Ammonia-Assimilating Microbes in the Animal Waste Treatment Systems

Ammonia assimilation by microbes is one of important steps of ammonia removal from animal waste treatment systems. We have investigated about distribution and abundance of ammonia-assimilating microbes in the animal waste treatment systems. Ammonia assimilating microorganisms were isolated from the animal waste treatment systems by nitrogen-limited medium. Many of isolates utilized ammonia even when they were cultivated in the media containing viable microbial flora of the animal waste treatment systems. Almost of the dominant species which were detected by analysis of microbial community structure did not coincide with isolates which showed the high ammonia-assimilating ability in the lagoon, but some species by analysis of actinomycetes community structure coincided with the high ammonia-assimilating isolates in the compost. These results suggested that ammonia-assimilating microbes existed as non-dominant species in the microbial community in a lagoon, but some of cultured actinomycetes were the member of dominant species in the actinomycetes community in compost

Laminin: the crux of basement membrane assembly

Laminin-1 is emerging as the key molecule in early embryonic basement membrane assembly. Here we review recent insights into its functions gained from the synergistic application of genetic and structural methods

Ettingshausen and Nernst effects in mixed state of YBa_2Cu_3O_<7-δ>(High Field Superconductors)

The dissipative behaviors under the Lorentz force and the thermal force are investigated for the same sample of QMG-YBa_2Cu_3O_ by measuring the Ettingshausen and the Nernst effects, respectively, and compared with each other. The value of S_φ(T) obtained from the Nernst effect is found to be smaller than that obtained from the Ettingshausen effect, which suggests that the viscosity is not the same for the vortex motions under the Lorentz force and the thermal force. The QMG-YBa_2Cu_3O_ always includes precipitates of Y_2BaCuO_5 phase which are finely dispersed by an addition of Pt. In order to investigate the effect of Y_2BaCuO_5 phase on the vortex motion, the Ettingshausen effect is also measured for the sample with 0.5 mass% Pt addition. The anisotropy of the dissipation under the thermal force is investigated by measuring the Nernst effect for the configurations; (1) H//c, (dT/dx)//ab, (2) H//ab, (dT/dr)//ab and (3) H//ab, (dT/dr)//c. For these vortex motions, viscosities are found to be in the ratio 30 : 1 : 100. The velocity of vortices is estimated from the Nernst field. Furthermore, using S_φ(T) the magnitude of viscosity is estimated to be 0.5-3×10^ N s/m^2 in the temperature range from 90 to 75 K and the magnetic field of 13 T parallel to the c-axis

On the 16.5 T Superconducting Magnet Operation(Part II. Several Instruments and Techniques Developed in HFLSM)

A 16.5 T superconducting magnet employing a surface diffusion processed Nb_3Sn tape was installed in High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials at Tohoku University in 1982. The magnet generates high fields up to 16.5 T in a 57 mm diameter bore and has the maximum stored energy of 660 kJ. Since 1982, the magnet has been used for 622 days and charged up about 1070 times up to the field higher than 14 T without serious troubles. In this paper, results of 16.5 T superconducting magnet operations in the last 4 years are described

Ripple Shielding for Accurate Resistivity Measurements in Hybrid Magnets(Part II. Several Instruments and Techniques Developed in HFLSM)

After a preliminary test of ripple shielding by a coil using a prereacted pure Nb_3Sn multifilamentary superconducting wire, a few ripple shielding coils were developed employing a Ti-doped Nb-tube method processed multifilamentary Nb_3Sn superconducting wire with so far highest J_c by the so called W&R method, making it possible to measure the temperature dependence of the resistivity in Nb_Ti_ alloy within the accuracy of 10^ at very high magnetic fields above 20 T in the hybrid magnets in the High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials at Tohoku University

Fluorescence and Electron Microscopic Studies of the Cytoskeletal Organi­zation of Normal, Established and Transformed Chick Embryo Cells

The cytoskeletons of two established chick embryo cell (CEC) lines were examined by fluorescence and electron microscopy and compared with those of control cells and cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). In normal CEC, many stress fibers were observed. On the other hand, stress fibers were disorganized in nontransformed spontaneously established CEC, non-tumorigenic CEC partially transformed with a chemical carcinogen, and tumorigenic RSV-transformed CEC. In the normal CEC, actin filaments formed several bundles along the processes of the cell. Stereo-images of the peripheral region revealed bundles of filaments which were located along the attached side to the substrate. A fine well preserved network of filaments was also observed. On the other hand, in spontaneously established, partially transformed and RSV-transformed CEC, a fine network of filaments, but no actin cables, was found. These results support previous evidence that the cytoskeletal changes themselves are not directly related to the transformation or tumorigenicity of cells. </p

The N-terminal globular domain of the laminin α1 chain binds to α1β1 and α2β1 integrins and to the heparan sulfate-containing domains of perlecan

AbstractThe N-terminal domains VI plus V (62 kDa) and V alone (43 kDa) of the laminin α1 chain were obtained as recombinant products and shown to be folded into a native form by electron microscopy and immunological assays. Domain VI alone, which corresponds to an LN module, did not represent an autonomously folding unit in mammalian cells, however. Fragment α1VI/V, but not fragment α1V, bound to purified α1β1 and α2β1 integrins, to heparin, and to heparan sulfate-substituted domains I and V of perlecan. This localized the binding activities to the LN module, which contains two basic sequences suitable for heparin interactions

A Study on the Relationship between Children's Developmental Stages and Sense of Color

It is well known that human sensitivity to color and expressive ability varies with age and gender. In addition, the perception, understanding, and comprehension of color vary according to developmental stage and color-related experiences. This study is one approach to research to clarify the relationship between such "sense of color" as above and the developmental stages of children. In this study, the coloring behavior of teenage subjects; elementary school, junior high school, and university students, to coloring book images were investigated using iPads. The characteristics of coloring and color schemes used in the coloring books were analyzed to explore the relationship with the developmental stages of the children. The coloring book images, mandala-like patterns, used in the investigation were designed originally based on some preliminary investigations. In addition, the original palette of colors systematically arranged in hues and tones was specified to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of the colors used in the coloring book. The results showed that the hues of colors used with high frequency in coloring books changed as the developmental stage progressed and that the range of tones by the combination of saturation and lightness widened. It was also found that the color schemes were simple and easy to understand at younger ages, while the complexity of the color schemes increased as the children grew older

JSPS-10 The Effect of Consumption of Raw Chicken Meat on Humoral Immunity against Campylobacter jejuni in veterinarians and workers in a chicken processing plant

Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are the leading cause of enteric infections in Japan and many other developed countries, and the public health burden of campylobacteriosis is increasing [1]. Although the epidemiological data in Japan is based on passive surveillance, approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases per each year have been reported as a foodborne infection since 1982. Many risk factors for Campylobacter transmission have been identified. Handling and consumption of poultry meat are often causing of infection [2, 3]. Since Japanese have a food habitant to eat fresh raw "free-range" chicken meat and liver, the risk for infection with campylobacters may be high [4]. However, little is known about the relationship between consumption of raw chicken meat and humoral immunity against C. jejuni in humans. When people had been exposed to campylobacters contaminated in water or foods, it has been reported that their antibodies were rising [5]. This study was conducted by analyzing the antibody level against C. jejuni with questionnaires from 74 veterinarians who worked as a meat inspector and 181 workers from a chicken processing plant