SAXS Evaluation of Size Distribution for Nanoparticles

Size distribution is an important structural aspect in order to rationalize relationship between structure and property of materials utilizing polydisperse nanoparticles. One may come to mind the use of dynamic light scattering (DLS) for the characterization of the size distribution of particles. However, only solution samples can be analyzed and even for those, the solution should be transparent or translucent because of using visible light. It is needless to say that solid samples are out of range. Furthermore, the size distribution only in the range of several tens of nanometers can be characterized, so DLS is useless for particles in the range of several nanometers. Therefore, the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique is much superior when considering the determination of the size distribution in several nanometers length scale for opaque solutions and for solid specimens. Furthermore, the SAXS technique is applicable not only for the spherical particle but also for platelet (lamellar) and rod-like (cylindrical) particles. In this chapter, we focus on the form factor of a variety of nanostructures (spheres, prolates, core-shell spheres, core-shell cylinders and lamellae). Also getting started with a monodisperse distribution of the size of the nanostructure, to unimodal distribution with a narrow standard deviation or wide-spreading distribution and finally to the discrete distribution can be evaluated by the computational parameter fitting to the experimentally obtained SAXS profile. In particular, for systems forming complicated aggregations, this methodology is useful. Not only the size distribution of ‘a bunch of grapes’ but also the size distribution of all ‘grains of grapes in the bunch’ can be evaluated according to this methodology. This is very much contrasted to the case of the DLS technique by which only ‘a bunch of grapes’ is analyzed but ‘grains of grapes in the bunch’ cannot be. It is because the DLS technique in principle evaluates diffusion constants of particles and all of the grains in the same bunch of grapes diffuse as a whole. Thus, the methodology is important to highlight versatility and diversity in real materials, especially in soft matter, both in the liquid and in the solid states

Subsurface Pennsylvanian Coal and Coaly Shale Samples, Archer County, North Central Texas

Data for this report is available at the Texas Data Repository: https://doi.org/10.18738/T8/UTSMCKStudies at the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) during the 2004 Fiscal Year (FY) for the National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS) State Cooperative Program (NCRDS project) comprised sampling of subsurface coal and coaly shale beds occurring at depths of less than 2,000 ft in Archer County, Texas, and determination of their stratigraphic position. These studies are the initial part of a pilot program of identification, sampling, and characterization of North-Central Texas coals and are a continuation of BEG's NCRDS project investigations on the potential of these bituminous coals as a coalbed methane resource. Fifty-seven coal, coaly, and organic-rich shale samples were collected from drilling cuttings from five wells for which cuttings are available at BEG's Austin Core Research Center facility. The collected samples represent relatively thin, coal-rich beds in the Strawn (Pennsylvanian), Canyon (Pennsylvanian), and Cisco (Pennsylvanian-Permian) Groups and will be used for coal-rank determinations by means of vitrinite reflectance measurements coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The information produced in the project was entered into a geographic information system (GIS) ArcView project. Digital files of this report and the collected samples are being submitted to the USGS, along with this report.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Frio pilot in CO2 sequestration in brine-bearing sandstones: The University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, report to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to accompany a class V application for an experimental technology pilot injection well.

GEOSEQ project (LBNL, LLNL, ORNL), NETL, Schlumberger–Doll Research Center, Transpetco, Sandia TechnologiesJackson School of Geoscience

Dynamic learning need reflection system for academic education and its applicability to intelligent agents

This paper suggests a new concept DLNR (Dynamic Learning Need Reflection) and its system practically used in the education at Japanese University. The effects, particularly on the learning of software agents, are analyzed. DLNR’s goal is to increase students' learning motivation through dynamically clarifying and reflecting their learning need. To achieve this goal, DLNR includes “prerequisite conditions”, “no compulsory subjects”, “payment for each learning subject”, and “GPA (Grade Point Average)” for estimating learning results. Using a tool developed for realizing DLNR, students design their learning need, namely their own graduation timeline by themselves to achieve their academic goal towards their job after graduation. Through taking classes, students dynamically modify the timeline reflectively according to the intermediate results such as shown by GPA. DLNR’s effects are evaluated. Particularly, DLNR was found applicable to the learning of software agents for intelligent system assistants, through incorporating more general tool such as Story board

Recent Developments in the Crystallization of PLLA-Based Blends, Block Copolymers, and Nanocomposites

Despite the extensive studies of poly(L-lactic acid)(PLLA), the crystallization of PLLA-based materials is still not completely understood. This chapter presents recent developments of crystallization of PLLA-based blends, block copolymers and nanocomposites. The first section of the chapter discusses the acceleration of PLLA crystallization by the inclusion of biobased (solid and liquid state) additives. It was found that the solid state additives work as a nucleating agent while the liquid-state additive works as a plasticizer. Both type of the additives can significantly enhance the crystallization of PLLA, as indicated by crystallization half-time (t0.5) values. Such composites are of great interest as they are 100% based on renewable resources. The second section talks about the enhanced formation of stereocomplex (SC) crystals in the PLLA/PDLA (50/50) blends by adding 1% SFN. It was found that the loading of SFN enhances the formation of SC crystals and it suppresses the formation of HC (homocrystal). The third section deals with confined crystallization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in a PLLA/PEG blend. The PLLA/PEG (50/50) blend specimen was heated up to 180.0°C and kept at this temperature for 5 min. Then, a two-step temperature-jump was conducted as 180.0°C → 127.0°C → 45.0°C. For this particular condition, it was found that PEG can crystallize only in the preformed spherulites of PLLA, as no crystallization of PEG was found in the matrix of the mixed PLLA/PEG amorphous phase. The last section describes the confined crystallization of PCL in the diblock and triblock copolymers of PLA-PCL. Furthermore, enantiomeric blends of PLLA-PCL and PDLA-PCL or PLLA-PCL-PLLA and PDLA-PCL-PDLA have been examined for the purpose of the improvement of the poor mechanical property of PLLA to which the SC formation of PLLA with PDLA components are relevant

Effect of single-dose extended-release oral azithromycin on anticoagulation status in warfarinized patients

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible influence of single-dose 2.0-g azithromycin (AZ-ER) on anticoagulation in patients taking warfarin. Study Design. Eighteen consecutive patients receiving long-term stable warfarin therapy were enrolled in this study. AZ-ER was administered 1 hour prior to tooth extraction. The international normalized ratio (INR) value was measured prior to AZ-ER administration as well as during, 1 day after, and 7 days after the tooth extraction. Additionally, the azithromycin concentration in the extraction wound as well as in the peripheral venous blood was assessed. Results. The changes in INR throughout the study period were not statistically significant (2-factor analysis of variance, NS). The azithromycin concentration in extraction wounds was higher than that in peripheral veins. Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that prophylactic administration of AZ-ER to patients receiving daily warfarin therapy with a stable coagulation status has no relevant effect on the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2013;115:148-151)ArticleORAL SURGERY ORAL MEDICINE ORAL PATHOLOGY ORAL RADIOLOGY. 115(2):148-151 (2013)journal articl

Modeling Academic Education Processes by Dynamic Storyboarding

In high-level education such as university studies, there is a flexible but complicated system of subject offerings and registration rules such as prerequisite subjects. Those offerings, connected with registration rules, should be matched to the students’ learning needs and desires, which change dynamically. Students need assistance in such a maze of dynamically changing opportunities and limitations. To cope with this problem, a new storyboard concept for academic education, called “dynamic storyboarding” is proposed to assist university students. Dynamic storyboarding is based on the idea of semi-formally representing, processing, evaluating, and refining didactic knowledge. This storyboarding is more appropriate in managing high-level education than is general artificial intelligence knowledge representations such as frames. This is because the structure of dynamic storyboarding is driven by the semi-formal and multilayered nature of didactic knowledge in university education. A feasibility study showed that storyboarding can be used to supplement an academic educational system, such as the dynamic learning need reflection system (DLNRS) of Tokyo Denki University (TDU) in Japan. Concretely speaking, didactic knowledge in the university curricula was proven to be easily and clearly represented by dynamic storyboarding. This contributed to the students’ dynamic learning activities by supporting features that help students review and adapt their own individual curricula

Managing academic education through dynamic storyboarding

Complex long term learning activities may be exhausting, tiring and sometimes even frustrating. In high level education such as university studies, there is a system of offers, rules, requests and prerequisites, which need to be matched with students' needs and desires. University students need assistance in the jungle of opportunities and limitations at today's universities. Here, we employ our formerly developed storyboard concept to face this problem and introduce a storyboard to develop, maintain, and evaluate academic education. Storyboarding is based on the idea of formally representing, processing, evaluating and refining didactic knowledge. It is more powerful in managing education than general AI knowledge representations such as frames, because the syntax of storyboards is driven by the particular nature of didactic knowledge. The concept is a supplement to the educational system (called Dynamic Learning Needs Reflection System: DLNRS) of the School of Information Environment of Tokyo Denki University, Japan. Concretely speaking, the didactic knowledge of DLNRS can be represented by storyboard and used for supporting dynamic learning activities of students

Regulation of Adrenomedullin and its Family Peptide by RAMP System – Lessons from Genetically Engineered Mice

Adrenomedullin (ADM), originally identified as a vasodilating peptide, is now recognized to be a pleiotropic molecule involved in both the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and circulatory homeostasis. Homozygotes of ADM knockout mice (ADM-/-) were lethal at mid-gestation with abnormalities of vascular development and this finding clarified the angiogenic potency of ADM. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has a structure and function similar to that of ADM, has been identified as a family peptide of ADM. Unlike ADM-/-, CGRP-/- were apparently normal. Therefore, the study of knockout mice first clarified the distinctly different physiological roles between ADM and CGRP. In contrast, heterozygotes of ADM knockout mice (ADM+/-) were alive but showed blood pressure elevation, reduced neovascularization, and enhanced neointimal formation by arterial injury. Based on these observations, there was hope ADM would have a therapeutic use. However, ADM has a short half-life in the blood stream and its application in chronic disease has limitations. Therefore, we focused on the ADM receptor system. The calcitonin-receptor-like receptor (CLR), which is the ADM receptor, associates with one of the accessory proteins, called receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs). By interacting with RAMP1, CLR exhibits a high affinity for CGRP, whereas by interacting with either RAMP2 or -3, CLR exhibits a high affinity for ADM. We generated RAMP knockout mice and found that vascular phenotypes similar to ADM-/- were reproduced only in RAMP2-/-. This shows that RAMP2 is the key determinant of the vascular functions of ADM. RAMP2 could be an attractive therapeutic target in cardiovascular diseases.ArticleCURRENT PROTEIN & PEPTIDE SCIENCE. 14(5):347-357 (2013)journal articl

Using storyboarding and data mining to estimate success chances of curricula

In university studies, there is a flexible but complicated learning system of subject offers, enrollment rules for particular subject combinations, and prerequisites to meet for taking particular subjects, which need to be matched with students' needs and desires. Students need assistance in the jungle of such learning opportunities and limitations at today's universities. To face this problem, we employed our formerly developed storyboard concept and used it to develop, maintain, and evaluate curricula. Storyboarding is based on the idea of formally representing, processing, evaluating and refining didactic knowledge. This concept is utilized to supplement an educational system called Dynamic Learning Needs Reflection System (DLNRS) of the School of Information Environment of Tokyo Denki University, Japan. Concretely speaking, didactic knowledge of DLNRS can be represented by storyboarding and used for supporting dynamic learning activities of students. Here, we introduce an additional benefit of the storyboard concept. By using data mining - like methods to evaluate storyboard paths, we are able to estimate success chances of storyboard paths. Based on such an evaluation we will be able to rate planned (future) paths and thus, to prevent students from failing by non-appropriate curricula. Moreover, besides the evaluation, the estimation can be used for computer enforced suggestions to complete a path towards optimal success chances