Preparation of micrometer‐sized,monodisperse, magnetic polymer particles

Micrometer‐sized, monodisperse, magnetic composite particles were prepared by heating micrometer‐sized, monodisperse, hollow polystyrene/polydivinylbenzene composite polymer particles at 200°C for 4 h (particles had been dipped in pentacarbonyliron) and then washed in 12 N HCl and water. The hollow polymer particles were produced by seeded polymerization by the dynamic swelling method that was proposed by authors. The magnetic composite particles contained Fe₃O₄, the content of which was 49% based on total weight, and were attracted easily in water by a 1650 G magnet. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 428–433, 2003     

Microscopic fatigue processes in a plain-weave glass-fibre composite

This paper focuses on the microscopic damage and progressive failure of a composite reinforced by plain-weave glass cloth under tensile fatigue loading. The fatigue process was divided into three stages like that of multi-directional laminates. It was found that the internal damage at each stage (matrix cracks, debonds in the weft, successive debonds in the warp and ‘metadelaminations’ between warps and wefts) occurred near the cross-over point of the fabric. The modulus decay mechanism was explained by considering the progression of this internal damage. From the end of the first stage to the beginning of the middle stage, a characteristic damage state (CDS) (called a ‘meta-CDS’) was observed. It was found that woven composites have a unit area of damage accumulation (called a ‘unit cell’) and the damage of each unit cell and its distribution control the total fatigue damage of the material.     

Analysis of an Electromagnetic Field Created by Line Current Using Constrained Interpolation Profile Method

Development of accurate schemes is a technical issue related to calculation of electromagnetic fields. This study uses constrained interpolation profile (CIP) method to analyze electromagnetic fields created by line current. This is a novel method proposed by Yabe. Comparison of results obtained using finite difference time domain (FDTD) analysis and CIP analysis indicates that CIP analysis provides higher accuracy using identical discretization. In addition, given the same level of accuracy, CIP analysis requires less memory and less calculation time     

Microscopic Origin of Casimir-Polder Forces

We establish a general relation between dispersion forces. First, based on QED in causal media, leading-order perturbation theory is used to express both the single-atom Casimir-Polder and the two-atom van der Waals potentials in terms of the atomic polarizabilities and the Green tensor for the body-assisted electromagnetic field. Endowed with this geometry-independent framework, we then employ the Born expansion of the Green tensor together with the Clausius-Mosotti relation to prove that the macroscopic Casimir-Polder potential of an atom in the presence of dielectric bodies is due to an infinite sum of its microscopic many-atom van der Waals interactions with the atoms comprising the bodies. This theorem holds for inhomogeneous, dispersing, and absorbing bodies of arbitrary shapes and arbitrary atomic composition on an arbitrary background of additional magnetodielectric bodies.     

Application of boundary element method to 3-D problems of coupled thermoelasticity

This paper deals with a new boundary element method for analysis of the quasistatic problems in coupled thermoelasticity. Through some mathematical manipulation of the Navier equation in elasticity, the heat conduction equation is transformed into a simpler form, similar to the uncoupled-type equation with the modified thermal conductivity which shows the coupling effects. This procedure enables us to treat the coupled thermoelastic problems as an uncoupled one, A few examples are computed by the proposed BEM, and the results obtained are compared with the analytical ones available in the literature, whereby the accuracy and versatility of the proposed method are demonstrated.     

Thermal Analysis of CNT-Based Nano-Composites by Element Free Galerkin Method

This paper deals with the thermal analysis of carbon nanotube (CNT) based composites by meshless element free Galerkin method. Cylindrical representative volume element (cylindrical RVE) has been chosen to evaluate the thermal properties of nano-composites using multi-domain and simplified approaches. The values of temperature have been calculated at different points and plotted against RVE length and RVE radius. A sensitivity analysis of RVE as well as CNT dimensions has been carried out in detail. The present computations show that the equivalent thermal conductivity is a function of CNT length, CNT radius, RVE length and RVE radius. Based on present numerical simulations, an approximate formula is proposed to calculate the equivalent thermal conductivity of nano-composites. The results obtained by simplified approach have been found in good agreement with those obtained by multi-domain approach.     

Mortality of chromium plating workers in Japan--a 16-year follow-up study

Opportunistic infections are common and major causes of morbidity in patients with AIDS. Endemic mycoses pose serious risks for patients in certain parts of the world. Histoplasmosis occurs in 2-5% of patients with AIDS in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys of the United States and in over 25% of patients from a few cities. Antigen testing has become a highly useful method for diagnosing histoplasmosis rapidly, evaluating the response to treatment and diagnosing relapse. Treatment with amphotericin B or itraconazole is effective (90% or higher) if the patient is not seriously ill at the time of diagnosis but the mortality approaches 50% for those with multiorgan failure. Itraconazole blood levels should be monitored and drugs that impair the absorption or accelerate the metabolism of itraconazole should be avoided. Prophylaxis with itraconazole may be appropriate in areas with an incidence of histoplasmosis. A recently completed study in cities which have unusually high rates of histoplasmosis will provide greater insight into the role of prophylactic antifungal therapy.     

The role of prostate specific antigen in diagnosis of localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Nara Uro-Oncology Research Group

The number of cases of prostate carcinoma (PCA) is steadily inceasing in Japan. The clinical application of a reliable tumor marker, prostate specific antigen (PSA) for the diagnosis, as well as the increasing elderly population in Japan may account for this increase. The subjects were patients at the Nara Medical University and its affiliated hospitals; 1) 687 cases without PCA were evaluated for age-specific PSA and the incidence of abnormal PSA following urological manipulations, 2) 135 cases with histological proven BPH by transurethral resection of prostate (TUR-P) were examined for PSA density (PSAD) and positive PSA rate in BPH, 3) 135 cases receiving a needle biopsy with suspicion of PCA were examined for the efficacy of PSA and PSAD and other parameters, and 4) 459 PCA cases treated between 1988 and 1994, were examined for specific PSA and PSAD values by stage and degree of cell differentiation. The PSA assay used in this study was MARKIT-M PA (normal range < or = 3.6 ng/ml). The PSA was decreased gradually with age in non-PCA patients, and abnormal PSA was found in 5.5% of these patients following manipulations. The average PSA was 2.95 +/- 2.03 ng/ml in 130 BPH patients (mean age: 71.1 +/- 7.0 years old. and average prostate volume: 32.9 +/- 16.1 ml). And abnormal PSA level (more than 3.61 ng/ml) was found in 22.3%. The mean PSAD was 0.1.0 +/- 0.06, and PSAD was below 0.15 in 86.1% of these BPH cases. Among the 135 cases receiving a needle biopsy, 33 cases had PSA values between 3.61 and 10.0 ng/ml. Of these cases, PCA was found in 18.5% of the 27 cases with a PSAD below 1.5, and in 33.3% of the 6 cases with a PSAD over 1.5. PSA and PSAD were proportionally increased with stage, and a significant difference in the PSA value was observed between stage B1 and B2, and stage C and D (P < 0.05). However, PSA and PSAD values were not significantly correlated with the cell differentiation in PCA stage A2-C. In total, PSA was 18.1 ng/ml in well, 23.9 ng/ml in moderately and 35.9 ng/ml in poorly differentiated type PCA. The positive rate of PSA was 22.3, 65.4 and 83.5%, that of prostate acid phosphatase (PAP) was 10.0, 17.8 and 45.8%, and that of GSM was 25.0, 14.7 and 68.4%, in BPH, stage A PCA and stage BPCA, respectively. In conclusion, PSA is the most reliable tool in the diagnosis of localized PCA. However, the differential diagnosis of BPH and localized PCA is difficult when the PSA value is between 3.61 and 10.0 ng/ml, and accurate staging of localized PCA is difficult with PSA or PSAD alone. At present, it is necessary to use all possible tools for the early detection of localized PCA, and to perform the needle biopsy in all PCA-suspicious cases.