Anomalous Temperature Behavior of the Chiral Spin Helix in CrNb_{3}S_{6} Thin Lamellae

Using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy and small-angle electron scattering techniques, we investigate the temperature-dependent evolution of a magnetic stripe pattern period in thin-film lamellae of the prototype monoaxial chiral helimagnet CrNb_{3}S_{6}. The sinusoidal stripe pattern appears due to formation of a chiral helimagnetic order (CHM) in this material. We found that as the temperature increases, the CHM period is initially independent of temperature and then starts to shrink above the temperature of about 90 K, which is far below the magnetic phase transition temperature for the bulk material T_{c} (123 K). The stripe order disappears at around 140 K, far above T_{c}. We argue that this cascade of transitions reflects a three-stage hierarchical behavior of melting in two dimensions.

Relationship between the administration of nicardipine hydrochloride and the development of delirium in patients on mechanical ventilation

A history of hypertension is a known risk factor for delirium in patients in intensive care units, but the effect of antihypertensive agents on delirium development is unclear. Nicardipine, a calcium channel blocker, is widely used in ICU as a treatment agent for hypertensive emergency. This study investigated the relationship between the administration of nicardipine hydrochloride and delirium development in patients under mechanical ventilation. We conducted a medical chart review of 103 patients, who were divided into two groups according to the use of nicardipine hydrochloride. The prevalence of delirium was compared with respect to factors such as age, sex, laboratory data, and medical history, by multivariate analysis. 21 patients (20.4 %) were treated with nicardipine hydrochloride in 103 patients. The treatment and non-treatment groups differed significantly in age (72 vs. 65 years) and history of high blood pressure (57% vs. 11%). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients in the treatment group developed delirium significantly less often than those in the non-treatment group (19% vs. 48%). These results suggested that treatment of high blood pressure with nicardipine hydrochloride is a possible method for preventing the development of delirium.

Element Selectivity in Second-Harmonic Generation of GaFeO_{3} by a Soft-X-Ray Free-Electron Laser

Nonlinear optical frequency conversion has been challenged to move down to the extreme ultraviolet and x-ray region. However, the extremely low signals have allowed researchers to only perform transmission experiments of the gas phase or ultrathin films. Here, we report second harmonic generation (SHG) of the reflected beam of a soft x-ray free-electron laser from a solid, which is enhanced by the resonant effect. The observation revealed that the double resonance condition can be met by absorption edges for transition metal oxides in the soft x-ray range, and this suggests that the resonant SHG technique can be applicable to a wide range of materials. We discuss the possibility of element-selective SHG spectroscopy measurements in the soft x-ray range.

Microscopic Investigation into the Electric Field Effect on Proximity-Induced Magnetism in Pt

Electric field effects on magnetism in metals have attracted widespread attention, but the microscopic mechanism is still controversial. We experimentally show the relevancy between the electric field effect on magnetism and on the electronic structure in Pt in a ferromagnetic state using element-specific measurements: x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Electric fields are applied to the surface of ultrathin metallic Pt, in which a magnetic moment is induced by the ferromagnetic proximity effect resulting from a Co underlayer. XMCD and XAS measurements performed under the application of electric fields reveal that both the spin and orbital magnetic moments of Pt atoms are electrically modulated, which can be explained not only by the electric-field-induced shift of the Fermi level but also by the change in the orbital hybridizations.

[A Case Report - A Case of a Rapidly Growing Anal Canal Origin Malignant Melanoma]

An 85-year-old woman presented to her local physician in early August 2015 with a new-onset "swelling" of the anal region and was referred to our department for evaluation and treatment at the beginning of September. At our initial evaluation, the rectal examination showed a black mass lesion, approximately 3.0×1.5 cm in size, in the anal canal by November, the mass had grown to approximately 7.0×3.5 cm in size. The lesion was diagnosed as malignant melanoma by colonoscopic biopsy. Abdominal cystography computed tomography showed an area of lymphadenopathy around the rectum, but no distant metastasis was detected. The patient underwent abdominoperineal resection of the rectum in December. Her postoperative course was good, and she was discharged on the 30th postoperative day. Arecurrent lesion was detected at a recent follow-up examination(approximately 5 months post-discharge), and the patient has been scheduled for immunotherapy. Malignant melanoma of the anal canal has a poor prognosis, and no standard therapy has been established. This report includes a brief review of current literature about the disease.

[A Case of Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma Merged with Colorectal Cancer That We Were Able to Resect after a Chemotherapy Response]

The patient was 77-year-old man. He visited our hospital with the chief complaint of an abdominal mass in March 2015. We diagnosed the patient with transverse colon cancer and he was suspected of having malignant lymphoma. In March 2016, we attempted to perform right hemicolectomy for the transverse colon cancer, but it was difficult because swollen lymph nodes had formed a large mass with the surrounding tissue, including vessels of the mesentery. We could only complete the surgery after mesenteric lymph node biopsy. On the basis of the results of this biopsy, we diagnosed angioimmunoblastic Tcell lymphoma. At first, we administered THP-COP therapy for malignant lymphoma. However, after 3 courses of this therapy, the patient suddenly developed ileus due to the aforementioned colon cancer. According to enhanced CT performed at the onset of intestinal obstruction, chemotherapy dramatically reduced the size of the intraperitoneal lymph nodes. We therefore concluded that it was able to treat the colon cancer. We performed right hemicolectomy in June 2015. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma comprises only 2-3% of all malignant lymphoma cases. We experienced a rare case of complications from angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and colorectal cancer.

[Successful Treatment of Local Recurrence of Advanced Gastric Cancer Using Curative Gastrectomy via Distal Pancreatectomy after Chemoradiotherapy]

The patient was a 65-year-old woman. She was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer with liver invasion. After receiving systemic chemotherapy(S-1 plus PTX)for 3 months, she underwent total gastrectomy and partial hepatectomy in May 2008. Because she developed celiac artery circumference lymph node recurrence in November 2010 during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of S-1 plus PTX, we changed her chemotherapy regimen to CPT-11 plus CDDP. We observed an increase in the size of the lymph nodes in August 2013 and the response was poor even after switching to DOC. However, the lymph nodes continued to increase in size and we administered radiotherapy of 60.4 Gy/33 Fr that resulted in shrinkage of the nodes. We observed an increase in lymph node size and pancreas invasion in September 2015, including an expansion of the mid pancreatic duct. We performed distal pancreatectomy without identifying the recurrence observed in November 2015 assuming it was an exacerbation. Six months after the surgery, the recurrence was not apparent. We report an example of long-term survival that was achieved for Stage IV gastric cancer. The patient underwent combined modality therapy for 8 years, and local recurrence was controlled via a primary operation.

[Two Cases of Small Intestinal Metastasis of Lung Cancer]

Case 1: A 66-year-old man who had undergone upper right lobe resection for large cell lung carcinoma 2 months earlier presented with abdominal pain and vomiting. Computed tomography showed intussusception of the small intestine. Partial resection of the small intestine was performed. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as lung cancer metastasis to the small intestine. The patient died 30 days after surgery. Case 2: A 57-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to appetite loss. Computed tomography showed a large intestinal tumor and a small lung tumor, as well as multiple liver metastases and lymph node metastases. We diagnosed perforation of the small intestine tumor, and partial resection of small intestine was performed. Pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor was a metastatic adenocarcinoma, and the patient was diagnosed with small intestine metastasis of lung cancer. He died 75 days after surgery. Although small intestine metastasis of lung cancer is rare, the incidence is increasing. The prognosis of lung cancer metastasis of the small intestine is poor, and therefore, we must urgently decide the appropriate treatment.