Measurement of the average polarization of12B in the polarized-muon capture reaction12C(μ −,v μ)12B (g.s.)

The average polarization P_av of the recoil nucleus¹²B (ground state) produced by the polarized-muon capture reaction¹²C(^–,v )¹²B was measured by a new approach which involved the muon spin resonance, and the adoption of Grafoil as a carbon target where the polarization of¹² B can be preserved completely under 3 kG holding field. Our observed resultP _av=0.473±0.053 yields g_p/g_A=9.6 _–2.7 ^2.4 which seems to be consistent with the canonical PCAC prediction within the error.The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to the members of the Meson Science Laboratory and of the Van de Graaff Accerelator at Osaka University. They also acknowledge helpful discussions and suggestions given by Professors M. Morita, H. Ohtsubo and K. Kubodera. This work is supported by the Grant-in-Aid of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.     

Theμ + state under decoupling field observed by spin resonance method in CS2, water and benzene

The muon spin resonance method was applied to measure the ⁺ polarization corresponding to the muon state in diamagnetic compounds in CS₂, water and benzene under 3 kG decoupling field. We observed almost the same diamagnetic polarizations under decoupling field, compared to those at zero decoupling field observed under the transverse field, except in CS₂ The results indicate that most of the so called missing fraction is not associated with diamagnetic species produced as a final state of rapid chemical reactions of muonium in these samples.The authors acknowledge helpful discussions with Professor T. Yamazaki. This work is supported by the Grant-in-Aid of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.     

Fabrication of microbial chip using collagen gel microstructure

A microbial chip was fabricated by filling the micropores on a glass substrate with collagen-embedded Escherichia coli(E. coli) cells, and characterized by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in a solution containing ferricyanide. The activity of the E. coli cells in the collagen gel microstructure was imaged and characterized with SECM by mapping the localized concentration of ferrocyanide produced by the respiration of the cells. The SECM-based activity measurement detected as low as approximately 100 E. coli cells. Furthermore, the optical-microscopic observation indicated that the E. coli cells on the chip proliferated during the incubation. The sequential SECM measurements were performed for the same E. coli chip to obtain the microbial growth curve for a small number of microorganisms.     

Measurement of the average polarization of12B in the polarized-muon capture by12C: Magnitude of the induced pseudoscalar form factor

The average polarization of the nucleus¹²B (bound state) produced in the polarized-muon capture reaction¹²C(μ ^?,v _μ )¹²B was measured by the muon spin resonance method in a pulsed muon beam. The polarization of¹²B was maintained completely under a magnetic field of 3 kG in a Grafoil target. After the observed result was corrected for the contribution from the excited states of¹²B, P_av (ground state) was deduced to be 0.462±0.053. This result yieldsg _P /g _A =10.1 _?2.6 ^+2.4 , which is almost consistent with the PCAC prediction.     

Comparative Theoretical Study of Hyperfine Interactions of Muonium in A- and B-Form DNA

Muon Spin Relaxation (μSR) experiments in A- and B-form DNA have shown evidence for an enhanced electron mobility in the more closely-packed A-form. Besides dynamic effects (electronic diffusion) that could cause the observed difference in muon spin relaxation, one should also carefully examine the difference in the strengths of the hyperfine interactions of the muon (μ ⁺) with the moving electron in the two forms of DNA, since this could contribute to the observed difference in the muon spin relaxation rates as well. We have therefore investigated the (static) trapping properties of muon and muonium (μ ⁺ e ⁻) in A-form and B-form DNA from first-principles with the aim to understand how the different structural geometries of A- and B-form DNA can influence the hyperfine interaction of trapped muonium.     

The effect of the linking group on mesogenic properties of three‐ring derivatives of p‐carborane and biphenyl

Four series of mesogenic derivatives of p‐carborane (series A[0] and A[1]) and their benzene analogues (series B[0] and B[1]) with variable linking groups were prepared and investigated for phase behaviour. The data allowed a comparison of the effect of the group on the mesophase stability as a function of the adjacent ring (carborane or benzene), the variable central ring (carborane or benzene), and the presence of an oxygen atom in the terminal chain. The results showed that substitution of carborane for a benzene ring in B[m] depresses the clearing point by 50 K to 208 K and eliminates all smectic behaviour in A[m]. The carborane derivatives A[m] are weakly dependent (effectiveness of : –CH = CHCOO–～–COO–～–CH = CH–>–CH = N–～–CH₂CH₂–>–CONH–), whereas the benzene analogues B[m] are strongly dependent (effectiveness of : –CONH–>–CH = CH–>–CH = N–～–CH = CHCOO–>–COO–>–CH₂CH₂–) on the structure of the linking group . The difference in the effectiveness of the amide group on mesophase stability (ΔT _I = 208 K) has been attributed to the stabilizing intermolecular H‐bonding in B[m], which is prevented in A[m] by steric and electronic effects of the carborane cage on the carbonyl group.     

Probing interaction of paramagnetic electron with conduction electrons in high Tc superconductor LaSrCuO by (μ-O) spin relaxation

The paramagnetic (μ^-O) state formed at the oxygen site in high T_c LaSrCuO was used to probe an interaction between the localized moment of the paramagnetic electron and the conduction electrons via zero field μ^- spin relaxation. The enhanced relaxation rates consistently observed in the superconducting state of various Sr concentrations are explained as an effect of spin‐pairing in the high T_c supercurrent. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.