Characterization of alternative plasticizers in poly(vinyl chloride) sheets for blood containers

This study aimed to optimize the ratio of dioctyl 4‐cyclohexene‐1,2‐dicarboxylate (DOTH) and di‐isononyl‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylate (DINCH^®) for use as plasticizers in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) sheets. We also evaluated the biological safety of DOTH for its potential to be part of a safe PVC‐based blood container. The suppression of hemolysis in mannitol‐adenine‐phosphate / red cell concentrates (MAP/RCC) with DOTH/(DINCH^®‐PVC) sheets and the elution of plasticizers from the sheets increased with higher DOTH compositions. The properties of the PVC sheet containing DOTH and DINCH^® in the ratio of 25:33 parts against PVC 100 parts as a weight were almost identical to the PVC sheet made of di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate. From a subchronic toxicity test, DOTH did not show any adverse effects on all organs, including the testes, epididymis, liver, and kidneys. The no‐observed‐adverse‐effect level was 300 mg/kg body weight/day in a rat. These results suggest that DOTH/DINCH^® (25:33) is a promising candidate for the replacement of di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate in blood containers. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 22:520–528, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Mechanisms of tubulin modification by phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxides

The interaction of lipid peroxides with cellular proteins has been postulated to contribute to cellular aging. A potential target for such effects is tubulin, the building block of microtubules. We examined the concentration-dependent effects of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxides on the ability of tubulin to polymerize into microtubules. The results demonstrated that even very low concentrations of peroxides were sufficient to interfere with the tubulin and, therefore, the microtubule function. Decreased tubulin activity (as measured by tubulin GTPase activity) showed correlation with the modification of methionine and cysteine in tubulin and a change in the tubulin conformational state as indicated by fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopic measurements. As no effect on electric conductivity was observed, indicating that modulation of ionic binding was not involved, the interaction mechanism may be a hydrophobic one.     

Computer-generated Conversation Using Newspaper Headline

In this paper, the authors propose a method that incorporates mechanisms for handling ambiguity in speech and the ability of humans to create associations, and for formulating conversations based on rule base knowledge and common knowledge. Go beyond the level that can be achieved, using only conventional natural language processing and vast repositories of sample patterns. In this paper, the authors propose a method for computer conversation sentences generated using newspaper headlines as an example of how the common knowledge and associative ability are applied.     

Cover Image,Volume 97, Issue 8

The cover image, by Yuko Shimamura et al, is based on the Research Article Inhibitory effects of Japanese horseradish (Wasabia japonica) on the formation and genotoxicity of a potent carcinogen, acrylamide, DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.8055 .

     

Electroreductive block copolymerization of dichlorosilanes in the presence of disilane additives

The electroreductive polymerization of dichloromethylphenylsilane in the presence of triphenylsilyl group‐containing disilanes such as hexaphenyldisilane followed by the electroreductive termination with chlorotriphenylsilane afforded triphenylsilyl group‐terminated polymethylphenylsilane in 15–32% yield. The isolated polymethylphenylsilane (M_n = 3350 g mol^?1, M_w/M_n = 1.4) was found to react as a macroinitiator to copolymerize with dibutyldichlorosilane under electroreductive conditions producing the corresponding block copolymer (M_n = 4730 g mol^?1, M_w/M_n = 1.2) in 38% yield. The ratio of monomer units (? MeSiPh? to? BuSiBu? ) of the copolymer was determined to be 75:25 using ¹H NMR analysis, which was in good agreement with the calculated ratio (74:26) on the assumption that molecular weight of the macroinitiator was not changed. The block structure of the resulting copolymer, poly(methylphenylsilane)‐block‐poly(dibutylsilane), was also confirmed by comparing its ¹H NMR and UV absorption spectra with those of polymethylphenylsilane, polydibutylsilane and a statistical copolymer prepared by electroreductive polymerization of dichloromethylphenylsilane with dibutyldichlorosilane. This method is applicable to the preparation of other types of macroinitiator such as triphenylsilyl group‐terminated polydibutylsilane, and polydibutylsilane‐block‐polymethylphenylsilane was also obtained using this macroinitiator. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Modular manufacturing

This paper discusses requirements to be satisfied by future manufacturing systems and proposes a new concept of modular manufacturing to integrate intelligent and complex machines. In large-scale systems such as manufacturing systems, modularization is indispensable for clarifying logical structure and assuring a high degree of ease of construction. The parts, products and manufacturing equipments as well as the design and operating activities themselves are all described in units called modules. A manufacturing system is constructed and operated by combining these in building-block style. The creation of this manufacturing system relies on construction and operating systems that enable design and simulation in the virtual world, and production and control in the real world, in a unified approach. Hardware modules and software modules are compiled flexibly and hierarchically to fulfil specified tasks. A system in which modular manufacturing as a concept of system integration is applied to manufacturing robots is called a modular robot system. The robots are embedded in manufacturing systems as the highest application of model-based robotics.     

Bistatic radar cross-section measurements by pendulum method

In this paper, the pendulum method for measuring the bistatic radar cross section of a target is proposed, based on the principle of modulated-scattering technique. A modulated wave is formed by swinging the target like a pendulum. This method has the advantages that the measuring procedure is very simple, an absorber-coated room is not required, and the measured value is independent of background waves. Theoretical aspects of the principle are first described, including various kinds of conditions; then the measuring method is given with experimental results.     

Dynamically reducing retransmission control forslow-frequency-hopped communication systems

A dynamically reducing retransmission control scheme is proposed for slow-frequency-hopped communication systems. In the proposed scheme a transmitter defers transmission of a new packet until all the other transmitters receive positive acknowledgments, so that the number of active transmitters are dynamically reduced. The performance of the proposed scheme is compared with the conventional scheme, in which a transmitter is permitted to transmit a new packet in any slot, in terms of the normalized throughput and the 98% packet transmission delay. The numerical results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the conventional scheme, although for some values of the number of transmitters the conventional scheme has higher normalized throughput