The inferior caval vein draining into the left atrial cavity : a rare case

The inferior vena cava (IVC) draining into the left atrium (LA) is exceedingly rare in the setting of the usual atrial arrangement (situs solitus). This article describes a patient with this unique anomaly, and its repair.peer-reviewe

Studies on X-ray Thomson Scattering from Antiferroquadrupolar Order in TmTe

We study Thomson scattering from the antiferroquadrupole ordering phase in TmTe. On the basis of the group theoretical treatment, we classify the selection rules of the scattering intensity governed by the orientation of the scattering vector G. Then, numerical verification is performed by invoking the ground states which are deduced from a J=7/2 multiplet model. The obtained intensity varies drastically depending on the magnitude and direction of G. We also calculate the scattering intensities under the applied field for H//(001) and (110). Their results behave differently when the orientation of G is changed, which is ascribed to the difference of their primary order parameters; O_{2}^{0} and O_{2}^{2} for H // (001) and (110), respectively. We make critical comparisons between our results for TmTe and the experimental ones for CeB_6. First, we assert that the intensities expected from TmTe at several forbidden Bragg spots are sufficient enough to be experimentally detected. Second, their intensities at (7/2,1/2,1/2) differ significantly and may be attributed to the difference of the order parametersbetween the \Gamma_3-type (O_{2}^{2} and O_{2}^{0}) and \Gamma_5-type (O_{yz}, O_{zx}, and O_{xy}) components, respectively.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Spin nematic interaction in multiferroic compound Ba2_{2}CoGe2_{2}O7_{7}

We demonstrate the existence of the spin nematic interactions in an easy-plane type antiferromagnet Ba$_{2}$CoGe$_{2}$O$_{7}$ by exploring the magnetic anisotropy and spin dynamics. Combination of neutron scattering and magnetic susceptibility measurements reveals that the origin of the in-plane anisotropy is an antiferro-type interaction of the spin nematic operator. The relation between the nematic operator and the electric polarization in the ligand symmetry of this compound is presented. The introduction of the spin nematic interaction is useful to understand the physics of spin and electric dipole in multiferroic compounds.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Determination of the Antiferroquadrupolar Order Parameters in UPd3

By combining accurate heat capacity and X-ray resonant scattering results we have resolved the long standing question regarding the nature of the quadrupolar ordered phases in UPd_3. The order parameter of the highest temperature quadrupolar phase has been uniquely determined to be antiphase Q_{zx} in contrast to the previous conjecture of Q_{x^2-y^2} . The azimuthal dependence of the X-ray scattering intensity from the quadrupolar superlattice reflections indicates that the lower temperature phases are described by a superposition of order parameters. The heat capacity features associated with each of the phase transitions characterize their order, which imposes restrictions on the matrix elements of the quadrupolar operators.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Superoxide dismutase analog (Tempol: 4-hydroxy-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl) treatment restores erectile function in diabetes-induced impotence.

We hypothesized that the administration of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic Tempol (4-hydroxy-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl) may reverse diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction. To test this hypothesis, reactive oxygen species-related genes (SOD1, SOD2, GP x 1, CAT, NOS2, NOS3) were tested, erectile functional studies and immunohistochemical analysis were carried out in diabetic rats treated with or without Tempol. Thirty Sprague-Dawley (3-4 months old) rats were divided into three groups (n=10 each), 20 with diabetes (diabetic control and Tempol treatment) and 10 healthy controls. At 12 weeks after the induction of diabetes by streptozotocin and Tempol treatment, all groups underwent in vivo cavernous nerve stimulation. Rat crura were harvested and the expression of antioxidative defense enzymes were examined by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). To confirm the RT-PCR results, we carried out immunohistochemistry (IHC) for catalase (CAT) and iNOS (NOS2). Nitration of tyrosine groups in proteins was also examined by IHC. Mean intracavernous pressure in the diabetic group was significantly lower than in the healthy controls (P <0.001) and was reversed by Tempol treatment (P <0.0108). NOS2 protein expression was significantly increased in diabetic animals compared with healthy controls and Tempol restored NOS2 protein level. Nitrotyrosine was also higher in diabetic animals and although Tempol treatment decreased its formation, it remained higher than that found in healthy controls. This study suggests that Tempol treatment increased erectile function through modulating oxidative stress-related genes in diabetic rats. This is the first report about the relationship between diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction and oxidative stress, and antioxidative therapy using the superoxide dismutase mimetic, Tempol, to restore erectile function

Elastic Properties and Magnetic Phase Diagrams of Dense Kondo Compound Ce0.75La0.25B6

We have investigated the elastic properties of the cubic dense Kondo compound Ce0.75La0.25B6 by means of ultrasonic measurements. We have obtained magnetic fields vs temperatures (H-T) phase diagrams under magnetic fields along the crystallographic [001], [110] and [111] axes. An ordered phase IV showing the elastic softening of c44 locates in low temperature region between 1.6 and 1.1 K below 0.7 T in all field directions. The phase IV shows an isotropic nature with regard to the field directions, while the antiferro-magnetic phase III shows an anisotropic character. A remarkable softening of c44 and a spontaneous trigonal distortion εyz+εzx+εxy recently reported by Akatsu et al. [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 72 (2003) 205] in the phase IV favor a ferro-quadrupole (FQ) moment of Oyz+Ozx+Oxy induced by an octupole ordering.Comment: 9 figures, Strongly Correlated Electron

Multipole State of Heavy Lanthanide Filled Skutterudites

We discuss multipole properties of filled skutterudites containing heavy lanthanide Ln from a microscopic viewpoint on the basis of a seven-orbital Anderson model. For Ln=Gd, in contrast to naive expectation, quadrupole moments remain in addition to main dipole ones. For Ln=Ho, we find an exotic state governed by octupole moment. For Ln=Tb and Tm, no significant multipole moments appear at low temperatures, while for Ln=Dy, Er, and Yb, dipole and higher-order multipoles are dominant. We briefly discuss possible relevance of these multipole states with actual materials.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Antiferro-quadrupole Ordering of CeB6_6 Studied by Resonant X-ray Scattering

Under zero magnetic field, a quadrupolar order parameter at q_Q=(1/2,1/2,1/2) in a typical antiferro-quadrupole (AFQ) ordering compound CeB6 has been observed for the first time by means of a resonant X-ray scattering (RXS) te\ chnique. The RXS is observed at the 2p->5d dipole transition energy of the Ce L3-edge. Using this RXS technique to observe the pure order parameter of the AFQ state, the magnetic phase diagram of Phase II is first determined.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Multipole tensor analysis of the resonant x-ray scattering by quadrupolar and magnetic order in DyB2C2

Resonant x-ray scattering (RXS) experiment has been performed for the (3 0 1.5) superlattice reflection in the antiferroquadrupolar and antiferromagnetic phase of DyB2C2. Azimuthal-angle dependence of the resonance enhanced intensities for both dipolar (E1) and quadrupolar (E2) resonant processes has been measured precisely with polarization analysis. Every scattering channel exhibits distinctive azimuthal dependence, differently from the symmetric reflection at (0 0 0.5) which was studied previously. We have analyzed the results using a theory developed by Lovesey et al., which directly connects atomic tensors with the cross-section of RXS. The fitting results indicate that the azimuthal dependences can be explained well by the atomic tensors up to rank 2. Rank 3 and rank 4 tensors are reflected in the data very little. In addition, The coupling scheme among the 4f quadrupolar moment, 5d ortitals, and the lattice has been determined from the interference among the Thomson scattering from the lattice distortion and the resonant scatterings of E1 and E2 processes. It has also been established from the RXS of the (3 0 1.5) reflection that the canting of the 4f quadrupolar moments exists up to T_Q. We also discuss a possible wavefunction of the ground state from the point-charge model calculation.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Invariant Form of Hyperfine Interaction with Multipolar Moments - Observation of Octupolar Moments in NpO2_{2} and CeB6_{6} by NMR -

The invariant form of the hyperfine interaction between multipolar moments and the nuclear spin is derived, and applied to discuss possibilities to identify the antiferro-octupolar (AFO) moments by NMR experiments. The ordered phase of NpO$_{2}$ and the phase IV of Ce$_{1-x}$La$_{x}$B$_{6}$ are studied in detail. Recent $^{17}$O NMR for polycrystalline samples of NpO$_{2}$ are discussed theoretically from our formulation. The observed feature of the splitting of $^{17}$O NMR spectrum into a sharp line and a broad line, their intensity ratio, and the magnetic field dependence of the shift and of the width can be consistently explained on the basis of the triple \bq AFO ordering model proposed by Paix\~{a}o {\it et. al.} Thus, the present theory shows that the $^{17}$O NMR spectrum gives a strong support to the model. The 4 O sites in the fcc NpO$_2$ become inequivalent due to the secondary triple \bq ordering of AF-quadrupoles: one cubic and three non-cubic sites. It turns out that the hyperfine field due to the antiferro-dipole and AFO moments induced by the magnetic field, and the quadrupolar field at non-cubic sites are key ingredients to understand the observed spectrum. The controversial problem of the nature of phase IV in Ce$_{1-x}$La$_{x}$B$_{6}$ is also studied. It is pointed out that there is a unique feature in the NMR spectra, if the $\Gamma_{5}$($T^{\beta}_{x}=T^{\beta}_{y}=T^{\beta}_{z}$) AFO ordering is realized in Ce$_{1-x}$La$_{x}$B$_{6}$. Namely, the hyperfine splitting of a B atom pair on the $({1/2},{1/2},\pm u)$ sites crosses zero on the $(1\bar{1}0)$ plane when the magnetic field is rotated around the $[001]$ axis.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figure