Piezodialysis: styrene-butadiene copolymer membranes

It was found that piezodialysis membranes (“dialytic membranes”) prepared from styrene-butadiene copolymer membranes performed better than those prepared from Japanese ion-exchange membranes. Styrene-butadiene copolymer membranes were formed by the casting method, crosslinked with chlorosulfonic acid, by chloromethylation with a large excess of chloromethylether and by quaternary amination with trimethylamine. It was found that the necessary conditions for good dialytic membranes were as follows: a fairly large total exchange capacity, an exchange capacity ratio approaching unity, and a fairly small membrane potential.     

Molecular cloning of an isoform of Doc2 having two C2-like domains

We previously isolated a novel protein having two C2-like domains known to interact with Ca2+ and phospholipid, and named Doc2 (Double C2). Doc2 is predominantly expressed in brain and is implicated in Ca(2+)-dependent neurotransmitter release. We have isolated here an isoform of Doc2 and named the original one Doc2 alpha and the new one Doc2 beta. Doc2 beta alsp has two C2-like domains and is 61% identical to Doc2 alpha at the amino acid level. In contrast to Doc2 alpha, the Doc2 beta mRNA is expressed ubiquitously. These results indicate that there are at least two isoforms of Doc2, and suggest that Doc2 beta is involved in Ca(2+)-dependent intracellular vesicle trafficking in various types of cells.     

200-Mb/s/ch 100-m optical subsystem interconnections using8-channel 1.3-μm laser diode arrays and single-mode fiber arrays

Synchronous parallel optical-fiber transmission is an attractive method for providing increased interconnection throughput and higher density in advanced information systems. Skew suppression (reducing transmission delay time variation), error-free fully DC-coupled data transmission capability, compactness, and low power consumption of modules are important requirements. In order to meet these requirements, we developed optical subsystem interconnections using long-wavelength laser diode arrays and single-mode fiber arrays. The major design criteria are discussed, especially as they are related to skew due to laser diode turn-on delay and receiver input optical power variation. The use of low-threshold-current laser diode arrays is an important design requirement. Based on the design criteria discussed in this work, we demonstrated and channel 200-Mb/s/ch 100-m transmission using compact (0.18 cc/ch/module), low power (total 280 mW/ch), fully integrated transmitter and receiver modules with an ECL (emitter coupled logic) interface. These modules include our new laser diode arrays with low threshold current of 3.2 mA. Performance results showed that these modules are very effective as interconnections between synchronously operating subsystems     

Isolation of silicon film grown on porous silicon layer

We have investigated a new technology for dielectric isolation of a Si film grown epitaxially on a porous silicon layer. After oxidation of the porous silicon layer, a Si on Ohcidized Porous Silicon(SOPS) structure can be obtained. It is proposed that micropores pinch off quickly in the interfacial region between the porous silicon layer and the epitaxial film. A minimum yield calculated from Rutherford backscattering spectra of the epitaxial silicon film is 5.3%, and an electron Hall mobility of 600cm²/V.s is obtained in the film with a carrier concentration of 1 x 10¹⁷ /cm³. MOSFETs were fabricated on the SOPS structure.     

Lack of point mutation of the APP gene in sporadic Alzheimer's disease in Japanese

We investigated point mutations of the APP gene in 66 patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 180 normal individuals by use of the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method. Both the AD patients and the normal individuals were Japanese. We extracted DNA from blood samples using the phenol-chloroform method and amplified exons 16 and 17 of the APP gene by PCR. PCR products were digested by MBO-II (exon 16) and BCL-1(exon 17). Electrophoresis was carried out with 3% agarose gel and the separated fragments were stained with ethidium bromide. In addition we investigated other point mutations of exons 16 and 17 by use of the PCR-SSCP (single stranded conformation polymorphisms) method, and found no fragments that exhibited point mutations in the AD patients and normal individuals. These findings indicate that the presence of point mutation of the APP gene is not a major cause of AD in the Japanese population.     

New amphoteric surfactants containing a 2-hydroxyalkyl group: II. the dependence of physicochemical properties on the pH value for N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-β-alanines

The dependence of physicochemical properties on the pH of micellar solutions for N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-β alanines (HAA) was studied by means of a differential titration method (DTM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and measurements of critical micelle concentration, surface tension, and foaming power. The aspect of the dissociation of HAA was pursued by DTM. The mutual transformation among cationic, zwitterionic, and anionic forms with the change of pH range was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The micelle formation energy was determined at each pH value. Further, the dependence of surface active properties on the pH value for the adducts of ethylene oxide to Na-HAA was also investigated.     

Composite organic-inorganic nanoparticles (COINs) with chemically encoded optical signatures

To obtain a coding system for multiplex detection, we have developed a method to synthesize a new type of nanomaterial called composite organic-inorganic nanoparticles (COINs). The method allows the incorporation of a broad range of organic compounds into COINs to produce surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-like spectra that are richer in variety than fluorescence-based signatures. Preliminary data suggest that COINs can be used as Raman tags for multiplex and ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules.     

250 Mbyte/s synchronous DRAM using a 3-stage-pipelined architecture

A 3.3-V 512-k×18-b×2-bank synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) has been developed using a novel 3-stage-pipelined architecture. The address-access path which is usually designed by analog means is digitized, separated into three stages by latch circuits at the column switch and data-out buffer. Since this architecture requires no additional read/write bus and data amp, it minimizes an increase in die size. Using the standardized GTL interface, a 250-Mbyte/s synchronous DRAM with die size of 113.7-mm², which is the same die size as the conventional DRAM, has been achieved with 0.50-μm CMOS process technology     

Rank-ordered regulation of motor units

Myoelectric signals were detected from the tibialis anterior muscle of 5 subjects with a quadrifilar needle electrode while the subjects generated isometric forces that increased linearly with time (10% of maximal voluntary contraction/s) up to maximal voluntary level. Motor unit firing rates were studied as a function of force throughout the full range of muscle force output. The relationship between force and firing rate was found to contain three distinct regions. At recruitment and near maximal force levels, firing rates increased more rapidly with force than in the intermediate region. Furthermore, in the regions with rapid increases, the rate of change of firing rate was correlated to the recruitment threshold, with higher recruitment threshold motor units displaying greater rates of change. In the intermediate region, all motor units had similar rates of change of firing rate. A weak positive correlation was found between initial firing rate and recruitment threshold. Firing rates of motor units at any instant were found to be ordered according to the recruitment order: at any given time in the contraction motor units with lower recruitment thresholds had higher firing rates than units with higher recruitment thresholds. Firing rates of all motor units were observed to converge to the same value at maximal forces. Mechanisms underlying motor unit recruitment and firing rate modulation are discussed in the context of a conceptual model.