Residues in Internal Repeats of the Rice Cation/H+ Exchanger are Involved in the Transport and Selection of Cations

In plants, the cation/H^+ exchanger translocates Ca^{2+}and other metal ions into vacuoles using the H^+ gradient formed by H^+-ATPase and H^+-pyrophosphatase. Such exchangers carrying 11 transmembrane domains have been isolated from plants, yeast and bacteria. In this study, multiple sequence alignment of several cation/H^+ exchangers revealed the presence of 36 residue highly conserved regions between the 3rd and 4th, and the 8th and 9th transmembrane domains. These two repetitive motifs are designated repeats c-1 and c-2. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we generated 31 mutations in the repeats of the Oryza sativa cation/H^+ exchanger, which translocates Ca^{2+} and Mn^{2+}. Mutant exchangers were expressed in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain that was sensitive to Ca^{2+} and Mn^{2+} due to the absence of vacuolar Ca^{2+}-ATPase and the Ca^{2+}/H+ exchanger. Mutant exchangers were classified into 6 classes according to their tolerance to Ca^{2+ }and Mn^{2+}. For example, the class III mutants had no tolerance to either ion and the class IV mutants had tolerance only to Ca^{2+}. The biochemical function of each residue was estimated. We investigated the membrane topology of the repeats using a method combining cysteine mutagenesis with sulfhydryl reagents. Our results suggest that the repeat c-1 re-enters the membrane from the vacuolar lumen side and forms a solution-accessible region. Furthermore, several residues in repeats c-1 and c-2 were found to be conserved in animal Na+/Ca^{2+} exchangers. Finally, we suggest that these re-entrant repeats may form a vestibule or filter for cation selection.journal articl

スリランカ・サルボダヤ運動の「参加」を考える

一般雑誌記事 / Articlearticl

The Change of the Samurai's Premises in Edo-machi and Otsukaiban-cyo -A Study on the Samurai's Premise of the Fukui Castle Town, Part19-

This paper considers the change of the samurai's premises in Edo-machi and Otsukaiban-cyo, referring to the 'FUKUI JOUKA-EZU'. Kami-Edo-machi and Naka-Edo-machi was performed allotment of the premises with the marriage of 'KATSUHIME' in Keicho 16 years. There were many premises substitutes of Kami-Edo-machi immediately after 'KATSUHIME' migrated to Edo for Genna 9 years. The allotment of the premises site of Otukaiban-cyo had a big changed after the salary reduction of Jokyo 3 years. In Otukaiban-cyo the Keicho era Otsukaibans a lot pf lived, however the mansions of the Otsukaiban disappeared all after Jokyo 2.departmental bulletin pape

Improved measurement of CP-violation parameters sin⁡2ϕ1 and |λ|, B meson lifetimes, and B0-B̅0 mixing parameter Δmd

journal articl

Chinese Merchants in the Modern Sino-Japanese Coal Trade: Focusing on the Shanghai Market

Previous studies have often overemphasized the importance of Japanese merchants in the coal trade between Japan and China. In contrast, this paper focuses on Chinese merchants and examines their pivotal role in the Sino- Japanese coal trade, using the Shanghai market as a case study. Initially, Zhejiang coal merchants in Shanghai established branch offices in Nagasaki, which significantly facilitated the market expansion of Japanese coal into the Shanghai market. Meanwhile, in response to the rapid increase in direct coal exports by Japanese trading companies, Chinese coal merchants assumed a new role as brokers in the Shanghai coal market. They adeptly navigated through seasonal fluctuations and effectively controlled the market for affordable coal aimed at small and medium-sized consumers. Consequently, Chinese coal merchants strategically transitioned from traders to brokers, thereby, in the Shanghai coal market, Japanese trading companies dominated the sale of high-grade coal, while Chinese merchants adeptly controlled the market for medium- and low-grade coal. Furthermore, this paper presents a new perspective on the role of Chinese merchants in Shanghai within the context of Sino-Japanese trade history. Contrary to the prevailing notion that Chinese merchants primarily dealt in goods other than coal and copper, it highlights that Zhejiang merchants, particularly those from Ningbo, had long been active participants in the Sino- Japanese coal trade. These merchants operated independently of the networks of Chinese merchants in Japan and exerted significant influence in the Shanghai coal market. They skillfully maintained a complex relationship of cooperation and competition with Japanese trading companies, securing their substantial presence and impact in the industry.journal articl

Reconstructing Shapes and Appearances of Thin Film Objects Using RGB Images

Reconstruction of shapes and appearances of thin film objects can be applied to many fields such as industrial inspection, biological analysis, and archaeologic research. However, it comes with many challenging issues because the appearances of thin film can change dramatically depending on view and light directions. The appearance is deeply dependent on not only the shapes but also the optical parameters of thin film. In this paper, we propose a novel method to estimate shapes and film thickness. First, we narrow down candidates of zenith angle by degree of polarization and determine it by the intensity of thin film which increases monotonically along the zenith angle. Second, we determine azimuth angle from occluding boundaries. Finally, we estimate the film thickness by comparing a look-up table of color along the thickness and zenith angle with captured images. We experimentally evaluated the accuracy of estimated shapes and appearances and found that our proposed method is effective.conference pape

ヒトはフローリング床とカーペット床をいかに感じるか？ : SD法によるアンケート調査と因子分析

application/pdfJust after the walking experiments were executed on wood flooring or carpeting, questionnaires were used to survey “How did the wood flooring feel?” or “How did the carpeting feel?” assessed via the semantic differential （SD）method. Our results found that wood flooring delivered an impression of“lightness”, “refreshing” and “sophistication”, while carpeting delivered an impression of “softness”, “safety in walking”, “thickness” and “less fatiguing”. Responses were then analyzed via the factor analysis which found two centralized lower scales. It could be established that the first factor was “affinity” centralized lower scale and the second factor was“appearance” centralized lower scale in this study. Thus defined we could predict that carpeting outperformed wood flooring with respect to the points of the “affinity” centralized lower scale, while wood flooring exceeded carpeting in terms of the points of the “appearance” centralized lower scale.本研究では，フローリング床およびカーペット床上における歩行実験をおこなった直後に，「フローリング床をどう感じたか？」「カーペット床をどう感じたか？」についてSD法によるアンケート調査を実施した。その結果，フローリング床は「軽い」，「さわやか」，「洗練された」などの印象を多く持たれたこと，それに対してカーペット床は「温かい」，「歩行時安心」，「柔らかい」などの印象を多く持たれたことが分かった。次に，主因子法により因子分析をおこない，ヒトのフローリング床とカーペット床に対する印象の心理反応について考察した。その結果，フローリング床とカーペット床の印象に関して，全く同一の下位尺度を抽出することはできなかったが，フローリング床，カーペット床に対する類似した2 つの下位尺度を設定することができ，本研究では第一因子を「親和性」中心下位尺度，第二因子を「見た目」中心下位尺度とした。この結果を用いてアンケートの質問を整理することにより，「親和性」中心下位尺度に関する得点はカーペット床がフローリング床に勝っており，「見た目」中心下位尺度に関する得点は，フローリング床がカーペット床より勝っている傾向があると推測できる。departmental bulletin pape

Awareness, riding behaviors, and legislative attitudes toward electric bikes among two types of road users: An investigation in Tianjin, a municipality in China

Objective: This study aimed to understand the awareness, riding behaviors, and legislative attitudes of electric bike (e-bike) users and non-e-bike road users toward e-bikes in Tianjin, a municipality in China. Methods: This cross-sectional investigation included 2 components. The field survey was conducted in 9 districts (4 urban and 5 rural) from 2015 to 2017. Adult participants were interviewed using a street intercept method. The online survey was conducted using the WeChat social platform. A series of questions related to awareness and practice of e-bike safety-related issues was asked. Results: A total of 16,859 interviews were completed, including 1,653 (794 e-bike users and 859 other road users) in-person interviews by field survey and 15,206 (4,426 e-bike users and 10,780 other road users) by online survey. Except for ignoring a red light when making a left turn (P = .000) and waiting across the white line at a red light (P = .000), which e-bike users were lower than other road users, there were no significant differences between e-bike users and other road users in regards to the correct awareness rate of riding in the opposite direction, riding in a motor vehicle lane, running red lights, jaywalking, speeding, carrying adult passengers, and riding on the expressway (P > .05). In addition, 74.2% of e-bike users considered helmet use necessary (P = .000) and 54.7% thought that installing a windshield is wrong (P = .000), which was higher than other road users (49.1 and 48.4%, respectively). Other road users had greater awareness than e-bike users regarding whether turning left at a red light is wrong (91.7 vs. 85.1%), waiting across the white line when the light is red is wrong (86.6 vs. 75.9%), lighs should be turned on at night (94.8 vs. 90.3%). Correct practices were far behind awareness in all kinds of violation behaviors (P = .000) among e-bike users in the field survey. The rate of public support for legislation including those who very much support and support legislation was 93.34% in the field survey and 87.68% in the online survey. Conclusions: E-bike users had lower correct awareness rate than other road users regarding e-bike violation behaviors but were more concerned about safety protection than other road users. E-bike users’ correct practices were far behind their awareness for all kinds of violation behaviors. Public education on the traffic law needs to be strengthened among e-bike users. The public strongly supported special regulations for e-bike use, such as helmet use.</p

Road safety situation of electric bike riders: A cross-sectional study in courier and take-out food delivery population

Almost all courier and take-out food delivery riders in China use electric bikes as the main transport mode. This study aims to understand their riding behaviors and road traffic injury information of this population. A cross-sectional field study focused on this population was conducted, including roadside observation and face-to-face retrospective street intercept interviews. Six hundred target delivery riders were observed and 480 were interviewed. The rate of overspeeding was 91.3%, and windshield use during winter was 91.2%. Traffic violation behaviors observed included riding in the motor vehicle lane (32.8%), not waiting behind the white line at a red light (23.3%), and using cell phone when riding (21.2%). Helmet use was significantly more common during the day (73.0%) than at night (64.7%; P = .028). About 46.5% of respondents rode an e-bike more than 8 h per day. In addition, 76.5% of interviewees had been involved in a traffic crash at least once. About 13.9% of crashes happened in motor vehicle lanes and 8.2% on sidewalks. Logistic regression analysis indicated that compared with uninjured riders, injured riders showed significantly greater odds ratios of unsafe behaviors for running red lights (odds ratio [OR] = 1.75) and protective factors for wearing a helmet (OR = 0.56). The courier and take-out food delivery population is a vulnerable occupational group and road traffic injuries related to e-bike use require more attention.</p

Construction of Amide-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks by <i>N</i>‑Heterocyclic Carbene-Mediated Selective Oxidation for Photocatalytic Dehalogenation

Linkage conversion of imine to amide can not only boost the stability of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) but also enhance their functionality. However, current methods for generating amide linkages usually involve the use of inorganic oxidants, such as NaClO2 and oxone, which have a severe drawback of functional group incompatibility. In this study, we introduced a novel synthetic strategy to fabricate amide-linked COFs (Am-COFs) through N-heterocyclic carbene-mediated aerobic oxidation of CN bonds in the corresponding imine-linked COFs. This protocol not only featured mild reaction conditions, high crystallinity retention, quantitative conversion efficiency, and generality but, most importantly, delivered great compatibility with functional groups due to the umpolung of imine. Accordingly, we successfully synthesized Am-COFD19 and Am-COFR3, which contained oxidant-susceptible dibenzothiophene and vinyl groups, respectively. Am-COFD19 exhibited excellent photocatalytic dehalogenation activity of α-bromoacetophenone, while Am-COFR3 underwent intramolecular hydroamidation to yield dihydroisoquinolinone-linked 2HQ-COFR3 that has never been reported before. The discovery of this strategy is expected to expedite the application of amide-linked COFs