We apply two methods to estimate the 21-cm bispectrum from data taken within the Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) project of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). Using data acquired with the Phase II compact array allows a direct bispectrum estimate to be undertaken on the multiple redundantly spaced triangles of antenna tiles, as well as an estimate based on data gridded to the uv-plane. The direct and gridded bispectrum estimators are applied to 21 h of high-band (167–197 MHz; z = 6.2–7.5) data from the 2016 and 2017 observing seasons. Analytic predictions for the bispectrum bias and variance for point-source foregrounds are derived. We compare the output of these approaches, the foreground contribution to the signal, and future prospects for measuring the bispectra with redundant and non-redundant arrays. We find that some triangle configurations yield bispectrum estimates that are consistent with the expected noise level after 10 h, while equilateral configurations are strongly foreground-dominated. Careful choice of triangle configurations may be made to reduce foreground bias that hinders power spectrum estimators, and the 21-cm bispectrum may be accessible in less time than the 21-cm power spectrum for some wave modes, with detections in hundreds of hours.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between eosinophils in ascites and the diagnosis of intestinal anisakidosis in patients with peritoneal signs on physical examination. We reviewed retrospectively 16 patients diagnosed with intestinal anisakidosis, evaluated between 2012 and 2015. All patients had ingested raw anchovies. The analysis of ascites fluid in ten of these patients was compared with that of 15 patients with ascites and other abdominal pathology (except liver cirrhosis). All patients had an increased number of white blood cells in the ascites fluid. The eosinophil count was significantly higher in patients with intestinal anisakidosis (P < 0.01). All patients had a good outcome. Increased eosinophils in ascites fluid is strongly associated with the diagnosis of intestinal anisakidosis.

About 10 X-ray binaries in our Galaxy and LMC/SMC are considered to contain black hole candidates (BHCs). Among these objects, Cyg X-1 was identified as the first BHC, and it has led BHCs for more than 25 years(Oda 1977, Liang and Nolan 1984). It is a binary system composed of normal blue supergiant star and the X-ray emitting compact object. The orbital kinematics derived from optical observations indicates that the compact object is heavier than ~ 4.8 M⊙ (Herrero 1995), which well exceeds the upper limit mass for a neutron star(Kalogora 1996), where we assume the system consists of only two bodies. This has been the basis for BHC of Cyg X-1.

In rats, maternal exposure to restraint stress during pregnancy can induce abnormalities in the cardiovascular and central nervous systems of the offspring. These effects are mediated by long-lasting hyperactivation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. However, little is known about the potential effects of stress during pregnancy on metabolic systems. We examined the effect of restraint stress in pregnant mice on the liver function of their offspring. The offspring of stressed mothers showed significantly higher lipid accumulation in the liver after weaning than did the controls; this accumulation was associated with increased expression of lipid metabolism-related proteins such as alanine aminotransferase 2 diglyceride acyltransferase 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and glucocorticoid receptor. Additionally, we observed increased levels of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, an intercellular mediator that converts glucocorticoid from the inactive to the active form, in the foetal and postnatal periods. These results indicate that restraint stress in pregnancy in mice induces metabolic abnormalities via 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1-related pathways in the foetal liver. It is therefore possible that exposure to stress in pregnant women may be a risk factor for metabolic syndromes (e.g. fatty liver) in children.

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis refers to the concept that ‘malnutrition during the fetal period induces a nature of thrift in fetuses, such that they have a higher change of developing non-communicable diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, if they grow up in the current well-fed society.’ Epigenetics is a chemical change in DNA and histones that affects how genes are expressed without alterations of DNA sequences. Several lines of evidence suggest that malnutrition during the fetal period alters the epigenetic expression status of metabolic genes in the fetus and that this altered expression can persist, and possibly lead to metabolic disorders. Similarly, mental stress during the neonatal period can alter the epigenetic expression status of neuronal genes in neonates. Moreover, such environmental, stress-induced, epigenetic changes are transmitted to the next generation via an acquired epigenetic status in sperm. The advantage of epigenetic modifications over changes in genetic sequences is their potential reversibility; thus, epigenetic alterations are potentially reversed with gene expression. Therefore, we potentially establish ‘preemptive medicine,’ that, in combination with early detection of abnormal epigenetic status and early administration of epigenetic-restoring drugs may prevent the development of disorders associated with the DOHaD.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is a severe invasive infection characterized by the sudden onset of shock, multi-organ failure, and high mortality. In Japan, appropriate notification measures based on the Infectious Disease Control law are mandatory for cases of STSS caused by β-haemolytic streptococcus. STSS is mainly caused by group A streptococcus (GAS). Although an average of 60–70 cases of GAS-induced STSS are reported annually, 143 cases were recorded in 2011. To determine the reason behind this marked increase, we characterized the emm genotype of 249 GAS isolates from STSS patients in Japan from 2010 to 2012 and performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The predominant genotype was found to be emm1, followed by emm89, emm12, emm28, emm3, and emm90. These six genotypes constituted more than 90% of the STSS isolates. The number of emm1, emm89, emm12, and emm28 isolates increased concomitantly with the increase in the total number of STSS cases. In particular, the number of mefA-positive emm1 isolates has escalated since 2011. Thus, the increase in the incidence of STSS can be attributed to an increase in the number of cases associated with specific genotypes.

We examined the potential application of CuIn1-xGaxSe1-ySy (CIGS) film for visible light image sensors. CIGS chalcopyrite semiconductors, which are representative of high efficiency thin film solar cells, have both a high absorption coefficient and high quantum efficiency. However, their dark current is too high for image sensors. In this study, we applied gallium oxide (Ga2O3) as a hole-blocking layer for CIGS thin film to reduce the dark current. The dark current of this hetero-junction was 10-9 A/cm2 at less than 7 V. Moreover, an avalanche multiplication phenomenon was observed at an applied voltage of over 8 V. However, this structure had sensitivity only in the ultraviolet light region due to the much lower carrier density of the Ga2O3 layer. We therefore used a tin-doped Ga2O3 (Ga2O3:Sn) layer deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) for the n-type layer to increase the carrier density. The sensitivity of the visible region was observed in the Ga2O3:Sn/CIGS hetero-junction. We also investigated the influence of the laser frequency of the PLD on the transmittance of Ga2O3:Sn and the quantum efficiency of this hetero-junction. Ga2O3:Sn film deposited at a 0.1-Hz laser repetition rate had higher transmittance than at a 10-Hz repetition rate. The Ga2O3:Sn/CIGS hetero-junction also had a higher quantum efficiency with the lower rate (50%) than with the higher rate (30%).

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

Fe and Si layers were deposited alternately by using ion beam sputtering apparatus and the relationship between crystal structure and soft magnetic properties of these multi-layered films have been investigated in detail. The clear periodicity of multi-layered films was confirmed even at the thicknesses of Fe and Si layers δFe and δSi as small as 8.5 Å.

The saturation magnetization 4πMs for all Fe layers decreased with decrease of δ Fe and δ Si, and the coercivity Hc of these films took minimum of 1.0 Oe at δ Fe of 8.5 Å.

Such a significant decrease of 4TEMs may be attributed to the formation of nonmagnetic regions at both side of each Fe layers. The thickness of these nonmagnetic regions may be estimated at approximately 1.5 Å from the measured value of 4flMs. This thickness seems to be very small because it is almost equal to that of one monolayer of bcc α-Fe. The low Hc of the films with δ Fe and δ Si of 8.5 Å may be due to the formation of ultra-fine crystallites in Fe layer by insertion of amorphous Si layer and the direct magnetostatic interaction among Fe layers.

Preparation processing to obtain 124 single phase films has been studied by MOCVD. The YBCO thin films which were fabricated on MgO(100) and SrTiO3(100) substrates, respectively, were obtained under both conditions of Ts(temperature of susceptor)=800°C and Po2(oxygen partial pressure)=17.5torr. It was found that the oriented peaks of 124 c-axis and of 123 a-axis were more prominent than others at the composition ratio(Y/Ba/Cu=l.0/2.7/4.7), using the MgO(100) substrates. The 123 a-axis oriented grain was observed by using SEM and TEM. We have obtained thin films which were dominant in the 124 phase on the SrTiO3(100) substrates. The film surface morphology on the SrTiO3(100) substrate was smoother than that on the MgO(100) substrate. The origin of a-axis oriented grain growth was explained by the surface step(about 10 À) on MgO(100).

The growth of nanocrystalline materials has received much attention recently due to its importance in nanocrystalline thin film properties and fabrications. Research studies of this subject have so far focused on the face-centered-cubic metals. Two mechanisms, grain-rotation induced grain coalescence and curvature-driven grain-boundary migration are considered as the dominant mechanisms in the nanograin growth. In this work, we use molecular dynamics method to simulate the growth of Ni and Ni3Al alloy. We find the above mechanisms can describe the growth behavior well. A detailed comparison of the nanograin growth between the two systems is discussed in terms of grain rotation and grain sliding. We also study the temperature effect and the size effect in the nanograin growth. The tendency of twinning in the nanograin growth is discussed.

Chromophoric multilayer thin films exhibiting efficient second harmonic generation have been constructed on inorganic substrates via a stepwise layer-by-layer process using molecular self-assembly techniques. In each step, chemical species bearing appropriate functional groups form covalent bonds with functional groups deposited in the previous step. Bulk acentricity is achieved by the orientation of chromophore-containing layers outward from the substrate surface. A new chromophore having comparable hyperpolarizability but different steric and transparency characteristics than the stilbazolium chromophore used previously has been incorporated into self-assembled films. The large effects of octachlorotrisiloxane capping on the structure of these films have been investigated by second harmonic generation and X-ray reflectivity measurements. Novel in situ measurements of second harmonic generation efficiency as a function of chromophore layer growth are described and provide information useful for optimizing deposition conditions and understanding the film growth process.

Removal of the long-lived radionuclides from high-level waste (HLW) is a potential means not only for making wastes more acceptable in terms of long term hazards, but also for alleviating storage requirement. From these points, the authors are developing a method of partitioning actinides, Sr-90 and Cs-137 from HLW. A chemical flow-sheet has been constructed and experiments with actual HLW were initiated in 1982. Through the partitioning, active elements in HLW can be fractionated into 3 groups. Total volume of the solid materials of the 3 groups was calculated and found to be reduced to less than one-third of the volume of the vitrified material containing 10 wt% of fission products as oxide. Such volume reduction seems to facilitate the long term storage or the deep geological disposal of HLW.

In situ deformation measurements of Fe/Al and Fe/Si multi-layered films on thin substrates were made by detecting the curvature of substrates during deposition. The deformation inside of Fe layers corresponding to the compressive and tensile stresses was detected for the Fe/Al and Fe/Si multi-layered films, respectively. For the Fe/Si multi-layered films, the internal stress in Fe layers became from tensile to compressive during deposition under bombardment of Ar Jons. These stresses in Fe layer were closely related to the soft magnetic properties of these multi-layered films. In situ deformation studies may be useful to make sure the effect of internal stress on the magnetic properties of these multi-layered films.

The effect of metal contamination and silicon surface defects on the gate oxide yield is investigated. The characteristics of various cleaning procedures are studied and correlated with the integrity of thin gate oxides. The standard wet cleaning recipe is optimized and a new cleaning strategy is proposed. Selective contamination experiments in chemicals and on Siwafers are used to investigate the effect of small amounts of metal contaminants on the gate oxide integrity. It is found that the characteristics of the silicon substrate play a dominant role in this. HF-last processes are investigated and a new wet cleaning strategy is proposed.

The catalytic interaction of noble metal and main group elements in Rh/one-atomic layer GeO2/SiO2 and Pt/SbOx was investigated. The high temperature reduction produced RhGe and PtSb bimetallic particles in which Pt and Rh were electronically modified to retard catalytic activity. However, unique selective catalyses of Rh/one-atomic layer GeO2/SiO2 for CO hydrogenation reaction to oxygenate compounds and for NO+CO reaction to N2 were found. Under the low temperature reduction of Rh/one-atomic layer GeO2/SiO2 and the high temperature calcination of Pt/SbOx, the oxide phases, GeO2 and SbOx, were stable and the selective reduction of ethylacetate to ethanol and the selective oxidation of iso-C4H10 to methacrolein were observed. The high selectivities were ascribed to synergistic interaction between the noble metals and the main group element oxides through the diffusion of adsorbed species and reaction intermediates. The possibility of chemical control of noble metal-catalyses by main group elements is discussed.

We report the crystal growth and the characteristics of InGaN multiple quantum well (MQW) laser diodes grown on a 6H-SiC substrate using a low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (LP-MOVPE). We discuss the buffer layer, the control of InGaN and AlGaN alloy composition, the magnesium doping of GaN and AlGaN, and the characteristics of the MQW structure. We also demonstrate the room-temperature pulsed operation of the laser diode. The threshold voltage was reduced to 15 V by improving the p-contact resistance. The threshold current was reduced to 500 mA by changing the MQW structure and employing high reflection coating.

Modeling cascade and fission damage evolution of actinide materials of all kinds is essential for understanding their aging characteristics. As an example of how exotic some of the damage evolution behavior can be, plutonium-gallium (Pu-Ga) alloys in the δ-phase (fcc lattices) are explored. Aging emanates from the wide variety of spontaneous decay and fission products that, in the case of the Pu, are such species as helium (He) and uranium, among others, as well as interstitials, and vacancies. To aid in our understanding, the modified embedded atom method (MEAM) formalism is applied to the Pu-Ga-He system. The behavior of defects in the fcc (δ) phase of Pu-based materials is strongly influenced by the metastability of this phase. The influence of this metastability on minimum displacement threshold energy, point defect characteristics and He bubbles is delineated. The roles of short-range ordering and transformations of voids into stacking fault tetrahedra in the aging process are also examined.