Performance of Ion-gel Actuator Containing Ionic Liquids

1 Results Electroactive polymers (EAPs) driven by transducing electric energy into mechanical energy have been the subjects of recent interest[1].“Ionic liquids“,consisting entirely of cation and anion,have characteristic features such as negligible volatility,non-flammability,thermal and chemical stability,and high ionic conductivity.We proposed an EAP actuator utilizing ion-gels[2-3],which consist of ionic liquids and polymers,sandwiching with two carbon material sheets as shown in Fig.1.This electrol...     

中朝板块北缘志留纪海岛的发现

在内蒙古达尔罕茂明安联合旗北部巴特敖包地区发现了志留纪的海岸带及其底栖无脊椎动物化石（层孔虫、日射与床板珊瑚等）,证实当时该地发育一个位于中朝古板块北缘大陆棚上的小海岛,将其命名为巴特岛．该岛的基部由奥陶纪火成岩组成,长、短轴分别为６１０和２００ｍ,现今呈北东－南西向延伸．志留纪罗德洛世（距今约４２０Ｍａ）的地层围绕该岛分布,产状向四周倾状．巴特岛的南缘（背风）发育皮壳状生物,栖息在火成岩顶面并被     

Cardiovascular development: towards biomedical applicability

Advances in our understanding of cardiac development have fuelled research into cellular approaches to myocardial repair of the damaged heart. In this collection of reviews we present recent advances into the basic mechanisms of heart development and the resident and non-resident progenitor cell populations that are currently being investigated as potential mediators of cardiac repair. Together these reviews illustrate that despite our current knowledge about how the heart is constructed, caution and much more research in this exciting field is essential. The current momentum to evaluate the potential for cardiac repair will in turn accelerate research into fundamental aspects of myocardial biology.     

Drugs of the future: the hormone relaxin

The peptide hormone relaxin is emerging as a multi-functional factor in a broad range of target tissues including several non-reproductive organs, in addition to its historical role as a hormone of pregnancy. This review discusses the evidence that collectively demonstrates the many diverse and vital roles of relaxin: the homeostatic role of endogenous relaxin in mammalian pregnancy and ageing; its gender-related effects; the therapeutic effects of relaxin in the treatment of fibrosis, inflammation, cardioprotection, vasodilation and wound healing (angiogenesis) amongst other pathophysiological conditions, and its potential mechanism of action. Furthermore, translational issues using experimental models (to humans) and its use in various clinical trials, are described, each with important lessons for the design of future trials involving relaxin. The diverse physiological and pathological roles for relaxin have led to the search for its significance in humans and highlight its potential as a drug of the future. Received 12 December 2006; received after revision 12 February 2007; accepted 15 March 2007