Kyushu University

About: Kyushu University is a education organization based out in Fukuoka, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 68284 authors who have published 135190 publications receiving 3055928 citations. The organization is also known as: Kyūshū Daigaku.

Near-surface alignment of polymers in rubbed films

Abstract: RUBBED polymer films (generally polyimides) are used in flat-panel displays to control the alignment of liquid crystals in contact with the polymer1–8, a phenomenon first discovered by Maugin1 in 1911. Buffing the film with a cloth produces liquid-crystal alignment in the rubbing direction. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this effect. The generation of microgrooves or scratches on the polymer surface during rubbing has led to the suggestion that alignment is the result of long-range elastic effects induced by these surface features3–5. Others have suggested that the polymer chains near the surface are aligned during rubbing and that these then serve as templates for liquid-crystal alignment6–13. Other studies 10–l2 have implied that both mechanisms might be operative. Here we present X-ray scattering measurements which show unambiguously that rubbing a polyimide film causes near-surface alignment of the polymer molecules. For a film 200 nm thick, most of the polymer chains within a thin surface region (about 5 nm thick) are aligned in the rubbing direction; for a 6-nm film essentially all of the chains are aligned within 20° of the rubbing direction. This marked orientation of the near-surface chains at temperatures far below the bulk glass transition temperature shows that the mechanical properties of the near-surface region differ significantly from those of the bulk polymer.

Prophylactic cranial irradiation versus observation in patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer: a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

Abstract: Summary Background Results from a previous phase 3 study suggested that prophylactic cranial irradiation reduces the incidence of symptomatic brain metastases and prolongs overall survival compared with no prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer. However, because of the absence of brain imaging before enrolment and variations in chemotherapeutic regimens and irradiation doses, concerns have been raised about these findings. We did a phase 3 trial to reassess the efficacy of prophylactic cranial irradiation in the treatment of extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer. Methods We did this randomised, open-label, phase 3 study at 47 institutions in Japan. Patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer who had any response to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy and no brain metastases on MRI were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive prophylactic cranial irradiation (25 Gy in ten daily fractions of 2·5 Gy) or observation. All patients were required to have brain MRI at 3-month intervals up to 12 months and at 18 and 24 months after enrolment. Randomisation was done by computer-generated allocation sequence, with age as a stratification factor and minimisation by institution, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and response to initial chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was overall survival, analysed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, number UMIN000001755, and is closed to new participants. Findings Between April 3, 2009, and July 17, 2013, 224 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned (113 to prophylactic cranial irradiation and 111 to observation). In the planned interim analysis on June 18, 2013, of the first 163 enrolled patients, Bayesian predictive probability of prophylactic cranial irradiation being superior to observation was 0·011%, resulting in early termination of the study because of futility. In the final analysis, median overall survival was 11·6 months (95% CI 9·5–13·3) in the prophylactic cranial irradiation group and 13·7 months (10·2–16·4) in the observation group (hazard ratio 1·27, 95% CI 0·96–1·68; p=0·094). The most frequent grade 3 or worse adverse events at 3 months were anorexia (six [6%] of 106 in the prophylactic cranial irradiation group vs two [2%] of 111 in the observation group), malaise (three [3%] vs one [ vs six [5%]). No treatment-related deaths occurred in either group. Interpretation In this Japanese trial, prophylactic cranial irradiation did not result in longer overall survival compared with observation in patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer. Prophylactic cranial irradiation is therefore not essential for patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer with any response to initial chemotherapy and a confirmed absence of brain metastases when patients receive periodic MRI examination during follow-up. Funding The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.

Electrochemical Properties of NaTi2(PO4)3 Anode for Rechargeable Aqueous Sodium-Ion Batteries

Abstract: The charge/discharge characteristics of NaTi2(PO4)3 as an anode active material for aqueous sodium-ion battery containing 2 M Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte were examined. Cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic discharge/charge and XRD data of the material indicated that sodium can be reversibly intercalated into NASICON-type NaTi2(PO4)3 without serious degradation of the host structure. The best reversible capacity at rate of 2.0 mA cm−2 was 93% of the theoretical capacity of 133 mAh g−1 and the plateau voltage was 2.1 V versus Na/Na+.