Damage protection from focused ion beam process toward nanocavity-implemented compound semiconductor nanowire lasers.

A focused ion beam (FIB) can precisely mill samples and freely form any nanostructure even on surfaces with curvature, like a nanowire surface, which are difficult to implement by using conventional fabrication techniques, e.g. electron beam lithography. Thus, this tool is promising for nanofabrication; however, fabrication damage and contamination are critical issues, which deteriorate optical properties. In this work, we investigated the protective performance of Al2O3against the FIB process (especially by a gallium ion). Nanowires were coated with Al2O3as a hard mask to protect them from damage during FIB nanofabrication. To estimate the protective performance, their emission properties by photoluminescence measurement and time-resolved spectroscopy were compared with and without Al2O3coating conditions. From the results, we confirmed that the Al2O3coating protects the nanowires. In addition, the nanowires also showed lasing behavior even after FIB processing had been carried out to implement nanostructures. This indicates that their optical properties are well maintained. Thus, our study proves the usefulness of FIBs for future nanofabrication.

A Patient-Centered Perspective of Molluscum Contagiosum as Reported by B-SIMPLE4 Clinical Trial Patients and Caregivers: Global Impression of Change and Exit Interview Substudy Results.

BACKGROUND: Molluscum contagiosum is often characterized by persistent lesions and bothersome symptomology. What patients with molluscum contagiosum and/or caregivers consider to be meaningful measures of therapeutic success is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to collect patient experience data and assess Global Impression of Change from patients and/or caregivers participating in a large phase III molluscum contagiosum interventional trial. METHODS: The Berdazimer Sodium In Molluscum Patients with LEsions (B-SIMPLE4) phase III study enrolled 891 patients with molluscum contagiosum. Patients were randomly assigned to berdazimer gel, 10.3% or vehicle gel applied once daily for 12 weeks. Assessments of participant and investigator perceptions of complete lesion clearance were collected at weeks 12 and 24 along with Global Impression of Change scores from 1 (very much improved) to 7 (very much worse). A subset of 30 B-SIMPLE4 patients participated in the patient/caregiver experience exit interview to evaluate bothersome signs and symptoms. RESULTS: At week 12, among participants with a ≥ 75% molluscum contagiosum lesion count reduction from baseline (as assessed by investigators), 99% (373/376) reported improvement. Perceptions of complete clearance at week 12 were nearly 40% for both participant-reported and investigator-reported Global Impression of Change in berdazimer group vs 20% in the vehicle group: 82% (322/392) of participants in the berdazimer group and 60% (237/394) in the vehicle group reported their molluscum contagiosum lesions were either very much improved or much improved at week 12. Similarly, investigators scored 80% (314/393) of berdazimer and 54% (215/396) of vehicle participants as very much improved or much improved. From the exit interview, the mean duration of participant-reported molluscum contagiosum was nearly 2 years. The most frequently reported molluscum contagiosum-related signs and symptoms were itch (n = 20), scarring (n = 18), and pain (n = 13). Visibility and contagiousness of molluscum contagiosum were the most bothersome aspects to participants. The most frequently reported psychosocial impacts were self-consciousness (n = 15) and embarrassment (n = 14). Lesion clearance was an expectation of 28/30 study participants. Overall, 26/30 reported being very satisfied (n = 18) or satisfied (n = 8) with the changes in their disease over the duration of the trial; 23/30 stated that the change in lesion count was meaningful. A mean reduction of 18 lesions (76% decrease) from the baseline lesion count was reported by participants (n = 28). Although 22 of 28 had less than complete lesion clearance, 17 of 22 reported that the reduction in the number of lesions was meaningful. CONCLUSIONS: Molluscum contagiosum lesion reductions, with or without complete clearance, may be considered a therapeutic "success" by the patient/caregiver. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04535531 (registered 2 September, 2020).

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: the radiologist's role in making the diagnosis.

Radiologists have a critical role in the evaluation and diagnosis of suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Accurate pattern identification on imaging is key in the multidisciplinary diagnostic process and frequently obviates the need for a surgical lung biopsy. In this review, we describe the clinical and imaging features of IPF in the context of recently revised international guidelines; contrast findings in other diseases that may inform differential diagnosis of fibrotic lung disease; and highlight common complications associated with pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary Manifestations of Common Variable Immunodeficiency.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is associated with significant chronic lung disease. The purpose of this paper was to describe the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings of CVID-associated lung diseases. These include airways' disease, interstitial lung disease, lymphoma, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. In addition, a genetic syndrome termed Kabuki syndrome results in CVID-like immune abnormalities. These patients may also present with CVID-associated lung disease. Awareness and precise identification of CVID-associated lung disease may allow for better assessment of prognosis and direction of therapy.

Imaging of Asthma.

Asthma is one of the most common diseases of the lung. Asthma manifests with common, although often subjective and nonspecific, imaging features at radiography and high-resolution computed tomography. The primary role of imaging is not to make a diagnosis of asthma but to identify complications, such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, or mimics of asthma, such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This article reviews the imaging features of asthma as well as common complications and mimics.