Formation of a Five-Seven Pair Couple Defect in Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes under Bending Deformation

金沢大学理工研究域　数物科学系Simulations of double-walled carbon nanotubes under bending deformation using the tight-binding molecular dynamics method were carried out. Five- and seven-membered ring pair defects were formed after emission of several atoms from the tube structure. These defect pair couples have different structures corresponding to the number of emitted atoms and stabilize the resulting nanotubes. Our results imply that the defect pair couples represent one of the potential origins of the experimentally observed plastic deformations that have been shown to occur in double-walled carbon nanotubes. The various defects obtained by the simulations are discussed in relation to other defect types. © 2007 American Institute of Physics

BPG4 regulates chloroplast development and homeostasis by suppressing GLK transcription factors and involving light and brassinosteroid signaling

葉緑体の発達を適正に制御する新しい因子を発見. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-01-23.Chloroplast development adapts to the environment for performing suitable photosynthesis. Brassinosteroids (BRs), plant steroid hormones, have crucial effects on not only plant growth but also chloroplast development. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of BR signaling in chloroplast development remain unclear. Here, we identify a regulator of chloroplast development, BPG4, involved in light and BR signaling. BPG4 interacts with GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors that promote the expression of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes (PhANGs), and suppresses their activities, thereby causing a decrease in the amounts of chlorophylls and the size of light-harvesting complexes. BPG4 expression is induced by BR deficiency and light, and is regulated by the circadian rhythm. BPG4 deficiency causes increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and damage to photosynthetic activity under excessive high-light conditions. Our findings suggest that BPG4 acts as a chloroplast homeostasis factor by fine-tuning the expression of PhANGs, optimizing chloroplast development, and avoiding ROS generation

ナンカイ トウナンカイ ジシン ナドノ ダイキボ サイガイ ニ タイスル トクシマシ イシカイ ノ トリクミ : カコ 5ネンカン ニオケル 3ツ ノ カイゼン

Here is a report on activities of the Tokushima City Medical Association for the past５years for prevention and management of possible large-scaled natural disasters such as an earthquake in the Nankai and East Nankai regions. Paying attention to the fact that Tokushima is a city of good river network with unique topography, e.g. the towheads are connected by many bridges, and assuming a situation that all the bridges have collapsed,１６medical institutions were selected as a first aid station on the virtual map and obtained their approval for cooperation. However, after conducting simulation training, some members of the Tokushima City Medical Association claimed，“We can not do anything with no suitable equipment in a first aid station.”Thus, we requested some budget from the Tokushima Municipal Government, and then, a first aid medical kit JM１ was installed at all the １６ first aid stations in July 2００４. In previous years, disaster prevention training was held once a year at the riverbed of the Yoshino River, however, the first joint triage training of local residents and medical professionals was held at Kamona Elementary School on August ２６,２００７, in which actually local residents, fire fighters, physicians and nurses joined. Since then, the training has been held every３to４months in Shin-machi, Hachiman, Ronden, Tsuda and Sako areas in turn. The Tokushima City Medical Association believes that participating the disaster prevention training introduced here and continuing the practice should be the only way for good prevention and management of an unpredictable great disaster

Underwater microdischarge in arranged microbubbles produced by electrolysis in electrolyte solution using fabric-type electrode

Pulsed microdischarge was generated in microbubbles produced by electrolysis in an electrolyte solution without external gas feed by using a fabric-type electrode. The electrode structure not only allowed low-voltage ignition of the atmospheric-pressure discharge in hydrogen or oxygen containing microbubbles but also worked effectively in producing and holding the bubbles on its surface. The generation of reactive species was verified by optical emissions from the produced microplasmas, and their transport into the solution was monitored by the change in hydrogen concentration