Genetic variation of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from domestic and imported foods in Japan

Phylogenetic analyses were carried out on a total of 118 Listeria monocytogenes isolates from foods or food processing environments, and 7 isolates from listeriosis patients in Japan to evaluate the genetic variation in the pathogen in this country. Isolates of serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b and 4b were mainly examined to assess the risk of exposure of humans to L. monocytogenes from foods in Japan. The nucleotide sequences of the part of the iap gene that contains the region encoding the threonine-asparagine repeat units were determined in order to construct phylogenetic trees of the isolates investigated. A phylogram showed high genetic diversity among lineage 2 isolates, while the lineage 1 isolates showed clonal characteristics. The results of the genetic analyses suggested the presence of rare putative lineage 3 isolates and epidemic clone I (ECI) isolates in foods in Japan. The results showed that ECI was also isolated from listeriosis patients. The genetic variation in L. monocytogenes in Japan reported here suggests the necessity of monitoring the pathogen in foods and environments in addition to surveillance of listeriosis patients.     

Effect of temperature on friction observed between a Si3N4 tip and a dodecanethiol self-assembled monolayer on Au(1 1 1)

Recent computational studies (Phys. Rev. Lett. 70 (1993) 1960; Phys. Rev. B 62 (2000) 17055) predicted that friction of ordered organic monolayer had characteristic dependence on temperature, where the maximum friction was observed around rotator transition point of the monolayer. This remained to be confirmed experimentally. Using a friction force microscope (FFM) combined with a temperature regulation module, we attempted to investigate such dependence on temperature (130 K-room temperature) on a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol prepared on Au(1 1 1). The observed friction showed strong dependence on temperature and good agreement with the computational prediction.     

The circadian variation of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in clinically healthy cats

The circadian variation of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG, EC 3.2.1.30) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP, EC 2.3.2.2) was evaluated in cats. Urine and blood were collected at 4-hr intervals from adult cats (3 males, 9 females) weighing between 2.6 and 5.0 kg. There was no circadian variation in the urine volume, creatinine clearance, creatinine excretion, NAG excretion or gamma-GTP excretion. The average NAG and gamma-GTP indices in the 4-hr urine were similar to those for the 24-hr urine. However, the variance for the 4-hr urine samples was higher than that of 24-hr urine. In conclusion, although 4-hr urine samples can be used to estimate 24-hr urinary enzyme excretion, short-term spot urine samples may cause increased variation in the enzyme index.     

Effective resistance of current-carrying superconducting wire in oscillating magnetic fields 1: Single core composite conductor

The influence of oscillating magnetic fields on the dc transport current in a single core superconducting wire has been studied by observing the terminal voltage of the wire. The voltage versus oscillating field characteristics can be explained quantitatively by a theoretical analysis based on the critical state model. The analysis shows that the voltage measurement gives detailed information on the change of the distribution of the magnetic induction inside the superconductor. An effective resistance appears in the transport current loop when the amplitude of the oscillating field exceeds a certain threshold value. The dependence of the effective resistance on the amplitude and frequency of the oscillating field and on the conductor diameter is discussed.     

Pulsed field loss characteristics of the Japanese test coil for the large coil task

This paper describes some results of an analytical calculation and the measurements of a pulsed field loss on the Japanese LCT conductor. The conductor, whose aspect ratio is around 2.5, is wound edge wise to reduce the pulsed field loss. The Japanese LCT coil, with the conductor thus designed, was evaluated to have a pulsed field loss of about 19W. This includes the loss of the helium vessel under the normal LCT test with a pulsed field of 0 to 0.14T. In addition, the loss measurement has been carried out up to 25 T/s. Measured results on the relation between the loss of a single strand and that of a whole strand pack well supports the validity of the loss analysis which includes a newly arranged set of analytical equations.     

Experimental characterization of high-speed impact damage behavior in a three-dimensionally woven SiC/SiC composite

This paper discusses high-speed impact damage in a three-dimensionally woven SiC/SiC composite (3D-CMC). The impact damage was introduced by a steel ball projectile in 3D-CMC plates with and without thermal exposure. The surface and internal damages were observed by optical microscopy and X-ray CT. A crater was observed on the collision surface. The X-ray CT measurement revealed that multiple pyramid-shaped cone cracks were generated beneath the crater when the impact speed was relatively low. At an impact speed exceeding the critical speed, a spall fragment was ejected from the back surface, while no internal damage was observed in the fragment. The spall fracture mode differed between the virgin and the thermally-exposed specimens. This difference is the result of embrittlement of the fiber/matrix interface due to oxidation of the carbon coating layer in the thermally-exposed specimen. In addition, it is found that z-yarns improve impact resistance by constraining delamination.     

Radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in pilot plant. III. Heavy-phase recycling process

Radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene using aqueous tert-butyl alcohol as medium was carried out in a large-scale pilot plant with a 50-liter central source-type reactor at a pressure of 105 to 395 kg/cm², temperature of 30° to 80°C, mean dose rate of 4.5 × 10⁴ to 1.9 × 10⁵ rads/hr, ethylene feed rate of 5.5 to 23.5 kg/hr, and medium feed rate of 21 to 102 l./hr. The space–time yield and molecular weight of the polymer were in the range of 4.7 to 16.8 g/l.-hr and 1.3 × 10⁴ to 8.9 × 10⁴, respectively. The space–time yield and molecular weight increased with mean residence time at 30°C, whereas at 80°C they became almost independent of the time. The space–time yield increased with pressure and dose rate, slightly decreased with temperature, and was maximum at ethylene molar fraction of 0.5. The polymer molecular weight increased with pressure and ethylene molar fraction, and decreased with dose rate and temperature. The total amount of deposited polymer on the reactor wall, source case wall, and scraping blades was usually less than 1 kg, which was negligibly small for the analysis of polymerization. Continuous discharge of the polymer slurry and production of fine-powder polyethylene were successfully carried out. In the central source-type reactor, a dose rate of 1.9 × 10⁵ rads/hr was obtained with a ⁶⁰Co source of ca. 12 kCi.     

Method for grinding and delaminating muscovite

A method of dry grinding muscovite based on the use of knife-mills is reported. It was possible to produce mica with a particle size below 100 and 45 μm. After grinding, the samples were submitted to sonication treatment, which promoted delamination of the material. The particle size distribution shows that sonicated mica has more particles in the size range 10-50 μm than does non-sonicated mica have.This also indicates a decrease in the average particle size. Characterization of the treated muscovite by scanning electron microscopy revealed a highly delaminated material with a plate-like structure. The products were characterized by chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction, too. This mica has already been used for the synthesis of pearlescent pigments.