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In 2022, the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) has been established as one of the world-class user facilities for the study of physics of atomic nuclei. The key feature is to provide a variety of nuclei with an energy of 200 MeV per nucleon with a beam power up to 400 kW in the FRIB driver linear accelerator (linac). The linac driven beam experiences a series of the FRIB fragment separator, consisting of the hot-cell target hall, vertical pre-separator, and A1900 fragment separator, which eventually allows a successful delivery of the final rare isotope of interest into the experimental vaults. The superconducting magnet commissioning with heavy ion beams has been progressed by the completion of each area sequentially, and finally the first rare isotope of selenium-84 was successfully produced with the FRIB target using a krypton-86 primary beam, demonstrating FRIB's capability for scientific discovery. This paper presents the FRIB superconducting magnet scope, series fabrication and installation, and the energization at the FRIB premises. The discussion deals with the major test results, and also suggests the significance of advanced technology development for the FRIB next-generation superconducting magnet.

ABSTRACTRice production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has increaed ten-fold since 1961, whereas its consumption has exceeded the production and the regional self-sufficiency rate is only 48% in 2020. Increase in rice production has come mainly from increased harvested area. Yield increase has been limited and the current average yield in SSA is around 2 t ha−1. This paper aims to provide the status quo of (i) current rice production and its challenges, (ii) selected achievements in rice agronomy research mainly by the Africa Rice Center and its partners, and (iii) perspectives for future research on rice agronomy in SSA. The major problems confronting rice production include low yield in rainfed environments, accounting for 70% of the total rice harvested area. Rainfed rice yields are strongly affected by climate extremes such as water stresses, soil-related constraints, and sub-optimum natural resource management and crop management practices by smallholder farmers including poor water management, and suboptimal use of fertilizers, herbicides, and machineries. For alleviating these constraints, a wide range of technologies have been developed and introduced over the last three decades. These include water conservation technologies in rainfed and irrigated lowland rice, site-specific nutrient management practices, decision support tools such as crop growth simulation models, and labor-saving technologies. We conclude that further research efforts are needed to develop locally adapted agronomic solutions for sustainable intensification, especially in rainfed rice to enhance the resilience to climate change and increase land and labor productivity and sustainability of rice cultivation in SSA.

We have investigated adoption of CW blue laser diode annealing (BLDA) in manufacturing process of LTPS TFT backplane. Our experiments have shown that except crystallization annealing, BLDA can be adopted in dehydrogenation of precursor amorphous silicon film, and also can be used in the activation after ion implantation. By using BLDA dehydrogenation of H2content as high as 20% can be implemented. In the activation, BLDA can achieve surface resistance much lower than using conventional RTA.

We have investigated activation annealing of the doped poly silicon film of LTPS TFT by using CW semiconductor blue light diode laser. It has been found that by full melting and re‐crystallization, the sheet resistance can be reduced significantly to 1/3 of which can be realized by using conventional RTA treatment. We will report the experiment results in the paper.

We have investigated de‐hydrogenation of amorphous film using CW blue light semiconductor laser annealing (BLDA). Dehydrogenation of hydrogen content as high as 20% can be implemented by using BLDA. This technology can be applied for large substrate beyond G8. We will report related experiment results in this paper.

More than four years have passed since an earthquake and tsunami triggered damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. The units were scrammed prior to loss of power and [...]

Objective: To develop an equation for predicting the body density of sumo wrestlers. Methods: The following were measured: subcutaneous fat thickness measured at nine sites using B-mode ultrasound equipment; circumference [...]

We will proposed new silicon crystallization annealing technology using blue laser diode, proprietary optic fiber transfer and optic projection system. The new optical system produces rectangle top‐hat‐shaped irradiation onto substrate surface. By the new system, the heating and cooling can be controlled, obtained silicon crystal can be controlled from poly silicon, lateral silicon and single crystal. The large‐grain‐size lateral silicon crystal and single crystal silicon have great potential in displays and sensor devices because their higher carrier mobility and higher reliability.

Background: SMA affects individuals with a broad age range and spectrum of disease severity. Risdiplam (EVRYSDI®) is a centrally and peripherally distributed, oral SMN2 pre-mRNA splicing modifier. Methods: SUNFISH is a multicenter, two-part, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in patients with Types 2/3 SMA. Part 1 assessed the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of different risdiplam dose levels in patients with Types 2/3 SMA. Part 2 assessed the efficacy and safety of the selected dose of risdiplam versus placebo in Type 2 and non-ambulant Type 3 SMA. In Part 2, participants were treated with risdiplam or placebo for 12 months, then received risdiplam in a blinded manner until month 24. At month 24, patients were offered the opportunity to enter the open-label extension phase. Results: Change from baseline in MFM32 total score (Part 2- primary endpoint) in patients treated with risdiplam versus placebo was met at month 12. These increases in motor function were sustained in the second and third year after risdiplam treatment. Here we present 4-year efficacy and safety data from SUNFISH. Conclusions: SUNFISH is ongoing and will provide further long-term efficacy and safety data of risdiplam in a broad population of individuals with SMA.

Photocuring has been found to be highly useful in a diverse range of fields, such as coatings, protein coupling, liquid crystals, photoresists, drug delivery and hydrogels. Each application and use brings new challenges, with the inventive solutions contributing to a varied catalog of chemistries. The first part of this review overviews a range of the most widely-used and inventive chemistries employed to form crosslinked networks over the last decade, as well as detailing their mechanism, limitations and benefits. The second part of this review investigates the application of photoreversibly-cured crosslinked networks as photo-healable polymers, an application that exemplifies the capabilities of photoreversible chemistry.

Semiconductor blue laser diode was used for crystallization annealing of amorphous silicon of backplane of flat panel display. The grain size of result crystal can be controlled by laser beam intensity or beam scanning speed. The poly silicon produced by BLDA showed same characteristics as ELA in LTPS. Lateral crystal have been produced by BLDA, its field mobility is three times higher than poly silicon by ELA. A multiple head equipment is proposed, by which high performance TFT can be made with significantly lower cost comparing to conventional laser anneal technology.

This paper describes the plasma distribution solver (PDS), a theoretical model that determines plasma number density and pressure profiles along a magnetic field line of magnetized planets. The PDS computes velocity distribution functions of each particle species at an arbitrary point along a field line to meet the force balance and the accessibility. The number density, mean flow velocity, and pressure calculated by taking the zero‐th, first‐, second‐order moments of the velocity distribution functions enable us to obtain field‐aligned profiles of the quantities strictly consistent with the assumed ionospheric/magnetospheric boundary conditions. The spatial distribution of physical quantities, such as Alfvén speed and plasma β, was also obtained from the PDS results. We applied the PDS to the Jupiter‐Io system. When the temperature anisotropy is presented for the ion species originated from Io, the ion species other than protons, especially O+, can hardly reach mid‐to‐high latitudes. The number density of electrons which satisfy the charge neutrality with ions is also reduced compared to the case when the temperature is assumed to be isotropic. From these differences in the number density profile, we found the change of the boundary position, which characterizes dispersive Alfvén waves from the relation between the plasma βand the mass ratio between electrons and ions. We developed a solver to calculate the number density and the plasma pressure profiles along the magnetic field line of planetsThese profiles satisfy the ionospheric/magnetospheric boundary conditions strictlyThe profiles are derived from the velocity distribution of electrons and multi‐species ions, considering the accessibility of particles We developed a solver to calculate the number density and the plasma pressure profiles along the magnetic field line of planets These profiles satisfy the ionospheric/magnetospheric boundary conditions strictly The profiles are derived from the velocity distribution of electrons and multi‐species ions, considering the accessibility of particles

Aims: Medical doctors at Kawaguchi Municipal Medical Center (KMMC) had to treat many diabetic patients beyond the capacity irrespective of their speciality. We evaluated the quality of diabetes management (QDM) [...]

Cardiovascular surgery is a highly invasive intervention that is often performed in elderly patients at risks of complications because of malnutrition and reduced immunity. This study investigated nutritional factors that affected length of hospital stay in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. Among 68 patients who underwent surgery at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of Gifu Municipal Hospital between April 2013 and March 2015, 55 with complete data were included in the analysis. Data on serum albumin (ALB), transferrin (Tf), pre-albumin (PA) and retinol binding protein (RBP) levels were collected. The median length of hospital stay was 29 days (stays of ≥30 days were considered long-term hospitalization). Multivariate analysis (multiple logistic regression) included age (≥ 65 years), sex (female), and ALB (≤ 3.0 g/dL), Tf (≤ 150.0 mg/dL), PA (≤ 10.0 mg/dL) and RBP (≤ 1.5 mg/dL) levels. ALB [odds ratio (OR) 10.37, 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.185–90.80,P= 0.035] and Tf [OR 4.743, 95% CI: 1.375–16.36,P= 0.014] were significantly associated with length of hospital stay. Nutritional management of patients and careful monitoring of ALB and Tf levels can shorten length of hospital stay in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.

Since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011, atmospheric simulation models have improved our understanding of the atmospheric behavior of radionuclides. Model intercomparisons provide valuable and useful information for evaluating the validity and variability of individual model results. In this study, we compared results of seven atmospheric transport models used to simulate 137Cs released from the FDNPP to the atmosphere. All model results used in this analysis had been submitted for a model intercomparison project of the Science Council of Japan (2014, http://www.scj.go.jp/en/report/index.html). Here we assessed model performance by comparing model results with observed hourly atmospheric concentrations of 137Cs, with a particular focus on nine plumes over the Tohoku and Kanto regions. The intercomparison results showed that model performance in reproducing 137Cs concentrations was highly variable among different models and plumes. In general, models better reproduced plumes that passed over many observation stations. The performance among the models was consistent with the simulated wind fields and the source terms used. We also assessed model performance in relation to accumulated 137Cs deposition. Simulated areas of high 137Cs deposition were consistent with the simulated 137Cs plume pathways, though the models that best simulated atmospheric 137Cs concentrations were different from those that best simulated deposition. The ensemble mean of all models consistently reproduced atmospheric 137Cs concentrations and deposition well, suggesting that use of a multimodel ensemble results in more effective and consistent model performance. An intercomparison of seven simulation models for atmospheric 137Cs concentration and deposition was performedModel performance in reproducing observed 137Cs concentrations in air was highly variable among different models and plumesThe multimodel ensemble showed the best model performance and consistency in reproducing 137Cs concentrations and deposition

Bursts of gamma ray showers have been observed in coincidence with downward propagating negative leaders in lightning flashes by the Telescope Array Surface Detector (TASD). The TASD is a 700‐km2cosmic ray observatory located in southwestern Utah, USA. In data collected between 2014 and 2016, correlated observations showing the structure and temporal development of three shower‐producing flashes were obtained with a 3‐D lightning mapping array, and electric field change measurements were obtained for an additional seven flashes, in both cases colocated with the TASD. National Lightning Detection Network information was also used throughout. The showers arrived in a sequence of 2–5 short‐duration (≤10 μs) bursts over time intervals of several hundred microseconds and originated at an altitude of ≃3–5 km above ground level during the first 1–2 ms of downward negative leader breakdown at the beginning of cloud‐to‐ground lightning flashes. The shower footprints, associated waveforms and the effect of atmospheric propagation indicate that the showers consist primarily of downward‐beamed gamma radiation. This has been supported by GEANT simulation studies, which indicate primary source fluxes of ≃1012–1014photons for 16° half‐angle beams. We conclude that the showers are terrestrial gamma ray flashes, similar to those observed by satellites, but that the ground‐based observations are more representative of the temporal source activity and are also more sensitive than satellite observations, which detect only the most powerful terrestrial gamma ray flashes. Gamma ray showers have been detected in a surface scintillator array coincident with lightning observed by a lightning mapping array or Delta EantennaThe showers were produced less than 4–5 km above ground in the first 1–2 ms of downward negative breakdown during cloud‐to‐ground flashesThe source durations are better resolved than for satellite observations and are consistent with being produced by stepping of the initial leader breakdown

The difference between X-ray-induced photodarkening (X-PD) and 451 nm laser diode (LD) induced PD (LD-PD) was investigated in DyAlGe-doped silica glasses. The same defect species (Al-OHC, Dy2+, GEC, and GLPC+) are generated in X-PD and LD-PD, although the LD-PD defect population is 10−3of the X-PD defect population. There is a big difference in the defect population ratio of GEC and Al-OHC and its dependence on Ge concentration. The ratio in LD-PD is higher than that in X-PD. The GEC population of X-PD almost saturates when Ge > 2 wt%. On the other hand, GEC of LD-PD continues to increase even if Ge exceeds 2 wt%. Based on these facts, possible mechanisms of LD-PD and the role of Ge codoping were proposed.

The phrase “biggest bang for a buck” is associated with the policy making question that governments and development agencies face: “Where and which crops should receive highest priority for improving local and global food supply?”. A first step of prioritisation is to identify region x crop combinations for which high impact can be anticipated. We developed a new method for this prioritisation exercise and applied it to data from the Global Yield Gap and Water Productivity Atlas (GYGA). Our prioritisation distinguishes between two policy objectives (humanitarian and economic) and builds upon the relative yield gap and climate risk. Results of the prioritisation are presented and visualised in Google Earth.

The mechanism of long‐term B cell immunity against donor blood group antigens in recipients who undergo ABO‐incompatible (ABOi) living‐donor kidney transplantation (LKTx) is unknown. To address this question, we evaluated serial anti‐A and anti‐B antibody titers in 50 adult recipients. Donor‐specific antibody titers remained low (≤1:4) in 42 recipients (84%). However, antibodies against nondonor blood group antigens were continuously produced in recipients with blood type O. We stimulated recipients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitroto investigate whether B cells produced antibodies against donor blood group antigens in the absence of graft adsorption in vivo. Antibodies in cell culture supernatant were measured using specific enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Thirty‐five healthy volunteers and 57 recipients who underwent ABO‐compatible LKTx served as controls. Antibody production in vitroagainst donor blood group antigens by cells from ABOi LKTx patients was lower than in the control groups. Immunoglobulin deposits were undetectable in biopsies of grafts of eight recipients with low antibody titers (≤1:4) after ABOi LKTx. One patient with blood type A1 who received a second ABOi LKTx from a type B donor did not produce B‐specific antibodies. These findings suggest diminished donor‐specific antibody production function in the setting of adult ABOi LKTx. In the setting of ABO‐incompatible kidney transplantation, recipients may acquire donor‐specific downregulation of antibody production against ABO blood group antigens.

Strongly acidic cation-exchange porous hollow-fiber membranes with a high water permeability and a high affinity for sodium ion were prepared. Cross-linked polymer chains, consisting of ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linker and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as a precursor monomer for sulfonation, were appended onto a porous hollow-fiber membrane by radiation-induced graft polymerization. The degree of cross-linking, which is defined by the molar content of EDMA in a monomer solution of EDMA and GMA, ranged from 3 to 12%. For example, the cation-exchange membrane immobilizing un-cross-linked graft chains exhibited a negligible pure water flux, whereas that immobilizing cross-linked graft chains with a degree of cross-linking of 6% had a 1.2-fold higher pure water flux than the original hollow-fiber membrane. Sodium ions were captured during the permeation of the sodium chloride solution through the cation-exchange membranes. The capturing efficiency for sodium ion, which is defined as the ratio of breakthrough capacity to equilibrium capacity, increased with an increase in the degree of cross-linking.

Recent advances in the high power and steady state heating system and experiment results of the Large Helical Device (LHD) are reviewed in this paper. Plasma performance is extended largely through high power NBI, ECH and steady state ICRF heating devices, and improved operation techniques. The NBI of a 28 MW has extended the plasma parameter regime such as ion ITB plasmas, has a central ion temperature of more than 8 keV, and the extremely high-density plasmas ten times higher than the tokamak limit. An ECH system with seven gyrotrons (total power of 4.6MW) has been operated for pre-ionization and plasma heating. The high electron temperature regime was extended toward a higher density regime and a central electron temperature of 13.5 keV was achieved with a line-averaged electron density of ne= 1 x 1019m-3. Steady state operation plasma with ne= 1.2 x 1019m-3, ion and electron temperature of 2 keV, and plasma sustainment time of 48 min was achieved with ICH and ECH heating power of 1.2 MW for majority helium with minority hydrogen.

Most African countries are far from self-sufficient in meeting their rice consumption; in eight countries the production: consumption ratio, ranged from 0.16 to 1.18 in 2012. We show that for the year 2025, with population growth, diet change and yield increase on existing land (intensification), countries cannot become fully self-sufficient in rice. This implies that for the future, a mixture of area expansion and imports will be needed on top of yield gap closure. Further research is needed for identification of most suitable new land for rice area expansion and areas that should be protected.

The MAGIC stereoscopic system collected 69 hours of Crab Nebula data between October 2009 and April 2011. Analysis of this data sample using the latest improvements in the MAGIC stereoscopic software provided an unprecedented precision of spectral and night-by-night light curve determination at gamma rays. We derived a differential spectrum with a single instrument from 50 GeV up to almost 30 TeV with 5 bins per energy decade. At low energies, MAGIC results, combined with Fermi-LAT data, show a flat and broad Inverse Compton peak. The overall fit to the data between 1 GeV and 30 TeV is not well described by a log-parabola function. We find that a modified log-parabola function with an exponent of 2.5 instead of 2 provides a good description of the data (χred2=35/26). Using systematic uncertainties of the MAGIC and Fermi-LAT measurements we determine the position of the Inverse Compton peak to be at (53±3stat+31syst−13syst)GeV, which is the most precise estimation up to date and is dominated by the systematic effects. There is no hint of the integral flux variability on daily scales at energies above 300 GeV when systematic uncertainties are included in the flux measurement. We consider three state-of-the-art theoretical models to describe the overall spectral energy distribution of the Crab Nebula. The constant B-field model cannot satisfactorily reproduce the VHE spectral measurements presented in this work, having particular difficulty reproducing the broadness of the observed IC peak. Most probably this implies that the assumption of the homogeneity of the magnetic field inside the nebula is incorrect. On the other hand, the time-dependent 1D spectral model provides a good fit of the new VHE results when considering a 80 μG magnetic field. However, it fails to match the data when including the morphology of the nebula at lower wavelengths.

AbstractSouthern hybridisation shows that urease-negative (UN) Campylobacter lariJCM2530Tcarries two putative major outer membrane protein (MOMP) genes. Sequences of approximately 2.1 kbp, encoding non-coding (NC) regions, with possible open reading frames (ORFs) for MOMP (porAlor porA2)of approximately 1.2 kbp, NC regions and partial and putative Cla_0435 or Cla_1109 ORFs were identified in all five UN C. lariisolates examined, following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cloning and sequencing. Each putative MOMP structural gene carried start and stop codons and ribosome binding sites of 1236–1278 bp in length. The putative σ70transcriptional promoter and the hypothetical ρ-independent transcription terminator structures were also seen. Using Northern hybridisation, there was in vivomonocistronic MOMP gene transcription. In addition, in a Japanese urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter(UPTC) CF89–12 strain, the porA1gene locus, including an extra gene (approximately 2000 bp in length) was identified. The extra gene may occur within the porA1gene locus in the eight UPTC isolates of the 23 C. lariisolates examined. Thus, a genetic heterogeneity occurred within the porA1gene locus from some of the C. lariorganisms including the UPTC CF89–12.

AbstractDeuterated polyethylene films as thin as 50 μm have been produced using a four-post heated press method. These films are then cut into the desired shape (foil) and are used for the magnetic recoil spectrometer (MRS). The MRS is a diagnostic tool for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and at the OMEGA Laser Facility at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics. The films produced by this method are more uniform and have fewer defects than foils prepared by previous methods. Whereas traditional films had a thickness limitation of 100 μm, this new heat pressing method allows the fabrication of 50-μm films, which is the desired thickness for MRS foils. The foils produced and characterized by General Atomics have decreased the neutron measurement uncertainty of the MRS instrument by a factor of 2 compared to the previous foils. This work has also been extended to fabricate thin polymer films and films with sinusoidal patterns from other polymeric materials for ICF experiments. This paper will discuss the heat pressing technique used in the fabrication of these films for the NIF and OMEGA MRS as well as other patterned and flat polymer films. The morphology of these foils and the advantages that they provide will also be discussed.

Periodically textured back reflectors with a honeycomb dimple pattern are investigated for improving the infrared response and conversion efficiency in substrate-type microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) silicon solar cells. For 1-μm-thick μc-Si:H cells, the best current density is obtained at the period of 1.4 μm, while a substantial enhancement in the external quantum efficiency is achievable in a wide range of period of 1-2 μm. In addition, photocurrent of the cells is improved with increasing the aspect ratio of the honeycomb textures. As a result of a high open-circuit voltage and fill factor, as well as the improved current densities, high conversion efficiencies of 9.4% and 9.9% are realized in the 1-μm-thick and 2-μm-thick μc-Si:H cells, respectively.

Diabetes is characterized by absolute or relative insulin deficiency complicated with microangiopathy, whereas obesity stems from insulin resistance. A psychosomatic approach to obesity and diabetes has been highlighted, including the brain-oriented obesity control system (BOOCS). Impaired deformability of erythrocytes in obese or diabetic patients is closely linked to disturbed microcirculation, and improvement of abnormal erythrocyte rheology is a prerequisite for the prevention and treatment of microangiopathy. Therefore, erythrocyte filterability, whole cell deformability defined as flow rate of erythrocyte suspension relative to that of saline, was assessed by the nickel-mesh-filtration technique. Subjects included healthy controls (group A, n= 14), diabetic, non-obese participants (group B, n= 29), and non-diabetic, obese participants (group C, n= 32) in the 6-month BOOCS program, and most patients in groups B and C (86.9 %) completed this program. Baseline mean erythrocyte filterabilities were 89.4 ± 1.7 % in group A, 82.8 ± 5.2 % in group B, and 84.1 ± 5.6 % in group C, showing significant intergroup differences (p< 0.001). This program significantly improved (p< 0.001) the impaired erythrocyte filterability in groups B (87.9 ± 4.4 %) and C (88.5 ± 3.7 %). Declines in HbA1c (p= 0.387) and body mass index (p= 0.479) were not correlated to this improvement. These findings indicate that the mechanisms of BOOCS-induced improvement of diabetic or obese patients’ erythrocyte deformability are multifactorial, and that the BOOCS program for these patients is a holistic, cost-effective, and highly compliant approach possibly ameliorating microcirculation.

Rice yields have stagnated in West Africa at 1 to 2 Mg ha−1because of unfavorable rice environments and poor management practices. Interspecific rice cultivars, the New Rice for Africa (NERICA), were developed by crossing Asian rice (Oryza sativaL.) and African rice (O. glaberrimaSteud.) to improve upland and lowland rice productivity in resource‐poor farmers’ fields. This paper provides an overview of recent studies, performed by the Africa Rice Center and its partners, on evaluation of growth and yield performance of upland and lowland NERICA cultivars and modern Asian rice cultivars including the improved upland indicacultivars often termed aerobic rice. Upland NERICA cultivars were found to lack the expected combination of superior yield potential with weed suppressive ability (WSA) and adaptation to low soil fertility, instead sharing similarity in these characteristics with their O. sativaparent WAB56‐104 but remaining inferior to their O. glaberrimaparent CG 14 in terms of tillering ability and WSA. Some aerobic rice cultivars were identified for high yielding ability, strong WSA, and superior adaptation to low‐fertility uplands and water‐limited lowlands. Some lowland NERICA cultivars outyielded improved lowland O. sativachecks and aerobic rice cultivars in favorable lowlands, whereas they did not perform well in water‐limited lowlands. The implications of these findings for future challenges for genetic improvement in West Africa are discussed.

Transurethral vaporization of the prostate in saline (TURisV) is an innovative endoscopic surgical modality for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) that vaporizes prostate tissue using a uniquely designed mushroom electrode. TURisVpromises instant hemostatic tissue ablation under saline irrigation and offers clinical advantages for endoscopic BPHoperations. From July 2008 to February 2009, TURisVwas performed in 17 cases with clinically significant BPH. Median operation time was 127.0 min and median volume of vaporized prostate tissue was 41.1 g. Median International Prostate Symptom Score improved from 20 to 4 after 12 months. Median maximum flow rate increased from 5.3 mL/sto 13.8 mL/safter 12 months. Postoperative median residual urine improved from 48.0 mLto 7.0 mLafter 12 months. No changes in hemoglobin or electrolyte levels were seen postoperatively. Our results suggest that TURisVis a safe and efficacious treatment for BPH.

Epitaxially grown silicon germanium alloy layers, prepared as virtual substrates for modulation‐doped field effect transistors, and InxGa1−xAs and GaPxAs1−xgraded layers on GaAs substrates prepared as distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs), have been investigated by the reciprocal space mapping (RSM) technique. These structures possess a strong concentration gradient and crystallographic lattice relaxation across the layer, which makes the data analysis challenging. Using kinematic diffraction theory for RSM analysis gives a rather simple way to evaluate the concentration, tilt and relaxation gradients, and the layer thicknesses, as well as the dependence of these values on the azimuthal direction of the diffraction plane. The density of 60° misfit dislocations for partially relaxed layers is also estimated. Characteristics of wide aperture Bragg reflectors based on these structures are calculated.