Development and characterization of micro-dispersed lacquer

本文利用一种特制的搅拌装置来制备微分散生漆。研究了在不同的搅拌速率和搅拌时间下所获得的生漆微粒子的直径和性能的关系。粒度分布测定表明,经过60分钟且每分钟240转搅拌处理的生漆,其粒子直径分布最窄,平均为0.194微米。凝胶色谱(GPC)分析显示生漆中的寡聚体增加的同时单体的百分含量减少了,意味着在搅拌的过程中发生了聚合反应。另外,微分散生漆的粘度、干燥成膜时间、膜亮度、膜颜色、膜光泽以及耐紫外线等特性也作了深入的探讨。     

Identification of Ustilago cynodontis as a new producer of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, based on ribosomal DNA sequences

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are one of the most promising glycolipid biosurfactants known because of their multifunctionality and biocompatibility. The search for novel producers of MELs was undertaken based on the analysis of ribosomal DNA sequences on basidiomycetous yeasts. The bermuda grass smut fungus Ustilago cynodontis NBRC 7530, which taxonomically relates to Pseudozyma shanxiensis known as a MEL-C producer, was found to accumulate glycolipids in the cultured medium. Under a shake flask culture with soybean oil, the amount of the glycolipids was 1.4 g/L for 7 days at 25 degrees C. As a result of the structural characterization, the main glycolipids was identified as 4-O-[(4'-O-acetyl-3'-O-alka(e)noyl-2'-O-butanoyl)-beta-D-mannopyranosyl]-D-erythritol, and the major fatty acids were C(14) and C(16) ones. The glycolipid was highly hydrophilic MEL-C, and very similar to those produced by P. shanxiensis. The fungi of the genus Ustilago are thus likely to be potential producers of MELs as well as the yeasts of the genus Pseudozyma.     

Packing density of glycolipid biosurfactant monolayers give a significant effect on their binding affinity toward immunoglobulin G

Mannosylerythritol lipid-A (MEL-A) is one of the most promising glycolipid biosurfactants, and abundantly produced by Pseudozyma yeasts. MEL-A gives not only excellent self-assembling properties but also a high binding affinity toward human immunoglobulin G (HIgG). In this study, three kinds of MEL-A were prepared from methyl myristate [MEL-A (m)], olive oil [MEL-A (o)], and soybean oil [MEL-A (s)], and the effect of interfacial properties of each MEL-A monolayer on the binding affinity toward HIgG was investigated using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the measurement of surface pressure (pi)-area (A) isotherms. Based on GC-MS analysis, the main fatty acids were C(8) and C(10) acids in all MEL-A, and the content of unsaturated fatty acids was 0% for MEL-A (m), 9.1% for MEL-A (o), 46.3% for MEL-A (s), respectively. Interestingly, the acid content significantly influenced on their binding affinity, and the monolayer of MEL-A (o) gave a higher binding affinity than that of MEL-A (m) and MEL-A (s). Moreover, the mixed MEL-A (o)/ MEL-A (s) monolayer prepared from 1/1 molar ratio, which comprised of 27.8% of unsaturated fatty acids, indicated the highest binding affinity. At the air/water interface, MEL-A (o) monolayer exhibited a phase transition at 13 degrees C from a liquid condensed monolayer to a liquid expanded monolayer, and the area per molecule significantly expanded above 13 degrees C, while the amount of HIgG bound to the liquid expanded monolayer was much higher than that bound to liquid condensed monolayer. The binding affinity of MEL-A toward HIgG is thus likely to closely relate to the monolayer packing density, and may be partly controlled by temperature.     

Identification of Pseudozyma graminicola CBS 10092 as a producer of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids

A basidiomycetous yeast, Pseudozyma graminicola CBS 10092, was found to accumulate a large amount of glycolipids in the cultured medium when grown on soybean oil as the sole carbon source. Based on thin layer chromatography, the extracellular glycolipids gave spots corresponding to those of mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs), which are highly functional and promising biosurfactants. From the structural characterization by 1H and 13C NMR, the main product was identified as 4-O-[(4'-mono-O-acetyl-2', 3'-di-O-alka(e)noyl)-beta-D-mannopyranosyl]-D-erythritol, which is a highly hydrophilic derivative of MELs known as MEL-C. According to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, the main product, MEL-C, comprised approximately 85% of all the MELs, and the total amount reached approximately 10 g/L for 7 days. The fatty acids of the present MEL-C consisted of mainly C6, C8 and C14 acids, considerably different from those of MEL-C produced by other Pseudozyma strains such as P. antarctica and P. shanxiensis. The observed critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the surface-tension at CMC of the MEL-C were 4.0 x 10(-6) M and 24.2 mN/m, respectively, while those of MEL-A, the most intensively studied MEL, were 2.7 x 10(-6) M and 28.4 mN/m, respectively. This implied that the MEL-C has higher hydrophilicity than conventional MELs hitherto reported. In addition, on a water-penetration scan, the MEL-C efficiently formed the lamella phase (Lalpha) at a wide range of concentrations, indicating its excellent self-assembling properties. From these results, the newly identified MELs produced by P. graminicola are likely to have great potential for use in oil-in-water type emulsifiers and/or washing detergents, and would thus facilitate a broad range of applications for the promising yeast biosurfactants.     

Application of a thin intermediate cathode layer prepared by inkjet printing for SOFCs

The application of an inkjet printing process for fabricating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes was investigated. Stably-dispersed LSCF–GDC inks were prepared by ball milling, and the composition was easily controlled by the preparation process. Fabrication of an LSCF–GDC layer was successfully carried out by depositing dots and the thickness was easily controlled by repeating printing process. A planar SOFC single cell with a double-layered cathode (comprised of a paste painted cathode layer and an inkjet printed interlayer) achieved a maximum power density of 0.71 W/cm² at 600 °C. This is the preliminary work for fabricating the cathode layer of a SOFC single cell via inkjet printing.     

Relation between crystal structure and lattice oxygen content of sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride

When reaction-bonded silicon nitride containing MgO/Y₂O₃ additives is sintered at three different temperatures to form sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN), the thermal conductivity increases with sintering temperature. The β-Si₃N₄ (silicon nitride) crystals of SRBSN ceramics were synthesized and characterized to investigate the relation between the crystal structure and the lattice oxygen content. The hot-gas extraction measurement result and the crystal structure obtained using Rietveld analysis suggested that the unit cell size of the β-Si₃N₄ crystal increases with the decrease in the lattice oxygen content. This result is reasonable considering that the lattice oxygen with the smaller covalent radius substitutes nitrogen with the larger one in the β-Si₃N₄ crystals. The lattice oxygen content decreased with increasing sintering temperature which also correlated with increase in thermal conductivity. Moreover, it is noteworthy from the viewpoint that it may be possible to apply the lattice constant analysis for the nondestructive and simple measurement of the lattice oxygen content that deteriorates the thermal conductivity of the β-Si₃N₄ ceramics.     

Re-evaluation of Radiation-Energy Transfer to an Extraction Solvent in a Minor-Actinide-Separation Process Based on Consideration of Radiation Permeability

ABSTRACT

Absorbed-dose estimation is essential for evaluation of the radiation tolerance of minor-actinide-separation processes. We propose a dose-evaluation method based on radiation permeability, with comparisons of heterogeneous structures seen in the solvent-extraction process, such as emulsions forming in the mixture of the organic and aqueous phases. A demonstration of radiation-energy-transfer simulation is performed with a focus on the minor-actinide-recovery process from high-level liquid waste with the aid of the Monte Carlo radiation-transport code PHITS. The simulation results indicate that the dose absorbed by the extraction solvent from alpha radiation depends upon the emulsion structure, and that from beta and gamma radiation depends upon the mixer-settler-apparatus size. Non-negligible contributions of well-permeable gamma rays were indicated in terms of the plant operation of the minor-actinide-separation process.     

Ultrasonic irradiation on hydrolysis of magnesium hydride to enhance hydrogen generation

This paper describes the ultrasonic irradiation on the hydrolysis of magnesium hydride to enhance hydrogen generation; the effects of the ultrasonic frequency and the sample size on the hydrogen generation were mainly examined. In the experiments, three MgH₂ particle and nanofiber samples were soaked in distilled water and ultrasonically irradiated at frequencies of 28, 45, and 100 kHz. Then, the amount of hydrogen generated was measured. We found that the low frequency of ultrasonic irradiation and the relatively small sample size accelerated the hydrolysis reaction MgH₂ + 2H₂O = Mg(OH)₂ + 2H₂ + 277 kJ. In particular, the MgH₂ nanofibers exhibited the maximum hydrogen storage capacity of 14.4 mass% at room temperature at a frequency of 28 kHz (ultrasound irradiation). The results also experimentally validated that a combination of ultrasonic irradiation and MgH₂ hydrolysis is considerably effective for efficiently generating hydrogen without heating and adding any agent.     

Phenotypic abnormalities observed in aged cloned mice from embryonic stem cells after long-term maintenance

Somatic/embryonic stem cell cloning has made it possible to produce an individual genomically identical to another individual. However, the cloned animals have a variety of abnormalities caused by the aberrant gene modification, with insufficient reprogramming in cloning. We previously reported abnormalities in cloned mice at birth. In this study, we examined what abnormalities could be seen in cloned mice after long-term maintenance. The aged cloned mice showed multiple abnormalities: increase of body weight, some phenotypic abnormalities in the kidneys, testes and thymus, and lower urea nitrogen in their serum biochemical values. The kidneys of all cloned mice were hypertrophied, with a metamorphic or whitish appearance. The multiple lesions, including the enlarged renal pelvis and distension of the renal veins in histology, might be the result of urine accumulation by urinary tract obstruction. The testes of the cloned mice were atrophied, and showed no sperm formation in histology. In contrast, the thymus was rather hypertrophied, and a comparably increased number of lymphocytes were observed in the medulla, consisting mainly of T cells. By conducting a progeny test between the cloned mice, it was confirmed that these abnormalities in the aged cloned mice were not transmitted to their offspring, indicating that the incomplete reprogramming in clones might be in part responsible for the abnormalities detected in aged clones. These results indicate that the postnatal abnormalities observed in aged cloned mice are varied and can be restored through the germ line.     

EVALUATION OF THE CUMULATIVE FORMATION OF HIGH-SPEED LIQUID JETS

1 .　INTRODUCTIONHigh speedliquidjetsareoftenseeninrainerosionsimulationofaircraftandmissiles ,JilbertandField[1] and jetcuttingofmaterials ,Kob ayashi[2 ] .Inthegenerationofjets ,itistechnicallyinterestingtoknowhowtooperatetheexperimen talfacilityattheoptimumconditiontoobtainthejetvelocitymostefficiently .ThisisdescribedbyShiandTakayama[3] ,ShiandItoh[4 ] ,ShiandIt oh[5] .Intheearlieststudyofa pulsedhigh speedliquidjet ,BowdenandBrunton[6 ] puttheliquidinanozzleandthenusedaslugimpact…