Earthquake-Induced Settlement in Soft Grounds

Earthquake-induced settlements in clay is derived from both undrained shear deformation and post-earthquake volume change. The former is assumed to be time-independent while the latter must be time-dependent. To determine the characteristics of cyclic-induced settlements, the authors have carried out a family of cyclic triaxial tests followed by drainage on the plastic marine clay. In every test, shear strain and excess pore pressure were measured during undrained stage and volume change was measured during dissipation of excess pore pressure. In the present study, in particular, the results from cyclic triaxial tests were formulated in order to predict the variations of pore pressure with number of load cycles. An excess pore pressure model was used together with the consolidation theory to evaluate the total settlements and their time-dependent variations due to dissipation of cyclic-induced pore pressure. The results of analysis using the proposed method provide a basis for evaluating the post-earthquake settlement in soft grounds

A novel human hair protein fiber prepared by watery hybridization spinning

This is a preprint of an article published in [Hirao, Y; Ohkawa, K; Yamamoto, H; Fujii, T.,A novel human hair protein fiber prepared by watery hybridization spinning,MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING,Vol 290,165-171(2005)]ArticleMACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING. 290(3): 165-171 (2005)journal articl

Discovery of coesite and stishovite in HED meteorite

第3回極域科学シンポジウム/第35回南極隕石シンポジウム 11月29日（木） 国立国語研究所 2階講

Temperature behavior of sound velocity of fluorine-doped vitreous silica thin films studied by picosecond ultrasonics

Vitreous silica (v-SiO2) shows anomalous temperature dependence of velocity, including positive temperature coefficient of velocity (TCV) and velocity minimum around 70 K. The former characteristic allows its application in acoustic-resonator devices as a temperature compensating material. In this paper, we study the temperature dependence of velocity of fluorine-doped v-SiO2 (v-SiO2-xFx) thin films using picosecond ultrasonic spectroscopy. To correct the temperature increase caused by irradiation with light pulses, we calculated the steady temperature increase in the measuring volume with a finite volume method, considering the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity, and find that temperature in the measurement region remains high even when the back surface is cryogenically cooled. Using the corrected temperature, we determine TCV of v-SiO2-xFx thin films for 0 < x < 0.264, which increases as x increases and is smaller than reported bulk values by a factor of 0.5 - 0.7. The velocity minimum is absent for the film with x = 0, but it is clearly observed at 70 K for the film with the highest fluorine concentration of x = 0.264. These temperature behaviors are attributed to the change in the Si-O-Si bond angle caused by the fluorine doping.Nagakubo A., Ogi H., Ishida H., et al. Temperature behavior of sound velocity of fluorine-doped vitreous silica thin films studied by picosecond ultrasonics. Journal of Applied Physics, 118(1), 014307 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4923353.https://doi.org/10.1063/1.492335

Site-specific biotinylation of RNA molecules by transcription using unnatural base pairs

Direct site-specific biotinylation of RNA molecules was achieved by specific transcription mediated by unnatural base pairs. Unnatural base pairs between 2-amino-6-(2-thienyl)purine (denoted by s) and 2-oxo(1H)pyridine (denoted by y), or 2-amino-6-(2-thiazolyl)purine (denoted as v) and y specifically function in T7 transcription. Using these unnatural base pairs, the substrate of biotinylated-y (Bio-yTP) was selectively incorporated into RNA, opposite s or v in the DNA templates, by T7 RNA polymerase. This method was applied to the immobilization of an RNA aptamer on sensor chips, and the aptamer accurately recognized its target protein. This direct site-specific biotinylation will provide a tool for RNA-based biotechnologies

Photoluminescence, morphology, and structure of hydrothermal ZnO implanted at room temperature with 60 keV Sn+ ions

Hydrothermal ZnO wafers implanted at room temperature with 60 keV Sn^+ ions are examined by means of photoluminescence (PL), atomic force spectroscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffractometry techniques. The PL intensity significantly decreases in the wafers implanted to doses of 4.1 × 10^[13] ions/cm^2 and higher. The AFM measurements indicate that surface roughness variation is not the cause of the significant decrease in PL intensity. Furthermore, the PL deep level (DL) band peak blueshifts after illuminating the implanted samples with the He-Cd laser 325 nm line; meanwhile, the DL band intensity first increases and then decreases with illumination time. These abnormal behaviors of the DL band are discussed

Oxygen ultra-fine bubbles water administration prevents bone loss of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in mice by suppressing osteoclast differentiation

Summary: Oxygen ultra-fine bubbles (OUB) saline injection prevents bone loss of glucocorti\coid-induced osteoporosis in mice, and OUB inhibit osteoclastogenesis via RANK-TRAF6-c-Fos-NFATc1 signaling and RANK-p38 MAPK signaling in vitro. Introduction: Ultra-fine bubbles (<200 nm in diameter) have several unique properties, and they are tested in various medical fields. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of oxygen ultra-fine bubbles (OUB) on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) model mice. Methods: Prednisolone (PSL, 5 mg) was subcutaneously inserted in 6-month-old male C57BL/6J mice, and 200 μl of saline, OUB-diluted saline, or nitrogen ultra-fine bubbles (NUB)-diluted saline was intraperitoneally injected three times per week for 8 weeks the day after operations. Mice were divided into four groups; (1) control, sham-operation + saline; (2) GIO, PSL + saline; (3) GIO + OUB, PSL + OUB saline; (4) GIO + NUB, PSL + NUB saline. The effects of OUB on osteoblasts and osteoclasts were examined by serially diluted OUB medium in vitro. Results: Bone mass was significantly decreased in GIO [bone volume/total volume (%): control vs. GIO 12.6 vs. 7.9; p < 0.01] while significantly preserved in GIO + OUB (GIO vs. GIO + OUB 7.9 vs. 12.9; p < 0.05). In addition, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells in the distal femur [mean osteoclasts number/bone surface (mm−1)] was significantly increased in GIO (control vs. GIO 6.8 vs. 11.6; p < 0.01) while suppressed in GIO + OUB (GIO vs. GIO + OUB 11.6 vs. 7.5; p < 0.01). NUB did not affect these parameters. In vitro experiments revealed that OUB significantly inhibited osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting RANK-TRAF6-c-Fos-NFATc1 signaling, RANK-p38 MAPK signaling, and TRAP/Cathepsin K/DC-STAMP mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner. OUB did not affect osteoblastogenesis in vitro. Conclusions: OUB prevent bone loss in GIO mice by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis.This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-016-3830-1Noguchi T., Ebina K., Hirao M., et al. Oxygen ultra-fine bubbles water administration prevents bone loss of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in mice by suppressing osteoclast differentiation. Osteoporosis International 28, 1063 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-016-3830-1