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Showing papers by "Utsunomiya University published in 2005"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the Bethe equation for inelastic electron scattering in matter for energies from 100 to 5000 eV was fitted using elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) using Ni as a reference material for electron energies between 50 and 1000 eV.
Abstract: We have determined electron inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) in C (graphite), Si, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Mo, Ag, Ta, W, Pt and Au by elastic-peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) using Ni as a reference material for electron energies between 50 and 5000 eV These IMFPs could be fitted by the simple Bethe equation for inelastic electron scattering in matter for energies from 100 to 5000 eV The average root-mean-square (RMS) deviation in these fits was 9% The IMFPs for Si, Cr, Fe, Cu, Ag, Ta, W, Pt and Au were in excellent agreement with the corresponding values calculated from optical data for energies between 100 and 5000 eV While the RMS differences for graphite and Mo in these comparisons were large (27 and 17%, respectively), the average RMS difference for the other 11 elements was 11% Similar comparisons were made between our IMFPs and values obtained from the TPP-2M predictive equation for energies between 100 and 5000 eV, and the average RMS difference for the 13 solids was 107%; in these comparisons, the RMS differences for Ta and W were relatively large (26% for each) A correction for surface-electronic excitations was calculated from a formula of Werner et al; except for Si and Ga, the average correction was 5% for energies between 150 and 5000 eV The satisfactory consistency between the IMFPs from our EPES experiments and the corresponding IMFPs computed from optical data indicates that the uncertainty of these IMFPs is about 11% for electron energies between 100 and 5000 eV Similar comparisons with IMFPs from the EPES experiments of Werner et al showed a consistency of 8% for energies between 200 and 5000 eV Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

121 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the sidereal anisotropy of cosmic ray intensity in the multi-TeV region observed with the Tibet-III air shower array during the period from 1999 through 2003 was analyzed.
Abstract: We present the large-scale sidereal anisotropy of Galactic cosmic-ray intensity in the multi-TeV region observed with the Tibet-III air shower array during the period from 1999 through 2003. The sidereal daily variation of cosmic rays observed in this experiment shows an excess of relative intensity around 4-7 hr local sidereal time as well as a deficit around 12 hr local sidereal time. While the amplitude of the excess is not significant when averaged over all declinations, the excess in individual declination bands becomes larger and clearer as the viewing direction moves toward the south. The maximum phase of the excess intensity changes from ~7 hr at the Northern Hemisphere to ~4 hr at the equatorial region. We also show that both the amplitude and the phase of the first harmonic vector of the daily variation are remarkably independent of primary energy in the multi-TeV region. This is the first result determining the energy and declination dependences of the full 24 hr profiles of the sidereal daily variation in the multi-TeV region with a single air shower experiment.

120 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This is the first report of isoleucine stimulating glucose uptake in rat skeletal muscle in vivo, and results indicate that there might be a relation between the reduction in blood glucose and the increase in skeletal muscle glucose uptake that occur with isoleUCine administration in rats.
Abstract: Leucine and isoleucine were shown to stimulate insulin-independent glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells in vitro. In this study, we examined the effects of leucine and isoleucine on blood glucose in food-deprived rats and on glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle in vivo. Furthermore, we investigated the possible involvement of the energy sensor, 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), in the modulation of glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, which is independent of insulin, and also in leucine- or isoleucine-stimulated glucose uptake. Oral administration of isoleucine, but not leucine, significantly decreased the plasma glucose concentration. An i.v. bolus of 2-[1,2-3H]-deoxyglucose (2-[3H]DG) was administered to calculate glucose uptake. Glucose uptake in the skeletal muscle did not differ after leucine administration, but glucose uptake in the muscles of rats administered isoleucine was 73% greater than in controls, suggesting that isoleucine increases skeletal muscle glucose uptake in vivo. On the contrary, in the skeletal muscles, administration of leucine but not isoleucine significantly increased [U-14C]-glucose incorporation into glycogen compared with controls. AMPK alpha1 activity in skeletal muscle was not affected by leucine or isoleucine administration. However, isoleucine, but not leucine, significantly decreased AMPK alpha2 activity. The decrease in AMPK alpha2 activity was thought to be due to decreases in AMP content and the AMP:ATP ratio, which were related to the isoleucine administration. This is the first report of isoleucine stimulating glucose uptake in rat skeletal muscle in vivo, and these results indicate that there might be a relation between the reduction in blood glucose and the increase in skeletal muscle glucose uptake that occur with isoleucine administration in rats. The alterations in glucose metabolism caused by isoleucine may result in an improvement of the availability of ATP in the absence of increases in AMP-activated protein kinase activity in skeletal muscle.

116 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A deletion-insertion mutant defective in the benzene dioxygenase large and small subunits genes was as tolerant to organic solvents as the wild-type strain B-4, suggesting that utilization or degradation of organicsolvents is not essential for the organic solvent tolerance of R. opacus B- 4.

112 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a thin and firmly deposited palladium membrane applicable to surface catalysis is attempted to be prepared, which is based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) under a forced flow, where due to a pressure difference applied between the outside and the inside of the support tube the chemical vapors enter into the porous layer of a support where they decompose.

100 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results demonstrate that cotton roots exuded strigol and strigyl acetate, but no other known strIGolactones such as orobanchol and alectrol are demonstrated to have contributed to germination stimulation by the cotton root exudate.
Abstract: The germination stimulants for root parasitic plants Striga and Orobanche produced by cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) were examined in detail. Seeds of cotton were germinated and grown on glass wool wetted with sterile distilled water in sterile filter units. The root exudate was collected daily and extracted with ethyl acetate. Each of these ethyl acetate extracts was analyzed directly by high-performance liquid chromatography linked with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The results demonstrate that cotton roots exuded strigol and strigyl acetate, but no other known strigolactones such as orobanchol and alectrol. The production of strigol was detected even in the root exudate collected during the first 24 h of incubation and reached a maximum 5–7 days later. The average exudation of strigol and strigyl acetate during the incubation period was ca. 15 and 2 pg/plant/day, respectively, indicating that strigol mainly contributed to germination stimulation by the cotton root exudate.

94 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a low-power proton-exchange membrane fuel cell is considered and a system identification approach is proposed for parameter identification and diagnostics of a low power proton exchange membrane (PEEM) fuel cell.
Abstract: In the future, a major role of fuel cells in combined heat and power generation systems is envisaged. It is well known that a fuel cell's efficiency is highly dependent on the operating conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and air flow. In the aim to assure optimal operating conditions as well as to minimize the losses, parameter identification, diagnostics, and control are going to play an important role. The paper deals with parameter identification and diagnostics of a low-power proton-exchange membrane fuel cell considering a system identification approach. This multi-input multi-output electrochemical system can be tested or monitored by identifying its parameters, which has real importance in the manufacturing, exploitation, and maintenance phase. Therefore, parameter identification represents the core of any diagnostics or online monitoring procedure. Furthermore, online parameter estimation might be used for control purposes to maintain the fuel cell in an optimal operating point with minimal losses. The proposed parameter identification method is simple, cost-effective, and can be extended easily for fuel-cell stacks too.

91 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: To clarify the characteristics of thermophilic bacteria in cattle manure compost, enzymatic activity and species diversity of cultivated bacteria were investigated at 54, 60, 63, 66 and 70 degrees C, which were dependent on composting temperature.

85 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A simple and unified framework for developing and analyzing approximation algorithms for various MPPs and their generalizations in hypergraphs is presented.
Abstract: Given a system (V,T,f,k), where V is a finite set, is a submodular function and k≥2 is an integer, the general multiway partition problem (MPP) asks to find a k-partition ={V1,V2,...,V k } of V that satisfies for all i and minimizes f(V1)+f(V2)+···+f(V k ), where is a k-partition of hold. MPP formulation captures a generalization in submodular systems of many NP-hard problems such as k-way cut, multiterminal cut, target split and their generalizations in hypergraphs. This paper presents a simple and unified framework for developing and analyzing approximation algorithms for various MPPs.

74 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of a steady TeV γ-ray point-source search using data taken from the Tibet HD (1997 February-1999 September) and Tibet III (1999 November-2001 October) arrays are presented.
Abstract: Results of a steady TeV γ-ray point-source search using data taken from the Tibet HD (1997 February-1999 September) and Tibet III (1999 November-2001 October) arrays are presented. From 0° to 60° in declination, significant excesses from the well-known steady source Crab Nebula and the high state of the flare-type source Markarian 421 are observed. Because the levels of significance from other positions are not sufficiently high, 90% confidence level upper limits on the flux are set assuming different power-law spectra. To allow cross-checking, two independently developed analyses are used in this work.

74 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Research results indicate that, among modern varieties, there is a variable resistance potential against weeds and the relationship between heritages of modern varieties and the allelopathic characteristics of wheat during their evolution and selection by humans is still unclear.
Abstract: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a common name for cereal grasses of a genus of the grass family, cultivated for food since prehistoric times by the people of the temperate zones and now the most important grain crop of those regions. It has allelopathic potential if used as a cover crop for weed control in various cropping systems. Research results indicate that, among modern varieties, there is a variable resistance potential against weeds. Numerous allelochemicals have been identified in wheat, mainly belonging to the categories of phenolic acids, hydroxamic acids and short-chain fatty acids. Some researchers conceived that wheat allelopathy is genetically controlled, but systematic research on gene behaviors is lacking. The negative effects of wheat on other crops under different agricultural production systems have been reported. Research is needed to determine the genetic control of wheat allelopathy prior to the development of allelopathic wheat varieties. Further research is needed to conduct in vitro studies to isolate, identify and quantify allelochemicals from living wheat plants at different growth stages. Also, the relationship between heritages of modern varieties and the allelopathic characteristics of wheat during their evolution and selection by humans is still unclear. There is also a lack of research on the modern varieties as to whether the allelopathic potential can be genetically transferred to the next generation. In the future, more models and assessment systems must be developed to illuminate the essence of allelopathy and the genomes of wheat with allelopathic traits should be constructed to make available allelopathic bioinformation on wheat.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 2005-Small
TL;DR: The study suggests that one main benefit of the novel template results from the ability of the polymer to stabilize the mesostructure of amorphous hafnium oxide up to 400-450 degrees C.
Abstract: Mesoporous thin films of crystalline hafnium oxide were fabricated by evaporation-induced self-assembly in combination with sol-gel processing, followed by a suitable post heat-treatment procedure to initiate the crystallization. A novel type of block-copolymer template was used as structure-directing agent, which generated a distorted cubic arrangement of spherical mesopores, the size of which could be quantified by suitable techniques, such as ellipsometry-porosimetry, small-angle X-ray scattering, and atomic force microscopy. Detailed insights into the nature of the crystallization process of mesostructured hafnium oxide were obtained by temperature-dependent, in situ X-ray scattering experiments. These investigations revealed that crystallization takes place, within the confinement of the mesostructure, as a solid-solid transition from a dehydrated, amorphous form of hafnium oxide. The study suggests that one main benefit of the novel template results from the ability of the polymer to stabilize the mesostructure of amorphous hafnium oxide up to 400-450 degrees C.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 2005-Wear
TL;DR: In this article, a non-contact ultrasonic abrasive machining (NUAM) method was proposed, which is performed using loose abrasives excited by ultrasonic energy in a liquid and discussed its suitability for application to ultra-precision machining.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Shoot organogenesis and plant establishment has been achieved for Phellodendron amurense Rupr.
Abstract: Shoot organogenesis and plant establishment has been achieved for Phellodendron amurense Rupr. from excised leaf explants. Young leaf explants were collected from in vitro established shoot cultures and used for the induction of direct shoot regeneration, callus and subsequent differentiation into shoots on MS medium. Direct shoot regeneration was achieved by culturing 1 cm2 sections of about 10-day-old leaves on MS medium enriched with 4.4 μM BAP and 1.0 μM NAA after 4 weeks of culture. The leaf explants produced callus from their cut margins within 3 weeks of incubation on medium supplemented with 2.0 μM TDZ and 4.0 μM 2,4-D or 4.0 μM NAA. The maximum number of adventitious shoots was regenerated from the leaf-derived callus within 4 weeks of culture on MS medium containing 1.5 μM BAP and 1.0 μM NAA. The highest rate of shoot multiplication was achieved at the third subculture, and more than 65 shoots were produced per callus clump. For rooting, the in vitro proliferated and elongated shoots were excised into 2–4 cm long microcuttings, which were planted individually on a root-induction MS medium containing 2.0 μM IBA. Within 3 weeks of transfer to the rooting medium, all the cultured microcuttings produced 2–6 roots. The in vitro regenerated plantlets were transferred to Kanuma soil, and the survival rate ex vitro was 90%.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Investigation of the seed response to the artificial germination stimulant GR 24 in three species of Orobanche subjected to preconditioning under various temperatures, water potentials and with plant growth regulators found that Orohanche minor seeds could retain relatively high germination if conditioned at 18, 23 or 28°C, even after significantly extended conditioning periods.
Abstract: Broomrapes (Orohanche spp.) are parasitic weeds that cause significant losses of crop yield. Experiments were conducted to investigate the seed response to the artificial germination stimulant GR 24 in three species of Orobanche subjected to preconditioning under various temperatures, water potentials and with plant growth regulators. The highest germination percentages were observed in Orobanche ramosa, Orohanche aegyptiaca and Orohanche minor seeds conditioned at 18°C for 7 days followed by germination stimulation at 18°C. With the increase of the conditioning period (7, 14, 21 and 28 days), the germination percentage of O. ramosa and O. aegyptiaca progressively decreased. When conditioned at -2 MPa, the germination percentage was lower than at 0 and -1 MPa, especially at 13 and 28°C. Orohanche minor seeds could retain relatively high germination if conditioned at 18, 23 or 28°C, even after significantly extended conditioning periods (up to 84 days). GA 3 (30-100 mg L -1 ), norflurazon and fluridone (10-100 mg L -1 ), and brassinolide (0.5-1.0 mg L -1 ) increased seed germination, while 0.01 mg L -1 uniconazole significantly reduced germination rates of all three Orobanche spp. The promotional effects of GA 3 and norflurazon and the inhibitory effect of uniconazole were evident, even when they were treated for 3 days. Germination of Orobanche seeds was much lower when the unconditioned seeds were directly exposed to GR 24 at 10 -6 M. This early GR 24 -induced inhibition was however alleviated or even eliminated by the inclusion of GA 3 or norflurazon (10-50 mg L -1 ) in the conditioning medium. On the contrary, the inclusion of uniconazole increased the inhibitory effect of GR 24 , particularly in the case of O. ramosa.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Using the simple-direct-tube method followed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), infections by turnip mosaic virus, cucumber mosaicirus, and cucumber green mottle mosaic virus were readily detected, indicating that the SDT method can be used in assays to detect different viruses.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The functional characterization of carboxypeptidase A (MF-CPA), which was induced during pupal ecdysis in the wing discs of Bombyx mori, is reported and it is proposed that it degrades the proteins from the old cuticle during the molting periods and contributes to recycling of the amino acids.
Abstract: Using microarray analyses, we identified carboxypeptidase A (MF-CPA), which was induced during pupal ecdysis in the wing discs of Bombyx mori. Here, we report the functional characterization of MF-CPA. MF-CPA has amino acid sequence similarities with the proteins in the carboxypeptidase A/B subfamily, from human to nematode. The MF-CPA gene is expressed during the molting periods in the epithelial tissues. MF-CPA is detected in the molting fluid, which fills the space between the old and new cuticle during molting. By Western blot analysis, we show that MF-CPA is secreted as a zymogen and processed in the molting fluid. Recombinant MF-CPA expressed in the insect cells has carboxypeptidase A activity. We propose that MF-CPA degrades the proteins from the old cuticle during the molting periods and contributes to recycling of the amino acids.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a simulation study was performed to investigate the performance of a porous ceramic membrane reactor for hydrogen production by means of methane steam reforming, and the results showed that the methane conversions much higher than the corresponding equilibrium values can be achieved in the membrane reactor due to the selective removal of products from the reaction zone.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Argon, krypton and xenon were puffed with and without simultaneous hydrogen gas puffing into Ohmically heated plasmas of the JT-60U tokamak with low plasma currents in order to study the capability of disruption mitigation as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Argon, krypton and xenon were puffed with and without simultaneous hydrogen gas puffing into Ohmically heated plasmas of the JT-60U tokamak with low plasma currents in order to study the capability of disruption mitigation. It was found that krypton gas puffing can provide a plasma termination with smaller amounts of runaway electrons in comparison to argon and xenon gas puffing.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the electrooxidation of naproxen was studied using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry (CV and DPV) in nonaqueous solvent supporting electrolyte system.
Abstract: The electrooxidation of naproxen was studied, for the first time, using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry (CV and DPV) in nonaqueous solvent supporting electrolyte system. The results were also compared with glassy carbon electrode (GC) under the same conditions. Naproxen undergoes one electron transfer resulting in the formation of cation radical for the first electrooxidation step, which follows other chemical and electrochemical steps such as deprotonation, removal of another electron and the attack of nucleophile (ECEC mechanism). BDD electrode provided higher signal to background ratio, well resolved and highly reproducible cyclic voltammograms than the GC electrode. With a scan rate of 50 mV s � 1 and pulse height of 50 ms, respectively, the DPV technique was able to determine the naproxen concentrations in the range of 0.5 to 50 mM with a detection limit of 30 nM. The influence of interference compounds namely 2-acetyl-6-methoxy naphthalene (AMN) on naproxen oxidation can also be followed successfully. Moreover, the percentage of AMN present in the standard chemical form of a mixture containing naproxen can be found accurately. Rapidity, precise and good selectivity were also found for the determination of naproxen in pharmaceutical formulations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of saline stress at 0-80 mmol concentration on in vitro tuberization of two potato cultivars were investigated in a study, with an increase in the salt concentration, the microtuberization of potato was either delayed by 5-10 days (20 and 40 mmol NaCl) or inhibited completely (80 mmol NaCL) in addition to the reduction in microtub yields.
Abstract: In vitro microtuberization provides an adequate experimental model for the physiological and metabolic studies of tuberization and the preliminary screenings of potential potato genotypes. The effects of saline stress at 0–80 mmol concentration on in vitro tuberization of two potato cultivars were investigated in this study. With an increase in the salt concentration, the microtuberization of potato was either delayed by 5–10 days (20 and 40 mmol NaCl) or inhibited completely (80 mmol NaCl) in addition to the reduction in microtuber yields. The two potato genotypes studied showed different trends in total soluble sugars, sucrose and starch contents of microtubers under NaCl stress, while glucose and fructose levels remained unchanged. The vitamin C content in microtubers of two potato genotypes was reduced by salt stress. Salinity applied from 20 to 60 mmol progressively increased proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in microtubers of both the potato cultivars. In genotype Zihuabai, NaCl at a low concentration (20 mmol) led to a significant increase in peroxidase (POD) and polyphenoloxiadase (PPO) activities, while in Jingshi-2, the PPO activity decreased progressively with an increase in NaCl concentrations. Genotype Zihuabai exhibited higher tolerance to salt stress than Jingshi-2 under in vitro conditions. These results could be used for preliminary selections of salt tolerance in potato breeding programmes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a forest road design program based on a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.
Abstract: In this study we developed a forest road design program based on a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. After a designer has located the intersection points on a horizontal plane, the model first generates the horizontal alignment and the ground profile. The model precisely generates cross-sections and accurately calculates earthwork volumes using a high-resolution DEM. The model then optimizes the vertical alignment based on construction and maintenance costs using a heuristic technique known as tabu search. As the distance between cross-sections affects the accuracy of earthwork volume calculations, the results were examined by comparing them with the exact earthwork volume calculated by the probabilistic Monte Carlo simulation method. The earthwork volumes calculated by the Pappus-based method were similar to those calculated by the Monte Carlo simulation when the distance between cross-sections was within 10 m. The model was applied to a high-resolution DEM from the LIDAR of Capitol Forest in Washington State, USA. The model generated a horizontal alignment, length 827 m, composed of five horizontal curves. We examined the number of grade change points. The results indicated that tabu search found the best solution ($61.42/m) with five grade change points. This was composed of two vertical curves that almost followed the ground profile. As the accuracy of a high-resolution DEM from LIDAR increases, the model would become a useful tool for a forest road designer because it eliminates or at least reduces the time-consuming process of road surveys.

Journal ArticleDOI
19 Dec 2005-Gene
TL;DR: The results suggested that up-regulation of pprA expression by the pprI gene product is triggered at the promoter level, and suggested that the thymine functions as a master base for the proximal radiation responsive promoter.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, two analyses of the intragranular misorientation using the SEM/EBSP technique for a cyclic deformation at room temperature and a high temperature deformation in an Al-Mg-Mn alloy are reviewed.
Abstract: Intragranular misorientation reflects strain generated during deformation with dislocation glide. The SEM/EBSP (scanning electron microscope/ electron back scatter diffraction pattern) technique provides is “kernel average misorientation (KAM)” as the most appropriate quantity to evaluate the strain or the stored energy for a given point. The KAM is defined for a given point as the average misorientation of that point with all of its neighbors. In the present paper two analyses of the intragranular misorientation using the SEM/EBSP technique for a cyclic deformation at room temperature and a high temperature deformation in an Al-Mg-Mn alloy are reviewed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Intestinal Shewanella strains might be useful as probiotic bacteria effective in the prevention of bacterial infectious diseases controlled by quorum sensing.
Abstract: A number of gram-negative fish pathogens have a quorum-sensing system. These bacteria produce N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL) as a quorum-sensing signal molecule. We isolated AHL-producing and degrading bacteria from the intestinal microbial flora of Ayu fish (Plecoglossus altivelis). AHL-producing and degrading isolates were identified as members of the genus Aeromonas and Shewanella, respectively. Aeromonas sp. strain MIB010 produced at least three kinds of AHLs and it was predicted that the production of extracellular protease in strain MIB010 was regulated through quorum sensing. Shewanella sp. strain MIB015 showed obvious AHL-degrading activity and interrupted the AHL-mediated production of protease by the Aeromonas sp. Intestinal Shewanella strains might be useful as probiotic bacteria effective in the prevention of bacterial infectious diseases controlled by quorum sensing.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a 3D seismic tomography inversion algorithm was applied to arrival-time data obtained, during 18 years from 1985 to 2002, from local seismic networks and aftershock studies in the Marmara region, in order to better understand the upper crustal structure of the complex tectonic region.
Abstract: We applied a 3-D seismic tomography inversion algorithm to arrival-time data obtained, during 18 years from 1985 to 2002, from local seismic networks and aftershock studies in the Marmara region, in order to better understand the upper crustal structure of the complex tectonic region. We integrated all the available data set into a common data set and relocated the events, using a 1-D velocity model. We then selected 3,949 earthquakes and obtained 92355 arrival times, in total, consisting of 59,313 P-wave and 33,042 S-wave arrival times. In this paper we present detailed crustal structures for V p, V s and V p/V s ratios from the surface down to 15 km depth with good resolution in terms of the hit count analysis of seismic rays, the checkerboard and restoring resolution tests for the studied region. The results obtained from the inversion suggest that the western part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone shows strong lateral heterogeneity. We concluded that no clear pattern exists between the distribution of microearthquakes and aftershocks and the velocity perturbations presented in this paper. This is probably due to complex tectonic and geological structures. Large coseismic slip associated with the two recent strong earthquakes was found to correspond to higher velocity anomalies, as was often found recently. On the other hand, low velocity values correspond to the sedimentary units or the alluvium regions, as supported by the low resistivity and gravity values. Thus the results presented in this paper are quite consistent with the other data such as gravity, resistivity and magnetic anomalies, indicating that our model is reliable and efficient and it should be useful for further interpretation of tectonic and geological problems in this region. It should be pointed out, however, that the results of S-wave perturbations and V p/V s ratio could not be discussed in detail because of insufficient quality of the S-wave data and the reliability of the results is not very high. Nonetheless, the fact that recent large Izmit earthquake and moderate aftershocks that occurred in or around the high velocity zones near the low velocity region suggests that high velocity regions found in the area close to Istanbul in the Marmara Sea and also at the Iznik-Mekece fault are potential sites for strain energy accumulation and release.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A novelrotaxane composed of two 25-membered crownophanes and one axle molecule having two anthryl end groups was successfully synthesized via covalent bond formation followed by aminolysis, and can incorporate caesium ion into the space between the two macrocycles as a 1 : 1 sandwich-type complex.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a synthetic type apparatus was designed to measure hydrogen solubility in four pure aromatic or cyclic hydrocarbons, benzene, cyclohexane, toluene, and methylcyclohexanes, and two equimolar binary mixtures.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Within-tree variations of derived wood properties of Runkel ratio, Luce's shape factor, slenderness ratio, and solids factor were examined for Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucaliaptus globulus trees and the tendency difference in the within tree variations between individuals and between species, in both radial and axial directions by statistical data analysis as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Within-tree variations of derived wood properties of Runkel ratio, Luce’s shape factor, slenderness ratio, and solids factor were examined for Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus globulus trees and the tendency difference in the within-tree variations between individuals and between species, in both radial and axial directions by statistical data analysis. These properties are important for quality breeding of pulpwood. In both species, within-tree variations were generally observed as higher values in the upper and outer parts compared with other parts of the trunk for Runkel ratio and Luce’s shape factor. In E. camaldulensis, within-tree variations were observed as higher values in the upper and outer parts compared with other parts of the trunk for slenderness ratio and solids factor. In E. globulus, within-tree variations were observed as higher values in the outer parts compared with other parts for slenderness ratio and solids factor. However, significant difference of tendency was observed in radial variation between individuals of E. globulus for Runkel ratio and in both radial and axial variations between species for solids factor. Furthermore, within-tree variations of derived wood properties were analyzed to determine a sampling height in the trunk which can be used to represent whole-tree values. Representative heights of derived wood properties from two trees were found to be 2.8 m in E. camaldulensis (except for Runkel ratio and Luce’s shape factor) and 1.8 m in E. globules (except for Runkel ratio), regardless of differences in tree height (growth rate) and in tendency of within-tree variation of derived wood properties.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The hypothesis that NPY plays a central role in regulation of energy homeostasis, with especially important effect on feeding behavior and body weight in broiler chickens, is supported.
Abstract: To examine the neural mechanism by which hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) regulates energy homeostasis and feeding behavior in commercial broilers, we measured NPY content in several hypothalamic regions of birds that were fasted and then refed. After fasting for 48 and 72 h, body weight significantly decreased, and food intake significantly increased during the subsequent refeeding. The lost body weight was not restored to ad libitum feeding levels even after 3 days of refeeding. Plasma glucose concentration and body fat content significantly decreased and plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration significantly increased after 48- and 72-h fasting. Refeeding for 24 h restored plasma metabolites and body fat content to pre-fasting levels. NPY content in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and infundibular nucleus significantly increased during fasting, and NPY content of the PVN was restored to pre-fasting levels after 24-h refeeding. However, there was no significant change in the NPY content of the lateral hypothalamic area during fasting or refeeding. The present results of changes in the hypothalamic NPY content during fasting and refeeding support the hypothesis that NPY plays a central role in regulation of energy homeostasis, with especially important effect on feeding behavior and body weight in broiler chickens.