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Since DNA analysis is the fundamental process for most applications in biomedical fields, capturing DNAs with high efficiency is important. Here, we used several oxide nanowire microfluidic devices to capture CpG-rich single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) in different pH solutions. All the oxide nanowires exhibited the highest capture efficiency around pH 7 with good capture efficiency shown by each metal oxide; ZnO/ZnO core/shell NWs (71.6%), ZnO/Al2O3core/shell NWs (86.3%) and ZnO/SiO2core/shell NWs (86.7%). ZnO/Al2O3core/shell NWs showed the best performance for capturing ssDNAs under varying pH, which suggests its suitability for application in diverse biological fluids. The capturing efficiencies were attributed to the interactions from phosphate backbones and nucleobases of ssDNAs to each nanowire surface. This finding provides a useful platform for highly efficient capture of the target ssDNAs, and these results can be extended for future studies of cancer-related genes in complex biological fluids.

Methods that can rapidly and accurately extract or isolate nucleic acids would facilitate the capability for scientists to access key information regarding nucleic acid molecular signatures. Knowing these molecular signatures could contribute to development of strategies for detecting, treating, and diagnosing diseases based on nucleic acids. However, major impediments to accessing nucleic acids are their natural characteristics, including concentration and size. Here we review the development of nanomaterial-based devices to isolate circulating nucleic acids from biological samples, including blood, urine, cell, and virus; these devices enable enhancement of isolation and extraction efficiency compared to conventional methods.In this review, we summarize the recent development of nanomaterial-based devices to isolate circulating nucleic acids from biological samples, including blood, urine, cell, and virus as powerful alternatives to conventional tools, which would facilitate the capability for scientists to access key information regarding the nucleic acid molecular signatures used in molecular diagnostic.

Oligothiophene derivatives, which are known as p-type materials, have been synthesized, and their ultrathin layer-by-layer films have been constructed on an electrode using a simple and convenient dipping method. The stepwise deposition behavior of quaterthiophene and sexithiophene derivatives on the electrode via hydrogen bonding was monitored by electronic spectra measurement, and the constructed films were evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering, and cyclic voltammetry. It has been clarified that the constructed layer-by-layer films were electroactive and photoelectroactive.

Ammonia is a well-known additive to promote crystal growth in hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanowires. Although the effect of ammonia on the nanowire growth has been intensively investigated, its influence on the seed layer, which governs the initial nanowire growth, is rarely discussed. Here, we demonstrate that ammonia strongly affects the seed layer as well as the following nanowire growth. On increasing the ammonia concentration, the nanowire density first increases and then decreases, while the nanowire growth rate keeps increasing. Experimental results and thermodynamic calculations of the initial growth process reveal that the transformation of the seed layer induced by ammonia prior to nucleation critically determines the nanowire density and thus also influences the following nanowire growth. Present results highlight the critical importance of discussing the variation of seed layers in ammonia-involved hydrothermal synthesis and suggest a novel seed engineering approach for tailoring the ZnO nanowire growth.

Aiming at the evaluation of the viscosity of the interfacial solidlike structure of ionic liquids (ILs), we performed total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) spectroscopy for N,N-diethyl-N′-phenyl-rhodamine (Ph-DER), a fluorescent probe that is sensitive to viscosity in a high-viscosity range. TIRF spectra at the glass interface of trioctylmethylammonium bis(nonafluorobutanesulfonyl)amide (TOMAC4C4N), a hydrophobic IL, showed that the fluorescence intensity of Ph-DER increases with the decrease of the evanescence penetration depth, suggesting that there exists a high-viscosity region at the interface. In contrast, glycerol, which is a molecular liquid with a bulk viscosity similar to that of TOMAC4C4N, did not show such a fluorescence increase, supporting that the formation of a highly viscous solidlike structure at the interface is intrinsic to ILs. A model analysis suggested that the high viscous region at the glass interface of TOMAC4C4N is at least twice thicker than the ionic multilayers at the air interface, implying that the solid substrate enhances the ordering of the interfacial structure of ILs. The viscosity at the glass interface of TOMAC4C4N was found to be at least 40 times higher than that of the liquid bulk.

A sparse ZnO nanowire array with aspect ratio of ca. 120 and growth rate of 1 μm/h was synthesized by controlling the density of seeds at the initial stage of nanowire growth. The spatially-separated nanowires were cut off from the growth substrate without breaking, and thus were useful in the construction of a single-nanowire device by photolithography. The device exhibited a linear current–voltage characteristic associated with ohmic contact between ZnO nanowire and electrodes. The device further demonstrated a reliable photoresponse with an IUV/Idarkof ~100 to ultraviolet light irradiation.

Photosynthesis is one of the most vital processes in nature, which consists of two main photoreaction centers called photosystem I and photosystem II. The high quantum yield of photosystem I (PSI) makes it attractive for bioelectronic applications. However, the native PSI (N-PSI) loses its robust photochemical properties once fabricated into devices. This property degradation results from the difficulty in controlling the orientation of PSI. With the optimal orientation of PSI, photoexcited electrons can easily reach the electrode, yielding good photoelectric conversion efficiency. We developed a novel photoelectrode by integrating a newly designed gene-recombined PSI (G-PSI) with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) on substrates using a simple stacking method, which can control the orientation of PSI on the electrode. The target orientation of the attached G-PSI toward the substrate was confirmed by the absorption spectra of polarized light. An approximately 2-fold increase in the internal quantum yield (IQY) was observed for the G-PSI-attached electrode under 680 nm irradiation compared with that of the N-PSI-modified electrode. In addition, a 4-fold enhancement of the IQY was detected for cytochrome c(Cyt c) stacking on the G-PSI because of the electrostatic interaction, suggesting that Cyt csuccessfully secured the electron-transfer pathway.

Optical properties of three crystal modifications of 5-t-butyl-2,3-dicyano-6-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]pyrazine having different color appearances were measured and interpreted on the basis of crystal structure analysis. Two of the three modifications exhibited a bathochromic spectral shift both in absorption and fluorescence compared with those in a toluene solution of the dye. The crystal structure analysis revealed that a two-dimensional brick-wall structure is formed in both modifications. In contrast, the third modification showed a hypsochromic absorption shift with a large bathochromic fluorescence shift. The crystal structure of this modification was characterized by a one-dimensional stacked molecular column. The optical characteristics of the three modifications were qualitatively interpreted in terms of excitonic intermolecular interaction on the basis of their crystal structures.

The adsorption-desorption equilibrium of sublimed molecules has been analyzed dynamically by optical waveguide (OWG) spectroscopy. Dynamic change of the transition moment during adsorption behavior was successfully detected using polarized incident light. With this technique, sublimed planer aromatic molecules, such as azobenzene, were revealed to stack parallel to the solid surface at the initial stage followed by adsorption with relatively random orientation.

AbstractWe are developing a new 28GHz 1MW and a 77GHz 1MW gyrotron for ECRH system of tandem mirror GAMMA10 and Large Helical Device (LHD), respectively. The detail design study of 28GHz 1MW gyrotron such as cavity, magnetron injection gun (MIG) has been done. We obtained the oscillation power of 1.37MW and the oscillation efficiency of 42.7% with the pitch factor of 1.2. Two 77GHz 1MW gyrotrons have been fabricated and tested. The maximum output power of 1.1MW was obtained. The pulse width with 0.46MW extended to 5s with the short aging time of only 65 hours. A plasma injection for LHD with MOU output of 0.81MW 3.6s was performed.

Millimeter-wave components were re-examined for high power (Mega-Watt) and steady-state (greater than one hour) operation. Some millimeter-wave components, including waveguide joints, vacuum pumping sections, power monitors, sliding waveguides, and injection windows, have been improved for high power CW (Continuous Waves) transmission. To improve transmission efficiency, information about the wave phase and mode content of high power millimeter-waves propagating in corrugated waveguides, which are difficult to measure directly, were obtained by a newly developed method based on retrieved phase information. To optimize the plasma heating efficiency, a proof-of-principle study of the injection polarization feedback control was performed in the low power test stand.

Abstract: Toreduce the content of limoleoyl moiety in soybean oil, soybean oil that contains 53.0% linoleoyl moiety as molar acyl moiety composition was interesterified with an ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrate (240 mol% elcosapentaenoic acid [EPA], 40.4 mol% docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) prepared from sardine oil, using an immobilized sn-1,3-specific lipase from Rhizomucor michei (Lipozyme IM). The reaction was carried out in a batch reactor at 37°C under the following conditions: 500 μmol of soybean oil, molar ratio of ω-3 PUFA concentrate to soybean oil=1.0–6.0, 5.0 mL of heptane, and 30 batch interesterification units of enzyme. After the reaction time of 72h, modified soybean oil, which contains 34.9% linoleoyl, 10.1% eicosapentaenoyl, and 14.2% docosahexaenoyl moieties, was produced at the molar reactant ratio of 6.0. In this oil, the total ω-3 acyl moiety composition reached 34.1%; the molar ratio of ω-3 to ω-6 acyl moieties was enhanced by five times compared with soybean oil. Compared with palmitic acid, DHA was kinetically six times less reactive, although the EPA was by 16% more reactive.

The experimental asthma caused by IgE antibody in rats was inhibited by HSR-6071 (6-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-2-pyrazinecarboxamide) (0.01-0.1 mg kg−1i.v.) in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory activity of HSR-6071 was more potent than those of disodium cromoglycate and ketotifen, and equipotent with amlexanox. The bronchoconstriction mediated by IgE or IgG antibody in guinea-pigs was also prevented by HSR-6071 (0.3, 1 and 3 mg kg−1i.v.), amlexanox (3, 10 and 30 mg kg−1i.v.) and ketotifen (0.1 mg kg−1i.v.) but not by disodium cromoglycate (10 mg kg−1i.v.). HSR-6071 was more potent than amlexanox, but less potent than ketotifen. HSR-6071 suppressed antigen-induced histamine and SRS-A release from minced lung tissues of guinea-pigs sensitized passively with rabbit anti-EA serum and was a more potent inhibitor of the release of SRS-A than of histamine. On the other hand, histamine- or acetylcholine-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea-pigs was scarcely affected by HSR-6071 at doses sufficient to inhibit the experimental asthma, but LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction was dramatically inhibited. These results indicate that the inhibitory action on experimental allergic asthma of HSR-6071 may be due to suppression of antigen-induced histamine and SRS-A release from lung tissues and to antagonism of SRS-A action. In addition, HSR-6071 inhibited cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity and produced relaxation of the guinea-pig isolated trachea. These pharmacological actions may contribute to the production of the anti-allergic action of HSR-6071.

A cloned virus of murine coronavirus JHMV, cl-2, was shown to be highly neurovirulent for rats in comparison with other JHMV variants. We have isolated cl-2-derived variant viruses resistant to neutralization by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for the spike (S) protein of cl-2. The variants MM6 and MM13, selected by the MAbs specific for the JHMV S protein, were revealed to have a point mutation located within the N-terminal 100 amino acids (aa) of the S1 protein. The variants MM56, MM85, and MM78, selected by MAbs specific for the larger S protein of JHMV, were shown to have a deletion composed of about 150 aa located in the middle of the S1 subunit (MM56 and MM85) or one amino acid deletion, aspattic acid at number 543 from the N-terminus of the S1 (MM78). These five MAb-resistant variants were not different from cl-2 in growth pattern on cultured DBT cells. MM6 and MM13 were shown to be highly neurovirulent for 4-week-old Lewis rats, growing to high titers in the brain and causing as high an incidence of neurological disease and death as the parental cl-2. In contrast, MM56 and MM85 were nonneurovirulent for rats. They did not cause any central nervous system disorders nor did they multiply in the rat brains. MM78 showed intermediate neurovirulence as well as intermediate growth potential in the rat brain. However, there was no apparent difference in neurovirulence between the parental and the MAb-resistant variants for mice; all of these viruses showed high neurovirulence for mice. These results suggest that the domain composed of about 150 aa in the middle of the S1 is critical for high neurovirulence of JHMV for rats. Furthermore, it is suggested that the neurovirulence of cl-2 for mice is controlled by a different viral factor.

Although there is no longer a statutory requirement for midwives to take the maternal temperature routinely in the postpartum period, the practice still remains in midwifery without questioning its significance. In this article the routine midwifery practice of postnatal maternal temperature checking is defined as a screening test and evaluated.

The rat retina was studied by immunohistochemistry with antibody to S-100 protein during the first three postnatal weeks. Immunoreactive astrocytes are first detected subjacent to the inner limiting membrane close to the optic disc. They gradually increase in number and spread toward the ora serrata along the inner surface of the retina as the development proceeds. S-100-immunostained Müller cells are first identified on the 12th postnatal day although their immunoreactivity is much weaker than that of astrocytes at the same stage. This differential intensity of the immunoreactivity of the two cell types facilitates observation of the entire shape of the astrocyte. This characteristic reveals that cellular investments of blood vessels in the inner retina are formed by astrocytic processes whereas those in the outer plexiform layer are derived from processes of Müller cells. The cellular investment becomes complete by the 18th postnatal day.

The extraction equilibrium of the inert hexaaquarhodium(III) ion has been studied. Rhodium(III) was quantitatively and rapidly extracted from 0.10 mol dm−3trichloroacetate (TCA) or 0.010 mol dm−3pentadecafluorooctanoate solutions to heptane containing 0.10 mol dm−3trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) at pH 3–5. The extraction equilibria were achieved within 1 min at 298 K. From the equilibrium study in the TCA-TOPO system, the rhodium(III) species extracted into heptane was found to be Rh·3TCA·4TOPO, and the extraction constant was 1012.29. The rhodium(III) species in the organic phase was suggested to be the hexa-aquarhodium(III) complex associated with TCA and TOPO.

We determined the nucleotide sequences of the coding region for the M gene in seven strains of measles virus (MV) that were isolated in Japan between 1984 and 1993. The mutation found among the seven differed from those of laboratory strains. Many of these mutations were the same as those that are characteristic of SSPE viruses. Thus, we suggest that the mutations that have been considered specific to SSPE virus are in fact consensus among prevailing MV.

In this study, we developed a calibration method for a fast steering antenna for investigating the mode conversion window used in electron Bernstein wave heating in the large helical device. The calibration was carried out in under-dense plasma against a line-of-sight with an optical thickness which varied spatially. Although multi-reflected background radiation becomes dominant in optically thin lines-of-sight, we succeeded in calibrating the fast steering antenna by including the effect of multi-reflected background radiation in the solution of the radiation transfer equation as the constant by which the temperature of the center of the plasma is multiplied. In addition, we report the initial results of experiments investigating the mode conversion window in over-dense plasma using the calibrated antenna.

Visible spectra of solid samples were obtained by optical waveguide (OWG) spectroscopy. The spectra were confirmed to be due not to the powder samples themselves but to molecules sublimed from the solid samples and adsorbed on the waveguide. This result is supported by the observation that no spectrum was obtained from nonsublimed samples.

UV–vis absorption spectra of powders of naphthalene and salicylideneaniline were obtained using optical waveguide spectroscopy. It is demonstrated that the optical waveguide spectroscopy is an excellent method for the measurement of UV–vis absorption spectra of powdered materials as they are, without any treatment.

Strong Bragg gratings are realized in silica channel optical channel waveguides by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and reactive ion etching. In the gratings, the insertion of 0.2-m-thick SiO2layers with a relatively low refractive index between the cores and claddings successfully yields high reflectance, high extinction ratio, and low polarization dependence. © 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Abstract: This study was performed to determine the effects of lithotomy position on the spread of analgesia and hemodynamics following spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric tetracaine. Thirty patients who underwent hysterectomy due to myoma uteri were studied. All patients received spinal anesthesia in the left lateral decubitus position and were turned supine immediately after intrathecal administration of the drug. Fifteen patients were then placed in the horizontal lithotomy position within 10 s, and the remaining 15 were kept in the horizontal supine position for 30 min. There were no significant differences between the groups in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and in the cephalad spread of analgesia. The lithotomy position had no effect on the spread of analgesia or anesthetic course of spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric tetracaine.

Measles and rubella skin lesions were immunocytochemically compared by the avidin-biotinperoxidase complex method for detecting viral antigens. Cryostat sections of biopsied specimens of the skin were stained with mouse monoclonal antibodies to P protein of measles virus and to El protein of rubella virus. The measles virus antigen was concentrated in the corneal layer and the keratinocytes of the epidermis and in the surface part of the dermis in the biopsy secimens taken within 6 days after the onset of rash. On the other hand, the rubella virus antigen was dispersed in all parts of the dermis and the subcutaneous layer but not in the epidermis in the biopsy specimens taken within 2 days after the onset of rash. The differences in the distribution and density of the viral antigen and in the times of its detection suggest distinct patterns of spread of infection with each virus in the skin.

Scanning electron microscopy and total-reflection-angle X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-TRAXS) were applied to X-ray chemical analysis of a 1000 Å-thick YBa2Cu3Ox(YBCO) film on an MgO substrate. The intensity of the characteristic X-rays emitted from the YBCO thin film varied as a function of the take-off angle (?t) with respect to the film surface. The intensity of higher-energy X-rays of BaL lines and CuK lines was almost constant against the ?tover the wide range of 0°-30°, but that of lower-energy X-rays of YL?, CuL?and OK?lines depends strongly on the ?tup to 10°, and then slightly increases with the ?t.

Ceramics with the chemical formula xBa(Mg1/2W1/2)O3-(1-x) BaTiO3(x=0.40-1.0) are prepared for use as dielectric resonators. The specimens were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. As xdecreased from 1.0 to 0.40, the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency increased gradually from -33 to +303.5 ppm/°C. At x=2/3, the Q×fvalue increased markedly. The crystal structure with a Mg-W ordered B-site sublattice changed to a crystal structure with a Mg-W-Ti ordered B-site sublattice at x=0.84-0.72. Ba(Mg1/3W1/3Ti1/3)O3is formed at x?2/3, and has excellent dielectric properties (?r=14.5, Q×f=107000 ( GHz), ?f=-7.6 ppm/°C). The B-site cation of Ti improved the stability of the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) for Ba(Mg1/2W1/2)O3(?f=-33 ppm/°C).

A low-loss Y-branch optical waveguide with a wide gap between two output waveguides was designed. Its performance was simulated by the beam propagation method. In spite of its wider gap, the excess loss was much less than that in the case of conventional Y-branches. The wider gap is desirable for better step coverage in buried waveguides (e.g.silica waveguides).

Ba-Mg-W-Ti-O ceramics have been developed for a dielectric resonator at microwave frequencies. The specimens were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The ceramics were calcined at 1200°C for 2 h and sintered at 1500°C for 6 h. We found that the excellent temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency (?f) of +0.8 ppm/°C was obtained at BaO+0.32MgO+0.26WO3+0.42TiO2. [?r=21.5, Q×f=49000 (GHz)] In the case of the composition of BaO+0.32MgO+yWO3+zTiO2(y+z=0.68), ?fgradually changed from a negative value to zero following the increase of Zfrom 0.36 to 0.42. The intensity ratio of I(002)/I(220)of XRD which exhibits the Mg-W-Ti ordered B-site sublattice at the Ba(Mg, W, Ti)O3ceramic was reduced with the increasing of Z. However, at z=0.43, the BaTiO3secondary phase was observed and ?fincreased drastically to +33.7 ppm/°C, while Q×fdecreased to 19500 (GHz).