Characterization of chitosan/citrate and chitosan/acetate films and applications for wound healing

In this work, we aimed to develop a scaffold of chitosan (CS) with a porous sponge structure for an artificial skin. The scaffolds were prepared from both CS/citric and CS/acetic solutions. In addition, the cast films were also prepared from the same solutions to compare some of their properties. They were characterized using WAXD, FTIR, DSC, tensile measurements, and SEM observation. It was found that CS/acetate had low crystallinity but CS/citrate was in an amorphous state, resulting in a large ductility with rubbery softness. Despite the different morphologies of CS/citrate and CS/acetate scaffolds, both scaffolds exhibited the wound healing effect available for tissue engineering. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

DC‐balanced perfect classified channel for hiding framing signals

Perfect classified channel (PCC) was proposed as a hardware‐based Layer‐1 encryption system that prevents of leakage of packet information and any indication of the existence of packets. PCC can provide high‐throughput communication, which is encrypted using AES encryption hardware, while maintaining DC balancing, which is generally managed using the 8B/10B or 64B/66B coding algorithms. In this paper, we propose two methods to classify a framing signal that indicates a boundary between packets, for PCC. These methods facilitate an improved level of security compared with existing communication channels and make PCC more secure. This paper describes the details of the PCC architecture including the hardware costs while also verifying the DC‐balance performance of PCC and the confidentiality of framing signals. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Improvement in microstructure of SBT thin films

Abstract

Various attempts to improve the microstructure of SBT thin films were carried out. One was to employ ultra-thin BT film as a top layer on the conventional SBT thin film. After optimization of the BT top layer thickness, a very smooth SBT surface was successfully achieved. Particularly, the insulation break down field was improved to more than 1.0 MV/cm. Next we used UV exposure during the baking process. By optimizing the UV assisted process, surface morphology was successfully improved with fine grain microstructure. The break down field was improved to more than 1.0 MV/cm. Also, these two process combinations successfully lead to more reliable SBT thin films. The break down field was drastically improved to more than 1.2 MV/cm.     

Colorless polyimides derived from 1S,2S,4R,5R-cyclohexanetetracarboxylic dianhydride,self-orientation behavior during solution casting,and their optoelectronic applications

A novel cycloaliphatic monomer for polyimides (PI), 1S,2S,4R,5R-cyclohexanetetracarboxylic dianhydride (H′-PMDA) is proposed in this work. H′-PMDA shows high polymerizability with various diamines in contrast to its isomer, i.e., conventional hydrogenated pyromellitic dianhydride (H-PMDA) and leads to highly flexible and colorless PI films with very high T_g's. In particular, the combinations with rigid structures of diamines give rise to PIs with significantly decreased coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) owing to high extents of in-plane chain orientation induced by thermal imidization, whereas the H-PMDA-based counterparts do not. The decreased CTE reflects structural rigidity/linearity of the H′-PMDA-based diimide units as supported by liquid crystallinity observed in the corresponding model compound. Solution casting of a chemically imidized PI derived from H′-PMDA and 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine (TFMB) results in a lower CTE than that of the thermally imidized counterpart, suggesting the presence of a self-orientation phenomenon during solvent evaporation. The mechanism is proposed in this work. H′-PMDA/TFMB and its copolymer systems can be useful as plastic substrates in image display devices and/or novel coating-type optical compensation films.     

Reduction of force interference and performance improvement of a consequent-pole bearingless motor

A bearingless motor combines the functions of both magnetic suspension and torque generation together in a single motor. A consequent-pole type of bearingless motor has already been proposed. In contrast to conventional bearingless motors, it is free from the trade-off between suspension force and torque. In addition, stable suspension can be achieved without detecting the rotational angle. However, a part of the X-axis current generates undesirable force in the Y-axis. This force interference influences the performances of bearingless motors; thus, the interference should be eliminated. In this paper, the authors propose an optimal winding design of the consequent-pole bearingless motor to minimize the suspension force interference. Here, the suspension forces in the radial direction are numerically calculated using the magneto-motive force distribution of the bearingless motor, and are compared with the analytical results of finite element method. To verify the theory, static and dynamic performance tests were carried out. It was found that the improved winding configuration significantly reduced the suspension force interference by 90% compared with the previous winding configuration. It was also found that the radial shaft vibration and the power consumption were considerably decreased, by approximately 16% and 44%, respectively.     

X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS) and Thermally Stimulated Current (TSC) Studies on the Resistance Degradation of Iron-Doped Titania Ceramics

An anomalous increase of current with time has been found in iron-doped titania ceramics that have been subjected to a constant field. The result of thermally stimulated current analysis shows a peak at a temperature of 170°–180°C, which increases because of the depolarization of oxygen vacancies. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy indicates that an electrical stress results in an electrochemical reduction inside the specimen, particularly on the cathodic side. These results reinforce the viewpoint that the space charge that is responsible for the anomalous current results from a blockage of the O₂( g )/O²⁻( s ) ion transfer at the cathode.     

Structure-retention correlation of isomeric bile acids in inclusion high-performance liquid chromatography with methyl β-cyclodextrin

The structure-retention correlation of various C₂₄ bile acid isomers was studied by the addition of methyl β-cyclodextrin (Me-β-CD) to mobile phases in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The compounds examined include a series of monosubstituted bile acids related to cholanoic acids differing from one another in the position and configuration of an oxygen-containing function (hydroxyl or oxo group) at the position C-3, C-6, C-7, or C-12 and the stereochemistry of the A/B-ring fusion (trans 5α-H and cis 5β-H) in the steroid nucleus. The inclusion HPLC with Me-β-CD was also applied to biologically important 4β- and 6-hydroxylated bile acids substituted by three to four hydroxyl groups in the 5β-steroid nucleus. These bile acid samples were converted into their fluorescence prelabeled 24-pyrenacyl ester derivatives and chromatographed on a Capcell Pak C₁₈ column eluted with methanol-water mixtures in the presence or absence of 5 mM Me-β-CD. The effects of Me-β-CD on the retentions of each compound were correlated quantitatively to the decreasing rate of capacity factors and the relative strength of host-guest inter-actions. On the basis of the retention data, specific and nonspecific hydrogen-bonding interactions between the bile acids and the Me-β-CD were discussed.     

Low friction coefficient (approximately tan1°) of subaqueous debris flow in rotating flume tests and its mechanism

To reproduce a subaqueous debris flow with a friction coefficient of approximately tan1° in field, material with a huge volume may be involved. In this research, a steady subaqueous debris flow with a friction coefficient of approximately tan1° was produced by using the rotating flume experiment apparatus (Debris Flow Maker, DFM) with only 40 g of silicon powder. Subsequently, the mechanism of the low friction coefficient was interpreted with the hypothesis of dense agglomeration hitting (DAH). DAH means hitting of the dense agglomeration of dense flow on the flume's bottom plane. The following issues on DAH are considered: (I) the high velocity of the flume's bottom plane induces a strong hitting of particles; (II) the hitting elevates the liquid pressure near the boundary between the agglomeration and the flume's bottom plane; (III) the energy loss due to collision inside the particle agglomeration is limited. The experimental results provide an alternative method of producing subaqueous debris flow and an alternative measurement method of its friction coefficient; the hypothesis provides an alternative interpretation on the mechanism of low friction coefficient of subaqueous debris flow.     

砂土地基地震液化沉降的两种简易计算方法的对比分析

利用两种简易方法对日本某核电站的砂性土地基在地震液化后的大变形沉降进行了计算和对比分析。这两种简易的实用方法只需要利用标准贯入试验数据就可以操作。计算结果表明,该核电站的砂性土地基在L2级地震作用下会发生较大的地面沉降,并可能对地下管线造成损坏。由于两种方法的计算原理相同,因此计算所得到的地基分层沉降趋势基本一致,但是在数值上存在着较大的差异,这主要是由于两种方法建立的基础试验数据不同以及具体计算方法上存在着差异所造成的。     

Negative Pore Air Pressure Generation in Backfill of Retaining Walls During Earthquakes and its Effect on Seismic Earth Pressure

In order to investigate the seismic behavior of conventional type and geosynthetic-reinforced soil retaining walls, 1-g model shaking tests were conducted. Model walls having a height of about 50 cm were placed on a subsoil layer and backfilled with a layer of dense dry Toyoura sand. They were subjected to several steps of horizontal irregular excitations. As a result, generation of negative pore air pressure in the backfill was observed. The maximum amplitude of the negative pore air pressure during each shaking step increased with the base acceleration. Based on analyses of the measured data, it was inferred that such negative pore air pressure was caused by outward wall displacement relative to the backfill and not by dilative behavior of the backfill. It would cause a reduction in the seismic earth pressures exerted from the backfill. This feature suggests an advantage of a rigid full-height facing for reinforced soil walls over the segmental types of facing. A simplified numerical procedure to evaluate earth pressure was applied while considering the effects of the negative pore air pressure, and it could qualitatively simulate the measured behavior in terms of the seismic earth pressure and the angle of failure plane in the backfill.