Effect of Sn on microwave-induced heating and sintering of Ni-based metallic glassy alloy powders

Microwave (MW)-induced heating and sintering was carried out by a single-mode MW applicator in a separated electric field or magnetic field using the gas-atomized Ni_52.5Nb₁₀Zr₁₅Ti₁₅Pt_7.5 metallic glassy alloy powder blended with various contents of Sn powders. The addition of Sn particles was found to promote the densification of the sintered Ni-based metallic glassy powders. With increasing Sn contents, the sintering temperature to obtain bulk sample with the retention of the glassy structure was reduced, and good bonding between powder particles was achieved.     

Effects of muscle relaxants on catecholamine release from the bovine adrenal medulla

Studies on the structure and substrate specificity of purified rat kidney nuclear (RKN) lysozyme are reported. The carboxyl and amino terminal residues of RKN-lysozyme were found to be leucine and alanine respectively. The amino acid composition indicated similarities and differences as compared with that of hen egg white (HEW) lysozyme. There were alterations in the nine amino acid residues, Lys, His, Arg, Asp, Glu, Pro, 1/2 Cys, Tyr and Trp. The other nine residues were present in identical proportions to those of HEW-lysozyme. The decrease in the arginine and aspartic acid residues was found to be compensated by the increase in the number of lysine, histidine and glutamic acid residues. The overall ratio of the acidic to basic amino acids has thus been conserved in the mammalian enzyme. In addition, RKN-lysozyme contained decreased numbers of Trp, Tyr and 1/2 Cys, and increased numbers of proline residues as found in HEW-lysozyme. RKN-lysozyme did not cross react with heterologous antibodies produced against HEW-lysozyme, and vice versa. RKN-lysozyme showed distinct specificity towards the lysis of M. luteus. Against this substrate, it was three times more efficient than HEW-lysozyme. It also cleaved E. coli B, but its efficiency was half as much as with M. luteus. However, it cleaved P. septica and B. subtilis at a rate similar to HEW-lysozyme under identical conditions.     

Tin(IV) Oxide Coating of Aluminum Borate Whiskers and Alumina Particles by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Aluminum borate whiskers of 0.5–1.0 μ diameter and alumina particles of 10–20 μ diameter were coated with SnO₂ by the reaction of SnCl₄–H₂O–N₂ gas mixtures in a rotary kiln reactor. Prior to coating, the whiskers were slightly etched to ensure adhesion between the SnO₂ layer and the whisker surface. The whiskers were coated at 100°C for 1 h, and then at 300°C for 2 h. This procedure was effective for covering the entire whisker surface with a uniform SnO₂ layer. Precoating was not necessary for the alumina particles. A compressed disk of the coated whiskers had an electrical conductivity of 30–40 S/m.     

Cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cell lines express green fluorescent protein

We successfully established cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem (cES) cell lines expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) by introducing a GFP-encoding gene under cytomegalovirus immediate early enhancer (CMVIE) promoter regulation into cES cells. The cells maintained the ability of in vitro differentiation toward ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal lineages, and produced teratomas composed of tissues derived from the three embryonic germ layers when transplanted into severe combined immunodeficient disease mice. GFP expression was also observed in the differentiated cells. These GFP-expressing cES cell lines are considered useful for basic research, including cell transplantation.     

Role of prostanoids and lipid peroxides as mediators of the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate effect on cell growth

Confluent cultures of guinea pig smooth muscle cells (SMC) or human fibroblasts (HNF) were treated with 12-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Prostanoid levels were measured by the radioimmunoassay of 6-keto-PGF_1α and PGE₂, and lipid peroxides were measured by the thiobarbituric acid test for malondialdehyde (MDA). Cells were seeded at low densities, and growth was calculated both from the cell count (Coulter Counter) and the colony number (image analysis). When confluent SMC and HNF were incubated in media alone, 6-keto-PGF_1α levels were a function of the TPA concentration, increasing to a maximum at 10⁻⁸ M TPA and then decreasing at higher TPC concentrations. When confluent SMC and HNF were incubated in media containing exogenous arachidonic acid, 6-keto-PGF_1α levels again increased to a maximum at 10⁻⁸M TPA but decreased at higher TPA concentrations only with SMC. The increase in 6-keto-PGF_1α levels was much greater in HNF (1310%) than SMC (680%). SMC synthesized similar amounts of 6-keto-PGF_1α and PGE₂, and the stimulatory effect of TPA was similar with 6-keto-PGF_1α and PGE₂. Indomethacin (IM) blocked prostanoid synthesis at all TPA concentrations. TPA did not have a significant effect on MDA levels in either cell line. The lipid antioxidants α-tocopherol and α-tocopherylquinone blocked lipid peroxidation without affecting the stimulation of prostanoid synthesis with TPA. Cell number decreased to a minimum at 10⁻⁸M TPA in both cell lines. The decrease in cell number was much greater in HNF (72%) than SMC (30%). SMC colony number decreased at 10⁻⁸ TPA and then increased at 10⁻⁶M TPA. IM did not block the TPA effect on cell number in either cell line. The lipid antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) did not block the TPA effect on SMC cell number. The IM and the BHT data show that the TPA effect on cell growth is not mediated by prostanoid or lipid peroxide products of arachidonic acid metabolism. However, the increase in prostanoid synthesis parallels the decrease in cell number, and the effects are maximal at the same TPA concentration. These correlations suggest a common cellular process affecting both prostanoid synthesis and cell growth that is initiated or enhanced by TPA. This publication is Part VIII in the series, “Fatty Acid Metabolism and Cell Proliferation”.     

On the numerical analysis of compressible flow problems by the “modified FLIC method”

This paper presents a new computational technique for transonic flow problem analysis. This method, named Modified FLIC Method, is based on a time-marching technique of FLIC (fluid in cell) method and employs triangular elements conventionally used in finite element method. This technique can be applied to transonic flows with any complicated boundary shapes. Three problems were solved in this paper, the first was a supersonic flow around a circular cylinder, the second was a transonic flow between tubrine blade cascades and the last was an unsteady flow in a duct with a junction. The calculated results showed a good agreement with the experimental data.     

Quantitative study of solvent effects on electron injection efficiency for black-dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 films

The effects of various solvents on the electron injection efficiency for nanocrystalline TiO₂ films sensitized with the black dye trithiocyanato(4,4′,4″-tricarboxy-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(tcterpy)(NCS)₃) have been studied quantitatively. The electron injection efficiency for the film dried in air was estimated as 0.4 using a time-resolved microwave conductivity technique. Using transient absorption measurements, we estimated the efficiency of electron injection for TiO₂ films in various solvents. Acetonitrile, which is widely considered to be the best solvent for solar cell performance, had the highest efficiency (～0.65), and other solvents (3-methoxypropionitrile, γ-butyrolactone, and propylene carbonate) had lower efficiencies. These results suggest that characteristic interactions between the black dye and the –CN groups of solvents are important for achieving higher electron injection efficiency.     

Taste-active components in the mantle muscle of the oval squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana and their effects on squid taste

Using a series of omission and addition tests and sensory evaluation of synthetic extracts, the taste-active components of the mantle muscle of the oval squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) were determined to be glycine, alanine, proline, glutamate, arginine, adenosine 5′-monophosphate, trimethylamine oxide, glycine betaine, as well as potassium, sodium, and chloride ions. A simplified synthetic extract prepared from these 11 taste-active components was found to almost reproduce the taste of the complete synthetic extract containing 45 components of S. lessoniana muscle. This was also the case for three other squid species; Loligo bleekeri, Loligo edulis, and Todarodes pacificus. When certain components were added to the simplified synthetic extracts of these three squid species – sodium ions and glycine for L. edulis, sodium ions and arginine for L. bleekeri, chloride ions, glycine, and arginine for T. pacificus – the taste of the simplified synthetic extracts approximated the extract from S. lessoniana, which had the most preferred taste.