Size dependence of band-gaps in a one-dimensional plasmonic crystal.

The dependence of the plasmonic band gap on size of a one-dimensional plasmonic crystal with a rectangular cross-section has been investigated by cathodoluminescence, using a 200-keV scanning transmission electron microscope. The band edge character at points Γ and X changes in correlation with the corresponding Fourier component of the surface shape. The calculation by the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) method reproduces well the observed size dependence of the band edge energies on terrace width and height, though some deviation in magnitude remains. The beam-scan spectral images clearly reveal symmetric and anti-symmetric characters of the standing waves of the band edge modes. The two modes at the band edges are different in the surface plasmon Polariton (SPP)-light conversion efficiency and exchange their energy positions by changing terrace width.

The first identification and retrospective study of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV), a novel bunyavirus reported to be endemic in central and northeastern China. This article describes the first identified patient with SFTS and a retrospective study on SFTS in Japan. METHODS: Virologic and pathologic examinations were performed on the patient's samples. Laboratory diagnosis of SFTS was made by isolation/genome amplification and/or the detection of anti-SFTSV immunoglobulin G antibody in sera. Physicians were alerted to the initial diagnosis and asked whether they had previously treated patients with symptoms similar to those of SFTS. RESULTS: A female patient who died in 2012 received a diagnosis of SFTS. Ten additional patients with SFTS were then retrospectively identified. All patients were aged ≥50 years and lived in western Japan. Six cases were fatal. The ratio of males to females was 8:3. SFTSV was isolated from 8 patients. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that all of the Japanese SFTSV isolates formed a genotype independent to those from China. Most patients showed symptoms due to hemorrhage, possibly because of disseminated intravascular coagulation and/or hemophagocytosis. CONCLUSIONS: SFTS has been endemic to Japan, and SFTSV has been circulating naturally within the country.

Size dependence of surface plasmon modes in one-dimensional plasmonic crystal cavities.

The characteristics of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) confined in a one-dimensional plasmonic crystal (1D-PlC) cavity are investigated using a cathodoluminescence (CL) detection system equipped with a 200 keV scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The dispersion curves of SPPs near the Γ point are derived from the angle-resolved CL spectra, and the SPP cavity modes are observed inside the band gap region. The mode number and wavenumber of the cavity modes are determined from the beam scan CL spectral images. The energy of the cavity mode depends on the cavity length and the angular distribution of the emission from the cavity changes with the mode number of the cavity mode. We also reveal that the phase shift due to the reflection at the cavity edge changes significantly with the resonant energy.

Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein is a highly specific biomarker for traumatic brain injury in humans compared with S-100B and neuron-specific enolase.

BACKGROUND: Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a specific predictor of brain damage and neurologic outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, serum GFAP, S-100B, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were compared in the same samples from severe trauma patients to assess their ability to predict abnormalities detectable on head computed tomography (CT). METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis at a single university emergency center. Thirty-four trauma patients were included. Serum samples were collected from the patients for 3 days. Serum GFAP, S-100B, and NSE concentrations were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and compared in patients with and without TBI, as evaluated by head CT. RESULTS: Serum GFAP, S-100B, and NSE were significantly higher in the TBI patients than in the non-TBI patients (p < 0.05 for each protein). The receiver operating characteristic curves for TBI were compared for the three biomarkers for 3 days. Serum GFAP on day 1 had the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.983), with 88.9% sensitivity and 100% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Serum GFAP has remarkable diagnostic value for TBI, defined by abnormal head CT findings, in prehospital-triaged patients with severe trauma.

[Hyperventilation syndrome before induction of and after awakening from general anesthesia].

Hyperventilation syndrome has often occurred as a reaction to anxiety and stress. We experienced hyperventilation syndrome before induction of and after awakening from general anesthesia. A 53-year-old woman with no central nervous and psychiatric disease was scheduled for left total hip arthroplasty under general and epidural anesthesia. After entering the operating room, she was breathing faster and deeper than necessary. She complained of dyspnea, and the numbness and sweating of her lower extremities. We found that she had the same experience on her dental treatment. We diagnosed her as preoperative hyperventilation syndrome. Twenty minutes after she had become relaxed, we could insert the lumbar epidural catheter, and tracheally intubate following anesthesia induction with fentanyl, thiopental, and vecuronium. Anesthesia was maintained using inhalation of sevoflurane and epidural anesthesia with ropivacaine. As end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) value was 18 mmHg after anesthesia induction, we controlled the ventilator to regulate EtCO2. The operation was finished in 54 minutes successfully without a special event. She was extubated because there was no clinical problems. The total anesthesia time was 2 hours and 4 minutes. Postoperatively in the recovery room, she breathed fast and complained of dyspnea and the numbness of her extremities again. The arterial blood gas analysis showed reduced arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide tension with resulting respiratory alkalosis. We diagnosed her as postoperative hyperventilation syndrome. We let her breathe in and out of a vinyl bag continuously and injected antipsychotic medication haloperidol intravenously. After injection of haloperidol 3 mg for 30 minutes, she recovered from hyperventilation. Hyperventilation syndrome before general anesthesia could occur postoperatively again. We supposed that her hyperventilation syndrome is induced by anxiety and stress of operation before induction and again after awakening from general anesthesia. Haloperidol could be effective for repeated hyperventilation syndrome induced by psychogenic factors during perioperative period.

[Isorhythmic dissociation during sevoflurane anesthesia].

Arrhythmia during general anesthesia occurrs occasionally as a result of the effect of inhalation anesthetic agent on cardiac conduction. We experienced a case of atrioventricular junctional rhythm (AVJR) during maintenance of general anesthesia with sevoflurane. A 61-year-old woman with normal preoperative electrocardiogram was scheduled for right total knee arthroplasty and autologous iliac crest bone graft under general and epidural anesthesia. After inserting the lumbar epidural catheter, endotracheal intubation was performed following anesthesia induction with fentanyl, thiopental, and vecuronium, and anesthesia was maintained using inhalation of nitrous oxide and sevoflurane, and epidural anesthesia with ropivacaine. Forty minutes after starting operation, the dissociated and upright P-wave approached the QRS complex, remaining within QRS complex for several beats, and then reappeared from it electrocardiographically. ST segment was transiently depressed from baseline. The R-R interval and waveform of the QRS complex did not change. The sequence was repeated. The blood pressure had been held slightly depressed but waveform of pulse oxymetry (SpO2) did not change during this phenomenon. We diagnosed it as AVJR, which is classified into isorhythmic dissociation. After discontinuation of sevoflurane at the end of the operation, isorhythmic dissociation returned to sinus rhythm. Sevoflurane could induce atrioventricular conduction disturbance leading to isorhythmic dissociation of AVJR. We should be aware that hypotension can result from isorhythmic dissociation during sevoflurane anesthesia.

[Consciousness affects hypermnesia: the alternative retrieval pathway hypothesis and retrieval intention].

The role of implicit and explicit memory in hypermnesia was investigated using a priming procedure based on the alternative retrieval pathways (ARP) hypothesis (Kazén & Solís-Macías, 1999). Sixty words were studied in the format-translation condition (pictures were drawn for the words) or no format-translation condition (mirror characters of the words were written). Then, word-stem priming tests were conducted three times immediately and three times one week later. Based upon Bowers and Schacter (1990), the participants were classified into an intention or no-intention group according to the retrieval intention of used in the study episode. The results showed that hypermnesia occurred in the intention group, but not in the no-intention group. The ARP hypothesis could be useful to predict the quality of reminiscence, but not for the occurrence of hypermnesia. Hypermnesia occurred in explicit memory but not in implicit memory in this study.

[General anesthesia for two patients taking methylphenidate (Ritalin)].

We experienced anesthesia care for two patients taking methylphenidate (Ritalin), which is a central nervous system stimulant of amphetamine analogues, usually administered for narcolepsy or refractory depression. The proper dose of methylphenidate is 20-60 mg per day. General anesthesia with epidural anesthesia was administered to both cases for total hip replacement. One patient could discontinue taking methylphenidate five days before the operation, but the other patient could not. Both cases needed more anesthetics than usual on induction, but very stable condition could be maintained during and after the operations. We consider that it is possible to perform general anesthesia safely for patients taking a usual dose of methylphenidate.

Real-time observation of phase-controlled molecular wave-packet interference.

The quantum interference of two molecular wave packets has been precisely controlled in the B electronic state of the I2 molecule by using a pair of fs laser pulses whose relative phase is locked within the attosecond time scale and its real-time evolution has been observed by another fs laser pulse. It is clearly observed that the temporal evolution changes drastically as a function of the relative phase between the locked pulses, allowing us to read both amplitude and phase information stored in the wave functions of the molecular ensemble.