Preparation of polyynes by liquid-phase laser ablation using different irradiation target materials and solvents

Polyynes were prepared from pellets of a perylene derivative, 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA), and graphite by liquid-phase laser ablation, using solvents of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, t-butyl alcohol, n-hexane, and decalin. The amounts of polyynes produced from PTCDA strongly depended on the polarity of the solvent, while those from graphite did not. Polar functional groups of acid-anhydride side chains in PTCDA are believed to influence the amounts of C₂ radicals produced by laser ablation. The long-chain polyyne C₂₈H₂ was detected in a chromatogram of a solution obtained from a graphite pellet and solvent decalin.     

Passive piezoelectric single-side MEMS DC current sensor with five parallel PZT plates applicable to two-wire DC electric appliances without using cord separator

A passive (power-less), non-contact macro-scale piezoelectric bimorph DC current sensor to satisfy the increasing needs of DC power supply for monitoring the electricity consumption by either one-wire or two-wire appliance cord was proposed at our laboratory previously. In present study however, a MEMS-scale piezoelectric single-side DC current sensor, comprised of five parallel PZT plates, was further proposed and micro-fabricated for preliminarily examination. A micro magnet was fixed by manipulator onto the PZT cantilever tip to the theoretically pinpointed position of the center plate. Different from the results of the macro-scale piezoelectric bimorph DC current sensor, impulsive piezoelectric output voltages accompanying with a gradual decrease in decay were detected when the applied DC electric current was varied from 0.5 to 2.5 A. A linear relationship between the detected peak value of the impulse output voltage and the applied DC electric current was also obtained but with a higher slope compared to the result of the macro-scale piezoelectric bimorph DC current sensor.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of the putative active site residues of 3C proteinase of coxsackievirus B3: evidence of a functional relationship with trypsin-like serine proteinases

Picornavirus 3C proteinases (3C^pro) are cysteine proteinasesbut recent sequence analyses have shown that they are relatedto trypsin-like serine proteinases. Two models of 3C^pro structurehave been presented. Both models indicate that residues His40and Cysl47 are members of the catalytic triad but the modelsdiffer in the designation of the third member of the catalytictriad, which is assigned as either Glu71 or Asp85. To test theimportance of these four residues in the catalytic activityof 3C^pro of coxsackievirus B3, a member of the enterovirus subgroupof the picornavirus family, single amino acid substitutionswere introduced at each of the four sites. All of these mutationsresulted in the reduction or inactivation of autocatalytic cleavageof the 3C precursor protein expressed in Escherichia coli, suggestingthat all of these residues are essential for the proteolyticreaction. The substitution of Cysl47 with Ala abolished 3C^proactivity while the mutant in which Cysl47 was replaced withSer retained reduced proteolytic activity both in cis and intrans. Our results strongly support the proposal that Cysl47of 3C^pro functions as a nucleophile analogous to Serl95 of trypsin-likeserine proteinases.     

Skill-based curiosity for intrinsically motivated reinforcement learning

Machine Learning - Reinforcement learning methods rely on rewards provided by the environment that are extrinsic to the agent. However, many real-world scenarios involve sparse or delayed rewards....     

A high accuracy fluxgate DC current sensor applicable to two-wire electric appliances

Microsystem Technologies - This paper presents a novel high-precision low noise self-oscillating fluxgate DC current sensor that can be used for two-wire measurement. This new sensor mainly...     

Self-alignment observation and conductivity evaluation in micro chips integration with square binding pattern

A “square” binding alignment pattern, with relatively higher energy barrier but four fully aligned orientations at four off-set angles of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, has been analyzed by introducing a concept of the overlap ratio, compared to a “rectangular” one. Both the “square-pattern” micro-chips and the substrate with the “square-pattern” binding sites were fabricated using one-mask micromachining process, and the self-alignment in situ observation under three different off-set orientation angles of 35°, 46°, and 90° was demonstrated using a high-speed video camera. Sequential images reveal a slow translational motion in the early stage followed by a faster rotational alignment. A novel technique has been further proposed for the conductivity evaluation by using three kinds of SAM films, i.e., C12, C18, and Terphenyl. The preliminary measurements indicate that, using the proposed novel structure, the Terphenyl film is believed to be desirable as a conductive SAM film for self-alignment of micro-chips.     

用于表面编码器的正弦波栅格的热模压制

本文介绍了在多自由度纳米定位中,作为表面编码器测量基准的正弦波栅格的复制方法．该栅格表面的形貌为空间正弦波,即沿x和y方向均为波长100μm,振幅100nm的正弦波．这种栅格表面的大小为几十微米至几百微米．在安装了快速刀具伺服机构的金刚石车床上,制成了铝基栅格表面．该加工系统的优点是能够以高精度形成被加工表面,但另一方面,由于是在大面积内形成微观表面,故加工时间较长．为了实现快速制作,进行了基于基表面的复制,栅格表面的复制采取了热模压制法,在高分子薄膜上进行了实验．     

Implementation of self-healing function in ATM networks

This paper proposes an implementation scheme for the self-healing function in ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) networks and assesses its performance in a developed experimental system. First, our proposed ATM self-healing scheme is described. This scheme realizes more rapid restoration of failed Virtual Paths than other self-healing algorithms, supports the node failure case, and minimizes the spare resources required. Next, an implementation scheme is proposed. We propose that the self-healing function can be implemented as a software process, and that OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) cells be utilized for fast message transmission. Next, results of a prototype system that we implemented on an ATM cross-connect system are discussed. The fundamental characteristics of restoration performance are measured using the experimental system. Based on these results, restoration characteristics of real world scale networks are estimated by computer simulations. The simulation results indicate that any-one link failure is completely restored within 2 seconds.     

Acid-treated high-amylose corn starch suppresses high-fat diet-induced steatosis

Resistant starch (RS) has been reported to improve steatosis as well as obesity. Type 4 resistant starch (RS4), a chemically modified starch, is particularly hard to digest and suggesting higher efficacy. However, because the effects of RS4 on steatosis are not yet fully understood, the effects of RS4 on steatosis were examined using a murine high-fat diet model. Seven-week-old male mice were divided into three groups and fed a normal diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), or a high-fat diet with added RS (HFD + RS). Amylofiber SH^® produced from acid-treated corn starch was used as the dietary RS. At 22 weeks old, hepatic steatosis and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) content and gut microbiota in cecum stool samples were analyzed. The ratio of body weight to 7 weeks was significantly suppressed in the HFD + RS group compared to the HFD group (132.2 ± 1.4% vs. 167.2 ± 3.9%, p = 0.0076). Macroscopic and microscopic steatosis was also suppressed in the HFD + RS group. Analysis of cecum stool samples revealed elevated SCFA levels in the HFD + RS group compared with the HFD group. Metagenome analysis revealed that Bifidobacterium (17.9 ± 1.9% vs. 3.6 ± 0.7%, p = 0.0019) and Lactobacillus (14.8 ± 3.4% vs. 0.72 ± 0.23%, p = 0.0045), which degrade RS to SCFA, were more prevalent in the HFD + RS group than the HFD group. In conclusion, RS4 suppressed steatosis, and increased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, and SCFAs. RS4 may prevent steatosis by modulating the intestinal environment.