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Background: Authors and colleagues have undertaken clinical research on Carbohydrate (CR) and Low Carbohydrate Diet (LCD) for years. We have proposed new evaluation method of insulinogenic index-carbohydrate 70g (IGI-carbo70). In similar way, C-peptide index for Carbohydrate-70 (CPI-Carbo70) is proposed in this report. Subjects and methods: The subjects were 37 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and admitted for further evaluation and treatment. CR diet was provided on day 1 and 2, including 60% carbohydrates, 25% lipids and 15% protein with 1400 kcal/day. On day 2, breakfast with 70g of carbohydrate was provided, and glucose and C-peptide values were measured at 0 and 30 minutes. Results: Average HbA1c was 8.1 %, and Morbus (M) value was 70.5 in median. Glucose and C-peptide on 0--30min significantly increased as 163--195 mg/dL, 1.1--1.5μU/mL, respectively. CPI-Carbo70 was 1.94 in average and 1.54 in median. There were significant correlations between increments of glucose and C-peptide, and between HbA1c and CPI-Carbo70. Discussion and conclusion: CPI-Carbo70 was investigated and proposed. It may be useful for evaluating the function of the pancreas. This research would give the fundamental data for this field, and further research development will be expected in the future.

Discussion concerning Calorie Restriction (CR) and low carbohydrate diet (LCD) has continued for years. Authors have developed research of LCD using super LCD with 12% of carbohydrate. The biology of human aging includes study between human and mammalian such as mice, rhesus monkeys. Moderate CR reduced age-related mortality, incidence of diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease. By very low calorie diet (VLCD), body weight can be reduced, but the diabetic pathological state remains. Besides CR and LCD, Zone, Ornish, LEARN Diets and Mediterranean style can be applicable. There are very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD), Moderate-LCD, High- Carbohydrate Diet, as related with the definition of LCD. Morbus (M) value was investigated for clinical practice of LCD, in which M value was remarkably improved by LCD treatment.

To fabricate high density (Na,K)NbO3-based piezoelectric ceramics, liquid sintering method using K5.4Cu1.3Ta10O29(KCT) and K4CuNb8O23(KCN) as sintering aids has been undergone. Experimental results show that KCT and KCN are both effective sintering aids for (Na,K)NbO3-based piezoelectric ceramics. The density of the samples increases with increasing the amount of KCT and KCN; the piezoelectric constant d33 decrease, and the mechanical quality factor Qm tends to increase.

音楽療法は広義（音楽健康法）と狭義（治療目的）に大別でき，後者では実践を通じて経時的に観察し評価を行う．頻度が高い高齢者対象のセッションでは，長期目標として，健常者には心身の諸機能低下を予防して認知症を回避し，認知症や脳血管障害者には諸機能低下を改善および維持し，重篤な病態や緩和ケアの患者には QOL の向上を目指す．評価法として，板東法では感覚，行動，ADL/QOL など 20 項目を，佐治法では積極性，持続性，協調性，情緒性，知的機能，歌唱演奏，手の操作，歩行式，身体の円滑さ，返答など 10 項目を評価する．松井は音楽療法診断表（一般用）と音楽療法評価表（老人用）をまとめ，北本（卯辰山）式，岡崎・門間式，赤星式などもある．日本音楽療法学会認定の音楽療法士が増加し，2009 年 3 月には東京で第 1 回アジア音楽療法シンポジウムも開催された．音楽療法は補完代替医療の中で他の療法との併用も試みられ，さらに重要となりつつある．

We have investigated the Au-SrTiO3(100) interface as a function of the Au evaporation using the photoemission spectroscopy. In the valence band of SrTiO3, the broad state originating from O 2p electrons and a state from Ti 3d electrons were observed between 3-9 eV and at 1 eV below the Fermi level (EF), respectively. With increasing the Au evaporation, the decrease in intensity of the state at 1 eV was observed. In the Ti 3p core-level, the decrease of the Ti3+ states was observed after Au evaporation. These results indicate that the electrons transfer from the Ti3+ states of the SrTiO3(100) surface to the evaporated Au. In addition, with increasing the Au evaporation, the larger shift of the peak in the Au 4f core-level to lower binding energy side was clearly observed as compared to that of the Sr 4p, O 2s, Ti 3p, and Sr 3d core-levels. Based on the results of the photoemission spectroscopy of the valence band and core-levels, we will discuss the electronic structures of the Au-SrTiO3(100) interface.

The high density perovskite titanates-modified potassium–sodium niobate solid solutions (1−x)(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3−xBaTiO3 and (1−x)(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3−xSrTiO3 have been prepared by the solid state reaction method. The phase diagram summarized from the dielectric property measurement reveals that there exists a tetragonal/orthorhombic morphotropic phase boundary for both the solid solutions. The piezoelectric properties show enhanced behavior at around the tetragonal/orthorhombic morphotropic phase boundary. It is believed that the origin for the high piezoelectric performance (Na,K)NbO3-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics is the same as that for the lead zinc niobate-lead titanate solid solution.

現在，補完代替医療 (CAM) の一つとして音楽療法 (music therapy, MT) が注目されている．同療法には広義でレクリエーションなどを主とする音楽健康法と，狭義で治療の視点を有する狭義の音楽療法がある．セッションにより単に良くなったという判断は不十分で，何らかの評価法で改善したというエビデンスや効果の判定が必要となる．音楽を聴取する受容的音楽療法と，カラオケなどの歌唱や楽器演奏などを行う能動的音楽療法に大別される．対象者としては，小児や精神疾患患者，高齢者，認知症などがあり，本邦では高齢者対象の場合が多く，ニードが高い．高齢者では認知レベルや QOL, ADL の変化を評価し，療法の効果を判定すべきである．近年 MT と他の CAM との併用が行われ，行政の見地からも，展開する余地が残されている．今後は CAM の中で MT の重要性が増し，evidence-based MT ならびに narrative-based MT の両者で研究の発展が望まれる．

We have re-examined the oxygen isotope effect in high-temperature superconductors Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+ δ using high-precision angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with low-energy photons in order to elucidate the origin of the kink. The results taken with a much improved energy and momentum resolution showed the absence of the reported unusual oxygen isotope effect.

A double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled study was carried out to examine the anti-aging efficacy and safety of Rokkaku Reishi in 22 overweight Japanese women (46.5±7.9 years old, BMI 26.8±2.7) consisting of 11 in the Analyte Group and 11 in the Placebo Group. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and neutral fat values in the blood, which had been checked as background factors of the subjects, were mismatched, significantly higher respectively in the Analyte Group than in the Placebo Group. Evaluation of efficacy for lipid profiles was inevitable. In the Analyte Group the values of Hematocrit (-3.5%) and γ-GTP (-15.0%) significantly declined while HbAlc (2.3%) and K (5.4%) significantly increased after supplementation. The rate of increase of HbAlc in the Analyte Group was significantly higher than that in the Placebo Group. NK-cell activity showed no difference pre- and post-supplementation in either group. Oxidative-stress markers showed no significant difference pre- and post-supplementation for either group. A Common questionnaire on physical symptoms showed that the categories “Coughing and sputum” and “Grey hair” significantly declined after supplementation in the Analyte Group while no difference was found in the Placebo Group. For skin age scores measured using a Roboskinanalyzer, the scores for the categories “Noticeable pores”, “Large noticeable pores” and “Dusky noticeable pores” were significantly lower in the Analyte Group compared to the Placebo Group. A significant correlation was found between 8-OHdG in terms of its level, creatinine-corrected value and generation rate, and the number of “Noticeable pores”. No adverse reaction was found during the study. These results suggest that the four weeks supplementation of Rokkaku Reishi showed favorable effects on skin condition.

Lead-free piezoelectric (1-x)(Na 0.5 K 0.5 )NbO 3 −xSrTiO 3 ((1-x)NKN- xST) solid solution has been fabricated around a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) by Spark-Plasma-Sintering method. The phase diagram around MPB was studied by the dielectric measurement. The piezoelectric constant d 33 and electromechanical constant k p measurements shows that MPB is about at x = 0.05. Inverse dielectric constants are well fitted by the extended Curie-Weiss law above the Curie temperature and its fitting result shows that the fitting parameters, C and n values show the maxima for 0.95NKN-0.05ST. We suggest the existence of another phase boundary around x = 0.05. To confirm the another phase boundary, the Raman spectra of 0.975NKN-0.025ST and 0.9NKN-0.1ST samples at the tetragonal phases have been measured and comparison has been done.

Raman spectroscopy of lead-free piezoelectric (1-x)(Na 0.5 K 0.5 )NbO 3 −xSrTiO 3 ceramics and (Na 1 − y Ky)NbO 3 ones sintered by the Spark-Plasma-Sintering method have been performed to investigate the dynamical property in the intermediate phase of x = 0.05. From the comparison of Raman spectra between (1-x)(Na 0.5 K 0.5 )NbO 3 −xSrTiO 3 and (Na1 − yKy)NbO 3 at room temperature, the overdamped mode which became soften was found in the intermediate phase at x = 0.05. Although it is difficult to assign the mode because of using ceramics samples, this result has a possibility that the overdamped mode includes the soft mode observed in the orthorhombic phase.

We have studied transport and magnetic properties of (LaSr)Co 1− x Fe x O 4 system. The conduction of (LaSr)CoO 4 is three-dimensional variable range hopping at low temperatures below ∼300 K and is expected to be thermally activated hopping above ∼900 K. With increasing x the electronic conduction changes from a variable range hopping type to a band-gap type between x = 0.2 and 0.6. Substitution of Co by Fe induces ferromagnetism with large hysteresis in the temperature dependence of magnetization below the transition temperature. This glassy ferromagnetism appears in the concentration region where the variable range hopping of small polaron is dominant. In the samples with x ≥ 0.6 the temperature dependence of magnetization shows an antiferromagnetic behavior. The lattice parameters a and c increase with increasing x . However, the increasing rate of c -axis is small in the variable hopping region below x ∼ 0.2. The values of resistivity and ferromagnetic moment become maximum around x = 0.2. The transport and magnetic properties have a close correlation in this system.

To elucidate mechanisms responsible for the enhanced piezoelectric properties in the potassium-sodium niobate-based solid solutions, phase diagram of the (1 − x) (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-xATiO3 (A = Sr, Ba, and Pb) systems has been established according to the dielectric constant measurement and the crystal structure analysis results. A tetragonal/orthorhombic morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) is found around x∼ 0.05, where the piezoelectric properties were enhanced. Rietveld refinements show that the tetragonal/orthorhombic MPB is the same as that found in the lead zinc niobate-lead titanate system.

Vacancies have been introduced to the perovskite A- and B-site to study their effects on the dielectric and the piezoelectric properties of the (Na 0.5 K 0.5 )NbO 3 -SrTiO 3 solid solution. It is found that, rather different from in the case of PZT ceramics, both A- and B-site vacancies do not soften piezoelectric properties of (Na 0.5 K 0.5 )NbO 3 -SrTiO 3 solid solution.

We have performed the powder neutron diffraction measurements on the solid solutions of SrRu_{1-x}Mn_xO_3, and found that the itinerant ferromagnetic order observed in pure SrRuO_3 changes into the C-type antiferromagnetic (AF) order with nearly localized d electrons in the intermediate Mn concentration between x=0.4 and 0.6. With increasing x, the AF moment is strongly enhanced from 1.1 mB (x=0.4) to 2.6 mB (x=0.6), which is accompanied by the elongation of the tetragonal c/a ratio. These results suggest that the substitution of Mn for Ru suppresses the itinerant character of the d electrons, and induces the superexchange interaction through the compression in the c plane. We have also found that the magnetic and transport properties observed in our tetragonal samples are quite similar to those of recently reported orthorhombic ones., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

MgB 2 single crystals with a sharp transition width ( Δ T c ∼0.3 K ) were grown by the ambient-pressure synthesis. The upper and lower critical fields, H c2 and H c1 were evaluated from the magnetization for the applied field μ 0 H ⩽5 T parallel to the three crystallographic directions. The coherence length ξ and the penetration depth λ for each direction were deduced from these critical fields with a little assumption for H c1 . The anisotropy ratio γ H = ξ c / ξ ab was estimated to be ∼6.5 at 2.5 K and ∼2.3 near T c (=37.6 K), and γ λ = λ c / λ ab (=3.0±0.2) to be almost constant over the range 2.5 K ⩽T c .

非ケトン性高浸透圧性昏睡(nonketotic hyperosmolar coma, NKHC)は,糖尿病性ケトアシドーシス(Diabetic Retoacidosis, DKA)に比して,高齢者や重篤例が多く,腹痛が少ないエビデンスが得られ,年齢と浸透圧の程度が転帰予測の因子となる. NKHCの合併症として横紋筋融解,腎不全,血栓症があり,最近の治療法として,輸液およびインスリン,カリウムの管理,予防としてsick dayの教育などが挙げられる.

PFI is a means to procure public services by private investments. In this paper, therecovery procedure for PFI projects is proposed to secure the stable supply of necessary public services. The recovery procedure for PFI projects must include mechanisms to achieve the efficient recovery of projects. In order to establish the bankruptcy procedure for PFI projects, its inherent characteristics and constraints should also be considered. This paper firstly explains the desirable goals of bankruptcy procedures and the BAHM model, which has been proposed to solve substantial problems in the bankruptcy reform of private companies. Secondly, the characteristics and constraints of PFI projects, different from those in private projects are clarified. Finally, the recovery procedures for PFI projects are proposed by applying the BAHM model and the particularities of PFI projects.

Transparent p–n junctions composed of zinc oxide, copper-aluminum oxide and indium-tin oxide films were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition on glass substrates at temperatures as low as 400 °C. Diode characteristics in the current–voltage response and the photovoltaic effect were observed for the junctions fabricated. The photovoltaic junction had an optical transparency of more than 43% for the wavelengths λ>500 nm, and exhibited photovoltage as large as 80 mV when it was illuminated by a LED of λ≈470 nm. The properties of the photovoltaic transparent junction seemed to be degraded by the inadequate crystallinity of the copper-aluminum oxide layer. The ZnO/CuAlO/ITO/glass structure developed in this study has demonstrated a possible application of transparent solar cells.

57 Fe Mossbauer spectroscopic studies were carried out on the single layered perovskite, LaSrFeO 4 , in the temperature range 15–380 K. The observed line width asymmetries in the line shapes of the spectra were understood to arise from a chemical disorder of La 3+ and Sr 2+ ions in the block layer of the perovskite structure. The temperature dependence of the hyperfine magnetic field, quadrupole interaction, and isomer shift observed for the system was also analyzed in terms of the local environment of Fe atoms in this structure.

Vortex phase diagram for H ∥ c of extremely underdoped Bi 2.2 Sr 1.72 La 0.08 CaCu 2 O 8+ δ superconductor was determined from a magnetization measurement. In the magnetization curve, a second peak in the low temperature region and a sharp change in the high temperature region were observed. The second-peak field and the sharp-change field are explained based on the three-to-two dimensional crossover and the decoupling transition of the vortex lattice, respectively. For the most underdoped sample, which has the transition temperature T c =60.2 K, the anisotropy constant γ and the ab plane penetration length λ 0 have been deduced to be γ =320 and λ 0 ∼340 nm, respectively.

The behavior of the metallic state of lightly electron-doped SrTiO3 has been studied using angle-integrated ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Two states in the bulk band gap of stoichiometric SrTiO3 are shown by doping electron carriers: a metallic state with a sharp Fermi cut-off and a broad state centered at ∼1.3 eV below the Fermi level. By slight oxygen exposure, the UPS spectra showed a rapid decrease in the spectral intensity of the metallic state followed by a sudden energy shift of the valence band. These changes are explained in terms of the band-bending effect due to the formation of a thick charge depletion layer when the adsorbed oxygen atoms attract the free electrons from the bulk to the surface. Normal-emission photoelectron spectra before the oxygen exposure showed that the spectral intensity of the metallic state is remarkably enhanced at the photon energy of 28 and 45 eV whereas its energy position is almost independent of the photon energy. Off-normal-emission spectra showed that the spectral intensity of the metallic state is drastically reduced with increasing emission angle. From a comparison between the calculated band structure and ARPES results, we conclude that the metallic state is qualitatively explained by the Fermi liquid behavior based on the band theory.

Electron-doped metallic states of Ca1−x Y x VO3 and Ca1−x Y x TiO3 change into non-metallic states around x∼0.4 and 0.6, respectively. The residual resistivity in the metallic states increases with increasing effective magnetic moment or coefficient of T 2 term of resistivity. The effective moment reaches ∼ 0.5 µB/molecule in Ca1−x Y x VO3 and also in Ca1−x Y x TiO3 near the metal-nonmetal phase boundary. In these metallic states. ∼ 10% of 3d atoms seem to have large localized magnetic moments. In electron-doped metallic sample of Ca1−x Y x VO3, the temperature dependence of resistance shows no resistance-minimum. However, weak negative magneto-resistance is observed for the sample with x=0.2 up to 50 Tesla at 4.2 K.

Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, one of the most eminent physician in Japan lived up to 105, was chairman emeritus of St. Luke’s International University and honorary president of St. Luke’s International Hospital. He was a pioneer in several fields with remarkable contribution. He introduced and developed primary care (PC) medicine in Japan. The term “life style-related disease” was proposed by him, and decided to use widely by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan. He started New Elderly Association (NEA) to make aged people significant life physically and psychologically with wide spread. He firstly founded Japan BioMusic Association/Japanese Music Therapy Association (JMTA) and developed music therapy in Japan. Thus, by his excellent leadership and management, medical and cultural fields have developed to high degree in Japan.

In the physiotherapy, adequate exercise therapy has been important including aerobic and resistance exercise. Authors and colleagues have treated lots of patients with metabolic syndrome (Met-S) and reported for nutritional and exercise therapy. In this study, subjects included 73 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) aged 66.8 ± 13.0 y.o. Methods included squat exercising 5 minutes twice a day for 6 months, using exercise equipment ‘HiSquat’. The basal data were BMI 24.8 ± 4.8 kg/m2, abdominal circumference 87.2 ± 11.0 cm, thigh circumference 42.7 ± 6.2 cm, HbA1c 7.0 ± 1.0%. HbA1c value at 6 months was 6.5 ± 1.0%, with significant decrease. Significant correlation was shown between BMI and the abdomen/height ratio. Patients with higher HbA1c would be more effective for squat exercise therapy. There is limitation of this study, and further investigation of correlation among biomarkers would develop various researches. Our results would be fundamental and reference data in this research field.

We have prepared oxygen isotope exchanged crystals of impurity-free ${\text{YBa}}_{2}$${\text{Cu}}_{3}$${\text{O}}_{y}$ with various oxygen contents, and examined pure doping ($p$) dependence of isotope effect on superconducting transition temperature. With decreasing oxygen contents, the isotope exponent $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ monotonously increases without any anomaly around $p=1/8$. The monotonous increase in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ indicates that phonons are involved in the mechanism which causes the monotonous ${T}_{c}$ suppression with underdoping.

The electronic structure of CaVO3 is studied on single-crystalline samples cleaved in ultrahigh vacuum by means of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). In the UPS spectra of the V3d-band region, a sharp peak near the Fermi level (EF) and a broad one centered at 1.4 eV below EF are shown. The former is assigned to the coherent band, whereas the latter is to the precursor of the lower Hubbard band, or the incoherent band. As the cleaved surfaces are exposed to oxygen, the ratio of the spectral weight of the coherent band to that of the incoherent band increases. At the same time, the spectral width of the coherent band enlarges. We conclude that the UPS spectra of the cleaved surfaces are partially caused by the electronic structure characteristic of the surface for which the correlation effect is expected to be more profound compared with that for the bulk.

Onset field H on of the second peak in the magnetization curve of Bi 1.7 Pb 0.3 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O y crystals with various oxygen concentration y , is measured using a miniature Hall sensor on thin ring-shaped samples as well as square samples. Systematic change in H on depending on y is qualitatively explained with a few assumptions based on the disorder-induced vortex-matter transition.

The vortex activation energy U ( B , J )∝ B ν J − μ ∼ H ν M − μ , where J and M are the current and the magnetization, respectively, in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+ δ is investigated via magnetic relaxation measured by a miniature Hall sensor. The exponent μ at the low-field solid phase is definitively observed to be ∼1/7, which is consistent with the single-vortex collective creep. With increasing H , plastic creep is observed just above H on if the measurement is performed after a sufficiently long waiting time. On the other hand, with increasing T below H on , the μ decreases abruptly at 4 πM dp ∼5 G near the depinning temperature T dp . The kink at M dp is attributed to a change in the creep character from that controlled by the bulk pinning into that controlled by the surface pinning.

The effect of surface defects on the electronic structure of CaVO3 has been studied by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). We used flat surfaces obtained by in situ fracturing of single-crystalline samples in an ultrahigh vacuum, and rough surfaces obtained by scraping, which are presumed to contain many surface defects. It is shown that the UPS spectra of CaVO3 are very sensitive to the surface structures, which depend on the cleaning procedure. In addition, the oxygen-exposure dependence of the UPS spectra was investigated in order to evaluate the influence of those surface defects on the UPS spectra. We conclude that the UPS spectra observed on the CaVO3 surfaces (both fractured and scraped) are strongly influenced by the electronic structure characteristic of the surface.

An in situ conduction measurement of metallic electronic states on the SrTiO3 (110) surface is reported. The electronic states were observed on the SrTiO3 (110) surface in our previous work after annealing in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) at relatively low temperature, 800 °C, based on a sharp Fermi edge detected by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy and finite zero-bias differential conductance by scanning tunneling spectroscopy. The electric conductance measurement is performed in order to verify the metallic feature of the surface as a macroscopic property. For the measurement, a sample holder is designed which enables both annealing in UHV by electron beam and four-probe electric conduction measurement with uniform electric field. Conductance contributed by bulk is separated by measuring the decrease of total conductance by adsorption of oxygen at room temperature, which is supposed to modify only the surface electronic states. Surface conductance is deduced between 150 to 300 K and showed a metallic fea...

A straightforward method to deduce sample local density of states (LDOS) from the current–voltage characteristics (I–V) raw data in scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) is presented. The method is based on the relation between the I–V spectrum and the LDOS, both of which are treated as one-dimensional vectors: the I–V is generated from the LDOS by operating a triangular transfer matrix M. Then the LDOS is readily calculated from the I–V by operating the inverse matrix M−1, which is also triangular. The method is an alternative for the conventional method to take (dI/dV)(V/I), which often causes artificial peaks in LDOS at the onsets of I–V. Each row of M is determined by the tip density of states (DOS) and the barrier profile for the corresponding bias voltage. The tip DOS will be calculated from the I–V values measured at different tip-to-sample distances if the tip and sample have the same DOS and the barrier profile is symmetrical. As an example, the LDOS is calculated for the reduced SrTiO3 (110) on which the electronic states show metallic character depending on the annealing condition and sites.

Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with low-energy tunable photons, we studied the oxygen isotope effect in optimally doped Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+ δ (Bi2212). We found the oxygen isotope shift in the real part of the electron self-energies [ReΣ( ω )s] along the nodal direction derived not only from the momentum distribution curves (MDCs) but also from the energy distribution curves (EDCs). Present results indicate straightforwardly the coupling between the nodal electrons and the phonons.

We report that the orthorhombic–rhombohedral phase transition temperature in sodium potassium niobate could be tuned from lower to higher than room temperature by incorporating barium zirconate into it. It is revealed that when barium zirconate is between 8 mol% and 15 mol%, the solid solution exhibits rhombohedral symmetry at room temperature. Rietveld analysis shows that the space group of the rhombohedral phase is R3m. It is suggested that a relatively larger B-cation favors the low-temperature phase which is a common phenomenon for perovskite ferroelectrics. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Superconducting properties of Pr123 and microscopic structural differences between the superconducting and non-superconducting Pr123 crystals are reviewed. It is shown that the variety of physical properties of Pr123 is closely related to Cu deficiency at the chain site and our experimental results are consistently explained with a model that the Pr 4f-O 2p hybridization forms a narrow band and carriers are localized by a kind of atomic disorder in non-superconducting crystals.