Ln-M-O glasses obtained by rapid quenching using a laser beam

A rapid quenching apparatus employing a laser beam was developed to obtain the glassy state of oxides which have high melting temperatures. Using this apparatus, the glassy state in Ln-Ti-O, Ln-Nb-O and Ln-Ta-O (Ln=lanthanides) systems was investigated. The range of compositions which produced glasses and the crystallization process were studied in detail, and the metastable phases, which appear during the crystallization process, were examined by differential thermal and X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Electrical resistivity, oxidation resistivity and hardness of single crystal compounds in the Er–Rh–B system

Single crystals of ternary borides ErRh₃B (cubic,Pm3m), ErRh₃B₂ (monoclinic, C2/m) and ErRh₄B₄ (tetragonal, P4₂/nmc) have been grown from copper solution by slow cooling method. The electrical resistivity, oxidation resistivity and Vickers microhardness were studied. The electrical resistivities at room temperature of the (100) face of ErRh₃B, (001) face of ErRh₃B₂ and (100) face of ErRh₄B₄ are 25.6 μΩ·cm, 50.0 μΩ·cm and 106.8 μΩ·cm, respectively. According to thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses, the oxidation of ErRh₃B, ErRh₃B₂ and ErRh₄B₄ start at 1030°C, 373°C and 690°C, respectively. The weight gain of the same compounds after heating in air up to 1200°C is 0.7%, 15.44% and 5.4%, respectively. The values of the Vickers microhardness for the (100) face of ErRh₃B, the (100) face of ErRh₃B₂ and the (110) face of ErRh₄B₄ are 4.8–5.0 GPa, 10.4–10.9 GPa and 10.9–11.3 GPa, respectively. The effect of boron content and crystal structure of each compound on the electrical resistivity, oxidation resistivity and Vickers microhardness are discussed.     

Prediction of Bending Fatigue Life of Cracked Out-of-Plane Gusset Joint Repaired by CFRP Plates

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), plates bonding repair method is one of the simple repair methods for cracked steel structures. In this study, the influence of width of CFRP plates on bending fatigue life of out-of-plane gusset joint strengthened with CFRP plates was investigated from the experimental and numerical point of view. In the bending fatigue test of cracked out-of-plane gusset joint strengthened with CFRP plates, the effect of width of CFRP plates on crack growth life was clarified experimentally. Namely, it was revealed that the crack growth life becomes larger with increasing the width of CFRP plates. In the numerical approach, the stress intensity factor (SIF) at the surface point of a semi-elliptical surface crack was estimated based on the linear fracture mechanics. Furthermore, the extended fatigue life of cracked out-of-plane gusset joint strengthened with CFRP plates was evaluated by using the estimated SIF at the surface point and the empirical formula of the aspect ratio of semi-elliptical crack. As the results of numerical analysis, the estimated fatigue life of the specimen strengthened with CFRP plates showed the good agreement with the test results.     

Extending fatigue life of out-of-plane gusset joint by bonding CFRP plates under bending moment

International Journal of Steel Structures - Carbon fiber reinforced plastic, CFRP, plates bonding method is one of the new repair methods for fatigue cracks. In this method, propagation of fatigue...     

Initial validation of a computer-administered Addiction Severity Index: The ASI–MV.

The Addiction Severity Index—Multimedia Version (ASI–MV) is a CD-ROM-based simulation of the interview-administered Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Clients in treatment (N ?=?202) self-administered the ASI–MV to examine the test–retest reliability, criterion validity, and convergent–discriminant validity of the ASI–MV. Excellent test–retest reliability was observed for composite scores and severity ratings. Criterion validity, tested against the interviewer-administered ASI, was good for the composite scores. For severity ratings, variable agreement was observed between the ASI–MV and each interviewer, suggesting poor interrater reliability among interviewers. This conclusion was bolstered by a finding of superior convergent–discriminant validity for both composite scores and severity ratings compared to the standard ASI. The ASI–MV is a viable alternative to the expensive and potentially unreliable interviewer-administered version. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of oral administration of soybean lecithin transphosphatidylated phosphatidylserine on impaired learning of passive avoidance in mice

Soybean lecithin transphosphatidylated phosphatidylserine (SB-tPS) was investigated for its effect on the impaired learning of a passive avoidance task by mice induced by scopolamine or cycloheximide. SB-tPS (240, 360, 480 mg/kg) administered orally significantly prolonged the step-through latency shortened by scopolamine. SB-tPS (240 mg/kg) administered orally also prolonged the step-through latency shortened by cycloheximide. These results suggest that the effect of SB-tPS on the impaired learning behavior may be related not only to the cholinergic system but also the serotonergic system.     

The concept of task versus person orientation in nursing.

To clarify the concept of task versus person orientation in nursing, a factor analysis of 24 personality-and nursing-attitude variables was performed on 160 nurses from long- and short-term treatment settings in psychiatry and general medicine. 3 factors, Leadership Skills, Hostile-Self-Seeking, and Dependent-Exploited sampled behaviors in the interpersonal sphere and particularly traits related to leadership capability. The 4th factor, Impersonal-Orderly, contained many characteristics of the "Authoritarian Personality." An emphasis on the skilled technical aspects of nursing was one of the elements in this factor. In general, the derived factor scores effectively differentiated nurses from the treatment settings in this study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fabrication of 8K4K organic EL panel using high‐mobility IGZO material

A 13.3‐inch 8k4k organic light‐emitting diode display based on a newly developed high‐mobility indium–gallium–zinc–oxide material was fabricated. It was found that the use of a higher‐mobility material decreases the scan driver size and power consumption. Furthermore, such oxide semiconductor layers with a buried channel structure can increase process stability and reliability.     

Economic growth and urbanization: a study of Japan

In Japan economic growth and urbanization have occured within a dualistic framework in which modern (imported) and traditional (indigenous) elements coexist, and their interaction has essentially determined the pattern of industrialization. Japan's economic growth has influenced and been influenced by the shifts of population from primary to nonprimary activities and from traditional nonprimary to modern nonprimary activities. By simulating with a computable general equilibrium model calibrated with 1960 data, insight into this process is provided. This kind of model analyzes urbanization and industrialization by examining the mobility of factors of production as a response to various rates of return. The mobility described is primarily intersectoral but a certain share of the laborers who shift from primary to nonprimary is assumed to stay within the rural areas. The size of this share is a function of agricultural and various nonagricultural wage rates. The model used is described and the results of various dynamic sensitivity analyses are reported. The model is a 6-sector computable general equilibrium model, similar to the model by Karlstrom. Only the distinctly different specifications are described here. These include: sector divisions and use of vintage capital in some sectors; macro closure; wage determination; investment determination; migration determination; and import determination. 4 lessons can be learned from the set of experiments presented here. The inclusion of spatial aspects of population movements into the model offers insight into the different sectoral developments, but for macroeconomic effects a careful inclusion of spatially differentiated social capital becomes important. Expanded investment in either nonagricultural or agricultural sectors increases migration with the latter lagging behind the former. The share of laborers remaining in rural areas who have left agricultural employment goes up monotonically in the urban modern sector (HMIV) and urban traditional sector (HTIV) runs and goes down in the agricultural sector (HAIV) run until lower agricultural wages stimulate urban investment. High urban modern wages depress both intersectoral shifts and the share of nonmovers. If the social capital cost needs in urban areas are higher than in rural areas for any job shifter, a larger number of nonmoving shifters (those who change jobs without moving) means a higher potential in the medium run. Economic growth in Japan in the 1960s may be characterized by the decisions of investors who considered the supply of quality labor as virtually unlimited.