Effect of the Electrodeposition Temperature on the Cyclic-Oxidation Resistance of Ni Aluminide Containing Zr Formed by Molten-Salt Electrodeposition

The effect of the Al electrodeposition temperature on the cyclic oxidation resistance of Ni aluminide containing Zr formed by molten salt electrodeposition was investigated. Zr and Al were deposited by molten salt electrolysis. For the sample treated with the Al deposition at 1073 K, a layer consisting of Ni 2 Al 3 was uniformly formed. On the other hand, for the sample treated by Zr deposition, followed by Al deposition at 1073 K, a layer consisting of Ni 2 Al 3 and a Ni aluminide layer containing Zr on the Ni 2 Al 3 layer were formed. Furthermore, when the Al electrodeposition temperature was changed, the concentration of Zr in the Ni aluminide layer containing Zr changed. When the Al electrodeposition was carried out at 1153 and 1173 K, the Zr was scarcely observed in the surface region of the Ni aluminide layer. The cyclic oxidation test showed that for the sample treated with only the Al deposition and the sample treated with the Zr deposition, followed by Al deposition at 1073 K, a mass reduction due to scale exfoliation took place, whereas for the samples treated with the Zr deposition, followed by Al deposition at 1153 and 1173 K, no mass reduction was observed. For these samples, after the cyclic oxidation test, a scale consisting of -Al 2 O 3 adhering to the substrate was formed. Consequently, it was found that the cyclic oxidation resistance of Ni was improved by Zr deposition, followed by Al deposition at 1153 and 1173 K

Retrospective Study of the Correlation Between Pathological Tumor Size and Survival After Curative Resection of T3 Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Proposal for Reclassification of the Tumor Extending Beyond the Pancreas Based on Tumor Size

BackgroundEven though most patients who undergo resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma have T3 disease with extra-pancreatic tumor extension, T3 disease is not currently classified by tumor size. The aim of this study was to modify the current TNM classification of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to reflect the influence of tumor size.MethodsA total of 847 consecutive pancreatectomy patients were recruited from multiple centers. Optimum tumor size cutoff values were calculated by receiver operating characteristics analysis for tumors limited to the pancreas (T1/2) and for T3 tumors. In our modified TNM classification, stage II was divided into stages IIA (T3aN0M0), IIB (T3bN0M0), and IIC (T1-3bN1M0) using tumor size cutoff values. The usefulness of the new classification was compared with that of the current classification using Akaike’s information criterion (AIC).ResultsThe optimum tumor size cutoff value distinguishing T1 and T2 was 2 cm, while T3 was divided into T3a and T3b at a tumor size of 3 cm. The median survival time of the stages IIA, IIB, and IIC were 44.7, 27.6, and 20.3 months, respectively. There were significant differences of survival between stages IIA and IIB (P = 0.02) and between stages IIB and IIC (P = 0.03). The new classification showed better performance compared with the current classification based on the AIC value.ConclusionsThis proposed new TNM classification reflects the influence of tumor size in patients with extra-pancreatic tumor extension (T3 disease), and the classification is useful for predicting mortality

TRPV4-dependent induction of a novel mammalian cold-inducible protein SRSF5 as well as CIRP and RBM3

Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) and RNA-binding motif protein 3 (RBM3) are two evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding proteins that are structurally related to hnRNPs and upregulated in response to moderately low temperatures in mammalian cells. Although contributions of splicing efficiency, the gene promoters activated upon mild hypothermia and the transcription factor Sp1 to induction of CIRP have been reported, precise mechanisms by which hypothermia and other stresses induce the expression of mammalian cold-inducible proteins (CIPs) are poorly understood. By screening the serine/arginine-rich splicing factors (SRSFs), we report that the transcript and protein levels of SRSF5 were increased in mammalian cells cultured at 32 °C. Expression of SRSF5 as well as CIRP and RBM3 were also induced by DNA damage, hypoxia, cycloheximide and hypotonicity. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that SRSF5 was constitutively expressed in male germ cells and the level was decreased in human testicular germ cell tumors. SRSF5 facilitated production of p19 H-RAS, and increased sensitivity to doxorubicin in human U-2 OS cells. Induction of CIPs was dependent on transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel protein, but seemed independent of its ion channel activity. These findings indicate a previously unappreciated role for the TRP protein in linking environmental stress to splicing

Solubility of Metal Oxides under Control of Basicity by Electrolysis in Fused Na 2 SO 4 The dissolution behavior of NiO, Co

powders under the control of the O 2À activity of fused Na 2 SO 4 by electrochemical polarization was investigated. As a result, the increase in the quantity of electricity for the anodic reaction with increasing polarization potential for the platinum electrode caused an increase in the basicity(À log a Na2O ) of the fused Na 2 SO 4 , while the increase in the quantity of electricity for cathodic reaction with decreasing polarization potential caused a decrease in basicity of the fused Na 2 SO 4 . The solubility of NiO and Co 3 O 4 in fused Na 2 SO 4 increased in the anodic potential region. However, their solubility did not increase in the cathodic potential region. The solubility of Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 slightly increased in the anodic potential region. The solubility of SiO 2 did not increase in the anodic potential region, whereas the solubility of SiO 2 increased with a decrease in the polarization potential in the cathodic potential region. The solubility of Al 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 increased in the cathodic and anodic potential regions. The solubility of Al 2 O 3 was larger than that of Cr 2 O 3 . We found that the resistance of acid and basic dissolution for oxides could be estimated by the electrochemical polarization method

Zoo Animals as Reservoirs of Gram-Negative Bacteria Harboring Integrons and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes▿

A total of 232 isolates of gram-negative bacteria were recovered from mammals, reptiles, and birds housed at Asa Zoological Park, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan. Forty-nine isolates (21.1%) showed multidrug resistance phenotypes and harbored at least one antimicrobial resistance gene. PCR and DNA sequencing identified class 1 and class 2 integrons and many β-lactamase-encoding genes, in addition to a novel AmpC β-lactamase gene, blaCMY-26. Furthermore, the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes qnr and aac(6′)-Ib-cr were also identified