Investigation of reacting flow fields in miscible viscous fingering by a novel experimental method

The reacting flow fields in reactive miscible viscous fingering in a Hele‐Shaw cell studied by Nagatsu and Ueda had not been completely elucidated, mainly because one cannot exactly recognize where and when the reaction takes place in the reactive fingering pattern. We developed a novel experimental method that allowed us to identify the reaction region in the fingering pattern employed in the previous studies. The novel method involves switching of the less‐viscous liquid injected in both the nonreactive and reactive experiments. By using the novel method, we succeeded in showing how the reaction region in the fingering pattern was affected by the initial reactant concentrations, the Péclet number, and time. We propose physical models of the reacting flow field in the cell's gap direction that can explain the obtained experimental results. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

Temperature effects on ion-desorption dynamics from solid Ne by low-energy ion impacts

Interactions between low-energy ions and solid rare gases have been investigated by observing desorbed ions. When low-energy ions were injected into solid Ne, we found that the kinetic energy of desorbed cluster ions significantly increased with irradiation time for a film thickness of several hundred monolayers. This result can be explained by charge-up (i.e., electronic holes) in the solid Ne. The kinetic energy of the desorbed ions is considered to be proportional to the number of holes created in the solid by the ion impacts. The solid’s temperature effects on the desorbed-ion kinetic energy can be understood as a dependence on the diffusion rate of the holes. The temperature was controlled between 4.7 and 7.0 K. The activation energy of hole-hopping transport is estimated at 0.7 meV based on the slope of Arrhenius plots.     

Effects of radioactive fallout on the pregnant woman and the fetus

The levels of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in human placenta, fetus and diet were determined by radiochemical methods during the period from March 1966 to December 1968. The possible effects of these radionuclides on the pregnant woman and the fetus were discussed. The metabolic characteristics of both ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs were also discussed on the basis of estimates of discrimination factors and observed ratios of these radionuclides.

As a result of the analyses, the dose rate to the human placenta resulting from deposition of ⁹⁰Sr in the organ was estimated at about 0.003 mrem/month and that of ¹³⁷Cs at about 0.013 mrem/month. The dose rate to the total body resulting from the body burden of these radionuclides in the mother was estimated at about 0.012 mrem/ month. These values are much smaller than the monthly dose from ⁴⁰K normally existing in the body.

It was rather difficult to draw definitive conclusions concerning the possible correlation between the ⁹⁰Sr fallout and the annual changes of infant mortality rates in Japan.     

Tofu: A 6D Mesh/Torus Interconnect for Exascale Computers

A new architecture with a six-dimensional mesh/torus topology achieves highly scalable and fault-tolerant interconnection networks for large-scale supercomputers that can exceed 10 petaflops.     

Analysis of plasticizers in cap-sealing resins for bottled foods

A survey of plasticizers in cap-sealing resins for bottled foods has been undertaken. During 1997-1999 di-(2- ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) was found in seven out of 21 samples on the Japanese domestic market and in 10 out of 61 imported samples as well as a further two samples which contained di-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA). In the period 1993-1999, of the other plasticizers diacetyl lauroyl glycerol (DALG) was only detected in domestic samples whereas diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) were only in imported samples. It was observed overall that DEHP and DEHA were restricted to use in cap-sealing resins for bottled foods. Whilst phthalates, DEHA or DALG were detected in samples in 1993 and 1995, the investigation in 1997-1999 showed fewer samples in which these plasticizers were found.     

Intragenic Tsc2 somatic mutations as Knudson''s second hit in spontaneous and chemically induced renal carcinomas in the Eker rat model

Membrane conductances during hypoosmotic swelling were characterized in rat astrocytes in primary tissue culture. Using whole cell patch clamp techniques, mean +/- SEM cell conductance in isoosmotic phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was 55.6 +/- 5.8 pS/pF. Cell conductance (mean +/- SEM) increased from this initial value to 187 +/- 46%, 561 +/- 188%, and 1216 +/- 376% within 9 min of exposure to 220 mOsm, 190 mOsm, and 145 mOsm PBS, respectively. With each of these hypoosmotic exposures, no change occurred in membrane capacitance. When CsCl replaced KCl in the microelectrode solution, a similar conductance increase was obtained at each osmolality. However, when gluconate salts were used in place of chloride salts in the electrode solution, no significant conductance increase was observed with 190 mOsm PBS. With a KCl microelectrode solution, all conductance increase which occurred in 190 mOsm PBS was inhibited by 200 microM niflumic acid, but not by 5 mM BaCl(2). Both niflumic acid and BaCl(2) inhibited 60-80% of the conductance increase of cells in 145 mOsm PBS. Using a microelectrode solution containing taurine as the major anion, membrane conductance increased 5-fold when cells were placed in 250 mOsm medium. This conductance increase was completely inhibited by 200 microM niflumic acid. Thus, independent chloride and potassium conductances are activated by hypoosmotic swelling of cultured astrocytes while plasma membrane area is unaltered. The chloride conductance pathway is activated at a significantly lower degree of hypoosmotic exposure than that which activates the potassium pathway and may be permeable to anionic taurine. These conductance pathways may mediate diffusive loss of potassium, chloride, and taurine from these cells during volume regulation following hypoosmotic swelling.     

Thermal unfolding of three acclimation temperature-associated isoforms of carp light meromyosin expressed by recombinant DNAs

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed to investigate thermodynamic properties of three carp fast skeletal light meromyosin (LMM) isoforms expressed in Escherichia coli by recombinant DNAs. Three isoforms were the 10 degreesC-, intermediate-, and 30 degreesC-type LMM predominantly expressed in carp acclimated to 10, 20, and 30 degreesC. The isoforms expressed in E. coli by recombinant DNAs exhibited a typical pattern of alpha-helix in CD spectroscopy with two minima at 222 and 208 nm. Moreover, the three isoforms formed paracrystals typical of LMM, suggesting that expressed proteins retained intact structural properties. When the LMM isoforms were subjected to DSC analysis, the 10 degreesC and 30 degreesC types showed endotherms having transition temperatures (Tm) at 35.1 and 39.5 degreesC, respectively, which are responsible for thermal unfolding of alpha-helix. The intermediate type exhibited two comparable endotherms with Tm values at 34.9 and 40.6 degreesC, implying that it has intermediate thermodynamic properties between those of 10 degreesC and 30 degreesC types. However, a chimeric LMM having the 10 degreesC and 30 degreesC type as N- and C-terminal halves, respectively, showed the DSC pattern typical of the whole 30 degreesC-type molecule. On the other hand, another chimeric LMM composed of the N-terminal 30 degreesC type and C-terminal 10 degreesC type gave the pattern of the full 10 degreesC type. These results suggest that thermodynamic properties of the C-terminal half largely account for thermal unfolding of the whole molecule.     

Improvement of bond strength of BPDA‐PDA‐type polyimide film by corona discharge treatment

Aromatic polyimide film composed of biphenyl tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (BPDA) and p‐phenylene diamine (PDA) is a very stable polymer at high temperatures and very useful for the electronics industry. Bonding properties were improved by corona discharge treatment of this film. The chemical modification method was applied for generated functional groups, that is, carboxylic, hydroxyl, and amino groups in the gas phase, and the quantity of these functional groups was determined by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The functional groups increased with corona energy, leveling off at a specific corona energy. The bond strength of the copper foil/adhesive/polyimide film was determined. The relationship between bond strength and functional group content was analyzed by multivariate analysis. Bond strength could be sufficiently correlated with functional group quantity. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 3403–3408, 2006