MAP kinase cascades regulating axon regeneration in C. elegans

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades are activated by diverse stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines, neurotransmitters and various types of cellular stress. Our evolving understanding of these signal cascades has been facilitated by genetic analyses and physiological characterization in model organisms such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetic and biochemical studies in C. elegans have shed light on the physiological roles of MAPK cascades in the control of cell fate decision, neuronal function and immunity. Recently it was demonstrated that MAPK signaling is also important for axon regeneration in C. elegans, and the use of C. elegans as a model system has significantly advanced our understanding of the largely conserved molecular mechanisms underlying axon regeneration. This review summarizes our current understanding of the role and regulation of MAPK signaling in C. elegans axon regeneration.     

Quenching treatment for improvement of nonlinear optical response time in high-χ CuCl-doped glasses

Quenching treatments were performed on CuCl microcrystallite-doped glasses prepared by a melting method. Radiative decay time measurement and χ⁽³⁾ measurement for the quenched glasses were performed using ps and ns laser. The glasses showed that the radiative decay time were shortened by one order of magnitude without a decrease of third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ after the quenching treatment from above 300°C. The distorted structure of CuCl microcrystallites quenched from high temperature was considered to be most effective for the shortening of the lifetime of Z₃ exciton.     

Purcell effect of GaAs quantum dots by photonic crystal microcavities

We fabricate photonic crystal slab microcavities embedded with GaAs quantum dots by electron beam lithography and droplet epitaxy. The Purcell effect of exciton emission of the quantum dots is confirmed by the micro photoluminescence measurement. The resonance wavelengths, widths, and polarization are consistent with numerical simulation results.     

A Color Appearance Model Applicable in Mesopic Vision

We propose a color vision model that can be used to predict color appearance in mesopic vision as well as photopic and scotopic vision. It is based on a two-stage model which consists of the cone and opponent stages and it assumes rod intrusion at the opponent stage. The model has the following features to describe the color appearance in mesopic vision. First, it includes a gradual and nonlinear shift in spectral luminous efficiency from V (LD) to V (LD) to cope with the spectral sensitivity difference between photopic and scotopic vision and the nonlinearity of rod influence on the luminance channel. Second, the model assumes decrease of the chromatic component with decreasing illuminance to explain the reduction of saturation at low illuminance levels. Third, it assumes that red/green and yellow/blue components change with illuminance levels independently, thus explaining hue shifts with decreasing illuminance. We applied the model for color appearance simulation of natural scenes in a mesopic visual environment.     

Formation of metallic NbSe2 nanotubes and nanofibers

We succeed in synthesizing NbSe₂ nanotubes along with nanofibers by chemical vapor transportation. They are stable crystalline systems and can be synthesized reproducibly in a nearly equilibrium reacting process. We have investigated these nanosize structures of NbSe₂ by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Both of the structures have a similar size of 100–200 nm in diameter. While nanotubes consist of rolled-up NbSe₂ layers, nanofibers are a pile of thin flat layers. We propose a mechanism of the formation of NbSe₂ nanotubes and nanofibers on the basis of deseleniditive transition from a NbSe₃ fiber-shaped crystal. We also measured electrical resistance of the nanofibers with conductive atomic force microscopy and demonstrated that the material show metallic behavior at room temperature.     

Long-wavelength light emission from InAs quantum dots covered by GaAsSb grown on GaAs substrates

We fabricated InAs quantum dots (QDs) with a GaAsSb strain-reducing layer (SRL) on a GaAs(0 0 1) substrate. The wavelength of emission from InAs QD is shown to be controllable by changing the composition and thickness of the SRL. An increase in photoluminescence intensity with increasing compositions of Sb and thickness of the GaAsSb SRL is also seen. The efficiency of radiative recombination was improved under both conditions because the InAs/GaAsSb/GaAs hetero-interface band structure more effectively suppressed carrier escape from the InAs QDs.     

Mössbauer study of the transition metal phosphorus trichalcogenide FePS3 and spin glass Mn0.5Fe0.5PS3

The transition metal phosphorus trichalcogenides MnPS₃ and the FePS₃ are CdCl₂ type layered compounds, where the transition metal ions form a hexagonal lattice. While these compounds order anti-ferromagnetically at low temperature, the magnetic structures are different. We have reported that these mixtures Mn_0.5Fe_0.5PS₃ is a spin glass with a glass transition temperature T _g=33.7 K. Then, in this work, we report that the results of the temperature variation of the ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra of FePS₃ and Mn_0.5Fe_0.5PS₃, in detail. In the anti-ferromagnetic state of FePS₃, the hyperfine magnetic field H _int increases with decreasing temperature and the Isomer shift I. S. increases slightly with decreasing temperature. However in Mn_0.5Fe_0.5PS₃, the two broadened peaks are observed and the two peaks became a single peak with decreasing temperature at about 50.0 K, which is higher than T _g=33.7 K. In the spin glass Mn_0.5Fe_0.5PS₃, the Mössbauer spectra suggest that the magnetic interactions exist far above T _g.     

Numerical reconstruction of an infrared wavefront utilizing an optical phase modulation device

We utilize nitroanisole, that absorbs infrared (IR) radiation as heat, as an optical modulation device based on a thermal process. The nitroanisole exhibits a thermal lens effect, i.e. a temperature dependent refractive index. Hence, the nitroanisole can induce phase modulation to visible light, in direct response to intensity of the incident IR radiation. The proposed method can be used to obtain the phase modulation distribution that corresponds to the IR intensity distribution, i.e. the IR hologram itself, on the nitroanisole by examining the phase map of visible light that is modulated upon passing through the nitroanisole. The IR wavefront can be reconstructed by calculating extracted IR holograms through the Fresnel transform. It is verified that both the amplitude and the phase of the IR wavefront can be reconstructed accurately by proposed method.     

The role of spin-orbit potential in nuclear prolate-shape dominance

It is confirmed, in terms of the Woods-Saxon-Strutinsky method, that the spin-orbit potential plays a decisive role in the predominance of prolate deformation, which has been a long standing problem in nuclear physics. It is originated from the combined effects of the spin-orbit coupling and the diffused surface of the potential, in agreement with the previous work based on a more schematic Nilsson-Strutinsky method. The degree of prolate-shape dominance exhibits an oscillatory behavior with respect to the strength of spin-orbit potential and, the prolate-shape dominance is realized at the proper strength of the spin-orbit potential together with the standard surface diffuseness; this oscillatory behavior disappears in case of small diffuseness corresponding to ellipsoidal cavity. The calculated energy differences between oblate and prolate minima in this Letter are consistent with those of our extensive self-consistent calculations of the Hartree-Fock + BCS method with the Skyrme interaction.