Bi-2223 precursor billets for pit wire production

High temperature superconductor precursor billets (feed rods) have been developed for loading into silver tubes. The billets are loaded prior to rolling or drawing operations in PIT wire manufacture. Investigations have shown that wires and tapes prepared from feed rod loaded tubes show enhanced uniformity of electrical transport properties when compared with conventional powder packing, especially in wires drawn to long lengths. Analysis on production feed rods have shown carbon content to be as low as 110 ppm. © 1999 IEEE.

Production of metal oxide nanoparticles

Particles having at least regions of at least one metal oxide having nano-sized grains are produced by providing particles of a material having an initial, nonequiaxed particle shape, prepg. a mixt. of these particles and at last one metal oxide precursor, and treating the mixt. such that the precursor reacts with the particles. The process can be a co-pptn. process, sol-gel synthesis, micro-emulsion method, surfactant-based process, or a process that uses polymers. Complex metal oxide nanoparticles are produced by (a) prepg. a soln. contg. metal cations, (b) mixing the soln. with a surfactant to form micelles within the soln., and (c) heating the micellar liq. to form metal oxide and to remove the surfactant. The formed metal oxide particles have essentially the same morphol. (particle size and shape) as the initial morphol. of the material particles provided. [on SciFinder(R)]

Fuel additive

A fuel additive comprising one or more complex oxides having a nominal compn. as set out in formula (1): AxB1-yMyOn; wherein A is selected from one or more group III elements including the lanthanide elements or one or more divalent or monovalent cations; B is selected from one or more elements with at. no. 22 to 24, 40 to 42 and 72 to 75; M is selected from one or more elements with at. no. 25 to 30; x is defined as a no. where 0 < x ≤ l; y is defined as a no. where 0 ≤ y < 0.5. [on SciFinder(R)]

Improved catalyst, particularly for emission control

A catalyst comprising a catalytic material supported on a support, characterized in that the support comprises particles predominantly having a max. particle size of less than 1000 nm and an aspect ratio of greater than, and the. catalytic material is mainly present in the form of discrete islands of catalytic material supported on the support, with a substantial proportion of the islands of catalytic material being sep. and isolated from other islands of catalytic material. The islands of catalytic material are sep. and isolated from other islands of catalytic material such that diffusion and growth of the islands of catalytic material at elevated temp. is minimized or avoided. The disclosure and examples pertain to emission control catalysts. [on SciFinder(R)]

Process and catalysts for the methanation of oxides of carbon

The present invention is directed to catalysts for the conversion of oxides of carbon to methane and/or other hydrocarbons and to precursors of such catalysts. The catalyst precursors include one or more refractory oxides selected from the group consisting of rare earth oxides and rare earth contg. perovskites, the precursor including nickel or nickel cations sufficient for a catalyst obtainable by reducing the precursor to be capable of at least partially reducing an oxide of carbon to a hydrocarbon product. Processes for the prepn. of such catalysts and catalyst precursors are also disclosed, as are processes for the conversion of oxides of carbon to methane and/or other hydrocarbons. [on SciFinder(R)]

Production of fine-grained particles

A method of producing particles having nano-sized grains comprises the steps of: (a) prepg. a soln. contg. one or more metal cations; (b) mixing the soln. from step (a) with one or more surfactants to form a surfactant/liq. mixt. and (c) heating the mixt. from step (b) above to form the particles. [on SciFinder(R)]

Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis

Quantity and timing of protein ingestion are major factors regulating myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS). However, the effect of specific ingestion patterns on MPS throughout a 12 h period is unknown. We determined how different distributions of protein feeding during 12 h recovery after resistance exercise affects anabolic responses in skeletal muscle. Twenty-four healthy trained males were assigned to three groups (n = 8/group) and undertook a bout of resistance exercise followed by ingestion of 80 g of whey protein throughout 12 h recovery in one of the following protocols: 8 × 10 g every 1.5 h (PULSE); 4 × 20 g every 3 h (intermediate: INT); or 2 × 40 g every 6 h (BOLUS). Muscle biopsies were obtained at rest and after 1, 4, 6, 7 and 12 h post exercise. Resting and post-exercise MPS (l-[ring-(13)C6] phenylalanine), and muscle mRNA abundance and cell signalling were assessed. All ingestion protocols increased MPS above rest throughout 1-12 h recovery (88-148%, P < 0.02), but INT elicited greater MPS than PULSE and BOLUS (31-48%, P < 0.02). In general signalling showed a BOLUS>INT>PULSE hierarchy in magnitude of phosphorylation. MuRF-1 and SLC38A2 mRNA were differentially expressed with BOLUS. In conclusion, 20 g of whey protein consumed every 3 h was superior to either PULSE or BOLUS feeding patterns for stimulating MPS throughout the day. This study provides novel information on the effect of modulating the distribution of protein intake on anabolic responses in skeletal muscle and has the potential to maximize outcomes of resistance training for attaining peak muscle mass.

Daytime pattern of post-exercise protein intake affects whole-body protein turnover in resistance-trained males

Background The pattern of protein intake following exercise may impact whole-body protein turnover and net protein retention. We determined the effects of different protein feeding strategies on protein metabolism in resistance-trained young men. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to ingest either 80g of whey protein as 8x10g every 1.5h (PULSE; n=8), 4x20g every 3h (intermediate, INT; n=7), or 2x40g every 6h (BOLUS; n=8) after an acute bout of bilateral knee extension exercise (4x10 repetitions at 80% maximal strength). Whole-body protein turnover (Q), synthesis (S), breakdown (B), and net balance (NB) were measured throughout 12h of recovery by a bolus ingestion of [ 15N]glycine with urinary [15N]ammonia enrichment as the collected end-product. Results PULSE Q rates were greater than BOLUS (?19%, P<0.05) with a trend towards being greater than INT (?9%, P=0.08). Rates of S were 32% and 19% greater and rates of B were 51% and 57% greater for PULSE as compared to INT and BOLUS, respectively (P<0.05), with no difference between INT and BOLUS. There were no statistical differences in NB between groups (P=0.23); however, magnitude-based inferential statistics revealed likely small (mean effect90%CI; 0.590.87) and moderate (0.800.91) increases in NB for PULSE and INT compared to BOLUS and possible small increase (0.421.00) for INT vs. PULSE. Conclusion We conclude that the pattern of ingested protein, and not only the total daily amount, can impact whole-body protein metabolism. Individuals aiming to maximize NB would likely benefit from repeated ingestion of moderate amounts of protein (?20g) at regular intervals (?3h) throughout the day.

Innovation in the road and bridge industry

This paper reviews innovation activity in a key service industry – road and bridge construction. Based on a large-scale Australian survey and descriptive statistics, the paper finds that there is little difference in innovation levels between different types of industry participants and that innovation is difficult to implement. The survey gathered responses from suppliers, consultants, contracts and clients and compared results across these four industry sectors. The absorptive capacity and relationship capacities of respondents were also investigated. One in five respondents had poor absorptive capacity. Suppliers were found to the most effective learners and were the best adopters of ideas from outside their organisations and consultants were the least effective. Australian construction organisations have relatively good relationship skills because relationship-based contracts are common compared to other countries. Indeed, the survey found that nearly 60% of respondents had experience with such contracts, with clients having more experience than the other three sectors. The results have implications for the measurement of innovation in project-based industries, and the relative roles of clients and suppliers in driving innovation in the construction industry. Further research will examine the extent to which particular governance mechanisms within relationship contracts lead to improved innovation and project performance.

Improved adhesion of active electrode materials to metal electrode substrates

A battery electrode for a lithium ion battery comprising an elec. conductive substrate having an electrode layer applied thereto, characterized in that the electrode layer includes an org. material having high alky., or an org. material which can be dissolved in org. solvents, or an org. material having an imide group(s) and aminoacetal group(s), or an org. material that chelates with or bonds with a metal substrate or that chelates with or bonds with an active material in the electrode layer. The org. material may be guanidine carbonate. [on SciFinder(R)]

Method of making metal oxides

A method for producing particles having at least regions of at least one metal oxide having nano-sized grains comprises providing particles of material having an initial, non-equiaxed particle shape, making a mixture of the particles of material and one or more precursors of the metal oxide, and treating the mixture such that the one or more precursors of the metal oxide react with the particles of material to thereby form at least regions of metal oxide on or within the particles, wherein atoms from the particles of material form part of a matrix of the at least one metal oxide and the at least one metal oxide has nano-sized grains and wherein at least some of the regions of metal oxide on or within the particles have a non-equiaxed grain shape.

Method for the production of porous complex metal oxides using a porogen

A method of producing porous complex oxides includes the steps of providing a mixt. of (a) precursor elements suitable to produce the complex oxide, or (b) one or more precursor elements suitable to produce particles of the complex oxide and one or more metal oxide particles; and (c) a particulate carbon-contg. pore-forming material selected to provide pore sizes in the range of 7-250 nm, and treating the mixt. to (i) form the porous complex oxide in which two or more of the precursor elements from (a) above or one or more of the precursor elements and one or more of the metals in the metal oxide particles from (b) above are incorporated into a phase of the complex metal oxide and the complex metal oxide has grain sizes in the range of 1-150 nm, and (ii) removing the pore-forming material under conditions such that the porous structure and compn. of the complex oxide is substantially preserved. The method may be used to produce nonrefractory metal oxides as well. The mixt. further includes a surfactant, or a polymer. [on SciFinder(R)]

Removing organic impurities from bayer process liquors

A process for treating a Bayer liquor by wet oxidn. to oxidize org. contaminants in the Bayer liquor in which the wet oxidn. process is conducted in the presence of a mixed Ce/Mn oxide. The catalyst may have nano-sized grains, and be supported on a mesoporous oxide support. The catalyst may also contain a platinum group metal. [on SciFinder(R)]

Improved catalyst

A catalyst comprising a catalytic material supported on a support, characterized in that the support comprises particles predominantly having a max. particle size of less than 1000 nm and an aspect ratio of greater than, and the. catalytic material is mainly present in the form of discrete islands of catalytic material supported on the support, with a substantial proportion of the islands of catalytic material being sep. and isolated from other islands of catalytic material. The islands of catalytic material are sep. and isolated from other islands of catalytic material such that diffusion and growth of the islands of catalytic material at elevated temp. is minimized or avoided. The disclosure and examples pertain to emission control catalysts. [on SciFinder(R)]