Development of a Magnetic Suspension Densimeter and Measurement of the Density of Toluene

The development of a magnetic suspension densimeter that has been built for measurement of the density of compressed liquid at pressures up to 30 MPa in the temperature range 20 to 150°C is described. The densimeter was first built by the author and his coworkers at NIST. We describe here further improvements made on a second system built at NMIJ based on the same principle. The densimeter uses a small coil suspended from an electronic balance. Within the coil is placed a sample cell in which the pressurized sample and a buoy, which is a permanent magnet, are enclosed. For measurement of density, balance readings are recorded (1) with the buoy at rest and (2) with the buoy in magnetic suspension. The measurement procedure is basically a hydrostatic weighing, which is simpler than those of conventional magnetic densimetry. As an example, measurements of toluene density performed as part of an inter-laboratory comparison are presented. The data agreed with reliable literature values to within a few hundredths of a per cent.     

Advantage of Sodium Polyoxyethylene Lauryl Ether Carboxylate as a Mild Cleansing Agent

Five anionic surfactants widely used in commercial skin cleansers were studied: sodium polyoxyethylene lauryl ether carboxylate (EC), sodium polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate (ES), sodium dodecyl sulfate, potassium laurate, and N-cocoyl-l-glutamic acid monosodium salt. The amount of surfactant from aqueous solution adsorbed into the stratum corneum (SC), the degree of SC swelling, the change of the secondary structure of SC proteins (denaturation). The surface tension of surfactant–zein mixed solutions, and the solubilization behavior of zein were measured. Results showed that EC had the lowest adsorption into SC, the lowest SC swelling, and lowest denaturation of SC proteins. Low interactions between surfactants and SC proteins were also observed for EC/ES mixture solutions as well as. Mixing EC with ES good foaming performance. The EC/ES mixture, at about 1:1 ratio, is an excellent surfactant system for skin cleanser applications having cleansing characteristics and mildness to the skin.     

A Passive UHF RF Identification CMOS Tag IC Using Ferroelectric RAM in 0.35-μm Technology

A passive UHF RF identification (RFID) tag IC with embedded 2-KB ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) for rewritable applications enables a 2.9 times faster read-and-write transaction time over EEPROM-based tag ICs. The resulting FeRAM-based tag has a nominally identical communication range for both read and write operations, which is indispensable for data write applications. The evaluated tag communication range with a folded dipole antenna is from 0 m to 4.3 m, at the 953-MHz carrier frequency with 4-W transmitting Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) from a reader/writer. The developed tag IC features two circuit blocks to maximize the communication range in 0.35-mum CMOS/FeRAM technology. First is a CMOS-only full-wave rectifier, which can improve the measured efficiency by up to 36.6% by reducing the input parasitic capacitances and optimization of multiplier structure. This efficiency is more than twice that of previously-published results. Second is a low-voltage current-mode ASK demodulator to accommodate a low-breakdown voltage of FeRAM, which converts the ASK power modulation into a linearly modulated current over an incoming power range of 27 dB, corresponding to the entire communication range. The developed demodulator can thus resolve the primary design tradeoff issue between device protection and detection sensitivity in the conventional voltage-mode demodulator     

Purification and characterization of a protease from Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in cutting oil

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa san-ai strain was isolated from water-soluble cutting oil used for cooling and lubrication during industrial metal-working processes. This strain, which is grown in a high alkaline (pH 10) mixture of surfactants and mineral oil, produces an extracellular proteolytic enzyme. We have purified and characterized this 18 kDa protease. The P. aeruginosa san-ai protease functions optimally at pH 9.0 and 60 degrees C. Additionally, it is a Zn-containing metalloenzyme, and its monomeric structure contains at least one disulfide bond. Because the enzyme is stable in the presence of organic solvents, it is suitable for peptide synthesis. Furthermore, the P. aeruginosa san-ai protease could be used in an intelligent drug delivery system (DDS) designed for applications in the metal industry for prevention of putrefaction of cutting oil.     

Assessment of popliteal arterial occlusive disease with 2D time-of-flight MRA

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate both morphology and blood flow in peripheral arteries with occlusive lesions using MR angiography (MRA) and velocity-encoded cine MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two-dimensional time-of-flight MRA and velocity-encoded cine MRI were performed in nine patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Findings on MR angiograms were verified by conventional angiography. RESULTS: All the stenotic lesions in the popliteal arteries were depicted by MRA. The degree of the stenoses in the artery was overestimated by MRA. Major collateral circulations were demonstrated. Velocity-encoded cine MRI provided flow velocity information on the arteries above and below the stenoses. The flow velocity waveform was monophasic above and below the stenosis. The peak systolic velocity in the artery below the stenosis was reduced compared with that above the stenosis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination of MRA and velocity-encoded cine MRI has clinical potential for the evaluation of peripheral arterial occlusive disease.     

PFC emission‐reduction strategy for the LCD industry

Abstract— The perfluorocarbons (PFCs) used as etching‐process and chamber‐cleaning gases in the manufacture of LCD devices have a high global‐warming potential and a long atmospheric lifetime. Thus, to voluntarily reduce these environmentally harmful PFCs, in 2001 the Japanese LCD association established the World LCD Industry Cooperation Committee (WLICC), together with its counterpart associations in the Republic of Korea and Taiwan. Since that time involving many discussions, the WLICC reached a consensus on reducing the aggregate absolute PFC emissions to the equivalent of less than 0.82 million metric tons of carbon by 2010. Each association has been taking whatever emission reduction steps it considers best to achieve this goal. Thanks to these measures, the PFC emissions from the Japanese LCD industry have remained at the same level, or less, than those of the year 2000, in spite of the fact that PFC purchases have continually increased. In the interim, the Japanese LCD association has been obtaining experimental data for the 2006 IPCC Inventory Guidelines, which will give the emission factors needed to estimate the PFC emissions. As a result, some data are quite different from emission factors given in the current 2000 Inventory Guidelines. All the data obtained have been submitted to the IPCC to be adopted in the new 2006 Guidelines.     

Properties of cold-rolled high-strength steel sheets

For high-strength steel sheets, a new concept has become necessary,viz, the relation between strength and formability. When the relation between tensile strength and elongation is appraised for ranking in terms of the strengthening mechanism, it is found that the substitutional solid-solution hardening type is excellent and the precipitation hardening type is inferior. In batch annealing, the phosphorus-added aluminum-killed steel sheets are representative of the former type having excellent formability as indicated by a highr values despite their tensile strength of 450 N/mm². The titanium-added aluminum-killed steel sheets, which are representative of the latter type, have a tensile strength of 600 N/mm² and a relatively highr value. Continuous annealing of the highstrength steel sheets of the same chemical composition causes higher yield stresses and combinations of yield stress and elongation. Alternatively with continuous annealing the same level of strength can be achieved with smaller additions of alloying elements than with batch annealing. An additional advantage of continuous annealing is the uniformity of properties along the length of the coil. The rapid cooling possible after continuous annealing allows production of high strength steel sheets having excellent mechanical properties that are unobtainable in the batched annealed steels. For example, steel sheets of 0.4 pet Si and 1.4 pet Mn after continuous annealing, haven values and Erichsen values as higher than conventional low-carbon rimmed or capped steel sheets even while they have a tensile strengths of 550 N/mm².