Microtomography of Imbibition Phenomena and Trapping Mechanism

Water imbibition during the waterflooding process of oil production only sweeps part of the oil present. After water disrupts the oil continuity, most oil blobs are trapped in porous rock by capillary forces. Developing an efficient waterflooding scheme is a difficult task; therefore, an understanding of the oil trapping mechanism in porous rock is necessary from a microscopic viewpoint. The development of microfocused X-ray CT scanner technology enables the three-dimensional visualization of multiphase phenomena in a pore-scale. We scanned packed glass beads filled with a nonwetting phase (NWP) and injected wetting phase (WP) in upward and downward injections to determine the microscopic mechanism of immiscible displacement in porous media and the effects of buoyancy forces. We observed the imbibition phenomena for small capillary numbers to understand the spontaneous imbibition mechanism in oil recovery. This study is one of the first attempts to use a microfocused X-ray CT scanner for observing the imbibition and trapping mechanisms. The trapping mechanism in spontaneous imbibition is determined by the pore configuration causing imbibition speed differences in each channel; these differences can disrupt the oil continuity. Gravity plays an important role in spontaneous imbibition. In upward injection, the WP flows evenly and oil is trapped in single or small clusters of pores. In downward injection, the fingering phenomena determine the amount of trapped oil, which is usually in a network scale. Water breakthrough causes dramatic decrease in the oil extraction rate, resulting in lower oil production efficiency.     

Temporal formation of optical anisotropy and surface relief during polarization holographic recording in polymethylmethacrylate with azobenzene side groups

The formation of polarization holographic gratings with both optical anisotropy and surface relief (SR) deformation was studied for polymethylmethacrylate with azobenzene side groups. Temporal contributions of isotropic and anisotropic phase gratings were simultaneously determined by observing transitional intensity and polarization states of the diffraction beams and characterizing by means of Jones calculus. To clarify the mechanism of SR deformation, cross sections of SR were characterized based on the optical gradient force model; experimental observations were in good agreement with the theoretical expectation. We clarified that the anisotropic phase change originating in the reorientation of the azobenzene side groups was induced immediately at the beginning of the holographic recording, while the response time of the isotropic phase change originating in the molecular migration due to the optical gradient force was relatively slow.     

Survey meter combining CVD diamond and silicon detectors for wide range of dose rates and high accumulated doses

We have developed a prototype of a survey meter combining a CVD diamond detector and silicon detectors to appropriately take temporal measurements of γ-ray radiations over a wide range of the dose rates and to measure high accumulated doses of γ-ray radiations. In order to carry out this, at first, we have studied the radiation hardness of diamond detectors suitably fabricated with high-quality single-crystalline CVD diamond films to confirm that such CVD diamond detectors have greatly superior radiation hardness, compared with commercially available silicon detectors. It is evidenced that the performance of the CVD diamond detector did not significantly change even after heavy γ-ray irradiation of 0.7 MGy while the silicon detectors have a remarkable increase in the dark current, a detection peak shift to the low energy side, and a decrease in detection counts for 5.486-MeV α particles. Due to a size limitation of the CVD diamond detector, such a CVD diamond detector was combined with six commercially available silicon detectors to fabricate a survey meter which can appropriately work under severe irradiation conditions, or, at accumulated doses larger than at least 0.5 MGy and which can cover a wide range of the dose rates from 1 μGy/h to at least 1 kGy/h. The prototype survey meter had a practically useful linearity in this dose rate range. Thus, we have confirmed that such a diamond-Si combined survey meter can be put into practical use.     

Elucidation of the Active Conformation of Vancomycin Dimers with Antibacterial Activity against Vancomycin‐Resistant Bacteria

Covalently linked vancomycin dimers have attracted a great deal of attention among researchers because of their enhanced antibacterial activity against vancomycin‐resistant strains. However, the lack of a clear insight into the mechanisms of action of these dimers hampers rational optimization of their antibacterial potency. Here, we describe the synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel vancomycin dimers with a constrained molecular conformation achieved by two tethers between vancomycin units. Conformational restriction is a useful strategy for studying the relationship between the molecular topology and biological activity of compounds. In this study, two vancomycin units were linked at three distinct positions of the glycopeptide (vancosamine residue (V), C terminus (C), and N terminus (N)) to form two types of novel vancomycin cyclic dimers. Active NC‐VV‐linked dimers with a stable conformation as indicated by molecular mechanics calculations selectively suppressed the peptidoglycan polymerization reaction of vancomycin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. In addition, double‐disk diffusion tests indicated that the antibacterial activity of these dimers against vancomycin‐resistant enterococci might arise from the inhibition of enzymes responsible for peptidoglycan polymerization. These findings provide a new insight into the biological targets of vancomycin dimers and the conformational requirements for efficient antibacterial activity against vancomycin‐resistant strains.     

Total synthesis of (±)-lysidicin A

Lysidicin A, which has been isolated from Lisidicie rhodostegia possesses complicated structure. A total synthesis of lysidicin A has been achieved and is described herein. The key reaction is single and cascade Claisen rearrangements.     

Conducting-AFM spectroscopy on ultrathin SiO2 films

We study the dielectric degradation phenomena of ultrathin SiO₂ films using conducting-AFM spectroscopy in a vacuum (1᎒^-5 Pa). In successive current-voltage characteristics, a change of the carrier transport (from Fowler-Nordheim tunneling to direct tunneling) and current instability (which is due to a change in conductance of leakage path by isolated traps) are observed before 'breakdown'. As an example of a possible application of conducting-AFM spectroscopy, we investigate a change in conductivity at a 'breakdown' area.     

Determination of hydrogen ion by ion chromatography (IC) with sulfonated cation-exchange resin as the stationary phase and aqueous EDTA (ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid) solution as the mobile phase

An ion chromatographic (IC) method has been developed for determination of hydrogen ion (H⁺). It is based on the use of sulfonated cation-exchange resin as stationary phase, aqueous ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (dipotassium salt, EDTA-2K, written as K₂H₂Y) solution as mobile phase, and conductivity for detection. H⁺ was separated mainly by cation-exchange, but its elution was accelerated by the presence of EDTA. The order of elution for the model cations was H⁺ > Li⁺ > Na⁺ > NH₄ ⁺ > Ca²⁺ > > Mg²⁺. A sharp and highly symmetrical peak was obtained for H⁺ and this was attributed to the capacity of H₂Y₂ ^2– to receive and bind H⁺. H⁺ was detected conductiometrically and detector response (reduction in conductivity as a result of H⁺+H₂Y^2–→H₃Y^–) was linearly proportional to the concentration of H⁺ in the sample. The detection limit for H⁺ with this IC system was better than 4.7 μmol L^–1. A significant advantage of this method was the ability to separate and determine, in one step, H⁺ and other cations. The successful determination of H⁺ and other cation species in real acid-rain samples demonstrated the usefulness of this method.     

Uniaxial elongational viscosity of PS/a small amount of UHMW-PS blends

A series of polystyrene (PS) and a small amount of ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) PS blends have been prepared by using tetrahydrofuran (THF). Matrix PS has an M_w of 423,000 (M_w/M_n= 2.36) and UHMW-PS has either an M_w of 3,220,000 (M_w/M_n= 1.05) or 15,400,000 (M_w/M_n=1.30) in the range of concentration from 0 wt% to 1.5 wt%. The influence of a small amount of UHMW on dynamic viscoelasticity was investigated. At the frequency lower than 0.001 rad/s, the enhancement of G′ was observed by the incorporation of a small amount of UHMW. And the degree of enhancement was in the order of M_w of UHMW and its concentration. The measurement of uniaxial elongational viscosity for the blends was performed and the effects of UHMW on strain-hardening properties were analyzed at equal strain-rate conditions. The concentration of UHMW where the strain-hardening becomes substantially stronger was determined. To get more insight into the cause of enhancement of strain-hardening at a certain concentration, the damping function from step-shear stress relaxation was measured. The influence of a small amount of UHMW on the damping function was found to be small. It was interpreted, from time- and strain-dependency points, that the enhancement of strain-hardening by a small amount of UHMW was governed by the long relaxation time. Received: 6 September 2000 Accepted: 11 January 2001     

Pretreatment with High Mobility Group Box-1 Monoclonal Antibody Prevents the Onset of Trigeminal Neuropathy in Mice with a Distal Infraorbital Nerve Chronic Constriction Injury

Persistent pain following orofacial surgery is not uncommon. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an alarmin, is released by peripheral immune cells following nerve injury and could be related to pain associated with trigeminal nerve injury. Distal infraorbital nerve chronic constriction injury (dIoN-CCI) evokes pain-related behaviors including increased facial grooming and hyper-responsiveness to acetone (cutaneous cooling) after dIoN-CCI surgery in mice. In addition, dIoN-CCI mice developed conditioned place preference to mirogabalin, suggesting increased neuropathic pain-related aversion. Treatment of the infraorbital nerve with neutralizing antibody HMGB1 (anti-HMGB1 nAb) before dIoN-CCI prevented both facial grooming and hyper-responsiveness to cooling. Pretreatment with anti-HMGB1 nAb also blocked immune cell activation associated with trigeminal nerve injury including the accumulation of macrophage around the injured IoN and increased microglia activation in the ipsilateral spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis. The current findings demonstrated that blocking of HMGB1 prior to nerve injury prevents the onset of pain-related behaviors, possibly through blocking the activation of immune cells associated with the nerve injury, both within the CNS and on peripheral nerves. The current findings further suggest that blocking HMGB1 before tissue injury could be a novel strategy to prevent the induction of chronic pain following orofacial surgeries.