Modification of the Interface Nanostructure and Magnetic Properties in Nd-Fe-B Thin Films.

The effects of Nd2Fe14B grain size and Nd coating on the coercivity in sputter-deposited Nd-Fe-B/Nd thin films have been investigated in order to gain an insight into the coercivity mechanism of Nd-Fe-B magnets. Highly textured Nd2Fe14B particles were grown successfully on the MgO(100) single-crystal substrate with the Mo underlayer. As the Nd-Fe-B layer thickness t NFB was decreased from 70 to 5 nm, the coercivity H c increased gradually from 6.

Scanning electron microscope observation of dislocations in semiconductor and metal materials.

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image contrasts have been investigated for dislocations in semiconductor and metal materials. It is revealed that single dislocations can be observed in a high contrast in SEM images formed by backscattered electrons (BSE) under the condition of a normal configuration of SEM. The BSE images of dislocations were compared with those of the transmission electron microscope and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and the dependence of BSE image contrast on the tilting of specimen was examined to discuss the origin of image contrast.

Variations in contrast of scanning electron microscope images for microstructure analysis of Si-based semiconductor materials.

Image contrasts of Si-based semiconducting materials have been investigated by using the latest scanning electron microscope with various detectors under a range of experimental conditions. Under a very low accelerating voltage (500 V), we obtained a good image contrast between crystalline SiGe whiskers and the amorphous matrix using an in-lens secondary electron (SE) detector, while the conventional topographic SE image and the compositional backscattered electron (BSE) image gave no distinct contrast. By using an angular-selective BSE (AsB) detector for wide-angle scattered BSE, on the other hand, the crystal grains in amorphous matrix can be clearly visualized as 'channelling contrast'.

[Economic aspect of alcohol-related disabilities in patients of gastroenterology and hepatology].

Alcoholic patients frequently visit a medical center with the alcohol-related organ damage. The medical utilization and expenses of these patients is not only for the treatment of alcohol dependence, but also mainly for the treatment of alcohol-related organ diseases. This study was conducted to clarify the influence of alcohol dependence on the medical expense of internal medicine, especially of gastroenterology and hepatology.

Application of FIB microsampling technique to long-period ordered TiAl single crystal with composition gradient.

Metastable long-period superstructures in an L10-TiAl single crystal with a composition gradient were observed successfully by transmission electron microscopy with a focused ion beam (FIB) microsampling technique. The composition gradient from 54.7 to 75 at.

HRTEM image contrast and atomistic microstructures of long-period ordered Al-rich TiAl alloys.

Long-period superstructures formed in off-stoichiometric L 1(0)-TiAl alloys were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The HRTEM analysis combined with multislice simulation and image processing was carried out to clarify atomistic microstructures of Al5Ti3 and h-Al2Ti ordered states and a short-range ordered (SRO) state in Ti-62.5 at.

Effect of in vitro interferon-beta administration on hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a predictive marker of clinical response to interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To test whether in vitro incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with interferon (IFN) could efficiently decrease hepatitis C virus-RNA (HCV-RNA) amount and to analyze whether this effect was associated with clinical response to IFN.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C were given intravenous administration of 6 million units (MU) IFN-beta daily for 6 weeks followed by three times weekly for 20 weeks. PBMC collected before IFN therapy were incubated with IFN-beta and HCV-RNA in PMBC was semi-quantitatively determined.

Hemophagocytic syndrome in ileum-origin B-cell lymphoma.

A 56 year-old-man was admitted due to upper abdominal tumor and was diagnosed as having stage IVb diffuse B-cell malignant lymphoma that originally developed in the terminal ileum. The first and the second administrations of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, 750 mg/m(2); adriamycin, 50 mg/m(2); vincristine, 1.4 mg/m(2); and prednisolone, 100 mg/day) therapy were effective; however, the third course of therapy was postponed because of an episode of massive hematochezia.