Photocatalytic Property and Electronic Structure of Lanthanide-based Oxysulfides

Lanthanide-based oxysulfides and sulfide, LnTaO_3.5S_0.5, Ln₁₀OS₁₄ (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm) and La₄In₅S₁₃, were successively synthesized by sulfurization in a flowing H₂S. The sulfurization decreased the band-gap energies from >4 eV to <3eV, because of the formation of occupied S3p orbitals on the top of valence band. In accordance with the small band gap, the H₂ evolution from a 0.01 M Na₂S and 0.01 M Na₂SO₃ solution system was observed under irradiation of light up to >500 nm. The rate of H₂ evolution under light irradiation of >500 nm increased in the order of Ni/LaTaO_3.5S_0.5 < Ru/La₁₀OS₁₄ < Pt/La₄In₅S₁₃.     

Hydrothermal Formation of Hydroxyapatite Layers on the Surface of Type-A Zeolite

Type-A zeolite evenly covered with hydroxyapatite thin layers was prepared using hydrothermal treatment at 120°C for 8 h under autogenous pressure. The hydroxyapatite needlelike nanocrystals, 100–200 nm in diameter and 30 nm in thickness, were grown under the reaction between discharged Ca²⁺ ions from type-A zeolite and PO₄³⁻ ions in (NH₄)₃PO₄ solution. The preferential orientations of the c -axis of hydroxyapatite crystals perpendicular to a zeolite surface were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The crystal structure of type-A zeolite was not destroyed under the reaction, but the surface morphology was changed only with complete covering of scaly hydroxyapatite particles.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of Pr3+ doped CaxBa1?xTiO3 (0.3?x<1) fine particles

Ca _x Ba_1−x TiO₃ (CBT) fine particles doped with red luminescence center of Pr³⁺ ions (Pr: CBT) were successfully synthesized by salt assisted spray pyrolysis (SASP) process. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and laser scattering analysis demonstrate that salt can be removed from the surface of particles by washing with Milli-Q water and the particles can be further separated by ball-milling to get well-dispersed Pr³⁺ ions doped CBT fine particles. The luminescence properties, such as photoluminescence (PL) and mechanoluminescence (ML), of as-synthesized Pr: CBT particles were investigated. For Pr: CBT fine particles with different Ca molar ratios, all the samples show one emission at 612 nm, with increasing Ca molar ratio, PL intensity of Pr: CBT fine particles become stronger and stronger. When pressure was loaded on the Pr: CBT pellet, mechanoluminescence(ML) emission was measured. The results show that the ML intensity is proportional to the applied pressure.     

Downregulation of miR-122-5p Activates Glycolysis via PKM2 in Kupffer Cells of Rat and Mouse Models of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has pathological characteristics similar to those of alcoholic hepatitis, despite the absence of a drinking history. The greatest threat associated with NASH is its progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathophysiology of NASH is not fully understood to date. In this study, we investigated the pathophysiology of NASH from the perspective of glycolysis and the Warburg effect, with a particular focus on microRNA regulation in liver-specific macrophages, also known as Kupffer cells. We established NASH rat and mouse models and evaluated various parameters including the liver-to-body weight ratio, blood indexes, and histopathology. A quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of the NASH rat model livers revealed the activation of glycolysis. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry results indicated that the expression of pyruvate kinase muscle 2 (PKM2), a rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, was upregulated in the liver tissues of both NASH models. Moreover, increases in PKM2 and p-PKM2 were observed in the early phase of NASH. These observations were partially induced by the downregulation of microRNA122-5p (miR-122-5p) and occurred particularly in the Kupffer cells. Our results suggest that the activation of glycolysis in Kupffer cells during NASH was partially induced by the upregulation of PKM2 via miR-122-5p suppression.     

Optical properties of C60/a-C superlattice structures for solar cell applications

C₆₀/amorphous carbon superlattice structures were fabricated by shutter-controlled molecular beam deposition. The periodic structure of resulted films was confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements. From the UV–vis reflectance/transmittance measurements, the energy shift of absorption edge was observed in the superlattice structures as a function of their well width. The carbon-based superlattice structure is the useful technique to control the band gap energy of carbon materials.     

Robust tracking servo system considering force disturbance for the optical disk recording system

This paper proposes a new robust tracking servo system for the optical disk recording system with feedforward controller based on the prediction of the tracking error. In optical recording systems, the feedback servo system must suppress the influence of force disturbance and parameter variation. To overcome this problem, this paper designs the robust feedback control system by using coprime factorization and disturbance observer. The detecting signal of the optical disk recording system is only a tracking error. Hence, the feedforward controller of the proposed tracking control system is constructed based on both the "zero-phase-error tracking" control theory and the prediction of the tracking error. The experimental results point out that the proposed tracking servo system has a quick and precise tracking response and keeps the residual tracking error below its tolerance.     

Spectral restoration and energy resolution improvement of electron energy-loss spectra by Pixon reconstruction: II. Application to practical ELNES analysis of low SNR

We applied Pixon deconvolution as introduced in Part I to several practical, examples of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), electron energy-loss spectra with a goal toward restoring their fine spectral features and/or improving the energy resolution. We demonstrate that by directly fitting the two-dimensional spectral data recorded on the CCD; the method enables us to reveal fine spectral structures. Consequently, Pixon reconstruction extends the ability to probe electronic states in very spatially localized areas, a capability currently unique to our method.     

Production technology of large-area multicrystalline silicon solar cells

In 1996 a conversion efficiency of 17.1% had been obtained on 15 cm×15 cm mc-Si solar cell. In this paper, large-scale production technology of the high-efficiency processing will be discussed. Enlarging reactive ion etching (RIE) equipment size, technology of passivation, and fine contact grid with low resistance by screenprinted metallization, which is firing through PECVD SiN, have been investigated.     

Morphology and physical-chemical properties of baked nanoporous frustules

We investigated the morphology and physical-chemical properties of baked and unbaked nanoporous frustules. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showed that the nanoporous structures of frustules unchanged at 400 degrees C even after baking for 6 h. During baking at 800 degrees C, the frustule structures changed dramatically. On the other hand, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of bulk frustule samples indicated that physical-chemical properties of the frustules had clearly changed after baking at not only 800 degrees C but also 400 degrees C. These results showed that the reconstruction of the structures had occurred inside the frustules, even though the morphology of the frustules had not apparently changed at 400 degrees C. In order to characterize the exact shape of the frustules, living diatom cells were grown on a functionalized mica surface, and then baked without any chemical treatment for SEM study. This 'direct baking' technique is effective for comparing minute structures of the frustules, because completed combination of every part of the frustules can be observed.