To integrate scholastic literature regarding the prevalence and characteristics of the psychological consequences faced by survivors of the 2011 Fukushima earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster, we conducted a systematic review of survivor studies concerning the Fukushima disaster. In August 2019, four literature databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and ICHUSHI) were used in the literature search. Peer-reviewed manuscripts reporting psychological consequences, either in English or Japanese, were selected. A total of 79 studies were selected for the review. Twenty-four studies (30.4%) were conducted as part of the Fukushima Health Management Survey—large-scale cohort study recruiting the residents of the entire Fukushima prefecture. Study outcomes were primarily nonspecific psychological distress, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. The rates of high-risk individuals determined by the studies varied significantly owing to methodological differences. Nevertheless, these rates were mostly high (nonspecific psychological distress, 8.3%-65.1%; depressive symptoms, 12%-52.0%; and post-traumatic stress symptoms, 10.5%-62.6%). Many studies focused on vulnerable populations such as children, mothers of young children, evacuees, and nuclear power plant workers. However, few studies reported on the intervention methods used or their effect on the survivors. As a conclusion, high rates of individuals with psychological conditions, as well as a wide range of mental conditions, were reported among the Fukushima nuclear disaster survivors in the first 8 years after the disaster. These findings demonstrate the substantial impact of this compound disaster, especially in the context of a nuclear catastrophe.

To compile the findings of studies assessing emotional and behavioral changes in the survivors of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, we performed a systematic review in August 2019 using four literature databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and ICHUSHI). Peer-reviewed manuscripts, either in English or Japanese, were included in the searches. Sixty-one studies were retrieved for the review. Of these, 41 studies (67.2%) assessed emotional consequences, 28 studies (45.9%) evaluated behavioral consequences, and 8 studies (13.1%) evaluated both emotional and behavioral outcomes. The main research topic in emotional change was radiation exposure-associated risk perception, as reported in 15 studies. This risk perception included immediate health effects (eg, acute radiation syndrome) as well as future health effects (eg, future cancer and genetic effects). Lowered subjective well-being was reported in eight studies. Six studies reported perceived discrimination/stigmatization in the disaster survivors. The most critical behavioral change was an increase in suicides compared with residents in the whole of Japan or affected by the earthquake and tsunami, but not by the nuclear disaster. Increased rate of alcohol and tobacco use was reported, although the effect on one’s health was inconsistent. As a conclusion, the Fukushima nuclear disaster survivors suffered issues in risk perception, well-being, stigmatization, and alcohol/tobacco use in the first 8 years after the disaster. The present study is important in order to better understand the emotional and behavioral responses to future nuclear/radiological disasters as well as other “invisible” disasters, such as chemical and biological public health crises.

Identifying constituent atoms in materials is the ultimate goal for all analytical techniques. Here, we describe the successful achievement of single atom spectroscopy in nanostructured carbon-based materials using a scanning transmission electron microscope equipped with electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The chemical analyis of individual metallofullerene molecules can be successfully performed without massive beam damage. Atom-by-atom spectroscopy of the edge carbon atoms in single layer graphene is also discussed.

Recent photoemission studies on heavily boron-doped superconducting diamond films, reporting the electronic structure evolution as a function of boron concentrations, are reviewed. From soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, which directly measures electronic band dispersions, depopulation of electrons (or formation of hole pockets) at the top of the valence band were clearly observed. This indicates that the holes at the top of the valence bands are responsible for the metallic properties and hence superconductivity at lower temperatures. Hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy observed shift of the main C 1s core level and intensity evolution of a lower binding energy additional structure, suggesting chemical potential shift, carrier doping efficiency by boron doping, and possibility of boron-related cluster formations.

We present initial results from an high-resolution imaging search for damped Ly$\alpha$ absorbers toward the high-redshift quasar APM 08279+5255 by using the Adaptive Optics system (AO) attached to the Subaru telescope. We detected in total 11 objects within a $23''\times23''$ field around the quasar. Among these detected objects, we identified a possible candidate for the galaxy giving rise to the damped Ly$\alpha$ absorption at z$_{abs}$=2.974 with a criteria of distance from the sight-line toward the quasar and luminosity.

The optical system that is pervious to ultraviolet light of 200nm and under in the wavelength has been developed by putting one silica glass to another with the silicone oil photo-oxidized in oxygen atmosphere.

Quartz has siloxane bonds, while silicone oil (dimethyl siloxane) is composed of siloxane bonds of the main chain and methyl groups of the side chain. Therefore, the organic silicone oil has been photo-oxidized by irradiating UV rays in oxygen atmosphere to change into inorganic glass. That is, the silicone oil was poured into the thin gap between the two pieces of silica glass in oxygen atmosphere and was irradiated with the Xe2 excimer lamp while heating at temperature above 150°C. Consequently, the siloxane of the silicone oil was linked with the O atoms that had been absorbed on the glass surface to form SiO2.

The UV and IR spectrum analysis was conducted on the silicone oil before and after lamp irradiation. The results revealed that as the time of lamp irradiation increased, the absorption peak of the CH3 group in the region of 2960 cm−1 decreased but the transmittance of the light in the 190nm wavelength conversely became high. The UV transmittance of the silicone oil was 50% before the lamp irradiation; which improved to 87% after the irradiation for 60 minutes. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the bonded sample was measured. It confirmed that the adhesive strength of the silicone oil was enhanced from 0 kgf/cm2 of before-irradiation to 180 kgf/cm2 of after- irradiation.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO) has developed a set of “Siting Factors (SFs)” to guide choice of preliminary investigation areas (PIAs) of HLW disposal. A call for municipalities to volunteer PIAs was initiated, which included published SFs, in December 2002 as the first stage of a stepwise site selection procedure. This paper describes the way that SFs were developed and the outlines how they will be applied.

Our efforts to combine the combinatorial technology and microstructure analysis to develop catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology have been described. This offers the realization of “materiomics” in comprehensive material research. Catalyst technologies are indispensable for wide use of PEMFC, which are regarded as the low emission and highly efficient energy conversion device for the next generation. We have applied the combinatorial method for the hydrogen production and/or purification of catalysts, and anode catalyst investigations. The catalyst library consisting of precious metals loaded on various metal oxides was tested for water gas shift reaction and steam reforming of methanol and/or DME. Various metal oxides added to platinum loaded on carbon were screened for anode catalysts. The microstructure of each catalyst was analyzed by employing scanning electron and/or transmission electron microscopy. This paper mainly describes the catalysis screening results of above reactions that form a part of “materiomics”.

High-energy (400 keV) implantation of carbon (C) ions was made into LEC-GaAs substrates with C concentration ([C]) of 1019− 1022Cm−3. 2 K photoluminescence (PL) and Hall effect measurements indicated that activation rate of C in LEC GaAs is both optically and electrically extremely low even after furnace-annealing at 850 °C for 20 min. For [C] = 1×1022 cm−3, two novel strong emissions were obtained and PL measurements as a function of excitation power and sample temperature suggested that the two emissions one at 1.485 eV and the other at 1.305 eV should reflect the formation of a new alloy between GaAs and C. Dual implantation of C+ and Ga+ ions was carried out to improve the activation or substitution rate. We found that nearly 90% activation rate can be achieved for C dose of 2.2 × 1013 cm−2.