Glacier phototroph blooms on the surfaces of ice sheets and glaciers cause albedo reduction, leading to increased melting rates. We observed seasonal changes in the abundance of phototrophs on the Qaanaaq Ice Cap in northwestern Greenland from June to August 2014, and reproduced these changes using numerical and empirical models. The phototroph community on the ice surface mainly consisted of the glacier alga Ancylonema nordenskioldii and the cyanobacterium Phormidesmis priestleyi. The glacier alga appeared on the ice surface in late June, after which its abundance increased exponentially throughout the melting period. A logistic growth model designed for snow algal growth reproduced the measured exponential increases, suggesting that growth could be explained using the model as a function of the ice melting duration. Cyanobacteria appeared and their abundance increased in late July but did not change exponentially thereafter. The abundance of cyanobacteria was explained with an empirical model expressed as a function of the amount of mineral dust on the bare ice surface. Our numerical and empirical models for reproducing glacier algae and cyanobacteria could be useful for quantifying the albedo reduction caused by their growth and the melt rates of the Greenland ice sheet and glaciers in the future.

In Thailand, two species of rhizostome jellyfish, Rhopilema hispidum and Lobonemoides robustus, are commercially harvested. The cnidomes, nematocyst size and toxicities were compared between these species. Rhopilema hispidum and L. robustus each had four types of nematocysts on their oral arms. For R. hispidum, these nematocyst types included two types of isorhiza and two types of rhopaloid, while in L. robustus, there were three types of isorhiza and one type of rhopaloid. For R. hispidum, tubule lengths of the largest nematocyst type (large round isorhiza; mean ± SD = 313.8 ± 62.2 μm) were significantly longer than those of L. robustus (large ellipsoid rhopaloid; 162.1 ± 38.5 μm). Using the freshwater shrimp, Palaemon paucidens, in a bioassay, we determined that the lethal nematocyst concentrations for R. hispidum and L. robustus were 5705.3 ± 1118.1 and 3408.3 ± 1032.9 unit g−1 wet weight, respectively, and that these concentrations were significantly higher in the former than in the latter.

We present the case of a 3-month-old boy with pulmonary arterial hypertension after corrective repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection. The patient developed severe pulmonary arterial hypertension with a high mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 45 mmHg. We performed continuous monitoring of pulmonary arterial pressure using a tip deflecting microcatheter in the intensive care unit. We successfully managed this patient based on real-time pulmonary arterial pressure measurements. Continuous real-time monitoring of pulmonary arterial pressure using this microcatheter enables individualized targeted therapy for infants with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

We report fourteen and twenty-eight protocluster candidates at z = 5.7 and 6.6 over 14 and 19 deg2 areas, respectively, selected from 2,230 Lyα emitters (LAEs) photometrically identified with Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) deep images. Six out of the 42 protocluster candidates include at least 1 spectroscopically confirmed LAEs at redshifts up to z = 6.574. By the comparisons with the cosmological Lyα radiative transfer (RT) model reproducing LAEs with the reionization effects, we find that more than a half of these protocluster candidates might be progenitors of the present-day clusters with a mass of ≳ 1014M⊙. We also investigate the correlation between LAE overdensity and Lya rest-frame equivalent width (EW), because the cosmological Lyα RT model suggests that a slope of EW-overdensity relation is steepened towards the epoch of cosmic reionization (EoR), due to the existence of the ionized bubbles around galaxy overdensities easing the escape of Lyα emission from the partly neutral intergalactic medium. The available HSC data suggest that the slope of the EW-overdensity correlation does not evolve from the post-reionization epoch z = 5.7 to the EoR z = 6.6 beyond the moderately large statistical errors.

Reconstructing past ocean currents in the coastal regions is necessary to better understand the relationship between oceanographic changes and coastal ecosystems. It is known that variations have occurred with large-scale climate changes such as ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillations) and PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillations). Thus, reconstruction of past seawater conditions in coastal regions is needed to better understand the relationship between oceanographic changes and coastal ecosystems. Seawater radiocarbon is a unique proxy to understand the properties of water masses. Reef-building corals have been employed extensively and successfully in conducting this type of research into past ocean circulation histories. However, their distribution is limited to the low latitudes and hence alternative archives are required for studies in mid to high-latitude locations. Here, we use abalone shell samples obtained from Otsuchi Bay located in the Tohoku region on the Pacific coast of Northern Japan. Radiocarbon in abalone shells was compared with dissolved inorganic carbon in two-year-long records of river water as well as seawater. The data indicate that abalone shells can be used to reconstruct past seawater radiocarbon variations in northern Japan where coral skeletons are not available for ocean mixing studies.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease spreading worldwide that has been reported to worsen the development and progression of other diseases (cancer, vascular diseases and dementia). To establish functional rice lines with anti-postprandial hyperglycaemic effects, we developed mutant rice lines, which lack one or two gene(s) related to starch synthesis, and evaluated their effects. Powder of mutant rice lines or other grains was loaded to rats fasted overnight (oral grain powder loading test). Incremental area under time-concentration curves (iAUC) were calculated with monitored blood glucose levels. Rice lines with anti-postprandial hyperglycaemic effects were separated by cluster analysis with calculated iAUC. A double mutant rice #4019 (starch synthase IIIa (ss3a)/branching enzyme IIb (be2b)), one of the screened mutant rice lines, was fed to Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, an animal model for type 2 diabetes, for 5 weeks. Plasma levels of C-peptide, a marker of pancreatic insulin secretion, were measured with ELISA. For in vitro study, a rat pancreatic cell line was cultured with a medium containing rat serum which was sampled from rats fed #4019 diet for 2 d. After 24-h of incubation, an insulin secretion test was performed. Through the oral rice powder loading test, seven rice lines were identified as antidiabetic rice lines. The intake of #4019 diet increased plasma C-peptide levels of GK rats. This result was also observed in vitro. In rat serum added to cell medium, ornithine was significantly increased by the intake of #4019. In conclusion, the mutant rice #4019 promoted pancreatic insulin secretion via elevation of serum ornithine levels.

We propose a low-contrast pre-coronagraph that can provide additional dark-hole contrast to a main coronagraph.

In April 2001, immediately after bottom water renewal in the Japan/East Sea, 7 vertical profiles of radiocarbon were obtained from the area, including the Japan Basin and the Tsushima/Ulleung Basin. The bottom water Δ14C of the Tsushima/Ulleung Basin increased by 24% during 1979–2001 and was 10–15% higher than the values reported for the Japan Basin and Yamato Basin during 1995–2002. Within the depth interval 800–2000 m, Δ14C values at the southernmost station in the Japan Basin were much higher than at other stations, with the maximum difference in Δ14C values being more than 50%. Based on a combination of physical observations with analysis of the Δ14C data, we concluded that the bottom water, which was formed by the sinking of surface water off Vladivostok, Russia, in late January-early February of 2001, had been widely distributed to depths below 2000 m within the southernmost Japan Basin in a timespan shorter than 2 months. However, there was no evidence that the water had been transported into the Tsushima/Ulleung Basin during the same time interval.

Pure and Al2O3(2%, 5%, 8%) doped sintered ZnO (n-type) and pure sintered Ca3Co4O9 (p-type) pellets were prepared by conventional solid state synthesis starting from the oxides. The sintered pellets were cut by a diamond saw in a pillar shape (15 mm×5 mm×5 mm) for experimental checks. The best doped sample was 2 % Al2O3 ZnO showing Seebeck coefficient S = -180 mV/K and electrical conductivity σ = 8 S/cm at 400°C, while thermal conductivity κ = 1.8 W/m×K at 600°C. Typical values for Ca3Co4O9 were S = 82.5 mV/K and σ = 125 S/cm at 800°C, while κ = 1.01 W/m×K at 600°C. Several modules fabricated by elements cut from sintered pellets were tested and the best performance was obtained in the module formed by six 2 % Al2O3ZnO/ Ca3Co4O9 couples, that generated an output power P = 300 mV at 500°C (when ΔT = 260°C).

We propose a simple and practical solution to remove artificial contrast inhibiting direct interpretation of atomic arrangements in aberration-corrected TEM. The method is based on a combination of “image subtraction” for elimination of nonlinear components in images and newly improved “image deconvolution” for proper compensation of nonflat phase contrast transfer function. The efficiency of the method is shown by experimental and simulation data of typical materials such as gold, silicon, and magnesium oxide. The hypothetical results from further improvements of TEM instruments are also simulated. It is concluded that we can approach actual atomic structures by using the present method, that is, a proper combination of a Cs corrector, image subtraction, and image deconvolution processes.

The goals of this study were (1) to compare, in a single institute, the clinical results of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), which has been incorporated into the initial management approach, with those in-patients treated with intra-operative radiotherapy (IORT) and (2) to assess whether these local irradiation boost therapies are prognostic factors on survival analysis. One hundred and twenty adult patients with supratentorial GBM had undergone tumour resection or biopsy and had received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Of them, 31 underwent IORT, 29 underwent SRS, and the remaining 60 had no local high-dose irradiation boost. The local irradiation boost led to clearly better results on survival of GBM patients. Furthermore, SRS is less invasive and allows for meticulous target planning of the irradiation boost, and was superior to IORT in terms of survival prolongation as well as suppression of local tumour recurrence/progression at the primary site in this series. In addition, SRS was a significant, positive prognostic factor for survival as well as gross-total resection of the tumour, and could be an alternative therapeutic modality to IORT for GBM.

The phenomenon that a ferroelectrics crystal carries out intrinsic polarization by the temperature change generally is known. The Ozone gas generation was investigated due to a strong electric field of this crystal under atmospheric pressure . When we added a rapid temperature change to the crystal, the charge non–equilibrium occurs around the crystal. Oxygen is influenced due to the non-equilibrium in charge and ozone is considered to be generated. Therefore, we used the high electric field induced due to the polarization of a ferroelectrics crystal in order to produce the ozone under atmospheric pressure.

As a result, we were able to produce ozone of the density of 400ppb in a oxygen gas flow of 1.5 liters per minute using this simple system: The crystals (Yamaju Co. Ltd. and Sumitomo metal mining Co. Ltd.) are used in thickness of 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, and 30 mm with a diameter of 4 inches, respectively. They are poled crystals.

Experiments on the maximum temperature (300 degree), the temperature gradient (100 degree/10 minite), and substrate materials(Cu and Al), the thickness of the crystal, and z face etc. were carried out during the temperature of LiTaO3 single crystal from 20C to about 300C. It is found that the amount of the ozone production increases rapidly, when the maximum temperature of LiTaO3 single crystal is raised and have a relation with the thickness of the crystal. However, the amount of the ozone production doesn't closely related with the X-ray generation that we use the crystal for.

In the present study, when the thickness of the crystal became large, polarization voltage became high, but generated efficiency of ozone was not necessarily proportional to thickness.

The molecular dynamics (MD) calculation was performed for minor actinide (MA: Np and Am)-containing mixed oxide (MOX) fuels, U0.7-xPu0.3MAxO2, in the temperature range from 300 to around 2500 K to evaluate the thermal expansion, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity. The MD results showed that the calculated heat capacity and thermal conductivity were similar in all the composition ranges, indicating that MA scarcely affected the thermal properties of the MOX fuel in the perfect crystal system.

growth and mortality rates of larval japanese spanish mackerel (scomberomorus niphonius) were estimated by using otolith daily increments in 1997 and 1998 in the sea of hiuchi, central seto inland sea. there was no day–night difference in the abundance and size-distribution of s. niphonius larvae in the 3–10 mm size-classes, indicating the larvae were efficiently collected by the larva-net used for sampling (1.3 m mouth diameter, 0.5 mm mesh). mean absolute growth rate (0.748 mm d−1 in 1997, 0.821 mm d−1 in 1998), weight specific growth coefficient (g: 0.402 in 1997, 0.444 in 1998) and mortality coefficient (m: 0.784 in 1997 and 0.625 in 1998) were among the highest reported for marine fish larvae. scomberomorus niphonius seems to have evolved survival strategies characterized by fast growth with strong piscivory that can reduce duration of the larval period with the high mortality. in 1997, spatial distribution of the larvae was not well corresponded to that of their prey, clupeid larvae, and the larval feeding incidence was lower than in 1998. recruitment potential assessed by examining the ratio of g:m was lower in 1997 (0.513 in 1997, 0.711 in 1998) due to the lower g and higher m values. prey fish availability may be one of the important determinants for the recruitment potential by controlling the larval mortality due to starvation and/or starvation-related predation.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2004 in Savannah, Georgia, USA, August 1–5, 2004.