[en] The investigation was aimed at reducing the anisotropy of the mechanical properties of thick-sheet steel and concerned the internal defects of cast blanks of carbon steel, the effect of inoculating molten metal with rare-earth elements (r.e.e.) upon the properties of ingots, and the mechanism of formation of the A-shaped segregation. The steel with 0.008 % by mass S was inoculated with 0.032 and 0.052% by mass r.e.e. and the ingots were rolled to sheets 8 mm thick; the chemical composition and the distribution of inclusions in the steel were determined, and the steel was tested by the Charpy method. It was shown that the treatment by REE transforms manganese sulfide in deoxidized steel into sulfides and oxysulfides fo rare-earth elements, which are hard-to-deform by rolling, and substantially enhances the Charpy failure energy. In an ingot treated by r.e.e. sulfur combines with the latter to give REE inclusions and is precipitated from liquid steel until a lambda-type segregation is formed sulfur in this case featuring a negative segregation, and carbon, manganese and phosphorus, a positive segregation, the same as in ingots without the r.e.e. treatment

[en] Interpretation of bone mineral density (BMD) values is sometimes difficult, since the vertebrae are often heterogeneous and BMD merely represents an average value from one region of interest. To overcome this limitation, the authors of this paper designed a CT classification of vertebral density distribution pattern. The pattern was classified into five types from axial images obtained on a Somatom DR-H scanner: type 1, normal; type 2, osteopenia; type 3, diffuse osteosclerosis; type 4, spotty osteosclerosis; and type 5, central osteosclerosis. BMD was measured by means of the DEQCT method. Included in this study were patients undergoing hemodialysis (n = 152), postgastrectomy patients (n = 43), patients with collagen disease (n = 96), patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (n = 8), and others, as well as the control group (n = 129)

[en] We have synthesized the half-Heusler ZrNiSn alloys where the Ni is partially substituted by Co and/or Cu. Such substitution much affects the thermoelectric properties of ZrNiSn by changing the valence electron count (VEC) of the material. The behaviors in the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity for ZrNi_1-xCo_xSn or ZrNi_1-yCu_ySn system can be understood as the result of the increase in the hole or electron carrier with an increase of x or y, respectively. ZrNi_0.98Cu_0.02Sn, whose VEC is 18.02, showed a maximum power factor. We have also synthesized the samples whose Ni site of ZrNiSn is substituted by both Co and Cu atoms, ZrNi_1-x-yCo_xCu_ySn. In order to maintain the optimum VEC, the value of y-x is fixed at 0.02. The Seebeck coefficient of ZrNi_1-x-yCo_xCu_ySn is almost constant independent of x and y. With increase of x and y, the thermal conductivity decreases, while the electrical resistivity increases. The decrease of the thermal conductivity and the increase of the electrical resistivity are ascribed to the enhancement of the scattering of the phonon and the conduction carrier accompanied with the substitution, respectively. As a result, ZrNi_0.98Cu_0.02Sn shows a maximum dimensionless figure of merit of about 0.22 at 570 K, which is some larger than that of ZrNiSn

[en] A generalized two-center cluster model (GTCM), including various partitions of the valence nucleons around two α-cores, is proposed for studies on the exotic cluster structures of Be isotopes. This model is applied to the ¹⁰Be=α+α+n+n system and the adiabatic energy surfaces for α-α distances are calculated. It is found that this model naturally describes the formation of the molecular orbitals as well as that of asymptotic cluster states depending on their relative distance. In the negative-parity state, a new type of the α+⁶He cluster structure is also predicted

[en] The PODIA system and two its modifications A-PODIA and I-PODIA(intellectual) developed to reduce operator's burden at NPPs with BWR reactors are described. The system consists of a set of panels designed as man-machine interface and processing computer for reactor operation control. The system operates at the Fukushima NPP

[en] This paper reports the intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) of the jet-cooled p-alkylphenols and p-alkylanilines in S₀ state by using stimulated emission ion dip and stimulated raman-UV optical double-resonance spectroscopy. The IVR rate constants of several vibrational levels localized in the benzene ring are estimated. 31 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs

[en] A single flux quantum (SFQ) circuit has been designed to demonstrate an energy levels quantization in a Josephson Junction. The high-speed operation of SFQ circuits realizes applying a high-speed ramped bias current to a Josephson junction, which allows the noiseless experiment at higher temperature. A high-speed ramped bias current (dI/dt=2000 A/s) is applied to a Josephson junction using the proposed circuit. Although the energy levels quantization has not been observed yet, the obtained escape rate was high enough to observe the energy levels quantization. The proposed circuit indicates the effectiveness of SFQ circuits as experimental apparatuses

[en] A TC project on isotope hydrology in Africa, entitled Building Capacity in Support of Regional and Sub- Regional Water Resources Planning, Development and Management in Africa (RAF/8/048), started in 2009. The project is aimed at building and strengthening capacity in the application of isotope techniques in water resource management, not only through training, which is a major component of the project, but also by developing a university module in isotope hydrology, supporting selected institutes/laboratories that will assume a leading role in the region (regional designated centres) and enhancing quality control/quality assurance practices for isotope analysis in laboratories. National project coordinators, or those representing the national project teams, from Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia and Uganda met in the first coordination meeting - hosted by the Government of Uganda in Kampala, Uganda, in April 2009. At the meeting, participants dentified similarities and differences in the goals of participating countries. They sought, and agreed on, common goals for the project. Participants expressed a desire for cooperation among counterparts, including a willingness among countries more advanced in isotope hydrology to support those less advanced in the field. At the same time, barriers to cooperation in areas such as travel (of experts) and transport (of samples to be analysed) between countries in eastern and western Africa were pointed out and should be taken into consideration when facilitating activities. The Government of Uganda invited meeting participants to visit the laboratory of the Ministry of Water and Environment, Directorate of Water Resources Management in Entebbe, where the meteorological station is also operated. The present project is designed to be conducted through the initiative of participating countries, for the benefit of African countries

No abstract available

[en] Experimental results are reported for single crystals of In-21 and 22 at. percent Tl alloys: (1) The superelastic behavior associated with the Martensitic transformation, shape memory effect, and superelasticity in the martensite phase. (2) The strain rate dependence of the pseudoelastic behavior in the Martensite phase