A well-established characterization method is required in powder bed fusion (PBF) metal additive manufacturing, where metal powder is used. The characterization methods from the traditional powder metallurgy process are still being used. However, it is necessary to develop advanced methods of property evaluation with the advances in additive manufacturing technology. In this article, the characterization methods of powders for metal PBF are reviewed, and the recent research trends are introduced. Standardization status and specifications for metal powder for the PBF process which published by the ISO, ASTM, and MPIF are also covered. The establishment of powder characterization methods are expected to contribute to the metal powder industry and the advancement of additive manufacturing technology through the creation of related databases.

Powder characteristics, such as density, size, shape, thermal properties, and surface area, are of significant importance in the powder bed fusion (PBF) process. The powder required is exclusive for an efficient PBF process. In this study, the particle size distribution suitable for the powder bed fusion process was derived by modeling the PBF product using simulation software (GeoDict). The modeling was carried out by layering sintered powder with a large particle size distribution, with 50 μm being the largest particle size. The results of the simulation showed that the porosity decreased when the mean particle size of the powder was reduced or the standard deviation increased. The particle size distribution of prepared titanium powder by the atomization process was also studied. This study is expected to offer direction for studies related to powder production for additive manufacturing.

The superficial dorsal horn, particularly substantia gelatinosa (SG) in the spinal cord, receives inputs from small-diameter primary afferents that predominantly convey noxious sensation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic agents that may be involved in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies indicate that ROS are also involved in persistent pain through a spinal mechanism. In the present study, whole cell patch clamp recordings were carried out on SG neurons in spinal cord slice of young rats to investigate the effects of hydrogen peroxide on neuronal excitability and excitatory synaptic transmission. In current clamp condition, tert-buthyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH), an ROS donor, depolarized membrane potential of SG neurons and increased the neuronal firing frequencies evoked by depolarizing current pulses. When slices were pretreated with phenyl-N-tert-buthylnitrone (PBN) or ascorbate, ROS scavengers, t-BuOOH did not induce hyperexcitability. In voltage clamp condition, t-BuOOH increased the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs), and monosynaptically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs) by electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral dorsal root. These data suggest that ROS generated by peripheral nerve injury can modulate the excitability of the SG neurons via pre- and postsynaptic actions.

We investigate the effects of planetary rotation on the exospheres of the earth and Mars with simple collisionless models. We develope a numerical code that computes exospheric densities by integrating velocity functions at the exobase with a 10 point Gauss method. It is assumed in the model that atoms above the exobase altitude move collisionlessly on an orbit under the planet's gravity. Temperatures and densities at the exobase over the globe are adopted from MSIS-86 for the earth and from Bougher et al's MTGCM for Mars. For both the earth and Mars, the rotation affects the exospheric density distribution significantly in two ways: (1) the variation of the exospheric density distribution is shifted toward the rotational direction with respect to the variation at the exobase, (2) the exospheric densities in general increase over the non-rotating case. We find that the rotational effects are more significant for lower thermospheric temperatures. Both the enhancement of densities and shift of the exospheric distribution due to rotation have not been considered in previous models of Martian exosphere. Our non-spherical distribution with the rotational effects should contribute to refining the hot oxygen corona models of Mars which so far assume simple geometry. Our model will also help in analyzing exospheric data to be measured by the upcoming Nozomi mission to Mars.

Bowlesia incana Ruiz & Pav., a new invasive alien plant in Korea, was found in Ulju-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City. This species is characterized as being similar to the genera Hydrocotyle Tourn. ex L. and Centella L. However, it differs morphologically from these two genera in leaves, flowers, and fruits, as well as stellate pubescence growing on the whole plant. In Korea, Bowlesia incana Ruiz & Pav. is recorded for the first time in this study. A morphological description, distribution map, and illustrations based on the Korean materials collected are presented.

A new pea cultivar, Cheongmi was developed at the Yeongnam Agricultural Research Institute (YARI) in 2003. It was selected from a cross YP303 (Frescoloy / Upton) // YP113 (Sparkle/Early Bird) /3/ YP115 (Sparkle / Euiseongjaerae) in 1992. The preliminary,