The Nuclear Emulsion Technology and the Analysis of the OPERA Experiment Data

OPERA is an experiment that aims at detecting the appearance of tau-neutrino in an almost pure mu-neutrino beam (the CNGS neutrino beam) through oscillation. OPERA is a hybrid detector that associates nuclear emulsions to electronic detectors. The nuclear emulsion provides the resolution necessary to detect tau-neutrino CC interactions. The first physics run started in July and ended in November 2008. In this presentation, the status of the emulsion technology and of the analysis of its data is reported.Comment: 6 pages, 16 Postscript figures, To be published in the proceedings of DPF-2009, Detroit, MI, July 2009, eConf C09072

Rheological Study of Transient Networks with Junctions of Limited Multiplicity

Viscoelastic and thermodynamic properties of transient gels comprised of telechelic polymers are theoretically studied. We extend classical theories of transient networks so that correlations among polymer chains through the network junctions are taken into account. This extension enables us to investigate how rheological quantities, such as viscosity and elastic modulus, are affected by the association equilibrium conditions, and how these quantities are related to the aggregation number of junctions. We present a theoretical model of transient networks with junctions comprised of variable number of hydrophobic groups on the chain ends. Elastically effective chains are defined as the chains whose both ends are associated with end groups on other chains. It is shown that the dynamic shear moduli are well described in terms of the Maxwell model characterized by a single relaxation time and the high-frequency plateau modulus as in the classical theories, but the reduced dynamic shear moduli depend on the polymer concentration and temperature through the reduced concentration c given as a combination of the association constant and the volume fraction of end groups. The plateau modulus and the zero-shear viscosity rise nonlinearly with increasing c when c is small, but they are proportional to c for higher c. The relaxation time also increases as c increases due to the presence of pairwise junctions at small c.Comment: 24 pages, 17 figure

Dust and Molecules in Early Galaxies: Prediction and Strategy for Observations

The interplay between dust and molecules is of fundamental importance in early galaxy evolution. First we present the prediction for the dust emission from forming galaxies. Then we discuss the observational strategy for molecules in early galaxies by infrared absorption lines of a bright continuum source behind the clouds. By combining these two approaches, we will be able to have a coherent picture of the very early stage of galaxy evolution.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the proceedings of `Hunt for Molecules', IA

Economic Slowdown in Japan and the Role of Intangible Assets on the Revitalization of the Japanese Economy

The Japanese economy has stagnated since the economic bubble collapsed in 1990. The paper points out two reasons for the long-term stagnation of the Japanese economy: the slow growth in capital accumulation including ICT assets and the decline of entrepreneurship. In the advanced countries, intangible assets play a crucial role in the growth at the aggregate and firm levels. To revitalize the Japanese economy, we need policies which promote accumulation in intangible assets.bubble, non-performing loans, ICT investment, MFP, intangible investment