Si1-xGex anode synthesis on plastic films for flexible rechargeable batteries.

SiGe is a promising anode material for replacing graphite in next generation thin-film batteries owing to its high theoretical charge/discharge capacity. Metal-induced layer exchange (LE) is a unique technique used for the low-temperature synthesis of SiGe layers on arbitrary substrates. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of Si1-xGex (x = 0-1) layers on plastic films using Al-induced LE. The resulting SiGe layers exhibited high electrical conductivity (up to 1200 S cm-1), reflecting the self-organized doping effect of LE. Moreover, the Si1-xGex layer synthesized by the same process was adopted as the anode for the lithium-ion battery. All Si1-xGex anodes showed clear charge/discharge operation and high coulombic efficiency (≥ 97%) after 100 cycles. While the discharge capacities almost reflected the theoretical values at each x at 0.1 C, the capacity degradation with increasing current rate strongly depended on x. Si-rich samples exhibited high initial capacity and low capacity retention, while Ge-rich samples showed contrasting characteristics. In particular, the Si1-xGex layers with x ≥ 0.8 showed excellent current rate performance owing to their high electrical conductivity and low volume expansion, maintaining a high capacity (> 500 mAh g-1) even at a high current rate (10 C). Thus, we revealed the relationship between SiGe composition and anode characteristics for the SiGe layers formed by LE at low temperatures. These results will pave the way for the next generation of flexible batteries based on SiGe anodes.

Characteristics of gut microbiome, organic acid profiles and viral antibody indexes of healthy Japanese with live Lacticaseibacillus detected in stool.

To estimate the health-promoting effects of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (previously Lactobacillus casei) strain Shirota (LcS) that reached the lower gastrointestinal tract alive, we investigated the characteristics of gut microbiome, organic acid profiles, defecatory symptoms and serum viral antibody indexes of healthy Japanese adults between the group in whom live LcS was detected or not from stool. The ß-diversity index of the gut microbiome constituted a significant difference between the live-LcS-detected-group (LLD) and the live-LcS-not-detected-group (LLnD). In the LLD, the Bifidobacteriaceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Coriobacteriaceae counts were significantly higher, and the succinate concentration was significantly lower than that in the LLnD. The serum herpes simplex virus (HSV) immunoglobulin (Ig)M antibody index in the LLD tended to be lower than that of the LLnD in HSV IgG-positive subjects. Of the LLD, those in the fermented milk products containing LcS (FML)-high-frequency-group (FML-HF) and those in the FML-low-frequency-group (FML-LF) had different gut microbiome and organic acid profiles. However, the pattern of differences between FML-HF and FML-LF was dissimilar those between LLD and LLnD. In contrast, among subjects with FML-LF, those in the group with LLD in stool (LF-LLD) and those in the LLnD in stool (LF-LLnD) showed a similar pattern of differences in their gut microbiome and organic acid profiles as those in the LLnD and LLD. The LLD and LF-LLD commonly had lower caloric and carbohydrate intakes from the diet than their respective control groups. In this study, we found that the presence of live LcS in stool is associated with a healthy gut environment and inhibition of the reactivation of latently infected viruses in the host. However, these health-promoting effects on the host were not related to the frequency of FML intake. Furthermore, dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and diet including caloric intake was related to the viability of ingested LcS in the gut.

Association of life habits and fermented milk intake with stool frequency, defecatory symptoms and intestinal microbiota in healthy Japanese adults.

Few studies have examined the effects of smoking habit, the frequency of alcohol drinking, exercise, and fermented milk consumption on defecatory symptoms and gut microbiota composition, and particularly their interactive effects. We examined the effect of these lifestyle factors on bowel movements and gut microbiota composition in 366 healthy Japanese adults by analysis of covariance. Smoking did not affect defecatory symptoms but was negatively correlated with total bacteria and Enterococcus counts. Drinking frequency was significantly positively correlated with a feeling of incomplete evacuation and counts of the Bacteroides fragilis group and Acidaminococcus groups. Exercise frequency tended to be negatively correlated with the Bristol Stool Form Scale score and was significantly negatively correlated with the counts of Enterobacteriaceae and positively correlated with the Prevotella counts in the faeces. The frequency of fermented milk consumption was not significant but tended to be positively correlated with stool frequency. The frequency of fermented milk consumption was significantly positively correlated with the counts of the Atopobium cluster, Eubacterium cylindroides group, Acidaminococcus group, Clostridium ramosum subgroup, and Lactobacillus in the faeces. The frequency of consumption of probiotic Lactobacillus casei-containing fermented milk was significantly positively correlated with stool frequency. The counts of probiotic Lactobacillus casei in the stool was positively correlated with the counts of Bifidobacterium and total Lactobacillus. These results suggest that smoking, alcohol drinking, exercise, and consumption of fermented milk, particularly containing probiotic L. casei, differently affect bowel movements and gut microbiota composition in healthy Japanese adults.

Ultrasonic effects on electroorganic processes--Part 20. Photocatalytic oxidation of aliphatic alcohols in aqueous suspension of TiO2 powder.

Ultrasonic effects in a suspension system were examined using the photocatalytic oxidation of 2-propanol to acetone and of ethanol to acetaldehyde in the aqueous suspension of TiO2 powder as a model reaction. The formation rate of acetone was significantly increased under ultrasonic irradiation. The oxidation reaction under ultrasonic irradiation was affected in a different manner from that in silence by reaction conditions such as ultrasonic power, stirring speed, amount of TiO2, concentration of 2-propanol, and pretreatment of the TiO2 powder. Furthermore, it was also observed that the particle size of the TiO2 photocatalyst powder was increased due to the particle agglomeration by ultrasonic irradiation, and consequently it was suggested that ultrasound activates the surface of the catalyst. These results are discussed on the basis of not only the activation of the photocatalyst but also ultrasonic enhancement of mass transport of 2-propanol molecules.

Comparison of the water-holding capacity of wheat bran products prepared by wet and dry smashing methods in vitro and effect on the gastrointestinal retention time in rats in vivo.

Microfibril wheat bran (MFW) prepared by wet smashing of wheat bran using a colloidal mill has the advantages of being more palatable than other wheat bran and easier to apply to various foods. In this study, we investigated water-holding capacity (WHC) and physiological effects of a novel food material, MFW, focusing on shortening of the retention time of the gastrointestinal contents compared to those of dry smashing of wheat bran (DWB) prepared by conventional method, and wheat bran (WB), which is the raw materials. The mean particle size of MFW was 35 microns, and WHC was 5.1 g/g. In contrast, those of DWB were 61 microns and 3.0 g/g, respectively. Those of WB were 420 microns and 5.0 g/g, respectively. The WHC of MFW was 1.7 times greater than that of DWB and comparable to that of WB. The dietary fiber content in MFW, DWB, and WB were 73.5, 66.9 and 70.2%, respectively. Six-week-old Fisher rats were divided into three groups, and fed for 20 days with AIN-76 chow supplemented with MFW, DWB, or WB to a dietary fiber content of 10%. On days 14-16 of the experimental period, the mean retention time (MRT) of gastrointestinal content and fecal weight were measured using solid phase and liquid phase markers. On day 20 of the experimental period, animals were killed, and the water content, pH, composition of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the cecal content and total amounts of SCFAs in the cecum were investigated. MRT in the MFW group was 15.2 +/- 0.8 h in the solid phase, which was significantly shorter than that in the DWB group (18.0 +/- 0.9 h) (p < 0.05), and comparable to that in the WB (15.5 +/- 2.4 h). MRT in the liquid phase was almost the same as that in the solid phase: 14.7 +/- 1.0, 18.4 +/- 0.8, and 16.0 +/- 2.5 h in the MFW, DWB, and WB groups, respectively. The fecal weight, pH, the concentration of SCFA in the cecal content and total amounts of SCFAs in the cecum did not differ among the groups, but the cecal water content was in the order of MFW > WB > DWB, showing a significant difference between each group (p < 0.05). The above finding suggested that MFW is a novel food material with a greater WHC and the ability of shortening the retention time of the gastrointestinal contents compared to DWB.

Thyroid-stimulating antibody in a patient with euthyroid Graves' disease.

We report an 11-year-old girl with euthyroid Graves' disease. She was referred to our clinic because of left exophthalmos without other symptoms suggestive of hyperthyroidism. Her serum concentration of free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) were normal, but thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was below normal and impaired TSH response to TSH releasing hormone (TRH) was found. Although the sera were positive for anti-TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) and thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb), both titers were not as high as usually observed in Graves' disease. Three months later, she developed hyperthyroidism and was treated with propylthiouracil. Within 2 weeks of the initiation of therapy, all symptoms except exophthalmos disappeared, and after 2 months of treatment TRAb was negative though TSAb remained positive. TSAb is therefore a good indicator to use in the diagnosis and follow-up of euthyroid Graves' disease and should be measured in patients with exophthalmos of unknown origin, even in children.

Ultrasonic effects on electroorganic processes. Part 14. Indirect electroreduction of benzyl chlorides with anthracene redox-mediatory system

Ultrasonic effects were observed in the indirect electroreduction of benzyl chlorides with a radical anion mediator electrogenerated from anthracene. Both the current efficiency for the toluenes formed and the current density (reaction rate) at a working electrode were significantly increased in potential-controlled electrolysis under ultrasonic irradiation (20 kHz). These effects are important from a practical aspect and are rationalized as being due to mass transport promotion caused by ultrasonic cavitation. Although the efficiency could be also increased in the direct electroreduction in the absence of the mediator under irradiation, the current density was only slightly increased.

Protective effects of neutral amino acids against amphipathic drug-induced hemolysis.

Some neutral amino acids were compared for their anti-hemolytic effects with sugars which are well-known colloid-osmotic protectants. The kinetic studies in isotonic suspensions of erythrocytes indicated that the hemolysis induced by the amphipathic drug chlorpromazine (CPZ) or flufenamic acid (FA) was retarded by addition of sugars, and the degree of the anti-hemolytic effect increased with increases in molecular size. Phenylalanine (Phe), the largest among the amino acids tested, showed the greatest inhibitory effect on CPZ-induced hemolysis, but not on FA-induced hemolysis. This demonstrated that the anti-hemolytic effects of amino acids were not the result of colloid-osmotic protection. Hemolytic actions of amino acids were also examined to determine their interaction with the erythrocyte membrane, and the mechanism of their inhibitory effects against amphipathic drug-induced hemolysis was discussed.