Dimensional Stability, Decay Resistance, and Mechanical Properties of Veneer-Faced Low-Density Particleboards Made From Acetylated Wood

Veneer-faced low-density particleboards were made using four combinations of control and acetylated veneers and particles. These boards were tested for dimensional stability in both liquid water and water vapor, for decay resistance in standard soil-block tests with Tyromyces palustris and Trametes versicolor, for strength losses during attack by T. palustris, and for mechanical strength in bending-creep and mechanical tests. Boards made from acetylated veneers and acetylated core particles showed excellent dimensional stability in both liquid water and humidity tests and were resistant to attack by both fungi in an 8-week soil-block test. During the 150-day bending-creep test, the totally acetylated boards showed no strength or weight loss during exposure to T. palustris. Modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture were slightly reduced for totally acetylated boards compared to boards with control veneers and control particles, and internal bond strength was reduced by about 30%. Screw-holding capacity of the totally acetylated boards and boards with control veneers and particles was essentially the same

<Original>Production Technology for Acetylated Low-density Particleboard (II) : Decay and Termite Resistance

この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されました。Low density particleboards made from control and acetylated chips at 17 percent acetyl weight gain using isocyanate adhesives, were subjected to standard decay tests, to bending-creep tests under fungal attack, and to termite tests. The rate of decay was slow in the boards containing 50 percent of acetylated chips causing smaller weight losses and reduced thickness swelling as compared to controls after exposure to fungal attack. The specimens containing 100 percent of acetylated chips showed no sign of decay. When exposed to fungal attack in bending-creep tests, the blended particle-boards of higher specific gravity maintained their strength longer than untreated controls, but all untreated specimens and blended boards of lighter specific gravity failed within a short time span. Acetylated boards containing 100 percent of treated chips showed little strength reduction after 100 days and very little additional deflection was seen after longer exposure. Though the weight losses by termite feeding were not so large as controls, acetylated boards were able to be attacked by the termite of Coptotermes formosanus. However, they were hardly attacked by Reticulitermes speratus

Mobile locally operated detachable end-effector manipulator for endoscopic surgery

Purpose\n Local surgery is safer than remote surgery because emergencies can be more easily addressed. Although many locally operated surgical robots and devices have been developed, none can safely grasp organs and provide traction. A new manipulator with a detachable commercial forceps was developed that can act as a third arm for a surgeon situated in a sterile area near the patient. This mechanism can be disassembled into compact parts that enable mobile use.Methods\n A mobile locally operated detachable end-effector manipulator (LODEM) was developed and tested. This device uses crank-slider and cable-rod mechanisms to achieve 5 degrees of freedom and an acting force of more than 5 N. The total mass is less than 15 kg. The positional accuracy and speed of the prototype device were evaluated while performing simulated in vivo surgery.Results\n The accuracy of the mobile LODEM was 0.4 mm, sufficient for handling organs. The manipulator could be assembled and disassembled in 8 min, making it highly mobile. The manipulator could successfully handle the target organs with the required level of dexterity during an in vivo laparoscopic surgical procedure.Conclusions\n A mobile LODEM was designed that allows minimally invasive robotically assisted endoscopic surgery by a surgeon working near the patient. This device is highly promising for robotic surgery applications.ArticleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED RADIOLOGY AND SURGERY. 10(2):161-169 (2015)journal articl

An Aspect of Translation －‘glory’ or ‘gororia’

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Metal Ion-dependent Effects of Clioquinol on the Fibril Growth of an Amyloid β Peptide

This research was originally published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Bakthisaran Raman, Tadato Ban, Kei-ichi Yamaguchi, Miyo Sakai, Tomoji Kawai, Hironobu Naiki and Yuji Goto. Metal Ion-dependent Effects of Clioquinol on the Fibril Growth of an Amyloid β Peptide. J. Biol. Chem. 2005; 280, 16157-16162. © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog

Vonoprazan prevents ulcer recurrence during long-term NSAID therapy: randomised, lansoprazole-controlled non-inferiority and single-blind extension study

Objective To assess the non-inferiority of vonoprazan to lansoprazole for secondary prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced peptic ulcer (PU) and the safety of vonoprazan during extended use.Design A phase 3, 24-week, multicenter, randomised, double-blind (DB), active-controlled study, followed by a phase 3, ≥28 week, multicenter, single-blind, parallel-group extension study (EXT) in outpatients (n=642) receiving long-term NSAID therapy who are at risk of PU recurrence. The patients received vonoprazan (10 mg or 20 mg) or lansoprazole 15 mg once daily. For DB, non-inferiority of the proportion of patients with recurrent PU within 24 weeks was analysed by Farrington and Manning test (significance level 2.5%, non-inferiority margin 8.3%; primary endpoint), recurrent PU within 12 weeks, bleeding and time-to-event of PU (secondary endpoint) and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). For EXT, TEAEs (primary endpoint), recurrent PU and safety (secondary) were assessed up to 104 weeks for patients in the extension study.Results The non-inferiority of vonoprazan 10 mg and 20 mg to lansoprazole 15 mg was verified (percentage difference –2.2%,95% CI –6.2% to 1.8%, p<0.001; –2.1%,95% CI –6.1% to 2.0%, p<0.001, respectively). The proportion of patients with endoscopically confirmed recurrent PU within 24 weeks was 3.3%, 3.4% and 5.5%, for vonoprazan 10 mg, 20 mg and lansoprazole 15 mg, respectively. No significant safety concerns were identified.Conclusion The non-inferiority of vonoprazan (10 and 20 mg) was verified in patients receiving long-term NSAIDs in DB; it was effective and well tolerated in EXT for longer than 1 year, with a safety profile similar to lansoprazole (15 mg)

Predation of Juvenile Japanese Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus by Kelp Crab Pugettia ferox

The predation of commercially important Japanese sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus by the kelp crab Pugettia ferox, widely distributed in coastal northeast Asia, was examined in field sampling and laboratory experiments. The ossicles of A. japonicus were detected from the stomach contents of a natural population of P. ferox at the rate of 32.4% of 68 individuals collected within artificial intermediate sea cucumber reefs for releasing hatchery-produced juveniles in December 2018. In the following laboratory experiments, a high mortality rate (7.7 ± 2.4 individuals day–1) of juvenile A. japonicus (15.35 ± 2.47 mm) was observed despite the different sizes and sex of P. ferox tested. It was also confirmed that a maximum of five sea cucumbers was killed and cut into small pieces within the first 2 h. Smaller and younger P. ferox individuals (adolescent) between carapace widths of 14.2–17.8 mm actively decorated themselves using pieces of chopped sea cucumber after feeding. Attached pieces of sea cucumber were observed to be fully eaten within a week, suggesting a possible strategy by P. ferox of short-term food storage as well as mimicry. This study demonstrates considerable evidence that predation mortality by sufficiently mobile P. ferox on commercially important A. japonicus can be significant, causing high mortality at the early life stage in the natural environment, especially in areas releasing hatchery-produced juveniles. It is also worth noting that the utilization of freshly chopped sea cucumbers as decoration material and food storage is a unique and novel ecological trait of P. ferox