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Active equi-paritioning of the F plasmid is achieved by its sopABC gene. SopA binds to the sopAB promoter region and SopB binds to sopC. SopA also polymerizes in the presence of ATP and Mg(II), which is stimulated by SopB. Non-specific DNA is known to inhibit SopA polymerization and disassemble SopA polymer. This study followed kinetics of polymerization and de-polymerization of SopA by turbidity measurement and found new effects by DNA and SopB. Plasmid DNA, at low concentrations, shortened the lag (nucleation) phase of SopA polymerization and also caused an initial 'burst' of turbidity. Results with two non-specific 20-bp DNAs indicated sequence/length dependence of these effects. sopAB operator DNA only showed inhibition of SopA polymerization. Results of turbidity decrease of pre-formed SopA polymer in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid showed that SopB also accelerates disassembly of the SopA polymer. The steady-state level of turbidity in the presence of SopB and plasmid DNA indicated synergy between SopB and DNA in the disassembly. SopB protein showed no effect on SopA polymerization, when SopB was specifically bound to DNA. This result and others with truncation mutants of SopB suggested that a proper configuration of the domains of SopB is important for SopA-SopB interactions.

We theoretically investigate normal-state properties of a gas mixture of single-component bosons and fermions with a hetero-nuclear Feshbach resonance. Including strong hetero-pairing fluctuations associated with the Feshbach resonance, we calculate single-particle density of states, as well as the spectral weight at various interaction strengths. For this purpose, we employ an improved T-matrix approximation (TMA), where the bare Bose Green's function in the non-selfconsistent TMA self-energy is modified so as to satisfy the Hugenholtz-Pines relation at the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) temperature $T_{\rm BEC}$. In the unitary regime at $T_{\rm BEC}$, we show that hetero-pairing fluctuations couple Fermi atomic excitations with Fermi molecular excitations, as well as with Bose atomic excitations. Although a similar coupling phenomenon by pairing fluctuations is known to give a pseudo-gapped density of states in the unitary regime of a two-component Fermi gas, such a dip structure is found to not appear even in the unitary limit of a Bose-Fermi mixture. It only appears in the strong-coupling regime. Instead, a spectral peak along the molecular dispersion appears in the spectral weight.We also clarify how this coupling phenomenon is seen in the Bose channel. Since a hetero-nuclear Feshbach resonance, as well as the formation of Bose-Fermi molecules, have been realized, our results would be useful for the study of strong-coupling properties of this unique quantum gas.

We theoretically present an economical and convenient way to study ground-state properties of a strongly interacting superfluid Fermi gas. Our strategy is that complicated strong-coupling calculations are used only to evaluate quantum fluctuation corrections to the chemical potential $\mu$. Then, without any further strong-coupling calculations, we calculate the compressibility, sound velocity, internal energy, pressure, and Tan's contact, from the calculated $\mu$ without loss of accuracy, by using exact thermodynamic identities. Using a recent precise measurement of $\mu$ in a superfluid $^6$Li Fermi gas, we show that an extended $T$-matrix approximation (ETMA) is suitable for our purpose, especially in the BCS-unitary regime, where our results indicate that many-body corrections are dominated by superfluid fluctuations. Since precise determinations of physical quantities are not always easy in cold Fermi gas physics, our approach would greatly reduce experimental and theoretical efforts toward the understanding of ground-state properties of this strongly interacting Fermi system., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Physical Review A

Three natural hybrids and an introgressed individual of Ligularia were evaluated based on a combination of morphology, root chemicals, and nucleotide sequences of evolutionally neutral regions to understand the chemical outcomes of hybridization and introgression. Six previously undescribed eremophilane sesquiterpenes were isolated from hybrids between L. cyathiceps and L. lamarum/L. subspicata, and benzofurans were isolated from L. subspicata for the first time. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analyses. Some compounds produced by hybrids have not been detected in either parental species, indicating that the metabolic profile was altered by hybridization and introgression.

We theoretically investigate single particle excitations in the BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer)-BEC (Bose-Einstein-Condensation) crossover regime of an ultracold Fermi gas. Including strong pairing fluctuations within a $T$-matrix approximation, as well as effects of a harmonic trap potential in the local density approximation, we calculate the local photoemission spectrum in the normal state. Recently, JILA group has measured this quantity in a $^{40}$K Fermi gas, in order to examine homogeneous single-particle properties of this system. Comparing our results with this experiment, we show that, this attempt indeed succeeds under the JILA's experimental condition. However, we also find that the current local photoemission spectroscopy still has room for improvement, in order to examine the pseudogap phenomenon predicted in the BCS-BEC crossover region. Since ultracold Fermi gases are always in a trap, our results would be useful in applying this system to various homogeneous Fermi systems, as a quantum simulator., Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures

We investigate pseudogap phenomena in a two-dimensional Fermi gas. Including pairing fluctuations within a self-consistent $T$-matrix approximation, we determine the pseudogap temperature $T^*$ below which a dip appears in the density of states $\rho(\omega)$ around the Fermi level. Evaluating $T^*$, we identify the pseudogap region in the phase diagram of this system. We find that, while the observed BKT (Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless) transition temperature $T^{\rm exp}_{\rm BKT}$ in a $^6$Li Fermi gas is in the pseudogap regime, the detailed pseudogap structure in $\rho(\omega)$ at $T^{\rm exp}_{\rm BKT}$ still differs from a fully-gapped one, indicating the importance of amplitude fluctuations in the Cooper channel there. Since the observed $T^{\rm exp}_{\rm BKT}$ in the weak-coupling regime cannot be explained by the recent BKT theory which only includes phase fluctuations, our results may provide a hint about how to improve this BKT theory. Although $\rho(\omega)$ has not been measured in this system, we show that the assessment of our results is still possible by using the observable Tan's contact., Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures

For the introduction of robots to a variety of workplaces, accumulation, sharing and reuse of task implementation knowledge including complex motions of robots, tool and device usage for tasks are important. Further this knowledge need to be quickly accessed and utilized through the process of introducing a robot for a task, updating existing systems to more efficient ones, and implementing similar tasks. This paper proposes a framework to store data related to tasks and enable task implementation using search, customization and combination of the stored data. The stored data include motion patterns of robots, various meta-data including texts, images, 3D models and other documents. They are managed based on task models. The meta-data are used by humans to figure out the tasks and reusability of the associated motion patterns. The primary goal of this framework is to assist the process of thinking and implementation by humans. This paper presents an analysis of typical use-cases and system design of the framework, and implementation on Choreonoid. Then an experiment is presented, where a sequence of assembling a complex mechanical unit is described using the proposed framework. We also discuss issues on the current framework specifications and possible cooperation with automation technologies and external data sources.

Two intergeneric hybrids between Ligularia nelumbifolia and Cremanthodium stenoglossum were examined with respect to the chemical composition of root extracts and the sequences of neutral DNA regions. The DNA data showed that the direction of hybridization was different between the individuals. Eremophilane sesquiterpenes were found in both hybrids and deduced to have come from their Cremanthodium parents, because sesquiterpenes were detected in C. stenoglossum but not in L. nelumbifolia.

The chemical composition of 3 samples of Ligularia dictyoneura was studied. Nine furanoeremophilanes 1 to 9 and bakkenolide A (10) were isolated, among which compound 6 was a new furanoeremophilane-15,6-olide. These results, together with our previous results on 20 L. dictyoneura samples, show that furanoeremophilane is the major compound in the peripheries of the plant’s distribution area, while eremophilan-8-one, in the center. DNA analysis suggests that a furanoeremophilane producer in the center, an exception, is introgressed; namely, the ability to produce furanoeremophilane in the sample may have its origin in some other plant.

The composition of root chemicals was studied for 7 samples of Ligularia tongolensis collected in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces of China. The structures of 2 new 3β-angeloyloxy-6β-acyloxyfuranoeremophilan-15-oic acids were determined. It was found that the plant harbors chemical diversity in the acyloxy groups in 3,6-bis(acyloxy)eremophilan-15-oic acids. The presence of a 3-methylpentanoate moiety at C-3 appears geographically differentiated to a degree. Consistent with this low diversity, results of DNA analysis indicated little genetic differentiation, although introgression was inferred for one of the samples.

Chemical constituents and evolutionally neutral DNA sequences of six samples of Cremanthodium lineare Maxim., collected in the Sichuan Province of China, were studied. Three samples produced furanoeremophilanes and the other three, eremophilan-8-ones. The chemotypes were found to be correlated with DNA sequence types, suggesting that the chemical diversity observed has a genetic origin. Production of furanoeremophilanes by a Cremanthodium species suggests an evolutionary relationship between Cremanthodium and Ligularia species, and possibly to related genera.

Root chemicals and DNA sequences were analyzed for Ligularia virgaurea collected in the northern Sichuan Province and adjacent areas of China. Thirty-eight samples were found to contain five chemotypes, two known and three new ones. From samples of the new chemotypes, 13 new compounds were isolated, including 3 sesquiterpene dimers and some rearranged eremophilanes. The DNA sequences suggested that the chemotype differentiation had a genetic origin. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We extend our recent work [Y. Endo et al., Phys. Rev. A 92, 023610 (2015)] for a parity-mixing effect in a model of two-dimensional lattice fermions to a realistic three-dimensional ultracold Fermi gas. Including effects of broken local spatial inversion symmetry by a trap potential within the framework of the real-space Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory at $T=0$, we point out that an odd-parity $p\text{-wave}$ Cooper-pair amplitude is expected to have already been realized in previous experiments on an (even-parity) $s\text{-wave}$ superfluid Fermi gas with spin imbalance. This indicates that when one suddenly changes the $s\text{-wave}$ pairing interaction to an appropriate $p\text{-wave}$ one by using a Feshbach technique in this case, a nonvanishing $p\text{-wave}$ superfluid order parameter is immediately obtained, which is given by the product of the $p\text{-wave}$ interaction and the $p\text{-wave}$ pair amplitude that has already been induced in the spin-imbalanced $s\text{-wave}$ superfluid Fermi gas. Thus, by definition, the system is in the $p\text{-wave}$ superfluid state, at least just after this manipulation. Since the achievement of a $p\text{-wave}$ superfluid state is one of the most exciting challenges in cold Fermi gas physics, our results may provide an alternative approach to this unconventional pairing state. In addition, since the parity-mixing effect cannot be explained as far as one deals with a trap potential in the local density approximation (LDA), it is considered as a crucial example which requires us to go beyond the LDA.

The chemical constituents of Ligularia wilsoniana were studied for the first time, using four samples collected in Chongqing City, China. Two new compounds, 6β-(2',3'-epoxy-2'-methylpropanoyloxy)-β,10β-epoxyfuranoeremophilane and 11αH-6β-(2'-hydroxymethylacryloyloxy)-1β,10β;7β,8β- diepoxyeremophilanolide, as well as eight known compounds, were isolated from one of the samples, while three to four known furanoeremophilanes were isolated from the other three samples. No compound was common to the two classes of the samples, demonstrating the presence of at least two chemotypes of this species.

Pyroxasulfone inhibits very-long-chain fatty acid elongase in susceptible weeds and facilitates preemergence weed control. Pyroxasulfone showed 98% control of Echinochloa crus-galli (ECHCG) for up to 63 days at a use rate lower than that of chloroacetamide herbicides. ED90 of pyroxasulfone against ECHCG in soil with high organic matter (OM) content did not differ significantly from that in lower OM soils. The low water solubility and the low vapor pressure of pyroxasulfone resulted in limited horizontal diffusion on the soil surface and low risk of volatilization, respectively. The herbicidal efficacy of pyroxasulfone was affected by clod size and improved with smooth soil surface preparation.

We investigate the specific heat at constant volume $C_V$ in the BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer)-BEC (Bose-Einstein condensation) crossover regime of an ultracold Fermi gas above the superfluid phase transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$. Within the framework of the strong-coupling theory developed by Nozi\`eres and Schmitt-Rink, we show that this thermodynamic quantity is sensitive to the stability of preformed Cooper pairs. That is, while $C_V(T\gesim T_{\rm c})$ in the unitary regime is remarkably enhanced by {\it metastable} preformed Cooper pairs or pairing fluctuations, it is well described by that of an ideal Bose gas of long-lived {\it stable} molecules in the strong-coupling BEC regime. Using these results, we identify the region where the system may be viewed as an almost ideal Bose gas of stable pairs, as well as the pseudogap regime where the system is dominated by metastable preformed Cooper pairs, in the phase diagram of an ultracold Fermi gas with respect to the strength of a pairing interaction and the temperature. We also show that the calculated specific heat agrees with the recent experiment on a $^6$Li unitary Fermi gas. Since the formation of preformed Cooper pairs is a crucial key in the BCS-BEC crossover phenomenon, our results would be helpful in considering how fluctuating preformed Cooper pairs appear in a Fermi gas, to eventually become stable, as one passes through the BCS-BEC crossover region., Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures

Ribosome dimers are a translationally inactive form of ribosomes found in Escherichia coli and many other bacterial cells. In this study, we found that the 70S ribosomes of Bacillus subtilis dimerized during the early stationary phase and these dimers remained in the cytoplasm until regrowth was initiated. Ribosome dimerization during the stationary phase required the hpf gene, which encodes a homologue of the E. coli hibernation-promoting factor (Hpf). The expression of hpf was induced at an early stationary phase and its expression was observed throughout the rest of the experimental period, including the entire 6 h of the stationary phase. Ribosome dimerization followed the induction of hpf in WT cells, but the dimerization was impaired in cells harbouring a deletion in the hpf gene. Although the absence of ribosome dimerization in these Hpf-deficient cells did not affect their viability in the stationary phase, their ability to regrow from the stationary phase decreased. Thus, following the transfer of stationary-phase cells to fresh LB medium, Δhpf mutant cells grew slower than WT cells. This observed lag in growth of Δhpf cells was probably due to a delay in restoring their translational activity. During regrowth, the abundance of ribosome dimers in WT cells decreased with a concomitant increase in the abundance of 70S ribosomes and growth rate. These results suggest that the ribosome dimers, by providing 70S ribosomes to the cells, play an important role in facilitating rapid and efficient regrowth of cells under nutrient-rich conditions.

We present a stability analysis on a driven-dissipative electron-hole condensate in the BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer)-BEC (Bose-Einstein-condensation)-crossover region. Extending the combined BCS-Leggett theory with the generalized random phase approximation (GRPA) to the non-equilibrium case by employing the Keldysh formalism, we show that the pumping-and-decay of carriers causes a depairing effect on excitons. This phenomenon gives rise to an attractive interaction between excitons in the BEC regime, as well as a supercurrent that anomalously flows anti-parallel to $\nabla \theta({\bf r})$ (where $\theta({\bf r})$ is the phase of the condensate) in the BCS regime, both leading to dynamical instabilities of an exciton-BEC. Our result suggests that substantial region of the exciton-BEC phase in the phase diagram (in terms of the interaction strength and the decay rate) is unstable., Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures

To elucidate the biological functions of small (p)ppGpp synthetases YjbM and YwaC of Bacillus subtilis, we constructed RIK1059 and RIK1066 strains carrying isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) inducible yjbM and ywaC genes, respectively, in the ΔrelA ΔyjbM ΔywaC triple mutant background. While the uninduced and IPTG-induced RIK1059 cells grew similarly in LB medium, the growth of RIK1066 cells was arrested following the addition of IPTG during the early exponential growth phase. Induction of YwaC expression by IPTG also severely decreased the intracellular GTP level and drastically altered the transcriptional profile in RIK1066 cells. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation analysis of the ribosomal fractions prepared from the IPTG-induced RIK1066 cells revealed three peaks corresponding to 30S, 50S, and 70S ribosome particles, and also an extra peak. Electron microscope studies revealed that the extra peak fraction contained dimers of 70S ribosomes, which were similar to the Escherichia coli 100S ribosomes. Proteomic analysis revealed that the 70S dimer contained an extra protein, YvyD, in addition to those found in the 70S ribosome. Accordingly, strain resulting from the disruption of the yvyD gene in the RIK1066 cells was unable to form 70S dimers following IPTG induction, indicating that YvyD is required for the formation of these dimers in B. subtilis.

Pyrimisulfan is a novel sulfonanilide herbicide with high herbicidal activities against major troublesome weeds in paddy fields. To use this chemical compound as a one-shot herbicide for rice, we have developed a controlled-release formulation, pyrimisulfan-1 kg granule (containing 6.7 g a.i.). This granule formulation applied at pre-emergence to the three-leaf stage at 10 kg/ha efficiently controlled troublesome weeds, such as Echinochloa spp., perennial weeds, and sulfonylurea-resistant weeds. Furthermore, pyrimisulfan-1 kg granule exhibited consistent herbicidal efficacy under simulated overflow conditions. Therefore, pyrimisulfan-1 kg granule is suitable for use as a one-shot herbicide and is an effective tool for rice cultivation systems requiring reduced pesticide applications.

Root chemicals and DNA sequences were analyzed for Ligularia lamarum samples collected in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces of China and the relationship between the plant and Ligularia subspicata, its taxonomically closest species, was examined. Both species produce furanoeremophilanes and eremophilan-8-one derivatives as the major components. Eleven new compounds, including a new seco-bakkane compound, were isolated. The two species were found to harbor overlapping intra-specific diversities with respect to the chemicals and the DNA sequences. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel series of sulfonanilides having a pyrimidinyl-containing group at the 2′-position was prepared and their herbicidal activities against paddy weeds and selectivity against rice plants were assessed. The structure-activity relationships were probed by substitution of the sulfonyl group, bridge and benzene ring. Among the sulfonamides, difluoromethyl compound showed comparatively high activity and a broad spectrum to control weeds, including Echinochloa oryzicola. The most preferable substitution position on the benzene ring was in the 6-position and the lower alkyl group showed high herbicidal activity and a broad weed control spectrum, and among the compounds tested, the methoxymethyl group was the best. In respect of the bridge moiety, the hydroxyl group was the best. Among the compounds examined, 2′-[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)(hydroxy)methyl]-1,1-difluoro-6′-(methoxymethyl)methanesulfonanilide, applied at rates between 4 to 16 g a.i./ha, showed excellent pre-emergence herbicidal activity with a broad spectrum against grass, sedge and broadleaf weeds without injury to rice plants.

Introduction - There are numerous Ligularia species in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and adjacent areas. L. virgaurea has been used as a traditional folk medicine for the treatment of stomachache and nausea.

Chemical and genetic study of Ligularia anoleuca and L. veitchiana, which belong to section Ligularia, series Speciosae, was carried out. From L. anoleuca samples, collected in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces of China, a new compound, furanoeremophil-1(10)-en-6 alpha-ol, was isolated together with known 6 beta-{[2-(hydroxymethyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxy}furanoeremophil-1(10)-ene and 1 beta,10 beta-epoxy-6 beta-{[2-(hydroxymethyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxy}furanoeremophilane. From L. veitchiana samples, collected in Yunnan Province, euparin, 2-isopropenyl-5,6-dimethoxybenzofuran, and 6-hydroxy-3 beta-methoxytrementone were isolated. DNA Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal RNA gene showed that the two species are not particularly close despite morphological similarities, in agreement with the chemical results.

The chemical composition of the root extract and neutral base sequences of L. hodgsonii samples collected in Japan and China were examined. From the Japanese and the Chinese samples, 6 beta-(angeloyloxy)furanoeremophilan-15-oic acid (2) and 3 beta-acetoxy-6 beta-[(2-methyl butanoyl)oxy]furaneremophilan-10 beta-ol (3) were isolated as the major component, respectively. The sequence of the internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) of the ribosomal RNA gene was different in the Japanese and the Chinese samples. In contrast to the significant genetic difference, chemical diversity was limited to the positions of O-functionalities on the furanoeremophilane skeleton, supporting our hypothesis that the production of furanocremophilanes is ecologically advantageous

Root chemicals and evolutionarily neutral DNA regions in L. cyathiceps samples collected in the Zhongdian (Shangrila) County of Yunnan, P. R. China, were examined. Twenty compounds were isolated, including three new ones, 1 beta,10 beta-epoxy-6 beta-(propionyloxy)furanoeremophilan-9-one (6), 1 beta,10 beta-epoxy-8 alpha-ethoxyeremophila-6,11-diene (14), and 11 alpha H-6 beta-isobutyryloxy-1 beta,10 beta,7 beta,8 beta-diepoxyeremophilan-12,8 alpha-olide (15). The chemical diversity was found to be limited, with cacalol (1) and 6(acyloxy)furanoeremophilan-9-ones (4 and/or5) being major components in all the samples. The nuclear ribosomal RNA gene was also found to harbor little variation, although two distinct sequence types were found for the plastid atp B-rbcL intergenic region.

Twenty-six eremophilane-type sesquiterpenoids, including six new compounds, were isolated from the title species. One of the new compounds, kanaitzensol, suggested the presence of an enzyme for the conversion of eremophil-7(11)-en-8-one derivative to furanoeremophilanes. The plant was collected at 15 locations in Yunnan Province of China and found to be diverse with respect to its sesquiterpenoid composition. DNA sequencing also revealed a large intraspecific diversity of the plant. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intra-specific diversity in Liularia vellerea growing in the northwestern to central Yunnan province of China was studied by chemical and genetic approaches. Samples collected in the Jianchuan, Lijiang, and Zhongdian areas contained 6,15-dioxygenated furanoeremophilanes as their major components (type A); whereas samples from the Luguhu area accumulated 1,6-dioxygenated furanoeremophilanes (type B); a sample from near Kunming, however, contained 6,15-dioxygenated eremophilanolides (type C). 11 beta H- and 11 alpha H-beta Pangeloyloxy-15-carboxyeremophil-7-en-12,8-olides (eremofarfugins D and E) were also isolated and their structures were determined. A correlation between the composition and the DNA sequence was observed in the ITSs. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The chemical constituents of the roots of Ligularia lankongensis collected at seven different places in Yunnan Province, China, were investigated together with the DNA sequence of the atpB- rbcL intergenic region. All the samples contained a new, highly oxygenated bisabolane-type sesquiterpene ( 1). Four other oxygenated bisabolanes ( 2 and the new 3, 4, and 5) were also obtained. Intraspecific diversity was observed in the composition of the compounds, but not in the DNA sequence.

The intraspecific diversity in L. tsangchanensis collected in the Chinese Provinces Yunnan and southwestern Sichuan was studied by chemical and genetic approaches. ne samples collected in Yunnan were found to contain cacalol (1) as the sole major component, while samples from Sichuan contained 7 alpha- and 7 beta-eremophila-9,11-dien-8-one (5 and 6) as well as the 3 alpha-angeloyloxy derivative 7 as major components. In addition, the sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) of the ribosomal RNA gene indicated that the Yunnan and the Sichuan samples constitute separate clades. These results demonstrate that L. tsangchanensis in Yunnan and Sichuan are distinct.

We theoretically investigate the uniform spin susceptibility $\chi$ in the superfluid phase of an ultracold Fermi gas in the BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer)-BEC (Bose-Einstein condensation) crossover region. In our previous paper [H. Tajima, {\it et. al.}, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 89}, 033617 (2014)], including pairing fluctuations within an extended $T$-matrix approximation (ETMA), we showed that strong pairing fluctuations cause the so-called spin-gap phenomenon, where $\chi$ is anomalously suppressed even in the normal state near the superfluid phase transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$. In this paper, we extend this work to the superfluid phase below $T_{\rm c}$, to clarify how this many-body phenomenon is affected by the superfluid order. From the comparison of the ETMA $\chi$ with the Yosida function describing the spin susceptibility in a weak-coupling BCS superfluid, we identify the region where pairing fluctuations crucially affect this magnetic quantity below $T_{\rm c}$ in the phase diagram with respect to the strength of a pairing interaction and the temperature. This spin-gap regime is found to be consistent with the previous pseudogap regime determined from the pseudogapped density of states. We also compare our results with a recent experiment on a $^6$Li Fermi gas. Since the spin susceptibility is sensitive to the formation of spin-singlet preformed pairs, our results would be useful for the study of pseudogap physics in an ultracold Fermi gas on the viewpoint of the spin degrees of freedom., Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures

Ligularia hodgsonii was found to be diverse in China. Furanoeremophilanes were isolated from samples collected in Yunnan Province, while such compounds were absent from samples from Sichuan, Gansu, and Chongqing. DNA sequencing showed that the Yunnan samples were also genetically distinct. γ-Humulene and a new bisabolane sesquiterpene were isolated.

Five Ligularia samples are analyzed and twenty compounds, including two new compounds (I) and (II), are isolated.

We investigate strong-coupling corrections to the specific heat $C_V$ in the normal state of an ultracold Fermi gas in the BCS-BEC crossover region. A recent experiment on a $^6$Li unitary Fermi gas [M. J. H. Ku, {\it et. al.}, Science {\bf 335}, 563 (2012)] shows that $C_V$ is remarkably amplified near the superfluid phase transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$, being similar to the well-known $\lambda$-structure observed in liquid $^4$He. Including pairing fluctuations within the framework of the strong-coupling theory developed by Nozi\`eres and Schmitt-Rink, we show that strong pairing fluctuations are sufficient to explain the anomalous behavior of $C_V$ observed in a $^6$Li unitary Fermi gas near $T_{\rm c}$. We also show that there is no contribution from {\it stable} preformed Cooper pairs to $C_V$ at the unitarity. This indicates that the origin of the observed anomaly is fundamentally different from the case of liquid $^{4}$He, where {\it stable} $^4$He Bose atoms induce the $\lambda$-structure in $C_V$ near the superfluid instability. Instead, the origin is the suppression of the entropy $S$, near $T_{\rm c}$, due to the increase of {\it metastable} preformed Cooper pairs. Our results indicate that the specific heat is a useful quantity to study the effects of pairing fluctuations on the thermodynamic properties of an ultracold Fermi gas in the BCS-BEC crossover region., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures

We investigate the possibility that the broken spatial inversion symmetry by a trap potential induces a spin-triplet Cooper-pair amplitude in an $s$-wave superfluid Fermi gas. Being based on symmetry considerations, we clarify that this phenomenon may occur, when a spin rotation symmetry of the system is also broken. We also numerically confirm that a triplet pair amplitude is really induced under this condition, using a simple model. Our results imply that this phenomenon is already present in a trapped $s$-wave superfluid Fermi gas with spin imbalance. As an interesting application of this phenomenon, we point out that one may produce a $p$-wave superfluid Fermi gas, by suddenly changing the $s$-wave pairing interaction to a $p$-wave one by using the Feshbach resonance technique. Since a Cooper pair is usually classified into the spin-singlet (and even-parity) state and the spin-triplet (and odd-parity) state, our results would be useful in considering how to mix them with each other in a superfluid Fermi gas. Such admixture has recently attracted much attention in the field of non-centrosymmetric superconductivity, so that our results would also contribute to the further development of this research field, on the viewpoint of cold Fermi gas physics., Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures

We theoretically investigate a Bose-condensed exciton gas out of equilibrium. Within the framework of the combined BCS-Leggett strong-coupling theory with the non-equilibrium Keldysh formalism, we show how the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of excitons is suppressed to eventually disappear, when the system is in the non-equilibrium steady state. The supply of electrons and holes from the bath is shown to induce quasi-particle excitations, leading to the partial occupation of the upper branch of Bogoliubov single-particle excitation spectrum. We also discuss how this quasi-particle induction is related to the suppression of exciton BEC, as well as the stability of the steady state., Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of QFS-2015

Chemical constituents of root extract and the nucleotide sequences of the atpB-rbcL intergenic region and the internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) of the ribosomal RNA gene were studied for Ligularia virgaurea var. virgaurea collected in southwestern Sichuan Province of China. Eleven samples were collected. Four of them were found to contain four new furanoeremophilanes, virgaurenones A-D, as well as a new cremophilanolide, virgaurenolide A. The other samples contained different furanoeremophilanes and their derivatives including nor-type of compounds, two of which were new. Diversity was found to be present in the nucleotide sequences as well. The chemical composition was found to be correlated with the ITS variation but not with the geographic distribution of the samples. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intra-specific diversity of Ligularia pleurocaulis was examined from both chemical and genetic aspects, using furanoeremophilanes as the chemical index and the nucleotide sequences in the atpB-rbcL and the ITS1 regions as the genetic index. Four samples of L. pleurocaulis were collected in northwestern Yunnan, and six in southwestern Sichuan. From the ethanol extracts of the roots of all of the samples, four compounds, 6 beta-angeloyloxy- and 6 beta-tigloyloxy-furanoeremophil-1(10)-enes, and 6 beta-angeloyloxy- and 6 beta-tigloyloxy-furanoeremophil-1(10)-en-3 beta-ols were isolated. Further, 3 beta-angeloyloxyfuranoeremophil-1(10)-en-6 beta-ol and furanoligularenone were isolated from the Yunnan and the Sichuan samples, respectively. Two variants were found for the atpB-rbcL sequence. Base multiplicity in the ITSI region was observed at only a few positions in the Yunnan samples, whereas it was observed at about 10 positions for the Sichuan samples. These results show that L. pleurocaulis is diverse, both chemically and genetically, and that plants in northwestern Yunnan and those in southwestern Sichuan can be distinguished by their chemical and genetic indexes.

Three Ligularia species (L. tongolensis, L. cymbulifera, and L. atroviolacea) were examined with respect to the chemical composition and nucleotide sequence. Furanoeremophilanes were found to be produced in the root of all samples of the three species collected in northwest Yunnan and southwest Sichuan. Eight furanoeremophilanes were identified, two of which were new. Most of the identified furanoeremophilanes were oxygenated at 3, 6, and 15-positions. The nucleotide sequence of the atpB-rbcL intergenic region was found to be essentially the same in the three species. These similarities imply that the three Ligularia species, all belonging to the section Corymbosae, are close to one another. The intra-specific diversity in the two widely distributed species in the Hengduan Mountains area, L. tongolensis and L. cymbulifera, were in contrast. Four out of 19 L. tongolensis samples contained a strongly Ehrlich-positive compound besides a number of positive compounds, and five variants of the atpB-rbcL sequence were found in these samples. In contrast, no variation was observed in 13 L. cymbulifera samples with respect to the furanoeremophilane composition or the atpB-rbcL sequence. The lack of diversity in L. cymbulifera probably resulted from the uniformity of its habitat.

水田雑草におけるスルホニルウレア系除草剤 (SU) 抵抗性の有無を, 生育中期の植物体を用いて簡便に検定できる方法を確立した。イヌホタルイ (Scirpus juncoides Roxb. subsp. juncoides Roxb.), コナギ(Monochoria vaginalis Presl var. plantaginea Solms-Laub.), アメリカアゼナ (Lindernia dubia Penn.) の生育中期の個体の茎葉部および根部を各々基部より2cm程度の長さに切断し, これを代かきを行った湛水土壌中に移植し, 移植翌日にベンスルフロンメチル7.5g a. i./10aを処理した後, 経時的に観察を行った。その結果, 3草種いずれにおいても薬剤処理後2～3週間程度で, SU抵抗性バイオタイプでは薬剤処理区でも薬剤無処理区と同程度の旺盛な地上部の再生が認められたのに対し, SU感受性バイオタイプでは薬剤処理区ではほとんど再生が認められなかった。薬剤処理区における地上部の再生の差が非常に明瞭であるため, この方法によりSU抵抗性の有無を検定することが可能であると考え, この方法を地上部再生法と命名した。本方法では, 生育中期の植物体をそのまま検定に用いることができ, また土壌を介して検定を行うことで, 簡便にSU抵抗性の検定を行うことができると考えられた。

Two cDNA forms were characterized for a human dnaJ homologue, HSJ2. Nucleotide sequencing showed that the gene product HSJ2 was longer than previously reported, extending its homology to other human DnaJ paralogues, and that the two cDNAs encoded two proteins as a result of alternative splicing. The products were 326 amino acids (designated as HSJ2a) and 241 amino acids (HSJ2b) in length, sharing the N-terminal 231 amino acids including the DnaJ homology region. When fused to green fluorescent protein and expressed in HeLa cells, HSJ2a was found to be localized to the nucleus, indicating that HSJ2a is a nuclear co-chaperone. HSJ2b, however, was observed throughout the cell, consistent with the elimination of a putative nuclear localization signal sequence as a result of the alternative splicing.

In 1989, Pyriminobac-methyl (Code KIH-6127:Fig. 1, 1) was found to beparticularly effective against barnyard grass (Echinochloa spp.) over a wide range or growth stages from pre-emergence through to the 4.0. leaf stage, with excellent crop safity in both direct-seeded and transplanted rice. It was registered in late 1996 in Japanese as an active ingredient of the one-shot mixture herbicide, Prosper sup (TM) (registered trade name or Kumiai Chemical) and was commercially launched in early 1997, followed soon after by the commercialization or mixtures such as Pat-ful, ASat-ful and Topgun which all contain this com-pound as an active ingredient. Sulfonylurea herbicides like bensulfuron-methyl and pyrazosulfuro-ethyl control sedge and broad-leaf weeds at very low application rates in transplanted rice. These herbicides, however, have only moderate levels of activity against barnyard grass, the most problematic weed in paddy rice, at practical application rates. Since ALS (plant enzyme: acetolactate synthase) inhib-ltory low-dose herbicides including sulfonylurea were not commercially available for the control of barnyard-grass when our studies were initiated, we focused on low-dose herbicides particularly those effective in controlling barnyardgrass in paddy fields. Studies of pyrimidinyl salicylates (Fig. 1, 2) bearing common functional groups, which act by inhibiting ALS, had already been made by the authors. Although most of the compounds had good herbicidal activity, only a few had a broad spectrum of activity and acceptable level of crop safety for commercial use. Therefore, a study of 6-substituted compounds (Fig. 1, 2) was initiated. For the preparation of a variety of 6-substitutions, certain key synthetic intermediates containing a highly reactive functional group linked to the 6-position of the salicylate moiety were required. Our previous studies of 2 had provided the following findings: substitution at the 6-position of the salicylate moiety was preferable for herbicidal and ALS inhibitory

The chemical composition of a sample of the title species collected in Pianma, Lushui County, Yunnan Province of China, was examined. Two 3,6,10-oxygenated and two 3,6-oxygenated furanoeremophilanes were isolated. Structures of two new compounds were elucidated. The 3,6-oxygenated furanoeremophilanes were not detected in a sample of the same species previously collected in Laojunshan, Jianchuan County, Yunnan, indicating chemical diversity in the species.