Immunohistochemical localization of metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR7a and mGluR7b, in the central nervous system of the adult rat and mouse: a light and electron microscopic study

The distributions of two alternative splicing variants of metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR7, mGluR7a and mGluR7b, were examined immunohistochemically in the rat and mouse by using variant-specific antibodies raised against C-terminal portions of rat mGluR7a and human mGluR7b. Many regions throughout the central nervous system (CNS) showed mGluR7-like immunoreactivities (LI). The distribution patterns of mGluR7-LI in the rat were substantially the same as those in the mouse, although some species differences were observed in a few regions. Intense mGluR7a-LI was seen in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs, anterior olfactory nucleus, islands of Calleja, superficial layers of the olfactory tubercle, piriform cortex and entorhinal cortex, periamygdaloid cortex, amygdalohippocampal area, hippocampus, layer I of the neocortical regions, globus pallidus, superficial layers of the superior colliculus, locus coeruleus, and superficial layers of the medullary and spinal dorsal horns. The distribution of mGluR7b was more restricted. It was intense in the islands of Calleja, substantia innominata, hippocampus, ventral pallidum, and globus pallidus. The medial habenular nucleus also showed intense mGluR7a-LI in the rat but not in the mouse. For both mGluR7a- and mGluR7b-LI, localization in the active zones of presynaptic axon terminals was confirmed electron microscopically at synapses of both the asymmetrical and symmetrical types. It is noteworthy that mGluR7a-LI is seen preferentially in relay nuclei of the sensory pathways and that both mGluR7a- and mGluR7b-LI are observed not only in presumed glutamatergic axon terminals, but also in non-glutamatergic axon terminals including presumed inhibitory ones. Thus, mGluR7 may play roles not only as an autoreceptor in glutamatergic axon terminals, but also as a presynaptic heteroreceptor in non-glutamatergic axon terminals in various CNS regions.     

Plasma Etching of α-Sialon Ceramics

Plasma etching of β-Si₃N₄, α-sialon/β-Si₃N₄ and α-sialon ceramics were performed with hydrogen glow plasma at 600°C for 10 h. The preferential etching of β-Si₃N₄ grains was observed. The etching rate of α-sialon grains and of the grain-boundary glassy phase was distinctly lower than that of β-Si₃N₄ grains. The size, shape, and distribution of β-Si₃N₄ grains in the α-sialon/β-Si₃N₄ composite ceramics were revealed by the present method.     

Development of a water-resistant and detergent-washable powder coated with a stimuli-responsive polymer and its application to suncare products

IFSCC Magazines , 12 (2009) (1) 3–7
It is generally well known that the surface of an inorganic UV-protective powder used in a sunscreen formula is treated with a fatty acid or other hydrophobic chemicals to obtain a high water resistance. Due to the resulting strongly hydrophobic surface, the treatment has a clear drawback in that it allows the sunscreen to leave its base components on the skin after washing with regular soap. Therefore, in this study to develop an intelligent sunscreen formula that has a high water resistance and can be washed away easily with regular soap, we focused on a pH-responsive polymer as the surface-treatment agent for a UV-protective powder. Numerous experiments led to the synthesis of the 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid/11-methacrylamidoundecanoic acid (AMPS/MAU) copolymer, which is hydrophobic in acidic to neutral solution and hydrophilic in basic solution. Titanium dioxide subjected to surface treatment was treated with the AMPS/MAU copolymer showed a high pH-responsiveness that was similar to that of the polymer. A W/O-type sunscreen containing the pH-responsive titanium dioxide showed a high water resistance as well as a high washability with regular soap.
Keywords:  Detergent-washable, pH-responsive polymer, pH-responsive powder, sun care product, water-resistant     

The removal of hexacyanoferrate(II) and (III) ions in dilute aqueous solution by activated carbon

The removal of iron cyano-complex ions [hexacyanoferrate(II) and (III) ions] in a dilute aqueous solution by activated carbon was investigated. The maximum adsorption of iron cyano-complex ions on activated carbon occurred at pH around 3. The hexacyanoferrate(III) ion was more adsorbable than the hexacyanoferrate(II) ion. Activated carbon promoted the oxidation of hexacyanoferrate(II) ion to (III) ion with dissolved oxygen in an acidic solution and the reduction of hexacyanoferrate(III) ion to (II) ion in an alkaline solution. The iron cyano-complex ion adsorbed on activated carbon could be eluted with higher concentrated acidic and alkaline solutions. The degree of elution decreased with an increase in potassium hydroxide concentration, since parts of the iron cyano-complexes on activated carbon were decomposed to form the iron hydroxide and the hexacyanoferrate(II) ion with an alkaline solution. The behavior of iron cyano-complexes in the presence of activated carbon, in the lower pH range (pH < 1) and at higher temperatures (80°C), was discussed.     

Polyethyleneimine/chitosan hexamer-mediated gene transfection into intestinal epithelial cell cultured in serum-containing medium

In search of an efficient nonviral vector, polyethyleneimine (PEI)-based vectors were examined. In general, the transfection efficiency of nonviral vectors is suppressed by serum. Here we show that PEI based vectors, particularly, the chitosan hexamer-PEI vector, could perform efficient gene transfection into intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) in the presence of serum. The conjugation order of the two polymers with a plasmid (first, chitosan hexamer; second, PEI) was found to be an important factor in enhancing transfection efficiency.     

Continuously Frequency Tunable High Power Sub-THz Radiation Source—Gyrotron FU CW VI for 600 MHz DNP-NMR Spectroscopy

A high frequency gyrotron with a 15 T superconducting magnet named Gyrotron FU CW VI has achieved continuous frequency tuning through the relatively wide range of 1.5 GHz near 400 GHz. The operation is at the fundamental cyclotron resonance of the TE₀₆ cavity mode with many higher order axial modes. The output power measured at the end of the circular waveguide system ranges from 10 to 50 watts at the low acceleration voltage of 12 kV for beam electrons. The beam current is also low. It is around 250 mA. This gyrotron is designed as a demountable radiation source for the 600 MHz DNP-NMR spectroscopy. The design and operation results of the gyrotron FU CW VI are presented.     

Molecular dynamics studies on the structures of polymer electrolyte membranes and diffusion mechanism of protons and small molecules

We performed a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on Nafion^® membranes containing various quantities of H₂O and CH₃OH. The simulations afforded diverse nanoscale phase-separated structures, such as clusters, channels, and cluster–channels. The calculated cluster–channel structure qualitatively agrees with the experimental results of X-ray diffraction studies. We also investigated the diffusion mechanisms for H₂O, protons, CH₃OH, H₂, and O₂ in these membranes. To reproduce the hopping transfer of protons, we employed a semi-classical MD approach using the empirical valence bond method. The estimated diffusion coefficients of H₂O and proton in the membranes significantly depended on the H₂O content, and these values showed qualitatively good agreement with the experimental results. The diffusion coefficient of proton in H₂O-rich membranes was much larger than that of H₂O, and the proton mainly formed H₅O₂⁺ complex. Furthermore, the simulation results indicate that the majority of CH₃OH permeates through the H₂O clusters, and the majority of H₂ and O₂ permeates through the hydrophobic region of the membrane.     

Characterization of Na-X,Na-A,and coal fly ash zeolites and their amorphous precursors by IR,MAS NMR and XPS

By fusion with sodium hydroxide followed by a hydrothermal reaction, fly ash and Alenriched fly ash were converted into Na-X and Na-A zeolites, respectively. The authentic Na-X, Na-A and fly ash zeolites as well as their amorphous precursors have been characterized by IR, ²⁹Si and ²⁷Al MAS NMR, XPS/AES, TG, and comparative ion-exchange studies of Cs and K with Na in zeolite samples. It appears that the same structural unit with a terminal OH, such as a sodalite unit, was formed in the induction period of the hydrothermal reaction for Na-X and Na-A, and then cross-linked through D4R and D6R external linkages to build up the zeolite framework of Na-A and Na-X, respectively.     

Changes in the drift and the settlement of the freshwater mussel Limnoperna fortunei along a headrace channel

The nuisance species Limnoperna fortunei is a freshwater mussel whose infestations have harmed water intake facilities, such as water supply systems. We investigated the changes in the drift and the settlement of L. fortunei along a headrace channel. The densities of the drift and the settlement both decreased dramatically with the downstream distance from the L. fortunei source (a reservoir). In comparison with larval densities in the reservoir, drift densities decreased by 10 to 25% at 0.5 km downstream from the reservoir, and were less than 2% at sites more than 4.8 km downstream. Although larval densities at midnight (0:00-2:00) were approximately 1.5 times higher than those at noon (12:00-14:00) in a shallow layer (3 m depth) of the reservoir, we found no diurnal variation of drift densities in the headrace channel. Settlement densities at the site nearest the intake gate were much higher than those of the other sites further downstream in the headrace channel. The L. fortunei adult population in the channel could reduce drift individuals by attracting the larva. The attraction probably induces the massive aggregation at the location of the channel immediately below the drift source, resulting in biofouling.     

Effect of solvent evaporation rate on surface composition in fluoro‐copolymer/acrylate‐copolymer blend films

The relationship between the surface composition and the rate of solvent evaporation (R) in blend films of poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoroacetone) (P(VDF‐HFA)) and poly(2‐ethylhexyl acrylate‐co‐acrylic acid‐co‐vinyl acetate) (P(2EHA‐AA‐VAc)) has been investigated. P(VDF‐HFA), a low‐surface tension component, was concentrated on the surface when R was relatively high. In contrast, when R was relatively low, P(2EHA‐AA‐VAc), a low‐density component, was concentrated on the surface. Therefore, it is speculated that the factors dominating surface enrichment in polymer blends were changed from surface tension differences to density differences between the components when R was decreased. In addition, the affinity between components and substrate strongly affects the dominant factors determining the surface composition. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry