We report a polarization measurement in prompt γ-ray emission of GRB 100826A with the Gamma-Ray Burst Polarimeter (GAP) aboard the small solar power sail demonstrator IKAROS. We detected a firm change of polarization angle (PA) during the prompt emission with 99.9% (3.5 σ) confidence level, and an average polarization degree (Π) of 27 ± 11% with 99.4% (2.9 σ) confidence level. Here the quoted errors are given at 1 σ confidence level for two parameters of interest. Non-axisymmetric (e.g., patchy) structures of the magnetic fields and/or brightness inside the relativistic jet are therefore required within the observable angular scale of ~ Γ−1. Our observation strongly indicates that the polarization measurement is a powerful tool to constrain the GRB production mechanism, and more theoretical works are needed to discuss the data in more details.

In this study, we fabricated and examined a series of multiphase type composites constructed of Nb-doped SrTiO3 / TiO2 fine particles. The composition of the composites and the sintering temperatures were selected in a two-phase region where a perovskite SrTiO3 and a rutile TiO2 phases coexist. The composites obtained here were found to commonly have a mosaic type texture constructed of TiO2 and SrTiO3 fine particles with a typical size of about 500 nm. In some samples we also found additive phases such as Sr6Ti7Nb9O42. The thermal conductivity values measured for the most samples with different contents are ranged between 2 and 5 Wm-1K-1. The values are apparently lower than the value for single crystal SrTiO3 samples presented in literature. A sample with rather low relative density of about 80% showed a quite low thermal conductivity, about 1 Wm-1K-1. Taking account the other TE data, e.g. Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, we calculated dimensionless figure of merit, ZT, to be at maximum 0.24 at 600°C.

It seems that no satisfactory TE property has been found in n-type oxide bulk materials even though Al-doped ZnO and La-doped SrTiO3 have high thermoelectric (TE) responses. Difficulty in developing high-performance TE materials seems to lie in finding low thermal conductivity in such oxides. The purpose of this study is to find a possibility to make an n-type TE oxide bulk material having low thermal conductivity and excellent TE properties as well. For this purpose, we fabricated and examined a series of composites constructed of TiO2 and Ln-doped SrTiO3 fine crystals. The composites were prepared via two processing steps: (1) precursor oxide preparation by wet processes; (2) sintering by using spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus. The microscopic structure was examined by using scanning electron microscope (SEM; HITACHI S-4500 model) attached with an energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The electrical conductivities and the Seebeck coefficients were measured simultaneously using an ULVAC ZEM-1 instrument in helium atmosphere. The thermal diffusivities were measured by a laser flash method in vacuum. The composites obtained here were found to commonly have a mosaic type texture constructed of TiO2 and SrTiO3 fine particles with a typical size of 500 nm. The thermal conductivity values measured for three samples with different contents are ranged between 3 and 4 Wm-1K-1 in the temperature range from room temperature to 800 C. The values are apparently lower than the value for single crystal SrTiO3 samples presented in literature. Taking account the other TE data, e.g. Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, we calculated dimensionless figure of merit, ZT, to be at maximum 0.15 at 800°C.

Mesoporous silicas functionalized with aminopropyl groups were synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) and characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. The pore volume drastically decreased from about 900 mm3/g for the unfunctionalized mesoporous silica to about 300 mm3/g for the aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous silica (1.65 mmol-NH2/g). This result was explained in terms of the surface density of the aminopropyl groups in the pore.

A titania-based self-standing film with high transparency and flexibility was successfully prepared via a sol-gel process, in which a titanium tetraisopropoxide/isostearate complex (precursor), n-hexylammonium isostearate (catalyst), and o-xylene (solvent) were used. The sol obtained by the sol-gel reaction was floated on a water surface to form an unsupported film. This film was composed of a titania/isostearate nanocomposite with ordered layer structure. The basal spacings of the nanocomposites depended on the chain length of the carboxylate modifier.

Room-temperature synthesis of transition metal ( TM = Co, Ni and Mn ) oxide intercalated clays has been developed, which extends the potentiality of clay based materials for the design of electroactive nanophase. The structure was examined by using powder XRD - one-dimensional Fourier analysis, magnetic susceptibility measurement as well as conventional analytical methods. From the results, it was revealed that the oxidation by using NaClO as the oxidative reagent affords a new expanded layer structure with a basal spacing of about 1.96 nm wherein a conductive TM oxide sheetadjacent to two hydrated sodium ion layers resides in the gallery of the clay. The resultant sodium cobaltate interlayered smectite bears multi-functionality; an apparent bulk conductivity in the order of 10−5 Scm−1 and a cation exchange ability.

R CrA molecular cloud, at a distance of 130pc(Marraco, Rydgren 1981), is one of the active low-to-middle mass star forming regions. The core of this cloud, named Coronet, contains five protostar candidates. In 1994, we observed the Coronet Cluster using the X-ray satellite ASCA, and discovered hard X-rays from protostar candidates(Koyama et al. 1996).

In order to realize a high-sensitivity, low temperature operable NO2 gas sensor, thin films of at-form copper phthalocyanine (α-CuPc) have been deposited by vacuum sublimation. In this study, we have attempted to improve the gas-sensing characteristics through a modification of the film microstructure. Firstly, the gas sensitivity is remarkably increased by an insertion of higher-sensitive layer (vanadyl Pc film) between the α-CuPc film and the glass substrate in the low gas concentration range. Secondly, a reversibility in cycles of gas doping and dedoping is improved by film deposition on hydrofluoric acid-treated substrate. It is found from atomic force microscope analyses that this phenomenon may be closely related to a modification of the film microstructure.

Tin sulfide and a related novel compound, tin oxysulfide, thin films were deposited from the aqueous solution containing tin (11) chloride and thiourea by a spray pyrolysis technique. The constituent atoms of the thin films have merits of nontoxicity and availability. Physical and photovoltaic properties of both films were also investigated. It has, therefore, been considered that these two compounds become a promising absorbing layer for solar cell on account photovoltaic ability with high absorption coefficient and appropriate bandgap energy.

Peptides that inhibit calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase were isolated from a pepsin digest of α-casein. Analysis of these peptides showed that they corresponded to the αs2-casein sequences 164–179 (Leu–Lys–Lys–Ile–Ser–Gln–Arg–Tyr–Gln–Lys–Phe–Ala–Leu–Pro–Gln–Tyr), 183–206 (Val–Tyr–Gln–His–Gln–Lys–Ala–Met–Lys–Pro–Trp–Ile–Gln–Pro–Lys–Thr–Lys–Val–Ile–Pro–Tyr–Val–Arg–Tyr) and 183–207 (C-terminus, Val–Tyr–Gln–His–Gln–Lys–Ala–Met–Lys–Pro–Trp–Ile–Gln–Pro–Lys–Thr–Lys–Val–Ile–Pro–Tyr–Val–Arg–Tyr–Leu). These peptides inhibited calmodulin-induced cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity over the range 1–50 μM without affecting the basal enzyme activity. These results demonstrated that the affinities of these peptides for calmodulin are comparable to the affinities of certain endogenous neurohormones and proteins that interact with calmodulin.

A single picosecond pulse laser annealing of ion-implanted Si is reviewed as ultra-short pulse laser annealing, comparing them with nanosecond pulse and picosecond-pulse train annealing. In order to clarify the physical mechanism of pulsed laser annealing, the dynamic behavior of the amorphous to crystalline transition has been investigated by means of time-dependent optical reflectivity measurement at 0.63 µm (cw) and 1.06 µm (30-ps pulse itself) under the irradiation of the annealing beam of a single 30-ps laser pulse at 1.06 µm. A tentative model is proposed for explaining the results and further problems which remain to be resolved are discussed.