Medical cuneiform fracture-dislocation associated with medial and intermediate cuneiform fractures

We report the microbiological characteristics of two Rahnella aquatilis strains isolated in the faeces of two patients with acute gastroenteritis, one of whom is an AIDS patient. The biochemical behaviour was studied with different automated identification systems, and the few clinical cases to be found in the literature were reviewed. Of the nine strains isolated in clinical samples, two were obtained from blood cultures, two from respiratory samples, one from urine, one from a burn wound, one from a surgical wound, and two (our strains) from faeces. In almost all cases the patient presented an underlying condition facilitating infection by opportunistic microorganisms. The majority of strains are characterized by their resistance to ampicillin, cephalothin and cefoxitin. Due to the rarity of the isolation of R. aquatilis in human samples it is not yet possible to establish, with any degree of certainty, its true pathogenic capacity.     

Solution plasma for template removal in mesoporous silica: pH and discharge time varying characteristics

The evaluation of the ability of solution plasma process, SPP, depending on the pH of the discharge solution and discharge time for template removal in mesoporous silica was described. In the synthesis of mesoporous silica, ternary surfactant system containing tri-block copolymer EO₂₀PO₆₉EO₂₀ (P123), sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluoro-1-butyl sulfonate (NFBS) was chemically used for synthesis under acid condition via sol-gel method then SPP was employed for template removal. The ordered 2D hexagonal arrangement was observed by the evidence of high resolution TEM and the diffraction mode of X-ray. The efficiency of SPP depending on the pH of the discharge solution and discharge time was scientifically demonstrated as a function of BET surface area. In the case of pH dependence, it was achieved that the ability of template removal in acid and base solutions was clearly higher than those of such results in neutral solution. In the term of discharge time, moreover, the percentage of template removal comparing in the result of BET surface area increased as the increase in discharge time.     

Development of a hand-held fast neutron survey meter

A neutron survey meter with a ZnS(Ag) scintillator to measure recoil protons was built. The detection probe weighs ~2 kg, therefore providing us with true portability. Performance tests exhibited satisfactory neutron dosimetry characteristics in unmoderated or lightly moderated fission neutron fields and in particular work environments at a mixed oxide fuel facility. This new survey meter will augment a routine of neutron monitoring that is inconveniently being carried out by moderator-based neutron survey meters.     

A finite element LES for high-Re flow in a short-elbow pipe with undisturbed inlet velocity

The paper is concerned with a large-eddy simulation (LES) for a high-Reynolds-number flow in a short-elbow pipe, which can potentially be employed in the primary piping system of the Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR). The basic performance of the LES is studied for an elbow pipe flow without turbulence at inlet boundary at Re = 1.2 × 10⁶ by comparison with a flow observed in a 1/3-scale water experiment, where the flow disturbance at the pipe inlet is small. In setting up the computational conditions, special care was taken to ensure that the mesh subdivision was suitable for the simulation of the pipe flow through a theoretical consideration. We discuss the effects of the turbulence model (Smagorinsky model, WALE model) and the inlet velocity profile on the results. The mechanism of the pressure fluctuation and the origin of the fluid force are also discussed with the aid of spectral analysis and the visualization of essential hydraulic quantities.     

Development of flow-induced vibration evaluation methodology for large-diameter piping with elbow in Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor

This paper describes the current status of flow-induced vibration evaluation methodology development for the primary piping in Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor, with particularly emphasis on the development approach and research activities that investigate unsteady hydraulic characteristics in a short-elbow piping. The approach to the methodology development was defined: experiment-based methodology and simulation-based one as well as extrapolation logic to the reactor condition based on no dependency on Reynolds number in the high Reynolds number range from the experimental results. Experimental efforts have been made using 1/3-scale single-elbow test sections for the hot-leg piping as the main activity. Recent experiments using the 1/3-scale test section revealed that a swirl flow at the inlet of the hot-leg piping hardly influenced pressure fluctuations onto the pipe though a slight deformation of flow separation was observed. Numerical results under different Reynolds number conditions appear in this paper using the unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equation approach, indicating its applicability to the hot-leg piping experiments.     

Two-dimensional crystal growth of thermally converted organic semiconductors at the surface of ionic liquid and high-mobility organic field-effect transistors

We report a novel solution-crystallization method to grow two-dimensional platelet-shaped single-crystals of well-known insoluble organic semiconductors via thermal conversion of their precursor molecules dissolved in ionic liquids (ILs). By optimizing conditions of the crystal growth regarding physical properties of ILs such as density and viscosity, we successfully and reproducibly obtained thin platelets of pentacene and dinaphtho[2,3-b:2′,3′-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) single-crystals, with which nearly the best performing field-effect transistors are constructed for the two compounds. The prompt and simple technique has opened the way to use practically insoluble organic semiconductor materials for high-performance printed electronics, which enables mass-producible and large-area organic circuitry devices.     

Vibrational modes of flavin bound to riboflavin binding protein from egg white. Resonance Raman spectra of lumiflavin and 8-substituted riboflavin

The resonance Raman (RR) spectra of 8-halogenated-riboflavin, 8-demethyl-riboflavin(8-H-RF), 8-amino-riboflavin(8-NH2-RF), 8-methoxy-riboflavin(8-OCH3-RF), lumiflavin, and 3-methyl-lumiflavin were observed. The Raman lines with the highest frequency are at 1624, 1620, and 1615 cm-1 for 8-chloro-riboflavin, 8-bromo-riboflavin, and 8-iodo-riboflavin, respectively. This systematic shift confirms that the 1631 cm-1 line of riboflavin is derived from the benzene part of isoalloxazine. Substitution at the 8-position by an amino or methoxy group, which has a large influence on the electronic structure of isoalloxazine, changes the RR spectrum markedly in comparison with that of 8-halogenated riboflavin. The 1583 cm-1 line of riboflavin, which involves the vibrational displacement of N(5) and C(4a) atoms of isoalloxazine, is shifted to the low frequency side by substitution at the 8-position with an amino or methoxy group. The corresponding line of 8-H-RF, on the contrary, shifts to the high frequency side. The RR spectrum of lumiflavin is very different from that of riboflavin in the range from 1200 to 1300 cm-1. Although the pi-electronic structure is little affected by the substitution at the 10-position, the Raman spectrum of lumiflavin in this region is very sensitive.     

Mechanisms and mechanics of early growth of debonding crack in an APSed Ni-base superalloy TBCs under cyclic load

Nucleation and early growth of debonding cracks in a Ni-based superalloy thermal barrier coating (TBC) system were investigated. The TBC system consisting of CoNiCrAlY bond and ZrO₂ top coat stabilized by 8%Y₂O₃, was subjected to cyclic load at high temperature. During the study, special effort was made to understand both mechanistic and mechanical behavior on the nucleation and subsequent crack propagation process. The experimental observations clearly demonstrated that both the lamellar structure of top coat and the interlamellar cracks at the splat boundaries played intrinsic role in the nucleation of the spallation cracks. It was also shown that the naturally-initiated small spallation cracks in the smooth specimen revealed propagation rates considerably higher than long crack in the notched specimen under the same remote external loading conditions. This behavior reminds us the fatigue small crack problems, same as in metallic materials. Some fracture mechanics aspects of these characteristics and behaviors are discussed on the basis of FEM calculations.