SnSe2 nanoplate-graphene composites as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Through a solution approach, SnSe(2) nanoplate-graphene composites were prepared and applied as anode materials in lithium ion batteries, showing promising storage performance superior to SnSe(2) nanoplates or graphene alone.     

Fuzzy system reliability analysis by the use of Tω (the weakest t-norm) on fuzzy number arithmetic operations

In general, the sup-min convolution has been used for fuzzy arithmetic to analyze fuzzy system reliability, where the reliability of each system component is represented by fuzzy numbers. It is well known that T_ω-based addition preserves the shape of L-R type fuzzy numbers. In this paper, we show T_ω-based multiplication also preserves the shape of L-R type fuzzy numbers. We then apply T_ω-based arithmetic operations to fuzzy system reliability analysis. In fact, we show that we can simplify fuzzy arithmetic operations and even get the exact solutions for L-R type fuzzy system reliability, while others [Singer, Fuzzy Sets Syst. 34 (1990) 145; Cheng and Mon, Fuzzy Sets Syst. 56 (1993) 29; Chen, Fuzzy Sets Syst. 64 (1994) 31] have got the approximate solutions using sup-min convolution for evaluating fuzzy system reliability.     

Biflavone glucosides from Ginkgo biloba yellow leaves

Phytochemical investigation of Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae) has resulted in the isolation of two new biflavone glucosides, ginkgetin 7'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and isoginkgetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2). The structures were determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences.     

CD43 cross-linking increases the Fas-induced apoptosis through induction of Fas aggregation in Jurkat T-cells

CD43 (sialophorin, leukosialin) is a heavily sialylated surface protein expressed on most leukocytes and platelets including T cells. Although CD43 antigen is known to have multiple and complex structure, exact function of CD43 in each cell type is not completely understood. Here we evaluated the role of CD43 in Fas (CD95)-induced cell death in human T lymphoblastoid cell line, Jurkat. Crosslinking CD43 antigen by K06 mAb increased the Fas-mediated Jurkat cell apoptosis and the augmentation was inhibited by treatment with caspase inhibitors. Further, CD43 signaling of Jurkat cells induced Fas oligomerization on the cell surfaces implying that CD43 ligation have effects on early stage of Fas-induced T cell death. These also suggest that CD43 might play an important role in contraction of the immune response by promotion of Fas-induced apoptosis in human T cells.     

Solid‐phase microextraction Arrow for the volatile organic compounds in soy sauce

A novel solid‐phase microextraction Arrow was used to separate volatile organic compounds from soy sauce, and the results were verified by using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Solid‐phase microextraction Arrow was optimized in terms of three extraction conditions: type of fiber used (polydimethylsiloxane, polyacrylate, carbon wide range/polydimethylsiloxane, and divinylbenzene/polydimethylsiloxane), extraction temperature (40, 50, and 60°C), and extraction time (10, 30, and 60 min). The optimal solid‐phase microextraction Arrow conditions were as follows: type of fiber = polyacrylate, extraction time = 60 min, and extraction temperature = 50°C. Under the optimized conditions, the solid‐phase microextraction Arrow was compared with conventional solid‐phase microextraction to determine extraction yields. The solid‐phase microextraction Arrow yielded 6–42‐fold higher levels than in solid‐phase microextraction for all 21 volatile organic compounds detected in soy sauce due to the larger sorption phase volume. The findings of this study can provide practical guidelines for solid‐phase microextraction Arrow applications in food matrixes by providing analytical methods for volatile organic compounds.     

Combined system of optical coherence tomography and fluorescence spectroscopy based on double-cladding fiber

We report the development of an all-fiber multimodal system, based on a double-cladding fiber (DCF) and related devices, suitable for simultaneous measurements of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS). The DCF together with a DCF coupler and a single-body DCF lens has assisted in the realization of a multimodal but single-unit probe for the combined system. The DCF lens allowed simultaneous focusing of input beams for OCT and FS and also the effective collection of both signal beams from a sample. The DCF coupler could extract the OCT signal via the core channel and the FS signal through the cladding channel. The OCT image and the fluorescence spectra of a plant tissue were then simultaneously measured to validate the performance of the proposed multimodal system.