カガワケン ニ ブンプ スル テシマイシセイ セキゾウ ブンカザイ ノ フウカ テイド ノ ヒョウカ

Weathering grade of Teshima stone, Miocene lapilli tuff, used in lithic cultural heritage in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan was evaluated by using colorimeter, magnetic susceptibility meter, moisture meter and schmidt rock hammer. The stone pagodas have been exposed to weathering for 200 - 600 years, and have developed surface erosion due to weathering. Basaltic rock fragments in Teshima stone are slightly weathered based on necked-eye observation with increasing weathering period. L*-value of color index increased with increasing weathering period, however a*- and b*-values of color index and magnetic susceptibility are constant with increasing weathering period. Increasing of L* value is derived from weathering of basaltic rock fragments in Teshima stone. The results of measurement of a*-, b*- values and magnetic susceptibility suggest that mineralogical weathering such as iron mineral concentration has not occurred. The hardness of excavated cave wall surface on quarry of Teshima stone using schmidt rock hammer decreases in the entrance of the cave. Weathering properties of Teshima stone are characterized by surface erosion and rapid decreasing of rock surface hardness

Age-dependent plasticity in the superior temporal sulcus in deaf humans: a functional MRI study

BACKGROUND: Sign-language comprehension activates the auditory cortex in deaf subjects. It is not known whether this functional plasticity in the temporal cortex is age dependent. We conducted functional magnetic-resonance imaging in six deaf signers who lost their hearing before the age of 2 years, five deaf signers who were >5 years of age at the time of hearing loss and six signers with normal hearing. The task was sentence comprehension in Japanese sign language. RESULTS: The sign-comprehension tasks activated the planum temporale of both early- and late-deaf subjects, but not that of hearing signers. In early-deaf subjects, the middle superior temporal sulcus was more prominently activated than in late-deaf subjects. CONCLUSIONS: As the middle superior temporal sulcus is known to respond selectively to human voices, our findings suggest that this subregion of the auditory-association cortex, when deprived of its proper input, might make a functional shift from human voice processing to visual processing in an age-dependent manner

Extracting-method of pyrite micrograins as an indicator for mudstone weathering

Applying to the indicator of mudstone weathering, an extracting method of pyrite micrograins and the secondary materials formed by oxidation and hydroxidation was examined using water diluted HF (3%). Based on the condition of extracted materials, the weathering grade of the drilling-cores of the Lower Cretaceous Fujikawa Shale Formation was subdivided into Oxidized- (weathered), Fresh-Oxidized Coexistence-, and Fresh- (non-weathered) zones in the order from the ground surface. The Fresh Zone is identified by only occurrence of non-altered primary pyrite micrograins that originate a bio-chemical process in sedimentary stage, and are characterized by aggregation of framboidal (raspberry-like), tubal (pellet-like), cubic and dodecahedral shapes. In the Fresh-Oxidized Coexistence Zone, pyrite micrograins and the secondary materials (hematite, goethite and limonitic hydrous ferric oxides) formed by oxidation and hydroxidation of pyrite co-exist, whereas the Oxidized Zone is characterized by the occurrence of ferric secondary materials without primary pyrites. A pyrite-alternation model was proposed in relation with the progressing of slaking. The Extracting-method of pyrite micrograins is useful even the case that the pyrite peak is not detected by X-ray analysis because of lower containing percentage

Slaking characteristics of pyrite-bearing mudstone based on mineral compositions

The X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and wet-dry slaking test were examined to clarify mudstone weathering and slaking characteristics using drilling cores of the Lower Cretaceous Fujikawa Formation distributed in the Katsuura-gawa area, Tokushima, Japan. The drilling cores of the Fijikawa Mudstone were subdivided into three weathering grades as in the Fresh-zone, Slightly- and Strongly-weathered zones by naked-eye observations. The peaks of quartz, feldspar, calcite, illite and chlorite were detected by XRD analysis of the mudstone. The amount of calcite decreased in relation with the progressing of weathering grade, whereas the amounts of other minerals are constant during the weathering. Pyrite micrograins were extracted by the chemichal-etching process of mudstones. * The laboratory experiments and field observations revealed that the wet-dry slaking occurs in the Fujikawa Mudstone without swelling-clay minerals such as smectite. These characteristics of slaking originate from the changes of rock texture and physical properties of the mudstone with the oxidation of pyrite micrograins and dissolution of calcite under the oxidizing condition

Effective meson masses, effective meson-nucleon couplings and neutron star radii

Using the generalized mean field theory, we have studied the relation among the effective meson masses, the effective meson-nucleon couplings and the equation of state (EOS) in asymmetric nuclear matter. If the effective omega-meson mass becomes smaller at high density, the EOS becomes stiffer. However, if we require that the omega-meson mean field is proportional to the baryon density, the effective omega-nucleon coupling automatically becomes smaller at the same time as the effective omega-meson mass becomes smaller. Consequently, the EOS becomes softer. A similar relation is found for the effective rho-meson mass and the effective rho-nucleon coupling. We have also studied the relation among the effective meson masses, the effective meson-nucleon couplings and a radius R of a neutron star. The R depends somewhat on the value of the effective omega-meson mass and the effective omega-nucleon coupling.Comment: 29pages, 24 figure

Submillimeter Array Observation of the Proto-Planetary Nebula CRL 618 in the CO J=6-5 Line

We report on the results of a Submillimeter Array interferometric observation of the proto-planetary nebula CRL 618 in the 12CO J=6-5 line. With the new capability of SMA enabling us to use two receivers at a time, we also observed simultaneously in the 12CO J=2-1 and 13CO J=2-1 lines. The 12CO J=6-5 and 13CO J=2-1 lines were first interferometrically observed toward CRL 618. The flux of the high velocity component of the 12CO J=6-5 line is almost fully recovered, while roughly 80% of the flux of the low velocity component is resolved out. The low recovery rate suggests that the emission region of the low velocity component of the 12CO J=6-5 line is largely extended. Continuum emission is detected both at 230 and 690 GHz. The flux of the 690 GHz continuum emission seems to be partially resolved out, suggesting dust emission partly contaminates the 690 GHz continuum flux. The cavity structure, which has been confirmed in a previous observation in the 12CO J=2-1 line, is not clearly detected in the 12CO J=6-5 line, and only the south wall of the cavity is detected. This result suggests that the physical condition of the molecular envelope of CRL 618 is not exactly axial symmetric.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in AJ. Full resolution version available at http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~junichi/paper

Cellular clocks in AVP neurons of the scn are critical for interneuronal coupling regulating circadian behavior rhythm

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the primary circadian pacemaker in mammals, is a network structure composed of multiple types of neurons. Here, we report that mice with a Bmal1 deletion specific to arginine vasopressin (AVP)-producing neurons showed marked lengthening in the free-running period and activity time of behavior rhythms. When exposed to an abrupt 8-hr advance of the light/dark cycle, these mice reentrained faster than control mice did. In these mice, the circadian expression of genes involved in intercellular communications, including Avp, Prokineticin 2, and Rgs16, was drastically reduced in the dorsal SCN, where AVP neurons predominate. In slices, dorsal SCN cells showed attenuated PER2::LUC oscillation with highly variable and lengthened periods. Thus, Bmal1-dependent oscillators of AVP neurons may modulate the coupling of the SCN network, eventually coupling morning and evening behavioral rhythms, by regulating expression of multiple factors important for the network property of these neurons

Na依存性PiトランスポーターNpt2cは、KlothoノックアウトマウスPi恒常性において成長期と成熟期では異なる作用を有する

SLC34A3/NPT2c/NaPi-2c/Npt2c is a growth-related NaPi cotransporter that mediates the uptake of renal sodium-dependent phosphate (Pi). Mutation of human NPT2c causes hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria. Mice with Npt2c knockout, however, exhibit normal Pi metabolism. To investigate the role of Npt2c in Pi homeostasis, we generated α-klotho−/−/Npt2c−/− (KL2cDKO) mice and analyzed Pi homeostasis. α-Klotho−/− (KLKO) mice exhibit hyperphosphatemia and markedly increased kidney Npt2c protein levels. Genetic disruption of Npt2c extended the lifespan of KLKO mice similar to that of α-Klotho−/−/Npt2a−/− mice. Adult KL2cDKO mice had hyperphosphatemia, but analysis of Pi metabolism revealed significantly decreased intestinal and renal Pi (re)absorption compared with KLKO mice. The 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 concentration was not reduced in KL2cDKO mice compared with that in KLKO mice. The KL2cDKO mice had less severe soft tissue and vascular calcification compared with KLKO mice. Juvenile KL2cDKO mice had significantly reduced plasma Pi levels, but Pi metabolism was not changed. In Npt2cKO mice, plasma Pi levels began to decrease around the age of 15 days and significant hypophosphatemia developed within 21 days. The findings of the present study suggest that Npt2c contributes to regulating plasma Pi levels in the juvenile stage and affects Pi retention in the soft and vascular tissues in KLKO mice

Association between the rs1465040 single-nucleotide polymorphism close to the transient receptor potential subfamily C member 3 (TRPC3) gene and postoperative analgesic requirements

AbstractAn association between postoperative analgesic requirements in subjects who underwent orthognathic surgery and the rs1465040 single-nucleotide polymorphism close to the transient receptor potential subfamily C member 3 (TRPC3) gene was suggested by our previous genome-wide association study. To verify this association, we analyzed the association between the rs1465040 SNP and analgesic requirements, including opioid requirements, after open abdominal surgery. The association between the rs1465040 SNP and postoperative analgesic requirements was confirmed in the open abdominal surgery group (P = 0.036), suggesting that the TRPC3 SNP may contribute to predicting postoperative analgesic requirements