■　REVIEW

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Human Brain Mapping of Taste-Related Cognitive Functions.
Masako Okamoto and Ippeita Dan

Characterization of Prolyl Oligopeptidase from Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus sp. NA1.
Hyun Sook Lee, Yun Jae Kim, Yona Cho, Sang-Jin Kim, Jung-Hyun Lee, and Sung Gyun Kang

MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Online Estimation of Assimilable Nitrogen by Electrical Conductivity Measurement During Alcoholic Fermentation in Enological Conditions.
Sophie Colombie, Eric Latrille, and Jean-Marie Sablayrolles

Hydrogen Production by Fermentation Using Acetic Acid and Lactic Acid.
Mitsufumi Matsumoto and Yasuhiko Nishimura

Cytochrome c-552 from Gram-Negative Alkaliphilic Pseudomonas alcaliphila AL15-21^T Alters the Redox Properties at High pH.
Toshihide Matsuno, Nozomu Morishita, Koji Yamazaki, Norio Inoue, Yukari Sato, Nobutoshi Ichise, Isao Hara, Tamotsu Hoshino, Hidetoshi Matsuyama, Kazuaki Yoshimune, and Isao Yumoto.

Effect of Amplification of Desensitized purF and prs on Inosine Accumulation in Escherichia coli.
Megumi Shimaoka, Yasuhiro Takenaka, Osamu Kurahashi, Hisashi Kawasaki, and Hiroshi Matsui

Innovative Metabolic Pathway Design for Efficient L-Glutamate Production by Suppressing CO₂ Emission.
Akito Chinen, Yuri I. Kozlov, Yoshihiko Hara, Hiroshi Izui, and Hisashi Yasueda 　

BREWING AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Effects of Inner-Phase Components of Water-in-Oil-in-Water Emulsion on Low-pH Tolerance of Lactobacillus acidophilus Incorporated into Inner-Water Phase.
Motohiro Shima, Takemasa Matsuo, and Shuji Adachi

Efficient Conversion of Allitol to D-Psicose by Bacillus pallidus Y25.
Wayoon Poonperm, Goro Takata, Yasuyo Ando, Verasak Sahachaisaree, Pipob Lumyong, Saisamorn Lumyong, and Ken Izumori

CELL AND TISSUE ENGINEERING

Neurite Outgrowths of Neurons with Neurotrophin-Coated Carbon Nanotubes.
Kotaro Matsumoto, Chie Sato, Yukie Naka, Ayako Kitazawa, Raymond L. D. Whitby, and Norio Shimizu 　

METHODS

Direct DNA Isolation from Solid Biological Sources without Pretreatments with Proteinase-K and/or Homogenization through Automated DNA Ex-traction.
Jang-Seu Ki, Ki Byum Chang, Hee June Roh, Bong Youb Lee, Joon Yong Yoon, and Gi Young Jang

Determination of Potent Antisense Oligonucleotides In Vitro by Semiempirical Rules.
Naoki Yanagihara, Hisashi Tadakuma, Yo Ishihama, Kohki Okabe, and Takashi Funatsu