Chronic ocular ischemia associated with the Eisenmenger's syndrome

We studied the ocular findings of two adult patients with the Eisenmenger's syndrome who had atrial septal defects that were diagnosed before the age of 10 years but not operated on and pulmonary hypertension. Both eyes of these patients showed microaneurysms, multiple small blot hemorrhages, or capillary dilation in the temporal peripheral fundus. Multiple microaneurysms and retinal collaterals were confirmed by fluorescein angiography. One of the patients developed bilateral rubeosis iridis with slow progression. These retinal lesions and the rubeosis iridis are probably related to chronic ocular ischemia caused by chronic systemic hypoxia.     

SiC／Al合金层状复合材料的机械性能及损伤行为

在室温条件下测定了Ａｌ合金以连续层状形式存在于ＳｉＣ陶瓷层间并渗透入ＳｉＣ陶瓷层内、Ａｌ合金浓度呈层状变化高低相间，以及Ａｌ合金和ＳｉＣ陶瓷均匀分布相互渗透三种ＳｉＣ含量相同而结构形式不同的ＳｉＣ／Ａｌ合金复合材料的机械性能；用ＳＥＭ和光学显微镜观察分析了复合材料的断口形貌及裂纹扩展过程。结果表明，在ＳｉＣ陶瓷层间以连续层状形式存在的Ａｌ合金在应力作用下发生较大程度的塑性变形，在裂纹尾部被拉伸和形成桥接，引起能量耗散，减缓裂纹扩展速度，防止裂纹张开，使复合材料的韧性得到明显改善；ＳｉＣ／Ａｌ合金陶瓷─金属层状复合材料的损伤形式主要是ＳｉＣ陶瓷层开裂、金属层桥接和裂纹偏转。     

Technology combats disabilities

The author focusses on advances in equipment that offset physically functional limitations. He discusses how disabled and elderly people are using aids that enhance mobility (walking a certain distance, lifting a weight, or climbing stairs) as well as sensory faculties (seeing print, hearing conversation, and speaking intelligibly)     

a-Si alloy three-stacked solar cells with high stabilized-efficiency

a-Si alloy three-stacked solar cells have been studied to improve the stabilized efficiency of a-Si: H based solar cells. Based on the analysis by the individual characterization method of the component cells in stacked type cells, the a-Si :H middle cell was replaced with an a-SiGe :H cell. Furthermore, the optical confinement technology was improved to obtain a high-output current with thin i-layer thickness in the a-SiGe :H bottom cell. By this device design, the initial conversion efficiency was improved up to 12.4% and more than a 10% stabilized efficiency was obtained in a-SiC :H/a-SiGe :H/a-SiGe :H three-stacked cells. These cell characteristics were confirmed by measurements at the JQA Organization (the former JMI Institute).     

Resonance assignment of methionine methyl groups and chi 3 angular information from long-range proton-carbon and carbon-carbon J correlation in a calmodulin-peptide complex

Several simple 3D experiments are used to provide J correlations between methionine C epsilon methyl carbons and either the C gamma H2 protons or C beta and C gamma. The intensity of the J correlations provides information on the size of the three-bond J couplings and thereby on the chi 3 torsion angle. In addition, a simple 3D version of the HMBC experiment provides a sensitive link between the C epsilon H3 methyl protons and C gamma. The methods are demonstrated for a 20 kDa complex between calmodulin and a 26-residue peptide fragment of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase.     

Aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma. A diagnosis by transthoracic echocardiography

Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas are unusual, frond-like growths typically found on cardiac valves, diagnosed incidentally on autopsy or cardiac surgery, but rarely during life. We report a rare case of an aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma detected by transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by histologic study.     

An anomalous acoustic effect during martensite transformations in NiTi-based alloys

Martensite transformations proceeding in mechanically loaded TiNi-based alloys account for an “anomalous” character of the acoustic emission from the material, whereby cyclic transformations during the growth of mechanical stress in the course of the direct transition is accompanied by an increase, rather than by a decrease, in the acoustic emission energy. This behavior of the acoustic emission is evidence of a significant influence of the external stresses on the martensite transformations and the related energy dissipation process.