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The radioactivity of cesium in the water and sediments of two major rivers was measured along with airborne radioactivity in Namie Town, after the recent partial lift on the evacuation order in 2017. The observed concentrations were up to 384 ± 11 mBq/L for 137Cs in unfiltered water and 1.28 ± 0.09 mBq m−3 for 137Cs in air, while the sediment had a maximum of 44,900 ± 23 Bq kg−1 for 137Cs. The potential yearly committed effective dose was estimated based on the data.

Background Cepharanthine (CEP), a compound extracted from the vine Stephania cephalantha, is commonly prescribed to treat alopecia areata; however, the scientific evidence for its efficacy is limited. Aim To investigate the effect of CEP and its structural analogues on human hair growth in vitro. Methods The effects of CEP and three of its structural analogues on the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and human outer root sheath cells (hORSCs) were investigated. Their effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were also assessed by real-time PCR. Activation of pathways leading to VEGF expression, such as intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) expression, was also characterized. Results CEP and two of its structural analogues significantly stimulated the growth of hDPCs but not hORSCs. Moreover, CEP and all three structural analogues significantly induced the expression of VEGF in hDPCs. CEP increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in hDPCs. CEP also increased the expression of HIF-1α and HIF-2α and induced the expression of HIF-responsive genes in hDPCs, even under normoxia. Conclusions These results suggest that CEP and its structural analogues have the potential to restore hair growth by promoting the proliferation of hDPCs and increasing their expression of VEGF.

Summary Introduction Pentra MS CRP is an automated hematology analyzer capable of cytochemistry using Chlorazol black E, a lipid-staining agent, for white blood cell (WBC) differentials. Pentra MS CRP displays a WBC scattergram according to the cell volume obtained using flow impedance and light absorbance reflecting the Chlorazol black E (CBE)-positive lipid content. Method Neutrophil scattergrams obtained using Pentra MS CRP were compared between 5 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and normal controls. Sudan black B (SBB)-staining patterns of peripheral blood neutrophils were subdivided into four types (types I, II, III, and VI) based on their staining intensity and scored by counting 200 cells. Such SBB scores were also compared between the two groups. Results Neutrophil scattergrams deviated downward in the MDS group, suggesting the decreased CBE positivity that seemed reflect the reduction of the lipid content in dysplastic neutrophils. SBB scores determined in this study were also decreased in the MDS group when compared with those in normal controls. Conclusion Pentra MS CRP might rapidly generate useful information on dysplastic neutrophils in patients with MDS based on its cytochemistry for WBC differentials during routine laboratory hematology.

A crossed photon-atom beam apparatus has been constructed for absolute measurement of total photoionization cross sections of isolated and neutral metallic atoms. The main purpose is to establish the technique which can be used as widely as possible for the metallic elements. Using this apparatus, measurements on Ba and Eu atoms have been made at selected energies in their 4d giant resonance regions 110–140 eV and 140–180 eV, respectively. A monochromatized synchrotron radiation was used as a light source. The target-atom density in the interaction section was determined with accuracy of 9% using the accumulation rate of metallic atoms on a quartz crystal sensor and the average velocity of the atoms obtained by a time-of-flight method combined with a pulsed electron gun. The number of photons was determined with use of a double-ion chamber preferably. The entire systematic errors have been estimated to be 20% for Ba and 27% for Eu. The comparison of the measured cross-section values with previous experimental and theoretical results is reasonable, indicating that the crossed photon–atom beam method is fairly promising technique.

The application of visible blind ultraviolet (UV)-A sensors was extensively studied for wide-bandgap II–VI compound epitaxial layers. The growth of ZnMgCdS quaternary alloys and MgCdS/ZnCdS short period superlattices were performed, and UV-A sensors were fabricated. The mole-fraction control of the ternary alloy would be much easier than that of the quaternary alloy, and various structures with certain bandgap energy can be designed. The cross-sectional TEM observation has revealed that well-defined superlattice structures could be achieved. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) exhibited that the intense and sharp luminescence peak was observed from superlattice samples compared with quaternary alloy layers having the similar bandgap energy. The PL peak position could be controlled by changing the layer thickness as well as the mole-fraction ratio of the alloy. The PL peak energy positions agreed well with theoretically predicted values. After the film growth, Au electrodes were evaporated and photo-sensitivity was characterized for metal–semiconductor–metal configurations. Sharp cut-off profiles were observed for samples, and its position was consistent with the PL peak position. The ON–OFF ratio of the device was similar to that of the device using the quaternary alloy layers.

The triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) induces differentiation and apoptosis of diverse human tumor cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of the CDDO imidazolide imide (CDDO-Im) on the NB4 acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell line and primary APL cells. The results show that CDDO-Im selectively downregulates expression of the PML/retinoic receptor alpha fusion protein by a caspase-dependent mechanism and sensitizes APL cells to the differentiating effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). CDDO-Im treatment of APL cells was also associated with disruption of redox balance and activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. In concert with these results, CDDO-Im sensitizes APL cells to arsenic trioxide (ATO)-induced apoptosis. Our findings indicate that CDDO-Im may be effective in the treatment of APL by: (i) downregulation of PML/RARalpha; (ii) enhancement of ATRA-induced differentiation; and (iii) sensitization of ATO-induced APL cell death.

The thermal degradation/stability of poly( o -phenitidine) doped with different sulfonic acids was investigated with the help of thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometer. Thermal decomposition behaviour was found to depend on the nature of dopant ion and the thermal stability was in the order of DBSA>CSA>PTSA. The dopant ion was found to dissociate prior to the main chain scission. These findings could be explained on the basis of strong coupling/complexation between the conducting polymer and the dopant as well as the stability of the individual dopant species.

Conducting polymer coatings on ABS were prepared by dipping them into m-cresol solutions containing polyaniline (PANI), poly(o-toluidine) (POT), and poly(o-anisidine) (PoAN) protonated with dioctyl hydrogen phosphate (DiOHP) in the presence and absence of polystyrene (PS). The surface resistivity of ABS plates coated with DiOHP-doped PANI in the presence and absence of PS were 5.3 × 107 and 3.0 × 105 Ω, respectively. The ABS plates coated with DiOHP-doped PoAN and -doped POT showed higher resistivities (4.2 × 109 and 2.4 × 107 Ω, respectively) than that with DiOHP-doped PANI. Although the conductivity of the coated ABS with DiOHP-doped PANI was less in the presence of PS, the permanency and uniformity of the coating, which are very important for practical use, were much improved. Coatings and the coated ABS were characterized by X-ray diffraction, TG/MS, SEM, and reduced viscosity measurements. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2661–2669, 2001

We report experimental results obtained by using a wide-gap type emulsion chamber flown in the first Japanese-Russo joint balloon project, called RUNJOB ( RU ssia- N ippon JO int B alloon-program). Two balloons were launched from Kamchatka in July 1995, and both were recovered successfully near the Volga River. The exposure time was 130 hours for the first flight and 168 hours for the second. The mean ceiling altitude, in both flights, was 32 km corresponding to 10 g/cm 2 . Total area of the emulsion chamber was 0.8 m 2 , and the thickness 0.385 and 2.28 collision m.f.p.'s for vertically incident proton- and iron-primaries, respectively. We detected 381 showers using Fuji-#200-type X-ray film; of these 174 showers were due to atmospheric secondary γ-rays, and the rest 207 came from nuclear components. The energy range covers 20∼200 TeV for proton-primary, 3∼30 TeV/nucleon for helium-primary, and 0.7∼5 TeV/nucleon for iron-primary. We give the energy spectra for various elements (proton, helium, …, iron) as well as the all-particle spectrum and the average mass of the cosmic-ray primaries.

Facilitative glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) is expressed abundantly and has an important role in glucose transfer in placentas. However, little is known about the regulation of GLUT1 expression in placental cells. We studied the changes in placental GLUT1 levels in relation to changes in glucose concentration in vitro and in vivo. In in vitro experiments, dispersed mouse placental cells were incubated under control (5.5 mM) and moderately high (22 mM) glucose concentrations, and 2-deoxyglucose uptake into cells was studied on days 1-5 of culture. After 4 days of incubation under both conditions, GLUT1 mRNA and proten levels were examined by Northern and immunoblot analyses. Treatment of cells with 22 mM glucose resulted in a significant decrease in 2-deoxyglucose uptake compared with control, from day 2 to day 5 of culture. Moreover, GLUT1 mRNA and protein levels on day 4 of culture were significantly reduced in cells incubated with 22 mM glucose compared with control. Next, we rendered mice diabetic by administering 200 micrograms/g body weight streptozotocin (STZ) on day 8 of pregnancy. Animals were killed on day 12 of pregnancy and placental tissues were obtained. [3H]Cytochalasin B binding study was carried out to assess total GLUTs, and GLUT1 mRNA and protein were measured as above. [3H]Cytochalasin B binding sites in placentas from STZ-treated mice were significantly less than those in control mice. Northern and immunoblot analyses revealed a significant decrease in GLUT1 mRNA and protein levels in diabetic mice compared with the controls. These findings suggest that the glucose concentration may regulate the expression of placental GLUT1.

A new Bragg grating filter (BGF) in a polysilane waveguide has been fabricated by a two-beam interferometric photobleaching method using a He-Cd laser. A narrow reflected bandwidth of 0.4 nm was measured using a 1.55-mum light-emitting diode. The temperature dependence of the BGF was measured as 0.096 nm/degC with temperature control over a range between 30 degC and 70 degC and exhibited a good coincidence with the theoretical values

The coordination environments around and in glasses ( M = Zn, Al, Ga, Sc, Zr or Hf; n = 2 for Zn, 3 for Al, Ga and Sc and 4 for Zr and Hf; or Er) were examined by and EXAFS spectroscopy and by emission spectroscopy. The EXAFS analysis revealed that and in each glass system have almost the same coordination environments except for a slight difference due to lanthanoid contraction and also that the coordination environments around and significantly vary with the glass system. The latter result was also confirmed by emission spectra of the respective glass systems. The present study gave experimental evidence for the validity of the use of instead of in order to examine the physicochemical environments of in fluoride glasses.

Humidity-sensitive polyaniline derivatives/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites have been studied using thermogravimetric (TG)/mass (MS) and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrical conductivity of the poly(o-phenylenediamine) (PoPD)/PVA and poly(o-aminophenol) (PoAP)/PVA composites were linearly related with the atmospheric humidity, but there was no such linear relationship for the poly(m-phenylenediamine) (PmPD)/PVA and poly(o-toluidine) (PoTd)/PVA composites. The FTIR intensity at 3600 and 3200 cm -1 for the PoPD/PVA and PoAP/PVA composites decreased with a decrease of humidity, indicating a removal of water molecules from the composite. For the PmPD and PoTd composites, however, the involvement of water molecules in the drying and wetting stages was not pronounced. The TG/MS analyses suggested that the PoPD/PVA and PoAP/PVA composites have two types of water: one is weakly bound to the composite and equilibriates with the atmospheric moisture, and the other is strongly bound to the composite at the PVA unit and stays there even in a dry state (

A tungsten trioxide (WO3)/polyaniline (PAn)/polyvinylsulfate (PVS)-modified electrode has been characterized by the in situ FTIR reflection spectroscopic method, and applied to the electroreduction of CO2 in aqueous solution. Carbon dioxide is hydrogenated through the reaction with the adsorbed hydrogen atoms generated on the cathodized electrode, and the reduction intermediates (COOHads, CHOads) are reoxidized at the potentials close to the first and second oxidation potentials of PAn. The prolonged potentiostatic reduction of CO2 led to the formation of lactic acid, formic acid, ethanol, and methanol under low overpotential.

Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) and poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) with a small mole fraction of naphthol (NpOH) residues were prepared by polymerization of methacrylic acid or acrylamide with three position isomers, methacryloylaminonaphthol. The substituent effect on the apparent pK values (pK obsd ), determined by spectroscopic pH titrations in aqueous solution, was observed for the NpOH-labeled PAAm. The electrostatic surface potential (ψ) for PMA was calculated from the difference in the pK obsd values for the labeled PMA and PAAm. The obtained ψ value decreased as the spacing between the OH moiety and the polymer main chain increased. This clearly indicates that the ψ value is a sensitive function of the distance from the polyion surface.

In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies have been carried out on the nature of a metal complex-immobilized polyaniline (PAn)/Prussian blue-modified electrode and on the application of this electrode to the electroreduction of CO{sub 2} in an aqueous solution. On cathodic polarization, the ring structures of PAn transformed from quinoid to benzenoid states. It was confirmed that the metal complex [1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonato iron (II)] once doped onto the conducting polymer is not undoped in cathodic processes, and the charge balance of the polymer is kept by taking an electrolyte cation in or out. The onset potential where CO{sub 2} was accumulated with the modified electrode was 0 V vs. Ag/AgCl, and the amount of CO{sub 2} on the electrode became largest at {minus}0.2 V. The accumulation of CO{sub 2} with the electrode mediator was caused by the bonding between the mediated PAn and CO{sub 2} through a linkage of the electrophilic carbon atom of CO{sub 2} with the nitrogen atom of the benzenoid ring. The prolonged electrolysis of CO{sub 2} at potentials more negative than {minus}0.3 V led to the generation of C{sub 1} {approximately} C{sub 3} species involving lactic and formic acids, and the scheme of the initial reduction processmore » was disclosed.« less

Copyright (c) 1996 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. The electrical resistivity, r, was measured by the dc four probe method for some liquid alloys with critical mixing, that is Bi−Ga, Cd−Ga and Hg−Ga alloys. The maximum of temperature coefficient of r, dr/dT, was found at the critical composition, X c , on the isotherm for liquid Bi−Ga and Cd−Ga alloys. This tendency becomes far striking at the critical temperature T c . However, an opposite minimum behavior of dr/dT was found at X c for liquid Hg−Ga alloys. The atomic volume, V M , was also measured by a picnometer method for liquid Bi−Ga alloys. The obtained V M is a linear function of composition. The value of thermal expansion coefficient, a P , near X c is large and shows a strong temperature dependence. The critical exponent b for liquid Bi−Ga alloys is determined to be 0.365p0.02 in the range, 5.6×10 −5 le(=vT−T c v/T c rl7.5×10 −2 from the binodal curve determined by resistivity measurements on heating with mixing by agitations.

When LNG leaks from a storage tank, the LNG vapourizes vigorously above the adiabatic concrete floor inside the safety dike and the cryogenic methane diffuses in the atmosphere. It is well known that as the density of a vapourized gas drops, the atmospheric diffusion is enhanced due to buoyancy, and the concentration of vapourized gas along the ground decreases. The present paper is concerned with the ability of Hi-Ex (High Expansion Foam) to raise the temperature (decrease the density) of vapourized cryogenic gas, since the Hi-Ex system is usually applied as a fire protection system at LNG facilities. In the experiments, the liquid nitrogen pool was used to simulate LNG leakage, because the boiling point of liquid nitrogen is close to that for LNG. The small difference in the heat capacity of vapourized gas was taken into account in the evaluation of experimental results. The temperature variations with time of the vapourized gas which penetrated through the Hi-Ex layer were measured. Furthermore, the solidification of the Hi-Ex layer and the formation of flow passages in the Hi-Ex layer, and the change of evaporation rate of liquid after the dispersion of Hi-Ex onto it were examined in detail. Based on these experimental results, the heat balance among Hi-Ex, liquid, and vapourized gas was discussed, and the amount of Hi-Ex required to keep raising the temperature of vapourized cryogenic gas to that at which the density was almost the same as that of atmosphere was estimated.

In order to diminish the overpotential required for the electrochemical reduction of CO{sub 2}, a metal complex-fixed polyaniline (PAn)/prussian blue (PB)-modified electrode has been developed, and the roles of the two laminated films as well as a fixed metal complex are disclosed here. The onset potential for the reduction of CO{sub 2} to lactic acid, a major product, is close to the thermodynamic value. The metal complex operating as the catalyst is a large aromatic anion, which is bound to the conducting polymer through {pi}-interaction and not undoped during the cathodic polarization. The existence of R{single_bond}OH, {double_bond}CH{single_bond}OH, R{single_bond}COOH, and {single_bond}CO {center_dot} NH{single_bond} groups in the coated film was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared reflection spectroscopy, supporting the involvement of the observed products (lactic acid, formic acid, methanol, ethanol, etc.). A cause for the generation of C{sub 3} species such as lactic acid may be bifunctional activation of CO{sub 2} in which the electrophilic carbon atom links to the amino group of PAn and the basic oxygen atom coordinates to the central metal of the complex.

A new autoregressive method for the spectral analysis of 2D NMR time-domain data is proposed. The theory presented deals only with usual homonuclear 2D spectra which are symmetric with respect to the two frequency axes. Due to this limitation, the spectral structure of 2D data is described by a 1D time-series model instead of a 2D model. Numerical experiments are performed for both synthetic and actual data with successful results. Extension of the theory to higher dimension is briefly discussed.

Two novel theta class glutathione S -transferases (GSTs), designated Yrs-Yrs′ and Yrs′-Yrs′, were isolated from rat liver cytosol and purified to homogeneity. Polyclonal antibody raised against the previously reported theta class GST Yrs-Yrs (Hiratsuka, A. et al ., J. Biol. Chem , 265 , 11973 (1990)) cross-reacted with GSTs Yrs-Yrs′ and Yrs′-Yrs′. These three theta class GSTs had different pI values and were separated by chromatofocusing. The enzyme subunit Yrs′ was separated from Yrs by reverse partition HPLC, but identical to Yrs in the first 37 N -terminal amino acid sequence. Like GST Yrs-Yrs, both GSTs Yrs-Yrs′ and Yrs′-Yrs′ were not retained on an S -hexyl-GSH affinity column and had little activity toward 2-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. However, they showed potent activities toward the reactive sulfate ester of the carcinogen, 5-hydroxymethylchrysene. GSTs Yrs-Yrs and Yrs′-Yrs′ showed much higher GSH peroxidase activities toward arachidonate hydroperoxide than did rat liver alpha class GST Ya-Ya.

In scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, ceramic insulators are usually coated with conductive elements such as gold, palladium-gold alloy and carbon to avoid charging-up. In the present investigation, it was observed that charging is not serious above a certain temperature, even without coating. Those particular temperatures are 150°C for yttria-doped zirconia, 400°C for alumina and silicon nitride and 500°C for hexagonal boron nitride. The order of these temperatures is consistent with the order of reported electric resistances of them. Disappearance of the charging problem has been explained as due to transport of electrons through enhanced diffusion layers on the surfaces.

The generation and topography of interference films on stainless steel in a mixture of chromic and sulfuric acids have been studied by electrochemical and scanning tunneling microscopic (STM) methods. The psychometric chroma coordinates of the colored film were determined as a function of the extent of anodic polarization, and the results indicated that red and green were susceptible to the change in potential. In other words, it is very difficult to reproduce a desired color in a wide range by the chemical coloration. Using the electrochemical method, however, any color can be always reproduced by regulating the extent of anodic polarization, and the coloration could be suspended at any stage if the colored specimen was polarized to more negative potential. The STM measurement disclosed that the interference film on stainless steel consists of small crystallites (5–10 nm in diameter) and pores (about 5 nm) and is uniform for the most part.

Using synchrotron radiation, the detection characteristics of microchannel plates, silicon surface barrier detectors and gold photocathodes are investigated; in particular, the detailed structures of the detection efficiency including an extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), an X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and a chemical shift is reported along the with discussion on the physical mechanisms. Also, the applications of these detectors to X-ray tomography diagnostics for the observation of the cross-sections of fusion-oriented tandem-mirror plasmas are described. These data give information on the spatial distribution of the hot electrons which play an important role in the formation of thermal-barrier potentials φb. Also, the tomographic reconstructed X-ray data in the central cell show the effect of φb formation on the improvement in the central-cell electron confinement for the first time.

The uptake and metabolism of [3-3H-sphingosine]GM1-ganglioside was measured in cultured skin fibroblasts from controls and patients with infantile, juvenile and adult GM1-gangliosidosis. When dissolved in medium with phosphatidylserine, GM1-ganglioside was efficiently taken up by cultured skin fibroblasts and transferred into lysosomes. A linear increase in GM1-ganglioside endocytosis was shown with phosphatidylserine concentrations of up to 40 micrograms/ml. A pulse-chase study revealed that [3H]GM1-ganglioside was metabolized to GM2-ganglioside, GM3-ganglioside, ceramide dihexoside, ceramide monohexoside, ceramide and sphingosine. Sphingosine was recycled to sphingomyelin. In a 20-h pulse study, cell lines from patients with GM1-gangliosidosis of infantile, juvenile and adult types hydrolysed 2-5%, 20-44% and 54-58% of the total endocytosed GM1-ganglioside respectively. These values were lower than in control cells (64.17 +/- 5.43% (n = 10]. The hydrolysis rates of exogenous [3H]GM1-ganglioside in cultured fibroblasts from patients with various types of GM1-gangliosidosis closely reflected the clinical severity.

Science of Synthesis: Houben-Weyl Methods of Molecular Transformations is the entirely new edition of the acclaimed reference series Houben-Weyl, the standard synthetic chemistry resource since 1909. This new edition is published in English and will comprise 48 volumes published between the years 2000 and 2008. Science of Synthesis is a quality reference work developed by a highly esteemed editorial board to provide a comprehensive and critical selection of reliable organic and organometallic synthetic methods. This unique resource is designed to be the first point of reference when searching for a synthesis strategy. Contains the expertise of presently 400 leading chemists worldwide. Critically evaluates the preparative applicability and significance of the synthetic methods. Discusses relevant background information and provides detailed experimental procedures

Plasma filled backward wave oscillators (BWOs) utilizing IREBs have demonstrated the efficiency enhancement up to 40%. Botton and Ron suggested that the high efficiency could be explained by a self-induced distributed feedback mechanism of a density grating formed by ponderomotive potential of backward and forward waves in the slow wave structure. The authors carried out an experiment to detect such plasma grating formed by high-power externally injected microwaves. Weakly ionized plasma is produced by DC gas discharge (helium 52 mTorr, current f{sub p}. Such rises are not the results of additional RF ionization, but are believed to be new nonlinear phenomena inherent in corrugated waveguide. LP analysis shows that the rises in ISC consist of two reasons: Large local rises in plasma potential and small local rises in plasma density. The authors also carry out RF standing wave measurements on the axis. In conclusion, their experimental results are not completely identical to Botton and Ron`s prediction.« less

This paper describes a new sensor system for the effective acquisition of tactile information using carbon microcoils (CMC). This system used the mechanical and electrical properties of CMC to obtain tactile information from the applied force. Experimental results prove its effectiveness and the characteristics of CMC as a sensor material. Using this system, we developed a distributed-type silicone based CMC sensor with a high sensitivity and the ability to measure an applied force down to even milligrams. The CMC sensor has its own characteristics compared to other sensors and is suitable to use as a sensor system for artificial skin or the artificial heart of a patient robot.

Piezoelectric constants (d/sub 33/, d/sub h/, and d/sub 31/) of 1-3 and 2-2 composites consisting of 0-3 subcomposites of polymer/PbTiO/sub 3/ ceramic powder and polymer/PZT (lead zirconate titanate) ceramic powder were investigated in order to obtain a d/sub 31/-zero, d/sub 33/-zero, or d/sub h/-zero composite by changing the volume fraction of the subcomposites and giving them opposite polarities. Those subcomposites had different piezoelectric anisotropies but the same elastic-constant values. Good agreement between the theoretical and experimental results was observed. >