Pre-treatment of sperm reduces success of ICSI in the pig

In pigs, although ICSI is a feasible fertilization technique, its efficiency is low. In general, injected pig sperm are insufficient to induce oocyte activation and embryonic development. Pretreatments for disrupting sperm membranes have been applied to improve the fertility of ICSI oocytes; however, we hypothesize that such pretreatment(s) may reduce the ability of the sperm to induce oocyte activation. We first evaluated the effects of sperm pretreatments (sonication (SO) to isolate the sperm heads from the tails, Triton X-100 (TX), and three cycles of repeated freezing/thawing (3×-FT) for disrupting sperm membranes) on the rate of pronucleus (PN) formation after ICSI. We found that oocytes injected with control (whole) sperm had higher rates of PN formation than those obtained after subjecting the sperm to SO, TX, and 3×-FT. The amounts of phospholipase Cζ (PLCζ), which is thought to be the oocyte-activating factor in mammalian sperm, in sperm treated by each method was significantly lower than that in whole untreated sperm. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence, it was found that in pig sperm, PLCζ was localized to both the post-acrosomal region and the tail area. Thus we demonstrated for the first time that sperm pretreatment leads to a reduction of oocyte-activating capacity. Our data also show that in addition to its expected localization to the sperm head, PLCζ is also localized in the tail of pig sperm, thus raising the possibility that injection of whole sperm may be required to attain successful activation in pigs.     

Synthesis of one-dimensional potassium tungsten bronze with excellent near-infrared absorption property

Potassium tungsten oxide nanofibers were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal reaction route in the presence of sulfate. After reduction under a reductive atmosphere of H(2)(5 vol %)/N(2), the potassium tungsten oxide transformed to potassium tungsten bronze. Because of the lack of free electrons, the potassium tungsten oxide (K(x)WO(3+x/2)) showed no NIR shielding performance; however, the potassium tungsten bronze (K(x)WO(3)) showed promising optical characteristics such as high transmittance for visible light, as well as high shielding performance for near-infrared lights, indicating its potential application as a solar filter. Meanwhile, the potassium tungsten bronze (K(x)WO(3)) showed strong absorption of near-infrared light and instantaneous conversion of photoenergy to heat.     

Gas detection by structural variations of fluorescent guest molecules in a flexible porous coordination polymer

The development of a new methodology for visualizing and detecting gases is imperative for various applications. Here, we report a novel strategy in which gas molecules are detected by signals from a reporter guest that can read out a host structural transformation. A composite between a flexible porous coordination polymer and fluorescent reporter distyrylbenzene (DSB) selectively adsorbed CO? over other atmospheric gases. This adsorption induced a host transformation, which was accompanied by conformational variations of the included DSB. This read-out process resulted in a critical change in DSB fluorescence at a specific threshold pressure. The composite shows different fluorescence responses to CO? and acetylene, compounds that have similar physicochemical properties. Our system showed, for the first time, that fluorescent molecules can detect gases without any chemical interaction or energy transfer. The host-guest coupled transformations play a pivotal role in converting the gas adsorption events into detectable output signals.     

A bona fide two-dimensional percolation model: an insight into the optimum photoactivator concentration in La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 nanosheets

La–Eu solid solution nanosheets La_2/3−xEu_xTa₂O₇ have been synthesized, and their photoluminescence properties have been investigated. La_2/3−xEu_xTa₂O₇ nanosheets were prepared from layered perovskite compounds Li₂La_2/3−xEu_xTa₂O₇ as the precursors by soft chemical exfoliation reactions. Both the precursors and the exfoliated nanosheets exhibit a decrease in intralayer lattice parameters as the Eu contents increase. However, there is a discontinuity in this trend between the nominal Eu content ranges x≤ 0.3 and x ≥ 0.4. This discontinuity is attributed to the difference in degree of TaO₆ octahedra tilting for the La- and Eu-rich phases. La_2/3−xEu_xTa₂O₇ nanosheets exhibit red emission, characteristic of the f–f transitions in Eu³⁺ photoactivators. The photoluminescence emission can be obtained from both host and direct photoactivator excitation. However, photoluminescence emission through host excitation is much more dominant than that through direct photoactivator excitation, and this behavior is consistent with that of all the other rare-earth photoactivated nanosheets reported previously. The absolute photoluminescence quantum efficiency of the La_2/3−xEu_xTa₂O₇ nanosheets increases as the experimentally determined Eu contents increase up to x=0.45 and decrease above it. This result is in good agreement with the optimum photoactivator concentration expected from the percolation theory. These solid solution La_2/3−xEu_xTa₂O₇ nanosheets are excellent models for validating the theory of optimum photoactivator concentration in the truly two-dimensional photoactivator matrix.     

Co-precipitation synthesis and characterization of NiO-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 nanocomposite powders: effect of precipitation agents

NiO-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 (NiO-SDC) nanocomposite powders applied as promising anode material for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) were synthesized by hydroxide co-precipitation method using NH3 x H2O, NaOH and NH3 x H2O + NaOH as precipitation agents. The crystal phases, morphologies and sintering behavior of the synthesized NiO-SDC nanocomposite powders were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and sintering experiments. The effect of precipitation agents on the synthesis of the NiO-SDC nanocomposite powders was discussed. Results show that different precipitation agents influence greatly the synthesis and characteristics of the NiO-SDC nanocomposite powders. The NiO-SDC nanocomposite powders synthesized with NH3 x H2O deviate from the original composition due to the loss of Ni. The loss of Ni is avoided and nano-sized NiO-SDC composite powders are synthesized, when NaOH and NH3 x H2O + NaOH are used as precipitation agents. The NiO-SDC nanocomposite powders can be synthesized at relatively low temperature using NH3 x H2O + NaOH as precipitation agent, and the synthesized NiO-SDC nanocomposite powders show good sintering characteristics.     

Structural advantages of rectangular-like channel cross-section on electrical characteristics of silicon nanowire field-effect transistors

We have experimentally demonstrated structural advantages due to rounded corners of rectangular-like cross-section of silicon nanowire (SiNW) field-effect transistors (FETs) on on-current (I_ON), inversion charge density normalized by a peripheral length of channel cross-section (Q_inv) and effective carrier mobility (μ_eff). The I_ON was evaluated at the overdrive voltage (V_OV) of 1.0 V, which is the difference between gate voltage (V_g) and the threshold voltage (V_th), and at the drain voltage of 1.0 V. The SiNW nFETs have revealed high I_ON of 1600 μA/μm of the channel width (w_NW) of 19 nm and height (h_NW) of 12 nm with the gate length (L_g) of 65 nm. We have separated the amount of on-current per wire at V_OV = 1.0 V to a corner component and a flat surface component, and the contribution of the corners was nearly 60% of the total I_ON of the SiNW nFET with L_g of 65 nm. Higher Q_inv at V_OV = 1.0 V evaluated by advanced split-CV method was obtained with narrower SiNW FET, and it has been revealed the amount of inversion charge near corners occupied 50% of all the amount of inversion charge of the SiNW FET (w_NW = 19 nm and h_NW = 12 nm). We also obtained high μ_eff of the SiNW FETs compared with that of SOI planar nFETs. The μ_eff at the corners of SiNW FET has been calculated with the separated amount of inversion charge and drain conductance. Higher μ_eff around corners is obtained than the original μ_eff of the SiNW nFETs. The higher μ_eff and the large fractions of I_ON and Q_inv around the corners indicate that the rounded corners of rectangular-like cross-sections play important roles on the enhancement of the electrical performance of the SiNW nFETs.     

Thermal desorption of helium from defects in nickel

Helium atoms, introduced into materials by helium plasma or generated by the (n, α) nuclear reaction, have a strong tendency to accumulate at trapping sites such as vacancy clusters and dislocations. In this paper, the effects of dislocations, single vacancies and vacancy clusters on the retention and desorption of helium atoms in nickel were studied. Low energy (0.1-0.15 keV) helium atoms were implanted in nickel with vacancies or dislocations without causing any displacement damage. He atoms, interstitial-type dislocation loops, and vacancy clusters were also introduced with irradiation damage by 5.0 keV helium ions. Helium thermal desorption peaks from dislocations, helium-vacancy clusters and helium bubbles were obtained by thermal desorption spectroscopy at 940 K, in the range from 900 to 1370 K, and at 1500 K, respectively. In addition, a thermally quasi-stable state was found for helium-vacancy clusters.     

Control strategies for transients of hydrogen production plant in VHTR cogeneration systems

Operability of Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) hydrogen cogeneration systems in response to abnormal transients initiated by the hydrogen production plant is one of the important concerns from economical and safety points of views. The abnormal events in the hydrogen production plant could initiate load changes and induce temperature variations in a primary cooling system. Excessive temperature increase in the primary cooling system would cause reactor scrams since the temperature increase in the primary cooling system is restricted in order to prevent undue thermal stresses from reactor structures. Also, temperature decrease has a potential propagation path for reactor scrams by reactivity insertions as a consequence of the reactivity feedbacks. Since suspensions of reactor operation and electricity generation should be avoided even in case of abnormal events in the hydrogen production plant from an economical point of view, an establishment of a control scheme against abnormal transients of hydrogen production plant is required for plant system design.In the present study, basic controls and their integration for the GTHTR300C, a VHTR cogeneration system designed by JAEA with a direct Brayton cycle power conversion unit and thermochemical Iodine-Sulfur process hydrogen production plant (IS hydrogen production plant), against abnormal transients of IS hydrogen production plant are presented. Transient simulations for selected load change events in the IS hydrogen production plants are performed by an original system analysis code which enables to evaluate major phenomena assumed in process heat exchangers of the IS hydrogen production plant.It is shown that abnormal load change events are successfully simulated by the system analysis code developed. The results demonstrated the technical feasibility of proposed controls for continuous operation of the reactor and power conversion unit against load change events in the IS hydrogen production plant.