Search

We developed a CANDLES-III system to study the neutrino-less double beta (0$\nu\beta\beta$) decay of $^{48}$Ca. The proposed system employs 96 CaF$_{2}$ scintillation crystals (305 kg) with natural Ca ($^{\rm nat.}$Ca) isotope which corresponds 350\,g of $^{48}$Ca. External backgrounds were rejected using a 4$\pi$ active shield of a liquid scintillator surrounding the CaF$_2$ crystals. The internal backgrounds caused by the radioactive impurities within the CaF$_2$ crystals can be reduced effectively through analysis of the signal pulse shape. We analyzed the data obtained in the Kamioka underground for a live-time of 130.4\,days to evaluate the feasibility of the low background measurement with the CANDLES-III detector. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we estimated the background rate from the radioactive impurities in the CaF$_{2}$ crystals and the rate of high energy $\gamma$-rays caused by the (n, $\gamma$) reactions induced by environmental neutrons. The expected background rate was in a good agreement with the measured rate, i.e., approximately 10$^{-3}$ events/keV/yr/(kg of $^{\rm nat.}$Ca), in the 0$\nu\beta\beta$ window. In conclusion, the background candidates were estimated properly by comparing the measured energy spectrum with the background simulations. With this measurement method, we performed the first search for 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay in a low background condition using a detector with a Ca isotope, in which the Ca present was not enriched, in a scale of hundreds of kg. The $^{48}$Ca isotope has a high potential for use in 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay search, and is expected to be useful for the development of a next-generation detector for highly sensitive measurements.

This study focuses on thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) behaviors of nickel-based 23Cr-45Ni-7W alloy for pipes and tubes in high-efficiency power boilers. TMF tests (maximum temperature = 700 °C; minimum temperature = 100 °C) were conducted under in-phase (IP) and out-of-phase (OP) conditions. The lives under the IP condition is 0.30–0.44 times of that under the OP condition when same total strain range, Δet, is applied. The TMF properties obtained via the tests are compared with the results of isothermal fatigue (ITF) tests conducted at 700 °C and bithermal fatigue (BTF) tests with maximum and minimum temperatures of 700 °C and 100 °C, respectively. The fracture morphology for each type of TMF, ITF, and BTF is similar under the test conditions of this study. Intergranular cracking is predominant under application of cyclic tensile creep strain during the fatigue tests, and transgranular cracking is predominant under application of cyclic compressive creep strain during the fatigue tests. The inelastic strain range–fatigue life (Δein–Nf) relation in the TMF test and the inelastic strain range components–life (Δeij–Nij) relation determined using the strain range partitioning method show a good agreement within a factor of 1.5 scatter band. These results indicate the possibility of predicting the TMF life of the 23Cr-45Ni-7W alloy using the results of the ITF test by considering the amount and direction (tension or compression) of creep strain applied to the alloy.

This chapter describes the most practical manual and automated methods of isolating genomic DNA and RNA from different sources. It also summarizes currently popular methods of quality control (QC) for genomic DNA, RNA, and next generation sequencing (NGS) libraries.

International audience; The aerogel Ring Imaging CHerenkov counter (ARICH) is the particle identification device installed in the forward region of the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB accelerator facility in Japan. The first electron–positron collisions at SuperKEKB took place on April 26, 2018, during the so called phase 2 run. The measured performance of the detector based on recorded Bhabha events during phase 2 is presented. We measure a 14 mrad average angular resolution per photon and 10 photons per Bhabha electron in the [6–8] GeV/c momentum range.

BACKGROUND Biomarkers are needed for noninvasive early detection of gastric cancer (GC). We investigated salivary extracellular RNA (exRNA) biomarkers as potential clinical evaluation tools for GC. METHODS Unstimulated whole saliva samples were prospectively collected from 294 individuals (163 GC and 131 non-GC patients) who underwent endoscopic evaluation at the Samsung Medical Center in Korea. Salivary transcriptomes of 63 GC and 31 non-GC patients were profiled, and mRNA biomarker candidates were verified with reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). In parallel, microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers were profiled and verified with saliva samples from 10 GC and 10 non-GC patients. Candidate biomarkers were validated with RT-qPCR in an independent cohort of 100/100 saliva samples from GC and non-GC patients. Validated individual markers were configured into a best performance panel. RESULTS We identified 30 mRNA and 15 miRNA candidates whose expression pattern associated with the presence of GC. Among them, 12 mRNA and 6 miRNA candidates were verified with the discovery cohort by RT-qPCR and further validated with the independent cohort (n = 200). The configured biomarker panel consisted of 3 mRNAs (SPINK7, PPL, and SEMA4B) and 2 miRNAs (MIR140-5p and MIR301a), which were all significantly down-regulated in the GC group, and yielded an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72–0.89). When combined with demographic factors, the AUC of the biomarker panel reached 0.87 (95% CI, 0.80–0.93). CONCLUSIONS We have discovered and validated a panel of salivary exRNA biomarkers with credible clinical performance for the detection of GC. Our study demonstrates the potential utility of salivary exRNA biomarkers in screening and risk assessment for GC.

We report behavior of Hybrid Avalanche Photon Detectors (HAPDs), which were newly developed for Aerogel Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector (ARICH) counter that will be installed in the endcap region of the Belle II detector, in the magnetic field. Since HAPDs are used in a 1.5 T magnetic field in the Belle II detector, we have tested 520 HAPDs from the mass production in the magnetic field. We observed anomalously large pulses in the magnetic field in many HAPDs. The main adverse effect of these large pulses is the induction of a short dead time of the readout electronics after each pulse. We performed several studies to understand the mechanism generating large pulses.

A new data acquisition (DAQ) system for the CANDLES experiment was developed using the SpaceWire protocol and the DAQ-Middleware framework. The CANDLES experiment uses a trigger board and Flash Analog-to-Digital Converters (FADCs). The SpaceWire helps us construct the DAQ system with a flexible and multi-path access to FADCs and the trigger board. FADCs have a ring buffer with three buffers to detect sequential decays from backgrounds. We developed the DAQ system with parallel read-out to reduce the dead time at high trigger rates using three read-out personal computers (PCs) that are connected to the three buffers in FADCs one by one. Each PC connects all FADCs and the trigger board and gathers a complete data set of one event without any event builder. The maximum DAQ speed of parallel read-out by three PCs was 2.4 times higher than that of single read-out. In order to collect event data sets from PCs, we built the network distributed DAQ system through Ethernet, which is naturally introduced with the DAQ-Middleware. To realize remote monitoring and histogram modification while the DAQ running, we also developed a dynamic online monitor system independent with the DAQ-Middleware.

CANDLES is the project to search for neutrino-less double beta decay ( 0νββ ) of 48 Ca. The observation of 0νββ will prove existence of a massive Majorana neutrino. For the 0νββ measurement, we need a low background condition because of a low decay rate of 0νββ . Now we installed the CANDLES III system at the Kamioka underground laboratory. The CANDLES III system realizes the low background condition by a characteristic structure and data analyses for background rejection. Here we report performances of the CANDLES III system.

CANDLES studies the double beta decay of 48Ca through CaF2 scintillation crystals. The CANDLES III detector, located in Kamioka underground laboratory, is currently running. Here we describe recent status of data analysis which includes detector performance, detector stability, and background estimation. Current sensitivity for 0 ν β β half-life is also discussed in this paper.

Background Epistasis is one of the central themes in viral evolution due to its importance in drug resistance, immune escape, and interspecies transmission. However, there is a lack of experimental approach to systematically probe for epistatic residues. Results By utilizing the information from natural occurring sequences and high-throughput genetics, this study established a novel strategy to identify epistatic residues. The rationale is that a substitution that is deleterious in one strain may be prevalent in nature due to the presence of a naturally occurring compensatory substitution. Here, high-throughput genetics was applied to influenza A virus M segment to systematically identify deleterious substitutions. Comparison with natural sequence variation showed that a deleterious substitution M1 Q214H was prevalent in circulating strains. A coevolution analysis was then performed and indicated that M1 residues 121, 207, 209, and 214 naturally coevolved as a group. Subsequently, we experimentally validated that M1 A209T was a compensatory substitution for M1 Q214H. Conclusions This work provided a proof-of-concept to identify epistatic residues by coupling high-throughput genetics with phylogenetic information. In particular, we were able to identify an epistatic interaction between M1 substitutions A209T and Q214H. This analytic strategy can potentially be adapted to study any protein of interest, provided that the information on natural sequence variants is available. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2358-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We studied an environmental magnetic noise rejection method using independent component analysis (ICA) for a magnetocardiogram (MCG). In the ICA, when the SN ratio of the data is reduced, the accuracy of the noise rejection becomes low and it becomes difficult to reach a decision regarding the contraction dimension. In order to solve these problems, we examined the initial value of the transformation matrix W of the ICA. We proposed an initial value decision procedure for the transformation matrix W, and as a result the accuracy of the noise rejection was improved. Verification was carried out for MCGs with various SN ratios. It was shown that this method was effective for improving noise rejection.

We have studied a method of environmental magnetic noise rejection using independent component analysis (ICA) for magnetocardiograms (MCGs). ICA is a useful method of separating the signal from noise. However ICA has various problems in determining numerous parameters and distinguishing signal or noise components from separated components. In many cases, these have been determined from the experiential results, and it has been difficult to determin the optimum parameters. We proposed a method of the distinguishing signal or noise components using the autocorrelation function of electrocardiograms (ECGs) and MCGs. Contraction dimension decisions were used to determin the maximum value of the autocorrelation function. The testing to verify its accuracy was carried out for MCGs with various signal-to-noise ratios. We found that this method was effective for the noise rejection.

NifEN is a key player in the biosynthesis of nitrogenase MoFe protein. It not only shares a considerable degree of sequence homology with the MoFe protein, but also contains clusters that are homologous to those found in the MoFe protein. Here we present an investigation of the catalytic activities of NifEN. Our data show that NifEN is catalytically competent in acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) and azide (N 3 − ) reduction, yet unable to reduce dinitrogen (N 2 ) or evolve hydrogen (H 2 ). Upon turnover, C 2 H 2 gives rise to an additional S = 1/2 signal, whereas N 3 − perturbs the signal originating from the NifEN-associated FeMoco homolog. Combined biochemical and spectroscopic studies reveal that N 3 − can act as either an inhibitor or an activator for the binding and/or reduction of C 2 H 2 , while carbon monoxide (CO) is a potent inhibitor for the binding and/or reduction of both N 3 − and C 2 H 2 . Taken together, our results suggest that NifEN is a catalytic homolog of MoFe protein; however, it is only a “skeleton” version of the MoFe protein, as its associated clusters are simpler in structure and less versatile in function, which, in turn, may account for its narrower range of substrates and lower activities of substrate reduction. The resemblance of NifEN to MoFe protein in catalysis points to a plausible, sequential appearance of the two proteins in nitrogenase evolution. More importantly, the discrepancy between the two systems may provide useful insights into nitrogenase mechanism and allow reconstruction of a fully functional nitrogenase from the “skeleton” enzyme, NifEN.

In Japan, reclaimed wastewater has been recycled widely for non-potable urban applications and it is to be used for sprinkling roads to mitigate heat island in urban areas. To assess the heat island mitigation effects of the sprinkling reclaimed wastewater on water retentive pavement, we carried out a survey at Shiodome-District, Tokyo. The temperatures of air and roads, humidity, and WBGT (Wet-bulb globe temperature) were measured and heat flux was estimated to compare the condition of the areas with/without sprinkling. The following results were obtained. 1) Sprinkling reclaimed wastewater decreased the road surface temperature by 8 degrees during the daytime and by 3 degrees at night: temperatures equal to those on planting zones. Nevertheless sprinkling was done only in the daytime, the temperature decrease effect was not only obtained during the daytime: it continued through the night, due to the water retentive pavement. 2) Sprinkling reclaimed wastewater reduced the amount of sensible heat flux and increased that of latent heat flux. These results suggest that sprinkling reclaimed wastewater on water retentive pavement can effectively mitigate the heat island phenomenon.

Vaccinia poly(A) polymerase (VP55) interacts with > or = 33-nucleotide (nt) primers via uridylates at two sites (-27/-26 and -10). It adds approximately 30-nt poly(A) tails with a rapid, processive burst in which the first few nt are added without substantial primer movement, and addition of the remaining adenylates is dependent upon a six-uridylate tract at the extreme 3' end of the primer and accompanied by polymerase translocation. Interaction of VP55 with 2-aminopurine (2-AP)-containing primers was associated with a 3-fold enhancement in 2-AP fluorescence. In stopped-flow experiments, fluorescence intensity changed with time during the polyadenylation burst in a manner dependent upon the position of 2-AP, indicating a non-uniform isomerization of the polymerase-primer complex with time consistent with a discontinuous (saltatory) translocation mechanism. Three distinct translocatory phases could be discerned: a -10(U)-binding site forward movement, a -27/-26(UU)-binding site jump to -10, then a -27/-26(UU)-binding site movement further downstream. Poly(A) tail elongation showed no apparent pauses during these isomerizations. Fluorescence changes during polyadenylation of 2-AP-containing primers with short preformed oligo(A) tails reinforced the above observations. Primers composed entirely of oligo(U) (apart from the 2-AP sensor), in which the polymerase modules might be most able to "slide" uniformly, also showed the characteristic saltatory pattern of translocation. These data indicate, for the first time, a discontinuous mode of translocation for a non-templated polymerase.

CANDLES is a double beta decay experiment using 48Ca in CaF2 crystals. The measurement is being performed with prototype detector (CANDLES III) for high sensitive measurement in the future. Recent status of detector improvements and background reduction techniques are described in this paper.

We carried out non-contacting measurements of photocurrent distributions in GaN blue light emitting diode (LED) chips using our newly developed ultraviolet (UV) laser SQUID microscope. The UV light generates the photocurrent, and then the photocurrent induces small magnetic fields around the chip. An off-axis arranged HTS-SQUID magnetometer is employed to detect a vector magnetic field whose typical amplitude is several hundred femto-tesla. Generally, it is difficult to obtain Ohmic contacts for p-type GaN because of the low hole concentration in the p-type epitaxial layer and the lack of any available metal with a higher work function compared with the p-type GaN. Therefore, a traditional probecontacted electrical test is difficult to conduct for wide band gap semiconductors without an adequately annealed electrode. Using the UV-laser SQUID microscope, the photocurrent can be measured without any electrical contact. We show the photocurrent vector map which was reconstructed from measured magnetic fields data. We also demonstrate how we found the position of a defect of the electrical short circuits in the LED chip.

The MgB/sub 2/ superconductor with T/sub C/ of 39 K has great potential to replace some LTS materials in superconducting electronics. Thin films with low surface resistance, (R/sub S/) and negligible nonlinear effects are necessary to realize MgB/sub 2/ circuits for microwave applications. The R/sub S/ of MgB/sub 2/ thin films varies significantly depending on the method of deposition and deposition conditions. We have investigated microwave properties of MgB/sub 2/ thin films grown on MgO substrate by the Molecular Beam Epitaxy method with novel co-evaporation conditions at low deposition rate in ultra-high vacuum. The R/sub S/ of as-grown MgB/sub 2/ thin films have been measured using the Hakki-Coleman Sapphire dielectric resonator technique. High measurement accuracy was accomplished by using multifrequency measurements of S-parameters and the Transmission Mode Q-Factor technique for data processing to obtain the unloaded Q/sub o/-factor and resonant frequency of the dielectric resonator. Measured R/sub s/ of the MgB/sub 2/ films of 400 /spl mu//spl Omega/ was obtained at frequency of 24.6 GHz and temperature of 13 K. Microwave power characteristics of R/sub s/ indicates stable operation of MgB/sub 2/ devices for the input power up to 10 dBm.

Data for 4.4 million stars from the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) project are compared with the near-infrared data of the Deep Near Infrared Southern Sky Survey (DENIS). More than 4000 stars observed in both projects show a quite periodic light curve. Among them, a number of stars are likely eclipsing variables, and the others seem to be pulsating stars. The Ks magnitudes of these red variables are in the range 10-12.5 but a minor clump at K S 12.2 mag is also found. The multiplicity of the period-luminosity relation is confirmed, but most of the regular, large-amplitude variables are found on the relation established for the Mira stars. We study the properties of the variables on the colour-magnitude diagram constructed with the MOA red band R m and Ks of DENIS. Multiplicity of the period-luminosity relation is briefly discussed in relation to the excitation mechanism of red pulsating variables.

More than 4000 stars observed in both MOA and DENIS projects showing periodic or quasi-periodic light curves are studied. Almost all Mira stars are located on the classical period-luminosity relation, and the multiplicity of the period-luminosity relation is confirmed for small-amplitude stars. The colour-magnitude diagrams based on the MOA red band, Rm, and Ks constructed for the sequences, form a single strip with small successive shifts.

The paper presents the results of a study in which the non-stationary dynamic response of typical lift installations is investigated. A general approach to describe the dynamic behaviour of a vertical transport installation is presented. Subsequently, vibration models of a building elevator and a mine hoist installation are discussed. Perturbation and numerical techniques are discussed and applied to predict the non-stationary response of hoist ropes. It is shown that the method of multiple scales with non-linear scale as well as the method of characteristics can be employed to analyse a passage through resonance in a simple lift installation. Furthermore, the effectiveness of direct numerical integration of equations of motion is demonstrated in the case of a mine hoist installation.

We evaluated single crystal silicon wafers with a p-n junction structure using a laser superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) microscope. A high temperature superconductor SQUID magnetometer was used to detect photogenerated magnetic signals with an amplitude of several pico-tesla. The relationship between the photogenerated magnetic fields and the wavelengths of the excitation light was investigated. The minority carrier diffusion length was obtained by using a multiwavelength (680 to 850 nm) laser SQUID microscope. The results were found to be in good agreement with those obtained using the probe contacting method. The laser SQUID microscope can enable a truly noncontacting and contamination-free test of equipment with a high spatial resolution, and can enable testers to make quantitative evaluations. While surface pretreatment is necessary in traditional destructive measurements, the laser SQUID method can be used to take immediate measurements without any required pretreatment. These features make this method highly advantageous for monitoring the semiconductor process.

In order to better understand the dynamical evolution and star formation history of the Magellanic system, realistic N-body simulations of the tidal distortion of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) as a result of the Galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud have been carried out, taking into account gas dynamics and star formation processes explicitly. The best model succeeds in reproducing the observed structural, kinematic and star formation properties of the SMC, including other related tidal features in the Magellanic system, without resorting to the ram pressure model. The best-fitting simulation reproduced a gas stream with almost no stars and the observed H I gas fraction, for which the morphology and velocity field agree quite well with those of the Magellanic stream, a result of adopting an initial SMC model that has a compact stellar disc embedded in an extended gaseous disc. This implies that the existence of a purely gaseous Magellanic stream does not poses serious problems to a tidal model of formation. Also, in this best model, the central and south-east side (wing region) of the SMC contained an excess of young stars, as is observed. Comparison with a reference simulation of isolated evolution demonstrated that the acceleration of star formation activity in these regions may be a direct result of the last interaction between the Magellanic Clouds roughly 0.2 Gyr ago, which formed the inter-cloud region. The large extent in depth of the SMC implied by the spatial distribution of Cepheids, and the line-of-sight velocity pattern in H I around the SMC is also reproduced. Finally, the dependences of these results on the numerical parameters that specify the SMC mass model and interstellar gas processes are discussed.

A dose evaluation method for neutrons in the energy range of a few MeV to 100 MeV has been developed using a spectrum weight function (G-function), which is applied to an organic liquid scintillator of 12.7 cm in diameter and 12.7 cm in length. The G-function that converts the pulse height spectrum of the scintillator into the ambient dose equivalent, H*(10), was calculated by an unfolding method using successive approximation of the response function of the scintillator and the ambient dose equivalent per unit neutron fluence (H*(10) conversion coefficients) of ICRP 74. To verify the response function of the scintillator and the value of H*(10) evaluated by the G-function. pulse height spectra of the scintillator were measured in some different neutron fields, which have continuous energy, monoenergetic and quasi-monoenergetic spectra. Values of H*(10) estimated using the G-function and pulse height spectra of the scintillator were compared with those calculated using neutron energy spectra. These doses agreed with each other. From the results, it was concluded that H*(10) can be evaluated directly from the pulse height spectrum of the scintillator by applying the G-function proposed in this study.

The CANDLES experiment is a study of the double beta decay of $^{48}{\rm Ca}$ nuclei. The detector consists of two scintillators. One is the ${\rm CaF}_{2}$ crystal that acts as a source of double beta decay and a scintillator. The other is a liquid scintillator, which is used for gamma-veto. The total light collected from the liquid scintillator is on the same order of magnitude as that of the ${\rm CaF}_{2}$ scintillator, but the decay constant of the liquid scintillator is one or more orders of magnitude shorter than that of the ${\rm CaF}_{2}$ scintillator. Therefore, if we trigger the signal by pulse height, the energy threshold of the liquid scintillator light will be one or more orders of magnitude lower than that of the ${\rm CaF}_{2}$ scintillator. A high counting rate in the liquid scintillator causes deadtime; in order to avoid this problem, we have developed a new trigger system. In this paper, we describe the use of this trigger system in the CANDLES experiment and its performance after installation in 2013.

A paramagnetic–ferromagnetic transition has been observed in detail by electron-spin resonance (ESR) around the Curie temperature in a series of Nd0.7(Ca, Sr, Ba)0.3MnO3 with a fixed A-site mean radius 〈rA〉=1.21 A. As A-site cation disorder σ2 increases, the ESR linewidth increases and the activation energy obtained from the ESR decreases, suggesting an increase of the local lattice distortions and a weakening of the ferromagnetic correlations with increasing σ2. ESR signals reveal that the A-site cation disorder causes the local microscopic inhomogeneity of the Mn oxidation state, which leads to the broad paramagnetic–ferromagnetic transition.

The applicability of acoustic emission (AE) technique for evaluation of fatigue damage in reinforced concrete (RC) slabs under cyclic loadings in both laboratory and as a structure in service is studied. The fundamental test performed in laboratory shows that the cracking process can be practically monitored by the measurement of AE signals. Analysis of the relationship between loading phase and AE activity indicates that the final stages of the fracture process can be evaluated by detecting AE signals generated near the minimum loading phase. Comparison of the results from the structure and that from the laboratory specimen demonstrates that AE energy can be an effective parameter for the evaluation of fatigue damage in RC slabs in service.

Optical photometry and H I synthesis observations of the southern edge-on Sc/Sd galaxy IC 5249 are reported. The rotation curve rises linearly out to a radius of 7 kpc and then appears to flatten out at ~100 km s-1. The H I mass out to 24.5 kpc is ~6 × 109 M⊙, or 10% of the total mass out to this radius. The color, central surface brightness, scale height, and scale length of the disk of IC 5249 are R - I ≈ 0.4, μ = 20.6 ± 0.1RC mag arcsec-2, 600 ± 40 pc, and 11 ± 2 kpc, respectively. Additional light to that predicted by an exponential disk is present at distances greater than 3 kpc from the disk. At 5 kpc the surface brightness is 27–28RC mag arcsec-2. The measured distribution of surface brightness is used to constrain the abundance of low-mass main-sequence stars in the halo of the galaxy. A halo made up entirely of main-sequence stars heavier than 0.13 M⊙ is excluded. We also find that less than 20% of the halo can be composed of main-sequence stars heavier than 0.30 M⊙. Further observations are required to determine the rotation curve of IC 5249 to large radii and to determine precisely the abundance of low-mass main-sequence stars in the halo of the galaxy.

In this paper, the authors propose a novel block feeding method for use in linear induction motors. The proposed method involves shifting of the excited section at every coil. Using the proposed method, the excited-section length can be shortened greatly compared with that in the ordinary method shifting at every block section. Thus, the power consumption becomes lower, improving efficiency. In addition, by short-circuiting the coils at both ends of the excited section during shifting, continuous power supply becomes possible, and thus electric transient phenomena are reduced. They confirm the validity of the method by finite element analysis and experiments.

We report that Ti buffer layer improves the structural quality and superconducting properties of MgB2 film deposited on ZnO (0 0 0 1) and Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. It was found that Ti layers were grown epitaxially on the substrates and the MgB2 films were c-axis oriented with two types of in-plane orientations. The crystal quality measured by the rocking curve width of X-ray diffraction peak was improved and superconducting transition temperature increased as the buffer layer thickness increased on both substrates. The highest Tc observed in this study was 37 K and 35 K in the film deposited on the Ti buffer layer 50 nm thick with the ZnO and Al2O3 substrates, respectively.

The only practical method to visualize electrical trees formed in organic insulating materials has been to section a specimen with a microtome or a diamond cutter, especially in translucent or opaque materials. In our experiment, a 25 MHz ultrasonic transducer was used to scan a specimen within which an electrical tree had been formed. Ultrasonic echo signals reflected from the treeing region were detected by the same transducer and fed to a electronic measuring system. By determining the horizontal coordinates at which each echo signal from the tree was detected, two-dimensional ultrasonic images were obtained for various types of electrical trees in polyethylene. Furthermore, three-dimensional ultrasonic images of bush-type trees were obtained by means of a new detection or measurement method developed by the authors. These images agree well with those obtained microscopically by sectioning the specimen with a microtome.

An ISOL-based radioactive nuclear beam facility is just about to come into operation at INS. The present status of the INS radioactive nuclear beam project is reported. The capability of the facility and possible experiments are also discussed, including research programs of nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics.

As the Sun shows the well-known magnetic activity of eleven-year period, many other interesting observational features of the Sun have been examined in connection with the solar cycle. The diameter of the Sun is one of these interesting observable quantities. The apparent radius of the Sun has been observed regularly since 1985 with the Tokyo Photoelectric Meridian Circle (Tokyo PMC) at Mitaka. Here, we show the average value of the solar radii observed by us. We also show that the annual-mean values of the observed radii take the smallest value near the solar-cycle maximum, in 1989 and 1990, and the largest ones around the solar-cycle minimum, in 1986 and 1994. The average peak-to-peak shift of the annual-mean solar radius for the solar cycle is ΔR⊙/R⊙ ~ 1.2 × 10−4, which is close to the relative change of the frequency of the 5-minute p-mode solar oscillation within one solar cycle.

At the cooler-synchrotron TARN II, light- and heavy-ion beams are stored, electron-cooled and accelerated for the research of atomic physics and accelerator studies. In these experiments, the closed orbit distortion (COD) correction system plays an important role for improving the beam currents and lifetimes. In order to measure the position of a circulating faint beam in the ring, we developed beam diagnostic devices of high sensitivity and low noise. The beam positions can be measured with an accuracy of 0.3 mm at a circulating beam current of 1 μA. It is the purpose of the present paper to describe details concerning the beam position monitor (BPM) system, an investigation of the sensitivities of the BPM from the point of view the S N ratio, the experimental results of a COD correction and measurements of the accelerator parameters, such as the chromaticity and dispersion using this system.