Performance Improvement of Triplet-Triplet Annihilation-Based Upconversion Solid Films through Plasmon-Induced Backward Scattering of Periodic Arrays of Ag and Al.

The performance improvement of solid-state triplet-triplet annihilation-based photon upconversion (TTA-UC) systems is required for the application to various solar devices. The performance can be improved by making use of the local strong electric field generated through the excitation of localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance of metal nanostructures. However, since the improvement is effective only within the limited nanospace around nanoparticles (, the near-field effect), a methodology for improving the performance over a wider spatial region is desirable.

Upconverted emission-driven photothermal conversion with gold nanospheres based on triplet-triplet annihilation.

Low-energy visible light was converted into heat energy through the excitation of the localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanospheres excited by upconverted emission based on triplet-triplet annihilation of organic molecules. This system allows easy tuning of absorption/emission wavelengths, which is difficult with conventional photothermal conversion using rare-earth elements.

Cleavage of 3'-terminal adenosine by archaeal ATP-dependent RNA ligase.

Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus RNA ligase (MthRnl) catalyzes formation of phosphodiester bonds between the 5'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxyl termini of single-stranded RNAs. It can also react with RNA with a 3'-phosphate end to generate a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate. Here, we show that MthRnl can additionally remove adenosine from the 3'-terminus of the RNA to produce 3'-deadenylated RNA, RNA(3'-rA).

Structural and mutational analysis of archaeal ATP-dependent RNA ligase identifies amino acids required for RNA binding and catalysis.

An ATP-dependent RNA ligase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (MthRnl) catalyzes intramolecular ligation of single-stranded RNA to form a closed circular RNA via covalent ligase-AMP and RNA-adenylylate intermediate. Here, we report the X-ray crystal structures of an MthRnl•ATP complex as well as the covalent MthRnl-AMP intermediate. We also performed structure-guided mutational analysis to survey the functions of 36 residues in three component steps of the ligation pathway including ligase-adenylylation (step 1), RNA adenylylation (step 2) and phosphodiester bond synthesis (step 3).

An EMG-CT method using multiple surface electrodes in the forearm.

Electromyography computed tomography (EMG-CT) method is proposed for visualizing the individual muscle activities in the human forearm. An EMG conduction model was formulated for reverse-estimation of muscle activities using EMG signals obtained with multi surface electrodes. The optimization process was calculated using sequential quadratic programming by comparing the estimated EMG values from the model with the measured values.

Identification of an entire set of tRNA molecules and characterization of cleavage sites of the intron-containing tRNA precursors in acidothermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii strain7.

The acidothermophilic crenarchaeon, Sulfolobus tokodaii strain7, was isolated from a hot spring in Beppu, Kyushu, Japan. Whole genomic data of this microorganism indicated that among 46 putative tRNA genes identified, 24 were interrupted tRNA genes containing an intron. A sequence comparison between the cDNA sequences for unspliced and spliced tRNAs indicated that all predicted tRNAs were expressed and all intron portions were spliced in this microorganism.

Aggressive large cell medulloblastoma extending to the extracranial region in brain-dead state.

Introduction: The authors describe the case of a 29-month-old boy who presented with acute non-communicating hydrocephalus caused by a small tumor in the fourth ventricle. He became brain-dead immediately and remained stable in that condition.

Materials And Methods: Six months later, despite being in a brain-dead state, a rapid direct tumor extension from the intracranial to extracranial region was observed, and chemoradiotherapy was performed following tumor biopsy.

A conserved lysine residue in the crenarchaea-specific loop is important for the crenarchaeal splicing endonuclease activity.

In Archaea, splicing endonuclease (EndA) recognizes and cleaves precursor RNAs to remove introns. Currently, EndAs are classified into three families according to their subunit structures: homotetramer, homodimer, and heterotetramer. The crenarchaeal heterotetrameric EndAs can be further classified into two subfamilies based on the size of the structural subunit.

Nonthalamic generalization of ictal spikes in atypical absence seizures.

Reported here is the case of a boy who had a thalamic hemorrhage as a neonate and developed symptomatic focal epilepsy at 3 years of age. At the onset of focal epilepsy, the interictal spikes were localized in the occipital regions; over time, they gradually expanded, and atypical absences developed at the age of 6 years. When the patient was hospitalized at the age of 7 years 11 months, the spatiotemporal distribution of the synchronous spikes was assessed for each generalized spike-and-wave discharge observed on ictal electroencephalography.

Modeling of the rf discharge initiation in a negative ion source.

The maintenance free rf ion source is expected to be one of the most promising candidates for the negative ion sources of plasma heating for future fusion reactors. As an alternative to the arc-discharge sources, the rf negative ion sources have been developed for H(-) production. In order to make clear the condition for the discharge initiation of the rf source, we are developing a numerical model using the finite difference time domain Monte Carlo method to analyze the electron energy distribution function in rf field.

Interictal cerebral blood flow abnormality in cryptogenic West syndrome.

Purpose: To elucidate the abnormality of interictal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of West syndrome at the onset.

Methods: Quantitative measurement of rCBF with an autoradiography method using N-isopropyl-((123)I) p-iodoamphetamine single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed on 14 infants with cryptogenic West syndrome. Regions of interest (ROIs) for rCBF were placed automatically using an automated ROI analysis software (three-dimensional stereotactic ROI template), and were grouped into 12 segments: callosomarginal, precentral, central, parietal, angular, temporal, posterior cerebral, pericallosal, lenticular nucleus, thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebellum.

Detection of enzymatic activities related to the tRNA splicing pathway in Methanosarcina acetivorans cell extract.

At least two separate enzymes, an endonuclease and a ligase, are thought to be involved in the tRNA splicing pathway. The yeast and archaeal endonucleases acting in the first step of tRNA splicing commonly produce 2', 3'-cyclic phosphate and 5' hydroxy group at the exon-intron borders. Despite this similarity in the first step of tRNA splicing, the subsequent mechanism of archaeal splicing pathway has not been elucidated yet.

Gait posture estimation using wearable acceleration and gyro sensors.

A method for gait analysis using wearable acceleration sensors and gyro sensors is proposed in this work. The volunteers wore sensor units that included a tri-axis acceleration sensor and three single axis gyro sensors. The angular velocity data measured by the gyro sensors were used to estimate the translational acceleration in the gait analysis.

Gain and loss of an intron in a protein-coding gene in Archaea: the case of an archaeal RNA pseudouridine synthase gene.

Background: We previously found the first examples of splicing of archaeal pre-mRNAs for homologs of the eukaryotic CBF5 protein (also known as dyskerin in humans) in Aeropyrum pernix, Sulfolobus solfataricus, S. tokodaii, and S. acidocaldarirus, and also showed that crenarchaeal species in orders Desulfurococcales and Sulfolobales, except for Hyperthermus butylicus, Pyrodictium occultum, Pyrolobus fumarii, and Ignicoccus islandicus, contain the (putative) cbf5 intron.

Functional importance of crenarchaea-specific extra-loop revealed by an X-ray structure of a heterotetrameric crenarchaeal splicing endonuclease.

Archaeal splicing endonucleases (EndAs) are currently classified into three groups. Two groups require a single subunit protein to form a homodimer or homotetramer. The third group requires two nonidentical protein components for the activity.

A patient with early onset Huntington disease and severe cerebellar atrophy.

We report on a girl with early onset Huntington disease (HD). Her initial symptoms at 2 years of age included oral motor dysfunction and gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed severe atrophy of both the vermis and the cerebellar cortex in addition to the common findings of basal ganglia including the caudate nuclei, putamen, and globus pallidus.

Gait analysis using gravitational acceleration measured by wearable sensors.

A novel method for measuring human gait posture using wearable sensor units is proposed. The sensor units consist of a tri-axial acceleration sensor and three gyro sensors aligned on three axes. The acceleration and angular velocity during walking were measured with seven sensor units worn on the abdomen and the lower limb segments (both thighs, shanks and feet).

[Epileptic spasms without hypsarrhythmia showing astatic seizures in clusters].

It is difficult to differentiate astatic seizures among atonic, myoclonic and tonic seizures without the help of ictal polygraphic recordings. We described a girl with epilepsy presenting periodic astasia caused by epileptic spasms. Her seizures had occurred in clusters since 1-year and 7-month of age.

Developmental outcomes of cryptogenic West syndrome.

Objective: To elucidate factors affecting the developmental outcome of cryptogenic West syndrome.

Study Design: Medical records of 32 patients, who were followed-up regularly for more than 1 year, were reviewed for clinical features: treatment lag, electroencephalography findings, and seizure evolution. Those features were compared between the normal outcome group (12 patients) and the delayed outcome group (20 patients).

Regional cerebral blood flow and developmental outcome in cryptogenic West syndrome.

Purpose: To elucidate the relation between alterations of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) therapy and developmental outcomes of cryptogenic West syndrome.

Methods: Quantitative measurement of rCBF, with autoradiography method using N-isopropyl-((123)I) p-iodoamphetamine single photon emission computed tomography before and after ACTH therapy, was performed on 17 infants with cryptogenic West syndrome. Regions of interest for rCBF were placed bilaterally in the cerebellum, the thalamus, the caudate nucleus, and the frontal, temporal, and occipital cortices.

Human herpesvirus 6 encephalopathy predominantly affecting the frontal lobes.

Isolated cases of human herpesvirus 6 encephalopathy have recently been reported, although the pathophysiology remains largely unknown. To elucidate the changes specific to human herpesvirus 6 encephalopathy on diagnostic images, this study investigated magnetic resonance imaging findings in 10 patients with a diagnosis of human herpesvirus 6 encephalopathy including diffusion-weighted imaging in 6 of 10, and findings of cerebral blood flow imaging by single-photon emission computed tomography in 9 of 10 patients. No abnormalities were evident on T(1)-weighted, T(2)-weighted, or fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery magnetic resonance imaging during acute phases; however, diffusion-weighted imaging indicated abnormal hyperintensity in the subcortical white matter of the frontal lobes in all six patients during the acute phase.

Functional reconstitution of an archaeal splicing endonuclease in vitro.

Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7 is one of archaea whose entire genome has been sequenced. The genome sequence revealed that it possesses two open reading frames (ORFs) that are homologous to endA, a protein responsible for splicing endonuclease activity in archaea. Interestingly, one of these two ORFs lacks a putative catalytic amino acid residue for the nuclease activity.

Archaeal pre-mRNA splicing: a connection to hetero-oligomeric splicing endonuclease.

Eukaryotic Cbf5 is a protein subunit of the small nucleolar RNA-protein complex. Previously, we identified, in archaeal homologs of cbf5 of the crenarchaea, Aeropyrum pernix, Sulfolobus solfataricus, and Sulfolobus tokodaii, the first examples of introns of archaeal protein-coding genes. Here, we report the immunological detection of Cbf5 protein of S.