Anomalous photoluminescence of InAs surface quantum dots: intensity enhancement and strain control by underlying quantum dots.

Strain control and photoluminescence (PL) enhancement of InAs surface quantum dots (SQDs), exposed to ambient conditions, have been achieved by introducing underlying buried quantum dots (BQDs). The PL wavelength has been tuned from 1270 to as long as 1780 nm, redshifted as the size of the SQDs is reduced. This is in strong contrast to standard QDs, in which blueshift is observed from smaller QDs following basic quantum mechanics. Here, smaller SQDs, both in height and base area, as observed by atomic force microscopy, were obtained with wider GaAs spacer thickness between the SQDs and BQDs. The result strongly suggests that strain and related effects dominate the electronic properties of the SQDs rather than their size, and that a change in the complex strain field occurs through the spacer. The underlying BQDs also serve as effective carrier reservoirs. A PL intensity enhancement of 17 fold was observed as the GaAs spacer thickness was reduced from 150 to 10 nm. A large portion of the photoexcited carriers is initially captured and stored in the BQDs. When sufficient carriers are transferred to fill non-radiative surface states, the excess may be transferred to the SQDs enhancing the luminescence.

Lunar global shape and polar topography derived from Kaguya-LALT laser altimetry.

A global lunar topographic map with a spatial resolution of finer than 0.5 degree has been derived using data from the laser altimeter (LALT) on board the Japanese lunar explorer Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE or Kaguya). In comparison with the previous Unified Lunar Control Network (ULCN 2005) model, the new map reveals unbiased lunar topography for scales finer than a few hundred kilometers. Spherical harmonic analysis of global topographic data for the Moon, Earth, Mars, and Venus suggests that isostatic compensation is the prevailing lithospheric support mechanism at large scales. However, simple rigid support is suggested to dominate for the Moon, Venus, and Mars for smaller scales, which may indicate a drier lithosphere than on Earth, especially for the Moon and Venus.

[A case with esophageal carcinoma associated with metastatic pulmonary tumor in lung cancer at seven years after the resection of lung cancer].

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of dysphasia. The upper G-I examination showed a stenosis at the middle thoracic esophagus and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was revealed histologically. Chest CT scan showed a mass shadow in the right upper lobe of the lung. She had undergone a partial resection of right upper lobe because of lung cancer seven years before. She was diagnosed as metachrous double carcinoma of the lung and the esophagus. The method of surgery included right upper lobectomy of the lung, esophagectomy and intrathoracic esophageal reconstruction using the gastric tube. The patient manifested pneumonia due to the failure of the sutures after the surgery and died on the twentieth postoperative day. When conducting simultaneous resection of both cancer and esophageal reconstruction for the double cancer of the lung and the esophagus, it was considered necessary to conduct the anastomosis outside the thoracic cavity for the purpose of preventing the pulmonary complication due to the failure of the sutures.

[A case report of pulmonary actinomycosis presenting as a mass shadow on chest X-ray].

A 58-year-old man admitted to hospital because of hemoptysis. Chest X-ray showed a large mass in the right middle lobe. A tumor marker CYFRA was slightly elevated. Despite a detailed examination after admission, no definite diagnosis was made. Lung cancer was suspected and a middle lobectomy was performed. Histopathological specimen of resected lung showed typical "sulfur granule" of actinomycosis. Pulmonary actinomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a pulmonary mass lesion.

[A case of panpleuropneumonectomy for diffuse pleural mesothelioma].

A 73-year-old male was admitted with dyspnea and cough. The chest X-ray showed left massive pleural effusion and diffuse pleural tumor in the left thorax. It was diagnosed as epithelial-cell type mesothelioma by pleural needle biopsy. After conforming the regression of the tumor from conducting two courses of combined treatment with cisplatin and doxorubicin, panpleuropneumonectomy was performed. He died from sepsis on the thirty second day after operation due to complication of postoperative diaphragmatic hernia and gastric perforation. When conducting a panpleuropneumonectomy to diffuse pleural mesothelioma, the most appropriate approach must be taken to the combined with resection and reconstruction of the diaphragma.

[Two resected cases of cavitary lung cancer with pulmonary aspergillosis].

Two cases of cavitary lung cancer with pulmonary aspergillosis were experienced. Case 1 was a 45-year-old male. Chest X-ray and Chest CT revealed a round shadow in the thin-wall cavity of the upper lobe of the right lung. Upper lobectomy of the right lung was performed. Histologically large cell carcinoma was found to invade the entire cavity wall, and aspergillus was not detected in the intracavitary space. Case 2 was a 75-year-old male. Chest X-ray and Chest CT revealed a round shadow in the thin-wall cavity of the upper lobe S1 + 2 of the left lung. As a result of upper lobectomy of the left lung and S6 partial resection, large cell carcinoma was found to invade the entire cavity wall, and aspergillus was not detected in the intracavitary space. Only 19 cases including ours are reported about cases of lung cancer complicated by pulmonary aspergillosis at the same site in Japan. The mechanism of aspergillus infection had not been clarified in the discussions of the reported literature and nothing characteristic could be pointed out in our cases except for the assumption that the presence of cancer was a factor triggering Aspergillus implantation.

[A case of malignant mediastinal germ cell tumor benefited by multidisciplinary therapy].

A 24-year-old man admitted to our hospital because of hemoptysis and left precordial pain. Chest X-ray and chest CT scan showed a mass in the left anterosuperior mediastinum. Laboratory examination revealed elevated levels of AFP (550 ng/ml), which were highly indicative of malignant germ cell tumor. Imaging examination indicated that the mass was resectable, so surgery was performed prior to chemotherapy. Histological examination revealed an admixture of seminoma, immature teratoma, embryonal carcinoma and yolk sac tumor. Because the resection performed was incomplete, the patient received three courses of combination chemotherapy consisting of CDDP, VP-16 and BLM and 40 Gy irradiation. The serum level of AFP was normal after one course of combination chemotherapy. The patient has shown no sign of recurrence for 3 years since surgery.

[A case of T-cell malignant lymphoma developing in the chest wall of chronic pyothorax after artificial pneumothorax].

A 66-year-old man, with a past history of artificial pneumothorax for pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 17, was admitted to our hospital because of progressive left precordial pain and left anterior chest wall tumor. Because of chronic pyothorax complicated by a tumor suggested by imaging diagnosis, surgery was performed for the purpose of fenestration. A diagnosis of diffuse large cell T-cell malignant lymphoma was made by the biopsy taken at surgery. Postoperatively the patient received 6 courses of combination chemotherapy with CHOP, the course turned favorable. The left precordial pain and tumor disappeared. The patient is doing well at 11 months postoperatively. Recently, cases of malignant lymphoma developing in the chest wall of chronic pyothorax have been increased and the majority of cases of the malignant lymphoma is B-cell type. T-cell type is rare. Follow-up of chronic pyothorax's patients necessarily are attentioned on the developing of the malignant lymphoma.

Successful percutaneous closure of a coronary artery fistula with a detachable balloon.

Percutaneous transcatheter closure technique of a coronary artery fistula with a detachable balloon was performed for a 14 year old male student. Complete closure of the fistula without any complications was confirmed by angiography after the procedure. When the patient underwent a second angiography 6 months after the closure, it was confirmed that the position of the balloon had not changed, that the interruption of the flow of the fistula had been maintained and that the diameter of the left coronary artery and the fistula were reduced. Percutaneous closure technique using a detachable balloon may become the primary treatment for a coronary artery fistula in place of surgical ligation.

Flow-cytometric identification and detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis by a LPS specific monoclonal antibody.

The purpose of this study was to identify Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) by flow cytometry (FCM) using a monoclonal antibody (MAb) OMR-Bg1E directed to P. gingivalis-specific lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The P. gingivalis strains ATCC 33277, 381, ESO75, W50, and A7A1 were selected for the study. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum), Prevotella intermedia (P. intermedia), Campylobacter rectus (C. rectus), Streptococcus sanguis (S. sanguis) and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) served as controls. A suspension of 10(7) bacteria/ml of each bacteria was prepared and then reacted with a P. gingivalis specific MAb OMR-Bg1E and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled second antibody. These samples were analyzed by FCM. Bacterial specific binding aggregate on data was separated out by the forward- and side-angle-scatter characteristics, while non-specific binding (NSB) was eliminated by excluding the region with mouse IgG-positive and second antibody-positive area. FCM detected a mean range of 56.2% to 97.2% P. gingivalis strains. There was a 5.1% non-specific binding using FCM to non-P. gingivalis strains. When the P. gingivalis concentration was adjusted to 10(2), 10(4), and 10(6) bacteria/ml, a detection rate of 35.7%, 48.1%, and 91.4%, was respectively observed. The lower sensitivity of the flow cytometric assay was 10(2) bacteria/ml. When P. gingivalis was added to P. intermedia suspension at 1, 20, 40, 60, and 80%, the MAb-positive fraction yielded by FCM displayed a coefficient of determination of 0.967 with the actual percentage of P. gingivalis and could be regressed to a linear function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

S1-receptor participation in serotonin-induced pulmonary edema in the dog.

A canine lung-perfusion preparation was used to evaluate the role of serotonin receptor subtype in the development of serotonin-induced pulmonary edema. Ketanserin, an S2-receptor antagonist, blocked an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure caused by serotonin, but not the development of pulmonary edema. Methysergide, an S1- and S2-receptor antagonist, prevented the increase in pulmonary arterial pressure and edema formation caused by serotonin. These results suggest that the S1-receptor may participate in the development of pulmonary edema.