Magnetic Field-Induced Superconductor-Insulator-Metal Transition in an Organic Conductor: An Infrared Magneto-Optical Imaging Spectroscopy

The magnetic field-induced superconductor-insulator-metal transition (SIMT) in partially deuterated $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br, which is just on the Mott boundary, has been observed using the infrared magneto-optical imaging spectroscopy. The infrared reflectivity image on the sample surface revealed that the metallic (or superconducting) and insulating phases coexist and they have different magnetic field dependences. One of the magnetic field dependence is SIMT that appeared on part of the sample surface. The SIMT was concluded to originate from the balance of the inhomogenity in the sample itself and the disorder of the ethylene end groups resulting from fast cooling.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Usefulness of a Novel Ultrasonographic Classification Based on Anechoic Area Patterns for Differentiating Warthin Tumors from Pleomorphic Adenomas of the Parotid Gland

[Background]Ultrasonographic homogeneity is an important differential finding between Warthin tumor and pleomorphic adenoma, two types of benign parotid gland tumors, with the former likely to be heterogeneous and the latter homogeneous. However, differences in the performance of ultrasound machines or the homogeneity cut-off level affect the judgment of ultrasonographic homogeneity. Therefore, in this study, we adopted a novel system for classifying the composition of tumors via ultrasonography, using anechoic area as a substitute for differences in homogeneity to differentiate between Warthin tumors and pleomorphic adenomas. [Methods]We evaluated 68 tumors that were histopathologically diagnosed as Warthin tumor or pleomorphic adenoma between July 2009 and November 2015. Ultrasonographic images of the tumors were evaluated on the basis of key differentiating features, including features on B-mode imaging and color Doppler imaging. Additionally, the tumors were classified into four groups based on anechoic area, and findings were compared between Warthin tumors and pleomorphic adenomas. [Results]While 38 of the tumors were pleomorphic adenomas, 30 were Warthin tumors. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy for detection of Warthin tumors using our novel classification system were 73.3%, 76.3%, 71.0%, 78.4% and 75.0%, respectively. Compared to pleomorphic adenomas, Warthin tumors showed large or sponge-like anechoic areas, rich vascularization and an oval shape even at large tumor sizes, and the difference was significant. On defining Warthin tumor as a tumor demonstrating two or more of the findings noted above, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy for its detection were 73.3%, 84.2%, 78.6%, 80.0% and 79.4%, respectively. [Conclusion]Our novel classification system based on anechoic area patterns demonstrated by the tumors had high sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for differentiating Warthin tumors from pleomorphic adenomas

Characterization of landfill leach ate from municipal solid wastes landfills in Sri Lanka

Open dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) is the most common way of handling solid waste in Sri Lanka due to high cost involved with advanced technologies for landfilling, lack of technical capacity, lack of know-how to manage landfill sites, and so on. Landfill leachate generated from the MSW landfill sites must be treated before dispose into the environment as it creates many social and environmental problems. Characterization of landfill leachate is important to identify the most critical pollutants present in the leachate and thereby to introduce suitable and applicable treatment technologies such as in-situ permeable reactive barrier technologies for contaminant remediation. Therefore, the objective of this research is to characterize landfill leachate collected from several MSW landfills in Sri Lanka. The leachate samples were collected from 12 landfill sites located in Matale, Hambantota, Kataragama, Bandaragama, Kolonnawa, Gampola, Gohagoda, Wennappuwa, Rathnapura, Negombo, Galle, and Matara. For the collected samples, general water quality parameters (pH, EC, DO, ORP, and SS), organic pollutants (BOD5, COD, TOC, IC, TN, TP), typical anions and cations (Cl-, SO42-, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, etc), and heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Se, Pb, etc) were measured. The results showed that most of the pollutants (F-, Cl-, PO43-, NH4+, Fe, Se, Pb, BOD5, and COD) exceeded the maximum tolerance limits in Sri Lankan Standards. It was found that the BOD5/COD ratio ranged from 0.01 to 0.6 for the most samples and the highest value of 0.6 was observed in the Kolonnawa sample. Measured EC values for all samples were high and varied ranging from 4.5 to 38.3 mS/cm, indicating the biological treatment system alone would not be effective in reducing the pollutants especially for heavy metals. The results of this study will be used in developing site specific remediation technologies in landfill leachate treatment

Open MRI Operating Room with Automatic Electronic Recording of Medical Equipment Provided by Wireless LAN - Anesthesia Care Experience of ２５ Cases in Hiroshima University Hospital

オープンMRI設置手術室で25例の麻酔を経験した。MRI設置手術室では術中にMRI画像を判断材料として手術をすすめるため，MRI画像へのノイズ混入対策が必要である。また，MRI磁場の影響で術中にモニター機器や麻酔器が誤動作を起こす可能性があるため，MRI非対応機器からの画像ノイズの遮断対策として，電子機器から発生するノイズの軽減には特殊シールドボックスやイキソルメッシュを使用し，手術室外からのノイズには手術室全体にシールド工事を行った。MRIが発生させる磁場による電子機器の誤動作・故障対策は，オープンMRIの磁場が5ガウス以下となる範囲に電子機器や手術器具を置くことで対応した。問題の克服に加えて，医療機器からのデータの無線通信により，ケーブル類をなくすことでMRI撮影時の患者移動の簡素化をはかり，安全性を高めることができた。We provided anesthesia care for 25 patients in an open MRI operating room and summarized here our experience. When surgeons use MRI during surgery, the presence of noise in the images caused by other electronic equipment in the area often hinders accurate diagnosis.　In addition, malfunction of monitoring and anesthesia equipment during surgery due to the MRI magnetic field created during an MR examination can occur. In order to prevent imaging interference affecting equipment not compatible with MRI, we utilized 2 specially prepared shield boxes and wrapped the personal computer used for coordinating the data with a mesh-like cloth made by Ixol-mesh.　In addition, we prepared a shielded operating room in order to block noise from the outside. To prevent malfunction of the surgical and electronic instruments, we kept them outside the magnetic field of 5 Gauss or lower to minimize the magnetic effect generated with MRI.　Furthermore, patient safety during MRI imaging was improved by establishing a wireless communication system to feed data from medical devices, which allowed elimination of cabling

A validation of the Japanese adaptation of the Big Five Inventory-2

The purpose of this study was to adapt a Japanese version of the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2-J) to examine its factor structure, reliability, validity, and measurement invariance. The BFI-2-J assesses five domains and 15 facets of the Big Five personality traits. We analyzed two datasets: 487 Japanese undergraduates and 500 Japanese adults. The results of the principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the domain-facet structure of the BFI-2-J was similar to that of other language versions. The reliability of the BFI-2-J is sufficient. The correlation coefficients between the BFI-2-J and the other Big Five and self-esteem measures supported convergent and discriminant validity. Moreover, we confirmed measurement invariance across age and sex groups in domain-level and facet-level models. The results suggest that the BFI-2-J is a good instrument for measuring the Big Five personality traits and their facets in Japan. The BFI-2-J is expected to be useful in Japanese personality research and international comparative research

Evaluation of Hemodynamics During Posture Change to Knee-Chest Position by FloTracTM

In order to evaluate changes in hemodynamics, a FloTracTM system was used during posture change from supine to knee-chest position. Thirty-five patients undergoing lumbar surgery participated in this study. Anesthesia was performed with total intravenous anesthesia using propofol and remifentanil. Cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), and stroke volume variation (SVV) were measured by using FloTracTM in addition with heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP). The values before and after postural change were compared. SVV increased immediately after posture change and remained high. With posture change to the knee-chest position, HR, DBP and SVV increased and SBP, CI and SVI decreased. An increase in SVV from immediately after postural change indicated that SVV did not reflect circulating blood volume

Comparison of Prone Position and Knee-Chest Position in Hemodynamics During Postural Change

全静脈麻酔下で腹臥位または膝胸位へ体位変換した際の循環動態を両体位で比較するため，腰部脊椎手術を受けた患者を後方視的に調査した。体位変換の直前，体位変換直後， ３分後， ５分後の心拍数（HR）および収縮期血圧（SBP），拡張期血圧（DBP），平均血圧（MBP）を測定した。各パラメーターを体位変換前の値を基準とし体位変換後の変化率を算出し膝胸位（Knee-chest群）と腹臥位（Prone群）で比較した。統計はt検定を用いた。対象患者はKnee-chest群３０名，Prone群３０名であった。SBPは体位変換直後から５分後までKnee-chest群で有意に低く，MBPは５分後でKnee-chest群で有意に低く，HRは体位変換直後から５分後までKnee-chest群で有意に高かった。このため，全静脈麻酔管理下で膝胸位への体位変換は，腹臥位への体位変換よりも血圧の低下に注意する必要があると結論した。We compared the hemodynamics of posture change under general anesthesia between prone position and knee chest position. Patients who underwent lumbar spinal surgery were retrospectively investigated.　Heart rate (HR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean blood pressure (MBP) were measured before and after postural change, 3 minutes and 5 minutes after postural change.　The rate of change of each parameter was calculated and compared in both groups of knee-chest and prone position.　Student’s t-test was used as statistical methods. We analyzed 60 patients (30 Knee-chest, 30 Prone).　SBP was significantly lower in the Knee-chest group from immediately after postural change to 5 minutes after postural change. MBP was significantly lower in the Knee-chest group 5 minutes after postural change. HR was significantly higher in the Knee-chest group from immediately after body change to 5 minutes after postural change.　In conclusion, SBP and MBP were significantly lower in the knee-chest position than in the prone position during postural change. Postural change to the kneechest position requires attention to lowering of blood pressure than postural change to the prone position

Three Cases Becoming Difficult to Remove Epidural Catheter Postoperatively Due to Coagulation Defect Associated with Antibiotics

Perioperative vitamin K deficiency can cause severe coagulopathy rapidly. Vitamin K deficiency tends to be overlooked despite the elucidation of pathophysiology and countermeasures. The main causes of vitamin K deficiency are insufficient intake, low supply from intestinal bacteria, and synthesis inhibition of vitamin K by N-methyltetrazolethiol (N - MTT) contained antibiotics. We experienced three cases in which it was difficult to remove epidural catheter because of coagulation abnormality due to vitamin K deficiency after surgery. Vitamin K deficiency should be wary of when epidural catheter is indwelled or withdrawn from a patient who is administered with antibiotic containing N-MTT in the fasted state