Recent progress in silica aerogel Cherenkov radiator

In this paper, we present recent progress in the development of hydrophobic silica aerogel as a Cherenkov radiator. In addition to the conventional method, the recently developed pin-drying method for producing high-refractive-index aerogels with high transparency was studied in detail. Optical qualities and large tile handling for crack-free aerogels were investigated. Sufficient photons were detected from high-performance aerogels in a beam test.Comment: Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics (TIPP 2011), to be published in Physics Procedia, 8 pages, 7 figure

LRRK2 directly phosphorylates Akt1 as a possible physiological substrate: Impairment of the kinase activity by Parkinson’s disease-associated mutations

AbstractLRRK2 is the causal molecule for autosomal-dominant familial Parkinson’s disease, although its true function, including its physiological substrates, remains unknown. Here, using in vitro kinase assay with recombinant proteins, we demonstrated for the first time that LRRK2 directly phosphorylates Akt1, a central molecule involved in signal transduction for cell survival and prevention of apoptosis. Ser473, one of two amino acids essential for Akt1 activation, was the target site for LRRK2. A knockdown experiment using intact cells also demonstrated LRRK2-mediated phosphorylation of Akt1 (Ser473), suggesting that Akt1 is a convincing candidate for the physiological substrate of LRRK2. The disease-associated mutations, R1441C, G2019S, and I2020T, exhibited reduced interaction with, and phosphorylation of, Akt1, suggesting one possible mechanism for the neurodegeneration caused by LRRK2 mutations.Structured summary of protein interactionsLRRK2phosphorylates Akt1 by protein kinase assay (View Interaction 1, 2, 3).LRRK2 phosphorylates MBP by protein kinase assay (View Interaction 1, 2).LRRK2 binds to Akt1 by pull down (View Interaction 1, 2, 3)

Bioinspired One-Step Synthesis of Pomegranate-like Silica@Gold Nanoparticles with Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Activity

Gold–silica (Au–SiO2) nanohybrids are of great technological importance, and it is crucial to develop facile synthetic protocols to prepare Au–SiO2 nanohybrids with novel structures. Here we report the bioinspired synthesis of pomegranate-like SiO2@Au nanoparticles (P-SiO2@Au NPs) via one-step aqueous synthesis from chloroauric acid and tetraethyl orthosilicate mediated by a basic amino acid, arginine. Effects of chloroauric acid, tetraethyl orthosilicate, and arginine on the morphology and optical property of the products are investigated in detail. The P-SiO2@Au NPs achieve tunable plasmon resonance depending on the amount of chloroauric acid, which affects the size and shape of the P-SiO2@Au NPs. Finite-difference time-domain simulations are performed, revealing that the plasmon peak red-shifts with increasing particle size. Arginine serves as the reducing and capping agents for Au as well as the catalyst for SiO2 formation and also promotes the combination of Au and SiO2. Formation process of the P-SiO2@Au NPs is clarified through time-course analysis. The P-SiO2@Au NPs show good sensitivity for both colloidal and paper-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering measurements. They achieve enhancement factors of 4.3 × 107–8.5 × 107 and a mass detection limit of ca. 1 ng using thiophenol as the model analyte.The Supporting Information is available free of charge at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00334

Robot arm system for automatic satellite capture and berthing

Load control is one of the most important technologies for capturing and berthing free flying satellites by a space robot arm because free flying satellites have different motion rates. The performance of active compliance control techniques depend on the location of the force sensor and the arm's structural compliance. A compliance control technique for the robot arm's structural elasticity and a consideration for an end-effector appropriate for it are presented in this paper

Carbon monoxide: impact on remethylation/transsulfuration metabolism and its pathophysiologic implications

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gaseous product generated by heme oxygenase (HO), which oxidatively degrades heme. While the stress-inducible HO-1 has well been recognized as an anti-oxidative defense mechanism under stress conditions, recent studies suggest that cancer cells utilize the reaction for their survival. HO-2, the constitutive isozyme, also plays protective roles as a tonic regulator for neurovascular function. Although protective roles of the enzyme reaction and CO have extensively been studied, little information is available on the molecular mechanisms by which the gas exerts its biological actions. Recent studies using metabolomics revealed that CO inhibits cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), which generates H2S, another gaseous mediator. The CO-dependent CBS inhibition may impact on the remethylation cycle and related metabolic pathways including the methionine salvage pathway and polyamine synthesis. This review focuses on the gas-responsive regulation of metabolic systems, particularly the remethylation and transsulfuration pathways, and their putative implications for cancer and ischemic diseases

ヘイトスピーチとは何か : 『ヘイトスピーチに関するマニュアル』から学ぶもの

In recent years, public demonstrations targeting vulnerable social groups including non-Japanese and Burakumin (historically discriminated communities and people ascribed to an inferior "caste") occur frequently in Japan. Extremist groups are seen in the streets crying "Kill Koreans", "Go back home Chinese", etc. However, Japan has no legislation regulating these activities, especially when manifested in the form of "hate speech." This article seeks to clarify what hate speech is, with reference to the Council of Europe Manual on Hate Speech, as well as United Nations documents addressing discriminatory or violent outbreaks against particular social groups, for the purpose of contributing to the discussion regarding hate speech regulation in Japan

人権の普遍的発展を阻害する「人権の普遍性」論議

1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights flared enormous debate about the universality of human rights. While much of them have been debated from philosophical or sociological point of view, this article analyses legal character of the debate engaged under the United Nations up to the Conference, which reveals its political character rather than legal, resulting in hindering universal progress of human rights