We study the Rashba spin splitting of the L-gap surface state on the (111) surfaces of Au, Ag, and Cu, and that of the topologically protected surface state on Sb(111) by a first-principles ...calculation based on the embedded Green's function technique. For Au(111), we investigate the nonlinear dependence on wave vector k of the spin-splitting energy, and also at what wave number each dispersion curve of the two spin-split bands is merged into a surface-projected bulk band. In contrast to the (111) surfaces of noble metals, the spin splitting of the topologically protected surface state on Sb(111) arises from the spin-orbit matrix element between the p sub(z) and p sub(u) orbital components. We also discuss under what condition the energy dispersion curve of a surface state intersects the boundary line between a projected bulk band and a projected bulk band gap at a large angle, instead of gradually approaching the boundary line with increasing |k|.
Robots are generally equipped with at least several different modalities of sensors. Vision and range sensors are the most popular, especially in mobile robots. On the other hand, olfaction (or ...chemical sensing in general) had long been ignored in the robotics community because of the technical difficulties involved in realizing artificial olfaction on robotic platforms. Over the past two decades, however, various attempts are made to use chemical sensors in robotic applications. With the help of chemical sensors, mobile robots can follow chemical trails laid on the ground, track chemical plumes to find their sources, and build distribution maps of chemical substances. This paper is intended to present a brief history and the current trends of the research in this emerging field.
ABO‐incompatible living kidney transplantation (ABO‐ILKT) has steadily become more widespread. However, the optimal immunosuppressive regimen for ABO‐ILKT remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the ...longitudinal changes in the outcomes from ABO‐ILKT compared with those from ABO‐compatible living kidney transplantation (ABO‐CLKT) over the last 25 years. Of 1195 patients who underwent living kidney transplantations (LKT) at our institute between 1989 and 2013, 1032—including 247 ABO‐ILKT and 785 ABO‐CLKT cases—were evaluated for graft survival, patient survival, infectious adverse events, and renal function. The patients were divided into four groups according to the transplantation era and ABO‐compatibility. In the past decade, ABO‐ILKT and ABO‐CLKT recipients yielded almost equivalent outcomes with respect to the 9‐year graft survival rates, which were 86.9% and 92.0%, respectively (hazard ratio HR 1.38, 95% confidence interval CI 0.59–3.22, p = 0.455). The graft survival rate for ABO‐ILKT conducted between 2005 and 2013 was better than that for ABO‐ILKT conducted between 1998 and 2004 (HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.13–0.72, p = 0.007). ABO‐ILKT recipients showed substantial improvements in the graft survival rate over time. Graft survival was almost identical over the past decade, regardless of ABO‐incompatibility. Currently, ABO‐ILKT is an acceptable treatment for patients with end‐stage renal disease.
The authors determine the longitudinal changes in the outcomes from ABO‐incompatible living kidney transplantation over the last 25 years and conclude that ABO‐incompatible living kidney transplant recipients have experienced substantial improvements in graft survival rate, frequency of infectious adverse events, and renal function over time.
Opioid prescriptions for chronic pain and subsequent opioid-related complications have risen dramatically in the US. Recent data suggest that medical marijuana laws have been associated with lower ...state-level opioid overdose mortality. In a national survey, we examined the prevalence of substitution of marijuana for opioids among US adults taking opioids for pain.Using GfK's KnowledgePanel, we conducted an Internet-based survey of a nationally representative sample of 16,280 adults in 2017 about individual perceptions and use of marijuana. We developed questions designed to assess the extent and reasons for substitution of marijuana for opioids. We examined opioid substitution among respondents with a history of ever using marijuana who used opioids in the past 12 months. There were 9,003 respondents, corresponding to a 55.3% response rate. The mean age was 48 years. Among the 5% (n = 486) who reported ever using marijuana and using opioids in the past year, 43% used opioids daily, and 23% reported current (past 30 day) marijuana use. Forty-one percent reported a decrease or cessation of opioid use due to marijuana use; 46% reported no change in opioid use; and 8% reported an increase in opioid use. We found that a substantial number of US adults reported that they substituted marijuana for opioids.
GENERATION OF THE 30 M-MESH GLOBAL DIGITAL SURFACE MODEL BY ALOS PRISM
The international archives of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences/International archives of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences,
06/2016
Conference Proceeding
We have developed a normally-off GaN-based transistor using conductivity modulation, which we call a gate injection transistor (GIT). This new device principle utilizes hole-injection from the ...p-AlGaN to the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction, which simultaneously increases the electron density in the channel, resulting in a dramatic increase of the drain current owing to the conductivity modulation. The fabricated GIT exhibits a threshold voltage of 1.0 V with a maximum drain current of 200 mA/mm, in which a forward gate voltage of up to 6 V can be applied. The obtained specific ON-state resistance (R ON . A) and the OFF-state breakdown voltage (BV ds ) are 2.6 mOmega . cm 2 and 800 V, respectively. The developed GIT is advantageous for power switching applications.
Shockley surface states of a bulk crystal with both time reversal and space inversion symmetries exhibit the Rashba spin splitting due to the broken space inversion symmetry at the surface. Since the ...evanescent states in the bulk region are doubly degenerate with respect to spin degrees of freedom even in the presence of spin-orbit interaction (SOI), one might think that the entire spin splitting occurs via the SOI in the surface region where the potential energy deviates from the bulk one. In the present work, we elucidate why this is not the case. Namely, in the presence of SOI, the complex energy bands are modified such that a pair of evanescent states having the same energy and the same complex wave number become two distinct solutions of the Schrödinger equation that do not satisfy the same boundary condition. Since the tail of the surface-state wave function is expressed as a superposition of these evanescent waves, the bulk region also contributes to the Rashba spin splitting. We illustrate this effect by a first-principles calculation for Au(111) and by a simplified sp-band model Hamiltonian on a square lattice.
Transplantation across blood group antigen and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) barriers are immunologically high risk. Both splenectomy and rituximab injection were developed to overcome those ...immunological barriers. The idea behind these treatments is to control B‐cell immunity before and after renal transplantation and antibody production. Between January 2001 and December 2004, recipients underwent pretransplant double‐filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) and splenectomy at the time of transplantation in the ABO‐incompatible group (ABO‐I‐SPX; n= 45). From January 2005 to June 2009, a low dose of rituximab was given as an alternative to splenectomy (ABO‐I‐RIT; n = 57). As a control group, we selected 83 cases of ABO‐C living‐donor kidney transplantation between January 2001 and December 2007 (ABO‐C). We compared the graft survival rate and chronic antibody‐mediated rejection (C‐AMR) rate between ABO‐C and ABO‐I kidney transplantation with induction treatment. C‐AMR rates 2 years after the operation were 8.8, 3.5 and 28.9%, and de novo donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibody (DSHA) positive rates were 2.2, 1.7 and 18.1% in the ABO‐I‐SPX, ABO‐I‐RIT and ABO‐C groups, respectively. The ABO‐C group showed the highest rate of C‐AMR and de novo DSHA. B‐cell depletion protocols, such as splenectomy or rituximab administration, reduced C‐AMR after kidney transplantation.
The authors compare the chronic antibody‐mediated rejection rate between ABO‐compatible and ABO‐incompatible kidney transplantation and note that although there is no influence of anti‐blood group antibodies after more than 6 months postsurgery, the ABO‐compatible group shows the highest rate of chronic antibody‐mediated rejection and de novo donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibody.
By examining the reconstructed gastric tube during esophagectomy using indocyanine green fluorescence (ICG) angiography, we have established a '90-second rule' to confirm good blood perfusion at the ...anastomosis site. We examined the surgical outcome (rate of anastomotic leakage) of 70 consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction using ICG fluorescence angiography. All of the anastomoses were made in the area where less than 90 seconds was needed for enhancement using ICG fluorescence angiography (i.e. within the 90-second rule). In 18 cases for which the time until enhancement of the gastric tube tip exceeded 60 seconds, the anastomosis site was decided by reference to the ICG fluorescence angiogram, and the hypoperfused area was excised, and this significantly shortened the median time until enhancement of the gastric tube tip from 95.5 (60.0-204.0) seconds to 41.0 (9.0-77.0) seconds (P < 0.001). In three cases, the anastomosis was made at the site where more than 60 seconds was needed for ICG enhancement. In one case where ICG enhancement had taken 77 seconds, minor anastomotic leakage occurred. The overall rate of anastomotic leakage in this series was 1.4%. Blood flow in the reconstructed gastric tube is sufficient if the anastomosis is made in the area where ICG fluorescence angiography demonstrates enhancement within 60 seconds. Gastric tube necrosis can be avoided if the area showing an enhancement time exceeding 90 seconds is excised. The 90-second rule is a safe and effective method for deciding the site of anastomosis.
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