ABSTRACT
Ferroelectric polymers are a candidate for versatile and cheap data storage memory devices, with easy processing for a large-scale device. Easy switching and large remanent polarization of preferentially formed ß-crystal dipoles in a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) are promising properties for versatile memory devices. At higher frequency switching, however, the remanent polarization is reduced and a high coercive field, an electric field for polarization switching is required. The addition of a small amount of nanoparticles (NPs) significantly improves these ferroelectric properties in fluoropolymers. Here, we show that the addition of NPs of gold (Au), silver (Ag), and silicon oxide (SiO2) enhanced the ferroelectric properties in P(VDF-TrFE). AuNPs significantly affected a 40% increase of the remanent polarization, 14% reduction of the coercive field, and 100% increase of the switching speed of ferroelectric polarization. The nature of these enhancements due to the addition of NPs is verified. A higher shift of the binding energy of Au (4f7/2 and 4f5/2) and an increase of the fluorine ion (F(-)) was observed in AuNP-doped P(VDF-TrFE). Strong interactions between the AuNPs and the ferroelectric backbone gave rise to the formation of the interfacial polarization, which induced the local electric field to enhance the ferroelectric properties of the increment of the remanent polarization, the reduction of the coercive field, and faster switching speed.
ABSTRACT
A total of 80 free-roaming dogs on Okinawa Island, Japan, were examined for Babesia infection using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis. Of 80 samples, 12 were positive in a Babesia genus-specific PCR. Consequent species-specific PCR for B. canis and B. gibsoni revealed that 5 (6.3%) and 7 (8.8%) dogs were infected with B. canis and B. gibsoni, respectively. Sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed that the 18S rRNA gene sequence of B. canis detected from dogs in Okinawa was very close to B. canis vogeli with sequence similarity of 99.94%.
Subject(s)
Babesia/genetics , Babesiosis/veterinary , Dog Diseases/parasitology , Animals , Babesia/isolation & purification , Babesiosis/epidemiology , Babesiosis/parasitology , Base Sequence , DNA, Protozoan/chemistry , DNA, Protozoan/genetics , Dogs , Japan/epidemiology , Molecular Sequence Data , Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/chemistry , RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
A free-roaming dog in Okinawa island showed Anaplasma (Ehrlichia) platys-like inclusions within the platelets of peripheral blood samples. The inclusions were positive in indirect fluorescence test with anti-A. phagocytophila serum. The platelet count of the dog was 170,000 microl(-1). The sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA, citrate synthase and heat shock protein genes of DNA from the infected platelets confirmed that the inclusions were A. platys. This is the first detection of A. platys inclusions in dogs in Japan.