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YRh4B4, which exhibits high-T c superconductivity in the RRh4B4 system, has two-type crystal structures, CeCo4B4 type (pt-type) and LuRu4B4 type (bct-type). Both structure types have similar T c (pt-type; T c =10.6 K, bct-type; T c =9.8 K), but the μ0 H c2 of both compounds are very different, pt-type; μ0 H c2 = 2.50 T and bct-type; μ0 H c2 = 9.85 T. From our results, the difference of T c between pt-YRh4B4 and bct-YRh4B4 is mainly caused from the difference of the density of state at Fermi energy. The high-T c in pt-YRh4B4 is derived from high Debye temperature caused from vibrations of boron, in contrast, it in bct-YRh4B4 is caused by a stronger electron-phonon coupling than pt-YRh4B4. About the symmetry of superconductivity, it is suggested that pt-YRh4B4 is clean limit superconductor and has basically a fully gapped s-wave superconducting gap, but slightly anisotropic from the results of C el ∝ exp(-Δ⁄k B T ) below T c and Δγ(H) ∝ H 0.65 and bct-YRh4B4 is dirty limit superconductor and reveals an anisotropic s-wave superconductivity from the results of C el ∝ T 3 below T c and Δγ(H) ∝ H.

Kinetic modeling is a powerful tool to understand how a biochemical system behaves as a whole. To develop a realistic and predictive model, kinetic parameters need to be estimated so that a model fits experimental data. However, parameter estimation remains a major bottleneck in kinetic modeling. To accelerate parameter estimation, we developed a C library for real-coded genetic algorithms (libRCGA). In libRCGA, two real-coded genetic algorithms (RCGAs), viz. the Unimodal Normal Distribution Crossover with Minimal Generation Gap (UNDX/MGG) and the Real-coded Ensemble Crossover star with Just Generation Gap (REX star/JGG), are implemented in C language and paralleled by Message Passing Interface (MPI). We designed libRCGA to take advantage of high-performance computing environments and thus to significantly accelerate parameter estimation. Constrained optimization formulation is useful to construct a realistic kinetic model that satisfies several biological constraints. libRCGA employs stochastic ranking to efficiently solve constrained optimization problems. In the present paper, we demonstrate the performance of libRCGA through benchmark problems and in realistic parameter estimation problems. libRCGA is freely available for academic usage at http://kurata21.bio.kyutech.ac.jp/maeda/index.html.

Objective The major causes of unpleasant human body odour are aldehydes produced by axillary-resident bacteria. There are many methods of body odour prevention; however, they all carry risks of destroying indigenous dermal bacteria that are necessary for the maintenance of the normal physical function of the skin. Furthermore, some methods cannot directly reduce the concentrations of substances that cause body odour. Therefore, a novel method of reducing body odour more safely and effectively is required. We focused on acetic acid bacterial enzymes, which can convert aldehydes into carboxylic acids, and investigated their effect on aldehydes and body odour. Methods Subjects with strong body odour were recruited using screening questionnaires. Acetic acid bacterial extract including enzymes was applied to subjects' skin, and their effects were evaluated by trained panellists and by quantitative aldehyde analysis using thermal detector gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results Acetic acid bacterial extract including enzymes decreased the ratio of dilution to threshold and the concentration of body odour-producing aldehydes dropped by up to 98.7%. Conclusion These results indicate that simply applying acetic acid bacterial enzymes on the skin can reduce the concentration of aldehydes that cause unpleasant body odour by directly converting them into carboxylic acids. Therefore, acetic acid bacterial enzymes can potentially be developed into new products that do not destroy indigenous bacteria and yet can effectively reduce unpleasant body odour.

Experiments based on the isomer-spectroscopy method were performed using the secondary beam line at RCNP, Osaka University. Recently, a new γ-ray spectroscopy method was established using fusion reaction induced by low-energy RI beam. This method enables us to study high-spin states of nuclei in wider mass region where it is difficult to populate them by using the combination of stable beams and stable targets. This method works well although low production of nuclei, because (1) the combination of beams and targets can be selected with large-reaction cross section and (2) high-S/N measurement can be performed by the event-by-event detection to select the events correlated with RI beam, which reduces background γ rays, competing with γ rays emitted from fusion products. As the first step, high-spin states of 142 Pr were studied using fusion reaction induced by low-energy 17 N RI beam. Large cross section was obtained by the 130 Te (17 N ,5 n ) reaction with 4.9 MeV/u 17 N beam. Event selection, which was carried out by the event-by-event detection with low-beam intensity of 2×104 pps, enables high-S/N measurement.

Background: Handicapped persons living in nursing homes have special risks for oral diseases. Objective: To investigate the specific factors related to the occurrence of dental caries and tooth extraction in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (PSMI) residing in an institution. Methods: One hundred eighty-nine PSMI residing in a single institution in Japan were followed for 3 years. Oral examinations were conducted at baseline and 3 years later. The following items were investigated: age of subject at admission, period of institutionalization, age at baseline oral examination, status of rumination, drooling, type of ward, dietary mode, and etiology of the impairment. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine factors associated with new dental caries and tooth extraction occurring during the study period. Results: By multivariate analysis, rumination and tube feeding were identified as significant factors associated with new dental caries. On the other hand, infancy or childhood impairment and drooling were identified as significant factors related to tooth extraction. Conclusion: Some specific factors in this patient population affect the dental caries and tooth extraction and oral programs targeting these factors may reduce dental degeneration in these patients.

Several LGSO samples with different Ce doping were studied in comparison to a GSO crystal. The light output, non-proportionality of the light response, energy resolution and intrinsic resolution were measured and compared to the intensity of the afterglow recorded in the second range of time. A high light output of 17000 plusmn 1700 ph/MeV and a good energy resolution of 6.5 plusmn 0.2% for 662 keV gamma rays from a 137Cs source were obtained for the best sample, doped with 1 mol% of Ce. The energy resolution and, in particular, the intrinsic resolution varied with the concentration of Ce in the tested crystals and were not correlated with their common non-proportionality characteristics. In contrast, the observed correlation of the intrinsic energy resolution of the LGSO crystals and the intensity of their afterglow suggests that the energy resolution of scintillation detectors may be affected by a strong afterglow of the crystals. A further improvement of the crystals exhibiting a strong afterglow can be expected due to the improvement of its quality.

The first law of thermodynamics (heat balance) has been successfully applied to ecosystem studies and has brought about fruitful results on, for example, the mechanisms of microclimate within and above ecosystems. However, the second law of thermodynamics, which is closely related to entropy, has been almost ignored, except for some pioneering studies. Recently, the number of ecosystem studies based on the second law has increased and shows high potential for second law applications to ecosystem analyses, which might lead to disclosing what would not have been found without the second law standpoint. However, many of ecosystem studies based on the second law are liable to fall into ideological arguments without any support from actual data. To overcome ideological arguments, and as a first step, this study aimed at developing a chamber system, called ENTRON, that could measure the entropy production rate of plants within the chamber. ENTRON measured mass inflow, mass outflow, energy inflow, and energy outflow into and out of the chamber. From these measurements, entropy inflow and outflow were calculated, and the entropy production within the chamber was evaluated based on the entropy balance of the space within the chamber. Thus, evaluated entropy production in the case of the empty chamber (no plants within it) could be regarded as the measurement error of ENTRON. Compared to this error, entropy production calculated by ENTRON in the case of plants within it showed significantly larger values. Most of the entropy production in the case of plants within ENTRON could be attributed to that associated with evapotranspiration. Knowledge obtained through ENTRON experiments will be applied to entropy production evaluation in natural and/or agricultural ecosystems. For example, we can obtain knowledge as to which terms in the entropy balance equation are important and which are negligible, through ENTRON experiments, and such knowledge will significantly reduce required efforts to evaluate entropy production in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

The measurement of plant chlorophyll fluorescence has been used for many years as a method to monitor a plant's health status. These types of methods have been mostly relegated to the laboratory. The newly developed Relative Referencing Method allows for the measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence under artificial lighting conditions. The fluorescence signal can be determined by first taking a reference signal measurement, then a second measurement with an additional fluorescence excitation source. The first signal can then be subtracted from the second and the plant's chlorophyll fluorescence due to the second lighting source can be determined. With this simple approach, a photosynthesizing plant can be monitored to detect signs of water stress. Using this approach experiments on tomato plants have shown that it was possible to detect water stress, while the plants were continuously illuminated by fluorescent lamps. This method is a promising tool for the remote monitoring of crops grown in a CELSS-type application.

It is well known that the rectal temperature of buffaloes is easily influenced by their surroundings. In our previous observation, the rectal temperature of buffaloes fluctuated over a 1.4 2.0°C range in rest conditions with seasonal changes of air temperature, while that of cattle remained constant in the same conditions. Rectal temperature of buffaloes decreased to 36.8°C at an air temperature of 7.0°C. (Koga et al., 1991). It has been suggested that a fluctuation of rectal temperature is an adaptation to ambient temperature change in some species (Johnson, 1971) and a major indicator of the failure of this adaptability in beef cattle (Moran, 1973). Buffaloes which live in a hothumid climate and have a unique behavior, namely, wallowing, have a physiological mechanism supporting heat dissipation when they wallow, viz. an increase in the blood volume and rate of blood flow to the skin surface in hot conditions (Koga et al., 1998). Therefore the present study was undertaken to clarify the effects of a diurnally changing environmental temperature on thermoregulatory responses of buffaloes and to suggest their implication in the thermoregulation. Three female swamp buffaloes (estimated to be 13 to 19 years old) and three Holstein-Friesian cows (dry and non-pregnant, 2 years old) were used in this study. Their average body weight at the beginning of the experiment was 510 and 650 kg, respectively. The experiment consisted of three successive periods as follows: period-1, constant temperature (30°C, 60%RH), period-2, diurnally changing temperature when temperature fluctuated between 25°C and 35°C (mean 30°C) with a constant 60%RH and period-3, diurnally changing temperature and humidity as well as period-2 the animals were fasting. During period-2 and 3, the temperature changed sinusoidly from 25°C at 00:00 to 35°C at 12:00 and then back to 25°C at 24:00. Measurements were done 9 times every three hours on the last day on each period. Measurements of rectal temperature, respiration rate and heart rate were recorded using conventional methods. After recording physiological parameters, exhaled gas was collected through a face mask for the measurement of respiration volume and heat production. After each measurement, food was given one of nine equal meals equally spaced over the day, except for period-3. Water was supplied ad libitum throughout. In buffaloes a significant correlation between rectal temperature and diurnally changing temperature was observed (P

Computer simulations were conducted to investigate the effects of solar radiation enhancement on the cultivated area in a Chinese style lean-to greenhouse. The results showed that, under both direct and diffuse radiation, a more uniform distribution and increased amount of reflected radiation on the cultivated area could be obtained by installing a reflector [either an aluminized reflector or a polyvinylchloride (p.v.c) film sheet] from the ridge down to the ground [arrangement (b)] than by installing it on the interiors of the north wall and roof [arrangement (a)]. Moreover, to overcome the uneven distributions of the daily transmissivity of direct radiation when installing an aluminized reflector vertically from the ridge down to the ground, caused by the second reflection during winter months at 40°N and 45°N, an improved method was adopted. This method involves manipulation of the inclination angle of the aluminized reflector according to the solar altitude in such a way that the reflected light beam from the top of the reflector reaches the southern edge of the cultivated area at any time [arrangement (c)]. The analytical results indicated that not only the distribution uniformity, but also the total amount of reflected radiation on the cultivated area was marginally improved through this adjustment. When using the aluminized reflector under direct solar radiation, values of daily reflected radiation were 0·526 for arrangement (a), 0·691 for arrangement (b) and 0.712 for arrangement (c). Consequently, values of total solar radiation (incident+reflected) reaching the cultivated area were 1·276 for arrangement (a), 1·441 for arrangement (b) and 1·462 for arrangement (c). Similar results were obtained under diffuse radiation.

This study examined the adhesive interactions of peripheral blood NK cells with P- and E-selectin and analyzed the effect of IL-12 on the binding of NK cells to these selectins. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) is expressed on most resting and IL-12-activated NK cells. However, the percentage of resting NK cells bound to P-selectin-IgG was 15%, and that of activated NK cells bound to P-selectin-IgG was 65%. Furthermore, the number of IL-12-activated NK cells bound to P-selectin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was significantly higher than that of resting NK cells under flow conditions. These interactions were abolished by the incubation of these NK cells with anti-PSGL-1 (PL-1) mAb. Thus, PSGL-1/P-selectin interaction is important in the binding of resting and activated NK cells to P-selectin. NK cells express sialyl-Lewisx (sLex) structure recognized by anti-sLex mAb (KM-93), and IL-12 activation of NK cells increased the mean fluorescence intensity of KM-93-reactive NK cells. Adhesion of IL-12-activated NK cells to E-selectin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was stronger than that of resting NK cells under flow conditions. These interactions were reduced markedly by incubation with anti-sLex mAb. Thus, sLex is the major ligand of resting and activated NK cells for E-selectin. These findings indicate that IL-12 stimulation of NK cells promotes their adhesion activity to endothelial selectins.

To automate crop management based on the concept of machine learning, a leaning algorithm was developed. To identify relevant environmental or crop factors for a crop management behavior of a grower, a genetic algorithm was applied with fitness of each gene evaluated by the correlation coefficients between real values expressing the grower’s behavior and those estimated with the accumulated examples.Tests using random numbers showed sufficient efficiency of the developed algorithm.

This study examined the adhesive interactions of peripheral blood B cells with TNF-alpha-activated endothelial monolayers, and analyzed the roles of E-selectin, P-selectin, or VCAM-1 molecules expressed on activated HUVEC. B cell interaction occurred on activated HUVEC, but not on resting HUVEC under flow conditions. The majority of peripheral blood B cells expressed P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 and alpha4 integrin. However, the expression of cutaneous lymphocyte Ag on B cells was low. Under flow conditions, B cells could bind to P-selectin-coated tubes and VCAM-1-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. In contrast, B cells could not bind to E-selectin-coated tubes. Adhesion activity of B cells to P-selectin-coated tubes was weaker than that of T cells. Furthermore, adhesion activity of B cells to VCAM-1-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was similar to that of T cells. Treatment of activated HUVEC with anti-VCAM-1 mAb reduced interaction of B cells under flow conditions. However, the treatment of activated HUVEC with anti-P-selectin mAb did not reduce interaction. These data indicated that the interaction of VCAM-1 with alpha4 integrin plays a major role in an initial attachment of B cells to endothelial monolayers under flow conditions.

Over the last 4 decades remarkable progress has been made in the treatment of cleft palate: the rate of attaining normal or nearly normal speech after surgery has risen from about 65% 40 years ago to nearly 90% or more nowadays. One of the main factors is intratracheal intubation anesthesia that has made the surgery much safer and easier. Improved surgical technique and speech therapy also played a great role. This paper deals with two problems: (1) Slight velopharyngeal incompetence: The combined use of fiberscopy and fluorovideoscopy can provide useful information as to: (a) the exact place of the faulty articulation, (b) the detailed pattern of inconsistent velopharyngeal function, (c) changes in articulation induced by speech therapy, and (d) the relation between velopharyngeal function and faulty articulation. All the above information greatly facilitates speech therapy for cleft palate speech. It should be done with utmost care though due to possible adverse effects of radiation. (2) Analysis of faulty articulation. It was revealed that faulty articulations such as laryngeal fricative and affricates, pharyngeal stop, and glottal stop in cleft palate speech, secondary to velopharyngeal incompetence, were produced by articulation in the larynx at various sites such as the epiglottis, arytenoids, aryepiglottic folds and vocal folds. These faulty articulation points were located lower than supposed on the basis of auditory perception.

The osmotic properties of bovine carotid artery endothelial cells (BCAECs) associated with cryobiology were investigated using a perfusion microscope. These properties include the hydraulic conductivity (Lp) and its activation energy (ELp). The response of isolated cells was observed when the extracellular concentration increased from 0.15 M to 0.5 M NaCl at three different temperatures. The transient volumes of the cell were calculated from the measurements of the projected areas with an assumption of a spherical cell. The hydraulic conductivity (Lp) and the osmotically inactive volume (Vb) of BCAECs were simultaneously determined using nonlinear regression to fit the change of cell volume estimated by water transport equations to measured cell volumes. The Lp values were 0.26 +/- 0.08, 0.12 +/- 0.02, and 0.06 +/- 0.02 m/atm/min (mean +/- SD) at 23, 11 and 4 degree C, respectively, yielding the activation energy of Lp of 47.6 kJ/mol according to the Arrhenius relationship.

A cDNA encoding a GM3-specific alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase (GD3 synthase) was obtained from an expression cDNA library of human melanoma cell line WM266-4 by enrichment of Namalwa KJM-1 cells highly expressing GD3 using an anti-GD3 antibody and a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Selection of B-cell line Namalwa cells expressing transfected cDNAs in the presence of anti-GD3 monoclonal antibody KM641 gave a cDNA (pAMo-GD3) encoding a protein with a type II transmembrane topology as found for mammalian glycosyltransferases. The following evidence confirms that the cDNA encodes an alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase, which specifically converts GM3 to GD3. (i) Transfection of pAMo-GD3 into Namalwa KJM-1 cells leads to the appearance of GD3 and a GD3 synthase activity. (ii) Northern blot analysis revealed a correlation between the expression of this gene and GD3 in several cell lines. (iii) The putative COOH-terminal active domain of this cloned enzyme fused with protein A has been purified with IgG-Sepharose beads and has been shown to possess GD3-synthesizing activity, excluding the possibility that the cloned cDNA encodes a transacting factor inducing a GD3 synthase. The deduced primary sequence also contains the "sialyl motif" conserved among all the sialyltransferases cloned to date. The polymerase chain reaction analysis reveals that this gene is located on chromosome 12.

The sialyl Lewis x (NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4(Fuc alpha 1-3)Glc-NAc) determinants serve as ligands in the selectin-mediated adhesion of leukocytes to activated endothelium or platelets. In our efforts to identify glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of those ligands, we achieved expression cloning of a novel human alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase termed Fuc-TVII from a THP-1 cDNA library by enrichment of the Namalwa cells highly expressing that determinant with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Expression of the COOH-terminal catalytic domain of Fuc-TVII showed an alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase activity for a type II oligosaccharide with a terminal alpha 2,3-linked sialic acid among various acceptors, consistent with that in vivo acceptor specificity. Alignment of the primary sequences of five alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferases and assignment of the chromosomal location of Fuc-TVII gene, together with that acceptor specificity, indicate that Fuc-TVII consists of a unique class of the alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase family. Determination of the expression levels of these alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferases in various cells revealed that both Fuc-TVII and a myeloid fucosyltransferase Fuc-TIV were significantly expressed in myeloid lineage cells. Fuc-TVII-transfected Namalwa cells exhibited significant binding to E-selectin in contrast to little binding of the Fuc-TIV-transfected cells. These results suggest that Fuc-TVII may participate in the biosynthesis of the selectin ligands.

Hole transport properties of organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a thin hole‐blocking layer (HBL) were evaluated by time‐of‐flight measurement. Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of OLEDs with various HBL thicknesses were also evaluated. The results clearly show that the time‐resolved photocurrent response and the emission color strongly depend on HBL thickness. This can be attributed to hole‐tunneling through the thin HBL. We successfully fabricated a white OLED by controlling the thickness of HBL.

Developing an efficient method of separating normally shaped somatic embryos from malformed ones is essential for automating the somatic embryo production procedures, and the method based on computer vision algorithm is expected as the strong candidate of the efficient method for this purpose.Generalized Hough transform is known as the algorithm which is able to carry out very rapidly the procedure of template matching which is one of computer vision algorithm. BJcause the procedure of template matching seems to have several merits in application to the problem of selecting somatic embryos, e.g. the easiness of improvement of performance by changing templates, we tested the applicability of the procedure of template matching using the algorithm of generalized Hough transform in selecting somatic embryos by using real images of somatic embryos of carrot. As the result, our method could select out malformed somatic embryos fairly well, but it could not distinguish normally shaped somatic embryos and slightly malformed ones sufficiently.

A computer vision algorithm was developed based on a thinning technique for evaluating shapes of embryos in an automated somatic embryo production system. Normally shaped embryos thus selected will be further processed for transplants or artificial seed production. Carrot was used as a model plant. The “skeleton” of the embryo image was induced by “thinning” the image, and two parameters describing the shape of the skeleton were defined and used as selection criteria. These criteria were chosen because normal embryos have Y-shaped skeletons. The results were comparable to those based on human judgments. The developed algorithm gave results independent of the size and position of the embryo image.

A Boltzmann machine is a network of stochastic neurons. The set of all the Boltzmann machines with a fixed topology forms a geometric manifold of high dimension, where modifiable synaptic weights of connections play the role of a coordinate system to specify networks. A learning trajectory, for example, is a curve in this manifold. It is important to study the geometry of the neural manifold, rather than the behavior of a single network, in order to know the capabilities and limitations of neural networks of a fixed topology. Using the new theory of information geometry, a natural invariant Riemannian metric and a dual pair of affine connections on the Boltzmann neural network manifold are established. The meaning of geometrical structures is elucidated from the stochastic and the statistical point of view. This leads to a natural modification of the Boltzmann machine learning rule. >