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本研究の目的は，韓国の児童虐待履修命令者を対象に実施した教育プログラムの効果分析を通じ，その活用可能性および持続可能性に対する手がかりを得ることである。児童虐待事犯10人を対象とし，20セッション50時間で構成される心理療法プログラムを実施し，包含モデルを基にした統合的アプローチにて分析を行った。具体的には，自尊感情尺度と育児自己効力感尺度を採用し，対応のあるt-検定にて教育プログラム前後の変化を分析したところ，p＜.05 レベルで統計的に有意であった。同時に，グループワークでの発言に対する内容分析においても教育が進むにつれ，参加者の自己省察が深化され，教育に対する認識が前向きに変化することが示された。考察では，本教育プログラムが「児童虐待事犯による虐待行為の再発」を防ぐなどの肯定的な機能を有する可能性について述べた。, This study analyzes the effectiveness of an educational program targeting child abuse offenders in South Korea, thereby gaining insight into its potential use and sustainability. A psychotherapy program for ten child abuse offenders was conducted, consisting of 20 sessions over 50 hours. Subsequently, analysis was conducted using an integrated approach based on the embedded model. Specifically, the self-esteem and parenting self-efficacy scales were employed with the changes before and after the educational program analyzed via a paired t-test. These changes were statistically significant at the p＜.05 level. Simultaneously, a content analysis of the participants' comments during the group work showed that as time went on, their selfreflection deepened and there were positive changes in their perception of the program. In the discussion section, we reflect on the potential positive functions of this educational program, such as preventing the recurrence of abusive behavior by child abuse offenders., 論文(Article)

Improper ferroelectricity and canted ferromagnetism in antiferromagnetically ordered hexagonal ferrites with A2-type spin configuration have been intensely studied due to their potential for room-temperature multiferroicity with strong magnetoelectric couplings. However, the subtle interplay between the magnetic structure and trimer structural distortion, which is a critical ingredient for ferroelectricity, has not been clearly verified in experiments due to the lack of control over trimer distortion. In this study, we report on Lu0.6In0.4FeO3, which exhibits weaker trimer distortion primarily related to the smaller tilting of the FeO5 bipyramids. The reduced vertical displacement of the equatorial oxygen of FeO5 located at the center of the trimer lowers the magnitude of the in-plane Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya vector component, resulting in the absence of canted ferromagnetism with the planar A1-type spin configuration, rather than the canted A2-type observed in other hexagonal ferrites. Our findings demonstrate that the degree of trimer distortion plays an important role in determining the spin configuration in related hexagonal systems.

Boron-doped ZnO1-xSx (ZnO1-xSx:B) thin films were fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of the ZnO1-xSx:B thin films. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that, except for the ZnO:B (x = 0) and ZnS:B ( x = 1) thin films, the ZnO1-xSx:B thin films exhibit amorphous characters. Optical transmittance spectra were analyzed to estimate the band gaps of the thin films with different S content. All thin films showed direct band gaps ranging from 3.34 eV (ZnO:B) to 3.49 eV (ZnS:B). The influence of sulfur content on carrier concentration, electrical resistivity, and Hall mobility of the ZnO1-xSx:B thin films were analyzed from Hall effect measurements measured at temperatures ranging from liquid nitrogen temperature to room temperature. The ZnO1-xSx:B thin films exhibited n-type electrical conductivity except for ZnS:B, which was not measurable in this study due to its high resistivity (>100 Ω cm).

The baby hamster kidney-21 (BHK-21) cell line is a continuous cell line used to propagate foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus for vaccine manufacturing. BHK-21 cells are anchorage-dependent, although suspension cultures would enable rapid growth in bioreactors, large-scale virus propagation, and cost-effective vaccine production with serum-free medium. Here, we report the successful adaptation of adherent BHK-21 cells to growth in suspension to a viable cell density of 7.65 × 106 cells/mL on day 3 in serum-free culture medium. The suspension-adapted BHK-21 cells showed lower adhesion to five types of extracellular matrix proteins than adherent BHK-21 cells, which contributed to the suspension culture. In addition, a chemically defined medium (selected by screening various prototype media) led to increased FMD virus production yields in the batch culture, even at a cell density of only 3.5 × 106 cells/mL. The suspension BHK-21 cell culture could be expanded to a 200 L bioreactor from a 20 mL flask, which resulted in a comparable FMD virus titer. This platform technology improved virus productivity, indicating its potential for enhancing FMD vaccine production.

Monoclinic Cu2SnS3 thin films were prepared by sulfurizing Cu–SnS precursor layers deposited by a co-evaporation method on soda-lime glass substrates. The morphological, optical and electrical properties of the Cu2SnS3 thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, spectral transmittance, and Hall effect measurements. All Cu2SnS3 thin films prepared in this study exhibited p-type conductivity and a direct band gap of 0.86–0.87 eV with a high absorption coefficient (α > 104 cm−1). However, carrier concentrations and electrical resistivities varied noticeably, depending on their metallic composition ratios and sulfurization temperatures. The thin film with a metallic composition ratio [Cu]/[Sn] = 1.66 had a carrier concentration, resistivity, and mobility of 3.12 × 1017 cm−3, 6.37 Ω·cm, and 3.14 cm2/V·s, respectively. The temperature dependence of electrical resistivity, carrier concentration, and Hall mobility of this thin film was also obtained from liquid nitrogen temperature to room temperature to examine charge transport properties.

Ｚ刑務所の受刑者25人を対象に，課題として作成したロールレタリングノートと教育感想文の内容分析を行った．分析方法はMayring. P.(2004)の質的内容分析方法に基づいた．分析結果，教育期間によって受刑者の心理的変化を概念化し，9つのカテゴリーと24個のサブカテゴリーを抽出することができた．このような結果を通じて，本教育プログラムが受刑者自分のみならず被害者に対する認識の変化及び教育認識の変化に肯定的な影響を及ぼすことが示唆された．, In this study, the role-lettering and the education review notes created during the application of this education program to 25 inmates at Z prison in Korea, will be employed. The analysis is based on the qualitative content analysis method by Mayring. P. (2004). By conceptualizing inmates' changes of psychology and acceptance of this education program, the result of the data analysis was identified with nine categories including 24 sub-categories in three periods. This result suggests that this program has positive effects on not only changes in the recognition of inmates themselves and victims but also their acceptance of this education program., 論文(Article)

We report on the crystal and magnetic structure of bulk hexagonal (Lu,In)FeO3. Neutron powder diffraction revealed that Lu0.2In0.8FeO3 has a single-phase P63/mmc structure down to T ≈ 3 K and shows an antiferromagnetic transition at TN ≈ 164 K. Unlike the distorted hexagonal LuFeO3 family with an A2(Γ2)-type spin configuration, undistorted hexagonal Lu0.2In0.8FeO3 shows either an A1(Γ1) or a B1(Γ3)-type spin configuration below TN, which does not produce the c-directional canted ferromagnetic moment. A significant reduction in the ordered magnetic moment was observed at 3 K without trimerization, and hints of a magnetic cluster state were observed in the paramagnetic phase near room temperature. Therefore, the system presents a rare example to study the geometrically frustrated magnetism in the undistorted hexagonal magnet that has a perfect triangular lattice below room temperature.

本研究では、韓国の性犯罪者の教育担当職員４人を対象としてインタビューを実施し、教育プログラムの施行過程上の問題点を明らかにした。インタビューを通じて教育過程の中で、受刑者の個人差、ラポールの形成、教育方法、教育態度によって教育参加度や教育効果が左右されることが分かった。結論として教育効果を高めるために、教育担当者と受刑者の間にラポールの形成、視聴覚資料、ローレタリング手法などを活用する必要があった。, This article deals with the problems of educating sex offenders at correctional psychology therapy centers in Korea. The result of this study is based on interviews with four professional educators. In order to improve sex offenders’ effectiveness of education, it is important to build rapport between educators and offenders, to prepare audio-visual materials helping them to understand the benefits of the education program, and to introduce role-lettering which puts them in another persons’ position., 論文(Article)

We report p-type tin monoselenide (SnSe) single crystals, grown in double-sealed quartz ampoules using a modified Bridgman technique at 920 °C. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements clearly confirm that the grown SnSe consists of single-crystal SnSe. Electrical transport of multi-layer SnSe nanoflakes, which were prepared by exfoliation from bulk single crystals, was conducted using back-gated field-effect transistor (FET) structures with Au and Ti contacts on SiO2/Si substrates, revealing that multi-layer SnSe nanoflakes exhibit p-type semiconductor characteristics owing to the Sn vacancies on the surfaces of SnSe nanoflakes. In addition, a strong carrier screening effect was observed in 70−90-nm-thick SnSe nanoflake FETs. Furthermore, the effect of the metal contacts to multi-layer SnSe nanoflake-based FETs is also discussed with two different metals, such as Ti/Au and Au contacts.

Single-crystalline DyFe1−xMnxO3 perovskites with the nominal Mn contents of x = 0.2, 0.5, and 0.7 were grown successfully. The solid solutions have an orthorhombic structure with space group Pbnm. Magnetic susceptibilities at different crystallographic axes show a large magnetic anisotropy, primarily originating from the large spin-orbit coupling of the Dy moment. For DyFe0.8Mn0.2O3, a room-temperature weak ferromagnetism is confirmed along the c-axis. A spin reorientation transition occurs at TSR ≈ 225 K, below which the canted weak ferromagnetic moment disappears. The application of a high magnetic field (µ0H ≥ 6 T) along the c-axis at T = 200 K unveils a hidden field-induced weak ferromagnetism, which probably has the same spin configuration as that above TSR ≈ 225 K.

Protein kinase C (PKC)-interacting cousin of thioredoxin (PICOT) has distinct anti-hypertrophic and inotropic functions. We have previously shown that PICOT exerts its anti-hypertrophic effect by inhibiting calcineurin-NFAT signaling through its C-terminal glutaredoxin domain. However, the mechanism underlying the inotropic effect of PICOT is unknown. The results of protein pull-down experiments showed that PICOT directly binds to the catalytic domain of PKCζ through its N-terminal thioredoxin-like domain. Purified PICOT protein inhibited the kinase activity of PKCζ in vitro, which indicated that PICOT is an endogenous inhibitor of PKCζ. The inhibition of PKCζ activity with a PKCζ-specific pseudosubstrate peptide inhibitor was sufficient to increase the cardiac contractility in vitro and ex vivo. Overexpression of PICOT or inhibition of PKCζ activity down-regulated PKCα activity, which led to the elevation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) 2a activity, concomitant with the increased phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB). Overexpression of PICOT or inhibition of PKCζ activity also down-regulated protein phosphatase (PP) 2A activity, which subsequently resulted in the increased phosphorylation of troponin (Tn) I and T, key myofilament proteins associated with the regulation of contractility. PICOT appeared to inhibit PP2A activity through the disruption of the functional PKCζ/PP2A complex. In contrast to the overexpression of PICOT or inhibition of PKCζ, reduced PICOT expression resulted in up-regulation of PKCα and PP2A activities, followed by decreased phosphorylation of PLB, and TnI and T, respectively, supporting the physiological relevance of these events. Transgene- or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated overexpression of PICOT restored the impaired contractility and prevented further morphological and functional deterioration of the failing hearts. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that PICOT exerts its inotropic effect by negatively regulating PKCα and PP2A activities through the inhibition of PKCζ activity. This finding provides a novel insight into the regulation of cardiac contractility.

Magnetic multiferroics TbMn2O5 shows rich magnetic phases that are strongly coupled to multiple electrical phases. Herein, we report that Fe substitutions in TbMn2O5 can selectively and completely suppress the lower-temperature anti-polar phase, whereas the higher-temperature ferroelectric phase is almost intact down to T ≈ 10 K. Neutron diffraction on the single crystalline TbMn2-xFexO5 (x ≈ 0.06) shows that the commensurate magnetic phase persists down to T ≈ 1.7 K, indicating that the commensurability, which is responsible for the exchange-striction mechanism, plays a deterministic role on the ferroelectric polarization in TbMn2O5.Magnetic multiferroics TbMn2O5 shows rich magnetic phases that are strongly coupled to multiple electrical phases. Herein, we report that Fe substitutions in TbMn2O5 can selectively and completely suppress the lower-temperature anti-polar phase, whereas the higher-temperature ferroelectric phase is almost intact down to T ≈ 10 K. Neutron diffraction on the single crystalline TbMn2-xFexO5 (x ≈ 0.06) shows that the commensurate magnetic phase persists down to T ≈ 1.7 K, indicating that the commensurability, which is responsible for the exchange-striction mechanism, plays a deterministic role on the ferroelectric polarization in TbMn2O5.

This paper presents new object-spatial layout-route based hybrid map representation and global localization approaches using a stereo camera. By representing objects as high-level features in a map, a robot can deal more effectively with different contexts such as dynamic environments, human-robot interaction, and semantic information. However, the use of objects alone for map representation has inherent problems. For example, it is difficult to represent empty spaces for robot navigation, and objects are limited to readily recognizable things. One way to overcome these problems is to develop a hybrid map that includes objects and the spatial layout of a local space. The map developed in this research has a hybrid structure that combines a global topological map and a local hybrid map. The topological map represents the spatial relationships between local spaces. The local hybrid map combines the spatial layout of the local space with the objects found in that space. Based on the proposed map, we suggest a novel coarse-to-fine global localization method that uses object recognition, point cloud fitting and probabilistic scan matching. This approach can accurately estimate robot pose with respect to the correct local space.

The commensurate and incommensurate magnetic structures of the magnetoelectric system YMn$_{2}$O$_{5}$, as determined from neutron diffraction, were found to be spin-density waves lacking a global center of symmetry. We propose a model, based on a simple magneto-elastic coupling to the lattice, which enables us to predict the polarization based entirely on the observed magnetic structure. Our data accurately reproduce the temperature-dependence of the spontaneous polarization, in particular its sign reversal at the commensurate-incommensurate transition., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, 1 table

Ferroelectric and magnetic materials are a time-honoured subject of study and have led to some of the most important technological advances to date. Magnetism and ferroelectricity are involved with local spins and off-centre structural distortions, respectively. These two seemingly unrelated phenomena can coexist in certain unusual materials, termed multiferroics1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11. Despite the possible coexistence of ferroelectricity and magnetism, a pronounced interplay between these properties has rarely been observed6,12. This has prevented the realization of multiferroic devices offering such functionality13. Here, we report a striking interplay between ferroelectricity and magnetism in the multiferroic TbMn2O5, demonstrated by a highly reproducible electric polarization reversal and permanent polarization imprint that are both actuated by an applied magnetic field. Our results point to new device applications such as magnetically recorded ferroelectric memory.

The effects of various nucleotides on the fast tetrodotoxin-sensitive (f-TTX-S) and the slow tetrodotoxin-resistant (s-TTX-R) sodium currents in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were investigated using the patch-clamp technique. Nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs; ATP, GTP, UTP and CTP) and nucleoside diphosphates (NDPs; ADP, GDP, UDP and CDP) decreased f-TTX-S current, whereas they increased s-TTX-R current, when currents were evoked by step depolarizations to 0 mV from a holding potential of -80 mV. NTPs and NDPs shifted both the conductance-voltage relationship curve and the steady-state inactivation curve in the hyperpolarizing direction in both types of sodium currents. Most of them also increased the maximum conductance of s-TTX-R current. ITP, a derivative of ribonucleotide, and dTTP, a deoxyribonucleotide, modulated both types of sodium currents similarly to NTPs and NDPs. However, nucleoside monophosphates (NMPs; AMP, GMP, UMP and CMP) and adenosine had little or no effect on either type of sodium current. Therefore, it seems that nucleotides, regardless of the kind of base, should have two or more phosphates to be able to modulate sodium currents in DRG neurons. Extracellular nucleotides with di- or tri-phosphates would influence the perception by modulating sodium currents in sensory neurons. Particularly, the increase of the maximum conductance and the hyperpolarizing shift of the conductance-voltage relationship of s-TTX-R sodium current would result in an intensified nociception.

Polarization properties and dielectric relaxations were investigated in single crystalline Mn-substituted YFeO3. Thermally stimulated depolarization currents (TSDC) were observed at Tm ≈ 110 K along all three orthorhombic directions but with different magnitudes. These anisotropic behaviors were also observed in temperature dependent dielectric responses. Electric field sweep polarization measurements down to 10 K showed neither hysteresis nor remanent polarization. Based on the result of the temperature- and frequency-dependent dielectric measurements and the relaxation analysis of the TSDC, we suggest that previously reported pyroelectric currents at ∼110 K are not due to a ferroelectric phase transition but due to the formation of frozen defect dipoles which are induced by the localized charge carriers.

Ubiquitin is involved in almost every cellular process, and it is also known to be a stress-inducible protein. Based on previous reports that many types of cancer display an elevated level of ubiquitin, we hypothesized that this increased amount of ubiquitin is essential for the growth of cancer cells and that, consequently, the downregulation of ubiquitin may be a potential anti-cancer treatment. We first found that the level of ubiquitin can be effectively downregulated via knockdown of a polyubiquitin gene, Ubb, with siRNA (Ubb-KD) and then demonstrated its anti-cancer effects in several cancer cell lines and xenograft mice. Ubb-KD resulted in the attenuation of TNF alpha-induced NF-kappa B activation, the stabilization of the tumor suppressor p53, and stress-sensitization. Taken together, downregulation of ubiquitin through Ubb-KD is a potential anti-cancer treatment by inhibiting ubiquitination at multiple sites related to oncogenic pathways and by weakening the ability of cancer cells to overcome increased stress.

Ubiquitin (Ub) is a posttranslational modifier, and total Ub (UbT) is always in dynamic equilibrium among free Ub (UbF), activated Ub (UbA), and conjugated Ub (UbC) in the forms of mono-Ub, thioester-bond-linked Ub, and peptide-bond-linked Ub, respectively. In this study, we developed a simple method to simultaneously determine the levels of UbT, UbF+UbA, and UbC in a single immunoblot and demonstrated its reliability and reproducibility by determining [UbT], [UbF+UbA], and [UbC] in various mouse tissues and cultured cells.

Lattice vibrations as well as electronic excitations are used to investigate LuFe${}_{2}$O${}_{4}$, which is intensively discussed in the context of electronic multiferroics. All phonon modes and an electronic continuum show drastic changes through a series of magnetic, structural, and charge ordering temperatures. In particular, the 634 cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ ${A}_{g}$ mode, corresponding to the relative out-of-plane motion of a combined LuO and Fe${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$ layer, is very susceptible to the charge ordering, indicative of antipolar ordering of the Fe${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$ layer. With decreasing temperature below ${T}_{\text{CO}}=320$ K, the electronic continuum is gradually suppressed while opening a charge gap of 790 cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Its temperature dependence suggests that charge ordering is not totally frozen-in even at 5 K, signaling the importance of local charge fluctuations due to concerted charge and spin frustration.

Far-infrared spectra of ferrimagnetic Dy3Fe5O12 single crystals have been studied in the spectral range between 12 and 700 cm(-1) and in a wide temperature range between 5 K and 300 K using transmission spectroscopy and rotating analyzer ellipsometry. In the temperature range below T-C = 16 K for the magnetic ordering of Dy3+ spins, a number of ligand field and Kaplan-Kittel (KK) exchange resonance modes have been found. Temperature dependencies of their frequencies allowed us to estimate the ratio between the Fe-Dy and Dy-Dy exchange constants. We found that variation of the oscillator strength of the KK modes correlates with the magnetic-field-induced changes of magnetic permeability. The low-temperature peak in the static value of the dielectric function at T-C = 16 K may be related to the observed temperature-induced variation of the oscillator strength of the optical phonons.

This paper presents a new scan matching method for mobile robot localization. The proposed method is based on a spectral technique, which finds consistent correspondences between two range scans without any initial alignment while considering how well their associated pairwise geometric relationships are satisfied. Based on the scan matching method, we also suggest a strategy for global localization in indoor environments, which is applicable to both grid maps and topological maps having metric information. The feasibility of the proposed methods is demonstrated by experimental results.

By correlating room temperature conductive atomic force microscopy with low temperature electrostatic force microscopy images of the same sample region, we demonstrate that nanoscale electric conduction between a sharp tip and the surface of ferroelectric ${\mathrm{HoMnO}}_{3}$ is intrinsically modulated by the polarization of ferroelectric domains. Conductance spectra reveal that the electric conduction is described by polarization-induced Schottky-like rectification at low bias, but dominated by a space-charge limited conduction mechanism at high bias. Our observation demonstrates visualization of ferroelectric domain structure by electric conduction, which may be used for nondestructive readout of nanoscale ferroelectric memories and/or ferroelectric sensors.

This paper presents a novel vision-based global localization approach that uses an object and spatial layout based hybrid map. We model any indoor environments using the following visual cues with a stereo camera; local invariant features for object recognition and their 3D positions for object pose estimation. Also, we use the depth information at the horizontal centerline in images where the optical axis passes through, which is similar to the data of a 2D laser range finder. Therefore, we can build a hybrid local node for a topological map that is composed of a metric map and an object location map. Based on such modeling, we suggest a coarse-to-fine strategy for the global localization. The coarse pose is obtained by means of object recognition and a least-squares fitting, and then its fine pose is estimated with a particle filtering algorithm. With real experiments, we show that our proposed method can be an effective vision-based global localization algorithm.

This paper addresses the problem of topological mapping and exploration of unknown environments for mobile robot. The topological map is constructed by defining the spatial relationship between adjacent nodes and each node that has geometric information about its circumference. A laser range finder is used as the major sensing modality to collect the geometric data. The node point is extracted from the data in two stages: image-based skeletonization and node point decision. The geometric data are transformed into a skeleton image and the node point is determined among the branch points in the image. We adopt an image processing method to skeletonize the geometric data. The key problem of the topological exploration is to determine the target node among the current nodepsilas neighboring nodes. We also propose an efficient target node decision algorithm based on a concept of concave node. An experiment shows that our approach can explore indoor environments more efficiently.

We report the electrical transport and magnetic properties of the dead layer of La(0.67)Sr(0.33)MnO(3) grown on LaAlO(3) substrate under the influence of magnetic field and electric voltage. The electrical resistance of the dead layer shows exponential decrease with both magnetic field and electric voltage, leading to colossal magnetoresistance and electroresistance, respectively. However, the sample cannot be driven into a metallic state with the available magnetic field and electric voltage. At low temperatures, the magnetic-field dependence of both magnetization and resistance show remarkable hysteresis. Exchange bias effect was observed in the magnetization vs magnetic-field curves. Magnetic force microscope measurement reveals the coexistence of different magnetic phases in the dead layer. The results were discussed in terms of phase separation in the dead layer. This work demonstrates the presence of phase separation in the manganite dead layer and its tunability by magnetic field and electric voltage.

The low-temperature ferroelectric polarization of multiferroic $YMn_2O_5$ is completely reversed at a critical pressure of 10 kbar and the phase transition from the incommensurate to the commensurate magnetic phase is induced by pressures above 14 kbar. The high-pressure data correlate with thermal expansion measurements indicating a significant lattice strain at the low-temperature transition into the incommensurate phase. The results support the exchange striction model for the ferroelectricity in multiferroic $RMn_2O_5$ compounds and they show the importance of magnetic frustration as well as the spin-lattice coupling.

Comprehensive x-ray scattering studies, including resonant scattering at Mn $L$, Tb $L$, and $M$ edges, were performed on single crystals of ${\mathrm{TbMn}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ for crystallographic data to elucidate the nature of its commensurate and incommensurate phases. The scattering results provide direct evidence of symmetry lowering to the ferroelectric phase driven by magnetically induced lattice modulations and show the presence of multiple magnetic orders. The competing orders under spin-frustrated geometry are believed to cause discommensuration and result in the commensurate-to-incommensurate phase transition around 24 K. It is proposed that the low temperature incommensurate phase consists of commensurate domains separated by antiphase domain walls which change both signs of spontaneous polarizations and x-ray scattering amplitudes for forbidden reflections.

Celecoxib is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor used in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with fewer gastrointestinal toxicities compared to traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Voltage-gated Na(+) channels in primary sensory neurons play an important role in the pathogenesis of various pain conditions. We examined the effects of celecoxib on tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) and tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) Na(+) currents in acutely dissociated rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Celecoxib suppressed both currents in dose- and frequency-dependent manner. The apparent dissociation constants (K(d)) for TTX-S and TTX-R Na(+) currents measured at 0 mV from a holding potential of -80 mV were estimated to be 5.6 and 19.5 microM, respectively. Celecoxib slightly slowed inactivation kinetics of TTX-S Na(+) current, but made it much faster in TTX-R Na(+) current. Celecoxib shifted the activation voltage of TTX-S Na(+) current to a depolarizing direction, but not that of TTX-R Na(+) current. Celecoxib caused a hyperpolarizing shift of the steady-state inactivation curve in both Na(+) currents to a great extent. In addition celecoxib reduced the maximal availability of both Na(+) channels. Thus celecoxib appears to bind to both inactivated and resting Na(+) channels. Celecoxib slowed the recovery of both Na(+) channels from inactivation. All these effects combined would suppress the excitability of sensory neurons. Thus, beside COX-2 inhibition, the Na(+) channel inhibition is considered to contribute to celecoxib analgesia.

Competing interactions and geometric frustration provide favourable conditions for exotic states of matter. Such competition often causes multiple phase transitions as a function of temperature and can lead to magnetic structures that break inversion symmetry, thereby inducing ferroelectricity [1-4]. Although this phenomenon is understood phenomenologically [3-4], it is of great interest to have a conceptually simpler system in which ferroelectricity appears coincident with a single magnetic phase transition. Here we report the first such direct transition from a paramagnetic and paraelectric phase to an incommensurate multiferroic in the triangular lattice antiferromagnet RbFe(MoO4)2 (RFMO). A magnetic field extinguishes the electric polarization when the symmetry of the magnetic order changes and ferroelectricity is only observed when the magnetic structure has chirality and breaks inversion symmetry. Multiferroic behaviour in RFMO provides a theoretically tractable example of ferroelectricity from competing spin interactions. A Landau expansion of symmetry-allowed terms in the free energy demonstrates that the chiral magnetic order of the triangular lattice antiferromagnet gives rise to a pseudoelectric field, whose temperature dependence agrees with that observed experimentally., Comment: 16 pages pdf including 3 figures

This paper presents a new object entity based global localization approach with stereo camera. A local invariant feature and stereo depth information are used as visual features. The map we use here is a hybrid of global topological map and local object location map. The topological map includes some semantic information about the representing space and the object entities in the space. The object location map has the pose information of each object entity and visual features for object recognition. The localization process consists of two stages: coarse pose estimation and refined pose estimation. The coarse pose is computed by using the object recognition and point cloud fitting method. And the refined pose is estimated with particle filtering algorithm. An experiment shows that our approach can be an effective vision-based global localization method.

A Raman spectroscopic study of the high-frequency optical phonons in single crystals of the multiferroic system $R{\mathrm{Mn}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ ($R=\mathrm{Bi}$, Eu, Dy) was performed. All studied materials show anomalous phonon shifts, below a new characteristic temperature for these materials, ${T}^{*}\ensuremath{\sim}60\char21{}65\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. The sign and magnitude of such shifts appear to be correlated with the ionic radius of $R$, envolving from softenings for $R=\mathrm{Bi}$ to hardenings for $R=\mathrm{Dy}$ and showing an intermediary behavior for $R=\mathrm{Eu}$. Additional phonon anomalies were identified below $\ensuremath{\sim}{T}_{N}\ensuremath{\sim}40\char21{}43\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$, reflecting the onset of long-range ferroelectric and/or magnetic order of the Mn sublattice. Complementary dc-magnetic susceptibility $[\ensuremath{\chi}(T)]$ measurements for $\mathrm{Bi}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ up to $800\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ yield a Curie-Weiss temperature ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{CW}=\ensuremath{-}253(3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$, revealing a fairly large frustration ratio $(\ensuremath{\mid}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{CW}\ensuremath{\mid}∕{T}_{N}=6.3)$. Deviations of $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ from a Curie-Weiss paramagnetic behavior due to magnetic correlations were observed below temperatures of the order of $\ensuremath{\mid}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{CW}\ensuremath{\mid}$, with the inverse susceptibility showing inflection points at $\ensuremath{\sim}160\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ and $\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{*}$. Supported by $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ data, the anomalous Raman phonon shifts below ${T}^{*}$ are interpreted in terms of the spin-phonon coupling, in a scenario of strong magnetic correlations. Overall, these results support significant magnetic frustration, introduce a new characteristic temperature $({T}^{*})$, and suggest a surprisingly rich behavior for the magnetic correlations in the paramagnetic phase of this system.

Spin glasses are founded in the frustration and randomness of microscopic magnetic interactions. They are non-ergodic systems where replica symmetry is broken. Although magnetic glassy behaviour has been observed in many colossal magnetoresistive manganites, there is no consensus that they are spin glasses. Here, an intriguing glass transition in (La,Pr,Ca)MnO3 is imaged using a variable-temperature magnetic force microscope. In contrast to the speculated spin-glass picture, our results show that the observed static magnetic configuration seen below the glass-transition temperature arises from the cooperative freezing of the first-order antiferromagnetic (charge ordered) to ferromagnetic transition. Our data also suggest that accommodation strain is important in the kinetics of the phase transition. This cooperative freezing idea has been applied to structural glasses including window glasses and supercooled liquids, and may be applicable across many systems to any first-order phase transition occurring on a complex free-energy landscape.