Clear correspondence between theoretical and experimental lightpropagation characteristics in photonic crystal waveguides

Single line defect optical waveguides in a photonic crystal airbridge fabricated into a silicon-on-insulator wafer with a minimum propagation loss of 11 dB/mm are demonstrated. The observed propagation loss spectrum and near field patterns at fibre communication wavelengths agree well with those expected from the photonic band calculation     

Surface modifications of aligned carbon nanotube thin films by Argon‐ion sputtering

To use carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as anode material for the solid‐state thin‐film Li‐ion rechargeable battery, the tubes are preferred to be aligned perpendicular to a substrate and the CNT thin film to have a smooth surface. Using an Ar‐ion sputtering technique, we carried out the surface modifications of the CNT thin film prepared by the SiC surface decomposition method. In order to evaluate the surface modification, the surface and cross section of the modified CNT film were investigated by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A cryopreservation method of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells for efficient production of dendritic cells

We studied whether inducers of cell differentiation alone could have cytotoxic effect on the promonocytic U937 and Mono Mac 6 cells in vitro. The cells were incubated with standard differentiating doses of interferon (IFN)-gamma, dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2cAMP) or the phorbol ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and both protein synthesis and viability were examined. In both U937 and Mono Mac 6 cells the incorporation of [3H]leucine was significantly reduced after PMA plus LPS stimulation, but not after IFN-gamma stimulation, when compared with controls. For U937 cells there was also reduced incorporation after Bt2cAMP stimulation. Trypan blue exclusion experiments and the number of cells remaining in the cultures indicated that Bt2cAMP-, PMA- and/or LPS-stimulated, but not IFN-gamma-stimulated, cells were less viable than unstimulated U937 or Mono Mac 6 cells. The results suggest that Bt2cAMP, PMA and LPS, but not IFN-gamma, are cytotoxic towards promonocytic cancer cell lines in vitro.     

Crosslinking of elastomers upon ageing: a kinetic approach based on crystallinity changes followed by DSC

It was observed that crosslinking reactions resulting both from peroxide decomposition or photoageing at wavelengths longer than 300 nm involve a drastic decrease of the crystallinity of some dienic elastomers, such as polybutadienes (rich in cis 1,4 and 1,2 microstructures) and polycyclo‐octene. By comparing precisely the rate of decomposition of dicumyl peroxide and that of the crystallinity decrease, it was possible to show that the kinetics of crystallinity loss observed upon ageing can be identified with that of the crosslinking of elastomers. The results indicate that the crosslinking process can be followed directly by DSC measurement of the crystallization/melting cycle. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Performance of gas turbine-based plants during frequency drops

A combined cycle power plant, which combines a gas turbine and a steam turbine, can achieve high energy efficiency. Many combined cycle plants have been installed in the world. However, a large-scale blackout occurred in Malaysia in 1996. Combined cycle and gas turbine plants sequentially tripped out. The cause of this chain trip was thought to be a system frequency drop. Considering these backgrounds, it is important to study dynamic behavior of combined cycle plants. Several dynamic models of the combined cycle plant have been proposed. In our analysis, we use some of them and build a model for a single-shaft combined cycle plant. We execute numerical simulations to see how the combined cycle behaves when the system frequency drops.