Change in electrical resistivity of nuclear graphite during compression tests and a model for its deformation and fracture mechanism

The results of the resistivity changes during compression of some nuclear graphites are summarized in order to cast light on the fracture mechanism of the materials; data on pyrolytic graphite and amorphous carbon are also taken into account. It is found that all the graphites investigated show an abrupt increase in resistivity when the applied stress increases to about a half of the fracture stress. Above this stress the non-linearity of the stress-strain curve becomes more pronounced and the formation and growth of optically resolvable cracks occur. A model based on the deformation of cracks and pores on the basal plane is proposed for explaining the change in resistivity, and is supported by measurements of the effect of pre-stressing on the Young's modulus, thermal expansion, mercury porosimetry and Knoop micro-hardness of the material.     

Flavonoid glycosides in the shoot system of Okinawa Taumu (Colocasia esculenta S.)

Six C-glycosylflavonoids and one O-glycosylflavonoid have been isolated from the shoot system of Taumu (Colocasia esculenta S.). They were identified as schaftoside, isoschaftoside, orientin, isovitexin, isoorientin, vitexin and luteolin 7-O-sophoroside. The presence of catechol moiety in the B-ring of isoorientin, orientin and luteolin 7-O-sophoroside showed strong antioxidant activity with different mechanisms of action in DPPH radical scavenging, β-carotene bleaching and superoxide radical inhibition assays. The amount of dry weight matter extract of water was higher than methanol for both the leaf and the stem parts. Isovitexin was the main compound in water and methanol extracts of the leaf while schaftoside was the main compound of the water extract of the stem. Methanol extract of the leaf showed higher DPPH radical scavenging activity than water extract while the opposite was observed for the stem. The results of this experiment suggest the potential of the leaf of Taumu as a source of dietary antioxidant.     

Control of higher order leaky modes in deep-ridge waveguides and application to low-crosstalk arrayed waveguide gratings

In a lightwave circuit using a strongly confined waveguide, higher order leaky modes must be suppressed to obtain ideal characteristics, especially in arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs). Propagation loss for higher order leaky modes in InP-based deep-ridge waveguides was investigated by simulation and experiment. A highly sensitive loss measurement method based on optical low-coherence reflectometry was used to determine the loss, and the relationship between the loss for the higher order mode and AWG crosstalk was investigated. Optimizing the deep-ridge waveguide parameters, especially the core thickness, the refractive index of the core, and the etch depth under the core, significantly reduced the propagation loss for the higher order leaky mode. The effective elimination of the higher order modes will enable fabrication of low-crosstalk AWG routers.     

Three-dimensional atomic imaging of Y and (B12)13 clusters in YB56 by HREM and crystallographic image processing

The three-dimensional atomic image of YB₅₆ was obtained by inverse Fourier transformation of three-dimensional phases and amplitudes in three high-resolution images along [100], [110] and [111] of YB₅₆ crystals. After crystallographic image processing, the image directly showed the three-dimensional potential map of the crystal, which showed (B₁₂)₁₃ clusters and Y atom positions. The present method would be useful for three-dimensional structure analysis in nanoscale regions.     

Mild hypothermia after cardiac arrest in dogs does not affect postarrest cerebral oxygen uptake/delivery mismatching

PURPOSE: To compare measurements of cerebral arteriovenous oxygen content differences (oxygen extraction ratios, oxygen utilization coefficients) in dogs after cardiac arrest, resuscitated under normothermia vs. mild hypothermia for 1-2 h or 12 h. METHODS: In 20 dogs, we used our model of ventricular fibrillation (no blood flow) of 12.5 min, reperfusion with brief cardiopulmonary bypass, and controlled ventilation, normotension, normoxemia, and mild hypocapnia to 24 h. We compared a normothermic control Group I (37.5 degrees C) (n = 8); with brief mild hypothermia in Group II (core and tympanic membrane temperature about 34 degrees C during the first hour after arrest) (n = 6); and with prolonged mild hypothermia in Group III (34 degrees C during the first 12 h after arrest) (n = 6). RESULTS: In Group I, the cerebral arteriovenous O2 content difference was 5.6 +/- 1.6 ml/dl before arrest; was low during reperfusion (transient hyperemia) and increased (worsened) significantly to 8.8 +/- 2.8 ml/dl at 1 h, remained increased until 18 h, and returned to baseline levels at 24 h after reperfusion. These values were not significantly different in hypothermic Groups II and III. The cerebral venous (saggital sinus) PO2 (PssO2) was about 40 mmHg (range 29-53) in all three groups before arrest and decreased significantly below baseline values, between 1 h and 18 h after arrest; the lowest mean values were 19 +/- 19 mmHg in Group I, 15 +/- 8 in Group II (NS), and 21 +/- 3 in Group III (NS). Postarrest PssO2 values of < or = 20 mmHg were found in 6/8 dogs in Group I, 5/6 in Group II and 4/6 in Group III. Among the 120 values of PssO2 measured between 1 h and 18 h after arrest, 32 were below the critical value of 20 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: After prolonged cardiac arrest, critically low cerebral venous O2 values suggest inadequate cerebral O2 delivery. Brief or prolonged mild hypothermia after arrest does not mitigate the postarrest cerebral O2 uptake/delivery mismatching.     

Chest flow during the initial inspiratory phase (V0.1) in pulmonary diseased patients

We measured the chest flow 0.1 s after the onset of the inspiratory phase (V0.1) in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema (CPE: n = 5), interstitial pneumonitis (IP: n = 5) and normal subjects (Nor: n = 5). The subjects sat in a body box and breathed air from outside of the body box. V0.1 was measured during rest and during maximal breathing (V0.1-rest, V0.1-max) and then these results were compared with P0.1 (P0.1 rest, P0.1-max) values. V0.1-rest was not significantly different between the three groups (Nor: 0.25 +/- 0.10, CPE: 0.27 +/- 0.06, IP: 0.26 +/- 0.06, l/s), whereas the P0.1-rest in IP patients was significantly greater than in normal subjects (Nor: 1.98 +/- 0.61, CPE: 3.00 +/- 0.80, IP: 3.60 +/- 0.68 hPa; P < 0.05 compared with normal). The V0.1-max in CPE and IP patients was significantly lower than in normal subjects (Nor: 3.66 +/- 1.16, CPE: 0.82 +/- 0.25, IP: 1.02 +/- 0.21 l/s, P < 0.05 compared with normal subjects (Nor: 3.66 +/- 1.16, CPE: 0.82 +/- 0.25, IP: 1.02 +/- 0.21 l/s, P < 0.05 compared with normal), whereas P0.1-max in IP patients was not significantly different with in normal subjects (Nor: 33.2 +/- 10.2, CPE: 9.8 +/- 3.7, IP: 19.5 +/- 3.4 hPa, P < 0.05 compared with normal, P < 0.05 compared with CPE). A simulation of the influence of the mechanical properties of the respiratory system on V0.1 and P0.1 using the Runge-Kutta method suggested that V0.1 was negatively affected by airway resistance but positively affected by chest wall and lung compliance. In contrast, the influence of respiratory mechanics on P0.1 was much less than on the V0.1, except for highly decreased lung compliance. In CPE patients, it was suspected that mechanical disorders might not simply be the determining factors of V0.1-max, but that limitations of the neuro-muscular drive due to chest wall deformity may also play a definitive role in the smaller V0.1-max. In contrast, it may be inferred that IP patients had to exert greater inspiratory effort as compared with the other two groups in order to maintain a similar V0.1-rest because of the increased airway resistance and decreased tissue compliance; thus these abnormal mechanical properties suppress the increase in the V0.1-max. It may be concluded that V0.1 is a good index of chest wall acceleration, which is determined by both the neuro-muscular drive and the mechanics of the respiratory system.     

Beta-Glucosylceramide Administration (i.p.) Activates Natural Killer T cells In Vivo and Prevents Tumor Metastasis in Mice

Natural killer (NK) T cells are well known to play important roles in both tumor rejection and the defense against infectious. Therefore, the antitumor potential of NKT cell-activating antigens have been the focus for the development of NKT cell-based immunotherapies. Up to now, several studies have revealed that the administrations of glycolipids (e.g. α-galactosylceramide) can successfully treat certain metastatic tumors. However, liver injuries appeared upon the application of these antigens. We previously examined the potential of using β-glucosylceramide (β-GlcCer) to inhibit tumor metastasis to the liver. The aim of this study was to determine the antimetastatic effects of β-GlcCer and its impact on the activation of NKT cells. Intraperitoneal administration of β-GlcCer enhanced the production of interferon-γ from hepatic lymphocytes containing NKT cells, and increased the cytotoxicity of hepatic lymphocytes against tumor cells. Moreover, β-GlcCer administration suppressed the hepatic metastasis of tumors in wild type (WT) mice, but not in CD1d (-/-) or Jα18 (-/-) mice. The drawback associated with the other glycolipids in liver injury was not noted in WT mice treated with the continuous daily administration of β-GlcCer for 2 weeks. The present study demonstrated that β-GlcCer treatment activates invariant NKT cells, thus resulting in the inhibition of tumor metastasis.     

Anionic polymerization of vinylsilanes

Summary The anionic polymerization of dimethylphenylvinylsilane with sec-butyllithium/N,N,N,N-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) was investigated. The polymerization proceeded up to 100% yield and afforded the polymer having isomerized-structure units. The polymerization was accompanied by chain transfer reaction to the monomer and the polymerization rate in the presence of TMEDA was much lower than in the absence of TMEDA.