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資料番号: AA0045441083

資料番号: AA0045441047

資料番号: SA8000138000

Accepted: 2001-12-03, 資料番号: SA1001091000

We studied the energy spectrum and the large-scale fluctuation of the X-ray background with the ASCA GIS based on the ASCA MSS and LSS observations. A total of 91 fields with Galactic latitude |b|>10 deg were selected with a sky coverage of 50 deg^2 and 4.2 Ms of exposure. For each field, sources brighter than \sim 2\times 10^{-13}\ergs (2-10 keV) were eliminated. Spectral fits with a single power-law model for the individual 0.7-10 keV spectra showed a significant excess below \sim 2 keV, which could be expressed by an additional thermal model with kT\simeq 0.4 keV or a steep power-law model with photon index GS\simeq 6. The 0.5-2 keV intensities of the soft thermal component varied significantly by 1\sigma=52^{+4}_{-5}%, and showed a maximum toward the Galactic Center. This component is considered to be entirely Galactic. As for the hard power-law component, an average photon index of 91 fields was obtained to be GH = 1.412\pm 0.007\pm 0.025 and the average 2-10 keV intensity was calculated as FH = (6.38\pm 0.04\pm 0.64)\times 10^{-8} \ergss. The Galactic component is marginally detected in the hard band. The 2-10 keV intensities shows a 1\sigma deviation of 6.49^{+0.56}_{-0.61}%, while deviation due to the NXB is 3.2%. The observed deviation can be explained by the Poisson noise of source count in the f.o.v. (\sim 0.5 deg^2), even assuming a single \logn relation on the whole sky. Based on the observed fluctuation and the absolute intensity, an acceptable region of the \logn relation was derived, showing a consistent feature with the recent Chandra and XMM-Newton results. Fluctuation of the spectral index was also examined, and it implied a large amount of hard sources and a substantial variation in the intrinsic source spectra (GS\simeq 1.1\pm 1.0)., Comment: 27 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in PASJ, amended figure8 and figure17

Spironaphth[1,2-b]oxazines having either an allyl group or a 3-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl group on the N -atom of the indoline ring have been prepared, as potential substrates for photochromic materials. In addition to displaying the well-known photochromism between the closed and open forms, the present spirooxazines exhibit photochromism between two geometric isomers of the colored open form. This behavior provides the basis for a non-destructive read-out system having light-induced information memory.

OBJECTIVES Most sleep scales assess sleep quantity (e.g., sleep duration and daytime sleepiness) or sleep quality (e.g., sleep latency and maintenance); the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is an exceptional example. However, the prevalence of 24-hour operations presents the need for a scale that can also measure sleep phase (e.g., sleep onset and offset). Furthermore, we have to assess the phase, quality and quantity respectively to understand which of them has a problem. Thus, the 3 Dimensional Sleep Scale (3DSS) - day workers version - was developed to assess each of them related to sleep, and this study attempted to verify its reliability and validity. METHODS Subjects were 635 day workers (461 men, 174 women; average age = 40.5 years) from the manufacturing and service industries. A scale was created based on a pre-study and discussions with specialists. The scale consisted of 17 sleep-related items. The skew of the data was assessed, and the construct validity and reliability were verified using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. The scale was scored and G-P analysis was performed. The items measuring phase, quality, and quantity of sleep were selected from the PSQI and SDS, and their correlation with the three scales of 3DSS were measured to verify the convergent and discriminant validity. In addition, the total scores obtained on the PSQI were compared with each scale of the 3DSS. RESULTS No skew was found in the data. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure--quality, quantity, and phase. Each factor consisted of five items, therefore two items were excluded. The fitness of the 15-item model was better than that of the 17-item model according to confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha for phase, quality and quantity score were 0.685, 0.768 and 0.716, respectively. The hypothesis tests were almost accepted, therefore convergent and discriminant validity were sufficiently established. CONCLUSIONS The present study established the reliability and validity of the 3DSS; however, further studies using larger samples are needed to standardize the test and to establish a cut-off value.

Accepted: 2001-09-04, 資料番号: SA1001086000

A new reactor system was developed for recovery fuels from the waste plastic mixture in steam atmosphere. Firstly, the degradation mechanisms of eight kinds of plastics, two polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene), two polyamide resins (nylon-6 and nylon-6,6), polystyrene and three polyesters (polycarbonate, poly(butylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate), were investigated both in nitrogen and steam as the carrier gas. Plastics except for polyesters were degraded without any influences of the kinds of the carrier gas, leaving negligibly small amount of carbonaceous residue. Polyesters, which were degraded with producing large amount of the residue in nitrogen, were succeeded to be hydrolyzed at high reaction rates in steam with producing hardly the carbonaceous residue. Secondly, a mixture of the waste plastics was continuously degraded to produce heavy oil in steam atmosphere by using a new reactor system. This system was composed of three kinds of reactors connected in series. One was a reactor filled with stirred heat medium particles, which enabled the high heat transfer rate, the high holdup and the good contact of the melted plastics with steam. The second was a tank reactor. The last one was a fixed bed reactor with FeOOH catalyst particles, which showed the catalysis in steam for the decomposition both of a wax and sublimate materials generated by the degradation of plastics. Furthermore, the oil produced from the proposed reactor system was continuously upgraded to produce gasoline and kerosene over Ni-REY catalyst in steam atmosphere.

Based on mapping observations with ASCA, an unusual hot region with a spatial extent of 1 square degree was discovered between M87 and M49 at a center coordinate of R. A. = 12h 27m 36s and Dec. = $9^\circ18'$ (J2000). The X-ray emission from the region has a 2-10 keV flux of $1 \times 10^{-11}$ ergs s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a temperature of $kT \gtrsim 4$ keV, which is significantly higher than that in the surrounding medium of $\sim 2$ keV. The internal thermal energy in the hot region is estimated to be $V n k T \sim 10^{60}$ ergs with a gas density of $\sim 10^{-4}$ cm$^{-3}$. A power-law spectrum with a photon index $1.7-2.3$ is also allowed by the data. The hot region suggests there is an energy input due to a shock which is probably caused by the motion of the gas associated with M49, infalling toward the M87 cluster with a velocity $\gtrsim 1000$ km s$^{-1}$.

Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) as X-ray detectors have been developed mainly aiming at high resolution spectrometers. We archived an energy resolution of 106 eV at 5.9 keV (FWHM) using an STJ developed at Nippon Steel Corporation with a cooled (∼ 100K) FET. Furthermore, series-connected STJs as an imaging radiation detector are developed. Both the pulse hight and the rise time of signals from 241 Am α-particles irradiated on a series-connected STJ give a good position sensitivity, indicating the intrinsic position resolution less than 0.5 mm.

Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJ) have been developed mainly at high-resolution spectrometers for use in X-ray astronomy. A FWHM energy resolution of 112 eV at 5.9 keV is obtained using an STJ developed at Nippon Steel Corporation connected with a cooled FET (∼100 K). The pulse height of the signal is represented by a logarithmic function of energy based on consideration of the recombination of the quasi-particles in the junction. Experiments using series-connected STJs for an imaging radiation detector are performed. Both the pulse height and the rise time of signals from 241 Am α-particles indicate good position sensitivity with resolution less than 0.5 mm.

Fragmentation of precursor ions of peptides or proteins is very promising for sequencing with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). Neutral fragments as well as ions produced by post-source decay (PSD) were measured by a superconducting tunnel junction detector in a linear TOF-MS. It has been demonstrated that the PSD fragments are observable as event bands with different kinetic energies at the same TOF as that of the precursor ions of polystyrene with a nominal mass of 200 kDa and bovine serum albumin of 66.43 kDa.

Superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detectors have a fast time response and a low threshold to detect such quanta as phonons. These characteristics are advantageous to their applications in mass spectrometry for large molecules. However, one drawback is small active area, which cancels out the high quantum efficiency for large molecules. In this study, therefore, arrays of 100 niobium-based proximized STJ elements with a size of 200×200 μm 2 have been fabricated to improve effective detection area to achieve a practical short measurement time.

Fluorescent-yield X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) taken with a superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detector has been employed to study the oxygen K-edge structure of Hf–Al oxide gate insulators for next-generation metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices. Thermal stability is a critical issue in the MOS fabrication processes. We show that O K-edge XAS indicates that no change in the electronic band structure occurs due to thermal annealing.

Nb-based superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detectors have a fast time resolution of a few 100 ns and high operating temperature of 0.3 K . These advantages expand their applicable fields to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). In order to enlarge effective detection area, we have built arrays based on hundreds of large STJ elements. To realize the fast readout and no-cross talk, coaxial cables made of low-thermal conductivity materials were investigated. From results of thermal conduction measurements, we chose thin coaxial cables with a diameter of 0.33 mm , consisting of CuNi center/outer conductors and Teflon insulator for the wiring between 0.3 K -3He pot of the sorption pump and 3 K -2nd stage of GM cooler. Even after the installation of coaxial cables and a cold snout to the cryogen-free cryostat, we could keep arrays at 0.3 K for about a week, and reduction of the holding time at 0.3 K and temperature rise at 3He pot due to the installation were small, ∼ 0.5 day and 10 mK , respectively.

We have started the development of a new time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with Nb/Al superconducting-tunnel-junction detectors. Metal cluster ions were employed to investigate the properties of the superconducting ion detectors. In addition to mass spectroscopy with wide mass range, we have performed impact energy measurement, which enables charge-state discrimination.

Hydroesterification of terminal alkynes with butanol proceeds smoothly and efficiently under a normal pressure of carbon monoxide by using a catalyst system of Pd(dba) 2 /PPh 3 /TsOH (dba=dibenzylideneacetone, TSOH = p -toluenesulfonic acid) to give the corresponding 2-substituted 2-propenoic acid butyl esters in good selectivity and yield. Internal alkynes can also be hydroesterified under similar conditions.

Bacterial infections of the genital tract are one of the most serious causes of infertility in males. In some human patients with poor semen quality, leukocytospermia has been observed. Because leukocytes express the bacterial-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) responsive Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling cascade and secrete tumor necrosis factor-α, secreted cytokines comprise one, but probably not the only, class of factors that can impact sperm motility.In this study, we documented that bacterial endotoxins, LPS and peptidoglycan, can be detected in human semen. Furthermore, the addition of endotoxins in the absence of leukocytes directly and significantly reduced the motility and increased the apoptotic rate of both human and mouse sperm and suppressed fertilization by mouse sperm both in vivo and in vitro. The well-known LPS receptor, TLR4, and peptidoglycan receptor, TLR2, were expressed in human and mouse sperm. In Tlr2/4(-/-) double-mutant mice, the negative effects of endotoxins on sperm functions were blocked, suggesting that the bacterial endotoxins mediated activation of TLR-dependent pathways in sperm leading to apoptosis.Sperm can recognize bacterial endotoxins by TLRs present in their membranes. The activated TLRs reduce sperm motility, induce sperm apoptosis and significantly impair the potential for fertilization.

The palliative care team's roles are to provide a symptom relief to cancer patients, help them accept their medical conditions, and offer advice regarding the selection of appropriate medical treatments to suit their needs. Seeking the comfort of their homes, patients prefer a home care of superior medical care provided at hospitals. In 2008, 25 of the end-stage cancer patients at hospitals were expressed their desires to have a home medical care, and 10 of them were allowed to do so. We considered the following contributing factors that a patient should have for a smooth transition from hospital care to home medical care: (1) life expectancy of more than 2 months, (2) no progressive breathing difficulties experienced daily, (3) good awareness of medical condition among patients and families, (4) living with someone who has a good understanding of the condition, (5) availability of an appropriate hospital in case of a sudden change in medical requirements, and (6) good collaboration between emergency care hospitals, home physicians, and visiting nurses. To treat the end-stage cancer patients at home, there is a need for information sharing and a joint training of physicians specialized in cancer therapy, palliative care teams, home physicians, and visiting nurses. This would ensure a sustainable "face-to-face collaboration" in community health care.

In order to realize fast readout and no‐cross talk among one hundred wiring cables for a superconducting tunnel junction detector array, coaxial cables with low‐thermal conduction were investigated. Through a steady‐state heat‐flow method, heat into a cryogen‐free cryostat 3He pot was confirmed to be 5.7 μW when one hundred 70–30 CuNi‐based assembled coaxial cable are wired between its 0.3 K and 3 K stages, which is less than 10 % of the heat caused by the support structure of 3He pot. The coaxial cables were actually installed to the cryostat and the detector stage could be kept at 0.3 K for an enough long time to perform time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry experiments. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such large number of the coaxial cables has been installed at 0.3 K successfully.

Conformation of a helical polymer molecule with periodic modulation of the internal rotational angle was numerically calculated. It was found that the modulation with wavelength equal to one turn of the helix leads to a ‘ringed-coil’ conformation. When the amplitude of the modulation was one degree the ring was composed of 956 atoms with a diameter 200 times the bond length. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

13th International Cryocooler Conference(March 29-April 1, 2004), New Orleans, Louisiana, 資料番号: ARDS04001000

1-Deoxynojirimycin is a glycosidase-inhibitory alkaloid obtained from several plants and microorganisms. Administration experiments using [1-(13C)] glucose in the higher plant Commelina communis and 13C NMR spectroscopic analyses of products suggested that 1-deoxynojirimycin was biosynthesized through a different route compared with that in Streptomyces and Bacilli microorganisms.

This report presents 2 patients who were diagnosed to have acute stress disorder (ASD), received early psychiatric intervention (crisis intervention as a short-term psychotherapy), and subsequently had good outcome. Encounter with an event that causes psychological trauma may induce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the 2 patients described here have shown no particular mental symptoms for more than 2 years after the event and are leading normal lives. Psychological debriefing as a group used to be regarded as effective for the prevention of PTSD, but early identification of the stress-related disorder and intensive treatment of individual patients is recently considered to be more necessary. Both of the 2 patients presented here showed good outcome, and early crisis intervention in individual patients is suggested to be effective for the treatment of stress-related disorders and prevention of PTSD.

41st Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit(6-9 January 2003), Reno, Nevada, 資料番号: ARDS030074000, レポート番号: AIAA 2003-1039

A superconducting phase-transition microcalorimeter is a promising detector for high resolution X-ray spectroscopy. We are developing such a detector for future Japanese X-ray astronomy missions. In our design, a tin absorber is electrodeposited as a mushroom structure to achieve a high covering fraction. We have succeeded in detecting X-rays with the first model of our calorimeter with an electrodeposited absorber, though the energy resolution was limited due to residual resist. We are also developing a phase-transition microcalorimeter with a low transition temperature. We describe the results of these experiments, and discuss the limiting factors of their performance.

Garnets doped with rare-earth element are proposed for the coolant of adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators (ADR). We measured the specific heat and magnetization of a single crystal YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) doped with 30% Er3+ ions for a temperature range between 93 mK and 8 K under a magnetic field up to 8.0 T applied along the 〈111〉 crystal axis. After correcting for the phonon and nuclear contributions, we derived the temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the magnetic entropy. Under a zero magnetic field, the entropy starts to decrease below 2 K and becomes half of the R ln 2 level at ∼160 mK, which implies that the YAG refrigerator can be used for operating temperatures down to 100 mK.