Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of lead-free (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-SrTiO3 ceramics

In this article, we report successful preparation of dense [(Na_0.5K_0.5)_1−xSr_x](Nb_1−xTi_x)O₃ (x=0.005-0.100) ceramics by ordinary sintering in air. The dependence of phase structure on doping content of SrO and TiO₂ has been determined by the X-ray diffraction technique. It was found that the crystal structure changed from orthorhombic to tetragonal at x≈0.040. Dielectric study revealed that the dielectric relaxor behavior was induced by doping of SrO and TiO₂ into (Na_0.5K_0.5)NbO₃. The samples in the composition range from x=0.005 to 0.020 exhibited excellent electrical properties, piezoelectric constant of electromechanical planar and thickness coupling coefficients of k_p=26.6-32.5% and k_t=39.8-43.8%. The results show that the [(Na_0.5K_0.5)_1−xSr_x](Nb_1−xTi_x)O₃ ceramics are one of the promising lead-free materials for electromechanical transducer applications.     

Gas by-products of CF3I under AC partial discharge

This paper presents the decomposition by-products of trifluro-iodo-methane and their relative proportions in the gas phase under the occurrence of partial discharge. The experiment was performed in the presence of water vapor from 250 to 400 ppm under a non-uniform electric field configuration. The experimental results reveal that the by-products of C₂F₆, C₂F₄, C₂F₅I with the amount of 1300, 200, and 55 (CH₃I) ppm, respectively, were produced for a cumulative charge of 161 mC. Other by-products, such as C₃F₈, CHF₃, C₃F₆ CH₃I were obtained at less than 30 ppm C₂F₆ was the dominant gas by-product of trifluro-iodo-methane suffering partial discharge.     

Almost Complex Structures Which Are Compatible with Kähler or Symplectic Structures

In this note we prove that half of all homotopy classes of almost complex structures on M is not compatible with any symplectic structure for a certain class of oriented compact 4-manifolds M. In particular, half of all homotopy classes of almost complex structures on an oriented 4-manifold is not compatible to any Kähler structure.     

Variable-priority queue and doughnut routing

This paper proposes a new data structure called a variable-priority queue. The queue supports, in addition to the ordinary queue operations, an operation MIN to find an item of minimum key and three operations to change keys of items. Any sequence of these m operations can be processed in O(m) time. Furthermore, as its application, this paper presents two efficient algorithms for network problems. The first finds multicommodity flows in cycles in linear time. The second, using the first, finds edge-disjoint paths connecting terminal pairs in a doughnut-shaped grid. The grid is bounded by two nested rectangles, and terminals are specified on the two rectangular boundaries outside the four corners. If there are k terminal pairs and all the terminals are ordered in clockwise order around rectangles, then the algorithm decides in O(k) time whether there are edge-disjoint paths connecting terminals in the grid, and actually finds edge-disjoint paths in O(k log k) time.     

The Effects of Comprehensive Exercise Program on the Adjustments of Standing Balance in Community-Dwelling Elderly Persons

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of comprehensive exercise program widely accepted as a community-based physical intervention for the prevention of falling in the elderly persons on their controlling standing balance. Twenty-six community-dwelling elderly persons (13 males and females; 69.8 ± 2.8 years old) participated in this study. Daily exercise was comprised of walking for more than 30 min, stretching, muscle strengthening and balance exercise without exercise equipments. The intervention was continued for three months. Indicators of standing balance related to static balance, dynamic balance and postural response were measured before and after the intervention. As an effect of the intervention on static balance, the sway of center of pressure (COP) in the static stance significantly increased. In the dynamic balance, significant improvements were observed in one leg standing time, the 10-m gait time, functional reach. Additionally, the maximal movable length of COP which subjects can move voluntarily to right and left significantly increased. In the postural response, the integrated electromyography (IEMG) induced by postural response for sudden postural perturbation significantly decreased in the lower leg muscles. Since less muscular activities were sufficient to maintain posture, it was suggested that postural response was elicited more efficiently following the intervention. This study suggested that the comprehensive exercise program, which has been widely introduced as community-based interventions for the prevention of falling, have extensive effects on the control of standing balance covering static balance, dynamic balance and postural response in the elderly persons.     

Reactive ion etching of FePt using inductively coupled plasma

We propose a reactive ion etching (RIE) process of an L1₀-FePt film which is expected as one of the promising materials for the perpendicular magnetic recording media. The etching was carried out using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) RIE system and an etching gas combination of CH₄/O₂/NH₃ was employed. The L1₀-FePt films were deposited on (1 0 0)-oriented MgO substrates using a magnetron sputtering system. The etching masks of Ti were patterned on the FePt films lithographically. The etch rates of ∼16 and ∼0 nm/min were obtained for the FePt film and the Ti mask, respectively. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses provided the average roughness (R_a) value of 0.95 nm for the etched FePt surface, that is, a very flat etched surface was obtained. Those results show that the highly selective RIE process of L1₀-FePt was successfully realized in the present study.     

π–π Stacking Interaction in an Oxidized CuII–Salen Complex with a Side-Chain Indole Ring: An Approach to the Function of the Tryptophan in the Active Site of Galactose Oxidase

In order to gain new insights into the effect of the π–π stacking interaction of the indole ring with the Cu^II–phenoxyl radical as seen in the active form of galactose oxidase, we have prepared a Cu^II complex of a methoxy-substituted salen-type ligand, containing a pendent indole ring on the dinitrogen chelate backbone, and characterized its one-electron-oxidized forms. The X-ray crystal structures of the oxidized Cu^II complex exhibited the π–π stacking interaction of the indole ring mainly with one of the two phenolate moieties. The phenolate moiety in close contact with the indole moiety showed the characteristic phenoxyl radical structural features, indicating that the indole ring favors the π–π stacking interaction with the phenoxyl radical. The UV/Vis/NIR spectra of the oxidized Cu^II complex with the pendent indole ring was significantly different from those of the complex without the side-chain indole ring, and the absorption and CD spectra exhibited a solvent dependence, which is in line with the phenoxyl radical–indole stacking interaction in solution. The other physicochemical results and theoretical calculations strongly support that the indole ring, as an electron donor, stabilizes the phenoxyl radical by the π–π stacking interaction.