Effect of mixing ratio on bactericidal action of MgO–CaO powders

MgO–CaO powders were prepared with different molar ratios (MgO/CaO) at 1400 °C for 2 h in air. By using the powder samples obtained, the change in bactericidal effect as a function of MgO–CaO composition was studied by colony count method. From the XRD measurements, it was found that CaO solid solution was formed by the replacement of Mg²⁺ ion with larger Ca²⁺ ion. However, no formation of MgO solid solution was observed. The average particle size and the specific surface area of the samples used in this study were about 0.2 m and 10.5m²g^–1, respectively. The pH values of physiological saline containing powder samples increased with the increase of CaO content, and the value reached 12.1 in sample with the molar ratio (MgO/CaO) of 0.25. From the results of bactericidal tests for Staphylococcus aureus, it was found that the bactericidal effect increased with the increase of CaO content in the samples.     

Efficiency and polarization performance of a multilayer-coated laminar grating in the 6.5-6.9-nm wavelength region

We applied a Mo/B4C multilayer coating to a laminar holographic grating with 2400 grooves/mm and a 1-m radius of curvature. By use of synchrotron soft x rays the multilayer-coated grating was evaluated to have diffraction efficiencies of 3.1% and 0.017% for s- and p-polarized radiation, respectively, at a 6.7-nm wavelength at a 45.35 degrees grazing angle of incidence in the +1 (inside) grating order. Thus the polarizance was estimated to be 98.9% at least. The zero-order peak was suppressed by the destructive interference caused by the groove profile.     

Training of a leaning agent for navigation--inspired by brain-machine interface.

The design clue for the remote control of a mobile robot is inspired by the Talwar's brain-machine interface technology for remotely training and controlling rats. Our biologically inspired autonomous robot control consciousness-based architecture (CBA) is used for the remote control of a robot as a substitute for a rat. CBA is a developmental hierarchy model of the relationship between consciousness and behavior, including a training algorithm. This training algorithm computes a shortcut path to a goal using a cognitive map created based on behavior obstructions during a single successful trial. However, failures in reaching the goal due to errors of the vision and dead reckoning sensors require human intervention to improve autonomous navigation. A human operator remotely intervenes in autonomous behaviors in two ways: low-level intervention in reflexive actions and high-level ones in the cognitive map. Experiments are conducted to test CBA functions for intervention with a joystick for a Khepera robot navigating from the center of a square obstacle with an open side toward a goal. Their statistical results show that both human interventions, especially high-level ones, are effective in drastically improving the success rate of autonomous detours.     

Preparation of BaTiO3 ultrafine particles by micro-emulsion charring method

Ultrafine BaTiO₃ particles were prepared by a micro-emulsion charring (MEC) method. The MEC method consisted of two steps. The first step is the preparation of a water/oil micro-emulsion with BaTiO₃ elements, and the second is a low temperature firing process in N₂ atmosphere, which includes charring of oil in an emulsion and powdering BaTiO₃ particles with the char. The char formed around BaTiO₃ particles prevents an agglomeration of BaTiO₃ particles during firing. In the present experiment, the W/O ratio and the amount of emulsifier greatly influenced the size of droplets of the emulsion. The charring temperature was another important experimental factor in order to obtain the desired BaTiO₃ particles. The finally obtained BaTiO₃ charring powders were monodispersed spherical particles and the particle size was 0.1 m to 0.5 m.     

Production of eicosapentaenoic acid by a recombinant marine cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp.

The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) synthesis gene cluster from an EPA-producing bacterium, Shewanella sp. SCRC-2738, was cloned into a broad-host range vector, pJRD215, and then introduced into a marine cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. NKBG15041c, by conjugation. The transconjugant cyanobacteria produced 3.7±0.2% (2.24±0.13 mg/L) EPA (n-3) and 2.5 ±0.2% (1.49±0.06 mg/L) eicosatetraenoic acid (n-3) of the total fatty acids when the cells were cultured at 23°C at a light intensity of 1,000–1,500 Lux. The EPA and eico-satetraenoic acid contents of the cells were increased to 4.6±0.6% (3.86±1.11 mg/L) and 4.7±0.3% (3.86±0.82 mg/L), and 7.5±0.3% (1.76±0.10 mg/L) and 5.1±0.2% (1.19±0.06 mg/L) when they were cultured at low temperature (18°C) and at lower light intensity (40 Lux), respectively.     

Effects of water-soluble

The effect of the amount of a water-soluble, lactose, on cephalexin (CEX) release from bioactive bone cement consisting of bisphenol--glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA), triethylene-glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) resin and apatite- and wollastonite-containing glass-ceramic (A–W GC) powder was investigated. A–W GC powder containing 5% CEX and lactose powders hardened within 5 min after mixing with bis-GMA/TEGDMA resin, and furthermore its compressive strength was expected to be higher than that of polymethylmethacrylate cement. In vitro CEX release from bioactive bone cement pellets in a simulated body fluid at pH 7.25 and 37°C continued for more than 2 wk. The drug-release rate increased with increasing amount of lactose powder in the mixture. CEX release profiles followed the Higuchi equation in the initial stage, but not in later stages. As hydroxyapatite was precipitated out on the cement surface, the CEX release rate decreased. The micropore distribution of the cements measured by mercury porosimetry also supported the variation in drug release due to cement porosity being mainly a result of the dissolution of lactose in the cements. These results suggest that the rate of CEX release from bioactive bone cement could be controlled by varying the amount of lactose in the cement system. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

Distribution of double bonds in thermally degraded polyisobutylene

The distribution of double bonds in thermally degraded polyisobutylene was determined quantitatively by using pulsed Fourier transform ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopic analysis. The double bonds in the degraded polymer did not exist in the interior but at the terminal positions of the polymer chain. These olefins were of the terminal trisubstituted and terminal vinylidene types. The content of the former was much greater than that of the latter. This shows that radical chain transfer predominantly occurs at the methylene hydrogen rather than at the methyl groups of the polymer chain. The average number of double bonds per molecule, f, was greater than 1 and tended to be near 2. Thereby most of the degraded polyisobutylene was shown to have two terminal unsaturations per molecule.     

Crystallization in rapid quenching of La0.33NbO3 melt

Transparent La_0.33NbO₃ flakes were fabricated by a rapid quenching technique. The quenched La_0.33NbO₃ phase takes a simple cubic perovskite structure and cation vacancies are randomly distributed on the A sites. The cubic La_0.33NbO₃ phase is a new modification which is different from the well-known orthorhombic phase with ordered A-site vacancies. Transparent flakes were found to show the predominant orientation of (110) and (220) planes.     

Studies on synthesis and permeability of special polymer membranes

Summary The permeation characteristics of polymer blend membranes from poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly-(ethylene glycol) to aqueous polymer solution were investigated under carefully controlled conditions. The permeation characteristics were influenced significantly by the blend ratio, the temperature and time of heat treatment, which changed the structure of the resulting membranes.