On a linearized system arising in the study of viscous surface flow down an inclined plane

We consider the linearized problem describing motion of a viscous incompressible fluid flow down an inclined plane under the effect of gravity. We formulate the problem for downward periodic disturbances from the laminar steady flow as an evolution equation in the product of Sobolev spaces \(H^{\frac{3}{2}}_0({\mathbb {T}}) \times {\mathbb {P}}^0H^0(\Omega ) \) . It is crucial to study qualitative behavior of solutions that the operator arising in the linearized problem has compact resolvent operators and generates an analytic semigroup in \(H^{\frac{3}{2}}_0({\mathbb {T}}) \times {\mathbb {P}}^0H^0(\Omega ) \) .     

Seasonal changes in the excess energy dissipation from Photosystem II antennae in overwintering evergreen broad-leaved trees Quercus myrsinaefolia and Machilus thunbergii

We monitored chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence, pigment concentration and the de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle (DPS(1)) in two warm temperate broad-leaved evergreen species (Quercus myrsinaefolia and Machilus thunbergii). Reduction of the maximal quantum yield of Photosystem II (PSII) (calculated from Fv/Fm, variable to maximal Chl a fluorescence) and retention of a high DPS were observed in both species in the winter, and can be interpreted as acclimation to winter. In particular, the acclimation of PSII in these species can be chiefly attributed to thermal dissipation, which is correlated with the retention of high zeaxanthin. Furthermore, we attempted to divide the fate of the absorbed light energy by the PSII antennae into three components: (i) PSII photochemistry (represented by its quantum yield, ΦPSII), (ii) dissipation by down-regulation via non-photochemical quenching (ΦNPQ) and (iii) other non-photochemical processes (ΦONP). The estimated energy allocation of the absorbed light indicated that the proportion of ΦPSII decreased, whereas that of ΦNPQ+ΦONP increased during winter. This result suggests that the excess energy absorbed in the PSII complexes is safely dissipated from the PSII antennae. Based on these results, we conclude that thermal dissipation from the PSII antennae plays an important role in two overwintering broad-leaved evergreen trees growing in Japan.     

Hydrated Ionic Liquids: Perspective for Bioscience

Hydrated ionic liquid (IL) is a simple mixture of IL and water. Unique aqueous electrolyte solution can be designed by mixing IL with limited amount of water. In most hydrated ILs, there are no free water and all are strongly interacted with ions. The properties of hydrated ILs, such as polarity, viscosity, ion mobility, and hydrogen bonding ability, can therefore be controlled simply by water content. This mixture is expected to provide similar environment to that of living cell, and is desired to be effective solvents for biomolecules. In this account, we would like to survey the basic properties, recent results, and future aspects of the hydrated ILs.