Capacitance characterization of Graphene/n-Si Schottky junction solar cell with MOS capacitor

We have demonstrated a simple and accurate method for characterizing the capacitance of Graphene/n-Si Schottky junction solar cells (GSSCs) which embed the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor. We measured two types of GSSCs, one with thermal annealing treatments (w-a) and one without (wo-a). It was found that the wo-a GSSC exhibits a two-step feature in the phase versus forward bias voltage relationship, which may be attributed to the presence of polymethyl methacrylate residues. By considering the capacitance of the MOS capacitor (Cmos) and its standard deviation, we successfully obtained the capacitance of the Schottky junction (CSch), and evaluated meaningful built-in potentials (Schottky barrier heights) which are 0.51V (0.78eV) and 0.47V (0.75eV) for the w-a and wo-a GSSCs, respectively, by the Mott-Schottky analysis. We also briefly discuss the relationship between CSch and the Nyquist and Bode plots, finding that the RC time constant decreases due to the subtraction of Cmos.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Mental Health Effects of Tourism in the South Pacific Islands

本研究は，8日間の南太平洋諸島への滞在中における，活動，交流，および調整された食事摂取などのライフスタイルの変化が，特に精神的健康度に及ぼす影響について検討することを目的とした. 自主的に参加した中高齢女性9人（66.9 ± 4.7歳）を対象に，質問紙を用いて，抑うつ傾向 (CES-D)，気分プロフィール (POMS)，個人空間の確保（プライベート空問機能尺度）について滞在初期および終期に調査を行い，滞在前と比較した. また，滞在時に毎日撮影した顔写真を用いた笑顔の表情分析 (FACS : Facial Action Coding System)，さらに滞在時に経験した感情についての語りを内容分析した. その結果，滞在による身体への影響については，体重および腹囲の減少を認めた. 精神的健康への影響については，抑うつ傾向有りの者は，初期に増加したが，終期には皆無となり，POMSの「否定的気分」は初期から終期にかけて低下し，「肯定的気分」は初期に低下した後，終期に上昇した. 個人空間の確保については，「共布空間」と「自己開放」が終期に上昇した. 表情分析および内容分析については，「笑顔」および「肯定的感情」は滞在4日日に最高値となりその後低下し，「否定的感情」は滞在初日に強くその後消失したが，これらの変化は，CES-D や POMS の変化と同期していた. 以上の結果から，中高齢女性の南太平洋諸島への滞在によって，身体的健康度の改善に加えて精神的健康度の改善が示された.The present study investigated the effects of tourism in the South Pacific Islands with a controlled life-style on the mental health status of elderly subjects. A questionnaire survey on mental health, expression analysis and content analysis of emotional experience were conducted on 9 healthy female subjects (mean age, 66.9 ± 4.7 years) during 8 days of tourism. Self-administered questionnaire surveys were conducted prior to, early and late in their stay regarding depressive tendencies (CES-D), mood profile (Profile of Mood States; POMS), and personal space acquisition (Personal Space Scale; PSS). Expression analysis of facial photographs with the Facial Action Coding System (F ACS), and content analysis of self-reported emotional experiences were also performed. Body weight and abdominal circumference were decreased in the stay. Depressive tendencies increased early in the stay but were absent late in the stay. The questionnaire surveys revealed that negative mood was high in the early part of the stay, but decreased late in the stay, while positive mood decreased early in the stay and increased late in the stay regarding the POMS sub-scales. Improved "common-space" and "self-liberation" were observed late in the stay on the PSS. Expression analysis and content analysis of emotional experience revealed that "smiles" and "positive emotions" increased from early in the stay, peaked on day 4, and afterwards gradually decreased. On the other hand, "negative emotions" were higher in the early stay, but afterwards decreased and later disappeared. These observed transitions during the course of the stay approximately synchronized with the questionnaire results, demonstrating an improvement in the mental health of elderly individuals during tourism in the South Pacific Islands

Japanese Lung Cancer Society Guidelines for Stage IV NSCLC With EGFR Mutations

Patients with NSCLC in East Asia, including Japan, frequently contain EGFR mutations. In 2018, we published the latest full clinical practice guidelines on the basis of those provided by the Japanese Lung Cancer Society Guidelines Committee. The purpose of this study was to update those recommendations, especially for the treatment of metastatic or recurrent EGFR-mutated NSCLC. We conducted a literature search of systematic reviews of randomized controlled and nonrandomized trials published between 2018 and 2019 that multiple physicians had reviewed independently. On the basis of those studies and the advice from the Japanese Society of Lung Cancer Expert Panel, we developed updated guidelines according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. We also evaluated the benefits of overall and progression-free survival, end points, toxicities, and patients’ reported outcomes. For patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR-activating mutations, the use of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs), especially osimertinib, had the best recommendation as to first-line treatment. We also recommended the combination of EGFR TKI with other agents (platinum-based chemotherapy or antiangiogenic agents); however, it can lead to toxicity. In the presence of EGFR uncommon mutations, except for an exon 20 insertion, we also recommended the EGFR TKI treatment. However, we could not provide recommendations for the treatment of EGFR mutations with immune checkpoint inhibitors, including monotherapy, and its combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy, because of the limited evidence present in the literature. The 2020 Japanese Lung Cancer Society Guidelines can help community-based physicians to determine the most appropriate treatments and adequately provide medical care to their patients

Cricotracheostomy for patients with severe COVID-19: A case control study

BackgroundTracheostomy is an important procedure for the treatment of severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Older age and obesity have been reported to be associated with the risk of severe COVID-19 and prolonged intubation, and anticoagulants are often administered in patients with severe COVID-19; these factors are also related to a higher risk of tracheostomy. Cricotracheostomy, a modified procedure for opening the airway through intentional partial cricoid cartilage resection, was recently reported to be useful in cases with low-lying larynx, obesity, stiff neck, and bleeding tendency. Here, we investigated the usefulness and safety of cricotracheostomy for severe COVID-19 patients.Materials and methodsFifteen patients with severe COVID-19 who underwent cricotracheostomy between January 2021 and April 2022 with a follow-up period of ≥ 14 days were included in this study. Forty patients with respiratory failure not related to COVID-19 who underwent traditional tracheostomy between January 2015 and April 2022 comprised the control group. Data were collected from medical records and comprised age, sex, body mass index, interval from intubation to tracheostomy, use of anticoagulants, complications of tracheostomy, and decannulation.ResultsAge, sex, and days from intubation to tracheostomy were not significantly different between the COVID-19/cricotracheostomy and control/traditional tracheostomy groups. Body mass index was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group than that in the control group (P = 0.02). The rate of use of anticoagulants was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Peri-operative bleeding, subcutaneous emphysema, and stomal infection rates were not different between the groups, while stomal granulation was significantly less in the COVID-19 group (P = 0.04).ConclusionsThese results suggest that cricotracheostomy is a safe procedure in patients with severe COVID-19

Capacitance characterization of graphene/n-Si Schottky junction solar cell with MOS capacitor

We have demonstrated a simple and accurate method for characterizing the capacitance of Graphene/n-Si Schottky junction solar cells (GSSCs) which embed the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor. We measured two types of GSSCs, one with thermal annealing treatments (w-a) and one without (wo-a). It was found that the wo-a GSSC exhibits a two-step feature in the phase versus forward bias voltage relationship, which may be attributed to the presence of polymethyl methacrylate residues. By considering the capacitance of the MOS capacitor (C _mos ) and its standard deviation, we successfully obtained the capacitance of the Schottky junction (C _Sch ), and evaluated meaningful built-in potentials (Schottky barrier heights) which are 0.51 V (0.78 eV) and 0.47 V (0.75 eV) for the w-a and wo-a GSSCs, respectively, by the Mott–Schottky analysis. We also briefly discuss the relationship between C _Sch and the Nyquist and Bode plots, finding that the RC time constant decreases due to the subtraction of C _mos

Design and operation of an air-conditioning system fueled by wood pellets

A room-cooling system of 2 kW capacity fueled by wood pellets was designed, built and tested. The system was demonstrated during summer at the Yakushima Field Station of Kagoshima University, Japan. It contained a pellet feeder, a pellet burner, a heat exchanger, a lithium bromide.water absorption heat pump and a control unit. The volume of the test room was 36.9 m3 and ambient temperature 30 °C. The airflow temperature from the room unit was decreased to 16 °C by the system, and the room temperature could be successfully controlled to 24 °C steady state. Room heating in winter was also demonstrated. Since the air was heat exchanged, the overall energy efficiency of the cooling system was low at about 19%. However, the calculation based on the heat flow showed that the efficiency could be enhanced to about 75% by direct heating of the regenerator by the flue gas

Cyclohexanol biodegradation genes: a pathway of opportunities

We have now determined the complete gene sequence of the cyclohexanol (chn) degradation pathway in Acinetobacter sp. NCIMB 9871 as well as the putative genes for the \u3b2-oxidation of adipic acid to acetyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA. In addition, a new insertion sequence, potentially useful in strain characterization, was identified. Knowledge of the nucleotide sequence of the chn genes was used to construct clones of Escherichia coli that would overproduce the requisite biocatalysts: a flavin monooxygenase (ChnB; cyclohexanone 1,2-monooxygenase [CHMO]), a ring-opening hydrolase (ChnC; \u3b5-caprolactone hydrolase) and three oxido-reductases (ChnA, cyclohexanol dehydrogenase; ChnD, 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase; and ChnE, 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase). Besides the well known application of CHMO as a Baeyer-Villiger biocatalyst that carries out stereoselective oxidations of a wide variety of ketones to the corresponding lactones, potential applications of the Chn biocatalysts in the development of "green" bioprocesses such as an "envirocompatible" synthesis of adipic acid are discussed.NRC publication: Ye