Wave-optical evaluation of interference fringes and wavefront phase in a hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by mirror optics

The intensity flatness and wavefront shape in a coherent hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by flat mirrors that have surface bumps modeled by Gaussian functions were investigated by use of a wave-optical simulation code. Simulated results revealed the necessity for peak-to-valley height accuracy of better than 1 nm at a lateral resolution near 0.1 mm to remove high-contrast interference fringes and appreciable wavefront phase errors. Three mirrors that had different surface qualities were tested at the 1 km-long beam line at the SPring-8/Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute. Interference fringes faded when the surface figure was corrected below the subnanometer level to a spatial resolution close to 0.1 mm, as indicated by the simulated results.     

Treatment with crystalline ultra-pure urea reduces the aggregation of integral membrane proteins without inhibiting N-terminal sequencing

We have demonstrated that N-terminal sequencing can be performed successfully despite boiling protein samples in the presence of urea under precise conditions, before loading them onto SDS-PAGE and transfer to polyvinylidene difluoride membrane. Using myoglobin as a test protein, we found that its ability to undergo N-terminal sequencing was not affected by the presence of urea provided "ultra-pure" urea was used. Consistent with this result, we verified that urea did not carbamylate myoglobin since its molecular mass was measured by mass spectrometry after electroelution of the protein band from the gel. These observations are useful for the study of integral membrane proteins, in particular to study their topology from proteolysis experiments, since heating in the presence of urea before SDS-PAGE reduces membrane protein aggregation [Soulié, S., Mo/ller, J.V., Falson, P., and le Maire, M. (1996) Anal. Biochem. 236, 363-364]. We show that the sequencing yield of a hydrophobic peptide from reticulum Ca2+-ATPase was more than doubled in the presence of urea in accord with the quantification of the Coomassie Blue staining of the gel and of the amount present on the polyvinylidene difluoride membrane. For three peptides of the gastric H+K+-ATPase, the sequencing yield after urea treatment increased almost threefold.     

Quantification of dioxin in the sieved fraction of river sediment.

Dioxin pollution of aquatic sediments has been one of the important environmental problems in Japan. Grain size distribution and organic constituents may play important roles in dioxins contents in sediments, which have not been well investigated. This paper aims to quantify dioxins (PCDDs/Fs and co-PCBs) in sieved surface sediment fractions obtained from Kizu and Sumiyoshi Rivers in Osaka, Japan. The samples were prepared and analyzed following the 'Manual of the Survey and Measurement of Dioxins in Sediment' (Environment Agency of Japan, 2000). The results showed that TEQ concentrations of dioxins increased with decreasing grain size in sediment fractions. Sediment fractions with less than 20 microm grain size showed the highest dioxin contents. Dioxins with five and six chlorine atoms dominated other congeners in less than 20 microm fractions. The dioxin TEQ concentrations increased with total organic carbon (TOC), total carbon (TC), ignition loss (IL), total sulphur and nitrogen contents in the sediment fractions. Thus, reporting dioxin contents in sediments without considering grain size distribution may be erroneous, and conventional sedimentation and separation techniques might not be useful for treating contaminated sediments. This information can be useful for effective remediation of dioxin-contaminated sediments.     

Elution of sodium caseinate from agar-based gel matrixes in simulated gastric fluids

Elution of sodium caseinate from agar/psyllium composite gels was investigated in simulated gastric fluids to determine predominant mechanical parameters of gels for the elution kinetics and to predict the kinetics using the parameters. When the concentration of agar was fixed at 0.5% in the composite gels, elastic moduli determined by creep tests decreased with increasing concentration of psyllium, while viscosities increased. Compression load upon syringing through an enteral tube increased with increasing concentration of psyllium, whereas the surface-volume diameter d_3,2 of gel particles after syringing decreased. The elution kinetics of sodium caseinate from cylindrical gels was described using two different diffusion coefficients; D₁ and D₂ (D₁ > D₂) and the diameter of gels. Both diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing concentration of psyllium, resulting in 1.9 × 10⁻⁶ (for D₁) and 6.7 × 10⁻⁸ (for D₂) cm²/min by 1.5% addition, which corresponded to approx. 30% and 45% of the control (i.e., 0% psyllium), respectively. The fraction ratio of sodium caseinate having D₁ was not sensitive to psyllium concentration; approx. 80%–85% in the concentration range tested. D₁ was inversely proportional to viscosities determined by creep tests, particularly one from the Voigt body η₁ in the 4-element mechanical model. When cube gels were divided into smaller ones without changing the total volume, elution rates were inversely proportional to the cube length, where the diffusion coefficients did not change. The elution kinetics of sodium caseinate from the gel matrixes was anticipated using η₁ of gels before syringing and d_3,2 of gel particles after syringing when the usage of gels for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is assumed.     

High-temperature properties of extruded titanium composites fabricated from carbon nanotubes coated titanium powder by spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion

Pure titanium matrix composite reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was prepared by spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion via powder metallurgy process. Titanium (Ti) powders were coated with CNTs via a wet process using a zwitterionic surfactant solution containing 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 wt.% of CNTs. In situ TiC formation via reaction of CNTs with titanium occurred during sintering, and TiC particles were uniformly dispersed in the matrix. As-extruded Ti/TiCs composite rods were annealed at 473 K for 3.6 ks to reduce the residual stress during processing. After annealing process, the tensile properties of the composites were evaluated at room temperature, 473, 573 and 673 K, respectively. Hardness test was also performed at room temperature up to 573 K with a step of 50 K. The mechanical properties of extruded Ti/CNTs composites at elevated temperature were remarkably improved by adding a small amount of CNTs, compared to extruded Ti matrix. These were due to the TiC dispersoids originated from CNTs effectively stabilized the microstructure of extruded Ti composites by their pinning effect. Moreover, the coarsening and growth of Ti grain never occurred even though they were annealed at 573, 673 K for 36 ks and 673 K for 360 ks, respectively.     

Target cattle age of post-slaughter testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy and infectivity entering the human food chain in Japan

A model of possible outcomes of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-infected cattle in Japan was constructed, and the expected proportion of BSE-infected cattle entering the human food chain and the expected infectivity remaining in edible meat per capita by breed variety and sex were calculated, while changing target ages of BSE testing. As widely accepted, BSE testing for all ages could reduce the proportion of infected cattle entering the human food chain and their infectivity. It was especially effective among female dairy cattle, but the resulting reduction was quite limited. The effectiveness of BSE testing on food safety hardly differs between the target age of 21 months and all ages.     

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of Pt catalyst supported on Sn0.96Sb0.04O2−δ with a network structure

We synthesized a Pt catalyst supported on Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ with a random network structure for the cathode of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). The Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ support, synthesized by the flame combustion method, was in the form of nanometer-sized particles with a partially agglomerated structure similar to that of carbon black (CB) and with a high surface area, 125 m² g⁻¹. The structure was considered to be beneficial in reducing the contact resistance between the Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ support particles and in dispersing the nanometer-size Pt particles. We applied the nanocapsule method to synthesize the Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ-supported Pt catalyst (Pt/Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ). The electrochemically active surface area (ECA) of Pt reached a maximum of 60.2 m² g_(Pt)⁻¹, and the high values were maintained during the potential step cycling test (0.9–1.3 V) simulating the start/stop cycling of PEFCs. The oxygen reduction reaction activity of the Pt/Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ catalyst exceeded that of Pt supported on carbon black (Pt/CB). We conclude that the random network structured Sn_0.96Sb_0.04O_2−δ might be a good candidate support material for the cathode of PEFCs.     

Recent advances in bioactive nanocrystal-stabilized Pickering emulsions: Fabrication,characterization, and biological assessment

Numerous literatures have shown the advantages of Pickering emulsion (PE) for the delivery of bioactive ingredients in the fields of food, medicine, and cosmetics, among others. On this basis, the multi-loading mode of bioactives (internal phase encapsulation and/or loading at the interface) in small molecular bioactives nanocrystal-stabilized PE (BNC-PE) enables them higher loading efficiencies, controlled release, and synergistic or superimposed effects. Therefore, BNC-PE offers an efficacious delivery system. In this review, we briefly summarize BNC-PE fabrication and characterization, with a focus on the processes of possible evolution and absorption of differentially applied BNC-PE when interacting with the body. In addition, methods of monitoring changes and absorption of BNC-PE in vivo, from the nanomaterial perspective, are also introduced. The purpose of this review is to provide an accessible and comprehensive methodology for the characterization and evaluation of BNC-PE after formulation and preparation, especially in relation to biological assessment and detailed mechanisms throughout the absorption process of BNC-PE in vivo.     

Elimination of ƞ phase in WC–Co cemented carbides during laser powder bed fusion by powder coating compensation strategy

The formation of ƞ phase induced by the C-loss for the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of WC–Co cemented carbides largely deteriorates the fracture toughness. The current approach of mixing C additive into powder cannot mitigate the ƞ phase formation. This study proposed a new carbon compensation strategy of coating carbon resource on powder surface by fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition to address this issue. C nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were selectively deposited on WC–Co powder to make uniform C- and CNTs-coated powders by tuning the deposition temperature. Compared with CNTs-coated powder and C–WC–Co powder mixtures, the C-coated powder was more effective in impeding the ƞ phase formation because it had higher reactivity and stronger dissolution ability to compensate the C-loss in the Co–W–C liquid. However, the single-carbon compensation was not enough to eliminate the ƞ phase due to the extreme nonequilibrium characteristics of LPBF, which required secondary heat treatment. The conventional heat treatment procedure of 1000°C for 3 h eliminated the ƞ phase for the C-coated powder but failed for the C–WC–12Co powder mixtures. Because of the absence of ƞ phase, the heat-treated sample made from C-coated powder exhibited the highest transverse rupture strength.