Quantum charge pumping and electric polarization in Anderson insulators

We investigate adiabatic charge pumping in disordered system in one dimension with open and closed boundary conditions. In contrast to the Thouless charge pumping, the system has no gap even though all the states are localized, i.e., strong localization. Charge pumping can be achieved by making a loop adiabatically in the two-dimensional parameter space of the Hamiltonian. It is because there are many $\delta$-function-like fluxes distributed over the parameter space with random strength, in sharp contrast to the single $\delta$-function in the pure case. This provides a new and more efficient way of charge pumping and polarization.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figure

Ophthalmic Features in Prader-Willi Syndrome Patients with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose：To investigate and compare features of diabetic retinopathy（DR）in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome（PWS）and those without PWS.Methods：Overall, 33 PWS patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus（T2DM）secondary to PWS（65 eyes） and 55 age-matched patients with T2DM（109 eyes）without congenital heredity diseases were reviewed. Medical records of 65 eyes with PWS（PWS group：mean age 24.7±5.9 years）and 109 eyes without PWS （control group：mean age 22.9±6.2 years）were acquired and compared from January 2000 to November 2018. Best-corrected visual acuity（BCVA）was determined and DR scores were assigned.Results：BCVA was significantly low in PWS group compared with the controls（P＜0.001）. Pseudophakia was frequently observed in patients in the PWS group（P＝0.024）. No significant differences were found with respect to cataract（P＝0.065）and DR score（P＝0.77）between patients in the PWS and control groups. Investigations into the possible causes of the low BCVA in the PWS group found no significant difference regarding strabismus（P＝0.065）. However, significant differences were found between both groups with respect to amblyopia（P＜0.01）. Visual acuity examinations were incomplete in some patients with PWS because of their inability to concentrate（P＜0.01）.Conclusions：There was no correlation between DR progression and PWS. Lower BCVA in PWS patients was likely owing to amblyopia and incomplete visual acuity examination owing to inability of patients with PWS to concentrate

Spin Hall effect of conserved current: Conditions for a nonzero spin Hall current

We study the spin Hall effect taking into account the impurity scattering effect as general as possible with the focus on the definition of the spin current. The conserved bulk spin current (Shi et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 076604 (2006)]) satisfying the continuity equation of spin is considered in addition to the conventional one defined by the symmetric product of the spin and velocity operators. Conditions for non-zero spin Hall current are clarified. In particular, it is found that (i) the spin Hall current is non-zero in the Rashba model with a finite-range impurity potential, and (ii) the spin Hall current vanishes in the cubic Rashba model with a $\delta$-function impurity potential.Comment: 5 pages, minor change from the previous versio

Suppression of exercise-induced neutrophilia and lymphopenia in athletes by cystine/theanine intake: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Intense exercise induces increased blood neutrophil counts and decreased lymphocyte counts, and leads to inflammation and immunosuppression. It was previously reported that cystine and theanine (CT) supplementation by long-distance runners before a training camp suppressed the changes of these blood parameters observed in un-supplemented control subjects after the camp. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of CT supplementation on the inflammatory response and immune state before and after intense endurance exercise in long-distance runners at a training camp.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixteen long-distance runners were allocated to one of two groups given CT supplements (700 mg cystine + 280 mg theanine daily) or placebo (8 in each group) for 7 days prior to and during a 9-day training camp. Daily run training averaged 19.9 km/day prior to the camp and 28.6 km/day during the camp. On the initial and final days of the camp, blood samples were collected before and after 15 km morning interval running workouts (1000 m × 15 times) and analyzed for neutrophil and lymphocyte counts and myoglobin.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The relative change in exercise-induced blood neutrophil count (% of pre-exercise values) was significantly lower in the CT group than in the placebo group (163.3 ± 43.2% <it>vs. </it>200.4 ± 19.6%, p = 0.044) on the initial day of camp, but not on the last day. The decline in lymphocyte count (% of pre-exercise values) was significantly less in the CT group than in the placebo group (60.2 ± 19.2% <it>vs. </it>36.2 ± 12.0%, p = 0.010) on the initial day of camp, but not on the last day. In blood myoglobin, there was a trend toward lower % of pre-exercise values in the CT group (p < 0.09) on both measurement days.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>CT supplementation significantly attenuated the increase in neutrophil count and the reduction in lymphocyte count induced by intense endurance exercise. These results suggest that CT supplementation may suppress the exercise-induced fluctuation of the blood immunocompetent cells and may help to reduce the alteration of the immune state.</p

Enzymatic hydrolyzing performance of Acremonium cellulolyticus and Trichoderma reesei against three lignocellulosic materials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bioethanol isolated from lignocellulosic biomass represents one of the most promising renewable and carbon neutral alternative liquid fuel sources. Enzymatic saccharification using cellulase has proven to be a useful method in the production of bioethanol. The filamentous fungi <it>Acremonium cellulolyticus </it>and <it>Trichoderma reesei </it>are known to be potential cellulase producers. In this study, we aimed to reveal the advantages and disadvantages of the cellulase enzymes derived from these fungi.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We compared <it>A. cellulolyticus </it>and <it>T. reesei </it>cellulase activity against the three lignocellulosic materials: eucalyptus, Douglas fir and rice straw. Saccharification analysis using the supernatant from each culture demonstrated that the enzyme mixture derived from <it>A. cellulolyticus </it>exhibited 2-fold and 16-fold increases in Filter Paper enzyme and β-glucosidase specific activities, respectively, compared with that derived from <it>T. reesei</it>. In addition, culture supernatant from <it>A. cellulolyticus </it>produced glucose more rapidly from the lignocellulosic materials. Meanwhile, culture supernatant derived from <it>T. reesei </it>exhibited a 2-fold higher xylan-hydrolyzing activity and produced more xylose from eucalyptus (72% yield) and rice straw (43% yield). Although the commercial enzymes Acremonium cellulase (derived from <it>A. cellulolyticus</it>, Meiji Seika Co.) demonstrated a slightly lower cellulase specific activity than Accellerase 1000 (derived from <it>T. reesei</it>, Genencor), the glucose yield (over 65%) from lignocellulosic materials by Acremonium cellulase was higher than that of Accellerase 1000 (less than 60%). In addition, the mannan-hydrolyzing activity of Acremonium cellulase was 16-fold higher than that of Accellerase 1000, and the conversion of mannan to mannobiose and mannose by Acremonium cellulase was more efficient.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We investigated the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials by cellulase derived from two types of filamentous fungi. We found that glucan-hydrolyzing activity of the culture supernatant from <it>A. cellulolyticus </it>was superior to that from <it>T. reesei</it>, while the xylan-hydrolyzing activity was superior for the cellulase from <it>T. reesei</it>. Moreover, Acremonium cellulase exhibited a greater glucan and mannan-hydrolyzing activity than Accellerase 1000.</p

Reversion Characteristics in an Al-4wt%Cu Alloy

The X-ray diffuse scattering intensity around the 110 reciprocal lattice point was measured in order to determine quantitatively the amount and size of precipitates during ageing and reversion. The precipitated phase was definitely determined by the aids of Laue X-ray photographs and the electron diffraction patterns. The electrical resistivity was carefully measured. When the alloy was aged for 1000 min at 373K, the GP zones precipitated with a mean diameter of 8.0nm. During the reversion, those zones dissolved perfectly above 458K, which is in good agreement with the result of Beton and Rollason. After the perfect dissolution of the GP zones, the Θ′ phase precipitated directly and heterogeneously. By ageing for 4000 min at 408K, the Θ″ phase precipitated with a mean diameter of 12.5 nm. When its aged alloy was reverted, the temperature at which the volume fraction of precipitates becomes minimum, but not zero, was 498K, where the successively precipitated Θ′phase exsisted already

Identification and expression of the lamprey Pax6 gene: evolutionary origin of the segmented brain of vertebrates

The Pax6 gene plays a developmental role in various metazoans as the master regulatory gene for eye patterning. Pax6 is also spatially regulated in particular regions of the neural tube. Because the amphioxus has no neuromeres, an understanding of Pax6 expression in the agnathans is crucial for an insight into the origin of neuromerism in the vertebrates. We have isolated a single cognate cDNA of the Pax6 gene, LjPax6, from a Lampetra japonica cDNA library and observed the pattern of its expression using in situ hybridization. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LjPax6 occurs as an sister group of gnathostome Pax6. In lamprey embryos, LjPax6 is expressed in the eye, the nasohypophysial plate, the oral ectoderm and the brain. In the central nervous system, LjPax6 is expressed in clearly delineated domains in the hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain. We compared the pattern of LjPax6 expression with that of other brain-specific regulatory genes, including LjOtxA, LjPax2/5/8, LjDlx1/6, LjEmx and LjTTF1. Most of the gene expression domains showed conserved pattern, which reflects the situation in the gnathostomes, conforming partly to the neuromeric patterns proposed for the gnathostomes. We conclude that most of the segmented domains of the vertebrate brain were already established in the ancestor common to all vertebrates. Major evolutionary changes in the vertebrate brain may have involved local restriction of cell lineages, leading to the establishment of neuromeres.</p

Neuromagnetic Activation of Primaryand Secondary Somatosensory Cortex Following Tactile-on and Tactile-off Stimulation

Objective Magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings were performed to investigate the cortical activation following tactile-on and tactile-off stimulation. Methods We used a 306-ch whole-head MEG system and a tactile stimulator driven by a piezoelectric actuator. Tactile stimuli were applied to the tip of right index finger. The interstimulus interval was set at 2000 ms, which included a constant stimulus of 1000 ms duration. Results Prominent somatosensory evoked magnetic fields were recorded from the contralateral hemisphere at 57.5 ms and 133.0 ms after the onset of tactile-on stimulation and at 58.2 ms and 138.5 ms after the onset of tactile-off stimulation. All corresponding equivalent current dipoles (ECDs) were located in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI). Moreover, long-latency responses (168.7 ms after tactile-on stimulation, 169.8 ms after tactile-off stimulation) were detected from the ipsilateral hemisphere. The ECDs of these signals were identified in the secondary somatosensory cortex (SII). Conclusions The somatosensory evoked magnetic fields waveforms elicited by the two tactile stimuli (tactile-on and tactile-off stimuli) with a mechanical stimulator were strikingly similar. These mechanical stimuli elicited both contralateral SI and ipsilateral SII activities. Significance Tactile stimulation with a mechanical stimulator provides new possibilities for experimental designs in studies of the human mechanoreceptor system