Damage evolution behavior of CFRP laminates under post-impact fatigue with water absorption environment

In this study, the damage evolution behavior was evaluated considering the effect of the textile structure and water absorption. Damage observation was conducted by the integration of non-destructive and direct observation methods. Candidate textile reinforcements were T300-3k plain woven fabric (PW) and T700S-12k multi-axial knitted fabric (MA). The effect of water absorption on the performances of compression after impact (CAI) and PIF were small in PW CFRP laminates. Conversely, PIF properties of water-absorbed MA CFRP laminates drastically decreased than that of dry ones. CAI strength was not affected by water absorption. PIF performance of dry MA CFRP was fairly higher than that of the others. From the precise observation, some evidences of interfacial deterioration caused by water absorption were confirmed in both PW and MA CFRP laminates.     

The fluorescence behavior from SAM of dendron with rhodamine B as a center

We studied energy transfer between rhodamine B molecules centered in each corn-shaped dendrons that forms self-assembled monolayer (SAM) film on an Au substrate. A SAM film using dendron moiety as a spacer can change the distance between rhodamines depending on the size, so that the energy transfer from an initially photo-excited rhodamine to its surrounding molecules can be controlled. The absorption spectrum of a SAM film for each generation of dendron was measured to ascertain a linear correlation between the generation and the distance. Picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectra showed clear differences in the fluorescence decay dynamics between third-generation (G3) and fourth-generation (G4) dendron SAM films. In addition, we found that “dry” or “wet” dendron SAM considerably influenced fluorescence behavior. As a result, the use of “wet” G4 SAM is suitable in preserving photo-excitation energy. This is because it gave almost equal dynamics to G4 dendron in the dilute solution and prevented deactivation by energy dissipation.     

通过再活化浸渍金属盐的活性炭来发展中孔结构

研究了在椰子壳活性炭上浸渍金属盐（硝酸铁和硫酸铁）后，在二氧化碳气氛中催化活化对中孔结构的影响。发现硝酸铁对活性炭比表面积（-1930m^2／g）的增加和中孔结构（-10nm）的发展更有效。改性活性炭具有发达的中孔结构，显示了更大的维生素B12吸附容量（是改性前的5倍～8倍）和更快的吸附速度。中孔结构的发展基于三个方面的原因：（1）在活化过程中，浸渍在活性炭微孔内的金属盐分解所释放的氧化性气体与微孔碳壁反应，扩大了孔径；（2）在高温下，来自于金属盐的金属氧化物被碳还原，扩大了孔径；（3）在金属铁存在下，碳壁被催化活化，大大提高了活性炭的中孔率。由此提供了一种廉价的从商业活性炭制备中孔活性炭的有效途径。     

Functional and Structural Insights into Human PPARα/δ/γ Subtype Selectivity of Bezafibrate,Fenofibric Acid,and Pemafibrate

Among the agonists against three peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) subtypes, those against PPARα (fibrates) and PPARγ (glitazones) are currently used to treat dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes, respectively, whereas PPARδ agonists are expected to be the next-generation metabolic disease drug. In addition, some dual/pan PPAR agonists are currently being investigated via clinical trials as one of the first curative drugs against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Because PPARα/δ/γ share considerable amino acid identity and three-dimensional structures, especially in ligand-binding domains (LBDs), clinically approved fibrates, such as bezafibrate, fenofibric acid, and pemafibrate, could also act on PPARδ/γ when used as anti-NAFLD drugs. Therefore, this study examined their PPARα/δ/γ selectivity using three independent assays—a dual luciferase-based GAL4 transactivation assay for COS-7 cells, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based coactivator recruitment assay, and circular dichroism spectroscopy-based thermostability assay. Although the efficacy and efficiency highly varied between agonists, assay types, and PPAR subtypes, the three fibrates, except fenofibric acid that did not affect PPARδ-mediated transactivation and coactivator recruitment, activated all PPAR subtypes in those assays. Furthermore, we aimed to obtain cocrystal structures of PPARδ/γ-LBD and the three fibrates via X-ray diffraction and versatile crystallization methods, which we recently used to obtain 34 structures of PPARα-LBD cocrystallized with 17 ligands, including the fibrates. We herein reveal five novel high-resolution structures of PPARδ/γ–bezafibrate, PPARγ–fenofibric acid, and PPARδ/γ–pemafibrate, thereby providing the molecular basis for their application beyond dyslipidemia treatment.     

Finite-dimensional adaptive control for infinite-dimensional systems

This paper deals with the design of a finite-dimensional model reference adaptive controller for a distributed parameter system. The space of inputs and the space of outputs are both one dimensional. First an input—output representation is introduced, using filtered values generated from the inputs and outputs. Next it is shown that we can design a finite-dimensional adaptive control system by a new adaptive law. The new adaptive law guarantees the existence of a large region of attraction from which all signals are bounded and the tracking error converges to a small residual set.     

Adaptive control for infinite-dimensional systems

This paper deals with the design of a model reference adaptive controller for a distributed parameter system generated by a self-adjoint operator. The space of inputs and the space of outputs are both one dimensional. After introducing input-output representations, an adaptive control system is designed for the system with unknown input function and unknown output function. The input-output equations can be expressed using filtered values generated from the inputs and outputs     

Nanosized‐Layered LiVO2 Prepared from Peroxo‐Polyvanadic Acid and Its Electrochemical Properties

Nanosized‐layered rock‐salt LiVO₂ was prepared by a new method from peroxo‐polyvanadic acid. The X‐ray diffraction pattern was well fitted with the space group R?3m in the Rietveld analysis and the crystallite size was estimated at 47 nm. The electrochemical properties as cathode materials for lithium ion batteries were investigated. The specific capacity of LiVO₂ was greatly improved to 149 mAh/g under the current density of 149 mA/g, in comparison with that of the conventional LiVO₂ below 50 mAh/g prepared by the solid‐state reactions.     

Iron Deposition from Aluminosilicate Containing Trace Amount of Iron Oxide by Borate‐Enhanced Hydrogen Reduction

Aluminosilicate containing 0.50 wt% of iron oxide as impurity yields metallic iron deposit by heating with sodium borate (3Na₂O·B₂O₃) in H₂ at 950°C, while it remains unchanged by heating without the borate under the same condition. The SEM and EDX measurements indicate that the metallic iron deposit is formed on the sodium borate glass layer. We first find that the reduction in minor constituents in oxides is enhanced by the addition of borate as a flux.     

Application of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Evaluation of Drying Stress on Lumber Surface: A Comparison of Artificial Neural Networks and Partial Least Squares Regression

This study aimed to examine the feasibility of evaluating the stress level at the surface of lumber during drying using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) lumber with an initial moisture content ranging from 41.1 to 85.8% was dried using a commercial drying schedule. An ANN model for predicting surface-released strain (SRS) was developed based on NIR spectra collected from the lumber during drying. The predictive ability of the ANN model was compared with a partial least squares (PLS) regression model.

The ANN model showed good correlation between laboratory-measured SRS and predicted SRS with an R ² of 0.79, a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.0009, and a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) of 1.81. The PLS regression model gave a lower R ² of 0.69, a higher RMSEP of 0.0010, and a lower RPD of 1.38 than the ANN model, suggesting that the predictive performance of the ANN model was superior to the PLS regression model. The SRS evolution during drying as predicted by the models showed a similar trend to the laboratory-measured one. The predicted elapsed times to reach maximum tensile SRS and stress reversal roughly coincided with the laboratory-measured times. These results suggest that NIR spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis has the potential to predict the drying stress level on the lumber surface and the critical periods during drying, such as the points of maximum tensile stress and stress reversal.