Direct Observation of Crack Tip Geometry of SiO2 Glass by High-Resolution Electron Microscopy

Crack tips in thin SiO₂ glass films were observed directly by high-resolution/high-voltage electron microscopy. An elliptical crack with radius of curvature ∼ 1.5 nm was observed. When the glass film with the crack was soaked in water at 90°C for 7 d, the crack tip became blunt by a process of dissolution and precipitation.     

Miscibility and intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions in poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyhexanoate)/poly(4‐vinyl phenol) binary blends

The miscibility and hydrogen bonding interaction in the poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyhexanoate)/poly(4‐vinyl phenol) [P(3HB‐co‐3HH)/PVPh] binary blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The DSC results indicate that P(3HB‐co‐3HH) with 20 mol % 3HH unit content is fully miscible with PVPh, and FTIR studies reveal the existence of hydrogen bonding interaction between the carbonyl groups of P(3HB‐co‐3HH) and the hydroxyl groups of PVPh. The effect of blending of PVPh on the mechanical properties of P(3HB‐co‐3HH) were studied by tensile testing. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Interphase coordination design in carbamate-siloxane/vaterite composite microparticles towards tuning ion-releasing properties

Siloxane-containing vaterite (SiV) microparticles were prepared with controlling the degree of aminopropyl-functionalization in the siloxane; they are aiming for applications as bone regenerative devices. The aim of this work was to evaluate the structure at siloxane/vaterite interphase and to control the solubility of particles by the structural tuning of siloxane. The particles were spherical with average diameters of 1.1–1.4 μm. Differential infrared spectrometry revealed the transformation of aminopropyl terminals in the siloxane into carbamate (NH-COO^?) groups. Moreover, the vaterite crystallites in the particles were slightly oriented towards the (0 0 1) plane. These results describe the interphase structure, with the carbamate groups coordinating on the Ca²⁺ ion face in the (0 0 1) plane of neighbouring vaterite. Upon soaking in buffer solution, the particles exhibited a rapid initial release of Ca²⁺ ions within 30 min and of soluble silica within 2 h. The vaterite in this particle survived for more than 6 h. The chemical stability of the siloxane was enhanced by incorporating tetraethoxysilane-derived siloxane with fractions of 24 mol% or 50 mol%. This enhancement controlled the initial release of not only soluble silica but also Ca²⁺ ions.     

Proteomic and functional characterization of the outer membrane vesicles from the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori

The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori causes a spectrum of gastro-duodenal diseases, which may be mediated in part by the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) constitutively shed by the pathogen. We aimed to determine the proteome of H. pylori OMV to help evaluate the mechanisms whereby these structures confer their known immuno-modulatory and cytotoxic activities to host cells, as such disease-associated activities are also conferred by the bacterium from which the vesicles are derived. We also evaluated the effect of the OMV on gastric/colonic epithelial cells, duodenal explants and neutrophils. A proteomic analysis of the OMV proteins separated by SDS-PAGE from two strains of H. pylori (J99 and NCTC 11637) was undertaken and 162 OMV-associated proteins were identified in J99 and 91 in NCTC 11637 by LC-MS/MS. The vesicles are rich in membrane proteins, porins, adhesins and several molecules known to modulate chemokine secretion, cell proliferation and other host cellular processes. Further, the OMVs are also vehicles for the carriage of the cytotoxin-associated gene A cytotoxin in addition to the previously documented toxin, vacuolating cytotoxin. Taken together, it is evident from the proteome of H. pylori OMV that these structures are equipped with the molecules required to interact with host cells in a manner not dissimilar from the intact pathogen.     

Impact damage behaviour of CVD-coated silicon nitride for gas turbines

Impact tests were conducted on the silicon nitride substrates coated with Si₃N₄ and SiC by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). For both 100- and 200-m-thick Si₃N₄-coated silicon nitride, Hertzian crack extension was reduced by debonding at the interface. Although Hertzian crack extension was not reduced for 100-m-thick SiC-coated silicon nitride, it was reduced for 200-m-thick SiC-coated silicon nitride. Theoretical calculations suggest that debonding at the interface consumed the fracture energy of Hertzian crack extension in the case of Si₃N₄ coatings, but it was observed that Hertzian cracks were not arrested at the interface.     

Graphene Nanoarchitectonics: Recent Advances in Graphene‐Based Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Under the double pressures of both the energy crisis and environmental pollution, the exploitation and utilization of hydrogen, a clean and renewable power resource, has become an important trend in the development of sustainable energy‐production and energy‐consumption systems. In this regard, the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) provides an efficient and clean pathway for the mass production of hydrogen fuel and has motivated the design and construction of highly active HER electrocatalysts of an acceptable cost. In particular, graphene‐based electrocatalysts commonly exhibit an enhanced HER performance owing to their distinctive structural merits, including a large surface area, high electrical conductivity, and good chemical stability. Considering the rapidly growing research enthusiasm for this topic over the last several years, herein, a panoramic review of recent advances in graphene‐based electrocatalysts is presented, covering various advanced synthetic strategies, microstructural characterizations, and the applications of such materials in HER electrocatalysis. Lastly, future perspectives on the challenges and opportunities awaiting this emerging field are proposed and discussed.     

Visual interference with users’ tasks on multiwindow systems

This study investigated the potential visual interference imposed by displayed peripheral windows that are not central to a user's current task performance. In particular, the study examined the relation between foveal vision and peripheral vision activities in multiwindow systems. It was suggested that the number and layout of the windows in a multiwindow system can interfere with a user's activities while performing a task. Results from a visual search experiment were indicated as follows:

1. Displayed peripheral windows interfered with a user's current task performance.

2. The number of the peripheral windows is a significant factor in the interference.

3. The types of the layout, overlapping or nonoverlapping, are also a significant factor in the interference.

4. The activities of the foveal vision get worse when the visual position of the task performance is closer to the peripheral windows.

5. These factors have different influences depending on whether the peripheral windows are static or dynamic

We discuss these results from the viewpoint of the nature of the human visual systems, especially the relation between foveal and peripheral vision.     

Disease proteomics of endocrine disorders revealed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Endocrine disorders such as dwarfism and diabetes show abnormalities in many different organs even if a certain hormone is the primary cause of the disease. One of the aims of proteomics is to elucidate an abnormal hormone network underlying dysfunction in the disease through quantitative and qualitative proteome analyses of various organs. In a comprehensive study of the rdw rat with hereditary dwarfism, we found the accumulation of ER proteins in the rdw thyroid. Contrary to the initial notion that the dwarfism of the rat was caused by genetic mutations related to pituitary hormones, the primary cause is a missense mutation in the thyroglobulin gene. To understand at the protein level cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, we developed a proteomic method and applied to detecting protein carbonyls in various organs of a diabetes model OLETF rat. The method would provide a means toward clarifying a comprehensive view of oxidative modifications of proteins in diabetes. We review 2-DE-based disease proteomics of endocrine disorders in general, with particular attention paid to our proteome projects by a 2-DE method with an agarose IEF gel in the first dimension (agarose 2-DE) and LC-MS/MS.     

Dichroism of poly(ethylene terephthalate)-disperse dye system

As an approach to the basic study on the orientation behavior of amorphous region, the dichroic orientation factor, D, of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, fiber or film dyed with disperse dyes was investigated in relation to Δn, birefringence of the crystalline and amorphous regions, and Δn_a, birefringence of the amorphous region. It was found that D versus Δn plot belonged to a linear relationship passing through the origin but breaking slightly toward the D axis at Δn ? 0.14, while D versus Δn_a plot was expressed by a straight line passing similarly through the origin but with no break. D₀, the value of D at the ideal parallel orientation, was obtained by extrapolating the latter plot of the samples stretched with no relaxation: 1.00 and 0.73 for the PET–C.I. Disperse Yellow 7 and PET–C.I. Disperse Red 17 systems respectively. When the sample had been relaxed, the D versus Δn_a was also linear; however, D₀'s obtained were smaller than the above mentioned respective values. Even in these cases D for Disperse Yellow 7 versus the corresponding D for Disperse Red 17 belonged to a linear relationship with the slop 1:0.73. As the result it was concluded that the transition moment of molecule of C.I. Disperse Yellow 7 coincided with the molecular axis and the dye molecule combined parallel to PET chain, while as to C.I. Disperse Red 17 any definite conclusion could not be determined. However, in the both cases the mode of combination of dye molecules with PET is definite and kept unchanged during stretching and heating.     

Mechanism of puffing and the role of puffing inhibitors in the graphitization of electrodes from needle cokes

A mechanism of puffing that occurs during graphitization of needle coke in the electrode is proposed based on the experimental results in the literature. Gases may evolve from within needle coke grains via porosity, causing pore walls to expand irreversibly when they are softened during graphitization. Hence, extents of puffing are influenced by rate and temperature range of gas evolution, the nature of evolved gases, location of the evolved heteroatoms such as sulfur and nitrogen in the coke, and the structure (especially grain size), porosity (pores and cracks), and preferred orientation of the coke, because these factors are related to the pressure induced by the evolved gas, timing for the softening of the coke and gas evolution and the resistivity of the wall against the pressure. Porosity within a coke grain can be modified by the coke derived from binder and impregnation pitches that can diffuse into the porosity of filler coke in the electrode. The graphitization also leads to shrinkage of the carbon. Hence, the size of the electrode is influenced by both puffing and shrinkage, these having opposing effects. The extent of puffing can be described semi-quantitatively in terms of influential factors described above. Thus, it is understandable that the puffing increased the porosity in a certain range (0.1–1 μm) and that puffing is suppressed by the increased porosity of 1–100μm. Based on the mechanism, procedures for puffing inhibition are suggested including:

1. 1. moderate acceleration of graphitization

2. 2. capture of heteroatoms to be liberated

3. 3. controled gasification to increase porosity of the filler cokes

4. 4. removal of heteroatoms from the needle coke or its starting feedstock The roles of puffing inhibitors are discussed based on the mechanism of puffing.