Josephson junction in cobalt-doped BaFe2As2 epitaxial thin films on (La, Sr)(Al, Ta)O3 bicrystal substrates

Josephson junctions were fabricated in epitaxial films of cobalt-doped BaFe2As2 on [001]-tilt (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O3 bicrystal substrates. 10m-wide microbridges spanning a 30-degrees-tilted bicrystal grain boundary (BGB bridge) exhibited resistively-shunted-junction (RSJ)-like current-voltage characteristics up to 17 K, and the critical current was suppressed remarkably by a magnetic field. Microbridges without a BGB did not show the RSJ-like behavior, and their critical current densities were 20 times larger than those of BGB bridges, confirming BGB bridges display a Josephson effect originating from weakly-linked BGB

Heat Storage Characteristics of Latent-Heat Microcapsule Slurry Using Hot Air Bubbles by Direct-Contact Heat Exchange

This study deals with the heat storage characteristics of latent-heat microcapsule slurry consisting of a mixture of fine microcapsules packed with latent-heat storage material and water. The heat storage operation for the latent-heat microcapsules was carried out by the direct-contact heat exchange method using hot air bubbles. The latent-heat microcapsule consisted of n-paraffin as a core latent-heat storage material and melamine resin as a coating substance. The relationship between the completion time of latent-heat storage and some parameters was examined experimentally. The nondimensional correlation equations for temperature efficiency, the completion time period of the latent-heat storage process and variation in the enthalpy of air through the microcapsule slurry layer were derived in terms of the ratio of microcapsule slurry layer height to microcapsule diameter, Reynolds number for airflow, Stefan number and modified Stefan number for absolute humidity of flowing air.</p

Analysis of the Motivation in the Programming Education for the Students Who Perform IT Work that Requires Artistic Skills

Programming education is considered to be important for the students in the art faculty, who perform the IT works that require artistic skills, to enrich their environments of creation and to carry out effective activities of creation. The motivation of the students is considered to be an important part of programming education in which active participation of students is crucial. In this research, we analyzed the transition of the motivation in the programming education using the ARCS motivation model in order to carry out effective programming education. Furthermore, we focused on the three sublevel categories of each factor of the ARCS model, and analyzed the transition and the factor of the transition of them. We have also proposed the method of analysis in which 3D bubble graphs ware drawn in such a way that each axis corresponds to each of the three sublevel categories in a factor of the ARCS model. We consider that it will be possible to apply the proposed methods to grasp the relation among the sublevel categories of each factor and the cause of the transition of them as the learning progresses.芸術系技能を必要とするIT作業において、作業環境を充実させて効率的な制作活動を展開するには、プログラミング教育が効果的であると考えられる。そして、知識の運用を必要とするプログラミング教育においては学習者自身のモチベーションが重要である。本研究では、効果的なプログラミング教育を行うためにプログラミング教育のモチベーションの変化を、ARCS動機付けモデルを用いて分析した。さらに、ARCS動機付けモデルの因子の下位カテゴリーに着目し、その遷移と遷移の要因を解析した。下位カテゴリーの遷移要因の解析では、ARCS動機付けモデルの一つの因子に属する3つの下位カテゴリーを3Dバブルグラフの3軸に対応させて描画する手法も提案した。本提案手法は、一つの因子の下位カテゴリー間の関係や、学習フェーズの進行による遷移要因の総合的な把握に適用できる可能性があると考えられる

Saposin B Is a Human Coenzyme Q10-Binding/Transfer Protein

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is essential for ATP production in the mitochondria, and is an important antioxidant in every biomembrane and lipoprotein. Due to its hydrophobicity, a binding and transfer protein for CoQ10 is plausible, but none have yet been isolated and characterized. Here we purified a CoQ10-binding protein from human urine and identified it to be saposin B, a housekeeping protein necessary for sphingolipid hydrolysis in lysosomes. We confirmed that cellular saposin B binds CoQ10 in human sperm and the hepatoma cell line HepG2 by using saposin B monoclonal antibody. The molar ratios of CoQ10 to saposin B were estimated to be 0.22 in urine, 0.003 in HepG2, and 0.12 in sperm. We then confirmed that aqueous saposin B extracts CoQ10 from hexane to form a saposin B-CoQ10 complex. Lipid binding affinity to saposin B decreased in the following order: CoQ10>CoQ9>CoQ7>>α-tocopherol>>cholesterol (no binding). The CoQ10-binding affinity to saposin B increased with pH, with maximal binding seen at pH 7.4. On the other hand, the CoQ10-donating activity of the saposin B-CoQ10 complex to erythrocyte ghost membranes increased with decreasing pH. These results suggest that saposin B binds and transports CoQ10 in human cells

DC superconducting quantum interference devices fabricated using bicrystal grain boundary junctions in Co-doped BaFe2As2 epitaxial films

DC superconducting quantum interference devices (dc-SQUIDs) were fabricated in Co-doped BaFe2As2 epitaxial films on (La, Sr)(Al, Ta)O3 bicrystal substrates with 30deg misorientation angles. The 18 x 8 micro-meter^2 SQUID loop with an estimated inductance of 13 pH contained two 3 micro-meter wide grain boundary junctions. The voltage-flux characteristics clearly exhibited periodic modulations with deltaV = 1.4 micro-volt at 14 K, while the intrinsic flux noise of dc-SQUIDs was 7.8 x 10^-5 fai0/Hz^1/2 above 20 Hz. The rather high flux noise is mainly attributed to the small voltage modulation depth which results from the superconductor-normal metal-superconductor junction nature of the bicrystal grain boundary

Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching Materials for Programming Education based on ARCS Strategies and Statistical Testing

In this research, a statistical remediation method for teaching materials in programming education has been proposed, and its effects have been evaluated. In this method, the teaching materials are systematically improved upon through quantitative measurements and analyses of the motivation of students so that a distinct improvement can be measured irrespsctive of the knowledge and experience of the teachers.　Specifically, the motivation score of the students for each of the 12 subcategories of the ARCS motivation model was measured in each lesson, and the subcategory of a particular lesson in which the score decreased significantly from a previous one was identified. The remediation strategies corresponding to these subcategories were then looked up on lists of “motivation strategies” in the ARCS model, and are used to improve upon the teaching materials. By applying this method to a programming coures, five weak points in the teaching materials were indentified and they were subsequently improved upon by using remediation strategies. The effects of the remediation strategies have been confirmed in three of these weak areas of the subsequent programming course.本研究では、プログラミング教育における教材の改善手法を提案し、その効果を評価する。本手法は、学習者のモチベーションを定量的に測定し、ARCS動機づけ方略と統計的検定に基づいてプログラミング教材の改善を行う。具体的には、学習者のモチベーションを、ARCSアンケートによって測定し、統計的に有意な減少が生じる授業毎の下位カテゴリーを特定する。その下位カテゴリーに対応するモチベーションを向上させる方略を、ARCS動機づけモデルの“動機づけ方略”における方略見本から選択する。方略見本に基づいて教材の改善要素を設定し、プログラミング教材の改善を行う。ケーススタディとして、本手法によって5つの改善要素を設定して教材改善を行ってプログラミング教育を試行し、特徴的な3つの改善要素における教材改善の効果を検討する

Characterization of a Murine Anti-laminin-1 Monoclonal Antibody (AK8) Produced by Immunization with Mouse-derived Laminin-1

Laminin-1 is a structural glycoprotein that forms an integral part of the scaffolding of basement membranes, and plays an important role during embryonic development. We have recently demonstrated a significant association between anti-laminin-1 antibodies (Abs) and reproductive failure, such as recurrent spontaneous abortions and infertility-associated endometriosis in both human and mouse studies. In the present study, we established an IgM (μ,κ) monoclonal anti-laminin-1 Ab (AK8) by immunizing mice with mouse Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm sarcoma (EHS)-derived laminin-α1. The AK8 monoclonal antibody (mAb) reacted with particular peptide sequences from the globular G domain of mouse laminin-α1 chain of using ELISA and Western blot techniques. The peptide tertiary structure of the epitope recognized by AK8 mAb was predicted using eight synthesized domain peptide sequences and three consensus sequences obtained by phage displayed random peptide library. Basement membranes of endometrium of pregnant mice and humans were immunostained with AK8 mAb. Thus, AK8 mAb recognized a common structure present in the G domain of the laminin-1 chain in both mice and humans. The passive immunization of mice with AK8 mAb may represent a suitable animal model for anti-laminin-1 Ab-mediated reproductive failure

Influence of Gas Flow Rate and Reactor Length on NO Removal Using Pulsed Power

A short duration of 100-ns pulsed power has been used to remove nitric oxide (NO) in a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and NO, simulating flue gases from a power station. The effects of the gas flow rate, the reactor length, and the pulse repetition rate on the percentage of NO removal and its energy efficiency are reported. The percentage of NO removal at a fixed gas flow rate increased with increasing pulse repetition rate due to the increased energy into the discharge. At a fixed pulse rate, the removal of NO increased with decreasing gas flow rate due to the increased residence time of the gas in the discharge reactor, thus facilitating the creation of increased radicals of O and N which then decreased NO. The energy removal efficiency of NO (in mol/kWh) decreased with increasing gas flow rate and increasing removal ratio of NO. The removal of NO increased with increasing energy density (J/I) input into the discharge at different reactor length

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guideline for acute kidney injury 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome which has a broad range of etiologic factors depending on different clinical settings. Because AKI has significant impacts on prognosis in any clinical settings, early detection and intervention are necessary to improve the outcomes of AKI patients. This clinical guideline for AKI was developed by a multidisciplinary approach with nephrology, intensive care medicine, blood purification, and pediatrics. Of note, clinical practice for AKI management which was widely performed in Japan was also evaluated with comprehensive literature search