Formation and structural characterization of two-dimensional wetting water layer on graphite (0001).

Understanding the structure and wettability of monolayer water is essential for revealing the mechanisms of nucleation, growth, and chemical reactivity at interfaces. We have investigated the wetting layer formation of water (ice) on the graphite (0001) surface using a combination of low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). At around monolayer coverages, the LEED pattern showed a (2 × 2) periodicity and STM revealed a hydrogen-bonded hexagonal network.

Relationship between Photoelasticity of Polyurethane and Dielectric Anisotropy of Diisocyanate, and Application of High-Photoelasticity Polyurethane to Tactile Sensor for Robot Hands.

Eight types of polyurethane were synthesized using seven types of diisocyanate. It was found that the elasto-optical constant depends on the concentration of diisocyanate groups in a unit volume of a polymer and the magnitude of anisotropy of the dielectric constant of diisocyanate groups. It was also found that incident light scattered when bending stress was generated inside photoelastic polyurethanes.

Clinical significance of the serum surfactant protein D and KL-6 levels in patients with measles complicated by interstitial pneumonia.

Unlabelled: To examine the value of surfactant protein D and KL-6 as markers for the diagnosis and the severity of interstitial pneumonia caused by measles infection, surfactant protein D, KL-6 and lactic acid dehydrogenase were measured serially in three patients with measles complicated by interstitial pneumonia as compared to ten measles infected patients without interstitial pneumonia. The serum surfactant protein D and KL-6 levels were higher in patients with measles and interstitial pneumonia as compared to those with measles without interstitial pneumonia. In patients with measles and interstitial pneumonia, the respiratory distress and the alveolar-arterial oxygen differences improved after steroid pulse therapy while the serum surfactant protein D level decreased dramatically under the cut-off level and earlier than the KL-6 level.