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A new 40-inch-diagonal color dc plasma display panel (cell pitch:0.65mm, 800x1340 cells) with both a resistor-in-cell structure and a phosphor screen on the side wall and bottom of the cell has been developed through the improvement on the large-area panel fabrication technologies. Stable HDTV picture have been experimentally reproduced on a compact display using the new panel and pulse memory drive circuits. The peak white luminance is 150 cd/[m.sup.2]. The lifetime of the 40-inch panel is expected to be over 30,000 hours, judging from the results obtained using a medium-sized panel under the same conditions.

A thin diffusion barrier was self-formed by annealing at an interface between a Cu-Mn alloy film and a SiO2 substrate. The growth of the barrier layer followed a logarithmic rate law, which represents field-enhanced growth mechanism in the early stage and self-limiting growth behavior in the late stage. The barrier layer was stable at 450 °C for 100 h and at 600 °C for 10 h. The interface diffusivity was estimated from the morphology change of the barrier layer at 600 °C and was found to be smaller than the grain-boundary diffusivity of bulk Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth kinetics and thermal stability of the self-formed barrier layer at an interface between a Cu-Mn alloy films and a Si[O.sub.2] substrate is examined. The interface diffusivity is obtained from the morphology change of the barrier layer at 600 degree Celsius and is smaller than the grain-boundary diffusivity of bulk Cu.

Purpose: Incisional hernia is a major complication after stoma closure and can cause uncomfortable symptoms. In this study, we evaluated the risk factors for hernia formation with the aim of reducing the incidence of incisional hernia.Methods: A total of 134 oncology patients underwent closure of a temporary loop ileostomy between May 2004 and December 2013. The incidence of incisional hernia was determined by routine follow-up computed tomography scanning every 6 months. The relationships between patients' characteristics, including age, sex, obesity, diabetes mellitus, surgical site infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, hypoalbuminemia, smoking, and presence of a midline hernia and the occurrence of incisional hernia were retrospectively evaluated.Results: The median follow-up time was 47 months (range 8-130). Hernias occurred in 23.9% of patients (32/134). The median time to detection of hernias was 8 months (range 2-39). The Chi-squared test revealed significant differences in obesity (P = 0.0003), hypertension (P = 0.0057), and incisional hernia history (P = 0.0000) between patients with and without incisional hernia. Multivariable analysis and univariate analysis revealed that hypertension and the presence of midline incisional hernia were risk factors for incisional hernia.Conclusions: Hypertension and the presence of a midline incisional hernia were the major risk factors for incisional hernia after loop ileostomy closure. These risk factors can be addressed before planning surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]