Position-controlled functional oxide lateral heterostructures consisting of artificially aligned (Fe,Zn)(3)O(4) nanodots and BiFeO(3) matrix

We demonstrate an advanced fabrication method for perfectly position-controlled ferromagnetic semiconductor (Fe,Zn)(3)O(4) nanodot arrays down to several hundred nanometers in size surrounded by a ferroelectric BiFeO(3) matrix. By performing position-selective crystal growth of perovskite BiFeO(3) on the position-controlled epitaxial spinel (Fe,Zn)(3)O(4) nanodot-seeding template, which is prepared using a hollow molybdenum mask lift-off nanoimprint lithography process on a perovskite La-doped SrTiO(3)(001) substrate, we produce functional oxide three-dimensional lateral heterojunctions. The position-selectivity can be explained based on standard surface diffusion theory with a critical nucleation point. Establishing this fabrication process could lead to innovative nanointegration techniques for spintronic oxide materials.     

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.     

Biodesulfurization of alkylated forms of dibenzothiophene and benzothiophene by Sphingomonas subarctica T7b

Sphingomonas subarctica T7b was isolated from soil in Toyotomi, Hokkaido, Japan as an organism capable of desulfurizing aromatic hydrocarbons in light gas oil (LGO) through enrichment culture. S. subarctica T7b could grow on mineral salt sulfur-free (MSSF) medium with the n-tetradecane oil phase containing dibenzothiophene (DBT), alkyl dibenzothiophenes (alkyl DBTs) or alkyl benzothiophenes (alkyl BTs) as the sole sulfur source and desulfurize these compounds, but could not utilize the tetradecane as a carbon source. This is the first report of a gram-negative bacterium which can desulfurize 4,6-dibutyl DBT and 4,6-dipentyl DBT. The desulfurized product of DBT produced by this strain was 2-hydroxybiphenyl, as in the case of other DBT-desulfurizing bacteria. S. subarctica T7b could desulfurize LGO and the sulfur content was decreased to 41% within 36 h.     

Effects of long-term ingestion of difructose anhydride III (DFA III) on intestinal bacteria and bile acid metabolism in humans

Changes in the intestinal microbiota of 10 human subjects with long-term ingestion of 3 g/d difructose anhydride III (DFA III; 4 persons, 2 months; 3 persons, 6 months; and 3 persons, 12 months) were examined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). According to the answers to questionnaires, the subjects were divided into two groups (constipated and normal). The DGGE profile was different for every individual and each subject had unique profiles of intestinal microbiota. In the DGGE profiles of constipated subjects, the intensities of bands related to Bacteroides spp. increased. Moreover, the DFA III-assimilating bacteria, Ruminococcus sp. were isolated from subjects who ingested DFA III for 12 months. These strains showed 95% similarity of their 16S rDNA sequences with that of Ruminococcus obeum ATCC 29174(T) (X85101) and produced large amounts of acetic acid. DFA III ingestion for 2 months tended to increase total organic acids in feces, and tended to decrease fecal pH and the secondary bile acid (SBA) ratio in total bile acids. The SBA ratio in total bile acids corresponded to fecal pH. The production of SBA was decreased by low pH in vitro. These results indicated that DFA III ingestion in humans tended to lower intestinal pH, inhibited bile acid 7alpha-dehydroxylation activities and also tended to decrease the SBA ratios in total bile acids. Moreover, as another cause for the decrease in the SBA ratio in total bile acids, it was suggested that the number of bile acid 7alpha-dehydroxylating bacteria were decreased by DFA III ingestion.     

An Assay Method for Determining the Total Lipid Content of Fish Meat Using a 2-Thiobarbituric Acid Reaction

A method for the determination of the total lipid content in fish meat was established using a 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reaction, which had previously been used for the determination of lipid peroxides in animal tissues. In this method, an unspecific peroxidation of fish oils was created by omitting the addition of antioxidant to the reaction mixture during the TBA reaction, because fish meat is more sensitive to the TBA reaction due to its higher concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, which can easily react artificially with TBA in the absence of an antioxidant in the assay system. As for a practical application of this method, we tried to optimize the assay procedures in the sampling, reaction, and detection steps of this method, and finally proposed a new standard procedure recommended for determining the total lipid content of fish using a TBA reaction. In order to confirm the accuracy of the new procedure, comparative evaluations for the lipid contents of commercially available fish, i.e., chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) and saury (Cololabis saira) were made between the conventional procedure and the recommended TBA method. The lipid contents obtained by the two methods coincided well with high correlation. This method is relevant for total lipid content analysis of fish meat under restricted laboratory conditions.     

Analysis of Field Orientation Control of Current Source Inverter Drive Induction Motor Systems

The field orientation control of current source inverter (CSI) drive induction motor (IM) systems has been known to give an induction motor dc motorlike characteristics. As a result of an analysis, the characteristic of these systems does not necessarily coincide with that of dc motor systems, especially with light loads. The result of the analysis is verified by experiments.     

A Pulsewidth Controlled AC-to-DC Converter to Improve Power Factor and Waveform of AC Line Current

As a method for improving power factor and waveform of ac line current drawn by an ac-to-dc converter a new pulsewidth controlled converter is proposed, its commutation mechanism is described, and experimental results are given which show a good power factor, a good waveform of the line current, and a wide adjustable range of dc output voltage.     

Ozonation of cholesterol in the presence of ethanol: Identification of a cytotoxic ethoxyhydroperoxide molecule

Cholesterol ozonation was carried out in ethanol-containing aqueous or nonaqueous solvent, and the ozonized products were analyzed by chemiluminescence detection-HPLC with on-line electrospray MS (HPLC-CL-MS) and characterized on the basis of NMR and FABMS. After the ozonolysis of cholesterol in water/ethanol (aqueous system) as well as in chloroform/ethanol (nonaqueous system), a unique ethoxyhydroperoxide molecule (7α-ethoxy-3β-hydroxy-5α-B-homo-6-oxacholestane-5-hydroperoxide, termed “7α-ethoxy-5-OOH”) appeared as main ozonation product. In addition to structural analysis, we confirmed the remarkable cytotoxicity of 7α-ethoxy-5-OOH toward human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and found that its cytotoxicity is superior to that of the commonly known autoxidized cholesterol (3β-hydroxycholest-5-ene-7-one). Hence, 7α-ethoxy-5-OOH is a toxic molecule of primary importance, arising during cholesterol ozonation in the presence of ethanol.     

Formation of layer-like voids in irradiated polytrioxane

The formation of voids and defects is investigated by X-ray diffraction methods, by weight loss measurement and by electron microscopy, for an irradiated polytrioxane (PTOX) obtained by the-ray-induced polymerization of trioxane in the solid state. The main reasons for the formation of the layer-like voids are transverse decomposition at a selective point accessible to the radiation in the micro-fibrils, and the subsequent extensible depolymerization which may occur from the unstable chain end with increase of the radiation dose. The analysis of the SAXS curve for the irradiated PTOX, according to Tsvankin's method gives reasonable results for the void structure, where the reduction of the sub-crystal fraction and also the weight loss of the sample by irradiation are taken into account.     

Single machine batch scheduling problem with fuzzy batch size

In a batch scheduling problem, jobs are grouped (group is called batch) and scheduled in batches, and a setup time is incurred when starting a new batch. Processing times are assumed to be identical for all jobs. Setup times are assumed to be identical for all batches. Though all batch sizes cannot exceed a common upper bound, the upper bound is flexible and satisfaction degree with respect to the upper limit to be maximized is given. Also the other two objectives, i.e., the maximum completion time and the flow-time are to be minimized. Usually there exists no solution optimizing three objectives at a time. Therefore we define non-dominated solutions consisting of batch size, batch number and allocation of jobs to batches. First we propose an efficient algorithm for a sub-problem with fixed upper limit of batch size, fixed batch number based on a Lagrange relaxation procedure. Based on the properties of non-dominated solutions clarified in this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm to find some non-dominated solutions. Finally we summarize the results in this paper and discuss further research problems.