Effect of chitosan-gluconic acid conjugate/poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels as wound dressing on partial-thickness wounds in diabetic rats

We previously developed chitosan cryogels from chitosan-gluconic acid conjugate without using toxic additives for wound care. In this study, we improved physiological characteristics of the previous cryogels by incorporating poly(vinyl alcohol) that also form cryogels. Mechanical strength of the cryogels was more than two times higher than that of the previous cryogels. Furthermore, the incorporation of poly(vinyl alcohol) enhanced water retention and resistance to degradation of the gels by lysozyme. The cryogels retained the favorable biological properties of the previous cryogels that they accelerate infiltration of inflammatory cells into wound sites. Time period for repairing 50 % of initial area of partial-thickness skin wound treated with the cryogels (4.0 ± 1.1 days) was shorter than those with gauze (6.5 ± 0.3 days) or a commercial hydrogel dressing (5.7 ± 0.3 days). Finally, we confirmed that incorporation of basic fibroblast growth factor into the cryogels was effective to further accelerate wound healing (2.7 ± 1.0 days). These results demonstrate that the cryogels in this study are promising for wound care.     

Dynamic Power Integrity Control of ATE for Eliminating Overkills and Underkills in Device Testing

This paper proposes a power integrity control technique for dynamically controlling power supply voltage fluctuations for a device under test (DUT), and demonstrates its effectiveness for eliminating the overkills/underkills due to the difference of power supply impedance between an automatic test equipment (ATE) and a practical operating environment of the DUT. The proposed method injects compensation currents into the power supply nodes on the ATE system in a feed-forward manner such that the ATE power supply waveform matches with the one on the customer’s operating environment of the DUT. A method for calculating the compensation current is also described. Experimental results show that the proposed method can emulate the power supply voltage waveform under a customer’s operating condition and eliminate 95 % of overkills/underkills in the maximum operating frequency testing with 105 real silicon devices. Limitations and applications of the proposed method are also discussed.     

Visualization and concentration measurement of a direct-injection hydrogen jet in a constant-volume vessel using spark-induced breakdown spectroscopy

In this work, spark-induced breakdown spectroscopy (SIBS) was employed to investigate the mixing process of a hydrogen jet in a constant-volume vessel. The local fuel concentration of the hydrogen jet was measured at several locations, using a SIBS sensor. A high-speed camera was used to visualize spark discharge fluctuations, and hydrogen jet concentration measurements were conducted simultaneously. Spectrally resolved atomic emissions from the plasma generated by the spark plug were examined to determine the local equivalence ratio. Direct visualization of the spark discharge provided useful information about the influence of spark discharge characteristics related to the spark timing. Using the developed SIBS sensor, atomic emission spectra were obtained from hydrogen H_α at 656 nm and nitrogen N (I) at 501 nm. Comparison of the intensity peaks of atomic emissions from hydrogen and nitrogen allows the local hydrogen concentration in a measured volume to be determined, and hence also the local equivalence ratio. The measurement results demonstrate the local variation in the equivalence ratio throughout the jet and along its axis. From the results, the spatial structure of the hydrogen jet affects the hydrogen/nitrogen mixing and could be clarified with SIBS technique when the spark is discharged.     

Nanoporous structure of the cell walls of polycarbonate foams

Using CO₂ to prepare microcellular polycarbonate foams resulted in a pore diameter of 45 nm and a pore density of 10⁸ cm^?2 on the walls of microscale cells, which created nano/micro foams with an open cell structure. In this study, the craze nucleation theory and the bubble nucleation theory of foaming were combined to explain the mechanism of the foaming-induced nanopores (microvoids) on the cell walls. In the foaming process, the strain energy was developed in the cell walls by bubble nucleation and growth. With large strain energy, a nanoporous structure of the cell walls was formed by initiation of crazing. Because the foaming temperature affected the strain energy in the cell wall, the temperature became a key factor of forming microcellular structure as well as the nanopores on the cell walls. Our experimental results showed that the diameter and density of the nanopores were determined by the competitive movements between chain stretching and relaxation. Furthermore, certain solvents, such as acetone, were found to increase the nanopore density of the walls by exploiting the plasticization effect of the solvent on the reduction of surface tension and viscosity.     

Inter-comparison of various global sea surface temperature products

In this study, eight global sea surface temperature (SST) products for 2009 are compared to clarify their characteristics. The median of eight daily values, the Ensemble Median as Reference Product (EMRP), is used as a reference product for inter-comparison. The results show that the absolute value of mean differences and the value of root mean square (RMS) differences are higher in single-microwave products such as Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth observing system (AMSR-E), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager (TMI), and WindSat, than in products such as MicroWave Optimally Interpolated SST (MWOI), Merged satellite and in situ data Global Daily SST (MGD), and Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Analysis (OSTIA) constructed by merging several SST data. It is of note that the characteristics of SST products depend on the type of SST used within the product, rather than the data source used. A comparison of SST products was also conducted using EMRP and data observed by moored buoys. The results show that only AMSR-E has a warm bias (+0.06°C) while other products have a cool bias (maximum value ?0.10°C). The RMS error of TMI is the highest (0.57°C), and that of EMRP the lowest (0.28°C). Furthermore, the temporal variability between the data in each SST product was compared to those observed by the Kuroshio Extension Observatory (KEO) buoy. Results show that the temporal variability of EMRP corresponds well to that of buoy data, and that the RMS error of EMRP is lower than that of the other SST products.     

Evaluation of environmentally friendly lubricants for cold forging

The authors proposed double-layer-type environmentally friendly lubricants, which were composed of an undercoat, superior in adhering to a material, and an overcoat, superior in reducing the friction between the material and the die. The performance of these lubricants for cold forging was evaluated by the ring compression test, the combined forward rod-backward can extrusion-type friction test and the combined forward conical can-backward straight can extrusion-type friction test. The double-layer-type lubricants showed comparable friction characteristics and anti-pick-up properties to a conversion coating lubricant, when the film thickness and surface treatment before coating were improved. In a practical application by cold multistage forging, the double-layer-type lubricants showed a similar performance to a conversion coating lubricant.