Conics on a Generic Hypersurface

In this paper, we compute the contributions from double cover maps to genus 0 degree 2 Gromov-Witten invariants of general type projective hypersurfaces. Our results correspond to a generalization of Aspinwall-Morrison formula to general type hypersurfaces in some special cases.Comment: 18pages, AmsLatex, minor errors are correcte

Immediate versus water-storage performance of Class V flowable composite restoratives

Objectives The aims of this investigation were to clarify the effects of 24 h water-storage and finishing time on mechanical properties and marginal adaptation to a Class V cavity of eight modern flowable resin-composites. Methods Eight flowable composites, plus two controls (one microfilled and one hybrid composite), were investigated with specimen sub-groups (n = 10) for each property measured. The principal series of experiments was conducted in model Class V cavities with interfacial polishing either immediately (3 min) after setting or after 24 h water-storage. After the finishing procedure, each tooth was sectioned in a buccolingual direction through the center of the restoration, and the presence or absence of marginal-gaps was measured (and then summed for each cavity) at 14 points (each 0.5 mm apart) along the cavity restoration interface (n = 10 per group; total points measured = 140). The shear bond-strengths to enamel and to dentin, and flexural strengths and moduli data were also measured at 3 min and after 24 h water-storage. Results For all flowable composites, polished immediately after setting, 14–30 summed gaps were observed (controls: 64 and 42). For specimens polished after 24 h, a significantly (p &#60; 0.05) reduced number of 8–17 summed gaps occurred for only 3 flowable composites; whereas for 5 flowable composites there were non-significantly-different (p &#62; 0.05) numbers (11–17) of summed gaps (controls: 28 and 22). After 24 h storage, shear bond-strengths to enamel and to dentin, flexural strengths and moduli increased highly significantly (p &#60; 0.001) for all materials, except Silux Plus. Significance A post-cure interval of 24 h resulted in enhanced mechanical and adhesive properties of flowable dental composites. In a minority of cases there was also a reduced incidence of marginal-gap formation. However the latter effect may be partly attributed to 24 h delayed polishing, even though such a delay is not usual clinical practice.</p

On the Behaviour of Graphite in Graphitic Cast Steel

Graphitic cast steels are in the hypereutectoid range and have spheroidal graphites in the as-cast state. This research can be summarized as follows : (1) Gray cast irons with the strongest graphitizing tendency have oxygen and sulfur contents in the ranges of 20～30 and 150～300ppm, respectively. It can be assumed that their contents of the graphitic cast steels are equal to those of gray cast irons having the strongest graphitizing tendency. (2) Use of carbide slag before and after melting down of raw iron materials effectively decreases oxygen contents of these steels and improves their behaviour of graphitization ; that is, the form of graphite is more spheroidal, nodules are increased and sizes become smaller than those when carbide slag is not used. (3) Concerning the fading phenomena after inoculation, there is almost no degradation in the spheroidal form of graphite, and the size of graphite becomes smaller with the lapse of time

Marginal and flexural integrity of three classes of luting cement, with early finishing and water storage

Objectives. The aims of this investigation were to clarify the effects of finishing-time and 24 h water-storage on mechanical properties and marginal adaptation to dentin of seven modern luting cements, representing three chemical types. Methods. Bistite II, Chemiace II, Compolute, XenoCem, PermaCem, Fuji Cem and Fuji Plus were investigated with specimen sub-groups (N=10) for each property measured. The principal series of experiments was conducted in dentin cavities with interfacial polishing either immediately (3 min) after setting or after 24 h water-storage. After the finishing procedure, the maximum marginal gap width and the opposing width (if any) per cavity were measured microscopically, and summed. Then the overall sum of gap-widths (per group; N=10) was calculated. Marginal gaps were similarly measured in Teflon cavities, together with shear-bond-strengths to dentin and early flexural strengths, moduli and swelling data. Results. For specimen-sets polished immediately after setting, summed marginal gaps of 23–121 &#956;m were observed, for all luting cements except Compolute. A significantly different (p&#60;0.05) result of either no gap or 6–28 &#956;m summed gap-widths occurred in specimens polished after 24 h. For all materials, their shear-bond-strengths, flexural strength and moduli significantly increased after 24 h storage. Significance. The marginal behavior can be interpreted in terms of the contributions of bonding, shrinkage, swelling and compliance of components, along with compositional features of the cements. With these types of cement it is generally inadvisable to polish the interfacial luting surface immediately after cementing. The polishing procedures should be carried out not less than 24 h later. One resin-cement was able to withstand immediate finishing.</p

USCID fourth international conference

Presented at the Role of irrigation and drainage in a sustainable future: USCID fourth international conference on irrigation and drainage on October 3-6, 2007 in Sacramento, California.Includes bibliographical references.Deterioration of water-flow function in a pipeline system has resulted from water-leak accidents due to damage accumulation in pipe materials. The repaired pipeline system cannot be evaluated of water-leak phenomena under the inner water pressure condition. Non destructive evaluation of water-flow function in pipeline system is currently in urgent demand. In this study, acoustic emission (AE) method is applied to the evaluation of water-flow function in an existing agricultural pipeline, which was inspected and then repaired after water-leak accidents. At three conditions, experiments were conducted. First, a water leak phenomenon which the pipeline filled full with water was investigated. Secondly, an evaluation process of water-drained from full to empty condition was made in the pipeline. Thirdly, experiments were carried out condition of the pipeline was filled with water after repairing the water-leak section. AE method was applied to detecting signals of water-leak and flow under these conditions. The results show that water-leak in the pipeline system could be quantitatively evaluated by using such AE parameters, such as generation behavior and AE energy. In the third condition, AE generation behavior was varied with the situation of the pipeline until the pipeline was filled with water. AE energy showed the same tendency as AE generation behavior. When an AE sensor was installed on an air valve, AE energy dropped temporarily as the pipeline was being filled with water. However, when water was filled up to the air valve, the increase in AE energy was confirmed. Thus, it becomes clear that when a pipeline is being filled with water after the repair, the situation of water in the pipeline can be clearly identified through AE monitoring. Discharge evaluation of a damaged pipeline system can be conducted in a short time through AE monitoring

Different Pathological Roles of Toll-Like Receptor 9 on Mucosal B Cells and Dendritic Cells in Murine IgA Nephropathy

Although pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is still obscure, pathological contribution of mucosal immunity including production of nephritogenic IgA and IgA immune complex (IC) has been discussed. We have reported that mucosal toll-like receptor (TLR)-9 is involved in the pathogenesis of human and murine IgAN. However, cell-type expressing TLR9 in mucosa remains unclear. To address this, we nasally challenged cell-specific CpG DNA ((i): dendritic cell: (DC), (ii): B cell, (iii): both), known as ligand for TLR9, to IgAN prone mice and analyzed disease phenotype of each group. After 8 times of the weekly administration, every group showed deterioration of glomerular damage. However, CpG-A-group showed clear extension of mesangial proliferative lesions with increase of serum IgA-IgG2a IC and its glomerular depositions, while CpG-B-group showed extent of glomerular sclerotic lesions with increase of serum and glomerular IgA and M2 macrophage infiltration. Present results indicate that mucosal TLR9 on B cells and DC may differently contribute to the progression of this disease via induction of nephritogenic IgA or IgA-IgG IC, respectively. This picture is suggestive for the pathological difference between child and adult IgAN