Expressions of P-selectin- and HSP72-like immunoreactivities in rat brain after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion

The role of an adhesion molecule such as P-selectin may be important in the pathogenesis of stroke. However, temporal, spatial and cellular profiles of the expression of such a protein have not been fully studied. Change of immunoreactive P-selectin was examined in rat brain after transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in comparison with that of 72 kDa heat shock protein (HSP72) which is a well known marker of cell injury. Western blot analyses were performed to ensure the selective detection of immunoreactive P-selectin and HSP72 proteins with each antibody using brain samples before and after ischemia. Temporal, spatial and cellular changes of immunohistochemical expressions of P-selectin and HSP72 were evaluated with rat brain sections at 2 and 8 h, and 1, 3 and 7 days of reperfusion after 1 h of MCA occlusion (MCAO). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to evaluate brain cell damage at 3 and 7 days of reperfusion. Western blot showed a single band at molecular weights of 140 and 72 kDa for P-selectin and HSP72, respectively, only after ischemia. No significant band was observed without primary antibody. P-selectin-like immunoreactivity was not normally present in rat brain sections. However, it was expressed mainly in the post-capillary venules of the cerebral cortex and caudate in the MCA territory with a peak at 8 h to 1 day. The expression was diminished by 3 days of reperfusion. An immunoreactive HSP72 was scarcely present in the cerebral cortex and caudate of the sham control brain. However, the protein was induced in neurons of the MCA territory. The HSP72 induction was gradually intensified from 8 h with peaks at 1 day in the cortex and at 3 days in the caudate. The immunoreactivity decreased by 7 days. Histopathological study with HE staining showed no evident cell damage at 3 and 7 days of reperfusion. The present results indicate that temporal, spatial and cellular differences were present in the expressions of immunoreactive P-selectin and HSP72 proteins. P-selectin was expressed from an earlier stage of reperfusion in post-capillary venules, and the expression became maximum at the same time both in the cerebral cortex and caudate. In contrast, HSP72 induction began later in neurons and reached maximum at a different time between the cortex and caudate.     

Effect of phenolic compounds on liquefaction of coal in the presence of hydrogen-donor solvent

Phenolic compounds have a remarkable positive effect on coal liquefaction in the presence of tetralin, depending strongly on the character of the coal and on the concentrations of phenols. The solvent-refined coal obtained in the presence of phenol was low in hydrogen content and high in the fraction of aromatic hydrogen; these results corresponded well to the fact that coal conversion increases without increase of hydrogen consumption in the presence of phenols. The effect of phenols on coal liquefaction may be caused mainly by accelerated scission of ether linkages, since the decomposition of 2,2′-dinaphthyl ether was considerably enhanced by the addition of phenols.     

Dielectric properties of cellulose acylates

Thirteen kinds of cellulose acylates from the acetate to stearate were prepared by trifluoro acetic anhydride–fatty acid esterification, and their dielectric constant and loss were measured over wide temperature and frequency ranges. Two types of relaxation process (α_d and β_d) were recognized for all the acylates and an additional relaxation process (γ_d) was detected for the acylates with side chain length longer than that of the butyrate. These α_d to γ_d processes were attributed to the micro-Brownian motion of the main chain (α_d), the motion of oxycarbonyl group of the side chain (β_d) and the motion initiated by minimum three methylene groups in addition to the oxycarbonyl group (γ_d), respectively. In the transition map for the β_d process, inflection points were observed, and the temperature at the inflection point could be regarded as a freezing point of the micro-Brownian motion of the acyl side chain. In the temperature region above the inflection point, plots in transition map for all the acylates were found to be on the same straight line.     

Rutile thin film responsive to visible light and with high UV light sensitivity

A transparent rutile thin film 100 nm thick was fabricated on a quartz glass substrate; it was responsive to visible light and had a higher sensitivity to UV light than an anatase thin film formed by sol–gel method under identical conditions. The crystal structure was determined by observations using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and a transmission electron microscope. The oxygen/titanium ratio of the rutile thin films was 1.78 according to the XPS peaks. The photoreactivity and photoinduced hydrophilicity of the rutile thin films was examined by measuring the pseudo first-order rate for the decoloration of methylene blue in an aqueous solution and the water contact angle, respectively. The high photoreactivity and photosensitivity of the O-deficient rutile thin film, whose optical band edge and refractive index were 3.10 eV and 2.2, respectively, were due to electron traps and assisted by O-defects within the rutile particles.     

Research of core characteristics of the Package-Reactor

A new small reactor concept called the Package-Reactor has been jointly developed by Hitachi, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The reactor technology was based on that of conventional LWRs. The reactor core consists of 12 cassettes containing fuel rods with a similar design to that of PWR fuel rods. Cassettes are placed in air at atmospheric pressure. Tube-type control clusters placed outside the pressure boundary are used as the core shutdown system. Natural circulation with two-phase flow is employed for the core cooling system and no re-circulation pumps are required. With these concepts the Package-Reactor eliminates any active components that operate in high pressure regions of the reactor and its capital costs can be reduced. The feasibility of reactivity control by using moderator void feedback and burnable poisons was studied to reduce operational and maintenance costs. It was found that a continuous operation of more than 5 years without any operations to control reactivity would be feasible with a UO₂ fuel enrichment of 5.0 wt%, which is the upper limit for UO₂ fuel enrichment under the current regulations in Japan. In addition, we researched the core reflectors' characteristics of the Package-Reactor.     

Development of water leak detection method in fusion reactors using water-soluble gas

A water leak detection method using krypton (Kr) as a water-soluble tracer has been proposed for fusion reactors with fully circulating the in-vessel cooling water. This method was targeted for applying to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), and the 10⁻³ Pa m³/s order of water leak valves were fabricated and connected to the water loop circuit. The water leaks were effused into the vacuum vessel evacuated by a cryopump and the water dissolved Kr was detected by a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS). When two leak valves with 1 m distance were attached to the test pipe with 30 °C heating, two distinct, the mass to charge number ratio (m/e) of 84 peak current rises caused by the water leak were successfully detected with the time interval of 39 s. On the other hand, the water accession length as a function of the traveling time was calculated by considering a natural convection flow caused by the 30 °C heating, where the traveling time was 44.6 s for the 1 m length. This means that the observed positional accuracy is 12.6%, based on the calculation. To enhance the positional accuracy, the detailed flow simulation is indispensable. This method can be applied to the ITER condition.     

Structural Transition of C60 On Iodine Doping By Solid-Vapor Reaction

f.c.c. C60.     

Scanning limitation in adaptive superresolution array

A fundamental limitation in an adaptive superresolution array, due to reciprocity between the angular resolution capability and the measurement time required, is discussed. For this purpose, a new concept for the measurement time, a scanning time concept, is introduced by considering a superresolution array consisting of an Applebaum-Howells adaptive processor with steering signal changing periodically with time. The measurement time is defined as the amount of time taken to perform one observation over the range of desired angle. Superresolution array output is defined according to the adapted angular response formulation. It is shown that the relationship between the resolution capability and the scanning time is reciprocal, i.e., the increased angular resolution is obtained at the expense of the scanning time. The relationship is discussed quantitatively for a narrow-band signal model.     

Study on a heat pipeEtude sur les tubes a chaleurStudium über heizungsröhreИccлeдoBaниe тeплoпpoBoднoй тpyбы

The objective of this study was to obtain an understanding of heat pipe operating limits.Sintered powders were used as the wick, and pure water and Freon 113 as the working fluid. In this study, two types of experiments were undertaken. The first involved independent studies of wick characteristics, friction losses and capillary properties. The second involved the measurement of maximum heat transfer rates. The simplified model was developed for predicting the maximum heat transfer rates of capillary limits.The agreement between predicted and experimental maximum heat-transfer rates was excellent.