Easy-to-prepare assembly array of Tungsten microelectrodes

This paper provides a detailed process flow for fabricating an easy-to-prepare, inexpensive, dense array of tungsten microelectrodes. We designed the process flow to minimize routine tasks by separating an initial preparation of a master mold from a routine preparation of substrate replication, array assembly and tip processing. Sandblast processing first produced a glass mold with a pattern of a series of protruding lines at a requested interval of a few hundred micrometers. Copying the groove pattern onto polystyrene mass-produced a replica substrate. Tungsten probes were then aligned on the substrate, and the tips of probes were finely processed in the block.     

Effect of Physical Aging on the Creep Deformation of an Epoxy Resin

This paper is concerned with an experimental study of the theinfluence of physical aging and temperature on the creep deformation ofepoxy resin. Master curves for various aging conditions were found tocollapse into a single smooth curve corresponding to a reference agingcondition after suitable horizontal translation. It is proposed that theresulting curve be designated the master-master curve and thecorresponding time scale the reduced-reduced time. In addition, theamount of horizontal translation, the aging parameter, can be used toestimate the aging process. We have also shown that there is one-to-onecorrespondence between the aging parameter and polymer density.     

Tumor-specific activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase in human colorectal and gastric carcinoma tissues

In the present study we investigated the effect of anti-CD3 stimulation on IL-3-induced histamine, IL-6, and IL-4 synthesis by murine hematopoietic precursor cells. These activities were strikingly decreased in splenocytes from mice that had received a single intravenous injection of 10 microg of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) 24 hours previously. A similar inhibition occurred after 24-hour in vitro stimulation of normal spleen cells with 1 microg/mL of anti-CD3 mAb. In both situations the inhibitory effect depended on T cell activation in that treatment with F(ab')2 fragments of anti-CD3 did not diminish secretion of histamine and cytokines. Cross-linking of Fas antigen on spleen cells mimicked the action of anti-CD3, provided that interferon (IFN)-gamma was present during the incubation period. Substantial amounts of this cytokine were detected in spleen cell supernatants, which were able to replace recombinant IFN-gamma during Fas receptor cross-linking. This effect was entirely mediated by IFN-gamma, as assessed by its neutralization in the presence of anti-IFN-gamma mAbs. In contrast to splenocytes, bone marrow cells responded normally to IL-3 after in vivo or in vitro stimulation with anti-CD3. They were also not affected by combined treatment with anti-Fas mAb and IFN-gamma. Together, our data support the notion that the decrease in IL-3-induced histamine and IL-6 production by splenocytes pretreated with anti-CD3 is mediated, at least in part, by Fas/FasL interactions, suggesting that the activity of extramedullary myeloid precursor cells can be modulated by molecules involved in apoptosis.     

Evaluation of a power system stable region based on Hopf bifurcation theory

A power system is a dynamic system, which includes several kinds of nonlinear elements. Transient stability is a typical example originating in the nonlinearity of power swing. On the other hand, use of the nonlinear analysis method based on Hopf bifurcation theory reveals the existence of a limit cycle around an operating point and the stability of the limit cycle. This paper evaluates power system global stability formed by an unstable limit cycle. The limit cycle mainly results from the excitation control. Therefore, it is important to consider the effect of flux linkage change in the field winding in addition to the δ‐ω variables. This paper presents a method of calculating the correct stability boundary associated with an unstable limit cycle. Some numerical results using a model power system demonstrate the accuracy of the method. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 142(1): 16–24, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10104