The development of extremely large male genitalia under spatial limitation.

Extensive research in evolutionary biology has focused on the exaggeration of sexual traits; however, the developmental basis of exaggerated sexual traits has only been determined in a few cases. The evolution of exaggerated sexual traits may involve the relaxation of constraints or developmental processes mitigating constraints. Ground beetles in the subgenus Ohomopterus (genus Carabus) have species-specific genitalia that show coevolutionary divergence between the sexes.

Jahn-Teller Switching of a Redox-Active Nickel(III) Center in a Homoleptic Thiolato Metalloligand Environment.

Treatment of nickel(II) nitrate with the iridium(III) metalloligand -[Ir(apt)] (apt = 3-aminopropanethiolate) gave the trinuclear complex [Ni{Ir(apt)}](NO) ([](NO)), in which the nickel center has a formal oxidation state of +III. Chemical or electrochemical oxidation and reduction of [](NO) generated the corresponding trinuclear complexes [Ni{Ir(apt)}](NO) ([](NO)) and [Ni{Ir(apt)}](NO) ([](NO)) with one-electron oxidated and reduced states, respectively. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography revealed that the nickel center in [](NO) is situated in a highly distorted octahedron due to Jahn-Teller effect, while the nickel center in each of [](NO) and [](NO) adopts a normal octahedral geometry.

Particle Size-Dependent Component Separation Using Serially Arrayed Micro-Chambers.

The purpose of this research was to enable component separation based on simple control of the flow rate. We investigated a method that eliminated the need for a centrifuge and enabled easy component separation on the spot without using a battery. Specifically, we adopted an approach that uses microfluidic devices, which are inexpensive and highly portable, and devised the channel within the fluidic device.

Intensity Ratio of / in Selected Elements from Mg to Cu, and the Chemical Effects of Cr Diagram Lines and Cr / Intensity Ratio in Cr Compounds.

Kα,β X-ray lines from photon excitation were measured in selected elements from Mg to Cu using a high-resolution double-crystal X-ray spectrometer with a proportional counter, and the Kβ/Kα intensity ratio for each element was obtained, after correcting for self-absorption, detection efficiency, and crystal reflectance. This intensity ratio increases rapidly from Mg to Ca but, in the 3d elements region, the increase becomes slower. This is related to the intensity of the Kβ line involving valence electrons.

New Material Exploration to Enhance Neutron Intensity below Cold Neutrons: Nanosized Graphene Flower Aggregation.

It is proposed that nanosized graphene aggregation could facilitate coherent neutron scattering under particle size conditions similar to nanodiamonds to enhance neutron intensity below cold neutrons. Using the RIKEN accelerator-driven compact neutron source and iMATERIA at J-PARC, we performed neutron measurement experiments, total neutron cross-section and small-angle neutron scattering on nanosized graphene aggregation. For the first time, the measured data revealed that nanosized graphene aggregation increased the total neutron cross-sections and small-angle scattering in the cold neutron energy region.

Group II truncated haemoglobin YjbI prevents reactive oxygen species-induced protein aggregation in .

Oxidative stress-mediated formation of protein hydroperoxides can induce irreversible fragmentation of the peptide backbone and accumulation of cross-linked protein aggregates, leading to cellular toxicity, dysfunction, and death. However, how bacteria protect themselves from damages caused by protein hydroperoxidation is unknown. Here, we show that YjbI, a group II truncated haemoglobin from , prevents oxidative aggregation of cell-surface proteins by its protein hydroperoxide peroxidase-like activity, which removes hydroperoxide groups from oxidised proteins.

Effects of He and Ar Heat-Assisted Plasma Treatments on the Adhesion Properties of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

Heat-assisted plasma (HAP) treatment using He gas is known to improve the adhesive-bonding and adhesive-free adhesion properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In this study, we investigated the effects of He and Ar gaseous species on the HAP-treated PTFE surface. Epoxy (EP) adhesive-coated stainless steel (SUS304) and isobutylene-isoprene rubber (IIR) were used as adherents for the evaluation of the adhesive-bonding and adhesive-free adhesion properties of PTFE.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antiglycation Effects of Connarus ruber Extract.

Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) of the Maillard reaction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. has been used as a folk remedy for several diseases, including diabetes; however, its underlying mechanism has not yet been investigated. This study investigated the effects of extract against glycation on collagen-linked AGEs and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-DM rats) .

Dissolution of cellulose into supercritical water and its dissolving state followed by structure formation from the solution system.

Cellulose was treated with supercritical water at 668 K and 25 MPa for 0.04 s in this study. The cellulose/water system was transparent at room temperature for a while after supercritical water treatment before a precipitate gradually appeared over several hours.

X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy Study of Uniaxial Magnetic Anisotropy Induced in a Ni Layer Deposited on a LiNbO Substrate.

The competition between magnetic shape anisotropy and the induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in the heterojunction between a ferromagnetic layer and a ferroelectric substrate serves to control magnetic domain structures as well as magnetization reversal characteristics. The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, originating from the symmetry breaking effect in the heterojunction, plays a significant role in modifying the characteristics of magnetization dynamics. Magnetoelastic phenomena are known to generate uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; however, the interfacial electronic states that may contribute to the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy have not yet been adequately investigated.

Development of Water-Insoluble Vehicle Comprising Natural Cyclodextrin-Vitamin E Complex.

Development of a novel antioxidant-delivery vehicle exerting biosafety has been attracting a great deal of interest. In this study, a vehicle comprising a natural composite consisting of vitamin E (α-tocopherol; Toc) and cyclodextrin (CD) additives was developed, directed toward aqua-related biological applications. Not only -CD, but also -CD, tended to form a water-insoluble aggregate with Toc in aqueous media.

Heterochrony and growth rate variation mediate the development of divergent genital morphologies in closely related Ohomopterus ground beetles.

The rapid divergence of genital morphology is well studied in the context of sexual selection and speciation; however, little is known about the developmental mechanisms underlying divergence in genitalia. Ground beetles in the subgenus Ohomopterus genus Carabus have species-specific genitalia that show coevolutionary divergence between the sexes. In this study, using X-ray microcomputed tomography, we examined the morphogenesis of male and female genitalia in two closely related Ohomopterus species with divergent genital morphologies.

Utilizing conductivity of seawater for bioelectric measurement of fish.

To manage health conditions of farmed fish and other living creatures, a simple method to measure bioelectric signals of the creatures in seawater is expected. A novel method to measure bioelectric signals by utilizing the conductivity of seawater surrounding the entire body of a fish is proposed. As for the proposed method, a needle-type internal electrode is inserted into the fish's muscle at a certain measurement point, and an external electrode is sunk in seawater.

Surface Modification and Adhesion Mechanism of Polypropylene with Low-Energy Electron-Beam Treatments.

Recently, smaller-size electron-beam (EB) accelerators have offered EB irradiation in laboratory systems. Therefore, polymer surface treatments with low-energy EB have been developed in the past years. For high adhesion strength, low-energy EB treatment is also a promising method in comparison to plasma surface treatment.

Electrochemical characteristics of a hyperthermophilic enzyme in microdroplets stirred and heated by surface acoustic waves.

Micro total analysis system (μTAS) is expected to be applied in various fields. In particular, since electrochemical measurement is inexpensive and easy, electrochemical measurement can be integrated with a microchannel. However, electrochemical detection sensitivity in a microchannel is lowered because the diffusion of the detection target is limited.

Surface Modification of Poly(ether ether ketone) through Friedel-Crafts Reaction for High Adhesion Strength.

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) possesses attractive mechanical and thermal properties but demonstrates poor adhesion. To overcome this disadvantage, in this study, the surface modification of PEEK or PEEK-based carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP) was performed through the Friedel-Crafts reaction and successive epoxidation. Under optimized reaction conditions, surface modification was achieved without surface deterioration, and epoxy groups were introduced.

Properties of natural rubber reinforced with cellulose nanofibers based on fiber diameter distribution as estimated by differential centrifugal sedimentation.

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with different degrees of fibrillation are prepared by the mechanical fibrillation of kraft pulp using wet disk milling, and dispersions of the prepared CNFs were subjected to differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS) in order to estimate the diameter distributions of the CNFs. The low-fibrillated CNFs (fiber diameter (d): >10 μm) had a weak reinforcing effect on natural rubber (NR), while the medium-fibrillated CNFs (d: 0.1-10 μm) dramatically improve the initial modulus and decrease the elongation at break.

Physicochemical characterization of 6-O-acyl trehalose fatty acid monoesters in desiccated system.

The understanding of the basic physicochemical properties of trehalose lipid is indispensable to extending their availability. In this study, the hydrate crystal (Cr), the liquid crystalline (LC) phase and the glassy state formations of 6-O-acyl trehalose fatty acid monoester (TREn) were examined under in a desiccated system. TREn (n = 10, 12, 14, 16) formed monohydrate Cr and showed the hydrate Cr-glassy fluid lamellar LC (Lα) phase transition via dehydration in the heating process.

Drastic Improvement in Adhesion Property of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) via Heat-Assisted Plasma Treatment Using a Heater.

The heating effect on the adhesion property of plasma-treated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was examined. For this purpose, a PTFE sheet was plasma-treated at atmospheric pressure while heating using a halogen heater. When plasma-treated at 8.

Environmental Impact of Tributyltin-Resistant Marine Bacteria in the Indigenous Microbial Population of Tributyltin-Polluted Surface Sediments.

　We compared the TBT-resistant ability of resting cells prepared from isolates that formed colonies on nutrient agar plates containing 100 µM tributyltin (TBT) chloride, such as Photobacterium sp. TKY1, Halomonas sp. TKY2, and Photobacterium sp.

Selective fluorescence detection method for selenide and selenol using monochlorobimane.

The low redox potential of selenide and selenol is physiologically important, as it confers efficient catalytic abilities to selenoproteins. Quantitative determination of selenol and selenide provide important clues for understanding the metabolism and physiological function of selenium. However, selective detection of selenol and selenide is extremely difficult because of their chemical similarity to thiol and sulfide.