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Novel dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells have been developed using a variety of oligothiophenecarboxylic acids. These cells showed relatively high photovoltaic performances (η = 0.41–1.29%), which are largely dependent on the chain lengths of the oligothiophenes and the number of the carboxylic groups.

The solidification structure of a hot-dip Zn-11%Al-3%Mg-0.2%Si coated steel sheet with a slight Ti addition was investigated by EBSD. In every center of the primary Al phase of the alloy-coating layer, TiAl 3 was observed by a scanning electron microscope, which suggests that TiAl 3 acts as a heterogeneous nucleation site of the primary Al phase. The latter was revealed to have perfect lattice coherency with the nucleus TiAl 3 phase. The crystal orientation relationships between TiAl 3 and the primary Al are ð001Þ TiAl3 == ð001Þ Al and ½100 TiAl3 == ½100 Al , ð100Þ TiAl3 == ð001Þ Al and ½001 TiAl3 == ½100 Al , ð102Þ TiAl3 == ð110Þ Al and ½ 2 201 TiAl3 == ½ 1 110 Al , ð110Þ TiAl3 == ð110Þ Al and ½ 1 110 TiAl3 == ½ 1 110 Al , indicating that the primary Al phase grows in an epitaxial manner from the nucleus TiAl 3 phase. The planar disregistry between the two phases was calculated to be less than 5%, owing to this good lattice coherency. The TiAl 3 phase is considered to decrease the degree of undercooling necessary for the nucleation of the primary Al phase.

The aim of this study was to delineate clinical features and prognosis of cancer of the gallbladder associated with anomalous junction of the pancreatobiliary duct system without bile duct dilatation, and to determine methods for managing the disease. A retrospective study of seven patients is presented. A further 27 cases from the Japanese literature were reviewed retrospectively with regard to method of treatment and prognosis. In 11 of 18 patients in whom staging was known the tumour was stage V, representing advanced disease. In seven of 34 cases curative operation was performed; only two patients survived for > 3 years. This poor outcome was due largely to delayed diagnosis of cancer of the gallbladder. Prophylactic cholecystectomy is recommended in patients with this anomalous junction without bile duct dilatation or a malignant lesion in the gallbladder, because of the high incidence of cancer of the biliary tract.

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