Synthesis and electrochemical properties of nanosized LiFeO2 particles with a layered rocksalt structure for lithium batteries

Layered rocksalt-type LiFeO₂ particles (O3-LiFeO₂) with average particle sizes of ca. 40 and 400 nm were synthesized by an ion exchange reaction from α-NaFeO₂ precursors. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirmed the formation of nanosized O3-LiFeO₂. 40-nm LiFeO₂ exhibited a higher discharge capacity (115 mAh g^?1) than 400-nm LiFeO₂ (80 mAh g^?1), and also had better rate characteristics. The downsizing effect and cation disorder between the lithium and iron layers may have improved the electrochemical activity of the LiFeO₂ particles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation indicated a phase transition from O3-LiFeO₂ to a cubic lattice system during the electrochemical process. The cubic lithium iron oxide exhibited stable electrochemical reactions based on the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺/Fe⁰ redox couples at voltages between 4.5 and 1.0 V. The discharge capacities of 40-nm LiFeO₂ were ca. 115, 210, and 390 mAh g^?1 under cutoff voltages of 4.5–2.0 V, 4.5–1.5 V, and 4.5–1.0 V, respectively.     

Two-photon 3D FIONA of individual quantum dots in an aqueous environment

We report the first two-photon (2P) microscopy of individual quantum dots (QDs) in an aqueous environment with both widefield and point-scan excitations at nanometer accuracy. Thiol-containing reductants suppress QD blinking and enable measurement of the 36 nm step size of individual Myosin V motors in vitro. We localize QDs with an accuracy of 2-3 nm in all three dimensions by using a 9 × 9 matrix excitation hologram and an array detector, which also increases the 3D scan imaging rate by 80-fold. With this 3D microscopy we validate the LamB receptor distribution on E. coli and the endocytosis of EGF-receptors in breast cancer cells.     

Differential effects of lesions of the vomeronasal and olfactory nerves on garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) responses to airborne chemical stimuli.

The roles of the main (MOS) and accessory (AOS) olfactory systems of garter snakes in response to airborne chemicals were investigated. Preoperatively, all snakes responded to airborne odors with increased tongue-flick rate and duration. Postoperatively, sham-operated snakes responded to airborne odors with increased tongue-flick rates, but snakes with main olfactory nerve cuts failed to respond to the odors, and snakes with vomeronasal nerve cuts responded to nonprey odors only. Preoperatively, exposure to earthworm odor produced more frequent and shorter duration tongue-flicks during locomotion compared with exposure to water. Postoperatively, only sham-lesioned snakes exhibited differential responding to earthworm odors. This study demonstrates that the MOS is critical for the initiation of tongue-flick behavior in response to airborne odors and that discrimination of odors with biological significance requires a functional AOS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Photoacoustic spectra of Sb-doped ZnSe

Photoacoustic (PA) spectra were made on Sb-doped ZnSe samples grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The samples deposited at a low temperature under irradiation show the PA spectrum with a sharp edge near the band gap and with three distinct peaks. From the Sb flow rate dependence of PA peaks, two of them seem to be related to Sb impurities. Non-doped sample shows only one peak, which is tentatively ascribed to the deep level associated with Se defects.     

Ultra-high-speed multiple-quantum-well electro-absorption opticalmodulators with integrated waveguides

Integrating the input and output waveguides with a multiple-quantum-well (MQW) electro-absorption (EA) optical modulator is shown to achieve ultra-high-speed modulation while keeping the total device length long enough for easy fabrication and packaging. Testing with fabricated modulators showed that a shorter modulation region results in a larger modulation bandwidth. The additional loss due to the waveguide integration was less than 1 dB. An optimized modulator showed a large modulation bandwidth of 50 GHz, a low driving voltage of less than 3 V, and a low insertion loss of 8 dB. A prototype module of this modulator had a bandwidth of greater than 40 GHz. Optimizing the MQW structure makes the modulator insensitive to polarization. These results demonstrate that MQW-EA modulators with integrated waveguides are advantageous in terms of fabrication, packaging, and ultra-high-speed modulation     

A method of evaluating drug efficacy by statistical analysis of healing speed of peptic ulcer

At present, the evaluation of anti-ulcer drugs is generally accomplished simply by calculating the cumulative healing rate at a certain point of time during treatment, which does not implicate any analysis of the healing speed of the ulcer. If the cumulative healing rate of an ulcer is expressed as a function of drug administration time, t, then it will be possible to calculate parameters concerning the healing speed of ulcers and thus evaluate drug efficacy as the time series analysis of the cumulative healing rate. A new method of evaluating anti-ulcer drugs by a statistical analysis of healing speed is proposed. A non-linear regression analysis was performed between two variables, t (time of drug administration: week) and y (non-healing rate: %), to obtain the exponential function y = Ae-kt. The theoretical values calculated from the exponential equation were in close proximity to the observed values. With this analysis, four parameters concerning the healing speed were defined, namely the healing rate constant, the initiation time of healing, the half-life of non-healing rate and the time necessary for 50% healing. With this method, the efficacy of drugs on peptic ulcer healing was dynamically analysed, the non-healing rate (y) being expressed as an exponential function of length of time (t) of treatment, thus obtaining digital parameters for healing speed.     

Ice-binding proteins that accumulate on different ice crystal planes produce distinct thermal hysteresis dynamics

Ice-binding proteins that aid the survival of freeze-avoiding, cold-adapted organisms by inhibiting the growth of endogenous ice crystals are called antifreeze proteins (AFPs). The binding of AFPs to ice causes a separation between the melting point and the freezing point of the ice crystal (thermal hysteresis, TH). TH produced by hyperactive AFPs is an order of magnitude higher than that produced by a typical fish AFP. The basis for this difference in activity remains unclear. Here, we have compared the time dependence of TH activity for both hyperactive and moderately active AFPs using a custom-made nanolitre osmometer and a novel microfluidics system. We found that the TH activities of hyperactive AFPs were time-dependent, and that the TH activity of a moderate AFP was almost insensitive to time. Fluorescence microscopy measurement revealed that despite their higher TH activity, hyperactive AFPs from two insects (moth and beetle) took far longer to accumulate on the ice surface than did a moderately active fish AFP. An ice-binding protein from a bacterium that functions as an ice adhesin rather than as an antifreeze had intermediate TH properties. Nevertheless, the accumulation of this ice adhesion protein and the two hyperactive AFPs on the basal plane of ice is distinct and extensive, but not detectable for moderately active AFPs. Basal ice plane binding is the distinguishing feature of antifreeze hyperactivity, which is not strictly needed in fish that require only approximately 1°C of TH. Here, we found a correlation between the accumulation kinetics of the hyperactive AFP at the basal plane and the time sensitivity of the measured TH.     

Real-Time Reactions in Supervisory Control According to Data Freshness

Supervisory control systems in plants mustacquire data without any loss and react for state changes. Someof state change should be reacted in a real-time manner, whileothers may be notified in a best-effort manner. To implementa middleware which works as a server in supervisory control systemsin an acceptable cost, we value the data freshness which meanshow much time has passed from the occurrence of the data. Inthis paper, we present the Active Ring model whichincorporates the ECA mechanism into circular areas. With rulesusing only the latest data, the ECA mechanism realizes time-criticalreactions as firm real-time tasks. In addition to that, the rulestrigger best-effort notification which is realized as a softreal-time task. The middleware works in numerous plants for steelmill, water purifying, and tunnel ventilation. This paper includesan experimental result revealing that the ActiveRing model is effective to provide service according to the datafreshness.     

The importance of theory: Response to Brenner (2000).

L. Brenner's (see record 2000-02818-011) critique of I. Erev, T. S. Wallsten and D. V. Budescu (see record 1994-36026-001) focuses on their (a) use of a model to explain the paradox of the same data appearing to suggest over- and underconfidence, depending on how they are analyzed; (b) definitions of true judgment and error; and (c) specific use of judgments transformed to log-odds and a model formulated in those terms. The authors of the present article strongly disagree with the first point and discuss the importance of using models to interpret data. With regard to the second, the authors admit that the constructs of true judgment and error are poorly named but dispute L. Brenner's specific criticisms. Concerning the third, the authors had not claimed that the log-odds metric has any special status in judgment research and thus agree with L. Brenner's basic point. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)