Impact of Dynamic Interlayer Interactions on Thermal Conductivity of Ca3Co4O9

The phonon thermal conductivity of misfit-layered Ca₃Co₄O₉ has been calculated by perturbed molecular dynamics using a classical force field. Detailed numerical analyses reveal that, in spite of its smaller cross-sectional area, the CoO₂ layer transports more heat than the thicker rock salt (RS) layer, although its local thermal conduction is more suppressed than in another layered cobaltite, Na _x CoO₂. The origins of these differences have been elucidated through careful examination of the atomic arrangements in each layer. Since thermal conduction in the RS layer can be reduced without deteriorating electronic properties for which the CoO₂ layer is responsible, it is suggested that the RS layer should be modified to further suppress the overall in-plane thermal conductivity. Computational experiments with increasing number of Ca–O planes in the RS layer showed the opposite trend to what can be predicted based on the misfit between two dissimilar layers. Further analyses to reveal the origin of these unexpected results provide yet another strategy to further decrease the thermal conductivity, namely to control the dynamic interference between atoms across the interface between two layers.     

Anti-mitogenic effects of sarpogrelate in cultured rat mesangial cells

We investigated the effects of the new 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, sarpogrelate, on DNA synthesis in renal mesangial cells stimulated with 5-HT in the presence and absence of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. Both 5-HT and PDGF-BB demonstrated a mitogenic effect on these cells. When mesangial cells were incubated in the absence of PDGF-BB, sarpogrelate inhibited DNA synthesis in these cells in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of PDGF-BB, sarpogrelate had a weaker anti-mitogenic effect in mesangial cells stimulated with 5-HT. Sarpogrelate was cytotoxic at concentrations over 10(-5) M according to the results of LDH release assays, and it reduced the S1 phase in mesangial cells stimulated with 5-HT by a flow cytometry. These findings suggest that sarpogrelate may be effective in the treatment of some glomerulonephritis associated with mesangial cell proliferation.     

Gas analysis of the CVD process for high yield growth of carbon nanotubes over metal-supported catalysts

Changes in the gas composition during the methane chemical vapor deposition growth of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes over metal-supported MgO catalysts were investigated in an attempt to increase the nanotube yield. Monitoring the gas composition by gas chromatography as a function of the reaction time provides information on the activity and lifetime of the catalyst. The degree of methane decomposition, i.e., the C-H bond dissociation, was closely related to the nanotube yield, and the Fe-Mo binary catalyst exhibited a high activity. The effects of water vapor on the catalytic nanotube growth were also studied by introducing water vapor in the inlet gas. An appropriate amount of water prolonged the lifetime of the catalyst and increased the nanotube yield by 35%.     

Development of Nb-Ti cable with ultrafine filament and high-resistivity matrix for ac use

Superconducting ac machines such as transformers and reactors are expected to have an important role in future electric power transport lines. In these machines, superconducting coils are wound with superconducting cables that have low ac loss, stable ac quenching current, and high normal resistivity. We have developed Nb-Ti superconducting cables with ultrafine filaments and high-resistivity matrix for these coils. One such cable is a double-stranded round structure using 0.2-mm strands with 0.14-μm filaments and Cu-30wt%Ni as a matrix material. The 50-Hz quenching current without external magnetic field exceeds 1400 Arms. The ac loss is 15 kW/m³ at a transverse external magnetic field of 0.5 T, 50 Hz, and the normal resistivity is 0.21 Ω/m at 0 T, 10 K. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 120(2): 8–18, 1997     

Gate effect of vacancy-type defect of fullerene cages on metal-atom migrations in metallofullerenes

Metal-atom migration outside from a defective fullerene cage of a metallofullerene Gd@C(82) (Ca@C(82)), where the Gd(3+) (Ca(2+)) ion is incorporated inside the C(2)(v)()-C(82) cage, is discussed in detail at the B3LYP DFT level of theory. The metal-atom migrations are initiated by the formation of vacancy-type defects involving two coordinatively unsaturated C atoms. This step, which is assumed to proceed due to energy-particle irradiation, leads to the formation of antibonding orbitals between the two C atoms. Since the antibonding orbitals can interact with vacant d-orbitals of the Gd(3)(+)() ion in an in-phase fashion, the attractive interactions allow the Gd ion to insert into the two C atoms in the defect. As a result, the metal ion passes through the defect under energy-particle irradiation. In contrast, the Ca(2+) ion with the vacant s-orbitals does not have such orbital interactions, and thus, a C-C bond is reformed between the two C atoms, which prohibits the Ca ion from penetrating the defected C(82) cage. DFT calculations nicely demonstrate that the orbital interactions control metal-atom migration around the defect site using their orbital symmetries, and therefore, the vacancy-type defect acts as a "gate" that permits a specific atom to go out from a defected fullerene cage.     

Mechanically durable and highly conductive elastomeric composites from long single-walled carbon nanotubes mimicking the chain structure of polymers

By using long single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as a filler possessing the highest aspect ratio and small diameter, we mimicked the chain structure of polymers in the matrix and realized a highly conductive elastomeric composite (30 S/cm) with an excellent mechanical durability (4500 strain cycles until failure), far superior to any other reported conductive elastomers. This exceptional mechanical durability was explained by the ability of long and traversing SWNTs to deform in concert with the elastomer with minimum stress concentration at their interfaces. The conductivity was sufficient to operate many active electronics components, and thus this material would be useful for practical stretchable electronic devices.     

Diameter and Density Control of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Forests by Modulating Ostwald Ripening through Decoupling the Catalyst Formation and Growth Processes

A continuous and wide range control of the diameter (1.9?3.2 nm) and density (0.03?0.11 g cm^?3) of single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) forests is demonstrated by decoupling the catalyst formation and SWNT growth processes. Specifically, by managing the catalyst formation temperature and H₂ exposure, the redistribution of the Fe catalyst thin film into nanoparticles is controlled while a fixed growth condition preserved the growth yield. The diameter and density are inversely correlated, where low/high density forests would consist of large/small diameter SWNTs, which is proposed as a general rule for the structural control of SWNT forests. The catalyst formation process is modeled by considering the competing processes, Ostwald ripening, and subsurface diffusion, where the dominant mechanism is found to be Ostwald ripening. Specifically, H₂ exposure increases catalyst surface energy and decreases diameter, while increased temperature leads to increased diffusion on the surface and an increase in diameter.     

Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) on the interactions between glomerular endothelial cells and mesangial cells: regulation of cell proliferation via endothelin (ET)-1

To elucidate the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) on the interactions between glomerular endothelial cells (GENs) and mesangial cells (GMCs), we investigated whether or not cultured bovine GENs alter endothelin (ET)-1 secretion from bovine MCs and MC proliferate under basal or rHuEpo-stimulated conditions. Incubation for 24 hours with synthetic ET-1 stimulated MC in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, 100 pg/ml of ET-1 significantly stimulated MC proliferation after more than 12 hours incubation. Moreover, rHuEpo stimulated ET-1 secretion from GENs in a dose-dependent manner and showed less stimulation of ET-1 secretion from GMCs than GENs. DNA synthesis in both GENs and GMCs was significantly stimulated with more than 5 U/ml of rHuEpo. ET-1 secretion from GENs co-cultured with GMCs was higher than that from cultured GENs only. Conditioned medium, obtained from co-culture of GENs and GMCs, stimulated the proliferation of GMCs that were significantly inhibited with 10(-6) M approximately 10(-5) M BQ-123, a ETA receptor antagonist. These results suggest that rHuEpo directly stimulates the proliferation of GENs and GMCs, and this stimulatory effect is in part due to ET-1 secreted from these cells, especially GENs.