A real-time PCR method targeting a gene sequence encoding 16S rRNA processing protein,rimM, for detection and enumeration of Streptococcus thermophilus in dairy products

A real-time PCR method targeting a gene sequence encoding 16S rRNA processing protein, rimM, for specific detection of Streptococcus thermophilus was developed. The designed real-time PCR primers and probe were specific for S. thermophilus JCM20026, LMG6896, LMG18311, OJT101, OJT102 but not Enteroccocus spp., Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, and Streptococcus salivarius which are phylogenetically closely related to S. thermophilus and are difficult to identify using culture-based methods. The linear range of the developed real-time PCR method was from 2.7 to 8.6 log CFU ml^?1 with an amplification efficiency of 96%. Minor differences (about 0.4 log CFU ml^?1) were observed between counts of S. thermophilus obtained by culture and real-time PCR method in plain yoghurt and yoghurt containing fruits. Therefore, the developed real-time PCR method could be of potential application in specific detection and accurate enumeration of S. thermophilus in a wide range of dairy products.     

Improvement of sensing characteristics of self‐sensing active magnetic bearings

A winding‐current interference model of self‐sensing magnetic bearings (AMBs) and an improvement technique of position‐sensing characteristics are proposed. In the self‐sensing AMB systems, the electromagnets work not only as actuators suspending the rotor but also as position sensors. The self‐sensing position signal, however, includes errors because of nonlinearity of the magnetic circuits. In the proposed model, the current is directly transmitted to the self‐sensing position signal. This transmission means degradation of the self‐sensing characteristics. This winding‐current interference to the self‐sensing signal is reduced by the proposed compensation method. The characteristics of the proposed self‐sensing method agree well with a reference sensor signal up to over 1 kHz. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 166(2): 70– 77, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20732 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A case of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral condyle treated surgically

The clinical course and the established treatment for steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle have not been clarified yet, mainly because of the limited number of reports. Conservative treatment for steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle has been advocated, because the underlying disease tends to be serious and multiple joints are usually involved. Conservative treatment usually is continued until osteonecrosis becomes extensive and osteoarthritis has progressed enough to justify total knee arthroplasty. Reported here is a case of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the lateral femoral condyle that, according to preliminary results, was treated successfully with a vascularized bone and periosteal graft.     

Statistical investigation of surface fatigue cracks in large-sized turbine rotor shaft steel

Distribution properties of an initiation life N_i and a propagation life N_p of surface cracks, statistical characteristics of a crack growth rate dl/dN, and a relationship between a scatter of the distributions and a gradient a of S-log N curves in rotating bending fatigue tests were investigated for Ni-Cr-Mo-V steel, using for a large-sized turbine rotor shaft. The distributions of N_i and N_p were expressed as Weibull distributions, and the scatter of them for smooth specimens and for lower stress amplitude σ_a tests were larger than those for notched ones and for higher σ_a tests, respectively. The statistical properties of crack propagation rate were almost similar in both smooth and notched specimens. The relationship between the a and a coefficient of variation η for the distributions of N_i, N_p and a final fracture life N_f was expressed as η = c(a)^−b, where c and b are constants.     

Power generation of the touching Cu/Bi-Te/Cu composites under the periodically alternating temperature gradients

The thermo-emf ΔV of the touching p- and n-type Cu/Bi-Te/Cu composites with different thicknesses of t _Bi-Te and t _Cu was measured as a function of time by alternating the temperature difference ΔT at periods of T = 20, 60, 120, 240 and ∞ sec, where t _Bi-Te was varied from 0.1 to 2.0 mm and t _Cu from 0 to 4.0 mm. As a result, ΔV changes significantly with t _Bi-Te, t _Cu and T. The effective thermo-emf ΔV _eff increases significantly with an increase of 1/T and exhibited a local maximum at 1/T = 1/240 s⁻¹. The resultant | α | and the effective temperature difference ΔT _eff were increased significantly by optimizing t _Bi-Te and t _Cu at 1/T = 1/240 s⁻¹. The power generation ΔW _eff (= ΔV _eff²/4R _calc) estimated using the measured ΔV _eff and calculated R _calc also exhibited a local maximum at 1/240 s⁻¹ for an optimum combination of t _Bi-Te = 0.1 mm and t _Cu = 2.0 mm, so that the maxima ΔW _eff at 1/T = 1/240 s⁻¹ for the p- and n-type composites were 2.28 and 2.92 times higher than those obtained at 1/T = 0 s⁻¹. This significant increase in ΔW _eff is owing to both the increase in ΔT _eff and the increase in ZT due to the increase in |α|. The power generation was thus found to be enhanced significantly by imposing the alternating temperature gradients on touching Cu/Bi-Te/Cu composites.     

Glucose stimulates renin secretion via adrenergic mechanisms in the rat

To elucidate whether and why glucose directly influences renin secretion, the effect of glucose on renin secretion was investigated in the rat. In an in vivo study, renin activity significantly (p<0.01) increased from the basal value of 7.6 +/- 1.4 to 14.2 +/- 3.2 ng Ang I/ml/hr (mean +/- SD) after intravenous glucose (1.0 g/kg, in 50% glucose solution ) injection. Propranolol (10.5 mg/kg) pretreatment partly abolished the increase in renin activity induced by glucose injection. In an in vitro study, the isolated kidneys of male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were perfused with a basal perfusing medium containing 5.5 mM glucose for 20 min, and then perfused with the medium containing 16.5 mM glucose, 27.5 mM glucose, 5.5 mM glucose + 22 mM mannitol, 27.5 mM glucose + 1 microM phentolamine, or 27.5 mM glucose + 1 microM propranolol for 10 min, respectively. Renin activity was significantly increased from a basal value of 8.1 +/- 4.5 to peak value of 17.9 +/- 3.0 ng Ang I/ml/hr (p<0.01) by 16.5 mM glucose, to 59.0 +/- 10.5 ng Ang I/ml/hr (p<0.005) by 27.5 mM glucose, and to 24.7 +/- 5.8 ng Ang I/ml/hr (p<0.01) by 5.5 mM glucose + 22 mM mannitol. The increase in renin activity in the kidney perfused with 27.5 mM glucose was significantly (p<0.005) higher than that with 16.5 mM glucose or that with 5.5 mM glucose + 22 mM mannitol. The 27.5 mM glucose-stimulated increase in renin activity was not changed by the addition of 1 microM phentolamine, while it was completely abolished by the addition of 1 microM propranolol. These results suggest that glucose has a direct stimulating effect on renin secretion probably through beta-adrenergic mechanisms in the rat.     

Ligand specificity of LOX-1, a novel endothelial receptor for oxidized low density lipoprotein

Endothelial dysfunction, or activation, elicited by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) and its lipid constituents has been shown to play a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We recently have identified a novel receptor for Ox-LDL-designated lectin-like Ox-LDL receptor (LOX-1) in vascular endothelial cells. To examine ligand specificity of LOX-1, we established CHO cell lines stably expressing both human and bovine LOX-1 (LOX-1-CHO). LOX-1-CHO bound and degraded 125I-labeled Ox-LDL but did not significantly degrade 125I-labeled acetylated LDL (Ac-LDL). Fucoidin and maleylated BSA (M-BSA), which inhibit 125I-Ox-LDL binding to class A scavenger receptors, did not inhibit 125I-Ox-LDL binding or degradation in LOX-1-CHO. Polyinosinic acid and carrageenan, in contrast, significantly reduced 125I-Ox-LDL binding to LOX-1-CHO by 62% and 60%, respectively. Delipidated and untreated 125I-Ox-LDL were bound and degraded equally in LOX-1-CHO; furthermore, excess amounts of unlabeled, delipidated Ox-LDL inhibited binding and degradation of untreated 125I-Ox-LDL. Taken together, LOX-1 is a receptor for Ox-LDL but not for Ac-LDL. LOX-1 recognizes protein moiety of Ox-LDL, and its ligand specificity is distinct from other receptors for Ox-LDL, including class A and B scavenger receptors.     

Phase Diagram of the BaO-CuO Binary System

The phase diagram of the BaO-CuO binary system has been investigated in air and in a mixed gas of Ar + 0.21 atm of O₂. The existence of two compounds, BaCuO₂ and Ba₂CuO₃, was confirmed. The phase transition of Ba₂CuO₃ from an orthorhombic to a tetragonal phase was observed to occur at 1083 K. The lattice constants of the tetragonal Ba₂CuO₃ phase were determined to be a = 1.2975 nm and b = 0.3992 nm. BaCuO₂ was shown to melt incongruently by a synthetic reaction at 1289 K. Furthermore, the existence of two eutectic reactions and a peritectic reaction in the present system was confirmed.