Digital color management in full-color holographic three-dimensional printer

We propose a new method of color management for a full-color holographic, three-dimensional (3D) printer, which produces a volume reflection holographic stereogram using red, green, and blue three-color lasers. For natural color management in the holographic 3D printer, we characterize its color reproduction characteristics based on the spectral measurement of reproduced light. Then the color conversion formula, which comprises a one-dimensional lookup table and a 3×3 matrix, was derived from the measurement data. The color reproducibility was evaluated by printing a color chart hologram, and the average CIELAB ΔE=13.19 is fairly small.     

Apatite-forming ability of titanium in terms of pH of the exposed solution

In order to elucidate the main factor governing the capacity for apatite formation of titanium (Ti), Ti was exposed to HCl or NaOH solutions with different pH values ranging from approximately 0 to 14 and then heat-treated at 600°C. Apatite formed on the metal surface in a simulated body fluid, when Ti was exposed to solutions with a pH less than 1.1 or higher than 13.6, while no apatite formed upon exposure to solutions with an intermediate pH value. The apatite formation on Ti exposed to strongly acidic or alkaline solutions is attributed to the magnitude of the positive or negative surface charge, respectively, while the absence of apatite formation at an intermediate pH is attributed to its neutral surface charge. The positive or negative surface charge was produced by the effect of either the acidic or alkaline ions on Ti, respectively. It is predicted from the present results that the bone bonding of Ti depends upon the pH of the solution to which it is exposed, i.e. Ti forms a bone-like apatite on its surface in the living body and bonds to living bone through the apatite layer upon heat treatment after exposure to a strongly acidic or alkaline solution.     

Cigarette smoke extract enhances oxytocin-induced rhythmic contractions of rat and human preterm myometrium

Although smoking during pregnancy is a major risk factor for preterm delivery, the underlying mechanism by which smoking stimulates uterine contractions is still poorly understood. In the present study, we tried to clarify the effects of smoking on myometrial contractility induced by oxytocin (OT) using cigarette smoke extract (CSE). Myometrial strips, which were taken from the rat on day 16 of pregnancy, and from human preterm and term delivery groups, were incubated overnight with several doses of CSE at 37 degrees C under non-hormonal conditions. The uterine contractile sensitivity and activity (force and frequency) upon exposure to OT were investigated. Furthermore, the expression levels of oxytocin receptor (OTR) mRNA in the myometrial strips were investigated by real-time PCR. Contractile sensitivity to OT in the rat CSE (10(-7) pieces/ml) group was found to be significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). Contractile activity did not differ between the CSE and control groups. The expression levels of rat OTR mRNA in the CSE (10(-7) pieces/ml) group were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). Similarly, in preterm myometrial strips, the expression levels of human OTR mRNA in the CSE (10(-7) pieces/ml) group were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that CSE directly increases the contractile sensitivity of preterm myometrium in response to OT by upregulating the expression of OTR mRNA and thereby increases the risk of preterm delivery in women, who smoke during pregnancy.     

Laboratory-performance study of quantitative PCR methods to analyze an approved genetically modified maize (Mon810 Line)

A laboratory-performance study was carried out to investigate factors affecting the reliability of the quantitative PCR method to analyze an approved genetically modified (GM) maize (Mon810 line). Test maize powdered samples were prepared as blind samples containing a high (assigned value; 5.45%) or low (assigned value; 0.35%) concentration of the Mon810 line. After confirmation of their homogeneity, they were provided to 27 laboratories participating in the collaborative study. The data were collected from all laboratories and statistically analyzed. Two laboratories, which used a Roche LightCycler (LC), reported significantly high test values. A further examination showed that the LC method is greatly affected by the equipment itself or PCR reagents, resulting in poor repeatability. On the other hand, some laboratories, which used ABI quantitative PCR equipment, reported erroneous test values. In these laboratories, the errors appeared to have been due to inadequate quality and/or yield of DNA. To identify factors affecting the test values, analysis of the measured values for the taxon-specific gene will be useful. Furthermore, the modified silica-gel membrane DNA extraction method made it possible to extract the required amounts of DNA more easily and in a shorter time than before.     

Chapter 12 ferromagnetic RF integrated devices—RF integrated noise suppressor and integrated inductors

We demonstrated the RF integrated noise suppressor and thin-film inductor using ferromagnetic film. The transmission parameter (S ₂₁) of the integrated noise suppressor was compared with that of the nonintegrated noise suppressor. The magnitude of signal attenuation at the resonance point was greatly increased by the integration up to ?30 and ?57 dB for the 1-µm-thick and 2-µm-thick CoNbZr films, respectively. The closed magnetic circuit type GHz-drive integrated spiral inductors were fabricated with a four-turn and 380 × 380 µm² two-port-type inductor with ground guards, which consisted of a sandwich 2-µm-thick Cu coil in between a patterned 1-µm-thick CoNbZr film. The 10/3 (line/space [µm]) designs with 2-µm-thick SiO₂ insulating layers exhibited a quality factor Q = 14.7, being highest among the published data at 1 GHz.     

Molecular basis of human complement C1s deficiency

This is the first report on the molecular basis of human complement C1s deficiency. Two abnormalities in the C1s gene were identified in a Japanese family, including one patient, by using exon-specific PCR, single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, and nucleotide sequencing. A deletion of 4 bp, TTTG, was identified in exon X when using genomic DNA from the patient, his father, and his paternal grandmother. They were all heterozygous for the mutation. The mutant gene encodes a truncated C1s from the N terminus to the short consensus repeat domain. By further sequencing the PCR products, a nonsense mutation from G to T was identified at codon 608 in exon XII in the patient, his mother, and his sister. They were all heterozygous for the nonsense mutation. The mutant gene encodes a truncated form of C1s that lacks the C-terminal 80 amino acids. These results indicate that the patient was a compound heterozygote with the 4-bp deletion on the paternal allele and the nonsense mutation on the maternal allele. The levels of serum C1s seem to be correlated to the genotypes of the C1s gene in which no C1s was detected in the patient, and one-half of the normal level in the family members who are heterozygous for either mutation. The present study demonstrates that the disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive mode.     

Three-dimensional object recognition using laser range sensor

Image information provided by cameras is strongly affected by environmental influence of an object’s circumjacent and circumference. In order to reduce environmental influence, a system which was integrated distance information provided from a laser range sensor (LRS) and image information provided by a camera was developed, and consisted of an object extraction section and a recognition processing section. In this paper the effectiveness of the system was inspected by performing an object extraction experiment using the combined integrated distance information and image information. From these results, this system could remove a background and a floor surface by using the distance information, and simpler object extraction was enabled. This work was presented in part at the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 31–February 2, 2008