How can scholars conduct field research when there is limited access to the field? This article first identifies how limited and uncertain field access can affect field research and then provides recommendations to address these challenges. We focus on conducting field research in Japan because of our substantive expertise, but we believe that the problems and solutions outlined in this article are applicable to a broad range of countries. Our hope is that this article contributes to the developing literature on conducting research during times of emergency and to the larger literature on best practices for field research.

An ion-exchange adduct of saponite with tetra-n-decylammonium cation ((n-decyl)4N+) was prepared and dispersed in chloroform. The material was spread on a water surface to form a thin film at the air-water interface. From the measurements of surface pressure vs. area, it was concluded that the film consisted of the very thin layer which was a mixture of single and double layers of saponite adduct. A clay-modified electrode was prepared by depositing the film on a glassy carbon substrate using the Langmuir-Blodgett method. When the electrode was soaked in an aqueous solution of [Fe(phen)3](ClO4)2 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), (n-decyl)4N+ cations were replaced by [Fe(phen)3]2+ ions from solution. This process was followed by measuring the cyclic voltammogram.

The mid-infrared range contains many spectral features associated with large molecules and dust grains such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and silicates. These are usually very strong compared to fine-structure gas lines, and thus valuable in studying the spectral properties of faint distant galaxies. In this paper, we evaluate the capability of low-resolution mid-infrared spectroscopic surveys of galaxies that could be performed by SPICA. The surveys are designed to address the question how star formation and black hole accretion activities evolved over cosmic time through spectral diagnostics of the physical conditions of the interstellar/circumnuclear media in galaxies. On the basis of results obtained with Herschel far-infrared photometric surveys of distant galaxies and Spitzer and AKARI near- to mid-infrared spectroscopic observations of nearby galaxies, we estimate the numbers of the galaxies at redshift z > 0.5, which are expected to be detected in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon features or dust continuum by a wide (10 deg2) or deep (1 deg2) blind survey, both for a given observation time of 600 h. As by-products of the wide blind survey, we also expect to detect debris disks, through the mid-infrared excess above the photospheric emission of nearby main-sequence stars, and we estimate their number. We demonstrate that the SPICA mid-infrared surveys will efficiently provide us with unprecedentedly large spectral samples, which can be studied further in the far-infrared with SPICA.

Violators of cooperation norms may be informally punished by their peers. How such norm enforcement is judged by others can be regarded as a meta-norm (i.e., a second-order norm). We examined whether meta-norms about peer punishment vary across cultures by having students in eight countries judge animations in which an agent who over-harvested a common resource was punished either by a single peer or by the entire peer group. Whether the punishment was retributive or restorative varied between two studies, and findings were largely consistent across these two types of punishment. Across all countries, punishment was judged as more appropriate when implemented by the entire peer group than by an individual. Differences between countries were revealed in judgments of punishers vs. non-punishers. Specifically, appraisals of punishers were relatively negative in three Western countries and Japan, and more neutral in Pakistan, UAE, Russia, and China, consistent with the influence of individualism, power distance, and/or indulgence. Our studies constitute a first step in mapping how meta-norms vary around the globe, demonstrating both cultural universals and cultural differences.

We review observational results of PAH emission in harsh interstellar environments, whichare mostly based on recent works by Spitzer and AKARI. The harsh environments includeshock regions in our Galaxy, the ionized superwinds and haloes of external galaxies, andthe hot plasmas of elliptical galaxies. Owing to the unprecedented high sensitivity forPAH emission with Spitzer and AKARI, it is found that an appreciable amount of PAHs arepresent in some cases with such hostile conditions. Some of them exhibit unusual PAHinterband strength ratios, reflecting either evolution of PAHs or physical conditions ofthe ISM. The distribution of the PAH emission, as compared to that of dust emission, isshown to discuss their ways of evolution and survival.

We have observed 57 nearby galaxies in the far-infrared with the Far-Infrared Surveyor on AKARI to study the properties of dust in various environments.

Three cDNAs encoding rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) homologues were found in the Babesia gibsoni EST database. Based on similarities to BgRAP-1a, which was identified previously by serological screening of a cDNA merozoite library, the two new genes were designated BgRAP-1b (33·7%) and BgRAP-1c (57%). Mice antiserum raised against each recombinant protein reacted specifically with B. gibsoni parasites as determined by Western blotting, which showed native molecular sizes of the BgRAP-1a (51 kDa), BgRAP-1b (53 kDa) and BgRAP-1c (47 kDa) consistent with predictable molecular weights. Immunofluoresence using these antibodies revealed localization of all BgRAP-1s within the matrix of merozoites; however, BgRAP-1a appeared to diverge from the other two when it was found secreted into the cytoplasm of infected erythrocytes. Apical localization of all 3 BgRAP-1s during the extracellular stage of the parasite combined with their ability to bind a canine erythrocyte membrane fraction was suggestive of a role for these proteins in erythrocyte attachment. Lastly, the ability of these recombinant proteins to be used as diagnostic reagents was tested by ELISA and the sensitivities of BgRAP-1a and BgRAP-1c were found increased through N-terminal truncation. Taken together, our data suggest divergent roles for the 3 BgRAP-1s in the merozoite stage of B. gibsoni.

Peptidases of parasitic protozoa are currently under intense investigation in order to identify novel virulence factors, drug targets, and vaccine candidates, except in Babesia. Leucine aminopeptidases in protozoa, such as Plasmodium and Leishmania, have been identified to be involved in free amino acid regulation. We report here the molecular and enzymatic characterization, as well as the localization of a leucine aminopeptidase, a member of the M17 cytosolic aminopeptidase family, from B. gibsoni (BgLAP). A functional recombinant BgLAP (rBgLAP) expressed in Escherichia coli efficiently hydrolysed synthetic substrates for aminopeptidase, a leucine substrate. Enzyme activity of the rBgLAP was found to be optimum at pH 8·0 and at 37°C. The substrate profile was slightly different from its homologue in P. falciprum. The activity was also strongly dependent on metal divalent cations, and was inhibited by bestatin, which is a specific inhibitor for metalloprotease. These results indicated that BgLAP played an important role in free amino acid regulation.

We report a series of our experiments using organic single crystals to reach the maximum performance intrinsic to the materials. A consequence of the experiments is that a prescription for realizing high-mobility devices is to induce carriers in inner crystals to avoid scattering at the surfaces. Intrinsic-semiconductor character of the high-purity organic crystals favors thermal diffusion of the carriers into the crystals in the presence of weak gate-electric fields.Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the high-mobility transport of the in-crystal carriers are highlighted in double-gate single-crystal transistors with the two gate electric field balanced with each other.

We report a method to fabricate thin films of large-domain organic semiconductor single crystals dispersed over the whole surface of centimeter-scale substrates for field-effect transistors. Growing less than 500-nm thick film-like organic crystals of sub-millimeter sizes densely in a furnace independently of substrates by physical vapor transport, the collection of the single crystals is mechanically attached to the surface of gate dielectric layers. The organic transistors made of large-domain benzo-annulated pentathienoacene crystals exhibited pronounced transistor performances with mobility values of ∼ 0.2-2 cm2/Vs, which is as high as devices of one-piece crystals. The result demonstrates that the above technique provides a method to apply high performance of organic single crystal transistors to real circuitry devices on large-area substrates.

We have investigated the flat-band voltage (VFB) shifts of tantalum nitride gate MOS capacitors prepared by two methods. One is CVD-tantalum nitride (CVD-TaN) deposited by the chemical vapor deposition technique using Ta[NC(CH3)2C2H5][N(CH3)2]3 as a precursor, and the other one is sputtered tantalum nitride (sp-TaN) electrodes deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering. In the case of the CVD-TaN electrodes, the effective work function estimated from the relationship between VFB and the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of the MOS capacitors was about 4.4eV after post metallization annealing (PMA) at 400°C, and shifted to the mid-gap after PMA at 950°C. Moreover, the VFB values of MOS capacitors with sp-TaN electrodes also showed the same behavior after PMA. This shift is mainly dependent on the PMA temperature, regardless of the deposition method used. Similar VFB shifts induced by PMA were also observed in sp-TaN/ Al2O3/ SiO2/ p-Si and sp-TaN/ TaOx / SiO2/ p-Si capacitors. However, in the case of the sp-TaN/ TaOx / SiO2/ p-Si capacitors, the VFB shift was also observed when the PDA temperature after the TaOx deposition was 800°C and the PMA temperature after the TaN deposition was only 400°C. These results strongly suggest that this VFB shift caused by the PMA originates from a thin interfacial oxide layer between the TaN gate electrode and the dielectrics. Therefore, the maximum processing temperature after gate electrode deposition is important in order to control the threshold voltage of tantalum nitride gate MOSFETs.

We describe a new technique for the deposition of a-Si:H, in which the growing film surface is periodically irradiated with high-intensity xenon light pulses. The films show high stability of the photoconductivity under illumination, but also exhibit a high dark conductivity, so that the photosensitivity is reduced. Infrared and Raman scattering measurements indicate little difference in the Si-H and Si-Si bonding structures compared to reference films; however, there is a large increase in the sub-bandgap absorption in addition to a shift of the Fermi level, implying some subtle modification of the film growth process caused by the irradiation. Results on the preparation and stability testing of solar cells fabricated using this technique are also described.

To solve an image degradation problem of blurring for a-Si:H photoreceptors during the repetitions of electrophotographic process, effect of a-C:H:F overcoat layer has been investigated. The film is deposited by glow discharge decomposition of C2 F6 and H2 mixture gases. The hydrophobic property of the film is estimated by contact angle of water drop. The contact angle of a-C:H:F is larger than that of a-SiC:H especially after 5 hours corona exposure treatment. In the printing test, the blurring life time of a-C:H:F overcoated a-Si:H photoreceptor becomes longer about 9 times than that of a-SiC:H overcoated one.

Basic technologies for solving problems in thermal and light-induced degradation have been developed. The tandem type a-SiC/a-Si solar cell with blocking layers exhibits excellent stability for both thermal and sun light conditions. An observable light-induced degradation is not seen in the cell performance after light exposure test of 2000 hours. Two instability modes, that is, thermal and light-induced degradation have been investigated. For thermal degradation, a blocking layer for preventing diffusion has been inserted between the back side metal electrode and a n-layer and another blocking layer has been introduced between the np tunnel junction. To prevent light-induced degradation, p-type a-SiC layer of the pin structure on the side of a glass substrate/SnO2 has been deposited at the temperature of 70°C. The highest efficiency is 9.0% at the present stage, but it is expected to be improved to more than 10%.