Toward elucidating the full spectrum of mite allergens--state of the art

Our research has focused on the molecular design of immunotherapeutic vaccines and the advancement of mite-allergy diagnosis. Here, we describe the research history of the major group 1 and group 2 allergens, immunoelectrophoretic analyses covering the complete spectrum of mite allergens, our results on allergens with distinctive characteristics (a conjunctival congestion-eliciting antigen [LM2], an immunotherapeutic antigen [HM2] with high efficacy and without definite adverse reactions, and a potent T-cell stimulatory antigen [HM1] with secretion of IFN-gamma), the full spectrum and immunochemical properties of the major and other important mite allergens (including our newly described allergens: a pan-allergen [tropomyosin, group 10], a potent T-cell stimulatory allergen [M-177, apolipophorin, group 14] and its peptide fragments Mag1 and Mag3, a moderate IgE-binding allergen [gelsolin/villin, group 16], an EF-hand Ca2+-binding allergen [group 17], and a less IgE-binding allergen [heat shock protein 70]), and prospects for the development of immunotherapeutic and diagnostic agents.     

Two-Directional Nodal Model for Co-Condensation Growth of Multicomponent Nanoparticles in Thermal Plasma Processing

A more precise but easy-to-use model is developed and proposed to clarify nanoparticle growth with two-component co-condensation in thermal plasma processing. Computations performed for the molybdenum-silicon and titanium-silicon systems demonstrate that the model quantitatively estimates both the particle size distribution and the composition distribution of the silicide nanoparticles produced through co-condensation as well as nucleation and coagulation. The model also successfully obtains information that cannot be acquired by any other models. As a consequence, the detailed growth mechanisms of the silicide nanoparticles are eventually revealed. The present model is thus an “adaptable” and useful tool for analyzing nanoparticle growth processes, including co-condensation, with sufficient accuracy.     

Synthesis of a polytitanocarbosilane and its conversion into inorganic compounds

The novel polytitanocarbosilane, formed by the cross-linking of polycarbosilane with titanium tetra-alkoxide, was synthesized to examine the process of converting a multielement organometallic polymer into an inorganic compound. The chemical structure of this polymer was investigated by the techniques of infra-red spectroscopy (IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), number average molecular weight measurements and²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. The pyrolysis products in N₂ gas at 1400° C and 1700° C were the microcrystalline and crystalline states of silicon carbide and titanium carbide, respectively.     

Specimen preparation for high-resolution transmission electron microscopy using focused ion beam and Ar ion milling

We have developed a focused ion beam (FIB)-Ar ion-milling technique for high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. A micrometresized specimen was mounted on a cross section of metal foil of a few micrometres thick, using FIB microsampling. Following this, a 2 degrees wedgeshaped part was made in the specimen using FIB. Finally, the specimen was milled using an Ar ion beam to remove the FIB-damaged layers. We applied the FIB-Ar ion milling technique to a CeO(2)/Gd(2)Zr(2)O(7) multilayer specimen, resulting in the crystal lattice fringes of both layers being clearly observable in comparison to a specimen finished using a Ga ion beam at an accelerating voltage of 10 kV.     

Production of arachidonic acid by filamentous fungus, Mortierella alliacea strain YN-15

A filamentous fungus producing significant levels of arachidonic acid (AA, C20∶4n−6) was isolated from a freshwater pond sample and assigned to the species Mortierella alliacea. This strain, YN-15, accumulated AA mainly in the form of triglyceride in its mycelia. An optimized culture in 25 L of medium containing 12% glucose and 3% yeast extract yielded 46.1 g/L dry cell weight, 19.5 g/L total fatty acid, and 7.1 g/L AA by 7-d cultivation in a 50-L jar fermenter. Assimilation of soluble starch by YN-15 was notably enhanced by the addition of oleic acid, soybean oil, ammonium sulfate, or potassium phosphate to a starch-based medium. Using starch as a main carbon source in the pre-pilot scale cultivation improved the production of AA by up to 5.0 g/L. Mortierella alliacea strain YN-15 is therefore a promising fungal isolate for industrial production of AA and other polyunsaturated fatty acids.     

Tensile Fracture Behavior and Strength of Surface-Modified SiTiCO Fiber SiC-Matrix Minicomposites Fabricated by the PIP Process

The effect of surface-modified SiTiCO (Tyranno®) fiber on the tensile behavior of SiC-matrix minicomposites has been examined. Standard SiTiCO fiber and two kinds of surface-modified fibers were used and the composites were fabricated by a polymer infiltration pyrolysis process. The strengths of the surface-modified-fiber-reinforced minicomposites were significantly improved compared to that of the standard fiber minicomposite. The scattering of tensile strength also decreased with the use of surface-modified fibers. The results demonstrate the achievement of SiTiCO-fiber-reinforced SiC-matrix composite by modifying the surface chemistry of the fiber.     

二垩英与资源回收-Ⅲ燃烧过程二垩英生成热力学计算

进行相关热力学计算以研究高温燃烧过程二垩英生成的条件.计算得到:①在体系存在过剩氧即完全燃烧时不会产生二垩英;②当有固体碳沉积时也不会生成二垩英,因固体碳在热力学上比含二垩英的含碳物更稳定.另一方面,实际上即使在1 073 K完全燃烧条件下(即体系显著过剩氧)也有二垩英生成,原因是在实际燃烧炉中含碳微粒不可能完全烧尽.从热力学角度假设不发生碳沉积,计算得出二垩英在1 073 K高温和高CO/CO2比范围内会生成.实际考虑的条件放在燃烧炉内含碳微粒的周围.在有含碳微粒存在条件下,即使反应2CO→C+CO2(碳沉积)发生,C+CO2→2CO反应(CO生成;含碳微粒被CO2氧化)也会同时发生,导致在含碳微粒周围保持一个高的CO/CO2比,由此产生二垩英.假设在含碳微粒周围存在高CO/CO2比的异质位置,则认为二垩英会形成.     

Comparative studies on activities of antimicrobial agents against causative organisms isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (1996), III. Secular changes in susceptibility]

Susceptibilities to various antimicrobial agents were examined for Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa that were isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 10 hospitals during June 1996 to May 1997, and the results were compared with those obtained during the same period in earlier years. 1. E. faecalis Among E. faecalis strains, those with high susceptibilities to ampicillin and minocycline appeared to have decreased in the latest study period. 2. S. aureus To almost antimicrobial agents, S. aureus isolated from uncomplicated UTIs showed low susceptibilities. But the MIC50s of those agents for S. aureus from complicated UTIs have changed better state. Particularly, the MIC50s of imipenem and clindamycin were 0.125 microgram/ml or below in the latest period for the first time in our history. 3. E. coli The susceptibilities to piperacillin and quinolones of E. coli isolated from uncomplicated UTIs were better than those isolated from complicated UTIs. 4. Klebsiella spp. The susceptibilities to almost antimicrobial agents of Klebsiella spp. have been better during the latest period, compared to those during period of 1995-1996, but to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin have appeared to have been lower. 5. P. aeruginosa The susceptibilities to quinolones of P. aeruginosa have been better during the latest period compared those during periods of 1995-1996. But, the susceptibilities to cefozopran, carbapenems and monobactams of P. aeruginosa isolated from complicated UTIs appeared to have been lower. These susceptibility changes should be utilized in determining clinical treatments.     

The conversion process from polydimethylsilane to polycarbosilane in the presence of polyborodiphenylsiloxane

The pyrolytic reaction of polydimethylsilane to polycarbosilane in the presence of polyborodiphenylsiloxane have been studied by the use of organosilicon intermediates obtained during the initial pyrolytic stage of polydimethylsilane. In this reaction, the cleavage of the framework of Si-Si bonds occurred. Si-CH₂-Si and Si-H bonds were subsequently formed by the rearrangement reaction between radicals formed and Si-CH₃ bonds. The formation of Si-Si bonds by dehydrogenation between Si-H bonds then proceeded simultaneously or stepwise. It is assumed that polyborodiphenylsilane plays a role in accelerating the polycondensation reaction, that is, the propagation reaction occurred by dehydrogenation between the Si-H bonds, but takes no part in the radical rearrangement reaction from Si-Si bonds to Si-CH₂-Si bonds.     

On-line recognition of handprinted Kanji characters

Difficulties in Kanji (Chinese character) recognition stem from its large character set (about 5000 characters) and the large number of strokes (up to about sixty) in each character.

The paper describes a preliminary approach to this Kanji recognition problem. In the present method, a handprinted Kanji character is coded into a symbol string using the binary relation between stroke and reference zone. Two symbol string recognition methods are proposed and investigated; the direct matching recognition (DMR) method and the unit structure recognition (USR) method.

The DMR method worked efficiently for characters which have up to five strokes. The USR method represents Kanji characters with a structural unit combination. This method worked efficiently for multi-stroke characters and greatly reduced dictionary update labor.