Consumers tend to anthropomorphize brands and treat products under the anthropomorphized brands as if they were human beings. Previous research has pointed out that there could be two kinds of anthropomorphized brands, i.e., servant and partner brands and claimed that typical consumers (non-materialists) prefer brands-as-partner, whereas materialists prefer brands-as-servant. However, there is room for improvement: (1) Previous studies have examined only brands-as-servant and brands-as-partner and brands-as-master have been ignored; and (2) they have regarded materialists as a unidimensional construct, though it can be divided into instrumental and terminal materialists. Thus, we conducted multiple comparison tests among the three kinds of anthropomorphized brands with a dataset of three kinds of consumers. The results showed that non-materialists, instrumental materialists, and terminal materialists prefer, brands-as-partner, brands-as-servant, and brands-as-master, respectively.

The Antarctic high plateau offers exceptional conditions for infrared and terahertz astronomy, as well as for programs requiring long, uninterrupted periods for measurements made with high cadence and photometric precision (i.e. time domain astronomy). In this review we summarise the special conditions of the Antarctic plateau which facilitate these observing regimes. We also outline some high profile science programs in each that could be conducted most effectively from the Antarctic high plateau, involving the first light in the Universe, the life cycle of our Galaxy, and the equation of state for the Universe. Three high plateau sites are under particular consideration for furthering such scientific programs-Dome A, Dome F and Ridge A. We summarise the activity underway at each site, which includes the building of new stations and the construction of facilities for optical, infrared and terahertz astronomy, as well as the plans for their future development.

High strength PM aluminium alloys Al-Zn-Mg-Cu (7075 type) were studied by using commercially available powder blends and the sinter-forging technique for component production. Principal areas of focus include the response to PM processing, micro structural assessment and material properties of Aluminium sinter forged products. Green preforms are successfully sintered to near full density by solid-supersolidus liquid phase sintering. Sinter forging method can produce components with net shape and mechanical characteristics of the material have improved greatly. Properties of this new PM Al-alloy were found to be reproducible in an industrial production environment.

We have constructed a near-infrared imaging camera which is attached to the prime focus of 105cm Schmidt telescope at Kiso Observatory. The camera is equipped with a 1040×1040 PtSi CSD array developed by Mitsubishi Electric Co. The combination of Kiso Schmidt and the array gives a wide field of view of 18.4'×18.4' with a reasonable spatial resolution of 1.06' /pixel. The system performances of the camera have been evaluated through laboratory and observational tests. Low noise, good cosmetics(no defect pixels), and good stability of the camera system show an excellent performance for astronomical use.

We have started multi-color imaging program of nearby galaxies since last year and present preliminary result here. We selected 12 nearby galaxies classfied from E to Sab type and observed in BVRIJHK' bands. Photomtric parameters such as isophotal diameter, axial ratio, isophotal magnitude were measured and observed colors were compared with theoritical model. We find a standard evolution model agrees well with observed results.