A new cluster-ion-beam source for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) using the electrospray of a pure ionic liquid under high vacuum

Electrospray characteristics were studied using a pure room-temperature molten salt (i.e., an ionic liquid) at pressures around 10^?5 Pa as well as at atmospheric pressure. The ionic liquid N,N-diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide was tested, which has negligible vapor pressure and high conductivity. During electrospray, the ionic liquid was introduced at a constant flow rate into a stainless-steel capillary (i.d. 30 μm). It was demonstrated that stable electrosprayed currents exceeding ±1 μΑ were continuously produced in both positive and negative modes. The electrosprayed currents in a high vacuum were twice those at atmospheric pressure. It was found that gas pressure rose slightly with increasing electrosprayed currents. Residual gas analysis revealed that gas component at negative mode was different from that at positive mode. Experimental results indicate that vacuum electrospray of pure ionic liquids is applicable to a massive-cluster beam source for SIMS.     

Spray-drying synthesized lithium-excess Li4+xTi5−xO12−δ and its electrochemical property as negative electrode material for Li-ion batteries

Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (Fd-3m space group) materials were synthesized by controlling the lithium and titanium ratios (Li/Ti) in the range of 0.800-0.900 by using a spray-drying method, followed by calcination at several temperatures between 700 and 900 °C for large-scale production. Chemical and structure studies of the final products were done by X-ray diffraction (XRD), neutron diffraction (ND), X-ray photon electron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The optimum synthesis condition was examined in relation to the electrochemical characteristics including charge-discharge cycling and ac impedance spectroscopy. It was found that when the spray-drying precursors at the Li/Ti ratio of 0.860 were calcined at 700-900 °C for 12 h in air, a pure Li_4+xTi_5−xO_12−δ (x = 0.06-0.08) phase with a lithium-excess composition was obtained. Based on the structural studies, it was found that the excess lithium is located at the lithium and titanium layer of the 16d site in the spinel structure (Fd-3m). These pure Li_4+xTi_5−xO_12−δ (x = 0.06-0.08) phase materials showed a higher discharge capacity of ∼164 mAh g⁻¹ at 1.55 V (vs. Li/Li⁺), between the cut-off voltage of 1.2-3.0, with an excellent cyclability and superior rate performance in comparison with the Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ phase containing impurity phases.     

Estimating autonomic nerve activity using variance of thermal face images

In this paper, we propose a novel method for evaluating mental workload (MWL) using variances in facial temperature. Moreover, our method aims to evaluate autonomic nerve activity using single facial thermal imaging. The autonomic nervous system is active under MWL. In previous studies, temperature differences between the nasal and forehead portions of the face were used in MWL evaluation and estimation. Hence, nasal skin temperature (NST) is said to be a reliable indicator of autonomic nerve activity. In addition, autonomic nerve activity has little effect on forehead temperature; thus, temperature differences between the nasal and forehead portions of the face have also been demonstrated to be a good indicator of autonomic nerve activity (along with other physiological indicators such as EEG and heart rate). However, these approaches have not considered temperature changes in other parts of the face. Thus, we propose novel method using variances in temperature for the entire face. Our proposed method enables capture of other parts of the face for temperature monitoring, thereby increasing evaluation and estimation accuracy at higher sensitivity levels than conventional methods. Finally, we also examined whether further high-precision evaluation and estimation was feasible. Our results proved that our proposed method is a highly accurate evaluation method compared with results obtained in previous studies using NST.     

Influence of the binder types on the electrochemical characteristics of natural graphite electrode in room-temperature ionic liquid

To improve the electrochemical characteristics of the natural graphite (NG-3) negative electrode in the LiCl saturated AlCl₃-1-ethyl-3-methylimizadolium chloride + thionyl chloride (SOCl₂) melt as the electrolyte for non-flammable lithium-ion batteries, we examined the influence of the binder types on its electrochemical characteristics. The cyclic voltammograms showed that the reduction current at 1.2-3.2 V vs. Li/Li(I) was repressed using polyacrylic acid (PAA) as the binder. The charge-discharge tests showed that the discharge capacity and the charge-discharge efficiency of the NG-3 electrode coated with the PAA binder at the 1st cycle were 322.8 mAh g⁻¹ and 65.6%, respectively. Compared with the NG-3 electrode using the conventional poly(vinylidene fluoride) binder, it showed considerably a better cyclability with the discharge capacity of 302.1 mAh g⁻¹ at the 50th cycle. Li(I) ion intercalation into the graphite layers could be improved because the NG-3 electrode coated with the PAA binder changed to a golden-yellow color after the 1st charging, and the formation of first stage LiC₆ was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement. In addition, the XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that one of the side reactions during charging was the formation of LiCl on the graphite surface regardless of the binder types.     

Joint inhomogeneity in dissimilar friction stir welded martensitic and nanostructured ferritic steels

Dissimilar welding between oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic (ODS) steel and reduced activation martensitic steel would be required for constructing the advanced blanket of progressive fusion reactors. In this study, we achieved dissimilar joints by friction stir welding, and aimed to characterise and ameliorate joint inhomogeneity. Main results reveal that the joint inhomogeneity is generated from discrepant microstructural evolutions within the martensitic and ODS ferritic steels. The ODS steel achieves evolution by the dynamic recrystallisation, while the martensitic steel undergoes phase transformation that drastically hardens the stir zone. By a proper post-weld heat treatment, the joint inhomogeneity can be effectively ameliorated due to carbide reprecipitation and stress relief in the joint.     

Absolute calibration of imaging plate for GeV electrons

An imaging plate has been used as a useful detector of energetic electrons in laser electron acceleration and laser fusion studies. The absolute sensitivity of an imaging plate was calibrated at 1 GeV electron energy using the injector Linac of SPring-8. The sensitivity curve obtained up to 100 MeV in a previous study was extended successfully to GeV range.     

Analyses of Instability in Mobile Cranes due to Ground Penetration by Outriggers

This study focuses on the phenomenon of ground instability causing mobile cranes to overturn. Four outriggers usually support a mobile crane in order to restrict pitching during hoisting operations. Nevertheless, the crane may become quite unstable if the outriggers should happen to sink into the bearing ground. In this paper, various types of analysis, including experiments, were performed in order to investigate the influence of ground penetration by outriggers on the stability of mobile cranes. Through study of the results of experimentation and simulation, it has been clarified that mobile cranes become highly unstable as a result of rapid penetration. It was found that an index of relative instability had a linear relationship to the common logarithm of an index for brittle failure as derived from the load–settlement curve for ground penetration. Finally, a method of evaluating the risk of mobile-crane overturning is proposed by using the maximum value of both the supporting surface’s failure risk and the kinetic risk due to ground penetration.     

Pathophysiology and Treatment of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

There is a close relationship between diabetes mellitus and heart failure, and diabetes is an independent risk factor for heart failure. Diabetes and heart failure are linked by not only the complication of ischemic heart disease, but also by metabolic disorders such as glucose toxicity and lipotoxicity based on insulin resistance. Cardiac dysfunction in the absence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and valvular disease is called diabetic cardiomyopathy. Diabetes-induced hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia lead to capillary damage, myocardial fibrosis, and myocardial hypertrophy with mitochondrial dysfunction. Lipotoxicity with extensive fat deposits or lipid droplets is observed on cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, increased oxidative stress and inflammation cause cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy. Treatment with a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor is currently one of the most effective treatments for heart failure associated with diabetes. However, an effective treatment for lipotoxicity of the myocardium has not yet been established, and the establishment of an effective treatment is needed in the future. This review provides an overview of heart failure in diabetic patients for the clinical practice of clinicians.     

Hepatic sinusoidal membrane transport of anionic drugs mediated by anion transporter Npt1

The purpose of our study was to establish the localization of the anion transporter Npt1 in liver and the relevance of Npt1 to carrier-mediated hepatic transport of beta-lactam antibiotics. Immunocytochemical examination of mouse liver with antiserum for Npt1 showed basolateral (sinusoidal) membrane localization. Function of Npt1 was characterized in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Injection of in vitro-transcribed cRNA into oocytes resulted in an increased uptake of [14C]benzylpenicillin (PCG). The Npt1-mediated uptake was saturable with a Michaelis constant (Km) of 0.46 +/- 0.18 mM and a maximum rate (Vmax) of 46.6 +/- 8.5 pmol/60 min/oocyte, and the uptake of [14C]PCG was independent of Na+ and pH, but dependent on chloride ion. Npt1-mediated [14C]PCG uptake was inhibited by several beta-lactam antibiotics and probenecid. Oocytes injected with Npt1-cRNA demonstrated significantly enhanced transport activity for other anionic compounds such as [14C]faropenem, [14C]foscarnet and [3H]mevalonic acid, as well as [14C]PCG, compared with water-injected oocytes. In conclusion, Npt1 is suggested to participate in hepatic sinusoidal membrane transport of organic anions such as beta-lactam antibiotics as well as inorganic anions for the efflux from hepatocyte-to-blood direction.     

Occurrence of 2- and 3-hydroxy fatty acids in high concentrations in the extractable and bound lipids ofFlavobacterium meningosepticum andFlavobacterium IIb

The major hydroxy fatty acids of cellular lipids inFlavobacterium meningosepticum andFlavobacterium sp. King’s group IIb were identified as 2-hydroxy 13-methyltetradecanoic, 3-hydroxy 13-methyltetradecanoic, 3-hydroxy palmitic, and 3-hydroxy 15-methylhexadecanoic acids using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and GC-mass fragmentography. The concentration of these hydroxy fatty acids comprised up to 30–40% of the total extractable and 20–30% of the bound lipid fatty acids, respectively. From the stability for mild alkaline hydrolysis, 2-hydroxy fatty acids seemed to be attached with ester linkage, and 3-hydroxy fatty acids with amide linkage.