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This paper describes the development of a self-coaching system to improve driving behavior by allowing drivers to review a record of their own driving activity. By employing stochastic driver-behavior modeling, the proposed system is able to detect a wide range of potentially hazardous situations, which conventional event data recorders are not able to capture, including those involving latent risks, of which drivers themselves are unaware. By utilizing these automatically detected hazardous situations, our web-based system offers a user-friendly interface for drivers to navigate and review each hazardous situation in detail (e.g., driving scenes are categorized into different types of hazardous situations and are displayed with corresponding multimodal driving signals). Furthermore, the system provides feedback on each risky driving behavior and suggests how users can safely respond to such situations. The proposed system establishes a cooperative relationship between the driver, the vehicle, and the driving environment, leading to the development of the next generation of safety systems and paving the way for an alternative form of driving education that could further reduce the number of fatal accidents. The system's potential benefits are demonstrated through preliminary extensive evaluation of an on-road experiment, showing that safe-driving behavior can be significantly improved when drivers use the proposed system.

An ion-beam-lithography technique has been progressed in the microbeam systems at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Takasaki. In order to obtain a high-precision measure for microbeam size estimation with a high precision, we applied this technique combined with the electroplating process to make a Ni relief pattern as a resolution standard used in secondary electron imaging. As a result, the smallest beam size could be recorded. The scattering of ions in the materials influenced the spatial resolution and this is also discussed.

A high energy focused ion beam with sub-μm spatial resolution was used to produce isolated nano-wires which were planted on the substrate. Each charged particle penetrating into a polymer thin film gave a corresponding nano-wire, whose length reflected precisely the thickness of the target film. Based on the tight connection of one end of each nano-wire on the substrate, the focused ion beam achieved position selective nano-wire or nano-wire bundle formation on the substrate. The ion beam, with the small spot size (Φ) < 500 nm, was electrostatically controlled to irradiate the polymer thin films, leading to the patterns of nano-wire bundles with high spatial resolution

Distributions of structural and refractive index changes of silica irradiated by H + microbeam were studied by optical and atomic force microscopes (AFM). The AFM measurements on the microbeam irradiated area show the formation of a groove on the surface. In addition, a cross sectional observation on the surface parallel to the incident plane reveals surface deformation along the ion tracks, which is deepest at the projected range of ions. Taking into account the possible structural changes of silica induced by energy deposition calculated by TRIM, the measured topological changes at the front and side surfaces result from internal compaction of silica glass. Refractive index changes were estimated from the Lorentz–Lorenz relationship using the distribution of the internal compaction estimated by the AFM measurements.

We developed a novel technique to obtain 3D-imaging of elemental distribution based on multi-angle RBS measurement and micro-beam scanning. Since cross-sections of RBS are too small to obtain 3D-imaging, it is necessary to measure scattered particles with large solid angle detectors. Hence, the RBS profiles from each scattering angle are superposed and a true depth profile cannot be obtained. Recently, a large solid angle X-ray detector array consisting of 45 detector elements was installed at the TIARA facility of Japan Energy Research Institute. Each detector element measures X-rays as well as scattered particles. For this utilization, we introduced a technique to superpose RBS profiles and applied it to the surface analysis of an ant’s head.

Single Event Effects (SEEs) triggered by energetic heavy ions traversing a sensitive parts of electric devices have been studied using high-energy heavy ion microbeams connected with Transient Ion Beam Induced Current (TIBIC) measuring system at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Takasaki Ion Accelerators for Advanced Radiation Applications (TIARA) facility. In the TIBIC system, SEE for semiconductor device, that is fast charge collection, has been observed in timescales of the order of picoseconds. In this paper, we show successful demonstration of the performance of the system, in which clear images of TIBIC map have been observed for Si pin photodiodes irradiated by 260 MeV 20 Ne 7+ and also by 520 MeV 40 Ar 14+ microbeams.

A new beam line to allow parasitic experiments in two separate experimental halls has been installed. The total length of the beam line is about 80 m. Two achromatic 90° deflecting systems have been incorporated. For the beam delivered to the second experiment, the beam diameter was 2 mm and the emittance was 1 mm mrad. The duty factor was reduced to an average of 50% from 80%. This decrease was satisfactorily recovered using a deflector system synchronized with the beam pulse. The tagged photon beam, and experimental conditions were significantly improved when the transported beam was used. Successful parasitic experiments involving electron scattering and tagged photon experiments have now been demonstrated.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that 21 mum thick SU-8 pillars on silicon develop after proton beam writing (PBW). These data demonstrate a capability of PBW to fabricate vertical pillars with a height of 21.0 mum and a width of as small as 1.1 mum with a high aspect ratio of 20, and with a uniformity over 700 mum square area. An optical microscope image shows a part of a dielectrophoretic (DEP) device, where the high-aspect-ratio SU-8 pillars with a 12 mum pitch are formed in the gap between the two surface electrodes. Preliminary investigation shows that Escherichia coli can be trapped at pillar structures under AC bias (3 volts, 100 kHz) of the two electrodes. The trapping behavior of DEP device with different structures and sizes are examined.

Irradiation of ion microbeam can induce a local refractive index change in silica glass. We have evaluated the changes in electronic structures of microbeam-irradiated silica glass by means of micro-photoluminescence and phase microscope measurements. Attention should be paid to the energy deposition processes by both electronic and nuclear stopping powers to control the depth distribution of refractive index changes. Also, a chemical effect induced by ion species such as protons at the projected range was also discussed.

We have investigated technologies for high-frequency and stable operation in a 5-bit flash-type single-flux quantum analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. We designed and evaluated several comparators with different designs of the transformer and found that the length of the primary line was the principal factor to determine the bandwidth, which was improved from 7 to 13 GHz by reducing the length from 860 to 290 μm. We have also investigated methods to avoid incorrect operation caused by ground return current of the bias current: one is locally extracting the return current around the component circuits, and the other is to use locally isolated ground for each component circuit. An integrated 5-bit A/D converter with an error correction circuit was designed using the locally isolated ground structure, which can avoid ground return current inflow from other component circuits. The A/D converter was operated without extracting ground return current and 10 GHz operation was carried out by means of the beat frequency method in our cryocooling system. Operation for an optical input signal was also observed. In addition, 100 GHz sampling clock operation with 1 kHz input signal was confirmed.

5599 Background: Patients with endometrial cancer are at high risk of severe post-operative complications because of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The purpose of this study is, for minimizing surgical injury, to determine whether para-aortic lymph nodes dissection is dispensable. Methods: 295 patients received hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy during 1995 - 2005 in two gynecologic units of hospitals, one of where para-aortic lymph nodes (to the level of renal vein) and pelvic lymph node (PAN+PLN) dissection were routinely performed and the other only pelvic lymph node (PLN) were dissected, were enrolled. Their overall survival was retrospectively compared between these units. Results: Mean lymph node count was 58.9±19.7 in 99 patients with PAN+PLN lymphadenectomy, and 36.8±14.6 in 196 patients with PLN alone. 5-year survival was 93.3% in PAN+PLN cases and 92.9% in PLN, with no significant difference. Cases who died of the disease (DD) were 6.1% in PAN+PLN and 9.2% in PLN (relative risk = 0.660). Distribution in each stage was ignorable between two units; however, specific histology types, such as serous, clear cell, and carcinosarcoma, were highly counted in DD of the PLN unit. 5-year survival of only endometrioid type, excluding specific histology types, was 92.9% in PAN+PLN and 95.1% in PLN, and DD were 6.6% in PAN+PLN and 6.0% in PLN (RR = 1.095). Lymph node metastases were found 13.1% in PAN+PLN and 4.1% in PLN. One case was observed PAN-alone metastsis, where histology was serous type. Conclusions: Overall survival in patients received PAN+PLN and PLN dissection is not significantly different in endometrial cancer. It is supposed that only PLN dissection is sufficient and PAN dissection is omittable especially in endometrioid type, however, PAN+PLN lymphadenectomy might be suggestive to reduce death in specific histology types. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

K18 is an anticancer drug for oral administration comprising about five molecules of melphalan, an alkylating drug, covalently bonded to human immunoglobulin G. This study measured the in vitro antitumour activity of K18, melphalan and immunoglobulin G on human myeloma cells (RPMI-8226) and the in vivo antitumour effects of K18 and melphalan in BALB/c nude mice bearing human lung cancer cells (LC-10). The relative tumour-inhibitory effect, in vitro, was found to be: immunoglobulin G 125I]K18 and [14C]melphalan was examined in BALB/c nude mice 14 days after implantation of LC-10 cells. Radioactivity levels in the major organs showed a transient rapid increase followed by a gradual decline. In tumours, [14C]melphalan levels increased transiently and then decreased, whereas [125I]K18 levels persisted following intravenous administration.

In this study, we increased the size of planarmicrolenses and demonstrated their application for coupling multimode and single-mode fibers. For the purpose of generating wide application areas in fiber sensors as well as lightwave communications, we show a focusing beam splitter which can avoid alignment of external microlenses in its configuration.

A. 2-D arrayed planar microlens with a diameter of 180 μm was monolithically integrated by an ion exchange technique. The focal length of the lens was 0.45 mm and N.A. was as large as 0.2. Distance between each lens is about 190 pm in the longitudinal direction and 300 μm in the vertical direction. Aberration of the lens can be controlled by applied voltage at the electromigration.

We present a technique used to avoid unnecessary embolization of the cystic artery in the treatment of hepatoma by transcatheter arterial embolization. A special long tapering catheter that is flexible and soft enough to be inserted into the distal small branches of the heptic artery is used. Embolic material ( Oxycel , absorbable cellulose) was mixed with Mitocin -C (mitomycin) and contrast material. This mixture will help to avoid reflux.