Cytoskeletal Protein 4.1G Is Essential for the Primary Ciliogenesis and Osteoblast Differentiation in Bone Formation

The primary cilium is a hair-like immotile organelle with specific membrane receptors, including the receptor of Hedgehog signaling, smoothened. The cilium organized in preosteoblasts promotes differentiation of the cells into osteoblasts (osteoblast differentiation) by mediating Hedgehog signaling to achieve bone formation. Notably, 4.1G is a plasma membrane-associated cytoskeletal protein that plays essential roles in various tissues, including the peripheral nervous system, testis, and retina. However, its function in the bone remains unexplored. In this study, we identified 4.1G expression in the bone. We found that, in the 4.1G-knockout mice, calcium deposits and primary cilium formation were suppressed in the trabecular bone, which is preosteoblast-rich region of the newborn tibia, indicating that 4.1G is a prerequisite for osteoblast differentiation by organizing the primary cilia in preosteoblasts. Next, we found that the primary cilium was elongated in the differentiating mouse preosteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1, whereas the knockdown of 4.1G suppressed its elongation. Moreover, 4.1G-knockdown suppressed the induction of the cilia-mediated Hedgehog signaling and subsequent osteoblast differentiation. These results demonstrate a new regulatory mechanism of 4.1G in bone formation that promotes the primary ciliogenesis in the differentiating preosteoblasts and induction of cilia-mediated osteoblast differentiation, resulting in bone formation at the newborn stage.     

Seismic response prediction of base-isolated structures with high damping rubber bearings

To characterize the highly nonlinear hysteretic behavior of high damping rubber (HDR) bearings, a previously developed mathematical hysteresis model, rather than a simplified bilinear hysteresis model, is adopted in this study. Unilateral and bilateral seismic simulation tests of a scaled-down multistory structure isolated with HDR bearings subjected to three recorded earthquakes were conducted. Based on the unilateral test results, different sets of model parameters can be identified. The fidelity of the adopted hysteresis model is investigated by comparing the analytical predictions using all sets of identified parameters with results measured from the tests. The significant influence ascribed to different ground motion characteristics such as the effects of near-field and far-field earthquakes on modeling the hysteretic behavior of HDR bearings is observed. Besides, a feasibility study on applying the identified parameters of the adopted hysteresis model to predict the bilateral seismic responses is performed. Even though the prediction accuracy of the seismic responses is satisfactory in two orthogonally horizontal directions, the bilateral hysteretic modeling of HDR bearings requires further intensive studies considering the coupling effect under bilateral excitations.     

Controlled radical polymerization with polyolefin macroinitiator: a convenient and versatile approach to polyolefin-based block and graft copolymers

This paper introduces the new synthetic methodology of polyolefin-based block and graft copolymers with polar segments [e.g., polystyrene and poly(meth)acrylates]. Various brominated polyolefins were prepared by bromination of polyolefins with N-bromosuccinimide. The resulting brominated polyolefins were able to initiate the controlled radical polymerization of polar monomers, such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, t-butyl acrylate, styrene and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate, using a CuBr/N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine catalyst system, leading to a variety of polyolefin-based copolymers with a different content of the corresponding polar segment. Because of the accessible synthesis of polyolefin macroinitiators, this synthetic methodology is expected to result in the preparation of a wide range of polyolefin-based block and graft copolymers.     

Chemistry and melting characteristics of fireside deposits taken from boiler tubes in waste incinerators

Twenty-three tube deposits taken from seven heat-recovery boilers of municipal solid waste incinerators were examined by chemical analyses and X-ray diffraction. These deposits were measured by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) in N₂ to investigate their melting characteristics. Sixteen deposits were used to evaluate their corrosiveness to carbon steel by high-temperature corrosion test conducted at 400 °C for 20 h in 1500 ppm HCl – 300 ppm SO₂ – 7.5%O₂ – 7.5%CO₂ – 20%H₂O – N₂. Total heat of endothermic reactions of the deposits taking place between 200 and 400 °C can be related to the corrosion rate of carbon steel at 400 °C. Corrosion initiated at temperatures when the deposits started to melt, became severe when fused salt constituents increased, and alleviated when the majority of the deposits became fused. The corrosion can be interpreted as fused salt corrosion caused by chloride and sulfate salts.     

Superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic micropatterning on a carbon nanotube film using a laser plasma-type hyperthermal atom beam facility

Superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic micropatterning on a carbon nanotube (CNT) film has been achieved using a laser plasma-type hyperthermal atom beam facility, which produces a small amount of damage and generates a highly anisotropic beam. Fluorination and oxidation on CNT films by exposure to fluorine-atom and oxygen-atom beams caused superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces, respectively, while maintaining the as-grown fibrous forms of the CNT films. Micropatterned oxidation on CNT films without using photoresists created superhydrophilic microdots and microchannels.     

Deformation-induced martensitic transformation behavior in cold-rolled and cold-drawn type 316 stainless steels

We investigate deformation-induced martensitic transformation behavior in cold-rolled and cold-drawn specimens of type 316 stainless steel. Deformation-induced martensite preferentially nucleates at the twin boundary between the austenite matrix and a deformation twin. In the cold-rolled specimen, martensite formed at the twin boundary has a Kurdjumov–Sachs (K–S) relationship with both the austenite matrix and the deformation twin (“double K–S relationship”). In the cold-drawn specimen, two kinds of deformation twins with different twin planes are typically formed, and therefore deformation-induced martensites are formed where the deformation twin boundaries intersect: martensite thus has an imperfect “triple K–S relationship” with the austenite matrix and the two deformation twins. The complicated crystallographic orientation relationship between austenite and martensite grains strongly restricts the formation of some variants of deformation-induced martensites. Because of the difference in number of nucleation sites in the cold-drawn and cold-rolled specimens, martensitic transformation is more enhanced in the former than in the latter.     

Antifungal activity of the fermentation product of herbs by lactic acid bacteria against tinea

The fermentation product of herbs by lactic acid bacteria (FHL), in which Enterococcus faecalis TH10 predominated, was assayed for antifungal activity against tinea. The antifungal activity of FHL was as high as that of a synthetic fungicide. Autoclaving FHL did not reduce its antifungal activity, whereas neutralizing it did. The results suggested that nonproteinaceous compounds or organic acids in FHL could inhibit the growth of the dermatophyte tinea under low-pH conditions, and that malonic acid and acetic acid could have especially high antifungal activity against tinea.     

LD抽运的Cr4+∶YAG被动调Q Nd∶YAG激光器

研究了不同谐振腔下不同透射率的Cr4 + ∶YAG调Q的激光输出特性。采用透射率为 82 %的Cr4 + ∶YAG ,在抽运功率 1 1W时 ,激光重复频率小于 3kHz,单脉冲能量达 2 0 μJ ,可以作为微脉冲激光雷达的发射光源。分析和比较了实验结果和理论计算 ,两者吻合较好     

Heat-resisting TCO films for PV cells

We developed new heat-resisting transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films with resistivity of 1.4×10⁻⁴ Ω cm, an optical transmittance of above 80% (at 550 nm) and heat-resisting temperature at above 600 °C. The TCO films consists of fluorine-doped tin oxide films coated on indium–tin oxide films. They were prepared by a spray pyrolysis deposition method on glass substrates. The 100×100 mm² dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) were prepared with the TCO films. An energy conversion efficiency of the DSC was improved drastically in comparison to the case with conventional TCO films.     

Thermodynamic properties of the BaO-MnO flux system

Although a great number of works on BaO-bearing fluxes for refining Fe-Cr and Fe-Mn alloys have been carried out, there still remain several unresolved problems on using them in the refining process. The principal aim of the present study is to understand the thermodynamic properties of the BaO-MnO system, which has been shown to be very effective for dephosphorization of Fe-Mn alloys. The activity of manganese oxide in the BaO-MnO flux was measured at 1573 and 1673 K by equilibrating the flux, a Ag-Mn alloy, and a gas mixture of CO and CO₂ as functions of the flux composition and temperature. The influence of BaF₂, which is an effective additive for lowering the melting temperature of the flux, on the thermodynamics of the BaO-MnO system, including the solubility of MnO in the BaO-BaF₂ system, was also investigated.