Emergence of syntax and word prediction in an artificial neural circuit of the cerebellum.

The cerebellum, interconnected with the cerebral neocortex, plays a vital role in human-characteristic cognition such as language processing, however, knowledge about the underlying circuit computation of the cerebellum remains very limited. To gain a better understanding of the computation underlying cerebellar language processing, we developed a biologically constrained cerebellar artificial neural network (cANN) model, which implements the recently identified cerebello-cerebellar recurrent pathway. We found that while cANN acquires prediction of future words, another function of syntactic recognition emerges in the middle layer of the prediction circuit.

Reliability of muscle thickness and echo intensity measurements of the quadriceps: A novice examiner.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the reliability of muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) of the quadriceps muscles using ultrasound imaging for a novice examiner.

Methods: Sixteen healthy adult women were included in the study, and images of the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis were obtained on the same day and after one week by an examiner who had not performed an experiment on the measurement of ultrasound imaging. The measurers who analyzed all images were completely blind to the subject's name and date and order of measurements.

Association between bovine leukemia virus proviral load and severity of clinical mastitis.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection on natural immunity in the bovine mammary gland and on the severity of clinical mastitis. We classified milk samples from clinical mastitic cows into BLV-positive (n=76) and BLV-negative (n=12). BLV-positive cows were further divided into cows with High BLV proviral load (H-PVL) (n=23) and Low BLV proviral load (L-PVL) (n=53).

Renal cell carcinomas in haemodialysis patients: does haemodialysis duration influence pathological cell types and prognosis?

Background: It is well known that renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most important complications in haemodialysis (HD) patients. However, the influence of HD duration on the development of RCCs has not yet been described. This study sought to determine whether HD duration is related to pathological RCC types and to prognosis.

A rice tryptophan deficient dwarf mutant, tdd1, contains a reduced level of indole acetic acid and develops abnormal flowers and organless embryos.

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) plays a critical role in many aspects of plant growth and development; however, complete pathways of biosynthesis, localization and many aspects of functions of IAA in rice remain unclear. Here, we report the analysis of a rice tryptophan- (Trp-) and IAA-deficient mutant, tryptophan deficient dwarf1 (tdd1), which is embryonic lethal because of a failure to develop most organs during embryogenesis. Regenerated tdd1 plants showed pleiotropic phenotypes: dwarfing, narrow leaves, short roots and abnormal flowers.

Phospholipid fatty acid composition and diamine oxidase activity of intestinal mucosa from rats treated with irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) under vegetable oil-enriched diets: comparison between perilla oil and corn oil.

Background: Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11), a topoisomerase I inhibitor highly effective for various cancers, has its dosage limited by diffuse mucosal damage with increased prostaglandin (PG) E(2). However, an analysis of intestinal phospholipid fatty acid composition after CPT-11 treatment has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate intestinal phospholipid fatty acid composition in relation to intestinal mucosal integrity and plasma and mucosal PGE(2) levels after CPT-11 treatment.

Phosphorylation sites of protein kinase C delta in H2O2-treated cells and its activation by tyrosine kinase in vitro.

Protein kinase C delta (PKC delta) is normally activated by diacylglycerol produced from receptor-mediated hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids. On stimulation of cells with H(2)O(2), the enzyme is tyrosine phosphorylated, with a concomitant increase in enzymatic activity. This activation does not appear to accompany its translocation to membranes.

Highly sensitive detection of viral RNA genomes in blood specimens by an optimized reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

A protocol was developed for a highly sensitive detection of viral RNA in blood specimens by reverse transcription coupled with a nested polymerase chain reaction. Using Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) as a model, the optimized reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (ORTPCR) detects as few as 3-5 virions in 0.1 ml of whole blood specimens.

Detection of plasmid DNA in Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae isolated from pigs with chronic swine erysipelas.

Forty-three strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, isolated from pigs with chronic swine erysipelas, were examined for the presence of plasmid DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. Seven of these strains were found to contain plasmids of which number were varied from 1 to 6. The plasmids ranged from 1.

Expression of hemagglutinin of Haemophilus paragallinarum serotype A in Escherichia coli.

The genomic DNA of Haemophilus paragallinarum (Hpg) serotype A strain 221 was cloned into vector plasmid pBR322. The recombinant plasmids were introduced into Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain C600.

First cleavage of enucleated rat eggs following transplantation of karyoplast removed from pronuclear eggs stored at 2 to 6 degrees C for various durations.

Pronuclear rat eggs were cultured for 24 to 48 hours at 37 degrees C after storage at 2 to 6 degrees C for 0 to 216 hours in medium. Very high proportions (89 to 97%) of eggs cleaved to the two-cell stage after storage for 0 to 48 hours. The proportion, however, decreased rapidly in eggs stored for 72 hours (60%), and eggs stored for more than 120 hours cleaved poorly.

The boundaries of business: commentaries from the experts.

The World Leadership Survey, which began a worldwide dialogue on a set of important issues facing managers in the 1990s, continues with commentaries from four recognized experts, each of whom addresses the survey results from a different perspective. Kenichi Ohmae, chairman of McKinsey and Company in Tokyo, addresses "The Perils of Protectionism." Ohmae argues that the old definitions of national boundaries and corporate interests reflect obsolete economic theories.

Decrease in antimicrobial susceptibility of Bordetella bronchiseptica caused by antigenic modulation and phase variation.

The susceptibilities to 20 antimicrobial agents of Bordetella bronchiseptica variants in C mode and degraded phases were compared with those of their parents in X mode. Increases in MICs of 4- to 32-fold were observed for ampicillin, carbenicillin, erythromycin, novobiocin, rifampin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, and oxolinic acid.

Antibiotic resistance of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae isolated from pigs with chronic swine erysipelas.

The susceptibility of 258 isolates of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae from slaughtered pigs affected with chronic erysipelas in Japan to antimicrobial agents was determined. A total of 111 (43.0%) strains showed resistance to erythromycin, oleandomycin, oxytetracycline, or dihydrostreptomycin.