Thermoelectric properties of In- and Ga-doped spark plasma sintered ZnO ceramics

In this study, indium (In)- and gallium (Ga)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) ceramics, [Zn_(1?x?y)Ga_xIn_y]O (x = 0, 0.02; y = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02), were fabricated via spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1423 K. Crystal structure and microstructural analyses were conducted to confirm the solubility of the dopants and understand the correlations between the crystallographic phases and the various compositions. It was confirmed that the solubility of Ga (x = 0.02; y = 0.005) was promoted by doping with In and Ga, and the highest power factor of 0.99 mW K^?2 m^?1 was acquired at 1046 K. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity at 340–530 K was reduced by doping with In and Ga.     

Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Sphingomyelin with N-α-Hydroxy Fatty Acyl Residue in Mouse Tissues

Sphingomyelin (SM) with N-α-hydroxy fatty acyl residues (hSM) has been shown to occur in mammalian skin and digestive epithelia. However, the metabolism and physiological relevance of this characteristic SM species have not been fully elucidated yet. Here, we show methods for mass spectrometric characterization and quantification of hSM. The hSM in mouse skin was isolated by TLC. The hydroxy hexadecanoyl residue was confirmed by electron impact ionization-induced fragmentation in gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Mass shift analysis of acetylated hSM by time of flight mass spectrometry revealed the number of hydroxyl groups in the molecule. After correcting the difference in detection efficacy, hSM in mouse skin and intestinal mucosa were quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and found to be 16.5 ± 2.0 and 0.8 ± 0.4 nmol/μmol phospholipid, respectively. The methods described here are applicable to biological experiments on hSM in epithelia of the body surface and digestive tract.     

Synthesis of a bifunctional epoxy monomer containing anthracene moiety and properties of its cured polymer with phenol novolac

A new type of epoxy resin containing anthracene moiety in the backbone was synthesized and was confirmed by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Thermal properties of its cured polymer with phenol novolac were examined by thermomechanical, dynamic mechanical, and thermogravimetric analyses. The cured polymer with phenol novolac showed higher glass transition temperature (T_g), lower thermal expansion, lower moisture absorption, and higher anaerobic char yield at 700°C than a cured polymer having a phenylene group in place of anthracene moiety. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 953–959, 1999     

Improvement in Reactivity and Grindability of Belite-Rich Cement by Remelting Reaction

A new modification of belite-rich cement, a "remelted belite cement," exhibits higher hydration activity and better grindability than conventional belite-rich cement. The belite constituent in the new cement completely undergoes a remelting reaction and thus is distinctly different from the belite in conventional cement, which is rapidly quenched to depress the reaction. The remelted belite has a weaker resistance to fracture than does the quenched material and thus has better grindability. When the two cements, with nearly the same particle-size distributions, are compared, the specific surface area of the remelted belite cement is higher, resulting in higher hydration activity.     

Image sequence analysis of real world human motion

Three fundamental problems of image sequence analysis are investigated for real world human motions. The first one is the modelling of body motion, which is approached by the methods of key frame sequence of stick figures and generalized cone approximation of body parts. The second problem is the correspondence of feature points in the consecutive frames, for which a method called “window code matching” is proposed. The last one is the analysis of occluding regions, which is studied on the bases of occlusion prediction by model and difference images.     

Synthesis of a novel epoxy resin containing pyrene moiety and thermal properties of its cured polymer with phenol novolac

A new epoxy resin containing the pyrene moiety in the backbone (3) was synthesized and confirmed by gel permeation chromatography and field‐desorption mass spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. In addition, to evaluate the influence of the pyrene moiety on the structure, epoxy resins having an anthrylene moiety (5) and having a phenylene moiety (7) were synthesized. The cured polymer obtained through the curing reaction between 3 and phenol novolac was used for making a comparison of its thermal properties with those obtained from 5, 7, and bisphenol‐A (4,4′‐isopropylidenediphenyl)‐type epoxy resin (Bis‐EA). The cured polymer obtained from 3 showed a higher glass transition temperature, lower coefficient of linear thermal expansion, lower moisture absorption, and markedly higher anaerobic char yield at 700°C of 37.6 wt %, which might be attributed to the higher aromaticity of 3 containing the pyrene moiety. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 528–535, 2000     

Multiple Pre-Treatment miRNAs Levels in Untreated Major Depressive Disorder Patients Predict Early Response to Antidepressants and Interact with Key Pathways

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a life-impairing disorder, and early successful treatment is important for a favorable prognosis. However, early response to antidepressants differs widely among individuals, and is difficult to predict pre-treatment. As miRNAs have been reported to play important roles in depression, identification of miRNAs associated with antidepressant treatment responses and their interacting genes and pathways will be beneficial in understanding the predictors and molecular mechanisms of depression treatment. This randomized control trial examined miRNAs correlated with the early therapeutic effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; paroxetine or sertraline) and mirtazapine monotherapy. Before medication, we comprehensively analyzed the miRNA expression of 92 depressed participants and identified genes and pathways interacting with miRNAs. A total of 228 miRNAs were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms improvements after 2 weeks of SSRIs treatment, with miR-483.5p showing the most robust correlation. These miRNAs are involved in 21 pathways, including TGF-β, glutamatergic synapse, long-term depression, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Using these miRNAs enabled us to predict SSRI response at week 2 with a 57% difference. This study shows that pre-treatment levels of miRNAs could be used to predict early responses to antidepressant administration, a knowledge of genes, and an identification of genes and pathways associated with the antidepressant response.     

Magnetic Properties and Workability of 6.5% Si Steel Sheet Manufactured by Siliconizing Process

1. IntroductionIt is well known that increasing the St content improves the soft magnetic properties of St steel sheet.Steel sheet containing about 6.5% St exhibits excelledssoft magnetic properties. However, increasing the St.content makes the steel brittl.11]. A steel containingmore than 4.5% St has no elongation at room temperature, and a thin sheet cannot be made by coldrolling.Recently, the siliconning method to manufacture6.5% St steel sheet has been developedl2]. As a result,6.5% St…