Structures and physiological functions of silica bodies in the epidermis of rice plants

We characterized silica structures in the epidermis of rice plant leaves and investigated their physiological functions from optical and mechanical viewpoints. By treating the distribution of silica bodies as a triangular lattice in the xy plane, and performing a theoretical optical analysis on this lattice, we discovered that a reduction in the photonic density of states may inhibit leaves of rice plant from being heated markedly higher than 20 degrees C. Ladderlike structures in the epidermis were mechanically investigated. These structures are conjectured to inhibit flat leaves from undergoing twisting torsions, which may assist the leaf to absorb sunlight more effectively for photosynthesis. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3232204]ArticleAPPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS. 95(12):123703 (2009)journal articl

Chirality-selected crystal growth and spin polarization over centimeters of transition metal disilicide crystals

We performed a chirality-controlled crystal growth of transition metal disilicide NbSi$_{2}$ and TaSi$_{2}$ by using a laser-diode-heated floating zone (LDFZ) method. The crystal chirality was evaluated in the crystals of centimeters in length by performing single crystal X-ray diffraction as well as probing a spin polarization originating from chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect. The crystals of right-handed NbSi$_{2}$ and of left-handed TaSi$_{2}$ were obtained in the conventional LDFZ crystal growth, while the left-handed NbSi$_{2}$ and right-handed TaSi$_{2}$ crystals were grown by the LDFZ method with the composition-gradient feed rods. The spin polarization via the CISS was observed over centimeters in the NbSi$_{2}$ single crystals and the sign of the CISS signals was dependent on the chirality of crystals. The correlation between the crystal chirality and CISS signals indicates that the CISS measurements work as a non-destructive method for chirality determination even in centimeter-long specimens.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

ガクセイ ノ ガクシュウ ドウキ オ モトニ シタ ＦＤ ノ コウチク ニ カンスル コウサツ : ガクセイ ノ ジュギョウガイ ガクシュウ オ ウナガス ヨウイン ニ チュウモク シテ

研究では、学生の授業外学習の時間に注目して、学習を促す要因を調査、分析する。そこで、明らかになった結果をもとにして、徳島大学の全学FD推進プログラムにおいて、学生の学びにつながる実質的なFDを構築するための考察を行う。調査の対象は徳島大学で、2009年度後期に実施された授業のうち、数学と英語の2つの授業である。これらの授業を受講してしている学生に、毎回の授業終了後に一週間を振り返ってもらい、授業外学習の時間と学習を行うきっかけとなった出来事についての記述を依頼した。その内容を分析することで、①授業方法、②授業の設計、③課題、④教材・資料、⑤学生理解の5つの内容について、学生の授業外学習を促す要因との因果関係を見ることができた。In this study we analyzed foctors encouraging students to learn outside the claassroom，with special attention to students learning time outside the classroom.Bosed on the results of this study we aimed at constructing substantial FD to enhance students learning by campus-wide Faculty Development programs at the University of Tokushima. The subjects for our investigation were the students of two classes of math and English in the lattler term of 2009 at the University of Tokushima.Every week after classes we asked the students in the questionnaire about their learning time outside the classroom and what motivated them to study, looking back over a class they previously attended. By analyzing the results of the questionnaire,we could find out five things that affected their motovation to study:①Teaching method,② Course design,③ Homework，④ Teaching materials,⑤Students understanding the class

Truly chiral phonons in {\alpha}-HgS

Chirality is a manifestation of the asymmetry inherent in nature. It has been defined as the symmetry breaking of the parity of static objects, and the definition was extended to dynamic motion such that true and false chiralities were distinguished. Recently, rotating, yet not propagating, atomic motions were predicted and observed in two-dimensional materials, and they were referred to as "chiral phonons" . A natural development would be the discovery of truly chiral phonons that propagate while rotating in three-dimensional materials. Here, we used circularly polarised Raman scattering and first-principles calculations to identify truly chiral phonons in chiral bulk crystals. This approach enabled us to determine the chirality of a crystal in a non-contact and non-destructive manner. In addition, we demonstrated that the law of the conservation of pseudo-angular momentum holds between circularly polarised photons and chiral phonons. These findings are expected to help develop ways for transferring the pseudo-angular momentum from photons to electron spins via the propagating chiral phonons in opto-phononic-spintronic devices

四国大学附属経営情報研究所におけるTRONプロジェクト : ユビキタスキャンパスの構築を目指して

We will experience a real ubiquitous networking in 2005. The ubiquitous network will provide us with a convenient service for education. We should develop an original system and introduce it as soon as possible, because the system has an important role in university management. We started to develop the original ubiquitous campus system in 2004. The proposed system consists of three sub-systems based on the T-Engine technique: 1)a database management system named T 3 that works on the T-Kernel. 2)a human interface system built by microscript on the BTRON operating system, and 3 )an optical ID system using printing devices intended to decrease production costs

SUCCESS-III : 四国大学キャンパス情報ネットワークの構築とその評価

In this research, we built a campus information network for Shikoku University that is called \u27SUCCESS-III\u27. SUCCESS-III is the third generation campus network of Shikoku University. It is a high speed network that adopted Gigabit Ethernet technology, and it has double core networks. SUCCESS-III was constructed as a network that had adjusted for the broadband network generation, and it has high availability. In this paper, first of all, we explain a problem of previous campus information network that was called \u27SUCCESS-II \u27. Next, we explain the design policy of SUCCESS-III, and we show the configuration of SUCCESS-III. After that, we explain the experimental usage and the result. Finally, we conclude it