1. |
- Kanai, M, et al.
(author)
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- 2023
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swepub:Mat__t
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2. |
- Niemi, MEK, et al.
(author)
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- 2021
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swepub:Mat__t
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3. |
- Namkoong, H, et al.
(author)
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DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19
- 2022
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 609:7928, s. 754-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge1–5. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2,393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3,289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target.
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4. |
- Wang, QBS, et al.
(author)
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The whole blood transcriptional regulation landscape in 465 COVID-19 infected samples from Japan COVID-19 Task Force
- 2022
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In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 13:1, s. 4830-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently-emerged infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths, where comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms is still unestablished. In particular, studies of gene expression dynamics and regulation landscape in COVID-19 infected individuals are limited. Here, we report on a thorough analysis of whole blood RNA-seq data from 465 genotyped samples from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, including 359 severe and 106 non-severe COVID-19 cases. We discover 1169 putative causal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) including 34 possible colocalizations with biobank fine-mapping results of hematopoietic traits in a Japanese population, 1549 putative causal splice QTLs (sQTLs; e.g. two independent sQTLs at TOR1AIP1), as well as biologically interpretable trans-eQTL examples (e.g., REST and STING1), all fine-mapped at single variant resolution. We perform differential gene expression analysis to elucidate 198 genes with increased expression in severe COVID-19 cases and enriched for innate immune-related functions. Finally, we evaluate the limited but non-zero effect of COVID-19 phenotype on eQTL discovery, and highlight the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs (ieQTLs; e.g., CLEC4C and MYBL2). Our study provides a comprehensive catalog of whole blood regulatory variants in Japanese, as well as a reference for transcriptional landscapes in response to COVID-19 infection.
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11. |
- Baba, S., et al.
(author)
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Cooper-pair splitting in two parallel InAs nanowires
- 2018
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In: New Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1367-2630. ; 20:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the fabrication and electrical characterization of an InAs double-nanowire (NW) device consisting of two closely placed parallel NWs coupled to a common superconducting electrode on one side and individual normal metal leads on the other. In this new type of device we detect Cooper-pair splitting (CPS) with a sizeable efficiency of correlated currents in both NWs. In contrast to earlier experiments, where CPS was realized in a single NW, demonstrating an intrawire electron pairing mediated by the superconductor (SC), our experiment demonstrates an interwire interaction mediated by the common SC. The latter is the key for the realization of zero-magnetic field Majorana bound states, or Parafermions; in NWs and therefore constitutes a milestone towards topological superconductivity. In addition, we observe transport resonances that occur only in the superconducting state, which we tentatively attribute to Andreev bound states and/or Yu-Shiba resonances that form in the proximitized section of one NW.
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12. |
- Baba, S., et al.
(author)
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Gate tunable parallel double quantum dots in InAs double-nanowire devices
- 2017
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In: Applied Physics Letters. - : AIP Publishing. - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 111:23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report fabrication and characterization of InAs nanowire devices with two closely placed parallel nanowires. The fabrication process we develop includes selective deposition of the nanowires with micron scale alignment onto predefined finger bottom gates using a polymer transfer technique. By tuning the double nanowire with the finger bottom gates, we observed the formation of parallel double quantum dots with one quantum dot in each nanowire bound by the normal metal contact edges. We report the gate tunability of the charge states in individual dots as well as the inter-dot electrostatic coupling. In addition, we fabricate a device with separate normal metal contacts and a common superconducting contact to the two parallel wires and confirm the dot formation in each wire from comparison of the transport properties and a superconducting proximity gap feature for the respective wires. With the fabrication techniques established in this study, devices can be realized for more advanced experiments on Cooper-pair splitting, generation of Parafermions, and so on.
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13. |
- Kamata, H., et al.
(author)
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Anomalous modulation of Josephson radiation in nanowire-based Josephson junctions
- 2018
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In: Physical Review B. - 2469-9950. ; 98:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigate the Josephson radiation of nanowire (NW)-based Josephson junctions in a parallel magnetic field. The Josephson junction made of an InAs NW with superconducting Al leads shows the emission spectra which follow the Josephson frequency over the range 4-8 GHz at zero magnetic field. We observe an apparent deviation of the emission spectra from the Josephson frequency which is accompanied by a strong enhancement of the switching current above a magnetic field of ∼300 mT. The observed modulations can be understood to reflect trivial changes in the superconducting circuit surrounding the device which is strongly affected by the applied magnetic field. Our findings will provide a way to accurately investigate topological properties in NW-based systems.
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14. |
- Kamata, H, et al.
(author)
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Kinetics of the selective reduction of NO with NH3 over a V2O5(WO3)/TiO2 commercial SCR catalyst
- 1999
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In: Journal of Catalysis. - : Elsevier BV. - 1090-2694 .- 0021-9517. ; 185:1, s. 106-113
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In order to clarify the mechanism of the selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia over a V2O5(WO3)/TiO2 commercial SCR catalyst, measurements were made on the reaction rate, r(NO), as a function of partial pressure of nitric oxide, P-NO, partial pressure of ammonia, P-NH3, and partial pressure of oxygen, P-O2, from 513 to 553 K under steady-state conditions. The adsorption of NO and NH3 on the catalyst was also observed by infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT). The apparent reaction orders with respect to NO were observed to be less than unity, 0.6-0.8. The reaction rate was nearly independent on P-NH3 at lower temperatures. As temperature increased, r(NO) became slightly increased with increasing P-NH3 at lower partial pressures of ammonia and tended to be saturated with further increases of P-NH3 The dependence of r(NO) on P-O2 was similar to that of P-NH3: r(NO) increased with increasing P-O2 at lower partial pressures of oxygen and was saturated with further increase of P-O2. The spectroscopic study showed that NO does not adsorb significantly on the oxidized nor on the NH3 preadsorbed surface of catalysts above at least 473 K. The SCR reaction was considered to proceed as follows. NH3 adsorbed on the Bronsted acid sites as ammonium ions. Ammonium ions were activated with the terminal oxygen groups, V5+=O, prior to the reaction with gaseous NO. Subsequent reaction with NO produced N-2, H2O, and the hydroxyl groups bonded to the reduced vanadium, V4+-OH, which would be reoxidized by oxygen to the V5+=O species. The Bronsted acid sites where NH3 adsorbed were then recreated. The results obtained in this study suggested that the Bronsted acid sites and/or the V5+=O species were equilibrated with the other species on the surface, implying that the number of each site changed with the experimental conditions such as P-O2. The relative amount of the V5+=O species would vary from similar to 0.1 to similar to 0.4 with increasing P-O2. (C) 1999 Academic Press.
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15. |
- Kamata, H, et al.
(author)
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Surface acid property and its relation to SCR activity of phosphorus added to commercial V2O5(WO3)/TiO2 catalyst
- 1998
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In: Catalysis Letters. - 1011-372X. ; 53:1-2, s. 65-71
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To examine the influence of phosphorus on the commercial V2O5(WO3)/TiO2 SCR catalyst, measurements were carried out by means of infrared and Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and NO reduction measurement as a function of phosphorus loading. Phosphorus added to the catalyst was found to disperse well over the catalyst without a significant agglomeration up to 5 wt% P2O5 addition. The number of the hydroxyl groups bonded to the vanadium and titanium species decreased readily with increasing amount of phosphorus. Correspondingly the hydroxyl groups bonded to the phosphorus species were formed. NH3 adsorbed on both hydroxyl groups bonded to vanadium and phosphorus as ammonium ions, implying that the P-OH groups formed are also responsible for the Bronsted acidity. The NO reduction activity was found to be decreased with increasing amount of phosphorus; however, the influence of phosphorus was relatively small irrespective of the large amount of phosphorus addition. The deactivation might be caused by the change in the nature of the surface hydroxyl groups as Bronsted acid sites. Phosphorus species might partially wrap the surface V=O and W=O groups, which might also contribute to the deactivation.
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16. |
- Kamata, H, et al.
(author)
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The role of K2O in the selective reduction of NO with NH3 over a V2O5(WO3)/TiO2 commercial selective catalytic reduction catalyst
- 1999
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In: Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical. - 1381-1169. ; 139:2-3, s. 189-198
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To elucidate the nature of the acid sites of the V2O5(WO3)/TiO2 catalyst upon K2O addition and its relation to the selective reduction of NO with NH3, measurements were made by means of infrared and Raman spectroscopy, NH3 chemisorption, and NO reduction measurements as a function of the K2O loading. The catalytic activity was found to decrease rapidly with the K2O loading, irrespective of the similar textural properties of all samples. Addition of K2O modified the vanadium species on the catalyst surface. For large additions of K2O, the potassium partially reacted with V2O5 to form KVO3. The amount of NH3 chemisorbed on the catalyst was observed to decrease with both the loading of K2O and the temperature. The adsorption of NH3 on both Bronsted and Lewis acid sites was confirmed. The strength and the number of Bronsted acid sites decrease largely with the loading of K2O in parallel with the decrease of the SCR activity, suggesting that the SCR reaction involves NH3 adsorption on the Bronsted acid sires. At low surface coverage of NH3, the isosteric heat of NH3 chemisorption was determined to be 370 kJ/mol for 0 wt.% K2O addition. With increasing K2O amount, the heat of adsorption decreased and was 150 kJ/mol for the catalyst with higher amounts of K2O addition. The results obtained imply that potassium disturbs the formation of the active ammonia intermediates, NH4+, resulting in deactivation of the catalyst. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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17. |
- Kamata, N., et al.
(author)
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Spectral change of intermediate band luminescence in GaP:N due to below-gap excitation: Discrimination from thermal activation
- 2017
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In: Physica status solidi. B, Basic research. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 0370-1972 .- 1521-3951. ; 254:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As an intermediate band (IB) originating from discrete nitrogen (N) levels is formed in GaP:N with increasing N concentration, GaP1-xNx alloy is considered to be a promising candidate for IB-type solar cells. We studied the IB luminescence of a GaP1-xNx with 0.56% N and detected carrier recombination (CR) levels by superposing a below-gap excitation (BGE) light of 1.17eV. We resolved a high-energy component of 2.15eV in the IB luminescence, I-high, from total luminescence intensity I-all. With increasing the BGE density at fixed temperature of 5K, the amount of decrease in I-high was distinctly smaller than that of simple temperature rise without the BGE at the same I-all value. We conclude that the observed intensity change of the IB luminescence due to the BGE comes not from thermal activation, but from optical excitation among the IB, conduction band, and CR levels in GaP1-xNx. It is of primal importance to understand CR levels toward determining their origins and eliminating them for realization of efficient IB-type solar cells.
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18. |
- Kobayashi, Makoto, et al.
(author)
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Bark-beetle-attacked trees produced more charcoal than unattacked trees during a forest fire on the Kenai Peninsula, Southern Alaska
- 2012
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0282-7581 .- 1651-1891. ; 27:1, s. 30-35
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alaskan boreal forests frequently suffer from outbreaks of bark beetles and fires, factors that appear to combine to alter charcoal production. Charcoal (black carbon) production in forest ecosystems is an important pathway to clarify for a more complete understanding of the effects of fire on carbon cycling in boreal forests. In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of prevalent outbreaks of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), on charcoal production during forest fires in boreal forests. Snags with prefire damage by the spruce beetle (infested snags) have significantly more charcoal than those undamaged before fire (noninfested snags). This increased amount of charcoal in spruce beetle-damaged trees was probably the result of dried biomass in the canopies of these trees. The results of this study suggest that with changing environmental conditions, the proliferation of insect damage in the boreal forest can modify the effects of fire on carbon sink via a change in the amount of charcoal production.
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19. |
- Sato, Yosuke, et al.
(author)
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Quasiparticle Trapping at Vortices Producing Josephson Supercurrent Enhancement
- 2022
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007. ; 128:20
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Josephson junction of a strong spin-orbit material under a magnetic field is a promising Majorana fermion candidate. Supercurrent enhancement by a magnetic field has been observed in the InAs nanowire Josephson junctions and assigned to a topological transition. In this work we observe a similar phenomenon but discuss the nontopological origin by considering the trapping of quasiparticles by vortices that penetrate the superconductor under a finite magnetic field. This assignment is supported by the observed hysteresis of the switching current when sweeping up and down the magnetic field. Our experiment shows the importance of quasiparticles in superconducting devices with a magnetic field, which can provide important insights for the design of qubits using superconductors.
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