Three-Dimensional Structural Aspects of Protein–Polysaccharide Interactions

Linear polysaccharides are typically composed of repeating mono- or disaccharide units and are ubiquitous among living organisms. Polysaccharide diversity arises from chain-length variation, branching, and additional modifications. Structural diversity is associated with various physiological functions, which are often regulated by cognate polysaccharide-binding proteins. Proteins that interact with linear polysaccharides have been identified or developed, such as galectins and polysaccharide-specific antibodies, respectively. Currently, data is accumulating on the three-dimensional structure of polysaccharide-binding proteins. These proteins are classified into two types: exo-type and endo-type. The former group specifically interacts with the terminal units of polysaccharides, whereas the latter with internal units. In this review, we describe the structural aspects of exo-type and endo-type protein-polysaccharide interactions. Further, we discuss the structural basis for affinity and specificity enhancement in the face of inherently weak binding interactions.     

Chemical-Labeling-Assisted Detection of Nucleobase Modifications by Quantum-Tunneling-Based Single-Molecule Sensing

Quantum-tunneling-based DNA sensing is a single-molecule technique that promises direct mapping of nucleobase modifications. However, its applicability is seriously limited because of the small difference in conductivity between modified and unmodified nucleobases. Herein, a chemical labeling strategy is presented that facilitates the detection of modified nucleotides by quantum tunneling. We used 5-Formyl-2′-deoxyuridine as a model compound and demonstrated that chemical labeling dramatically alters its molecular conductance compared with that of canonical nucleotides; thus, facilitating statistical discrimination, which is impeded in the unlabeled state. This work introduces a chemical strategy that overcomes the intrinsic difficulty in quantum-tunneling-based modification analysis—the similarity of the molecular conductance of the nucleobases of interest.     

Higher order generalization and its application in program verification

Generalization is a fundamental operation of inductive inference. While first order syntactic generalization (anti–unification) is well understood, its various extensions are often needed in applications. This paper discusses syntactic higher order generalization in a higher order language λ2 [1]. Based on the application ordering, we prove that least general generalization exists for any two terms and is unique up to renaming. An algorithm to compute the least general generalization is also presented. To illustrate its usefulness, we propose a program verification system based on higher order generalization that can reuse the proofs of similar programs. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于彩色图像处理的西红柿品质特征的提取研究

用机器视觉系统判别西红柿品质是否有效 ,关键在于能否真实地提取特征参数 .由于西红柿果实存在新陈代谢且表面非常光滑 ,使机器视觉系统采集图像时受环境温度和光线的影响很大 .同时 ,很难直接从采集到的RGB彩色图像中提取有效的品质特征参数 .为此 ,本论文基于彩色图像处理技术把 RGB彩色图像转换为 L* a* b*模式的彩色图像 ,然后提取西红柿品质特征参数 ,试验结果验证采用这种特征提取法提取的西红柿品质特征参数基本上不受照明强度的影响     

High efficiency ester condensation using hydrophobic zeolite membranes

We successfully developed zeolite membranes with hydrophilic character, by choosing appropriate zeolites in terms of hydrophilicity and high acid tolerance. We evaluated thus developed membranes by their pervaporation (PV) performance, dehydration from acidic organic solvent. The zeolite membranes we developed, based on merlinoite (MER), chabazite (CHA) or phillipsite (PHI), are shown to exhibit stable dehydration performance, respectively. We successfully applied the membranes to the selective removal of water in an ester condensation reaction starting from a stoichiometric mixture of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. The availability of pervaporation-assisted ester condensation reaction was validated by various kinds of combinations of carboxylic acid and alcohols, which implies the general availability of pervaporation-assisted process intensification by zeolite membranes. This paper was presented at the 11th Korea-Japan Symposium on Catatysis held at Seoul, Korea, May 21–24, 2007.     

Preparation of Ultrafine MgO by the Spray-ICP Technique

Ultrafine MgO with uniform shape and particle size was prepared by spraying a solution of magnesium nitrate into an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) of Ar. The formation of the uniform particles seems to result from the complete decomposition of the nitrate to its component atoms in the ICP flame, followed by the precipitation of the oxide occurring just outside the flame.     

Crack propagation rate and failure life in biaxial low cycle fatigue at elevated temperatures

This paper describes the crack propagation rate and the failure life in the biaxial low cycle fatigue test for a type 304 stainless steel at elevated temperatures. Macro crack propagation rates were observed for the tubular specimen in the push-pull and the reversed torsion tests. The crack propagation rate in both the tests was discussed in connection with the crack opening displacement in experiments and FEM analyses. The new equivalent stress derived from the FEM analysis was proposed so as to correlate the biaxial crack propagation rate. The equivalent stress well correlated not only the crack propagation rate but also the biaxial low cycle fatigue failure data.     

Preparation of Y-type Barium Hexaferrite by the Glass–Ceramic Method

Y-type Ba-hexaferrites (Ba₂Zn₂Fe₁₂O₂₂), which have been identified as electromagnetic wave absorbers, were prepared by the glass–ceramic method. Glasses with the composition 0.1ZnO·0.9( x B₂O₃· y BaO·(1− x − y )Fe₂O₃) were prepared, and the precipitation of Y-type Ba-hexaferrite from the glass matrix was investigated. Y-type Ba-hexaferrite were precipitated by heating glass specimens with roughly the composition 0.1ZnO·0.9(0.2B₂O₃·0.5BaO·0.3Fe₂O₃) at temperatures above about 1073 K. The lower temperature limit at which single-phase Y-type powder was obtained after leaching with a dilute HCl solution was about 1093 K. The low-temperature formation of Y-type Ba-hexaferrite was linked to the generation of a liquid phase. The shape of Y-type crystals depended strongly on the heating temperature and changed from a plate-like hexagon to a complex polyhedron with increasing heating temperature.     

The formation of ultrafine Al2O3, ZrO2 and Fe2O3 by the spray-ICP technique

Ultrafine aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide and iron oxide have been prepared by spraying their corresponding nitrate solutions into an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) of ultra-high temperature (the spray-ICP technique). Their particles are roundish, 0.01–0.02 μm in diameter, and homogeneous both in size and in shape. Their major phases are γ-Al₂O₃, metastable tetragonal-ZrO₂ and γ-Fe₂O₃, respectively. These oxides appear to be formed through the following two reaction processes, (1) the complete decomposition of the droplets of the solution to their component atoms in the ICP flame, (2) the homogeneous nucleation and the successive crystal growth occurring outside the ICP flame. In the process (2), quenching is so rapid that the crystals grown after the nucleation do not transform to high temperature phases, which seems to cause the formation of the oxide of low temperature phase.