Genetic and non-genetic basis of essential hypertension: maladaptation of human civilization to high salt intake

A controlled laboratory experiment was used to assess the efficacy of the cognitive processes that underlie risk taking decision making in young and elderly people. Thirty-six participants took part in the study: half the subjects were elderly (mean age of 74) and the other half were young adults (mean age of 19). The elderly participants made equivalent decisions to those of the control young adults. Both age-groups of participants systematically and comparably changed their behavior as a function of risk levels. Furthermore, the elderly participants, relative to young adults, did not exhibit any slowing down in the speed of processing the information involved in making risk taking decisions, reflecting that healthy elderly people are cognitively apt to making risk taking decisions. Both age-groups took comparably less time on the easy trials (trials with either low or high levels of risk) and comparably more time on the difficult trials (trials with medium levels of risk).     

Low resistivity transparent conducting Al-doped ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

A series of AZO films were grown on glass substrates by a method of pulsed laser deposition using a split target divided into AZO (Al₂O₃: 1 wt.%) and AZO (Al₂O₃: 2 wt.%). The film deposition took place at a substrate temperature of 230 °C within a magnetic field applied perpendicularly to the plume. To suppress the droplet generation caused by the intense laser energy, the laser energy density was reduced to 0.75 J/cm² (15 mJ). For an approximately 280-nm thick-AZO film grown at a target-to-substrate distance of 25 mm, we obtained the lowest resistivity of 8.54×10⁻⁵ Ω·cm and an average transmittance of more than 88% in the visible range. In the cross-sectional TEM observation and XRD spectra, the regularity in the crystal growth was generated immediately from the interface between the substrate and the film.     

Structural Characteristics and Applicability of Four-Span Suspension Bridge

A four-span suspension bridge which has two main 2,000 m spans is investigated with respect to the deformation characteristics. Generally, deformation behavior of the four-span suspension bridge is mainly influenced by rigidity of the center tower. This study is focused on properties such as bending and torsional rigidity of the girder, sag ratio, and dead load. The result of this investigation clarified that the lower rigidity under live load than the three-span bridge is caused by the smaller cable spring coefficient of the main span, which is 1/6 of the side span. Nevertheless, the tendency is stable and can be assisted by stiffened rigidity of the center tower. Live load deflection of the girder can be reduced to less than 1/200 of the main span length, which is useful and economical, by stiffening the bending coefficient of the center tower. Moreover, relatively lower rigidity of the center tower is sufficient for the 2,000 m span suspension bridge than for the 1,000 m span case, keeping the same deflection ratio. Three-dimensional sag geometry of the main cable is effective in limiting the torsional deformation, which is an especially important issue for the four-span suspension bridge caused by twist of the center tower.     

Depth profiling study on the migration of tritium in titanium induced by deuterium-ion bombardment

A thin titanium layer with uniformly absorbed tritium (T/Ti ˜1.0) was bombarded by 390 keV D₃⁺ ions (130 keV per deuteron). Bombardment was performed at low (111 K) and room temperatures up to fluences of 5.9 × 10¹⁸ D/cm² and 3.0 × 10¹⁸ D/cm², respectively. Depth profiles of tritium up to a depth of 0.8 mg/cm² (˜1.8 μm) were measured and the change of the profile with fluence was investigated by means of the T(d, )n nuclear reaction. At both of the temperatures, a dip was formed on the depth profile of tritium at the depth around the projected range, indicating that the deuteron bombardment induced the migration of tritium against the concentration gradient. At the low temperature, the dip showed a gradual growth with fluence and saturation of the growth at the higher fluences, which could not be described by the existing model for isotope mixing. The spectrum of protons from the D(d, p)T reaction obtained in the same measurement suggested that the release of deuterium suddenly started at the final stage of the present bombardment. The dip formed at room temperature was larger than that at the low temperature. The migration of tritium induced by the bombardment is discussed on the basis of the experimental results obtained.     

An electron microscopic study of the ciliated cells in the human gastric mucosa

Ciliated cells were found in the mucosa of the human stomach in three patients. In two cases they occurred in the pyloric mucosa of patients with intestinal metaplasia who were operated on for duodenal ulcer. In the other case, they occurred within a polypoid lesion. They were located in small limited areas. The cells were densely ciliated, each cilium showing a typical 9+2 fibrilar pattern. Ciliated cells are not found in normal gastric mucosa and this suggests that they occur only in pathologically altered mucosa.     

Welding consumables for nuclear power plants

In nuclear power plants, submerged arc welding and covered arc welding have long been employed especially for main weld seams, including the core region of RPV.This paper investigates the mechanical properties of several welding consumables we have developed for industrial plants — that is, welding consumables which lower the phosphorus and copper content of the welded metal, those for plates possessing particularly high tensile strength and those for the narrow gap welding method.Recent data derived from irradiation embrittlement tests show that these welded metals using a non-copper coating are highly effective in minimizing shifts in the transition curve.Welding consumables for A533B C1.2, A543 C1.1 or A508 C1.4 steels have a higher tensile strength than those for A533B C1.1 or A508 C1.3.We have developed submerged arc and covered arc welding consumables to be used with these kinds of steels, and it was confirmed that these consumables possess excellent tensile strength and notch toughness.Our tests also confirmed that the narrow gap SAW and MIG welds are more efficient than the conventional ones. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the welded metals are also excellent.     

Thermodynamic properties for the quaternary system H2O + CH3OH + LiBr + ZnCl2

The thermodynamic properties (solubility, vapour pressure, density, viscosity, heat capacity and heat of mixing) of the H₂O + CH₃OH + LiBr + ZnCl₂ (9:1 H₂O:CH₃OH and 1:1 LiBr:ZnCl₂ by mass) system using H₂O + CH₃OH as the working media and LiBr + ZnCl₂ as the absorbents were measured. The solubility data were obtained in the temperature range from 270.35 to 389.55 K. The measurements of vapour pressure, density, viscosity and heat capacity were carried out at various temperatures and absorbent concentrations. The differential heat of dilution and differential heat of solution at 298.15 K were measured for solutionw with absorbent concentrations from 0 to 75.2 wt%. The integral heat of mixing data at 298.15 K were obtained from both sets of experimental data. The integral heats of mixing for this quaternary system showed exothermic behaviour. The vapour pressure data were correlated with an Antoine-type equation. An empirical formula for the heat capacity was obtained from experimental data. The experimental data for the basic thermodynamic properties of this quaternary system were compared with those of the basic H₂O + LiBr system.