The use of mindfulness as a tool to improve mental health has received increased attention. Schools provide ideal environments for short-term prevention and skill development for mental health. Further, teachers can promote and reinforce students’ daily use of mindfulness. This study explored the effects of a short-term group mindfulness-based intervention on the mental health of adolescents who have experienced trauma. A total of 49 high school students received a mindfulness-based intervention session followed by homework and teacher reinforcement. The results suggest that a short-term group intervention for mindfulness can potentially improve mindfulness attention awareness and reduce depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. As there was no control group, additional research examining the effectiveness of the intervention is essential.

Sample geometry effects on mechanical strengths of gold micro-cantilevers are evaluated by a micro-bending test. Six micro-cantilevers with the same length of 50 μm are prepared, and the width and the thickness are varied to examine individual effects on the yield stress. The yield stress increases from 428 to 519 MPa when the thickness decreases from 11.1 to 6.0 μm. No obvious dependency is observed when varying the width. The results reveal that the thickness and the width each has a different influence on the yield stresses of micro-cantilevers evaluated by the bending test, which is the sample geometry effect.

Background: In Japan, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been introduced in the ‘Rework Programme’, but its impact on return to work (RTW) has not been fully clarified. Aims: This pilot study investigated the initial efficacy of a work-focused cognitive behavioural group therapy (WF-CBGT) for Japanese workers on sick leave due to depression. Method: Twenty-three patients on leave due to depression were recruited from a mental health clinic. WF-CBGT including behavioural activation therapy, cognitive therapy, and problem-solving therapy techniques was conducted for eight weekly 150-minute sessions. Participants completed questionnaires on depression and anxiety (Kessler-6), social adaptation (Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale), and difficulty in RTW (Difficulty in Returning to Work Inventory) at pre- and post-intervention time points. Rates of re-instatement after the intervention were examined. Results: One participant dropped out, but 22 participants successfully completed the intervention. All scale scores significantly improved after intervention and, except for difficulty in RTW related to physical fitness, all effect sizes were above the moderate classification. All participants who completed the intervention succeeded in RTW. Conclusions: Results suggested the possibility that WF-CBGT may be a feasible and promising intervention for Japanese workers on leave due to depression regardless of cross-cultural differences, but that additional research examining effectiveness using controlled designs and other samples is needed. Future research should examine the efficacy of this programme more systematically to provide relevant data to aid in the continued development of an evidence-based intervention.

In Japan, 4.6 million people are living with dementia and the number is expected to rise to 7 million by 2025. Amyloid-β (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) is used for cognitively normal Japanese people with or without subjective cognitive decline (SCD) for the purpose of clinical trials or diagnosis. Nevertheless, no empirical studies have been conducted on the safety of disclosing amyloid status to such populations. We conducted amyloid PET imaging on 42 participants (Aβ positive (n = 10) and negative (n = 32)). State anxiety and depression were measured at pre- and post-disclosure, and test-related distress at post-disclosure. Mean state anxiety and depression scores were below the cut-off through pre- and post-disclosure in the Aβ positive and negative groups. State anxiety and depression did not change over time and were not different between groups. Mean test-related distress scores were within normal limits at post-disclosure in both groups. No significant difference was found between groups. Disclosing Aβ positive results did not cause greater mood disturbance than negative results in a short period of time. The short-term psychological safety of disclosing Aβ PET results to asymptomatic Japanese adults with SCD was indicated.

We fabricated a novel open-air channel with high efficient capillary-driven system inspired by a coastal animal “wharf roach”. The animal has open-air channels on its legs to transport water spontaneously using by capillary force. We abstracted principles controlling this phenomenon and applied it to artificial open-air channels, aiming at manipulating liquids without external energies. After surface modification for high surface free energy, the inspired open-air channels were able to transport water against gravity as well as the open-air channels of wharf roach by capillary effect of surface microstructures and chemistries. Topographical variation in micrometer-scaled patterns induced transport velocities improvement due to the enhancement of spreading intervals between the microstructure and wettability. Considering topography of micropatterned surfaces, the open-air channels with controllable transport velocity are applicable to capillary-driven microfluidics and lab-on-a-chips.

Formation of supercooled water and frazil ice was studied in the Chukchi Sea coastal polynya off Barrow, Alaska, USA, in winter 2009/10, using moored salinity/temperature sensors and Ice Profiling Sonar (IPS) data along with satellite data. Oceanographic data from two moorings revealed episodic events of potential supercooling at 30–40m depth, including the possibility of in situ supercooling, while the polynya was open. We identified frazil ice-like signals in the IPS data down to 5–15 m depth, associated with large heat loss and windy, turbulent conditions in an active polynya. This likely represents the first IPS observation of frazil ice in the marine environment. On the day of the maximum signal of frazil ice, spaceborne synthetic aperture radar shows streaks of high backscatter within the polynya, indicating active frazil ice formation just downwind of the mooring sites. In addition, the longer-term potential supercooling that persisted for 1–3 weeks occurred twice despite the absence of polynya activity at the mooring sites. These events occurred during periods dominated by the northeastward current. A series of coastal polynyas had formed southwest of the mooring sites prior to these events. Thus, the water masses with potential supercooling were likely advected from these polynyas.

In nuclear-transferred or round spermatid-injected oocytes, artificial activation is required for further development in mammals. Although strontium chloride is widely used as the reagent for inducing oocyte activation in mice, the optimal method for oocyte activation remains controversial in rats because ovulated rat oocytes are spontaneously activated in vitro before artificial activation is applied. In our previous study, we found that cytostatic factor activity, which is indispensable for arrest at the MII stage, is potentially low in rats and that this activity differs greatly between two outbred rats (Slc: Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Crj: Wistar). Therefore, it is necessary to establish an optimal protocol for oocyte activation independent of strains. Given that comparative studies of the in vitro development of oocytes activated by different activation protocols are very limited, we compared four different protocols for oocyte activation (ethanol, ionomycin, strontium and electrical pulses) in two different SD and Wistar rats. Our results show that oocytes derived from SD rats have significantly higher cleavage and blastocyst formation than those from Wistar rats independent of activation regimes. In both types of rat, ethanol treatment provided significantly higher developmental ability at cleavage and blastocyst formation compared to the other activation protocols. However, the initial culture in a fertilization medium (high osmolarity mR1ECM) for 24 h showed a detrimental effect on the further in vitro development of parthenogenetic rat oocytes. Taken together, our results show that ethanol treatment is the optimal protocol for the activation of rat oocytes in SD and Wistar outbred rats. Our data also suggest that high-osmolarity media are inadequate for the in vitro development of parthenogenetically activated oocytes compared with fertilized oocytes.

Gold nanoparticles were linked to ZnO films and nanowires using phosphonic and carboxylic acid ligands. TEM and STEM-HAADF characterization showed that gold nanoparticles modified with both types of ligands anchored on ZnO nanowire surfaces as well as on ZnO films. After removing the ligands from the interface between ZnO nanowires and supported gold nanoparticles, the electric conductivity in the presence of methanol vapor increased by 100 times as compared to the bare ZnO nanowire, which suggested enhanced-catalytic effects due to the hybrid structure. In addition, ZnO/Au nanomaterials were synthesized by linking ZnO nanoparticles and carboxylate-functionalized gold nanoparticles in solution. UV-vis characterization showed both the bandgap absorption from ZnO and the plasmon absorption from gold nanoparticles. Formation of hybrid nanosystems like these using organic ligands as linkers not only can lead to materials with enhanced properties but also minimize the waste of precious elements because the assembly process is an additive, rather than subtractive, process.

The microstructure and magnetic domain structure of a Co-CoO obliquely evaporated tape for magnetic recording are studied by analytical electron microscopy and electron holography, respectively. While the existence of Co and CoO crystallites is confirmed by energy-filtered electron diffraction, columnar structure of the Co crystallites surrounded by the densely packed CoO crystallites is visualized by an elemental mapping method with electron energy loss spectroscopy, and the crystal orientation relation among the Co crystallites is clarified by high-resolution electron microscopy. It is found that the neighboring Co crystallites have close crystal orientations. On the other hand, electron holography reveals the magnetic flux distribution in a thin section of the tape. Although there exists the background resulting from the effect of inner potential with thickness variation, the distribution of lines of magnetic flux is found to correspond well to the recorded pattern.

We have been proposing YMnO3 with low remanent polarization and permittivity as a ferroelectric gate transistor, and reported that c-oriented YMnO3 films were obtained on (111)Si with (111) oriented Y2O3 buffer layer. The ferroelectricity was confirmed by pulsed C-V measurement. However, the retention property was not satisfied because of its poor crystallinity. To improve the crystallinity of YMnO3 films, deposition conditions of Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) were optimized. The laser power, oxygen pressure and introducing Ozone gas are effective for maintaining the stoichiometry during the deposition. Improvement of the crystallinity of the YMnO3 film makes the retention property better. We also demonstrate the use of epitaxially grown Y2O3 buffer layer to improve the crystallinity of the YMnO3 films.

The interfaces of organic materials with other solids play important roles in the function of various organic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), spectral sensitization in photography, organic solar cells, and electrophotography. Also they should be important in future molecular devices, both in the central part of the device and at the connection with outside circuits. However, serious experimental examination of such interfaces has started only recently. In this talk we focus our attention on the organic/metal interfaces, and summarize our understanding about (1) the energy level alignment right at the interface, and (2) possible band bending within an organic layer, mainly using the techniques of UV photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and Kelvin probe method. As for (1), the formation of electric dipole layer was observed in most organic/metal interfaces, and its origin is discussed. As for (2), recent examination of the existence/absence of band bending in ultrahigh vacuum will be reported. It is also pointed out that there can be much effects of (i) atmosphere at sample preparation and measurements, and (2) chemistry and interdiffusion at the interface.

YbMnO3 (Yb/Mn = 0.96) thin films were prepared on Y2O3(111)/Si(111). Although the sample exhibited ferroelectric type C-V hysteresis, the window width changed depending on the applied bias voltage. Hence, the ferroelectric type hysteresis might include the effect of space charge. To make clear the C-V behavior caused by only ferroelectricity, and to obtain the optimal relationship between ferroelectric and insulator layer thicknesses, the C-V behavior at high frequency was computed for MFIS structure. Relationships between the counter bias voltage applied to the ferroelectric layer and the thickness of dielectric layer were also demonstrated. Compared with the calculated results, experimental C-V characteristics are discussed.

We have been proposing the use of RMnO3 (R: rare earth elements) films for metalferroelectric- semiconductor field effect transistor (MFSFET)-type ferroelectric random access memories (Ferroelectric RAMs). This report describes the progress of YMnO3 and YbMnO3 films for FET type FeRAM application. Although highly (0001)-oriented YMnO3 films are easily obtained on a MgO, ZnO/Sapphire, Pt/Sapphire and Pt/Si substrates, it was very hard to obtain the crystalline films directly on Si or on SiO2/Si substrate. A Y-Mn-O buffer layer improved the crystallinity of the YMnO3 films on Si, and we got the C-V curve with ferroelectric hysteresis. The real ferroelectric component responsible for the C-V hysteresis was calculated to be just 8.4 nC/cm2 by pulse measurements. On the other hand, Y2O3 buffer layer drastically improved the dielectric properties. The window width of the C-V hysteresis does not change by changing the sweep rate and measurement frequency.