Experimentally Determined Phase Diagram for the Barium Sulfide-Copper(I) Sulfide System Above 873 K (600 °C)

The phase diagram of the barium sulfide-copper(I) sulfide system was investigated above 873 K (600 °C) using a custom-built differential thermal analysis (DTA) apparatus. The melting point of barium sulfide was determined utilizing a floating zone furnace. Four new compounds, Ba₂Cu₁₄S₉, Ba₂Cu₂S₃, Ba₅Cu₄S₇, and Ba₉Cu₂S₁₀, were identified through quench experiments analyzed with wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). A miscibility gap was observed between 72 and 92 mol pct BaS using both DTA experiments and in situ melts observation in a floating zone furnace. A monotectic was observed at 94.5 mol pct BaS and 1288 K (1015 °C).     

Chemical reactions in foods II

Chemical reactions in foods II     

Free fatty acids inducing mouse lethal toxicity in lipid extracts ofEngraulis japonica,the Japanese anchovy

Mouse lethal toxicity was detected in the ether extract ofEngraulis japonica (anchovy). The mouse toxicity of extracts was more potent from viscera than from other organs. Okadaic acid (C₄₄H₆₈O₁₃) and dinophysistoxin (C₄₅H₇₀O₁₃), lipophilic toxins derived from phytoplankton, which are usually considered to be the diarrhetic shellfish toxins, were not detected in the ether extract of ancovy. There occurred, however, two prominent peaks in high-performance liquid chromatography, which were identified as free eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The mouse toxicity observed correlated with the intensity of these two peaks. Toxicity was reduced considerably by pretreatment with Na₂CO₃. By quantitating EPA toxicity, it was concluded that the toxicity was not due to EPA only but also to DHA. The results indicate that substances in Japanese anchovy associated with mouse lethal toxicity include free polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly EPA and DHA.     

Role of reinforcing material in ion exchange membranes prepared by the paste method

Ion exchange membranes prepared by the paste method contain polyvinylchloide cloth as a reinforcing material, which is necessarily used to endow the membranes well-balanced properties: electrochemical and mechanical properties. The role of the reinforcing material was studied in terms of the membrane structure.     

First-principles study on electronic structure of Si/SiO2 interface—Effect of interface defects on local charge density

We present theoretical study on the electronic structures of the interfaces between Si substrate and SiO₂ under zero bias and when a bias of −1.0 V is applied to the substrate by the first-principle calculation based on real-space finite-difference approach. By comparing the density of states at the interfaces, we study the effect of the defects around the interface on the channel and leakage currents. In addition, the leakage current through the interfaces are examined. Our results indicate that the defects around the interface lead drastic change of the electronic structure of the interface under the electric field and enhance the leakage current through the SiO₂ films.     

Estimation of the distribution profile of airway resistance in the lungs

The distribution profile of resistance in a series lung model consisting of airways of 23 generations with alveoli was estimated in 10 healthy subjects and 7 subjects with chronic pulmonary emphysema. Forced oscillation was applied to the subjects at the mouth using a complex wave composed of sine waves at frequencies through the range 4 to 20 Hz in 1-Hz steps. The pleural pressure was measured with a catheter-tip micromanometer, which was installed in an esophageal balloon. The frequency dependency of the pulmonary impedance was analyzed using a penalty function method, and a stable estimate of the distribution profile of resistance in the lungs was thus obtained. The central airway resistance (defined as the resistance from generation 0 to generation 7) was estimated as 1.18 +/- 0.37 cm H2O/liter/sec in the healthy subjects and 1.03 +/- 1.13 cm H2O/liter/sec in the subjects with chronic pulmonary emphysema. The peripheral airway resistance (defined as the resistance from generation 8 to generation 23) was estimated as 0.06 +/- 0.03 cm H2O/liter/sec in the healthy subjects and 6.38 +/- 3.77 cm H2O/liter/sec in the subjects with chronic pulmonary emphysema.     

Measurements of Singlet Oxygen‐Quenching Activity of Vitamin E Homologs and Palm Oil and Soybean Extracts in a Micellar Solution

Recently, a new assay method that can quantify the singlet oxygen‐absorption capacity (SOAC) of antioxidants (AO) and food extracts in homogeneous organic solvents has been proposed. In the present study, second‐order rate constants (k_Q) for the reaction of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) with vitamin E homologs (α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocopherols [Toc] and α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocotrienols [Toc‐3]) were measured in an aqueous Triton X‐100 (5.0 wt%) micellar solution (pH 7.4). Toc‐3 showed k_Q values larger than those of Toc in a micellar solution, although Toc and Toc‐3 showed the same k_Q values in a homogeneous solution. Similar measurements were performed for 5 palm oil extracts 1–5 and one soybean extract 6, which contained different concentrations of Toc, Toc‐3, and carotenoids. It has been clarified that the ¹O₂‐quenching rates (k_Q) (that is, the relative SOAC value) obtained for extracts 3–6 may be explained as the sum of the product of the rate constant () and the concentration ([AO‐i]/100) of AO‐i contained. The UV–vis absorption spectra of Toc and Toc‐3 were measured in a micellar solution and chloroform. The results obtained demonstrated that the k_Q values of AO in homogeneous and heterogeneous solutions vary notably depending on (1) polarity (dielectric constant [ε]) of the reaction field between ¹O₂ and AO, (2) the local concentration of AO, and (3) the mobility of AO in solution. The results suggest that the SOAC method is applicable to the measurement of ¹O₂‐quenching activity of general food extracts in a heterogeneous micellar solution.     

Electrical characteristics of Ge-based metal-insulator-semiconductor devices with Ge3N4 dielectrics formed by plasma nitridation

We have fabricated pure germanium nitrides (Ge3N4) using high-density plasma nitridation and investigated electrical properties of Au/Ge3N4/Ge capacitors. We achieved equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of 1.4 nm, and dielectric constant of Ge3N4 was estimated to be 9.7. The gate leakage current density of 4.3 A/cm2 in the accumulation condition at V(fb)-1 V, where V(fb) is the flatband voltage, was one order of magnitude lower than that of conventional poly-Si/SiO2/Si stacks. The interface state density (D(it)) of Ge3N4/Ge interfaces evaluated by a low-temperature conductance method exhibited a minimum value of 9.4 x 10(11) cm(-2)eV(-1) at E - E(v) = 0.27 eV. Furthermore, the insulating property and interface quality of Ge3N4/Ge system was found to be thermally stable up to 650 degrees C. These results indicate that Ge3N4 is a promising candidate for either a gate insulator or an interfacial layer under high-k dielectrics for Ge-MIS devices.     

Serum APOA4 Pharmacodynamically Represents Administered Recombinant Human Hepatocyte Growth Factor (E3112)

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an endogenously induced bioactive molecule that has strong anti-apoptotic and tissue repair activities. In this research, we identified APOA4 as a novel pharmacodynamic (PD) marker of the recombinant human HGF (rh-HGF), E3112. Methods: rh-HGF was administered to mice, and their livers were investigated for the PD marker. Candidates were identified from soluble proteins and validated by using human hepatocytes in vitro and an animal disease model in vivo, in which its c-Met dependency was also ensured. Results: Among the genes induced or highly enhanced after rh-HGF exposure in vivo, a soluble apolipoprotein, Apoa4, was found to be induced by rh-HGF in the murine liver. By using primary cultured human hepatocytes, the significant induction of human APOA4 was observed at the mRNA and protein levels, and it was inhibited in the presence of a c-Met inhibitor. Although mice constitutively expressed Apoa4 mRNA in the small intestine and the liver, the liver was the primary organ affected by administered rh-HGF to strongly induce APOA4 in a dose- and c-Met-dependent manner. Serum APOA4 levels were increased after rh-HGF administration, not only in normal mice but also in anti-Fas-induced murine acute liver failure (ALF), which confirmed the pharmacodynamic nature of APOA4. Conclusions: APOA4 was identified as a soluble PD marker of rh-HGF with c-Met dependency. It should be worthwhile to clinically validate its utility through clinical trials with healthy subjects and ALF patients.     

Rheological and Morphological Comparison of Thermal and Hydrostatic Pressure-Induced Filamentous Myosin Gels

The structure and rheological properties of heat‐ and pressure‐induced myosin filament gels were investigated. The apparent elasticity of heat‐induced gel peaked at 55 °C (4.35 ± 0.57 kPa), whereas that of pressure‐induced gel increased with elevating pressure, and the gel formed at 500 MPa had a value of 4.79 ± 0.25 kPa. All pressure‐ and heat‐induced gels showed similar internal structure, namely, the gels were composed of a fine‐strand network. The detailed structures of the strands induced by pressure‐ and heat‐treatment of myosin filaments were observed using an atomic force microscope. The structural differences among the strands were not observed, whereas the elasticity of the strands measured by atomic force microscope revealed differences among the strands formed with varying heating temperature and pressure. The elasticities of the heat‐induced strands were 1.19 ± 0.09 MPa, 10.24 ± 1.16 MPa, and 3.09 ± 0.25 MPa at 40 °C, 55 °C, and 70 °C, respectively. On the other hand, the elasticity of the pressure‐induced strand increased with elevating pressure. The elasticity values were 1.24 ± 0.09 MPa, 2.32 ± 0.17 MPa, and 9.80 ± 0.84 MPa at pressures of 150, 300, and 500 MPa, respectively. Because the changes in the elasticity of the whole gel corresponded to those of the strand, it is concluded that the rheological properties of the constituting strands determine that of myosin filamentous gel.