Studies on syntheses and permeabilities of special polymer membranes. XLVII. Active transport and selective transport of metal ions through membranes from poly(isobutylene-alternative co-maleic anhydride) and poly(vinyl alcohol)

When a cation exchange membrane having carboxyl groups, made of poly(isobutylene-alternative co-maleic anhydride) and poly(vinyl alcohol), was set in a diaphragm type cell, in which one side of the solution was adjusted to be acidic and the other side alkaline, metal ions were actively transported from the alkaline side to the acidic side across the membrane against the concentration gradient of metal ions between both sides. The driving force of the transport of metal ions was the difference in H⁺ ion concentration between both sides. It was presumed that the active transport was carried out chemically and physically. In the selective transport of metal ions, the selectivity was dependent on both the hydrated ionic radius for the metal ions and the affinity between the carrier fixed to the membrane, the carboxyl group, and the metal ions.     

空间的力量

编者按：原文最初以日、英双语形式刊登在日本《A＋U》2011年第7期P6-11,现经作者本人同意、《A＋U》     

Energy transport simulation for graded HBT's: Importance of settingadequate values for transport parameters

An energy transport simulation method for graded AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) is presented in which Al composition-, doping density-, and energy-dependences of transport parameters are considered. For several representative Al composition and doping densities, parameters such as electron mobility, energy relaxation time, and upper-valley fraction are evaluated as a function of electron energy by a Monte Carlo method. For the other Al composition, these are determined by a linear interpolation method. Calculated cutoff frequency characteristics and electron velocity profiles are compared with those obtained by using more simplified approaches, demonstrating the importance of giving adequate transport parameters, particularly in analyzing graded band-gap base HBTs     

Rotation invariant image matching by interpolated eight‐direction block matching

Template image matching is a method for seeking a target image area that is similar to a registered template image. However, template matching is a general‐purpose technique for various image applications, and the image under consideration must generally have the right position with respect to the template image. Therefore, the computational cost is large when both the location and inclination of the target image area are unknown. This paper proposes a method of searching for a target image area with arbitrary location and inclination by multiple matching using separated block template images. In the method, the template image is divided into small block areas with a size of 3 × 3 pixels. The image pattern in each block is rotated by 45^° and matching is performed between the rotated blocks and the image under consideration. The experimental results show that the proposed method has higher matching reliability than the conventional methods. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 154(1): 66–73, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20107     

Effect of a novel immunosuppressant, FK 506, on autoimmune glomerulonephritis in Brown Norway rats

Mercuric-chloride (HgCl2) induces a lymphoproliferative disorder and autoimmune glomerulonephritis in Brown Norway rats. The effects of a new immunosuppressant FK 506 on this model of glomerulonephritis were studied. Brown Norway rats were treated with HgCl2 according to a standard protocol (HgCl2 1 mg/kg s.c. 3 times/ week). Rats developed proteinuria at day 7, which reached a plateau level at day 14. On day 14, renal histology showed prominent mesangial cellular proliferation and the expansion of mesangial matrix. Electron microscopic study showed the effacement of visceral epithelial foot processes and the microvillous transformation of the visceral epithelium. Immunofluorescence study showed a strong linear staining for IgG and the adhesion molecule ICAM-1 in all glomeruli. Coadministration of FK 506 (1 mg/kg s.c. daily) prevented the appearance of proteinuria at day 14 (621.4 +/- 30.5 vs. 2.2 +/- 2.7 mg/day) and the morphological lesions. These findings suggest that FK 506 could be useful for the therapy of certain types of human glomerulonephritis.     

Vibration Analysis of Vehicle Floor Panel Using Hybrid Method of FEM and SEA

In order to improve the mass efficiency of an automotive soundproof package, it is important to predict the middle to high frequency range of noise and vibration during vehicle operation. A hybrid method of experimental and analytical SEA （statistical energy analysis） has been applied for the prediction of air-borne noise. However, for predicting structure-borne noise, there are no definitive simulation methods that can address the soundproof specifications in an actual vehicle. Thus, in this paper, a FEM （finite element method）＇SEA hybrid method is used. The FEM＇SEA hybrid method predicts structure-borne noise in the middle to high frequency range. First, we explain the basic concept of the FEM＇SEA hybrid method; Second, we describe our experiment to verify the analytical results of the FEM＇SEA hybrid method; Third, we provide the details of the FEM model versus the FEM＇SEA hybrid model; Finally, we verify the validity and availability of the FEM＇SEA hybrid method through comparisons of the FEM analysis results, FEM-SEA analysis results and measured results.     

Energy-Dependent Endocytosis Is Responsible for Skin Penetration of Formulations Based on a Combination of Indomethacin Nanoparticles and l-Menthol in Rat and Göttingen Minipig

We previously designed a Carbopol gel formulation (N-IND/MEN) based on a combination of indomethacin solid nanoparticles (IND-NPs) and l-menthol, and we reported that the N-IND/MEN showed high transdermal penetration. However, the detailed mechanism for transdermal penetration of IND-NPs was not clearly defined. In this study, we investigated whether endocytosis in the skin tissue of rat and Göttingen minipig is related to the transdermal penetration of IND-NPs using pharmacological inhibitors of endocytosis. The pharmacological inhibitors used in this study are as follows: 54 µM nystatin, a caveolae-mediated endocytosis (CavME) inhibitor; 40 µM dynasore, a clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) inhibitor; and 2 µM rottlerin, a micropinocytosis (MP) inhibitor. The N-IND/MEN was prepared by a bead mill method, and the particle size of solid indomethacin was 79–216 nm. In both rat and Göttingen minipig skin, skin penetration of approximately 80% IND-NPs was limited by the stratum corneum (SC), although the penetration of SC was improved by the combination of l-menthol. On the other hand, the treatment of nystatin and dynasore decreased the transdermal penetration of indomethacin in rats and Göttingen minipigs treated with N-IND/MEN. Moreover, in addition to nystatin and dynasore, rottlerin attenuated the transdermal penetration of IND-NPs in the Göttingen minipigs’ skin. In conclusion, we found that l-menthol enhanced the SC penetration of IND-NPs. In addition, this study suggests that the SC-passed IND-NPs are absorbed into the skin tissue by energy-dependent endocytosis (CavME, CME, and/or MP pathways) on the epidermis under the SC, resulting in an enhancement in transdermal penetration of IND-NPs. These findings provide significant information for the design of nanomedicines in transdermal formulations.     

高温合金叶片定向凝固过程中辐射换热的计算

提出改进型Monte Carlo射线追踪法进行辐射换热计算,通过子空间的划分,并结合定向凝固的特点回避了传统辐射换热计算中角系数的直接计算,节省了计算时间.把该方法嵌入自行开发的三维模拟软件对柱状晶和单晶叶片的定向凝固过程进行了温度场模拟,并对实际叶片凝固过程进行温度场测试,模拟结果与实测结果较好吻合.     

Opening of infectious giant bulla with use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

In 5 cases, an infectious giant bulla was opened with the use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Because all bullae adhered to the thoracic wall and were noncommunicating with the airway, they were opened without complete resection, leaving their inside walls at the lung and lateral walls on the thoracic wall. The expansion of remnant lung was excellent, and postoperative air leakage did not occur in any case. The postoperative vital capacity and FEV1 improved significantly over the preoperative condition (p<0.01). Because the bronchial communication of bulla is frequently obliterated after infection within the bulla, opening of a bulla is curative and simpler, more effective, and less invasive than complete resection.