Anomalously Long Passage through a Rounded-Off-Step Potential due to a New Mechanism of Multidimensional Tunneling

The fully complex domain semiclassical theory based upon the complexified stable-unstable manifold theory, which we have developed in our recent studies, is successfully applied to explain anomalous tunneling phenomena numerically observed in a periodically modulated round-off-step potential. Numerical experiments show that tunneling through the oscillating step potential is characterized by a spatially nondecaying tunneling tail and an anomalously slow relaxation. The key is the existence of a critical trajectory exhibiting singular behavior, and the analysis of neighboring trajectories around it reproduces the essence of such anomalous phenomena

Adsorption of Bovine Serum Albumin and γ-Globulin on Chitosan Membrane

Adsorption of proteins on chitosan, which has positively charged proups, was investigated. The amount of adsorption depended on pH values and showed the maximum at the isoelectric point of BSA (pH 4.5-5.0) as was recognized in non-charged polymer membl-anes. Also it depended on an ionic strength, which affected the maximum point as well as the amount itself. It was considered that the positive charge of chitosan may affect the isoelectric point of BSA at which the smallest lateral interaction appeared to make the compactest form of BSA molecule. Whereas, contrary to the general tendency observed at much lower concentration of BSA, the amount of maximum adsorption decreased as the ionic st.rength decreased. This suggests that at relatively high concentration, the reduction of shielding effect of ions may give the increase of repulsion between BSA molecules rather than that of interaction between BSA and chitosan molecules. The adsorption of γ-globulin was studied, too. Futhermore, the adsorption of chitosan onto a silk fiber as substitute for human hair was studied to result in the usefulness as the rinsing agent

Evaluation of APSIM-wheat to simulate the response of yield and grain protein content to nitrogen application on an Andosol in Japan

The self-sufficiency ratio and national average yield of wheat are low in Japan. Reducing the yield gap and receiving the government subsidy for grain quality are vital strategies for profitability. Elucidating optimum nitrogen application scheme is awaited to attain both higher yield and appropriate grain protein content (GPC) for wheat cultivation in Japan. Such decision support can be realized by integrating field experimental knowledge to crop growth models, although they have scarcely been utilized for wheat production in Japan. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to apply a widely used crop growth model (APSIM) to wheat growth on an Andosol in the Kanto region in Japan by calibration and validation. Selected model parameters of APSIM-wheat for phenology, leaf growth, and grain formation were readjusted based on the phenology and growth data of soft and hard wheat cultivars. Then the model was validated by using similar variables obtained in an independent experiment. For the simulation of the optimum sowing for winter wheat in the Kanto area (November), the root mean square error for grain yield was 23 and 48 g m−2 for Ayahikari and Yumeshiho varieties, respectively, and that for GPC was 1.9 and 1.4%. Thus, the overall model performance was acceptable for optimum sowing. However, grain yield and dry matter production were significantly overestimated when the data of late sowing groups were included. Therefore, further model improvement was suggested to add an algorithm to reduce the number of emerged plants under cold temperature in late sowing conditions

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HITTING MOTION USING BATS HAVING DIFFERENT LENGTH AND MASS BUT EQUAL MOMENT OF INERTIA

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of hitting motion when using training bats with altered length and mass. Four different long bats (LB) and four different weight bats (WB) that had the equal moment of inertia (MOI) were manufactured based on a normal bat (NB; 0.84 m, 0.90 kg). Eleven male collegiate baseball players performed tee batting with maximal effort. The hitting motion was analyzed using a VICON (250 Hz) to collect nine reflective markers fixed on the body and bat. Results indicated that the angular displacement of the trunk twist tended to be larger in LB with increasing MOI. And it was remarkable in subjects with smaller angular displacement of trunk twist in NB. Thus, compared to WB, LB may contribute to a larger angular displacement of trunk twist, particularly in players with smaller angular displacement of trunk twist in NB

Evaluation of water dynamics of contour-levee irrigation system in sloped rice fields in Colombia

Contour-levee irrigation system is commonly used for rice cultivation in Latin American and Caribbean countries, but its water dynamics in commercial farm field settings are yet to be fully determined. This study aimed to investigate the water dynamics of the contour-levee irrigation system by analyzing conventional irrigation practices and by quantifying water balance and additionally to examine potential toposequential effects. Field experiments with different irrigation intervals were conducted on three commercial farms in Ibagué, Colombia for two seasons from 2017 to 2018. Irrigation and runoff water flows were constantly measured during the crop cycle using Parshall flumes with water level sensors. Percolation rate and field water table were measured using percolators and piezometers installed along the toposequence. The results showed that conventional irrigation management was highly flexible depending on soil permeability, rainfall, and agronomic factors, not particularly paying attention to ensure the flooded conditions during flowering period. The water balance resulted in the irrigation accounting for 76% of the total water input, whereas the runoff, ET, and percolation accounted for 40%, 21%, and 31% on overall average with considerable variation among the three farms. Percolation rates and duration with standing water did not show a clear and consistent tendency among the toposequential positions, but the percolation rate was significantly different among the farms corresponding to soil permeability. Consequently, clear toposequential effects on the water dynamics or on grain yield were not observed at the study site. To our knowledge, this study is the first to elucidate detailed water dynamics of contour-levee irrigation system in farm fields including toposequential difference

Case of organising pneumonia in HIV infection

A man in his 50s presented to his doctor with a fever, sore throat, cough, dysgeusia and dyspnoea of several days\u27 duration. Tests for HIV antigen, HIV antibody and HIV PCR were positive. He was referred to our hospital for initiation of antiretroviral therapy and bronchoscopy to clarify the cause of an abnormal lung shadow on chest CT. He was diagnosed with organising pneumonia, with concurrent HIV infection. His pulmonary lesions were remitted spontaneously, and he was administered a fixed-dose combination of tenofovir (50 mg), emtricitabine (200 mg) and bictegravir (25 mg) for HIV. This is a rare report of organising pneumonia with HIV infection. Physicians need to consider organising pneumonia when lung opacity is observed in a patient with HIV infection

Development of ultra-low mass and high-rate capable RPC based on Diamond-Like Carbon electrodes for MEG II experiment

A new type of resistive plate chamber with thin-film electrodes based on diamond-like carbon is under development for background identification in the MEG II experiment. Installed in a low-momentum and high-intensity muon beam, the detector is required to have extremely low mass and a high rate capability. A single-layer prototype detector with 2 cm $\times$ 2 cm size was constructed and evaluated to have a high rate capability of 1 MHz/cm$^2$ low-momentum muons. For a higher rate capability and scalability of the detector size, the electrodes to supply high voltage was segmented by implementing a conductive pattern on diamond-like carbon. Using the new electrodes, a four-layer prototype detector was constructed and evaluated to have a 46% detection efficiency with only a single layer active at a rate of $\cal O$(10 kHz). The result is promising to achieve the required detection efficiency of 90% at a rate of 4 MHz/cm$^2$ with all the layers active.Comment: 5 pages, 8 figures. Contribution to XVI Workshop on Resistive Plate Chambers and Related Detectors (RPC2022), September 26-30 2022. Submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipmen