The recent updates of the North Ecliptic Pole deep (0.5 deg2, NEP-Deep) multi-wavelength survey covering from X-ray to radio-wave is presented. The NEP-Deep provides us with several thousands of 15 μm or 18 μm selected galaxies, which is the largest sample ever made at these wavelengths. A continuous filter coverage in the mid-infrared wavelength (7, 9, 11, 15, 18, and 24 μm) is unique and vital to diagnose the contributions from starbursts and AGNs in the galaxies out to z=2. The new goal of the project is to resolve the nature of the cosmic star formation history at the violent epoch (e.g. z=1{2), and to find a clue to understand its decline from z=1 to present universe by utilizing the unique power of the multiwavelength survey. The progress in this context is brie y mentioned.

We have been performing daily VLBI monitoring of the ux density of Sagittarius (Sgr) A* at 22 GHz from February 2013 to August 2014 using a sub-array of the Japanese VLBI Network (JVN). The purpose of this monitoring is to explore the ux density variability at daily time resolution for a period longer than one year with the G2 cloud approaching. The ux density of Sgr A* is basically stable during the observational period, though there are some small variations. The average and scattering range are consistent with the previously observed values. We have observed no strong are of Sgr A* although it is near the expected peri-center passing.

Polarbear is a ground-based experiment located in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. The experiment is designed to measure the Cosmic Microwave Background B-mode polarization at several arcminute resolution. The CMB B-mode polarization on degree angular scales is a unique signature of primordial gravitational waves from cosmic in ation and B-mode signal on sub-degree scales is induced by the gravitational lensing from large-scale structure. Science observations began in early 2012 with an array of 1,274 polarization sensitive antenna-couple Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometers at 150 GHz. We published the first CMB-only measurement of the B-mode polarization on sub-degree scales induced by gravitational lensing in December 2013 followed by the first measurement of the B-mode power spectrum on those scales in March 2014. In this proceedings, we review the physics of CMB B-modes and then describe the Polarbear experiment, observations, and recent results.

We describe a survey of nearby core-collapse supernova (SN) explosion sites using integral field spec- troscopy (IFS) techniques, which is an extension of the work described in Kuncarayakti et al. (2013). The project aims to constrain SN progenitor properties based on the study of the immediate environment of the SN. The stellar populations present at the SN explosion sites are studied by means of integral field spectroscopy, which enables the acquisition of both spatial and spectral information of the object simultaneously. The spectrum of the SN parent stellar population gives an estimate of its age and metal- licity. With this information, the initial mass and metallicity of the once coeval SN progenitor star are derived. While the survey is mostly done in optical, the additional utilization of near-infrared integral field spectroscopy assisted with adaptive optics (AO) enables us to examine the explosion sites in high spatial detail, down to a few parsecs. This work is being carried out using multiple 2-8 m class telescopes equipped with integral field spectrographs in Chile and Hawaii.

Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA), we identified two bright hot subcores, MM1a and MM1b (size ~ 1" and mass ~ 0.5 M⊙) separated by about 1.600, in the 230 GHz continuum emission toward the massive star-forming region DR21(OH). Both display typical hot core characteristics but have slightly different chemical properties. For example, highly saturated species show stronger emission toward MM1a and seem to be evaporating directly from the grain mantles. In contrast, simple sulfur-bearing species have brighter emission at MM1b. These features indicate that MM1a is at an earlier stage than MM1b, and the small-scale chemical differences between these two cores may result from the age difference of the order of 104 104 years.

We combine data from two all-sky surveys, the Swift/Burst Alert Telescope 22 Month Source Catalog and the AKARI Point Source Catalogue, in order to study the connection between the hard X-ray (> 10 keV) and infrared (IR) properties of local active galactic nuclei (AGN). We find two photometric diagnostics are useful for source classification: one is the X-ray luminosity vs. IR color diagram, in which type 1 radio-loud AGN are well isolated from other AGN. The second one uses the X-ray vs. IR color-color diagram as a redshift-independent indicator for identifying Compton-thick (CT) AGN. Importantly, CT AGN and starburst galaxies in composite systems can also be separated in this plane based upon their hard X-ray fluxes and dust temperatures. This diagram may be useful as a new indicator to classify objects in new surveys such as with WISE and NuSTAR.

We present the results of far-infrared spectral mapping of the Galactic center region with FIS-FTS, which covered the two massive star-forming clusters, Arches and Quintuplet. We find that two dust components with temperatures of about 20 K and 50 K are required to fit the overall continuum spectra. The warm dust emission is spatially correlated with the [OIII] 88 μm emission and both are likely to be associated with the two clusters, while the cool dust emission is more widely distributed without any clear spatial correlation with the clusters. We find differences in the properties of the ISM around the two clusters, suggesting that the star-forming activity of the Arches cluster is at an earlier stage than that of the Quintuplet cluster.

The interstellar dust grains are formed and supplied to interstellar space from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars or supernova remnants, and become constituents of the star- and planet-formation processes that lead to the next generation of stars. Both a qualitative, and a compositional study of this cycle are essential to understanding the origin of the pre-solar grains, the missing sources of the interstellar material, and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The AKARI/MIR all-sky survey was performed with two mid-infrared photometric bands centered at 9 and 18 μ m . These data have advantages in detecting carbonaceous and silicate circumstellar dust of AGB stars, and the interstellar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons separately from large grains of amorphous silicate. By using the AKARI/MIR All-Sky point source catalogue, we surveyed C-rich and O-rich AGB stars in our Galaxy, which are the dominant suppliers of carbonaceous and silicate grains, respectively. The C-rich stars are uniformly distributed across the Galactic disk, whereas O-rich stars are concentrated toward the Galactic center, following the metallicity gradient of the interstellar medium, and are presumably affected by the environment of their birth place. We will compare the distributions of the dust suppliers with the distributions of the interstellar grains themselves by using the AKARI/MIR All-Sky diffuse maps. To enable discussions on the faint diffuse interstellar radiation, we are developing an accurate AKARI/MIR All-Sky diffuse map by correcting artifacts such as the ionising radiation effects, scattered light from the moon, and stray light from bright sources.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of washing medium, breed and washing temperature of fresh and frozen-thawed boar sperm on mitochondrial activity and membrane integrity by flow cytometry. More than 80% of fresh sperm washed with mTLP-PVA medium at 20℃ exhibited an intact membrane and a functional mitochondrion. With frozen-thawed samples, a large number of sperm showed both damaged membrane (36.4~46.9%) and nonfunctional mitochondrion (55.1~71.1%) in the mTLP-PVA and BTS washing media at 20℃. There were no breed effects of fresh and frozen-thawed sperm on mitochondrial activity and membrane integrity. The percentages of damaged membrane of fresh and frozen sperm, respectively, were higher at 4℃ washing temperature than at 20℃ washing temperature in the mTLP-PVA medium. We found that washing medium and washing temperature of fresh and frozen-thawed boar sperm were important for the analyses of mitochondrial activity and membrane integrity by flow cytometry.

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.

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were produced using the arc-discharge graphite evaporation technique. Composite films were developed using MWNT dispersed in polystirol polymer. In the present work, various properties of the polymeric thin film containing carbon nanotubes were investigated by optical absorption, electrical resistivity and the same have been discussed.

An outline is given of our development of mosaic CCD cameras. Hardware and data reduction software of two operational cameras are described. Scientific objectives of wide-field imaging with the cameras are briefly described.

The performance of grass filter strips (GFS) in abating P04-P concentrations from the forage cropland was tested in an experiment on the 10% slope in Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration (RDA) from October 2007 to September 2009. Forage croplands with rye-corn double cropping system applied with chemical fertilizer and livestock manure (LM) were compared in a natural condition. The plots were hydrologically isolated Main plots consisted of the length of GFS, such as Om, 5m, 10m and 15m. Sub plots consisted of the type of LM, such as chemical fertilizer (CF), composted cattle manure (CCM) and composted swine manure (CSM). Concentrations of P04-P in surface runoff water were reduced as the length of GFS increased. Especially, GFS with 10m and 15m reduced PO4-P concentrations significantly compared to that with Om and 5m (p<0.05). The results from this study suggest that GFS improved the removal and trapping PO4-P from forage croplands.