This book focuses on sensing and the evolution of animals. Using the five senses (visual, auditory, and olfactory perception, and taste and touch), animals can receive environmental stimuli and respond to them. Changes in these sensitivities might cause changes in aspects of animals’ lives such as habitat, activity timing, and diet—and vice versa. Recent advances in genome and molecular analysis enable us to investigate certain changes in the receptors or mechanisms involved in sensing and provide clues for understanding the evolution of animals related to those changes. The first chapter deals with the molecular evolution of opsins. In addition to the well-known function of opsins as visual receptors, opsins can be related to non-visual photoreception such as photoentrainment of circadian rhythm, photoperiodism, and background adaptation. Molecular phylogenic studies reveal that all opsin genes have evolved from one ancient opsin gene. The evaluation of the functions of each extant opsin protein based on the molecular features enables us to predict the molecular evolution and diversification of opsins during the evolution of animals. These studies shed light on which amino-acid substitutions cause the functional diversification of opsins and how they have influenced the evolution of animals. The second chapter has to do with bitter taste perception, a key detection mechanism against the ingestion of bioactive substances. Genetic and behavioral evidence reveal the existence of "non-taster" Japanese macaques for specific bitter compounds, which originated in a restricted region of Japan. This finding might provide a clue for elucidating the ecological, evolutionary, and neurobiological aspects of bitter taste perception of primates. The third chapter presents an extreme example of the evolution of olfaction, namely, that fully aquatic amniotes have generally reduced their olfactory capacity considerably compared to their terrestrial relatives. Interestingly, the remaining olfactory abilities are quite different among three fully aquatic amniotes investigated: toothed whales have no nervous system structures that mediate olfaction, but baleen whales can smell in air, and it has been suggested that sea snakes smell underwater.
This book focuses on sensing and the evolution of animals. Using the five senses (visual, auditory, and olfactory perception, and taste and touch), animals can receive environmental stimuli and respond to them. Changes in these sensitivities might cause changes in aspects of animals’ lives such as habitat, activity timing, and diet—and vice versa. Recent advances in genome and molecular analysis enable us to investigate certain changes in the receptors or mechanisms involved in sensing and provide clues for understanding the evolution of animals related to those changes. The first chapter deals with the molecular evolution of opsins. In addition to the well-known function of opsins as visual receptors, opsins can be related to non-visual photoreception such as photoentrainment of circadian rhythm, photoperiodism, and background adaptation. Molecular phylogenic studies reveal that all opsin genes have evolved from one ancient opsin gene. The evaluation of the functions of each extant opsin protein based on the molecular features enables us to predict the molecular evolution and diversification of opsins during the evolution of animals. These studies shed light on which amino-acid substitutions cause the functional diversification of opsins and how they have influenced the evolution of animals. The second chapter has to do with bitter taste perception, a key detection mechanism against the ingestion of bioactive substances. Genetic and behavioral evidence reveal the existence of "non-taster" Japanese macaques for specific bitter compounds, which originated in a restricted region of Japan. This finding might provide a clue for elucidating the ecological, evolutionary, and neurobiological aspects of bitter taste perception of primates. The third chapter presents an extreme example of the evolution of olfaction, namely, that fully aquatic amniotes have generally reduced their olfactory capacity considerably compared to their terrestrial relatives. Interestingly, the remaining olfactory abilities are quite different among three fully aquatic amniotes investigated: toothed whales have no nervous system structures that mediate olfaction, but baleen whales can smell in air, and it has been suggested that sea snakes smell underwater.
The battle for the Empire rages on, with huge losses on all sides. While the Emperor's monstrous Supreme Teigu pummels Tatsumi-and anyone else unfortunate enough to be in its path-Esdeath makes her final stand against Akame and the Revolutionary Army's last regiment of teigu wielders. Terrible sacrifices have been made to give Night Raid this chance, and more will be demanded before the battle is through. With the hopes of the people resting on Night Raid's shoulders, the future of the Empire will be decided in the final volume of Akame ga KILL!
The main focus of this book is providing evidence on and interpreting the risks associated with heated tobacco products (HTPs) in terms of their health effects and social effects; in addition, the author introduces a harm reduction theory related to HTPs and electronic cigarettes. The book also addresses the history of these products, their marketing strategies, and policy implications. These products are new and the accompanying health risks have yet to be determined. However, since Japan accounts for more than 80% of the world’s market for IQOS, the most popular heated tobacco product, researchers around the globe will be very interested in the outcomes. Written by a leading researcher in the field of tobacco control, Science and Practice for Heated Tobacco Products offers a valuable, unique resource for researchers in the fields of epidemiology, public health, social sciences, addiction, and tobacco research. Since tobacco is associated with a host of diseases including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and respiratory illnesses, researchers and healthcare workers whose work involves these diseases will find this book both thought provoking and insightful.
This is the first book to systematically review and summarize the recent rapid advances and varied results of multiphysics in nanoscale materials including elastic strain engineering. This book comprises topics on remarkable properties of multiphysics in low-dimensional nanoscale components from first-principles density-functional theory (or tight binding) calculations, which are essential for the nonlinear multiphysics couplings due to quantum mechanical effects. This volume provides a clear point of view and insight into the varied work done in diverse fields and disciplines and promotes a fundamental to state-of-the-art understanding of properties of multiphysics. Because the novelty and complexity of mechanical and multiphysical properties of low-dimensional nanostructures originate from combinations of outer shapes (e.g., films, wires, tubes, and dots) and inner understructures (e.g., grain boundaries, domain walls, vacancies, and impurities), the nanostructures are classified into fundamental elements, and the properties of each element and their interplay are reviewed for systematic, in-depth understanding. This book points out a new direction for multiphysics in nanostructures, which opens the door both to exploiting and to designing novel functionalities at the nanoscale. Readers will be interested in this rapidly expanding multidisciplinary work and will be motivated to enter this promising research area.
While on a mission to exterminate a new type of Danger Beast, Tatsumi is reunited with none other than General Esdeath! With one last chance to win Esdeath over to Night Raid's side, will Tatsumi prove fruitful in his efforts...?
Tatsumi's fantasy of leading a righteous assassin's life is brutally shattered when Sheele is lost in battle. But though Tatsumi resolves to stand tall against his sorrows, a new group of teigu-wielders appears before him: the Three Beasts!! In the battle between teigus, where there can be only one victor, who will fall prey to death?!
General Esdeath assembles a special police squad called the Jaegers and sets her sights on the annihilation of Night Raid in the name of the emperor. Meanwhile, Tatsumi, desperate to overcome the loss of another ally, decides to participate in a grand fighting tournament engineered by Esdeath herself...
It's Night Raid versus the Jaegers in Volume 5 of the hit dark fantasy Akame ga KILL! When the Jaegers' Dr. Stylish attacks the Night Raid base, Tatsumi and the others are forced out of their hideout to escape the deadly assassin! Pursued by Dr. Stylish's army of experimental soldiers, Night Raid must defeat the mad scientist or risk being made his next test subjects!
The teigu showdown between Night Raid and the Jaegers begins, with the battle between sisters Akame and Kurome taking the explosive center stage! But a clash of teigus never ends without casualties...
Small structures of the micro/nanometer scale, such as electronic/optic devices and MEMS/NEMS have been developed, and the size of their elements now approaches the nano/atomic scale. This book discuses the fracture behavior of nano/atomic elements (nanofilms, nanowires, and so on) and focuses on the initiation and propagation of interface crack and mechanical instability criterion of atomic structures. This covers the fundamentals and the applicability of the top-down (conventional fracture mechanics to nanoscale) and bottom-up (atomic mechanics including ab initio simulation) concepts. New areas, such as multiphysics characteristics of nanoelements, are introduced as well.
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