Japan BCG Laboratory

This paper introduces a novel in‐cell capacitive and inductive hybrid (inductive‐inductive and capacitive, LLC) sensor for large‐area bottom‐emission organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) displays. The proposed LLC sensor consists of an LC sensor and a readout coil distributed across multiple layers in OLED structure. By leveraging inductive coupling between layers, the LLC sensor overcomes the electric field shielding effects caused by thick OLED cathode layers, enabling effective touch detection without compromising electrical stability. A 5x5 LLC sensor array was fabricated on a PCB, emulating the architecture of a bottom‐emission OLED display. Experimental evaluations demonstrate robust touch state recognition, with root mean square (RMS) output voltage differences ranging from 0.805 mV to 0.481 mV between touched and untouched sensors. The proposed LLC sensor retains the cost efficiency and design benefits of bottom‐emission OLEDs while addressing the limitations of conventional capacitive systems.

Despite efforts to develop effective treatments and vaccines, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), particularly pulmonary Mtb, continues to provide major health challenges worldwide. To improve immunization against the persistent health challenge of Mtb infection, we have studied the CD8+ Tcell response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and recombinant BCG (rBCG) in mice. Here, we generated CD8+ Tcells with an rBCG-based vaccine encoding the Ag85B protein of M. kansasii, termed rBCG-Mkan85B, followed by boosting with plasmid DNA expressing the Ag85B gene (DNA-Mkan85B). We identified two MHC-I (H2-Kd )-restricted epitopes that induce cross-reactive responses to Mtb and other related mycobacteria in both BALB/c (H2d ) and CB6F1 (H2b/d ) mice. The H2-Kd -restricted peptide epitopes elicited polyfunctional CD8+ Tcell responses that were also highly cross-reactive with those of other proteins of the Ag85 complex. Tetramer staining indicated that the two H2-Kd -restricted epitopes elicit distinct CD8+ Tcell populations, a result explained by the X-ray structure of the two peptide/H2-Kd complexes. These results suggest that rBCG-Mkan85B vector-based immunization and DNA-Mkan85B boost may enhance CD8+ Tcell response to Mtb, and might help to overcome the limited effectiveness of the current BCG in eliciting tuberculosis immunity.

StratoJump is an installation that allows participants to explore the experience of high altitude jumping toward the edge of space. In this peper, we presents an vision-based algorithm for generating hyperlapse of spherical videos captured in high altitude space. Unlike previous work, we consider high altitude videos that cannot perfectly be stabilized by 3D reconstruction-based algorithms. We proposed recursive intelligent sampling to simultaneously stabilize and shorten spherical videos. Our preliminary results show that the proposed method can reduce cumulative errors of stabilization compared to a frame by frame method in reasonable time.

The potency of PPD is very stable when kept as a lyophilized preparation or as a solution of high concentrations, but, as is well known, when diluted to the practical concentrations such as used in skin-testing for human, its potency diminishes rather rapidly. It has been considered that such decrease in potency is not due to denaturation of PPD, but due to its adsorption onto the surface of glass- or plastic-container. The adsorption of PPD had been studied by several authors with radiolabeled PPD or by the potency test in experimental animals or human. However, either method is not satisfactory because they are not quantitative and reproducible. Consequently, we developed a new method basing on ELISA to measure such low concentrations of PPD as used in skin-testing in human. Using this new method, we analyzed the adsorption of PPD onto glass-surface. The major characteristics of the PPD adsorption revealed by the present studies are as follows; (1) The adsorption of PPD takes place very rapidly immediately after the distribution of PPD solution to a new container and then proceeds in slower rates. (2). The rate of adsorption is influenced by both temperature and concentration of PPD solution. The rates of adsorption are almost the same at -80 degrees C and at 6 degrees C, much higher at 22 degrees C and further higher at 37 degrees C at any concentration tested. At -80 degrees C and 6 degrees C, there is no difference among the adsorption rates at three different concentrations, but at 22 degrees C and 37 degrees C, the rate of adsorption at the lowest concentration (0.25 microgram/ml) is much higher than those at higher concentrations. (3) The amounts of PPD adsorbed are determined by the surface area of glass in contact with PPD solution. (4) The larger the volume of PPD solution distributed, the bigger the absolute amount of PPD adsorbed, but the smaller the rate of adsorption. (5) So-called "volume effects" are evidenced. Commercially available Japanese PPD preparations have been produced and adjusted their potency taking such adsorption phenomena into consideration. But, if undue adsorption is induced by unappropriate handling and/or usage, the potency might be diminished. Especially, the single-dose preparation may be affected most strongly by so-called "volume-effects". Standard handling and usage recommended by the manufacturer are strictly required.