Observation of corrosion behavior of stainless steels in a salt manufacturing plant environment using the multichannel electrode method

Crevice corrosion of four kinds of stainless steel, SUS316L, NAS64, NAS185N and NAS254N, in saturated NaCl solution at temperatures up to 100 °C was investigated using the multichannel electrode method. In this method, a pile of five individual working electrodes (WEs) of stainless steel sheet were embedded in epoxy resin and a small hole penetrating through the five WEs was treated as an artificial crevice. Time transition and distribution of the coupling current between the five WEs were measured as a function of crevice depth, kind of stainless steel, temperature and concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO). Anodic or cathodic coupling current on the five WEs of SUS316L changed depending on their corroding state. On the other hand, NAS64, NAS185N and NAS254N showed that the WE outside the crevice contributed as a cathode and that WEs inside the crevice contributed as an anode. The coupling current on SUS316L was strongly affected by concentration of DO, while the coupling current on NAS64, NAS185N and NAS254N was not affected by DO, probably due to the establishment of a passive state inside the crevice.     

Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation on posterior alpha wave

Because of the unclear conclusion of the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on the posterior electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha wave, this study is aimed at investigating these unclear effects. Transcranial stimulation effects are observed by analyzing a measured EEG at the occipital area between prestimulation and the poststimulation. The EEG alpha power and alpha coherence are calculated and analyzed in terms of the ratio between eyes closed and eyes open periods. The results reveal that alpha power ratio at the individual alpha frequency (IAF) significantly increases after the 1‐Hz rTMS and cathodal tDCS and slightly decreases after the anodal tDCS compared to the control and the sham conditions. The results also show that there is a significant difference between the inhibited and excited conditions. Similarities are observed in the patterns of the alpha coherence ratio and alpha power changes. The alpha coherence increases in the rTMS and cathodal tDCS conditions, and decreases in the anodal tDCS condition but these effects occur only when comparing across the hemispheres (O1–O2 and P3–P4). It can be summarized that the EEG alpha wave can be influenced by the transcranial stimulations. The rTMS and cathodal tDCS seem to facilitate the alpha activity and the anodal tDCS inhibits it. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Difference of histology and elemental composition of the cervical enamels among human permanent teeth

The purpose of this study is to clarify the difference of histology and elemental composition of the cervical enamels among the human permanent teeth. The re-ground surfaces at the cervical enamels of them were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The contents of seven elements were analyzed quantitatively with electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). The widths of the rod sections at the cervical enamels were larger than those at the cuspal enamels. The rod sections at the mesial cervical enamels in the incisors were more obscure and more decayed by acid solution than those in the premolars and molars. The calcium and phosphorus contents of the cervical enamels were significantly lower than those of the cuspal enamels. The carbon content of the cervical enamels was significantly higher than that of the cuspal enamels. The calcium and phosphorus contents of the cervical enamels were the significantly highest in the premolars. The carbon and sodium contents of the cervical enamels were significantly highest in the premolars. It is thought that the calcification level is lower, while the content of organic matter is higher at the cervical enamels than those at the cuspal enamels. It is considered that the sodium causes high calcification.     

Demulsification of oil-in-water emulsion under freezing conditions: Effect of crystal structure modifier

The demulsification of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions under freezing conditions is connected to fat crystallization in the oil droplet. Therefore, demulsification can be prevented by the use of oil with a low melting point, and also by lowering the O/W ratio. However, an oil with a low melting point, such as sunflower, is rather expensive, and the O/W ratio has a significant effect on the texture of emulsions. We searched for an oil that is suitable for the production of a freeze-stable emulsion and found that soybean oil has unique characteristics. Normally, emulsions are more unstable at lower temperatures; soybean oil emulsion is unstable at −10°C and stable at −20°C. This unique characteristic results from the following two reasons. First, the solid fat content of soybean oil is almost the same at −10 and −20°C. Second, small crystals form a larger network over a period of time, and the higher temperature promotes faster restructuring. This structure formation was microscopically observed with the use of a thermostated stage. Structure formation was suppressed with the addition of a crystal structure modifier, polyglycerol fatty acid full ester, which also suppressed coalescence.     

High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of SiC–Mo5(Si,Al)3C Composites

SiC–Mo₅(Si,Al)₃C composites were fabricated by the melt infiltration process, and the infiltration characteristics were studied in detail. Fracture strength and toughness were measured up to 1600°C using a three-point bending test and indentation strength method, respectively. Both fracture strength and toughness significantly increased at 1400°C with respect to the values at room temperature. These increases were mainly attributed to plastic deformation of the infiltrated Mo₅(Si,Al)₃C phases at elevated temperatures, which acted as ductile toughening inclusions. Compressive creep tests were used to study the creep behavior of the composite in the range of 1550°–1650°C and 150–200 MPa. The stress exponent and activation energy were 1.3 and 277 kJ/mol, respectively. Preliminary oxidation tests showed that the composites exhibited good oxidation resistance at 1500°C because of the formation of a dense oxide scale.     

Downregulation of miR-122-5p Activates Glycolysis via PKM2 in Kupffer Cells of Rat and Mouse Models of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has pathological characteristics similar to those of alcoholic hepatitis, despite the absence of a drinking history. The greatest threat associated with NASH is its progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathophysiology of NASH is not fully understood to date. In this study, we investigated the pathophysiology of NASH from the perspective of glycolysis and the Warburg effect, with a particular focus on microRNA regulation in liver-specific macrophages, also known as Kupffer cells. We established NASH rat and mouse models and evaluated various parameters including the liver-to-body weight ratio, blood indexes, and histopathology. A quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of the NASH rat model livers revealed the activation of glycolysis. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry results indicated that the expression of pyruvate kinase muscle 2 (PKM2), a rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, was upregulated in the liver tissues of both NASH models. Moreover, increases in PKM2 and p-PKM2 were observed in the early phase of NASH. These observations were partially induced by the downregulation of microRNA122-5p (miR-122-5p) and occurred particularly in the Kupffer cells. Our results suggest that the activation of glycolysis in Kupffer cells during NASH was partially induced by the upregulation of PKM2 via miR-122-5p suppression.     

Thermal Instability and Proton Conductivity of Ceramic Hydroxyapatite at High Temperatures

In the study of the high-temperature behavior of ceramic hydroxyapatite (HAp), it was found in relation to its ionic conduction properties that HAp underwent partial dehydration of its lattice hydroxide ions. Considering that HAp ceramics are sintered above 1200°C without destruction of the apatitic structure, the dehydration was interpreted as an unstable phenomenon of aging. The evolution of instability of dehydration was reflected in the time-dependent characteristics of conductivity, which exhibited up-and-down change of 10³ S·cm⁻¹ above 700°C. The conduction was proved purely protonic by measurements of a hydrogen concentration cell, and it was noted that the protonic conductivity was increased to a high value of 10⁻³ S·cm⁻¹ at the initial stage of the aging. The aging phenomenon was demonstrated to be reversible in the deuteration of fully aged HAp; the uptake of OD⁻ inside the specimen was confirmed by infrared spectroscopic analysis after exposure to deuterium oxide vapor. Based on those results, a conduction model was proposed consistent with the aging phenomenon. The present study also showed the importance of the supply of H₂O vapor to the ambient during sintering, for the lattice hydroxide ions of ceramic HAp were considerably dehydrated in sintering in air at high temperatures.     

Factors Affecting the Porosity and Bending Strength of Ti(CN)-TiB2 Materials

This paper describes the effects that the particle size of Ti(CN) and TiB₂ powder, oxygen content of the TiB₂ powder, and Co impurity content in the starting raw materials have on the porosity and bending strength ofTi(CN)-30% TiB₂ materials obtained by ordinary sintering.     

Selective Oxidation of Propylene to Propylene Oxide by Molecular Oxygen over Ti-Al-HMS Catalysts

Ti- and Al-containing hexagonal mesoporous silicas (HMS) were synthesized at ambient temperature using dodecylamine as surfactant, and the resultant compounds were used as catalysts for the oxidation of propylene by molecular oxygen. Ti-Al-HMS, which was prepared by reaction of Ti(iso-OC₃H₇)₄, Al(iso-OC₃H₇)₃ and SiOC₂H₅)₄ in an alcohol-aqueous solution in the presence of dodecylamine, showed 47.8 of conversion and 30.6 of selectivity for propylene oxide (PO) at 523K. The yield of PO over Ti-Al-HMS (14.6) was much higher than those over Ti-HMS (1.3) and Al-HMS (0.9) at the same reaction conditions. Ti-Al-HMS was also found to be more effective for PO formation than the supported catalysts (Ti/Al-HMS and Al/Ti-HMS) prepared by impregnation method. These results indicated that the simultaneous existence of Ti and Al in HMS was very important for improving the yield of PO from the oxidation of propylene, and the synthesis method influenced the catalytic activity of the Ti- and Al-containing HMS catalysts.