National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

About: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology is a government organization based out in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Thin film. The organization has 22114 authors who have published 65856 publications receiving 1669827 citations. The organization is also known as: Sangyō Gijutsu Sōgō Kenkyū-sho.

Revised formula for the density of moist air (CIPM-2007)

Abstract: Measurements of air density determined gravimetrically and by using the CIPM-81/91 formula, an equation of state, have a relative deviation of 6.4 ? 10?5.This difference is consistent with a new determination of the mole fraction of argon xAr carried out in 2002 by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) and with recently published results from the LNE. The CIPM equation is based on the molar mass of dry air, which is dependent on the contents of the atmospheric gases, including the concentration of argon. We accept the new argon value as definitive and amend the CIPM-81/91 formula accordingly. The KRISS results also provide a test of certain assumptions concerning the mole fractions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in air. An updated value of the molar gas constant R is available and has been incorporated in the CIPM-2007 equation. In making these changes, we have also calculated the uncertainty of the CIPM-2007 equation itself in conformance with the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, which was not the case for previous versions of this equation. The 96th CIPM meeting has accepted these changes.

Anaerolinea thermophila gen. nov., sp. nov. and Caldilinea aerophila gen. nov., sp. nov., novel filamentous thermophiles that represent a previously uncultured lineage of the domain Bacteria at the subphylum level

Abstract: Two thermophilic, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, multicellular filamentous micro-organisms were isolated from thermophilic granular sludge in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating fried soybean-curd manufacturing waste water (strain UNI-1T) and from a hot spring sulfur-turf in Japan (strain STL-6-O1T). The filaments were longer than 100 μm and of 0·2–0·3 μm (strain UNI-1T) or 0·7–0·8 μm (strain STL-6-O1T) in width. Strain UNI-1T was a strictly anaerobic organism. The optimum temperature for growth was around 55 °C; growth occurred in the range 50–60 °C. The optimum pH for growth was around 7·0; growth occurred in the range pH 6·0–8·0. Strain STL-6-O1T was a facultatively aerobic bacterium. The optimum temperature for growth was around 55 °C; growth occurred in the range 37–65 °C. The optimum pH for growth was around 7·5–8·0; growth occurred in the range pH 7·0–9·0. The two organisms grew chemo-organotrophically on a number of carbohydrates and amino acids in the presence of yeast extract. The G+C content of the DNA of strains UNI-1T and STL-6-O1T was 54·5 and 59·0 mol%, respectively. Major cellular fatty acids for strain UNI-1T were C16 : 0, C15 : 0, C14 : 0 and C18 : 0, whereas those for strain STL-6-O1T were C18 : 0, C16 : 0, C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. MK-10 was the major quinone from aerobically grown STL-6-O1T cells. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rDNA sequences revealed that both strains belong to an uncultured, previously recognized clone lineage of the phylum Chloroflexi (formerly known as green non-sulfur bacteria). These phenotypic and genetic properties suggested that each strain should be classified into a new independent genus; hence, the names Anaerolinea thermophila and Caldilinea aerophila are proposed for strains UNI-1T (=JCM 11387T=DSM 14523T) and STL-6-O1T(=JCM 11388T=DSM 14525T), respectively. These strains represent the type and sole species of the genera Anaerolinea and Caldilinea, respectively.

Review of methods addressing freshwater use in life cycle inventory and impact assessment

Abstract: In recent years, several methods have been developed which propose different freshwater use inventory schemes and impact assessment characterization models considering various cause–effect chain relationships. This work reviewed a multitude of methods and indicators for freshwater use potentially applicable in life cycle assessment (LCA). This review is used as a basis to identify the key elements to build a scientific consensus for operational characterization methods for LCA. This evaluation builds on the criteria and procedure developed within the International Reference Life Cycle Data System Handbook and has been adapted for the purpose of this project. It therefore includes (1) description of relevant cause–effect chains, (2) definition of criteria to evaluate the existing methods, (3) development of sub-criteria specific to freshwater use, and (4) description and review of existing methods addressing freshwater in LCA. No single method is available which comprehensively describes all potential impacts derived from freshwater use. However, this review highlights several key findings to design a characterization method encompassing all the impact pathways of the assessment of freshwater use and consumption in life cycle assessment framework as the following: (1) in most of databases and methods, consistent freshwater balances are not reported either because output is not considered or because polluted freshwater is recalculated based on a critical dilution approach; (2) at the midpoint level, most methods are related to water scarcity index and correspond to the methodological choice of an indicator simplified in terms of the number of parameters (scarcity) and freshwater uses (freshwater consumption or freshwater withdrawal) considered. More comprehensive scarcity indices distinguish different freshwater types and functionalities. (3) At the endpoint level, several methods already exist which report results in units compatible with traditional human health and ecosystem quality damage and cover various cause–effect chains, e.g., the decrease of terrestrial biodiversity due to freshwater consumption. (4) Midpoint and endpoint indicators have various levels of spatial differentiation, i.e., generic factors with no differentiation at all, or country, watershed, and grid cell differentiation. Existing databases should be (1) completed with input and output freshwater flow differentiated according to water types based on its origin (surface water, groundwater, and precipitation water stored as soil moisture), (2) regionalized, and (3) if possible, characterized with a set of quality parameters. The assessment of impacts related to freshwater use is possible by assembling methods in a comprehensive methodology to characterize each use adequately.

Quantum critical behaviour in a high- T c superconductor

Abstract: Quantum criticality is associated with a system composed of a nearly infinite number of interacting quantum degrees of freedom at zero temperature, and it implies that the system looks on average the same regardless of the time- and length scale on which it is observed. Electrons on the atomic scale do not exhibit such symmetry, which can only be generated as a collective phenomenon through the interactions between a large number of electrons. In materials with strong electron correlations a quantum phase transition at zero temperature can occur, and a quantum critical state has been predicted1,2, which manifests itself through universal power-law behaviours of the response functions. Candidates have been found both in heavy-fermion systems3 and in the high-transition temperature (high-Tc) copper oxide superconductors4, but the reality and the physical nature of such a phase transition are still debated5,6,7. Here we report a universal behaviour that is characteristic of the quantum critical region. We demonstrate that the experimentally measured phase angle agrees precisely with the exponent of the optical conductivity. This points towards a quantum phase transition of an unconventional kind in the high-Tc superconductors.