Performance of Ni‐based Anode‐Supported SOFCs with Doped Ceria Electrolyte at Low Temperatures Between 294 and 542°C

The performance of a conventional anode‐supported microtubular SOFC using doped ceria as an electrolyte and Ni‐based cermet as an anode is evaluated at low operating temperature between 294 and 542°C. An open‐circuit voltage (OCV) of >0.9 V is obtained at all measured operating temperatures, and power generation is observed at temperatures as low as 294°C. The power density of the cell is 0.6 W/cm² at 542°C operating temperature with 47% fuel utilization and is 5 mW/cm² at 294°C operating temperature with an open‐circuit voltage of 0.95 V. According to impedance spectroscopy, a greater influence of gas flow rate, on the cell performance, is observed at higher operating temperature.     

Atmospheric pressure photo-ionization liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric determination of aflatoxins in food.

A comparison between electrospray ionization (ESI) and the recent introduced atmospheric pressure photo-ionization (APPI) technique is described for the liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric (LC/MS) determination of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 in food. For the optimization of APPI, several APPI ion source parameters were examined. Furthermore, the chemical noise and signal suppression of ESI and APPI by sample matrix interference were investigated. The results indicated that APPI has the low chemical noise and the little signal suppression in comparison with ESI. The mean recovery of each aflatoxin from peanuts, corn, nutmeg and red pepper sample spiked at 1 ng g(-1) ranged from 89 to 105% with relative standard deviations of 3.3-5.1%. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) in all food was in the range 0.11-0.5 ng g(-1). From these studies, it is suggested that APPI can be used as an additional tool in food residue analysis.     

Sliding velocity dependency of the friction coefficient of Si-containing diamond-like carbon film under oil lubricated condition

In this study we investigated the sliding velocity dependency of the coefficient of friction for a Si-containing diamond-like carbon (DLC-Si) film in an automatic transmission fluid (ATF) under a wide range of contact pressures. The DLC-Si film and a nitrided steel with a surface roughness, Rz_JIS, of around 3.0 μm were used as disk specimens. A high-carbon chromium steel (JIS-SUJ2) bearing ball was used as a ball specimen. Friction tests were conducted using a ball-on-disk friction apparatus under a wide range of sliding velocites (0.1-2.0 m/s) and contact pressures (P_max: 0.42-3.61 GPa) in ATF. The friction coefficients for the nitrided steel had a tendency to decrease with an increase in sliding veloicity under all the contact pressure conditions; however, the friction coefficients for the DLC-Si film were stable with respect to sliding velocities under all the contatct pressures. These results indicate that the DLC-Si film suppresses the stick-slip motion during sliding againt steel in ATF, which is a desired frictional characteristic for the electromagnetic clutch disks used under lubrication. Furthermore, the DLC-Si film showed a higher wear resistance and lower aggression on the steel ball specimen than the nitrided steel. There were less hydrodynamic effects on the friction coefficient for the DLC-Si film possibly due to maintenance of the initial surface roughness and its poorer wettability with the fluid. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the sliding surfaces revealed that the adsorption film derived from the succinimide on the sliding surfaces of the DLC-Si film and the mating steel ball also contributed to the sufficient and less sliding-velocity-dependant friction coefficients.     

Ultrastructural disorder of actin mutant suggests uncoupling of actin-dependent pathway from microtubule-dependent pathway in budding yeast

Temperature-sensitive actin mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae act1-1 was studied at a permissive temperature of 23°C by light, fluorescent and electron microscopy to elucidate the roles of actin cytoskeleton in the cycling eukaryotic cells. Mutant cells that grew slowly at the permissive temperature showed aberrations in the cytoskeleton and cell cycle. Mutant cells contained aberrant 'faint actin cables,' that failed in directing of mitochondria, vacuoles and secretory vesicles to the bud and the stray vesicles delivered their content to the mother wall instead of the bud. Bud growth was delayed. Spindle pole bodies and cytoplasmic microtubules did not direct to the bud, and nucleus failed to migrate to the bud. Repeated nuclear divisions produced multinucleated cells, indicating continued cycling of actin mutant cells that failed in the morphogenetic checkpoint, the spindle position checkpoint and cytokinesis. Thus, a single actin mutation appears to indicate uncoupling in space and time of the 'actin cytoskeleton-dependent cytoplasmic pathway of bud development and organelle positioning and inheritance' from the 'microtubule-dependent nuclear division pathway' in a budding yeast cell cycle.     

Enzymatic assay method for measuring mizoribine levels in serum

A sensitive and specific method for assaying serum mizoribine levels that can be applied to general automatic clinical analyzers was developed. Regression analysis of the enzymatic assay (y) vs. the HPLC method (x) produced the following relation: y=0.964x+0.090 (n=262, Sy, x=6.37 ng/mL).     

Resveratrol derivative-rich melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract suppresses multiple angiogenesis-related endothelial cell functions and tumor angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a promising target for cancer prevention and treatment. This study aimed to determine the antiangiogenic effects of melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract and its resveratrol derivative components, such as gnetin C (GC), gnetin L (GL), gnemonoside A (GMA), gnemonoside C (GMC), and gnemonoside D (GMD). An ethanol extract of melinjo seeds (EEMS) and the two gnetins markedly inhibited the proliferation and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) stimulated with vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. The inhibitory effects of GC and GL were much stronger than those of resveratrol. GMC and GMD inhibited only proliferation, whereas GMA had almost no effect on the two endothelial cell functions. The EEMS and GC also reduced the cell viability of tube-forming HUVEC, with accompanying ERK1/2 inactivation, and suppressed the migration of HUVEC. Furthermore, dietary intake of EEMS significantly inhibited tumor angiogenesis in a mouse dorsal air sac assay. In conclusion, we found that the EEMS and its resveratrol derivatives, particularly GC, suppress multiple angiogenesis-related endothelial cell functions and/or tumor angiogenesis, indicating that the melinjo seeds and the natural resveratrol derivatives may be useful for cancer prevention and treatment.     

Generation characteristics of 100 kW PV system with various tilt angle and direction arrays

We report analysis about generation data of a 100 kW PV system. The system consists of seven polycrystalline silicon arrays and three thin-film arrays. The rated power of each array is 10 kW. Thin-film is made of tandem structure comprising amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon. For each array, tilt angles are arranged in 10°, 20° or 30°. And directions are facing due south, south-south east 30° and south-south west 30°.We have been analyzing generation data of the system since 2007 to understand the influence of system arrangement. The knowledge we have got until now is below.

(a)

Seasonal annealing occurs in thin-film arrays because thin-film cells contain amorphous silicon. Thus, theoretically, as for reduction of conversion efficiency in high temperature season, reduction of thin-film arrays is smaller than polycrystalline’s. We analyzed the ratio of seasonal generation energy (kWh) by using measured data of the system. Generation energy ratio in summer of thin-film is larger than polycrystalline’s. This is same trend as the theory.

(b)

There is a simulated data of solar irradiation that had been calculated by using meteorological data of 30 years. According to this simulated data, optimum condition of the system is arranged in tilt angle of 28.4° and facing due south. (The system is situated at latitude 33° north.) And simulation data shows that yearly irradiation decreases as tilt angle and direction become far from optimum condition. We analyzed yearly generation energy of each array in the system. Each array’s reduction percentages of generated energy from optimum condition were smaller than simulation value.