Synthesis and optical properties of azobenzene side chain polymers derived from the bifunctional fumaric acid and itaconic acid

Three type polymers containing the same azobenzene side chain group with different backbone structures, poly(DMAz6Fm), poly(DMAz6It) and poly(MAz6Ac) derived respectively from fumaric acid, itaconic acid and acrylic acid, were synthesized. The dependence of photo-response properties on the polymeric architecture was investigated for the solutions and films. By irradiation of the linearly polarized light (436 nm), uniaxial orientations of the thin films were induced and anisotropic properties were investigated by measurements of the order parameters and birefringence values.     

Molecular Mechanisms to Control Post-Transplantation Hepatitis B Recurrence

Hepatitis B often progresses to decompensated liver cirrhosis requiring orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Although newer nucleos(t)ide analogues result in >90% viral and hepatitis activity control, severely decompensated patients still need OLT because of drug-resistant virus, acute exacerbation, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Acute hepatitis B is also an indication for OLT, because it can progress to fatal acute liver failure. After OLT, the hepatitis B recurrence rate is >80% without prevention, while >90% of transplant recipients are clinically controlled with combined hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment. However, long-term HBIG administration is associated with several unresolved issues, including limited availability and extremely high cost; therefore, several treatment protocols with low-dose HBIG, combined with nucleos(t)ide analogues, have been investigated. Another approach is to induce self-producing anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) antibodies using an HBV envelope (HBs) antigen vaccine. Patients who are not HBV carriers, such as those with acutely infected liver failure, are good candidates for vaccination. For chronic HBV carrier liver cirrhosis patients, a successful vaccine response can only be achieved in selected patients, such as those treated with experimentally reduced immunosuppression protocols. The present protocol for post-OLT HBV control and the future prospects of newer treatment strategies are reviewed.     

Growth and photoreactive properties of a- and c-axis cerium-doped strontium barium niobate single-crystal fibers

The authors report on the photorefractive properties of cerium-doped strontium barium niobate (Ce:SBN60) single-crystal fibers grown by the laser-heated pedestal growth method. Single-crystal fibers, 250 mu m in diameter, were successfully grown along both the a- and c-axes. The diffraction efficiency and grating formation time results for each fiber in two beam coupling experiments are compared, with emphasis on their crystal orientation and relevant figure of merit. It is found that the hologram efficiency of the a-axis fiber is larger than that of the c-axis fiber and that its grating formation time is faster. The results suggest that Ce-doped SBN single-crystal fiber grown along the a-axis is a promising candidates for holographic storage, parallel data processing, and phase-conjugation mirrors.<>     

Real-Time Omnidirectional Image Sensors

Conventional T.V. cameras are limited in their field of view. A real-time omnidirectional camera which can acquire an omnidirectional (360 degrees) field of view at video rate and which could be applied in a variety of fields, such as autonomous navigation, telepresence, virtual reality and remote monitoring, is presented. We have developed three different types of omnidirectional image sensors, and two different types of multiple-image sensing systems which consist of an omnidirectional image sensor and binocular vision. In this paper, we describe the outlines and fundamental optics of our developed sensors and show examples of applications for robot navigation.     

Unusual ligand structure in Ni-Fe active center and an additional Mg site in hydrogenase revealed by high resolution X-ray structure analysis

BACKGROUND: The hydrogenase of Desulfovibrio sp. catalyzes the reversible oxidoreduction of molecular hydrogen, in conjunction with a specific electron acceptor, cytochrome c3. The Ni-Fe active center of Desulfovibrio hydrogenase has an unusual ligand structure with non-protein ligands. An atomic model at high resolution is required to make concrete assignment of the ligands which coordinate the Ni-Fe center. These in turn will provide insight into the mechanism of electron transfer, during the reaction catalysed by hydrogenase. RESULTS: The X-ray structure of the hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki has been solved at 1.8 A resolution and refined to a crystallographic R factor of 0.229. The overall folding pattern and the spatial arrangement of the metal centers are very similar to those found in Desulfovibrio gigas hydrogenase. This high resolution crystal structure enabled us to assign the non-protein ligands to the Fe atom in the Ni-Fe site and revealed the presence of a Mg center, located approximately 13 A from the Ni-Fe active center. CONCLUSIONS: From the nature of the electron-density map, stereochemical geometry and atomic parameters of the refined structure, the most probable candidates for the four ligands, coordinating the Ni-Fe center, have been proposed to be diatomic S=O, C triple bond O and C triple bond N molecules and one sulfur atom. The assignment was supported by pyrolysis mass spectrometry measurements. These ligands may have a role as an electron sink during the electron transfer reaction between the hydrogenase and its biological counterparts, and they could stabilize the redox state of Fe(II), which may not change during the catalytic cycle and is independent of the redox transition of the Ni. The hydrogen-bonding system between the Ni-Fe and the Mg centers suggests the possible.     

The protective effect of hyperbaric oxygenation on the small intestine in ischemia-reperfusion injury

Hyperbaric oxygenation has been used as the method of treatment in several ischemic diseases, but its effectiveness still remains controversial. The authors investigated the effect of hyperbaric oxygenation on ischemia-reperfusion injury of the small intestine using a rat model. Wistar King A Makino (WKAM) rats were subjected to 120 minutes of superior mesenteric artery occlusion before reperfusion, with 90 minutes of hyperbaric oxygenation (two absolute atmospheric pressure in an experimental hyperbaric chamber) during ischemia in group A and immediately after reperfusion in group B, and no hyperbaric oxygen was provided to group C. Jejunal samples 1.5 cm in length were taken at the end of ischemia in all groups, at 30 minutes after reperfusion in groups A and C, and at 120 minutes after reperfusion in groups B and C, for the measurement of adenine nucleotides (high-performance liquid chromatography method) and for histological examination (hematoxylineosin [HE] staining). The survival rate was significantly higher in group A than in group C. The amount of adenosine triphosphate in the samples was not significantly different among the three groups, whereas the energy charge at the end of ischemia was significantly higher in group A than in group C. Histologically, the damage to the mucosa and the longitudinal muscle layer decreased in group A compared with that observed in groups B and C. These results suggest that hyperbaric oxygenation during ischemia is able to ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat small intestine.     

0.1-μm gate-length superconducting FET

A superconducting field-effect transistors (FET) with a 0.1-μm-length gate electrode was fabricated and tested at liquid-helium temperature. Two superconducting electrodes (source and drain) were formed on the same Si substrate surface with an oxide-insulated gate electrode by a self-aligned fabrication process. Superconducting current flowing through the semiconductor (Si) between the two superconducting electrodes (Nb) was controlled by a gate-bias voltage     

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated lowland rice paddies after wheat straw application and midseason aeration

Straw application and midseason drainage play role in controlling methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from rice paddy fields, but little information is available on their integrative effect on CH₄ and N₂O emissions. A two-year field experiment was conducted to study the combined effect of timing and duration of midseason aeration and wheat straw incorporation on mitigation of global warming potential (GWP) of CH₄ and N₂O emissions from irrigated lowland rice paddy fields. Results showed that incorporation of wheat straw increased CH₄ by a factor of 5–9 under various water regimes, but simultaneously decreased N₂O emission by 19–42 % during the rice growing season. Without straw incorporation, prolonged aeration significantly reduced the net 100-year GWP of CH₄ and N₂O emissions by 6 %, but also decreased rice production when compared with normal aeration. With straw incorporation, the lowest GWP was found by early aeration, which reduced GWP by 7 and 20 % in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Estimation of net GWPs of CH₄ and N₂O emissions indicated that early midseason drainage with straw incorporation offered the potential to mitigate CH₄ and N₂O emissions from irrigated lowland rice paddies in China.     

In Situ Observation of Wear Process Before and During Scuffing in Sliding Contact

In this study, a direct observation of a point contact area was conducted to understand the scuffing phenomenon. The contact area was produced between a rotating sapphire disc and a stationary steel ball and it was lubricated using n-hexadecane. The image detected by a colour digital CCD camera, load, and friction were synchronously recorded by a computer during the test. It was found that wear debris produced in the contact area played an important role in the wear process, which includes running-in and scuffing. In the test, debris particles accumulated in the inlet zone, and some particles entered the contact area to cause abrasive wear of the ball surface, even in the light-load stages. During the running-in process, the abrasive wear by debris particles changed the conformity between the sliding surfaces. In the high-load stage, just before the occurrence of scuffing, the whole contact area was flattened at once. When scuffing occurred, the contact area suddenly expanded. The conformity of the contact area was dramatically changed during its expansion. The flattening of the whole contact area and dramatic expansion with changing the conformity seemed to play important roles in scuffing.     

Condensation heat transfer on tubes in actual flue gas (Parametric study for condensation behavior)

In order to improve boiler efficiency, latent heat recovery from the flue gas is a very important concept. Condensation heat transfer on horizontal tubes was investigated experimentally by using flue gas from a natural gas boiler. The parametric studies concerning the effects of tube stages, gas velocities, SO₂ in the flue gas, and Teflon‐lined tubes were conducted at a wide range of tube surface temperature. The heat transfer was enhanced at the second stage due to the wake turbulence of the first stage. No significant decrease of the condensation in the second stage due to the condensate falling from the first stage could be observed. Even at the high gas velocity condition, the condensation pattern was similar to that observed in previous low gas velocity experiments. The effect of SO₂ in the flue gas on the condensation behavior could not be observed. The heat and mass transfer behaviors on stainless‐steel and Teflon‐lined surfaces were well predicted with the analogy correlation. The above results suggested that the heat and mass transfer were dominated by the convection and diffusion process on the gas side. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 32(2): 153–166, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.10079