Co-crosslinking blend of incompatible polymers VI: Poly(vinyl chloride) toughened with polyethylene via a co-crosslinking technique

A binary blend which consists of two incompatible polymers such as poly(vinyl chloride) and polyethylene has been performed through a partial co-crosslinking reaction with peroxide to give a co-crosslinked blend with a uniform dispersion of small polyethylene particles and with an improved mechanical property. The results are obtained through the formation of a co-crosslinked product which acts as a potential solid phase dispersant as well as a well-bonded reinforcing interlayer on polyethylene particles uniformly dispersed in poly(vinyl chloride) matrix. The resulting blends (PVC/PE=10/90 wt) give carbon spherules of 0.5 to 1m diameter through pressure-carbonization at 650° C for 1 h.     

Large aperture superconducting magnet (benkei)

Benkei, which was a large window frame conventional magnet at KEK has been converted to a superconducting magnet. In the conversion, the pole gap has been doubled from 0.5 m to 1.0 m retaining an analysing power at 2 T m. Several new techniques were applied to coil windings and cryostat fabrication. The superconducting Benkei has shown satisfactory performances for long term operation.     

Traffic systems as joint cognitive systems: issues to be solved for realizing human-technology coagency

This paper discusses a couple of issues that are at the center of discussions in the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and their effects from the viewpoints of the joint cognitive systems. The first is the issue of authority and responsibility. It is argued that machine may be given authority to improve safety and to alleviate possible damages, even in the framework of human-centered automation. The second is the issue of the overtrust in and overreliance on ADAS, in which it is argued that possibilities and types of overtrust or overreliance may vary depending on characteristics of ADAS. The importance of the design of human–machine interface and human–machine interactions is included in the discussions.     

A preparation and polymorphic relations of sodium iron oxide (NaFeO2)

The formation of α-NaFeO₂ and β-NaFeO₂ below 700°C was found to depend strongly on the structure of starting iron oxide; α-Fe₂O₃ with hcp of oxygen yielded β-NaFeO₂ with hcp and γ-Fe₂O₃ with ccp of oxygen yielded α-NaFeO₂ with ccp by a reaction either with Na₂CO₃ or Na₂O₂. The doping of Na-ions into the γ-Fe₂O₃ structure and its rapid change to α-NaFeO₂ were observed. The transformation from the metastable β-NaFeO₂ to the stable α-form was very much sluggish in the solid state, but it was accelerated by the presence of the liquid Na₂O₂.     

Asymmetric electric double layer capacitors using carbon electrodes with different pore size distributions

Asymmetric capacitors composed of carbon electrodes with different pore size distributions (PSD) were constructed in order to study the fundamental relationship between the PSD of positive and negative carbon electrodes and the performance of electric double layer capacitors. The performance of asymmetric capacitors in a non-aqueous electrolyte solution (TEMA·BF₄/PC) was found to be governed by the PSD of the carbon used in the negative electrode. Capacitance depends on the BET surface area of the negative electrode and the rate performance depends on its mesoporous surface area. These results were explained by the fact that it is more difficult to adsorb large solvated cations (TEMA⁺) in micropores (less than 2 nm wide) than in mesopores (2-50 nm wide), and that this is more difficult with a higher rate of charge-discharge.     

Antioxidant activity of Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.) fruit

Antioxidants were extracted from Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.) fruit and characterized. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract from Japanese pepper fruit was found to be equal to that of α-tocopherol and stable under heat treatment. The main compounds that gave a significant antioxidant activity from the methanol extract were identified to be hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-galactoside) and quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside) as determined by HPLC, mass spectrometry, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and TLC. Radical-scavenging activities of hyperoside and quercitrin from Japanese pepper fruit were evaluated using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. As a result, hyperoside and quercitrin scavenged DPPH radical strongly with IC₅₀ values of 16 and 18 μM, respectively. These observations show the presence of strong antioxidants, namely hyperoside and quercitrin in Japanese pepper fruit.     

Sequence variants in the pancreatic islet beta-cell inwardly rectifying K+ channel Kir6.2 (Bir) gene: identification and lack of role in Caucasian patients with NIDDM

The septate gregarine parasites of flour beetles (Tribolium spp.) include Gregarina minuta Ishii, 1914, a relatively small species in which both primite and satellite possess an obvious protomerite, and a larger species that lacks the satellite protomerite. The latter species has been placed in the genera Didymophyes and Hirmocystis by various authors, but studies reported here demonstrate that this species, herein described as Gregarina triboliorum, exhibits early pairing and produces oocyst chains, both characteristics of the genus Gregarina. The oocysts of this new species are described for the first time. In addition, experimental infections using oocyst from single gametocysts reveal that oocyst chain number is variable but is typically 1, 2, or 4. Prior experiments involving a related beetle, Tenebrio molitor, demonstrated extreme host specificity within the 4 Gregarina species parasitizing larval and adult hosts. However, G. triboliorum is not limited either stadially or specially, infecting both adults and larvae of Tribolium confusum and Tribolium castaneum.     

Pressure carbonization of pitch/phenolic resin mixtures

Phenolic resins and the benzene-soluble fraction of a coal tar pitch were mixed in a solvent (pyridine) and carbonized at 600° C in a gold tube under a pressure of 30 MPa. Yields, optical textures and graphitizabilities of the carbons were studied. Large carbon yields (>80%) were obtained from sealed tubes under pressure (closed system). In open tubes under pressure (open system), only slight improvements in carbon yields were observed. As the resin content in the starting mixtures increased, the optical texture of the resultant carbons decreased from coarse mosaic to isotropic through intermediates with a gradual decrease in size of mosaic units. These intermediate optical textures occurred with a wider range of resin content under pressure than under atmospheric pressure, especially from closed systems. Changes in structural parameters of the carbons after the 2800° C treatment corresponded to the changes in optical texture with resin content.     

Hologram lenses lead to compact scanners

The development of compact, low-height bar code readers for European supermarkets, where clerks sit at checkstands arranged much like office desks, is described. The technology used to meet all the requirements for this application is described. The resulting reader features advanced hologram lenses, for less-expensive optics and greater efficiency     

Debye-Waller parameters of diatomic crystals

The Debye-Waller parameters, the effective valuesB _eff, the dynamic component,B _d, and the static component,B _s, of each constituent atom and also of the bulk were measured for some diatomic crystals with NaCl- and zinc blende-type structures. The dominant effect of heavy constituent atoms on the dynamic component of bulk crystals was found, and the mean square displacement in bulk crystals was approximated well by the atomic mass averaged mean square displacements of the constituent atoms. A remarkable effect of structural defects onB _eff, particularly onB _s, was observed in NiO samples with different degrees of non-stoichiometry. The different extents of the SiC-forming reaction between solid carbon and fused silicon resulted in quite differentB _eff values; the larger theB _eff value the smaller the extent of the reaction.