Studies on the biaxial stretching of polypropylene film. III. Electron microscopic observation of the one-step biaxial stretching of isotactic polypropylene spherulites

Polypropylene films of various isotacticities and crystallinities were stretched biaxially in one step in air at 140–152°C or polyaxially in poly(ethylene glycol) at 130–160°C, and the morphological changes were studied by electron microscopy (replica). In the initial stage of stretching, with v_A = 1.4, the spherulites of one of the films used for the experiment were broken both from the centers and boundaries, and those of another film were broken mainly from the center. This difference in the deformation behavior seems to be characteristic of the film properties and independent of the method of stretching, although the factors involved are still unknown. On further stretching (v_A = 22), well annealed spherulites were broken into many small blocklike fragments with unfolded fibrils running among them, particularly at the low stretching temperature (140°C), and fibrillation proceeded at the expense of the residual fragments. In the case of quenched or slightly crystallized material, the fragments were dendritic and divided into finer and finer fibrils on stretching. At elevated temperature, however, even for well annealed spherulites, the deformation behavior resembles that of the quenched material, and at a high degree of stretching the spherulites take on the fibrillar net structure in every case. In films containing a high amount of atactic fraction, radial, tangential, and boundary cracking occurred more easily, and broad fibrils were observed across the cracks.     

Temperature dependence on the binding of butyl orange by bovine serum albumin

The binding of 4′-dibutylaminoazobenzene-4-sulfonate anion (butyl orange) by bovine serum albumin has been examined quantitatively by an equilibrium dialysis method at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 35°C. The first binding constants and the thermodynamic parameters for the formation of the first dye anion-protein complex have been calculated. The peculiar temperature dependence of the first binding constant could be observed. That is, the value of the first binding constant increases with increasing temperature until it reaches a maximum value at approximately 18°C and then decreases with raising temperature. Accordingly, this binding process is exothermic above 18°C and is endothermic below 18°C. Near 18°C the process exhibits athermal reaction. From the thermodynamic data obtained, it is evident that the favorable free energy of the binding is accompanied by an entropy gain and that the enthalpies of the binding vary from a positive (unfavorable) value below 18°C to a negative (favorable) one above 18°C. Furthermore an apparent temperature dependence of the thermodynamic functions was observed. That is, ΔF° becomes larger in absolute magnitude as the temperature increases. The positive quantity of ΔS° tends to decrease with increasing temperature. All these facts can be interpreted satisfactorily in terms of hydrophobic interactions between hydrophobic portions of the dye and nonpolar parts of the albumin.     

Reaction of carboxamide with Cu2Oisonitrile complex; formation of a new chelated copper(I) complex

Reaction of carboxamides with Cu₂O in the presence of t-butyl isocyanide gave new chelated copper(I) complexes, which probably are formed by the insertion of t-butyl isocyanide into the coppernitrogen bond of copper(I) amide isonitrile complexes, which were initially produced from the carboxamides and Cu₂Ot-butyl isocyanide complex. The same chelated copper(I) complexes were prepared more readily by the reaction of the corresponding N-trimethylsilyl-carboxamides with Cu₂Ot-butyl isocyanide complex. Reactions of the copper(I) complexes thus obtained with alkylating agents, such as alkyl halides, alkyl tosylates and triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate, also were described.     

On-line purification for the determination of catecholamines by liquid chromatography

An on-line purification method for catecholamines was studied using a flow system equipped with an alumina microcolumn. The procedure involves catecholamine adsorption, column washing and catecholamine elution steps. The system is designed not to decompose catecholamines under alkaline conditions in the adsorption step. Flow-rates and times for different solutions delivered in each step (alkaline buffer for adsorption, water for washing and an acidic solution for elution), column length and sample volume to be loaded were systematically investigated by liquid chromatography. Under optimum conditions, norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and 3,4- dihydroxybenzylamine (internal standard) can be purified with recoveries of ? 90% within 11 min with manual operation. This method was efficiently applied to urine samples and the results indicate the possibility that catecholamines in biological samples are automatically purified.     

Output and picosecond amplification characteristics of an efficient and high-power discharge excimer laser

Improvements in output pulse energy and efficiency of a conventional capacitor-transfer-type discharge excimer laser with automatic preionization have been achieved by extending the discharge volume and resulting moderate pumping of the active medium. The discharge laser produces a pulse energy of more than 1 J for XeCl, KrF, and ArF lasers in square beams of about 2×2 cm², and the maximum overall efficiency observed is 2.9% for XeCl, 3.2% for KrF and 1.8% for ArF. The laser device has been involved in a picosecond ( 32 ps) XeCl laser amplification system, and was operated as an amplifier at a repetitive frequency of 10 Hz. Saturation fluence for XeCl laser was measured to be 1.4 mJ/cm², and the picosecond pulse energy of 40 mJ was extracted from the amplifier.On leave from Ebara Corp., 6-6-7, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104, JapanOn leave from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD., 4-6-22, Kan-on shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima 733, Japan     

Influence of bubble clustering on multibubble sonoluminescence

Influence of clustering of cavitation bubbles on multibubble sonoluminescence (MBSL) in standing wave fields is studied through measurement of MBSL intensity with a photomultiplier tube and observation of corresponding bubble behavior with a high-speed video camera and an intensified charge-coupled device one. It is clarified that, when the SL is quenched suddenly at excessive ultrasonic power, the behavior of bubbles clearly changes; the bubbles which form dendritic branches of filaments change into clusters due to the secondary Bjerknes force. The cluster is composed of several bubbles surrounded by many tiny bubbles, in which bubbles repeatedly coalesce and fragment, and run away from pressure antinodes. When the clusters are broken up by forced fluid motion, the quenching of MBSL is suppressed.     

A Narrative Review of Alternate Gait Training Using Knee-ankle-foot Orthosis in Stroke Patients with Severe Hemiparesis

Impairments resulting from stroke lead to persistent difficulties with walking. Subsequently, an improved walking ability is one of the highest priorities for people living with stroke. The degree to which gait can be restored after a stroke is related to both the initial impairment in walking ability and the severity of paresis of the lower extremities. However, there are some patients with severe motor paralysis and a markedly disrupted corticospinal tract who regain their gait function. Recently, several case reports have described the recovery of gait function in stroke patients with severe hemiplegia by providing alternate gait training. Multiple studies have demonstrated that gait training can induce “locomotor-like” coordinated muscle activity of paralyzed lower limbs in people with spinal cord injury. In the present review, we discuss the neural mechanisms of gait, and then we review case reports on the restoration of gait function in stroke patients with severe hemiplegia.     

Synthesis of nano-polycrystalline diamond from glassy carbon at pressures up to 25 GPa

ABSTRACT

Nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD) with various grain sizes has been synthesized from glassy carbon at pressures 15–25?GPa and temperatures 1700–2300°C using multianvil apparatus. The minimum temperature for the synthesis of pure NPD, below which a small amount of compressed graphite was formed, significantly increased with pressure from ～1700°C at 15?GPa to ～1900°C at 25?GPa. The NPD having grain sizes less than ～50?nm was synthesized at temperatures below ～2000°C at 15?GPa and ～2300°C at 25?GPa, above which significant grain growth was observed. The grain size of NPD decreases with increasing pressure and decreasing temperature, and the pure NPD with grain sizes less than 10?nm is obtained in a limited temperature range around 1800–2000°C, depending on pressure. The pure NPD from glassy carbon is highly transparent and exhibits a granular nano-texture, whose grain size is tunable by selecting adequate pressure and temperature conditions.     

Optical properties and origin of infrared light scattering centers in undoped semi-insulating GaAs crystals

The wavelength dependence and polarization characteristics of the infrared light scattered from an undoped GaAs crystal were investigated in the 90° angle infrared light scattering configuration. The scattering is Rayleigh scattering from scatterers which are always associated with the dislocations, and they are classified into three types,S, L _A , andL _G scatterers, according to their polarization characteristics. TheS, L _A , andL _G -scatterers are thought to be small As clusters, large As precipitates and large Ga precipitates, respectively.     

Reconstruction of the Point-Spread Function of the Human Eye Using a New Phase-Retrieval Algorithm

The double-pass method is thought to obtain the point spread function (PSF) in human eyes based on two techniques: the symmetric double-pass method using the same pupil size and the asymmetric double-pass method using a different pupil size. The symmetric double-pass method provides autocorrelation of the retinal PSF and, thus, the modulation transfer function. The asymmetric double-pass method provides low-frequency partial-phase information and the partial phase-retrieval algorithm is applied to obtain the complete-phase information, and to estimate the PSF. The partial phase-retrieval algorithm is based on the iteration method proposed by Fineup and Kowalczyk and requires a lengthy computation. In this study, we propose a new high-speed phase-retrieval algorithm based on the property that the real and imaginary parts of optical transfer functions (OTFs) continuously change in value.