Observation of B(s)(0) → D(s)(*)+ D(s)(*)- using e+ e- collisions and a determination of the B(s)-B(s) width difference ΔΓ(s)

We have made the first observation of B(s)(0)→D(s)(*)+ D(s)(*)- decays using 23.6 fb(-1) of data recorded by the Belle experiment running on the Υ(5S) resonance. The branching fractions are measured to be B(B(s)(0)→D(s)+ D(s)-)=(1.03(-0.32-0.25)(+0.39+0.26))%, B(B(s)(0)→D(s)(*±) D(s)(?))=(2.75(-0.71)(+0.83)±0.69)%, and B(B(s)(0)→D(s)*+ D(s)*-)=(3.08(-1.04-0.86)(+1.22+0.85))%; the sum is B[B(s)(0)→D(s)(*)+ D(s)(*)-]=(6.85(-1.30-1.80)(+1.53+1.79))%. Assuming B(s)(0)→D(s)(*)+ D(s)(*)- saturates decays to CP-even final states, the branching fraction determines the ratio ΔΓ(s)/cosφ, where ΔΓ(s) is the difference in widths between the two B(s)-B(s) mass eigenstates, and φ is a CP-violating weak phase. Taking CP violation to be negligibly small, we obtain ΔΓ(s)/Γ(s)=0.147(-0.030)(+0.036)(stat)(-0.041)(+0.042)(syst), where Γ(s) is the mean decay width.     

Low tropospheric wind measurement with Mie Doppler Lidar

A double edge Mie Doppler lidar at 1064 nm was developed in Hefei, China in 2005 for low tropospheric wind measurement. Intercomparison experiments with a wind profiler and a wiresonde were held. Intercomparisons of concurrent lidar and other instrument observations show good agreement with expected measurement accuracy. The examples of validated lidar wind profiles obtained during these experiments as well as an example of continuous wind observations are presented. The instrument has demonstrated the capability of atmospheric wind field measurement from 0.2 to 5 km altitude, achieving below 2 m/s accuracy with 1 min averaging and 21.2 m vertical resolution.     

Etching Characteristics and Mechanisms of Mo and Al2O3 Thin Films in O2/Cl2/Ar Inductively Coupled Plasmas: Effect of Gas Mixing Ratios

An investigation of etching behaviors for Mo and Al₂O₃ thin films in O₂/Cl₂/Ar inductively coupled plasmas at constant gas pressure (6 mTorr), input power (700 W) and bias power (200 W) was carried out. It was found that an increase in Ar mixing ratio for Cl₂/Ar plasma results in non-monotonic etching rates with the maximums of 160 nm/min at 60 % Ar for Mo and 27 nm/min at 20 % Ar for Al₂O₃. The addition of O₂ in the Cl₂/Ar plasma causes the non-monotonic Mo etching rate (max. 320 nm/min at 40–45 % O₂) while the Al₂O₃ etching rate decreases monotonically. The model-based analysis of etching kinetics allows one to relate the non-monotonic etching rates in Cl₂/Ar plasma to the change in the etching regime from the ion-flux-limited mode (at low Ar mixing ratios) to the neutral-flux-limited mode (for high Ar mixing ratios). In the Cl₂/O₂/Ar plasma, the non-monotonic Mo etching rate is probably due to the change in reaction probability.     

Regulation of Cytokines and Dihydrotestosterone Production in Human Hair Follicle Papilla Cells by Supercritical Extraction-Residues Extract of Ulmus davidiana

This study was conducted to examine the anti-hair loss mechanism of the supercritical fluid extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana by the regulation of cytokine production and hormone function in human dermal follicle papilla cells (HDFPCs). To investigate the modulatory effects on H₂O₂-induced cytokines, we measured transforming growth factor-beta and insulin-like growth factor 1 secreted from HDFPCs. To investigate the regulatory effects of supercritical extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana on dihydrotestosterone hormone production, cells were co-incubated with high concentrations of testosterone. The supercritical extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana significantly inhibited the secretion of transforming growth factor-beta but rescued insulin-like growth factor 1 in a dose-dependent manner. The supercritical extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana markedly reduced dihydrotestosterone production. These results suggest that the supercritical fluid extract residues of Ulmus davidiana and their functional molecules are candidates for preventing human hair loss.     

Holography of massive M2-brane theory: non-linear extension

We investigate the gauge/gravity duality between the \(\mathcal{N} = 6\) mass-deformed ABJM theory with \(\hbox {U}_k(N)\times \hbox {U}_{-k}(N)\) gauge symmetry and the 11-dimensional supergravity on LLM geometries with SO(2,1)\(\times \)SO(4)/\({\mathbb {Z}}_k\) \(\times \)SO(4)/\({\mathbb {Z}}_k\) isometry, in terms of a KK holography, which involves quadratic order field redefinitions. We establish the quadratic order KK mappings for various gauge invariant fields in order to obtain the canonical 4-dimensional gravity equations of motion and to reduce the LLM solutions to an asymptotically AdS\(_4\) gravity solutions. The non-linearity of the KK maps indicates that we can observe the true purpose of the non-linear KK holography of the LLM solutions. We read the vacuum expectation value of conformal dimension two operator from the asymptotically AdS\(_4\) gravity solutions. For the LLM solutions which are represented by square-shaped Young diagrams, we compare the vacuum expectation value obtained from the holographic procedure with the result obtained from the field theory, which is given by \(\langle \mathcal{O}^{(\Delta =2)}\rangle =\sqrt{k}N^{\frac{3}{2}}f_{(\Delta =2)}+\mathcal{O}(N)\), where \(f_{\Delta }\) is independent of N. Based on this result, we examine the gauge/gravity duality in the large N limit and finite k. We also show that the vacuum expectation values of the massive KK graviton modes are vanishing as expected by the supersymmetry.     

Investigation of the transverse beam dynamics in the thermal wave model with a functional method

We investigated the transverse beam dynamics in a thermal wave model by using a functional method. It can describe the beam optical elements separately with a kernel for a component. The method can be applied to general quadrupole magnets beyond a thin lens approximation as well as drift spaces. We found that the model can successfully describe the PARMILA simulation result through an FODO lattice structure for the Gaussian input beam without space charge effects.     

Direct observation of dispersive Kondo resonance peaks in a heavy-fermion system

Ce 4d-4f resonant angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy was carried out to study the electronic structure of strongly correlated Ce 4f electrons in a quasi-two-dimensional nonmagnetic heavy-fermion system CeCoGe1.2Si0.8. For the first time, dispersive coherent peaks of an f state crossing the Fermi level, the so-called Kondo resonance, are directly observed together with the hybridized conduction band. Moreover, the experimental band dispersion is quantitatively in good agreement with a simple hybridization-band picture based on the periodic Anderson model. The obtained physical quantities, i.e., coherent temperature, Kondo temperature, and mass enhancement, are comparable to the results of thermodynamic measurements. These results manifest an itinerant nature of Ce 4f electrons in heavy-fermion systems and clarify their microscopic hybridization mechanism.     

Preparation and characterization of carbamoylphosphonate(CMPO) silane grafted on various mesoporous silicas

The carbamoylphosphosphonate silane (CMPO analogue; 2-(diphenylphosphoryl)-N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl) acetamide) modified mesoporous silica was prepared via a post-synthesis grafting method for the effective purification of rare earth elements. The guest CMPO analogue was synthesized by direct coupling reaction of 2-(diphenylphosphoryl) acetic acid and 3-(triethoxysilyl)propan-1-amine. Various mesoporous silicates such as MCM-41, SBA-15, or amorphous silica nanoparticles were adopted as host materials. The resulting surface-modified mesoporous materials were characterized with respect to their structural integrity, surface area, and pore size and the concentration of the CMPO silane species. These CMPO functionalized periodic mesostructured silicates offer the potential of applications as catalysts, sensors, or environmental sorbents.     

Glucose-Responsive Monoolein Cubic Phase Containing Glucose Oxidase

Glucose-responsive monoolein (MO) cubic phase was prepared by immobilizing proteinoid composed of Asp and Leu (PAL) and hydrophobically modified glucose oxidase (HmGOD) onto the MO bilayers. The hydrodynamic mean diameter of PAL aggregate in aqueous solution decreased with increasing the pH value. The number of pamitic acid residue per one molecule of HmGOD was determined to be 6.3 by a calorimetric method. HmGOD could acidify glucose solution in a few hours, possibly because it converted glucose to gluconic acid. PAL- and HmGOD-immobilized MO cubic phase was prepared by hydrating MO melt with the mixture aqueous solution of PAL and HmGOD. The cubic phase exhibited its phase transition around 62.5°C, determined by polarizing microscopy. The release of carboxylic fluorescein (CF) from the cubic phase was suppressed when the pH value of release medium decreased, possibly because PAL can aggregate more at a lower pH value. The release was suppressed when glucose concentration increased, possibly because the release medium can be more acidified and PAL will be more aggregated at a higher glucose concentration. The cubic phase could be used as a drug carrier which releases its content in a sustained manner when the glucose concentration is abnormally high.     

Identification of rat urinary glycoproteome captured by three lectins using gel and LC-based proteomics

Many different types of urine proteome studies have been done, but urine glycoprotein studies are insufficient. Therefore, we studied the glycoproteins from rat urine, which could be used to identify biomarkers in an animal model. First, urinary proteins were prepared by using the dialysis and lyophilizing methods from rat urine. Glycoproteins enriched with lectin affinity purification, concanavalin A, jacalin and wheat germ agglutinin from the urinary proteins were separated by means of reverse-phase fast protein LC (FPLC) or 1-D PAGE. Each FPLC fraction and 1-D PAGE gel band were trypsin-digested and analyzed by means of nanoLC-MS/MS. LC-MS/MS analyses were carried out by using linear ion trap MS. A total of 318 rat urinary glycoproteins were identified from the FPLC fractions and gel bands; approximately 90% of identified proteins were confirmed as glycoproteins in Swiss-Prot. Many glycoproteins, known as biomarkers, including C-reactive protein, uromodulin, amyloid beta A4 protein, alpha-1-inhibitor 3, vitamin D-binding protein, kallikrein 3 and fetuin-A were identified in this study. By studying urinary glycoproteins collected from rat, these results may help to assist in identifying urinary biomarkers regarding various types of disease models.