Investigation of false-positive reactions for CBH351 maize in screening PCR analysis

Examination for CBH351 maize was conducted by the qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in maize grain and maize processed foods obtained in the Tokyo area. The numbers of samples possibly positive in the screening test were 7 of 22 (31.8%) for maize grain samples, 4 of 14 (28.6%) for semi-processed foods, 11 of 30 (36.7%) for canned products, 3 of 30 (10.0%) for maize snacks, 3 of 4 (75%) for tacos and 1 of 3 (33.3%) for tortillas. However, CBH351 maize was not detected in the confirmation test. Therefore, the results of the screening test were false-positive. Since the reaction might have been caused by the base sequences of the 3'-end of primers CaM03-5' and CBH02-3' used in the screening test, a new primer pair was designed. The PCR products obtained with the new primer pair TMC2-5'--TMS2-3' were specific for CBH351 and were not obtained with barley, wheat, rice, RRS, Bt11, or Event176. Thus, the new primer pair shows high specificity. CBH351 maize was detected from samples containing at least 0.05% CBH 351 maize DNA by using this primer pair.     

Enlargement of the diamond deposition area in combustion flame method by traversing substrate

In this study, diamond deposition on traversing substrate was carried out in order to get useful information for utilizing combustion flame method. In the case of stationary substrate, diamond particles were obtained on the condition that C₂H₂/O₂ flow ratio was from 1.00 to 1.15, while no particles could be obtained in oxygen rich environment. However, in the case of traversing substrate, dense diamond belt was deposited without oxidizing of the diamond particles due to oxidative flame. From these results, it was proved that large area deposition by substrate traversing was available even in the case of combustion flame CVD.     

InGaAsP/InP photodiodes antireflectively coated with InP native oxide

Usefulness of the anodically grown native oxide film in InP surface is demonstrated as an antireflection coating of InGaAsP/InP DH photodiodes. The reflection of the InP is 30 percent, while that with coating is 2.8 percent in the wavelength region considered. The quantum efficiencies of 64 percent for the uncoated diode and 82 percent for the coated one were obtained. Some important optical properties of the anodically oxidized film are also measured.     

3-D analysis of functional instabilities of the ankle using digital still cameras

A technique to analyze the functional instability of an ankle is proposed. The technique is based on measurements using two digital still cameras. We carried out several experiments using this technique. Subjects are requested to stand on an experimental table whose angle of inclination is adjusted. By comparing the postures of both feet, we could tell that the subjects had experienced an ankle sprain and had functional instabilities in their ankles.This work was presented in part at the 8th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 24–26, 2003     

Corrosion resistance of thermal sprayed titanium coatings in chloride solution

The corrosion behavior of a resin-sealed flame-sprayed titanium coating in 3.5% NaCl solution was investigated by electrochemical polarization measurements. The composition and structure of the sprayed film was also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe x-ray microanalysis (EPMA). Although an as-sprayed titanium coating exhibited no resistance to corrosion because of its porosity, the sprayed titanium sealed with epoxy or silicon resin showed an excellent resistivity with respect to chloride corrosion. Although almost half of the titanium changed to oxides, nitrides, and carbides through the wire flame spraying, the conversion of the metal to those compounds had little effect on decreasing the corrosion resistivity. The sprayed and sealed titanium coating obtained by conventional on-site thermal spraying is expected to be an economical material for chloride containing environments. Presented at United Thermal Spray Conference & Exposition ’97, 15–18 September 1997, Indianapolis, IN.     

Deregulation of temperature-dependent transcription of the invasion regulatory gene, virB, in Shigella by rho mutation

The numerical density of neurons in the CA1 region of the rat dorsal hippocampus has been estimated by a stereological method, the disector, using pairs of video images of toluidine blue-stained, plastic-embedded, 0.5-microns-thick sections, 3 microns distant from each other. The chemical properties of those disector-counted cells were further analyzed by postembedding immunocytochemical methods on adjacent, semithin sections using antibodies against gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and a specific calcium-binding protein, parvalbumin (PV). The density of neurons in the CA1 region was 35.2 x 10(3)/mm3; numerical densities in the stratum oriens (SO), stratum pyramidale (SP), and strata radiatum-lacunosum-moleculare (SRLM) were 11.3 x 10(3)/mm3, 272.4 x 10(3)/mm3, and 1.9 x 10(3)/mm3, respectively. The numerical densities of GABA-like immunoreactive (GABA-LIR) and PV-immunoreactive (PV-IR) neurons were 2.1 x 10(3)/mm3 and 1.1 x 10(3)/mm3, respectively, which were 5.8% and 3.2% of all neurons, respectively. In the CA1 region only about 60% of PV-positive neurons were GABA-LIR. However, taking the previous observation into consideration that almost all hippocampal PV-positive neurons were immunoreactive for the GABA-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), neurons that were immunoreactive to either GABA or PV or both (GABA+ and/or PV+ neurons) were regarded as a better representative of GABAergic neurons in this region; thus, the numerical density of these GABA+ and/or PV+ neurons was 2.5 x 10(3)/mm3 and they were 7.0% of all neurons in the CA1 region. Lamellar analysis showed that the numerical densities of GABA+ and/or PV+, GABA-LIR, and PV-IR neurons were highest in the SP, where they were 8.2 x 10(3)/mm3, 6.2 x 10(3)/mm3, and 5.4 x 10(3)/mm3, respectively. The results of the present study indicate that the proportions of GABAergic neurons and a subpopulation of them, PV-containing GABAergic neurons, to other presumable non-GABAergic neurons are far smaller in the CA1 region of the hippocampus than in several neocortical regions previously reported.     

Shape Memory Behavior of [111]-Oriented NiTi Single Crystals After Stress-Assisted Aging

The shape memory behavior of [111]-oriented Ni_(51)Ti_(49) (at.%) single crystals was investigated after stressassisted aging at 500 °C for 1.5 h under a compressive stress of-150 MPa.It was found that a single family of Ni_4Ti_3 precipitates with two crystallographically equivalent variants was formed after aging under compressive stress.Stressassisted aging resulted in tensile two-way shape memory effect strain of 1.56% under-5 MPa.Thermal cycling under-600 MPa resulted in a transformation strain of-2.15%,while the subsequent thermal cycling under-5 MPa resulted in a tensile two-way shape memory effect strain of 2.2%.     

The dynamic balance of import and export of zinc in Escherichia coli suggests a heterogeneous population response to stress

Zinc is essential for life, but toxic in excess. Thus all cells must control their internal zinc concentration. We used a systems approach, alternating rounds of experiments and models, to further elucidate the zinc control systems in Escherichia coli. We measured the response to zinc of the main specific zinc import and export systems in the wild-type, and a series of deletion mutant strains. We interpreted these data with a detailed mathematical model and Bayesian model fitting routines. There are three key findings: first, that alternate, non-inducible importers and exporters are important. Second, that an internal zinc reservoir is essential for maintaining the internal zinc concentration. Third, our data fitting led us to propose that the cells mount a heterogeneous response to zinc: some respond effectively, while others die or stop growing. In a further round of experiments, we demonstrated lower viable cell counts in the mutant strain tested exposed to excess zinc, consistent with this hypothesis. A stochastic model simulation demonstrated considerable fluctuations in the cellular levels of the ZntA exporter protein, reinforcing this proposal. We hypothesize that maintaining population heterogeneity could be a bet-hedging response allowing a population of cells to survive in varied and fluctuating environments.     

Evaluation of perinatal flumazenil effects on the behavior of female RLA/Verh rats in anxiety tests and shuttle box avoidance

Our knowledge of the response properties of visual cortical neurons has increased steadily since the original studies of Hubel and Wiesel in the 1960s. By comparison, an understanding of the neural mechanisms responsible for these properties has proved more elusive. Models for the mechanisms involved in even the most basic responses, such as the orientation tuning of simple cells in the primary visual cortex of the cat, remain controversial. Recent studies, however, are providing further support for a simple model (first suggested by Hubel and Wiesel), in which it is hypothesized that the response properties of simple cells in layer 4 of the cortex are dominated by the convergence of highly specific thalamic inputs.     

Induction of differentiation of myelogenous leukemia cells by humulone, a bitter in the hop

The active form of vitamin D, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3), inhibits proliferation and induces differentiation of myelomonocytic leukemia cells, but its clinical use is limited by the adverse effect of hypercalcemia. VD3 mobilizes calcium stores from bone by inducing the dissolution of bone mineral and matrix. We have recently found that humulone, a bitter in the hop extract for beer brewing, effectively inhibits bone resorption. In this study we examined the effect of humulone on the differentiation of human myelogenous leukemia cells. Humulone alone inhibited the growth of monoblastic leukemia U937 cells while only slightly increasing differentiation markers such as nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-reducing and lysozyme activities. Humulone effectively enhanced the differentiation-inducing action of VD3. Other myelomonocytic leukemia cells were induced to differentiate by VD3 and this was also enhanced by humulone. Since humulone is a less-toxic inhibitor of bone resorption, the combination of humulone and VD3 may be useful in differentiation therapy of myelomonocytic leukemia.