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Seaweeds (marine macroalgae) are crucial to the functioning of healthy coastal ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles, and sometimes provide novel solutions to help mitigate climate change. The red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis (Bonnemaisoniaceae, Rhodophyta) produces bioactive natural products that, when fed to cattle and sheep, can eradicate methane emissions from these livestock. However, in order to cultivate enough A. taxiformis to have a meaningful impact on global greenhouse gas emissions, we need to improve our understanding of the biology of this new crop. In this study, we used a domesticated diploid sporophyte (> 1.5 years in culture, with relatively low microbial diversity) to establish a high-quality draft nuclear genome for A. taxiformis from Queensland, Australia. The A. taxiformis lineage was confirmed as Lineage 6 (L6) based upon phylogenetic analysis (Cox2-3 spacer). The genome of A. taxiformis (L6) was 142 Mb in size with approximately 11,000 protein-coding genes, including those associated with secondary metabolism, photosynthesis and defence, and the assembly contained 70.67% repeat regions. Based on protein domain analysis, the most prominent lineage-specific duplications belonged to those containing WD repeat proteins, as well as bestrophin and N6_N4_Mtase domain proteins. Cultured (domesticated) A. taxiformis (L6) sporophytes contained 4-times more bromoform (the key anti-methanogenic natural product) compared to wild sporophytes. To obtain information regarding associated molecular differences, the genome was used as a reference to explore differential gene expression related to environment. Cultured sporophytes demonstrated an enrichment of regulatory factors (kinases, transcription factors), whereas wild sporophytes were enriched with defence and stress-related genes, including those involved in protein folding (heat shock proteins) and halogenated metabolite production. Wild sporophytes also expressed a relatively high level of novel secreted proteins, with similarity to collagen-alpha proteins (termed rhodophyte collagen-alpha-like proteins, RCAPs). Proteomic investigation of the genome of cultured sporophytes, resulting in the identification of over 400 proteins, including RCAPs, as well as numerous enzymes and phycobiliproteins, which will facilitate future functional characterisation. In summary, as the most comprehensive genomic resource for any Asparagopsis species, this resource provides a gateway for seaweed researchers to fast-track the development and production of Asparagopsis to meet demand by agriculture and do so with economic and environmental agility.

Specific heat, magnetization, and electrical resistivity have been studied on single crystalline samples of ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{2}\mathrm{Pb}$. These results clearly indicate that ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{2}\mathrm{Pb}$ undergoes an antiferromagnetic transition at approximately 3.4 K under a zero magnetic field. The magnetic field induces another ordered phase when the field is applied along the $\ensuremath{\langle}100\ensuremath{\rangle}$ or $\ensuremath{\langle}110\ensuremath{\rangle}$ directions of the crystallography, whereas we have not found another ordered phase along the $\ensuremath{\langle}001\ensuremath{\rangle}$ direction of the field. The specific heat and the magnetization along three directions of the field reveal an easy-plane type magnetic anisotropy even in the antiferromagnetic phase. The magnetic structures of the ordered phases are discussed from the standpoint of macroscopic measurement, which results in a helical magnetic structure as a reasonable scenario. A large Sommerfeld coefficient of the specific heat and squared-temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity strongly suggest construction of the heavy-fermion state in ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{2}\mathrm{Pb}$, while the influence of the frustration is hardly found.

Background and Aims: Distal pancreatectomy is the only effective treatment for cancers of the pancreatic body and tail. The recurrence rate after DPhas remained high. In an effort to overcome this problem, we developed a no-touch surgical technique for DP. This is a pilot study to see if distal pancreatectomy can be technically done using a no-touch surgical technique without deteriorating the post-operative prognosis. Patients and Methods: From November 2000 through May 2011, 16 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients have been operated on using a no-touch technique by a single operator. We described the surgical technique, and we reported our preliminary experience. During the procedure, the pancreatic body and tail is neither grasped nor squeezed by the surgeon. And all drainage vessels from the pancreatic body and tail are ligated and divided during the early phase of the operation. Furthermore, for improved dissection of the retroperitoneal tissue (rightward and posterior margins), we use a hanging and clamping maneuver and dissection behind Gerota's fascia. Results: In the current series, the posterior and rightward resection margins were free in all patients, although seven were positive for anterior serosal invasion. The post-operative prognosis was not deteriorated with this technique. Conclusion: No-touch distal pancreatectomy technique may have some theoretical advantages, which merit future investigation in randomized controlled trials.

The satellite LiteBIRD (Light satellite for the studies of B-mode polarization and Inflation from cosmic background Radiation Detection) is being designed to detect the B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. LiteBIRD will carry about 2,000 detectors for measurements in five bands (60, 80, 100, 150, and 220 GHz). Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) that can be multiplexed in a single readout line are suitable for the large focal plane detector array. We develop an MKID readout system for LiteBIRD to monitor the amplitude, phase, and resonant frequency of each MKID resonator simultaneously and follow movements of the resonant frequency caused by changes in the input radiation intensity. This mechanism enables us to have a larger dynamic range for the MKIDs, compared with a system that monitors the amplitude and phase on the resonant frequency. We also propose an MKID having a half-wavelength resonator. This MKID transmits the resonant microwave signal from one feedline to another. It can offer clear microwaves passing through the resonators, even if the coupling and internal quality factors are mismatched. With this MKID, our readout system can track resonance frequency changes much more easily. We present the status of the readout system development and demonstrate the performance with the half-wavelength MKID.

CuInS2 crystals are grown from the melt with the typical compositions which are stoichiometric, In2S3 and Cu2S excess ones and the effect of the melt composition on the melt growth is examined. Large grain size crystals are grown for the melt compositions except the case of Cu2S excess one. It is found that a small amount of CuIn5S8 is precipitated in In2S3 excess crystals by forming thin film layers in the bulk. From electrical conductivity and photo-luminescence (PL) spectra of the grown crystals, predominant native point defects characterizing their semi-conducting properties are discussed. As a result, it is suggested that native vacancy and the interstitial Cu play an important roles and a tentative band-diagram is proposed. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

We studied the effect of buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) on the replication of an isolate of human echovirus 9 (EV9) and the apoptosis induced by it in GMK cells. One hundred microM BSO markedly inhibited the cytopathic effect (CPE) induced by EV9. BSO also significantly inhibited apoptosis induced by EV9. BSO did not influence replication of EV9 genome, but inhibited virion formation. These results suggest that the inhibition by BSO of CPE and apoptosis induced by EV9 may be associated with the impairment of virion formation. Moreover, apoptosis induced by infections of human poliovirus 3, human coxsackievirus B5, A10 and A16, which, like EV9, belong to the genus Enterovirus, was markedly abolished by BSO. This finding suggests that enteroviral infections cause apoptosis through the activation of a common pathway that can be inhibited by BSO.

A planar imaging system for positron-emitting radiotracers was developed and its physical performance was evaluated. The new device consists of two opposing planar detectors, each having 4 (columns) × 6 (rows) detector units, and each unit composed of 10×10 arrays of 2×2×20 mm 3 pillars of Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) scintillators and a metal-packaged position-sensitive photomultiplier tube. The system is very compact and has a simple structure that allows versatile positioning of detectors in the horizontal or vertical mode. Focal plane images are constructed from coincidence data collected by opposing planar detectors. The system provides good quality images even in a short period of time or with low tracer activity. Spatial resolutions of 1.6– 2.1 mm FWHM were achieved for the entire field of view. The sensitivity was 107 cps / kBq / ml measured in a uniform flat phantom. In this study, the capability of the new system was demonstrated by the imaging of radiotracer distribution in rats and plants.

For the treatment of 11 patients with hyperacute embolic occlusion of major cerebral arteries (ten with occlusion of middle cerebral artery and one with occlusion of basilar artery), TCD-enhanced thrombolysis (TCDET) was performed in combination with ultrasound irradiation, using diagnostic transcranial Doppler (TCD) (TC2-64B: 2MHz, 100mW/cm2, pulsed wave) (TCDET group), and the effectiveness of this procedure was compared with that of local intra-arterial fibrinolysis (LIF) in 45 patients with embolic occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (LIF group). Regarding dose of TPA, the LIF group used 1046.7 ± 607.8 units and the TCDET group 700.0 ± 431.3 units (p < 0.05). Regarding time technically required to attain recanalization, the LIF group required 68.2 minutes, and the TCDET group 28.6 minutes. A good outcome was noted in 60.8% of the LIF group and 64% of the TCDET group. Haemorrhagic transformation was observed in 7.8% of the LIF group and in 0% of the TCDET group. No complications due to TCD irradiation were observed in the TCDET group. These findings suggest that TCDET can be an effective method of achieving recanalization.

One of the latest problems in positron or proton accelerators is a single-beam instability due to an electron cloud around the beam. The instability, for an example, causes a beam size blow up of the positron beam and deteriorates the performance of the electron-positron collider. the seed of the electron cloud is the electrons emitted from the surface of the beam chamber, which consists of electrons due to the synchrotron radiation (photoelectrons) and sometimes those multiplied by the multipactoring. Suppressing the electron emission from the surface is, therefore, an essential way to cure the instability. Here a rough surface with a sawtooth structure (sawtooth surface) is proposed to reduce the electron emission from the surface of the beam chamber. A new rolling-tap method is developed for this study to make the sawtooth surface in a circular beam chamber with a length of several meters. The first experiment using a test chamber at a photon beam line of the KEK Photon Factory verifies its validity. The photoelectron emission from the sawtooth surface reduces by one order of magnitude compared to the usual smooth surface. In the second experiment under a bunched positron beam in the KEK B-Factory, however, the electron emission is comparable to that of a smooth surface and the behavior is quite different from the previous one. The reason is that the beam field excites the multipactoring of electrons and the decrease of the photoelectron emission by the sawtooth surface is wiped out. The sawtooth surface will be effective to reduce the electron emission under the situation with external magnetic fields or without strong beam fields where the electron multipactoring hardly occurs.

We developed mini step samplers with low manufacturing and running costs for application in multi-site air-pollution monitoring. The miniaturization of the sampler was achieved by reducing the suction nozzle size. We tested the samplers with suction nozzle diameters of 2 and 4 mm through simultaneous exposure in the same site. Elemental concentrations of aerosol collected by these samplers were consistent within ±20% during comparison and the sample uniformity did not differ significantly. Sampling with small suction nozzle did not adversely affect aerosol collection. Aerosol samples were collected simultaneously at two sites in our laboratory and in the hall outside for 3 days and analyzed subsequently by PIXE. The time variation of elemental concentrations was high during daytime and low at night time and also during the weekend. Elemental concentrations in the hall were always higher than those in the laboratory. In our laboratory, we change shoes at the entrance and therefore, elemental concentrations inside the lab are lower than in the hall. In a second field experiment, we carried out simultaneous multi-site aerosol sampling during two periods in correlation with meteorological data (wind direction and velocity). It was observed that elemental concentrations of some soil origin elements changed periodically. On the other hand, the concentration of Cu and Zn showed irregular concentration spikes whose pattern showed a variation with the sites. Analysis using the data of wind directions showed that Cu had been transported to the sites from northeasterly direction and that the concentration of Zn was influenced by two big factories nearby. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that the multi-site sampling system combined with meteorological data is well suited to identify sources of pollution.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in rat forebrain homogenate were determined by using serotonin and benzylamine as respective substrates of MAO-A and -B. Effects of the antidepressants, imipramine, maprotiline, nomifensine and zimelidine on MAO activity were determined. All of these compounds inhibited both MAO-A and -B activity, but the inhibition was not strong. The inhibitory potency of MAO-A and -B was not changed by preincubation of homogenates with these compounds. Each compound competitively inhibited MAO-A, but MAO-B inhibition was shown to be mixed-type inhibition by Lineweaver-Burk plots.

Hydrogen (H2) is expected to become an important fuel for the future to be used as an energy carrier in automobiles and electric power plants. A promising route for H2 production involves catalytic reforming of a suitable primary fuel such as methanol or ethanol. Since ethanol is a renewable raw material and can be cheaply produced by the fermentation of biomass, the ethanol reforming for H2 production is beneficial to the environment. In the present study, the steam reforming of ethanol in the presence of added O2, which in the present study is referred to as oxidative steam reforming of ethanol (OSRE), was performed for the first time over a series of CuNiZnAl mixed oxide catalysts derived from layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursors. The effects of Cu/Ni ratio, temperature, O2/ethanol ratio, contact time, CO co-feed and substitution of Cu/Ni by Co were investigated systematically in order to understand the influence of these parameters on the catalytic performance. An ethanol conversion close to 100% was noticed at 300 °C over all the catalysts. The Cu-rich catalysts favor the dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde. The addition of Ni was found to favor the C–C bond rupture, producing CO, CO2 and CH4. Depending upon the reaction condition, a H2 yield between 2.5 and 3.5 moles per mole of ethanol converted was obtained. A CoNi-based catalyst exhibited better catalytic performance with lower selectivity of undesirable byproducts, namely CH3CHO, CH4 and CO.

Two types of Japanese robot arms will be used for the Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station. Main Arm, the larger one, carries payloads installed on the exposed area. Small Fine Arm, the smaller one, is attached to the tip of Main Arm when it is used, and handles small-sized on-orbit payloads. Causes identified as aggravating factor of performance include backlash of gears, resonance of arms, and visual measurement error. The results of qualifying tests of these robotic arms show the validity of their design. This paper presents the performance of the robotic arms derived from the test results.

We evaluated a rapid and sensitive method to determine human cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA levels in blood cells using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. This method is based on real‐time detection of PCR using a dual fluorescence‐labeled probe and a sequence detector. Ten copies of CMV DNA were detected, when 1 μg of DNA from blood samples was used with this method, and a good correlation was obtained between increased concentrations of copy numbers calculated and measured copy numbers of CMV DNA (r = 0.999). Forty normal subjects exhibited no copies of CMV DNA. On the other hand, a 6‐month‐old girl tested positive for increased levels 4 weeks after liver transplant. This method is simple, accurate, and sensitive for the quantitative detection of CMV DNA in vivo, indicating possible applications for the diagnosis and monitoring of CMV infection. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 15:122–126, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

A new series of CuCoZnAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with various Cu/Co atomic ratios were synthesized by a coprecipitation method at constant pH ≈ 9. The effects of Co on the structural properties and reducibility of both as-synthesized and calcined materials were investigated thoroughly by employing powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS), thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), and temperature programmed reduction (TPR) methods. Characterization of as-synthesized materials using these techniques revealed the formation of well-crystallized hydrotalcite (HT)-like LDHs with a general formula [Cu1 − (x + y + z)CoxZnyAlz(OH)2]z+[(CO32−)z/2·mH2O]z− as a major phase. Thermal analyses of materials indicated three stages of endothermic weight loss processes due to the loss of interlayer water and some loosely bound CO32− (100–250 °C), loss of structural water and CO32− (250–400 °C) and the loss of some strongly held CO32− anions (above 500 °C). The structural and redox properties of mixed oxides obtained upon thermal activation were investigated by calcining the LDH precursors at 300, 450, 700 and 900 °C. The Cu-rich sample generated a mixture of CuO, ZnO and CuAl2O4 spinel, while Co-based spinel phases were observed at all temperatures in the case of the Co-rich sample. Materials containing both Cu and Co showed a mixture of CuO, Co-based spinel and CuAl2O4 spinel. The interesting observation of the present study was that the reducibility of Cu2+ species of the CuO was enhanced with increasing Co content. On the other hand, the reducibility of Co species decreased with increasing Cu content.

Rate of hydrogen adsorption on sulfated zirconia-supported platinum (Pt/SO4 2 ‐ZrO2) was measured in the temperature range 323‐523 K to elucidate the slowest step involved in the hydrogen adsorption and the corresponding energy barrier which the hydrogen species should cross over. At a nearly constant hydrogen pressure (50 Torr (6.7 kPa)), the hydrogen uptake continued more than 24 h, and the uptake in 24 h increased with an increase in the adsorption temperature. Above 473 K, the hydrogen uptake far exceeded the H/Pt ratio of unity, indicating that the hydrogen adsorption involves hydrogen spillover. Without Pt, the hydrogen uptake was scarcely appreciable. The hydrogen adsorption rate followed the Fick’s equation for surface diffusion. Activation energy for the diffusion constant was obtained as 84 kJ/mol. The rate could not be expressed by the rate equation derived on the assumption that the rate controlling step is the spillover step. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

We report on five patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and cutaneous necrosis. Patients presented with classic DM skin eruptions, mild myositis, and a high incidence (4/5) of interstitial pneumonia. Cutaneous necrosis developed independently of steroid therapy, with the majority of lesions being cured following several months of sterilization treatment. In addition, one patient with accompanying cancer presented with multiple necrotic lesions. Topical treatment using gentiana violet against local infection was considered to have been essential in accelerating healing.

The 50-kDa protein (P50) encoded by the open reading frame 2 of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), a putative movement protein, was expressed in transgenic Nicotiana occidentalis plants. P50 in transgenic plants was mainly detected in a modified form in the cell wall fraction, similar to that in infected leaves. The P50-expressing plants (P50 plants) complemented the systemic spread of the P50-defective mutants of an infectious cDNA clone of ACLSV (pCLSF), indicating that P50 in transgenic plants was functional. Severity of symptoms was greatly enhanced and accumulation of virus in upper leaves was increased in P50 plants inoculated with pCLSF or ACLSV compared with that in nontransgenic control plants (NT plants). Conversely, transgenic plants expressing the coat protein of ACLSV (CP plants) showed a significant delay in symptom development and a reduction of virus accumulation. However, most P50 plants inoculated with Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus (GINV), another species of the genus Trichovirus, neither developed obvious symptoms nor supported virus accumulation in inoculated or upper leaves. In contrast, systemic symptoms developed and virus accumulated equally in NT and CP plants inoculated with GINV. After inoculation with Apple stem grooving virus or Apple stem pitting virus, there was no difference in symptom development and virus accumulation among P50, CP, and NT plants. Our results indicate that transgenic plants expressing a functional P50 were more susceptible to homologous virus and, on the contrary, showed strong resistance to the heterologous virus GINV.

This work concerns the formation of mesoderm in the development of an enteropneust hemichordate, Ptychodera flava, and the expression of the Brachyury gene during this process. Brachyury expression occurs in two distinct phases. In the embryo, Brachyury is transcribed during gastrulation in the future oral and anal regions of the gut, but transcripts are no longer detected by 2 weeks of development. Brachyury expression is not detected during the 5 months of larval planktonic existence. During this time, the adult coeloms begin to develop, originating as coalescences of cells that appear to delaminate from the wall of the gut. Brachyury expression cannot be detected again until metamorphosis, when transcripts appear in the mesoderm of the adult proboscis, collar and the very posterior region of the trunk. It is also expressed in the posterior end of the gut. At no time is Brachyury expressed in the stomochord, the putative homologue of the chordate notochord. These observations illuminate the process of maximal indirect development in Ptychodera and, by comparison with patterns of Brachyury expression in the indirect development of echinoderms, their sister group, they reveal the evolutionary history of Brachyury utilization in deuterostomes.

Results pertaining to the phase equilibria between the phases α (A1), β (A2, B2 or L21(D03)) and γ (γ-bronze type), and the two-stage order–disorder transition and decomposition reaction A2–B2–L21 in the ternary system Cu–Al–Mn are reported. Ternary isothermal section diagrams at 800, 700, 600 and 550°C have been constructed using Energy Dispersion X-ray Spectrometry (EDX) analysis results, and it is found that the β single-phase region in the Cu–Al system is very significantly widened on increasing the Mn content. The critical temperatures (Tc) of the A2–B2–L21 order–disorder transitions, determined by Differential Scanning Carolimetory (DSC) analysis are found to be strongly dependent on the Al content rather than on the Mn content. It is confirmed by DSC measurements and TEM-EDX analysis that a miscibility gap island between Cu3Al and Cu2AlMn phases exists in the L21 phase region. The second order ordering reaction between D03 and L21 structures has also been detected by X-ray diffraction. The stability of the bcc β phase is discussed in terms of atomic and magnetic ordering.

A new platelet antagonist, tokaracetin, was isolated from the venom of Trimeresurus tokarensis by ion-exchange chromatography, heparin-Sepharose chromatography and hydrophobic HPLC. The purified protein showed an apparent molecular mass on SDS/PAGE of 28.9 kDa under non-reducing conditions. On reduction, 16.1 and 15.4 kDa subunits were observed, suggesting that the molecule is a heterodimer. Tokaracetin inhibited the binding of 125I-labelled bovine von Willebrand factor (vWF) and 125I-labelled human vWF in the presence of botrocetin to fixed human platelets. It did not block ADP-, collagen- or thrombin receptor agonist peptide-induced platelet aggregation in human platelet-rich plasma (PRP), or induce platelet agglutination in PRP. On reduction, tokaracetin lost its inhibitory activity on the agglutination of fixed human platelets by bovine vWF. 125I-Tokaracetin specifically bound to washed human platelets with high affinity (Kd 3.9 +/- 1.4 nM) at 47,440 +/- 2780 binding sites per platelet. Binding of tokaracetin to fixed human platelets was reversible, and was inhibited by monoclonal antibody GUR83-35, which is directed against the N-terminal vWF-binding domain of human glycoprotein Ib (GPIb). Tokaracetin completely inhibited vWF-dependent shear-induced platelet aggregation in PRP at 3 micrograms/ml. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of tokaracetin subunits showed a high degree of identity with those of alboaggregin-B. These results suggest that this new platelet antagonist may be a useful tool in the development of specific inhibitors of the vWF-GPIb interaction.

A quasi 1-dimensional carbon crystal has been synthesized by quenching of high temperature carbon gas on a room temperature metallic substrate. The structure is hexagonal and the sizes of the unit cell are 1.193 nm along the a-direction and 1.62 nm along the c-dirdtion. A parallel array of charbon chains is formed along the c-axis. The array is made of a triangular lattice of which inter-chain distance is 0.344 nm and the mean inter-atomic C-C distance along the chain is 0.133 nm. The crystal is half transparent in the visible region and has its specific weight as small as 1.46 g/cm3. In order to test the possibility of intercalation, reactions with potassium, sodium and iodine have been performed. In every reaction, the material has converted from an insulator to a conductor.

We propose novel neutron source using high-intensity laser based on the cluster fusion scheme. We developed DPSSL-pumped high-repetition-rate 20-TW laser system and solid nanoparticle target for neutron generation demonstration. In our neutron generation experiment, high-energy deuterons were generated from coulomb explosion of CD solid- nanoparticles and neutrons were generated by DD fusion reaction. Efficient and stable neutron generation was obtained by irradiating an intense femtosecond laser pulse of >2×1018 W/cm2. A yield of ~105 neutrons per shot was stably observed during 0.1-1 Hz continuous operation.

We cloned a human thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor (TRH-R) gene and its pituitary cDNA, and examined whether TRH-R mRNA may be expressed and function in the GH-secreting pituitary adenomas of patients with acromegaly. The human TRH-R consists of 398 amino acids and is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family. The gene has a single intron in the coding sequence. An addition of TRH caused an obvious increase in intracellular calcium concentration in chinese hamster ovary cells expressing this receptor. Although highly homologous to the rat and mouse TRH-Rs, the human TRH-R has several differences in the carboxyl-terminal structure. The sequence and functioning analyses showed the same expression of TRH-R mRNA in the pituitary adenomas as that in the normal pituitaries, indicating that 1) some adenomas of patients with acromegaly express an intact and functional TRH-R, and that 2) the paradoxical response of GH secretion to TRH found in the patients might be a direct effect of TRH on TRH-R expressed in the adenoma.

In this study, damage induced by Ar+ ion implantation and its annealing behavior during rapid thermal annealing for 10 s at temperatures between 575–1100°C were investigated by thermal wave modulated optical reflectance, deep level transient spectroscopy, reflection high energy electron diffraction, Rutherford backscattering aligned spectra and transmission electron microscopy. Our data show that: (1) both implant dose and energy affect the nature of damage and its rapid thermal annealing behavior; (2) Ar+ ion implantation induces four distinctive deep trap levels; (3) these traps evolve during rapid thermal annealing; and (4) in the case of medium energy (100 keV) implanted Si samples, the damage anneals out from inside out whereas the high energy (1 MeV) ion implant damage anneals out from outside in.

This work is concerned with computing the reliability of redundant systems of three-state (e.g., good, failed-open or failed-short) devices. Allowing for multiple failures, formulas are presented for calculating the reliability of a parallel-series system or a series-parallel system which is formed from three-state, non-DFM (dual failure-mode) devices, and which might require multiple paths to function. The words series and parallel are used in the layout-diagram sense. The formulation encompasses cases which have been analyzed by complex methods in numerous papers on the reliability of three-state DFM device systems. The effects of dominant failure-modes on the relationship between reliability of a series system and that of a parallel system, and on the relationship between the reliability of a parallel-series system and that of series-parallel system are presented. >

Nomenclature ECLS = Environment Control and Life Support ECLSS = Environment Control and Life Support System DFT = Density Functional Theory FT-IR = Fourier Transform-Infra Red GC/MS = Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry GN2 = Gaseous Nitrogen GO2 = Gaseous Oxygen ISS = International Space Station LN2 = Liquid Nitrogen LO2 = Liquid Oxygen JECLSS-WG = JAXA ECLSS Working Group JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency MOS = Metal Oxide Semiconductor TDLAS = Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy THz-TDS = Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy TGM = Trace Gas Monitor TRL = Technology Readiness Level

In order to evaluate the effect of ventricular assist device (VAD) driving on the autonomic nervous system, sympathetic neurograms during left ventricular (LV) assistance were analyzed by power spectrum and coherence function. Our TH–7B pneumatically–driven sac–type VAD was used in seven adult mongrel dogs. VADs were inserted between the left atrium and the descending aorta. Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSN A) was detected by use of bipolar electrodes attached to the left renal sympathetic nerve via a retroperitoneal approach. Values of squared coherence between the arterial, pulse wave and RSNA were measured at the same frequency of cardiac and VAD pumping rhythms. During LV assistance, coherence at the cardiac rhythm frequency was decreased, and coherence at the VAD pumping rhythm frequency was increased. These results indicate that the arterial pulse wave, which was produced by the VAD assistance, contributed to postganglionic sympathetic nerve activity.

A soft-mode phonon associated with the spin-Peierls transition was found below the transition temperature(Tsp) in MEM(TCNQ) 2 by a far infrared (FIR) spectroscopy. Its frequency is 8.5 cm −1 at 4 K and decreases as increasing temperature from 4 K to T sp . Its line-width becomes broader with temperature and diverges at T sp . Taking account of 8.5 cm −1 and its mode of motion, we considered that the soft-mode phonon mainly involves the translational motions of TCNQ molecules in each TCNQ molecular plane which contains the static shift associated with the spin-Peierls transition. In addition, we observed two holding phonons bands only below T sp . Frequencies of these phonons are 19.5 and 24.5 cm −1 and do not vary with the temperature. Evidence for the two-magnon excitation was also found in the FIR spectrum whose adsorption intensity increases with temperature. A new methods was provided for investigating the spin wave spectrum in one-dimensional (1-D) organic conductors.

Various intraperitoneal doses of 5-fluoro-alpha-methyltryptamine (5-FMT), given to mice, dose-dependently inhibited only MAOA activity, with similar degrees of inhibition in the striatum, hypothalamus and the rest of the forebrain. The activity inhibited in these regions, completely recovered to control levels within 24 hr after the injection. In contrast, p-chloro-beta-methylphenethylamine (p-CMP), selectively inhibited MAOB activity, with complete recovery within 45 min after the injection. Regardless of the differences in time interval and degree of inhibition of MAOA by 5-FMT or MAOB by p-CMP, both kinds of inhibition were competitive, with respect to oxidation of the respective substrate. 5-Fluoro-alpha-methyltryptamine markedly protected only MAOA against inhibition by phenelzine, without protecting MAOB. Also, 5-FMT greatly increased one kind of animal behaviour, the head-twitch and this behaviour was greatly reduced by treatment with fluoxetine, but increased by reserpine. The results indicate that p-CMP is a short-acting, probably reversible, MAOB-selective inhibitor and 5-FMT has the same characteristics of selectivity for MAOA in central serotonergic neurons.

We have isolated a novel ascidian homeobox gene, designated AHoxl, by screening the genomic DNA of Halocynthia roretzi with the Bombyx mori Antennapedia type homeobox as a probe. The AHoxl gene encodes a protein that consists of 741 amino acids. The homeobox of AHoxl is interrupted by 2 introns each of which is about 300 bp in length and it shows about 70 % similarity at a deduced amino acid level to that of Drosophila H2.0. This suggests that AHoxl is one of the most diverged homeobox genes so far characterized. Northern blot hybridization with an AHoxl probe showed the presence of single transcripts approximately 2.8 kb in length in larvae, juveniles and some adult tissues. The expression of AHoxl is scarcely detected during the course of early development but it increases to a moderate level at the larval stage. After metamorphosis, the level of AHoxl expression increases as development proceeds. In situ hybridization to the juvenile 7 days after metamorphosis showed that the site of AHoxl expression is the epithelium of digestive tract. Among the adult tissues examined, digestive tract, digestive gland and coelomic cells were the major sites of the expression of AHoxl. In gonad, body wall muscle and pharyngeal epithelium, the expression of AHoxl is relatively weak. These results suggest that AHoxl is primarily expressed in the tissues of endodermal origin and that the gene expression may be associated with differentiation of the endodermal tissues.

Time-dependent inhibition of sodium channels by class I antiarrhythmic drugs has been observed in isolated cardiac muscles or cells. We examined coupling interval-related effects of class I antiarrhythmic drugs, mexiletine, cibenzoline and disopyramide, on ventricular activation in canine infarcted myocardium. A ventricular stimulation with various coupling intervals was applied to the right ventricle, and activation delays (time intervals between the initiation of a deflection and the final rapid deflection of a bipolar electrocardiogram) of infarcted and normal zones were measured. The premature stimulation produced a delayed activation and in some animals, caused reentrant beats. Mexiletine (3 and 10 mg/kg), cibenzoline (1 and 4 mg/kg) and disopyramide (1 and 4 mg/kg) further enhanced or blocked the delayed activation. The effects of these drugs were more marked at shorter coupling intervals, although cibenzoline and disopyramide showed significant effects also at long coupling intervals. The effect of these drugs on the activation in the normal zone was less than that in the infarcted zone. In conclusion, mexiletine, cibenzoline and disopyramide showed a coupling interval-related depression of delayed activation in infarcted myocardium, which may be a reflection of their time-dependent inhibition of sodium channels.

Urochordates or tunicates possess a notochord, dorsal neural tube, and gill slits, features characteristic of all chordates, and thus they are a sister group of vertebrates, including humans. Urochordates consist of larvaceans, ascidians, and thaliaceans. The draft genome has been decoded in ascidians, Ciona intestinalis and C. savignyi. The C. intestinalis genome is composed of approximately 160 Mbp, similar to other invertebrate genomes, and contains approximately 16,000 protein-coding genes that represent the basic set of chordate genes without the extensive gene duplications seen in vertebrates. The C. intestinalis gene models are intensively annotated and supported by corresponding cDNAs. With the aid of two-color fluorescent in situ hybridization of BAC clones, approximately 65% of the assembled genome information has been mapped onto the 14 pairs of C. intestinalis chromosomes. In addition, a genome project is ongoing in a larvacean, Oikopleura dioica, and its genome is estimated to be 60 Mbp, with a very compacted arrangement of genes. Although the urochordate genomes have lineage-specific innovations such as horizontal acquisition of the cellulose synthase gene from bacteria and spliced-leader trans-splicing of mRNAs, applicable modern techniques have made urochordates serious contenders in the illumination of the basic principles underlying genome dynamics of vertebrates.

To determine the effect of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) pumping on sympathetic tone, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) was detected in acute animal experiments. Our TH-7B pneumatically driven, sac-type ventricular assist device was used in 7 adult mongrel dogs. RSNA was detected by the use of bipolar electrodes attached to the left renal sympathetic nerve. RSNA was amplified and integrated by use of an R-C integrator circuit. The area of the integrated nerve discharge per unit time was calculated in the computer system and expressed as RSNA per unit time. During LVAD pumping, RSNA decreased with increase in blood pressure, with an increase in pulmonary artery flow, and with a decrease in left atrial pressure. These data suggest that LVAD has an effect on the sympathetic nervous system which is mediated by the aortic and cardiopulmonary baroreflex system.

A high-resolution positron emission tomograph (PET) for brain studies has been developed. It consists of five detector rings (240 BGOs/ring). New multisegment photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) were adopted for the system with 5-mm-wide BGOs. The system is designed to examine a patient sitting or lying down on a chair/bed couch. The functions of PMT auto gain control and real-time image display are implemented in the system. The physical performance of the system was evaluated: the spatial resolution is 3.5 mm in the transaxial plane and 5.7 mm in the axial direction, and the total system sensitivity is 109 kcps/ mu Ci/ml for a uniform phantom 20 cm in diameter with a pulse height threshold of 350 keV. >

Since the shape of recording magnetic fields remains as an isophase magnetic surface in the recording media with a relatively thick magnetic film such as magnetic tape, a notable write phase shift in the recording and playback system appears. Therefore, influences such as changes in the recording spacing are a matter of conern. Consequently, in order to carry out suitable equalization, the write phase characteristics in' the recording and playback system are monitored and the equalization circuit must compensate for them. Based on the above observations, we have measured the write phase characteristics of the recording and playback system and examined the influence of the recording system parameters and also studied the influence on the playback waveform.