Roasting effects on the distribution of tocopherols and phospholipids within each structural part and section of soybeans

To clarify the effects of microwave roasting on the distribution of tocopherols and FA of phospholipids within soybeans, whole soybeans (Glycine max) were treated by microwave and further evaluted as compared to a raw sample. Tocopherol homologs, measured using HPLC, and phospholipid profiles, quantified with GC, were determined in the seed coat, the embryonic axis, and selections of cotyledons separated from three cultivars. The tocopherols were predominantly detected in the axis, followed by the cotyledons, and then very little in the coat. As much as 25% of the individual tocopherols originally present in the coat were lost at 12 min of roasting, whereas <25% was lost in the cotyledons and the axis after 20 min of roasting. The greatest rate of phospholipid loss (P<0.05) was observed in PE, followed by PC and PI, and their changing patterns were more pronounced in the coat than in the cotyledons or the axis. Thus, tocopherol content and phospholipid profiles change with microwave roasting according to tissue.     

Formation of stable foam by the cells and culture supernatant of Gordonia (Nocardia) amarae

Gordonia amarae is the cause of foaming activated sludge. In this study, the mechanism of foam formation by G. amarae SC1 was investigated. A liquid culture of SC1 cells generated a stable foam when shaken reciprocally. This foam formation was dependent on the presence of both bacterial cells and culture supernatant. A high-molecular-weight fraction (Mw>10000) of the supernatant was capable of emulsifying n-hexadecane in addition to exhibiting foaming activity, indicating that it contains a surface-active substance(s). The bacterial cells showed a high affinity to hexadecane. This hydrophobic cell surface property might be involved in the attachment of cells to air bubbles to generate a stable foam. The results demonstrated the participation of cells and the extracellular biosurfactant in the formation and stabilization of foam in G. amarae SC1 culture.     

Possible 3He Boltzmann Gas Formed on Three-Dimensional Nanopores Preplated with 4He

We have measured the heat capacity of ³He adsorbed on three-dimensionally connected nanopores, 2.7 nm in diameter, preplated with about 1.3 atomic layers of ⁴He. At low coverages of ³He, the ³He heat capacity is roughly constant at the measured temperatures between 0.1 and 1 K. Its molar heat capacity is on the order of the gas constant R, between 1.1R and 1.8R. This suggests a Boltzmann gas state of the adsorbed ³He. At high coverages, the heat capacity is likely approaching linear in T at low temperatures, which suggests a degenerate state at further lower temperatures.     

Capillary rise properties of porous mullite ceramics prepared by an extrusion method with various diameters of fiber pore formers

Porous mullite ceramics with unidirectionally oriented pores were prepared by an extrusion method using rayon fibers as the pore formers. Rayon fibers of 8.1, 9.6, 16.8, and 37.6 μm in diameter were used as the pore formers and were kneaded with alumina powder, kaolin clay, China earthen clay, and water to form pastes. These pastes were extruded into cylindrical tubes, dried, and fired at 1500 °C for 4 h. The apparent porosities ranged from 45.7 to 48.2 %. The pore size distributions showed a sharp peak at 9.4, 10.0, 15.6, and 30 μm with increasing fiber diameters. The height of the capillary rise was 1780, 1670, 1320, and 950 mm with increasing fiber diameter. The maximum capillary rise is much higher than previously reported. The contact angle and effective pore radius that determine the capillary rise ability were calculated by fitting the capillary rise curves using the Fries and Dreyer’s equation.     

The data-driven microprocessor

Processor performance limitations that can be solved by data-flow processing are discussed. Data-flow-based software and multiprocessors are considered. A data-driven, 32-bit, five-chip set that performs real-time signal and distributed parallel processing without a system clock or centralized control unit is presented. Language processing and processor applications are examined     

Determination of the thermal conductivity of argon and nitrogen over a wide temperature range through data evaluation and shock-tube experiments

Reliable and well-established methods to measure the thermal conductivity of gases are available only in the moderate temperature range, namely, up to about 1000 K. In the present study, a set of the most probable thermal conductivity values of components of gaseous combustion products in a wide range of temperatures has been obtained through an optimum combination of three procedures: critical assessment of available data in the moderate temperature range, experimental determination by the shock-tube method at high temperatures, and theoretacal estimation of temperature dependence in the intermediate temperature range. Among the components of combustion products, one monatomic gas and one diatomic gas, namely, argon and nitrogen, were studied in the present paper. The shock-tube measurements have been performed in the temperature ranges 1000–4500 K for argon and 500–2200 K for nitrogen. The results of the critical evaluation and the shock-tube measurements have been combined with the aid of theoretically assumed temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity.Invited paper presented at the Ninth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 24–27, 1985, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Synthesis and Thermal Characterization of Novel Poly(tetramethylsilanthrylenesiloxane) and Poly(tetramethylsilphenanthrylenesiloxane) Derivatives

Summary Novel poly(tetramethylsilarylenesiloxane) derivatives, i.e. poly(tetramethyl-2,6-silanthrylenesiloxane) (P1), poly(tetramethyl-9,10-silanthrylenesiloxane) (P2), and poly(tetramethyl-1,8-silphenanthrylenesiloxane) (P3), were synthesized by polycondensation of novel disilanol monomers, i.e. 2,6-bis(dimethylhydroxysilyl)-anthracene (M1), 9,10-bis(dimethylhydroxysilyl)anthracene (M2), and 1,8-bis(dimethylhydroxysilyl)phenanthrene (M3), respectively. P1 and P3 were soluble in common organic solvents, such as benzene, toluene, chloroform, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, etc. whereas P2 was almost insoluble in common organic solvents. It was revealed that P1 and P3 were amorphous and that P2 exhibited the crystallinity, as deduced from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction measurements. The glass transition temperatures (T_g’s) of P1 (118 °C) and P3 (100 °C) were much higher than that of poly(tetramethyl-1,4-silphenylenesiloxane). The temperature at 5% weight loss (T_d5) of P3 was 500 °C, which was higher than those of P1 and P2, and comparable to that of poly(tetramethyl-1,4-silphenylenesiloxane). It would be speculated that the thermostability of the series of poly(tetramethyl-silarylenesiloxane) derivatives is dependent on the stability of arylene moieties incorporated.     

Chemical heat-pump system working at exhaust temperatures of high-temperature-gas-cooled reactor

A chemical heat-pump system using two hydrogen-absorbing alloys is proposed to utilize heat exhausted from a high-temperature source such as high-temperature-gas-cooled reactor, HTGR, which is designed to produce H₂ more efficiently. The overall system proposed here consists of HTGR, He gas turbines, chemical heat pumps and reaction vessels corresponding to the three-step decomposition reactions comprising the I–S process. A fundamental research is performed experimentally on heat generation in a single bed packed with a hydrogen-absorbing alloy that works at the H₂ production temperature. The hydrogen-absorbing alloy of Zr(V_1−xFe_x)₂ is selected as a material that has a proper plateau pressure for the heat-pump system operated between the input and output temperatures of HTGR. Temperature jump due to heat generated when the alloy absorbs H₂ proves that the alloy–H₂ system can heat up the exhaust gas even at 600 °C without any external mechanical force.     

Acceleration of calcium phosphate formation on bioactive PMMA-based bone cement by controlling spatial design

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based bone cement is widely used for the fixation of artificial joints. However, it is not considered a bioactive material because it lacks the ability to induce a direct bond with bone. In order to improve the long-term stability of cemented fixations, the development of bioactive bone cements is desirable. An essential requirement of a bioactive material includes the induction of bone-like apatite on its surface within the in vivo environment. Previously, we prepared bioactive PMMA-based bone cements by a modification with water-soluble calcium salts and alkoxysilane. Because spatial design may enhance apatite formation on bioactive material surfaces in vivo, we aimed to evaluate the effect of spatial design on apatite formation on modified PMMA-based bone cements in simulated body fluid (SBF). We found that an appropriate spatial design shortened the induction period for the apatite deposition on the modified bone cements. It is expected that osteoconduction would be enhanced in spontaneously created gap between the cement and the host bone leading to tight integration.     

Study on the LLFPs transmutation in a super-critical water-cooled fast reactor

The performance of the super-critical water-cooled fast reactor (Super FR) for the transmutation treatment of long-lived fission products (LLFPs) was evaluated. Two regions with the soft neutron spectrum, which is of great benefit to the LLFPs transmutation, can be utilized in the Super FR. First region is in the blanket assembly due to the ZrH_1.7 layer which was utilized to slow down the fast neutrons to achieve a negative void reactivity. Second region is in the reflector region of core like other metal-cooled fast reactors. The LLFPs selected in the transmutation analysis include ⁹⁹Tc, ¹²⁹I and ¹³⁵Cs discharged from LWR or fast reactor. Their isotopes, such as ¹²⁷I, ¹³³Cs, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs were also considered to avoid the separation. By loading the isotopes (⁹⁹Tc or ¹²⁷I and ¹²⁹I) in the blanket assembly and the reflector region simultaneously, the transmutation rates of 5.36%/GWe year and 2.79%/GWe year can be obtained for ⁹⁹Tc and ¹²⁹I, respectively. The transmuted amounts of ⁹⁹Tc and ¹²⁹I are equal to the yields from 11.8 and 6.2 1000 MWe-class PWRs. Because of the very low capture cross section of ¹³⁵Cs and the effect of other cesium isotopes, ¹³⁵Cs was loaded with three rings of assemblies in the reflector region to make the transmuted amount be larger than the yields of two 1000 MWe-class PWRs.Based on these results, ⁹⁹Tc and ¹²⁹I can be transmuted conveniently and higher transmutation performance can be obtained in the Super FR. However, the transmutation of ¹³⁵Cs is very difficult and the transmuted amount is less than that produced by the Super FR. It turns out that the transmutation of ¹³⁵Cs is a challenge not only for the Super FR but also for other commercial fast reactors.