Field test results of multi-channel digital tv transmission at 15 and 30 Mb/s through an intelsat satellite using a PSK/FDMA system

This paper describes field test results of multi-channel digital TV transmission using a PSK/FDMA system and the related subjective test results of received TV pictures. The picture quality of the multi-channel 15 or 30 Mb/s transmission for both NTSC and PAL systems through the INTELSAT POR satellite are subjectively evaluated for various bit-error rates. In addition, subjective evaluations were made at various values of earth-station e.i.r.p. to compare the picture quality of digital transmissions with that of current half-transponder FM transmission.     

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.     

CW operation at - 10°C for InGaAlP visible light laser diodes grown by MOCVD

CW operation at - 10°C for InGaP/InGaAlP double heterostructure (DH) laser diodes has been achieved for the first time. The DH wafers were grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapour deposition using methyl metalorganics as the source of group III elements. Under room-temperature pulsed operation, the lasing wavelength was 663 nm and the lowest threshold current density was 7.8 kA/cm2. The CW characteristic temperature T0 was 63 K at around -30°C.     

Heat Transfer & Thermal Stress Analysis of Plastic-Encapsulated ICs

Analytic approaches of thermal stress in plastic-encapslated ICs reliability have been studied using a simple, 2-dimensional model of the cross section of ICs by the finite-element method. To test the validity of the model, the actual stress within the silicon chip was measured using piezoresistive devices. The calculated stress in the silicon chip agreed with the experimental values. The stress distributions were changed by lead-frame properties. Package cracking, and delamination between the molding plastic and the lead-frame were qualitatively explained. We estimated the effect of the plastic properties on stress quantitatively. Furthermore, to test the validity of this model, the temperature change at the silicon chip was measured using the Vf temperature dependency of a diode. The calculated temperature change at the silicon chip agreed with the observed values. A very high temperature gradient was observed near the surface of the plastic immediately after solder dipping. The non-uniform temperature distributions produced different thermal stress distributions than those observed in the steady-state. This result indicated that rapid thermal shock could delaminate the plastic from the lead-frame. We believe that these results can guide the development of an optimum low-stress plastic.     

Pharmacological studies on basic ethers (R111 and R97) with antispasmodic activity

Pharmacological properties and acute toxicity of 2-tolyl 1-phenyl-3-(2-methylpiperidino) propyl ether methyl bromide (R111) and 2-chlorophenyl 1-phenyl-3-(2-methylpiperidino) propyl ether methyl iodide (R97) were examined. The results obtained were as follows: (1) In the analgesic effects, RIII and R97 inhibited markedly the acetic acid-induced writhing in mice, but in reducing pain induced by heat, R111 and R97 showed negative results. The local anesthetic effect of R111 was approximately equal to that of procaine. R111 and R97 showed no effects on spontaneous locomotion, the convulsion induced by strychnine or pentetrazol, and normal body temperature. (2) R111 and R97 antagonized acetylcholine, barium chloride, nicotine and serotonine-induced spasm, but not that of histamine and bradykinin. In particular they possessed marked anti-barium chloride activity, where their effects were 20 to 30 times more active than that of papaverine. (3) R111 and R97 indicated weak mydriatic activity. (4) R111 and R97 showed inhibitory effects on the pilocarpine-induced sialic secretion and the propulsive movements of the small intestine, but their inhibitory effects on the gastric secretion were relatively weak. (5) R111 and R97 displayed protective effects in Shay's ulcer, but had no curative effects on acetic acid ulcer. (6) R111 and R97 induced temporary reduction of arterial blood pressure and blood flow immediately after the administration of the test compounds in anesthetized rabbits. However, these agents induced no change in ECG, heart rate and respiration. (7) Intraperitoneally administered R111 and R97 were effective in inhibiting the carrageenin-induced edema in the hind paw of rats. From the above results, it may be considered that R111 and R97 have together strong cholinergic blocking and muscotropic antispasmodic effects, moreover, no significant effects on the central nervous system.     

An application of Monte Carlo method to simulate disorders in polymer crystals

The Monte Carlo method is applied to polymer crystals of idealized linear chain molecules of 30 carbon atoms, and the unharmonic, large-amplitude, oscillations and the subsequent conformational disorders of the chains are investigated. A crystalline field that confines the chain is treated by the molecular field approximation, and assumed to be cylindrical in this work. A production type simulation is adopted taking into account rigorous statistical weights for each sample conformation. Both the rotational isomeric model and the continuous rotation model of chain conformation are considered. By averaging over 10⁴–8 × 10⁴ chains, mean-square end-to-end distance, fractions of gauche and trans states and a detailed distribution of internal rotation angle are obtained. The effects of temperature and pressure on the conformation of the chain in the crystals are also simulated.     

Plasma developable photoresist containing electronic excitation energy quenching system

A dry developable negative working resist composition comprised of poly(methyl isopropenyl ketone) (PMIPK) and 4-methyl-2,6-di(4′-azido-benzylidene) cyclohexanone-1 was examined. The main photochemical product formed in the resist pattern was found to be a secondary amine which crosslinks PMIPK. Post-annealing forms a hydrogen-bonded product which shows a powerful electronic excitation energy quenching effect. The quencher is more powerful than the aromatic compound arising from the azide by post-annealing only. The residual resist thickness of the negative pattern is about 80 percent of the initial thickness of the coating in spite of all the azide compound remaining in the resist coating. The obtained dry developed resist pattern has a high dry etch resistance. Etchings of Si and SiO₂ were performed by plasma and reactive ion etching, respectively.     

Severe ethanol stress induces assembly of stress granules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Stress granules (SGs) and processing bodies (P bodies) are cytoplasmic domains and play a role in the control of translation and mRNA turnover in mammalian cells subjected to environmental stress. Recent studies have revealed that SGs also form in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in response to glucose depletion and robust heat shock. However, information about the types of stress that cause budding yeast SGs is quite limited. Here we demonstrate that severe ethanol stress generates budding yeast SGs in a manner independent of the phosphorylation of eIF2α. The concentration that generated budding yeast SGs (>10%) was higher than that causing P bodies (>6%), and P bodies were assembled prior to SGs. As well as mammalian SGs, the assembly of budding yeast SGs under ethanol stress was blocked by cycloheximide. On the other hand, the budding yeast SGs caused by ethanol stress contained eIF3c but not eIF3a and eIF3b, although the eIF3 complex is a core constituent of mammalian SGs. Moreover, null mutants (pbp1Δ, pub1Δ and tif4632Δ) with a strong reduction in SG formation did not resume proliferation after the elimination of ethanol stress, indicating that the formation of budding yeast SGs might play a role in sufficient recovery from ethanol stress.     

日本の寒地，北海道における2030年代の水稲生育への温暖化の影響予測とその対応(日语原文)

北海道では1980年代から2010年代まで,水稲圃場栽培期間である5–9月の気温は年代とともに上昇した。そこで,直近の2010年代（2010—2019年平均）と比べて, 2つの2030年代の予測気象から,既報の関係式より水稲生育を予測した。その結果,2030年代では2010年代に比べ,限界移植日（移植早限）が水稲栽培17地域の平均で8～9日早い。また,早限出穂期が1～5日早く,晩限出穂期が1～5日遅く,安全出穂期間が2～10日長い。出穂期は1～3日早い。出穂期から晩限出穂まで2～9日長いため,遅延型冷害の発生がやや少ない。生育期別気象は,出穂前24日以降30日間では生育が早いため平均気温が同じかやや低い。出穂前10日以降40日間および出穂期以降40日間では平均気温がやや高く,日射量はやや少ない。そのため,玄米収量は96～98％とやや低く,潜在収量性を示す気候登熟量示数は同じである。障害不稔発生に関係する穂ばらみ期冷害危険期の平均気温はわずかに低いかほぼ同じであるため,冷害発生の危険性は残る。一方,不稔発生をもたらす低温域の出現頻度には,地域間で差異がある。精米蛋白質含有率は同じであるが,アミロース含有率はやや低く,やや良食味である。米粒外観品質では被害粒歩合と着色粒歩合は一定の傾向がなく,未熟粒歩合はやや高い。精米白度は同じであるが,玄米白度はやや高い。以上の予測に対する技術的対応方向を示した。