Significant expression of G-CSF-induced gene-1 (GIG-1) protein in myeloid cells and NK cells

25-Hydroxycholesterol negatively regulates cholesterol synthesis and activates cholesterol esterification in a variety of cultured cells. Concurrent with these effects, 25-hydroxycholesterol also stimulates the synthesis of sphingomyelin in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells. The role of oxysterol binding protein (OSBP), a high affinity receptor for 25-hydroxycholesterol, in activation of SM synthesis was assessed by overexpression in CHO-K1 cells. When compared to mock transfected controls, three CHO-K1 clones overexpressing OSBP by 10- to 15-fold displayed a 2- to 3-fold enhancement of [3H]serine incorporation into sphingomyelin when treated with 25-hydroxycholesterol. Closer examination of one of these clones (CHO-OSBP cells) revealed a >8.5-fold stimulation of sphingomyelin synthesis after a 6-h treatment with 25-hydroxycholesterol compared to 3.5-fold in controls, slightly higher basal levels of sphingomyelin synthesis, and a more rapid response to 25-hydroxycholesterol. [3H]serine incorporation into phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, ceramide, or glucosylceramide was affected by <15%. Synthesis of sphingomyelin from exogenous [3H]sphinganine-labeled ceramide was enhanced in overexpressing cells treated with 25-hydroxycholesterol. However, in vitro activities of sphinganine N-acyltransferase, sphingomyelin synthase, and serine palmitoyltransferase were not affected by OSBP overexpression or 25-hydroxycholesterol. Overexpression of OSBP or 25-hydroxycholesterol did not significantly affect the ceramide content of Golgi-enriched fractions from control or overexpressing cells. However, diglyceride mass was reduced in Golgi-enriched fractions from overexpressing cells and by treatment with 25-hydroxycholesterol. Results from overexpressing cells show that OSBP potentiates the stimulatory effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol on sphingomyelin synthesis. 25-Hydroxycholesterol promotes translocation of OSBP to the Golgi apparatus where it appears to stimulate conversion of ceramide to sphingomyelin.     

A heuristic for job shop scheduling to minimize total weighted tardiness

This paper considers the job shop scheduling problem to minimize the total weighted tardiness with job-specific due dates and delay penalties, and a heuristic algorithm based on the tree search procedure is developed for solving the problem. A certain job shop scheduling to minimize the maximum tardiness subject to fixed sub-schedules is solved at each node of the search tree, and the successor nodes are generated, where the sub-schedules of the operations are fixed. Thus, a schedule is obtained at each node, and the sub-optimum solution is determined among the obtained schedules. Computational results on some 10 jobs and 10 machines problems and 15 jobs and 15 machines problems show that the proposed algorithm can find the sub-optimum solutions with a little computation time.     

Swelling and ketoprofen release characteristics of thermo- and pH-responsive copolymer gels

Swelling-controlled drug delivery copolymer gels were newly synthesized by introducing thermo- and pH-responsive methacryloyl-glycine (MA-Gly) or pH-responsive methacrylic acid (MA-Ac) for comparison with thermoresponsive acryloyl-L-proline ethyl ester (A-ProOEt). A homopolymer gel of A-ProOEt was kept at degrees of swelling that were less than 0.5 at a pH from 2.5 to 7.5 at 37 degrees C. The thresholds of swelling for copolymer gels consisting of A-ProOEt/MA-Gly and A-ProOEt/MA-Ac with a composition of 40/60 mol% were found to be pH 3.0 and pH 5.5, respectively, in buffer solutions at 37 degrees C. The diffusion characteristics of 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)propionic acid (ketoprofen) from such copolymer gels was evaluated in buffer solutions at pH's more than 5.5, and it was found that A-ProOEt/MA-Gly gel possesses a case II transport mechanism that is completely linear time dependent in both the amount diffused and the penetrating swelling front position. On the other hand, A-ProOEt/MA-Ac gel exhibited a non-Fickian (or anomalous) diffusion behavior under the same conditions.     

Enhanced study and control of analyte oxidation in electrospray using a thin-channel,planar electrode emitter

A thin-channel, planar electrode emitter device is described and utilized for the study and control of electrochemical oxidation of analytes at the emitter electrode in an electrospray ion source. For analytes that are not particularly susceptible to oxidation, the planar electrode device functions analytically in a manner similar to emitter systems that utilize the more common stainless steel tubular electrodes. For more easily oxidized analytes, the device provides the means to achieve near 100% oxidation efficiency or to completely eliminate analyte oxidation through simple and rapid changes in electrode material, electrode area, electrode covering, channel height above the electrode, or solution flow rate. Compared to the use of tubular electrodes, the planar electrode emitter system provides improved flexibility in altering the nature of the electrode area and material, as well as altering analyte mass transport to the electrode surface. Each of these parameters is critical in the control of electrochemical reactions and can be easily studied or exploited with this emitter electrode configuration.     

A Generalization of Magic Squares with Applications to Digital Halftoning

A semimagic square of order n is an n×n matrix containing the integers 0,…,n ²−1 arranged in such a way that each row and column add up to the same value. We generalize this notion to that of a zero k×k -discrepancy matrix by replacing the requirement that the sum of each row and each column be the same by that of requiring that the sum of the entries in each k×k square contiguous submatrix be the same. We show that such matrices exist if k and n are both even, and do not if k and n are relatively prime. Further, the existence is also guaranteed whenever n=k ^m , for some integers k,m≥2. We present a space-efficient algorithm for constructing such a matrix. Another class that we call constant-gap matrices arises in this construction. We give a characterization of such matrices. An application to digital halftoning is also mentioned. A preliminary version of this paper appeared in Proceedings of International Symposium on Algorithms and Computation, Hong Kong, December, 2004. Part of the work on the paper has been carried out when B.A. was visiting JAIST. Work of B.A. on this paper was supported in part by NSF ITR Grant CCR-00-81964. Work of T.A. was partially supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).     

Low excess losses in a Y-branching plastic optical waveguide formed through injection molding

We have demonstrated low excess losses (1.9 dB at 660-nm wavelength) in a Y-branching plastic optical waveguide (POWG) that was fabricated using an injection-molding method. The waveguide had an amorphous vinyl polymer as the core and transparent polyolefin as the cladding. We then studied a method for isolating the excess loss in the Y-branching POWG, and with that method we estimated the lower limit of the loss to be 1.41 dB at 660 nm. The sample had a heat-resistant plastic optical fiber (POF) with a core composed of crosslinked poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) copolymer, and a cladding composed of poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene). The POWG has sufficient reliability for ordinary uses below 100 °C. A model for a bidirectional wavelength-division multiplexing opticalcommunication system with the developed Y-branching POWG and the POF was also demonstrated.     

Selective formation of gradient-index profiles inside a planar polymer substrate by a lithographic technique

A fabricating technique that is capable of easy pattern formation for gradient-index polymer optical devices is proposed. Monomers with low refractive indices are diffused into a gel that contains barium ion patterned by a lithographic technique, and then the diffusion profile is fixed by thermal polymerization. The gradient-index profiles can be selectively formed in the ultraviolet- (UV-) irradiated regions by utilizing the difference in diffusion rate of monomers between regions in the same substrate. The optical properties and shapes of the gradient-index profiles are determined by the diffusion behavior of the monomers into the UV-irradiated regions. A lens array, consisting of two equivalent gradient-index lenses distributed uniformly in the substrate, and a low-loss Y-branched waveguide are fabricated by this technique, and their optical properties are demonstrated.     

High burn-up operation and MOX burning in LWR; Effects of burn-up and extended cooling period of spent fuel on vitrification and disposal

Looking ahead to final disposal of high-level radioactive waste arising from further utilization of nuclear energy, the effects of high burn-up of light-water reactors (LWR) with UO₂ and MOX fuel and extended cooling period of spent fuel on waste management and disposal were discussed. It was assumed that the waste loading of waste glass is restricted by three factors: heat generation rate, MoO₃ content, and platinum group metal content. As a result of evaluation for effects of extended cooling period, the waste loading of waste glass from both UO₂ and MOX spent fuel could be increased in the current vitrification technology. For the storage of waste glass from MOX spent fuel with higher waste loading, however, those waste glass require long storage period prior to geological disposal because decay heat of ²⁴¹Am contributes significantly. Therefore, the evaluation of effects of Am separation on the storage period was performed. Furthermore, heat transfer calculation was carried out in order to evaluate the temperature of buffer material in a geological repository. The results showed, 70 to 90% of Am separation is sufficiently effective in terms of thermal feasibility of a repository.     

Crack growth under static and fatigue loading in glassy polymers oriented by cold-rolling

Static and fatigue crack growth in PC and fatigue crack growth in PVC have been studied using anisotropic sheets oriented by cold-rolling. Tests were carried out at room temperature for samples with various degrees of rolling reduction. In static loading for PC, a slight rolling reduction considerably improves the resistance to crack propagation in the case where the crack grows perpendicularily to the rolling direction. The measured values of crack opening displacement were compared with the Dugdale model, taking into account the effect of anisotropy. In fatigue loading for both polymers used, a power law relationship between crack growth rate $\text{d}\text{c}\text{d}\text{N}$ and stress intensity factor range ΔK, i.e., $\text{d}\text{c}\text{d}\text{N=A(ΔK)}{}^{\mathrm{m}}$ where A and m are constants, covers most of the data in spite of the differences in degrees of anisotropy. However, the constants A and m are dependent on the degree of rolling reduction. In PVC, the rolling reduction changes the fatigue fracture mode from a discontinuous growth type to continuous one. All the results show that the rolling reduction has an important effect on crack behaviour.