Influence of the CF4 plasma treatments on the wettability of polypropylene fabrics

A plasma treatment using saturated CF₄ gas was employed to improve the resistance of polypropylene fabrics to water wetting. The fabrics were significantly fluorinated even within a short treatment time of 30 seconds. The result of contact angle measurement indicated that such highly hydrophobic surface was considerably durable even after 150 days of aging.     

Electrically driven single-cell photonic crystal laser

We report the experimental demonstration of an electrically driven, single-mode, low threshold current (approximately 260 microA) photonic band gap laser operating at room temperature. The electrical current pulse is injected through a sub-micrometer-sized semiconductor wire at the center of the mode with minimal degradation of the quality factor. The actual mode of interest operates in a nondegenerate monopole mode, as evidenced through the comparison of the measurement with the computation based on the actual fabricated structural parameters. As a small step toward a thresholdless laser or a single photon source, this wavelength-size photonic crystal laser may be of interest to photonic crystals, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and quantum information communities.     

Effect of catheter size and injection rate of contrast agent on enhancement and image quality for triple‐phase helical computed tomography of the liver in small dogs

Rapid contrast injection is recommended for triple‐phase helical computed tomography (CT) of the liver. However, a large‐gauge catheter is needed for faster contrast injection and this is not practical for small breed dogs or cats. The purpose of this crossover group study was to evaluate applicability of a lower injection rate with a small‐gauge (G) catheter for triple‐phase hepatic CT in small dogs. Triple‐phase CT images were acquired for six beagle dogs using three protocols: an injection rate of 1.5 ml/s with a 24 G catheter, 3.0 ml/s with a 22 G catheter, and 4.5 ml/s with a 20 G catheter. Enhancement of the aorta, portal vein, and hepatic parenchyma was measured in each phase (arterial, portal, and delayed) and image quality was scored subjectively by two observers. Injection duration, time to scan delay, and time to peak enhancement were also recorded. Contrast injection duration decreased with a higher injection rate (n = 6, P ≤ 0.01), but time to peak enhancement and time to scan delay were not significantly affected by injection rates and catheter sizes. Contrast injection rate did not significantly affect aortic, portal, and hepatic enhancement. In addition, separation between each phase and quality of images was subjectively scored as good regardless of injection rate. Findings from the current study supported using an injection rate of 1.5 ml/s with a catheter size of 24 G for triple‐phase hepatic CT in small dogs (weight < 12 kg).     

Reaction of Ptr ToxA-Insensitive Wheat Mutants to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Race 1

ABSTRACT The host-selective toxin Ptr ToxA is produced by races 1 and 2 of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, causal agent of tan spot of wheat. Ptr ToxA has been causally associated with pathogenicity by the race 2 phenotype in this system. However, the role of toxin in disease caused by race 1, the most prevalent form of the fungus in the central and northern Great Plains of North America, has not been rigorously investigated. Three independent wheat lines harboring mutations for insensitivity to Ptr ToxA were derived from ethylmethane sulfonate treatment of the hard red spring wheat cv. Kulm, possessing the single dominant gene for toxin sensitivity. Each of the three mutants was insensitive to Ptr ToxA in bioassays based on necrosis development and electrolyte leakage. Each mutant was crossed to each of the other mutants and to the wild-type Kulm. Segregation data indicate that each mutant line harbors a single recessive mutation for toxin insensitivity that maps to or near the same locus, possibly the toxin-sensitivity gene. Each toxin-insensitive mutant line was susceptible to two isolates of race 1 of P. tritici-repentis. F(2) and F(3) generations derived from crosses between Kulm and each mutant segregated for toxin reaction. However, segregation for fungal reaction was not evident, and all F(3) families were tan spot susceptible regardless of toxin reaction. Host insensitivity to Ptr ToxA is not necessarily equivalent to resistance to race 1. Ptr ToxA should not be used alone as a proxy for fungal inoculations by breeding programs aimed at developing tan spot-resistant wheat.     

Suppression of pine wilt disease by an antibacterial agent,oxolinic acid

BACKGROUND: Pine wilt disease (PWD) is very complex and has been reported to be caused by pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer) Nickle, and its accompanying bacteria. However, there is no report on the control of PWD by antibacterial agent. The present study was performed to investigate disease control efficacy of antibacterial agents against PWD. RESULTS: Among six antibacterial antibiotics tested, oxolinic acid (OA) showed the strongest antibacterial activity against five bacteria isolated from three strains of pine wood nematode. In in vivo assay, it effectively suppressed the development of PWD in three‐year‐old seedlings of Pinus densiflora Sieb. & Zucc.; it showed 71% control when injected at 3 mg per seedling. A mixture of OA and the nematicidal agent abamectin (Ab) showed higher disease control efficacy against PWD than either OA or Ab alone. In addition, OA alone and a mixture of OA and Ab also controlled PWD in approximately 20‐year‐old pine trees under field conditions. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the suppression of PWD by OA. The result strongly indicates that PWD could be controlled by antibacterial antibiotic alone and a combination of antibacterial and nematicidal agents. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry