Possibility of the LBL experiment with the high intensity proton accelerator

We study physics possibility of Very Long Base-Line (VLBL) Neutrino-Oscillation Experiments with the High Intensity Proton Accelerator, which will be completed by the year 2007 in Tokai-village, Japan. As a target, a 100 kton-level water-Cerenkov detector is considered at 2,100 km away. Assuming the pulsed narrow-band nu_mu beams, we study sensitivity of such experiments to the neutrino mass hierarchy, the mass-squared differences, one CP phase and three angles of the lepton-flavor-mixing matrix. We find that experiments at a distance 2,100 km can determine the neutrino mass hierarchy if the mixing matrix element U_{e3} is not too small. The CP phase and U_{e3} can be constrained if the large-mixing-angle solution of the solar-neutrino deficit is realized.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure Proceedings of the NuFACT'01 Workshop, Tsukuba, Japan, May 200

Structural characteristics of the redox-sensing coiled coil in the voltage-gated H^+ channel

This research was originally published in Journal of Biological Chemistry. Yuichiro Fujiwara, Kohei Takeshita, Atsushi Nakagawa and Yasushi Okamura. Structural characteristics of the redox-sensing coiled coil in the voltage-gated H^+ channel. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2013; 288, 17968-17975. © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Crystal structure of lipoate-protein ligase A from Escherichia coli : Determination of the lipoic acid-binding site

This research was originally published in Journal of Biological Chemistry. Kazuko Fujiwara, Sachiko Toma, Kazuko Okamura-Ikeda, Yutaro Motokawa, Atsushi Nakagawa and Hisaaki Taniguchi. Crystal structure of lipoate-protein ligase A from Escherichia coli : Determination of the lipoic acid-binding site. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2005; 280, 33645-33651. © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

An Attempt to Analyze the Transformation in the Concept of the Environment during Class Practice for a Childcare Contents “Environment”

　“Environmentˮ has special meanings in early childhood education and care in Japan. The present study, we identified characteristic that is a problem faced by students in understanding the concept of the environment in a class on child care in the context of the “environmentˮ in a training school for child care providers. Specifically, this study used a sentence completion test to detect the transformation in the concept of environment in the students. These data were quantitatively analyzed using text mining. In addition, we examined the transformation in the environmental concept qualitatively. As a result, the tendency to use the captured environment as a method was seen, and some characteristics became clear. Based on these findings, we considered it necessary for class improvement to be expedited

Structural basis for the membrane association of ankyrinG via palmitoylation

Fujiwara, Y., Kondo, H., Shirota, M. et al. Structural basis for the membrane association of ankyrinG via palmitoylation. Sci Rep 6, 23981 (2016) doi:10.1038/srep2398

Field-Cooling Effect in the Amorphous Magnetic Oxide

Amorphous magnetic oxides of BaO-Mn_2O_3-B_2O_3 system are prepared by a rapid quenching technique. Magnetic measurements down to 4.2 K reveal weak ferromagnetic components with T_c～50 K. The origin of the ferromagnetism is suggested to be due to manganese-rich clusters arising from concentration fluctuations in the glass. The field-cooling effect in this system is compared with that in the amorphous BaO-Fe_2O_3-B_2O_3 system

Environmental dependence of 8 μm luminosity functions of galaxies at z ~ 0.8: Comparison between RXJ1716.4+6708 and the AKARI NEP-deep field

Aims. We aim to reveal environmental dependence of infrared luminosity functions (IR LFs) of galaxies at z ~ 0.8 using the AKARI satellite. AKARI’s wide field of view and unique mid-IR filters help us to construct restframe 8 μm LFs directly without relying on SED models. Methods. We construct restframe 8 μm IR LFs in the cluster region RXJ1716.4+6708 at z = 0.81, and compare them with a blank field using the AKARI north ecliptic pole deep field data at the same redshift. AKARI’s wide field of view (10' × 10') is suitable to investigate wide range of galaxy environments. AKARI’s 15 μm filter is advantageous here since it directly probes restframe 8 μm at z ~ 0.8, without relying on a large extrapolation based on a SED fit, which was the largest uncertainty in previous work. Results. We have found that cluster IR LFs at restframe 8 μm have a factor of 2.4 smaller L^∗ and a steeper faint-end slope than that of the field. Confirming this trend, we also found that faint-end slopes of the cluster LFs becomes flatter and flatter with decreasing local galaxy density. These changes in LFs cannot be explained by a simple infall of field galaxy population into a cluster. Physics that can preferentially suppress IR luminous galaxies in high density regions is required to explain the observed results

Cognitive dysfunction and amyloid β accumulation are ameliorated by the ingestion of green soybean extract in aged mice

AbstractThe effects of soybean extracts were investigated in senescence-accelerated (SAMP10) mice, a mouse model of brain senescence with cognitive dysfunction. Mature soybeans are usually yellow. However, the green soybean retains green color after being ripened. Cognitive functions were significantly better-preserved in aged mice fed green soybean than age-matched control mice with or without yellow soybean feeding. Molecular mechanisms of the beneficial effect of green soybean on brain functions were examined through transcriptome analysis of SAMP10 hippocampus. The high expression of Ptgds was significantly associated with green soybean diet, which encodes lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase, a putative endogenous amyloid β(Αβ)-chaperone. In consonance, Aplp1 expression was significantly reduced, a member of amyloid precursor proteins. Furthermore, the amount of Aβ 40 and 42 was reduced in the insoluble fraction of cerebral cortex. These results suggest that the intake of green soybean ameliorates cognitive dysfunction of aged mice through the reduction of Aβ accumulation

Core binding factors are necessary for natural killer cell development, and cooperate with Notch signaling during T cell specification

CBF{beta} is the non-DNA binding subunit of the core binding factors (CBFs). Mice with reduced CBF{beta} levels display profound, early defects in T but not B cell development. Here we show that CBF{beta} is also required at very early stages of natural killer (NK) cell development. We also demonstrate that T cell development aborts during specification, as the expression of Gata3 and Tcf7, which encode key regulators of T lineage specification, is substantially reduced, as are functional thymic progenitors. Constitutively active Notch or IL-7 signaling cannot restore T cell expansion or differentiation of CBF{beta} insufficient cells, nor can overexpression of Runx1 or CBF{beta} overcome a lack of Notch signaling. Therefore the ability of the prethymic cell to respond appropriately to Notch is dependent on CBF{beta}, and both signals converge to activate the T cell developmental program