Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) vaccine, Fel-O-Vax FIV, was released for sale in the US in 2002. The antibodies of vaccinated cats interfere with serological assays by currently available FIV ...diagnostic kits. In this study, we investigated whether it is possible to distinguish serologically cats vaccinated with Fel-O-Vax FIV from cats experimentally or naturally infected with FIV. A total of 153 sera taken from 97 cats were used as serum samples. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed using whole FIV antigen and formalin treated whole FIV antigen, recombinant-gag (r-gag) antigen, and transmembrane (TM) peptide. Statistical analysis was performed using ELISA optical density (O.D.) values obtained with each antigen as variables. Except for the ELISA O.D. values obtained with r-gag antigen, a significant difference in ELISA O.D. values was observed between the vaccinated and the infected groups. However, it was not possible to distinguish both groups unequivocally. Using discriminant analysis, it was possible to distinguish the two groups with an accuracy of 97.1% with two discriminating variables (ELISA O.D. values obtained with formalin treated whole FIV antigen, and TM peptide), 97.8% with three discriminating variables (ELISA O.D. values obtained with whole FIV antigen, formalin treated whole FIV antigen, and TM peptide). Therefore, it was considered possible to distinguish cats vaccinated with Fel-O-Vax FIV from FIV-infected cats by ELISA using two types of antigens including formalin treated whole FIV antigen and TM peptide, or three types of antigens including formalin treated whole FIV antigen, TM peptide and whole FIV antigen.
We have performed magnetooptical measurements of β′′-(BEDT-TTF)(TCNQ) using a cavity perturbation technique with a millimeter vector network analyzer (MVNA) and a 14 T superconducting magnet at IMR, ...Tohoku University. The results of ADMRO and SdH measurements at low temperatures are not consistent with the band calculation result. Therefore, we are interested in Fermi surfaces at low temperatures and have performed magnetooptical measurements of β′′-(BEDT-TTF)(TCNQ). Although the band calculation and ADMRO results suggest the existence of Q1D FS, our results suggest the existence of Q2D FS only. From the results of magnetooptical measurements, we discuss the FS topology of this system at low temperatures.
The crystallization of the amorphous phase into the tetragonal Nd
2Fe
14B (Φ) phase and the corresponding changes in magnetic properties have been examined by step annealing experiment using a 2 μm ...thick NdFeB film sample. Microstructural and magnetic analysis indicate that the film was magnetically soft as deposited with the coercivity
H
ci⊥ <16 kA m
−1 and the remnant magnetization 4
πM
r⊥ <0.02 T. Annealing at a temperature of 550
°C, a coercivity value around 784 kA m
−1 was developed and diffraction analysis showed evidence of Φ phase 002
l peaks being aligned perpendicular to the film plane. At an optimum annealing temperature of 575
°C, the remnant magnetization of this anisotropic thin film is around 0.60 T with intrinsic coercivity of ∼1340 kA m
−1. Annealing the film sample at 200
°C≤
T
ann≤750
°C showed variations in magnetic properties that were mostly due to the change in the perpendicular anisotropy. Based on 4
πM
s⊥ values plotted against
T
ann, a dip in 4
πM
s⊥
values was observed as
T
ann increased in the soft-to-hard magnetic characteristics transition region and rose as the hard crystalline phase started to form. The results show that the magnetic properties of the NdFeB film were slightly influenced by the presence of NdO, film surface roughening and the small increase in crystal size as a consequence of repeated heat treatment. At
T
ann ∼300
°C, the nominal saturation magnetization indicated a certain degree of weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the film sample considered to be essential in the enhancement of coercivity in crystallized films.
We present the first evidence of a system of four bioactive peptides that affect the stiffness of sea cucumber dermis. The body wall dermis of sea cucumbers consists of catch connective tissue that ...is characterized by quick and drastic stiffness changes under nervous control. The peptides were isolated from the body wall, their amino acid sequences determined, and identical peptides synthesized. Two peptides, which we named holokinins, are homologous with bradykinin. We tested the effect of the peptides on the mechanical properties of sea cucumber dermis. Both of the holokinins softened the dermis, and a pentapeptide that we designated as NGIWY amide stiffened it. Both effects were reversibly suppressed by anesthesia with menthol. We called the fourth peptide stichopin; it had no direct effect on the stiffness of the dermis but suppressed action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine reversibly. The results suggest that the peptides are neuropeptides and are part of a sophisticated system of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that controls the connective tissue stiffness of sea cucumber dermis.
Magneto-optical measurements have been performed in organic conductors β′′-(BEDT-TTF)2CsCd(SCN)4 and λ-(BETS)2FeCl4. Although the zero magnetic field ground state of β′′-(BEDT-TTF)2CsCd(SCN)4is ...considered as the density wave state, periodic orbit resonances (POR's) attributed to quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) and quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) Fermi surfaces (FS's) have been observed above 6 T. The existence of these FS's are predicted by the band calculation based on room temperature lattice parameters. This result may suggest the destruction of the density wave state at 6 T, and the primal metallic state revives in the high field phase above 6 T. In the case of λ-(BETS)2FeCl4, large changes of the transmission intensity of electromagnetic waves around 10 T, which correspond to the insulator-metal transition, have been observed. However, no POR-like resonance has been observed. This may be due to the restriction of the observed frequency-field region.
Active movements in animals are usually attributed to cellular protein engines, e.g., the actin-myosin system of muscle cells. Here we report the first evidence of an extracellular contractile ...connective tissue, which we have found in sea lilies and feather stars (Echinodermata, Crinoida). These marine animals have arm muscles that are antagonized, not by other muscles, but by ligaments consisting of extracellular fibrils interspersed with neuron-like cell processes. Contractile cells are lacking, yet these arm ligaments actively contracted upon stimulation. The ligaments stayed in a contracted condition even after the stimulus had stopped. The stresses generated were lower than those of typical skeletal muscles. Additional data from crinoid cirri, which lack muscles entirely, corroborate the hypothesis that the connective tissue of the ligaments is contractile.
Some talpid moles show one of the most specialized suites of morphological characters seen among small mammals. Fossorial and more generalized shrew-looking moles inhabit both North America and ...Eurasia but these land masses share none of the same genera. One of the central questions of mole evolution has been that of how many times specialized fossorial habits evolved. We investigated the origin of mole characters with a maximum parsimony analysis of 157 characters, mostly craniodental and postcranial, of representatives of all 17 living mole genera and three shrews and one hedgehog as outgroups. The result was one most-parsimonious tree and its most novel aspect was the position of a Japanese shrew mole clade (Urotrichus, Dymecodon), which branched off after Uropsilus and was not closely related to the American shrew mole (Neurotrichus). The desmans (Galemys and Desmana) were the next clade in the tree, followed by Neurotrichus. We confirmed the monophyly of the Eurasian fossorial mole clade Talpini (Euroscaptor, Parascaptor, Mogera, Scaptochirus and Talpa). Condylura, the star-nosed mole from North America, was sister group to a clade consisting of the Talpini plus Scaptonyx and the Scalopini (Scalopus, Scapanus, Parascalops, and Scapanulus). Based on our results and on the assumption that moles originated in Eurasia, it is most parsimonious to infer one migration from Eurasia to North America and two back-migrations to Eurasia. It is ambiguous if Talpini and Scalopini evolved their full fossorial habits independently or not.
Magnetooptical measurements have been performed on
β″-(BEDT-TTF)(TCNQ) using the cavity perturbation techniques.
β″-(BEDT-TTF)(TCNQ) has very exotic Fermi surface (FS). Several harmonic resonances ...were observed at various angles. We consider these resonances as q1D-periodic orbit resonance. The obtained Fermi velocity and the scattering time are 4.4×10
4
m/s and 2.1×10
−11
s, respectively. When the magnetic field was rotated in the
b
*
a-plane, the similar resonances are observed. According to these results, the FS topology of the system at low temperature is discussed.
Magnetisches Netzwerk: Ein 2:1‐System aus Ru2II,IIL4‐Schaufelradkomplexen und BDTA‐TCNQ ergibt einen neuen Strukturtyp von Elektronentransfersystemen mit einem dreidimensionalen Netzwerk. Die ...Struktur zeigt einen langreichweitigen ferromagnetischen Übergang bei Tc=107 K (siehe χ‐T‐Kurve und Blick entlang der a‐Achse). L = m‐Fluorbenzoat, BTDA‐TCNQ = Bis(1,2,5‐thiadiazolo)tetracyanchinodimethan.
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