Surface structure and electrochemical characteristics of plasma-fluorinated petroleum cokes for lithium ion battery

Plasma-fluorination of petroleum coke and those heat-treated at 1860, 2300 and 2800 °C (abbreviated to PC, PC1860, PC2300 and PC2800) was conducted for 15, 30 and 60 min using CF₄ gas at 90 °C. Fluorine contents obtained by elemental analysis were negligible except PC fluorinated for 60 min (0.7 at.%). Fluorine concentration on the surface decreased with increasing heat-treatment temperature of petroleum coke, i.e. from PC to PC2800 when plasma-fluorination was made for 30 and 60 min. Transmission electron microscopic observation revealed that the closed edges of PC2800 were destroyed and opened by plasma-treatment. Plasma-fluorination increased surface disorder of heat-treated petroleum cokes, however, slightly reduced surface areas. These surface structure changes increased first coulombic efficiencies of PC2300 and PC2800 by 6–8 and 8–10% at both 60 and 150 mA g⁻¹, respectively.     

Cold model for process of a Ni-aluminide/steel clad pipe by a reactive centrifugal casting method

A novel method (reactive centrifugal casting method) to fabricate a Ni-aluminide/steel clad pipe has been proposed. Ni powder was placed on a spinning steel pipe, and Al liquid was poured into the steel pipe. The Al liquid and Ni powder exothermically reacted and produced a composite layer consisting of Ni-aluminides on the inner surface of the steel pipe. The heat generated by the exothermic reaction melted the inner surface of the steel pipe and bonded the composite layer to the steel. However, during the process, the Ni powder moves along the flow of the Al liquid. In this study, in order to obtain a better understanding of the Ni powder motion in the spinning steel pipe, a cold model centrifugal casting is employed. We focus on the effects of the angle between the spinning and horizontal axes on the type of centrifugal casters, because it is difficult to obtain the same data by the proper experiments.     

Designing scaffolds of peptides for phage display libraries

Phage display is a powerful method for the discovery of peptide ligands that are used for analytical tools, drug discovery, and target validations. Phage display technology can produce a huge number of peptides and generate novel peptide ligands. Recently, phage display technology has successfully managed to create peptide ligands that bind to pharmaceutically difficult targets such as the erythropoietin receptor. As a result of the structural analysis of their ligands, we found that the conformational design of peptides in library is important for selecting high-affinity ligands that bind to every target from a phage peptide library. Key issues concern constraints on the conformation of peptides on the phage and the development of chemically synthesized peptides derived from peptides on phage. This review discusses studies related to the conformation of peptides selected from phage display peptide libraries in addition to the conversion from peptides to non-peptides.     

Analysis of monoglyceride synthetic reaction in a solvent-free two-phase system catalyzed by a monoacylglycerol lipase from Pseudomonas sp. LP7315

Kinetics of monoglyceride synthesis catalyzed by a monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL) isolated from Pseudomonas sp. LP7315 was studied at 65 degrees C in a solvent-free two-phase system, in which fatty acid droplets were dispersed in a glycerol phase containing a small amount of water. The initial rate of the synthetic reaction depended on several factors: the amounts of fatty acid and glycerol, and the concentration of MGL in the glycerol phase. To analyze the effects of these factors, a kinetic model was developed based on the assumption that the adsorption equilibrium of MGL molecules at the interface between the two phases is the crucial factor for the synthetic reaction. The model was found to yield good approximations of the initial synthetic rate under various reaction conditions. The analysis suggests that the adsorption behavior of MGL onto the interface had a large effect on the initial rate of the monoglyceride synthesis.     

Pressor and depressor hormones during alcohol-induced blood pressure reduction in hypertensive patients

Alcohol acutely causes vasodilation and hypotension in Orientals. To study the mechanisms responsible for the alcohol-induced blood pressure (BP) reduction, we examined levels of various vasoactive hormones after a single intake of alcohol in twelve Japanese men with mild hypertension. On the alcohol intake day, they consumed 1 ml/kg of alcohol with an evening meal, while on the control day they took an isocaloric control drink. BP and vasoactive hormone levels were determined before and 2 h after intake of the alcohol or the control drink. BP after alcohol ingestion was significantly lower than that before drinking or on the control day. This alcohol-induced hypotension was associated with significant increases in heart rate, plasma catecholamines and plasma renin activity (PRA). The changes in heart rate and plasma noradrenaline were inversely related to the changes in BP. Plasma levels of vasopressin and insulin were lower in the alcohol period than in the control period, but these changes were not correlated with the changes in BP. Levels of aldosterone, cortisol, atrial natriuretic peptide, prostaglandin (PG) E2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, beta-endorphin, and cyclic GMP were not significantly different between the alcohol and the control periods. These results suggest that changes in pressor hormones may not contribute to the acute hypotensive effect of alcohol, and that the sympathetic nervous system is activated by the BP reduction. The levels of the depressor hormones measured also appear to play no role in alcohol-induced hypotension.     

Suppression of the floating-body effect in partially-depleted SOIMOSFETs with SiGe source structure and its mechanism

SiGe layers were formed in source regions of partially-depleted 0.25-μm SOI MOSFETs by Ge implantation, and the floating-body effect was investigated for this SiGe source structure. It is found that the increase of the Ge implantation dosage suppresses kinks in I_d-V_d characteristics and that the kinks disappear for devices with a Ge dose of 3×10¹⁶ cm^-2. The lowering of the drain breakdown voltage and the anomalous decrease of the subthreshold swing are also suppressed with this structure. It is confirmed that this suppression effect originates from the decrease of the current gain for source/channel/drain lateral bipolar transistors (LBJTs) with the SiGe source structure. The temperature dependence of the base current indicates that the decrease of the current gain is ascribed to the bandgap narrowing of the source region     

Systematics for (n,p) excitation functions in the neutron energy between 13.3 and 15.0 MeV

Systematics of (n,p) excitation functions in the neutron energy between 13.3 and 15.0 MeV were studied on the basis of experimental data measured by the Nagoya and Fusion Neutronics Source groups. The empirical formulae of a cross section (σ₁₄) at 14.0 MeV and a relative slope (S) of excitation functions were deduced. These formulae covered the mass range between 19 and 188. The empirical formula of S was expressed as a function of (N—Z)/A and threshold energy, where N, Z and A are the mass, proton and neutron numbers numbers for the target nuclei, respectively. The empirical formula of σ₁₄ was expressed by a simple formula with two fitting parameters. By using the proposed empirical formulae, the partial excitation functions between 13 and 15 MeV were reproduced. Comparing the experimental data with the calculated excitation functions, we concluded that the accuracy of the proposed empirical formulae was ± 20%.     

Microparticle acceleration for hypervelocity experiments by A 3.75MV van de Graaff accelerator and a 100KV electrostatic accelerator in Japan

In-situ dust detectors have been calibrated by dust electrostatic accelerators that can accelerate projectiles to expected mass and velocity ranges of space debris and micrometeoroids. Unfortunately, In Japan, there was no such a facility dedicated to space science research until our research group was established a few years ago. Therefore, we have developed two high voltage accelerators. One is a modified 3.75MV Van de Graaff accelerator operated by High Fluence Irradiation Facility, Research Center for Nuclear Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo (HIT), and the other is a 100kV accelerator dedicated to dust experiment at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). The particle velocity using the HIT Van de Graaff accelerator is higher than those reported in other accelerator facilities under the same particle mass conditions and encompasses the desired velocity range of micro-meteoroid. Time-Of-Flight dust mass spectrometer and Hybrid dust detector which are under development in Japan have been investigated using HIT dust accelerators. We have also constructed a 100kV electrostatic accelerator designed for easier handling and lower cost operation which is dedicated to dust acceleration, because the HIT Van de Graaff accelerator is being used for ion beam experiments mainly.     

DNA topoisomerase II alpha and Ki-67 in human adrenocortical neoplasms: a possible marker of differentiation between adenomas and carcinomas

Cell kinetic information is valuable in evaluating the diagnosis and/or biologic behavior of various human neoplasms. Monoclonal antibody Ki-67 recognizes the cells other than G0 of the cell cycle. A cell cycle-related intranuclear protein, topoisomerase II alpha (topoII alpha), separates chromosomes at the end of mitosis. Its expression is mostly limited to the S to G2/M phases of the cell cycle. We studied cell proliferative activity in adrenocortical adenomas (n = 28), carcinomas (n = 17), and normal adrenal glands (n = 6) by immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67 and topoII alpha to evaluate their value in the diagnosis of adrenocortical malignancy. We detected Ki-67 and topoII alpha immunohistoreactivity in the nuclei of each case we examined. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.927) between the Ki-67 and topoII alpha labeling indexes (LIs), the percentage of positive cells. In normal adrenal cortex and adenoma, the LIs for Ki-67 and topoII alpha were 0.48 +/- 0.16 and 0.44 +/- 0.15 for normal and 0.64 +/- 0.11 and 0.72 +/- 0.12 for adenoma, respectively, with no significant differences in the LIs of adenomas and normal adrenals. The Ki-67 and topoII alpha LIs in the carcinomas were 5.84 +/- 1.33 and 6.13 +/0 1.65, respectively; these LIs were significantly higher than the LIs of adenomas. Eleven of 17 carcinomas demonstrated topoII alpha and Ki-67 LIs of more than 2.5, whereas none of the adenomas did. The topoII alpha and Ki-67 LIs in carcinomas with metastasis (11.21 +/- 3.15 and 9.75 +/- 2.31 respectively; n = 7) were significantly higher than in those without metastasis (2.58 +/- 0.61 and 3.12 +/- 0.90, respectively; n = 10). This indicates that immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67 and topoII alpha could help to differentiate carcinoma from adenoma in resected adrenocortical neoplasms and might predict aggressive biologic behavior in carcinomas.     

直喷汽油(DIG)汽车发动机无声链条系统用温压-高温烧结粉末冶金链轮的开发

作者们以前报导过非直喷汽油 (一般MPI汽油 )发动机滚子链条系统用温压 -常规温度 ( 114 0℃ )烧结的粉末冶金链轮。在这个新开发的项目中 ,研究了几种温压 -高温烧结的粉末冶金钢的力学性能。为测定这些材料的耐磨性 ,用虚拟发动机进行了磨耗试验。最终开发出了可承受严酷磨耗条件的DIG发动机无声链条系统的链轮。使用的基础粉末是混合粉 (DistaloyDC1)。其含 2 %Ni(质量分数 ) ,Ni粉是通过扩散粘结在Fe - 1 5 %Mo(质量分数 )粉末颗粒上的 ,温压是在 130℃下 ,用这种粉末、阴模及模具进行的。烧结温度为 1190℃。链轮还进行了热处理