Relaxation kinetics of photoinduced surface relief grating on azopolymer films

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in Tatsunosuke Matsui, Shin-ichiro Yamamoto, Masanori Ozaki, Katsumi Yoshino, and Francois Kajzar, Journal of Applied Physics 92, 6959 (2002) and may be found at https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1516264

Japanese verbal conjugation and the theory of underspecification

In this joint research we discussed the well-known phenomenon called Onbin observed in the past and the gerund forms of Japanese consonant-final verbs. See the examples below: ..

Identification and Characterization of Transcription Factors Regulating Arabidopsis \u3ci\u3eHAK5\u3c/i\u3e

Potassium (K) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and reproduction. HAK5, an Arabidopsis high-affinity K transporter gene, plays an important role in K uptake. Its expression is up-regulated in response to K deprivation and is rapidly down-regulated when sufficient K levels have been re-established. To identify transcription factors regulating HAK5, an Arabidopsis TF FOX (Transcription Factor Full-length cDNA Over-eXpressor) library containing approximately 800 transcription factors was used to transform lines previously transformed with a luciferase reporter gene whose expression was driven by the HAK5 promoter. When grown under sufficient K levels, 87 lines with high luciferase activity were identified, and endogenous HAK5 expression was confirmed in 27 lines. Four lines overexpressing DDF2 (Dwarf and Delayed Flowering 2), JLO (Jagged Lateral Organs), TFII_A (Transcription initiation Factor II_A gamma chain) and bHLH121 (basic Helix–Loop–Helix 121) were chosen for further characterization by luciferase activity, endogenous HAK5 level and root growth in K-deficient conditions. Further analysis showed that the expression of these transcription factors increased in response to low K and salt stress. In comparison with controls, root growth under low K conditions was better in each of these four TF FOX lines. Activation of HAK5 expression by these four transcription factors required at least 310 bp of upstream sequence of the HAK5 promoter. These results indicate that at least these four transcription factors can bind to the HAK5 promoter in response to K limitation and activate HAK5 expression, thus allowing plants to adapt to nutrient stress. Includes supplementary figure and table

The YlmG protein has a conserved function related to the distribution of nucleoids in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reminiscent of their free-living cyanobacterial ancestor, chloroplasts proliferate by division coupled with the partition of nucleoids (DNA-protein complexes). Division of the chloroplast envelope membrane is performed by constriction of the ring structures at the division site. During division, nucleoids also change their shape and are distributed essentially equally to the daughter chloroplasts. Although several components of the envelope division machinery have been identified and characterized, little is known about the molecular components/mechanisms underlying the change of the nucleoid structure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In order to identify new factors that are involved in the chloroplast division, we isolated <it>Arabidopsis thaliana </it>chloroplast division mutants from a pool of random cDNA-overexpressed lines. We found that the overexpression of a previously uncharacterized gene (<it>AtYLMG1-1</it>) of cyanobacterial origin results in the formation of an irregular network of chloroplast nucleoids, along with a defect in chloroplast division. In contrast, knockdown of <it>AtYLMG1-1 </it>resulted in a concentration of the nucleoids into a few large structures, but did not affect chloroplast division. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that AtYLMG1-1 localizes in small puncta on thylakoid membranes, to which a subset of nucleoids colocalize. In addition, in the cyanobacterium <it>Synechococcus elongates</it>, overexpression and deletion of <it>ylmG </it>also displayed defects in nucleoid structure and cell division.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that the proper distribution of nucleoids requires the YlmG protein, and the mechanism is conserved between cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. Given that <it>ylmG </it>exists in a cell division gene cluster downstream of <it>ftsZ </it>in gram-positive bacteria and that <it>ylmG </it>overexpression impaired the chloroplast division, the nucleoid partitioning by YlmG might be related to chloroplast and cyanobacterial division processes.</p

Robotic Fish Technology and Its Applications to Space Mechatronics

The authors have developed a shark ray robotic fish based on biomimetic approaches. The paper describes the newly developed robotic fish technology and its application to mechatronics in the space. It is found that robotic fish technology creates not only new underwater robotics, but also the next generation space mechatronics for geological survey of lunar/planets and dust cleaning in the space station.2013 the 3rd International Conference on Mechatronics and Applied Mechanics (ICMAM2013), Dec.27-28, 2013 Paris, Franc

Study of “Confusion after the entrance to Higher Education” Ⅰ Investigation on “Confusion after the entrance to Higher Education”

本研究では，まず「高校までの学校段階と大学との様々なギャップに対し，多くの大学1回生が入学後に強い戸惑いや困難を感じること」を「大1コンフュージョン」と命名した。その上で，予備調査では，大1コンフュージョン【大学生活全般】31項目，大1コンフュージョン【一人暮らし】8項目を収集した。本調査では，それら39項目の平均値および，ASD（自閉スペクトラム症）困り感，ADHD（注意欠如・多動症）困り感との関連について検討した。平均値の結果から，大学1回生は，相対的に授業履修や学習面に対して戸惑いや困難が高く，学習面以外の大学生活全般に対しては相対的に低い結果が示された。それに対し，発達障がい困り感との関連結果から，特にASD困り感の強い学生は，授業履修や学習面よりも，それ以外の大学生活全般に対して，より戸惑いや困難を感じやすい結果が示された

High-resolution FMCW reflectometry using a single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

金沢大学理工研究域電子情報学系High-resolution frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) reflectometry is realized by using a single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) as a frequency-swept light source for the first time. The optical frequency of the VCSEL is swept by the injection current modulation. The experimental spatial resolution of 250 μm was achieved, which is the best value when an injection current tuned laser diode is used as a frequency-swept light source. © 2011 IEEE