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The adverse effects of hard contact lenses (HCL) on the corneal endothelium have been studied in the short term; however, long-term effects remain still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the effect of long-term HCL use on corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphology in healthy Japanese individuals. This cross-sectional observational study included individuals using HCL for refractive errors examined at a single specialty eye hospital. Patient age, duration of HCL usage, ECD, coefficient of variation of the cell area (CV), and rate of appearance of hexagonal cells (6A) obtained via non-contact specular microscopy were assessed. We analyzed 8604 eyes (mean age: 35.6 ± 10.0 years, 837 males, 3465 females). The mean duration of HCL usage was 14.7 ± 9.1 (range, 1–50) years. Multivariate analysis revealed that ECD significantly correlated with age (P P P

Plants of the Araceae family exude a sap containing calcium oxalate, a toxic substance that causes dermatitis. However, ocular injury due to exposure to Araceae sap has rarely been reported. Herein, we present a case of severe pseudomembranous conjunctivitis following exposure to Arisaema ringens, an Araceae species and popular houseplant in Japan. A 67-year-old man presented with pain in his right eye after exposure to the sap of A. ringens. At presentation, the best corrected visual acuity and intraocular pressure in the right eye were 20/800 and 15 mm Hg. Slit-lamp examination showed strong hyperemia, conjunctival chemosis, and corneal edema with many pseudomembranes, and fluorescein staining revealed corneal epithelial defects in the central area of the cornea. We washed the ocular surface with saline and initiated treatment with topical instillations of 1.5% levofloxacin and 0.1% betamethasone, combined with ofloxacin eye ointment. After repeatedly removing the pseudomembranes and increasing the frequency of the topical instillations, pseudomembranous conjunctivitis and corneal erosion gradually improved. One week following the injury, the corneal epithelial defects were no longer detectable, and the patient’s best corrected visual acuity recovered to 20/25. It is important for ophthalmologists and primary care physicians to be aware of the ocular toxicity of A. ringens and should counsel their patients accordingly. Moreover, preventative measures, such as the use of protective eyewear, should be taken when cutting this houseplant.

Objectives Cysts of the mandible are common and are often found clinically in oral surgery. Marsupialization for relatively large cystic lesions may be performed to reduce the size of the lesion and to obtain a histopathological diagnosis. For cystic lesions of the mandible, the effect of marsupialization has many advantages, such as a reduction in lesion size, the avoidance of mental nerve palsy, and preservation of the teeth. It is still unclear whether there is a difference in the reduction rate based on patient age and pathology (dentigerous cyst, odontogenic keratocyst, radicular cyst, ameloblastoma (unicystic type)) and initial size of the lesion. Methods The subjects included 55 patients with cystic lesions with a major axis of 3 cm or greater (16 dentigerous cysts, 20 odontogenic keratocysts, 7 radicular cysts, and 12 ameloblastoma) who underwent treatment at our department. Using simulation software (ProPlanCMF®), the volume of the lesion was extracted from the CT data before and after the marsupialization, and the three-dimensional reduction rate before and after marsupialization was calculated. Results No significant difference was observed between the subgroups in terms of histopathological diagnosis, patient age or size of lesion. Although the effect of marsupialization on cystic lesions with a major axis of 3 cm or more showed a significant difference between 3.0 months and 4.5 months, the difference was not significant between 4.5 months and 6.0 months. Conclusions An indication for the enucleation timing after marsupialization is 4.5 months when the rate of decrease after fenestration slows down.

Owing to a high recurrence rate, radical jaw resection is regarded as the first choice of treatment for odontogenic myxoma. However, there have been several reports on the effectiveness of conservative surgical treatment preserving inferior alveolar nerve for odontogenic myxoma of the mandible. A 37-year-old woman presented with a complaint of pain around her mandibular left third molar. Odontogenic myxoma was diagnosed by using biopsy. The tumor occupied a part of the cortical bone and contained the inferior alveolar nerve. We performed enucleation and curettage, which preserved the inferior alveolar nerve. Ten years after the treatment, there were no symptoms of recurrence or nerve paralysis. Here, we discuss the conservative treatment of odontogenic myxoma, focusing on inferior alveolar nerve preservation.

According to the World Health Organization alert about the antimicrobial resistance crisis released in 2015, clinicians should strongly reconsider the prolonged use of antimicrobials. In this review, we focus on the ocular surface flora with respect to the trend of fluoroquinolone resistance, and its upset and restoration after topical administration of antimicrobials and preservatives. Even 3 weeks of topical administration of levofloxacin (LVFX) yields a selection of fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates bearing genetic changes in the ocular surface flora. One month of topical prophylactic administration of LVFX after cataract surgery induces the loss of diversity with LVFX-resistance of the ocular surface flora. Restoration of LVFX-sensitive flora occurs 6 to 9 months after the final topical administration of LVFX. The ocular surface flora recovers earlier in patients given LVFX for 1 week after the surgical procedure. These findings suggest that shorter periods of postoperative topical antibiotics are less frequently associated with persistent antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the ocular flora. In addition, microbiologic analysis of ocular surfaces treated with a long period of eye drops containing benzalkonium chloride (BAC) showed a higher incidence of isolates resistant to methicillin and fluoroquinolones than did ocular surfaces treated with eye drops not containing BAC. To avoid the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria on the ocular surface, an urgent discussion must be held about the appropriate use of antibiotics and preservatives in the ophthalmology field.

Propan-1,3-diol (PD) and propan-1,2-diol (propylene glycol, PG) are very similar compounds because their structures, safety data, and anti-microbial activities are almost the same. Actually, both compounds are made up of three carbon atoms and two hydroxyl groups. Regarding their safety, they do not have serious hazard data for animals, and LD

To improve the electron mobility of quantum well (QW) gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMT), we investigated QW and conventional AlGaN/GaN heterostructures grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. Using calculation and experimental results, we revealed that the primary reason for the reduced electron mobility of the QW GaN-HEMT is the increase in intrasubband scattering events because of excessive electron confinement, which is caused by a strong polarization electric field. A strained Al0.30Ga0.70N/Al0.86Ga0.14N buffer structure was applied to alleviate the electric field in the GaN channel while maintaining a strong electron confinement. It enables to increase the piezo polarization of Al0.30Ga0.70N and thus, reduces that of the GaN channel. Consequently, the electron mobility improved to 1420 cm2/Vs for the QW GaN-HEMT structure with the Al0.30Ga0.70N/Al0.86Ga0.14N buffer from 1100 cm2/Vs for the common QW GaN-HEMT structure. To the best of our knowledge, 1420 cm2/Vs at a two-dimensional electron gas density of $1.5\times 10^{{13}}$ cm−2 is the highest electron mobility in the QW double heterostructure.

PURPOSE To clarify the prognosis of corneal perforation, we compared the etiology and characteristics of patients with traumatic and non-traumatic corneal perforations. METHODS This retrospective observational study included patients treated for traumatic or non-traumatic corneal perforations at a single tertiary hospital from 1989 to 2019. The variables collected included the primary cause of corneal perforation, final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and treatment administered. The initial treatment administered and treatment success rates were compared between the traumatic and non-traumatic groups. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of final visual acuity. RESULTS Ninety eyes of 90 patients (mean age, 61.1 ± 19.7 years) were included. Traumatic and non-traumatic corneal perforations occurred in 40 (44.4%) and 50 eyes (55.6%), respectively. Among non-traumatic causes, infection and autoimmune disease were the causes for corneal perforation in 18 (20.0%) and 12 eyes (13.3%), respectively. The success rate for the closure of the perforated site with the initial procedure was significantly higher in traumatic corneal perforations than in non-traumatic corneal perforations (90.0% and 72.2%, respectively; p = 0.038). Patients with traumatic corneal perforation had significantly better final BCVA than those with non-traumatic corneal perforation (0.71 ± 1.18 and 1.52 ± 1.12, respectively; p = 0.0016). On multivariate analysis, older age and non-traumatic corneal perforation were significantly related to the final lower BCVA (p

Using a single-device two-dimensional (2D) rhenium disulfide (ReS2) field-effect transistor (FET) with enhanced gas species selectivity by light illumination, we reported a selective and sensitive detection of volatile organic compound (VOC) gases. 2D materials have the advantage of a high surface-area-to-volume ratio for high sensitivity to molecules attached to the surface and tunable carrier concentration through field-effect control from the back-gate of the channel, while keeping the top surface open to the air for chemical sensing. In addition to these advantages, ReS2 has a direct band gap also in multilayer cases, which sets it apart from other transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). We take advantage of the effective response of ReS2 to light illumination to improve the selectivity and gas-sensing efficiency of a ReS2-FET device. We found that light illumination modulates the drain current response in a ReS2-FET to adsorbed molecules, and the sensing activity differs depending on the gas species used, such as acetone, ethanol, and methanol. Furthermore, wavelength and carrier density rely on certain variations in light-modulated sensing behaviors for each chemical. The device will distinguish the gas concentration in a mixture of VOCs using the differences induced by light illumination, enhancing the selectivity of the sensor device. Our results shed new light on the sensing technologies for realizing a large-scale sensor network in the Internet-of-Things era.

Although a few cases of dermatitis or keratitis caused by exposure to the sap of Euphorbia trigona have been reported, we present a rare case of transient corneal endothelial dysfunction following exposure to the sap, resulting in corneal edema. A woman in her 70s complained of reduced vision, redness, and teariness in her left eye 2 days after exposure to the sap of E. trigona at home. Upon examination, hyperemia, serious corneal edema, and anterior uveitis with hypopyon were observed in her left eye, without corneal epithelial defects or keratic precipitates. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 2.0 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), and the measured central corneal thickness (CCT) was 812 µm. The patient was treated with topical instillation of 1.5% levofloxacin and 0.1% dexamethasone to reduce intraocular inflammation and corneal edema. Three weeks later, the BCVA reached 0, the CCT was 519 μm, and the corneal endothelial cell density was 3,233 cells/mm 2. Six months after the injury, the patient had good visual acuity, and the cornea was completely transparent. No recurrence of corneal edema or anterior uveitis was observed. Exposure to the sap of E. trigona can lead to severe corneal edema with anterior uveitis, impairing visual acuity. Taking precautions to prevent the exposure of the eye to the sap of this plant is crucial.

Anderson localization (AL), a major topic in condensed matter physics, has been extensively studied. Since the discovery of graphene, its unique AL in Dirac materials, particularly weak localization (WL), has been studied intensively. Strong localization (SL) has also been investigated in graphene with intentionally introduced defects. The precise control of spacing/strength of defects using conventional methods is challenging; thus, He-ion-irradiation is a promising technology. However, magnetotransport, a sensitive tool to probe AL, has not yet been studied for He-ion-irradiated graphene. Herein, we systematically investigate the magnetotransport of He-ion-irradiated graphene. We observe negative magnetoresistance (MR) due to SL-dominated hopping transport. By systematically tuning the device parameters, negative MR at room temperature is first revealed for graphene field-effect transistor devices. Our study reveals carrier localization via searching in the multidimensional parameter space of Dirac materials, contributing to the development of fundamental AL physics and magnetoelectronic device applications.

Although perioperative blood-pressure control is important, especially for high-risk patients, no previous report has examined early monitoring of perioperative blood-pressure changes before cataract surgery. In this single-center, retrospective, observational study, we evaluated the early intervention for perioperative hypertension in cataract surgery with topical anesthesia.Hospitalized patients who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular-lens insertion and whose blood pressure was controlled using standardized management to start early monitoring and control (standardized group; 134 eyes of 134 patients) were compared to age- and sex-matched patients who underwent the same cataract surgery and whose blood pressure was controlled using conventional means (control group; 134 eyes of 134 patients). The perioperative blood pressure, pulse pressure, and heart rate were compared preoperatively, upon entering the operation room, and at the beginning, end, and after the operation.Although there was no difference before the operation, the changes in systolic pressure in the standardized group were significantly lower at the point of entering the operation room, at the beginning of the operation, and at the end of the operation (P = 0.003, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was observed between etizolam and nicardipine use.Early monitoring and control of blood pressure in cataract surgery could effectively control perioperative hypertension without additional drug use and could be widely applied in the clinical setting.

Purpose Low power mode (LPM) can be used for subthreshold retinal laser treatment by simply adjusting the laser parameters. Herein, we report the use of a modified LPM laser treatment for four cases of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Patients and methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of four patients (four eyes) with persistent CSCR who underwent modified LPM laser for leakage. The laser power was first titrated with a barely visible burn, and then treatment was applied using 33% laser energy by manually adjusting the laser power and duration. Results Serous retinal detachment completely resolved in all cases by 2 months after treatment. Autofluorescence images did not show any specific changes induced by laser burns. Conclusion A modified LPM laser may provide a feasible treatment for persistent CSCR.

Keratoprosthesis is used for corneal transplantation in high-risk patients who require penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Boston keratoprosthesis (BKpro) is a representative type of keratoprosthesis used worldwide. In Japan, the first BKpro was implanted in an eye after multiple corneal graft failures in 2008, but its use remains limited. A recent patient survey revealed that among the Japanese patients who had previously undergone multiple PKPs, the retention rate of BKpro was significantly higher than that of PKP at 5 years postoperatively (100% vs. 26%; P < 0.01). Patients with implanted BKpro also had better best corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or higher than those with PKP at 5 years postoperatively (80.0% vs. 17.6%; P = 0.03). Regarding the postoperative complications, retroprosthetic membrane formation was observed in 88.9%, infectious keratitis in 33.3%, and glaucoma progression in 11.1% of cases. Another retrospective analysis showed that fungal keratitis occurred in 0.09 patients per year and severely affected visual acuity. Furthermore, because it is difficult to accurately examine intraocular pressure after BKpro implantation, the intraocular pressure of patients with implanted BKpro was prospectively estimated using a transpalpebral tonometer (Diaton). In conclusion, BKpro implantation is effective and safe for Japanese patients, given the reported improvements in visual acuity and low rates of complications.

We report a case of open globe injury caused by Ardea albapecking that resulted in Escherichia colipanophthalmitis. A woman in her 70s complaining of ocular pain was referred to our hospital because her right eye had been pecked by an A. alba2 days earlier. Visual acuity in her right eye was reduced to light sensation. The right conjunctiva became hyperemic and edematous with swelling of the right upper eyelid. The upper side of the right cornea was densely cloudy with focal defect. Ultrasonography showed a thick sclera and choroid-like structure. Pathological investigation of a scraped sample from the infected site revealed gram-negative rods; E. coli was isolated. She had fever with elevated serum C-reactive protein levels and leukocytosis confirmed by laboratory examination. Topical levofloxacin and cefmenoxime and intravenous fosfomycin and aspoxicillin were initiated, but the right cornea melted near the perforated site with leakage of the eyeball contents on the next day. We decided to perform eye evisceration because of difficulty in controlling corneal melting and panophthalmitis. Her general state recovered the day after surgery. Orbital cellulitis improved gradually with normal C-reactive protein levels and white blood cell counts. As ocular injury caused by birds could become severe and cause ocular infection and visual dysfunction, it is important to exercise caution in the vicinity of wild birds, especially when they are aggressive.

Purpose To investigate effect of metabolic syndrome on blood pressure during cataract surgery with topical anesthesia. Design A single-centered, retrospective case series. Methods Consecutive patients who were hospitalized and underwent phacoemulsification and insertion of intraocular lens with topical anesthesia in October 2016 were included. Perioperative blood pressure and pulse pressure were compared between patients with metabolic syndrome (metabolic group) and sex- and age-matched patients without metabolic syndrome (nonmetabolic group) at six time points: on admission, in the morning of the operation, 2 hours before the operation, at the point of entering the operation room, during the operation, and after the operation. Perioperative use of etizolam and nicardipine was compared between the two groups. Results Thirty patients in the metabolic group and 30 in the nonmetabolic group were included. There was no difference in changes compared with the values on admission in systolic pressure and pulse pressure at any examination point between the two groups. There was no difference in changes in diastolic pressure between the two groups, except for at 2 hours before the operation (1.4 ± 9.6 mm Hg in the metabolic group vs -6.2 ± 8.5 mm Hg in the nonmetabolic group; P = 0.044). The number of patients who were administered etizolam was 5/30 (16.7%) in the metabolic group and 2/30 (6.7%) in the nonmetabolic group, showing no significant difference. No patients were administered intravenous nicardipine in either group. Conclusions Well-controlled metabolic syndrome did not affect the changes in perioperative blood pressure during cataract surgery with topical anesthesia.

Background Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) is known to cause exanthema subitem and has been detected in various ocular diseases, including keratitis, uveitis, optic neuritis, and endophthalmitis; however, the long-term outcome after the reactivation of HHV-6B has not been well-addressed. Sugita et al. previously reported the concomitant presence of HHV-6B with herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) in the aqueous fluid at the onset of corneal endotheliitis. We focused on the same patient with corneal endotheliitis, in whom both HSV-1 and HHV-6B sequences were observed, and reported the clinical course and long-term outcomes. Case presentation A 64-year-old woman was referred to our center for visual disturbances in the left eye. Her best-corrected visual acuity in the left eye was 0.5 and the left intraocular pressure was elevated to 33 mmHg. Mid-sized keratic precipitates and 2+ cells were observed in the anterior chamber with corneal endothelial edema and reduction of the corneal endothelial cell density to 1828 cells/mm2. The patient was diagnosed with corneal endotheliitis with increased intraocular pressure. Polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the concomitant presence of both HSV-1 and HHV-6B sequences in the left aqueous fluid. After treatment with oral valacyclovir and topical betamethasone, her intraocular inflammation gradually improved and has not recurred at 12 years after corneal endotheliitis onset although corneal opacity remained. Conclusions Reactivation of HHV-6B infection might be associated with HSV-1 corneal endotheliitis; however, no serious late sequelae occurred after appropriate treatment for HSV-1 infection in this immunocompetent host.

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) exhibits an insulator–metal transition (IMT) accompanied with a giant resistance change, which is attractive for the application of devices, such as switching devices. Since the behavior of individual domains determines the total IMT property of the VO2 sample, the steep resistance change from a single domain can be identified and utilized in a sample whose size is as small as the individual domain size. Uniquely, micro-structured VO2 thin films on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) exhibit step resistance changes owing to the confined metallic domains. In this study, we demonstrated step electrical switching in the two-terminal VO2 sample produced on hBN. Operando structural and electric investigation revealed that the emergence of metallic domains in the micrometer space contributes to the step electric current increase. Our results indicate the use of individual metallic domains in VO2 thin films on hBN in the application of novel devices.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate managerial discretion over managers’initial management forecasts issued concurrently with earnings announcements. The unique reporting system for management forecasts in Japan, systematic bundled management forecasts, creates an earnings benchmark (i.e., forecast innovations) to which earnings management research has not paid much attention. This study investigates whether and why firm managers manage their initial forecasts to avoid negative forecast innovations. First, we find that managers engage in forecast management through discretionary forecasts to avoid negative forecast innovations. Second, we reveal that 1) firms that avoid negative forecast innovations enjoy a higher return even when they use discretionary forecasts to do so and that 2) the relation between forecast innovations and return is S-shaped. These results suggest that the market rewards firms that achieve a forecast innovation benchmark, providing a sound rationale for managers’ use of forecast management. Finally, our additional analyses suggest that managers are not likely to conduct forecast management to convey their private information on future performance to investors, suggesting opportunistic managerial behaviors concerning their earnings forecasts.

There are cases in which patients complain of nasal obstruction after Le Fort I osteotomy, but the relationship with postoperative morphological changes in the nasal cavity, including the septum and inferior turbinate, is not clear.The authors evaluated the three-dimensional relationship of the morphological changes in the inferior turbinate before and after surgery in 84 patients who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy. Three classifications were made according to superior amount of maxillary movement at the base of nasal cavity.The high elevation group (4.0 mm or more) had 31 sides, the moderate elevation group had 93 sides, and the low elevation group (less than 2.0 mm) had 44 sides. The volume of inferior turbinate was 76.9 ± 12.8% of that before surgery in the high elevation group. The high- and moderate-elevation groups had significantly higher changes than the low elevation group, and the rate of contact between inferior turbinate and nasal cavity floor was 67.7%.After Le Fort I osteotomy, the volume of inferior turbinate tissue decreased in proportion to the amount of elevation of the maxilla. Although the soft tissue volume may be reduced due to adaptation of respiratory function, the inferior nasal passage was not completely ventilated in the high elevation group. If the elevation exceeds 4.0 mm counterclockwise with maxillary movement, it is necessary to consider the concomitant inferior turbinate resection because it may lead to nasal obstruction.

We aimed to investigate the cell density and morphology of the corneal endothelium in ophthalmologically healthy young Japanese, given the lack of normative data in literature. This observational study included eyes without ophthalmologic diseases, besides refractive errors, examined between 1996 and 2015 at Miyata Eye Hospital. Eyes with a history of ophthalmologic diseases or contact lens usage were excluded. Correlation of corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation (CV), appearance rate of hexagonal cells (6A), and cell area with age were examined. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of corneal parameters. We included 16842 eyes of 8421 individuals (19.6 ± 8.7 years). ECD was 3109.0 ± 303.7 cells/mm2 and significantly reduced with age (p

Using a single-device two-dimensional (2D) rhenium disulfide (ReS

In this study, sunset glow fundus was evaluated in patients with Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT). We evaluated 40 VKH eyes (20 patients) and 59 healthy eyes (59 age-matched controls). VKH eyes were divided into three groups according to color fundus images: sunset (17 eyes), potential sunset (13 eyes), and non-sunset (10 eyes). Choroidal melanin thickness (ChMeT) and the choroidal melanin thickness ratio (ChMeTratio) were calculated based on the degree of polarization uniformity from PS-OCT. ChMeT was significantly lower in sunset eyes than in non-sunset or control eyes (P = 0.003). The ChMeTratios of sunset or potential sunset eyes were significantly lower than those of non-sunset or control eyes (P = 0.04). Regional evaluation of ChMeT and the ChMeTratio showed that choroidal depigmentation predominantly occurred in the macula’s outer ring area (P = 0.002). The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves discriminating combined sunset (sunset and potential sunset) from non-sunset eyes were 0.983 and 0.997 for ChMeT and the ChMeTratio, respectively. Time course evaluation of 12 eyes from disease onset showed that ChMeT and the ChMeTratio significantly decreased over time. PS-OCT may be useful for objectively evaluating choroidal depigmentation in patients with VKH disease.

Purpose To investigate the clinical courses of patients with corneal endothelial dysfunction due to Gomphocarpus physocarpus milky latex-induced injury. Patients and methods In this retrospective case series, we included consecutive patients who visited Miyata Eye Hospital or Kagoshima Miyata Eye Clinic between October 2010 and August 2017 and had corneal edema caused by G. physocarpus milky latex-induced injury. Patient information and data on central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and treatment were retrospectively reviewed. Results Five eyes of four patients were included. The mean age was 79.0 ± 7.1 years. All patients complaining of symptoms visited the hospital 1 or 2 days after the injury. All patients had corneal edema; two of the five eyes showed hyperemia, whereas none showed corneal epithelial defect or blepharitis. The mean CCT was 699.8 ± 95.9 μm at the first visit and decreased to 563.2 ± 74.0 μm 1 week after the injury with treatment with topical steroids and antibiotics. The mean ECD and BCVA were 2695.8 ± 191.3 cells/mm2 and 0.22 ± 0.19 at the first visit and 2826.0 ± 132.9 cells/mm2 and 0.10 ± 0.09 one week after the injury, respectively. Conclusion G. physocarpus caused transient dysfunction of the corneal endothelium and thereby, corneal edema. Accurate diagnosis with history taking is important to ascertain the types of plants the patient has touched and to exclude other possible diagnoses.

In this paper, we study the device performance of the graphene nanoribbon tunnel field effect transistors in the sub 0.5V bias voltage range by non-equilibrium Green's function calculation. The ON/OFF ratio is found to increases with decreasing bias voltage, as the improved current suppression in the OFF state at low bias is more effective than the reduction of carriers in the ON state. Abrupt increase of the subthreshold slope (SS) from sub-thermal ∼30 mV/dec to 60 mV/dec below VBias of 0.1 V is observed. SS relates to the occupancy of carriers at the threshold energy of band-to-band tunneling. We furthermore discuss the constant potential barrier scaling of the graphene channel width and length.

To examine the effects of topical steroid instillation on central corneal thickness in eyes with bullous keratopathy (BK).Retrospective case series METHODS: Consecutive patients with BK who did not wish to receive corneal transplantation and were treated with 0.1% betamethasone eyedrops were included. Patients with BK treated with 5% sodium chloride (hypertonic saline) eyedrops served as controls. Central corneal thickness (CCT), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), BK etiology, and clinical courses from medical records were retrospectively reviewed. We compared the two groups for differences in CCT, BCVA and IOP before treatment and 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment.Eighteen eyes of 18 patients who were treated with betamethasone and 18 eyes of 18 patients who were treated with hypertonic saline were included. There was no significant difference in CCT between the two groups before treatment. The reduction of CCT in the betamethasone group was significantly larger than in the hypertonic saline group at 2 weeks (p = 0.002), 1 month (p = 0.02), and 3 months (p = 0.001) after treatment. Complications such as infectious keratitis and IOP rise did not occur during the observation period.Topical steroid instillation reduced central corneal thickness in eyes with BK.

This article reviews charge carrier transport phenomena in single-layer graphene, in which crystalline defects are generated by helium-ion-beam irradiation using a helium-ion microscope. Crystalline defects work as electron scatterers, and the conductivity drastically decays as ion dose increases. Moreover, real-time conductivity monitoring during ion beam scans over the graphene surface is demonstrated. In cryogenic measurements under magnetic fields, defective graphene exhibits negative magnetoresistance, suggesting that strong localization occurred in this two-dimensional electron system, which survived even at room temperature. The localized state contributes to inducing a transport gap around the Dirac point, where the density of states is at its minimum, and it enables field-effect control of the carrier transport by tuning the carrier density. The fabrication and operation of field-effect transistors with defective graphene channels are demonstrated.

This study aimed to present a case of transient corneal damage after exposure to the effluent squirting from a sea anemone, Anthopleura uchidai, and to experimentally confirm the presence of toxic substances from an A. uchidai in the tissue culture.We reviewed the clinical course of a 51-year-old man who complained of decreased vision in his left eye after the stinging of a sea anemone, A. uchidai. The toxicity of the effluents from an A. uchidai in immortalized human corneal endothelial cells (HCEnC-21T) and human corneal epithelial cells in vitro were evaluated.Corneal edema was observed, and his best-corrected visual acuity was 0.2. Corneal endothelial cell density decreased to 1435 cells/mm2. Although his corneal edema and visual acuity recovered after topical instillation with a topical steroid and 5% NaCl, corneal endothelial cell density did not recover for 3 years after the injury. The in vitro study revealed fractioned effluence from the sea anemone, by size-exclusion chromatography, containing a substance toxic to HCEnC-21T with cytoplasmic swelling and nuclear dislocation.It is necessary to be cautious of effluents from sea anemones along the coast, and ophthalmologists should be aware that sea anemones can cause corneal endothelial dysfunction.

To determine the relationship between fluoroquinolone susceptibility of gram-positive cocci (GPC) isolated from patients with bacterial keratitis and the age of the patients or the date of onset.Bacterial isolates were obtained from corneal lesions of patients with infectious keratitis treated between January 2008 and December 2016. The fluoroquinolone susceptibility of GPC was assessed, and a retrospective review of microbiological records was performed. Fluoroquinolone susceptibility was measured through broth microdilution in accordance with protocols of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Statistical analysis was performed using a generalized estimating equation and cubic spline to determine the association between fluoroquinolone susceptibility of GPC isolated from corneal lesions and patient age.Of the 1200 bacterial isolates, 471 GPC were identified. They included Staphylococcus epidermidis (45.6%), other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp. (17.8%), and Staphylococcus aureus (18.3%). Levofloxacin susceptibility of GPC exhibited a negative relationship with age and had an odds ratio of 0.893 (95% confidence interval, 0.825-0.967) for every 10 years of age. A non-adjusted cubic spline curve was well correlated with year-adjusted data in a generalized additive model, and the levofloxacin susceptibility of GPC was initially stable but gradually declined after 40 years of age, before re-stabilizing again after 70 years of age.The fluoroquinolone susceptibility of GPC isolated from corneal lesions of infectious keratitis is high in children under 15 years of age and declines with an increase in age of patients using a generalized estimating equation and cubic spline.

Graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) moir\'e superlattices have attracted interest for use in the study of many-body effects and fractal physics in Dirac fermion systems. Many exotic transport properties have been intensively examined in such superlattices, but previous studies have not focused on single-carrier transport. The investigation of the single-carrier behavior in these superlattices would lead to an understanding of the transition of single-particle/correlated phenomena. Here, we show the single-carrier transport in a high-quality bilayer graphene/hBN superlattice-based quantum dot device. We demonstrate remarkable device controllability in the energy range near the charge neutrality point (CNP) and the hole-side satellite point. Under a perpendicular magnetic field, Coulomb oscillations disappear near the CNP, which could be a signature of the crossover between Coulomb blockade and quantum Hall regimes. Our results pave the way for exploring the relationship of single-electron transport and fractal quantum Hall effects with correlated phenomena in two-dimensional quantum materials.

We used multi-contrast OCT (MC-OCT), which is capable of the simultaneous measurement of OCT angiography, degree of polarization uniformity and intensity OCT, to evaluate retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) changes. MC-OCT system was operated at an axial scan speed of 100,000 A-scans/s, using a swept-source laser at a central wavelength of 1,048 nm. From the dataset of MC-OCT, a pixel-wise segmentation method for RPE-melanin was developed and used to create RPE-melanin-specific contrast images to evaluate RPE-melanin changes. The RPE-melanin cross-sectional images were generated to evaluate the depth-resolved distribution of RPE-melanin. RPE-melanin thickness maps were created by counting the number of pixels with RPE-melanin at each A-line in the 3D dataset. An RPE-melanin thickness map represents the en face distribution of the thickness of RPE-melanin. We evaluated 37 eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with serous retinal pigment epithelium detachment, and 24 eyes with chronic Vogt-Koyanagi- Harada (VKH) disease. In these cases, RPE-melanin thickness maps showed similarities to the near infrared autofluorescence (NIR-AF; excitation 780 nm) images. In the eyes with AMD, focal RPE damages could be readily detected with RPE-melanin thickness map. RPE-melanin cross-sectional images were more sensitive for the damage at RPE-Bruch’s membrane band than intensity OCT images. In the eyes with VKH disease, RPE-melanin-specific contrast images clearly showed focal RPE-melanin accumulation at granular hyper NIR-AF lesions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the clinical usefulness of RPE-melanin specific contrast OCT imaging for evaluating RPE changes in retinal diseases.

Bubbles at the interface of two-dimensional layered materials in van der Waals heterostructures cause deterioration in the quality of materials, thereby limiting the size and design of devices. In this paper, we report a simple all-dry transfer technique, with which the bubble formation can be avoided. As a key factor in the technique, a contact angle between a picked-up flake on a viscoelastic polymer stamp and another flake on a substrate was introduced by protrusion at the stamp surface. Using this technique, we demonstrated the fabrication of high-quality devices on the basis of graphene/hexagonal boron nitride heterostructures with a large bubble-free region. Additionally, the technique can be used to remove unnecessary flakes on a substrate under an optical microscopic scale. Most importantly, it improves the yield and throughput for the fabrication process of high-quality van der Waals heterostructure-based devices.

Clinical evaluation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) change is important for the therapeutic management of chronic Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. We evaluated long-term change in the RPE layer in VKH disease, using near-infrared (NIR; 817 nm) images and autofluorescence images at 488 nm (short-wavelength [SW]-AF) and 785 nm (NIR-AF), and compared those images with images from multicontrast optical coherence tomography (MC-OCT). MC-OCT is capable of simultaneous measurement of OCT angiography, polarization-sensitive OCT, and standard OCT.We evaluated 24 eyes of 12 patients with chronic VKH disease. RPE changes were assessed using NIR, NIR-AF, SW-AF, and MC-OCT imaging performed from 6 to 48 months after disease onset. RPE-melanin-specific contrast OCT images were calculated using the dataset from MC-OCT.Granular hyper NIR-AF lesions were observed in 8 of 24 eyes (33%). Eyes with granular hyper NIR-AF lesions showed a sunset glow fundus appearance significantly more frequently than did eyes without such lesions (P0.0001). MC-OCT imaging confirmed that there was melanin accumulation at the RPE-Bruch's membrane band at the location of granular hyper NIR-AF lesions. Granular hyper NIR-AF lesions were unclear in SW-AF and color fundus images, but clearly detectable in NIR images. Areas of hyper NIR-AF lesions gradually decreased over time.Melanin accumulation in the RPE layer at the location of granular hyper NIR-AF lesions was confirmed with MC-OCT imaging. Long-term follow-up showed the reversible nature of this accumulation. MC-OCT is useful for the evaluation of change at the RPE layer in chronic VKH disease.

Purpose We previously reported the presence of multidrug-resistant staphylococci on the ocular surface of glaucoma patients using prostaglandin analog drops for more than 1 year. Here, we investigated the effect of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on these multidrug-resistant staphylococci. Methods Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from the conjunctival sacs of 32 eyes of 32 patients comprised of 13 eyes treated with 0.005% latanoprost (Xalatan; Xa group) and 19 eyes treated with 0.004% travoprost (Travatan Z; Tz group). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of prostaglandin analogs and BAC were measured. The presence of efflux pump genes was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Results No difference was found in the MIC values of prostaglandin analogs. In contrast, the MIC values of BAC were significantly higher for the isolates from the Xa group than for those from the Tz group (2.02 vs. 1.02 µg/mL; P = 0.001). One proton-motive efflux gene, qacC/smr, was detected more frequently in the Xa isolates than in the Tz isolates (P < 0.001). The prevalence of methicillin resistance was correlated with the presence of qacC/smr (P = 0.010), and the MIC of BAC was significantly correlated with the detection of qacA/B and qacC/smr sequences (P = 0.03 and P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions The long-term use of eye drops containing BAC might select BAC-resistant S. epidermidis harboring qacC/smr. Translational Relevance These findings suggest that the long-term use of eye drops containing BAC might be inappropriate in terms of avoiding antimicrobial resistance.

Germanene, a two-dimensional honeycomb germanium crystal, is grown at graphene/Ag(111) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/Ag(111) interfaces by segregating germanium atoms. A simple annealing process in N2 or H2/Ar at ambient pressure leads to the formation of germanene, indicating that an ultrahigh-vacuum condition is not necessary. The grown germanene is stable in air and uniform over the entire area covered with a van der Waals (vdW) material. As an important finding, it is necessary to use a vdW material as a cap layer for the present germanene growth method since the use of an Al2O3 cap layer resulted in no germanene formation. The present study also proved that Raman spectroscopy in air is a powerful tool for characterizing germanene at the interfaces, which is concluded by multiple analyses including first-principles density functional theory calculations. The direct growth of h-BN-capped germanene on Ag(111), which is demonstrated in the present study, is considered to be a promising technique for the fabrication of future germanene-based electronic devices., Comment: 34 Pages, 11 Figures

This study examined the treatment, clinical course, and prognosis of two patients who visited our institution with severe ocular fishhook-related injuries with complications. The first patient was a 57-year-old man injured in the right eye by a fishhook lacerating the right upper eyelid. Although no aqueous humor leakage was observed, intraocular hemorrhage was severe, and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was “counting fingers” at 15 cm. The eyelid was sutured and vitreous surgery with cataract surgery was performed for traumatic cataract, vitreous hemorrhage, and retinal detachment. The patient experienced recurring iritis and the BCVA recovered to 20/100 eight months postoperatively. The second patient was a 62-year-old man who incurred a penetrating right-eye fishhook injury on a ship with BCVA of “hand motion.” The sclera and iris were ruptured with severe hemorrhage and a shallow anterior chamber without leakage of aqueous humor. A damaged lens and vitreous hemorrhage were observed with intraocular pressure of 38 mmHg. The ruptured sclera was sutured and vitreous surgery with lensectomy was performed. After 16 months, the BCVA improved to 20/40; however, glaucoma control was maintained by topical medication. Therefore, ocular fishhook-related injury could result in irreversible visual impairment. It is important to pay attention and protect the eyes from moving fishhooks during fishing. Plain language summary: There are few reports on fishhook injury of the eye with resulting complications such as retinal detachment. We present the characteristics of the injury, treatment, clinical course, and prognosis of two patients with severe fishhook-related injuries of the eye with complications. Following treatment, most complications, including vitreous hemorrhage, detached lens, and retinal detachment, safely resolved in these cases; however, both patients required further treatment for recurring inflammation of the iris or glaucoma. The visual acuity of both patients improved over several months. Fishhook-related injuries of the eyes might result in irreversible visual impairment. It is important to pay attention and protect the eyes from moving fishhooks during fishing.

Background: The anti- Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) antibody test measures levels of IgA antibody against the glycopeptidolipid (GPL) core in the bacterial cell walls and is a useful clinical indicator of nontuberculous mycobacterium pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). However, it is not currently possible to diagnose the disease using anti-MAC antibodies alone. Objectives: The study aim was to assess the efficacy of the combination of anti-MAC antibodies and clinical findings for diagnosing potential NTM-PD. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 938 patients tested using the anti-MAC antibody. NTM-PD was diagnosed by multiple positive cultures of the same species in sputum samples. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the clinical factors related to NTM-PD. Results: Overall, 19.6% (184/938) of participants were diagnosed with NTM-PD. In multivariate analysis, positive anti-MAC antibodies, low body mass index, absence of malignancy, and cavity-forming lung lesions were significantly associated with NTM-PD at diagnosis. The positive rates of the anti-MAC antibody test were 79.4% (135/170) for MAC and 55.6% (5/9) for Mycobacterium abscessus complex, respectively. Conclusions: Bronchoscopic examinations should be performed especially in certain types of individuals from whom sputum samples cannot be obtained. Anti-MAC antibodies are also positive in patients other than those harboring MAC, but the rate may be low because of the different components in GPLs.

To test the implication of Watts’ (2003) argument that accounting conservatism increases the efficiency of executive compensation contracts, we investigate the relation between accounting conservatism and earnings‐based executive compensation contracts in Japanese firms. We focus on Japanese executive compensation practices because the demand for accounting conservatism is likely to be greater for Japanese than for US firms given the predominance of earnings‐based executive compensation contracts and relatively weak corporate governance of compensation contracts in Japan. We also investigate how the quality of the ex‐ante information environment affects the relation between accounting conservatism and earnings‐based executive compensation contracts. Consistent with our expectations, we find a positive relation between accounting conservatism and the compensation earnings coefficient. We also show that this positive relation is greater for firms with poor ex‐ante information environment. These results suggest that the demand for accounting conservatism is greater for firms that use more earnings‐based executive compensation contracts and have more serious ex‐post settling‐up problems.

Electrochemical properties of TiNb 2 O 7 (TNO) electrodes during lithium storage have been studied in order to develop an alternative anode with high-capacity, fast-charging, and long-life to Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) in lithium-ion batteries. High-density TNO (HD-TNO) composite electrode consisting of micro-size spherical TNO secondary particles coated with carbon exhibited high-rate capability, long cycle-life, and a high volumetric capacity of more than twice that of LTO composite anodes. Large-size lithium-ion batteries using the HD-TNO anode and a LiNi 0.6 Co 0.2 Mn 0.2 O 2 (NCM) cathode with a capacity of 49 A h were fabricated for automotive applications, and were found to have a high energy density of 350 W h L −1 , a high input-power density of 10 kW L −1 for 10 s at 50% state of charge (SOC), and fast-charging from 0% to 90% SOC in less than 6 min. The capacity retention at 7000 cycles was 86% by full charge-discharge cycling at 1C rate. Cycle life was predicted to be 14000 cycles at 80% capacity retention. It was demonstrated that the TNO/NCM batteries have high energy-density, fast-charging, and long cycle-life for automotive applications such as electric vehicles with long driving ranges by fast-charging.

Graphene nanomesh (GNM) is formed by patterning graphene with nanometer-scale pores separated by narrow necks. GNMs are of interest due to their potential semiconducting characteristics when quantum confinement in the necks leads to an energy gap opening. GNMs also have potential for use in phonon control and water filtration. Furthermore, physical phenomena, such as spin qubit, are predicted at pitches below 10 nm fabricated with precise structural control. Current GNM patterning techniques suffer from either large dimensions or a lack of structural control. This work establishes reliable GNM patterning with a sub-10 nm pitch and an4 nm pore diameter by the direct helium ion beam milling of suspended monolayer graphene. Due to the simplicity of the method, no postpatterning processing is required. Electrical transport measurements reveal an effective energy gap opening of up to ∼450 meV. The reported technique combines the highest resolution with structural control and opens a path toward GNM-based, room-temperature semiconducting applications.