Competitive Effect of Water Vapor and Oxygen on the Oxidation of Fe–5 wt.% Al Alloy at 1073 K

The effect of oxygen on the oxidation of Fe–5wt.% Al alloy was investigated at 1073 K in N2–12.2 vol.% H₂O, O₂–12.2 vol.% H₂O, and N₂–O₂–12.2 vol.% H₂O with various amounts of oxygen. The results showed S-shaped oxidation curves that consisted of three stages: slow-incubation, rapid transition, and relatively slow oxidation. The amount of oxidation increased with increasing oxygen contents up to 0.9 vol.% O₂ and then rapidly decreased. On the oxygen-rich side, a slow incubation oxidation stage was observed and its duration increased with increasing oxygen content. The extent of oxidation decreased gradually with decreasing oxygen content from the critical value and the incubation period disappeared. In the transient period, Fe₂O₃ was formed on the lean oxygen-content side and elongated voids were formed in the outer Fe₃O₄ and FeO layer. It was suggested that the differences in the morphology of Fe₂O₃ formed on the surface affected by the dissociation and gas-transport process due to differences in oxygen partial pressure at the gas–scale interface.     

Growth of silicon carbide thin films by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition from SiH4/CH4/H2

Silicon carbide (SiC) thin films were prepared by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition from SiH₄/CH₄/H₂ and their structural properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared absorption and Raman scattering spectroscopies. At 2 Torr, Si-crystallite-embedded amorphous SiC (a-Si_1 − xC_x:H) grew at filament temperatures (T_f) below 1600 °C and nanocrystalline cubic SiC (nc-3C-SiC:H) grew above T_f = 1700 °C. On the other hand, At 4 Torr, a-Si_1 − xC_x:H grew at T_f = 1400 °C and nc-3C-SiC grew above T_f = 1600 °C. When the intakes of Si and C atoms into the film per unit time are almost the same and H radicals with a high density are generated, which takes place at high T_f, nc-3C-SiC grows. On the other hand, at low T_f the intake of Si atoms is larger than that of C atoms and, consequently, Si-rich a-Si_1 − xC_x:H or Si-crystallite-embedded a-Si_1 − xC_x:H grow.     

Determination of γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine in raw scallop and processed scallop products using high pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

The determination of the kokumi peptide, γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine (γ-Glu-Val-Gly) in raw scallop and processed scallop products was carried out using high pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The detection of γ-Glu-Val-Gly was achieved using a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. The optimised condition enabled the precise determination of γ-Glu-Val-Gly. Raw scallop contained 0.08 μg/g γ-Glu-Val-Gly, and the γ-Glu-Val-Gly levels in processed scallop products, such as dried-scallop and scallop extract, were measured to be 0.64 and 0.77 μg/g, respectively. This is the first report to confirm the existence of γ-Glu-Val-Gly in foodstuff.     

Wavelength optimization for machining metals with the harmonic generations of a short pulsed Nd:YAG laser

The wavelength conversion for a short pulsed Nd:YAG laser has been implemented from infrared to visible and to ultraviolet spectra by using nonlinear optical crystals. The analytical method of wavelength optimization for machining metals with various harmonic generations of a Nd:YAG laser is presented in this paper. Combining the absorptivity of metal and the conversion efficiency of laser apparatus, the absorption efficiency is proposed to select an optimum machining wavelength. Various metals have different optimum machining wavelengths. The optimum machining wavelengths for gold, silver, and copper are in the third-, fourth- and second-harmonic generations of a Nd:YAG laser, respectively. For other metals, such as nickel, their optimum machining wavelengths are all in the fundamental wavelength of a Nd:YAG laser.     

High-Temperature Corrosion Resistance of Al–Re and Re Coatings

The oxidation behavior in air at 1473 K, and sulfidation behavior in a H2S–H2 gas mixture with a sulfur partial pressure of 10^–2 Pa at 973 K of Al–Re coated CMSX-4 were studied. Investigation on the sulfidation behavior of the Re-coated CMSX-4 was carried out in a H2S–H2 gas mixture with a sulfur partial pressure of 10^–2 Pa at 973 K. The experimental results show that a Re-rich alloy layer was formed between an -Al₂O₃ layer and the inner concentration zone of Ta and Ti for the CMSX-4 single crystal alloy with an Al–Re coating after oxidation. The Re-rich alloy layer containing Cr, W, Ni, Co, and Mo effectively inhibited the outward diffusion of alloying elements and the inward diffusion of Al. The Al/Re-coated CMSX-4 single crystal alloy had excellent sulfidation resistance; the Re-rich alloy layer, containing W, Ti, Ta, and Mo, which formed during the sulfidation process and located between the alumina scale and the CMSX-4 base alloy, plays a role in inhibiting the outward diffusion of alloying elements. The sulfidation resistance of CMSX-4 single-crystal alloy is greatly improved by a Re coating on the CMSX-4 alloy surface; this is attributed to a Re–Cr–W alloy layer that retarded the outward diffusion of cations and the oxide layer containing Ta, Ti, and Al, which inhibited the inward penetration of sulfur.     

Application of an ultrahigh-resolution scanning electron microscope (UHS-T1) to biological specimens

In 1985 we developed an ultrahigh-resolution scanning electron microscope with a resolution of 0.5 nm. It is equipped with a field emission gun and an objective lens with a very short focal length. In this study we report a survey of some different preparation techniques and biological specimens using the new scanning electron microscope. Intracellular structures such as cell organelles were observed surprisingly sharper than those observed by ordinary scanning electron microscopes. However, at magnifications over 250,000 X, platinum particles could be discerned as scattered pebbles on the surface of all structures in coated materials. Using an uncoated but conductively stained specimen, we successfully observed ribosomes on a rough endoplasmic reticulum at a direct magnification of 1 million. In these images some protrusions were recognized on the ribosomes. Ferritin and immunoglobulin G were used as samples of biological macromolecules. These samples were observed without metal coating and conductive staining. The ferritin particles appeared as rounded bodies without any substructure on the surface and immunoglobulin G as complexes of three-unit bodies. In the latter the central body might correspond to the Fc fragment and two side ones to Fab fragments. We assume that ultrahigh-resolution scanning electron microscopy is an effective means for observation of the cell fine structures and biological macromolecules. It will open a new research field in biomedicine.     

High activity of B during solid-phase epitaxy in a pre-amorphized layer formed by Ge ion implantation and deactivation during a subsequent thermal process

We have shown that ion-implanted boron (B) in an amorphous layer formed through Ge ion implantation becomes highly active during solid-phase epitaxy. The activated B concentration reaches about 10/sup 20/ cm/sup -3/ and is almost completely independent of the temperature. This active concentration corresponds to the solid solubility at 900/spl deg/C, hence the B becomes active at levels greater than the solid solubility below this temperature. This activated B was deactivated as a result of the subsequent thermal process in which the diffusion length reached about 10 nm. A low-resistance shallow junction can thus be realized in the low-temperature region provided we end the annealing before the onset of the rise in resistance.     

Characteristics of quinolone-induced small colony variants in Staphylococcus aureus

Exposure of Staphylococcus aureus to 1 x MIC of the quinolone antibiotic pazufloxacin for 24 h, followed by plating on drug-free media, led to the emergence of small colony variants (SCVs) in addition to large colony variants (LCVs). However, following incubation with 0.25 or 4 x MIC of pazufloxacin, only LCVs were obtained. The SCVs were half as susceptible to pazufloxacin or ciprofloxacin as wild-type S. aureus, while the susceptibilities of LCVs were essentially unchanged. The reduced susceptibilities of SCVs did not result from mutations in the quinolone-resistance-determining regions of DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, since the sequences of these genes were identical to those of the wild-type. However, the SCVs accumulated pazufloxacin and ciprofloxacin to a lesser degree than did wild-type. Furthermore, their susceptibility to quinolones was almost unaffected by reserpine or verapamil, suggesting that the reduced uptake resulted from decreased permeability, rather than from an active efflux pump. The ability of various quinolones to induce emergence of SCVs in S. aureus, correlated with the presence of carbon-bonded substituents at the C-7 position of a quinoline or naphthyridine nucleus, or with the presence of a benzoxazine nucleus. In conclusion, pazufloxacin-induced SCVs represent a mutant that one might expect to be rapidly eliminated in vivo and, hence, not to survive as a quinolone-resistant pathogen. This finding suggests a novel approach for development of future quinolones.     

Surgical analysis for metastatic lung tumor from renal cell carcinoma

Metastatic lung tumor from renal cell carcinoma were studied in 29 cases. Eighteen patients were treated surgically, 11 were treated non-surgically. The overall 5-year survival rate with the patients of pulmonary resection was 53.5%, and that with those of conservative therapy was 0%, and this difference is statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in any characteristics such as sex, age, stage, grade, disease free interval, metastatic pattern and combination with or without interferon therapy. There was no significant difference in surgically treated patients with pulmonary metastasis in terms of any factors such as age, sex, stage, grade, disease free interval, pulmonary metastasis pattern, metastatic number, surgical procedure, combination with or without interferon therapy statistically. Analysis for the surgically treated patients with pulmonary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma shows no significant difference in prognosis with any characteristics. This result shows efficacy of surgery even if for the patients with synchronous bilateral multiple pulmonary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma.