Bactericidal activity of copper-deposited TiO2 thin film under weak UV light illumination

The bactericidal activity of copper-deposited titanium dioxide thin film (Cu/TiO2) was investigated under very weak ultraviolet (UV) light illumination. To elucidate the roles of the film photocatalyst and the deposited copper in the bactericidal activity, cells from a copper-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain were utilized. A decrease in survival rate was not observed with the copper-resistant cells under dark conditions, but when illuminated with a very weak UV intensity of 1 microW/cm2, the survival rate decreased, suggesting photocatalytic bactericidal activity. The decay curve of survival on the Cu/TiO2 film under very weak UV light illumination consisted of two steps, similar to the survival change of normal E. coli on TiO2 films under rather strong UV illumination. The first step is due to the partial decomposition of the outer membrane in the cell envelope by a photocatalytic process, followed by permeation of the copper ions into the cytoplasmic membrane. The second step is due to a disorder of the cytoplasmic membrane caused by the copper ions, which results in a loss of the cell's integrity. These processes explain why the Cu/TiO2 film system shows an effective bactericidal activity even under very weak UV light illumination.     

High hydrostatic pressure treatment impairs AcrAB-TolC pump resulting in differential loss of deoxycholate tolerance in Escherichia coli

We reported previously that high hydrostatic pressure-injured stationary phase cells of Escherichia coli K-12 lost their intrinsic deoxycholate tolerance. The AcrAB-TolC multi-drug resistance pump driven by proton motive force has been argued to be responsible for the tolerance to deoxycholate. In this report, we tested the sensitivity of the AcrAB-TolC (three components) pump to high hydrostatic pressure treatment (HPT). E. coli K-12 treated with HPT became sensitive to AcrAB-TolC-specific drugs such as ethidium bromide, but not to tetracycline which is pumped out by a one-component transporter, Tet. Only E. coli K-12 overproducing both AcrAB and TolC exhibited restored tolerance to deoxycholate after HPT but not E. coli overproducing either TolC or AcrAB. These observations strongly suggest that three-component pumps such as AcrAB-TolC are more susceptible to HPT than one-component pumps such as Tet, resulting in the differential loss of deoxycholate tolerance in high hydrostatic pressure-injured E. coli cells.     

Pu and 137Cs in the Yangtze River estuary sediments: distribution and source identification

Pu isotopes and (137)Cs were analyzed using sector field ICP-MS and γ spectrometry, respectively, in surface sediment and core sediment samples from the Yangtze River estuary. (239+240)Pu activity and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios (>0.18) shows a generally increasing trend from land to sea and from north to south in the estuary. This spatial distribution pattern indicates that the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) source Pu transported by ocean currents was intensively scavenged into the suspended sediment under favorable conditions, and mixed with riverine sediment as the water circulated in the estuary. This process is the main control for the distribution of Pu in the estuary. Moreover, Pu is also an important indicator for monitoring the changes of environmental radioactivity in the estuary as the river basin is currently the site of extensive human activities and the sea level is rising because of global climate changes. For core sediment samples the maximum peak of (239+240)Pu activity was observed at a depth of 172 cm. The sedimentation rate was estimated on the basis of the Pu maximum deposition peak in 1963-1964 to be 4.1 cm/a. The contributions of the PPG close-in fallout Pu (44%) and the riverine Pu (45%) in Yangtze River estuary sediments are equally important for the total Pu deposition in the estuary, which challenges the current hypothesis that the riverine Pu input was the major source of Pu budget in this area.     

Searching for noble Ni–Nb–Zr thin film amorphous alloys for optical glass device molding die materials

This paper presents a search for Ni–Nb–Zr thin film amorphous alloys for use as optical glass device molding die materials. To efficiently search for candidate materials, we used a combinatorial method to evaluate thermal stability. First, compositionally spread Ni–Nb–Zr libraries were fabricated by combinatorial arc plasma deposition (CAPD). To evaluate thermal stability, the Ni–Nb–Zr amorphous CAPD samples in the libraries were annealed in vacuum at 723 K, representing the molding temperature for glass devices, for various time periods. The phases of the annealed CAPD samples were identified using X-ray diffractometry (XRD). From XRD identification, candidate amorphous compositions with high thermal stabilities were screened. Sputter-deposited samples with the same candidate amorphous compositions were subsequently fabricated. Other desired properties for optical glass device molding die materials, including mechanical strength, linear expansion coefficient, oxidation resistance, machinability and anti-sticking properties to molten glass, were evaluated. The investigation revealed Ni₃₆Nb₃₉Zr₂₅ to be a suitable composition for a new glass lens molding die material. This material exhibited a high fracture stress, σ_f, of 1.3 GPa, good heat resistance, good oxidation resistance, similar linear expansion coefficient as glass, good machinability, and excellent anti-sticking properties to molten glass.     

New heat generation material in AC magnetic field for Y3Fe5O12-based powder material synthesized by reverse coprecipitation method

We found the most promising powder material for the application of the thermal coagulation therapy for the treatment of cancerous tissues. The maximum heat generation ability (ΔT = 40-77 °C, 370 kHz, 1.77 kA·m^− 1) was obtained for the powder materials by the calcination at 1100 °C for the Y_3 − XGd_XFe₅O₁₂ system. This ΔT value is higher than ca. ΔT = 30 °C in same magnetic field for fine FeFe₂O₄ particles as the candidate material for this type of therapy. The particle growth with the formation of the cubic single phase might influence to the high heat generation. As an unexpected result, the Gd₃Fe₅O₁₂ (X = 3) has no heat generation ability in an AC magnetic field.     

Short-term plasticity and long-term potentiation mimicked in single inorganic synapses

Memory is believed to occur in the human brain as a result of two types of synaptic plasticity: short-term plasticity (STP) and long-term potentiation (LTP; refs 1-4). In neuromorphic engineering, emulation of known neural behaviour has proven to be difficult to implement in software because of the highly complex interconnected nature of thought processes. Here we report the discovery of a Ag(2)S inorganic synapse, which emulates the synaptic functions of both STP and LTP characteristics through the use of input pulse repetition time. The structure known as an atomic switch, operating at critical voltages, stores information as STP with a spontaneous decay of conductance level in response to intermittent input stimuli, whereas frequent stimulation results in a transition to LTP. The Ag(2)S inorganic synapse has interesting characteristics with analogies to an individual biological synapse, and achieves dynamic memorization in a single device without the need of external preprogramming. A psychological model related to the process of memorizing and forgetting is also demonstrated using the inorganic synapses. Our Ag(2)S element indicates a breakthrough in mimicking synaptic behaviour essential for the further creation of artificial neural systems that emulate characteristics of human memory.     

Nanoscale control of reversible chemical reaction between fullerene C60 molecules using scanning tunneling microscope

The nanoscale control of reversible chemical reactions, the polymerization and depolymerization between C60 molecules, has been investigated. Using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), the polymerization and depolymerization can be controlled at designated positions in ultrathin films of C60 molecules. One of the two chemical reactions can be selectively induced by controlling the sample bias voltage (V(s)); the application of negative and positive values of V(s) results in polymerization and depolymerization, respectively. The selectivity between the two chemical reactions becomes extremely high when the thickness of the C60 film increases to more than three molecular layers. We conclude that STM-induced negative and positive electrostatic ionization are responsible for the control of the polymerization and depolymerization, respectively.     

Development of frequency stabilizing scheme for integrating wind power generation into an isolated grid

Integration of wind power generation into small islands has been one of the demonstration projects in Okinawa Prefecture. Since such integration could degrade power quality including frequency in an island grid, a frequency stabilizing system using flywheels has been installed into a small island. In order to establish a proper frequency stabilizing scheme for the small island, an accurate model of a diesel generator including governor is vital. Therefore, the model was developed based on the measured values of generator dump tests. A new frequency stabilizing scheme was also developed through time‐domain simulation of the island grid model, which consists of the above‐mentioned diesel generator model and an equivalent load change representing wind power variation. The proper parameters of the scheme were derived considering role sharing between the diesel generators and the flywheels. The developed stabilizing scheme was applied to the flywheels in the island grid and revealed excellent performance in mitigating frequency variation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 180(1): 24–35, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21277     

Omental delivery of prostaglandin E1 effectively increases portal venous blood flow in 66%-hepatectomized rats

BACKGROUND: Contraction-excitation feedback, that is, electrophysiologic changes that are caused or preceded by mechanical changes of the myocardium, has been extensively studied in the ventricles. The role of contraction-excitation feedback in the atria, and more particularly in the genesis and maintenance of atrial fibrillation, has been less adequately investigated. HYPOTHESIS: The aim of the present study was to determine whether increased right atrial pressure (RAP) facilitates the induction of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with a history of lone AF. METHODS: Sixteen patients with a history of paroxysmal AF but without structural heart disease were included in the study. All patients underwent electrophysiologic study at both a lower (3.1 +/- 2.0 mmHg) and (in 13 cases) a higher (6.4 +/- 2.5 mmHg) RAP. "Higher" was considered the pressure following rapid (in about 30 min) intravenous administration of normal saline or before the administration of a diuretic. RESULTS: Rapid atrial pacing induced AF in 19 of 29 attempts. At a lower pressure, rapid pacing induced brief (3 s to 3 min) AF in 3 of 16 patients, long-lasting (> 3 min) AF in 3 of 16 patients, and no AF in 10 of 16 patients. At a higher pressure, brief AF was induced in 3 of 10 patients in whom no AF could be induced at a lower pressure, and long-lasting AF in 10 patients in whom either brief AF (3 cases) or no AF (7 cases) was induced at a lower pressure. In 11 patients, in whom Wenckebach periodicity was determined at both higher and lower pressure, the critical cycle length at which atrioventricular block appeared was significantly (p < 0.001, paired t-test) longer (349.1 +/- 44.4 ms, i.e., +15.5 +/- 11.3 ms) at higher than at lower atrial pressure (333.6 +/- 41.0 ms). In nine patients, in whom Wenckebach periodicity was determined and two rhythms occurred at different pressures, the critical cycle length was 332.2 +/- 45.8 ms when associated with sinus rhythm, and significantly (p < 0.01) longer (344.4 +/- 48.0 ms, i.e., +12.2 +/- 8.3 ms) when associated with induction of AF. CONCLUSION: In patients with lone atrial fibrillation, modest increases in atrial pressure may facilitate the induction of atrial fibrillation.     

A three‐phase,active power filter with a predictive‐instantaneous‐current PWM controller

One of the most emphasized problems to be solved in power systems in recent years is the line‐current harmonics problem. This is due to the use of diode rectifiers, PWM converters, nonlinear loads, and so on. To reduce or eliminate such current harmonics, an active power filter (APF), which is a sophisticated power electronic converter, has been studied and used in some practical applications. In this paper, we propose and discuss two new control methods for three‐phase shunt APFs: the sinusoidal line‐current control method and the instantaneous‐reactive‐power compensation control method. They are based on pulsewidth prediction control, or a predictive‐instantaneous‐current PWM control. Neither any instantaneous power information nor coordinate transformation is necessary for control. In the sinusoidal line‐current control scheme, the controller governs the switching devices of the APF by using the pulse width that is optimally predetermined at the beginning of every switching period with the sinusoidal current reference. The line currents flow sinusoidally and are in phase with the voltage accordingly. In the instantaneous‐reactive‐power compensation control, the control is performed so that the resultant circuit of the load and the APF is regarded as a time‐variant conductance circuit model. The APF with this control scheme can cancel effectively the instantaneous reactive component produced by the load though the controller is simple. This paper discusses the performance characteristics of the APFs when a three‐phase diode rectifier and an unbalanced load are connected to the line. The practicability of the proposed methods is verified by experiment. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 130(3): 68–76, 2000