1. A piezoelectric ceramic composition comprising a main component represented by the general formula
{(1-n)(Ag1-xLix)m(Nb1-yTay)O3-nX}
in which X is (M1,M2)M3O3 or M4M5O3, M1 represents a trivalent metal element, M2 represents a monovalent metal element, M3 and M5 represent a tetravalent metal element, and M4 represents a divalent metal element, and wherein x, y, m and n are:
0.075\u2266x<0.40;
0\u2266y<0.2;
0.98\u2266m\u22661.0; and
0.01\u2266n\u22660.1.
2. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 1, wherein X is (M1,M2)M3 M3O3.
3. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 2, wherein M1 is Bi, M2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of K, Na, Li and Ag, and M3 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Sn and Hf.
4. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 3, wherein M2 comprises Na and M3 is one element of said group.
5. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 4, wherein 0.1\u2266x<0.2; 0\u2266y<0.1; and 0.05\u2266n\u22660.1.
6. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 5, wherein M3 is Ti.
7. A piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 1 in which X is M4M5O3.
8. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 7, wherein M4 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca and Mg, and M5 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Sn and Hf.
9. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 8, wherein M3 comprises Ba and M5 is one element of said group.
10. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 9, wherein 0.1\u2266x<0.2; 0\u2266y<0.1; and 0.05\u2266n<0.1.
11. The piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 10, wherein M5 is Ti.
12. A piezoelectric element comprising a ceramic sintered body formed from a piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 1 and external electrodes disposed on the surface of the ceramic sintered body.
13. The piezoelectric element according to claim 12, wherein an internal electrode is buried in the ceramic sintered body.
14. A piezoelectric element comprising a ceramic sintered body formed from a piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 2 and external electrodes disposed on the surface of the ceramic sintered body.
15. The piezoelectric element according to claim 14, wherein an internal electrode is buried in the ceramic sintered body.
16. A piezoelectric element comprising a ceramic sintered body formed from a piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 6, external electrodes disposed on the surface of the ceramic sintered body and an internal electrode is buried in the ceramic sintered body.
17. A piezoelectric element comprising a ceramic sintered body formed from a piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 7 and external electrodes disposed on the surface of the ceramic sintered body.
18. The piezoelectric element according to claim 17, wherein an internal electrode is buried in the ceramic sintered body.
19. A piezoelectric element comprising a ceramic sintered body formed from a piezoelectric ceramic composition according to claim 11, external electrodes disposed on the surface of the ceramic sintered body, and an internal electrode is buried in the ceramic sintered body.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of identifying an anti-thrombotic compound comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein, with a test compound;
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the test compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was not contacted with the test compound; and
c) determining the effect of the test compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the test compound is less than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was not contacted with the test compound, the compound is an anti-thrombotic compound.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
5. A method of identifying a compound that prevents thrombosis comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish expressing a reporter protein in platelets, with a thrombotic compound and test compound,
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the thrombotic compound and the test compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was contacted only with the thrombotic compound; and
c) determining the effect of the test compound on the platelets, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the thrombotic compound and the test compound is less than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was contacted only with the thrombotic compound, the compound prevents thrombosis.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
9. A method of identifying a thrombotic compound comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein, with a test compound;
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the test compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was not contacted with the test compound; and
c) determining the effect of the test compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the test compound is greater than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was not contacted with the test compound, the compound is a thrombotic compound.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
13. A method of identifying a platelet gene that is involved in platelet function comprising:
a) comparing the platelets in a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein, with the platelets in a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out; and
b) determining the effect of the platelet gene knockout on platelet function such that if there is a difference between the platelets of the transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and the transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knockout, the platelet gene is involved in platelet function.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the fluorescent protein is coral reef fluorescent protein.
17. A method of identifying a platelet gene as a target for an anti-thrombotic compound comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein with an anti-thrombotic compound;
b) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out with an anti-thrombotic compound;
c) comparing the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein with the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out; and
d) determining the effect of the anti-thrombotic compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein is less than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out, the platelet gene is a target for the anti-thrombotic compound.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
21. A method of identifying a platelet gene as a target for a thrombotic compound comprising
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein with a thrombotic compound;
b) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out with a thrombotic compound;
c) comparing the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein with the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out; and
d) determining the effect of the thrombotic compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein is greater than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out, the platelet gene is a target for the thrombotic compound.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the fluorescent protein is coral reef fluorescent protein.
25. A method of identifying an anti-thrombotic compound that affects platelet aggregation via a platelet gene comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein with a test compound;
b) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out with a test compound;
c) comparing the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein with the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out;
d) determining the effect of the test compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein is less than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out, the compound is an anti-thrombotic compound that affects platelet aggregation via the platelet gene that has been knocked out.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
29. A method of identifying a thrombotic compound that affects platelet aggregation via a platelet gene comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein with a test compound;
b) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out with a test compound;
c) comparing the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein with the platelets in the transgenic zebrafish containing aggregated platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out,
d) determining the effect of the test compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein is greater than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene knocked out, the compound is a thrombotic compound that affects platelet aggregation via the platelet gene that has been knocked out.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
33. A method of identifying platelet-specific genes comprising:
a) constructing a zebrafish platelet cDNA library; and
b) identifying a platelet specific gene.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the platelet specific gene is identified via ill situ hybridization.
35. The method of claim 33, further comprising identifying homologues of the zebrafish platelet-specific genes.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the homologue is a human homologue.
37. The method of claim 35, wherein the homologue is a mouse homologue.
38. The method of claim 35, wherein the homologue is a rat homologue.
39. The present invention also provides a method of identifying a platelet gene that is involved in platelet function comprising:
a) comparing the platelets in a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein, with the platelets in a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and overexpress the product of the platelet gene; and
b) determining the effect of the overexpression of the product of the platelet gene on platelet function such that if there is a difference between the platelets of the transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and the transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein and has a platelet gene overexpressed, the platelet gene is involved in platelet function.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
42. The method of claim 40, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
43. A method of identifying a known compound with a known target, as a compound that prevents thrombosis comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish expressing a reporter protein in platelets, with a thrombotic compound and the known compound;
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the thrombotic compound and the known compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was contacted only with the thrombotic compound;
c) determining the effect of the known compound on the platelets, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the thrombotic compound and the known compound is less than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was contacted only with the thrombotic compound, the known compound is a compound that prevents thrombosis via its known target.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
46. The method of claim 44, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
47. A method of identifying a known compound with a known target, as a thrombotic compound comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein, with a known compound;
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the known compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was not contacted with the known compound; and
c) determining the effect of the test compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the known compound is greater than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was not contacted with the test compound, the known compound is a thrombotic compound that affects platelet aggregation via its known target.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
50. The method of claim 48, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
51. A method of identifying a target for an anti-thrombotic compound comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish expressing a reporter protein in platelets, with a thrombotic compound and a known compound for which a target is known;
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the thrombotic compound and the known compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was contacted only with the thrombotic compound;
c) determining the effect of the known compound on the platelets, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the thrombotic compound and the known compound is less than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was contacted only with the thrombotic compound, the known compound is a compound that prevents thrombosis via its known target, thus identifying a target for an anti-thrombotic compound.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
53. The method of claim 52, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
54. The method of claim 52, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.
55. A method of identifying a target for a thrombotic compound comprising:
a) contacting a transgenic zebrafish containing platelets that express a reporter protein, with a known compound for which a target is known;
b) comparing the platelets in the zebrafish contacted with the known compound with the platelets of a transgenic zebrafish that was not contacted with the known compound; and
c) determining the effect of the test compound on platelet aggregation, such that if platelet aggregation in the zebrafish contacted with the known compound is greater than platelet aggregation in the zebrafish that was not contacted with the test compound, the known compound is a thrombotic compound that affects platelet aggregation via its known target, thus identifying a target for a thrombotic compound.
56. The method of claim 55, wherein the reporter protein is a fluorescent protein.
57. The method of claim 56, wherein the fluorescent protein is green fluorescent protein.
58. The method of claim 56, wherein the fluorescent protein is reef coral fluorescent protein.