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HO2 uptake kinetics onto ambient aerosols play pivotal roles in tropospheric chemistry but are not fully understood. Field measurements of aerosol chemical and physical properties should be linked to molecular-level kinetics; however, given that the HO2 reactivity of ambient aerosols is low, traditional analytical techniques are unable to achieve this goal. We developed an online approach to precisely investigate the lower-limit values of (i) the HO2 reactivities of ambient gases and aerosols and (ii) HO2 uptake coefficients onto ambient aerosols (γ) during the 2019 Air QUAlity Study (AQUAS) in Yokohama, Japan. We identified the effects of individual chemical components of ambient aerosols on γ. The results were verified in laboratory studies on individual chemical components: transition metals play a key role in HO2 uptake processes, and chemical components indirectly influence such processes (i.e., by altering aerosol surface properties or providing active sites), with smaller particles tending to yield higher γ values than larger particles owing to the limitation of gas-phase diffusion being smaller with micrometer particles and the distribution of depleting species such as transition metal ions being mostly distributed in accumulation mode of aerosol. The modeling of γ utilized transition metal chemistry derived by previous studies, further confirming our conclusion. However, owing to the high NO concentrations in Yokohama, peroxy radical loss onto submicron aerosols has a negligible impact on O3 production rate and sensitivity regime.

Deposition of atmospheric nutrients is known to alter oligotrophic ecosystems such as the open ocean, but the role of such nutrients in the further deterioration of eutrophic aquatic ecosystems is largely unknown. The Hii River watershed in Japan encompasses lagoons that have been eutrophic since 1980s. This study examined the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Hii River watershed and the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the Hii River over an 11-yr period. Total nitrogen (TN) concentrations of both precipitation and river water were significantly higher in cold months (November–March) than in warm months (April–October). Most of the TN was nitrate, which suggests that the TN source was atmospheric nitrogen from East Asia transported by seasonal winds. In contrast, total phosphorus (TP) concentrations of both precipitation and river water were significantly higher in warm months. Over time, the TN concentration in the river water showed a decreasing trend although the trend was not significant, while the TP concentration increased significantly. This was attributed to an increase in the atmospheric deposition of TP originating from East Asia since 2000. The increase in the deposition of atmospheric phosphorus might also have increased phosphorus leakage from the soils. In this work, the TN : TP ratios for both atmospheric deposition and river water indicate that changes in atmospheric nutrient deposition affect loading rates and N : P ratios. These changes, especially the latter, could have significant ecological effects in eutrophic systems by lowering the N : P ratios, which could induce cyanobacteria blooms.

Stability of nanostructures of epoxy/acrylic triblock copolymer blends was studied. PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA triblock copolymers (acrylic BCPs) having several compositions on the ratio of the block chains and the molecular weight were initially prepared and were blended with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A epoxy thermosets. The blends were cured using phenol novolac with tri phenyl phosphine (TPP) as the catalyst. Several nanostructures, such as spheres, cylinders, curved lamellae, were observed in the cured blends. The nanostructures were controlled by the molecular weight of the immiscible PnBA-block chain and the ratio of the PnBA in the blends. Moreover, the effect of the gel time to the nanostruc- tures was examined by altering the trace amount of the TPP in the blends. The types of the nanostructures were almost kept irrespective of the gel time of the blends when the composition of the blends was maintained. This suggested the stability of the nanostructures of the epoxy/acrylic BCP blends made via the self-assembly mechanism, therefore a phase diagram of the cured blends was proposed.

In GAMMA 10/PDX, a temperature-controlled V-shaped target has been utilized to study an effect of target temperature on hydrogen recycling. The V-shaped tungsten target in the divertor simulation experimental module (D-module) is heated up to 573 K and it is exposed to the end loss plasma. It is found that the Hα intensity and the electron density of the plasma in front of the target are positively correlated with the target temperature, indicating that the recycling is enhanced due to increase in the target temperature. Moreover, additional hydrogen gas is injected into the D-module with the temperature-controlled target. As the amount of hydrogen gas injection increased, enhancement of hydrogen recycling by high temperature target becomes smaller.

We have developed novel hydroxyapatite (HAp) cement, “chelate-setting HAp cement” on the basis of chelate bonding of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6). In order to create the cement with enhanced bioactivity, we used a silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite (Si-HAp) as a starting material instead of pure HAp powder. The Si-HAp powders were prepared via an aqueous precipitation reaction and surface-modified with IP6 (IP6-Si-HAp). The Si-HAp were synthesized with desired Si contents (0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, and 2.4 mass%). Regardless of the amount of Si, the XRD patterns and FT-IR spectra of the powders were similar to each other. Additionally, chemical composition of Si-HAp powders were the almost same as the nominal one. The substitution of Si resulted in a decrease in the a-axis and increase in the c-axis of unit cell of HAp. While, the compressive strength of IP6-Si-HAp cements was higher than that of Si-HAp cements. These results suggest that surface-modification of any powders with IP6 is effective for enhancement of mechanical property. Comparison of mechanical property between HAp and Si-HAp cement specimens revealed that the substitution of lower levels of Si into0 HAp lattice did not greatly influence compressive strength. However, the substitution of high dose of Si (over 2.4 mass%) reduced the compressive strength. Therefore, to fabricate the chelate-setting cements with enhanced bioactivity, it is necessary to control the amount of Si.

The phase conversion of amorphous solid water (ASW) to crystalline ice (CI) has been investigated in the very thin ( ∼ 10 monolayers) film regime on a Ru(0 0 1) surface. We analyze the converted CI fraction with the Avrami model, and recognize that one-dimensional CI growth occurs, which can be contrasted to the three-dimensional CI growth generally established in the thick ( ≥ 50 monolayers) film regime. We evaluate activation energy for the ASW crystallization to be about 1.0 eV. We suggest that the ASW crystallization is not influenced by the substrate even near the substrate–ice interface.

D abstraction (ABS) by H at Ru(0 0 1) surfaces initially saturated with D adatoms has been investigated using in situ mass spectrometry. HD and D2 desorption rates are measured at various surface temperatures T as a function of H exposure time. Yield of D2 desorption increases with T, while that of HD is little affected. Analyzing the measured rate curves, HD and D2 desorption orders are evaluated to be 1.7 ± 0.1 and 2.5 ± 0.1, respectively, with respect to D coverage θD. To pursue the origin of the derived non-integral reaction orders the rate curves are further analyzed with the rate equations constructed to involve several ABS channels. Consequently, we find that the HD desorption is mainly governed by a second-order rate law in θD rather than the conventional hot atom-mediated ABS reaction even when it is corrected to include an isotope effect on ABS. We argue that such second-order ABS kinetics becomes important when the H atoms in excited state of chemisorption have energetically relaxed to some extent, and thereby tend to reside at, e.g. hexagonal closed packed hollow sites, interacting with nearby adatoms. On the other hand, the D2 rate curves can be fit with third-order kinetics, consistent with the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism in a super-saturation state. The isotope effect plays an essential role in the ABS reaction of D abstraction by H which competes with H abstraction by H as D adatoms are replaced by H atoms.

We have demonstrated for the first time a megapixel (1.3M pixels) CCD pH imager featuring a flash-injection-of-signal-electrons scheme. With a spatial resolution of 3.75μm and pH resolution of 0.16pH at 27.5fps we believe this is a promising device technology for applications such as high throughput DNA sequencing and label-free cell measurement system with sub-cell-size spatial resolution and real-time response.

Quintet and quartet repeating units of the histone genes in Drosophila americana were cloned and characterized. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the units showed that a 3175 bp unit contained the core histone genes but lacked the H1 gene ('quartet unit') while a 5025 bp unit contained all five histone genes ('quintet unit'). Comparative analysis suggested that these repeating units diverged before the separation of D. americana and D. virilis. Multiple forms of H1 genes, differing by 5.8% of amino acids, were found in D. americana. The genomic organization of the histone gene family in D. americana was found to be very similar to that of D. virilis.

The electric quadrupole coupling constants eqQ/h of 8B (I π = 2+, T 1/2 = 769 ms) and 13B (I π = 3/2−, T 1/2 = 17.4 ms) in single crystal TiO2 have been precisely measured by the β-NQR technique. The ratios of these Q moments to Q(12B) were determined as |Q(8B)/Q(12B)| = 4.882(32) and |Q(13B)/Q(12B)| = 2.768(24).

The β-NMR of short-lived β-emitter 12N(I π = 1+, T 1/2 = 11ms) in a rutile TiO2 single crystal has been measured as functions of temperature and external magnetic field. Atomic motion induced spin lattice relaxation was observed for two known sites, O substitutional and interstitial sites. The data were analyzed in terms of the thermal atomic jump, which suggests that the motion of defects around the substitutional 12N atom for O, and of the interstitial 12N atom are attributed to the spin lattice relaxation. The electric field gradients have shown temperature dependence for both sites, which is probably due to the thermal expansion of rutile.

The electric quadrupole coupling constants eqQ/h of 20Na (Iπ = 2+, T 1/2 = 449.7 ms), 21Na (Iπ = 3/2, T 1/2 = 22.49 s) and 25Na (Iπ = 5/2, T 1/2 = 59.6 s) in single crystal ZnO and TiO2 were precisely measured by applying the β-NMR technique. The ratio of the quadrupole moments between 20Na (25Na) and 21Na was determined to be 0.728 ± 0.023 (0.011 ± 0.002).

Nanoaggregate formation of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polymethacrylate (PEO-b PMA) is induced by chitosan (Ch) or methylglycolchitosan (MGC). The nanoaggregates are basically obtained by electrical charge neutralization of the anionic PMA block of the PEO-b-PMA polymer with cationic Ch or MGC, which results in insolubilization of the PMA block to form the core of the aggregates. Formation of the nanoaggregates was confirmed by dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and zeta-potential measurements. The properties of the nanoaggregates depend upon the concentration of the polymer as well as the concentration of Ch or MGC. The significance of these aggregates is their ability to incorporate ionic species, leading them to potential applications as drug carriers and nanoreactors.

We observed the electric quadrupole interaction of 12B implanted in the interstitial site of TiO2 using β-NMR method. The electric field gradients including the direction of the principal axes were determined. The direction agreed well with the theoretical calculation.

The Knight shifts K and the spin-lattice relaxation time T 1 for the short-lived s-emitters 12B and 12N implanted into Pd have been measured by means of the s-NMR method. The results show that K depends on temperature. The obtained values of experimental K were compared with theoretical values derived with the KKR method.

The means by which plasma treatment enhances the adhesion of polymer materials, remains obscure. Thus far, two possible mechanisms have been proposed: an increase in surface energy, and the anchor effects imparted by plasma etching. Independently from these mechanisms, reactions between free radicals, generated by plasma irradiation and adhesives are also likely to affect the adhesive properties of polymer materials. Free radicals generated on polyethylene (PE) by glow-discharge plasma were exposed to air and converted to peroxide. The peroxides were converted back to free radicals with the application of heat, and then graft polymerization was initiated, by adding a hydrophilic monomer such as acrylic acid. The peroxides formed by the reaction between free radicals and the oxygen in air was detected by chemiluminescence (CL). In this work, plasma-treated PE surfaces were bonded to aluminum boards, using epoxy resin as an intermediate adhesive and then subjected to a series of peeling tests. The sample with the highest peeling strength also had the highest level of CL-detected peroxides. These findings suggest that the free radicals generated by plasma treatment influence the adhesive properties of the polymer materials.

A cellulosic affinity membrane modified with N-acetyl-l-phenylalanine (N-Ac-l-Phe) was prepared intending to separate and purify the serum proteins. A porous cellulose membrane was first reacted with acrylonitrile to afford a cyanoethyl cellulose membrane (CEC membrane). After reduction of the cyano groups of the CEC membrane to obtain aminopropyl cellulose membrane (APC membrane), N-Ac-l-Phe was bound to the APC membrane through amide linkage (APC-Phe membrane). The pH dependence of the adsorption of serum proteins on the APC-Phe membrane was investigated in a dead-end flow mode, using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and γ-globulin (BγG) as model proteins. The adsorption behavior of BSA and BγG on the APC-Phe membrane was rather independent of pH, and the amount of BSA adsorbed on the membrane was greater than that of BγG. The BSA adsorbed on the APC-Phe membrane was recovered with hydroxycarboxylic acid solutions; whereas, it was not effectively eluted with NaCl solution.

Antihypertensive activities derived from porcine skeletal muscle proteins were investigated. Thermolysin hydrolysates of porcine muscle water-insoluble proteins demonstrated antihypertensive activities in spontaneously hypertensive rats when administrated in single oral doses. Hydrolysates of porcine myosin and peptides (Met-Asn-Pro-Pro-Lys, Ile-Thr-Thr-Asn-Pro, Met-Asn-Pro, Pro-Pro-Lys) with parts of the sequence of myosin showed antihypertensive activities. This is the first report of antihypertensive activities of peptides derived from muscle proteins of domestic animals. The hydrolysates of porcine muscle protein and their corresponding bioactive peptides might be utilized for physiologically functional foods. Le produit de l'hydrolyse par la thermolysine des proteines insolubles dans l'eau du muscle porcin possede des proprietes antihypertensives lorsqu'elles sont administrees au rat par voie orale, en dose unique. Les hydrolysats de myosine et les fragments peptidiques synthetiques correspondants possedent la meme activite in vivo. C'est la premiere fois que l'on decouvre une activite antihypertensive dans des peptides provenant du muscle d'animal domestique. Ils pourraient etre utilises dans des aliments fonctionnels.

Cyclotron resonance (CR) measurements of heavily doped Si : Mn prepared by chemical vapour deposition have been performed at 4.2 K by our high field CR measurement system equipped with a UV light illumination. The system is equipped with a pulsed magnetic field up to 16 T and light sources from 30 GHz to 700 GHz. The field dependence of the effective masses and linewidths of CRs at 4.2 K are discussed in connection with those observed by a conventional X-band ESR measurement system at 3.4 K under UV light illumination.

We have performed X-band ESR measurements on InP:Er epitaxial layers grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy, which were grown at the substrate temperatures of 530°C (sample A) and 580°C (sample B). Sample A shows a slightly anisotropic resonance aroundg = 6 with hyperfine structure due to the167Er (I = 7/2) isotope at 3 K. This result is similar to the result for Erdoped bulk InP and it indicates that Er3+ ions are located in In tetrahedral sites. On the other hand, we do not see such a resonance for sample B, suggesting that the local symmetry of Er in sample B is different from sample A. The difference between samples A and B is consistent with the fluorescence-detected extended X-ray absorption fine structure results that the coordination number of Er depends on the growth temperature.

Two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were identified who had substantial deletions within the hepatitis B virus (HBV) X gene from HCC tissues. In one patient, the deletion was found at nt. 382-389 (codons 128-130) of the X gene, followed by two nucleotide substitutions, a frame shift, and formation of a new stop codon. In the second patient, the deletion was found at nt. 389-396 (codons 130-132) of the X gene, followed by one nucleotide substitution, a frame shift, and formation of a new stop codon. The resulting X proteins in both cases would be truncated at the 3′ end and would be 20 amino acids shorter than the full length X protein. These patients had been identified during a study of 25 HCC patients from Qidong, China in whom a 228-base region of the X gene was sequenced. No deletions were found within this X gene sequence in HCC tissues from the other 23 patients or in the 20 adjacent noncancerous liver samples available from these patients. However, the fact that these deletions encompassed codons 130 and 131, two adjacent codons where point mutations were found in 21 of the remaining 23 patients, suggests that this region may play an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis.

The temperature dependence of the 1H NMR spin-lattice relaxation time T1 has been measured for solid chloropentamethylbenzene in the range 90–380 K. A single T1 minimum of 36.5 ms was observed around 278 K at the Larmor frequency of 18 MHz and has been assigned to in-plane molecular reorientation about the pseudohexad C′6 axis over the nonequivalent potential wells. With the aid of the reported X-ray analyses, the results have been analyzed by employing the method developed by Anderson. The activation energy has been evaluated as 27 kJ mol−1 which amounts to nearly the same value as hexamethylbenzene. A gradual decrease of T1 below 150 K was attributed to the methyl groups rotation about their C3 axes over the barriers of 3.0 kJ mol−1.

1. The effects of glucose deprivation on N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA)-induced current (INMDA) and the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the acutely dissociated rat substantia nigra neurons were investigated using the nystatin-perforated patch-clamp technique under voltage clamp and the microfluometry with a fluorescent probe, Indo-1. 2. Application of NMDA induced a peak and a successive steady-state inward current, and an outward current immediately after washout at a holding potential of -40 mV. The amplitudes of the three current components of INMDA were increased by increasing the concentrations of NMDA with half-maximum concentrations (EC50s) of 1.1 x 10(-4) M, 1.2 x 10(-4) M, and 1.6 x 10(-4) M, respectively. 3. The reversal potentials of the peak inward and outward currents were -4 +/- 3 (SE) mV and -76 +/- 2 mV, respectively. The latter was close to the theoretical K+ equilibrium potential (-82 mV). 4. The outward current was potentiated by increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentration and was blocked by Cs+ internal solution and suppressed by 5 x 10(-3) M tetraethylammonium chloride and 10(-7) M charybdotoxin, indicating that it was Ca(2+)-activated K+ current. 5. Application of NMDA increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 of 3.9 x 10(-5) M. 6. Depriving the external solution of glucose induced a slowly developing outward current and increased the basal level of [Ca2+]i. It also prolonged the NMDA-induced outward current without affecting the peak inward current, and prolonged the NMDA-induced increase in [Ca2+]i without changing the peak [Ca2+]i. 7. These findings suggest that the deprivation of glucose did not affect the NMDA-induced influx of Ca2+ into the cells, but it inhibited Ca2+ clearance by affecting the efflux of Ca2+ to the extracellular space, reuptake into the intracellular Ca2+ stores, and/or active extrusion from intracellular stores.

1. The gating properties of the hyperpolarization-activated cation current (I(f) or Ih) were investigated in single pacemaker cells dissociated from the rabbit sino-atrial node. 2. The whole-cell I(f) was recorded in the presence of different external cations. The inward I(f) was increased when external Na+ was replaced with K+, and was decreased in Li+ or Rb+ solution. In Tris+ and Cs+ solutions, the inward I(f) was negligible. The outward tail current recorded upon depolarization was largest in Li+ solution and smaller in a sequence of Na+, Tris+ and K+ solutions. In Rb+ and Cs+ solutions, only a small tail current was recorded. 3. The outward tail current had a 'shoulder' in Na+ solution, which was much delayed by replacing Na+ with Li+. In K+ solution, the decay of the tail current was much faster, and no obvious shoulder was recorded. The tail current was slowest in Li(+)-rich and 0 mM K+ solution, and was progressively accelerated by adding K+ over the range from 0 to 3 mM. The tail current at 30 mM [K+]o showed only a small shoulder. A common binding site to modulate the I(f) deactivation was suggested for monovalent cations. 4. The shoulder of the I(f) tail became more evident as I(f) was activated to a larger extent either by prolonging the duration or by increasing the amplitude of the preceding hyperpolarization in both Na+ and Li+ solutions. 5. The I(f) was first activated by hyperpolarizing the membrane to -110 mV, and then deactivated by depolarization. The inward tail current at -50 mV showed a single exponential decay. At more positive potentials, the shoulder of the outward tail currents became more evident and the rate of the final decay was increased. 6. The time course of I(f) activation was well fitted with the sum of two exponential functions. Time constants of both components were not affected by the external cation (Na+, K+ or Li+) replacement. Likewise, the quasi-steady state activation was conserved when external Na+ was replaced with Li+. 7. Two closed and three open states were assumed in a sequential state model of the I(f) channel. The cation effects were well simulated by assuming that the deactivation rate was selectively modulated. The flow of I(f) during the spontaneous action potential was calculated. The activation of I(f) started on repolarization to the maximum diastolic potential and reached a maximum in the middle of the diastolic period. Its peak amplitude was 14% of the net inward current during the diastolic period.

Nissin’s boron and carbon cluster ion implanter CLARIS G2 has been developed for the mass production of next generation CMOS devices. Development of boron cluster implant technique was presented at last IIT conference in 2008 [1]. In this paper, development of carbon cluster (C16Hx+ and C7Hx+) implant technique is described. Carbon cluster implantation has been well productized in terms of throughput, beam quality and lifetime.

The catalytic double-bond migration and the catalytic cis-trans isomerization of n-butenes took place over Sm2O3, 1%Ga2O3/Sm2O3 and 5%Ga2O3/Sm2O3. No skeletal isomerization was observed, and no gaseous hydrocarbon other than n-butenes could be detected. The reaction profiles of n-butene isomerization over these catalysts have been measured. The profiles were of the cis-convex type, the base catalysts being suggested. The profiles were varied by the addition of Ga2O3, and the degree of cis-convexity decreased, a change in the nature of the surface being suggested. In the hydrogenation of CO, the formation of methanol and C1–C5 hydrocarbons were observed, and the main type of hydrocarbon product was the olefin. The product distribution was varied, and the formation of ethylene increased while that of methane decreased with the addition of Ga2O3.

Semi-purified diets supplemented with either a high linoleate (n-6) (safflower) oil or a high alpha-linolenate (n-3) (perilla) oil were fed to mouse mothers and their offspring through 6 weeks of age. The proportions of n-3 and n-6 highly unsaturated fatty acids in brain phospholipids reflected the n-3/n-6 balance of the diets while no difference was found in phospholipid compositions or cholesterol/phospholipid ratios. In the elevated plus maze task, the total number of entries into the open- and enclosed-arms was smaller and the time spent in the dark enclosed arms tended to be longer in the perilla group than the safflower group. The time required to reach a safe platform in Morris's water maze test was less in the perilla group, but no significant difference was observed in the entries into the arms darkened with a movable cover in Y-maze dark-preference task. The safflower group was more sensitive to pentobarbital; the anesthesia onset time was less and the anesthetic time was longer than in the perilla group. Increased locomotion induced by scopolamine injection was less in the safflower group as compared with the perilla group. These results indicate that in mice the dietary alpha-linolenate/linoleate balance affects the n-3/n-6 ratio of brain phospholipid acyl chains and that this is accompanied by general behavioral changes as well as changes in sensitivities to drugs known to affect behavior.

To achieve an ultra-shallow junction formation with low resistivity, Cluster Carbon (CC) co-implantation for NMOS source drain and source drain extension condition are investigated. It is found that using CC co-implantation, Phosphorus (P) TED was suppressed and the lower junction depth Xj is achieved. The sheet resistivity Rs is increased with the increment of the Carbon dose, but the Rs×Xj product has a minimum condition is confirmed. From the experimental data, it is shown that the Cluster Carbon ion implantation (CCII) condition is important to suppress P TED effectively.

Roughages (cowpea husk, maize stover, orchard grass hay and rice straw), which have similar contents of lignin, acid detergent fibre and cellulose, were chemically pretreated with either 50 g NaOH or 50 g alkaline (NaOH) solution of hydrogen peroxide kg−1 dry matter (DM) with or without 5 g cellulase kg−1 DM. Cell wall neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and silica content of the legume increased while those of the grasses solubilised on treatment with NaOH or sequential treatment of NaOH and cellulase. Samples of each preparation were incubated in polyester bags in the rumens of three sheep to estimate degradability. The data were described using the equation p = a + b (1 − e−ct)where p is degradability at time (t) and a, b and c are constants. All roughages were extensively solubilised in water after chemical treatment, and further solubilised by subsequent cellulase treatment (P

A scanning electron microscope was used to observe the microanatomy and relative ease of tissue degradation of air-dried cowpea husks and rice straw internodes treated (soaked for 24 h) with either 1% NaOH or 1% alkaline H 2 O 2 solution and suspended, together with untreated samples, in nylon bags in ruminally fistulated sheep. Incubation periods were 8, 24 and 48 h. Data revealed that cowpea husks were degraded faster but less extensively than rice straw. Whereas parenchyma and cortex tissues in addition to the epidermis in the chemically treated cowpea husks were degraded within 8 h of incubation, only rice straw parenchyma (with phloem in the NaOH-treated material) was at the initial stage of degradation. After 24 h microbial activity, degradation was already slowing down in the cowpea husks whereas more tissues in the treated rice straw (epidermis and lignified vascular bundle) were undergoing degradation. Portions of the lignified structures in the treated rice straw appeared to be completely removed after 48 h incubation, whereas lignified vascular tissues in both treated and untreated cowpea husks were undegraded. These results indicate that microanatomy, inherent characteristics of roughages and chemical treatment affect digestibility by rumen microorganisms.

Heliotron J is a flexible concept exploration facility for the helical‐axis heliotron concept. One of the major objectives of the Heliotron J study is to experimentally confirm the effects of the new ideas introduced into this concept to improve the plasma performance. As a part of such experiments, the bumpiness (eb) and rotational transform (ι/2π) control studies have been performed. The eb‐control experiments have revealed the eb‐dependence of the fast ion confinement is qualitatively consistent with the drift optimization viewpoint. However, the bulk plasma confinement studies suggest that the low effective helical ripple configuration seems to be preferable for the confinement improvement for ECH‐only plasma. The ι/2π‐control experiments for ECH‐only and/or ECH+NBI plasmas have revealed the existence of windows in the vacuum ι(a)/2π for the high quality H‐mode. In NBI‐only plasmas, it was found out that the transition in NBI‐only plasma occurs at a certain toroidal current, which depends on the vacuu...

The composition and degradability of four varieties of rice straw were examined. The varieties were tall or short and early or late maturing. The straws and their botanical parts (leaf blade plus leaf sheath, internode, node and chaff) varied in acid-detergent fibre, ash and silica contents, but not in nitrogen and neutral-detergent fibre. There were some trends but no significant difference in proportions of parts between varieties. Milled samples of whole straw and its parts were either untreated, treated with a cellulase preparation plus propionic acid, treated with ammonia, or treated with cellulase then ammonia. Rumen degradability was measured by incubating the samples in polyester bags suspended in the rumen of sheep. The soluble fraction and potential degradability were greater in untreated short and early than in tall and late varieties, but rates of degradation did not vary significantly. Internode was more degradable than leaf. Cellulase and/or ammonia treatments increased the soluble fraction, especially in tall and late varieties, and increased potential degradabiiity except in internode. Degradability correlated positively with ash and silica contents.

We measured the polarization of the β‐emitting 23Ne (Iπ = 5/2+, T1/2 = 37.24 s) and 25Al(Iπ = 5/2+, T1/2 = 7.18 s), produced through the one nucleon pickup reactions in the intermediate energy heavy ion collisions, and was compared with those from the projectile fragmentation process. The larger polarization which seems to persistently be positive throughout the momentum distribution, and sharper momentum distributions suggest nuclear friction mechanism to be responsible for the polarization phenomena. Using such a large polarization, magnetic moment of 23Ne and the quadrupole moment of 25Al were measured. The obtained values are |μ(23Ne)| = 1.0817(9) μN and |Q(25Al)| = (240 ± 20) mb.

Whole cell currents were recorded in single myocytes dissociated from guinea-pig ventricles, and caged compounds were loaded intracellularly through the patch electrodes. Flash photolysis of caged cyclic GMP (cGMP) increased the amplitudes of both catecholamine-induced Cl- (ICl) and Ca2+ currents (ICa) which were pre-activated by submaximum doses of isoprenaline. Transient activation of ICl by photo-release of cyclic AMP (cAMP) showed a half decay time (t1/2) of 16.7 +/- 1.4 sec (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 14). This decay was markedly delayed by inhibiting phosphodiesterases using 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (IBMX). The intracellular application of cGMP (10-50 microM) also prolonged the decay of the ICl response to caged cAMP (t1/2 = 38.0 +/- 7.1 sec, n = 12). These findings strongly support the hypothesis that cGMP facilitates the beta-adrenergic response of ionic currents through the inhibition of phosphodiesterase in mammalian cardiac myocytes.

Inhibitors of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) have been shown to have antihypertensive effects and have been utilized for pharmaceuticals and physiologically functional foods. In the present study, efforts were directed to find ACE inhibitory activities derived from muscle proteins. Porcine skeletal muscle proteins were hydrolyzed by eight proteases, and the inhibitory activities of the hydrolysates toward ACE were measured. Among the digests of the water-insoluble protein fraction prepared from muscle, thermolysin digest demonstrated the highest activity. Also, among hydrolysates of porcine myosin produced by the same enzymes, thermolysin digest showed the most potent inhibitory activity. Two ACE inhibitory peptides were purified from thermolysin digest of myosin. The sequences of these inhibitory peptides, named myopentapeptides A and B, were Met-Asn-Pro-Pro-Lys and Ile-Thr-Thr-Asn-Pro. These sequences were found in the primary structure of the myosin heavy chain. The concentrations of the peptides showing 50% inhibition values (IC50) of ACE were 945.5 and 549.0 μM, respectively. Also, six tripeptides, Met-Asn-Pro, Asn-Pro-Pro, Pro-Pro-Lys, Ile-Thr-Thr, Thr-Thr-Asn, and Thr-Asn-Pro, which have parts of the sequences of the myopentapeptides, demonstrated activity. Their IC50 values were 66.6, 290.5, >1000, 678.2, 672.7, and 207.4 μM, respectively.

Background. Although elevation of blood pressure is considered to be the main adverse effect under rHuEpo therapy in haemodialysis patients, the precise mechanism remains obscure. The direct effect of rHuEpo on endothelial cells (EC) has been suggested as one of contributing factors of rHuEpo-induced hypertension. Methods. EC were incubated with various concentrations of rHuEpo (0, 1000, 5000, 10 000 mU/ml) for up to 7 days, and cell numbers, DNA and protein synthesis by EC and supernatant concentrations of immunoreactive endothelin-1 (ET) were determined by haemocytometer, 3 H-thymidine and 3 H-leucine incorporation, and RIA, respectively. The effect of rHuEpo on EC proliferation was confirmed by anti-rHuEpo rabbit antiserum. The effect of cycloheximide or actinomycin D was also examined on the increase in ET production by rHuEpo. Results. rHuEpo dose-dependently stimulated the proliferation of cultured EC, and this proliferative effect was inhibited by anti-rHuEpo rabbit antiserum. DNA and protein syntheses by EC were also increased by rHuEpo. The supernatant concentrations of ET cultured with rHuEpo at 5000 mU/ml or more showed significantly greater values than those without rHuEpo and the increase in ET in the supernatants of media containing 5000 mU/ml rHuEpo was inhibited by incubation with 0.2 μg/ml actinomycin D or 10 μg/ml cycloheximide. Further, rHuEpo increased DNA synthesis by EC which had been cultured in E-BM medium containing 0.5 or 2% FBS for 3h and which were recultured in E-BM medium containing 5% FBS for 15 h. Conclusions. rHuEpo directly stimulates EC proliferation as a competence factor, and it also accelerates endothelin-1 production in association with stimulation of DNA and protein syntheses by EC.

We describe two common single-base polymorphisms of the N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase gene after StyI or StuI restriction sites. These polymorphisms were readily detected by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

SRPX2 (Sushi repeat-containing protein, X-linked 2) has recently emerged as a multifunctional protein that is involved in seizure disorders, angiogenesis and cellular adhesion. Here, we analyzed this protein biochemically. SRPX2 protein was secreted with a highly post-translational modification. Chondroitinase ABC treatment completely decreased the molecular mass of purified SRPX2 protein to its predicted size, whereas heparitinase, keratanase and hyaluroinidase did not. Secreted SRPX2 protein was also detected using an anti-chondroitin sulfate antibody. These results indicate that SRPX2 is a novel chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG). Furthermore, a binding assay revealed that hepatocyte growth factor dose-dependently binds to SRPX2 protein, and a ligand–glycosaminoglycans interaction was speculated to be likely in proteoglycans. Regarding its molecular architecture, SRPX2 has sushi repeat modules similar to four other CSPGs/lecticans; however, the molecular architecture of SRPX2 seems to be quite different from that of the lecticans. Taken together, we found that SRPX2 is a novel CSPG that is overexpressed in gastrointestinal cancer cells. Our findings provide key glycobiological insight into SRPX2 in cancer cells and demonstrate that SRPX2 is a new member of the cancer-related proteoglycan family.