An Anti CuO2‐type Metal Hydride Square Net Structure in Ln2M2As2Hx (Ln=La or Sm,M=Ti,V, Cr,or Mn)

Using a high pressure technique and the strong donating nature of H⁻, a new series of tetragonal La₂Fe₂Se₂O₃‐type layered mixed‐anion arsenides, Ln₂M₂As₂H_x, was synthesized (Ln=La or Sm, M=Ti, V, Cr, or Mn; x≈3). In these compounds, an unusual M₂H square net, which has anti CuO₂ square net structures accompanying two As³⁻ ions, is sandwiched by (LaH)₂ fluorite layers. Notably, strong metal–metal bonding with a distance of 2.80 Å was confirmed in La₂Ti₂As₂H_2.3, which has metallic properties. In fact, these compounds are situated near the boundary between salt‐like ionic hydrides and transition‐metal hydrides with metallic characters.     

Fluorescence Polarization Based Nucleic Acid Testing for Rapid and Cost‐Effective Diagnosis of Infectious Disease

A new nucleic acid detection method was developed for a rapid and cost‐effective diagnosis of infectious disease. This approach relies on the three unique elements: 1) detection probes that regulate DNA polymerase activity in response to the complementary target DNA; 2) universal reporters conjugated with a single fluorophore; and 3) fluorescence polarization (FP) detection. As a proof‐of‐concept, the assay was used to detect and sub‐type Salmonella bacteria with sensitivities down to a single bacterium in less than three hours.     

Effects of mechanical stretching on average orientation of cellulose and pectin in onion epidermis cell wall: A polarized FT-IR study

The organization of polysaccharides in plant cell walls is important for the mechanics of plant cells. Spectral analysis of cell walls by polarized IR can reveal polysaccharide organization, but may be complicated by dipoles not aligned with the backbone. For instance, analysis of uniaxially-aligned cellulose Iβ film revealed that the dipole transition vector of the 1160 cm^?1 band involving stretch vibrations of glycosidic C1–O–C4 linkages is approximately at 30° with respect to the backbone of the cellulose chain, because of coupling with C5–O–C1 bonds in the six-membered rings. In the case of homogalacturonan, the dipole transition vector of the ester carbonyl group vibration (ν_C=O, 1745 cm^?1) is expected to be nearly normal to the homogalacturonan backbone. Using this information and the dichroism equation, the change in net orientation of cell wall polymers upon mechanical stretch was determined by polarized IR analysis. Never-dried abaxial outer epidermal cell walls of the second scale of onion bulb were mechanically stretched along longitudinal or transverse directions with respect to the long axis of the cells and then dried while under mechanical stretch. The average orientations of both 1160 and 1745 cm^?1 vibration transition dipoles were rotated by ~5° and ~4°, respectively, along the stretch direction from their initial random distributions upon longitudinal strain by 14%; and by ~4° and ~3°, respectively, upon transverse strain by 12%. These results imply that both cellulose microfibrils and pectins in the cell wall are passively realigned along the stretch direction by external mechanical force. The analytical methodology developed here will be useful to study how cell wall polymers might reorganize during cell wall growth and development.     

Effect of addition of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate on conductivity of Na-containing polymer electrolyte

Research in the environmentally friendly energy field has grown rapidly due to severe problems such as global warming and climate change. Sodium-ion technology is one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries. Use of ionic liquids containing thiocyanate anion has been considered because of their low cost, low viscosity, and nonhazardous nature. In this work, polyethylene oxide (PEO)–sodium perchlorate (NaClO₄) samples containing different amounts of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ionic liquid were prepared by a solution casting method. Addition of the ionic liquid to the PEO–NaClO₄ electrolyte further increased the ionic conductivity. The electrolyte containing 30 wt% ionic liquid exhibited the maximum ionic conductivity of ~5.0 × 10^?4 S/cm at room temperature. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy revealed the interaction between the polymer chain and salt ion complexes for various sodium salt contents. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated that the crystallinity was reduced by addition of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ionic liquid.     

Calix[4]arene-based fluorescent probe and the adsorption capacity of its electrospun nanofibrous film for the cesium cation as an adsorbent

Calix[4]arene-based cation receptor 1 has been synthesised by following a multi-step synthetic procedure. The fluorescence properties of 1 upon the addition of various metal ions were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. As a result, it was revealed that 1 displayed dramatic quenching effect upon the exposure to Cs⁺. In contrast, no significant quenching effects were observed upon the addition of other metal ions such as Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ag⁺, Zn²⁺ and Ni²⁺. Compound 1 was also found by Job plot to form a 1:1 complex with Cs⁺. In addition, we also prepared 1-embedded electrospun nanofibrous film (NF-1) as an adsorbent for Cs⁺. NF-1 is proved to adsorb Cs⁺ effectively from an aqueous solution, indicating that it would be usefully utilised as an adsorbent to remove Cs⁺.     

Structure of Abelian rings

Let R be a ring with identity. We use J(R); G(R); and X(R) to denote the Jacobson radical, the group of all units, and the set of all nonzero nonunits in R; respectively. A ring is said to be Abelian if every idempotent is central. It is shown, for an Abelian ring R and an idempotent-lifting ideal N ? J(R) of R; that R has a complete set of primitive idempotents if and only if R/N has a complete set of primitive idempotents. The structure of an Abelian ring R is completely determined in relation with the local property when X(R) is a union of 2; 3; 4; and 5 orbits under the left regular action on X(R) by G(R): For a semiperfect ring R which is not local, it is shown that if G(R) is a cyclic group with 2 ∈ G(R); then R is finite. We lastly consider two sorts of conditions for G(R) to be an Abelian group.     

On minimizers for the isotropic–nematic interface problem

In this paper, we investigate the structure and stability of the isotropic-nematic interface in 1-D. In the absence of the anisotropic energy, the uniaxial solution is the only global minimizer. In the presence of the anisotropic energy, the uniaxial solution with the homeotropic anchoring is stable for \(L_2<0\) and unstable for \(L_2>0\). We also present many interesting open questions, some of which are related to De Giorgi conjecture.     

Flow measurement around a model ship with propeller and rudder

For the design of hull forms with better resistance and propulsive performance, it is essential to understand flow characteristics, such as wave and wake development, around a ship. Experimental data detailing the local flow characteristics are invaluable for the validation of the physical and numerical modeling of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes, which are recently gaining attention as efficient tools for hull form evaluation. This paper describes velocity and wave profiles measured in the towing tank for the KRISO 138,000 m³ LNG carrier model with propeller and rudder. The effects of propeller and rudder on the wake and wave profiles in the stern region are clearly identified. The results contained in this paper can provide an opportunity to explore integrated flow phenomena around a model ship in the self-propelled condition, and can be added to the International Towing Tank Conference benchmark data for CFD validation as the previous KCS and KVLCC cases.     

Dynamic dip testing as a method to assess the condensate drainage behavior from the air-side surface of compact heat exchangers

A new method to assess the condensate drainage behavior of the air-side surface of compact heat exchangers—dynamic dip testing—is introduced. The new method is shown to provide highly repeatable data for real-time drainage. Results from experiments with more than 20 flat-tube and round-tube-and-fin heat exchangers are presented, and the data clearly show geometrical effects such as the impact of the tube type on condensate drainage. By comparing the results from dip testing to wind-tunnel experiments for the same heat exchangers, we find dip testing can serve as a powerful tool for assessing the condensate retention behavior. The coils retaining the most and the least condensate in a steady-state wind-tunnel test, likewise held the most and the least in a dip test. However, different amounts of water are retained on the air-side surface during dip tests and wind-tunnel tests. A model based on gravity, surface tension and drag effects is developed to help understand and predict the drainage behavior of heat exchangers. The new model and experimental approach are useful in screening heat exchangers for condensate retention and for assessing off-cycle drainage behavior.     

Thermal analysis of the roll in the strip casting process

Coiled strip can be directly produced through the twin-roll strip casting process from the melt by incorporating casting and hot rolling together into a single step. In this unique process, the strip formation from the molten metal critically relies upon the casting rolls. Thus, the design of the rolls is extremely essential. The coupled heat transfer and deformation analysis of the casting roll is carried out in a two-dimensional numerical model, using a finite element program (MARC) to examine the thermal stress and displacement. The effects of several factors such as the nickel overlay thickness on the roll surface, the casting speed, and the roll diameter on thermal characteristics are investigated.