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Detailed measurement of the curved surface of an industrial product with a radius of curvature of less than a few millimeters is a challenging task for tactile coordinate measuring machines. To estimate a surface profile, tip radius correction is typically performed by estimating the tip correction vector direction. However, a substantial measurement error is introduced by the error in estimating the tip correction vector direction under measurement conditions such as a large position measurement error of an indicated measured point or a short sampling interval, In this study, a method that can estimate a surface profile by calculating the envelope of a probe tip path was proposed. The proposed method was experimentally and numerically confirmed to be able to estimate surface profiles with sub-micrometer accuracy under such measurement conditions. • A novel method was developed for determining the profile of a surface with a curvature of less than few millimeters using a tactile coordinate measuring machine. • We verified the feasibility of using the proposed method that calculates the envelope of the probe tip path. • The surface profile obtained by the proposed method can be estimated with sub-micrometer accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate and traceable performance testing of the X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is crucial for the application of the XCT in various industrial fields. For the performance testing of the XCT, we proposed a novel gauge with spheres embedded in a cylindrical resin. The proposed gauge is free from the artifacts caused by the gauge structure, and the spheres can be arranged at any position of the gauge. Additionally, the gauge can be placed with different orientations and it can be produced at an economical price. We verified the feasibility of using the proposed gauge as a reference standard, in terms of the coefficient of thermal expansion and secular change of the resin. Furthermore, we developed the associated calibration method for the gauge through multiple orientation measurements using the XCT. From the results, the proposed gauge can be calibrated with an uncertainty of 1.9 μm when the gauge size is 30 mm. • A novel gauge was proposed for the performance testing of X-ray computed tomography. • We verified the feasibility of the developed gauge with the coefficient of thermal expansion and secular change of the resin. • The proposed gauge can be calibrated with an uncertainty of 2.9 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution satellite imagery is a valuable data source to analyse ocean submesoscale dynamics (i.e., with spatial scales of the order of 1–10 km) and investigate their impact on turbulent mixing, energetics of mesoscale vortices, instability processes or phytoplankton blooms. However, data acquired by satellite sensors often suffer from instrumental noise that degrades image quality and therefore compromises the detection of ocean fronts as well as the estimation of its physical characteristics. A well-known artefact in data characteristic of whiskbroom scanners is stripe noise. In this article, we propose an algorithm that improves the detection of ocean fronts by removing the impact of striping on the observed gradient field. We use level 2 sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-aproducts derived from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer to illustrate the algorithm performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Solving the time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau equation with the finite element method, we discussed the vortex dynamics in superconducting networks. We show that in the asymmetric networks, the current driven vortex dynamics becomes asymmetric, and therefore rectifying the vortex motion may be possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nano-technologies enable us to control quantum states. Vortex states in superconductor whose dimension is order of the coherence length would be applied in electronic devices in near future. In this presentation, we report the penetration process and dynamics of vortices in mesoscopic superconducting plate with anti-dot obtained by solving the time dependent Ginzburg–Landau (TDGL) equations. As to a regular square superconducting plate with an anti-dot located at the center, for suddenly applying the field perpendicular to the plate, vortices tend to penetrate into the plate from four central points of the each square side keeping the fourfold rotational symmetry. After the penetration, we found the vortex exclusion process that residual vortices for stability of the system are expelled. For introducing external current that breaks symmetry of the system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Characterizes cobalt-iron cyanides to determine photomagnetic effect. Difference in the oxidation state of metal atoms of cobalt-iron cyanide complexes; Identification of the charged-transfer band; Stability of the metastable state; Occurrence of interconversion in the formation of a pronounced domain.

Describes a composite or polymer material comprising Prussian blue intercalated into photoresponsive organic molecules, or azobenzene-containing multibilayer vesicles. Intercalation of inorganic materials into organic assemblies; Photoisomerization in the solid system; Photoisomerization of the film; Controlling the magnetic properties of the material by photoillumination.

Abstract: Multiply-connected mesoscopic superconductors have rich structures of vortex systems that result from interference of order parameter. We studied magnetic field dependence of transition temperatures and vortex arrangements of finite sized honeycomb superconducting networks with 6-fold rotational symmetries. Near and above the lower critical field, vortices locate at center of the network. As increasing the field, vortices form a hexagon or hexagonal multi-shell structure. In higher field, order parameter damps exponentially from the central point of the network to the edge of the network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present magnetic field dependence of phase transition temperature and vortex configuration of superconducting networks based on theoretical study. The applied magnetic field is called “filling field” that is defined by applied magnetic flux (in unit of the flux quantum) per unit loop of the superconducting network. If a superconducting network is composed of very thin wires whose thicknesses are less than coherence length, the de Gennes–Alexander (dGA) theory is applicable. We have already shown that field dependences of transition temperature curves have symmetric behavior about the filling field of 1/2 by solving the dGA equation numerically in square lattices, honeycomb lattices, cubic lattices and those with randomly lack of wires networks. Many experimental studies also show the symmetric behavior. In this paper, we make an explicit theoretical explanation of symmetric behaviors of superconducting network respect to the applied field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We calculated magnetic field dependence of the transition temperature and magnetization of superconducting wire network of two-dimensional regular square lattice and that with randomly lack of superconducting wires within the de Gennes–Alexander theory. Fall of transition temperature of the network with randomly lack of wires in the field is suppressed compared with complete square lattice network. Field dependence of the magnetization of the networks shows that the networks have stable states at the filling fields of f =0, 1/2, 1. We also found that field dependence of magnetization curve of the system with randomly lack of wires has a strong oscillation. The strong oscillation means the existence of some stable states that comes from the breaking symmetry of the system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Reports on the synthesis of molecular-based ferromagnetic thin films with high critical temperatures (Tc) composed of mixed-valence chromium cyanides using a simple electrochemical route. Highest Tc obtained; Control of Tc; Electrochemical induction of a reversible shift of Tc; Reversibility between ferrimagnetism and paramagnetism.

Cloud masking is a critical step in the estimation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) from satellite observations. It can affect the validation statistics of SST on synoptic scales but also on long-term climatologies. One of the main challenges in cloud masking is the discrimination between clouds and ocean sharp fronts as both of these are associated with high spatial variability. In this study, we investigate the impact of cloud masking on the climatology of SST gradient magnitudes. Using night-time Level 2 SST derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Terra and Aqua for almost the entire mission, i.e. 2003 to 2018 over the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SAO), we show that misclassification of sharp ocean thermal fronts as clouds leads to (1) significant underestimation of thermal frontal activity in monthly and longer-term climatologies and (2) different spatial distributions and temporal variability of SST gradient magnitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ongoing efforts are dedicated by meteorological and oceanographic agencies to improve the accuracy of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) estimates from satellite observations via improved retrieval algorithms and validation data. An important application of satellite-based SST observations is the analysis of the spatio-temporal characteristics of ocean fronts, which depend on several parameters including the SST retrieval scheme from Top-of-Atmosphere Brightness Temperatures. In this study, we focus on two widely used SST retrieval algorithms, namely the Multichannel SST (MCSST) and the Nonlinear SST (NLSST). Using night-time Level 2 SST derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Aqua from 2005 to 2015 over the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SAO), we show that 1) the spatial distribution and temporal variability of SST gradient magnitudes derived from these two SST retrieval schemes are different despite statistical consistency of SST fields 2) the widely used NLSST formulation introduces a correlation between SST gradient magnitudes and SST values. This correlation, likely due to the use of a first guess SST in the NLSST formulation, is not observed in the MCSST data and may affect the study of long-term changes in ocean dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observes photoinduced magnetization in a cobalt-iron cyanide-based blue analog. Increase in critical temperature as a result of red light illumination; Internal photochemical redox reaction as the possible cause of the effect; Use of blue light illumination to remove the enhancement of the magnetization; Possible applications in magneto-optical devices.

Cyanide-bridged Fe-Co complex [Fe(Tp)(CN)]Co(bpe)⋅5HO ( 1⋅5HO; Tp = hydro-tris(pyrazolyl)borate; bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane) shows temperature- and light- induced metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) involving spin state changes between magnetic $\mathrm{Fe}^{\mathrm{III}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{III}}\mathrm{LS}}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Co}^{\mathrm{II}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{II}}\mathrm{HS}}$ (HS = high spin, LS = low spin) state and nonmagnetic $\mathrm{Fe}^{\mathrm{II}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{II}}\mathrm{LS}}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Co}^{\mathrm{III}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{III}}\mathrm{LS}}$ state, while the dehydrated material 1 does not show any MMCT and holds $\mathrm{Fe}^{\mathrm{III}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{III}}\mathrm{LS}}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Co}^{\mathrm{II}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{II}}\mathrm{HS}}$ state. We have investigated the magnetic properties of each spin state in 1 and 1⋅5HO by means of magnetization and ESR measurement under pulsed high magnetic field. At low temperature below T, in both 1 and 1⋅5HO, the saturation magnetization in the induced ferromagnetic phase is well explained by S and g values derived from the magnetic susceptibility study. In the ESR of 1, we observed characteristic modes corresponding to a spin excitation in the induced ferromagnetic phase where its temperature dependence shows an evolution of spin correlation in the $\mathrm{Fe}^{\mathrm{III}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{III}}\mathrm{LS}}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Co}^{\mathrm{II}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{II}}\mathrm{HS}}$ state at low temperature. We further found that the similar ESR modes grow in the light-induced state of 1⋅5HO. The results strongly suggest that the light-induced magnetization in 1⋅5HO is driven by a light-induced MMCT, which involves transition of spin multiplicity from the nonmagnetic $\mathrm{Fe}^{\mathrm{II}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{II}}\mathrm{LS}}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Co}^{\mathrm{III}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{III}}\mathrm{LS}}$ to the magnetic $\mathrm{Fe}^{\mathrm{III}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{III}}\mathrm{LS}}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Co}^{\mathrm{II}}_{\phantom{\mathrm{\mathrm{II}}}\mathrm{HS}}$ pair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of biosensor was fabricated by coating gold nanoparticles onto a film with a three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) structure. It was found that the localized surface plasmon resonance of the immobilized nanoparticles changes with the infiltration medium inside the voids of the 3DOM film and the surface-adsorbed compounds. Application of this type of film to the real-time detection of immunoreaction was demonstrated. It is anticipated that this kind of film will have applications in label-free biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among a number of techniques for gene transfer in vivo, the direct injection of plasmid DNA into muscle is simple, inexpensive and safe. Although combining direct DNA injection with in vivo electroporation increases the efficiency of gene transfer into muscle, applications of this method have remained limited because of the relatively low expression level. To overcome this problem, we developed a plasmid vector that expresses a secretory protein as a fusion protein with the noncytolytic immunoglobulin Fc portion and used it for electroporation-mediated viral interleukin 10 (vIL-10) expression in vivo. The fusion cytokine vIL-10/mutFc was successfully expressed and the peak serum concentration of vIL-10 was almost 100-fold (195 ng/ml) higher than with a non-fusion vIL-10 expression plasmid. The expressed fusion cytokine suppressed the phytohemagglutinin-induced IFN-γ production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and decreased the mortality in a mouse viral myocarditis model as effectively as vIL-10 expression. These results demonstrate that the transfer of plasmid DNA expressing a noncytolytic Fc-fusion cytokine is useful to deliver enhanced levels of cytokine without altering general biological activities. This simple and efficient system should provide a new approach to gene therapy for human diseases and prove very useful for investigating the function of newly discovered secretory protein genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on science research based on which discusses about oceanography variable upper and abyssal overturning cells in the South Atlantic. Topics include Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) is a primary mechanism driving oceanic heat redistribution on Earth, thereby affecting Earth's climate and weather; and vertical structure of the time-mean flows is consistent with the limited historical observations.

A method for the fabrication of opal films between parallel transparent electrodes is described. Monodispersed particles are assembled by taking advantage of the rheological force induced by the evaporation of a solvent in a thin capillary cell. Three-dimensional opal films with controllable thickness could be fabricated, in which a regular hexagonal arrangement of particles parallel to the substrates over a large area was observed. Such a sandwich-like photonic device may find applications in fabricating electrically tunable photonic crystals. c 2001 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.1381540]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the electrically controlled birefringence effects of a nematic liquid crystal, a tunable photonic band gap crystal has been fabricated by infiltrating nematic liquid crystal into the voids of synthetic opal composed of silica spheres. A reversible shift of the photonic band gap position and a change of transmittance through the composite opal can be induced by applying an external electric field. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influx of warmer and saltier Indian Ocean waters into the Atlantic-the Agulhas leakage-is now recognized to play an important role in the global thermohaline circulation and climate. In this study the results of a ⅞° simulation with the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model, which exhibit an augmentation in the Agulhas leakage, is investigated. This increase in the leakage ought to have an impact on the meridional oceanic volume and heat transports in the Atlantic Ocean. Significant linear trends found in the integrated transport at 20°, 15°, and 5°S correlate well with decadal fluctuations of the Agulhas leakage. The augmented transport also seems to be related to an increase in the latent heat flux observed along the northeastern coastline of Brazil since 2003. This study shows that the precipitation on the Brazilian coast has been increasing since 2005, at the same location and with the same regime shift observed for the latent heat flux and the volume transport. This suggests that the increase of the Agulhas transport affects the western boundary system of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, which is directly related to an increase in the precipitation and latent heat flux along the western coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenation of 4-propylphenol (4PP) was studied over graphite-supported platinum-palladium (Pt-Pd/G) bimetallic catalysts in aqueous ethanol solution without the use of external source. Compared to the corresponding monometallic (Pt/G and Pd/G) catalysts, the prepared Pt-Pd/G bimetallic catalysts were more active for hydrogen production and aromatic hydrogenation to 4-propyl cyclohexanone (NONE), cis - and trans -4-propyl cyclohexanols (NOLs). Pt/G was active for hydrogen production but inactive for 4PP hydrogenation, and Pd/G catalyst was active for both hydrogen production and 4PP hydrogenation. Pt-Pd/G catalysts with different platinum to palladium ratios (Pt:Pd = 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8 and 0:1) were prepared to obtain the best composition for the ring hydrogenation. Among the bimetallic catalysts prepared, the yields of NONE and NOLs were the highest over 0.5Pt-0.5 Pd/G (0.5 wt% platinum and 0.5 wt% palladium loadings, and Pt:Pd=1:2). TEM analysis showed small (3.1–3.3 nm) metal particles dispersed on the graphite surface in the bimetallic catalysts. EXAFS analysis showed the formation of platinum core-palladium enriched shell structure of bimetallic particles. It was suggested that the high activity of Pt-Pd/G catalysts for 4PP hydrogenation in aqueous ethanol solution was caused by the formation of small platinum-palladium alloy particles on graphite surface and that palladium on the surface of particles was the active site. This work demonstrated Pt-Pd/G as highly active catalysts for aromatic hydrogenation of 4PP without the use of any external hydrogen source. [Display omitted] • 4-Propylphenol hydrogenation proceeded over Pt-Pt catalyst in C 2 H 5 OH-H 2 O solution. • Pt-Pd catalyst showed superior activity than monometallic Pt and Pd catalysts. • Pt core and Pd shell structure was formed of alloy Pt-Pd particle on support. • Surface Pd of alloy Pt-Pd particle was active for H 2 production and hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directional dark matter search experiments enable us to reveal the presence of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles. A promising detector for a directional measurement is a fine-grained nuclear emulsion consisting of fine crystals of silver bromide with 20 nm or 40 nm size. A critical task for the success of the experiment is to remove background tracks of electrons coming from stopping beta rays of 14 C decays in the nuclear emulsion. An electron rejection power of at least 10 −10 is needed in order to start a 10 kg experiment. We present a novel cryogenic approach to reject the electron background that makes use of the phonon effect in nuclear emulsion. For the proof of principle, we have been investigating the sensitivity of fine-grained nuclear emulsions as a function of temperature by exposing to gamma rays and ion beams with an ion implant system in the range of 77–300 K. Results of gamma ray exposure indicate that the electron rejection power is estimated to be better than 3 × 10 − 9 at 77 K. Results of ion exposure imply that fine-grained nuclear emulsion is sensitive to ions which are light and heavy and ion tracks' angle can be measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise measurement of neutrino–nucleus interactions with an accelerator neutrino beam is highly important for current and future neutrino oscillation experiments. To measure muon-neutrino charged-current interactions with nuclear-emulsion-based hybrid detector, muon track matching among the detectors are essential. We describe the design and performance of a newly developed scintillation tracker for the muon track matching in the neutrino–nucleus interaction measurement with nuclear emulsion detectors. The muon tracks are reconstructed using the scintillation tracker and another detector called Baby MIND, then, they are matched with the tracks in nuclear emulsion detectors. The scintillation tracker consists of four layers of horizontally and vertically aligned scintillator bars, covering an area of 1 m × 1 m. In the layer, 24 mm-wide plastic scintillator bars are specially arranged with deliberate gaps between each other. By recognizing the hit pattern of the four layers, a precise positional resolution of 2.5 mm is achieved while keeping the number of readout channels as small as 256. The efficiency of the track matching is evaluated to be more than 97% for forward-going muons, and the positional and angular resolutions of the scintillation tracker are 2.5 mm and 20–40 mrad respectively. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the design of the scintillation tracker for the muon track matching in the nuclear-emulsion-based neutrino–nucleus interaction measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reports on CT-guided percutaneous drainage within the intervertebral space for pyogenic spondylodiscitis with a secondary psoas abscess are limited. Purpose: To evaluate CT-guided percutaneous drainage within the intervertebral space for pyogenic spondylodiscitis and a secondary psoas abscess in which the two sites appear to communicate. Material and Methods: Eight patients with pyogenic spondylodiscitis and a secondary psoas abscess showing communication with the intradiscal abscess underwent CT-guided percutaneous drainage within the intervertebral space. The clinical outcome was retrospectively assessed. Results: An 8-French pigtail catheter within the intervertebral space was successfully placed in all patients. Seven patients responded well to this treatment. The one remaining patient who had developed septic shock before the procedure died on the following day. The mean duration of drainage was 32 days (13-70 days). Only one patient with persistent back pain underwent surgery for stabilization of the spine after the improvement of inflammation. Among seven patients responding well, long-term follow-up (91-801 days, mean 292 days) was conducted in six patients excluding one patient who died of asphyxiation due to aspiration unrelated to the procedure within 30 days after the procedure. In these six patients, no recurrence of either pyogenic spondylodiscitis or the psoas abscess was noted. Conclusion: CT-guided percutaneous drainage within the intervertebral space can be effective for patients with pyogenic spondylodiscitis and a secondary psoas abscess if the psoas abscess communicates with the intradiscal abscess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radial corrective osteotomy is an established but challenging treatment for distal radial malunion. There is ongoing discussion over whether an opening or closing-wedge osteotomy should be employed. The purpose of the present study was to retrospectively compare the clinical and radiographic results of conventional opening-wedge osteotomy with those of our closing-wedge technique.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated forty-two patients with extra-articular distal radial malunion who were managed with corrective osteotomy and were followed for a minimum of one year. Twenty-two patients were managed with radial opening-wedge osteotomy and interpositional bone graft or bone-graft substitute, and twenty were managed with simultaneous radial closing-wedge and ulnar shortening osteotomy without bone graft. The selection of the surgical procedure was determined by the surgeon. Each patient was evaluated on the basis of objective radiographic measurements and functional outcomes as determined on the basis of clinical examination, including range of wrist motion, grip strength, pain-rating score, Mayo wrist score, and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score.Results: The mean duration of follow-up was thirty-six months (range, twelve to 101 months) for the opening-wedge cohort and twenty-eight months (range, twelve to eighty-seven months) for the closing-wedge cohort. The two techniques were comparable in terms of complications. Postoperative volar tilt and ulnar variance improved significantly compared with the preoperative status in each cohort (p < 0.05). Restoration of ulnar variance to within defined criteria (-2.5 to 0.5 mm) was significantly more frequent in the closing-wedge cohort than in the opening-wedge cohort (p < 0.001). The postoperative mean extension-flexion arc of the wrist (p < 0.001) and Mayo wrist score (p = 0.008) were significantly better in the closing-wedge cohort. Differences between the two cohorts in terms of the pronation-supination arc, grip strength, pain-rating score, and DASH scores were not significant.Conclusions: The closing-wedge osteotomy technique is an effective reconstructive procedure for the treatment of extra-articular distal radial malunion. It is significantly better than the opening-wedge osteotomy technique in terms of the restoration of ulnar variance, the extension-flexion arc of wrist motion, and the Mayo wrist score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we are doing R&D for directional dark matter search with nuclear emulsion. First of all, higher resolution nuclear emulsion with fine silver halide crystals was developed in the production facility of emulsion at Nagoya university, and we confirmed that it can detect the expected nuclear recoil tracks. The readout of submicron tracks was required the new technology. We developed the expansion technique, and could readout the signal by shape analysis with optical microscopy. The two dimensional angular resolution is 36 degrees at the original track length of range from 150 nm to 200 nm with optical microscopy. Finally we demonstrated by using recoiled nuclei induced by 14.8 MeV neutron, and confirmed the technique. Moreover, we developed the X-ray microscope system with SPring-8 as final check with higher resolution of selected candidate tracks with optical microscopy. The angular resolution was improved from 31 degree with optical microscopy to 17 degree with X-ray microscopy at the track length of range from 150 nm to 250 nm. We are developing the practical system and planning for start of the test running with prototype detector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We succeeded to observe tracks of low-velocity Kr ions, having originally ranges below optical resolution, in a fine grain nuclear emulsion with an optical microscope after expanding the emulsion along the incident direction. This opens up the possibility of tracking low-velocity nuclear recoils from massive dark matter particles using optical microscope scanning systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nuclear emulsion plates are employed in three-dimensional charged particle detectors that have sub-micron position resolution over with no dead space and no dead time. These detectors are suitable for the study of short-lived particle decays, and direct detection of neutrino interactions of all flavors. Typically emulsion plates are used in a stacked structure. Precise alignment between plates is required for physics analysis. The most accurate alignment method is to use tracks passing through the emulsion plates. The accuracy is about . However, in an experiment with low track density alignment accuracy decreases to because of plate distortion and it becomes more difficult to perform the analysis. This paper describes a new alignment method between emulsion plates by using trajectories of low energy electrons originating from environmental radioactive isotopes. As a trial emulsion plates were exposed to -rays and -rays from . The trajectories which passed through emulsion layers were detected by a fully automated emulsion readout system. Using this method, the alignment between emulsion plates is demonstrated to be sub-micron. This method can be applied to many nuclear emulsion experiments. For example, the location of neutrino interaction vertices in the OPERA experiment can benefit from this new technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have studied low-velocity Kr ion responses of nuclear emulsions for the possibility of tracking Ag and Br recoils from galactic dark matter particles. Tracks of 680–1180km/s Kr ions have been observed in a 40nm-sized AgBr grain emulsion with scanning electron microscopy. The tracks have a linear energy-dependency in range, angles biased along the incident direction, and a high developed-grain number density with respect to expected electronic stopping. We find that the fine grain emulsion is sensitive enough to low-velocity heavy ions whose energy losses are mainly governed by nuclear stopping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The existence of a bound state of five quarks with content is still controversial. In this paper we focus on weakly decaying charmed pentaquarks and show how they can be searched for in high energy anti-neutrino interactions. By analyzing 2262 charged-current interactions with a muon of positive charge in the CHORUS detector, we performed a search for production. Based on the null observation, the limit of production is found as a function of different lifetimes. The tightest bound is at 90% C.L. for lifetime equal to . We outline also the excellent potentiality of such a search at a neutrino factory with an emulsion detector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Iron(III) spin-crossover complexes [Fe(pap)2]ClO4 . H2O ( 1), [Fe(pap)2]BF4 . H2O ( 2), [Fe(pap)2]PF6 . CH3OH ( 3), [Fe(CH3-pap)2]ClO4 . H2O ( 4), [Fe0.5Al0.5(pap)2]ClO4 . CH3OH ( 5) and [Fe0.25Al0.75(pap)2] ClO4 . CH3OH ( 6)were prepared andthe spin transition behaviors of the complexes have been studied from magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements. The magnetic properties of light-induced metastable state are measured using Hg-Xe light source. T 1/2is temperature at which the populations of the high-spin and low-spin species are fifty-fifty. Metastable HS is produced by light irradiation at 5 K. T(LIESST) is the temperature at which the populations of the metastable high-spin species decrease to one half and cooperativity factor Cis defined as the parameter which presents the strength of cooperativity. The value of T(LIESST) decreases as T 1/2increases and the plots of T(LIESST) vs. Cshow linear correlation. The effect of cooperativity of the complexes on the relaxations in solid was confirmed for the iron(III) complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic properties of the spin-crossover compound, [Fe(qsal)2]NCSe·2DMSO (N-(8-quinolyl)-salicyladimine) (1), have been measured. We have discovered that the compound 1 exhibits a wide "thermal hysteresis loop" of 115 K (T1/2↑ = 324 K and T1/2↓ = 209 K) in the first cycle. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that solvent molecules of the compound 1 are removed at around 324 K. This means that the hysteresis loop observed for the first cycle is only an apparent one. Following the first loop, the compound 1 shows a spin-crossover in warming mode. The spin transition occurs at T1/2↑= 285 K and T1/2↓ = 209 K and the hysteresis width can be estimated to be 76 K, which is one of the largest values reported so far for spin-crossover compounds. It is thought that the cooperativity produced in the compound mainly arises from the intermolecular π interactions between the quinoline and the phenyl rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed an experimental study of electron identification using an emulsion cloud chamber detector with electron-enriched π[SUP-] beams at 2 and 4 GeV/c produced by the proton synchrotron source at CERN. This study shows that the efficiency of electron identification is about 90% with little (6%) contamination from pions. These results are in agreement with those obtained using a Cherenkov counter and are reproduced well by the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a simple method for the fabrication of highly ordered porous structures. That is, utilizing capillary forces, ultrafine particles are directly used to assemble themselves in the voids of template while the template is being assembled. The highly ordered porous structures with larger area and uniform orientation can be produced after removing the template. The majority of the single domains with uniform orientation prepared can reach 0.1 mm2 in area. Scanning electron microscope images and transmission spectrum of these samples have confirmed the success of this simple method. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), especially its B chain, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular proliferative disorders such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. We constructed a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus containing the gene encoding the extracellular region of PDGF β-receptor (PDGFXR) that binds PDGF-B chain and acts as its antagonist. The administration into balloon-injured rat carotid arteries of an adenovirus containing the Escherichia coli lacZ gene as a marker gene at 5 days after injury markedly facilitated efficacy of gene transfer, as compared with its administration immediately after injury. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of PDGFXR into injured arteries performed at 5 days resulted in a more than 50% reduction in the neointimal area of injured arteries at 14 days. In con- trast, the administration of control adenoviruses containing lacZ gene or containing no foreign gene was without suppressive effects on neointima formation. The inhibition of neointima formation by the expression of PDGFXR was accompanied by a reduction in bromodeoxyuridine-labeled cells and nearly complete inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation of both α- and β-receptors for PDGF, but not of epidermal growth factor receptor, in injured arteries. This is the first report to indicate the usefulness of targeting a growth factor by expressing an extracellular binding region of a receptor using an adenovirus for the treatment of vascular proliferative disorders, and provide direct evidence that PDGF-B chain plays an essential role in neointimal formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fine grained nuclear emulsion with several 10nm silver halide crystals can detect submicron tracks. This detector is expected to be worked as dark matter detector with directional sensitive. Now, nuclear emulsion became possible to be produced at Nagoya University, and extreme fine grained nuclear emulsion with 20nm diameter was produced. Using this emulsion and new reading out technique with expansion technique, for optical selection and X-ray microscopy, recoiled tracks induced by dark matter can be detected automatically. Then, readout efficiency is larger than 80% at 120nm, and angular resolution for final confirmation with X-ray microscopy is 20°. In addition, we started to construct the R&D underground facility in Gran Sasso. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A photochemically tunable photonic crystal was prepared by infiltrating azopolymer liquid crystal in a SiO2 inverse opal structure. The SiO2 inverse opal film obtained reflected a light corresponding to the periodicity as well as the refractive indices of the inverse opal structure. Linearly polarized light irradiation shifted the reflection band to longer wavelength more than 15 nm. This is caused by the formation of anisotropic molecular orientation of the azopolymer. The switched state was stable in the dark, and the reversible switching of the reflection band can be achieved by the linearly and circularly polarized light irradiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dipping method has been developed for the infiltration of nanoparticles into an opal template to fabricate high quality inverse opal. Titania and silica inverse opal films, with a uniform color over centimeter dimensions were derived. As there is no need for special substrates or equipment, a widespread application of this method is anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]