Hydrodynamic interaction and coalescence of two droplets under large step shear strains

We observed change in distance between two droplets in each step after application of large multi-step shear strains. Experiments were performed using a sliding plate apparatus. Large step shear strains were applied to two polyisobutylene droplets in poly(dimethyl siloxane) matrix in the same plane between the plates. The distance between the two droplets decreases with increasing the total shear strain, which is given by the product of the step strain magnitude and the number of application of the step strains. The two droplets coalesce when the distance becomes less than the diameter of the droplets. The slope for plots of the distance versus the total strain is independent of the step strain magnitude. This indicates that the effect per unit strain on the distance is the same, irrespective of the strain magnitude. It is suggested that a stronger hydrodynamic interaction between the droplets is the main cause for the droplet approach.     

Frequency response function of magnetic bearings using high-temperature superconductor

A high-temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x with strong pinning force has allowed stable magnetic suspension with no control to be developed. Two types of superconducting magnetic bearings (SMB) using YBCO and permanent magnet were assembled. The two types are radial and axial. The dynamic stiffness of each SMB as it was cooled down under a magnetic field by liquid nitrogen was measured both radially and axially. As a result, it was found that the spring constants of these SMBs were almost as large as a practically desirable value; however, their damping coefficients were lower than the practical level. These findings are useful as one of the data bases for development of an optimum SMB design to support the weight of rotors in an axial direction.     

Novel UV absorbers prepared from 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone and hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene

The UV-stabilizing ability and thermal loss from the polystyrene film of novel UV absorbers, 2-[(3-hydroxy-4-benzoyl) phenoxy] pentachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HBPC) and hexakis[ (2-hydroxy-4-benzoyl) phenoxy] cyclotriphosphazene (HBPP), were investigated. The UV-stabilizing ability of HBPC estimated by the formation of carbonyl groups in polystyrene was comparable to that of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (DHB), suggesting that the phosphazene moiety does not affect the efficiency of the stabilizing ability of DHB units. No significant difference of efficiency per stabilizing units between HBPC and HBPP was observed. HBPC and HBPP are noteworthy for their low thermal losses from the polystyrene film, i.e., the thermal loss of HBPP was completely suppressed and the diffusion coefficient of HBPC at 160°C was two orders of magnitude smaller than that of DHB. The thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry measurement showed that HBPC and HBPP are nonvolatile and stable up to 230 and 300°C, respectively. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The principle of remote-resonance spectroscopy

To promote the efficiency of the effect of remote-resonance which is induceable in the anomalous dispersion region of the resonator surface in the I.R. region, we have investigated three subjects; One is usage of the multi-piled oscillators made of silica-Si layers. Second is the soft-Zeeman effect (at 0–15 Gauss) which was induced in the system of remote-resonance which consists of the oscillator and the resonator they were situated perpendicularly with some distance in the atomospheric air. Third is usage of the I.R. radiation emitted from the surface of hand and the radiation modulated by some textiles as oscillators. The efficiency of this system was shown as ΔR_i (E_i) α α (E_i), β (E_i). γ (E_i), (emission efficiency x transferring efficiency x resonance efficiency) and ΔR_i (E_i) was shown as (N_o (E_i)±ΔN_i (E_i))x fα{R_o (E_i)±ΔR_i (E_i)} at the spin sensitive region of the resonator surface in the Nf-R relation. Also, we discussed the stress-optical effect, the soft-Zeeman effect and some physiological problems induced in this system based on the statistical spin-quantum mechanics considering the predissociation and dissociation process of the shallow electrons in Si (100) face and CO ₂ ^* excimers and the CO₂ molecules in the air.     

Comparative hypocholesterolemic effects of six dietary oils in cholesterol-fed rats after long-term feeding

Rats (8 wk of age) fed a conventional diet were shifted to diets containing 10% Oenothera biennis Linn oil (OBLO, linoleic acid + gamma-linolenic acid) from a wild plant, evening primrose oil (EPO, linoleic acid + gamma-linolenic acid) from a cultivated plant, bio-gamma-linolenic acid oil from mold (BIO, palmitic acid + oleic acid + linoleic acid + gamma-linolenic acid), safflower oil (linoleic acid), palm oil (PLO, palmitic acid + oleic acid + linoleic acid), or soybean oil (linoleic acid + alpha-linolenic acid) with 0.5% cholesterol for 13 wk. Though there were no significant differences in the food intake among the groups, the body weight gain of the OBLO group was significantly lower than that of the other groups except for the BIO and PLO groups, and that of the EPO and SBO groups were the highest among the groups. The liver weight of the OBLO group was significantly lower than that of other groups, and that of the PLO group was the highest among the groups. The serum total cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) + intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) + low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations of the OBLO and EPO groups were consistently lower than those in the other groups. However, those of the BIO group were higher than those in the OBLO and EPO groups. The liver cholesterol concentration of the PLO group was the highest among all groups except for the EPO group. The fecal neutral sterol and bile acid extraction of the BIO group tended to increase compared to the other groups. The results of this study demonstrate that OBLO and EPO inhibit the increasing of serum total cholesterol and VLDL + IDL + LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the presence of excess cholesterol in the diet compared with the other dietary oils.     

Bioinspired Magnetite Crystallization Directed by Random Copolypeptides

Control over magnetite (Fe₃O₄) formation is difficult to achieve in synthetic systems without using non‐aqueous media and high temperatures. In contrast, Nature employs often intrinsically disordered proteins to tightly tailor the size, shape, purity, and organization of the nanocrystals to optimize their magnetic properties. Inspired by such “flexible polyelectrolytes,” here random copolypeptides having different amino acid compositions are used as control agents in the bioinspired coprecipitation of magnetite through a ferrihydrite precursor, following a recently developed mineralization protocol. Importantly, the copolypeptide library is designed such that the amino acid composition can be optimized to simultaneously direct the size of the nanoparticles as well as their dispersibility in aqueous media in a one‐pot manner. Acidic amino acids are demonstrated to regulate the crystal size by delaying nucleation and reducing growth. Their relative content thus can be balanced to tune between the superparamagnetic and ferrimagnetic regimes, and high contents of negatively charged amino acids result in colloidal stabilization of superparamagnetic nanoparticles at high pH. Conversely, with positively charged lysine‐rich copolypeptides ferrimagnetic crystals are obtained which are stabilized at neutral pH and self‐organize in chains, as visualized by cryo‐transmission electron microscopy. Altogether, the presented findings give important insights for the future development of additive‐mediated nanomaterial syntheses.     

Annealing effects of a high-quality ZnTe substrate

The sharp photoluminescence (PL) and optical-reflection spectra in the bandedge region of the high-quality nondoped ZnTe substrate (100) were observed at 4.2 K. Free exciton, associated with lower and upper polaritons (EX^L and EX^U) at 2.382 eV and 2.381 eV, respectively, were clearly observed. This meant that this substrate was high quality. The intensity of a bound exciton peak (2.375 eV), which is caused by a Zn vacancy, of a neutral acceptor decreased with an increase of the Zn vapor pressures.     

Mutational analysis of structure--activity relationships in human tumor necrosis factor-alpha

To determine the region of human tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-), essential for cytotoxic activity against mouse L-M cells,single amino-acid-substituted TNF- mutant proteins (muteins)were produced in Escherichia coli by protein engineering techniques.An expression plasmid for TNF- was mutagenized by passage throughan E.coli mutD5 mutator strain and by oligonucleotide-directedmutagenesis. Approximately 100 single amino-acid-substitutedTNF- muteins were produced and assayed for cytotoxic activity.The cytotoxic activities of purified TNF- muteins, e.g. TNF-31T,-32Y, -82D, -85H, -115L, -141Y, -144K and -146E, were < 1%of that of parent TNF-. These results indicate that the integrityof at least four distinct regions of the TNF- molecule is requiredfor full biological activity. These regions are designated asfollows: region I, from position 30 to 32; region II, from position82 to 89; region III, from position 115 to 117; region FV, fromposition 141 to 146. In addition, TNF-141Y could not completelycompete with parent TNF- for binding to the receptor. This demonstratesthat region IV, and at least aspartk acid at position 141, mustbe involved in the TNF receptor binding site.     

IR reflection spectra of the silicate surface layer of yellowed rice plant leaf

We have investigated the IR reflectional properties of the three-hold cytrogical surface layer (kutchikura layer on silicate layer n(SiO₂) on silicate cellulose layer C₆H₁₀Si_xO_y) and that of chlorophyll, a(C₅₅H₇₂M_gN₄O₅) etc., present in bladder's cells by using our experimental method. From analysis of three set of anisotropical reflection spectra assigned as due to CO, SiO and NC surface oscillators contained in the cytrogical cells and measured at 2500 2200 cm^?1, 1200 700 cm^?1 and at 700 200 cm^?1 regions, we have confirmed some important results. One is their quantized directional distributions that of the numbers of fine step spectrum and that of the reflection integrals of these spectra. Here, that of the NC oscillators were found to distribute in pentagonal directions relating to the molecular structure of chlorophyll. Second, we confirmed the pecularity of eight fine step-series measured in these sensitive spectra comparing with that of bamboo's seven series. Third, from analysis of the stepnized variation of the “reflection integrals”, we estimated the origin of this effect as which is presumably due to statistical, transfer of the 2p₄ valence electrons etc. in the oxygen atoms from C=O, Si=O double bonding side upto the shallower quantized states, E(N,J) which were formed softly around the and surface oscillators. And these surface oscillators were confirmed as to make photo-chemical reaction process by receiving energy higher than ～24 m eV especially under the illumination of sunshine etc.