Subclustering in the hierarchical model of galaxy formation

We investigate the process of subclustering in the hierarchical model of galaxy formation. We construct density field around peaks of density fluctuations using the path integral method and investigate their nature

Comparative study of in vitro apatite-forming abilities of highly ordered rutile nanorod arrays fabricated on cpTi and Ti6Al4V alloys

The surfaces of commercially available pure titanium (cpTi) and Ti6Al4V alloy specimens were modified to form highly ordered rutile nanorod arrays by chemical treatment and subsequent aging treatment. The densities of the rutile rods were (1.04 +/- 0.06) x10(3) and (0.70 +/- 0.10) x10(3) mu m(-2) for the cpTi and Ti6Al4V alloy specimens, respectively. Both the rutile nanorod arrays on the cpTi and Ti6Al4V alloy specimens deposited apatite particles when soaked in simulated body fluid (SBF) for one day. After soaking for various other periods, scanning electron microscopy images and thin-film X-ray diffraction patterns of these specimens showed that the cpTi specimens exhibited a superior rate of apatite nucleation and favored the formation of numerous apatite particles with larger diameter. This superior apatite-forming ability of the cpTi specimens can be attributed to the dense, thick titania layers with higher rutile nanorod density on their surfaces

Accelerated induction of in vitro apatite formation by parallel alignment of hydrothermally oxidized titanium substrates separated by sub-millimeter gaps

Although autoclaving is a common sterilization method for biomedical devices, the ability to induce deposition of apatite particles on hydrothermally treated titanium is still not fully realized. This is because the induction ability is too weak to be evaluated via in vitro apatite formation in Kokubo's simulated body fluid (SBF) by the conventional immersion method, i.e. using samples with open and smooth surface. This study reports on the surface structure of hydrothermally treated titanium and the ability to induce deposition of apatite particles on the surface of parallel confined spaces separated by sub-millimeter gaps in Kokubo's SBF. Thin-film X-ray diffraction and analyses using Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed that a nano-crystalline anatase-type titanium oxide layer was formed on titanium substrates after hydrothermal treatment at 150 degrees C for 2 h. When growth of the titanium oxide layer was moderately suppressed, the hydrothermally treated titanium surface exhibited a characteristic interference color, silver or gold, which does not impair the esthetic appearance of the titanium-based implant. The ability to induce deposition of apatite particles on hydrothermally treated titanium was remarkably amplified by parallel alignment of substrates separated by sub-millimeter gaps

On the Origin of Possible Deviation from the Black Body Spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

Possible deviation from the blackbody spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation at the Wien part is indicated by the rocket observation of Nagoya-Berkeley group. Here, the inverse Compton hypothesis is examined based upon the explosion scenario for galaxy formation. Allowed ranges of physical parameters for reproducing the observation are explored in relation to the isotropy of spectrum at the Rayleigh-Jeans part, the size of voids, and the X-ray background radiation

Preparation of alginic acid layers on solid substrates for biomedical applications

Alginic acid was immobilized on γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane-coated glass as a model substrate since an alginic acid layer was known to prevent cell adhesion. The surface was characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurement. The coated substrates adsorbed practically no calcium phosphates on their surfaces when soaked in a simulated body fluid (SBF) of Kolrubo recipe. Since calcium ions are one of the factors for blood clotting, the present alginic acid coating is one of the candidates to improve blood compatibility of clinical materials

Non-LTE Line-Formation and Abundances of Sulfur and Zinc in F, G, and K Stars

Extensive statistical-equilibrium calculations on neutral sulfur and zinc were carried out, in order to investigate how the non-LTE effect plays a role in the determination of S and Zn abundances in F, G, and K stars. Having checked on the spectra of representative F-type stars (Polaris, Procyon, and alpha Per) and the Sun that our non-LTE corrections yield a reasonable consistency between the abundances derived from different lines, we tried an extensive non-LTE reanalysis of published equivalent-width data of S I and Zn I lines for metal-poor halo/disk stars. According to our calculations, S I 9212/9228/9237 lines suffer significant negative non-LTE corrections amounting to <~ 0.2--0.3 dex, while LTE is practically valid for S I 8683/8694 lines. Embarrassingly, as far as the very metal-poor regime is concerned, a marked discordance is observed between the [S/Fe] values from these two abundance indicators, in the sense that the former attains a nearly flat plateau (or even a slight downward bending) while the latter shows an ever-increasing trend with a further lowering of metallicity. The reason for this discrepancy is yet to be clarified. Regarding Zn, we almost confirmed the characteristic tendencies of [Zn/Fe] reported from recent LTE studies (i.e., an evident/slight increase of [Zn/Fe] with a decrease of [Fe/H] for very metal-poor/disk stars), since the non-LTE corrections for the Zn I 4722/4810 and 6362 lines (tending to be positive and gradually increasing towards lower [Fe/H]) are quantitatively of less significance (<~ 0.1 dex).Comment: 33 pages, 7 figures, PASJ, Vol. 57, No. 5 (2005) in pres

Electrophoretic deposition of cellulose nanofibers in aqueous suspensions

Cellulose is one of the most abundant organic polymers in nature and a promising biomass. Since cellulose nanofibers (CNF) have attractive features such as a low thermal expansion coefficient, a high elastic modulus, high mechanical strength, and high eco-friendliness, CNFs are envisaged to be applied for biomaterials, tissue engineering scaffolds, filtration media, and reinforcement in nanocomposites. In this study, in order to develop a coating technology with nanofibers for biomedical applications, CNFs in aqueous suspensions were deposited on titanium and aluminum substrates by an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique. CNFs used were obtained from Sugino Machine Ltd. (Japan). Aqueous suspensions of the CNFs were prepared using a wet pulverizing and dispersing device. The obtained 0.2wt% aqueous suspensions of the CNFs were stable and not observed the aggregation of the nanofibers. EPD was conducted in a two-electrode system, where titanium or aluminum sheets were used as anode and a platinum sheet as cathode. The constant voltages of 10-30 V were applied to the system for 10-60 seconds. After the process, it was observed that the CNFs were successfully deposited on the anodes. The deposition amount of CNFs on either anode increased linearly with an increase of the applied time at the constant voltage of 20 V. Moreover, the amount also increased as a function of the applied voltages between 10 to 30 V at the constant applied time of 30 seconds. These results indicated that negatively charged CNFs in the aqueous suspension moved to the anodes by the electrophoresis. The adhesiveness of the deposited CNFs was superior on the aluminum anode compared with the titanium anode, indicating that the interaction between them depended on the kind of metal. In conclusion, EPD of the CNFs paves the way for the development of a coating technology with nanofibers for biomedical applications

Explicit Relation of Quantum Hall Effect and Calogero-Sutherland Model

Explicit relation between Laughlin state of the quantum Hall effect and one-dimensional(1D) model with long-ranged interaction ($1/r^2$) is discussed. By rewriting lowest Landau level wave functions in terms of 1D representation, Laughlin state can be written as a deformation of the ground state of Calogero-Sutherland model. Corresponding to Laughlin state on different geometries, different types of 1D $1/r^2$ interaction models are derived.Comment: 10 page

Specific and sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for <i>Madurella </i>strains, eumycetoma filamentous fungi causative agent

Background Filamentous fungi of the genus Madurella are the primary causative agents of mycetoma, a disease observed in tropical and subtropical regions. Since early diagnostics based on a morphological approach are difficult and have many shortcomings, a molecular diagnostic method suitable for rural settings is required. In this study, we developed the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to present a foundational technique of the diagnosis of Madurella spp. (M. mycetomatis, M. pseudomycetomatis, M. tropicana, and M. faha-lii), the common causative organisms of eumycetoma. Principal findings We successfully designed a primer pair targeting the rDNAs of three Madurella spp. exclud-ing M. fahalii, and detected up to 100 fg of genomic DNA extracted from isolates of M. myce-tomatis and 1 pg of M. pseudomycetomatis and M. tropicana, within one hour. Second, a primer pair specific to M. mycetomatis, the most common causative species, or M. fahalii, a drug-resistant species, was constructed, and the detection limit of both primer pairs was 1 pg. The designed primers accurately distinguished 16 strains of the genus Madurella from various fungal species known to cause mycetomas. Conclusion In summary, we established the first model of a LAMP detection method that rapidly and sensitively detects and identifies Madurella isolates for clinical diagnostics. Moreover, the combined designed primer sets could identify mycetoma-causing strains simultaneously.</p