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We present K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb, a densely sampled, planetary binary caustic-crossing microlensing event found from a blind search of data gathered from Campaign 9 of the Kepler K2 mission (K2C9). K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb is the first bound microlensing exoplanet discovered from space-based data. The event has caustic entry and exit points that are resolved in the K2C9 data, enabling the lens--source relative proper motion to be measured. We have fitted a binary microlens model to the Kepler data, and to simultaneous observations from multiple ground-based surveys. Whilst the ground-based data only sparsely sample the binary caustic, they provide a clear detection of parallax that allows us to break completely the microlensing mass--position--velocity degeneracy and measure the planet's mass directly. We find a host mass of $0.58\pm0.04 ~{\rm M}_\odot$ and a planetary mass of $1.1\pm0.1 ~{\rm M_J}$. The system lies at a distance of $5.2\pm0.2~$kpc from Earth towards the Galactic bulge, more than twice the distance of the previous most distant planet found by Kepler. The sky-projected separation of the planet from its host is found to be $4.2\pm0.3~$au which, for circular orbits, deprojects to a host separation $a = 4.4^{+1.9}_{-0.4}~$au and orbital period $P = 13^{+9}_{-2}~$yr. This makes K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb a close Jupiter analogue orbiting a low-mass host star. According to current planet formation models, this system is very close to the host mass threshold below which Jupiters are not expected to form. Upcoming space-based exoplanet microlensing surveys by NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and, possibly, ESA's Euclid mission, will provide demanding tests of current planet formation models., 18 pages. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society

This paper presents the design consideration on a converged Rx surface acoustic wave (SAW) duplexer module for integrated RF front end. Two different matching-circuit and notch-circuit configurations were examined with importance placed on electrical characteristics (insertion loss and isolation of duplexer) and simplification of module, respectively. From circuit simulations and examinations, we verified that a simplified design was best in terms of both characteristics and space in the case of a finite inductor’s Q. We also fabricate a quad-band converged Rx module (Band I + II, V + VIII) using an SAW duplexer and verified that its electrical characteristics agree well with our simulation results.

This paper reports developments of indirectly cooled radiation-resistant magnet coils, which can be loaded with 2000-A dc. This current capacity is required for the most upstream magnets of a new high-momentum beam line to be constructed in the future extension of the J-PARC hadron experimental facility. Indirectly cooled coils using solid-conductor-type mineral insulation cables (MICs) and stainless-steel water pipes were adopted to achieve high radiation hardness. MICs were sandwiched by independent cooling water pipes and stacked in a casing, and the entire coil assembly was filled with solder. However, the maximum load applied to the indirectly cooled MIC coils was limited to 1000-A dc, mainly owing to a heat problem at the end parts of the coils. In pursuit of the required current capability, we have carried out load tests using a test sample of the end parts, which consists of MIC current leads and a copper bus bar connecting the MIC conductors, instead of a whole MIC coil. By improving the structure of the end parts, we have succeeded to operate the test piece stably with 2000-A dc in a vacuum.

Purpose: No consensus exists for the diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). Current studies recommend stress echocardiography protocols, but single standard peak or timing measurements are limited towards the complexity of the disease. We show the contribution of a combined analysis of multiple myocardial velocity patterns and investigate their relative relevance for the characterization of HFPEF. Methods: Velocity traces from 55 subjects were examined (69±6 years, 22 healthy, 19 HFPEF and 14 breathless subjects). Data came from tissue Doppler acquisitions at rest and exercise at the basal septum and lateral wall, and were temporally aligned to a common reference for comparison. Each phase of the cycle at each stage of the protocol was identified for analysis (figure). Unsupervised machine learning (multiple kernel learning) was used to characterize this population and automatically determine the relevance of each velocity pattern. Results: The learning found a discrimination algorithm that performed well in agreement with diagnosis based on current guidelines (sens=78.9%, spec=86.3%, K=0.65). The importance given to early diastole at exercise was substantially higher, while the isovolumic contraction was the lowest contributor. The breathless subjects were associated to their closest subgroup. Conclusion: The characterization of HFPEF is improved by a combined analysis of multiple velocity traces from stress echo studies using machine learning. The method additionally suggests features of interest to be used in clinical diagnosis.

Background The levels of corneal donation are insufficient to meet the demand for corneal transplantation in Japan. To overcome this problem, we started to routinely mention the possibility of corneal donation to the families of patients who died in our hospital's Urology Department in February 2008. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of this approach. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients who died in the Department of Urology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital, and analyzed the patients' characteristics and information about corneal donation. Results In total, 211 patients died in our department between February 2008 and March 2017, and 155 patients were medically suitable corneal donors. We mentioned the possibility of corneal donation to 129 (83.2%) families, and 29 (18.7%) families agreed. Three families subsequently withdrew their consent. Finally, 26 (16.8%) of the families that were approached about corneal donation by urologists agreed to donate their relatives' corneas. Another 2 families voluntarily offered to donate their relatives' corneas. Thus, 28 (18.1%) of 155 medically suitable donors donated their corneas for transplantation. Twenty-six (92.8%) donors were 60 years or older and all donors were affected with malignant genitourinary tumors. Fifty-four (96.4%) corneas were successfully transplanted into recipients. Conclusions Even elderly patients who die of solid carcinoma can be an important source of corneal donors. In this study, we showed that routine referral by urologists increased corneal donation. If this approach were adopted by other departments, it might further increase the number of corneal donations.

Wind is fundamental in many atmospheric phenomena. Global wind profile observation is important to improve numerical weather prediction (NWP) and various meteorological studies. Wind profile observations are measured mainly by radiosonde networks. Most of the weather stations are on land, while weather stations on oceans and remote land areas are sparsely distributed. The current global wind observing systems do not satisfy the globally homogeneous wind profile observation. A space-based Doppler wind lidar is one of the candidates for future global wind profile observations. In the paper, we present results from feasibility study of space-based Doppler Wind Lidar.

We report the recent progress of our proposed renewable energy cycle based on magnesium and solar-energy- pumped laser. The solar energy is used to recycle the used magnesium, MgO, to recover new magnesium and magnesium is used as fuel-cell battery. The batteries for the cell phone, automobiles and others have already been developed and demonstrated. The magnesium of 24kg is proven to drive a car for 500km without charging.

762 Table. Age (years) ,50 50-59 60-69 ≥70 Overall N 477 713 873 901 2,968 Peak SBP (mean+SD) 137+25 130+25 131+25 133+23 132+25 Hypertensive cut-point value (mean + 2SD) 187 180 181 179 182 Hypotensive cut-point value (mean -2SD) 87 80 81 87 82 763 Contribution of dobutamine stress echocardiography to the diagnosis and prognosis of low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis S. Aguiar Rosa1; G. Portugal1; L. Moura Branco1; A. Galrinho1; M. Afonso Nogueira1; J. Abreu1; D. Cacela1; A. Abreu1; J. Fragata2; R. Cruz Ferreira2 Hospital de Santa Marta, Cardiology, Lisbon, Portugal; Hospital de Santa Marta, Cardiothoracic Surgery , Lisbon, Portugal Purpose: Aortic valve replacement is the treatment of choice in patients (pts) with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). Pts with depressed left ventricular function and low ejection fraction (LVEF) present as a challenge. Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography (DSE) allows distinguishing fixed Low-Flow/Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis (LF/LG AS) from pseudo severe AS. Methods: Retrospective analysis of pts who underwent DSE for severe AS investigation, between March 2001 and October 2013. DSE was performed in 3-5 min steps until a maximum dose of 20mcg/kg/min was reached. The baseline echocardiograms, peak DSE, and one year post-op follow-up echocardiograms were analysed. The following parameters were evaluated at basal and peak dose of DSE: left ventricular (LV) end diastolic volume (EDV) and LV end systolic volume (ESV) determined by the Simpson’s biplane method, LVEF, maximum gradient (MaxG), mean gradient (MG) and aortic valve area (AVA) determined by the continuity equation. AS was considered severe if AVA at peak dose was ≤ 1 cm2. The pts were divided into 2 groups according to follow up therapy: aortic valve replacement (GI) or only medical treatment (GII). The average of follow-up period was 26+37 months. Results: 56 pts were analysed, 77% men, with a mean age of 72+7 years. Severe AS was diagnosed in 37 pts (66%). Baseline echocardiographic characteristics were: AVA 0.79+ 0.24cm2, MaxG 45.1+11.6mmHg, MG 27.5+8.5mmHg, LVEF 38.3+13.9%, EDV 155+42 ml, ESV 100+46ml. Peak DSE showed: AVA 0.87+0.36 cm2, MaxG 69.0+ 23.7mmHg, MG 41.5+14.3 mmHg, LVEF 46.2+11.9%, EDV 144.3+35.5 ml, ESV 84.4+32.8 ml. 27 pts (48%) belonged to GI: 2 intervened by transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and the remaining 25 by surgery. In GI the mortality was significantly lower than in GII (6pts (22%) VS 20pts (68%); p=0.001). One month after intervention the mortality was null. The survival after one year of follow-up was 91.7% in intervened pts (GI) and 67.9% in non-intervened pts (GII) (p=0.04). In GI with depressed LVEF, there was a significant improvement in LVEF (30.4+5.2% to 42.4+7.0%, p=0.003). On univariate analysis, the predictors of mortality were: age (p=0.023, OR 1.09), peak DSE EDV (p=0.037,OR 1.03), peak DSE ESV (p=0.01, OR 1.07), peak DSE LVEF (p=0.006, OR 0.90) and LVEF improvement , 20% during DSE (p=0.04, OR 1.26). Conclusions: LF/LG AS has a poor prognosis without intervention. DSE permits to establish the lesion severity and define predictors of mortality. In this study age, lack of contractile reserve, peak DSE LVEF,peak DSE EDVandpeak DSE ESVwere predictors ofmortality in follow up. Abstract 760 Figure. ii138 Abstracts Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging Abstracts Supplement, December 2014 by gest on F ebuary 2, 2016 D ow nladed fom 764 The quantitative assessment of the rotation and twist of the left ventricle during dobutamine stress echocardiography A. Mielczarek; JD. Kasprzak; L. Chrzanowski; M. Plewka; P. Lipiec; D. Qawoq; T. Rechcinski; K. Wierzbowska-Drabik Medical University, Lodz, Poland Background: Rotation (R) and twist (T) of the left ventricle (LV) reflects three-layer structure of myocardium and can be assessed quantitatively by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Although evaluated in various clinical settings at rest it is poorly validated during stress echocardiography. Aim:Ouraimwas tocalculate and compare rotation atbasalandapical levelsofLVand net twist of LV at rest (0), during peak stage (1) and at recovery (2) of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in patients without significant lesions in coronary arteries and with negative DSE test. Methods: We analyzed 44 patients with angiographically excluded coronary stenosis ≥50% in left main and ≥70% in other epicardial arteries (27 female, mean age 60+10 years, mean heart rate at baseline 70+12, at the peak 134+17 and at the recovery 92+11, p,0.0001) in whom DSE was performed. Rotation was measured at basal and apical levels of LV. We compared peak systolic rotation (RPS), rotation measured at aortic valve closure (RAVC) and twist (Tcalculated as a difference of basal and apical RAVC) using paired t-test. Results: Neither peak systolic rotation nor rotation measured at endsystole changed significantly during DSE. Similarly twist was practically constant at rest, during peak stage of DSE and at recovery, amounting 6.388, 6.738 and 6.278 respectively, see Table. Conclusions: Peak systolic and end systolic rotation as well as twist of the LV showed distinct independence from heart rate during dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients without significant coronary stenoses. This relationship was observed both at basal and apical level of LV and suggests that rotational parameters are intrinsic features of individual LV mechanics which are constant despite changing inotropic and chronotropic challenge. Abstract 764 Table. Rotation and twist parameters during DSE764 Table. Rotation and twist parameters during DSE Parameter baseline (0) peak DSE (1) recovery (2) p RPS basal segments [8] 23.52+3.17 23.51+4.03 24.15+3.39 ns RPS apical segments [8] 3.93+3.48 3.98+3.75 3.14+2.83 ns RAVC basal segments [8] 22.91+3.33 23.17+3.94 23.87+3.37 ns RAVC apical segments [8] 3.62+3.33 3.71+3.52 2.87+2.73 ns Twist [8] 6.38+4.48 6.73+5.3 6.27+4.01 ns 765 Determinants and prognostic impact of Left Ventricular Contractile Reserve in asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis J. Magne1; E. Donal2; R. Dulgheru3; L. Pierard3; P. Lancellotti3 University Hospital of Limoges, Cardiology, Limoges, France; University Hospital of Rennes Hospital Pontchaillou, Rennes, France; University of Liege Sart Tilman, Liege, Belgium Background: The management of asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is extremely controversial. This emphasizes the profound need of new echocardiographic parameters accurate to identify patients at higher risk of poor outcome. There are very few data regarding the assessment, determinants and prognostic value of left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR) in these patients. We aimed to quantify LVCR and to evaluate its determinants and usefulness for risk stratification in asymptomatic patients with severe AS. Methods and Results: Asymptomatic patients with severe AS (n=150, aortic valve area,1cm, 70+9 years, 64% of male) and preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function (LV ejection fraction≥55%) were prospectively referred to exercise stress echocardiography. Using 2D speckle tracking analysis, LVCR was defined as an exercise-induced changes in LV global longitudinal strain .2%. LVCR was present in 62 patients (41%) and there was no significant difference between LVCR and no LVCR groups regarding demographic, clinical and exercise data, as well as risk factors. However, patients without LVCR had significantly lower E/Ea ratio and resting LV global longitudinal strain, and higher both resting and exercise indexed left atrial (LA) area. Using multiple linear regression, after adjustment for age, sex and E/Ea ratio, the independent determinant of exercise-induced changes in LV global longitudinal strain were aortic mean pressure gradient (b=0.05+0.02, p=0.005), LV ejection fraction (b=0.06+0.03, p=0.035) and exercise indexed LA area (b=0.20+0.06, p=0.002). During a mean follow-up of 19+12 months, 76 events (51%) occurred. The absence of LVCR was associated with reduced 4-year cardiac event-free survival (26+6 vs. 53+11%, p,0.0001). By opposition, exercise-induced changes in LV ejection fraction did not predict the outcome (p=0.96). In multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, the independent predictors of events were resting brain natriuretic peptide level (p,0.0001), aortic mean pressure gradient (p=0.037), exercise cardiac output (p=0.004) and absence of LVCR (hazard ratio=1.8, 95% of confidence interval: 1.05-3.08, p=0.033). Conclusion: In asymptomatic patients with severe AS, the main determinants of LVCR, as assessed using exercise-induced changes in LV global longitudinal strain, were related to AS severity and exercise LA size. The absence of LVCR is a powerful predictor of reduced cardiac event-free survival. These results strongly support the use of exercise stress echocardiography in asymptomatic AS. Abstracts ii139 Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging Abstracts Supplement, December 2014 by gest on F ebuary 2, 2016 D ow nladed fom

The manufacturing conditions of a thin-film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) filter were investigated to obtain a high Q factor which is stable for mass production. The FBAR consist of patterned electrodes and piezoelectric films. In this study, the influence of edge shape of the films on the anti-resonance characteristics was investigated using a numerical method. Optimized shape was applied to a 2.5-GHz band resonator and filter. As a result, significant improvement of the Q factor and the insertion loss was confirmed.

This paper investigates acoustic properties, including the temperature coefficient of elasticity (TCE), of fluorine-doped silicon oxide (SiOF) films and proposes the application of the films to the temperature compensation of RF SAW devices. From Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), SiOF films were expected to possess good TCE properties. We fabricated a series of SAW devices using the SiOF-overlay/Cu-grating/LiNbO(3)-substrate structure, and evaluated their performance. The experiments showed that the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) increases with the fluorine content r, as we expected from the FT-IR measurement. This means that the Si-O-Si atomic structure measurable by the FT-IR governs the TCE behavior of SiO(2)-based films even when the dopant is added. In comparison with pure SiO(2) with the film thickness h of 0.3 wavelengths (λ), TCF was improved by 7.7 ppm/°C without deterioration of the effective electromechanical coupling factor K2 when r = 3.8 atomic % and h = 0.28λ. Fluorine inclusion did not obviously influence the resonators' Q factors when r8.8 atomic %.

Objective: To investigate how the mechanism of adipocyte–prostate cancer cell interaction affects the proliferation and differentiation of prostate cancer cells. Methods: An androgen-dependent cell line (LNCaP), two androgen-independent cell lines (PC-3, DU145), and mature adipocytes harvested from male Wistar rats were used. Cancer cells were co-cultured with the isolated mature adipocytes in 3-D collagen gel matrix culture. The morphology and proliferative ability of the prostate cancer cells were examined. With regard to the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, the expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), Akt and Bad were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: LNCaP cells co-cultured with adipocytes formed larger clusters than those of the control. PC-3 cells co-cultured with adipocytes did not form larger clusters, but formed spherical and spindle-shaped cells. The phosphorylation of Akt in PC-3 cells was greater in the co-cultured group compared with the controls, but there were no significant differences in the phosphorylation of Akt with regard to LNCaP and DU145 cells. Conclusions: Adipocytes could modulate the proliferation and differentiation of prostate cancer cell lines. Activation of the PI3K pathway might be involved in the prostate cancer cell–adipocyte interaction.

The latent damages were investigated for power MOSFETs irradiated by high LET heavy ions. It was demonstrated that the post irradiation leakage current in damaged gate oxide was determined by the initial gate stress after the irradiation and the damage was stable even after a million of gate stress repetition.

We have developed and produced a superconducting claw-pole motor for a trial purpose as a method to make the best use of the characteristic of superconductivity without collector rings or rotating superconducting coils that need to be cryocooled, and made some examinations. The unique feature in this motor is to have the mechanism that supports the reaction magnetic force generated in the axial direction.

It was demonstrated that single-event burnout was observed in silicon carbide Schottky barrier diodes with high energy proton irradiation. The behavior was successfully explained using a failure density function based on the geometric distribution. Responsible spallation fragments to trigger the single-event burnout were identified by Geant4 simulations.

We describe proton induced bulk damage observed in 90 nm process SDRAM. The degradation of the data retention ability was evaluated. The effect due to the difference of process technology and memory cell structure was discussed. The result indicates that the value of the capacitance of the storage capacitor and the volume of the depletion region are key parameters concerning the failures caused by bulk damage.

This paper discusses side acoustic radiation in leaky surface acoustic wave (LSAW) resonators on rotated Y-cut lithium tantalite substrates. The mechanism behind side radiation, which causes a large insertion loss, is analyzed by using the scalar potential theory. This analysis reveals that side radiation occurs when the guiding condition is not satisfied, and the LSAW most strongly radiates at the frequency in which the LSAW velocities in the grating and busbar regions approximately correspond to each other. Based on these results, we propose a "narrow finger structure," which satisfies the guiding condition and drastically suppresses the side radiation. Experiments show that the resonance Q of the proposed structure drastically improves to over 1000 by suppressing the side radiation, which is three times higher than for a conventional structure. Applying the proposed resonators to the ladder-type SAW filters, ultra-low-loss and steep cut-off characteristics are achieved in the range of 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz.

In order to obtain a better understanding of the thermal hazard of hydrazine and nitric acid mixtures which are used in plutonium and uranium recovery by extraction (PUREX) process during recycling of spent fuel in nuclear plant, DSC was carried out for the mixed system made by the small scale reaction calorimeter super-CRC in various conditions. It was found that the concentration of the nitric acid has a strong influence on the thermal behavior of the mixed system, and hydrazine nitrate which is formed in the reaction in the mixture was determined by DSC with FTIR analysis.

Visual observations reveal a complicated flow in the liquid melt and a melting front configuration resulting from horizontal ice plate melting from above into a 20 wt% calcium chloride aqueous solution. The initial temperature of the ice plate and the mixture are both −5°C. Small scale “mountain and valley” structures (∼1 mm) appear on the flat melting front just after melting begins, which have been called “sharkskin”. Innumerable upward and downward flows appear near the sharkskin and are controlled by its “mountain and valley” structure. These typical flows will considerably promote the melting of the ice plate to be 30% larger as compared to the numerically predicted results assuming a flat melting front (i.e., without the sharkskin), and also by three times larger compared with the results for melting from below.

Wilms' tumour is one of the most common solid tumours of childhood. 11p13 (WT1 locus) and 11p15.5 (WT2 locus) are known to have genetic or epigenetic aberrations in these tumours. In Wilms' tumours, mutation of the Wilms tumour 1 (WT1) gene at the WT1 locus has been reported, and the WT2 locus, comprising the two independent imprinted domains IGF2/H19 and KIP2/LIT1, can undergo maternal deletion or alterations associated with imprinting. Although these alterations have been identified in many studies, it is still not clear how frequently combined genetic and epigenetic alterations of these loci are involved in Wilms' tumours or how these alterations occur. To answer both questions, we performed genetic and epigenetic analyses of these loci, together with an additional gene, CTNNB1, in 35 sporadic Wilms' tumours. Loss of heterozygosity of 11p15.5 and loss of imprinting of IGF2 were the most frequent genetic (29%) and epigenetic (40%) alterations in Wilms' tumours, respectively. In total, 83% of the tumours had at least one alteration at 11p15.5 and/or 11p13. One-third of the tumours had alterations at multiple loci. Our results suggest that chromosome 11p is not only genetically but also epigenetically critical for the majority of Wilms' tumours.

Mixtures of metallic Pauli paramagnetic MoO2 and half-metallic ferromagnet CrO2 were prepared by planetary ball milling. The magnetization M, resistivity ρ, and magneto-resistance ratio MRR were measured for (MoO2)x(CrO2)1-x from x = 0 to 1. M and |MRR| rapidly decreased with increasing MoO2 content. Rpm-dependence of the coercive force Hc was observed in the x = 0.05 sample.

Magneto-resistance ratios (MRR) were measured for (Fe"3O"4)"1"-"x(CrO"2)"x granular junctions between 77K and 300K, where x is the volume ratio of CrO"2 in the measured samples. Since the spin polarization coefficient P of conduction electrons is -1 in Fe"3O"4 and 1 in CrO"2, these junctions are expected to show inverse tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) effects. In 0.4=

In order to obtain a better understanding of the thermal hazard of hydrazine and nitric acid mixtures which are used in PUREX (Plutonium and Uranium Recovery by Extraction) process during recycling of spent fuel in nuclear plant, DSC and small scale reaction calorimetry super-CRC were carried out for the mixtures in various conditions. From the DSC analysis the apparent activation energy of hydrazine monohydrate in SUS 303 crucible was determined to be 96 kJ mol-1. The mixing hazard of hydrazine monohydrate with nitric acid was measured with super-CRC and the results suggested that the concentration and the mass of nitric acid had a strong influence on the mixing heat of reaction of the system.

We herein report a technique which facilitates a retroperitoneal approach to the kidney in cases of highly deformed thorax due to kyphoscoliosis. The operation consists of a lumbar oblique incision with removal of the 11th rib, combined with the additional removal of the 12th and 10th ribs. Resection of the upper two ribs was performed subperiosteally, leaving the periosteum of the deep side untouched. However, the deep side periosteum of the 12th rib was incised caudal from the pleural margin in order to facilitate exposure of the diaphragm. The retroperitoneal space was entered through the tip of the 11th rib bed. The diaphragm was incised dorso-medially at a level 1 cm caudal from the lower margin of the pleura, to an extent necessary to enable the pleura together with the cranial diaphragm to be manoeuvred in an upward direction. Two cases with renal tuberculosis associated with high-grade kyphosis and one case with staghorn calculi accompanied with lordosis were operated on utilizing this technique. In the former two cases, the thoracic cage was in direct contact with the iliac bone and there was practically no space between the rib border and the iliac crest. This was also true of the third case, but the grade of deformity was not as extensive as in the former two cases. Removal of the 10th, 11th and 12th ribs could be achieved without injuring the pleura and a satisfactorily large operating field could thus be developed which enabled a simple nephrectomy to be performed without difficulty. The characteristic feature of the described approach is that resection of the 10th and 11th ribs is simply to facilitate manoevrability of the wound margin, without going through the rib bed. The technique could be advantageous in selected cases where there is a highly deformed thorax.

Magneto-resistance (MR) ratios were measured for (Fe3O4) 1-χ (CrO2) χ, granular systems between 77 K and 300K, where x is the volume fraction of CrO2 in the measured sample. Since the spin polarization of conduction electrons is -100% in Fe3O4 and 100% in CrO2, the present granular junctions were expected to show inverse tunneling magnet -resistance (TMR) effects. In the range 0 ≤χ≤ 1, MR behaviors were characterized by low-resistive CrO2/I/CrO2 junctions, where “I” denotes some insulating barrier. For χ≤ 0.2, the magnetic conduction behaviors were dominated by the presence of high-resistive Fe3O4/I/Fe3O4 junctions. The inverse TMR effect only appeared at χ = 0.3 near the percolation threshold χc of CrO2/I/CrO2 paths, where the number of CrO2 grains completely enclosed by Fe3O4 grains became maximum. An averaging effect on the coercive force Hc caused by randomly magnetic anisotropy was also observed for the present granular system.

One hundred and seventy patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms were treated by coil embolization from September 1997 to December 2002. After January 2000, coil embolization was selected as the first-choice treatment for ruptured aneurysms. During this period, the authors investigated the number of aborted cases, the number of complications, and how many patients could be treated by coil embolization according to the locations of ruptured cerebral aneurysms. One hundred and ninety-five sessions were performed on 170 patients, and 13 sessions (6.7%) were aborted mainly because of the difficulty of the approach and the wide necks of the aneurysms. In four patients, although procedural perforation and haemorrhage occurred, the outcome was good or excellent. Eight poor-grade patients experienced haemorrhage after coil embolization and seven patients died. The volume embolization ratios of small and large aneurysms were 27% and 21%, and the recanalization of small and large aneurysms occurred in 9% and 38% of patients, respectively. From January 2000 to December 2002, 119 (66%) of 180 ruptured cerebral aneurysms were treated by coil embolization. According to the location of aneurysms, 89% vertebrobasilar, 87% anterior cerebral, 65% internal carotid and 24% middle cerebral artery aneurysms could be treated by coil embolization. Because the tight packing of large aneurysms was difficult, the recanalization rate of large aneurysms was high. However, the results of small aneurysms were satisfactory. Almost 90% of vertebrobasilar and anterior cerebral artery aneurysms could be treated by coil embolization.

Magneto-resistances (MR) were measured at 77 K and 300 K for spin-polarized half-metallic ferromagnet CrO2 nano-granular samples. They were prepared from the precursor of CrO3 in a micro-reactor at temperatures between 598K and 723K under oxygen gas pressures of 0.5 and 10 MPa. Room temperature MR ratios of -0.13 to -0.45% and 77 K MR ratios of -2.3 to -3.4% were observed for CrO2 with Cr2O5 and/or Cr2O3 impurities. The results showed that the Cr205 forms well tunnel barriers between CrO2 nano-grains, probably due to the weak magnetic property at 300K.