We report preliminary results on the analysis of the three-body Υ( 10860) → B Bπ, Υ(10860) → [B B * + c.c.]π and Υ(10860) → B * B * π decays including an observation of the Υ(10860) → Z ± b (10610)π ∓ → [B B * + c.c.] ± π ∓ and Υ(10860) → Z ± b (10650)π ∓ → [B * B * ] ± π ∓ decays as intermediate channels. We measure branching fractions of the three-body decays to be B(Υ(10860) → [B B * + c.c.] ± π ∓ ) = (28.3 ± 2.9 ± 4.6) × 10 −3 and B(Υ(10860) → [B * B * ] ± π ∓ ) = (14.1 ± 1.9 ± 2.4) × 10 −3 and set 90% C.L. upper limit B(Υ(10860) → [B B] ± π ∓ ) < 4.0 × 10 −3 . We also report results on the amplitude analysis of the three-body Υ(10860) → Υ(nS)π + π − , n = 1, 2, 3 decays and the analysis of the internal structure of the three-body Υ(10860) → h b (mP )π + π − , m = 1, 2 decays. The results are based on a 121.4 fb −1 data sample collected with the Belle detector at a center-of-mass energy near the Υ(10860).

We report the experimental results of dielectric relaxation spectroscopy for the systems of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) [PNiPAM] in various solvents in the frequency range of 40 kHz to 20 GHz at the solution temperature of 25.0 °C. The solvents used in this study were protic solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol) and aprotic solvents (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and dimethyl sulfoxide). Two relaxation processes were observed at frequencies of approximately 1 MHz and 10 GHz in all the solutions. The origins of the two relaxation processes are considered to be the reorientation of dipoles of the PNiPAM chains at middle frequencies (m-process) and that of solvent molecules at higher frequencies (h-process). For the PNiPAM solutions composed of protic solvents except for 1-propanol, the relaxation time of the h-process increased with increasing PNiPAM concentration, whereas that of the h-process for the 1-propanol decreased with increasing PNiPAM concentration. In contrast, the relaxation times of the h-process for the aprotic solvents were independent of the density of hydrogen-bonding sites. For the m-process, which is attributed to the local chain motion of PNiPAM, the extrapolated relaxation time to zero polymer concentration τ(m0) was scaled by the solvent viscosity for all the protic solvents, whereas for the aprotic solvents τ(m0) showed no correlation with the solvent viscosity. The dynamics of polymer chains and solvent molecules in their solution state are clarified in terms of cooperative motion, which is associated with the interactions through hydrogen bonding at the molecular level.

Routine surface meteorological data at three weather stations in Japan, i.e., Wajima (sea shore), Matsumoto (inland), and Nikko (inland), were analyzed in order to obtain the relationship between the occurrence of the types of precipitation of snow, sleet, and rain on the ground and surface meteorological elements. The results indicate that the types of precipitation were dependent on surface relative humidity as well as surface air temperature. Even at the same air temperature, the precipitation types varied depending on humidity, and that critically. Two critical humidities were recognized at a given air temperature and the precipitation types were characterized by these critical humidities. Below a lower critical humidity, precipitations were all snow. Within some range above the critical humidity, they could be snow, sleet, or rain. Above a higher critical humidity on the top of the range, only rains were observed. These facts suggest that melting of snowflakes proceeds rapidly at higher relative humidity.From statistical analyses, two critical humidities for snow and rain (%) were obtained as a function of surface air temperature (*).The obtained relations at each station were as follows:, RHcri (snow) = -7.5T+93, RHcri (rain) =46*6.2 -T , Wajima RHcri (snow)=-7.3T+96, RHcri (rain)=39*7.2-T, Matsumoto RHcri (snow)=-6.2T+91, RHcri (rain)=43*6.8-T, Nikkowhere RHcri (snow) is a lower critical humidity and RHcri (rain) a higher critical one. The relations for snow are hardly different among the observation stations, but those for rain are different. The difference of the relations for rain suggests that the size and density of snowflakes are different from station to station and that the difference affects the speed of the generation of raindrops due to melting. The non-difference of the relations for snow, on the other hand, suggests that the, difference in physical properties of snowflakes does not exert any influence on the relations for snow.Sleet was obtained in the transition region surrounded by two relations for snow and rain and its occurrence was associated with high precipitation rate together with air temperature and humidity.These analytical results are explained well using the calculated results previously obtained by Matsuo and Sasyo (1981,a).

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Devastating natural disasters and their aftermath are known to cause psychological distress. However, little information is available regarding suicide rates following tsunami disasters that destroy regional social services and networks. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the tsunami disaster following the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 has influenced suicide rates. The study period was from March 2009 to February 2014. Tsunami disaster-stricken areas were defined as the 16 municipalities facing the Pacific Ocean in Miyagi Prefecture. Inland areas were defined as other municipalities in Miyagi that were damaged by the earthquake. Suicide rates in the tsunami disasterstricken areas were compared to national averages, using a time-series analysis and the Poisson distribution test. In tsunami disaster-stricken areas, male suicide rates were significantly lower than the national average during the initial post-disaster period and began to increase after two years. Likewise, male suicide rates in the inland areas decreased for seven months, and then increased to exceed the national average. In contrast, female post-disaster suicide rates did not change in both areas compared to the national average. Importantly, the male suicide rates in the inland areas started to increase earlier compared to the tsunami-stricken areas, which may reflect the relative deficiency of mental healthcare services in the inland areas. Considering the present status that many survivors from the tsunami disaster still live in temporary housing and face various challenges to rebuild their lives, we should continue intensive, long-term mental healthcare services in the tsunami-stricken areas.