Surface Sr segregation behaviors in a model thin film perovskite cathode for solid oxide fuel cells

Surface cation segregation, strontium (Sr) in particular, has been considered as one of crucial barriers to achieving a fast surface oxygen exchange rate of perovskite oxide electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). However, the major driving force for the segregation phenomenon still remains unknown, and thus it is also unknown how to maximize the cathode performance. In this work, we fabricated epitaxial thin films of SrTi1-xFexO3-δ (STF) via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and quantitatively characterized their microstructures, surface chemical compositions and oxygen exchange rates by a range of analysis tools, in this case HR-TEM, HR-XRD, angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR-XPS) and electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR). The use of well-defined epitaxial thin films not only guarantees high precision, reproducibility and reliability of the surface properties, but also enables us to control the degree of misfit strain by varying the choice of the substrate and the target composition. This, in combination with density functional theory (DTF) simulation, enabled to reveal a close relationship between the degree of surface Sr segregation and the misfit strain and thereby to identify the governing factors for the Sr segregation phenomenon

The genome sequence of Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae KACC10331, the bacterial blight pathogen of rice

The nucleotide sequence was determined for the genome of Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae (Xoo) KACC10331, a bacterium that causes bacterial blight in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The genome is comprised of a single, 4 941 439 bp, circular chromosome that is G + C rich (63.7%). The genome includes 4637 open reading frames (ORFs) of which 3340 (72.0%) could be assigned putative function. Orthologs for 80% of the predicted Xoo genes were found in the previously reported X.axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) and X.campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) genomes, but 245 genes apparently specific to Xoo were identified. Xoo genes likely to be associated with pathogenesis include eight with similarity to Xanthomonas avirulence (avr) genes, a set of hypersensitive reaction and pathogenicity (hrp) genes, genes for exopolysaccharide production, and genes encoding extracellular plant cell wall-degrading enzymes. The presence of these genes provides insights into the interactions of this pathogen with its gramineous host

Early Motor Balance and Coordination Training Increased Synaptophysin in Subcortical Regions of the Ischemic Rat Brain

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of early motor balance and coordination training on functional recovery and brain plasticity in an ischemic rat stroke model, compared with simple locomotor exercise. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats with cortical infarcts were trained under one of four conditions: nontrained control, treadmill training, motor training on the Rota-rod, or both Rota-rod and treadmill training. All types of training were performed from post-operation day 1 to 14. Neurological and behavioral performance was evaluated by Menzies' scale, the prehensile test, and the limb placement test, at post-operation day 1, 7, and 14. Both Rota-rod and treadmill training increased the expression of synaptophysin in subcortical regions of the ischemic hemisphere including the hippocampus, dentate gyrus, and thalamus, but did not affect levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor or tyrosin kinase receptor B. The Rota-rod training also improved Menzies' scale and limb placement test scores, whereas the simple treadmill training did neither. The control group showed significant change only in Menzies' scale score. This study suggests that early motor balance and coordination training may induce plastic changes in subcortical regions of the ischemic hemisphere after stroke accompanied with the recovery of sensorimotor performance

Roles of Arrest-Defective Protein 1225 and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α in Tumor Growth and Metastasis

Background Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), a critical mediator of tumor angiogenesis, is a well-characterized target of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Murine arrest-defective protein 1A (mARD1A225) acetylates HIF-1??, triggering its degradation, and thus may play a role in decreased expression of VEGFA.Methods We generated ApcMin/+/mARD1A225 transgenic mice and quantified growth of intestinal polyps. Human gastric MKN74 and murine melanoma B16F10 cells overexpressing mARD1A225 were injected into mice, and tumor growth and metastasis were measured. VEGFA expression and microvessel density in tumors were assessed using immunohistochemistry. To evaluate the role of mARD1A 225 acetylation of Lys532 in HIF-1??, we injected B16F10-mARD1A225 cell lines stably expressing mutant HIF-1??/K532R into mice and measured metastasis. All statistical tests were two-sided, and P values less than. 05 were considered statistically significant.Results ApcMin/+/mARD1A225 transgenic mice (n = 25) had statistically significantly fewer intestinal polyps than Apc Min/+ mice (n = 21) (number of intestinal polyps per mouse: Apc Min/+ mice vs ApcMin/+/mARD1A225 transgenic mice, mean = 83.4 vs 38.0 polyps, difference = 45.4 polyps, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 41.8 to 48.6; P <. 001). The growth and metastases of transplanted tumors were also statistically significantly reduced in mice injected with mARD1A225-overexpressing cells than in mice injected with control cells (P <. 01). Moreover, overexpression of mARD1A 225 decreased VEGFA expression and microvessel density in tumor xenografts (P <. 04) and ApcMin/+ intestinal polyps (P =. 001). Mutation of lysine 532 of HIF-1?? in B16F10-mARD1A225 cells prevented HIF-1?? degradation and inhibited the antimetastatic effect of mARD1A225 (P <. 001).Conclusion mARD1A225 may be a novel upstream target that blocks VEGFA expression and tumor-related angiogenesis

Music-aided affective interaction between human and service robot

This study proposes a music-aided framework for affective interaction of service robots with humans. The framework consists of three systems, respectively, for perception, memory, and expression on the basis of the human brain mechanism. We propose a novel approach to identify human emotions in the perception system. The conventional approaches use speech and facial expressions as representative bimodal indicators for emotion recognition. But, our approach uses the mood of music as a supplementary indicator to more correctly determine emotions along with speech and facial expressions. For multimodal emotion recognition, we propose an effective decision criterion using records of bimodal recognition results relevant to the musical mood. The memory and expression systems also utilize musical data to provide natural and affective reactions to human emotions. For evaluation of our approach, we simulated the proposed human-robot interaction with a service robot, iRobiQ. Our perception system exhibited superior performance over the conventional approach, and most human participants noted favorable reactions toward the music-aided affective interaction.open0

Search for New Physics with Jets and Missing Transverse Momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for new physics is presented based on an event signature of at least three jets accompanied by large missing transverse momentum, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns collected in proton--proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events is observed above the expected standard model backgrounds, which are all estimated from the data. Exclusion limits are presented for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Cross section limits are also presented using simplified models with new particles decaying to an undetected particle and one or two jets

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension