Search

This article questions a longstanding definition of animation that lacks aspects of cultural diversity in part; it reexamines the socio-cultural formation of modern animation from less known regions of China and investigates Chinese animation known as donghua (动画). The goal is to demonstrate the transdisciplinary nature of donghua acquired through dynamic interactions in this heterogeneous site of production of visual culture in modern China. The author suggests a concept-based framework to more accurately describe animation in China composed of three specific dimensions of donghua: translinguality, transnationality and transmediality. To conclude, the author reveals that the study of donghua helps generate a more widely defined spectrum of the now divergent ‘cultural field’ of ‘animations’ and therefore leads to a ‘translocal imagining of animation’ appropriate for today’s increasingly mobile world.

Highly N-doped nanoporous carbons have been of great interest as a high uptake CO2 adsorbent and as an efficient metal-free oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst. Therefore, it is essential to produce porosity-tunable and highly N-doped carbons through cost-effective means. Herein, we introduce the bioinspired synthesis of a monodisperse and N-enriched melaninlike polymer (MP) resembling the sepia biopolymer (SP) from oceanic cuttlefish. These polymers were subsequently utilized for highly N-doped synthetic carbon (MC) and biomass carbon (SC) spheres. An adequate CO2 activation process fine-tunes the ultramicroporosity (

The electro-oxidation of CO adsorbed on Pt nanoparticles is an important reaction in fuel cells. Despite extensive research, the underlying concept for peak multiplicity is not yet clearly understood. We investigated CO electro-oxidation features by scan-rate-dependent Tafel analysis and a model system experiment based on adsorption of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA). The results suggest that the first main oxidation peak corresponds to the competition between OH adsorption and the interaction between adsorbed CO and OH. Modifying the Pt surface with 3-MPA can reduce the OH coverage, which in turn reduces the width of the first peak. However, the peak potential is not significantly dependent on OH coverage. Considering that the free surface is large enough for OH adsorption on Pt at high potential, the second peak shows few features that depend on OH coverage; the second peak is mainly influenced by the Pt-CO interaction.

The microporous structure of Fe–N-doped carbon (Fe–N–C) catalysts plays a pivotal role in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) because the catalytically active N-coordinated Fe ion sites are located within accessible micropores (

This article explores the contribution made by anthropological-semiotics of rhythm when it comes to comprehending visual modernity of East Asia, with a particular focus on China’s experience. From the humanistic foundations of rhythm including cultural anthropological perspectives, traditions of rhythmanalysis, and semiotic thinking of rhythm, this paper demonstrates the construction of a semiotic square of rhythm along with a topology of rhythmia; then provides a case study of rhythmanalysis surrounding the emergence of the first Chinese feature animated film entitledPrincess Iron Fan; and ultimately presents the potential of establishing the multiplicity of modernities based on the transdisciplinary examination of rhythm in visual cultures of East Asia.

The capability of fabricating multiscale structures with desired morphology and incorporating them into engineering applications is key to realizing technological breakthroughs by employing the benefits from both microscale and nanoscale morphology simultaneously. Here, we developed a facile patterning method to fabricate multiscale hierarchical structures by a novel approach called creep-assisted sequential imprinting. In this work, nanopatterning was first carried out by thermal imprint lithography above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of a polymer film, and then followed by creep-assisted imprinting with micropatterns based on the mechanical deformation of the polymer film under the relatively long-term exposure to mechanical stress at temperatures below the Tg of the polymer. The fabricated multiscale arrays exhibited excellent pattern uniformity over large areas. To demonstrate the usage of multiscale architectures, we incorporated the multiscale Nafion films into polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, and this device showed more than 10% higher performance than the conventional one. The enhancement was attributed to the decrease in mass transport resistance because of unique cone-shape morphology by creep-recovery effects and the increase in interfacial surface area between Nafion film and electrocatalyst layer.

Composition-controlled and carbon-supported PdFe nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared via a modified chemical synthesis after heat-treatment at high temperature under a reductive atmosphere. This novel synthesis, which combines the polyol reduction method and hydride method, was used to obtain monodispersed PdFe NPs. In addition, to induce structural modifications, the as-prepared PdFe NPs received heat-treatment under a reductive atmosphere. Structural characterization, including high-resolution powder diffraction (HRPD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis, indicated that heat-treated PdFe NPs exhibited a higher degree of alloying and surface Pd atomic composition compared with as-prepared ones. Furthermore, new crystalline phases were detected after heat-treatment. Thanks to the structural alterations, heat-treated PdFe NPs showed ∼3 and ∼18 times higher mass- and area-normalized oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities, respectively than commercial Pt/C. Single cell testing with heat-treated PdFe catalysts exhibited a ∼2.5 times higher mass-normalized maximum power density than the reference cell. Surface structure analyses, including cyclic voltammetry (CV), COad oxidation, and XPS, revealed that, after heat-treatment, a downshift of the Pd d-band center occurred, which led to a decrease in the affinity of Pd for oxygen species, resulting in more favorable ORR kinetics.

For the polymer electrolyte fuel cell application, novel multilayer metal-coated polyether ether ketone (PEEK) monopolar plates were developed via electroless plating and electroplating process. The coating layers consisted of 7 µm thick Ni–P layer on a PEEK surface, 7 µm thick Cu layer on it, and 500 nm thick Au layer on the top surface. With metal-coated PEEK monopolar plates on both anode and cathode side, the current density of a single cell at 0.6 V was found to be 734 mA/cm2, which is about 85% using the conventional plates (869 mA/cm2).

In spite of their high conversion efficiency and no emission of greenhouse gases, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) suffer from prohibitively high cost and insufficient life-span of their core component system, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). In this paper, we are proposing Ti foam as a promising alternative electrode material in the MEA. Indeed, it showed a current density of 462 mA cm(-2), being ca. 166% higher than that with the baseline Toray 060 gas diffusion layer (GDL) (278 mA cm(-2)) with 200 ccm oxygen supply at 0.7 V, when used as the anode GDL, because of its unique three-dimensional strut structure promoting highly efficient catalytic reactions. Furthermore, it exhibits superior corrosion resistance with almost no thickness and weight changes in the accelerated corrosion test, as opposed to considerable reductions in the weight and thickness of the conventional GDL. We believe that this paper suggests profound implications in the commercialization of PEMFCs, because the metallic Ti foam provides a longer-term reliability and chemical stability, which can reduce the loss of Pt catalyst and, hence, the cost of PEMFCs.

Exposure to glucocorticoids in utero is associated with changes in organ function and structure in the adult. The aims of this study were to characterize the effects of antenatal exposure to glucocorticoids on glucose handling and the role of adipose tissue. Pregnant sheep received betamethasone (Beta, 0.17 mg/kg) or vehicle 24 h apart at 80 days of gestation and allowed to deliver at term. At 9 mo, male and female offspring were fed at either 100% of nutritional allowance (lean) or ad libitum for 3 mo (obese). At 1 yr, they were chronically instrumented under general anesthesia. Glucose tolerance was evaluated using a bolus of glucose (0.25 g/kg). Adipose tissue was harvested after death to determine mRNA expression levels of angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 1, ACE2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ). Data are expressed as means ± SE and analyzed by ANOVA. Sex, obesity, and Beta exposure had significant effects on glucose tolerance and mRNA expression. Beta impaired glucose tolerance in lean females but not males. Superimposed obesity worsened the impairment in females and unmasked the defect in males. Beta increased ACE1 mRNA in females and males and AGT in females only ( P < 0.05 by three-way ANOVA). Obesity increased AGT in females but had no effect on ACE1 in either males or females. PPAR-γ mRNA exhibited a significant sex ( F = 42.8; P < 0.01) and obesity ( F = 6.9; P < 0.05) effect and was significantly higher in males ( P < 0.01 by three-way ANOVA). We conclude that adipose tissue may play an important role in the sexually dimorphic response to antenatal glucocorticoids.

The production of multiscale architectures is of significant interest in materials science, and the integration of those structures could provide a breakthrough for various applications. Here we report a simple yet versatile strategy that allows for the LEGO-like integrations of microscale membranes by quantitatively controlling the oxygen inhibition effects of ultraviolet-curable materials, leading to multilevel multiscale architectures. The spatial control of oxygen concentration induces different curing contrasts in a resin allowing the selective imprinting and bonding at different sides of a membrane, which enables LEGO-like integration together with the multiscale pattern formation. Utilizing the method, the multilevel multiscale Nafion membranes are prepared and applied to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Our multiscale membrane fuel cell demonstrates significant enhancement of performance while ensuring mechanical robustness. The performance enhancement is caused by the combined effect of the decrease of membrane resistance and the increase of the electrochemical active surface area., Multiplex lithography is a technique that can be used to fabricate complex soft materials. Here, the authors develop a method to prepare multilevel multiscale structures and demonstrate its application on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells which display decreased membrane resistance and increased electrochemical active surface area.

Three-dimensional, ordered macroporous materials such as inverse opal structures are attractive materials for various applications in electrochemical devices because of the benefits derived from their periodic structures: relatively large surface areas, large voidage, low tortuosity and interconnected macropores. However, a direct application of an inverse opal structure in membrane electrode assemblies has been considered impractical because of the limitations in fabrication routes including an unsuitable substrate. Here we report the demonstration of a single cell that maintains an inverse opal structure entirely within a membrane electrode assembly. Compared with the conventional catalyst slurry, an ink-based assembly, this modified assembly has a robust and integrated configuration of catalyst layers; therefore, the loss of catalyst particles can be minimized. Furthermore, the inverse-opal-structure electrode maintains an effective porosity, an enhanced performance, as well as an improved mass transfer and more effective water management, owing to its morphological advantages.

Heteroatom-doped porous carbon materials have attracted much attention because of their extensive application in energy conversion and storage devices. Because the performance of fuel cells and the rate capability of supercapacitors depend significantly on multiple factors, such as electrical conductivity and transport rate of ions and reactants, designing these carbon-based materials to optimize performance factors is vital. In order to address these issues, alveoli that possess a hollow cavity where oxygen exchange can occur are synthesized, inspired by N-doped carbon materials with a high surface area and low transport resistance. By incorporating a dopamine coating on zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), pore size is modified and electrical conducting pathways are constructed, resulting in changes to the reaction kinetics. These highly interconnected electron connection channels and proper pore sizes facilitate the diffusion of reactants and the conduction of electrons, leading to high activity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is comparable to Pt, and high rate performance in supercapacitors.

It is well-known that while the analogue of Liouville's theorem on diophan- tine approximation holds in finite characteristic, the analogue of Roth's theorem fails quite badly. We associate certain curves over function fields to given algebraic power series and show that bounds on the rank of Kodaira-Spencer map of this curves imply bounds on the diophantine approximation exponents of the power series, with more 'generic' curves (in the de- formation sense) giving lower exponents. If we transport Vojta's conjecture on height inequality to finite characteristic by modifying it by adding suitable deformation theoretic condition, then we see that the numbers giving rise to general curves approach Roth's bound. We also prove a hierarchy of exponent bounds for approximation by algebraic quantities of bounded degree. R ´ ESUM´ E.— APPROXIMATION DIOPHANTIENNE ET D´ EFORMATION. — Alors que l'analogue