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Major increases of hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit, possibly secondary to splenic contraction, have been noted during diving in the Weddell seal. We sought to learn whether this component of the diving response could be present in professional human breath-hold divers. Splenic size was measured ultrasonically before and after repetitive breath-hold dives to approximately 6-m depth in ten Korean ama (diving women) and in three Japanese male divers who did not routinely practice breath-hold diving. Venous hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were measured in nine of the ama and all Japanese divers. In the ama, splenic length and width were reduced after diving (P = 0.0007 and 0.0005, respectively) and calculated splenic volume decreased 19.5 +/- 8.7% (mean +/- SD, P = 0.0002). Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit increased 9.5 +/- 5.9% (P = 0.0009) and 10.5 +/- 4% (P = 0.0001), respectively. In Japanese male divers, splenic size and hematocrit were unaffected by repetitive breath-hold diving and hemoglobin concentration increased only slightly over baseline (3.0 +/- 0.6%, P = 0.0198). Splenic contraction and increased hematocrit occur during breath-hold diving in the Korean ama.

We demonstrate the surface plasmon ͑SP͒ enhanced green light-emitting diodes ͑LEDs͒. The Au nanoparticles were embedded in the p-GaN of LEDs. The photoluminescence and electroluminescence measurements showed improved optical properties of LEDs with Au nanoparticles due to an increase in the spontaneous emission rate by resonance coupling between the excitons in multiple quantum wells and localized surface plasmons in Au nanoparticles. The optical output power of SP-enhanced green LEDs with Au nanoparticles was increased by 86% without showing degradation of the electrical characteristics of LEDs compared to LEDs without Au nanoparticles.

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