Comparison of Differences in Brain Structure Between Teenagers and Twenties Brain Using 3 T Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Applied Magnetic Resonance - Total cerebral volume increases very rapidly in childhood, peaking in early teenage years then declining in adolescence. However, most studies quantified only one or...     

Cone-shaped structures of GeO2 fabricated by a thermal evaporation process

We have synthesized cone-like GeO₂ structures via thermal heating of Ge powders. We have investigated the effects of substrate temperature on the sample morphology, revealing that cone-shaped structures are preferentially obtained at higher temperature. The cone-shaped structures, which gradually become thinner to form a sharp tip, appear to be a single-crystalline, hexagonal structure of GeO₂. Room-temperature photoluminescence measurement revealed two emission peaks, at about 2.78 and 3.04 eV.     

Retrieval and chaos in extremely dilutedQ-Ising neural networks

Using a probabilistic approach, the deterministic and the stochastic parallel dynamics of aQ-Ising neural network are studied at finiteQ and in the limitQ. Exact evolution equations are presented for the first time-step. These formulas constitute recursion relations for the parallel dynamics of the extremely diluted asymmetric versions of these networks. An explicit analysis of the retrieval properties is carried out in terms of the gain parameter, the loading capacity, and the temperature. The results for theQ network are compared with those for theQ=3 andQ=4 models. Possible chaotic microscopic behavior is studied using the time evolution of the distance between two network configurations. For arbitrary finiteQ the retrieval regime is always chaotic. In the limitQ the network exhibits a dynamical transition toward chaos.     

Crystalline-phase-dependent red emission behaviors of Gd2O3:Eu3+ thin-film phosphors

Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ luminescent thin films have been grown on Al₂O₃(0001) substrates using pulsed-laser deposition. The films grown at different deposition conditions showed different crystalline phases, surface morphologies and luminescent characteristics. Both cubic and monoclinic crystalline phases were observed for the Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ films, and the crystalline structure and the surface morphology of the films were highly dependent on the oxygen pressure and substrate temperature. The cubic system showed a higher luminescence than the monoclinic system. The luminescence characteristics were strongly influenced by not only the crystalline structure but also the surface morphology of the films. The photoluminescencebrightness data obtained from Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ films indicate that Al₂O₃(0001) is a promising substrate for growth of high-quality Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ thin-film red phosphor. In particular, the Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ films showed a much better photoluminescence behavior than a Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ films with the same thickness. PACS 78.20.-e; 78.55.-m; 78.66.-w     

Crystallinity and morphology dependent luminescence of Li-doped Y2−xGdxO3:Eu thin film phosphors

The influence of lithium doping on the crystallization, the surface morphology, and the luminescent properties of pulsed laser deposited Y_2−xGd_xO₃:Eu³⁺ thin film phosphors was investigated. The crystallinity, the surface morphology, and the photoluminescence (PL) of films depended highly on the Li-doping and the Gd content. The relationship between the crystalline and morphological structures and the luminescent properties was studied, and Li⁺ doping was found to effectively enhance not only the crystallinity but also the luminescent brightness of Y_2−xGd_xO₃:Eu³⁺ thin films. In particular, the incorporation of Li and Gd into the Y₂O₃ lattice could induce remarkable increase in the PL. The highest emission intensity was observed Li-doped Y_1.35Gd_0.6O₃:Eu³⁺ thin films whose brightness was increased by a factor of 4.6 in comparison with that of Li-doped Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ thin films.     

Mössbauer Studies and Magnetic Properties of Y3−x Ce x Fe5O12

It is shown that in-situ ^166mHo (I = 7) in a spherical single crystal of HoF₃ can be used as sensitive internal thermometer to thermally detect NMR (NMR-TDNO) from the 100% abundant stable ¹⁶⁵Ho (I = 7/2) nuclei. In addition, new ^166mHo NMRON results are reported. Both the ^166mHo NMRON and ¹⁶⁵Ho NMR-TDNO spectra show three distinct quadrupolar split sub-resonances, in zero applied field. The data is used to make estimates of the Ho magnetic moments and quadrupole parameters for the ^166mHo and ^166mHo sites.     

Hydrogen production and photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4/Co-MOF (ZIF-67) nanocomposite under visible light irradiation

Herein, cobalt (Co)-based metal–organic zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIF-67) coupled with g-C₃N₄ nanosheets synthesized via a simple microwave irradiation method. SEM, TEM and HR-TEM results showed that ZIF-67 were uniformly dispersed on g-C₃N₄ surfaces and had a rhombic dodecahedron shape. The photocatalytic properties of g-C₃N₄/ZIF-67 nanocomposite were evaluated by photocatalytic dye degradation of crystal violet (CV), 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and photocatalytic hydrogen (H₂) production. In presence of visible light illumination, the photocatalytic dye results showed that 95% CV degradation and 53% 4-CP degradation within 80 min. The H₂ production of the g-C₃N₄/ZIF-67 composite was 2084 μmol g⁻¹, which is 3.84 folds greater than that of bare g-C₃N₄ (541 μmol g⁻¹).     

Calcite Deposits Differentiate Cave from House‐Farmed Edible Bird's Nest as shown by SEM‐EDX,ATR‐FTIR and Raman Microspectroscopy

The difference between the swiftlet white edible bird's nest from limestone caves versus house‐farmed ones, especially in response to high temperature and stewing time in water where the latter type would disintegrate readily, has been a puzzle for a long time. We show that edible bird's nests from the limestone caves have calcite deposits on the surface of the nest cement as compared to the house‐farmed nests which are built by swiftlets on timber planks. The micron and sub‐micron calcite particles are seen in SEM‐EDX and further characterized by ATR‐FTIR and Raman microspectroscopy. The calcite deposits make it possible for the cave nest to retain a gelatinous texture under the harsh retort conditions at 121 °C for 20 mins in commercial bottling. We show that house‐farmed nests can be soaked in CaCl₂(aq) followed by rinsing with Na₂CO₃(aq) to grow the same calcite deposits on the nest cement with the same characteristic as cave nests. Therefore, there should no longer be a need to harvest cave nests, and we can better conserve the dwindling population and natural habitats of cave swiftlets.     

Heterogeneous adsorption and catalytic oxidation of benzene, toluene and xylene over spent and chemically regenerated platinum catalyst supported on activated carbon

The heterogeneous adsorption and catalytic oxidation of benzene, toluene and o-xylene (BTX) over the spent platinum catalyst supported on activated carbon (Pt/AC) as well as the chemically treated spent catalysts were studied to understand their catalytic and adsorption activities. Sulfuric aqueous acid solution (0.1N, H₂SO₄) was used to regenerate the spent Pt/AC catalyst. The physico-chemical properties of the catalysts in the spent and chemically treated states were analyzed by using nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm and elemental analysis (EDX). The gravimetric adsorption and the light-off curve analysis were employed to study the BTX adsorption and oxidation on the spent catalyst and its modified Pt/AC catalysts. The experimental results indicate that the spent Pt/AC catalyst treated with the H₂SO₄ aqueous solution has a higher toluene adsorption and conversion ability than that of the spent Pt/AC catalyst. A further studies of H₂SO₄ treated Pt/AC catalyst on their catalytic and heterogeneous adsorption behaviours for BTX revealed that the activity of the H₂SO₄ treated Pt/AC catalyst follows the sequence of benzene > toluene > o-xylene. The adsorption equilibrium isotherms of BTX on the H₂SO₄ treated Pt/AC were measured at different temperatures ranging from 120 to 180 °C. To correlate the equilibrium data and evaluate their adsorption affinity for BTX, the two sites localized Langmuir (L2m) isotherm model was employed. The heterogeneous surface feature of the H₂SO₄ treated Pt/AC was described in detail with the information obtained from the results of isosteric enthalpy of adsorption and adsorption energy distributions. Furthermore, the activity of H₂SO₄ treated Pt/AC about BTX was found to be directly related to the Henry's constant, isosteric enthalpy of adsorption and adsorption energy distribution functions.     

Fabrication of hydrophobic surface of titanium dioxide films by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) films were fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, optical absorption and contact angle measurement were applied to study the structural, surface morphological, optical and surface wettability properties of the as-deposited and annealed TiO₂ films. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed both as-deposited and annealed TiO₂ films are amorphous. Irregular shaped spherical grains of random size and well covered to the fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass substrates were observed from SEM studies with some cracks after annealing. The optical band gap values of virgin TiO_2, annealed, methyl violet and rose bengal sensitized TiO₂ were found to be 3.6, 3.5, 2.87 and 2.95 eV, respectively. Surface wettability studied in contact with liquid interface, showed hydrophobic nature as water contact angles were greater than 90°. The adsorption of dyes, as confirmed by the photographs, is one of the prime requirements for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC).