Phase Diagram of the BaO-CuO Binary System

The phase diagram of the BaO-CuO binary system has been investigated in air and in a mixed gas of Ar + 0.21 atm of O₂. The existence of two compounds, BaCuO₂ and Ba₂CuO₃, was confirmed. The phase transition of Ba₂CuO₃ from an orthorhombic to a tetragonal phase was observed to occur at 1083 K. The lattice constants of the tetragonal Ba₂CuO₃ phase were determined to be a = 1.2975 nm and b = 0.3992 nm. BaCuO₂ was shown to melt incongruently by a synthetic reaction at 1289 K. Furthermore, the existence of two eutectic reactions and a peritectic reaction in the present system was confirmed.     

Effect of sodium tauroursodeoxycholate (UR-906) on liver dysfunction in bile duct-ligated rats

We investigated the effect of sodium tauroursodeoxycholate (UR-906) on cholestasis in common bile duct-ligated rats in comparison with the effect of dehydrocholic acid. UR-906 (30-180 mumol/kg) and dehydrocholic acid (180 mumol/kg) were intravenously given once daily for consecutive 20 days in rats and the common bile duct was ligated for the last 10 days. On the next day after the last test drug administration, serum biochemical and plasma hemostatic variables were determined. UR-906 significantly ameliorated the elevation of serum cholesterol, phospholipid, bilirubin and bile acid concentrations in bile duct-ligated rats. UR-906 significantly suppressed the prolongation of plasma prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Furthermore, UR-906 significantly suppressed the decreases in plasma coagulation factor II and X activities. However, dehydrocholic acid did not cause significant changes in any of the variables examined in this model. These results suggest that UR-906 has a beneficial effect against cholestasis induced by bile duct ligation in rats and that this drug may be useful in the treatment of clinical cholestatic disorders.     

模拟流体中真核状态鞭毛运动和纤毛运动的放大推进机构

由于大部分的生物体都具有相对的自发性、功能性和有效率性，模仿生物体动作的机械研究在工程领域是非常重要的。根据这个观点，我们研究了一种基于水中微生物动作的微型推进机构。     

Direct production of ultra-fine nitrides (Si3N4 and AIN) and carbides (SiC,WC and TiC) powders by the arc plasma method

A direct method of producing ultra-fine nitride and carbide powders of 20 to 40 nm by arc plasma in a controlled atmosphere (with ammonia or methane gas) is described. The powders produced were SiC, TiC, WC (+W₂C), AIN and Si₃N₄. Other nitrides and carbides may also be produced using this method. Special attention was paid to the production conditions of silicon nitride.     

Dibutyryl cAMP inhibits endotoxin-induced increases in pulmonary vascular resistance and fluid filtration coefficient in the perfused rat lung

We investigated the effects of pre-treatment with dibutyryl cAMP (db-cAMP) or cGMP on endotoxin-induced hemodynamic changes and pulmonary vascular permeability in isolated perfused rat lungs. Intraperitoneal injection of Salmonella enteritidis endotoxin (2 mg/kg) caused increases in pulmonary arterial resistance (Ra) after venous reservoir elevation, in pulmonary filtration coefficient (Kf) and in lung wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio. Pre-treatment with db-cAMP blocked endotoxin-induced increases in Ra, Kf and W/D weight ratio. Pre-treatment with cGMP attenuated only the increase in Ra caused by endotoxin. Moreover, administration of db-cAMP 2 hours after endotoxin injection attenuated the increase in Ra induced by endotoxin treatment. The increases in Kf and W/D weight ratio caused by endotoxin were not affected by post-treatment with db-cAMP. Since the increases in Ra, Kf and W/D weight ratio caused by endotoxin were blocked by pre-treatment with db-cAMP, agents that increase intracellular cAMP level may be useful to prevent acute pulmonary vascular injury.     

Proposal of a new folded comb-line filter

We propose a new type of comb-line filter that is suitable for miniaturization utilizing stratifying technology. It consists of a couple of composite resonators. Each resonator is composed of two sections of a microstrip and a coplanar waveguide fabricated on the microstrip ground plane which are connected through a piece of wire at an open end to set up a new folded comb-line filter. The filtering characteristics are investigated through experiments as well as numerical simulations by means of the FD-TD method. It is shown that the filtering characteristics can be much improved by removing part of the barrier in the coplanar-line portion of the resonator to alter the coupling.