Negative Dip Research Articles

Upgrade and Improvement of the TRIUMF ECRIS Charge State Booster

Recently, the RF system of the TRIUMF electron cyclotron resonance ion source charge state booster (ECRIS CSB) underwent an upgrade to implement two-frequency heating using a single waveguide. The injection and extraction optics, as well as the injection and extraction systems, were carefully modelled and systematically optimized to improve the efficiency and beam quality of the charge state booster. With optimized plasma and beam optics under the single-frequency heating regime, the maximum charge state of the 133Cs isotope produced was 27+, with the peak of the charge state distribution at Cs23+ with an efficiency of 8.5 %. However, with the implementation of two-frequency heating, the maximum charge state of Cs that can be produced increased to 32+, and the charge state distribution’s peak shifted to Cs26+ with an efficiency of 9.1 %. Additionally, the two-frequency heating resulted in a total beam RMS emittance that was approximately half of the one that was measured under the single-frequency heating due to the more pronounced negative potential dip created at the plasma center.

Characterization of gapless topological quantum phase transition via magnetocaloric effect

It has attracted much attention on the interplay between topology and criticality in topological quantum systems, i.e., gapless topological quantum phase transition (TQPT) on critical lines. It is demonstrated that the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is able to signal the gapless TQPT in an extended Kitaev chain, which is witnessed by the unusual critical behavior of joint effect of Grüneison ration (GR) and isothermal entropy change. We uncover the conventional TQPT between gapped phases showing high symmetry (HS) and non-HS critical points with self-duality, which is signaled by the finite value of GR as T → 0 and the largest inverse MCE with T-linear relation of isothermal entropy change. Two critical lines intersect at a multicritical point, at which there is a T−1 critical divergence of GR as well as T1/2 critical behavior of isothermal entropy change. It manifests a “weak” gapless TQPT on one critical line, demonstrated by the shifting zero-crossing of GR without the largest inverse MCE. On the other critical line, it shows a “strong” gapless TQPT, which is evidenced by the negative dip of GR together with the largest inverse MCE. Our work provides a novel thermodynamic perspective on gapless TQPT.

The impact of ionization morphology and X-ray heating on the cosmological 21cm skew spectrum

Abstract The cosmological 21cm signal offers a potential probe of the early Universe and the first ionizing sources. Current experiments probe the spatially-dependent variance (Gaussianity) of the signal through the power spectrum (PS). The signal however is expected to be highly non-Gaussian due to the complex topology of reionization and X-ray heating. We investigate the non-Gaussianities of X-ray heating and reionization, by calculating the skew spectrum (SS) of the 21cm signal using meraxes, which couples a semi-analytic galaxy population with semi-numerical reionization simulations. The SS is the cross-spectrum of the quadratic temperature brightness field with itself. We generate a set of seven simulations from z = 30 to z = 5, varying the halo mass threshold for hosting star-formation, the X-ray luminosity per star-formation rate, and the minimum X-ray energy escaping host galaxies. We find the SS is predominantly negative as a function of redshift, transitioning to positive towards the start of reionization, and peaking during the midpoint of reionization. We do not see a negative dip in the SS during reionization, likely due to the specifics of modelling ionization sources. We normalise the SS by the PS during reionization isolating the non-Gaussianities. We find a trough (k ∼ 0.1 Mpc−1) and peak (k ∼ 0.4 − 1 Mpc−1) in the normalised SS during the mid to late periods of reionization. These correlate to the ionization topology, and neutral islands in the IGM. We calculate the cosmic variance of the normalised SS, and find these features are detectable in the absence of foregrounds with the SKA_LOW.

P046 A rare case of peripheral T cell lymphoma presenting as peripheral neuropathy & myositis

Abstract Background/Aims Peripheral T cell Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of very aggressive and rare lymphomas in the western world accounting for 5% to 15% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Inflammatory myositis and nephropathy associated with hematological malignancies are extremely rare. Methods A 64-year-old gentleman presented with progressive neuropathy with pain and numbness in feet, clawing in both hands, muscle weakness and wasting. He also noticed a rash in his groin and scrotum (erythematous) and new erectile dysfunction along with Raynaud’s, dry eyes, and unintentional weight loss over a year. His paternal uncle suffered from peripheral neuropathy. He had splinter hemorrhage and telangiectasia on general examination. Neurological examination revealed clawing of hands, muscle wasting in his hands and legs in distribution of right median, ulnar, left radial, bilateral sural and bilateral peroneal nerve. Results He had normal routine blood tests (FBC, U&Es and LFTS and CRP). Rheumatology work up revealed CK of 204, LDH 317, ANA 1: 640 titre, negative ENA, dsDNA, ANCA, RF, anti CCP antibodies, myositis blot, normal C3, C4, protein electrophoresis, IgG sub classes and negative para neoplastic screen including anti Ri, anti Yo and anti Hu and a negative urine dip for blood or proteins. Echocardiogram revealed small pericardial effusion. PET scan showed markedly avid lesion in ascending colon proven to be low-grade tubulovillous adenoma on biopsy. MRI of thighs showed inflammatory change consistent with myositis and nerve conduction studies has revealed mono neuritis multiplex. Peroneal nerve biopsy showed small vessel lymphocytic vasculitis followed by skin biopsy of thigh and shin consistent with features of lymphocytic vasculitis and angiocentric NK cell lymphomatous changes. On the bases of his presenting symptoms and investigations, he was treated with 60mg of oral prednisolone and pulsed cyclophosphamide at dose of 15mg /kg for 6 cycles for multisystemic inflammatory condition causing mono neuritis multiplex and myositis. His cyclophosphamide was stopped after 4 cycles as there was no response to treatment and MDT review confirmed that skin and nerve biopsies features were consistent with peripheral T cell lymphoma. Further treatment was with CH(O)P (minus vincristine) under the care of oncologists. Conclusion Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a rare and aggressive heterogeneous group of lymphomas. Risk factors include family history of hematological malignancies and smoking. Rashes may be the antecedent finding in about 20% to 50% of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma patients, with skin manifestations ranging from urticarial lesions to nodular tumor. Patients with cutaneous T cell lymphomas often present with “chronic dermatitis” which is resistant to therapy, early-stage having a predilection for folds and non-exposed sun areas. Cancer associated inflammatory myopathies are rare syndromes occurring in 10%-30% of all malignancies and inflammatory myopathies associated with hematological malignancies are even rarer entities. Disclosure M. Ashraf: None. J. David: None.

Connections between Weyl geometry, quantum potential and quantum entanglement

The Weyl geometry promises potential applications in gravity and quantum mechanics. We study the relationships between the Weyl geometry, quantum entropy and quantum entanglement based on the Weyl geometry endowing the Euclidean metric. We give the formulation of the Weyl Ricci curvature and Weyl scalar curvature in the n-dimensional system. The Weyl scalar field plays a bridge role to connect the Weyl scalar curvature, quantum potential and quantum entanglement. We also give the Einstein–Weyl tensor and the generalized field equation in 3D vacuum case, which reveals the relationship between Weyl geometry and quantum potential. Particularly, we find that the correspondence between the Weyl scalar curvature and quantum potential is dimension-dependent and works only for the 3D space, which reveals a clue to quantize gravity and an understanding why our space must be 3D if quantum gravity is compatible with quantum mechanics. We analyze numerically a typical example of two orthogonal oscillators to reveal the relationships between the Weyl scalar curvature, quantum potential and quantum entanglement based on this formulation. We find that the Weyl scalar curvature shows a negative dip peak for separate state but becomes a positive peak for the entangled state near original point region, which can be regarded as a geometric signal to detect quantum entanglement.

Dispersion compensation for orbital angular momentum mode based on circular photonic crystal fiber

In this work, a circular dual-core photonic crystal fiber is proposed for dispersion compensation for the controllable orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode by the inner-outer core mode coupling. This design can simultaneously realize a negative dispersion of up to −3039.45 ps nm−1 km−1 for OAM mode HE31 and a high effective index separation of 2.15 × 10−3 within scalar linearly polarized (LP)21 mode group (HE31 and EH11) at 1.55 µm, ensuring HE31 vortex mode robust propagation without channel crosstalk. Evolution of the combined effective index, OAM phase, and electric field is systemically verified functioning as wavelength during the inner-outer mode coupling. Structural parameter dependence of negative dispersion is demonstrated with respect to lattice constant, air hole size and air-filling fraction, remarkably suggesting that negative dispersion dip at phase-matching wavelength exhibits an enhanced blue shift with lattice constant of inner cladding increasing but a red shift with lattice constant of outer cladding. The feasibility of this design is demonstrated with an achievement of negative dispersion of −1773.21 ps nm−1 km−1 for EH11 mode at wavelength 1.55 µm by tuning the structural parameter. This design is expected for fiber applications in OAM-based optical communication systems.

Superposed Epoch Analysis of Dispersionless Particle Injections Inside Geosynchronous Orbit

AbstractDispersionless injections, involving sudden, simultaneous flux enhancements of energetic particles over some broad range of energy, are a characteristic signature of the particles that are experiencing a significant acceleration and/or rapid inward transport at the leading edge of injections. We have statistically analyzed data from Van Allen Probes (also known as Radiation Belt Storm Probes [RBSP]) to reveal where the proton (H+) and electron (e–) dispersionless injections occur preferentially inside geosynchronous orbit and how they develop depending on local magnetic field changes. By surveying measurements of RBSP during four tail seasons in 2012–2019, we have identified 171 dispersionless injection events. Most of the events, which are accompanied by local magnetic dipolarizations, occur in the dusk‐to‐midnight sector, regardless of particle species. Out of the selected 171 events, 75 events exhibit dispersionless injections of both H+ and e–, which occur within 2 min of each other. With only three exceptions, the both‐species injection events are further divided into two main subgroups: One is the H+ preceding e– events with a time offset of tens of seconds between H+ and e–, and the other the concurrent H+ and e– events without any time offset. Our superposed epoch results raise the intriguing possibility that the presence or absence of a pronounced negative dip in the local magnetic field ahead of the concurrent sharp dipolarization determines which of the two subgroups will occur. The difference between the two subgroups may be explained in terms of the dawn‐dusk asymmetry of localized diamagnetic perturbations ahead of a deeply penetrating dipolarization front.

Optical backscattering and linear polarization properties of the colony forming cyanobacterium Microcystis.

Light scattering characteristics of the cyanobacterium Microcystis are investigated with numerical models for sphere aggregates. During summer bloom seasons, Microcystis is prevalent in many inland waters across the globe. Monitoring concentrations with remote sensing techniques requires knowledge of the inherent optical properties (IOPs), especially the backscattering properties of Microcystis cells and colonies in natural settings. In situ measurements in waters dominated by Microcystis blooms have previously detected extremely high backscattering ratios, i.e., bb/b>0.043 at 443 nm [1], the highest to our knowledge in the natural environment. These highbb/bvalues could hold promise as a diagnostic tool in identifying and monitoring Microcystis using optical approaches. However, it has been unclear how this type of optically 'soft' organic particle can generate such highbb/bvalues. In this study, the Multiple Sphere T-matrix (MSTM) model is used to calculate the IOPs of model colonies, including bb/b. Colony sizes in the model ranged from several cells to several hundred and both colony packing density and cell gas vacuole content were varied. Results are compared with model results for equivalent-volume spheres (EVS) and direct in situ measurements. Colony formation was required in the modeling to reproduce the high bb/bconsistent with in situ measurements. The combination of moderate to very dense colony (packing density >30%) and high gas vacuole content in individual cells (volume percentage >20%) was the most favorable condition leading to rapid increases in bb/bwith increasing number of cells Ncell of the colony. Significant linear correlations were observed betweenbb/b and Ncell1/3 for these colonies, wherebb/b increased beyond 0.04 once cell number reached about 1000 cells in the case with the most densely packed cells and highest gas vacuole content. Within commonly observed colony sizes (Ncell <106), colonies with high gas vacuole content exhibited bb/bvalues up to 0.055, consistent with direct measurements from Lake Erie. Polarized scattering was also of interest as a diagnostic tool, particularly with future Earth-orbiting polarimeters being deployed for the NASA Plankton, Aerosols, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. The Degree of Linear Polarization (DoLP), expressed by the ratio of two Mueller matrix elements-P12/P11, decreased with increasing colony cell number for Microcystis. Another ratio of two Mueller matrix elementsP22/P11, an index for nonsphericity, also decreased with increasing colony size. In addition to higher relative backscattering, greater colony packing density and larger gas vacuole sizes both led to lower DoLP peak magnitude and lowerP22/P11. An optical opposition feature due to constructive phase interference that was observed previously for cosmic dusts is also present for these modeled colonies, manifested by a narrow intensity peak and negative polarization dip near exact backscattering direction, gradually forming as colony size increases.

Study of dynamical properties of Pd40Cu30Ni10P20 bulk metallic glass at various temperatures

Abstract In the present article, we study the dynamical properties such as velocity auto correlation function (VACF), power spectrum (PS) and mean square displacement (MSD) of Pd40Cu30N10P20 bulk metallic glass (BMG) computed using the local model potential approach at different temperatures i.e. 296 K, 573 K, 659 K 923 K, respectively. Such computations are performed with the static harmonic well approximation theory at various temperatures. The effective interatomic potential for aforementioned BMG is calculated using well established model pseudopotential of Jani et al. along with Farid et al. (F) local field correlation functions (LFCF) for studying the screening dependency on the aforesaid properties. It is observed that negative dip in the velocity auto correlation function decreases as the temperature increases and in results of the power spectrum, the peak is shifted towards lower ω observed as temperature increases. The obtained result of MSD concludes that the vibrating component in the atomic motion decreases as increases the temperatures. The velocity auto correlation function displays the transferability of the local pseudopotential in the present case of Pd-based BMG.

Ultrafast dynamics of pure many-body effect and its competition with bandgap widening via electron–phonon coupling in PbTe thin films

Bandgap renormalization (BGR), or bandgap narrowing effect, is one of the many-body effects predicted by many-body theory in semiconductor physics. However, pure BGR effect has never been observed experimentally although the mixed effect of BGR with lattice-heating induced bandgap narrowing was reported in GaAs and CdTe semiconductors. PbTe has a positive temperature coefficient of bandgap. Its lattice-heating induced bandgap narrowing can be eliminated so that the pure BGR effect is possibly observed. However, that has never been reported so far because the BGR effect is weak in PbTe due to its huge dielectric screening. We study the ultrafast dynamics of photo-excited carriers in PbTe films using near-infrared femtosecond-resolved transient differential transmission (TDT) spectroscopy. A complex oscillation-like damped decay dynamics is observed. A negative dip, a fingerprint signature of BGR effect, occurs immediately after the thermalization process of the photo-excited carriers. As such, we have observed a pure BGR effect in PbTe for the first time, strongly supporting the many-body theory. Meanwhile, we have also observed a dynamic transition from a transient absorption enhancement to absorption saturation, revealing the emergence of a slow lattice-heating induced bandgap widening via carrier-phonon couplings. Based on a two-temperature model, a simulation computation is carried out, supporting the lattice-heating induced bandgap widening leads to the dynamic transition. A phenomenological dynamic model is developed, including three dynamic components: the thermalization of the photo-excited carriers, recombination of the thermalized carriers and lattice-heating induced bandgap widening, and used to best fit the excitation-power dependent TDT dynamics. Time constants and strengths of the three dynamic components are obtained for different excitation powers. Time constant variation with the excitation power reveals different roles of the carrier–carrier and carrier-phonon scattering in the thermalizing process, as well as of free carrier and exciton recombination in the decaying process of hot carriers.

Using simulation to teach patient-centered ultrasound-guided FNA skills.

Using simulation to teach patient-centered ultrasound-guided FNA skills.

Dielectric relaxation induced internal electric field and its effect on magnetoelectric state in Co4Nb2O9

AbstractPyrocurrent and dielectric properties of magnetoelectric antiferromagnet Co4Nb2O9 have been investigated. The sample shows 2 thermally activated dielectric relaxations in the temperature range far above Néel temperature with the low‐ and high‐temperature ones being a dipolar and Maxwell‐Wagner relaxations, respectively. Two types of dipoles: relaxing dipoles and magnetic‐field‐induced dipoles were found in the sample. An internal electric field is formed due to the ordering of relaxing dipoles. Three current peaks were observed. The 2 higher temperature current peaks correspond to the dielectric relaxations. The lowest temperature current peak contains a positive tip and negative dip. The tip and dip are related to the depolarization of ferroelectricity induced by external and internal fields, respectively.

Effect of de-correlating turbulence on the low frequency decay of jet-surface interaction noise in sub-sonic unheated air jets using a CFD-based approach

In this paper we extend the Rapid-distortion theory (RDT)-based model derived by Goldstein, Afsar & Leib (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 736, pp. 532-569, 2013) for the sound generated by the interaction of a large-aspect-ratio rectangular jet with the trailing edge of a flat plate to include a more realistic upstream turbulence spectrum that possess a de-correlation (i.e. negative dip) in its space-time structure and use results from three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solutions to determine the mean flow, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulence length & time scales. Since the interaction noise dominates the low-frequency portion of the spectrum, we use an appropriate asymptotic approximation for the Rayleigh equation Green’s function, which enters the analysis, based on a two-dimensional mean flow representation for the jet. We use the model to predict jet-surface interaction noise for a range of subsonic acoustic Mach number jets, nozzle aspect ratios, streamwise and transverse trailing-edge locations and compare them with experimental data. The RANS meanflow computations are also compared with flow data for selected cases to assess their validity. We find that finite de-correlation in the turbulence spectrum increases the low-frequency algebraic decay (the low-frequency “roll-off”) of the acoustic spectrum with angular frequency to give a model that has a pure dipole frequency scaling. This gives better agreement with noise data compared to Goldstein et al. (2013) for Strouhal numbers less than the peak jet-surface interaction noise. For example, through sensitivity analysis we find that there is a difference of 10 dB at the lowest frequency for which data exists (relative to a model without de-correlation effects included) for the highest acoustic Mach number case. Secondly, our results for the planar flow theory provide a first estimate of the low-frequency amplification due to the jet-surface interaction for moderate aspect ratio nozzles when RANS meanflow quantities are used appropriately. This work will hopefully add to noise prediction efforts for aircraft configurations in which the exhaust systems are tightly integrated with the airframe.

Dynamical Variable of Bi&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;Zn&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt; Bulk Metallic Glass at Various Temperature

The theoretical study of dynamical variables: velocity autocorrelation function (VACF), power spectrum (PS) and mean square displacement (MSD) of Bi50Zn50 bulk metallic glass at T= 793K, 873K, 1023K and 1123K have been calculated based on the static harmonic well approximation. The effective interatomic potential for bulk metallic glass is computed using our established model potential with the exchange correlation functions due to Farid et al. It is observed that negative dip in velocity auto correlation function decreases as the temperature increases. In the power spectrum as temperature increases, the peak of power spectrum shifts toward lower ω. The obtained result of MSD concludes that the vibrating component in the atomic motion is decreases as increases the temperatures.

COSMIC REIONIZATION ON COMPUTERS. MEAN AND FLUCTUATING REDSHIFTED 21 cm SIGNAL

ABSTRACT We explore the mean and fluctuating redshifted 21 cm signal in numerical simulations from the Cosmic Reionization On Computers project. We find that the mean signal varies between about ±25 mK. Most significantly, we find that the negative pre-reionization dip at z ∼ 10–15 only extends to , requiring substantially higher sensitivity from global signal experiments that operate in this redshift range (EDGES-II, LEDA, SCI-HI, and DARE) than has often been assumed previously. We also explore the role of dense substructure (filaments and embedded galaxies) in the formation of the 21 cm power spectrum. We find that by neglecting the semi-neutral substructure inside ionized bubbles, the power spectrum can be misestimated by 25%–50% at scales k ∼ 0.1–1h Mpc−1. This scale range is of particular interest, because the upcoming 21 cm experiments (Murchison Widefield Array, Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization, Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array) are expected to be most sensitive within it.

Effects of aging in catastrophe on the steady state and dynamics of a microtubule population.

Several independent observations have suggested that the catastrophe transition in microtubules is not a first-order process, as is usually assumed. Recent in vitro observations by Gardner et al. [M. K. Gardner et al., Cell 147, 1092 (2011)] showed that microtubule catastrophe takes place via multiple steps and the frequency increases with the age of the filament. Here we investigate, via numerical simulations and mathematical calculations, some of the consequences of the age dependence of catastrophe on the dynamics of microtubules as a function of the aging rate, for two different models of aging: exponential growth, but saturating asymptotically, and purely linear growth. The boundary demarcating the steady-state and non-steady-state regimes in the dynamics is derived analytically in both cases. Numerical simulations, supported by analytical calculations in the linear model, show that aging leads to nonexponential length distributions in steady state. More importantly, oscillations ensue in microtubule length and velocity. The regularity of oscillations, as characterized by the negative dip in the autocorrelation function, is reduced by increasing the frequency of rescue events. Our study shows that the age dependence of catastrophe could function as an intrinsic mechanism to generate oscillatory dynamics in a microtubule population, distinct from hitherto identified ones.

Coulomb-nuclear potential resonances for oscillatory structure in second energy derivative of fusion cross section times energy

In a nucleus-nucleus collision, resonances depicted by larger values of reaction cross section (σ R) at specific energies are generated by the combined Coulomb-nuclear potential by virtue of well-developed pocket in it. The generation of such resonance is ascertained by the peak value of phase-shift time or dwell time at the resonance energy. We extract the results of fusion cross section (σ F) from σ R in the presence of such resonances and present them in the form of a quantity D F(E) = (d2(Eσ F)/dE 2): the second energy derivative of the product of σ F and energy E. In principle the variation of the quantity D F(E) as a function of energy shows two peaks and a negative dip between them around each resonance energy stated above. There can be several resonances in a given angular momentum trajectory denoted by partial wave l. Hence each l would carry a number of peaks and dips for the result of D F(E) over a range of energy. These results of D F(E) from a large number of ls involved in a heavy-ion collision shall be added together and, after some mutual cancellation and/or addition, the final result of D F(E) will show an oscillatory structure with a large number of residual peaks and dips present over the range of energy of variation. These calculated results of D F(E) give successful explanation of the corresponding results extracted from the experimental results of σ F at different energies in the cases of heavy-ion system of reactions, namely 16O + 208Pb, 36S + 110Pd, 58Ni + 60Ni and thereby it is confirmed that peaks and dips found in the variation of D F(E) extracted from the measured results of σ F as a function of the energy are critically influenced by the potential pocket resonances generated in the reactions.

Resonance-like QGP signals displayed in general charge balance functions

Experiment and lattice simulation show that the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) system displays strong interaction between constituents at temperature a few times the critical temperature Tc. This QGP picture can be explained by assuming that the QGP matter above Tc is rich in different kinds of bound states, namely resonance-like QGP (RQGP). The chemical composition of the QGP system produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions can be investigated through a general charge balance function which describes two-wave quark production during expansion afterward. In this paper, we investigate the signals of this RQGP through general charge balance functions. We find that the quasiparticles in QGP contribute a little to the balance functions because of their heavy masses. The balance functions reduce to the situation discussed before where only one-wave charge production is involved if only the quasiparticles in QGP are considered. However, the baryonic bound states in QGP have a significant effect on the balance function [Formula: see text], causing a dip in the [Formula: see text] balance function at small Δy. The existence of the binary and baryonic bound states amplify the negative dip of the balance function BpK-(Δy) at Δy ∽ 1.

Polarization-resolved near-backscattering of airborne aggregates composed of different primary particles.

We measured the polarization-resolved angular elastic scattering intensity distribution of aggregates composed of primary particles with different shapes and packing densities in the near-backward directions (155°-180°). Specifically, we compare aggregates composed of spherical polystyrene latex spheres, cylinder-like Bacillus subtilis particles, and Arizona road dust, as well as tryptophan particles. We observe clearly differentiable polarization aspect ratios and find that the negative polarization dip is more pronounced in more densely packed aggregates or particles. This work indicates that the polarization aspect ratio in the near-backward direction may be used as a fingerprint to discriminate between aggregates with the same size and overall shape by differences in their constituent particles.

Transport properties of Bi-doped FeSe superconductor up to 700 K

Polycrystalline samples of Fe1-xBixSe with x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.08 are prepared by conventional solid state reaction. The resistivity and thermopower are measured up to 700 K. The onset superconducting transition temperature decreases slightly with increasing Bi content. Transport behavior of electrical resistivity in the normal state is quite complex. A linear temperature dependence is found between 20 and 100 K. Above 150 K, the electrical resistivity behavior resembles misfit-layered cobalt oxides Ca3Co4O9+δ; a Fermi-liquid behavior of T2 dependence is observed between 150 and 210 K with the Fermi-liquid transport coefficient A having the size between 4.3 × 10−6 and 10 × 10−6 mΩ-cm/K2, followed by an incoherent metal and a high-temperature nonmetal-like behavior. Thermopower behavior is nonconventional. Sign crossover of thermopower occurs both below and above room temperature. According to the dynamical mean field calculations, the negative dip feature of thermopower between 110 and 130 K seems to be associated with excitations of a pseudogap ground state.