Numerical simulations of annular extrudate swell of polymer melts

Numerical viscoelastic simulations were carried out using a K-BKZ type of separable integral constitutive equation. Both reversible and irreversible models were tried for several types of damping functions to calculate the annular extrudate behavior of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). There are two aims in this study; first, to clarify the properties of these dumping functions, and second, to investigate the influence of rheological characteristics on annular extrudate swell. In these numerical simulations, relaxation spectrum and shear viscosity were fixed, and the other characteristics were varied. The reversional response of the damping function mainly has an effect on the magnitude of the area swell even if the die is straight. The irreversible model expresses the experimental results of annular extrudate swell better than the reversible model. The accurate fitting of N1 by the damping model is important for predicting it. The magnitude of N1 predicted from the Wagner exponential model is lower than that of the PSM model, and the area swell shows the same tendency as N1. A modified PSM model that allows the N1 curve to shift can fit the magnitude of area swell. The relationship between the diameter and thickness of the extrudate depends on N2/N1, and it was estimated by simple linear elasticity of solids. The time dependent viscosity varies with the type of damping function, and it influences the time-dependent swell.     

Functional organization of chromaffin cells and cholinergic synaptic transmission in rat adrenal medulla

Optical recordings of membrane depolarization and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of membrane potentials and currents were obtained from chromaffin cells in slices of rat adrenal medulla. The stimulation of splanchnic nerve fibers caused a discontinuous spread of electrical activity across the slice. Cells in clusters with diameters of about 80 microns were excited simultaneously, suggesting that the adrenal medulla is organized into descrete cell complexes with common innervation. The electrical properties of chromaffin cells in situ were in agreement with previous reports on cultured cells. A fraction of the recorded cells displayed excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) of 0.2-1 nA upon the stimulation of presynaptic nerve fibers. The EPSC was blocked by hexamethonium, suggesting that nicotinic ACh receptors were involved. The decay phase of the EPSC was well fit by the sum of two exponentials with time constants of 6.3 and 57.3 ms. The relative amplitude of the fast component was 84.1%. These two exponentials may reflect activation of both fast and slow time-constant ACh receptor channels by presynaptic release of ACh. There were multiple peaks in the EPSC amplitude histograms in low-[Ca2+] saline, the first peak was at 37 pA. To resolve the quantal size, miniature EPSCs were recorded in a tetrodotoxin-containing high-[K+] solution. The miniature EPSC amplitude histograms were also multimodal with the first peak at 25 pA, which probably represents the quantal size of the synapse. The second and third peaks were at the integer multiples of the first one.     

A neck‐in model in extrusion lamination process

In this study, the experiment of the extrusion lamination process using high‐pressure process low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) was performed. The nonisothermal viscoelastic simulation of the extrusion lamination experiment was also carried out. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data within wide range of take up velocity and air gap length. We developed the theoretical model based on force balance and deformation type of a film to predict the neck‐in behavior in the extrusion lamination or cast film process. It was suggested from the neck‐in model that the neck‐in correlates with the ratio of planar to uniaxial elongational viscosity. It was confirmed that the neck‐in model could predict the film edge shape and neck‐in properly for conventional LDPE. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Purification and Characterization of Organic Solvent and Detergent Tolerant Lipase from Thermotolerant Bacillus sp. RN2

The aim of this study was to characterize the organic solvent and detergent tolerant properties of recombinant lipase isolated from thermotolerant Bacillus sp. RN2 (Lip-SBRN2). The isolation of the lipase-coding gene was achieved by the use of inverse and direct PCR. The complete DNA sequencing of the gene revealed that the lip-SBRN2 gene contains 576 nucleotides which corresponded to 192 deduced amino acids. The purified enzyme was homogeneous with the estimated molecular mass of 19 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. The Lip-SBRN2 was stable in a pH range of 9-11 and temperature range of 45-60 °C. The enzyme was a non metallo-monomeric protein and was active against pNP-caprylate (C8) and pNP-laurate (C12) and coconut oil. The Lip-SBRN2 exhibited a high level of activity in the presence of 108% benzene, 102.4% diethylether and 112% SDS. It is anticipated that the organic solvent and detergent tolerant enzyme secreted by Bacillus sp. RN2 will be applicable as catalysts for reaction in the presence of organic solvents and detergents.     

Measurement of RF Transmission Mode in ITER Relevant EC H&;CD Transmission Line

The preliminary results of mode measurement in the ITER relevant 40 m long transmission test line composed from 63.5 mm diameter corrugated waveguides and miter bends are presented. The field patterns were measured by taking temperature profiles on a paper screen placed in front of the waveguide end using an infrared imaging camera. The complex electric field at the waveguide end was retrieved from the measured temperature profiles. As a result, the transmission power includes 87% of HE₁₁ mode and 6% of LP₁₁ odd (HE₂₁+TE₀₁) mode and small ratios of other modes. The mode content had small dependence on length of the transmission line. This result indicated that the higher order mode content generated at the input of the transmission line is conserved and propagated through the transmission line. This suggests that the initial RF coupling to the waveguide is critical since it affects the launcher efficiency.     

Solid and thermal properties of ABA‐type triblock copolymers designed using difunctional fluorine‐containing polyimide macroinitiators with methyl methacrylate

BACKGROUND: ABA‐type poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and fluorine‐containing polyimide triblock copolymers are potentially beneficial for electric materials. In the work reported here, triblock copolymers with various block lengths were prepared from fluorine‐containing difunctional polyimide macroinitiators and methyl methacrylate monomer through atom‐transfer radical polymerization. The effects of structure on their solid and thermal properties were studied. RESULTS: The weight ratios of the triblock copolymers derived using thermogravimetric analysis were shown to be almost identical to the ratios determined using ¹H NMR. The solid properties (film density and maximum d‐spacing value) and thermal properties (glass transition and thermal expansion) were shown to be strongly dependent on the weight ratios of both PMMA and polyimide components. Furthermore, a porous film, which showed a lower dielectric constant of 2.48 at 1 MHz, could be prepared by heating a triblock copolymer film to induce the thermal degradation of the PMMA component. CONCLUSION: The use of the polyimide macroinitiator was useful in the preparation of ABA‐type triblock copolymers to control each block length that influences the solid and thermal properties. Additionally, the triblock copolymers have great potential in preparing porous polyimides in the application of electric materials as interlayer insulation membranes of large‐scale integration. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

How small the contacts could be optimal for nanoscale organic transistors?

We report on a study seeking an optimized contact configuration for organic transistors that minimizes contact effects but maintains smallest contact size. We begin with the bulk access resistance in staggered transistors which results from the charge transport through the organic semiconductor film. Bulk access resistance is an intrinsic contributor to the contact resistance which has been little understood due to lack of a reliable study tool. In this work, we utilize the inner transported power inside the semiconductor film as a medium to investigate the contact resistance and the relevant contact effects. We examine the influences of the organic film thickness (t_SC), the channel length (L), the underlying charge transport and various organic semiconductor materials with variable carrier mobility. A roughly optimal contact length (L_C) of L_C0 ≈ 6t_SC is obtained. The results reveal that besides the device architecture the underlying charge transport should be also taken into account in designing organic transistors for practical application.     

Molecular mechanism of regulation of pentylenetetrazol-induced calcium entry by 3'-untranslated region of a seizure-related cDNA, PTZ-17, in Xenopus oocytes

To determine the molecular mechanism of regulation of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced calcium entry by the seizure-related gene, PTZ-17, the role of the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) and also interaction between 3'UTR and intracellular factors were investigated. PTZ-induced calcium inward current in Xenopus oocytes injected with PTZ-17 RNA varied in magnitude among strains of mice: RNA derived from the DBA/2 mouse, which has a high susceptibility to convulsions, showed the largest current and that from the BALB/c mouse with a low susceptibility to convulsions showed no PTZ response. The sequence of 3'UTR showed alterations among mouse strains: 3'UTR of BALB/c showed a sequence alteration from T to G and that of DBA/2 showed a GTG insertion compared with that of B6. The 3'UTR also regulated the translation of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) RNA depending on its sequence. A particular region within the 3'UTR demonstrated interaction with 60- and 47-kDa proteins. Sequence alterations in this region corresponded to disappearance or increase in PTZ-induced calcium entry. These findings suggest that a particular region within 3'UTR of the seizure-related gene, PTZ-17, is involved in PTZ-induced calcium entry via interaction between mRNA and specific RNA-binding proteins.