Ordered fullerene nanocylinders in large-diameter carbon nanotubes

A new ordered fullerene phase encapsulated by large-diameter CNTs is systematically investigated by combining a growth technique by chemical vapour deposition, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and molecular-dynamics simulations. In contrast to fullerenes in smaller (1-2?nm) diameter CNTs, where fullerenes are packed in linear or helical chains, fullerenes form a nanoscale cylinder in double-walled CNTs with diameters of ～4?nm. The fullerenes were shown to form a nanocylinder with a side wall that resembled the (111) plane of solid C(60). This ordered phase is different from peapods or fullerene solids known so far, and a result of the interaction between the CNT wall and fullerenes. This finding will open up a new field of fullerene science.     

Development of mechanical cryocoolers for the Japanese IR space telescope SPICA

The next Japanese infrared space telescope SPICA features a large 3.5-m-diameter primary mirror and an optical bench cooled to 4.5 K with advanced mechanical cryocoolers and effective radiant cooling instead of using a massive and short-lived cryogen system. To obtain a sufficient thermal design margin for the cryogenic system, cryocoolers for 20 K, 4 K, and 1 K have been modified for higher reliability and higher cooling power. The latest results show that all mechanical cryocoolers achieve sufficient cooling capacity for the cooling requirement of the telescope and detectors on the optical bench at the beginning of life. Consequently, the feasibility of the SPICA cryogenic system concept was validated, while attempts to achieve higher reliability, higher cooling capacity and less vibration have continued for stable operations at the end of life.     

The effects of La2O3 on the structural properties of La2O3–Al2O3 prepared by the sol–gel method and on the catalytic performance of Pt/La2O3–Al2O3 towards steam reforming and partial oxidation of methane

The effect of La₂O₃ content on the structural properties and catalytic behavior of Pt/xLa₂O₃–Al₂O₃ catalysts in steam reforming of methane and partial oxidation of methane was investigated. There was a decrease in the density of Pt sites with the increase of La₂O₃ loadings according to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed CO and to dehydrogenation of cyclohexane results. However, transmission electron microscopy data indicates an opposite trend. This apparent disagreement could be due to the partial coverage of Pt sites by LaO_x species. CH₄ turnover rates and specific rates of steam reforming of methane increased for higher La₂O₃ loadings. The Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst was strongly deactivated during partial oxidation of methane, while La₂O₃-containing catalysts exhibited higher stability. The increase of activity observed during the reactions was ascribed to the ability of the [LaPt_xO]Pt⁰-like species to promote the gasification of coke. This cleaning mechanism led to higher accessibility of the active sites to CH₄.     

Effects of Friction and Thickness on Long-Term Consolidation Behavior of Osaka Bay Clays

The objective of this study is to empirically clarify the scale effect in long-term consolidation behavior. Frictional pressure loss arising at the interface between the consolidation ring and the specimen must be considered, when the specimen thickness increases. This study uses a special oedometer that can evaluate the quantity of the frictional pressure loss. Incremental loading oedometer tests are carried out in order to evaluate the frictional pressure loss in the normal oedometer test using a specimen with a height of 20 mm. The frictional pressure loss ratio generally exceeds 0.2 when the consolidation pressure is less than approximately 300 kPa, rather than the overconsolidation range. Consequently, a series of inter-connected type consolidation tests, in which the frictional pressure loss can be minimized by limiting the thickness of each specimen element, are carried out in order to investigate the scale effect of the specimen thickness in the range of 20-200 mm. The end of primary consolidation (EOP) can be clearly identified in the excess pore pressure dissipation. The law of squared H is essentially valid for the pore water pressure dissipation. However, the EOP becomes unclear in the strains when the specimen thickness decreases. The compressive strain at the EOP stays constant or slightly increases with the specimen thickness.     

Strain Rate Effect on Long-Term Consolidation of Osaka Bay Clay

The consolidation characteristics of clay, based on the isotache concept in which the strain rate effect is considered, have been studied by many researchers. Most of these studies are aimed at calculating the secondary consolidation with high accuracy in order to evaluate the long-term settlement of large structures. In this study, as the first step toward improving the accuracy of the evaluation of long-term settlement at the Kansai International Airport, the consolidation characteristics of Osaka Bay clay are examined and organized based on the isotache concept. This study proposes a simplified model based on the isotache concept by using a compression curve and the relationship between the consolidation yield stress and the strain rate. The former and the latter are obtained from the constant rate of strain consolidation (CRS) tests and long term consolidation (LT) tests, respectively. The latter is expressed by an equation with three isotache parameters. This model is very practical because it requires a minimum of only one CRS test and one LT test. It is widely applicable to the Osaka Bay clay. The isotache parameters used in this model can be commonly determined for the Osaka Bay clays retrieved from various depths at the Kansai International Airport.     

Slow resonance ratio control for vibration suppression anddisturbance rejection in torsional system

In the resonance ratio control, which the authors proposed for vibration suppression and disturbance rejection in a torsional system, the estimation speed of the disturbance observer should have been much faster than the resonance frequency of the controlled system. However, too fast a disturbance observer sometimes causes an implementation problem. In this paper, the authors give the optimal speed of the disturbance observer and propose a novel technique named “slow resonance ratio control”. It does not have any fast part in the controller. It also enables us to design the speed control and the vibration suppression control almost completely independently     

Effect of solvent vapor treatment on photovoltaic properties of conducting polymer/C60 interpenetrating heterojunction structured organic solar cell

The effect of solvent vapor treatment on the characteristics of a photovoltaic cell with a structure of indium–tin–oxide (ITO)/C₆₀/poly (3-hexylthiophene) (PAT6)/Au was studied. Interpenetrating film of C₆₀ and PAT6 fabricated by using chloroform (CF) as a solvent was exposed to vaporized CF atmosphere at different concentrations, temperatures and time periods before an evaporation of metal electrode. Solvent vapor treatment caused an increase in the open-circuit voltage, the fill factor and the external quantum efficiency; these were discussed by taking the surface morphology and crystallinity of the PAT6 layer which underwent a change after it was treated by this method.     

"Chronic psychosocial factors and acute physiological responses to laboratory-induced stress in healthy populations: A quantitative review of 30 years of investigations": Correction to Chida and Hamer (2008).

Reports an error in "Chronic psychosocial factors and acute physiological responses to laboratory-induced stress in healthy populations: A quantitative review of 30 years of investigations" by Yoichi Chida and Mark Hamer (Psychological Bulletin, 2008[Nov], Vol 134[6], 829-885). There is an error in Table 1. On p. 840 the entry for Hill et al. 1987 should be Masters et al. 2004. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2008-14745-003.) This meta-analysis included 729 studies from 161 articles investigating how acute stress responsivity (including stress reactivity and recovery of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, autonomic, and cardiovascular systems) changes with various chronic psychosocial exposures (job stress; general life stress; depression or hopelessness; anxiety, neuroticism, or negative affect; hostility, aggression, or Type-A behavior; fatigue, burnout, or exhaustion; positive psychological states or traits) in healthy populations. In either the overall meta-analysis or the methodologically strong subanalysis, positive psychological states or traits were associated with reduced HPA reactivity. Hostility, aggression, or Type-A behavior was associated with increased cardiovascular (heart rate or blood pressure) reactivity, whereas anxiety, neuroticism, or negative affect was associated with decreased cardiovascular reactivity. General life stress and anxiety, neuroticism, or negative affect were associated with poorer cardiovascular recovery. However, regarding the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system, there were no associations between the chronic psychosocial factors and stress reactivity or recovery. The results largely reflect an integrated stress response pattern of hypo- or hyperactivity depending on the specific nature of the psychosocial background. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)