High TC ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconducting GaN:Mn films

Wurtzite GaN:Mn films on sapphire substrates were successfully grown by use of the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system. The film has an extremely high Curie temperature of around 940 K, although the Mn concentration is only about 3 ~ 5 %. Magnetization measurements were carried out in magnetic fields parallel to the film surface up to 7 T. The magnetization process shows the coexistence of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic contributions at low temperatures, while the typical ferromagnetic magnetization process is mainly observed at high temperatures because of the decrease of the paramagnetic contributions. The observed transport characteristics show a close relation between the magnetism and the impurity conduction. The double exchange mechanism of the Mn-impurity band is one of the possible models for the high-TC ferromagnetism in GaN:Mn.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physica

NHC-catalyzed cleavage of vicinal diketones and triketones followed by insertion of enones and ynones

Thiazolium carbene-catalyzed reactions of 1,2-diketones and 1,2,3-triketones with enones and ynones have been investigated. The diketones gave α,β-double acylation products via unique Breslow intermediates isolable as acid salts, whereas the triketones formed stable adducts with the NHC instead of the coupling products

Dogs as Sentinels for Human Infection with Japanese Encephalitis Virus

Because serosurveys of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) among wild animals and pigs may not accurately reflect risk for humans in urban/residential areas, we examined seroprevalence among dogs and cats. We found that JEV-infected mosquitoes have spread throughout Japan and that dogs, but not cats, might be good sentinels for monitoring JEV infection in urban/residential areas

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Using Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Intractable Pneumothorax

Intractable pneumothorax with poor lung function that has received multiple conservative treatments may occur. Case 1 was a 70-year-old woman with aspergilloma who was admitted for pneumothorax. Case 2 was a 68-year-old man with acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia who developed pneumothorax. In both cases, multiple conservative therapies were administered, but the leak continued; thus, operations using veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were planned. By video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), we obtained the optimal surgical field by lung collapse. We removed many blood clots that were used for pleurodesis, ligated the bulla in case 1, and covered the leak point with strengthening agents in case 2. For cases of intractable pneumothorax, lung collapse by ECMO is advantageous because we can check details and leak points even in blood clots or in poor condition of the lung, and we can maneuver the lung in poor condition with a clear surgical field

Understanding the Effects of Current Students Receiving Support from Graduates and Graduate Associations at their Alma Mater

Recently, the importance of the role of graduates and graduate associations in supporting current students at their alma mater to maximize the performance of the university has been firmly established in Japan. In a previous experimental study focused on graduate services at our alma mater (2012-2014), the authors found that support from graduates and graduate associations to current students at the university not only benefitted the university but also provided the graduates and current students alike with the opportunity to gain in certain expertise. Students with the experience of receiving support from graduates of that university are highly likely to have the urge to support the university and its students after they themselves graduate. Furthermore, if students are fostered with this support of graduates, the strength of the role that the university plays in society will be heightened, and this will benefit graduates and lead to them maintaining and strengthening their links with their alma mater. There had been no nationwide study conducted on this. For this reason, this research was undertaken to investigate the current state of affairs in universities across the country in terms of how an attachment and sense of belonging to the university is fomented in graduate and current students alike due to support of current students by graduates and placement of interdependent enterprises to raise alumni consciousness. Of the 771 national, public, and private universities in Japan in 2016, a questionnaire was sent to all eligible members of 643 graduate associations across these universities in February 2017. Of these, 250 graduate associations returned completed questionnaires from their members, a response rate of 38.9%. A total of 1,702 questionnaires were returned. This paper presents the findings of this study and reports specific details and trends found regarding the nature of support of current students by graduate associations of those universities. In addition, the possibility of the formation of an attachment to and sense of belonging to one’s alma mater will be discussed.本研究，及び本報告におけるアンケート調査は，日本学術振興会「科研費15K04340」の助成を受けています。（基盤研究（C）「大学の持続的発展に資する校友（大学・学生・卒業生）事業の意義と可能性に関する研究」，研究代表者：大川一毅