LaBGeO5 single crystals in glass and second-harmonic generation

Flower-shaped crystals with diameters of 100–200 μm consisting of LaBGeO₅ (LBGO) single crystals similar to petals were observed in the interior of transparent LBGO surface-crystallized glasses. Each flower-shaped crystal was radially grown from the surface of the included bubbles. A more intense second-harmonic generation was observed from the LBGO crystallized glasses with the flower-shaped LBGO single crystals compared to the samples without such crystals based on the Maker fringe technique and second-harmonic (SH) generation microscopy. The SH intensity for the flower-shaped LBGO single crystals monotonically decreased with increasing temperature up to 350 °C, less than the Curie temperature reported so far (530 °C). It is considered that the internal compressive stress induced by the difference in the thermal expansion between the LBGO single crystal and the corresponding glass affect the ferroelectric property of the flower-shaped LBGO single crystals in glass.     

Plan for first phase of safety demonstration tests of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR)

Safety demonstration tests using the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) will be conducted for the purpose of demonstrating inherent safety features of High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs) as well as providing the core and plant transient data for validation of HTGR safety analysis codes. The first phase safety demonstration test items include the reactivity insertion test and the coolant flow reduction test. In the reactivity insertion test, which is the control rod withdrawal test, one pair out of 16 pairs of control rods is withdrawn, simulating a reactivity insertion event. The coolant flow reduction test consists of the partial loss of coolant flow test and the gas circulators trip test. In the partial loss of coolant flow test, primary coolant flow rate is slightly reduced by control system. In the gas circulators trip test one and two out of three gas circulators are run down, simulating coolant flow reduction events. The gas circulators trip tests, in which position of control rods are kept unchanged, are simulation tests of anticipated transients without scram (ATWS).     

Stochastic unit commitment problem

The electric power industry is undergoing restructuring and deregulation. We need to incorporate the uncertainty of electric power demand or power generators into the unit commitment problem. The unit commitment problem is to determine the schedule of power generating units and the generating level of each unit. The objective is to minimize the operational cost which is given by the sum of the fuel cost and the start‐up cost. In this paper we propose a new algorithm for the stochastic unit commitment problem which is based on column generation approach. The algorithm continues adding schedules from the dual solution of the restricted linear master program until the algorithm cannot generate new schedules. The schedule generation problem is solved by the calculation of dynamic programming on the scenario tree.     

Glasslike Transitions in Thin Polymer-Melt Films Due to Thickness Constraint

The shear properties of thin films of star and linear polyisoprene (PIP) melts under high pressure were investigated as a function of sliding velocity (shear rate) using the surface forces apparatus. The results were contrasted with their bulk rheological properties; effects of thickness constraint on the shear behavior were discussed. The melts of PIP in bulk exhibit Newtonian-like constant viscosity at least at low shear rates (frequencies), which suggests that individual molecules flow with lateral sliding motion. However, thin films of PIP melts show tribological features involving apparent shear-thinning behavior, indicative of the correlated motions in confined geometries. The shear-property change from bulk rheological behavior to thin-film tribological behavior along with the thickness decrease reflects the physical states and their transitions in the systems; the thickness constraint induces glasslike transitions. Effects of molecular weights and molecular architecture (star-branched or linear) on the shear properties are also discussed.     

Lysophosphatidylinositol Induced Morphological Changes and Stress Fiber Formation through the GPR55-RhoA-ROCK Pathway

We previously reported that lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) functions as an endogenous agonist of GPR55, a novel cannabinoid receptor. However, the physiological roles of LPI-GPR55 have not yet been elucidated in detail. In the present study, we found that LPI induced morphological changes in GPR55-expressing HEK293 cells. LPI induced the cell rounding of GPR55-expressing HEK293 cells but not of empty-vector-transfected cells. LPI also induced the activation of small GTP-binding protein RhoA and increased stress fiber formation in GPR55-expressing HEK293 cells. The inhibition of RhoA and Rho kinase ROCK by the C3 exoenzyme and the ROCK inhibitor reduced LPI-induced cell rounding and stress fiber formation. These results clearly indicated that the LPI-induced morphological changes and the assembly of the cytoskeletons were mediated through the GPR55-RhoA-ROCK pathway.     

A histochemical method using a substrate of beta-glucuronidase for detection of genetically modified papaya

A histochemical assay for detecting genetically modified (GM) papaya (derived from Line 55-1) is described. GM papaya, currently undergoing a safety assessment in Japan, was developed using a construct that included a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene linked to a virus coat protein (CP) gene. Histochemical assay was used to visualize the blue GUS reaction product from transgenic seed embryos. Twelve embryos per fruit were extracted from the papaya seeds using a surgical knife. The embryos were incubated with the substrate 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-glucuronide (X-Gluc) in a 96-well microtiter plate for 10-15 hours at 37 degrees C. Seventy-five percent of GM papaya embryos should turn blue theoretically. The histochemical assay results were completely consistent with those from a qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method developed by this laboratory. Furthermore, the method was validated in a five-laboratory study. The method for detection of GM papaya is rapid and simple, and does not require use of specialized equipment.     

Development of silicon wafer packaging technology for deep UV LED

This paper reports a deep‐ultraviolet LED (deep‐UV‐LED) package based on silicon MEMS process technology (Si‐PKG). The package consists of a cavity formed by silicon crystalline anisotropic etching, through‐silicon vias (TSVs) filled with electroplated Cu, bonding metals made of electroplated Ni/AuSn and a quartz lid for hermetic sealing. A deep‐UV LED die is directly mounted in the Si‐PKG by AuSn eutectic bonding without a submount. It has advantages in terms of size, heat dissipation, light utilization efficiency, productivity and cost over conventional AlN ceramic packages. We confirmed a light output of 30 mW and effective reflection on Si (111) cavity slopes in the Si‐PKG. Based on simulation, further improvement of the optical output is expected by optimizing DUV‐LED die mount condition.     

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.     

Te concentration dependent photoemission and inverse-photoemission study of FeSe1?xTex

We have characterized the electronic structure of FeSe_1−xTe_x for various x values using soft x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (SXPES), high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (HRPES) and inverse photoemission spectroscopy (IPES). The SXPES valence band spectral shape shows that the 2 eV feature in FeSe, which was ascribed to the lower Hubbard band in previous theoretical studies, becomes less prominent with increasing x. HRPES exhibits systematic x dependence of the structure near the Fermi level (E_F): its splitting near E_F and filling of the pseudogap in FeSe. IPES shows two features, near E_F and approximately 6 eV above E_F; the former may be related to the Fe 3d states hybridized with chalcogenide p states, while the latter may consist of plane-wave-like and Se d components. In the incident electron energy dependence of IPES, the density of states near E_F for FeSe and FeTe has the Fano lineshape characteristic of resonant behavior. These compounds exhibit different resonance profiles, which may reflect the differences in their electronic structures. By combining the PES and IPES data the on-site Coulomb energy was estimated at 3.5 eV for FeSe.