A translocation t(8;14) and c-myc gene rearrangement associated with the histological transformation of B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (FAB-L2) into Burkitt''s type (FAB-L3) leukemia

During the late rainy season and winter season in 1990, outbreaks of suspected trypanosomiasis in native cattle (Bos indicus) occurred on 13 farms in Petchaboon province, Thailand. Forty-two cattle presented with nervous symptoms including circling, excitation, jumping, aggressive behavior, lateral recumbency, convulsion and finally death. Blood samples from 39 cattle on the two farms in which the outbreaks occurred were collected and examined for the presence of Trypanosoma evansi. It was found that all 16 blood samples from cattle on farm A were positive of T. evansi by mouse inoculation and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). In cattle from farm B, on the other hand only 37.5% and 39% of the samples were positive by mouse inoculation and IFAT, respectively. T. evansi was detected on impression smears of organs from the three cattle which died with nervous symptoms and also in smears made from their cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, trypanosomes were isolated from the cerebrum, cerebellum, pons and spinal cord by mouse inoculation.     

Investigation of Tribo-chemistry by means of Stable Isotopic Tracers: TOF-SIMS Analysis of Langmuir–Blodgett Films and Examination of their Tribological Properties

Deuterium-substituted and ¹³C-substituted octadecanoic acids were applied to study tribo-chemistry of binary-component Langmuir–Blodgett film deposited on Si(100) surfaces. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy was employed to study structure of the film. The isotopic tracers give typical fragment ions composed of the isotopes. Among these typical fragment ions, we paid attention to quasi-molecular ions and deuterium ion as “fingerprint region” of the film structure. The tribological properties of the binary-component film were evaluated by ball-on-plate type tribo-testers. The combination of octadecanol with octadecanoic acid affords good tribological properties, whereas the combination of octadecylamine with the acid gave poor results. The surface analysis of the plate after the tribo-test revealed that the alcohol and the acid were retained on the track even after the rubbing. On the other hand simultaneous removal of the acid and the amine from the surfaces were observed. Interactions between the acid and the amine were considered by the results of the tribo-tests and the surface analysis of the binary-component film.     

X-ray computed tomography used to measure fiber orientation in CFRP laminates

This paper explains a new method to measure the fiber orientation in carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) laminates from X-ray CT images. In the method, the fiber orientation is analyzed by the application of digital image correlation (DIC) method to the acquired tomographic images. Using DIC, the brightness pattern, which results from the radiodensity difference between fiber and resin, is compared between two different planes in the thickness direction. Then, the three-dimensional displacement of the brightness pattern, which indicates the fiber orientation, can be measured. This study applied the proposed method to a quasi-isotropic CFRP laminate. After X-ray CT imaging, the sample was sectioned and polished. The fiber orientation was then measured experimentally using microscopy. The fiber orientation calculated using the proposed method agrees very well with the experimentally measured one. After demonstrating the validity of the proposed method, we applied it to a plain woven CFRP laminate. Results revealed that an invalid fiber orientation might be calculated for fibers parallel to the plane of the CT image, or for the fiber orientation of the pattern around the outer edge of CT images.     

Ultrasonic motors using piezoelectric ceramic multimode vibrators

The development is reported of an ultrasonic motor using piezoelectric ceramic multimode vibrators consisting of circular or annular plates in which degenerate horizontal vibration modes of the same or different form are used. Two orthogonal nonaxisymmetric vibration modes were used in the same-form case, and the combination of a nonaxisymmetric vibration mode and a radial vibration mode was used in the different-forms case. Some details of the motor design and its experimental characteristics are presented. The ultrasonic motor presented here has a special advantage in its thin construction.     

DCOB: Action space for reinforcement learning of high DoF robots

Reinforcement learning (RL) for robot control is an important technology for future robots since it enables us to design a robot’s behavior using the reward function. However, RL for high degree-of-freedom robot control is still an open issue. This paper proposes a discrete action space DCOB which is generated from the basis functions (BFs) given to approximate a value function. The remarkable feature is that, by reducing the number of BFs to enable the robot to learn quickly the value function, the size of DCOB is also reduced, which improves the learning speed. In addition, a method WF-DCOB is proposed to enhance the performance, where wire-fitting is utilized to search for continuous actions around each discrete action of DCOB. We apply the proposed methods to motion learning tasks of a simulated humanoid robot and a real spider robot. The experimental results demonstrate outstanding performance.     

Real‐time up‐converter from HDTV to 4K with super‐resolution: Breaking the Nyquist frequency barrier

This real‐time up‐converter from high‐definition television (HDTV) to 4K with a novel super‐resolution (SR) creates 4K video with frequency elements higher than the Nyquist frequency of the original HDTV video. The novel SR uses non‐linear signal processing to overcome the theoretical limitation of the Nyquist frequency.     

2.05-μm wavelength InGaAs-InGaAs distributed-feedbackmultiquantum-well lasers with 10-mW output power

Single-mode operation beyond 2.05-μm wavelength has been achieved in InGaAs-InGaAs distributed-feedback (DFB) laser with four quantum wells. The continuous-wave output power is 10.5 mW at a drive current of 200 mA and 25°C, The tuning range of the wavelength is between 2.051-2.056 μm with a temperature tuning rate of +0.125 nm/°C     

Water-filled single-wall carbon nanotubes as molecular nanovalves

It is known that at low temperature, water inside single-wall carbon nanotubes (water-SWNTs) undergoes a structural transition to form tube-like solid structures. The resulting ice NTs are hollow cylinders with diameters comparable to those of typical gas molecules. Hence, the gas-adsorption properties of ice- and water-SWNTs are of interest. Here, we carry out the first systematic investigation into the stability of water-SWNTs in various gas atmospheres below 0.1 MPa by means of electrical resistance, X-ray diffraction, NMR measurements and molecular dynamics calculations. It is found that the resistivity of water-SWNTs exhibits a significant increase in gas atmospheres below a critical temperature Tc, at which a particular type of atmospheric gas molecule enters the SWNTs in an on-off fashion. On the basis of this phenomenon, it is proposed that water-SWNTs can be used to fabricate a new type of molecular nanovalve.     

The use of heterologous promoters for adeno-associated virus (AAV) protein expression in AAV vector production

OBJECTIVE: There are few nonproprietary papers addressing the mechanical strength of intramedullary nails; none address the characteristics of the proximal and distal ends of these devices. Our objective was to provide such data. DESIGN: Independent testing of eight femoral intramedullary nail systems at the proximal, middle, and distal regions was undertaken to evaluate strength and flexural rigidity (stiffness). METHODS: Each device, usually a reconstruction nail, was forty-two to forty-six centimeters in length. Four or five nails of each available size (range 9 to 13 millimeters in diameter) were tested for each system. The nails were cut into proximal, middle, and distal thirds. Each nail section was loaded to failure using a four-point bend test on a custom fixture (modification of the American Society of Testing Materials standard test). RESULTS: Significant variations (p < 0.05) were found in strength and stiffness between the middle and the proximal or distal aspects of some rods. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed when comparing the properties of earlier designs with the properties of more recent designs. Newer rod designs all performed in a similar manner with regard to strength. Strength and rigidity increased with increasing rod diameter in some but not all systems. CONCLUSIONS: Although none of the newer designs appeared to have superior static strength, the individual systems had significant variations in their mechanical properties (bending rigidity), particularly in the proximal and distal sections. It is important that the surgeon become familiar with the individual characteristics of strength and rigidity for the particular devices available and how these might impact fracture healing. Consideration of this information could alter the decision to select one system over another in a complex fracture situation.     

Effects of light intensity and water temperature on oxygen release from roots into water lettuce rhizosphere

The oxygen release rate into the rhizosphere by a floating aquatic plant-water lettuce-was determined under various light intensities (0.0-1.2x10(5)lx) and water temperatures (10-35 degrees C). The net specific oxygen release rate was expressed by a model equation comprising the gross oxygen release rate and the rhizosphere respiration terms. Experimental and simulated results show that the net specific oxygen release rate increased with light intensity up to the optimal value, but slight inhibition by higher light intensities was observed at 10-20 degrees C. With increased water temperature, the respiration rate became larger than the gross oxygen release rate. The maximum net specific oxygen release rate of 11.0-12.5mg-O(2)kg-wet(-1)h(-1) was obtained at the optimal condition of about 25 degrees C and 9.0x10(4)-1.1x10(5)lx. The net oxygen release rate was negligible at 35 degrees C at any light intensity because the respiration rate was much greater than the gross oxygen release rate into the rhizosphere.