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Current research on the Earth’s upper atmosphere requires molecular parameters of unprecedented detail and accuracy. State-of-the-art models of the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) absorbing properties of the atmosphere call for absorption cross sections with details on the scale of the Doppler linewidths (i.e., 0.1 to 0.15 cm−1 at 295 K). As a consequence, spectroscopic data at resolving powers of the order of 106 are needed. Current particular needs are for ultrahigh resolution absorption cross section data for some bands of NO and O2 in the UV to VUV region. To meet some of these requirements, we have used a UV Fourier transform (FT) spectrometer at Imperial College (IC) to measure the Herzberg I bands of O2 [1,2] and the δ (0,0) band of NO [3]

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was grafted onto silk fiber in a one-step emulsion system using a diethylzinc and 1,10-phenanthroline complex. The reaction conditions were investigated by varying temperature and initiator to monomer ratio. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEC) techniques were used to characterize the structure, thermal stability, and surface morphology of the obtained product, respectively. Grafting of MMA onto silk increased the thermal stability of silk. The FTIR spectrum and SEM images provided further evidence that MMA has been successfully grafted onto the silk fiber. A peak ascribed to the C=O stretching vibration of MMA was detected in the FTIR spectrum of grafted silk fiber, which was not present in the spectrum of pure silk fiber. Moreover, the SEM images illustrated the increase in diameter and surface roughness of grafted silk compared with pure silk. Lastly, the dyeing performance of the modified silk was significantly increased.

Acral melanoma (AM) is an epidemiologically and molecularly distinct entity that is underrepresented in clinical trials on immunotherapy in melanoma. We aimed to analyze the efficacy of anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) antibodies in advanced AM.We retrospectively evaluated unresectable stage III or stage IV AM patients treated with an anti-PD-1 antibody in any line at 21 Japanese institutions between 2014 and 2018. The clinicobiologic characteristics, objective response rate (ORR, RECIST), survival estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, and toxicity (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 4.0.) were analyzed to estimate the efficacy of the anti-PD-1 antibodies.In total, 193 patients (nail apparatus, 70; palm and sole, 123) were included in the study. Anti-PD-1 antibody was used as first-line therapy in 143 patients (74.1%). Baseline lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was within the normal concentration in 102 patients (52.8%). The ORR of all patients was 16.6% (complete response, 3.1%; partial response, 13.5%), and the median overall survival (OS) was 18.1 months. Normal LDH concentrations showed a significantly stronger association with better OS than abnormal concentrations (median OS 24.9 versus 10.7 months; P0.001). Although baseline characteristics were similar between the nail apparatus and the palm and sole groups, ORR was significantly lower in the nail apparatus group [6/70 patients (8.6%) versus 26/123 patients (21.1%); P = 0.026]. Moreover, the median OS in this group was significantly poorer (12.8 versus 22.3 months; P = 0.03).Anti-PD-1 antibodies have limited efficacy in AM patients. Notably, patients with nail apparatus melanoma had poorer response and survival, making nail apparatus melanoma a strong candidate for further research on the efficacy of novel combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

In this study, we investigated the optical properties, band gap, dielectric function and absorption coefficient of Sn-based perovskites, which are considered as potential candidates for Pb-free perovskite solar cells. In addition, the quantum efficiency of the perovskite solar cell was investigated, and the values were compared with the experimental values. Furthermore, as an element that suppresses Sn vacancy formation, we focused on the B site of MASnI3 and investigated the vacancy formation energy by substituting various elements. The absorption coefficient was calculated to investigate the effects on the optical characteristics of an additive element that suppresses Sn vacancies.

Objectives: We previously reported the therapeutic potential of Bifidobacterium breve A1 (B. breve A1) for preventing cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease model mice, which suggested that supplementation of the probiotics could be an effective therapeutic strategy for managing cognitive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Design and settings: We conducted an open-label, single-arm study to examine the effects of 24-week supplementation of B. breve A1 on elderly with MCI in Aki Orthopedics Rehabilitation Clinic in Japan. Participants: 27 participants were screened by their Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Measurements: Cognitive function was assessed using MMSE and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) at baseline and every 8 weeks. Mental condition and quality of life for gastrointestinal symptoms were measured using the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition (POMS2), and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). Results: Of the 27 participants enrolled, 19 completed the study. MMSE scores were significantly increased during the intervention by mixed model Dunnett’s test and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (+1.7, P < 0.01). POMS2 and GSRS scores were significantly improved during intervention when analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Conclusion: The present study showed that oral supplementation of B. breve A1 in participants with MCI improved cognitive function, thus suggesting the potential of B. breve A1 for improving cognitive function and maintaining quality of life of the elderly. Further randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled studies are worth conducting to examine the beneficial effect of B. breve A1.

Verticillium dahliae infecting tomato can be differentiated into races 1 and 2 based on differential pathogenicity on tomato cultivars carrying resistance gene Ve1. Although no commercial cultivars resistant to race 2 are available, race 2-resistant rootstock cultivars Aibou and Ganbarune-Karis have been bred in Japan. Nevertheless, the resistance of these rootstocks appears to be unstable in commercial tomato fields. Pathogenicity assays conducted under controlled conditions revealed that these rootstock cultivars are resistant to some isolates of race 2; this resistance is controlled by a single dominant locus, denoted by V2, based on segregation of resistance in F2 populations from selfed rootstock cultivars. However, some other isolates of race 2 can overcome this resistance. Therefore it is proposed that the current race 2 of V. dahliae should be divided into two races, i.e. ‘race 2’ (nonpathogenic on Aibou) and ‘race 3’ (pathogenic on Aibou). The distribution of these races was surveyed in 70 commercial tomato fields in Hida, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Race 3 was found in 45 fields, indicating that race 3 had already spread throughout the region. On the other hand, 25 fields had only race 2, and thus race 2-resistant rootstocks would be effective for disease management in these fields. Races 2 and 3 could not be identified by genomic Southern hybridization probed with a telomere sequence, nor with previously reported race-specific PCR assays. Elucidation of race-determining mechanisms and development of methods for quick race identification should be made in future studies.

We report the review on the physical properties of the liquid crystal freely suspended films. The importance of the freely suspended films for the study of the fundamental problems of the self-confined systems as well as their practical implementations are demonstrated.

In our previous study on a normal-conducting 508.9-MHz continuous-wave accelerating cavity, it was discovered that most breakdown events were accompanied by the explosion of a stable bright spot on one of the two end plates of the cavity (Breakdown Type I) or by a spot-type explosion not originating from a stable bright spot (Breakdown Type II); both of these explosions can be understood as breakdown triggers. In the present study, the light emitters of stable bright spots in Breakdown Type I and the dynamics of spot-type explosions in Breakdown Type II were investigated using hyperspectral and high-speed cameras, respectively, during high-power test.

The influence of adenomyomectomy on subsequent pregnancy is unknown. Placenta accreta is most often associated with placenta previa in women with multiple previous cesarean sections.A 41-year-old woman became pregnant six years after a laparoscopic uterine posterior adenomyomectomy. She was diagnosed with complete placenta previa and considered at a low risk for placenta accreta by ultrasonography. Cesarean section and subsequent hysterectomy were required, and histopathological analysis revealed a posterior placenta accreta.The authors discuss the association of adenomyomectomy and placenta accreta on subsequent pregnancy and conclude that previous adenomyomectomy may increase the risk of abnormal placentation. Therefore, careful treatment is required during the pregnancies of patients with previous adenomyomectomy.

In this study, we compare the results of experimental investigations of longitudinal and transverse pyroelectric effects in a chiral ferroelectric crystal. In a transverse geometry, we studied freely suspended liquid-crystal films. In both geometries, samples exhibited bistability, demonstrating stable pyroelectric signals of different polarities at zero voltage. It is shown that a bistable cell based on a freely suspended film requires 40 times less energy expenditures as compared to the conventional sandwich-type cell.

Willingness to Pay (WTP) and Willingness to Accept (WTA) is the mainstream of the contingent valuation method (CVM) and especially the willingness to pay techniques is widely used in valuating public goods and ecosystem services in many areas in the world. The main technique of WTP in CVM is to achieve the maximum value that public would like to pay for some ecosystem services; unfortunately, it is always accompanied by a psychological phenomenon as free rider, since actually, everyone can enjoy the public goods equally no matter how much they paid, which is also the definition and feature of the public goods. While, although recent advances have considerably reduced the biases and shortcomings of CVM such as embedding effect and hypothetical bias. Researchers still faced with a need for a new method, which is fundamentally interfered with less psychological factors. This paper presents a first attempt to build the theory of Willingness to Sell (WTS) to quantify the economic value of the ecosystem services on the basis of the combination of existing environmental science and economics. WTS is a method to achieve a reasonable equilibrium price through the public judgment on the value of public goods or ecosystem services rather than the production costs of the supplier. The theoretical construction, mathematical modeling, implementation of the process, and survey method and question designs of WTS have been discussed and presented in this research. We believe that a more objective and reliable economic value of ecosystem service could be drawn through the combination of the new method and existing WTP and WTA skills, and the validity of CVM method research will also be greatly improved.

Background Although taxanes (TAX) are effective for advanced cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS) and stand as a current first-line treatment, no standardized second-line treatment has yet been established. Eribulin methylate (ERB), a non-taxane microtubule inhibitor, improved the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced sarcoma compared to dacarbazine in a randomized, phase 3 trial. Based on this study, ERB was approved to use for all types of sarcoma in Japan. We hypothesized that ERB would be most active in patients with TAX-resistant CAS as both TAX and ERB target microtubules but through different mechanisms. Methods We designed a single-arm, prospective observational study of ERB administered at a dose of 1.4mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 in a 21-day cycle. Advanced, TAX-resistant CAS patients scheduled for ERB use were enrolled. The primary endpoint was OS and the secondary endpoints were response ratio (RR), progression-free survival (PFS), and toxicity assessment. Results The last patient was enrolled in January 2018 and the data was locked at the end of March 2019. In total, 25 patients with CAS (median age 74) were enrolled. All patients had prior TAX exposure and 5 patients had 2 or more prior therapy courses. All patients except 1 had their primary tumours in the head and neck while 10 patients had distant metastasis. Performance status (PS) was generally good; 14 were PS0, 8 were PS1, and 3 were PS2. The median follow-up period was 250 (16-849) days. The rate of OS and PFS at 6 months estimated by Kaplan-Meier method was 67% and 24%, respectively. Median OS and PFS were 8.6 and 3.0 months, respectively. RR at week 7, 13, and 25 were 24% (6/25), 16.7% (4/25) and 13% (3/23), respectively. Although 10 patients experienced severe toxicity (8 had neutropenia, 2 had anemia and 1 had a retroperitoneal abscess), they all recovered. Conclusions ERB showed a promising and durable response and was well-tolerated in TAX-resistant CAS. Both RR and OS were comparable to previous results where ANGIOTAX was used as a second-line treatment. The most common toxicity was neutropenia but this was manageable. Taken together, this study provides evidence to support ERB use in TAX-resistant CAS cases. Clinical trial identification UMIN000023331. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Maruho Takagi Dermatology Foundation. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

This paper presents a double-stator permanent magnet brushless DC machine (DS-PMBLDC) which is proposed to be used in light electric vehicles and to replace a typical motor for electric vehicles in future. However, to fulfill the limitation of motor performance at different conditions, electric vehicles require their own specific motor design. Thus, a modular type of motor which can easily replace the electrical motor based on requirements for the electric driving system in power train of an electric vehicle was proposed and discussed in this paper. The operating principle of the proposed machine is reported. Concentrated winding is adopted for the stators of a 9-slot 8-pole DS-PMBLDC machine. The cogging torque, back-EMF, air-gap flux density, torque and power characteristic have been analyzed using 2-dimensional Finite-Element Analysis (2D-FEA). Experimental and simulation results are compared and discussed. Theoretical analysis of the proposed machine show an efficiency of 80% and 75% efficiency in motoring and generating mode respectively. The 2D-FEA simulation results are in good agreement with the measurement results.

We have developed normal-conducting accelerating single-cell cavities with a complete higher-order-mode (HOM) heavily damped structure, into which we feed a 508.9-MHz continuous wave. During a high-gradient test of the second production version of the cavity, we performed a breakdown study based on direct in situ observation of the inner surfaces of the cavity. This paper presents our experimental findings obtained from this observation.

To present a case report on the successful management of a low-lying placenta and aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious disorder that is often characterized by severe pancytopenia. Because of the rarity of aplastic anemia, a pregnancy complicated by it is rarely encountered by obstetricians. Moreover, placenta previa (low-lying placenta) complicated by aplastic anemia has not been previously reported.The authors present the first reported case of placenta previa with aplastic anemia in a patient who had undergone a previous cesarean delivery.They successfully managed this case by making a transverse uterine fundal incision during an elective cesarean delivery. This incision minimized blood loss and enabled good visualization of the source of bleeding in the lower uterine segment. Bleeding was stemmed by suturing the source of bleeding.The authors propose that this procedure should be considered for patients with low platelet counts and abnormal placentation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usage of tooth autotransplantation in dental clinics which offer the treatment and evaluate its practicality. Participating dentists were requested to provide information on transplantations they had undertaken from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2010. A total of 614 teeth from 552 patients (37 dentists) ranging in age from 17 to 79 (mean age: 44·1) were examined. Cumulative survival rate and mean survival time were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and log rank test was used for analysis of factors. The mean number of autotransplantation patients per clinic per year was 1·4. Upper third molars constituted 36·8% of donor teeth, while 37·1% were lower third molars. The lower first molar region was the most common recipient site at 32·6%, followed by the lower second molar region (28·0%). Prosthodontic treatment of transplanted teeth involved coverage with a single crown (72·5%) and abutment of bridge (18·9%). A total of 102 transplanted teeth were lost owing to complications such as attachment loss (54·9%) and root resorption (25·7%). The cumulative survival rate in cases where donor teeth had complete root formation was 90·1% at 5 years, 70·5% at 10 years and 55·6% at 15 years. The mean survival time was 165·6 months. Older age was a significant risk factor (P0·05) for survival. In cases where suitable donor teeth are available, autotransplantation of teeth may be a plausible treatment option for dealing with missing teeth in dental clinics.

We report the simulated results for coupled granular and continuous (CGC) films for the thermo assisted magnetic recoding, consisting of FePt particles under layers that act as domain pinning sites of TbFeCo layers. As domain size should be smaller to further increase the recording density, the number of FePt grains has to be decreased in the domain. The simulated results demonstrated that they could be formed in a domain as small as 18.3 nm in diameter, which corresponds to a recording density of 1.8 Tbit/inch2. Here, three FePt grains were effective for pinning. We also estimated the effective wall coercivity, Hw, from the simulation varying the applied magnetic field until a domain had shrunk and disappeared. The Hw was over 12 [KOe] where there were only three grains for pinning. The Hw was a function of the radius of the curvature at the pinning point and also the inverse average wall length between the pinning points in the same composite films.

ZnSe/CdSe/ZnSe structures inserted CdSe thin layer are fabricated using an alternate molecular beam supply (ALS). Examining the PL peak energy dependence on beam irradiation time in ALS cycle, we studied the initial stage of CdSe growth. When CdSe below the critical thickness is supplied on ZnSe grown on GaAs (1 0 0), two kinds of 2D islands (platelets) appear. We confirmed the alloying of 2D-CdSe islands and 3D-CdSe islands (dots) is prominent under Cd beam irradiation in ALS growth.

We investigated the mechanisms for the antiallergic effects of Hypsizigus marmoreus mushrooms on an oxazolone-induced type IV allergy in male ICR mice. Serum levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) were significantly increased in mice, which showed a severe ear edema induced by the type IV allergy in comparison with those of normal mice. The oral administration of an ethanol extract of H. marmoreus for 3 d at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight prevented the increase of serum IL-12 levels but not gamma-IFN levels. Lowering of serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), spleen natural killer (NK) cell activity, and serum antioxidant activity in mice with allergic symptoms were also prevented by oral administration of the ethanol extract. These results suggested that one of the antiallergic mechanisms of H. marmoreus would be due to maintenance of antioxidant status and inhibition of the fluctuations of cytokines in allergic mice.

We have measured the reduced absorption coefficients occurring in the wings of the potassium 4S-5P doublet lines at 404.414 nm and at 404.720 nm broadened by helium gas at pressures of several hundred Torr. At the experimental temperature of 900 K, we have detected a shoulder-like broadening feature on the blue wing of the doublet which is relatively flat between 401.8 nm and 402.8 nm and which drops off rapidly for shorter wavelengths, corresponding to absorption from the X doublet Sigma+ state to the C doublet Sigma+ state of the K-He quasimolecule. The accurate measurements of the line profiles in the present work will sharply constrain future calculations of potential energy surfaces and transition dipole moments correlating to the asymptotes He-K(5p), He-K(5s), and He-K(3d)., Comment: 2 figures

We have carried out a series of studies to address the role of the face primary motor area (MI) in the cerebral cortex in trained or semi-automatic orofacial motor behaviours and in behavioural adaptations to an altered oral environment. These studies have utilized intracortical microstimulation (ICMS), reversible cold block or single neurone recordings in face MI. Our studies in monkeys have revealed that face MI plays a strategic role in elemental and learned motor behaviours and in certain aspects of chewing and swallowing. Furthermore, successful training of awake monkeys in a novel tongue-protrusion task is associated with significant neuroplastic changes in face MI. These findings in monkeys are supported by correlated findings in humans which have revealed significantly enhanced corticomotoneuronal excitability when humans learn the novel tongue-protrusion task. Our related ICMS studies in rats reveal that trimming or extraction of the rat's lower incisors or damage to the rat's lingual nerve can result in significant changes in the MI representations of the tongue or jaw muscles. These various findings suggest that the face MI is important in orofacial motor skill acquisition and adaptation to an altered occlusion or loss of teeth or lingual sensory function, and that it reflects dynamic and modifiable constructs that are modelled by behaviourally significant experiences and that are critical to learning and adaptive processes.

Our hospital is a tertiary 1000-bed hospital. In 2011, rapid response system (RRS) was introduced in the hospital. Our rapid response team (RRT) includes critical care physicians, critical care nurses and physical therapists. Usually, team members are working at ICU. They also provides respiratory care or critical care interventions to the patients in the wards, after discharged from ICU. It is just like a Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT), however, we call the system, Respiratory Support Team (RST) in our country. Once the RRS is activated, the team immediately responds to any type of call during 24 hours a day. The RRS is activated according to predefined criteria.

Study question What percentage of cases with non-syndromic hypospadias can be ascribed to mutations in known causative/candidate/susceptibility genes or submicroscopic copy-number variations (CNVs) in the genome? Summary answer Monogenic and digenic mutations in known causative genes and cryptic CNVs account for >10% of cases with non-syndromic hypospadias. While known susceptibility polymorphisms appear to play a minor role in the development of this condition, further studies are required to validate this observation. What is known already Fifteen causative, three candidate, and 14 susceptible genes, and a few submicroscopic CNVs have been implicated in non-syndromic hypospadias. Study design, size, duration Systematic mutation screening and genome-wide copy-number analysis of 62 patients. Participants/materials, setting, methods The study group consisted of 57 Japanese and five Vietnamese patients with non-syndromic hypospadias. Systematic mutation screening was performed for 25 known causative/candidate/susceptibility genes using a next-generation sequencer. Functional consequences of nucleotide alterations were assessed by in silico assays. The frequencies of polymorphisms in the patient group were compared with those in the male general population. CNVs were analyzed by array-based comparative genomic hybridization and characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Main results and the role of chance Seven of 62 patients with anterior or posterior hypospadias carried putative pathogenic mutations, such as hemizygous mutations in AR, a heterozygous mutation in BNC2, and homozygous mutations in SRD5A2 and HSD3B2. Two of the seven patients had mutations in multiple genes. We did not find any rare polymorphisms that were abundant specifically in the patient group. One patient carried mosaic dicentric Y chromosome. Limitations, reasons for caution The patient group consisted solely of Japanese and Vietnamese individuals and clinical and hormonal information of the patients remained rather fragmentary. In addition, mutation analysis focused on protein-altering substitutions. Wider implications of the findings Our data provide evidence that pathogenic mutations can underlie both mild and severe hypospadias and that HSD3B2 mutations cause non-syndromic hypospadias as a sole clinical manifestation. Most importantly, this is the first report documenting possible oligogenicity of non-syndromic hypospadias. Study funding/competing interests This study was funded by the Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; by the Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; by the Grants from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, from the National Center for Child Health and Development and from the Takeda Foundation. The authors have no competing interests to disclose. Trial registration number Not applicable.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) extract with 50% ethanol remarkably inhibited rat intestinal α-glucosidase (sucrase) activity when compared with 31 different herbs and spices (aqueous and 50% ethanol aqueous extracts). Rosemary-distilled extract obtained from 50% ethanol extract by evaporation inhibited α-glucosidase activity in the reaction with both maltose and sucrose. Maltose or sucrose was orally administered, with or without rosemary-distilled extract, to mice at a dose of 20 mg/mouse. A postprandial elevation in plasma glucose levels 30 min after administration of maltose or sucrose plus the distilled extract was significantly suppressed compared with glucose levels in mice that did not receive the distilled extract. A 0.01% aqueous solution of rosemary-distilled extract supplied as drinking water to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice significantly suppressed an increase in plasma glucose levels 4 d after injection of STZ. It was also shown that a 0.01% aqueous solution of the distilled extract inhibited α-glucosidase (maltase and sucrase) in the small intestine of STZ-induced diabetic mice. An active compound with IC50 values of 290 μg/mL (maltase inhibitory activity) and 150 μg/mL (sucrase inhibitory activity) was isolated and identified to be 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy flavone (luteolin). These results suggested that rosemary extract might be a beneficial food material in the prevention of diabetes and obesity.

Undoped ZnO poly crystalline films were successfully grown by a spray pyrolysis method at 300–500∘C. The samples grown at 500∘C indicated high quality because the (0002) orientation was strongly observed in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum. Surface roughness reduced with increasing substrate temperature and indium concentration. Indium doping caused the resistivity to decrease and the carrier concentration to increase. Electrical conduction types in the undoped and In-doped ZnO films indicated all n-types. From these results, this indicated that indium atoms could act as a donor type impurity.

The π-electron states of a graphite/porous-graphite quantum wire are calculated in the effective-mass theory. The wire-width dependence of sub-band levels is well reproduced for lower sub-bands of wider quantum wires. The effective-mass along a quantum wire is proportional to the sub-band level and exhibits a drastic change as a function of the wire width.

The kinematic viscosities for 273 binary and 11 ternary systems were predicted with a new model (ASOG-VISCO) developed by combining the ASOG group contribution method and Eyring’s theory of absolute reaction rates. The ASOG-VISCO group pair parameters were determined from literature kinematic viscosity data for group pairs of CH2, ArCH, CyCH, OH, H2O, CO, COO, CCl3, and CCl4 in the temperature range of 283.15 to 333.15 K. The overall average deviations between experimental and predicted kinematic viscosities for the binary and ternary systems were 4.15 and 5.03%, respectively. The predicted results using ASOG-VISCO were better than those determined with the UNIFAC-VISCO group contribution method.

A higher specific impulse and a larger thrust are required for a manned interplanetary space thruster. Prior to a realization of a fusion-plasma thruster, a magneto-plasma-dynamic arcjet (MPDA) powered by a fission reactor is one of the promising candidates for a manned Mars space thruster. The MPDA plasma is accelerated axially by a self-induced j × B force. Thrust performance of the MPDA is expected to increase by applying a magnetic nozzle instead of a solid nozzle. In order to get a much higher thruster performance, two methods have been investigated in the HITOP device, Tohoku University. One is to use a magnetic Laval nozzle in the vicinity of the MPDA muzzle for converting the high ion thermal energy to the axial flow energy. The other is to heat ions by use of an ICRF antenna in the divergent magnetic nozzle. It is found that by use of a small-sized Laval-type magnetic nozzle, the subsonic flow near the muzzle is converted to be supersonic through the magnetic Laval nozzle. A fast-flowing plasma is successfully heated by use of an ICRF antenna in the magnetic beach configuration.

A microwave synthetic method has been developed for novel electroluminescent Ir(III)-polypyridine complexes. The novel Ir(III)-polypyridine complexes give intensively multi-colored luminescence whose emission peaks are occurred ranging from 450 to 630 nm. The chemical properties and electroluminescence character of these Ir(III) complexes are studied. These Ir complexes exhibit red electrophosphorescence and they might be promising red emitting materials for EL devices.