Linearity stablized fiber-optic thermometer using pseudo-heterodyne phase detection

A temperature sensor using a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer is described. A pseudo-heterodyne detection scheme is adopted to read the light phase difference in the Fabry-Perot interference output. A higher harmonic components comparison method is used to stabilize the system and to increase detection linearity. This system realizes not only highly sensitive temperature sensing with good linearity and minimal adjusting error, but also application to the sensing of other physical quantities such as vibrations. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio and distortion of the detected signal are investigated as functions of fiber end reflectivity. These results will be useful in designing a high performance fiber-optic Fabry-Perot thermometer.     

CODIRO: A New System for Obtaining Data Concerning Consumer Behavior Based on Data Factors of High Interest Determined by the Analyst

The aim of this paper is to propose a new system for the strategic use of customer data that includes and integrates such differing data sources as company databases, mobile telephone networks and Internet data and is a consumer research support system for the discovery of new marketing opportunities. This system, called CODIRO, will be discussed in this paper using a case study of the effects on sales of processed food product television commercials. A system for verifying the validity of consumer behavior models will also be described and discussed. Use of the CODIRO analysis system makes it easy to introduce, into the analytic model, consumer attitude changes and in-store data of many types that have not been used to measure advertising and promotional activity effectiveness in the past.     

Differential modes of nuclear localization signal (NLS) recognition by three distinct classes of NLS receptors

The targeting of karyophilic proteins to nuclear pores is mediated via the formation of a nuclear pore-targeting complex, through the interaction of nuclear localization signal (NLS) with its NLS receptor. Recently, a novel human protein, Qip1, was identified from a yeast two-hybrid system with DNA helicase Q1. This study demonstrates that Qip1 is a novel third class of NLS receptor that efficiently recognizes the NLS of the helicase Q1. Moreover, the data obtained in this study show that the specific interaction between Qip1 and the NLS of the helicase Q1 requires its upstream sequence of the minimal essential NLS. By using purified recombinant proteins alone in the digitonin-permeabilized cell-free transport system, it was demonstrated that the two known human NLS receptors, Rch1 and NPI-1, are able to transport all the tested NLS substrates into the nucleus, while Qip1 most efficiently transports the helicase Q1-NLS substrates, which contain its upstream sequence in so far as we have examined the system. Furthermore, in HeLa cell crude cytosol, it was found that endogenous Rch1 binds to all the tested NLS substrates, while the binding of endogenous NPI-1 is restricted to only some NLSs, despite the fact that NPI-1 itself shows binding activity to a variety of NLSs. These results indicate that at least three structurally and functionally distinct NLS receptors exist in the human single cell population, and suggest that the nuclear import of karyophilic proteins may be controlled in a complex manner at the NLS recognition step by the existence of a variety of NLS receptors with various specificities to each NLS.     

A study on sexual dysfunction in female patients with alcoholics

Few investigations have been made concerning hormonal changes and dyspareunia in fertile aged women with alcoholics experiencing sexual dysfunction. Twenty-seven Japanese woman with alcoholics under 40 years of age excluded with liver cirrhosis were studied to describe alcohol drinking related to sexual dysfunction. Among 21 sexually active women, 20(95.2%) had both symptoms of dyspareunia and vaginal dryness, and only one had neither symptom. Most of patients have lower estradiol levels and 92.0% of patients have the moderately elevated prolactin levels. Eleven of them were having the second grade amenorrhea associated with hyperprolactinemia and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and 14 were having the first grade amenorrhea. In this study alcoholic abuse women may have deeply related to the hyperprolactinemia, dyspareunia, amenorrhoea, vaginal dryness, ovarian dysfunction and fetal alcohol syndrome.     

Permeation of Zidovudine and Probenecid from Oily Bases Containing Alcohols Through Rat Skin

Permeation of zidovudine (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, AZT) and probenecid from oily bases containing an alcohol through rat skin was examined. Isopropyl myristate (IPM), as an oily vehicle, showed a penetration enhancing effect for AZT and probenecid. Ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol were used as additives in IPM and were examined for their own permeation and the enhancing effect on the permeation of AZT and probenecid. The skin permeation of AZT and probenecid from IPM was enhanced by addition of the alcohol in IPM. The degree of the enhancement was decreased with increasing lipophilicity of the alcohol used. me permeation rate of the drug from those systems was shown to be governed by penetration-enhancing effects of the oily base and alcohol, and the penetration of the alcohol itself through the skin.     

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis accompanied by familial large granular lymphocytosis and a decrease in T lymphocytes

A 40-year-old man with epidermodysplasia verruciformis showed a decrease in peripheral blood T cells and abnormal expansion of large granular lymphocytes, accompanied by increased natural killer cell activity. Surface marker analysis of his large granular lymphocytes demonstrated that the subset, CD 57+ and CD 16+, had increased. His father, who had no skin lesions of epidermodysplasia verruciformis, displayed similar blood changes and his brother showed a decrease in T cells and a slight increase in CD 16+ natural killer cells, whereas his mother revealed only a slight decrease in T cells. Our present study indicates that epidermodysplasia verruciformis might be associated with hereditary abnormal expansion of large granular lymphocytes and a decrease in T cells.     

Elution of copper from vermiculite with environmentally benign reagents

For the purpose of remediation of soils polluted by heavy metals, the use of some strong synthetic chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) has been proposed. However, EDTA would not be considered as the preferential choice for the remediation of soil polluted with heavy metals like copper because of its nonbiodegradability and permanent residence in the natural environment. In the present work, some novel environmentally benign chelating agents, glucosamine hydrochloride, chito-oligosaccharide and -asparaginic-N,N-diacetic acid (ASDA) were screened to find alternatives to EDTA by investigating the elution of copper from vermiculite with these reagents and comparing their effectiveness with EDTA. The effects of suspension contact time, reagent concentration and equilibrium pH of the solution on the removal of copper were examined. A stoichiometric amount of EDTA can quantitatively remove copper in both acidic and neutral conditions. Chito-oligosaccharide was a slightly less-effective reagent under acidic conditions compared to EDTA, and an amount well in excess of stoichiometry is required to achieve the maximum removal of copper from vermiculite. Glucosamine hydrochloride shows a relatively weak ability for the liberation of copper. The elution behavior of ASDA was equivalent to EDTA in acidic and neutral media. It was concluded that ASDA is the best substitute for EDTA because of its similar high complexing ability and superior biodegradability.     

A 1.5-V full-swing BiCMOS logic circuit

A BiCMOS logic circuit applicable to sub-2-V digital circuits has been developed. A transiently saturated full-swing BiCMOS (TS-FS-BiCMOS) logic circuit operates twice as fast as CMOS at 1.5-V supply. A newly developed transient-saturation technique, with which bipolar transistors saturate only during switching periods, is the key to sub-2-V operation because a high-speed full-swing operation is achieved to remove the voltage loss due to the base-emitter turn-on voltage. Both small load dependence and small fan-in dependence of gate delay time are attained with this technique. A two-input gate fabricated with 0.3-μm BiCMOS technology verifies the performance advantage of TS-FS-BiCMOS over other BiCMOS circuits and CMOS at sub 2-V supply     

Photometric application of the Gram stain method to characterize natural bacterial populations in aquatic environments

The Gram stain method was applied to the photometric characterization of aquatic bacterial populations with a charge-coupled device camera and an image analyzer. Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were used as standards of typical gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, respectively. A mounting agent to obtain clear images of Gram-stained bacteria on Nuclepore membrane filters was developed. The bacterial stainability by the Gram stain was indicated by the Gram stain index (GSI), which was applicable not only to the dichotomous classification of bacteria but also to the characterization of cell wall structure. The GSI spectra of natural bacterial populations in water with various levels of eutrophication showed a distinct profile, suggesting possible staining specificity that indicates the presence of a particular bacterial population in the aquatic environment.