Nano-cube MgO formed on silicon substrate using pulsed laser deposition

Nano-cube MgO particles were formed on Si substrates by deposition of an MgO target using pulsed laser deposition method. An epitaxial film grows on Si(001) substrate with its contraction of lattice constants. In this study, expecting high quality MgO film, the MgO film prepared in the oxygen pressure ranging from 75-400 mTorr at the high temperature of -750 degrees C. The deposited MgO showed the growth of (001) preferred orientation on the Si(001) substrate. However, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) indicated the MgO film did not form a continuous film on the Si surface. Interestingly, the surface morphology observed by an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) showed nano-cube MgO particles scattered on the smooth surface of Si substrate. After annealing the nano-cube MgO, the shape of MgO particles were changed from nano-cube to round shaped particles. The AFM image of the surface showed round shaped MgO nanoparticles scattered on rough surface. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed the epitaxial growth of MgO(001) with cubic on cubic arrangement on the Si(001) substrate (MgO[100] parallel to Si[100]).     

An Algebraic Approach to Formal Verification of Microprocessors

In this letter we report the formal verification of microprocessors. After we describe algebraically a bit-sliced microprocessor at both function and logic levels, we apply the symbolic manipulation of Mathematica.     

Developmental competence, after transfer to recipients, of porcine oocytes matured, fertilized, and cultured in vitro

The objective of this study was to evaluate the developmental ability of early porcine embryos produced in vitro and transferred to recipient gilts. Porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes were matured in modified North Carolina State University-37 solution for 44-46 h (in vitro maturation, IVM). In vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed with frozen-thawed epididymal spermatozoa. Inseminated oocytes were cultured in vitro (IVC) for 0, 24, or 48 h in modified NCSU-37 solution. Embryos were surgically transferred to the oviducts of recipients in which estrus had been synchronized with eCG and hCG. On the 29th day post-IVF, the uteri of some recipients were surgically examined for pregnancy; then pregnant females were hysterectomized in order to examine number and weight of the fetuses. Developmental rates to fetuses for IVM/IVF oocytes cultured for 24 and 48 h were significantly lower (p < 0.05, 1.7% and 2.0%, respectively) than that of IVM/IVF oocytes without IVC (6.7%). However, the weights of fetuses (1.0-1.2 g) did not differ among the experimental groups. The other recipients were examined for pregnancy using an ultrasound pregnancy detector, and pregnant females were allowed to go to term. Healthy piglets were delivered by some recipients to which embryos cultured for 0 or 24 h had been transferred; however, no farrow was obtained from embryos cultured for 48 h before the transfer. The results indicate that the viability of in vitro-produced porcine embryos is decreased by IVC after IVF; however, these embryos have competence to develop to term. An improved IVC system of porcine IVM/IVF oocytes is needed to generate advances in this field.     

Tunable wavelength filter using nano-sized droplets of liquidcrystal

An electrically tunable optical filter has been developed that uses a polymer containing fine droplets of nematic liquid crystal as the active cavity in a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). This FPI filter, whose finesse was 62, had a free spectral range of 37 nm in the 1.55-μm range with a full-width at half maximum of 0.6 nm and a transmission loss of 2.4 dB. The polarization dependent loss was smaller than 0.17 dB. The transmitted peak wavelength decreased with an electric field. This resulted in a tuning range of 10 nm at 300 V. The switching time was about 370 μs     

Sorption of gaseous tritium on the surface of type 316 stainless steel

The sorption of gaseous tritium on the type 316 stainless steel was studied. The stainless steel was first contacted with gaseous tritium, and then the remaining tritium was evacuated. During a gradual etching from the surface by an acid solution, the tritium was released as HTO with a fraction of HT. They were radioassayed separately. The HTO mostly originates from the tritium present on the outer-most surface and about 90% of it could be released easily into water. However, the rest is sorbed tightly and remained in the surface layer. A fraction of the sorbed-tritium will diffuse atomically through the surface layer into the bulk of stainless steel and is released as HT by etching. The activation energy of the diffusion was determined as 32.8 kJ/mol.     

Cholinergic neuron-specific ganglioside GQ1b alpha a possible target molecule for serum IgM antibodies in some patients with sensory ataxia

In neurological diseases the presence of certain anti-glycosphingolipid antibody species is associated with the clinical features. We recently isolated the novel cholinergic neuron-specific gangliosides GQ1b alpha and GT1a alpha from bovine brain. A monoclonal antibody specific for GQ1b alpha and GT1a alpha reacted strongly with the dorsal born of human spinal cord but not with human motor neurons. We investigated the serum antibodies to these minor gangliosides in a number of neurologic diseases and found that 4 patients with sensory ataxic neuropathy had a remarkably high IgM anti-GQ1b alpha antibody titer. GQ1b alpha may be a target molecule for serum IgM antibodies in some patients with sensory ataxic neuropathy.     

Involvement of bacterial antigens in immunoglobulin A nephropathy

To investigate the involvement of bacterial antigens in Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, we measured IgA, IgG and IgM antibodies to gram-negative Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Haemophilus influenzae (H.influenzae) by ELISA in 24 patients (11 males and 13 females) with IgA nephropathy and 22 normal controls (11 males and 11 females). The titers of IgA and IgM antibodies for E.coli and H.influenzae were significantly higher in the IgA nephropathy group than in the controls. In addition, IgA and IgM antibody titers for E.coli and H.influenzae showed a significant positive correlation with serum IgA and IgM levels. These findings suggest that subclinical infection by these bacteria stimulates IgA production and that this may be a factor in the development and progression of IgA nephropathy.     

Mandibular lengthening by gradual distraction: analysis using accurate skull replicas

Bone lengthening in the upper and lower extremities by gradual distraction has become an accepted procedure. We have used an extraoral device to lengthen the mandible in four patients with unilateral mandibular hypoplasia. Using an accurate skull replica, the proposed corticotomy line, intended direction of lengthening, and appropriate position for the screws were determined. Following distraction, a significant increase in the dimensions of the affected mandible was obtained in each case. In this series, accurate skull replicas proved very useful for defining the anatomy, for surgical simulation and for pre- and postoperative evaluation.