University of Tsukuba

About: University of Tsukuba is a education organization based out in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Gene. The organization has 36352 authors who have published 79483 publications receiving 1934752 citations. The organization is also known as: Tsukuba daigaku & Tsukuba University.

A comparative study of elastic constants of Ti-Ni-based alloys prior to martensitic transformation

Abstract: Single crystal elastic constants of Ti–Ni alloys without (quenched) and with (aged) Ti 3 Ni 4 precipitates were measured systematically by rectangular parallelepiped resonance method as a function of composition and temperature, and compared with Ti–Ni–Cu and Ti–Ni–Fe alloys, in an attempt to answer some long-standing questions as to the origin of the unique monoclinic B19′ martensite, and why composition and thermomechanical treatment greatly changes the path of martensitic transformation. The results showed that softening in c 44 , in additional to c ′, is a common feature for all Ti–Ni binary (both quenched or aged) and ternary alloys. This general feature just corresponds to the fact that all these alloys ultimately transform into B19′, suggesting that softening in c 44 is responsible for the unique B19′ martensite, which found no analogy in other β phase alloys. We also found an interesting correspondence between the temperature dependence of anisotropy factor and transformation path. Prior to B2–B19′ transformation anisotropy shows a decrease with lowering temperature; prior to B2–B19 an anisotropy increase, while prior to B2–R transformation a constant anisotropy. We further showed that three possible martensite candidates (R, B19, B19′) are rooted in anomalies in specific phonon modes and elastic softening. We showed that the multi-stage transformations are restricted by a general rule: multi-stage transformation occurs in the sequence of increasing transformation strain. With this rule we can explain all known transformation paths by considering the effect of alloying addition and fine precipitates/dislocation network on relative stability of different martensites. We further predict that there may exist a new transformation path in Ti–Ni-based alloys: B2–R–B19–B19′.

Transcription factors LRF and BCL11A independently repress expression of fetal hemoglobin

Abstract: Genes encoding human β-type globin undergo a developmental switch from embryonic to fetal to adult-type expression. Mutations in the adult form cause inherited hemoglobinopathies or globin disorders, including sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Some experimental results have suggested that these diseases could be treated by induction of fetal-type hemoglobin (HbF). However, the mechanisms that repress HbF in adults remain unclear. We found that the LRF/ZBTB7A transcription factor occupies fetal γ-globin genes and maintains the nucleosome density necessary for γ-globin gene silencing in adults, and that LRF confers its repressive activity through a NuRD repressor complex independent of the fetal globin repressor BCL11A. Our study may provide additional opportunities for therapeutic targeting in the treatment of hemoglobinopathies.

Vision-based navigation by a mobile robot with obstacle avoidance using single-camera vision and ultrasonic sensing

Abstract: This paper describes a vision-based navigation method in an indoor environment for an autonomous mobile robot which can avoid obstacles. In this method, the self-localization of the robot is achieved by a model-based vision system, and nonstop navigation is realized by a retroactive position correction system. Stationary obstacles are avoided with single-camera vision and moving obstacles are detected with ultrasonic sensors. We report on experiments in a hallway using the YAMABICO robot.