The electronic and excitonic structures of an inorganic–organic perovskite-type quantum-well crystal (C4H9NH3)2PbBr4 have been investigated by optical absorption, photoluminescence, electroabsorption, two-photon absorption, and magnetoabsorption spectroscopies. Excitons in (C4H9NH3)2PbBr4 are of the Wannier-type, and ns (n≥2) excitons form an ideal two-dimensional Wannier exciton system. The binding energy, longitudinal–transverse splitting energy, and exchange energy of 1s excitons have been determined to be 480, 70 and 31 meV, respectively. These high values originate from both a strong two-dimensional confinement and the image charge effect. These values are larger than those in (C6H13NH3)2PbI4, owing to the smaller dielectric constant of the well layer in (C4H9NH3)2PbBr4 than that in (C6H13NH3)2PbI4. The seemingly unusual electric-field dependence of excitons resonance is also reasonably understood by taking the image charge effect into account.

Aims: To investigate collagen remodelling in the interstitium of the heart in patients with diabetes. Methods: Immunohistochemical study of the biopsied myocardium using type specific anticollagen antibodies (I, III, IV, V, VI) was performed in 12 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and six non-diabetic patients. There was no history of hypertension or coronary artery stenosis in any of the patients. Results: Noticeable accumulations of collagen types I, III, andVI in the myocardial interstitium were recognised in both groups, but little accumulation of types IV or V was found. Types I and III mainly stained in the perimysium and perivascular region, while type VI predominantly stained in the endomysium. There was no disease specific accumulation of collagen in diabetes mellitus. The percentage of total interstitial fibrosis in the myocardium was significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Although the percentages of coliagen types I and VI did not differ between the two groups, the percentage type of III was significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the controls (p < 0-01). Conclusions: Collagen remodelling mainly as a result of an increase in collagen type III in the perimysium and perivascular region, occurs in the hearts of patients with diabetes.

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Local hydration structures at the solid–liquid interface around boundary edges on heterostructures are key to an atomic-level understanding of various physical, chemical and biological processes. Recently, we succeeded in visualising atomic-scale three-dimensional hydration structures by using ultra-low noise frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy. However, the time-consuming three-dimensional-map measurements on uneven heterogeneous surfaces have not been achieved due to experimental difficulties, to the best of our knowledge. Here, we report the local hydration structures formed on a heterogeneously charged phyllosilicate surface using a recently established fast and nondestructive acquisition protocol. We discover intermediate regions formed at step edges of the charged surface. By combining with molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal that the distinct structural hydrations are hard to observe in these regions, unlike the charged surface regions, possibly due to the depletion of ions at the edges. Our methodology and findings could be crucial for the exploration of further functionalities.