[en] The tip echo interference method has made possible more precise crack height measurement. By using this method, we can easily distinguish tip echoes from others and determine crack heights as accurately as +- 0.2 mm as to simple-shaped cracks, and +- 1.0 mm as to complex ones. 3 refs

[en] A data processing device applied to a computed tomography system which examines a living body utilizing radiation of X-rays is disclosed. The X-rays which have penetrated the living body are converted into electric signals in a detecting section. The electric signals are acquired and converted from an analog form into a digital form in a data acquisition section, and then supplied to a matrix data-generating section included in the data processing device. By this matrix data-generating section are generated matrix data which correspond to a plurality of projection data. These matrix data are supplied to a partial sum-producing section. The partial sums respectively corresponding to groups of the matrix data are calculated in this partial sum-producing section and then supplied to an accumulation section. In this accumulation section, the final value corresponding to the total sum of the matrix data is calculated, whereby the calculation for image reconstruction is performed

[en] Dihydropyridine (DHP)receptor was purified from T-tubules isolated from freeze-thawed rabbit skeletal muscle after French press treatment of microsomal membranes. DHP receptor was labeled with 25 nM [³H]-(+)-PN-200-110 (PN, one of the most potent Ca-antagonists) and solubilized with 1% digitonin. The solubilized receptor was purified in the presence of protease inhibitors (0.1 mM PMSF, 1 mM iodoacetamide, 1μM pepstatin A, 1 mg/l antipain and 0.2 mM o-phenanthroline) using WGA-Sepharose and DEAE-Biogel A column chromatography as well as sucrose density gradient (SDG) centrifugation. The pooled fractions of the SDG had a maximum binding of 590 pmol/mg protein even without correcting for dissociation of PN from the receptors during purification. On SDS-PAGE, a single major band (191 K dalton) was shown both in presence and absence of 20 mM N-ethyl maleimide. However, two major (145 and 103 K dalton) a few minor bands (55,46,32 and 31K dalton) were obtained if the fraction was treated with 20 mM dithiothreitol prior to electrophoresis. The authors data suggest that 191 and 145 k dalton proteins correspond to the α-subunit of the DHP receptor as reported by Curtis and Catterall

[en] Fe/Bi artificially structured films (ASF's) have been prepared by alternate depositions of Fe and Bi in an ultrahigh vacuum. X-ray diffraction measurements in the small angle range confirmed the formation of periodic structures in all the samples prepared on glass substrates cooled down to about 125 K. The CEMS at room temperature indicated that the samples are ferromagnetic except the one with 2 A-thick Fe layers. The CEM spectra also indicated that the structure of Fe layers is amorphous when the Fe layer thicknesses are less than 15 A. Magnetization measurement and CEM spectrum at 6 K show that Fe monolayers in the Fe/Bi ASF are ferromagnetic. (orig.)

No abstract available

[en] This paper is overview on elastic and structural aspects of three distinct superlattices under hydrostatic pressure up to about 8GPa, which were studied by the authors' unique x-ray diffraction technique incorporated with a diamond-anvil cell. They are metallic fcc/fcc Au/Ni, bcc/fcc Mo/Ni, and semiconductive epitaxially-grown PbSe/SnSe superlattices. In their layer-stacking direction, both metallic superlattices show the supermodulus behavior while the semiconductive one doesn't. However, its pressure-driven cubic-to-orthorhombic phase transition, successively taking place in the SnSe and PbSe layers, has been found to significantly shift by stress due to its epitaxial growth

[en] The authors directly measured neutron-reaction-induced charges in the silicon surface region using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) test structures. Because the neutron beam used has an energy spectrum similar to that of sea-level atmospheric neutrons, the charge collection data correspond to those induced by cosmic ray neutrons. Measured charge collection spectra were dependent on the SOI thickness and agreed with simulated results. An application for the neutron-induced upset rate prediction was also discussed. Furthermore, the charge collection components were separated by the charge collection simulator

[en] Direct syntheses of pure sodium, potassium and mixed (Na, K) nano-sized microporous titanosilicates with pharmacosiderite structure are reported. The obtained samples are characterized in terms of their crystallite size, compositional and structural imperfections. The smallest in size grains of the pure K-form are mostly affected by the titanium shortage. Preliminary ²⁹Si MAS-NMR data for the as-synthesized materials are discussed and a structural model is proposed illustrating the deficiency of Ti being located towards the crystallites periphery. (authors)

[en] The discharge capacities of 148 mAh/g (87 % theoretical value) at C/10 and 114mAh/g at 5C between 2.0 and 4.5 V at 25 deg. C were achieved for the carbon composite LiMn_0.8Fe_0.2PO₄ (C-LiMn_0.8Fe_0.2PO₄) cathode material of lithium-ion batteries (LIB), synthesized by a hydrothermal and annealing process. To improve the battery properties, we investigated the characteristics of C-LiMn_1-xFe_xPO₄ powders (x = 0.2 and 1) and the delithiated compound. While it was easier to form the homogeneous carbon layer on the surface of LiFePO₄ particles from the pyrolysis of sucrose, there was a tendency to form the particulate carbon on the LiMn_0.8Fe_0.2PO₄ particles. The lattice distortion of Mn_0.8Fe_0.2PO₄ was revealed by electron charge density study because of the Jahn-Teller active Mn³⁺ ion associated with the phosphate ion. The surface and size of C- LiMn_0.8Fe_0.2PO₄ had to be modified because of these phenomena.

[en] Since 2002, researchers from Japan, the United States and Norway have been collaborating on the Ocean Abyssal Carbon Experiment (OACE) project. This paper presented information on the three year project. It presented a discussion of the high-pressure laboratory work, instrument development and theoretical and numerical modelling associated with field experiments. The purpose of the project is to conduct groundbreaking and challenging experiments to determine of the fate of carbon dioxide (CO₂) disposed onto the ocean floor. Several observations from small-scale CO₂ experiments at different depths conducted off the coast of California were presented. In the experiments, when the seawater velocity was sufficiently strong, parcels of liquid CO₂ were torn off and transported away as discrete units by the turbulent water current. Newly formed frazil hydrate was observed at the interface, occasionally including sediment particles in the deep experiment. In addition, hydrate collected and created a floating consolidated solid consisting of ice in the downstream end of the trough, dissolving slowly from one day to the next. It was concluded that these observations have significant implications for understanding and modelling of larger scale anthropogenic CO₂ disposal at the seafloor. 15 refs., 3 figs