Characterization of electrode/electrolyte interface for lithium batteries using in situ synchrotron X-ray reflectometry—A new experimental technique for LiCoO2 model electrode

A new experimental technique was developed for detecting structure changes at electrode/electrolyte interface of lithium cell using X-ray reflectometry and two-dimensional model electrodes with a restricted lattice-plane. The electrodes were constructed with an epitaxial film of LiCoO₂ synthesized by pulsed laser deposition method. The orientation of the epitaxial film depends on the substrate plane; the 2D layer of LiCoO₂ is parallel to the SrTiO₃ (1 1 1) substrate (_(0 0 3)LiCoO₂//_(1 1 1)SrTiO₃)$({(003)}_{\text{LiCo}{\text{O}}_2}//{(111)}_{\text{SrTi}{\text{O}}_3})$, while the 2D layer is perpendicular to the SrTiO₃ (1 1 0) substrate (_(1 1 0)LiCoO₂//_(1 1 0)SrTiO₃)$({(110)}_{\text{LiCo}{\text{O}}_2}//{(110)}_{\text{SrTi}{\text{O}}_3})$. The anisotropic properties were confirmed by electrochemical measurements. Ex situ X-ray reflectivity measurements indicated that the impurity layer existed on the as-grown LiCoO₂ was dissolved and a new SEI layer with lower density was formed after soaking into the electrolyte. In situ X-ray reflectivity measurements indicated that the surface roughness of the intercalation (1 1 0) plane increased with applying voltages, while no significant changes in surface morphology were observed for the intercalation non-active (0 0 3) plane during the pristine stage of the charge–discharge process.     

Analysis of imazalil and its major metabolite in citrus fruits by GC-FTD

A simplified simultaneous analytical method of imazalil (IZ) and its major metabolite, alpha-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol (IZM), in citrus fruits was developed, and commodities samples were investigated. A homogenate of citrus fruits was extracted with ethyl acetate under basic conditions. The crude extract was partitioned between 0.025 mol/L of sulfuric acid and ethyl acetate. The analytes were extracted from the aqueous fraction under basic conditions with ethyl acetate. The extract solution was purified with an ENVI-Carb cartridge, and then analyzed by GC-FTD and GC/MS. Recoveries of IZ and IZM added to grapefruit at the level of 0.05 microgram/g were 90.0 and 108.7%, and those in the case of lemon were 100.4 and 93.0%, respectively. The detection limits were 0.01 microgram/g in samples. By this method, IZ and IZM were analyzed in 46 citrus fruits on the market and were detected simultaneously in some samples.     

Determination and confirmation of five phenolic antioxidants in foods by LC/MS and GC/MS

Identification and determination of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), propyl gallate (PG) and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) by means of LC/MS and GC/MS were examined. These five phenolic antioxidants were detected as their pseudo-molecular ions [M-H]- by LC/MS using a Shim-pack FC-ODS column with drying gas. Moreover, BHA, BHT and TBHQ were detected based on their mass fragment ions by GC/MS. Decomposition of TBHQ, NDGA and PG during analysis could be prevented by the addition of L-ascorbic acid (AsA) to the extraction solvent. All five antioxidants were extracted from nikuman, olive oils, peanut butter, pasta sauce and chewing gum with a mixture of acetonitrile-2-propanol-ethanol (2:1:1) containing 0.1% AsA (AsA mixture), which had been cooled in a freezer and filtered. One part filtrate and 5 parts water were mixed and placed on a Mega-Bond Elut C18 cartridge, except in the case of chewing gum. Lipids in foods were removed on a C18 cartridge by washing with 5 mL of 5% acetic acid, and antioxidants were eluted with 5 mL of AsA mixture. The antioxidants spiked into nikuman, olive oil, peanut butter, pasta sauce and chewing gum were successfully identified and their concentrations determined by LC/MS, and GC/MS with good recoveries.     

The role of Alx-4 in the establishment of anteroposterior polarity during vertebrate limb development

We have determined that Strong's Luxoid (lstJ) [corrected] mice have a 16 bp deletion in the homeobox region of the Alx-4 gene. This deletion, which leads to a frame shift and a truncation of the Alx-4 protein, could cause the polydactyly phenotype observed in lstJ [corrected] mice. We have cloned the chick homologue of Alx-4 and investigated its expression during limb outgrowth. Chick Alx-4 displays an expression pattern complementary to that of shh, a mediator of polarizing activity in the limb bud. Local application of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), in addition to ectodermal apical ridge removal experiments suggest the existence of a negative feedback loop between Alx-4 and Shh during limb outgrowth. Analysis of polydactylous mutants indicate that the interaction between Alx-4 and Shh is independent of Gli3, a negative regulator of Shh in the limb. Our data suggest the existence of a negative feedback loop between Alx-4 and Shh during vertebrate limb outgrowth.     

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis treatment

The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with amoxicillin (AMPC), lansoprazole, and plaunotol for the eradication of H. pylori in dialysis patients. The subjects consisted of 15 dialysis patients (10 men and 5 women, mean age of 56 +/- 2.4 years) in whom H. pylori was found in the stomach. H. pylori status was evaluated by histology, culture and rapid urease test with biopsy specimens of the gastric mucosa. The patients were treated with AMPC 500 mg once a day for 3 weeks, lansoprazole 30 mg once a day for 8 weeks and plaunotol 80 mg three times a day for 24 weeks. In addition, the concentrations of serum gastrin and gastric juice ammonia were measured. Fourteen patients completed the treatment schedule, while one discontinued treatment because of nausea and diarrhea. Among the 14 patients, H. pylori was eradicated in 11 without any side effects (eradication rate 78.6%). Concentrations of gastric juice ammonia and serum gastrin were reduced significantly in patients who became H. pylori-negative. The present study indicates that combination therapy with AMPC, lansoprazole and plaunotol is safe and efficient for the eradication of H. pylori in dialysis patients. The results also suggested that elevated concentrations of gastric juice ammonia and serum gastrin in dialysis patients can be attributed, at least in part, to H. pylori infection.     

High concentration of glucose increases mitogenic responsiveness to heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in rat vascular smooth muscle cells

The effect of a high extracellular glucose concentration on the mitogenic response of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) was investigated. The mitogenic effect of HB-EGF was significantly greater in SMCs cultured in high glucose (25 mmol/L) than in cells cultured in low glucose (5.5 mmol/L) or at high osmolarity (5.5 mmol/L glucose plus 19.5 mmol/L mannitol). The mitogenic effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF), which shares the EGF receptor with HB-EGF, was not affected by glucose concentration. The mitogenic effect of HB-EGF was greater when incubated with heparan sulfate (HS) isolated from SMCs cultured in high glucose than with HS from cells cultured in low glucose. HS synthesized by cells in high glucose was of smaller molecular size and less sulfated than HS synthesized by cells in low glucose. The abundance of mRNA encoding HS-N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase (HS-NdAc/NST), a regulatory enzyme in the biosynthesis of HS, was decreased by high glucose in a protein kinase C-independent manner. These observations suggest that the enhanced mitogenic response to HB-EGF in SMCs cultured in high glucose may be attributable to changes in cell-associated HS. Downregulation of HS-NdAc/NST gene expression by high glucose may be related to the altered HS biosynthesis.     

Consideration on the Relationship Between Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Water Content in Fatty Acid Esters

Mineral oil is commonly used as an electrical insulating oil in transformers because of its relatively high electrical insulating ability and fluidity. Considering the depletion of resources and environmental problems, however, fatty acid esters synthesized from natural plant oils are attracting attention as an environmentally friendly insulating oil. In addition, fatty acid esters such as methyl octanoate, methyl dodecanoate, 2-ethylhexyl octanoate, and 2-ethylhexyl dodecanoate have high fluidity, and also show excellent moisture tolerance against dielectric breakdown compared to mineral oil. In the present study, to clarify the reason for the superior moisture tolerance of fatty acid esters, the status of dissolved water in esters is investigated with IR spectroscopic measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is revealed that water molecules in fatty acid esters are trapped by the ester moiety of fatty acid esters. As a result, fatty acid esters have a higher moisture tolerance against dielectric breakdown than mineral oil.     

Short- and long-term strength characteristics of particulate-filled cast epoxy resin

Particulate-filled thermosetting composites are widely used, yet little systematic work has been done on their long-term strength characteristics. In this study short-term tensile, flexural, and impact tests as well as tensile creep-rupture tests were made for unfilled and filled epoxy to clarify the effects of filler size, filler content, and temperature. Fillers used were silica, alumina particles, and glass beads. Test temperatures were varied from 25 to 110°C. As a result of short-term testing, it was found that the Petch relation held between strength and filler size if brittle fracture occurred, while a strength and filler size if brittle fracture occurred, while a strengthening effect existed when ductile fracture occurred. On creeprupture testing, a strengthening is observed with filler size and content for silica and glass beads. The Arrhenius plot of rupture time for various filler sizes and contents converges to a characteristic point corresponding to the glass transition temperature of the material. Using this relation, a modified Larson-Miller master rupture curve is proposed which can predict the long-term strength of particulate-filled thermosetting composites as functions of rupture time, temperature, filler size, and content.     

Effect of the addition of NH4F on anodic behaviors of DSA-type electrodes in H2SO4-(NH4)2SO4 solutions

The effect of NH₄F addition on the high-anodic behaviors of various DSA-type electrodes was investigated in a mixture of sulfuric acid and ammonium sulfate. The pronounced effect of NH₄ addition was observed on DSA-type Ti/RuO₂, Ti/IrO₂?TiO₂ electrodes, but not observed on the other electrodes studied. The close relationship was found between the increment of the electrode potential caused by the NH₄ addition and the quantity of F^? adsorbed on the electrode surface. The effect of NH₄F addition was considered to be resulted from the adsorption of F^? on the electrode surface, and the presence of adsorbed F^? was directly proved.