Efficient intraliposomal entrapment of hydrophilic platinum oligonuclear complexes

A simple method for intraliposomal entrapment of platinum complexes is presented, where hydrophilic platinum oligonuclear complexes, 1-methyluracil green (MeUG), uridine green (UdG) and uridine blue (UdB), are included inside liposomes and allowed to react with bilayer lipids. The liposomes prepared in this method exhibit higher entrapment efficiency and higher distribution to organs (liver, kidney, spleen, lung) and blood (but not B16 cancer cells) than those prepared from mononuclear Pt complexes [cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, cis-diammine-1,1′-dicarboxylatocyclobutaneplatinum, and cis-dichloro-cis-dihydroxy-trans-bis(isopropylamine)platinum)].     

Effect of Al(OH)3 Addition on β-LiAlO2 Crystal Growth

Crystal growth of rod-shaped β-LiAlO₂ was previously reported by us, and the rod-shaped β-LiAlO₂ crystals were 1.5 μ in diameter and 10 to 15 μm long. In the present study needle-shaped β-LiAlO₂ crystals which were thinner and had larger aspect ratios (length/diameter) than the rodshaped β-LiAlO₂ crystals were grown by using LiOH–Al₂O₃–Al(OH)₃–NaOH as the raw material. These crystals were 0.7 to 1 μm in diameter, 9 to 13 μm long, and had aspect ratios of about 10 to 13.     

Preparation of VO2 films by organometallic chemical vapour deposition and dip-coating

Low-pressure organometallic chemical vapour deposition (OMCVD) and dip-coating of VO₂ films using vanadyl tri(isobutoxide) as the starting material were investigated. In OMCVD, discontinuous VO₂ films, which were composed of fine needle crystals, formed under very limited conditions, around 600° C with a flow rate of oxygen gas of 0.2 to 0.5 cm³ sec^–1. However, very uniform and tightly packed VO₂ films were grown by deposition at 300 to 700° C in the absence of oxygen gas and subsequent annealing in nitrogen at 500° C for 2 h. The films exhibited a sharp semiconductor to metal transition at 60 to 70° C, accompanied by a change in the resistivity by four to five orders of magnitude. In dip-coating with two-step heat-treatments (300° C for 1 h in nitrogen and subsequently 500° C for 2 h in nitrogen), of the gel films formed from VO(O-i-Bu)₃-H₂O-i-PrOH system, uniform (0 1 1) oriented VO₂ films were formed. A transition in the electrical conductivity by two to two and a half orders of the magnitude was found to occur around 60° C. Before and after the transition, no distinct variation in the XRD pattern was observed.     

Component spatial pattern analysis of chemicals by use of two-dimensional electro-optic terahertz imaging

We demonstrate a method of chemical mapping by using the transillumination terahertz (THz) images obtained by two-dimensional electro-optic THz imaging. The images and spectral data were measured between 0.1 and 1.0 THz. An experimental sample consisting of three chemicals was prepared, with one in two concentrations. By introducing the component spatial pattern analysis based on the least-squares method, the chemical composition, spatial distribution, and difference in concentration were clearly determined.     

Diffusion of unreacted monomers detected by ATR FTIR spectroscopy in a photosensitive printing plate after the photoreaction

A water‐developable flexographic printing plate consisting of poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐butadiene), polybutadiene, and carboxylated polyurethane as a polymer matrix, hexanediol dimethacrylate and polybutadiene diacrylate as reactive monomers, and benzildimethylketal as a photoinitiator was prepared and its photoreaction followed by structural change caused by the diffusion of unreacted monomers was characterized. Analysis combined ¹³C‐NMR and attenuated total reflection (ATR) FTIR showed the photoreaction occurred predominantly at the surface of exposure to the light at first, and then the reaction proceeded to the direction of the opposite surface with an increase in the exposure time. Diffusion of unreacted monomers after the photoreaction from the unexposed side to the exposed side was monitored by ATR FTIR. The diffusivity of unreacted monomers was dependent on the extent of photoreaction in the plate and the molecular weight of diffusing monomers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2903–2907, 2004     

Polyethylene paper insulation impregnated with liquid nitrogen

Polyethylene paper tape wrapped insulation impregnated with liquid nitrogen for cryogenic cables was studied using model cable specimens, 66 kV cryocable samples, and 275 kV cryocable samples. This insulation system performs well in that (1) voltage deterioration is small, (2) thickness dependence is small, and (3) dissipation factor is small. This insulation system is one of the most promising systems for a large capacity transmission cryogenic cable.     

A study of breakdown strength of liquid nitrogen cooled power cables

A 66 KV liquid nitrogen cooled cryogenic cable was manufactured and tested using ac and impulse voltages.Liquid nitrogen cooled cryogenic cables will be in practical use over the 275–500 kV range. Study of the 66 kV class cable is the first step towards the development. The insulation system of this cable is polyethylene paper tape wrapped insulation impregnated with liquid nitrogen and its insulation thickness is about 7.75 mm. The influence of bending, conductor surface effect, and thickness dependence on the breakdown strength are discussed.     

Estimation of inorganic food additive (nitrite,nitrate and sulfur dioxide), antioxidant (BHA and BHT), processing agent (propylene glycol) and sweetener (sodium saccharin) concentrations in foods and their daily intake based on official inspection results in Japan in fiscal year 1998

The mean concentration and daily intake of inorganic food additives (nitrite, nitrate, and sulfur dioxide), antioxidants (BHA and BHT), a processing agent (propylene glycol), and a sweetener (sodium saccharin) were estimated based on the results of an analysis of 34,489 food samples obtained in official inspections by 106 local governments in Japan in fiscal year 1998. The ratios of mean concentrations of these seven food additives to each allowable limit were 20.0%, 53.9%, 15.5%, 6.2%, 0.4%, 18.5%, and 5.7%, respectively. The daily intakes of these food additives estimated from their concentrations in foods and the daily consumption of foods were 0.205, 0.532, 4.31, 0.119, 0.109, 77.5, and 7.27 mg per person, respectively. These amounts were 6.8%, 0.3%, 12.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%, 6.2%, and 2.6% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI), respectively, when body weight was assumed to be 50 kg. No remarkable differences in the daily intakes of these seven food additives or the ratios to the ADI were observed compared with the results based on the official inspections in fiscal years 1994 and 1996.     

Design and operation of an air-conditioning system fueled by wood pellets

A room-cooling system of 2 kW capacity fueled by wood pellets was designed, built and tested. The system was demonstrated during summer at the Yakushima Field Station of Kagoshima University, Japan. It contained a pellet feeder, a pellet burner, a heat exchanger, a lithium bromide–water absorption heat pump and a control unit. The volume of the test room was 36.9 m³ and ambient temperature 30 °C. The airflow temperature from the room unit was decreased to 16 °C by the system, and the room temperature could be successfully controlled to 24 °C steady state. Room heating in winter was also demonstrated. Since the air was heat exchanged, the overall energy efficiency of the cooling system was low at about 19%. However, the calculation based on the heat flow showed that the efficiency could be enhanced to about 75% by direct heating of the regenerator by the flue gas.