Effect of titanium,niobium and zirconium on creep rupture strength and ductility of cobalt base superalloys

An attempt has been made to develop a cobalt base casting superalloy (30Cr-10Ni-7W-Co) having high creep rupture strength and ductility for first stage nozzles of gas turbines. In cobalt base superalloys, there was found to exist a close correlation between the creep rupture strength and MC type carbide forming elements such as Ti, Nb and Zr. In cobalt base alloys with 0.25 wt pct C, precipitation and coarsening of carbides can be reduced by addition of Ti, Nb and Zr. Therefore, by adding the optimum amount of Ti, Nb and Zr, precipitation of carbides in the alloy reaches such an amount as to give the highest creep rupture strength. Excess addition of Ti, Nb and Zr does not improve the creep rupture strength. By adding C, creep rupture strength of the cobalt alloy with Ti, Nb and Zr can be improved and becomes the highest at 0.40 wt pct. C. According to the experimental results, the creep rupture strength becomes the highest at a value of (Ti + Nb + Zr)/C (atomic ratio) of about 0.3. Contrary to the expectation, it was found in this experiment that the ductility in creep rupture tests increases with increasing carbon content up to 0.6 wt pct.     

TTT System (50 Mbits/s PCM-TDMA System With Time Preassignment and TASI) and Its Satellite Test Results

An experimental 50 Mbits/s pulse-code modulation-time-division multiple access (PCM-TDMA) system with time preassignment and time-assignment speech interpolation (TASI) features (called the TTT system) was built for use in a satellite test. This system was designed for application in the INTELSAT IV network and has the channel capacity of more than 700 telephone channels. This capacity can be increased up to twice when pulse-code modulation-time-assignment speech interpolation (PCM-TASI) is adopted. The field test was conducted via INTELSAT III in 1970 and satisfactory results were obtained, which encourages the introduction of the TDMA system for commercial use.     

Syntheses and properties of B-C-N and BN nanostructures

The current status of research on boron-carbon-nitrogen (B-C-N) and boron nitride (BN) nanotubes is presented. The latest achievements in syntheses, analyses and property measurements of these nanoscale tubular architectures are reviewed. The characteristic features of B-C-N and BN nanotubes, compared with conventional C nanotubes, are paid special attention. In particular, the latest breakthroughs in the chemical vapour deposition synthesis of BN nanotubes and an insight into their unique structures are highlighted. A wide range of potential applications is also envisaged, based on the recent progress, which includes pioneering results in BN nanocable fabrication, gas adsorption, electron transport and field emission measurements.     

Metabolic disturbance of tryptophan-nicotinamide conversion pathway by putative endocrine disruptors, bisphenol A and styrene monomer

Bisphenol A, a monomer of polycarbonate plastics, disturbed the conversion pathway of the amino acid tryptophan to the vitamin nicotinamide. The conversion ratio of tryptophan to nicotinamide was reduced to 1/15 by feeding a diet containing 1% bisphenol A. A putative disturbing reaction is kynurenine-->3-hydroxykynurenine, which is catalyzed by kynurenine monohydroxylase. This is an FAD-enzyme and requires NADPH as a coenzyme. Styrene monomer (1% addition to a normal diet) did not affect the food intake or the body weight, but slightly reduced the conversion ratio of tryptophan-nicotinamide.     

Three-dimensional expression of adhesion molecules on the superficial synovial intima of LPS-induced arthritis of the mouse knee analyzed by immuno-SEM

Three-dimensional microlocalization of adhesion molecules, i.e. ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule), VCAM-1 (vascular adhesion molecule), LFA-1 (lymphocyte function-associated antigen), Mac-1 (macrophage differentiation antigen) and VLA-4 (very late activation antigen), expressed on type-A synoviocyte (macrophage-like cell) and type-B synoviocyte (fibroblast-like cell), were detected by immuno-scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the immunoreactive microenvironment of the superficial synovial intima in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced arthritis of the mouse knee. Type-B synoviocytes extended rich slender processes from the periphery and constructed a cytoplasmic network, to which ICAM-1 was restricted. VCAM-1 was expressed only in the LPS-stimulated group and was relatively limited to the microvilli of type-B synoviocytes. Type-A synoviocytes were located randomly among the network with a smoother surface and expressed Mac-1 and LFA-1, which were counter-receptors for ICAM-1, and VLA-4 for VCAM-1 on the microvilli or lamellipodia. Three-dimensional microlocalization of adhesion molecules suggests that the network constructed by cytoplasmic processes and microvilli of type-B synoviocytes forms the pathway for the migration or the foothold for the fixation of type-A synoviocytes and takes part in forming an immunoreactive environment in the articular cavity.     

Mobility calculation of two-dimensional electron gas in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure at 4.2 K

Electron concentration and undoped AlGaAs spacer thickness dependencies of the mobility of a two-dimensional electron gas in a GaAs/AlGaAs single heterostructure are calculated at 4.2 K. The results predict extremely high electron mobility in this structure and agree quite well with very recent experimental data.     

Polarisation characteristics in long length v.a.d. single-mode fibres

Polarisation characteristics in long single-mode fibres are investigated. Single-mode fibres used in the experiment have been fabricated by the v.a.d. (vapour-phase axial deposition) method. It was shown from the measurements on a 21 km single-span v.a.d. fibre that the state of polarisation of the incident light beam can be maintained over a long length when the incident plane of polarisation coincides with the major or minor axis of the single-mode optical fibre.     

Occurrence,horizontal transfer and degeneration of VDE intein family in Saccharomycete yeasts

VDE is a homing endonuclease gene originally discovered as an intervening element in VMA1s of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. There have been two independent subfamilies of VDE, one from S. cerevisiae strain X2180-1A and the other from Saccharomyces sp. DH1-1A in the host VMA1 gene, and they share the identity of 96.3%. In order to search the occurrence, intra/interspecies transfer and molecular degeneration of VDE, complete sequences of VMA1 in 10 strains of S. cerevisiae, eight species of saccharomycete yeasts, Candida glabrata and Kluyveromyces lactis were determined. We found that six of 10 S. cerevisiae strains contain VDEs 99.7-100% identical to that of the strain X2180-1A, one has no VDE, whereas the other three harbour VDEs 100% identical to that of the strain DH1-1A. S. carlsbergensis has two VMA1s, one being 99.8% identical to that of the strain X2180-1A with VDE 100% identical to that of the strain DH1-1A and the other containing the same VMA1 in S. pastorianus with no VDE. This and other evidence indicates that intra/interspecies transmissions of VDEs have occurred among saccharomycete yeasts. Phylogenetic analyses of VMA1 and VDE suggest that the S. cerevisiae VDEs had branched earlier than other VDEs from an ancestral VDE and had invaded into the host loci as relatively late events. The two VDEs seemed to degenerate in individual host loci, retaining their splicing capacity intact. The degeneration of the endonuclease domains was distinct and, if compared, its apparent rate was much faster than that of the protein-splicing domains.