Tuning Neutron Resonance Spin-Echo Spectrometers with Pulsed Beams

The neutron spin-echo spectroscopy technique involving pulsed beams can be used to effectively access a wide range of space-time correlations of condensed matter. In this study, the features of this technique, in particular, the modulation of the intensity with zero effort (MIEZE) by using pulsed beams, which is based on the quantum-state manipulation of the neutron spin and energy, are comprehensively examined. A formulation of the MIEZE combined with the time of flight method (TOF MIEZE) is established by considering the characteristics of the pulsed neutron beams. Moreover, a parameter, namely, the detuning parameter, is introduced as a measure of the magnitude of detuning from the optimized instrumental state, known as the spin-echo condition. The phase and frequency shifts of the neutron intensity signals resulting from the TOF MIEZE under various configurations are investigated systematically. It is found that the detuning parameter equals the derivative of phase with respect to the TOF, whose zero-point corresponds to the spin-echo condition. The theoretical predictions on phase and frequency shifts by the established formulation are well validated by the experiments using an intense pulsed neutron source. The detuning parameter helps clarify the principle of the TOF MIEZE technique and can provide practical guidance regarding the implementation and optimization of spectrometers

Geometry and Internal Structures of Flexural Folds (Ⅰ) Folding of a Single Competent Layer Enclosed in Thick Incompetent Layer

Some problems on folding of a single competent layer enclosed in thick incompetent layer, with regard to the variation in competency difference between the related rocks, have been examined on natural flexural folds, i. e., folds of quartz-rich layers in pelitic schist in the Kune district and the Oboke district, folds of quartz-rich layers in psammitic schist in the Oboke district, and folds of psammitic schist in pelitic schist in the Oboke district. Shape and orientation of the strain ellipsoid of mean strain of small domain in the Oboke and the Kune district, at the time when the buckle folding of competent layers and the cleaving (the formation of strain-slip cleavage) of incompetent matrix in that domain occurred, have been determined. The strain-slip cleavage in the incompetent matrix is correlated with the plane normal to the direction of maximum shortening, i. e., the principal plane XY of the mean strain ellipsoid. Geometric relationships between the strain ellipsoid of mean strain of a domain and geometric elements of buckle folds have been examined, especially where the enveloping surfaces of folded competent layers are inclined at angles of between 50° and 60° to the principal plane XY. At the initial stage of folding the axial surface shows a tendency to be normal to the layer being folded. For some folds the axial surfaces are completely rotated toward the principal plane XY when the interlimb angle becomes 90°-100°, but for some other folds they remain normal to the layer even when the interlimb angle becomes 700-80°. When the interlimb angle becomes smaller than 70-80°, the axial surfaces of all folds tend to rotate toward the principal plane XY. Although geometric relationship between the fold axes and the mean strain ellipsoid has not been strictly determined, the former does not appear to lie on the principal plane XY. The intensity of folding of competent layers, which is estimated by interlimb angle, is maximum for the layers parallel to the schistosity of the incompetent matrix and to the principal axis Z, and minimum for those normal to the schistosity and parallel to the axis Z, that showing the competency difference between different directions in the incompetent matrix, that is, the maximum competency in a direction parallel to the schistosity and the minimum in a direction normal to it. It has been clarified that for the folds of quartz-rich layers in pelitic schist of the Kune district and the Oboke district and those in psammitic schist of the Oboke district a linear relationship exists between the length of arc (L) and the thickness of the quartz-rich layer (T). In the former cases, the average L/T ratios are 14.9 (Kune) and 16.2 (Oboke), and the minimum L/T ratios are 9.1 and 11.6, while in the latter case the average L/T ratio is 11.6 and the minimum L/T ratio 5.8, respectively. Folds of psammitic layers in pelitic schist show frequently L/T ratios smaller than 1.00. On the assumption that during the folding pelitic schist, psammitic schist and quartz-rich layer behaved mechanically as Newtonian substance, the ratios of viscosity coefficient between those rocks have been esti-mated by using the average L/T ratios according to the wavelength equation of BIOT (1961). In the Oboke district, the viscosity ratio between the quartz-rich layer and the psammitic schist is ca. 38, that between the quartz-rich layer and the pelitic schist ca. 102, and that between the psammitic schist and the pelitic schist ca. 3 (indirectly estimated). In the Kune district, the viscosity ratio between the quart-rich layer and the pelitic schist is ca. 80. The relationship between the mechanisms of buckle folding and the internal structures, between the folding mechanisms and the viscosity ratios of the related rocks and between the folding mechanisms and the orientational relation of the buckled layer to the mean strain ellipsoid of the domain concerned have also been examined. Internal structure of buckle fold appears to be commonly characterized by the cleavage which is correlated with the principal plane XY of mean strain ellipsoid at any position of the fold. When buckled competent layer is a schistose rock, the cleavage is referred to the type of strain-slip cleavage, while for non-schistose rock it is referred to the type of flow cleavage. The strain pictures developed during the buckle folding of competent layers which arc parallel or subparallel to the principal axis Y (the intermediate axis = constant) have been classified into the following five types; Type I — the neutral axis is located at or near the middle part of fold knee, and the part of no-distortion is further developed at the inflection point and on the outermost side of the limbs. The principal axes X (the maximum extension axis) and Z(the maximum contraction axis) arc oriented normal to the fold axis. Type II — the neutral axis is developed at the outermost part of fold knee, and the part of no-distortion is rarely developed on the limbs. The principal axes X and Z are oriented normal to the fold axis, and the principal axis X is radially arranged through the fold. Type III — the neutral axis is not developed within the layer. The principal axes X and Z are oriented normal to the fold axis, though at the outermost part of fold knee X = Y. The principal axis X is radially arranged through the fold. Type IV— the neutral axis is not developed within the layer. At any position of the fold the mean strain ellipsoid is of the triaxial type. The principal axes X and Z arc oriented normal to the fold axis. The principal axis X is radially arranged through the fold. Type V —although the strain picture of this type may be essentially the same as that of Type IV, the angle β (angular deviation of the principal axis X beween both limbs) for the former is much smaller than that for the latter. The change of the strain picture from Type I to Type V corresponds to the decrease of the angle β. The strain pictures of Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV and Type V are never the end member. The folds of quartz-rich layers in politic schist of the Kune district show the strain pictures of Type I, Type II and Type III, while those in psammitic schist show the strain pictures of Type II, Type III and Type IV. The folds of psammitic layers in pelitic schist show the strain picture of Type V. A definite relationship exists between the mechanisms of folding and the viscosity ratios of the related rocks, that is, the change of the strain picture from Type I to Type V corresponds to the decrease in the viscosity ratio, that showing a good agreement with RAMBERG'S theory (1964). Namely, the decrease of viscosity ratio of the related rocks corresponds to the increase of distance of between the neutral axis and the bottom surface of fold knee of the competent layer, and to the decrease of the angle β, when compared between the folds with the same inter-limb angle and the same initial thickness of layer. It has been pointed out that, if any fold is characterized the fan-like arrangement of cleavage with downward convergence, buckling instability played in general the by important role in the development of the fold. The nature of change of layer-thickness due to buckling has also been examined. For folds which show orthorhombic or near orthorhombic symmetry and larger interlimb angles, the competent layers show generally a tendency to be thickened at all positions of the folds and the amount of thickening appears to be maximum at the fold knee and minimum at the inflection point. The nature of change of layer-thickness due to buckling appears to be closely related to the type of strain picture (Type I to Type V) which is controlled by the viscosity ratio of the related rocks: with respect to the whole amount of layer shortening, the amount of layer thickening at the fold knee and the inflection point, and the difference in the amount of layer thickening between these two positions, Type I <Type II<Type III <Type IV <Type V, when compared between the folds with the same interlimb angle. Roughly speaking, the layer shortening due to the folding (interlimb angle = ca. 65°), which is characterized by the formation of the strain picture of Type I, may be less than ca. 10 per cent. That due to the folding for the strain picture of Type II may be between ca. 10 per cent and ca. 15 per cent. And, that due to the folding for the strain picture of Type IV—Type V may be larger than ca. 15 per Cent. For the fold of competent layer, therefore, the present length of arc is not always equal to the initial fold wavelength. From the measurement of the layer shortening for the folds of quartz-rich layers in the Kune district and the Oboke district, the average L/T ratios and the viscosity ratios between the related rocks have been re-estimated

Concentration dependence of diffusion coefficients for supercritical carbon dioxide + naphthalene system

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科生産プロセスThe concentration dependence of diffusion coefficients for naphthalene in supercritical carbon dioxide at 308.2K was measured by a pseudo steady-state solid dissolution method. The experimental diffusion coefficients were compared with the calculated results by the Darken equation including a thermodynamic factor and tracer diffusion coefficients of supercritical carbon dioxide and naphthalene. The thermodynamic factor in the Darken equation was determined by using several cubic equations of state. The calculated results by the Darken equation represent the concentration dependence of the experimental diffusion coefficients. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Vonoprazan prevents ulcer recurrence during long-term NSAID therapy: randomised, lansoprazole-controlled non-inferiority and single-blind extension study

Objective To assess the non-inferiority of vonoprazan to lansoprazole for secondary prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced peptic ulcer (PU) and the safety of vonoprazan during extended use.Design A phase 3, 24-week, multicenter, randomised, double-blind (DB), active-controlled study, followed by a phase 3, ≥28 week, multicenter, single-blind, parallel-group extension study (EXT) in outpatients (n=642) receiving long-term NSAID therapy who are at risk of PU recurrence. The patients received vonoprazan (10 mg or 20 mg) or lansoprazole 15 mg once daily. For DB, non-inferiority of the proportion of patients with recurrent PU within 24 weeks was analysed by Farrington and Manning test (significance level 2.5%, non-inferiority margin 8.3%; primary endpoint), recurrent PU within 12 weeks, bleeding and time-to-event of PU (secondary endpoint) and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). For EXT, TEAEs (primary endpoint), recurrent PU and safety (secondary) were assessed up to 104 weeks for patients in the extension study.Results The non-inferiority of vonoprazan 10 mg and 20 mg to lansoprazole 15 mg was verified (percentage difference –2.2%,95% CI –6.2% to 1.8%, p<0.001; –2.1%,95% CI –6.1% to 2.0%, p<0.001, respectively). The proportion of patients with endoscopically confirmed recurrent PU within 24 weeks was 3.3%, 3.4% and 5.5%, for vonoprazan 10 mg, 20 mg and lansoprazole 15 mg, respectively. No significant safety concerns were identified.Conclusion The non-inferiority of vonoprazan (10 and 20 mg) was verified in patients receiving long-term NSAIDs in DB; it was effective and well tolerated in EXT for longer than 1 year, with a safety profile similar to lansoprazole (15 mg)

Negative Correlation between Serum Cytokine Levels and Cognitive Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Evidence suggests that cytokines may be one of the major factors influencing cognitive development in those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To shed light on the neural and cognitive mechanisms of ASD, we investigated the association between peripheral cytokine levels and cognitive profiles in children with ASD. The serum levels of 10 cytokines (granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α) were examined in 14 children with ASD using the Human Ultrasensitive Cytokine Magnetic 10-Plex Panel for the Luminex platform. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) was administered to each subject, and the relationships between WISC scores and serum levels of the cytokines were examined. The full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) was significantly negatively correlated with the levels of IL-6 (Spearman’s rank, p < 0.0001, false discovery rate q < 0.01). The levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ showed significant negative correlations with the verbal comprehension index (p < 0.001, q < 0.01) and working memory index (p < 0.01, q < 0.05), respectively. No other cytokines were significantly correlated with full-scale IQ or with any of the subscale scores of the WISC. The present results suggest negative correlations of IL-6 and IFN-γ levels with cognitive development of children with ASD. Our preliminary findings add to the evidence that cytokines may play a role in the neural development in ASD.ArticleJOURNAL OF INTELLIGENCE. 5(2):19 (2017)journal articl

Microflora and Selected Metabolites of Potato Pulp Fermented with an Indonesian Starter Ragi Tapé

When potato pulp was mixed with Indonesian starter ragi tapé and incubated, both lactic acid and ethanol were gradually formed and attained certain concentrations during 2 days of fermentation. Viable counts of fungi in fresh weight matter, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria after fermentation were 105, 107 and 105 CFU/g, respectively. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of the PCR-amplified internal transcribed spacer of 18S–28S rRNA genes detected Amylomyces rouxii-Rhizopus oryzae, Mucor indicus, Candida tropicalis and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and revealed that Amylomyces rouxii-Rhizopus oryzae dominated throughout the fermentation period. Amylomyces rouxii cannot be discriminated from the lactic acid-accumulating group of Rhizopus oryzae because the amplified sequences of these fungi were shown to be identical. Morphological characteristics were then studied for Rhizopus-like fungi isolated from fermented potato pulp. Those strains that had produced an enormous number of chlamydospores in the aerial and substrate mycelium were identified as Amylomyces rouxii. The microflora of fermented potato pulp was similar to that made from glutinous rice, namely tapé ketan