Superconducting H5S2 phase in sulfur-hydrogen system under high-pressure.

Recently, hydrogen sulfide was experimentally found to show the high superconducting critical temperature (Tc) under high-pressure. The superconducting Tc shows 30-70 K in pressure range of 100-170 GPa (low-Tc phase) and increases to 203 K, which sets a record for the highest Tc in all materials, for the samples annealed by heating it to room temperature at pressures above 150 GPa (high-Tc phase). Here we present a solid H5S2 phase predicted as the low-Tc phase by the application of the genetic algorithm technique for crystal structure searching and first-principles calculations to sulfur-hydrogen system under high-pressure. The H5S2 phase is thermodynamically stabilized at 110 GPa, in which asymmetric hydrogen bonds are formed between H2S and H3S molecules. Calculated Tc values show 50-70 K in pressure range of 100-150 GPa within the harmonic approximation, which can reproduce the experimentally observed low-Tc phase. These findings give a new aspect of the excellent superconductivity in compressed sulfur-hydrogen system.

Lung metastasis from perineal leiomyosarcoma: a case report and a review of the Japanese literature.

Pulmonary metastasis from leiomyosarcoma is rare and its clinical management is challenging. A single lung metastasis from a perineal leiomyosarcoma occurred in a 79-year-old woman. Five months after resection of the lung metastasis, a new metastatic tumor developed in the contralateral lung. Since the patient did not desire to receive hospitalized treatment, TS-1 (an oral agent consisting of a combination of tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium) therapy was started on an outpatient basis. The lung metastasis has been successfully controlled for at least 17 months with excellent tolerability. The clinical features and the treatment of this case are discussed.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis and renal tubular acidosis of different types are rare but important complications of primary biliary cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: A very few cases of biopsy-proven tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) have been reported. Although the clinical importance of this association has been suggested, information on its clinicopathological features and prognosis is limited. METHODS: We reviewed 5955 renal biopsies processed at our department, and identified four patients with TIN associated with asymptomatic PBC. We evaluated clinicopathological features and outcomes in these patients, and reviewed the previously reported cases of TIN associated with PBC. RESULTS: Our four patients were female. The patients' age at the time of renal biopsy ranged from 36 to 77. Three patients had been treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. All patients had urinary abnormalities such as proteinuria and elevated levels of urinary ß(2)-microglobulin, and three patients had renal insufficiency. All patients had distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA), and two patients also had Fanconi syndrome. Renal biopsy showed severe lymphocyte infiltration in the tubules and interstitium with mild-to-moderate tubular atrophy and fibrosis. All patients responded well to steroid therapy. On review of the previously reported five cases, all patients were female. The patients' age ranged from 42 to 68. Apparent symptoms linked to PBC were not described. All patients had renal insufficiency. Three patients suffering from bone pains or bone fractures also had Fanconi syndrome. Marked or transient improvements were observed after steroid therapy in three patients. CONCLUSIONS: TIN and RTA of different types are extremely rare but one of the important extrahepatic complications of PBC. Steroid therapy can be beneficial in treating PBC patients with these renal complications.

Determining the structure of phosphorus in phase IV.

We explore the unknown structure of phosphorus in phase IV (P-IV phase) based on first-principles calculations using the metadynamics simulation method. Starting from the simple cubic structure, we find a new modulated structure of the monoclinic lattice. The modulation is crucial to the stability of the structure. Through refining the structure further by changing the modulation period, we find the structure whose x-ray powder diffraction pattern is in best agreement with the experimental pattern. We expect that the modulation period of the structure in the P-IV phase is very close to that found in this study and probably incommensurate.