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Objectives Recombinant activated factor VII has been used for the treatment of hemophilia, factor VII deficiency, and Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia. Off-label uses have recently been increasing, and there are reports that recombinant activated factor VII is effective for the treatment of excessive bleeding during or after cardiovascular surgery. We retrospectively reviewed the effectiveness of recombinant activated factor VII and its influence on the coagulation system as a treatment for uncontrollable bleeding during cardiovascular surgery. Methods Between April 2009 and May 2015, recombinant activated factor VII was used to treat uncontrollable bleeding during cardiovascular surgery in 17 patients at our hospital. The indications for recombinant activated factor VII administration were critical uncontrollable bleeding during surgery and normal platelet and fibrinogen levels. Results Blood loss significantly decreased in every case after recombinant activated factor VII administration ( p Conclusions Recombinant activated factor VII has a strong hemostatic action, but it is necessary to exclude surgical bleeding to exhibit the hemostatic effect. Administration that does not comply with the indications for recombinant activated factor VII may lead to serious complications such as thromboembolism. In properly selected patients, recombinant activated factor VII is an effective agent for the treatment of uncontrollable bleeding during cardiovascular surgery.

To establish an effective training paradigm for a computer-assisted language learning system that enables non-native learners to exploit native-like perceptual cues for identifying length contrasts, e.g., consonant length, in the Japanese language (hereafter, Japanese length contrast), two experiments were conducted to investigate the identification accuracies of native Korean listeners before and after intensive perceptual training. The first experiment assessed the perceptual characteristics that native Korean listeners show when identifying the length contrast in the face of variation in speaking rate. The results suggested that native Korean listeners identify length contrasts by relying on a fixed-length criterion instead of adapting to changes in speaking rate. Also, Korean listeners showed a noticeable bias toward geminate responses for all speaking rates, with a stronger bias for slower speaking rates. The second experiment was based on these perceptual characteristics of Korean listeners. It investigated the extent to which intensive training helps improve listeners’ ability to identify Japanese length contrast and to examine whether greater stimulus variability during training leads to more robust training effects. The overall results showed that the perceptual training improved Korean listeners’ ability to perceive consonant length contrast. Moreover, misidentification of geminates decreased at post-test. However, the effect of training did not differ greatly between conditions of high stimulus variability during training (training with three speaking rates) and low stimulus variability (training with a single speaking rate). Training also did not generalize to perception of untrained contrast type (vowel length contrast). These results suggest that while perceptual training helps Korean learners learn a new, difficult-to-learn L2 phonemic length contrast, it is still difficult for learners to acquire native-like perceptual criteria.

The present study investigated the extent to which native English listeners' perception of Japanese length contrasts can be modified with perceptual training, and how their performance is affected by factors that influence segment duration, which is a primary correlate of Japanese length contrasts. Listeners were trained in a minimal-pair identification paradigm with feedback, using isolated words contrasting in vowel length, produced at a normal speaking rate. Experiment 1 tested listeners using stimuli varying in speaking rate, presentation context (in isolation versus embedded in carrier sentences), and type of length contrast. Experiment 2 examined whether performance varied by the position of the contrast within the word, and by whether the test talkers were professionally trained or not. Results did not show that trained listeners improved overall performance to a greater extent than untrained control participants. Training improved perception of trained contrast types, generalized to nonprofessional talkers' productions, and improved performance in difficult within-word positions. However, training did not enable listeners to cope with speaking rate variation, and did not generalize to untrained contrast types. These results suggest that perceptual training improves non-native listeners' perception of Japanese length contrasts only to a limited extent.

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) has been used for the treatment of hemophilia, factor VII deficiency, and Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. We retrospectively reviewed the effectiveness of rFVIIa for the treatment of uncontrollable bleeding after cardiovascular surgery.Eight patients received rFVIIa for the treatment of uncontrollable bleeding after admission to the intensive care unit following cardiovascular surgery between April 2009 and July 2014.Blood loss was significantly decreased in 7 of the 8 cases after the administration of rFVIIa (p0.05). No adverse thromboembolic events were encountered. The quantity of blood loss and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio(PT-INR), activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT), fibrin degradation products(FDP) and D-dimer levels decreased significantly after the administration of rFVIIa (p0.05). The blood coagulation test values were almost within the normal range at 24 hours after administration.In appropriately selected patients, rFVIIa is an effective agent for the treatment of excessive bleeding after cardiovascular surgery.

Non-native speakers often have difficulty accurately producing and perceiving the syllable structure of a second language. For example, Japanese learners of English often insert epenthetic vowels when producing English words, e.g., stress produced as /sutoresu/. Similarly, when asked to count syllables in spoken English words, they frequently overestimate the number of syllables, suggesting that they tend to perceptually insert epenthetic vowels between adjacent consonants. These tendencies suggest the possibility that learners may have difficulty distinguishing between English words that contrast in syllable count, i.e., words that differ in the presence/absence of a vowel, e.g., blow-below, sport-support. Furthermore, if listeners perceptually insert epenthetic vowels, then they should misperceive blow as below more often than below as blow. To test these predictions, Japanese listeners participated in a 2AFC identification task, using 78 English minimal pairs contrasting in syllable count such as blow-...

This study investigated how language experience affects second-language (L2) listeners' ability to perceive phonemic length contrasts in the face of stimulus variability. Native English-speaking learners of Japanese (N=40) participated in an identification task in which the stimuli were Japanese words contrasting in vowel or consonant length, produced in isolation or embedded in a carrier sentence at slow, normal, or fast speaking rates, presented in a random order. Participants also received an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), to assess their Japanese proficiency on a 10-level scale. Results showed that identification accuracy as measured by d' was weakly correlated with OPI level (r=0.287), but not correlated with number of semesters enrolled in Japanese language courses (r=0.222). Speaking rate significantly affected performance, but its effect differed by context. For word-in-isolation context, d' was highest at the normal rate, while for word-in-sentence context, d' was highest at the slow rate. However, the effect of speaking rate was not reduced as a function of OPI level or number of semesters in Japanese courses. Thus, language experience may not always strongly predict L2 speech perception.

Second-language (L2) learners need to learn the sound system of an L2 so that they can distinguish L2 words. However, it is also instructive to learn non-phonemic, allophonic variations, particularly if learners want to sound native-like. The production of intervocalic /t d/ as an alveolar flap is a prime example of a non-phonemic variation that is salient in American English and presumably noticeable to many L2 learners. Yet, how well such non-phonemic variants are learned by L2 learners is a relatively under-explored subject. In the present study, Japanese learners’ production of alveolar flaps was investigated, to clarify how well learners can learn the phonetic environments in which flapping tends to occur, and how L2 experience affects their performance. Native Japanese speakers who had lived in North America for various lengths of time read a list of words and phrases that contained a potentially flappable stop, embedded in a carrier sentence. Preliminary results indicated that the rate of flapping varied considerably across different words and phrases and across speakers. Furthermore, acoustic parameters such as flap closure duration produced by some speakers showed intermediate values between native-like flaps and regular stops, suggesting that flapping is a gradient phenomenon. [Work supported by JSPS.]

Background: The main advantages of prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ) for induced hypotension during neurosurgery include a rapid onset of action, a quick recovery from hypotension, lack of toxicity, maintenance of adequate perfusion to vital organs, and maintenance of cerebral blood flow reactivity to carbon dioxide during hypotension. However, there is no report that shows the effect of PGE 1 on cerebral microvessel diameter and only a few data are available that show the effect of PGE 1 on intracranial pressure. The aim of this study was to measure cerebral arteriole and venule diameters and intracranial pressure (ICP) during PGE 1 -induced hypotension to evaluate whether PGE 1 is suitable for neuroanesthesia. Methods: We measured the effects of 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, and 10.0 0 μg kg -1 min -1 of intravenous PGE 1 on mean arterial pressure (MAP), cerebral arteriole and venule diameters and ICP in anesthetized rabbits. Results: MAP decreased statistically significantly from baseline at the infusion rates of 1.0, 3.0, and 10.0 μg kg -1 .ml -1 , Arteriole diameter increased significantly from the baseline at the infusion rate of 10.0 μg.kg -1 .ml -1 (18% from control). Venule diameter did not change from baseline value at any infusion rate. ICP did not change from baseline value at any infusion rate. Conclusion: We conclude that PGE 1 might be a suitable drug for induced hypotension in neurosurgery from the viewpoint of its small effect on the cerebral microvessels and ICP.

The accuracy of profile simulation calculations depends heavily on the accuracy of the parameters used. In particular, the development parameters, which represent the development characteristics (profile and sensitivity) of the resist, have a significant effect on profile simulation accuracy. However, as yet there have been almost no studies into methods used to calculate the development parameters for electron beam lithography, nor have there been comparisons of simulation results using these development parameters with observed resist profiles. In light of this, the authors have developed a system for the measurement of development parameters for use in simulations of electron beam lithography, and have undertaken study into the methods used to calculate such development parameters. In addition, the authors have also attempted to compare simulation results with observed resist profiles. Specifically, a diazanaphthoquinone–novolac resin positive-type electron beam resist and a chemically amplified positive-type electron beam resist were used, to which the Fujino development rate equation and the Mack development rate equation were applied. Trial calculations of the development parameters were performed, and the parameters thus obtained were input into a ProBEAM/3D electron beam lithography simulator. The electron beam resist profiles were simulated and compared with SEM images of actual resist samples. From the results it was found that both the Fujino and Mack development rate equations accurately reproduce resist behavior for the novolac positive-type electron beam resist, whereas the Mack development rate equation was more accurate than the Fujino equation for the chemically amplified positive-type electron beam resist. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 84(4): 16–25, 2001

This study investigates the contribution of the temporal patterning of speech to the reduced intelligibility of foreign-accented utterances. Short English phrases spoken by a native Chinese speaker were instrumentally modified, using LPC resynthesis and dynamic time warping, so as to align the duration of acoustic segments with tokens of the same phrases spoken by a native English speaker, while retaining the spectral and source characteristics of the Chinese speaker. Similarly, the native speaker’s productions were distorted to match the durational patterns of the non-native speaker. Intelligibility of these stimuli was measured, based on native English listeners’ performance in a forced-choice identification test with four alternatives: the correct phrase plus three phonetically similar distractor phrases suggested by listening to the Chinese productions. Intelligibility of the unmodified Chinese-accented phrases was poor (39% correct), but improved significantly (to 58%) after temporal correction. Performance on the native productions was high (94%), but declined significantly (to 83%) after temporal distortion according to the Chinese speaker’s timing. These results suggest that intelligibility of foreign-language speakers may be enhanced if explicit training is provided on temporal properties of their speech.

Source mask optimization (SMO) is widely used to make state-of-the-art semiconductor devices in high volume manufacturing. To realize mature SMO solutions in production, the Intelligent Illuminator, which is an illumination system on Nikon scanner, is useful because it can provide generation of freeform sources with high fidelity to the target. Proteus SMO, which employs co-optimization method and an insertion of validation with mask 3D effect and resist properties for an accurate prediction of wafer printing, can take into account the properties of Intelligent Illuminator. We investigate an impact of the source properties on the SMO to pattern of a static-random access memory. Quality of a source made on the scanner compared to the SMO target is evaluated with in-situ measurement and aerial image simulation using its measurement data. Furthermore we discuss an evaluation of a universality of the source to use it in multiple scanners with a validation with estimated value of scanner errors.

Perception of phonemic length contrasts in Japanese is difficult for non-native listeners. To better understand the source of this difficulty, the present study investigated native Korean listeners' perception of consonant length contrasts at different speaking rates. Stimuli were created by modifying the duration of the second consonant of /ereC:e/ along a continuum to /ereCe/, where C was /k/ or /s/. The base words were spoken by a professionally trained native Japanese speaker with a carrier sentence at three rates, fast, normal, slow. Twenty four native Korean and twelve native Japanese listeners participated in a perception test. They listened to one of the created stimuli and identified whether the second consonant was singleton or geminate. Results show that even though Korean listeners' perceptual boundary position between singleton and geminate consonants shifted according to speaking rate in a similar manner as the natives, their boundary width was more variable and larger than native listeners at all speaking rates. These results suggest that Korean listeners have ambiguous criteria for phonemic length contrasts. Results discussed that the perceptual similarity between intervocalic consonant of Korean and geminate consonant of Japanese.

The prosodic characteristics of utterances produced by second‐language learners were investigated using reiterant speech (RS), a stylized form of speaking in which every syllable is replaced with a standard syllable such as [ma], so that the phrase ‘‘the table’’ is pronounced ‘‘ma MAma.’’ Native speakers of Chinese and Spanish produced RS versions of short phrases in English and in their native language. Preliminary phonetic analysis shows that the English RS tokens were less accurately produced than were the native‐language tokens. A subset of the English tokens were then used as stimuli in a perception test in which native English listeners heard each RS phrase and judged whether it ‘‘matched’’ or ‘‘did not match’’ an English phrase presented to them visually. The stimulus set consisted of English RS produced by both non‐native and native speakers. Preliminary results indicate that listeners were better at judging the match/mismatch of the native English RS tokens than the non‐native tokens. This result indicates that there are perceptually relevant differences between native and foreign‐accented RS, and suggests that practice in producing more authentic English RS might be a useful method of teaching aspects of English prosody to second‐language learners. [Research supported by NIH‐NIDCD Grant No. 2R44DC02213‐02.]

The bispectral index (BIS) is widely used to measure anesthetic levels in the perioperative period. In our hospital, the BIS monitors (A-2000) are connected to bedside monitors and display BIS values on them through outside input. All datas on the bedside monitors are transmitted to anesthesia information management system automatically. We report cases that were impossible to measure BIS values with the displays of "Invalid Sensor" on the BIS A-2000 sensor, but BIS values were measurable on the bedside monitors. One possible reason is thought that the BIS Quatro Sensor transmits both EEG signals and sensor information to the BIS A-2000 monitor separately. BIS A-2000 monitors may process EEG signals and sensor information individually, and transfer BIS parameters to the external equipments, regardless of sensor information.

A lexical decision experiment was conducted with Japanese learners of English with relatively low English proficiency to investigate whether second-language (L2) learners utilize allophonic variation when recognizing words in L2. The stimuli consisted of 36 isolated bisyllabic words containing word-medial /t/, half of which were flap-favored words (e.g., better, city) and the other half were [t]-favored words (e.g., faster, custom). All stimuli were recorded with two surface forms: /t/ as a flap (e.g., better with a flap) or as [t] (e.g., better with [t]). The stimuli were counterbalanced in the lists using a Latin Square design, so that participants only heard one of the two surface forms. The accuracy data indicated that flap-favored words pronounced with a flap (e.g, city with a flap) were recognized significantly less accurately than [t]-favored words with a flap (e.g., faster with a flap) and [t]-favored words with [t] (e.g., faster with [t]). These results suggest that Japanese learners prefer canon...

An 82-year-old female underwent emergency surgery for right femoral incarcerated hernia under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with remifentanil and propofol. Her laboratory data showed severe hypokalemia (1.83 mEq x l(-1)) and metabolic alkalosis (HCO3 36.9 mmol x l(-1)). We suspected that the causes of such abnormalities were due to an endocrinological abnormality, but we could not ascertain the actual cause. Drip infusion of sodium chloride and saline solution infusion, to avoid supplying lactate or acetate, the source of bicarbonate ions, were chosen for palliative treatment. No adverse event occurred during surgery. After surgery, endocrinological functions were examined. Primary aldosteronism was ruled out because serum aldosterone and rennin activity were within normal ranges. The patient had been taking a Kampo preparation, Shakuyaku-kanzo-to, for two years. Glycyrrhizin, the main component of Shakuyaku-kanzo-to, has been reported to be a cause of pseudoaldosteronism by inhibiting the enzyme converting cortisol to cortisone. With these findings we confirmed that severe hypokalemia was induced by pseudoaldosteronism by long-term administration of Shakuyaku-kanzo-to.

Currently, EUV and double patterning (DP) are competing technologies for the 22nm hp node. The goal of this paper is to perform a case study and explore resolution limits on a 32nm contact hole array. In order to investigate the resolution limit for a DP process quantitatively, considering the substrate topography structure is crucial. We applied wafertopography/ lithography simulation to study the relevant effects in detail. To perform a comparative study between ArF DP and EUV lithography we first analyzed the resolution limit for DP process. We investigated the performance of a LDLD and a LFLE (litho-freeze-litho-etch) process by decreasing pitch until the resolution limit was reached. The possible minimum x- pitch (with y-parallel line, first mask) is 85nm, the minimum y-pitch generated for the second litho step with x-parallel lines is 90nm. This x-y anisotropic phenomenon is caused by the second litho step, where oblique incident light propagating through space regions contributes to total image. The bulk image distribution is sensitive to the material in the spacer region, therefore further process optimization is possible by tuning material properties. Alternatively the fabrication of 32nm size contact holes with EUV lithography was simulated. Pattern shift due to shadowing, aberrations and flare effects have been considered. A pitch of 64nm (1:1) can be realized at low flare levels, but corrections for shadowing and flare are essential. Based on this quantification the gap of possible minimum pitch between DP and EUV are discussed. Furthermore relation between DP topography effect and SMO are discussed.

language – and Japanese – a so-called "mora-timed" language – might behave when speakers are told to repeat phrases with a prescribed rhythm. Experiment 1 demonstrated that manipulation of inherent vowel duration in minimally contrasting phrases such as "GO for BYga DAY" vs. "GO for BUG-eye DAY" leads to a greater perturbation of the timing of the vowel onsets if the manipulation is internal to a foot, as above, than if it crosses two feet, as in "GO by GUNner DAY" vs. "GOba GUYner DAY". The temporal stability of foot-initial syllables was observed in both English and in analogous Japanese phrases, and can be taken as a phonetic correlate of foot-level structure. Experiment 2 revealed that manipulation of the number of syllables in foot-level units in phrases such as "GO to BAker NOW" vs. "GO to the BAker NOW" leads to greater temporal perturbation in Japanese than in English, providing some evidence for cross-linguistic rhythmic variation. These results suggest that speech cycling reveals language-specific as well as universal aspects of rhythmic organization of spoken language.

カテーテル長期留置に伴う硬膜外腔の形態的変化を調査するために硬膜外カテーテル挿入時と2週間後にイオパミドール6mlで硬膜外造影を行い,平均造影分節数(神経根が造影された脊髄分節数の和),造影像等を比較した.対象患者22例中10例が2週間後に再度造影可能で,2週間後には平均造影分節数は造影直後で21から18分節に,造影5分後では24から21分節に減少した(p

Neural processes underlying identification of durational contrasts were studied by comparing English and Japanese speakers for Japanese short/long vowel identification relative to consonant identification. Enhanced activities for non-native contrast (Japanese short/long vowel identification by English speakers) were observed in brain regions involved with articulatory-auditory mapping (Broca's area, superior temporal gyrus, planum temporale, and cerebellum), but not in the supramarginal gyrus. Greater activity in the supramarginal gyrus found for the consonant identification over short/long vowel identification by Japanese speakers implies that it is more important for phonetic contrasts differing in place of articulation than for vowel duration. These results support the hypothesis that neural processes used to facilitate perception depend on the relative contribution of information important for articulatory planning control.

An unusual case in which pulmonary edema and intracranial hemorrhage occurred during adenotonsillectomy is presented. The possible causes of this intracranial hemorrhage are discussed, especially in relationship to local epinephrine infiltration.

Adult native Japanese speakers have difficulty perceiving the English /r-l/ phonetic contrast even after years of exposure. However, after extensive perceptual identification training, long-lasting improvement in identification performance can be attained. This fMRI study investigates localized changes in brain activity associated with 1 month of extensive feedback-based perceptual identification training by native Japanese speakers learning the English /r-l/ phonetic contrast. Before and after training, separate functional brain imaging sessions were conducted for identification of the English /r-l/ contrast (difficult for Japanese speakers), /b-g/ contrast (easy), and /b-v/ contrast (difficult), in which signal-correlated noise served as the reference control condition. Neural plasticity, denoted by exclusive enhancement in brain activity for the /r-l/ contrast, does not involve only reorganization in brain regions concerned with acoustic-phonetic processing (superior and medial temporal areas) but also the recruitment of additional bilateral cortical (supramarginal gyrus, planum temporale, Broca's area, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area) and subcortical regions (cerebellum, basal ganglia, substantia nigra) involved with auditory-articulatory (perceptual-motor) mappings related to verbal speech processing and learning. Contrary to what one may expect, brain activity for perception of a difficult contrast does not come to resemble that of an easy contrast as learning proceeds. Rather, the results support the hypothesis that improved identification performance may be due to the acquisition of auditory-articulatory mappings allowing for perception to be made in reference to potential action.

Source mask optimization (SMO) is widely used to make state-of-the-art semiconductor devices in high-volume manufacturing. To realize mature SMO solutions in production, the Intelligent Illuminator, which is an illumination system on a Nikon scanner, is useful because it can provide generation of freeform sources with high fidelity to the target. Proteus SMO, which employs co-optimization method and an insertion of validation with mask three-dimensional effect and resist properties for an accurate prediction of wafer printing, can take into account the properties of Intelligent Illuminator. We investigate an impact of the source properties on the SMO to pattern of a static random access memory. Quality of a source made on the scanner compared to the SMO target is evaluated with in-situ measurement and aerial image simulation using its measurement data. Furthermore, we discuss an evaluation of a universality of the source to use it in multiple scanners with a validation and with estimated value of scanner errors.

Japanese has traditionally been called “mora-timed,” but studies have shown that this intuition is based not on durational tendencies but rather on phonological, structural factors in the language. Meanwhile, infant-directed speech (IDS) is said to “exaggerate” certain properties of adult-directed speech (ADS), including rhythm. If so, then it is possible that the mora rhythm of Japanese is more strongly observed in IDS than ADS. To investigate this possibility, the present study utilized the RIKEN Japanese Mother-Infant Conversation Corpus, which contains approximately 11 h of IDS by 22 mothers talking with their 18-to-24-month-old infants, and 3 h of ADS by the same mothers. Results from durational analyses showed that aspects of mora rhythm, such as the distinction between phonemically short and long vowels and singleton and geminate consonants, and the tendency toward isochrony of moras, were not greater in IDS than ADS. Mora duration in IDS was instead more variable, partly stemming from greater phrase-final lengthening and non-phonemic, emphatic lengthening. Results from structural analysis, however, showed that non-CV moras such as moraic nasals that characterize Japanese rhythm occurred more frequently in IDS than ADS. These results suggest that even in IDS, Japanese rhythm is manifested structurally, not durationally. [Work supported by JSPS.]