Confirmation of anatoxin-a(s), in the cyanobacterium Anabaena lemmermannii, as the cause of bird kills in Danish lakes

Cyanobacterial blooms were implicated in bird kills at lakes in Denmark in July 1993 and June-July 1994. These blooms were dominated by Anabaena lemmermannii and were shown to contain a neurotoxin with anticholinesterase activity. In this study, the toxin was isolated by mouse lethality guided column chromatographies from the field sample collected at Lake Knud s? in 1993. Various spectroscopic data indicated that the toxin was anatoxin-a(s), an irreversible anticholinesterase, first reported in Anabaena flos-aquae. Chemical detection of the same toxin in cultured A. lemmermannii also confirmed this species as the cause of the deaths of the wild birds.     

Accumulation of amplified target DNAs using thiol/biotin labeling, S1 nuclease, and ferrocene-streptavidin-magnetic system and a direct detection of specific DNA signals with screen printed gold electrode

Combinations of PCR-based amplification platform using 5′ thiolated and biotinylated specific primers, S1 nuclease-PCR products treatment, ferrocene-streptavidin (Fc-Stv)-magnetic binding for DNA accumulation, and screen printed gold electrode for the DNA allocation, were applied to Hoechst 33258-induced DNA aggregation and signals induction system for direct signals detection and DNA quantification in food samples. Thiolated and biotinylated at each 5′ terminus enabled DNA purification through S1 nuclease treatment for primers and non-specific DNA elimination and enabled DNA trapping with a ferrocene-streptavidin-magnetic system. This facilitated the accumulation of target DNAs at higher concentration, resulting in enhanced signals. After allocation of DNA on the surface of gold electrode via thiol binding, intensity of DNA signals through these treatments could be measured directly after being induced by Hoechst 33258. Wider amplitude changes in anodic current peaks between negative and positive samples (increasing from 3.70 to 10.10 μA) compared with those applied with no treatment combinations (decreasing from 3.92 to 1.23 μA) were observed. This enhancement of the signals allowed a greater efficiency of DNA quantification. When this combination was used for GMOs content estimation in reference samples, results revealed an improved accuracy from 66% to 96%. The combined biosensor system, although more costly than the standard Hoechst 33258/carbon electrode system, provided an alternative choice for DNA quantification, offering labor-free immobilization of probe onto electrode surface, easy test administration, and efficient semi-quantitative test without expensive instruments.     

Acquisition-time estimation for over 10 Gbit/s clock and data recovery ICs

A method to estimate the acquisition time for the clock and data recovery (CDR) IC using the linear phase-locked loop (PLL) technique is proposed. Estimations using the method follow the measured acquisition time for the PLL with any loop parameters, which makes it possible to design the CDR IC for various targets.     

Small increase of CR1 and CR3 by C5a-receptors on polymorphonuclear leukocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus

One of the anaphylatoxins, C5a, is known to increase the expression of the complement receptors, CR1 and CR3, on PMNs which play important roles in the phagocytosis. We measured the expression of these receptors before and after the stimulation with C5a and C5a-receptors (C5aR) on PMNs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). PMNs from 16 patients and 11 normal controls were tested. All the patients with SLE were administered with prednisolone orally and were in the inactive stage. The CR1 expression in SLE was significantly weak (p < 0.01) before and after stimulation with 4.55 nM (50 micrograms/ml) of C5a. There was no significant difference of CR3 expression before stimulation. However, after the stimulation with C5a, the increase of CR3 on PMNs from SLE was significantly small (p < 0.01). C5aR on PMNs showed no difference between the two groups. However, the expression of C5aR was significantly suppressed in patients treated with a high dosage of prednisolone (> = 10 mg/day) compared to those with a low dosage of prednisolone (< 10 mg/day). There was no significant difference of CR1 and CR3 expression between these groups. It is concluded that the increase of CR1 and CR3 on PMNs by C5a in small in SLE, of which impaired increase is not due to C5aR on PMNs, and that the expression of C5aR is suppressed by prednisolone.     

980 nm compact optical isolators using Cd1-x-yMnxHgyTe single crystals for high power pumping laserdiodes

The author have developed compact optical isolators operating at 480 nm wavelength with an insertion loss of 1.0 dB, isolation of 30 dB, size of 4φ×4.5 mm and endurance against laser power of ~500 mW using Cd_1-x-yMn_xHg_yTe single crystals for the first time     

Superconductivity in W-containing diamond-like nanocomposite films

Superconductivity in a tungsten-containing carbon-oxide film was reported. The film with 500 nm thickness was deposited onto polycrystalline silicon oxides using chemical vapor deposition and the co-sputtering of a tungsten metal target. The bonding state of the carbon atoms and the macroscopic and microscopic crystal structure of the film were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements. From the experimental results, we determined that this film essentially had an amorphous structure. The temperature dependence on resistivity was measured in the temperature range of 2–300 K. Resistive superconducting transition was observed at 3.8 K. The dc magnetizations were measured in the temperature range of 1.8–6.5 K. The diamagnetism resulting from a superconductive state was observed below 3.75 K, which is consistent with a resistive superconducting transition. It is thought that the finite sized clusters of the different superconductive transition temperatures cooperatively produce a macroscopic superconducting phenomenon.     

Stability and spectral behavior of grating-controlled activelymode-locked lasers

Amplitude, timing, and wavelength instabilities in a semiconductor mode-locked laser are studied experimentally and by using an accurate numerical model. It is shown that these instabilities can occur when the RF drive frequency is tuned to give a minimum average pulsewidth. It is shown that experimental measurement techniques, such as sampling and averaging, can mask these instabilities. Using this numerical model, it is shown that the wavelength instability is associated with the amplitude and timing instabilities and that the large broadening of the optical spectrum observed experimentally is caused by a cyclic wavelength instability     

Stromal CCL5 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression by Interacting with CCR3 in Tumor Cells

Chemokines secreted from stromal cells have important roles for interactions with carcinoma cells and regulating tumor progression. C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 5 is expressed in various types of stromal cells and associated with tumor progression, interacting with C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 1, 3 and 5 expressed in tumor cells. However, the expression on CCL5 and its receptors have so far not been well-examined in human breast carcinoma tissues. We therefore immunolocalized CCL5, as well as CCR1, 3 and 5, in 111 human breast carcinoma tissues and correlated them with clinicopathological characteristics. Stromal CCL5 immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with the aggressive phenotype of breast carcinomas. Importantly, this tendency was observed especially in the CCR3-positive group. Furthermore, the risk of recurrence was significantly higher in the patients with breast carcinomas positive for CCL5 and CCR3 but negative for CCR1 and CCR5, as compared with other patients. In summary, the CCL5-CCR3 axis might contribute to a worse prognosis in breast cancer patients, and these findings will contribute to a better understanding of the significance of the CCL5/CCRs axis in breast carcinoma microenvironment.     

Preparation and performance of poly(vinyl butyral) membrane for ultrafiltration

Ultrafiltration membrane was prepared from poly(vinyl butyral). The effects of membrane thickness, polymer concentration, evaporation time, and evaporation temperature, etc., on the performance of the resulting membranes have been studied. Dimethylacetamide was used as a casting solvent. The membrane formed by casting the polymer from a 15 wt % solution and evaporation at 25°C for 30 s had a flux value of 250 cm³ / cm² h (4.8 kg/cm², 26°C) at 92.9% rejection level for dextran sodium sulfate (average mol. wt. 550,000) separation. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.