An increase in biologically active solar ultraviolet-B radiation has been reported in the middle latitude of the southern and northern hemispheres during the past decade due to stratospheric ozone depletion. The effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on the human body are described with action spectra such as DNA damage, sunburn and hazard to the eyes. Distinctly different properties of solar ultraviolet-B and ultraviolet-A radiation are compared with daily and seasonal variations. The diffuse characteristic of ultraviolet radiation is also discussed. In relation to protection from solar ultraviolet radiation for the human body, solar ultraviolet irradiances measured are presented in typical outdoor environments showing the usefulness of the shade of a tree, a cap and/or a hat.

Study of health effects on atomic bomb survivors has been conducted for more than 50 years by the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, a cooperative Japan-United States research organization. The central finding of the atomic bomb study is an increase in cancer risk with exposed radiation dose. Besides the well-known increase of leukemia, there also have been demonstrated increases in solid cancer, such as cancer of the lung, breast, stomach, and thyroid. For heritable effects of radiation in the offspring of the survivors, to date, not as ingle one of the many end points has shown a significant effect. Studies on those exposed in utero at the time of bombing show frequencies of small head circumference and severe mental retardation increase with an increase in radiation dose. Research findings obtained through the study are used not only for the improvement of the health of the survivors, but also for the establishment of radiation protection standards.

Safety in the national policy for atomic energy is essentially a technical problem. Safety from viewpoint of people, however, is attributed to a question that on whom they should rely. Answers to the question are various activities for Public Acceptance carried out by many organizations. PA of nine organizations are surveyed and discussed. In most cases, a real intension of each activities lies on unspoken demand that you should rely on us. Sincere and sustainable study with empowerment of literacy for understanding the problem and expressing themselves for communication seems to suggest a narrow but reliable way to safety for people.

We developed boron nitride-coated stainless steel for vacuum vessel materials, with low adsorption rate of oxygen and carbonates. In extremely high vacuum, of range 10^-10 Pa, the main component of the residual gas is hydrogen. We found a low adsorption rate of hydrogen on the surface of precipitated BN. Precipitated BN layer can also lower the hydrogen permeation rate of stainless steel membrane. BN-coating makes an effect on reduction of outgassing due to not only adsorbed hydrogen on the surface of vessel materials but also contained hydrogen in vessel materials. We successfully coat BN on stainless steel surface by using surface segregation from BN and the stainless steel co-deposited film.

Study on anusual air pollusion of NO₂[1] at the localized small area in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan have shown [2] Nitrogen dioxide is present at small area such as main industrial streets, staying in winter for longer time than in summer, gathering at lower side. It is caused of its weight, because NO₂ is heavier than O₂ or N₂ (O₂:N₂ :NO₂= 32:28:46≒2:2:3).

High resolution mapping was carried out by fluoresence in situ hybridization (FISH)DNA fibers (EDFs) in plants. The fluorescent signals of the 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA probe hybridized to EDFs revealed continuous strings of up to 2.0Mb, whereas the 5S rDNA signals were observed as continuous or discontinuous strings in the 300-1200kb size range. Fiber FISH analys is using the DNA probes of the Sec-1 locus, which corresponds to the 15 gene unit in tandem array. The large genomic DNA clonesas lambda phase and bacterial artificial chromesome(BAC) clones from Ae squarrosa were also mapped on EDFs.

The newly laid eggs of the false melon beetle, Atrachya menetriesi Faldermann, are yellow, and the color changes to dark brown after several h. Several phenolic compounds were found in the hydrolysates of the scleroprotein fractions prepared from the eggs. Some of them were tentatively identified as the conjugates of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and L-cysteine, that are 5-S-cysteinyl-, 2-S-cysteinyl-, and 2,5-dicysteinyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acids. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was detected as a female-specific compound in the bodies of the insects. These results suggested that quinone tanning took place in the egg chorion of the beetles, using 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid as the precursor of the sclerotizing agent.

The chemical and physical properties of seventeen old Japanese silk lining fabrics are evaluated Differences are discussed here in terms of amino acid composition, tensile properties, and characteristics of Fraunhoffer diffraction patterns. The diffraction pattern characteristics were then used to calculate various fabric properties associated with the regularity of the weave structure and the looseness of the yarns as a function of light exposure. A correlation between fabric properties and chemical analysis was observed.

The gelation mechanism of polysaccharide gellan gum solutions and its application to foods are studied. Gellan gum solutions form gel with decreasing temperature and its gelling abilities are promoted in the presence of sodium chloride or sucrose which are important ingredients of foods. Gellan gum is used mainly for dessert jellies, jams, and fillings. Recently, various new applications have been studied, such as the microgel. The new applications of gellan gum gel to food technologies are described.

This review accounts for the recent development of application studies on chitic substances, chitic and chitosan including their oligosaccharides, as dietary fiber with immunopotentiating effects. The first successful example of biomedical application is the wound-healing chitin fiber products for surgical use. It was also demonstrated that the antitumor and antimicrobial effects of N-acetylchitohexaose (NACOS-6), a water-soluble chitooligosaccharide, and the mechanisms of NACOS-6 were able to display immunopotentiating effect. Additionally, a few novel use of chitosan as drug delivery carrier, gene targeting carrier, and oral vaccination carrier, has been described.

We proved eugenol, an essential oil widely used in drug, cosmetic and food processing, induced contact dermatitis in guinea pig and mice, and was rather less than Sudan I in allergenicity. Then kinetics of helper T cells (Th) and B7-1 and B7-2 costimulator in mice sensitized and challenged by eugenol was examined with used of the indirect enzyme immunoassay. The results suggest that effector T cell may be classified to Th1 and that B7-2is an early costimulatory signal and B7-1 is a late one in the delayed type hypersensitivity induced by eugenol.

Nociceptors that detect noxious environmental change and noxious event inside the body thus serving a defense mechanism are important for the survival of the organism. Activities of this receptors are sensitized by inflammatory mediators and sympathetic nerve activities. This sensitization of nociceptors is one of the hyperalgesia. Effects of inflammatory mediators (bradykinin, prostaglandins and histamine) on the viseral polymodal receptor, a type of nociceptor, were summarized. In addition, pain aggravating effects of simulated weather change (low atmospheric pressure and low temperature) on chronic pain model rats were demonstrated and possible contribution of sympathetic nerve excitation in these effects were discussed.

Food systems as foods move from the farm to the consumer, have a close relationship to women’s activities. Along with the rapid changes in socio-economic situation, food manufacturing and foodservice industries have markedly developed. And home meal replacement has transferred the majority of home cooking into industrial preparation. Japanese Dietary Style which has well-balanced nutrition intake on average by consuming a variety of foods, has attracted international attention with the world longest longevity, however, the style is changing, especially in the young generation. And such social situation has rapidly increased industrial waste and domestic waste. It is important that each of women has the ability to put into practice a proper dietary pattern and garbage treatments but also to join to food systems in harmony with the environment through her own ideas and comments.

Women make up about 10 percent of the scientists and engineers in Japan. The aim of this article is to make clear why there are so few women in these disciplines even in 2000. The shortage is often attributed to the cultural traditions of feudal Japan; however, the author shows that the true reasons are found in the socioecnomic structure and gender ideology of Post World War II, which enabled the economic success of Japan. For typical example, problems of women in physical sciences and physics education are considered.

Data has been collected on the gender ratios among students and faculty members at medical schools in Japan for the last twenty years and the USA for the last ten years. The percentages of female students to the total students was 19.4% in Japan in 1987 and 33.4% in the USAi n 1988. During the last 10 years, the ratio of female students increased steadily, and reached 30.3% and 42.6% in Japan and the USA, respectively, in 1997. Likewise, the ratio of medical school female faculty has generally increased. This increase was significant in the USA with an approximate increase of 40% in the number at all ranks. The percentage of female faculty at full professor rank, however, remained 10.4% although that of assistant professor rank was 33.5% in 1997. The percentage of female faculty at medical schools in Japan rose only slightly over the past 10 years, remaining at 9.4% for total faculty and 2.8% for full professor level. These data suggest that women are underrepresented at faculty level, despite a significant increase in female medical students

In 1957 the first Japan Science Award (JSSA) was set up to foster young scientists. Since then JSSA has become the “Olympics” of science contests for Japanese students aged 13-18 in Junior High/High schools. Student’s research activities form part of the school curriculum, and each student belongs to their school science club. An analysis of the research subjects revealed that (1) young female students tent to work more independantly than males in team-oriented projects; (2) females students tend to prefer biology and chemistry to physics, and within the biology fields, female students tend to choose plants and trees as the focus of their activities. It is considered that early in the new millennium, young Japanese women will have a greater interest in science fields and will have a greater role in science research.

This paper presents the Matthew effect on women scientsts introducing a biography of Harriet Brooks, a pioneer woman nuclear scientist of Canada. Also, the paper proposes us a subject of the sociological science, describing an early epoch of nuclear science between the 19th and the 20th centuries when she lived.

The European Union at the service of its citizens must, in line with its general priciples, set itself objectives regarding equal opportunities for men and women in the field of scientific research. Women are currently under-represented in this field: the aim is therefore to encourage women to take part in European research. To achieve this, efforts will have to be made at European and Member State level. Member States.

As part of its information policy, the Commission will also seek to ensure that women are informed about the schemes and programmes intended to increase their participation in scientific research. The Commission undertakes to make significant efforts to increase women’s participation in Community reserch programmes 4; the overall objective is to achieve for women at least a 40% representation, on average throughout the 5th Framework Programme, in Marie Curie scholarships, a dvisory groups and assessment panels.

A sector and a working group on“Women and science” has been set up within the Commission to coordinate action to promote women in European research.