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The field and temperature dependence of the critical current Ic is a vital factor in designing the superconducting magnets. The standard method of measuring Ic involves applying a dc current and measuring voltage. However, when assessing the field dependence of Ic, the high magnetic field's space constraints and cooling power limit the injection of dc current into the sample. To address this, we have developed a method using pulsed current to significantly reduce heat generation. Our previous research reported an Ic measurement system capable of handling up to 19 T and variable temperatures with a pulse current up to 500 A. In this study, we have enhanced the system with electric double layer capacitors, known as supercapacitors, allowing currents up to 2 kA. This upgrade enables the measurement of Ic in the high-temperature superconducting REBCO tapes, which are 4 mm wide, at cryogenic temperatures as low as 4.2 K in magnetic fields or 20 K even under a self-field. We have verified the system's reliability by comparing measurements of dc and pulsed currents. Additionally, we contrasted the Ic values of full width samples with those of samples containing micro-bridges.

A 25 T cryogen-free superconducting magnet (25 T-CSM) was installed at the High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University in 2015. The 25T-CSM consists of low-temperature superconducting (LTS) outsert coils and a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coil; high strength CuNb/Nb3Sn and NbTi Rutherford cables, and Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oy (Bi2223) tape were adopted for the LTS and HTS coil, respectively. The Bi2223 coil was a stack of impregnated double pancake (DP) coils. The first Bi2223 coil generated 10.6 T in a background field of 14.0 T by the LTS coils in 2015. Because of the coil stiffness insufficiency, it had an electrical instability. The new Bi2223 coil, made by improving the stiffness of DPs, successfully generated 11.1 T (25.1 T in total) in 2020. Both Bi2223 coils experienced accidental quenches during the operations as a user magnet. However, the magnet's quench detection and protection system protected the coils from the damage including the LTS coils. The 25T-CSM has been operated as a multipurpose user magnet for more than 1100 days in seven years, meaning that almost 100% of the available days were utilized for user experiments.

The existence of screening currents is one large drawback coming from the use of REBa2Cu3O7-x with RE standing for Rare Earth (REBCO) tapes to develop superconducting coils. It not only alters the quality of the magnetic field but also implies losses and additional mechanical stresses on the tapes. The High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials (HFLSM) from Tohoku University, Japan, together with Toshiba are now developing a 33 T all-superconducting magnet, cooled by conduction, with a 19T Robust REBCO Insert. One important element of the design is a turn made of two-tape bundle and a turn-to-turn insulation. In addition to the screening currents, magnetic field variations will induce coupling currents developing between these two REBCO tapes in direct contact. These coupling currents also affect the magnetic field quality. Recently, a large-scale prototype of this insert was manufactured to validate the mechanical design and the protection system in the event of local dissipation coming from defects in the tapes. This article presents detailed behaviors of the screening currents and coupling currents induced fields obtained over this prototype focusing on the impact of some operating conditions such as the current ramping rate, applied-field history, and temperature of operation. The magnetic field error, i.e., the difference between the measured magnetic field and the one obtained with a homogeneous current distribution, is the main tool used to carry out this study. It reached about 0.5 T and was significantly changed by the temperature of operation and the existence of previous magnetizations, as predicted by simulations results carried out by several groups.

A 33 T cryogen-free superconducting magnet (33 T-CSM) is under development. The 33 T-CSM consists of a REBCO insert coil and Nb3Sn/NbTi outsert coils. The REBCO insert coil is designed to generate 19 T in the external field of 14 T. The REBCO insert coil is composed of stacked 64 single pancake coils wound with two bundled REBCO tapes. The inner and outer diameters of the REBCO insert coil are 68 mm and 295 mm, respectively. The REBCO coil is impregnated with epoxy resin for conduction cooling. To prevent delamination of the superconducting layer by thermal stress, the fluorine-coated polyimide tape is co-wound with REBCO tapes and to prevent degradation of superconductivity by electromagnetic stress, reinforcing tape is also co-wound. According to 2D-FEM, it is shown that the circumferential strain ϵθ under applying electromagnetic force is 0.29% . The results of 2D-FEM also suggest that stress concentration occurs at the connection between the coil and the bus bar, and at the widthwise end of the REBCO tape. In this paper, the basic design of the insert coil and the results of FEM analysis will be described.

The High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials (HFLSM) is developing a 33 T Cryogen-free Superconducting Magnet (CSM). The major part of the magnetic field will be achieved thanks to a High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) insulated insert based on the Robust Coil concept. This design features, for each turn, two tapes wound together, in direct contact to enhance the coil's protection. However, a drawback of this architecture is the development of coupling currents caused by variations in the axial component of the magnetic field. These currents lead to additional losses and affect the quality of the magnetic field. This work focuses specifically on the impact of these coupling currents on the magnetic field quality at the location of the future samples in the context of developing a user magnet. The case study of this work is a large-scale prototype of the future HTS insert. To achieve this objective, numerical simulations were conducted to differentiate what are the qualitative effects of coupling currents and screening currents. The results showed that these currents have opposite effects on the magnetic field at the sample position. Additionally, the large-scale prototype experienced long current plateaus, during which the magnetic field was measured. The variations of the latter were driven by the relaxation of these opposing effects, each exhibiting different rates and relaxation times.

For next generation of high field cryogen-free superconducting user magnets, we adopt a robust coil concept, which consists of two tapes co-wound in a face-to-back configuration, a fluorine-coated polyimide tape as the inter-bundle insulation and thin FRP plates glued on the coil edges. To validate our coil design, we investigated electromagnetic and current-voltage properties of 20-stacked REBCO pancake coils wound with Fujikura EuBCO tapes with the robust coil concept at 4.2 K under a background field of 14 T. The inner and outer diameters and total height of the coils are 68 mm, 266 mm, and 101 mm, respectively. The average of measured hoop and axial strain on the outermost winding at the mid plane of the 20-stacked coils were 0.23% and −0.15% respectively at a hoop stress of 370 MPa estimated by the BJR relation. The I-V properties of the coils showed no anomalous behavior up to 25 T totally generated by the coils and background field, suggesting that our coil structure has an advantage against large electromagnetic stress.

We recently proposed a robust REBCO HTS (RareEarth BaCuO) insert coil concept in the framework of a project to upgrade the 25 T Cryogen-Free Superconducting Magnet at the High Field Laboratory For Superconducting Materials to reach 30 T. In this article, the conductor consists of a two-tape bundle to mitigate the risks posed by local tape degradation. So-called edge impregnation is used to enhance the mechanical stiffness while reducing delamination risk, providing conduction-cooling capability at the same time. This insert is to be protected against the risk of thermal runaway simply by using dump resistor, thanks to an early detection concept. The different ideas forming the robust REBCO insert coil concept were tested successfully on various small scale prototypes. We report here their first implementation on a large-size insert coil, consisting of 20 stacked pancakes from the 30 T CSM upgrade insert. The mechanical behavior of the coil is modelled and validated with experiments. The thermal runaway detection setup is introduced. Its sensitivity and selectivity is discussed based on previous works on thermal runaway scenarios.

After many years of evaluating MgB2 films prepared with various techniques for the application to superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities, we have decided to build a system to coat full-size 1.3-GHz elliptical cavities. This paper describes the design and construction of the system. Additionally, we briefly describe experimental results with a small system and first tests with the new large system. We were able to obtain superconducting samples with a Tc of up to 38 K with the small system, but we have not been able to get any superconducting samples with the new system yet.

Aunque las complicaciones de la terapia intravesical con el bacilo de Calmette-Guérin (BCG) están bien descritas, pocas veces se ha comunicado la formación posterior de granulomas genitourinarios asintomáticos, y su estrategia de tratamiento sigue siendo controvertida. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la tasa de incidencia de la formación de granulomas genitourinarios asintomáticos que imitan la recurrencia del cáncer de vejiga tras el tratamiento intravesical con el BCG, así como identificar las estrategias de diagnóstico y tratamiento según las características de los pacientes.

Objective: To investigate whether transthoracic Doppler echocardiography-(TTE) can reliably measure the coronary flow reserve in the left anterior descending coronary artery in children with Kawasaki disease. Design: Coronary flow velocity [...]

Digital holography (DH) with two wavelengths (TW) that are close to each other was applied to height measurement of solder bumps having spherical specular surfaces with diameters of ∼20µm and heights of ∼20µm. We employed the parallel phase shifting method for instantaneous image capturing, and we improved the spatial resolution of our TW-DH system having two beams with different wavelengths that traveled in opposite directions in the interferometer. It gave 74-times higher repetition and 2.4-times higher spatial resolution than those in our previous DH system based on the Fourier transform method.

Recent schizophrenia (SCZ) studies have reported an increased burden of de novocopy number variants (CNVs) and identified specific high-risk CNVs, although with variable phenotype expressivity. However, the pathogenesis of SCZ has not been fully elucidated. Using array comparative genomic hybridization, we performed a high-resolution genome-wide CNV analysis on a mainly (92%) Japanese population (1699 SCZ cases and 824 controls) and identified 7066 rare CNVs, 70.0% of which were small (<100 kb). Clinically significant CNVs were significantly more frequent in cases than in controls (odds ratio=3.04, P=9.3 × 10−9, 9.0% of cases). We confirmed a significant association of X-chromosome aneuploidies with SCZ and identified 11 de novoCNVs (e.g., MBD5deletion) in cases. In patients with clinically significant CNVs, 41.7% had a history of congenital/developmental phenotypes, and the rate of treatment resistance was significantly higher (odds ratio=2.79, P=0.0036). We found more severe clinical manifestations in patients with two clinically significant CNVs. Gene set analysis replicated previous findings (e.g., synapse, calcium signaling) and identified novel biological pathways including oxidative stress response, genomic integrity, kinase and small GTPase signaling. Furthermore, involvement of multiple SCZ candidate genes and biological pathways in the pathogenesis of SCZ was suggested in established SCZ-associated CNV loci. Our study shows the high genetic heterogeneity of SCZ and its clinical features and raises the possibility that genomic instability is involved in its pathogenesis, which may be related to the increased burden of de novoCNVs and variable expressivity of CNVs.

Direct tension tests are indispensable for obtaining an accurate understanding of the deformation and failure characteristics of rocks in tension. For this technical note, the authors collected original papers published in international journals and surveyed the previously reported methods and results of direct tension tests on rocks. Some important factors affecting the strength and stress–strain curve are discussed, such as the shape, size, anisotropy, and water content of the specimen; the loading rate; and the confining pressure. The relationship between the results of the direct tension tests and those of other tests also is discussed. Although various types of testing apparatuses have been adopted in direct tension tests on rocks, the dependence of test results on the apparatuses has not been investigated. In this study, direct tension tests were conducted using various testing apparatuses in seven laboratories. The results of the direct tension tests showed that direct tensile strengths were not dependent on the type of test apparatus used or whether a flexible linkage system was used. The results of the tuff in this study showed that the coefficient of variation of the direct tensile strengths is smaller than that of the Brazilian tensile strengths. Moreover, the results revealed that the coefficient of variation of the direct tensile strengths is comparable to that of the uniaxial compressive strengths of the tuff. The authors noted that to obtain the stress–strain curve from the pre-failure region to the post-failure region, it is necessary to conduct a test with a high-stiffness machine and without a flexible linkage system. This technical note summarized the results of the standardization activity by the authors in the Japanese Geotechnical Society.

Robustness analysis of the seismic pile response of a structure–pile–soil system with uncertain soil properties and concrete Young’s modulus is presented in this paper. The bounds of the bending moment of a pile are investigated by means of the previously proposed uncertainty analysis method (Updated Reference-Point method) and the newly developed revised method (NURP method). An efficient finite-element model of a structure–pile–soil system with smart displacement functions for connecting elements is adopted and a response spectrum method is applied in the evaluation of the seismic pile responses of the system. Two cases of soil uncertainties resulting from different uncertainty mechanisms are considered. It is shown that the worst combination of uncertain soil parameters can be determined by the NURP method in an accurate manner.

A new sensor measuring the two dimensional temperature distribution of the dead-man in a blast furnace has been developed. The principle is an acoustic wave computed tomography method based on the theory that acoustic velocity in gas depends on temperature.

Background:: Obesity and metabolic syndrome are the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Obesity is caused by increased food intake and/or decreased energy expenditure. Leptin potently inhibits food intake and promotes energy expenditure. These effects of leptin involve the activation of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the hypothalamus arcuate nucleus (ARC). Disruption of leptin signaling in POMC neuron is considered one of the major causes for obesity. Aims:: The present study aimed to examine whether overexpression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) could substitute for the leptin action and ameliorate obesity in leptin-deficient Lepob/obmice. Design:: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing murine IL-10 (AAV-mIL-10) was injected into the skeletal muscle to overexpress IL-10 in mice. These mice were subsequently subjected to analysis of body weight, food intake, glucose metabolism and underlying mechanisms. Results:: In Lepob/obmice, AAV-IL-10 ameliorated hyperphagia, obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, as well as attenuated tumor necrosis factor-a expression. The IL-10 treatment also improved glucose-induced insulin release. Furthermore, IL-10 treatment increased POMC mRNA expression in ARC and phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) in ARC and white adipose tissue (WAT). In neuron-specific STAT3-null mice that exhibited obesity and hyperphagia, AAV-mIL-10 administration failed to affect food intake, body weight and phosphorylation of STAT3 in WAT. Conclusions:: These results demonstrate that peripheral overexpression of IL-10 induces STAT3 phosphorylation in ARC POMC neurons, and thereby ameliorates hyperphagia and obesity caused by leptin deficiency. IL-10 gene transfer may provide an effective approach for preventing progression of metabolic syndrome due to leptin resistance.

Allergic airway inflammation is driven by the recognition of inhaled allergen by T helper type 2 (Th2) cells in the airway and lung. Allergen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can strongly reduce airway inflammation, however, the mechanism of their inhibitory activity is not fully defined. We used mouse models to show that allergen-specific CTLs reduced early cytokine production by Th2 cells in lung, and their subsequent accumulation and production of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. In addition, treatment with specific CTLs also increased the proportion of caspase+dendritic cells (DCs) in mediastinal lymph node (MLN), and decreased the numbers of CD103+and CD11b+DCs in the lung. This decrease required expression of the cytotoxic mediator perforin in CTLs and of the appropriate MHC-antigen ligand on DCs, suggesting that direct CTL-DC contact was necessary. Lastly, lung imaging experiments revealed that in airway-challenged mice XCR1-GFP+DCs, corresponding to the CD103+DC subset, and XCR1-GFP−CD11c+cells, which include CD11b+DCs and alveolar macrophages, both clustered in the areas surrounding the small airways and were closely associated with allergen-specific CTLs. Thus, allergen-specific CTLs reduce allergic airway inflammation by depleting CD103+and CD11b+DC populations in the lung, and may constitute a mechanism through which allergic immune responses are regulated.

AbstractIn GAMMA 10/PDX, the divertor simulation experiment has been performed recently. Ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) waves are used for plasma production and ion heating. It is necessary for obtaining better controllability and extending the operational regime to understand the excitation, propagation, and absorption of the waves. The density fluctuations accompanied by the ICRF waves propagating in the inner region of plasma has been measured by using a microwave reflectometer on the antenna-phasing experiments, where the propagation of the ICRF waves is actively controlled. The phase difference between two axially separated ICRF antennas remarkably affects the global plasma parameters. The density fluctuation caused by the interfered ICRF waves is shown to depend clearly on the phase difference between the waves excited from two antennas. The availability of a reflectometer for the evaluation of the internal wave propagation is shown.

AbstractOn the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror, divertor simulation experiments progress with high-temperature plasmas produced by waves in ion-cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) and open magnetic fields. In these experiments, high-temperature and high-density plasmas are required to be produced and controlled. In order to enhance the ion heating in the anchor cell, phase-control experiments, which use two ICRF antennas installed in the central cell and the anchor cell, are introduced. In these experiments, ICRF waves in the same frequency (10 MHz) are excited. Ion heating in the anchor cell is performed more effectively with phase control. In order to analyze wave propagation in the phase-control experiments, a three-dimensional full wave code (TASK/WF), in which parallel processing has been implemented recently, is introduced. In this technical note, we discuss ICRF wave excitation and propagation in the phase-control experiments. It is clearly observed by the experiments and wave analysis that the enhancement of ion heating in the anchor cell is performed by phase-control experiments.

AbstractRecent ICRF heating experiments performed in GAMMA 10/PDX are reported. Owing to antenna-phasing technique and four ICRF antennas installed in the mirror cells other than the central cell, the operational regime of GAMMA 10/PDX is significantly extended. Several ICRF heating schemes to increase the parameters (plasma density in the central cell, particle flux flowing to the machine end and its ion temperature parallel to the field lines) are demonstrated. These results present positive progress in the ongoing divertor simulation experiments on GAMMA 10/PDX.

AbstractIn the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror, divertor simulation experiments that utilize particle flux toward the west end region (called end-loss flux) have been implemented. Since a positive correlation has been reported between the end-loss flux and the central-cell density, an increase of the central-cell density is important for obtaining a higher end-loss flux on the divertor simulation experiments. By arranging the ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) systems so as to excite strong ICRF waves in both anchor cells simultaneously, we have succeeded in producing high-density plasmas (line density of 1.2 × 1014cm−2) in both anchor cells. As a result, a higher central-cell density of 4.4 × 1012cm−3and a higher end-loss flux of more than 1023m−2s−1have been obtained. One of the possible mechanisms of the high density production is a formation of positive potentials on both anchor cells. Plasmas in the central cell are confined due to those potentials.

This paper is to verify the fire resistance of columns made from fireresistant (FR) structural steel by means of a fullscale loaded heat test and numerical analysis. Because of the elements contained, FR steel has higher strength than conventional structural steel at elevated temperatures. Its 0.2% proof stress at 600°C is equal to or greater than twothirds the value specified at room temperature. Rock wool, ceramic fire protection, and foamingtype intumescent coating were used as fireprotection materials. Using Japanese codes, the hightemperature strength of steel can be exhibited with building members, the fireprotection thickness can be reduced below what is required for conventional steel columns, and 1h fire resistance can be obtained by intumescent coating with a lower insulation property. Also, deformation and fireresistance time can be simulated from the mechanical properties at elevated temperatures and elastoplastic thermal deformation analysis. Furthermore, this study is based on Japanese codes, and results will differ if based on ASTM codes.

The macroscopic physical properties of commercially available bisphenol -A epoxy resins cured by acid anhydride in which amount of the plasticizer, polypropyleneglycol was changed systematically have been measured and were compared with the amount of free volume evaluated by the positron annihilation technique. The lifetime and the intensity of orthopositronium were used to evaluate the amount of the free volume in the epoxy resins. It was found that up to the certain amount of plasticizer, the amount of the free volume did not increase so much and then showed the marked increase. The close correlations were found between the amount of the free volume and the macroscopic physical properties such as hardness and specific volume.

This paper presents experimental results of fullscale fire tests with loading on concretefilled steeltube (CFST) columns using fireresistant (FR) steel for building structural use. By covering the tube surface with protection having lower insulation properties, CFST columns will achieve a superior fire resistance, taking advantage of the heat capacity of inner concrete effectively, and they could resist the bending moments caused by eccentric loading without inner reinforcing bars by keeping steel temperature below 600°C. Reinforcing bars are difficult to arrange because inner diaphragms are provided at the beamcolumn connections against earthquakes in Japan. Fire tests with loading of CFST columns using ordinary steel were also performed for comparison. Aluminum hydroxide calcium carbonate cementtype protection (ceramic protection) and foamingtype intumescent coating were used for the protection material. The fire tests with loading were carried out at the furnace in the General Building Research Corporation, Osaka, Japan.

Low birth weight was associated with cardiometabolic diseases in adult age. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has a crucial role in fetal growth and also associates with cardiometabolic risks in adults. Therefore, we elucidated the association between IGF-1 level and serum lipids in cord blood of preterm infants. The subjects were 41 consecutive, healthy preterm neonates (27 male, 14 female) born at <37-week gestational age, including 10 small for gestational age (SGA) infants (<10th percentile). IGF-1 levels and serum lipids were measured in cord blood, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride (VLDLTG) levels were determined by HPLC method. SGA infants had lower IGF-1 (13.1 ± 5.3 ng/ml), total cholesterol (TC) (55.0 ± 14.8), LDLC (21.6 ± 8.3) and HDLC (26.3 ± 11.3) levels, and higher VLDLTG levels (19.0 ± 12.7 mg/dl) than in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants (53.6 ± 25.6, 83.4 ± 18.9, 36.6 ± 11.1, 38.5 ± 11.6, 8.1 ± 7.0, respectively). In simple regression analyses, log IGF-1 correlated positively with birth weight (r= 0.721, P< 0.001), TC (r= 0.636, P< 0.001), LDLC (r= 0.453, P= 0.006), and HDLC levels (r= 0.648, P< 0.001), and negatively with log TG (r= -0.484, P= 0.002) and log VLDL-TG (r= -0.393, P= 0.018). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that IGF-1 was an independent predictor of TC, HDLC and TG levels after the gestational age and birth weight were taken into account. In preterm SGA infants, cord blood lipids profile altered with the concomitant decrease in IGF-1 level.

We have succeeded in growing various ZnO nanocrystals, such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanowalls, by a nanoparticle-assisted pulsed-laser deposition (NAPLD). In this study, low-density ZnO nanowires were synthesized by introduction of a ZnO buffer layer. Low-density hexagonal cone-shape ZnO cores are formed on the buffer layer, and vertically-aligned ZnO nanowires are grown on the cores. The density of the nanowires was clearly decreased with increasing the thickness of the Buffer layer. The buffer layer can be used as one of the effective additives to control the growth density of the ZnO nano-crystals synthesized by NAPLD.

Various composite materials have been developed, but in many cases problems arise due to the combined materials such as fabrication becoming difficult because of the significant increase in viscosity, and transparency of the polymer is sacrificed. These issues can be overcome by controlling the nanointerface; however, this is considered as a difficult task since nanoparticles (NPs) easily aggregate in polymer matrices because of their high surface energy. Organic functionalization of inorganic NPs is required to increase affinity between NPs and polymers. For fabricating multi-functional materials, we proposed a new method to synthesize organic modified NPs by using supercritical water. Because organic molecules and metal salt aqueous solutions are miscible in supercritical water and water molecules serve as acid/base catalysts for the reactions, hybrid organic/inorganic NPs can be synthesized under the supercritical condition. The hybrid NPs show high affinity for the organic solvent and the polymer matrix, which leads to the fabrication of these super hybrid NPs. How to release the heat from the devices is the bottle neck of developing the future power devices, and thus nanohybrid materials of polymer and ceramics are required to achieve both high thermal conductivity and easy thin film flexible fabrication, namely trade-off functions. Surface modification of the BN particles via supercritical hydrothermal synthesis improves the affinity between BN and the polymers. This increases the BN loading ratio in the polymers, thus resulting in high thermal conductivity. Transparent dispersion of high refractive index NPs, such as TiO2 and ZrO2, in the polymers is required to fabricate optical materials. By adjusting the affinity between NPs and the polymers, we could fabricate super hybrid nanomaterials, which have flexiblility and high refractive index and transparency.

This work reports on the stimulated optical emission characteristics of ZnO nanobelts that were grown with a simple carbothermal evaporation method without using any catalyst or dopant. Such nanobelts grew along the a-axis enclosed by {0001} and {01−10} base planes through a vapor-solid mechanism. Room temperature and temperature-dependent photoluminescence results indicated that such nanobelts were of high optical qualityand were better than those nanobelts grown from dopant-assisted thermal evaporation or oxidation methods. Amplified spontaneous emission was observed from ZnO nanobelts with low-growth density while random laser was observed for high-density samples with increasing optical pumping density.

The lasing characteristics and the alignment methods of ZnO nanocrystals were investigated for an application to ultraviolet (UV) laser diode (LD). ZnO nanowires and nanosheets were synthesized on a silicon substrate by a CVD method or nanoparticle assisted pulsed-laser deposition (NAPLD), and then those ZnO nanocrystals were examined by a photoluminescence (PL) method with a third-harmonic Nd:YAG laser (355 nm, 5 ns). The observed emission spectra showed the obvious lasing characteristics having mode structure and a threshold for lasing. The threshold power density of a ZnO nanowire and a nanosheet were measured to be 100 kW/cm2and 5 kW/cm2, respectively. Furthermore, the threshold power was calculated to be 8.4 mW for a ZnO nanowire and 2.5 mW for a ZnO nanosheet. Then the oscillation mechanisms were discussed on those ZnO nanocrystals. We also observed the laser-induced motion (LIM) of ZnO nanocrystals when they were excited by ultraviolet laser beam.

We have been succeeded in growing vertically aligned ZnO nanowires by a newly developed nanoparticle-assisted pulsed-laser deposition (NAPLD) without any catalyst. In this study, layer structured ZnO nanowires, such as film-wire layered structure and core/shell structure, were synthesized using multi-target changer system. In this paper, synthesis and photoluminescence characteristic of the layer structured ZnO nanowires are described.

Kakkon-to, a traditional herbal medicine (Kampo formula), has been used historically in China and Japan for the treatment of infectious diseases such as influenza and the common cold. However, the biological mechanism of its therapeutic action has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the immunological function of Kakkon-to and found that the high molecular weight fraction of the extract activated macrophages in vitro. This fraction was found to be composed primarily of saccharides and in vitrointensively stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages that produce Th1 inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The fraction did not activate macrophages from C3H/HeJ lacking Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) or MyD88-deficient mice, indicating that macrophage activation by the fraction was mediated by TLR4. The route of administration of the fraction into mice regulated the kinetics of TNFα production in immune organs. Intravenous administration induced TNFα production in the four target organs of spleen, liver, lung, and Peyer's patch; however, the most abundant production occurred in the liver and peaked at 30–60 min post administration. Peritoneal administration induced similar kinetics but the most abundant production occurred in the spleen. In contrast, oral administration induced TNFα production in the liver, lung, and Peyer's patch, but not in the spleen. Although liver and lung are TNFα-abundant organs, production peaks in these organs occurred later than in Peyer's patch. We also found that the fraction induced antibody production as an adjuvant against a specific antigen [ovalbumin (OVA)] when administered simultaneously and subcutaneously in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, the fraction induced IgG-class antibody in response to low doses of the antigen, which induced only IgM-class antibody when administered alone, suggesting that the fraction induces a class switch of immunoglobulin as an adjuvant in vivo. The high molecular weight fraction of Kakkon-to extract could be applicable as a potent immunostimulating drug and adjuvant.