Background. The authors have used percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) as a new percutaneous local treatment for single unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) measuring 2 cm or less in greatest dimension (small HCC). PMCT was used to attempt a cure of the disease. In this study, the efficacy of this treatment was assessed. Methods. PMCT was performed on 18 patients with single small HCC. A microwave electrode (custom‐made, 30‐cm long by 1.6‐mm thick) was inserted percutaneously into the tumor area under ultrasonic guidance. Microwaves at 60 W for 120 seconds were used to irradiate the tumor and surrounding area. Results. After PMCT was administered, various image findings were correlated with tissue necrosis. At the tumor and surrounding area, ultrasonography showed echogenic change, contrast enhancement disappeared on contrast enhanced computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (T2‐weighted image) showed decreased intensity in all cases after treatment. Complete necrosis of the tumor area in a specimen obtained from one patient who underwent hepatectomy after PMCT also was confirmed. The treatment reduced levels of the tumor marker, alpha‐fetoprotein, which had been high in some patients. Although the follow‐up period was short (11‐33 months), 17 patients remain alive. Local recurrence in the treated area has not been detected, and no serious side effects or complications have been encountered. Conclusions. PMCT may be an effective and safe treatment for small HCCs.

Registered at the UMIN (University Hospital Medical Information Network) Clinical Trials Registry with study number UMIN000008343.

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00225849.

We have studied water contained in the perfluorinated sulfonic acid (denoted as RSO 3 H) membrane by FT-IR spectroscopy. The IR spectra of the membrane, which absorbed water quickly even from the air, changed so drastically during dehydration that they showed clearly two isosbestic points in the 4000-1500 cm -1 region. Analysis of the IR spectral changes made it clear that water molecules exist mostly as H 3 O + in equilibrium with RSO 3and RSO 3 H in the membrane. The IR change accompanying dehydration was found to result from the reaction as RSO 3 -+ H 3 O + f RSO 3 H + H 2 O(evaporating out). The IR spectrum of H 3 O + was clearly separated, which shows a broad OH stretching absorption with two unseparated peaks around 3370 and 3120 cm -1 and an OH deformation absorption at about 1720 cm -1 . The spectrum is distinctively different from that of water separated, coexisting with H 3 O + , RSO 3 -, and RSO 3 H in the membrane, which shows OH stretching and deformation absorptions at about 3480 and 1628 cm -1 , respectively.

We have observed the Fano-Kondo antiresonance in a quantum wire with a side-coupled quantum dot. In a weak coupling regime, dips due to the Fano effect appeared. As the coupling strength increased, conductance in the regions between the dips decreased alternately. From the temperature dependence and the response to the magnetic field, we conclude that the conductance reduction is due to the Fano-Kondo antiresonance. At a Kondo valley with the Fano parameter q approximately 0, the phase shift is locked to pi/2 against the gate voltage when the system is close to the unitary limit in agreement with theoretical predictions by Gerland et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 3710 (2000)].