SrRuO 3-delta (SRO) films were deposited on SrTiO 3 substrates by an RF magnetron sputtering method and post-annealed in various conditions, and the relationship between their oxygen content, ...crystallinity, and the magnetic properties was studied. Oxygen content of SRO thin films was evaluated by a non-Rutherford elastic resonance scattering (NRERS) method. It was clarified for the present films that the coercivity does not depend on oxygen stoichiometry but depends on the existence of precipitates of ~10-nm size. We conclude that a high temperature annealing process urges the SRO film species to form grains of rather large size, which is the origin of a large coercivity. It was revealed that coercivity and conductivity of SRO films can be controlled independently by changing the annealing conditions
Catalytic activity and CO2 selectivity over carbon black-supported Pd with the addition of Zn (Zn–Pd/C) was comparable to those of Pd/ZnO in methanol steam reforming. From the characterization of ...fresh Zn–Pd/C after H2 reduction pretreatment by means of BET surface area, XRD, TEM and the measurement of CO adsorption, Pd–Zn alloy particles were detected on Zn–Pd/C. This is also supported by high CO2 selectivity in methanol steam reforming over Zn–Pd/C as well as Pd/ZnO. In addition, Zn–Pd/C exhibited higher stability than Pd/ZnO in methanol steam reforming. After the reaction for the life test, the formation of zinc carbonate hydroxide such as Zn4CO3(OH)6·H2O was clearly observed on Pd/ZnO. It is expected that the deactivation is caused by covering active Pd–Zn alloy particles with zinc carbonate hydroxide. Although this phenomenon can also occur on Zn–Pd/C, the deactivation rate was much lower than Pd/ZnO because the amount of free ZnO is much smaller on Zn–Pd/C.
Anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) injuries following whiplash have been documented both in vivo and in vitro; however, ALL strains during the whiplash trauma remain unknown. A new in vitro ...whiplash model and a bench-top trauma sled were used in an incremental trauma protocol to simulate whiplash at 3.5, 5, 6.5 and 8 g accelerations, and peak ALL strains were determined for each trauma. Following the final trauma, the ALLs were inspected and classified as uninjured, partially injured or completely injured. Peak strain, peak intervertebral extension and increases in flexibility parameters were compared among the three injury classification groups. Peak ALL strains were largest in the lower cervical spine, and increased with impact acceleration, reaching a maximum of 29.3% at C6-C7 at 8 g. Significant increases ( P<0.05) over the physiological strain limits first occurred at C4-C5 during the 3.5 g trauma and spread to lower intervertebral levels as impact severity increased. The complete ligament injuries were associated with greater increases in ALL strain, intervertebral extension, and flexibility parameters than were observed at uninjured intervertebral levels ( P<0.05).
Mass mortality of oak trees has been occurring in Japan since the late 1980s. The fungus Raffaelea quercivora has been frequently isolated from discoloured sapwood in dead or wilting trees and ...inoculation experiments have shown it to be capable of causing wilting and xylem discoloration in several oak species, notably Quercus crispula and Q. serrata. In this study, we inoculated seedlings of six Fagaceae species with R. quercivora and, after 56 days, measured the vertical length of the discoloration and the areas of discoloured and non-conducting sapwood on stem cross-sections. The sapwood discoloration and the water non-conduction areas were larger in Q. crispula and Q. serrata than in the other species.
We investigated the electrochemical behaviors of nonstoichiometric silicon suboxides (SiOx, for x = 0.17–1.34) as the anode material for lithium rechargeable batteries. The amorphous SiOx (a-SiOx) ...films were synthesized by reactive evaporation of Si with oxygen gas. The initial charge (lithiation) and discharge (delithiation) capacities were strongly related to the value of x in SiOx. We proposed an electrochemical reaction model of SiOx with lithium (Li) to describe the relationships quantitatively by assuming SiOx was composed of a reversible Si and an irreversible SiO2 component. Lithiated products were identified by XPS as a fully lithiated Si, Li2O, Li silicates (Li4SiO4, Li2SiO3), and SiO2. After discharge, a portion of the Li in Li–Si was found to remain undischargeable as LizSi (z; the function of x). This was an additional factor of the irreversible capacity. Peak positions assigned to LizSi in XPS Si2p spectra suggest that the value of z depends on the value of x. The a-SiOx (for x = 1.02, 1.34) films demonstrated excellent cyclability at a range of 0.005–1.5 V vs. Li/Li+. Absence of peaks at 0.45 V in differential capacity vs. voltage (dQ/dV) profiles indicates the suppression of crystallization of lithiated a-Si, even under deep cycle conditions.
•The a-SiOx films prepared by reactive evaporation were studied as the anode.•An electrochemical reaction between nonstoichiometric SiOx and Li was described.•The a-SiOx (x = 1.02, 1.34) performed an excellent cyclability during 30 cycles.•Crystallization of lithiated a-Si during cycle did not occur at a-SiOx (x = 1.02, 1.34).
Status of the PIENU experiment at TRIUMF Ito, S; Aguilar-Arevalo, A; Aoki, M ...
Journal of physics. Conference series,
07/2015, Letnik:
631, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The PIENU experiment at TRIUMF aims to measure the branching ratio of pion decays R = Γ(π+ → e+νe + π+ → e+ νeγ) Γ(π+→μ+νμ + π+ → μ+νμγ) with precision <0.1%, providing a stringent test of the ...Standard Model hypothesis of electron-muon universality and a search for new physics.
SH2D1A, also known as signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein (SAP), is an adaptor protein. Recently, it was reported that SAP deficient mice were protected from systemic ...lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we postulated SH2D1A gene to be a candidate susceptibility gene for SLE and analyzed its association with SLE. A case-control association study was conducted on 5 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SH2D1A region in 506 Japanese female SLE patients and 330 healthy female controls. The luciferase assay was performed to determine the functional role of the SNP associated with SLE. One SNP in the intron 2, rs2049995, showed association with SLE (p = 0.0110, odds ratio (OR) 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–3.34, under the dominant model). The association of rs2049995 seemed to be stronger in the subset with the age of onset less than 20 years (p = 0.0067, OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.28–5.46). Functional evaluation of rs2049995 showed that reporter gene activity was increased 1.9-fold for the susceptible allele compared with the resistant allele. An intronic SNP of SH2D1A is associated with SLE.
The patient was a 54-year-old woman who developed a right adrenal tumour, Cushingoid features, elevated levels of cortisol that were not suppressed by 1 nor 8 mg of dexamethasone, and suppression of ...adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) during treatment for severe hypertension. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a right adrenal tumour and an atrophic left adrenal gland. In addition, elevated plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and suppressed plasma renin activity (PRA) with an aldosterone-to-renin ratio of 128 (ng per 100 ml per ng ml⁻¹ h⁻¹) suggested aldosterone excess. Urinary excretion of aldosterone was relatively high, and the captopril and rapid ACTH tests resulted in no response of PRA and exaggerated increase in PAC, respectively. ACTH-loaded adrenal venous sampling showed bilateral excess of aldosterone with right predominance of cortisol. Right laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy (ADX) and immunohistochemical analysis showed both a cortisol-producing adenoma and an aldosterone-producing microadenoma (microAPA) within the attached adrenal, which had not been detected by CT preoperatively. After the right partial ADX, her blood pressure, aldosterone level and suppressed PRA remained unchanged. Subsequently, laparoscopic total left ADX was performed. Two microAPAs with paradoxical hyperplasia were revealed within the apparently atrophic left adrenal gland. Soon after the second surgery, her blood pressure normalized without requiring any anti-hypertensive medication.
Summary
Background
It is well known that β‐adrenoceptor agonists (β‐agonists) cause relaxation in airway smooth muscle mediated by a reduction in the concentration of intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+i). ...However, little is currently known regarding whether reduced sensitization to Ca2+ is involved in the β‐adrenergic relaxation.
Objective
This study was designed to determine the intracellular mechanisms underlying suppression of Ca2+ sensitization in β‐adrenergic relaxation (Ca2+‐independent relaxation by β‐agonists).
Methods
Isometric tension and Ca2+i were simultaneously measured in fura‐2‐loaded strips isolated from guinea‐pig tracheal smooth muscles. The relationships between tension and Ca2+i were examined in the inhibitory action of isoprenaline (ISO) and other cAMP‐related agents against methacholine‐induced contraction.
Results
The concentration‐inhibition curve for ISO against methacholine in tension was significantly dissociated from the curve for ISO in Ca2+i. In ISO‐induced relaxation, a reduction in tension was significantly greater than that in Ca2+i. This phenomenon was mimicked by other cAMP‐related agents: forskolin and dibutyryl‐cAMP. In contrast, the inhibitory action of SKF‐96365, a non‐selective inhibitor of Ca2+ channels, was associated with that in Ca2+i. In the presence of Rp‐cAMPS, an inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), ISO caused an equivalent relaxation with less reduction in Ca2+i. The effects of ISO were not affected by Y‐27632, an inhibitor of Rho‐kinase, or by bisindolylmaleimide, an inhibitor of protein kinase C. ISO failed to inhibit contraction elicited by calyculin A, an inhibitor of myosin phosphatase.
Conclusion
β‐Adrenergic action antagonizes not only Ca2+ mobilization but also Ca2+ sensitization in methacholine‐induced contraction. The cAMP/PKA‐independent, Gs‐direct action is more potent in Ca2+‐independent relaxation by β‐agonists than the cAMP/PKA‐dependent pathway. Moreover, myosin phosphatase is a fundamentally affected protein in the reduced response to Ca2+ mediated by β‐agonist. Our results may provide evidence that this Ca2+ desensitization is a novel target for a reliever medication using rapid‐acting β‐agonists in acute asthma management.
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