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Samples of the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu were brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. We analyzed 17 Ryugu samples measuring 1 to 8 millimeters. Carbon dioxide–bearing water inclusions are present within a pyrrhotite crystal, indicating that Ryugu’s parent asteroid formed in the outer Solar System. The samples contain low abundances of materials that formed at high temperatures, such as chondrules and calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions. The samples are rich in phyllosilicates and carbonates, which formed through aqueous alteration reactions at low temperature, high pH, and water/rock ratios of

High-power, short-pulse laser-driven fast electrons can rapidly heat and ionize a high-density target before it hydrodynamically expands. The transport of such electrons within a solid target has been studied using two-dimensional (2D) imaging of electron-induced Kα radiation. However, it is currently limited to no or picosecond scale temporal resolutions. Here, we demonstrate femtosecond time-resolved 2D imaging of fast electron transport in a solid copper foil using the SACLA x-ray free electron laser (XFEL). An unfocused collimated x-ray beam produced transmission images with sub-micron and ∼10 fs resolutions. The XFEL beam, tuned to its photon energy slightly above the Cu K-edge, enabled 2D imaging of transmission changes induced by electron isochoric heating. Time-resolved measurements obtained by varying the time delay between the x-ray probe and the optical laser show that the signature of the electron-heated region expands at ∼25% of the speed of light in a picosecond duration. Time-integrated Cu Kα images support the electron energy and propagation distance observed with the transmission imaging. The x-ray near-edge transmission imaging with a tunable XFEL beam could be broadly applicable for imaging isochorically heated targets by laser-driven relativistic electrons, energetic protons, or an intense x-ray beam.

This paper introduces a novel interactive system for presenting 4D objects in 4D space through tactile sensation. A user is able to experience 4D space by actively touching 4D objects with the hands, where the hand holding the controller is physically stimulated at a three-dimensional hypersurface of the 4D object. When a hand is placed on the 3D projection of a 4D object, the force generated at the interface between the hand and the object is calculated by referring to the distance from the viewpoint to each point in the frontal surface of the object. The calculated force in the hand is converted to the vibration patterns to be displayed from the tactile glove. The system supplements the 4D information such as tilt or unevenness, which is difficult to be visually recognized.

By collecting and utilizing various types of machine- and process-related information (e.g., machine status, machining conditions, and machining quality) through interactions with other devices and software applications, machine tools in a smart factory will become considerably intelligent and achieve better run-time adaptability. In this study, a framework is presented to simulate the behavior of the process network of machines and software in a factory, particularly physical work and information flows. This framework will be used to validate the run-time adaptability of intelligent machines. Herein, the architecture of the simulation framework, component library, and executed behavior of an exemplary simulation model established with the component library on the framework are also provided. The framework is an enabler of architectural model-based development of a smart factory. The intended users of the framework are system architects of smart factory who defines its usage and functional views.

Analyses of meteorites and theoretical models indicate that some carbonaceous near-Earth asteroids may have been thermally altered due to radiative heating during close approaches to the Sun1–3. However, the lack of direct measurements on the subsurface doesn’t allow us to distinguish thermal alteration due to radiative heating from parent-body processes. In April 2019, the Hayabusa2 mission successfully completed an artificial impact experiment on the carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu4,5, which provided an opportunity to investigate exposed subsurface material and test potential effects of radiative heating. Here we report observations of Ryugu’s subsurface material by the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Reflectance spectra of excavated material exhibit a hydroxyl (OH) absorption feature that is slightly stronger and peak-shifted compared with that observed for the surface, indicating that space weathering and/or radiative heating have caused subtle spectral changes in the uppermost surface. The strength and shape of the OH feature suggests that the subsurface material experienced heating above 300 °C, similar to the surface. In contrast, thermophysical modelling indicates that radiative heating cannot increase the temperature above 200 °C at the estimated excavation depth of 1 m, even at the smallest heliocentric distance possible for Ryugu. This supports the hypothesis that primary thermal alteration occurred on Ryugu’s parent body. Hayabusa2 created an artificial crater on Ryugu to analyse the subsurficial material of the asteroid. Results show that the subsurface is more hydrated than the surface. It experienced alteration processes that can be traced back to Ryugu’s parent body.

A high-resolution 3D surface model, map-projected to a digital terrain model (DTM), and precisely ortho-rectified context images (orthoimages) of MASCOT landing site area are important data sets for the scientific analysis of relevant data that have been acquired with MASCOT’s image camera system MASCam and other instruments (e.g., the radiometer MARA and the magnetometer MASMag). We performed a stereo-photogrammetric (SPG) analysis of 1050 images acquired from the Hayabusa2 Optical Navigation Camera system (ONC) during the asteroid characterization phase and the MASCOT release phase in early October 2018 to construct a photogrammetric control point network of asteroid (162173) Ryugu. We validated existing rotational parameters for Ryugu and improved the camera orientation (position and pointing) of the ONC images to decimeter accuracy using SPG bundle block adjustment. We produced a high-resolution DTM of the entire MASCOT landing site area. Finally, based on this DTM, a set of orthoimages from the highest-resolution ONC images around MASCOT’s final rest position complements the results of this analysis.

Images from the Optical Navigation Camera system (ONC) onboard the Hayabusa2 spacecraft show the MASCOT lander during its descent to the surface of asteroid (162173) Ryugu. We used results from a previous stereo-photogrammetric analysis that provided precise ONC image orientation data (camera position and pointing), ONC orthoimages, and an ONC-based 3D surface model to combine them with the visibilities of MASCOT itself and its shadow on-ground within the ONC images. We integrated additional information from instruments onboard MASCOT (MASMag, MARA, MASCam) and derived MASCOT’s release position and modeled its free-fall descent path and its velocity over 350 s from its release at ∼41 m altitude above ground until its first contact with the surface of Ryugu. After first contact, MASCOT bounced over the surface of Ryugu for 663 s and came to rest at its first settlement point after four intermediate surface contacts. We again used ONC images that show MASCOT and partly its shadow and reconstructed the bouncing path and the respective velocities of MASCOT. The achieved accuracy for the entire descent and bouncing path is ∼0.1 m (1σ).

Accurate measurements of the surface brightness and its spectrophotometric properties are essential for obtaining reliable observations of the physical and material properties of planetary bodies. To measure the surface brightness of Ryugu accurately, we calibrated the optical navigation cameras (ONCs) of Hayabusa2 using both standard stars and Ryugu itself during the rendezvous phase including two touchdown operations for sampling. These calibration results showed that the nadir-viewing telescopic camera (ONC-T) and nadir-viewing wide-angle camera (ONC-W1) experienced substantial variation in sensitivity. In particular, ONC-W1 showed significant sensitivity degradation (~60%) after the first touchdown operation. We estimated the degradations to be caused by front lens contamination by fine-grain materials lifted from the Ryugu surface due to thruster gas for ascent back maneuver and sampler projectile impact upon touchdown. While ONC-T is located very close to W1 on the spacecraft, its degradation in sensitivity was only ~15% over the entire rendezvous phase. If in fact dust is really the main cause for the degradation, this lighter damage likely resulted from dust protection by the long hood attached to ONC-T. However, because large variations in the absolute sensitivity occurred after the touchdown events, which should be due to dust effect, uncertainty for the absolute sensitivity was rather large (3–4%). On the other hand, the change in relative spectral responsivity (i.e., 0.55-μm-band normalized responsivity) of ONC-T was small (1%). The variation in relative responsivity during the proximity phase has been well calibrated to have only a small uncertainty (

Elemental doping is a universal strategy in controlling the functionalities of materials that strongly correlate with naturally formed atomic defects. Element-resolved chemical mapping for atomic defects has answered numerous problems on the relations between defective structures and properties. However, tracking small amounts of dopants in multicomponent bulks and clarifying their doping behaviors remain challenging. Using advanced X-ray spectroscopy, the excess Cu doping behavior in ternary Bi2Te2·7Se0.3 bulk alloy is visualized with the unprecedented detectability from sub-one atomic percent of concentration. The low content of 0.2 at.% Cu preferentially occupies the Bi site, while Cu atoms are found in three crystallographic sites of Bi2Te3 structure and van der Waals gap at high Cu content of 1.2 at.%. These behaviors explain the nontrivial role of Cu dopants on carrier generation processes and relevant thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te2·7Se0.3. The atomic-level identification should also stimulate the elucidation of diverse properties in doped nanomaterials and quantum phenomena in doped topological insulators.

In the scanning transmission electron microscope, an accurate knowledge of detector collection angles is paramount in order to quantify signals on an absolute scale. Here we present an optical configuration designed for the accurate measurement of collection angles for both image-detectors and energy-loss spectrometers. By deflecting a parallel electron beam, carefully calibrated using a diffraction pattern from a known material, we can directly observe the projection-distortion in the post-specimen lenses of probe-corrected instruments, the 3-fold caustic when an image-corrector is fitted, and any misalignment of imaging detectors or spectrometer apertures. We also discuss for the first time, the effect that higher-order aberrations in the objective-lens pre-field has on such an angle-based detector mapping procedure.

In the past decades, many efforts have been devoted to characterizing {001} platelet defects in type Ia diamond. It is known that N is concentrated at the defect core. However, an accurate description of the atomic structure of the defect and the role that N plays in it is still unknown. Here, by using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy we have determined the atomic arrangement within platelet defects in a natural type Ia diamond and matched it to a prevalent theoretical model. The platelet has an anisotropic atomic structure with a zigzag ordering of defect pairs along the defect line. The electron energy-loss near-edge fine structure of both carbon K- and nitrogen K-edges obtained from the platelet core is consistent with a trigonal bonding arrangement at interstitial sites. The experimental observations support an interstitial aggregate mode of formation for platelet defects in natural diamond.

Introduction Sex hormones have been implicated in the etiology of a number of diseases. To better understand disease etiology and the mechanisms of disease-risk factor associations, this analysis aimed to investigate the associations of anthropometric, sociodemographic and behavioural factors with a range of circulating sex hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin. Methods Statistical analyses of individual participant data from 12,330 male controls aged 25–85 years from 25 studies involved in the Endogenous Hormones Nutritional Biomarkers and Prostate Cancer Collaborative Group. Analysis of variance was used to estimate geometric means adjusted for study and relevant covariates. Results Older age was associated with higher concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin and dihydrotestosterone and lower concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, free testosterone, androstenedione, androstanediol glucuronide and free estradiol. Higher body mass index was associated with higher concentrations of free estradiol, androstanediol glucuronide, estradiol and estrone and lower concentrations of dihydrotestosterone, testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, free testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Taller height was associated with lower concentrations of androstenedione, testosterone, free testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin and higher concentrations of androstanediol glucuronide. Current smoking was associated with higher concentrations of androstenedione, sex hormone-binding globulin and testosterone. Alcohol consumption was associated with higher concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione and androstanediol glucuronide. East Asians had lower concentrations of androstanediol glucuronide and African Americans had higher concentrations of estrogens. Education and marital status were modestly associated with a small number of hormones. Conclusion Circulating sex hormones in men are strongly associated with age and body mass index, and to a lesser extent with smoking status and alcohol consumption. This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.

Waveform LiDAR systems is widely used in several fields such as terrain survey, disaster monitoring and forest monitoring. Especially, in forest research, using an echo signal is expected for understanding structural characteristics of the forest. However, an echo signal highly depends on the sensor configuration, the footprint size, the canopy structure, and terrain condition. Therefore, it is not easy to understand the forest attributes from the echo signal. In this paper, we describe the development and application of model which to simulate laser intersections within ideal forest environments and to visualize intersections. The developed model has three components. The first component was a creation of the forest environment as full polygon in 3DCG software. Characteristics of the forest was decided by individual trees which were generated by the plant growth model using species and planting years as the initial parameter. The second component was a simulation using a ray tracing to calculate intersections between the forest object and the modelled laser beam. In this study, a laser beam with a specific footprint and a pulse width was defined by spatiotemporal features. In point of view of spatial feature, numerous sub laser beams were generated within a specific footprint to make the laser beam hit the target uniformly. Each sub laser beam had the intensity which was calculated by both the distance from the center of laser beam and the TEM00. On the other hand, in point of view of time feature, each sub laser beam was defined as several particles based on the sampling rate. Each particle had the intensity which was calculated by the pulse width and the sampling rate. The third component was a creation of an echo signal of a specific footprint using the calculated intersections and its intensity, reflectance of target at intersections and sampling rate. Moreover, the developed model had a view function that was able to show the calculated intersections on the surface of target object. As results of simulation of ideal forest environment scenarios, the developed model demonstrated that the model generated the echo signal of different environments well and the viewer function helped to understand the interactions between sub laser beams and target objects.

Using two high-speed video cameras, we recorded the trajectory of an arrow (archery and crossbow) and analyzed its velocity decay rate, from which we determined the drag coefficient. In order to investigate Re number dependence of the drag coefficient, we developed a new arrow-shooting system using compressed air as a power source, which enabled us to launch an arrow at an arbitrary velocity (up to 60m/sec). We attached three points of different type (streamlined, bullet and bluff bodied) to the arrow-nose. The boundary layer is laminar for the streamlined point and turbulent for other points, in the measured Re-range (0.78×106

SUMMARYDilution of [1-13C]leucine (Leu) and open-circuit calorimetry were used to determine the effects of diet and cold exposure on rates of plasma Leu turnover, Leu oxidation, and whole body protein synthesis (WBPS) in sheep. The experiment was designed as a crossover design for two 23-day periods. Six adult sheep were assigned to two dietary treatments, medium (Me-diet) and high (Hi-diet) intake, and were fed either 515 or 830 kJ/kg BW0·75per day of metabolizable energy intake, respectively. The temperature in the chamber was changed from a thermoneutral environment (23°C) to a cold environment (2–4°C) for 5 days (the 18th to 23rd day of the experiment). Turnover rate of both plasma Leu and WBPS were greater (PPP=0·10) for the Hi-diet compared with the Me-diet and increased (P=0·03) during cold exposure. No significant diet×environment interaction was detected in the rates of plasma Leu turnover, Leu oxidation or WBPS. It is concluded that plasma Leu kinetics and WBPS were influenced by intake level and increased during cold exposure, but the responses to cold exposure were not modified by intake level in sheep under the conditions of the present experiment.

An isotope dilution method using [U-(13)C]glucose injection was applied to determine the effects of dietary energy intake and cold exposure on plasma glucose metabolism in sheep. The sheep were assigned to two dietary treatments and were fed on diets containing either 100% or 160% of ME and both containing 150% of dietary crude protein intake for maintenance. The sheep were exposed from a thermoneutral environment (23 degrees C) to a cold environment (2-4 degrees C) for 5 days. The isotope dilution method was performed on the 18th day in the thermoneutral environment and on the fifth day of cold exposure. Plasma concentrations of glucose and NEFA increased (p < 0.05) during cold exposure for both diets. Plasma glucose pool size remained unchanged (p = 0.67), but plasma glucose turnover rate tended to increase (p = 0.07) with increased energy intake. Both pool size and turnover rate of plasma glucose increased (p = 0.01 and p = 0.0001, respectively) during cold exposure. No significant diet x environment interaction was detected. It is concluded that plasma glucose metabolism was influenced by both dietary energy intake and cold exposure, and plasma glucose metabolism in response to cold exposure was not modified by energy intake in sheep under the conditions (2-4 degrees C on the fifth day) of the present experiment.

This paper describes the development of novel contact sliders with nanotextures by means of femtosecond laser processing. In order to achieve a magnetic recording density of more than 1 Tb/in2, it is necessary to create an ultralow head-disk interface (HDI) spacing, i.e., less than 2–3 nm. Thus far, various new concept HDI technologies have been proposed for developing such near-contact or contact recording HDI. In this paper, the authors propose the concept of a novel contact slider. This slider has nanotextures fabricated by femtosecond laser processing. Sliders with five DLC thin-film pads on the air bearing surfaces were used, and the pad diameter and thickness are 40 μm and 40 nm, respectively. The fabrication process of nanotextures on the DLC thin-film pads employed a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The laser wavelength and pulse width are 800 nm and 120 fs, respectively. Contact slider experiments were also carried out, using (1) the fabricated contact sliders having nanotextures with different RMS heights and (2) a contact slider without nanotextures. The nanotribological characteristics of the contact HDI as well as the dynamics of the contact sliders were investigated. In addition, the behavior of the ultrathin liquid lubricant film was evaluated by using a surface reflectance analyzer (SRA) after the contact slider experiments. It was found that the nanotextures produced by femtosecond laser processing are very effective for next-generation contact sliders and the optimum RMS heights of the nanotextures can be obtained. These advancements will facilitate the development of contact HDI with lower friction, lower wear of the contact slider surfaces, smaller change in the lubricant film thickness and lower contact slider bouncing vibration.

秩父山地の山地帯天然林に配置した計6.875haの大面積プロットにおける胸高直径5cm以上(7,940本)の毎木データから,樹種個体群の空間分布特性およびその地形依存性について明らかにした。大面積プロットは樹種構成により四つの植生型に区分され,55の構成樹種は植生型ごとの胸高断面積合計から四つの種群に分けられた。それぞれの樹種の空間分布特性はCCA解析によると地形傾度に対応していた。一方,本調査区の主要樹種であるツガ,ブナ,イヌブナなどは安定した個体群維持を行っており,これら3種を主体とする各植生型は,長期間にわたり大きな撹乱がなかったこと,表層土の侵食と堆積が全域で起こっていること,乾湿傾度が地形条件によって変化していること等によって配列されたものであることが示唆された。さらにこれらの植生パターンの変化幅は標高に伴う地形傾度の程度により規定されていると考えられた。

Drought causes damage to agricultural production and affects the balance of food supply and demand. As Obasi (1994) mentioned, droughts had affected 50% of 2.8 billion people who suffered from weat...

BaNbS3 phase was found to be stable in the composition range between x=0.85 and 0.97 for BaNbxS3. The conduction nature was varied from semiconductive to metallic with increasing Nb content. Semiconductor-to-metal (S–M) transition was observed at ∼170 and ∼250 K in BaNb0.95S3 and BaNb0.97S3, respectively. BaTaSe3 phase was stable in the range between x=0.90 and 0.95 for BaTaxSe3. BaTaxSe3 with x=0.90 and 0.95 showed a semiconductor-to-semiconductor transition at ∼140 K, which is characterized by a large jump of the resistivity from ∼106 to ∼1012 Ω cm. Seebeck measurements showed electron conduction in both BaNbxS3 and BaTaxSe3.

Placental protein 5 (PP5)/tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2), a serine proteinase inhibitor, is homologous to tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and commonly found in peripheral blood of pregnant woman. Although TFPI is well known to be synthesized primarily in endothelium and to play an important role in regulation of the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation, the function of PP5/TFPI-2 remains unclear. Our previous report demonstrated that PP5/TFPI-2 expression is ubiquitous and extremely high in growing placental tissue. Using newly generated polyclonal anti-PP5/TFPI-2 antibody, and by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectromicroscopy, we examined precise localization of PP5/TFPI-2 in placenta especially in syncytiotrophoblasts, which had been shown to produce PP5/TFPI-2 mRNA by our previous study using in situ hybridization. Immunoelectromicroscopy revealed PP5/TFPI-2 localizing on the surface of the microvilli and the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum of syncytiotrophoblasts. To confirm the cell surface association of PP5/TFPI-2, placental villi were incubated with heparin and resultant soluble fraction was analysed by Western blotting. Heparin liberating PP5/TFPI-2 from villi suggested that PP5/TFPI-2 might be retained on the microvilli surface through the binding to membrane-anchored proteoglycans such as glypican and/or syndecan family members. We also examined the relationship between the presence of cell layer of syncytiotrophoblasts and the coagulation using clinical specimens, and revealed that the fibrin depositions were specifically observed on the regions lacking syncytiotrophoblasts cell layer in placental villi. Therefore, it is likely that during pregnancy PP5/TFPI-2 may be retained on the surface of placental villi via proteoglycans, and may play an important role to maintain intervillous blood flow and the patency of microvasculature in feto-maternal blood system mediated by the inhibition of serine proteinases involved in the blood coagulation.

This paper describes two humanoid robots developed in the Humanoid Robotics Institute, Waseda University. Hadaly-2 is intended to realize information interaction with humans by integrating environmental recognition with vision, conversation capability (voice recognition, voice synthesis), and gesture behaviors. It also possesses physical interaction functions for direct contact with humans and behaviors that are gentle and safe for humans. WABIAN is a robot with a complete human configuration that is capable of walking on two legs and carrying things as with humans. Furthermore, it has functions for information interactions suite for uses at home.

We investigated the effects of Streptococcus thermophilus YIT 2001, a strain of lactic acid bacteria, on the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidation and the formation of aortic fatty lesions in hyperlipidemic hamsters. S. thermophilus YIT 2001 had the highest in vitro antioxidative activity against LDL oxidation among the 79 strains of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria tested, which was about twice that of S. thermophilus YIT 2084. The lag time of LDL oxidation in the YIT 2001 feeding group was significantly longer than in controls, but was unchanged in the YIT 2084 group. After the feeding of YIT 2001, lag times were prolonged and areas of aortic fatty lesions were dose-dependently attenuated, although there were no effects on plasma lipid levels. These results suggest that YIT 2001 has the potential to prevent the formation of aortic fatty lesions by inhibiting LDL oxidation.

A procedure based on the kinematical theory has been developed to estimate and correct the effects of simultaneous reflections on intensity data collected with the four-circle single crystal X-ray diffractometer through minimizing the scatter of the corrected structure factor (intensity) values of equivalent reflections.