Orbital-independent superconducting gaps in iron pnictides.

The origin of superconductivity in the iron pnictides has been attributed to antiferromagnetic spin ordering that occurs in close combination with a structural transition, but there are also proposals that link superconductivity to orbital ordering. We used bulk-sensitive laser angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on BaFe(2)(As(0.65)P(0.35))(2) and Ba(0.6)K(0.4)Fe(2)As(2) to elucidate the role of orbital degrees of freedom on the electron-pairing mechanism. In strong contrast to previous studies, an orbital-independent superconducting gap magnitude was found for the hole Fermi surfaces. Our result is not expected from the superconductivity associated with spin fluctuations and nesting, but it could be better explained invoking magnetism-induced interorbital pairing, orbital fluctuations, or a combination of orbital and spin fluctuations. Regardless of the interpretation, our results impose severe constraints on theories of iron pnictides.

[Lithotomy of bile duct stones by flash-lamp-pumped dye laser].

Laser therapy for bile duct stones, such as the non-contact beam treatment using continuous wave of Nd:YAG laser or contact beam treatment using ceramics rod, has been done in our institution from 1980. As a result, the ratio of complete lithotomy has been increased from 31/47 (66%) to 66/71 (93%). Recently, we had a opportunity to use the Lasertripter by Candera Corp., which was devised for urinary stones. It beams pulse wave to crush stones. The effectiveness of this new laser lithotripsy is different according to the kind of the stones, but it is better than that of conventional YAG laser. Furthermore, as this method can be used with thin fiberscope, this method is more effective to peripheral intrahepatic stones than YAG laser.

X-ray tomographical observations of the interrelationships among structures of the nasal airway.

In order to elucidate upon the interrelationships among the different structures in and around the nasal cavity, the noses of 95 adults without severe rhinitis, paranasal sinusitis, cysts or tumors were examined by means of X-ray tomography. The results indicate a close correlation between the width of the nasal cavity and 1) the width of the maxillary sinus, 2) the size, form and height of the inferior turbinate, 3) the size of the middle turbinate or 4) the nasal septal deviation; between the height of the nasal cavity and the length and height of the inferior turbinate or the length of the middle turbinate, and also between the degree of septal deviation and the width of the nasal cavity, the nasal meatus or olfactory slit or the form of the inferior turbinate. In conclusion, it is recognized that correction of the abnormal interrelationships among the different structures is important for functional nasal surgery.