NiCoFe/C cathode electrocatalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells

A direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC), which is less prone to ethanol crossover, is reported. The cell consists of PtRu/C catalyst as the anode, Nafion^® 117 membrane, and Ni–Co–Fe (NCF) composite catalyst as the cathode. The NCF catalyst was synthesized by mixing Ni, Co, and Fe complexes into a polymer matrix (melamine-formaldehyde resins), followed by heating the mixture at 800 °C under inert atmosphere. TEM and EDX experiments suggest that the NCF catalyst has alloy structures of Ni, Co and Fe. The catalytic activity of the NCF catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was compared with that of commercially available Pt/C (CAP) catalyst at different ethanol concentrations. The decrease in open circuit voltage (V_oc) of the DEFC equipped with the NCF catalysts was less than that of CAP catalyst at higher ethanol concentrations. The NCF catalyst was less prone to ethanol oxidation at cathode even when ethanol crossover occurred through the Nafion^®117 film, which prevents voltage drop at the cathode. However, the CAP catalyst did oxidize ethanol at the cathode and caused a decrease in voltage at higher ethanol concentrations.     

Micro-computerized tomographic observation of the spinning apparatus in Bombyx mori silkworms

Silkworms and spiders have evolved complex spinning apparatus thought to use highly controlled conditions to optimize protein folding and crystallization to provide a tough fiber. Accordingly, the structure and function of the natural spinning apparatus has been studied with great attention as an interesting piece of biological engineering with potential for mimicry in an industrial process. However it is still not well understood. Here we used Micro-Computerized Tomographic equipment (mCT) to visualize the three-dimensional structure of the spinning apparatus in Bombyx mori silkworms. Multidirectional tomograms obtained by X-ray radioscopy provided valuable information on the detailed arrangement of each muscle of the silk press. It is suggested that the duct in the silk press part plays a part as an extrusion die whose cross-sectional area can be controlled by muscles to optimize applied stresses in the partially gelled silk within its lumen.     

Conditional Data Mapping Flip-Flops for Low-Power and High-Performance Systems

This paper introduces a new family of low-power and high-performance flip-flops, namely conditional data mapping flip-flops (CDMFFs), which reduce their dynamic power by mapping their inputs to a configuration that eliminates redundant internal transitions. We present two CDMFFs, having differential and single-ended structures, respectively, and compare them to the state-of-the-art flip-flops. The results indicate that both CDMFFs have the best power-delay product in their groups, respectively. In the aspect of power dissipation, the single-ended and differential CDMFFs consume the least power at data activity less than 50%, and are 31% and 26% less power than the conditional capture flip-flops at 25% data activity, respectively. In the aspect of performance, CDMFFs achieve small data-to-output delays, comparable to those of the transmission-gate pulsed latch and the modified-sense-amplifier flip-flop. In the aspect of timing reliability, CDMFFs have the best internal race immunity among pulse-triggered flip-flops. A post-layout case study is demonstrated with comparison to a transmission-gate flip-flop. The results indicate the single-ended CDMFF has 34% less in data-to-output delay and 28% less in power at 25% data activity, in spite of the 34% increase in size     

Breed differences in the histochemical properties of the M. pubo-ischio-femoralis pars medialis myofibre of domestic cocks

1. Histochemical properties of M. pubo-ischio-femoralis pars medialis (PIF muscle) were compared in 7 breeds of cocks. This muscle was largely composed of Type I fibres and their transitional form (Type I tr). Type IIA fibres were observed in the cranial part. 2. The weight and cross-sectional area of the PIF muscle increased with increasing body weight. However, the relative muscle development to body weight differed among the 7 breeds. 3. A quarter of Type I fibres were of the transitional variety in bantam fowls. Conversely, few, if any, Type I tr fibres were observed in the large breeds where the muscle was poorly developed. 4. As the histochemical properties of Type I fibres made an effective response to the different body weights and the relative PIF muscle development among breeds, it was concluded that PIF muscle performed an important function in supporting the body weight and maintaining posture.     

Pulmonary sequestration receiving arterial supply from the right coronary artery. A case report

Pulmonary sequestration is a relatively rare anomaly. The arterial supply usually is derived from the aorta or its major branches. We present a 65-year-old female patient with pulmonary sequestration receiving arterial supply from the right coronary artery, complicated with sick sinus syndrome.     

Reduced order model predictive control for constrained discrete‐time linear systems

A reduced order model predictive control (MPC) is discussed for constrained discrete‐time linear systems. By employing a decomposition method for finite‐horizon linear systems, an MPC law is obtained from a reduced order optimization problem. The decomposition enables us to construct pairs of initial state and control sequence which have large influence on system responses, and it also characterizes the standard LQ control. The MPC law is obtained based on a combination of the LQ control and dominant input sequences over the prediction horizon. The proposed MPC method is illustrated with numerical examples. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Taxonomy for protective ability of rust layer using its composition formed on weathering steel bridge

For a quantitative evaluation of the protectiveness of a rust layer formed on a weathering steel bridge, the relationship between the corrosion rate of the bridge and the composition of the rust layers formed on the girders was first investigated. These corrosion rates were clearly classified by the protective ability index (PAI) of α/γ^∗ and (β + s)/γ^∗, where α, γ^∗, β and s are the mass ratio of crystalline α-FeOOH, the total of γ-FeOOH, β-FeOOH and the spinel-type iron oxide (mainly Fe₃O₄), β-FeOOH and spinel-type iron oxide, analyzed by XRD, respectively. The inequality of the former index α/γ^∗ > 1 expressed the protectiveness criterion of the rust layer, while that of the latter index, (β + s)/γ^∗< 0.5 or > 0.5, classified the corrosion rate of the non-protective rust layer. The PAI is useful for a quantitative evaluation of the protectiveness of a rust layer formed on a weathering steel bridge and is an important item for the corrosion assessment of the bridge.     

Screening of Inhibitors Targeting Heat Shock Protein 47 Involved in the Development of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, is causally related to fibrotic diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The identification of Compounds that interfere with the HSP47-collagen interaction is essential for the development of relevant therapeutics. Herein, we prepared human HSP47 as a soluble fusion protein expressed in E. coli and established an assay system for HSP47 inhibitor screening. We screened a natural and synthetic Compound library established at Nagasaki University. Among 1023 Compounds, 13 exhibited inhibitory activity against human HSP47, of which three inhibited its function in a dose-dependent manner. Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, one of these three Compounds, is a typical polyphenol Compound derived from tea leaves. Structurally related Compounds were synthesized and examined for their activity, revealing a hydroxyl group at A-ring position 5 as important for its activity. The present findings provide valuable insight for the development of natural product-derived therapeutics for fibrotic diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.     

Formation of jennite from fumed silica

Hydrothermal reactions of fumed silica with lime at 80°C were studied at starting Ca/Si of 0.8–2.0 and water/solid ratio of 20 by weight under periods of reaction time from 10 to 100 days.In the early ages of reaction, CSH having weak and diffuse basal reflections between 10–15Å was formed. On prolonging the reaction, CSH from the starting Ca/Si of 1.2–1.5 crystallised to jennite, and that from the starting Ca/Si of 0.9 to 14Å tobermorite.Lattice parameters were determined on the well crystalline jennite obtained by the reaction for 100 days at the starting Ca/Si of 1.4; i.e. a_o 10.59, b_o 7.21, c_o 10.82Å, α 99.60°, β 97.78°, γ 109.85°. Its crystals were lath-like elongated parallel to b with (001) cleavage.It was confirmed that the synthetic jennite was converted to meta-jennite by losing a part of its water on heating in air at 90°C. At higher temperatures it became poorly crystalline, and then crystallised to β-CaSiO₃ and β-Ca₂SiO₄ at 800°C.     

Gas absorption in laminar falling films of pseudoplastic liquids

Gas absorption into laminar falling films of power-law liquids was studied theoretically and experimentally. The convective-diffusion equation was solved by the method of separation of variables and the analytical solution for the average Sherwood number was obtained as a function of the Graetz number and the power-law index of the liquid. Experiments were carried out on the absorption of pure carbon dioxide, hydrogen and helium into aqueous kaolin slurries by using a long wetted-wall column and the average absorption rates were measured as a function of the mass flow rate of the liquid. The experimental results were in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.