The van der Waals ferromagnet Cr$_2$Ge$_2$Te$_6$ (CGT) has a two-dimensional crystal structure where each layer is stacked through van der Waals force. We have investigated the nature of the ferromagnetism and the weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) of CGT by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) studies of CGT single crystals. The XMCD spectra at the Cr $L_{2,3}$ edge for different magnetic field directions were analyzed on the basis of the cluster-model multiplet calculation. The Cr valence is confirmed to be 3+ and the orbital magnetic moment is found to be nearly quenched, as expected for the high-spin $t_{2g}$$^3$ configuration of the Cr$^{3+}$ ion. A large ($\sim 0.2$ eV) trigonal crystal-field splitting of the $t_{2g}$ level caused by the distortion of the CrTe$_6$ octahedron has been revealed, while the single-ion anisotropy (SIA) of the Cr atom is found to have a sign {\it opposite} to the observed PMA and too weak compared to the reported anisotropy energy. The present result suggests that anisotropic exchange coupling between the Cr atoms through the ligand Te $5p$ orbitals having strong spin-orbit coupling has to be invoked to explain the weak PMA of CGT, as in the case of the strong PMA of CrI$_3$.

The prototypical diluted magnetic semiconductor Cd1-xMnxTe is a spin glass (x<0.6) or an antiferromagnet (x>0.6), but becomes ferromagnetic upon doping with a small amount of Cr atoms substituting for Mn. In order to investigate the origin of the ferromagnetism in Cd1-x-yMnxCryTe, we have studied its element specific magnetic properties by x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the Cr and Mn L2,3 edges. Thin films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy with a fixed Mn content of x = 0.2 and varying Cr content in the range of y = 0 - 0.04. Measured XAS and XMCD spectra indicate that both Cr and Mn atoms are divalent and that the ferromagnetic or superparamagnetic components of Cr and Mn are aligned in the same directions. The magnetization of Mn increases with increasing Cr content. These results can be explained if ferromagnetic interaction exists between neighboring Mn and Cr ions although interaction between Mn atoms is largely antiferromagnetic. We conclude that each ferromagnetic or superparamagnetic cluster consists of ferromagnetically coupled several Cr and a much larger number of Mn ions.

The magnetic states of Mn and Co atoms in Mn-rich and Ge-deficient Co2Mn1.20Ge0.38 (CMG) Heusler alloy thin films facing an MgO barrier were studied by means of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). In particular, the CMG film-thickness dependence of the Mn and Co magnetic moments was investigated. A Co2+-like multiplet structure was not observed in all the Co L-2,L-3-edge XAS and XMCD, indicating that, even in the ultrathin samples, the Co atoms were not oxidized, and were more strongly spin polarized than those in the thicker samples. With decreasing CMG film thickness from 4 ML to 2 ML, the spin magnetic moment of Mn increased and the Mn L-2,L-3-edge XAS did not show a Mn2+-like multiplet structure films in contrast to the Co-rich CMG thin films as studied by Asakura et al. [PRB, 82, 184,419 (2010)], where the Mn atoms are strongly oxidized. The results show that Mn-rich CMG films are beneficial for device fabrications in spintronics when the film thickness has to be reduced to a few monolayers.

Power generation performance and long-term durability of ammonia-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems are investigated with SOFC stacks consisting of 30 planar anode-supported cells. SOFC systems with three different operation modes are employed: direct ammonia, external decomposition and autothermal decomposition. A novel BaO/Ni/Sm2O3/MgO catalyst is newly developed for the external ammonia cracker, whereas a Co-Ce-Zr composite oxide catalyst is used for the autothermal ammonia cracker. Initial performance measurement and 1,000 h long-term durability test of the stacks are conducted. The stack fueled with direct ammonia achieves 1 kW power output with 52% direct current (DC) electrical efficiency; a slight decrease in its performance compared with the stack with the mixture fuel of hydrogen and nitrogen is attributed to the decrease in the stack temperature caused by the endothermic ammonia decomposition reaction. The external ammonia cracker helps to maintain the stack temperature, improving the initial performance of the stack. The stack performance with the autothermal ammonia cracker is also comparable to those with the other operation modes. It is also demonstrated that the stacks fueled with ammonia have excellent stability during the long-term tests and 57% energy conversion efficiency at ca. 700 W electrical output is achieved with the external ammonia cracker.

近年我々が開発し,PF BL-16Aにおいて運用を行っているベクトルマグネット型X線磁気円二色性(XMCD)装置を用 いて,SrTiO3 (STO)および LaAlO3 (LAO)基板上に成長させた強磁性 La1-xSrxMnO3 (LSMO)薄膜の角度依存 XMCD測定を行 い,薄膜中のスピン分布異方性,すなわちスピン分極した電子の軌道占有状態の直接観測を試みた。XMCDスペクトルの 磁場方向依存性の測定により,基板応力に由来するスピン密度分布の異方性の変化を観測することができた。得られた結 果と先行研究のX線直線二色性との比較から,スピン分極した電子とそうでない電子との間で軌道占有状態に差が見られ ることが示唆された。 場合は,LSMO薄膜と基板との格子定数の差に応じて薄膜 が一軸性の応力を受けるため,それによっても物理的特性 が大きく変化する。例えば Konishiらは [2],LSMO (x=0.30.5)薄膜を格子定数の異なる複数の基板の上に堆積させ, それらの輸送特性・磁気特性を調べることにより,面内方 向伸張性応力の時には Aタイプ反強磁性相に,面内方向 圧縮性応力の時には Cタイプ反強磁性絶縁体相に変化す る傾向があることを提案した。また第一原理計算の結果 との比較から,伸張性応力の場合にはMnの dx2-y2軌道が, 圧縮性応力の場合は d3z2-r2軌道がそれぞれ優先的に占有さ れることも予言している [2]。この他に,強磁性 LSMO薄 膜の磁化容易軸が,基板応力の正負に応じて面内または面 直に変化することも知られており [3-4],磁気異方性とMn 3d電子の軌道占有との間に関係性があることを示唆する ものとなっている。 しかしながら,過去に実験的に観測されたMn 3d電子 の軌道占有状態は必ずしも第一原理計算の結果どおりには なっていない。X線直線二色性(XLD)の先行研究 [5-7] によると,伸張性基板の SrTiO3 (001) (STO)と圧縮性基板 の LaAlO3 (001) (LAO)のどちらを用いた場合でも,面直方

Ammonia has been studied as an energy carrier because of carbon-free and high hydrogen capacity. We have investigated performance of ammonia-fueled SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) to study the possibility of ammonia as an energy carrier. In SOFC generation system, stack, which is made by cells, sealing glass and other materials, are main parts. These parts need ammonia resistance at 700-800 degree. So we developed sealing glass which has an ammonia resistance at 700-800 degree and fabricated 200W class stack. Ammonia was directly supplied to the anode chamber. The performance of ammonia-fueled SOFC was same as well as that of hydrogen-fueled SOFC.

Background: Bilious pleural effusion is an extremely rare condition associated with liver diseases, subphrenic or subhepatic abscess formation, biliary peritonitis, and invasive procedures (i.e., percutaneous biliary drainage or liver biopsy). The current diagnostic test is based on the measurement of the ratio of pleural total bilirubin to serum total bilirubin, which is greater than 1 in patients with bilious pleural effusion. Given the low incidence of bilious pleural effusion, the precise diagnostic yield of this ratio based test has not been evaluated.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of our institution and searched the PubMed database for reports of bilious pleural effusion.Results: We identified a total of 12 cases of bilious pleural effusion (9 from 8 Pubmed reports and 3 from our institutional records). The factors causing this condition were broadly classified into three categories based on the pathophysiology: 1) liver diseases (echinococcosis, tuberculosis and amebiasis); 2) subhepatic/subphrenic abscess or biliary peritonitis, with or without biliary tract obstruction; and 3) iatrogenic disease after percutaneous biliary drainage and/or liver biopsy. The sensitivity of detection was 76.9% when the ratio of pleural total bilirubin to serum total bilirubin was greater than 1. The sensitivity increased to 100% when a combination test including pleural glycoholic acid was adopted.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the high diagnostic yield for bilious pleural effusion using a combination of two test criteria; a ratio of pleural total bilirubin to serum total bilirubin greater than 1 and the presence of pleural glycoholic acid. (C) 2016 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In order to investigate the mechanism of ferromagnetic ordering in the new n-type magnetic semiconductor (In, Fe) As codoped with Be, we have performed x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) studies of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic samples. The spectral line shapes suggest that the ferromagnetism is intrinsic, originating from Fe atoms incorporated into the zinc-blende-type InAs lattice. The magnetization curves of Fe measured by XMCD were well reproduced by the superposition of a Langevin function representing superparamagnetic (SPM) behavior of nanoscale ferromagnetic domains and a T-linear function representing Curie-Weiss paramagnetism even much above the Curie temperatures. The data at 20 K showed a deviation from the Langevin behavior, suggesting a gradual establishment of macroscopic ferromagnetism on lowering temperature. The existence of nanoscale ferromagnetic domains indicated by the SPM behavior suggests spatial fluctuations of Fe concentration on the nanoscale.

Background Pleural separation, the “split pleura” sign, has been reported in patients with empyema. However, the diagnostic yield of the split pleura sign for complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE)/empyema and its utility for differentiating CPPE/empyema from parapneumonic effusion (PPE) remains unclear. This differentiation is important because CPPE/empyema patients need thoracic drainage. In this regard, the aim of this study was to develop a simple method to distinguish CPPE/empyema from PPE using computed tomography (CT) focusing on the split pleura sign, fluid attenuation values (HU: Hounsfield units), and amount of fluid collection measured on thoracic CT prior to diagnostic thoracentesis. Methods A total of 83 consecutive patients who underwent chest CT and were diagnosed with CPPE (n=18)/empyema (n=18) or PPE (n=47) based on the diagnostic thoracentesis were retrospectively analyzed. Results On univariate analysis, the split pleura sign (odds ratio (OR), 12.1; p<0.001), total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) (OR, 6.13; p<0.001), HU value≥10 (OR, 5.94; p=0.001), and the presence of septum (OR, 6.43; p=0.018), atelectasis (OR, 6.83; p=0.002), or air (OR, 9.90; p=0.002) in pleural fluid were significantly higher in the CPPE/empyema group than in the PPE group. On multivariate analysis, only the split pleura sign (hazard ratio (HR), 6.70; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.91-23.5; p=0.003) and total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT (HR, 7.48; 95%CI, 1.76-31.8; p=0.006) were risk factors for empyema. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the presence of both split pleura sign and total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT for CPPE/empyema were 79.4%, 80.9%, 75%, and 84.4%, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.801 on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Conclusion This study showed a high diagnostic yield of the split pleura sign and total amount of pleural fluid (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT that is useful and simple for discriminating between CPPE/empyema and PPE prior to diagnostic thoracentesis.

Thin films of the ferromagnetic metal ${\mathrm{SrRuO}}_{3}$ (SRO) show a varying easy magnetization axis depending on the epitaxial strain, and undergo a metal-to-insulator transition with decreasing film thickness. We have investigated the magnetic properties of SRO thin films with varying thicknesses fabricated on ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$(001) substrates by soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Ru ${M}_{2,3}$ edge. Results have shown that, with decreasing film thickness, the film changes from ferromagnetic to nonmagnetic at around 3 monolayer thickness, consistent with previous magnetization and magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements. The orbital magnetic moment perpendicular to the film was found to be $\ensuremath{\sim}0.1{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\text{B}}/\mathrm{Ru}$, and remained nearly unchanged with decreasing film thickness while the spin magnetic moment decreases. A mechanism for the formation of the orbital magnetic moment is discussed based on the electronic structure of the compressively strained SRO film.

We have studied the electronic and magnetic states of Co and Mn atoms at the interface of the Co2MnβSi (CMS)/MgO (β = 0.69, 0.99, 1.15, and 1.29) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) by means of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. In particular, the Mn composition (β) dependences of the Mn and Co magnetic moments were investigated. The experimental spin magnetic moments of Mn, mspin(Mn), derived from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism weakly decreased with increasing Mn composition β in going from Mn-deficient to Mn-rich CMS films. This behavior was explained by first-principles calculations based on the antisite-based site-specific formula unit (SSFU) composition model, which assumes the formation of only antisite defect, not vacancies, to accommodate off-stoichiometry. Furthermore, the experimental spin magnetic moments of Co, mspin(Co), also weakly decreased with increasing Mn composition. This behavior was consistently explained by the antisite-based SSFU model, in particular, by the decrease in the concentration of CoMn antisites detrimental to the half-metallicity of CMS with increasing β. This finding is consistent with the higher tunnel magnetoresistance ratios which have been observed for CMS/MgO/CMS MTJs with Mn-rich CMS electrodes.