Determination of potent antisense oligonucleotides in vitro by semiempirical rules

The selection of effective antisense target sites on a given mRNA molecule is a major problem in the detection of target mRNA in oligonucleotide arrays. In general, antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (asODNs) of about 10-20 nucleotides (nt) in length are used. However, the demand for predicting the sequence of potent asODNs much longer than those mentioned above has been increasing. Here, we prepared 40-nt asODNs directed against fluorescence-labeled green fluorescent protein (GFP) mRNA and quantified their hybridization efficiencies by fluorescence microscopy. We found that the hybridization efficiency depended on the TC content or the minimum free energy of the asODNs. On the basis of these findings, a semiempirical parameter called accessibility score was introduced to predict the potency of asODNs. The results of this study aided in the development of an effective two-step procedure for determining mRNA accessibility, namely, the computer-aided selection of asODN binding sites using an accessibility score followed by an experimental procedure for measuring the hybridization efficiencies between the selected asODNs and the target mRNA by fluorescence microscopy.     

INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS AND THEIR FORMATION REACTIONS IN SYSTEM Fe-Cr-Mo AT HIGH-TEMPERATURES

The stable ranges concerning the composition and temperature have been experimentally de-termined for the intermetallic compounds in system Fe-Cr-Mo at high-temperatures. Theisothermal section of the Fe-Cr-Mo ternary phase diagram at 1250℃ and the formation re-actions for the intermetallic compounds, which are different in part from those shown in theliterature, have been proposed.     

日本寒冷地带北海道抑制粳稻生成白未熟粒的栽培法（网络首发、推荐阅读）

白未熟粒的多发会使整粒率下降,降低检查等级,因此急需抑制其发生。白未熟粒中,乳白粒和基部未熟粒的发生率存在品种间差异。切除止叶减少光合作用,增肥导致每平方米稻谷数量的增加,疏植和育苗时高温引起早期异常抽穗所致的齐穗不良,以及收割时期的延迟等会造成白未熟粒的增多。此外倒伏还会导致青未熟粒、白未熟粒增多。在初期生长良好的情况下,从分蘖期开始的深水灌溉抑制了过剩的分蘖产生,增加了粒重和糙米产量,使糙米品质得以提高。由于成熟期的土壤过于干燥,因腹白粒产生引起的品质降低和千粒重减少会导致减产。从抽穗期到齐穗期10天后的茎叶到稻谷的每粒稻谷非结构性碳水化合物（NSC）流转量,以及粗糙米产量减去同一流转量的每粒稻谷NSC增加量越多,这些白未熟粒的产生就越少。为避免白未熟粒的多发,必须使施肥量、种植密度、育苗温室的温度管理、移植时期、成熟期的土壤水分和收割时期合理化,促进初期生长,用深水抑制过剩的分蘖。通过改善以上的栽培方法,以及1990年代中期后在共同干燥调制储藏设施中使用色选机选别糙米,北海道的一等米比例超过了日本全国的平均水平。     

Evaluation of energy technologies to realize sustainable systems

Degradation of the global environment and depletion of resources are threatening sustainable development of mankind. In particular, climate change caused by increasing greenhouse gases is one of the most serious issues in analyzing energy systems. This paper aims at proposing frameworks to investigate sustainability and at evaluating technologies for sustainable energy systems. For this purpose, we first define the index of sustainable limits on resource depletion and emissions. Sustainability of mineral and energy resources is evaluated based on the index. Estimations indicate that energy resources and CO₂ are unsustainable, and that we should introduce technologies to reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Life cycle energy requirements are assessed for photovoltaic systems as representatives of the technologies. Through the life cycle assessment, we quantitatively evaluate measures to improve life cycle energy requirements and capital costs. At the same time, we clarify the direction of research and development required for technologies to realize sustainable energy systems. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 130(2): 25–31, 2000     

Development of a simulator to calculate an optimal slab heating pattern for reheat furnaces

To improve energy consumption and to meet quality requirements for the slab heating process of reheat furnaces in hot strip mills, a new optimal slab heat pattern calculation simulator has been developed. The simulator consists of the following functions; (1) two-dimensional (slab thickness direction and slab length direction) slab temperature calculation function, which is capable of calculating skidmarks along the length of a slab, (2) furnace heat balance calculation function, (3) optimizing calculation function of slab heat pattern using a linear programming method. The simulator developed has been installed into a furnace computer control system for an actual plant. This paper describes the functions of the simulator and simulation results using the simulator. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 120 (3): 42–53, 1997     

日本寒地北海道稻作极限地带糯米外观品质的年度间地区间差异及其产生因素（网络首发、推荐阅读）

在六个种植地区及四个年度调查了北海道最寒冷的稻作地带生产的糯米外观品质。在不同年度之间,障碍型冷害危险期的平均气温和抽穗后40天之间的日平均累计气温（灌浆气温）越高,使得秕粒比率越低,千粒重越重,产量越高,整粒比率越高,未熟粒、受害粒及着色粒比率越低,大米蛋白质含量越低,糙米白度和大米白度越高。而在不同地区之间,这些关系不是很明确。这是由于各生育期的气温、生育特性以及整粒、未熟粒比率的变动（最小值与最大值之差以及变异系数）其年度间要比地区间大。但是,受害粒和着色粒比率其变动年度间要比地区间小,年度和地区综合分析时当灌浆气温分别为845、857 ℃时为最低,显示二次回归的关系。另外,整粒比率在年度间和地区间变化,受害粒和着色粒只在年度间变化;这些指标越差,同一年度时的地区间、同一地区时的年度间的变异系数就越大。烘干后半透明的阴糯籽粒与乳白不透明的糯米籽粒之间,其蛋白质含量、淀粉含量、淀粉颗粒的大小、纯化淀粉的碘吸收曲线最大吸收波长、吸光度等理化特性以及年糕面胚的明度基本上没有差异,且年糕面胚物理特性的差异不大,因此混有阴糯籽粒的糯米并不影响年糕面胚加工。与粳稻花粉杂交的糯稻品种胚乳变成粳性的异粉籽粒,其秕粒发生较多;虽然粳稻和糯稻的田块距离越远秕粒发生就越少,但是隔离距离600 m时也有发生。北海道为了避免糯米品质下降,在远离粳稻品种的地区种植糯稻。     

Analysis of capacitance ratio of a rectangular X-cut length-extensional mode quartz crystal resonator by stresses

The electrical properties of an X-cut, length-extensional mode quartz crystal resonator of a cut angle theta around the X-axis were calculated by a variational method using stresses as trial functions. Analytical expressions of stresses were estimated by a linear regression on a cut angle best-fit to the results of finite-element method. The calculated dependence of the capacitance ratio on the cut angle was consistent with the measured results.     

Widening of harvesting layer and area of P3HT/PCBM bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic cells

We have fabricated P3HT/PCBM based bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic cells with P3HT layer as the hole transport layer and PCBM layer as the electron transport layer between electrode and blended P3HT/PCBM layer in order to widen the photon harvesting layer. Current density has increased by about 1 mA/cm² by the insertion of P3HT layer and the resulting conversion efficiency has been improved by about 20%. We have also fabricated a centimeter-scale active area with an efficiency of ∼1%.