Nisshin Seifun Group (Japan)

A numerical study was conducted of nanoparticle (NP) formation and growth in two-coil tandem-type modulated induction thermal plasma (tandem MITP) with method of moment. Two-coil tandem MITP, which has two induction coils in one plasma torch, has been developed for the synthesis of large amounts of NPs. The two-coil tandem MITP is operated by modulated or non-modulated two coil currents for induction thermal plasma under a transient state. Furthermore, time-controlled feedstock feeding (TCFF) is involved with tandem MITP. For this tandem MITP + TCFF method, we developed a numerical model with three components: calculation of time-varying tandem-MITP fields, calculation of intermittent feeding of feedstock particles including dynamic motion, heating and evaporation of feedstock particles, and the calculation of NP formation and growth from feedstock vapour in time-varying tandem MITP fields. Two-way interactions among these three parts were also considered. Calculation was made Si NP formation in Ar tandem MITP with intermittent feeding of feedstock Si microparticles. Calculation results demonstrated that two-coil tandem-type MITP with simultaneous modulation of upper-coil and lower-coil currents can produce more rapid decay in the temperature field in the reaction chamber during the off-time, and that this rapid temperature decay promotes nucleation of NPs and suppresses particle growth. This finding indicates that tandem MITP can offer a temperature field with greater variation, which is preferred for NP synthesis.

Recent studies suggest that the autoantibodies against adrenergic/muscarinic receptors might be one of the causes and potential markers of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural network changes related to autoantibody titers against adrenergic/muscarinic receptors in ME/CFS by performing a single-subject gray matter similarity-based structural network analysis. We prospectively examined 89 consecutive right-handed ME/CFS patients who underwent both brain MRI including 3D T1-wighted images and a blood analysis of autoantibodies titers against β1 adrenergic receptor (β1 AdR-Ab), β2 AdR-Ab, M3 acetylcholine receptor (M3 AchR-Ab), and M4 AchR-Ab. Single-subject gray matter similarity-based structural networks were extracted from segmented gray matter images for each patient. We calculated local network properties (betweenness centrality, clustering coefficient, and characteristic path length) and global network properties (normalized path length λ, normalized clustering coefficient γ, and small-world network value δ). We investigated the correlations between the autoantibody titers and regional gray matter/white matter volumes, the local network properties, and the global network properties. Betweenness centrality showed a significant positive correlation with β1-AdR-Ab in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The characteristic path length showed a significant negative correlation with β2-AdR-Ab in the right precentral gyrus. There were no significant correlations between the antibody titers and the regional gray matter/white matter volumes, and the global network properties. Our findings suggest that β1 AdR-Ab and β2 AdR-Ab are potential markers of ME/CFS.

Graphite-coated silicon nanoparticles were synthesized using pulse-modulated induction thermal plasma (PMITP) with a time-controlled feedstock feeding (TCFF) method at high production rates. The PMITP+TCFF method is a high production method of nanoparticles with a high feedstock feeding rate of several g min−1. Micro-sized silicon powder as feedstock was injected synchronously into Ar/H2 PMITP to be evaporated completely. Argon/CH4 gas mixture was introduced as a quenching gas and a carbon source from three different downstream portions for comparison. As a result, graphene-encapsulated Si nanoparticles were successfully synthesized with Ar/CH4 gas mixture injection from adequate downstream port.

Pasta samples boiled for different times and mixed with tomato sauce were physically and chemically evaluated to determine the factors affecting the suitability of boiled pasta with tomato sauce for eating. Physical properties of the pasta boiled for the shortest time changed greatly when sauce was added. The texture of the pasta boiled for the longest time was soft, because the core lacked a non-gelatinized region. In a force–strain curve, the change in the force after the breaking point of the pasta boiled for the shortest time was the largest after sauce addition. The T2 values and chlorine distribution of pasta samples showed that the amount of penetration of the sauce ingredients to the core of the pasta boiled for the shortest time was less than that of the pasta boiled for the longest time. These results suggest that small changes in the physical properties after the sauce addition, sufficient penetration of the sauce ingredients to the core, and the presence of a non-gelatinized region at the core are critical factors affecting the suitability of boiled pasta with tomato sauce for eating.