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Wind tunnel experiments were conducted by installing wind-acceleration structures on both sides of a straight-bladed vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) to improve the output performance of the turbine. In the case of Venturi-shape structures, a curved shape with a large outlet opening produced a higher power output than straight or brimmed Venturi shapes. More importantly, two simple flat plates installed upstream of the wind turbine achieved the highest power enhancement of 2.4 times the power of the bare wind turbine. From the analysis of the flow visualization results, the power enhancement was attributed to the increase in lift force on the blades in the upstream region due to the acceleration of the gap flow between the flat plates, and the decrease in drag force on the blades toward the upstream region due to stagnation of the flow behind the plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective  Many external anatomical landmarks have been used for approximating deeper, intracranial structures. Herein, we evaluate the attachment of the longissimus capitis (LC) on the mastoid process as a landmark for the underlying sigmoid sinus. Methods  Adult cadavers underwent dissection of the posterior occiput with special attention to the attachment of the LC muscle. Once the periphery of the muscle's tendon of attachment was determined, a burr hole was made in this area and evaluated internally for its relationship to the sigmoid sinus. Results  From an intracranial view, burr holes on all sides were over the sigmoid sinus and just slightly lateral to the center of the sinus. The distance from the midline to the medial border of the insertion of the LC had a mean of 63.0 ± 7.2 mm. The width of the tendon of insertion of the LC on the mastoid process had a mean of 17.6 ± 5.7 mm. The length of the tendon insertion of the LC had a mean of 14.7 ± 4.7 mm. The distance from the inferior border of the insertion of the LC to the tip of the mastoid process had a mean of 6.2 ± 4.5 mm. Conclusion  To our knowledge, use of the attachment site of the LC on the mastoid process as an external landmark for the underlying sigmoid sinus has not previously been reported. Based on our cadaveric findings, the sigmoid sinus is centered under the attachment of the LC regardless of the width of its tendon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective  Many external anatomical landmarks have been used for approximating deeper, intracranial structures. Herein, we evaluate the attachment of the longissimus capitis (LC) on the mastoid process as a landmark for the underlying sigmoid sinus. Methods  Adult cadavers underwent dissection of the posterior occiput with special attention to the attachment of the LC muscle. Once the periphery of the muscle's tendon of attachment was determined, a burr hole was made in this area and evaluated internally for its relationship to the sigmoid sinus. Results  From an intracranial view, burr holes on all sides were over the sigmoid sinus and just slightly lateral to the center of the sinus. The distance from the midline to the medial border of the insertion of the LC had a mean of 63.0 ± 7.2 mm. The width of the tendon of insertion of the LC on the mastoid process had a mean of 17.6 ± 5.7 mm. The length of the tendon insertion of the LC had a mean of 14.7 ± 4.7 mm. The distance from the inferior border of the insertion of the LC to the tip of the mastoid process had a mean of 6.2 ± 4.5 mm. Conclusion  To our knowledge, use of the attachment site of the LC on the mastoid process as an external landmark for the underlying sigmoid sinus has not previously been reported. Based on our cadaveric findings, the sigmoid sinus is centered under the attachment of the LC regardless of the width of its tendon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind–solar towers are a relatively new method of capturing renewable energy from solar and wind power. Solar radiation is collected and heated air is forced to move through the tower. The thermal updraft propels a wind turbine to generate electricity. Furthermore, the top of the tower's vortex generators produces a pressure differential, which intensifies the updraft. Data were gathered from a wind–solar tower system prototype developed and established at Kyushu University in Japan. Aiming to predict the power output of the system, while knowing a set of features, the data were evaluated and utilized to build a regression model. Sensitivity analysis guided the feature selection process. Several machine learning models were utilized in this study, and the most appropriate model was chosen based on prediction quality and temporal criteria. We started with a simple linear regression model but it was inaccurate. By adding some non-linearity through using polynomial regression of the second order, the accuracy increased considerably sufficiently. Moreover, deep neural networks were trained and tested to enhance the power prediction performance. These networks performed very well, having the most powerful prediction capabilities, with a coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.99734 after hyper-parameter tuning. A 1-D convolutional neural network achieved less accuracy with R 2 = 0.99647 , but is still considered a competitive model. A reduced model was introduced trading off some accuracy ( R 2 = 0.9916 ) for significantly reduced data collection requirements and effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solar updraft tower is one of the wind power generation plants which utilizes solar energy. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the tower was also able to utilize crosswind energy. Wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations were conducted simulating the crosswind. The results showed that suctioned updraft speed in the tower was proportional to the crosswind speed, and its conversion rate depended on the tower configuration. A diffuser-shaped tower with a vortex generator achieved to produce the updraft whose speed exceeded the crosswind speed. It was due to the low pressure created by the vortex atop the tower and to the diffuser effect. The crosswind utilization enables the simple power generation device to generate electricity during the night, and the hybrid utilization of renewable energies contributes to the increasing wind energy market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the role of beta‐human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) level and its change prior to methotrexate (MTX) treatment as predictors of treatment success and to access the posttreatment observation period for ectopic tubal pregnancy. Methods: Clinical data of 41 females treated with MTX for tubal pregnancies were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among 41 patients, 34 achieved complete resolution without surgery. No statistically significant difference was observed in the presence of hemorrhagic ascites, serum progesterone levels, or diameters of adnexal mass between the MTX success and failure groups. Serum HCG levels on the day of MTX administration (day 1) were significantly lower in the MTX success group. Moreover, % HCG change per day, which represents the increment ratio of HCG prior to MTX treatment, was significantly lower in the MTX success group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that the treatment success was predicted by % HCG change per day less than +12.6% per day with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 71%. The duration from treatment to complete recovery was strongly correlated with day 1 HCG levels. Conclusions: Pretreatment HCG change is a significant predictor of therapeutic success of MTX treatment, and the treatment period may be predicted from initial HCG levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of the concentrations of H2O2 and methyl hydroperoxide (MHP), O3, and SO2 over Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan were performed in March using a helicopter. H2O2 concentrations were higher at an altitude of approximately 2,400 m (8,000 ft). The H2O2 concentrations (< 0.8 ppb) in the spring were much lower than those observed during the summer observations. MHP was also higher in the high-altitude atmosphere. Lower concentrations of H2O2 were observed when high air pollutants were actively transported from Asian continent. The concentrations of H2O2 were mostly lower than those of SO2; this condition is called oxidant limitation. If H2O2 concentration rises in cold months, the acidification of cloud water may be accelerated at high elevations in central Japan where air pollution is actively transported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of hydroperoxides (H2O2 and MHP) at ground level were made from 2012 to 2015 in Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture in central Japan. H2O2 and MHP concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 3.5 ppb and from below the level of detection (< 0.01 ppb) to 1.4 ppb, respectively. The concentrations of H2O2 and MHP were high in the summer and low in the winter. The H2O2 concentration was at its maximum in July and August, whereas the concentration of O3 in the daytime was highest in May and June. The ratio of [H2O2]/[SO2] presented clear seasonal variations. Many cases showed the condition of [H2O2] < [SO2], called oxidant limitation especially in the cold months. Hydroperoxide concentrations in the rainwater were also high in the summer. The concentrations of MHP were much lower than those of H2O2 in the rain water. High concentrations of H2O2 (> 2.5 ppb) were detected in the summer during the inflow of air pollution. The concentrations of H2O2 were significantly high in July and August of 2013. The H2O2 was well correlated with the O3 in July and August whereas there was no correlation between O3 and H2O2 in May and June. There was a negative correlation between NOX and H2O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of hydroperoxides (H 2 O 2 and MHP), O 3 , SO 2 and NO X * over Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan were measured during summers using a helicopter. The concentrations of hydroperoxides were analyzed by an HPLC system within 5–10 min after the sampling. The H 2 O 2 concentration was lowest at the surface, and the highest concentration was detected at altitudes of 6000 and 8000 ft. The MHP was also higher in the high-altitude atmosphere. Significantly high concentrations of hydroperoxides were observed when air pollutants were transported from China. The concentration of H 2 O 2 was higher than that of SO 2 above 4000 ft where the potential capacity of SO 2 oxidation in the aqueous phase is large. A helicopter is useful for measuring of hydroperoxides in the high-altitude atmosphere using an HPLC system in a laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tortuous common carotid artery poses a high risk of injury during tracheotomy. Preoperative diagnosis is therefore important to avoid serious complications. We found four cases of tortuous common carotid artery during an anatomical dissection course for students. The first case was a 91-year-old woman who had bilateral tortuous common carotid arteries without arteriosclerosis. Case 2 was a 78-year-old woman who had bilateral tortuous common carotid arteries without arteriosclerosis. Case 3 was an 86-year-old woman who died from bladder cancer and who also had a right tortuous common carotid artery without arteriosclerosis. Case 4 was an 89-year-old woman who had bilateral tortuous common carotid arteries and a tortuous brachiocephalic artery with severe arteriosclerosis. Case 4 was also examined using computed tomography to evaluate the arteriosclerosis. Computed tomography revealed severe calcification of the vascular wall, which was confirmed in the aortic arch and origins of its branches. In all four cases, the tortuosity was located below the level of the thyroid gland. Based on prior study results indicating that fusion between the carotid sheath and visceral fascia was often evident at the level of the thyroid gland, we speculated that the major region in which tortuosity occurs is at the same level or inferior to the level of the thyroid gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of size-separated aerosol number concentrations at Midagahara (altitude, 1,930 m), on the western slope of Mt. Tateyama near the coast of the Japan Sea, were performed each autumn from 2006 to 2011. High number concentrations of particles larger than 2 μm were frequently seen in 2006 and 2009 when the influence of Asian dust might have been significant. The pH and the ratio of Ca to total ions were high in the rainwater bulk sampled when high number concentrations of coarse particles were observed. The mean pH of rainwater during the autumn in 2006 was significantly higher than that in 2007 and 2008. Acidic species might have been neutralized by the Asian dust particles. Dust particles may highly affect the natural environment, such as forest ecosystems, at high elevations during seasons without snow cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a PCR-based method to detect and quantify viable Bifidobacterium bifidum BF-1 cells in human feces. This method (PMA-qPCR) uses propidium monoazide (PMA) to distinguish viable from dead cells and quantitative PCR using a BF-1-specific primer set designed from the results of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. During long-term culture (10 days), the number of viable BF-1 cells detected by counting the number of CFU on modified MRS agar, by measuring the ATP contents converted to CFU, and by using PMA-qPCR decreased from about 1010 to 106 cells/ml; in contrast, the total number of (viable and dead) BF-1 cells detected by counting 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindolee (DAPI)-stained cells and by using qPCR without PMA and reverse transcrip- tion-qPCR remained constant. The number of viable BF-1 cells in fecal samples detected by using PMA-qPCR was highly and significantly correlated with the number of viable BF-1 cells added to the fecal samples, within the range of 105.3 to 10.3 cells/g feces (wet weight) (r> 0.99, P < 0.001). After 12 healthy subjects ingested 1010.3 to 1011.0 CFU of BF-1 in a fermented milk product daily for 28 days, 104.5 ± standard deviation [SD]) BF-1 CFU/g was detected in fecal samples by using strain-specific selective agar; in contrast, 106.2 ± 0.4 viable BF-1 cells/g were detected by using PMA-qPCR, and a total of 1076 ± 0.7 BF-1 cells/g were detected by using qPCR without PMA. Thus, the number of viable BF-1 cells detected by PMA-qPCR was about 50 times higher (P < 0.01) than that de- tected by the culture-dependent method. We conclude that strain-specffic PMA-qPCR can be used to quickly and accurately evaluate viable BF-1 in feces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic isolation is widely used in several countries, and the number of seismically isolated buildings has increased rapidly in recent decades. Seismic isolation extends the natural period of a building to decrease the absolute acceleration and seismic force. As there is a trade-off between the absolute acceleration and displacement, a soft layer results in a large displacement for a large seismic wave, but the hard one causes the large absolute acceleration even for a small seismic wave. The restoring force of a Duffing spring is given by the third and first orders of the displacement. This spring has been applied to protect a building from large earthquake waves. However, the influence of the coefficient of the Duffing spring that determines the dynamic characteristics of the system has not been clarified. Thus, a used Duffing spring may not be appropriate for seismic resistance. Moreover, most studies are based on analytical methods, and the advantages of the Duffing isolation have not been verified in an actual system. To address these problems, this paper reveals the influence of the coefficient of the Duffing spring on structural responses to seismic waves. Moreover, this paper devised a way to implement a Duffing spring for seismic isolation and carried out experiments to verify the validity in actual systems. The experimental results presented that the Duffing spring was effective in protecting a building in actual systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interphase chromosome organization and dynamics can be studied in living cells using fluorescent tagging techniques that exploit bacterial operator/repressor systems and auto-fluorescent proteins. A nuclearlocalized Repressor Protein-Fluorescent Protein (RP-FP) fusion protein binds to operator repeats integrated as transgene arrays at defined locations in the genome. Under a fluorescence microscope, the tagged sites appear as bright fluorescent dots in living cells. This technique has been used successfully in plants, but is often hampered by low expression of genes encoding RP-FP fusion proteins, perhaps owing to one or more gene silencing mechanisms that are prevalent in plant cells. Results: We used two approaches to overcome this problem. First, we tested mutations in four factors involved in different types of gene silencing and/or epigenetic modifications for their effects on nuclear fluorescence. Only mutations in DDM1, a chromatin remodelling ATPase involved in repeat-induced heterochromatin formation and DNA methylation, released silencing of the RP-FP fusion protein. This result suggested that the operator repeats can trigger silencing of the adjacent gene encoding the RP-FP fusion protein. In the second approach, we transformed the tagged lines with a second T-DNA encoding the RP-FP fusion protein but lacking operator repeats. This strategy avoided operator repeat-induced gene silencing and increased the number of interphase nuclei displaying fluorescent dots. In a further extension of the technique, we show that green fluorescent-tagged sites can be visualized on moving mitotic chromosomes stained with red fluorescent-labelled histone H2B. Conclusions: The results illustrate the propensity of operator repeat arrays to form heterochromatin that can silence the neighbouring gene encoding the RP-FP fusion protein. Supplying the RP-FP fusion protein in trans from a second T-DNA largely alleviates this problem. Depending on the promoter used to drive expression of the RP-FP fusion protein gene, the fluorescent tagged sites can be visualized at high frequency in different cell types. The ability to observe fluorescent dots on both interphase and mitotic chromosomes allows tagged sites to be tracked throughout the cell cycle. These improvements enhance the versatility of the fluorescent tagging technique for future studies of chromosome arrangement and dynamics in living plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sister chromatids are often arranged as incompletely aligned entities in interphase nuclei of Arabidopsis thaliana. The STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE OF CHROMOSOMES (SMC) 5/6 complex, together with cohesin, is involved in double-strand break (DSB) repair by sister chromatid recombination in yeasts and mammals. Here, we analyzed the function of genes in Arabidopsis. The wild-type allele of SMC5 is essential for seed development. Each of the two SMC6 homologs Arabidopsis is required for efficient repair of DNA breakage via intermolecular homologous recombination in somatic cells. Alignment of sister chromatids is enhanced transiently after X-irradiation (and mitomycin C treatment) in wild-type nuclei. In the smc5/6 mutants, the x-ray-mediated increase in sister chromatid alignment is much lower and delayed. The reduced S phase-established cohesion caused by a knockout mutation in one of the α-kleisin genes, SYN1, also perturbed enhancement of sister chromatid alignment after irradiation, suggesting that the S phase--established cohesion is a prerequisite for correct DSB-dependent cohesion. The radiation-sensitive51 mutant, deficient in heteroduplex formation during DSB repair, showed wild-type frequencies of sister chromatid alignment after X-irradiation, implying that the irradiation-mediated increase in sister chromatid alignment is a prerequisite for, rather than a consequence of, DNA strand exchange between sister chromatids. Our results suggest that the SMC5/6 complex promotes sister chromatid cohesion after DNA breakage and facilitates homologous recombination between sister chromatids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromosomal arrangement of different transgenic repeat arrays inserted at various chromosomal positions was tested by FISH in Arabidopsis 2C leaf and root nuclei. Large lacO (∼10 kb) but not tetO (4.8 kb) or small lacO (∼2 kb) arrays were, in general, more often spatially associated with heterochromatic chromocenters (CC) than flanking regions (that either overlap the array insert position or are between 5 and 163 kb apart from the insert site). Allelic and ectopic pairing frequencies of lacO arrays were significantly increased only in nuclei of lines with two large lacO arrays inserted at different positions on the same chromosome arm. Within the same lines, root nuclei showed a significantly lower increase of pairing frequencies at the insert position compared to leaf nuclei but still a higher frequency than in the wild-type situation. Thus, the frequencies of homologous pairing and association with heterochromatin of transgenic repeats may differ with the construct, the chromosomal insertion position, the cell type and with the number and repetitiveness of inserts. Strong CpG methylation is correlated with a high frequency of homologous pairing at large repeat array loci in somatic cells but has no impact on their association with CCs. These results show that single low-copy arrays apparently do not alter interphase chromatin architecture and are more suitable for chromatin tagging than multiple high copy arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Size-separated aerosol number concentrations and water-soluble constituents were measured in Toyama, the Hokuriku district, near the coast of the Japan Sea, during the spring and summer in 2003. The number concentrations of coarse particles were significantly high in April, which was due to Asian dust events called Kosa in Japanese. Particulate nssCa2+, which is mostly present in the coarse-mode particles, was significantly high in April. On the other hand, the concentrations of NH4 + and nssSO4 2−, which mainly exist as the accumulation-mode particles were not high in April. The mass-size distributions of water-soluble constituents were compared with the size-separated number concentrations of particles. Backward trajectory analysis was also employed to examine the transport process of the air mass in Toyama. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Measurements of fog and rain water chemistry at the summit of Mt. Fuji, the highest peak in Japan, as well as at Tarobo, the ESE slope of Mt. Fuji in September 2002. The pH of fog and rain water sampled at Mt. Fuji varied over a range of 4.0–6.8. Acidic fogs (pH<5.0) were observed at the summit when the air mass came from the industrial regions on the Asian continent. The ratio of [SO4 2−]/[NO3 −] in the fog water was lower at Tarobo than at the summit. High concentrations of Na+ and Cl− were determined in the rain water sampled at the summit, possibly because of the long-range transport of sea-salt particles raised by a typhoon through the middle troposphere. The vertical transport of sea-salt particles would influence the cloud microphysical properties in the middle troposphere. Significant loss of Mg2+ was seen in the rain water at the summit. The concentrations of peroxides in the fog and rain water were relatively large (10–105 μM). The potential capacity for SO2 oxidation seems to be strong from summer to early autumn at Mt. Fuji. The fog water peroxide concentrations displayed diurnal variability. The peroxide concentrations in the nighttime were significantly higher than those in the daytime. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fluorescent chromatin tagging makes possible tracking of specific loci in vivo and in situ. Loci tagged by the lac operator ( lacO )/GFP-LacI /Nuclear Localization Signal (NLS) system show rapid motility and constrained chromatin dynamics in somatic nuclei of a transgenic line, designated EL702C, in Arabidopsis thaliana. The tagged loci associated with each other significantly more often than expected at random, due to homologous pairing of the lacO tandem repeat arrays. Furthermore, these arrays associated significantly more often than average euchromatic regions with heterochromatic chromocenters (CCs). We show now that the inserted lacO array in this transgenic line became strongly methylated at CG sites in the T3 generation, which can be reversed upon transfer into the mutant backgrounds of decrease in DNA methylation 1 ( ddm1) and methyltransferase 1 ( met1). Concomitantly, the tagged loci showed lower association frequencies as compared with the transgenics in wild-type background, which is correlated with a significant decrease in allelic and ectopic pairing of the lacO repeat arrays as visualized by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In contrast, the preferential association of the lacO arrays with heterochromatin, locus mobility in somatic nuclei and transcription of neighboring transgenes were not altered by reduced DNA methylation in ddm1 and met1 backgrounds. Our results show that repeat arrays can activate hypermethylation of the inserted locus that correlates with high frequencies of homologous pairing in somatic cells. In contrast, the preferential association of these inserted arrays with CCs in plant cells occurs through another mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

16S rRNA gene-targeted group-specific primers were designed and validated for specific detection and quantification of the Clostridium leptum subgroup and the Atopobium cluster. To monitor the predominant bacteria in human feces by real-time PCR, we used these specific primers together with four sets of groupspecific primers for the Clostridium coccoides group, the Bacteroides fragilis group, Bifidobacterium, and Prevotella developed in a previous study (T. Matsuki, K. Watanabe, J. Fujimoto, Y. Miyamoto, T. Takada, K. Matsumoto, H. Oyaizu, and R. Tanaka, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:5445-5451, 2002). Examination of DNA extracted from the feces of 46 healthy adults showed that the C. coccoides group was present in the greatest numbers (log10 10.3 ± 0.3 cells per g [wet weight] [average ± standard deviation]), followed by the C. leptum subgroup (log10 9.9 ± 0.7 cells per g [wet weight]), the B. fragilis group (log10 9.9 ± 0.3 cells per g [wet weight]), Bifidobacterium (log10 9.4 ± 0.7 cells per g [wet weight]), and the Atopobium cluster (log10 9.3 ± 0.7 cells per g [wet weight]). These five bacterial groups were detected in all 46 volunteers. Prevotella was found in only 46% of the subjects at a level of log10 9.7 ± 0.8 cells per g (wet weight). Examination of changes in the population and the composition of the intestinal flora for six healthy adults over an 8-month period revealed that the composition of the flora of each volunteer remained stable throughout the test period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive quantitative PCR detection method has been developed and applied to the distribution analysis of human intestinal bifidobacteria by combining real-time PCR with Bifidobacterium genus- and species-specific primers. Real-time PCR detection of serially diluted DNA extracted from cultured bifidobacteria was linear for cell counts ranging from 10[sup 6] to 10 cells per PCR assay. It was also found that the method was applicable to the detection of Bifidobacterium in feces when it was present at concentrations of > 10[sup 6] cells per g of feces. Concerning the distribution of Bifidobacterium species in intestinal flora, the Bifidobacterium adolescentis group, the Bifidobacterium catenulatum group, and Bifidobacterium longum were found to be the three predominant species by examination of DNA extracted from the feces of 46 healthy adults. We also examined changes in the population and composition of Bifidobacterium species in human intestinal flora of six healthy adults over an 8-month period. The results showed that the composition of bifidobacterial flora was basically stable throughout the test period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the development of 16S rRNA-gene-targeted group-specific primers for the detection and identification of predominant bacteria in human feces. Specificity of primers; Bacterial counts; Identification of the isolates; 16S rDNA sequence analysis of unidentified isolates.

In order to analyze the predominant Bacteroides species in normal human feces, species-specific primer sets for Bacteroides eggerthii, B. fragilis, B. ovatus, B. thetaiotaomicron, B. uniformis and B. vulgatus were designed. Normal human feces were cultured on Bacteroides selective agar (neomycin brilliant green taurocolic acid (NBGT) agar plates). We identified the colonies with the aforementioned species-specific primers. B. vulgatus and B. ovatus were found to be predominant in all volunteers, and B. thetaiotaomicron and B. uniformis varied between volunteers. However, B. fragilis and B. eggerthii were not detected in any volunteers using this culture method. When we used the direct PCR method with extracted bacterial DNA from feces, B. vulgatus and B. ovatus were detected from all samples, and B. thetaiotaomicron, B. uniformis and B. fragilis from four or five out of six samples, but no B. eggerthii was detected. This is the first report that analyzes the predominant Bacteroides species in normal human intestine using a systematic molecular identification method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a new wind turbine system that consists of a diffuser shroud with a broad-ring brim at the exit periphery and a wind turbine inside it. The shrouded wind turbine with a brimmed diffuser, which we called a "wind lens turbine" (WLT), has demonstrated power augmentation by a factor of about 2–5 compared with a bare wind turbine for a given turbine diameter and wind speed. The increase in power output depends on the diffuser shape and length and the brim height. However, a simple theory presented in this paper argues that only two performance coefficients are needed to predict the performance of WLT. The coefficients are the back pressure coefficient of the brim and the pressure recovery coefficient of the diffuser. We theoretically showed that the back pressure coefficient was particularly important for the performance of WLT. Finally, the simple theory was evaluated with experimental results. The results showed good agreement with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the distribution of bifidobacterial species in human intestinal microflora. Use of 16S rRNA-gene-targeted species-specific primers in the examination; B. catenulatum group as the most common among the distribution; Demonstration of a rapid and accurate detection of bifidobacterial species in human feces.

With the rapid development of gene therapy technology in recent years, its abuse as a method of sports doping in athletics has become a concern. However, there is still room for improvement in gene-doping testing methods, and a robust animal model needs to be developed. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to establish a model of gene doping using recombinant adeno-associated virus vector-9, including the human erythropoietin gene (rAAV9-hEPO), and to establish a relevant testing method. First, it was attempted to establish the model using rAAV9-hEPO on mice. The results showed a significant increase in erythrocyte volume accompanied by an increase in spleen weight, confirming the validity of the model. Next, we attempted to detect proof of gene doping by targeting DNA and RNA. Direct proof of gene doping was detected using a TaqMan-qPCR assay with certain primers/probes. In addition, some indirect proof was identified in RNAs through the combination of a TB Green qPCR assay with RNA sequencing. Taken together, these results could provide the foundation for an effective test for gene doping in human athletes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the relationship between phase angle (PhA), an indicator of cellular health, and metabolic health parameters among junior sumo wrestlers in Japan. Given the demanding lifestyle and high‐energy diets of sumo wrestlers that predispose them to metabolic syndrome post‐retirement, this study focuses on a younger cohort. The primary aim is to evaluate if PhA could serve as an early indicator of metabolic health issues within this unique demographic. A total of 14 sumo wrestlers aged 9–17 years were assessed to determine the relationship between PhA and various metabolic markers, including glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), using a TANITA MC‐780A‐N body composition analyzer and standard blood tests. Bivariate regression analysis and Pearson's correlation revealed a negative relationship between PhA and HbA1c even after adjusting for age and weight (ß = −0.496, r2 = 0.776, r = −0.756, p = 0.004). The results indicate a significant negative relationship between PhA and HbA1c levels, suggesting that lower PhA values, which indicate poorer cellular integrity, are associated with higher HbA1c levels, signifying impaired glycemic control. These findings underscore the potential of PhA as a valuable biomarker for monitoring metabolic health in young sumo wrestlers, with implications for early intervention and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brimmed-diffuser augmented turbine (called a wind lens turbine: WLT) actively uses vortices around the brim to enhance its power output. However, the vortices are usually unstable and asymmetric. This study attempted to stabilize the vortices to enhance the power output of a WLT. Then, we investigated new approaches using vortex stabilization plates and polygonal brims in wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations. Both approaches achieved a 1.5–3.8% increase in power output compared with a standard WLT. Our numerical simulations revealed a periodicity existing in a fluctuating vortex structure on the circular brim. Importantly, vortex stabilization plates and polygonal brims must be the same periodic scale to suppress the vortex fluctuation and stabilize the vortices effectively. In addition, a larger brim tended to enhance the stabilizing effects. We believe that this discovery provides an easy way to increase the power output of existing wind turbines. It is particularly important in light of advances in wind energy technology and the increasing wind energy market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The superficial anterior atlanto-occipital ligament (SAAOL) is a narrowband located anterior to the anterior atlanto-occipital membrane. Nearly forgotten, it has not been well described in older anatomical textbooks and is missing in the current anatomical literature. As all of the binding structures of the craniocervical junction (CCJ) are important in maintaining stability, this study aims to clarify the anatomy and potential function of the SAAOL. Materials and Methods: The CCJ from ten fresh-frozen cadavers was studied. These specimens were derived from three males and seven females, and the age at death ranged from 57 to 91 years (mean, 79.8 years). The length, width, and thickness of the SAAOL were measured. In five specimens, the force to failure was recorded. Results: The SAAOL was found between the anterior tubercle of the atlas and the occiput and located as central thick fibers in front of the anterior atlanto-occipital membrane in 9 (90%) specimens. In one specimen, the vertical band to the occipital bone did not attach to the anterior tubercle of the atlas, but extended to the anterior aspect of the axis. The mean length, width, and thickness of the SAAOL were 19.8, 6.2, and 0.6 mm, respectively. The force to failure for the ligament was 38.8 N. Conclusion: The SAAOL was a constant structure of the anterior atlanto-occipital joint. This ligament seems to be a secondary stabilizer of the CCJ by limiting the extension of CCJ. Knowledge of this ligament may help in further understanding of craniocervical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TWK10 (TWK10) has beneficial probiotic effects, improves exercise endurance performance, regulates body composition, and mitigates aging‐related problems in mice and humans. Here, we investigated the effects of heat‐killed TWK10 on exercise endurance performance, muscle weight and strength, fatigue, and body composition in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Thirty healthy males aged 20–40 years were assigned to the Control group or heat‐killed TWK10 group (TWK10‐HK) in a balanced order according to each individual's initial maximal oxygen uptake. After 6‐week administration, the exercise endurance time in the TWK10‐HK was significantly increased (p = 0.0028) compared with that in the Control group. The grip strength on the right and left hands of the subjects was significantly increased (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0140, respectively) in the TWK10‐HK compared with that in the Control group. Administration of heat‐killed TWK10 resulted in a significant increase (p = 0.0275) in muscle weight. After 6‐week administration, serum lactate, and ammonia levels were significantly lower in the TWK10‐HK group than in the Control group during the exercise and recovery periods. These findings demonstrate that heat‐killed TWK10 has significant potential to be used as a postbiotic for humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asia differs substantially among and within its regions populated by diverse ethnic groups, which maintain their own respective cultures and dietary habits. To address the diversity in their gut microbiota, we characterized the bacterial community in fecal samples obtained from 303 school-age children living in urban or rural regions in five countries spanning temperate and tropical areas of Asia. The microbiota profiled for the 303 subjects were classified into two enterotype-like clusters, each driven by Prevotella (P-type) or Bifidobacterium/Bacteroides (BB-type), respectively. Majority in China, Japan and Taiwan harbored BB-type, whereas those from Indonesia and Khon Kaen in Thailand mainly harbored P-type. The P-type microbiota was characterized by a more conserved bacterial community sharing a greater number of type-specific phylotypes. Predictive metagenomics suggests higher and lower activity of carbohydrate digestion and bile acid biosynthesis, respectively, in P-type subjects, reflecting their high intake of diets rich in resistant starch. Random-forest analysis classified their fecal species community as mirroring location of resident country, suggesting eco-geographical factors shaping gut microbiota. In particular, children living in Japan harbored a less diversified microbiota with high abundance of Bifidobacterium and less number of potentially pathogenic bacteria, which may reflect their living environment and unique diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of underwater exercise on respiratory function remains unclear when its metabolic rate is matched with exercise performed on land. Therefore, we compared the breathing responses and respiratory function during and after water (WC)‐ and land (LC)‐based cycling performed at the matched oxygen uptake (VO2). Twelve healthy men performed 15 min of incremental WC and LC on separate days. During WC, participants cycled continuously at 30, 45, and 60 rpm (stages 1, 2, and 3) for 5 min each. During LC, participants cycled at 60 rpm for 15 min while wattage was increased every 5 min and adjusted to match VO2 to the WC condition. Breathing patterns during cycling and spirometry data before and after cycling were collected. VO2 during WC and LC was similar. Respiratory rate (WC: 27 ± 3 vs. LC: 23 ± 4 bpm, p = 0.012) and inspiratory flow (WC: 1233 ± 173 vs. LC: 1133 ± 200 ml/s, p = 0.035) were higher and inspiratory time (WC: 1.0 ± 0.1 vs. LC: 1.2 ± 0.2 s, p = 0.025) was shorter at stage 3 during WC than LC. After WC, forced vital capacity (p = 0.010) significantly decreased while no change was observed after LC. These results suggest that at similar metabolic rates during WC and LC, breathing is slightly shallower during WC which may have chronic effects on respiratory muscle function after multiple bouts of aquatic cycling. Underwater exercise may be beneficial for respiratory muscle rehabilitation when performed on a chronic basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to determine the contribution of the orbicularis oculi (OOc) to the zygomaticus major (Zmj) in connecting the orbital region to the corner of the mouth. The OOc and Zmj of 22 embalmed adult Korean cadavers were dissected in 44 hemifaces. The OOc fibers were traced to determine their contribution to the Zmj. Parts of the superficial bundle in the orbital region of the OOc extended directly or indirectly to the Zmj in 22.7% of the specimens. The anatomical contribution of the OOc to the Zmj was divided into three categories depending on whether the connection between them was direct or indirect: (1) superficial orbital OOc fibers extended directly to the Zmj in 6.8% of the specimens, (2) superficial orbital OOc fibers extended to the zygomaticus minor and their small portion joined to the upper fibers of the Zmj in 15.9% of the specimens, and (3) no connection was identified between the OOc and Zmj in 77.3% of the specimens. The results of this study provide further anatomical insight into the relationship between the OOc and zygomaticus muscle complex. This information could be helpful for elucidating the anatomy of smiling and treatment and surgery designs for balanced or ideal smiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has prohibited the use of autologous blood transfusion (ABT) as a doping method by athletes. It is difficult to detect this doping method in laboratory tests, and a robust testing method has not yet been established. We conducted an animal experiment and used total RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to identify novel RNA markers to detect ABT doping within red blood cells (RBCs) as a pilot study before human trials. This study used whole blood samples from Wistar rats. The whole blood samples were mixed with a citrate–phosphate–dextrose solution with adenine (CPDA) and then stored in a refrigerator at 4 °C for 0 (control), 10, or 20 days. After each storage period, total RNA-Seq and bioinformatics were performed following RNA extraction and the purification of the RBCs. In the results, clear patterns of expression fluctuations were observed depending on the storage period, and it was found that there were large numbers of genes whose expression decreased in the 10- and 20-day periods compared to the control. Moreover, additional bioinformatic analysis identified three significant genes whose expression levels were drastically decreased according to the storage period. These results provide novel insights that may allow future studies to develop a testing method for ABT doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair mechanisms differ in their requirements for a homologous repair template and in the accuracy of the result. We aimed to quantify the outcome of repair of a single targeted DSB in somatic cells of young barley (Hordeum vulgare) plants. Amplicon sequencing of three reporter constructs revealed 47 to 58% of reads as repaired via nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) with deletions and/or small (1 to 3 bp) insertions. Alternative NHEJ revealed 2 to 5 bp microhomology (15.7% of cases) or new replication-mediated short duplications at sealed breaks. Although deletions outweigh insertions in barley, this bias was less pronounced and deleted sequences were shorter than in Arabidopsis thaliana. Between 17 and 33% of reads likely represent restoration of the original sequence. Depending on the construct, 20 to 33% of reads arose via gene conversion (homologous recombination). Remarkably, <1 to >8% of reads apparently display synthesis-dependent strand annealing linked with NHEJ , inserting 4 to 61 bp, mostly originating from the surrounding of breakpoints. Positional coincidence of >81% of sister chromatid exchanges with target loci is unprecedented for higher eukaryotes and indicates that most repair events for staggered DSBs , at least in barley, involve the sister chromatid and occur during S or G2 phase of the cell cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Caffeine is an exercise performance enhancer widely used by individuals engaged in training or competition under heat-stressed conditions. Caffeine ingestion during exercise in the heat is believed to be safe because it does not greatly affect body temperature responses, heart rate, or body fluid status. However, it remains unknown whether caffeine affects hyperthermia-induced hyperventilation or reductions in the cerebral blood flow index. We tested the hypothesis that under conditions inducing severe hyperthermia, caffeine exacerbates hyperthermia-induced hyperventilation and reduces the cerebral blood flow index during exercise. Methods: Using a randomized, single-blind, crossover design, 12 physically active healthy young men (23 ± 2 yr) consumed a moderate dose of caffeine (5 mg·kg−1) or placebo in the heat (37°C). Approximately 60 min after the ingestion, they cycled for ~45 min at a workload equal to ~55% of their predetermined peak oxygen uptake (moderate intensity) until their core temperature increased to 2.0°C above its preexercise baseline level. Results: In both trials, ventilation increased and the cerebral blood flow index assessed by middle cerebral artery mean blood velocity decreased as core temperature rose during exercise (P < 0.05), indicating that hyperthermia-induced hyperventilation and lowering of the cerebral blood flow occurred. When core temperature was elevated by 1.5°C or more (P < 0.05), ventilation was higher and the cerebral blood flow was lower throughout the caffeine trial than the placebo trial (P < 0.05). Conclusions: A moderate dose of caffeine exacerbates hyperthermia-induced hyperventilation and reductions in the cerebral blood flow index during exercise in the heat with severe hyperthermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anatomy and definition of the petroclinoid ligament (PCL) and its relationship with the abducens nerve are variably described. The goal of this study was to clarify the anatomy of the PCL and better elucidate its relationship with the abducens nerve. Thirty-six sides from 18 fresh-frozen adult cadaveric heads were used in this study. Specimens were all Caucasian and derived from 10 males and 8 females. The mean age at death was 79 years. Dissection of the PCL and abducens nerve was performed using a surgical microscope. The anterior and posterior attachments of the PCL, and position of the abducens nerve were noted. Subsequently, the width, thickness, and length of the ligament, and diameter of the abducens nerve were measured. Thirty-one sides (86.1%) were found to have a PCL, on two sides (5.6%), the PCL was ossified, and on three sides (8.3%), the PCL was absent. The width, thickness, and length of the PCL ranged from 0.54 to 3.39, 0.07 to 0.49, and 3.27 to 17.85 mm, respectively. No PCL had an anterior attachment onto the posterior clinoid process but rather, the clivus. Therefore, based on our findings, the PCL would be better described as the petroclival ligament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the molecular basis for Arabidopsis gene decrease in DNA methylation (ddm1)-induced developmental abnormalities. Identification of mutated gene responsible for the developmental abnormalities; Features of the ddm1; Examination of genomic ddm1; Mobilization of transposons through ddm1.

With the rapid progress of genetic engineering and gene therapy, the World Anti-Doping Agency has been alerted to gene doping and prohibited its use in sports. However, there is no standard method available yet for the detection of transgenes delivered by recombinant adenoviral (rAdV) vectors. Here, we aim to develop a detection method for transgenes delivered by rAdV vectors in a mouse model that mimics gene doping. These rAdV vectors containing the mCherry gene was delivered in mice through intravenous injection or local muscular injection. After five days, stool and whole blood samples were collected, and total DNA was extracted. As additional experiments, whole blood was also collected from the mouse tail tip until 15 days from injection of the rAdv vector. Transgene fragments from different DNA samples were analyzed using semi-quantitative PCR (sqPCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). In the results, transgene fragments could be directly detected from blood cell fraction DNA, plasma cell-free DNA, and stool DNA by qPCR and ddPCR, depending on specimen type and injection methods. We observed that a combination of blood cell fraction DNA and ddPCR was more sensitive than other combinations used in this model. These results could accelerate the development of detection methods for gene doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Menstrual dysfunction, musculoskeletal injury, and poor nutrition combine to form the female athlete triad (FAT), which results in serious health consequences for affected athletes. To this point, the risk factors of this phenomenon have not been fully explored in Japanese female college athletes. Additionally, the effect of competitive level on FAT risk factors has also not been reported. Therefore, we aimed to examine FAT risk factors in Japanese female athletes of various sports as well as examine the impact of competitive level on FAT. Methods: A Japanese-language survey was completed by 531 athletes and 20 nonathletes at two Japanese universities and answers with regard to menstrual status, musculoskeletal injury, nutrition, and other variables were analyzed based on classification of the sports into nine distinct groups based on activity type. Sport intensity, training volume, and competitive levels were used to further classify each sport. One-way ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS were carried out to analyze significance for relationships between sport intensity and FAT risk factors. Additionally, the relationship between competitive level and FAT risk factors was analyzed by ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests. Results: Sport intensity was positively correlated with a delay in menarche as well as dysmenorrhea and poor nutrition while musculoskeletal injury was correlated with repetitive, high-training volume sports. Lower competitive levels increased dysmenorrhea but did not impact injury status or nutrition. Conclusion: Sport intensity and training volume, but not competitive level, are the critical factors affecting FAT risk in Japanese female college athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: About 10% of Japanese female athletes are afflicted by menstrually-related edema, mainly in the lower limbs, and, with few studies on this problem, the effect on performance remains unclear. Objective: To quantitatively evaluate fluid retention in the calf in female students over their menstrual cycle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine the relationship of MRI changes and athletic performance. Design: The menstrual cycle was divided into 5 phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, early luteal, and late luteal with sampling done in either morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) sessions. At each phase, MRI of the calf (7:00–8:00, 14:00–16:00), body composition and hormones (7:00–8:00), and athletic performance (14:00–16:00) were evaluated. Participants: 13 adult healthy Japanese female students with eumenorrhea. Results: Estradiol levels decreased significantly in the menstrual phase and the follicular phase compared to the early luteal phase (P = 0.001, P = 0.024 respectively). Menstrual phase estradiol levels were significantly lower compared to the ovulatory phase (P = 0.015), and the late luteal phase (P = 0.003). Progesterone levels decreased significantly in the menstrual phase and the follicular phase compared to the ovulatory phase (P = 0.012, P = 0.009 respectively), the early luteal phase (both P = 0.007), and the late luteal phase (P = 0.028, P = 0.029 respectively), and it along with a significant decrease in the ovulatory phase compared to the early luteal phase (P = 0.010). AM T2 signals were significantly lower in the menstrual phase compared to the ovulatory phase (P = 0.043) but not other phases. PM T2 signals increased significantly in the menstrual phase compared to the follicular phase (P = 0.003), ovulatory phase (P = 0.009), and the late luteal phase (P = 0.032), and the difference between the AM and PM values increased significantly in the menstrual phase compared to the other 4 phases (P<0.01). A negative correlation between fluid retention and agility was observed. Conclusion: In female students fluid retention during the menstrual phase could be a factor that influences athletic agility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis accumulates the red pigment astaxanthin accompanied by morphological changes under stress conditions, including nutrient depletion, continuous light and high temperature. To investigate the physiological state of the algal cells, we developed the digital image-processing software called HaematoCalMorph. The software automatically outputs 25 single-cell measurements of cell morphology and pigments based on color, bright-field microscopic images. Compared with manual inspection, the output values of cell shape were reliable and reproducible. The estimated pigment content fits the values calculated by conventional methods. Using a random forests classifier, we were able to distinguish flagellated cells from immotile cells and detect their transient appearance in culture. By performing principal components analysis, we also successfully monitored time-dependent morphological and colorimetric changes in culture. Thus, combined with multivariate statistical techniques, the software proves useful for studying cellular responses to various conditions as well as for monitoring population dynamics in culture. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The composition of the human gut microbiota is related to host health, and it is thought that dietary habits may play a role in shaping this composition. Here, we examined the population size and prevalence of six predominant bacterial genera and the species compositions of genus Bifidobacterium (g-Bifid) and Bacteroides fragilis group (g-Bfra) in 42 healthy Belgian adults by quantitative PCR (qPCR) over a period of one month. The population sizes and prevalence of these bacteria were basically stable throughout the study period. The predominant g-Bifid species were Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bifidobacterium longum ss. longum, and the predominant g-Bfra species were Bacteroides vulgatus, Bacteroides uniformis, and Bacteroides ovatus. The Belgian gut microbiota data were then compared with gut microbiota data from 46 Japanese subjects collected according to the same protocol (Matsuki et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70, 167–173, 2004). The population size and prevalence of Bifidobacterium catenulatum group were significantly lower in the Belgian gut microbiota than in the Japanese gut microbiota (P < 0.001); however, the population size and prevalence of g-Bifid did not differ. This species-level qPCR analysis will be helpful for investigating the diversity of gut microbiota among ethnic groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Septins are a group of GTP-binding proteins that are multi-functional, with a well-known role in cytokinesis in animals and fungi. Although the functions of septins have been thoroughly studied in opisthokonts (fungi and animals), the function and evolution of plant/algal septins are not as well characterized. Here we describe septin localization and expression in the green algae Nannochloris bacillaris and Marvania geminata. The present data suggest that septins localize at the division site when cytokinesis occurs. In addition, we show that septin homologs may be found only in green algae, but not in other major plant lineages, such as land plants, red algae and glaucophytes. We also found other septin homolog-possessing organisms among the diatoms, Rhizaria and cryptomonad/haptophyte lineages. Our study reveals the potential role of algal septins in cytokinesis and/or cell elongation, and confirms that septin genes appear to have been lost in the Plantae lineage, except in some green algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Taiwanese alternative medicine Lu-doh-huang (also called Pracparatum mungo), mung beans are mixed with various herbal medicines and undergo a 4-stage process of anaerobic fermentation. Here we used high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to profile the bacterial community structure of Lu-doh-huang samples. Pyrosequencing of samples obtained at 7 points during fermentation revealed 9 phyla, 264 genera, and 586 species of bacteria. While mung beans were inside bamboo sections (stages 1 and 2 of the fermentation process), family Lactobacillaceae and genus Lactobacillus emerged in highest abundance; Lactobacillus plantarum was broadly distributed among these samples. During stage 3, the bacterial distribution shifted to family Porphyromonadaceae, and Butyricimonas virosa became the predominant microbial component. Thereafter, bacterial counts decreased dramatically, and organisms were too few to be detected during stage 4. In addition, the microbial compositions of the liquids used for soaking bamboo sections were dramatically different: Exiguobacterium mexicanum predominated in the fermented soybean solution whereas B. virosa was predominant in running spring water. Furthermore, our results from pyrosequencing paralleled those we obtained by using the traditional culture method, which targets lactic acid bacteria. In conclusion, the microbial communities during Lu-doh-huang fermentation were markedly diverse, and pyrosequencing revealed a complete picture of the microbial consortium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent chromatin tagging by the lacO operator/lac repressor system in Arabidopsis thaliana is useful to trace distinct chromatin domains in living cells. Nevertheless, the tandem repeats of the tagging system may alter the spatial organisation of chromatin within nuclei by increasing homologous pairing as well as association with heterochromatin. Efficient homologous pairing occurs if lacO repeat arrays of ∼10 kb are present at two loci, either on the same chromosome or on different chromosomes. DNA hypomethylation of lacO repeats results in reduced homologous pairing. Because, in plants, DNA methylation can serve as a signal for H3-lysine9-dimethylation (H3K9me2), and subsequently for non-CG-context DNA methylation, SET-domain histone methyltransferase and chromodomain dna methyltransferase 3 ( cmt3) mutations were introgressed. In suvh4 suvh5 suvh6 and cmt3 mutants, H3K9me2 associated with lacO repeats is diminished, but homologous pairing persists. Thus, neither H3K9me2 nor CMT3-mediated non-CG methylation are required at wild-type level for homologous pairing of lacO repeat loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical realization of Chu's minimum-sized antenna is investigated using self-complementary antennas. Rigorous bandwidth formulas for broadband antennas are derived for broadband antennas based on Chu's fundamental mode equivalent circuit. By comparing input impedances and radiation patterns, the fabricated self-complementary antenna used for Japan's ultra-wideband higher band (7.25-10.25 GHz) is found approximated by the minimum-sized antenna. Using the rigorous bandwidth formulas above, the fabricated antenna is shown to be smaller than the minimum-sized antenna. This breakthrough is achieved by using a more complicated matching circuit for broadband antennas instead of the single-stage inductor used in bandwidth estimation with the Q factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]