Physical evaluation of pure zein films by atomic force microscopy and thermal mechanical analysis

Biodegradable edible films can be made from corn protein, α-zein. Pure zein films are cast from an organic solution of α-zein. This report outlines the surface conditions of such pure zein films. First, the transition temperature, T _t′ of the pure zein film was measured with a thermomechanical analyzer. T _t was between 167.0 and 172.7°C. The thermal elongation of the films depended on the drying conditions used during film preparation. Second, the surface microstructure of pure zein films, produced under several different drying conditions, was observed by atomic force microscopy. The surface had a morphology that showed depressions either with acutely (90–120°) or obtusely (121–180°) angled features depending upon the drying conditions. On the other hand, the surface microstructure after thermal elongation analysis appeared to have a pattern of projections that was repeated every 25 nm. Third, we measured the contact angle of the pure zein films. We found a correlation between surface microstructure and contact angle. Pure zein films with projections smaller than 200 nm in base diameter on the surface had a high contact angle (>70°).     

Interruption capability of CF/sub 3/I Gas as a substitution candidate for SF/sub 6/ gas

We studied the interruption performance of CF₃I gas because its environmental effect is smaller than that of SF₆ gas with a model arc-extinguishing chamber. First, we measured the arc time constant and arc power loss coefficient using Mayr's equation. Comparing CF₃I with other gases, the arc time constants are SF₆3I2< H₂2. The arc power loss coefficient is H₂>SF₆ >CO₂>Air>N₂ >CF₃I. Next, we evaluated the short line fault (SLF) interruption capability by measuring the di/dt-dv/dt characteristic. Consequently, the SLF interruption performance of pure CF₃I was about 0.9 times that of SF₆. However, CF₃I application to gas insulated switchgear (GIS) and gas circuit breakers (GCB) is difficult because the liquefying temperature of the gas is high. Therefore, we adopted a countermeasure to obtain a lower liquefying temperature mixing CF₃I with CO₂. The result showed that the SLF interruption performance of the mixture approximated that of pure CF₃I when the ratio of CF₃ I exceeds 20%     

The effects of temperature and liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) on mechanical properties of a blend of polyphenylene sulphide and LCP

The mechanical properties of polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) blends were investigated over a range of temperatures. The effect of blend composition on the brittle-ductile transition temperature (B-D) was also studied by differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. Blends of various compositions (PPS/LCP; 90/10, 75/25, 50/50 and 25/75) were prepared and injection moulded. The bending test temperature was varied between –40 and 150 °C. The results showed a rapid load drop at the B-D transition region. The B-D transition temperature occurred in unannealed pure PPS, 90/10, 25/75 and 50/50 blends around 75 °C whilst in the annealed sample it was observed around 100 °C. In pure LCP and 25/75, no transition occurred. Partial miscibility of PPS and LCP was confirmed by SEM observations, bending modulus and thermal properties. The use of LCP, as a good reinforcing agent which can improve processability and modulus, is discussed.     

Analysis of a genetic mutation in an electrophoretic variant of the human lactate dehydrogenase-B(H) subunit

An electrophoretic variant of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-B(H) subunit was discovered in a patient with diabetes mellitus. His LDH activity in serum was slightly lower than normal and the LDH isozyme pattern showed an abnormal migration indicating an LDH-B subunit variant of the fast type. The LDH containing the variant subunit revealed a decreased heat stability. DNA analysis of the variant allele detected a base substitution, an A to G transition, at codon 6 (AAA-->GAA). The mutation resulted in the replacement of a lysine by a glutamic acid (K6E). The change may cause the heat instability and affect the net charge of the variant subunit, resulting in an electrophoretic LDH-B subunit variant of the fast type.     

Bauschinger effect and multiaxial yield behavior of stress-reversed mild steel

Thin-walled cylindrical specimens subjected to torsional prestraining are stress-reversed along the Bauschinger curve. The Bauschinger effect (BE), yield behavior, and flow behavior of the stress-reversed mild steel were examined by using combined loadings of axial load, internal pressure, and torsion. The results indicate that the stress-reversed steel has the same yield stress at 0.2 pct offset strain in reloading tests of forward and reverse torsion, when the reverse strain is =0.77 pct. Furthermore, it is possible to cause the yield stresses in forward and reverse torsion to coincide in any offset strain. The yield locus of the stress-reversed steel is symmetric with respect to the tensile stress axis in a tension-torsion stress field. However, it has been found to be an anisotropy in the stress-reversed steel, and the magnitude of anisotropy is related to the offset strain. For example, there is a stronger anisotropy at 0.2 pct offset strain than at 2 pct offset strain, even though the BE is eliminated for the former. It is shown that the reduction in the BE by stress reversal is concerned with the relief of the long-range back-stress generated by prestraining. Besides, the roles of aging in the stress-aging process lie in the contributions to age hardening and development of directional back-stress.     

Self-intersections of offsets of quadratic surfaces: Part I, explicit surfaces

Although offset surfaces are widely used in various engineering applications, their degenerating mechanism is not well known in a quantitative manner. Offset surfaces are functionally more complex than their progenitor surfaces and may degenerate even if the progenitor surfaces are regular. Self-intersections of the offsets of regular surfaces may be induced by concave regions of surface where the positive offset distance exceeds the maximum absolute value of the negative minimum principal curvature or the absolute value of the negative offset distance exceeds the maximum value of the positive maximum principal curvature. It is well known that any regular surface can be locally approximated in the neighborhood of a pointp by the explicit quadratic surface of the form r(x,y)=[x,y1/2(x²+y²)]^T to the second order where – and – are the principal curvatures at pointp. Therefore investigations of the selfintersecting mechanisms of the offsets of explicit quadratic surfaces due to differential geometry properties lead to an understanding of the self-intersecting mechanisms of offsets of regular parametric surfaces. In this paper, we develop the equations of the self-intersection curves of an offset of an explicit quadratic surface. We also develop an algorithm to detect and trace a small loop of a self-intersection curve of an offset of a regular parametric surface based on our analysis of offsets of explicit quadratic surfaces. Examples illustrate our method.     

Electrically tunable spin injector free from the impedance mismatch problem

Injection of spin currents into solids is crucial for exploring spin physics and spintronics. There has been significant progress in recent years in spin injection into high-resistivity materials, for example, semiconductors and organic materials, which uses tunnel barriers to circumvent the impedance mismatch problem; the impedance mismatch between ferromagnetic metals and high-resistivity materials drastically limits the spin-injection efficiency. However, because of this problem, there is no route for spin injection into these materials through low-resistivity interfaces, that is, Ohmic contacts, even though this promises an easy and versatile pathway for spin injection without the need for growing high-quality tunnel barriers. Here we show experimental evidence that spin pumping enables spin injection free from this condition; room-temperature spin injection into GaAs from Ni(81)Fe(19) through an Ohmic contact is demonstrated through dynamical spin exchange. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this exchange can be controlled electrically by applying a bias voltage across a Ni(81)Fe(19)/GaAs interface, enabling electric tuning of the spin-pumping efficiency.     

New combination therapy with FTM [5-FU, pirarubicin (THP) and MMC] for treatment of inoperable advanced gastric cancer

Clinical usefulness of a new combination FTM therapy consisting of 5-FU, Pirarubicin (THP) and MMC for the treatment of advanced gastric cancers was investigated. 5-FU, THP or MMC was administered at a dose of 600 mg/m2 on day 1, 8, 22 and 29, 30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 22, and 10 mg/m2 on day one only of each course, respectively. Eighteen patients with inoperable advanced gastric cancer were treated with FTM. All drugs were investigated by intravenously by one shot. The tumor response rate was 50% [9 of 18 showed PR]. The survival rate was higher in responders than in nonresponders (18.1% vs 11.1%) (p < 0.05). Side effects in the gastrointestinal tract were minimal. Cardiotoxicity and nephrotoxicity were not detected, but myelosuppression was prominent in most cases. G-CSF was given in sixteen patients (88%), and platelet transfusion was performed in two patients (11%). New combination FTM therapy is an effective treatment regimen even for advanced inoperable gastric cancer.     

System for reconstruction of three-dimensional micro objects from multiple photographic images

We introduce a system to reconstruct a three-dimensiojnal (3D) polygonal model of 3D micro objects with outer dimensions ranging from several hundred microns to several millimeters from multiple two-dimensional (2D) images of an object taken from different views. The data acquisition system consists of a digital microscope that captures still images at a resolution of 1600 × 1200 pixels and a computer-controlled turntable. We employ the shape-from-silhouette (SFS) method to construct a voxel-based 3D model from silhouette images. The concave shapes are further carved by using the space carving technique. In order to make the resulting model compatible with a commercial CAD/CAM system, the voxel model is converted into a triangular mesh using the marching cubes algorithm. Because the mesh generated from the voxel model by using the marching cubes algorithm inherits the staircase effect, the mesh is adjusted to recover the object precisely by using silhouette images. Finally, we evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method. The reconstructed models of complex micro objects indicate the effectiveness of the 3D shape reconstruction system for micro objects.     

B-spline surface fitting by iterative geometric interpolation/approximation algorithms

Recently, the use of $B$-spline curves/surfaces to fit point clouds by iteratively repositioning the $B$-spline’s control points on the basis of geometrical rules has gained in popularity because of its simplicity, scalability, and generality. We distinguish between two types of fitting, interpolation and approximation. Interpolation generates a $B$-spline surface that passes through the data points, whereas approximation generates a $B$-spline surface that passes near the data points, minimizing the deviation of the surface from the data points. For surface interpolation, the data points are assumed to be in grids, whereas for surface approximation the data points are assumed to be randomly distributed. In this paper, an iterative geometric interpolation method, as well as an approximation method, which is based on the framework of the iterative geometric interpolation algorithm, is discussed. These two iterative methods are compared with standard fitting methods using some complex examples, and the advantages and shortcomings of our algorithms are discussed. Furthermore, we introduce two methods to accelerate the iterative geometric interpolation algorithm, as well as a method to impose geometric constraints, such as reflectional symmetry, on the iterative geometric interpolation process, and a novel fairing method for non-uniform complex data points. Complex examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.