We have investigated the diameter-selective separation of carbon nanotubes by one-pass gel chromatography with a gradient of surfactant concentration. The formation of surfactant gradient in a column was successfully measured and is explained by a simple diffusion process even in the gel. We found that the diameter of eluted nanotubes is inversely proportional to the surfactant concentration of eluate. The detailed analysis of the movement of the nanotubes in the gel revealed that the separation mechanism was qualitatively explained by a model based on the trapping and de-trapping events of the nanotube–surfactant micelle on the gel surface,where the probability of the trapping and de-trapping events is proportional to the product of the diameter of the nanotubes and the surfactant concentration.

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Aims: Probiotic effects of compost containing thermophiles on productivity have been reported in domestic animals, although not cattle. We evaluated the effects of administering Caldibacillus hisashii, a thermophile contained in compost, on growth, blood components, faecal organic acid concentrations and microbiota population in Japanese black calves. Methods and results: Calves were administered C. hisashii from 3 to 5 months of age. Administering C. hisashii decreased feed intake without affecting body weight, indicating that feed efficiency is improved by administration. Administering C. hisashii decreased plasma insulin concentration without affecting glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Chao1 was decreased by exposure at 5 months of age. Similarly, weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances were affected by treatment at 5 months of age. Faecal abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes tended to be increased by exposure. Faecal propionic acid concentration was correlated positively with faecal abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes but negatively with that of Firmicutes. Interestingly, the population of the genus Methanobrevibacter, representing the majority of methanogens, was lowered by exposure and was negatively correlated with faecal propionic acid concentration. Conclusion: Administration of C. hisashii has the potential to improve growth performance of Japanese black calves and to contribute to reducing environmental load, which may be associated with altered endocrine kinetics and gut microbial populations. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study revealed that isolated thermophiles included in compost may exert probiotic effects on calves.

The effects of gamma-ray irradiation and sodium sulfate as an aqueous impurity on the intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) susceptibility of sensitized type 304 (UNSI' ) S30400) stainless steel (SS) were studied through slow strain rate tests (SSRT) and corrosion potential measurements in high-temperature water that simulated the BWR normal water chemistry (NWC) and hydrogen water chemistry (HWC) conditions. The SSRT results demonstrated that IGSCC was accelerated by gamma-ray irradiation under the NWC condition, while it was suppressed under the HWC condition. These different effects are attributable to the radiation-induced corrosion potential shifts in the opposite directions depending on the water chemistry condition. When the sodium sulfate was injected up to 0.32 p.S/cm of conductivity, IGSCC was observed even under the HWC condition, but it was suppressed by gamma-ray irradiation.

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We demonstrated single-walled carbon nanotube aggregation at electrode edges by local electric field enhancement by a focused laser irradiation. It was revealed that the formation of nanobubbles and their induced fluid motion play an important role in carrying nanotubes to the electric field enhancement region around the laser irradiation spot from the laser power dependence of the aggregation on electrode edges. Furthermore, we found that metallic nanotubes preferentially aggregated near irradiation spots by the investigation of the laser irradiation time dependence of the aggregation. This technique is useful for manipulating and bridging nanotubes between electrodes for device applications.

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