Measuring the sensitivity of imaging plates to keV carbon ions.

Imaging plates (IPs) are valuable tools for measuring the intensity of ionizing radiation such as x-rays, electrons, and ions. In this work, we measured the sensitivity of IPs to carbon ions in the unexplored energy region of 0.7-10 keV.

Investigating stronger tolerant network against cascading failures in focusing on changing degree distributions.

Many real-world networks with Scale-Free structure are significantly vulnerable against both intentional attacks and catastrophic cascading failures. On the other hand, it has been shown that networks with narrower degree distributions have strong robustness of connectivity by enhancing loops. This paper numerically reveals that such networks are also tolerant against cascading failures.

3D transesophageal echocardiographic visualization of the pulmonary artery catheter through the tricuspid valve and their position relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets.

Background: The tricuspid valve is an atrioventricular valve consisting of three lobes. We used the 3D transesophageal echocardiography to visualize position of the pulmonary artery catheter at the tricuspid valve annulus and examined where the catheter passed through at the level of the tricuspid annulus.

Methods: In this prospective and observational study, we monitored the pressure wave on patients undergoing cardiac surgery with the catheter placement by monitoring the pressure waveform for 8 months.

Anti-modularization for both high robustness and efficiency including the optimal case.

Although robustness of connectivity and modular structures in networks have been attracted much attentions in complex networks, most researches have focused on those two features in Erdos-Renyi random graphs and Scale-Free networks whose degree distributions follow Poisson and power-law, respectively. This paper investigates the effect of modularity on robustness in a modular d-regular graphs. Our results reveal that high modularity reduces the robustness even from the optimal robustness of a random d-regular graph in the pure effect of degree distributions.

Selective estrogen receptor modulators and deep venous thrombosis after an emergent operation in senior women.

Background: Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), clinically applied to osteoporosis, may have potential risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and discontinuation of SERMs may be required before surgery. However, we cannot discontinue SERMs for a certain duration, when patients undergo an emergent operation.

Case Presentation: We reported two aged patients undergoing an emergent orthopedic surgery for lower extremities while taking SERMs for osteoporosis before the operation.

Total arch and descending thoracic aortic replacement for massive hemoptysis requiring CPR caused by intrapulmonary penetration of chronic dissecting aortic aneurysm: a case report.

Background: Intrapulmonary penetration of the thoracic aorta is a rare, life-threatening complication of a chronic dissecting aortic aneurysm. It causes massive hemoptysis requiring prompt intervention to prevent fatal airway bleeding. A surgical approach that enables diverse surgical maneuvers and intraoperative organ protection is crucial.

Correction: Hayashi et al. More Tolerant Reconstructed Networks Using Self-Healing against Attacks in Saving Resource. 2021, , 102.

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...

Adding links on minimum degree and longest distance strategies for improving network robustness and efficiency.

Many real-world networks characterized by power-law degree distributions are extremely vulnerable against malicious attacks. Therefore, it is important to obtain effective methods for strengthening the robustness of the existing networks. Previous studies have been discussed some link addition methods for improving the robustness.

Practical counting of substitutive paths on a planar infrastructure network.

When there are many non-intersecting paths between two vertices on a network, the connectivity is fault-tolerant. Because of no common vertices on these paths, they can be emergently used in avoiding destroyed parts on the usual paths by any disasters or attacks. It gives a tolerance index whether the combination of non-intersecting paths is many or few.

Postoperative delirium does not affect cardiopulmonary exercise testing in aged patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery.

Background: The effect of delirium on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) is unknown. This retrospective study was to examine the effect of delirium on CPX at discharge in aged patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods: This study included seventy patients aged 70 or older undergoing cardiac valve surgery, who entered our ICU and were discharged from our hospital between June 2016 and July 2018.

Two cases of hemodynamic improvement by modulation of atrioventricular delay in cardiac operations.

Background: Symptomatic sick sinus syndrome is one of the indications for pacemaker implantation, and we have to consider to program the pacemaker to an asynchronous pacing mode during an operation.

Case Presentation: We reported two cases with a pacemaker implanted for sick sinus syndrome undergoing cardiac operation. We changed programming of the pacemaker to an asynchronous pacing mode (DOO) and modulated the programmed atrioventricular delay to avoid ventricular pacing, resulting in better hemodynamic condition.

Anesthetic management of a patient with severe aortic regurgitation undergoing reoperation for ascending aorta false aneurysm using hypothermia: prevention of ventricular fibrillation by nifekalant.

Background: To prevent cardiac collapse and to protect cerebral function, hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass is established before resternotomy. However, ventricular fibrillation under hypothermia facilitates left ventricular distension, which causes irreversible myocardial damage when the patient has aortic regurgitation. We report a case of successful management in preventing ventricular fibrillation under hypothermia by using nifekalant.

More Tolerant Reconstructed Networks Using Self-Healing against Attacks in Saving Resource.

Complex network infrastructure systems for power supply, communication, and transportation support our economic and social activities; however, they are extremely vulnerable to frequently increasing large disasters or attacks. Thus, the reconstruction of a damaged network is more advisable than an empirically performed recovery of the original vulnerable one. To reconstruct a sustainable network, we focus on enhancing loops so that they are not trees, which is made possible by node removal.

Analysis of difficulty in placement of pulmonary artery catheter through the left internal jugular vein.

Purpose: The left internal jugular vein may be an alternative route for the placement of a pulmonary artery catheter when the right jugular vein is not available. Although the placement through the left internal jugular vein is expected to be more difficult, little has been written regarding difficulties in achieving proper placement of the catheter through the left internal jugular vein.

Methods: This prospective and observational study includes patients undergoing cardiac surgery with the catheter placement by monitoring the pressure waveform for 2 years.

An analysis of factors influencing pulmonary artery catheter passage through the tricuspid and pulmonary valves.

Purpose: A pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) has to pass the tricuspid and pulmonary valves for its proper placement. Although several factors were reported to hinder the placement, there have been no reports to identify the factors that prolong the individual time for passing through each valve.

Method: We individually measured the time required for a PAC to pass through the tricuspid and pulmonary valves.

An analysis of prior experience influencing quality of pulmonary artery catheter placement in residents.

Background: Prior experience may be important for successful placement of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC). However, there is no report about the minimum number of the placement to reach acceptable technique for the catheter placement during residency.

Aims: This study was designed to examine quality of the catheter placement and to assess the effect of prior experience.

Responsiveness of lumbosacral superficial dorsal horn neurons during the voiding reflex and functional loss of spinal urethral-responsive neurons in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Aims: Sensory information from the lower urinary tract (LUT) is conveyed to the spinal cord to trigger and co-ordinate micturition. However, it is not fully understood how spinal dorsal horn neurons are excited during the voiding reflex. In this study, we developed an in vivo technique allowing recording of superficial dorsal horn (SDH) neurons concurrent with intravesical pressure (IVP) during the micturition cycle in both normal and diabetic rats.

Author Correction: Onion-like networks are both robust and resilient.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Onion-like networks are both robust and resilient.

Tolerant connectivity and flow transmission within capacity are crucial functions as network. However, the threats to malicious attacks based on intelligent node selections and rapid breakdown by cascading overload failures increase more and more with large blackout or congestion in our contemporary networking systems and societies. It has been recently suggested that interwoven loops protect the network functions from such damages, but it is a computationally intractable combinatorial problem to maximize a set of necessary nodes for loops in order to improve the robustness.

Dilated aortic root influences pulmonary artery catheter placement in anesthetized patients.

Purpose: The placement of a pulmonary artery catheter sometimes needs long time by observing the pressure wave, and several factors have been reported to hinder the placement. In the present study, we examined whether enlargement of the aortic root is associated with longer time for the placement.

Method: We examined the time required for the catheter placement.

Detection of patent ductus arteriosus with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in a patient undergoing closure of coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula.

Background: Coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula is an unusual vascular anomaly, and the shunt ratio of this fistula is usually small.

Case Presentation: We report anesthetic management of a 55-year-old female with annuloaortic ectasia, aortic valve regurgitation, and coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula undergoing radical repair. We calculated the left-to-right shunt ratio after placement of a pulmonary artery catheter and found that the ratio was unexpectedly high.

Concomitant alteration in number and affinity of PX and muscarinic receptors are associated with bladder dysfunction in early stage of diabetic rats.

Objectives: To investigate time course of bladder dysfunction and concurrent changes in number and affinity of the muscarinic and PX receptor in the early stage of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Materials And Methods: Diabetic rats were prepared by the intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg of STZ to 7-week-old female Wistar rats. We performed recording of 24-h voiding behavior and cystometry at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the induction of diabetes.

Cardiovascular operation: A significant risk factor of arytenoid cartilage dislocation/subluxation after anesthesia.

Background: Arytenoid cartilage dislocation/subluxation is one of the rare complications following tracheal intubation, and there have been no reports about risk factors leading this complication. From our clinical experience, we have an impression that patients undergoing cardiovascular operations tend to be associated with this complication.

Aims: We designed a large retrospective study to reveal the incidence and risk factors predicting the occurrence and to examine whether our impression is true.