In Japan, three trematode species of the genus Azygia have been recorded: A. gotoi, A. perryii, and A. rhinogobii. Here, we report the first detection of A. hwangtsiyui in Japan, identified from the introduced snakehead Channa argus. This trematode was previously known only from the snakeheads in mainland China. Between 2015 and 2024, we sampled snakeheads and snails in Japan, collecting adult trematodes and rediae. Adult trematodes were identified morphologically as A. hwangtsiyui, a determination corroborated by molecular analyses of the COI and 28S rDNA regions. Rediae extracted from the snail Sinotaia quadrata histrica were also identified molecularly as A. hwangtsiyui, indicating the snail acts as an intermediate host. Juvenile trematodes from the short-spined Japanese trident goby Tridentiger brevispinis were also morphologically identified as A. hwangtsiyui, indicating that this goby acts as a paratenic host. Given the snakehead’s introduction to Japan between 1923 and 1924, the absence of records of later introductions, and the presence of both intermediate and paratenic hosts in Japan at that time, A. hwangtsiyui was likely introduced concurrently with the snakehead. As the detection of three COI haplotypes suggests multiple introductions, subsequent introductions via the aquarium trade or other pathways involving the transport of freshwater fish and mollusks from Asia to Japan are also plausible.

During 2021 through 2023, the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei and freshwater fishes were sampled from 28 sites in the Tone River system, Japan, and adult trematodes of Dollfustrema were found in the fishes. Molecular and morphological analyses based on 28S rDNA and the ITS1−5.8S−ITS2 region revealed the trematode as ‘Dollfustrema hefeiense’, previously reported in Mainland China and likely introduced to Japan. Given that its scientific name was considered invalid, we re-described the species as Dollfustrema invadens n. sp. Additionally, the DNA-based survey helped clarify the trematode’s life cycle in the river system. A sporocyst and metacercariae were detected in the golden mussel’s visceral mass and in the muscles of two small freshwater fish species, respectively. The channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus harboured mature trematodes in its intestine, and adult trematodes were also found in the muscles of fishes infected with metacercariae, suggesting direct metacercariae development in fish muscle. Furthermore, another introduced bucephalid trematode, Prosorhynchoides ozakii, previously reported in the river system, was detected in the mussels and fishes. Moreover, co-infection of both bucephalid trematodes was observed in certain fishes.

When Li-saturated montmorillonite is heated to 200–300 °C, the Li ions migrate from interlayer positions to sites in the layer structure. However, the identity of these sites has not been clearly established. Here we have investigated the migration of Li ions in montmorillonite, after heat treatment at 250 °C, using chemical and instrumental analyses. The latter include X-ray diffractometry (XRD), 7Linuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Heating causes a large reduction in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and an almost complete loss of interlayer expansion with glycerol as shown by XRD. Static and magic angle spinning (MAS) 7Li-NMR spectroscopy shows that the quadrupole coupling constant of Li increases markedly over the corresponding value for unheated Li-montmorillonite (where Li occupies exchange sites in the interlayer space) and for hectorite (where Li is located in the octahedral sheet). This would indicate that, in heated montmorillonite, Li occupies structural sites of low symmetry which, however, cannot be identified with octahedral vacancies in the layer structure as is commonly assumed. XPS shows that the binding energy (BE) for Li in unheated montmorillonite is comparable to that for other exchangeable cations. Heating broadens the Li 1s band and decreases the BE. The BE for Li in heated montmorillonite is significantly higher than that in either spodumene or lepidolite, where Li is known to occupy octahedral sites. The combined data suggest that heating induces Li to migrate from interlayer sites to ditrigonal cavities in the tetrahedral sheet, rather than into vacancies in the octahedral sheet, of montmorillonite.

Samples of Silica Springs allophane from Tongariro National Park, New Zealand, having Al/Si atomic ratios in the range 1.1-1.9, were studied by 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy with high field strength (9.4 and 11.7 T) and fast magic-angle spinning (MAS) (9-13 kHz). Spectra for all samples show peaks for 6- and 4-coordinate Al and also for 5-coordinate Al. For 1 sample, the peak for 5-coordinate Al is dominant. Use of 2 instruments and 2 field strengths allowed the integrity of the spectra and the assignment of 5-coordinate Al to be verified. The “true” chemical shift (after a small correction for quadrupolar shift) observed for 5-coordinate Al in Silica Springs allophane is 36 ± 1 ppm, which is consistent with shifts reported for 5-coordination in well-characterized crystalline structures. We suggest that 5-coordination in Silica Springs allophane is associated with the edges of fragments of incomplete octahedral sheets that are bonded to disordered, though more complete, curved tetrahedral sheets in the primary particles of this allophane. Other allophanes with Al/Si < 2, and which are poor in octahedra relative to tetrahedra, may also have significant Al in 5-coordinate sites.

We present observations of the Mopra carbon monoxide (CO) survey of the Southern Galactic Plane, covering Galactic longitudes spanning $l = 250^{\circ}$ ($-110^{\circ}$) to $l = 355^{\circ}$ ($-5^{\circ}$), with a latitudinal coverage of at least $|b|<1^\circ$, totalling an area of $>$210 deg$^{2}$. These data have been taken at 0.6 arcmin spatial resolution and 0.1 km s$^{-1}$ spectral resolution, providing an unprecedented view of the molecular gas clouds of the Southern Galactic Plane in the 109–115 GHz $J = 1-0$ transitions of $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO, C$^{18}$O, and C$^{17}$O.

As the IAU heads towards its second century, many changes have simultaneously transformed Astronomy and the human condition world-wide. Amid the amazing recent discoveries of exoplanets, primeval galaxies, and gravitational radiation, the human condition on Earth has become blazingly interconnected, yet beset with ever-increasing problems of over-population, pollution, and never-ending wars. Fossil-fueled global climate change has begun to yield perilous consequences. And the displacement of people from war-torn nations has reached levels not seen since World War II.

Enhancement of the quality of laser wake-field accelerated (LWFA) electron beams implies the improvement and controllability of the properties of the wake waves generated by ultra-short pulse lasers in underdense plasmas. In this work we present a compendium of useful formulas giving relations between the laser and plasma target parameters allowing one to obtain basic dependences, e.g. the energy scaling of the electrons accelerated by the wake field excited in inhomogeneous media including multi-stage LWFA accelerators. Consideration of the effects of using the chirped laser pulse driver allows us to find the regimes where the chirp enhances the wake field amplitude. We present an analysis of the three-dimensional effects on the electron beam loading and on the unlimited LWFA acceleration in inhomogeneous plasmas. Using the conditions of electron trapping to the wake-field acceleration phase we analyse the multi-equal stage and multiuneven stage LWFA configurations. In the first configuration the energy of fast electrons is a linear function of the number of stages, and in the second case, the accelerated electron energy grows exponentially with the number of stages. The results of the two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations presented here show the high quality electron acceleration in the triple stage injection–acceleration configuration.

We have conducted 1.1 mm ALMA observations of a contiguous 105” × 50” or 1.5 arcmin2 window in the SXDF-UDS-CANDELS. We achieved a 5σ sensitivity of 0.28 mJy, giving a flat sensus of dusty star-forming galaxies with L IR ~6×1011L ⊙ (if T dust=40K) up to z ~ 10 thanks to the negative K-correction at this wavelength. We detected 5 brightest sources (S/N>6) and 18 low-significant sources (5>S/N>4; they may contain spurious detections, though). One of the 5 brightest ALMA sources (S 1.1mm = 0.84 ± 0.09 mJy) is extremely faint in the WFC3 and VLT/HAWK-I images, demonstrating that a contiguous ALMA imaging survey uncovers a faint dust-obscured population invisible in the deep optical/near-infrared surveys. We find a possible [CII]-line emitter at z=5.955 or a low-z CO emitting galaxy within the field, allowing us to constrain the [CII] and/or CO luminosity functions across the history of the universe.

Mg-Si thin films were systematically studied using combinatorial approach by co-sputtering with Mg and Si targets. Single phase of Mg2Si appeared around the stoichiometric composition region, and in Mg-rich region (Mg/Si>4) Mg2Si and Mg phases coexisted. The transition of electrical conduction type from n-type to p-type occurred near the stoichiometric composition region where the strongest peak of Mg2Si appeared in the XRD patterns and the Raman scattering spectra. The p-type conduction was observed in Mg-poor region near the stoichiometric composition region. The results of first principle calculation suggest that Mg vacancy may cause p-type conduction.

To increase X-ray photon number generated by laser-cluster interaction, it is important to understand the dependence of X-ray generation on cluster size. We carried out Xe K-shell X-ray generation using a conical nozzle with Xe clusters, the radius of which was controllable by adjusting the backing pressure. The experiment clarifies the result that the Xe K-shell X-ray photon number increases with increasing cluster radius from 8 to 12 nm, and saturates at the radius between 12 and 17 nm. We also investigated the Xe K-shell X-ray photon number dependence on laser intensity, and found that the threshold laser intensity of the Xe K-shell X-ray generation exists between 2 × 1017 and 5 × 1018 W/cm2.

Sunspot observations inspired solar dynamo theory and continue to do so. Simply counting them established the sunspot cycle and its period. Latitudinal distributions introduced the tough constraint that the source of sunspots moves equator-ward as the cycle progresses. Observations of Hale's polarity law mandated hemispheric asymmetry. How much more can sunspots tell us about the solar dynamo? We draw attention to a few outstanding questions raised by inherent sunspot properties. Namely, how to explain sunspot rotation rates, the incoherence of follower spots, the longitudinal spacing of sunspot groups, and brightness trends within a given sunspot cycle. After reviewing the first several topics, we then present new results on the brightness of sunspots in Cycle 24 as observed with the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI). We compare these results to the sunspot brightness observed in Cycle 23 with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI). Next, we compare the minimum intensities of five sunspots simultaneously observed by the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope Spectropolarimeter (SOT-SP) and HMI to verify that the minimum brightness of sunspot umbrae correlates well to the maximum field strength. We then examine 90 and 52 sunspots in the north and south hemisphere, respectively, from 2010 - 2012. Finally, we conclude that the average maximum field strengths of umbra 40 Carrington Rotations into Cycle 24 are 2690 Gauss, virtually indistinguishable from the 2660 Gauss value observed at a similar time in Cycle 23 with MDI.

It is shown that various spectroscopic methods based on measurements of X-ray spectra radiated from cluster targets can be used for estimation of the destruction degree of clusters by laser prepulses. These methods allow insight to be gained regarding the important issue of preservation of the dense cluster core at the moment of the arrival of the main laser pulse. In addition, they can be used for quantitative estimation of the size of the undestroyed parts of the clusters and also for measuring the temperature and density of the preplasmas produced by the laser prepulses.

The current trends in stimulated Brillouin scattering and optical phase conjugation are overviewed. This report is formed by the selected papers presented in the “Fifth International Workshop on stimulated Brillouin scattering and phase conjugation 2010” in Japan. The nonlinear properties of phase conjugation based on stimulated Brillouin scattering and photo-refraction can compensate phase distortions in the high power laser systems, and they will also open up potentially novel laser technologies, e.g., phase stabilization, beam combination, pulse compression, ultrafast pulse shaping, and arbitrary waveform generation.

Using a N2 gas plasma apparatus (BLP-TES, NGK Insulators, Ltd), we showed that N2 gas plasma treatment of influenza A virus caused degradation of viral nucleoproteins. These findings suggest that N2 gas plasma treatment may contribute to infection prevention control for influenza.

Variation in thermal conductivity of Ag-based composites by introduction of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. The Ag/MWCNT nanocomposite powder was successfully prepared when appropriate surfactants were used via a sonoprocess. The nanocomposite powder was subsequently cured at 280-300 ºC in air. After curing, the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites was compared with the electronic contribution to thermal conductivity that was estimated from experimental values of the electrical conductivity. The thermal conductivity of Ag/MWCNT nanocomposites was much higher than the electronic contribution. Therefore, the increase in thermal conductivity of the Ag-based nanocomposites is attributed to phonon transfer along the percolation network of MWCNTs.