Circuit techniques to enhance the linearity of input-voltage-to-current (V/I) conversion and to increase the output impedance of a current source by compensating for the low intrinsic gain of a transistor were introduced to realize a high-frequency operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) for a low supply voltage using sub-100-nm CMOS processes. Applying these techniques, a MOS 7th-order Gm- linear-phase low-pass filter (LPF) was realized using a 65nm CMOS process. A simplified biquad LPF that can serve as a component of a 7th-order LPF was newly developed by replacing OTAs with resistors. As a result, the -3dB frequency bandwidth, group delay ripple, 3rd-order distortion, and 3rd-order input intercept point (IIP3) were 200MHz, 2.2%, ≤ -55dB with a 100MHz input, and +10.3dBm, respectively, all with a ±0.1Vp-p input signal at each input terminal in the pseudodifferential configuration. The LPF including an output buffer dissipated 60mW in the case of a 1.2V supply. Wide spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) characteristics were confirmed up to high frequencies.

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Background: Exenatide (EXE), a prototypical GLP-1R agonist, is known as glucoregulator, antiobesogenic and antidyslipidemic in hyperlipidic and hyperglucidic diet-induced obesity in rats (DIO). Objective: To evaluate bone effects of DIO and DIO treatment with EXE (DIO-

). Methods: 72-75-day-old male rats had access only to (i) hyperlipidic food (.2 kcal/g) and 30% sucrose solution for drinking (1.2 kcal/mL), or (ii) received normocaloric diet (3 kcal/g) and were allowed to feed and to drink water ad libitum. 122-125-day-old rats with 20% overweight were selected from i as obese and those with normal weight were selected from ii as control () animals. Thus, obese animals remained untreated (DIO) or were treated with 10 μg EXE/kg sc (DIO-) daily, for 20 days. Plasma levels of insulin (INS), leptin (LEP), osteocalcin (OCN), carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX-1) (ng/mL), as well as calcitonin (CT) and procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide (P1NP) (pg/mL) were measured by ELISA. Bone mineral density of femur (BMDF) (g/cm³) was measured by X-rays. Results: DIO exhibited similar INS (12.±1.83, n=4) and CT (2.80±1.05, n=4), higher LEP (0.33±0.04, n=) and lower CTX-1 (0.48±0., n=3) than . The treatment of DIO with EXE restored LEP (0.04±0.02, n=), decreased CTX-1 (0.50±0., n=) and increased CT (6.±0.72, n=). The levels of OCN (1.58±0.41, n=), P1NP (.64±16.89, n=) and BMDF (1.±0.07, n=) of and those of DIO and DIO- were similar. Conclusions: Despite of increased LEP, decreased CTX-1 and normal OCN, P1NP and BMDF reflect a relative normal balance in bone turnover in DIO. Mechanical overloading due to high body mass is known as a factor that promotes this normal condition. Given that EXE decreases 14% body mass of DIO, the present study suggests that normalization of LEP and increased CT and decreased CTX-1 are concomitant beneficial effects of EXE that contribute for maintaining bone turnover under decreased mechanical load in DIO.

Supported by FAPESP, CNPq and CAPES

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Reaction of methyl isocyanoacetate with aldehydes (RCHO) in the presence of 1mol% of gold(I) catalyst prepared in situ by mixing bis(cyclohexyl isocyanide)gold(I) tetrafluoroborate and (R)-N-methyl-N-[2-(dialkylamino)ethyl]-1-[(S)-1',2-bis(diphenyl-phosphino)ferrocenyl]ethylamine in dichloromethane at 25℃ for 20-40h gave optically active 4-methoxycarbonyl--alkyl-2-oxazolines (1) with high enantio- and diastereoselectivity in a quantitative yield. The ratios of trans-1/cis-1 and enantiomeric purities of trans-1 are as follows: RCHO=PhCHO; 89/11, 96% ee (4S,R). ()-n-PrCH=CHCHO; 80/20, % ee. ()-MeCH=CMeCHO; /, 95% ee. MeCHO; 84/16, 72% ee (4S,R). i-PrCHO; 98/2, % ee. -HexCHO; 97/3, 90% ee. t-BuCHO; 100/0, 97% ee. The oxazolines 1 were converted readily into optically active β-hydroxyamino acids and their derivatives.

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To develop truly autonomous and intelligent mobile robots, the developmental approach is indispensable. Considering the development of human beings, internal rewards which are related to the instinctive desire, motivation, curiosity, novelty, etc., are important factors contributing to the development. For the robots, there are several studies in which curiosity and novelty are used to promote the progress of learning. In this paper we propose an internal reward called "appetitive reword" and a function to control it, for the robots which have to acquire an action policy for a mission to "survive and perform a instructed task effectively". The "appetitive reword" is inspired by "appetite" of human beings, which is known to be well regulated by a mechanism between the digestive tract and the brain. By using an example of a security guard robot, we show the effectiveness of the proposed reward.

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Background: The association between the T-peak to T-end interval (Tp-

) and ventricular arrhythmia (VA) events in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Tp- was associated with VA events in CS patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds).

Methods and Results: We retrospectively studied 50 patients (16 men; mean [±SD] age 56.3±10.

years) with CS and ICD/CRT-D. The maximum Tp- in the precordial leads recorded by a 12-lead electrocardiogram after ICD/CRT-D implantation was evaluated. The clinical endpoint was defined as appropriate ICD therapy. During a median follow-up period of .0 months, patients underwent appropriate therapy and 10 patients died. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the probability of the clinical endpoint was 28.3% at 2 years and 35.3% at 4 years. The optimal cut-off value of the Tp- for the prediction of the clinical endpoint was ms, with a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of .0% (area under the curve=0.81). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Tp- ≥ ms (hazard ratio [HR] .10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99–13.1; P<0.001) and a histological diagnosis of CS (HR 3.84; 95% CI 1.28–11.; P=0.016) were significantly associated with the clinical endpoint.

Conclusions: Tp-

≥ ms was a significant predictor of VA events in patients with CS and ICD/CRT-D.

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Repetitive liquefactions in angular and subangular gravels from an alluvial fan, in the case of two earthquakes with accelerations lower than that of a former which had caused liquefaction some months before, are described. The liquefaction took place from the surface, down to a depth of approximately 10 m. Water laden with sediments spouted out for some tens of minutes after the strong motion ceased. Knowledge of the grain size distribution of the sediments inside the body of the alluvial fan roughly defines the areas of the fan prone to future liquefaction. Non-repetitive liquefaction in overconsolidated fine fluvio-lacustrine sand of glacial origin at the unusual depth of 14 m to 16 m is also described. From the observation of sand lifted up for 10 m inside a large diameter well, and of that which spouted out from several microvents, it was estimated that extra-pore pressure was close to lithostatic conditions. Nevertheless, modeling of intrinsic pore pressure buildup on the DESRA2 programme gives lower values than the experimental one. Geotechnical characteristics of the 12 m-thick sandy stratum indicate that the upper part is unusually soft, either due to water circulation or past repetitive liquefactions which prevented reconsolidation. It is suggested that excess pore pressure generated by the earthquake was also due to redistribution of pressure from adjacent sediments.

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We screened the differentiation-inducing activities of 39 mushroom extracts from Akita prefecture, Japan, on the mouse osteoblastic cell line, MC3T3-1. Sixteen phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 8 boiled PBS, 14 ethanol and 12 methanol extracts induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, an indicator of MC3T3-1 cell differentiation. The enzyme activities were markedly induced by extracts of Tricholoma auratum, and we isolated the active compound from methanol extracts of this mushroom. Physical data for the isolated active compound were identical to those for (,24R)-ergosta-7,-diene-3β,,6β-triol (1). 1 induced ALP activities of MC3T3-1 cells and promoted cell proliferation. To investigate the relationships between the chemical structure and differentiation-inducing activity of the compound, ALP-inducing activities of MC3T3-1 cells by 1, ergosterol (2), ergocalciferol (3), cholesta-3β,,6β-triol (4), 7-dehydrocholesterol () and cholecalciferol (6) were tested. The enzyme activities of MC3T3-1 cells were increased 3.0-fold by 10 μM 1 and 2.4-fold by 10 μM 4. However, 2, 3, and 6 did not induce MC3T3-1 cell ALP activity at 0.1—10 μM. These results suggested that the OH groups at - and/or -6 of 1 and 4 played an important role in their differentiation-inducing activities on MC3T3-1 cells. Furthermore, 1 suppressed induction of MC3T3-1 cell apoptosis by serum starvation.

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