Accumulative gene integration into a pre-determined site using Cre/loxP

Site-specific gene recombination systems, such as Cre/loxP, have been used for genetic modification of cells and organisms in both basic and applied research. We previously developed an accumulative gene integration system (AGIS), in which target gene cassettes could be repeatedly integrated into a pre-determined site on a plasmid or cellular genome by recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE), using Cre and mutated loxPs. In the present study, we designed a simplified AGIS. For gene integration into a target site, the previous system used two loxP sites in the acceptor DNA, whereas the new system uses a single loxP site. The gene integration reactions were repeated four times in vitro using Cre protein and specific plasmids. The expected integration reactions mediated by Cre occurred at the loxP sites, resulting in integration of four target genes. The system was also used for genomic integration of reporter genes using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The reporter genes were efficiently introduced into the CHO genome in a Cre-dependent manner, and transgene expression was detected after the integration reaction. The expression levels of the reporter genes were enhanced, corresponding to the increase of transgene copy number. Recombinase-mediated AGIS provides a useful tool for the modification of cellular genomes.     

Ultra high-efficiency multi-photon emission blue phosphorescent OLEDs with external quantum efficiency exceeding 40%

We developed high-efficiency multi-photon emission (MPE) blue phosphorescent OLEDs with external quantum efficiency exceeding 40% at 100 cd m⁻². In these MPE devices, we used a blue phosphorescent emitter, FIrpic and pyridine-containing electron-transporters, B3PyPB and B3PyMPM, B4PyMPM. We also used a well-known electron-transporter, BCP for comparison. We used a combination of TAPC/MoO₃/Al/Liq layers as the charge-generation layer unit. An optimized MPE device showed an extremely high current efficiency of over 90 cd A⁻¹ and a high power efficiency of over 40 lm W⁻¹ at 100 cd m⁻² without any outcoupling enhancement.     

Study on Model Predictive Control to Minimize Movements in Positions Due to Thermal Expansion of Plate with Varying Generation of Heat

Precise temperature control to decrease movements in positions due to thermal expansion of work pieces is required in the manufacturing processes to achieve nanometer-order accuracy. We analytically examined the effect of a method of minimizing movements in positions on a plate with varying generation of noise-heat. Control by monitoring temperature changes caused larger movements in positions than that without control because maximum change in temperature occurred at non-monitoring positions. The best method of minimizing movements in positions due to thermal expansion of a plate with varying generation of noise-heat was model predictive control by the monitoring movements and distributed temperature changes in the control heater according to the effects of the generation of noise-heat. The maximum movement in positions was 6 nm, which was 1/4 times of that without control.     

Evolving graph‐based chromosome by means of variable size genetic network programming with binomial distribution

Genetic network programming (GNP) is a graph‐based evolutionary algorithm with fixed size, which has been proven to solve complicated problems efficiently and effectively. In this paper, variable size genetic network programming (GNPvs) with binomial distribution has been proposed, which will change the size of the individuals and obtain their optimal size during evolution. The proposed method will select the number of nodes to move from one parent GNP to another parent GNP during crossover to implement the new feature of GNP. The probability of selecting the number of nodes to move satisfies a binomial distribution. The proposed method can keep the effectiveness of crossover, improve the performance of GNP, and find the optimal size of the individuals. The well‐known testbed Tileworld is used to show the numerical results in the simulations. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An extended probabilistic model building genetic network programming using both of good and bad individuals

Classical estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs) generally use truncation selection to estimate the distribution of the good individuals while ignoring the bad ones. However, various researches in evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have reported that the bad individuals may affect and help solving the problem. This paper proposes a new method to use the bad individuals by studying the substructures rather than the entire individual structures to solve reinforcement learning (RL) problems, which generally factorize their entire solutions to the sequences of state–action pairs. This work was studied in a recent graph‐based EDA named probabilistic model building genetic network programming (PMBGNP), which could solve RL problems successfully, to propose an extended PMBGNP. The effectiveness of this work is verified in an RL problem, namely robot control. Compared to other related work, results show that the proposed method can significantly speed up the evolution efficiency. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Study on Specific Heat of Water Adsorbed in Zeolite Using DSC

In this study, the specific heat of water included in an adsorbent was analyzed by a differential scanning calorimeter in the temperature range from ?50 °C to 50 °C. Zeolites with pore sizes of 3 Å and 9 Å were employed as adsorbents, and the measurement was performed with various water mass fractions in zeolites. In this article, the water was defined as being composed of adsorbed water and free water that is not adsorbed in zeolite. As a result, the specific heat of the dry zeolite increased with temperature. The specific heat of the adsorbed water was measured by a special experimental procedure to establish the experimental accuracy. It was found that the specific heat of the adsorbed water had values in the range from (3 to 5) J · g^?1 · K^?1.