Origin of the overall water splitting activity of Ta3N5 revealed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy

Tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) is one of the few visible light absorbing photocatalysts capable of overall water splitting (OWS), by which the evolution of both H2 and O2 is possible. Despite favourable energetics, realizing the OWS or efficient H2 evolution in Ta3N5 prepared by the nitridation of tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) or Ta foil remains a challenge even after 15 years of intensive research. Recently our group demonstrated OWS in Ta3N5 when prepared by the short time nitridation of potassium tantalate (KTaO3). To obtain a mechanistic insight on the role of Ta precursor and nitridation time in realizing OWS, ultrafast dynamics of electrons (3435 nm probe) and holes (545 nm probe) is investigated using transient absorption spectroscopy. Electrons decay majorly by trapping in Ta3N5 prepared by the nitridation of Ta2O5, which do not show OWS. However, OWS activity in Ta3N5 prepared by 0.25 hour nitridation of KTaO3 is particularly favoured by the virtually absent electron and hole trapping. On further increasing the nitridation time of KTaO3 from 0.25 to 10 hour, trapping of both electron and hole is enhanced which concurrently results in a reduction of the OWS activity. Insights from correlating the synthesis conditions—structural defects—carrier dynamics—photocatalytic activity is of importance in designing novel photocatalysts to enhance solar fuel production

Tracking the Heavy Metal Contaminants Entrained with the Flow into a Trickle Bed Hydrotreating Reactor Packed with Different Catalyst Shapes using Newly Developed Noninvasive Dynamic Radioactive Particle Tracking

A newly developed modified Dynamic Radioactive Particle Tracking system (DRPT) was used to investigate the heavy metal contaminants deposition locations in different catalyst beds, sphere, cylinder, trilobe, and quadrilobed in Trickle Bed Reactors. In the present paper, Kernel Density Estimator (KDE) was used to estimate the probability density distributions of heavy metal contaminants depositions in terms of bed radius height. The result shows that the four cases have similar probability density distribution in terms of radius, while the spherical catalyst has the larger distribution range in terms of bed height. The heavy metal deposition is directly related to the pressure drops along the bed height which indicate the bed porosity and intricate bed structure in catalyst packed beds. Heavy metals have more chance to deposit at higher levels of packed beds with higher pressure drops

Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction complicated with esophageal varices: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Standard endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection is a procedure for patients with minute cancers, complicated with esophageal varices that puts them at high risk of bleeding.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man with alcoholic cirrhosis who underwent a routine endoscopy examination as a screening procedure for esophageal varices and was incidentally diagnosed as having minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction with esophageal varices. Endoscopic ultrasonography findings suggested that the minute cancer was a non-invasive carcinoma (carcinoma <it>in situ</it>) and a 2 mm in diameter blood vessel, feeding the esophageal varices, pierced the lesion. Following the examination, we carried out endoscopic treatment of the minute cancer and esophageal varices. Endoscopic variceal ligation was performed using a pneumo-activated device (Sumitomo Bakelite, Tokyo, Japan). Two years after the treatment, during the follow-up endoscopic examination on the patient, recurrence of carcinoma was not detected endoscopically or histologically.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation device for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction, complicated with esophageal varices, may be an acceptable and easily applicable method.</p

Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-producing tumor was first reported in 1977, however, anaplastic pleomorphic type carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor is still rare.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with body weight loss (-10 kg during months) and upper abdominal pain from 3 weeks. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a pancreatic tumor 10 cm in size and multiple low-density areas in the liver. On admission, the peripheral leukocyte count was elevated to 91,500/mm³and the serum concentration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was 134 pg/mL (normal, < 18.1 pg/mL). Based on liver biopsy findings, the tumor was classified as an anaplastic pleomorphic-type carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed that pancreatic carcinoma cells were positive for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. The patient developed interstitial pneumonia, probably caused by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and died 11 days after admission.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is a rare case report of anaplastic pleomorphic-type carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and confirmed by immunohistochemistry.</p

Mineralogical and Chemical Features of Dust Particles Collected in the Troposphere over Desert Areas and over Japan

Siberian Branch of Russian Academy金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科名古屋大学Chinese Academy of Science熊本県立大学Promoting Environmental Pesearch in Pan-Japan Sea Area : Young Researchers\u27 Network, Schedule: March 8-10,2006,Kanazawa Excel Hotel Tokyu, Japan, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program, Environmental Monitoring and Prediction of Long- & Short- Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area ; IICRC(Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre), Sponsors : Japan Sea Research ; UNU-IAS(United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies)+Ishikawa Prefecture Government ; City of Kanazaw

Co-existence of acute myeloid leukemia with multilineage dysplasia and Epstein-Barr virus-associated T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: a case report

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease mediated by inflammatory processes mainly at the joints. Recently, awareness of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder (T-LPD) has been heightened for its association with methotraxate usage in RA patients. In the contrary, acute myeloid leukemia with multilineage dysplasia (AML-MLD) has never been documented to be present concomitantly with the above two conditions. In this report we present a case of an autopsy-proven co-existence of AML-MLD and EBV-associated T-LPD in a patient with RA

Fermi Large Area Telescope Constraints on the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

The Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) includes photons with wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared, which are effective at attenuating gamma rays with energy above ~10 GeV during propagation from sources at cosmological distances. This results in a redshift- and energy-dependent attenuation of the gamma-ray flux of extragalactic sources such as blazars and Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The Large Area Telescope onboard Fermi detects a sample of gamma-ray blazars with redshift up to z~3, and GRBs with redshift up to z~4.3. Using photons above 10 GeV collected by Fermi over more than one year of observations for these sources, we investigate the effect of gamma-ray flux attenuation by the EBL. We place upper limits on the gamma-ray opacity of the Universe at various energies and redshifts, and compare this with predictions from well-known EBL models. We find that an EBL intensity in the optical-ultraviolet wavelengths as great as predicted by the "baseline" model of Stecker et al. (2006) can be ruled out with high confidence.Comment: 42 pages, 12 figures, accepted version (24 Aug.2010) for publication in ApJ; Contact authors: A. Bouvier, A. Chen, S. Raino, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, L.C. Reye

Early effect of oral administration of omeprazole with mosapride as compared with those of omeprazole alone on the intragastric pH

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The ideal medication for acid-related diseases should have a rapid onset of action to promote hemostasis and cause efficient resolution of symptoms. The aim of our study was to comparatively investigate the inhibitory effect on gastric acid secretion of a single oral administration of omeprazole plus mosapride with that of omeprazole alone.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten Helicobacter pylori-negative male subjects participated in this randomized, two-way crossover study. Intragastric pH was monitored continuously for 6 hours after a single oral administration of omeprazole 20 mg or that of omeprazole 20 mg plus mosapride 5 mg (the omeprazole being administered one hour after the mosapride). Each administration was separated by a 7-days washout period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The average pH during the 6-hour period after administration of omeprazole 20 mg plus mosapride 5 mg was higher than that after administration of omeprazole 20 mg alone (median: 3.22 versus 4.21, respectively; <it>p </it>= 0.0247).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In H. pylori -negative healthy male subjects, an oral dose of omeprazole 20 mg plus mosapride 5 mg increased the intragastric pH more rapidly than omeprazole 20 mg alone.</p

Oxygen-glucose deprivation induces ATP release via maxi-anion channels in astrocytes

ATP represents a major gliotransmitter that serves as a signaling molecule for the cross talk between glial and neuronal cells. ATP has been shown to be released by astrocytes in response to a number of stimuli under nonischemic conditions. In this study, using a luciferin-luciferase assay, we found that mouse astrocytes in primary culture also exhibit massive release of ATP in response to ischemic stress mimicked by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Using a biosensor technique, the local ATP concentration at the surface of single astrocytes was found to increase to around 4 μM. The OGD-induced ATP release was inhibited by Gd3+ and arachidonic acid but not by blockers of volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying Cl− channels, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), multidrug resistance-related protein (MRP), connexin or pannexin hemichannels, P2X7 receptors, and exocytotic vesicular transport. In cell-attached patches on single astrocytes, OGD caused activation of maxi-anion channels that were sensitive to Gd3+ and arachidonic acid. The channel was found to be permeable to ATP4− with a permeability ratio of PATP/PCl = 0.11. Thus, it is concluded that ischemic stress induces ATP release from astrocytes and that the maxi-anion channel may serve as a major ATP-releasing pathway under ischemic conditions