Formation and Characterization of Ce3ZrO8 Prepared by the Hydrazine Method

A compound denoted as (Ce_0.75Zr_0.25)O₂ (Ce, ZrO₈) is formed near room temperature from cerium and zirconium nitrates using hydrazine monohydrate. It has a cubic unit cell with a = 0.5342 nm. Characterization of powders heated to various temperatures at 10°C/min demonstrates that the specific surface area does not decrease below 20 mVg until >1000°C.     

The short-term effect of a smoking prevention program for the upper graders of elementary schools--the results of intervention study for two years with quasi-experimental design

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term effect of a smoking prevention program for Japanese elementary school-children in the fifth and sixth grades. The program was developed with concepts found in the Know Your Body Program and the conclusions of a National Cancer Institute-convened Expert Advisory Panel, and focused on teaching about the short-term effects of smoking and on resistance to social pressures to smoke. The study was conducted with a quasi-experimental design. An intervention group (52 boys and 54 girls) received three sessions for both the fifth grade in 1992 and the sixth grade in 1993. Moreover, the intervention group received a pre-test before the first session and a post-test after the third session in each grade. A comparison group (102 boys and 91 girls) received the same tests at the same time as the intervention group, but did not receive any program on smoking prevention. The short-term effect of the program were evaluated using the results of the pre-test in the fifth grade and of the post-test in the sixth grade in both groups. The results were as follows: 1) Remarkable short-term effects of the intervention were seen in respect to awareness of the importance of not smoking in girls, and also in the knowledge of the short-term effects of smoking in both sexes. 2) The intervention was not effective with respect to intention to smoke at the age of 20 and self-efficacy of refusing to smoke in both sexes. 3) The short-term effects were not clear in the smoking behavior in both sexes because the rates of ever smokers and of monthly smokers were almost the same for two years between the intervention group and the comparison group. 4) The smoking behaviors of children, their parents and their best friends had little influence on the results of the post-test in the sixth grade.     

Elevated serum lipoprotein (a) levels associated with ulcerative colitis in a young Japanese patient

Thromboembolism has been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A possibility exists that lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], a newly-discovered prothrombotic factor, also participates in the development of at least some cases of IBD. Marked elevation of serum Lp(a) levels was observed in a young patient with ulcerative colitis. A biopsy specimen of the rectal mucosa showed findings compatible with ulcerative colitis, as well as small vessel thrombus occurring within the muscularis mucosa in the rectum. Serum Lp(a) levels were markedly elevated on admission (71 mg/dl), with a gradual decrease to 46 mg/dl on discharge. Moreover, serum Lp(a) levels decreased in parallel with clinical improvement. In the quiescent clinical stage, no small vessel thrombus was observed in the mucosa on follow-up colonoscopy. The association between IBD and hyper-Lp(a)-emia would be presumable but it has been, to our knowledge, previously unreported. The case reported here would be the first young patient, suggesting the presence of hyper-Lp(a)-emia and small vessel thrombus formation occurring in association with the development of ulcerative colitis.     

Online-Religion in Japan: Websites and Religious Counseling from a Comparative Cross-Cultural Perspective

This article considers the nature of online religion by examining the websites and religious counseling activities conducted by new Japanese religions. Beginning with an overview of the widespread use of the Internet in Japan and its use in religion, the article examines the cultural and social factors that keep the religious use of the Internet from becoming as pervasive in Japan as it is in the U.S. The article then describes a website with elements of online religion and the Internet-based religious counseling services being provided by ministers of the new Shintō-derived religions of Konkōkyō and Tenrikyō. These activities have successfully given some people who need religious assistance access to religious teaching. In concluding, the article examines the reasons for the success of these efforts, as well as the reasons why they have not expanded in scope, in light of the cultural and organizational advantages and disadvantages that affect Internet use.     

Electric field-induced concentration and capture of DNA onto microtips

Simple, high-yield concentration of DNA is important for high-throughput genetic analysis and disease diagnosis. Glass-based microfilters are popular but the process requires centrifugation steps with cumbersome chemical processes. As an alternative, a concentration method using an electric field has been explored previously, but with limited efficiency. In this paper, electric field-induced concentration and capture of DNA are studied by using high-aspect-ratio microtips coated with a gold layer. The microtips are immersed longitudinally into a solution of 100???L containing ??-phage DNA. After DNA concentration using an electric field, the microtips are withdrawn from the solution. Under AC- and biased AC fields, DNA is concentrated by electrophoresis (EP), dielectrophoresis (DEP), and electroosmotic flow (EOF). To reduce capillary effects in the withdrawal process, the microtips are coated with positively charged poly-l-lysine (PLL). The pattern of captured DNA is analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. DEP attracts DNA molecules at the edges of microtips, where the highest gradient of electric field exists. EP attracts DNA onto the surface of microtips following the vectors of an electric field. EOF generates vortexes that deliver DNA onto microtips. Using this method, 85% of DNA is captured on the PLL-coated microtips after three sequential captures. The concentration mechanism can potentially facilitate rapid and simple preparation of DNA for downstream analysis.     

Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with methyl 2,2-dimethyl-3,3-diphenyl-3-cyanopropionate as a thermal iniferter

Summary To clarify the mechanism of living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with tetraphenylsuccinodinitrile (TPSN) as a thermal iniferter, a model compound for the end group of the poly(MMA) produced, methyl 2,2-dimethyl-3,3-diphenyl-3-cyanopropionate (2), was synthesized and found to initiate a living radical polymerization of MMA, indicating that the hexa-substituted C-C bond in 2 dissociated into radicals. The poly(MMA) thus obtained further initiated the radical polymerization of styrene (St) to give a block copolymer.     

Dielectric Depression and Dispersion in Electrophoretically Fabricated BaTiO3 Ceramic Films

Dielectric depression and dispersion were observed in BaTiO3 ceramic films fabricated by electrophoretic deposition followed by sintering. The dielectric constants were depressed down to 6800–4600 around the Curie point ( T _C ). The dielectric dispersion occurred above T _C . These dielectric properties are attributable to a surface layer formed during sintering. XRD analysis indicated that the surface layer was a hexagonal-like BaTiO₃ phase. A mixed solvent of acetylacetone and alcohol employed in the present work may have been responsible for the formation of the surface layer.     

Digestion of crosslinked poly(vinylpyridinium halide) by activated sludge,and application to make poly(methyl methacrylate) biodegradable by incorporation of a pyridinium group into the main chain

Crosslinked poly(N-benzyl-4-vinyipyridinium bromide) has been found to be digested by activated sludge obtained from sewage works. As an extension of this work, the authors attempted to make poly(methyl methacrylate) biodegradable by incorporation of a pyridinium group. Poly(methyl methacrylate) containing a small amount of N-benzyl-4-vinylpyridinium chloride in the main chain showed remarkable reduction in molecular weight and gravimetric weight when placed in an aeration tank of a sewage works. Molecular weight reduction by activated sludge was more conspicuous when content of the pyridinium group was larger and the original molecular weight before the biological treatment was lower. Since insoluble pyridinium-type polymer captures microbial cells alive, this biodegradation appears to be facilitated by enhancement of affinity of the synthetic hydrophobic polymer with cells of microogranisms. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Development of high performance,waterborne coatings. Part II: Factors affecting adhesion performance

A new manufacturing process for high performance, waterborne coatings for can coating application was developed, which includes emulsification of an epoxy resin with or without a hardener by incorporation of an acrylic resin. It is possible by this new process to emulsify a variety of resins with minimum effects of the surfactant. (acrylic resin). The effects of surfactant and neutralizer on adhesion performance were studied. It was found that the effects of the acrylic resin amount were relatively small, and that the effects of the neutralizer were significant. It was confirmed that the usage of ammonia or amines with a branched alkyl group is required to achieve balanced dry and wet adhesion.     

Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with some 1,2-disubstituted tetraphenylethanes as thermal iniferters

Summary The bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with 1,2-disubstituted tetraphenylethanes, tetraphenylsuccinodinitrile (TPSN), tetra(p-methoxyphenyl)succinodinitrile (TMPSN), and pentaphenylethane (PPE), was investigated. These compounds were found to serve as thermal iniferters to induce living radical polymerization via a mechanism close to the model proposed previously (see Eq. 2). However, the living nature was not so high, because undesirable side reactions occurred. The oligomer with molecular weight of 2500 was isolated from the reaction mixture of MMA with TPSN, which was found to cause further polymerization of MMA. From the polymerization of styrene (St) with the polymers obtained by these iniferters, the block copolymers were produced.