Japan faces power struggle

Performance Simulation of Side-Pumped Slanted Faces of High Power Yb:YAGYAG Thin-Disk Laser

We present a novel slanted faces of thin-disk composite Yb:YAG YAG laser which is side-pumped by four non-symmetric hollow- ducts. The pump light distribution in the disk is modeled by using Monte-Carlo ray tracing method. The temperature distribution inside the crystal is calculated by taking into account either the concentration of Yb+3 ion or the different transmission of laser output coupl...

Does Scale of Public Hospitals Affect Bargaining Power? Evidence From Japan

Background Many of public hospitals in Japan have had a deficit for a long time. Japanese local governments have been encouraging public hospitals to use group purchasing of drugs to benefit from the economies of scale, and increase their bargaining power for obtaining discounts in drug purchasing, thus improving their financial situation. In this study, we empirically investigate whether or no...

The Struggle for Existence

"It is in the nature of things" is surely, today, just as good an explanation of a biological phenomenon as it ever was; and now, as always, it is singularly unilluminating. That some of the problems to which such an explanation is usually given are susceptible to analysis appears obvious; at least an approach can be made toward segregating the many factors which, acting independently ox throug...

A Struggle Against Forgetting

One of the most remarkable characteristics of living organisms is their ability to alter their behavior by learning. Human beings excel at processing new information, retaining it in their memory, and using it to develop new ideas. Studies in the mollusk Aplysia showed that learning involves the strengthening and increased effectiveness of preexisting synapses. Over time, it has become clear th...

Struggle to Return