Search

Abstract: We have investigated the effects of secondary electrons and photons emitted from surrounding materials on defect formation in silica glass under γ-ray irradiation. SiO2 (silica) glass plates and those sandwiched in a pair of various material disks (carbon, stainless steel or lead) were irradiated by γ-ray, and the optical absorption spectra (UV–vis spectra) of the silica glass plates before and after the irradiation were examined. UV–vis spectra of the glass plates after the irradiation showed three absorption bands peaked around 2eV, 4eV and 5.8eV being assigned to color centers relate metal impurities (Al and Ge) and oxygen-deficient centers like E′ center, respectively. All three bands were found to grow with γ-ray irradiation dose and saturated at higher doses, and absorbance of the bands at the saturation for the sandwiched glass plates was higher than that for the bare glass plate. Moreover, the saturated absorbance was higher for the glass plate sandwiched with heavier materials. Employing Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code for the simulation of the photon–electron transport process, enhanced energy deposition and numbers of secondary electrons and photons emitted from sandwiching material disks to a silica glass plate were calculated. The higher deposition energy correlates well to the higher saturated absorbance, indicating that the secondary electrons and photons emitted from the disks clearly enhanced the defect formation in the sandwiched silica glass plates. This suggests the existence of the dose effect above a critical does, i.e. the irradiation with higher dose will result in higher saturated absorbance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAOH) has no fluidizing effect on carbon particles, because of their hydrophobic surface properties. On the other hand, styrene/maleic copolymer (SM) enhanced the fluidity of two kinds of carbon slurries in the basic pH range, where the particle diameters of carbon {#}2650 and MA100 were 13 and 22 nm, respectively. High-density sintered bodies of silicon carbide containing carbon and boron carbide as sintering aids were obtained by controlling the pH of ~ 10-11 with TMAOH and by addition of SM: i.e., 9.5 and 5.5 wt% of SM were added to #2650 and MA100, respectively, in the dry weight base of the carbon. The highest sintered density product with more than 98% was obtained by intimate dispersion of the finer carbon particles in the silicon carbide slurries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidates the optimum preparation conditions for aqueous pigment slurry, such as pH, apparent viscosity and dispersion, as suitable for ink jet printing in application to the decoration of whiteware. Color pigments examined; Adjustment of the pH of the slurries with tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and nitric acid; Electrokinetic behavior of yellow pigment particles.

STUDY DESIGN.: Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses of the rat intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue renin-angiotensin system (tRAS). OBJECTIVE.: To examine the expression and function of tRAS in the rat IVD. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.: Angiotensin II (Ang II), the major effector of tRAS, is a hormone that contributes to inflammation and fibrosis in many organs. The expression of tRAS in the rat IVD has not been determined. METHODS.: tRAS expression in rat and bovine IVDs was examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (rat) and immunohistochemistry (rat and bovine). Rat annulus fibrosus cells in monolayer culture were used to examine the biological role of tRAS in vitro. The effect of Ang II peptide on extracellular matrix metabolism was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS.: mRNA of tRAS components, including angiotensin converting enzyme, Ang II, Ang II receptor type 1, Ang II receptor type 2, and Cathepsin D (a renin-like enzyme), was clearly confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. In rat and bovine annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus cells in monolayer culture, immunohistochemical analysis showed that each tRAS component was clearly expressed. In rat IVD tissues, immunoreactivity to each antibody for tRAS components was also observed. Proliferation of rat annulus fibrosus cells was mildly stimulated by Ang II peptide. Ang II peptide also had minor stimulatory effect on the expression of the extracellular matrix components, growth factors, and catabolic proteins. CONCLUSION.: Our results demonstrate for the first time that the tRAS components necessary to activate tRAS have been found in the normal rat IVD at both mRNA and protein levels. To elucidate the association between tRAS and the process of IVD degeneration, the expression and function of tRAS in the human degenerated IVD should be examined in a future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]