Effect of Zn, Ni and Fe Impurities on Bi2Sr1.6La0.4CuO6+��

We measured the change of T _c with the doping of the magnetic and nonmagnetic impurity in Bi₂Sr_1.6La_0.4CuO_6+?? (Bi2201). The reduction of T _c is about 20% in samples with Zn (1.1%), Ni (1.0%), and Fe (1.2%), and a slight difference was observed among these samples. We also observed the resonance peak at the Zn-impurity site by scanning tunneling spectroscopy at 4.2 K. The observed resonance peak showed the four-fold symmetry, and appeared at approximately ?1.5 meV.     

Development of low cost production technologies for polycrystalline silicon solar cells

To develop a technology of forming grooves for low cost cell production, a multi-blade wheel grinding method was investigated. The process time of groove formation on the surface of 10 × 10 cm² polycrystalline silicon substrate was reduced to 30 s by a newly developed high-speed groove formation machine. Simultaneous formation of junction and anti-reflection coating by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) technique was also investigated. For electrodes formation process, single firing method for both side electrodes made possible to simplify the firing process and to speed up from a conventional speed of 400 mm/min to 5000 mm/min.     

Structural tuning of wide‐gap chalcopyrite CuGaSe2 thin films and highly efficient solar cells: differences from narrow‐gap Cu(In,Ga)Se2

Simultaneous realization of high values of open circuit voltage (V_oc), fill factor (FF), and energy conversion efficiency (η) in wide‐gap CuGaSe₂ (CGS) solar cells has long been one of the most challenging issues in the realm of chalcopyrite photovoltaics. In this communication, structural tuning of CGS thin films by means of controlling the amount of Se flux used during CGS film growth and improvements in solar cell performance (V_oc > 0.9 V, FF > 0.7, and η > 10%) are demonstrated. Systematic variations in CGS film properties with the Se flux and correlation with device properties are shown. The unique CGS thin‐film growth kinetics, which are different from narrow‐gap Cu(In,Ga)Se₂, are also presented and discussed. This development of double digit efficiency for CGS solar cells opens a new frontier for the broad application of a new class of chalcopyrite‐based devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prediction of carcass composition and individual carcass cuts of Japanese Black steers

The objective of this study was to develop equations to predict carcass tissue weights and percentages and boneless carcass non-trimmed cut weights by using the cold carcass weight (CCW) and three other traits at the 6–7th rib section, which are routinely collected in carcass markets in Japan. Carcasses from 94 Japanese Black steers were used for the multiple regression analysis with a stepwise procedure and a novel Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO). The accuracies of prediction (R²) and RMSEs for the carcass tissue and cut weights were similar between the two procedures. In contrast, LASSO appeared to be the better procedure for predicting carcass tissue percentages. The longissimus muscle area and subcutaneous fat thickness were the important predictors for the lean percentage in the stepwise procedure, and CCW was additionally selected when the LASSO procedure was used.     

Analysis of exciton annihilation in high-efficiency sky-blue organic light-emitting diodes with thermally activated delayed fluorescence

We study external quantum efficiency (η_EQE) roll-off in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using thermally-activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) of 4,5-di (9H-carbazol-9-yl) phthalonitrile (2CzPN). Using 2CzPN intramolecular rate constants from optical analyses, we construct an exciton quenching model incorporating intersystem crossing and reverse intersystem crossing. The model indicates that singlet–triplet annihilation and triplet–triplet annihilation dominate η_EQE roll-off because of the relatively long 2CzPN triplet lifetime of 273 μs. This work yields a method to relax the exciton quenching process in TADF based OLEDs.     

Diet-induced changes in alginate- and laminaran-fermenting bacterial levels in the caecal contents of rats

Brown algae contain soluble polysaccharides, such as alginic acid, fucoidan and laminaran. To assess the induction of dietary fiber-fermenting bacteria in the intestine, rats were fed diet containing no dietary fiber (control) or 2% w/w of the polysaccharides for 2 weeks. The levels of dietary fiber-fermenting bacteria in caecal contents were determined using decimal dilution culture containing 1% w/v of the fibers. Caecal microbiota in the rats was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). In the culture method, 4–9 log viable cells/g caecal content of alginate-fermenting bacteria was detected in rats fed alginate, while this was not detected in rats fed the control diet. Although laminaran-fermenting bacteria were detected in control rats (4–9 log viable cells/g), the level observed in rats fed laminaran was 8 or 9 log viable cells/g. On the other hand, fucoidan-fermenting bacteria were not detected in rats fed fucoidan. DGGE analysis showed laminaran administration increased the diversity of bacterial bands. Clostridium spp. and Parabacteroides distasonis were detected as typical species in rats fed alginate and laminaran. The results indicate that the intake of soluble fermentable fibers in edible brown algae can alter the intestinal microbiota and its fermentation capacity.     

Influence of separated vortex on aerodynamic noise of an airfoil blade

In order to clarify the mechanism by which aerodynamic noise is generated from separated flow around an airfoil blade, the relation between the attack angle and the aerodynamic noise of the blade was analyzed using a wind tunnel experiment and a CFD code. In the case of rear surface separation, the separated vortex which has a large-scale structure in the direction of the blade chord is transformed into a structure that concentrates at the trailing edge with an increase in the attack angle. The aerodynamic noise level then becomes small according to the vortex scale in the blade chord. When the flow is separated at the leading edge, a separated vortex of low pressure is formed at the vicinity of the trailing edge. The pressure fluctuations on the blade surface at the vicinity of the trailing edge become large due to the vortex in the wake. It is considered that the aerodynamic noise level increases when the flow is separated at the leading edge because the separated vortex is causing the fluctuations due to wake vortex shedding.     

Imaging Secondary-Ion Mass Spectroscopy Observation of the Scavenging of Siliceous Film from 8-mol%-Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia by the Addition of Alumina

The scavenging of a resistive siliceous phase via the addition of Al₂O₃ was studied, using imaging secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), given the improved grain-boundary conductivity in 8-mol%-yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ). The grain-boundary resistivity in 8YSZ decreased noticeably with the addition of 1 mol% of Al₂O₃. Strong SiO₂ segregation at the grain boundaries was observed in a SIMS map of pure 8YSZ that contained 120 ppm of SiO₂ (by weight). The addition of 1 mol% of Al₂O₃ caused the SiO₂ to gather around the Al₂O₃ particles. The present observations provided direct and visual evidence of SiO₂ segregation at the grain boundaries (which had a deleterious effect on grain-boundary conductivity) and the scavenging of SiO₂ via Al₂O₃ addition.     

Increased leukocyte aggregates are associated with atherosclerosis in patients with hemodialysis

Little data are available on the role of blood rheology in atherosclerosis in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study sought to assess the relationship between leukocytes conjugated with platelets (leukocyte aggregates [LA]) and atherosclerosis in patients with HD. The present study included 118 patients on HD. As surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, aortic stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. As an assessment of LA, a method, microchannel array flow analyzer, which makes it possible to directly observe the flow of blood cell elements through the microchannel, was used. We measured a number of LA during 50 μL flow of whole blood through microchannels. In 12 age-matched healthy individuals, a number of LA during 50 μL flow of whole blood was 25.7±5.4, whereas in HD patients it was significantly increased up to 48.2±16.4 (P<0.001). Flow cytometry demonstrated that LA were predominantly monocytes. Leukocyte aggregates were positively associated with plasma levels of fibrinogen (P<0.01), or serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (P<0.01). Moreover, LA had highly significant associations with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (P<0.001) and IMT (P<0.001). In conclusion, we demonstrated hemorheologically that monocyte-platelet conjugates play an important role in aortic stiffness and IMT in HD patients.     

一阶迎风差分格式的精度问题

通过对一维线性对流方程和一维非线性对流方程的数值求解 ,对一阶迎风差分格式的精度作了较详细的分析 .当计算如悬移质泥沙、污染物等质量输移方程时 ,应避免用其离散其中的对流项 ;而当计算水流动量方程时 ,用其离散其中的对流项可以获得较高精度结论 .最后给出了算例 ,计算结果与精确解和实验符合良好