Nonlinear stress properties of poly(styrene-block-butadiene-block-styrene) melt under elongational and shear deformation

Effects of block copolymerized structure on nonlinear stress properties under elongational and shear deformation were investigated. Samples used in this study were poly(styrene-block-butadiene-block-styrene) (SBS, weight rate of S/B = 40/60) and polystyrene (PS) as a reference. Tensile stress–strain and shear stress relaxation properties were measured at the molten state. SBS showed high elasticity after reaching the yield point under elongational deformation at room temperature. PS melt showed substantial tensile stress increase after the yield point as strain rates increased. However, SBS melt did not exhibit noticeable tensile stress rise at higher elongation, and this property was almost independent of strain rates. Stress relaxation experiments revealed that the damping function of SBS melt was more strain-softening than that of PS melt. The results suggested that the block copolymerized structure decreases melt elasticity under elongational and shear deformation. A transmission electron micrograph indicated that the lack of melt elasticity in SBS melt is caused by orientation of the lamellar structure toward the stretched direction during deformation. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Annealing of commercial block polypropylene. II. Behavior of poly(ethylene-co-propylene) component

Moldings of ethylene–propylene block copolymer (block PP) are improved by annealing in their tensile impact strength (TIS) and brittle temperature (Tb). To elucidate the mechanism, the role of the poly(ethylene-co-propylene) (PEP) component was studied, and the component extracted with n-heptane from annealed test pieces was subjected to characterization by a fractionation technique. It is found that recrystallization takes place by annealing in the PP matrix and results in segregation of atactic PP and high molecular weight amorphous PEP from the crystal region to the amorphous region. Furthermore, crystalline PEP also undergoes recrystallization by annealing, increasing the miscibility in the interface of PP and PEP. These phenomena in the solid phase are discussed in connection with the annealing effect related to impact strength. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Direct Real-Time PCR with Ethidium Monoazide: A Method for the Rapid Detection of Viable Cronobacter sakazakii in Powdered Infant Formula

The goal of this study was to establish a rapid assay for the specific detection of viable Cronobacter sakazakii in powdered infant formula (PIF). Samples were subjected to treatment multiple times with ethidium monoazide with a concentration gradient (gEMA) prior to PCR to discriminate viable from dead C. sakazakii cells. To improve the current detection limits, we developed a new buffer for direct quantitative real-time PCR (DqPCR) without DNA isolation. Using 17 PIF samples, our rapid assay was compared with the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) method published in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual in 2012. Although both the new FDA method and our rapid assay, which consists of DqPCR combined with gEMA (gEMA-DqPCR), produced negative results for all 17 PIF samples, 5 of the 17 PIFs were positive by DqPCR when they were not treated with EMA. Furthermore, for PIF samples artificially contaminated with viable C. sakazakii, gEMA-DqPCR successfully detected between 1 and 9 CFU of viable C. sakazakii in 300 g of PIF within 9 h, including a 6-h preincubation. Our results indicate that multiple EMA treatments are required to avoid false-positive results due to the contamination of commercial PIF with dead or injured C. sakazakii cells. Our rapid assay may also improve the sensitivity of the screening portion required by the new FDA method published in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual in 2012.     

Piecewise affine systems approach to control of biological networks

In terms of a piecewise affine system representation, which is a kind of hybrid system model, this article discusses a series of approaches to modelling, analysing and synthesizing a biological network such as a gene-regulatory network. First, the input assignment problem, the controllable state set problem (CSP) and the input trajectory generation problem are emphasized as control problems to be addressed for biological networks. Subsequently, after the modelling issue on biological networks developed in the systems and control community is briefly explained, the CSP is described in detail with reference to control of the quorum-sensing system in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Finally, an optimal control design method to the quorum-sensing system is proposed as a solution to the input trajectory generation problem.     

Heterologous expression and functional analysis of the gene cluster for the biosynthesis of and immunity to the lantibiotic, nukacin ISK-1

Nukacin ISK-1 is a lantibiotic produced by Staphylococcus warneri ISK-1. The gene cluster of nukacin ISK-1 consists of at least nukAMTFEG, ORF1 and ORF7. In this study, we demonstrated the heterologous production of nukacin ISK-1 in Lactococcus lactis by the artificial polycistronic expression of nukAMTFEG-ORF7 under the control of the nisin-controlled expression (NICE) system. Consequently, the recombinant L. lactis showed antimicrobial activity. Mass analysis clarified the presence of nukacin ISK-1 produced in the culture supernatant. These results suggested that the recombinant L. lactis produced nukacin ISK-1 heterologously. Inactivation of nukA, -M or -T resulted in the complete loss of the nukacin ISK-1 production phenotype. This finding suggested that nukAMT are indispensably associated with the biosynthesis of nukacin ISK-1. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the heterologous production of lantibiotic using the NICE system.     

Effect of chain structure on the melt rheology of modified polypropylene

The effect of molecular structure of polypropylene (PP) on the melt rheological properties were investigated for electron irradiated polymer and di-2-ethylhexyl peroxy dicarbonate (EHPC)-treated polymer. The modifications were examined in terms of the rheological behaviors, molecular weight distribution, and the degree of branching. The high melt strength PP was obtained by irradiating with 50 and 80 kGy and adding EHPC. The modified PPs showed the strain hardening in the uniaxial elongational viscosity, though the linear elongational viscosity was lower than that of the unmodified PP. Low angle laser light-scattering measurements of the modified PPs showed the interesting results; high irradiation doses such as 50 and 80 kGy caused higher molecular weight chains branching. Nevertheless, the long branching chains were not detected for the EHPC modified PP, which also showed the strain hardening in uniaxial elongational flow. In this article, the relation between chain structure and rheological properties is discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 1493–1500, 1999     

Elongational viscosity for miscible and immiscible polymer blends. I. PMMA and AS with similar elongational viscosity

The effects of miscibility and blend ratio on uniaxial elongational viscosity of polymer blends were studied by preparing miscible and immiscible samples at the same composition by using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(acrylonitrile-co-styrene) (AS). Miscible polymer blend samples for the elongational viscosity measurement were prepared by using three steps: solvent blends, cast film, and hot press. A phase diagram of blend samples was made by visual observation of cloudiness. Immiscible blend samples were prepared by maintaining the prepared miscible samples at 200°C, which is higher than cloud points using a LCST (lower critical solution temperature) phase diagram. The phase structure of immiscible blends was observed by an optical microscope. The elongational viscosity of all samples was measured at 145°C, which is lower than the cloud-point temperature at all blend ratios. The elongational viscosity of PMMA and AS was similar to each other. The strain-hardening property of miscible blends in the elongational viscosity was only slightly influenced by the blend ratio, and this was also the case with immiscible blends. The strain-hardening property was only slightly influenced, whether it was miscible or immiscible at each blend ratio. Polydispersity in molecular weight for blend samples was not changed by GPC (gel permeation chromatography) analysis. Almost no change in the polydispersity of the molecular weight for blends and the similarity of elongational viscosity between PMMA and AS resulted in little influence of the blend ratio and miscibility on the strain-hardening property. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 757–766, 1999     

Development of a high-efficiency inverter without audible noise

The proposed inverter combines two methods which can significantly decrease the on-state and switching losses. The first method, using a current transformer and a single transistor, makes possible the reduction of the on-state loss to less than one-third of the usual Darlington transistor. The second method, using an auxiliary commutation IGBT in parallel with the transistor, makes possible zero-voltage switching, resulting in no switching loss. To realize higher inverter efficiency, a snubber and its loss recovery circuit are employed. Three-phase inverters were fabricated experimentally to evaluate our idea. Device volume and weight can be decreased to one-third those of a conventional three-phase inverter, and an efficiency of 98.0% from 5 kW to 20 kW is obtained at a switching frequency of 16 kHz. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 120(1): 62–69, 1997     

Preparation of polydimethylsiloxane/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer network membranes and permeation of aqueous ethanol solutions through the membranes by pervaporation

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/polystyrene (PSt) interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) membranes were prepared by the bulk copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene in the PDMS networks. The interpenetration of PDMS and PSt resulted in the improvement of mechanical properties of PDMS. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation demonstrated that the PDMS/PSt IPN membranes have microphase-separated structures consisting of a continuous PDMS phase and a discontinuous PSt phase. When an aqueous ethanol solution was permeated through the PDMS/PSt IPN membranes by pervaporation, the PDMS/PSt IPN membranes exhibited ethanol permselectivity, regardless of the PDMS content. The effects of their microphase-separated structures on the permeability and selectivity for aqueous ethanol solutions are discussed experimentally and theoretically. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.