Growth of Yb-doped YLiF4 laser crystal by the Czochralski method. Attempt of Yb energy level assignment and estimation of the laser potentiality

YLiF₄ (YLF) single crystals undoped and Yb³⁺-doped with different concentrations were grown by the Czochralski technique under CF₄ atmosphere. Detailed analysis of Yb³⁺-doped YLF spectroscopy were made to contribute to the determination of energy levels in this host. We are dealing with temperature and concentration dependences of both π and σ polarizations of the infrared (IR) absorption and emission spectra. Raman spectra were also used to give an attempt of interpretation of electronic and vibronic levels. The radiative energy transfer (self-trapping) and strong phonon–electron coupling make the assignment of Yb³⁺ energy levels difficult. Evaluation of the laser potentiality of this fluoride host is also presented.     

Czochralski growth of Yb doped oxyapatite for high power laser application

Ca₈(La,Yb)₂(PO₄)₆O₂ (Yb:CLPA) single crystals with the apatite-type structure could be grown from the melt using the Czochralski method. Grown crystal was 18 mm in diameter and 110 mm in length. It is transparent with slightly blue color. Neither visible inclusion nor crack was observed. Thermal conductivity of Yb:CLPA was calculated from the values of thermal diffusivity, heat capacity measurement and density. Luminescent characterization was carried out from the results of emission, absorption and Raman spectrum.     

Purification and characterization of a strong fibrinolytic enzyme (nattokinase) in the vegetable cheese natto, a popular soybean fermented food in Japan

A strong fibrinolytic enzyme (nattokinase) was purified from the vegetable cheese natto. Nattokinase was extracted from natto with saline and isolated by sequential use of hydrophobic chromatography on Butyl-Toyopearl, ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Toyopearl, and gel-filtration on Sephadex G-50. The isolated protein gave a single sharp band on SDS-PAGE either before or after reduction. The sequence, as determined by automated Edman degradation of the uncleaved molecule and its enzymatically derived peptide, consisted of a total 275 amino acid residues (M.W = 27,728) and exhibited a high homology with the subtilisins. The purified nattokinase digested not only fibrin but also several synthetic substrates. Among the synthetic substrates, the most sensitive substrate was Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA for subtilisin. PMSF inhibited both the fibrinolytic activity and the amidolytic activity. The results indicate that nattokinase is a subtilisin-like serine protease.     

Left ventricular diastolic properties of hypertensive patients measured by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging

Examination of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive patients has been based on parameters obtained from the transmitral flow velocity during pulsed Doppler echocardiography. However, these parameters are affected by loading conditions. We evaluated LV diastolic function along the longitudinal and transverse axes by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in 50 hypertensive (HT) patients and 36 age-matched healthy volunteers (N). Transmitral flow velocity was recorded by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. LV posterior wall motion velocity along the longitudinal and transverse axes also was recorded by pulsed TDI. In both groups, peak early diastolic velocity of the LV posterior wall (Ew) along the transverse axis (N: 15.8+/-5.2 cm/s, HT: 12.2+/-4.4 cm/s) was higher than that along the longitudinal axis (N: 12.7+/-3.1 cm/s, HT: 9.5+/-3.3 cm/s). Peak atrial systolic velocity of the LV posterior wall (Aw) along the longitudinal axis (N: 9.1+/-1.8 cm/s, HT: 9.7 +/-2.6 cm/s) significantly exceeded that along the transverse axis (N: 8.0+/-2.2 cm/s, HT: 8.4+/-2.4 cm/s) in both groups. The Ews were lower and the Aws were higher along both axes in the patient group than in the control group. The time intervals from the aortic component of the second heart sound to the peak of the early diastolic wave (IIA-Ews) along both the transverse (N: 142+/-18 ms, HT: 154+/-19 ms) and longitudinal (N: 151 16 ms, HT: 162+/-20 ms) axes were longer in the patient group. In 29 patients, Ews along both axes correlated negatively (transverse: r = -0.80, P < .0001; longitudinal: r = -0.71, P < .0001) and IIA-Ews correlated positively (transverse: r = 0.81, P < .0001; longitudinal: r = 0.74, P < .001) with the time constant of the LV pressure decay during isovolumic diastole. The Aws along both axes in the 24 patients without pseudonormalization in transmitral flow velocity correlated positively (transverse: r = 0.60, P < .001; longitudinal: r = 0.74, P < .0001) with the LV end-diastolic pressure. In conclusion, LV relaxation and filling along the longitudinal and transverse axes were impaired in many patients with hypertension. Pulsed TDI was useful for evaluating LV diastolic dynamics in this disease.     

Evaluation of FMS: State of the art regarding how to evaluate system flexibility

The evaluation of FMS becomes very important in accordance with the advancement of FMS technology. The evaluation method so far employed is the economical justification; however, it should be improved so as to enable the system flexibility to be simultaneously evaluated. Thus, this paper describes the reviewed results on the present trend of system evaluation, putting the main stress on the technology regarding the evaluation of system flexibility.     

Development and Use of a Kinetical and Real-Time Monitoring System to Analyze the Replication of Hepatitis C Virus

In microbiological research, it is important to understand the time course of each step in a pathogen’s lifecycle and changes in the host cell environment induced by infection. This study is the first to develop a real-time monitoring system that kinetically detects luminescence reporter activity over time without sampling cells or culture supernatants for analyzing the virus replication. Subgenomic replicon experiments with hepatitis C virus (HCV) showed that transient translation and genome replication can be detected separately, with the first peak of translation observed at 3–4 h and replication beginning around 20 h after viral RNA introduction into cells. From the bioluminescence data set measured every 30 min (48 measurements per day), the initial rates of translation and replication were calculated, and their capacity levels were expressed as the sums of the measured signals in each process, which correspond to the areas on the kinetics graphs. The comparison of various HuH-7-derived cell lines showed that the bioluminescence profile differs among cell lines, suggesting that both translation and replication capacities potentially influence differences in HCV susceptibility. The effects of RNA mutations within the 5′ UTR of the replicon on viral translation and replication were further analyzed in the system developed, confirming that mutations to the miR-122 binding sites primarily reduce replication activity rather than translation. The newly developed real-time monitoring system should be applied to the studies of various viruses and contribute to the analysis of transitions and progression of each process of their life cycle.     

Correlation investigation between contact approach speed of handheld metal rod and discharge parameters from charged human body

Characteristic measurement of contact discharge currents are made through a hand-held metal rod from charged human body. Correlation coefficients are obtained, through Statistic Package for Social Science （SPSS）, for various charge voltages, which is based on the effect test of electrode contact approach speeds on discharge current parameters of current peaks, maximum rising slope and spark lengths. Discharge parameters at charge voltage 300V are independent on approach speed. For charge voltages equal to and higher than 500V, the contact approach speed has strong positive correlation with discharge parameters of the peak current and the maximum rising slope, whereas has strong negative correlation with the spark length.     

Bio-informatic activity modeling for human-artifacts symbiosis under resource boundedness

We investigate a biologically inspired design of an interface agent that is embedded inside human-artifact interactions rather than as an external observer, and has to work as an intelligent associate for a human user/operator in a time-critical situation like in an emergency. First, recent paradigmatic shifts of artifact design principles are discussed from an interdisciplinary viewpoint. Then, after the idea of Clancey’s activity modeling, we discuss the design principles of a situated interface agent. That is, different from the conventional supervisory agent’s task of seeking to optimize an isolated control task, such an agent has to be able to maintain its identity as an organism living within multiple contexts and looking inwards to consider the the nature of memory and perception, and looking outwards to consider the nature of social action with a human operator. Initially, our prior work using such a design principle is presented, and then decision-theoretic formulations of an interface agent’s activities are provided. This work was presented, in part, at the Third International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 19–21, 1998