Abstract: A battery (100) comprises a cell having a cathode compartment (120) that includes an element that is oxidized during charging of the battery (100), wherein the oxidized element forms a salt with an acid and thereby increases the H+ concentration in the cathode compartment (120) sufficient to promote an H+ flux into the anode compartment (110) across the separator (130), wherein the H+ flux across the separator (130) is sufficient to disintegrate a zinc dendrite proximal to the separator (130).

Abstract: Battery separators made of a wettable, uniform mat of melt blown fibers. The melt blown fibers are thermally bonded to one another. These fibers are made of a thermoplastic material. The fibers have a diameter in the range of 0.1 to 13 microns (?) and lengths greater than 12 millimeters (mm). The mat has a basis weight ranging from 6 to 160 grams per square meter (g/m2), a thickness of less than 75 microns (?), and an average pore size of 0.3 to 50 microns (?).

Abstract: Provided is a battery capable of obtaining a superior battery capacity and a superior charge-discharge cycle characteristic under high temperature conditions, and improving a load characteristic. A laminate including a cathode (21) and an anode (22) with a separator (23) in between is spirally wound. The cathode (21) includes a cathode mixture layer which includes a lithium-containing complex oxide including at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Mn and Fe. The anode (22) includes an anode mixture layer including a tin-containing alloy, a carbon material, and a fatty acid or a metal salt thereof. Thereby, a superior battery capacity and a superior charge-discharge cycle characteristic under high temperature conditions can be obtained. Moreover, when the content of the fatty acid or the metal salt thereof in the anode mixture layer is within a range from 0.1 wt % to 6 wt % inclusive, a load characteristic can be improved.

Abstract: Batteries based on nanoparticles are demonstrated that achieve high energy densities. Vanadium oxide nanoparticles can have several different stoichiometries and corresponding crystal lattices. The nanoparticles preferably have average diameters less than about 500 nm and more preferably less than about 150 nm. Cathodes produced using the vanadium oxide nanoparticles and a binder can be used to construct lithium batteries or lithium ion batteries. The nanoparticles may have energy densities greater than about 900 Wh/kg.

Abstract: A graphite powder suitable for a negative electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery which assures a high discharging capacity not lower than 320 mAh/g is to be manufactured at a lower cost. Specifically, a graphite powder containing 0.01 to 5.0 wt % of boron and having a looped closure structure at an end of a graphite c-planar layer on the surface of a powder, with the density of the interstitial planar sections between neighboring closure structures being not less than 100/?m and not more than 1500/?m, and with d002 being preferably not larger than 3.3650 ?, is manufactured by (1) heat-treating a carbon material pulverized at an elevated speed before or after carbonization for graphization at temperature exceeding 1500° C. or by (2) heat-treating the carbon material pulverized before or after carbonization at a temperature exceeding 1500° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel electrode active materials represented by the general formula AaMb(XY4)2Zd, wherein: (a) A is one or more alkali metals, and 0<a?8; (b) M is at least one metal capable of undergoing oxidation to a higher valence state, and 1?b?3; (c) XY4 is selected from the group consisting of X?O4?xY?x, X?O4?yY?2?y, X?S4, and a mixture thereof, where X? is P, As, Sb, Si, Ge, S, and mixtures thereof; X? is P, As, Sb, Si, Ge, and mixtures thereof, Y? is halogen, 0?x<3, 0<y<4, and 0<c?3; and (d) Z is OH, a halogen, or mixtures thereof, and 0<d?6.

Abstract: A cathode active material and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are electrochemically doped and dedoped with lithium; and an electrolyte disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode contains a cathode active material including a mixture of: a first cathode active material represented by a general formula: LitCoMsO2 where M represents a metal, 0?s?0.03, and 0.05?t?1.15; and a second cathode active material represented by a general formula: LixNi(1-y-z)CoyMnzAaO2 where A represents a metal, 0.05?x?1.15, 0.15?y+z?0.70, 0.05?z?0.40, and 0?a?0.10.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte battery having improved energy density and safety, the solid electrolyte battery incorporating a positive electrode; a negative electrode disposed opposite to the positive electrode; a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and solid electrolytes each of which is disposed between the positive electrode and the separator and between the separator and the negative electrode, wherein the separator is constituted by a polyolefin porous film, the polyolefin porous film has a thickness satisfying a range not greater than 5 ?m nor greater than 15 ?m and a volume porosity satisfying a range not less than 25% nor greater than 60%, and the impedance in the solid electrolyte battery is greater than the impedance realized at the room temperature when the temperature of the solid electrolyte battery satisfies a range not less than 100° C. nor greater than 160° C.

Abstract: Polymeric material suitable for the preparation of optical recording media for volume data storage is disclosed. The molecular structure of the material contains a main chain derived from any of poly(meth)acrylate, poly(meth)acrylamide, polysiloxane, polyurea, polyurethane, polyester, polystyrene and cellulose, and the side chains contain a) azobenzene dye, b) form anisotropic grouping, and c) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of where R=H or methyl, R? and R? independently denote CnH2n+1 or CnH2n-OH and R?? denotes —CnH2N—OH.

Abstract: Exposure systems may use pellicles made of perfluoropoly-ether. These materials may exhibit reduced darkening upon repeated exposures compared to other materials.

Abstract: A mask arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point located at a center of the predetermined pattern, a center of the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice.

Abstract: Positive photosensitive insulating resin compositions of the invention contain at least (A) an alkali soluble resin having a phenolic hydroxyl group, (B) a compound having a quinonediazido group, (C) crosslinked fine particles, (D) a compound containing at least two alkyletherified amino groups in the molecule, and (F) a solvent. The resin compositions have excellent resolution, electrical insulating properties and thermal shock properties. Cured products of the invention are obtained by curing these resin compositions, and they show good adhesive properties.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photosensitive resin composition comprising (a) a resin having a specific structure, (b) a photosensitive agent, and (c) an organic solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100° C. or higher and 140° C. or lower, the content of the component (c) being 50% by weight or more and 100% by weight or less based on the total amount of the organic solvent, and to a process for producing a heat-resistant resin film using the same. According to the present invention, there is provided a photosensitive resin composition which is less likely to cause defects such as transcribed trace and line drawing.

Abstract: An reimageable medium composed of: a substrate; and a photochromic material, wherein the medium is capable of exhibiting a color contrast and an absence of the color contrast, wherein the medium has a characteristic that when the medium exhibits the absence of the color contrast and is then exposed to an imaging light corresponding to a predetermined image to result in an exposed region and a non-exposed region, the color contrast is present between the exposed region and the non-exposed region to form a temporary image corresponding to the predetermined image that is visible for a visible time, wherein the medium has a characteristic that when the temporary image is exposed to an indoor ambient condition for an image erasing time, the color contrast changes to the absence of the color contrast to erase the temporary image in all of the following: (i) when the indoor ambient condition includes darkness at ambient temperature, (ii) when the indoor ambient condition includes indoor ambient light at ambient temp

Abstract: An organic photoconductor including a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer on a conductive base, wherein crossing angle? of two tangent lines is 70° or more, two tangent lines which border on a curve drawn by plotting integrated values of detected current versus time in measurement of transient photocurrent (TOF), at a field intensity of 10V/?m; and film thickness of the charge transport layer is 8 to 15 ?m.

Abstract: A toner that contains resin, colorant, wax and an aromatic hydrocarbon compatibilizer.

Abstract: The invention provides a toner for developing electrostatic charged images comprising toner mother particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and an external additive, wherein: the average of shape factors SF1 of the toner mother particles represented by the following Formula (1) is 140 or less; the external additive contains higher alcohol particles having a volume-average particle diameter of 1 to 12 ?m; and the content of the higher alcohol particles having a diameter equal to or less than the volume-average particle diameter of the toner mother particles is in a range of 0.15 to 2.5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the toner mother particles. In addition, the invention provides a developer for developing electrostatic charged images comprising the toner. Further, the invention provides an image forming method using the toner.

Abstract: To provide a yellow toner allowing formation of an image with an excellent transparency for an OHP, an excellent coloring power, and an excellent light resistance. In the yellow toner including at least a yellow pigment containing a monoazo compound represented by the following formula (1), the value of a* is in the range of ?5 to +14 when b* is +80 with respect to a transmission chromaticity of an image formed on a transparency sheet. (wherein X1 to X6 each independently denotes a substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a C1–3 alkyl group, a C1–3 alkoxyl group, a nitro group, a halogen group, a sulfonic group, a sulfamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group substituted with an aromatic group, a carboxyl group, and a carboxylate; each may bond with another to form a benzene ring or an imidazolone ring.

Abstract: The toner of the present invention is suitably used in SLIC development system where a liner velocity of a developer-bearing member is 150 to 500 cm/sec. The toner has resin particles containing at least a coloring agent, and a charge controlling agent fine articles, and a ratio M/T of the amount M (% by weight) of an element in the surface of toner particles as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to the amount T (% by weight) of the element in the entire toner particles of 20 to 500, which element is present only in a charge control agent among components of the toner and is an element belonging to one of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth periods of the long form of periodic table of elements except hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and rare gas elements.

Abstract: A fuser member component to fuse the transferred developed image to the copy substrate, wherein the fuser member includes a substrate, an outer polymeric layer, and a release agent material coating on the outer polymeric layer, and the release agent material coating includes a blend of at least two different amino-functional siloxane release agent materials having amino-functional groups, and the at least two different amino-functional siloxane release agent materials have the following Formula I: wherein A represents —R4—X, wherein R4 represents an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 10 carbons, X represents —NH2 or —NHR5NH2 with R5 representing an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 10 carbons; R1 and R2 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl having from about 1 to about 25 carbons, an aryl having from about 4 to about 10 carbons, and an arylalkyl; R3 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl having from about 1 to about 25 carbons, an aryl

Abstract: A toner process comprised of a first heating of a mixture of an acicular magnetite dispersion, a colorant dispersion, a wax dispersion, and a core latex comprised of a first latex containing a vinyl crystalline polyester resin substantially free of crosslinking, and wherein said polyester is substantially dissolved in a vinyl monomer and polymerized to provide said first core latex resin, and which mixture contains a second crosslinked resin containing latex wherein said heating is accomplished in the presence of a coagulant to provide aggregates; adding a shell latex comprised of a polymer substantially free of crosslinking, and further heating said aggregates to provide coalesced toner particles, and wherein said further heating is at a higher temperature than said first heating.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic assembly comprising a photothermographic material and an intensifying means for converting ionizing radiation, wherein the assembly has been imagewise exposed to ionizing radiation to form a latent image in the photothermographic material. The photothermographic material has at least one imaging layer comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion, wherein thermal development of unexposed silver salts in exposed areas relative to unexposed areas is inhibiting when thermally developing the imagewise exposed assembly, thereby producing a positive image. The present invention is also directed to a photothermographic assembly that can be used in the present process in which a positive image characterized by high speed and discrimination is formed when exposed and thermally heated above 150° C.

Abstract: A positive photosensitive composition comprising (A1) a compound that generates an aromatic sulfonic acid substituted with at least one fluorine atom and/or a group having at least one fluorine atom upon irradiation of an actinic ray or radiation, (B) a resin that has a monocyclic or polycyclic alicyclic hydrocarbon structure and is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developing solution, and (C) a compound that has at least three hydroxy or substituted hydroxy groups and at least one cyclic structure or (A2) an onium salt of an alkanesulfonic acid in which the ?-position of the sulfonic acid is not substituted with a fluorine atom and/or an onium salt of a carboxylic acid.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a photoimageable composition comprising: (I) finely divided particles of inorganic material comprising: (a) functional phase particles selected from electrically conductive, resistive, and dielectric particles; (b) inorganic binder having a glass transition temperature in the range of from 325 to 600° C., a surface area of no greater than 10 m2/g and at least 85 wt. % of the particles having a size of 0.1–10 ?m; dispersed in: (II) an organic medium comprising: (a) aqueous developable polymer which is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof, wherein each copolymer or interpolymer comprises (1) a nonacidic comonomer comprising a C1-10 alkyl acrylate, C1-10 alkyl methacrylate, styrenes, substituted styrenes or combinations thereof and (2) an acidic comonomer comprising ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing moiety; (g) cationically polymerizable monomer; (h) photoinitiation system; and (i) organic solvent.

Abstract: The photosensitive resin composition of the present invention is an excellent photosensitive resin composition: exhibiting significant transmissibility at the use of an exposure light source of 160 nm or less, more specifically F2 excimer laser light, where line edge roughness and development time dependence are small and a problem of footing formation is improved; and comprising a resin which decomposes by an action of acid to increase the solubility in alkali developer, in which the resin contains a specific repeat unit; a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with one of an actinic ray and a radiation, in which the compound includes at least two kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting of specific compounds (B1), (B2), (B3) and (B4).

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate material is disclosed, comprising a flexible support having thereon a hydrophilic layer and an image forming layer, wherein the flexible support having the hydrophilic layer exhibits a transmission density of 0.5 to 1.2, and the outermost surface of an unexposed area of the image forming layer exhibiting a glossiness of 0.1 to 10. A printing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithographic printing plate precursor and a lithographic printing method using the lithographic printing plate precursor, which is capable of an image recording by infrared laser scanning and an on-press development and excellent in fine line reproducibility and press life while maintaining good on-press developing properties, the lithographic printing plate precursor comprising: a support; and an image recording layer capable of being removed by a printing ink and/or a fountain solution, in which the image recording layer comprises an infrared absorber and a graft polymer having a specific graft chain.

Abstract: There are provided a fluorine-containing ethylenic monomer having hydroxyl group or fluoroalkyl carbonyl group and represented by the formula (1): and the formula (14): respectively, wherein X1 and X2 are the same or different and each is H or F; X3 is H, F, Cl or CF3; Rf1 and Rf2 are the same or different and each is a perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; Rf3 is a fluorine-containing alkylene group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms or a fluorine-containing alkylene group having ether bond which has 1 to 100 carbon atoms and the sum of carbon atom and oxygen atom of two or more; a is 0 or 1, a fluorine-containing polymer having a structural unit of the above-mentioned monomer and a composition for a photoresist. The monomer has good polymerizability, particularly radical polymerizability, and the polymer obtained by polymerizing the monomer has excellent optical characteristics and is useful as a base polymer for an antireflection film and for a composition for a resist.

Abstract: The photosensitive resin film in an uncured state of the invention comprises (A) a specific alkali-soluble copolymer, (B) a compound having at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond and (C) a radiation-sensitive radical polymerization initiator by the use of which a coating film having a dry film thickness of 70 ?m in an uncured state has a 365 nm radiation transmittance of not less than 10% and a 405 nm radiation transmittance of not less than 60%, contains the radiation-sensitive radical polymerization initiator (C) in an amount of 20 to 40 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the component (A), and has a dry film thickness of not less than 50 ?m. According to the photosensitive resin film, a high bump having a height of not less than 50 ?m can be readily formed on a chip substrate with high precision though formation of such a high bump is difficult by the conventional technique. Moreover, connection failure of an element can be inhibited, and reliability of an element can be enhanced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing plate material comprising a surface roughened aluminum support, and provided thereon, an image formation layer containing a heat-curable polymer having a main chain polymer in the main chain, and an acryloyl group or a methacryloyl group in the side chain, a glass transition temperature Tg of the main chain polymer being from 0 to 100° C., wherein the printing plate material is capable of being developed on a printing press.

Abstract: A photo-resist mask of organic compound is stripped off after the pattern transfer to a layer thereunder, wherein the photo-resist mask is firstly exposed to vapor of organic solvent for reducing the thickness through a reflow, and, thereafter, the photo-resist mask is ashed in an oxygen plasma, whereby the dry ashing is completed within a short time period by virtue of the reduction of thickness.

Abstract: A wash composition that includes a polymeric surfactant and methods for using the wash composition are described herein.

Abstract: A polycyclic or monocyclic perfluorovinyl compound comprising at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of formula I and formula II wherein M is independently at each occurrence a metal selected from group 14 of the periodic table of the elements; and R is independently at each occurrence a bond, a hydrogen, an aliphatic group, a cycloaliphatic group, or an aromatic group. The polycyclic or monocyclic compound comprises at least two perfluorovinyl groups. A method for making an optical film of the disclosed compound, an electro-optical device comprising a polymer fabricated from the disclosed compound and a polymer fabricated from the disclosed compound are also provided.

Abstract: An image forming method applying X-ray exposure to a photothermographic material having, on at least one surface of a support, an image forming layer containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent for silver ions, and a binder, wherein the photothermographic material is brought into close contact with a fluorescence intensifying screen containing a fluorescent material that emits light, 50% or more of which has a wavelength in a range of 350 nm or more and 420 nm or less.

Abstract: The present invention involves methods, systems, and devices for analyzing a biological material, such as a cellular or other specimen. The method includes placing the specimen on a substrate having different capture regions, such as contiguous layers, wherein the different capture regions of the substrate contain different identification molecules, and transferring components of the specimen through the capture regions under conditions that allow the components to interact with different identification molecules in the different regions of the substrate. The components of the specimen can be transferred through the different layers (or other regions) of the substrate by capillary action of a solution moving through the cellular specimen or by electrophoresis.

Abstract: The invention concerns a component for biological or biochemical analysis microsystems formed from a support and having at least one chemically functionalised surface zone, in order to allow in said zone the formation of a chemistry for anchoring biological or biochemical elements, and/or electrically, in order to allow in said zone the formation of electrical charges. The support comprises at least one part (21) formed of a composite material, said composite material being a mixture of at least one inert material and at least one chemically and/or electrically functionalisable material to provide said functionalised surface zone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pO157 plasmid-specified polypeptide found in E. coli EDL933 and other E. coli that binds to and cleaves C1-esterase inhibitor, and antibodies specific for the polypeptide. Also disclosed are methods employing the polypeptide for diagnosing enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection, identifying potential inhibitors of its activity, and reducing viscosity of material containing glycosylated polypeptides.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining metastatic potential of tumors, a method and a composition for treating/suppressing metastasis of cancers, as well as a method for obtaining a metastasis suppressor. A particular aspect of the invention relates to a method and a composition of evaluating expression levels of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, also known as CCN2) to determine the status of tumor invasion. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method and a composition comprising a tumor suppressor, which maintains or increases an expression level of CTGF to suppress the invasion ability of tumor cells effectively. In another aspect of the invention relates to methods for obtaining a metastasis suppressor by evaluating the expression levels of CTGF after contacting suppressor candidates with a tumor cell line system.

Abstract: The invention discloses methods, compositions and kits for stabilizing a solubilized phenyl phosphate, preferably paranitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP), using charcoal. Also disclosed are methods, compositions and kits for recycling solubilized phenyl phosphate, preferably PNPP, that has an absorbance of less than 0.1 when measured at 405 nm due to non-enzymatic hydrolysis.

Abstract: A novel nuclear receptor, termed the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR), a broad-specificity sensing receptor that is a novel branch of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been discovered. SXR forms a heterodimer with RXR that can bind to and induce transcription from response elements present in steroid-inducible cytochrome P450 genes in response to hundreds of natural and synthetic compounds with biological activity, including therapeutic steroids as well as dietary steroids and lipids. Instead of hundreds of receptors, one for each inducing compound, the invention SXR receptors monitor aggregate levels of inducers to trigger production of metabolizing enzymes in a coordinated metabolic pathway. Agonists and antagonists of SXR are administered to subjects to achieve a variety of therapeutic goals dependent upon modulating metabolism of one or more endogenous steroids or xenobiotics to establish homeostasis.

Abstract: Generalized idiopathic epilepsies (IGE) cause 40% of all seizures and commonly have a genetic basis. One type of IGE is Benign Familial Neonatal Convulsions (BFNC), a dominantly inherited disorder of newborns. A submicroscopic deletion of chromosome 20q13.3 which co-segregates with seizures in a BFNC family has been identified. Characterization of cDNAs spanning the deleted region identified a novel voltage-gated potassium channel, KCNQ2, which belongs to a new KCNQ1-like class of potassium channels. Nine other BFNC probands were shown to have KCNQ2 mutations including three missense mutations, three frameshifts, two nonsense mutations, and one splice site mutation. A second gene, KCNQ3, was found in a separate BFNC family in which the mutation had been localized to chromosome 8. A missense mutation was found in this gene in perfect cosegregation with the BFNC phenotype in this latter family. This demonstrates that defects in potassium channels can cause epilepsy.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for extracting nucleic acids from a biological sample are provided. The extraction compositions contain a protease enzyme such as proteinase K at alkaline pH with little or no surfactant present. Extraction can be efficiently performed in 60 minutes or less at room temperature for certain mammalian tissue samples and at elevated temperatures for certain plant tissues.

Abstract: A molecular marker-based method for monitoring and detecting cancer in humans. Aberrant methylation of gene promoters is a marker for cancer risk in humans. A two-stage, or “nested” polymerase chain reaction method is disclosed for detecting methylated DNA sequences at sufficiently high levels of sensitivity to permit cancer screening in biological fluid samples, such as sputum, obtained non-invasively. The method is for detecting the aberrant methylation of the p16 gene, O 6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene, Death-associated protein kinase gene, RAS-associated family 1 gene, or other gene promoters. The method offers a potentially powerful approach to population-based screening for the detection of lung and other cancers.

Abstract: The health condition of a living organism is detected by electrochemically analyzing samples from selected areas of the body of said living organism for elevated free levels of nucleotide excision products resulting from DNA or RNA damage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for identifying compounds that modulate enzymatic activity by contacting covalently bonded PTP-extender complexes or modified covalently bonded PTP-extender complexes with ligand candidates.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, including cancers involving the NOTCH pathway. In particular, the present invention provides methods and compositions for the diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the most common malignant salivary gland tumor. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for the diagnosis of other tumors associated with the t(11;19)(q14–21;12–13) translocation.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and articles of manufacture for assaying a sample for a target polynucleotide are provided. A sample suspected of containing the target polynucleotide is contacted with a polycationic multichromophore and a sensor PNA complementary to the target polynucleotide. The sensor PNA comprises a signaling chromophore to absorb energy from the excited multichromophore and emit light in the presence of the target polynucleotide. The methods can be used in multiplex form. Kits comprising reagents for performing such methods are also provided.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention provides methods and kits for amplifying a target sequence from within a nucleic acid population. The presently claimed invention provides selection probes which are complementary to at least a portion of said target sequence and mechanisms for adding a probe sequence to the 3? end of a target sequence that is hybridized to a selection probe. The added 3? probe sequence and a probe sequence added at the 5? end of the target by adaptor ligation allow for selective amplification of the target sequence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ?12 fatty acid desaturase able to catalyze the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid (LA; 18:2). Nucleic acid sequences encoding the desaturase, nucleic acid sequences that hybridize thereto, DNA constructs comprising the desaturase gene, and recombinant host microorganisms expressing increased levels of the desaturase are described. Methods of increasing production of specific ?-3 and/or ?-6 fatty acids are described by overexpression of the ?12 fatty acid desaturase or by disruption of the native gene.

Abstract: Disclosed are arrays for monitoring ecosystems, such as bodies of water, and methods and systems for making such arrays. In one embodiment, the array may include a plurality of oligonucleotides immobilized at known locations on a substrate, such that each location on the array is an oligonucleotide having a sequence derived from a single, predetermined operational taxonomic unit (OTU). The sequences immobilized on the array may be from known, or unknown organisms. Also disclosed are methods for identifying and isolating bioindicators diagnostic of specific ecosystems. The arrays and bioindicators of the invention may be used for rapid, and continual monitoring of ecosystems.