Mass transfer in polycrystalline ytterbium monosilicate under oxygen potential gradients at high temperatures

Mass transfer in polycrystalline Yb₂SiO₅ wafers with precise composition control was evaluated and analyzed by oxygen permeation experiments at high temperatures using an oxygen tracer. Oxygen permeation proceeded due to mutual grain boundary diffusion of oxide ions and Yb ions without synergistic effects such as acceleration or suppression. The oxygen shielding properties of Yb₂SiO₅ were compared with those of the other line compounds such as Yb₂Si₂O₇ and Al₂O₃ based on the determined mass transfer parameters. It was found that the more preferentially an oxide ion diffuses in the grain boundary compared to the interior of the grain, the greater the effect of suppressing the movement of the oxide ion by applying an oxygen potential gradient becomes.     

Direct Injection of CRISPR/Cas9-Related mRNA into Cytoplasm of Parthenogenetically Activated Porcine Oocytes Causes Frequent Mosaicism for Indel Mutations

Some reports demonstrated successful genome editing in pigs by one-step zygote microinjection of mRNA of CRISPR/Cas9-related components. Given the relatively long gestation periods and the high cost of housing, the establishment of a single blastocyst-based assay for rapid optimization of the above system is required. As a proof-of-concept, we attempted to disrupt a gene (GGTA1) encoding the α-1,3-galactosyltransferase that synthesizes the α-Gal epitope using parthenogenetically activated porcine oocytes. The lack of α-Gal epitope expression can be monitored by staining with fluorescently labeled isolectin BS-I-B₄ (IB4), which binds specifically to the α-Gal epitope. When oocytes were injected with guide RNA specific to GGTA1 together with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and human Cas9 mRNAs, 65% (24/37) of the developing blastocysts exhibited green fluorescence, although almost all (96%, 23/24) showed a mosaic fluorescent pattern. Staining with IB4 revealed that the green fluorescent area often had a reduced binding activity to IB4. Of the 16 samples tested, six (five fluorescent and one non-fluorescent blastocysts) had indel mutations, suggesting a correlation between EGFP expression and mutation induction. Furthermore, it is suggested that zygote microinjection of mRNAs might lead to the production of piglets with cells harboring various mutation types.     

Detection of Multiple Blockages in Parallelized Microreactors

In a plant consisting of parallelized microreactors (MRs), the product quality is lowered because of a lack of flow uniformity among them when blockage occurs. It is not practical to install sensors in every MR from the viewpoint of cost when detecting the blocked MRs. In the previous study, the multiple blockage detection (MBD) method using a small number of sensors was proposed, but its performance became low when the number of sensors decreased. Here, the conventional algorithm for MBD is improved by considering the process behavior on blockage occurrence, and the effectiveness of the improved algorithm is demonstrated through a numerical case study. The effects of flow distributor types and sensor types on the MBD performance are numerically investigated.     

The World robot summit disaster robotics category – achievements of the 2018 preliminary competition

The World Robot Summit is a robot Olympics and aims to be held in a different country every four years from 2020. The concept of the Plant Disaster Prevention challenge is daily inspections, checks, and emergency response in industrial plants, and in this competition, robots must carry out these types of missions in a mock-up plant. The concept of the Tunnel Disaster Response and Recovery challenge is emergency response to tunnel disasters, and is a simulation competition whereby teams compete to show their ability to deal with disasters, by collecting information and removing debris. The Standard Disaster Robotics challenge assesses, in the form of a contest, the standard performance levels of a robot that are necessary for disaster prevention and emergency response. The World Robot Summit Preliminary Competition was held at Tokyo Big Sight in October 2018, and 36 teams participated in the Disaster Robotics Category. UGVs and UAVs contended the merits of new technology for solving complex problems, using core technologies such as mobility, sensing, recognition, performing operations, human interface, autonomous intelligence etc., as well as system integration and implementation of strategies for completing missions, gaining high-level results.     

Graded evolution of anisotropic microstructure during sintering from crystal-oriented powder compact

Anisotropic sintering, including shrinkage and grain growth, was examined for c-axis-oriented (Sr,Ca)₂NaNb₅O₁₅ (SCNN) ceramics, which were prepared by colloidal processing under a magnetic field. In the c-axis-oriented SCNN powder compact, shrinkage and grain growth along the c-axis were higher than those along the a-axis. The anisotropic microstructural development was clearly associated with anisotropic sintering shrinkage. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy back scattering diffraction showed that the grain growth of oriented particles by including random grains contribute to the development of the oriented microstructure. Finally, the highly crystal-oriented SCNN ceramics with a densified microstructure were obtained through anisotropic sintering. These results clearly showed the potential to develop a well-defined anisotropic microstructure during sintering by designing and controlling the particle packing structure in a powder compact.     

1.3 μm InAsyP1-y-InPstrained-layer quantum-well laser diodes grown by metalorganic chemicalvapor deposition

The authors have fabricated 1.3-μm InAsP-InP separate-confinement-heterostructure (SCH) strained-layer double-quantum-well (SL-DQW) laser diodes (LDs) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). A low threshold current density of 410 A/cm ² was obtained. The CW threshold current was as low as 1.8 mA at 20°C, and maximum CW operating temperature of 120°C was obtained. These characteristics are almost the same as those of well-designed GaInAsP-InP SL-QW LDs. Further improvement of the characteristics of InAsP-InP LDs is expected by optimizing the device structure     

Decentralized adaptive coordinated control of multiple robot arms without using a force sensor

This paper presents a distributed adaptive coordinated control method for multiple robot arms grasping a common object. The cases of rigid contact and rolling contact are analyzed. In the proposed controller, the dynamic parameters of both object and robot arms are estimated adaptively. The desired motions of the robot arms are generated by an estimated object reference model. The control method requires only the measurements of the positions and velocities of the object and robot arms, but not the measurements of forces and moments at contact points. The asymptotic convergence of trajectory is proven by the Lyapunov-like Lemma. Experiments involving two robot arms handling a common object are shown.     

Passivation effects of deuterium exposure on boron-doped CVD homoepitaxial diamond

The deuterium (hydrogen) passivation effect on acceptors in boron-doped CVD homoepitaxial diamond was studied by electrical (Hall-effect) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) measurements. Deuterium was incorporated into the samples using microwave (MW) deuterium plasma at 673 K for 2–24 h. We observed the progress of acceptor passivation with p-type conduction, which finally resulted in a highly resistive state.     

Lectin-like characteristics of recombinant human interleukin-1beta recognizing glycans of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor

We found that 35S-labeled recombinant human interleukin-1beta (rhIL-1beta) binds phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-treated human placental alkaline phosphatase, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-treated trypanosome surface variant glycoproteins, and urinary uromodulin immobilized on plates or immobilized on CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. The interaction between rhIL-1beta and these glycoproteins was lectin-like, since it was inhibited in the presence of specific saccharides, i.e. mannose 6-phosphate or synthetic Ac-NH.CH2.CH2. PO4--->6Manalpha1-->(+/-2Manalpha1-->+/-6Manalpha1-->) propyl at about 1 microM. On the other hand, a wide variety of compounds including biantennary sugar chains derived from these glycoproteins as well as ethanolamine phosphate, inositol phosphate, mannose 6-sulfate, mannose 1-phosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, and mannitol 6-phosphate did not show any inhibitory effect at concentrations up to 1 mM. These results indicate that rhIL-1beta interacts with these glycoproteins via the mannose 6-phosphate diester of glycans on the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Furthermore, when monolayers of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney cells on polycarbonate filter membranes were incubated with 35S-rhIL-1beta in either the apical or basolateral chamber, 35S-interleukin-1beta was found to bind specifically to the apical membranes with a Ka value of 4.6 x 10(7) M-1, and the specific interaction was inhibited by 1 microM mannose 6-phosphate. Since the mannose 6-phosphate diester moiety exists only in the GPI glycans on plasma membranes, it was evident that interleukin-1beta can directly interact with the mannose 6-phosphate diester component of the intact glycan of GPI anchors on plasma membranes.     

Prostaglandin E receptor subtypes in mouse osteoblastic cell line

PGE2 is one of the key molecules in the osteoblast. It is the major prostanoid in the bone, and its production is under the control of both systemic and local factors. PGE2 has been reported to have multiple actions in the osteoblast, such as growth promotion and cell differentiation. To better understand the action of PGE2 in the osteoblast, we determined the PGE receptor subtypes in MC3T3-E1, an osteoblastic cell line derived from the normal mouse calvaria. Northern blot analysis revealed that EP1 and EP4 subtypes are expressed in MC3T3-E1. In contrast, EP3 subtype was not detected by either Northern blot analysis or RT-PCR. The contribution of each subtype was evaluated by studying the effects of subtype-specific analogs on osteoblastic function at confluency and 5 days after confluency. An EP1 agonist, 17-phenyl-omega-trinor PGE2, increased DNA synthesis and decreased alkaline phosphatase activity. 11-Deoxy-PGE1, and EP2 and EP4 agonist, decreased DNA synthesis and increased alkaline phosphatase activity at both stages. Butaprost, an EP2-selective agonist, showed effects similar to those of 11-deoxy-PGE1 only at confluency. Another and more differentiated osteoblastic marker, osteocalcin production, was detectable and was stimulated by 11-deoxy-PGE1 only 5 days after confluency. The exposure of these cells to EP1 agonist changed the cell shape to a more fibroblastic appearance. These results indicate that EP1, EP4, and probably EP2 are present in MC3T3-E1 cells; EP1 promotes cell growth, and EP2 and EP4 mediate differentiation of the osteoblast. Furthermore, the decreased response to EP2-specific agonist 5 days after confluency suggests that the expression of PGE receptor subtype is dependent on the stage of osteoblastic differentiation. This is the first report to determine PGE receptor subtypes in the bone.