Spin glass behavior of Mn2+ ions in zeolite-Y at very low temperature

Magnetic properties of manganese ion spin systems in zeolite-Y have been measured. These ions act as almost free ions in the zeolite. Low frequency ac-susceptibility can be described with the Curie-Weiss law down to 50 mK. The susceptibility has a maximum around 30 mK showing a magnetic anomaly. Characteristic relaxation times deduced from frequency dependence of the maxima are studied. They diverge towardsT _c = 0 K according to the following formula, = ₀exp{(b/T)⁺¹} where ₀ = 3 x 10_–10 sec, b = 0.28K, and = 0.4, respectively. It is expected from ESR measurements that the dominant interaction between the manganese ions is dipole-dipole like. This divergence is interpreted as that of a dipolar spin glass.     

Effect of a hard artificial asperity on the crack closure behavior in an annealed SAE 1015 steel

The load-crack opening displacement (COD) curves and deformation characteristics in the vicinity of a hard artificial asperity in an annealed SAE 1015 steel were studied. The artificial asperity was found to have a significant effect on the trend of the load-COD curves. The lower portion of the load-COD curves in the unloading phase exhibited a convex shape without the asperity, but a concave shape with the asperity. The concave shape, signifying the acceleration in the COD decrease, was further verified by varying the size of the asperity, conducting special compression tests and elastic-plastic load-COD tests. The plastic deformation in the vicinity of both asperity and crack tip was studied via microhardness tests, etching techniques, and finite element analysis. Based on the experimental observations, a modified crack closure process model was proposed, where three stages of the unloading curve was defined: (i) the asperity does not contact the upper crack face, (ii) a process where both the asperity and the specimen material deform elastically, and the elastic-wedge model is applicable, and (iii) the plastic deformation of the specimen material adjacent to the asperity occurs, thus resulting in the concavely shaped load-COD curves. An equation was proposed to estimate the COD values, in which the plastic deformation both at the crack tip and at the asperity was considered. The residual COD calculated from the proposed equation was found to be consistent with the experimental results.     

A multi-exciton model for the electronic sputtering of oxides

Three models are examined for the electronic sputtering by high energy heavy ions. It is found that the charged fraction of the sputtered particles is small (less than 10% in this study) and hence, Coulomb explosion model is unsound. According to the thermal spike model, rapid thermal quenching of the melted zone is anticipated, implying amorphisation of SiO₂ single crystal (c-SiO₂). X-ray diffraction results indicate no amorphisation of c-SiO₂, suggesting no melting. Moreover, the electronic sputtering yields of both c-SiO₂ and amorphous-SiO₂ (a-SiO₂) have been found to be the same. With these results and thermal properties of both c-SiO₂ and a-SiO₂, thermal spike model is examined further and appears to be unfavorable. A multi-exciton model is suggested for the electronic sputtering.     

Characteristics of electrical power generation from lead zirconate titanatepiezoelectric ceramics under cyclic loading

The influence of oscillation condition on the electrical power generation properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric ceramics is investigated. It is found that the power generation increases with an increase of both applied load and load frequency. At lower loading frequencies, e.g., 0.1 and 0.5 Hz, the voltage rises instantly to the maximum level under square-wave mode, although the voltage increases gradually under triangular-wave mode. After this initial increase, there is a rapid fall to zero, followed by generation of increasingly negative voltage as the applied load is removed for both wave modes. Variation of the voltage is reflected by the cyclic loading at higher loading frequencies, 15 and 30 Hz. On the basis of the obtained experimental results for the two wave modes, the electrical power generation characteristics of PZT ceramics are proposed, and the voltages generated during loading and unloading are accurately estimated by numerical analysis.     

Method for reducing aluminum alloy heat loss in high pressure die casting shot sleeves

To reduce the amount of casting defects in diecast components, a new shot-sleeve is proposed. Cold flakes are generated by solidification of the casting material in the shot-sleeve before the injection process. To solve this problem, a thermal insulation system is introduced on the inner shot-sleeve surface, with tiny grooves being machined to create an air gap between the melt and the sleeve surface. Various casting materials with different material properties are used to examine the insulating effect of the shot-sleeve. The degree of thermal insulation is found to be influenced by the material properties, with the surface tension being significant factors. This thermal insulation effect allows the production of high-quality samples and therefore with good mechanical properties. When casting materials with low surface tension are used, the melt is able to penetrate deeply into the grooves of the shot-sleeve, lessening the insulation effect and leading to the defect.     

The development of a visual system for the detection of obstructions for visually impaired people

In this paper, the author presents a new visual system that can aid visually impaired people in walking. The system provides object information (that is, shape and location) through the sense of touch. This visual system depends on three different components: (i) an infrared camera sensor that detects the obstruction, (ii) a control system that measures the distance between the obstruction and the sensor, and (iii) a tooling apparatus with small pins (ϕ1 mm) used in forming a three-dimensional shape of the obstruction. The pins, arranged on a 6×6 matrix, move longitudinally between the retracted and extended positions based on the distance data. The pin extends individually, while the pin tip reflects the object’s outer surface. The length of the pin from the base surface is proportional to the distance of the sensor from the obstruction. An ultrasonic actuator, controlled at a 15Hz frame rate, is the driving force for the pin movement. The tactile image of the 3D shape can provide information about the obstruction.     

Autoimmune enteropathy with severe atrophic gastritis and colitis in an adult: proposal of a generalized autoimmune disorder of the alimentary tract

BACKGROUND: We describe the case of an adult with autoimmune enteropathy consistent with both severe atrophic gastritis accompanying antral stenosis and colitis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The patient, positive for anti-intrinsic factor antibody, had intractable diarrhea and protein-losing enteropathy. In the ileum inflammatory cells were observed infiltrating the lamina propria along with villus atrophy, and similar inflammation was also found in the lamina propria of the colon and stomach, with complete loss of specialized glands. The myenteric ganglion cells of the hypertrophied muscularis propria in the stenosed antrum showed degeneration with surrounding T-lymphocyte infiltration. There were more CD8+ than CD4 lymphocytes in the lamina propria of the stomach and colon. CONCLUSIONS: The CD8+ (suppressor-cytotoxic) T lymphocytes may have played an important role in the production of lesions in the stomach, small intestine, and colon, so we propose this case as an example of a generalized autoimmune disorder of the alimentary tract.     

The 5D4 antibody (anti-cyclin D1/D2) related antigen: cytoplasmic staining is correlated to the progression of gastric cancer

In order to clarify the relationship between cyclin D1 and D2 (CD1/CD2) overexpression and progression, 191 gastric cancer cases (81 early and 110 advanced cancers) were investigated using the 5D4 monoclonal antibody for both CD1/CD2 in immunohistochemistry. 5D4 immunoreactivity was noted in 68 (35.6%) cases, staining being restricted to the nucleus in 27 (14.1%) cases, the cytoplasm in 34 (17.8%) cases, and its presence in both the nucleus and cytoplasm in seven (3.7%). Cases demonstrating cytoplasmic positivity, including both positive cases, were significantly more frequent in advanced cancers (P = 0.010), those having lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004) and cases showing cancer invasion of vessels (P = 0.009), although no relation to histological malignant grading was apparent. In contrast, cases of nuclear positivity behaved no differently from 5D4-negative cases. Statistics showed a trend where survival in patients was worse in the cytoplasm-positive cases than the cytoplasm-negative group. However, multivariate analysis revealed no independent statistical significance in the cytoplasmic positivity of prognosis. Additional studies using DCS-6 antibody for CD1 and C-17 antibody for CD2, suggest that nuclear staining of 5D4 indicates the presence of CD1 but cytoplasmic staining is derived from an antigen that is related to CD2. In conclusion, the present results indicate that the accumulation of CD2 in the cytoplasm may play some role in the progression of gastric cancers but not prognosis; however, CD1 overexpression is not linked to either.     

10 Gbit/s optical receiver module using plastic package

A novel optical receiver module using a plastic package, a glass V-groove substrate, an edge-illuminated refracting facet photodiode and a Si bipolar preamplifier IC has been developed. Its signal lines were designed using a three-dimensional electromagnetic field analysis. For a fabricated module, a frequency response of 7.7 GHz and a sensitivity of less than -14 dBm at 10 Gbit/s were achieved     

Occurrence of nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants and nonylphenol carboxylic acids in wastewater in Japan.

Nonylphenol (NP) is known to be a byproduct of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPnEO) which are used as detergents in industry. It is important that not only NP but also NPnEO and their related substances are analysed when behaviour of NP in the wastewater treatment process is surveyed. NPnEO are biodegraded to shorter ethoxylate (EO) chain NPnEO or nonylphenol carboxylates (NPnEC) under aerobic conditions, and then biodegraded to NP under anaerobic conditions. NP is one of the suspected endocrine disruptors (ED). Moreover, shorter EO chain NPnEO has greater toxicity than longer EO chain NPnEO. We conducted a field survey of NP and its related substances in 20 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The concentrations (median) of NP and its related substances in the WWTPs' influent ranged from 0.1 to 8.3 microg/L, showing NP concentration as the same level as those previously reported. The reduction of the long EO chain NPnEO in the WWTPs was almost complete, while the removal efficiency for the short EO chain NPnEO was less significant than the long EO chain NPnEO, suggesting that the degradation rate of the short EO chain NPnEO was lower than that of the long EO chain NPnEO in the wastewater treatment