Simulation of mechanical properties of epoxy-based chemically amplified resist by coarse-grained molecular dynamics

The mechanical properties of an epoxy-based chemically amplified resists with various cross-linking ratios were simulated using a newly developed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation that employs a bead–spring model. Models with the different cross-linking ratios were created in the molecular dynamics calculation step and uniaxial elongation simulations were performed. The results reveal that the simulated elastic modulus of the resist modeled by the Kremer–Grest model with an extended angle bending potential depends on the cross-linking ratio, its dependency exhibits good agreement with that determined by nanoindentation tests.     

Effects of Ozone-Gas Bubble Size and pH on Ozone/UV Treatment

A series of ozone/UV treatment under injection of ozone with different ozone-gas bubble sizes was performed at pH 1.7 and 7.4. The increase in the bubble size and the decrease in pH enhanced the ozone utilization efficiency. The enhancement of ozone utilization efficiency was caused by the shift of the production pathway of hydroxyl radical (OH) from the OH production via O₃ ^– to the UV photolysis of H₂O₂. The lower pH caused this shift through the chemical equilibrium of H₂O₂ and HO₂ ^–, and the large bubbles caused this shift through the augmentation of H₂O₂ transport from the bubble surface to the bulk solution.     

Double layer capacitance of high surface area carbon nanospheres derived from resorcinol–formaldehyde polymers

Micro-mesoporous bimodal carbon nanospheres with high surface areas were synthesized by a combined use of surfactant templating technique and BaO₂ chemical activation one. Starting spherical nanopolymer/surfactant composites were prepared by the NaOH-catalyzed reaction of resorcinol (R) and formaldehyde (F) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a core template and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB) and tert-butanol (t-BuOH) as cosurfactants. After pretreatment with hydrochloric acid, the composite materials were calcined at 1000 °C in N₂ coexistent with varying weight ratios of BaO₂ to RF polymer ranging from 0 to 11. It produced micro-mesoporous bimodal carbon nanospheres of 124–143 nm diameter, with specific surface areas as high as 1884 m² g⁻¹ or up to 3301 m² g⁻¹, in contrast to microporous ones with smaller surface areas obtained at low BaO₂-loadings. The electrochemical double layer capacitance of the resulting nanocarbons in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ showed a marked increase with specific surface areas, up to as high as 219 F g⁻¹ for the highest surface area carbon material.     

Noise reduction and surge margin improvement using tapered diffuser vane in a centrifugal compressor

Improvement of surge margin and reduction of interaction tone noise radiated from a centrifugal compressor with a vaned diffuser is discussed from experiments and CFD analyses. Two types of one-side tapered diffuser vanes, which are shroud- and hub-side tapered vanes, were used in the experiments. The height of the leading edge of the tapered vanes varied from 100% to 10%. Both types of tapered vanes are effective for the reduction of the inter- action tone noise radiated from the compressor, because of the smaller interaction area between impel- ler-discharge flow and diffuser vane surface. Especially, the hub-side tapered diffuser vane suppresses the evolution of the leading-edge vortex, which causes reverse-flow in the diffuser passage. Furthermore, the hub-side tapered diffuser vane, which has an optimized diffuser leading edge shape, can improve the compressor pressure-rise characteristics at low-flow operation and can enlarge the surge margin.     

Changes in lipids in liver and serum of rats fed a histidine-excess diet or cholesterol-supplemented diets

The influence of dietary excess (5%) L-histidine on serum and liver lipids was examined in rats. Feeding a histidine-excess diet for 3, 6, 14 or 30 days caused growth retardation, hepatomegaly and decreased liver lipids throughout the period of the experiment. Hypercholesterolemia was observed after feeding a histidine-excess diet for 6 days; then serum cholesterol continuously increased for 30 days. Serum triglyceride on day 30 in rats fed the histidine-excess diet showed a significant decrease compared to rats fed the basal diet. Serum phospholipids of rats fed the histidine-excess diet for 7 or 14 days showed a significant increase compared to rats fed the basal diet. When rats were fed a basal, histidine-excess or cholesterol-supplemented diet (0.5% and 1.0% cholesterol) for 6 days, the distribution of serum high density (HDL), low density (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol in rats fed the histidine-excess diet was similar to that of rats fed the basal diet, whereas LDL-cholesterol increased and HDL-cholesterol decreased in rats fed the cholesterol-supplemented diet.     

Loss increase for optical fibers exposed to hydrogen atmosphere

Loss spectrum changes for optical fibers exposed to a hydrogen atmosphere in the15-200degC temperature range are measured. Loss increase due to molecular hydrogen dissolved into fibers is investigated from the loss peak at 1.24 μm, and that due to hydroxyl group formation from the loss peak at 1.41 μm. The loss increase due to molecular hydrogen is fully explained by physical solubility theory and diffusion equation. The empirical formula for time, temperature, and hydrogen-pressure dependences of the loss increase due to hydroxyl group formation is evaluated from the experimental results. The loss increase at 1.3- and 1.5-μm wavelength band at room temperature are estimated.     

Hairpin structure of an RNA 28-mer, which contains a sequence of the enzyme component of a hammerhead ribozyme system: evidence for tandem G:A pairs that are not of side-by-side type

1. We have taken advantage of our recent development of highly potent and specific phosphinic inhibitors of endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 to examine the putative contribution of the enzyme in the secretion of A beta by HK293 transfected cells overexpressing the wild type and the Swedish (Sw) double mutated form of beta APP751. 2. First, we showed that HK293 cells contain a peptidase activity, the inhibition profile of which fully matches that of purified endopeptidase 3.4.24.15. Second, we established that the treatment of HK293 cells with specific phosphinic inhibitors leads to about 80% inhibition of intracellular endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 activity, indicating that these inhibitors penetrate the cells. 3. Metabolic labelling of wild type and Sw beta APP751-expressing cells, followed by immunoprecipitation of A beta-containing peptides, revealed the secretion of A beta and the intracellular formation of an A beta-containing 12 kDa product. 4. A beta secretion by Sw beta APP751 transfected cells was drastically enhanced when compared to cells expressing wild type beta APP751. This production was not affected by endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 inhibitors in either cell type. This correlates well with the observation that endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 does not cleave recombinant baculoviral Sw beta APP751, in vitro. 5. Our previous data indicated that endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 activity was reduced in the parietal cortex of Alzheimer's disease affected brains and that the enzyme probably participated, in this brain area, to the catabolism of somatostatin 1-14. However, the present work indicates that endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 does not seem to behave as a beta-secretase in HK293 transfected cells. Therefore, it is suggested that endopeptidase 3.4.24.15 could participate in the symptomatology, but probably not in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease.     

Prevalence and characterization of novel pANCA, antibodies to the high mobility group non-histone chromosomal proteins HMG1 and HMG2, in systemic rheumatic diseases

OBJECTIVE: To determine the immunodiagnostic value of antibodies to the high mobility group non-histone chromosomal proteins HMG1 and HMG2, which have been identified as novel target antigens of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA), in sera from patients with systemic rheumatic diseases. METHODS: Anti-HMG1 or HMG2 antibody was assayed by ELISA and Western blotting in sera from patients with systemic rheumatic diseases. These antibodies were analyzed for the relationship with pANCA detected by indirect immunofluorescence in these diseases, and with clinical features in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). RESULTS: Anti-HMG1 or HMG2 antibody was frequently detected in sera from patients with RA (48%), SLE (45%), Sj?gren's syndrome (SS) (44%), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) (41%). In these diseases, anti-HMG1 antibody was detected more frequently than anti-HMG2 antibody. In sera from patients with RA, the positivity for anti-HMG1 and HMG2 antibodies was significantly correlated with the positivity for pANCA (p < 0.0001). Anti-HMG1/HMG2 antibodies were associated with some disease activity variables, e.g., erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, joint score and hand grip strength in RA, and CH50, C3, C4, and IgG in SLE. CONCLUSION: Anti-HMG1/HMG2 antibodies are detected commonly in systemic rheumatic diseases, particularly in RA, SLE, SS, and SSc. HMGI and HMG2 seem to be the significant target antigens of pANCA in RA. These antibodies are significantly associated with disease activity indices in RA and SLE.     

Photobleaching effect on visible-region loss increase for heat-treated optical fibres in a hydrogen atmosphere

The photobleaching effect on the visible-region loss increase due to hydrogen was observed for the first time by argon-ion laser light launching in fibres. A 660 nm fluorescence intensity reduction for the bleached fibres was also observed.