Optical loss increase in optical fibre coated with silicone resin containing Si?D

One possible origin of the loss increase phenomenon with heat treatment at 200°C (H2 evolution from the coating material) has been investigated, using optical fibre coated with silicone resin containing the Si?D group. Although OH absorption at 1.4 ?m increases with 200°C heat treatment, no OD peak is observed. It is suggested that silicone resin containing no Si?H and Si?CH2?CH2?Si groups is appropriate as a coating material as no H2 evolution is present.     

Structural advantages of rectangular-like channel cross-section on electrical characteristics of silicon nanowire field-effect transistors

We have experimentally demonstrated structural advantages due to rounded corners of rectangular-like cross-section of silicon nanowire (SiNW) field-effect transistors (FETs) on on-current (I_ON), inversion charge density normalized by a peripheral length of channel cross-section (Q_inv) and effective carrier mobility (μ_eff). The I_ON was evaluated at the overdrive voltage (V_OV) of 1.0 V, which is the difference between gate voltage (V_g) and the threshold voltage (V_th), and at the drain voltage of 1.0 V. The SiNW nFETs have revealed high I_ON of 1600 μA/μm of the channel width (w_NW) of 19 nm and height (h_NW) of 12 nm with the gate length (L_g) of 65 nm. We have separated the amount of on-current per wire at V_OV = 1.0 V to a corner component and a flat surface component, and the contribution of the corners was nearly 60% of the total I_ON of the SiNW nFET with L_g of 65 nm. Higher Q_inv at V_OV = 1.0 V evaluated by advanced split-CV method was obtained with narrower SiNW FET, and it has been revealed the amount of inversion charge near corners occupied 50% of all the amount of inversion charge of the SiNW FET (w_NW = 19 nm and h_NW = 12 nm). We also obtained high μ_eff of the SiNW FETs compared with that of SOI planar nFETs. The μ_eff at the corners of SiNW FET has been calculated with the separated amount of inversion charge and drain conductance. Higher μ_eff around corners is obtained than the original μ_eff of the SiNW nFETs. The higher μ_eff and the large fractions of I_ON and Q_inv around the corners indicate that the rounded corners of rectangular-like cross-sections play important roles on the enhancement of the electrical performance of the SiNW nFETs.     

Gene Expression over Time during Cell Transformation Due to Non-Genotoxic Carcinogen Treatment of Bhas 42 Cells

The Bhas 42 cell transformation assay (Bhas 42 CTA) is the first Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-certificated method used as a specific tool for the detection of the cell-transformation potential of tumor-promoting compounds, including non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGTxCs), as separate from genotoxic carcinogens. This assay offers the great advantage of enabling the phenotypic detection of oncotransformation. A key benefit of using the Bhas 42 CTA in the study of the cell-transformation mechanisms of tumor-promoting compounds, including non-genotoxic carcinogens, is that the cell-transformation potential of the chemical can be detected directly without treatment with a tumor-initiating compound since Bhas 42 cell line was established by transfecting the v-Ha-ras gene into a mouse fibroblast cloned cell line. Here, we analyzed the gene expression over time, using DNA microarrays, in Bhas 42 cells treated with the tumor-promoting compound 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and NGTxC, with a total of three repeat experiments. This is the first paper to report on gene expression over time during the process of cell transformation with only a tumor-promoting compound. Pathways that were activated or inactivated during the process of cell transformation in the Bhas 42 cells treated with TPA were related not only directly to RAS but also to various pathways in the hallmarks of cancer.     

Transmission electron microscopic observations of nanobubbles and their capture of impurities in wastewater

Unique properties of micro- and nanobubbles (MNBs), such as a high adsorption of impurities on their surface, are difficult to verify because MNBs are too small to observe directly. We thus used a transmission electron microscope (TEM) with the freeze-fractured replica method to observe oxygen (O₂) MNBs in solutions. MNBs in pure water and in 1% NaCl solutions were spherical or oval. Their size distribution estimated from TEM images close to that of the original solution is measured by light-scattered methods. When we applied this technique to the observation of O₂ MNBs formed in the wastewater of a sewage plant, we found the characteristic features of spherical MNBs that adsorbed surrounding impurity particles on their surface.     

Electrochemical durability of single-wall carbon nanotube electrode against anodic oxidation in water

The electrochemical capability of single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) electrodes is investigated to establish their reliability in practical applications. Direct current (DC) voltage of +10 V is applied across the SWCNT anode and Pt cathode in water, and the electrochemical fracturing behavior of SWCNTs is analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. A considerable number of short SWCNTs, with lengths of less than 200 nm, are observed to be electrochemically generated. This result suggests that the anodic corrosion of SWCNTs occurs even in water, a non-electrolyte liquid. Raman spectroscopy and a comparison study of the anodization behavior of SWCNTs with narrow (0.9 nm) and wide (1.8 nm) diameters indicate that the durability of narrow SWCNTs is lower than that of the wide SWCNTs.     

Role of Metabolism in Bone Development and Homeostasis

Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the underlying energy sources for animals and are catabolized through specific biochemical cascades involving numerous enzymes. The catabolites and metabolites in these metabolic pathways are crucial for many cellular functions; therefore, an imbalance and/or dysregulation of these pathways causes cellular dysfunction, resulting in various metabolic diseases. Bone, a highly mineralized organ that serves as a skeleton of the body, undergoes continuous active turnover, which is required for the maintenance of healthy bony components through the deposition and resorption of bone matrix and minerals. This highly coordinated event is regulated throughout life by bone cells such as osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, and requires synchronized activities from different metabolic pathways. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the cellular metabolism involved in bone development and homeostasis, as revealed by mouse genetic studies.     

Relationship between Expression of Onco-Related miRNAs and the Endoscopic Appearance of Colorectal Tumors

Accumulating data indicates that certain microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are differently expressed in samples of tumors and paired non-tumorous samples taken from the same patients with colorectal tumors. We examined the expression of onco-related miRNAs in 131 sporadic exophytic adenomas or early cancers and in 52 sporadic flat elevated adenomas or early cancers to clarify the relationship between the expression of the miRNAs and the endoscopic morphological appearance of the colorectal tumors. The expression levels of miR-143, -145, and -34a were significantly reduced in most of the exophytic tumors compared with those in the flat elevated ones. In type 2 cancers, the miRNA expression profile was very similar to that of the exophytic tumors. The expression levels of miR-7 and -21 were significantly up-regulated in some flat elevated adenomas compared with those in exophytic adenomas. In contrast, in most of the miR-143 and -145 down-regulated cases of the adenoma-carcinoma sequence and in some of the de novo types of carcinoma, the up-regulation of oncogenic miR-7 and/or -21 contributed to the triggering mechanism leading to the carcinogenetic process. These findings indicated that the expression of onco-related miRNA was associated with the morphological appearance of colorectal tumors.     

Percolated Network Structure Formation and Rheological Properties in Nylon 6/Clay Nanocomposites

To understand the effect of the percolated clay network structure formed by the exfoliated clay layers in nanocomposites, the clay network structure in nylon‐6‐based nanocomposites is characterized using TEM and FFT analyses. A MMT volume fraction between 0.013 and 0.014 is the percolation threshold for strong network formation. The volume spanning MMT network leads to a very high flow activation energy as compared with that of neat nylon 6, resulting in the pseudo‐solid like response under molten state in N6CNs. A canonical NVT‐MD simulation was conducted in the system made up by nylon 6 molecules/Si(OH)₄ molecules. The formation of the strong interfacial interaction between nylon 6 molecules and Si(OH)₄ molecules induced by OH groups is suggested.

     

Self-Assembling Properties and Recovery Effects on Damaged Skin Cells of Chemically Synthesized Mannosylerythritol Lipids

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs), which are one of the representative sugar-based biosurfactants (BSs) produced by microorganisms, have attracted much attention in various fields in the sustainable development goals (SDGs) era. However, they are inseparable mixtures with respect to the chain length of the fatty acids. In this study, self-assembling properties and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of recovery effects on damaged skin cells using chemically synthesized MELs were investigated. It was revealed, for the first time, that synthetic and homogeneous MELs exhibited significant self-assembling properties to form droplets or giant vesicles. In addition, a small difference in the length of the fatty acid chains of the MELs significantly affected their recovery effects on the damaged skin cells. MELs with medium or longer length alkyl chains exhibited much higher recovery effects than that of C18-ceramide NP.     

Development of butt welding of polymeric materials based on softening and stirring effects by hot tool

In this study, new butt welding technique was proposed to join polymeric materials in which the polymeric material is softened by a heated tool due to the Joule effect heating of the electric current flow through the tool, and the coalescence of material is done by the stirring action due to the tool rotation. A 3 mm-thick Polycarbonate (PC) sheets were joined in various joining conditions, from which joining mechanism, mechanical properties of joints and process parameters affecting joint performance were investigated. In the experiments, in situ observation with a CCD camera and material temperature measurement during the process, as well as the observation of surface appearance and cross section of the joint and tensile test were performed for these purposes. It was shown from the in situ observation and material temperature measurement that the molten and softened region is formed around the weld tool. It was also shown that sufficient heat input was required to form sound joints with acceptable performance, which depended upon the joining speed and amount of electric current flow through the tool. The observation of joint appearance and cross section revealed that the joint with comparable thickness to base material was obtained under the condition of revolution pitch below 0.08 mm, defined by the ratio of joining speed to tool rotation. It is noticed that joints obtained from the proper conditions have the same mechanical properties as the base material, and that the process parameters of this method were tool rotation speed, welding speed and amount of electric current. These results suggest proposed method is useful for joining the polymeric materials.