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Key message: Forced expression of rice 45S rRNA gene conferred ca. 2-fold increase of above-ground growth in transgenic Arabidopsis . This growth increase was probably brought by cell proliferation, not by cell enlargement. Abstract: Recent increase in carbon dioxide emissions is causing global climate change. The use of plant biomass as alternative energy source is one way to reduce these emissions. Therefore, reinforcement of plant biomass production is an urgent key issue to overcome both depletion of fossil energies and emission of carbon dioxide. Here, we created transgenic Arabidopsis with a 2-fold increase in above-ground growth by forced expression of the rice 45S rRNA gene using the maize ubiquitin promoter. Although the size of guard cells and ploidy of leaf-cells were similar between transgenic and control plants, numbers of stomata and pavement cells were much increased in the transgenic leaf. This data suggested that cell number, not cell expansion, was responsible for the growth increase, which might be brought by the forced expression of exogenous and full-length 45S rRNA gene. The expression level of rice 45S rRNA transcripts was very low, possibly triggering unknown machinery to enhance cell proliferation. Although microarray analysis showed enhanced expression of ethylene-responsive transcription factors, these factors might respond to ethylene induced by abiotic/biotic stresses or genomic incompatibility, which might be involved in the expression of species-specific internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences within rice 45S rRNA transcripts. Further analysis of the mechanism underlying the growth increase will contribute to understanding the regulation of the cell proliferation and the mechanism of hybrid vigor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride (DEX) is a α-adrenergic receptor agonist that causes vasoconstriction by acting on α-adrenergic receptors in peripheral blood vessels. The authors aimed to determine the influence of DEX on tissue distribution, anesthetic action, and hemodynamic effects of lidocaine in rats. The investigators injected indigo carmine-containing C-labeled lidocaine hydrochloride (2 %) without and with 3.1, 12.5, or 50 μg/mL DEX or 10 μg/mL epinephrine into the right palatal mucosa mesial to the maxillary first molar of specific pathogen-free male Wistar rats. Autoradiography and liquid scintillation counting were performed to evaluate C-labeled lidocaine concentrations in the palatal mucosa, maxillary bone, maxillary nerve, and peripheral blood. Somatosensory-evoked potentials were measured to analyze anesthetic action, and blood pressure and pulse rate were measured to compare hemodynamic effects. DEX extended the tissue distribution of lidocaine in a concentration-dependent manner. Lidocaine with 12.5 μg/mL DEX had similar blood peak arrival time and peak-to-peak amplitude as lidocaine with 10 μg/mL epinephrine, but it reduced pulse rate. The results of this study suggest that 12.5 μg/mL DEX improves tissue distribution, anesthetic action, and hemodynamic effects of lidocaine in rats. Therefore, 12.5 μg/mL DEX may be a suitable alternative to epinephrine in lidocaine formulations, especially for patients with ischemic heart disease and hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of a petawatt laser and nuclear physics techniques can crucially facilitate the measurement of exotic nuclei properties. With numerical simulations and laser-driven experiments we show prospects for the Laser-driven Exotic Nuclei extraction-acceleration method proposed in [M. Nishiuchi et al., Phys, Plasmas 22, 033107 (2015)]: a femtosecond petawatt laser, irradiating a target bombarded by an external ion beam, extracts from the target and accelerates to few GeV highly charged short-lived heavy exotic nuclei created in the target via nuclear reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rice is one of the most important crops, and it is essential to improve rice productivity to satisfy the future global food supply demands. Gn1a ( OsCKX2), which encodes cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase, plays an important role in regulating rice grain yield. Results: In this study, we analyzed the genetic variation of Gn1a, which influences grain yield through controlling the number of spikelets in rice. The allelic variations in the promoter, 5' untranslated region (UTR) and coding sequence (CDS) of Gn1a were investigated in 175 cultivars and 21 wild rice accessions. We found that Gn1a showed less sequence variation in the cultivars, but exhibited significant nucleotide diversity in wild rice. A total of 14 alleles, named AP1 to AP14, were identified in the cultivars based on the amino acid divergence of GN1A. Association analysis revealed that the number of spikelets and grain yield were significantly different between the different alleles. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the three main alleles, AP3, AP8 and AP9, in the cultivars might originate from a common ancestor allele, AP1, in wild rice. Conclusions: Of these alleles in the cultivars, AP9 was suggested as the best allele in indica, as it has shown strong artificial selection in breeding high-yield rice in the past. It might be valuable to explore the high-yield-related alleles of Gn1a to develop high-yield rice cultivars in future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myiasis, the infestation of tissues of live humans and other vertebrate animals with dipteran larvae (maggots), is a phenomenon of widespread occurrence throughout the tropical regions of the world. It is commonly seen in domestic and wild animals but occurs rarely in man also. The tissue invasion in man by maggots is generally a well-recognized complication of neglected wounds. The condition may be asymptomatic but occasionally results in more or less severe problems and even death when larvae invade body cavities or areas that forbid their direct visual examination. Many cases of myiasis, however, usually do not reach the attention of medical practitioners because of the tendency of the mature larvae to migrate out of the lesion for pupation. In the present study, the authors reviewed the past literature describing the cases of human myiasis, causative fly species and predisposing factors for the onset of the same. The aim of the present manuscript is to provide a database for the future reference of medical entomologists, medical practitioners and veterinarians. Review of literature revealed that 37 fly species belonging to ten families were responsible worldwide for the onset of human myiasis. The incidence of myiasis among humans can be correlated to increasing fly populations, poor hygienic conditions and presence of domestic animals in the close vicinity. Other factors responsible for myiasis include neglected open wounds and foul-smelling discharge from natural body openings. Moreover, ignorance plays a key role in its occurrence since people are generally unaware about the actual cause and often correlate the condition to their superstitious beliefs. It is emphasized that the patients should not neglect their wounds and should take proper medical care; otherwise, myiasis may supervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation can be caused by both degeneration and traumatic injury, ultimately resulting in back pain or sciatica due to disc protrusion. Replacement of the nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue during surgical intervention post herniation could improve the long-term stability of the functional spinal unit. Tissue engineering strategies may potentially restore both biological and mechanical function of the NP. Recently, photocrosslinked carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) hydrogels were shown to support chondrogenic, NP-like extracellular matrix (ECM) elaboration by human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) when supplemented with TGF-β3. However, long-term preconditioning with soluble growth factors in vitro or the use of sustained growth factor delivery vehicles in vivo can be expensive and difficult to control. Transient supplementation with growth factors has been shown to maintain or improve maturation of tissue-engineered constructs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of TGF-β3 exposure time on hydrogel bulk properties and NP-like matrix elaboration in hMSC-laden CMC hydrogels. Constructs were exposed to TGF-β3 for 2 weeks (Transient), 8 weeks (Continuous) or 0 weeks (controls). After 8 weeks of culture, both the Transient and Continuous groups exhibited increased ECM accumulation compared to 2 weeks and controls. The Transient group displayed significantly greater accumulation of collagens I and II, while GAG content was significantly higher in the Continuous group by 8 weeks. Distribution of ECM was more homogeneous in the Continuous group, while the Transient group exhibited more concentrated accumulation in the periphery of the hydrogel by 8 weeks. Mechanical properties improved over time in both groups, however, Continuous constructs demonstrated significantly more robust mechanical properties (equilibrium modulus and peak stress) compared to Transient gels at 8 weeks. Although the functional properties of Transient constructs did not surpass those achieved by Continuous scaffolds, they increased and were maintained upon growth factor removal at 2 weeks, and were greater than controls. Additionally, Transient construct mechanical properties (equilibrium modulus, % relaxation) were similar to those of native NP tissue. The differences seen in ECM distribution and subsequent construct functional maturation are likely due to the time available for diffusion of growth factors through the construct. Overall, these findings support the use of short-term TGF-β3 treatment to promote sufficient long-term tissue maturation in vitro in this hMSC-laden CMC hydrogel system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Ti:sapphire laser system has been constructed with two synchronized main beams of 110 TW and 13 TW, and a 5-TW wavelength-tunable synchronized auxiliary beam for versatile control of laser-plasma interaction. The first main beam provides 3.3-J, 30-fs, 810-nm pulses, and the second 450-mJ, 34-fs, 805-nm pulses. The auxiliary beam comes from amplified spectral windows selected from a supercontinuum of high spatial coherence and provides 38-fs pulses with tunable wavelengths (870-920 nm). The two main beams can be focused down to M = 1.2 and 1.1, with 77 and 81 % energy enclosed in the focal spots, respectively. The energy fluctuations are 1.1 and 1.8 %, and the pointing fluctuations are 4.5 and 4.8 μrad, respectively. By using a preamplifier and saturable absorber before the pulse stretcher to suppress amplified spontaneous emission, the temporal contrast of the 110-TW main beam reaches $$4 \times 10^{-10}$$ at the −100-ps timescale. Even though the auxiliary beam is generated from a highly nonlinear process, by confining the supercontinuum generation in a single self-trapping filament, a spatial coherence close to the main beams can be achieved. It can be focused down to M = 1.3, with 72 % energy enclosed in the focal spot. The energy fluctuation is 2.6 %, and the pointing fluctuation is 4.7 μrad. The versatility of synchronized multiple-beams with tunable wavelengths, good energy and pointing stability, and the spatiotemporal quality of the laser system has been essential to our experiments in high-harmonic generation, extreme-UV lasers, and laser-wakefield accelerators in which precision control of laser-plasma interaction is facilitated by a concerted sequence of driving pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells (SCs) vary in morphological, immunophenotypic, proliferative, and differentiation characteristics depending on their tissue source. Comparative analysis of their biological properties is essential for making an optimal SC choice for regenerative therapy. Using immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, histochemistry, and RT-PCR, we have investigated SCs obtained from human subepicardial (SEC-AT) and subcutaneous (SC-AT) adipose tissues and cultured under similar conditions without any differentiation-promoting factors. The cultures were similar in having a high proportion of proliferating cells positive for nuclear antigen (PCNA). In both cultures, immunophenotyping has revealed high expression of mesenchymal stem-cell surface markers CD29, CD44, CD73, and CD105; low expression of CD31, CD34, and CD45; and variability in CD117, CD146, and CD309 expression. The only difference in the CD marker profile was the significantly lower expression of CD90 in the culture of SCs from SC-AT than from SEC-AT. Histochemical analysis showed a lack of Oil Red O-positive cells in both cultures and an about ten times higher number of alkaline phosphatase-positive cells among SCs from SC-AT. In both cultures, immunocytochemistry detected low expression of the slow myosin heavy chain marker MAB1628 and smooth muscle actin marker α-hSMA. Expression of the gap junction protein connexin-43 was markedly higher in cells from SC-AT cultures. Only the cells of these cultures expressed the epithelial cell marker cytokeratin-19. GATA4 mRNA expression detected with RT-PCR was identified in SEC-AT rather than in SC-AT cells. Our results suggest that SC-AT is enriched compared to SEC-AT with epithelial cell and osteogenic progenitors. In turn, SEC-AT possesses cardiomyogenic SCs and can be considered an alternative source for cell cardiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gadolinium (Gd) neutron capture plays an important role in both Gd neutron capture therapy and neutron detection. Detailed information about the low-energy electron spectrum emitted after Gd neutron capture is essential for accurately determining the dose delivery to the target and healthy tissues, as well as the effectiveness of Gd against other neutron convertors such as boron (B) and lithium (Li). Owing to issues such as charge extraction associated with the low energy of internal conversion electrons (ICEs) and high gamma interaction of Gd, its competitiveness for certain applications remains debatable. We measured the ICE spectrum of Gd, compared the energy deposition rates of neutron capture products from Gd, B, and Li compounds, and discussed issues associated with gamma sensitivity of Gd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice panicle architecture depends on the arrangement of branches and spikelets which directly affect grain yield. We identified a mutant for panicle apical abortion (PAA-Hwa) from a japonica cultivar Hwacheongbyeo treated with N-methyl- N-nitrosourea. Under normal growth conditions, the mutant had multiple abnormal phenotypes, such as a slight reduction in plant height, narrow and dark green leaf blades, and small erect panicles with clear PAA compared to the wild-type plants. Genetic analysis revealed that the PAA was controlled by a single recessive gene, which is tentatively designated as paa- h. The paa- h gene was fine mapped at an interval of 71 kb flanked by sequence tagged site markers aptn3 and S6685-1 at the long arm of chromosome 4. Sequence analysis of the candidate genes within the delimited region showed a single base-pair change corresponding to an amino acid substitution from glycine to glutamic acid at the candidate gene, LOC_Os04g56160. We expect that the paa- h gene will be a clue to uncover the molecular mechanism of PAA and to maintain the panicle identity for grain yield in rice breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurogenesis is the developmental process regulating cell proliferation of neural stem cells, determining their differentiation into glial and neuronal cells, and orchestrating their organization into finely regulated functional networks. Can this complex process be recapitulated in vitro using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology? Can neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases be modeled using iPSCs? What is the potential of iPSC technology in neurobiology? What are the recent advances in the field of neurological diseases? Since the applications of iPSCs in neurobiology are based on the capacity to regulate in vitro differentiation of human iPSCs into different neuronal subtypes and glial cells, and the possibility of obtaining iPSC-derived neurons and glial cells is based on and hindered by our poor understanding of human embryonic development, we reviewed current knowledge on in vitro neural differentiation from a developmental and cellular biology perspective. We highlight the importance to further advance our understanding on the mechanisms controlling in vivo neurogenesis in order to efficiently guide neurogenesis in vitro for cell modeling and therapeutical applications of iPSCs technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, particular attention has been paid to the human embryonic stem cells (hESC) in the context of their potential application in regenerative medicine; however, ethical concerns prevent their clinical application. Induction of pluripotency in somatic cells seems to be a good alternative for hESC recruitment regarding its potential use in tissue regeneration, disease modeling, and drug screening. Since Yamanaka's team in 2006 restored pluripotent state of somatic cells for the first time, a significant progress has been made in the area of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) generation. Here, we review the current state of knowledge in the issue of techniques applied to establish iPSC. Somatic cell nuclear transfer, cell fusion, cell extracts reprogramming, and techniques of direct reprogramming are described. Retroviral and lentiviral transduction are depicted as ways of cell reprogramming with the use of integrating vectors. Contrary to them, adenoviruses, plasmids, single multiprotein expression vectors, and PiggyBac transposition systems are examples of non-integrative vectors used in iPSC generation protocols. Furthermore, reprogramming with the delivery of specific proteins, miRNA or small chemical compounds are presented. Finally, the changes occurring during the reprogramming process are described. It is concluded that subject to some limitations iPSC could become equivalents for hESC in regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents electro-hydraulic servo systems of a robotic excavator with a contour control algorithm. It is very important to precisely move the bucket tip of the excavator to a desired trajectory. There have been many studies to accurately control the bucket dealing with the non-linearity in the hydraulic boom, arm, and bucket cylinders. Beginning with these conventional methods, a new method that focuses on keeping contours rather than just following position commands is presented. In the leveling work, for example, it is more important to maintain linear contour than chasing a position goal. The contour control shares the control effort to make the bucket stay on the path, while slightly sacrificing the position tracking accuracy. After the kinematics of the excavator system were analyzed, the contour control algorithm was developed. The algorithm was applied to leveling work with a real excavator. The experiments showed better performance than using position control alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are widely used for different purposes, including gene targeting, cell therapy, tissue repair, organ regeneration, and so on. However, studies and applications of ES cells are hindered by ethical issues regarding cell sources. To circumvent ethical disputes, great efforts have been taken to generate ES cell-like cells, which are not derived from the inner cell mass of blastocyst-stage embryos. In 2006, Yamanaka et al. first reprogrammed mouse embryonic fibroblasts into ES cell-like cells called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. About one year later, Yamanaka et al. and Thomson et al. independently reprogrammed human somatic cells into iPS cells. Since the first generation of iPS cells, they have now been derived from quite a few different kinds of cell types. In particular, the use of peripheral blood facilitates research on iPS cells because of safety, easy availability, and plenty of cell sources. Now iPS cells have been used for cell therapy, disease modeling, and drug discovery. In this review, we describe the generations, applications, potential issues, and future perspectives of iPS cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image quality and potential usefulness for patient skin-dose reduction of a newly developed flat-panel detector (FPD) system employing irradiation side sampling (ISS) were investigated and compared to a conventional computed radiography (CR) system. We used the X-ray beam quality of RQA 9 as noted in the standard evaluation method by the International Electrotechnical Commission 62220-1 to evaluate the image quality of the detector for chest radiography. The presampled modulation transfer function (MTF) of the ISS-FPD system was slightly higher than that of the CR system in the horizontal direction at more than 2.2 cycles/mm. However, the presampled MTF of the ISS-FPD system was slightly lower than that of the CR system in the vertical direction. The Wiener spectrum of the ISS-FPD system showed a 50-65 % lesser noise level than that of the CR system under the same exposure condition. The detective quantum efficiency of the ISS-FPD system was at least twice as great as that of the CR system. We conclude that the ISS-FPD system has the potential to reduce the patient skin dose compared to a conventional CR system for chest radiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary cultures and cell lines form three types of colonies, termed holoclones, meroclones and paraclones by Barrandon and Green (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 84:2302-2306, ). They suggested that the three types correspond to colonies derived from stem, transit-amplifying and terminally differentiated cells. We determined the effect of culture conditions (seeding density, serum concentration, type of medium and substrate) on the proportion of each colony type and the cell number of individual colonies, using three prostate cancer cell lines, DU145, LNCaP and PC-3. In less favourable culture conditions, stem cell (SC) colonies tended to be lost; but in more favourable conditions, only modest increases in the proportion of SC colonies were observed. Under some conditions, cell number, but not colony-forming ability, was altered, indicating that colony cell number is controlled, at least in part, by different factors to colony formation. Colony-forming ability of individual cell lines is remarkably stable and there is little evidence for clonal evolution in culture, which might be expected and would result in more aggressive, faster-growing cells. Better understanding of how colony-forming efficiency is controlled could lead to the identification of drug targets that control SC growth and modify the progression of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-stage optical parametric amplifier driven by a frequency-tripled beam from the high-energy iodine laser system SOFIA was built. This single-shot Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse-Amplification facility (OPCPA) and the system synchronizing the pump and signal pulses are described in detail. The chirped seed pulse of a Ti:sapphire oscillator running at the central wavelength of 800 nm is amplified in the two-stage (LBO and KDP) optical parametric amplifier over 10 times. The amplified spectral bandwidth of 68 nm corresponds to the pulse duration of 14 fs when a transform-limited pulse is assumed. This implies a compressed pulse of TW power. Systematic gain measurements reveal a good match with the theoretical predictions. Signal and idler beam fluence profiles are presented. The suitability of the iodine photo-dissociation laser as a pump source for the OPCPA technique is thus proved for the first time experimentally. A distinctive feature of the iodine laser is its very narrow gain bandwidth (<0.1 cm) and, therefore, the conventional chirped-pulse amplification technique does not lead to pulse durations at the femtosecond level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to estimate the CO absorptivity provided by an in situ carbon supply system using a photosynthetic culture of the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis in an open raceway pond. The effects of initial total carbon concentrations (ranging from 0 to 0.1 mol/L), suspension depths (ranging from 5 to 20 cm) and pH values (ranging from 8.9 to 11.0) on the CO absorptivity were studied. The results indicated that CO absorptivity was positively correlated with pH value, negatively correlated with total carbon concentration, and only negligibly affected by the suspension depth. The optimum total carbon concentration range and pH range were 0.03 ∼ 0.09 mol/L and 9.7 ∼ 10.0, respectively. An average CO absorptivity of 86.16% and average CO utilization efficiency of 79.18% were achieved using this in situ carbon-supply system in large-scale cultivation of Spirulina platensis, with an initial total carbon concentration of 0.06 mol/L and pH value of 9.8. Our results demonstrated that this system could obtain a favorable CO utilization efficiency in outdoor, large-scale cultivation of Spirulina platensis in open raceway ponds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have demonstrated an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA)/Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk hybrid laser system having hundred mJ level pulse energy sub-picosecond pulse duration with high temporal contrast. At an input chirped-pulse energy of 3.8 mJ from an OPCPA preamplifier an output energy of 130 mJ has been generated from multipass diode-pumped Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk amplifier. A recompressed pulse duration of 450 fs with a contrast level of less than 7.2×10 at −150 ps before the main pulse has been obtained. The contrast level is the highest value achieved in Yb:YAG chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) laser system at 100 mJ level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrahigh contrast laser pulse of over 10 for 6 ps before the main pulse was achieved by employing a double plasma mirror installed at the end of a 100 TW Ti:sapphire laser system. Spatial beam qualities such as focusability and stability were found to be extremely sensitive in the range of 14-360 J/cm on the double plasma mirror, while ultrahigh contrast was maintained. At the fluence of 90 J/cm the focusability of the ultrahigh contrast laser was not degraded, and the stability was very close to that obtained without the double plasma mirror when the 2-dimensional normalized standard deviation and the correlation function for several laser beam profiles were analyzed. These results are requisites for carrying out relativistic laser-plasma interactions with ultrahigh contrast laser pulses, enabling the use of ultrathin solid targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has emerged as an invaluable method for generating patient-specific stem cells of any lineage without the use of embryonic materials. Following the first reported generation of iPS cells from murine fibroblasts using retroviral transduction of a defined set of transcription factors, various new strategies have been developed to improve and refine the reprogramming technology. Recent developments provide optimism that the generation of safe iPS cells without any genomic modification could be derived in the near future for the use in clinical settings. This review summarizes current and evolving strategies in the generation of iPS cells, including types of somatic cells for reprogramming, variations of reprogramming genes, reprogramming methods, and how the advancement iPS cells technology can lead to the future success of reproductive medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, stem cell treatment of myocardial infarction has elicited great enthusiasm upon scientists and physicians alike, thus making the finding of a suitable cell a compulsory subject for modern medicine. Due to its potential, accessibility and efficiency of harvesting, adipose tissue has become one of the most attractive sources of stem cells for regenerative therapies. The differentiation capacity and the paracrine activity of these cells has made them an optimal candidate for the treatment of a diverse range of diseases from immunological disorders as graft versus host disease to cardiovascular pathologies like peripheral ischemia. In this review, we will focus on the use of stem cells derived from adipose tissue for treatment of myocardial infarction, with special attention to their putative in vivo mechanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We obtain the phase diagram of random Boolean networks with nested canalizing functions. Using the annealed approximation, we obtain the evolution of the number b of nodes with value one, and the network sensitivity λ, and compare with numerical simulations of quenched networks. We find that, contrary to what was reported by Kauffman et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 101, 17102 (2004)], these networks have a rich phase diagram, were both the 'chaotic" and frozen phases are present, as well as an oscillatory regime of the value of b. We argue that the presence of only the frozen phase in the work of Kauffman et al. was due simply to the specific parametrization used, and is not an inherent feature of this class of functions. However, these networks are significantly more stable than the variant where all possible Boolean functions are allowed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japan, amebiasis has been observed in homosexual men, in institutionalized persons, and in overseas travelers. We have previously reported an outbreak of amebiasis that occurred from 1986 to 1994 in institutions for the mentally retarded in Kanagawa and Shizuoka Prefectures in Eastern Japan. Entamoeba histolytica but not Entamoeba dispar was identified in Entamoeba cultures obtained from cyst passers in four institutions located in different municipalities in this region. In the present study, serine-rich protein genes of eight isolates from the four institutions were sequenced, and their polymorphism was analyzed. The results showed that all the sequences from the E. histolytica isolates were identical. This retrospective study led us to conclude that the outbreak of amebiasis in different municipalities was derived from a single source of E. histolytica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the evolution of the distribution function of fast ions with an ultimately high time resolution during both injection of neutrals and ion cyclotron plasma heating on the JET tokamak, we have developed a system for spectrometry of fast charge-exchange atoms, which consists of a spectrometric natural-diamond detector and a digital spectrometric channel. The main elements of the spectrometric system—the diamond detector, a noise-immune charge-sensitive preamplifier, and a fast analog-to-digital converter (ADC)—have been manufactured explicitly for use in spectrometry of fast charge-exchange atoms on the JET tokamak at high counting rates. The diamond detector that ensures the spectrometry of hydrogen atoms in the energy range 20–5000 keV is installed in the equatorial plane at an 18-m distance from the plasma axis at the end of the vacuum channel created for X-ray spectroscopy. A fast 14-bit ADC with 100-MHz sampling frequency and a 2-GB memory digitizes the preamplifier output signal. The developed digital spectrometric system can operate at a counting rate of up to ∼107 counts/s. Laboratory tests of the developed spectrometric system have shown that its energy resolution is no worse than the resolution of a similar analog system. In the experiments on the JET, the diamond digital spectrometric system ensures recording of the energy distributions of fast charge-exchange atoms with energies >40 keV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance (IR) is now considered to be a risk factor for coronary arterial atherosclerosis and is likely to be involved in a limited endothelium-dependent vasodilatory function in peripheral circulation. We investigated whether IR impairs endothelial vasodilator function in the noninfarcted coronary artery. In 14 nondiabetic patients (10 males, 66 ± 6 years) who were selected from 214 patients underwent IR evaluation by glucose clamp, a Doppler flow wire was used to measure coronary flow changes (percent volume flow index, %VFI) during intracoronary administration of papaverin (10 mg) and stepwise administration of acetylcholine (Ach; 1, 3, 10 μg/ml per minute) into the non-infarcted left circumflex coronary artery. Insulin resistance was comparatively evaluated by an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp (M value, mg/m2 per minute) or by a 75g-oral glucose tolerance test (120-min immunoreactive insulin; 120′ IRI, pmol/l). Eight patients (57%) were defined as having IR on the basis of results obtained by both the glucose clamp method (M values <167 mg/m2 per minute) and 120′ IRI (>384 pmol/l). There was no difference between papaverin-induced %VFI increases in IR and non-IR subjects (328% ± 43% vs. 361% ± 87%). However, IR subjects showed significantly lower Ach-induced %VFI increases in a dose-dependent manner ( P < 0.05), especially when low (1 μg/ml per minute) and moderate (3 μg/ml per minute) doses of Ach were used (165% ± 18% or 248% ± 29% in non-IR subjects vs. 130% ± 20% or 183% ± 41% in IR subjects, P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, %VFI increase at a low dose of Ach infusion significantly correlated with M values or 120′ IRI ([%VFI Ach 1 μg] = 85.9 + 0.35 [M values], r = 0.58, P = 0.038; [%VFI Ach 1 μg] = 176.8 − 0.47·[120′ IRI], r = −0.57, P = 0.035). Insulin resistance limits endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilation in association with the severity of IR in non-diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operating conditions of a neutron diagnostic system responsible for measuring the neutron yield in the ITER tokamak reactor are analyzed. Based on results of physical calculations and analysis of suitable methods for measuring the neutron yield, an original concept of a system for measuring neutron fluxed in the divertor zone of the ITER is proposed. The design for the neutron flux monitor located in the divertor zone of the tokamak is selected in view of the requirements specified for the neutron diagnostic system of the ITER and its operating conditions. Four fission chambers with different sensitivities and radiator materials are used as sensitive elements of the monitor. This system is capable of measuring neutron fluxes over the entire dynamic range of the neutron yield in the ITER with an error of ≤10% and a time resolution of 1 ms that are necessary for studying the physical mechanism of thermonuclear plasma ignition and burning. Several possible variants for housing the detector unit inside the divertor assembly and integrating it in the existing project are proposed. The problems of carrying out efficiency calibration of the divertor neutron monitor with the aim of determining the absolute value of the neutron yield in the ITER tokamak reactor are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of blood pressure and levels of serum lipids, liver enzymes, blood glucose and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) with drinking habit was examined in Japanese men. The subjects were 264 men aged 39 to 80 years who were classified into the ALDH2 deficiency or sufficiency group using the ethanol patch test and the Tokyo University ALDH2 Phenotype Screening Test. A self-administered questionnaire including drinking habit was used. Blood pressure and the levels of biochemical markers in groups with ALDH2 sufficiency, ALDH2 deficiency and drinking habit were compared using multiple regression models for adjusting age, smoking habit, physical exercising habit and body mass index. The levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) were significantly higher in current drinkers of 20 g of ethanol or more per day than in nondrinkers of the ALDH2 sufficiency group. The levels of serum AST and γ-GTP in current drinkers of 20 g of ethanol or more per day, and fasting blood sugar in current drinkers of less than 20 g of ethanol per day were significantly higher than those in nondrinkers of the ALDH2 deficiency group. These results suggest that alcohol consumption increases the levels of serum lipids and liver enzymes in ALDH2-sufficient individuals and liver enzymes and blood glucose levels in ALDH2-deficient individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 113 mentally retarded patients residing in a mental institution in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines, were screened for the presence of Entamoeba histolytica based on microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Anti-E. histolytica antibodies were also screened in 97 serum samples collected using immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test. Parasitological examination showed E. histolytica/Entamoeba dispar in 43 cases (38.05%), while PCR detected 74 cases (65.48%) positive for E. histolytica and 6 cases (5.30%) positive for E. dispar. Interestingly, these 6 samples were coinfected with E. histolytica. IFA test revealed that 80.41% (78/97) of the respondents possessed significant antibody titers for intestinal infection of E. histolytica. Of this number, there were 5 patients negative in IFA test but positive in PCR. The genetic diversity of E. histolytica isolates was also investigated by analyzing polymorphism in the serine-rich gene by nested PCR on DNA directly extracted from stool specimens. A combination of the nested PCR results and the AluI digestion of the PCR products examined yielded six distinct DNA banding patterns among the 74 stool isolates. An apparent clustering of E. histolytica strains was observed in patients living in different residential cottages of the institution. These results indicate the high prevalence of E. histolytica in an institution for the mentally retarded in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we extend the arithmetic (AR) expressions for functions on finite dyadic groups to functions used in Fibonacci interconnection topologies. We have introduced the Fibonacci-Arithmetic (FibAR) expressions for representation of these functions. We discussed the optimization of FibARs with respect to the number of non-zero coefficients through the Fixed-Polarity FibARs defined by using different polarities for the Fibonacci variables. In this way, we provide a base to extend the application of ARs and related powerful CAD design tools for switching functions to functions in Fibonacci interconnection topologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total momenta of the particles emitted by a target intensely sputtered with heavy noble-gas ions with an energy of E[sub 0] ≈ 0.5 keV are measured. For liquid Ga targets and Ga targets at the premelting temperature, the measured momenta are close to the expected values for the sputtered metal atoms and reflected ions, whereas for Cu and Zr targets, the measured momenta are significantly higher. It is assumed that these excessive momenta are related to the sputtering of the noble gas atoms implanted into the target. The average energy of these atoms is estimated as 〈E〉 ≈ 20 eV. When gallium is irradiated, the implanted atoms diffuse predominantly to the surface and then are desorbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermalization of the energetic atoms emitted by a target at pressures up to 100 Pa causes heating and motion of the gaseous medium. The temperature and velocity of the gas have been measured as a function of the magnetron-discharge parameters. This paper presents the dependences of the deposition rate, the thickness profile, and the film structure on the pressure and the discharge power. It shows that they are well described by a simple diffusion model of the transport of the thermalized atoms of the target that takes into account the motion and heating of the gaseous medium. © 1998 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Low energy π and π production cross sections have been measured inO at 65 MeV/u andKr at 60 MeV/u induced reactions onLi,C,Al,Ag andAu. The results are compared with a previous measurement obtained withO at 93 MeV/u. Large deviations are observed between light and heavy ion data. At variance withO, the ratios π/ π are independent of the target in the Krypton case. A change in the regime of the projectile-target mass scaling of cross-sections is observed with the heaviest projectile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In humans, ingested alcohol is mainly metabolized by the combination of class I alcohol dehydrogenase (ADII) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). In Orientals, there are highly frequent polymorphisms both in the class I ADH β subunit (ADHZ) and in the low K ALDH (ALDH2). We characterized the three genotypes of ALDH2 in a Japanese population. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of the ADH polymorphism in the same population (424 males and 100 females) controlling for the effects of the ALDH polymorphism. In the ALDH2/ALDH2 group, the frequency of facial flushing with one glass of beer was significantly higher in the ADH/ADH and ADH/ADH genotype than in the ADH/ADH genotype. Likewise, the proportion of persons with positive results for ethanol-induced cutaneous erythema differed significantly depending on the ADH genotype in both the ALDH2/ALDH2 and ALDH2/ALDH2 genotypes. However, drinking habits were not significantly associated with the ADH genotype, suggesting that the ADH genotype influences the metabolism of ethanol only in the peripheral tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative pion production cross-sections are measured at 38, 65 and 93 MeV per nucleon in O + Al reaction. Rough estimations of the total cross sections are given and compared to previous neutral pion data. Double differential cross sections at 93 and 65 MeV/u show enhancement for pions with velocity close to the beam. At variance no effect is observed at 38 MeV, where π and π distributions are identical. Few π detected at 38 MeV support this result. This indicates that at the lowest incident energy nearly the whole projectile participates in the production reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron time-of-flight spectra were measured in coincidence with γ-rays characteristic for the xn (x=2, 3, 4, 5) fusion-like products in reactions of 35-57 MeV α-particles withSn. Additional information was obtained from excitation function and γ-multiplicity measurements. The neutron energy spectra for a specific x n channel at high bombarding energies clearly show the presence of nonequilibrium neutron emission. The spectra are parameterized in terms of emission from a slow equilibrated and a fast moving source. The fast moving source has a velocity close to the beam velocity indicating a close relationship between the movement of the projectile and the neutron emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of pions in intermediate energy nucleus-nucleus collisions by incoherent nucleon-nucleon collisions is studied within a microscopic quantal phase-space approach. Employing free production rates for the elementary process N+ N → π+X experimental data for inclusive pion yields are approximately reproduced from 20-150 MeV/u within the first collision approximation. These results indicate that cooperative phenomena - apart from the time-dependent mean field - seem to play a minor role for energetic particle production even at very low bombarding energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excitation functions of the reactionsAg(He, xn) andCd( p, xn) have been measured with stacked foil techniques for projectile energies E≦45 MeV and multiplicities x≦4 populating ground and spin isomeric states inIn. Preequilibrium (PE) contributions are more pronounced for the p than for theHe entrance channel and for low multiplicities x and can be reproduced with the (geometry dependent) hybrid model. The observed isomeric cross section ratios require a reduced population for the high spin state (as compared with the expectation for equilibrated systems) whenever PE emission contributes significantly. Calculations for a full statistical model with a PE decay mode and approximate angular momentum conservation indicate PE neutron emission to be stretched in angular momentum space. For the ( p, xn) reactions a more detailed coupling scheme is imperative whereas the (He, xn) data suggest the competitive PE emission of complex particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast neutron emission from the giant quadrupole resonance region is studied. To explain the characteristic neutron angular distribution observed by coincidence experiments, we investigated the escape process of the giant quadrupole resonance and the contribution from the direct knockout reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possible build-up of the spin-isospin fluctuation strength in nuclear collisions is investigated. In lack of quantum mechanical methods we rely on assumptions usually applied for heavy ion collisions. Based on a fluid dynamical picture we present our 'isospin coupling in a nucleon cascade'. Within this framework it is possible to describe the mean isospin value as a function of the number of participants in a heavy ion collision and it is possible to study the effect of neutron excess. Since the pion field couples to the spin-isospin density a substantial size of this quantity gives rise to pion bremsstrahlung, the dominant subthreshold pion production mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a detailed account of investigations on the structure of giant monopole resonances inPb. A part of the results of this paper has already been published in 'Short Notes' in this journal. The calculations are based on a renormalized correlation function technique which turned out to be very suitable for our purposes. The calculations predict an isoscalar resonance at E≈13 MeV and an isovector resonance at E≈20.5 MeV. The width of both states is mainly due to the spreading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 77 mentally retarde male inpatients residing in a psychiatric institution in northern Italy were screened for the presence of stool parasites, Entamoeba histolytica particularly. Parasitological stool examination showed Entamoeba spp. ( E. histolytica and/or E. dispar) in 26 cases (33.7%). In vitro culture on Robinson's medium was positive in 16 cases (61.1%); in 11 cases we could stabilize and clone the isolates and proceed to electrophoretic assays. In all cases, patterns of pathogenic zymodemes were found (zymodeme II, 3 isolates; zymodeme XII, 4 isolates; zymodeme XIV, 4 isolates). All isolates were therefore identified as E. histolytica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total photoneutron cross section ofPb was measured between 8 and 13 MeV using the bremsstrahlung photon facility from a 35 MeV linac. Considerable resonance structure was observed in the cross section, of which the peak around 9 MeV, as well as the structure around 10.8 MeV may be due to E2 excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new scheme using macroscopic coherence is proposed to experimentally determine the neutrino mass matrix, in particular the absolute value of neutrino masses, and the mass type, Majorana or Dirac. The proposed process is a collective, coherent Raman scattering followed by neutrino-pair emission from | e ⟩ of a long lifetime to | g ⟩ ; γ 0 + | e ⟩ → γ + ∑ ij ν i ν j ¯ + | g ⟩ with ν i ν j ¯ consisting of six massive neutrino-pairs. Calculated angular distribution has six (ij) thresholds which show up as steps at different angles. Angular locations of thresholds and event rates of the angular distribution make it possible to experimentally determine the smallest neutrino mass to the level of less than several meV, (accordingly all three masses using neutrino oscillation data), the mass ordering pattern, normal or inverted, and to distinguish whether neutrinos are of Majorana or Dirac type. Event rates of neutrino-pair emission, when the mechanism of macroscopic coherence amplification works, may become large enough for realistic experiments by carefully selecting certain types of target. The problem to be overcome is macro-coherently amplified quantum electrodynamic background of the process, γ 0 + | e ⟩ → γ + γ 2 + γ 3 + | g ⟩ , when two extra photons, γ 2 , γ 3 , escape detection. We illustrate our idea using neutral Xe and trivalent Ho ion doped in dielectric crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rice (Oryza sativa) panicle architecture is the major determinant of the ideal plant architecture that directly influence yield potential. Many genes influencing development of primary branches, secondary branches, spikelet and pedicel would also influence panicle architecture, which is thus a complex trait regulated by genes from various aspects. miR156, an extensively studied miRNA, has recently emerged as promising target for crop improvement because of its role in plant architecture regulation, such as the number of tillers, plant height and the panicle architecture. Increasing evidence suggests that miR156 might play an important role in panicle architecture regulation. Main body: To study the detailed function of miR156 in rice panicle architecture regulation, we examined the genetic interaction or transcriptional regulation of miR156/OsSPL to other panicle regulating genes. Our results revealed that expression of many panicle related genes were influenced by miR156. Through biochemical analysis, we further proved that miR156 directly regulated the axillary meristem regulating gene, LAX1, at the transcription level. And the intimate relations between miR156 and LAX1, and miR156 and LAX2 were also uncovered by genetic analysis. On the other hand, a tight genetic linkage between miR156 and RCN2, the panicle branch promoting gene, was also detected, which suggested a buffering mechanism for the miR156 mediated panicle architecture regulation. Furthermore, genetic analysis also demonstrated that miR156 functioned in the same pathway with OsRA2 to regulate pedicel length. Short conclusion: Altogether, miR156 integrates several genetic pathways mediated by genes such as LAX1, LAX2, RCN2 and OsRA2, and comprehensively regulates panicle development in rice. Based on these analysis, we concluded that miR156 acts as an important regulator for panicle architecture through influencing various aspects of panicle development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]