Plasma Nitridation of 4H-SiC by Glow Discharge of N2/H2 Mixed Gases

The mixed gas of nitrogen and hydrogen was used for the plasma nitridation of SiC surface.A small amount of hydrogen was effective to activate the nitridation reaction and suppress the oxidationreaction. The interface properties were improved by using nitride layer as an interfacial bufferlayer of SiC MIS structure.ArticleMaterials Science Forum, Vols. 821-823, pp. 504-507 (2015)journal articl

Preparation and Characterization of Nitridation Layer on 4H SiC (0001) Surface by Direct Plasma Nitridation

A nitride layer was formed on a SiC surface by plasma nitridation using pure nitrogen as the reaction gas at the temperature from 800°C to 1400°C. The surface was characterized by XPS. The XPS measurement showed that an oxinitride layer was formed on the SiC surface by the plasma nitridation. The high process temperature seemed to be effective to activate the niridation reaction. A SiO2 film was deposited on the nitridation layer to form SiO2/nitride/SiC structure. The interface state density of the SiO2/nitride/SiC structure was lower than that of the SiO2/SiC structure. This suggested that the nitridation was effective to improve the interface property.ArticleMaterials Science Forum, Vols. 778-780, pp. 631-634 (2014)journal articl

血中の2,3,4,7,8-五塩化ダイベンゾフラン(PeCDF)の個人の半減期：油症患者における臨床症状並びに検診結果との関係

BACKGROUND: In 1968, many people developed dioxin poisoning (Yusho) in Japan. Ingestion of 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF) was considered to be the cause of this poisoning. Although some patients had high concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF in their blood, individuals' half-lives of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF were long. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between clinical and laboratory parameters and the individual half-life of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF in blood. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data were collected during annual check-ups from 2001 to 2008. We enrolled 71 patients, who were measured more than 3 times, and who had 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF concentrations in blood >50pgg(-1) lipid. The half-life of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF for each patient was estimated using linear regression. Moreover, relationships between clinical and laboratory parameters and individual half-life were investigated by linear regression. RESULTS: A shortened individual half-life for 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF was significantly correlated with an increased red blood cell count, increased viscous secretions from the meibomian glands, existing black comedones, and severe cedar pollen allergy. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms that accelerate excretion of lipids from the body, such as viscous secretions from the meibomian glands, may lead to a shorter half-life of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF. Red blood cells are related to the half-life of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF. However, further studies are required to investigate the excretory mechanism of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF.博士（医学）・乙1325号・平成26年3月17

Cutaneous symptoms such as acneform eruption and pigmentation are closely associated with blood levels of 2,3,4,7,8-penta-chlorodibenzofurans in Yusho patients, using data mining analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Yusho an intoxication caused by oral dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls occurred in 1968. Patients suffered from various systemic symptoms, including general fatigue, nausea, muscular and articular pain, acneform eruptions, black comedones, cutaneous and oral pigmentation, and increased eye discharge. The major causative factor was the contamination of rice oil with 2,3,4,7,8-penta-chlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF). Recent technical advances have allowed us to measure blood levels of PeCDF. However, there is little information on which symptoms and laboratory data are directly associated with PeCDF levels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Yusho patients underwent annual medical check-ups from 2001 to 2003. Blood PeCDF levels were correlated with the presence or absence of symptoms in medical, hematological, dermatological, dental and ophthalmological examinations. This study analyzed all combinations by using the association analysis. This is the most suitable method to evaluate all combinations of the data comprehensively. This method was used to determine the rate of patients with high PeCDF level in the population with each symptom, and to extract combinations of three symptoms which were strongly associated with high PeCDF level.</p> <p>Results and Conclusion</p> <p>The rate of the patients with high PeCDF level was high in populations with high uric acid, black comedones (face), second highest quartile of age, or high urea nitrogen. The combination of three symptoms associated with the highest rate of patients with high PeCDF level was "high uric acid, female sexuality, and history of acneform eruptions", followed by "history of Yusho in and after 1968, high cholesterol level, and subjective symptoms." This analysis newly suggested that PeCDF concentration may be associated with history of dermatological symptoms, high uric acid, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate.</p

Cutaneous sarcoidosis in a chronic hepatitis C patient receiving pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy

A 61-year-old Japanese woman suffered from a small, painful, subcutaneous nodule on the sole of her foot that was 10mm across in diameter during pegylated interferon (PEG IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Skin biopsy revealed multiple non-caseating granulomas composed of epithelioid histiocytes with multinucleate giant cells, which was consistent with sarcoidosis. Ophthalmologic examination revealed uveitis. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) showed multiple bilateral hilar lymphadenopathies and a diffuse micronodular interstitial pattern of the lungs. Genetic analysis indicated a probable homozygous haplotype of A*02:01-C*15:02-B*51:01-DRB1*16:02-DQB1*05:02 in human leukocyte antigen regions. The patient was observed carefully without any additional medication because no significant systemic symptoms were noted. Combination therapy was continued for 2months afterwards. She was asymptomatic for over 3years of follow up, and repeated hematological and biological investigations and chest CT showed improvement. In conclusion, clinicians should bear sarcoidosis in mind as a complication during PEG IFN and RBV combination therapy. They should also be aware of the usually good prognosis of PEG IFN-induced cutaneous sarcoidosis in order not to prematurely discontinue a treatment necessary for liver disease; maintenance of PEG IFN treatment may be advised with careful follow up.ArticleHEPATOLOGY RESEARCH. 43(7):801-807 (2013)journal articl

First Isolation of Carbon Dioxide-Dependent Proteus mirabilis from an Uncomplicated Cystitis Patient with Sjogren's Syndrome

An uncomplicated cystitis caused by CO2-dependent Proteus mirabilis was observed in a 64-year-old Japanese female patient with Sjogren's syndrome in the Aomori Kyoritsu Hospital, Aomori, Japan. The initial P. mirabilis isolate came from a midstream urine specimen containing large numbers of Gram-negative, rod-shaped organisms that failed to grow on both Drigalski agar and sheep blood agar incubated in ambient air. The organism did grow when the urine was cultured overnight on blood agar under anaerobic conditions. Hence, we believed that the organism was an anaerobe. Further investigation revealed that the isolate grew on sheep blood agar along with swarming when the atmospheric CO2 concentrations were increased to 5%. Initially, we failed to characterize or identify the P. mirabilis isolate or determine its antimicrobial susceptibilities using the MicroScan WalkAway-40 System because the isolate did not grow in the system. However, the isolate was subsequently identified as P. mirabilis based on its morphological, cultural, and biochemical properties by using the commercially available kit systems, Quick ID-UN and ID-Test EB-20. This identification of the isolate was confirmed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene of the organism. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical isolation of capnophilic P. mirabilis.ArticleJAPANESE JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 66(3):241-244 (2013)journal articl

Preparation and Characterization of Nitridation Layer on 4H SiC (0001) Surface by Direct Plasma Nitridation

A nitride layer was formed on a SiC surface by plasma nitridation using pure nitrogen as the reaction gas at the temperature from 800°C to 1400°C. The surface was characterized by XPS. The XPS measurement showed that an oxinitride layer was formed on the SiC surface by the plasma nitridation. The high process temperature seemed to be effective to activate the niridation reaction. A SiO2 film was deposited on the nitridation layer to form SiO2/nitride/SiC structure. The interface state density of the SiO2/nitride/SiC structure was lower than that of the SiO2/SiC structure. This suggested that the nitridation was effective to improve the interface property.ArticleMaterials Science Forum, Vols. 778-780, pp. 631-634 (2014)journal articl