Repeated temperature modulation epitaxy for p-type doping and light-emitting diode based on ZnO.

Since the successful demonstration of a blue light-emitting diode (LED), potential materials for making short-wavelength LEDs and diode lasers have been attracting increasing interest as the demands for display, illumination and information storage grow. Zinc oxide has substantial advantages including large exciton binding energy, as demonstrated by efficient excitonic lasing on optical excitation. Several groups have postulated the use of p-type ZnO doped with nitrogen, arsenic or phosphorus, and even p-n junctions. However, the choice of dopant and growth technique remains controversial and the reliability of p-type ZnO is still under debate. If ZnO is ever to produce long-lasting and robust devices, the quality of epitaxial layers has to be improved as has been the protocol in other compound semiconductors. Here we report high-quality undoped films with electron mobility exceeding that in the bulk. We have used a new technique to fabricate p-type ZnO reproducibly. Violet electroluminescence from homostructural p-i-n junctions is demonstrated at room-temperature.     

Over 1.3 /spl mu/m CW laser emission from InGaSb quantum-dot vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser on GaAs substrate

An Sb-based quantum-dot vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (QD-VCSEL) operating in the 1.3 /spl mu/m optical communication waveband is presented. A QD-VCSEL containing high-density InGaSb QDs in the active region is fabricated on GaAs substrate. The density of InGaSb QDs is drastically increased using a new method of an Si atom irradiation technique. A long-wavelength laser emission at 1.34 /spl mu/m is successfully achieved on the InGaSb QD-VCSEL in CW operation at room temperature.     

Possibility of closed loop material recycling for fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites

It becomes significantly important to preserve ecological balance of the earth and protect the environment from getting worse. One of the urgent issues to be tackled will be to develop and establish recycling technology for polymeric composite materials. The expression of recycling technology in this case is that after the life of industrial products of fiber reinforced thermoplastic (FRTP) is completed, instead of being thrown away as wastes, they are reused as a raw material for new applications. An additional goal is that of saving valuable resources and not consuming further energy. This paper deals with a possibility of closed-loop recycling technologies for FRTP. The key factor is the fiber length which is expected to reduce in each recycling step. Materials tested here are continuous FRTPs, long FRTPs, short FRTPs, and powder reinforced plastics. The effect of fiber length on the reinforcing mechanism is first examined. The correlation between outdoor exposure test and accelerated weathering test is the second subject to covered. The third subject is to make clear the influence of crushing and heat history which are inevitable during each recycling stage. Throughout the above investigation, the concept of closed-loop recycling technologies has been established, although it is still in a preliminary stage.Abbreviations FRTP fiber reinforced thermoplastic - C-, L-, S-, P-FRTP continuous-, long-, short-FRTP, powder-RTP - FRP fiber reinforced thermosetting plastic - UD unidirectional - PP polypropylene - CF carbon fiber - GF glass fiber - V _f volume fraction of fiber     

Optimization of excimer-forming two-probe nucleic acid hybridization method with pyrene as a fluorophore

A previously presented homogeneous assay method, named the excimer-forming two-probe nucleic acid hybridization (ETPH) method, is based on specific excimer formation between two pyrenes attached at the neighboring terminals of two sequential probe oligonucleotides complementary to a single target. In this study, we investigated assay conditions and optimal molecular design of probes for intense excimer emission using a pyrenemethyliodoacetamide-introduced 16mer probe, a pyrene butanoic acid-introduced 16merprobe and a target 32mer. The length of the linker between the pyrene residue and the terminal sugar moiety remarkably influenced the quantum efficiency of excimer emission; the pair of linker arms of these two probes was optimal. The quantum efficiency was also dependent upon the concentrations of dimethylformamide and NaCl added to the assay solution. Spectroscopic measurements and T m analysis showed that an optimal configuration of the two pyrene residues for intense excimer emission might be affected by pyrene-pyrene interaction, pyrene-duplex interaction (intercalation/stacking) and solvent conditions as a whole. We then demonstrated the practicality of the ETPH method with the optimal hybridization conditions thus attained by determining that the concentration of 16S rRNA in extracts from Vibrio mimicus ATCC 33655 cells in exponential growth phase is 18 500 16S rRNA molecules/cell on average.     

Drivers' Mental Representation of Travel Time and Departure Time Choice in Uncertain Traffic Network Conditions

The decisions drivers make, such as choice of route or departure time, constitute typical decision making under uncertainty. Drivers' decision making has been studied within the framework of expected utility theory. However, empirical decisional phenomena violating the premise of expected utility theory have been observed repeatedly. These findings have indicated that decision making is critically affected by the decision frame. It has also been pointed out that the uncertainty of outcome is perceived as an interval of possible resultant values. Based on these findings, we propose hypotheses that: (1) a driver perceives an uncertain travel time as an interval, and (2) a driver decides on a departure time based on a decision frame edited by this interval. To test these hypotheses, we collected data on drivers' departure time choice behavior, n = 335. Decisional phenomena found in this study confirm our hypotheses.     

Isolation of bioactive compounds from Helix aspersa nerve tissue and the effect of pQPPLPRYamide on heart, esophagus and central neurons of H. aspersa and rectum of Anodonta woodiana

1. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is implicated in the pathogenesis of many pulmonary and airway diseases. TNF-alpha stimulation may release interleukin-8 (IL-8) in airways mediated via an increase in intracellular oxidant stress. In the present study, we have assessed leukosequestration and IL-8 release in the airways in response to intratracheal administration of human recombinant TNF-alpha, and examined the modulatory role of endogenous NO by pretreatment with a NO synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). 2. TNF-alpha (10(2)-10(-4) u) was administered intratracheally in male guinea-pigs which were anaesthetized with urethane and were ventilated artificially. TNF-alpha induced a time- and dose-related increase in neutrophil numbers and a concomitant increase in human IL-8 equivalent level retrieved from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) with the peak effect at 10(3) u at 6 h of TNF-alpha injection (late phase). Intratracheal administration of recombinant human (rh)IL-8 (0.025, 0.25, 2.5 ng) producing a similar range of human IL-8 equivalent levels in BAL as measured in our results induced neutrophil recovery in BAL fluid to a similar extent. Administration of anti-IL-8 antibody prevented the late phase of neutrophil recruitment induced by TNF-alpha or rhIL-8. 3. Pretreatment with L-NAME significantly enhanced the TNF-alpha (10(3) u)-induced neutrophil recruitment and human IL-8 equivalents production at 6 h, but not at 1 h of TNF-alpha administration (early phase). L-Arginine reversed the responses to L-NAME. Pretreatment with 0.2% DMSO (i.v.) significantly inhibited TNF-alpha-induced neutrophil recruitment and human IL-8 equivalents release both in the early and late phase of the responses. Pretreatment with DMSO also inhibited the enhancement effect of L-NAME on the late phase of TNF-alpha-induced responses. DMSO failed to modify exogenous rhIL-8-induced neutrophil recruitment. Neither L-NAME nor DMSO alone induced any significant change in neutrophil numbers or human IL-8 equivalent level in BAL fluid. 4. Neutrophil depletion by cyclophosphamide pretreatment failed to modify TNF-alpha-induced human IL-8 equivalent release. 5. The expression of beta 2-integrin, CD11b/CD18 on neutrophils was increased only in the late but not early phase of TNF-alpha stimulation. L-NAME failed to modify these responses. 6. In conclusion, we demonstrated that NO may be an important endogenous inhibitor of TNF-alpha-induced leukocyte chemotaxis via inhibition of IL-8 production. Thus, the production of NO in airway inflammatory diseases may play a negative feedback role in self-limiting the magnitude of inflammatory responses.     

ON THE SPECIFIC RESISTANCE OF CAKES OF MICROORGANISMS

The mean specific resistance of the cakes of various microorganisms was evaluated by measurement of either a change in the amount of permeate with time or of steady-state flux under constant pressure. The mean specific resistance was different with different shapes and sizes of microorganisms. The large differences arose from different packing structures of the cake. The effect of a filter aid on the filtration rate and cake structure was studied experimentally and theoretically. The effects of a filter aid were best explained by a series model, in which a cake layer composed of microbial cells and a layer of randomly distributed microbial cells and filter aid are packed on the membrane surface in series with respect to the directions of permeation.     

Electron capture in Iq+ (q = 10–41) + He collisions at low energies

One electron capture processes in I^q+ (q = 10–41) +He collisions at low energies have been investigated. It is found that total cross sections for one-electron capture processes increase roughly linearly with increasing charge q of the incident ions and also increase with the square of the crossing radius R_c of the diabatic potential energy curves where the electron transfer takes place. These smooth increases are in contrast to those observed for ions with low charge q < 10.     

Real-time IR and mass spectroscopic study of the reaction process of WF6 and a-Si:H:F

The deposition process of W from WF₆ onto a-Si:H:F film was studied by polarization modulation IR spectroscopy combined with quadruple mass spectrometry. The IR spectrum of the a-Si:H:F film formed by the spontaneous chemical deposition method (deposition temperature 373 K) showed that such fluorinated and hydrogenated Si species as —SiF₂, —SiF₂H and —SiH₂ were incorporated in the film. The lowest temperature at which W was deposited was 403 K. The intensity reduction of the IR bands due to the hydrogenated and fluorinated Si species as well as the evolutionary behaviour of the reaction products SiF₄ and H₂ depended upon the reaction temperature. At temperature between 403 K and 423 K, the IR band intensity of the —SiH₂ species remained unchanged in early stages of WF₆ exposure, while the bands due to —SiF₂ and —SiF₂H species decreased linearly with exposure time. No evolution of H₂ was observed as long as the —SiH₂ species remained unchanged, through SiF₄ evolved into the gas phase just after the beginning of the exposure. These results suggest that WF₆ reacts preferentially with the fluorinated silicon species in the films.     

Diffusion of aluminum into silicon nitride films

Aluminum diffusion into silicon nitride films at temperatures in the range 450–530°C was studied by Auger electron spectroscopy in conjunction with depth profiling. The activation energy for the diffusion of aluminum and the diffusion coefficient were found to be 2.0±0.3 eV and (7.3±3.5) x 10^-3 cm² s^-1, respectively. The chemical effects in the KLL aluminum Auger spectra together with the compositional depth profiles suggest that the migration of aluminum is dominated by volume diffusion which involves the reaction of aluminum with oxygen.