bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of medically important Aspergillus species by single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) of the PCR‐amplified intergenic spacer region  Identifizierung humanmedizinisch relevanter Aspergillus‐Arten durch Analyse der Einzelstrang‐Konformations‐Polymorphismen der amplifizierten Intergenic‐Spacer‐Region
Authors: Rath P.‐M. , Ansorg R.
Published: November 2005

Summary.  The amplified 5.8S RNA coding DNA with the neighbouring internal transcribed spacers ITS I and ITS II (ITS I−5.8S rDNA – ITS II) of 27 culture collection strains of Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus terreus were investigated by single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. All strains showed a polymerase gel electrophoresis (PCR) product of 0.6 kb. Separation of DNA single strands of the PCR product in an acrylamide‐bisacrylamide gel containing formamide SSCP resulted in individual patterns for each of the species. A minor variability within the species A. fumigatus and A. flavus did not affect the correct species identification. The results were confirmed when investigating 55 wild strains from patients and the environment. It is concluded that the analysis of the amplified ITS I−5.8S rDNA – ITS II region by SSCP allows the differentiation of the medically most relevant aspergilli. As the method does not require morphologically fully developed fungal colonies, it yields species diagnosis faster than the conventional macroscopic and microscopic identification.
Phytoestrogens and reproductive biology
Authors: TAMAYA TERUHIKO
Published: November 2005

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant substances that can either mimic or antagonize the action of endogenous estrogens. This is because of the similarity of the functional structure of phytoestrogens and endogenous estrogens. In premenopausal women, phytoestrogen intake might induce a decrease in luteinizing hormone, follicle‐stimulating hormone and estradiol (E2), which are associated with a longer follicular phase. The circulating transport protein, sex hormone‐binding globulin, is increased, resulting in less cellular availability of E2. Phytoestrogens inhibit the activities of E2 synthetic enzymes through adenylate cyclase and tyrosine kinase cascades. This might decrease of risk of hormone dependent cancers. A phytoestrogen‐rich diet might reproduce normal body composition, affecting the course of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Some herbs used in traditional Japanese medicine contain phytoestrogens that influence endogenous hormone levels to directly regulate the pituitary‐ovarian system, in particular, the chemotactic effects on ovaries. (Reprod Med Biol 2005; 4: 225 –229)
Severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in a 42‐year‐old woman with successful pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection embryo transfer
Authors: SHIBAHARA HIROAKI , SHIMADA KAZUHIKO , MORIMATSU YUKAKO , KIKUCHI KUMIKO , HIRANO YUKI , SUZUKI TATSUYA , TAKAMIZAWA SATORU , SUZUKI MITSUAKI
Published: November 2005

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an iatrogenic complication of ovulation induction for infertile women. It has been shown that patients suffering from OHSS are generally young because OHSS depends on the patient's ovarian reserve. Therefore, women ≥40 years of age seldom suffer from the severe form of OHSS. In the present study, we report a case of severe OHSS that occurred in a 42‐year‐old woman with a successful pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)‐embryo transfer. She had been diagnosed as having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). After 5 cycles of unsuccessful treatment with gonadotropins plus intrauterine insemination for her husband's asthenozoospermia, the treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) was indicated. In the third ART attempt, the patient was treated by ICSI‐embryo transfer (ET) and she developed severe OHSS at 4 weeks’ gestation. On admission, marked hemoconcentration, oligouria and hypo‐albuminemia were diagnosed. A continuous autotransfusion system of ascites, which was developed to expand circulating plasma volume without exogenous albumin, was carried out for 5 h at a rate of 100–200 mL/h once a day for a total of 5 days. The course of the pregnancy was uneventful. At 37 weeks’ gestation, a healthy baby boy weighing 3336 g was born by cesarean section when the patient was 43 years of age. The postoperative course was also uneventful. To the best of our knowledge, the present report describes the oldest woman showing severe OHSS. (Reprod Med Biol 2005; 4: 265–269)
Postoperative arrhythmias in colorectal surgical patients: incidence and clinical correlates
Authors: Walsh S. R. , Oates J. E. , Anderson J. A. , Blair S. D. , Makin C. A. , Walsh C. J.
Published: November 2005

Objective  To determine the incidence and clinical correlates of postoperative cardiac arrhythmias in patients undergoing elective large bowel resection.

Methods  Fifty‐one consecutive patients undergoing elective open colorectal resection were recruited for this prospective observational study. Participating patients underwent daily three‐lead electrocardiograms postoperatively. Data regarding potential risk factors for arrhythmias were recorded. Post‐operative complications were recorded.

Results  Thirteen (26%) patients developed a postoperative arrhythmia, most commonly atrial fibrillation. Significant univariate correlates with postoperative arrhythmias were: age (P < 0.01), hypertension (P < 0.01), pre‐operative serum potassium levels (P < 0.01), postoperative pulmonary oedema (P = 0.03), postoperative serum potassium (P = 0.03) and sodium (P < 0.01). Arrhythmia patients were more likely to have other complications (P = 0.02). Thirty‐one percent of arrhythmia patients had underlying sepsis compared with 18% of controls (P = 0.38).

Conclusion  Arrhythmias are common following elective large bowel resection. They occur in older patients and are associated with the development of other complications.
Phylogeny of the New World medicinal leech family Macrobdellidae (Oligochaeta: Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida)
Authors: Phillips Anna J. , Siddall Mark E.
Published: November 2005

Phylogenetic analyses of the leech family Macrobdellidae were accomplished with all nominal species in the family save one. A total of 17 specimens in nine ingroup species were analysed, along with four outgroup taxa. Twenty‐two morphological characters based on jaw dentition, sexual anatomy, and external morphology failed to provide a resolution for many of the relationships in the family. DNA sequence data from nuclear 18S rDNA, nuclear 28S rDNA, mitochondrial 12S rDNA, and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I were examined separately and in combination with morphological characters. The resulting combined analysis strongly corroborated the placement of the genus Philobdella within the family Macrobdellidae and as sister to a monophyletic genus Macrobdella, the typical North American medicinal leeches. Furthermore, sequence divergences among these taxa confirmed the existence of two species, Philobdella gracilis and P. floridana, readily distinguishable on the basis of jaw dentition.
Markets in virtue: the promise of ethical funds and micro‐credit
Authors: Santiso Javier
Published: November 2005

The politics of ethical correctness responds on occasion – or often as its detractors would claim – only to enlightened self‐interest. To set up an ethical fund, or to commit to a micro‐finance programme, may be a mere concession to the Zeitgeist or an indirect enhancement of self‐esteem. Nonetheless, the homage to virtue raises contemporary question and issues. The money committed to ethical funds is far from trivial. In the USA, every tenth dollar is invested in “ethical” financial instruments. They are rapidly developing in Europe. As for micro‐credit experiments, they have been shown, from Bangladesh to Bolivia, to bring widely spread benefits to all. As this article stresses, the experience of ethical funds and micro‐credit, while it does not fill the gap between past and future, nonetheless bears the promise of a future. It gives a time horizon, a view of what is to come, in which what has come to be known as international civil society participates.
A thermodynamic assessment of energy requirements for biomass synthesis by chemolithoautotrophic micro‐organisms in oxic and anoxic environments
Authors: MCCOLLOM T. M. , AMEND J. P.
Published: November 2005

The flow of metabolic energy is arguably the most fundamental property governing ecosystem structure. In many microbial communities, particularly those that inhabit environments with little input of exogenous organic matter such as submarine hydrothermal systems and deep subsurface environments, chemolithoautotrophic organisms generate most of the organic matter available to support heterotrophic growth. In these environments, inorganic chemical reactions constitute the main source of energy input to the system, and the conversion of chemical energy to biomass by chemolithoautotrophs exerts a prominent control on the size, composition, and trophic structure of the biological community. A rigorous accounting of energy flow would aid in understanding the potential biological productivity of chemolithoautotrophic communities and help clarify the limits to habitability in geothermal and subsurface environments. In a step towards achieving a more complete accounting of energy flow in such communities, we present here computations to quantify the amount of thermodynamic energy required to synthesize the molecular components of biomass and to compare the relative energy requirements under oxic and anoxic conditions. The results suggest that only about 10% or less of the overall energy consumed during growth by chemolithoautotrophs is transformed directly into biomass. In addition, the results indicate aerobic organisms require approximately 17 kJ (g cells)−1 more energy than anaerobes to synthesize the same biomass. This advantage may help explain why anaerobic organisms appear to yield greater biomass per unit energy input than aerobic organisms in laboratory growth studies, and why anaerobic micro‐organisms can exist where the energy yield from catabolism is extremely low.
The influence of stress and anxiety on the response of non‐surgical periodontal treatment
Authors: Vettore M. , Quintanilha R. S. , Monteiro da Silva A. M. , Lamarca G. A. , Leão A. T. T.
Published: November 2005

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of stress and anxiety on the response to non‐surgical periodontal treatment (NPT) in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Method: Sixty‐six patients (mean age 46.1±8 years) were assigned to three groups: control group, probing pocket depth (PPD) 4 mm, n=20; T1, at least four sites with PPD 4 and 6 mm, n=26; and T2, at least four sites with PPD >6 mm, n=20. Stress, state anxiety (SA) and trait anxiety (TA) and plaque index (PI), gingival index, PPD and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded at baseline and 3 months after NPT.

Results: TA scores were different among groups at baseline and after NPT. TA was related to periodontitis at baseline and after NPT. PI was associated with the SA at baseline. The reduction of frequency of CAL >6 mm was correlated with TA after adjusting for confounders. Stressed subjects did not show reduction of frequency of PPD >6 mm (T1), CAL 4–6 mm and CAL >6 mm (T2).

Conclusions: The data suggest an influence of trait of anxiety and stress on the response to NPT.
Thermodynamics of an Incommensurate Quantum Crystal
Authors: Anderson P. W. , Brinkman W. F. , Huse David A.
Published: November 2005

We present a theory of the thermodynamics of an incommensurate quantum solid. The ground state of the solid is assumed to be an incommensurate crystal, with quantum zero-point vacancies and interstitials and thus a non-integer number of atoms per unit cell. We show that at low temperature
T
, the variation of the net vacancy concentration should be as
T
4
and that the first correction to the specific heat due to this varies as
T
7
; these are quite consistent with experiments on solid helium-4. We also make some observations about the recent experimental reports of “supersolidity” in solid helium-4 that motivate a renewed interest in quantum crystals.
Adenylate Cyclase Toxin (ACT) fromBordetella hinzii: Characterization and Differences from ACT ofBordetella pertussis
Authors: Donato Gina M. , Hsia Hung-Lun J. , Green Candace S. , Hewlett Erik L.
Published: November 2005

Bordetella hinziiis a commensal respiratory microorganism in poultry but is increasingly being recognized as an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised humans. Although associated with a variety of disease states, practically nothing is known about the mechanisms employed by this bacterium. In this study, we show by DNA sequencing and reverse transcription-PCR that both commensal and clinical strains ofB. hinziipossess and transcriptionally expresscyaA, the gene encoding adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT) in other pathogenicBordetellaspecies. By Western blotting, we also found thatB. hinziiproduces full-length ACT protein in quantities that are comparable to those made byB. pertussis. In contrast toB. pertussisACT, however, ACT fromB. hinziiis less extractable from whole bacteria, nonhemolytic, has a 50-fold reduction in adenylate cyclase activity, and is unable to elevate cyclic AMP levels in host macrophages (nontoxic). The decrease in enzymatic activity is attributable, at least in part, to a decreased binding affinity ofB. hinziiACT for calmodulin, the eukaryotic activator ofB. pertussisACT. In addition, we demonstrate that the lack of intoxication byB. hinziiACT may be due to the absence of expression ofcyaC, the gene encoding the accessory protein required for the acylation ofB. pertussisACT. These results demonstrate the expression of ACT byB. hinziiand represent the first characterization of a potential virulence factor of this organism.
Stabilization of Polar Localization of a Chemoreceptor via Its Covalent Modifications and Its Communication with a Different Chemoreceptor
Authors: Shiomi Daisuke , Banno Satomi , Homma Michio , Kawagishi Ikuro
Published: November 2005

In the chemotaxis of
Escherichia coli
, polar clustering of the chemoreceptors, the histidine kinase CheA, and the adaptor protein CheW is thought to be involved in signal amplification and adaptation. However, the mechanism that leads to the polar localization of the receptor is still largely unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of receptor covalent modification on the polar localization of the aspartate chemoreceptor Tar fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). Amidation (and presumably methylation) of Tar-GFP enhanced its own polar localization, although the effect was small. The slight but significant effect of amidation on receptor localization was reinforced by the fact that localization of a noncatalytic mutant version of GFP-CheR that targets to the C-terminal pentapeptide sequence of Tar was similarly facilitated by receptor amidation. Polar localization of the demethylated version of Tar-GFP was also enhanced by increasing levels of the serine chemoreceptor Tsr. The effect of covalent modification on receptor localization by itself may be too small to account for chemotactic adaptation, but receptor modification is suggested to contribute to the molecular assembly of the chemoreceptor/histidine kinase array at a cell pole, presumably by stabilizing the receptor dimer-to-dimer interaction.
Genetic Analysis of Transfer-Related Regions of the Vancomycin Resistance
Enterococcus
Conjugative Plasmid pHTβ: Identification of
oriT
and a Putative Relaxase Gene
Authors: Tomita Haruyoshi , Ike Yasuyoshi
Published: November 2005

The pHT plasmids pHTα (65.9 kbp), pHTβ (63.7 kbp), and pHTγ (66.5 kbp) are highly conjugative pheromone-independent pMG1-like plasmids that carry Tn
1546
-like transposons encoding vancomycin resistance. pHTβ is the prototype plasmid, and the pHTα and pHTγ plasmids are derivatives of the insertion into pHTβ of an IS
232
-like (2.2 kbp) element and a group II intron (2.8 kbp), respectively. The complete nucleotide sequence of the pHTβ plasmid was determined and, with the exception of the Tn
1546
-like insertion (10,851 bp), was found to be 52,890 bp. Sixty-one open reading frames (ORFs) having the same transcript orientation were identified. A homology search revealed that 22 of the pHTβ (pHT) plasmid ORFs showed similarities to the ORFs identified on the pXO2 plasmid (96.2 kbp), which is the virulence plasmid essential for capsule formation by
Bacillus anthracis
; however, the functions of most of the ORFs remain unknown. Most other ORFs did not show any significant homology to reported genes for which functions have been analyzed. To investigate the highly efficient transfer mechanism of the pHT plasmid, mutations with 174 unique insertions of transposon Tn
917-lac
insertion mutants of pHTβ were obtained. Of the 174 derivatives, 92 showed decrease or loss in transfer frequency, and 74 showed normal transfer frequency and LacZ expression. Eight derivatives showed normal transfer and no LacZ expression. Inserts within the 174 derivatives were mapped to 124 different sites on pHTβ. The Tn
917-lac
insertions which resulted in altered transfer frequency mapped to three separate regions designated I, II, and III, which were separated by segments in which insertions of Tn
917
-
lac
did not affect transfer. There was no region homologous to the previously reported
oriT
sequences in the pHT plasmid. The
oriT
was cloned by selection for the ability to mobilize the vector plasmid pAM401. The
oriT
region resided in a noncoding region (192 bp) between ORF31 and ORF32 and contained three direct repeat sequences and two inverted repeat sequences. ORF34, encoding a 506-amino-acid protein which was located downstream of the
oriT
region, contains the three conserved motifs (I to III) of the DNA relaxase/nickase of mobile plasmids. The transfer abilities of the Tn
917-lac
-insertion mutants of ORF34 or a mutant of ORF34 with an in-frame motif III deletion were completely abolished. The sequence of the
oriT
region and the deduced relaxase/nickase protein of ORF34 showed no significant similarity to the
oriT
and relaxase/nickase of other conjugative plasmids, respectively. The putative relaxase/nickase protein of ORF34 could be classified as a new member of the MOB
MG
family.
Functional Genomic Analysis of Three Nitrogenase Isozymes in the Photosynthetic Bacterium
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
Authors: Oda Yasuhiro , Samanta Sudip K. , Rey Federico E. , Wu Liyou , Liu Xiudan , Yan Tingfen , Zhou Jizhong , Harwood Caroline S.
Published: November 2005

The photosynthetic bacterium
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
is one of just a few prokaryotes described so far that has
vnf
and
anf
genes for alternative vanadium cofactor (V) and iron cofactor (Fe) nitrogenases in addition to
nif
genes for a molybdenum cofactor (Mo) nitrogenase. Transcriptome data indicated that the 32 genes in the
nif
gene cluster, but not the
anf
or
vnf
genes, were induced in wild-type and Mo nitrogenase-expressing strains grown under nitrogen-fixing conditions in Mo-containing medium. Strains that were unable to express a functional Mo nitrogenase due to mutations in Mo nitrogenase structural genes synthesized functional V and Fe nitrogenases and expressed
vnf
and
anf
genes in nitrogen-fixing growth media that contained Mo and V at concentrations far in excess of those that repress alternative nitrogenase gene expression in other bacteria. Thus, not only does
R. palustris
have multiple enzymatic options for nitrogen fixation, but in contrast to reports on other nitrogen-fixing bacteria, the expression of its alternative nitrogenases is not repressed by transition metals. Between 95 and 295 genes that are not directly associated with nitrogenase synthesis and assembly were induced under nitrogen-fixing conditions, depending on which nitrogenase was being used by
R. palustris
. Genes for nitrogen acquisition were expressed at particularly high levels during alternative nitrogenase-dependent growth. This suggests that alternative nitrogenase-expressing cells are relatively starved for nitrogen and raises the possibility that fixed nitrogen availability may be the primary signal that controls the synthesis of the V and Fe nitrogenases.
CadC Activates pH-Dependent Expression of the
Vibrio vulnificus cadBA
Operon at a Distance through Direct Binding to an Upstream Region
Authors: Rhee Jee Eun , Kim Kun-Soo , Choi Sang Ho
Published: November 2005

The
Vibrio vulnificus cadBA
genes were transcribed as a transcriptional operon by a single promoter, P

cadBA

, which was activated by CadC in a pH-dependent manner. A direct interaction between CadC and the P

cadBA

DNA was demonstrated, and a CadC binding site centered at −233.5 was mapped by deletion analyses of P

cadBA

 and confirmed by a DNase I protection assay.
Cinical and pathological characteristics of Chinese patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody associated systemic vasculitides: a study of 426 patients from a single centre
Authors: Chen M , Yu F , Zhang Y , Zhao M H
Published: November 2005

Background

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) are serological markers of ANCA associated systemic vasculitides (AASV), which is one of the most common multisystem autoimmune diseases. Features of Chinese patients with AASV have not been fully investigated.

Objective

To analyse the clinical and pathological characteristics of Chinese patients with AASV.

Methods

426 Chinese patients with AASV diagnosed in the past eight years were retrospectively studied and their clinical and pathological data were analysed.

Results

Of the 426 patients, 87 (20.4%) were Wegener’s granulomatosis, 337 (79.1%) were microscopic polyangiitis and two (0.5%) were Churg-Strauss syndrome. Only 201 of 426 (47.2%) patients were diagnosed within three months. Clinically, the patients had multisystem involvement. Altogether 371 of 426 (87.1%) had kidney involvement and 260 of 426 (61.0%) had lung involvement. The prevalences of renal involvement and fatigue were significantly higher in patients with MPO-ANCA than that in patients with PR3-ANCA; the prevalences of ophthalmic, nasal involvement, rash, and arthragia were significantly higher in patients with PR3-ANCA than those in patients with MPO-ANCA. The one and five year death rates were 13.1% and 22.4%, respectively. The percentage of patients progressing to end stage renal disease at one and five years was 15.9% and 27.1%, respectively.

Conclusions

AASV is not a rare autoimmune disease in Chinese people. Kidney and lung were the most vulnerable organs. For patients with multiorgan damage, an ANCA test should be performed to make an early diagnosis and to start treatment in time.
VECTOR OPINION DYNAMICS IN A BOUNDED CONFIDENCE CONSENSUS MODEL
Authors: FORTUNATO SANTO , LATORA VITO , PLUCHINO ALESSANDRO , RAPISARDA ANDREA
Published: November 2005

We study the continuum opinion dynamics of the compromise model of Krause and Hegselmann for a community of mutually interacting agents by solving numerically a rate equation. The opinions are here represented by two-dimensional vectors with real-valued components. We study the situation starting from a uniform probability distribution for the opinion configuration and for different shapes of the confidence range. In all cases, we find that the thresholds for consensus and cluster merging either coincide with their one-dimensional counterparts, or are very close to them. The symmetry of the final opinion configuration, when more clusters survive, is determined by the shape of the opinion space. If the latter is a square, which is the case we consider, the clusters in general occupy the sites of a square lattice, although we sometimes observe interesting deviations from this general pattern, especially near the center of the opinion space.
METAL ATOM ENDOHEDRALLY DOPED C20 CAGE STRUCTURE: (X@C20; X =Ni, Fe, Co)
Authors: ERKOÇ ŞAKIR
Published: November 2005

The C 20 cage structure ( X @ C 20; X =Fe , Co , Ni ) endohedrally doped with a metal atom has been investigated theoretically by performing molecular-mechanics optimizations, and semi-empirical PM3 level and density functional theory B3LYP/6-31G* level calculations within UHF formalism. Calculations have been performed with different spin configurations for the neutral systems.
FORCES BY AND ON A POLYMER GRAFTED TO A REPULSIVE WALL
Authors: ODENHEIMER JENS , HEERMANN DIETER W. , BRILL MICHAEL
Published: November 2005

We investigate a self-avoiding polymer chain anchored with one end at a hard wall. The chains are modeled using the continuous backbone mass model. The sampling of the conformations is done by molecular dynamics for chains of various sizes. Presented are results for several different interesting situations. We have investigated the pressure that grafted chains of various sizes exert on the wall and find good agreement with the theory, if the theory is extended to the self-avoiding case using the standard scaling laws. Force-elongation simulations are compared to polymer theory and the partition function for a grafted ideal chain is explicitly calculated. Again we find good agreement with the theory.
SUM RULES AND MOMENTS OF THE NUCLEON SPIN STRUCTURE FUNCTIONS
Authors: CHEN J.-P. , DEUR A. , MEZIANI Z.-E.
Published: November 2005

The nucleon has been used as a laboratory to investigate its own spin structure and quantum chromodynamics. New experimental data on nucleon spin structure at low to intermediate momentum transfers combined with existing high momentum transfer data offer a comprehensive picture of the transition region from the confinement regime of the theory to its asymptotic freedom regime. Insight for some aspects of the theory is gained by exploring lower moments of spin structure functions and their corresponding sum rules (i.e. the Gerasimov–Drell–Hearn, Bjorken and Burkhardt–Cottingham). These moments are expressed in terms of an operator-product expansion using quark and gluon degrees of freedom at moderately large momentum transfers. The sum rules are verified to good accuracy assuming that no singular behavior of the structure functions is present at very high excitation energies. The higher-twist contributions have been examined through the moments evolution as the momentum transfer varies from higher to lower values. Furthermore, QCD-inspired low-energy effective theories, which explicitly include chiral symmetry breaking, are tested at low momentum transfers. The validity of these theories is further examined as the momentum transfer increases to moderate values. It is found that chiral perturbation calculations agree reasonably well with the first moment of the spin structure function g1 at momentum transfer of 0.1 GeV2 but fail to reproduce the neutron data in the case of the generalized polarizability δLT.
AN INTEGRATED FEATURE SELECTION AND CLASSIFICATION METHOD TO SELECT MINIMUM NUMBER OF VARIABLES ON THE CASE STUDY OF GENE EXPRESSION DATA
Authors: GOH LIANG , KASABOV NIKOLA
Published: November 2005

This paper introduces a novel generic approach for classification problems with the objective of achieving maximum classification accuracy with minimum number of features selected. The method is illustrated with several case studies of gene expression data. Our approach integrates filter and wrapper gene selection methods with an added objective of selecting a small set of non-redundant genes that are most relevant for classification with the provision of bins for genes to be swapped in the search for their biological relevance. It is capable of selecting relatively few marker genes while giving comparable or better leave-one-out cross-validation accuracy when compared with gene ranking selection approaches. Additionally, gene profiles can be extracted from the evolving connectionist system, which provides a set of rules that can be further developed into expert systems. The approach uses an integration of Pearson correlation coefficient and signal-to-noise ratio methods with an adaptive evolving classifier applied through the leave-one-out method for validation. Datasets of gene expression from four case studies are used to illustrate the method. The results show the proposed approach leads to an improved feature selection process in terms of reducing the number of variables required and an increased in classification accuracy.
Piezoelectric Properties of Triglycine-Sulphate
Authors: Ikeda Takuro , Tanaka Yoichi , Toyoda Hiroo
Published: November 2005

Since triglycine sulphate crystal is centrosymmetric above the Curie point, the piezoelectricity in the ferroelectric phase is expected to be an “induced” one as in the case of barium titanate, distinct from an “intrinsic” piezoelectricity of rochelle salt. Temperature dependences of piezoelectric constants are measured by using various cuts of crystal, and some experiments on electrostrictive effect above the Curie point are performed as well. We then obtain electrostrictive constants, and the above expectation is confirmed in several points. Moreover, the phase transition is found not to be accompanied by any elastic change. Next, some effects of irradiation by x-ray and γ-ray on the piezoelectric constants are examined, and it will be shown that an irradiation is useful for preventing a diminution of piezoelectricity resulting from growth of antiparallel domains, especially near the Curie point.
Low Frequency Characteristics of Mixed Conductors
Authors: Yokota Isaaki , Miyatani Shin-ya
Published: November 2005

The theory of mixed conduction, i.e., of partly electronic and partly ionic conduction recently published by one of the present authors is applied to a.c. phenomena, and the expressions for low frequency characteristics of mixed conductors are derived. These are compared with experiments made on cuprous sulfide and silver telluride showing satisfactory agreement.
On the Fluidization of Fine Particles Packed in Layer Condition (1)
Authors: Yuasa Yasunobu
Published: November 2005

In relation to the design of an orifice for fine particles or of a hopper, it is important to study the fluidization of fine particles. In this work, it was investigated experimentally how fine particles move in a vessel in the case of flowing out from a slit.
In the most open-packed state, the fluidizing area determined by the boundary curves of fluidization increases with increase in roughness of fine particles and with decrease in the slit width. After the initial acceleration, the vartical displacement of particles on the central line from initial position during fluidization is linear with time. The effect of the bottom width of the vessel on boundary curves of fluidization is studied under various degrees of packing. The drained angle increases with increase in grain size, irrespective of the slit width.
A Ternary System PbO-TiO2-ZrO2
Authors: Ikeda Takuro , Okano Tatsuya , Watanabe Masayuki
Published: November 2005

In a ternary system PbO-TiO2-ZrO2, specimens of various compositions are prepared by solid state reactions and analyzed by x-ray diffraction method. A reaction diagram of this system is proposed. Some compounds ZrTiO4, PbTiO3, PbZrO3 and solid solutions Pb(Ti-Zr)O3 were early known, and no other compounds are found here. Single phases of perovskite-type structure extend over wider ranges around Pb(Ti-Zr)O3 than expected. Some ceramic specimens among them belonging to these phases are examined as to their dielectric and piezoelectric properties.
Epitaxial Vapor Growth of Single Crystal Ge
Authors: Takabayashi Makoto
Published: November 2005

Method of making perfect single crystal Ge layers by thermal decomposition of GeI2 has been developed. The closed-cycle deposition process is described briefly. Perfectness of the deposited crystals is affected decidedly by the physical and chemical surface conditions of the substrate and residual oxygen in the reaction tube. The depositing rate varies significantly with crystallographic orientation. The [100] directions deposit the most slowly and the most rapid depositing rate is in the [110] directions.
It is confirmed that the purity of undoped deposits is comparable to that of the best melt-grown Ge. The fraction of doping agents transferred from the source Ge to the deposits is usually less than unity, and decreases with increasing depositing temperature over the whole range of temperatures. For any sort of impurity element, its fraction transferred has no relation with its segregation coefficient.
The quality of crystals deposited in the gas-flow system is also compared with that of the deposits prepared by the closed-cycle process.
Electrical Conduction in Germanium Grain Boundary Plane
Authors: Hamakawa Yoshihiro , Yamaguchi Jiro
Published: November 2005

The reduced resistivity and Hall coefficient on the grain boundary in n type germanium bicrystal have been measured over the temperature range about 2.8∼300°K, and the dislocation acceptor level and carrier density in the grain boundary are determined.
Experimental results show that the temperature dependence of the mobility may be divided into three regions: In the region of 80∼300°K and 20∼80°K, the mobility µ may be expressed as normal band conduction by the form µ-1=µ
l
s

-1+µ
i

-1+µ
d

-1, where the suffices l
s, i and d express the contributions to the scattering from the space charge potential well due to the grain boundary, ionized impurities and dislocation, respectively. In particular, the temperature dependence of µ
d
agrees quantitatively with Dexter and Seitz's theory as a function of dislocation line density.
In the low temperature region of 2.8∼25°K, a large and oscillatory negative magnetoresistance is observed and the temperature dependences of reduced Hall coefficient and resistivity have a similar tendency to impurity band conduction in highly doped single crystals.
Field Inhomogeneities of a Betatron Magnet
Authors: Tomimasu Takio
Published: November 2005

Field inhomogeneities of a betatron with H type magnet are investigated with peaking strip and search coil methods. A new formula estimating the time lag between the field applied externally and the corresponding induction is given theoretically as a function of various parameters of the magnet and the magnetic materials in the magnet. The field inhomogeneities are discussed on the basis of this formula and explained as mainly due to inhomogeneities of angles ϕ between magnetic paths and laminations in the magnet. The angle is attended with a large time lag and an effective thickness of the lamination in the pole piece may be considerably large at least at low field. The upper limit of the angle ϕ may be estimated to be of the order of d

s
(r)/L

s
, where d

s
(r) is the thickness of the sector at a radius r, and L

s
the length along the magnetic path of the sector.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of the Electron Paths in the Axially-Symmetrical Osaka Tubes
Authors: Ōhigashi Nobuhisa , Morita Masanobu
Published: November 2005

In axially-symmetrical Osaka tubes, electrons make harmonic motion peculiar to the Osaka Tube in the axial direction, and they take epi-cycloidal path on the radial plane.
The relation between the axial motion and the circumferential revolution is presented clearly by introducing a cubic figure of magnetic field δ. Even and odd values of δ show that an electron takes the same path in every one and two circumferential revolutions, respectively. The path on the plane containing the axis is characterized by a planar figure of magnetic field γ. Integer values of γ show that it takes the same path on that plane. The experimental results show that the peak outputs of the detection or oscillation are obtained at the magnetic fields corresponding to integer values of δ, and even values of γ are also effective in oscillation.
A Study of the Interface of the Si-SiO2 System
Authors: Yamazaki Shumpei
Published: November 2005

The process of solid-gas reaction is generally studied. When the single silicon crystal as the solid substrate is oxidized at atmospheric pressure, local reaction occures on the interface. That is, the oxidation proceeds in the growth direction of the SiO2 film, and some parts of the interface region remain as unreacted silicon lumps or localized excess silicon regions, having a small number of silicon dangling bonds. Accordingly,the fixed interface charge density has a relation to the initial film growth rate, B/A, and the shear modulus of a silicon substrate under the existence of the silicon cluster in SiO2. The interface charge density depending on the crystal orientation of a substrate is in direct proportion to the second power of the lateral interface strain, and is in inverse proportion to the second power of the shear modulus of bulk silicon crystal. The relative value of the estimated initial-growth rates for the silicon crystal orientation of (111), (110), (311) and (100) planes are obtained as 1.884, 1.559, 1.374 and 1, respectively.
Protons and Deuteron Irradiation Damage in Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Nashiyama Isamu , Teranishi Eizo , Kageyama Misao
Published: November 2005

Damages inn-on-psilicon solar cells by proton and deuteron irradiations are investigated in the energy region of 0.8∼2.8 MeV as functions of the particle-mass, -energy, -fluence and also of the wave-length of the illuminating light. The damage rate due to deuteron irradiation is equivalent to that due to proton irradiation of about 1.8 times the fluence provided both particles have the same range in silicon. The most harmful proton energy to the degradation of short circuit currentISCshifts from the initial value of about 4 MeV down to about 3 MeV with increasing irradiation fluence. Under the illumination by near-infrared light, the degradation ofIsccan be approximated by a formula (Isc/Isc0)-2=8.6×10-12E(MeV)1.5\varPhi+1 in the energy region below the most harmful proton energy as far as the degradation is not very significant,i.e.,Isc/Isc0>0.7. These results can be interpreted satisfactorily by the analysis based on minority carrier diffusion equations in sub-divided multi-layers in the solar cell which take into account the non-uniformity of damages introduced by the irradiation.
Glass Transition in Chalcogenide Glasses
Authors: Arai Kazuo , Saito Shogo
Published: November 2005

Introduction of arsenic to amorphous selenium and selenium-tellurium systems as well as amorphous sulfur and sulfur-tellurium is found to produce increase of the glass transition temperature T

g
. Reduction of the specific volume with increase of arsenic content is a common factor for determination of the increment of T

g
in four chalcogenide systems in general. A concept of motional unit of selenium or sulfur chain is useful to interpret the above result. DiMarzio's theory is applied to the variation of T

g
with arsenic content. Effectiveness of arsenic atom for crosslinking agent is lower than that expected from the organic polymer theory.
Laser Cyclotron Resonance in n-Type Indium Antimonide under the Pulsed Electric Field
Authors: Kobayashi Keisuke L. I. , Otsuka Eizo , Takeuchi Nobuo , Yajima Tatsuo
Published: November 2005

A CW laser cyclotron resonance in n-type indium antimonide is carried out with the modulation by pulsed electric fields. Through this method one can judge if a particular transition arises from the impurity ground state, thus facillitating the interpretation of the somewhat ambiguous spectra of the impurity cyclotron resonance. Some considerations on the electron distribution are made using the data obtained in the present experiment.
Measurements of Plasma Parameters in α High-Frequency Glow Discharge Using the Orifice Probe
Authors: Hiraoka Kenzo , Kamada Hitoshi
Published: November 2005

The electron temperature and the sheath potential in the plasma of radio-frequency glow discharge are measured by extracting the charged particles through a hole in a platinum and glass probe which was set on the wall of the discharge tube and by subjecting the effused particles to a retarding electric field. The observed electron field. The observed electron translational energy distribution is found to fit the Maxwellian distribution function. The electron temperature and the sheath potential increase with decreasing pressure. Addition of small amount of argon to helium results in a steep decreas of the electron temperature and the sheath potential. The electron temperature is kept nearly constant when the content of argon exceeds 10%. The lower values of the electron temperature obtained for polyatomic molecules are conjectured to be related with large cross sections for the energy exchange between plasma electrons and the relevant vibrational levels of molecules.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Absorption of Polytetrafluoro-ethylene γ-Irradiated at High Temperatures
Authors: Tutiya Mituaki
Published: November 2005

The NMR spectra of PTFE irradiated at various temperatures with a dose of 1.1×107 R and irradiated at 340°C with various doses were measured over the temperature range from -50°C to 50°C. In the case of PTFE irradiated with 1.1×107 R, the percent crystallinity estimated from NMR spectra increased with increasing irradiation temperature up to about 300°C, but decreased abruptly above 320°C, and increased again. In the case of PTFE irradiated at 340°C, the crystalline transition temperature was shifted to a lower temperature at 1.1×107 R and the NMR line shape changed into a single component at 1.1×108 R. The crystal imperfections due to irradiation at 340°C were caused by high viscosity during irradiation, occlusion of low molecular degradation products, the low degree of chain fractures and probably by the structure changes such as branches, crosslinkings, etc.
Electrooptic Light Beam Deflection with Sr0.75Ba0.25Nb2O6 Prism
Authors: Tada Kunio , Murai Toru , Aoki Masaharu , Muto Katsutoshi , Awazu Kenzo
Published: November 2005

An experimental investigation was performed on the electrooptic light beam deflection with a Sr0.75Ba0.25Nb2O6 isosceles prism at 6328 Å. Although measured deflection angle was large (e.g. 3m rad. for an electric field of 6 kV/cm), deflection characteristic was considerably nonlinear and what is called butterfly hysteresis loop was observed in the ferroelectric phase. Sign and magnitude of the polarization were easily changeable and the coercive field was found to be as low as 1.3 kV/cm at 33°C. The electrooptic effect is dominated by a quadratic term with respect to the polarization. The unclamped value of the quadratic electrooptic g-coefficient g
33 was determined to be 0.14 m4/C2. An electrically-induced spot distortion was observed, which was most remarkable at the polarization reversal.
Growth of Ice IV and Equilibrium Curves between Liquid Water, Ice IV, Ice V and Ice VI
Authors: Nishibata Ken
Published: November 2005

The phase diagram of water at moderate pressures is studied by a dielectric measurement for solid-solid transitions and further by a volume change method for liquid-ice VI transition. The metastable phase ice IV can be made from ice VI on decreasing the pressure at temperatures from -13.6 to -14.6°C. The growth and the metastability region of ice IV are described. The liquid-ice IV-ice VI and liquid-ice V-ice VI triple points are located at 5567 bar, -6.62°C and at 6343 bar, +0.22°C, respectively. Among the phase boundaries investigated only the liquid-ice VI transition is useful as a fixed point for pressure calibration.
A Theory of Dielectric Relaxation of Polymeric Chains Based upon Time-Dependent Ising Model
Authors: Tanabe Yoshikazu , Okano Koji
Published: November 2005

Dielectric relaxation of model polymer chain on a two dimensional square lattice is studied by an approach similar to the Glauber Theory. The elementary process of micro-Brownian motion is assumed to consist of local flip of bonds in which bond angles are kept constant during the transition, and the associated stochastic process is assumed to be Markoffian.
The expectation values of bond vectors can be analysed in terms of several normal modes k (1≤k≤N, N being the number of bonds in a chain). The modes with k≃1 correspond to those of the bead-and-spring model of Zimm. The modes with k≃N correspond to the changes of end-to-end vector R in the transverse direction to the applied field, which have no counterpart in the bead-and-spring model.
These results suggest that the dielectric behavior of flexible polar macromolecules in dilute solution is characterized by the equilibrium correlation tensor < MR>0 of total dipole moment M and R of the macromolecule.
Dependence of the Properties of Epitaxial Gallium Arsenide on the Temperature of AsCl3
Authors: Aoki Tatsuo , Yamaguchi Masao
Published: November 2005

The following varieties of electrical properties were obtained on the GaAs crystals grown epitaxially by using an open flow system of AsCl3-Ga-H2: (i) The carrier-concentration in the layers grown on Cr-doped semi-insulating substrates was varied from 2.5×1014 cm-3 to 2×1015 cm-3, while the temperature of AsCl3 varied from 20°C to 0°C, (ii) A high-resistance region at the epitaxial layer-(Sn-doped low-resistivity) substrate interface was observed when the temperature of AsCl3 was lowered prior to the epitaxial deposition, whereas a low-resistance region appeared while decreasing the temperature of AsCl3 during growth. Pyramid formation appeared on the epitaxial surface grown under higher temperature of AsCl3. It was eliminated by using a substrate cut five degrees off the (100) plane.
Magnetic Coupling between Two Ni-Fe Layers Separated by SiO Intermediate Layer
Authors: Masuda Morio , Utsunomiya Takeshi , Fujii Toshitaka , Uchiyama Susumu
Published: November 2005

Composite ferromagnetic films consisting of two non-magnetostrictive Ni–Fe layers separated by a SiO layer were prepared, and the magnetic coupling energy between these two layers was determined from the measurement of the transverse susceptibility. The coupling energy proved to have a form of ε

c
=-Acos
2φ, where 2φ was the angle between the magnetization vectors of the two layers. The coupling energy constant A was positive when the thickness of the intermediate layer t was small, decreased monotonically with increasing t, passed through zero, and finally approached a finite negative value. In the present paper it is shown that this behavior can be interpreted quantitatively by combining two mechanisms; the one coming from the topography as proposed by Néel, and the other caused by the magnetic charges appearing at the edges of the two magnetic layers.
Effects of Impurities on the Mechanical Quality Factor of Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics
Authors: Takahashi Sadayuki , Takahashi Masao
Published: November 2005

The values of mechanical quality factor Q

m
are determined for lead zirconate titanate ceramics containing various oxides as impurities in various amounts. Impurities are found to be classified into two groups with respect to the change of Q

m
values, viz., (1) Q

m
decreases in the presence of impurities (e. g. Nb2O5), (2) Q

m
increases in the presence of minor additions (e.g. Cr2O3). The values of Q

m
are found to increase when both the amount of space charge and specific resistivity increase. This seems to be caused by the suppression of domain wall motion resulting from the prevention of space charge migration. An empirical formula is obtained for Q

m
as a function of the reduced amount of space charge and specific resistivity.
Piezoelectric Properties in Polarized Poly(vinyl Fluoride)
Authors: Fukada Eiichi , Nishiyama Koji
Published: November 2005

Poly(vinyl fluoride) films were elongated twice the original length by rolling, subjected to a d.c. field of 350 kV/cm at 80°C for 90 minutes, and cooled down to room temperature for 2 hours. The piezoelectric strain-constant d of the electret films was about 1×10-8 cgs esu at room temperature. The complex piezoelectric, elastic, and dielectric constants showed two dispersions at the low and high temperatures, respectively. The maximum value of piezoelectric loss factor tan
δ
d
is roughly the same as the sum of the maximum values of elastic and dielectric loss factor tan
δ
E
and tan
δ
ε
. This fact may be explained by assuming that the piezoelectric constant h is a real quantity.