Split Rate Research Articles

Photocatalytic Water Splitting Using Modified GaN:ZnO Solid Solution under Visible Light: Long-Time Operation and Regeneration of Activity

Overall water splitting using GaN:ZnO solid solution photocatalyst modified with Rh(2-y)Cr(y)O(3) nanoparticles as H(2) evolution cocatalysts under visible light (400 < λ < 500 nm) was examined with respect to long-term durability and regeneration of photocatalytic activity. The rate of visible light water splitting remained unchanged for 3 months (2160 h), producing H(2) and O(2) continuously at a stoichiometric amount. After 6 months of operation, a 50% loss of the initial activity occurred. Regeneration treatment of deactivated catalysts was attempted by reloading the Rh(2-y)Cr(y)O(3) cocatalyst. The degree of activity regeneration depended on the reloading amount. Up to 80% of the initial activity for H(2) evolution could be recovered under optimal treatment conditions. It was also found that deactivation of GaN:ZnO was suppressed to some extent by prior coloading of an O(2) evolution cocatalyst, which helped to suppress oxidative decomposition of GaN:ZnO by valence band holes, thereby improving the durability.

Inelastic transport detection of spin quantum tunneling and spin relaxation in single-molecule magnets in the absence of a magnetic field

In a scanning tunneling microscope configuration (STM), we study theoretically the effects of quantum tunneling of magnetization (QTM) as well as transport-induced spin relaxation on the electron transport through a single-molecule magnet deposited on a metallic surface. It is shown that for the STM with a high spin-polarized tip, the inelastic current is completely determined by the QTM channel at low temperatures and by the spin relaxation channel at higher temperatures, from which the tunnel splitting and spin-relaxation rate can be directly determined in spite of the absence of a magnetic field. The two types of different mechanisms can be distinguished from each other by current and/or noise spectra.

The Study on Comparison of 3 Techniques for Transarticular Screw Placement in the Lower Cervical Spine

Prospective comparative study. To compare 3 techniques for transarticular screw placement in the lower cervical spine. The transarticular screw is found to have satisfactory biomechanical stability. According to current studies, there are several techniques for the placement of transarticular screws in the lower cervical spine. Although several techniques are available for transarticular screw implantation in the lower cervical spine, only a few studies in the literature have been carried out to compare these techniques. The techniques of transarticular screw placement used by Takayasu (group A), Dalcanto (group B), and Klekamp (group C) were applied in 24 cervical specimens. The facet fractures, the encroachment of the cervical anterior branches of nerve roots and vertebral arteries and the failure of the screws to go through the facets were observed and analyzed. One hundred ninety-two transarticular screws were implanted on both sides in 24 cervical cadavers, 64 for each group. There were 25 splits of inferior facets in group B, 2 splits in group C, and none in group A. Thirty-six screws encroached the vertebral arteries in group A, none in groups B and C. Forty anterior branches of lower cervical nerve roots were involved in group A, 5 in group B, and 3 in group C. Although all screws went through facets in the study except for 5 in group A, there were no significant differences between each group (χ(AB)2 = 3.33, P > 0.05; χ(AC)2 = 3.33, P > 0.05). There is a high risk of injury to the anterior branch of the cervical nerve roots and vertebral artery if the screws were too long, and the Takayasu technique was used. However, the rate of facet splitting is high if the Dalcanto technique was applied. Klekamp's technique is recommended.

Bank Regulation, Credit Ratings, and Systematic Risk

A model is presented that shows when (Basel Accord) capital standards and (FDIC) insurance premiums primarily reflect a bank’s physical expected default losses, a bank can increase its shareholder value by making loans and investing in bonds that have relatively high systematic risk. Such an incentive occurs because, holding expected default losses constant, credit spreads are higher for systematically risky debt as they reflect risk-neutral, rather than physical, expected default losses. If credit ratings are based on physical expected default losses, then credit rating-based regulation, such as the Basel “Standardized Approach,” will subsidize banks’ systematically risky investments.Using an international sample of almost 4,000 bonds, we test whether credit rating based- regulation can create the bank moral hazard predicted by our model. First, we estimate each bond issuer’s debt beta, a measure of the debt’s systematic risk, and find that it positively affects the bond’s credit spread, even after controlling for the bond’s credit rating. In contrast, the idiosyncratic risk of the issuer’s debt has no impact on its bond’s credit spread after accounting for the bond’s credit rating. Second, credit ratings only partially reflect systematic risk. If a bank chooses bonds within a given credit rating that have above median credit spreads, the systematic risk of its investments rises by an economically significant amount. Third, while Moody’s and S&P do not differ significantly in their assessments of systematic risk, the likelihood of a split rating (disagreement between raters over the same issue) decreases with the issuer’s beta.

Study on Performance and Effectiveness Evaluation Method for Semi-Actuated Signal Control Systems based on Image Detectors

Even though the semi-actuated signal control system based on image detectors has been spreading in Korea, any appropriate methods to evaluate the effectiveness and performance has not been established yet. Therefore, this research effort is aiming at developing a systematic method for evaluating the effectiveness and performance of the semi-actuated signal control system based on image detectors. To this end, this research firstly established measures of effectiveness(MOEs) and associated information to be surveyed from fields. Secondly, this research provided a procedure and methodology to evaluate any improvements due to the introduction of a semi-actuated signal control system based on image detectors. The developed methodology was examined at a case study site located in the city of Paju. As a result of the evaluation, the MOEs including traffic throughput, travel speeds, split usage rate, progression rate, etc. showed positive improvements though individual signalized intersections as well as coordinated corridors.

Photocatalytic Water Oxidation on BiVO4 with the Electrocatalyst as an Oxidation Cocatalyst: Essential Relations between Electrocatalyst and Photocatalyst

The oxygen evolution is kinetically the key step in the photocatalytic water splitting. Cocatalysts could lower the activation potential for O2 evolution. However, the cocatalyst for O2 evolution has been less investigated, and few effective cocatalysts were reported. This paper reports that the O2 evolution rate of photocatalytic water splitting under visible light irradiation can be significantly enhanced when the electrocatalyst cobalt–phosphate (denoted as CoPi) was deposited on BiVO4. The photocurrent density is also greatly enhanced by loading CoPi on BiVO4 electrode, and this enhancement in performance shows the similar trend between the photocatalytic activity and photocurrent density. We also found that this tendency is true for BiVO4 loaded with a series of different electrocatalysts as the cocatalysts. These results demonstrate that an effective electrocatalyst of water oxidation can be also an effective cocatalyst for O2 evolution from photocatalytic water oxidation. By depositing the CoPi as the oxidation cocatalyst and Pt as the reduction cocatalyst on an yttrium-doped BiVO4 (Bi0.5Y0.5VO4), overall water splitting reaction to H2 and O2 was realized. Our work also reveals the essential relations between photocatalysis and electrocatalysis in water splitting reaction.

Renoprotection against complete unilateral ureteric obstruction: Is there an ultimate choice?

ObjectivesTo evaluate and compare the relative contribution of different therapeutic agents for renoprotection against complete unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO), using a rabbit model sampled at different times. Materials and methodsEighty-four male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into seven groups of 12 rabbits; a sham group, a control (left UUO+no medication) or left UUO and treated with either enalapril, losartan, verapamil, l-arginine or antioxidant (vitamin E and selenium mixture). Rabbits in the control and treated groups were subjected to 3, 10 and 21 days of complete ureteric ligation and then killed humanely. The control and treated groups were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the experiment, by measuring split effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) using diuretic renography, and the split glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using selective creatinine clearance. Renal histopathology was evaluated using a tubulo-interstitial damage score. ResultsIn the sham group there was no significant effect on any of the evaluated variables. For split ERPF, losartan showed the highest renoprotective effect, saving 44% and 77% of ERPF at 3 and 21 days after UUO, respectively. Losartan was also the best renoprotective agent for GFR. For renal histopathology, enalapril showed the earliest and greatest improvement as assessed by the damage score, reaching 60% at 21 days after UUO. l-Arginine was the next best effect to blockade the renin-angiotensin system for renoprotection. ConclusionWe suggest that blockade of the renin-angiotensin system provides the best renoprotection against the effects of complete UUO.

Impact of a transfusion‐related acute lung injury reduction strategy on apheresis platelet collections

Most blood centers in the US have implemented transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) mitigation strategies for apheresis platelet (AP) donations based on theoretical impact of donor loss. The aim of this study is to determine the actual impact of a TRALI mitigation strategy in a US blood center. Daily collection events and resulting products were retrospectively obtained before and after implementation of a TRALI reduction strategy (HLA antibody testing female AP donors four or more pregnancies) for comparison. The retention rate of reassigned donors was determined by reviewing whole blood (WB) and/or apheresis red blood cell (AR) donations post reassignment. Data were obtained to compare donor frequency and split rate from reassigned (historical data) and new AP donors. Mean daily collections (27.7 vs. 30.0) and total products (12,211 vs. 12,957) were significantly higher after implementation, but the number of products/collection event was lower (1.49 vs. 1.40). Mean collections/donor/year (4.0 vs. 1.8) and split rate (36% vs. 27%) were historically higher for reassigned (n = 45) versus new AP donors (n = 1,090). Seventy-three of 112 donors (65%) testing positive for HLA antibodies returned for WB or AR donations, 31 of 45 (69%) active AP donors returned. Donor loss may not be adequate to estimate impact on AP inventory, as donation characteristics may differ between new donors and those reassigned. We show successful implementation of a TRALI mitigation strategy by increasing collection goals and AP donor recruitment efforts beyond donor loss. Retaining the majority of reassigned donors is feasible.

Enhancing Ion Transfer in Overlimiting Electrodialysis of Dilute Solutions by Modifying the Surface of Heterogeneous Ion-Exchange Membranes

The desalination of dilute NaCl solutions with heterogeneous Russian commercial and modified ion-exchange membranes was studied in a laboratory cell imitating desalination channels of large-scale electrodialysers. The modification was made by casting a thin film of a Nafion-type material on the surface of cation-exchange membrane, and by processing with a strong polyelectrolyte the surface of anion-exchange membrane. It was shown that the modifications resulted in an increase of mass transfer coefficient and in a decrease in water splitting rate, both by up to 2 times. The effect of mass transfer growth is explained by higher surface hydrophobicity of the modified membrane that enhances electroconvection. The decrease in water splitting rate in the case of cation-exchange membrane is due to homogenization of its surface layer. In the case of anion-exchange membrane the effect is due to grafting of quaternary ammonium bases onto the original membrane surface layer. The suppression of water splitting favors development of electroconvection. In turn, intensive electroconvection contributes to deliver salt ions to membrane surface and thus reduces water splitting.

Freeway Traffic Control via Route Guidance: An Approach Based on a First Order Hybrid Petri Nets Model

The paper proposes an approach for real time control of freeways by route guidance, an emerging technique for efficient freeway management. A first order fluid approximation is employed to model in a modular framework the vehicle flows by first order hybrid Petri nets. The hybrid Petri nets formalism enables the network designer to choose suitable splitting rates to off-ramps to minimize congestion. The increased freeway operation is performed based on the state knowledge of the obtained linear discrete-time, time-varying state variable model of the freeway to react to unpredictable events such as the blocking of a lane due to an accident or to work in progress. The proposed route guidance approach is applied to a case study to show its effectiveness.

Excitons and linear optical spectra of E33 and E44 in single wall carbon nanotubes under axial magnetic field

The E 33 and E 44 optical spectra of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes under axial magnetic field ( B ) are studied using the tight-binding model, which also takes into account the exciton effect. It is found that the E 33 and E 44 splitting, induced by the axial magnetic field, is line increased with magnetic field, which can be described by the splitting rate. Also by investigation of the dependence of splitting rate, we found that it shows a clear ( 2 n + m ) family behavior besides the diameter dependence, which can be used as a supplemental tool to identify the tubes used in the experiment, and is expected to be detected by the future experiment.

Feedforward non-Michaelis–Menten mechanism for CO2 uptake by Rubisco: Contribution of carbonic anhydrases and photorespiration to optimization of photosynthetic carbon assimilation

Rubisco, the most abundant protein serving as the primary engine generating organic biomass on Earth, is characterized by a low catalytic constant (in higher plants approx. 3s−1) and low specificity for CO2 leading to photorespiration. We analyze here why this enzyme evolved as the main carbon fixation engine. The high concentration of Rubisco exceeding the concentration of its substrate CO2 by 2–3 orders of magnitude makes application of Michaelis–Menten kinetics invalid and requires alternative kinetic approaches to describe photosynthetic CO2 assimilation. Efficient operation of Rubisco is supported by a strong flux of CO2 to the chloroplast stroma provided by fast equilibration of bicarbonate and CO2 and forwarding the latter to Rubisco reaction centers. The main part of this feedforward mechanism is a thylakoidal carbonic anhydrase associated with photosystem II and pumping CO2 from the thylakoid lumen in coordination with the rate of electron transport, water splitting and proton gradient across the thylakoid membrane. This steady flux of CO2 limits photosynthesis at saturating CO2 concentrations. At low ambient CO2 and correspondingly limited capacity of the bicarbonate pool in the stroma, its depletion at the sites of Rubisco is relieved by utilizing O2 instead of CO2, i.e. by photorespiration, a process which supplies CO2 back to Rubisco and buffers the redox state and energy level in the chloroplast. Thus, the regulation of Rubisco function aims to keep steady non-equilibrium levels of CO2, NADPH/NADP and ATP/ADP in the chloroplast stroma and to optimize the condition of homeostatic photosynthetic flux of matter and energy.

Ultimatum Game, Analysis with Human Root Motivation To Be Number One

In ultimatum game experiments, most subjects will reject very unfair distribution suggestions, such as 80:20 splits of given money. That is, economics experiments have disproved the hypothesis of economic man which insists that rational humans will always maximize their utility. However, academic circles do not know human root motivation; therefore, they cannot know the exact mechanism behind a large number of experimental data. In this paper, we illustrate how to rigorously solve ultimatum games. We first reveal the just distribution principle of social wealth; it is simply the proportional (to equity) distribution principle. We second explain why people commonly accept unjust wealth distribution; it is simply because they each need to compare with their respective neighbors in family wealth. With these two preparations, solving ultimatum games becomes a trivial matter. Actually, feasible solutions of any game do not depend upon splitting rates of given money; they depend upon growth rates of two players' endowments. On the other hand, any game possibly has a continuum of feasible solutions, suggesting that humans are easy to cooperate in economic scenarios; indeed, human economy flourishes.

PHP49 The Pharmacist'S Perception of the Splitting Extended Release and Enteric-Coated Formulation Drugs

Extended release and enteric coated formulations make up 7.8% of all drugs, and the most frequently used drug is an agent affecting circulatory, digestive system. The objective of this study is to analyze of extended release and enteric coated drugs on pharmaceutical reimbursement item list in Korea and evaluate the dispensing of extended release and enteric coated drugs, which is enforced by the National Health Insurance. The analysis used a questionnaires survey for 169 pharmacists in the hospital pharmacy and community pharmacy(Response rate: 73.8%). The questions include; prescribing change after enforcement by National Health Insurance, prescription correction, change of pharmacy works, expansion of the range of enforcement, provision of information and prescribing error prevention. The statistics methods use Chi-square, AVOVA, t-test, McNemar test by STATA/SE10.(p<0.05). Of extended release and enteric coated formulations, 33.9% were not available in other dosage forms. After enforcement by National Health Insurance, the rate of splitting and crushing of extended release and enteric coated drugs decreased, but pharmacies in tertiary care hospitals had increased workload because of prescription corrections. Prescription was not changed, because patients take medicines for a long time. Most of pharmacists agreed on the expansion of drug range, but 65.7% of pharmacists wanted the enforcement only for hospitals. When pharmacists corrected their prescribing error, the biggest problem was a lack of other dosage forms. To prevent extended release and enteric coated from splitting and crushing, pharmacists want in the following ways; prescribing code prohibits into order computer system, warnings and alerts on prescribing, developing many other dosage forms. What is needed are medication-use system improvements and the creation of lists with suggestions for alternative products on the formulary. Also, pharmaceutical companies should make an effort to develop other dosage forms.

H2 splitting on Pt, Ru and Rh nanoparticles supported on sputtered HOPG

The equilibrium hydrogen exchange rate between adsorbed and gas phase hydrogen at 1bar is measured for Pt, Ru and Rh nanoparticles supported on a sputtered HOPG substrate. The particles are prepared by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition and the diameter of the particles varies between 2 and 5nm. The rate of hydrogen exchange is measured in the temperature range 40–200°C at 1bar, by utilization of the H–D exchange reaction. We find that the rate of hydrogen exchange increases with the particle diameter for all the metals, and that the rate for Ru and Rh is higher than for Pt. In the case of Pt, the equilibrium dissociative sticking probability, S, is found to be nearly independent of particle diameter. For Ru and Rh, S is found to depend strongly on particle diameter, with the larger particles being more active. The apparent energy of desorption at equilibrium, Eapp, shows a dramatic increase with decreasing particle diameter for diameters below 5nm for Ru and Rh, whereas Eapp is only weakly dependent on particle diameter for Pt. We suggest that the strong variation in the apparent desorption energy with particle diameter for Ru and Rh is due to the formation of compressed hydrogen adlayers on the terraces of the larger particles. Experiments are also carried out in the presence of 10ppm CO. Pt is found to be very sensitive to CO poisoning and the H–D exchange rate drops below the detection limit when CO is added to the gas mixture. In the case of Ru and Rh nanoparticles, CO decreases the splitting rate significantly, also at 200°C. The variation of the sensitivity to CO poisoning with particle diameter for Ru and Rh is found to be weak.

Investigation of permolecular structure of lipase from Rhizopus niveus

It has been shown by classical biophysical and biochemical methods in combination with atomic microscopy that lipase from Rhizopus niveus exists in a water solution as a dimer with a molecular weight of 96 kDa. The rate of splitting of triglycerides by a dimeric molecules is twice that of monomers. The heat stability of the monomeric form of lipase at temperatures of 20-60 degrees C is significantly higher than that of the native molecule.

Conjoint Analysis Based Transit Service Quality Research

Transit quality service is an important factor that affects the bus split rate. This paper studies the passenger's preference of the bus service with the conjoint analysis. Through the actual survey and data analysis, the utility values of the reliability, frequency, walking time, etc. are measured. And the attributes' weights are determined through the utility values. The results show that the bus reliability is passengers' first concern, which is followed by in-bus environment, walking time and frequency. And the station environment and the price weight low. Then the bus service quality in Nanjing was investigated based on the attributes. The results show that passengers' evaluations about reliability, in-bus environment and frequency in the peak period are much lower than that in the non-peak period. And their evaluation on reliability is very low. The peak period in-bus environment and frequency also get bad evaluation.

A splitting rate model of traffic re-routeing and traffic control

The paper presents an idealised dynamical model of day-to-day or within-day re-routeing using splitting rates at nodes, or node-exit flows, rather than route-flows. It is shown that under certain conditions the dynamical model gives rise to a sequence of link flow vectors which converges to a set of approximate Wardrop equilibria. A special dynamical signal green-time re-allocation model is added; the combination is also shown (in outline) to converge to the set of approximate consistent equilibria under certain conditions. Finally the paper uses model network results to illustrate a method of designing fixed time signal timings to meet different scenarios.

Effects of axial magnetic field on the electronic and optical properties of boron nitride nanotube

The splitting of band structure and absorption spectrum, for boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) under axial magnetic field, is studied using the tight binding approximation. It is found that the band splitting ( Δ E ) at the Γ point is linearly proportional to the magnetic field ( Φ / Φ 0 ) . Our results indicate that the splitting rate ν ii , of the two first bands nearest to the Fermi level, is a linear function of n −2 for all (n,0) zigzag BNNTs. By investigation of the dependence of band structure and absorption spectrum to the magnetic field, we found that absorption splitting is equal to band splitting and the splitting rate of band structure can be used to determine the splitting rate of the absorption spectrum.

Oxide Nanotubes on Ti−Ru Alloys: Strongly Enhanced and Stable Photoelectrochemical Activity for Water Splitting

The present work shows a significant enhancement of the photoelectrochemical water-splitting performance of anodic TiO(2) nanotube layers grown on low concentration (0.01-0.2 at% Ru) Ti-Ru alloys. Under optimized preparation conditions (0.05 at% Ru, 450 °C annealing) the water splitting rate of the oxide tubes could be 6-fold increased. Moreover, the beneficial effect is very stable with illumination time; this is in contrast to other typical doping approaches of TiO(2).