Psychological Stress Exacerbates Inflammation of the Ileum via the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone-Mast Cell Axis in a Mouse Model of Eosinophilic Enteritis

The effects of psychological stress on eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders have not been elucidated. This study investigated the effects of psychological stress in a mouse model of eosinophilic enteritis (EoN). BALB/c mice were treated with ovalbumin (OVA) to create an EoN model and subjected to either water avoidance stress (WAS) or sham stress (SS). Microscopic inflammation, eosinophil and mast cell counts, mRNA expression, and protein levels of type 2 helper T cell (Th2) cytokines in the ileum were compared between groups. We evaluated ex vivo intestinal permeability using an Ussing chamber. A corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRH-R1) antagonist was administered before WAS, and its effects were analyzed. WAS significantly increased diarrhea occurrence and, eosinophil and mast cell counts, and decreased the villus/crypt ratio compared to those in the SS group. The mRNA expression of CRH, interleukin IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-1, and mast cell tryptase β2 significantly increased, and the protein levels of IL-5, IL-13, and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) also significantly increased in the WAS group. Moreover, WAS significantly increased the intestinal permeability. The CRH-R1 antagonist significantly inhibited all changes induced by WAS. Psychological stress exacerbated ileal inflammation via the CRH-mast cell axis in an EoN mouse model.     

栏栅式山溪取水工程取水特性的试验研究

通过水工模型试验,对栏栅式山溪取水工程的取水特性进行了研究,探讨了在有足够大的集水廊道的前提下,该取水工程的潜在取水能力。结果表明,在影响栏栅取水量的诸因素中,栅条长度、栅隙和栏栅的设置角度对取水量的影响程度不同;其取水量主要由栏栅的设置角度决定,而栅条长度和栅隙对取水量的影响程度较小;栏栅的设置角度小于50°时,栏栅有较大的引水比,栏栅的设置角度大于50°后,栏栅的引水比大幅度下降。     

铁液处理状态对初生奥氏体形核的作用机制

对Fe-C亚共晶合金熔液在1723K保温1h,进行熔融玻璃净化处理,并在净化过的铁液中添加灰铸铁、白口铁和电解铁试块,探讨铁液净化和碳元素加入方式对初生奥氏体形核过冷度、形核数量和生长方式的影响。结果表明,铁液经玻璃处理后,初晶与共晶形核困难。当在净化过的铁液中添加灰铸铁后,初晶和共晶均易于形核。不同处理状态分别起着消除或生成“Fe的富集区”的作用,时初生奥氏体的非自发形核有着显著的影响。     

Decomposition Characteristics of an Artificial Biogas in a Low‐Pressure DC Glow Discharge

The decomposition characteristics of an artificial biogas, which is a mixture of CH ₄, CO ₂, and H ₂ S, using a low‐pressure DC glow discharge have been investigated. It is found that H ₂, CO, C ₂ H ₂, H ₂ O, CS ₂, and COS are produced from the artificial biogas in the glow discharge. About 65% of the hydrogen atoms in CH ₄ are converted into H ₂ at an input energy of 800 J, at which CH ₄ is completely decomposed, and the decomposition characteristics of the artificial biogas are minimally dependent on the H ₂ S additive. Further, H ₂ S has a tendency to be decomposed earlier than the other components of the artificial biogas. When the glow discharge is generated in the artificial biogas with H ₂ S, some of the carbon atoms are found to deposit on the electrodes and the wall of the discharge chamber. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 186(1): 26–33, 2014; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.22304     

Ge quantum dots light-emitting devices

Si photonics becomes one of the research focuses in the field of photonics.Si-based light-emitting devices are one of the most important devices in this field.In this paper,we review the Si-based light...     

Preparation of bismuth nanowire encased in quartz template for Hall measurements using focused ion beam processing

ABSTRACT: Forming electrodes on opposite sides of an individual bismuth nanowire was attempted to prepare for Hall measurements. Although a 1-mm-long bismuth nanowire which is completely covered with a quartz template has been successfully fabricated to prevent oxidation, it is very difficult to attach Hall electrodes on the opposite sides of the nanowire due to the quartz covering. One side of the cylindrical quartz template was removed by polishing without exposure of the nanowire to the atmosphere; the thickness between the polished template surface and the nanowire was estimated to be several micrometers. Focused ion beam processing was successfully employed to expose both surfaces of the nanowire under high vacuum by removing part of the quartz template. A carbon thin film was then deposited in situ on the wire surface to fabricate an electrical contact on the bismuth nanowire sample. Furthermore, the energy dispersive X-ray analysis was performed to the area processed by focused ion beam, and the bismuth component of the nanowire was successfully detected. It was confirmed that the focused ion beam processing was applicable to attach electrodes to bismuth nanowire for Hall measurement.     

Measurement of Flow Stress in Supercooled Austenite for High Hardenability Steel

In this article, the isothermal flow stress in supercooled austenite was measured for a high hardenability steel. Supercooled austenite forms at the nonequilibrium phase and changes into other phases within a short time. It was confirmed that conventional tensile tests, which require maintaining a constant temperature before stretching, cannot accurately measure the flow stress in supercooled austenite. Therefore, a new tensile test named “the continuous cooling tensile test” was developed. In this test, stretching is conducted during continuous cooling. In the continuous cooling tensile test, the flow stress between 673 K and 973 K (400 °C and 700 °C) was measured. Microscopic observations of the continuous cooling test results verified that the microstructures were supercooled austenite.