Improvement of Bending Strength of Carbon Fiber/Thermoplastic Epoxy Composites <br/>—Effects of Molecular Weight of Epoxy on Carbon Fiber/Matrix Interfacial Strength and Connection of Cracks in Matrix

The bending strength of carbon fiber/thermoplastic epoxy composites (CF/TP-EP Compo.) had bi-linear increase with increase of weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of matrix. The transition in the bending strength appeared at around 55k of Mw (“k” means 103). SEM observation of fractured surface of CF/TP-EP Compo. showed that the fracture mode changed from interfacial failure to fiber breakage dominated failure. The smooth surface of carbon fibers appeared at lower Mw than 55k while some resin remained on the fibers indicating good adhesion between carbon fiber and matrix at higher Mw than 55k. The interfacial shear strength between carbon fiber and matrix bi-linearly increased with an increase of Mw similarly to the bending strength of the composite, measured by the micro droplet test. The dynamic loss tanδ of the matrix measured at 2 Hz also showed a bi-linear relationship with respect to Mw having a knee point at Mw = 55k. The connection probability of two cracks introduced on each side of specimens also confirmed that the interfacial strength between carbon fiber and matrix is the key for the mechanical performance of CF/TP-EP Compo. in bending

Bundling of collagen fibrils influences osteocyte network formation during bone modeling

Osteocytes form a cellular network by gap junctions between their cell processes. This network is important since intercellular communication via the network is essential for bone metabolism. However, the factors that influence the formation of this osteocyte network remain unknown. As the early stage of osteocyte network formation occurs on the bone surface, we observed a newly formed trabecular bone surface by orthogonal focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy. The embedding late osteoblast processes tended to avoid bundled collagen fibrils and elongate into sparse collagen fibrils. Then, we examined whether the inhibition of bundling of collagen fibrils using a potent lysyl oxidase inhibitor, beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) changed the cellular network of the chick calvaria. The osteocyte shape of the control group was spindle-shape, while that of the BAPN group was sphere-shaped. In addition, the osteocyte processes of the control group were elongated vertically to the long axis of the cell body, whereas the osteocyte processes of the BAPN group were elongated radially. Therefore, it was suggested that the bundling of collagen fibrils influences normal osteocyte network formation during bone modeling

Continuous Flow Synthesis of ZSM-5 Zeolite on the Order of Seconds

Zeolites have typically been synthesized via hydrothermal treatment, a process designed to artificially mimic the geological formation conditions of natural zeolites. This synthesis route, typically carried out in batch reactors like autoclaves, takes a time so long (typically, on the order of days) that the crystallization of zeolites had long been believed to be very slow in nature. Long periods of hydrothermal treatment also cause a burden on both energy efficiency and operational costs. Recently, we have reported the ultrafast syntheses of a class of industrially important zeolites within several minutes.[1,2] Further shortening the crystallization time to the order of seconds would be a great challenge but can significantly benefit the mass product of zeolites as well as the fundamental understanding of the crystallization mechanism

Can the nucleon axial charge be O(Nc^0)?

The nucleon self-energy and its relation to the nucleon axial charge gA are discussed at large Nc. The energy is compared for the hedgehog, conventional, and recently proposed dichotomous nucleon wavefunctions which give different values for gA. We consider their energies at both perturbative and non-perturbative levels. In perturbative estimates, we take into account the pion exchanges among quarks up to the third orders of axial charge vertices, including the many-body forces such as the Wess-Zumino terms. It turns out that the perturbative pion exchanges among valence quarks give the same leading Nc contributions for three wavefunctions, while their mass differences are O(Lamba_qcd). The signs of splittings flip for different orders of the axial charge vertices, so it is hard to conclude which one is the most energetically favored. For non-perturbative estimates involving the modification of quark bases, we use the chiral quark soliton model as an illustration. With the hedgehog quark wavefunctions with gA of O(Nc), we investigate whether solutions with coherent pions are energetically favored. Again it is hard to give decisive conclusions, but it is likely that adding the confining effects disfavors the solution with the coherent pions, making a pion cloud around a nucleon quantum rather than coherent. The nuclear matter at large Nc is also discussed in light of the value of gA.Comment: 40 pages, 7 figures. Published version in Nuclear Physics

A randomized controlled multicenter trial of post-suicide attempt case management for the prevention of further attempts in Japan (ACTION-J)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A previous suicide attempt is a potent risk factor for suicide later on. Crisis intervention, psychiatric and psychosocial evaluation at emergency medical facilities, and follow-up care for suicide attempters are considered important components for suicide prevention. The Japanese Multimodal Intervention Trials for Suicide Prevention (J-MISP) includes a randomized, controlled, multicenter trial of post-suicide attempt case management for the prevention of further attempts (ACTION-J) to address the continuing increase in suicides in Japan. The primary aim of ACTION-J is to examine the effectiveness of an extensive intervention for suicide attempters in prevention of recurrent suicidal behavior, as compared with standard intervention. This paper describes the rationale and protocol of the ACTION-J trial.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>In this clinical trial, case management intervention will be provided at 19 emergency medical facilities in Japan. After crisis intervention including psychiatric evaluation, psychosocial assessment, and psychological education, subjects will be randomly assigned to either a group receiving continuous case management or a control group receiving standard care. Suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, and general health condition will be evaluated as secondary measures. The intervention was initiated in July 2006. By December, 2009, 842 subjects will be randomized. Subject follow-up will continue for 1.5 to 5 years.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Suicide is a complex phenomenon that encompasses multiple factors. Case management by multi-sector collaboration is needed. ACTION-J may provide valuable information on suicide attempters and may develop effective case management to reduce future risk for suicide attempters.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>UMIN Clinical Trials Registry number, UMIN000000444. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00736918.</p

Study on the Principle of Photosynthetic Light Energy Conversion Based on Divergence of Chlorophyll Molecules

The composition of photosystem II (PSII) in the chlorophyll (Chl) d-dominatedcyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina MBIC 11017 was investigated to enhance the generalunderstanding of the energetics of the PSII reaction center. We first purifiedphotochemically active complexes consisting of a 47 kDa chlorophyll protein (CP47), CP43’(PcbC), D1, D2, cytochrome b559, PsbI, and an unknown small polypeptide. The pigmentcomposition per two pheophytin (Phe) a molecules was 55 ± 7 Chl d, 3.0 ± 0.4 Chl a, 17 ± 3α-carotene, and 1.4 ± 0.2 plastoquinone-9. A special pair was detected by a reversibleabsorption change at 713 nm (P713) together with a cation radical band at 842 nm. FTIRdifference spectra of the specific bands of a 3-formyl group allowed assignment of the specialpair. The combined results indicate that the special pair includes a Chl d homodimer.The primary electron acceptor was shown by photoaccumulation to be Phe a, and itspotential was shifted to a higher value than that in the Chl a/Phe a system. The overallenergetics of PSII in the Chl d system adapt to changes in the redox potentials, with P713as the special pair utilizing lower light energy at 713 nm. Our findings support the ideathat changes in photosynthetic pigments combine with modification of the redox potentialsof electron transfer components to give rise to energy changes in the total reaction system.■原 著■ 2007 年度神奈川大学総合理学研究所共同研究助成論

Sequential therapies after atezolizumab plus bevacizumab or lenvatinib first-line treatments in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Introduction: The aim of this retrospective proof-of-concept study was to compare different second-line treatments for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and progressive disease (PD) after first-line lenvatinib or atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.Materials and methods: A total of 1381 patients had PD at first-line therapy. 917 patients received lenvatinib as first-line treatment, and 464 patients atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as first-line.Results: 49.6% of PD patients received a second-line therapy without any statistical difference in overall survival (OS) between lenvatinib (20.6 months) and atezolizumab plus bev-acizumab first-line (15.7 months; p = 0.12; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.80). After lenvatinib first-line, there wasn't any statistical difference between second-line therapy subgroups (p = 0.27; sorafenib HR: 1; immunotherapy HR: 0.69; other therapies HR: 0.85). Patients who under-went trans-arterial chemo-embolization (TACE) had a significative longer OS than patients who received sorafenib (24.7 versus 15.8 months, p &lt; 0.01; HR = 0.64). After atezolizumab plus bevacizumab first-line, there was a statistical difference between second-line therapy subgroups (p &lt; 0.01; sorafenib HR: 1; lenvatinib HR: 0.50; cabozantinib HR: 1.29; other therapies HR: 0.54). Patients who received lenvatinib (17.0 months) and those who under-went TACE (15.9 months) had a significative longer OS than patients treated with sorafenib (14.2 months; respectively, p = 0.01; HR = 0.45, and p &lt; 0.05; HR = 0.46).Conclusion: Approximately half of patients receiving first-line lenvatinib or atezolizumab plus bevacizumab access second-line treatment. Our data suggest that in patients progressed to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, the systemic therapy able to achieve the longest survival is lenvatinib, while in patients progressed to lenvatinib, the systemic therapy able to achieve the longest survival is immunotherapy