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We propose many contributions related to combinatorial optimization. First, we propose a number of exact methods for a general class of integer programming models, allowing applications to several important combinatorial optimization problems. To evaluate the effectiveness of our methods, we apply them to many well-studied cutting, packing, and scheduling problems, including the classical bin packing problem. The proposed methods could solve a large number of open benchmark instances, becoming the leading algorithms and the new state-of-the-art of all these problems. We also propose contributions to facilitate future research on two-dimensional cutting and packing. Lastly, we solve a complex problem arisen from a real-world case study in the food industry.

Pt nanoparticles are the most widely used catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Recently, a simple physical vapor deposition method named coaxial arc plasma deposition (CAPD) has been developed for the preparation of Pt NPs for PEFCs. Using the CAPD method, we deposited Pt NPs on various carbon substrates such as C60 fullerene nanowhiskers, graphite particles and glassy carbon substrates, and studied the crystal structure of the deposited Pt NPs using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The Pt NPs deposited by using CAPD were found to be anisotropically strained. The anisotropic straining of Pt NPs was also observed in the commercial Pt NPs chemically deposited on carbon black (CB) particles. This chapter compares the lattice straining of the Pt NPs that has been known to strongly influence the catalytic activity of Pt NPs in PEFC on the atomic scale. Statistical analyses of the Pt NP-CB adhesion facets were also investigated to understand the influence of the CB surface on the crystal structure of Pt NPs. By analyzing the results of the study, we concluded that Pt NPs are spontaneously strained and hardly influenced by the CB particle substrates.

Background Despite the established treatment for life-threatening arrhythmias, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy has emerged as a major determinant of psychological distress. Previous studies have showed several approaches to assess the ICD-specific psychological distress, however, the risk factors affecting psychological functioning are relatively variable across studies, and are not well studied in Japanese population. Therefore, we prospectively investigate the risk factors affecting the psychological functioning and assess the impact of ICD therapy in Japanese patients with ICD. Methods We prospectively enrolled consecutive 136 patients in the present study. At the time of ICD implantation and 1 year later, all patients completed the Florida Shock Anxiety Scale (FSAS), which is a tool designed to provide a quantitative measure of ICD shock-related anxiety. In addition, patients were also examined by psychiatrists using two assessment scales, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results The FSAS score was significantly correlated with the MADRS and HADS scores (Figure). During 1-year follow-up, 11 patients (8.1%) received ICD therapy. Younger age was significantly associated with the FSAS and MADRS scores at registration, but ICD therapy was the only independent factor associated with the increased risk of the FSAS score at 1 year later (p-value = 0.012). Conclusions ICD therapy has a strong impact on psychological distress in time course of ICD implantation. To reduce unnecessary shock therapy and optimal intervention by healthcare professionals may lead to the improvement of ICD-related psychological functioning. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1. Correlation between MADRS and HADS scoreFigure 2. FSAS, MADRS and HADS scores

Background Sub-clinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF) and atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs), seen as high-frequency atrial tachyarrhythmias in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), have gained prominence as determinants of clinical atrial fibrillation (AF) and increased stroke risk. As a result, several studies investigating their role in predicting the onset of AF and AHRE-related outcomes have been conducted but uncertainty exists on the epidemiology of AHRE. Purpose To estimate the incidence of SCAF, according to presence of AHREs in patients with CIEDs, through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature. Methods PubMed and EMBASE were searched from inception to 27th January 2021 for all studies documenting the incidence of AHREs in patients with CIEDs. We included all studies with ≥100 patients reporting data on AHREs incidence. Pooled prevalence and incidence rates were computed; we also performed meta-regressions for pooled incidence rates, according to relevant study-level characteristics. This study was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42019106994. Results Among the 2,515 results retrieved, we included 51 studies in the systematic review and meta-analysis, with a total of 68,414 patients. Meta-analysis of included studies showed a pooled prevalence of 28.2% (95% CI: 24.3–32.5%, I2=99%), with a pooled incidence rate (IR) of 15 new AHRE cases per 100 patient-years (95% CI: 12–19, I2=100%). Given the large heterogeneity showed in the pooled estimates we performed additional analyses. Regarding pooled prevalence, we performed several subgroup analyses, according to various studies baseline characteristics, which did not show any significant difference in any of the subgroups examined. Regarding IR, a multivariable meta-regression analysis showed that decreasing follow-up time and increasing age were the only factors significantly associated with AHRE incidence, explaining a large proportion of heterogeneity (R2=68%, p Conclusions This systematic review and meta-regression demonstrated that SCAF is very common in patients with CIEDs, with an overall IR for AHREs of up to 15 per 100 patient-years; increasing with age and decreasing with longer follow-up time. Presence of SCAF was associated with an overall higher clinical risk profile compared to those subjects without SCAF. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1. Meta-regression for AHRE Incidence

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.

We studied the effects of photon flux density (PFD) and leaf position, a measure of developmental age, on the distribution of nitrogen content per unit leaf area (N(area)) in plants of different heights, in dense stands grown at two nitrogen availabilities and in solitary plants of the erect dicotyledonous herb Xanthium canadense. Taller more dominant plants received higher PFD levels and experienced a larger difference in relative PFD between their youngest and oldest leaves than shorter subordinate plants in the stands. Differences in PFD between leaves of solitary plants were assumed to be minimal and differences in leaf traits, found for these plants, could thus be mainly attributed to an effect of leaf position. In the solitary plants, N.(area) decreased with leaf position while in the plants from the stands it decreased with decreasing relative PFD, indicating both factors to be important in determining the distribution of N(area). Due to the effect of leaf position on N(area), leaves of subordinate plants had a higher N(area) than older leaves of dominant plants which were at the same height or slightly higher in the canopy. Consequently, the N(area) distribution patterns of individual plants plotted as a function of relative PFD were steeper, and probably closer to the optimal distribution which maximizes photosynthesis, than the average distribution in the stand. Leaves of subordinate plants had a lower mass per unit area (LMA) than those of dominant plants. In the dominant plants, LMA decreased with decreasing relative PFD (and with leaf position) while in the subordinate plants it increased. This surprising result for the subordinate plants can be explained by the fact that, during the course of a growing season, these plants became increasingly shaded and newer leaves were thus formed at progressively lower light availability. This indicates that LMA was strongly determined by the relative PFD at leaf formation and to a lesser extent by the current PFD. Leaf N content per unit mash (N(mass)) was strongly determined by leaf position independent of relative PFD. This indicates that N(mass) is strongly ontogenetically related to the leaf-aging process while changes in N(area), in response to PFD, were regulated through changes in LMA.

We revisit a concept that has been central in some early stages of computer science, that of structured programming: a set of rules that an algorithm must follow in order to acquire a structure that is desirable in many aspects. While much has been written about structured programming, an important issue has been left unanswered: given an arbitrary, compiled program, describe an algorithm to decide whether or not it is structured, that is, whether it conforms to the stated principles of structured programming. We refer to the classical concept of structured programming, as described by Dijkstra. By employing a graph model and graph-theoretic techniques, we formulate an efficient algorithm for answering this question. To do so, we first introduce the class of graphs which correspond to structured programs, which we call Dijkstra Graphs. Our problem then becomes the recognition of such graphs, for which we present a greedy $O(n)$-time algorithm. Furthermore, we describe an isomorphism algorithm for Dijkstra graphs, whose complexity is also linear in the number of vertices of the graph. Both the recognition and isomorphism algorithms have potential important applications, such as in code similarity analysis., Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures

In this study, hybrid microwave sintering of Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric materials was implemented for the first time. Thermoelectric properties of samples sintered in different conditions and in conventional electrical furnace, using the same temperatures and dwell times, were assessed and compared. Microwave processing was found to promote densification and grain texturing in Ca3Co4O9 bulk ceramics, leading to a significant increase of the electrical conductivity. Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity were essentially unaffected by the microstructural changes. Prolonged exposure to microwave radiation at 800 degrees C led to partial phase decomposition and consequent formation of Ca3Co2O6 and Co3O4 impurities, with minor effect on the charge transport. Still, the significant presence of residual porosity suggests the need for further optimization of powder and microwave processing conditions. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.

Aims: To investigate the influence of heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 on changes in respiratory immune function and intestinal microbiota in a diet-induced obese mouse model. Methods and Results: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. After 8 weeks, the high-fat-diet-induced obese mice (DIO mice) were randomly divided into two 0067roups, the DIO and DIO0356 groups. DIO0356 group mice were orally fed with heat-killed TMC0356 every day for 8 weeks, while DIO group mice were exposed to 0·85% NaCl over the same time period as controls. After intervention, the pulmonary mRNA expression of cytokines and other immune molecules in DIO0356 mice compared to those in DIO group mice was significantly increased (P

Outbreaks of human intoxication by toxic crabs have been reported in various parts of the world. Sporadic outbreaks of intoxication in humans and domestic animals due to ingestion of the toxic crab have especially occurred in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Using a screening test for toxic crabs, 1000 specimens of 72 species in the family Xanthidae were tested for toxicity and Zosimus aeneus, Atergatis floridus and Platypodia granulosa were found to be toxic. The toxin was confirmed to be identical to saxitoxin (STX). It was later confirmed that there are great individual and regional variations in toxicity and the toxin varies with exposure of the toxic crab to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxin and/or tetrodotoxin (TTX). Edible crabs “Togekurigani” (Telmessus acutidens) and “Ishigani” (Charybdis japonica) were contaminated with PSP for a short time in 2003, in Japan. The mechanism of PSP intoxication was shown to be the food chain by feeding PSP-contaminated bivalves. However, in the case of toxic xan...

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of heat treatment and culture media on the immunoregulatory effects of a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356). Methods and Results: TMC0356 cultured in deMan–Rogosa–Sharpe and same food grade (FG) media were inactivated with the heat treatment at 70 and 90°C. Viable and heat-killed TMC0356 were tested for their ability to induce interleukin (IL)-12 production in the murine macrophage cell line J774.1. These TMC0356 were examined for their resistance to N-acetylmuramidase. Their morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The heat-killed TMC0356 significantly induced IL-12 production in J774.1 cells and exhibited enhanced resistance to N-acetylmuramidase compared with viable TMC0356. Morphological changes were observed in TMC0356 when cultured in FG medium. Cell morphology and induction of IL-12 production in J774.1 cells were also associated. Conclusions: These results suggest that heat treatment and culture medium composition modified the immunoregulatory effects of TMC0356 to induce IL-12 production in macrophages. Significance and Impact of the Study: These results demonstrate that probiotic immunoregulatory effects may be modified by the processing technology of cell preparation.

The ultra-high-energy (UHE) atmospheric showers with strong influence of the Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal (LPM) effect (here after LPM showers) are exclusively expected to be produced by UHE neutrinos. Studies on the characteristics of the LPM showers are essentially important to discriminate neutrino shower (which produced by neutrino interaction) from hadronic shower (initiated by primary hadron). We calculate the LPM showers initiated by electrons with energies of 1018 to 1021 eV, using the hybrid method as exactly as possible. Reflecting the change in the air density along the shower trajectories, the variety of the LPM-shower profiles is shown in different cases for their starting points in atmosphere. Through the study of time profiles of air fluorescent photon components from the LPM showers, the detection capability of UHE neutrinos has also been investigated by the satellite-based experiment with a large acceptance, e.g., the TUS experiment.

We report the tunneling spectroscopy of an iron-based oxypnictide NdFeAsO0.7 with T C=51 K, measured by a mechanical point contact technique. Mainly two kinds of tunneling spectra have been observed reproducibly. One is tunneling conductance displaying sharp superconducting gap peaks at 6.0±1.0 mV, in which hump (or kink) structures are also observed at 20–30 mV. Another is that showing dominantly the larger superconducting gap Δ L with sharp conductance peaks at 14±1.0 meV, in which the trace of a smaller gap (Δ S=5–7 meV) is simultaneously observed. Our results give direct evidence for the existence of multiple gaps in the quasiparticle excitation spectrum of this multiband system, although the origin of the hump at 20–30 mV is still unclear.

A new technique of the jet drop method (JDM) was applied to a chiral molecular discrimination of optically active D- or L-glucose (guest) by chiral N-octyl-beta-D-glycoside (O beta DG)-Cu(II) complex (host) at the gas/liquid interface of small bubbles. The discrimination of glucoses as the guests is possible using O beta DG adsorbed at the gas/liquid interface of bubbles where it acts as the host, either in the presence or the absence of Cu(II) ions. In order to make clear the host-guest interaction at the gas/liquid interface, the composition 01 5000 top jet drops periodically collected onto a slide glass receiver was analyzed. The relative concentration (eta(i) - 1) and the surface excess amount Gamma(0)(i) of species i such as D- and L-glucoses, and O beta DG were determined as a function of bubble size, d(b) and bulk concentration C-b. The partition coefficient, Pi(i) = Gamma(0)(i)/C-b was also evaluated for each component. The adsorption of these materials either in the presence or absence of Cu(II) ions, was assigned to the Freundlich type, and the discrimination of D- and L-glucoses with O beta DG was evaluated in terms of the Freundlich constant, k(i) and 1/n. The discrimination ability of O beta DG was also evaluated by determining the equilibrium constants, K-c of complex formations for the respective glucoses in the presence and absence of Cu(II) ions. It was found that L-glucose can form a more stable complex with O beta DG-Cu(II). (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Ultra-High-Energy(UHE) neutrinos have not yet been detected because of the small interaction cross-section with the target matter. UHE neutrinos could be produced in astrophysical objects where UHE cosmic rays are accelerated and could also be expected in the top-down process such as the decay of SHR/topological defects. Extensive Air Showers (EASs) induced by neutrinos have a uniform X m a x distribution over atmospheric slant depth though that of hadronic EASs is limited between 800 g / c m 2 and 1200 g / c m 2 . Assuming UHE neutrino fluxes, the detection efficiencies by satellite-based observation with a target mass of 10 15 kg are estimated.

In Andosols, available P for crops is limited primarily by sorption and precipitation processes, but application of organic materials may improve the P availability by enhancing organic P mineralization. A field study was conducted during 2005–2007 on a Silandic Andosol in Fukushima, Japan, to investigate whether and how applications of composted cattle manure (0, 61, and 122 or 183 kg P ha −1 ) and/or cover-crop residue (no cover crop, rapeseed, and cereal rye) would improve P availability to soybean. Cover crops were grown over winter and incorporated into the soil 2 weeks before compost application. Soybean P uptake at flowering was improved by application of compost and/or rye residue. Bray-2 soil P (i.e., readily soluble and desorbable P) increased only in the compost treatment. Soil phosphatase activity and microbial P, both representing the potential of P mineralization, were enhanced in treatments with compost and rye. Rapeseed had minor effects on the soil P parameters. Soil nematode community structure was evaluated as an indicator for soil conditions including decomposition pathways. Compost application increased free-living nematodes, especially fungal-feeding nematodes, implying that fungal decomposition dominated in the soil. The increase in free-living nematodes was less pronounced in the cover-crop treatments than in the compost treatment; only bacterial-feeding nematodes consistently increased after the rye treatment. The different changes in the community composition of soil nematodes and the P parameters indicate that the use of a rye cover crop affected P availability to soybean differently to compost application. The density of Pratylenchidae, the prevailing plant feeder in the soil investigated, declined in the treatments with compost and rye, but increased in the rapeseed treatment. The feeding activity of Pratylenchidae may also have affected root growth and consequently P uptake by soybean.

Understanding phosphorus (P) transformation is necessary to develop sustainable P management practices on Andosol with large P-fixing capacity. This study was conducted during 2005–2007 in northeastern Japan to determine how the amounts of inorganic P (Pi) and organic P (Po) fractions change in a Silandic Andosol under soybean production [Glycine max (L.)]. Two treatments were examined: application of composted cattle manure (0 (P0), 61 (P1), and 122 or 183 (P2) kg P ha−1 year−1) and winter cover cropping (no cover crop, rapeseed [Brassica napus], and cereal rye [Secale cereale L.]). Compost was applied before soybean seeding; cover crops were seeded after soybean harvest without further fertilization. Soil P was extracted sequentially with anion exchange resin (Pi), 0.5M NaHCO3 (Pi, Po), 0.1M NaOH (Pi, Po), and 0.5M H2SO4 (Pi). Soybean removed 42.3 and 48.5 kg P ha−1 (only 23 and 10% of the added P), respectively, in P1 and P2. In the P2 soil, 64% of excess P was distributed into Pi fractions, mainly resin-Pi and NaOH–Pi (29 and 19%, respectively). In P0, despite no P addition, soybean removed 41.5 kg P ha−1 concurrently with a decrease in NaOH–Pi, suggesting its potential contribution to soybean P uptake. Neither of cover crops had significant effect on soil P fractions during the 3 year period.

The chemical composition of Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) comic rays is one of unsolved mysteries, and its study will give us fruitful information on the origin and acceleration mechanism of UHE cosmic rays. Especially, a detection of UHE gamma-rays by hybrid experiments, such as AUGER and TA, will be a key to solve these questions. The characteristics of UHE gamma-ray showers have been studied by comparing the lateral and longitudinal structures of shower particles calculated with AIRES and our own simulation code, so far. There are apparent differences in a slope of lateral distribution ( η ) and a depth of shower maximum (Xmax) between gamma-ray and proton induced showers because UHE gamma-ray showers are affected by the LPM effect and the geomagnetic cascading process in an energy region of > 10 19.5 eV . Different features between gamma-ray and proton showers are pointed out from the simulation study and an identifiability of gamma-ray showers from proton ones is also discussed by the method of Neural-Network-Analysis.

In this paper, significant progresses of Japanese research activities are presented in heavy ion fusion (HIF) and high energy density physics (HEDP). Heavy ion beam (HIB) is a prominent tool to study HEDP and HIF, and HIBs may be a promising inertial fusion driver. HIB accelerators have been studied intensively for a long time; HIB pulse profile, a particle energy and a HIB quality are controllable. A HIB energy deposition profile is also well defined, and HIB energy is deposited inside a material. By focusing and using the HIB excellent properties, Japanese HIF and HEDP activities have covered a wide variety of subjects ranging from new accelerators to future HIF studies: ion source, new inductive accelerator, beam physics, beam bunching, beam instabilities, HIB interactions with gas or materials, laser ion acceleration, HIB transport, HIB-based warm dense (WD) state generation, new measurement of HED or WD matters, HIB stopping power, atomic physics, multi-HIBs illumination on a target, HIF target implosion, impact ignition scheme, HIB-radiation conversion, radiation confinement and transport in HED matter or in HIF, and so on.

In heavy ion beam (HIB) inertial confinement fusion (HIF), implosion asymmetry should be less than a few percent in order to compress a fuel sufficiently and release fusion energy effectively. It is known that the HIB illumination nonuniformity and implosion symmetry are sensitive to a little pellet displacement from a reactor chamber center. We present a new HIB illumination scheme which is robust against the displacement of a direct-driven fuel pellet in an HIF reactor chamber. In conventional HIB illumination schemes a pellet displacement of 25–100 μm was tolerable. The new robust HIB illumination scheme is examined by three-dimensional computer simulations. In the new HIB illumination scheme the tolerable pellet displacement is about 200–300 μm.

In order to realize an effective implosion, beam illumination non-uniformity on a fuel target must be suppressed less than a few percent. In this study, a direct–indirect mixture implosion mode is proposed and discussed in heavy ion beam (HIB) inertial confinement fusion (HIF) in order to release sufficient fusion energy in a robust manner. On the other hand, the HIB illumination non-uniformity depends strongly on a target displacement dz from the center of a fusion reactor chamber. In a direct-driven implosion mode, dz of ∼20 μm was tolerable, and in an indirect-implosion mode, dz of ∼100 μm was allowable. In the direct–indirect mixture mode target, a low-density foam layer is inserted, and the radiation energy is confined in the foam layer. In the foam layer, the radiation transport is expected to smooth the HIB illumination non-uniformity in the lateral direction. Two-dimensional implosion simulations are performed, and show that the HIB illumination non-uniformity is well smoothed in the direct–indirect mixture target. Our simulation results present that a large pellet displacement of approximately a few hundred microns is allowed in order to obtain a sufficient fusion energy output in HIF.

This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to test whether Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356) can modify the immune response in the elderly. Heat-killed TMC0356 or placebo was orally administered to 28 healthy subjects aged 50-70 years old for 4 weeks at a dosage of 1.0×109 cfu/day. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from the subjects before and after the study completion, together with general health and blood examination records. Isolated PBMCs were examined for the number of T cells, CD8+CD28+ cells, native T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells and the ratios of CD4/CD8 T cells and native/memory T cells. NK cell activation and concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte transformation of the isolated PBMCs were also examined. The number of CD8+ T cells significantly increased in the subjects after TMC0356 oral administration (P+CD28+ T cells and the amount of lymphocyte transformation both significantly decreased in PBMCs from the placebo group (P+ T cells and reduce CD28 expression loss in CD8+ T cells of the elderly. The effect of TMC0356 on immune responses in the elderly may enhance their natural defence mechanisms against pathogenic infections.

In order to realize an effective implosion, the beam illumination non-uniformity and implosion non-uniformity must be suppressed to less than a few percent. In this paper, a direct-indirect mixture implosion mode is proposed and discussed in heavy ion beam (HIB) inertial confinement fusion (HIF) in order to release sufficient fusion energy in a robust manner. On the other hand, the HIB illumination non-uniformity depends strongly on a target displacement (dz) in a reactor. In a direct-driven implosion mode dz of ∼20 μm was tolerance and in an indirect-implosion mode dz of ∼100 μm was allowable. In the direct-indirect mixture mode target, a low-density foam layer is inserted, and radiation is confined in the foam layer. In the foam layer the radiation transport is expected in the lateral direction for the HIB illumination non-uniformity smoothing. Two-dimensional implosion simulations are performed and show that the HIB illumination non-uniformity is well smoothed. The simulation results present that a large pellet displacement of ∼300 μm is tolerable in order to obtain sufficient fusion energy in HIF.

On the Large Helical Device (LHD), low to high confinement (L–H) transition and edge transport barrier (ETB) formation were observed in the low beta regime (βdia 1.5%). In most of ETB plasmas electron density preferentially increases in the edge region without a substantial rise of the edge electron temperature. The ETB zone develops inside the ergodic field layer calculated in the vacuum field. The ETB formation strongly destabilizes edge coherent modes such as m/n = 2/3 or 1/2 (m, n: poloidal and toroidal mode numbers), because the plasma edge region is in the magnetic hill. The ETB is partially destroyed by the combination of these edge MHD modes and ELM-like activities. For a particular experimental condition, the forced generation of a sizable m/n = 1/1 magnetic island near the edge by application of external field perturbations facilitates the L–H transition at a lower electron density and suppresses edge MHD modes and ELM-like activities to lower levels.

On the Large Helical Device (LHD) where nested magnetic surfaces are surrounded by the ergodic field layer, edge transport barrier (ETB) was produced in neutral-beam-injection (NBI) heated plasmas through transition and non-transition processes. The former case is the ETB formation by L-H transition, where characteristics of L-H transition observed in a tokamak plasma are clearly recognized. The confinement improvement is the modest (~ 10%), compared with the ISS95 international stellarator scaling. The threshold power for the transition is comparable or slightly lower than the ITER scaling law established by tokamaks and compact tori. The ETB is formed inside the ergodic field layer of the vacuum field. The ETB formation destabilizes edge coherent modes such as m/n = 1/1, 2/3 and 1/2, of which rational surfaces are in the magnetic hill. The formed ETB is partially and transiently destroyed by these coherent edge MHD modes and edge localized modes (ELMs) typically observed in Hα signals. The latter ETB is observed in a plasma with large reversed NBI-driven current more than 100 kA at Bt = 1 T. In these plasmas, the edge magnetic shear is enhanced by the current and the rotational transform in the core region is expected to be appreciably reduced. Thus reduced rotational transform in the plasma central region will enhance outward heat and particle fluxes toward ergodic edge layer. The ETB with steep electron temperature gradient up to ~ 5 keV/m is formed by blocking enhanced outward heat flux.

The initial solidification in the continuous casting process can be controlled by imposing a pulsative AC electromagnetic field on the meniscus. The casting experiment of a steel billet has been conducted by using a commercial billet caster. The imposition of a pulsative AC electromagnetic field has greatly improved the surface qualities. This presentation provides the results of the electromagnetic casting project of JRCM which is supported financially by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan.

Multilayer PZT(Zr:Ti=52:48) films were prepared by the repeated process of spin-coating and firing at 600°C of a PZT sol with various heating rates between 20 and 200°C min −1 . Their structural and dielectric properties were examined. The multilayer film prepared with the heating rate of 50°C min −1 shows the highest dielectric constant and a smooth surface with no surface cracks. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM) observations of an as-deposited PZT film indicate nucleation of perovskite and pyrochlore crystals in the amorphous matrix. The perovskite crystals are found to form through the initial construction of {110} planes.

Electron energy loss spectrum (EELS) of deformed carbon nanotube was acquired and compared with the density of states calculation to see the influence of the deformation to the electronic structure of the tube. Deformation caused by the external stress was found to change the electronic structure of the tube compared to the straight tube, and it is suggested that EELS could be an interesting tool for characterizing nanoscale structure of carbon nanotubes.

Involvement of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in human T cell cytokine synthesis was investigated. p38 MAP kinase was clearly induced in human Th cells activated through the TCR. SB203580, a highly selective inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, inhibited the induction of p38 MAP kinase in human Th cells. Major T cell cytokines, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ, were produced by Der f 2-specific Th clones upon stimulation through the TCR. IL-5 synthesis alone was significantly inhibited by SB203580 in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the production of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ was not affected. The proliferation of activated T cells was not affected. IL-5 synthesis of human Th clones induced upon stimulation with rIL-2, phorbol ester plus anti-CD28 mAb, and immobilized anti-CD3 mAb plus soluble anti-CD28 mAb was also suppressed by SB203580 in the same concentration response relationship. The results clearly indicated that IL-5 synthesis by human Th cells is dependent on p38 MAP kinase activity, and is regulated distinctly from IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ synthesis. Selective control of IL-5 synthesis will provide a novel treatment devoid of generalized immune suppression for bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis that are characterized by eosinophilic inflammation.

The structures of an aluminophosphate AlPO 4 -5 produced by a microwave-heating method were determined by neutron powder diffraction. An as-prepared sample incorporating triethylamine as a template crystallized in hexagonal form with space group P6cc. Template molecules were oriented in a head-to-tail manner along the c -axis. On the contrary, a sample calcined to remove triethylamine was orthorhombic with space group Pnn2 or Pcc2. The framework of AlPO 4 -5 proved to change easily by removing the guest material from its one-dimensional cavity.

Optimum conditions were determined for high-yield synthesis of186Re- and188Re-meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid complexes applicable to animal injection. The yield was more than 95% under the conditions used. The bone accumulation of the complexes was remarkable in the biodistributions in mice.

Carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum (Al) composites were produced by hot-press and hot-extrusion methods. The interfacial structure between the carbon nanotube and Al was examined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the mechanical properties were measured by a tensile test. TEM observations have shown that the nanotubes in the composites are not damaged during the composite preparation and that no reaction products at the nanotube/Al interface are visible after annealing for 24 h at 983 K. The strength of the composites is only slightly affected by the annealing time at 873 K, while that of the pure Al produced in a similar powder metallurgy process significantly decreases with time. These studies are considered to yield experimental information valuable for producing high performance composites.