milrinone in the 16 postoperative shock patients of cardiovascular surgery was studied. The preoperative hemodynamic status were 12 of cardiogenic shock, 2 cases of chronic heart failure and 2 cases of unstable angina pectoris. The operative procedure were 8 cases of coronary artery bypass grafting, 4 cases of valvular surgery, 2 cases of closure of ventricular septal perforation, 2 cases of Bentall operation and 1 case of ascending aortic replacement. The postoperative hemodynamic status were 15 cases of cardiogenic shock, 10 cases of hemorrhagic shock and 1 case of septic shock. Continuous intravenous infusion of 0.5 microgram/kg/min without initial bolus loading was administered immediately after the entrance of the intensive care unit. Significant increase in the maximum blood pressure 3 hours after the infusion were observed (84 +/- 17 mmHg vs 94 +/- 12, p = 0.033). The maximum blood pressure was increased gradually until 24 hours after the infusion. Significant increase in the peripheral body temperature 3 hours after the infusion were observed (32.5 +/- 2.0 degrees C vs 35.9 +/- 1.1 degrees C, p = 0.001). The difference between the peripheral temperature and the central body temperature diminished until 24 hours after the infusion. No significant change in the central venous pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary and cardiac index wedge pressure were observed. No significant change in the platelet number was observed until 3 days after the infusion. Twenty patients (75%) were discharged. Four hospital deaths included 1 cardiac and 3 septic cause were seen. These data suggest that the administration of milrinone for the shock patients after cardiac surgery showed safe and that the continuous intravenous infusion of 0.5 microgram/kg/min without bolus loading showed effective for the recovery of the peripheral circulation.