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The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system degrades target proteins rapidly in a controllable manner. Although this is a highly versatile technique for studying protein functionality, protein degradation with spatiotemporal resolution is not currently possible. Herein we describe a photoswitchable AID using a light-active auxin derivative for reversible and site-specific protein degradation with temporal resolution.

Water in confined geometries exhibits unusual static and dynamic properties. Here, we revealed proton transport through water confined in distorted single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The proton transport properties of the confined water were found to be controlled by the distortion ratio of the SWCNTs, where the SWCNTs were uniaxially compressed in a direction perpendicular to the SWCNT axes. In the appropriately distorted SWCNTs, the confined water forms an ice nanoribbon with a finite width perpendicular to the tube axis. An excess proton was found to diffuse preferentially along the edge water molecules of the ice nanoribbon via the Grotthuss mechanism. The mobility of the excess proton sensitively depends on the structure, especially the O–O–O bond angle θOOO, of the edge water molecules in the ice nanoribbons, and it exhibits a maximum value when θOOO∼ 146°. The mechanism of proton transport through the ice nanoribbons might have important implications for the development of novel proton exchange membranes for fuel cells, as well as for better understanding the mechanisms of proton transport through biological membranes.

We aimed to clarify the effect of nafamostat mesilate (nafamostat) on intestinal mucositis as well as the potentiation of intestinal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) dynamics induced by methotrexate, an anti-cancer drug, in rats. Rats received intraperitoneal methotrexate at 12.5 mg/kg/day for 4 days. In addition, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg/day of nafamostat was given subcutaneously for 4 days. Ninety-six hours after the first administration of methotrexate, jejunal tissues were collected for analysis. The results showed that 1 mg/kg, but not 3 or 10 mg/kg, of nafamostat significantly ameliorated the methotrexate-induced body weight loss. Moreover, 1 mg/kg of nafamostat significantly improved methotrexate-induced mucositis, including villus atrophy. Nafamostat (1 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the methotrexate-induced mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2, as well as methotrexate-induced 5-HT content and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) activity. In addition, it tended to inhibit the number of anti-TPH antibody-positive cells and significantly inhibited the number of anti-substance P antibody-positive cells. These findings suggest that low-dose nafamostat ameliorates tissue injury and 5-HT and substance P synthesis in methotrexate-induced mucositis. Nafamostat may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of mucositis as well as 5-HT- and/or substance P-related adverse effects in cancer chemotherapy.

The development of a dismantlable adhesion technology that allows switching between bonding and debonding states using external stimuli is important for realizing renewable and sustainable material cycles. Controlling the adhesion interface is an effective approach to manipulate the adhesion strength; however, research on dismantlable systems focusing on the interface has not been proceeded. Recently, we demonstrated a novel dismantlable system based on a stimuli-responsive molecular layer comprising cleavable anthracene dimers, which strengthen the initial adhesive force by forming chemical bonds between the substrate and adhesive and can be dismantled when required via stimulation-induced bond breaking. Here, we evaluate the use of the anthracene-based molecular layer with different components for verifying its versatility in the adhesive/dismantling system. The formation of the cleavable molecular layer by the stacking of relevant molecules enabled its usage with two types of adhesives, an epoxy adhesive and a silane-modified polymer adhesive. The initial adhesive strengths were improved in both types of molecular layers by creating chemical bonds at the adhesion interfaces. Light irradiation or heating stimuli for 1 min reduced the peel strength by up to 65%, and dismantling occurred in the cleavable photodimer layer. This study expands the versatile applicability of the molecular layer-based dismantling system.

Excavated rock produced during tunnel construction projects in volcanic areas and sedimentary rock of marine origin pose the potential hazard of introducing naturally occurring arsenic (As) into the surrounding soils and groundwater. Thus, appropriate management and/or countermeasures against As mobility is required by comprehending the leaching characteristics of the As in excavated and sedimentary rock. This study focused on the Neogene Miocene sedimentary rock of marine origin that is widely distributed between Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and Oshamambe Stations along the Hokkaido Shinkansen in Hokkaido, Japan. The probability distribution of the leaching concentration of As from the rock excavated from the tunnels between the above stations was evaluated via batch leaching tests using crushed rock as a countermeasure against the rock containing naturally occurring toxic elements. A statistical evaluation of this probability distribution was conducted using a vast amount of test results. The results showed that the As leaching concentration followed a logarithmic normal distribution depending on the geological formation. The concentration was influenced by various factors, including the As content, key chemical composition in the rock, such as calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and sulfur (S), as well as the pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in the leachate. In addition, the thickness of the overburden was found to impact the As leaching concentration. These results suggest that reasonable countermeasures against the risks of As leaching into the surrounding environment can be devised by considering the probability distribution of the As leaching concentration.

Controlling the alignment of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the macroscopic scale is critical for practical applications because SWCNTs are extremely anisotropic materials. One efficient technique is to create an effective SWCNT dispersion, which shows a liquid crystal (LC) phase. A strong acid treatment can realize SWCNT liquid crystalline dispersions. However, strong acids pose a substantial safety risk, which renders the process unfit for mass production. Herein, an isolated SWCNT dispersion displaying an LC behavior is prepared using sodium cholate without an acid treatment, and its phase transition behaviors are systematically investigated across the isotropic to biphasic to nematic phases. As the SWCNT concentration increases, the dispersion undergoes an isotropic-to-nematic phase transition in which the spindle-shaped LC droplets, or the so-called tactoids, and the Schlieren textures can be observed in the intermediate biphasic state and the nematic phase, respectively. The arrangements of SWCNTs in the tactoids and the Schlieren structures are directly investigated by polarized optical microscopy. The clear LC behaviors of the CNT dispersion suggest that the CNT orientations can be controlled by the normal surfactant-assisted method, which is a crucial advantage for the liquid-phase processing of CNT fibers and films.

Purpose: This study aims to introduce a new handheld device application for noncontact and real-time measurements of the angle of a biopsy needle using augmented reality (AR) image tracking technology. Furthermore, this study discusses the methods used to optimize the related coordinate design for computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy procedures. Methods: An in-house noncontact angle measurement application was developed using AR platform software. This application tracks the position and direction of a printed texture located on the handle of a biopsy needle. The needle direction was factorized into two directions: tilting or rolling. Tilting was defined following the tilting of the CT gantry so that rolling would match the angle measured in CT images. In this study, CT-guided tumor biopsies were performed using a conventional guiding method with a protractor. The true value of needle rolling was measured by CT imaging and was then compared to the rolling measurement provided by the application developed in the current study using a mobile phone. Results: This study enrolled 18 cases of tumor biopsy (five renal tumors, five lung tumors, four retroperitoneal tumors, one soft tissue tumor, one thyroid tumor, one mesentery tumor, and one bone tumor). The measurement accuracy was?-?0.2°, which was the average difference between AR and CT, and the measurement precision was 2.0°, which was the standard deviation of the difference between AR and CT measurements. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.996. Conclusion: The noncontact needle measurement software using AR technology is sufficiently reliable for use in clinical settings. A real-time display of the needle angle that also shows the direction of the CT gantry is expected to enable a simple biopsy needle navigation.

For a C∞stable map f:M→Qof a compact 3-manifold with boundary into a surface without boundary, we show that fis homotopic to a stable map which has no B2points if the Euler characteristic of each connected component of the boundary of Mis even.

Liquid crystal (LC) fibers formed by the self-assembly of LC molecules are promising for optical devices. However, the LC fibers reported previously were metastable and not reliable. In this study, we fabricated LC fibers using polymerizable monomers (PM). The growth rate decreased and the thickness increased compared to those of pure LC fibers. Our results will be useful for photopolymerization and will provide information for the application of the LC fibers.Graphical AbstractThe curved and unstable smectic fiber structure a) grows with 4-cyano-4′-n-octyloxybiphenyl (8OCB) in the isotropic–smectic phase transition. By adding 4-[(6-acryloyloxy)hexyloxy]-4′-cyanobiphenyl (A6CB) as a polymerizable monomer, a straight and stable structure b) is maintained for a sufficient time to achieve photopolymerization. A6CB can be utilized to stabilize the shapes of liquid crystal fibers for observation of their optical properties.

The use of high capacity electrode materials based on alloying and dealloying reactions with Na is very effective for improving energy density of batteries. However, their application brings on electrical isolation such as detachment of the electrode mixture layer from a current collector, causing rapid capacity fading. We previously found that Cu electrochemically grows in sheet form by electroplating in a CuSO4-based aqueous solution with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). In the present study, our goal was to elucidate the formation mechanism of Cu sheets by characterization using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and electron scatter diffraction patterns (EBSD) mapping. Then, the cycling performance of a Sn negative electrode for Na-ion batteries was significantly upgraded by the application of a roughened-Cu substrate with optimized sheet thickness. The STEM images and EBSD maps revealed that the Cu sheet was a single crystal, and the results obtained from XRD and the cathodic polarization behavior of Cu electrodeposition in PAA-containing solutions suggested that PAA molecules adsorbed onto Cu (100) to suppress the Cu growth on the plane, resulting in the formation of Cu sheets. Although the initial reversible capacities of flat-Cu/Sn and roughened-Cu/Sn electrodes were comparable, the developed Cu substrate (1.0 × 10–4M PAA) delivered a noticeable increase in the reversible capacity by 210 mA h g–1from the first to the second cycle, whereas the flat-Cu remained the increase by 100 mA h g–1. In addition, the roughened-Cu substrate suppressed the detachment of the active material layer to maintain a high capacity of 685 mA h g–1with good capacity retention of more than 90% by the anchor effect. These results demonstrate that the roughened-Cu substrate prepared in the present work is a promising candidate as a current collector for rechargeable batteries.

Using a molecular dynamics simulation, we theoretically investigate the dielectric response of confined water intruded between graphene and a hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) substrate. The dielectric constant of confined water with a thickness of 1 nm is only εr∼ 2, which is much smaller than that of bulk water (εrbulk=72.89). As the thickness hincreases, εrbegins to increase as well when hexceeds a few nanometers and then approaches εrbulk. The results of rotational autocorrelation functions suggest that the dielectric constant of the confined water is small because of the limited rotational degrees of freedom of the water on the graphene and h-BN substrate surfaces. In addition, the saturation electric field of the confined water with h< 100 nm is much higher than the breakdown electric field of the h-BN substrate (0.7 V/nm).

Purpose: Augmented reality (AR) technology improves the learning process in interventional radiology. This study hypothesized that using AR to train for central venous access is superior to using ultrasound alone. Methods: This study used an AR central venous catheterization phantom with an internal jugular vein (IJV) and subclavian vein (SCV) made of resin body and soft tubing. Ten radiologists attempted to punctuate, using needle placement simulation, under three conditions (ultrasound-, augmented reality-, and ultrasound and AR-guided methods; US-only, AR-only, and US+AR, respectively) using a smart-glass device (HoloLens, Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA). Subjective (anatomical understanding and self-confidence for procedure) and objective evaluations (optimized needle position and time) were recorded for each condition. Results: The subjective IJV evaluation showed no difference among the guiding methods (p= 0.26 and p= 0.07 for anatomical understanding and self-confidence for procedure, respectively). Conversely, there were significant improvements in subjective and objective evaluations for SCV using the AR-only and US+AR methods (p&lt; 0.05) and US+AR method (p&lt; 0.05), respectively. The AR-only method reduced the time required to fix the needle position to puncture the SCV (p&lt; 0.05), but its objective evaluation did not improve compared with the US-only method (p= 0.20). Conclusion: Adding the AR-guided method to the US-guided method improved subjective and objective evaluations in the SVC procedure. The AR technology-assisted training may be more beneficial for use in difficult procedures. Though the AR-only method saved time, no time saving is expected with AR+US method.

Photochemical control of the hardness and fluidity of polymeric materials is applicable to the development of photoreversible adhesives. Here, we report that common polymers show photoplasticization behavior, which is the photoinduced reduction of the glass transition temperature, just by adding an azobenzene-doped liquid crystal (azo-doped LC). We found that the photoplasticization effect that occurred in amorphous polymers with an azo-doped LC was due to a microscopic phase separation of the azo-doped LC from the polymers. In contrast, we did not observe any photoplasticization behavior in crystalline polymers because of the macroscopic segregation of the azo-doped LC from the polymers and high rigidity of the crystalline regions of the polymers. Based on the photoplasticization effect, we successfully achieved photochemical induction of tackiness, which is a pressure-sensitive adhesion property. Furthermore, the maximum tack strength was enhanced upon photoirradiation of the polymers. We inferred that this behavior originated from an increase in the interaction between the samples and the test probe based on the change in polarity of the samples by the photoisomerization of azobenzene. We conclude that “photoplastic” polymers composed of common materials can be used for photoresponsive pressure-sensitive adhesives.It was revealed that the azo-doped LC successfully acts as a photoresponsive plasticizer for the amorphous polymers. Furthermore, the amorphous polymer samples showed photoinduced tackiness around room temperature by the photoplasticization. Additionally, it was found that photoirradiation improved the maximum tack strength of the samples because the polarity of azobenzene increased upon the photoisomerization from transto cisforms.

If we wish to use metal clusters as magnetic materials and dipole materials, it is necessary to assemble the clusters to attain a certain material size. However, the types of building-block clusters suitable for assembly are currently very limited, and thereby we have little information on the factors required to assemble metal clusters and the physical properties and functions of such assembled structures. In this research, we found the following four points about thiolate (SR)-protected gold–platinum alloy (Au4Pt2) clusters ([Au4Pt2(SR)8]0); (1) [Au4Pt2(SR)8]0is a metal cluster that can be used as a building block to form one-dimensional (1D) connected structures (1D-CS) viainter-cluster Au–Au bonds (aurophilic bond); (2) although all [Au4Pt2(SR)8]0clusters have similar structures, the intra-cluster ligand interactions vary depending on the ligand structure. As a result, the distribution of the ligands in [Au4Pt2(SR)8]0changes depending on the ligand structure; (3) the differences in the distributions of the ligands influence the inter-cluster ligand interactions, which in turn affects the formation of 1D-CS and changes the connected structure; and (4) the formation of 1D-CS decreases the band gap of the clusters. These results demonstrate that we need to design intra-cluster ligand interactions to produce 1D-CS with desired connecting structures.

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a late-onset disorder characterized by ptosis, dysphagia, and weakness of proximal limbs. OPMD is caused by the expansion of polyalanine in poly(A)-binding protein, nuclear 1 (PABPN1). Although mitochondrial abnormality has been proposed as the possible etiology, the molecular pathogenesis is still poorly understood. The aim of the study was to specify the mechanism by which expanded PABPN1 causes mitochondrial dysfunction in OPMD. We evaluated whether transgenic mouse model of OPMD, by expressing expanded PABPN1, indeed causes mitochondrial abnormality associated with muscle degeneration. We also investigated the mechanism by which expanded PABPN1 would cause mitochondrial dysfunction in the mouse and cell models of OPMD. Mitochondrial localization of PABPN1 was observed in the muscle fibers of patients with OPMD. Moreover, abnormal accumulation of PABPN1 on the inner membrane of mitochondria and reduced expression of OXPHOS complexes were detected in the muscle fibers of the transgenic mice expressing expanded human PABPN1 with a 13-alanine stretch. In cells expressing PABPN1 with a 10-alanine or 18-alanine stretch, both types of PABPN1 accumulated in the mitochondria and interacted with TIM23 mitochondrial protein import complex, but PABPN1 with 18-alanine stretch decreased the cell viability and aggresome formation. We proposed that the abnormal accumulation of expanded PABPN1 in mitochondria may be associated with mitochondrial abnormality in OPMD.

Semiconductors are generally considered far superior to metals as thermoelectric materials because of their much larger Seebeck coefficients (S). However, a maximum value of Sin a semiconductor is normally accompanied by a minuscule electrical conductivity (σ), and hence, the thermoelectric power factor (P= S2σ) remains small. An attempt to increase σ by increasing the Fermi energy (EF), on the other hand, decreases S. This trade-off between Sand σ is a well-known dilemma in developing high-performance thermoelectric devices based on semiconductors. Here, we show that the use of metallic carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with tunable EFsolves this long-standing problem, demonstrating a higher thermoelectric performance than semiconducting CNTs. We studied the EFdependence of S, σ, and Pin a series of CNT films with systematically varied metallic CNT contents. In purely metallic CNT films, both Sand σ monotonically increased with EF, continuously boosting Pwhile increasing EF. Particularly, in an aligned metallic CNT film, the maximum of Pwas ∼5 times larger than that in the highest-purity (>99%) single-chirality semiconducting CNT film. We attribute these superior thermoelectric properties of metallic CNTs to the simultaneously enhanced Sand σ of one-dimensional conduction electrons near the first van Hove singularity.

Mitochondrial iron is indispensable for heme biosynthesis and iron–sulfur cluster assembly. Several mitochondrial transmembrane proteins have been implicated to function in the biosynthesis of heme and iron–sulfur clusters by transporting reaction intermediates. However, several mitochondrial proteins related to iron metabolism remain uncharacterized. Here, we show that human sideroflexin 2 (SFXN2), a member of the SFXN protein family, is involved in mitochondrial iron metabolism. SFXN2 is an evolutionarily conserved protein that localized to mitochondria via its transmembrane domain. SFXN2-knockout (KO) cells had an increased mitochondrial iron content, which was associated with decreases in the heme content and heme-dependent enzyme activities. By contrast, the activities of iron–sulfur cluster-dependent enzymes were unchanged in SFXN2-KO cells. Moreover, abnormal iron metabolism impaired mitochondrial respiration in SFXN2-KO cells and accelerated iron-mediated death of these cells. Our findings demonstrate that SFXN2 functions in mitochondrial iron metabolism by regulating heme biosynthesis.

Melting point is independent of size and shape in bulk materials, but it exhibits a size dependence when the material size is extremely small. In this study, we measured the melting point of water confined in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with 16 different chiralities, which ranged from 0.95 to 1.26 nm in diameter, and revealed the details of the SWCNT diameter dependence on the melting points. The melting points were probed by utilizing the change of photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength of SWCNTs, which encapsulated water, and the relation between the emission wavelength, and the water phase was confirmed by first-principles calculations. The periodicity of the melting point variation with SWCNT diameter came from the discrete change of ice-nanotube (ice-NT) diameter, and in addition, even ice-NT with an identical diameter exhibited different melting points due to the slight difference of the inner space size of the encapsulating SWCNTs. The present results agreed with those of the molecular dynamics simulation (Takaiwa, D.; et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.2008, 105, 39–43). It was elucidated that the melting point of the nanomaterial changed sensitively to the atomic structure and the confinement space size.

Long-term evaluations of hazard and risk related to volcanoes rely on extrapolations from volcano histories, including the uniformity of their eruption rates. We calculated volumetric magma eruption rates, compiled from quantitative eruption histories of 29 Japanese Quaternary volcanoes, and analyzed them with respect to durations spanning 101–105years. Calculated eruption rates vary greatly (101–10−4km3dense-rock equivalent/1000 years) between individual volcanoes. Although large basaltic stratovolcanoes tend to have high eruption rates and relatively constant repose intervals, these cases are not representative of the various types of volcanoes in Japan. At many Japanese volcanoes, eruption rates are not constant through time, but increase, decrease, or fluctuate. Therefore, it is important to predict whether eruption rates will increase or decrease for long-term risk assessment. Several temporal co-variations of eruption rate and magmatic evolution suggest that there are connections between them. In some cases, magma supply rates increased in response to changing magma-generation processes. On the other hand, stable plumbing systems without marked changes in magma composition show decreasing eruption rates through time.

We investigated the dynamics of water molecules in the interfacial water around a carbon nanotube (CNT) by analyzing the rotational autocorrelation function (RACF) for water molecules using molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the function undergoes a gradual crossover with temperature for the interfacial water with double-molecular-layer structure around the CNT, in contrast to bulk water, which shows a discontinuous change in the RACF at 0 °C. This is consistent with recent experimental results showing that interfacial water does not exhibit a solid–liquid phase transition. In addition, the RACF results can be fitted by exponential functions with two different time constants, indicating that the proportion of disordered structures relative to ordered structures, in which water molecules have more restricted rotation, increases continuously with temperature. The continuous structural change yields the gradual solid–liquid crossover.

Recent developments in materials showing photo-induced liquefaction and softening, including molecular materials, gels, and polymers, are described. A macrocyclic azobenzene molecule that has long alkoxy chains was first reported to show a photo-induced solid–liquid phase transition at room temperature through trans–cisphotoisomerization. The structure–property relationship for understanding the photo-induced phase transition has since been investigated by using model compounds with a simple molecular design. Such azobenzene-based materials also exhibited dynamic motion on glass and water surfaces; these motions are driven by continuous liquefaction/crystallization and dissolution of the liquefied material. Photo-induced liquefaction has been further developed in middle molecular and polymeric materials. The effects of the alkyl chain length, functional groups, and number of azobenzene units on the photo-induced behavior have been extensively investigated. In addition, by using photoresponsive gelators, the photo-induced quasi-solid–liquid (gel–sol) phase transition of gels was accomplished. Moreover, very recently, a photoresponsive plasticizer that can plasticize “photo-inactive” polymers by light irradiation has been proposed. This review focuses on the recent developments on the photo-induced liquefaction and softening of azobenzene-based materials. The trans–cisphotoisomerization of azobenzene units incorporated in molecular materials, polymers, and gels induces a variety of state changes such as solid–liquid, gel–sol, and glass–rubber transitions of those materials isothermally. Several novel applications such as reusable and environmentally friendly photoresists, reworkable adhesives, and self-healing materials can be expected using the photochemical liquefaction and softening.

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) particles obtained by surfactant-assisted liquid-phase synthesis have cuboid shapes but the internal structures are difficult to be visualized by electron microscopy. Herein, we investigated the internal structures of numerous individual Cu2O particles with submicrometer dimensions by X-ray diffraction imaging (XDI) using X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) pulses. The reconstructed two-dimensional electron density maps, which displayed inhomogeneous internal structures, were divided into five classes characterized by the positions and shapes of high and low electron density areas. Further analysis of the maps in each class by a manifold learning algorithm revealed that the internal structures of Cu2O particles varied in correlation with total electron density while retaining the characteristics within each class. On the basis of the analyses, we proposed a growth mechanism to yield the inhomogeneity in the internal structures of Cu2O particles in surfactant-mediated liquid-phase synthesis.

A photoresponsive plasticizer for a photo-inactive polymer was developed using an azobenzene-doped liquid crystal (LC). The azo-doped LC was miscible with poly(methyl methacrylate) up to a critical concentration, above which it phase-separated from the polymer. A photoinduced decrease in the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polymer was accomplished by photochemically changing the phase structures of the phase-separated LC; the large decrease in Tg(ΔTg= −23 °C) was obtained with the addition of 70 wt % azo-doped LC.A novel photoresponsive plasticizer for polymers could be developed by using a liquid crystal containing a small amount of a photoactive azobenzene derivative. By changing the phase structures of the azobenzene-containing liquid crystal photochemically, which was phase-separated in a polymer matrix, a giant photoinduced reduction of glass transition temperature could be successfully observed.

Particulate photocatalyst sheets based on a hydrogen evolution photocatalyst (HEP) and an oxygen evolution photocatalyst (OEP) embedded in a conductive material can realize efficient and scalable water splitting. However, existing sheet systems involve photocatalytic materials with absorption edge wavelengths (λabs) of approximately 500 nm. Thus, the development of sheet systems based solely on photocatalysts with longer absorption edge wavelengths is essential for obtaining solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency required for practical applications. In this study, we present a photocatalyst sheet system based on Ga-doped La5Ti2Cu0.9Ag0.1S5O7(Ga-LTCA, λabs= 710 nm) as the HEP and LaTiO2N (λabs= 600 nm) loaded with cobalt oxide (CoOx) as the OEP, both embedded in a Au layer by particle transfer (Ga-LTCA/Au/LaTiO2N). Ga-LTCA/Au/LaTiO2N sheets modified with Rh species evolved hydrogen and oxygen simultaneously under visible light irradiation (λ> 420 nm). The loading of CoOxonto LaTiO2N was found to be essential for successful water splitting, as was the choice of pH values during water splitting. The roles of CoOxand other factors in determining the water splitting activity of the Ga-LTCA/Au/LaTiO2N sheets are described herein, based on the photoelectrochemical properties of LaTiO2N photoanodes.

This paper analyzes the temporal variability in sediment yield in a small agricultural watershed located in the southwest portion of Japan. The relationships between the rainfall, runoff, and sediment variables were analyzed, and the suspended sediment concentration–discharge hysteresis was used to interpret the mechanisms of sediment transport. A total of 227 flood events were derived from long–term high resolution discharge and sediment data that had been collected over the period of 2000–2015. Long–term analyses showed that there are highly variable hydrological and sediment responses on inter–annual, annual, seasonal scales. Sediment was strongly transported in the period of August–October, when the watershed was hydrologically and sedimentologically most active, followed by the February–April, May–July, and November–January periods. The sediment concentration for most flood events was relatively high, frequently exceeding 200 mg.L−1and reaching as much as 1967 mg.L−1. The rainfall, runoff, and sediment variables showed significant correlations with each other. However, antecedent rainfall strongly influenced the efficiency of runoff generation, which further affected the sediment transport. Four types of hysteresis were observed: clockwise (48%), counter–clockwise (16%), figure–eight (25%), and complex (11%). The results confirmed the complexity and heterogeneity of both the hydrological and sedimentological responses in the studied watershed. Even though the analyses revealed the efficiency of the soil erosion–reduction schemes that had been implemented in the studied watershed, the red soil outflow is still relatively high. Therefore, additional measures (e.g., slope gradient modification, grass strips, and cover crop planting prior to summer sugarcane planting) are necessary to reduce soil erosion and sediment discharge.

Metal–metal interactions through graphene can result in interesting phenomena, although the effective range has not yet been studied in detail. This work investigated these interactions by evaluating the contact angles of Cu particles on graphene grown on a Pd substrate. Thermally-induced variations in the morphology of the particles were assessed using in situ scanning electron microscopy, and such changes were also evaluated by conducting molecular dynamics calculations. The contact angle exhibited a marked decrease in going from graphene multi-layers to a mono-layer. The simulations showed the particles on a graphene mono-layer will interact both with the graphene and the substrate.

Colloidal composites consisting of polymer-brush-afforded silica particles (P-SiPs) and a nematic liquid crystal (LC) exhibited three gel states with distinct viscoelastic and/or optical properties depending on temperature: (1) opaque hard gel, (2) translucent hard gel, and (3) translucent soft gel. We demonstrated that the transitions of the optical property and the hardness of the gels were due to the phase transition of the LC matrix and the glass transition of the grafted polymers of P-SiPs, respectively. We then revealed that the gelation (the formation of the translucent soft gel) was caused by the phase separation of P-SiPs and LC matrix in an isotropic phase based on spinodal decomposition. In addition, the particle concentration and molecular weight of the grafted polymer of P-SiPs were observed to significantly affect the elastic moduli and thermal stability of the composite gels. By the addition of an azobenzene derivative into an LC matrix, we achieved photochemical switching of the transparency of the composites based on the photoinduced phase transition of LCs, while keeping self-supporting ability of the composite gel.

We investigate the liquid crystal (LC) phase behaviors of the sodium cholate stabilized single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) aqueous dispersions with different SWCNT aspect ratios. The isotropic-to-nematic phase transition occurs at a lower concentration for the SWCNT dispersion with a larger aspect ratio, which is expected by the Onsager theory. The well-aligned film is successfully fabricated from the dispersion with the higher SWCNT aspect ratio by the simple blade coating. We also prepare the SWCNT dispersions with different surfactants, sodium deoxycholate, and sodium taurodeoxycholate, changing the surface condition of SWCNTs, which may affect the LC transition concentrations.

Electrical and thermal circuit analyses on a random stick network were combined to develop the simulation method to calculate the thermoelectric response of carbon nanotube (CNT) films. The experimental results were successfully reproduced with respect to the gate-voltage dependence of both the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of CNT-film field effect transistors for various mixing ratios of semiconducting/metallic CNTs. The Seebeck coefficient increases monotonically with the semiconducting CNT content and the rate of increase in the Seebeck coefficient is strongly dependent on the chemical potential (i.e. the carrier density). The thermoelectric response of aligned CNT films was also investigated. The Seebeck coefficient of an aligned CNT film was determined to be isotropic (i.e. independent of measurement in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the CNT alignment), although the electrical conductivity in the direction parallel to the CNT alignment was much larger than that in the perpendicular direction.

We prepared the composite gels from polymer-brush-afforded silica particles (P-SiPs) and an azobenzene-doped liquid crystal, and investigated their inner structure, dynamic viscoelastic properties, thermo- and photoresponsive properties, and self-healing behaviors. It was found that the composite gels had a sponge-like inner structure formed with P-SiPs and exhibited good elastic property and shape recoverability. The surface dents made on the composite gel could be repaired spontaneously at room temperature. Moreover, the composite gel exhibited a gel–sol transition induced by the trans–cisphotoisomerization of the azo dye, and the transition could be used as a mending mechanism for surface cracks. Consequently, we successfully developed a material exhibiting two types of self-healing abilities simultaneously: (1) spontaneous repair of surface dents by means of the excellent elasticity of the composite gel and (2) light-assisted mending of surface cracks by photoinduced gel–sol transition.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment for paracetamol overdose are typically anaphylactoid in origin and occur in 2–48 of treated patients. We explored the incidence and management of NAC ADR in our unit.

Mt. Fuji is an active basaltic volcano near the Tokyo metropolitan area; future eruptions could thus have serious nationwide impacts. To better understand recent volcanism at Fuji Volcano, we here clarify temporal variations of eruption rate and magma composition since 5.6 ka based on time-series volumetric and geochemical data of eruptive products in a new stratigraphic sequence. Volcanic activity during the studied period consisted of (i) the emission of many lava flows that formed a new volcanic edifice between 5.6 and 3.45 ka, (ii) a period dominated by explosive events both at the summit and on the flanks of the volcano between 3.45 and 2.25 ka, and (iii) a period dominated by flank fissure eruptions since 2.25 ka. The eruption rate (dense-rock equivalent, DRE) was 3.5 km3DRE/kyr during the edifice-building period, decreased to 0.8 km3DRE/kyr during the explosive period, and then increased to 2.0 km3DRE/kyr since 1.5 ka. Erupted magmas were dominantly basaltic and geochemically similar through time, except for increased Sr contents and decreased Ca/Sr ratios during the explosive period. Similarly, the geochemical properties of the parental magmas did not change greatly, although the Sr contents and Ca/Sr ratios of magmas erupted during the explosive period reflect the delayed fractionation of plagioclase due to the increased water contents of the parental magmas at that time.

We derive a nonequilibrium Green's function formalism to study the transient energy currents carried by electrons in a single-level quantum dot system sandwiched between two electrodes. The energy current shows the same relaxation time and oscillation behavior as the electrical current. In contrast to the steady state case, the energy currents in deep insides of the two electrodes do not balance each other in the time domain. The sum of energy currents in the two electrodes corresponds to the time-dependent energy change in the sandwiched region, and the fact that the energy change in this region is not necessarily zero reflects the real-time electron redistribution in energy domain. Moreover, the amplitude of the energy change does not vary monotonically with the coupling strength between the dot and electrode, in contrast to the relaxation time, which is inversely proportional to the coupling strength.

The sub-THz AC response of metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (M-SWNTs) with a single atomic vacancy is investigated theoretically focusing on its diameter dependence. We find that the AC response behaves more capacitively in large-diameter M-SWNTs with a vacancy at the center of the SWNT in contrast to the diameter-independent AC response of a pristine M-SWNT showing the inductive response. This can be understood from the fact that the large-diameter M-SWNTs with a vacancy have more scattering states for electrons around the vacancy than the small-diameter ones. In addition, the threshold of vacancy position from the center of the SWNT, beyond which the inductive response appears regardless of the Fermi level position, is higher for large-diameter M-SWNTs than for small-diameter ones. Moreover, we find that the AC response depends strongly on tube diameter, but not on the type of tube, i.e., armchair or zigzag.

We have theoretically investigated the time evolution of electron emission from a quantum dot (QD) to an electrode by the non-equilibrium Green's function technique. We found that the emitted current behavior depends sensitively on the relative position of the energy level of the QD to the Fermi level of the electrode and on the amplitude of gate voltage applied the QD.

The forces induced by a steady electric current on several atoms, namely, B, C, N, O, and F, adsorbed on a metallic (5,5) carbon nanotube are calculated using the nonequilibrium Green's function technique combined with density functional theory. Atoms are optimized in bridge positions and are found to be either repelled from the tube (C, N, O, and F) or attracted to it (B). The current-induced forces pull the atoms either in the direction of the electron flow (N, O, and F) or in the opposite direction (B and C). These results can be understood in terms of charge transfer, modification of the electron density, and the chemical bonding properties of the scattering states.

Ecological deep hole drilling is proposed in this paper. The ecological drilling means a cutting without coolant or minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). Under a cutting condition with a small amount of lubrication, the drills should be designed availably to control heat generation during cutting. An attempt is made on the development of innovative drills which are available for use under ecological cutting conditions. These drills were coated especially with a titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) film and a poly crystalline diamond layer. After TiAlN coating flutes of drills were lapped with diamond compounds [1]. The result of studies on the process and application of the innovative drills was reported.

Both peripheral ends of some straight-shaped mesogenic compounds, possessing a biphenyl or azobenzene moiety as the central rigid core, were systematically modified, and the effect on the liquid-crystalline properties investigated. Introduction of phenyl rings into the middle of the flexible chains was found to produce a well-defined smectic layered structure. Further introduction of another phenyl ring at each terminal end of the peripheral chain had a significant effect on the determination of the molecular tilt direction in the smectic phase, i.e., synclinic or anticlinic. Thus, novel molecular architecture for stabilizing the anticlinic smectic phase was introduced and the origin of the anticlinic ordering discussed.

Abstract. Chausudake Volcano is representative of the active volcanoes in northeastern Japan, and has a record of many historical eruptions. Because its 16-ky eruptive history is well documented, Chausudake is well-suited for examining the temporal change of magma chamber processes and for assessing potential hazards. The activity of the Chausudake Volcano can be divided into six magmatic units (CH1-CH6). Most of its products have similar characteristics, but those from unit CH1 show wider variation. Most rocks are andesite and have plagioclase, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and Fe-Ti oxides as phenocrysts, with or without olivine or quartz. Mafic inclusions, which are observed in most products, are basaltic andesites that have various combinations of the same phenocryst species. Petrographic features observed in host rocks and mafic inclusions, such as disequilibrium phenocrysts and resorbed textures, suggest magma mixing/co-mingling. Whole rock compositions of both host rocks and mafic inclusions show linear trends in variation diagrams, which suggest that the rocks are derived from the mixing/co-mingling between mafic and felsic end members. Bulk silica content of the mafic end-member magma is estimated to be ca. 52%, and contains Mg-rich olivine and An-rich plagioclase. The temperature of this end member is estimated to have been higher than 1,100 °C. Bulk silica content of the felsic end-member magma is estimated to be ~66%, and contains Mg-poor pyroxenes, An-poor plagioclase, and quartz phenocrysts, with a temperature of between 800 and 900 °C. Trace element compositions show that the end members have different origins, but have changed little over the entire 16-ky of activity. The mafic end-member magmas might come from a lower-crustal homogeneous, large magma chamber, whereas the felsic end-member magmas may be partial melts of crustal materials produced by the heat of the mafic end member. Felsic end-member magma may have accumulated in the middle crust before CH1 activity. The mixing ratio of the felsic to mafic end members was 0.5:0.5 to 0.4:0.6 for the CH1 unit, and ca. 0.4:0.6 for the other units. Considering that ca. 75% of the total volume of the eruptive products form the first unit, its wider compositional variation is attributed to more heterogeneous mixing ratios.

Liquid crystals (LCs) show an anisotropic nature in various aspects of optical and electronic properties. This anisotropy enables LC materials to be used as active media in display devices. Birefringence, an anisotropy in optical properties of LCs, is especially useful from the viewpoint of the change in refractive index induced by light. This is the principle of LC photonics, in which optical signals are processed with the aid of LC materials. In this article, various approaches are described to change the alignment of the LC molecules: 1) photochemically induced phase transition of LCs by photochromic reactions is an order to disorder transition and can be brought about in a time scale of micro- to nanosecond; 2) reorientation of LC molecules by means of linearly polarized light is a change in alignment of LC molecules that occurs within the LC phases and induces a large change in refractive index, but needs more time. Applications of LC systems as holographic materials are discussed.

We studied the behavior of photoinduced alignment change of a polymer liquid crystal (PLC) containing an azobenzene moiety in the side chain and formation of a grating by means of the photoinduced alignment of PLCs. The alignment change was evaluated by irradiation with s-polarized light at 488 nm. We investigated the effects of light intensity and incident angles of writing beams (two s-polarized (s + s) configuration) on grating formation in PLC films, and explored the relation between the alignment change and diffraction efficiency. The diffraction efficiency showed a maximum when the change in photoinduced alignment was almost complete in the bright area of interference patterns. The maximum value obtained for the modulation of the refractive index was 0.04. These results indicate that a PLC with an azobenzene moiety is effective under (s + s) polarization conditions, compared with other azopolymer systems.

AbstractFormation of intensity gratings was studied with two s‐polarized (s+s) configuration in polymer liquid crystals (PLCs) containing a photochromic moiety (azobenzene) and a mesogenic unit (tolane, T‐AB; cyanobiphenyl, CB‐AB) by photoinduced alignment of PLCs. Remarkable differences were observed between the two PLCs. T‐AB showed a faster response to the change in the diffraction intensity than CB‐AB. In T‐AB, alignment change took place faster than that of CB‐AB. By introducing the tolane unit at the side chain, we obtained a diffraction efficiency of 30 % in the Raman‐Nath regime

Phase-type gratings formed by photochemical phase transitions of a polymer azobenzene liquid crystal have been characterized. The sensitivity of the material was improved by a factor of 23 in the liquid-crystalline phase owing to effective induction of the photochemical phase transition in the bright fringes of the interference pattern. A mechanism for grating formation in films based on dynamics both in grating formation and for the photochemical phase transition has been proposed. Observation of the grating structure with a polarizing optical microscope confirmed that the isotropic phase induced photochemically was arranged at well defined separations. The polymer azobenzene liquid crystal showed a storage capability of >100 Mbits cm⁻² which corresponds to a resolution of &lt;1 µm and a spatial frequency of >1000 lines mm⁻¹. We also attempted holographic image storage using a photomask as an object.

The signal of continuous gravitational waves has a longer duration than the observation period. Even if the waveform in the source frame is monochromatic, we will observe the waveform with modulated frequencies due to the motion of the detector. If the source location is unknown, a lot of templates having different sky positions are required to demodulate the frequency, and the required huge computational cost restricts the applicable parameter region of coherent search. In this work, we propose and examine a new method to select candidates, which reduces the cost of coherent search by following up only the selected candidates. As a first step, we consider an idealized situation in which only a single-detector having 100% duty cycle is available and its detector noise is approximated by the stationary Gaussian noise. Also, we assume that the signal has no spin-down, that the polarization angle, the inclination angle, and the initial phase are fixed to be ψ = 0, cos ι = 1, and ϕ 0 = 0, and that they are treated as known parameters. We combine several methods: (1) the short-time Fourier transform with the resampled data such that the Earth motion for the source is canceled in some reference direction, (2) the excess power search in the Fourier transform of the time series obtained by picking up the amplitude in a particular frequency bin from the short-time Fourier transform data, and (3) the deep learning method to further constrain the source sky position. The computational cost and the detection probability are estimated. The injection test is carried out to check the validity of the detection probability. We find that our method is worthy of further study for analyzing O (10 7)     sec strain data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dienogest (DNG) is an oral progestin effective for the treatment of symptomatic endometriosis, such as reduction of endometrial lesion and control of pain intensity. Progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) is a new controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) regimen, and several reports have shown that dydrogesterone (DYG) is an appropriate progestin for PPOS. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of DNG in patients undergoing PPOS during COH in comparison with DYG. This was a prospective, cohort, parallel-group, non-inferiority trial of 150 women with endometriosis undergoing assisted reproductive technology between February 2018 and May 2020 at the single fertility center. The assignment to each protocol was based on the optimal treatment for each patient. Patients taking DNG 2 mg continuously were assigned in the DNG group(n = 73). The other patients were allocated in DYG group(n = 77). All viable embryos were cryopreserved for subsequent transfer. The main outcome measures were the mature oocyte and fertilization rates. During this study, no premature LH surge was detected. A smaller number of oocytes were retrieved in the DNG group than in the DYG group (6.18 ± 3.60 vs. 9.85 ± 5.77); however, the rate of mature oocytes was significantly higher in the DNG group than in the DYG group (89.1 % vs. 78.9 %). The fertilization rate was comparable between two groups. Therefore, patients taking DNG for PPOS can continue endometriosis treatment and obtain good-quality embryos during COH. Further prospective randomized-controlled trial should be performed to confirm of this novel strategy of DNG.

The formation of real-time holographic gratings was investigated in an azobenzene polymer liquid crystal (PLC) possessing a siloxane spacer in the side chain. Irradiation of thin films of the PLCs created a phase grating which is ascribed to periodic induction of the nematic-to-isotropic (N–I) phase transition due to photochemical trans–cis isomerization of the azobenzene moiety (photochemical phase transition). It was found that the N–I phase transition temperature of the PLC with the siloxane spacer was lower than that of the PLC without the siloxane spacer owing to flexibility of the siloxane units. This property resulted in a decrease in the irradiation temperature, leading to effective induction of the photochemical N–I phase transition by suppression of thermal cis–trans back-isomerization of the azobenzene moiety. Thus formation of the grating in the PLC having the siloxane spacer could be achieved by low intensity of the interference light compared to that in conventional PLCs including only alkyl spacers. Moreover, a grating with narrower fringe spacing could be created by depression of propagation of perturbation due to trans–cis photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety in the LC phase.

In higher eukaryotic cells, it is generally thought that nuclear pore complex disassembles at the beginning of mitosis and reassembles at the end. Using a monoclonal antibody that recognizes nuclear pore antigens, we found that, at mitosis of mammalian somatic Hela cells, the nuclear pore complex disassembles into at least three subcomplexes, termed subcomplexes A, B and C (molecular mass; 2 MDa<, ∼660 kDa, and ∼440 kDa, respectively). The direct partial amino acid sequencing of the components of these subcomplexes indicates that the A subcomplex contains CAN/Nup214/p250 and p62 and the B subcomplex also contains p62, indicating that p62 is contained in two different subcomplexes. Subcomplex C was shown to consist of Nup98 and human RAE1, a human homolog of yeast Rae1p/Gle2p. Since Nup98 and Rae1p/Gle2p have been reported to be involved in mRNA export, this suggests that some of the mitotic subcomplex may be formed by functionally related proteins.

AbstractA possible process for the controle of the electron transfer direction in organic two-layer diodes is proposed from the viewpoint of redox properties of the compounds studied.