In this paper, we show some experimental results of binder-free WC sintered by Pulsed Electric Current Sintering (PECS) also known as Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST). These binder-free WC have extremely hardness and stiffness. However, these mechanical properties are dependent on the sintering condition, e.g., maximum temperature, applied pressure, etc. We show some relationship between mechanical properties and sintering condition to improve to sinter the binder-free WC.

High-Speed Centrifugal Compaction Process (HCP) is a wet compacting method, in which powders are compacted under a huge centrifugal force. The HCP was well applied to small alumina specimens, but the compact easily cracked when we applied the HCP to other materials. We clarified how the cracks introduced and found that the formation of such a flow pattern was related to the Colioli's force in the centrifugal field.

The Solar Radio Burst Locator (SRBL) is a spectrometer that can observe solar microwave bursts over a wide band (0.1-18 GHz) as well as detect the burst locations without interferometry or mechanical scanning. Its prototype has been operated at Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) since 1998. In this study, we have evaluated the capability of the SRBL system in flux and radio burst location measurements. For this, we consider 130 microwave bursts from 2000 to 2002. The SRBL radio fluxes of 53 events were compared with the fluxes from USAF/RSTN and the burst locations of 25 events were compared with the optical flare locations. From this study, we found: (1) there is a relatively good correlation (r = 0.9) between SRBL flux and RSTN flux; (2) the mean location error is about 8.4 arcmin and the location error (4.7 arcmin) of single source events is much smaller than that (14.9 arcmin) of multiple source events; (3) the minimum location error usually occurred just after the starting time of burst, mostly within 10 seconds; (4) there is a possible anti-correlation (r = -0.4) between the pointing error of SRBL antenna and the location error. The anti-correlation becomes more evident (r=-0.9) for 6 strong single source events associated with X-class flares. Our results show that the flux measurement of SRBL is consistent with that of RSTN, and the mean location error of SRBL is estimated to be about 5 arcmin for single source events.

The Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) is a Hubble Space Telescope (HST) treasury project. The COSMOS aims to perform a 2 square degree imaging survey of an equatorial field in I(F814W) band, using the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Such a wide field survey, combined with ground-based photometric and spectroscopic data, is essential to understand the interplay between large scale structure, evolution and formation of galaxies and dark matter. In 2004, we have obtained high-quality, broad band images of the COSMOS field (B, V, r', i', and z') using Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope, and we have started our new optical multi-band program, COSMOS-21 in 2005. Here, we present a brief summary of the current status of the COSMOS project together with contributions from the Subaru Telescope. Our future Subaru program, COSMOS-21, is also discussed briefly.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of EGF on meiotic maturation and pronuclear (PN) formation of porcine oocytes. Prepubertal gilt cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) aspirated from 2~6mm follicles of abbatoir ovaries were matured in TCM199 containing 0.1mg/ml cysteine, 0.5㎍/ml FSH and LH, and EGF (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 ng/ml) for 22 hr at 39℃ in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. They were then cultured for an additional 22hr without hormones. In Experiment 1, to examine the nuclear maturation at 44hr of culture, the expanded cumulus cells were removed by vortexing for 1 min in 3 mg/ml hyaluronidase. The oocytes were fixed in acetic acid: methanol (1:3, v/v) at least for 48 hr and stained with 1% orcein solution for 5 min. Nuclear status was classified as germinal vesicle (GV), germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), prophase-metaphase I (PI-MI), and PII-MII under microscope. In Experiment 2, to investigate PN formation, oocytes were fertilized with Percoll-treated freshly ejaculated sperm (1 x10 5 cells/ml) in mTBM with 0.3% BSA and 2mM caffeine for 5hr, and cultured in NCSU-23 medium with 0.4% BSA. At 6hr of culture, the embryos were fixed in 3.7% formaldehyde for 48hr and stained with 10ug/ml propidium iodide for 30 min. PN status was classified as no or one PN (unfertilized), 2 PN (normal fertilized) and ≥3 PN (polyspermy). Differences between groups were analyzed using one-way ANOVA after arc-sine transformation of the proportional data. The rate of oocytes that had reached to PII-MII were significantly (P<0.05) higher in all groups added EGF than that of non-treated group (67%), but it did not differ among the all added groups (86%, 85%, 79% and 81%, in 5, 10, 20 and 40 ng/ml EGF, respectively). No differences on the incidence of 2PN were observed in all treated groups (25%, 30%, 33%, 29% and 29%, in 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 ng/ml EGF, respectively), however, in non-treated group, polyspermy tended to be increased (66% vs 58%, 54%, 52% and 55%, 0 vs. 5, 10, 20, 40 ng/ml EGF, respectively). These results suggest that EGF can be effectively used as an additive for enhancing oocyte maturation and reducing the incidence of polyspermy in pig.