This study reports on new electrolyte systems utilizing linear sulfones. The characteristics of linear sulfones have been evaluated with the primary focus on higher withstand voltage. Investigations have been made on eight different types of linear sulfones with relatively low molecular weights. They were subjected to screening with regard to the melting and boiling point, dielectric con-stant, viscosity and the solubility of electrolyte salts. The results of the investigations were that Ethyl isopropyl sulfone (EiPS) and Ethyl isobutyl sulfone (EiBS) emerged as solvents with great potential. The EiPS has a relatively low melting point (8C) and a high boiling point (265C), higher than that (242C) of propylene carbonate (PC). Also, it was possible to dissolve the electrolyte salt in EiPS at 1.5 mol l1 or higher. The EiPS system showed a high withstand voltage (3.3–3.7 V), exceeding that of PC (2.5–2.7 V). This high withstand voltage was found to have been caused by the high stability of EiPS at the interface between the activated carbon electrode and the electrolyte. By taking into consideration the degradation mechanisms of the EiPS system, we were able to clarify that one of the reasons for the high stability was the low reactivity between EiPS and H2O. VC 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3593001] All rights reserved. Manuscript submitted March 8, 2011; revised manuscript received April 28, 2011. Published June 3, 2011. To increase the market size of the following energy devices, it is essential that their performance and durability be improved: electro-lytic capacitors; electrochemical capacitors such as electric double

This study describes new electrolyte systems that utilize alkylated cyclic carbonates, with a primary focus on getting a higher withstand voltage for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). We attempted to increase the oxidative durability of carbonate solvents by protecting the 4th and/or 5th positions of the five-membered carbonate ring; protection was achieved by substituting those positions with small alkyl group(s). We investigates six different types of cyclic carbonates, viz., ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), butylene carbonate (BC), 2,3-butylene carbonate (2,3BC), isobutylene carbonate (iBC), and pentylene carbonate (PlC) have been investigated with regard to the electrochemical stability, as well as the melting point, boiling point, dielectric constant, viscosity, and the solubility of electrolyte salts. As a result, 2,3BC remained as the best potential candidate for an alternative solvent for EDLCs. 2,3BC has a high boiling point (243 • C) that is comparable to PC (242 • C) and dissolved spirobipyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (SBP-BF 4 ). A SBP-BF 4 /2,3BC system showed a stabilized capacitance within wider voltage windows ( V = 3.5 V) that far exceeded that of conventional PC based systems ( V = 2.7 V). This high withstand voltage is caused mainly by the outstanding oxidative durability of 2,3BC. To meet urgent demands from HEV, smart grid, and energy harvesting applications it is essential to increase the availability of the electrochemical energy storage devices by enhancing their energy and power performance as well as improving their cycle durability. New electrolyte systems that are more durable, or, specifically, have a wide operational voltage, are a common requirement for all devices, including electrolytic capacitors, electrochemical capacitors and EDLCs, lithium ion batteries (LIBs), hybrid devices, and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).EDLCs are capable of delivering a very fast power supply (high power density) with an almost unlimited cycle life, and also require zero maintenance. However, the market demand for EDLCs is currently limited as they have relatively low energy density (E), below 10 Wh L −1 . Major efforts have been devoted to increase the E value up to a target in the vicinity of 20-30 Wh L −1 . Here, electrolytes play an important role in improving the E. Practically, the voltage window of the electrolyte has to either be widened, or a higher withstand voltage V has to be achieved. For EDLCs, because the E is expressed as E = 1/2CV 2 , an increase in V can contribute significantly to an increase in E. The V depends mainly on the oxidative and reductive stability (in both thermodynamic and kinetic senses) of the solvents and so to increase V, stable solvents have been studied extensively. Most of such studies have focused on propylene carbonate (PC) (V = 2.5-2.7), 1 nitriles (V = 2.5-2.7), 1 ionic liquids (V = ca. 4.0), 2 and cyclic sulfones (V = ca. 3.3).3, 4

The gene pool of the Japanese Black cattle has been completely closed to foreign breeds during the last 100 years. Genetic diversity of the Japanese Black cattle from 1960 to 2000 was monitored with three estimates of effective number of ancestors. Founder genome equivalent (N ge ) accounts for all the causes of reduction of diversity. Effective number of founders (N ef ) and non-founders (N enf ) explain reduced diversity because of unequal genetic contributions of founders and random genetic drift in nonfounders, respectively. Further examination using gene dropping simulation was conducted to obtain information on survival of founder alleles. Unique founder alleles were dropped down along the actual pedigree with Monte Carlo procedure following Mendelian segregation rules, and generated genotypes of all the current live animals (612 959 heads). Pedigree records consisted of 2 075 188 animals was used for these analysis. The estimates of three effective numbers (N ef , N ge , and N enf ) decreased from 418.6 to 50.3, 86.6 to 7.3, and 109.2 to 8.5, respectively, during the period 1960-2000. The increasing differences between two kinds of genetic diversity indices derived from N ge and N ef showed that large part of the reduced diversity from 1980 was attributed to genetic drift caused by the intensive use of particular limited number of sires. In gene dropping analysis, probabilities of extinction of founder alleles were derived from their distributions of frequency in the current animals. Several founders showed low probabilities of allele extinction, irrespective of their relatively low genetic contributions. This suggests that these founders have lineages through which their alleles are surely transmitted to the current breed. The use of these founders as a strategy for recovering the genetic diversity was discussed.

Most cells active in the immune system express receptors for antibodies which mediate a variety of defensive mechanisms. These receptors interact with the Fc portion of the antibody and are therefore collectively called Fc receptors. Here, using high-speed atomic force microscopy, we observe interactions of human, humanized, and mouse/human-chimeric immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibodies and their cognate Fc receptor, FcγRIIIa. Our results demonstrate that not only Fc but also Fab positively contributes to the interaction with the receptor. Furthermore, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometric analysis reveals that the Fab portion of IgG1 is directly involved in its interaction with FcγRIIIa, in addition to the canonical Fc-mediated interaction. By targeting the previously unidentified receptor-interaction sites in IgG-Fab, our findings could inspire therapeutic antibody engineering.

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