Andreev Reflection in the Quantum Hall Regime at an Al/InAs Junction on a Cleaved Edge.

We have fabricated a superconductor/semiconductor junction composed of Al and InAs using cleaved edge overgrowth. By exploiting the unique geometry with a thin Al/Pt/Al trilayer formed on the side surface of an in situ cleaved InAs quantum well heterostructure wafer, we achieve a superconducting critical field of ∼5 T, allowing superconductivity and quantum Hall (QH) effects to coexist down to filling factor ν = 3. Andreev reflection at zero magnetic field shows a conductance enhancement limited solely by the Fermi velocity mismatch, demonstrating a virtually barrier-free junction.

Postoperative C-reactive protein levels correlate with reduced spinal column mobility after median sternotomy: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The sternum is connected to the spinal column via the ribs, forming the thorax. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effect of a midline sternotomy on the spinal column, but no studies have been conducted to date. We investigated the changes in the range of motion of the spinal column before and after midline sternotomy and the perioperative factors that have the greatest influence.

Near-infrared light-inducible Z-scheme overall water-splitting photocatalyst without an electron mediator.

We facilely prepared a solid-state heterojunction photocatalyst in which silver vanadium oxide (AgVO) and zinc rhodium oxide (ZnRhO) as oxygen and hydrogen evolution photocatalysts, respectively, were directly connected to generate AgVO/ZnRhO. AgVO/ZnRhO photocatalyzed overall pure-water splitting without any electron mediator under irradiation with near-infrared light at wavelengths of up to 910 nm. The key points are that the conduction bottom potential of AgVO is almost the same as the valence band top potential of ZnRhO, and that the bandgaps of AgVO and ZnRhO are 1.

Synthesis of a Gold-Inserted Iron Disilicide and Rutile Titanium Dioxide Heterojunction Photocatalyst via the Vapor-Liquid-Solid Method and Its Water-Splitting Reaction.

A solid-state Z-scheme system is constructed whereby rutile titania (TiO) and beta-iron disilicide (β-FeSi) were combined to act as oxygen (O)- and hydrogen (H)-evolution photocatalysts, respectively, connected by gold (Au). β-FeSi island grains with diameters in the 0.5-2 μm range were formed on the surface of Au-coated TiO powder by the co-sputtering method.

Related factors associated with exercise behavior in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

[Purpose] This study aimed to identify the factors associated with exercise behavior in patients with peripheral arterial disease. [Participants and Methods] The study included 43 patients with peripheral arterial disease (mean age, 75.2 ± 5.

Quantum transport evidence of Weyl fermions in an epitaxial ferromagnetic oxide.

Magnetic Weyl semimetals have novel transport phenomena related to pairs of Weyl nodes in the band structure. Although the existence of Weyl fermions is expected in various oxides, the evidence of Weyl fermions in oxide materials remains elusive. Here we show direct quantum transport evidence of Weyl fermions in an epitaxial 4d ferromagnetic oxide SrRuO.

Red light-inducible overall water-splitting photocatalyst, gold-inserted zinc rhodium oxide and bismuth vanadium oxide heterojunction, connected using gold prepared by sputtering in ionic liquid.

We prepared a solid-state Z-scheme photocatalyst in which zinc rhodium oxide (ZnRhO) and bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO) that served as hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) evolution photocatalysts, respectively, were connected with gold (Au) nanoparticles. The Au nanoparticles were prepared by sputtering in an ionic liquid, N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, to generate Au/ZnRhO/Au/BiVO with various amounts of Au in the 12 mol. %-29 mol.

Selective loading of platinum or silver cocatalyst onto a hydrogen-evolution photocatalyst in a silver-mediated all solid-state Z-scheme system for enhanced overall water splitting.

We selectively loaded a hydrogen (H)-evolution cocatalyst, either platinum (Pt) or silver (Ag), onto a H-evolution photocatalyst, zinc rhodium oxide (ZnRhO), in a Ag-inserted ZnRhO and bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO) hetero-junction photocatalyst (ZnRhO/Ag/BiVO) by a photo-deposition method. The selective loading of Pt or Ag was achieved by taking advantage of the band-gap difference between ZnRhO (1.2 eV) and BiVO (1.

Facile synthesis of a red light-inducible overall water-splitting photocatalyst using gold as a solid-state electron mediator.

We facilely prepared a solid-state heterojunction photocatalyst in which zinc rhodium oxide (ZnRh2O4) and bismuth vanadium oxide (Bi4V2O11) as hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) evolution photocatalysts, respectively, were connected with gold (Au) to generate ZnRh2O4/Au/Bi4V2O11. ZnRh2O4/Au/Bi4V2O11 photocatalyzed the overall pure-water splitting under irradiation with red light at wavelengths of up to 740 nm.

Efficient oxygen evolution on hematite at neutral pH enabled by proton-coupled electron transfer.

The rate-determining step of the oxygen evolution reaction on hematite electrodes was switched from the sequential electron/proton transfer process to the concerted proton-coupled electron transfer (CPET) process by adding pyridine derivatives to the electrolyte. By inducing the CPET process, the overpotential for oxygen evolution at neutral pH decreased by approximately 250 mV.

A heterojunction photocatalyst composed of zinc rhodium oxide, single crystal-derived bismuth vanadium oxide, and silver for overall pure-water splitting under visible light up to 740 nm.

We recently reported the synthesis of a solid-state heterojunction photocatalyst consisting of zinc rhodium oxide (ZnRhO) and bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO), which functioned as hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) evolution photocatalysts, respectively, connected with silver (Ag). Polycrystalline BiVO (p-BiVO) powders were utilized to form ZnRhO/Ag/p-BiVO, which was able to photocatalyze overall pure-water splitting under red-light irradiation with a wavelength of 700 nm (R. Kobayashi et al.

Visible-Light-Sensitive Photocatalysts: Nanocluster-Grafted Titanium Dioxide for Indoor Environmental Remediation.

Photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds requires photoexcited holes with strong oxidative power in the valence band (VB) of semiconductors. Although numerous types of doped semiconductors, such as nitrogen-doped TiO2, have been studied as visible-light-sensitive photocatalysts, the quantum yields of these materials were very low because of the limited oxidation power of holes in the nitrogen level above the VB. Recently, we developed visible-light-sensitive Cu(II) and Fe(III) nanocluster-grafted TiO2 using a facile impregnation method and demonstrated that visible-light absorption occurs at the interface between the nanoclusters and TiO2, as electrons in the VB of TiO2 are excited to the nanoclusters under visible-light irradiation.

Not nanocarbon but dispersant induced abnormality in lysosome in macrophages in vivo.

The properties of nanocarbons change from hydrophobic to hydrophilic as a result of coating them with dispersants, typically phospholipid polyethylene glycols, for biological studies. It has been shown that the dispersants remain attached to the nanocarbons when they are injected in mice and influence the nanocarbons' biodistribution in vivo. We show in this report that the effects of dispersants also appear at the subcellular level in vivo.

Development of optically transparent water oxidation catalysts using manganese pyrophosphate compounds.

One challenge in artificial photosynthetic systems is the development of active oxygen evolution catalysts composed of abundant elements. The oxygen evolution activities of manganese pyrophosphate compounds were examined in electrochemical and photochemical experiments. Electrocatalysis using calcium-manganese pyrophosphate exhibited good catalytic ability under neutral pH and an oxygen evolution reaction was driven with a small overpotential (η<100 mV).

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution over β-iron silicide under infrared-light irradiation.

We investigated the ability of β-iron silicide (β-FeSi2) to serve as a hydrogen (H2)-evolution photocatalyst due to the potential of its conduction band bottom, which may allow thermodynamically favorable H2 evolution in spite of its small band-gap of 0.80 eV. β-FeSi2 had an apparent quantum efficiency for H2 evolution of ∼24% up to 950 nm (near infrared light), in the presence of the dithionic acid ion (S2O6(2-)) as a sacrificial agent.

[Successful endovascular repair of a ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm with severe mural thrombus].

A 51-year-old man was transferred to our hospital on an emergency basis complaining of a sudden onset of severe left lumbar back pain. An emergency contrasted computed tomography showed a ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm( rTAAA:Crawford classification type III). The ruptured site was near the aortic bifurcation, and the aneurysm had a relatively narrow segment with an extensive mural thrombus just below the renal arteries.

Ultrastructural localization of intravenously injected carbon nanohorns in tumor.

Nanocarbons have many potential medical applications. Drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, and photohyperthermia therapy, especially in the treatment of tumors, have attracted interest. For the further advancement of these application studies, the microscopic localization of nanocarbons in tumor tissues and cells is a prerequisite.

A visible-light-induced overall water-splitting photocatalyst: conduction-band-controlled silver tantalate.

Visible-light-induced water splitting was achieved by increasing the visible-light sensitivity of AgTaO3, by the introduction of Nb, generating AgTa1-xNbxO3. After grafting NiO onto AgTa0.7Nb0.

Transmitral resection of a left ventricular apical papillary fibroelastoma using video-assisted thoracoscopy.

Papillary fibroelastomas (PFEs) are rare benign tumors usually found on cardiac valves, and do not commonly originate from the left ventricle (LV). We report a 74-year-old female with a PFE in the LV apex. We performed complete resection of the tumor through a transmitral approach using video-assisted thoracoscopy.

Emerging superconductivity hidden beneath charge-transfer insulators.

In many of today's most interesting materials, strong interactions prevail upon the magnetic moments, the electrons, and the crystal lattice, forming strong links between these different aspects of the system. Particularly, in two-dimensional cuprates, where copper is either five- or six-fold coordinated, superconductivity is commonly induced by chemical doping which is deemed to be mandatory by destruction of long-range antiferromagnetic order of 3d(9) Cu(2+) moments. Here we show that superconductivity can be induced in Pr2CuO4, where copper is four-fold coordinated.

Successful hybrid treatment for a ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

A 49-year-old woman with a 27-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was admitted to our hospital with sudden-onset severe back pain. An emergency multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) revealed a ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) 80 mm in diameter. Considering her condition and comorbidities, we performed an emergency hybrid treatment: visceral reconstruction followed by endoluminal aneurysm exclusion.

Suppression of inflammatory reactions by terpinen-4-ol, a main constituent of tea tree oil, in a murine model of oral candidiasis and its suppressive activity to cytokine production of macrophages in vitro.

The onset of oral candidiasis is accompanied by inflammatory symptoms such as pain in the tongue, edema or tissue damage and lowers the quality of life (QOL) of the patient. In a murine oral candidiasis model, the effects were studied of terpinen-4-ol (T-4-ol), one of the main constituents of tea tree oil, Melaleuca alternifolia, on inflammatory reactions. When immunosuppressed mice were orally infected with Candida albicans, their tongues showed inflammatory symptoms within 24 h after the infection, which was monitored by an increase of myeloperoxidase activity and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 in their tongue homogenates.

Alkaline-resistant titanium dioxide thin film displaying visible-light-induced superhydrophilicity initiated by interfacial electron transfer.

We synthesized a three-layer-type photocatalytic structure (TiO2/Cu(II)SiO2/SiO2), consisting of TiO2 on Cu(II)-grafted SiO2, which was deposited on a SiO2-coated glass substrate, and investigated its visible-light absorption and hydrophilic properties. Water contact angle measurements revealed visible-light-induced superhydrophilicity at the film surface that was initiated by interfacial electron transfer (IFET) at the interface of TiO2 and Cu(II)SiO2. Monitoring the oxidation state of Pb(2+) ions confirmed that the IFET-initiated holes diffused to the TiO2 surface, where they likely contributed to the hydrophilic conversion.