Fabrication of a TiO2-P25/(TiO2-P25+TiO2 nanotubes) junction for dye sensitized solar cells

The dye sensitized solar cell（DSSC）, which converts solar light into electric energy, is expected to be a promising renewable energy source for today’s world. In this work, dye sensitized solar cells, one containing a single layer and one containing a double layer, were fabricated. In the double layer DSSC structure, the under-layer was TiO₂-P25 film, and the top layer consisted of a mixture of TiO₂-P25 and TiO₂ nanotubes. The results indicated that the efficiency of the DSSC with the double layer structure was a significant improvement in comparison to the DSSC consisting of only a single film layer. The addition of TiO₂-P25 in the top layer caused an improvement in the adsorption of dye molecules on the film rather than on the TiO₂ nanotubes only. The presence of the TiO₂ nanotubes together with TiO₂-P25 in the top layer revealed the enhancement in harvesting the incident light and an improvement of electron transport through the film.     

水源河流水质管理中的环境风险评价

以日本的淀川河为对象，围绕３个以改善水源水质为目标的方案，以ＴＨＭＰ为水质指标，用累积流量模型计算了各方案下两个主要取水口的水质浓度．以此为基础，用两种ＴＨＭ致癌率内插方法估算了饮用水中的ＴＨＭ引发的致癌风险，并据此对各方案进行了评价     

Unsuspected diversity among marine aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs

Aerobic, anoxygenic, phototrophic bacteria containing bacteriochlorophyll a (Bchla) require oxygen for both growth and Bchla synthesis. Recent reports suggest that these bacteria are widely distributed in marine plankton, and that they may account for up to 5% of surface ocean photosynthetic electron transport and 11% of the total microbial community. Known planktonic anoxygenic phototrophs belong to only a few restricted groups within the Proteobacteria alpha-subclass. Here we report genomic analyses of the photosynthetic gene content and operon organization in naturally occurring marine bacteria. These photosynthetic gene clusters included some that most closely resembled those of Proteobacteria from the beta-subclass, which have never before been observed in marine environments. Furthermore, these photosynthetic genes were broadly distributed in marine plankton, and actively expressed in neritic bacterioplankton assemblages, indicating that the newly identified phototrophs were photosynthetically competent. Our data demonstrate that planktonic bacterial assemblages are not simply composed of one uniform, widespread class of anoxygenic phototrophs, as previously proposed; rather, these assemblages contain multiple, distantly related, photosynthetically active bacterial groups, including some unrelated to known and cultivated types.     

Heterozygous TGFBR2 mutations in Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome is an extracellular matrix disorder with cardinal manifestations in the eye, skeleton and cardiovascular systems associated with defects in the gene encoding fibrillin (FBN1) at 15q21.1 (ref. 1). A second type of the disorder (Marfan syndrome type 2; OMIM 154705) is associated with a second locus, MFS2, at 3p25-p24.2 in a large French family (family MS1). Identification of a 3p24.1 chromosomal breakpoint disrupting the gene encoding TGF-beta receptor 2 (TGFBR2) in a Japanese individual with Marfan syndrome led us to consider TGFBR2 as the gene underlying association with Marfan syndrome at the MSF2 locus. The mutation 1524G-->A in TGFBR2 (causing the synonymous amino acid substitution Q508Q) resulted in abnormal splicing and segregated with MFS2 in family MS1. We identified three other missense mutations in four unrelated probands, which led to loss of function of TGF-beta signaling activity on extracellular matrix formation. These results show that heterozygous mutations in TGFBR2, a putative tumor-suppressor gene implicated in several malignancies, are also associated with inherited connective-tissue disorders.     

Identity of differentiation inducing factor and tumour necrosis factor

Human myelogenous leukaemic cells can be induced to differentiate into the monocyte/macrophage pathway by protein inducers called differentiation inducing factors (DIF) in conditioned media of mitogen-stimulated human peripheral blood leukocytes. However, human DIF has not yet been well characterized. DIF is known to be a T-cell lymphokine, as it can be obtained from the T-cell line HUT-102 and can be partially purified from medium conditioned by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocytes. We found that monocytes also produce factor(s) that induce differentiation of human myelogenous leukaemia cell lines to cells with macrophage-like characteristics. This factor(s) has activity different from that of colony-stimulating factor(s) or interferons. We have now purified a DIF to homogeneity from medium conditioned by PHA-stimulated leukocytes using a human myeloblastic leukemia cell line, ML-1, as target cells. The purified DIF has a relative molecular mass (Mr) of approximately 17,000, with an NH2-terminal sequence the same as that of human tumour necrosis factor (TNF). Recombinant human TNF (rHuTNF) induces differentiation of ML-1 cells and an anti-pDIF monoclonal antibody can neutralize both differentiation inducing activity and cytotoxic activity of DIF and rHuTNF. The findings indicate that one of the DIF(s) produced by leukocytes is probably TNF.     

DMY is a Y-specific DM-domain gene required for male development in the medaka fish

Although the sex-determining gene Sry has been identified in mammals, no comparable genes have been found in non-mammalian vertebrates. Here, we used recombinant breakpoint analysis to restrict the sex-determining region in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) to a 530-kilobase (kb) stretch of the Y chromosome. Deletion analysis of the Y chromosome of a congenic XY female further shortened the region to 250 kb. Shotgun sequencing of this region predicted 27 genes. Three of these genes were expressed during sexual differentiation. However, only the DM-related PG17 was Y specific; we thus named it DMY. Two naturally occurring mutations establish DMY's critical role in male development. The first heritable mutant--a single insertion in exon 3 and the subsequent truncation of DMY--resulted in all XY female offspring. Similarly, the second XY mutant female showed reduced DMY expression with a high proportion of XY female offspring. During normal development, DMY is expressed only in somatic cells of XY gonads. These findings strongly suggest that the sex-specific DMY is required for testicular development and is a prime candidate for the medaka sex-determining gene.     

Bifidobacteria can protect from enteropathogenic infection through production of acetate

The human gut is colonized with a wide variety of microorganisms, including species, such as those belonging to the bacterial genus Bifidobacterium, that have beneficial effects on human physiology and pathology. Among the most distinctive benefits of bifidobacteria are modulation of host defence responses and protection against infectious diseases. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects have barely been elucidated. To investigate these mechanisms, we used mice associated with certain bifidobacterial strains and a simplified model of lethal infection with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, together with an integrated 'omics' approach. Here we show that genes encoding an ATP-binding-cassette-type carbohydrate transporter present in certain bifidobacteria contribute to protecting mice against death induced by E. coli O157:H7. We found that this effect can be attributed, at least in part, to increased production of acetate and that translocation of the E. coli O157:H7 Shiga toxin from the gut lumen to the blood was inhibited. We propose that acetate produced by protective bifidobacteria improves intestinal defence mediated by epithelial cells and thereby protects the host against lethal infection.     

Production of active and passive anaphylactic shock in the WBB6F1 mouse, a mast cell-deficient strain

The role of mast cells in active and passive anaphylactic shock was examined using the WBB6F1 mouse, a genetically mast cell-deficient strain. Lethal anaphylactic shock occurred at high incidence rates in mice actively sensitized to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The reaction was specific to BSA since the shock could not be elicited by human or guinea pig serum albumin in these animals. Lethal shock could be prevented by CV-3988 but not by cyproheptadine, which suggests that the shock is mediated by PAF but not by histamine and serotonin. Similarly, lethal shock was provoked by homologous antigens in mice which had been passively sensitized with allogeneic anti-benzylpenicilloyl (BPO) IgG1 monoclonal antibody or with allogeneic or xenogeneic anti-BSA antiserum, but not in those sensitized with allogeneic anti-BPO IgE monoclonal antibody. These findings suggest that mast cells are not necessarily required for anaphylactic shock in the mouse.     

Production of active and passive anaphylactic shock in the WBB6F1 mouse,a mast cell-deficient strain

Summary The role of mast cells in active and passive anaphylactic shock was examined using the WBB6F₁ mouse, a genetically mast cell-deficient strain. Lethal anaphylactic shock occurred at high incidence rates in mice actively sensitized to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The reaction was specific to BSA since the shock could not be elicited by human or guinea pig serum albumin in these animals. Lethal shock could be prevented by CV-3988 but not by cyproheptadine, which suggests that the shock is mediated by PAF but not by histamine and serotonin. Similarly, lethal shock was provoked by homologous antigens in mice which had been passively sensitized with allogeneic anti-benzylpenicilloyl (BPO) IgG₁ monoclonal antibody or with allogeneic or xenogeneic anti-BSA antiserum, but not in those sensitized with allogeneic anti-BPO IgE monoclonal antibody. These findings suggest that mast cells are not necessarily required for anaphylactic shock in the mouse.