A generalization of the Egalitarian and the Kalai–Smorodinsky bargaining solutions

We characterize the class of weakly efficient n-person bargaining solutions that solely depend on the ratios of the players’ ideal payoffs. In the case of at least three players the ratio between the solution payoffs of any two players is a power of the ratio between their ideal payoffs. As special cases this class contains the Egalitarian and the Kalai–Smorodinsky bargaining solutions, which can be pinned down by imposing additional axioms.     

Operando XAFS Imaging of Distribution of Pt Cathode Catalysts in PEFC MEA

Three‐dimensional imaging using X‐ray as a probe is state‐of‐the‐art for the characterization of heterogeneous materials. In addition to simple imaging of sample morphology, imaging of elemental distribution and chemical states provides advanced maps of key structural parameters of functional materials. The combination of X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and three‐dimensional imaging such as computed tomography (CT) can visualize the three‐dimensional distribution of target elements, their valence states, and local structures in a non‐destructive manner. In this personal account, our recent results on the three‐dimensional XAFS imaging for Pt cathode catalysts in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) are introduced. The distribution and chemical states of Pt cathode catalysts in MEAs remarkably change under PEFC operating conditions, and the 3D XAFS imaging revealed essential events in PEFC MEAs.     

Cryopreservation and metabolic profiling analysis of Arabidopsis T87 suspension-cultured cells

We established a simple cryopreservation protocol for Arabidopsis T87 cells using an encapsulation-dehydration method. T87 cells were encapsulated into alginate beads containing 2 M glycerol and 0.4 M sucrose. Alginate beads containing T87 cells were dehydrated with silica gel for 2 h (to c. 0.7 g water per g dry weight followed by immersed in LN. After rewarming at 35 degree C for 3 min and 1-d incubation under continuous illumination at 22 degree C, cryopreserved T87 cells exhibited considerable regrowth. Exponentially-grown 7-d-old T87 cells regrew more vigorously (86% of control) than 14-d-old cells after cryopreservation without preculture in medium containing 0.3 M sucrose. Genetic stability of cryopreserved T87 cells was demonstrated by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) and principal component analysis (PCA). Transformed T87 cells were cryopreserved using established protocols, and GUS expression was maintained within a 2-fold variance. These results indicate that cryopreservation of T87 cells is useful for comprehensive metabolomics research and for the large scale collection of transformed cultured cell lines for functional genomics research.     

Development of porous structure simulator for multi-scale simulation of irregular porous catalysts

Efficient development of highly functional porous materials, used as catalysts in the automobile industry, demands a meticulous knowledge of the nano-scale interface at the electronic and atomistic scale. However, it is often difficult to correlate the microscopic interfacial interactions with macroscopic characteristics of the materials; for instance, the interaction between a precious metal and its support oxide with long-term sintering properties of the catalyst. Multi-scale computational chemistry approaches can contribute to bridge the gap between micro- and macroscopic characteristics of these materials; however this type of multi-scale simulations has been difficult to apply especially to porous materials. To overcome this problem, we have developed a novel mesoscopic approach based on a porous structure simulator. This simulator can construct automatically irregular porous structures on a computer, enabling simulations with complex meso-scale structures. Moreover, in this work we have developed a new method to simulate long-term sintering properties of metal particles on porous catalysts. Finally, we have applied the method to the simulation of sintering properties of Pt on alumina support. This newly developed method has enabled us to propose a multi-scale simulation approach for porous catalysts.     

Studies on the syntheses of polymetalloxanes and their properties as a precursor for amorphous oxide. VII. Preparation and properties of polyzirconoxanes as a precursor for zirconia fibers by the hydrolysis of bis (ethyl acetoacetato) zirconium dialkoxide

Acid-catalyzed hydolysis of bis(ethyl acetoacetato) zirconium dialkoxide in methanol or THF was investigated. The hydrolysis of the chelates in the molar ratios of H₂O/ chelate = 1.0–2.0 and HCl/chelate = 0.1–0.2 provided concentrated solutions (ca. 83 wt %) of polyzirconoxanes (PZO) which showed excellent spinnability and stability to self-condensation. Continuous gel fibers were prepared by dry spinning the solutions. Polyzirconoxanes were isolated as powders when the concentrated solution was precipitated with hexane. Silylation allowed the investigation of the structure of PZO. It was confirmed to be the polymers of a low degree of polymerization with the ligand and hydroxy group as pendants. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An investigation of the level scheme of 72As through the 72Ge(p,nγ)72As reaction

The level scheme of the doubly odd nucleus ⁷²As has been investigated by the (p, nγ) reaction up to an excitation energy of about 800 keV. Spin and parity assignments were made by measuring internal conversion coefficients and by an analysis of the (p, n) cross sections through the statistical model of the compound nuclear reaction. The level scheme obtained was interpreted by a simple model calculation based on the shell model.     

Turbulent flame propagation limits of ammonia/methane/air premixed mixture in a constant volume vessel

Ammonia is one of promising energy carriers that can be directly used as carbon-neutral fuel for combustion applications. However, because of the low-burning velocity of ammonia, it is challenging to introduce ammonia to practical combustors those are designed for general hydrocarbon fuels. One of ways to enhance the combustibility of ammonia is by mixing it with other hydrocarbon fuels, such as methane, with a burning velocity is much higher than the burning velocity of ammonia. In this study, we conducted flame propagation experiments of ammonia/methane/air using a fan-stirred constant volume vessel to clarify the effect of methane addition to ammonia on the turbulent flame propagation limit. From experimental results, we constructed the flame propagation maps and clarified the flame propagation limits. The results show that the flame propagation limits were extended with an increase in mixing a fraction of methane to ammonia. Additionally, ammonia/methane/air mixtures with the equivalence ration of 0.9 can propagate at the highest turbulent intensity, even though the peak of the laminar burning velocity is the fuel-rich side because of the diffusional-thermal instability of the flame surface. Furthermore, the Markstein number of the mixture obtained in this research successfully expressed the strength of the diffusional-thermal instability effect on the flame propagation capability. The turbulence Karlovitz number at the flame propagation limit monotonically increases with the decreasing Markstein number.     

An Unexpected Molecular Imprinting Effect for a Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon,Anthracene, Using Uniform Size Ethylene Dimethacrylate Particles

A non-covalent type of molecular imprinting effect toward a polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), viz. anthracene, was studied utilizing uniformly sized ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) polymer particles without functional host monomers. Although polymerization at 0°C initiated by a redox initiation system was expected to afford larger molecular imprinting effect due to stronger and more effective intermolecular interaction between the template and surface functional groups of the polymer, almost no imprinting effect was observed, while a much higher polymerization temperature of 70°C unexpectedly afforded a larger molecular imprinting effect for the template anthracene. In order to determine the unexpected imprinting effects observed, uniformly sized, macroporous un-imprinting EDMA polymer particles (base particles) were prepared by various polymerization techniques at different polymerization temperature as well as with different initiation systems. The careful studies proved that each kind of base polymer particle showed different molecular recognition ability, especially toward anthracene, which is depends upon the physical properties of each kind of base polymer particle. On the basis of these facts, we would propose that the potential molecular recognition ability of the un-imprinted base polymer particles is another important factor for realization of effective molecular imprinting alongside the factors reported previously.     

Preparations and properties of uniform size macroporous polymer beads prepared by two-step swelling and polymerization method utilizing divinyl succinate or divinyl adipate as a crosslinking agent

Uniform size macroporous polymer beads were prepared through a typical two-step swelling and polymerization method utilizing divinyl succinate or divinyl adipate as well as ethylene dimethacrylate as crosslinking agents. Stable macroporous polymer beads with good size monodispersity and a slightly nonspherical shape were obtained by homopolymerization of divinyl succinate in cyclohexanol as porogen. BET measurements indicated that the beads prepared by homopolymerization of divinyl succinate and copolymerization of divinyl succinate with vinyl p-tert-butylbenzoate, as well as homopolymerization of ethylene dimethacrylate had relatively large specific surface area. In contrast, copolymerization of divinyl succinate with methyl methacrylate afforded beads having a very small specific surface area. Similarly, all the beads prepared using divinyl adipate had very small specific surface area, while size exclusion chromatography in tetrahydrofuran suggested that these beads acquired a porous structure as a result of swelling. When used as packing materials for high-performance liquid chromatography, the beads prepared with divinyl adipate showed unexpected molecular recognition toward flat solutes in reversed phase liquid chromatography in contrast to those prepared with ethylene dimethacrylate. Copolymerizations with methyl methacrylate led to a decrease in molecular recognition, while those with vinyl p-tert-butylbenzoate enhanced the selectivity. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Preparation of uniformly sized polymeric separation media potentially suitable for small-scale high-performance liquid chromatography and/or capillary electrochromatography.

Uniformly sized polymer particles were prepared by either a two-step swelling and polymerization method or a Shirasu porous glass (SPG) emulsification technique to compare their suitability as a uniformly sized packing material for small-scale high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The SPG emulsification technique afforded slightly worse size uniformity compared to the two-step swelling and polymerization technique. However, fairly nice spherical shapes with reproducible outward appearance and internal pore size distribution were obtained for both of 3- or 6-micron sized particles. On the other hand, the two-step swelling and polymerization method afforded broken particles with quite different outward appearances due to the polymeric porogen effects of seed polymer utilized as the shape template. In HPLC, the column packed with the 3-micron particles prepared with the SPG emulsification technique proved to have a fairly high column efficiency with good column stability, as assessed under repeated use in gradient elution. On the other hand, the column packed with the packing material obtained through the two-step swelling and polymerization method showed much poorer column stability, while initial column efficiency was compatible to that obtained using the SPG emulsification method. In addition, the packing material prepared with the SPG emulsification technique could be modified with ion-exchangeable monomers and showed fairly good column efficiency in the CEC mode.