An Organogermanium Compound Enhances the Initial Reaction Rate of Alkaline Isomerization of an Aldose into a Ketose through Enediol Complex Formation

We previously demonstrated that the organogermanium compound 3-(trihydroxygermyl)propanoic acid (THGP) enhances the enzymatic and alkaline isomerization of an aldose to a ketose through cis-diol complex formation by multiple mechanisms. Its higher affinity for the ketose than the aldose protects the ketose complex from alkaline decomposition. Furthermore, it has been reported that the aldose-ketose alkaline isomerization pathway includes 1,2-enediol. Therefore, we speculated that the complex-forming ability of THGP could also be applied to enediol, a transient intermediate of alkaline isomerization. To test this prediction, we analyzed the initial rates of glucose or lactose isomerization in a region where there was no substantial difference in pH with and without THGP addition. The results showed that THGP enhanced the rate of fructose or lactulose formation per unit time by approximately 2-fold compared to the control. This finding indicated that THGP could form a complex with the transition state of aldose-ketose alkaline isomerization.     

Contrasting effects of water-soluble and water-insoluble dietary fibers on bile acid conjugation and taurine metabolism in the rat

The effect of the type of dietary fiber on the bile acid and taurine metabolism was examined in rats. Diets containing 10% of various water-soluble fibers (citrus pectin, konjak mannan, guar gum) as compared to a fiber-free diet increased biliary excretion of total bile acids. In contrast, water-insoluble dietary fibers (cellulose, corn bran, chitin; 10% in the diets) as well as cholestyramine (5% in the diet) considerably, decreased bile acid excretion. Water-soluble dietary fibermediated increases in bile acid excretion were totally attributable to increases in glycine-conjugates. Thus, these fibers greatly increased by the bile acid glycine-to-taurine ratio (G/T). Excretio of glycine conjugates decreased more than that of taurine conjugates in rats fed various water-insoluble dietary fibers. As a results, G/T in rats fed water-insoluble fibers was significantly lowered as compared to G/T in animals fed a fiber-free diet. Cholestyramine did not affect the G/T ratio of bile acids. Fecal bile acid excretion and the activities of hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.17) in rats fed various water-soluble dietary fibers approximately doubled as compared to the respective values for rats fed a fiber-free diet. Whereas cholestyramine greatly increased these parameters, water-insoluble fibers did not significantly affect them. Various water-soluble fibers decreased hepatic concentration and urinary excretion of taurine as well as the activity of hepatic cysteine dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.20). In contrast, water-insoluble fibers considerably increased hepatic taurine concentrations and enzyme activities. The parameters for taurine metabolism were unaffected by cholestyramine. It was suggested that the types of dietary fiber affected hepatic taurine synthesis and thus modified bile acid glycine/taurine ratios.     

Oxidation behavior of high-burnup advanced fuel cladding tubes in high-temperature steam

To evaluate the oxidation behavior of high-burnup advanced fuel cladding tubes in high-temperature steam, laboratory-scale isothermal oxidation tests were conducted using the following advanced fuel cladding tubes with burnups of up to 85 GWd/t: M-MDA^TM, low-tin ZIRLO^TM, M5®, and Zircaloy-2 (LK3). These oxidation tests were performed in steam-flowing conditions at temperatures ranging from 1173 to 1473 K for durations between 120 and 4000 s, and the oxidation kinetics was evaluated. The oxidation kinetics of the high-burnup advanced fuel cladding tube specimens estimated by assuming the parabolic rate law was comparable to or slower than that of the unirradiated Zircaloy-4 cladding tube specimens reported in a previous study. It is considered that the protective e?ect of the corrosion layer hindered oxidation. Furthermore, no increase in the oxidation kinetics because of the pre-hydriding was observed. The onset times of the breakaway oxidations of these cladding tube specimens were comparable to those of the unirradiated Zircaloy-4 cladding tubes reported in previous studies. Therefore, it is considered that the burnup extension up to 85 GWd/t and the use of the advanced fuel cladding tubes do not significantly increase the oxidation kinetics and do not significantly reduce the onset time of the breakaway oxidation.     

Effects of Solvents in the Polyethylene Glycol Series on the Bonding of Copper Joints Using Ag2O Paste

The effects of reducing solvents on the bonding process using silver oxide paste in a copper joint were investigated. Three solvent types were tested: diethylene glycol (DEG), triethylene glycol (TEG), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The strength of the joints was assessed by fracturing, which occurred at the interface of the copper oxide layer and the copper substrate in DEG and TEG samples and at the bonded interface in the PEG sample. Analysis of the samples revealed that, in the DEG and TEG samples, the copper substrate was oxidized during the bonding process, which compromised the shear strength of the joints. In contrast, the PEG sample exhibited nonuniform sintering of the silver layer while retaining good shear strength. It was found that the combination of DEG and PEG produced optimum shear strength in the copper joint, as PEG suppressed the growth of copper oxide and DEG promoted the formation of a dense sintered silver layer. The bonding strength achieved was higher than that of the gold-to-gold joint made using standard Pb-5Sn solder.     

Interactive aesthetic curve segments

To meet highly aesthetic requirements in industrial design and styling, we propose a new category of aesthetic curve segments. To achieve these aesthetic requirements, we use curves whose logarithmic curvature histograms (LCH) are represented by straight lines. We call such curves aesthetic curves. We identify the overall shapes of aesthetic curves depending on the slope of LCH α, by imposing specific constraints to the general formula of aesthetic curves. For interactive control, we propose a novel method for drawing an aesthetic curve segment by specifying two endpoints and their tangent vectors. We clarify several characteristics of aesthetic curve segments.     

Distribution of double bonds in thermally degraded polyisobutylene

The distribution of double bonds in thermally degraded polyisobutylene was determined quantitatively by using pulsed Fourier transform ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopic analysis. The double bonds in the degraded polymer did not exist in the interior but at the terminal positions of the polymer chain. These olefins were of the terminal trisubstituted and terminal vinylidene types. The content of the former was much greater than that of the latter. This shows that radical chain transfer predominantly occurs at the methylene hydrogen rather than at the methyl groups of the polymer chain. The average number of double bonds per molecule, f, was greater than 1 and tended to be near 2. Thereby most of the degraded polyisobutylene was shown to have two terminal unsaturations per molecule.     

Design, fabrication, and evaluation of crystal-cored fibers for efficient second-harmonic generation based on Cerenkov-radiation-type phase matching

A formulation for calculating the optical second-harmonic power based on the Cerenkov-radiation-type phase matching is derived for a crystal-cored fiber. The prerequisite condition for high efficiency is expressed by a simple relation by use of the refractive indices of a core crystal, a core radius, and a fundamental wavelength. An organic crystal-cored fiber is designed and practically fabricated by the guiding principle derived here. A blue second-harmonic wave of 1.4 mW is obtained from a 1-mm-long fiber by use of a 60-mW semiconductor laser, and the second-harmonic intensity agrees well with the prediction. Degradation of the organic core crystal caused by the generated blue wave is observed, and the lifetime of the device is evaluated.     

Size-dependent volatility of diesel nanoparticles: chassis dynamometer experiments

We analyzed the size-dependent volatility of nanoparticles in a diameter range of 30-70 nm in diesel exhaust emissions. The test system included a medium-duty diesel truck on a chassis dynamometer, a single-stage dilution tunnel, a tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) equipped with an electric furnace, and a condensation particle counter. The size shifts of monodispersed diesel nanoparticles under changing furnace temperatures were measured by TDMA in the gas phase. Together with the reduction of average particle size and volume, we observed the development of bimodal size distributions resulting from the separation between semivolatile and nonvolatile species as the furnace temperature was increased. While 91-98% of the particles were found to be semivolatile species by total volume during the idling engine condition, only 6-9% were semivolatile during the one-half engine load condition. We also found that smaller particles contained a larger fraction of semivolatile species.