A temperature-variable sample rotating cryostat in high magnetic fields

A temperature-variable sample rotating cryostat has been developed in order to measure the angular and temperature dependence of the upper critical field in several single crystal Chevrel phase superconductors. In the cryostat, the temperature of the sample can be varied from 2 to 15 K within an accuracy of ±10 mK. The sample can be rotated in an adiabatic vacuum can around a horizontal axis at the centre of our superconducting magnets up to 16.5 T within an accuracy of ±1°.     

Carbohydrate metabolism of the aged. 3) Muscles-perfusion experiment using the rat hindquarter muscle and enzyme activities of the gastroenemius muscle

The simultaneous diffusion of 14C-succinylcholine and p-amino hippurate across human placental tissue in vitro was measured. Column chromatographic purification of the radioactivity followed by paper chromatographic analysis showed little alteration of the succinylcholine during the course of these experiments. Similar chloroform-buffer partition coefficients for the two solutes were measured. Thus in these experiments, the nearly identical transfer rates of these two similar sized, lipid-insoluble compounds indicated that succinylcholine crosses human placental tissue in quantitites compatible with its molecular size and lipophobic nature, and that the diffusion rate is not significantly influenced by its increased molecular charge.     

Crystallization characteristics of an amorphous Nb81Si19 alloy under high pressure and formation of the A15 phase

Amorphous Nb-19 at% Si alloy, prepared by rapid quenching from the molten state, was annealed while being subjected to a pressure of 10 GPA. X-ray diffraction investigations on the alloy specimens quenched to ambient conditions have shown that pressure greatly alters the crystallization characteristics and the cubic A15 (Nb₃Si)-phase forms in preference to the tetragonal Nb₃Si-phase at temperatures in the range from 710° C to 800° C. Up to 680° C, the component atoms do not show any tendency towards ordering upon crystallization and the body-centred tetragonal solid solution forms; while, at 830° C, niobium atoms diffuse to form the body-centred cubic Nb precipitates. Superconducting properties have been measured for the single-phase A15 structure with the lattice parametera=0.5155 nm with the results that the transition temperature,T _C, is 3.4 K and the temperature coefficient of the upper critical field,H _C2, is 1.2 MA m^–1 K^–1 (15 kOe K^–1).     

Endogenous glucocorticoids decrease the acinar cell sensitivity to apoptosis during cerulein pancreatitis in rats

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We recently showed that activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis may mitigate the progress of acute pancreatitis. To clarify the mechanism, the role of endogenous glucocorticoids in pancreatic acinar cell death was examined. METHODS: The occurrence of apoptosis was studied in adrenalectomized or sham-operated rats with or without cerulein-induced pancreatitis. The effects of RU38486, a glucocorticoid-receptor antagonist, on the survival of cultured acinar cells (AR42J) were also examined. RESULTS: Adrenalectomy caused increases in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) of acinar nuclei depending on the time after adrenalectomy but not of other cell types in the pancreas and in other digestive organs. Electron microscopy showed the characteristic features of apoptosis in the TUNEL-labeled acinar cells. In cerulein pancreatitis of adrenalectomized rats, the TUNEL-labeled acinar nuclei increased remarkably depending on the time after cerulein infusion. Replacement of glucocorticoids blocked the occurrence of apoptosis in these experiments. RU38486 induced dose dependently the apoptosis of AR42J cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence that endogenous glucocorticoids are an important factor for acinar cell survival. Endogenous glucocorticoids may protect acinar cells by decreasing their sensitivity to the induction of cell death during acute pancreatitis.     

Facile synthesis and thermal properties of waterglass-based silica xerogel nanocomposites containing reduced graphene oxide

In this study, new rGO-silica xerogel nanocomposites (SX-rGO) and its glass fiber reinforced composites (GFR-SX-rGO) were prepared, and its microstructure and thermal properties were evaluated. The raw material was a mixed dispersion prepared by adding 0.01–2.5?wt% of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to waterglass (6% SiO₂). A hydrogel was prepared via sol-gel reaction of this raw material, which was then immersed in hydrochloric acid, hydrophobized in a siloxane/2-propanol reaction system, and then dried at ambient pressure to obtain a hydrophobic carbon-silica xerogel composite. The obtained samples were characterized by N₂ physisorption (at 77?K), solid ²⁹Si Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, hydrophobicity, and thermal conductivity. It was found that as the amount of rGO was increased, the specific surface area of the nanocomposite decreased by ~25% from 535 to 403?cm²/g, and the average pore size and pore volume were almost halved. The thermal decomposition temperature of the SX-rGO was increased markedly by the addition of rGO. Moreover, the GFR-SX-rGO-0.5 showed low density (0.208?g/cm³), high contact angle (146°) and low thermal conductivity (0.0199?W/mK).     

Effect of fermented milk prepared with two probiotic strains on Japanese cedar pollinosis in a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study

There has been much interest in the potential of using probiotic bacteria for treating allergic diseases. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of Lactobacillus GG (LGG) and L. gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356) in alleviating Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP), a seasonal allergic rhinitis caused by Japanese cedar pollen. Fermented milk prepared with the tested bacteria or placebo yoghurt was administered to 40 subjects with a clinical history of JCP for 10 weeks. Subjective symptoms, self-care measures and blood samples were compared between the two groups. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from seven patients with JCP and in vitro cytokine production by the isolated PBMCs was analysed in the presence of heat-killed lactic acid bacteria. Consumption of the fermented milk significantly decreased the mean symptom score for nasal blockage after 9 weeks (P<0.05) and mean symptom-medication scores after 9 and 10 weeks when compared with the placebo group (P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively). The tested strains of lactic acid bacteria affected cytokine production by isolated PBMCs in vitro in a strain-dependent manner. LGG significantly inhibited IL-4 and IL-5 production by PBMCs stimulated by both Cry j 1 and PHA. TMC0356 only suppressed IL-5 production stimulated by PHA. The fermented milk prepared with LGG and TMC0356 might be beneficial in JCP because of its effect on nasal blockage. The effects of LGG and TMC0356 might arise at least partly from their specific down-regulation of the human Th2 immune response.     

A consideration of ternary C-H-O diagram for diamond deposition using microwave in-liquid and gas phase plasma

The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanism of diamond synthesis using an in-liquid plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. We investigated the chemical reactions from a liquid mixture of methanol and ethanol (in-liquid plasma CVD) and a gas mixture of methane and hydrogen (gas-phase CVD). Carbon monoxide (CO) is firstly synthesized and then a chemical reaction using the remaining carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) is induced to synthesize a carbon substance. Residual H radicals act as an etchant removing the incompletely binding carbon atom that hinders diamond crystal growth. From spectroscopic measurements, CO peaks were clearly observed when the oxygen component is contained in the raw materials. From the experimental results of carbon deposits using various liquid and gas mixtures as the raw materials, we found that the region of the remaining H and C after CO synthesis satisfying H/C > 20 is necessary to synthesize diamonds using in-liquid plasma CVD method. The region of H/C > 20 in the Bachmann C-H-O diagram nearly agrees with the experimental results of synthesizing diamonds.     

Genoepidemiology and pathogenicity of hepatitis G virus in Japan

Danish artificial insemination (AI) centres house several boars antibody positive to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus as well as PRRSV-naive boars which may become acutely infected. The risk of transmission of PRRSV by semen may therefore constitute a serious problem to the Danish pig industry. The use of a vaccination-program may be a way to avoid or reduce the problem. This study evaluates the use of two vaccines: One live, attenuated vaccine and one inactivated vaccine. A pronounced reduction in viremia and shedding of virus in semen was demonstrated by use of the live vaccine compared to the non-vaccinated control animals. In contrast, no changes in onset, level and duration of viremia and shedding of virus in semen were observed using the inactivated vaccine. Neither viremia nor seminal shedding of virus was detected in previously PRRSV-infected, PRRSV-antibody positive boars after challenge with a Danish field strain of PRRSV.