Mechanisms of orientational and photoelastic birefringence generation of methacrylates for the design of zero–zero‐birefringence polymers

The intrinsic birefringence Δn⁰ and photoelastic coefficient C of poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(2,2,2‐trifluroethyl methacrylate), poly(phenyl methacrylate), and poly(2,2,3,3,3‐pentafluorophenyl methacrylate) were determined. We categorized these methacrylate polymers into four birefringence‐types, even though their molecular structures differed only by the substituents on the side chains. Based on the results of Δn⁰ and C, novel polymers that exhibit neither orientational nor photoelastic birefringence, i.e., zero–zero‐birefringence polymers, were designed and synthesized by quaternary copolymerization system. Furthermore, we confirmed that the mechanisms of orientational birefringence and photoelastic birefringence generation were different in these methacrylate polymers. The conformation of the repeat unit of the polymers was nearly constant during the generation of orientational birefringence. In contrast, the conformation of the repeat unit of the polymers changed during the generation of photoelastic birefringence in the glassy state. These findings demonstrated the reasonability of evaluating orientational and photoelastic birefringence separately, as well as the adequacy of the classification of polymers into four birefringence‐types. Given these results and the fact that zero–zero‐birefringence polymers could be prepared successfully by four‐birefringence type monomers, we demonstrated the reasonability of the method for designing the zero–zero‐birefringence polymers. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1330–1338, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Hepatotoxin (microcystin) and neurotoxin (anatoxin-a) contained in natural blooms and strains of cyanobacteria from Japanese freshwaters

Amounts of hepatotoxic microcystin and neurotoxic anatoxin-a were estimated in natural blooms and strains of cyanobacteria from freshwaters in Japan. A simultaneous analysis method of anatoxin-a and microcystin was applied to natural bloom samples, which has been dominated by several species and the strains of cyanobacteria which produced simultaneously both toxins. The natural blooms examined in the present study were mainly composed of Anabaena and Oscillatoria, but most also contained Microcystis and other cyanobacteria. Only one sample was almost unialgal, Anabaena spiroides, collected from Lake Sagami. The toxins in 14 samples collected from nine different natural blooms during 1988-1992 were identified as microcystins-RR, -YR, and -LR; desmethyl-7-microcystin-LR (7-DMLR); and anatoxin-a. Microcystins were the main toxins contained in these natural blooms, with anatoxin-a not being detected or of very little quantity. 7-DMLR was detected in samples only from Lake Kasumigaura. Five strains of Anabaena isolated from waters in Japan produced a small amount of anatoxin-a, but no microcystins. One half of the strains of Microcystis produced microcystins and/or anatoxin-a. This is the first study showing Microcystis producing both anatoxin-a and microcystins.     

YM-32890 A and B, new types of macrolide antibiotics produced by Cytophaga sp

Two new types of macrolide antibiotics, YM-32890 A and B, have been isolated from the fermentation broth of cytophaga sp. YL-02905S. In this paper, the taxonomy of the producing strain, fermentation, isolation, structure elucidation, and biological activity of the antibiotics are reported. YM-32890 A inhibits the growth of staphylococci including a macrolide-resistant strain, but shows no antimicrobial activity against other Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and yeast.     

Prediction of spectral reflectance factor distribution of automotive paint finishes

It is necessary to determine the accurate reflectance of painted surfaces for the review of paint finishes by computer graphics (CG) before actual painting of the exterior color of automobiles, and for quality control during production and inspection processes. We have optimized a method for measuring reflectance by using a statistical technique. We have found that the reflectance of a painted surface is best measured at an incident angle of 60° and at five aspecular angles of 10°, 18°, 28°, 40°, and 90°. Our method makes it possible to accurately reproduce reflection characteristics of paint finishes containing special flake pigments, such as pearl mica. Also it was proved that our method can apply not only to solid and metallic coatings but to all painted surfaces. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 30, 275–282, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20125     

New approach to environmentally benign epoxidation: the solid-phase-system using urea–H2O2 and recyclable dodecatungstate on apatite

On the basis of new concept using a solid disperse phase we have developed an efficient catalytic solid-phase-system for epoxidations of alkenes using urea–hydrogen peroxide (urea–H₂O₂) complex and cetylpyridinium dodecatungstate ((CetylPy)₁₀[H₂W₁₂O₄₂]) catalyst on fluorapatite (FAp). The recovered solid catalyst phase was reused to keep the catalytic activity after several times. In the conceptual idea it is a key point that in situ solid-phase-activation of the catalyst with urea–H₂O₂ proceeds to form microcrystals of the active species dispersed on the solid phase. The dispersion of the catalyst on FAp in the case of tungstic acid (H₂WO₄) was suggested by EPMA analysis. We proposed the peroxo type of species keeping the parent polyoxometalate framework as novel active species from FT-IR spectroscopic studies. FAp phase plays important roles of dispersing the active species on its surface to have high catalytic activity and of stabilizing the active species to lead to high reusability.     

Phenol novolac/poly(4- hydroxyphenylmaleimide) blend hardeners for DGEBA-type epoxy resin

Phenol novolac/poly (4-hydroxyphenylmaleimide) (PHPMI) blends were used as an epoxy resin hardener. The curing behavior of the above system and the thermal and mechanical properties of the cured epoxy resin were studied. It was not necessary to use a curing accelerator for this system, because PHPMI caused acceleration of the curing reaction. The curing mechanism of this system was investigated by using model compounds. Test pieces from the neat resins and the glass fiber reinforced resins were evaluated in terms of thermal and mechanical properties, respectively. It was found that heat resistance and mechanical properties were improved by increasing the amount of PHPMI in the hardener.     

A 286 mm2 256 Mb DRAM with ×32 both-ends DQ

This paper describes a 256 Mb DRAM chip architecture which provides up to ×32 wide organization. In order to minimize the die size, three new techniques: an exchangeable hierarchical data line structure, an irregular sense amp layout, and a split address bus with local redrive scheme in the both-ends DQ were introduced. A chip has been developed based on the architecture with 0.25 μm CMOS technology. The chip measures 13.25 mm×21.55 mm, which is the smallest 256 Mb DRAM ever reported. A row address strobe (RAS) access time of 26 ns was obtained under 2.8 V power supply and 85°C. In addition, a 100 MHz×32 page mode operation, namely 400 M byte/s data rate, in the standard extended data output (EDO) cycle has been successfully demonstrated     

Osteoclastic features of multinucleated giant cells responding to synthetic hydroxyapatite implanted in rat jaw bone.

Multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) that responded to synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAP) implanted in rat mandibles were studied with electron microscopy. HAP used in this study sintered at 200 degrees C (HAP200) and at 125 degrees C (HAP1250) after the synthesis by a wet method. One to three weeks after the intraosseous implantation of HAP, MGCs responding to HAP200 had not only well-developed ruffled border and the clear zone but well-developed perinuclear Golgi complex, many mitochondria and vesicles in their cytoplasms. MGCs responding to HAP1250 had the clear zone, but not the ruffled border although they showed similar cytoplasmic features to those of MGCs responding to HAP200. They merely extended short slender cytoplasmic processes to HAP1250. These results suggest that although osteoclast-like MGCs respond to HAP implanted in the bone, the development of the ruffled border-clear zone system depends on physicochemical properties of HAP.