Waseda University

About: Waseda University is a education organization based out in Tokyo, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Large Hadron Collider & Catalysis. The organization has 24220 authors who have published 46859 publications receiving 837855 citations. The organization is also known as: Waseda daigaku & Sōdai.

25th anniversary article: what can be done with the Langmuir-Blodgett method? Recent developments and its critical role in materials science.

Abstract: The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique is known as an elegant method for fabrication of well-defined layered structures with molecular level precision. Since its discovery the LB method has made an indispensable contribution to surface science, physical chemistry, materials chemistry and nanotechnology. However, recent trends in research might suggest the decline of the LB method as alternate methods for film fabrication such as layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly have emerged. Is LB film technology obsolete? This review is presented in order to challenge this preposterous question. In this review, we summarize recent research on LB and related methods including (i) advanced design for LB films, (ii) LB film as a medium for supramolecular chemistry, (iii) LB technique for nanofabrication and (iv) LB involving advanced nanomaterials. Finally, a comparison between LB and LbL techniques is made. The latter reveals the crucial role played by LB techniques in basic surface science, current advanced material sciences and nanotechnologies.

Fabrication of symmetric supercapacitors based on MOF-derived nanoporous carbons

Abstract: Nanoporous carbon (NPC) materials with high specific surface area have attracted considerable attention for electrochemical energy storage applications. In the present work, we have designed novel symmetric supercapacitors based on NPC by direct carbonization of Zn-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) without using an additional precursor. By controlling the reaction conditions in the present study, we synthesized NPC with two different particle sizes. The effects of particle size and mass loadings on supercapacitor performance have been carefully evaluated. Our NPC materials exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with a maximum specific capacitance of 251 F g−1 in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte. The symmetric supercapacitor studies show that these efficient electrodes have good capacitance, high stability, and good rate capability.

Exercise training inhibits inflammation in adipose tissue via both suppression of macrophage infiltration and acceleration of phenotypic switching from M1 to M2 macrophages in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice.

Abstract: PURPOSE Recent studies suggest that exchange of macrophage phenotype (M1/M2) in adipose tissue is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation in obesity. M1 macrophages enhance a chronic inflammatory state in adipose tissues, whereas M2 macrophages inhibit it. Although exercise training might inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression in adipose tissue, it remains unclear whether exercise training affects the phenotypic switch of macrophage polarization in adipose tissue. Therefore, we inveStigated the effect of exercise training on the macrophage phenotypic switch in adipose tissue in high-fat-induced obese mice. METHODS Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups; normal diet (ND) control (n=7), ND exercise (n=7), high-fat-diet (HFD) control (n=12), and HFD exercise (n=12) groups. All exercised mice ran on a treadmill at 12-20 m/min for 60 min/day for 16 weeks. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, F4/80, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, CXCL14, inter-cellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular-cellular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, CD11c, CD163 and toll-like receptor (TLR)4 mRNA expressions in adipose tissue were evaluated by real time-RT-PCR. RESULTS In HFD mice, exercise training did not induce loss of body or adipose tissue mass, exercise training nevertheless markedly inhibited TNF-alpha and F4/80 mRNA expression in adipose tissue. The exercise training attenuated HFD-induced increase in ICAM-1 mRNA expression, but not MCP-1, CXCL14 and VCAM-1 mRNA expressions. In addition, increased CD11c mRNA expression, which is a M1 macrophage specific marker, with HFD treatment was attenuated by exercise training. In contrast, although the mRNA expression of CD163, a M2 macrophage specific marker, in adipose tissue was significantly decreased by HFD, the exercise training significantly increased its expression. Also, the higher mRNA expression of TLR4, which induces pro-inflammatory cytokine production after fatty acid recognition, was strongly inhibited by the exercise training in HFD mice. CONCLUSION Exercise training might induce the phenotypic switching from M1 macrophage to M2 macrophage in obese adipose tissue besides inhibiting M1 macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue. Therefore, chronic exercise might contribute to inhibit inflammation in adipose tissue via down regulation of TLR4.

Measurement of the J/ψ meson and b-hadron production cross sections in pp̄ collisions at √s = 1960 GeV

Abstract: The authors present a new measurement of the inclusive and differential production cross sections of J/{psi} mesons and b-hadrons in proton-antiproton collisions at {radical}s = 1960 GeV The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 397 pb{sup -1} collected by the CDF Run II detector They find the integrated cross section for inclusive J/{psi} production for all transverse momenta from 0 to 20 GeV/c in the rapidity range |y| 125 GeV/c They find the total cross section for b-hadrons, including both hadrons and anti-hadrons, decaying to J/{psi} with transverse momenta greater than 125 GeV/c in the rapidity range |y(J/{psi})| < 06, is 0330 {+-} 0005(stat){sub -0033}{sup +0036}(syst) {mu}b Using a Monte Carlo simulation of the decay kinematics of b-hadrons to all final states containing a J/{psi}, they extract the first measurement of the total single b-hadron cross section down to zero transverse momentum at {radical}s = 1960 GeV They find the total single b-hadron cross section integrated over all transverse momenta for b-hadrons in themore » rapidity range |y| < 06 to be 176 {+-} 04(stat){sub -23}{sup +25}(syst) {mu}b« less