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Periodontitis affects oral tissues and induces systemic inflammation, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Subgingival plaque accumulation is a trigger of periodontitis. Fusobacterium nucleatum (FN) contributes to subgingival biofilm complexity by intercalating with early and late bacterial colonizers on tooth surfaces. In addition, inflammatory responses to FN are associated with the progression of periodontitis. Nigella sativa Lin. seed, which is known as black cumin (BC), has been used as a herbal medicine to treat ailments such as asthma and infectious diseases. The current study examined the inhibitory effect of BC oil and its active constituents, thymol (TM) and thymoquinone (TQ), on FN‑associated biofilm and inflammation. FN‑containing biofilms were prepared by co‑cultivation with an early dental colonizer, Actinomyces naeslundii (AN). The stability and biomass of FN/AN dual species biofilms were significantly higher compared with FN alone. This effect was retained even with prefixed cells, indicating that FN/AN co‑aggregation is mediated by physicochemical interactions with cell surface molecules. FN/AN biofilm formation was significantly inhibited by 0.1% TM or TQ. Confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that treatment of preformed FN/AN biofilm with 0.01% of BC, TM or TQ significantly reduced biofilm thickness, and TQ demonstrated a cleansing effect equivalent to that of isopropyl methylphenol. TQ dose‑dependently suppressed TNF‑α production from a human monocytic cell line, THP‑1 exposed to FN, yet showed no toxicity to THP‑1 cells. These results indicated that oral hygiene care using TQ could reduce FN‑associated biofilm and inflammation in gingival tissue.

The absolute calibration of the detection efficiency for the total neutron yield in the whole plasma is one of the most important issues in the neutron diagnostics such as a neutron flux monitor (NFM). The possibility of a partial neutron calibration is investigated based on the in-situ neutron calibration data of the Large Helical Device (LHD), JT-60U, and other tokamaks. In the case of NFM using a 235U fission chamber located outside of the vacuum vessel on the equatorial plane, more than 90% of the detector counts are contributed by neutrons in the toroidal angle range of −60° to +60°. The detection efficiency for the neutron source located at one toroidal position on the magnetic axis (called point efficiency) decreased exponentially with the absolute toroidal angle of the neutron source. We found that a partial calibration in the toroidal angle range of −60° to +60° combined with exponential extrapolations to -180° and +180°can estimate total detection efficiency within 5% uncertainty. In the case of point efficiency measurement at the limited number of the toroidal locations, the total detection efficiency for the whole plasma can be estimated within 4% uncertainty with the assistance of the MCNP simulation.

The absolute calibration of the detection efficiency for the total neutron yield in the whole plasma is one of the most important issues in the neutron diagnostics such as a neutron flux monitor (NFM). The possibility of a partial neutron calibration is investigated based on the in-situ neutron calibration data of the Large Helical Device (LHD), JT-60U, and other tokamaks. In the case of NFM using a 235U fission chamber located outside of the vacuum vessel on the equatorial plane, more than 90% of the detector counts are contributed by neutrons in the toroidal angle range of −60° to +60°. The detection efficiency for the neutron source located at one toroidal position on the magnetic axis (called point efficiency) decreased exponentially with the absolute toroidal angle of the neutron source. We found that a partial calibration in the toroidal angle range of −60° to +60° combined with exponential extrapolations to -180° and +180°can estimate total detection efficiency within 5% uncertainty. In the case of point efficiency measurement at the limited number of the toroidal locations, the total detection efficiency for the whole plasma can be estimated within 4% uncertainty with the assistance of the MCNP simulation.

真空容器内のITER下部ポート統合機器の中性子遮蔽体は、計測機器を搭載する計測機器構造体とバックプレートで構成されている。 この論文では、ステンレス製の缶に炭化ホウ素粉末を充填した新しい中性子遮蔽体のコンセプトを提案する。 このコンセプトを実証するためにプロトタイプが製作され、プロトタイプの炭化ホウ素の密度は1915 kg / m3に達し、実際の密度2520 kg / m3の76％に達することが確認された。 核解析には、プロトタイピングによって確認された密度を適用した。その結果、45 µSv / hの運転停止後線量率（SDDR）が達成され、ITERの要求値を満足した。

Materials and structures of a collimator for a new neutron emission profile monitor in JT-60SA are examined through Monte-Carlo simulations using the Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code. First, the shielding properties of various material combinations are compared in order to determine a combination with high shielding performances against both neutrons and gamma-rays. It is found that a collimator consisting of borated polyethylene and lead has a high shielding performance against neutrons. Moreover, a high shielding performance against gamma-rays is obtained when a lead pipe with a radial thickness of 0.01 m is inserted into a collimation tube. Second, we demonstrate that it is possible to improve the spatial resolution to the desired level by installing a thin tubular extension structure that fits into the limited space available between the main collimator block and the tokamak device. Finally, the collimator structures that meet both the targeted spatial resolutions (< 10% of the plasma minor radius) and the targeted counting rate (105 cps order) are discussed.

This paper reports the gamma-ray irradiation effects on optical coatings and polarizers to be used in the ITER edge Thomson scattering system (ETS). Outside a diagnostic port-plug, in the Interspace, a total dose of the order of 1 MGy is expected through 20 years of ITER operation. In this study, gamma-ray irradiation experiments were performed up to 10 MGy. A high peak power laser beam, i.e. a pulse energy of 5 J and a pulse duration of ∼4 ns, is needed for a Thomson scattering measurement in ITER. Laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of anti-reflection (AR) and high-reflection (HR) coatings at the laser wavelengths after gamma-ray irradiation were investigated. LIDT of AR coating for 0° injections was more likely higher for the irradiated samples at a wavelength of 1064 nm. Regarding HR coatings, LIDT was not noticeably degraded by gamma-ray irradiation. Regarding polarizers, no degradation of transmission and extinction ratio was observed at visible and near infrared wavelength ranges when a wire-grid polarizer substrate is made of fused silica. Since a signal of ETS is almost linearly polarized, a wire-grid polarizer enables to improve signal to noise ratio of electron temperature and density measurements by Thomson scattering in ITER.

This paper reports the gamma-ray irradiation effects on optical coatings and polarizers to be used in the ITERedge Thomson scattering system (ETS). Outside a diagnostic port-plug, in the Interspace, a total dose of the orderof 1 MGy is expected through 20 years of ITER operation. In this study, gamma-ray irradiation experiments wereperformed up to 10 MGy. A high peak power laser beam, i.e. a pulse energy of 5 J and a pulse duration of∼4 ns,is needed for a Thomson scattering measurement in ITER. Laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of anti-re-flection (AR) and high-reflection (HR) coatings at the laser wavelengths after gamma-ray irradiation were in-vestigated. LIDT of AR coating for 0° injections was more likely higher for the irradiated samples at a wavelengthof 1064 nm. Regarding HR coatings, LIDT was not noticeably degraded by gamma-ray irradiation. Regardingpolarizers, no degradation of transmission and extinction ratio was observed at visible and near infrared wa-velength ranges when a wire-grid polarizer substrate is made of fused silica. Since a signal of ETS is almostlinearly polarized, a wire-grid polarizer enables to improve signal to noise ratio of electron temperature anddensity measurements by Thomson scattering in ITER.

The ITER poloidal polarimeter will install optical components, corner cube retro-reflectors, into the slot of the first wall (FW) panels. The issues of designing the retro-reflector were (i) to achieve good thermal contact between the retro-reflector assembly and the FW and (ii) to accommodate the different thermal expansion of the retro-reflector made of tungsten and the FW made of stainless steel. In order to solve the issues, the CuCrZr filler was employed. A coupled mechanical-thermal analysis was carried out to confirm that the required contact pressure of 60 MPa persists during plasma operation. The highest predicted temperature of the retro-reflector was 673 °C, which is acceptable for tungsten. Electromagnetic analysis was carried out to confirm that the retro-reflector assembly will not move during plasma disruption. A maximum force of 3.06 kN is predicted on the retro-reflector during disruption and is much less than the static friction of 136 kN. In addition, the manufacturability of the retro-reflector assembly was successfully demonstrated. The roughness (Ra) and the flatness (root mean square) achieved for the mirror surface were 0.43 nm and 0.068 μm, respectively. The angle between the assembled mirrors was 90 ± 0.03°, better than the requirement of 90 ± 0.05°.

Neutronic analysis is performed for in situ calibration of the microfission chamber (MFC), which is the in-vessel neutron-flux monitor at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). We present the design of the transfer system for a neutron generator, which consists of two toroidal rings and a neutron-generator holder, and estimate the effect of the system on MFC detection efficiency through neutronic analysis with the Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) code. The result indicates that the designed transfer system does not affect MFC detection efficiency. In situ calibrations by the point-by-point method and by the rotation method are also simulated and compared by neutronic analysis. The results indicate that the rotation method is appropriate for full calibration because the calibration time is shorter (all neutron-flux monitors can be calibrated simultaneously). However, the rotation method makes it difficult to compare the results with neutronic analysis, so the point-by-point method should be performed prior to full calibration to check the accuracy of the MCNP model.

A compound determinant identity for minors of rectangular matrices is established. Given an (s+n-1)xsn matrix A with s blocks of n columns, we consider minors of A by picking up in each block the first consecutive columns specified by weak compositions at most s parts, and prove that the compound determinant of such nxn minors of A is equal to the product of maximal minors of A corresponding to compositions of s+n-1 with s parts. As an application, we obtain Vandermonde type product evaluations of determinants of classical group characters, including Schur functions.

The nuclear heating rates of the optical mirrors of the poloidal polarimeter installed in the equatorial port plug of ITER are calculated. Since the system cannot have a sufficiently labyrinthine structure and the second mirrors are located closer to the plasma than the first mirrors due to limited space, the nuclear heating rate of the second mirrors is as high as that of the first mirrors. However, it is possible to reduce the nuclear heating rates more than 1 order if the blanket shield module provides a sufficient degree of neutron shielding. The effect of the neutron shield on the peripheral region of the upper port plug, in which the optical system of the poloidal polarimeter is installed, is also evaluated. The gamma-ray dose rate 10 6 s after shutdown of operations in the back flange region has been estimated to be ∼60 μSv/h when the neutron shield is filled in the port plug, which is below the design threshold for the ITER maintenance phase. Further, the nuclear heating rate of the Poloidal field coil near the same upper port has been evaluated to be more than 2 orders lower than the allowable value of 1 mW/cc.

ITER has diagnostics with machine protection, basic and advanced control, and physics roles. Several are distributed on the inner and outer periphery of the vacuum vessel. They have reduced maintainability compared to diagnostics in ports. They also endure some of the highest nuclear and EM loads of any diagnostic for the longest time. They include

A Micro-fission Chamber (MFC) provides time-resolved measurements of global neutron source strength and fusion power in ITER. The MFC is a pencil-sized gas counter containing the fissile material, 235 U. MFCs will be installed behind blanket modules at upper and lower outboard positions due to interface considerations with other equipmen t and the vacuum vessel. Measurements of the neutron source strength could be affected by cooling water in branch pipes, which will be installed near the MFC. The effect of the branch pipes upon the MFC is assessed by neutron transport calculation using MCNP 5. Results indicate a significant increase in the MFC response rate (up to ~ 40% higher) due to the branch pipe. The increase in the MFC response is caused by the slowing down of the neutrons due to the cooling water in the branch pipes. The effect of the thermal neutrons on the MFC response is especially significant. One possible solution to reduce the effect is to cover the MFC with a material that absorbs thermal neutrons such as cadmium. The ways in which the absorbent material may affect MFC response is analyzed through neutron transport calculation. Results indicate that the increase in the MFC response can be reduced to < 10 % through cadmium coating.

This study was performed to examine the effects of tablets containing an extract of Capparis masaikai Levl. (M-tablets) on enhancing oral moisture.The moistening effect of M-tablets was examined in 21 healthy subjects aged 25.1+/-2.4 (mean+/-S.D.) years in comparison with control tablets. After sucking tablets, the oral moisture was measured using a saliva wetness tester and a moisture checker. To evaluate the effects of the M-tablets on oral conditions, additional 50 subjects aged 30.6+/-7.5 years were examined. The subjects recorded changes in refreshment, oral moisture, ease in speaking, and taste of water using a visual analog scale (VAS).The L-SALIVO value of the M-tablet increased significantly from 1.83+/-0.17 (mean+/-S.E.M.) at baseline to 3.02+/-0.21 at 15 min (P0.01). The Mucus((R)) value of the M-tablet also increased from 37.50+/-0.22 at baseline to 38.30+/-0.26 at 15 min (P0.01). The VAS value for oral moisture increased significantly from 47.4+/-2.0 to 69.6+/-2.2 after taking the M-tablet (P0.01). The VAS value for taste of water also increased from 50.0+/-1.1 to 66.7+/-3.2 (P0.01).These results suggest that M-tablets are useful for enhancing oral moisture, which leads to improvement of oral conditions.

Physico-chemical properties in the brine and under-ice water were measured in Saroma-ko Lagoon on the northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan, which is connected to the Sea of Okhotsk, during the period from mid-February through mid-March 2006. The brine within brine channels of the sea ice was collected with a new sampling method examined in this study. Salinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrients and oxygen isotopic ratio (δ 18 O) contained in the brine within brine channels of the sea ice and in the under-ice water varied largely in both time and space during the ice melt period, when discharge from Saromabetsu River located on the southeast of the lagoon increased markedly due to the onset of snow melting. The under-ice plume expands as far as 4.5 km from the river mouth at mid-March 2006, transporting chemical components supplied from the river into the lagoon. The under-ice river water was likely transported into the sea ice through well-developed brine channels in the sea ice due to upward flushing of water through brine channels occurred by loading of snowfalls deposited over the sea ice. These results suggest that the river water plume plays an important role in supplying chemical components into the sea ice, which may be a key process influencing the biogeochemical cycle in the seasonally ice-covered Saroma-ko Lagoon.

For any partition @l let @w(@l) denote the four parameter weight @w(@l)=a^@?^"^i^"^>=^"^1^@?^@l^"^2^"^i^"^-^"^1^/^2^@?b^@?^"^i^"^>=^"^1^@?^@l^"^2^"^i^"^-^"^1^/^2^@?c^@?^"^i^"^>=^"^1^@?^@l^"^2^"^i^/^2^@?d^@?^"^i^"^>=^"^1^@?^@l^"^2^"^i^/^2^@?, and let @?(@l) be the length of @l. We show that the generating function @[email protected](@l)z^@?^(^@l^), where the sum runs over all ordinary (resp. strict) partitions with parts each @?N, can be expressed by the Al-Salam-Chihara polynomials. As a corollary we derive Andrews' result by specializing some parameters and Boulet's results by letting N->+~. In the last section we prove a Pfaffian formula for the weighted sum @[email protected](@l)z^@?^(^@l^)P"@l(x) where P"@l(x) is Schur's P-function and the sum runs over all strict partitions.

In the open problem session of the FPSAC’03, R.P. Stanley gave an open problem about a certain sum of the Schur functions. The purpose of this paper is to give a proof of this open problem. The proof consists of three steps. At the first step we express the sum by a Pfaffian as an application of our minor summation formula (Ishikawa and Wakayama in Linear Multilinear Algebra 39:285–305, 1995). In the second step we prove a Pfaffian analogue of a Cauchy type identity which generalizes Sundquist’s Pfaffian identities (J. Algebr. Comb. 5:135–148, 1996). Then we give a proof of Stanley’s open problem in Sect. 4. At the end of this paper we present certain corollaries obtained from this identity involving the Big Schur functions and some polynomials arising from the Macdonald polynomials, which generalize Stanley’s open problem.

An ordered partition with $k$ blocks of $[n]:=\{1,2,\ldots, n\}$ is a sequence of $k$ disjoint and nonempty subsets, called blocks, whose union is $[n]$. Clearly the number of such ordered partitions is $k!S(n,k)$, where $S(n,k)$ is the Stirling number of the second kind. A statistic on ordered partitions of $[n]$ with $k$ blocks is called an Euler-Mahonian statistic if its generating polynomial is $[k]_q!S_q(n,k)$, which is a natural $q$-analogue of $k!S(n,k)$. Motivated by Steingrimsson's conjectures dating back to 1997, we consider two different methods to produce Euler-Mahonian statistics on ordered set partitions: (a) we give a bijection between ordered partitions and weighted Motzkin paths by using a variant of Francon-Viennot's bijection to derive many Euler-Mahonian statistics by expanding the generating function of $[k]_q!S_q(n,k)$ as an explicit continued fraction; (b) we encode ordered partitions by walks in some digraphs and then derive new Euler-Mahonian statistics by computing their generating functions using the transfer-matrix method. In particular, we prove several conjectures of Steingrimsson.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a Capparis masaikai Levl. extract on enhancing oral moisture. Solutions of Capparis masaikai extract, citric acid, sodium chloride, and sucrose were dropped on the tongue dorsum of 20 healthy subjects aged 23-34 years. After swallowing each solution, the oral moisture was measured for 60 min using a saliva wetness tester and a moisture checker. The subjects recorded the degree of taste using a visual analog scale to examine the stimulating effect of each solution on salivation. The Capparis masaikai extract had a long-lasting moistening effect on both the tongue dorsum and buccal mucosa for up to 60 min. The weakly bittersweet taste of the extract was perceived stronger than the other taste elements. The results suggest that the Capparis masaikai extract is useful for enhancing oral moisture.

An infinite summation formula of Hall-Littlewood polynomials due to Kawanaka is generalized to a finite summation formula, which implies, in particular, twelve more multiple q-identities of Rogers-Ramanujan type than those previously found by Stembridge and the last two authors.

Three High Frequency (HF) ocean radar stations were installed around the Soya/La Perouse Strait in the Sea of Okhotsk in order to monitor the Soya Warm Current (SWC). The frequency of the HF radar is 13.9 MHz, and the range and azimuth resolutions are 3 km and 5 deg., respectively. The radar covers a range of approximately 70 km from the coast. The surface current velocity observed by the HF radars was compared with data from drifting buoys and shipboard Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs). The current velocity derived from the HF radars shows good agreement with that observed using the drifting buoys. The root-mean-square (rms) differences were found to be less than 20 cm s−1 for the zonal and meridional components in the buoy comparison. The observed current velocity was also found to exhibit reasonable agreement with the shipboard ADCP data. It was shown that the HF radars clearly capture seasonal and short-term variations of the SWC. The velocity of the Soya Warm Current reaches its maximum, approximately 1 m s−1, in summer and weakens in winter. The velocity core is located 20 to 30 km from the coast, and its width is approximately 40 km. The surface transport by the SWC shows a significant correlation with the sea level difference along the strait, as derived from coastal tide gauge records at Wakkanai and Abashiri.

We call an element of a Coxeter group fully covering (or a fully covering element) if its length is equal to the number of the elements it covers in the Bruhat ordering. It is easy to see that the notion of fully covering is a generalization of the notion of a 321-avoiding permutation and that a fully covering element is a fully commutative element. Also, we call a Coxeter group bi-full if its fully commutative elements coincide with its fully covering elements. We show that the bi-full Coxeter groups are the ones of type A n , D n , E n with no restriction on n. In other words, Coxeter groups of type E9, E10,.... are also bi-full. According to a result of Fan, a Coxeter group is a simply-laced FC-finite Coxeter group if and only if it is a bi-full Coxeter group.

目的: 現在市販されている金銀パラジウム合金の組成と耐変色性との関係を明らかにすることを目的に, in vitroおよびin vivo両面から検討を加えた.方法: Fusobacterium nucleatumまたはStreptococcus mutansを加えたTHB (Todd Hewitt Broth) 培地に4種類の金銀パラジウム合金試料を入れ, 37℃ で嫌気培養を4週間行った.培養後, 輝度および色調の測定を行った. また使用義歯に6種類の金属試料 (金銀パラジウム合金, Ti, 14K金合金) を2カ月間埋入し, 撤去後に色差を算出した.結果: 金銀パラジウム合金は, メチルメルカプタンならびに硫化水素産生量の多いF.nucleatum培養環境下で, 大きな変色を示す傾向にあった. Cuを20.0mass%含む12%金銀パラジウム合金の変色は大きく, Tiや14K金合金の色差は小さかった. 組成の異なる4種類の金銀パラジウム合金 (Cu: 10.0-20.0mass%, Au: 12.0, 20.0mass%) は, in vitroおよびin vivoともに色差10以上の変色を認めた.結論: 市販の金銀パラジウム合金の耐変色性は合金組成の影響を受けるが, 口腔内の腐食性が高い患者では, いずれの組成の合金においても耐変色性が十分でなく, 著しい変色を示すことが確認された.

目的: 本研究は, 金銀パラジウム合金の変色と, 口腔微生物ならびにVSC (CH3SH, H2S) 産生量との関連性をin vitroで明らかにすることを目的としている.方法: 4種の歯科鋳造用金属試料をFusobacterium nucleatumまたはStreptococcus mutansを加えたTHB培地 (一部L-Cysteine添加) に入れ, 37℃で嫌気培養を4週間行った. 培養後, 試料の輝度, 色調の測定ならびに定性分析を行った.結果: 1. F. nucleatumを培養した培地で, 金銀パラジウム合金は輝度, 色差ともに大きな変化を示した. 2. 金銀パラジウム合金は, 口腔微生物のない状態やS. mutans培養環境下でも色調変化が認められ, L-Cysteineを添加すると顕著となった. 3. チタン, コバルトクロム合金, 白金加金は変色が少なかったが, 口腔微生物培養環境下でより輝度の低下を認めた. 4. 定性分析の結果, 金銀パラジウム合金試料では全条件で硫黄 (S) が検出された.結論: 本研究により金銀パラジウム合金の変色と口腔微生物, VSC産生量との関連性が検証された. VSCを多量に産生するF. nucleatumは, 歯周病や口臭の原因菌とされており, 金銀パラジウム合金の変色や腐食は, 歯周疾患, 口腔清掃状態などの口腔内環境と深いかかわりがあることが判明した.

This study was conducted to investigate the principal factors involved in the discoloration of 12 Wt% Au-Ag-Pt alloy. Luminance of cast clasps, oral conditions, the presence cariogenic microbes such as Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in saliva, Candida on the tongue and the amount of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC: H2S and CH3SH) produced by the tongue coating were evaluated in 70 subjects (VSC: 45 subjects). The surfaces of cast clasps were observed using an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer and changes in the surface were evaluated in relation to the degree of discoloration.The results were as follows:1. The Mann-Whitney U-test revealed statistically significant differences (p

Engineering analyses have been performed for the representative diagnostic upper port plug of ITER. Maintenance and integration design have been also carried out for the diagnostic components to be installed in the upper port plug. From the electromagnetic and structural analyses, it has come up an important problem to suppress the displacement of the upper port plug rather than to reduce the produced stress. Reducing the electro-magnetic (EM) force will help to decrease the severity of potential displacement. Maximum displacement of the port plug decreases with increase in the number of slits in a manner that the displacement would seem to be less than the design tolerance. A proposed low body roller and inner frame may enhance maintenance and integration. These studies and designs have established the design basis for the diagnostic upper port plug.

In this paper we establish a formula involving Pfaffians for a certain weighted sum of minors of an arbitrary given matrix. First we find a formula where the sum ranges for all columns, and secondly we obtain a formula where the sum ranges for both all rows and columns as the application of the first one. The first formula is stated in the framework of quantum matrix algebra (Matq(m,n)). These sums are weighted by "sub-Pfaffians" of any given (q)skew symmetric matrices. In the last section we provide an application of the minor summation formula to the generating functions of shifted tableaux.

Duplicate ice cores were taken in southeastern Hudson Bay (Canadian Arctic), at 8 stations along a transect, from the mouth of the Great Whale River to saline waters 25 km offshore. One core from each station was cut into 10-cm sections, which were melted at room temperature for determinations of salinity, nutrients, algal pigments and taxonomic composition of the microalgal assemblages. On the second core, thin sections were cut every 2 cm to optically determine the ratio of brine/gas pockets to the total sections. Relative volumes of brine in melted samples were computed from the observed ratios and calculated values, and used to convert per unit brine volume the concentrations of pigments, nutrients and algal cells, initially measured per unit volume of melted sample. Salinity of the melted samples indicate the presence of freshwater beneath the sea ice close to shore throughout the growth season, and the vertical salinity profiles suggest intermittent intrusions of freshwater. Nutrient concentrations in the brine were high, suggesting that microalgae in the brine cells were generally not nutrient limited. Concentrations of ice algae in the brine cells reached relatively high values, that are often of the same order as those reported for eutrophic marine waters. Statistical analyses identified the rate of ice growth as the most important factor controlling the vertical and horizontal distributions of algal biomass and taxonomic composition in the sea ice, along the salinity gradient. Higher biomasses were generally associated with slower ice growth and also possibly lower grazing activity. In addition, the rate of ice growth influenced the distribution of microalgal assemblages, with nitrogen limitation potentially playing a secondary role in some instances.

Microfission chambers (MFCs) are one of the most important diagnostics for measuring neutron source strength in ITER. Using MFCs for high-power operations (fusion power of 100 kW-1 GW) and for low-power operations (100 kW) in combination is one way to fulfill the target measurement requirements of ITER. The MFCs for high-power operations will be installed behind blanket modules in both the upper and lower outboard regions of the vacuum vessel so as to be insensitive to changes in the position of the plasma. For low-power operations, one possible location of MFCs is inside the equatorial (EQ) port. The effect of streaming neutrons and of changes in the position of the plasma on the responses of MFCs is estimated based on a neutron Monte Carlo calculation using the MCNP Version 5 code. Results suggest that the effect of streaming neutrons should be taken into account if the MFCs for high-power operations are installed closer than 20 cm to the gap between blanket modules. It has also been found for MFCs of low-power operations that the averaged output of the MFCs installed at the top and bottom of the EQ port is sensitive to horizontal plasma shifts but not to vertical shifts. This finding suggests that corrections based on the position of the plasma center will be needed for the absolute measurement of neutron source strength.

Microfission chambers (MFCs) will measure the total neutron source strength in ITER. The MFCs will be installed behind blanket modules in the vacuum vessel (VV). Triaxial mineral insulated (MI) cables will carry signals from the MFCs. The joint connecting triaxial MI cables in the VV must be considered because the MFCs and the MI cables will be installed separately at different times. Vacuum tight triaxial connector of the MI cable has been designed and a prototype has been constructed. Performance tests indicate that the connector can be applied to the ITER environment. A small bending-radius test of the MI cable indicates no observed damage at a curvature radius of 100 mm.

A digital signal processing (DSP) system is applied to stilbene scintillation detectors of the multichannel neutron emission profile monitor in JT-60U. Automatic analysis of the neutron-γ pulse shape discrimination is a key issue to diminish the processing time in the DSP system, and it has been applied using the two-dimensional (2D) map. Linear discriminant function is used to determine the dividing line between neutron events and γ-ray events on a 2D map. In order to verify the validity of the dividing line determination, the pulse shape discrimination quality is evaluated. As a result, the γ-ray contamination in most of the beam heating phase was negligible compared with the statistical error with 10 ms time resolution.

A line-integrated neutron emission profile is routinely measured using the radial neutron collimator system in JT-60U tokamak. Stilbene neuron detectors (SNDs), which combine a stilbene organic crystal scintillation detector (SD) with an analog neutron-gamma pulse shape discrimination (PSD) circuit, have been used to measure collimated neutron flux. Although the SND has many advantages as a neutron detector, the maximum count rate is limited up to ∼1×105counts∕s due to the analog PSD circuit. To overcome this issue, a digital signal processing system (DSPS) using a flash analog-to-digital converter (Acqiris DC252, 8GHz, 10bits) has been developed at Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center in Tohoku University. In this system anode signals from photomultiplier of the SD are directory stored and digitized. Then, the PSD between neutrons and gamma rays is performed using software. The DSPS has been installed in the vertical neutron collimator system in JT-60U and applied to deuterium experiments. It is confirmed t...

We present several generalizations of Cauchy's determinant and Schur's Pfaffian by considering matrices whose entries involve some generalized Vandermonde determinants. Special cases of our formulae include previuos formulae due to S.Okada and T. Sundquist. As an application, we give a relation for the Littlewood--Richardson coefficients involving a rectangular partition., Comment: 26 pages