B^0-\bar B^0 Mixing in Gauge-Higgs Unification

We discuss flavor mixing and resulting Flavor Changing Neutral Current (FCNC) in a five dimensional SU(3)_color \otimes SU(3) \otimes U'(1) gauge-Higgs unification. Flavor mixing is realized by the fact that the bulk and brane localized mass terms are not diagonalized simultaneously. As the concrete FCNC processes, we calculate the rate of B^0_d-\bar B^0_d mixing and B^0_s-\bar B^0_s mixing due to the exchange of non-zero Kaluza-Klein gluons at the tree level. We obtain a lower bound on the compactification scale of order O(TeV) by comparing our prediction on the mass difference of neutral B meson with the recent experimental data.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1103.5980 [hep-ph

An all ambient, room-temperature processed solar cell from a bare silicon wafer

大気中かつ室温での太陽電池の作製を実現 --低コストで簡便に太陽電池の製造が可能に--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-03-15.Solar cells charging forward: Realizing the potential of creating silicon-based photovoltaics at room temperature. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-04-11.Solar cells are a promising optoelectronic device for the simultaneous solution of energy-resource and environmental problems. However, their high cost and slow, laborious production process so far severely hinder a sufficient widespread of clean, renewable photovoltaic energy as a major alternative electricity generator. This undesirable situation is mainly attributed to the fact that photovoltaic devices have been manufactured through a series of vacuum and high-temperature processes. Here we realize a PEDOT:PSS/Si heterojunction solar cell fabricated only in ambient and room-temperature conditions from a plain Si wafer, with an over-10% energy conversion efficiency. Our production scheme is based on our finding that PEDOT:PSS photovoltaic layers actively operate even on highly doped Si substrates, which substantially mitigates the condition requirements for electrode implementation. Our approach may pave the way for facile, low-cost, high-throughput solar cell fabrication, useful in various fields even including developing countries and educational sites

Influence of Years of Experience on Clinical Competence of Novice Physical and Occupational Therapists in Japan

Purpose: To increase the clinical competence of novice physical and occupational therapists, an accurate assessment of their clinical competence is necessary. However, no previous study has objectively analyzed the changes in novice therapists’ clinical competence in Japan. Hence, this study investigated and evaluated the changes in the clinical competence of such therapists using an objective analysis. Method: The study included 34 novice therapists with 1–3 years of experience in clinical practice. Participants were divided into groups according to their years of experience. The clinical competence of the novice therapists was evaluated twice using a clinical competency evaluation scale. For comparison among the 3 groups, the scores of the first evaluation were used. For comparison within each experience-year, the scores from both evaluations were used. Results: A comparison of the 3 groups showed that therapists with 3 years of clinical experience had significantly higher clinical competence than therapists with 1 year of clinical experience. Between the first and second evaluations, all therapists with 1 year of clinical experience demonstrated increased scores, whereas scores decreased by approximately 50% for therapists with 2–3 years of clinical experience. Conclusion: These findings suggest that it is necessary to increase educational opportunities for therapists with 2−3 years of clinical experience and re-examine the content of their education and training

Frugivorous Bird Distribution in Relation to Fruit Abundance of Forests in The Japan Sea Coast Side of Central Japan

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科Promoting Environmental Pesearch in Pan-Japan Sea Area : Young Researchers\u27 Network, Schedule: March 8-10,2006,Kanazawa Excel Hotel Tokyu, Japan, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program, Environmental Monitoring and Prediction of Long- & Short- Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area ; IICRC(Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre), Sponsors : Japan Sea Research ; UNU-IAS(United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies)+Ishikawa Prefecture Government ; City of Kanazaw

Technical Note: Solid Wood Properties of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis Planted for Pulpwood Production in Thailand

Solid wood properties of two Eucalyptus camaldulensis clones (clone A and clone B), derived from different pulp and paper companies and planted in Thailand for pulpwood production, were investigated to evaluate the possibility for lumber production. Clone A had significantly higher Young's modulus, greater density, and straighter grain compared with clone B. These results suggest that some clones may have more favorable properties for lumber production than others. Thus, wood properties should be included in clonal trials and early testing of this species

Associations of CT evaluations of antigravity muscles, emphysema and airway disease with longitudinal outcomes in patients with COPD

Multiple CT indices are associated with disease progression and mortality in patients with COPD, but which indices have the strongest association remain unestablished. This longitudinal 10-year observational study (n=247) showed that the emphysema severity on CT is more closely associated with the progression of airflow limitation and that a reduction in the cross-sectional area of erector spinae muscles (ESMCSA) on CT is more closely associated with mortality than the other CT indices, independent of patient demographics and pulmonary function. ESMCSA is a useful CT index that is more closely associated with long-term mortality than emphysema and airway disease in patients with COPD