Effect of Proton Irradiation on Thin-Film YBaCuO Superconductor.

We investigated the effect of 0.6 MeV proton irradiation on the superconducting and normal-state properties of thin-film YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductors. A thin-film YBCO superconductor (≈567 nm thick) was subject to a series of proton irradiations with a total fluence of 7.

Quantitative assessment of the presence of a single leg separation in Björk-Shiley convexoconcave prosthetic heart valves.

Rationale And Objectives: The authors developed an analytic software package for the objective and reproducible assessment of a single leg separation (SLS) in the outlet strut of Björk-Shiley convexoconcave (BSCC) prosthetic heart valves.

Methods: The radiographic cinefilm recordings of 18 phantom valves (12 intact and 6 SLS) and of 43 patient valves were acquired. After digitization of regions of interest in a cineframe, several processing steps were carried out to obtain a one-dimensional corrected and averaged density profile along the central axis of each strut leg.

The potential of simple clinical information and electrocardiogram to predict mortality of primary elective abdominal aortic reconstruction.

Objective: To assess the importance of simple clinical information to predict mortality after primary elective aortic reconstruction.

Design: Retrospective clinical study.

Materials: Four hundred-three consecutive patients (206 with aortic occlusive disease (51%) and 197 with aneurysmal disease of the abdominal aorta (49%) who underwent primary elective aortic reconstruction during an 8 year study period.

Noninvasive long-term follow-up after coarctation repair.

Thirty patients operated on for aortic coarctation while less than 3 years of age underwent magnetic resonance imaging, digital subtraction angiography, and bicycle exercise testing 14 to 33 years (mean, 22 years) after operation. Diameters of the aorta at the site of the anastomosis, of the distal arch, and of the aorta at the level of the diaphragm were measured in the images. Blood pressures were obtained from the right arm and leg before and after exercise.

Work resumption and leisure activities after cardiac rehabilitation: the development of criteria to measure social recovery.

In a multicentered trial, the authors investigated 280 cardiac patients to determine the level of recovery of their social life after they had completed a physical training program. Data on work and leisure activities (sports, hobbies, social contacts, and odd jobs) were obtained immediately before and after rehabilitation and again 12 months later by means of semistructured interviews and an inventory of leisure activities. For the analysis of leisure variables, they developed a classification procedure to assign patients to one of five categories indicating an unchanged good outcome, significant recovery, nonparticipation, significant deterioration, or an unchanged poor outcome.