Showing papers by "Hiroshi Yokoyama published in 2012"

Kudoa ogawai n. sp. (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) from the trunk muscle of Pacific barrelfish Hyperoglyphe japonica (Teleostei: Centrolophidae) in Japan

Abstract: Kudoa ogawai n. sp. (Myxozoa; Multivalvulida) is described from the trunk muscle of Pacific barrelfish Hyperoglyphe japonica caught in Japan. Oval to ellipsoidal cysts, white to yellowish in colour, 1–2 mm in size, were filled with numerous spores having four polar capsules. Spores were stellate with rounded peripheral edges in apical view, and garlic shaped with four prominent apical projections in side view. Average (range) spore size was 13.3 (12.0–14.2) μm in width and 9.0 (8.3–9.7) μm in length. The spore dimensions and the apical projections of K. ogawai n. sp. were clearly distinguishable from the other muscle-infecting species. Molecular analyses of 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA sequences showed that K. ogawai n. sp. is closely related to Kudo iwatai and Kudoa hemiscylli (95% and 92% genetic similarity, respectively), but the present species is morphologically distinct from the two species. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S and 28S rDNA placed K. ogawai n. sp. sister to all Kudoa spp. available in GenBank.

Azimuthal Dependence of Switching Field Strength for Nematic Liquid Crystal Bistability on Patterned Alignment Layers

Abstract: We investigate the azimuthal dependence of the switching field strength for nematic liquid crystal bistability on patterned alignment layers to determine the validity of a switching theory proposed by Kim et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 3055 (2001)] and to evaluate higher-order azimuthal anchoring coefficients. Director behavior during switching is described in detail for general azimuthal directions of an applied electric field and the experimental results are explained on the basis of the theory. We obtain azimuthal anchoring coefficients up to the second higher-order term in an expansion of the anchoring energy function. Detailed analysis of the director behavior reveals a close analogy between the proposed model of nematic liquid crystal bistability and a coherent rotation (Stoner-Wohlfarth) model of ferromagnetism. This suggests a reversal-asymmetric property of the substrate-nematic interface director, differing from the reversal symmetry of the bulk nematic director, as far as the nematic bistability switching is concerned.

Substrates and Method of Preparing the Same

Abstract: A method of preparing substrates, including the steps of depositing metal particulates into a pillar form at a prescribed position of a substrate ( 1 ) by the use of a fine inkjet method, and then sintering the resultant to form a metal pillar ( 2 ).

Pre-organized liquid crystals:biaxial nature of laterally-connected dimer

Abstract: Biaxial nematic liquid crystals have attracted much attention from both fundamental and application points of view, because the fast response based on the rotation of the minor director is expected. So far, different molecular designs have been proposed for the emergence of the biaxial nematic phase. Among that, we have been interested in applying "preorganization" concept on generating the biaxiality. Dimeric liquid crystal compounds have been prepared in line with this concept in which two mesogenic parts are linked by the biphenyl connecting group. The pre-organized dimmer shows an anomalous textural change, for vertically-aligned and free-standing film samples, at the smectic C (SmC)- nematic (N) phase transition, in which the Schlieren texture of the SmC changes into the other Schlieren texture of the N phase. There are two possible explanations for this textural change, i.e., the occurrence of the director change at the SmC-N phase transition or the emergence of biaxiality in the N phase. The electric-field-induced birefringence has also been measured in detail for investigating the biaxial nature of the sample.

On the emergence of mysterious liquid crystal phases: chirality and non-chirality issues

Abstract: The structure–property correlation has been systematically investigated by the modification of the central core part of the dichiral materials so that the chiral and/or non-chiral issue having an effect on the formation of the layered or inter-connected structure can be studied. The central phenyl core of the dichiral compound showing the inter-connected ordered smectic Q phase has been modified in the following three ways: introduction of the substituent in the central phenyl core, introduction of the alkyl spacers between the central phenyl core and the peripheral mesogenic groups, and replacement of the central phenyl ring by the alkyl spacer. It has been found that (1) a symmetric structure stabilizes the tilted molecular ordering and the inter-connected structure, whereas the non-symmetric structure stabilizes the smectic A ordering; (2) a flexible molecular structure stabilizes the layered phase rather than the inter-connected; (3) increase in the degree of the segregation in the molecular assemblie...

Simultaneous removal system of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus in wastewater using pearlite filling ventilation tank

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a treatment method and a treatment apparatus of wastewater capable of removing organic matters, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the wastewater at the same time.SOLUTION: The wastewater treatment method includes a step of serving the wastewater to aeration treatment in the presence of pearlite.

A Light-Stabilization Mechanism of Anionic Oxonol Dyes for Digital Versatile Disks

Abstract: A light-stabilization mechanism of anionic oxonol dyes for digital versatile disks (DVDs) with 4,4'-bipyridinium cations was analyzed by time-resolved spectroscopy techniques. The analysis showed that for the amorphous solid film of the anionic oxonol dye without 4,4'-bipyridinium cations, the short-lived component with 1.4 ns lifetime and long-lived components with millisecond timescale lifetime were observed: the short-lived component was assigned to the lowest excited singlet state (S1) and the long-lived components were assigned to the lowest excited triplet state (T1) and the metastable photoisomer of the dye. On the other hand, for the amorphous solid film with 4,4'-bipyridinium cations, ultrafast forward (4 ps) and backward (50 ps) electron transfers were observed and the S1 state of the dye was quenched. It was concluded that the observed electron transfer improved the lightfastness of the oxonol dye.

Plate making method and plate making device

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plate making method and a plate making device which can manufacture a printing plate excellent in a resolution property, dot gain, and printing durability.SOLUTION: A plate is made by discharging a liquid droplet of a solution on a precursor material by using the plate making device 100 or plate making device 200. Specifically, a tip end part of a nozzle 21 having a very fine diameter is made to face the precursor material 102, and a discharge voltage is applied on the chargeable solution supplied in the nozzle 21. Thereby, the solution as the liquid droplet is selectively discharged from the tip end part of the nozzle 21 to the precursor material, and a pattern by the liquid droplets landed on the precursor material 21 is formed to manufacture the printing plate.