The crystalline silicon heterojunction structure adopted in photovoltaic modules commercialized as Panasonic's HIT has significantly reduced recombination loss, resulting in greater conversion efficiency. The structure of an interdigitated back contact was adopted with our crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells to reduce optical loss from a front grid electrode, a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer, and a-Si:H layers as an approach for exceeding the conversion efficiency of 25%. As a result of the improved short-circuit current (J sc ), we achieved the world's highest efficiency of 25.6% for crystalline silicon-based solar cells under 1-sun illumination (designated area: 143.7 cm 2 ).

[1] Knowledge of the mechanical properties of gas-hydrate-bearing sediments is essential for simulating the geomechanical response to gas extraction from a gas-hydrate reservoir. In this study, drained triaxial compression tests were conducted on artificial methane-hydrate-bearing sediment samples under hydrate-stable temperature-pressure conditions. Toyoura sand (average particle size: D 50 = 0.230 mm), number 7 silica sand (D 50 = 0.205 mm), and number 8 silica sand (D 50 = 0.130 mm) were used as the skeleton of each specimen. Axial loading was conducted at an axial strain rate of 0.1% min −1 at a constant temperature of 278 K. The cell and pore pressures were kept constant during axial loading. We found that the strength and stiffness of the hydrate-sand specimens increased with methane hydrate saturation and with the effective confining pressure, and the secant Poisson's ratio decreased with the effective confining pressure. The stiffness depends on the type of sand forming the skeleton of the specimens, although the strength has little dependence on the type of sand. According to an earlier work, hydrate-sand specimens are thought to contract in the early stage of axial loading before starting to expand owing to the dilatancy effect, as is the case for many other geological materials. The test results in this study are discussed in relation to the deformation mechanism proposed in an earlier work.

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The mediastinal infection, the extent of which has been accurately determined by computed tomograms, necessitates radical cervicotomy followed by pleuromediastinal drainage. Situations where infection has spread to posterior medisatinum, particularly when it reaches in the level of the carina (descending necrotizing mediastinitis-type I), may not always require aggressive mediastinal drainage. In comparison, diffuse descending necrotizing mediastinitis-Type IIB demands complete mediastinal drainage with debridement via thoracotomy. Subxiphoidal mediastinal drainage without sternotomy may provide adequate drainage in diffuse descending necrotizing mediastinitis-Type IIA.

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Cigarette smoking has diverse effects on the structure and function of the lung. Smoking appears to reduce the levels of Clara cell 10 kDa protein (CC10) in the alveolar lining fluid, but the influence of smoking serum on CC10 levels is still debated, and it has not been clear whether smoking reduces the number of CC10-producing lung cells. The aims of this study were to clarify the influence of smoking on CC10 levels in the alveolar lining fluid and bloodstream, and on the number of CC10-producing lung cells.CC10 concentrations were measured in sera and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids, by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using monoclonal and polyclonal antibody, and the immunohistochemical expression of CC10 was examined in the lungs of nonsmokers and smokers using the monoclonal antibody, TY-5, against CC10/human urinary protein-1. CC10 concentrations in sera and in BAL fluids from healthy smokers were significantly lower than in healthy nonsmokers. Immunohistochemical expression of CC10 was found exclusively in nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial cells. As compared to that of nonsmokers, the mean percentage of CC10-positive bronchiolar epithelial cells was significantly decreased in lung tissue specimens obtained from smokers who had normal results in pulmonary function tests.It was concluded that smoking reduces the proportion of Clara cell 10 kDa protein-producing bronchiolar epithelial cells, resulting in decreased levels of Clara cell 10 kDa protein in the lower respiratory tract and in the bloodstream. The protein is a new blood biochemical and immunohistochemical marker, reflecting structural changes in peripheral airways induced by cigarette smoking.