Effect of puffer volume and operating force on dielectric recovery performance in thermal puffer-type gas circuit breaker

In order to investigate the influence of puffer volume V/sub P/ and operating force to dielectric performance of GCB at current interruption, we calculated the prospective dielectric withstand voltage V/sub W/ between arcing contacts. The withstand voltage was calculated by the electric field strength appeared on arcing contacts and the allowable electric field strength E/sub W//sup */ of hot gas due to thermal puffer action. We could clarify that large initial puffer volume V/sub P/ can increase withstand voltage V/sub W/ at current breaking point and also that an optimum point exists in operating force F. For example, it was found that in case of the operating force of 1000 kgf, the puffer volume V/sub P/ of 1.2 liter would be best choice in the interrupting condition of i=50 kA and arcing time of 1.35 cycle.     

Elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) activities in the sera and milk of cows with naturally occurring coliform mastitis

The presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) activities was determined in milk and serum of cows with naturally occurring coliform mastitis (CFM). TNF-alpha was detected in the sera from 26 of 32 cows with CFM. TNF-alpha levels were higher in the sera than in the milk. IL-6 was high in the sera of surviving CFM animals, but was low in animals that died and in healthy controls. Furthermore, the mean level of IL-6 was 20-fold higher in the milk than in the sera of mastitic cows. The level of IL-6 in the serum was correlated to that in the milk in individual animals. The presence of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the sera appears to relate to severe clinical condition of CFM, in the milk whereas they may play a role in generating inflammation of the mammary gland.     

Structural change in the Brill transition of Nylon m/n (1) Nylon 10/10 and its model compounds

Structural changes in the Brill transitions of Nylon 10/10 and its model compounds have been investigated by carrying out the temperature-dependent measurements of X-ray diffraction and infrared spectra along with the DSC measurement. The crystal structure at room temperature was found to be the so-called α form with the all-trans zigzag methylene segments. When the samples were heated, the infrared progression bands of the methylene segments, which are sensitive to the length of all-trans segmental parts, were found to change their spectral patterns in the transition temperature region: the progression bands decreased in intensity and disappeared above the transition region. At the same time several new bands were observed to appear, which were found to correspond to the progression bands of (CH₂)₇-(CH₂)₅trans-zigzag segments. These spectral changes indicate that the methylene segments were conformationally disordered by an invasion of some gauche bonds and as a result the effective length of trans-zigzag segments became shorter. This conformational disordering was found to occur more remarkably in the methylene segment of NH-(CH₂)₁₀-NH part than the CO-(CH₂)₈-CO part. At the same time the infrared bands of amide groups, in particular the bands sensitive to the twisting angles about the CH₂-amide bonds were found to show the remarkable change, indicating the local conformational change from planar-zigzag to twisted form in the CH₂-amide moiety. The frequency shift of amide A band (NH stretching mode) indicated a weakening of intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which however, did not disappear up to the melting region. From these data combined with the X-ray diffraction data, the structural disordering in the Brill transition phenomena was deduced concretely.     

Monoclonal antibody analysis of phosphatidylserine and protein kinase C localizations in developing rat cerebellum

Understanding the topographical relationships between phosphatidylserine (PS) and protein kinase C (PKC) within neurons can provide clues about the mechanism of translocation and activation of PKC. For this purpose we applied monoclonal antibodies (Abs) of PS and PKC to sections of developing rat cerebellum. The anti-PKC Ab immunohistochemical pattern showed homogeneous staining of Purkinje cells over various postnatal ages, whereas the anti-PS Ab staining showed a heterogeneous localization over these ages. Purkinje cells did not stain well between postnatal day 14 (PND 14) and PND 21, suggesting that the PS was lost from the membrane during preparation of the sections during this period. These data imply that interactions between PS and PKC vary in Purkinje cells during postnatal development.     

Dissimilarity scaling and INDSCAL analysis in the study of flavour differences between normal pHu and DFD beef

Overall dissimilarity measurement of paired stimuli followed by Individual Differences Scaling (INDSCAL) analysis was used to study flavour perception in a set of beef extracts. The experiment was designed to determine whether pH contributed to flavour difference between beef of “normal” ultimate pH (pHu5.8) and “dark-cutting” (DFD) beef (pHu6.2). Assessors distinguished the flavour of “normal” pHu and DFD beef both by a combination of pH and titratable acidity, and a second dimension independent of pH. The chemicals added to adjust pH independently of the original muscle composition contributed a third flavour dimension. Substantial assessor variation was observed in the relative weight given to the three flavour dimensions, and this is discussed in relation to the task of judging overall dissimilarity.     

Two patients with polymyositis or dermatomyositis complicated with massive pleural effusion

Two patients with polymyositis (PM) or dermatomyositis (DM) complicated with massive pleural effusion are reported here. Both patients presented a high-grade fever, pleural effusion prominent on the right, and good response to steroid therapy. In a 50-year-old woman with PM, combined process of pleural inflammation, cardiomyopathy and coexisting hypothyroidism were considered to be responsible for the accumulation of the massive pleural effusion. However, in a 34-year-old man with DM, pleural inflammation associated with interstitial pneumonia or pleural microvasculopathy in DM was considered to be responsible for the accumulation of the massive pleural effusion.     

Usefulness of Doppler ultrasound in predicting the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) on myoma uteri

This paper shows the value of Doppler ultrasound of the uterine blood flow in predicting the effect of GnRHa on myoma uteri. Thirty-eight patients with myoma uteri were divided into two groups by Doppler ultrasound before treatment: a group with positive arterial blood flow in or around the myoma nodule, and another group with negative arterial blood flow. Histological examinations which were performed in thirty patients demonstrated that the myoma in the negative blood flow group showed higher hyalinization with poor vascularization. In fifteen patients treated with GnRHa (Buserelin 900 micrograms/day), a significant increase (p < 0.01) in the resistance index of the uterine arteries was induced and suppressed the serum estradiol concentration in all cases during GnRHa therapy. The size of the myoma nodules also decreased in all 6 patients in the positive blood flow group, but in only 3 of the 9 patients in the negative blood flow group during GnRHa therapy. These results indicated that Doppler assessments of the arterial blood flow in myoma would be useful in predicting the effect of GnRHa on myoma uteri.     

Thickness dependence of H2 gas sensor in amorphous SnQx films prepared by ion-beam sputtering

Amorphous SnO_x films were deposited by ion-beam sputtering on sintered alumina substrates. Amorphous film sensors were prepared by annealing the films at 300° C for 2 h in air. The thickness dependence of resistivity and hydrogen gas sensitivity were measured at 150° C over the thickness range 1 to 700 nm. A resistivity maximum was observed in ultrathin films. Resistivity increased by three orders of magnitude with increasing film thickness from 0.9 to 7.4 nm and then decreased by five orders of magnitude from 7.4 to 35 nm. Ultrathin film sensors showed sensitivity maxima around a thickness of 10 nm. Sensitivity and resistivity of ultrathin films were significantly influenced by the thermal expansion coefficient and the surface state of the substrate.     

The Attenuated Secretion of Hyaluronan by UVA-Exposed Human Fibroblasts Is Associated with Up- and Downregulation of HYBID and HAS2 Expression via Activated and Inactivated Signaling of the p38/ATF2 and JAK2/STAT3 Cascades

Little is known about the effects on hyaluronan (HA) metabolism of UVA radiation. This study demonstrates that the secretion of HA by human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) is downregulated by UVA, accompanied by the down- and upregulation of mRNA and protein levels of the HA-synthesizing enzyme (HAS2) and the HA-degrading protein, HYaluronan Binding protein Involved in HA Depolymerization(HYBID), respectively. Signaling analysis revealed that the exposure distinctly elicits activation of the p38/MSK1/CREB/c-Fos/AP-1 axis, the JNK/c-Jun axis, and the p38/ATF-2 axis, but downregulates the phosphorylation of NF-kB and JAK/STAT3. A signal inhibition study demonstrated that the inhibition of p38 significantly abrogates the UVA-accentuated mRNA level of HYBID. Furthermore, the inhibition of STAT3 significantly downregulates the level of HAS2 mRNA in non-UVA exposed HDFs. Analysis using siRNAs demonstrated that transfection of ATF-2 siRNA but not c-Fos siRNA abrogates the increased protein level of HYBID in UVA-exposed HDFs. An inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase but not of protein serine/threonine phosphatase restored the diminished phosphorylation level of STAT3 at Tyr 705, accompanied by a significant abolishing effect on the decreased mRNA expression level of HAS2. Silencing with a protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP-Meg2 siRNA revealed that it abrogates the decreased phosphorylation of STAT3 at Tyr 705 in UVA-exposed HDFs. These findings suggest that the UVA-induced decrease in HA secretion by HDFs is attributable to the down- and upregulation of HAS2 and HYBID expression, respectively, changes that are mainly ascribed to the inactivated signaling of the STAT3 axis due to the activated tyrosine protein phosphatase PTP-Meg2 and the activated signaling of the p38/ATF2 axis, respectively.