Comparison of the lymphatic transport of radiolabeled 1,3-dioleoylglycerol and trioleoylglycerol in rats

It has been reported that, compared with TAG, DAG suppresses postprandial hypertriacylglycerolemia and reduces visceral fat levels in experimental animals and humans. To clarify the mechanism responsible for these beneficial effects, we compared the lymphatic transport of 1,3-DAG, a major isomer of DAG, and TAG in rats. Male SD rats, after insertion of a cannula into the thoracic duct, were given 1,3-di[1-¹⁴C]oleoylglycerol or tri[1-¹⁴C]oleoylglycerol via a stomach tube. The 24-h receovery of the radioactivity from 1,3-di[¹⁴C]oleoylglycerol in the lymph was slightly but significantly lower than that from tri[¹⁴C]oleoylglycerol (81.3±1.0 vs. 86.5±1.2%, respectively). However, in the first 1-h interval after administration, the recovery of radioactivity from 1,3-dioleoylglycerol was almost half of that from trioleoylglycerol (17.5±2.0 vs. 31.1±1.4%). The amount of TAG and phospholipids secreted into the lymph was significantly lower 1 h after the administration of 1,3-dioleoylglycerol compared with that after the administration of trioleoylglycerol. More than 90% of the radioactivity recovered in the lymph in the first 3 h was distributed in the TAG fraction for both 1,3-dioleoylglycerol and trioleoylglycerol. These results suggest that slower lymphatic transport of 1,3-DAG compared with TAG could be a factor in the suppression of postprandial hypertriacylglycerolemia. The possibility that the slower lymphatic transport of DAG contributes to the antiobesity action observed in the feeding of 1,3-DAG cannot be excluded.     

Submicron bubble garnets and their characterizations

New Submicron (0.5-1.0 mum diam) bubble garnets have been developed. In order to reduce saturation induction4piMsas low as possible, suitable choice of amounts of nonmagnetic ions substituting for ferric ions in both tetrahedral and octahedral sites were studied in (YSm)3(FeAl)5O12, (YSmLu)3- (FeGaSc)5O12, (YSmLu)3(FeAlSc)5O12and (LaLuSm)3- (FeGa)5O12garnet systems. For example, in (YSmLu)3- (FeAlSc)5O12a film with the following properties was grown; strip widthw = 0.7mum, film thicknessh= 0.7mum, quality factorq=2.8, Curie temperatureTc= 140degC and4piMs=770G. The temperature properties of those films could be improved drastically by doping with a small amount of Gd ion. Wall mobilities μw of those films are in the region from 200 to 500cm/s/Oe. Preceding these material studies, several film characterization methods have been investigated. Film thickness was measured by Fluorescent X-ray method, strip width by using a highly sensitivity TV camera, and bubble collapse field by FMR resonance technique respectively.     

Mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that are defective specifically in their attraction to cycloheximide

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits chemotaxis toward a wide variety of chemicals including water-soluble molecules and volatile organic compounds. We have previously discovered that C. elegans wild-type strain N2 is strongly attracted by cycloheximide which has long been known as a bitter tastant for humans and other mammals. We describe here the isolation and initial characterization of the first mutants which were defective specifically in their attraction to cycloheximide. In our screenings, we selected two mutants that were defective in chemotaxis to cycloheximide but normal in their attraction to NH4Cl and histidine. These mutants also avoided quinine hydrochloride, CuSO4 and high concentrations of NaCl similar to the wild-type strain N2. Furthermore, no observable defect was detected in their attraction to volatile odorants such as isoamyl alcohol and diacetyl. Dye-filling experiments suggested that they have no morphological defect in the sensory endings of the amphid neurons.     

Optimal boiler control through real-time monitoring of unburned carbon in fly ash by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

A laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique has been applied for detection of unburned carbon in fly ash, and an automated LIBS unit has been developed and applied in a 1000-MW pulverized-coal-fired power plant for real-time measurement, specifically of unburned carbon in fly ash. Good agreement was found between measurement results from the LIBS method and those from the conventional method (Japanese Industrial Standard 8815), with a standard deviation of 0.27%. This result confirms that the measurement of unburned carbon in fly ash by use of LIBS is sufficiently accurate for boiler control. Measurements taken by this apparatus were also integrated into a boiler-control system with the objective of achieving optimal and stable combustion. By control of the rotating speed of a mill rotary separator relative to measured unburned-carbon content, it has been demonstrated that boiler control is possible in an optimized manner by use of the value of the unburned-carbon content of fly ash.     

Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Helically Propagating Combustion Waves

In the present paper, by using a mathematical model for self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, we reveal the three-dimensional structure of so-called spin combustion wave on the inside of cylindrical sample. It is shown that an isothermal surface of regular spin combustion wave has some wings of which number is the same as that of reaction spots on the cylindrical surface and that the isothermal surface with helical wings rotates down with time. Because of this propagating pattern, in this paper, we adopt the more suitable term helical wave. We also obtain the following existence conditions of a helical wave: If physical parameters are set so that a pulsating wave exists stably for the one-dimensional problem, then a helical wave takes the place of a pulsating wave when the radius of cylindrical sample becomes large.     

Synthesis and properties of ellipsoidal hematite/silicone core-shell particles

Monodispersed ellipsoidal hematite particles were synthesized and coated with silicone using a silane-coupling agent, phenyltriethoxysilane. The thickness of the silicone shell was controlled by the concentration of phenyltriethoxysilane and the presence of n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, which was thought to modify the surface properties of the hematite particles to be organophilic. The hematite/silicone core-shell particles were strongly hydrophobic and had a good dispersibility and stability in toluene. Hollow ellipsoidal silicone particles were obtained by the dissolution of hematite with hydrochloric acid from the core-shell particles.     

Ion-implanted and permalloy hybrid magnetic bubble memory devices

Hybrid bubble memory devices have been proposed and operated with the memory density of 4 Mbit/cm². In the hybrid bubble memory devices, minor loops are composed of ion-implanted tracks with 4-µm period, and major lines and functional parts including block-replicate and swap gates are composed of Permalloy tracks with a longer period of 12 µm. Passive junctions between ion-implanted and Permalloy tracks have been developed, introducing the tapered ion-implantation technique. Improving the characteristics of the functional parts composed of Permalloy tracks, the hybrid bubble memory devices with block-replicate and swap gates have been operated, and the feasibility of the devices has been confirmed. In addition, the possibility of higher memory density has been shown.