Evaluation and correlation of diffusion coefficient data : the most probable values of the self-diffusion coefficients of gaseous methane

The experimental diffusion coefficient data of gaseous methane available in the literature have been evaluated from the view-point of their reliability, and correlated with temperature and pressure. The most probable values are presented in the table covering the range of temperature from 198.15 to 348.15 K and that of pressure up to 260×10^5 Pa

Crystalline Electronic Field and Magnetic Anisotropy in Dy-based Icosahedral Quasicrystal and Approximant

The lack of the theory of the crystalline electric field (CEF) in rare-earth based quasicrystal (QC) and approximant crystal (AC) has prevented us from understanding the electronic states. Recent success of the formulation of the CEF theory on the basis of the point charge model has made it possible to analyze the CEF microscopically. Here, by applying this formulation to the QC Au-SM-Dy (SM=Si, Ge, Al, and Ga) and AC, we theoretically analyze the CEF. In the Dy$^{3+}$ ion with $4f^9$ configuration, the CEF Hamiltonian is diagonalized by the basis set for the total angular momentum $J=15/2$. The ratio of the valences of the screened ligand ions $\alpha=Z_{\rm SM}/Z_{\rm Au}$ plays an important role in characterizing the CEF ground state. For $0\le\alpha<0.30$, the magnetic easy axis for the CEF ground state is shown to be perpendicular to the mirror plane. On the other hand, for $\alpha>0.30$, the magnetic easy axis is shown to be lying in the mirror plane and as $\alpha$ increases, the easy axis rotates to the clockwise direction in the mirror plane at the Dy site and tends to approach the pseudo 5 fold axis. Possible relevance of these results to experiments is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Automatic generation of Feynman rules in the Schroedinger functional

We provide an algorithm to generate vertices for the Schr\"odinger functional with an abelian background gauge field. The background field has a non-trivial color structure, therefore we mainly focus on a manipulation of the color matrix part. We propose how to implement the algorithm especially in python code. By using python outputs produced by the code, we also show how to write a numerical expression of vertices in the time-momentum as well as the coordinate space into a Feynman diagram calculation code. As examples of the applications of the algorithm, we provide some one-loop results, ratios of the Lambda parameters between the plaquette gauge action and the improved gauge actions composed from six-link loops (rectangular, chair and parallelogram), the determination of the O(a) boundary counter term to this order, and the perturbative cutoff effects of the step scaling function of the Schroedinger functional coupling constant.Comment: 34 pages, 4 figure

Lattice QCD at finite temperature

Recent developments in finite-temperature QCD with dynamical quarks are reviewed focusing on the topics of critical temperature, the equation of state, and critical behaviors around the chiral phase transition.Comment: Lattice 2000 (Plenary), 8 pages, 11 figure

Comparison in gene expression of secretory human endometrium using laser microdissection

BACKGROUND: The endometrium prepares for implantation under the control of steroid hormones. It has been suggested that there are complicated interactions between the epithelium and stroma in the endometrium during menstrual cycle. In this study, we demonstrate a difference in gene expression between the epithelial and stromal areas of the secretory human endometrium using microdissection and macroarray technique. METHODS: The epithelial and stromal areas were microdissected from the human endometrium during the secretory phase. RNA was extracted and amplified by PCR. Macroarray analysis of nearly 1000 human genes was carried out in this study. Some genes identified by macroarray analysis were verified using real-time PCR. RESULTS: In this study, changes in expression <2.5-fold in three samples were excluded. A total of 28 genes displayed changes in expression from array data. Fifteen genes were strongly expressed in the epithelial areas, while 13 genes were strongly expressed in the stromal areas. The strongly expressed genes in the epithelial areas with a changes >5-fold were WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (44.1 fold), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (40.1 fold), homeo box B5 (19.8 fold), msh homeo box homolog (18.8 fold), homeo box B7 (12.7 fold) and protein kinase C, theta (6.4 fold). On the other hand, decorin (55.6 fold), discoidin domain receptor member 2 (17.3 fold), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (9 fold), ribosomal protein S3A (6.3 fold), and tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domains (5.2 fold) were strongly expressed in the stromal areas. WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (19.4 fold), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (9.7-fold), decorin (16.3-fold) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (7.2-fold) were verified by real-time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the genes we identified with differential expression are related to the immune system. These results are telling us the new information for understanding the secretory human endometrium

A perturbative determination of O(a) boundary improvement coefficients for the Schr\"odinger Functional coupling at 1-loop with improved gauge actions

We determine O($a$) boundary improvement coefficients up to 1-loop level for the Schr\"odinger Functional coupling with improved gauge actions including plaquette and rectangle loops. These coefficients are required to implement 1-loop O($a$) improvement in full QCD simulations for the coupling with the improved gauge actions. To this order, lattice artifacts of step scaling function for each improved gauge action are also investigated. In addition, passing through the SF scheme, we estimate the ratio of $\Lambda$-parameters between the improved gauge actions and the plaquette action more accurately.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, 6 table

Functional promoter upstream p53 regulatory sequence of IGFBP3 that is silenced by tumor specific methylation

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 functions as a carrier of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in circulation and a mediator of the growth suppression signal in cells. There are two reported p53 regulatory regions in the IGFBP3 gene; one upstream of the promoter and one intronic. We previously reported a hot spot of promoter hypermethylation of IGFBP-3 in human hepatocellular carcinomas and derivative cell lines. As the hot spot locates at the putative upstream p53 consensus sequences, these p53 consensus sequences are really functional is a question to be answered. METHODS: In this study, we examined the p53 consensus sequences upstream of the IGFBP-3 promoter for the p53 induced expression of IGFBP-3. Deletion, mutagenesis, and methylation constructs of IGFBP-3 promoter were assessed in the human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2 for promoter activity. RESULTS: Deletions and mutations of these sequences completely abolished the expression of IGFBP-3 in the presence of p53 overexpression. In vitro methylation of these p53 consensus sequences also suppressed IGFBP-3 expression. In contrast, the expression of IGFBP-3 was not affected in the absence of p53 overexpression. Further, we observed by electrophoresis mobility shift assay that p53 binding to the promoter region was diminished when methylated. CONCLUSION: From these observations, we conclude that four out of eleven p53 consensus sequences upstream of the IGFBP-3 promoter are essential for the p53 induced expression of IGFBP-3, and hypermethylation of these sequences selectively suppresses p53 induced IGFBP-3 expression in HepG2 cells

Research on Pupils' Progress of Mathematical Ability at Lower Secondary School Level (4) : Considering the "Number" of Test Points

Kassel-Exeter Projectによって開発された共通問題を用いて, 日本の中学生の数学的能力の発達・変容を調査し, その検討を通して, よりよい数学教育に向けての示唆を得ることが本研究の目的である。「数」調査問題をもとに1019名の公立中学校2, 3年生を対象とする調査を行ったところ, 日本の中学生の「数」得点は1年次からすでに高いレベルにあり, そのレベルを維持したままで, イギリス・ドイツなどと比して遜色のない程度の伸びを示していることがわかった。さらに, 問題ごとの正答率の変容に着目すると同時に, 被験者を3つの群に層化することによって, 正答率の変容の要因を分析した。その結果, 数学学習に対する「潜在力」の高い生徒および「潜在力」の低い生徒の「数」得点の変容に関する特徴が洗い出され, 個に応じた数学指導を考慮していく際の示唆が得られた。, The authors administered the "number" of test composed of 50 problems developed by Kassel-Exeter Project to students in Tokyo, Nara, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Nagasaki prefectures a year earlier to identify the students' progress in mathematical ability at lower secondary school level. Analysis of the test shows that Japanese students' progress is almost comparable with the students from other countries like England and Germany, which can be attributed to the effective teaching of Mathematics.Aside from the overall analysis of the test scores, a longitudinal analysis of each problem was made. The analysis showed that Japanese pupils made remarkable progress in many problems but they showed corresponding regression on estimation of problems. Based on their points in a "potential" test, students were grouped as potentially high (PH), potentailly medium (PM) or potentially low (PL). PH students exhibited high points in comparatively difficult problem items while PL students' showed progress in comparatively easy problem items. The observed regression could be attributed to the same kind of problem items. Important implications for the improvement of the teaching of Mathematics were identified